Should We Expand Our Scope?

[Gary Lewis]

Folks - It has been suggested that we expand our scope to include some of the other Ford trucks, like bumps, dents, bricks, etc. I think the idea is that some of you don't have a Bullnose but still participate, and some have a Bullnose as well as other trucks.

I have friends that some of you know that could benefit from this. Some of you know Scott, the welder guy, who has a '78 and doesn't seem to want to join other forums. He and I have a mutual friend, Ben, who is going to build my bumper, and he called this morning wanting to get started on his own '78. John, my paint/body friend that some of you met, is working on a '72 and really doesn't want to be part of other forums from what I can tell. Steven, that some of you've met here, has a '93. Jim and Brandon both have later trucks. And now we have Dustin, a new member with a '77.

To do that we would need to think through how best to do it. I don't know much about the other eras, so wouldn't be all that much help. And our documentation is specifically for the Bullnose era, although I do have the master parts catalogs for the earlier trucks.

Also, we have friends in Fordification, the bump/dent guys, including the two guys that came to the show with the nice 70's trucks. They have a wealth of documentation and a nice community, so we don't need to go into competition with them.

One approach would be to have sub-forums for the other genres. But if they take off I'm going to need help in policing them as well as helping the folks.

What do y'all think?

 

[PetesPonies]

I think if you lumped them all into a section, that would be fine. I wouldn't try and be open to all of them, individually. I own a small Ranger, first year, . . a '69 F100 with a 428/4 speed and a '71 that only has 55K original miles. So many of us have other trucks as well.

[Ford F834]

Gary, I think including older and newer eras would help, not hurt, the group. If there is some interest, I’d say do what we need to do to bring these folks in, even if it is simply a semantic adjustment.

The 80-86 body style year break is fairly arbitrary. The diesel forums go 83-94, the straight six forums cover slick body, bumpsides, dentsides, Bullnose, Bricknose and OBS. Yes, these are engine discussion groups but members discuss other aspects of their trucks all the time, and in my opinion the diversity enriches the conversations and increases the learning.

My ‘86 crew cab will have a ‘94 engine and newer era driveline and many other components. Big Blue will be EFI’d and run a ZF. We have threads going on upgrading to serpentine accessories and better HVAC from newer trucks. We have discussions going on engines, transmissions, axles etc., that apply equally well to older trucks. We already ~are discussing other era Fords on a regular basis...

I get what you are saying that the website documentation is not there for the older and newer models, but I think that’s okay. I actually cannot think of any other forum out there that has an expansive website on tap to draw information from. It is certainly nice to have, but not a prerequisite for people to come and discuss their truck.

One thing I wonder about, is, does it make sense to segregate the other eras into their own sub forums? With just a couple few members in each to start out with, those sub forums might be pretty lonely and overlooked. However, if not separated... if the forum explodes and the traffic becomes too much it will be impossible to “put the toothpaste back in the tube” and archive the discussions into more manageable units. I don’t have an answer, just thinking out loud.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, I think including older and newer eras would help, not hurt, the group. If there is some interest, I’d say do what we need to do to bring these folks in, even if it is simply a semantic adjustment.

The 80-86 body style year break is fairly arbitrary. The diesel forums go 83-94, the straight six forums cover slick body, bumpsides, dentsides, Bullnose, Bricknose and OBS. Yes, these are engine discussion groups but members discuss other aspects of their trucks all the time, and in my opinion the diversity enriches the conversations and increases the learning.

My ‘86 crew cab will have a ‘94 engine and newer era driveline and many other components. Big Blue will be EFI’d and run a ZF. We have threads going on upgrading to serpentine accessories and better HVAC from newer trucks. We have discussions going on engines, transmissions, axles etc., that apply equally well to older trucks. We already ~are discussing other era Fords on a regular basis...

I get what you are saying that the website documentation is not there for the older and newer models, but I think that’s okay. I actually cannot think of any other forum out there that has an expansive website on tap to draw information from. It is certainly nice to have, but not a prerequisite for people to come and discuss their truck.

One thing I wonder about, is, does it make sense to segregate the other eras into their own sub forums? With just a couple few members in each to start out with, those sub forums might be pretty lonely and overlooked. However, if not separated... if the forum explodes and the traffic becomes too much it will be impossible to “put the toothpaste back in the tube” and archive the discussions into more manageable units. I don’t have an answer, just thinking out loud.

Ok guys, good thoughts.

We don't really have much control over it as we won't turn people away that want to join. But it is a question of whether we encourage it and how we handle it, meaning where we put them, so to speak.

I agree with Jonathan that segregating things into various genres will hurt the ones that have very few people participating in that discussion. So, for now let's keep everything in the main section and we can start new sections as and when we think they are warranted.

And, I can move discussions from section to section if we want. I can move whole threads, posts and responses thereunto, or just individual posts. So if we've had a really good thread on some specific engine issue, or a particular era of truck, I can move whatever we want to a new home if we create one.

Thanks, but that then begs the question of what we call things. The site is Gary's Garagemahal and forum is the Bullnose Enthusiast's Forum, and that moniker covers all discussions in the forum. It might be possible, and I'll think about it to see, to do it this way - when/if the time comes:

Gary's Garagemahal

Bumpside (1967-72)

Dentside (1973-79)

Bullnose Enthusiast's Forum

etc

Thoughts?

[Pebcak]

I think it would be awesome!

 

 

 

 

 

On Fri, Nov 9, 2018, 21:51 Gary Lewis [via Bullnose Enthusiasts] <redacted_email_address wrote:

 

 

 

[Steve83]

Ok guys, good thoughts.

We don't really have much control over it as we won't turn people away that want to join. But it is a question of whether we encourage it and how we handle it, meaning where we put them, so to speak.

I agree with Jonathan that segregating things into various genres will hurt the ones that have very few people participating in that discussion. So, for now let's keep everything in the main section and we can start new sections as and when we think they are warranted.

And, I can move discussions from section to section if we want. I can move whole threads, posts and responses thereunto, or just individual posts. So if we've had a really good thread on some specific engine issue, or a particular era of truck, I can move whatever we want to a new home if we create one.

Thanks, but that then begs the question of what we call things. The site is Gary's Garagemahal and forum is the Bullnose Enthusiast's Forum, and that moniker covers all discussions in the forum. It might be possible, and I'll think about it to see, to do it this way - when/if the time comes:

Gary's Garagemahal

Bumpside (1967-72)

Dentside (1973-79)

Bullnose Enthusiast's Forum

etc

Thoughts?

I certainly think any discussion that somehow relates to something that can be done to a bullnose should be allowed here (even swapping in earlier/later/GM/Ferrari parts). But I think that watering down the forum by encouraging a wider scope will increase your work load, and decrease the REMARKABLE focus you've achieved so far on bullnose-specific topics.

My suggestion is: instead of creating actual subforums here for those other topics/ranges/vehicles/eras, just create fake headings for them (as if there was a subforum here) but hyperlink them to the other existing forums that already focus on those topics. For example: you could add a heading that says "4-door Broncos and Professionally-Customized Trucks", but instead of that link taking the user to a new forum here, it would actually take them to http://www.fourdoorbronco.com/board/index.php (which may be down right now, but you get the point). That would be VERY little effort for you now or ever, and it would help direct people to the largest community of similar owners/enthusiasts available. There can be several links for some of the more-popular topics (like F150s in general), and with some negotiating, you could get some symbiotic relationships going with those sites to direct their antique-owners here.

[grumpin]

I certainly think any discussion that somehow relates to something that can be done to a bullnose should be allowed here (even swapping in earlier/later/GM/Ferrari parts). But I think that watering down the forum by encouraging a wider scope will increase your work load, and decrease the REMARKABLE focus you've achieved so far on bullnose-specific topics.

My suggestion is: instead of creating actual subforums here for those other topics/ranges/vehicles/eras, just create fake headings for them (as if there was a subforum here) but hyperlink them to the other existing forums that already focus on those topics. For example: you could add a heading that says "4-door Broncos and Professionally-Customized Trucks", but instead of that link taking the user to a new forum here, it would actually take them to http://www.fourdoorbronco.com/board/index.php (which may be down right now, but you get the point). That would be VERY little effort for you now or ever, and it would help direct people to the largest community of similar owners/enthusiasts available. There can be several links for some of the more-popular topics (like F150s in general), and with some negotiating, you could get some symbiotic relationships going with those sites to direct their antique-owners here.

If I want to find something about bullnoses, I come here. If I want to find something about my Bronco I go to FTE in the Bronco section. Same with the Suburban, I go to Automotive Forums, or try to find a smaller one.

To me this is very specialized, you are always adding or improving this forum. That's a big workload.

Would I come here if I sold my F250? Probably, because the way this forum is, is hard to find.

Should anybody join, sure.

Special sections for non bullnose, I don't think so.

I would love to get a 70's 4WD pickup, I would use Fordification, and have while I have researched trucks while looking before I bought the bullnose.

As I said before, I found the Garagemahal researching the VIN on my truck.

And, as I said before, it is your website, do as you see fit.

I hope this comes across OK, only my opinion.

[BuggTruck]

How about a single subforum for all non bullnose for now. That way it allows a space to discuss other models, its a single space so we can all jump over and check in, and should it become too busy it can have sub forums of itself.

You would just include the message that "While this forum is focused on and built around 80-86 ford bullnose, there are many similarities and compatabilities for earlier and later models. While there may be busier forums or forums more focused on YOUR model of ford out there we are more than happy to host you here."

[PetesPonies]

How about a single subforum for all non bullnose for now. That way it allows a space to discuss other models, its a single space so we can all jump over and check in, and should it become too busy it can have sub forums of itself.

You would just include the message that "While this forum is focused on and built around 80-86 ford bullnose, there are many similarities and compatabilities for earlier and later models. While there may be busier forums or forums more focused on YOUR model of ford out there we are more than happy to host you here."

This is what I suggested. I said lump them all together in one section,. No reason to have them in with Bullnose stuff. Group them together. if it ever gets large enough that separate sections are needed, well deal with that then. But keep them all together now, but away from the Buullnose stuff.

[ScubaSteve]

I hesitate to comment as I’m new and don’t feel I have earned the right to comment on these types of subjects. But I would like to say that I was looking for a place like this one for a long time. It seems like all the other Ford/F150 forums cater to all the late model trucks and are useless for anything older. It would be cool to have a place to discuss other projects that I’m sure we all have working. I also feel that if you opened it up to other trucks it would be nice to at least limit it to “twin I beam” trucks.