Forum Slowdown

roKWiz wrote:

As others have stated, the cost of fixing up old shit has become not a viable hobby.it once was so there's less to talk about in these times.


I wonder if it is because as the hobby became more popular people saw a chance to make a dollar 

Paul
 

Paul

I have yet to meet anyone who has restored an old vehicle and genuinely made a dollar.

Nobody counts their time, fuel, running around and numerous other expenses. If you really got down to it a commercial operational costing would include capital expenditure and repairs to tools, equipment, workshop consumables and even the construction of your shed. We write all this stuff off against home necessities and "hobby".

Sure, the barn -finders might make a dollar on recovered vehicles but even the high asking price for sad relics is a minor expense when compared to the final restored bill.

Has been ever thus and I don't think it is a new factor.

 I have been mixing in the vintage motorcycle loop for about 20 years about the time my Kawasaki Z900 came up for vintage Rego and my ford Capri the wife and I brough when we first meet in the early 70's and the one thing I have learned is that as a general rule the thing we desired in our twenty's and could not afford is what we collect and restore in out 60's, I have been watching the passing for most of my life with Dad's generation and now mine,

As we move though history the ways we react with those around us changes with the times, those coming into the collector loop now don't connect the way we do, as we don't connect the way those before us did.

We can't change so just sit back and enjoy what we have, well that's my take on it anyhow.

Like others, I post on another forum, in this case in the UK, which used to be really dynamic but has really slowed down. People are active in their hobby but not posting like they used to.
Google seems less useful than it used to be as it doesn't dig very deep.
Cost of living issue is something the media and politicians have created ... insert your own conspiracy theory. Now that I don't have a mortgage interest rates are half what I have dealt with in my lifetime. Even remember running out of petrol on way to work because of poor cashflow skills.
The big crunch for me has been the folding of print publications Old Machinery Magazine and it's sister VTC on the basis that people would subscribe to an on line version. A bit of research reveals that subscribers forget to look, can't get engrossed with a screen etc etc. They have put themselves in a death spiral because when subscriptions are up for renewal people won't see the value. More than that, some of their greatest contributors have declined to be involved with an online only publication. If you want to read Tony Petch histories you buy a UK magazine cheaper than the last VTC. Now that the mags are no longer at the newsagent it will get harder to recruit new chums to the hobby.
Yes, things are changing but with a touch of optimism we will find a way through

So the VTC magazine is online only now ??

I thought that was a option to choose ?

Please tell me Im right in this

Paul

Mrsmackpaul wrote:

So the VTC magazine is online only now ??

I thought that was a option to choose ?

Please tell me Im right in this

Paul

I am still getting my vintage bike, vintage truck and old machinery magazine in print, when it don't come in print that's it, they are finished.

mammoth wrote:

Like others, I post on another forum, in this case in the UK, which used to be really dynamic but has really slowed down. People are active in their hobby but not posting like they used to.
Google seems less useful than it used to be as it doesn't dig very deep.
Cost of living issue is something the media and politicians have created ... insert your own conspiracy theory. Now that I don't have a mortgage interest rates are half what I have dealt with in my lifetime. Even remember running out of petrol on way to work because of poor cashflow skills.
The big crunch for me has been the folding of print publications Old Machinery Magazine and it's sister VTC on the basis that people would subscribe to an on line version. A bit of research reveals that subscribers forget to look, can't get engrossed with a screen etc etc. They have put themselves in a death spiral because when subscriptions are up for renewal people won't see the value. More than that, some of their greatest contributors have declined to be involved with an online only publication. If you want to read Tony Petch histories you buy a UK magazine cheaper than the last VTC. Now that the mags are no longer at the newsagent it will get harder to recruit new chums to the hobby.
Yes, things are changing but with a touch of optimism we will find a way through

Interesting on the magazine's.

I've often pondered in the newsagent, thinking shall I buy the small  Aussie one @ almost $15 or buy the fat with content UK Commercials @ $10.
Our dollar is always crap compared with the pound but these seem good value despite the obvious.
FYI I have bought every issue of VTC but will not subscribe to online content.

The other mag I'm a regular buyer of is Practical Boatman, compared to some of the expensive tiny Oz ones.

Mrsmack,  I reckon most US YTubers think they'll make millions on their content, then realise the reality of buying parts for several trucks, the more successful ones like 'Twin Stick Garage" treats it like a hobby and has several companies who he's being sponsored by.
On the other hand you have guys like "James Pretty" filling up his yard with anything, he thinks people will want to watch.

"Bus Grease Monkey" is one I regularly like to watch. He seems to be making a good living out of mechanically fixing Detroit powered bus conversions. (lifestyle sense not really from a money point of view)

Last VTC I have seen was issue #83
last TOMM I have seen was #233
if there have been later editions would like to know how to get them.

Last vintage truck 83

Last old machinery 234

Well page 4 of issue 83 says they are still printing the magazine

 

I'll be seriously cheesed if they just stopped printing as I have had a subscription from the very first magazine

I do really enjoy the magazine in my hand so much more than reading online

Paul