water pumps and jack shafts

[mad cyclist]

JUST THOUGHT I WOULD ASK

[stustag]

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Thanks Nick for asking this question as someone has to and hopefully the people at the top of the club will take the final count and use this information to look at the future of the club and it's activities.

I for one would prefer our money spent on producing parts to keep the cars running even if this means cut backs in certain areas.

I also think a letter should be sent to each member and ask them to vote on having a monthly,Bi monthly or even quarterly mag. And explain why and what would be done with the money eg new parts!

At the end of the day there is little point in having a car club where the cars don't run due to lack of parts!:shock:

Rant over!

Stuart

[StagnJag]

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Great idea Nick, but the 90% of the club who don't take advantage of the forum are going to need the monthly mag to keep in touch with the clubs activities, so the result of your pole may be a bit biased:shock:.

Dave

p.s. I voted for your suggestion!

[TimShoubridge]

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If money were diverted into providing quality parts, I for one would actually welcome a small increase in subscription. I'd also like to see the 2 tier approach to pricing for members & non members.

[mad cyclist]

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StagnJag wrote:

Great idea Nick, but the 90% of the club who don't take advantage of the forum are going to need the monthly mag to keep in touch with the clubs activities, so the result of your pole may be a bit biased:shock:.

Dave

p.s. I voted for your suggestion!

Totally agree Dave

but you have to start somewhere, as Tim says maybe a small increase in subs would be the answer, 5000 members x £5 would give a real boost.

If the club can get permission from its members to buy a van and loads of show kit then i am sure you can see it will spend if it is thought viable ,and value for money. if you lookat it in the cold light of day, one of the purposes of going to shows is to put a good image of the club and attract new members,I wonder how many people join because of theimage of the club at shows? More would buy into the STAG if important parts were available making the car an everyday proposition.

I know that at Bromley Pagent we would have had just a good a time,with a couple of B+Q gazeebos. I know some will say we have to keep upthe image of the club at shows, I am more interested in getting the cars to the shows!!

rgds All Nick

[Ian B]

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nick,

making the mag a bi monthly would not have that great a saving except on postage, the basic cost of the mag would stay the same, you would not start to see any benefit until the mag was reduced to quarterly; but this is never going to happen all the while the older brigade bang on about not being able to use a computer, i guess we will have to wait until they die off, which looking at some of the members will not be that long

option 3. do away with the bloody mag and put all the savings towards an online mag with the rest going to parts.

ian

[mad cyclist]

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Ian B wrote:

nick,

making the mag a bi monthly would not have that great a saving except on postage, the basic cost of the mag would stay the same, you would not start to see any benefit until the mag was reduced to quarterly; but this is never going to happen all the while the older brigade bang on about not being able to use a computer, i guess we will have to wait until they die off, which looking at some of the members will not be that long

option 3. do away with the bloody mag and put all the savings towards an online mag with the rest going to parts.

ian

surley bi-monthly has to save a 1/4 of the costs ie 12k anothe 12k on postage based on 40p post x5000 x 6 = 12k 25k to waterpumps and spline shafts in one year should do it??

as of one of your suggestions culling a part of the membership sounds a little harsh!

[Ian B]

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Nick

i was thinking more of natural lossthan a cull:shock:but now you mention itwould speed things up

[Sheepdip]

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Ineed a third optionas I like the mag AND I want to sort the pump problem.

I find the forum very good for quick answers,friendly banter and lateral thinkingbut its not something to read in the bath.

When a mate and I took over our area 8 odd years ago numbers were in single figures, I sent out an invitation to all area members to come to an N&N and give their views. Those that turned up all said the same thing "they wanted to see a monthly article from their area". So thats what I did, the area has flourished and its now moved to new hands in good shape.

Yes the internet has given more scope for different ideas, our area also uses an email list for up to the minute events as magazine can only be indicative but I feel the mag is part of the club and would hate to go back to photocopies or local printouts.

I think this should be aired in the magazine and maybe at the AGM to see what people want and will pay for.

[StagnJag]

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Sheepdip wrote:

Ineed a third optionas I like the mag AND I want to sort the pump problem

...

How about if the club asked for a donation towards toe SOCTFL funds at renewal time. Perhaps a suggested amount that you could opt out of, or add to. If every member added a few quid to SOCTFL's funds they would have a substantial boost in income.

Just a thought

Dave

[KOY 23]

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I think we have to be careful what we say, especially about more senior members! The forum is funded and run by the SOC. There are 500 forum members out of a SOC membership of 5000. Of the 500 forum members there are no more than 50 who reqularly contribute. Radical policy changes such as the future of the magazine are being suggested by an absolute maximum of 1% of the SOC membership, that is if all regular forum posters agree. In fact the %age is far less than this!

The magazine and forum should co-exist, in mutual harmony, each has its own pros and cons.

I agree that the water pump/jackshaft is an important one but to siphon off magazine funds without general committee approval to support this, is not, IMHO, acceptable. What other items need funding??? I am sure SOCTFL has a list of priorities : costs, that could be addressed.

If it comes to a vote, I am sure that most of the 5000 members would prefer a monthly magazine, than money going to solve a problem that they are probably unaware of.

The seperate funding for SOCTFL is an interesting thought, which could be rewarded by a % discount depending on amount of money invested.

Just my 2p worth.

John.

[mad cyclist]

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KOY 23 wrote:

I think we have to be careful what we say, especially about more senior members! The forum is funded and run by the SOC. There are 500 forum members out of a SOC membership of 5000. Of the 500 forum members there are no more than 50 who reqularly contribute. Radical policy changes such as the future of the magazine are being suggested by an absolute maximum of 1% of the SOC membership, that is if all regular forum posters agree. In fact the %age is far less than this!

The magazine and forum should co-exist, in mutual harmony, each has its own pros and cons.

I agree that the water pump/jackshaft is an important one but to siphon off magazine funds without general committee approval to support this, is not, IMHO, acceptable. What other items need funding??? I am sure SOCTFL has a list of priorities : costs, that could be addressed.

If it comes to a vote, I am sure that most of the 5000 members would prefer a monthly magazine, than money going to solve a problem that they are probably unaware of.

The seperate funding for SOCTFL is an interesting thought, which could be rewarded by a % discount depending on amount of money invested.

Just my 2p worth.

John.

Hi John

i use the jackshaft as an for example and i have agrred in other threads about how many people the forum actually represents.

thats why i am suggesting things to make people within the club realise that we have to address certain subjects and look for soloutions to certain parts from within the club, we have all been party to poor quality items that our suppliers think we dont want to pay proper money for.

I dont want a nice pile of monthly mags and not the parts, surely helpingthe upkeep of the cars will in turn generate more members and we could look at the mag when we are up to 6000 again. I am not trying to start a civil war or upset anyone, i just think the money could be put to better use.

rgds nick

[NickA]

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KOY 23 wrote:

I am sure SOCTFL has a list of priorities : costs, that could be addressed.

I'm sure they do. It would be quite nice if that list of priorties could be published, both in the magazine and forum. (or have I missed that missive? )

I'd vote for Quarter light rubbers, Good ones seem tobe like rocking horse what not.

[NickA]

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KOY 23 wrote:

I think we have to be careful what we say, especially about more senior members! The forum is funded and run by the SOC. There are 500 forum members out of a SOC membership of 5000. Of the 500 forum members there are no more than 50 who reqularly contribute. Radical policy changes such as the future of the magazine are being suggested by an absolute maximum of 1% of the SOC membership, that is if all regular forum posters agree. In fact the %age is far less than this!

Just had a bit ofthink on this, yes it's a small % sampled, but it's a very big percentage suggesting a change. I don't think anyone is suggesting a decision is railroaded through without the general SOC membership having a say, but just how would such a change be requested?At the AGM?

[Bob Heritage]

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Yes Nick the A.G.M. is the place for any discussion regarding change, but the Mag has been discussed several times before and it was unanimously voted that the Mag is the main point of contact between members. Some of the members only receive the mag as a total input for their fees without participating in any activities and they all pay the same. Without the mag it would be a total nightmare to co-ordinate an area and try to organise anything.
As far as tooling is concerned we are fortunate that our club partakes in keeping our cars on the road with panels and parts etc. we are envied for it, but a grey area in my mind is that we give interest free loans away to companies to make profits on and rarely see our money back with companies going bust etc. I think that there should be a tiered system where members get preferential rates to non members.
See you all at the A.G.M then, we will have our own table.

Bob