Michigan FBody and the Future

[DynoDave]

I would agree with simplification. Lots of sub-sub forums that just don't get used much, if at all in the years I've been here.

[meissen]

I think that's a great idea to get rid of the numerous forums and concentrate on just the necessities. I'll take a look at going through the site and really rethinking things over 4th of July shutdown.

[MP81]

Obviously don't delete anything, but yes - some consolidation may make it cleaner and easier to deal with.

[DynoDave]

Yep a single Archive forum, where old stuff can be moved. Still searchable, no data lost, threads can still be brought back if folks are so inclined. But sort of "out of the way" for daily browsing.

[Lucky SOB]

Don't let it die!

I still visit every day, but have a hard time reading the site on my iPhone since the last update. The formatting is all wonky and makes it difficult to read and navigate, yet alone post. Tapatalk feels clunky to me personally so I don't use it.

I really hope there is a solid future for the site. Like everyone else has said, I've met some of my best friends through this site.

[meissen]

Obviously don't delete anything, but yes - some consolidation may make it cleaner and easier to deal with.

Oh yeah - no doubt. If you see the archive section at the bottom of the home page, I don't delete any forums lol

[MP81]

You may not even need to archive it, per se, just consolidate the forums. Or even leave the current structure - but bring it all under one main category to clean up the main forum homepage, if that makes sense.

For instance:

FBody Discussion currently has: Power adders, driveline, tuning forum, intake/exhaust, ignition/electrcal, engine swaps, wheels/tires/suspension, appearance, audio video, general tech, make it shine, project forum, tutorials.

Perhaps it could be something like this:

Fbody Discussion:

Engine Mechanical: Power adders, intake/exhaust, engine swaps, tuning
Engine/Body Electrical: ignition/electrical
Drivetrain: Driveline, Wheels/Tires/Suspension
Interior/Exterior: Appearance, Audio Video, Make it Shine
General Tech
Projects (may be worth splitting this forum up into Fbody and non-Fbody projects?)
Tutorials

[ktl711]

Or just enhance the search function...

[formula218]

I for one really liked the update. The only thing i dislike about the forum is the Shoutbox and "Top stats cluttering the forum page, but i just keep them minimized, not really a huge issue IMO. I usualy check the site at least a couple times a day while i'm at work. And it's usually my first place to ask questions unless they're LT1 related.

I really wish that the M&G wasn't the same weekend as Gridlife or else i'd always make it, that has kept me away all but 1 year i've been a member. I love hanging out with other F-body guys but racing always beats car shows for me.

[MP81]

Did Gridlife change their date this year as well? The M&G was moved back a week to not coincide with the Detroit GP.

[formula218]

I'm not sure. I don't know how they choose a date (like 'third weekend of ____, ect), i just know last year was the only year i was able to do both because they were a week apart. Obviously i know there are probably not a ton of other members who go to Gridlife but June is a busy month.

[MP81]

Yeah, I'd guess it's probably the second weekend after memorial day or something, like how the M&G used to be the first weekend after memorial day, but DGP stole that.

[DynoDave]

Conflicts. Yes, this was the same weekend as the POCI Widetracker's Spring Dust-Off car show in Davison. Also, the Chrysler Employee Motorsports Association (CEMA) show at the Chrysler Tech Center. Always tough choices.

Engine Mechanical: Power adders, intake/exhaust, engine swaps, tuning
Engine/Body Electrical: ignition/electrical
Drivetrain: Driveline, Wheels/Tires/Suspension
Interior/Exterior: Appearance, Audio Video, Make it Shine
General Tech
Projects (may be worth splitting this forum up into Fbody and non-Fbody projects?)
Tutorials

See, my problem is I'm OCD-like. I have to have all of the forums, sub-forums, sub-sub forums marked READ before I can leave. I'd hate to miss something! So I go into every single one if it's showing an unread thread. So for ME (and I'm not the majority), I'd like to just have an Engine Mechanical section, defined as containing Power adders, Intake/Exhaust, Engine Swaps, Tuning. I would prefer not to have all of those as sub-forums under Engine Mechanical when I go in there. Does that make sense? Not sure I'm describing it right, and that may be what you meant.

End of the day, it's Brian's call, and it sounds like he's open to the idea of reducing some of the unread forums. So good on him for remaining flexible to changing the site. It's not a dream way of spending some of your July shut-down time.

[ktl711]

Wow, I have never, ever heard of this Gridlife thing before. I thought "Gridlife" was the part of your commute every weekday morning on westbound 696 at I-75...

I always thought that one of the beauties of the M&G was that it was one of the first shows of the season, and a great way to show off all those winter projects, as well as great incentive to get those winter projects finished! Now, it's getting buried under a ton of other shows. I'd much rather see it be held the week before Memorial Day rather than the second weekend after Memorial Day. That would also keep it further away from Camaro Superfest, so that people who travel from out of town don't feel like they have to choose one or the other.

Back to the topic -- lots of very supportive and constructive suggestions here! I hope you guys get a chance to implement your ideas, as it could just be the refreshing kick in the a$$ that the site needs in order to bring people back and get them active again. That, and maybe naming an official "Woodward coordinator" to get the notices out about MiFBody gatherings. People do have plenty of alternatives to interacting online, but MiFBody was really the only multi-generational Camaro & Firebird (and occasional errant M*stang) group where all Gens of F-Bodies were welcome. It's the M&G and the experiences on Woodward that make MiFBody really unique.

[formula218]

Wow, I have never, ever heard of this Gridlife thing before. I thought "Gridlife" was the part of your commute every weekday morning on westbound 696 at I-75...

It's one of those things the kids are doing these days, they make their cars drive all nimbly bimbly like on a curvy race track. I think this group is a little older than their target demographic, and most of us F-body folk stick to 1/4 mile or shows. I wasn't saying that event in particular as it's quite different than a M&G (HPDE, time attack, drifting including 5-6 pro drivers giving ride alongs, car show, live music, vendors, food, etc), though with it pulling 3500+ people from Thursday night until Sunday afternoon, I might not be the only one. I was more saying that that time of year is busy, and maybe moving the M&G to an earlier date could draw in more people.