As I was reading through this thread, this ^ is exactly what I was thinking. I do have a FB account, although I rarely use it. This site is my “social media”. However, if there were a related FB page, I would be sure to post up there.
OR, maybe better yet, add a button here in the forum that would allow your thread post to also be posted on FB? Why not? Seems that practically every news site allows you to read an article and “like” it on your FB page.
I’ve also wondered about getting an “official” Facebook presence for the Eliminator Registry (and / or any of the other Cougar Registries ~ GTE, XR-7 G, CJ’s, etc)
Well, IMO, for it to be “Officially Official” I would think the appropriate Registrar (and / or someone high up in the CCOA?) should be involved somehow. Whether it is to actually set up the FB page, or to just say “Yes, you can make the page and call it official, and link to all our applicable webpages. Hear-ye, hear-ye, you are officially official!”
Well Mike I know very little about how facebook works. Perhaps we have enough “space” on the existing CCOA facebook page to add things about the different registries. Or perhaps there already is content about the registries on the CCOA page. I will need to check with Gavin as he takes care of the page.
Well, it does not help on recruiting new members to the forums, communities or to the hobby that we talk down on other peoples cars, like the man that posted a pic of his cougar on one of the groups on facebook and almost instantly gets 7 demotional comments on the wheels.
We may not like that kind of wheels or style, but we should try to be a bit more openminded, so also people with that kind of interests and likings can feel welcome and included with us too.
And who knows, maybe after getting included and spending time in our community, learning about the cars, they might change their direction about how they modify their cars.
Remember, there have always been the the arguing and pulling between the purists and the modifying groups, and there will always be with this type of modifyers too, but there is no need to groupattack and the “shouting”, that wil not get them to join up on the forums or try to fit in our community, it will only drive them away, and maybe getting too much demotional feedback if it is a project they are working on, they may abandon it, destroy it, scrap it or so, instead of saving it, building it up, as many of the mods is easy to undo again on a later time, if so is wanted.
Everytime someone does mods on the cars, or any changes, they get comments on how it hurts the value of the car, the resalevalue drops big time.
But not everyone is conserned about that, there are those that do not start on building the cars, or modding them with a sale in mind, they do it because they want it in that way.
And with time the interests changes, and they changes the mods they have done earlier to mods they like now.
“Part of the Cougar mystique is that it isn’t mainstream. Generalizing here, but it seems to me that Cougar owners tend to go against the flow and relish their individuality. If we wanted to be like everyone else, we’d be driving a Mustang or Camaro. In other words, I don’t think there can be a one-size-fits-all group. Some like the threaded message board format found here and mc.net, others the listserv format of Yahoo, others the printed newsletter of the CCOA, others … the Curb, Cougar garage, personal websites, ham radio, local clubs with in-person meetings, Facebook (Gavin will chastise me if I don’t insert a plug for the CCOA on Facebook here)…”
Rob,
Thank you for giving a call out to the CCOA Facebook page, over 600 Facebook users visit or follow our page.
One of the things I look forward to each quarter is the CCOA newsletter. I am a little amazed that more members do not use it to share stories and photos. There are many people who offer parts or services that certainly could provide a page or two to you and added additional value to the community while promoting what they have to offer.
I agree there are lots of places for the Cougar community to view and share information. The Classic Community and CCOA fill voids that Facebook can not meet. Our page is great for quick questions comments or to share photos. We also have events and event photos for users to see. I scan the Facebook page daily as many people do, but I also visit this forum, Cougar Swap Meet and the CCOA web page frequently.
Bill,
It is a great question how do we get less splintered and more unified. I think the Cougar forum, The National Club, local clubs as well as Cougar Events (Local, Regional, and National) help to keep the positive energy and support for the Cougar Enthusiast. We are all working to help each other and support the needs of the community.
It is hard to say how to keep everyone from being fragmented but in the end isn’t it more important to keep everyone engaged regardless of which vehicle they are using.
Personally I value the connections and friendships that have forged over the years.
i created a facebook site for my 68 cougar restoration. i reached at this point over 7500 people all around the world. first i was very impressed about this, but with facebook you become 95% likes from people they just find this car “cool” and they donthave deep knowings about a cougar…
i think a forum is the best way to communicate with enthusiasts…
348 current users (I only know 80 of them +-) this is a page that my local club uses to communicate, we post calendar events that users can join and then the events create calendar events on their smart phones. We also post photos of the events or meetings for club members or Facebook users to see, so they can get a feel for who showed up and which cars were on display.
**Many of the Regional Clubs have Facebook pages to keep club members in the loop for local events and club sponsored activities. It reaches many club members as well as local non-members who may want to join in events.
**All club members are made admins so that the page remains property of the club even as the Officers and Volunteers are changed.
I feel that the registry information should remain on the CCOA website and the Classic Cougar Community forum the data is far too important to have it diluted even further throughout the Worldwide Web. I like Mikes idea about posting information and Bill’s idea about posting links to Facebook to bring users back to the Forum and CCOA websites. Any of the CCOA BOD or CCOA Volunteers can be made admins for the CCOA Facebook page (many of us already are). By having club officers and volunteers as admins it is a way to ensure no one person owns the page and it remains part of the CCOA even when Officers and Volunteers are changed out.
I personally will offer my services to post links of relevant Cougar related data on the CCOA Facebook page directing users who choose to follow the links to the Classic Cougar Community or the CCOA website. Mike, this will include your links and photos to Cougars on the market if you want to share them as well.
We have such a diverse community, some of the users of the various media may not know enough as to where to look and that is why they have not found the forum. Some of the obstacles may be generational.
Whatever the reasons for the splinters community I am willing to help bridge the gaps as everyone sees fit.
