The Purpose of this forum, Let's have your input Options

[Pat Garvey]

I am the Moderator of this forum. As such, it is my purpose to maintain the continuity of its purpose and to make certain that the readership gets what they want.

When this forum was started, its proposed funtion was to ".... promote and provide information available for preservation and/or restoration to original spec 914's (both). 914 discussion here is NOT intended to be solely for the CW (I REALLY hate that designation!)".

I am NOT the master of this forum. I am the Moderator - that means that I see to it that the original purpose of the form is maintained, or else modified at the requests of the majority.

Several days ago, I put a halt to a certain thread concerning a very nicely prepared, though (in his term) unoriginal 914. You cannot imagine the heat I've taken from this! Regardless, I promised that I would take the issue to the readers of this forum. Remember, I am the MODERATOR - not a sanctimonious dictator.

I killed the thread & it was placed on the garage forum.

I also said I would take the issue/debate to the readership of this Forum. Not because I feared for my job as moderator (please take this away!). But because I may have offended. Offended who? Apparently several.

I don't want anyone alienated from this forum. So, I'll try to sort out the facts here & let the readership have input.

The 914 in question, by the owner's own words, is "unoriginal". Yet, it fits the specs for a PCA Parade Performance class judging. It IS highgly unoriginal, yet extremely "clean". And, it can compete in a Parade.

The issue here is not the car in question, but any other similar cars. Are we being to non-inclusive? Am I?

So, I'd like to "moderate" your responses. I won't interject my feelings, because I moderate.

Opine please!

[Johny Blackstain]

I do have an opinion on this subject, have discussed it w/ others & come to the conclusion that what I want is impractical & a lot of work for the moderators & administrators of "our world".

I've been around the 914 since I was 11. I just showed up here about 7 months ago. I really have no senority so don't think my opinion is worth squat but here goes. I think the world is fantastic for a teener junkie like me but it would seem logical to me to break up this forum into 2 separate forums.

The first division would be for concours- as in proceedures, events, awards, congrats, postings of pics of prize winning Teeners regardless of Preservation, Restoration, Modified, etc... Originality & History would not matter, awards & competition would.

Now here's the really hard part- the second division, O&H, should be an electronic version of Das Grosse VW/Porsche Buch. You do not show your car off in O&H, you look up historical 914 info & ask technical questions regarding original repairs, restorations & such. O&H should be a library of factory info on the 914, the 914-6 & the 916.

These cars are why we're here & some of us, like me, have the total luxury of being lucky enough to participate in more than one area. I have no intention of restoring my six back to original specs, I intend to convert it into a modernized 916. I will never touch the LE & hopefully when I die she's either going to belong to my unborn child or wind up in a museum. Either way I need factory info on my toys & I'd like O&H to be just that- a factory library.

The issue w/ the other posting that got shut down & then bumped over to the garage would have been completely avoided if O&H was a library that had nothing to do w/ concours. Had there been a separate concours forum then it would have been posted over there, where it would belong because it was a prize winning Teener. O&H should be just that- originality & history & have nothing to do w/ competition of any kind (concours or A/X).

I'm a spoiled 44yr old brat, always want the best, always want the best for my friends as well. Unfortunately you can't have your cake & eat it too. As the moderator Pat, I would suggest that the next time something inappropriate is posted in O&H don't shut it down, bump it over to the garage where it belongs & be done w/ it. My .02.