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#1 diego

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Posted 19 August 2003 - 22:52

Anyone know of any good automotive-themed blogs?

I'm interested in how the blog phenomenon could be used to further the preservation of historic automobiles, particularly rare or singular types.

We've probably all seen an account of a restoration in a book or magazine; imagine the depth of detail and breadth of content that could be captured by a restorer/blogger if they took just 10 minutes a day to snap a few digital shots and type a few lines of prose.

Thoughts?

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#2 BRG

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Posted 20 August 2003 - 09:31

This being a slightly Luddite community at times, you might just need to expand a little on blogs.

I had never heard of web-logs (blogs) before, until I read about them earlier this week in a magazine*. From what I gather, they might indeed be a useful tool for some of TNF's historical projects. Can you give us some links to sample blogs so people can see what they are about?


Edit : *It was in the Economist - see http://www.economist...tory_id=1994135

#3 diego

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Posted 20 August 2003 - 16:23

Originally posted by BRG
This being a slightly Luddite community at times, you might just need to expand a little on blogs.

I had never heard of web-logs (blogs) before, until I read about them earlier this week in a magazine*. From what I gather, they might indeed be a useful tool for some of TNF's historical projects. Can you give us some links to sample blogs so people can see what they are about?


Here's an example from a friend of mine who is restoring a house: Save the Birdhouse

#4 David Beard

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Posted 20 August 2003 - 17:24

Originally posted by diego
Anyone know of any good automotive-themed blogs?

I'm interested in how the blog phenomenon could be used to further the preservation of historic automobiles, particularly rare or singular types.

We've probably all seen an account of a restoration in a book or magazine; imagine the depth of detail and breadth of content that could be captured by a restorer/blogger if they took just 10 minutes a day to snap a few digital shots and type a few lines of prose.

Thoughts?


I believe that the following should qualify...although the author should perhaps update us more often on the current status....

http://members.atlas...boor/story1.htm

#5 diego

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Posted 20 August 2003 - 18:23

Originally posted by David Beard


I believe that the following should qualify...although the author should perhaps update us more often on the current status....

http://members.atlas...boor/story1.htm


No, while interesting, that's not a blog.

#6 Don Capps

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Posted 21 August 2003 - 14:54

Originally posted by diego
Here's an example from a friend of mine who is restoring a house: Save the Birdhouse


As something of a Neo-Luddite, I was always under the impression that a "blog" was some sort of evil creature from a fantasy novel. :confused:

#7 diego

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Posted 21 August 2003 - 15:44

Originally posted by Don Capps


As something of a Neo-Luddite, I was always under the impression that a "blog" was some sort of evil creature from a fantasy novel. :confused:


Neo-Luddite? Far from it -- you're posting entries on an electronic forum assocated with a remotely-hosted, web-based magazine! If anything, you're a web-savvy individual, and a blog is a natural extension of your current web activities.

#8 diego

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Posted 21 August 2003 - 15:53

Found one! Here's a blog on the restoration of a 1968 MGB: MGB Restoration Blog

#9 Doug Nye

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Posted 21 August 2003 - 20:31

I too am intrigued by the notion of 'weblogs' - or is that a corruption of 'we blogs'???? :confused:

DCN

#10 Barry Boor

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Posted 21 August 2003 - 20:42

Pardon the total ignorance of an elderly ex-teacher but despite reading the posts in this thread, I am afraid I still have absolutely no idea what any of you are talking about.

WHAT ON EARTH IS A 'BLOG'?

On the other matter mentioned above - I'm afraid there is nothing whatsoever to report. Peter Connew is, of necessity, now working in Nanchang, mainland China and may be there for 2 years, so...... :(

#11 diego

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Posted 21 August 2003 - 21:10

Originally posted by Barry Boor
Pardon the total ignorance of an elderly ex-teacher but despite reading the posts in this thread, I am afraid I still have absolutely no idea what any of you are talking about.

WHAT ON EARTH IS A 'BLOG'?

On the other matter mentioned above - I'm afraid there is nothing whatsoever to report. Peter Connew is, of necessity, now working in Nanchang, mainland China and may be there for 2 years, so...... :(


A "blog" is just that -- a log journal which someone publishes to the web. Web + Log = Blog.

But the proof is in the pudding -- look at the MGB link I gave above and you'll see how powerful a documentation tool a good blog could be for automotive restoration projects.

Imagine, if you will, that you find the Dyna-Panhard of your dreams and proceed to draw up plans to restore it. But you live in Nebraska where there are no local experts on Dyna-Panhards. But, via the web, you can access 10 blogs documenting the restoration process for the very type of car you have.....

#12 Barry Boor

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Posted 21 August 2003 - 21:14

Thanks, diego! :up:

#13 Macca

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Posted 22 August 2003 - 08:05

Diego,

Have a look under FerrariChat.com - P4 in red

-not that it is a huge amount of use to all of us who have unrestored P4's in our garages!


Paul Mackness

#14 Geoff E

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Posted 22 August 2003 - 08:47

Originally posted by diego

But the proof is in the pudding --


Or as we used to say - "The proof of the pudding is in the eating". :)

#15 jmp85

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Posted 22 August 2003 - 17:03

this somewhat qualifies as a blog... fascinating reading for fans of the original ferrari 2+2 and related vehicles.

http://www.tomyang.n...rs/ferrari.html

#16 Chris_Noto

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Posted 22 August 2003 - 20:23

A weblog, or "blog" for short, is a document on the Internet which consists of serial entries in reverse order of time. That means that the latest entry is displayed at the top of the page, unlike forums such as this, in which entries are displayed in the order they are entered, with the latest entry at the bottom of the page.

See blogger.com for a free tool for blogging.

#17 Roland Kunz

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Posted 24 August 2003 - 11:46

Hello

Yes Tom Yangs site is maybe the mother of all blogs ;)

Imagine, if you will, that you find the Dyna-Panhard of your dreams and proceed to draw up plans to restore it. But you live in Nebraska where there are no local experts on Dyna-Panhards. But, via the web, you can access 10 blogs documenting the restoration process for the very type of car you have.....



In fact several years ago when Blogs where unknown there was a Internetweekly about a Phanhard 17 restauration on the net. Couldn´t google it up will search my old files/mirrors later ( thats some 60 GB material )

Also there is a weblog from a australion who restores a WWII warbird. He has gone trough the engine several months ago ( Garagerestauration ;)) There is also a other weblog about a British who trys to restore a Gloster Meteor canopy/Nosesection in his garage as well.
and a other guy had a Vulcan fighter siting in his garden ( Wich was used by his son as external appartment ;)) and now is going to refurbrish the thing. This guy is a brit as well.

There is a dairy on Building a Shelby Daytonna Coupe replica on the net. some 45 pages esay to find with google

Also there was a shoolproject blog/weekly in austraila where they disssasembled several engines and transmissions and comparet the construcrions. Holden vs. VW bug vs Chevy V6 vs. Cooper,,,
was very interessting but disapiered nowhere. Sorry didn´t made a mirror.
the last time i had been there they where seeking for sponsors who helpt to provide parts and knowledge to rebuild those engines. The local craftsmen who was involved died unfortunatly ( however he was on retired not active status anyhow )

Also there was a dairy about a T bucket Hot rod built up on a Ferrari 456 GT. I think the link was provided on Ferrarilist or discused on Tom´s forum.

Also wait and see if something will show up there :
http://22blog.com/Vi...index.php?cat=2

Grüsse

#18 diego

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Posted 05 December 2004 - 02:10

Am firing this thread up again. In the time that's passed, blogs have edged quite a bit closer to the mainstream world of computing.

Here's a nice example of how a blog could be used to record and communicate the details of an automobile restoration project, in this case that of a rusty Porsche 356:

http://www.bubba-dog.com/356/blog.htm

Would love to hear of any other good TNF-type blogs out there.

#19 diego

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Posted 08 December 2004 - 08:32

Here's another (even better) 356 restoration blog:

http://www.brown-house.net/356project/

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#20 dbw

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Posted 08 December 2004 - 09:00

diego;i had several people interested in helping me create a blog when i was restoring the 35b bugatti....they all had reasonable intentions...document the process,focus on arcane skills needed to be mastered, highlight unique mechanical oddities,etc....the problem for me was i already had one huge project and didn't really need two. as an individual who tends to work alone and often with intense focus combined with long hours the blog idea just didn't appeal to me...i realize it's a shame to let all that work go undocumented but when you think about it,i think a lot of people would enjoy reading the latest news on the progress of an mga or even a rusty porsche...but an eight year long restoration of a car just a [relative] handfull of folks could even recognize...well i dunno.

maybe next time. :|

#21 diego

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Posted 11 December 2004 - 17:42

I see your point DBW -- I wouldn't want to have a "blogger" hanging around when I'm trying to wrench on my car.

However, I believe that people who blog are intrinsically motivated to do so; if they happen to restore a car (or work on a team restoring a car), they'll blog it.

As for whether the restoration of a Bug is more or less interesting than that of a 356, I'd say that "interesting" is in the eye of the beholder... myself, I'd love to see both! :up: