Superformance Forum to be discontinued

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Rick Muck- Mark IV

GT40s Sponsor
Supporter
Ron Earp has informed me that Superformance LLC will no longer sponsor this separate Superformance GT40 forum and has asked for it to be discontinued.

All of the existing threads will be redistributed to the appropriate forum (i.e. "Roush 427 SR in my SPF" to the engine forum, etc.) and none will be deleted, you will just need to look around a little to find them. It will take Ron a little time to get them all moved so please be patient and use the search function.

It has been my pleasure to help moderate this forum. I only hope I have been able to help someone at sometime in some way.

I will be available via PM or email for any help I may offer. Please contact me at rick(AT)timemachinesauto.com and I will do my best to be of service.

Thank you,

Rick
 
Terrible, Terrible news...is there not another way to keep this invaluable collection of
SPF GT 40 info. Together!!! Before scattering it..at least here info can be searched by line
As some of title headers are misleading. For we do-it-yourselfers this is the go to source!
In lieu of no factory manuals, service bullitens or even illustrated parts lists!...Please?
 
Well you guys- The SPF Collective if you like could always start a 'SPF' build thread for want of a better title where you put all the solutions to problems you have developed fix's for, nominate someone like Rick to monitor it and delete thread drift as reqd to keep it tidy. It would be much better that way without all the 'blind alleys' the current forum page has in the search function.

Or you could form an SPF social group, the website has provision for that.
 
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Steve

Supporter
I like the build thread option. It is much easier to keep the SPF info together rather than scattering it to the wind. It makes searching much easier.

As an aside, I think it's pretty cheap of SPF to not sponsor this site, especially in light of their significant price hikes in the last few years.
 
As an aside, I think it's pretty cheap of SPF to not sponsor this site, especially in light of their significant price hikes in the last few years.

I agree, with the caveat that I don't know what the financial demand was to keep the forum open. Was it extortionate, or reasonable? Which came first, the SPF subforum, or their willingness to pay something to sponsor it?

I would counter that there is zero additional cost to keep this subforum open versus destroying it, so destroying it is something that would be done in a fit of pique. As a wannabe SPF owner, I pay money to this site each year specifically because of this subforum and would be very upset to see it destroyed. I wonder how many others are like me?

If this subforum is going to be held hostage, what is the ransom demand to keep it going? There are probably enough interested parties willing to pay more than they are now to keep it going, including me. But we can't do anything until we know the terms of the demand...?
 

Rick Muck- Mark IV

GT40s Sponsor
Supporter
The cost of the subforum is not unreasonable and has not changed. You can see the prices Ron charges on his price list. For reasons unknown to me Superformance has decided that they no longer wish to have this subforum. We owe them thanks for the years they have supported the forum.

In the past I have offered to fund this forum if Superformance did not but as they asked to discontinue the forum, sponsorship is not the issue. I will help Ron distribute the threads and then I will resign my moderator status (well I will have nothing to moderate after all!)

At one time there was a Superformance GT40 "Wiki" that held a lot of information, perhaps we may go in that direction using my website to host it. There are enough owners here with a treasure trove of collected knowledge and enough experience to provide continuing support to SPF GT owners, prospects and interested spectators.

I am open to suggestions................
 
In the past I have offered to fund this forum if Superformance did not but as they asked to discontinue the forum, sponsorship is not the issue........

Well, then what IS the issue??? If it's not about the money, it must be something more of a personal nature. What have we done to deserve this? And what can we as users of this forum do to fix it?
 
Not me as a moderator, just my own $0.02

Could you not have a Superformance Owners area where you crowd fund the area? Similar to the GT40EC.

Brett
 
Maybe a direct approach could be made to Superformance. Who is responsible for this decision at Superformance? They may not understand the need as owners have for information that is otherwise unattainable from Superformance. Is this a reduction in support a sign of closing their business? What is the underlining problem?
 

Terry Oxandale

Skinny Man
I don't have a dog in this fight, but seeing the apparent and significant impact on member information, must the forum disappear completely along with the support, or can it not continue with the support uplifted to general membership?
 

Ron Earp

Admin
Hi Guys,

SPF has paid for the forum for this year and they wish it to be shut down. That isn't to say some other arrangements couldn't be made. Certainly, a subforum could be made with these threads into an SPF owner's group, paid for by owners with various mechanisms: yearly fee, closed membership that only certain supporters can enter, and so on. Jac Mac's ideas have merit too.

But, someone might want to take the lead and contact SPF. Deborah would be the right person to talk to as she's the one who indicated they wanted it discontinued. I suspect with owners wanting it to be intact it could be saved.

I'll hold off doing anything for the moment.

Take care,
Ron
 

Dave Hood

Lifetime Supporter
The decision by Superformance makes no sense. While I like their cars, they are completely lacking in terms of owner support and communication. This Forum is huge in terms of making up for their lack of effort and resources to owners. Someone who has a relationship with them needs to state that loud and clear. If their goal is to alienate their owner group, this decision is a great way to achieve that.
 
I too would be sorry to see the forum go away. Does SPF not want owner problems aired on a forum? There have been some who bashed SPF shortcomings in the past, but most of us use the forum as a constructive way to maintain our cars.
 

Dave Hood

Lifetime Supporter
I visited the Superformance Owners' Forum website, and my best guess is that they're trying to increase their membership revenues which range from $60 to $95 per year.

Superformance Owners Association

You can't access any of their technical information without joining and paying the annual fee. The information doesn't seem to be specific to GT40s, so I'm guessing much (or most) of the information is for Cobras and not GT40s. But as long as their owners are using this Forum to share and information, it's keeping their membership revenue down on their site while they're paying some money to keep this Forum active.
 

Keith

Moderator
It's a shame because I too like reading about the technical side of these fantastic cars. It looks as if the SPF Owners forum is set up to provide a strong revenue stream via merchandise and other trinkets and that may be the reason because it's relatively pnuts to sponsor a forum on GT40's.

Hope all the info can be bundled up and continue somehow, and I wanna hear Mike's new motor!!! :thumbsup:

Sob... :bow: don't leave us SPF....:bigcry:

Check out my sig below :thumbsup:
 

Mike

Lifetime Supporter
I remember finding that forum years ago and was surprised then that it looks like technology from the mid 90s. Doesn't look like it's changed much. They seem to be mostly focused on Cobras. What stops us SPF owners from just posting here in the standard GT40 sections? I don't see how SPF gets anything from this site and I don't think we as owners get anything from them from this site. Then again, it's what $425 for them to keep this section sponsored? Times must be tough if that is busting the bottom line. Maybe they will quite making the GT40 and our cars will skyrocket in value :)
 

Dave Hood

Lifetime Supporter
Mike, I agree that with or without Superformance sponsorship, all of the SPF owners will continue to use this site. Unless they invest in updating their web platform and are committed to posting current and useful information (e.g., they posted one news update in 2014 and only one this year as well). If they leave this Forum, I think that would also have a negative impact on their ability to promote their brand to potential GT40 owners. I'm sure that Fran's high level of visibility on the Forum has sold a number of RCR cars in the past. It's just good business to be visible. Fran gets that.
 
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