My posts, opinions please!

Hi All,

I hate intrigue and politics but an issue has arisen on which I would welcome members opinion.

A few days ago I was accused by someone who shall remain nameless of posting the biggest load of rubbish and inane childish waffle or words to that effect on the GT40s website. I was also accused of making derogatory remarks about CAV as I no doubt had an axe to grind. In addition I was told that I'm extremely unpopular on the website and that there several people in the US, including some of Jimmy Price's men, who want to know who this idiot ANDRE 40 is in Cape Town.

Facts as I see them are as follows:

I believe that in my past postings I've always stated facts as they are, been diplomatic and have always tried my best put across positive and sometimes humerous stories on the basis that in a world plagued by international terrorism, crime, AIDS, etc, humour/humor brings some light relief. I deny ever making derogatory remarks about CAV and in fact posted complimentary remarks about Carcraft when I heard that it was to take over CAV production.

I joined up about a year ago and as this is my first and only experience of a chat room it's become a most enjoyable pastime. As I lived in the England during the birth and development of the GT40 and as I subsequently wrote the build manual for the CAV space frame version I thought I knew the car well but believe me thanks to members input I've learnt a great deal more on the technical front. Thank you for that.

I believe that any contact with a fellow human being, either face to face or written, should revolve round positive communication and the sharing of information. This is precisely what this forum is about. Not only does it cover technical issues but much other interesting chatter, which no doubt my critical friend regards as 'waffle'. Be that as it may I believe that it all adds up to a bit a fun and is part of the sharing experience. OFF TOPICS provides an opportunity for a wide range of other subjects and I still think the most amazing post was that of Pete swimming with the dolphins in Australia. When I got home after a stressful day there was Pete with happy smile on his face with a dolphin. It made my day - I felt great! Even now when I'm driving or walking somewhere the picture pops into my mind from time to time.Thanks Pete for making my day! This then gave me the opportunity to do a posting on Dinky the Dolphin, which is of course more 'waffle'.

Speaking of Australia, if I have my facts right it was Robert Logan of RF who motivated the creation of the website and Ron Earp who made it happen. I gather that Hersh was also a main played from the onset.

As someone from an ordinary middle class Cape Town background (my father was a schoolteacher) I'm extremley privileged, with the benefit of hindsight, that Dame Fortune, fate, luck, call it what you like, gave me the opportunity to work for the Porsche factory in Stuttgart from 1962 to 1964 and subsequently for the Stirling Moss Paint-a-Car System in London for the next four years, followed by one year on the development of the Enfield electric car in Wimbledon. During that era I was close to the wonderful 'Swinging Sixties'; world of motor sport which abounded with many funny, larger-than-life characters. There are so many funny stories that I could write a book about them. Some of these I have shared with you, ie the GT40 wheel coming off, in the hope that it brought smiles to your faces! Current motor racing is a multi-million dollar professional industry, a far cry from the days when a Lotus mechanic wearing oil stained overalls would run down the pit lane to borrow a spanners from Ferrari mechanic!

I'm a big boy now and can handle criticism provided that it's constructive. If there are any people out there who agree with my accuser I'll take note and amend future postings accordingly.

Thanking you in advance.
Andre 40

 

[Rick Merz]

I find your posts both interesting and informative to read. You have always stated your position or interest before you made remarks about business dealings and I feel that you have nothing to be concerned about. Keep your posts coming, I for one look forward to reading them.

 

[Dave Bilyk]

Andre, I haven't been a member of this forum for long, and have no links or yet met in person with anyone on the forum. I have always enjoyed your posts, being articulate and informative. As for waffle, I would say that your posts are not insular, or limited to the technical, but are given from a human viewpoint and with what is a clearly philanthropic outlook. This is a big forum, and I would not expect everyone to identify with everyone elses style of posting, but see no reason to denigrate.
I suspect that the comments made do not really relate to the above at all, but are related to the more political 'hot potato' issues. There I can't comment because I don't know, but what I have seen on my other car club forum, is that people see things from their own viewpoint, and when they read a post, will naturally have their own interpretation, which may be entirely different from the writers intent. That can lead to misunderstandings, which are sometimes fuelled by pm's among friends. All this IMHO and not necessarily applicable in this case, but given as an example in my experience of the way things can go awry.
My general message - for potentially 'political' posts, look at what you write from different viewpoints before you post. I have done this and it is surprising what different interpretations can be made.
But don't you dare stop posting your warm and interesting stories and pictures
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Regards Dave

 

[Bill Bayard]

Andre,

Please don't let this accuser's attack prevent you from

sharing more of your automotive prose. As far as I can tell,

you have been unbiased, and have shared nothing more than

the facts, as you know them. Keep those anecdotes coming!

I hope that your "inkwell" NEVER runs dry!


Bill

 

[David Morton]

Nil illegitimus carborundum !
Dave M

 

Hi Andre
I welcome your posts they give light to this forum, It is always easy for people to criticise others but it generally shows their own inadequacy's as a previous poster says we all should look at both points of view in life.
My Grandfather read a poem to me when I was a small boy, and it stuck with me throughout my life, I know this is a strange place for a poem but for those who read it will I hope benefit

Regards
Chris.

IF



If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,

If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!


--Rudyard Kipling

 

[Paul W]

Maybee if your accuser had posted their comments on the forum it would be worth bothering with - keep em coming Andre great posts.

 

[roaldin]

I can't speak for this website, the entire English speaking world or even Americans or Australians in general but on behalf of this particular Tasmanian (possibly 100% of Tasmanian forum members), don't let the drongos get you down.
The last time I heard "nobody likes you" I was in primary school and around the age of eight (It may still hold true but as I'll be driving my GT40 soon I don't really care /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif).
I have enjoyed reading your posts and welcome more.
Take heart, not everyone here has a vested interest. Some of us are here for the society the forum provides and the stories that are told as well as the advice, pictures, manufacturers announcements etc.
There's more than enough censorship, hatred and political stupidity around now without it appearing here.
This forum has proven on the whole to be civil and well moderated. It is full of knowledgable and friendly people. You I regard as one of those people.

Tim.

 

[Ron Earp]

Andre, that is, in my humble opinion, a false accusation. I for one was rather dismayed by the lack of information about the CAV situation. Obvisouly, given the timing of what happened at CAV, most of the fate of the company and prinicipals was determined toward the middle of 2003 if not eariler.

I started posting questions toward the end of last year about what I was hearing from numerous sources - members, other forums - but nothing was coming from the CAV owners. And nothing ever did except from the dealers which were to some extent as much in the dark as the rest of us.

You were simply posting information that you knew since you were there and had good sources, not the least of which was your own two eyes.

So, maybe this indivdual was one of those that would still have us sitting around wondering what happened to CAV (which we still do to some extent). I say ignore him or her and keep doing what you are doing - post away! And, this is a completely free forum - in speech and cost - so if they'd like to come here and discuss it then so much the better.

 

Hello Andre,

as a german member of this forum I need sometimes a dictionary to understand each detail of your posts - but nevertheless I enjoyed them all! Keep the good work coming, please!

Concerning this brainless person who accused you: We have a german proverb I'll try to translate as followed:

A german oak doesn't mind if a wild boar is rubbing his skin at...

The german original says: Was stört es eine deutsche Eiche, wenn sich ein Wildschwein an ihr reibt.... - for those who are able to read german.

Hope ro read some interesting posts from you in the future, too.

All the best,
Volker

 

I have enjoyed your stories and photos about GT40's and the personalities that were racing at that time. I can't imagine why someone would feel threatened by the info you posted about CAV. I am looking forward to reading more of your posts.

 

Andre, I often wonder if some of the members that make these derogatery remarks know a wrench from a mouse pad or have worked on a car. I sometimes think they just want to stir the pot and see thier commnets in print. Be true to your self and enjoy the Forum as most members do.

Vic

 

[David]

Your Excellent Posts

I made a post some time back about the historical information available on this forum - you are one of the main reasons for that observation.

Please keep enlightening us.

David Lowell

 

Re: Your Excellent Posts

I love the stories.
If anyone doesn't they just don't have to read them.
As far as making false statements or better said, statements told the way YOU believe them to be true, the other party can always tell their side of the story right?!
Andre, remember you can't make everyone happy- some people just love drama and arguments.
John

 

[Lynn Larsen]

Re: Your Excellent Posts

Andre, I'll make this short and to the point. Your presence and writings on this forum have enriched my life. 'Nuff said.

Thank you,
Lynn

 

[Steve Toner]

Andre,

See, I told you no good would ever come of posting those comments about Harold Wilson /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

But seriously, don't be turned off by someone's negative comments. You're a valuable contributor, and I for one (and apparently not the only one) look forward to your posts. Of course, I don't know who your "accuser" is, but it's quite possible that he is also a valuable forum contributor, so I would not want that person to get disgusted and go away because of the outpouring of support you're getting. As others have pointed out, there's room for disagreement around here (as long as we keep things civil).

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Andre, I've enjoyed the stories you posted and I have yet to see you post anything derogatory about anyone. Actually, I think you've made a point of being kind to folks- with the amount of experience you have, you probably have a lot of stories that are considerably less complimentary, which clearly you've gone out of your way NOT to post. I think you ought to write what you please and continue to amuse and inform the people on the forum. I, for one, have enjoyed them. And so have many others who have made no secret of their pleasure reading your posts.

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Andre,

PLEASE keep posting, your posts have been both entertaining and informative. I too, have once been accused of belonging to a club "only so I could sell them cars" when if fact I only ever sold one person in the club a car and that was a good friend of mine who bought before he joined!

As to "Jimmy's US people " asking who you are, I know for a fact that Ronnie Kruger is familiar with you, I have personally spoken to him about you. When the existance of the forthcoming Superformance GT40 was first being revealed here and elsewhere I talked to Ronnie about your posts. I had to bite my tongue as I was aware of the car for some time but did not wish to betray the condidences that that been placed with me regarding the 40.

You are a welcome addition to this forum and provide both an "on the ground" point of view as to South African developments as well as a very human insight into the people and events that you have been lucky to be part of.

Please don't leave...


Rick /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Howard Jones]

Andre, Never let fools set you on your path. Keep your very interesting stories comming.

 

Hi Andre

A big "ditto" to the last 17 replies of support - think "sticks and stones may break my bones..." and all that.

Please keep the good stuff coming.

Rob