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I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 8:29 pm
by 2nighthawks
Not talking about original Model T Ford ignition "timers",....I mean I miss some of the ol' timers that used to post on the forum! Anybody else feel that way too? What ever happened to guys like Ray Elkins, Seth Harbuck, Ken Kopsky, Hap Tucker, Mike Walker, the Chaffins, and a bunch more I can't think of right now! I know that some have had health issues, or even passed on, or, are posting on another forum(s), but I'm wondering if maybe if some of us are still connected with some of those old names we used to see on this forum (or the old version of this forum) could contact them and mention that they are sorely missed on this forum, we might get them back. Does that make sense? I think some of those guys are still around, but with the advent of the new forum, maybe they just got out of the habit of posting here. If anybody knows of such a person and has contact with them, maybe just a gentle "hint" that we miss them and their "input" and it might be that all it would take to get them back would be to let them know that they are missed here on the forum. One of the things that made me think of this was when somebody just asked about "Model K Rob" whom we've heard little from of late. Anyway,.....just a thought,.....harold

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 8:53 pm
by DHort
Seth is gone, Hap, Mike, and Chaffins are still here. You must be reading the wrong posts.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 10:27 pm
by JTT3
I agree that most are missed & indeed some have passed but there have been others asked to leave or were banned. I think that’s the word subtly used. That insult to them has prevented them from coming back as contributors to this site. I do miss the interactions of those forum friends even if it got heated a bit. It was the passion for the T & hobby. Maybe we’ve become soft and thin skinned to the point that any challenge becomes so egregious to our sensibilities that instead of standing our ground we go to the powers that be to swiftly settle a perceived indignation. Sooner than you think, it has/will affect interaction and contributions and if you pay close attention you see the number of thread contributions waning. “And just like that it stopped.”

I am reminded of stories of great camaraderie where people were brought together because of a common cause though sometimes they fought about how to achieve a goal none the less they still had that common goal.

Now in my dotage I realize the simply truth of this quote,
“Our colors fade for lack of wearers.”

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 10:41 pm
by KWTownsend
Ya ain't gonna git rid of me...

: ^ )

Keith

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 10:49 pm
by BobShirleyAtlantaTx

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 10:52 pm
by BobShirleyAtlantaTx
It’s posts from Hap and others that has made us all feel like we’re part of family.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 12:02 am
by DHort
Harold, if you go to the facebook page you will probably find more activity. Easier to post over there.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 12:05 am
by StanHowe
Part of it may be that on a couple threads I just checked there were 38 "guests" and only six names.
I dunno, I pay my dues and post some but I think I'm like a lot of the old guys, not much on
here any more and not much interested in arguing.
Hard to say.
All you have to do is look back at some of the old forums to see how many guys that used to post no longer do.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 2:00 am
by Ken Buhler
I shared a quite long conversation with Wally Szumowski very recently. He is now 87 and still lives in his home but his dear wife is in intensive care yet may be able to join him again with help.
Having been here on the forum for many years I have gotten to know a lot of us as camaraderie and characters. I am grateful to have "known" several whom have left us but shared unselfishly while here. We have been blessed with a good group of well intentioned people that come with a great variety of approaches to a task. Not all are great or correct. It is important to note that this membership and brotherhood Is coming from the roots of the children of the pioneers that were here when our car was new.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 4:57 am
by JTT3
Keith, “I’m with you fellas!”
I’m in agreement.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 3:00 pm
by rickg
The key phrase is "old" I am almost 80 and I know of several others in this age group, ailments and other things keep us off the forum, I didn't post for almost two years because of knee problems. I removed the engine from my 24 to repair a loose rod and changed the cam. a friend came over and helped install the engine and I have been putting it back together slowly, there are a lot of things going on when you reach the "old timer" status and this new forum was not the easiest to get on. I have only been posting since 2004 and there are a lot who have been here a lot longer.

Rick

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 3:55 pm
by Steve Jelf
Some of the guys Harold mentioned are still with us, but several others have left for the worst reason. A few that I miss are Ralph Ricks, John Berch, Jack Daron, Willie Cordes, and Bruce McCalley.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 4:09 pm
by Burger in Spokane
The biggest problem I have with old people is they often die. And the biggest
problem I have with old car people is that they are often old. My part in this is
I never ask them ALL the questions that I wish I had while they were still here to
ask. And, of course, I miss them.

Age often begets wisdom, and the loss of that seasoned wisdom and learning is
the greatest loss of all. And, of course, the characters that oldtimers often are !

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 4:53 pm
by DLodge
Okay, you want "Ol' Timers," here are "Ol' Timers"!! :D

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/112549.html

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 4:57 pm
by Poppie
Well said B Burger......N.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 10:33 pm
by Allan
Burger, how does an old person often die? I'm getting to that stage but plan on only doing it once.

You are absolutely right about asking questions of them. So much is lost because we didn't take the time or interest when the opportunities were there. It's not all our fault though. Often we just don't know what we don't know, and asking the question is beyond us.

Allan from down under.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 10:39 pm
by Burger in Spokane
Thanks, Neil. For reasons I will never understand, I took a deep fascination with old
stuff at a very young age. And what better way to learn about and find old stuff, than
to hang around with old timers ! Trouble is, this mortality thing has an inevitable outcome
that sorta rains on the parade, over the long haul.

I tend to look at death in terms of a life, well lived, as a result. While some go too soon,
the kind of oldtimer friends I have had are people I want to emulate, for being real, for being
square dealers, and straight talkers, and knowing that what is good always trumps what is new.
All bits of wisdom I learned from old timers.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:25 pm
by Sam_Mendenhall
I haven't heard anything from Richard Wolfe who was living in Florida. Anyone heard from him, he used to be a regular poster.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 8:56 am
by MWalker
Hey, Harold -- I'm still hanging around, just don't post as much as I used to. I have learned over the years that if I don't answer someone's question, someone else will. That saves me a lot of time. I was away from home for about 4 weeks and just got back, so there was no forum use for me at all during that time. I'm honored that you missed me though. :)

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 9:09 am
by George House
But, then again, we’re extremely fortunate in that tons of Model T information has been published and made available over the years thanks to Bruce, Hugo, uncle Jack, et al. In other marques of which I’ve restored there’s absolutely no printed information to help the restorer and Merle Simonsma of early Maxwell fame and Bill Cuthbert of early Hupmobile knowledge are still with us - although octogenarians.... But, yes; I also miss the fellowship of the oldtimers that used to share techniques and insight here and in person.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 12:19 pm
by Norman Kling
As stated above, some have left us. Some have passed on from this life, some have diminished memory. Some have quit the Model T hobby. Others have left in a snit and started a new forum on "facebook". Some post on both forums. I don't have a "smart" phone and only use my old PC and only time I look at facebook is when my wife calls it to my attention, but I don't post on facebook. Model T people are the next best people I know. Second only to my friends at church. Somewhere among the two are most of my family members friends and neighbors.
Anyway, I like to read what others have to say, and also try to provide answers to questions. I have probably learned more from forum members than any advice I have given over the years.
Norm

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 12:45 pm
by NHUSA
I began a reply to this thread numerous times but ended up using the delete key.
Some of the comments would upset a few of the thin skinned or only Model T people and others were (in my opinion) too honest.

Now --- I just need to remember what this thread was about.

OH YA !! I do miss the old times, many of the people, and fun conversations.

Re: I Miss the Ol' Timers

Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:58 am
by Original Smith
Just go on a tour sometime. We're all over the place!