News

January 2009

 

Most of month being Busy adding material to off Line index currrently wading through part water damaged Practical Classics 1982-1983 ; and 1987 The Automobile - Also started fill in Gaps Throughbred & Classic Cars and will be filling in gaps NZ Classic Cars  hence why little has been added to the site

 

Decided to Contact Car Clubs locally - (i find email waste time it amazin how many clubs do not check if their email is valid for their contact people) and am Guest Speaker at Wellington Vauxhall Club on 28th January 2009 - come to the conclusion most of my inqueries are from those who do have regular internet service

 

The Sending out of accounts (probaby not best time during worlds toughest financial crisis since 1929) has fallen on death ears " in Words one "We are not paying for this... come to conclusion that majority Editors are complete Dumb Arses... 

 

I think i made mistake from day one I should have charged the magazines and 2/ set up a free newsletter service tokeep in touch with you on developments I do not know how many of you actually read this ...

 

Ovwe next few months I have on site a number of Hidden pages which i am going to use targeting bigger clubs around the world where there members can have access to latest info and material that i discovered and documented in earlier stuff  current approach is big Aston Martin Owners Club of UK and AC Car Club

 

December 2008

 

The Automobile now covered to June 1987 and filling up Gaps in Classic & Sportscar & Throughbred & Classic Car

 

Mid December Distressing - Some of my The Automobiles 7 1990s Prac Classics suffered from water damage - in process of drying them out unfornately 1/5 of this additional resources may have to be binned :(

 

19th December Weltec had a clean out of its magazines I got most its Practical Classics from 1996, Classic Bike from mid 1990s; Bike Mechanics; Motor Trend , Road & Track from 1992

 

November 2008

 

A Story that holds water going round is that Carnation the new owners of Car New Zealand (A Licensed magazine operation of CAR - the large glossy British publication being produced since 1960s originally launched as Small Car) has already started their journalist career in bad form by fraudent means by seeking to buy an established car publication with no intention to do so but access the potential sellers advertising client list -so it could help it set up CAR NZ -

 

In Contact with Kevin Clarkson of Vintage Car Club NZ whom is writing an article on me , my website and bigger database that unfornately missed out off Dec-Jan 2008 Issue of Beaded Wheels but will be in the Feb-March 2009 issue so more of you will know of my exsistance and use it!

 

This month sending out Bills to magazine publishers as many of you (The Magazines) have done little to help me promote this most useful service its time to pay after 2 years of free service besides my hosting bill doubled last year (however 2 have come back since and refused to pay we lose NZ Hot Rod & NZ4wD next year -Are their Editors Dumb or what?)

 

Also trying to contact with hopefully some success the overseas publications publishing companies EMAP, Chevron Publishing etc to get a regular supply of magazines - they have ignored my many letters; email and even I have rung with huge expense from here in

New Zealand - some may get the chop ...unfornately its not something I really want to do (: 

 

In Course of working as regular Relief (Supply Teacher) Teacher in many of Primary Year 3-Year 6 and Intermediate Year 7 to Year 8 many kids I have talked to know of my site - That was a surprise so I will be toning down the occassional Swearing

 

The Automobile now covered to April 1987 (although there are a few gaps) and also filling in Gaps in Classic & Sportscar & Throughbred & Classic Car

 

Will be starting a new Newsletter service and Special Exclusive new letter for regular inquires from January 2009

 

October 2008

Contining updates of the Automobile - Although often side tracked in adding of additional magazines

 

Being looking for a nice dry weekend apart from Garden neding urgent attention to drop upp Auto Italias to David Brise - Looks like November!

 

Unsuccessfully tried to contact a number of NZ car clubs particularly the Four Wheel Drives -should hold the head in shame as many of you have expired email addresses!! How the F%^% can you get new members if the email is wrong! 

 

- One positive spin off id we have gained 4X4 Action magazine a New Zealand four wheel drive publication who specialises mainly in 4x4 club runs and sporting events set up as originally a 1 woman operation of Bobbie Kincaid - Welcome They sending me copies and added them to the review list

 

September 2008

 

Continued updating The bigger off line Database as like August now covered The Automobile to Sep 1986 -these are taking longer then i expected

 

Had hoped to Profile Peugeot NZ new publication 'Peugeot Life' and to place it because of its newness in special promotional page but got mucked around over the last 3 weeks by its markting manager while he ummed and ahhed -and in short I Know unprofessionally I let rip of what I thought of him and i won't be doing it" pity its good publication!

 

 

Continued updating The bigger off line Database now filling in the gaps for late 70s Throughbred & Classic Cars and have now covered The Automobile to Aug 1986

 

Had an inquiry from a Film Director who doing a documentary seems to think I would have access to a former race drivers current address ahh... What are you smoking in Film la la land? 

 

Hope to check out Weltec since the library revamp and I do hope many older collections of Practical Classics are still there - the last time the Library got done up some of the collections went west and librarians A did not know where they went or B denyed the exisitence in the first place! (They had a clean out and I got all their stuff 1996-2005!)

 

Being kept busy Teaching this month - Travelled all round Wellington area on assignments so have not updated current issues as much - will be pursuing after 20th August

 

Looking to develop in next few months a members only portion of this site where regular users will have specified information directed at them so I am reseaching Permission Marketing at this stage

 

Peugeot NZ has released a new magazine which we hope to profile this is called 'Peugeot Life' and the first issue certainly looks impressive over the BMW NZ magazine

 

 

June 2008

 

What a month! 4200 Unique Accesses a rise of almost 1000 over the previous month - so message is getting out there -my site is unique for what it does

 

Obviously there has been some sort of marketing shake up or food fight  at Parkside Media - They struck me off the freebee listing  of recieving a NZ Classic Car magazine hence my last issue is April

Brent Gillies has gone (Great guy..) and Greg Vincent the owner and founder is now running things including Marketing...  which makes me wonder who else has he let go - Greg's management style so i hear in the past is to let others manage his company while he counts the $$$$ it appears he wants more control of his destiny at the helm hmmm

 

Late June to early July got hit by a nasty trogan spam - called admst.mobi it originates in China according to various computer forums I been on; it is particularly hard to remove as it attaches itself directly to domain names (Funny those new Domain names have just come out ...wonder if its linked) and injects a virus like worm into those web sites that have sql search capacity and Java script .  For a while I lost 3/4 of my data which is most upsetting it mutated to form another name and  - Spiral has done a great job in cleaning it out as they (Cain) backs it up 3 times a week - some data may have to be re-entered O groan but at least main site is still here (ALL SECURE NOW)

 

May 2008

Continuing with Off -Line Database - a few more Old Motors have emerged for me to document and Restored Cars from Eddie Ford Publications of Australia (Note I have indexed Restored Cars from Nov 1973 Issue #1 to 1985) Efforts to get a free issue have come to naught after years of effort - The magazine used to be sold here until 1985

 

This month massive overhaul of my study as Car magazine collection needs re-organising - finally I can now find stuff! My study was before covered with 20 boxes of magazines piling over and thanks to my partner Leonie its looking better organised and tidy not since we bought our house over 3 years ago!

 

Got an inquiry from a guy who wanted info on Audi A6 4.2V8 and found to my horror that I had not been as efficent in updating more modern stuff between the period 2001-2004 and I could give him very little on this period - Since rectified I put lot more emphasis into this area now and this continues thru June then just classics so I am ready for next question!

 

Recieved a Envelope from Motomedia LTD containing NZ Rush Hour Magazine where its focus is Commuting cars, Bicycles, Motor Scooters and up to 250cc Motorcycles. Also Recieved NZ Cargo produced by them where focuus is Light Commercials of Vans, Utes and Pickups aimed at the Trade & Fleets -I believe NZ Corporate Vehicle needs to pull its head in as NZ Cargo looks to be a better mag!

 

The Blogg finally added more .its being almost exactly a year since i lasted added .ya.....lost my password for a while but thankfully found it

 

I found blogger not easy to get another one .. I have gone back to looking at obscure Italian Makers from Abarth and still more to add and publishing my reviews of magazine profiles which stir the pot a bit and no doubt be grabbed by those 'information grabber' sites whom seem dominate Google and grab all our hard work!

 

Traffic increased 33% over the previous month .whoa...good to see

 

April 2008

 

A further Magazine Clousure AA short term experiment to enter the retail sector with AA Torque Magazine is no more - not surprising really I seen little change in content from free-be AA Today etc of past why pay for something that was originally free. It gave the apperance of a factory job and rushed with amount typos I found plus it should have matched the look and feel of the fun TV series of same name (AA magazine has changed its name more often then National party politicans heads have flip flopped!)

I reviewed and documented most AA Magazines since A3 Newspaper of 1958 held in National Library -Wellington!

 

Beaded Wheels Editor Kevin Clarkson has released a 2 CD set of entire contents of Beaded Wheels since 1956 which was put together by Kevin in his spare time over 10 years he scanned 13000 pages! and was made by him not as profit making venture - Each of the main branches have one  and I have been very privaged to recieve one! It will not be available for Retail so I am very lucky indeed! I myself have reviewed from cover to cover Beaded Wheels from 1976

 

Finally after almost a year I have documented most of Auto Italia Magazines from 1999

I Documented Old Motor (Revised Reintroduction version) 1979-1982

I Documented Collector Cars 1979 -1981

I started getting through entire collection of British Magazine The Automobile and documented so far Jan 1983 -Dec 1983 but I got 24 years to go -they just celebrated their 25th anniversary!

 

Yes From May I will be adding finally after 7 months to a blog on Italian cars based on my research of Auto Italias (no too little time looks like not until later of 2008 we will put a bundle on and also add add a lot to Hemmings and Antique Automobile)

 

March 2008

 

Sam Domett has offered me - New Car Reviews for Free - Sam was Editor of Now defunct Automag  and this has been added

 

Work has been contiuing on updating the larger off line database of articles greater then two years (remembers guys i go back to publication date 1947 in some cases) If you see the site been quiet and not much added its because I am adding to bigger database and i may have to take on a business partner to develop this further

as unlike NZ Classic car that started in 1991 with Greg Vincent and a team.  both the off line site and online site of my site is JUST little old ME!

 

February 2008

Now recoved from my bout of Gladular Fever (Thankyou for many of you whom have been supportive)  ,getting back to job of reviewing magazines.

 

Distressing News that Automag the fornightly 'Auto Trader competitor has collasped ... pity it deserved to make it!

 

 

Noticed a slight drop in attendance on the site due to my illness and efforts finally by Parkside Media to upgrade their web sites and add more content - some great stuff guys..

 

January 2008

 

Happy New Year to you all and hope you had a well deserved break!

 

A New Year Much to do but unfornately great plans put on hold by me coming down with Gladular Fever so 4 weeks Holiday ended up been lying in bed, the realisation it was wake up call to really start looking at my health - from Reflecting on the past with more focus on present and future.

 

Heath is improving and I know i have huge back log of magazines to add to the site - Many of you are looking for Motor Mag at present (Formly known as Modern Motor in the 50s-80s) I hope to improve update of these in the near future

I grateful for continued supply of advance copies by many Kiwi publishers although Fairfax's Ian Dawson needs to pull his finger out in supplying me NZ Autocar - many promises of supply have come to naught - hence lack of timely updates - I rely on local libaries which don't always have latest additions!

 

Libaries have been a great source of material Weltec in Petone is one of best (where I source Motor Trend, Road & Track, Practical Classics and few others like Profiti -Farm magazine) but whole complex is been expanded by workman and unlikely I can get hold magazines for some time ..pity

 

Autocar of the UK - only 1 library in whole of Lower North Island now has it Lower Hutt stopped 2005 as so did Weltec - only source thats Wellington Public I know I am 4 months behind there, efforts to update will start from 6th Feb as I  an going in to town) They also have Classic Cars of UK +Motorsport again unique

 

I buy Regularly Australian Muscle Car, Unique Cars (Dam I missed one! - Great mag; but Editors a arrogant Fuckwit!); Beaded Wheels; The Automobile and Classic & Sportscar

 

Wheels on occassion - Otherwise only Wellington Public and some branch libaries stock it - Motor None apart from Wellington Public - efforts to gain freebee from the Aussies have come to naught!

 

November 2007 -December 2007

 

Interesting Highlight queries these last few months

Triumph Tr5 enthusist from Switzerland (They finding me through Google.)

 

3 different individuals looking for racing car information (Seems a lot out there)

 

Jacqui Madelin NZ Journalist looking for Phonix info on tricar which i helped a bit - but there aint much of these cars even when new!

 

Recieved a massive donations this month

 

Ron Tilly - The Technical Officer for Bentley -Rolls Royce club is writing a book on the NZ owned examples up to 1976 - I given him a record of cars featured in magazines here - He returned favour -

and geniously donated a huge collection of The Automobile from the begining this i started to index (Its long process there is so much info in these mags (May 1983-July 1983 on going) , Classic & Sportscar, Classic Cars, Old Motor, Collector Car and New Zealand Classic Car

 

As for Blogg I know its been 4 months!! Bloggs Yeh Yeh  are usually written by guys who got lot time... Not me I opened up pandoras box here in this reseach as there so much to do  - however  over xmas break I be adding to the blogg

 

The sites averaging 2800 different regular like minded enthusists visit the site - Thankyou ...roughly 104-150 a day

Overseas magazines still do not acknowledge my existence - i will keep perserving - I thank Kiwi Magazines for providing me advanced issues

A number of you are looking to buy cars and I may consider selling cars on this site and books - I was presented a huge hosting bill so I  need to up my game to bring in revenue streams so aventually the huge current offline database could go on line and give those overseas publishers a heart attack that when i say i got this resource I am  not talking through my arse!

 

October 2007

 

Diaster for Rugby Fans .... What were the selectors thinking in this this Rotation bullshit leaving out best men on the bench!

Traffic Was down  25% late Sep & Early October as many of you were looking at the Rugby...I note New Zealand V8 now has their own site and Trademe has a new Car review site editored by Dave Moore

Over last week since 17Oct I been very ill with nasty viral infection which I am still recovering from ...hence little added last few days

I think late nights are going to be reduced my Partner Leonie thinks at 45 years I am heading for heart attack city:)

 

I am still adding to old database - and I now indexed in depth 1/2 Auto Italias down to chassis number etc of David Brises's Whom I hope to give back by Christmas! (Yep its almost 6 months)

I will be adding to the Blogg soon once fully recovered!

 

Looking FOR REPLACEMENT COMPUTER  - any business wishing to give me a new computer in return for a years free advertising - My Acers on its last legs....?

 

 

The xtra-Yahoo fiasco - what a PR diaster - like many of you Xtra was slow over this period  or connection was down for a few days as for the Spam its seemed to be worse and worse -Why cannot Telecom be honest they sold network to Yahoo? (as of October its still a problem - in my Actrix days Yahoo was likened to a very holy sieve when it came to internet security....)

 

Still many of you are looking for older articles - Email me I don't bite!

 

August 2007

There are still a number of you who do not realise that there is 60 year database off -line as I have seen a number inquirys looking for Triumph Renowns and the like! email me!

 

There is few of you who are after GMax magazine - I can not say I have even seen this - Do us a favour contact them and tell them about this site and maybe they send me a copy

 

In Fact write to magazines about the site .....

 

The Blog I have not added for a while as stupid me.... I forget my password and trying to get another one out these large US faceless websites - I got more chance of getting blood out of a stone no wonder US empire is falling apart:) Bleat over

 

• New Zealand Company Vehi

May -July 2007

 

Auto Italia adding continues done all 2006-2007 on the web site although missing #119 which has the Fiat Abarth 1300 Coupe tested - Still adding older stuff to the bigger database

 

I do Realise Autocar (UK) has not been updated for sometime - we are doing something about it this week (really getting into it)

 

Today Sunday 8th July got 7 Autocars from Wellington Public but if you are an out of towner like me you get an 'Out of Town' card BUT - you pay $2.00 per Magazine . From Monday Wellington Public will charge $2.50 so its gets rather expensive -the alternative is pay $100.00 which is looking more attractive (Bit of Bugger as Autocar UK only held by Wellington Public in Lower North Island)

 

Did start a blog in June ...bit busy lately will be adding later this week and use blog as question and answer area until I get a forum site started later next year

 

There is an initive we will be trialing in August with one of the Kiwi publishing groups hush..... at this stage

 

End of month 2488 different people visited my site gained 46000 hits - THANK YOU ALL out there

 

 

I am told by NZ 4WD this is more then they get on their site per month - So if you a magazine that is not mentioned here get your A into G and contact me!

 

• Motor Trend Classics

April 2007

 

• BMW Magazine New Zealand (Thankyou Nicola at BMW New Zealand

March 2007

March 21st 2007

 

My partner Leonie and I are now proud parents! - Victoria arrived after 27 hours on Wednesday night at 8.39pm weighing 9.6 lbs

both Mother and baby are fine and well and very happy

Thankyou to neo- natal staff of Lower Hutt Hospital

 

 

• Auto Italia
• NZ Performance Car -Drift Factor -Drift Annual (Thankyou Parkside Media - also for NZCC, NZPC )
• NZV8 (Thankyou Parkside Media)
• Profi Tractor & Machinery

February 2007

 

• AA Torque from New Zealand
• Australian Classic Car
• NZ Classic Car Year Book (decided to treat it seperately)

December -January 2007

 

• Street Machine from Australia
• Twowheels from Australia

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