Re: [AMC-List] apathy

["Eddie Stakes" <eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Mike, I was one of those who wrote you off list concerning the Super Rod 
magazine and mentioned what to maybe expect scenarios, which included:
1. chances are they (SR) don't want to hear it
2. possibility they will not publish your, or anyone else's reply.

I also mentioned that some magazines are open minded and will however 
publish things critical of their rag, letting them know they are off base, 
wrong, idiots or whatever behind a typewriter.

What I also didn't mention is some have blogs or forum where it can get 
"lively" to say the least, when a magazine mis ID's a Olds, or screws up 
figures on a Chevy II and so forth. The fans of those models usually let 
them have it! Some are really cordial about it other use the f word as a 
verb, pronoun, adjective and noun in one sentence, questioning the original 
article, the writer's manhood or length and so forth, so it gets ugly.

I agree there is still a lot of apathy out there, however there is also a 
lot of gains made too! While I didn't get to the Dayton show, I was 
impressed at the photos. I'm sure there have been shows, regionals, all over 
the US this year with similiar nice cars. There is a really nice article in 
the new Hemming's Muscle Machines on Dean Hensinger's 70 Trans Am 
Javelin....of which he drives a lot. And then there are people like yourself 
who contribute just by a simple post that might help someone out. It's all 
good.

I realize your frustration, and have dealt with it for decades, from not 
only brand x camps but also AMC camps. A small article I wrote in late 80s 
was called AMC=Apathy 'Mongst Carowners and it dealt with a whole array of 
things from people not joining and supporting clubs, to some owners not even 
bothering to bring their AMC out (and I could write a book on the reasons) 
to a cruise night or show that might be within a Three Iron of their home, 
but the biggest peeve, (for lack of better word?) was cars in salvage yards. 
There is a file...or two dealing more with this somewhere on my site. But 
the frustration of calling, writing, (before I had email I could go thru 
books of stamps) people to let them know there is a authentic SCCA Spirit 
racecar at the pick a part yard with X amount of time left before crushing, 
or a 21,000 original owner Hornet a lady drove there and got $125 for it, 
401s in Jeeps and whatnot, and then you go back out to the yard with 2-3 
days to go before the vehicle crushed and gone forever and it is still 90% 
intact. Even with all the effort, no one bothered to pull anything. That was 
the biggest apathy. Seems now in 2006 it come back to bite us in ass since 
few good rust free sheet metal items out there now.

Don't get too frustrated Mike. There are 1001 ways to change a Eagle 
headlamp you know. You got 28 emails, and you have to remember this is such 
a small group, that ain't bad. I have never heard of Super Rod before you 
mentioned it, so don't know how many AMC fans subscribe to it. Much less how 
many of them read this site, forum, eaglenest, badassgremlin and other onine 
places you might have posted this. However, if some do subscribe and read 
it, I'm sure they will lower the boom on SR when they get their issue in 
mail. Kudos to you, and anyone else who did take a moment of their day to 
write Super Rod. Hopefully they will print some of the letters to editor and 
realize they stirred up a AMC 'hornets' nest!
Eddie Stakes



Date: Monday, August 7, 2006 03:29 PM
From: Michael Bailey <route66rambler@xxxxxxxxx>

As of noon Monday, I have received 28 E-mails
concerning my post ranting about the evils of Super
Rod magazine.  The breakdown is 12 that are
supportive, with 3 saying they had responded to the
magazine, and 9 wishing me good luck or conferring
attaboys.  I have no idea if any of these 9 responded
to the magazine.  The remaining 16 fall into various
categories, ranging from those that address various
health issues such as blood pressure, stress, etc. to
mental and philosophical oncerns such as enjoyment of
life(too short), contentment with what you have etc.,
and two that informed me that there was no conspiracy.
The remainder expressed either fear that if the
watercraft were set to oscillating, all coverage of
AMC would immediately cease, or else that resistance
is futile, we will be assimilated et. al.
  I read and hear with frequency complaints as to the
"State of AMC" with regards to low values, no
"respect", misinformation, etc.  This behaviour, or
more accurately, lack of behaviour, is how this thing
got this way. Let us consider for a moment what might
occur if say, an FE series Ford big-block engine was
identified by a major magazine as a 351 Cleveland. I
have been assured that this has occurred, and I
believe it wholeheartedly.  How many letters from Ford
lovers, and those "car guys" with no particular
allegiance would it take to print a retraction?  1? 3?
6?  Six would probably do it. One is a crackpot.
Three is a complaint, but not much of one. Six is a
definite trend. With AMC it would probably take a lot
more to get them to pay attention. Maybe 20?  If these
people who took the time to type a message to me and
push the email button had instead done so with Super
Rod magazine, they would now have logged 29 complaints
to this article, as opposed to the 4 I know about.
The person I have the most respect for out of
respondents to that post, is the guy who stated
publicly here on the list, that he thought Super Rod
was a good magazine, while acknowledging some
mistakes. He at least had the juevos to stand up and
say SOMETHING. This type of thing DOES require
correction, even if it's the Wisconsin Historical
Society or the Walter P. Chrysler museum(Or the Route
66 Rambler Museum).  While AMC was small, by the
Galactic Empire standards of Detroit, this was no Mom
and Pop operation.  We are talking about tens of
thousands of people in dozens of countries who built
something special for decade after decade. This is
American History, folks.  I am under no illusion.  I
realize the magazine doesn't care.  That has already
been demonstrated.  I get that they won't print my
letter, that no retraction is forthcoming.  And that
matters not in the least to my point.  Which is that
if I elicit no interest in anything larger than
myself, then when all is said and done, I will have
nothing BUT MYSELF.  And that makes for a mighty small
hobby.
Now if you will excuse me, I must hide from the black
helicopter shadowing me for the AMC Suppression
Conspiracy. /;]
mike


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