I'm not at all sure how to define categories, themes, and so on.

But the scheme I have in mind overall would be a rapidly accellerated one over all the earlier ones that have happened, so that each would begin and end within a month. (Earlier ones lasted several months)

What this means is fewer entries, and if there are only a few in each the voting is simplified, the final tally more clear and dynamic (Quote: "UNTOUCHED BY HUMAN HANDS!!!") as well as precise.

Still - anything over ten entries means a "POLL" is impossible unless the number goes through an elimination process to get it down to ten.

It means ten or twelve such "SHOWS" can happen online per year, but they will be fast action (?) I guess the word I'm looking for here is "SHOWTESTS". The main idea here still being that the guys that build wheels up in a driveway or wherever that can't run around the country making it to major meets can gain exposure and pride of accomplishment with a digital cam and a little help if needed.

By speeding it up, we have fewer entries, but also the count becomes more accurate. It means predefined year/model announcement for a given month, and also active 'followership' to really make it work.

I believe that one of the reasons some of the early 'shotests' kind of lagged is because there was no close deadline to get in, and lots of time to vote. By squeezing the length of time they are up it might just make competition and interest levels more intense.

To pull it off though, word has to get out, people have to be interested, what kind of Ford Trucks are in each show needs to be decided and advance announcements (may) have to be made, a volunteer STAFF ought to be created to assist and manage the events, ideas are required - so that we fairly target as many FTE people as we can that may want to get in on it at different times of year (MUD trucks/CLASSIC trucks/SHOW trucks/DAILY DRIVER trucks/NEW trucks/OLD trucks/DRAG RACING TRUCKS!!!/GAS trucks/DIESEL trucks/SUPER TRUCKS.... And so on)

It occurs to me we never actually did do a strictly FORD VAN show/contest.....

We have never done an FTE RV Puller or RV CHASSIS one either....

With the new forums, and all of the advantages we have now you can imagine all of the little wrinkles and "idea bubbles" percolating through my mind.

The last successful shocon we did I came up with a way to make the final polls kind of admittedly spectacular, and that was very cool!

What is needed now is a sence of direction. To date there has been no indication from either FTE or IBI that such (maybe it works better like this) "CONSHOWS" are a good or a bad thing, or will ever be an active idea in their "Let's Do This" files. Except for the fact that our fearless leader (KP) entered his own truck in a few of them. So I have sat back and have been mulling ideas over.

*ITEM: It brought pure enjoyment to a huge bunch of us
*ITEM: GOD KNOWS HOW, but they worked out. Every single one of them
*ITEM: I have yet to hear from anyone who participated that didn't get a lot of satisfaction out of it
*ITEM: (I can't confirm this) I suspect site traffic picked up when the finals were running
*ITEM: Some of the best Truck pictures of all came when those contests were going on...

So I ask you - is this something we want to carry on as an FTE tradition? I also know that many sites other than ours have copy-catted the idea in several ways.

But in keeping with the "FIRST AND BEST" ideation - WE THOUGHT OF IT!!!

It was done first at FTE


I think we can do it better than the other guys. I need your help and suggestions


~Wolfie

Also note - though I have been a MOD and a Chapter Leader before, I am not on the paid staff of either FTE or IBI. I do this kind of a thing just because in my opinion I think it's a good idea

I doubt it will win me a job, but I don't really mind or care.

IT'S FUN!!!




In the final analysis - if you are not having fun you ain't doing it right.....

 

FOOTNOTE TO THE ABOVE:

The cadre I gather around me in support of the idea I think of as "PHULES COMPANY" after a book written by mister Robert Lynn Asprin. I find it oddly fitting....

We can do this. Indeed - it can be done with STYLE!

 

Standing by to see some awesome trucks.

 

Want an unpaid job?

-I'm hiring....

~Wolf out

 

I may be able to lend a hand.

 

It does sound like an interesting idea.

 

You always were good at getting the other contests going and managing them, I know you can pull it off.

 

That I can do - it will go better with help and ideas.

I need back-up

-I need more heads than my pointy nosed fuzzy little one



We need to brain-storm this whole deal

Got any ideas? The floor is open....

One thing is right out in the open - how do we make it worth it to the people who go there?

What is the prize?

So far it's WHAT? A year at FTE?

I don't know what I think about that now.
Ask me later.

I'm after a hot set of heads for a 351W
They down the street, but not mine yet
That has to come out of my own money.
This has nothing to do with it.

 

I do know we may not ever see anything out of this but our own satisfaction.

But that's racing for ya.....

 

I'm on board for any help you need Dutch!

 

I've been going over some notions and think I see both a fast-lane and a big picture.

Suppose we work it this way:

Each individual contest would be open to the first ten entries that post pictures in an "ENTRY THREAD".

These ten trucks I can massage into a poll with pictures of the trucks and links shown that tie back to the entry thread

Each contest would have to be numbered and tracked (a file in notepad would do it) and the first place finisher would go on to a "Best of the Best" shootout once ten contests have been done. *This is in line with earlier suggestions. We never had enough contests before to do this.

The entry thread should be closed to more entries at two weeks regardless, so that even if there were only a few entries in it, the contest would wrap up in less than a month. That allows the longest amount of time for people to get involved in the voting, and watching favorites is a big part of the action

I do not know if IB Adrian or Tim is keeping an eye on this, I did want Tim Lamkins suggestions and advice on this as well as Adrians. Adrian set up gift memberships through IBI for us last year, I don't know if that is still going to happen, especially if this generates more contests over the year. I expect a maximum of eleven, or at least it will need ten "HEATS" in order to post a "CHAMPIONSHIP"

The model here is admittedly similar to sprint car racing...

As a test case - I propose we do a wide-open all Ford truck, all models, all years, all levels of stock or customization based on the above plan (first come, first served, limited to the first ten entries) and see how fast the turn-around time is.

If what I think happens - the poll can be up for two weeks, and then the next heat take place.

For the sake of fast turn-around it may be a really good idea to leave it wide open as far as year and model so that as many people have a chance as possible.

If there is a lot of "re-entry" on later heats, we could require people to wait one heat before entering another one

Since first place finishers would naturally be in the championship - they would not enter a later "heat" until after the championship poll...

I'm looking this over now. Does anyone see any potential problems or loopholes? Are there anymore ideas?

 

Hmm...

One more thought. Instead of linking back to the entry thread, for simplicity it can be buried since I'll re-post the pictures in the contest or "HEAT" thread with the poll.

That being said - there would be less flipping back and forth between threads. Anyone that wants to comment on their entry can post those links, or just plain discuss it in the poll thread - adding stuff they've done, background info, what they think is coolest about their ride, and so on.

In the past there have been "WORDS" about people drumming up support from their buddies in different forums (especially chapters) but I think all is fair on that point, so long as it isn't SPAMMING.

The focus this time will be all about getting a field of entrants together, and thus a "POLL". The poll then decides everything - so whatever an entrant does afterward, on their own head be it. May I suggest that "PM's" are ideal for the purpose?

My biggest headache right now is how to condense all the rules into one simple to understand opening paragraph that can be copied and pasted.