Gerry:
Let me be clear about this, I didn't start out to "play" anyone I just wanted to generate a little buzz about my project that I thought would interest car people. But instead, they pulled out a silver platter, polished it up and handed me an opportunity of a lifetime...
It's like renting a Mini Van for the weekend and when you go to pick it up they say something like "I'm sorry sir, it didn't come back in time, please take this Ferrari California at the same price." Sometimes you just have to accept the opportunities presented to you, be thankful and go with the flow.
Advertising is UBER expensive, when Mel Gibson did "Passion of the Christ" he marketed it to the churches, Ron Howard did the same to car groups with "Rush." All at mostly no cost. If a movie cost $100 Million about half of that is distribution - meaning advertising and publicity.
I learned from them and followed their example when doing my show and it cost me not one penny !!!
You'll see movie reviews that say "'Two Thumbs Up"' - Roger Ebert", etc., that alone carries a lot of weight ($), so I have changed my signature accordingly.
I was planning on spending money of advertising to target groups such as Benzworld and the Peach people but instead of paying for something I managed to get
cascade/JimB, Mcclare,Totone as well as Vertical Scope to hand it to me at no charge !!! I do not have the words to properly thank them for helping me accomplish what I needed. It's similar to... instead of buying and paying for a full page ad in the NYT, they run a story on the front page.
And.... the people who made all this possible are those with the MOST postings !!! If someone had 50-100-200 postings that's one thing, but people, "respected" people, people who have "given away many things," people who have many many THOUSANDS of postings validating what I say !!! I am kissing the ground they walk on.
I defy ANY PR specialist or professional, who has been doing this for their entire life, to accomplish what I did in a single week for what I paid - nutin'. Looking back, it was almost too easy, but it always looks that way when you're done.
In closing, I would like to thank the advertising company Vertical Scope, the owners of B/W, for providing us with something for which we would have gladly paid, and paid dearly for, at NO CHARGE.
Not sure that's a good thing for an advertising company to do but hey, THANK YOU !!!
BANNED, you couldn't make this stuff up and you couldn't buy it. !!!
Thank You and Kind Regards,


Ron and Joanna and our 12 person crew -- especially Essie and Hugo.
Here's what they are saying about my new TV show on the Benzworld and PeachParts Forums:
"A TV show, so explicit, so daring that it's producer got BANNED from all the forums he so loved !!!!"
"Stories so true that the moderators refused to let them be known for fear of reprisals !!!"
"Episodes that are so offensive that legal action was threatened if they were ever made public in the US or Canada."
"Events that if the general population were aware of would have the featured subject owning this very show and the producer and crew working for him !"

No one lives forever....
But it is one heck of a car. I drove the McLaren F1 road car back in 94 and that was the ultimate, but they are now selling for 3-4 million and not even the uber poster cascade, with all his ranting, could get me that at this point today. But the Huayra... done deal probably, maybe.
You'd laugh, but some of my favorite cars are the Ford Pinto 2 door wagon and a Volvo 240 Wagon (with IPD Suspension of course). I didn't support the legal community with those cars...
I like the analogy about the strap-on penis, probably true to some extent but many people consider a Mercedes, any Mercedes, to be the same. Like most things in life it's just a matter of degree. A strap-on Huayra is just slightly faster than a strap-on diesel Mercedes when going from point A to point B in real life, nothing more.

Kind Regards,

Ron

Lacking diplomatic immunity, that is 100% correct. Except you'd look good arrving at the grocery store in the Huyara.


Now, on a closed course (race track)... the Huyara pegs the fun meter at "eleven", while the OP's 1981 300SD is somewhere between zero and nada. Having personally spent time turning wheels in anger on a real racetrack... some of it in actual competition, mind you (as opposed to dreaming about it, or prentending in front of a game console, or doing a "fan walk", etc)... the Huyara makes a whole lotta sense and I would be insanely jealous if Ron ends up getting one. Speaking of which, Ron, when you make it big... if you ever remember lil' ol' Dave, or if you're ever that intoxicated, maybe you could toss an old Zonda my way. I'd be eternally grateful! Maybe we could compare lap times at Infineon or Laguna. Loser buys the beers. Better yet, loser buys new tyres!!

__________________
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

I'm sure I'd get a kick from driving one on a track. Would even pay a few hundred to do it. I reside in Silicon Valley and I've seen so many wimpy guys in bad ass cars that I've gotten a bit cynical about the craving for a seriously fast and wicked car.

One of my clients is about the most prestigious personal trainer in the area. He and his wife, Polish weight lifting champs, do remarkably well with their routine. I can't tell you how many Porsches, Maseratis, Teslas, Mercedes, and Ferraris I've seen parked in front of their place. I'll give the drivers of those cars a nod for at least trying to acquire some true machismo.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Yes, until you realize the carrying capacity is nothing more than a small box of Ritz Crackers and a pack of chewing gum and you'd have to call the Supermodel to come and get the stuff in her Mini Van...

R

I dunno, I don't think cascade/Jimb or mcclare would agree to that, but ask, who knows...


Ron

How about a Honeymoon Suite at a HoJo in Hoboken?

Golly, a TV show based on BW126 alone?

I have to question; is BW w126 the only one of its kind, not to be replicated nor seen anywhere? I have a sort of a tough bone chewing that. The internet is a HUGE abyss...

It IS one of a kind that's for sure. I think Mcclare single handedly dragged VerticalScope (the owners of B/W) into litigation if any letter from any attorney is received regarding the show.
But the BEST part was tutone providing us with about $30,000 worth free publicity and services. It didn't come out of his pocket so why should he care I guess; That attitude is sad but I'm just glad he doesn't work for me, I'd be bankrupt by noon tomorrow if he even worked in the shipping room. He's like that kid in the comics who walks around with a cloud over his head when it comes to business.
The freebies he gave me came out of VerticalScope's pocket, but since he acted as their agent it's OK by me. We graciously accept what we are given.
Over the past week or so not only have they, B/W, provided us with enough material for an entire season - they have given us publicity and advertising that money could not buy, period !
Read my post #163 on this forum for details.
Anyway, the "signature" below my name probably will be included in the trailer designed to bring in both viewers and ad dollars and after reading, or hearing, it.
I ask what person would NOT want to watch ??? When it comes time to produce the trailer for audiences I will eliminate any reference to BenzWorld (unless they pay us for publicizing their business of course) in the final draft. I might say one of the "Premiere Mercedes Forums" or something like that, dunno yet... have to think about it.
It's a damn gift, and a big one at that, from jimb/cascade, mclare, tutone and VerticalScope if there ever was one !
Here we are, ready to cut VS a check but before we can pick up the proverbial pen so to speak, Tutone opens up the flood gates and gives us everything we wanted, and more - much more, free of charge !!!
I ran this up the network food chain and they did not believe it, I had to copy all the postings and send it to them before they could be convinced. And they STILL had trouble believing it... I mean you can't make this stuff up.
I will get more free lunches over this than anything else I bet. People WANT to hear the story from the first person point of view.
Thank you for your interest.

Kind Regards,

Ron
Here's what they are saying about the new TV show on the Premiere Mercedes Forums:
"A TV show, so explicit, so daring that it's producer got BANNED from all the forums he so loved !!!!"
"Stories so true that the moderators refused to let them be known for fear of reprisals !!!"
"Episodes that are so offensive that legal action was threatened if they were ever made public in the US or Canada."
"Events that, if the general population were made aware of, would have the featured subject owning this very show and the producer and his crew working for HIM !"

...just one question. Is this a joke? Are you really going to be producing a TV show based on this stuff? If yes, then today, you win the internet!

How about "one of the two dominant (or just "dominant") Mercedes forums" or something like that? Premiere just doesn't sound right.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

+1. Let's not put Ben's Whirled on a pedestal, even a little one.

Bingo. That's what I was wanting to say.

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

I think Benn's World is fine overall ... the 124, 107, 129 sections are great.

It's the 126 sub-forum that seems to be overpopulated by folks with huge egos, who like to make legal and death threats to those who anger them; by senile old men who have discovered Viagra in recent years; and moderated by biased individuals with an agenda who surreptitiously modify posts, and who "moderate" with extreme prejudice.

Well, it's true but not based on BW. What it is..... it's a cross between "Stupid Pet tricks" and "America's Funniest Home Video's" and "1000 Ways to Die" but only dealing with car stories.
Everyone has, or knows of, people who have done "interesting" things during their tenure with cars or the car hobby.
I am looking for stories to recreate... BW has been the DeBeers of material so far. I have hundred's of others of course.
I have a contract for a Pilot and 13 episodes.
At this stage we are scouring the net, reading books and mags and continuing research.
Shooting will begin in the spring.
As far as winning the net, I don't want it. In fact I don't even want to work, but that Pagani is calling my name... I'll trade the entire net for a piece of used chewing gum for the most part. Try to find a company that sells widgets in Chicago and you get a company that makes widgets in China but will ship to Chicago. Timewaster. There are good solid souces of information; Gerry's site is the best when dealing with cars. Cars I like, there's probably, I hope, an equal when dealing with Honda's etc. the APS site is great if you collect stamps. but for the most part, when you need to find something to buy... the hard copy of the phone book is tops.
Seriously, it's fun reading the exploits of car people over the years. What we have now is so tame compared to what went on in the 30 and 50'S.
But laws we slightly lenient back then. If you did something then you got a warning, today that same incident is a felony.
After the Police chase the newscaster dumping her car into Lake Michigan, The Lake Drive 100MPH Club (speed limit 25), the XKSS Jag blowing off a cop car at 150 MPH, Barnato's Blue Train Bentley racing the train from Cannes to London, Gurney putting the Die Hard battery cars in the swimming pool, the Cannonball run, Hertz's Rent-a-Racers, peeing into the water tank on the way to Le Man's and getting a little too close to the rad..., Rosemeyer spoofing Hitler when Hitler unexpectedly walks into the room, Straight - unable to own a car at Cambridge buys an Airplane to get to London in the 30's, The Bentley Boys... the list is endless.
Cascade, Mclare and that bunch are nothing really when it comes to cars - little intelligence and even less creativity but big people on the anonymous Internet, although the $55,000 Engine in a $8,000 car and the Wheel Flying Off/Pregnant Lady stories are pretty good all things considered. The "Smoke Repossession" thread has merit too but mostly that's a mutual admiration story about people trying to feel superior to people they perceive as weaker. If they tried doing what they did to an equal or better they'd get their hat handed to them and end up running home crying to mommy. They didn't like what I did, which was NOT call anyone names or anything like that, so instead of addressing the points I made, which they honestly couldn't, they banned me for a week. To which I managed to turn that event to our advantage.
The best, IMHO, was when one guy took issue with MY signature containing MY cars - calling me names, etc.. He wrote that directly above HIS signature containing HIS cars. I mean how can they deal with me bringing that up except to ban me? Or going on and on about their honesty and how I can't use their story because it would be stealing, while at the same time using an Avatar that they stole and used without permission from the owner.
Someone also took issue with my formatting, which in the entire history of the Internet, I believe that's the first time that's been done. Can't find anything to refute what I said so take issue with the formatting.... perfect.
Like I said, you can't make this stuff up.

Dave --- At this time I think will use "Premiere," without using the B/W name (unless they pay for the publicity), because I have to make it sound like they are somewhat important. Like movie reviews, the studio pays some hack (with free tickets) from a paper in the middle of nowhere to write a glowing review on a bad film. "Joe Drutz of the NoWhere Times says 'Gigli is the most fun ever.'" Joe gets his name in print and thinks he's in the movie biz and the studio get a good review to print. Sort of what going on with Yelp today in many ways.

Kind Regards,

Ron

Clarification: BW 126 sub-forum

I feel very honored that I was able to bring this to light, and that someone will be making money off this comedy. It's the American Way !!


Are you talking about McClare using a crop of my photo of the sign on the outskirts of Affalterbach, Germany, without my written permission, as his avatar on Benzworld? For the record, he is NOT allowed to use my photograph. He seems to have no scruples about using my intellectual property in an unauthorized fashion, yet loves to call me names and threaten me with death on other forums. LOL !

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