Bob,
Let me be perfectly clear here... I did not have relations... oops, sorry, wrong
speech. (Presidential press conference text...)
The point is not to discourage the voicing of opinions... but to identify them
as
such.... plain and simple. People seem to be content to portray their opinion as
fact.
You are absolutely correct about books on Healeys containing errors. That's a
perfect example of my point. People assume because it's in print, it's correct.
In fact, sometimes its Club based information that's erroneous... example, the
recent Chatter that had a picture of Pierce Brosnan in a Healey. The editor, or
caption writer, or supplier of the photo identified it as a 2 seater. Sorry,
wrong answer. One time I addressed specific wrong information in a "historical
Healey article". The editor's response..." the little facts aren't important...
just the story." Huh?
My comments are not addressed at the list as a whole, but to those seemingly
self
-appointed individuals that are quick to get it wrong.... then watch 15 related
inane threads discussing it. I am not naming myself as the opinion or fact
police.
Let me give you a very specific personal example... I haven't named names in the
past, but I'll clarify the situation a little more. On the Team Thicko web site
<http://www.thicko.com> (which has lots of opinion and is represented as such)
see <http://www.thicko.com/healey.htm>. Halfway down the page is a Healey
Register sticker that Geoff gave to me. I had shown Geoff the color cover of
the
Oklahoma club's newsletter that had the Healey badge on it. A family member was
taking credit for the badge design. Geoff was outraged.... wrote "Bullshit" and
signed Geoff Healey on it. A week later in the mail I got a large envelope from
Geoff that contained the sticker. On the back he wrote "This is a later
adaptation of the Silverstone badge". His letter stated... " the badge with the
Warwick Castle and the Union Jack was created in 1949, as a car badge for the
Silverstone, in the drawing office by Barrie Bilbie". This pre-dated by a number
of years the involvement of the family member in the business. Along with the
letter and the sticker, Geoff sent a 12 page color brochure... "The Healey
Silverstone" by Profile Publications which in its color center section clearly
showed the badge. SOmeday soon I hope to get this on the web site.
It gets more and more difficult as time goes by and the principals involved in
the making of the cars pass on to get accurate information. Someday soon,
they'll
all be gone... and all we'll have to rely on from a historical standpoint will
be
the documented writings of individuals that confirmed the facts before
publication, and the fond memories of those of us who were lucky enough to get
to
know them.
There's not one single item that precipitated my post today... just the last
flush that overflowed the bowl. I think its great that people want to learn
about
their cars. I think it's great we have a forum to ask and answer questions. I
think it's great to have differences of opinion. Let's just strive to keep the
facts straight.
WST
b-evans@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> My Frogeye has been an integral part of my life for nigh on to 37
> years. I have slept in it, I have cried over it, I have made love it
> in, I have sworn at it, and it has drawn my blood. I own most of the
> manuals and books dealing with it.
>
> Having said that, I have to admit that I still don't know a helluva lot
> about my Frogeye. That is exactly the reason while I value both the
> Healey and Spridget lists, and why I have been saving so much
> information from these lists to build my own book of information.
>
> Yes, some of the posts on these lists contain "inaccuracies, untruths,
> and just plain old wrong information". But so do ALL of the books and
> manuals published over the years. Even in the Austin, BMC, and Leyland
> publications, errors can be found.
>
> To denigrate the opinions voiced here would only serve to mute and
> silence the views of others. If it is felt that those views are in
> error, it would be far better to offer an alternative thought.
>
> > My post was concerning the Healey lsit, not the Spridget list... I cc'd the
> > Spridget list because many subscribers used to belong to the Healey list...
> > but left because of the reasons I stated.
>
> I suspect that those who abandoned the Healey list did so because the
> Spridget list focused solely on their interests. I have stayed on the
> Healey list because I find that it still has a great deal to offer the
> owner of a Sprite.
>
> Bob Evans
> Anaheim, California
> Frogeyes AN 5L/762, AN 5L/6893
|