sgraber
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| posted on 9/10/07 at 11:47 PM |
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Everyone has their own opinion...
Out of curiosity I looked into my web logs to see where people are coming to my website from and I found this interesting conversation about my car on
the Corvette Forum. Not very pleasant for me, but hey! Opinions are like Assholes, everybody has one, and some people's opinions really stink.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=1833206
Steve Graber
http://www.grabercars.com/
"Quickness through lightness"
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RazMan
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| posted on 9/10/07 at 11:57 PM |
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I wouldn't worry too much Steve. The trouble with having your car so exposed on the web is that you will get a cross section of society casting
their own perspective on your design. Its too easy for these guys to make a flippant comment on something they know nothing about ;
But we know better don't we 
p.s. I was accused of making a 'poor man's Ultima' last month ...... I'm not sure if it was meant as an insult
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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Daimo_45
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 12:06 AM |
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They're all retarded Americans who can only drive automatics and think the bigger the litre engine and horsepower the better the car is...TARDS.
Corvettes handle like sh*t anyway (Bar the C6).
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Alan B
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 12:17 AM |
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Diamo you are largely correct, but please don't tar all Americans with the same brush...Steve is one after all....one who IS doing something
different.
I recently had a longish ride (about 150 miles) in a Z06, and to be honest was not over impressed at all.....
Ask any of those critics which parts of their cars did they design? or make? or even fit?
Steve, just ignore them.....
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akrallysport
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 12:23 AM |
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I wouldn't be too concerned... it's just a cross-section or American supermusclecar owners trying to make up for their gonads' lack
of size. If I were to ask any of my car-nut OR engineering friends, they would have more respect for you, Kurt or Mr DP1 than a Corvette driver.
Maybe they're jealous?!?!?!?!
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Alan B
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 12:28 AM |
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Hey, what about me..
I could use some respect too.....
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Sven
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 12:30 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Daimo_45
They're all retarded Americans who can only drive automatics and think the bigger the litre engine and horsepower the better the car is...TARDS.
Corvettes handle like sh*t anyway (Bar the C6).
Funny ... great way to help out those Brits (like me) who live in the US. I'm going to go for you were tongue in cheek or your medication needs
adjustment.
And you're a cyclist too ... will you make all my cycling buddies pissed off and take it out on me too?
-Steve
"Lightheadedness through quickness"
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sgraber
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 12:50 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Sven
Funny ... great way to help out those Brits (like me) who live in the US. I'm going to go for you were tongue in cheek or your medication needs
adjustment.
And you're a cyclist too ... will you make all my cycling buddies pissed off and take it out on me too?
-Steve
hey it's the infamous SVEN! LOL
I know I shouldn't get pissed at them for having small testicles and weenie wankers...
But I still do...
Steve Graber
http://www.grabercars.com/
"Quickness through lightness"
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kb58
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 01:20 AM |
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We wouldn't be human if what they said had no effect. Some people think my car's ugly. Eh, okay, we all like different things. If it
really comes down to it, ask what they have built that's better, and their defense will be that, "Well, I would have...." No,
what have they built? Nothing.
A friend of mine had a 30 minute discussion with the lead judge at a hot rod show. My friend used my car as a "random" example, asking the
judge why it didn't win. It was interesting how vague and squishy the judging "rules" are. Nevermind that the first place winner was
a good personal friend of the judge. He even said to my friend that "no one says it's fair." Funny, I thought that's was
judges were for.
My friend asked what the difference is between someone who goes to a big hot rod shop, tells Boyd what he wants, an collects it six months later,
versus someone who does all the work themselves. The judge didn't have an answer.
When it's all said and done, you have to forgive them and move on. Something to the effect of, "Forgive them, for they know not what they
say."
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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Doug68
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 02:25 AM |
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To me this sort of thing is symptomatic of the societies will all live in. People are now conditioned to be consumers and not creators. I’m sure
we’ve all seen the blank uncomprehending look when you tell someone you are building your own car from scratch.
Then the next question “What is it then?” The insinuation being we’re all lusting after something we can’t have and therefore have to copy it (not
that I have any issue with people building replicas).
The bottom line is people will always attack what they don’t understand and if you chose not join a corporate fan club that’s something most people
just don’t understand.
Doug. 1TG
Sports Car Builders WA
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CGILL
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 02:57 AM |
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If you put it on a truck chassis, gave it box steering and a 120kg live rear axle, and a 6 litre 120hp engine, they might like it better 
Don't forget, they can't even spell colour
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Doug68
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 03:15 AM |
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Having lived in the USA for a few years (we escaped a while back). There's 2 expressions the condescending nature of which you just can't
get until you've heard them used first hand.
1. Ricer
2. Crotch rocket.
Kb58, have you ever seen a Japanese engined car win a hot rod show?
Doug. 1TG
Sports Car Builders WA
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kb58
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 03:21 AM |
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Oh, sure, mine has, but I have to pick and choose my battles carefully. I understand your point though, and yes, it's nearly impossible without
a chrome V8 up front.
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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TheGecko
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 04:06 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Doug68Kb58, have you ever seen a Japanese engined car win a hot rod show?
Doug,
I wouldn't expect Kimini to win a Hot Rod show but only because my mental image of a Hot Rod doesn't include anything at all like it. To
me, Hot Rod means a front engine, RWD car that's had a bigger engine (almost always an American V8, probably with a supercharger) stuck into it.
Lowered, nice paint job, flashy wheels etc. Probably very crude suspension with little or no attention paid to anything other than notional straight
line performance. By the way, what is with the American obsession with 1/4-mile times?
The Kimini is a loooong way from that style of car! I'm in the position presently of thinking very hard about judging criteria because
I've been asked to participate in the judging at the upcoming Clubman Nationals (link
here). Kimini would get strong marks form me on engineering, design, and innovation, as well as on build quality (from what I can see over the
web). But, it's not a clubman and so it wouldn't even be an entrant. As Kurt says, you need to pick your battles. The real way to beat
Hot Rods with Kimini is around corners
Steve, I endorse the other comments not to be too concerned about the opinions of the ill informed masses. I know it's hard seeing your hard
work belittled by people who have no idea what they're looking at - I've encountered similar treatment in my professional life.
Re: the usual "stupid Americans" remark: my experience has been that most Americans aren't any more stupid than the rest of the
world in terms of intelligence. However, they DO seem to be much more insular and uneducated about the larger world outside their borders. E.g. a
number of my Australian friends have traveled to the USA and been recognised as "not from here" by their accents, been asked where
they're from. On multiple occasions, for multiple people, the reaction to "I'm from Australia" is "Where's
that?" or sometimes "Gosh, you speak good English". I'm sure an American getting that reaction anywhere in the world would
consider the other party a moron at best.
Anyway, enough of that - Steve, go drive the car in the Arizona sunshine, have fun, and ignore the Corvette driving bigots
Dominic
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nitram38
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 05:02 AM |
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Walt Disney said that if he had an idea, he would run it past 10 of his friends and if one of then agreed, it was a bad idea!
My advice:
Observe the masses and do the opposite.
It is a good job that they don't build statues of critics, otherwise you wouldn't be able to open your front door!
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airframefixer
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 05:16 AM |
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Steve.
Who did you build your car for?.... yourself or the corvette crowd? Really, you did it because you had fun doing it, it made you happy and
you've probably made lots friends along the journey with similar interests.
You are both an individual builder AND a manufacturer of kit cars and components.
As for being a "locostbuilder", I say F everybody and their opinion regards to style etc. As long as its safe.
But your embarking on a business venture too, so these opinions, feedback, and critique matter. Even though they are corvette guys, there still
automotive enthusiasts, and they have the potential for valuable input.
Ask those corvette guys what they would do to your design to make it appeal to their crowd? What would they change? What would it take design wise to
sell a kit to a corvette enthusiast? you never know.
You built you're first car for yourself, but when your selling cars, you need to change your mindset to what your (potential) customers want.
This separates the successful kit car manufacturers from the unsuccessful.
Andrew
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Ivan
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 05:56 AM |
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I think your car is one of the pretiest around so beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.
I agree with ^^^^^ - as a business it might well be worth your while to do some research as to general opinions which I guess is what you are doing by
trolling the forums.
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jollygreengiant
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 07:09 AM |
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Steve,
I noted that BrooklynC6 has this under his avatar.........
Member Since: Jun 2007
Location: Brooklyn New York drunk scuba is a REAL sport........
ANYONE who thinks or even MIGHT think drunk scuba diving is cool, HAS to be a right proper twonk.
Not even worth thinking about mate.
oh nice looking car by the way.
Beware of the Goldfish in the tulip mines. The ONLY defence against them is smoking peanut butter sandwiches.
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russbost
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 07:18 AM |
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I've had some "interesting" things said about my car on various forums - including this one!
Some people are jealous, some people are incapable of the sort of lateral thinking that it takes, some people will join in with trashing anything (mob
mentality) & some people will genuinely not like it for whatever reason. I will always support anyone who's prepared to actually try
something different - power to the lateral thinkers
I no longer run Furore Products or Furore Cars Ltd, but would still highly recommend them for Acewell dashes, projector headlights, dominator
headlights, indicators, mirrors etc, best prices in the UK! Take a look at http://www.furoreproducts.co.uk/ or find more parts on Ebay, user names
furoreltd & furoreproducts, discounts available for LCB users.
Don't forget Stainless Steel Braided brake hoses, made to your exact requirements in any of around 16 colours.
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/furoreproducts/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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Hellfire
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 07:30 AM |
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Steve,
I'm not going to read the link intentionally because it is trivial.
And that's how you should think it...
I've just read an article about a Fisker Tramonto - basically a re-skinned Mercedes SL55 AMG  which IMO suffers from the fugly sydrome.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained....
Steve
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balidey
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 07:46 AM |
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As long as your not bothered by it, then no harm done.
But, does anyone else see the funny side of a corvette forum having two strong opinions, one being it looks like a corvette, and the other being that
it looks ugly.....
(PS, i love your car, well done.)
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Fred W B
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 08:01 AM |
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I wouldn’t loose any sleep over it Steve, most of then are apparently not even bright enough to string two sentences together. Hell they even missed
the fact that you are building a small lightweight rear engined car, while Vettes are large heavy front engined cars
How's these items one of the owners includes in his cars spec in his sig?
Corsa Sport Exhaust with 4...4" tips, Lloyd's "Lingenfelter" Floor Mats, Window Tinting
Re “what is it” I also found that in the early stages of my project, before I decided to go with the t70 spyder inspired shape, other people were
unable to understand that I might want to build a car that was not a replica of anything.
Cheers
Fred W B
[Edited on 10/10/07 by Fred W B]
You can do it quickly. You can do it cheap. You can do it right. – Pick any two.
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Gergely
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 08:24 AM |
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I prefer your car to a Corvette... it looks a lot better...
All forums are protective though, we make fun of some kitcars on ebay as well and they would probably also nt be too happy reading these... But if
someone would say the Locost or seven type cars are ugly, we would jump and protect the car, that's it. Don't worry about it!
But I agree, go to the forum and ask them in a polite way what they would change to make the car suit their tastes better. You might even win them
over...
Gergely
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caber
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 08:33 AM |
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I thought the link was put up as sarcasm! I laughed my way through the posts. I don't tar all septics ( septic tank=yank, rock and roll rhyming
slang!) with the same brush just the 90+ % who don't know where the next state is let alone anywhere outside the USA and are blind to any
culture except the American one!
I did a lot of touring with bands in the USA during the early 80s and boy do you meet some people that really can't see beyond their own
noses!
Caber
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Syd Bridge
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| posted on 10/10/07 at 09:42 AM |
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Find a tight and twisty racetrack, and ask them to put up one of theirs against yours.
That'll shut 'em up!
You've done well Steve, and done something those pathetic self satisfiers could never know where to start.
Cheers,
Syd.
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