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The GT/CS Registry and The Hunt

RacingFan

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Messages
146
Location
Hayes, Virginia
All,

I am familiar with both of the registries that Paul has put together, and has done a great job on. But as I am looking for yet another "special" it has come to my attention that there are a vast number of CS's that are not included. This effects the bottom line on number of cars left on the road and some very interesting historical data.
Two things I would suggest. One, have Marti do a complete VIN laydown of all GT/CS's. Not the complete report mind you, but a one to end list of all VIN's that were ordered with the California Special package. Be able to access that data on this site. This would help a bunch of folks with last minutes deals that the GT/CS package (orginial) would make or break.
The second thing I would suggest would be a quick imput link on this site that you could input a "find" with nothing but a VIN and a sentence or two comment. Such as " 8r01xxxxxxxxx" " Saw in Piggly Wiggly parking lot in Nashville Tenn, condition 5" or something to that affect. I have been contacting four sellers of GT/CS's that are not in the registry, so the VINs are easy to get.
While I am on the topic, the registry is the best thing going for historical data, but how come we can't access the data electronically? I am sure that it has grown in the past 4 years. How about a way to view the data without compromising owner privacy?
Thoughts? Thanks.
 

68sunlitgold

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
1,357
Racing Fan,
I would agree that having the info on-line for quick reference would be great, however, the information is licensed to Kevin Marti by Ford. Kevin makes an income through the production of the reports, I imagine if someone wanted to ask him for this info and would be willing to spend the money he might, but I think he provides the info for owners or potential owners.
And if you get info on cars not in the registry, have the owners go to this site and input their info, it will be sent to Paul Newitt. Speaking of Paul, he is planning on putting out a 35th anniversary edition of the registry, so all the info he can get, the better.
I hope this answers some of your questions.
Doug
 
OP
OP
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RacingFan

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Messages
146
Location
Hayes, Virginia
Hi Doug,

Yes, of course Kevin makes his money on these reports. Thats why I pointed out that we only need the VINs, not the detailed list of options and dealer information. I am sure that Kevin would be willing to listen to an offer, and I for one am willing to put my money where my mouth is in the interest of this site and the registry. It seems a little short sighted to pay Marti $17 a shot just to see if its authentic or not, when we probably have the means and the know how to do that here.
As for reminding owners to put their car in the registry, I know of no dealers, of which three of the four cars I am looking at belong to, that are interested. But I have the VINs and most of the door tag information. Probably would be fairly easy to input this into a data base, just don't have an easy way to do that , yet.
I know Paul is getting ready to publish a new registry, but it is only good the few minutes it exists on paper until the next new owner registers his/her GT/CS. Then we wait for the 40th anniversary edition, or perhaps the 50th. Why not have a real time, no kidding searchable database? I realize that we have cars that are over 30 years old, but doesn't mean we have to do business the way we did 30 years ago????
Maybe I am off base here, but seems to me that if you are going to do something, ie this fantastic site and a very detailed registry process, lets do it right.

Dave
Newport News, VA
 

guest

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 28, 2009
Messages
603
Not to be a paranoiac, but I'm not terribly excited about having my name and location listed as the owner of a desirable car for anyone who cares to look. In this day and age, isn't that kind of inviting theft? I have a total of #3 cars that could be listed on one registery or another, and none of them are. I understand the desire to locate "survivors" after 30+ years, but not everyone is as scrupulous as the vast majority of our fellow Mustangers!
 

admin

Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Aug 18, 2002
Messages
2,049
Lots of good points made here. I'll try to weigh in on a few of them.

Yes, it would be very nice to have Kevin do a full out search and give a grand total listing of all GT/CS and HCS VINs. However, as someone noted, it would cost some money. Probably some pretty serious money. I could run the idea past him to get a range, but I'm certain it's beyond my allowable budget for this little hobbiest site! ;)

And as someone also mentioned Kevin may view it as shooting himself in the foot in terms of future business.

The online registry is what I had originally invisioned when I created this site. I really just started it to help get another method of adding to Paul's registry.

However, there are a few issues with putting the info online. Privacy is one. Most people don't want their info made public. And yes, this could be solved by not giving out any info except car specifics (like engine, paint, DSO, etc.)

When I first talked to Paul about possibly putting the existing registry online the first thing he brought up is privacy, and I agree with him. All those people who mailed in their registry forms for all those years never gave their permission to have the info available online. Only in a published book. So we'd really have to have all those people "opt in" somehow to include the "old" registry info in an online database.

The second issue w/ the online database is simply logistics. I don't do this web stuff for a living and I'm not a programming geek. (Geek maybe, but not a programming one!) So I don't have the knowledge to create an online database that could be added to, searched, filtered, secured, etc through the web. I'm positive that the means are out there somewhere to accomplish this, but I've spent many a late night trying to make it work and haven't figured out a way yet.

Currently the forms are submitted via email form and then I have to go in and manually add each one to an Microsoft Access database. I've talked to several other car registries who get their info online and they all pretty much do it the same way.

If anyone is an expert in online database management and wants to lend a hand to the cause I'm definitely open to suggestions! ;D
 

68sunlitgold

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
1,357
Deadstang,
Just to set your mind at ease about the info in the registries, Paul does not but anything in except your name, and car info. There are no addresses.
Doug
 
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