Im retired, I have time, but very few computer skills, and very limited financial resources I can use to expand this web site, currently and while I learn as I go, I find that I just don,t seem be doing whats required to get this site to expand as I,d like it too.
my younger son works full time and has been a great help, but his expertize is in other areas, my older sons basically useless due to extensive medical issues and I,m supporting him and his family plus my house hold.
the web hosting costs are consistent, and known ,the renewals cost are consistent, both are reasonable.
what varies is the need to get and pay someone a couple times a year to make web site modifications, clear problems that come up, etc. when I can,t get my sons to do it or when they have no idea how to do what Im asking them to do too the web site. these guys I am forced too infrequently hire are usually people my younger son knows who do web site mods for a living, they generally have a minimum fee, to get involved, and give me a discount compared to what they normally charge because they know my younger son. and while it generally takes the guys less than an hour or two, they can get $50-$70 an hour to get the job done and it can take a bit of time and effort to explain what the problem is or what needs to be changed or altered added or deleted.
all that is minor chicken feed, Im willing to absorb, financially,as long as I can hopefully make this a useful and informative resource, its a p.i.t.a. but its basically not the problem ,just a expense I,d like to cover, but what ID LIKE to do is both make the web site much more user friendly, the first place people think to look for answers , much easier to use and use as an auto related informational resource , and hopefully make a profit and pay the sites expenses, too the extent I can hire someone that will be willing to help show me both how to get and add sponsors and greatly increase member traffic.
keep in mind there's a great deal of research time, and engineering magazine subscriptions,actual testing of products at times,etc. that this site benefits from what have associated costs that while not directly connected are benefits here also.
IDEALLY It would be great to have a minimal second income source generated from the site rather than have it remain basically a hobby that costs time and money.
I know from talking to several guys that own other car related web sites that what I,m looking to do is not that big a deal, some web sites generate a great deal more cash flow than I,m hoping to build, if I made 5% of what many of them make it would be well worth the effort to me and I could add a good many more features. in an ideal world Id love to do a bi-monthly engine build with detailed instructional help and a question and answer and help feature.
Id love to have access to a few tools to do some interesting testing with, as for example we could have a detailed thread on building a flow bench and then testing members cylinder heads and intakes if we actually has some cash flow to off set the expense involved.
I have no expectation of getting rich here but it would be wonderful if the web site was making enough too cover expenses and made some pocket change, to help out for those who take the effort to post and my time, Id love to be able to pay a fee too moderators and the more knowledgeable contributors posting here!
Id love to build engines and test components, teach and be a well known resource for info, and then occasionally be able too donate those engines or parts to the members
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