NOT an April Fools this time ...

[Roadrunna]

Hi guys (and gals),

I've got some big news and some small news for you all today.

The big news - I have agreed to sell Rods 'n' Sods to an organisation called Autoguide.com. They are a Canadian company that specialise in running some of the largest car enthusiast web sites & forums around and have been doing this for a long time. Autoguide.com will be taking over the hosting and admin of the site, with the aid of our existing moderation team continuing the day to day running, in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... now.

The small news - Rods 'n' Sods will be the same tomorrow as it is today; all that is changing is that I won't be overlord and master any more

{insert cheering and rejoicing}


And now for the why...
As many of you know, I somehow managed to become a father to James Hemi about 18 months ago. It turns out it's hard. Not hard as in trying to get a unanimous definition of the term "Hot Rod", but proper hard! I imagine most of you have noticed I've been less and less active on here over the last 6-8 months. Basically, I've still not figured out how to make a day last 30 hours and as such I've had to cut back on some of the things I need and want to do. At times that's meant I've not been able to update the site or get involved as I've planned, at other times it means I've missed out doing things with my son & wife so I could update the site, and I've still got a lot of untouched Meccano in the garage which is meant to be a Ford Pop.

I know that if I can't continue to put the time and effort into RnS that it needs, and you guys deserve, then I'm not doing anybody any favours by hanging onto it. I always wanted Rods 'n' Sods to become the best place on the net for people like us and to be honest I reckon we've done pretty well so far. We're not quite there yet but we're certainly heading in the right direction. The fact that autoguide.com approached me in the first place clearly shows that considering they run sites such as www.hotrodders.com and www.impalassforum.com.

Unfortunately, I just don't have the ability to continue pushing it forward any more due to 'real life' getting in the way and I can't let it wither just because I can't dedicate enough of my time to it. So, when the option arose of passing the site on to a group who share the same ideas and ambitions I had no choice but to consider it. And then consider it again ... and then some more. This hasn't been an easy decision by any stretch and it was never been my intention to head down this path but circumstances change.
To let go of something created from scratch that's turned into something so cool feels like having an axle stand slip...

I know it's the best thing for RnS if it's going to continue to serve our community as I've always hoped it would. Rods 'n' Sods isn't a vanity project - as I said earlier it's about trying to be the best place on the net for our members - and I know this sounds a bit cheesy but that's what I want to happen and that's why I've had to hand over the reins.
I'm not going to disappear overnight. I might even be able to post a bit more now that I don't have to spend so much time tweaking the behind the scenes stuff that's never noticed till a 4am text message from one of you guys because something stopped working

I want to be the first to wish both the Autoguide.com team and the moderators every success for the future and I hope many of you will join me in that. And thanks for every single post, picture, suggestion, PM, link, complaint, and message of thanks. Thanks for making Rods 'n' Sods what it is today, and for shaping how it's going to look in the future.

Rods 'n' Sods has been bigger than any one person for a long time now and this is going to be proof of that. Onwards and upwards, ad astra per aspera (or so Google says ).


Cheers and Thanks ,

Si

[HelenaAG]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Helena and I work for AutoGuide.com, as you have read above we are now the proud owners of rodsnsods.co. Some of you may know me form other sites that I administrate, like hotrodders.com and Impalassforum.com. This announcement may look familiar to those of you who are on those sites. It is a good base point to start off on. I am always here to answer your questions and concerns.
I would like to start out with letting you all know that we are not here to close this site or change this community; we are here to help improve the functionality of the site and help it grow to a new level. We have a great team of tech support that is here to fix any functional issues you have with the site, and help keep the site updated and working. I am here whenever you need help with anything, or if you have a question or concern.

With that I would like you all to know that this is still YOUR community and we are here to work with the community and the existing staff to keep this site a place for you to come and feel at home.

Feel free to post your concerns or questions below or you can PM me any time, you may also email me at [email protected].

Thank you everyone.
Helena

[SG57]

From my self and I am sure from the other Mods this seems the right time to say thank you Si.......... You have built a community here who owe you a great deal and your guiding hand and input will be greatly missed. On a personal note I would like to thank you for the last three years, I have enjoyed every minute of it, I've been able to reconnected with old friends and I've also made a new one. All the best for the future Si, it's going to be a bright one.

Regards, Rog.

[Evil McNasty]

I don't know whether to be sad or happy......... Happy for you to be able to spend time in the real world.... Sad thinking this escape from my real world might change in a way I don't like.

Thank you Si for this cyber world that keeps me sane.

[sqweaka]

how many million did you get for it si? ... just been watching " social networking" lol

[TATFINK]

many thanks si,for all your hard work ...enjoy your retirement

[capriac]

Good luck Si and thanks, hope to still see you around at the shows.............

[Roadrunna]

I'll still be around guys both on this place and at the shows. No question about that.

It doesn't mean that this place isn't going to carry on as it was either
I got things rolling and now it's up to you lot to keep the momentum

[dragracerdave]

WOW! didn't see that coming! But if its what Si wants then its ok with me,
As Roger said above, We all owe Si a huge thanks for getting this community up & running & bringing lots of us together that I think were previously seperated, Good luck in the future & heres to our future, Now onwards & upwards, But if you can just stop it raining that would Great!

[satan]

Thanks Guvnor, for all that you done, for me, for this place, and for putting up with me and having the wisdom to put me right when i occasionally got out of order, now **** off and enjoy some family life,


whoops forgot to welcome the new girl, Welcome HelenaAG, lets hope it all works out for us both, i do visit some of your other sites and have enjoyed them.