I really loved this thread, and read each word. I have been into Pontiac since I was 17 n 1983. I remember wanting to make my white 67 stock as when I had bought it, it had the usual mags, shag carpet and red paint job, jacked up in the back. 99% of the people looked at me like I had a screw loose. And the 99% is what PHS is really up against, for WE here on this forum(as Pontiac lovers) are who CARE and LOVE our cars and ALL of the Pontiacs are the 1%.
We must realize that the vast majority of classic car owners AND classic Pontiacs owners DON'T want to pay 65 bucks, or even the $50. Because we spend our car time with fellow 1% enthusiasts here or in our local clubs etc, we can't comprehend the broke-dick, cheap-as$, tightwad, short-sighted nature of the average guy that has a 'Goat' in his driveway, or a 70s TA in his garage and who DOES NOT see the reason to spend his hard-earned on an envelope of papers about which he thinks he knows all anyway. Look how many times you see people post things (even on this forum) asking if or even telling people that they have a 65 GTO (that is a Lemans) or a 69 GTO that is a Judge(which is not) because of something on a trim tag or an exhaust hanger under the car, etc. Some of these people INSIST that their car is tri-power because it had 3-2s on it since they first saw it in the 70's. If you mention PHS they look at you like you are a Martian. THEY won't pay for a more expensive packet or breakdown.
So what I am saying is that if Jim DID all this work and his price suddenly had to be $200 a package, his customers audience would shrink dramatically. It would be just us same old few thousand customers who gave a crap enough to buy the package! BUT there will be lots of folks who won't buy at all.
Because in this hobby- the Pontiac people are NOT the most numerous or the most wealthy. You would see the Vette, Ford, & Mopar people willing to spend that kind of coin. Let's be real about our little corner of the hobby. We are NOT the Mustang industry, where the enthusiasts (AND cars produced) rank in the millions and are of the higher income strata. We are just NOT THAT BIG as a percentage of the hobby.
PHS has to stay viable. I am sure Jim had many a sleepless nights determining whether he would raise that price. I know in my business, I would feel the same. I have actually HAD to raise prices in my bus. recently and was very anxious about it.
In summary I'm glad he is doing what he does and if he DOES come up with more finely detailed info that costs more I personally WILL support it. But we on this forum are not the typical car owners and we need to bear that in mind. Especially before telling the man how to run his business, no offense. I think 95% of what has been posted is constructive insight and ideas, but I would also not be surprised that he hasn't either thought about it, or researched ways to implement some of them. a huge capital outlay in this environment may make it impractical and over-expansion may spell the end for a small firm like that with no end in sight to the economic malaise we are experiencing.
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