We are changing gears....
After so many years of being behind the wheel of our website I'm going to be riding shotgun. I never imagined the original site of "Hot Cars & Cold Beer (http://www.chevelles.com/homepage/)" (in 1995) would grow to become Team Chevelle and then Team Camaro with so many friends to share it with.
We now have a new server with enough resources for everyone to enjoy and have an established company to thank for helping us move and get setup, AutoForums.

We have reached a point that I can no longer keep up to the daily duties of server maintenance, hack attempts, disputes in the classifieds and the threat of legal backlash from some of those more "spirited" discussions about suppliers and cars for sale. For many years my wife Dot and I have spent all our spare time working online, and that, combined with my more than full time job of brewing beer was slowly taking it's toll. I was recently advised by a physician that "something has to change". AutoForums expressed to me that they have always admired our community and have promised to run it in the same manner as we always have.

I'm still staying as an administrator but now get to participate again instead of having to stay behind the scenes mired in emails and trying to figure out why the *$# the server is not working right.

We would like to thank all of you who support the site and helped it grow into such a first class community. A special thanks to those who have been here since the start and everyone who stepped up to become a TC Member. We are also fortunate to have the best, most unselfish moderators who always have the interests of everyone in mind and they will be continuing in their present roles. I could certainly go on about who all to thank but this is not a goodbye, just a notice that the site has reached another milestone.
Everything will remain in place for years of sharing and caring with each other.

Al & Dot McKenzie :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

We sure do appreciate all the time and effort that you guys have put in this great site!!P.S....LOVE IT WHEN BIG AL CAN COME OUT AND PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for all the you have done Al & Dot :hurray:... I still consider myself a newbe around here but I must say that I am impressed by the caliber of this site and its participants. I am pleased for both of you that someone has decided to take over some of the administrative responsibilities so that you can participate more in our online discussions..

Cheers,

Joe

First off Al and Dot - thanks for the years and years of hard work, all-hours effort and dedication it took to get these sites off and running so well :hurray:
Next, I can't think of a better reason to 'pass the baton' here than to make more time for BEER :beers: :beers: :beers:
(j/k - but it seemed appropriate :D )

Looking forward to the continued developement of the site, interacting with the Mods on occation (usually for a good reason :o ) and the continued camaraderie felt among the sites members.

Hope we'll see you back to say "Hi" often :yes:

John

As a admin of forums web sites for over 10 yrs, I would be very proud to have created a community of such caibre...calbre...lack of kiddie talk, maturity, and courtesy.
This only comes about from quality leadership from the top.
Then there is the backend, behind the scienes stuff that you describe rather modestly, generally 365 days a yr.
And the security..hacking etc....in the last couple yrs I found this to be very time consuming....so took the hard nose attitude and simply blocked countries and isps that these 100s of attempts every day come from...Turkey, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia and a hand full of other middle east, Sth American, and Eastern eurpean counties.

I have also considered handing over my domains, havnt simply because afraid as to what direction it may take....and Im sure that you must have procrastinated over this for a very long time to.

Top Administration and community M8.

Thanks Al & Dot, This site has always been top notch in my book.
Mmmmmmmm BEER!!!

As I already said many times, "This site is priceless" - thanks for everything.

Al,Dot,and the "Mods" Thanks for this great site (and the "sister sites"). I've been here since March 99 ? and have seen this place grow... been a paying member for a few years too.
I hope you guys/gals keep a tight leash on the new guys and this place stays the same but keeps growing.

There is a great bunch of guys/gals here that make this place what it is and I'm sure we check "other sites" and compare them to Team Camaro.... they don't come close :noway:
I like meeting some of the people and putting faces to names (even screen names) at Carlisle too.

So ..... Al,Dot,and "the Mods" keep up the great work :beers:

Hi Al and Dot,
I purchased my first 64 Chevelle on Team Chevelle way back in 1999. From that moment, I was hooked. I never thought I would meet so many great people on this site. You both built this site to contain a wealth of information with many first class people in the mix. I can't thank you enough for creating the best Camaro (and Chevelle---I am a member of both) Website on the net.
Stay well, kick back, relax and have a beer. Quality Control is very important. Enjoy the website you created. AutoForums has big shoes to fill. If they mess up, I will let you know (LOL).

Thank You Again. You are a Class Act, Second To None.

Best Regards,
Tory

Al & Dot, thanks for what you have created for all of us to enjoy. You can be proud to have probably the best classic car site on the net. The way you described your responsibility here in the first post would intimidate the best of people to tackle the management of this site. Good luck in your future endeavors. I look forward to hearing from you in the forums.

Signed,

"Proud TC Member"

Al &Dot,
even though over the year i havent posted much i have aways come here. I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, Thanks for all you hard work on the site and you are the reason I have my katherine in my garage. I found her on her june of 2004 and cant imagine my life without either one of you!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Dennis

Al and Dot

Thank you for all you effort and sleepless nights I am sure that has made this site what it is today.

I have only a few correspondence with you over the years changing names additional space for pictures and the like...... I never ever had a problem maybe a flame or two that I thought was out of line but that is the way these things go. I hope our new company can continue your efforts for a trouble free site for our first gens.......

Matt Hosford.........

Jeez guys, wipe em off!!!
This is starting to read like an OBIT!

They tell me nothing will change. I believe them. It's all cool.

Al and Dot, thanks for the "Character" of Team Camaro, and I'm glad you've been able to arrange to enjoy it more, like we all always have.

Dear Al & Dot-

Thank you for Team Camaro. Without T/C this would not have happened.

:hurray::hurray:

Al, I totally understand where you're coming from. Most people have no idea the time, effort, and stress involved with all the behind the scenes stuff. It can be so overwhelming.

I admire what you've built here and I've used your sites as a guide when getting into grey areas with my own deal. Just ask Jody. :beers:

I hope you can enjoy the site as an enthusiast again and I'm glad you're staying on in a leadership position. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I too thank you very much. I hope things keep up to the standard you have set.

Al and Dot, thanks for the BEST well run camaro forum on the net.
If you and Dot are ever in New Orleans, I'll buy the beer and crawfish......

Rich

Glad you guys are stickin around :) Thanks for everything .

Dot and Al (thought I'd be the first :) ),

I am more appreciative than you'll ever know for what this site has done. I have met some of the most incerdible people I have ever met, and it's ALL because of your website. Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of your world.

I just found this place, and I'm sure I'll be here for a long, long time. Thanks for creating a great place for me to learn!!

H.

Thank You for building and maintaining a place were so many can get away from the real world and enjoy Camaros with like minded individuals.

Thank You

al & dot,
thanks for what you have done to make this a worthwhile site...your efforts have not gone unnoticed at trying to keep this a friendly and civil place to learn and help others on their projects...as well as maybe prevent someone from getting ripped on purchasing their cars...
i hope that you get to enjoy the site now from another perspective...lol
take care of yourself ...need guys like you around for along time...

Thank you for the sites all of you do. As said, need more of you.

The diversity of the members here help others in all aspects of life, plus give advice on how to get their First Gen running and keep it running.

:beers:

Ditto for a the past pats on the back for having done an admirable job for the TC site.

It does take a lot of time/effort, as the thing does not by itself, and you have given unselfishly for the past years.

Your presence will remain... but in different role.

Take care,

capt

Al and Dot, yet another sincere thank you for the time and effort you've put in to make this such a great site.

:beers:

Let me jump on the thank you wagon as well. Thank you both. Keep up the great work you do for all of us around the world.

Thanks for all the hard work over the years. Now kick back and have a few :beers:

Al & Dot,
I will agree with everyone's comments that have posted here before me.

I do have one question.....Are you keeping the T/C Store? :D

Take Care! :beers::beers:

Well more dedication to living life, spending time with the wife doing fun things, making beer and having fun with your Chevelle. I can't think of any better reasons to step back.

The funny thing is I too always wanted that old mailing list to be more. I remember replies that were a mile long when talk of a website for Chevelles came up. That day way back when............when mostly all of us used to have dail up to get onto Team Chevelle and then news broke about Team Camaro......my old modum was busy with pictures then!! Having a 69 SS396 Chevelle and Two Camaros I was in internet heaven!!! Congrats on being able to go do the things you want to do and I hope these places end up being a good nest egg for yourself and Dot. I know they were never intended to be that but your deserve it. I look forward to more interaction like the old glory days of the news/mailing list.
One of these days I will get to the great white North and buy you one of your own beers but this will have to do......until then. For Al :beers: To Dot: :beers:

Joe :beers:

Congradulatons on the sale, I hope they made all your years of dedication and hard work worthwhile.

I have read a little about the new owners, VerticalScope, and I hope the Camaro community stays close knit with all the changes that are bound to come when a new proft oriented business takes over.

Beer smilies all around! :beers:

Thanks Al. You and this site has helped me through a hard time in the past and thank you much.:beers: I hope the site stays car people friendly. This is the only site i would ever think about being a paid member. I did so to help you and your wife out. I can't say that i will be a paid member next year if you and your wife will not receive the money though. Thanks again Al and Dot for the great years i have had being a member of TC!:beers:

Let me think.... what would i rather do....brew and sample beer or baby sit a web site, it seems like a no brainer to me....enjoy and thanks for the great site.

Still a sad day. I started out on the Chevelle site, before there was a site for Camaros. I was always begging for a Camaro site and then finally you got it up and running. I have been here virtually since day one. This site has grown since those early days and alot of people have come and gone, but most have stayed. It is all due to you Al and Dot. This place is run right and hopefully the new guys will keep up the tradition.

Hope to see you around more often now that you are free. :beers:

I will say one thing Al... very few have attempted to do what you have done and been successful making a place for like minded people to share info, resources and just generally talk about things we all have in common. This is one of the tamest forums I have ever been a part of, although I'm sure you have had your hands full from time to time. I also have been lucky enough to personally meet several members @ shows etc. (camaroman7d, GaryL, Vintage68, Pete, and Wagonman just to name a few) and can honestly say that I enjoyed each and every one of them, as well as made a couple friendships I hope last a long time :yes:. Most forums have billy badasses bla bla bla, but this place is and has always been different. I believe the reason for that is the hard work you and your wife have afforded us, never asking for anything in return. I also believe you have created a model other forums should follow and practice, because I too have tried this and failed. For you to accomplish what you have, and gathered such a well rounded group of people with resources that money can't buy is nothing short of astonishing. You should be very proud, and I'm sure all of our members feel the same way and agree that now it's time for you to kick back and participate with the rest of us, and also understand that this is nothing short of a full time job and then some, and it has been next to impossible for you to jump in while keeping everybody else happy while not letting the train derail so to speak. So Welcome to Team Camaro Al...:beers: Seems to me it is way overdue and you have certainly earned it. And I want to thank you again for the priceless resources and good people you have brought forward from all over the world. Sit back and think about it... you have done quite a job, helped more people than can ever repay or thank you, and I am damn proud to say or tell people I am a part of Team Camaro/Chevelle Best wishes in the future. Larry Stratton Brentwood, Ca

Al & Dot,

You both did an awesome job and it will be a challenge for anyone els to maintain the duty's that both of you have done here on team camaro... I was just getting warmed up with my 4,257 post (man thats alot).... Anyways live life large and wish you both the best, but please chime in from time to time.

Thank you for putting together the best website on the internet! We've learned a lot, met a lot of good people and, as things go, take it for granted too often. We don't appreciate how much work is involved in making such a great product.

Great job and good luck!

joe

I too started out at Team Chevelle when I had my 69.Now here with the 67.Al and Dot have done a great job.Look foward to seeing more car posts from you.

Dot & Al (notice who got top billing)
Thanks for all you've done for this site. I really enjoy the car information that everyone shares as well as the "lively" discussions we have from time to time. Through this site I even met a Team Camaro member when I went to Hawaii. :beers:

Again many thanks for all you guys have done :thumbsup:

Thank you, all of your hard work is greatly appreciated.

Thanks you two.
My Camaro wouldn't be on the road without T/C. I check in several times a day. I'm so addicted. There is nothing else like T/C on the web, you should be proud. You have sure harnessed a group of knowledgeable guys here. Simply unmatched.

To Al and Dot...
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/HarleyD67/Smilies/applaud.gifTHANKS for all the hard work and dedication
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/HarleyD67/Smilies/1.gifYour the besthttp://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/HarleyD67/Smilies/praise.gif
Now it's time to take a cruise and then kick back and...http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/HarleyD67/Smilies/glug-glug.gif

I don't know how I missed this thread in the past but I must publicly thank you Al for everything you've done to help out the camaro hobby.

You were one of the pioneers who created an online community which allowed many of us to make new life-long friends (not talking about you Van).

You provided a medium which allowed us to get a wealth of knowledge from all the fabulous contributors here who in some cases, have gone into tremendous detail when explaining or posting pictures of how to repair something.

You were one of the pioneers who moved parts selling from swap meets to the internet (even before Ebay).

You were one of the first who wanted to do something about all the fraud activity going on when others decided to put the blindfolders on. I know first hand how much work you've done in the background.


I understand how life wants you to be doing 4 things at the same time but I hope people here understand and remember what a pioneer you actually are to the camaro community.

Thank's for everything Al and thank you Dot for putting up with all our crap over the years! :beers:

I thank you once more for the past emails/input, and direction that you have given me/us. A job well done!:thumbsup:

Would like to know more about AutoForums, though...like who are they? Where are they based? Are they under some other umbrella group? Who's the head haunch?
Are there any basic policy changes?

capt

Ted, the sticky right above this thread talks about them a little bit. or Google them.

Thanks Al and Dot for the great site and all your hard work.

Al and Dot,

Many thanks for the effort you have put in to this site. Now it is time to enjoy your lives, toys and have a cold one mates!
We are planning a trip to your neck of the woods in the near future and sure would like to have a cold one with you guys.

You make beer? :bow: I only consume but I'm sure I keep a couple of folks employed.

Enjoy the easier days ahead :beers:

I not to but in but I saw you mension about making beer I make my own beer I just made a batch od american amber ale yesterday it should be reade to dreank in about 6 weeks lol
tony