Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[TheBoy]

On 8th July 2006, Omega Owners Forum was born.

Those of us that were here all those years ago, and at "the other place", know why it was set up, and lets not revisit that, that's water under the bridge.

The Admin team knew quite quickly that OOF was going to exceed our expectations for the site, and we outgrew our original host in under 2 weeks , after which time it's run from initially a single server here at TB Towers, and now relies on a series of servers here.

As well as the hardware, we hit the viable limits of the original software we used to run the site - YaBB, switching to SMF around 15 years ago, and have stayed with that software ever since.  There is a newer version of SMF that we've been testing for a while.


As a member here since the very beginning, I've found the community to be extremely helpful, not just for when I had an Omega, but also on other cars I've had.  On top of that, particularly in the earlier days, being on here used to be non stop laughs with the antics of people, and it was easy to spend a whole evening on here, and still not keep up with everything going on.  Oh, happy days!

As well as online, many of us have met at events, such as the brilliant weekend meets, or the 2 big cam belt events we held here in Brackley and Telford.  Terbs also used to arrange regular meets in High Wycombe which we always busy, and one here at Brackkley Rugby Club.  I know some other events were held, such as ones along the shores of Loch Lomond, and another in the North West. 

And then the sagas of members taking on Omega projects, all of which were interesting to follow. Except, of course, the drama that was Project TB2, that diesel Omega of mine that went on forever


It's been a blast, and I thank all members, past and present for that


I appreciate that OOF is facing a very uncertain future - that's for another thread - but post below some of your favourite memories

[Andy B]

....
 but post below some of your favourite memories

The log chopping at Newent .....  H21 had to use his professional expertise to calm it down 

[Varche]

I haven’t many regrets in life but one is not having attended a meet or attended a curry night.

Times were financially hard during our early days here. I remember doing the cam belt on our red V6 using advice from the forum. Quite a leap of faith living 35 minutes drive from “ civilisation”. The car continued to give us good service but lost drive with a gearbox problem . Absolutely valuable help came from another forum member After I had delved into the guts of the gearbox. At the time it was our only car!

[TheBoy]

....
 but post below some of your favourite memories

The log chopping at Newent .....  H21 had to use his professional expertise to calm it down 

I'm surprised you remembered, given the state you were in - or was that another Newest meet

[TheBoy]

I haven’t many regrets in life but one is not having attended a meet or attended a curry night.

Times were financially hard during our early days here. I remember doing the cam belt on our red V6 using advice from the forum. Quite a leap of faith living 35 minutes drive from “ civilisation”. The car continued to give us good service but lost drive with a gearbox problem . Absolutely valuable help came from another forum member After I had delved into the guts of the gearbox. At the time it was our only car!

Ah, yes, you mention cam belts, the very first OOF meet was at Santa Pod, after a gang of us got together to fix the damage on an engine after a cam belt had let go.  Matchless and Marks DTM were the main men, with the rest of us on part cleaning duty.

[Andy B]

....
 but post below some of your favourite memories

The log chopping at Newent .....  H21 had to use his professional expertise to calm it down 

I'm surprised you remembered, given the state you were in - or was that another Newest meet

How very dare you ..... 

[Varche]

Matchless. What happened to him? At the risk of folk having passed away. Hotel 21 too.

[Doctor Gollum]

Firstly, a massive thank you to everyone involved in keeping the place on an even keel.

Time and distance have been a bit of a battle with keeping in touch with people, and speaking as someone without a faceachebook account, OOF has been a blessing as a place to interact with fundamentally like minded people and friends. The various meets over the years only serving to reinforce that sentiment.

Sure, there's been a few differences of opinion and some personality clashes over the years, but that's par for the course given the underlying passion of the place.

Guffers Cambelt meet has to be a particular highlight, not only for the number of attendees, but also the sheer amount of work achieved, both in the workshop over the course of the two days, but also in the bar. 

Clearing traffic on the Oxford bypass during a test drive was another, TB had a smile of his face even if it did have the wrong gearbox... Admitting nothing, but that car blocking the right lane couldn't move over quick enough

And who can't forget the various Wycombe meets and the mixture of socialising, tinkering and communal appreciation that went on.

[YZ250]

When I first came across OOF I was too shy to register, so I’ll admit to lurking as a guest for quite some time.    Then one day, I decided to bite the bullet and register, and I certainly have no regrets there.    The depth of knowledge of the Omega on here and the willingness to help others is second to none. 

At first, my lack of confidence in meeting strangers prevented me from attending OOF meets, until one day I knew that I wanted to support the meets, and no regrets there either. I needn’t have worried, as everyone was so friendly and welcoming that you immediately fit in. I’ve since attended several meets and stayed at Newent, and I can honestly say that we’ve had some right laughs. Also, online persona can be misleading. I’ve seen plenty of members helping someone that they’ve never personally met before that day, and it’s lovely to be a part of such a helpful group. 

Happy 20th Birthday OOF. 

[Andy B]

Wow! 20 years of OOF ...... 

That's just half a year short of how long I've been at Heinz ..... 

Have I ever mentioned I work at Heinz? 

[Doctor Gollum]

Wow! 20 years of OOF ...... 

That's just half a year short of how long I've been at Heinz ..... 

Have I ever mentioned I work at Heinz? 

It may have beanz mentioned once or twice...

[STEMO]

Congrats to OOF! I've spent many an evening on here in the past (a whole evening) and had a really good laugh. Only ever met James, but that's just me. I've never felt the need to put faces to the names, internet personas are very rarely anything like the actual person.

On the topic of the problems Jaime is having with Zen; How many members is the forum actually serving at the moment? 50? 40? 30? I've just been through the first 25 pages of members. I don't recognise 99% of them, and those that I do haven't posted for years. General disrespect has always generated more traffic than the technical boards, and that is what the forum is about these days. A chat shop.

I do hope we can continue, I've made some very good imaginary friends over the years. But the reality is, can we expect Jaime, who is footing the bill for the forum and won't accept any help, to continue paying for what has become quite a niche forum with dwindling core membership?

Over to you.

[TheBoy]

Guffers Cambelt meet has to be a particular highlight, not only for the number of attendees, but also the sheer amount of work achieved, both in the workshop over the course of the two days, but also in the bar. 

I bailed out early that evening, already being in a state I couldn't crawl straight.  I recall a stack of beer and spirits that we'd bought before the barman gave up on the bar, thinking that would never get consumed.  In the morning, it was virtually all gone.  You lot are animals!

Clearing traffic on the Oxford bypass during a test drive was another, TB had a smile of his face even if it did have the wrong gearbox... Admitting nothing, but that car blocking the right lane couldn't move over quick enough

Serves 'em right for lane hogging.  I was in a hurry

[YZ250]

........
I do hope we can continue, I've made some very good imaginary friends over the years. But the reality is, can we expect Jaime, who is footing the bill for the forum and won't accept any help, to continue paying for what has become quite a niche forum with dwindling core membership?

Over to you.

This is of course a very valid point. 

[TheBoy]

At first, my lack of confidence in meeting strangers prevented me from attending OOF meets, until one day I knew that I wanted to support the meets, and no regrets there either. I needn’t have worried, as everyone was so friendly and welcoming that you immediately fit in.

I certainly feel the same way, and was quite apprehensive the first time I met what eventually became the original Admin team at the first Omega meets I attended, a year or 2 before OOF was founded - that was a cambelt do at DTM's house.  As you say, any fears were unwarranted.