Pages

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Going Global?

See update: July 1, 2011

http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2011/07/update-going-global-this-is-partial.html

This is not what I originally envisioned for my second post to this blog.... but ...  the beauty of a blog is that you can basically.... do whatever the hell you want!  It is good to be the King, as the saying goes. 
Seriously though, I want to addresss this topic right away, as kind of an extension of the Introduction of the blog, and in response to a perceived need.

Over the course of these first few days with the blog, I have noticed a fairly widespread interest in the topic from far afield:  the blog has been viewed in its first week by people in the USA, of course, Puerto Rico and Canada....but also South Korea, The Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, Turkey, Norway, Denmark, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Guatemala, Colombia, Argentina, Australia and Singapore.  We truly are a Global Village, different in so many ways, but also sharing some common interests.

3/6/2011 Update:  Add Finland, Palestinian Territories, Croatia, Belarus, Romania, Thailand.  Switzerland, South Africa. Indonesia and Chile. Algeria and Ireland.
3/20/2011: Welcome, Japan. You are in our hearts and minds in the wake of the recent tragic events there.
3/24/2011:  Serbia. 3/27/2011 India.  3/28/2011:  Austria. 4/1/2011 Costa Rica.  4/7/2011 Lebanon. 4/9/2011 China!  4/10/2011 Hello Tunisia! 4/15/2011 Egypt! 4/17/2011 Buon Giorno, Italia!!  4/18/2011 New Zealand.  Kiwis aboard!  4/21/2011 Welcome Jordan and Malaysia! 4/22/2011 Welcome Brazil! Latvia! 4/24/2011 Welcome Greece!  4/26/2011 Welcome United Arab Emirates!  4/28/2011 Welcome Botswana! Welcome Venezuela! 55 countries plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.... And counting! 4/30/2011 Welcome Ecuador! 5/2/2011 Welcome Iran!  5/2/2011 Welcome Mexico, just in time for Cinco de Mayo! 5/7/2011 Welcome Lithuania!  5/10/2011 Welcome Hong Kong! 5/16/2011 Welcome Slovakia! 5/2/2011 Welcome Uruguay!  5/23/2011  Welcome Bosnia and Herzegovina!  5/27/2011 Welcome Cyprus!  5/30/2011 Welome Taiwan!  Welcome Honduras! 6/5/2011 Welcome Iraq! 6/8/2011 Welcome Bulgaria! 6/11/2011 Welcome Moldova! Welcome Pakistan! 6/12/2011. Welcome Malta! 6/19/2011 Welcome Saudi Arabia! 6/26/2011 Welcome Nigeria! 7/1/2011 Welcome El Salvador!

I certainly welcome the interest from everyone around the globe, and I am searching for a way to be more inclusive of them, without straying too far from the original plan for this blog, which was to focus primarily on the Baur TC1 in the US. 

I have also been asked about including other Baurs somehow, for example the 2002  and the TC2 E30.... as well as others.  The 2002 Baurs, as I understand it, are a very rare breed, with very few built to begin with.  It shouldn't be too hard to include them.

The E30 TC2, on the other hand, numbered around 10,000 from the factory, so there may be quite a few of those around.  I am looking for a way to include everyone with an interest in the Baurs, without making the task so large that it becomes unwieldy and unmanagable.

The short answer to all of the above is.... yes.  If there is sufficient interest, I will find a way to include non-USA Baurs, as well as non-E21 Baurs.  I would further include even non-BMW Baurs, if anyone sends me anything like that.  I would envision, at the very least, that I could perhaps set up another Google map for the various categories and add push pins for every identified car.  The criteria for determining if there is 'sufficient interest':  if someone has a Baur that they would like to see included on such a map, send the info on the car to me at my email address.  tom82baur@gmail.com  

Please send whatever info you are comfortable with.... I would like to have the Baur number (preferably, if it has one) and/or VIN to make sure there is no duplication;  owner's name (first name is fine) or nickname, code name, whatever;  location of the car (general area is sufficient for privacy reasons).  When I get a few for each category, I will post a map.

So far I have only figured out how to make a very primitive map, using push pins for locations, and attaching a brief description of each car.  I haven't figured out a way to add pics, and I am not sure that it is possible. Suggestions are welcome. 

However.... there is that wonderful International Baur Registry site, and they HAVE figured out how to post pics!!  So if you have a car that you would like to be included on the Baur map, send your info to me at my email.  If you'd like to get your car's pic posted.... send your info to the International Baur Registry, if you have not done so already.  Please note the picture format that is required for each car in the Registry:  include a pic of the Baur number plate on the left front quarter panel. 

If all of that is too much trouble, you can just send all the above information to me, and I will take care of posting both on the map, and forwarding the pics etc., to the Registry.  (I hope I don't regret making that offer.)   :)

I love having visual aids, such as Google maps;  they help give us a valuable perspective as to our relative proximity to each other, which can be very helpful, for example, when we get around to considering the possibility of some kind of get-together, or a mass showing of Baurs at some regional event. 

When, and if, that does occur, I have a suggestion for promoting the Baurs as a group:  all the Baurs park together, and post an identifying sign:   WELCOME TO THE BAURY! 

Here is the link to the Google Map of Baur TC1s in the US, showing what we have found to date;
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=212684510055146301929.000499ed9e00262f15966&z=3

I will continue to update this map as we go along.

UPDATE: New Google map: 
BMW Baur Locations Around the World  (only one post so far.... want to add your Baur?  Email info to me.)

No comments:

Post a Comment