Window Sticker Contest

[Frank Wyatt]

I like both the first one as well as the side view one as well. How about making two available, I'd take one of each.

[ratdude747]

Yep... and when he started selling those stickers, you know I *had* to have one. Goes well with the RangerStation "Built not Bought" (another case of once I saw it, I *had* to have it).

I also had an EricTheCarGuy one, but it didn't turn out as good. I'm subbed to both of them, but one's stickers turned out a lot better than the other.

[ratdude747]

Here we go:





Original Vector Source file:

Sticker_V1.svg

It's a first attempt... I haven't messed with inkscape much, but I'm getting the hang of it. Not quite as CAD-like as I was expecting (I was about ready to cheat and use an old copy of autocad2000 I have floating around, or double cheat and use my CAD there).

[Gary Lewis]

That's an interesting approach - just the nose of a Bullnose.  I think I like it.

But, it is only "correct" for 1982-86.  The 1980 & 81's have the LGG (Last Great Grille), as coined by a friend on FTE.  (WilleyJoe.62 to be exact.)  

I believe my poll was premature.  Let's let the creative juices continue to flow, and then do another poll with all the entries in it.

[ratdude747]

Sticker_V1.svg

Not sure I care for it... the part that made it "great" is on the hood, and in this format it doesn't come out as nice. But I've always cared more for the 82-86 grill. I'm weird, I know

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, 'Dude.  At least we can see what it looks like.

And, btw, I have one of each so am ambivalent.

[ratdude747]

No problem... yay "working" from home.

Fixed a glitch with the two vector files. Apparently the default text formatting in Inkscape isn't compatible with the rest of the world (if you viewed it in your browser, you'd get no text). Easy fix and re-upload.

[Gary Lewis]

Also, let's have a discussion about the URL on the sticker.  I "own" both garysgaragemahal.com as well as bullnosebible.com.  As Vic said, the latter is redirected to the former.  And, he also said that the bullnosebible.com URL is/has "Shorter domain, simpler association, slightly easier to remember."

So, we could put either on the sticker and the user would get to the same place.  And, if I swap them, meaning that the website uses bullnosebible and garysgaragemahal gets redirected to that it would be less confusing.

On top of that, I fear that having my name in the URL of what is becoming a global resource is a bit ..... ostentatious.  I'm not looking for fame or recognition.  Instead, I want this place to be "the place" for help when it comes to Bullnose trucks.

So, what do y'all think?  Should we change the URL to bullnosebible.com?  I think I can do that seamlessly.  Or, do you like garysgaragemahal.com?

[kramttocs]

I really like this one. Clean and simple. On the first line of text, what about just the url (whichever url Gary wants)?

[kramttocs]

Phew Gary, that's hard to decide one over the other.

Trying to look at it as someone new to the site, I suspect bullnosebible makes more sense. Thinking about it deeper though that fits perfectly with the documentation portion of the site but maybe not quite as much with the forum. That may be overthinking it though.

[Gary Lewis]

kramttocs wrote

I really like this one. Clean and simple. On the first line of text, what about just the url (whichever url Gary wants)?

Just to make sure I understand, you mean the one below, right?

As for "whichever url Gary wants", this is our site, so let's make the name of it what we want.  So I need to see what that is.

Also, what about making it "The World's Primary Resource for 1980-1986 Ford Trucks"?  The problem is that saying "Pickups" excludes Broncos which we do welcome.  On the other hand, saying "Trucks" includes the little Rangers and Bronco-II's, which we don't include.

Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Better Ideas?  (This IS a Ford site.  )

[kramttocs]

Right - the one with just the front end outline. Just thinking that it in white would show up really well on the back window.
If using 'Truck' is what is gone with, the "bullnose" in the title and forum name might take care of not textually excluding Rangers and II's?

[ratdude747]

My thought would be a white decal... the issue is they're not cheap (since it's a semi-manual process, this page is a good writeup). I tried to make this so it wouldn't be too terrible of a "weeding" process (see the link). Key word being "try".

There is a vinyl machine at work... but no way I'd dare sneak this in over there, even with the plant shutdown.

Text wise: I can make it whatever we want. :D

[Vic Roma]

"...if I swap them, meaning that the website uses bullnosebible and garysgaragemahal gets redirected to that it would be less confusing."

You could also place banner text at the top of each page that informs your visitors that the site is changing from Gary's Garagemahal to Bullnose Bible. Keep it up for at least a few months. It should be a template because not all your visitors start from your home page.

"On top of that, I fear that having my name in the URL of what is becoming a global resource is a bit ..... ostentatious.  I'm not looking for fame or recognition."

Too late for that now, Gary "Gary's Garagemahal" Lewis. It's a great site, made possible by your initiative and the countless contributions by all the visitors. You don't strike me as an ostentatious individual, so it never becomes a physiological hurdle to overcome when communicating with you, or for that matter the other members on here. If you were arrogant, that would be a different story and your site would not be as successful.  Besides, it works just fine for Carpenter Industries.

"Should we change the URL to bullnosebible.com?  Or, do you like garysgaragemahal.com?"
garysgaragemahal is harder to comprehend than bullnosebible. Not everyone knows what a mahal is, and especially if it is mispronounced, you're toast. "Did you say mail? male? ma-hall? is there an apostrophe in Gary's?"

One of the best tests in successful domain name creation is trying to spell it over the telephone, or to tell it to someone (not seeing/writing it). If it is easy to say (and easy to understand), it is easier to remember and type into an address bar. Yes search engines and browsers, like Safari, tend to do the thinking for us, but it is better to have this base covered with as clear a name as possible from the outset, without too many changes down the road.

However... if "bullnosebible" does not convey the sentiment you want, maybe rethink the name. But just like the world is now very accustomed to Google (after Larry Page's fellow graduate student and officemate Sean Anderson misspelled "googol"), I'm sure all your visitors will become used to bullnosebible too. As long as the content and UX is great, the name, although it must be relevant, becomes secondary.

I believe your goal is to make the website the best resource for bullnose trucks, and this includes *how* to access to the information.

[Angelo Voltura]

Gary Lewis wrote

kramttocs wrote

I really like this one. Clean and simple. On the first line of text, what about just the url (whichever url Gary wants)?

Just to make sure I understand, you mean the one below, right?

As for "whichever url Gary wants", this is our site, so let's make the name of it what we want.  So I need to see what that is.

Also, what about making it "The World's Primary Resource for 1980-1986 Ford Trucks"?  The problem is that saying "Pickups" excludes Broncos which we do welcome.  On the other hand, saying "Trucks" includes the little Rangers and Bronco-II's, which we don't include.

Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Better Ideas?  (This IS a Ford site.  )

Gary I quite like that, though I do feel some of the text is a bit large/cluttered and makes it tough to read.

[Angelo Voltura]

Here's my take, I used both URL's.

[Vic Roma]

Like Craigslist, which was named after Craig Newmark the founder, I'd rather something like Garys(something).

A quick search for garysguide.com shows it is disappointingly taken, wasted on some "online community of professionals, features startup, entrepreneurship, social media, and technology-related information" in New York. JK, I'm sure it's useful for non-bullnose owners.

You could use garys.guide (available) but anything other than .com is a distant second.
How about garysrecourse.com, garysarchive.com, garysatlas.com, garystrucks.com?

[Vic Roma]

+1 for the "www.bullnosebible.com" version, only because there's a lot of seemingly confusing words on The Bullnose Bible (find it at a different location than you'd expect) garysgaragemahal.com.

[Gary Lewis]

Vic - Well said.  But please don't miss the poll here: POLL: Which URL To Use?

You have several good points.  First, on the spelling of the URL both garysgaragemahal and bullnoseenthusiats are hard to spell.  Trust me, I've spelled the former many, many times and people struggle with it.  And I've now typed the latter several times and the double "e" doesn't seem right - but is.  So bullnosebible is much easier.

And I personally think "bullnosebible" conveys the sentiment for me.  That suggests that it is "the" place to go to for information on these trucks, just like the Bible is on life.

As for it being a great site, I'll agree wholeheartedly that it is made possible by the countless contributions by all.  (That's a "summation" of what you said.)

Last, you are right that the "goal is to make the website the best resource for bullnose trucks, and this includes *how* to access to the information."

[Vic Roma]

“...please don't miss the poll...”

Noted, and voted.

To be “the” destination, you need one name for both documentation and forum.

Otherwise, you would be “the destinations.” That kind of grammar is only acceptable in remedial English courses.