This will be post #4,699 for me since starting CC in 2011. And it may be a while before post #4,700 goes up, as I’m retiring from CC. This has been a long time coming, and it finally arrived. And I’m very happy to know that I leave CC in very capable hands: Jim Klein, assisted by Jim Cavanaugh, Jason Shafer and the rest of the CC regulars (and other Contributors).
There’s not really a whole lot to say except that I’m burned out and need a serious break from blogging after twelve years. Possibly a permanent one. We’ll see. When I feel truly motivated to post something, I will. But I’ve learned it’s not good to feel pressure to keep up at something when the enthusiasm is missing. I don’t work that way, literally.
It’s time to spend more time reading books to recharge the mental batteries, and more outdoor activities. But most of all, just not to feel the pressure to keep posting.
And after 17,263 comments, I’m going to be cutting that back too. I’ll be popping in and out as the mood hits, but without any pressure.
I’m extremely gratified that CC has developed such a strong group of regular and occasional Contributors who seem eager to keep the site going. Jim needed a new challenge in his life, and I was more than happy to give it to him. 🙂 He has a lot of passion and energy, which is what it takes.
Thank you all for this great long ride. It’s been absolutely wonderful; I’ve learned more about old cars and automotive history than I ever dreamed possible. And met a lot of wonderful like-minded fellow travelers. CC has become an institution, with an incredible storehouse of information in its archives. I feel a very strong sense of stewardship about that, and any changes at CC will be made with that in mind. Preserving the site for the public good is the key priority.
I want to thank those that have donated to the site; if you chose to continue to do so, please know that it will be used to keep paying for the server and related support services as needed. And of course all of you contributors who have shared your wonderful personal stories and automotive knowledge. I determined from the start that CC would be a collaborative effort, and it quickly became one. And that’s what will allow it to continue. There’s many of you out there that have stories and knowledge to share; please step forward at this time when Jim and the others could really use a hand, or two. Sharing is caring, and if you care about CC, that’s the best way to show it.
I feel like a proud parent seeing their kid drive off alone for the first time. Safe travels!
Curbside Classic is a favourite read with my morning coffee on the weekend, and during the week as well. The stories and photos from everyone are always top-notch, and I always enjoy throwing in a comment or two from my own experiences with the cars I’ve owned, driven, and seen during my travels. Your articles in particular are always a pleasure to read, and they’ll be missed. Have a great retirement with your wife and family and your new camper van, and we’ll look forward to an occasional update on your post-CC activities. It sounds like you still have plenty to do, and though you’re retiring from the site, I can imagine that you and your ‘66 F-100 will still be well-occupied. Enjoy.
I’ve only posted some comments years ago but i keep checking this site almost daily as it is to me the best source of automotive culture on the web, and, as an italian with a deep passion for old american cars, it truly puts things on perspective ! You’ve done an amazing job, thanks for it !!!
Best wishes Paul! It’s been a classic trip!
Your articles have always been great fun to read; you are a master with words and observations.
Just like with a favorite TV show, Seinfeld for me, or Fawlty Towers, it’s always just as much fun to rewatch the whole run …
Have fun, with whatever you were about to do and many thanks.
Thanks Paul for the great job you’ve done, relax and enjoy.
And Jim, I’m sure that you’ll uphold the quality of a great site
Yes, sometimes it’s time to move on to other things. DO contribute when you feel the urge to do so, without pressure!
And thanks! You were very gracious to me about my one contribution (and I plead guilty to slacking; my intentions were to contribute posts regularly).
CC is on my short list of sites visited daily, without exception, thanks to your countless hours of effort, Paul.
A treasured memory is getting to meet you in Dearborn–you’d traveled far and were under the weather, but couldn’t have been nicer about everything.
I’ll keep an eye out for your “voice” now and then, and will try to contribute another something now that I’ve retired from my “day job.”
As to your closing comment, here’s the best little “handing over the keys” ad I could find. Sorry it’s not a ’53 model like the two of us.
Warmest regards—and in admiration…
I happened oppon this sight 6 or 7 yrs ago doing research on a car. I then became hooked to see that there was more out there like me who enjoyed the knowledge of cars. Thank you Paul for starting this wonderful space to share and learn about our passion for all things automotive.
Paul, it has been an honour to rub virtual shoulders with you on this exceptional creative effort that is Curbside Classic. You have created a global community of spirit and a repository of knowledge that shines brightly on the web – not merely a blog, but an institution. Few people have done this and fewer still know how and when to pass the tiller to a new generation.
I’m sure we will see you again in due course, though. You can take Paul out of CC, but you can’t take the CC out of Paul. In the meantime, enjoy the reading and the hiking. Bis später !
Bon voyage.
All of readers and the new leaders must work extra hard to keep CC the most civil site on the web.
Dear Paul,
A huge THANK YOU for the most enjoyable and informative automotive site on the web! I started reading your articles on TTAC and CC has become the only site I read daily.
Wishing you all the best for the future and success to Jim and the “new” team…..
Wow. This almost feels a bit like high school graduation and saying “bye, for now” to an influential teacher/mentor.
Good for you, though, Paul. Enjoy your various projects and travels, as you should.
I smile when I think about having discovered Curbside Classic five years ago, when I started posting pictures to the Cohort on Flickr, then hesitating for months and months before taking a stab at writing and submitting my own posts (and doing it wrong, initially – LOL), to making it a regular / semi-regular self-discipline.
Great community has been built here, and even if I don’t agree with everyone else’s opinions all the time (that’s why they’re opinions – by definition, they cannot be “wrong”), being here has been a mostly respectful, informative, and entertaining place most of the time.
I enjoy it immensely. I hope you drop by from time to time, even if not to comment, but just to see what’s going on. All the best from Chicago.
And to the Jims and Jason (and the others), I have 100% total faith in you dudes.
Thank you Paul!
One of my biggest fears when I found this site was someday you would retire and it would be no more.
Thank you for making sure it stays open and thank you for all the years of effort to make it what it is today.
Enjoy retirement and hopefully you will still update us once in a while on how life with the Neidermayers is going
Bill Shields
Thank you for all of the great work you have done here Paul. I cannot imagine how many hours I have spent on this site over the years. Enjoy your well deserved retirement.
Congratulations, Paul! Thank you for both creating this special place, and also for ensuring that we’ll move forward even after your retirement. I know that CC is in competent hands, and I’m looking forward to the future here.
I’m sure it’s satisfying to look back on all these years of hard work and see that you’ve created a forum quite unlike any other. I feel privileged to contribute my own little piece of what’s written about and discussed here, and I hope to contribute for many more years.
Wishing you, Stephanie and your whole family an enjoyable and relaxing retirement from blogging!
Paul, y’oughtta be proud of this what you’ve created. It’s usually the first and last site I look at every day. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed contributing, and I hope and plan to carry on. Happy trails and miles of smiles to you and yours, and I hope you won’t be a stranger around here.
Congratulations on your achievement and many thanks for all your hard work! It provided me and the community you’ve built a welcome, daily respite and indulgence.
I wish you blissful days ahead. Life is indeed change…
And all the best to the incoming leadership crew!
Thanks for everything, Paul.
You will be missed!
I have enjoyed being a reader since day one (or maybe it was day two) and a contributor for the last couple years. I hope to continue for a good while yet. Paul, you have created an excellent site that is not only about the cars, but has also become a community. The positive tone and the smart commenters who are almost always good about being agreeable even when they don’t agree are fantastic and all too rare in this online age. You have done a great job keeping it a mostly politics-free zone and I hope that will always be the case.
I wish you well in your CC retirement and hope we will see you here in whatever capacity you choose in the future!
Paul, I’ve been hooked on this site for a while now, to the extent of even having gone back through many of the early posted here and at TTAC. Thank you very much for the hours of pleasure you have provided me. Your voice will be missed around here, but I hope that the site you have established will continue to flourish.
Life is one darn thing after another.
The trick to doing life well is realizing when the scale of anything tips from enjoyment to drudgery and moving on to the next thing.
You created something unique and enjoyable for many of us. We’ve never met. I only occasionally comment, but common interests change strangers into friends.
Danke und viel Glück.
Paul, best wishes for a well-earned retirement. But more importantly, both congratulations and thanks are in order for the small miracle you have worked in creating this site. To echo many of the comments above, I have found Curbside Classic to be an oasis on the internet. The combination of knowledge, analysis, civil discussion, and downright interesting storytelling on display here is rare even among the best publications. What you’ve done here is inspiring, and I’m glad to see it has inspired not just one but several of your collaborators to keep the project going. Good luck in your future endeavors, and like everyone else I hope you do pop in now and again.
Yes, eight years dealing with a blog is certainly a long time when done daily. In dog years that would equal about 50 years for a large breed. Woof!!! Time to relax a little and do some reading which I can well appreciate as I would like to except I run my own practice and reading is pretty much medical related.
So, on a final note as per a well known reporter: Good night and good luck…
Paul:
Enjoy your Promaster and your emeritus status, and I personally look forward to your participation in the forum without pressure, like the majority of us. We’ve enjoyed your company and will continue to do so into the future as others continue to put forth great content for our mutual enjoyment and benefit.
I wish the best to the new leaders as they take up the daunting task of keeping up the high level of well-considered content within this rare, inclusive, and supportive environment tended by you until now, Paul, which engenders a multiplicity of perspectives, which I and many other here obviously value.
You are a human Wikipedia of things with wheels! Enjoy your new life. I might add, I just got back from exploring beautiful eastern Oregon!
Thank you, Paul, for your many years keeping the Curbside Classic fires going. You have kept this a place where all are welcome who have a love for cars as they serve us, and you have kept it a calm place away from drama, focused on the cars we love.
Enjoy your retirement, whatever form it may take!
Paul thank you for this great gift you have given us.
This site has been a daily go-to for me for about 4 years now. I have learned much about, well, far more than just cars. There have been so many interesting posts on subject matter only tangentially related to cars and the lively, civilized comments often contain some real nuggets that are a constant source of surprise and delight. I appreciate the personal histories, often depicted in startlingly clear and frank language that sets the tone for open and respectful discourse that is refreshing these days. It is a singular creation, so you leave behind some very large shoes to fill, which Messers Klein, Cavanaugh and Shafer are amply equipped to do. I truly enjoyed meeting all four of you in Detroit two years ago.
I wish you the very best in retirement, Paul, although something tells me that it will be mere moments before you find something else on which to focus your energies and intellect.
Several attempts to post my congrats and I keep getting teh “you are posting to quickly” message. Sigh.
Thanks for many a good read.
Well done Paul! Keeping this going day in day out for so long, and maintaining the level of quality – just amazing.
Paul, this feels like the end of an era, but I know you are handing the “reigns” to the right people. I know they, along with all the wonderful contributors, will continue your tradition of a civilized and well balanced place to share our love for all things automotive and then some. Thanks for all your hard work and passion as the father of Curbside Classic!
Paul:
Damn. As I drifted in and out of sleep early this morning, my subconsciousness was somehow imbued with a murky dream about CC. When I woke up my first instinct was to check the site. I used my phone to read CC this morning, at my bedside. I never do that. Something was different today. Almost like a sort of divine warning, if I believed in that sort of thing.
My first instinct was that the headline that flashed before me was some sort of April Fool’s joke. I didn’t believe my own eyes. If I’d’ve had half a sense in me, I would have read the warning signs; the hints you’ve dropped, the frequency of your posts decreasing. Maybe I was in denial. But I was blindsided this morning. Like a freight train to the temple.
I’ve had the rest of the day to digest this news; to mull it over and dissect it inside my mind. But it’s still a stranger to me. CC has been a bastion of continuity in my twisting and turning life; while the world changed around me, this site never did. Always fascinating, always thought-provoking, always entertaining.
And the thing is, I know deep down that it’ll stay that way; the editors and contributors here are second-to-none. But it feels like a bit of CC has died today. More than a bit, actually; quite a lot. It’s lost its heart. And it’ll get a new one; and the new one’s gonna work more-or-less like the old one did, and I have no doubt it will continue to be the best automotive website in the world. And I mean that, really. But it won’t ever be the same. How could it?
I’m a car guy. We all are, here. Car guys and car gals, and all sorts of car people inbetween. But I’m a strange sort of car guy. I don’t really give a damn about the usual suspects: about mechanical intricacies, about flashy new cars or perfectly-restored old ones. I don’t go to car shows, or to car museums. And each one of those is a strike against my ability to find a car community that I belong to.
I care about the survivors. The obscure. The forgotten. The cars who, if they could speak, would have vibrant and eclectic stories to tell. About the things they’ve seen and the hard lives they’ve lived. I care about telling their stories, and preserving their image. And that’s exactly what Curbside Classic is all about. More specifically, it’s what you were all about.
That’s why I’m still struggling to come to terms with this. I feel like I’ve lost a mentor and a close friend, even though I’ve never met you. But every time I read one of your posts, I felt a kinship in the way we thought and the things we valued. And that’s rare, for me.
I haven’t engaged with this website enough over the years because, frankly, I usually don’t feel like I have anything to contribute. I’m not old enough to have experiences with these cars, I’m not wise enough to know more than superficial details about them, and I’m not confident enough to weigh in unless I’m completely sure that what I’m saying is worthwhile. I just take pictures, mostly. And read.
And I will continue to read. But starting tomorrow, it’ll feel like a different place for me.
Paul, I do hope you’ll drop by now and then; to read, to comment, and to remain a part of the community. If not, then farewell. Safe travels, and godspeed. We’ll miss you here more than you can know.
Thank you Paul for creating this site – totally in agreement with your view on retiring when the time is right, and looking forward to any articles written under “no pressure” mode.
Reading your post above, Paul, it sounds like you have a perfect reason to take a step back. But I sure do appreciate your time and effort. I have been a big fan of your approach to cars and to life – the bits of personal philosophy and political views that slipped in through the cracks at times differ quite a bit from many a car nut and that made it so much more interesting to come here.
This is my primary website to check out several times a day and I thank you for it.
I fully trust the new crew who all seem to have grasped the essence of what CC is about.
Enjoy the freed up time and make sure you and Stephanie put some miles on that van.
Good for you – but, you will be greatly missed.
Best wishes and thanks for a job well done!
It’s been a wild ride, Paul!! We all feel as if we know you and your pickup. Please check in on us from time to time, will you?
Thank you Paul. I haven’t always agreed, but I’ve always been informed.
Best wishes for your future.
Happy trails, Paul. I first found CC when it was on TTAC and it quickly became my favorite there. The move to its own space allowed me to completely avoid the drama and egos of TTAC and just read and discuss automotive subjects in a comfortable and interesting venue.
CC has been on my first-read list in the morning now for close to 10 years and I have learned so much along the way. Like so many others here, family and friends see me as the biggest car nerd that they know, but here there are so many others that fall into that category in their circles! This fascinates me, since each contributor and commentor here is ‘afflicted’ with this fascination with vehicles in their own unique way and so we get ‘nerd’ level insight into the most esoteric aspects of the subject.
Expressions of this type are only possible with close supervision and policing of the blog by Paul and others in order to keep it from devolving into politics and other forms of mean-ness and disrespect that squelch the free-sharing of ideas. This supervision is doubtlessly the most thankless but most essential part of moderating—GREAT JOB PAUL! I have seen that this mantle has been taken up by the new moderators and their job is made easier by the good habits that this community has developed under Paul.
Paul, I sure hope that you remain a frequent commentor here so that you can enjoy the group without the pressure of contributing and moderating. You bring a your own unique perspective to this group of vehicular nerds and I always look forward to hearing about what else and who else I should be tuning into across the internet on subjects related with transportation.
Lastly, I agree with the others that you should be proud of the stamp that you have left on the subject of transportation and the permanent hub of information that CC has become. The true promise and societal value of the internet is the ability for people from across the world to connect, share information and build communities that benefit everyone. It has taken a great deal of work and leadership on your part, but you have achieved this goal completely. Thank you.
It’s like I can separate the internet into two eras: pre-CC and post-CC. This site captured my imagination and I fell in love with this vast compendium of articles. Everything about it was just amazing: the articles themselves, the scope of the site, the civil and engaging comments sections.
You did this. We contributors have helped you over the years but you were the one that opened CC for business, that set the tone, that made this site what it is: my favourite website on the internet, the first thing I check when I wake up, my first proper experience writing.
That’s a big deal.
Thank you so much for all you’ve done. I remember “filling in” for you for one week a few years ago and it was exhausting enough but you’ve been doing it for YEARS. I don’t know how you’ve done it but you deserve a break. And I know this isn’t goodbye forever but I wanted to thank you for encouraging me and guiding me and giving me this tremendous opportunity to write for your site.
Jim and co. will keep the ship sailing and I will do my very best to support them.
I look forward to post #4700, whenever that may be.
Well, I can still vividly remember my first time navigating to CC in 2013 – was doing a little Google searching on buses and up pops this fascinating article titled; “Skiway, Mount Hood’s Fabulous Flying Buses”. I was hooked…
I could tell the author was very smart, erudite, and had a passion for all things transport. And he was kind enough to invite me into the club as a Contributor.
Best wishes as you pursue all those new passions…Jim B.
Godspeed as you move on to your next endeavor, Paul. I have thoroughly enjoyed this site since I first saw it in 2014 and look forward to the daily updates. You have left it in very capable hands. Live long and prosper!
Paul, I seemed to have noticed that you were a bit less “on line” on CC these past few weeks, and I feared this was coming. Very bittersweet, in the sense that it is great to see you will be hanging up the keyboard much more now, but we will miss your guidance, insights, and leadership on the site.
I came on board in 2015, quite innocently, looking for a picture of some car or another, while in some boring work telecon, and came to find this wonderful site chock full of info. From time to time I still go back and search the old articles from before I found CC, and read them over. What a great site, what an excellent thought to put this all together.
Enjoy what comes around the next corner for you, and hope to hear from you here again from time to time. Looking forward to collaborating with you JP, Jim, and Jason.
Paul, thank you for getting CC launched and rolling. I was one of the ones who read you over at the old site. I understand the feeling you’re experiencing and have been thru those seasons myself.
I think we all have them to a certain extent.
Frankly it’s why I haven’t started my COAL yet. But I hope to do so. Usually when I write it’s a molasses-slow process, formulating my thoughts as I go within the larger context of what I want to say…if that makes any sense.
Also, I’ve appreciated your sharing your experiences in broadcast media, it’s given me a comfort level sharing from my perspective as a radio personality and voiceover artist.
My this new season be the best yet for you and Stephanie. I join the others who look forward to post #4700…if and when the time is right.
Even if it’s five years.
Thank you Paul, for this most enjoyable site. I particularly enjoyed learning about lesser known makes from the talented contributors. The friendly tone of most commentors is a refreshing contrast to many other sites. Let us know if your travels take you to western Canada. Calgary’s Vintage Sports Car Club hosts a fine (free) show usually the third week in July.
Thanks for everything you’ve done here Paul, enjoy retirement.
And thanks thanks to Jim, Jim, and Jason for taking the keys.
Paul, I just want to add my thanks to you for creating and overseeing one of the best, if not the best, websites on the Internet. The discourse here is almost always civil, even when people disagree, something that cannot be said about many other sites. I have enjoyed every minute I have spent here since discovering CC (2013 I think), after seeing a link to here from another site.
I wish you well in whatever you decide to do going forward. I can certainly understand being burned out; I reached that point after writing a half dozen COAL articles several years ago. I can’t imagine trying to come up with new content on an almost daily basis for 10-12 years. As many of us here can attest, writing is hard, much harder than it appears at a casual glance. May the future bring you much joy.
Paul, this is my favorite website. Ever since I discovered it, I have enjoyed lots of hours of knowledge, getting to know about interesting vehicles. Curbsideclassic.com has a big fan in Colombia.
Curbsideclassic.com is a refuge today for those of us who are fascinated with mechanical things, and who enjoy vehicles, but especially those which have enough character that their looks, mechanical intricacies, originality, and the fact that they are survivors make them far more interesting than today’s “Smartphones on wheels”, which sole most important aspect is the stupid infotainment system.
Again, thank you, and Godspeed.
It’s really not necessary to put down the new to build up the old.
“You never know what the new day will bring.”
The great thing about Curbside Classic is the jocular, occasionally irreverent sense of humor combined with the concept that “Every car has a story.” This is a reflection of the personality of its creator, whom I have not met personally, but is someone I respect greatly. CC is not just dull facts or typical reviews–it’s more “semiotic” (how cars make us FEEL and the spirit behind their designs). That’s an intellectual step above the ordinary.
We all know what can happen when an enterprise changes ownership (e.g. Hudson, Packard, et. al.)–it’s not quite what it was before. But I think the new management team has been well-taught in the Niedermeyer School. I trust they will continue the fine legacy that has been established.