Random Thoughts Thread

[trinacriabob]

6 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

I like this one.  (Balthazar would instantly know the MY.)

13 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

You can't go into a Hamburger Sparkasse and withdraw from your Frankfurter Sparkasse account, for example.  

This one takes the cake.  Classic!

[trinacriabob]

On 8/14/2024 at 6:39 AM, daves87rs said:

Might consider another Nox if they find something besides the 1.5 for it. It really needs a hybrid/ bigger engine in there…..

I always think the same whenever I'm put behind the wheel of a Malibu.  I also quickly multiply the liters by 60 (cu. in.).  Turbo or not, I  want more than 90 cubic inches in the engine.  My frame of reference is that a 2004 Impala with a 3.4 N.A. V6 got 34 mpg across various rental experiences.  That said, they can still add the turbocharger for power (and sophistication), but I'd want some more displacement to validate making that substantial investment in new wheels.

[ccap41]

On 7/29/2024 at 7:29 PM, surreal1272 said:

A 1,067HP Vette ZR1 was just announced the other day and not one word of it here. Very disappointing. 

I still don't see anything for it. I did a search and only came up with old articles. 

Is this officially an EV site?! 

[trinacriabob]

11 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

My frame of reference is that a 2004 Impala with a 3.4 N.A. V6 got 34 mpg across various rental experiences.  

Clarification:  this would be for only steady highway driving that wasn't very taxing.  And corresponds with the 21/34 EPA sticker.

[A Horse With No Name]

On 8/19/2024 at 2:41 PM, Drew Dowdell said:

Sparkasse is a type of bank. It literally translates to Savings Bank. Hamburger is because you were in Hamburg. There are Sparkassen in most (all?) major cities. All Sparkassen are part of a national network of regional government-controlled banks, though they operate independently of each other. It's almost like all of the "First National Bank of (City name)" banks we have here, except for the government involvement. The regional governments do not own the banks, but they do oversee how the banks are run.

You can't go into a Hamburger Sparkasse and withdraw from your Frankfurter Sparkasse account, for example.  However, they all share the same visual branding with the red logo.  They are considered very conservative and safe, unlike Deutchebank, which is known to loan a certain U.S. politician significant amounts of money without appropriate collateral. 

I find the language very easy to learn. 

I used to follow Nate Silver closely, but he has since sold out to Peter Theil, so I no longer consider him reliable, even when he's suggesting an outcome I favor.  

Kind of hard to Take Thiel seriously when he wants to reverse the 19th amendment and deny women the right to vote. 

19 hours ago, ccap41 said:

I still don't see anything for it. I did a search and only came up with old articles. 

Is this officially an EV site?! 

One where we are all aging, and driving cars old men like to drive. It will become the GM W body forum in about two years. Dfelt will change a W body to an EV. about as far as it will get. But there is a new anti aging medication that might actually work, more on that to follow. 

Why I want to be young again.....!

 

Anti aging pill seems to show promise...

 

More 4 speed goodness, including Grumpy Jenkins, a bit of modern action, and some <opar Mayhem

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Just enough of an automotivve geek myself to find this fascinating...

 

Since balthazar has returned to the crypt he emerged from when Oldsmobile was founded, it is my duty to bring vintage content here. 56 Chevy is cool, bonus MOPAR content. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

14 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Clarification:  this would be for only steady highway driving that wasn't very taxing.  And corresponds with the 21/34 EPA sticker.

I usually get close to highway. Running at around 25 overall on the Ranger, it is rated at 26 highway. 

The fabrication work here is unreal. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

I like this cover...

 

On 8/20/2024 at 6:35 AM, trinacriabob said:

I always think the same whenever I'm put behind the wheel of a Malibu.  I also quickly multiply the liters by 60 (cu. in.).  Turbo or not, I  want more than 90 cubic inches in the engine.  My frame of reference is that a 2004 Impala with a 3.4 N.A. V6 got 34 mpg across various rental experiences.  That said, they can still add the turbocharger for power (and sophistication), but I'd want some more displacement to validate making that substantial investment in new wheels.

I feel the same way about the smaller Bronco Ford sells. Most of them come with the three cylinder. I would consider it if it came with the same 4 the Ranger comes with. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Lastly, this is gorgeous. 

 

[Robert Hall]

37 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

One where we are all aging, and driving cars old men like to drive. It will become the GM W body forum in about two years. Dfelt will change a W body to an EV. about as far as it will get.  

 

Heh-heh...I'm enjoying my Old Man Cadillac...getting close to 30mpg highway w/ my 3.6 CT6...I enjoy driving it more than my 5.0 Mustang. 

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

Heh-heh...I'm enjoying my Old Man Cadillac...getting close to 30mpg highway w/ my 3.6 CT6...I enjoy driving it more than my 5.0 Mustang. 

It's not Old Man at all.  It's 50 is the new 30.  Cadillac took their age distribution downward with their strategies and designs.  Never would I have expected Escalades to have spinners on them and be driven by gang bangers.  (But that's the far end of the distribution that one may not even want to think about ... hard pass.)

I appreciate Mustangs.  But I know I'd much rather be behind the wheel of a CT6 on the regular.

Thinking "can they make me one for me with cloth seats?"  Or, as Oldsmobile would have put it, "Can we build one for you?"

Edited August 21 by trinacriabob

[Robert Hall]

6 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

It's not Old Man at all.  It's 50 is the new 30.  Cadillac took their age distribution downward with their strategies and designs.  Never would I have expected Escalades to have spinners on them and be driven by gang bangers.  (But that's the far end of the distribution that one may not even want to think about ... hard pass.)

I appreciate Mustangs.  But I know I'd much rather be behind the wheel of a CT6 on the regular.

Thinking "can they make me one for me with cloth seats?"  Or, as Oldsmobile would have put it, "Can we build one for you?"

I enjoy driving my Mustang, if I squint it's like I'm 20-25 again...but it rides rough on Ohio's bumpy roads and is rather loud..and feels so tiny in today's traffic.   The Caddy is fast, serene, smooth.  Definitely my road trip car.   

[trinacriabob]

2 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Just enough of an automotivve geek myself to find this fascinating...

Since balthazar has returned to the crypt he emerged from when Oldsmobile was founded, it is my duty to bring vintage content here. 

That's funny.

He and I were not on the same page with the ensuing Olds et. al. colonnade era and its '81+ refresh until the curtain fell.

Granted, Intrigues and other later GM, like the 2013 or 14 Impala refresh, were far more updated and relevant motoring experiences, but nothing moved me emotionally quite the way the colonnades did.

(What I'd give to find an immaculate '76 Regal S/R coupe and swap in an "even firing" Buick 231 V6 that is out of the crate and configured to hook up to RWD.  I wouldn't have the patience.)

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

That's funny.

He and I were not on the same page with the ensuing Olds et. al. colonnade era and its '81+ refresh until the curtain fell.

Granted, Intrigues and other later GM, like the 2013 or 14 Impala refresh, were far more updated and relevant motoring experiences, but nothing moved me emotionally quite the way the colonnades did.

(What I'd give to find an immaculate '76 Regal S/R coupe and swap in an "even firing" Buick 231 V6 that is out of the crate and configured to hook up to RWD.  I wouldn't have the patience.)

The colonnades are interesting... I really like the '80s G-bodies, along w/ the B/C/D/E bodies of that era...would love to find a clean '80-84 Electra Park Avenue or '80-89 Caddy Fleetwood Brougham d'Elegance as another weekend car..or an Eldorado Biarritz convertible. 

[ccap41]

4 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I like this cover...

 

I feel the same way about the smaller Bronco Ford sells. Most of them come with the three cylinder. I would consider it if it came with the same 4 the Ranger comes with. 

My Lincoln MKC is the smallest SUV Ford/Lincoln put the 2.3T in. 

The Bronco Sport with the 2.0T is probably perfectly fine and doesn't really need the 2.3 the Ranger has. The Ranger is bigger and heavier and needs the extra hp/tq to achieve the same results. 

[Drew Dowdell]

31 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

My Lincoln MKC is the smallest SUV Ford/Lincoln put the 2.3T in. 

The Bronco Sport with the 2.0T is probably perfectly fine and doesn't really need the 2.3 the Ranger has. The Ranger is bigger and heavier and needs the extra hp/tq to achieve the same results. 

A Bronco Sport with the 2.3T would probably only be sold as a Bronco Sport Raptor..... which could be fun, but expect to pay Raptor prices.

[ccap41]

Just now, Drew Dowdell said:

A Bronco Sport with the 2.3T would probably only be sold as a Bronco Sport Raptor..... which could be fun, but expect to pay Raptor prices.

Yeah, that's what the Maverick Lobo should have gotten, too. 

it just isn't a very efficient engine for the class of vehicles that are supposed to be efficient. I assume that's why it never really got spread around more. My MKC is only related at 18/26 compared to a new Escape 2.0's 23/31. I know it's more powerful, but those are pretty significate fuel efficiency numbers. 

[Drew Dowdell]

10 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Yeah, that's what the Maverick Lobo should have gotten, too. 

it just isn't a very efficient engine for the class of vehicles that are supposed to be efficient. I assume that's why it never really got spread around more. My MKC is only related at 18/26 compared to a new Escape 2.0's 23/31. I know it's more powerful, but those are pretty significate fuel efficiency numbers. 

I would look at the weight differences there too. I know they're the same platform, but I would assume the MKC weighs a good bit more. 

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

My Lincoln MKC is the smallest SUV Ford/Lincoln put the 2.3T in. 

The Bronco Sport with the 2.0T is probably perfectly fine and doesn't really need the 2.3 the Ranger has. The Ranger is bigger and heavier and needs the extra hp/tq to achieve the same results. 

Don't you have to buy the top trim level to get it though?

Like the Bronco but would want a 4 cylinder. 

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

Yeah, that's what the Maverick Lobo should have gotten, too. 

it just isn't a very efficient engine for the class of vehicles that are supposed to be efficient. I assume that's why it never really got spread around more. My MKC is only related at 18/26 compared to a new Escape 2.0's 23/31. I know it's more powerful, but those are pretty significate fuel efficiency numbers. 

No complaints on 25 out of the Ranger. It has proven to be an excellent vehicle. 

2 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

The colonnades are interesting... I really like the '80s G-bodies, along w/ the B/C/D/E bodies of that era...would love to find a clean '80-84 Electra Park Avenue or '80-89 Caddy Fleetwood Brougham d'Elegance as another weekend car..or an Eldorado Biarritz convertible. 

All cars I would actually love to own. 

5 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

I enjoy driving my Mustang, if I squint it's like I'm 20-25 again...but it rides rough on Ohio's bumpy roads and is rather loud..and feels so tiny in today's traffic.   The Caddy is fast, serene, smooth.  Definitely my road trip car.   

Love both but would really like to own a car like that Caddy for road trips. 

[ccap41]

2 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Don't you have to buy the top trim level to get it though?

Like the Bronco but would want a 4 cylinder. 

For an MKC? Nah, it was available on 3 of the 4 trims, if I remember correctly. I don't believe it was available on the Select but it was available on the Reserve, Premier & Black Label. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Just now, ccap41 said:

For an MKC? Nah, it was available on 3 of the 4 trims, if I remember correctly. I don't believe it was available on the Select but it was available on the Reserve, Premier & Black Label. 

I meant for the Bronco...

5 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

I enjoy driving my Mustang, if I squint it's like I'm 20-25 again...but it rides rough on Ohio's bumpy roads and is rather loud..and feels so tiny in today's traffic.   The Caddy is fast, serene, smooth.  Definitely my road trip car.   

Cadillac has a much better chassis though.  My friend Brian races a Mustang the same basic era as yours, it took considerable chassis work to make it competitive. 

 

Brian's car...

 

[ccap41]

3 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I meant for the Bronco...

Oh, sorry! The 2.3T is the base engine (can be had with a manual trans), the 2.7t is the optional engine and the 3.0T is the Raptor engine.

[A Horse With No Name]

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

Oh, sorry! The 2.3T is the base engine (can be had with a manual trans), the 2.7t is the optional engine and the 3.0T is the Raptor engine.

Let's try this one more time, as I indeed am an idiot. I meant the baby Bronco. 

Been seeing them around and really, really like them. But would probably buy a Maverick instead because of the 4 cylinder. 

Brian's other Ford powered toy...

 

The T Bird on the left is badass. I miss watching these run is NASCAR.

Last pic of Brian's car. I had an uncanny urge to post demo derby pics, and then an uncanny urge to post pics of Brian's Mustang...

[A Horse With No Name]

Random GTO picture...

Edited August 21 by A Horse With No Name

[ccap41]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Let's try this one more time, as I indeed am an idiot. I meant the baby Bronco. 

Hahaha okay okay okay... I think they just have two engines, a 1.5T and a 2.0T. That 1.5T is a 3-banger though but the numbers seem "adequate", 181hp/190tq. I wouldn't want that engine, and I'd easily jump to the 2.0T. I had the 2.0T in my former Escape and I liked it a lot.

[G. David Felt]

2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 Customer Deliveries Begin

[A Horse With No Name]

16 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Hahaha okay okay okay... I think they just have two engines, a 1.5T and a 2.0T. That 1.5T is a 3-banger though but the numbers seem "adequate", 181hp/190tq. I wouldn't want that engine, and I'd easily jump to the 2.0T. I had the 2.0T in my former Escape and I liked it a lot.

If I could find a gently used one with the 2.0T, I think that might be a winner. 

 

Actual paint, not a decal or vinyl. 

In a British state of mind today...

[G. David Felt]

Interesting list
25 EVs That Paved the Way for Sustainable Driving - My Car Makes Noise

[G. David Felt]

Have to agree that Genesis is nailing it in the Tech department with Luxury!
GENESIS RANKS HIGHEST OVERALL IN J.D. POWER TECH INNOVATION STUDY FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR - Genesis Newsroom (genesisnewsusa.com)

For the price, I feel you get allot from Genesis.

GENESIS REVEALS U.S. PRICING FOR NEWLY REDESIGNED 2025 G80 EXECUTIVE SEDAN - Genesis Newsroom (genesisnewsusa.com)

[trinacriabob]

I had forgotten to mention this before. There are some stupid travelers out there.  

The last time I was in South Florida, I took Delta and changed planes in Atlanta.  Both of the segments were operated with Boeing 757s, which are usually reliable.

Once in Atlanta, folks boarded the 757 for FLL.  There was an announcement that one of the two flight monitors in the cockpit was quirky and that they'd try to reboot it.  No luck.  Everyone got off and waited for another 757, which worked out.

In this group was a couple going on a Caribbean cruise out of Lauderdale.  The original arrival time was 1 p.m.  The actual arrival time was 4 p.m.  They missed their cruise. 

Lesson to be learned:

If you're sailing out of a port that has a lot of nonstops a day into it, like ATL to FLL, or Chicago to New York, get in the day before.  If your luggage doesn't make it, it can catch up with you on a later flight or even the morning of an afternoon sailing.

If you're connecting because you're coming in from a small airport, or are coming in from across country, and even Vancouver or Calgary, get in 2 days prior to the sailing.

Having only done this a few times, I made damn sure I was in New York 2 days before.

[G. David Felt]

Very cool cleaning of a rare 4wd XT Turbo from Subaru.

 

[trinacriabob]

31 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

Very cool cleaning of a rare 4wd XT Turbo from Subaru.

 

Canadians!

Saskatchewan!

Except for some rust and body issues, he did a nice job.

I'm laughing because it's a Subaru I wouldn't rag on.  I was neutral toward them when they were just another Japanese option.  Truthfully, I am okay with recent Legacy sedans.

[A Horse With No Name]

Neat HO scale model railroad photography.

 

 

2 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Canadians!

Saskatchewan!

Except for some rust and body issues, he did a nice job.

I'm laughing because it's a Subaru I wouldn't rag on.  I was neutral toward them when they were just another Japanese option.  Truthfully, I am okay with recent Legacy sedans.

I would actually like to own a modern Subaru SUV, think it would be a good vehicle to get me to camp sites and hiking areas. They are everywhere west of the Mississippi. By that I mean both hiking trails and Subarus. A match made in heaven. 

[G. David Felt]

Some very interesting reading:
Biden administration announces $50 million to support electric vehicle manufacturing in 6 states - CBS Detroit (cbsnews.com)
J.D. Power Finds Public-Charging Infrastructure Improving | Cars.com

 

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I would actually like to own a modern Subaru SUV, think it would be a good vehicle to get me to camp sites and hiking areas. They are everywhere west of the Mississippi. By that I mean both hiking trails and Subarus. A match made in heaven. 

Subaru + me = laughter ... one of my quirks.

They are huge around the Smokies and in states like Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York.  They are extremely popular in New England ... when a local lady saw me taking a photo of one of those transporters loaded up with Soobies near Boston, presumably going to dealerships, she said something like, 'They practically spawn here.'

Edited August 23 by trinacriabob

[trinacriabob]

Another thing that periodically comes to mind:

For people who live in the UK, Japan, Australia, etc., the steering wheel is on the right side of the passenger cabin when looking toward the front.

If a person is right handed, like the majority of people, wouldn't it be difficult to operate a manual transmission shifter placed to the left of you?  It might even be a little bit harder to move an automatic around.  

I look at photos of these cars and get a little bewildered.  I try to mentally imagine myself behind the wheel and it's not easy.

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

Another thing that periodically comes to mind:

For people who live in the UK, Japan, Australia, etc., the steering wheel is on the right side of the passenger cabin when looking toward the front.

If a person is right handed, like the majority of people, wouldn't it be difficult to operate a manual transmission shifter placed to the left of you?  It might even be a little bit harder to move an automatic around.  

I look at photos of these cars and get a little bewildered.  I try to mentally imagine myself behind the wheel and it's not easy.

Having gone to college in Japan, I drove my host families' sons R33 Skyline all the time. I was surprised how easy it is to shift with the left hand, the pedals are still in the same place even though you're on the right side of the auto to drive it. Was not a big deal to me, but then change I have always embraced and so if you have a hard time with change, then you might have a really hard time driving a right side auto.

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, G. David Felt said:

Having gone to college in Japan, I drove my host families' sons R33 Skyline all the time. I was surprised how easy it is to shift with the left hand, the pedals are still in the same place even though you're on the right side of the auto to drive it. Was not a big deal to me, but then change I have always embraced and so if you have a hard time with change, then you might have a really hard time driving a right side auto.

You do embrace change better than I do.  I probably do it better than most Americans, though.

It might take a while.  It takes me considerably longer to do things left handed.  I periodically try just to try.

[Robert Hall]

Nice sunny Saturday, good day for a drive up the coast and a lobster roll.  

Edited August 24 by Robert Hall

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

Nice sunny Saturday, good day for a drive up the coast and a lobster roll.  

That looks so awesome...

Styx on vinyl..

 

[Robert Hall]

33 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

That looks so awesome...

 

Conneaut Harbor on Lake Erie.   Far NE Ohio.

[A Horse With No Name]

16 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Conneaut Harbor on Lake Erie.   Far NE Ohio.

I need to take my wife.

 

More derby action...

 

Neat Classic Ford Video

 

I really like this era of Chryco products....

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Heart Warming...

 

[A Horse With No Name]

I have been to this bridge, hiked around it and underneath it, and driven over it. Amazing....

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Rare 62 Imperial highway patrol car

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I have been to this bridge, hiked around it and underneath it, and driven over it. Amazing....

New River Gorge bridge is one of the stops on Day 1 of my road trip vacation next month.  Looking forward to seeing it.

[trinacriabob]

1 minute ago, Robert Hall said:

New River Gorge bridge is one of the stops on Day 1 of my road trip vacation next month.  Looking forward to seeing it.

It's impressive and the way it spans that gorge or canyon is something to see.

There's a viewpoint adjacent to it and you can look over the bridge and the canyon ... great photo op.

The thing with WV is that its scenic wonders are not clustered together.  They're fairly far apart from each other.  I saw them under fall colors.  I think I did a review of the Camry on that trip.  It might have been 2019. 

Either way, I kept traveling - as allowed - during and after Covid, didn't get it, and then, in late 2022, I got a 3-day case of the omicron variant a few weeks before I had injection #4 scheduled.  

[A Horse With No Name]

7 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

New River Gorge bridge is one of the stops on Day 1 of my road trip vacation next month.  Looking forward to seeing it.

Its amazing.

Abandoned mansion...

 

I am on a decay binge, first demo derbies, now abandoned buildings.

 

Church in Detroit...

[trinacriabob]

I was eating at a bakery/coffee place I like and they had some music going in the background.  I'm thinking it was new age - all instrumental - but a very good piece nonetheless.  None of the employees would have known its name.

I was then thinking that they do studies to figure out what kind of music dogs respond to both positively and negatively.  Any ideas on this?  I'm thinking they'd like new age instrumental and get riled up by "The Immigrant Song."

[A Horse With No Name]

abandoned Chevy...

 

Just now, trinacriabob said:

I was eating at a bakery/coffee place I like and they had some music going in the background.  I'm thinking it was new age - all instrumental - but a very good piece nonetheless.  None of the employees would have known its name.

I was then thinking that they do studies to figure out what kind of music dogs respond to both positively and negatively.  Any ideas on this?  I'm thinking they'd like new age instrumental and get riled up by "The Immigrant Song."

I use an ap called Shazam on my phone that identifies songs.

Abandoned gas station with a Camaro...