Random Thoughts Thread

[A Horse With No Name]

On the un happy side....

https://www.apnews.com/90d6d2b3baba40839d95af1d3ee5569a

How many catholic churches are there in Texas....this is huge.

[A Horse With No Name]

https://www.enginelabs.com/news/a-modern-ford-351-cleveland-nets-almost-900-horsepower-n-a/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-modern-ford-351-cleveland-nets-almost-900-horsepower-n-a

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I will die a happy man knowing that I have listened to the sound of angels feet and the soundtrack of the gods. This thing is Thor's hammer, polished.

So just play the song The Gods Entering Valhalla when you drive it.

 

[oldshurst442]

I dedicate this to all of you. Just before the Superbowl.

I saw this browsing on Youtube and I figured...why not post it. 

Tom Brady...you are THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME!!!  I hope you win another!!!!

 

[balthazar]

From 1969.

[ocnblu]

8 hours ago, balthazar said:

From 1969.

Oh boy, can't wait.  This is a recent post by them, right?  Car seems a bit anachronistic for 2019.

[Robert Hall]

3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Oh boy, can't wait.  This is a recent post by them, right?  Car seems a bit anachronistic for 2019.

More like 1959.  Renault Dauphine electric conversion.   Henney Kilowatt was one such conversion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henney_Kilowatt

[daves87rs]

21 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

This is almost hot enough to make me take back every negative comment I have made about Ford...this is utterly amazing.

Looks like quite the fun drive!!!

[A Horse With No Name]

12 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

I dedicate this to all of you. Just before the Superbowl.

I saw this browsing on Youtube and I figured...why not post it. 

Tom Brady...you are THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME!!!  I hope you win another!!!!

 

Ok...now that I have resolved to stop hating Ford I have enough hate for the Patriots and the cowboys.

[trinacriabob]

16 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

I dedicate this to all of you. Just before the Superbowl.

I saw this browsing on Youtube and I figured...why not post it. 

Tom Brady...you are THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME!!!  I hope you win another!!!!

 

Uhm, no.  Not when they're playing my hometown team!

I also watched them beat Atlanta, a place I lived for a couple of years while in my 20s, and I believe the Falcons had never won a Super Bowl and were last there in 1999.  The Falcons appeared to have the upper hand.  They then lost it in the craziest of overtime upsets.  I left during the overtime and found out that everything changed while I had stepped into a store to get some groceries.  That was demoralizing.

Someone else's turn.  Like Los Angeles's turn.

The only thing I know for certain is that I will be eating pizza tomorrow night.

[oldshurst442]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

Uhm, no.  Not when they're playing my hometown team!

I also watched them beat Atlanta, a place I lived for a couple of years while in my 20s, and I believe the Falcons had never won a Super Bowl and were last there in 1999.  The Falcons appeared to have the upper hand.  They then lost it in the craziest of overtime upsets.  I left during the overtime and found out that everything changed while I had stepped into a store to get some groceries.  That was demoralizing.

Someone else's turn.  Like Los Angeles's turn.

The only thing I know for certain is that I will be eating pizza tomorrow night.

LOL

Like..in the video. He IS from California, you know. 

I wanna know, how many can this guy actually win.  Its fantastic what we are witnessing with Tom Brady.  I grew up watching and loving Dan Marino with the Dolphins (I was always a Cowboys fan though.) I was mesmerized with Joe Montana. HE was the greatest before Brady. Then Steve Young comes along and I liked him. Of course Troy was my favorite though  Then there was John Elway and his late comebacks. Fascinating to watch on a Monday night.

But 'twas Joe Montana to Jerry Rice or Steve Young to Jerry Rice that captured my heart and I thought Id never see that again.  (Minus the 3 Superbowls of the Dallas Cowboys in the early 1990s. Those were great.  HOW 'BOUT 'DEM COWBOYS!!!) ?

Until Tom Brady came along...

That Superbowl victory a couple of years ago, the one you mentioned. It might have been heartbreaking for many fans, like youself, but if you are a fan of the game, it was just...just...pure magic to see him work.

And THAT is why I wanna see how many can this guy,with Belichik, win...

I mean, its rare these kinds of things. And when they do happen, I wanna ride that ride as long as we can. I wanna see how far they can go before it really, trully ends.

THAT plus what is going on in Boston the last 20 years is just incredible too.

The Red Sox have 3 World Series or so, the Celtics have 1 or 2 Championships, the Patriots have, Ive lost count...the Bruins have 1 Stanley Cup.

And many finals appearances coming in 2nd place.

Gimme the  keys to the cah.  Im going to Bahsten to pahk  in Hahved Yahd.  Gonna eat some clam chowdah while Im at it!!!

I HATE the Red Sox. I dont like the Patriots all that much. Im indifferent to basketball so I really dont care for the Celtics... I am a Bruins fan though as I HATE Les Canadiens. Proud of my citiy's 27 or so Stanley Cups, 24 of them belonging to the Habs, but yeah...

To see Brady and Boston do this...is just great in my eyes!

 

 

5 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Ok...now that I have resolved to stop hating Ford I have enough hate for the Patriots and the cowboys.

He IS from California...

He is just the quarterback you ?.  

(Just to quote the video) 

( a beautiful Dallas Cowboy GIF...just for you!!!) 

 

[ocnblu]

8 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

More like 1959.  Renault Dauphine electric conversion.   Henney Kilowatt was one such conversion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henney_Kilowatt

NOTICE:  your brain software update is overdue, re:  sarcasm detection.

[G. David Felt]

24 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

NOTICE:  your brain software update is overdue, re:  sarcasm detection.

Ahhh, So that is what you have been missing, the Brain Software Update. I am sure there is also a few hot patches and security updates to apply too!  

[oldshurst442]

 

Edited February 2, 2019 by oldshurst442

[ocnblu]

?  This is not.  I was speaking to Moltie for his lack of sarcasm detection software.

[oldshurst442]

2 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

?  This is not.  I was speaking to Moltie for his lack of sarcasm detection software.

I wanted to make a funny.

But I wrote what I wrote. (but now edited. only the dancing dude is still alive in that post.   I tried for it to be funny. But alas, it was not funny. 

 I tried and failed. I am at your mercy now.   ?

 

[balthazar]

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, ocnblu said:

?  This is not.  I was speaking to Moltie for his lack of sarcasm detection software.

That is one of the GM Premium upgraded packages you have to pay for. Sadly not everyone buys the upgrades.   

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, ocnblu said:

?  This is not.  I was speaking to Moltie for his lack of sarcasm detection software.

You didn't use the <sarcasm> </sarcasm> tags in your post.. .;)

[G. David Felt]

@A Horse With No Name There is a NEW 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback you can afford now!

 

[ocnblu]

Every time Toyota tries to shed its vanilla image, it fails with very few exceptions.  The brand new RAV4 is getting tepid (at best) reviews everywhere I look... it is being lambasted for not being nice to drive, noisy engine... etc. etc.  Internet ppl like to make fun of Chevy pickups with square wheelwells, and Jeeps with trapezoidal wheelwells... but the new Rav4 has like ZERO curved lines on it.  If any vehicle needs square wheels to make it look cohesive, the new RAV is it.

 

The Corolla Hatchback is the best looking Toyota out right now, along with the 86... which I deem a Subaru because of its boxer engine.  The new Corolla sedan seems to have lost some weirdness and gained some grace in its look.  The Yaris sedan is saved by its clean Mazda sheetmetal, ugly mug notwithstanding.

The Highlander is not too bad I guess.  The Tacoma has weird packaging issues, and a non-competitive engine/trans.  Tundra is a time capsule.  Avalon/Camry have alien front ends.  2019 Prius has lost some of its otherworldy details, is improved.  Overall, Toyotas are just not appealing to me.

Edited February 3, 2019 by ocnblu

[A Horse With No Name]

24 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Every time Toyota tries to shed its vanilla image, it fails with very few exceptions.  The brand new RAV4 is getting tepid (at best) reviews everywhere I look... it is being lambasted for not being nice to drive, noisy engine... etc. etc.  Internet ppl like to make fun of Chevy pickups with square wheelwells, and Jeeps with trapezoidal wheelwells... but the new Rav4 has like ZERO curved lines on it.  If any vehicle needs square wheels to make it look cohesive, the new RAV is it.

 

The Corolla Hatchback is the best looking Toyota out right now, along with the 86... which I deem a Subaru because of its boxer engine.  The new Corolla sedan seems to have lost some weirdness and gained some grace in its look.  The Yaris sedan is saved by its clean Mazda sheetmetal, ugly mug notwithstanding.

The Highlander is not too bad I guess.  The Tacoma has weird packaging issues, and a non-competitive engine/trans.  Tundra is a time capsule.  Avalon/Camry have alien front ends.  2019 Prius has lost some of its otherworldy details, is improved.  Overall, Toyotas are just not appealing to me.

The 86 is a Subaru and the Camry is a decent vanilla sedan. The 8 speed in the Ranger would make me give it the nod over the aging Tacoma.

Prius is funky and cool but not my thing.

[oldshurst442]

 

40 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

The 86 is a Subaru

Not quite.

The 86 would be a Subaru if the 86 and the siblings would have a Subaru boxer under the hood.

Im perfectly fine with the engine choice just to be clear, but as is, the Toyobarus are in fact, more vanilla Toyota then anything else.  

 

PS: I like very much the Toyobarus. A tad small for my tastes, but I like a lot. I would love if Subaru boxer in the BRZ, but hey, you cant always get what you want.  I think Jagger said that once... ?

Edited February 3, 2019 by oldshurst442

[balthazar]

So many 2 doors. :D

[A Horse With No Name]

23 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

 

Not quite.

The 86 would be a Subaru if the 86 and the siblings would have a Subaru boxer under the hood.

Im perfectly fine with the engine choice just to be clear, but as is, the Toyobarus are in fact, more vanilla Toyota then anything else.  

 

PS: I like very much the Toyobarus. A tad small for my tastes, but I like a lot. I would love if Subaru boxer in the BRZ, but hey, you cant always get what you want.  I think Jagger said that once... ?

It literally has a Subaru boxer under the hood.

[oldshurst442]

28 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

It literally has a Subaru boxer under the hood.

really?

I always thought it was a Toyota 4 banger.  

All these years, and I was walking this earth with the false idea like that?

Ive talked to 2 very good clients of mine who own them. One guy has the Subaru and the other the Scion. We waxed poetic about how wonderful handlers they are. And how a more powerful engine under the hood would just spoil the perfect driving characteristics of it...

So...all this time...I had false impressions...

What a doof I have been...LOL

 

OK...Ill try to save it.  I do really wish it had a TURBO Subaru boxer engine under the hood. The same one as the WRX STi...

 I know where my falsehoods began. BECAUSE Subaru did NOT offer the TURBO WRX STi engine, I immediatley confused THAT with the Toyobarus having a Toyota 4 banger...

I repeat:  What a doof I have been. LOL  

 

 

Edited February 3, 2019 by oldshurst442

[balthazar]

Lexington KY, 1930. Walker (1906-1942) electric delivery trucks ~

[ocnblu]

8 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

The 86 would be a Subaru if the 86 and the siblings would have a Subaru boxer under the hood

The BRZ/86 has a Subaru boxer engine.

[balthazar]

[ocnblu]

2019 Honda Passport Sport AWD in Modern Steel with roof rack and blue graphics package:  $34,890.00.  Decent as heck!

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

2019 Honda Passport Sport AWD in Modern Steel with roof rack and blue graphics package:  $34,890.00.  Decent as heck!

My sister bought a new Acura RED and loves it.

[daves87rs]

5 hours ago, ocnblu said:

2019 Honda Passport Sport AWD in Modern Steel with roof rack and blue graphics package:  $34,890.00.  Decent as heck!

Looks good!

[oldshurst442]

Roger Goodell  or Gary Bettman?

Who gets the loudest, longest boos between them?

LOL

[balthazar]

[A Horse With No Name]

Makes me think of this..

 

Also, bonus clip for Monday.

 

[frogger]

With all the snow lately we've had some serious Canadian winter road rage here lately

https://imgur.com/gallery/FEpKASX

Edited February 4, 2019 by frogger

[Robert Hall]

Nice and sunny today, supposed to go over 60, which is incredible for Cleveland in February..got to find a bar w/ a patio open for happy hour this afternoon. 

Yesterday afternoon got into the mid 50s, so mild I took a drive w/ the sunroof open and heated seat on...had cabin fever after the week of cold and nasty weather...   

Yard is very soggy and muddy from all the snow melt, but the doggos are enjoying it..

[G. David Felt]

3 hours ago, frogger said:

With all the snow lately we've had some serious Canadian winter road rage here lately

https://imgur.com/gallery/FEpKASX

That is awesome, I just DO NOT get why people cannot take the time to clearly remove the snow from their auto. Idiot assholes right and left. That guy looked pissed but at least just did the right thing, clear the window and move on.

[ocnblu]

I keep searching, but I have not found a replacement for my Jeep.  It is a perfect size.  It has no power so I cannot get myself in trouble.  It goes well in inclement weather.  It has a stick.  It is comfortable.  It gets decent mileage for my commute.  AND it is green.

Turning over 37k miles soon.  I've paid down on it a good bit, but I am always concerned about resale with any of my vehicles due to the number of miles I accumulate.  So still I search.

Silverado is too big and expensive, no regular cab shortbed available.  Colorado has nothing substantively new since its resurrection.  Passport is Asian in decent, even if it is as American as a Honda can get.  Ram Classic is neat, and available in regular cab shortbed, but it is old.  F-150 is too big for garage and is made of beer cans.  Ranger is cool, leary of fuel mileage with EB 4.  Blazer is too much money for what it is in the trim level I'd settle for.  Edge is nicer than Blazer, really.

Maybe the 2020 Trax/Granite/Encore will be a lively competitor.  Keenly innerested in passing judgment on them.  I wonder what is coming to Chicago?  Is anyone donning their Kevlar vest and hitting the show?  Do we have a preview, or is everything a secret?

[ocnblu]

As far as pony cars go, Dodge has the firmest grasp on what customers want from the genre.  I love the Mustang also, and find its sales decline disconcerting.  The Camaro, with all its excellence in power and chassis engineering, comes across as antiseptic and a bit unfriendly.

I would own a Challenger R/T first, a Mustang GT second, and a Camaro SS third... seems to be the general consensus in the sales race these days as well.

[G. David Felt]

15 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

As far as pony cars go, Dodge has the firmest grasp on what customers want from the genre.  I love the Mustang also, and find its sales decline disconcerting.  The Camaro, with all its excellence in power and chassis engineering, comes across as antiseptic and a bit unfriendly.

I would own a Challenger R/T first, a Mustang GT second, and a Camaro SS third... seems to be the general consensus in the sales race these days as well.

Agree with your assessment, the Camaro is sterile.

[ocnblu]

2019 GMC Terrain SLT AWD 2.0t in Sedona with Black Package.  What do you guys think of this FWD-biased lease appliance?

Edited February 5, 2019 by ocnblu

[G. David Felt]

3 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

2019 GMC Terrain SLT in Sedona with Black Package.  What do you guys think of this FWD-biased lease appliance?

Very sharp looking, great job on the build, I like the non-chrome appearance.

What is your price range you want to stay within? Then maybe various folks here can play with builders and see if they can find you something you will like.

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, ocnblu said:

I keep searching, but I have not found a replacement for my Jeep.  It is a perfect size.  It has no power so I cannot get myself in trouble.  It goes well in inclement weather.  It has a stick.  It is comfortable.  It gets decent mileage for my commute.  AND it is green.

Turning over 37k miles soon.  I've paid down on it a good bit, but I am always concerned about resale with any of my vehicles due to the number of miles I accumulate.  So still I search. 

If you like it, why not keep it to 75k or 100k miles?  37k isn't much...

[oldshurst442]

12 hours ago, frogger said:

With all the snow lately we've had some serious Canadian winter road rage here lately

https://imgur.com/gallery/FEpKASX

That's in Montreal!!!

[oldshurst442]

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

As far as pony cars go, Dodge has the firmest grasp on what customers want from the genre.  I love the Mustang also, and find its sales decline disconcerting.  The Camaro, with all its excellence in power and chassis engineering, comes across as antiseptic and a bit unfriendly.

I would own a Challenger R/T first, a Mustang GT second, and a Camaro SS third... seems to be the general consensus in the sales race these days as well.

And I would agree with this 100%!!! 

I would own a Hellcat/Red Eye first. Or a Scat Pack. A Mustang GT, any engined convertible, GT350 in second place and Id skip the Camaro entirely. Maybe Id do a Trans Am 455 SD from Trans Am Depot in 3rd place instead of an outright Camaro. 

[ocnblu]

9 hours ago, dfelt said:

What is your price range you want to stay within?

My self-imposed upper limit is around $35k purchase price with incentives.

[ocnblu]

All-new 7.3L gas V8 available!  2020 F-Series Super Duty!

[A Horse With No Name]

12 hours ago, ocnblu said:

As far as pony cars go, Dodge has the firmest grasp on what customers want from the genre.  I love the Mustang also, and find its sales decline disconcerting.  The Camaro, with all its excellence in power and chassis engineering, comes across as antiseptic and a bit unfriendly.

I would own a Challenger R/T first, a Mustang GT second, and a Camaro SS third... seems to be the general consensus in the sales race these days as well.

I would own the Mustang First, just because I would want to autocross it and the extra heft and width of the Challenger would make it more difficult to drive on the courses around here, which tend to be a bit tight...there is a reason I kept a R53 Cooper S and NB Miata in the fleet for years.

Interior of the Camaro is a non starter for me.

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

My self-imposed upper limit is around $35k purchase price with incentives.

That should get you something really nice. and you are ten large ahead of me.

1 hour ago, ocnblu said:

All-new 7.3L gas V8 available!  2020 F-Series Super Duty!

I still would prefer a diesel...but hell yes, and Kudos to Ford.

9 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

That's in Montreal!!!

We won't hold that against them....

11 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

If you like it, why not keep it to 75k or 100k miles?  37k isn't much...

Because after a certain point resale bleeds like a world war one soldier hit in the crossfire....as the miles pile up...

12 hours ago, ocnblu said:

2019 GMC Terrain SLT AWD 2.0t in Sedona with Black Package.  What do you guys think of this FWD-biased lease appliance?

Hot enough to make me consider a terrain.

Would want something bigger than a 2.0 in a vehicle that size though.

 

I almost bought this exact car in silver...about a decade and a half ago. Still like this era Mustang.

 

[Robert Hall]

15 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

Because after a certain point resale bleeds like a world war one soldier hit in the crossfire....as the miles pile up...  

Yeah, I've never thought about resale value, I usually keep cars long enough that it's a moot point..