Random Thoughts Thread

[balthazar]

It's like a motorized scrubbing bubble ? ~ 

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

It's like a motorized scrubbing bubble ? ~ 

Windows remind me of the bunker looking Camaro.

[daves87rs]

3 hours ago, balthazar said:

It's like a motorized scrubbing bubble ? ~ 

That Ass

[ocnblu]

(Forever altered Mercury on the psychiatrist's couch)

Psychiatrist:  "Show me on the 1/24 scale model where the bad man touched you?"

(Mercury, with unsteady hand, slowly points to model's roof.  A tear is pinched from a blinking eye.  Psychiatrist casts a knowing, concerned glance.  A breakthrough is achieved)

[ocnblu]

The little "TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS" box on the home page really brings back good memories of so many nice people who've been members here over the years. 

[Robert Hall]

13 hours ago, dfelt said:

Windows remind me of the bunker looking Camaro.

I never got the appeal of the lumpy humpy Merc customs.   Ick.

[balthazar]

Dey mad sexy!

[ocnblu]

Love the '49-'51 Mercury, if it is unmolested.  In green.

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, ocnblu said:

Love the '49-'51 Mercury, if it is unmolested.  In green.

They do look good stock without the cartoonish mods. 

[ocnblu]

REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, WHAT A LOVE TRIANGLE!

[G. David Felt]

This is One Bad Ass 1949 Mercury! Love the power train Conversion they did!

https://electrek.co/2018/10/31/1949-mercury-coupe-ev-conversion-tesla-powertrain/

https://insideevs.com/news/340782/this-mercury-coupe-is-the-electric-sleeper-of-our-dreams/

Seems it was a hit at SEMA.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sebastianblanco/2018/10/31/icon-converts-1949-mercury-coupe-to-derelict-electric-vehicle/#7f097cf71c00

Clearly the Future!

[balthazar]

I’ve wanted a chopped ‘49-59 Merc forever. I looked at the shell of one, done really well, but too massive of a project. The stockers look fine, in the same way a 6-cyl plain jane ‘68 Camaro looks good... but a nice RS/SS looks much better, or a hardtop over a wrinkly-roofed convertible looks better.

[ocnblu]

All afternoon I've been hearing periodic, erotically charged cries of some dude.  They're coming from a mysterious house down the hill and across a wheat field from my back yard.  What the heck is going on down there?

[balthazar]

[ccap41]

On 6/21/2019 at 8:10 PM, dfelt said:

There is already a universal standard that everyone except NIssan and Tesla are using, unless I am missing something in your statement about universal. ?

Is it really universal if there are three different ones? Both of which have been pretty successful in their EV sales in Nissan and Tesla.. 

[Drew Dowdell]

Don't be the Betamax.  Sony made the best VCRs out there when they first were released, but they didn't allow anyone else to use their format. Eventually VHS came about which everyone else used and Betamax eventually fell by the wayside and was pushed out of the market.

Telsa with their non-universal plug should take note of this.

[G. David Felt]

18 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Is it really universal if there are three different ones? Both of which have been pretty successful in their EV sales in Nissan and Tesla.. 

SAE J1772 is the standard that is universally recognized and Tesla has had to add to their auto's for the China Market. While there is a low power and high power version of the J1772 plug, the SAE group has out for review a combined standard to allow this single plug to be used at both home and commercial installations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_J1772

Nissan CHAdeMO has a few benefits, but like Tesla and as @Drew Dowdell has stated with Beta will probably fall to the side. No one in the industry is wanting to pay Nissan or Tesla to use their standard. Like the Great 80's Beta versus VHS war, Panasonic won by licensing everyone to build VHS players and the bulk of the crowd refused to Pay Sony for their Beta player even though it was a superior format and quality.

With everyone else including Porsche following the SAE J1772 standard, I expect this to be universally the plug we use from home to commercial quick charge.

[riviera74]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Don't be the Betamax.  Sony made the best VCRs out there when they first were released, but they didn't allow anyone else to use their format. Eventually VHS came about which everyone else used and Betamax eventually fell by the wayside and was pushed out of the market.

Telsa with their non-universal plug should take note of this.

Beta (and especially Betamax) were expensive compared to VHS, especially after VCRs based on VHS went for $99 after about 1985.

[Drew Dowdell]

1 hour ago, riviera74 said:

Beta (and especially Betamax) were expensive compared to VHS, especially after VCRs based on VHS went for $99 after about 1985.

With the onslaught of EVs and PHEVs in the coming years using the VHS plug. Tesla needs to have a plan.... they don't, but they need to. 

[G. David Felt]

Wow :o 

the docks are so empty, I have never seen them lacking containers. Trade is not what it used to be.

[G. David Felt]

Seems July 9th is the official reveal of the Mini Cooper E.

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/06/18/2020-mini-cooper-s-e-electric-car-reveal-date/

181hp, just 8hp shy of the ICE version. no info on battery pack range.

Seems @smk4565 love of Daimler is gonna be hurting. They announced today for the 3rd quarter in a row that profits will be missed again as it will be challenged to break even. They are setting aside hundreds of millions to deal with their latest Diesel scandal with an additional recall of 60,000 diesel cars that are also fitted with cheating software. Germany's Transport Ministry is now expanding their investigation to cover all Daimler auto's sold in Europe and the US.

Daimler also has announced that due to the Diesel scandle that their Mercedes-Benz Vans which was slated down last quarter to only return a 0% to 2% return will now be a Negative 2% to Negative 4% due to mandatory recall on all diesel vans for hardware and software updates.

BMW last quarter set aside $1.1 Billions dollars to address this in just Germany. I suspect the hundreds of Millions that Daimler is setting aside will not be enough to cover this scandal. 

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/06/24/daimler-slumps-diesel-crackdown-lost-profit/ 

[G. David Felt]

Avid and Caterpillar construction equipment has won a $42 million grant to develop electric construction equipment as a replacement to all the Diesel belching machinery currently being used and sold.

https://chargedevs.com/newswire/avid-technology-and-caterpillar-receive-42-million-from-uk-to-develop-electric-construction-machinery/

Ionity is a Joint Venture in Europe of the European, US and Asian auto industry to build 350 kWh Fast Chargers across Europe. They just opened their 100th Extreme Fast Charger available now to the public with 51 more under constructions and more being added each month as Cities / countries approve installation sites.

https://chargedevs.com/newswire/ionity-opens-100th-high-power-dc-charging-station/

All charging sites which are in 9 countries so far are committed to 100% use of Green power. They say 95% of the selected sites have signed contracts with the site owners and are at various stages of permit approval. Sites in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Holland and Italy are now open for business.

Very cool read on Light Curable products that can speed up manufacturing while reducing hazardous waste and manufacturing space required.

https://chargedevs.com/newswire/learn-how-light-curable-materials-can-improve-ev-system-performance/

 

[balthazar]

I don’t know what they are thinking WRT ‘construction machines’, but a Cat D5 is a 26000 lb machine and it’s NOT a big one. 

A. Where do you recharge on a construction site- I’m guessing a belching diesel generator. 

B. I drove a D6 and a D7; the loading that goes on pushing dirt is incredible- even with wide tracks and in low gear- you can bog them down to a stop. Keeping in mind how cold and high speeds drain pass vehicle electric batteries, the battery pack to create a comparable ( performance AND price) E-dozer is going to take a LOT more than 42 million to develop. 

[G. David Felt]

1 minute ago, balthazar said:

I don’t know what they are thinking WRT ‘construction machines’, but a Cat D5 is a 26000 lb machine and it’s NOT a big one. 

A. Where do you recharge on a construction site- I’m guessing a belching diesel generator. 

B. I drove a D6 and a D7; the loading that goes on pushing dirt is incredible- even with wide tracks and in low gear- you can bog them down to a stop. Keeping in mind how cold and high speeds drain pass vehicle electric batteries, the battery pack to create a comparable ( performance AND price) E-dozer is going to take a LOT more than 42 million to develop. 

You nailed the same questions I had also. Just do not see how they can create replacements, but at least it will be interesting research.

[ccap41]

44 minutes ago, balthazar said:

A. Where do you recharge on a construction site- I’m guessing a belching diesel generator. 

This is exactly the first thing I thought of as well. 

[G. David Felt]

12 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

This is exactly the first thing I thought of as well. 

Guess you would have to drop in a 440 V 3 phase connection first.

[ocnblu]

 

 

[G. David Felt]

4 hours ago, ocnblu said:

 

 

 

WTF, Fruit does not belong on a mans sandwich. Dump that Awfulcado and Toximato crap. 

Otherwise nice looking sandwich, nice toast marks, yummy looking pork belly.  

[ocnblu]

That's a BLT with avocado slices.  A summertime classic in America.  Maybe not in the PNW.  Here's something for the compensators:

 

[daves87rs]

It all sounds good right now.....

[G. David Felt]

1936 Cord 810/812 Damn Sexy! ?

 

[G. David Felt]

 I love this spot!

 

[balthazar]

"electric cars save you money". Let's see...

BMW i3 MSRP : $44,000
Chevy Cruze MSRP : $18,000
Cruze composite MPG : 36
Average miles driven per year : 12,000, gas price per gallon : $3
12,000 / 36 = 333 gallons x $3 = $1000/yr in fuel cost.
$44,000 - $18,000 = $26,000

How long can you drive a gas-powered Cruze before you spend as much as you spent on the i3 to "save money"?

Twenty-six years.  No; electric cars do not save you money.
- - - - - 

It's not charging time or range anxiety that's holding electric cars / hybrids to a mere 2% of the industry, it's the ultra high cost to get one.

[Robert Hall]

Yes, 

3 minutes ago, balthazar said:

"electric cars save you money". Let's see...

BMW i3 MSRP : $44,000
Chevy Cruze MSRP : $18,000
Cruze composite MPG : 36
Average miles driven per year : 12,000, gas price per gallon : $3
12,000 / 36 = 333 gallons x $3 = $1000/yr in fuel cost.
$44,000 - $18,000 = $26,000

How long can you drive a gas-powered Cruze before you spend as much as you spent on the i3 to "save money"?

Twenty-six years.  No; electric cars do not save you money.
- - - - -  

Or if you only drive 8000 miles/year like I do, it would only be 39 years with the Cruze or 14 years with my Jeep. 

[G. David Felt]

On 6/25/2019 at 2:24 AM, ocnblu said:

That's a BLT with avocado slices.  A summertime classic in America.  Maybe not in the PNW.  Here's something for the compensators:

 

How do you like your Manwich? From a can or home made?   ? 

Can ya tell it is lunch time and I am hungry!

?

[ykX]

18 minutes ago, balthazar said:

BMW i3 MSRP : $44,000

How about using Nissan Leaf for comparison to make it more apple to apple comparison? 

Nissan Leaf MSRP $30k

Also, base Cruze for $18k has less features than Leaf (and I pity somebody buying the lowest trim Cruze)

It still will be more expensive, but not by the crazy margin you showed

Real prices from cargurus:

Edited June 26, 2019 by ykX

[Robert Hall]

2 minutes ago, ykX said:

How about using Nissan Leaf for comparison to make it more apple to apple comparison? 

Nissan Leaf MSRP $30k

Also, base Cruze for $18k has less features than Leaf (and I pity somebody buying the lowest trim Cruze)

It still will be more expensive, but not by the crazy margin you showed

Or the Bolt for comparison, Chevy to Chevy.

With the Leaf, it would be 12 years.  But again, who would keep something like a Leaf or i3 for over a decade?   These are just lease appliances for 2-3 years...

Edited June 26, 2019 by Robert Hall

[balthazar]

Bolt would sub in fine for the example- same figures apply.
Leaf is noticeably cheaper- anyone heard any estimates on how much nissan loses on each one??

Of course one can swap out different vehicles and drive different miles; it was merely an average, illustrative comparison using the car shown in the video & responding to the scripted dialogue within.

Interesting sales to date in 2019 comparison : Bolt: 6622,  Leaf: 4852,  i3: 1734.

Edited June 26, 2019 by balthazar

[G. David Felt]

52 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Bolt would sub in fine for the example- same figures apply.
Leaf is noticeably cheaper- anyone heard any estimates on how much nissan loses on each one??

Of course one can swap out different vehicles and drive different miles; it was merely an average, illustrative comparison using the car shown in the video & responding to the scripted dialogue within.

Interesting sales to date in 2019 comparison : Bolt: 6622,  Leaf: 4852,  i3: 1734.

I have to laugh at this as it was a story before the fall of the CEO when he said the Nissan Leaf is now profitable globally. Yea, right we believe you Carlos.

https://insideevs.com/news/324017/nissan-ceo-leaf-is-now-profitable-80-of-its-us-sales-come-from-4-cities/

?

[G. David Felt]

WOW, Stupid Texas Toyota Tundra Driver illegally enters the HOV between posts and gets hit by F150. Amazing minimal injuries to the occupants, but the trucks WOW.

 

[balthazar]

[balthazar]

[ocnblu]

Imbued with hues?

[trinacriabob]

I did it!  I finally rode on a Boeing 787(-9 version) "Dreamliner" on a medium-haul flight.  It gets a "thumbs up."  It looks small but feels much larger once you're inside.  Their selling points are all there:  much quieter, better overhead bins with a design that gives more headroom, larger windows, windows that don't require shades because you control the dimming with a small imperceptible button, a beautiful raked wing that eliminates the need for winglets, and, best of all, higher humidity inside the cabin.  The lack of humidity inside the cabins of yesteryear really messed with my sinuses and I'd get headaches.  That high level of dryness also makes for more fatigue on a longer flight.  This ride on the 787 was quiet and comfortable. 

However, they'll get the passenger revenue they need.  It is set up as 3-3-3.  The outgoing 767 was set up as 2-3-2 which made it easier for everyone to get a good seat.  Of all the 767s, I'd sure like to fly on the rare 767-400, of which U.S. carries only ordered about 36.

I'll say that the proper humidity issue cannot be underestimated.  The latest Boeing 747-8i was built with a lot of the same features:  noise baffling, better bins, the raked wing, and higher humidity.  Flying over the pond back to the U.S. on this latest 747 showed the difference humidity control makes  - you stumble off the plane and into customs feeling a lot better and more together as opposed to feeling like a wet rag.

This one belongs to United ... beautiful!  Many European and Asian carriers (Air France, Japan Air Lines, etc.) now operate them.

[G. David Felt]

@trinacriabob I totally agree as one who has been on the Dreamliner, once on them, hard to fly anything else. So quiet, balanced humidity and the bigger auto tint windows are awesome.

[balthazar]

[trinacriabob]

11 hours ago, dfelt said:

@trinacriabob I totally agree as one who has been on the Dreamliner, once on them, hard to fly anything else. So quiet, balanced humidity and the bigger auto tint windows are awesome.

Did you go medium-haul or long-haul on the Dreamliner?  JAL and ANA use them nonstop from Tokyo to Boston, probably bringing brainy folks to and from MIT and other brain trusts.  I believe they now fly them on the nonstop LAX to AUK/SYD/MEL route. That's some 14 hours. This route had always been a mainstay for 747-400s and A380s.  When I was a kid, the flights to Oceania would go LAX-Honolulu-Down Under, so 5 +9.  Yes, I really liked my flight.  However, I probably prefer the 2 (window side) in the back of the '47 where it narrows more so than 3 (window side), which is everywhere in the '87, though.  

[balthazar]

Ideal FapTurbo 'cool whip', except not much room in the trunk for bags of onions. 

[ocnblu]

My yard seems healthier this year since I put my mower deck on the highest notch.  Plus, clover has really come on strong this year in my neck of the woods.  It's good to see bees on the clover blossoms. 

[ocnblu]

***DROOL***