Random Thoughts Thread

[Robert Hall]

14 hours ago, balthazar said:

 

This image reminds me of the '68 full size Buick Wildcat front and rear ends.. 

[daves87rs]

On 10/3/2019 at 2:55 PM, dfelt said:

Japanese Classic Car show 2019 in California, 6th year and some damn fine Iron!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/enthusiasts/japanese-classic-car-show-2019/ar-AAHQ33V?page=6#image=AAHQcYh|1

 

On 10/3/2019 at 2:55 PM, dfelt said:

Japanese Classic Car show 2019 in California, 6th year and some damn fine Iron!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/enthusiasts/japanese-classic-car-show-2019/ar-AAHQ33V?page=6#image=AAHQcYh|1

Love the Datsun trucks...my grandfather had a white 74, and his buddy had a white 76. Great trucks......

[balthazar]

[balthazar]

[surreal1272]

When you search for a particular car that is hard to find for sale (in this case, a Cadillac CTS Wagon) and get this as your only match in said search. 
 

Edited October 5, 2019 by surreal1272

[balthazar]

[balthazar]

[balthazar]

[trinacriabob]

With 2019 drawing to a close, 2020 will soon be here.  And that means the big auto show in the spring.  I'm wondering if we will finally get to see the new 2021 Dodge Charger at that time.  I hope so.  

[balthazar]

Saved!
 

[A Horse With No Name]

On 10/1/2019 at 2:02 AM, balthazar said:

IMO, a miata should be $15K brand new, so I'd vote no way on dumping $40K into one.

Except free market economics, they are selling them at 33k new, no price on car love...lots of people dump far more cash into cars than they are worth.

On 10/6/2019 at 12:27 PM, balthazar said:

I love this body style Ford, This is the exact car I wanted as a kid...thanks for posting this up, seriously made my day.

On 10/7/2019 at 12:48 AM, balthazar said:

One more way to have OCN walk around with a woodie...wood be perfect for him...

 

Thoughts on above video...?

[balthazar]

^ People think too much and assume too much. When prices in general on classics take a marked downturn, only then, perhaps, is future interest waning. My eyes were opened w my recent posting that ‘57 Chevys have sold as high as $380K; that could drop by 50% and the segment would still be totally secure.

’Petrol’ isn't going away because; plastics. #1.

I don’t get the ‘doom & gloomers’ continually predicting a tremendous & imminent overturn to electrics. Do they not, ever, look at sales data??

No way in hell was that a current shot of London swirling in pollution. Mist; I could believe. How ridiculous- am I still supposed to take the video seriously with that falsehood in there?

[A Horse With No Name]

 

On a more positive note...

 

[Drew Dowdell]

On 10/7/2019 at 12:48 AM, balthazar said:

"Ran when parked"

So some of you know I'm driving my FiL's Cruze from time to time.  I took it on a trip to Virginia today and it's not a bad car for long distance cruising.  It's the base LS with a 1.8 liter, but it still cruised at 75 - 85mph and returned 34 mpg

[frogger]

GODZILLA vs GODZILLA

 

[daves87rs]

15 hours ago, balthazar said:

^ People think too much and assume too much. When prices in general on classics take a marked downturn, only then, perhaps, is future interest waning. My eyes were opened w my recent posting that ‘57 Chevys have sold as high as $380K; that could drop by 50% and the segment would still be totally secure.

’Petrol’ isn't going away because; plastics. #1.

I don’t get the ‘doom & gloomers’ continually predicting a tremendous & imminent overturn to electrics. Do they not, ever, look at sales data??

No way in hell was that a current shot of London swirling in pollution. Mist; I could believe. How ridiculous- am I still supposed to take the video seriously with that falsehood in there?

It basically comes down to the lack of free thought. There are many sheep out there! I have no issue or bone to pick with EV, actually, I welcome them as another cool choice. But I still want choice, want my ICE, and my classics. I saw a 1985 Cavalier RS Vert yesterday, and thought it’s old boxy shape stood nicely in a sea of boring. Makes me want to hunt my first car down and drive around in another 1st gen Cav again. ? Still love my classics, but the first gen Cav will always have a place in my heart. And even though she still sound better than the drone of an EV......

[Drew Dowdell]

I don't mind hybrids done right.... like the Lincoln Aviator. It's really hard to argue with the amount of power that thing puts out and yet still can run in all electric mode up to some speed.  But it is also designed to be an isolation machine, taking away as much noise and outside harshness as possible. 

[daves87rs]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I don't mind hybrids done right.... like the Lincoln Aviator. It's really hard to argue with the amount of power that thing puts out and yet still can run in all electric mode up to some speed.  But it is also designed to be an isolation machine, taking away as much noise and outside harshness as possible. 

Thinking hybrids would be a better push than full EV right now....

[Drew Dowdell]

2 minutes ago, daves87rs said:

Thinking hybrids would be a better push than full EV right now....

Plug-Ins like the Aviator are the happy medium I think. 

[ccap41]

I'm a huge fan of the plug-in hybrid design/concept. 

[balthazar]

[A Horse With No Name]

9 hours ago, balthazar said:

I am one of the few huge fans of this bodystyle...but have loved them since I was a kid.

On 10/4/2019 at 10:01 AM, Robert Hall said:

This image reminds me of the '68 full size Buick Wildcat front and rear ends.. 

My mothers great aunt had a 68 wildcat she bought new...it almost became my first car back in 82. In was in immaculate shape. Almost 40 years later I still miss it.

[balthazar]

7 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I am one of the few huge fans of this bodystyle...but have loved them since I was a kid.

Me also- I had a '57 F-250 for a while.

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Me also- I had a '57 F-250 for a while.

Lucky guy.....I remember quite a few of these on the road back in the early 1970's. 

[balthazar]

[ocnblu]

[Drew Dowdell]

9 hours ago, balthazar said:

Top speed, about 15 mph.

[balthazar]

^ There's a similar model in the Lancaster railroad/steam museum but I don't think they were running it. But in looking at it up close, it has quite small drivers and gearing... I can totally believe 15 MPH. IIRC, they were used in commercial ventures where greater traction was beneficial (steeper grades). Really neat design tho.

[ocnblu]

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake.  Scratch-made.

 

[ykX]

Family trip to Florida, overall driving close to 2400 miles.

I have to say Adaptive Cruise Control is awesome if the road is not too busy.  Used it a lot.

[Drew Dowdell]

23 hours ago, balthazar said:

^ There's a similar model in the Lancaster railroad/steam museum but I don't think they were running it. But in looking at it up close, it has quite small drivers and gearing... I can totally believe 15 MPH. IIRC, they were used in commercial ventures where greater traction was beneficial (steeper grades). Really neat design tho.

It's a type of locomotive called the Shay.  There are other geared designs called Heisler, and Climax, both different in engine configuration.

Shay - Inline 3 cylinder.
Heisler - V2
Climax - Parallel 2-cylinder

There is one railroad left that still operates all three types, the Cass Scenic in West Virginia.

If you love the sound of steam like I do, put your headphones on for this one. This place is on my bucket list.

 

[G. David Felt]

Back from a week of PTO at https://www.fairmonthotsprings.com/

Love this place, so relaxing, made a day trip to Banf and Lake Louise in the Banf National Park.

One day drive to Fairmont and an hour longer as we had a friend and took the Canadian trans highway back for another day drive. So 4 days of soaking and relaxing, Banf / Lake Louise on Monday due to weather, heavy snow the rest of the week. While the map says a bit over 1400 miles, total miles I drove showing our friend the area was close to 2000 for the week.

Have to say the Escalade just purred along and is such a comfy road trip auto.

[G. David Felt]

Gotta say that this train ride is beautiful as they state in the story.

The Train from Oslo to Bergen: Europe’s Most Beautiful Rail Journey

http://flip.it/s2bXZq

[balthazar]

Per the phone call from my dealer's service guy, apparently my wife's '16 Malibu is under a recall to replace the.... engine pistons.

Gotta say, tho the dealer has an excellent service department, taking a motor completely apart to that level makes me nervous (tho they said they've done some of these rebuilds already).

Of course, the GM strike has currently put a halt on parts availability.

[Robert Hall]

That’s an odd recall. 

[ccap41]

That is an odd recall. 

[G. David Felt]

5 hours ago, balthazar said:

Per the phone call from my dealer's service guy, apparently my wife's '16 Malibu is under a recall to replace the.... engine pistons.

Gotta say, tho the dealer has an excellent service department, taking a motor completely apart to that level makes me nervous (tho they said they've done some of these rebuilds already).

Of course, the GM strike has currently put a halt on parts availability.

Any reason given as to why the pistons have to be replaced? At least the rings will be tight.

[Robert Hall]

I wonder if it's related to this story on a law firm website..2016-17 Cruze and Malibu w/ the 1.5

https://www.valerolaw.com/news/2018/10/18/2017-chevrolet-cruze-piston-problems

Edited October 16, 2019 by Robert Hall

[balthazar]

7 hours ago, dfelt said:

Any reason given as to why the pistons have to be replaced? At least the rings will be tight.

Rings are tight now (40K). Will look into this further; Robert's link says dealers are doing 'software' repairs.
- - - - -
Presented without comment (other that this <)

[daves87rs]

Hard to believe the holidays are right around the corner.......

[balthazar]

^ ugh.
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[G. David Felt]

Crazy how much Mazda advertising is on this last few weeks and this one Forbes quote is always part of it. Clearly going after a higher perspective, though not sure how high that can be since I consider the two mentioned auto's to be a toyota/Chevrolet like cars.

[balthazar]

[Drew Dowdell]

Closed on the sale of my last rental property today.  I'm officially no longer a landlord after 15 years of doing it. ?

I'll get back in the business some day... but I need a rest and reset for now. The nice fat check in my bank account sure helps the cause. 

[ykX]

@Drew Dowdell So when we are going to see pictures of your new motorcycle?

[Drew Dowdell]

2 minutes ago, ykX said:

@Drew Dowdell So when we are going to see pictures of your new motorcycle?

In the spring. ?  No sense buying one now just to have to stuff it in the garage for 6 months.

[ccap41]

39 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

In the spring. ?  No sense buying one now just to have to stuff it in the garage for 6 months.

Best time to get a great price though... Dealerships are slow all winter.

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Closed on the sale of my last rental property today.  I'm officially no longer a landlord after 15 years of doing it. ?

I'll get back in the business some day... but I need a rest and reset for now. The nice fat check in my bank account sure helps the cause. 

Congratulations, always a nice feeling of unloading a rental property and then assessing your options.

[Drew Dowdell]

33 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Best time to get a great price though... Dealerships are slow all winter.

I know, but I have other priorities in the meantime. 

[G. David Felt]

10 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I know, but I have other priorities in the meantime. 

I am sure you can find a CPO or a new sitting around in the late winter, early spring.