Random Thoughts Thread

[ykX]

Kind of funny, we have @David that thinks we all will be driving EVs in 5 years and @ocnblu that EVs are just a crackpot that never will catch on ...

As always the truth is somewhere in between the extremes I suspect.

[daves87rs]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Plus Ford is telling people to expect very high depreciation on the EV Mustang, and has dropped the price by $3000. Kind of like Pony cars and muscle cars in the 60's, everything has it's saturation point. There is a reason AMC did not sell a quarter of a million Javelins or AMX's in 1971. 

I think there is a market for electric vehicles, Obviously. VW is selling a ton in Europe, Norway is highly electrified, Tesla is selling a ton of vehicles, Rivian has a bunch of deposits, high interest in electric commercial light delivery vehicles, China is building a bunch of electrics, etc. 

However GM's approach to this is the same thing that caused them to loose all of the brand equity in cars they had like the Impala, Cutlass, Grand Prix, etc. Namesly, making about the dumbest possible production and marketing decisions and expecting people to live with them when other choices are available. 

A Frumpy little hatchback and a Vaporware super truck are way outside the parameteres of what most EV customers want, so the free market will bitch slap GM like it was a 20 dollar whore refusing to give a blow job in a back alley. 

I think that is hands down the best wording for GM right now! ?  Sometimes I feel like the old culture just really never dies. The last time GM did any decent marketing was putting  their cars in the Transformers movies....

It’s like GM wants to shout themselves in the foot....

[A Horse With No Name]

Vintage cool version of an overlanding rig...

1 minute ago, daves87rs said:

I think that is hands down the best wording for GM right now! ?  Sometimes I feel like the old culture just really never dies. The last time GM did any decent marketing was putting  their cars in the Transformers movies....

It’s like GM wants to shout themselves in the foot....

Agreed. 

Tesla is building multiple factories at once, and big ones. When was the alst time GM was building multiple factories at once.....50's....60's...Balthazar...any ideas?

2 minutes ago, ykX said:

Kind of funny, we have @David that thinks we all will be driving EVs in 5 years and @ocnblu that EVs are just a crackpot that never will catch on ...

As always the truth is somewhere in between the extremes I suspect.

Reality addiction seems to elude us here. 

64 GTO....!

[balthazar]

Since I brought up old Beetles elsewhere, here's a nicely-presented / great patina'd '59 bug with the rare retractable canvas 'sunroof' and some mechanical upgrades. Has 29 hrs left on ebay, but it's 'only' been bid to $13K so far. Would anyone take a rare bug 'worth' -say- $15K, then put $65K into it (EVWest EV conversion cost)... and what would it be worth then? $65K? $50K? $25K... or $5K? 

 

- - - - -

Edited November 20, 2020 by balthazar

[A Horse With No Name]

Obviously some people are doing just that. As for me...I kind of see the Beetle as a paper weight. I want to DO things with vehicles. hence autocrossing, off roading, travelling, etc. 

Modify that bug (and kill all of the glorious Patina) to where I could run the Baja 500 in the Bug class....and we can talk. 

Things getting nuts with coronavirus all over the world...

 

[A Horse With No Name]

More Wipshaw trail. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

And for Balthazar....cool video about a one owner 67 Bug with a factory restoration story...

 

[balthazar]

Beetles, to me, are like paper coffee cups; throw-aways after 1 use.

[ccap41]

2 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Tacoma you have to get the top level TRD pro to get the manual though. Were they to offer the manual in other trims, I may well have a Toyota in my driveway rather than a Ford. 

Not true. I just went to their site and you can get a manual in the TRD Sport, TRD Off Road, and TRD Pro. 

[A Horse With No Name]

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

Not true. I just went to their site and you can get a manual in the TRD Sport, TRD Off Road, and TRD Pro. 

Ohhh interesting....did not know that. I am thinking about buying an additional truck when the Ranger is paid off....may have to consider this for a second vehicle. Thanks!

[ccap41]

12 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Ohhh interesting....did not know that. I am thinking about buying an additional truck when the Ranger is paid off....may have to consider this for a second vehicle. Thanks!

????

[A Horse With No Name]

I have a newfound fetish for VW Westfalia vans. 

 

[Robert Hall]

It's too bad the current VW California camper isn't sold in the US...neat vehicle.

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Last thing I will post for a bit, but this Ford truck is utterly lustworthy. 

 

[balthazar]

To put the current electric vehicle market in the harsh light of reality... Tesla is pretty much unilaterally recognized as the #1 EV maker in the world.  They are, in fact, WRT volume; Tesla sold a record 367,000 vehicles globally in 2019 (BYD was #2 at 225K units).  Some gov't entities (and rabid EV fans) are hoping to see 100% EV products by 2030, or even 2025.

Worldwide vehicle production in 2019 was... 65,500,000.  That's sixty-five million units.  Which means Tesla's global marketshare in 2019 is 0.0056%.

2019 U.S. BEV sales were 242,846.  2019 U.S. total vehicle sales were 16.78 million.  Which means U.S. BEV marketshare was 1.44%, down from the peak in 2018.

How any rational person thinks a 20-yr segment sitting at 1.4% is going to go to 100% in 9 years is beyond explanation.  Anyone in Gov't pushing such a mandate needs to have a metal competency evaluation.

Edited November 20, 2020 by balthazar

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Not true. I just went to their site and you can get a manual in the TRD Sport, TRD Off Road, and TRD Pro. 

Question, I have not gone to look myself, but it would imply based on your post that you still have to have a TRD packaged version to get the manual. You cannot just get a base level truck with Manual Transmission, etc. like in the old days a decade ago. My neighbor has his truck base everything, manual windows, manual door locks, manual transmission and from what I see, you cannot do that anymore.

 

[ccap41]

45 minutes ago, David said:

Question, I have not gone to look myself, but it would imply based on your post that you still have to have a TRD packaged version to get the manual. You cannot just get a base level truck with Manual Transmission, etc. like in the old days a decade ago. My neighbor has his truck base everything, manual windows, manual door locks, manual transmission and from what I see, you cannot do that anymore.

 

Correct, it is not on the base SR model, SR5, or Limited models. The TRD Sport and TRD Off road are 33k and 34k, respectively, though. So you're not forced to get some crazy priced mid-size truck for 45-50k with the TRD Pro. The TRD Sport can be had with 2WD, as well, so you're not forced to have 4WD.

I forgot the Gladiator can also be had with a manual transmission. 

[balthazar]

Amusing read :
https://misternizz.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/my-obsession-with-acquiring-a-polaris-submarine/

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, David said:

Question, I have not gone to look myself, but it would imply based on your post that you still have to have a TRD packaged version to get the manual. You cannot just get a base level truck with Manual Transmission, etc. like in the old days a decade ago. My neighbor has his truck base everything, manual windows, manual door locks, manual transmission and from what I see, you cannot do that anymore.

 

You can't even get a nice standard cab truck. You have to upgrade to an extended or crew cab to get the nice stuff. 

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

Correct, it is not on the base SR model, SR5, or Limited models. The TRD Sport and TRD Off road are 33k and 34k, respectively, though. So you're not forced to get some crazy priced mid-size truck for 45-50k with the TRD Pro. The TRD Sport can be had with 2WD, as well, so you're not forced to have 4WD.

I forgot the Gladiator can also be had with a manual transmission. 

I looked at a Manual Gladiator when I bought the Ranger. 

I like watching this guy work, he is a real craftsman, and efficient. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Interesting take on urban traffic. 

 

[balthazar]

Horse - check this out :
https://bosunsbox.com/diy-submarine/

[A Horse With No Name]

 

6 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Horse - check this out :
https://bosunsbox.com/diy-submarine/

Jesus that's cool. 

[G. David Felt]

6 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Horse - check this out :
https://bosunsbox.com/diy-submarine/

Cool Project, Wonder how he will keep the exhaust out of the inside so one does not suffocate to death?

[balthazar]

Compressed air for intake, vent to the water for exhaust.

[Robert Hall]

Whilst going through the drivethru at Walgreens this afternoon, was behind a late model Civic with an Ohio ‘Truck’ license plate.   Odd.  

[balthazar]

^ I was shocked to see a civic TOWING  a (admittedly World’s Tiniest) row boat on a (again; World’s Tiniest) trailer the other week.

[G. David Felt]

3 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Whilst going through the drivethru at Walgreens this afternoon, was behind a late model Civic with an Ohio ‘Truck’ license plate.   Odd.  

I have seen the exempt plates that government vehicles get on what is clearly personal auto's and wondered the same thing. That is odd and how do they get their personal auto with an exempt plate or commercial plate. Very bizarre. 

[Robert Hall]

2 minutes ago, David said:

I have seen the exempt plates that government vehicles get on what is clearly personal auto's and wondered the same thing. That is odd and how do they get their personal auto with an exempt plate or commercial plate. Very bizarre. 

Not sure what the deal w/ 'truck' plates in Ohio is...I've seen ordinary pickups with and without them, seen them on what are definitely commercial-use trucks and vans (i.e. HVAC service vans)...

 

Maybe the plate on the Civic expired and Bob took the plate off his truck and put on it.   A buddy of mine in Colorado did that 20 years ago---let his Suburban plates expire and put the rear plate from his Porsche 911 SC on it.   I remember riding from the airport w/ him when we returned to Denver from San Francisco on a consulting gig and the parking attendant at the airport mentioned the front and back plates didn't match...

Edited November 20, 2020 by Robert Hall

[Robert Hall]

2 hours ago, balthazar said:

^ I was shocked to see a civic TOWING  a (admittedly World’s Tiniest) row boat on a (again; World’s Tiniest) trailer the other week.

I recently saw a late model Civic 2dr towing a small trailer w/ a Polaris side by side ATV thingy on it.

Edited November 20, 2020 by Robert Hall

[ocnblu]

Just for the record, I find the Chevy Bolt to be the LEAST OFFENSIVE EV on the market and I think it's a shame (but understandable given its built-in limitations) that it doesn't sell worth a darn.  Any sane CEO would have dropped it years ago due to the drain on GM's bottom line.

[balthazar]

As stated before [and re-verified here] - the Bolt sells VERY well for a BEV; #4 in the U.S. in 2019 at 16,418 units. Model 3 is an anomaly at 159K units, #2 prius prime was 23,630, #3 model x was 19,225. #5; Model S- 14,100. I don't think that's bad at all.

But if we don't highlight the propulsion, and look at the Bolt vs. same-class vehicle types, then no; 16K units isn't great. Would a kia soul be in that class (31,621 U.S. sales)?

[ocnblu]

13 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Would a kia soul be in that class (31,621 U.S. sales)?

Kia moved 98,033 Souls in the USA in 2019.

[balthazar]

^ OK; don't know what I was looking at then.
To the point- Bolt seemingly only sells to the pool of EV consumers... which is very small. To the vehicle class segment overall, it sells poorly. Weird, but significant difference.

Edited November 21, 2020 by balthazar

[ocnblu]

[riviera74]

56 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Late 1970s Grand Prix convertible?  Maybe?

[balthazar]

Ooooo, Judges...? Sorry, the correct question is; "What is a 1975 Grand Ville convertible".

[balthazar]

"Chevrolet & Olds & Buick can't market in the same vehicle segments! How's that ever going to work?"

[daves87rs]

8 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Whilst going through the drivethru at Walgreens this afternoon, was behind a late model Civic with an Ohio ‘Truck’ license plate.   Odd.  

Something I  have not seen before...though I saw a late 90s Cavalier towing a small camper last week.....

[ocnblu]

Check out this 1952 Pontiac.  I couldn't find it at first.

 

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Check out this 1952 Pontiac.  I couldn't find it at first.

 

Distracted by those Pec's and guns I see!  

[G. David Felt]

Some things in life are best left alone. I was not aware that in 1975 there were GM certified custom coach builders and as such with full warranty this 1975 Cadillac Eldorado went from the factory to the coach builder and was converted into a station wagon before going to the Cadillac Dealer and sold with full GM warranty.

This is one of 2 certified Eldorado station wagons built and blessed by GM.

More pictures of the interior on the link below.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/37758/this-very-rare-custom-1975-cadillac-eldorado-station-wagon-could-be-yours-for-just-30000

[Robert Hall]

19 minutes ago, David said:

Some things in life are best left alone. I was not aware that in 1975 there were GM certified custom coach builders and as such with full warranty this 1975 Cadillac Eldorado went from the factory to the coach builder and was converted into a station wagon before going to the Cadillac Dealer and sold with full GM warranty.

This is one of 2 certified Eldorado station wagons built and blessed by GM.

More pictures of the interior on the link below.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/37758/this-very-rare-custom-1975-cadillac-eldorado-station-wagon-could-be-yours-for-just-30000

I've seen pics of this car around...the side window treatment looks very awkward..looks like they used an A-body wagon roof and rear hatch.  

 

 

This '72 deVille based wagon that used B-body wagon parts look better, IMO.  This one was owned by Elvis.

This '74 would look good w/ Escalade badges..

 

This Fleetwood wagon appears to have used an A-body rear roof, which looks too small and out of place, IMO..

Edited November 21, 2020 by Robert Hall

[G. David Felt]

Been a very productive day. Started at 4am with some work to get done before the holidays.

Then went off at 6am to Costco to get Thanksgiving stuff. Since we are in lock down till December 14th, took the early hours to get everything and my wife and I will start cooking everything early Thursday but then package it up and deliver it to the doorstep of our parents, grand parents, and kids that live in their own house. Full meal plus desserts.

Once T-Day dinner is delivered, will return home to have a quiet dinner with the wife, wine and movies.

I always used to drive everyone that wanted to go to the midnight Black friday sales after we rested, but this year, I do not have to do it, so Wine Away my evening!  ?

Back to today, got the Holiday lights up on the house for the wife to have it festive. Blew the yard and picked up all the leaves, so it is all clean.

Gonna go eat lunch and then out to the garden area as it is Garlic Planting time.

Have a great day everyone!

 

[balthazar]

Even car enthusiasts seems unaware that station wagon Cadillacs have been coach built pretty much every year since 1941. A lot of really nice creations have been built over the years.

[Robert Hall]

Double stop intersection.

[balthazar]

Indianapolis.  I'll take the '60 DeSoto Adventurer all the way to the left.

[daves87rs]

Bummed a bit as my water heater decided to take a dump ( of water). Was lucky enough to get someone to put a new on in Tuesday, so no warm water for a few days.  Worried that the basement would be real bad, but it looks like I’ll just lose one panel of drywall to mold, as so far everything else is drying out nicely  as we got the water up fast....still going to be quite some money though...

Having a very small get together with my family, parents, and brother. To be safe, have air cleaners running, and masks can be worn if they want. I am around these folks regularly, so there is low risk. But with all the crazy, plan to be as careful as possible since I fall into that high risk category. Avoiding shopping this weekend anyways, as I work most of it anyways.......

[ocnblu]

What had happened was, I was planning on ripping up my old bathroom floor (sheet goods, glued fast, big job, had to scrape, had a helper) and planning what to do next in there, but then the floor was UNDER the toilet, which needed to be replaced anyway, so now I am down to a fine finished plywood underlayment that is partially delaminated (due to a water disaster with a fridge icemaker line 16 years ago).  And one toilet in the house.

Was thinking of peel-and-stick tile, but I would have to replace the underlayment.  Then I was thinking of thick sheet goods, which might be OK, but it has to be glued fast.

So now I am on to waterproof LVP, which will easily go over the floor in its current condition, but requires careful cutting.  Got to head over to the YouTube for tips and tricks.

 

Edited November 22, 2020 by ocnblu

[balthazar]

Your toilet & fridge are in the same room??

I like the 'clic-lock' LVP tiles. Just did a bathroom floor after a subfloor repair, and it came out really nice. Peel & stick is very hit or miss due to commonly weak glue, plus they will move overtime, gapping.

[Robert Hall]

Was surfing google street view and came across one of the bizzaro distortion vehicles--a 6 wheel Honda CR-V..