Random Thoughts Thread

[balthazar]

What a shame we can't get linework like that this side of, roughly, 1970. What a gorgeous phantom!!

[daves87rs]

4 hours ago, balthazar said:

What a shame we can't get linework like that this side of, roughly, 1970. What a gorgeous phantom!!

I agree.....

[A Horse With No Name]

20 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I see current news photos of this "thing:"

Some of my friends helped build that back when i was working as an electrician....all I could remember thinking was....that thing is going to be an enormous white elephant when people stop buying overpriced baskets. 

[A Horse With No Name]

I really like this simple bench....I ahve about 12 other projects ahead of being able to start it though...

 

 

The speeds on the video in Kilometers per hour rather than Miles per hour....because he is Canadian. Funny, pointed, well done. I love this guys videos. 

I like riding a bicycle...but I like rail trails and being away from cars. 

E bikes seem like a disaster waiting to happen. 

 

Impressive restoration work, I love this guys work. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Neat old Documentary....

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

For my fellow aviation buffs here...If I flew...I would love to fly this. Badass....

 

[A Horse With No Name]

 

[oldshurst442]

25 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

For my fellow aviation buffs here...If I flew...I would love to fly this. Badass....

 

 

Cant see the video because "the uploader has not made this video available in your country".   Keep in my I live in Canada.  Very important information for later on.

To see the video, there are many ways to skin a cat...

I find out that the uploader is the Smithsonian Channel Aviation Nation

Then I find out the plane in question is the De Havilland Twin Otter.   

Motherphoquer!!!  The Smithsonian is blocking a video to Canada about a Canadian airplane!   Its not even ironic at this point.  More like moronic.   Anyway, there must be a valid reason for this...

But yeah!  The Twin Otter IS bad ass!!!  

 

[A Horse With No Name]

1 minute ago, oldshurst442 said:

 

Cant see the video because "the uploader has not made this video available in your country".   Keep in my I live in Canada.  Very important information for later on.

To see the video, there are many ways to skin a cat...

I find out that the uploader is the Smithsonian Channel Aviation Nation

Then I find out the plane in question is the De Havilland Twin Otter.   

Motherphoquer!!!  The Smithsonian is blocking a video to Canada about a Canadian airplane!   Its not even ironic at this point.  More like moronic.   Anyway, there must be a valid reason for this...

But yeah!  The Twin Otter IS bad ass!!!  

 

I would so fly that bird....so fly that bird....I love that plane. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

I really admore the artistry involved in this. I have a few friends whoa re really good with an Airbrush. 

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

15 hours ago, balthazar said:

What a shame we can't get linework like that this side of, roughly, 1970. What a gorgeous phantom!!

We have a bit of a scare with your recent posts...is everything okay?

As gorgeous as all of those vintage cars are, we don't want to have you join them in the land of the departed. 

 

Still trying to get down to the yard in Mount Sterling for the B-59 thing, Have not forgotten you. 

One more for now...

 

[balthazar]

No big deal, didn't mean to alarm.

I tried a... gummie.

[A Horse With No Name]

8 minutes ago, balthazar said:

No big deal, didn't mean to alarm.

I tried a... gummie.

Okay. Here I am worried about what a colonoscopy revealed. Should not have worried....you are one of the guys here not pulling crap out of your ass....

[balthazar]

[ocnblu]

2021 Ranger STX Special Edition in Cactus Gray ~

 

[daves87rs]

5 hours ago, ocnblu said:

2021 Ranger STX Special Edition in Cactus Gray ~

 

Not so sure what is attracting me to it....but I like it.....

[A Horse With No Name]

11 hours ago, ocnblu said:

2021 Ranger STX Special Edition in Cactus Gray ~

 

That is lust worthy. Cactus grey is one of my favorite Ford colors. 

5 hours ago, daves87rs said:

Not so sure what is attracting me to it....but I like it.....

I am very happy with mine....but it is black...

This is one of my favorite movie scenes. One can only imagine how much fun the young girls had in filming it...makes me want to be a kid again. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

An excellent and concise story of what is being done...

[trinacriabob]

Within this last year, I learned that BLM does not mean Bureau of Land Management ... as much.

[G. David Felt]

On 1/18/2021 at 8:49 AM, A Horse With No Name said:

I really like this simple bench....I ahve about 12 other projects ahead of being able to start it though...

 

 

The speeds on the video in Kilometers per hour rather than Miles per hour....because he is Canadian. Funny, pointed, well done. I love this guys videos. 

I like riding a bicycle...but I like rail trails and being away from cars. 

E bikes seem like a disaster waiting to happen. 

 

Impressive restoration work, I love this guys work. 

 

Love the wood work, crazy true about e-Bikes, I seen more than my share of them get nailed in Seattle. Auto drivers just do not see them coming so fast. Mustang is a true labor of love as it really was end of life IMHO. Still cool to see the amazing metal work.

15 hours ago, ocnblu said:

2021 Ranger STX Special Edition in Cactus Gray ~

 

Blah, that is as attractive as a Tesla, just no passion in that bland body shape to me.

WOW, The Original 427 Cobra owned by Carol Shelby underwent a full restoration and then just sold for almost $6 million dollars. Crazy.

Carroll Shelby's Personal 427 Cobra Sells for $5.94 Million - Mecum (roadandtrack.com)

[daves87rs]

Just saw saw a car get t boned down my street. A Ford Fusion pulled out into the main road and got nailed by a speeding Honda Civic.

Both Drivers are okay....and I have a new level of respect for the Fusion....

[A Horse With No Name]

55 minutes ago, David said:

Love the wood work, crazy true about e-Bikes, I seen more than my share of them get nailed in Seattle. Auto drivers just do not see them coming so fast. Mustang is a true labor of love as it really was end of life IMHO. Still cool to see the amazing metal work.

Blah, that is as attractive as a Tesla, just no passion in that bland body shape to me.

WOW, The Original 427 Cobra owned by Carol Shelby underwent a full restoration and then just sold for almost $6 million dollars. Crazy.

Carroll Shelby's Personal 427 Cobra Sells for $5.94 Million - Mecum (roadandtrack.com)

I actually really like mine...to each his own...

 

[G. David Felt]

39 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I actually really like mine...to each his own...

 

Very cool Video, thanks for posting it.

I am Very Happy for you that you like your new Ford. As you say to each their own. Right now the only Ford that has me excited is the Mach-E. Very much waiting for one to get to the local Ford Dealer so I can go check it out.

Crazy the amount listed at the local Ford Stores for the Mach-E but none in stock yet.

[A Horse With No Name]

49 minutes ago, David said:

Very cool Video, thanks for posting it.

I am Very Happy for you that you like your new Ford. As you say to each their own. Right now the only Ford that has me excited is the Mach-E. Very much waiting for one to get to the local Ford Dealer so I can go check it out.

Crazy the amount listed at the local Ford Stores for the Mach-E but none in stock yet.

I am sure they will have quite the surplus offered soon. Wish them well on the Mach E....

And right now the only GM product that has me excited is the Cololrado ZR2. 

[A Horse With No Name]

To be honest, most of the stuff that excites me goes off road, has two wheels, or both. 

[oldshurst442]

There is a chink in the armour...  A slight glitch if you will in the logisticals.   

No harm done as Ive sent Hobs back to Coventry just in the nick of time.  Was close though.  

[ocnblu]

I'm enjoying my lower pressure visits to C&G lately.

[balthazar]

6 hours ago, David said:

Blah, that is as attractive as a Tesla, just no passion in that bland body shape to me.

 

[oldshurst442]

[daves87rs]

9 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

To be honest, most of the stuff that excites me goes off road, has two wheels, or both. 

True....

[A Horse With No Name]

13 hours ago, balthazar said:

 

I love both the Rivian, and the Ranger. Also, the trail boss is hot. GM is bringing in younger truck buyers with the current full size Chevy, so all of the poeple here crying crocodile tears about the Silverado design can pretty much pound sand. GM is selling them like hotcakes. 

And that cactus grey is hot. I almost delayed buying my truck to get that color, but really liked the particular truck I bought during the test drive so I pulled the trigger. 

Neat...she is very talented. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

13 hours ago, ocnblu said:

I'm enjoying my lower pressure visits to C&G lately.

I am enjoying having you here. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Just some work I happened to like the craftsman ship of...

[trinacriabob]

It's a sunny day in our nation's capital ...

[A Horse With No Name]

1 minute ago, trinacriabob said:

It's a sunny day in our nation's capital ...

I love Chicago, great band, good vibes.  Have a great day. 

 

[trinacriabob]

Thank you!  This is the best "Chicago" song, IMO, because of its significant "urbane" stand-alone instrumental segments.

 

Edited January 20, 2021 by trinacriabob

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

Thank you!  This is the best "Chicago" song, IMO, because of its significant "urbane" stand-alone instrumental segments.

 

I agree. 

More music for Wednesday. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Another good Chicago song...

 

[A Horse With No Name]

I love this guys content. He is a real craftsman. 

 

[G. David Felt]

Seems all the gains from EVs in reducing carbon emissions has been negated by the 42% change to SUVs across the globe and especially more with trucks in the US. Trucks and Especially SUV/CUVs are gaining popularity across the globe as car sales sink.

Carbon emissions fell across all sectors in 2020 except for one – SUVs – Analysis - IEA

[riviera74]

1 hour ago, David said:

Seems all the gains from EVs in reducing carbon emissions has been negated by the 42% change to SUVs across the globe and especially more with trucks in the US. Trucks and Especially SUV/CUVs are gaining popularity across the globe as car sales sink.

Carbon emissions fell across all sectors in 2020 except for one – SUVs – Analysis - IEA

A whole lot of car buyers: I Want MY SUV!

[balthazar]

SUVs are one thing, but the bulk of small & mid-size CUVs are merely cars.

[Robert Hall]

19 minutes ago, balthazar said:

SUVs are one thing, but the bulk of small & mid-size CUVs are merely cars.

Yes, it's really the form factor that has taken the auto market by storm--two box tall wagon-ish hatchbacks...regardless of whether it's a FWD/AWD car underneath, or a dedicated SUV platform or BOF truck based...

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, David said:

Seems all the gains from EVs in reducing carbon emissions has been negated by the 42% change to SUVs across the globe and especially more with trucks in the US. Trucks and Especially SUV/CUVs are gaining popularity across the globe as car sales sink.

Carbon emissions fell across all sectors in 2020 except for one – SUVs – Analysis - IEA

This is why companies like Rivian are so important. Electrics I think Long term (think 20-50 years) will keep people driving vehicles they want to drive. 

6 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Yes, it's really the form factor that has taken the auto market by storm--two box tall wagon-ish hatchbacks...regardless of whether it's a FWD/AWD car underneath, or a dedicated SUV platform or BOF truck based...

Why ve3hicles like the 4 Runner and Grand Cherokee are so good....they are a true dual purpose vehicle that can go out and play in the woods. 

[Robert Hall]

2 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

Why vehicles like the 4 Runner and Grand Cherokee are so good....they are a true dual purpose vehicle that can go out and play in the woods. 

Yes...that's why I've driven GCs for over 20 years...really nice on road as a daily in any weather, and capable off road when I want to get away... the 4Runner was really the only other SUV I looked at closely back in '00 when I bought my first GC.

[G. David Felt]

Seems the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Reviews are coming out and they say Cadillac has taken back

The Standard of the World for Luxury SUVs. 

Cross shop it with the Mercedes brand and Cadillac wins. ? 

Quote I can totally agree with:

Drivetrain-wise, I think it's time to make this truck electric. Big V8s have plenty of power and this particular 6.2-liter works well with GM's 10-speed transmission, but I now wonder how much faster, quieter and efficient it could be if it cribbed from that new GMC Hummer EV's playbook. 

2021 Cadillac Escalade Review: The Standard of the World Takes Back the SUV Crown (thedrive.com)

The question and answer section had a good question about comparing Cadillac Escalade to GMC Yukon Denali. Here was the response from the writer.

Quote

The Cadillac gets metallic switchgear where the Denali does not, and indeed most (all?) of the other switchgear in the interior is different. The climate controls are completely different and have nothing in common with any other vehicle on the platform, and the Denali doesn't get an infotainment controller like the Cadillac does. Really, it's hard to spot similarities between the two, besides the steering column which I mentioned previously.

Really, the more I look for similar areas, the less I find. Heck, even the glovebox is different on the Cadillac, something I would expect to be carried over. It's not even worth trying to say what's still the same, because so much is different. And for the record, It doesn't feel like a cheap car from the inside, so changing all of this stuff really does pay off. The seats are also much nicer in the Escalade, especially with the optional leather.

[oldshurst442]

 Coming home from work this late afternoon I heard this song on the radio

 

Only to look at the comments in THIS thread and see that the stars in the sky are all aligned nicely.  (Yes...it was a nice Chicago day today)

 

 

[oldshurst442]

On THAT note for Chicago and Washington from Montreal.  

 

Dear Miss Harris, you are an inspiration to all of us! 

And Im proud that you have got a little bit of Montreal with you as well!!!

 

Edited January 20, 2021 by oldshurst442

[trinacriabob]

I saw a refreshing and appropriate level of humility and dignity all across the board, and for the whole world to see, today.  I felt relieved.  It was a good thing.

[balthazar]

^ You're speaking, I will hazard to guess; about the Inauguration today?