Random Thoughts Thread

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Opposite of what @A Horse With No Namesaid, i think they look quite beautiful. Yes, they're different but this is certainly one of the best "put an old body on a modern car" jobs I've ever seen. It just seems quite well done, to me. 

I agree, I thought it was a well done modern twist too. Modern powertrain, suspension, etc. with an old body that still looks sharp in the 21st century.

[balthazar]

[trinacriabob]

Man, I had gotten tired of seeing THIS particular photo.  We were inundated with it.  I guess I got tired of how "chipper" she tried to appear given what was going on.  She stopped looking so chipper as time went on.

I hope that she doesn't write a book to tell us what she learned from the experience ... you know, to make herself look humble and sh!+.

Edited April 29, 2021 by trinacriabob

[balthazar]

^ Remedy : 

[riviera74]

8 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Man, I had gotten tired of seeing THIS particular photo.  We were inundated with it.  I guess I got tired of how "chipper" she tried to appear given what was going on.  She stopped looking so chipper as time went on.

I hope that she doesn't write a book to tell us what she learned from the experience ... you know, to make herself look humble and sh!+.

True, but you know she will.  Most likely she will actually profit from that book since the crimes were not violent.

[daves87rs]

First heat, now it’s been raining the last few days....grass really needs to be cut now I am sure!   Nox needs an oil change too.....

[A Horse With No Name]

21 hours ago, balthazar said:

This is just awesome!

 

I will see you one great pic and raise you with this....!

15 hours ago, balthazar said:

^ Remedy : 

I find Asian women really beautiful. I think David and I are brothers from other mothers in this regard. 

8 hours ago, daves87rs said:

First heat, now it’s been raining the last few days....grass really needs to be cut now I am sure!   Nox needs an oil change too.....

....and life goes on. I will take Mundane in the USA vs being in India where Covid is going insane. 

10 hours ago, riviera74 said:

True, but you know she will.  Most likely she will actually profit from that book since the crimes were not violent.

Sadly, you are correct. 

[A Horse With No Name]

On 4/28/2021 at 3:05 PM, ccap41 said:

Opposite of what @A Horse With No Namesaid, i think they look quite beautiful. Yes, they're different but this is certainly one of the best "put an old body on a modern car" jobs I've ever seen. It just seems quite well done, to me. 

Upon relection on this....I think it would be better if it wasn't trying to pull of being a 'Vette. It would be fantastic as a remake of an early 70's Opel product. They had some unique and kind of attractive cars. One of my SCCA friends raced Opels for years. 

There is something right about some of the proportions and they do have a good selection fo colors. But I am not a fan of remakes of older cars out of newer ones. 

[Robert Hall]

3 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Upon relection on this....I think it would be better if it wasn't trying to pull of being a 'Vette. It would be fantastic as a remake of an early 70's Opel product. They had some unique and kind of attractive cars. One of my SCCA friends raced Opels for years. 

There is something right about some of the proportions and they do have a good selection fo colors. But I am not a fan of remakes of older cars out of newer ones. 

Keep in mind this is a low volume niche model from a company known for doing rebodied modern vehicles w/ iconic styling cues, like some of their Jaguar style products, for the Japanese market.  The C2 Corvette is definitely an iconic design likely well-known in Japan, the Opel GT may not be very well known there. 

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

Keep in mind this is a low volume niche model from a company known for doing rebodied modern vehicles w/ iconic styling cues, like some of their Jaguar style products, for the Japanese market.  The C2 Corvette is definitely an iconic design likely well-known in Japan, the Opel GT may not be very well known there. 

I was speaking From a style standpoint alone. It strikes me as more opel than Vette. 

Edited April 30, 2021 by A Horse With No Name

[A Horse With No Name]

This is masterful woodworking, not mine. 

[trinacriabob]

26 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I am in awe of the craftsmanship ... most types of craftsmanship.

In February, I was able to go through the MFAH (Museum of Fine Art Houston) on cheapskate day and, in the first building, you see the paintings and portraiture that look real and that were painted by the famous artists of centuries ago ... as well as furniture from those periods. 

Then, you go into other buildings with more recent and modern art, and you see things that involve craftsmanship, humor, and even technical savvy, such as lighting shows.  The MFAH is a stellar museum.

- - - - -

This photo is from one of the mansions you can tour in Galveston, about 45 miles southeast of Houston and on the Gulf.  And every room in the mansion has this caliber of woodwork.

 

[G. David Felt]

22 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Man, I had gotten tired of seeing THIS particular photo.  We were inundated with it.  I guess I got tired of how "chipper" she tried to appear given what was going on.  She stopped looking so chipper as time went on.

I hope that she doesn't write a book to tell us what she learned from the experience ... you know, to make herself look humble and sh!+.

Who is this old woman? I honestly have not seen her before, so if political, sorry, but weird that this is the first time I have seen her and hav no idea what the story is about.

14 hours ago, riviera74 said:

True, but you know she will.  Most likely she will actually profit from that book since the crimes were not violent.

What crimes? Wow, I really feel in the dark on this news story. Update me please!

[Robert Hall]

Just now, David said:

Who is this old woman? I honestly have not seen her before, so if political, sorry, but weird that this is the first time I have seen her and hav no idea what the story is about.

Lori Laughlin...she's only 56...TV actor, known for 'Full House'.  Her recent fame, though comes from the USC admissions scandal that she and others were caught up in.  Spent 2 months in jail.

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

[G. David Felt]

6 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Lori Laughlin...she's only 56...TV actor, known for 'Full House'.  Her recent fame, though comes from the USC admissions scandal that she and others were caught up in.  Spent 2 months in jail.

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

Got it, remember the show, but never interested me so never watched Full House. I remember the news about a college admission scandal but totally ignored it. Now I get what you all are talking about, Thank you Robert, much appreciated.

[G. David Felt]

@A Horse With No Name Totally agree, brothers in awe of Asian woman.

We got married on a tight budget but a few years later took my wife to get her the glamor portrait she deserved in her wedding dress.

My wife Sun Felt! ?

[G. David Felt]

WOW, Sussanne Somers (74 yrs old) with her Grand Daughter (25 yrs old) who is getting into the movie business. Crazy.

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, David said:

Who is this old woman? I honestly have not seen her before, so if political, sorry, but weird that this is the first time I have seen her and hav no idea what the story is about.

What crimes? Wow, I really feel in the dark on this news story. Update me please!

I knew her name and face but never watched that show, either.  I also did not know that Mossimo - her husband - was a person.  I thought it was an arbitrary label for "way cool" surfer apparel.  

If your kids can't get into USC on their own merits, they're not the sharpest tools in the shed.  It's a good enough school, but it has only become really competitive to get admitted within the last decade or so.  I know a lot of people who went there - it would have been commutable for me at the time, but in a crappy neighborhood - who were/are far from brain trusts.

As for "Full House," I have never watched it, either.  My having a problem - yawning - with all these TV shows that seem to take place in one or two rooms seemed to coincide with losing interest in my TV.

[Robert Hall]

9 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

I knew her name and face but never watched that show, either.  I also did not know that Mossimo - her husband - was a person.  I thought it was an arbitrary label for "way cool" surfer apparel.  

If your kids can't get into USC on their own merits, they're not the sharpest tools in the shed.  It's a good enough school, but it has only become really competitive to get admitted within the last decade or so.  I know a lot of people who went there - it would have been commutable for me at the time, but in a crappy neighborhood - who were/are far from brain trusts.

As for "Full House," I have never watched it, either.  My having a problem - yawning - with all these TV shows that seem to take place in one or two rooms seemed to coincide with losing interest in my TV.

I knew her name and face but never watched the show either. ...there have been very few sitcoms I liked, I've long preferred crime dramas.  I didn't know Mossimo was a person, I remember the clothing brand at Target 20-25 years ago, I think I bought some Mossimo shirts and shorts when I was in my 20s.    

All I know of USC is a friend and former coworker of mine went there, and that they have a pretty well-regarded Computer Science department. 

 

[trinacriabob]

5 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

I knew her name and face but never watched the show either. ...there have been very few sitcoms I liked, I've long preferred crime dramas.  I didn't know Mossimo was a person, I remember the clothing brand at Target 20-25 years ago, I think I bought some Mossimo shirts and shorts when I was in my 20s.    

All I know of USC is a friend and former coworker of mine went there, and that they have a pretty well-regarded Computer Science department. 

Mossimo is the dude walking behind Lori.  It's a manipulation of his name, Massimo, which is Max or Maximillian.

USC has really come up.  They've always had good medical, dental, and pharmacy schools. They are the biggest archi school in L.A. proper. The law school might be slightly behind UCLA's, and ditto for the MBA program.    However, if you plan to make your living in SoCal, a USC sheepskin gets the foot in the door, so the rankings become sort of moot.  All of their academic departments are good.  UCLA pulls slightly ahead of it because it probably conducts more/better research.

In the past, having a 3.5 in high school (when the upper limit was 4.0), an 85th percentile SAT, and a pulse would get most people in.  They might have even relaxed that a little bit if coming in from a high school that has prestige, that they like, or that they have a relationship of sorts with ... or, to be realistic about it, for affirmative action purposes.

It's a good thing that they opened the new train line that connects the USC campus to either DTLA or the beach at Santa Monica.

Their alumni network is definitely the best in Southern California.  Mossimo himself went there but didn't finish.  I think Mossimo's dad was a USC grad.  I didn't give a rat's ass about these people and then, when this scandal broke, learning about them was "slightly" interesting.

 

Edited May 1, 2021 by trinacriabob

[balthazar]

[riviera74]

1 minute ago, balthazar said:

I wonder who stole the tires off that early 1950s Buick . . . . Special?  Roadmaster?

[balthazar]

That’s a ‘55. That year, only the Special had 3 VentiPorts per side.

[riviera74]

19 hours ago, balthazar said:

That’s a ‘55. That year, only the Special had 3 VentiPorts per side.

That Buick has four VentiPorts on the side, so NOT a Special.  So a 1955 Buick Roadmaster.  Got it.  Thank you.

[surreal1272]

A century in use overall yet some folks still can't build a manual transmission worth a damn. It also adds to why I think the Gladiator is one the most overhyped vehicles released in the last 30 years (at least) and I'd have a hard time finding one from the past that was so overpriced, so utterly useless as a pick up (apparently it can not safely tow anything), and so typical of the company that owns it now. How do you F up a six speed manual in a JEEP?

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a34761896/2020-jeep-gladiator-mojave-reliability-maintenance/

[Drew Dowdell]

On 4/28/2021 at 1:04 AM, David said:

Ford has admitted that the last couple of decades were anything but Quality is Job 1 at Ford and with 2021 models having numerous problems, Ford is coming out in talking about how they are changing this to get back to Quality is Job 1 as a reason for customers to buy Ford products and they point to the Mach-E and F-150e truck as the new standard.

The nightmare of launch for the Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer are to be a thing of the past.

How Ford's making sure quality is Job 1 once again - Roadshow (cnet.com)

I’ll believe it when I see it

[balthazar]

This may be the largest interior emblem/nameplate ever ('60 Buick) : 

[Robert Hall]

Re: Ford quality--an anecdote, I know, but I did hear one of the podcasters I follow leased a Mach-e and the screen went blank and had to be replaced literally before they got off the dealer lot...

Edited May 2, 2021 by Robert Hall

[balthazar]

For many years this was the largest exterior emblem (I believe) : 

 

But recently it's been challenged : 

Edited May 2, 2021 by balthazar

[balthazar]

If "investors love electric vehicle stocks", why is Fiskar at $13 and Lordstown at $9?

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

If "investors love electric vehicle stocks", why is Fiskar at $13 and Lordstown at $9?

Because much like every other industry out there, not all of them can be "winners" but maybe I'm just guilty of using common sense here instead of using sensationalism and exceptionalism to make a point.

[surreal1272]

I found this line very amusing while reading up on Fiskers current doings. It's real easy to go after EV "pipe dreamers" when they fail once or twice and it's even easier when you want to ignore some simple facts of the past. Like this line:

It took Henry Ford three tries to start his own successful car company. Henrik Fisker is on his second try with his new company, Fisker Inc.

 

 

How'd that work out for him btw? I forget. I do know that even after a century in business, Ford still has it fair share of issues yet no one is calling for them to be shut down (except for rabid GM fans maybe lol). I'm just glad my Flex has been relatively trouble free ?.

 

Point being, there will be winners and there will be losers but how about let that play out a bit before obeying that five minute attention span, that most people in this country seem to have.

Edited May 2, 2021 by surreal1272

[balthazar]

I like Ford; the company, the history, the founder, and their trucks. Some of their cars, too. I've not seen a Flex up close/inside to examine, but I have a feeling I'd really like it. Was listening to a dark blue/black rims current 'stang GT going up the highway next to me  today and the exhaust music was sublime.

My comment on stocks was a counter to smk's that "investors love electric car stocks" when plainly they love Tesla/Musk.
Whether a given company succeeds long term or not is another discussion.

I like entrepreneurs, in fact I am often jealous of industrial entrepreneurs and how world-altering they can become. 

Edited May 2, 2021 by balthazar

[A Horse With No Name]

On 4/30/2021 at 1:36 PM, David said:

@A Horse With No Name Totally agree, brothers in awe of Asian woman.

We got married on a tight budget but a few years later took my wife to get her the glamor portrait she deserved in her wedding dress.

My wife Sun Felt! ?

I am going to be in Seattle in june. Would love to meet up. Meeting another C and G member in two weeks. 

15 hours ago, balthazar said:

I like Ford; the company, the history, the founder, and their trucks. Some of their cars, too. I've not seen a Flex up close/inside to examine, but I have a feeling I'd really like it. Was listening to a dark blue/black rims current 'stang GT going up the highway next to me  today and the exhaust music was sublime.

My comment on stocks was a counter to smk's that "investors love electric car stocks" when plainly they love Tesla/Musk.
Whether a given company succeeds long term or not is another discussion.

I like entrepreneurs, in fact I am often jealous of industrial entrepreneurs and how world-altering they can become. 

I like Ford much better now that I am over whatever emotional "cloud" I was in for about two years. 

Thanks to the C and G community for being patient and guiding me back onto the "path"

Told my wife my New Ranger might be my favorite ever vehicle. She had a snarky response. She said...."Whatever car your currently driving is usually your favorite. Especially if it runs. And it helps if it isn''t a minivan."

 

Boeing can't catch a break to save their ass, sadly. 

 

 

This resonates more now than ever. 

 

Should be in Music thread, but cool music for Monday. Just ordered the CD. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

I love the voice of this young lady...been lsitening to a lot of male vocalists, but her voice is just spectacular. 

 

23 hours ago, balthazar said:

If "investors love electric vehicle stocks", why is Fiskar at $13 and Lordstown at $9?

Lordstown is a turd company that will go belly up. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

23 hours ago, balthazar said:

For many years this was the largest exterior emblem (I believe) : 

 

But recently it's been challenged : 

My good woodworking buddy Dustin's college room mate was one of the guys who designed the RAM and the RAM TRX. His other room amte is one of the lead designers at Harley Davidson. 

Dustin runs his own design company, some of his work. 

http://dustingerken.com/dustin-gerken-design----work.html

http://dustingerken.com/images/02_02.jpg?crc=427737220

23 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Re: Ford quality--an anecdote, I know, but I did hear one of the podcasters I follow leased a Mach-e and the screen went blank and had to be replaced literally before they got off the dealer lot...

Any new car will have bugs. So far, other than a few very random interior rattles that rarely happen, the Ranger has been flawless. 

23 hours ago, balthazar said:

This may be the largest interior emblem/nameplate ever ('60 Buick) : 

I really wish I had been alive and around when this era of car was new and running around. It grows on me more and more all of the time, even the fugly Fords and the wierd Mopars of the Era. Mild Fetish for the 60 Edsel...please no one shun me or unfriend me on Facebook because of that admission. 

Buick goes up in my respect of cars as time goes on. Would love to own an interesting midsize car from the 68-72 era. Under rated GM design. Love the mid sixties Riv as well. 

[A Horse With No Name]

 

Last one for today, this is a wicked cool build series. 

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

 

As a response to Balthazar, the older Fords never lost their appeal to me. Patina on this is just right. I love it. Apologies for posting one more pic but I couldn't resist. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Aslo for Baltahzar...and everyone else...

 

[A Horse With No Name]

I just like the paint scheme. 

I also love this paint scheme. 

 

[daves87rs]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

As a response to Balthazar, the older Fords never lost their appeal to me. Patina on this is just right. I love it. Apologies for posting one more pic but I couldn't resist. 

Still have a soft spot for those trucks! Growing up our neighbor down our street had a custom red one.....

[A Horse With No Name]

On 5/1/2021 at 8:05 PM, surreal1272 said:

A century in use overall yet some folks still can't build a manual transmission worth a damn. It also adds to why I think the Gladiator is one the most overhyped vehicles released in the last 30 years (at least) and I'd have a hard time finding one from the past that was so overpriced, so utterly useless as a pick up (apparently it can not safely tow anything), and so typical of the company that owns it now. How do you F up a six speed manual in a JEEP?

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a34761896/2020-jeep-gladiator-mojave-reliability-maintenance/

I like the gladiator but a bunch of people I know that bought them have traded them back in. I like the Ranger, Tacoma, and Colorado better as midsize trucks. I would own a nice Ranger or Colorado ZR2 over this. 

[balthazar]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I like the gladiator but a bunch of people I know that bought them have traded them back in.

It's brand new- did you hear any reasons?

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I like the gladiator but a bunch of people I know that bought them have traded them back in. I like the Ranger, Tacoma, and Colorado better as midsize trucks. I would own a nice Ranger or Colorado ZR2 over this. 

On the surface, its a nice enough looking ride that pays homage to the Scrambler days of old but it is horrendously overpriced and underperforms on nearly every level that is not related to off-roading, not to mention the host of quality issues already plaguing them. 

[surreal1272]

14 minutes ago, balthazar said:

It's brand new- did you hear any reasons?

Here are some articles I have found regarding disappoint Gladiator owners.

 

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/this-2020-jeep-gladiator-owner-is-so-disappointed-hes-getting-rid-of-it/

 

And apparently going mudding goes against the warranty, thus leading me to ask "What is point of this?"

https://www.thedrive.com/news/38601/jeep-gladiator-owner-fixing-her-own-truck-after-dealer-allegedly-voids-warranty-for-mudding

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

34 minutes ago, balthazar said:

It's brand new- did you hear any reasons?

Interior layout, towing power, handling, payload capacity, wanted a new Chevy Trail Boss more...but yeah....lots of people not happy with these. 

[Robert Hall]

Like the Wrangler, the Gladiator is a niche novelty vehicle.   Like the Wrangler, it's strengths are more as an off road vehicle than as an on-road SUV or truck.   For most potential buyers, a normal SUV or pickup is far more practical and drivable. 

[A Horse With No Name]

6 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Like the Wrangler, the Gladiator is a niche novelty vehicle.   Like the Wrangler, it's strengths are more as an off road vehicle than as an on-road SUV or truck.   For most potential buyers, a normal SUV or pickup is far more practical and drivable. 

Which is why I wound up with a far more normal pickup after test driving one. 

[Robert Hall]

Just now, A Horse With No Name said:

Which is why I wound up with a far more normal pickup after test driving one. 

Which is why I've driven Grand Cherokees for over 20 years instead of Wranglers.  I've ridden in and test driven several Wranglers over the years, and think they would be fun for weekend use if I was really, really into off-roading.  But I find them too loud, harsh and cramped as a daily driver.

[A Horse With No Name]

4 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Which is why I've driven Grand Cherokees for over 20 years instead of Wranglers.  I've ridden in and test driven several Wranglers over the years, and think they would be fun for weekend use if I was really, really into off-roading.  But I find them too loud, harsh and cramped as a daily driver.

They are wicked fun to drive though. 

 

Cornoavirus sadly is going ballistic worldwide even as it ramps down a bit here in the United States. And Drew was right in one of his comments about us never hitting her immunity of going fully back to normal because of people who refuse the vaccine. 

https://www.axios.com/covid-cases-global-india-pandemic-who-1aa326d3-55c0-485c-a546-dee93a6da155.html