Random Thoughts Thread

[daves87rs]

9 hours ago, balthazar said:

It'd be fun to watch that bend in half.

Or fall off. Think it could hold quite a few people.....

[balthazar]

How times change.
Candid filler pic in H.S. yearbook, 1964 : 

[G. David Felt]

Hit upon some very cool videos:

Gotta say I am loving that 66 Riviera lights!

Course love the front end too!

[A Horse With No Name]

On 5/14/2021 at 1:26 PM, ccap41 said:

Not trying to be all political but, that's what your people(west coast) have voted for, more government oversight. 

It's in a balance. As a master electrician, I have worked in areas with lax oversight. I have seen some amazingly stupid things. 

[A Horse With No Name]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

unique way of delivering fire extingushers around a track. 

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

How I feel about my wife...

 

 

Her cover is kind of slow and soulful, I like it. 

 

 

[G. David Felt]

This is a very interesting turn of events ?

In 2010, Daimler and Nissan entered a strategic agreement to co R&D for future auto development and this included a substantial investment by each company in each other via stock purchases. They say this will remain in place and yet Nissan has sold their complete stake in Daimler of 16,448,378 shares or 1.54% of Daimlers outstanding shares to a tune of 1,149 Billion Euro's worth or 1,397 Billion US.

Nissan says that at this time, the full proceeds will be used to promote and develop electrification of their auto portfolio. Nissan has stated that the agreement for future collaboration will stay in place between the two companies.

The interesting part is that they make no statement about using Daimlers EV platform, batteries or any other tech from Daimler. Instead it appears Nissan will strike out on their own for their own R&D of electrification.

Nissan sells its entire stake in Daimler (nissannews.com)

? This does make one wonder about the tagline of "The Best or Nothing" when your partner decides to unload a hefty investment in your company and to expand their own R&D to build additional BEV auto's.

[A Horse With No Name]

Neat video, love the convertible. 

 

[G. David Felt]

Quoted for Truth on Cars!

And your choice is?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Too Funny!!!

Love this, I would so take a Road Runner any day over the butt ugly Bugatti

The PERFECET MEME for @balthazar

The dream of dreams for @oldshurst442

[G. David Felt]

H'mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

?

Is this a reason to move to Ontario??????????????????????????????????

This is too funny!!!

[G. David Felt]

At the heart of every red blooded man!

 

A PERFECT GENERIFICATION of Cars!

[A Horse With No Name]

25 minutes ago, David said:

H'mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

?

Is this a reason to move to Ontario??????????????????????????????????

This is too funny!!!

Sadly a total loss. Cool and funny though. 

 

Too funny. 

They had a lot of fun making this. 

 

 

[Robert Hall]

Got the August issue of Collectible Automobile in the mail today, was reading an article about the ‘78-80 Grand Prix, and came up this photo—caption says for 1979, the Rally IV wheel option replaced the Rally II wheel option.  First I’ve ever heard of or seen these wheels…

 

[balthazar]

^ They weren't around long, but I remember seeing them.

EDIT :: Had to check first but apparently my recollection was correct; there was no 'Rallye III' for some reason.

Pontiac was amazingly prolific with the styled rims.

Edited May 18, 2021 by balthazar

[Robert Hall]

Googling turns up pics of ‘80 & 81 GPs with those wheels, not sure if they were available on other Pontiac’s then.  The Rally IIs made a comeback in the early 80s, seen many ‘81-87 vintage GPs with them. 

[balthazar]

Pretty sure the R IV was GP / LeMans only. Not on the full-size lines.

Rallye IIs never went away since they came out in '67, up to probably the last RWD A-Body of '87. Long run for a rim.

[Robert Hall]

Just now, balthazar said:

Pretty sure the R IV was GP / LeMans only. Not on the full-size lines.

Rallye IIs never went away since they came out in '67, up to probably the last RWD A-Body of '87. Long run for a rim.

Yes, long run.  Similarly for Buick and their Road Wheels, around well into the 80s.  And Olds with the SS II (?). 

[balthazar]

From an era where so much greatness was created!

 

1 of the 547 built '87 Buick GNX's just sold for $205,000.  Kicker is, that's actually the second-highest price paid for one.

In 1987, only the Porsche 911 Turbo could barely squeeze past a GNX in a 0-60 run, by 1/10th of a second.

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/rare-1987-buick-gnx-muscle-car-sold-for-205000 

 

[G. David Felt]

34 minutes ago, balthazar said:

From an era where so much greatness was created!

 

1 of the 547 built '87 Buick GNX's just sold for $205,000.  Kicker is, that's actually the second-highest price paid for one.

In 1987, only the Porsche 911 Turbo could barely squeeze past a GNX in a 0-60 run, by 1/10th of a second.

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/rare-1987-buick-gnx-muscle-car-sold-for-205000 

 

Where is the Asian performance auto's at this time of the GNX? 

Where is Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi or VW?

Who says Americans cannot build top performance sedans?

?

[ykX]

9 hours ago, David said:

Where is the Asian performance auto's at this time of the GNX? 

Where is Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi or VW?

Who says Americans cannot build top performance sedans?

Tested: 1987 Buick GNX Exercises Brute Force (caranddriver.com)

"The GNX, with 55 more horses and an additional 25 pounds of mass, rockets to 60 in 4.7 seconds and squirts through the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds at 102 mph. In zero-to-60 performance, the only car available in the U.S. that matches the Buick is the Callaway Twin-Turbo Corvette, and the only one that beats it is the Porsche 911 Turbo, at 4.6 seconds.

Although the GNX's performance in the drag-race mode is measurably improved, the new suspension pieces do little to help the old sled's handling. At 0.80 g, it has respectable skidpad grip, but no more than the Grand National we tested last year. In the real world, when the road deviates from straight ahead or its surface becomes rougher than a pool table, the GNX rattles and bounces like bolts in a blender. Clearly, the engine and the chassis are in separate leagues. What we have here is a great powerhouse of a motor looking for a nice place to live."

Great straight line muscle car but that's about it.  There were better cars at the day.

BTW converting its 1987 price to today's money, it costs about $70k. 

[balthazar]

There were better handling cars, but there weren’t better accelerating cars.

While I think the exterior and the powertrain are bad-ass (and you can make this a completely livable 11-sec car for what was $500 in ‘00), I do not like the interior at all and the one ride I had in a GN confirmed that it does rattle like hell... tho that car was then was probably 15 yrs old.

[surreal1272]

2 hours ago, ykX said:

Tested: 1987 Buick GNX Exercises Brute Force (caranddriver.com)

"The GNX, with 55 more horses and an additional 25 pounds of mass, rockets to 60 in 4.7 seconds and squirts through the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds at 102 mph. In zero-to-60 performance, the only car available in the U.S. that matches the Buick is the Callaway Twin-Turbo Corvette, and the only one that beats it is the Porsche 911 Turbo, at 4.6 seconds.

Although the GNX's performance in the drag-race mode is measurably improved, the new suspension pieces do little to help the old sled's handling. At 0.80 g, it has respectable skidpad grip, but no more than the Grand National we tested last year. In the real world, when the road deviates from straight ahead or its surface becomes rougher than a pool table, the GNX rattles and bounces like bolts in a blender. Clearly, the engine and the chassis are in separate leagues. What we have here is a great powerhouse of a motor looking for a nice place to live."

Great straight line muscle car but that's about it.  There were better cars at the day.

BTW converting its 1987 price to today's money, it costs about $70k. 

And not one person who wants or has a GNX gives two s**** about the handling and not for nothing, but outside of true sports cars like the Vette and 911, there wasn’t another sedan (which is clearly what David was referring to) that could touch it. The Germans and Japanese didn’t have a damn thing that compared with the GNX. It was the rare bright spot in an otherwise horrible decade for cars, especially domestics. 

[ykX]

1 minute ago, surreal1272 said:

there wasn’t another sedan (which is clearly what David was referring to) that could touch it in a straight line.

Here I fixed for you.

David was talking about German and Asian performance auto.  He didn't specify straight line or handling or whatever, so I interpreter this as a package.  There were plenty of performance cars at the era that while were slower in a straight line were better in every other way. 

[surreal1272]

17 minutes ago, ykX said:

Here I fixed for you.

David was talking about German and Asian performance auto.  He didn't specify straight line or handling or whatever, so I interpreter this as a package.  There were plenty of performance cars at the era that while were slower in a straight line were better in every other way. 

You didn’t fix anything. Common sense would tell you that by “performance auto”, he was referring to sedans. Name the sedans (in the same class and provide range as the GNX) from the companies HE mentioned that were so much better overall that it diminishes what he was saying about the GNX. I know you have lofty standards and love to point that out but it is ridiculous to take something he said (as a generalization) and just post some instant defensiveness that has nothing to do with anything.

Edited May 18, 2021 by surreal1272

[ykX]

@surreal1272  whatever.  Now you make up things because "they make common sense"

I put a quote from Car and Driver magazine regarding the car, you don't like it - move along.  It was one of the greatest sedans of the period, it was the fastest in the straight line, but it was one trick pony.  Saying that it was the greatest car of the eighties is exaggeration, simple as that.   

Edited May 18, 2021 by ykX

[A Horse With No Name]

14 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Got the August issue of Collectible Automobile in the mail today, was reading an article about the ‘78-80 Grand Prix, and came up this photo—caption says for 1979, the Rally IV wheel option replaced the Rally II wheel option.  First I’ve ever heard of or seen these wheels…

 

They were common in Indiana where I was in high school at the time. 

13 hours ago, balthazar said:

From an era where so much greatness was created!

 

1 of the 547 built '87 Buick GNX's just sold for $205,000.  Kicker is, that's actually the second-highest price paid for one.

In 1987, only the Porsche 911 Turbo could barely squeeze past a GNX in a 0-60 run, by 1/10th of a second.

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/rare-1987-buick-gnx-muscle-car-sold-for-205000 

 

Badass looking car. 

[A Horse With No Name]

41 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

You didn’t fix anything. Common sense would tell you that by “performance auto”, he was referring to sedans. Name the sedans (in the same class and provide range as the GNX) from the companies HE mentioned that were so much better overall that it diminishes what he was saying about the GNX. I know you have lofty standards and love to point that out but it is ridiculous to take something he said (as a generalization) and just post some instant defensiveness that has nothing to do with anything.

It's a badass car and I respect you and YKX both. Could we please just groove on cool cars, and not worry about semantics?

Personally, kind of out of love with a lot of 80's cars...but still have a soft spot for the GNX or the 442 of the era, Monte SS, etc. 

It becomes a little bit like guys bitching about small differences in speakers in the audio world or small differences in handling in the motorcycle world. Buy/Ride/Drive/listen to what you like...

Good vibes to you in North Carolina and YKX in Jersey. 

 

Regards,

 

Horse. 

36 minutes ago, ykX said:

@surreal1272  whatever.  Now you make up things because "they make common sense"

I put a quote from Car and Driver magazine regarding the car, you don't like it - move along.  It was one of the greatest sedans of the period, it was the fastest in the straight line, but it was one trick pony.  Saying that it was the greatest car of the eighties is exaggeration, simple as that.   

Greatest car of the eighties can be defined in an infinite number of ways. One could argue for isntance the Chryco Minivans were the greatest because of what a game changer they were. "Greatest car of the eighties" is sort of like "greatest rock and roll drummer" or "greatest flavor of ice cream"

Although I will buy Jennie's ice cream for you or surreal if you are ever in Columbus. 

Chris

Ohhh...and good vibes to our Brother from Montreal. As soon as us crazy Americans can cross the border, want to come up and visit, maybe this fall. 

[surreal1272]

11 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

It's a badass car and I respect you and YKX both. Could we please just groove on cool cars, and not worry about semantics?

You are correct and my response was for that exact reason. The defensive BS and lofty standards of one person should not diminish what was said in admiration of a classic ride.

47 minutes ago, ykX said:

you don't like it - move along.

Seriously, follow your own advice. You're the one who had to $h! on David because he made a COMMON SENSE statement about a car that was (flaws and all) ahead of the curve back then. He also never said it was the greatest car of the 80s so that's you putting words into others mouths again. That, in and of itself, is an exaggeration. Again, follow your own advice and move on.

Edited May 18, 2021 by surreal1272

[A Horse With No Name]

3 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

You are correct and my response was for that exact reason. The defensive BS and lofty standards of one person should not diminish what was said in admiration of a classic ride.

Seriously, follow your own advice. You're the one who had to $h! on David because he made a COMMON SENSE statement about a car that was (flaws and all) ahead of the curve back then.

Grooving on cool cars...

I am to the age that when I look at her front and back, its a vintage car and not a woman. 

 

Always liked the 56 Nomad. 

[A Horse With No Name]

One more.....for TC Bob and R. Hall...70's love. 

 

A nasty old Buick for Drew and Balthazar, for those who like these old beasts...

Pontiac!

[surreal1272]

18 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Always liked the 56 Nomad.

Lotto winning/bucket list car. More style on that than should be allowed on a car,

[Robert Hall]

In another time and place, I coulda been a Buick man. Some beautiful beastly 70s Big Buicks..

 

..and some sweet '80s Buicks.

Edited May 18, 2021 by Robert Hall

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, ykX said:

@surreal1272  whatever.  Now you make up things because "they make common sense"

I put a quote from Car and Driver magazine regarding the car, you don't like it - move along.  It was one of the greatest sedans of the period, it was the fastest in the straight line, but it was one trick pony.  Saying that it was the greatest car of the eighties is exaggeration, simple as that.   

I DID NOT say Greatest car of the eighties, I said

QUOTE:

Handling is a personal preference, Interior is a personal preference, some loved the Lazy Boy recliner approach, others preferred the racer approach and even more liked a compromise between the two.

Yet there was also nothing stopping people from adding on GM performance parts to the suspension to give it the road carving capability with the straight line performance. All of which people do with both Asian and European auto's.

Still for the 80's, the GNX was a TOP PERFORMANCE SEDAN!!!

I find nothing that could compete with it from any of the other brands at the time and we all know this.

[G. David Felt]

@Robert Hall Even ARNOLD knew the Buick was the ride to be in for 1986 Raw Deal

[Robert Hall]

8 minutes ago, David said:

 

Still for the 80's, the GNX was a TOP PERFORMANCE SEDAN!!!

I find nothing that could compete with it from any of the other brands at the time and we all know this.

Don't think I'd classify the Grand National or GNX as a 'performance sedan'...more of a performance coupe or muscle car.   Remember, the Regal it was based on was a personal luxury coupe.  Anyway, it was one of the fastest cars of the 80s and a unique last hurrah for RWD Buick performance cars..

[ykX]

15 minutes ago, David said:

GNX was a TOP PERFORMANCE SEDAN!!!

GNX was as much sedan as the Mustang or Camaro.  Yes, it was one of the fastest in the eighties in a straight line.

The 13 Quickest Cars of the 1980s (caranddriver.com)

It was maybe a great factory muscle car, but all they did is put a great engine in a very average car.  You can buy today for $30k base Mustang GT, put for under $10k supercharger and few minor thing and it will have over 800hp easily.  In a straight line it will be faster than Shelby GT350 and maybe even GT500 or many other factory cars. Does it make it a better or a great car?  Maybe great value for $$ per HP but I don't think it makes it a great car.

The only reason you guys are drooling over GNX because it was a "dream" car from your childhood.  Which is fine, a lot of "dream" cars from that period were not very good, including much more expensive cars than the Buick.

[G. David Felt]

5 minutes ago, ykX said:

GNX was as much sedan as the Mustang or Camaro.  Yes, it was one of the fastest in the eighties in a straight line.

The 13 Quickest Cars of the 1980s (caranddriver.com)

It was maybe a great factory muscle car, but all they did is put a great engine in a very average car.  You can buy today for $30k base Mustang GT, put for under $10k supercharger and few minor thing and it will have over 800hp easily.  In a straight line it will be faster than Shelby GT350 and maybe even GT500 or many other factory cars. Does it make it a better or a great car?  Maybe great value for $$ per HP but I don't think it makes it a great car.

The only reason you guys are drooling over GNX because it was a "dream" car from your childhood.  Which is fine, a lot of "dream" cars from that period were not very good, including much more expensive cars than the Buick.

 Not everyone has a dream car, more of it just hits the right look, feel, etc. Kinda like how my family and others I hear all the time talk about a favorite color, favorite actor, actress, concert, band, etc.

I honestly never have felt that way about anything, just love technology advances for the time period and how they intrigue me.

American Cars was the Monte Carlo SS Aero

Buick GNX

Nissan Skyline 33, 34

Suburban's

Trucks

Colors, I like them all, never had a favorite or a dream color.

Actors being the closest I could say I am a fan of is Arnold due to his body building as I was a 12yr old, 6ft tall mess when my dad took me to the gym and asked a coach how to get me coordinated.  As such, body building and power lifting became a big part of my life as did everything Arnold.

Actresses, never had a single favorite, can clearly point to a wide variety of lovely woman.

Asian woman I know I can point to two TV shows that got me hooked. 

Shogun (TV Mini-Series 1980) - IMDb

Tai-Pan (1986) - IMDb

Otherwise, no wet dream, dream auto, dream color, dream home, etc.

Multi-Cultural colors of the world are my thing!

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, ykX said:

GNX was as much sedan as the Mustang or Camaro.  Yes, it was one of the fastest in the eighties in a straight line.

The 13 Quickest Cars of the 1980s (caranddriver.com)

It was maybe a great factory muscle car, but all they did is put a great engine in a very average car.  You can buy today for $30k base Mustang GT, put for under $10k supercharger and few minor thing and it will have over 800hp easily.  In a straight line it will be faster than Shelby GT350 and maybe even GT500 or many other factory cars. Does it make it a better or a great car?  Maybe great value for $$ per HP but I don't think it makes it a great car.

The only reason you guys are drooling over GNX because it was a "dream" car from your childhood.  Which is fine, a lot of "dream" cars from that period were not very good, including much more expensive cars than the Buick.

Actually the dream cars from my childhood were the Lamborghini Countach and Porsche 959 but thanks again for assuming people’s intent here. Got any more?

Edited May 18, 2021 by surreal1272

[balthazar]

Actually... ? ?  the GNX, current Mustang and Camaro are all 2-door sedans because they have quarter windows.

The term 'coupe' is derived from 'close coupled', and in modern automobiles, that means no quarter glass. 2013 Corvette is an example. so was the Viper. Not many cars fit the technical definition.

I know- it reads as crazy to the casual observer, but it's rooted in automotive architecture / construction.

Layfolk call anything with 2-doors a 'coupe' and anything with 4 a 'sedan'.

[Robert Hall]

Pedantic much?  I wouldn't consider any of those sedans as they have frameless door glass.   Now an '80s Mustang LX notchback, that was a 2dr sedan as it did have upper door frames and a fixed b-pillar. 

[balthazar]

Some people appreciate learning new nuances about a subject they enjoy.

You know; like about an '80-81 Pontiac Rallye IV rim. ?
 

[oldshurst442]

7 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Ohhh...and good vibes to our Brother from Montreal. As soon as us crazy Americans can cross the border, want to come up and visit, maybe this fall. 

 

 

As long as you show up with something like that, we (I) accept.  

 

 

[oldshurst442]

21 hours ago, David said:

Where is the Asian performance auto's at this time of the GNX? 

Where is Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi or VW?

Who says Americans cannot build top performance sedans?

?

 

I aint sayin' nuttin'.  Just answerin' dah queshion.  Aight?

 

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15141447/mercedes-benz-amg-hammer-archived-test-review/

 

PRICE AS TESTED: 
$137,000 (base $125,000)

ENGINE TYPE 
DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads
Displacement: 338 cu in, 5547 cc
Power: 355 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 388 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 4-speed automatic

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 110.2 in
Length: 186.6 in
Width: 68.5 in 
Height: 54.1 in
Curb weight: 3636 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS
Zero to 60 mph: 5.0 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 12.0 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 22.8 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 2.8 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 3.1 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.5 sec @ 107 mph
Top speed: 178 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 165 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.85 g

FUEL ECONOMY
C/D observed: 15 mpg

 

 

 

 

A good ole fashioned muscle car.  But with a naturally aspirated V8. Unlike the GNX...  

 

(so I guess, the way I worded that last part, I AM sayin' sumtin'...) 

 

 

[balthazar]

^ Interesting that 1 turbo replaced 3 camshafts, 2 cylinders and 110 CI - (every GNX was dyno-tested at ASC and averaged 350 HP.). 

Tho it's numbers are respectable (if slower), the MB is a bland, dumpy 4-door.

[surreal1272]

25 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

PRICE AS TESTED: 
$137,000 (base $125,000)

 

And for only 4 times the cost while still being slower. There was also never more than 30 of those because they were essentially one off conversions by AMG, and at a time when AMG was not fully under the Mercedes umbrella (ownership wise) so they are basically just another tuner company like Callaway and Hennessy. At least the Buick was all GM and all stock with no tuner help. Mercedes didn't have a real interest in hi-po sedans at that time anyway, which is why it took AMG to juice up that E-300.

[oldshurst442]

Dont forget an insanely expensive, bland and dumpy 4-door...  100 000 dollars IN the mid-1980s

 

I just felt left out of the slugfest that I too, wanted to fight for something, so I took a shot against the GNX.  But in reality, I LOVE the GNX.  I only merely like the AMG Hammer.  

Id take the GNX hands DOWN, all day, every day, and every night over the Hammer.  But I DO like LOVE that the Hammer has a big (for mid 1980s) V8 under the hood. 

EDIT:  I wanted to address this to @balthazar, but @surreal1272 didnt waste any time to...address that little thing called price.   

I was answering a call that @David was phoning in.    

He called, I answered. I hung up. 

OK...I may have slightly hinted that maybe a turbo, dinky V6 might not BE a N/A V8...but

hey!!!

1987 Olds442 

307 CI V8 

Deal with it!!!

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by oldshurst442

[oldshurst442]

You know what?

BMW M3s and M5s of the 1980s could kiss my a$$!!!

 

As much as I LOVE that GNX, and I wished the Olds Cutlass (HURST or 442) could have had something similar in performance, I soooooo want then and now, that dinky turbo-ed V6 in the 1989 Trans Am

 

And this one actually handled the so-called twisties....    FROM the factory!   

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

There was also never more than 30 of those because they were essentially one off conversions by AMG, and at a time when AMG was not fully under the Mercedes umbrella (ownership wise) so they are basically just another tuner company like Callaway and Hennessy. At least the Buick was all GM and all stock with no tuner help.

Hmmm, GN was all Buick, but ASC/McLaren Performance were involved with upgrading the GN into the GNX.
That's how they were all dyno'd; that didn't happen at Flint Assembly.

[G. David Felt]

@oldshurst442

Pure Sex in a Sedan for that 442! ?