Random Thoughts Thread

[A Horse With No Name]

56 Olds Golden Rocket...love this...

For Drew who is not here....at least not very often...

 

S1 Duplex...

Model...

 

 

For those of you who like Disco Era cars....a little added flash...

 

Love the Nomad most of all....that and the green Mustang. 

[trinacriabob]

We seem to like license plates and license plate frames here.  I was looking for the California symbols that you can put on plates and found this first. 

So here is the CA specialty plate with 4 symbols you can put in, shown at the bottom right hand.

I've already mentioned "(HAND) NOW GFY" a while back and I guess C&Gers didn't find that funny.

I still laugh about visiting a college friend in SoCal in 2008, having coffee, checking out the DMV site and entering different license plates, and seeing that "BREAD 8" came up as "not available."  We almost spit out our coffee.

But, if someone lived in CA and loved C&G, they could get "WE (HEART) CARS."  If it's not already spoken for.  Score!

[Robert Hall]

Speaking of California plates and plate frames, I could get an 'Orange Coast Costa Mesa' dealer frame for my Jeep, as that is where it was originally sold.   I've seen a few neat old ones from that dealer, chrome w/ raised letters and not the usual plastic. 

[G. David Felt]

@trinacriabob Gotta ask, guess my head is not where it needs to be to understand this but what does BREAD 8 Mean?

[Robert Hall]

7 minutes ago, David said:

@trinacriabob Gotta ask, guess my head is not where it needs to be to understand this but what does BREAD 8 Mean?

Must be some local cultural reference....8 BREAD would vaguely make sense, as in 'I ate a sandwich' or 'I ate toast'.  

[balthazar]

^ Spanish : bread= 'pan', 8= 'ocho' :: 'panocho' . slang for a woman's junk.

[balthazar]

I'm as degenerate as the next guy, but I never understood this sort of thing.
The 'being clever' part and the 'getting it past the Man' part is cool, but the ultimate statement is 'p*ssy!', and much like those 'truck nuts', I just don't get what they're really trying to say. It's like standing around at a party, drinking some beers, then blurting out 'p*ssy!' and laughing uproariously... except the license plate is you saying it CONTINUOUSLY. 

Perhaps it's just a notch or 2 too adolescent for me. :shrug:

[Robert Hall]

I've never gone for a personalized plate because people remember them...better to keep a low profile with an anonymous number.   Though I still have thought 'NO CUBE' would be a cool plate... 

[balthazar]

I'd like 'DEATH' for the '59- nothing low profile there, car-wise.
No doubt it's not permissible.

[Robert Hall]

24 minutes ago, balthazar said:

I'd like 'DEATH' for the '59- nothing low profile there, car-wise.
No doubt it's not permissible.

Or 'DETH' like Jack Deth in 'Trancers'... 

 

As far as adolescent license plates, 'DEF0K8R' would be cool to have....(defecator--as in 'the one who poos').   Always thought 'Defecator' would have been a cool muscle car name, like Eliminator. 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Robert Hall

[oldshurst442]

 

Im like you Balthy, Im a degenerate (or used to be) too.  But like even in your example of someone at a party just blurting out p*ssy and laughing just seems...stupid.

Sticking it to "the man" is what we all should strive for.

"The man" could include many entities. Guvment. Big corporate bullies. Religion.   Hell, even law and order sometimes because even law and order  needs chaos to re-stabilize itself again to reset the boundaries. 

I think Bread 8 on a license plate and similar verbiage  is a way to say FU to the Guvment for free speech and stuff  like how George Carlin's 7 words comedy bit defined the stupidity of 'bad' language.  

 

 

 

But at the same time, we DO have to have some sort of decent decorum when in public.  That also includes radio, TV and theatre (movies) and our media in general. 

I dont like personalized license plates either. For the same reasons Robert mentioned.  Plus others. 

On a daily driver, appliance vehicle, I see no reason to personalize ANY part of the car.  On a toy vehicle, yeah, Id like a vanity name.  "Stranger" would be my personal license plate on my 1970 Olds or 1973 Trans Am.  

Its my last name in English. 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by oldshurst442

[G. David Felt]

@Robert Hall I only once considered a personal license plate. This was in College when I also was part of the PBA (professional Bowlers Association) and bowled to help pay my way through college. Thought XXX on a license plate would be cool and then it dawned on me that no one would get it in reference to Bowling, just Porn.  

Agree, with @Robert Hall and @oldshurst442 I like a clean auto and that includes no bumper stickers or any other type of marking except the OEMs badge. I also as I have on all my auto's darkened windows as I do not like people seeing inside my auto.

[trinacriabob]

@balthazar  Thank you for sharing.  I mean it.  So I didn't have to.  I assumed everyone was in on the joke.

The friend I had a good laugh with about this plate option was Mexican-American and went to college with me.

I believe they actually released that plate "into the wild," and, then, when the DMV got more sophisticated or was apprised, they pulled it back in.  I don't know if that's urban legend - L.A. style.  Either way, that plate, in which the words translated into Spanish approximate biology, is definitely "not available."

Edited August 5, 2021 by trinacriabob

[Robert Hall]

Despite 4 years of Spanish between high school and college, I don’t know much Spanish-language slang.  I did learn ‘pendejo’ and uses of ‘chingas’ from Cuban friends in high school, though.  

[trinacriabob]

46 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Despite 4 years of Spanish between high school and college, I don’t know much Spanish-language slang.  I did learn ‘pendejo’ and uses of ‘chingas’ from Cuban friends in high school, though.  

I knew a fair number of Cubans in grade school, high school, and college.  They all had a great sense of humor.

A "pendejo" is basically a jerk, but it literally means a "dingleberry."  "Chinga," usually said in the reflexive form as "chingate," means GFY.  I took 3 years of French in high school and a year of Spanish in college.  It's almost easier to retain Spanish if living in the Sunbelt, even if you've taken less of it.

[G. David Felt]

6 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Despite 4 years of Spanish between high school and college, I don’t know much Spanish-language slang.  I did learn ‘pendejo’ and uses of ‘chingas’ from Cuban friends in high school, though.  

Sorry no Spanish or Cuban. 7 1/2 years of Japanese with 3 1/2 years of it being while I lived in Japan going to Kobe University. This king of slang is funny now that I understand it, but wow, to just read it or hear it would not make any sense at all.

Kinda like saying GoChu which is Korean for little pepper or is slang for little penis in Korean. Learned slang from my wife.  

[trinacriabob]

This seems to be so common.  Even if we have foreign friends teach us 20 words of their language, over half of them will be questionable in nature.

I had a good Middle Eastern friend who was Catholic and she taught me a good number of Arabic words, including funny ones and off-color ones.  "Majnoon" is their word for crazy.  "Sbaleh bedah" translates into white trash. The others are more graphic.

This friend attained her degree here in the U.S. with over a 3.7 GPA, so she's smart.  But it's funny how she still sometimes omitted articles when she speaks, which is how I think Arabic must be constructed.  She had bought a house for a good price in the late '90s and it even has a pool, although it needed maintenance because it was neglected and full of algae.  She said, "I bought house with green pool."

[A Horse With No Name]

[G. David Felt]

Breaking news, Seems with the chip shortage, Ford is allowing people to delete the Auto Start-Stop feature so they can get their trucks sooner. 

2021 Ford F-150 Can Be Built Without Start-Stop Under New Plan (fordauthority.com)

F-150 Buyers Can Remove Start-Stop To Get Trucks Sooner - CarsDirect

New Ford F-150s to be offered without start-stop feature to conserve chips - Page 1 - AR15.COM

Seems trucks with reduced electronic tech is becoming a more common feature now that the plan is to allow the option to be removed.

GM is also removing the Auto Start-Stop for the rest of the calendar year from their trucks and SUVs/CUVs to continue production as it helps reduce chip use and continues to get out built auto's.

GM to build some pickups, SUVs without start-stop feature | Automotive News (autonews.com)

GM Building Some Pickups And SUVs Without Start-Stop As Chip Shortage Continues | Carscoops

GM removes start/stop from full-size trucks and SUVs with V8 engines (autoblog.com)

[balthazar]

GM has already been deleting AS/S- the Yukon pic I posted last week had it on the window sticker.

[regfootball]

On 7/21/2021 at 8:32 PM, David said:

Have to say the Jeep Wagoner is looking Awesome! 

https://www.jeep.com/wagoneer.html

love all the screens.....even one available on the passenger side.

[regfootball]

been having fun configuring a Ford Maverick on ford vehicles.com

A base Maverick with copilot and sunroof, front drive hybrid.  23-ish k.  You can get a sunroof on the base vehicle!  The 2.0 turbo would be awesome though, too.

I am not a pickup fan but the Maverick could get me into one and bring me back to Ford.  Not just yet, ... wish I could just buy one to have an extra vehicle...... really just for picking up light duty things at the home store.  And with the hybrid I would get mpg far exceeding what my cracker box Cobalt ever got.  It redefines a 'basic economy car'.

I have to tip my hat to Ford.  They have done genius things by assigning the Mustang name to a BEV crossover.  Brining back the Bronco brought back some buzz for them.  and they basically took and launched other new vehicles off the milquetoast new Escape,...the Bronco Sport (otherwise known as the 2021 2000 escape) and now Maverick.  They are leveraging that platform with many distinct vehicles.  They will sell millions of vehicles off that platform.

I think the Maverick will catch on and be a huge hit.

Wish Mary and GM had a clue.  IS GM doing anything to generate any excitement?  GM is a dead company to me.  Apart from the Corvette.......and the Suburban / Tahoe..... and pickups.

Edited August 7, 2021 by regfootball

[daves87rs]

On 8/5/2021 at 11:43 AM, A Horse With No Name said:

56 Olds Golden Rocket...love this...

For Drew who is not here....at least not very often...

 

S1 Duplex...

Model...

 

 

For those of you who like Disco Era cars....a little added flash...

 

Love the Nomad most of all....that and the green Mustang. 

Love the nomad!

[riviera74]

On 8/7/2021 at 6:06 PM, regfootball said:

Wish Mary and GM had a clue.  IS GM doing anything to generate any excitement?  GM is a dead company to me.  Apart from the Corvette.......and the Suburban / Tahoe..... and pickups.

Mary Barra is doing what shareholders want, not car enthusiasts.  GM needs cars that will drive traffic into showrooms right now.  Looks like Ford is at least two years ahead of GM at the moment.

[balthazar]

[A Horse With No Name]

1 minute ago, balthazar said:

Looks like the rolling junkyards of Ohio....Not just PA with vehicles like this. 

3 minutes and kind of cool...

 

I think the narrative with electric vehicles is changing. Some real rural blue collar types I know are really excited about the  Ford Lightning and Rivian trucks. 

[ccap41]

On 8/7/2021 at 5:06 PM, regfootball said:

been having fun configuring a Ford Maverick on ford vehicles.com

A base Maverick with copilot and sunroof, front drive hybrid.  23-ish k.  You can get a sunroof on the base vehicle!  The 2.0 turbo would be awesome though, too.

I am not a pickup fan but the Maverick could get me into one and bring me back to Ford.  Not just yet, ... wish I could just buy one to have an extra vehicle...... really just for picking up light duty things at the home store.  And with the hybrid I would get mpg far exceeding what my cracker box Cobalt ever got.  It redefines a 'basic economy car'.

I have to tip my hat to Ford.  They have done genius things by assigning the Mustang name to a BEV crossover.  Brining back the Bronco brought back some buzz for them.  and they basically took and launched other new vehicles off the milquetoast new Escape,...the Bronco Sport (otherwise known as the 2021 2000 escape) and now Maverick.  They are leveraging that platform with many distinct vehicles.  They will sell millions of vehicles off that platform.

I think the Maverick will catch on and be a huge hit.

Wish Mary and GM had a clue.  IS GM doing anything to generate any excitement?  GM is a dead company to me.  Apart from the Corvette.......and the Suburban / Tahoe..... and pickups.

I just REALLY wish the hybrid would be optional with AWD. That's really the only thing I don't like about the vehicle, otherwise i could see myself in one as well. 

[A Horse With No Name]

23 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I just REALLY wish the hybrid would be optional with AWD. That's really the only thing I don't like about the vehicle, otherwise i could see myself in one as well. 

They hit an out of the park home run with it....

[G. David Felt]

24 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I just REALLY wish the hybrid would be optional with AWD. That's really the only thing I don't like about the vehicle, otherwise i could see myself in one as well. 

Totally agree that it sucks you can get a fully loaded Maverick Hybrid but it is FWD only and if you want AWD, you have to go backwards to ICE only. Really sucks as I think they could sell a ton of AWD Hybrids especially in the Lariat version.

3 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

They hit an out of the park home run with it....

Sorry Chris, have to agree to disagree my friend. I think this is a solid 3 base hit. Home Run would be Hybrid with AWD and the Trailering package.

[G. David Felt]

Very cool tech in regards to new trailers that assist with going the distant for BEVs.

Towing with an EV: Are electric trailers the future? (greencarreports.com)

Exciting to see that attitudes are changing in regards to BEV ownership as sales have still gone up even with chip shortages.

US EV sales have been record-breaking so far in 2021, despite supply chain issues (greencarreports.com)

Interesting is that what is driving this is not Tesla, but the Ford Mach-e, VW ID.4, and Chevrolet Bolt EUV.

[G. David Felt]

@A Horse With No Name @ccap41 Seems the first pictures of Ranger Hybrids in what is being an assumed FX4 off road package due to hiding of the suspension was caught in Southern European Hot weather testing. Ford has clearly stated they will take their product line Hybrid and then pure EV to meet the stringent European emission requirements and so makes sense they would be testing a Hybrid first in Europe. I suspect it will come out here shortly after going on sale in Europe as I bet a high mileage Ranger especially if it can be had in 4x4/AWD form will be desirable.

2023 Ford Ranger PHEV Prototypes Spied Touring Southern Europe (motor1.com)

Seems Old is New with a 21st century twist. Harley Davidson has brought back the bikes of the 70's but with electric assist propulsion.

Harley-Davidson is now building incredible looking custom electric bicycles (electrek.co)

[balthazar]

15 minutes ago, David said:

in regards to BEV ownership as sales have still gone up even with chip shortages.

They were all the way up to 2.0% market share in Q2 2021. 
Demand is EXPLODING! ?
 

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, balthazar said:

They were all the way up to 2.0% market share in Q2 2021. 
Demand is EXPLODING! ?
 

Change is slow but sure. Maverick, lots of other vehicles now offered in Hybrid. Amazon is buying vans of Rivian. Lots of new offerings. Change is coming...slowly.

My son hiking in the PNW.

More hiking pics from my son Daniel...

 

[A Horse With No Name]

4 hours ago, David said:

Totally agree that it sucks you can get a fully loaded Maverick Hybrid but it is FWD only and if you want AWD, you have to go backwards to ICE only. Really sucks as I think they could sell a ton of AWD Hybrids especially in the Lariat version.

Sorry Chris, have to agree to disagree my friend. I think this is a solid 3 base hit. Home Run would be Hybrid with AWD and the Trailering package.

I think if Demand is there Hybrid will spread to other trims. look at how Toyota can't keep RAV 4 Hybrid in stock. 

[A Horse With No Name]

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

4 hours ago, balthazar said:

 

Change is slow but sure. Maverick, lots of other vehicles now offered in Hybrid

If we’re including hybrids (which of course are also IC), didn’t hybrids come out like almost a quarter century ago? 

[ccap41]

Why type out "quarter century" instead of "25"? 

Also, who says something came out "almost a quarter century ago"? ?

[G. David Felt]

This is WAY TOO FUNNY! 

Small Block Chevy Station Wagon versus top of the line DOHC McLaren 765LT and some gets stomped pretty bad!

 

[G. David Felt]

Probably the only Lambo that I ever really liked, the Countach. It turned 50 years old this year and now according to a story in The Truth About Cars, seems it will come back for a modern limited run but as a 21st Century modern take on the Countach.

Lamborghini Media Center : Lamborghini Countach LP 500 turns 50 years old on March 11, 2021

Lamborghini Countach Returning for Limited Run - The Truth About Cars

[balthazar]

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

Why type out "quarter century" instead of "25"? 

Also, who says something came out "almost a quarter century ago"? ?

Well, you know; for effect!

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, David said:

It turned 50 years old this year

That’s half a century!! ?

Edited August 10, 2021 by balthazar

[regfootball]

9 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Looks like the rolling junkyards of Ohio....Not just PA with vehicles like this. 

3 minutes and kind of cool...

 

I think the narrative with electric vehicles is changing. Some real rural blue collar types I know are really excited about the  Ford Lightning and Rivian trucks. 

Sure, if they can continue to write off trucks easily for those tax breaks like for farming I imagine they don't on some level care.

[riviera74]

5 minutes ago, regfootball said:

Sure, if they can continue to write off trucks easily for those tax breaks like for farming I imagine they don't on some level care.

And as long as farmers and contractors do that, GM does not care to compete in any market. That is truly SAD.

Too bad all the decent business leaders look up to FaceBook and Google, rather than take on the challenge of fixing an old industrial stalwart and making GM actually great again.

[balthazar]

1 hour ago, riviera74 said:

GM does not care to compete in any market

I really don't think that's a defensible statement.

[A Horse With No Name]

15 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Why type out "quarter century" instead of "25"? 

Also, who says something came out "almost a quarter century ago"? ?

Someone that came out several centures ago. The folks in Harry Potter that are well near immortal have nothing on our own Baltazar. 

9 hours ago, balthazar said:

I really don't think that's a defensible statement.

He is expressing emotional frustration rather than fact. You both are correct....he has every right to be frustrated, but the Camaro, Corvette, Cadillac products, Trucks, show real effort on GM's part. 

 

Neat plastic model....love the photography. 

[surreal1272]

A nice writeup on the new CT5-V Blackwing. I still prefer the profile of the previous gen CTS but the bones and powertrain on this thing cannot be denied AND it comes standard with a manual and is the lightest to boot!. None of the German competition can currently make that claim.

 

https://autos.yahoo.com/2022-cadillac-ct5-v-blackwing-130000292.html

[A Horse With No Name]

32 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

A nice writeup on the new CT5-V Blackwing. I still prefer the profile of the previous gen CTS but the bones and powertrain on this thing cannot be denied AND it comes standard with a manual and is the lightest to boot!. None of the German competition can currently make that claim.

 

https://autos.yahoo.com/2022-cadillac-ct5-v-blackwing-130000292.html

The looks have really grown on me. Were I to be in the market for a Luxury sedan, this would be on my short list for sure. 

Hummer tearing it up, neat video. 

 

Actual sign in NYC, the country is nuts...