Random Thoughts Thread

[Robert Hall]

Just now, trinacriabob said:

 

I vaguely remember a Ford 255 V8.  It was only around in 1980 and 1981, upon looking it up.  It was a 4.2 L. 

It would have probably worked well with the last rehash of the retro Thunderbird.

IIRC, my Mom's '81 Thunderbird had the 4.2L.  She didn't like that car...it had replaced a '77 Thunderbird.  The '81 was replaced by an '83 Thunderbird w/ the 5.0. 

[riviera74]

29 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

IIRC, my Mom's '81 Thunderbird had the 4.2L.  She didn't like that car...it had replaced a '77 Thunderbird.  The '81 was replaced by an '83 Thunderbird w/ the 5.0. 

Seems like everybody liked the Ford 5.0 v8.  That engine lasted in Mustangs for a really long time, at least until the late '90s.

[Robert Hall]

19 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Seems like everybody liked the Ford 5.0 v8.  That engine lasted in Mustangs for a really long time, at least until the late '90s.

Yep, in my family we’ve had at least 10 cars and SUVs with the 5.0, including my ‘87 Mustang GT.  My Dad had 3 5.0 Town Cars, my Mom 3 Thunderbirds and a Mustang, my brother 3 Mustangs and an Explorer, my sister an Explorer.  

And a couple older 5.0s--a '68 Cougar and a '68 Fairlane.  

Edited September 7, 2021 by Robert Hall

[ccap41]

18 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Seems like everybody liked the Ford 5.0 v8.  That engine lasted in Mustangs for a really long time, at least until the late '90s.

1995 in the Mustang. The 1996-97 Mustangs, of that generation, got the 4.6. 

Edited September 7, 2021 by ccap41

[trinacriabob]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

1995 in the Mustang. The 1996-97 Mustangs, of that generation, got the 4.6. 

Had the opportunity to drive a rented (big) Thunderbird with a 4.6 L V8 up to Vancouver, Canada and back down across the border.  I was surprised how much I liked it.  That, too, turned out to be a workhorse for FoMoCo.

[A Horse With No Name]

19 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

That's what I figured.

Olds:  4.3 (260)

Chevy:  4.3 (262), 4.4 (267), and, much later, 4.3 (263, I think) ... it would be interesting to see how bore and stroke differed, telling you if/which larger displacement small block they were derived from

Pontiac: 4.3 (265)

- - - - -

I vaguely remember a Ford 255 V8.  It was only around in 1980 and 1981, upon looking it up.  It was a 4.2 L. 

It would have probably worked well with the last rehash of the retro Thunderbird.

Or just dump in a Coyote V8 from a Shelby Mustang into that retro Thunderbird...that's what I'm thinbking would be hot!

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

20 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

IIRC, my Mom's '81 Thunderbird had the 4.2L.  She didn't like that car...it had replaced a '77 Thunderbird.  The '81 was replaced by an '83 Thunderbird w/ the 5.0. 

I loved seeing those on the NASCAR ciurcuit. 

16 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Had the opportunity to drive a rented (big) Thunderbird with a 4.6 L V8 up to Vancouver, Canada and back down across the border.  I was surprised how much I liked it.  That, too, turned out to be a workhorse for FoMoCo.

Fantastic motors. They had trouble killing them sometimes with cash for clunkers. 

Happier times at FOMOCO.

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

This is amazing

 

 

[riviera74]

5 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Imagine an upgraded Amtrak (or any train-type public transportation) doing just that in the United States.

[G. David Felt]

2 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Imagine an upgraded Amtrak (or any train-type public transportation) doing just that in the United States.

The public Lite Rail that is being installed from north to south of Seattle is all powered by Hydro Electricity.

[ccap41]

5 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

http://energyfairness.org/dutch-trains-really-running-completely-renewable-power/

Are Dutch Trains Really Running Completely on Renewable Power?

"... What’s the trick? A little more than a tenth of all electricity consumed in the Netherlands comes from wind power, some of which is imported. But none of this wind power is directly connected to the NS rail system. Even the two Dutch wind farms with which NS contracts directly for wind power, Noordoostpolder and Luchterduinen, are tied generally to the Dutch grid and not tied directly into the NS rail system.

Plus, it turns out that about half the electricity NS uses to power its rail system comes from outside of the Netherlands. Some of the nations that supply power to NS such as Germany, Belgium, and Finland, do generate wind power, but only in modest amounts. That means electrons traveling across international borders to help power the NS railway system come in some amount from wind power, but in much larger amounts from non-wind sources.

“Putting these numbers together indicates that only 10-15% of the electricity consumed annually by NS’s electric trains will come from wind, with the rest a mixture that includes mostly Dutch gas and coal plus a small amount of Belgian and German coal, nuclear and lignite – and maybe even a little German solar,” Andrews explains.

When challenged on its claim, NS clarified that only the electrified portion of its system runs completely on wind power. This is about two-thirds of the system. But of course even two-thirds of the NS system doesn’t run “completely” on wind power. The electrons that run the electrified portion of the NS system come from many sources, including wind, but also from coal, natural gas, and nuclear. The truth is that it’s impossible to determine the source of electrons actually moving NS trains down the track. What is clear is that most of those electrons didn’t originate from wind turbines.

There are many reasons, of course, why NS would claim its trains run completely on wind power and even more reasons why many would celebrate this apparently breakthrough. Headlines like this make people feel good. It feels to many like progress. But let’s be real. The evidence speaks for itself. Claims that Dutch trains running entirely on wind power are way off track."

 

[trinacriabob]

2 hours ago, David said:

The public Lite Rail that is being installed from north to south of Seattle is all powered by Hydro Electricity.

I think it will be grand when it crosses Lake Washington and connects the east side to the city proper.  I know that's coming and I can't wait to ride on it when it does.  

I still need to drive across the new 520 bridge!

It's all on my bucket list.

[trinacriabob]

8 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Fantastic motors. They had trouble killing them sometimes with cash for clunkers. 

Happier times at FOMOCO.

And, being the "late adopter" that I am, I wondered how the new cast iron block / aluminum head / SOHC of the 4.6 L V8 would teeth for FoMoCo.  It fared well.  And so did the Chevy 3.5 and 3.9 V6 with newly added VVT that was inserted into Monte Carlos and Impalas in the mid 2000s. 

With basic engines that were meant to be good (some Chevy small blocks in the late '70s with premature cam wear, Buick 252 V6s born of the 231 V6 that had their issues, some Iron Duke 4s that lost a tooth or a cog in their timing chains, etc.) and still gave problems, a prospective buyer gets a little wary of auto engine technology that hasn't been on the road for a few years.

[oldshurst442]

Finally officially in!

 

 

 

[G. David Felt]

6 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

I think it will be grand when it crosses Lake Washington and connects the east side to the city proper.  I know that's coming and I can't wait to ride on it when it does.  

I still need to drive across the new 520 bridge!

It's all on my bucket list.

I had to laugh as I just recently, last weekend drove across the 520 for once and through the new tunnel under Seattle. Fast, better than the old way, but still crazy expensive. LOL

It is very weird to think about how long both have been operational and still people have not used them.

[oldshurst442]

De-chroming Cadillacs should be punishable by death.

 

[G. David Felt]

@oldshurst442 I actually wish Cadillac would offer a Black chrome package on all their auto's for those of us that do not want or like the regular chrome.

To me this still says Luxury along with Darth Vader your ride has arrived!

Course they do have their midnight edition option but only available in Black and I honestly think Black Chrome can go on other colors too.

I do like the Dark Emerald Frost on the CT5-V Blackwing edition.

I love the Evergreen Metallic on the CT5-V edition.

Weird that they do not allow you to choose black rims to compliment the CT5-V when you build it.

I really wish they had the Evergreen Metallic on the Escalade. Current color pallet sucks.  

I am very interested to see what colors they offer for the Lyriq premier when it shows and allows you to build one in 9 days.

[G. David Felt]

WOW, This is ONE UGLY CUV from Mercedes. The EQB will have 260 miles of battery per Europe test cycle so about 232 for the US maybe. Multiple sites say you take the European WLTP and divide their range number by 1.12 to equal EPA range.

Mercedes EQB electric SUV: Specs and features confirmed for 2022 US arrival (greencarreports.com)

The EQB will be offered in the U.S. in EQB 300 4Matic and EQB 350 4Matic versions—both in a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive layout. EQB 300 models will deliver 225 horsepower and 288 lb-ft of torque, while EQB 350 versions will be quicker due to their higher ratings of 288 hp and 384 lb-ft.

Interior is nice, but the exterior is just so dated already.  

[balthazar]

^ Looks like an older honda.

[Robert Hall]

^ looks like a BEV version of the current GLB. 

[A Horse With No Name]

14 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

And, being the "late adopter" that I am, I wondered how the new cast iron block / aluminum head / SOHC of the 4.6 L V8 would teeth for FoMoCo.  It fared well.  And so did the Chevy 3.5 and 3.9 V6 with newly added VVT that was inserted into Monte Carlos and Impalas in the mid 2000s. 

With basic engines that were meant to be good (some Chevy small blocks in the late '70s with premature cam wear, Buick 252 V6s born of the 231 V6 that had their issues, some Iron Duke 4s that lost a tooth or a cog in their timing chains, etc.) and still gave problems, a prospective buyer gets a little wary of auto engine technology that hasn't been on the road for a few years.

Knock on wood the ecoboost 4 in my Ranger is doing fantastic. Neighbors Ecoboost V6 is like 180,000 trouble free miles in his F150, its a 2011 or 2012, so about ten years old. 

technology can be good when it is sorted and vetted. 

That being said, 3800 V6 is one of the best motors GM ever came out with...

A thing of beauty...

28 minutes ago, balthazar said:

^ Looks like an older honda.

Looks like what passed thorugh my intestines and colon after I ate some not so good mexican food. 

7 hours ago, David said:

@oldshurst442 I actually wish Cadillac would offer a Black chrome package on all their auto's for those of us that do not want or like the regular chrome.

To me this still says Luxury along with Darth Vader your ride has arrived!

Course they do have their midnight edition option but only available in Black and I honestly think Black Chrome can go on other colors too.

I do like the Dark Emerald Frost on the CT5-V Blackwing edition.

I love the Evergreen Metallic on the CT5-V edition.

Weird that they do not allow you to choose black rims to compliment the CT5-V when you build it.

I really wish they had the Evergreen Metallic on the Escalade. Current color pallet sucks.  

I am very interested to see what colors they offer for the Lyriq premier when it shows and allows you to build one in 9 days.

The CT5 has really grown on me, especially in that color, that looks fantastic. 

7 hours ago, David said:

WOW, This is ONE UGLY CUV from Mercedes. The EQB will have 260 miles of battery per Europe test cycle so about 232 for the US maybe. Multiple sites say you take the European WLTP and divide their range number by 1.12 to equal EPA range.

Mercedes EQB electric SUV: Specs and features confirmed for 2022 US arrival (greencarreports.com)

The EQB will be offered in the U.S. in EQB 300 4Matic and EQB 350 4Matic versions—both in a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive layout. EQB 300 models will deliver 225 horsepower and 288 lb-ft of torque, while EQB 350 versions will be quicker due to their higher ratings of 288 hp and 384 lb-ft.

Interior is nice, but the exterior is just so dated already.  

Stuff like this is why I buy woodworking tools and audio equipment rather than emotionally or financially investing in a lot of modern cars.

14 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

I think it will be grand when it crosses Lake Washington and connects the east side to the city proper.  I know that's coming and I can't wait to ride on it when it does.  

I still need to drive across the new 520 bridge!

It's all on my bucket list.

We ought to road trip together some time. I think it would be a blast!

 

[A Horse With No Name]

17 hours ago, ccap41 said:

http://energyfairness.org/dutch-trains-really-running-completely-renewable-power/

Are Dutch Trains Really Running Completely on Renewable Power?

"... What’s the trick? A little more than a tenth of all electricity consumed in the Netherlands comes from wind power, some of which is imported. But none of this wind power is directly connected to the NS rail system. Even the two Dutch wind farms with which NS contracts directly for wind power, Noordoostpolder and Luchterduinen, are tied generally to the Dutch grid and not tied directly into the NS rail system.

Plus, it turns out that about half the electricity NS uses to power its rail system comes from outside of the Netherlands. Some of the nations that supply power to NS such as Germany, Belgium, and Finland, do generate wind power, but only in modest amounts. That means electrons traveling across international borders to help power the NS railway system come in some amount from wind power, but in much larger amounts from non-wind sources.

“Putting these numbers together indicates that only 10-15% of the electricity consumed annually by NS’s electric trains will come from wind, with the rest a mixture that includes mostly Dutch gas and coal plus a small amount of Belgian and German coal, nuclear and lignite – and maybe even a little German solar,” Andrews explains.

When challenged on its claim, NS clarified that only the electrified portion of its system runs completely on wind power. This is about two-thirds of the system. But of course even two-thirds of the NS system doesn’t run “completely” on wind power. The electrons that run the electrified portion of the NS system come from many sources, including wind, but also from coal, natural gas, and nuclear. The truth is that it’s impossible to determine the source of electrons actually moving NS trains down the track. What is clear is that most of those electrons didn’t originate from wind turbines.

There are many reasons, of course, why NS would claim its trains run completely on wind power and even more reasons why many would celebrate this apparently breakthrough. Headlines like this make people feel good. It feels to many like progress. But let’s be real. The evidence speaks for itself. Claims that Dutch trains running entirely on wind power are way off track."

 

It's a move in the right direction to use more wind power. Thanks for the fact check, but also, here is to more wind power. 

17 hours ago, riviera74 said:

Imagine an upgraded Amtrak (or any train-type public transportation) doing just that in the United States.

We need to invest in infrastructure. Don''t want to veer off into politics, but it's gotta happen. 

One more mem for now, got to get to work. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Interesting piece of wood my friend Jason just found...

Nomad!

[G. David Felt]

Seems Mercedes has revealed their Electric version of the G Wagon.

EQG in the blah naming convention of what MB has become has released the electric off road machine.

Stronger than time: Mercedes-Benz G-Class ready for the age of e-mobility - Daimler Global Media Site

Mercedes G-Class EQG concept wows off-roading aficionados at IAA - Electrek

[surreal1272]

54 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Interesting piece of wood my friend Jason just found...

Nomad!

One of my bucket list cars!

[riviera74]

Mercedes needs a new naming scheme for their EVs.  And a design language that is not so pitiful/ugly.

[A Horse With No Name]

29 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Mercedes needs a new naming scheme for their EVs.  And a design language that is not so pitiful/ugly.

Agree entirely!

1 hour ago, David said:

Seems Mercedes has revealed their Electric version of the G Wagon.

EQG in the blah naming convention of what MB has become has released the electric off road machine.

Stronger than time: Mercedes-Benz G-Class ready for the age of e-mobility - Daimler Global Media Site

Mercedes G-Class EQG concept wows off-roading aficionados at IAA - Electrek

Hey if it moves electgric cars forward...

 

[A Horse With No Name]

 

Obey...

[A Horse With No Name]

A few of us might be in trouble. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Worst music ever. 

If peanuts was honest about the way people actually think...

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Truth for Thursday

[G. David Felt]

[trinacriabob]

All sorts of animal videos end up on my homepage.

I was looking at this one, thinking, "Wow, that looks like a warm and familiar area, with those houses and that vegetation ... "  Well, it's in a suburb of Los Angeles abutting the San Gabriel Mountains.

How do videos wind up capturing these random events? This teenage girl was brave.

[G. David Felt]

This story posted by Nissan makes me wonder if we might not see skirts on the wheels again as we move into the electric age of auto's.

Nissan goes back to the future to electrify 1960s Silvia (nissanstories.com)

[G. David Felt]

Seems Honda wants a more rugged image and as such is making their truck an off road version.

Honda Introduces TrailSport: New Direction to Advance Rugged Off-Road Design & Capability of Light Trucks (hondanews.com)

TrailSport

 

For those wanting to dial into a specific brand by Stellantis, go here, choose your brand and check out the 2022 stuff.

Stellantis 2022 Product Information (stellantis-na-product-media.info)

[G. David Felt]

Ford is spending $2 billion dollars to restructure Operations and close non-profitable production sites in India causing the unemployment of thousands while expanding white collar jobs in India.

Ford to spend $2 billion to restructure operations and close plants in India (msn.com)

[riviera74]

Wow.  Ford cannot build profitable cars in India.  Yet it might move an entire back office to India instead.  A Sad Day for Dearborn.

[A Horse With No Name]

27 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Wow.  Ford cannot build profitable cars in India.  Yet it might move an entire back office to India instead.  A Sad Day for Dearborn.

A sad day for a lot of big American companies. Lots of inability to lead....

[riviera74]

44 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

A sad day for a lot of big American companies. Lots of inability to lead....

A lot of our problems can be safely boiled down to a LOT of poor management and a lack of leadership, and not just in business.

[trinacriabob]

28 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

A lot of our problems can be safely boiled down to a LOT of poor management and a lack of leadership, and not just in business.

I once read that a lot of head honchos are basically a big blob of an ego with 2 legs and 2 arms sticking out of it.  That would apply to some professionals, too.  I've see in it both people who run companies and as well as in some doctors and lawyers.

[balthazar]

A lot of ANY group, no matter how you segregate/slice them, are net negatives.

[G. David Felt]

Very excited to watch this "MATRIX RESURRECTIONS" 

 

[oldshurst442]

^   oh...kay?!  I guess.

Was never really a big fan of the Matrix franchise. It took me watching the first one 3 times and a then 16 year old (in 2004 or 2005) employee of mine explaining to me the concept for me to understand. And then I binged watched all 3 of them back to back.   Not greatly enamored but entertained.  

 The 1st time I saw  the first one, I stopped watching it after the first 40 minutes.

Anyway, this one looks badass.  But if I am to remember correctly, the movie ends as a truce between him and the machines, right?

Loved the song choice!

 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2021 by oldshurst442

[G. David Felt]

14 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

^   oh...kay?!  I guess.

Was never really a big fan of the Matrix franchise. It took me watching the first one 3 times and a then 16 year old (in 2004 or 2005) employee of mine explaining to me the concept for me to understand. And then I binged watched all 3 of them back to back.   Not greatly enamored but entertained.  

 The 1st time I saw  the first one, I stopped watching it after the first 40 minutes.

Anyway, this one looks badass.  But if I am to remember correctly, the movie ends as a truce between him and the machines, right?

Loved the song choice!

Yes, it was a truce between the machines and the humans. Trinity was dead and Neo was presumed dead as he gave everything to stop Agent Smith. As such, I am interested in how Trinity and Neo are alive. I see on the web site many of the other actors are back as well as new faces, thinking they did not invite Lawrence Fishbourne back as he was wanting the same money made as Keanu Reeves. 

The Matrix Resurrections | Official Site

The Matrix Resurrections (2021) - IMDb

[oldshurst442]

29 minutes ago, David said:

As such, I am interested in how Trinity and Neo are alive.

LOL

When it comes to milking money from the would be movie goers, I am sure the writers found a clever way...

Sometimes these things are seamless. Sometimes writing back characters, especially from the dead, dont seem quite so logical and/or subtle...     *cough*  PALPATINE  *cough*  

If in THIS case its kinda dumb as like it was with  *cough*  PALPATINE  *cough* , lets just enjoy the ride!

Movies are meant to enjoy the ride and not obsess over the nuances of how it should or shouldnt be.   

I was pretty miffed over the fact that Palpatine was even a thing...for the first 30 minutes of the movie.  Was pretty pissed that Rey was his granddaughter for another 15 minutes.  I buckled down and enjoyed the ride.

I bought the DVD and have seen The Rise of Skywalker several times since and enjoy it immensely every single time. 

I still think it was a stupid writing choice. But still entertaining nonetheless.

I think Trinity and Neo being brought back  will be more logical than Palpatine was.  So there is that! 

 

PS: I aint preaching to you or anybody about enjoying or not, the ride of movie going. Just shooting the shyte...   Explaining how I will be looking at it! 

Edited September 9, 2021 by oldshurst442

[G. David Felt]

38 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

LOL

When it comes to milking money from the would be movie goers, I am sure the writers found a clever way...

Sometimes these things are seamless. Sometimes writing back characters, especially from the dead, dont seem quite so logical and/or subtle...     *cough*  PALPATINE  *cough*  

If in THIS case its kinda dumb as like it was with  *cough*  PALPATINE  *cough* , lets just enjoy the ride!

Movies are meant to enjoy the ride and not obsess over the nuances of how it should or shouldnt be.   

I was pretty miffed over the fact that Palpatine was even a thing...for the first 30 minutes of the movie.  Was pretty pissed that Rey was his granddaughter for another 15 minutes.  I buckled down and enjoyed the ride.

I bought the DVD and have seen The Rise of Skywalker several times since and enjoy it immensely every single time. 

I still think it was a stupid writing choice. But still entertaining nonetheless.

I think Trinity and Neo being brought back  will be more logical than Palpatine was.  So there is that! 

 

PS: I aint preaching to you or anybody about enjoying or not, the ride of movie going. Just shooting the shyte...   Explaining how I will be looking at it! 

I totally get the point your making, I also was pissed on the PALPATINE and Rey issues, but then like you went with the ride to enjoy it and have it in my movie collection.

Having a minor in film analysis, I am just interested to see if the Machines created Neo and Trinity as Software code, cloned for a new body or what?????

I am also very excited for the reboot of DUNE!

 

[oldshurst442]

4 minutes ago, David said:

Having a minor in film analysis, I am just interested to see if the Machines created Neo and Trinity as Software code, cloned for a new body or what?????

Yes.   That would be a plausible way of introducing them back.  If I was to understand the logic of the Matrix, wasnt the black woman, forget her name, the Oracle I think, wasnt she a software code written by the machines? 

[G. David Felt]

7 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

Yes.   That would be a plausible way of introducing them back.  If I was to understand the logic of the Matrix, wasnt the black woman, forget her name, the Oracle I think, wasnt she a software code written by the machines? 

Yes, the Oracle was written to ensure balance against the Architect. As such, I could see the Machines seeing a need for Trinity and Neo to balance against the Agents.