Random Thoughts Thread

[balthazar]

But in order to adhere to the ‘apples to apples’ case study, the trucks have to be in the same weight class and at least close in trim level. Otherwise, why not use an F-550 in comparison… or a Peterbilt?

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, balthazar said:

So Ford can build the same kW battery and give it more power? I don't get what you're saying.

The Motors can produce the higher HP/Torque, but it reduces the battery range. This is why you only get the higher HP/Torque with the bigger battery pack as customer have range issues, no different than with ICE auto's.

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

But in order to adhere to the ‘apples to apples’ case study, the trucks have to be in the same weight class and at least close in trim level. Otherwise, why not use an F-550 in comparison… or a Peterbilt?

Because, for the last time, I am talking about engine upgrades within a particular truck. Has zero to do with the model itself. I am showing you that within one model truck, there is a huge jump from gas power to diesel power, similar to how there is a jump with the Lightning. This jump is not unique to EVs and that is my one and only point here. Singling out EVs here ignores that very fact.

[balthazar]

And I showed how there was a very small jump in price from a gas engine to a diesel in the very same model. Using totally dissimilar trucks to illustrate the inverse ignores that point.

[balthazar]

[Drew Dowdell]

[balthazar]

Wow- some operation.

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Wonder how long it will take them to rebuild this section of the highway? ?

What is the detour like?

[G. David Felt]

1989 Cadillac Brougham for sale, 61K miles asking $19,950

1989 Cadillac Brougham for sale near you - MSN Autos Marketplace

WOW, remember when you had Ash Trays everywhere!

Laxy Boy Cushy!

d'Elegance Anyone?

[G. David Felt]

Two very cool stories, first one is the GM approved coachbuilder that built an actual Cadillac Pickup back in the 70's.

Rare 1976 Cadillac Mirage Pickup Sells For $41K (gmauthority.com)

This caddy pickup was built with only the 500 cubic inch V8. Additional pictures of the Pickup on the link above.

@oldshurst442 Might find this to his liking. Who knew a Bandit Edition of the 2021 Silverado recently sold at Auction, $286,000

2021 Chevy Silverado Bandit Fetches $286k At Barrett-Jackson (gmauthority.com)

I have very mixed feelings about this Truck, Cool and yet Oh so not right when the Bandit should be a car in regards to the heritage of the Movie. Yet for the 21st Century and the love of Trucks, I could see a modern day Bandit would use a performance focused Pickup over a car.

[G. David Felt]

Interesting to see the First all new Cadillac IQ Dealership open in late December. Was not on the official GM or Cadillac China news web site, but GM Authority covered this.

GM Opens New Cadillac Pure Electric IQ Store In Shanghai (gmauthority.com)

I also wish GM would have some of the LYRIQ out for people to check out here in the US as China has now.

All-New Cadillac IQ Shanghai Kerry Store Opens In China (gmauthority.com)

Wish GM would do this kind of stores here with showing the History of Cadillac and the luxury and design style with a focus of moving into the future.

[G. David Felt]

WOW, Some very Interesting news today:

Ford has partnered with Sunrun, a leading solar company to optimize the running of your home with their solar system when needed using the available Intelligent Backup Power. They will also have it as a purchase option when you buy the Ford EV truck.

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2022/02/02/f-150-lightning-power-play.html

Ford has doubled F150 Production this year to be 150,000 EV Trucks and will have total capacity of 600,000 EVs by the end of 2023.

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2022/01/04/ford-planning-to-[…]ble-all-electric-f-150-lightning-production-150000-units.html

Ford seems to have decided to follow GM as they do a major reorganization to shift to fully electric cars adding to the $30 Billion an additional $20 Billion as they they hired Doug Field, Former Apple Car Project to lead the overhaul of the ICE company to one of Technology and BEVs.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-01/ford-to-spend-up-to-20-billion-reorganizing-for-shift-to-evs

Crazy, for your safety seems we have Speed Enforcement Cameras coming to a local highway near you.

https://www.autoblog.com/2022/02/02/traffic-speed-cameras-biden-infrastructure-bill/

The Bloomberg story would have been a good writeup, just no time today as my regular job has be busy. Click the Link and Read, very interesting as they change, Ford to keep a focus on ICE to be competitive with everyone, but the real focus will be to convert the whole company portfolio to BEV. Lincoln it seems will follow Cadillac as dropping all ICE asap as they replace each model with a BEV.

[G. David Felt]

Interesting to see the Q4 / Final 2021-year report from GM.

2021 Full-Year and Q4 Letter to Shareholders (gm.com)

So they have 56,000 GMC HUMMER EV reservations, 110,000 Silverado EV Reservations and an additional 240 fleet operators that have committed to buying the Silverado Work Truck EV, yet no number on that. So maybe it is just 1 or 2 trucks per fleet to check it out first before committing?

[G. David Felt]

Very cool read and pictures about the award winning 1949 Ford Sedan.

The 1949 Ford

[balthazar]

12 minutes ago, David said:

110,000 Silverado EV Reservations and an additional 240 fleet operators that have committed to buying the Silverado Work Truck EV, yet no number on that.

Re-read : 110K includes the fleet operator reservations.

1 hour ago, David said:

for your safety seems we have Speed Enforcement Cameras coming to a local highway near you.

Thankfully banned in my state.

Maybe the DOT should consider putting strict limitations on BE's; 'detune' their outputs so an 85-yr old motorist isn't strapping themselves in a 3-sec-to-60 rocket car. Detune all to a minimum of 6.0-sec-to-60, and govern all down to 100 MPH max.  

[G. David Felt]

21 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Re-read : 110K includes the fleet operator reservations.

Thankfully banned in my state.

Maybe the DOT should consider putting strict limitations on BE's; 'detune' their outputs so an 85-yr old motorist isn't strapping themselves in a 3-sec-to-60 rocket car. Detune all to a minimum of 6.0-sec-to-60, and govern all down to 100 MPH max.  

Yes, I did mis-read that, thank you.

I have to see if the Speed Cameras are banned here or not, hope they are as I think it is BS.

Then we would have to Detune ICE auto's to keep boomers from getting into performance Corvettes.  

UPDATE: Found this site that follows the states laws on Speed Cameras and you can check your own.

Traffic and Red Light Camera Laws by State - FindLaw

Lucky for me, Speed Camera's are only legal in cities, within a School zone. Red light cameras are also legal only within city limits. The cameras cannot be used elsewhere. 

RCW 46.63.170: Automated traffic safety cameras—Definition. (<i>Effective until June 30, 2023.</i>) (wa.gov)

[balthazar]

Yes; all high-performance autos would be banned going forward; a 'floor' on acceleration times and a governed 'ceiling' on top speeds. I heard Buttigieg is considering it right this very second.

 

[G. David Felt]

Cool post by an employee of GM with the Hummer and Silverado EV side by side. Looks good.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZLHbzvLTvP/

 

[oldshurst442]

11 hours ago, David said:

 

 

@oldshurst442 Might find this to his liking. Who knew a Bandit Edition of the 2021 Silverado recently sold at Auction, $286,000

2021 Chevy Silverado Bandit Fetches $286k At Barrett-Jackson (gmauthority.com)

I have very mixed feelings about this Truck, Cool and yet Oh so not right when the Bandit should be a car in regards to the heritage of the Movie. Yet for the 21st Century and the love of Trucks, I could see a modern day Bandit would use a performance focused Pickup over a car.

 

Any vehicle looks good with a black paint job and gold accents here and there. This is no exemption.  I especially like the reverse gold Chevy chevron.  Usually, the Chevrolet chevron is gold in the middle. THIS time its black in the middle accented by a gold trim.  But that is as far as Ill go in liking this truck's colour scheme and theme. 

The reason why I didnt like the phoenix on the Porsche Taycan is the SAME reason why I do NOT like the phoenix on this one.

Is because the phoenix is actually the logo that represents the Firebird. The Pontiac pony car...  A phoenix is a burning bird that reborns itself from the ashes of its predecessor.  Yeah...Firebird.  

 

 

The Trans Am was created in 1969 to be the top Firebird. Of the racing kind.  It was named after the race, but the Trans Am car didnt race in series originally because it had a 400 cubic motor as a standard engine and the limit was 302 like its Mustang and Camaro counterparts(or was it 350? )  

Anyway, when the 2nd gen Firebird arrived, the craziness of the muscle car era had fully developed by then and the phoenix bird got a little bit more animated.

This was on the Firebird

 

And this was on the Trans Am

 

But in 1973, the phoenix grew to be come bigger and laid out across the hood as we all know and love it.

 Reason #2 why I hate the truck  is because there IS no Bandit Trans Am. 

That colour scheme came out 1 year prior to commemorate Pontiac's 50th anniversary. 

 

Its just that Burt Reynolds as the Bo Bandit Darville was driving a black and gold Trans Am named Ban One. The car itself wasnt even named the Bandit.   

And thirdly...what kind of shytty phoenix is that?

Its an arrow with wings?   PHOQUE THAT!!!

 

Ill repeat my #1 reason.

The Phoenix is just a representation of the model name of Pontiac's pony car the Firebird.  No logo looking like that famous Pontiac screaming chicken should be put ANYWHERE on ANY other car OTHER than a Pontiac pony car.   Not even a Camaro...   The conversion 5th and 6th gen Camaros that Word Wide Trans Am/Trans Am Depots are doing is fine, BECAUSE they got the license from GM to scrap the Chevy Chevron and to use the Pontiac Arrowhead along with that screaming chicken!

 

The motorcycle that I posted is fine, because its not a 4 wheeled vehicle.  Its a motorcycle. And it was done in essence of how and what the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am is all about...   

Oh...

Ancient Greek Phoenix if anybody was asking on a 20 Drachma coin.  

Hellenic Democracy it reads. 

 

The Trans Am is not only the first car I ever fell in love with.  It turns out, its part of my Greek Heritage.   Its in my DNA!!!    

 

 

[G. David Felt]

I find this funny in a weird sort of way! Stellantis looking for their Chief Donut Maker!

 

[balthazar]

51 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

It was named after the race, but the Trans Am car didnt race in series originally because it had a 400 cubic motor as a standard engine and the limit was 302 like its Mustang and Camaro counterparts(or was it 350? )

To answer this, I'm nearly positive it was 305 CI. Pontiac did develop a Trans Am-intended 303 CI engine, but never utilized it. There was also a 366 CI V8 for NASCAR that did compete, tho not successfully.

[balthazar]

[G. David Felt]

Ford Once Again Caught Benchmarking The New Cadillac Escalade (fordauthority.com)

Guess the competition is going to be strong which means it will be great for us Large SUV loving guys.

Interesting thought, as Lincoln and Cadillac go at it and up each other each year, this will make it very hard for the Germans to match as this is the U.S. big boys place to play Luxury SUV.

[G. David Felt]

Very interesting engine technology. THE RACE TO ZERO IS OVER! – Power with a purpose. (astronaerospace.com)

So according to this company you can stack these 35lb engines to increase performance.

 

To quote their web site:

Weight, Efficiency, and Environment

What makes the Omega 1 so much more powerful, light, and efficient than a piston engine?

First: There is a tremendous amount of friction, heat, parasitic, and pumping losses in a piston engine. Each time a piston moves up and down, the rings scrape against the piston walls and that causes friction. Nearly every moving part has contact with other moving parts and that causes more friction. The parasitic losses are not small, as they add up in the form of valve train losses, airflow restrictions, converting reciprocating piston energy into rotational crankshaft energy, and inertial losses due to spring function. There are also significant pumping losses due to the requirement to liquid cool the engine via moving lubricants throughout the engine. All of these losses reduce the power of an engine, and dealing with these losses increases the complexity and weight.

Second: The Omega 1 engine has very few of these losses. It has dramatically reduced friction, almost no parasitic losses, and no moving parts besides the rotational elements. There are very few pumping losses because the engine is air cooled via airflow around and through the engine, and only the synchronization gears and bearings require lubrication. This gives an added benefit of no cross-contamination of oil into the combustion chamber, which equates to lowering emissions.

A large improvement in combustion and overall efficiency comes from the forced air supercharged intake at between 200 and 300 psi. Normal superchargers boost the combustion pressure by only 6 to 35 psi. The Omega 1 supercharger is far superior and is an integral part of the combustion process.

Third: The overall efficiency also improves because of our “skip fire” capability of the engine. For example, the engine can fire every rotation while a vehicle is accelerating, but once at cruising speed in an aircraft, on a highway etc., the engine will only fire when there is a need, (every 5,10,50 rotations or whatever is required), and can idle at a high speed with very little fuel consumption. Then when conditions change and power is required, the computer will increase firing rate for nearly instant power with very low amounts of throttle lag. This can be tuned for maximum efficiency, maximum power, or a combination depending on desired application.

Fourth: The Omega 1 engine is the first engine with an active linear power transfer. As the Omega 1 engine rotates, all the power is transferred through the single rotating power shaft. There are no offset crankshafts, no reciprocating pistons, and no eccentric shaft (as in a Wankel rotary engine).

The engine weighs much less than a comparable piston engine because of the simplicity of the design, and because it has so few moving parts.

[daves87rs]

On 2/2/2022 at 7:56 PM, David said:

Cool post by an employee of GM with the Hummer and Silverado EV side by side. Looks good.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZLHbzvLTvP/

 

Cool part is I know who that is… ?

[balthazar]

 

[G. David Felt]

13 hours ago, balthazar said:

 

Yup, I know you think it is worth it but it will not ever be an original goat, just a piece of metal to be recycled at this point. 

Probably 99.9% of that body will have to be replaced with aftermarket parts, I would even question the engine. Frame probably will have to be replaced due to the extreme rust. This is total lunacy to waste time and money on it. Should have been crushed.

Yup, let the flames begin as I will never see this as a realistic restore auto in this condition.

One for @balthazar

 

[balthazar]

I watched a few of his videos- he's committed to re-using as much original as possible, and it's not intended to be made beautiful/restored.  He's not replacing all the panels; he's re-using them.  He viewed it as a challenge that 'it can't be done' - he wants to make it drivable/licensed and do big burn outs.  Frame supposedly was nice- I think it was out of AZ or TX.  I give him huge credit for tackling it, and I think with that goal it's a viable project.  I've seen even worse restored to highly presentable... but that's not the goal here.

- - - - -
I can't stand Donut.

Edited February 4, 2022 by balthazar

[Robert Hall]

Rather than that horrific rustbucket disaster, here is a really sharp '70 GTO in a neat color combo..

A gorgeous blue w/ a red interior.   This article is from 2017, but I saw it pop up today on FB, I think it's for sale..

https://www.motortrend.com/features/color-combo-psychedelic-1970-pontiac-gto-judge-never-meant/

[balthazar]

^ Really nice, but driving a $100-125K car on the street is not within everyone's ability or desire.

[balthazar]

RE the Donut video, as I already knew before clicking; it's going to be full of overblown hysteria and bad 'facts'. 
Pontiac was not 'teetering on the brink of death' in '56 when Knudsen took the helm.  Pontiac was in 5th place in sales '48-'55, dipping slightly to 6th in '54. In fact, Pontiac sold 100K more units in '55 than any other post-war year. 

Garbage in - garbage out. 

Edited February 4, 2022 by balthazar

[oldshurst442]

^^^ 

Its the popular narrative to say that Pontiac was dying in the mid to late '50s.  

Just like its the popular narrative to say that Pontiac was dying in the early 2000s.  And the latter sticks as Pontiac was shut down in the mid 2000s.  But the mis-information bandits also ignore that Pontiac was forced to shut down by the government, NOT because Pontiac was not selling cars.  Pontiac sold half a million cars every year  from 2000-2007.  Pontiac sold even more than that from the 70s all the way to 2000.  Pontiac several times was in 3rd place or even once in 2nd place in units sold in North America even besting Chevrolet in the year 2000.   

 Yeah...I dont like Donuts either.  

Lots of yelling and talking and dialogue like Seinfeld's Kramer character, but not even remotely as funny or entertaining. 

Garbage in. Garbage out.  I agree! 

[oldshurst442]

As far as that rust bucket GTO goes for me and my opinion on it.

If I was living in an area where the car crazy hobby is not shut down for any amount of time due to winter,  I would be doing these kinds of projects ALL THE TIME!!!   (If I had the mechanic and body shop/metal forming and metal welding skills necessary for that kind of hobby that is.  But I would work soooo hard to acquire these skills. ) 

I would have acquired and bought all the necessary equipment and tools and would have had the garage space and land to do so.

English wheels and welding equipment and ladder frame straighteners and even 3D printers, etc...

I would restore cars to be Concours D'Elegance winners and others, just to be nice, clean,  road worthy used vehicles. Not necessarily, garage queen, expensive restomodded  classics meant for rich collector...but fixer uppers that could get another solid use out of them.  

I dunno this guy's channel and what he does, but Id take on this project.  Id be using donor cars to fix her up from the other junkered cars Id have laying around.   And not in the way that junkered cars have been abandoned in a junk yard.  But jukered cars that have been cleaned up before hand aand waiting to be used in one way or other.  Keep costs as low as possible.  If the machinery and equipment that Id be using in my garage had been paid for, then its just my time, really, that would be the biggest cost to do a project like that.    

And maybe this is his exact same scenario that he is in that I just explained.   

 

[balthazar]

For MANY hobbyists; it's about the journey, not the destination.

[G. David Felt]

Yes, the Journey is the fun part of auto projects. But the realist in me sees that GTO above as a lost cause that is past the time of being a fun auto restoration even for a donut making car. I honestly doubt anyone here would really take on that GTO as a project car. The guy is looking for advertisement hits on his channel which is more important to him than the GTO.

[G. David Felt]

WOW, this is crazy, $440,000 for a 1971 Cheverolet K5 Blazer. Yes nice looking ride, but wow. 

? Wonder if it will be a garage beauty out only on perfect sunny days or if it will really get driven? ?

1971 Chevy Blazer Sells For Monster Money At Barrett-Jackson (gmauthority.com)

[oldshurst442]

38 minutes ago, David said:

The guy is looking for advertisement hits on his channel which is more important to him than the GTO.

Could be...

But the project itself is fruitful one way or other in getting that car up and running...

Quite the opposite of what you said earlier:

7 hours ago, David said:

just a piece of metal to be recycled at this point. 

 

 

 

 I looked at the video more closely after I posted my opinion on it...  

7 hours ago, David said:

Frame probably will have to be replaced due to the extreme rust.

And THAT is the thing...   Its not really rusted.  The car was used as targeting practice.  Full of bullet holes.  But the car certainly is not a rust bucket.   There are a LOT of bullet holes. I mean, its swiss cheese.  It might as WELL be rusted out metal.    Actually, its in WORSE condition than a car being rusted out.  Ill give you that.

 

 

 

7 hours ago, David said:

This is total lunacy to waste time and money on it.

You said it yourself though...  It probably IS a Youtube channel episode designed to produce view revenue.   

But it does not matter. Especially if he can pull it off.  The reasons behind the restoration has no effect in the car being usable again. 

His time and money will be compensated if it IS solely for his Youtube channel.  And if he succeeds in restoring this car from the dead, he will make a name for himself.  And the car gets to live again either in his garage maybe being daily driven or in somebody else's garage as a daily driver.     

The sheetmetal NEEDS to be replaced, that is for sure.   There are several body panels that simple banging them straight is NOT an option.  But that option has already been deduced as the guy KNOWS and ADMITS its the WORSE condition GTO on the planet. And we all see that.  

If he succeeds in making it a running car passing the safety regs, then its NOT a waste of time.  It may be a labour of love or it could be a money making episode.   But that is no different than what Discovery Channel had with Jesse James and Monster Garage 20 years ago.   Some of those projects were total failures. MOST were success stories. But ALL of the projects were USELESS...  But it did make Jesse James and Discovery Channel lots of money.    

At least in THIS case, the GTO may get another chance in being driven again. 

 

I respect your view on recycling old relics for their metals to be melted to be used in other ways.  And for most of those relics, I do agree on that perspective.   But I also have Balthy's point of view in that restoring old relics is ALSO a form of recycling.  And for the most part, a more GREENER way of recycling...  

I also support saving a part of history.  

Cars were ALWAYS throwaways.  But we have come to a point in our automotive history where we DO have to preserve it. 

Many ancient buildings were destroyed by stealing bricks and marble to build other buildings.  Thankfully, some of that practice didnt happen to ALL ancient buildings and temples...

 

 

Edited February 5, 2022 by oldshurst442

[balthazar]

No one would care so much for video hits that they'd put themselves thru as much effort of back-breaking work with a car.  He drove 22 hrs round trip to pick it up.  He currently has 12 videos showing him crawling around on over & under it, pounding it with hammers, etc.  First video came out 2 months ago, it only has 13K views- it's not about video money.

As for 'I doubt any of you would take this project on' - I did one very similar with my '40; bought in '03, hadn't been on the road since the 1970s, no floor (wood), no wiring, seats destroyed, 20% of it's paint left. Now it runs & drives; mechanically sound but physically unrestored.  

I can think someone else's project makes no SENSE financially, or is just plain UGLY/DUMB, but I'd never ignorantly call it 'garbage' if a guy loves it/working on it. 
 

According to what I found, once you reach 1000 subscribers and 4000 'watch hrs' on Youtube, you can apply to their 'Partner Programs' where you can have ads.  On average you you receive $18/1000 ad views, or approx $3-5 per 1000 views.  His first video has maybe made him $30.

[balthazar]

Great story/pic on the restoration of the first Duesenberg passenger car built :
https://www.vwvortex.com/threads/bruce-canepa-and-the-restoration-of-the-first-duesenberg.9186321/#post-111940385

Restoration = art.

[balthazar]

[balthazar]

'Round door' Rolls, literally pulled out of a junkyard & restored.

It's "powered" by a 648 CI 6-cylinder, developing a whopping 108 HP.

[Robert Hall]

On 2/4/2022 at 7:26 PM, David said:

The guy is looking for advertisement hits on his channel which is more important to him than the GTO.

Yeah, that's how YouTube works.  It's about getting the clicks and ad dollars..the car is secondary, if it's an interesting story then more people will click...

13 hours ago, balthazar said:

'Round door' Rolls, literally pulled out of a junkyard & restored.

It's "powered" by a 648 CI 6-cylinder, developing a whopping 108 HP.

 

Pretty awful power to displacement ratio... stuff from the ancient world was as bad as cars from the 80s for that measurement...of course, there weren't high speed freeways then, it was about torque to get those beasts moving..that is some pretty spectacular art deco styling on that one-off..

Edited February 6, 2022 by Robert Hall

[balthazar]

As cynical as I can be; not all of Youtube is about clicks and certainly not all are monetized.  

- - - - -
There's a reason Rolls, for decades, rated their engines output as "adequate"... because it was actually absolutely horrendous.

For comparison, a diesel Chevette had 51 HP for 111 CI : .46 HP / CI.
The Rolls (1925 engine) is .16 HP / CI. Imagine how incredibly ponderous it was to drive.
Even a '25 Cadillac was .27 HP / CI - almost double the output.

[G. David Felt]

Too funny

 

Seems Mid size GM pickups with Diesel will end with final orders accepted June 9th. Q3 will end all production the the baby Duramax diesel.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2022/02/gmc-canyon-chevy-colorado-diesel-production-to-end-in-q3-2022/

[Drew Dowdell]

20 hours ago, balthazar said:

'Round door' Rolls, literally pulled out of a junkyard & restored.

It's "powered" by a 648 CI 6-cylinder, developing a whopping 108 HP.

Tsk… you know quite well that at over a liter per cylinder that engine was all about the torque 

[balthazar]

It did 87 MPH top end; 1 MPH slower than the said Diesel Chevette. The Rolls supposedly is just south of 6000 lbs. It was an unmitigated slug.

[oldshurst442]

[oldshurst442]

Roadrunner comes to mind...

 

 

[oldshurst442]

Divorce is a very ugly thing.    

 

[G. David Felt]

WOW, first ever 2022 GMC Denali Ultimate edition.

Sierra (gm.com)

1 hour ago, oldshurst442 said:

Divorce is a very ugly thing.    

Hope this is not affecting you. It is never an easy thing for anyone involved.