Random Thoughts Thread

[oldshurst442]

I have really slowed down in being a car enthusiast as well.   Im looking  to learn and love new types of cars to feed my car craziness.   And its not these modern ones.  Its all older cars.  And from continents other than this one as its become almost boring to always post pics and read stuff about American cars of the 50s, 60s and 70s.   We've done that hundreds of times.  If not thousands.   I miss @balthazar to read about his endeavors of the (American) classics.  

About EVs for me.

Unless the automakers make these EVs interesting stylistically, Im not sooooo amuzed by them.  B But that has nothing to do with battery electric motorvation either.  The ICE vehicles are just as boring to look at.  CUVs and pick-up trucks are not fun  things.  Regardless what powers them.

Ive talked about this before.  

Looking back at cars like a Honda CRX or Subaru SVX or even a Nissan Pulsar, I hated these things back then.  Maybe not the SVX. I liked that one. But...there is absolutely NOTHING like that today.  OK...Nissan and KIA tried to do something like that with CUV type cars.   The Cube, the Juke and the Soul.    Great and good for them.. They were still boxes on wheels.  Ugly boxes on wheels.  The Puslar was also a box on wheels.  But it somehow was more special...  And it has NOTHING to do with me being reminiscent of my youth.    Because I also have fondeness for a Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe.  Those would be in the same vain as the Cube, Juke and Soul.  All CUVs.  And I wasnt a teen when the Matrix and Vibe came out.  Its just that...today's vehicles SUCK.  JUST like everything else that our world today has come too.   From pop culture to our cars and our technologies.  I LOVE what our computers, phones, internet and 5G could do for us.  I HATE what we actually DO with it.  Our world SUCKS today in more ways than one! 

[oldshurst442]

40-0  

Impressive

I wonder if the Giants complained today for Dallas running up the score.  For trying to win in the last quarter despite them leading with the amount they led.  I mean, they forced another fumble... common now...

Oh...those are silly childish unwritten rules in...baseball.  

Hockey sometimes gets into those stupid childish things too...   Im thankfull for at least that in football.  

I could do without the over-the top exuberant cellys after a play of some sorts in the 1st or 2nd quarter tho...

That goes for all 3 sports that I watch actually. 

And why dont I feel bad for Aaron Rodgers injuring his ankle? 

 

[G. David Felt]

12 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

I have really slowed down in being a car enthusiast as well.   Im looking  to learn and love new types of cars to feed my car craziness.   And its not these modern ones.  Its all older cars.  And from continents other than this one as its become almost boring to always post pics and read stuff about American cars of the 50s, 60s and 70s.   We've done that hundreds of times.  If not thousands.   I miss @balthazar to read about his endeavors of the (American) classics.  

About EVs for me.

Unless the automakers make these EVs interesting stylistically, Im not sooooo amuzed by them.  B But that has nothing to do with battery electric motorvation either.  The ICE vehicles are just as boring to look at.  CUVs and pick-up trucks are not fun  things.  Regardless what powers them.

Ive talked about this before.  

Looking back at cars like a Honda CRX or Subaru SVX or even a Nissan Pulsar, I hated these things back then.  Maybe not the SVX. I liked that one. But...there is absolutely NOTHING like that today.  OK...Nissan and KIA tried to do something like that with CUV type cars.   The Cube, the Juke and the Soul.    Great and good for them.. They were still boxes on wheels.  Ugly boxes on wheels.  The Puslar was also a box on wheels.  But it somehow was more special...  And it has NOTHING to do with me being reminiscent of my youth.    Because I also have fondeness for a Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe.  Those would be in the same vain as the Cube, Juke and Soul.  All CUVs.  And I wasnt a teen when the Matrix and Vibe came out.  Its just that...today's vehicles SUCK.  JUST like everything else that our world today has come too.   From pop culture to our cars and our technologies.  I LOVE what our computers, phones, internet and 5G could do for us.  I HATE what we actually DO with it.  Our world SUCKS today in more ways than one! 

Check out this list, this is what makes car enthusiasm exciting IMHO. 

12 Best Electric Car Conversions You Can Buy Right Now | HiConsumption

Converting toxic belching auto's to quiet speedy rides that allow you to enjoy the old auto with less maintenance is what I find exciting. 

I hope to do this with my 1994 GMC Suburban SLT giving it a HUGE Frunk!  

Check Out These Options for Converting Classic Cars to EVs (motortrend.com)

A brief guide to electric conversions for classic cars | Ars Technica

 

[trinacriabob]

Join me in wishing @A Horse With No Name, our long-time member and friend who knows how to mix up insightful observations and zany humor, a happy birthday!  Enjoy your special day ... and cheers.

[G. David Felt]

Happy Birthday @A Horse With No Name 

[Robert Hall]

Happy Birthday @A Horse With No Name

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, David said:

Happy Birthday @A Horse With No Name 

Thanks!

8 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Happy Birthday @A Horse With No Name

Thanks!

3 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Join me in wishing @A Horse With No Name, our long-time member and friend who knows how to mix up insightful observations and zany humor, a happy birthday!  Enjoy your special day ... and cheers.

Thank you!

14 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

Me too actually.  On both accounts.  I prefer the Trans Am over the Camaro but in 2023, they are on equal footing.  Same for the Mustang. I didnt like that '80s Mustang at all.  But I loooong for one today.  There are a few around in my neighborhood and I grin every single time I see one.  I would sooooo own one right now and drive the heck out of it.  Proudly I might add. 

Same with the Japanese sports cars of that era.  Most of those I liked, maybe in a more hush hush manner. But today, I have a deep, as you said, fondness for them. 

I may indeed eventually own another vintage car. 

[oldshurst442]

@A Horse With No Name 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

One of the most beautiful Steam locomotives ever.  If only I had time, space and a budget for a nice HO scale model railroad. 

 

 

[trinacriabob]

On 9/11/2023 at 9:59 AM, A Horse With No Name said:

Educational...

 

Thanks for putting this up.

It's interesting, but it definitely skews toward the early years.  Yes, it was called the Fireball at first.  Then, when it came back in the catalytic converter era (1975), it was just the 231 cubic inch.  And, yes, 231 is 75% of the old small block Buick 310 V8, so they did shave off two cylinders.

He's right in that the engine really got momentum when it became Series I, Series II, and Series III, but he doesn't focus much on the later and better years.  And he's right that the 3.6 DOHC V6 has had problems here and there, despite becoming the new flagship V6 engine for GM.  

He mentions the addition of the balance shaft in 1988 and that's when it became the 3800.  (I'm at a loss right now for what a balance shaft looks like.)  However, I don't think he mentioned the transition from odd-firing to even-firing, which was a really big deal and a 1978 M.Y. occurrence.  The funny thing is that the bigger colonnades of 1975-1977 ran with the odd-firing V6 and the downsized ones that went from about 4,000 lbs. to 3,500 lbs. ran with the even-firing V6, which they accomplished by offsetting the journals in the crankshaft.  At idle, the difference was noticeable.

I've put just about 400,000 miles on the Series I and Series III 3800s I've owned (combined).  I love this engine.  Throw in an odd-firing V6 '76 Regal coupe that my dad had, an '80 even-firing V6 Century Limited sedan (basically a Regal for those years) that my dad had after that, and a hand-me down Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupe with this engine ... and add rentals (from late '80s Toros and Parks to mid-90s Regals to early 2000s so equipped Impalas) and I think I might get to 500,000 miles of driving some version of this engine!

What a hoot.  This was the loss leader for Buick mid-sizes ... the triangle rear window coupe '76/77 Century Special coupe ... stripped down and probably having an MSRP of $3,999.  This has the rally wheels but they came with blackwalls and hubcaps.

Here's an engine bay with the 231 c.i. V6 pushed all the way to the back and with no A/C

That some didn't have A/C occurred enough and ensured the loss leader price, as well as a boring dashboard.  But nothing to go wrong.

[Robert Hall]

On 9/11/2023 at 10:09 PM, oldshurst442 said:

 Because I also have fondeness for a Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe.  Those would be in the same vain as the Cube, Juke and Soul.  All CUVs.  

I get the appeal of CUVs compared to sedans, though.   I prefer sedans and SUVs, but a CUV is low to the ground like a sedan, higher H-point so they are easy to get in and out of, more headroom, more cargo room than a sedan without the stigma of a minivan or heft of an SUV..  for example, comparing my sister's Equinox to a simiarly priced Malibu, it's more practical for her use case...easy to get in and out of, easy to drive around town, room to pack up 3 months worth of stuff when snowbirding in the winter. I don't want a CUV, but I understand why the general public like them--they are very practical vehicles. 

Edited September 14, 2023 by Robert Hall

[trinacriabob]

It made it!  I did it!

Never did I think this vehicle, delivered to me new some 15.75 years ago in a suburb of Portland, OR, would move out of the PacNw, or even California.  Well, it did.  On trips out of town, I usually rent a car, whether from a neighborhood location or from whatever airport I use.

I wanted the car to "see" (LOL) the Atlantic Seaboard, and here it is, at Virginia Beach VA, doing just that (see photo - at Rudee Inlet, with Oceanfront district to the left and Croatan Beach to the right). The plan was to continue up along the coast and take it for the quick tour of NYC where it would quickly circle its 5 boroughs:  I-278 across Staten Island, the Verrazano Bridge, aorund Brooklyn and Queens on the Belt Parkway (stop at beach at Far Rockaway near JFK airport), up through Queens on the Van Wyck Expwy or parallel route, the Whitestone or Throg's Neck Bridge into the Bronx, I-95 across the Bronx (stop in little Italy) and the skinny part of Manhattan (stop at the Cloisters for a view over the Hudson and the GW Bridge), and then, finally, cross the GW Bridge before heading into New Jersey.  That circle tour is no more than 25 to 30 miles ... and 5 boroughs ... such a deal.  Sadly, I did not continue north to NYC for some unforeseen developments.  (The car has been running like a champ.)

Oh well, as a consolation, never did I think I'd drive the car to Toronto 3x, including a visit to and photos of it at the GM plant in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, where it came off the line.

Doing goofy and quirky things can make life interesting.

Edited September 14, 2023 by trinacriabob

[G. David Felt]

Interesting read and I agree with much of the comments that Tesla will never reach 10 million let alone 20 million yearly auto sales with Musk as the CEO.

Report: Tesla Next-Gen EVs To Initially Be Produced In Texas Instead Of Mexico (insideevs.com)

Mexico GF is on hold indefinitely as Tesla has admitted they will have to have Engineers on site 24/7 to make sure the Robotaxi and 25K EV if it really happens will get built right and as of right now, Tesla Engineers have said NO to relocating to Mexico. 

Seems when a cheaper EV and taxis from Tesla happen, production at Austin is where it will be and scalling up at China and Germany where Tesla is laying off people due to low sales of their autos.

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

2 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

It made it!  I did it!

Never did I think this vehicle, delivered to me new some 15.75 years ago in a suburb of Portland, OR, would move out of the PacNw, or even California.  Well, it did.  On trips out of town, I usually rent a car, whether from a neighborhood location or from whatever airport I use.

I wanted the car to "see" (LOL) the Atlantic Seaboard, and here it is, at Virginia Beach VA, doing just that (see photo - at Rudee Inlet, with Oceanfront district to the left and Croatan Beach to the right). The plan was to continue up along the coast and take it for the quick tour of NYC where it would quickly circle its 5 boroughs:  I-278 across Staten Island, the Verrazano Bridge, aorund Brooklyn and Queens on the Belt Parkway (stop at beach at Far Rockaway near JFK airport), up through Queens on the Van Wyck Expwy or parallel route, the Whitestone or Throg's Neck Bridge into the Bronx, I-95 across the Bronx (stop in little Italy) and the skinny part of Manhattan (stop at the Cloisters for a view over the Hudson and the GW Bridge), and then, finally, cross the GW Bridge before heading into New Jersey.  That circle tour is no more than 25 to 30 miles ... and 5 boroughs ... such a deal.  Sadly, I did not continue north to NYC for some unforeseen developments.  (The car has been running like a champ.)

Oh well, as a consolation, never did I think I'd drive the car to Toronto 3x, including a visit and photos of it at the GM plant in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, where it came off the line.

Doing goofy and quirky things can make life interesting.

Congrats to you!  I like seeing GM cars make those journeys and making a statement at the same time.  It is a better experience when it is in your own car. Glad to see the car is running well. The great American road belongs to Buick. 

[G. David Felt]

Interesting as the German Environmentalist take action against Tesla, Porsche, etc. for hurting the planet and ignoring the problems in the world.

10 Tesla Model Y EVs Burn In Frankfurt, Anonymous Letter Claims Responsibility (insideevs.com)

Very cool Tech, have a Level 2 Bidirectional charger in your home so your Kia EV9 SUV can power your house for up to 4 days if you lose power.

2024 Kia EV9 bidirectional charging: Here’s how it will work (greencarreports.com)

[A Horse With No Name]

19 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

It made it!  I did it!

Never did I think this vehicle, delivered to me new some 15.75 years ago in a suburb of Portland, OR, would move out of the PacNw, or even California.  Well, it did.  On trips out of town, I usually rent a car, whether from a neighborhood location or from whatever airport I use.

I wanted the car to "see" (LOL) the Atlantic Seaboard, and here it is, at Virginia Beach VA, doing just that (see photo - at Rudee Inlet, with Oceanfront district to the left and Croatan Beach to the right). The plan was to continue up along the coast and take it for the quick tour of NYC where it would quickly circle its 5 boroughs:  I-278 across Staten Island, the Verrazano Bridge, aorund Brooklyn and Queens on the Belt Parkway (stop at beach at Far Rockaway near JFK airport), up through Queens on the Van Wyck Expwy or parallel route, the Whitestone or Throg's Neck Bridge into the Bronx, I-95 across the Bronx (stop in little Italy) and the skinny part of Manhattan (stop at the Cloisters for a view over the Hudson and the GW Bridge), and then, finally, cross the GW Bridge before heading into New Jersey.  That circle tour is no more than 25 to 30 miles ... and 5 boroughs ... such a deal.  Sadly, I did not continue north to NYC for some unforeseen developments.  (The car has been running like a champ.)

Oh well, as a consolation, never did I think I'd drive the car to Toronto 3x, including a visit to and photos of it at the GM plant in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, where it came off the line.

Doing goofy and quirky things can make life interesting.

You are a huge inspiration for my own road trips. 

19 hours ago, David said:

Interesting as the German Environmentalist take action against Tesla, Porsche, etc. for hurting the planet and ignoring the problems in the world.

10 Tesla Model Y EVs Burn In Frankfurt, Anonymous Letter Claims Responsibility (insideevs.com)

Very cool Tech, have a Level 2 Bidirectional charger in your home so your Kia EV9 SUV can power your house for up to 4 days if you lose power.

2024 Kia EV9 bidirectional charging: Here’s how it will work (greencarreports.com)

I have thought of an F150 hybrid for that very reason when I pay off the Ranger. 

19 hours ago, David said:

Interesting read and I agree with much of the comments that Tesla will never reach 10 million let alone 20 million yearly auto sales with Musk as the CEO.

Report: Tesla Next-Gen EVs To Initially Be Produced In Texas Instead Of Mexico (insideevs.com)

Mexico GF is on hold indefinitely as Tesla has admitted they will have to have Engineers on site 24/7 to make sure the Robotaxi and 25K EV if it really happens will get built right and as of right now, Tesla Engineers have said NO to relocating to Mexico. 

Seems when a cheaper EV and taxis from Tesla happen, production at Austin is where it will be and scalling up at China and Germany where Tesla is laying off people due to low sales of their autos.

Tesla will be outclassed and outgunned as EV's continue to take over.  And Musk is a world class idiot by any measure. 

Very cool and not often seen vintage GM car

 

Now to do TC Bob's road trips in this would be Epic!

 

[G. David Felt]

3 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I have thought of an F150 hybrid for that very reason when I pay off the Ranger. 

Wife and I have been talking about EV or Hybrid for this very reason, the ability to run the house when we lose power. Last year's snowstorm with power out for 3 days really sucked.

[Robert Hall]

19 minutes ago, David said:

Wife and I have been talking about EV or Hybrid for this very reason, the ability to run the house when we lose power. Last year's snowstorm with power out for 3 days really sucked.

I'm thinking I should get something like a Generac installed generator.  I have a gas powered portable that I can run my refrigerator off of. 

[ccap41]

21 minutes ago, David said:

3 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I have thought of an F150 hybrid for that very reason when I pay off the Ranger. 

Wife and I have been talking about EV or Hybrid for this very reason, the ability to run the house when we lose power. Last year's snowstorm with power out for 3 days really sucked.

I REALLY wish the F150 hybrid was a plug-in hybrid. It would be really nice if it could get just like 15-20 miles on electricity alone. That's literally the only downside I see in the F150 hybrid, because that's high on my list right now, as well. 

[G. David Felt]

6 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I'm thinking I should get something like a Generac installed generator.  I have a gas powered portable that I can run my refrigerator off of. 

Generac as well as all the other options I have researched from Home Depot and Lowes have such high maintenance. My sister got a Generac connected to her house and it auto kicks in when they have power outages which is very nice, but every 24hrs they have to add oil to the system and according to Generac this is normal due to the natural gas generator runs. Then they have to every 3 days if still on the generator do an oil change. Seems to be such high maintenance for a backup compared to the F150 Hybrid or EV bi-directional power option.

Course Generac is much cheaper than the auto cost.

So figuring when I do go EV, Hyundai/Kia/GM/Ford are my options right now as the Bi-Directional is a requirement for the wife and I.

[oldshurst442]

On 9/14/2023 at 7:54 AM, Robert Hall said:

I get the appeal of CUVs compared to sedans, though.   I prefer sedans and SUVs, but a CUV is low to the ground like a sedan, higher H-point so they are easy to get in and out of, more headroom, more cargo room than a sedan without the stigma of a minivan or heft of an SUV..  for example, comparing my sister's Equinox to a simiarly priced Malibu, it's more practical for her use case...easy to get in and out of, easy to drive around town, room to pack up 3 months worth of stuff when snowbirding in the winter. I don't want a CUV, but I understand why the general public like them--they are very practical vehicles. 

I get the appeal of CUVs as well.   I really do.   

No!  I absolutely do!   Really.

Sedans...our beloved American sedans have been downsized, shrunk, made smaller in EVERY metric that CUVs HAVE become the defacto quintessential American land yacht.  Well...pick-up trucks have almost taken that role in some parts of both of our countries, but in most areas, 'tis the CUV.   Ingrees, Egress, headroom and everything else you described... and our beloved American land yacht ALL had those qualities but were taken away.  

What I lament is the loss of the unique styling those old barges had between the brands of the time DESPITE them being ancient 3 box designs. 

What I also lament is the loss of what cars used to be to people and why cars like coupes and convertibles existed and what cars have become to people and whay expendable CUVs exist today.

I think THAT is what is ailing me more than the CUV itself. 

 

 

 

[Robert Hall]

I miss the variety of body styles and models that were available in the 80s-90s.  All sorts of 2drs, convertibles, wagons, full size cars…I remember wandering around dealerships 30-40 years ago clearly…

[oldshurst442]

If battery electrics have their batteries under the carriage and are in a skateboard platform and the weight of the battery  is between front  and back wheels, then THAT weight is distributed equally along the length of the vehicle.   Forgetting for a moment about the dynamics of pushing versus pulling.  Winter driving should technically be the same whether FWD or RWD.  In a RWD only BEV,   the motor driving the rear wheels is in the back and on TOP of the rear wheels  so the the weight is... on the wheels that do the propulsion and therefore no different than a FWD ICE car regarding weight on the driving wheels...and since the weight of the battery is more or less equal across the length of the vehicle, a RWD only BEV may not be that much of a nuissance in snow as compared to a RWD ICE vehicle.    

 

[trinacriabob]

On 9/14/2023 at 7:54 AM, Robert Hall said:

I get the appeal of CUVs compared to sedans, though.   I prefer sedans and SUVs, but a CUV is low to the ground like a sedan, higher H-point so they are easy to get in and out of, more headroom, more cargo room than a sedan without the stigma of a minivan or heft of an SUV..  for example, comparing my sister's Equinox to a simiarly priced Malibu, it's more practical for her use case...easy to get in and out of, easy to drive around town, room to pack up 3 months worth of stuff when snowbirding in the winter. I don't want a CUV, but I understand why the general public like them--they are very practical vehicles. 

I would agree with this only when moving.  Or if transporting a large object that a person just bought.  And that periodically happens for most people.  And a SUV/CUV would be immensely helpful.

However, for every other occasion, it's a sedan or a coupe for me.  I really miss them.  Also, I prefer one that sits higher and has better visibility, so that's why sports cars, which are fun to drive, are checked off the list ... even though I have always liked Firebirds and Camaros, once owning a Camaro as a second car for a short while because I couldn't find a used Firebird I wanted.

[trinacriabob]

Random thought:

Things you don't see anymore ... curb feelers.

[Robert Hall]

2 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Random thought:

Things you don't see anymore ... curb feelers.

Yes...beep beep proximity sensors have taken their place.

[A Horse With No Name]

On 9/15/2023 at 12:27 PM, ccap41 said:

I REALLY wish the F150 hybrid was a plug-in hybrid. It would be really nice if it could get just like 15-20 miles on electricity alone. That's literally the only downside I see in the F150 hybrid, because that's high on my list right now, as well. 

For a guy who hated Ford 4 years ago, I have come a long way. 

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

Random thought:

Things you don't see anymore ... curb feelers.

Bling on cars in general. 

For educational and not political purposes, but cool. 

 

 

[Drew Dowdell]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

Random thought:

Things you don't see anymore ... curb feelers.

They're integrated into the tires these days if the sidewalls of most cars is any indication.

[A Horse With No Name]

Electric cars will revolutionize racing. Here is a new Electric world record holder. 

 

2 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

They're integrated into the tires these days if the sidewalls of most cars is any indication.

With the rolling junkyards of rural Ohio that is sort of like "does the carpet match the drapes" for the automotive world. The scuffed and destroyed sidewalls match the sideswiped and rusted body panels. 

See, we folks from Ohio have fashion sense, just the wrong kind. 

[A Horse With No Name]

74 GTO goes seriously airborne at the 2:50 mark...lots of GM carnage here. Including split window corvette and a 3rd gen Camaro. Now you see why I am so interested in safety technology. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

If you look at the Mustang at the 4:26 mark, that car gave its life, but damn sure protected its driver. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Full size Chevy built for autocross and handling. 

 

[trinacriabob]

4 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

They're integrated into the tires these days if the sidewalls of most cars is any indication.

Yes, and a potential "profit center" for rental agencies - especially overseas - when you scuff up the alloys on their cars so equipped.

[G. David Felt]

6 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Yes, and a potential "profit center" for rental agencies - especially overseas - when you scuff up the alloys on their cars so equipped.

Yup, never understood having rims equal to the sidewall of a tire getting all scuffed up, but then most people seem to have no sense of their auto size, corners, etc.  

Sadly, my daughter is one that parallel parking is a hardship for her. So, I taught her in her 4x4 Durango to put the front tire up on the curb, then slowly drop it off so she is close. Never had a problem since then driving in the city and having to parallel park. She also has not scuffed the rims yet either.

[Robert Hall]

34 minutes ago, David said:

Yup, never understood having rims equal to the sidewall of a tire getting all scuffed up, but then most people seem to have no sense of their auto size, corners, etc.  

Sadly, my daughter is one that parallel parking is a hardship for her. So, I taught her in her 4x4 Durango to put the front tire up on the curb, then slowly drop it off so she is close. Never had a problem since then driving in the city and having to parallel park. She also has not scuffed the rims yet either.

I loathe parallel parking and generally avoid it because of my astigmatism (hard to judge how far from the curb), but at my old house when I had to park on the street I'd occasionally rub the rim against the curb.  

Not at issue w/ my new house--driveway is so huge I could probably park 20 cars in it and no curbs in sight...

Edited September 18, 2023 by Robert Hall

[G. David Felt]

6 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I loathe parallel parking and generally avoid it because of my astigmatism (hard to judge how far from the curb), but at my old house when I had to park on the street I'd occasionally rub the rim against the curb.  

Not at issue w/ my new house--driveway is so huge I could probably park 20 in it and no curbs in sight...

Yes, sight changes suck as at 56 years of age, my near sightedness has strangely gotten better and my farsightedness that was never a problem is now worse, and I have my first pair of progressive bifocals.

[Drew Dowdell]

4 hours ago, David said:

Yup, never understood having rims equal to the sidewall of a tire getting all scuffed up, but then most people seem to have no sense of their auto size, corners, etc.  

Sadly, my daughter is one that parallel parking is a hardship for her. So, I taught her in her 4x4 Durango to put the front tire up on the curb, then slowly drop it off so she is close. Never had a problem since then driving in the city and having to parallel park. She also has not scuffed the rims yet either.

Ah, the parking by braille method!

[oldshurst442]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by oldshurst442

[oldshurst442]

Whatever happens.  Ill be ready.  Ill just turn to the past.

 

 

 

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

18 hours ago, David said:

Yes, sight changes suck as at 56 years of age, my near sightedness has strangely gotten better and my farsightedness that was never a problem is now worse, and I have my first pair of progressive bifocals.

Old age is setting in on me also, Turned 58 last week. 

8 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

Whatever happens.  Ill be ready.  Ill just turn to the past.

 

 

 

 

 

Your posts are always cool. 

13 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Ah, the parking by braille method!

It partners nicely, like a fine wine with the driving by braille method. 

 

See rolling junkyards of Ohio for 500, Alex. 

 

Although I almost prefer this car with its vintage Patina. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

I think that the old car mantle seems to have fallen on me now that Balthazar doesn't seem to come around much more. 

 

Neat 56 Chevy. 

 

[Robert Hall]

31 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I think that the old car mantle seems to have fallen on me now that Balthazar doesn't seem to come around much more. 

 

Yeah, he's been gone over a year..I miss his posts..I guess we scared him off.

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

Yeah, he's been gone over a year..I miss his posts..I guess we scared him off.

Yes, some are unable to handle the future with EVs as we move forward, and he wanted to stay in the past.

[A Horse With No Name]

Speaking of the past...

 

SVO Mustang is high on my list of desirable 80's cars.  About 3rd advert in...

 

 

Jackie Stewart FTW in the T Bird portion of the advert. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Ukrainians making progress. 

 

 

[G. David Felt]

I found this product in Australia. Looking for it here in the U.S. as this is perfect for what I need for my backyard. Love the retaining wall with built in fence connection. If anyone finds a US supplier please let me know.

Back to the Auto thing, it is amazing that people bitch about the new EVs being too big.

Chevrolet Equinox EV Government Images Emerge In China Ahead Of US Launch (insideevs.com)

The comments are just befuddling. 

[A Horse With No Name]

This car is an incredible survivor. 

 

 

23 minutes ago, David said:

I found this product in Australia. Looking for it here in the U.S. as this is perfect for what I need for my backyard. Love the retaining wall with built in fence connection. If anyone finds a US supplier please let me know.

Back to the Auto thing, it is amazing that people bitch about the new EVs being too big.

Chevrolet Equinox EV Government Images Emerge In China Ahead Of US Launch (insideevs.com)

The comments are just befuddling. 

Interesting retaining wall system. And yes, Rivian is doing well because they build a truck, and not a Miata competitor.  Drive through Ohio, count the Silverado's and F-150's, and then count the small cars. 

[A Horse With No Name]

64 Bonneville convertible

[A Horse With No Name]

 

[trinacriabob]

On 9/18/2023 at 1:30 PM, David said:

Yup, never understood having rims equal to the sidewall of a tire getting all scuffed up, but then most people seem to have no sense of their auto size, corners, etc.  

Sadly, my daughter is one that parallel parking is a hardship for her. So, I taught her in her 4x4 Durango to put the front tire up on the curb, then slowly drop it off so she is close. Never had a problem since then driving in the city and having to parallel park. She also has not scuffed the rims yet either.

It's always a new car to someone - especially when renting - and a person has to get used to its parameters.  Unless it's a Chevy Spark or a Ford Fiesta, neither of which are for sale in the U.S. anymore.

When I see rims equal to the sidewall of a tire, the first thing I think of is that the ride isn't meant to be a cushy one.