avant1963

I know this really isn't triva, but I did not want it to get lost in the sea of the "Lounge". Just imagine what the average car would look like if Studebaker had continued into the 1970’s and beyond. Most of that would be speculation, but thanks to an article in my newest copy of the Avanti Magazine, we have a better idea of what Studebaker would have brought to market in 1970. Robert Marcks, was an employee for Raymond Loewy in the 50’s and 60’s and partner in the design firm Marcks/Hazelquist/Powers that was commissioned to design the 1966 Studebakers. His firm also made proposals for models that would have appeared in the 1970 model year. Robert shared these designs with attendees of the Avanti Owners Association International meet in 2006 at Palm Springs, CA. Makes you wonder where design would be today if Studebaker had continued. The saddest part of all this is this history dies with those that made it, so it is great to see those that lived it share it with those that weren’t even alive at the time. These are some pretty remarkable designs and I’d hate to think of not sharing them.

The Chrysler dealer down the street has two Aspens. Horrific in person. Denali competion? No way. A Durango with a dented hood.

Thanks Gus... It's a strong puller... Roger - The door window tint started to bubble, so when I took it back to them on Thurs, they re-tinted both doors. Now you can look at that as a good thing or a bad thing - Good that they check their work and have no problem fixing it if it is wrong (I didn't even have to ask the guy to fix it, he just said "We have to redo those windows") Bad that it wasn't done right the first time. Now I have to keep my windows rolled up another week and go back next Thurs to have it checked again.

The 350Z costs almost 40 grand??

While this relly isn't a triva question for you to guess, it is some triva that those that love older cars might be interested in. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting C&G member Balthazar at the cruise night here in Spotswood, NJ. We had a good time BS'n about cars (and making fun of the 2002 PT Loser with sissor-doors, undercarrage lights and more Fast&Furious slow-me-down mods than one can imagine (yes it did win a trophy, but so did I again, wee!). We got to talking about the Studebaker engines used in the Avanti and casted doubt if we had it right (Mark, you were more right than I was). Here's the Avanti lineup for 63 and 64 (BTW, mine is a R1) The Avanti R1 was a 289 cubic inch carbureted version with a 4 barrel and the R2 was a 289 cubic inch version equipped with a supercharger. The R3 was a special performance supercharged variation displacing 304 cubic inches and very few of these were built. The R3 version came with a bored out 304.5 cubic inch V8 stuffed into the engine bay, modified suspension and 4-wheel disc brakes. Responsibility for the aggressive engine development plans fell into the hands of Andy Granatelli of Indianapolis 500 fame. Like the earlier 289 cid R2 version, the R3 was also supercharged, fully blueprinted to racing specs and hand built by Paxton. There were also R4 and R5 performance variations, but none of these were sold to the public. R4's were a non-supercharged version of the R3's. Approximately 140 R3/R4 engines were made. Only a fraction of these still exist. These engines display many serial number irregularities: some prototypes were not numbered; very early ones have RS stamped on the block; two experimental numbers are EX2123 and EX2132; one prototype number is RS1021; and others start with B1 and go as high as B153. The experimental "Due Cento" with the only R5 dual supercharged engine built by Paxton reached 196.62 mph. http://www.theavanti.com/RSeries.html Just thought I'd share...

20% is about what an SUV is tinted from factory they told me. There is a darker 5%, but that is Limo dark - basically at night, you wouldn't be able to see much out of the rear window, so 20% was the right darkness. 30% you were able to see into the car from the outside. What I have now, you would have to cup your hands around the glass to see inside... which is the way I like it. Next Thursday I'll send you an update on how the glass came out and give you the #/Website is everything is done right.

Sorry it's so small, but you can make out that the front of the car is the chestplates and the engine cover is right in the center: I know it makes me an 80's nerd that I am excited for this... Also it looks like Ratchet is a modified HUMMER, Optimus Prime is no longer a cab-over (but he looks damn cool with flames) http://flickr.com/photos/lights/218635248/ More pics of Prime and Decipticons here: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=108437 And here is the official list of Transformers appearing in the movie: AUTOBOTS: Optimus Prime. Bumblebee ("The same G1 character we always knew and loved...He's the scout, the one that comes ahead of the Autobots"). Jazz. Ratchet (medical officer/science officer - new form, not an ambulance). Ironhide ("He's the muscle - a tough soldier...The first one to jump into battle" ). DECEPTICONS: Megatron (has a Social Darwinist view of humanity - survival of the fittest). Starscream. Brawl ("an extremely pissed off Decepticon. Always ready to jump into a fight, even when the fight isn't worth it.") Bonecrusher. Barricade. Skorpinok. Frenzy (an infiltrator). Blackout (sends an EMP-style blast to take out electronics, detection devices, etc. in advance of Decepticon attack). http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=24211

Ok, as far as mileage is concerned... I drive 24 miles one way and it takes me 55 minutes (usualy) which gives you a fair idea of how much traffic and red lights (I count 32 traffic lights for my trip), so I average 25 miles an hour to work. Plus I've been a little hard on the car for the first month and just learning where the power is and how it like being driven in bumper to bumper traffic. That being said, I am averaging, as per the car computer, 19 mpg. I know that I can do better, just have to adopt a better drving style to do it. The 3900 sounds OK. You have to remember that I am used to the Z28 with the Magnaflows, so nothing can compare to that. I'd rather have a V-8... I only have 3 years to wait. I like the MAXX SS otherwise. Everthing seems screwed together tight. The thing rides great, handles great (the more aggressive tires do make a difference... the car is actualy fun to drive into corners with no tire squeal) and I do get a lot of curious lookers. The guy at the tint place said that he had never seen one before. Since I have had the car for over a month, I have only passed 1 other Malibu SS (it was a sedan) so my Blurple MAXX SS stands out a little. Next is a cold-air kit and maybe I'll paint the engine cover Blurple... Also... I had the tint done at Auto Image in East Brunswick. I received some good references from a guy who does custom bikes and pinstriping and said they were a good place. I have an appointment to go back next Thursday for them to ensure that the tint flim has cured correctly, which is see as a good thing that they check their work. It seems like a good job. I'll have a better idea once the film cures and I get the A-OK from the place. They have stores in Brick, Raritan, Woodbridge, Edison and Freehold too, but I know you are a bit more south than that. Don't know if that helps Roger.

Just got the rear end of my 06 Malibu MAXX SS tinted 20% on the rear doors, 1/4 windows and rear window.

I see 10x more 2007 Yukons than Tahoes here in central Jersey (more-so up state where I work and the $$$ is falling out of people's asses) and half of those Yukons are Denalis. Hell, I see more Escalades than Tahoes on my way to work. As long as people have money, there will always be room for a truck like this.

The interior looks like it was designed by Fisher Price, but then again, so does the exterior. Other than it driving like a go-kart, I still cannot find the allure of this vehicle looks-wise. To each their own.

It's called "splash" because that's the sound the design inspiration makes when it hits the toliet water.

But the best character was Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing: (I couldn't find a good pick of him in his doctor's jacket, but it's those eyeballs that kill me) RIP Jack Elam Also Tony Danza and Marylou Henner were in it as well as Taxi.

Well, after sitting with a for sale sign on it for over a month, my 1996 Camaro Z28 convertible was just delivered to another driver. A sad day tht I had to sell this car. But at least I know that a 2009 Z28 is on the horizon for me: Bye-bye (1997-2006)

ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Huh... What, Oh. The white one needs a Money Saving Brand (MSB) generic sticker on it. ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

That sucks man... At one point two years ago, me, my wife and my dad were all on unemployment at the same time. It sucked. It all worked out (for now) - I was layed off - then couldn't find a perm job with benefits for two years (going on and off unemployment) before finding what I have now. While I'm not in the Auto industry, I'm in computers, so it's just as bad with finding a perm job making what I was making.

I thank GMTruckGuy for picking out the HDs in the background, and I have blown up the Hi-res pic. It is easy to see the bolder HD Chevy face, bigger grill... There is also the work truck and a GMC HD:

My real wedding song was "End of the World" by Chris Cornell (the lead singer of Soundgarden) off his solo record. Yes the title sounds a little "off" for a wedding song, but the whole Chorus goes "Seeking a friend for the end of the world". We had seen him live the year before on his solo tour (small venue and 7th row center) and was blown away by the song. We didn't want to do anything predictable or common - something that 99% of those at our wedding wouldn't know.

Mike, I have a G6 with the 3.5 and about 9,000 miles on it now. The car has performed flawlessly and my wife, who is the primary driver, has no problems with the throttle or electronic steering (she notices no difference). We get about 24 mpg around town (some highway/some stop and go traffic) with the 3.5. I just bought a Malibu MAXX SS with the 3900, nearing 1,000 miles and it has also been a great drive so far. The whole look of the MAXX and the utility of the hatchback and adjustable rear seats makes it a great useable car. I'd say the MAXX is a great choice

Yeah, the Fonz used to be everywhere. He died a number of years back. His skin looked like beef jerky. The Cragars had a date code.

I didn't realize you were near... The next one at Spotswood High School is Wednesday, August 23. Those are 1963 Cragars that were on the car when I bought it 10 years ago. When I had the car completely redone and painted I had the wheels painted the correct Stude color (they were painted white already). I have the wheelcovers (If you check the shot in the backseat, I have one of them on the seat, just to show that I have them). I used to have them over these wheels, but they kept popping off (lost one in the woods off Rt 9 one day and never found it) but since these are 63 Cragars and I think the car looks good with them, I never bought steelies to put the wheelcovers on. I like the wheelcovers, but also like the Cragars.

In NJ, the king of the MOST Annoying SLOW, swing WAY left to make a right, crappy-ass driver are Toyota Corollas. Closely behind the Corolla is the Grand Marquis. Biggest asshole drivers are Bimmers. Most of them a little twits that were able to get mommy and daddy to buy them the last-gen 3 series and think they own the road. Also the last-gen Lexus IS must be on the cheap-side now and all the little punks are buying them.

Read this scenario then answer the poll above. I’ve found myself doing this a lot lately and wanted to know if anyone else has this affliction. You are in traffic. A car is looking to get into traffic from a parking lot, side street, etc. in front of you. If the vehicle is a foreign car, do you pull up as close as possible to the car in front of you and huff under your breath, “I’m not letting you in Mr. Honda/Toyota/Acura/Audi/Hyundai/etc. driver!” Do you find yourself more open to letting in a GM, Ford or Chrysler product? It may be weird, but since I spend a lot more time in traffic, I tend to be more courteous to those who drive Domestic vehicles. I am not rude or willing to cause an accident, just more open to letting someone in my lane if their choice of vehicle is American.

Old School: 442: F*rd: Mercs: Overall, a good night.

The theme of the show was Corvettes so here's some shots: The lone Impala: Some Goats (Including 3-2s): Firebirds: A modified GS: