Random Thoughts Thread

[David]

 

[A Horse With No Name]

On 1/14/2018 at 12:05 AM, balthazar said:

Jayne Mansfield, tho in a '65 Bonneville, rather than the '66 Electra 225 in which she was killed.

Amazing that with the car I don't even notice Jayne.

[A Horse With No Name]

Her death car still survives, although in not great shape.

 

On 1/12/2018 at 6:58 PM, balthazar said:

'46 Cadillac Woody Wagon, for sale via Hemings: $135K

That is awesome!

[David]

7 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Her death car still survives, although in not great shape.

 

Why? I just do not get saving something like this. 

[David]

Interesting buy

1988 Lincoln Mark VII LSC - $1995 FIRM Original Owner 121,000

https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/1988-lincoln-mark-vii-lsc/6450525645.html

[Robert Hall]

Always liked the LSCs....there is a silver blue one parked in a driveway down the street, hasn't moved in at least a year.

[A Horse With No Name]

4 hours ago, dfelt said:

Why? I just do not get saving something like this. 

People ahve a morbid fascination with all kinds of things.

[balthazar]

I can attest to that. Have a lead on a car that probably hundreds of people would like to own, crime related. I'd be interested in owning it, but the tow would be formidable.

Mansfield car must've sat outside a while- it was only 2 years old at the acident, yet the hood has apparent rot holes in it. Strange- maybe drips from a shed roof or the like.

[A Horse With No Name]

17 hours ago, dfelt said:

Interesting buy

1988 Lincoln Mark VII LSC - $1995 FIRM Original Owner 121,000

https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/1988-lincoln-mark-vii-lsc/6450525645.html

Nice price, but really dated technology.  i would rather spend more and get a more modern car.

13 hours ago, balthazar said:

I can attest to that. Have a lead on a car that probably hundreds of people would like to own, crime related. I'd be interested in owning it, but the tow would be formidable.

Mansfield car must've sat outside a while- it was only 2 years old at the acident, yet the hood has apparent rot holes in it. Strange- maybe drips from a shed roof or the like.

Could well be.  I have a fetish for old 4 door American iron, would love to own a non wrecked non fatality version of that Buick.

And sadly...so little would be required to ahve saved her life. Modern trailers ahve a bar in the rear to keep a car from driving under the back.

[balthazar]

15 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Modern trailers ahve a bar in the rear to keep a car from driving under the back.

Commonly called 'Mansfield Bars'- as they were developed because of this accident.

[David]

36 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Commonly called 'Mansfield Bars'- as they were developed because of this accident.

Funny thing is Seattle Police Department have this type of bar on the lower back of all their brand new Ford Explorer SUV cop auto's. Saw one as I got on the bus yesterday, looks really funny. Will have to grab a pic next time and post it.

[A Horse With No Name]

56 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Commonly called 'Mansfield Bars'- as they were developed because of this accident.

Interesting.  I knew the bars were first installed about 1967, did not know of the link.  Thank you sir.

[David]

This is way too funny, good read!

http://www.thedrive.com/opinion/16946/how-the-tesla-model-3-got-motortrended-and-lost-car-of-the-year

[balthazar]

^ That's a pretty blatant attempt to coin a phrase. I could get behind the narrative tho, but the author instills way too much of the spoon-fed hype on the Model 3 to be taken objectively.

[David]

Interesting, Jalopnik compares German leases to Cadillac and says that Cadillac January to end of March Lease specials are far superior to anything the Germans are offering as you get more auto due to higher trim, better motors for less monthly coin. Cadillac is finally hitting the last part that should allow them to win against Germany.

https://jalopnik.com/here-is-how-cadillac-finally-figured-out-how-to-take-on-1822151999

Pretty impressive to see the comparisons and live lease ads from each company and how since the story was written the monthly prices have gone down even more. 

Go Cadillac Go!

Other Interesting story at the J-Bone web site is they are saying BMW wants to make Apply Carplay a subscription service you have to pay for to allow your phone to access the BMW system. Imagen having to pay to allow your iPhone to connect to your car.  

https://jalopnik.com/bmw-wants-to-turn-apple-carplay-into-a-subscription-ser-1822167088

[balthazar]

The German twins have long employed cut-rate lease numbers to net the value luxury shopper, as Cadillac's lease rates have frequently been called 'uncompetitive'. Will be interesting to see if this moves the needle.

[A Horse With No Name]

9 hours ago, balthazar said:

The German twins have long employed cut-rate lease numbers to net the value luxury shopper, as Cadillac's lease rates have frequently been called 'uncompetitive'. Will be interesting to see if this moves the needle.

Cadillac has much more interesting design language than BMW or Benz though for the most part.  I do like some of the Benz high end coupes...and I really love the design of Audi as well.

Were I to be a buyer in that segment styling would really matter to me.

Edited January 18, 2018 by A Horse With No Name

[David]

AWESOME READ - The Secrets of Electric Cars and their motors, it's not all about the battery folks!

http://www.thedrive.com/tech/17505/the-secrets-of-electric-cars-and-their-motors-its-not-all-about-the-battery-folks

Have to say that while the first section is about how today's auto reviewers that review EV auto's can write thousands of words about the auto but nothing about the motor even though electric motor's have been around longer than ICE motor's. Yet once you get past that the rest is very informative and good to know such as the Tesla 3 and BOLT use permanent Magnet motors in comparison to the Tesla S and X which use AC induction motors that are far more costly due to their superior performance.

Enjoy,  

[ykX]

@dfelt Excellent article, thank you.

It is a good point that there is very little information regarding the electrical motors companies are using.  There is a lot of development going into them as well.  It is especially interesting to me since I am an electrical engineer.

[David]

2 minutes ago, ykX said:

@dfelt Excellent article, thank you.

It is a good point that there is very little information regarding the electrical motors companies are using.  There is a lot of development going into them as well.  It is especially interesting to me since I am an electrical engineer.

Your welcome, I agree as an Engineer, it is a bit sad that reviews of EV auto's are missing out on the wonders of the EV powertrain as we want to know about them just as we like to know about ICE. 

You have your magnet versus induction and AC versus DC motors. There is much to learn about the powertrain and I think sites and especially reviews need to dive into this to help people better understand why you pay more for one over another. Power train tech in EV auto's does make s difference.

[ocnblu]

LOL  https://www.autoblog.com/2018/01/18/lapd-bmw-i3-fleet-unused/?hcid=ab-around-ab-tile-1

[David]

35 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

LOL  https://www.autoblog.com/2018/01/18/lapd-bmw-i3-fleet-unused/?hcid=ab-around-ab-tile-1

WOW, talk about an abuse of tax payer dollars. Crazy. I agree with you that the BMW lease program is a joke for the police. They should have gone Tesla or waited and then leased BOLTs so they could actually have real auto's with real use for miles.

[Robert Hall]

Surprised they aren't using the i3s for parking enforcement...like how the parking police in NYC use those tuk-tuk 3 wheelers.

Edited January 19, 2018 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[David]

15 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Surprised they aren't using the i3s for parking enforcement...like how the parking police in NYC use those tuk-tuk 3 wheelers.

That is what I thought they were going to be used for also but no, they still use petro powered 3 wheelers to do parking enforcement. Weird.

Like the Story says, I think they truly played to the Green Crowd but with ZERO plan on how to really use them efficiently.

[balthazar]

Apparently; gone are the days when taxpayer-funded vehicular purchases were mandated to be from domestic companies. The i3 isn't even built in one of BMW's US plants.

And, as usual, Gov't employees have zero sense of who they work for or worry about losing their jobs for misappropriation. So it was a waste of taxpayer money to buy them, a waste of TM in the non-usage of them, and a waste of TM in the USE of them. The trifecta of Gov't; Waste, cubed.

Edited January 19, 2018 by balthazar

[balthazar]

[daves87rs]

Reminds me of some of the pictures I have seen at the Henry Ford.....

[balthazar]

MB 38,000,000SEL

Edited January 19, 2018 by balthazar

[daves87rs]

7 hours ago, balthazar said:

MB 38,000,000SEL

Feel like it should play a song or something.....

[balthazar]

Grungy but rust free '62 Pontiac full-size fender, for sale on the internet for $5,000.

Rust free because it's one of GM's past examples of aluminum body panels; this is an NOS Super Duty fender.

[Robert Hall]

Had some January thaw weather yesterday--sunny and in the low 40s.  Went out and about to a few parks and beaches nearby..

[David]

Just got the latest Chevy Performance email. Talk about crazy price drops on their crate motors.

One has to wonder just how long crate motors as a business will continue. 5, 10 more years?

I wonder once EVs start to take hold if we will see OEM EV powertrains that can be used for old auto restoration? 

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, dfelt said:

 

Just got the latest Chevy Performance email. Talk about crazy price drops on their crate motors.

One has to wonder just how long crate motors as a business will continue. 5, 10 more years?

I wonder once EVs start to take hold if we will see OEM EV powertrains that can be used for old auto restoration? 

I wonder when Car Craft or Hot Rod will transplant a Bolt drivetrain into a '69 Camaro?   Or a Prius drivetrain into an old Celica?  Seems like something the hot rodders would do.. 

[ocnblu]

Sunday evening troll tournament? 

[balthazar]

• Maybe someone will put an EV motor in a 2 million dollar Duesenberg Model SJ - toss that archaic supercharged inline 8 on the scrap heap.

• The very term 'restoration' precludes an electric motor retro-fit. Even a otherwise correct but non-numbers matching engine in a collectible reduces it's value, a downgrade to a weaker/smaller IC engine is even worse. An electric motor in a -say- '69 Z/28 would be automotive murder and a tremendous financial loss. Electric motors need to stick to present & future vehicles, leave the past ones alone.
'Hot rodding' or modifying is another mindset- there pretty much anything goes... just don't expect huge levels of admiration, if that's what you're after.

• GM crate engine pricing was due to come down as volume rises, just like many retail commodities. Look, for example at Buick- the last BBB 455 was built in 1976, yet there are 2 aftermarket blocks available today. There are numerous heads; Buick only offered Stage 1 and Stage 2 thru the factory, but the leading aftermarket BBB company is now developing a Stage 6 head, in addition to repro-ing the factory heads, and there are still other companies out there.

• People need to keep the numbers in mind. EVs haven't remotely achieved what fidget spinners have yet (and those are already on the way out). Marketing & consumer trends moves much slower than people think.

Edited January 22, 2018 by balthazar

[Robert Hall]

Googlin' turned up this Prius powered '46 Chevy truck hot rod..  https://youtu.be/_dCdRWQLOPU

Edited January 22, 2018 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[balthazar]

I subscribed to this magazine when this cover/article hit in '96. That's a '60 Toyota with a ZZ3 SBC with a crossram EFI unit. The uproar nearly derailed the magazine. Subscribers mailed the torn up cover back to the offices. It wasn't the specs, wasn't even that it was a dumpy 4-dr with American-cribbed cues, it was simply an ideal out of step with it's market.

Gotta know your market.
 

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, balthazar said:

I subscribed to this magazine when this cover/article hit in '96. That's a '60 Toyota with a ZZ3 SBC with a crossram EFI unit. The uproar nearly derailed the magazine. Subscribers mailed the torn up cover back to the offices. It wasn't the specs, wasn't even that it was a dumpy 4-dr with American-cribbed cues, it was simply an ideal out of step with it's market.

Gotta know your market.
 

 

Given how xenophobic a lot of the old farts in the hot rodding world are, not a surprise...different niche than the import tuner and JDM crowd.

[balthazar]

I don't think it's xenophobia as much as it's a love for the history and the product as conceived.

Looked at your link- wonder if the guy ever finished his silent, front wheel drive '46 truck. Wonder if he put a driveshaft into it, hung in a carrier bearing under the cab so it looks like the rear wheels are being powered? Wonder how long he's been going to AA?

[David]

2 hours ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Googlin' turned up this Prius powered '46 Chevy truck hot rod..  

 

I see he put out an updated video July 9th 2017. First show he took his Prius powered 46 pickup too.

 

2 hours ago, balthazar said:

I subscribed to this magazine when this cover/article hit in '96. That's a '60 Toyota with a ZZ3 SBC with a crossram EFI unit. The uproar nearly derailed the magazine. Subscribers mailed the torn up cover back to the offices. It wasn't the specs, wasn't even that it was a dumpy 4-dr with American-cribbed cues, it was simply an ideal out of step with it's market.

Gotta know your market.

Interesting, Different strokes for different folks, those that tore up their copy and mailed it back are narrow thinking as the idea of custom rodder covers everything. Asian, European and American, this includes any small auto companies in Africa or South America for that matter. 

Custom is custom and all ideas should be welcomed and cool!  

[balthazar]

Including retro-fitting electric cars with gas engines?

[daves87rs]

2 hours ago, dfelt said:

I see he put out an updated video July 9th 2017. First show he took his Prius powered 46 pickup too.

 

Interesting, Different strokes for different folks, those that tore up their copy and mailed it back are narrow thinking as the idea of custom rodder covers everything. Asian, European and American, this includes any small auto companies in Africa or South America for that matter. 

Custom is custom and all ideas should be welcomed and cool!  

As long as it is not ruining the "good" stuff, I'm game! Chances are good that we will see them in trucks like this-which is cool. There are some things out there that would be pretty cool to EV...

 

Was talking to someone a little while back that was looking to EV a 1990 Chevy Cavalier, so there are choices out there!

[balthazar]

Let's make a deal: no EV-ing anything built before 1980.
Because this truck is definitely 'good stuff'... or was.

[David]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Let's make a deal: no EV-ing anything built before 1980.
Because this truck is definitely 'good stuff'... or was.

Sorry my friend but this is one time I have to disagree with you. Purist can be purist, but anything goes when it comes to auto's and customization.

I understand number matched collectors and that is the beauty of our country to do what one wants, but there are plenty of cool auto's that if someone wanted to rebuild it as an EV or hybrid, why not. It is their money after all. Let them enjoy what they want.

Would love my old Grandmas 1970 2 door skylark with it's big V8 back and convert it to AWD EV and then blow away people.  

[ccap41]

Classic cars and EVs just don't match up well, imo. I don't care how neat of a powertrain an EV might be they're just not suited for an older car. 

[Robert Hall]

EV drivetrains could give older cars a new lease on life once gasoline sales are banned..

[ccap41]

Well, in 50+ years, that can be the solution. Until then, I don't want no stinkin EV in anything classic. 

[David]

27 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Well, in 50+ years, that can be the solution. Until then, I don't want no stinkin EV in anything classic. 

Personal Choice!

So many great options to take older classic auto's and give them a modern life while looking classic with low maintenance powertrains.

Some Great Examples:

http://www.autofocus.ca/news-events/news/kreisel-blends-classic-porsche-910-with-modern-ev-tech

https://jalopnik.com/5079498/neil-youngs-lincvolt-an-all-electric-1959-lincoln-continental-mark-iv-convertible

Just think of the room one would have in a Lincoln Convertible with Suicide doors and a Frunk plus trunk. Talk about a road car that would be roomy, comfy and can carry all your stuff.

[ccap41]

There's this FANTASTIC engine line called the Chevy LS and they're extremely reliable and modern. I'll take a classic Ford or Mopar with a Chevy LS swap over an EV all day. 

Keeping a gasoline engine up front doesn't sacrifice any of the interior room of the Lincoln. Those batteries to go 300 miles minimum have to go somewhere. That Lincvolt is a hydrogen electric hybrid so they're using the under-hood space.  

[David]

7 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

There's this FANTASTIC engine line called the Chevy LS and they're extremely reliable and modern. I'll take a classic Ford or Mopar with a Chevy LS swap over an EV all day. 

Keeping a gasoline engine up front doesn't sacrifice any of the interior room of the Lincoln. Those batteries to go 300 miles minimum have to go somewhere. That Lincvolt is a hydrogen electric hybrid so they're using the under-hood space.  

Get a Frunk, in wheel hub motors or like many, the electric motor is in between the wheels. Since no drive line, the space between the 4 wheels under the main seating area is where you get a nice thin battery sled that also offers a bit more rigidity to the auto for a better lower center of gravity giving a better ride.

You can have your LS, I will take an EV. Silence in a road cruiser is golden.