Random Thoughts Thread

[Robert Hall]

9 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

Quoted for pure sheer AWESOMENESS!!! 

Those early 70s 442s were such good looking cars...

[ocnblu]

 

[trinacriabob]

44 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

This is pretty cool...not my pics..saw these posted on a Facebook group..there was this display of vintage Cadillac dealer promo models (1/25th scale, old Johan promos) at the Detroit Auto Show.    Don't know where at the show it was (wasn't there).   I have several of these in my promo collection.   Wish I'd been there to see them. 

I'm picking out all the big opera windowed coupes! During the '70s in SoCal, I knew a black woman named Velma who bought herself a new '78 Coupe de Ville 425 V8 in the extra cost (get this) Cerise Firemist Metallic, essentially a metallic pink champagne color, with the maroon landau roof and a maroon leather interior ... and with wire wheels and the normal width whitewall tires.  In its day, shiny and fresh from the showroom floor, this thing made quite a statement. 

The closest I've been to a long trek in a car like that was a ride from SoCal to Las Vegas in a friend's aunt's Riv coupe (RWD and based on the LeSabre chassis) with its 403 V8 silently humming across the Mojave Desert at 70 to 75 mph.  Hers was tri-color light metallic blue and the seats were cloth, much nicer to get in and out of in the desert heat.  

Edited January 19, 2019 by trinacriabob

[oldshurst442]

This one is for you, @ocnblu

I know you will LOVE this piece of news from my neck of the woods

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/teo-taxi-combusts-twice-due-to-faulty-electric-battery-1.4260676

[Robert Hall]

5 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

I'm picking out all the big opera windowed coupes! During the '70s in SoCal, I knew a black woman named Velma who bought herself a new '78 Coupe de Ville 425 V8 in the extra cost (get this) Cerise Firemist Metallic, essentially a metallic pink champagne color, with the maroon landau roof and a maroon leather interior ... and with wire wheels and the normal width whitewall tires.  In its day, shiny and fresh from the showroom floor, this thing made quite a statement. 

The closest I've been to a long trek in a car like that was a ride from SoCal to Las Vegas in a friend's aunt's Riv coupe (RWD and based on the LeSabre chassis) with its 403 V8 silently humming across the Mojave Desert at 70 to 75 mph.  Hers was tri-color light metallic blue and the seats were cloth, much nicer to get in and out of in the desert heat.  

Cool..neat experience I'm sure.  I did make many road trips from NE Ohio to S Florida and places around the Midwest growing up in my Dad's various Town Cars from the 70s-90s.  Very comfortable road trip cars.   My sister's '00 DTS was very comfortable on road trips, I did several Phoenix to San Diego and Phoenix to Long Beach drives in it over the 5 years she had it. 

[ocnblu]

Dfelt, you can't sit in the front and back at the same time.  Get yourself a wood trim kit for the dash, problem solved! 

Edited January 20, 2019 by ocnblu

[oldshurst442]

5 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Those early 70s 442s were such good looking cars...

I want one badly. Its a shame I was born in '73.  If I was born 20-25 years prior, Id be of age to own one. *SIGH* 

But then again, Id be 20-25 years older now... good thing? bad thing?

Retirement be knocking on my door....you know what?  Im good that I was a teenager in the 80s. No really,  MLB baseball was exciting in the 80s, so was hockey, Def Leppard.  No 1970 442, but 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity 1994 4 door Pontiac Grand Am GT!!!  YEAH!!! 

 

[trinacriabob]

Random thought ... of the non-automotive variety:

I cannot believe how many thick and inconsiderate people there are out there when it comes to recycling.  I'm talking about places like IKEA, where they have separate bins for paper, plastic bottles/cans, and trash.

- There are used, smeared food paper wrappers in the paper bin, as well as plastic water bottles

- There is paper in the plastic bottles/cans bin

- There are MANY perfectly recyclable plastic bottles in the trash bin

[ocnblu]

My longest road trip took place in August/September 1992, when I drove from my grandparents' farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland out to Denver and Fort Collins and up into Wyoming before turning around and traveling home on the southern route.  Just me and my beloved Jack Russell terrier, Meggie, in my green 1992 VW Golf GL 2-door.

Edited January 19, 2019 by ocnblu

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, oldshurst442 said:

I want one badly. Its a shame I was born in '73.  If I was born 20-25 years prior, Id be of age to own one. *SIGH* 

But then again, Id be 20-25 years older now... good thing? bad thing?

Retirement be knocking on my door....you know what?  Im good that I was a teenager in the 80s. No really,  MLB baseball was exciting in the 80s, so was hockey, Def Leppard.  No 1970 442, but 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity 1994 4 door Pontiac Grand Am GT!!!  YEAH!!! 

 

I enjoyed being a teenager in the 80s...lots of 80s cars I love, along w/ 80s music and movies... 

A bit of non-automotive randomness...was up late last night watching Audioslave, Soundgarden, Eagles, and Prince videos on YouTube...missing some of my favorite musicians that have passed in recent years.   Had a funny thought---what if Freddie Mercury had made an album in the 80s w/ John Mellencamp?  It could have been titled 'Mercury Cougar'... (John Mellencamp went by the stage name Johnny Cougar then John Cougar in the 80s).  

[ocnblu]

15 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

This one is for you, @ocnblu

I know you will LOVE this piece of news from my neck of the woods

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/teo-taxi-combusts-twice-due-to-faulty-electric-battery-1.4260676

Repeated flare-ups = scary prospect

[oldshurst442]

8 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I enjoyed being a teenager in the 80s...lots of 80s cars I love, along w/ 80s music and movies... 

Especially the movies.

Music: the 1950s and especially the 1960s, was incredible with the music.   The 1980s were very comparable with the incredible sounds the musicians, song writers and singers were experimenting with. 

But the movies...best decade ever so far in the story telling department.  Especially the ones geared for us, the teenagers. 

It seems that the 1980s was a decade that just catered to teenagers. It was a great time. 

5 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Repeated flare-ups = scary prospect

Yeah! I know!  An investigation to come as to why...

But that aint a good thing...

Edited January 19, 2019 by oldshurst442

[Robert Hall]

On the subject of road trips, my longest was my last...June 2017 in my '14 Grand Cherokee...Phoenix, Arizona to Cleveland, Ohio in approx. 52 hours and 2099 miles.   Was not fun, but something that had to be done..last trip of my move and had to get 6 dogs home.   I would like to take a more relaxed pace coast-to-coast road trip some day, not sure what I'd do it in...

[ocnblu]

5 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

not sure what I'd do it in

2020 Lincoln Aviator!

[oldshurst442]

2 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

 I would like to take a more relaxed pace coast-to-coast road trip some day, not sure what I'd do it in...

I want to take one with the wife. Coast to coast also.

I wanna see all the old Western towns.  Where all those "legendary" cowboys roamed.  I love that part of American history. 

I mentioned the Pacific Coast Highway couple of days ago. 

Route 66. Whatever is left of it nowadays. 

Then there is another road trip Id like to take. The one above was East to West.  I wanna go from North to South. See the Atlantic coast and find myself in the Florida Keys.  The Keys are also beautiful...

Ive just been to Boston and New York. But the USA is so vast and big and beautiful, that several road trips are a must! 

[ocnblu]

LOVE the green color on the Kia Telluride.

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, oldshurst442 said:

I want to take one with the wife. Coast to coast also.

I wanna see all the old Western towns.  Where all those "legendary" cowboys roamed.  I love that part of American history. 

I mentioned the Pacific Coast Highway couple of days ago. 

Route 66. Whatever is left of it nowadays. 

Then there is another road trip Id like to take. The one above was East to West.  I wanna go from North to South. See the Atlantic coast and find myself in the Florida Keys.  The Keys are also beautiful...

Ive just been to Boston and New York. But the USA is so vast and big and beautiful, that several road trips are a must! 

Definitely several trips...I've pretty much seen enough of the South and Southwest, so I'd like to go cross country on a Northern route, maybe I-90.   I've done a lot of I-80 and I-40 in the past, parts of I-10.   I've driven parts of the Pacific Coast Highway, but would love to drive the full length.   Did the NE Ohio to Florida Keys trips many times as a kid in the family RVs and Town Car and also alone in my Mustang GT when I was 18. 

7 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

2020 Lincoln Aviator!

A coupe or convertible could be fun also...

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, ocnblu said:

2020 Lincoln Aviator!

Jeep Grand Cherokee for me.

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Jeep Grand Cherokee for me.

Mine is really comfortable and smooth on road trips.   I've taken a bunch of close trips around here (2-3 hr drives) and wouldn't hesitate to take it on a longer trip.

[David]

3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Repeated flare-ups = scary prospect

No different than the way gas goes BOOM 💥

[daves87rs]

4 hours ago, ocnblu said:

 

I like this!!!! 🙂 

Must be a van guy....

[balthazar]

Took the road trip from NYState to central Florida- car was a '72 Sedan deVille. I was a kid, I know I spent at least some time laying on the rear floor- my head near the one door, my knees over the trans tunnel. I don't recall any bumps down there, but the wheelbase was 130".

5 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

I want one badly. Its a shame I was born in '73.  If I was born 20-25 years prior, Id be of age to own one. *SIGH*

My one buddy has a bunch of varied cars; one is a '67 Catalina. He keeps it because he was born in '67. I really don't get that- there's no correlation. Every vintage vehicle I own is older than me- I've bought what turned me on. Olds- go get yourself a '70 442; you're allowed!

- - - - -
Ford built 5 of these 1952 crew cabs for 2 separate special orders (they actually have only 3 doors). Must be one of the first crew cabs. This one is getting restored to original.

Edited January 20, 2019 by balthazar

[ocnblu]

8 hours ago, dfelt said:

No different than the way gas goes BOOM 💥

LOL it's entirely different.  Why would you laugh (reaction to olds' post reiterating a known fact about repeated, even days later, fire flare-ups with EVs) at that post?  Really.

Edited January 20, 2019 by ocnblu

[A Horse With No Name]

10 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Mine is really comfortable and smooth on road trips.   I've taken a bunch of close trips around here (2-3 hr drives) and wouldn't hesitate to take it on a longer trip.

The Ford Explorer is growing on me, especially in fords Fantastic Grey...but...still like the jeep Much better. 

[ocnblu]

Much more sensational in its day than the "unnamed EV concept" Cadillac of now.  Sad to see such a tremendous loss of relevance in what was once the absolute pinnacle of aspirational automotive greatness. 

[trinacriabob]

14 hours ago, ocnblu said:

 

How much does this sled cost?

I like all the storage, especially all the hidden areas.  He mentions "perfect for hoarders!"

Not a great vehicle if you're right handed - you sit on the wrong side to begin with and have to shift with your left hand.  You'd think this would be marketed with an automatic.  Then, when he sets off down the road, I thought, "Whoa, he's driving down the wrong side of the street."

[ocnblu]

13 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

How much does this sled cost?

Well, to me it is a good looking, chunky little useful conveyance.  Love the diesel with stick.  Europeans still love stick shifts.  If you want something more whimsical, choose its sister vehicle, the Citroen Berlingo...

Plus, ya gotta know how to switch hands, otherwise certain things get very boring!  😉

Edited January 20, 2019 by ocnblu

[Robert Hall]

Those funky Eurovans do have their charm.

The snow stopped for a while...a lot of wind blown snow in my driveway...shoveled a path from the garage to my sister's STS and around it, brushed off the snow on it.  Must be 8-10 inches or more drifted behind it down the driveway to the street...ugh.   And now it's snowing again..

Edited January 20, 2019 by Robert Hall

[balthazar]

All rain here, lots of it. Tried shoveling it, didn't go so well. Will try again later.
- - - - -
Above the parts counter of a 1941 Buick dealership, still standing somewhere in Iowa ~

[daves87rs]

3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Much more sensational in its day than the "unnamed EV concept" Cadillac of now.  Sad to see such a tremendous loss of relevance in what was once the absolute pinnacle of aspirational automotive greatness. 

 

I so feel like Batman should jump in at any time....

23 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Those funky Eurovans do have their charm.

The snow stopped for a while...a lot of wind blown snow in my driveway...shoveled a path from the garage to my sister's STS and around it, brushed off the snow on it.  Must be 8-10 inches or more drifted behind it down the driveway to the street...ugh.   And now it's snowing again..

We got 6 inches here....neighbor also buried my Equinox in snow....

But man is it cold! Worries me more now that my asthma is back.. 😞 

[Robert Hall]

Coming down heavy again...

[David]

6 hours ago, ocnblu said:

LOL it's entirely different.  Why would you laugh (reaction to olds' post reiterating a known fact about repeated, even days later, fire flare-ups with EVs) at that post?  Really.

Really you have to ask why I find his post funny pointed at you who likes to live in the past.

 Comical, that is for sure. Yet we still love ya too! 🤗

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

Those funky Eurovans do have their charm.

The snow stopped for a while...a lot of wind blown snow in my driveway...shoveled a path from the garage to my sister's STS and around it, brushed off the snow on it.  Must be 8-10 inches or more drifted behind it down the driveway to the street...ugh.   And now it's snowing again..

Poor Cadillac, that baby needs a blanket.

[Robert Hall]

3 minutes ago, dfelt said:

 

Poor Cadillac, that baby needs a blanket.

Something funny about having the AWD SUV and FWD CUV in the garage, with the RWD sedan outside..

[A Horse With No Name]

 

[balthazar]

What a trippy bit (the 1986 portion) ~

 

Edited January 20, 2019 by balthazar

[ocnblu]

[oldshurst442]

20 hours ago, balthazar said:

My one buddy has a bunch of varied cars; one is a '67 Catalina. He keeps it because he was born in '67. I really don't get that- there's no correlation. Every vintage vehicle I own is older than me- I've bought what turned me on. Olds- go get yourself a '70 442; you're allowed!

Yep. Im allowed. Thanx for the encouragement.  

I just need to put the kids through school and get myself a good little nest egg for the wife and I and then I will probably get one. Im working hard on accomplishing those things. Im almost there!  

[balthazar]

Perfect car for ocnblu right here: it's green, has utility/cargo space for his Birkenstocks, frisbee & portable cookstove, not to mention the 6.2L Escalade LS engine. It even has a clutch pedal (tho it appears to be wired up under the dash- can't have it all) ~

[ocnblu]

WOW, that little sucker should run like a scalded cat!

[balthazar]

Obviously it gained weight over the original aluminum 4, but as a point of reference- a stock '71 Vega wagon was just over 2200 lbs.

[daves87rs]

Now that is a wagon that can move!!!!

[balthazar]

Washington DC. Building long gone.

[ocnblu]

Amazing level of pride in that building.  Optimism.  Promise.

[daves87rs]

Very cool building!

[A Horse With No Name]

23 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Well, to me it is a good looking, chunky little useful conveyance.  Love the diesel with stick.  Europeans still love stick shifts.  If you want something more whimsical, choose its sister vehicle, the Citroen Berlingo...

Plus, ya gotta know how to switch hands, otherwise certain things get very boring!  😉

Now that I really like!

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Amazing level of pride in that building.  Optimism.  Promise.

I know, right...as compared to the modern dismal strip mall store of today.

[Robert Hall]

Got to get a snow thrower. Shoveling sucks. 

Edited January 21, 2019 by Robert Hall

[balthazar]

Put a plow on the Jeep- push it all onto your neighbor's lawn.

[David]

38 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Put a plow on the Jeep- push it all onto your neighbor's lawn.

The kids would love it I bet.  

[trinacriabob]

What new thing did you learn today?

The internet is a big compendium of positives and negatives.  Here's a big positive - the DIY stuff.

[A Horse With No Name]

I learned that I need to value each day uniquely....you only have so many. time flies...I am 53...will turn 54 in September.