Random Thoughts Thread

[Robert Hall]

It seems the horsepower/top speed/0-60 race keeps getting one-upped with each new hypercar...where is it going...5000hp, 350mph top speed, -1 sec 0-60?   

Ferrari styling hasn't appealed to me in ages...I still love the looks of 80s super cars...Testarossa, F40, Countach, 959...

Edited March 5, 2019 by Robert Hall

[ccap41]

Enjoy!

@Drew Dowdell How do you embed a video? I know I've done it before... 

Edited March 5, 2019 by Drew Dowdell
Just paste the link into the window and wait about 3 seconds for it to automatically embed.

[ccap41]

I'm not sure why it worked this time but not the last time I tried but it apparently already worked.. 

[Drew Dowdell]

11 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I'm not sure why it worked this time but not the last time I tried but it apparently already worked.. 

No... I fixed it for you.   All you need to do is paste the link and wait a few seconds for it to automagically embed.  Then hit enter and keep typing if you have more to add.

[ccap41]

34 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

No... I fixed it for you.   All you need to do is paste the link and wait a few seconds for it to automagically embed.  Then hit enter and keep typing if you have more to add.

Do I paste the link in the "add a link" window or straight to the text box? And thank you! 

[Drew Dowdell]

Just now, ccap41 said:

Do I paste the link in the "add a link" window or straight to the text box? And thank you! 

Just straight into the text box where you type.  You only use the "add a link" button if you want it to show like this. 

1. Paste link into text box

2. Wait 3 seconds

4. Profit!

Feel free to practice it with a youtube link or two here and I can wack them after you're done.

[ccap41]

48 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Just straight into the text box where you type.  You only use the "add a link" button if you want it to show like this. 

1. Paste link into text box

2. Wait 3 seconds

4. Profit!

Feel free to practice it with a youtube link or two here and I can wack them after you're done.

I'll just add something auto related and entertaining anyway.

Also, that was instantly, no waiting necessary! 

[David]

I am very happy for the Netflix of Season 2 of Lost in Space!

 

[Drew Dowdell]

9 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I'll just add something auto related and entertaining anyway.

Also, that was instantly, no waiting necessary! 

Sometimes there is a delay, but glad that it worked for you. If there is a delay, just give it a couple seconds and it will embed. 

11 minutes ago, dfelt said:

I am very happy for the Netflix of Season 2 of Lost in Space!

 

Albert will be happy, he really likes that series. I don't follow it myself. 

[David]

12 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Albert will be happy, he really likes that series. I don't follow it myself. 

Special effects are outstanding and the story line is very solid. 

I am excited to see the Robots home world and what happens there. Plus there is more to the characters than other shows have. Whoever wrote the story lines did a great job on the characters and the conflict while keeping the over all show interesting.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5232792/

 

[Robert Hall]

Haven't seen that..the only current Sci Fi series I watch are Star Trek: Discovery, The Orville, and Doctor Who. 

[David]

Coworker has his cadillac nearing 550,000 miles. Proof Northstar engines can go the distance!

[Drew Dowdell]

34 minutes ago, dfelt said:

Coworker has his cadillac nearing 550,000 miles. Proof Northstar engines can go the distance!

STS or SRX?

[oldshurst442]

25 minutes ago, dfelt said:

Coworker has his cadillac nearing 550,000 miles. Proof Northstar engines can go the distance!

Is that a late model Northstar?

Like 2006 and newer? 

Because I read that GM finally fixed what was the problem with the head gaskets being blown.

Several problems with the Northstar were adressed with the RWD STS and STS-V and XLR and  XLR-V.  Both the 4.6 and the supercharged 4.4  are very reliable and not finicky like previous versions.

[ocnblu]

ccap, when you're over onto the YouTube and want to bring a vid to C&G, just right click on the video screen while it's playing and hit copy, then paste right into your text window here.  No need to go into the YouTube's sharing window.  I learnt that by accidental situation.

[David]

4 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

STS or SRX?

STS, He loves it. Wishes they still made them so he could buy another.

4 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

Is that a late model Northstar?

Like 2006 and newer? 

Because I read that GM finally fixed what was the problem with the head gaskets being blown.

Several problems with the Northstar were adressed with the RWD STS and STS-V and XLR and  XLR-V.  Both the 4.6 and the supercharged 4.4  are very reliable and not finicky like previous versions.

Yes it is a late model STS. Him and I are the Cadillac champions at work, everyone else is german or asian driven. People are shocked to see our auto's. I had no Idea he had hit half a million miles on his.

[balthazar]

Factory paint job ~

[Robert Hall]

My sister's '06 STS has about 135k miles.  It's back in the shop again w/ more electrical gremlins.   The engine has been fine, she's put about 5000 miles on it since getting it last August. 

[Potluck]

Buying a 130k mile STS?  brave!

[Robert Hall]

10 minutes ago, Potluck said:

Buying a 130k mile STS?  brave!

I warned her against it...but she has a thing for older Cadillacs as a commuter car.     Her '15 Trax only has 15k miles, not driving it much. 

[balthazar]

Still partially in the wrapper (protective paper on some of the bumper) ~

Edited March 6, 2019 by balthazar

[Drew Dowdell]

Looks like a pretty basic model. 

[balthazar]

I assume via the building lettering in the background, it's an export model. Where that is, I have no clue.
- - - - -
I was tweakin' ~

Edited March 7, 2019 by balthazar

[daves87rs]

On 3/6/2019 at 8:10 AM, balthazar said:

Still partially in the wrapper (protective paper on some of the bumper) ~

Cool!

[Robert Hall]

The Pontiac was in Sweden. Harald Fors & Co AB was in Stockholm looks like.

Edited March 8, 2019 by Robert Hall

[ocnblu]

Oh I thought it said "Gerald Ford"

[balthazar]

MoPar 413 Max Wedge factory exhaust system, 1963 ~

[ocnblu]

Crazy plumbing there!

[Robert Hall]

Totally tubular!

[Drew Dowdell]

Such a slow news day today. hardly anything to write about

[ccap41]

Random Ford Lincoln fact... Them doing crap like this is what has helped hold Lincoln back. Hopefully since the Navigator and Aviator they've turned a new page buuuuut Ford released an upgraded 2.0T for the Escape, Edge, MKX, MKC, and Fusion but in 2017 the Escape for the new engine and the MKC is just getting the update in 2019. 

relatively minute changes but a twin scroll replaced the single scroll for a 5hp/5tq bump but throttle response was supposed to have been improved. 

Isn't this the kind of thing that should start in the Lincolns THEN spread to Fords if Lincoln is supposed to be the premier company? 🤦🏼‍♂️

Edited March 8, 2019 by ccap41

[Drew Dowdell]

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

Random Ford Lincoln fact... Them doing crap like this is what has helped hold Lincoln back. Hopefully since the Navigator and Aviator they've turned a new page buuuuut Ford released an upgraded 2.0T for the Escape, Edge, MKX, MKC, and Fusion but in 2017 the Escape for the new engine and the MKC is just getting the update in 2019. 

relatively minute changes but a twin scroll replcaed the single scroll for a 5hp/5tq bump but throttle response was supposed to have been improved. 

Isn't this the kind of thing that should start in the Lincolns THEN spread to Fords if Lincoln is supposed to be the premier company? 🤦🏼‍♂️

You'd think they'd do that when the MKC got its refresh last year. 

[ccap41]

44 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

You'd think they'd do that when the MKC got its refresh last year. 

At the very least 2018 but it should have been the same year or a model year earlier than a Ford. 

[David]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Such a slow news day today. hardly anything to write about

Lots on the EV charging front that I have been swamped by work for our tradeshow to write about.

VW Charging Stations: https://chargedevs.com/newswire/volkswagen-group-components-to-produce-fast-charging-station-with-storage/

More Wireless Charging options for Auto's. I honestly think we will see the Plug in pig tails go away fast as Wireless charging parking spots take over:

https://chargedevs.com/newswire/mahle-licenses-wireless-ev-charging-technology-from-witricity/

https://chargedevs.com/newswire/witricity-acquires-qualcomm-halo/

New EV Charging networks to offer extreme fast charging in California to challange traditional and state provided as well as existing providers.

https://chargedevs.com/newswire/propel-fuels-to-launch-ev-charging-network-in-california/

BP invests in Chinese charging platform Powershare for use in China and Globally at gas stations: https://chargedevs.com/newswire/bp-invests-in-chinese-charging-platform-powershare/

Tesla release a CCS adapter that will ship standard with all European auto shipments to plug into non-Tesla chargers. https://chargedevs.com/newswire/tesla-makes-ccs-adapter-standard-on-new-european-model-s-and-x-vehicles/

[ccap41]

Like he already said, "Such a slow news day today. hardly anything to write about."

[David]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Like he already said, "Such a slow news day today. hardly anything to write about."

@Drew Dowdell

Fiat showed off their new Centoventi Concept Electric CUV today.

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1121930_fiat-concept-centoventi-electric-car-opens-mopar-toolbox-looks-beyond-500e#image=19

Ford has a patent for turning your F150 Pickup bed into Party Central.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/ford-patent-mounted-theater-system-truck-bed/

VW has confirmed today that they are still 100% investigating how to bring the Atlas Pickup to the US.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/volkswagen-pickup-truck-usa-ford-ranger/

First drive of the Mini Cooper EV mule.

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/03/05/mini-cooper-se-battery-ev-review/

I will have to say that the DeVinci EV Concept Coupe is Sexy as hell for a Car. Love the Gull wing doors and the Interior.

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/03/08/italdesign-davinci-concept-two-door-gt-ev/

BMW which had anounced they would export from China the BMW iX3 electric CUV has now informed the world today that this will be a Chinese only model for now. That is a shame as it was a normal looking EV. I wonder if the importing into the US was an issue with the current political climate here.

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2019/03/bmw-takes-its-evs-from-china-plan-off-the-burner/

Seems TESLA has gone full self driving update with their auto's again on their web site. All new feature info is here: https://www.tesla.com/autopilot

Lots of cool news!  

[ocnblu]

zzzzzzzzzzzzz.. you're right, Drew 

[balthazar]

Sorry I let the answer to this slip thru the cracks :
 

 

Pretty much on the nose, Robert, tho not when you might've thought. Mid-century, there were countless small-town garages that were also car dealers.

Edited March 9, 2019 by balthazar

[balthazar]

[ocnblu]

[balthazar]

Would it be fair to say the Escala has inspired all these razor-slit headlight clusters, or is another vehicle a more likely catalyst?

I've kinda liked the soul's styling all along...

[ocnblu]

This new one seems well done.  Mom adored her '12, so much so that she calls them out on the road every time I take her somewhere.  I've always dug gray and gold together, so this combo intrigues me on the 2020 Soul.

[oldshurst442]

Razor-slit headlights and who inspired what?

Maybe Transformers Camaro Bumblee in 2014 movie perhaps?

 

I was always intrigued by the Soul's styling inside and out. The EV version is quite interesting too. 

What you posted there is the next gen Soul?

Looks damn fine if you ask me. I like.  Those razor slit headlights give it a sense of class in my opinion. 

 

 

[ocnblu]

1 hour ago, oldshurst442 said:

What you posted there is the next gen Soul?

Yes sir, that is a 2020 Soul EX, with a trim package of two-tone paint, 18" wheels, LED lighting all around, unique interior trim and whatnot.

[balthazar]

Why I've always said mercedes really wasn't successful/competitive in this country until sometime in the '90s (but not the early '90s) ~

[daves87rs]

4 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Yes sir, that is a 2020 Soul EX, with a trim package of two-tone paint, 18" wheels, LED lighting all around, unique interior trim and whatnot.

After getting used to the lights, it has quite a nice flow to it......

[ocnblu]

PROPAGANDA PHOTO!  From Ford's 2020 Super Duty site:

[balthazar]

'63 Merc S-55 ~

[balthazar]

Gorgeous limited-production '54 'E' ~

[William Maley]

On 3/4/2019 at 12:40 PM, ccap41 said:

@Drew Dowdell and/or @William Maley, What year did the Cherokee get Apple's CarPlay or does it yet? Or when did they get the latest version of UConnect? I'm looking around for used vehicles and trying to find what else has things I like(that isn't new). 

I want to say 2017 as it would come on the latest version of UConnect. Will need to double check some notes.