Random Thoughts Thread

[trinacriabob]

23 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Yeah, I really wanted to try it.  I'm told that the flights to get there are cheap, but everything else like food and hotel is expensive.

WOW Air was going from a lot of cities using a Boeing 737.  Because of the distance from the eastern half of the U.S. and the fact that they aren't far from land at any given time (eastern Canada, Greenland),  that plane could handle the medium range flight.  Now there's no WOW Air.  However, Icelandair also uses smaller single aisle jets to make the trip from some U.S. destinations.

I am amazed at how some people drive in inclement weather.  Say road conditions aren't the best and you're doing 45 or so in the right hand lane to approach your exit, the driver that will come right up to your bumper and then move over a lane, almost sideswiping you, is going to be in a Dodge Ram, Chevy Silverado, or Ford 150 truck about 90% of the time.  And it's not cool to stereotype?  This recently happened.

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

I am amazed at how some people drive in inclement weather.  Say road conditions aren't the best and you're doing 45 or so in the right hand lane to approach your exit, the driver that will come right up to your bumper and then move over a lane, almost sideswiping you, is going to be in a Dodge Ram, Chevy Silverado, or Ford 150 truck about 90% of the time.  And it's not cool to stereotype?  This recently happened.

I saw some of that last night...and the damn semi trucks..I-71 northbound was pretty bad from south of Mansfield up to I-271 (which was even worse--25mph and one lane clear)... two barely plowed lanes, I'm in the right lane following a line of cars maybe going 45...and a semi blasts past in the left lane covering me in spray.. glad my Jeep is 5000 lbs w/ AWD w/ good tires...a small light vehicle would be buffeted around. 

[balthazar]

Englishtown Raceway Park (Englishtown NJ) abruptly cancelled all drag racing activities last year. The track was scheduled, as usual, to be the host for the NHRA SummerNationals, too. Reportedly, they leased the strip & one side of the parking area to Copart, the auto auction entity. Since then a number of stories & theories have swirled around, including the possibility that the strip might reopen.

Last week these pics surfaced- the ripping out of the guard barriers that line the strip. Note the steel I-beams that were driven 3-ft into the ground to secure the barriers. Not a good sign drag racing is coming back anytime soon.

[daves87rs]

8 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Dude came in a couple of days ago with his comical sidekick.  He had an accident, and wanted to talk to me about a couple of things so I could start off on the right foot with his repair.  His car was to be towed in to our shop later that day.

"I need you to know, my car is a High Bird, it's a special car..."

"Yes, I see here on the paperwork, you mean it is a Camry Hybrid, right?"

"Yeah, it's a High Bird"

I had to keep a straight face through this ordeal.

 

At least he didn’t give you the bird...

[Drew Dowdell]

15 hours ago, balthazar said:

Englishtown Raceway Park (Englishtown NJ) abruptly cancelled all drag racing activities last year. The track was scheduled, as usual, to be the host for the NHRA SummerNationals, too. Reportedly, they leased the strip & one side of the parking area to Copart, the auto auction entity. Since then a number of stories & theories have swirled around, including the possibility that the strip might reopen.

Last week these pics surfaced- the ripping out of the guard barriers that line the strip. Note the steel I-beams that were driven 3-ft into the ground to secure the barriers. Not a good sign drag racing is coming back anytime soon.

I went there a few times as a kid

[David]

Dirt Track Racing seems to have really picked up here in Washington State, The evergreen Raceway and drag strip sees races, but even the high school drags have stopped, I honestly do not know the last time a drag race of any kind was done here in Washington. Sad as I had fond memories of going to the drag strip for High School drags at the end of the year. Always fun to see what the kids built out of the auto shop class.

Time are a changing.

[Robert Hall]

I went to a few drag races at Bandimere Speedway outside Denver about 15-20 years ago, I'm more of an Indy Car, IMSA and NASCAR fan but I enjoyed it.

[balthazar]

Drag racing is the only attainable motor sport for the average enthusiast. Unfortunately, modern vehicles don't allow for much hands-on modification, and really; what's the point/fun in racing a stock vehicle?

[ocnblu]

Television program out of Canada.  LOL eh?

 

[David]

24 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Television program out of Canada.  LOL eh?

 

Your parents are looking good Blu!

 

[ocnblu]

12 minutes ago, dfelt said:

Your parents are looking good Blu!

Thanks!

[ccap41]

13 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Television program out of Canada.  LOL eh?

 

That show is soooo damn funny! 

[balthazar]

Thanks blu- I spent an hour the other night watching utube episodes. Funny stuff.
- - - - -
'41 DeSoto Business Coupe - love the lines ~

[David]

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6518852035482304512

Awesome read on what GM is doing to ensure diversity and equal pay.

Video

https://dms.licdn.com/playback/C5605AQGGXsU1-wqMGg/9e68afa100d24cf6823a83ac43096862/feedshare-mp4_3300-captions-thumbnails/1507940147251-drlcss?e=1554390000&v=beta&t=ngqrrO90lDan87qtFr-XHaXG5KY2Iiq-TRSwouebKoM

 

[ocnblu]

I'm bout to go all jihad on Barra for this ~

 

 

[balthazar]

Short beds are for posers.

[ocnblu]

[ocnblu]

[riviera74]

34 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Short beds are for posers.

Not every truck buyer needs a regular bed or a long bed on their pickup truck.

[David]

16 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Not every truck buyer needs a regular bed or a long bed on their pickup truck.

Or even a full size or mid size. Mini works for many, just look at how many old Mini Ford Rangers were sold.

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, riviera74 said:

Not every truck buyer needs a regular bed or a long bed on their pickup truck.

Meh : 5.5 > 6.5 = 1 measly foot.
Besides- not every car buyer needs a trunk, they should sell trunkless sedans.
:P

[ocnblu]

6 hours ago, balthazar said:

Meh : 5.5 > 6.5 = 1 measly foot.
Besides- not every car buyer needs a trunk, they should sell trunkless sedans.

The black GMC Sierra regular cab demonstrating its G80 locker is a 6.5' bed.  The only 5.5' bed is on the crewcab.  A 6.5' bed can be ordered with the crewcab half ton.  8' bed is the only bed lemf available IN THE USA on the regular cab half ton, and the regular and double (extended) cab HD.  Balthy, are you confused on bed lemfs?  SIZE MATTERS.  I am mystified as to why GM will not sell a regular cab 6.5' bed in the USA... but they will in Mexico and the Middle East.  It is the ideal configuration for maneuverability, garagability, etc. etc.

Edited April 4, 2019 by ocnblu

[ocnblu]

The Colorado Z71 Trail Runner and Silverado WT Appearance Package 4X4 V8 I posted above are in the same price range, at $39k.  I could save $1400 and get the excellent 4.3L V6 in the Silverado.  Both trucks with V6 would get similar gas mileage, per road test reports.

The Colorado, with a low profile radio antenna, would fit in my garage.  The Silverado would need parked outside, and I would want a remote start kit put on it for winter mornings.  My dad and brother both park their trucks outside their garages... and although I think a garage is for vehicle storage and not junk, I could get used to parking outside I guess.  But do I want to?  I just love the idea of an old-school regular cab pickup truck...

[Robert Hall]

I assume they studied the sales numbers of the previous gen regular cab short bed and determined it wouldn't generate enough profit to offer it here in the new generation. 

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

The black GMC Sierra regular cab demonstrating its G80 locker is a 6.5' bed.  The only 5.5' bed is on the crewcab.  A 6.5' bed can be ordered with the crewcab half ton.  8' bed is the only bed lemf available IN THE USA on the regular cab half ton, and the regular and double (extended) cab HD.  Balthy, are you confused on bed lemfs?  SIZE MATTERS.  I am mystified as to why GM will not sell a regular cab 6.5' bed in the USA... but they will in Mexico and the Middle East.  It is the ideal configuration for maneuverability, garagability, etc. etc.

Well, that is some excellent info there, my friend. Consider me now informed. Yes, perhaps I was confused.
6.5' is acceptable (even tho it's only a half foot longer than a traditional short bed).
But the 5.5' bed still angers me. So does the fact that perhaps I am NOT shopping in 2019, but must put it off until '20. I can still look tho.

Here's hoping that the sales downtick in Q1 and the possible 'embarrassment' of the Ram slipping past the SIlvie in volume makes Chevy start throwing all possible combos on the lot, including a RC/6.5' version.

[ykX]

On 4/1/2019 at 5:49 PM, balthazar said:

Drag racing is the only attainable motor sport for the average enthusiast. Unfortunately, modern vehicles don't allow for much hands-on modification, and really; what's the point/fun in racing a stock vehicle?

Actually, I think autocross is very attainable for the average enthusiast, I would say much more than drag racing.  Don't really need to modify a car to be fast like in drag racing.

In regards to Englishtown Raceway, I actually live pretty close and from what I heard there were complains from people who live in the area in regards to noise.  My higher level boss used to race there and that is what he said too.  This whole area gets more and more built in, I think the drag racing is gone from there for good.  They had autocross and some track days too but not sure if that is gone too.

[ccap41]

On 4/1/2019 at 4:49 PM, balthazar said:

Unfortunately, modern vehicles don't allow for much hands-on modification, and really; what's the point/fun in racing a stock vehicle?

How do you believe so? There are still plenty of smaller things one can do without getting inside the engine itself. 

[balthazar]

19 minutes ago, ykX said:

Actually, I think autocross is very attainable for the average enthusiast, I would say much more than drag racing.  Don't really need to modify a car to be fast like in drag racing.

In regards to Englishtown Raceway, I actually live pretty close and from what I heard there were complains from people who live in the area in regards to noise.  My higher level boss used to race there and that is what he said too.  This whole area gets more and more built in, I think the drag racing is gone from there for good.  They had autocross and some track days too but not sure if that is gone too.

The autcross & dirt bike racing is supposed to stay (for now). But the whole 'I bought a house near a NHRA Tier 1 drag strip and didn't think it would be noisy/didn't bother to investigate' is a special kind of stupid that shouldn't be catered to.

ykX- I'm about 25 mins from E-town, have been going there for years for the swap meet (also in a long tailspin towards death IMO, but still running for now). I never raced there myself, tho I've watched racing there a bunch of times. I did hope to run when(ever) my car gets done. There's still Atco in south Jersey, but that's a bit over an hour from me.

5 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

How do you believe so? There are still plenty of smaller things one can do without getting inside the engine itself. 

A cat-back exhaust & a cold air box are not my idea of 'building a fast car'. Taking a stock ride from -say- 13.5 secs to 13.2 secs is kinda anticlimactic. Now, going from -say- 18 sec to 10.5 sec... now you can open some eyes. To each his own, of course.

[Drew Dowdell]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

I assume they studied the sales numbers of the previous gen regular cab short bed and determined it wouldn't generate enough profit to offer it here in the new generation. 

But they're building it anyway for other markets. Why not sell it here anyway?

[ccap41]

It's probably an easy up-sell to a double cab for only $18 a month for 84 months. 

[Robert Hall]

4 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

But they're building it anyway for other markets. Why not sell it here anyway?

I'm sure there is a business reason not to.. 

Edited April 4, 2019 by Robert Hall

[Drew Dowdell]

Just now, Robert Hall said:

I'm sure there is an accounting reason not to..

I always blame finance department on my projects also.

[ccap41]

56 minutes ago, balthazar said:

A cat-back exhaust & a cold air box are not my idea of 'building a fast car'. Taking a stock ride from -say- 13.5 secs to 13.2 secs is kinda anticlimactic. Now, going from -say- 18 sec to 10.5 sec... now you can open some eyes. To each his own, of course.

Tires/wheels, gears, short throw shifter, throttle body, tunes.. 

I mean how much is involved in taking an 18 second car to 10.5? That involves thoroughly rebuilding the engine the same way making massive gains are on a new vehicle. 

[balthazar]

20 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

..how much is involved in taking an 18 second car to 10.5? That involves thoroughly rebuilding the engine the same way making massive gains are on a new vehicle. 

In my case, a complete powertrain/suspension swap/upgrade. IOW; not doable via a Summitt Racing catalog.
Of course; many many multples in cost investment. Like I said- to each his own.

Just looked it up- my '59 was originally good for 18.3 secs on regular gas, and 17.7 on premium in the 1/4 mile. That's pretty horrible... but it was never built originally as a high performance car.

But under the point of drag racing as an amateur, it seems to me the things you mentioned might need a timeslip to tell the difference. So am I going to buy/install a handful of parts, go to the track, pass tech, and make some runs to only see a tiny percentage of gain?

Edited April 4, 2019 by balthazar

[balthazar]

[balthazar]

[Drew Dowdell]

On 4/4/2019 at 10:55 AM, balthazar said:

In my case, a complete powertrain/suspension swap/upgrade. IOW; not doable via a Summitt Racing catalog.
Of course; many many multples in cost investment. Like I said- to each his own.

Just looked it up- my '59 was originally good for 18.3 secs on regular gas, and 17.7 on premium in the 1/4 mile. That's pretty horrible... but it was never built originally as a high performance car.

Isn't that mostly because of Dynaflow?

[balthazar]

^ If you somehow swapped in a TH400, it should've been quicker, yes. How much is a good question- I don't seem to have a 401 Buick road test handy to compare. I don't think all that much.
'63 Riviera ~ 340HP 425, Dynaflow, 3.23 gears, 4190 lbs curb / 4500 lbs test :: 1/4 mile: 16.2. That 340 HP is barely up over the standard '59's 325.
'69 Riviera ~ 360HP 430, TH400, 3.07 gears, 4610 lbs curb / 4905 lbs test :: 1/4 mile: 16.5.

'60 Olds SUper 88 coupe ~ 315HP 394, Jetaway HydraMatic (4-spd), 3.07 gears, 4370 lbs test :: 1/4 mile: 17.0.

[Drew Dowdell]

[balthazar]

[trinacriabob]

On 4/3/2019 at 7:52 AM, balthazar said:

'41 DeSoto Business Coupe - love the lines ~

I think that the design intent behind this vehicle was to provide a sizable trunk that was ideal for putting various high school friends into and getting them into the drive-in movie theater free of charge.

[balthazar]

 

Got this up on eBay right now, D-60 fin emblem:

Edited April 6, 2019 by balthazar

[Robert Hall]

8 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

I think that the design intent behind this vehicle was to provide a sizable trunk that was ideal for putting various high school friends into and getting them into the drive-in movie theater free of charge.

This reminds me of something I saw a while back..trying to apply the 3 window coupe styling to a more modern product...a PT Cruiser 3 window coupe.   It's not completely successful, IMO..the roof is too high and they used stock door window frames that don't flow w/ the shape, but it is an interesting effort.

https://www.hotrodplans.com/product/21st-century-hot-rod-build-3-window-coupe/

[daves87rs]

On 4/4/2019 at 10:34 AM, Robert Hall said:

I'm sure there is a business reason not to.. 

I would think they would be good for government/city and small business trucks...

[balthazar]

'Business reason not to' implies a loss. No way is building a Silverado regular cab a loss scenario, or close to it.
- - - - -
Linda Hamilton, 1990 (age 35) and circa 2018 (age 62) ~

Edited April 6, 2019 by balthazar

[David]

2 hours ago, balthazar said:

'Business reason not to' implies a loss. No way is building a Silverado regular cab a loss scenario, or close to it.
- - - - -
Linda Hamilton, 1990 (age 35) and circa 2018 (age 62) ~

Smoking sure has destroyed her looks. Bummer as I liked her in the Terminator series.

On 4/3/2019 at 4:52 AM, balthazar said:

Thanks blu- I spent an hour the other night watching utube episodes. Funny stuff.
- - - - -
'41 DeSoto Business Coupe - love the lines ~

This is what they mean by having Junk in your Trunk! Baby got back!  

[Robert Hall]

Beach time this sunny afternoon

[balthazar]

Amazing pic. Upper full shot, right to left :
'53 Cadillac LeMans concept (1 of 4 built)
'53 Cadillac Eldorado (632 built)
'54 Packard Panther Daytona concept (1 of 4 built)
'53-54 Corvette (300 built in '53)
'54 Kaiser Darrin (435 + 6 built)
'53 Buick Wildcat I concept (1 of 2 built)
'53 Olds Starfire concept (1 of 3 built)
 

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

Beach time this sunny afternoon

 

I wonder what the de facto most beautiful (usable) beach on the Great Lakes with warm enough water is. Who knows ...  Is in on the Michigan/Indiana side of Lake Michigan?  Is it on Lake Superior (brrr), which makes for a lot of great postcard views?  Is it on Lake Ontario, on either the Canadian or American side?  Toronto's lakefront is a continuous strand of beaches. 

When I think of the Great Lakes, I am more likely to think of the sinking of the "Edmund Fitzgerald" (it occurred in NOVEMBER) than I am beautiful beaches.

Edited April 6, 2019 by trinacriabob

[oldshurst442]

Great Lakes for me is...Niagara Falls.  Seeing that I never traveled further west of Niagara Falls, I blindly ONLY see the Great Lakes as Niagara Falls.

Also... the Saint Lawrence River. 

Yes...I equate the Great Lakes to the Saint Lawrence River.  

How can this be?

  The Saint Lawrence River connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes...and I happen to live on the banks of the Saint Lawrence. Every time I look west when Im looking at the Saint Lawrence, which is almost on a daily basis, and for a good chunk of my life really, well, I ALWAYS think about where all that water comes from,  which is...Niagara Falls...the Great Lakes...