Random Thoughts Thread

[A Horse With No Name]

16 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

 

 

I have some hearing difficulties, not enough to impede my daily life, but enough that music and specifically lyrics give me difficulty.  I enjoy music immensely, but I need to feel it and lyrics are difficult for me to discern.  Albert hates it because I need the bass pumping or the pipe organs at full. 

That said, one of the best vehicle audio systems I've encountered was the Fender system that VW was putting into the Jetta a few years back.  Bose is just the bare minimum, Bose Panarey is slightly above that.  Harmon Kardon is meh. The Burmester and B&O systems were good but didn't blow me away... but to be fair, no car audio system has. 

I would say that the Sony system that Ford used in some of the Flex/Explorer/Edge models was pretty good too... a worthwhile upgrade. They seem to have since moved to B&O.

The super high end luxury audio houses don't seem to be doing much more than throwing more speakers in a car in yet another dick waving race.  It seems about as much of an upgrade as a fake LV bag.... only good for the bragging rights of saying you spent $3k extra for someone else to put branding in your car.

Also @ccap41 Cadillac was putting surround sound in the seats in 2008 before Benz did. Benz did have surround available, but it was just a 10 speaker system with nothing in the seat unlike the 15 speaker system in the STS. 

The system in the Ranger is fairly decent for a factory system. I listen to a lot of classical and jazz...I love how it reproduces stringed instruments. 

 

Road Trip!

 

[Drew Dowdell]

Don't forget the lube.

November, 23rd 1951, over a year after the accident.

 

July, 27th 1950, and Milwaukee Road F7 no. 102 is in a phenomenal clip, pulling the “North Woods Hiawatha” at over 95+ mph when suddenly, the engineers side cross head seizes up in its guide, immediately overheating, and breaking! In all the horror of the running gear failing, air hoses were severed sending the train into emergency. Poor 102 was astronomically damaged, ties and road bed were obliterated, and debris from the accident were found (including the main rod) as far as 1400 feet west of Edgebrook Station. Several reports from the time account for a handful of injuries, one such was as she flew through Devon Avenue crossing, an automobile driver was injured by flying debris. Regardless, while not the best day for those involved, no one was killed. The locomotive stayed railed and traveled another 10,000+ feet before finally coming to a rest. The cause of the incident was later found to have been caused by the failure of a connection link between the valve gear's combination lever and a Nathan mechanical lubricator. They also discovered that both cross heads had been running dry, the engineers side just failed first. 

[David]

Dodge Demon demolished by Tesla S Plaid

Yea, I can see why Dodge is going electric, time to take back the crown with an electric Demon Challenger.

 

[David]

Interesting read on the lightest to heaviest BEV auto's today. You can read the extra few comments but I think the chart they built really sums it up on the weight of BEVs.

Electric Cars From Heaviest To Lightest (insideevs.com)

Interesting comparison. 5yrs out, a tie, but after that EV wins for lower cost.

 

[balthazar]

A Nissan Leaf just shouldn't weigh more than an 18-ft, all iron '65 Catalina 4-dr sedan.

 

[balthazar]

5:00 mark :

 

[ccap41]

42 minutes ago, balthazar said:

A Nissan Leaf just shouldn't weigh more than an 18-ft, all iron '65 Catalina 4-dr sedan.

 

That's pre-Plaid. 

[balthazar]

Well, that's how things usually progress, car A is quicker, then Car B, then Car A (or C or D), etc etc.

[ccap41]

Well, Dodge hasn't made anything quicker since. They actually got rid of their quickest car, Demon. 

[David]

Seems Stellantis has given all 14 brands a 10 year prove you can move to electric and drive profitable volume or else.

According to Green Car Reports which is a news article based on an Automotive News Premium subscriber article, Tim Kuniskis has provided Automotive News the following info on Dodge and Stellantis.

Dodge, Ram, Jeep and Chrysler are currently working to outline a detailed electrification plan for release this Fall.

Dodge will show off their "Tear up the Planet, Not the Earth" Concept car in 2022. Production and on sale will commence for Dodge's first battery electric muscle car in 2024.

Kuniskis also admits that under FCA CEO they were directed to prioritize as many high-profit low mileage auto's for America as they could even if they had to pay an environmental penalties. Kuniskis also stated that the electric vehicle platforms will be around for many years and while the heart of the muscle car market is $40,000 to $50,000, to go fully electric the brand is going to have to embrace large scale production that covers prices from the low price high volume to the high price limited volume production to win. This is the hard part as Stellantis has committed to 40% of all global auto sales are to be BEV by 2030.

Dodge electric concept car coming in 2022, on the way to EV muscle car in 2024 (greencarreports.com)

What Do You Think About Dodge Going Electric? - The Truth About Cars

[balthazar]

53 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Well, Dodge hasn't made anything quicker since. They actually got rid of their quickest car, Demon. 

Plaid + is 2 months old.

[ccap41]

4 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Plaid + is 2 months old.

How long as the Demon been discontinued? 2 years? 

3 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Plaid + is 2 months old.

How long as the Demon been discontinued? 2 years? 

[David]

5 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Plaid + is 2 months old.

I Expect Dodge to offer a Demon Electric version in 2024 to take back the fastest car crown.

I really love these lists of who is offering what tool kits for what price. Amazon has an amazing assortment.

Best mechanics' tool sets for 2021 - Roadshow (cnet.com)

[David]

Seems Ford is taking a page from Dodge in offering far more Performance options and now you can for those not needing AWD/4x4 with the 400 hp motor can get an ST only in RWD with the top of the line 400HP motor and other performance option packages.

Keeping America’s All-Time Best-Selling SUV Hot, Ford Explorer ST Elevates Performance, New ST-Line Model Revs Up Athletic Style | Ford Media Center

Seems Ford is wanting to have new special edition packages for the whole Mustang family. 

ICE White

Cool As Ice: New Special Edition Appearance Package Brings Throwback Style to Mustang Family | Ford Media Center

[balthazar]

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

How long as the Demon been discontinued? 2 years? 

Sure. 
Current site talks about the '21 SRT Super Stock having 807 HP, going 203 MPH. Demon was 808 HP, had an optional module & a trans brake which enabled it to output 840 HP and go about 9.6 secs. Most of that 0.9-sec quicker time was the trans brake. I wonder how a line lock would improve the Super Stock's 1/4 mile time. 

Edited August 23, 2021 by balthazar

[A Horse With No Name]

 

[ccap41]

13 hours ago, balthazar said:

Sure. 
Current site talks about the '21 SRT Super Stock having 807 HP, going 203 MPH. Demon was 808 HP, had an optional module & a trans brake which enabled it to output 840 HP and go about 9.6 secs. Most of that 0.9-sec quicker time was the trans brake. I wonder how a line lock would improve the Super Stock's 1/4 mile time. 

Not sure. All we know is that isn't offered and they offer a less quick car now and Tesla offers a quicker car. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[balthazar]

Seems the only mods Tesla owners ever do is strip the complete interior out to try and get the car under 5000 lbs. (like seen in the above vid) I don't know if they can do anything digitally, but I'm not aware they can do anything physically to the motors.
Loads of mod potential for the 807-HP Challenger; anyone serious about drag racing will get their car going quicker than stock.

This is the same argument people try to make when they say 'a V-6 Camry is quicker in the quarter than a '64 GTO'... but unless someone has perfected a Camry-sized time machine, there'll never be a race between a bone stock GTO and a Camry.

Look at my brother's car; a '68 Firebird 400 was 'only' good for around a 14.7-sec quarter mile.
Last configuration of his car was still a .030-over 400 (406 CI) bolted to a PowerGlide 2-spd, running 9.6-sec in the quarter. Race/drag car owners don't keep things stock.

Yeah, I understand the 'as it sits on the showroom floor' aspect, but that seldom stands long at all.

A buddy of mine has a Hemi Challenger. He hasn't even spun the tires after owning it like 2+ years- what his car does in the quarter -for him- is irrelevant. Might as well be 18-secs- he won't run it.

[Drew Dowdell]

20 minutes ago, balthazar said:

A buddy of mine has a Hemi Challenger. He hasn't even spun the tires after owning it like 2+ years- what his car does in the quarter -for him- is irrelevant. Might as well be 18-secs- he won't run it.

Well that can't be true... even on my V6 300C I spin the tires on dusty roads before the AWD kicks in... and I'm not even trying. 

[ccap41]

59 minutes ago, balthazar said:

This is the same argument people try to make when they say 'a V-6 Camry is quicker in the quarter than a '64 GTO'... but unless someone has perfected a Camry-sized time machine, there'll never be a race between a bone stock GTO and a Camry.

Correct but it's kind of a goal post move when you say this after also saying there's constant one-upping each other, except Dodge has eliminated their quickest car.

Regardless, a Model S Plaid pretty well whoops anything from a factory showroom, including Dodge's 800hp+ machines. 

I love big V8 power but the Demon was kind of a joke. From what I've read, rarely can owners actually get into the 9's and to do so, you have to then make your car illegal on the streets, eliminating a lot of the cool-factor, imo. 

So take a Demon, and how much needs to get dumped into it to beat a Plaid? I'd assume it'll fall about in line with what a Plaid costs. 

[David]

@balthazar @ccap41 @A Horse With No Name @oldshurst442 @riviera74 I know I am forgetting a few,

We all have heard that GM will have electric crate motors just like ICE in the Same Connect and Cruise package via their GM Performance group. Ford at SEMA this year will also Launch their e-Crate Motors starting with using what is sold in the Mustang Mach-e.

Ford e-Crate Motors will start with what Ford is calling the Eluminator e-Crate motor package.

These will supposedly connect up to any existing Ford Transmission.

Ford Performance Enters Crate EV Motor Fray With Eluminator (motortrend.com)

Welcome to the Eluminator e-Crate motor solution from Ford.

Mighty Hefty TORQUE in the Eluminator Motor!!!

 

[balthazar]

56 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I love big V8 power but the Demon was kind of a joke. From what I've read, rarely can owners actually get into the 9's and to do so, you have to then make your car illegal on the streets, eliminating a lot of the cool-factor, imo. 

So take a Demon, and how much needs to get dumped into it to beat a Plaid? I'd assume it'll fall about in line with what a Plaid costs. 

Demon was illegal on the TRACK because it was too quick (under NHRA rules) to run without a roll bar.
So it'd require a roll bar to make more than 1 pass. Tesla would be in the exact same boat- roofed cars can't track race without a bar if they're under (I believe it's) 11.00 sec in the quarter.

Street racing and unsanctioned tracks would again be equal ground. 

That aside, and as far as mods- I doubt the module and a trans brake run into the mega thousands. Go ahead and add in a pulley swap for the blower under that. The Demon was $85K, the Plaid+ is $130K - give you 45 grand for mods. 🤪

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Well that can't be true... even on my V6 300C I spin the tires on dusty roads before the AWD kicks in... and I'm not even trying. 

Well: talking about a purposeful burnout.
I offered to 'show him how it's done', repeatedly, but he refused.
Seems more worried about detailing products.
:shrug:

Edited August 24, 2021 by balthazar

[ccap41]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Demon was illegal on the TRACK because it was too quick (under NHRA rules) to run without a roll bar.
So it'd require a roll bar to make more than 1 pass. Tesla would be in the exact same boat- roofed cars can't track race without a bar if they're under (I believe it's) 11.00 sec in the quarter.

Street racing and unsanctioned tracks would again be equal ground. 

That aside, and as far as mods- I doubt the module and a trans brake run into the mega thousands. Go ahead and add in a pulley swap for the blower under that. The Demon was $85K, the Plaid+ is $130K - give you 45 grand for mods. 🤪

Street racing or unsanctioned racing the Plaid would look even better, because unprepped surfaces. 

As we already know though, whatever they're selling now need more than just a trans brake. 

45k in mods and you have an unreliable vehicle and a Plaid can "do it all".

[balthazar]

It'd be impossible to put $45 grand of performance upgrades in this car. 1/10th that should be enough.

3 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Well that can't be true... even on my V6 300C I spin the tires on dusty roads before the AWD kicks in... and I'm not even trying. 

Well: talking about a purposeful burnout.
I offered to 'show him how it's done', repeatedly, but he refused.
Seems more worried about detailing products.
:shrug:

[ccap41]

24 minutes ago, balthazar said:

It'd be impossible to put $45 grand of performance upgrades in this car. 1/10th that should be enough.

...what...? It's not hard once you're building up internals and drivetrain parts for 1000hp. They're already known to snap half shafts running bone stock so there's a starting point. 

[regfootball]

Vacationing in NC.  Nice place!  Found some classic wagon love while checking out the scenery. Buick even!

id love a modern day interpretation of this. 
 

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by regfootball

[Suaviloquent]

Hi all,

 

It's been a while I've posted here. Hope things are alright where everyone is at.

 

I don't know if I should make a separate thread yet for a potential topic.

 

Has anyone worked at a car dealership here? 

 

 

Best,

 

 

Suave.

[trinacriabob]

Today is National Waffle Day.

Done right, waffles are an art form.

Here are some chocolate ones, topped with strawberries.  Damn.  Can't indulge ... going for fasting lab work in the morning.  

[ccap41]

1 hour ago, Suaviloquent said:

Hi all,

 

It's been a while I've posted here. Hope things are alright where everyone is at.

 

I don't know if I should make a separate thread yet for a potential topic.

 

Has anyone worked at a car dealership here? 

 

 

Best,

 

 

Suave.

Welcome back! 

I have not worked at a car dealership before.

[trinacriabob]

@A Horse With No Name

I thought it was fiction, but it's fact.  All those places in the UK exist!  I wonder if that's how they try to amp up some humor to combat the drizzle and the overcast skies.

I'm not one for Northern Europe.  A few trips told me that.  I've constantly got the Mediterranean on the brain.

[oldshurst442]

2 hours ago, regfootball said:

Vacationing in NC.  Nice place!  Found some classic wagon love while checking out the scenery. Buick even!

id love a modern day interpretation of this. 
 

 

 

Between the Buick wagon and the slightly taller Lincoln...um...wagon, Id rather the Buick wagon.

By a

 

 

16 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

I've constantly got the Mediterranean on the brain.

Me too! 

 

[oldshurst442]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

Today is National Waffle Day.

Done right, waffles are an art form.

Here are some chocolate ones, topped with strawberries.  Damn.  Can't indulge ... going for fasting lab work in the morning.  

Never mind that! 

Mangia Mangia!  

 

 

 

I eat waffles the same way I eat pancakes, flap jacks, crepe suzettes and French toast:

A little bit of 

 

and inundated with 

 

Im not one for fruits on these foods... 

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

@A Horse With No NameI'm not one for Northern Europe.  A few trips told me that.  I've constantly got the Mediterranean on the brain.

53 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

 

I eat waffles the same way I eat pancakes, flap jacks, crepe suzettes and French toast:

A little bit of 

 

Im not one for fruits on these foods... 

 

 I like berries in pancakes or on waffles...I like most anything w/ strawberries, raspberries, etc.    I love berries on crepes...or nutella on crepes.    

re: Mediterranean on the brain...I've been streaming a few Italian TV shows recently, two crime dramas filmed in Sicily and now one filmed in Ferrara in the north of Italy. 

I need to go back to Italy, been 16 years since my last trip there.. want to see the northwest (Cinque Terra, Genoa, Italian Riviera, etc) and more of the mountains and lakes regions....I loved touring Lake Como and Lake Maggiore and the little towns around them on my last trip.. and I'd like to go back to Venice and stay more than 6 hours.

[trinacriabob]

When I was a kid, I would inhale Nutella ... and not put on any weight.

[oldshurst442]

My son slops Nutella on his bread, a ton of it, and before he eats his Nutella soaked bread, he takes a spoonful of it and shoves it in his mouth.

I, on the other hand, HATE Nutella...on bread.  I just use the spoon directly in my mouth method with such gluttonous vigor. Its scary... 

 

[oldshurst442]

I will empty the jar by putting chocolate ice cream in it.  

My son too.  In fact, we fight who will eat the Nutella first. Who will empty the jar first.

My wife will fight both of us on why we go through soooo much Nutella... 

She once bought the Kirkland stuff.  We whined to her to never buy such crap again.  

She hinted that she'd buy the Kraft stuff...we threatened bodily harm....

Nutella is a gift from  the Roman Gods!   

[Robert Hall]

I used to make Nutella Peanut Butter sandwiches on sourdough bread..delicious....

[David]

Nutella

For you Nutella fans: 9 ways to take Nutella on toast to the next level · The Daily Edge

For you health nuts: 

Nutella was invented in the 1940s in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, where hazelnuts grow plentifully. Alas, modern, store-bought Nutella contains a mere 13% hazelnut and only a hint of cocoa; the rest is made up of sugar, palm oil and artificial vanilla flavoring. My home-made version of Nutella, on the other hand, contains very little sweetener (in the form of raw honey), 3 tablespoons of flavonoid-rich dark cocoa, and about 90% hazelnuts, which boast a particularly high concentration of antioxidants and healthy fats (mostly monounsaturated). This is not to say that you should eat this spread by the tablespoonful; its high fat content means it’s high in calories and it should be enjoyed in sensible amounts (1-2 tbsp/day). The good news is that a high-fat food such as this one keeps you sated for longer, and because it is made from whole, real foods, it’s not only rich in calories, but also in nutrients! 

Here’s the recipe:

1 cup/125g toasted hazelnuts (Trader Joe’s roasted Oregon hazelnuts work great here; alternatively buy plain, raw hazelnuts and roast them yourself as described below)
½ oz/2 tbsp/15g unsweetened cocoa
3 tbsp hazelnut oil (La Tourangelle is my favorite brand – available in the oils section of good supermarkets or online)
3 tbsp honey or maple syrup
2 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract (e.g., Trader Joe’s)
6-8 tbsp milk/plant milk/water
If you are roasting the hazelnuts from scratch, preheat oven to 350F. Place nuts on a dry, clean baking sheet and roast for 8 minutes (set timer). Remove and tip hot nuts onto a clean kitchen towel (pictured here).
As they cool, the skins will loosen, crack and flake off. Gather up the towel by its corners and scoop together into a tight bundle. Hold the bundle with one hand and knead the nuts with the other through the cloth to rub the skins off them. Place bundle back on a flat surface and open; lift out the nuts and lightly shake off the skins. (Leave some skin on the nuts – it’s where most of the antioxidants reside.)
If using pre-roasted nuts, start here.
Place the hazelnuts in an electric blender with the cocoa, oil, honey/maple syrup and vanilla extract. Process on “high” for about 30-40 seconds until all the ingredients come together in a coarse paste.
With the motor running, add milk or water (whichever using), a tablespoon at a time, and keep processing until the mixture reaches the desired consistency.
Transfer to a clean glass jar and refrigerate. Keeps for at least 2 weeks.
 

3 Killer Health Risks of Nutella - Side Effects of Nutella (pillarsofindia.com)

[balthazar]

[A Horse With No Name]

14 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

@A Horse With No Name

I thought it was fiction, but it's fact.  All those places in the UK exist!  I wonder if that's how they try to amp up some humor to combat the drizzle and the overcast skies.

I'm not one for Northern Europe.  A few trips told me that.  I've constantly got the Mediterranean on the brain.

You are lucky to be single anda ble to tyravel. Missed getting together. Coming North soon....

One badass woman. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Seen by my friend Brian, out hiking. 

9 hours ago, balthazar said:

Neat litle cars befgore they all rusted to oblivion. 

 

14 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

My son slops Nutella on his bread, a ton of it, and before he eats his Nutella soaked bread, he takes a spoonful of it and shoves it in his mouth.

I, on the other hand, HATE Nutella...on bread.  I just use the spoon directly in my mouth method with such gluttonous vigor. Its scary... 

 

I hate nutella. 

[A Horse With No Name]

[trinacriabob]

3 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

I used to listen to her religiously when she was on the air dispensing advice.  As did many of my friends.

- - - - -

So, a younger person is on the line telling her they are beginning to experiment sexually.

RW:  "Do you use condoms?"

Caller:  "Yes."

RW (rolling those r's like only a native speaker of German could):  "Brrrrravo.  I like to hear dat!"

My friends and I would be doubling over laughing.

[A Horse With No Name]

Great picture of Sean Connery

 

Also for today

 

[balthazar]

[Drew Dowdell]

On 8/24/2021 at 3:39 PM, Suaviloquent said:

Hi all,

 

It's been a while I've posted here. Hope things are alright where everyone is at.

 

I don't know if I should make a separate thread yet for a potential topic.

 

Has anyone worked at a car dealership here? 

 

 

Best,

 

 

Suave.

He doesn’t post here often, but @HoLottaBuicks is my Buick-GMC salesman and friend of 20 years

[Drew Dowdell]

2 hours ago, balthazar said:

Isn't this how the original Hummers are set up?

[daves87rs]

11 hours ago, balthazar said:

Need one of those!

[David]

Very cool Read!!! 1960 Impala with a 409 Crate motor long block.

Dressed to Impress: This Fine 1960 Impala Features an LS that Looks Like a 409 (theblock.com)

Great assortment of pictures at the link above.

[daves87rs]

5 hours ago, David said:

Very cool Read!!! 1960 Impala with a 409 Crate motor long block.

Dressed to Impress: This Fine 1960 Impala Features an LS that Looks Like a 409 (theblock.com)

Great assortment of pictures at the link above.

Very nice!!