Random Thoughts Thread

[ccap41]

Are they the only company with zero EVs? 

[trinacriabob]

3 hours ago, regfootball said:

GM now the #2 automaker in US.  Toyota #1.  Thanks, Mary.  swirlin the drain

I saw this.  God, how things have changed since I was a teenager.  And I can't say I like it.

There was both art and passion that went into cars.  Everything now is about its generic utilitarian value.

Not for it's political aspects, but to cite an example ... it seems like the only way to individualize your wheels is to put a on college license plate frame, a pro sports team license plate frame, or, worse yet, bumper stickers the likes of "I'm Ready for Hillary" or "Make America Great Again."

- - - - -

And I can't fail to mention that Urban Meyer is morphing into a bigger and bigger turd.

[ccap41]

39 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

it seems like the only way to individualize your wheels is to put a on college license plate frame, a pro sports team license plate frame, or, worse yet, bumper stickers the likes of "I'm Ready for Hillary" or "Make America Great Again."

I don't think you've looked into customization in quite awhile then. 

[Robert Hall]

53 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I don't think you've looked into customization in quite awhile then. 

Yes, you don't see much of it with the usual lease appliances, but customization is alive and well with Jeeps and other 4x4s, pickups and SUVs.    Loads of aftermarket and dealer stuff for Jeeps, esp. Wranglers.

 

Edited January 5, 2022 by Robert Hall

[ccap41]

14 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

You don't seem much of it with the usual lease appliances, but customization is alive and well with Jeeps and other 4x4s, pickups and SUVs.    Loads of aftermarket and dealer stuff for Jeeps, esp. Wranglers.

 

I assume you meant to reply to trinacriabob because I know customization is live and well. 

[Robert Hall]

36 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I assume you meant to reply to trinacriabob because I know customization is live and well. 

I know. I replied to your reply to his post.   I'd say it's more personalization than full-blown customization, though---there isn't much of that going on today, not like all the custom cars 50-60 years ago w/ custom paint, custom body work, etc..not much of that anymore.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Robert Hall

[ccap41]

27 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I know. I replied to your reply to his post.   I'd say it's more personalization than full-blown customization, though---there isn't much of that going on today, not like all the custom cars 50-60 years ago w/ custom paint, custom body work, etc..not much of that anymore.

A lot of the custom paint jobs has been taken over by the much cheaper and reversible wrapping. 

[regfootball]

oh how an older Fleetwood would be a nice vintage ride.  Did all the Fleetwoods have vinyl tops?

 

https://www.orlandoclassiccars.net/vehicles/709/1993-cadillac-fleetwood-brougham

 

 

 

 

 

^^^^ they should have rebadged it,

CT9

lol

Edited January 5, 2022 by regfootball

[regfootball]

Here's the CT9 full EV interior preview, 

 

 

[regfootball]

now we might be getting somewhere in the EV discussion

 

https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/5/22868410/gm-chevy-equinox-blazer-ev-announced-ces

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a38676580/2024-chevy-equinox-ev-revealed/

https://www.engadget.com/chevy-blazer-equinox-ev-teaser-184112130.html

 

 

Edited January 5, 2022 by regfootball

[David]

6 minutes ago, regfootball said:

now we might be getting somewhere in the EV discussion

 

https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/5/22868410/gm-chevy-equinox-blazer-ev-announced-ces

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a38676580/2024-chevy-equinox-ev-revealed/

https://www.engadget.com/chevy-blazer-equinox-ev-teaser-184112130.html

 

 

Yes agree, this is a great start for a solid entry level EV. I posted about it here:

 

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, regfootball said:

oh how an older Fleetwood would be a nice vintage ride.  Did all the Fleetwoods have vinyl tops?

 

https://www.orlandoclassiccars.net/vehicles/709/1993-cadillac-fleetwood-brougham

 

 

 

 

 

^^^^ they should have rebadged it,

CT9

lol

I like the Bro-hams...seems like they could be a very nice road trip car, just needs an upgrade to have Apple Car Play and a nav screen.   I wonder if those seats are as comfortable as they look.  The '00 DTS and '06 STS I got plenty of seat time in were very comfortable. 

most had a vinyl top like this:

 

Edited January 5, 2022 by Robert Hall

[oldshurst442]

1 hour ago, regfootball said:

Here's the CT9 full EV interior preview, 

 

 

 

The LED screen is not curved...

[trinacriabob]

7 hours ago, ccap41 said:

I don't think you've looked into customization in quite awhile then. 

I think it's a selective perception issue on my part.  The cars I tend to notice are usually not customized very much.  So it would be vehicles I don't look at to begin with, so that's probably why I don't see it ... when it's actually there.

[trinacriabob]

5 hours ago, regfootball said:

 

 

A hard pass on the vinyl top on this big Cadillac.  But lots of love for the uninterrupted linear cowl look over the dash, which reminded me of my last car and the ravine dash I liked so much.

(This happens to a sedan, while I had a coupe.)  But I had bucket seats and a console that was ergonomically sensible for me.

No wonder I'm always looking at old cars to have as a "second" car, which you won't be finding both in excellent shape and for a reasonable price.

[daves87rs]

14 hours ago, regfootball said:

GM now the #2 automaker in US.  Toyota #1.  Thanks, Mary.  swirlin the drain

 

Nah. I’m happy they are number two now. It takes the target off their back, and allows them to do what they want without fear. As much as Mary talks, there is not going to be a full EV lineup. They will have plenty for sure, but there are still going to be ICE trucks and SUVs.

It’s not the big deal people make it to be at this point…..

[David]

9 hours ago, daves87rs said:

 

Nah. I’m happy they are number two now. It takes the target off their back, and allows them to do what they want without fear. As much as Mary talks, there is not going to be a full EV lineup. They will have plenty for sure, but there are still going to be ICE trucks and SUVs.

It’s not the big deal people make it to be at this point…..

I get the point and yes right now ICE will still be around in vast numbers, but as we near 2030 to 2035 which most OEM auto companies have given as a changeover target to BEV only products, I think this will happen and most people will embrace it.

ICE used will still be around and I suspect the CPO market will get hot for those that resist change.

[ccap41]

I think one of the biggest hurdles EVs will face is everybody that lives in lower income apartments and inner city homes that parking is on the street. Those places aren't putting a charger in front of every parking space. If you're paying public charging prices, the "savings" falls to near zero. 

[trinacriabob]

11 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I think one of the biggest hurdles EVs will face is everybody that lives in lower income apartments and inner city homes that parking is on the street. Those places aren't putting a charger in front of every parking space. If you're paying public charging prices, the "savings" falls to near zero. 

When I was in Italy, I had the opportunity to get a Renault Zoe (electric) for 199 Euro a week.  For over there, that's a good price.  And, it goes without saying they're automatic.

Then I looked into how I would feed this Renault Zoe.  I kept reading here and there.  It turns out that the infrastructure on "the boot" for electric cars is considered poor, and, in Sicily, it was deemed to be downright dismal.  It would have been inconvenient and it didn't pencil.

So, I kept looking and looking for an ICE econobox with an automatic until I found a deal I could live with (not quite "an offer I couldn't refuse").  And I got upgraded to something nice, given the cheapo category I had rented.  That's yet another review I need to write.

[David]

17 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I think one of the biggest hurdles EVs will face is everybody that lives in lower income apartments and inner city homes that parking is on the street. Those places aren't putting a charger in front of every parking space. If you're paying public charging prices, the "savings" falls to near zero. 

Yes, for those states where you have idiots in office that have resisted change, this will hurt more than help the poor to low income. In places where states have embraced the change to no tail pipe emissions, charging on the street is plentiful.

Per this web site (Seattle, Washington EV Charging Stations Info | ChargeHub), Seattle has 724 public charging stations and requires all condo and apartment buildings to have charging spots that allow the owners to charge and then move their auto to their assigned parking place. If it is a historical apartment place, the city has made sure there are public charging spots close by allowing the apartment occupants to charge before moving their auto to another parking place.

Yet let's be honest, many who choose to live in congested downtown cities do not have auto's as they use the local public transit or other services.

[ccap41]

10 minutes ago, David said:

Yes, for those states where you have idiots in office that have resisted change, this will hurt more than help the poor to low income. In places where states have embraced the change to no tail pipe emissions, charging on the street is plentiful.

That's irrelevant what their employer chooses to do. It's where they live. Not everybody is just going to move out to the suburbs nor can they afford to do so. 

Public charging costs A LOT more than charging at home. 

15 minutes ago, David said:

Per this web site (Seattle, Washington EV Charging Stations Info | ChargeHub), Seattle has 724 public charging stations and requires all condo and apartment buildings to have charging spots that allow the owners to charge and then move their auto to their assigned parking place. If it is a historical apartment place, the city has made sure there are public charging spots close by allowing the apartment occupants to charge before moving their auto to another parking place.

Good information and that sucks for the owners of the apartments to be forced to spend tens of thousands of dollars on something they won't make anything on. 

 

16 minutes ago, David said:

Yet let's be honest, many who choose to live in congested downtown cities do not have auto's as they use the local public transit or other services.

Not every city is downtown NYC or Chicago. There are plenty of cities that have small two story apartments/houses where parking is on the street. If you lived downtown STL there's a near zero percent chance you could get away without owning a vehicle. I'm sure there are dozens of cities the size of STL that are similar and less that are so big it makes sense not to own a vehicle. 

Looking through GoogleMaps for Seattle, that's definitely not so big that everybody living downtown won't own a vehicle. There are a few all new apartment buildings going up in Seattle with...parking garages.. 

[Robert Hall]

Deep thoughts that are always appropriate---'reality is complex', 'there are many things'.  

[balthazar]

As 2022 opens, the long-running issues RE switching to BEs remain the same- charging availability/convenience and steep purchase prices. Couple that with the inevitable steep jumps in State registrations once they come online (to replace gas taxes) and retro-fitting existing home with higher capacity hookups… Gonna be rough for many.

[trinacriabob]

I think I found a barber / hair stylist I can stick with.

I liked the local Great Clips ... and their periodic coupons.  This chick who did a great job was working on her B.S. in Business Logistics remotely from a decent enough state school and, when she graduated, she moved on to get a job in her field.  Then, this guy with ink everywhere and who I didn't think I'd gel with, also did a good job and, for me being "the establishment," relatively speaking, he was much more relaxed and well traveled than I thought he might be and I got along with him just fine.  I called to find out if he was cutting hair about a month later and was told that he was no longer working there.

Fast forward - I stumbled onto a barber shop about 30 minutes away (because I had to do some things in this area) that got good reviews and that's a family business ... crustier but funny Italian guys.  They cut my hair for about the same $ as Great Clips (before the coupons) and they did a great job.  I think I just have to drive the distance since I don't seem them flaking out like they do at the chain haircutting places.

[oldshurst442]

20 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

I stumbled onto a barber shop about 30 minutes away (because I had to do some things in this area) that got good reviews and that's a family business ... crustier but funny Italian guys.

Once upon a time ago, when I had hair and was a young adult, I too, got my haircuts from a family business that happened to be a bunch of older, crusty but funny Italian guys.    Right in the middle of Saint Leonard.  On Jean-Talon street.  A borough of Montreal on the island.  Saint Leonard in the '70s was Montreal's Italian mafia headquarters.   Never occurred to me then, that these guys might have clipped some mafiosos back in the day.  And yes, I do mean clipped with a double entendre.... 

But I do miss the hot shaving cream and  straight blade when they shaved my neck hairs and that cologne they would dab on me after.    

[Robert Hall]

^ re: barbers—I was a regular Great Clips customer for years, across 3 states. But for the last 2 years, I’ve been DIY with my Wahl clippers, 2-3 times a year.  Bzzzt

[trinacriabob]

2 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

Once upon a time ago, when I had hair and was a young adult, I too, got my haircuts from a family business that happened to be a bunch of older, crusty but funny Italian guys.    Right in the middle of Saint Leonard.  On Jean-Talon street.  A borough of Montreal on the island.  Saint Leonard in the '70s was Montreal's Italian mafia headquarters.   Never occurred to me then, that these guys might have clipped some mafiosos back in the day.  And yes, I do mean clipped with a double entendre.... 

But I do miss the hot shaving cream and  straight blade when they shaved my neck hairs and that cologne they would dab on me after.    

I know Saint-Leonard, way out Jean-Talon toward La Cordaire and beyond!  I go out that way to get pastries when I'm in your great city and area.  Saint-Leonard is definitely Italian while Petite Italie proper no longer is ... far from it.

I'm guessing borough means that it has its own neighborhood identity, but is still within the city of Montreal proper.

This barber finished up and he had combed the top straight back.  I told him that I have wear it slightly messed up, with no part, and that that looked too Guido, which kind of took him aback, but he said okay and fixed it.

Exactly ... the hot shaving cream and blade for sideburns and the neck clean up.  I definitely never got that at Great Clips.

[oldshurst442]

9 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

^ re: barbers—I was a regular Great Clips customer for years, across 3 states. But for the last 2 years, I’ve been DIY with my Wahl clippers, 2-3 times a year.  Bzzzt

My wife cuts the little hair I have left. Yaah...with a Wahl clipper as well.  

No hot shaving cream either. 

10 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

I know Saint-Leonard, way out Jean-Talon toward La Cordaire and beyond!  I go out that way to get pastries when I'm in your great city and area.  Saint-Leonard is definitely Italian while Petite Italie proper no longer is ... far from it.

I'm guessing borough means that it has its own neighborhood identity, but is still within the city of Montreal proper.

This barber finished up and he had combed the top straight back.  I told him that I have wear it slightly messed up, with no part, and that that looked too Guido, which kind of took him aback, but he said okay and fixed it.

Exactly ... the hot shaving cream and blade for sideburns and the neck clean up.  I definitely never got that at Great Clips.

One word. Lacordaire.   And yeah...the barbershop was between Lacordaire and Langelier. LOL.  You  most definitely passed by it if you say "and beyond".    

"Too Guido!"   LOL

There is like 20 boroughs  within the city of Montreal...  I forget what legal entities that entails though since I dont live on the Island anymore.  Sometime in the 2000s, these 20 boroughs merged with the city of Montreal. Before, these boroughs were separate cities withith the city of Montreal on the Island of Montreal.   I dont remember how the civil responsibilities are administered since the merger. Responsibilities such as snow removal and garbage collection and the like.   

 

 

[daves87rs]

Looks like more snow coming! Winter is finally here……

[Robert Hall]

First snow of the winter here that is more than a dusting...cold, 16F this morning, a couple inches of snow on the ground, more coming...the commute from the kitchen to my home office wasn't bad, though.

[A Horse With No Name]

11 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

Once upon a time ago, when I had hair and was a young adult, I too, got my haircuts from a family business that happened to be a bunch of older, crusty but funny Italian guys.    Right in the middle of Saint Leonard.  On Jean-Talon street.  A borough of Montreal on the island.  Saint Leonard in the '70s was Montreal's Italian mafia headquarters.   Never occurred to me then, that these guys might have clipped some mafiosos back in the day.  And yes, I do mean clipped with a double entendre.... 

But I do miss the hot shaving cream and  straight blade when they shaved my neck hairs and that cologne they would dab on me after.    

I love a straight blade shave. 

2 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

First snow of the winter here that is more than a dusting...cold, 16F this morning, a couple inches of snow on the ground, more coming...the commute from the kitchen to my home office wasn't bad, though.

We cleaned Campus this morning of snow with about a quarter of our crew, Covid and Orthodox Christmas have a bunch of folks off. 

[Robert Hall]

4 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

We cleaned Campus this morning of snow with about a quarter of our crew, Covid and Orthodox Christmas have a bunch of folks off. 

I heard the church bells ringing late last night...about a 1/2 dozen Orthodox churches within 5 miles of me.

[A Horse With No Name]

For Dfelt...

[balthazar]

GTU(nder-sized) ~ 

[David]

12 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

^ re: barbers—I was a regular Great Clips customer for years, across 3 states. But for the last 2 years, I’ve been DIY with my Wahl clippers, 2-3 times a year.  Bzzzt

Wife bought the hair cutting kit from Costco 20 years ago as she hated the local barbers and hair saloon on how they would cut my hair after I told them what I want. She has done this now since then and a few kits we have gone through from Costco for cutting hair. I now have a couple of water jugs filled with quarters as every time, once every 5 to 6 weeks, I then put a roll of quarters in the jug for the haircut. 

Our Bali travel fund once we get through this Pandemic. Was supposed to be last December for our 30th wedding anniversary, but Covid stopped that, so we will go once we are comfortable with travel.

I love my close commute for haircuts, work and having lunch with the wife. A nice walk from the office to the kitchen or garage depending on what is going on.

[A Horse With No Name]

 

Neat model ship photograph, next to a real ships lantern. 

[David]

5 minutes ago, balthazar said:

GTU(nder-sized) ~ 

Looks like one of those customized Clown Cars.

[Robert Hall]

9 minutes ago, balthazar said:

GTU(nder-sized) ~ 

It would look less stupid with an extra 6 inches or so of roof...the amateur customizers that make these shortened cars always seem to take so much out that the side window opening looks waaaay too small. 

[A Horse With No Name]

49 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

It would look less stupid with an extra 6 inches or so of roof...the amateur customizers that make these shortened cars always seem to take so much out that the side window opening looks waaaay too small. 

Mini Nomad proporations as a phantom wagon would be killer. 

[A Horse With No Name]

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

It would look less stupid with an extra 6 inches or so of roof...the amateur customizers that make these shortened cars always seem to take so much out that the side window opening looks waaaay too small. 

I think the greenhouse is fine, but the rear axle needs to move rearward about 10-12" to re-balance it out.

[trinacriabob]

4 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

This man from Brazil obviously does not know his political geography too well.  I don't know if I'd call him fat, but he's definitely dumb and happy.

3 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

I had neither the money nor the time to buy a complicated ship model when I was an early teen.  However, I did build some less expensive models of 747s I had bought.

[regfootball]

On 1/5/2022 at 9:52 PM, trinacriabob said:

A hard pass on the vinyl top on this big Cadillac.  But lots of love for the uninterrupted linear cowl look over the dash, which reminded me of my last car and the ravine dash I liked so much.

(This happens to a sedan, while I had a coupe.)  But I had bucket seats and a console that was ergonomically sensible for me.

No wonder I'm always looking at old cars to have as a "second" car, which you won't be finding both in excellent shape and for a reasonable price.

 

 

i bet you would have liked an Ipad slapped over the top of that nice linear dash......

 

 

 

32 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

This man from Brazil obviously does not know his political geography too well.  I don't know if I'd call him fat, but he's definitely dumb and happy.

I had neither the money nor the time to buy a complicated ship model when I was an early teen.  However, I did build some less expensive models of 747s I had bought.

 

 

odd coincidence, I'm not sure if this is the same "K-Pop" but last night for the first time i opened up a bottle of Korean K-Pop sauce and made some grilled chicken with it.  was really good.

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, regfootball said:

 

 

Damn, this stuff (^) is spreading like (O/o)micron.

[regfootball]

19 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Damn, this stuff (^) is spreading like (O/o)micron.

sorry, this is all i had time for 

 

😄

 

[balthazar]

Upcycle before 'n after : 

 

 

[oldshurst442]

Im glad that American Muscle is being enjoyed outside North America! 

 

[balthazar]

^ I thought 'the roads were too narrow' outside the U.S. for U.S. vehicles. 🤔

Was looking at a 'roll call' of B-59 owners - seemed 40-some % are overseas (mostly Sweden, Finland, Australia). 

[oldshurst442]

Dont know about Finland and Sweden were most classic American cars end up going to, but I could tell you about Greece.   The roads on the islands, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, were skinny donkey trails snaking up and down mountains.  There were some that were paved then, but most were not.  Eventually all were paved and enlargened.  But please dont think that today these former donkey trails are interstate highways with 4 lanes going and 4 lanes coming...     Tourists busses and Mercedes Sprint truck hotel passenger vehicles go up and down these roads with ease nowadays and that is with sharing the roads with rented cars from tourists and the local yokels. But there is quite the difference with  muscle cars and land yachts with these modern busses and Sprinter vans.  The turning radius of these Sprinter vans and Volvo and Mercedes busses are just incredible.  Its a great thing to see how tight these things turn. And its needed...    American busses need a lesson from their European counterparts in that regard.  But maybe our busses dont need to turn that tight. 

Lets not also forget that American cars of that era didnt really handle any kinds of twisties. They wallowed and dipped and dived. But then again, these cars were designed to go fast in a straight line and ride in comfort on our straight, long highways.

I dont know how clear the idea it because looking at these pictures below to see how tight those roads are

That is a vigil. A person died there going off the road. There are plenty of these vigils. Id say hundreds of them if not thousands in totality in all of Greece...   Yes, drunken young adults going too fast for the most part in motorcycles, but adding classic American muscle cars to that mix and things get worse, not better. 

 

And lets talk about Athens...

A typical Athenian street in an old area.

Modern, new areas of the city are more or less engineered to accommodate cars, but that above photo depicts how impossible it is to have a whole population driving big American cars of the 1960s and 1970s...

Edited January 8, 2022 by oldshurst442

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, oldshurst442 said:

A typical Athenian street in an old area.

Modern, new areas of the city are more or less engineered to accommodate cars, but that above photo depicts how impossible it is to have a whole population driving big American cars of the 1960s and 1970s...

I want to go back.  I've only been once ... to Athens and also to 3 of the islands.

The next time it will be more of Athens, Corfu (Kerkyra), and possibly Zakynthos.  I love their food (seasoned and tasty without being spicy) and their pastries.

- - - - -

Ok, I need some help identifying a movie.  I saw bits and pieces of it.  I want to get it and watch it without interruption.

It's an action-heist-thriller type movie.  Parts of it took place in Venice.  I saw the part in which they are after a big crate of something with valuables stashed in a palazzo (mansion) on or near the Grand Canal.  Someone set up explosives to only affect the concrete slabs where this crate of valuables was held up above.  When it went off, rectangular parts of the floor dropped and the crate went onto a boat in the "boat garage" on the canals and they sped off, after which I'm sure there was a chase scene.  It was a popular and successful movie.  I don't even remember which stars are in it.