trinacriabob

The cleaning up of the downsized Monte Carlo First try - 1978 NO - I felt they had blown it ... compared to the other downsized GM A-body intermediates - - - - - Second try - 1980 MAYBE - the front end is definitely an improvement, as are the nicer taillamps in the rear, but the over-the-top fender sculpting remains - - - - - THIRD TRY - 1981 to 1987/1988 YES - this is finally somewhat of an attractive vehicle - less is more - and, with the eventual base 4.3 Vortec TBI V6 (and about 30 extra hp) over the 231 c.i. V6, it might get the nod.

Yesterday - Thanksgiving day: Saw a purist current-gen base Dodge Charger - red exterior, black interior - pulling out of a diner (couldn't take a photo). I realized you don't see many of the base RWD model. Most have a spoiler, some decal options, and whatnot. Today: Saw a metallic mint green Monte Carlo coupe ('83 or '84, based on the color) going the other way on the freeway (couldn't take a photo). It was in damn near perfect condition. (How the '81 refresh helped that model, with oversized headlamps and exaggerated sheetmetal sculpting prior to that.) - - - - - December, and the official start of winter, are not too far away now.

Q: How much did the pirate pay for his earrings? A: A buck an ear.

Did you hear about the semi that crashed into the median on busy (insert name or number of major freeway near you)? No. It was carrying boxes and crates of Vicks. . . . There was no congestion. .

I think Toyota will do fine, but could do better ... numerically. Their product, which felt and, even smelled, "different" from American cars a long time ago now offers a feel that Americans can feel at home with in no time. However, what puzzles me, is how, when other automakers - VW, SEAT, Hyundai, Kia - are making their sedans and coupes more attractive, Toyota's are becoming uglier.

Yep, new habits ... or stick to resolutions that I always put off. Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving to the folks of C&G. Give thanks for whatever you have to be thankful for. In most cases, we underestimate or underappreciate when it comes to this sort of thing. At the very least, 2021, thus far, has better than 2020. We can be thankful for that. Enjoy the day and the long holiday weekend.

Great! Shouldn't the instructions be the other way around, if you catch the gutter-like drift?

I can't believe the one on the left is a 1991. It almost looks like something from the '70s. As for the one on the right, I'm not so sure I like the tall grille with a lot of chrome. I preferred it when Jeep(s) canted their front grilles rearward. It gave them a sportier look.

Really heartbroken over this decision. More so for the Charger than the Challenger. (This would also mean the Chrysler 300 will go away.) So many people have been mulling over what the next ones will be like. I guess this decision spares FCA, or whatever it's now called, from expending engineering and design effort on a new Charger and Challenger, hoping they get it right, and curry favor with these models' prospective buyers.

Spotted in early November. On I-44, between St. Louis and Branson, MO, you see these billboards for a place called Uranus Fudge Factory. "Is this for reals, man?" Well, it is. It's a roadside attraction and a person can get off the freeway and buy candy, kitsch souvenirs, shirts, hats, stickers (all overpriced), and, yes, fudge. Their parking lot was also full. It's a freak show of sorts, but here's a photo of their "police car." I thought the town this attraction is in might have been Uranus, MO, but that's not the name of the town. (There are towns named Mars, Neptune, etc. in this country, but I think most states would skip on naming one Uranus.) @balthazar will probably know the year, make, and model of this car from which the engine and all that have probably been removed.

Not such a big fan of the 1992 through 1999 Bonn(i)e. It was too rounded and one person I know said it looked like either an upside-down boat or bathtub. I definitely liked some versions of the very last-gen Bonn(i)e, which debuted in 2000 and had that unusual but interesting dashboard. I also liked the first FWD Bonn(i)e, which ran from 1987 to 1991, preferring the 1990s models with the block pattern (instead of striped) taillamps. I never warmed up to Pontiac's orange dashboard illumination (at night). I found it annoying. Also, Pontiac seemingly did well in garnering Quebecois customer loyalty over the years, with so many French names across their product offerings. People are going to respond favorably to names that are familiar (and local) to them, such as Tacoma, Biscayne, Park Avenue, Telluride, Texas edition Silverado, and, for Italian buyers, possibly Monte Carlo, even though it is technically wholly surrounded by France.

Classic! (LOL) Good morning ...

Oh, yeah, random thought: One of the funniest people on the planet!

And, as you already know, and for anyone else, no wallets in back pockets and leave the Rolexes and fancy jewelry at home. That's all of Southern Europe, even Paris, and, while I'm at it, New York in North America and all the big cities in South America.

Bingo! Thank you.

Axel Foley just got 2 EXTRA doors.

That would sure beat where I was taking this, and a few other, photos!

EXTERIOR Side view - guess where? Three guesses and the first two don't count Angled front view Angled rear view It took on the two-lane roads nimbly given how narrow its stance looks They did a nice of incorporating the Fusion and Focus design lingo into this smaller, more wedge-like package "Aerial view" of the car INTERIOR Dash, which I think is fairly nice looking for an entry-level car, as seen from the driver's side Dash as seen from the passenger's side Speedometer, tach, and fuel use gauges - temperature is shown by a bar digital readout - steering wheel controls are more spartan than in up-level cars The hutch is funny and sort of "cute" in a weird way - some Andrea True on Bluetooth to motor along to This is the vertical expanse of the center stack and automatic gear lever Kudos for a very simple climate control panel Not too spacious in the rear for tall or big people, but fine for "smaller" people I really liked the visibility out the rear backlite The trunk was very roomy - it's that it's tucked in under the raked roofline - and this has an obvious 60-40 split rear seat MECHANICAL Everything looks accessible and there is even some spare space beyond from where you can see the pavement, with the only thing I couldn't find being a transmission fluid dipstick This has 1.6 liter 4 that is naturally aspirated, was built in Mexico, and fetched 42 mpg on its best, all highway tank of gas The ABS system control box is at the rear left and there is a big cover over what is probably the drive belt There are drum brakes at the rear, behind those respectable looking alloy wheels, and, of course, disc brakes up front That's all, folks - - - - - End of photos

Photo(s) I've forgotten to slot in to their respective month - Pontiac Solstice seen in late August:

It is an '87 Olds Toronado Trofeo. What a nice cabin environment all the way around!

Look at that, t-shifter, full instruments, and manual windows! Boo to the strip speedo. As for the Jeep photos, that's a nice spread of them @regfootball. "Oil change showroom time" ... ain't that the truth. As for the vehicle, up-market fit and finish, "boxier" looking bucket seats (which I like), but obnoxious infotainment center (TOO much). With all this talk of different shifter possibilities, no one remembered to mention the trestle shifter? I love these:

Y'all take note that the A-380 is in the deck of cards again. Some Asian and Middle Eastern carriers have put some back into service. Of the Europeans, British has put some back into service. British has woken a few of them up with short trips. They have or are flying them from LHR-London Heathrow to Madrid and Frankfurt. If the price is right and a person happens to be across the pond, what a fine way to start and end a 3-day weekend, for example. Flying on the A-380 is big time on my "to do" list.

Yes, Azzurri. But, back to the livery, the stupid stripe on the ITA tail doesn't work. When you get close to the blue graphics, they're dumb. And, yes, seeing the Sistine Chapel is an incredible event, as is going to the top of the cupola and seeing 360 degrees of Rome. I haven't done either in a long time. This is what a good livery looks/looked like:

This new livery for the airline replacing Alitalia is sophomoric and a disappointment. The Italians can do better. This looks very "11th hour." However, it has just been announced that ITA joined Sky Team. That means your Delta miles will work on Air France, KLM, and now ITA to get you across the pond.