longtooth

Excellent work TED!

Mr. Finger-on-the-pulse.

I thought you meant that Carrol personally raced against a Japanese car, going red-light to red-light.

I had a 'record' (of the thin/flexible variety), came from inside a Shelby Cobra Mustang model-kit, back in 1968 which featured Mr. Shelby describing the experience of riding inside his GT 500 racer while he was driving, noise and all. Heady stuff.

I wish now that I had saved that.

I also had a record of similar flexibility from the inside of a "Mad Magazine" dating back to approximately the same era which was entitled: "It's A Gas" which featured 3 minutes or so worth of music punctuated by flatulent breaks. A real gut-buster, in terms of laughter, for a 12 year-old. The height of refinement.

You fellas get the bugs worked-out and I'll be listening.

I recently bought an HP HDX which came with the free '7' upgrade. (when released) HAL told me that my Hard Drive was going to go complete failure in less than 20 hours. Three weeks old and this happens. I called HP on Monday, the return container arrived Tuesday, I shipped the unit (pre-paid; overnight) to HP that same afternoon. HP alerted me to every milestone as the machine wended its way through the labyrinthine maze of Fed Ex and the HP repair network. Very admirable. I received my nearly new computer by Fed Ex Friday at Noon. Less than 70 hours from the time I sent it out.

Wow!

Even I, am more tech-aware than that!

I'm not.

I do enjoy hearing/seeing others using the lexicon of the craft while I'm slack-jawed with awe.

I do wonder sometimes if I could, with the proper effort & dedication, be more proficient. Nah. (?)

Although I would've shot a photo of the screen w/my BlackBerry then e-mailed that.

In other words, it's the owners fault, just like the Camry sludge issues were?

Sludge is the least of Camaro's perceived issues.

I know Camaro looks good just sitting still.

Flogging them w/o mercy is only inviting trouble.

Further, kids typically aren't out hot-rodding Camrys. That could be the next phase of tuning though.

Plus it is the 'Gospel Truth' Internet after all. Grain of salt.

Today: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, black in color on Route 1 travelling Southbound near Edison, NJ. Very sharp in its appearance.

Tuesday: New Jersey Turnpike, Lamborghini Murcielago, Northbound, proceeding as swiftly as the Hammer of Thor, just South of Exit 12. It was not unlike Camaro's Inferno Orange Metallic in color.

Camaros (while not in abundance) are coming up as green-shoots for Chevy and the 'New' GM.

I've seen 8 or 9 in what I'm guessing to be private hands in the past couple of weeks. Still a thrill to see these in motion.

I've seen quite a few exotics since rain has become infrequent on the East Coast of late. Also see many, many '08 & '09 Caddy CTSs, equal number of DTSs, looking very purposeful in black, one XLR-V and one '09 CTS-V. He swung out and around me, (dismissively) carefully, while getting on the Turnpike at Exit 4. Then he hit the afterburner and diminished to a speck in seemingly no time at all. He drove as though he were related to Gov. Corzine. Maybe it was Gov. Corzine for all that I know.

I like Cadillacs now.

Reading between the lines, in some cases, these are inexperienced 'children', with an expensive toy, hammering the $h! out of them.

Additionally: It's the Internet where 'truth' is spoken 24 hours-a-day. You never can be certain of anything.

Engine blocks, heads, wheels. Where does all of that aluminum come from?

don't some folks purposely lose money in stocks for tax writeoffs?

My strategy all along. (I'm found out)

I talked-it-up as it was buoyant (seemed so at that time) around $16.00/share. Buoy oh buoy.

Black Tesla. Tools around Metuchen, NJ. Lovely female pilot. 'Ran' into her a couple of times this month at a Starbucks. That lil' thing's quiet but I would need one for each foot so tiny they are.

Crowd pleasing Michael Bay extravaganza. Saw it with nieces & nephews & sister-in-law today. Good companion film to the '07 release. I'm hooked on Dippin' Dots. Yum.

Awesome Summer fun.

Tried the site. No problems but my computer is new and I have virtually no add-ons sludging up the processor. Equinox appears a capable run-about. The 4 cylinder would be attractive, especially in relatively flat NJ. A family of 4 or 5, presuming their level of loathing permits travelling as a group, would be well served going to family counseling in this Chevy. The modern equivalent of the station wagon lacking only a rearward facing back seat. Enjoy.

The Year Without Summer.

At Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer

I've always romanticized the 'notion' of Winter. A fan of it so to speak. "Dr. Zhivago", with its frigid Russian landscapes portrayed, is on of my favorite films.

I enjoy being sequestered indoors when it is bitter out.

On the distaff side, here, she idolizes warm weather being a native of Florida.

We're both in agreement that this rainy patch we've hit is carrying things a bit too far.

The dehumidifiers have been scavenging enough water to float a Destroyer out this way.

Outside, the dirty surf pounds at times and the beach is littered with broken clam shells and other detritus.

As a personal recollection, 1985 was much this way. I recall wearing my Pittsburgh Pirates jacket to work in the afternoons almost until the end of June. Then it became savagely hot through October as Mother Nature balanced-out her 'Degree Days'.

1989 was another rainy Spring. I saw clear-running mountain streams, that I still fish to this day, overrunning their banks and churning as a muddy sluice-ways reshaping the landscape.

1998 saw the end of a soggy April transition into a drenching 10 or 11 days into May. It really messed up the Shad Festival in New Hope, PA that year.

But we got through it all as we will this.

My fondest wish is that we'll not be looking skyward in September and wondering when the drought will end.

Best to you all...

Happy Birthday to the Yellow Dart.

Don't go on and paint the town yellow. Be reserved as the dignity of the occasion calls for.

Enjoy your special day!

I have to move the '69 Firebird. It has a fairly worn Chevy 350. About six years ago I last attempted to start it and was unsuccessful. At that time it had sat for about 2 years. Now it hasn't been attempted to start in about 6 years. I checked my fluids, poured some gas in the carb and put a battery on it, and even with a good battery, I'm getting nowhere.

The engine does turn over... slowly... but it sounds nasty... a deep, dry, grinding. Normally, I would panic, but I recall a different, worn, engine which sounded similar (father's worn 350 Chevy Cubevan) until I got enough juice into the starter... at which point it fired up and ran.

Is this grinding the bearings rubbing while dry? I don't want to ruin the engine, but it would be a small loss... its so worn its time for a rebuild... for some other car... this Firebird is getting a Pontiac 400 with a cut down 455 crank that is sitting in the garage right now. Right now, I'd like to get it started... what else could be grinding?

I've obviously gotten spoiled on fuel injection (even though I hate the throttle response on fuel injection), as I like the idea of something starting on the first crank after sitting for years. Both the Firebird and my '81 Bonneville need to move and are proving stubborn after sitting.

BTW, I know I need to check for spark next, but these are at my other place and I didn't bring my timing light (to detect spark...

I don't like doing the spark test where I purposely electricute myself)

, I'm just wondering if I should continue to turn the engine, causing more possible damage.

Then I would hazard a guess that you wouldn't care for the fuel pump test that requires removing the fuel line, where it enters the carb, and cranking the motor, with a live coil firing under-the hood, and pumping gas into a one gallon milk jug, seeing it burst into lively flames, which lick at your exposed skin.

I foolishly indulged this trial 31 years ago. I was fortunate to not have been flambe'ed where I stood.

The culprit was finally found to be a defective (cooked by under hood heat) ignition module. From that point on I carried a spare.

The vehicle was a 1975 Ford Gran Torino.

Another Birthday?

Are there no end to these?

Well it's better than the alternative.

Happy Birthday 2 U!

Happy Birthday to 'Carman21': The Young Whipper-Snapper. Best to you.

While we were out food shopping yesterday, and enjoying the brief respite from the rain, saw an early '50s Hudson Hornet coming East on the causeway with Quebec license plate(s). The Hornet gleamed, its chrome glittering. I feel for the soggy son-of-a-gun picking this week to vacation out here. The streets today are near-deserted this afternoon. The best-laid plans...

I agree. Great pics and sweet car, but I also don't like the yellow. Its too "mustard".

A more pale "mellow" Yellow, or a sharper yellow (like the movie Bumblebee car) would have been better.

As of yet, there are still zero Camaros at any of my local Chevy stores.

I did see an Inferno Orange Metallic on the road for the first time ever a few days ago. It was an SS/RS, and It came up fast from behind with its halos. Looked amazing!

I saw a fully-loaded 2SS Inferno Orange Metallic, manual at Malouf Cadillac-Chevrolet in North Brunswick, NJ about three weeks ago. Forgot to mention that. It's sticker said: $45,600.00. (wow)

The side-windows are not very tall so the sticker's plastered on the windshield. I wanted to sit in it, try-out the fit, but was conflicted in that what I might do, foolishly, on impulse, could lead to a pathological case of buyer's remorse. Sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor.

I've yet to see one on the street in the hands of an owner.

Have seen about a dozen, in transit, on car carriers or 'on-the-hoof' being driven to a dealer event in Philly about 3 weeks ago.

I'm conflicted for not having waited to buy one.

I'm not as conflicted as I thought I would be. I chalk that up to the aging process. I'll be happy when my Brother's car is delivered, now pushed back until late September, and perhaps I'll ask him to swap cars once in awhile.

But I think that in terms of Camaro enthusiasm that my 'crisis' has passed. Still, the Camaro is a great looking, very appealing car and cultural icon.

I had an 02 Silverado Z-71 Extended Cab. I was eating at a diner where there was a car show going on outside. As I walked from the restaurant, I noticed a leaning against the front bumper of the truck while talking to his friends. The guy was facing away from me, so I calmly took out my keys and hit the panic button on the RKE. He about pissed his pants. I shut off the panic alarm using the unlock button, got in the truck with my son, started it up, and drove off. The guy stared at me the whole time, but didn't say anything to me.

Upgrade to remote start.

Flash the lights, start it up.

The next time he might $h! his pants.

Of course it must be noted that in any situation today, dealing with one-upsmanship, that the escalation of 'hostilities' may rapidly see the situation getting out of hand.

The potential of you becoming the first or second story on your local news increases if the incident occurs during the hot summer months in locales where joblessness is on-the-rise.

In certain places it's considered a moral victory if your vehicle's still there when you go to retrieve it. Keeping your wits about you in sticky situations is a plus also.

The Huffington post is pure trash. Plain and simple and they HATE GM, Mr. Welburn had a great response especially about the diversity in idea's part. What a great letter and a neat guy, I give Ed lots of credit for coming back with a great response.

They're like Baptists or Holy-Rolling Born-Agains (at Huffington; the Left Fringe) in that you just know they're raising hell; the tough part is catching them with their hands in the cookie jar.

I've posted on Huffington from time to time and a far-left example of yellow journalism is about what they are. The driving force behind it won't be at peace until we're all riding rainbow-$h!ting unicorns. They're fascist as is the extreme right as led or fed (their lines) by Limbaugh.

In the middle are the muddled, drug-addled and otherwise fertile or impressionable minds. The war's being fought for those hearts, minds and debit cards.

Thanks for the links, right now I just want to read about them as I won't have the cash to pull the trigger so to speak for awhile.

Glad to know people are fanatical about these. Saw an interesting F body the other day that really got me thinking about these cars...a silver 2002 Camaro that was a replica/pace car for the brickyard (I think it was the brickyard, couldn't get super close in traffic.)

I like what you said Longtooth about these cars being the last of the "While Rome as Still Rome" cars. I would agree, which is part of the charm.

Chris

Lost gladiators or ronin, borrowing a page from the Japanese.

Not that they couldn't be surreptitiously recycled into the product once cleanup is through.

Snap into a Slim Jim. Por favor.