balthazar

just kidding.... Production was actually 3716 (still quite rare).

Took an early morning run to the scrap yard today. Believe it or not, this is 660 lbs of steel & cast iron. I think that 10" gas main was around 250 lbs by itself. Currently, the yard I go to is paying $12/100 for cast iron/heavy steel, so this paid $79.20. Eh; it cleans up my back yard & gets me fuel money. Not that I live in a junkyard; I just 'find stuff / stuff follows me home'. Best haul was a few months ago- I had all sorts of mixed alloys: brass, copper, aluminum - that run netted me $299. • • • Here's a pic when I got my '04 in '06. Only difference today is I upgraded to 265s vs the factory 245s seen here, and I seem to prefer my trucks without center caps, because they have been off for about 3-4 years now, and my Ford ran capless for maybe half it's life with me (15 yrs). I dunno.

glitter, glitter... gleam, gleam. I'm going to ignore those Cadillac tail lenses back there- they fit, IMO.

Thought I'd try a 'journal' for a month on this subject. Too many folk believe trucks 'never' carry anything in the bed or be very 'trucky'. To those unfamiliar, I have a 2004 Silverado 2500 HD CrewCab, DuraMax/Allison/3.73s. Mileage is currently about 106K. • • • Today I towed, then pushed a '70s Dodge camper van around on a piece of private property- repositioning it at the owner's request. Section of chain & a cable/clevis shackles to pull, the ol' 'tire hung by chain over Dodge's bumper' and the ol' 'shopping cart push' to guide it backwards. It was momentarily tempting to get it up to maybe 50 MPH.... DuraMax didn't even feel it.

Some more from yesterday's Macungie PA Wheels of Time show :

Nah; mercedees built 'em, so it must be completely cool now!

Or the SS of the mid-late '90s. Dodge & Ford have it over Chevy/GMC on the packages right now, IMO.

This is a sad case. Car has been off the road since 1973. Owner picked it up in the last 5 years for $2K, put $2.5K into bodywork- which was a scam; bondo over open rot. Entire circumference of trunk opening need to be cut out. Trunk pan is lace. Car sat outside, in primer, since the 'bodywork' was done, interior is trash, rust, and who knows how much rot is under the primer. Car needs a body-off with LOTS of welding. It's a LeMans, but it's easy enough to dress these out as GTOs, as they were uncoded options in '64. Owner came by today and was depressed to hear that the initial breezy quote of $2K to get it running was going to be more like $6500 (I think the number is closer to $10K). In truth, the car could be a nice cruiser/local show car for $20K. Disgusted, the owner said he'll just crush it. His buddy asked me what I would pay for it & I told him $750, but I think it is going to see the hammer. Not usual vintage car guys.

I saw a '13 Malibu coming at me on the road, I thought at first it was a jeep compass; it was that 'thick'. Impala looks to be incorporating that thickness, too. Not liking the trend much.

The design is not bad, but analytically, it's VERY generic, encompassing numerous elements in use elsewhere, already. The animation was slick, but the fender cue is about all that was pulled from the '65, so while I think many people will 'see' it being heritage'd from that via the animation, it's really not. Hence, IMO, the animation there becomes a stretch. I do think it will do well, however.

>>"I'd like to get a hold of a really old walk behind mower to restore. Balthy do you have one kicking around?"<< I missed this question- I do have 3 walk-behind reel mowers if you're serious- I certainly can let one go.

Yea, first thought was it was the DuraMax, that's a massive engine for a 'sports car'. Going to need a really beefy platform to contain that power, too. This thing is going to be a monstrous road pig..... if it ever even gets released. AFA weight distribution goes, just have to add a counterweight, you know; like a heavy machine has. 2" thick lead plates in the ass end ought to do it.

Big 'meh' on the design (except for the taga-esque roof), but the numbers are attention-grabbing. >>"Trident also didn't release the weight of the Iceni, which should be a substantial disadvantage to any of its competitors."<< Does this mean a disadvantage that they didn't release the weight, or is it implying the weight is going to be low somehow? A 6.6L V-8 diesel is not, by nature, a light mill.

^ At least those innovations didn't require any interfacing. Scrolling thru 7 sub-menus on a flat screen to turn the fan up, when you were used to a simple knob you didn't have to look at to work, is something else entirely.

yeeeessss.... and now that too is a 'mercedes' (in effect; I'm aware of the circumstances).

Yes; when they DIDN'T have another brand name to use there. D-B HAS had names to use for over 30 years- or since 'ancient history times no one remembers' as you've often said. See above. Also see earlier post where I remind readers that the Sprinter was originally badged a 'Freightliner' in the U.S., but the exact same van is now a 'mercedes'.

Incorrect, sir. Daimler-Benz acquired Freightliner in 1981! Since then, D-B has also acquired American-LaFrance, the AeroMax HD truck division from Ford, Thomas-Bilt buses, Western-Star HD trucks, Detroit Diesel, and a number of other, smaller companies. D-B has had a PLETHORA of brand names to plate their commercial trucks. Instead they shave good will off their luxury car name.

I know; we agree here. I don't think marketing a IBC motor on that principal is the way to go, even if it is the catalyst to a list of improved characteristics. It should be marketed on the advantages, not on the cam location.

I still prefer 'InBlockCam' (as the alternative denominator to 'DoubleOverHeadCam'), but I don't believe either has any resonance with the mass market consumer.

^ It'd be interesting looking under the hood, but rather pathetic going down the road (despite the 500 lb weight advantage the '57 enjoys). It'd be interesting looking under the hood, but rather pathetic going silently down the road (despite the 500 lb weight advantage the '57 enjoys). C-57s should rumble & growl.

Oy, neon, that COE is so beautiful ! I wish my '40 was as slickly clean. • • • A friend just bought (& trailered from Ohio) a '62 Tempest LeMans convertible project :

How about a '59 Buick with a Buick 462 Stage 2?

Why? They don't seem to have a problem w/ that in Europe. M-B badged semi truck tractors, garbage trucks, Sprinter vans, etc...been that way for many decades. The U.S. is FAR more superficial. And I believe the U.S. is the biggest profit source for M-B (or am I thinking of toyoyo?) At least the big trucks have been separated AFA marketing goes, but the Sprinter, a bare-bones, refrigerator-white cargo van, is on the websites & in the dealerships. I would love to know why Corporate felt it needed to be rebadged from Freightliner (well, I actually DO know the reason...) Globally, the corporate marketing needs an overhaul. Per the usual internet forum wags, these issues are a "problem" that needs to be "fixed". Think of it like how GMC is a "problem" for some folk's comprehension. Or put it this way: think of the reaction if Cadillac were to sell a refrigerator-white cargo van, a rebadged GMC cube van with stamped steel wheels & no interior. Bottom line is mercedes is spreading itself thinner & thinner, trying to be 'everything to everyone' and riding on the good association with their nameplate. Long term, that's going to cause image problems- they're not thinking long-term. They are spread wide enough that there is an obvious need for another division to maintain image with the hi-buck sedans. No doubt they'll be gun-shy a while after the maybach failure.

The last 15 secs are just nasty.