balthazar

"If the inline engine configuration was so great, everybody would be copying it, instead of no one, so it obviously isn't that great." "Inline configurations are ancient technology - Pontiac, Olds, Buick & Chevy used to be all inlines back, oh, 60 years ago or so."

"GTO quarters" -

I just love '64s and miss driving mine. Or maybe I should just get a Transit Connect.

Bloated whale, good price.

My bad- I thought it was available here! I swore I saw a TV ad for a 2-dr; guess not. Of the two choices, I'd certainly pick a Ford 4-dr over a toyota 2-dr, any day & everyday. Keep reminding yourself- 25 million recalled...

Maybe I should be more specific. WHEN I decide it's time to replace the DuraMax, can I work out of a vintage full-size wagon ?? The only thing I will be missing out on is 4WD in the snow and A/C. I got a helluva deal on the 2500HD, not sure I can repeat that and not sure I need to. Buy in price of a vintage wagon is easily half that of even a 1-2 yr old truck. And yes- it's VERY tempting. I've already owned two '64 Catalina sedans and a GP...

First off, there's no way I can swing an 'estimate/ first call' vehicle AND the DuraMax. That's out. This musing would is on the possibility of a DuraMax replacement. I certainly would not trash the Safari, but I would 'use it up' over the years. Naturally, I have no problem driving a 46-yr old as a daily.

The Merc still gets my vote.

When I moved into my current house, I bought my 2WD RC/LB F-150. I worked in graphic design then, but I needed a truck for around-house work, hauling firewood, car parts, towing, etc. In '06, now in my 6th year of construction/excavation, going off-road on job sites, plus now having 2 sons, required me to get at least a crew cab/4WD truck, so I did (2nd hand '04). Forward to today, no longer in excavation but still doing contractor/construction... I occasionally ponder vehicle requirements, esp once a current driver approaches 100K. 2500HD has 91K+, gets a steady 16 MPG, is pretty big to drive around (doesn't bother me, but Jersey is getting tighter all the time). Good truck, I have no complaints, and I know it'll be good to 200K easy. Maybe 3-4 times a year do I have the back seat empty, carrying 4/5 people, the rest of the time the back seat is folded down & the compartment is filled with tools for work. Wondering if I could do the same out of something like this. Tint all the rear glass, and I'd have to get a roof rack, but why wouldn't this do the same thing cheaper? MPG is not a relative issue; I drove a '64 for 2 years daily, returned a steady 15. I'm comfortable at that range, esp since it looks like diesel will never be cheaper than gas again. Maybe I'm just looking for an excuse...

ocnblu's definition of "no" ::

As much as I got burned out on Chevys (from association- my first Chevy was the '04 2500HD, if we ignore the shell of a '63 Nova convert I owned for 3 weeks), the tri-5s are without question; sweet. Not as sweet as a same year Pontiac, ESP '57, but sweet.

Olds must be busy working on making up a flashy, votable, poll thread....

All right Greg- where's XP-75 ????

I bought the issue of R/T when they ran a full road test on the W8- I thought (& still do) that the (exterior) design surpassed the norm for this genre of 'supercars'. Price doesn't surprise me really.

I like the idea of all GM brands being 'global', and I'd almost put GMC near the top there in importance, but I've never been convinced it's necessary.

Consider that stock-bodied '59 Chevys ran in numerous Grand National races (& other circuits). Junior Johnson won the '60 Daytona 500 in one averaging 124 MPH. A '59 Chevy was tested in the wind tunnel a few years ago- only way they could configure it to show lift from the fins was to test it in reverse. I don't doubt your mother's perception, but it was merely that.

Found this v interesting, thought of this ^ : >>"Personal liberty largely consists of the Right of locomotion -- to go where and when one pleases -- only so far restrained as the Rights of others may make it necessary for the welfare of all other citizens. The Right of the Citizen to travel upon the public highways and to transport his property thereon, by horsedrawn carriage, wagon, or automobile, is not a mere privilege which may be permitted or prohibited at will, but the common Right which he has under his Right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Under this Constitutional guarantee one may, therefore, under normal conditions, travel at his inclination along the public highways or in public places, and while conducting himself in an orderly and decent manner, neither interfering with nor disturbing another's Rights, he will be protected, not only in his person, but in his safe conduct.” ~ American Jurisprudence 1st Edition, Constitutional Law, Sect.329, p.1135.<<

It's built >here< so it's a >here< car. Yeah- I hear that ALL the time WRT the mercedes & BMWs cranked out in the U.S. : American cars. '59 Chevy sig implication is urban myth, BTW.

It's NOT anachronistic- TONS more work to be done; TONS. Entrenched politicians only seem to be able to execute cursory -not real & lasting- 'reform'. I'm sure you heard that currently, welfare roles number 40 million for the first time in history, so it's more timely now than it's EVER been.

Don't forget 'Barf Green' and 'BabySh!t Brown' !

I'll say it again- Gov should be run like a business. Right now there is zero accountability. Cripes, the Sec of the Treasury is a tax cheat !! Aliens circling the globe in outer orbits must be laughing themselves into coronaries and writing Earth off as 'not worthy'... in the negative sense. IF turning Gov around could be done, it would take generations to accomplish. Start by removing 1 superfluous & intangible grade/high school course and sub in mandatory 'Money Management' and start teaching kids a life skill they NEED- how to responsibly execute a budget on a personal level. MAYBE by the time some of them enter politics, it will be ingrained enough to become a second nature course of action. Like it or not, the world spins on money (or the illusion of such). Washington is broke, terminally broke. Elitists, millionaires, the blind, the moronic, the radical, those with no concept of the private sector that this country rests & relies on- they have. to. go. Unfit for duty. Sorry: not all social programs are valid or beneficial- too many enable, to the point of being crippling. This, I've seen first-hand. Many have to be re-examined, scaled back, restructured or eliminated entirely. If you disagree, you are blinding yourself. NOTHING in the public sector should be above an independent justification process. But 'conservatives want monster, incalculable deficients just to cut social programs' ?? Propaganda, IMO. No one sane would advocate that, so if you as a politician do, you're out regardless of party; unfit for duty. You are able-bodied? There's work for you- not free housing, car, insurance, furniture & beer money in perpetuity. A certain political figure wants people to be able to 'paint & write poetry without worrying about work'! High treason ! President wants to find jobs ?? Open accounting classes; MediCare & MedicAid (not to mention the healthcare industry in the near future!!) desperately needs fraud investigators- $54 BILLION lost last year- put the damned word out !! How many in the financial sector are at least halfway suited to that work right now and would LEAP at any job ?? Any word from Capital Hill on that?? Not a whisper. No clue on how to execute responsible government, from either side. Unfit for duty. Does this mean I advocate "no government" ?? Absolutely not. But it's a 900,000 lb rabid gorilla right now, and it's (figuratively) killing us while it claims its 'helping' us. It's not 'Big Oil', or 'Big Unions' or 'Big Banks', you & I aren't forced to pay into those without a voice... it's Big Government that's the problem. They are not royalty, they are not celebrities, they are not sports or movie stars, they're even 'lower'; they're EMPLOYEES. Get accountable, get responsible... or GET OUT. Hope that wasn't too political- I mentioned no names or parties in specificity. But boy; do I feel better! -- -- -- -- -- My fault for implying that you were saying so; my comment was not directed at you personally but at the ideal.

Credit is NOT income! Anyone perpetrating that illusion needs to shovel out cow barns daily @ 4AM for a year, and for good measure, this should include the entire staff of the Fed on general principals.

I have a soft spot for the Fisher XP-75 due to it's appearance : And because it shares it's designation with this other General Motors design : ...tho the (former) XP-75 doesn't sound that enlightening to fly. Actually, tho I appreciate airplane history & design nearly as much as cars, I have no actual desire to fly anything.

Note the red plastic wheelwells? Engine note is sick. W-30 packaged 442s were beasts. I'd love to see a back-2-back with this car & the same with modern rubber on it.