balthazar

Hey Rog- what ever happened with the '50s dump truck- did you end up passing on it ??

Friedman makes $300K/yr, plus $40K for speaking gigs- think $7/gal gas is going to pinch him any ??

Really nice because it's not a uber-dollar car- it's a nice showable cruiser. I note one c-pillar courtesy lamp is out. Don't care for the simple leather covering over where the TorqueFlite buttons were- would be MUCH better to maybe have re-purposed them and let that distinctive feature live on. I've been looking for a door-open shot of a '56 since remembering drooling over a '56 in a junkyard a few decades ago - I had distinctly recalled that 'DESOTO' sill nameplate as standing upright- assumedly so a passerby could read the marque name from the side (like a '56 DeS would be mistaken for something else), but here it's laying flat. Not completely sure that wasn't modified. Sweet car- and thankfully they kept the Hemi.

^ Note the emphasis since 'back then' to interior volume over actual dimensions, as if transporting inflated balloons was the focus of designing a car interior. Midleading... and typical trick to mask reality.

Saw a really pleasantly pleasant '64 Olds 88 station wagon, burgandy, crusing behind me a few miles. The big '60s wagons are 'hen's teeth' anymore.

The degree some of you are attributing to font's differences, at least the descriptors used, is ridiculous. Helvetica & Clearview are nearly identical; just some of the lower case 'round' characters, such as 'e', 'c', 's' are slightly more open in Clearview than Helvetica. Yes- that's slightly better for readability... if measured by calibrated scientific instruments and backed by dozens of controlled double-blind tests. My objection (if any) is that highway signage incorporates far too much letter spacing- that impedes legibility more than anything (there actually is no other 'anything'), but this too, struggles to reach 'minor' status. Understand- I am NOT saying change signage to Helvetica, I have no issues with it (or Clearview) besides the boredom from a design standpoint. My POV is- if these signs only last 10 years, switch them out as they age- do NOT replace a servicable sign with one in Clearview- there is NO measurable gain, just a monstrous waste of money. Too often, government is like a frightened chimp, locked inside a suitcase with a tiny hole in it, inside a 1958 Edsel traveling 90 MPH with no brakes, trying to steer with several broken toothpicks. In fact, this article's take-away for me is : these signs should last at least 25 years (power-coated AL, right??), not merely 10. THAT's where a greatly-improved sign makes sense... which is why Gov isn't bothering to look at it.

regfootball ~ >>"...and of course that falling character line started by the first decent altima started designers at every carmaker on that path of rising to a big fat ass on the rear."<< This is the first design where I noticed a 'stacking' front to rear to raise the level from the 1st thru the 3rd boxes in a sedan. Not the fender level > beltline > deck transition : Of course, more recent cars like the altima are comparatively very stubby, plus hood lines have dropped quite a bit; heightening this phenomena notably.

No one who wants to carry more than 2 people is going to buy the Coupe- it's a 2-pass car with a token rear seat. IMO.

>>"Everything I think of sounds like it came from a Life Magazine advertisement from 1959..."<< Yep- they did. I have no suggestions, and I didn't like anything suggested above.

Not that he's not a huge fan, but I'm just guessing the license plate didn't hurt. Kudos!

Passed a slowing car on the highway last night: lights were flickering & blinking off & on as it drifted over to the shoulder. Couldn't tell for sure if it was a crazed teenager or serious system malfunction. What I could tell was that... it was a Prius.

Turned my son onto it, now he's learning the guitar tab to it: Johnny Cash ~ When the Man Comes Around

"Excellent work!" ~Gilad How about a pic?

Meh- the Oaky is quite pedestrian for it's era, IMO, but if we're talking about the era in general, then I agree. C2 Corvette tho, you nailed. Completely unique then and ever since. While I am still wowwed by the C7 on the street, sometimes I wonder if the loose continuance of the '68 needs a major, C2-esque deviation.... but I'm not sure that such is possible in design anymore. Too many constrictions,where there were none for the C2. Interesting things to muse over in a hammock under a clear blue sky...

I don't remember seeing an Oakland before, tho I'm sure I did. But it was the untouched originality of it that was so spell-binding. I would drive it exactly as it is- and apparently the owner is doing just that- a buddy said he's seen it 4 or 5 years now.

I somewhat understand why the hoon-day is selling somewhat OK- local dealer is advertising TENTHOUSANDDOLLARS off of any hyundai (plus, he keeps pronouncing it 'HON-DAY' like he's tailgating another's rep). Apparently hoonday can't charge what the competition is because no one will pay that much.

Dealer promo car, inline 6, was lettered 1926-1958 w/ Pontiac dealer name on rear. Found in barn after sitting since approx. 1970. Running & driving/licensed. {Crappy cell-fone pics.}

blackviper8891 ~ >>"And why, exactly, is religion being brought up at all?"<< 'belief' and 'faith' do not always mean 'religion'. And he did say "like a religion". No specific religion or icon thereof was mentioned. Breathe in, breathe out.

I see the next s-class is coming out with a 4-banger. Someone's head is going to explode.

Absolutely (@ $50) !

DL- how do we know the A-1000 is only good to 3300 RPM shift speeds; when the only engine it's behind is the 3200-RPM redline DuraMax ?? GM/ Allison test results ? Where did the '4300 RPM' figure come from ?

Isn't 'Ute' short for 'Utility Sedan' ? Why then is there a '55-56 Chevy pick-up in there & called a ute... or do they call all trucks 'ute's Down Under ?

Yet it's certainly possible to accept a mailed 'certified check' or some other form of electronic payment and get all wrapped up in a scammy mess- obviously it happens all the time. The choice is there to be made: cash or non-cash, and some choose non-cash- to their great risk.

While I don't doubt that Allison could build a 'lite' HD car trans, what is the situation with GM having sold Allison- they would be buying them in that instance, correct? GM 3-spd autos are able to handle more TRQ than any production car yet built with minor aftermarket bolt-in parts. Stock it handled 550 TRQ back in '70. Is the 6L90 based off the THM400 like the 4L80E was, or is it completely different?

Recently listed 4 items on Craigslist. 2 of them got replies that were obvious scams, both centered around either a money order or a certified bank check, when the ad clearly stated 'cash only'. These days it is so easy to forge a 'paper' form of payment (since there's so many different looking ones) vs. cash, that that is yet another reason to go with cash. Plus, individual people seldom take debit cards. I would never deal with people I just met in any other form of currency.