balthazar

>>"Although I'd bet a few of those people who are fooled into thinking Pontiacs are sporty would go to Mazda..."<< Mazda is quite the fleet queen these days. The '6' in Mazda 6 actually stands for fleet percentage.... times 10.

Not nuts about those strange 'twisted' factory wheels, either. From the 3/4 view, they look cool, but in the side view they look like a product of a defective mold. You have to grab the door handle everytime you get into it. They should be unobtrusive and aerodynamic- they're utilitarian. Here they stand out like a Rolls grille on this car- pointless & overly complex. But don't think I care for the car otherwise... :wink:

Those 2 (SRX / Equinox) don't even look like they're from the same corporation, never mind off the same platform.

Aaaaaaannnnd honda continues to wander aimlessly in the Styling Wasteland...

The Edsel is back.. and with a sports car ??? Shazam!

Not sure; would have to go shopping. Likely something from either Buick, Chevrolet or Ford... or possibly ChryCo. More likely : gently used within the next 1-2 years. Wonder what G8 V6s will be retailing for then??

You do realize that none of the vehicles sold via the GM partnership in China were 'screened to the chinese people' in that none of those vehicles were built in the U.S. ?? There is no 'history' there relating to the NA market, it was a clean sheet start that still shares nothing with Buick NA.

I have 3 455s in my shop (2 complete, 1 bare block), plus I have to go pick up another out of a circa '73 225, if I ever get any time. There's your impression: SBC: 27", PMD: 31" , BMD: 30" (sump to air cleaner) PMD's run aggressive, relatively high-rise intakes, whereas Chevy & Buick here use 'valley pan' intakes that seal to the block vs. PMD's 'spider' intakes. {shudders to think PSC may have been within 2 miles of my house} I drove circa 28- and 29-yr olds as daily drivers for 3 years. I need to get back to that, but I'd like to upgrade to around a 45-yr old daily this time.

I can't get past those giant, convoluted door handles; on such a tiny car, they're the largest automotive door handles in history. How the hell did they get approved? Even if I was into japanese sporty cars: -superficial or not- they'd be the dealbreaker.

The Super WAWA has not yet invaded central Jersey, for the most part. I've seen one in Hunterdon Cty. -- -- -- -- -- I have less choice than gas drinkers. There are 2 stations right near me that are always equal in price, and the cheapest around: Raceway & Hess. I prefer the Hess because it's pumps are more intuitive and I pump my own. I avoid Citgo for political reasons.

>>"Not sure on the year, but it didn't have the catwalk grilles I've seen on pics of '41 110s. I think I heard someone there refer to it as a Darrin (note the cut down doors). "<< Makes sense; that is the 'Darrin Dip' in the beltline... and it's still not jiving 100% with the references I have. All the '41s & '42s (non-Clippers) wear fender 'cat claw' marks, including a pic I'm looking at of a '41 One-Eighty Darrin-bodied convertible. If it has the '42's horizontal outboards grilles, '42 works for me... but someone (or Darrin) yanked the cat claw marks off on this one. Sometimes I forget that this era is still the tail end of the coachbuilt era, and one-offs were not uncommon.

>>"As for the ban on victory garden type growing, i am fairly sure that was just the result of a very poorly worded draft of a bill. "<< From what I have heard from those who have read the material, is that personal gardens are not specifically EXCLUDED in the wording. As the economy & the health-conscience continue to increase the amount of local/personal gardening... you can bet there are those in industry --an industry that undoubtedly has lobbyists-- that will be concerned with their company's bottom line should this reach formidable dollar amounts. Vague bill wording leaves room to expand that control over the local/personal. On the flip side, where is the assurance that such is completely protected ??

I have to agree with Northie: the rules have changed and GM needs volume/profit. If this size/configuration will sell better and reap more, do it. That said, I also feel that a FWD-biased AWD is largely meaningless in the segment. None of these are driven like performance vehicles, nor should they be. Still, lexus --primarily a truck brand-- is generally acknowledged as the leader here (right or wrong), and I do not see it excluded by the consumer from the RWD competition. If this new SRX exceeds the rx overall, this has fantastic potential for Cadillac. Look at the wedge the CTS drove into that segment. The wheels look huge- are those 20"s on such a small SUV? Real nice looking overall.

I took this as intended to be more of an inner city 'taxi' than replacing one's personal car, so things like trunk space wouldn't figure into it. Smart car isn't much bigger and gets terrible MPG (for it's size). How many of the 1-person Segways have been sold, and how are they being used? This offers space for 2 and a roof of sorts, plus the supposed tech 'advantages'. I can easily see Barry & the Auto Task Force getting positively liquid over this. Is it for me? Are you high? But I know there's folk that will jump all over this. Question is- how many and is there a profit in it for GM?

>>"One guy I follow on Twitter once posted 'I made just a large doo..feel much better now'."<< It's not 1976; you're not 6 anymore, dude.

1941 Series Nineteenth... looks to me to be a One Ten, as it's missing trim a One Twenty would wear.

I got my son to wash my truck last month on a nice day. That'll be it's yearly bath. Interior is a constant chore- about monthly, because I'm constantly getting copious amounts of sawdust inside. I wish GM still used loop pile carpeting, would make vacuuming much easier.

Maybe well-advised, but there may still be PACKARD DNA drifted into the corners, and I would need to get it on bare skin. I've urban explorered before (Baltimore)- I ain't afraid; I can out-crazy the crazies.

>>"...ranting like a delusional paranoid..."<< Riiiight : Yep, he needs a tin foil hat... or MAYBE a tin foil bodysuit. I mean; that's plain CRAZYTALK !!!!! :wacko: :wacko: (BTW- the '09 C&G tinfoil hat reference, by sheer volume, has jumped the shark - someone come up with something fresh, please.) -- -- -- -- -- It isn't 1950 or 1960 or 1970 anymore. No one in politics (well, maybe a handful) is remotely interested in the common good or common sense, only the common dollar and more & more power. Like the thread title says- WAKE the f*ck UP. And no, Dodgefan, little buddy; this doesn't mean you treat every bit of info as an actual conspiracy, preventing you from quality time with your vegetables... it means you keep an open mind, ask questions, and never forget modern human nature. Also, you should take an occasional peek at what the 'other side' says, just to stay... let's call it: 'open to non-mainstream possibilities'.

Ice scrapers and corn cob forks don't count for much of anything.

Cut a new plywood table top to replace the warped particlesh!t one it came with & refastened the legs/framing to it. Worked on fabricating a small permanent wood & copper 'awning' for over a side exterior door, to shield it from rain off a 2nd floor gutterless roof. Started measuring & planning for a backyard paver walk & patio. Worked on hoeing out my nightmare of a house garage. Watched Wrestlemania XXV with my sons.

I also see early '60s MoPar: '61 Plymouth in the bodyline & the concave rear fascia/ minimal taillight, '63-67 in the triangulated C-Pillar, and the rear quarter 'chicken wing' of the proposed '62 Chryslers & DeSotos.

We had to put down our cat of 16 years this month 2 yrs ago. It was tough, esp since I always end up having to take charge of the process. He's out behind the shop in a Pennzoil coffin. But I'm no longer a big pet fan. I don't care for the fact that they too often have control over one's life, and I don't care for the 'less pleasant' side of pet ownership (ie; the mess). I like animals fine... as long as they are someone else's responsibility and don't live in my house. I've got stuff to do.

>>"As well as the new Insight"<< WOW!! that's hideous. Could the quarter be any thicker- makes it look like it's riding on 13s. Neither better than or worse looking than the prius, who's commonality has deadened the sight of it at this point.

youtube snippets of Silent Hill weirdness.