Everything posted by balthazar
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Poll: Where will Pontiacs sales go
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??
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Buick's Future May Be Chinese!
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.
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Found a neat one for sale...who's into
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.
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2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster and NISMO 370Z
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.
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BP, Exxon, Sunoco, Shell...
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.
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The PACKARD complex
>>"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.
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Letter from Congrersman
>>"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 ??
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2010 Cadillac SRX First Drive
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.
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GM and Segway Join Forces to Reinvent Urban Transportation
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?
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The worst journalistic effort I have ever read
>>"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.
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The PACKARD complex
1941 Series Nineteenth... looks to me to be a One Ten, as it's missing trim a One Twenty would wear.
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So, is it time to clean yet?
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.
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The PACKARD complex
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.
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Wake UP People!!!
>>"...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'.
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The PACKARD complex
Ice scrapers and corn cob forks don't count for much of anything.
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What a Beautiful Day
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.
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HARDTOPS you might not remember
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.
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I hate goodbyes...
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.
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Look what's springing up outside today...
>>"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.
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What Are You Listening To?
youtube snippets of Silent Hill weirdness.
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New York Preview: BMW X6 and X5 get the M treatment
>>"There's nothing sleek or timeless about it. ..."<< Agreed. To my eye, with the same design approach they've used for decades, they all look stale & dated. BMW does 2 things well, IMO; they always nail the fender/tire gaps (including wheel track), and they do interesting things within their lighting, but the overall shapes are nothing great. I like the 'fan' running lighting in what I think it the current 5-series tails. The rest is mid-pack at best, and on occasion it approaches the bottom in some of the overwrought M-stuff.
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Look what's springing up outside today...
Good day today : '427 Cobra', burnt orange, loud as hell '68 Charger R/T, black w/ red tail stripe, gorgeous in a way nothing modern can manage. '68-69 Corvette coupe, red, up on 4 jack stands '65 Rambler 2-dr hardtop, black over yellow, sitting '55 Chevy 2-dr sedan, white over red, tubbed, perfect
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The PACKARD complex
If I was back in Detroit, I would crawl into those automotive-related buildings, walk to the centers of their great floors and stretch out on the floor on my back, head turned to one side & ear to the ground, straining to hear the echos of industrial might -never equaled- long gone. I would scrabble thru the ruins, searching for some smallest tangible sign they were there... and upon finding one, I would crawl with it into the deepest, filthiest, darkest corner, and I would sleep and hope to dream...
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New York Preview: BMW X6 and X5 get the M treatment
I dunno- I think they should stretch the grilles vertically instead of leaving that huge gap above the bumper... Otherwise, they look like cheap crap.
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eBay stupidity!
This may pull in a lot of Pontiac bidders- after all- this is the beginning of that watershed 'German-engineered' automotive contribution :: body cladding ! C'mon, it's a plastic model. Clearly, a key stuck and the starting bid was meant to be entered as "45.00". It would be most telling to see what the supposed 'anonymous' offers were...