balthazar

>>"For me, the better question is "Of those people who like Pontiacs, what do you think of the G8?""<< I have not looked at one up close, but have seen numerous on the lot & road. It's a tight, good-looking sports sedan, and from what I've glanced at in terms of reviews/impressions, an extremely capable performer. Only thing I can say against it is, it could be more distinctive with more Pontiac design DNA. I look at the Challenger and that full-width grille nearly makes me melt- Pontiac is overdue for a return to the full-width split grille.

Attitude in design, an outlaw spirit RE Corporate 'behavior' and a flurry of innovation moved mountains in Pontiac's storied past (plus- no apologies) - solid principals that could still work if led by a devoted individual. >>"I guess that's what I like about Tri-power, it was state of the art for say 62 or 64 and Pontiac jumped right in, took it and made it work pretty well."<< Just wanted to point out: Pontiac offered Tri-P starting in '57 (after offfering dual quads in '56), in additon to fuel injection. Granted, tech moved VERY fast in the '50s, but this is only 5 years after Cadillac went from a 2bbl to a 4bbl. Chevy, Olds, & Cadillac also offered 3x2s, but Pontiac ('57-66) became synonymous with it.

5-series AWD is also right around 4100 lbs. It is also the perfect size to challenge the aforementioned snooze-mobile luxury sedans.

I'm really liking the front end design of the new Lincolns- sharp.

I don't think even the movie showed 50. IMDB is incorrect, however. Factual sources I've read (and I've studied Tucker for decades) stated that in fact 37 were built when the line was shut down, workers assembled the last 13 on their own time (they so believed in the product). "8" is unquestionably way off. >>"The Tucker never did have fuel injection as originally advertised."<< The prototype ("Tin Goose") Tucker's 589 H-6 did. >>"The Tucker that was crashed in this film was a Studebaker fitted with a replica Tucker front end."<< Actually, it was completely rebodied- not just the front end. No way to disguise a Stude to pass as a Tucker- and the movie car was show in 360.

My buddy & I took his '65 Catalina 389 up so high, it literally 'buried' the needle- it suddenly fell off to the right (horizontal speedo), tho right before that it was pointing where 135-140 would've been. It 'came back' when we slowed down.

Chris- IMO, your analysis is very well done.

I like the general idea of a 'product caravan', but I cannot help think of the case of Tucker (seen in the movie). Under trial for intent to defraud the public/shareholder, he organized a parade of about 50 Tuckers lined up outside the courthouse to prove he indeed was producing cars (in contrast to some testimony that he hadn't build a single one). Not only would the judge NOT allow the jury to go downstairs & inspect them, they were not even permitted to look out the window. This is the type of approach one can expect from government/authority, unfortunately. I wonder if a caravan of product would only be slammed yet again by the fat cats on the Hill as a waste of fuel & salary & insurance cost.

>>"I'm not sure how I'll be able to operate the hoist above the bed."<< Engine hoist won't lift it high enough ?? Can you lift the bed and block it up a foot or so, but leave it over the frame and still have room to access the tanks? 12" wide concrete blocks on end on the rails, wrap the bed/block/frame tight w/ tie downs, leave the hoist on the tailgate end for extra support...

>>"GM is losing ~2.5 Billion per month and it is getting worse. "<< GM has stated they expect current costs of 2B to drop closer to 1B by the end of the year in light of the budget-related delays, postphonements, closures, etc. If that comes to pass, 25B would last them 2 years.

87 @ 1.71 yesterday.

>>"Reid said it would be up to Dodd and House Financial Services Committee chairman Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., to judge what "viability" was and whether the automakers had it."<< Hopeless. Frank can't even see the end of his nose, no way in hell is he going to grasp an understanding of the automobile industry from a presentation.

The worst-looking mass-production thing on 4 wheels I've ever seen.

H-B-Day from the only 'in-the-steel' Invicta on this board...

GM workers start @ $26 and average $39. Line workers are not paid $70/hr - that's GM's 'labor cost', which includes pension & healthcare costs. >>"Any one of these CEOs can undoubtedly retire with the money they already have, so other than it looking bad on a resume, do they personally, truly give a &#036;h&#33; if GM, Ford or Chrysler go down? Henry Ford would have cared. Walter Chrysler would have cared. These modern day CEOs are not the real owners of the company. No one person 'owns' GM or Ford these days."<< That was not solely because Henry & Walter owned the companies, but primairily because they were men cut from a different cloth than men are today. Strong senses of personal & professional pride, and a working moral compass did much to guide their actions & policies, and these characteristics are ususally found in stories of success. Do Rick & Alan have these characteristics?- I don't know; we don't get a very clear picture of them from 'down here', do we?

Isn't it in between a fit, Corvette & a miata ?? I've seen 2 Challengers on the street now- they aren't 'big' at all to me. I, for one, would not want to see a 'Challenger skin' draped over something the chopped-down size of -say- a mini...

There was an idiot on the radio the other night, late shift, talking about the 'bailout'. He actually said, seriously & repeatedly, 'Don't worry, they'll sell everything off and the models will be picked up by other manufacturers who will built them better & cheaper.' {Hey neighbor, how do you like my new toyota Chevy Malibu LE?} As he rattled off his cars, 3 of 5 were japanese, of course. I wanted to drive to the station and punch him in the throat. Naturally, most callers agreed NOT to get loans for the autoamakers. Hope some miracle happens soon.....

>>"Gas prices fell because demand fell because everyone became poor at once. "<< Gas prices rose to $147 & fell to now $51 due to the commodities market, supply & demand was a very minor contributing factor. RE the Volt; gas wasn't unreasonable when the 2nd gen prius came on the market- the economic situation is going to continue to drive individuals, busniesses & government to conserve for at least a few years., Plus it's still considered 'cool, I think, to be 'green'.

>>"Obviously, all the human-created pollution that has happened in the last 200 or so years "<< By "or so", do you mean instead 100 years? I'm not aware of any measureable human contribution to atmospheric contaminants in the 1800s, esp 1800-1850. >>"The wildfires made the whole damn city smell of smoke last week."<< WTH does wildfire smoke have to do with "global warming" ? >>"But there's nothing natural about all the pollution we pump into the atmosphere."<< And the core question remains and will remain : what is the effect and how can it be measured independantly from the Earth's natural cycles?

I've watched one of those shows about the family (mouth hanging open the whole while) & I can tell you one thing - those 17 kids are far more productive & responsible than a 1000 average American kids. They aren't laying around the house, eating Cheetos, texting & playing video games all damned day, like most waste their lives doing. Guaranteed the kids will be a lot better adjusted to what a productive member of society SHOULD be doing than the average whiner/slacker hybrid. Let 'em pump out an even 24 if they want; if they're not on welfare, who gives a &#036;h&#33;?

I do find Glau intriquing, but I determined it's her dead-eyes monotone portrayal that's a factor - the episode where she meets her original human version... all that emotion & 'natural' appearance from her human version killed a lot of the attraction for me. But her 'combat chassis' is most excellent.

>>"Bob Menendez. It's hard to make Dick Shelby look august, but this Senator from New Jersey was a tightly wound, boiling cauldron of mediocrity from the time he first opened his mouth. Hello, New Jersey, you actually voted for this guy? Wow."<< This, the "Soprano State", is so F'ed up politically, it's hopeless. I didn't vote for this clown; every sound bite I hear/see of him makes me blurt out "IDIOT!", but the 'blue' hardliners keep pulling those levers overwhelmingly....

>>""Of course, Yugo was never a BMW or a Cadillac, but I think most Americans did not know how to appreciate it,""<< As usual, it's the damned American's fault.

Ms. Balthazar's annalysis: "It sounds like what you are really asking is- is it too early to ask him to commit to you - is that correct? If so she says yes; 3 weeks is too soon.