A Horse With No Name

I can see some good in this if we get off of some of our foriegn oil thing...and if we get cool small cars from Europe here in the US. (Thinking Alfa MiTo...) Chris

...and besides, from a cost standpoint...if you want 'Benz power, buy a modern 'benz. I've got a 19 year old and a 16 year old who both ahve permits and both will be getting lic. soon. So we've been looking at other cars...including the maroon 4WD truck I was talking about in another thread. Son and I saw a 2000 or 2001 Benz with a straight title and a little over 100k...for $5500. And it was clean and nice! Granted it wasn't of the oil burner variety... But exactly how much do you think you'll have wrapped up in time and $ swaping a Benz into a Buick? Chris

...plus there is just something about an unmolested old car. When Joanna and I were parking the Miata for the Doo-Dah parade today, a guy in an old Chrome bumper MGB with wire wheels, red, beautiful, was parking across the street from us. Yes, the B would have been faster with modern upgrades, but it would have destroyed the car. If it would have done that to the 'B, what would it do to the B-59? Chris

...I'm with balthazar on this one. We have a guy in the VW TDI club and the Miata club who goes by the screen name bhtoofer on the forums he visits. When things get really messed up when were wrenching on a car, we say that they have been "toofed" Eric/toofer is a good friend of mine, and I love him to death...but not in the C and G sense. We will sometimes both autocross my car...and I hate to admit, in some ways he's a better driver. Last autocross we both ran he did pull a faster time for the day than I did, and in my own car to boot. But toof is always dreaming of wierd swaps that will never work in a billion years. Were he to spend that time making minor incrimental improvements to his car, he'd gain speed in the autocross. Sixty-Eight, If you spent a tenth the time and a tenth the effort in making the old girl reliable...you'd have an unusual and desireable old car. Fix the damn thing right and keep it until Sofia is collecting Social Security. (assuming social security is still around, which is a whole 'nother matter.) Today between the Dublin 4th of July parade and the Doo-Dah parade (a spoof 4th of july parade held in Columbus) I went to the book store with Joanna. Read about a 60 Corvette that a guy bought new, drove forever, and just now got around to getting restored. The family's goal is to pass that Corvette on to the next generation and keep it in the family for 100 years. But if you can't pass up the urge to modify it, sell it. That's why I no longer have my 1966 Mustang Fastback. It was too nice and too original to molest, and I found a collector in Baltimore through the back door who is taking really good care of my old '66. But I would vote for the 100 year route for the B-59. Sofia will need something to enjoy/remember you by in a world of Prius and Insight automobiles. Chris

On the other hand, that Plymouth is a damn fine looking car. I posted links earlier (several months ago) about a Plymouth truck that was a California survivor with some cool patina... Saw a 37ish Plymouth truck on the road the other day...in primer...looked like a well done project quite far along. Chris

...hey, it's a four door car, so all four doors could go lambo... And I know an Integra that could give up its wing... Chris

Our Scout Master, Jim Ramey (troup 155) is perhaps one of the best men I've ever known...and also one of the most devotedly Republican. After knowing him though, I appreciate keeping C and G free from a lot of political talk. Nothing spoils a campfire under a star filled sky like a rant about the Clinton presidency. Kid was treated like a hero when he got that letter from Sarah. Chris

Hopefully she is just going to retire to take care of her family... Things could get very interesting in 2012. One of the boys in my son's scout troup made Eagle, and the kid got a personal letter from Sarah Palin. I would say that her plans are to run in 2012...which may ahve been the Republican plan all along. Chris

I laughed my ass off when I read that, PCS. Made me think of an old bearded guy milking a cow in 'blu's front yard at 4 ayem. Maybe things will get really wild and the local amish girls will take off thier head coverings and show their calves...the kind of calves that are attached to their thighs. Chris

...or I can loan you my 16 year old son, who could play lots of music loudly at a later time to make up for the mayhem this weekend. Base...beat...honestly...I don't hear anything... He's almost housebroken, just like your neighbors. There will of course be a small rental fee... Chris

Do your neighbors throw wild parties often? I live in a very quiet neighborhood and I love it. Hopefully your home isn't trashed in some way when you get home... Chris

...and it would be nice if we could get some debate between the good minds at C and G in that section. Sadly, people have seemed to give up interest after the election. I know of several people I'd like to hear from, both republican and democrat... Chris

Damn, PCS, that looks worse than what I've done to myself... Chris

Also, DF and I ahve been working together on another motor swap project. Details can be found HERE: http://jalopnik.com/5306929/frankensnake-u...powered-mustang J/K...and good luck with the Intrepid DF... Chris

Done tomorrow would be wayy to cool. Since you are cleaning up the motor bay...please just tell me some suspension work is in the works. It's a great handling car anyways, and I would love to know what some tweaking would do to it. Chris

...to me it's the lack of a social network outside of C and G. With the Miata thing, the SCCA thing, and the VW thing, I have active local clubs that are fun to be involved with. Running an SCCA autocross, going to a 4th of july party, doing a 4th of July parade, running a Buckeye Miata Club autocross, going to two get togethers with the VW club... But nothing social locally with any GM people. Seems like you run into a few old guys at car shows, but VERY few real GM fans around here. So I guess this is my way of saying thanks for posting here to everyone that does, because there are a lot of GM cars I love and I love talking about them. What is your least fav. thing about being a GM fan. Chris

We need a get together of people here so we can all hang together through these wild times. Chris

WMJ-I think I would have been walking to prom! Chris

Utter filth (the ones around here are just plain nasty, esp. the one in Circleville) Chris

...and balthazar, the Pontiacs of the later 70's hold a VERY special place in my automotive soul. But remember, this is the era (late 70's, early 80's) that I started driving, grew up, started dating, went away to college, etc. I enjoy cars like a late 70's TA because I remember double dating in them... I enjoy cars like a 67 Grand Prix convertible or a 57 Olds Convertible because they are an utter work of art... Chris

My point exactly. And people back then knew it also...people were doing nut and bolt restorations on the earlier stuff and trying to preserve it because they saw the slide of GM and that the good times were never coming back. I remember in about 1980 a neighbor doing a nut and bolt resto in an aluminium headed (L79 or L89?) SS396 69 Chevelle. He even bought the weatherstripping and body bushings new from GM. One of the nicest resto's I've ever seen. Car was a root beer brown, bench seat 37K original mile car owned by an old man. Neighbor also owned a real factory 427 69 Camaro, which he changed from hugger orange to black. That car was quite menacing looking with the dog sich hubcaps and the white letter wide oval tires... The early stuff generates passion, the later stuff generated sales. The W body/90's stuff enabled Toyota and co... Chris

Actually C and G has become quite civil...but not needing this is probably due to the election being over and everyone being both bummed about GM and excited about the new Camaro... Chris

Happy birthday guys! Chris

...you know me too well. Verdero is the best GM color ever IMHO. Eeven cooler would be a retro GTO built like the new Camaro on the same platform...also in Verdero green. Chris

Ditto, although if I ever get a Camino I want a 64 or a 65. I remember ehwn these cars were cheap...back in the early 1990's when I had just gotten my Mustang fastback, I remember seeing a black big block 67 El-Camino with a red interior and a factory big block for like $4100, and it was very, very clean. I also had a chance to buy a 57 Ranchero for $6500 and a 59 El-Camino for about 4k IIRC...Ranchero was yellow and white....the 59 was black also...had a later 350 in it... Sometimes I feel so stupid for the cars I never bought... It's never too late to have a lifetime of regret for the cars you never owned, methinks. Chris