ocnblu

The owner before me had a security system installed by a local company because of a prowler that was breaking into houses in this area then (in 2002-early 2003, he was caught and arrested). Their sticker was on the glass that was broken out first. The system is not being monitored (that involves a monthly fee), but it is active within the house. I guess it didn't go off either time. To put up the first piece of plywood, I had to take the sensor off that sliding door, which would have gone off if the door had been opened, I guess. The slash mark in the screen has mud on it and there are small spots of mud on the patio, which leads me to think it was a big rock or something to that effect that is being used. Seems so very crude.

I hated the CVT in the ION coupe I test drove before I bought mine. I see Ford did away with the CVT when they switched back to Taurus/Sable nameplates.

Olds Guy, is that the actual Trailblazer you built? It looks good in two-tone. Also, I didn't realize you can get the V8 in SWB, non-SS versions. Cool. The Trailblazer is still a nice vehicle when judged by itself, it's just that everyone else, including GM, has come out with something newer. Enjoy that new Trailblazer, sir!

slay

Thanks once again, guys. I am off to Lowe's this morning to get another piece of plywood to screw into the wood frame, even though this time I still have one of two panes left intact. I'll prolly just leave the boards up until spring and then get the door fixed. I don't use that door down there this time of year anyway. Yes, it's a little bit redneck, but if the boards are up, that should discourage them. Believe me, I was thinking about having someone come over and take the Taurus so I could sit here incognito and see if someone tries something. I also had the dog idea, another good one. I haven't handled a gun since I was a teenager, and I'd hate to (literally) shoot myself in the foot tryna catch some a-hole kid being a burglar. I thought having no houses behind me was nice when I bought this place, and I still do, but it also makes things riskier, something I admit I never thought of before this. That lower door is kind of a prime entry for a potential burglar, because it is under cover of my second-floor deck. Breaking the upper floor sliding door would be much riskier for the burglars, it is up high, more visible, plus if they get caught they'd have to run the length of the house to get to the stairs, run down the stairs and get away... so I feel relatively safe that they won't try that.

The fat butt makes it look like it is at full GVWR with no passengers. And yes, the side window treatment looks exactly like the late, unlamented Ford Aerostar.

Noooooo, I meant that literally, like a tent you camp in, not a tent you, oh nevermind. :AH-HA_wink:

Well, it seems that someone really wants to get into my house. When I got home this afternoon, the other half of the same sliding door that got broken out before (it is still boarded up with half-inch plywood) was broken out. There is a screen there with a slash mark through it, and this time I guess, the screen slowed down the momentum of the blunt object because they were only able to break out the outer pane of a double pane window. I am so pissed. Somebody knew I wasn't home I guess, which makes me think it has to be somebody very local. I always park in the garage, so during the day it is hard to tell if I'm home... unless the person watched me leave this morning. There isn't much the officer could do except promise more patrols during the day.

I feel your pain, Sixty8.

oysters

I keep wanting to finish pitching the tent, it looks like just the framework is up so far.

Hmmm... I refuse to Google. Moonlighting?

Our little Camino is one badass mofo.

Square Pegs? My So-Called Life?

Chery

um, cheezburger? :AH-HA_wink:

Hey I hope you're having a good birthday, Mr. Cory Wolfe.

michael jackson

If memory serves, circa 1979 turbo 3.8s were carbureted and I think they were rated for about 170 hp. That is a fine example!

BMW has a central locking button on the dash or center console as well. It seems more secure than having a button on the door if somebody wants to take a coathanger and break into your car. The cars look good, thanks for posting, fellas.

I used to diffuse bullying with humor on the rare occasion somebody tried something.

cheez

Dynomiiiiite!

Beautiful oddity, a dream I woke up from last night. First scene, I am a passenger in a random vehicle, driving through an urban warehouse district. I look up, and there is an airliner that appears to be taking off from a nearby airport, coming in our direction. It climbs upward but its wings are on backwards, pointing forward. I gasp in wonder for a fleeting moment before it goes out of sight, obscured by the warehouses. It's a beautiful sunny day. Next scene, I am still with the same person, but I never see who it is, I just feel their presence. We are heading in the opposite direction from before because of the position of the sun. Again, it is a clear, sunny day except for a few wispy clouds. I can't tell if we are riding in a vehicle or walking down the sidewalk in the same urban area, but I look up again to see the silvery airliner, now at high altitude. Only now there are two, flying very close together in the same direction. I am alarmed and say to my companion "look how close together they are flying!" Just then, one of the planes turns and collides with the other. I am horrified as I watch an explosion of debris without fire, then amazed and amused as the debris suddenly turns into a flock of seagulls flying. We share a chuckle and keep walking. End of dream. I am hoping I can take this as a hopeful sign. I've been very stressed lately, with my door, the truck, and the aftermath of both of those events, the neverending parade of towtrucks in the last two weeks (we honestly have no place to park any more towed-in wrecks for me to estimate), our shorthandedness at work (assistant manager out deer hunting this week, manager has to leave for medical tests periodically, loss of our shop foreman), plus we got 2 inches of snow yesterday and through the night... which will mean more work coming in. I am scheduling customers for January 14th as of now. All this plus an unresolved, agonizing 4-year crush on a person I see once or twice a week... and my nerves are shot to smithereens right now. Things have got to settle soon. Anyway, to anyone who is brave enough to waste time reading this, thanks, and sorry to turn the lounge into a personal blog. I just needed to type this out... somewhere.

Wow, I've seen these before, but I forgot how nice that Pontiac is. That Trans Am is a beautiful tribute to Pontiac history, a nice take on the original '69 Trans Am theme. I like it better than the production models, and you guys know me, I usually don't go for extra visual excitement.