Robert Hall

Yes, but Ford has been quite successful with OHC truck engines for over a decade now.... Toyota's a niche player(in the full size truck market), Ford has long been the market leader.

Width, yes..the length of an inline four is pretty much the same as a V8, though. I'd love to see a Chevy Kappa w/ a turbo 4 (Solstice GXP), but badging it as a Corvette would freak the fogeys...maybe find another name for a small Chevy sports car.

Since Opel didn't continue the Omega, I don't see them going back to a large V8 model. Larger mainstream brand models from Ford, Opel and Vauxhall died out in the 90s in Europe. It seems only the premium brands can support cars larger than the Mondeo/Vectra/Insignia in the European market. Outside of NA, about the only market for big American trucks seems to be some South American markets and the Middle East. Have no idea the volume in such markets. As far as V8 RWD American style full size sedans, it seems Australia, the Middle East and China are the markets for these, i.e. w/ Holden based models and Ford in Australia (do they sell a LHD Falcon anywhere?). Other than Chrysler and potentially some Holden-based imports, I don't see a lot of future for them here, since GM and Ford have largely abandoned them for FWD models, as have the public... Other than the Charger, 300, Challenger, Mustang, Camaro, CTS-v, and Corvette there won't be any RWD V8 cars made by the US 3 after the Panthers go away in '11, unless GM really does bring some Holden-based models like the Caprice PPV.

'tradition' can only go so far, GM has to be able to evolve their products and move forward. With the demise of the Kappas, GM has no small sports car now..something like this could be a good intro model for Corvette.

A lighter base 'Vette w/ the 3.6 making 325hp or so could be quite tasty, though.

And in 2010, GM still is doing pushrod V6s and 4spd autos in some models..look at the Impala, totally outclassed by the Taurus, selling only on price. Sad situation.

Well, it is one of the most vile and disgusting climates in the US...kills quite a few engines every year, no doubt. Killed my cooling system after 2 summers. I hope to get out of the endless dull and blandscape of Chandler and Phoenix before next summer...

Found the white Vista Cruiser w/ the multi-spoke wheels at Target the other day..still haven't found the '63 Caddy ambulance

One thing about 'View New Content', doesn't look like it has the option to view the last week's worth of posts like 'View New Posts' did w/ the old software. One of the things I don't like about the default behaviour of View New Content or View New Posts is it only shows posts since I last checked, whether that was 10 min ago or 10 hrs ago. I'd really like the ability to see all the threads active in the last 24 hours, for example. That would be more useful.

January issue came yesterday. Lots of good stuff..focus of the issue is '70s cars. There is a goregous bright blue w/ white top '74 Buick Regal coupe (interesting cloth interior w/ black and white pattern on the seats, never seen one like that), a comparo between the '77 Caddy Eldorado and '77 Lincoln Mk V, an original, unrestored '77 Olds Toronado, and an article about a Cadillac resto parts supplier.

IIRC, my Dad had to replace the valve cover gaskets, oil pan gaskets, and maybe head gaskets once or twice over the years on the 454 in the Winnebago. The biggest problem was more with the RV itself, the interior assembly of components and overall assembly... a 20k lb vehicle on lousy US interstates of the '80s--lots of stuff worked loose over the years, the roof leaked after a few years, the shower leaked, various outside storage compartments leaked, poor fitting of kitchen cabinet doors,etc... The older Fleetwood (Southwind, Pace Arrow) RVs they had seemed to better put together than the 'bago.

So no Regal Classic trim level w/ bench seat, 3.8 V6 w/ column shift 4spd auto?

Which is why the mid engined Corvette ideas will never get of the ground..probably as likely as a Corvette based on a shorted Epsy Dos or W-body platform would be.

Kind of shocking to think of a NA GM sedan w/ such a drivetrain... but who knows? Sounds like Buick has a lot of interesting variations coming..

I would assume the main reason GM and Chrysler didn't long ago replace their pushrod V8s w/ SOHC/DOHC V8s is the cost and complexity for manufacturing them for trucks, since trucks are the main volume market for these engines? Chrysler has had an OHC V8 for trucks and Jeeps, but it doesn't seem to have been successful.

Shocking. A midsize NA GM FWD model with a manual. They haven't had something like that in a long time.

I've been through there a long time ago...my Mom is originally from Hindman, my Dad is from Prestonsburg and once lived in Pikeville..still have a few cousins and aunts and uncles living in the Louisville and Lexington areas.

A lot of motorhomes, esp. those bought by retiree snowbirds, often have low miles--just driven yearly from home in fall to a warmer clime RV park then driven back home in the spring. My folks' last one, the '85 33 ft Winnebago had about 30k when they sold it in '98. For 10 years they used it to drive back and forth from Ohio to their house in Florida after I went off to college, and for the occasional summer camping trip. One observation (from years of reading Motorhome Life magazine in the '80s) is that most of the front engined Class As in the '80s and early '90s used GM chassis and drivetrains. After Chrysler dropped out of the biz in the late '70s, GM pretty much had the market to themselves..don't recall seeing any Ford chassis/drivetrains in '80s Class As. The early pushers (in the late 80s) often had Oshkosh chassis and diesels.

Well, the forums were down last night, from about midnight EST or so. I'm seeing the same thing this morning.

Chevy 454 or 6.2 diesel (those models had the 620-50 designation).

I'm 8 months into my gig at one of the nation's largest banks, they normally keep their contractors 18 months, rotate them out, and often bring them back in after 6 months. Stable, pays well, boring as hell. I hope to be here 4-6 more months then out of Arizona... I'm really wondering if this is going to be one of those jobless recoveries...layoffs are slowing, but companies by and large are hiring very little. In my department at work, 3 contractors have rolled out this month after 18 months, 3 in (2 were away for 6 months at other gigs, came back). I have no idea when they last hired an FTE or converted a contractor.

Cool..that was the Itasca equivalent of the Winnebago Elandan. (Itasca was to Winnebago what GMC is Chevy). My folks looked at upgrading from their '85 Winnebago Chieftain to an Elandan around '90.

The only thing I never liked about the GMCs was the lack of a long model...IIRC, they were only 22 and 26 feet. I'd like a 35-45 foot motorhome for ultimate comfort..

I wouldn't mind having an '80s Airstream motorhome, '80s Holiday Rambler Imperial, or the sleek Apollo Sceptre (IIRC, there was a stainless steel variation). I like the '80s styling before most Class A's went to the flat nose coach pusher designs of today.

Misc: New York Yankees, LA Lakers, Ferrari in F1. They have the biggest budgets and many championships. Always nice to see them lose. Plus it's fun to rub it in w/ the Yankees and Lakers w/ my brother who is a long-time Yankees and Lakers fan. College Football: Also Ohio State, since I'm loyal to Michigan (my grad school) and my brother (an Ohio State alum) always rubs it in when they beat Michigan. Pro Football: Though I lived in Ohio 20+ years, I was in Steelers country, so I'm still a Steelers fan. Strongly dislike the Raiders since they are a main rival of my Broncos. Likewise for Dallas. Hockey, dislike the Red Wings as they are the enemy of my Avalanche. Rob