Robert Hall

Odd sighting at Starbucks this morning--a black GMC 'Avalanche'--a current style Avalanche w/ a GMC Sierra Denali front clip and badging.

Saw a white Sterling Bullet tow truck...don't see those often (the Bullet was a variation of the Dodge Ram HD for DC's now defunct Sterling brand).

One thing I've wondered...does Saturn have much presence in Canada? Stand alone dealers?

Maybe they will just rebadge the G3 and G5 as GMCs or Buicks for Canada.

27 Pontiacs??? in what--25 years at most? Wow...you must have changed cars often..

Yeah, I don't think I've seen one in years. Or the wierd fastback Cutlass and Centurys. Everything except the occasional Malibu, Monte Carlo or Cutlass Supreme seems quite scarce from that era. One of my favorites that I haven't seen in years was the '78-80 Grand Prix, had a buddy in high school that had a dark blue one, no vinyl top..cleanly styled for the era.

I think I've seen pics of this car before--a search turned up this one--a '78 w/ a '78 T/A 400 & T/A hoodscoop that someone built..very nicely done. Hot Rod mag Reader's ride '78 Grand Am w/ 400

Too bad they didn't build a version w/ the Trans Am's 6.6 in '78-79. The '78-80 GA 2dr was a pretty sweet looking car, IMHO.

Happy B-Day, guys. Enjoy!

I think still is...I haven't used it in a loooooong time. The first chat software I used was IRC on UNIX computers in college in around 1989-1990. Rob

We're using Office Communicator enterprise-wide at my current client...it's pretty well integrated into Outlook/Exchange and Net Meeting. My most recent client before was using Lotus Notes, which is pretty dated compared to newer products. I also have a previous client that used Skype for it's IM client, not bad, esp. with the mix of Macs and Windows machines in the office. At home I have AIM, Yahoo Messenger, Google Gmail Messenger, Windows Live Messenger but find I don't use them that much anymore, find myself using Twitter and Facebook more.. Rob

Makes me wonder--did Chevy build any 4dr Lagunas with 4spds? I'm pretty sure in at least '73 that the Laguna was available in a 4dr and a wagon..

Yeah... the '70s Grand Ams are the G8's ancestor, really the only overtly sporty RWD 4drs Pontiac had in their past. Rob

Must be the same car...there can't be many silver '71 SPs in Colorado. A google turned up some pics.. I remember walking up to it thinking something is different about this El Camino before I read the placard. Beautiful car. At the time, I knew about the later Sprints and Caballeros, but didn't realize GMC had a Sprint in '71-72. Dan Carr's '71 GMC Sprint SP Rob

Sad.. I've only seen one '71-72 Sprint before---a beautiful silver w/ black stripes '71 SP at a Goodguys car show at PPIR back around 2000. I later saw the same truck in Muscle Car Review magazine.

Got to work this morning and there is a silver C5 Z06 parked out front next to a black C6 Z06 w/ California personalized plate 'GFARB'.

There is/was one of these in Denver I used to see often..dark blue w/ a white top. Same house had a white '71-72 LeMans 2dr ht as well. The manual in a 4dr had to have been pretty low production.

I've seen the first 3 many times since first seeing them w/ my Dad around 1980. Only seen the later 2 a couple times, they have some good moments, like the chase between DH in an '87 Olds 88 and a radio controlled car in Dead Pool. I liked the first and Magnum Force quite a bit, esp. all the early '70s Fords (Harry has a sweet '71 LTD convertible), and the dialog between him and Hal Holbrook is great. My folks had these movies on Beta and later VHS. I need to get them all on DVD sometime, I've been a Clint fan for a long time, need to build up a library of his movies.

Didn't see too much interesting this weekend, though on the twisty road to Jerome through the high desert and mountains I saw a silver Camaro '10 SS (first one I've seen not on a dealer's lot, had a WA plate) and a gorgeous black '69 GTO w/ Cragar SS wheels...rumbly. For more Pontiac Excitement!, I also saw an old Sunbird 4dr, about a 1990 or so, that had been bright red but from too many years in the AZ sun had faded to pink.

The 2nd one sort of reminds of a home made car from the '80s built in the US, had an Italian sounding name with GM parts. Can't recall the name, but it was in Car and Driver and other mags in the '80s, was silver also.

Thanks, all. So far a quiet birthday...we are going out to brunch here soon, then I'll get in some pool time this afternoon--hot and sunny here. Went for a drive up in the mountains yesterday, up to Prescott and Sedona. Taking off the whole week, got some house and car stuff to take care of early this week, then heading over to San Diego for a 4th of July long weekend...going to visit a couple buddies there and get some beach time in....put off the Seattle trip until late July due to scheduling issues. Rob

And he had left behind about a 1/2 billion in debt. Wow.

it is

At lunch today, I saw a gorgeous Royal Maroon '69 Mustang Boss 429...Magnum 500 wheels, rear wing and sport slats. Droool... It's only the 2nd Boss 429 I've ever seen in the wild (other is a black one in Colorado Springs that I saw a few times in a parking garage)...seen a few at Barrett-Jackson...don't recall seeing any at the Steamboat Springs, Co Mustang Roundup the times I've gone (400-500 cars show up for that). Rob

Unfortunately, there is going to be more Not Good for GM before things get better, I'm afraid.