Drew Dowdell

Good thing we don't have any of those types around here....

G3 is dead and the Aveo still sells nicely. It may not have the best overall powertrain, but it does ok and is styled attractively compared to many other small cars. If you want to talk about model missteps that hurt the overall lineup, you can make another thread for the Accord Spirit GT, ZDX, Fridgeline, and RL.

Absolutely. The video I have is of the paddy wagons and the tour buses.

I've got some video that I know you'll appreciate GMT. I have shots of the Mack trucks firing up and taking off for the end of show parade.

I'll post more pics tomorrow evening after I get back from The East Broad Top.

I got this video of an Oldsmobile Curved Dash being started up: And this video of a Detroit Electric being started up:

I didn't get many pics this time around because my camera was acting up..... so I concentrated on getting shots of logos and hood ornaments.

Cheers and Gears goes Back to the Futurliner! Hershey, PA - Today I visited the AACA meet in Hershey PA. The last time I managed to get out there was in 2006. In both instances the General Motors Futureliner was there. The first time I visited, I was unable to get up into the cab. This time would be different.

I like the look in the steel wheels on that car. It looks purposeful in a "don't F with me" sorta way.

Had bad insomnia last night, so I'm running late. I am getting underway now and should be there by 12:30.

So who's all going? I have a borrowed G6 for the trip. 412-335-2471

I need my sunroof, my heated leather seats, and my XM Radio. Other than that, I'll take it equipped exactly as in your sig...color, steelies and all..... If I could get a G80 auto-locking rear differential, that'd be super awesome too......

You guys know me. You know I like my luxuries like heated seats and all of that. I like my premium brands. An appropriately appointed Caprice would get me into a Chevy very quickly.

General Motors and Tengzhong Sign Definitive Agreement For Sale of HUMMER DETROIT and SICHUAN, Oct. 9, 2009 - General Motors (GM) and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd (Tengzhong), today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement that will allow Tengzhong to acquire GM's premium all-terrain HUMMER brand. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, the buyer will acquire the ownership of the HUMMER brand, trademark and tradenames, as well as specific IP license rights necessary for the manufacture of HUMMER vehicles. The buyer will also assume the existing dealer agreements relating to HUMMER's dealership network. Discussion: GM sells Hummer to Tengzhong

General Motors and Tengzhong Sign Definitive Agreement For Sale of HUMMER DETROIT and SICHUAN, Oct. 9, 2009 - General Motors (GM) and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd (Tengzhong), today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement that will allow Tengzhong to acquire GM's premium all-terrain HUMMER brand. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, the buyer will acquire the ownership of the HUMMER brand, trademark and tradenames, as well as specific IP license rights necessary for the manufacture of HUMMER vehicles. The buyer will also assume the existing dealer agreements relating to HUMMER's dealership network. Tengzhong intends to purchase HUMMER through an investment entity, in which it will hold an 80 percent stake. Mr. Suolang Duoji, a private entrepreneur with holdings that include the Hong Kong-listed thenardite producer Lumena, will hold the remaining 20 percent stake. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals and/or review by government agencies in the U.S. and China. The completion of the definitive agreement enables the companies to continue and further the overall regulatory review process. "HUMMER is a strong global niche brand and this agreement signifies another important milestone in writing the next chapter for both GM and HUMMER," said Fritz Henderson, GM President and CEO. "For HUMMER, the combination of its knowledgeable leadership team, vehicle design expertise and the capital financing of Tengzhong portend a successful future." Under the agreement, HUMMER would contract vehicle manufacturing, key components and business services from GM during a defined transitional time period. For example, GM's Shreveport assembly plant would continue to contract assemble the H3 and H3T and AM General's Mishawaka assembly plant will continue to assemble the H2. Both facilities will produce the specified vehicles until June 2011, with an optional one year extension until June 2012. The deal is expected to secure more than 3,000 jobs in the U.S. related to the sale and manufacturing of HUMMER vehicles. HUMMER will continue to be managed by members of its existing leadership team including James Taylor, who will remain in his current role as HUMMER's chief executive officer. Prior to joining HUMMER, Taylor was General Manager of Cadillac where he oversaw a reinvigoration of the brand, leading key innovations in design and technology as well as the development of new models. "We are fortunate to have a partner who understands and recognizes the importance of continuing investment in HUMMER's heritage as a U.S.-based and branded company with a view toward capitalizing on global opportunities," said Taylor. "Backed by a privately owned and well-capitalized company, we are going to be able to focus on providing customers with more efficient models that deliver HUMMER's promise of authentic, purpose-built design and engineering." Once the transaction is complete, HUMMER will become the first automaker to offer an alternative fuel powertrain in every model, with the addition of E85 FlexFuel capability in the 2010 H3 and H3T. HUMMER is also in the process of obtaining emissions certification for a diesel H3 that will be introduced in markets outside of North America. The brand's future product development will focus on improving efficiency and performance in current HUMMER models with alternative fuel powertrains, more efficient gas engines, 6-speed transmissions and diesel engines. "This transaction marks an exciting step for both Tengzhong and HUMMER, as we invest in a business that has significant opportunity in the U.S. and around the globe," said Yang Yi, chief executive officer of Tengzhong. "We are excited about some of the initiatives already underway at HUMMER that we believe our investment will be able to accelerate, particularly related to the creation of the next generation of more fuel-efficient vehicles to meet not only future regulations but also customer expectations."

OCN, I was just at Lowes and any EnergyStar Whirlpool, Maytag, or KitchenAid dishwasher over $397 is 20% off! The model Albert and I have been looking at is $598 and goes to $478 with this deal.... plus free shipping!

In the case of the of MyTouch, it's currently 32gb. As far as movies on the MyTouch.... yep, there's an app for that. And you're not locked into iTunes. You can also watch via Hulu apparently.

Does the pitch of the squealing change as you turn the wheel or at different speeds?

Is there any change in the performance of the power steering?

The max memory is whatever the largest Micro SD card you can currently buy is... right now, that's 32gb... Android seemed to be pretty snappy for me when I was using it and I haven't read of any speed complaints. With android you can control your home automation and music....yes... there's an app for that. Android can be ported to run on x86 machines if you really wanted to. There are a few Android based netbooks on the way. The Android browser is a cut down version of Chrome. Google is based in the U.S. also. The 16gb iPhone 3Gs is $199 with 2 year contract. The 4 gig MyTouch 3G is $149 with 2 year contract + $35 for a 16gb microSD card. Seems pretty much like a wash to me. Oh.. and no need to buy the MobileMe plan from Apple if you want to sync your contacts and calendar wirelessly.

I'm thinking of it as an iPhone alternative. If you're already familiar with touch screen typing, the MyTouch will be a natural fit for you. That said, there are a bunch of reasons to go with a MyTouch over a G1.

The MyTouch has user upgradeable memory and user replaceable battery on an open source platform supported by a company with a lot more money than Apple.

For verizon ppl. If you're having signal trouble do a *228 snd and select "update roaming capability" Frequently works for me on my work Blackberry, doesn't cost anything except the 40 seconds it takes to update.

GM seems to be much lighter on its feet these days when it comes to decision making. They're not Apple, but they're a lot closer to it then they were 10 months ago.

If you get an energy star appliance with a certain rating, the government will kick in a nice rebate. Whirlpool, who also owns Maytag and KitchenAid, still manufactures most of their dishwashers in the U.S., but check the manufacturing point for your specific model.