 December 19, 2009 - 10:40pm | I spend alot of time looking around the web for silly things some times I come up with some cool hits. So I like to share one with you folks. Gold is for the mistress-silver for the maid-copper for the craftsman cunning at his trade.But Iron-Cold Iron- is master of them all |
 December 26, 2009 - 10:24am | Is that their flip-top "hip pick up" that looks like a retro Studebaker? What a disappointment that was. I remember going to a dealer and caught myself looking at one. The sticker price was something rediculous, approaching $50K IIRC. I figured maybe it was some deal like their former Cyclone trucks, boasting Corvette chassis/suspension and a hot rod V-6 a la Buick Grand National. I wasn't interested in it, but a salesman came over anyways so I figured I'd bounce a few Qs off him. First one was "So what's this based on, a Corvette chassis?" "No, it's basically a Trailblazer with a different body and street suspension." "Street suspension, you mean like Corvette street or Cavalier street?" "Cavalier..." "...And why is it priced at nearly twice the Trailblazer, which is is at least four times the vehiucle this little hunk of crud is? Why is it priced at entry level Corvette grade when it's barely capable of outgunning your Geo Metro?" "So, would you like to see something else?" "I think I've seen enough." That's the one. First time I saw it(working as a Wal-Mart cart pusher), I just had to say,"WTF?!" The moment someone told me how much it was, stripped, I also had to say,"WTF?!" Naturally, I read up on this in Motor Trend and a couple of other car magazines, and found myself less than impressed with its pedigree...and respect for Chevy only diminished, when I actually got a good look under the hood of one of these ugly-azz things(through the good offices of a mechanic friend of mine). Well, yes. Here comes another, whcih actually expands on the other part I mentioned earlier. The so called "mortgage crisis". I know we're not unique in this regard, aside from leading the nation in foreclosures anyways. But I'm pretty sure this story panned out in a lot of cities just the same. Much like the typical gas crisis articles that were in the paper every few weeks, here's how the motrgage crisis articles went: "The lender handed me a contract with a $4500 monthly payment. I knew we couldn't afford it at our combined $4000/month salaries, but those evil predatory lenders promised us we could refinance at a lower rate in six months so we accepted it." They KNEW they couldn't afford it, they KNEW the minimum payment exceeded their total income, but it was the LENDER'S fault?!? WHAT THE #$!& WERE THEY PLANNING TO DO FOR THOSE SIX MONTHS IN THE MEANTIME?!? I went to Alabama public schools in 1976-77 for the third grade, back when they were ranked 49th in the nation. Even the most illiterate dipstick back then could tell you that if he only had $5 in his pocket that he couldn't afford to buy a $6 item. And like the gas articles, each mortgage crisis article read the same: moron makes X per month and bought a home with an X + Y monthly payment. And those that did manage to miraculously make those payments (via second and third families living in the other bedrooms etc) did manage to refinance at a lower rate, and then rolled over an equity loan into the balance and used the cash to buy boats, motorhomes, motorcycles, jet skis, Hummers...you name it, at a new payment that exceeded the old payment. So now we're up to "I make X per month but am paying X + Y + Z for the house each month." Pretend for a moment that I'm only six years old (classic Denzel Washington line, "Philadelphia") and explain to me how this was a crisis... It was a crisis(according to the media), cos "real" Americans had put their own...assests...in the proverbial sling cos they saw the greed and the excess and they told themselves that it was good. And, because of a few, the rest of us end up paying the price, all because we have the sense to buy only what we really need and/or can afford. Here's a classic that wasn't offered here, a 1966 Datsun SC-1600 Roadster:  My father brought that back home with him from Okinawa, along with me and what turned out to be a twin brother gestating in my mother's womb (shown). Long story short about the twin --- mom's water broke early and the baby was lost, they had NO idea there was more than one fetus...so by the time it was all done, surprise of all surprises: there was still one more lurking within. I plead the fifth as to whatever transpired beforehand. Anyways back to the car. Honda had a compatible model as well, looked nearly identical but had a slightly different front clip. Neither car was marketed in North America, but both were boasting 1.6 liter inline fours with a pair of two barel carbs and four on the floor, and the cars could hit 40mph in first gear. If ever there was a car my dad has been eternally kicking himself for selling, that was it. And knowing that Honda had a compatible version, you really can't help but notice the S-2000 DNA in that picture. I can definitely see the S-2000 in the lines of this car. Pity your dad sold it, she looks like a sweet little ride. As for recklessness.... The car I always wanted when I was a kid...one of my sister's many gentleman callers had a black and red '73 Comet with a candyapple red interior and a 302 under the hood(I'm sure you remember how notorious Ford was for sticking 302s in light frame vehicles....). In college, I got the chance to drive the twin of that dream car. A buddy of mine let me drive his Comet to Savannah(to pick up his girlfriend, whose car had died somewhere near the globe), with him riding shotgun. So, here I was, driving down US 17, dead of night, not even the Georgia State Patrol on the roads(they usually stuck to US 80 and I-16 at the time), everything was going good, when I tapped the accelerator, quite forgetting this wasn't my Maverick, and there wasn't a 250 under this hood. After the animated short subject of my life played before my eyes, I found myself in the median ditch, both of us shaken, stirred, but otherwise unhurt, same as the car(well, the paint job was marred by Georgia's infamous red mud, but all things considered....). and, after a couple of paralyzed seconds of shaking, I finally got us out of the ditch and to Savannah without further incident. My buddy, after we got back to his place in Millen, told me, "motherf*ker, I ain't never lettin' you drive my f*kin' car again!" I miss that old Comet(and the Maverick too).... "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
 December 27, 2009 - 2:48am | That's the one. Good, because I really didn't have anything entertaining to say about the other one...that HRR or HRS, or is it HIS and HERS or whatever that panel-less panel wagon thing is. Which brings me full circle to the "originator", the P/T Cruiser. I remember for the longest time, owners and sales people alike could not answer one simple question on those things: "So what does the P/T stand for?" "UHhhhhh..." "Uh-huh. And you bought it/sell them..."  It was a crisis(according to the media), cos "real" Americans had put their own...assests...in the proverbial sling cos they saw the greed and the excess and they told themselves that it was good. And, because of a few, the rest of us end up paying the price, all because we have the sense to buy only what we really need and/or can afford. Personal responsibility is so over-rated these days. I'm upside down in my car loan and made a few bad stock market decisions, so once this mortgage crisis is resolved I fully expect Uncle Sam to help me out of my jam too. I've been writing our local boy Harry Reid on the issue weekly... More on the vehicles end...something I consider as the ultimate three wheeler. Not a Volkswagen, not a Fiero, not even an MR-2. Nope, for the ultimate rear engine car conversion, look no further than a Porsche 911:   ...or you could settle for a Hemi-powered Big Wheel:  I actually saw this one live once (www.bugwing.com or the digitalbiker.com link, it's a really interesting build story):   I met this guy, he lives in southern California and builds some slick auto-powered trikes and came out to the NV CMA Rally every year. This was his personal ride (he sold it, this photo is under the new owner as it looks a bit different from pics I have of it):  I don't care who you are, this is just plain cool:     |
December 27, 2009 - 9:34am | ...or you could settle for a Hemi-powered Big Wheel: Now, stick that Hemi in a Green Machine, and we might have something there. The red one and the Porsche trike are just plain cool. "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
 December 27, 2009 - 1:51pm | The whole idea of reverse trikes are exploding every where it seems. I must admit I do like the idea, how many drive wheels does one need. Although if you drive on snow 4 to 5 months out of the year like I do you want as much traction as you can get. Better give me a large rear tire for that.  But more ground clearance would be nice as well. Why do most future ideas of concept vehilces look like they don't expect any one to be driving in a snow storm? And they don't exist, but I like to go through anime art books for ideas for sci-fi looking vehicles.   In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
 December 28, 2009 - 4:17pm | Nope, for the ultimate rear engine car conversion, look no further than a Porsche 911: Sacrilege! To do such a thing to a work of art like the Porsche! ;) However, the Big Wheel is just too cool for words. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of
the strong. * Attributed to Mahatma Gandhi |
December 29, 2009 - 4:30am | When the donor car is wrecked, who cares what you do with the intact motor and rear end? Seriously, that's how these things come to be. Nobody goes out and buys a pristine $60,000 car just for the motor and transaxle LOL (if they do, I'd like to submit a bid for the work order!) In a way, a wrecked former glory hound gets to live on via a new incarnation. And with less weight to push, it goes oh so much faster! Me, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a mangled MR-2... (this one has way too much of the original bodywork, but you get the idea)  Me, I'll take just the motor and transaxle and just enough unibody to weld a cycle frame to it. Motor under the passenger seat if need be, I don't want a car's worth of length and wheelbase to plow around! |
December 29, 2009 - 8:34pm | What about the other kit cars that have been home made over the years. I've always wanted a Humbug, a VW beetle made to look like a mini hummer.  So many kit cars are just awesome looking. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
 December 29, 2009 - 1:08pm | 1952 Peardrop car. http://www.wimp.com/coolcar/ Time flies when your having rum. Im a government employee, I dont goof-off. I constructively abuse my time. |
December 29, 2009 - 4:25pm | 1952 Peardrop car. http://www.wimp.com/coolcar/ Cute little trike car. Shadow, where were you last year when my ex's parents wrecked my '88 Sable SW? "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
December 30, 2009 - 12:04am | You know...a front-drive section might work too. Just have it push instead of "pull", but you'd have to solid mount the wheels (re: the steering). And that HumBug looks really sharp. Just add some dune buggy suspension... |
