Yeah the older ones were better in some ways. I gotta admit though, as i get older the newer options get to be nice. Heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, etc ...... mandatory options for me now in the great white norte ...... not gonna find those on many 93 trucks
My '93 GMC had the old 350. Had 243K+ miles on it when I sold it. Dashboard was split, paint pealing in a few places, several other cosmetic issues. Sold it for $7,400.00. It was a good truck.
I gotta admit though, as i get older the newer options get to be nice.
Back-up cam!!! The days of missing the trailer hitch by a few inches are over.
Not that I had trouble w/o, but it sure is nice to back up, hop out, hook up, drive away. I generally don't rely on it, but there are a number of things I have found that it just takes a little pain out of, like getting far enough into the garage. It's the little things in life...
Yeah, there are times when getting out is necessary, like backing up to a trailer someone with a lower ball last pulled. Knocked a trailer off of a block a few weeks ago. I knew it was close, but I was too lazy to jump out and check the height. Figured easing up to see wouldn't hurt. Wrong. Took just a slight nudge. Jack was too short to get it high enough. Luckily, the trailer was "light" enough for me to pick up...after I unloaded it.
Luckily, the trailer was "light" enough for me to pick up...after I unloaded it.
LOL
I love it when people share their screw ups. I always seem to have one similar.
lol
Here's mine, I was putting my boat in the lake one day, I was pretty new to boat ownership, but I had carefully watched how the more experienced people did it with about the same size boats. As I attempted to imitate them I screwed up and I dropped the boat 20 ft from the water right in the middle of the boat loading ramp.
I was not so lucky as you were getting it back on the trailer !!
It was a 16 ft fiberglass boat that the previous owner had redone the inside and added more fiberglass it also had a 115 HP out board on it so it was pretty damn heavy !! and I was alone.
I was screwed ! LOL
Fortunately before I could head out to go get some help a speed boat pulled in with like 4 like body builder guys just out for a spin, talk abut timing !!! It cost me a 12 pack but they helped get my boat into the water. I put it on the trailer and left.
I was holding my breath, thinking we were going to hear another ..... "i left the drain plug out" story. I worked at a Marina one summer. You would be surprised how many people leave the drain plug out.
LOL.. That Was a different day.
no shit.
lol
Eventually I decided boat ownership really wasn't for me after all.
If i had a nickel for every time i heard; what, there's a drain plug?
LOL
O I knew it had one, I took the damn thing out. I just neglected ta put it back in.
LOL But I thought you were going to say If I had a nickle for everytime I heard "The happiest two days of boat ownership is the day you get it and the day you sell it."
LOL
I believe it. Unfortunately I also had an AMF 78 or 79 Harley I that I felt the same way about. lol
I've seen a lot of crazy stuff on the ramp, just in the times I've put in. Can't imagine being there all summer. Once saw a guy unhook the trailer. Talk about "first timer."
My wife and kids certainly love to hear mine. I may have avoided telling that story to the family, but the evidence of my woes was all over me. Trailer was in a sloppy mud hole, which added to the insult. Good teaching moment though, I guess. Could have saved myself a lot of time and energy simply by not being lazy in the first instance.
Sometimes. I'm fairly certain that the majority of my missteps result from laziness or from not following some advice I gave myself moments before the misstep.
I can see the trailer sitting there in the lake
Seriously a "wtf" moment. For all I know, something could have been wrong. I can't imagine what it could have been though.
No, it's not bad. I've owned several stick shifts since then, even living in hilly towns with stop-and-go traffic. Now I've got a lousy right shoulder, and shifting gears is one of those things that seem to set it off.
But that was the first time I'd driven one. He was a brave guy.
Now I've got a lousy right shoulder, and shifting gears is one of those things that seem to set it off.
My car is showing my age. Gettin' in and outa that thing is getting a bit hard these days. Don't like groaning everytime I try to get out of it. Looking at a small SUV right now. Not sure if I'll keep the miata or not.
It's waaaaaay to FUN" ! Top down, racing through winding roads, kinda hard to give up.
Even automatic Subarus now have a semi-automatic transmission, so you can drive them sort of like a stick shift. But the newest ones have paddles on the steering wheel as shifters, and I don't like that. My old one just used the shifter on the floor, which was more like driving a stick.
If I'm driving mountain roads with hairpin turns, I need a shifter that I don't have to look for every time I turn the wheel sharply.
IIRC, it can also be driven in "sport shift" mode, which is like a standard, but you don't have to depress the clutch. I think it's standard on all newer models. With mine, I choose standard or sport shift with the floor shifter, and if I choose sport shift, then I use the paddles on the steering wheel.
If I'm using the sport shift mode in my car, it's probably because I'm trying to control my speed going down a steep mountain with sharp turns. I live in the Appalachians, so there's frequently reason for me to do that. If I'm doing mountain driving, I don't like needing to keep track of where each shifter is.
I live in the Appalachians, so there's frequently reason for me to do that. If I'm doing mountain driving, I don't like needing to keep track of where each shifter is.
I drove my camaro thru the mountains somewhere back when I had it, it was a blast !!
When I first got it I lived in central illinois the country roads were also a blast to blast that thing around on.
Now I have a nice newer GMC regular cab short bed with the 4.3 liter engine it runs petty good as well having a nice v8 and a light body. It's great sitting up where you can see better, But I'd trade my GMC in a second for another nice 69 camaro Z28.
If you're turning the wheel so far that you have to go hand-over-hand, it's hard to find the shifters, IMO. I drive some pretty twisty roads on occasion.
When I lived in North Carolina I worked on Beech Mountain, the road up the mountain must have been built by a snake, it had more curves than Marilyn Monroe.
Where I lived in WV's eastern panhandle, the road was like that, especially on the west side of the mountain. Hairpin turns, one right after another. It was months before I could drive that road without getting carsick.
Where I lived in WV's eastern panhandle, the road was like that, especially on the west side of the mountain. Hairpin turns, one right after another. It was months before I could drive that road without getting carsick.
Imagine driving that same road as a teen in one of these,
I drove one of these up Beech Mountain everyday I worked, except mine was white.
You should keep it forever or you'll regret letting it go. The fact that you've had it since new and kept it all these years says you really love the car and Miata's are cheap to keep. If you get a new daily driver you can restore the Miata.
My college roommate had a '67 Mustang that was the BEST cruising car. Just had a little problem - the speedometer didn't work, so she got pulled over now and then.
She sold it when she had a baby, because the back seat didn't have seatbelts to secure a car seat. And then she spent years trying to get it back and regretting every time she saw it on the road with somebody else at the wheel.
Skied there many times over the years.I would luv to live in Boone or Banner Elk.
When I was there we had just gotten our Food Lion and, the mall there was new, I left soon after for better work in Sarasota but, I know what you mean, I still have relatives that live there and, they love it. I went to Watauga High until 1975.
Was that the one that had the Lightening, Thunder and rain effects in the Produce aisle ?
Yep, it was in the back parking lot at the mall, use to freak me out when I'd go shopping there at first, then I got to know that was when they were warning people that the mister was going to come on.
We saw that the first time we ever went skiing there. Coolest thing since "Sliced Bread". I actually waited for it to happen when my parents were shopping......a few times.
No. Unfortunately I did price them a couple of years ago and could have bought one, but I paid cash for a house instead. I didn't want to live in a camaro.
I really don't know. I'd like one and will have the opportunity soon if I want another one. The house I bought has tripled in value and I could easily do a reverse mortgage to get the cash to buy one. But I really wonder at my age if it's worth it.
I can guarantee…...you will never live TWICE ! Your not THE James Bond ya know.
So true, But with the price today, the chance of theft, the cost of insurance and it just being a very expensive toy, I really dont know that even when I can replace it that I wll. At least it probably would be a decent investment. But that insurance here in Phoenix I'm sure would be a killer.
The way I look at things, once I'm dead, My kids....or grandkids ………. will tell the bill collectors I'm dead.....and that'll be that. No skin off their backs !
What I've collected over the years will make my kids and grandkids VERY HAPPY !
That's all that matters.....while I have MY FUN in the meantime !
I have 6 nephews, one I have some contact with and even he's an asshole.
So they get jack shit when I pass. Zero
I had a really good friend I would have left it all to, but he couldn't handle what I think of his idol trump and he broke off the friendship after 20 years not long ago. His loss.
So now my intent is to blow it all before I die. Being of sound mind, I spent it all. LOL
I had a really good friend I would have left it all to, but he couldn't handle what I think of his idol trump and he broke off the friendship after 20 years not long ago.
Pretty bad when politics takes precedence over friendship.
Hell, I know your stance on Trump.....and I still like ya !
pretty bad when politics takes precedence over friendship
I know, I was pissed.
Now, To finish my thoughts:
Yeah I wasn't to happy, I had always watched what and how I said stuff to my friend about politics especially trump. We had other stuff in common so ... but when we were talking some politics one day and I mentioned I thought perhaps some of the politicians who were getting into trouble it didn't help that trump hadn't done what all the other presidents had done by not turning over his business to a conservatorship .
He freaked, stammered something about how hillary was so damn rich and said I gotta go and basically hung up on me. After 20 years. That was a month ago,
I Didn't and am not calling him back. I'd say it's over.
O-well, But it seems petty damn immature on his part to me.
It can be, But IMO: Some people are way too personally involved in their politicians.
I look at politics through my life. If my life is going good.....great ! Someone did their job in Washington.
I used to be the same way, till everything seemed ta go to hell all at once a while back. Then I knew they weren't doing what I hied and was paying them to do. So I stated paying more attention.
That's for sure. It's like they think they are "GODS".
Yeah, Some do. I knew my friend was IMO: too involved it in trump and I tried to compensate for it when we talked. He's threshold was lower than I thought evidently.
Watching what you say when with a friend sucks anyway. So ..
Ya shoulda told him to take a nice ride in the country....and in a "Miata" at that.
LOL, I didn't get a chance to say much of anything, he was gone. The phone was dead in my hand.
Like I said, his choice, I'm not pushing it. If he calls and I feel like taking his call at the time, I wll. If not, I look at it seriously as more of his loss anway.
The relationship was one of me being more of a unpaid personal counselor most of the time anyway.
I was watching one of those car thingys on you tube, something I do often and they were talking about inexpensive fun cars. They were demonstrating the MX-5 and mentioned "Mazda doesn't even bother with putting an engine cover in because they know most tuners will find that's the first thing to be thrown out.
In this area there is an outfit that rents miatas for driving instruction at Summit Point and VIR. Occasionally one of the would be racers would have an off and have some minor damage, often including dents in the rockers.
They had the hard top on and full roll cage, no side windows. doors welded/bolted shut and removable steering wheels. Trying to teach any of those guys in the how to get in and out of those cars, was a lost cause.
Those that are telling you it's a girly car have never slid a sports car around a corner just because you could. And leave you with a huge thrill grin.
You can't do that with an old Z28. It would crush you in a 1/4 mile but it can't touch you in the twistys.
Those that are telling you it's a girly car have never slid a sports car around a corner just because you could.
Have a friend that races a 2000 mustang. He hates those little miatas. He says he can kill 'em in the straights, but he says they kill him in the corners. Most races he enters have a lot of corners. LOL !
Those that are telling you it's a girly car have never slid a sports car around a corner just because you could. And leave you with a huge thrill grin.
LOL.. I've powerslid my GMC pickup regular cab short bed around corners just for fun, my camaro did it but held the road well enough ya didn't need to. Both left me with a huge shit eaten grin !!!
LOL in Tampa there's the typical "everyone knows" straight line racing. (Gandy bridge).
Well, one night I was standing ther with the rest of my snobby vette owners when this kid challenged one of us with his Nissan Sentra.
With a smile my cocky friend with a big block agrees ...Flag drops and my buddy is like . "Where'd he go???"
He never heard the last of it all night..." What you guys wanna do? "I'm hungry. I could do with some Asian food, hey! They have a new Japanese Steakhouse, I hear they have a rice burner that....oh sorry Steve"
Took my kids to the drags one night for street legal night, and this little old honda civic was paired against one of those fancy hyped Dodge Vipers with open headers ! Announcer said this would be one of those races you wouldn't expect. The little Honda had a muffler.
The little Honda beat the snot outa that Viper.
Saw the Honda guy with his laptop in the car, making some changes, and then he drove it home. The Viper was being loaded on to a trailer like it was some baddass car.
When I was stationed on Okinawa, I got involved in the local Sports Car Club races, but we had our own version of Street Outlaws.....I had a highly modified Toyota Corona SL (1700 CC, Dual Sude Draft Carbs and a 4 speed). Thing had the longest 3rd gear ever-We'd race on Highway 58 late at night and We'd take off from a traffic light and I'd hear the guy next to me got all the way to 5th gear-when they hit 4th and 5th, I was still in third-then when I'd tach out and hit 4th? It'd just walkaway......I wish I could have brought that thing back to the states with me......
The picture on the right is my race car I used with the sports car club. It's a 70s Mazda Presto Familia (as you can guess, it was a non-export). Below is a picture of a car built by a crazy Navy (But, I repeat myself) guy that I helped out with-a 4 door Corona, painted O.D. green that he dropped a 350 Chevy into. This is what happens when you have too much time on your hands......
Sorry, the pictures are actually digital pix of pix.
I have a white 2013 Subaru Outback and a white 2014 Kia Soul, which is the car I prefer to drive, but not in the snow. Outback is paid off this year and the Kia next year. That makes me smile.
I have a white 2013 Subaru Outback and a white 2014 Kia Soul, which is the car I prefer to drive, but not in the snow. Outback is paid off this year and the Kia next year. That makes me smile.
LOL, kind of hard to find them when it snows hard isn't it?
Mine is a 2004 3/4 ton white Suburban, Moby Dick. Just an old work vehicle bought from the company I work for that I intend to drive until a wheel or something falls off then I'm yanking that 8.1 liter out and trying to squeeze it into a Camaro. Momma drives a 2008 Subaru Tribeca. Both older, like us,but we like 'em.
Sadly, My 2009 Ram 1500 Quad Cab Big Horn Edition is in the body shop. The day before Thanksgiving, I was rear ended on the way to work (Icy roads) and made a mess of things. The good news? It will be all fixed up shortly.........no injuries, thank God!
Could not walk past her when I was at the toy store. Then I test drove it. Forced myself to test drive something else (calling that 'due-diligence', though I was pretty much already sold). Test drove it again. Came back to the sales guy and said, here, take my money. Still breathtaking every time I go into the garage. She's napping now for the winter, under a cover, on a battery tender......sigh......
I'm guessing from the clues I've gathered that I'll be receiving a matched Handlebar bag for Christmas.........maybe a little different than his/hers?
Well, that would be different from my friends, he rides his all the time, just made friends with him and, he hasn't driven a car yet, just wonder what he drives in the winter, guess I'll find out soon.
Lol, well I am a cheap bastard so while not at all impressive mine is a used 2012 Ford Focus which only recently replaced my used 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
Reason for the question was that my first car was a Healey Bug-eye that I'd give an arm and leg to get back. Then a '62 3000 and finally a '58 100-6 that I was going to restore. Got divorced and before the "former" allowed me to move it, she had it towed and junked.
Then a '62 3000 and finally a '58 100-6 that I was going to restore. Got divorced and before the "former" allowed me to move it, she had it towed and junked.
Absolutely luv it. 32 MilesPG in town, 38-40 on the interstate - quiet - turns on 1/2 a dime - brakes on a dime - perfect hatchback for my golf clubs or granma's wheelchair and all the Christmas shopping crud , and, mine's not the Turbo. The Turbo has 26 - 34 MPG, runs like a rabbit.
When I have to replace the second car that is the direction I want to go. No more rear wheel drive wild a beast sized 4 door saloons wrecking tires and rims on Michigan's pot hole roads. My mother's dogs can all pile in the rear and suffer when we go to the vet.
Got a "new" black kitten (5 months old) who LUV's riding in mine. Going to the Vet, I'll put him in the passenger seat and he'll prop up on the arm rest and watch the world go flying by. Then he'll climb in the back to see where we've been - gently talking the whole time
I am definitely a cat person. They are so much quieter. All of my mother's dogs hate car rides- all get motion sickness. Sometimes they want to climb up in the front and help drive the car. Of course it doesn't help they are already hyper and upset whenever I show up. Takes them about 45 minutes to an hour to settle down.
Currently driving this 2011 Ford F-150 Raptor. Taken on a day when it was actually being used for its intended purpose in Death Valley. This was taken at Teakettle Junction (the teakettles didn't make it into this picture) on the way to the Racetrack.
It does. 400 and something horsepower. It goes pretty good. The star of that truck, though, is the suspension. It's unbelievably smooth. We do 60 or 70 mph across the desert floor and the kids are in the back seat playing video games.
Just by virtue of being smaller, the Ranger, I expect, will be a bit more agile than mine. I've been down some really twisty trails where I kinda missed my old jeep. I hear Ford is going to ask 75K for the Ranger Raptor, though, which seems like a lot.
I hear Ford is going to ask 75K for the Ranger Raptor, though, which seems like a lot.
That sounds closer to the Aussie price. If that is true for here, that sounds like they are gouging us.
I had an older Ranger STX for 13 years and put 309K miles on it. Had the Cologne V6, factory 2" lift, skid plates, larger brakes, more like the F150 came with, etc. Gave it the basic tweaking too.
It would never run the dessert like a Raptor, but was great for Eastern wooded areas and hills, streams, etc.
Hauled a lot of firewood with it, up and down a lot of off road hills. Never complained. To this day it remains one of my favorite vehicles.
This is the truck before the Raptor. 2001 F-250, lifted 6 inches. I drove this down an Indian trail (you get a permit from the tribe) to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It was a lovely day and then a thunderstorm hit. The giant truck was just what we needed to negotiate our way back to the top through the rivers of mud and water that seemed to come from out of nowhere. This truck wouldn't go in about 98% of parking structures and got about 6 1/2 miles to the gallon with that V10.
Nice. Good looking Pick Up. Sounds like a fun journey.
My shop did a similar one. Originally red and we painted it black and put pearl blue ghost flames on it. The customer wouldn't pay for the jambs and under the hood. Shame. It looked pretty much like the height of yours in the photo. Had 36" tires. It had a Gale Banks diesel.
Original color getting prepped:
Black based with the ghost flames masked out here. NO TEMPLATE, Done by hand:
Straight out of the baker:
Look ma' no flames:
Wait a minute. What's that?
There they are:
Bit of a shame we didn't get to do all the details. Oh well.
I can't begin to tell you how many S-10's I've had. Every one of them with the 4.3 v-6.
Sucks a shitload of gas but bulletproof. My last one was a 2005 absostupidly loaded out ZR2 . By 2009 I had 300,000 miles of highway and backwoods fishing on it. Not one repair needed...ever.
I worked jointly for a large Chevy dealer and as a launch rep. For Chevrolet in central Fl. So I got them ch-ch-ch-cheap! The 2005 listed for $27,400 I got it for just over $19,000 out the door.
Well, that looks familiar.......I spent an hour or so last night with my ATV and Plow cleaning out my driveway, sidewalks and the neighbor's driveway last night....but 51 on Sunday.......WNY at it's finest.
It was a great place to grow up...and for a while it was a great place to buy crack. I was long gone by then but visited a while back and went home thankful for living in Tampa.
I have to work for my Part Time company at the Big East Powersports Show in Syracuse (The OnCenter all these years, but going to the new expo center at the fairgrounds next year). We joke at the hotel they check your for weapons, if you don't have any they give you some so you have a fighting chance. I go to a buddy's camp in Jewel (Cleveland) on Oneida Lake (North By) to go snowmobile riding as often as I can.
Two weeks ago I bought a 2018 Jeep Renegade. I would post some pictures but it's pouring down rain and almost dark. I sold my BMW a while back. Great car, just never drove it much.
I worked at a Gas Station/Shop as a teenager (at age 14). We had a 69 Charger R/T withthe Hurst bent shifter 4 speed. I fell in love with that car and have never gotten over it. If someone said pick one, it's be the 69 Charger R/T.
2nd car I ever owned was a 69 Firebird 350 H.O. Convertible. Had it in restoration and the Ex talked me into selling it. Did I mention she is the Ex now?
Nope, sold it in pieces.....which was and is heartbreaking,
OUCH
O the insanity !!!
lol
Yeah that had ta suck. Sorry to hear it. I loved my 69 Z28 I actually sold it to preserve it cause I had a job I was using it on and slowly tearing it up.
When I sold it, I sold it to some kid who was afraid of it and the little bastard drove it around my neighborhood for about an hour till he got used to driving it. It was a long sad good bye.
Water over the dam. They guy that bought it was in Florida (the car was in Roanoke Virginia being restored), he kept it gfor a while, but he was really looking for a Carousel Red Convertible with a 400 and factory air. He ended up selling it to a collector in Ohio somewhere....I lost track of it after that. I do have my toys......for all seasons......
I had a buddy who had a roadrunner, One day He took that thing and did a burnout down hill, Up the next hill did a donut and reversed his path still smokin the tires.
I was determined by the quiz to be Safe and Practical. As for the following safety quiz, since I have not driven a car that was less than about 15 years old I have no idea about recent safety improvements in cars .
I am Savvy and Sophisticated per the quiz. Although the description was not completely accurate because it claimed that I have a ton of friends which is not the case. I believe in self preservation.
It's my 1998 Honda CRV. I bought it in 2001 for 19,000, wrote a check and paid in full. The sales price included taxes and any other add-ons. I stipulated that when I dealt with the salesman.
Got to this late, as usual. Mine is a 1994 Chevy Silverado, it has over 215K on it and, still gets great miles, drove from Colorado Springs to Clare Michigan and, only had to fill twice, topped off the tank just before leaving Indiana.
I have flown through cars. One benefit of working in the auto industry so one of us always had a new car every other year. On top of that I was buying trades. Had a collection of vettes and mildly exotics.
Now, old amd retired...2012 Volvo S-60 that is soon to be replaced by another. I do quite a bit of backyard farmer cage and pen building to keep busy so my daily is a 2003 F-150 crew cab that has been a champ at reliability. My toys change with the direction of the breeze. I think I want one more project before they shovel me in to a brass urn.
I've been driving frequently past this little convenience store town and I keep seeing a 1955 Chev. Sedan Delivery and it knows my name....it keeps calling to me.
2018 smokey gray Nissan Rogue. As soon as I can afford the roof rack, I plan to buy the tail gate tent. Then I will take the coast route here in CA and camp my way up and back again.
Jeep is wife's, Challenger is mine. i have custom rims on the challenger now with tires being 325s on the back and 275s on the front. Challenger has 5.7L V8, with a few upgrades pushing it to 400hp. Plan on doing a few Scat Pack upgrades and adding supercharger to get it up to 600HP once i get a chance.
Oh man, i've seen some nice rides here but yours is the first i've been really jealous of. I'm a Challenger guy from way back.
They put a drop top on this new style and i'm in. Might even go Hellcat if that's an option with the convertible and then get my license ready for some added points .....
Its a fun car and already has a lot of git up and go. I have gotten 0-60 in 5.2 sec hope to one day get closer to 4.5 =). There are always people on the highway trying to out run me. 100mph comes super fast especially when changing lanes and passing, still feels like your doing 60 though so i have to watch my lead foot. This will be a keeper, i have burned through a lot of cars and never fell in love with any of them, but this one, yea its Love..lol
Really the only 'retro' ride anyone has gotten right is the Challenger-yours looks great-love the colors.
I was bitterly disappointed when Chrysler/Dodge brought back the charger and it turned out to be a 3 door/4 door sedan. WTF? How disappointing was that?
Agree on all fronts. I rented a new style drop top Camero a couple winters ago for a trip to Cactus League. I really did not enjoy driving it that much. Which was a shame because it was an arm and a leg to rent.
Mustang did okay on some of the their retro versions but i agree, Dodge hit it out of the park with the Challenger. The Charger is weak ..... its the, "nobody will buy it so it becomes the standard cop car" car.
This is a picture of a car that looks the same as the car I just sold a few months ago.
In some ways I miss it, and in some ways I don't. Scary fast, comfortable, handled like a go cart. But, huge gas hog and I just didn't drive it very much.
As I said earlier, I bought a 2018 Jeep Renegade a couple weeks ago. Also have a 2003 S-10 that's a piece of crap, but that way I don't care if I get dings in it when I go to get lumber, bricks, etc..
I am trying something different. A little car with a hatchback. I have this little fella loaded up and am looking forward to its arrival. It is arriving from the factory at Baltimore port tomorrow after 11 days on the Atlantic.
This is almost what it will look like. My car also has checkered grey/black rearview mirrors and a black racing stripe (horizontal) along the sides. Other than that, this is it.
The most remarkable thing about them is the cage. They advertised one with just the cage supporting a Chevy Suburban on it's roof.
Horsepower? Hahaha .89hp Turbo 3 cyl.
Little trivia? Smart is a Mercedes Benz product in joint venture with Swatch (remember those?) Mercedes made the vehicle, Swatch designed the pretty stuff.
My lady friend's neighbor (3 generations of family live in the house) - the grandmother has a Smart 4-two. Wrapped in Hello Kitty! graphics.........I'll have to see if I can find the picture of it......we laugh about it all the time, bad enough to be driving a Smart Car, but to call even more deirison upon yourself..........
Anyone own on of those Smart Fortwo's? Sorry but i crack up every time i see one.
There is a Smart car around town that either has an exhaust leak or someone put an aftermarket exhaust on it because it is louder than stock. They look like rolling phone booths to me.
My daughter fell in love with Smart cars when she was an exchange student in Germany. We looked at one when she got back but I quickly decided that a used Honda Fit or a Toyota Yaris was a better choice.
My daughter fell in love with Smart cars when she was an exchange student in Germany.
The first one I saw one I did a double take. I thought what a fuckin weird looking car that someone just took a box and stuck some windows and wheels on. LOL.. I still think that. I'll bet the head room in them is nice though.
One day, just for shits and grins I went to the local dealer and test drove one. I was quite impressed with how it drove. It felt and handed like a much bigger vehicle. The weird part was what you did to shift gears .
A few of my core group of local friends and i were in Myrtle Beach for a golf vaca and was i introducing an old Marine buddy of mine to the group for the first time. He was trying to make a good impression.
We're walking through the facility parking garage, he see's one of those smart cars and comments "what a shit box." One of my local buddies who is always messing around with someone responds, "whats the problem with it? I have one just like it" even though he didn't.
It was funny has hell watching my fellow Marine stammer and stutter trying to cover his tracks.
"whats the problem with it? I have one just like it" even though he didn't.
It was funny has hell watching my fellow Marine stammer and stutter trying to cover his tracks.
The "shitbox" story lives to this day .....
LOL... Funny stuff. thanks for sharing it.
My dad would do stuff like that he also had a weird since of humor. I missed the mark , when I try to do shit like that, somehow it always seems to blow up in my face. lol
I got to drive a few expensive cars in my time but, never owned any, I think the most fun one was one of these,
It was a hard top model and, I was afraid of hitting a fender on something, when you look out over the hood from the drivers side it gives the impression of being wider than it really is.
LOL... I'd be afraid to even touch it. When I go to car shows I almost walk around with my hands in my pockets...lol
I had a friend as a teenager, he bought a corvette. He was so proud, for some reason I wouldn't get into it, I wouldn't ride in it and I wouldn't even touch it. Soon after I found out it was stolen and he had bought it stolen. He knew it was stolen and wasn't telling anyone.
So my instincts were right. I just felt something wasn't right. I was correct.
LOL... I'd be afraid to even touch it. When I go to car shows I almost walk around with my hands in my pockets...lol
I had a friend as a teenager, he bought a corvette. He was so proud, for some reason I wouldn't get into it, I wouldn't ride in it and I wouldn't even touch it. Soon after I found out it was stolen and he had bought it stolen. He knew it was stolen and wasn't telling anyone.
So my instincts were right. I just felt something wasn't right. I was correct.
LOL, I can understand that but, I didn't have to worry about that with this guy, he had twelve cars at the time, this was one of them.
lol, I'm in an orrery mood, "in case something happens." Well get a more reliable primary car and you wouldn't have to keep a spare.
LOL
Jut kidding, I always had two vehicles until lately partially for the same reason. lol
In fact: I got really lucky the other day my battery went bad, I was lucky because it happened in my driveway and I was able to just charge it and then drive it to go get a replacement.
IMO: Good cars and trucks do that, break down at home.
Well, earlier this year (April) the Subaru was in the shop after we got rear-ended for about a month. We got a free rental out of it and didn't pay a dime out of pocket for the repairs as we weren't at fault for stopping at a yellow light for a 1 lane construction zone. If we hadn't gotten the rental, the Durango would have been in use.
If we hadn't gotten the rental, the Durango would have been in use.
Yep, Like I said I was joking around, I always appreciated having more than one form of transportation myself. like ya said having a backup is sure nice. At his time my backup is my feet that kinda sucks if I was ever in a real bind.
Luckily now that I'm retired it isn't quite as important to have a backup though. And my GMC so far has been quite dependable. So... off I go.
2012 Ford F-150, Platinum.
3 previous: 93 GMC, 98 Chevy Silverado, 05 Ford F-150.
Had some work done last spring, and drove a loaner 1500. Wasn't a fan. I'd love have that 93 GMC back though.
Yeah the older ones were better in some ways. I gotta admit though, as i get older the newer options get to be nice. Heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, etc ...... mandatory options for me now in the great white norte ...... not gonna find those on many 93 trucks
My '93 GMC had the old 350. Had 243K+ miles on it when I sold it. Dashboard was split, paint pealing in a few places, several other cosmetic issues. Sold it for $7,400.00. It was a good truck.
Back-up cam!!! The days of missing the trailer hitch by a few inches are over.
That's one thing I'd like on my truck. The rental Rogue has it and I like it a lot.....
Agreed great option ..... now if they could get one to turn the wheel in the right direction, automatuically, when backing up to a trailer .....
Not that I had trouble w/o, but it sure is nice to back up, hop out, hook up, drive away. I generally don't rely on it, but there are a number of things I have found that it just takes a little pain out of, like getting far enough into the garage. It's the little things in life...
Yeah, there are times when getting out is necessary, like backing up to a trailer someone with a lower ball last pulled. Knocked a trailer off of a block a few weeks ago. I knew it was close, but I was too lazy to jump out and check the height. Figured easing up to see wouldn't hurt. Wrong. Took just a slight nudge. Jack was too short to get it high enough. Luckily, the trailer was "light" enough for me to pick up...after I unloaded it.
LOL
I love it when people share their screw ups. I always seem to have one similar.
lol
Here's mine, I was putting my boat in the lake one day, I was pretty new to boat ownership, but I had carefully watched how the more experienced people did it with about the same size boats. As I attempted to imitate them I screwed up and I dropped the boat 20 ft from the water right in the middle of the boat loading ramp.
I was not so lucky as you were getting it back on the trailer !!
It was a 16 ft fiberglass boat that the previous owner had redone the inside and added more fiberglass it also had a 115 HP out board on it so it was pretty damn heavy !! and I was alone.
I was screwed ! LOL
Fortunately before I could head out to go get some help a speed boat pulled in with like 4 like body builder guys just out for a spin, talk abut timing !!! It cost me a 12 pack but they helped get my boat into the water. I put it on the trailer and left.
LOL
I was holding my breath, thinking we were going to hear another ..... "i left the drain plug out" story. I worked at a Marina one summer.
You would be surprised how many people leave the drain plug out.
LOL.. That Was a different day.
no shit.
lol
Eventually I decided boat ownership really wasn't for me after all.
If i had a nickel for every time i heard; what, there's a drain plug?
LOL
O I knew it had one, I took the damn thing out. I just neglected ta put it back in.
LOL But I thought you were going to say If I had a nickle for everytime I heard "The happiest two days of boat ownership is the day you get it and the day you sell it."
LOL
I believe it. Unfortunately I also had an AMF 78 or 79 Harley I that I felt the same way about. lol
I've seen a lot of crazy stuff on the ramp, just in the times I've put in. Can't imagine being there all summer. Once saw a guy unhook the trailer. Talk about "first timer."
My wife and kids certainly love to hear mine. I may have avoided telling that story to the family, but the evidence of my woes was all over me. Trailer was in a sloppy mud hole, which added to the insult. Good teaching moment though, I guess. Could have saved myself a lot of time and energy simply by not being lazy in the first instance.
Could have saved myself a lot of time and energy simply by not being lazy in the first instance.
LOL... Same here.
Live and learn eh ?
lol
Thats rich.. I can see the trailer sitting there in the lake with his boat on it as he pulls his truck away. Probably thinking, Man that was easy.
lol
Sometimes. I'm fairly certain that the majority of my missteps result from laziness or from not following some advice I gave myself moments before the misstep.
Seriously a "wtf" moment. For all I know, something could have been wrong. I can't imagine what it could have been though.
Definitely a Kodak moment !
I'm still laughing I can just picture that happening !
thinking, Man that was easy.
Maybe I'm picturing me in that spot....LOL
Honestly its about how I felt with that nice boat sitting on the ground at the top of the boat ramp.
DUuuu !!! Yep that was easy.
Every day, a 2017 Subaru Legacy sedan.
In bad weather, a 2008 Subaru Outback.
I live on the side of a mountain, and I've never not been able to get home, even on ice. Subarus will go anywhere.
2000 Mazda Miata. Still have since buying it new in 2000.
GREAT little car.
Better after doing my hotrod things to it over the years.
I learned to drive a stick shift in a Mazda Miata. Surprised that friend trusted his clutch to me.
Stick ain't so bad. It's learning first gear that sucks !
All the other gears are a breeze once you get going.
No, it's not bad. I've owned several stick shifts since then, even living in hilly towns with stop-and-go traffic. Now I've got a lousy right shoulder, and shifting gears is one of those things that seem to set it off.
But that was the first time I'd driven one. He was a brave guy.
My car is showing my age. Gettin' in and outa that thing is getting a bit hard these days. Don't like groaning everytime I try to get out of it. Looking at a small SUV right now. Not sure if I'll keep the miata or not.
It's waaaaaay to FUN" ! Top down, racing through winding roads, kinda hard to give up.
I want something to shift gears in again
Even automatic Subarus now have a semi-automatic transmission, so you can drive them sort of like a stick shift. But the newest ones have paddles on the steering wheel as shifters, and I don't like that. My old one just used the shifter on the floor, which was more like driving a stick.
If I'm driving mountain roads with hairpin turns, I need a shifter that I don't have to look for every time I turn the wheel sharply.
Paddle shift were made for youngsters. Give me a 4 on the floor anyday !
I had a 69 camaro z28 built motor, 4 speed and geared rear end, That thing would smoke the tires in three gears and be GONE !
Funnest car I ever drove !!
IIRC, it can also be driven in "sport shift" mode, which is like a standard, but you don't have to depress the clutch. I think it's standard on all newer models. With mine, I choose standard or sport shift with the floor shifter, and if I choose sport shift, then I use the paddles on the steering wheel.
If I'm using the sport shift mode in my car, it's probably because I'm trying to control my speed going down a steep mountain with sharp turns. I live in the Appalachians, so there's frequently reason for me to do that. If I'm doing mountain driving, I don't like needing to keep track of where each shifter is.
I drove my camaro thru the mountains somewhere back when I had it, it was a blast !!
When I first got it I lived in central illinois the country roads were also a blast to blast that thing around on.
Now I have a nice newer GMC regular cab short bed with the 4.3 liter engine it runs petty good as well having a nice v8 and a light body. It's great sitting up where you can see better, But I'd trade my GMC in a second for another nice 69 camaro Z28.
That's more than I've even controlled !
FUN FUN FUN !!
I did with my older Subaru. Same type of transmission, but used the shifter on the floor. That was fun to drive through the mountains.
I lived on top of a mountain in WV for several years. If I hadn't gotten to driving on mountain roads in the snow, I'd have never made it to work.
I pass through Canaan Valley every time I go to my parents' house.
LOL...
No thanks, I drove a van for a short time for work and hated being that close to the front with so little protection in front of me.
One day I almost went over a clift in the damn thing, scarred the shit out of me !!! I was happy to leave that job not long after.
That's the nice thing about paddle shifters, you don't have to take your hand off the wheel, and you can still take advantage of the engine.
If you're turning the wheel so far that you have to go hand-over-hand, it's hard to find the shifters, IMO. I drive some pretty twisty roads on occasion.
When I lived in North Carolina I worked on Beech Mountain, the road up the mountain must have been built by a snake, it had more curves than Marilyn Monroe.
Where I lived in WV's eastern panhandle, the road was like that, especially on the west side of the mountain. Hairpin turns, one right after another. It was months before I could drive that road without getting carsick.
Imagine driving that same road as a teen in one of these,
You should keep it forever or you'll regret letting it go. The fact that you've had it since new and kept it all these years says you really love the car and Miata's are cheap to keep. If you get a new daily driver you can restore the Miata.
My wife says the same thing......AGAIN !
It is a fun car.
I ignored her when she said that same thing about my '66 GT mustang I sold years ago. She was RIGHT !
Skied there many times over the years.
I would luv to live in Boone or Banner Elk.
LOL So ignore her now and get another 66 GT stang.
Be happy dont worry.
My college roommate had a '67 Mustang that was the BEST cruising car. Just had a little problem - the speedometer didn't work, so she got pulled over now and then.
She sold it when she had a baby, because the back seat didn't have seatbelts to secure a car seat. And then she spent years trying to get it back and regretting every time she saw it on the road with somebody else at the wheel.
'Stangs are great !
Bought a '06 Pony Addition when they came out with the "old is new" design. Reminded me of my GT. Regret selling that one too.
I like living more !
See? Everything points toward keeping your Miata!
LOL... Just tell your wife she was right, You should never have sold your mustang.
That outta do it.
lol
That's right, butter her up!
Sounds like it ...……………
This WAS my GT 'stang for 10 years !
Pretty.
My friend's '67 was royal blue.
That's right, butter her up!
LOL... Just be honest, She was right. He should have kept the mustang.
LOL
Just as I should have kept my camaro, I still kick myself over that one. Ouch !
If we only knew then, what we know now.
Barret Jackson auctions killed it for the little guy !
Yep. They sure helped push the prices up on the old cars.
But unfortunately I knew the day I sold that camaro I would miss it till I had another one. I was right.
When I bought that GT I paid 5600 bucks for it. It even had the original A/C. Buying it now ………… Pffffffft !
Do you have another Camaro yet ?
When I was there we had just gotten our Food Lion and, the mall there was new, I left soon after for better work in Sarasota but, I know what you mean, I still have relatives that live there and, they love it. I went to Watauga High until 1975.
Was that the one that had the Lightening, Thunder and rain effects in the Produce aisle ?
Yep, it was in the back parking lot at the mall, use to freak me out when I'd go shopping there at first, then I got to know that was when they were warning people that the mister was going to come on.
Yeah Rebuying it now you'd be looking at like what 75 grand and up ?
No. Unfortunately I did price them a couple of years ago and could have bought one, but I paid cash for a house instead.
I didn't want to live in a camaro.
LOL
We saw that the first time we ever went skiing there. Coolest thing since "Sliced Bread". I actually waited for it to happen when my parents were shopping......a few times.
Better choice !
BUT...…...ONE DAY...…..RIGHT ?
Yep, many kids did the same thing, I don't really remember a time I went in there that there wasn't a group of kids in produce doing the same thing.
I really don't know. I'd like one and will have the opportunity soon if I want another one. The house I bought has tripled in value and I could easily do a reverse mortgage to get the cash to buy one. But I really wonder at my age if it's worth it.
What's ever REALLY ……… "Worth it" !
Fun is Fun.
I can guarantee…...you will never live TWICE ! Your not THE James Bond ya know.
BIG JAMES BOND FAN !
many kids did the same thing, I don't really remember a time I went in there that there wasn't a group of kids in produce doing the same thing.
LOL. I was an adult the first time I saw and hear a "thunderstorm" effect in a grocery store, I laughed my ass off.
What's ever REALLY ……… "Worth it" !
Fun is Fun.
I can guarantee…...you will never live TWICE ! Your not THE James Bond ya know.
So true, But with the price today, the chance of theft, the cost of insurance and it just being a very expensive toy, I really dont know that even when I can replace it that I wll. At least it probably would be a decent investment. But that insurance here in Phoenix I'm sure would be a killer.
We'll see.
I just go through life ……… Living !
I'm an old hot rodder ……. Still !
Oh.....and a GUN guy too.
The way I look at things, once I'm dead, My kids....or grandkids ………. will tell the bill collectors I'm dead.....and that'll be that. No skin off their backs !
What I've collected over the years will make my kids and grandkids VERY HAPPY !
That's all that matters.....while I have MY FUN in the meantime !
Hahaha! Publix does rhat including piping in Gene Kelly " I'm sinnnging in the rain"
Good for them. I have no one to leave my shit too, so I'm gonna blow it all while I'm alive. LOL
I have nephews, but IMO: they dont deserve what I have. So ... fuckem
WooHoo !
Ya can't take it withya for sure !
LOVE THAT SONG !
My Publix must be poor. They just won't do it !
lol
With a 69 Z28 I'd say that depends on the size of hole I have dug to be buried in.
lol
Boy that'd sure piss off my nephews !!
I take it you have Nephew Issues.
I take it you have Nephew issues.
Lets put it this way, I'm just glad they aren't my kids.
I have "Sibling" issues....but I can tell them to Fuck Off..... and they can't do a damn thing about it !
That's too bad.
I have 6 nephews, one I have some contact with and even he's an asshole.
So they get jack shit when I pass. Zero
I had a really good friend I would have left it all to, but he couldn't handle what I think of his idol trump and he broke off the friendship after 20 years not long ago. His loss.
So now my intent is to blow it all before I die. Being of sound mind, I spent it all. LOL
Pretty bad when politics takes precedence over friendship.
Hell, I know your stance on Trump.....and I still like ya !
I know, I was pissed.
Not as pissed as I'm getting at my damn computer right now though, It screwingup and I need to at least reboot he damnting right now.
Gotta luv technology.
LOL I actually do. I also hate it when it screws up.
Now, To finish my thoughts:
Yeah I wasn't to happy, I had always watched what and how I said stuff to my friend about politics especially trump. We had other stuff in common so ... but when we were talking some politics one day and I mentioned I thought perhaps some of the politicians who were getting into trouble it didn't help that trump hadn't done what all the other presidents had done by not turning over his business to a conservatorship .
He freaked, stammered something about how hillary was so damn rich and said I gotta go and basically hung up on me. After 20 years. That was a month ago,
I Didn't and am not calling him back. I'd say it's over.
O-well, But it seems petty damn immature on his part to me.
Good and Thanks, , I try not to let politics ruin things. I think we are more that that.
You bet !
Politics is actually fun to argue about. Doesn't change much, but sure gets the blood flowin'.
I look at politics through my life. If my life is going good.....great ! Someone did their job in Washington.
The "News" just wants to make your life miserable !
It can be, But IMO: Some people are way too personally involved in their politicians.
I look at politics through my life. If my life is going good.....great ! Someone did their job in Washington.
I used to be the same way, till everything seemed ta go to hell all at once a while back. Then I knew they weren't doing what I hied and was paying them to do. So I stated paying more attention.
That's for sure. It's like they think they are "GODS". They have to kiss their ring or some crap like that.
Pretty much why I like Trump, as I don't do the "Kiss him/her" method either.
Luv the shake up in Washington going on. The politicians are falling all over themselves, to protect THEMSELVES !
Yeah, Some do. I knew my friend was IMO: too involved it in trump and I tried to compensate for it when we talked. He's threshold was lower than I thought evidently.
Watching what you say when with a friend sucks anyway. So ..
Ya shoulda told him to take a nice ride in the country....and in a "Miata" at that.
LOL, I didn't get a chance to say much of anything, he was gone. The phone was dead in my hand.
Like I said, his choice, I'm not pushing it. If he calls and I feel like taking his call at the time, I wll. If not, I look at it seriously as more of his loss anway.
The relationship was one of me being more of a unpaid personal counselor most of the time anyway.
I've moved on.
I wasn't a fan of them because of low "macho power" and I was missing the point all along.
An inexpensive fun little car you can throw around corners with loads of reliability.
I was always told it was a girly car. I really didn't care. I just liked it.
It is a girly car.
LOL... It is, go back to the 66 GT mustang.
LOL
I wish.
Couldn't afford to buy it back.
I hear ya, I want my 69 camaro Z28 back as well. When I have a extra 50 to 75 grand just laying around with nothing else to do, I'll get it.
Buy then they'll be 100 grand though....lol
Gotta make it "Macho" !
It's those damn TV auction houses !
I was watching one of those car thingys on you tube, something I do often and they were talking about inexpensive fun cars. They were demonstrating the MX-5 and mentioned "Mazda doesn't even bother with putting an engine cover in because they know most tuners will find that's the first thing to be thrown out.
I've always wanted to race the "Miata Spec. Class".....but can't. I've made too many mods to fit in !
Miata Spec. Class is actually a big deal. So many folks do it all over the country.
Engines for dummies. lol.
In this area there is an outfit that rents miatas for driving instruction at Summit Point and VIR. Occasionally one of the would be racers would have an off and have some minor damage, often including dents in the rockers.
They had the hard top on and full roll cage, no side windows. doors welded/bolted shut and removable steering wheels. Trying to teach any of those guys in the how to get in and out of those cars, was a lost cause.
I was the designated driver for all those cars.
Just gettin' in and out of the regular car is a feat at times.
Don't drink so much first, then its easier. lol
Don't listen to them!
Those that are telling you it's a girly car have never slid a sports car around a corner just because you could. And leave you with a huge thrill grin.
You can't do that with an old Z28. It would crush you in a 1/4 mile but it can't touch you in the twistys.
Among my searches is a previous gen Cayman.
Kill Joy !
Have a friend that races a 2000 mustang. He hates those little miatas. He says he can kill 'em in the straights, but he says they kill him in the corners. Most races he enters have a lot of corners. LOL !
LOL.. I've powerslid my GMC pickup regular cab short bed around corners just for fun, my camaro did it but held the road well enough ya didn't need to. Both left me with a huge shit eaten grin !!!
LOL in Tampa there's the typical "everyone knows" straight line racing. (Gandy bridge).
Well, one night I was standing ther with the rest of my snobby vette owners when this kid challenged one of us with his Nissan Sentra.
With a smile my cocky friend with a big block agrees ...Flag drops and my buddy is like . "Where'd he go???"
He never heard the last of it all night..." What you guys wanna do? "I'm hungry. I could do with some Asian food, hey! They have a new Japanese Steakhouse, I hear they have a rice burner that....oh sorry Steve"
Love it.
I should write a book. "Circuit Racing For Drag Racers".
Easy formula:
3250 lbs. +
Fairly high ride stance (rules dependent) +
10 1/2" slicks +
1600 - 1800hp + (rules dependent)
Lousy backwater tracks = Traveling 1/2 mile across a 1/4 mile distance. Not really THAT bad, but it will get your attention.
Front end is sitting a touch high with the engine and transmission out.
LMFAO !
Gotta watch those little rice burners.
Took my kids to the drags one night for street legal night, and this little old honda civic was paired against one of those fancy hyped Dodge Vipers with open headers ! Announcer said this would be one of those races you wouldn't expect. The little Honda had a muffler.
The little Honda beat the snot outa that Viper.
Saw the Honda guy with his laptop in the car, making some changes, and then he drove it home. The Viper was being loaded on to a trailer like it was some baddass car.
When I was stationed on Okinawa, I got involved in the local Sports Car Club races, but we had our own version of Street Outlaws.....I had a highly modified Toyota Corona SL (1700 CC, Dual Sude Draft Carbs and a 4 speed). Thing had the longest 3rd gear ever-We'd race on Highway 58 late at night and We'd take off from a traffic light and I'd hear the guy next to me got all the way to 5th gear-when they hit 4th and 5th, I was still in third-then when I'd tach out and hit 4th? It'd just walkaway......I wish I could have brought that thing back to the states with me......
The picture on the right is my race car I used with the sports car club. It's a 70s Mazda Presto Familia (as you can guess, it was a non-export). Below is a picture of a car built by a crazy Navy (But, I repeat myself) guy that I helped out with-a 4 door Corona, painted O.D. green that he dropped a 350 Chevy into. This is what happens when you have too much time on your hands......
Sorry, the pictures are actually digital pix of pix.
I remember those cars.
Nice hot rods there.
I have a white 2013 Subaru Outback and a white 2014 Kia Soul, which is the car I prefer to drive, but not in the snow. Outback is paid off this year and the Kia next year. That makes me smile.
BEST day like ...… EVER !
Nice!
LOL, kind of hard to find them when it snows hard isn't it?
Mine is a 2004 3/4 ton white Suburban, Moby Dick. Just an old work vehicle bought from the company I work for that I intend to drive until a wheel or something falls off then I'm yanking that 8.1 liter out and trying to squeeze it into a Camaro. Momma drives a 2008 Subaru Tribeca. Both older, like us,but we like 'em.
2017 Kia Sorento AWD, paid for.
Just sold my 1996 Ford F-250 Turbo Diesel. Had it tuned up by Gale Banks Inc. It could outrun most everything. 350HP and 625 lbs of Torque.
Big Green went to a good home.
I replaced her with Black Beauty, a golf cart.
So they DID issue you one at the state line!
LOL, they did and I expect to be getting a bill for it any day.
That's a good truck. But I'm down with a golf cart.
Sadly, My 2009 Ram 1500 Quad Cab Big Horn Edition is in the body shop. The day before Thanksgiving, I was rear ended on the way to work (Icy roads) and made a mess of things. The good news? It will be all fixed up shortly.........no injuries, thank God!
I'll post some other toy pics later!
Love your Indian and the leather seat. That is art!
Could not walk past her when I was at the toy store. Then I test drove it. Forced myself to test drive something else (calling that 'due-diligence', though I was pretty much already sold). Test drove it again. Came back to the sales guy and said, here, take my money. Still breathtaking every time I go into the garage. She's napping now for the winter, under a cover, on a battery tender......sigh......
Hey, that's Indian abuse! LOL, I have a friend who owns one exactly like that.
I've added Road Pegs and the Engine Heat Shields (in leather also) that are called somethign else by many.......
I'm guessing from the clues I've gathered that I'll be receiving a matched Handlebar bag for Christmas.........maybe a little different than his/hers?
Well, that would be different from my friends, he rides his all the time, just made friends with him and, he hasn't driven a car yet, just wonder what he drives in the winter, guess I'll find out soon.
We got a foot of the wet and heavy Tuesday Night/Wednesday.....bike weathe ris done for a little bit for me.
Yeah, but it's Austin, the island of left leaning politics in Texas....well, the other one.........
Lol, well I am a cheap bastard so while not at all impressive mine is a used 2012 Ford Focus which only recently replaced my used 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
Got two - 2016 Hyundai Veloster and 2009 Harley Heritage Classic. Luv both tremendously.
I think that makes you the clear winner 1st, , lol.
We have a (paid for) 2007 Camry & a leased new Equinox.
Long gone are the Z series Datsuns, Austin Healy & thermoquad Mopars, lol
You had a Healey??? Which one?
Reason for the question was that my first car was a Healey Bug-eye that I'd give an arm and leg to get back. Then a '62 3000 and finally a '58 100-6 that I was going to restore. Got divorced and before the "former" allowed me to move it, she had it towed and junked.
Beautiful machines.
Ouch.
I had a '65 3000 MKII. Very enjoyable car.
One of the last 1967 3000's imported into the USA.
White w/ black interior, green seat belts neatly rolled up in the glove compartment, lol.
(the law said the cars had to have seat belts, but didn't say they had to be installed...)
Fond, fond memories
How do you like the Veloster? I was thinking of buying one last year before settling on a Mini Cooper Countryman All4.
Absolutely luv it. 32 MilesPG in town, 38-40 on the interstate - quiet - turns on 1/2 a dime - brakes on a dime - perfect hatchback for my golf clubs or granma's wheelchair and all the Christmas shopping crud
, and, mine's not the Turbo. The Turbo has 26 - 34 MPG, runs like a rabbit.
When I have to replace the second car that is the direction I want to go. No more rear wheel drive wild a beast sized 4 door saloons wrecking tires and rims on Michigan's pot hole roads. My mother's dogs can all pile in the rear and suffer when we go to the vet.
Got a "new" black kitten (5 months old) who LUV's riding in mine. Going to the Vet, I'll put him in the passenger seat and he'll prop up on the arm rest and watch the world go flying by. Then he'll climb in the back to see where we've been - gently talking the whole time
I am definitely a cat person. They are so much quieter. All of my mother's dogs hate car rides- all get motion sickness. Sometimes they want to climb up in the front and help drive the car. Of course it doesn't help they are already hyper and upset whenever I show up. Takes them about 45 minutes to an hour to settle down.
Currently driving this 2011 Ford F-150 Raptor. Taken on a day when it was actually being used for its intended purpose in Death Valley. This was taken at Teakettle Junction (the teakettles didn't make it into this picture) on the way to the Racetrack.
Does that have the 6.2?
It does. 400 and something horsepower. It goes pretty good. The star of that truck, though, is the suspension. It's unbelievably smooth. We do 60 or 70 mph across the desert floor and the kids are in the back seat playing video games.
Sounds like fun.
Have you looked into the Ranger Raptor?
Just by virtue of being smaller, the Ranger, I expect, will be a bit more agile than mine. I've been down some really twisty trails where I kinda missed my old jeep. I hear Ford is going to ask 75K for the Ranger Raptor, though, which seems like a lot.
That sounds closer to the Aussie price. If that is true for here, that sounds like they are gouging us.
I had an older Ranger STX for 13 years and put 309K miles on it. Had the Cologne V6, factory 2" lift, skid plates, larger brakes, more like the F150 came with, etc. Gave it the basic tweaking too.
It would never run the dessert like a Raptor, but was great for Eastern wooded areas and hills, streams, etc.
Hauled a lot of firewood with it, up and down a lot of off road hills. Never complained. To this day it remains one of my favorite vehicles.
I think that's right. I don't know what the US price is. I paid 50K for my 150 in 2012, although the dealer had been asking for 10K more than that.
This is the truck before the Raptor. 2001 F-250, lifted 6 inches. I drove this down an Indian trail (you get a permit from the tribe) to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It was a lovely day and then a thunderstorm hit. The giant truck was just what we needed to negotiate our way back to the top through the rivers of mud and water that seemed to come from out of nowhere. This truck wouldn't go in about 98% of parking structures and got about 6 1/2 miles to the gallon with that V10.
got about 6 1/2 miles to the gallon with that V10
wow, thankfully you had room in the bed for a tank large enough to hold enough fuel to get you to the closest gas station though eh ?
LOL
Nice looking ride though.
In my defense, when I bought the truck, it was before 9/11 and gas was about $1.35 a gallon. It didn't seem like such a dumb idea at the time.
Nice. Good looking Pick Up. Sounds like a fun journey.
My shop did a similar one. Originally red and we painted it black and put pearl blue ghost flames on it. The customer wouldn't pay for the jambs and under the hood. Shame. It looked pretty much like the height of yours in the photo. Had 36" tires. It had a Gale Banks diesel.
Original color getting prepped:
Black based with the ghost flames masked out here. NO TEMPLATE, Done by hand:
Straight out of the baker:
Look ma' no flames:
Wait a minute. What's that?
There they are:
Bit of a shame we didn't get to do all the details. Oh well.
2009 Chevy Silverado 1500.....65,000+ miles
My second rig is a 2002 S-10 that's beat to crap...259,000 miles.
I can't begin to tell you how many S-10's I've had. Every one of them with the 4.3 v-6.
Sucks a shitload of gas but bulletproof. My last one was a 2005 absostupidly loaded out ZR2 . By 2009 I had 300,000 miles of highway and backwoods fishing on it. Not one repair needed...ever.
I worked jointly for a large Chevy dealer and as a launch rep. For Chevrolet in central Fl. So I got them ch-ch-ch-cheap! The 2005 listed for $27,400 I got it for just over $19,000 out the door.
The one I have as the little 4 banger... Most underpowered vehicle I have ever owned.
Well, that looks familiar.......I spent an hour or so last night with my ATV and Plow cleaning out my driveway, sidewalks and the neighbor's driveway last night....but 51 on Sunday.......WNY at it's finest.
Oooooh! I remember those days.
I grew up in the snow belt in CNY.
Whereabouts? I'm headed to Canestota on Saturday for a meeting (about 16o miles east of me)
Born and raised in Syracuse.
It was a great place to grow up...and for a while it was a great place to buy crack. I was long gone by then but visited a while back and went home thankful for living in Tampa.
I have to work for my Part Time company at the Big East Powersports Show in Syracuse (The OnCenter all these years, but going to the new expo center at the fairgrounds next year). We joke at the hotel they check your for weapons, if you don't have any they give you some so you have a fighting chance. I go to a buddy's camp in Jewel (Cleveland) on Oneida Lake (North By) to go snowmobile riding as often as I can.
2000 Toyota Avalon with about 60,000 miles on it. And dents on every side. It was my mother-in-laws until we had to take the keys.
Two weeks ago I bought a 2018 Jeep Renegade. I would post some pictures but it's pouring down rain and almost dark. I sold my BMW a while back. Great car, just never drove it much.
My daily driver is a 95 Jeep Cherokee with 274,000 miles. 68 Charger I use as my name here, a 99 Dakota pickup and a rarely used 77 Dodge M880 pickup.
I have a 1978 Dodge Little Red Express Truck slowly getting restored
Well, if we are talking old, I have a 46 Willy’s CJ2 that’s been in the family her whole life. I’ll try to post pics tomorrow.
She’s a mudder but more of a parade queen of late.
I worked at a Gas Station/Shop as a teenager (at age 14). We had a 69 Charger R/T withthe Hurst bent shifter 4 speed. I fell in love with that car and have never gotten over it. If someone said pick one, it's be the 69 Charger R/T.
LOL MY second pick right behind a 69 camaro Z28.
LOL and the charger was usually faster. But those camaros were lighter and easier to throw around.
Hell I'll take either one, I'm not picky.
lol
2nd car I ever owned was a 69 Firebird 350 H.O. Convertible. Had it in restoration and the Ex talked me into selling it. Did I mention she is the Ex now?
If you still have the firebird, I'd say you came out well.
A wife is easier to replace.
LOL
Probably cheaper too.
Yep... That's the way it goes sometimes...<chuckle>
Nope, sold it in pieces.....which was and is heartbreaking, thogh I do have some other toys (above) that make the heartache easier to bear.
OUCH
O the insanity !!!
lol
Yeah that had ta suck. Sorry to hear it. I loved my 69 Z28 I actually sold it to preserve it cause I had a job I was using it on and slowly tearing it up.
When I sold it, I sold it to some kid who was afraid of it and the little bastard drove it around my neighborhood for about an hour till he got used to driving it. It was a long sad good bye.
lol
Not as bad as your sit tough.
Water over the dam. They guy that bought it was in Florida (the car was in Roanoke Virginia being restored), he kept it gfor a while, but he was really looking for a Carousel Red Convertible with a 400 and factory air. He ended up selling it to a collector in Ohio somewhere....I lost track of it after that. I do have my toys......for all seasons......
IF you had completed the car and driven it, you may be more sad it's no longer yours.
My z was a total blast to drive, I doubt I ever have that back. Plus I had customized it to my liking.
I Still miss it....lol 30 years later.
You are just a MoPar eating machine huh?
all MoPars except my first car was a hand me down VW. I went from that to a RoadRunner
Lol ..... thats quite an upgrade!
I had a buddy who had a roadrunner, One day He took that thing and did a burnout down hill, Up the next hill did a donut and reversed his path still smokin the tires.
LOL then he went to get new tires. lol
True story !
Drive an '03 loaded Suburban with 380,000 mi. on it. Runs good though the stupid dash goes out every once in a while in the winter.
My baby is a sleek black 2014 Toyota Camry LE with black interior. I love her!
Ran across this little quiz and thought it was appropriate for the topic.
Hey PJ - check out my comment above:
Toyota's are great cars. Super reliable and a nice ride. I have purchased several toyota's and I've never had a problem with them.
....which is why I liked them as well.
I was determined by the quiz to be Safe and Practical. As for the following safety quiz, since I have not driven a car that was less than about 15 years old I have no idea about recent safety improvements in cars .
I am Savvy and Sophisticated per the quiz. Although the description was not completely accurate because it claimed that I have a ton of friends which is not the case. I believe in self preservation.
Mine says Savvy and Sophisticated, thogh the choices were a bit........limiting.........I'm a sports car fan, but that wasn't a choice.
I received an utterly unsurprising Safe and Practical as well, I don't actually care what I drive as long as it's cheap.
I'm safe and practical. No surprise, really.
This is what I drive.
But it's an 87 and you have to add rust and scratches...oh and a dented front passenger fender...
Way back when, my brother in law had a CJ5 with a similar paint job and it had the AMC 401 engine under the hood.
That was a lot of fun on and off road.
It's my 1998 Honda CRV. I bought it in 2001 for 19,000, wrote a check and paid in full. The sales price included taxes and any other add-ons. I stipulated that when I dealt with the salesman.
It now has 198,000 miles and still runs well.
Got to this late, as usual. Mine is a 1994 Chevy Silverado, it has over 215K on it and, still gets great miles, drove from Colorado Springs to Clare Michigan and, only had to fill twice, topped off the tank just before leaving Indiana.
I have flown through cars. One benefit of working in the auto industry so one of us always had a new car every other year. On top of that I was buying trades. Had a collection of vettes and mildly exotics.
Now, old amd retired...2012 Volvo S-60 that is soon to be replaced by another. I do quite a bit of backyard farmer cage and pen building to keep busy so my daily is a 2003 F-150 crew cab that has been a champ at reliability. My toys change with the direction of the breeze. I think I want one more project before they shovel me in to a brass urn.
I've been driving frequently past this little convenience store town and I keep seeing a 1955 Chev. Sedan Delivery and it knows my name....it keeps calling to me.
get it - get it - get it!!!!!!!
2018 smokey gray Nissan Rogue. As soon as I can afford the roof rack, I plan to buy the tail gate tent. Then I will take the coast route here in CA and camp my way up and back again.
Pretty much the rental I'm driving right now, though it is more silver. It's a comfy vehicle.
Oh man, i've seen some nice rides here but yours is the first i've been really jealous of. I'm a Challenger guy from way back.
They put a drop top on this new style and i'm in. Might even go Hellcat if that's an option with the convertible and then get my license ready for some added points .....
"My Maserati does 185
i lost my license
now i don't drive"
- Joe Walsh
Its a fun car and already has a lot of git up and go. I have gotten 0-60 in 5.2 sec hope to one day get closer to 4.5 =). There are always people on the highway trying to out run me. 100mph comes super fast especially when changing lanes and passing, still feels like your doing 60 though so i have to watch my lead foot. This will be a keeper, i have burned through a lot of cars and never fell in love with any of them, but this one, yea its Love..lol
Really the only 'retro' ride anyone has gotten right is the Challenger-yours looks great-love the colors.
I was bitterly disappointed when Chrysler/Dodge brought back the charger and it turned out to be a 3 door/4 door sedan. WTF? How disappointing was that?
Agree on all fronts. I rented a new style drop top Camero a couple winters ago for a trip to Cactus League. I really did not enjoy driving it that much. Which was a shame because it was an arm and a leg to rent.
Mustang did okay on some of the their retro versions but i agree, Dodge hit it out of the park with the Challenger. The Charger is weak ..... its the, "nobody will buy it so it becomes the standard cop car" car.
Thanks Sparty, this is a fun article.
Yw, thank you for saying that. I wish more articles went this way!
The shit fights get old even for those of us who don't mind them every once in awhile.
Agreed, thanks for this!
I'll second that!
Nice job pimping your rides everyone.
Keep it up!
This is a picture of a car that looks the same as the car I just sold a few months ago.
In some ways I miss it, and in some ways I don't. Scary fast, comfortable, handled like a go cart. But, huge gas hog and I just didn't drive it very much.
Almost forgot... Mine had the stock BMW wheels, this one has customs.
As I said earlier, I bought a 2018 Jeep Renegade a couple weeks ago. Also have a 2003 S-10 that's a piece of crap, but that way I don't care if I get dings in it when I go to get lumber, bricks, etc..
BMW puts a hellava vehicle together, especially at the higher end.
Nice ride!
I am trying something different. A little car with a hatchback. I have this little fella loaded up and am looking forward to its arrival. It is arriving from the factory at Baltimore port tomorrow after 11 days on the Atlantic.
This is almost what it will look like. My car also has checkered grey/black rearview mirrors and a black racing stripe (horizontal) along the sides. Other than that, this is it.
Good looking car, what kinda rubber band does it run on ?
LOL
BMW turbocharged 2.0 L 4-cylinder with ~218hp.
Well that's not t a rubber band. That ought ta push that light car around real well. Have fun !!
It will have some zip. I test drove a basic model and it was pretty good without my enhancements.
Cool, run some good high octane fuel in that little monster and watch it fly. Have fun !! I would.
lol
Neighbor has one...red and black.. Nice looking car.
You might enjoy this, especially if you don't mind British, automotive engineering and fabrication techno geek humor (humour).
This is episode 1. There are 20 now.Starts off a little slow, but if you appreciate it it becomes addictive.
Man talk about passion. I think I will stick with configuring options and placing an order.
I have a 2012 Jetta GLI.
Anyone own on of those Smart Fortwo's?
Sorry but i crack up every time i see one.
I think my last bike had more metal in it than those things. Probably triple the horsepower as well .....
I don't own one but I looked at them.
The most remarkable thing about them is the cage. They advertised one with just the cage supporting a Chevy Suburban on it's roof.
Horsepower? Hahaha .89hp Turbo 3 cyl.
Little trivia? Smart is a Mercedes Benz product in joint venture with Swatch (remember those?) Mercedes made the vehicle, Swatch designed the pretty stuff.
Smart for two is actually Swatch/Mercedes ART
Sounds like a cool car but i could never own one. Just too small.
I'm sure they can handle a suburban placed gently and squarely on top of it but crashes rarely happen like that .......
Nah, for me they belong in some 1960's Sophia Loren movie in Europe.
Tell ya what though, I would have to buy an older one, find roller skate looking rims and mold a fiberglass ankle attached to the top.
That would be fun for a while.
My lady friend's neighbor (3 generations of family live in the house) - the grandmother has a Smart 4-two. Wrapped in Hello Kitty! graphics.........I'll have to see if I can find the picture of it......we laugh about it all the time, bad enough to be driving a Smart Car, but to call even more deirison upon yourself..........
There is a Smart car around town that either has an exhaust leak or someone put an aftermarket exhaust on it because it is louder than stock. They look like rolling phone booths to me.
I love this picture,
Me too... LOL I always expect to see a bunch of clowns exiting at the light.
My daughter fell in love with Smart cars when she was an exchange student in Germany. We looked at one when she got back but I quickly decided that a used Honda Fit or a Toyota Yaris was a better choice.
The first one I saw one I did a double take. I thought what a fuckin weird looking car that someone just took a box and stuck some windows and wheels on. LOL.. I still think that. I'll bet the head room in them is nice though.
But no thanks not my style for sure.
One day, just for shits and grins I went to the local dealer and test drove one. I was quite impressed with how it drove. It felt and handed like a much bigger vehicle. The weird part was what you did to shift gears .
LOL... OK I'll bite, what do ya do ? Release another Hamster onto the power wheel.
LOL
Funny story,
A few of my core group of local friends and i were in Myrtle Beach for a golf vaca and was i introducing an old Marine buddy of mine to the group for the first time. He was trying to make a good impression.
We're walking through the facility parking garage, he see's one of those smart cars and comments "what a shit box." One of my local buddies who is always messing around with someone responds, "whats the problem with it? I have one just like it" even though he didn't.
It was funny has hell watching my fellow Marine stammer and stutter trying to cover his tracks.
The "shitbox" story lives to this day .....
LOL... Funny stuff. thanks for sharing it.
My dad would do stuff like that he also had a weird since of humor. I missed the mark , when I try to do shit like that, somehow it always seems to blow up in my face. lol
neighbor has one, I call it a cab over Lawnmover
One of mine has one as well ...... i call it the egg-car ...... coo coo ca choo ......
I got to drive a few expensive cars in my time but, never owned any, I think the most fun one was one of these,
LOL... I'd be afraid to even touch it. When I go to car shows I almost walk around with my hands in my pockets...lol
I had a friend as a teenager, he bought a corvette. He was so proud, for some reason I wouldn't get into it, I wouldn't ride in it and I wouldn't even touch it. Soon after I found out it was stolen and he had bought it stolen. He knew it was stolen and wasn't telling anyone.
So my instincts were right. I just felt something wasn't right. I was correct.
LOL, I can understand that but, I didn't have to worry about that with this guy, he had twelve cars at the time, this was one of them.
Whats Your Ride?
Although I no longer have this, it was my most favorite ride I ever owned and I'd love to have another one some day.
Comment number 300 on a fun seed
I have a white 2002 Dodge Durango and a 2015 Subaru Forester. I mostly drive the Forester and use the Durango for back-up in case something happens.
lol, I'm in an orrery mood, "in case something happens." Well get a more reliable primary car and you wouldn't have to keep a spare.
LOL
Jut kidding, I always had two vehicles until lately partially for the same reason. lol
In fact: I got really lucky the other day my battery went bad, I was lucky because it happened in my driveway and I was able to just charge it and then drive it to go get a replacement.
IMO: Good cars and trucks do that, break down at home.
Well, earlier this year (April) the Subaru was in the shop after we got rear-ended for about a month. We got a free rental out of it and didn't pay a dime out of pocket for the repairs as we weren't at fault for stopping at a yellow light for a 1 lane construction zone. If we hadn't gotten the rental, the Durango would have been in use.
Yep, Like I said I was joking around, I always appreciated having more than one form of transportation myself. like ya said having a backup is sure nice. At his time my backup is my feet that kinda sucks if I was ever in a real bind.
Luckily now that I'm retired it isn't quite as important to have a backup though. And my GMC so far has been quite dependable. So... off I go.
Man, that must have hurt!