Saturday, January 07, 2023

RM Sotheby's now has an online magazine


I was at CES 2023 all day Saturday, and will post about it Sunday afternoon

 it's a great convention, and all that is in the convention center can be walked in one day. But there are several off site locations, and I don't know why, because the South Hall was EMPTY.

It seems the Chinese were NOT allowed because they had a flare up of Covid, again, and either the airlines, or the Chinese govt, allowed no travelers... but that is the situation as it relates to CES 2023.

Also, we're a LOT closer to the Ready Player One suits and games than I realized, no one yet has completed the suit, AND game / metaverse interface, but the pieces are ALL there... just not completed and polished to a perfect shiny thing yet.... but holy crap, there are SO many companies working on aspects of it

Friday, January 06, 2023

Proof that someone in Oklahoma lost their mind... this is for sale, for 55k, and it's too fricking cool to sell, imho, after fixing up, putting in a 347 stroker, and making ready for cone killing, hill climbs, etc


I dig the nearly stock, but race ready look... 




Falcon racing, why wasn't that a racing series? 

that plank road is bearing up under a heavy load

 https://www.facebook.com/EricBrightonNostalgia/photos/183993397330057

When you are flying


When you are flying, everything is all right or it is not all right. 

If it is all right there is no need to worry. 

If it is not all right one of two things will happen. Either you will crash or you will not crash. 

If you do not crash there is no need to worry. 

If you do crash one of two things is certain. Either you will be injured or you will not be injured. 

If you are not injured there is no need to worry. 

If you are injured one of two things is certain. Either you will recover or you will not recover. 

If you recover there is no need to worry. 

If you don’t recover you can’t worry. 

 — W.E. Johns, Spitfire Parade, 1941

Just not a good day to be on the undeveloped roads, and no doubt, one reason most back country dirt roads are built the right way now, instead of simply removing trees and bulldozing a flat stretch for cars to use

https://www.facebook.com/EricBrightonNostalgia/photos/185895170473213/

I bet if they had used a nice tall tractor tire, skinny and 40 some inches, like the swamp buggy racers use, they'd have had a pleasant drive

Yesterday Ford posted a tribute video to Ken Block, that caused fans to crash the server... I kid you not. Finally, I can get the code to share it here... it's a sweet fast look at the many cool video shots of Ken showing what fun a rally car on a mission to hoon, can be


1927 Cadillac with a headlight/radiator cap accessory I've never seen before, a 314 Suburban that was purchased used from Don Lee Cadillac in Los Angeles


I've also never seen bolt together construction mufflers





not a good plan, went from bad, to just stuck with people that are inept at getting unstuck... and not a single vehicle has a Max Trax or similar deep sand solution (in the desert? what morons)


Sony live streamed a first look at the movie Gran Turismo during the CES. (based on the car-racing video games, stars Orlando Bloom and David Harbour, Neill Blomkamp directs)


Thursday, January 05, 2023

I bet there was a reason and plan to those gas pumps paint designs

 https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/images-of-vintage-gas-stations-pre-65.1033288/page-14

Sohio's Neon Patrol used a International D-15 truck to get around to the many stations and make repairs


https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM89022

the model T had about 10 colors to choose from, but the Model A had 67, and one, was L'Anse Green... not many people will have any reason to know why Ford called a color L'Anse green, but it's because Ford had a train and logging mill there

 I only just learned this morning of the info that there were 67 colors, and that one was L'Anse green, for the 1931 Model A, (it is also the same as Spectramaster GS364 OR DS143)

Why is it something significant enough for me to post about?

I happen to have been born there, and graduated from it's high school (Go Hornets! Boo Baraga!)  So, for me it's revelatory that Ford named a color after that yooper town, because I have that hometown connection. 


There happened to be some odd paint names for model As, and I have no idea how they came to be, but, get a load of these!

Menelous Orange (i am not making that up)
Pegex Orange
Runelite Red
Chicle drab
Copra drab
Kewanne green (likely a misspelling of Kewanee) is probably named for Kewanee Ill. or Mo. Miss. Wis. Ind.








For the post on the Ford sawmill (where Celotex later made a factory that operated for most of 1960-2000: https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2019/05/ford-at-keating-spur-in-lanse-and.html

a scene from Back to the Future


just a guess, Florida Man was getting ready to move

 

https://ogdaa.blogspot.com/2023/01/oughta-work.html

making do with only one wagon wheel, it seems... the short lived Two Man Uni-Wheelbarrow debuted on the Cariboo Wagon Road in the 1890`s

it must have been pretty nice to drive among the giants


this 1911 Pullman heavyweight passenger car was purchased in 1995 by Al Sauer, who spent 25 years completely restoring the car to its condition in the 1930s. He donated it to the Illinois Railway Museum, a volunteer owned and operated train museum, the nation's largest railway museum,


originally built in 1911 as a 12-1-1 (12-section, 1-drawing room, 1-compartment) sleeping car named Lenover. 
It was generally assigned by Pullman to use on the Pennsylvania Railroad. 

In 1931 it was rebuilt in Pullman's "betterment program" as a 10-3 (10-section, 3-double bedroom) sleeping car and renamed Villa Real. 

The car was retired in 1950 but was used by the military between 1951 and 1953 for use carrying troops during the Korean War. 

In 1953, Villa Real was sold to the Wabash as its car 4318 but was leased for use in Mexico. 

It was retired in 1957 and rebuilt by the Wabash into the Decatur, Illinois wreck train foreman's car.

 Later owned by the Norfolk Southern, the car was auctioned off in 1995.

Wednesday, January 04, 2023

either there was a challenge, a deadline, or someone stated, "hold my beer, I got this" because I've never seen a grader go after a bull dozer's job like this

 

Owl Autonomous Imaging launches Monocular 3D Thermal Ranger computer vision for pedestrian safety, enabling object identification and ranging regardless of environmental lighting

The Owl Autonomous Imaging’s Monocular 3D Thermal Ranging platform not only enables cars to see at night, it also enables the vehicle to know how far away the living object is and what it is. 

 It operates day and night, in all weather, and definitively classifies vulnerable road users (VRUs) including pedestrians, cyclists, animals and vehicles


World renowned image created by F. Zwickl. When you ordered one of these cars this cigarette case was a present.


virtue signalling liberal (electric cars are good for the environment notion) asks for others to weigh in, about whether it's still virtue signaling to drive a Tesla, now that Elon Musk is seen as making Twitter uncensored, and no longer a safe space for liberals

John Blumenthal shared his concerns through the Los Angeles Times over owning a Tesla as a liberal, after Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter.

Wednesday’s piece titled "I bought a Tesla to help the environment. Now, I’m embarrassed to drive it,"

 Blumenthal, who had previously purchased a Tesla to lower his carbon emissions, wrote that he now felt remorse over inadvertently supporting the Tesla owner.

"Because of the recent revelation of Elon Musk’s political views — all of which I abhor — I’m starting to worry (now, because it used to be seen as pro liberal) about what sort of political statement the car is making. (so, ownership is ok only when it gives the liberally sanctioned political view)  Will people see me as a symbol of right-wing environmentalism, a living oxymoron?" Blumenthal asked.

"The car was impractical, but it had sentimental value. My environmental activist friends were not impressed by my assiduous urban composting, LED bulb installations and energy-saving appliances. I needed to do more to diminish my carbon footprint. The icebergs were melting, my friends said, and at least one polar bear was wandering around homeless and hungry because of me," he wrote. 

 "It’s a beautifully designed car with no carbon emission, and initially, I was proud of owning it and being seen driving a vehicle that displayed my concern for the environment. But I’m a liberal, and if Musk’s politics don’t change radically for the better, driving a Tesla will become, at least for me, as hypocritical and untenable as driving a gas guzzler was," Blumenthal concluded.

A new law in the Macon Bibb area of Georgia prohibiting the parking of large trucks near personal property has gone into effect this month, on January 1st for those in the Macon-Bibb, Georgia area, that does not allow commercial vehicles and trailers over 8,000 to 10,000 pounds to be parked at homes, including the owner's semi, or RV

According to the new law, parking the large trucks is allowed IF it is behind the front yard building line.

 Citations and fines for those violating the law will begin soon with no more warnings, but the cost of the fine will be up to the judge that handles the case.

Police in Germany chase a Tesla 15 minutes, because it's driver put it on Autopilot, and took a nap while it handled the driving on the A70 near BNamberg

 https://news.sky.com/story/police-in-germany-chase-tesla-for-15-minutes-after-driver-turns-on-autopilot-and-goes-to-sleep-12778306

Lemme vent a moment, and advise you all to not trust dealerships until after you've checked their work

 what you see above, is either an innocent mistake by a professional dealership mechanic, who can't help but overfill my engine oil when I am on the 6th 1000 mile excessive oil consumption test, OR the stacking of the deck to prevent the accurate test result which will prove that for a 6th time that my car's engine is STILL in violation of the warranty 

now, I am so frustrated and mad that I am getting the run around, and results have already been faked on one test, and now this? 

It happens to be one quart from bottom L marking, to top F marking, AND by my estimation based on that distance, this is 1/3rd to 1/2 a quart overfull, which coincidentally, is possibly enough to cause the 1000 mile excessive oil consumption test, which, works against my proving the consistent and consecutive excessive oil loss that an engine under warranty is not allowed. 

faking the test result would (again, it's been faked once as a pass) call into question the valid claim I have to a repair that prevents oil being used at a ridiculous rate, 1.5 quarts per thousand miles, which is more oil disappearing per typical/normal oil change rate of once per 5 thousand miles, as that would be 7.5 quarts. 

See how bad this engine's oil problem is? It's unable to get from one oil change to the next without burning/losing/leaking more oil than the engine holds. 

thanks Brendon for clanging my tip jar!

 


not only did Rogo stand out at SEMA for having a card drop, which Mike won! But they also got the first full page ad in Hot Rod's 75th anniversary issue... not only did they get a prime location in one issue, it was the one issue people are going to look at over and over!

 

Congrats to Brendon for getting a straight compliment and hero photo in the Hot Rod 75th Anniversary issue!

 getting a feature in ANY Hot Rod issue is just awesome, but then a back up mention in the big anniversary issue because you epitomize hot rodding? Just incredible! 

I just learned of a local poster collector/online sales - you can still buy Rene Vincent, Geo Ham, Seneca, Cappiello, and Cuneo posters - if you're fairly wealthy, real stuff ain't cheap












so, city public transportation busses... not likely to get a high tech upgrade... only poor people use them, rich people don't, and city govts aren't going to pay for expensive high tech autonomous replacements.

BUT, airports, resorts, private islands, university campuses, and world class events? Yep, they might buy some

I don't buy into the utopia society futurama bullshit. But open mind with a different view, said Metallica, and I can actually see where the wealthy and elite will certainly buy, or fund, 15 passenger vans.

Airport shuttles to the 4 star resort on Lana'i, Maui, select national parks, the White House to the Pentagon, Martha's Vineyard? Yup. I can see that happening

And I can certainly see where Tesla, and others will want to sell autonomous rideshare vehicles to the wealthy for their exclusive enjoyment. 

So, Holon hired Pinanfarina to design the latest in toaster look alike vans, and good luck telling it apart from the new VW, or the other new Kei van, or whatever. BUT, it's wheelchair focused. So, it's got two points in it's favor, impeccable design (no matter how ubiquitous among prototype "future" vans) and ahead of the public demand for wheelchair access transit, as rare as that is... it's getting a lot more common among the retired and overweight. 

https://www.carscoops.com/2023/01/holon-reveals-its-pininfarina-designed-autonomous-people-mover-at-ces/

'73 Falcon XA was restored



compliment of the day from Chuck!

I know of no one - NO ONE - who digs deeper than you do to come up with great content. And, it is always such an honor to have you give positive comments regarding our SEMA exhibits.

Bell Auto parts in the 50s, a place I'd like to hang out, or use a time machine to get to

 

https://kustomrama.com/wiki/Bell_Auto_Parts

Possibly purchased new by the seller’s father at Chicago’s Grand Spaulding Dodge (I see nothing to give evidence of that) in ’72, this 1973 Charger SE has been parked in LA for the last 45 years, but is up for sale at 20k


 it goes to show that even a lame 73 400 powered auto Charger can be enticing, if it only has superstar dealership provenance. 

Gary Villeggiante's lowrider Falcon van won “Best Lowrider Van” at the 2020 Sacramento Autorama.