Saturday, January 06, 2024

Impressed with the way Dave's 70 Super Bee looked, I tried to shortcut right to the same look. Murphy's Law fell on me like I owed it my 1st born. Here's the way his looks compared to mine (for now, these are not what I want)

 Clearly, his tires fit on his rim better... I was going to simply buy the exact ones he had, and prevent every effing problem I've had since, but, of course, Murphys Law got in the way, and NONE of those rims were available for months, and I had to move along, and get SOMETHING for the car to roll out of the shop on. 

The tires he recommended weren't available either.

Since I'm not in Indiana, I couldn't simply go to his shop and get the work done right. Yes, several things were not don't right. 





here's a couple more that show the extra space in the wheel well... 

Looking at these back wheels, you can tell easily, that this shit ain't right. 

the fronts look alright, but, no one has measured the clearance in all circumstances of bump, and steering in whatever position the wheels can achieve. 

So since the tires hit the front fender trim, https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2023/12/when-getting-my-ol-dodge-from-shop.html  I took those off to prevent more damage, and put some clay in blobs along the fender lip to see if the tires rub, and how much. 





to the left of the green mark you can see some clay. 

I parked my commuter so I could putter around with my ol Dodge... and the birds got hired by Murphy's law to make a sewage treatment plant of it


that's 6 splats just in this view, there were 2 others I couldn't get into this photo. 

So you're flying along in an airliner, and suddenly, the door blows out and you've got a hole in the plane at 16,000 feet



an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX was cruising along when the mid-cabin exit door had completely separated from the aircraft. at 16,000 feet leaving a large hole and decompressing the passenger cabin. 

 The plane made an emergency landing back in Portland 20 minutes after taking off from there on a flight that had been destined for Ontario, Calif. 

No one was hurt, all passengers had their seat belts on. A couple bits of this, and that, and a cell phone or two were sucked out, but nothing important happened.

It has nothing to do with what the name of the airline brand is, the plane was made by Boeing, and inspected quite thoroughly before being certified by the FAA for use by anyone, anywhere, any time. 

Now, it's going to be months until they figure out what caused the door to part ways with the rest of the plane. 

has Sam Raimi put a Delta 88 in every one of his movies?


Grayson the trucking cat was found lost and lonely in Laredo 7 years ago, but has been on the road ever since a husband and wife trucking team gave him some chicken, and a warm cab





Iconic photo taken in Cheyenne, Wyoming of the 1907 Thomas Flyer and the winning racing team led by George Schuster during the New York to Paris Great Race.


https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10227420687801976&set=gm.1456128031634781&idorvanity=197491484165115

Bonneville land speed racing 97 Geo Metro! Has a 285 hp 900cc snowmobile engine boosted by a turbo


Competing in the I/Blown Gas Altered Coupe class, the car has run a best of 135 mph. 

The current class record, set in 2016, is 144.032 mph.

I've never heard of this machine, and it's no wonder... how often has anyone felt the need to recurve their brake shoes in the past 4 decades? (thank you Harry!)




https://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/7-tools-almost-no-one-uses-anymore

Friday, January 05, 2024

Officials have ordered a British Columbia trucking company to cease operations as of this afternoon after the company’s sixth overpass strike in two years.


“This means the company’s entire fleet of 65 commercial vehicles will be unable to operate in B.C. as of 4:30 p.m. (Pacific time) on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. Furthermore, the driver and the carrier responsible will face the toughest fines in the country. The outcome of the investigation could lead to further action,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

the driver involved in the December 28 overpass strike was not a company driver. From a statement released by the company:
“Unfortunately, one of our trucks operated by an owner operator was involved in an accident today in Delta. The driver, who is not a company driver, failed to wait to receive his permit and route directions for his oversized load.

At approximately 12:22 p.m., our safety department received a phone call from the driver stating that his load was oversized.

 Our safety manager advised the owner operator to wait while he obtained the permit. Within eight minutes, the safety manager received a call from the owner operator advising that he had crashed into the overpass.”

Oh shit.... major California cities are installing speed cameras.

Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose, Glendale, Long Beach and the county of San Francisco will deploy a speed cameras for the next five-years to monitor and enforce speeding.

I read somewhere that red light cameras are coming back too. 

https://fox5sandiego.com/traffic/new-traffic-laws-bringing-changes-for-california-drivers-in-2024/

New California law will change the way police officers interact with drivers, pedestrians

California police officers must now specify the purpose of any traffic stop before asking inquiring questions.

They must precede any chatter with "I pulled you over because .... " 

 They will no longer be able to initially ask the driver, "Do you know why I pulled you over?"

California lawmakers the law to reduce "pretextual stops" or where an officer stops a suspicious vehicle for a minor offense to look for a more egregious crime, KTXL reported.

A second component of the law requires law enforcement agencies to include the reason(s) for all stops on accompanying arrest reports.


Also, the registration sticker displayed on a vehicle’s rear license plate can no longer be the sole basis for an officer to pull over a driver for enforcement action before the second month after the expiration of a vehicle’s registration.

it will also help limit officers’ ability to make “pretextual stops,” or stops that are used as an investigative tool for something completely unrelated to the actual reason for a driver was pulled over.

the new law will require authorities to verify with the DMV if a vehicle does not have up-to-date registration before towing for tags that expired six or more months prior, to prevent penalization of drivers that may have had their stickers stolen.

Mike sent me a link to an article about AMG... hell, I didn't realize I had no idea what the hell the acronym AMG represents

AMG evolved from the pet project of two intrepid M-B engineers whose passion, desire, and devotion far outstripped their means. 

Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher were engineers developing the racing engine for the Mercedes-Benz 300 SE in the early 1960s. 

Unfortunately for them, Daimler-Benz decided to cease motorsports involvement. Disappointed but undeterred, the pair continued work on the engine on the sly at Aufrecht's house in Großaspach

To further its development and prove their skills in a competitive arena, the pair planted the engine in the bay of an MB 300 SE in the German Touring Car Championship, and went on to win—10 times.

The pair's expertise with Mercedes-Benz performance now firmly cemented, Aufrecht realized the time to strike was now or never. 

He and Melcher found a company called Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach engineering firm, focusing on designing, testing, and developing racing engines. 

The AMG acronym naturally followed; its phonetic ring makes it both authoritative-sounding and easy to memorize.

https://www.motortrend.com/features/what-does-amg-stand-for-history-mercedes-benz/

So... the border patrol... are they supposed to let people across any country border? Or prevent illegal immigration, and prevent people crossing from one country into another without a passport? So, why has Biden asked the Supreme Court to get border patrol to open the border in Texas?


The Biden administration on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to allow federal Border Patrol agents to cut through or move razor wire Texas installed on the U.S.-Mexico border

The issue came up when Texas installed the razor wire near the Rio Grande to prevent illegal immigration that has brought the state into conflict with the Biden administration.

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month ruled in favor of Texas, saying agents could not cut or move the wire unless there is a medical emergency.
 
https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/white-house-asks-supreme-court-to-allow-razor-wire-at-texas-border-to-be-cut-201293893783

Turns out all it takes to get under razor wire, is big pieces of cardboard. Damn, that stuff is free! 

A military enthusiast bought a tank on eBay in 2017 and discovered $2.5 million of gold bars hidden inside the fuel tanks




It's believed the bullion was looted by plundering Iraqi soldiers during the 1990 invasion of Kuwait but forgotten about inside the 36.7ton armoured beast.

Assistant TSA director arrested for elderly exploitation and forgery

Maxine McManaman — the Assistant Federal Security Director of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was arrested. 

https://cbs12.com/news/local/maxine-mcmanaman-delroy-chambers-tsa-director-maxine-mcmanaman-accomplice-caught-elderly-exploitation-forgery-case-quitclaim-fraud-ripoff-felony-florida-news-january-4-2024

If there are honest people in law enforcement, they must be in witness protection because they are not seen or heard... they are either camouflaged into invisibility or been hit with the shrink ray and are too tiny to be seen

 

Road Scholar, the nonprofit educational travel for older adults, is having a contest called the “Great Global Giveaway.” 7 winners , 7 educational adventures to 7 continents, complete with airfare for 2 people.




Seven lucky winners will win one of seven educational adventures to seven continents, complete with airfare for two people. These seven trips, like all the programs Road Scholar offers, will have an emphasis on learning about the destination the winners are visiting through educational content and immersive experiences.

The seven winners will be drawn from a list of all or Road Scholar’s subscribers, including those already on their mailing list and anyone who signs up in 2024. To enter, starting January 5th, 2024, and continuing throughout the year, anyone who’s not already on the Road Scholar mailing list can sign up at www.roadscholar.org/enter. Subscribers can also earn extra chances to win by referring friends who aren’t already on Road Scholar’s mailing list online at www.roadscholar.org/friend. Each friend referral provides another chance to win.

2023 Rennsport Reunion Laguna Seca Porsche Tractor race





the host of Goodwood, was explaining on the Ford CEO podcast, that his grandfather dropped out of Oxford when his brother died in WW1, to the horror of his royal parents, to build Bentleys, and race motorcycles

 He went to work at Bentley on the shop floor, known as Freddy, and didn't tell anyone that he was Lord Richmond. 

He went onto design and race sports cars. He won at Brooklands. Some of his cars are still in the family collection. 

He went on to establish an airfield on the family estate, then put a race track around it for the pilots. 

The current host, Charles, left high school at 16, and didn't go to university, but instead, met up with some film school students in London going to National Film School, and one was Stanley Kubrick, and got a job working for Kubrick in pre production stills photography.

(I'd forgotten that I'd learned that and posted it in 2017 https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2017/04/goodwood-festival-of-speed-and-goodwood.html

I am surprised at how much I've posted about Stanley Kubrick https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search?q=Kubrick

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-duke-of-richmond-becoming-automotive-royalty/id1647604558?i=1000581580699

Clever, and anyone that's ever used a diaper station knows how great it is to have lots of drawers for supplies


Just needs a vent hood with a HVAC suction to remove the stink.... 

Ford CEO Jim Farley has just started in podcasting, talking to celebs about business and what drives them to succeed.

Season one was with some of the most famous people with the most broad appeal to listeners, and their immense audiences, including Dax Shepard, Jimmy Kimmel, the CEO of Harley, the host of Goodwood (Duke of Richmond), and Tom Brady and was only 8 episodes. 

Season two hasn't been fully announced but, so far, Jimmy Fallon, Kelly Clarkson, and Neil Tyson are scheduled, but no episodes released

Keep in mind, most podcasts are for getting more famous, brand promotion, and function a lot like the late night talk shows, guests only are on to promote their latest project, movie, etc. 


If I was the CEO of Ford, I'd try for some leaders of international car corporations, like GM, Mercedes, VW, and the heads of the specialty vehicle performance departments, like Chevys Racing, Dodge Hellcats, and Honda, McLaren, and Toyota. Maybe also, motorcycle and offroad corporations, Yamaha, Can Am, Suzuki. People who run race tracks, like Daytona, Nurburgring, and SCCA and SCTA

Great idea to have the Duke of Richmond (Goodwood) as it's likely to be the most famous and well respected of any public event in the motor vehicle enthusiast world. 

In the first episode around the 19 minute mark, Farley points out something / someone amazing, that a low level engineer who wasn't heard at meetings, Doug Fields, worked at Ford a couple years, quit, then went and invented the Segway, then leaves and goes to Apple, then leaves and becomes the Chief Engineer at Tesla and makes the Model Y and Model 3... then goes back to Apple, then back to Ford. He finally gets heard at the table. 

Chrysler New Yorker wagon. Dealer installed 426 Hemi 4 speed.





Thursday, January 04, 2024

innovative take on a business name. Clever, easy to remember, and on message

 

https://www.tumblr.com/periperico59

I love before and after comparisons!




George recommends a movie I've never heard of, and is available on You Tube! Wheels of Fire, from 1978, narrated by Dave Mac! Thanks George!


I had to help this BMW owner find a parking spot just for his beemer.. as he couldn't choose between the two that are marked by a dividing line I painted 8 months ago.. and parked 1/2 his BMW in both



And it reminds me of the quote from Pulp Fiction:

The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.

Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. 

in both of the photo above, the line dividing the space available, is just in front of the back tires 






Should I add a note like these: https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2019/03/there-was-lot-of-time-and-effort-put.html  and https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2017/07/cards-to-leave-for-drivers-that-park.html ?

there is a LOT of evidence that BMW people park this way



it's why they earn revenge like this:





But I tried to keep my sense of humor, mostly so I don't spend the night making friends in jail. 

I'm not averse to looking up parking revenge, though, or asking for what genius level ideas you readers have that would let me get lots of revenge, but avoid jail 
This might be the best... get to live in their head rent free


NYC sues bus companies carrying migrants to city under Texas busing program

 https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-sues-bus-companies-carrying-migrants-to-city-under-texas-busing-program

Why doesn't the mayor or city council talk to the president of the USA instead? Get some actual change to the flood of illegal immigrant into this country, and into New York City? 

Morons. 

the Texas governor shifted the costs of the migrants’ care to sanctuary cities, who never realized that their virtue signaling idiocy would have to bear the force them to "put your money where your mouth is"

New York City claims to have blown 700 million dollars in the past 2 years, on illegal immigrants. 

That, is only a fraction of the amount of illegals that Texas has sent to those morons who thought they were safe to claim they'd give sanctuary to illegal aliens. 

Texas sent others to Chicago, Washington, D.C., Denver, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

Imagine, for a quick moment, what the cost of illegal aliens must be to Texas, if they've gotten a bill from just ONE city they made responsible for the worldwide open door policy of the Democrats and the President. 

I still chuckle over the brilliant move of a planeload of illegals to Martha's Vineyard. Right to the heart of hard left wing libtard millionaires who claim they want open borders. Just, not on their multimillion dollar mansions on Martha's Vineyard. 

According to New York City officials, the 17 bus companies have transported at least 33,600 migrants to the city, as well as 28,000 to Chicago, 12,500 to D.C., and thousands more to other cities. 

So, according to math, 700 million in 2 years, is 350 million per year, for - oh lets use their number, 33,600 illegals, and I'll do same rounded off fast math... that's 1,000 dollars per illegal that New York City claims to have spent. Per year. Really? Who the hell summed up the cost to NYC of any illegal alien as being roughly $1,000 per year? Surely, it costs more to feed and house people, no matter how horribly New York City accomplished that, than only one thousand dollars. Kraft mac and cheese, and water, would cost more over 365 days

56,000th post!




Damn shame this isn't a job, one that paid by the post. 

Brujitas (in Columbia) are old motorcycles mounted to wooden platforms with benches, pushing those along abandoned railroad tracks for tourists to get a look at the rainforest/jungle


San Cipriano, Columbia, is located several miles within the jungle. 

Brujitas were invented out of necessity to move people and goods between San Cipriano and the other towns such as Zaragosa, on the railway that are adjacent to the highway

There are about 5 dozen men making a living from giving tourists these rail tours



Skip the first minute:


1000 hp Demon rolled into the grocery store parking lot of Vons on Murphy Canyon while I was getting groceries yesterday



come car dealerships should just be avoided, as they are backstabbing greedy cheating bastards. A notorious Mississippi dealership really should get it's deal with Dodge revoked.

They sold a Demon 170 out from under a member of the military while they were deployed. Things got so bad that Dodge’s CEO had to step in.

AFTER a 50k markup for the Demon was paid for, on top of the MSRP, the dealership had to make fast decisions when jammed up promises to buyers wanting to blow fortunes for a Demon. 

So they shorted the active duty deployed guy who had ordered, and paid, and handed the keys to a local who paid MORE of a markup. 

A deal was struck, and the happy new owner went to Facebook to share their excitement for their new purchase. However, the servicemember who originally ordered the car was in the group where this boast was shared, and the two quickly figured out what had happened.

the dealership general manager denyied many of these allegations, claimed no such car was ever ordered in the servicemember's name, and accused him of lying about being in the military.

at some point, the news made its way to Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis, whom StellPower reports reached out to both parties for their versions of the story.

Still, this story has a happy ending, because Dodge has a dealership reward program, and 40 Demon 170s to reward its top selling dealers with, so it plucked one from the batch, will get it repainted and built to match the original spec the servicemember ordered.

His payment of the markup has been revoked, and cancelled. He got that back.

This will all be done at no charge, and the car will be sold at MSRP. No markup. 

How cool, I just learned that an author, and radio station traffic reporter, in Illinois found my blog!

https://www.facebook.com/ken.zurski

Ken emailed me to get ahold of the people with the Willys Whippet behind the wall I posted yesterday

Happiness is getting your dream car for Xmas

https://www.tumblr.com/armengoldira/738482111880790016?source=share

A son found the Firebird that had been stolen from his dad 50 years ago, and bought it for him



his kids and grand kids planned this out really well... and timed it perfectly