Out of the Blue

I have to head off to the car dealership today to get new tires. The good news is that this will be a free visit. The bad news is that it's for a recall, which is a little scary. Even scarier is that I was informed of it a couple of months ago before being told that addressing it would require waiting for new tires to arrive. I think it's fair to assume that if there was some sort of immediate danger this would have been handled differently. But still, driving around for a while on tires that have been recalled over safety concerns is uncomfortable at best.

Retired Round-up
Thanks Ant, Neutronbeam, and Max.

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22.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 30, 2025, 01:56
22.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 30, 2025, 01:56
Jan 30, 2025, 01:56
 
jdreyer wrote on Jan 29, 2025, 14:35:
What was the MPG for that?

Laugh2

I never bothered to calculate it because it was all about the smiles per mile. But I could watch the gas gauge drop in real time when I put my foot in it. That was fun when gas was much, much cheaper than it is today. $0.98/gallon of premium.
"Just take a look around you, what do you see? Pain, suffering, and misery." -Black Sabbath, Killing Yourself to Live.

“Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains” -Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Purveyor of cute, fuzzy, pink bunny slippers.
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21.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 29, 2025, 19:19
Osc8r
 
21.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 29, 2025, 19:19
Jan 29, 2025, 19:19
 Osc8r
 
Michelin Pilot Sport's for the win.
Never skimp on tyres.

My first car was a Volvo 240GL as well, horrible car! But yeah, built like a tank, complete with zero crumple zones
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20.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 29, 2025, 16:14
20.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 29, 2025, 16:14
Jan 29, 2025, 16:14
 
jdreyer wrote on Jan 29, 2025, 14:35:

What was the MPG for that?
You mean gallons per mile?
“Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.” -- Carl Sagan
19.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 29, 2025, 14:35
19.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 29, 2025, 14:35
Jan 29, 2025, 14:35
 
Burrito of Peace wrote on Jan 29, 2025, 02:21:
For British cars, my favorite was the Series 3 E-Type. That V12 sang like a choir once I got it properly tuned (and swapped out the godawful Zenith carbs for Webers) after boring it out from it's original 5.3L displacement to 7L. Ed Pink helped with the heads, taking a set of original HE heads and doing a porting job on them for far better and smoother airflow. He hooked me up with TWR for the exhaust headers and I obviously redid the entire electrical system because Lucas.

What was the MPG for that?
If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. Slava Ukraini!
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18.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 29, 2025, 11:28
18.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 29, 2025, 11:28
Jan 29, 2025, 11:28
 
20 years ago my landlord bought a somewhat dinged up Series 3 E-Type. He laughed about how his wife was concerned it would catch on fire.

Anyone want to guess what happened in under 5 months? Ha.
17.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 29, 2025, 10:31
17.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 29, 2025, 10:31
Jan 29, 2025, 10:31
 
WarPig wrote on Jan 29, 2025, 09:23:
Oooohhhh.... speaking of dream cars - wow!

The closest thing to that that I've had, not that it's close to as cool as a Jaaaaaaag, was a Porsche 944 that I really enjoyed.

The Jag was a dream car of mine since I was a wee lad. So when one became available, I pounced on it. I got lucky in that I was in the time frame where the E-types were old, the XJS had been out for a bit, and people were dumping their E-types for XJSes so the price was extremely reasonable.

The 944 was a nice looking car, even if it was a Porsche.

I readily admit I know almost next to nothing about German cars as they were never my forte. Though if I ever had lottery f-you money, I would definitely seek out a 962 to park it next to the Jaguar XJR-12 and Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo.
"Just take a look around you, what do you see? Pain, suffering, and misery." -Black Sabbath, Killing Yourself to Live.

“Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains” -Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Purveyor of cute, fuzzy, pink bunny slippers.
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16.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 29, 2025, 09:23
WarPig
 
16.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 29, 2025, 09:23
Jan 29, 2025, 09:23
 WarPig
 
For British cars, my favorite was the Series 3 E-Type. That V12 sang like a choir once I got it properly tuned (and swapped out the godawful Zenith carbs for Webers) after boring it out from it's original 5.3L displacement to 7L.

Oooohhhh.... speaking of dream cars - wow!

The closest thing to that that I've had, not that it's close to as cool as a Jaaaaaaag, was a Porsche 944 that I really enjoyed.
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15.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 29, 2025, 02:21
15.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 29, 2025, 02:21
Jan 29, 2025, 02:21
 
Yours is on the lighter side of Spitfire experiences, WarPig. Over the years, I've spoken to a fair few owners and we all have horror stories. Some of us have scars! Laugh2

The one thing I forgot to mention was the gearbox. Triumph didn't believe in case hardening the gears so a broken tooth was inevitable, no matter how carefully one shifted or how perfectly timed the rev matching was done.

Or maybe the one I had was built on the day that everyone showed up extremely drunk or hungover. I was ever so glad to have foisted that car off on to someone else and cackled like mad when I saw them drive away. My wife's Jeeps were more reliable.

For British cars, my favorite was the Series 3 E-Type. That V12 sang like a choir once I got it properly tuned (and swapped out the godawful Zenith carbs for Webers) after boring it out from it's original 5.3L displacement to 7L. Ed Pink helped with the heads, taking a set of original HE heads and doing a porting job on them for far better and smoother airflow. He hooked me up with TWR for the exhaust headers and I obviously redid the entire electrical system because Lucas.

It's only one of two cars I ever regretted selling. The guy who bought it totalled it completely two months later.

Funny thing about the Miata. I don't fit in them. My head sticks out above the windshield. That was not the case with the Spitfire. It had to do with the Italian driving position of the seats.
"Just take a look around you, what do you see? Pain, suffering, and misery." -Black Sabbath, Killing Yourself to Live.

“Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains” -Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Purveyor of cute, fuzzy, pink bunny slippers.
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14.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 29, 2025, 00:52
WarPig
 
14.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 29, 2025, 00:52
Jan 29, 2025, 00:52
 WarPig
 
I had a Triumph Spitfire 1500. Undoubtedly the biggest piece of shit I have ever owned. Do you know why the hood tilts up and forwards? So you can sit on the tire while you work on it. Which you will be doing. Often.

Will it break down? Absolutely! Will it be the furthest point from home? Also absolutely!

I also had a Spitfire - a 1971 model that I got while I was still 16. Yes it was a POS rattletrap, but I loved it. Plus, I only had one big-time breakdown over 6-7 years and that was probably my fault for constantly squeezing out everything it had (which wasn't much). Threw in a new piston (yes, while sitting on the wheel) and it was good to go. Maybe 10 years after selling it I saw one for sale, test drove it, and instantly remembered how bad they were screwed together and walked away.

Even though it was as unrefined as any car I've ever owned, it was so much fun that up until the last eight years it was the only car that I had dreams about - and they were always happy dreams. The dreams stopped eight years ago because I went ahead and bought a 2016 Miata, which I still have and love.
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13.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 28, 2025, 23:54
13.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 28, 2025, 23:54
Jan 28, 2025, 23:54
 
Jackie Lays EGG#3 In The Snow
timestamped to start of tea kettle https://youtu.be/KwsnkRJm034?si=ZKdneRAMbPlXA5m6&t=329
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12.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 28, 2025, 20:40
12.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 28, 2025, 20:40
Jan 28, 2025, 20:40
 
I always heard these horror stories but I had zero problems with my TR6.
“With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably." - Aaron Sati
11.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 28, 2025, 20:33
11.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 28, 2025, 20:33
Jan 28, 2025, 20:33
 
Triumph - Because Lucas isn't bad enough.

I had a Triumph Spitfire 1500. Undoubtedly the biggest piece of shit I have ever owned. Do you know why the hood tilts up and forwards? So you can sit on the tire while you work on it. Which you will be doing. Often.

Will it break down? Absolutely! Will it be the furthest point from home? Also absolutely!

Good thing the trunk is spacious because you're going to need it to carry all those spare parts.

The engine is flat on top so you can set a camping latern on it in the pouring rain to fix the throttle linkage. Which came apart. For the fifth time.

Do you what to learn a completely outmoded tool measurement system that no one in the US used? Triumph is for you! You'll get to drive all the way to Dallas to buy a set of Whitworth wrenches and sockets because no one else in the entire goddamned state of Texas carries them.
"Just take a look around you, what do you see? Pain, suffering, and misery." -Black Sabbath, Killing Yourself to Live.

“Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains” -Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Purveyor of cute, fuzzy, pink bunny slippers.
Avatar 21247
10.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 28, 2025, 20:11
Prez
 
10.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 28, 2025, 20:11
Jan 28, 2025, 20:11
 Prez
 
Today's completely random and irrelevant videogame thought of the day is brought to you by "Psychos Are Us":

Who do I have to sleep with to finally get a good Godzilla videogame? I've only been waiting since I was 7 years old. I would even settle for a mediocre one; it would still be a massive improvement over the drek we've gotten over the years.
"The assumption that animals are without rights, and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance, is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality."
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9.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 28, 2025, 19:17
9.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 28, 2025, 19:17
Jan 28, 2025, 19:17
 
FYI
I've started a Go Fund Me for my benefit as I'm attempting a viewing of Star Trek Section 31.
I hope to raise 15 dollars to help defray medical costs as this dangerous feat could leave me permanently scarred.
thoughts and prayers, to me, of course

But I take solace in the fact that it might not be worse than the last 3 hours of my life dealing w/an olds.
His 4 month old Motorola Razr was rebooting A LOT
He has ZERO business around a computer, much less a phone masquerading as a computer.
He wanted a calculator, the google calculator was working fine, but if you don't know how to computer you just install a Calculator from the play store called Calculator Launcher.
He lost the Camera icon, so off to play store to install a different camera app.

He took it to the local Cricket Wireless store, and that was as successful as you might think.

Factory Reset to Rescue
,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,
Edit section 31
Noped out after 20 minutes.

This comment was edited on Jan 28, 2025, 20:05.
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8.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 28, 2025, 15:25
8.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 28, 2025, 15:25
Jan 28, 2025, 15:25
 
My fave car was my first a white 1970 Volvo 240 I dubbed Moondoggy I bought in Calgary for $500. It wasn't fast but it was reliable as hell. That thing was a tank and much like the Energizer bunny just kept going and going and going. Repairs on that thing were cheap and easy too there was so much room under the hood. If some asshole in his huge pickup hadn't plowed into it I'd probably still be driving it. Loved that car! I bought a 1976 Triumph TR6 after that. It was a blast though impractical as I didn't have garage at the time and you need one if you're living in Vancouver and driving a convertible. My gf at the time ended up driving it more than I did. She had fun fun fun till daddy sold it. I'd love to have one of those again if I lived in the sunbelt. Actually just about any convertible will do. It's hard to go back once you've driven a ragtop for a while.

The 2025 Mazda Miata looks really good - especially the anniversary edition - but it's a little rich for my blood at $50K CDN for a small convertible.



“With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably." - Aaron Sati
7.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 28, 2025, 14:12
Jivaro
 
7.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 28, 2025, 14:12
Jan 28, 2025, 14:12
 Jivaro
 
geez..I remember the Miata....and putting that engine in a Escort is just wild. I had no idea!
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6.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 28, 2025, 13:56
6.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 28, 2025, 13:56
Jan 28, 2025, 13:56
 
I can see how that would mess with your mind!

But the explanation is simple, the GT had the 1.8L Mazda BP engine in it, the same engine that was in the Miata. So almost all the speed parts for the Miata were straight bolt-ons to the Escort. It was a tough little engine and could readily take a beating. It handled turbocharging quite nicely and the manual transmission was stout as well. Front shafts were a little weaker but they were mechanically simple to swap out to something a little beefier to handle the increased horsepower and torque.

It really was a sleeper platform that most people ignored because they saw it simply as a disposable econobox. But Ford gave someone an amazing platform to mod if they were inclined. Everything was there from the factory.

Don't forget that, in Europe, the Escort went racing, too!
"Just take a look around you, what do you see? Pain, suffering, and misery." -Black Sabbath, Killing Yourself to Live.

“Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains” -Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Purveyor of cute, fuzzy, pink bunny slippers.
Avatar 21247
5.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 28, 2025, 13:05
Jivaro
 
5.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 28, 2025, 13:05
Jan 28, 2025, 13:05
 Jivaro
 
The idea of a Ford Escort being fast....that really messes with my mind...lol. My first car was a 1985 Ford Escort stationwagon. It died when the timing belt snapped and it threw a piston. Hood flew up, smoke in the car...17 year old Jivaro was pretty shocked. I ended up with a 1999 sedan model later in life by sheer coincedence. Very reliable, no timing belt problems. So easy to drive and park and very good mileage. Also boring. Ended up giving it to a niece for college.

This comment was edited on Jan 28, 2025, 16:15.
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4.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 28, 2025, 12:57
4.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 28, 2025, 12:57
Jan 28, 2025, 12:57
 
The Dodge Neon! That brings back some memories. An acquaintance had a brand new 1995 Expresso variant with a five speed that he wanted to have hot rodded. Ended up with 250 ponies that made that car wickedly fast for what it was. Handled very well, too, as I recall. He never could beat my very modded 1994 Escort GT that I had at the time. While I had a little less horsepower, I had more torque and could both out-break and out-handle him. We used to race on Spicewood Springs Road because, at the time, there was nothing out there but the road was very narrow, very twisty, and had a ton of elevation changes. A very challenging race to run but incredibly fun. Oh, and you splashed through a shallow creek that ran right over the top of the road. You'd hit that and steam would come billowing out from the wheel wells and from under the hood.

Protip: Don't do that frequently. Metal hates repeated, rapid thermal changes.
"Just take a look around you, what do you see? Pain, suffering, and misery." -Black Sabbath, Killing Yourself to Live.

“Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains” -Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Purveyor of cute, fuzzy, pink bunny slippers.
Avatar 21247
3.
 
Re: OotB: Retired
Jan 28, 2025, 12:34
Jivaro
 
3.
Re: OotB: Retired Jan 28, 2025, 12:34
Jan 28, 2025, 12:34
 Jivaro
 
Mine was zippy and it turned on a dime. Easy to park, easy to drive, good gas mileage. That said, mine was the basic of the most basic. It was that forest green color Dodge had on everything back then. I think the stereo was only a radio, no CD. It might have been the last car I owned without power windows. I bought the most stripped down version possible because I was starting over financially from ground zero at the time. My friends and family constantly gave me grief about it. (jokingly) I even rented a Lexus from a nearby Enterprise whenever I needed to do something "fancy". I look back on that bit and feel stupid, but I was young and vain and self-conscious while also working in a sales oriented industry. The car served me well for a few years and then I turned it over for a 2002 Eclipse convertible. Still my favorite car that I have owned ever. Another car my friends and family thought was crap...lol.

Yeah, I have some weird taste in cars apparently.

edit: I just looked up the S4T4...yeah, you were soooo much cooler then me...lol

This comment was edited on Jan 28, 2025, 12:51.
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