The REAL Reasons We're Getting Kicked

[Charlie Self]

Wes Stewart notes:

Oh, man. More memories. Those wide oval tires in '68, '69. Lasted at least 9000 miles if you didn't spin. But did improve the handling. Had a Barracuda 340S, one of the first off the line, in '68. I was still suffering whatever it is that makes you occasionally drift up on the Northway and lay into that sumbitch. First time my first wife hit 100 mph I was driving that and it matched my best from the '50s, too, at about 135 mph (indicated: probably more like 115). Sucker floated like crazy at 90 mph and up, and needed two aircraft carrier lengths to stop. Actually, to slow down, because those all 'round drum brakes were GONE after one modestly fast 125 to 50 slowdown. It was all gearbox and hope after that for at least 30 minutes. Which was the reason for heading for the Northway. Interstates are handy, especially back then at 3 a.m.

Charlie Self "We're 269 days from the election, and that's several political lifetimes." TERRY HOLT, Bush campaign spokesman.

[skeezics]

um you may have that backwards. when gas goes through the roof so will auto sales. everyone with a guzzler will be trying to get something smaller to save money and the suv's will be cheep as dirt because nobody wants em. the same thing happened in the 80's when gas went over a dollar a gallon and we had rationing. the automotive industry will get a boom and the oil industry will take a large hit. then the prices will fall on gas again and we will be back to suv ville once again. this has already happened twice in my lifetime and i suspect it will happen again and again untill there is no more oil. by then there will be some other fuel to take its place. skeez

[skeezics]

aint it the truth. skeez

[GeeDubb]

I've been waiting for the Ford Escape hybrid suv. It was supposed to come out this year but I believe they backed it into 2005. But I still need a pickup for hauling. I haven't seen any of the auto manufacturers talking about making hybrid pickups. Gary

[Larry Jaques]

On Sat, 7 Feb 2004 13:45:15 -0500, "Norman D. Crow" brought forth from the murky depths:

Ah, gotcha. But I understand that the vehicle inspection system there is not quite immune to graft, either. One can either pay the mechanics or the inspectors to keep their cars on the roads.

I'm sure that tor torquiest old motor I've ever had was that AMC 390. My '70 Phil Donohue Special Javelin put out

375hp and 420 ft lbs of torque before I rebuilt it with a mildly spicier cam. It probably hit 425hp and more torque after that. What a fun car to drive THAT was!

Probably, but "they say" that you can run the Tritons without water through the desert all the way to Vegas without hurting it.

- The only reason I would take up exercising is ||

so that I could hear heavy breathing again. || Programmed Websites

[Norman D. Crow]

Ayup!

Anything that size in a car that size could be fun! I think the *hairiest* I ever had was my '64 Ford Sprint convertible with

260 2bbl. and old T10 4 spd. Unless the rear tires were in pretty good shape, you could snap the rear end loose on damp pavement @ 35 in 4th just by tapping the throttle a little too hard.

Well, all I've got to say is that "they say" ranks right up there with "opinions" and "free advice"(You know, everybody has one, and it's worth what you pay for it).

[Larry Jaques]

On Sun, 8 Feb 2004 00:00:57 -0500, "Norman D. Crow" brought forth from the murky depths:

[my Javelin]

I had a Borg T10 in the Jav, too. Great and bulletproof tranny. the rear end sounds like Mom's 64-1/2 Mustang dad and I restored. It was a fun car in a 4-wheel drift only when you put it there. 'Twer a goosey little cah, but with the top down, girls JUMPED in.

This was straight out of Ford's brochure; the "tout the Triton" page.

- The only reason I would take up exercising is ||

so that I could hear heavy breathing again. || Programmed Websites

[patrick mitchel]

Phil?????? Phil raced??? Did Mark have a brother I'm unaware of? By the way, I saw a televison program called "autoline detroit" on speedvision that had an interview with a bunch of Ford execs detailing the latest eye candy that will be rolling into showrooms near you and was surprised at the statement one uttered . He was worried that there would be no one to buy the cars/trucks because of the pace of offshoring....

[Larry Jaques]

On Sun, 8 Feb 2004 08:22:17 -0800, "patrick mitchel" brought forth from the murky depths:

Oops, 'twas his other brother Mark. (My old car'll never forgive me for that one.)

Hey, they ARE paying attention, aren't they?

- The only reason I would take up exercising is ||

so that I could hear heavy breathing again. || Programmed Websites

[Charlie Self]

Larry Jaques responds:

Really OOOPS! Long years ago (I think in '71), I was a member of the International Motorpress Association. We had a press meeting at Lime Rock (CT) one year, with Mark Donohue in attendance. I got him to give me a demonstration ride in a full load 'Vette around the course. He told me we didn't need helmets, as we wouldn't be running race speeds. True. Later, I took the same 'Vette, same course, about 40 mph slower through one of the corners (wearing my helmet). Could NOT get through that corner without doing a loop. Spun out several times.

He was a nice guy. That was not a nice car, but it was a CAR! Stomp on that sucker at maybe 35-40 mph in top gear and spin out like crazy, even with the widest, stickiest tires then available.

Charlie Self "Everything has its limit - iron ore cannot be educated into gold." Mark Twain

[Larry Blanchard]

When I lived up north of Chicago on the "Chain of Lakes", a winter sport was to get your car up to top speed on the ice, crank the wheel, and slam on the brakes! Now THAT was a spinout :-).

[Charlie Self]

Larry Blanchard responds:

We used to wait for the parking lots to freeze solid at the then'new shopping malls and do loops between the lamp posts. Also used to ice race motorcycles. A great way to spend a lot of time sliding along on your butt watching your bike slide even faster (you hope: high side that sucker and it stomps the crap out of you). I lived in Albany, NY then, and was a lot younger than I even thought I was.

But that 'Vette was more impressive, spinning out like that on a dry road with good tires.

Charlie Self "Everything has its limit - iron ore cannot be educated into gold." Mark Twain

[Charlie Self]

charliediy noted:

But the point I lost along the way was Mark Donohue. He motored along "well under race speeds" and when stressed my tail off later to get within 35-40 miles of the same speed in a corner, I simply spun out. And I really wasn't that bad a driver, though never as good as I thought I was. If you ever get a chance, ride with somone who is truly world-class. It is an eye-opener and a large step in your education.

Charlie Self "Everything has its limit - iron ore cannot be educated into gold." Mark Twain

[Renata]

Just saw on the news yesterday that in the DC area, gas has hit $1.64/gal for regular. up 9 cents in 2 weeks and 15 cents since January.

May not take til summer...

Renata

-snip-

[Renata]

Oh goody - then I can buy meself a truck!

Renata

[Charlie Self]

Real life strikes again. It's currently from $1.67 to $1.74 here in WV on the OH border. Cheaper in VA, as usual. Friends out west talk routinely about $1.84 a gallon when it's $1.54 here.

Charlie Self "Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin - it's the triumphant twang of a bedspring." S. J. Perelman

[Joe Willmann]

Renata wrote in news: [e-mail]:

$1.72 for regular here in Portlan Or.

[Kai Seymour]

No, its OT moron trolls.

[Doug Winterburn]

The reason there is a big difference in the price of gasoline from state to state and even city to city is here:

appears to be a 24 cent/gallon difference from lowest to highest rates.

[Glen]

That can't be the whole reason. California prices, from what I hear, are the highest nationwide. Where I am located (desert area) to where I work (LA area) the price has ben fairly constant the past several weeks at $2.10-$2-20. The DC tax is higher than the CA tax, thus the price should be higher there than here. Unless it's a supply thing. All the politicians producing a lot of their own gas. ;-) )

Glen