Year end wrap up 2024.

image source: Dreams time.com

I'm looking to go in a different direction for '25. (Haven't I heard this somewhere before?)

Primarily I plan to downsize my fleet. Besides the constant expense of insurance, registration, and routine maintenance, I just don't get to drive my current cars enough. A lot of the time, they just sit.

No, I'm serious this time!

 I didn't follow this advice.

My Wife likes old trucks as long as they are only decorations.
I don't think that she would enjoy a vintage truck ride to LA.

Instead I took the heavily traveled road. On a quick, down and back, two day drive.

Interstate 5 on the way to Los Angeles.

 Ride or Die.

The Boozefighters Hollister Ca. 1948
photo source: TEARA the encyclopedia of New Zealand.

This is a term that I have started becoming aware of lately. It's not a term that I'd ever heard of, or used in my own life, up 'til now. I picked up the meaning through context; it means someone that is completely loyal to you, and will always have your back. I would imagine/hope that this relationship goes both ways! 

I googled the meaning, just to be sure. Nothing worse than when some old guy starts using a popular slang term while not quite understanding the nuance of what it really means. That's just embarrassing.

 I just can't stay away from online used car lots.

2010 Lincoln MKS AWD
8,950.00

The MKS was one of the final sedans in the Lincoln line up. It was the largest model, their flagship. It was replaced for a short time by the new Continental. This MKS is a platform mate of the Taurus.

 More on more doors  

The face that only a Mother, or a Cadillac lover could love.

Has it come to this?

 More comparison shopping.

2013 Cadillac XTS 13,000.00

Because looking at cars is just fun.

This one caught my eye because of the nice color combo.

 Maybe I'm not really a Car Guy. Part Three?

I knew that I'd have to confront the issue someday.

 What is going on here?

Why do I like stuff like this?

 7,000 dollars.

This '41 Cadillac Series 60 sedan showed up recently on CraigsList. It is not that far from me, as it's located just south of Gilroy, about a one hour drive. This is a model that I have admired for a very long time. I had gone to look at a '40 LaSalle sedan earlier this Spring, and I thought that it would be a good idea to take a look at this car. These don't turn up that often, so I didn't want to miss the opportunity. 

 Getting the '96 Mustang ready for sale. Part two.

This was the long section of hose.

This process has been a bit unusual, because these events are happening almost in real time.

I started this job almost two weeks ago. I first posted about the repair last week. I had started the process at the beginning of the week that I posted.  The car has been up on jack stands all this time. A couple of days after I posted, I was still trying to install the passenger side upstream oxygen sensor. 

 Getting the '96 Mustang ready for possible sale.

The Mustang has been sitting on jack stands for a couple of days.

Or at least for next year's registration.

As I said earlier, the CEL lit up on the dash. However, the car seemed to run as good as it ever has. I continued to drive it until I swapped places with the '06 to put a new set of tires on it. The CEL went out on it's own before I made the switch.

 Thoughts after watching American Graffiti.

While I was out of town on a weekend get a way, I attended two automotive events, a Cars and Burgers, on Friday afternoon, and a fairly big car show on Saturday in Sonoma.

Later that Saturday afternoon I watched American Graffiti on DVD. 

I've seen this movie numerous times, but I still enjoy it. But this time I had a different take on it.

 More musical cars,

Around and around they go.

The End of Summer edition.

My Wife took off with a few friends for a multi day Girl's Trip in the Flex. This gave me an empty right half of the driveway.

 Most Hot Rodders are into more than just old cars.

Pat with his '47 Chevy parts car.

Who would have been surprised by that?

Pat Ganahl wrote an editorial on this subject, many years ago in March of 1978, when he was about to take over as the editor of Street Rod magazine.

 More comparison shopping; The 2018 Lincoln  MKZ.

This color really highlights the design.
Asking price is 11,460.00 with 128,000 miles.

What can I say, I like to look at cars.

First off, why couldn't they have given this thing a real name?

Well, it used to be called the Zephyr. 

 More comparison shopping.

The Cadillac name is something that still holds a lot of appeal for me. I've owned several vintage models and a couple of cars that were only a few years old when I purchased them. Vintage models still hold a lot of interest for me, though I know that they are quite large and require a lot of storage space. They are also very old fashioned in their driving dynamics and in their high fuel consumption. But they have that glamorous Fifties and Sixties style which can't be replicated. 

Thinking about automotive a/c Part Two.

This photo was taken during the Navigator re-test.

I had the a/c in my truck flushed and recharged, but I wasn't satisfied that there was a substantial improvement.

I felt that the a/c wasn't cooling enough, before the recharge, but I didn't have a base line measurement to compare it with after the service.

 Maybe I'm really not a car guy, Part Three

Iiit's baaack!

Chewing the same buffalo fat, over and over,... again.

I was at Barnes and Noble and was checking out the magazine racks, though I seldom buy any magazines anymore.

As I was searching the titles, I encountered a guy and we began a conversation about cars. 

 Thinking about automotive air conditioning. Part One.

The old fashioned "hang on" swamp cooler. This one looks pretty spiffy!
photo from web.

To be more specific, thinking about the a/c in my vehicles.

The hottest days of Summer are here, and it is now that you'll focus on how effective your cars a/c system is working. What seemed adequate in 80 degree weather isn't cutting it at temperatures of over 100 degrees!

 "Vintage Lite." Part One.

Tastes Great, Less Filling!

A new approach, or just a return to my regular old ways? 

Back in the Good Old Days I never would have thought of buying some used up, thrashed, old car as a "project." 

 An ongoing Great Garage Massacre?

It won't be quite like this!
photo source CarMax.com

I'm going to be moving forward with the premise that all of my hobby cars are for sale.

If I locate an interested buyer, then I can decide whether or not I will actually sell one.  So my initial prices will be a little higher. But not so high as to scare off a prospective buyer. 

This seems to be a reasonable strategy.

 Fixing the loose driver's armrest/door pull on my F150.

You can see the gap that opens up when I pull
on the armrest/door pull.

The driver's armrest/door pull of my F150 was loose at the front. As you can see, a gap opens up when I pull on it. Something had broken or come loose inside the door panel. I didn't want to break the remaining portion of the arm rest. I had put off the job for several months. just being careful when closing the door. Finally I decided to do something about it. I checked out a couple of videos on how to remove the door panel. This job calls for some very small sockets or nut drivers. 10 mm will be the biggest size needed. 

 The Avenue of Broken Dreams.

There's a lot of heartbreak parked around this shop.

Or perhaps it should be called, the Avenue of broken down cars!

I have never seen so many Lamborghinis in one place.

 Comparison shopping.

The size difference is quite apparent in this photo.

 Fixing my truck's rear brakes.

How hard could it be to install these?

It should have been easier! 

I don't drive my truck very much anymore. I actually only use it one day a week, adding approx. 60 miles a week. So I haven't paid as much attention to it as I should. I have replaced the front brake pads once before, then I had a shop redo the brakes and rotors. I have replaced the rear pads sometime in the past, but I can't recollect exactly when. I started to notice a funny sound coming from the rear axle when I applied the brakes. But it wasn't the squeal that I usually associate with worn brakes. I kind of ignored it until the noise became constant and somewhat worrying. 

 A torrent of of hobby car expenses are beating me over the head!

image source:Food Safety news

Chicken Little exclaimed that the sky was falling, maybe she was right!

First off, my '96 Mustang needed a new battery. That set me back 200.00

 So who, exactly, are we keeping our cars for?

If you've got a set up like this, then you
probably don't have any worries.
photo source: Robb Report

Have you ever given that any thought?

Whether or not they are valuable, or just an albatross around our neck, who will take them when we "shuffle off our mortal coil?"

Is this too depressing a thought to discuss? 

Thoughts while driving home in the "family" car after checking out an interesting or "cool" car.

Comfortable, useful, and practical.
But I think that it's at least a little cool.

What do car guys mean when they say that they want to drive something cool? If you ask any car guy about what he wants, he'll usually say, something that is cool. But what does that mean? Most people just want a "good" car that fills their transportation needs. "Good" usually means one they purchased new, or a low mileage late model, with payments they can afford to make comfortably.

 It seems like there has been a lot more focus lately on the musings and ramblings part of my blog description,

Not a Bit O' Honey, just a bit o' this and that. A lot of talking, instead of doing stuff to, or with my cars.

 Salvaging a manual seat track for my '06 Mustang.

The seat was beat, but the track is gold,

As well as a "work around" for a non functioning power seat.

These manual seat tracks are quite rare.

Now, I've got two squirreled away! 

 My experience with fuel mileage.

I've made the trip to Depoe Bay in the Flex twice.

This has been an area that I hadn't paid that much attention too. Primarily because it hasn't been an important consideration. For many years I rode a motorcycle for half of my commuting and errand running needs, and I only had a 20 mile round trip commute for over 30 years. Fuel economy really didn't concern me. Though I had many younger co-workers that had commutes of fifty to 75 miles, one way! 

 So when should you quit working on cars?

More hands on work. Should I quit doing this stuff?

Or maybe, "when should you at least, reduce the workload? "

Kind of a tough question.

 I posted several years ago that my Daughter had moved far away from home.

Left front tire. This is the worst one. But it's not down to the cord... yet. 

That meant that her car was also a long way from home.

She now lives much closer, and visits us more often.

This is what happens when you don't keep an eye on the condition of the tires. They do have to be rotated on a set schedule. 

 I started to work on the Riviera's driver's window.

The door pull is the sturdiest mounting part of the door panel.

Ventilation is pretty good with both windows down. Just like in the Old Days. Two at 65!

I was surprised when the window quit working during my Mendocino trip. It was cold that day near the coast, and the heater isn't working correctly at the moment. 

 Kit Cars: The evergreen VW floor pan and it's brush with greatness. Part Two.

This is a Blower Bentley replica.
It's the only one that I've ever seen.

 "Would you like to see something from our more affordably priced line?"   

 Maybe you can't go home again,

Mendocino waits for my return.
photo source: the web

But you can pass by the old neighborhood, drive through it, and reminisce.

This post is not the usual blah, blah, blah!

 Question of the Day?

On, those mysterious and desirable vintage cars.
photo source: filmnoir.net

How does an antique car fit in Today? For my "lifestyle?" That's what any potential buyer has to decide for themselves. And those are the hard questions that I'm asking myself. After all, If I really want a certain car I might have to let one or two go. 

 What will we do when we run out of old cars?

photo from web.

Hopefully not this!

Dream Motorcycle Builds. Part One. Exploring my board tracker fantasy.    

This Cyclone provides the template.

All serious car and motorcycle guys have them. They are the stuff of our imaginations. They are what we occupy our idle time musing about. Most will probably never get built, though some may.

 Thinking about Excaliburs,

Can a replica "be" the real thing?

and other "Neo Classic" kit cars.

I recently came across an Excalibur offered for sale on CL.  There was a link from the AACA forum, "Cars for sale. Not mine." This is a 1968 model offered at 25,000 dollars.

 Trying to slip a cover over an enormous egg.

Not this one.

But I read and enjoyed this book as a kid. 

Now I've got my own enormous egg.

The death of the sedan, what does that really mean?

"Death of an Era" 1980
Artist: Dustin Shuler, photo from the web.

It may not be extinct, but like the bison, they will be less likely to be seen in the wild.

 I told my Wife that I might like to get a "real" old car.

Here's a '40 LaSalle, the price has been lowered to 10,000.00
Not free, but good.

Her response was pretty much what I anticipated.

Not to say that she is wrong.   

 Giving myself a treat. Part Two.

A big pile o' cash!
image from the web.

So, would I really buy a 70,000 dollar car if I had the money? 

Musical Cars.

Covering or uncovering the Navigator reminds me
 of tenting a house for termites! That's a lot of canvas to move around!

Moving the cars around so that I can gain access to ones that I have parked in the garage. 

 Electronics, Electrical, and Body computers.

Reddy Kilowatt don't play. Putting the "kill" in kilowatt!.

Oh my!

It seems that '90's cars are smack dab in the middle of potential serious problem status. 

 A couple of weeks ago I gave myself a real treat! Part One. 

It wasn't this nice, but it had a lot of cars.

I visited the Lincoln dealer in Livermore.

Was I actually in the market for a new Lincoln?

 Responsibility shows it face,

and asks questions that need to be answered. Just look into the back up camera!

 How do people hold onto a car for so long?

Sitting side by side in a graveled drive. 
Not the best path to longevity.

Notice: The photos that are displayed here are not intended as a judgement, criticism, or to ridicule the car or the owner. They are just for illustration purposes. The photos were taken from current for sale postings on CL and on the AACA forum. Some of these cars look, and are, a bit rough. But I saved the pictures because they are all cars that I wouldn't mind owning. 

Route 66. What is it all about?

Michael Wallis wrote this book which
renewed interest in the highway.

(This post was found as an old wrinkled draft tucked away in my digital desk drawer. I smoothed it out and added a bit more material.)

 When traveling by vintage car, "Is it practical to carry a load of spare parts and tools with you?" 

Don't take this with you.
photo source: visatcreate

Back in the Day, when many of us drove breakdown prone, old beaters, it might have made sense.