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.

I was a man on a mission, I found something for sale on CraigsList that I really wanted, and I was determined to buy it. 

I had been looking for it on my local CL for some time, but had been unsuccessful. LA area is a bigger place than the Bay Area, so why not look there? 

This trip called for a big load space, so the truck was the vehicle best suited for the trip. I hadn't been down to the LA area in my truck since I bought the '06 Mustang and towed it back. Most of my truck driving has been local, around the Bay Area.

It's been running fine, though on that last trip south I was a bit concerned over the health of the transmission. Especially since I had just had the transmission rebuilt on the '07 Mustang. However, I haven't had any indications of potential problems so I felt confident using it. I just checked the fluids, and topped them up. Luckily I fixed the rear brakes last Summer. Now it stops like velvet. The tires are nearing replacement time but there was still enough tread to make me feel secure, barring a monsoon! The truck is getting old, it's 17 years old, and I really should change out the belts and hoses. Maybe next year. I just gave them a visual check and they looked fine, no seepage visible on the hose connections. The serpentine belt didn't even have any minute cracks. 

I have done the LA and back, no layover, banzai drives before, but as I get older I don't relish driving all night, if I don't have too. I don't see in the dark as well as I used to.  I knew that the weather was going to be good, with no rain. That was a good sign. I also have to be careful about causing eyestrain by spending a lot of time reading on the computer before driving at night. I use Walmart reading glasses, but I think that next year I'm going to the eye doctor and get a custom set of reading glasses made up. 

My Wife was going to accompany me on the trip, so she booked us a layover in Solvang. 

I had been communicating with the seller since before Thanksgiving, and arranged a meeting for the first week of December. He seemed to be a very nice and helpful guy, but I was hoping that he wouldn't sell the item before I could get down there! 

Although I don't prefer driving on I-5, primarily because it's so boring, it is the fastest route. The meeting with the seller was to take place after 12:00, so I figured on an early start. I would like to hit the road by 6:00 am, and we did mange to make it by 6:30, a pretty good start.

We ran into some fog crossing the Pacheco Pass on 152 and I became concerned that we would be engulfed in Tule fog on the trip down. I've driven in that stuff and it's no fun and can be very dangerous. Luckily it lightened up once we were driving south on I-5. 

I like to say that I seek a Zen like harmony with the road and traffic conditions while on long drives, and I was able to do that on this trip. Most of the way the speed limit was 70 mph. and I didn't go any faster than that. If a trip is going to take six hours, why rush and blast down there at 85 mph? You might be able to save maybe twenty to thirty minutes. I'll admit that I'd done that many times in the past. Now, I'd rather cruise and relax.

Besides, that's how you get the best gas mileage. 

photos source;kidcas

It might not be the "promised land" but I was glad to get there.

The seller lived only a couple of miles off the 405 freeway in West LA. Having worked in LA, and lived in the area for a few years, I have a familiarity and good feeling about the area. We made the meeting right as I anticipated at 12:15. After the deal was made, we headed for US101 for the trip home. This was where my Wife was going to get what she wanted out of this trip. She wanted to check out various stores on the way back. The first stop was the Camarillo Costco where I filled up the truck. We had covered 390 miles and after gassing up I calculated the fuel economy was 19.55 mpg. That's about as good as it gets, and shows that the truck is in fine tune. 

Then we stopped at the Cracker Barrel gift store where my Wife found a couple of things that she wanted. Right across the parking lot was a Pottery Barn outlet store, so that was her next stop.

The weather was beautiful, clear and warm. Typical December weather in the middle Coast. After that we continued on to Solvang where we would spend the night. 

I've spent a LOT of time waiting in these parking lots!

The next day we stopped at an antique store in Orcutt, then on to the Hobby Lobby in Santa Maria. Hobby Lobby would be the destination in San Luis Obispo, and finally in Morgan Hill. I probably spent three or four hours waiting outside of stores that day, but I didn't mind, I was enjoying the drive and I had obtained my prize. Besides, when I volunteer to take my Wife someplace, I never try to hurry her up, I want her to take her time and enjoy herself. She always does her part in planning the lay overs.

The truck ran fine and was comfortable, but I sometimes wish that it had cruise control, The door ajar sensor in the door started acting up again, sounding the chime and lighting the message in the odometer read out screen. It was annoying, but finally it stopped chiming and just lit up the message continually. Oh well, the important thing is that the truck ran fine and that we had an uneventful trip. 

What was I so fired up about buying that I was willing to drive over 750 miles to get it?  I'll share that in a future post. 

 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.

The internet stated that it comes from an old '50's biker saying. That a true rider would only stop riding at their death. Also that they would die if they were forced to stop. According to this source it was picked  up by hip hop culture and entered mainstream usage by that channel. 

Not a Booze Fighter, but I did my share of riding.

I was heavily into bikes in the mid 1970's, not only owning and riding, but also reading many different motorcycle magazines. Straight John mags like Cycle World and Cycle, more off beat mags like Street chopper, even more off beat mags like Big Bike, Choppers and finally a decades plus subscription to Easy Riders. Which was as hardcore biker as it got.

I don't recall ever hearing that term. Our saying was; Ride to live, Live to ride. I even wrote that on the back of my helmet when I was in high school. 

Whatever, culture is ever changing, especially popular culture.

What does any of this have to do with the old car hobby as interpreted by yours truly?

It all seemed easier back then, it was all looking forward.

I got to thinking, my bikes were my main transportation back then. Not only that, they were an important part of my self perceived identity. They exemplified my personality. I really identified with them.

So what about my four wheeled machines, has there been one that I would say was me?

I get the feeling that the last time that I felt that way about a car, was with my '66 Buick Riviera. I drove that car everywhere, all the time. It may not have been pristine, but I loved it anyway. 

A rough beauty.

Fast forward to today, and what do I own now that generates those same kind of feelings?

Can I still even harbor any feelings like that? Now that I'm an old man, I don't really care about "things" that way anymore. There have been a lot of cars that I've owned, that have gone down the road. I even cut myself off completely from motorcycles and riding. That was hard for some of my family and friends to accept and believe. 

Sometimes, just to kill time, I will start at the beginning of the CraigsList car listings and just scroll through them from the first page. Not using any filters or searches. Just going through each page. 

Why would I do that?

I'm looking to see if anything jumps out at me and grabs my eye. Grabs my attention, and especially my imagination. 

Most of the vehicles listed are just mundane generic stuff. Toyotas, Kias, Hondas, Chevys and Fords. European luxury and sporty cars roll by under my gaze, but I seldom click on them to check them out further. I've been down that road before, and I'm not going back. Who needs the heartbreak?

Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers, Chargers and even Corvettes. High performance stuff doesn't get my attention anymore.

There are always some vintage projects that require a closer scrutiny before I dismiss the idea!

Do I currently own something that I could consider as my "ride or die?"

Oddly enough, it may be the vehicle that I have owned the longest, and the one that I even bought brand new.

My '07 F150 has always been one of my favorite machines. 

It's not a fancy model, it doesn't even have a V8 engine. But it has what I wanted then, and is still very useful to me. It's a long bed, I just never wanted a short bed truck, what's the use of that?

It's a standard cab, but the standard wasn't ordinary that year. The access cab has little clam shell doors that open to an 18 in. inside storage area. That has made it even more useful. It has a split bench with a big fold down arm rest. Those seats are so comfortable, they remind me of the seats in my '70 Coupe de Ville. 

It's the lowest trim and equipment package, an XL  work truck, but that's exactly what I wanted. Rubber floor mats and hand crank windows. A V6 engine.

The truck is quiet, rides and handles really great, The V6 has adequate performance and can even return 20 mpg. with careful driving. Under normal driving conditions I never feel that I'm suffering any penalty. I lucked out and found a green work truck. Most are white, but this shipment had a red, blue, and especially my Forest Green truck. The dark gray bumpers, black grille and light gray interior, make it look like a more expensive model. The color scheme really flatters this truck. It really was love at first sight.

I liked it when I bought it, and 17 years later, I still like it and drive it with pride. I might be surrounded by shiny new, dolled up, crew cab luxury trucks, and big Ford Super Duty F250s, 2500 Silverados, and 3/4 ton Rams, but that doesn't matter to me at all. This my truck, and it's all that I need and want. 

My truck and I have shared some road adventures.

The second candidate would have to be my '96 Mustang. It's funny that a car that I initially "settled for" won me over and became a favorite. That's why I still own it almost fifteen years later! At one time, I said that if I had to settle for only owning one hobby car, if it was my Mustang, then I could be satisfied.  

It looks even better to me after 14 years of ownership.

Of course, I couldn't keep that promise, and there have been many cars that have come and gone in those almost fifteen years! But the Mustang is still here, and again, I really enjoy driving it. Yeah, it's not that fast, and there are lots of regular family cars that are quicker. But it is fast enough, handles well, and is still fun and relaxing to drive. While it is not a model that is vaunted by enthusiasts, like the earlier 94 and '95 GTs which carried the 5.0 Windsor motor, it doesn't matter, That Mustang is my car.

It's a good feeling to own something that you really enjoy and appreciate. Maybe it's a bad habit to constantly peruse CL, looking to see if anything catches my eyes. Will this make me dissatisfied with these two vehicles? 

Maybe, but I just don't find many other vehicles that compelling. As much as I talk about getting an old car, I just can't get that excited about it. I have owned quite a few older cars through the 70's, 80's, and even up to the 1990's. Kind of been there, done that. I won't completely dismiss the idea, but I would have to simplify my situation before that can happen.

Who knows? The new year is rapidly approaching, and I have given everything about my involvement in the car hobby a lot of thought. The question is; "Will I actually make any changes?"

 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.

I'll have to admit that I wasn't too impressed by it's styling when it debuted. The front end was okay, but it had a very high belt line with a prominent boot. It's a flowing design with a long hood and short deck, but it looks kind of tall. I had checked one out on a car lot in Hayward. I'd gone there to look at a Cadillac XTS. I came away with a much better impression of the XTS.

Parked a couple of  cars away was a white MKS. I knew what it was, though it seems like the MKZ has been a much more common sight. The interior was a combo of black, and a weird black brown leather. I didn't find the interior to be a pleasant color scheme, even by itself. Paired with the white exterior it was less than impressive. 

That's a tall rear end!
The horizontal chrome bar helps, and it does have a nice set of dual exhaust.

The roof line is similar to a fastback, but the way the belt line curves up results in a heavy looking C pillar and quarter panel. Especially since there is not a little triangular window behind the door. The view from directly behind displays a high, somewhat blocky rear deck. The tail lights didn't do anything to improve the appearance in my initial accessment.

I would add a nice double pinstripe along the side,
just above the door handles,

Looking through CL recently, I came across this black specimen. In black, the car started to look better to me. When I looked at the black interior I was even more impressed. I had gone to see a MKZ at another lot in Hayward. The interior of the MKZ was very similar to the MKC that I had test driven in Santa Rosa. It's more modern looking in design and it has the dash mounted transmission control buttons. 

You can call this old fashioned, I'd say that it's more traditional.

The MKS has an interior that reminds me more of my Navigator. This MKS is a 2010 model, so that makes sense. It is a more squared off, straight lined dash design, with a shift lever in the console and a steering wheel hub that is similar to the shield shaped design of my Navigator. This particular car has built in navigation and a big moon roof. That's pretty much all the high tech stuff that I want.

It has a nice big sunroof, a real plus.

The black leather interior looks high quality, and the wood inserts are integrated into the dash and door panels. I have said that I had sworn off black interiors, but I find myself liking this one quite a bit. I had also sworn off black cars, but this car looks pretty good in black, this is probably the best color for it.

The reflection line on the rear quarter is where the pinstripe 
would go.

The exterior is kind of a mixed bag. I like the hood and grille. The upswept belt line results in a modern interpretation of the formal roof. That's not very common. Most cars like the Cadillac and the MKZ have a small triangular widow behind the door. Later model Lincolns come with some very nice wheels, I don'r see any need to upgrade to an aftermarket design.

This car has a "face" that has grown on me over time.

This particular car is powered by a V6 engine. If it's anything like the motor in my Flex, I would imagine that it would have plenty of power. I would also imagine that fuel economy would be similar. The Eco Boost concept hadn't yet been adopted. This car also has AWD, something that I've been curious about. Yes, I'm keeping in mind that the engine has the notorious "water pump in the motor," but the mileage is fairly low at 102,000. So it might hopefully be quite a while before that issue presents itself.

I am kind of curious about the turbo four, especially in regards to fuel economy. This car is rated at 16 City/23 highway, that's okay, but it's below the 21/31 of the MKZ. The MKC lands in the middle, with 29 mpg. highway estimates. 

I have driven an MKC and I liked it, though the power delivery isn't quite as smooth as a V6, it was still very pleasant.

I  find it kind of find it funny that I'm starting to consider cars that I used to reject completely out of hand. But that's what happens when you decide to move up to newer models, this is all that there is. I can't muster up too much enthusiasm for vintage cars at this point, and those prices! They just don't seem worth it to me.  

One of the nice things bout looking at later model cars is that there is a lot of them available, and their prices go down as they age. The trick is to find the right car in the right condition and mileage, at the right price.

Truthfully, that's the fun part.

I hope that everyone had a nice FriendsGiving, or Thanksgiving, and will have a happy Holiday season.