Good morning!!!!

[Popgadget]

I believe the slowest modern vehicles were the diesel Golf/Rabbit back in the 80's. 54 hp. Similarly slow was the Suzuki Samarai....people actually pay money still for the Samarai's, because they are like a street legal ATV....barely. Turn off the A/C if you need to go up a hill or pass someone doing 45mph.

I had a diesel Rabbit, and it was the slowest vehicle ever had until I acquired a Grumman KubVan, which has a diesel Rabbit drivetrain with an automatic transmission. It’s a cool vehicle, I still have it, but it’s sets a new standard for slow.

 

[Popgadget]

Good Morning.
It’s 70 here and only going to 80 or so with rain and thunderstorms. Some welcome relief from yesterday’s 95 with a 101 THW index.

Yesterday was a wonderful time. 3 generations in the cockpit.

We had a nice lunch on the way home from the airport, just a great time overall.
Considering the forecast, I hooked up the mower to the tractor and mowed before the next 3 or 4 days of rain. The AC really earned its keep and kept the cab cool. I always mow with the Lazer first and then follow with the 16 foot Progressive, but this time I used the big mower first, and ended up with a lot less for the Lazer to do around the house. I did get on the Lazer and do all the trimming and tight areas, but I think that it went faster do do what I could with the big mower and then clean up with the Lazer.
I even got to the shop and did a token amount of wood work. I’m hoping to get a lot done in there today.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Good Morning!!!! 69F @ 4:30AM. Sunny. High 98F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.

Pretty sure the 3500 pound Vanagon camper a friend of mine drove back in the '80s had a 1.6 L, 49 bhp, naturally aspirated diesel in it. The three of us that rode mountain bikes together would load up on a Sunday morning, almost dreading the behavior that the lack of performance would inspire in the van's Type A driver. I remember one incident where he was trying to reach a freeway off ramp and almost got sideswiped by someone passing on the right. It was almost like he was trying to force the Mercedes Benz luxury car off the road.

Yesterday was an up and down day. Up when I was able to get the Echo string trimmer running after soaking in Chevron Techron overnight, and up again when the Echo backpack blower came to life, too. Maybe it was the Stabil in the E0 sitting overnight in it?

Then between the satellite internet crapping out multiple times and losing a hard disc drive in the storage array, it was a busy job trying to figure out what was going on, wasting a lot of time. The old drive had been in continuous use for five years, I'd bought a spare along with the other five, and the array's software eventually rebuilt the RAID and I didn't lose any data. But now I wonder if I should proactively replace all the drives, perhaps with larger versions? And just now it started beeping again; wonder what it is this time? As far as the internet goes, still no word from Starlink, the only real fix available here.

Hope I can come home with the conduit and pipe for the water tank project today. Previous experience with plumbing projects have my expectations set rather low for getting everything needed in the first trip, but maybe I'm due for a miracle?

Hang in there, folks, Friday's comin'!

 

[txdon]

Good morning! 71 heading to the mid 90s. Went to mom’s yesterday to do a few things for her and see what damage the windstorm did a few weeks ago. Too hot to tackle the jobs in July or August might just bid it out on the newer barn only.

Good pics Ron and Popgadget.

 

[RoyJackson]

I truly have one car I should have put in storage. I was 23 years old, living in Annandale VA commuting to Alexandria working for Travelers Insurance, and I bought
the boss's son's 1964 Porsche SC bathtub white coupe for $3500. Black leather interior with beautiful steering wheel and a rather rubbery manual
on the floor. But not as rubbery as bug. Nicer wood shift knob too. After the clutch cable broke and left me stranded sitting up on top of the concrete barrier with both sides of
the Beltway whizzing past me, I decided I needed a new reliable car. Sold the car for what I paid for it.
As you might imagine, this is a six figure car now. Numbers matching non molested SC model with larger engine. Like an S model today.

I drove that in several gymkhanas at a few events, not overly hard, back end on that would swing out in a heartbeat if you lost traction.
But up to the grip of the 165-14 tires I had just put on, some Swedish brand, that car went plenty fast for me with no experience.
It was a crowd favorite, and I never scratched it thankfully. Well....my nose is growing longer, seems I remember when that rear end kicked out on an offramp in the rain and I spun that car
360 in confines of ramp, just kissed the back bumper for a tiny scratch which I promptly repainted, and with heart thumping I went on.
Like many of these older cars particularly with swing axles, Corvairs, etc you did great up to the limit but when you exceeded it
you were left with a very hard to control car. Nothing gradual about the experience at all.

Ahhhh...trailing throttle oversteer...I remember it well!!
Had a tricked out '77 911S for several years. This one was a Targa. If I ever bought another 911, it would be a coupe...much stiffer body

 

[newbury]

Kyle, my wife had a '78 Diesel Rabbit when we married...like you said, it was slow, but we could get 52mpg and cram all our stuff and a big dog in the back to go on trips.

Ah, memories.
I had a '78 or '79 Diesel Rabbit. On one trip from northern Vermont to DC I got 65MPG. It would routinely get 50+ mpg around town.

 

[Eric Salop]

A thick cool mist is proving slow to clear this morning. Wish I could share it with those of you who are feeling too much heat.

5/16th UNC bolts arrived in post this morning, they screw in perfectly. I bought a few 3/8" and 1/4" stainless bolts for the next time I am playing with spotting scopes, tripods and ball heads which still seem to make good use of quaint imperial threads worldwide on optical equipment.

RS, my wife just looked over my shoulder and saw your Zucchini pic.
She thought it was a pic I had just taken of the courgettes in her raised beds. If I hadn't said anything, she would be out there now with a hoe, trying to figure out where the emerging thistles had gone !

 

[kenmbz]

Morning all, warm and wet, 1/2" rain last night.
Went out to walk the dog at 9pm and it was windy enough that things were flying past us and the sky was lighting up.
Very short dog walk.
Built up 2 saw horses using metal brackets from Northern Tool and some scrap 2x4s. Brackets are just ok, about as expected. Now I have more places to work on projects.

Rich- sorry you had to deal with others messes, never fun
PJ-haven't used a bridgeport since my early 20's , I would probably just have made a mess
Nose of the bar Mostly. Got it freed up again, but not fun when it locks up while bucking
Ron-how do you get them frogs to pose!

Growing up we had 2 racetracks near me, and I remember a Gremlin with the 396 or a 401 engine was beating all the other stock cars at the track, good driver since I don't remember the Gremlin having a good suspension. Freeport Raceway was the closest, and Riverhead is still open.

Drew-my father has a Porsche replica bathtub convertible, he lives in San Diego where he can use it most of the year.
My 69 280 SL had swing axle rear. That could really wake you up in a fast turn. Did some road rally's with it. I miss that car.

Stay safe and be well.

This mornings bridge walk- Shad in the draft of the bridge. Those little turtles next to them are snappers to give you a size comparison. Too bad shad don't taste better.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

This round of mowing going to be the bane of my existence. Should be done, but NO, about hour left. Didn’t get started until late morning, giving time to dry from the rain.
Lots of wild life supervision, about 10 pigs, 2 very young, then a mom + 2, then a group of 5. Even some unknown dog that may have been on the scent of the mom +2 but he missed them.
So I’m just cruising my pattern, surveying, mentally thinking maybe another hour when I smell burning rubber. Look to my rear and my mower V belts are aflame. Even some sparks. Never seen that before. Immediately shut down PTO, stopped tractor and jumped off. Flames running up both sides of lower pulley. Of course this is a set of brand new B39 belts I had just put on this morning. Luckily, I was able to snuff out with my leather gloves.
View attachment 704311
If you look behind the lower sheave you can see the bolts from the shaft bearing are tight to the sheave, acting both as a break and spark generator.. mowing done, back to the shed.
Can’t really get a wrench on the bolt heads due to newly created metal lip. They will have to be replaced, as will the belts. Fortunately, I already had replacements on order. Tracking says Sat, but likely Tues given the holiday.
Was able to retighten bolts and can probably finish before the big repair. Suspect I will have to get new bolts at Fastenal.
Think I’ll also add a fire extinguisher to tractor.

Wow, that’s some excitement. Glad you got it out.
Saw there’s been a couple machinery fires nearby in the last couple days.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

yes, it was quite a drive but worth it.

My first experience with SCCA racing
Corvettes and Cobras were great to watch and listen to.

I took a safety (cough) driving course at summit point over 20 yrs ago. High speed, pit maneuvers, Jturns, bootlegs, ramming cars, drive the track as fast as we could from the passenger side. We also did a session after dark, with instructors ramming us from behind. Definitely the most fun course I ever took.

 

[Popgadget]

Here’s the KubVan
It’s a monocoque aluminum box with a VW rabbit drivetrain, front struts and steering rack. Has a Dasher rear axle and brakes on coil springs.
Originally designed as prototype EV for mail delivery, with a Prestolite electric motor and PWM speed control with a 4speed VW transaxle. When there were no buyers, they fitted the 1.6 NA rabbit diesel and auto trans and offered it commercially. There were less than 500 ever built. Mine is almost dead stock except for the 14” wheels. It was impossible to find decent 155-13 tires, so these are the same circumference, with a lower profile 14” tire.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Storms on way home last night, .12”. Now have .65” this morning

A little work this morning, then I’m off for a week.

Today is 5 yrs since mom died.

After last nights storm.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Thinking about the chainsaw bar nose trouble, Ken, some of them have a grease port. It's little more than a hole, and needs the needle type fitting in a grease gun. But if yours has it, it may explain why the bar oil isn't working.

 

[pennwalk]

It has been hot this week so I have been putting off mowing here at the house. Looked good this morning and the front yard was dry enough from last evenings rain. Got the John Deere out and about 5 min. later it started to spit big drops. I got it finished. Now it is raining steadily.

Had my first sweet corn from the farm stand. Very good. They had about 20 peaches on the table yesterday so I got 2. Not quite ripe yet. Tart Blueberrys and second variety of red raspberrys are coming from our garden. We love summer fruit.

Savor Summer

Chris

 

[toppop52]

I had a monza. Was an ok car for a college kid

I never had a Monza, but I had the Olds version, Starfire. 231 V6,4 speed. That wouldn’t do so my best friend and I installed a 400 Pontiac and Dana 44 rear end and bigger clutch in it. Had to modify a Pinto steering column to clear the headers. It was a bit quicker than stock.

 

[PJSprog]

71°F and rain this morning, going up to 82° today. Thought we were going to have rain all day today, but looks now like it'll be done with us by early afternoon.

Some very active boomers passed through yesterday evening. Dogs spent most of the time hiding in the bedroom.

Glad you caught the conflagration before it got out of hand, David.

I had a '78 Chevy Monza hatchback for awhile in the early '90s, BEF. It was my "divorce car." Got it right after my divorce, because I rode my BMW motorcycle pretty much year 'round, but needed something with four wheels for the snowy and icy Winter days. It was a beater that I think I paid $500 for. Only had it for about a year, and that car was nothing but trouble the whole time I had it.

A bunch of nice pics today, gents.

 

[toppop52]

some light rain overnight, about .18 but much more coming in today, tonight and tomorrow.
Stormy weather for sure. High in the 80's today

I agree on the Frontier, wish I still had this one, very rare LE with nice wheels and my favorite color.
Traded it for something bigger to haul weight, now this would have done fine.
I like the looks of the new one also but very competitive market; right now the current Frontier is high value, just older tech.

quiet morning, then off to meet friend for lunch in Doylestown and we then go look at Volvo suv's.

My brother in law’s is a medium gray colored four door with the larger aluminum wheels similar to those, leather, fancy electronics, adjustable load tie down package, trailer package and most other goodies. I used it a couple of times to tow the club trailer and it handled that fine, about three thousand pounds.

 

[MoKelly]

Read today that Ford is shutting down 6 plants in the US in July over the continuing lack of chips.

Ford said they were at approx. 50% production in the Second Quarter.

Some expert said the lack of chips is costing US car manufacturers $110 billion in lost sales in 2021. Ford said their profits will be down $2.5 billion this year due to lack of chips.

The car/truck shortage does not appear to be ending soon.

MoKelly

 

[kenmbz]

RNG- greased the bar nose as it has ports on both sides. All the Oregon ones for the chainsaw do. The pole saw bar does not. Nose still clogs up, but only with 20" bar, not the 18" ones.

Caught the squirrels up in the peach tree again-little thieves.
They also dug up some more flowers, looking for bulbs? Saved three, lost one. :-(

More baby rabbits, feeling that baby fox will get big fast.

I am so amazed at the different temperaments of wasps.
We have one type that will not even notice us, have a nest next to the faucet for the outside hose that does not even flinch when I go turn the spigot.
We have bald face, which will chase you, even not near the nest.
Yellow jackets, always fighting to get your food and will attack when you are near the nest.
Mud daubers-Won't bother you , seemingly ever.
Wasps that go in the rocks-very aggressive - get upset at any vibration near the nest and swarm.


4 day weekend starting tomorrow!

 

[LouNY]

I truly have one car I should have put in storage. I was 23 years old, living in Annandale VA commuting to Alexandria working for Travelers Insurance, and I bought
the boss's son's 1964 Porsche SC bathtub white coupe for $3500. Black leather interior with beautiful steering wheel and a rather rubbery manual
on the floor. But not as rubbery as bug. Nicer wood shift knob too. After the clutch cable broke and left me stranded sitting up on top of the concrete barrier with both sides of
the Beltway whizzing past me, I decided I needed a new reliable car. Sold the car for what I paid for it.
As you might imagine, this is a six figure car now. Numbers matching non molested SC model with larger engine. Like an S model today.

I drove that in several gymkhanas at a few events, not overly hard, back end on that would swing out in a heartbeat if you lost traction.
But up to the grip of the 165-14 tires I had just put on, some Swedish brand, that car went plenty fast for me with no experience.
It was a crowd favorite, and I never scratched it thankfully. Well....my nose is growing longer, seems I remember when that rear end kicked out on an offramp in the rain and I spun that car
360 in confines of ramp, just kissed the back bumper for a tiny scratch which I promptly repainted, and with heart thumping I went on.
Like many of these older cars particularly with swing axles, Corvairs, etc you did great up to the limit but when you exceeded it
you were left with a very hard to control car. Nothing gradual about the experience at all.

I had two cars with swing axles, both 63 Pontiacs a Tempest Hardtop and a Lemans convertible, both originally had the slant 4 Pontiac motor.
Then the Lemans got a 389 shoved into it.
They were both a handfull on the twisty roads around here and especially driving with the throttle on the dirt roads.