# Am I seeing things>??



## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

I just logged in and saw a gas price thread in the public forum. I clicked on it got a hang time on the load then locked up IE7. Reopened and now the thread is gone??? WTF What did I break??


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Dunno, but get rid of IE7, and update to IE8.... IE7 was a very short lived product and for good reason. 

Greg


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Jason; 

Apparantly it's gone. I looked at it briefly last night, and it was starting to get pretty political and heated. Perhaps it was removed for that reason. 

Yours, 
David Meashey


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I hope so, it started with a non-train topic and degenerated into name calling and politics. 

None of that stuff needs to be here. 

Greg


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

I called it within the first few hours!  
It was obvious from the start it would be locked or deleted.. 
I dont know why people even bother.. 

Scot


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

It's like a train wreck, though, you just can't look away. I said right off the bat I hate mixing politics with my trains, yet I posted a couple of times... 

Robert


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Bummer I liked that thread, not for any of the name calling or all that, but because it gave me an excuse to post a pic of my next car:










Oh darn I did it again, oh well ' ya'll just have to enjoy the view...


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

it started with a non-train topic and degenerated into name calling and politics. 
Darn, and I missed it !


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Ummm......a non train topic?







Oh right, politics! (Like there isn't enough of that everywhere you look...)


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Bummer I liked that thread, not for any of the name calling or all that, but because it gave me an excuse to post a pic of my next car: 


You should live so long as to see an Abarth anything in the U.S. Anyway, the guys on Top Gear (BBC, not the U.S. copy) said the Renault Twingo is better overall. Of course, we won't get to see them either. 

JackM


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

I deleted it early this morning. As usual, a warning was posted that people chose to ignore. By this morning it had degenerated to a point beyond hope of recovery. Name-calling and incivility have no place here.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Back to trains.

Unless you are running something like a Whitcomb, your trains should be running on diesel, coal, fuel oil, electricity, or wood. If you _are_ running a Whitcomb, or such, they use very little gas so this should not be an issue.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Vic,

You see this one? 









New 2012 VW beetle.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Wahhh??? Why its just a 2011 Beetle with a chop top! Certainly more aggresive looking which means that like when the BMW Z-3 went to the Z-4 shark, it will be more appealing to guys but that they lost the womens marketshare. Bug is still a very popular car with the gals, so was the Z-3 and the Miata, now only the Miata remains un-mansculinized.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By JackM on 10 Mar 2011 09:47 AM 
Bummer I liked that thread, not for any of the name calling or all that, but because it gave me an excuse to post a pic of my next car: 


You should live so long as to see an Abarth anything in the U.S. Anyway, the guys on Top Gear (BBC, not the U.S. copy) said the Renault Twingo is better overall. Of course, we won't get to see them either. 

JackM 

2012 Jack! , Fiat will bring the standard 500 in this year, with the Abarth version coming in 2012, just enough time for me to start saving my pennies. 

Yes I saw have that Top Gear epsiode, but remember the 500 Abarth made shepards pie out of the Twingo in a drag race, and since I really dont need to drive upsidedown in a tunnel, and especially since I have a better chance of running off to Cancun for a nasty weekend with Ann Hathaway than Renault has of being reimported to the US, I'll stick to the 500


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## Bill4373 (Jan 3, 2008)

You guys are cheap. a 1954 Oldsmobile just sold for $3,245,000. Only 3 models made and this was the only known survivor.

.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a better chance of running off to Cancun for a nasty weekend with Ann Hathaway

Oh...if I had a nickle for every one of those kinds of trips.... She still calls me and sends me texts, but I keep tellin her "Baby, please! I am not from Havana!"

Actually, the front views make it look more like the old beetle than the new bubble beetle. In any event, it remains a chick car.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Posted By vsmith on 10 Mar 2011 08:22 AM 
Bummer I liked that thread, not for any of the name calling or all that, but because it gave me an excuse to post a pic of my next car:
Oh darn I did it again, oh well ' ya'll just have to enjoy the view...










Those new Fiat 500's are very common here in Europe (although the Abarth version is still unique, the others are just Fiat Panda's with an other coach on it). But to be honest... you don't see many men driving it, it's considered to be a bit of a 'chicks car'... That's why you also see them in many "Barbie" colors like the ones below...










Personally, I liked the original version more... Double clutching!

Actually, those "retro" cars are far most driven by woman anyway. The New Mini is more a bloke's car, although on the edge. The New Beetle (with that standard plastic flower sticking out of the dashboard) is definitely a chicks car.. (but that chopped roof version looks great!).
Unfortunately (or wisely?) Citroen never did a rebuild of it's famous 2CV. A new version could have been a true hot-rod looking vehicle! 

I guess it's also somewhat Freud-like. Men always want big(ger) cars... The most popular small 'bloke car' in Europe is by far the VW Golf (types 1 to 6, depending your age) but there is one rule for driving those: always wear your cap backwards! Except for France off-course, you don't drive German cars in France ;-))))))


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Paulus on 10 Mar 2011 01:13 PM 
I guess it's also somewhat Freud-like. Men always want big(ger) cars... ;-))))))






I've always held that the old axium "Great big truck, little tiny...well, you know"







to be very true, which is why I drove a Suzuki Samurai for 10 years


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By Paulus on 10 Mar 2011 01:13 PM 
Posted By vsmith on 10 Mar 2011 08:22 AM 
Bummer I liked that thread, not for any of the name calling or all that, but because it gave me an excuse to post a pic of my next car:
Oh darn I did it again, oh well ' ya'll just have to enjoy the view...









Those new Fiat 500's are very common here in Europe (although the Abarth version is still unique, the others are just Fiat Panda's with an other coach on it). But to be honest... you don't see many men driving it, it's considered to be a bit of a 'chicks car'... That's why you also see them in many "Barbie" colors like the ones below...










Personally, I liked the original version more... Double clutching!

Actually, those "retro" cars are far most driven by woman anyway. The New Mini is more a bloke's car, although on the edge. The New Beetle (with that standard plastic flower sticking out of the dashboard) is definitely a chicks car.. (but that chopped roof version looks great!).
Unfortunately (or wisely?) Citroen never did a rebuild of it's famous 2CV. A new version could have been a true hot-rod looking vehicle! 

I guess it's also somewhat Freud-like. Men always want big(ger) cars... The most popular small 'bloke car' in Europe is by far the VW Golf (types 1 to 6, depending your age) but there is one rule for driving those: always wear your cap backwards! Except for France off-course, you don't drive German cars in France ;-))))))


Now those look like something Mik would drive....


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By vsmith on 10 Mar 2011 02:16 PM 
Posted By Paulus on 10 Mar 2011 01:13 PM 
I guess it's also somewhat Freud-like. Men always want big(ger) cars... ;-))))))






I've always held that the old axium "Great big truck, little tiny...well, you know"







to be very true, which is why I drove a Suzuki Samurai for 10 years








Hmmmmmmmmm...........................


A real mans car.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick I see those and all I can think is of is the Transformer toy. Seams to be shouting something about something. hmmmm what could it be???


Meanwhile I'm enjoying driving my very comfortable functionally built Bauhaus inspired rolling minimalist object d' art urban cruiser:



..and then theirs the weekend car:


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

2012 Jack! , Fiat will bring the standard 500 in this year, with the Abarth version coming in 2012, just enough time for me to start saving my pennies. 

I seem to have missed that bit of information. The Abarth name has always gotten my immediate attention, but I like the front end (headlights, mostly) of the Twingo better. However it's a moot point unless I want to stop buying railroad stuff and resume car payments. 

Much as I have a thing for Italian cars (Intermeccanica Torino, a pair of Alfettas, plus my son had a gorgeous 164), I make myself remember the joys of my Lancia Beta and that usually brings me back down to earth in a hurry. Everything the T.G. guys said about Lancia in general and the Beta in particular is absolute truth. What amazingly wonderful/awful cars! 

JackM


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Nicholas Savatgy on 10 Mar 2011 02:40 PM 

Hmmmmmmmmm...........................


A real mans car.












I have always been a "Ford Guy"..my first car was a 1981 Mustang..
I always considered the Camaro to be Chevy's "wannabe Mustang"! 
(and lets be honest, the Camaro really was GM's copy of the Mustang, there is no denying that! 
but..I have to say, those new Camaros are absolutely stunning machines!! 
By far, the best of all the "retro" incarnations of the last few years..
The Mustang, IMO, has been a bit lost the last few years, a bit clunky in its design..but that new Camaro is just perfect.. 


Scot


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow It must of got pretty heated. I guess I wasnt the only one that was curious. Speaking of a mans car....

Here is what will consume all my gas budget for the year. Its a 360 we built up for my CJ5 9.5 comp, roller rockers, Cam, hedders and edlebrock performer intake and 650 4bbl carb. Now I Gotta run 93 only...Fun Fun But its going to sound nasty.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

My first love: 










She had the smallest V8 ever factory installed in a Mustang, a 255. 
(she was still pretty peppy for her era though..) 
Bought her in 1988, when I was 18, she was a 1981 model. 
Drove her all through College and a few years beyond. 
finally had to take her off the road in 1994..she languished for another 5 years, stored outside. 
by 1999 she was too far gone, and she was towed off to her final retirement spot in a rural junkyard 
in the hills of southern NY..I like to think she is still out there to this day.. 
RIP old friend. 

Scot


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I haven't seen anything in this thread that has any redeeming value at all. "Man's car"... HA! I laugh! 

Now THIS is a Man's vehicle!


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 10 Mar 2011 04:24 PM 
I haven't seen anything in this thread that has any redeeming value at all. "Man's car"... HA! I laugh! 

Now THIS is a Man's vehicle!






























And just so we are clear,

You still drive a horse and buggie? HE HE HE 


I kid cause 765 is a awsome beast,

Sure wish someone would make it in a Mans scale, 1/29th


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## Dave H (Jan 5, 2008)

Nick, 

Love your Camaro, Nice color. 

I also like it in Green: http://media.photobucket.com/image/camaro green/gsraysoul/ChevroletCamaro-green.jpg 

Look at this one:http://www.shopsfm.com/images/products/Camaro_Green-Lighting_03.jpg


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Nicholas Savatgy on 10 Mar 2011 04:30 PM 
Posted By Semper Vaporo on 10 Mar 2011 04:24 PM 
I haven't seen anything in this thread that has any redeeming value at all. "Man's car"... HA! I laugh! 

Now THIS is a Man's vehicle!






























And just we are clear,

You still drive a *horse and buggie*? HE HE HE 


I kid cause 765 is a awsome beast,

Sure wish someone would make it in a Mans scale, 1/29th












As long as it is an *IRON horse* in front of that buggy!

Sorry, but 1:29 is a toy scale. 1:32 is the REAL scale for a MAN's engine!


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Thanks Dave,

I like it alot.

That green is interesting, but not my color.



Im Old school, Black Red White the only colors ive bought in the last 20years......









Chics dig the car man, Chics dig the car............


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## Dave H (Jan 5, 2008)

Nick, 
They have a convertible coming out soon. 

Green: 

http://www.shopsfm.com/images/products/Camaro_Green-Lighting_03.jpg


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

"Now THIS is a Man's vehicle!" 

Aw heck! The biggest hog I've run was only a 65 ton Porter 0-6-0. Guess I'm still a kid!








  
Best, 
David Meashey


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By Scottychaos on 10 Mar 2011 04:10 PM 
My first love: 










She had the smallest V8 ever factory installed in a Mustang, a 255. 
(she was still pretty peppy for her era though..) 
Bought her in 1988, when I was 18, she was a 1981 model. 
Drove her all through College and a few years beyond. 
finally had to take her off the road in 1994..she languished for another 5 years, stored outside. 
by 1999 she was too far gone, and she was towed off to her final retirement spot in a rural junkyard 
in the hills of southern NY..I like to think she is still out there to this day.. 
RIP old friend. 

Scot My brother had that same car but all the same rust color.

He let me use it for my Jr Prom, 1st time i got some was in the 

back seat of his Mustang at the Prom,









My 1st car was a used and abused 74 Vega,

Try picking up Chics with that, Even had a white racing stripe down

the side.

Ever since then, Ive been GM for life..........

The 1st Retro Mustang started the whole Musle car era up again in 2004 i think.

That Mustang was sweet.

Ive always thought the late 60s Musle cars were always the coolest cars ever.

And they confirmed it, by bringing them all back again in the 2000's









Some things just NEVER get old..


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By vsmith on 10 Mar 2011 03:11 PM 


Nick I see those and all I can think is of is the Transformer toy. Seams to be shouting something about something. hmmmm what could it be???


Meanwhile I'm enjoying driving my very comfortable functionally built Bauhaus inspired rolling minimalist object d' art urban cruiser:



..and then theirs the weekend car:




















Hey Vic,

Dont they try to sell those things


By giving you a car load of Human sized hampsters....


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## Dave H (Jan 5, 2008)

Can't copy & paste websites 

Screen locks up 

keep getting ERROR on page. 

Every other website works fine, but this one. 

Anybody else having trouble?


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave H; 

Yeah, same thing for me. I've tried four times to correct a spelling error on one of my other posts, but every time I hit Submit, the error is back. 

My post above was supposed to read: 

"Now THIS is a Man's vehicle!" 

Aw heck! The biggest hog I've run was only a 65 ton Porter 0-6-0. Guess I'm still a kid! Hey! Does the 450 ton train I pulled with her count? 

Best, 
David Meashey 

But I can't get the last question to post either. And this is after another three tries. It really takes the fun out of posting.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I hope so, it started with a non-train topic and degenerated into name calling and politics. 

None of that stuff needs to be here. 

hehe We do enough name calling on train related stuff


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Had a neighbor with a Double Bubble 750 Abarth when I was a kid, neat car. 

http://bringatrailer.com/2010/02/27/former-racer-1958-abarth-750-double-bubble/ 

There is a "new" Fiat 500 here in town already onwed by a friend. It is a RHD car and has UK plates. 

As a lifetime small car owner, it is a bit too small for my personal taste, but is actually pretty sharp compared to a Smart. I have a feeling that the 500 might sell well in urban areas especially. The catch will be there are a lot of other cars with more space and smaller prices that get equal or better FE, oh, and are not a Fiat with Chrysler badges. 

Paul, I think you are right, I think it will become the "VW Easter Basket Cabrio" of the 2010s. 

As for the new Camaro being a "real car", ask the man that owns one. A co worker who is a long time owner of several Vettes bought a new Camaro. Hated it and took it back in a month. His verdict was it was the worst car he had ever owned, too slow, too heavy, terrible driving position (he is a bit taller than me at 6'3" or so) and bad blind spots. A real downer as he traded a nice Vette on it. Oh well.


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## zubi (May 14, 2009)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); Posted By Semper Vaporo on 10 Mar 2011 04:38 PM 
[...] 
Sorry, but 1:29 is a toy scale. 1:32 is the REAL scale for a MAN's engine!


Hahaha, sorry Semper Vaporo, these are all toys, for men who are still boys... Only, those in 1:29 can just be a bit more fun to play with than those in 1:32!! Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

Like that blue Jason !


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By Spule 4 on 10 Mar 2011 06:17 PM 
Had a neighbor with a Double Bubble 750 Abarth when I was a kid, neat car. 

http://bringatrailer.com/2010/02/27/former-racer-1958-abarth-750-double-bubble/ 

There is a "new" Fiat 500 here in town already onwed by a friend. It is a RHD car and has UK plates. 

As a lifetime small car owner, it is a bit too small for my personal taste, but is actually pretty sharp compared to a Smart. I have a feeling that the 500 might sell well in urban areas especially. The catch will be there are a lot of other cars with more space and smaller prices that get equal or better FE, oh, and are not a Fiat with Chrysler badges. 

Paul, I think you are right, I think it will become the "VW Easter Basket Cabrio" of the 2010s. 

As for the new Camaro being a "real car", ask the man that owns one. A co worker who is a long time owner of several Vettes bought a new Camaro. Hated it and took it back in a month. His verdict was it was the worst car he had ever owned, too slow, too heavy, terrible driving position (he is a bit taller than me at 6'3" or so) and bad blind spots. A real downer as he traded a nice Vette on it. Oh well. 
Now Now Garrett,

You shouldnt Judge till you own one.

Ive had a Z 06 vette.

Camaro is on Par with

Musle car era, Plus its just cool..............

Go buy one you will see. Forget your freind

Till you own it yourself you shouldnt Judge you bad 

Boy you....


Aristocraft rules !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!









Sorry its Vodka Thursday here in NY.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

I did not judge, my buddy bought and the car was a failure to him compared to the Vettes. But then another friend sold his Vette when he got a Lambo, so to each their own. 

Honesly, I like the looks of the Camaro myself. It was a bit of a downer to me when he gave me his report and told me why he no longer had the car.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

The Mustangs and Camaros are great to drive in the summer, but I spent entirely too much time pulling my sister's Mustang and Firebird out of the ditch when it snowed to ever want one myself. Still love the throaty exhaust, though. I was at a light once with a "souped-up" Honda Civic when a guy pulls up between us with a 60s Mustang. Guy in the Mustang looks over at me, guns the engine, and we both smile. If the Civic had a tail, it would have been tucked firmly between its legs.  

Alas, my next car will have to have seating for 7 so I can move the family and out-of-town guests in comfort if need be, since Colorado mandates some kind of booster seat for kids up to age 8. Alas, the "sport" in "Sport-Utility Vehicle" and "Sportscar" have quite different meanings. I'll get my "toy" car once Andy is in college (when he's not going to want to borrow it). I'm going on 4 years waiting for my live steam EBT mikado, so another 16 years for a 2-seater roadster shouldn't be unmanagable. 

Later. 

K


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By East Broad Top on 10 Mar 2011 10:17 PM 
The Mustangs and Camaros are great to drive in the summer, but I spent entirely too much time pulling my sister's Mustang and Firebird out of the ditch when it snowed to ever want one myself. Still love the throaty exhaust, though. I was at a light once with a "souped-up" Honda Civic when a guy pulls up between us with a 60s Mustang. Guy in the Mustang looks over at me, guns the engine, and we both smile. If the Civic had a tail, it would have been tucked firmly between its legs.  

Later. 

K 

There have been a few street drag races I have entered, all of them strange. Citroen DS Vs Morgan 4/4 on Court Street (brick) in Athens, OH two decades ago and more recently the battle of diesel W123 Mercs. (I am at a light in mine and the other guy just starts reving his motor. I had a non turbo 300D, the other guy a 240D with a four speed. I won in the end, but off the line it was close!


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I know a guy who owns a '69 SS/BA Barracuda, a '64 Ramchargers team car, and a few other bits of interesting stuff. It was always great fun to take a gearhead to his house. You walk in to this tidy little bungalow, go down the rickety stairs, turn right, flick on the lights and are greeted by..... an entire wall full of hemi intakes - from Nascar single 4s to tall stack Hillborns, to ... you get the point. The one car he had that I always sorta wanted was this unassuming ugly 2-tone green Plymouth wagon - with a long crossram 383 and tricked out suspension -- sleeper city.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Myself, I'm perfectly happy with my RAV4. Great on gas and carries lots of trains to steamups. Guess I'm showing my age. hehehe


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Dwight how will that Rav4 like the other little engine?


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## Pterosaur (May 6, 2008)

Nice thread...Complete opposite of the "other". 

My car... 

http://www.gtvault.com/images/chi2005_solstice.jpg


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Vic,

Your analogy on the big truck was related to me by a woman, but she was talking about Corvettes. This has been confirmed by other women. 

With a kid across the street who tricked out his civic with like $20k in aftermarket crap, then did it again to his BMW M3, I'm over loud cars. We had a Chevy Lumina Z34 way back, and what a piece that was. Sure, it was fast, if you were going straight. Had a buddy in college who had a mustang cobra and that couldn't make a turn, either. I finally got a VW Golf with a small 4 banger in it. I actually fit in the VW's. Stuck with VW ever since. The new CC is so fast and the 2L turbo puts out more than enough HP for the kind of driving I do (it is rated at 200 hp, but 206 ft-lbs at 1900 rpm). My biggest complaint is the car is too fast. Can't tell I am doing 70 in a 45. Low center of gravty, so it really hugs the 2 lane roads. It is a little bit small for the growing family, but try finding a decent size car with a manual transmission. It does get 31 mpg, so it is also easy on gas. I hope this new mid-size car that VW's making comes with a manual option. 

I almost bought a 1977 Porsche 911 Targa at a yard sale in 2009. When the owner started it up for me, I've never heard an engine sound so good. Took it out for a test drive and it was awesome. Ultimately, like Kevin, it is a 2 person car and with 4 people in the family, it's not going to happen. 

I did drive a 2009 Mustang convertible 1100 miles in 3 days. I was impressed with the Ford, even though I'd never think of buying one. Every summer, however, I do find myself pining for a rag top.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

This is the car I loved as a boy (and I'm still a boy in heart!). The original Opel GT. Hope to buy me one once, but I'm afraid it will always stay a dream.
Don't know if Opel belonged to GM already those days, but it sure had some Corvette looks (they also called it a baby-Corvette).

Summertime, open windows, heavy metal music on the radio and just cruising the road... Was live great or what?


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

Jeep. Liberty. Colorado. 4x4. Hundreds of miles of off-road trails, and a lot of them old railroad grades and passes. 

'Nuff said... 

Robert


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Nicholas Savatgy on 10 Mar 2011 04:58 PM 
Posted By vsmith on 10 Mar 2011 03:11 PM 


Nick I see those and all I can think is of is the Transformer toy. Seams to be shouting something about something. hmmmm what could it be???


Meanwhile I'm enjoying driving my very comfortable functionally built Bauhaus inspired rolling minimalist object d' art urban cruiser:



..and then theirs the weekend car:













Hey Vic,

Dont they try to sell those things


By giving you a car load of Human sized hampsters....










HAHaha I LOVE the commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfJnqbudMzs


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By vsmith on 11 Mar 2011 10:45 AM 
Posted By Nicholas Savatgy on 10 Mar 2011 04:58 PM 
Posted By vsmith on 10 Mar 2011 03:11 PM 


Nick I see those and all I can think is of is the Transformer toy. Seams to be shouting something about something. hmmmm what could it be???


Meanwhile I'm enjoying driving my very comfortable functionally built Bauhaus inspired rolling minimalist object d' art urban cruiser:



..and then theirs the weekend car:













Hey Vic,

Dont they try to sell those things


By giving you a car load of Human sized hampsters....










HAHaha I LOVE the commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfJnqbudMzs





Odd how in that commercial that they managed to get a toaster and a washing machine to move so smoothly down the street, but no matter the extent of Computer Generated Graphics in a car commercial, just like in all other car advertisements the car still has the wheels rotating backward for the direction it is going. I'd think that for all the expense put into it, they would at least blurr the hubcaps or alter the speed so that the stroboscopic effect would make the wheels look like they are rotating the correct direction.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

In college, I dated a girl who had an '85 cabriolet. She called it a roller skate. Sure was fun to drive. A little hard to make out in the back...


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

Well, like my Grandma used to say: "Where there's a will, there's a way!"


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## ralphbrades (Jan 3, 2008)

[Cough!] 

When I was 17 my favourite sweet silver haired Maiden Aunt gave me her 1956 Morris Minor Traveller to use for commuting to and from 6th form College. When I was at Uni I discovered the meaning of the numbered little stick figures stitched onto the headlining and the dates in needle work underneath them... 

regards 

ralph


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Your lawyer will tell you, "Where there's a Will, there's a way to break it".... if his commission will be worth his while.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Kovacjr on 11 Mar 2011 06:45 AM 
Dwight how will that Rav4 like the other little engine? 

If you're asking me if it will transport the 4-4-0, the answer is yet. I remove the rear seats in the RAV, and the loco fits lengthwise on one side while the tender, tool boxes, and sack of coal fit on the other.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By rdamurphy on 11 Mar 2011 01:58 PM 
Well, like my Grandma used to say: "Where there's a will, there's a way!" 


Not quite:

"Where there's a will, there are some ne'er-do-well relatives waiting for the old man to croak."


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Dwight 

We are still hanging on to our 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan ES AWD. Has 181K on it [original transmission] and has been hit by deer three times. Has lots of inside vertical clearance and a 4 ft x 8 ft foot print behind the front seats. Big question is whether the transmission will make it to 200K before I put in a new one. 

We also have a 1997 GMC extended cab PU with an 8 ft bed [454] with 118K miles, and a 2004 Subaru Forester with 205K miles on it. The Forester will handle most jobs with the back seats folded down, the PU also hauls my 16 ft trailer for the 7.5 in gauge items. Currently has a full sized N&W PL signal complete with mast sitting on it. 

Had only one real performance car, my original Datsun 240Z purchased in 1972. Sadly, it stayed with my first wife, who bent the frame in a T-bone collision about four months after it we separated. Life goes on. 

My personal motto "Money spent on cars is not available to be spent on trains." Besides, no one has ever hit one of my locomotives out on I-95 and demolished it. 

V/r 

V/r


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim - I had sports cars for most of my life. My first new car was a '73 Superbeetle, but I traded that in '76 for a used MG. In '77 I bought a new Triumph Spitfire - fun car until it rattled itself to death. Lasted me 7 years though. In late '86 I bought a new Fiero GT (the one with the fastback look) I drove that sucker for 17 years until 2003 when I got the RAV. Over the decades I found lots of creative ways to pack lots of stuff in a 2-seater. 

By the time I bought the RAV I was into #1 gauge live steam and I wanted something that could transport my equipment to steamups. I've never regretted buying the RAV. Terrific little vehicle!


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Well It will not haul much except family ans such but it sure is fun to drive.










If I want fun then I drive this









One owner. Just got to love it Later RJD


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

We bought this 1972 Maverick Grabber for my son when he entered the 12th grade in August 2001. Well naturally it had a cracked block and all the other "things" that can go wrong. So my son and I decided to have a muscle car built out of this thing. Just before he graduated from HS in June 2002 AND went into the Army, it was just about completed.

Brand new full racing 302, bored?stroked to 332. Fully balanced and blue-printed. 500 hp on the Dyno, additional 100-125 hp with the nitro button pushed.JE Forged pistons. Forged racing crank. Edelbrock 11:1 aluminum heads, roller rockers, full race cam, aluminum radiator, electric cooling fans, March racing surpentine pulley system, "locked" rear-end with a 9 inch pumpkin, full racing tranny, nitrous oxide, MSD full ignition and electrical. Loads of other things into the "money-pit". I drove it while he was in the Army in Iraq and then when he came home and started UCLA, he was using my 2000 Mustang GT. The mileage was pretty crappy, so we bought him a new 2010 VW Jetta.

Because I'm not driving anymore (failing eyesight), we had to sell our race car last October. Bummer!! It was fun though!


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Hey moderators! I know I will be unpopular for this, but really 7 pages now of car stuff!! I like cars too, but I think this is a train forum right???? On another forum the owner stepped in and twice now in the last week has told the posters of non train items to "knock it off" I think we need to get back to trains again, leave the cars and politics for other forums. I have had many cars I could post pics of but I'm trying NOT to further this thread any longer than it's already been allowed to go!! Regal


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

You gotta admit it's better than the belly-aching about UPS and the delivery problems with the postal service. Right? 

Let's see Jerry, we have 9 or ten First Class members and two moderators involved in this Public Forum discussion. What so bad.









In the other forum you have mentioned, it's a free site. The ONLY way to change this Public Forum, is to change the rules. From what you are saying then earthquakes, fires, etc. cannot be discussed. Could get pretty boring around here.


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## todd55whit (Jan 2, 2008)

Regal I agree. Wiped out a post about gas prices because it's against the rules--- ok it was a little out of hand. So if I am a moderator and owned a nice restored car a 7 page post would be ok? Lets get back to trains and some sense of fairness...Thanks


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blueregal on 12 Mar 2011 10:51 AM 
Hey moderators! I know I will be unpopular for this, but really 7 pages now of car stuff!! I like cars too, but I think this is a train forum right???? On another forum the owner stepped in and twice now in the last week has told the posters of non train items to "knock it off" I think we need to get back to trains again, leave the cars and politics for other forums. I have had many cars I could post pics of but I'm trying NOT to further this thread any longer than it's already been allowed to go!! Regal 


Trains are my hobby, not my religion. They are not my sole hobby or interest, either. This thread is train folks sharing another part of their lives, and is (so far) 99% polite, and not hurting anyone - including you. If you are completely un-interested, then please feel free to take the mature high road and completely ignore it.

IMO Off topic posts have a place. Without them the forum as an online community is diminished. Can they be abused? Yes. De-railed and/or turned nasty? Yes. So can train threads. ---- Can they bring us all closer together as hobbyists and people as well? Yes to that too. Witness Mikey's updates on Marge or wigginsn eyewitness reports after the quake in NZ. Or Rocky letting us know about his mom. This thread is (so far) benign, like the friendly patter at a club. The brits on g-Scale Central have a 45 page thread going (892 and counting responses, with almost 10,000 views) of totally off topic, nonsensical, and just about anything remotely funny responses to a thread that was started by a guy complaining about 'bad subject lines and off topic replies'' -- they claim the are trying for 50. Perhaps they don't take themselves quite as seriously? No, I'm not suggesting we should do that here, I'm just suggesting we not over react because we're gunshy.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Well said, Mik.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

I disagree, the old post was wiped out because it got politcal,

And if you 2 bothered to read the header posted on the public forum,



Public Forum


Public notices, rants and raves, this is the general use forum. Please try to keep posts somewhat train related and avoid religion and politics!! 


So as we have a Berkshire in the post, looks like it's some what train related.............


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

OOOOPs, Mik and Gary beat me the the punch .


Mik your my Hero,..................













Not really but i thought it would make you feel better today...he he he


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

If it ain't got a lift kit and 14 X 35 monster mudders, then it ain't COOL. Respected yes...


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Mik on 12 Mar 2011 12:06 PM 
Posted By blueregal on 12 Mar 2011 10:51 AM 
Hey moderators! I know I will be unpopular for this, but really 7 pages now of car stuff!! I like cars too, but I think this is a train forum right???? On another forum the owner stepped in and twice now in the last week has told the posters of non train items to "knock it off" I think we need to get back to trains again, leave the cars and politics for other forums. I have had many cars I could post pics of but I'm trying NOT to further this thread any longer than it's already been allowed to go!! Regal 


Trains are my hobby, not my religion. They are not my sole hobby or interest, either. This thread is train folks sharing another part of their lives, and is (so far) 99% polite, and not hurting anyone - including you. If you are completely un-interested, then please feel free to take the mature high road and completely ignore it.

IMO Off topic posts have a place. Without them the forum as an online community is diminished. Can they be abused? Yes. De-railed and/or turned nasty? Yes. So can train threads. ---- Can they bring us all closer together as hobbyists and people as well? Yes to that too. Witness Mikey's updates on Marge or wigginsn eyewitness reports after the quake in NZ. Or Rocky letting us know about his mom. This thread is (so far) benign, like the friendly patter at a club. The brits on g-Scale Central have a 45 page thread going (892 and counting responses, with almost 10,000 views) of totally off topic, nonsensical, and just about anything remotely funny responses to a thread that was started by a guy complaining about 'bad subject lines and off topic replies'' -- they claim the are trying for 50. Perhaps they don't take themselves quite as seriously? No, I'm not suggesting we should do that here, I'm just suggesting we not over react because we're gunshy. 


Mik if you want to rant about non train items, they have a forum called "Facebook" they allow anything, so you can take your rants over there, go and read the public forum rules AGAIN please! Regal


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blueregal on 12 Mar 2011 12:24 PM 

Mik if you want to rant about non train items, they have a forum called "Facebook" they allow anything, so you can take your rants over there, go and read the public forum rules AGAIN please! Regal 



Is telling another forum member to go somewhere else covered under the rules? 


I was not and am not 'ranting'. my friend. Polite disagreement is the cornerstone of any form of communication. If you are attempting to turn the thread nasty, then go ahead. But I'll not help you.

i read and re-read the rules, perhaps someone else may wish to Google the definition of 'troll post'


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh my, this is utterly terrible... 

Woe is me!

There is a heavyness on my shoulders.

Alas and a-lack-a-day!

I am in horrible turmoil in my head.

I ache when I breathe.

I am faint and dizzy.

My heart is near dead in it beat.

I am reeling in confusion.

How, oh How! can this be? ... I actually agree with something Mik and Nick have written...

The world is coming to an end, it has to be... 

That Biblical hot place of the Afterlife has probably frozen over...

The creek has risen to close all the roads...

I must make an appointment with a shrink to get my life back in order.

Please, Nick, Mik... say something crass about how much you like 1:29 scale... then I'll know things are not as bad as they seem right now.

Oh wait!... never mind, it was just my cooking!


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Mik just because you got yer hands slapped on another forum the other day, please don't try to take yer frustrations out on me, I am only stating the forum rules, as I read them, if you disagree then we will just have to agree to disagree!! I didn't tell you to go there either, I made a suggestion, I said there are other forums, where they allow anything for a topic, and by the way comparing a car thread to members illnesses like you did earlier I think is kind of a cheap shot don't you. I would never complain about any member or guest commenting, and or giving an update on the health, and or well being of a member here!! Regal 

I know you will just keep on arguing,as everywhere you like the last word on anything, so this will be my final reply on this matter, I think the forum ought to be exactly or somewhat remotely train related, and don't care what you want to argue about!!


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## Pterosaur (May 6, 2008)

Well so ends what was a very nice cordial thread, train guys talking about their cars in the "public forum". I knew it couldn't last.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Well Regal, this thread was a nice good-natured civil discussion until you decided to get on your horse and gripe because it isn't about trains, and then start telling others what to post about. There's nothing in *the Rules* about everything being posted _having_ to be about trains. This especially applies in the Public Forum. There *is* a Rule - the #1 Rule in fact - about "Courtesy to other members at all times" - a Rule which you skate close to breaking about something which, imho, is completely trivial and unnecessary, and which harms no one or nothing.


You don't own this web site, and you weren't chosen to moderate this web site. Please leave the moderating and rule enforcement to those who fit one of those two categories. Read what you like and ignore what doesn't interest you.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Regal, the rule here, like on many other forums is: 
"1.4 - MLS is fortunate to have the participation of many people who are active in the business part of the hobby. In their participation, those with a financial interest should refrain from blatantly advertising their own products and/or services. They should also avoid criticizing their competitors' products and/or services. An identification of their business involvement is encouraged perhaps with a link to their business website on their signature block." 

That's the reason i asked what i asked there. 

Which has absolutely nothing to do with trains, cars or your behavior in this thread. 

Now, that said - 
Nick's car is a handsome beast and he is rightly (if maybe a little overly) proud of it, and I may even want to test-drive one like it someday. -- but probably not pay the insurance on owning one.... He can also certainly irritate the he## out of me most days, but I don't hate him OR go looking for a fight with him. Perhaps the ONLY things we agree on is that he has a nice car, and LS trains are fun. I'll focus on that common ground, over getting upset over his need for attention -- any and every day. So if he wants to post the 1,000th pic of it in this thread... well, it IS a really nice car. And I'll look at it again, and think he's lucky. Rather than say something bad just to say something because of the other stuff.

I wish I still had my Charger. or my Coronet or my grandfather hadn't pretty much destroyed my Sport Fury convertible by wrapping it around a post moving it with a tractor because he was mad. I'm happy for folks that have the money, energy and passion to pursue two, three, or even more expensive hobbies. And I enjoy seeing their work -- both trains and other. Is that a bad thing?


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## mack505 (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, I'll try to bring back some civility and off-topicness. As the car portion of this thread began with a "here's my next ride" post, here's my next ride:









I just took delivery this past week, and I love it. It gets almost twice the fuel economy of my old C240, hauls more, and has a wonderful 6-speed manual transmission. And it burns the same fuel as most modern trains.


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

DUDE! You have a Coronet??? My first car was a 1965 Coronet 440, with a 318 V-8, perfect body, interior was kind of wore out, but it ran on regular gas. 

Remember the Chevy Vega? I had a friend who had one, we tuned it up, it ran pretty good, but it was still a whiny 4 banger. They actually invented the sealed battery for the Vega, because they could ship 30 of them in a railcar standing on end. It was called the "Vert A Pack". 










Hey, just trying to help... 

Thanks! Robert


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Robert I HAD a '66 Coronet 440 -- an all original survivor sedan (grandma car) with the little 273 and under 18K miles. I had to sell it during the big D for money to live on. 

The '68 Sport Fury convertible was one of something like 2700 built, but it's too far gone now. I tried sell it for the 440 in it a while back, but since they were told they would have to take the whole car, I got low balled.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By rdamurphy on 12 Mar 2011 02:23 PM 
DUDE! You have a Coronet??? My first car was a 1965 Coronet 440, with a 318 V-8, perfect body, interior was kind of wore out, but it ran on regular gas. 

Remember the Chevy Vega? I had a friend who had one, we tuned it up, it ran pretty good, but it was still a whiny 4 banger. They actually invented the sealed battery for the Vega, because they could ship 30 of them in a railcar standing on end. It was called the "Vert A Pack". 










Hey, just trying to help... 

Thanks! Robert 


Man the only time i ever seen that many Vegas together

was at the local junk yards...............









Kind of cool how they Transported them like Bats in cave.........


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## Pterosaur (May 6, 2008)

Now there is an auto carrier you won't see mass produced in G-scale anytime soon! I cannot believe that is good for the car, then again it might explain the Vega's reputation! Bizzare!


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## Pterosaur (May 6, 2008)

Hey I found out something about the Chevy Vega (Who would have thought I'd want to know any more!)...Those cars has a special option package to be shipped by rail! 

Found on the net so you know it's true... 

In short, it added parts to the cars so they could be shipped, by rail, packed vertically, to save space. 
The vert-a-pac rail cars required that the cars be able to be driven on and driven off with no mechanical work needed. This drive-on/drive-off requirement was difficult to meet because all liquids had to be aboard, so the VK5 RPO was created. Modifications included: 


- a baffle in the oil pan to prevent flooding the forward cylinders with oil. - off-center filler caps on the battery. - a plug in the fuel-tank vent line. - an overflow hose from the float bowl to the charcoal canister. - tilting the windshield-washer bottle 45 degrees. - plastic spacers between the splash pans and the engine to reinforce the motor mounts.


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

Notice they drove the cars up the ramps before standing them up. Chevy had to make sure none of the fluids would leak, and that's when they started using sealed batteries for that very reason. Of course, they wrere considered "disposable" cars, and if you got 60,000 out of one, you had bragging rights, usually 30,000 was about it. 

Of course, the list price was under $3000 in 1970. Unless you wanted the Cosworth Vega! 

Thanks, Robert


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Anyone got a picture of the whole rail car ?

That would be something cool to model.

Probably the only one he he he









See Jerry,

Vegas and trains,

We are back on train Topics...........


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)




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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Thanks Greg,

Now thats a cool looking car........ 


A train load of Vegas with 3 Conrail SD45s or SD40s would be cool.. 


Northeast RR's of course


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Vega's were AWFUL cars though, they fell apart, but at least they didnt explode like Pinto's did. I had a VW beetle back in those days, still know more mechanically about them than any other car I had, that was by necessity, not by choice









http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT0J0rcJTLo


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

Interesting you should mention VW, vsmith, did you know that Volkswagon designed the first double stack autoracks for the German Railways? 










You know what I haven't seen in a while? Those 20' 6" autoracks... 

Thanks, Robert


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Yep I for got about the verta pack cars. They were way ahead of there time but it did work. Later RJD


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Well said Dwight. It's about fun and it is a thread titled general forum. I like it. Later RJD


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Mack, 

I like that diesel jetta wagon and was thinking about swapping the CC for one of those. Not sure I'd gain much room, though. I might wait on the new 'passat' or whatever they're going to call it (Tennessean, perhaps?) and see how that wagon looks. Two kids and a dog, I think I need more than a sedan..


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## mack505 (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks, Mark. I'm loving it so far.

I looked at the CC, but I really wanted the TDI wagon. I was surprised by how big the CC is in person. We have a long VW history around here, with my parents owning five over the years and my wife and I with a combined four. The new TDI will share a garage with this:









The '74 should be rejoining society soon, now that most of the snow is gone. We just need a few good rains to clean the salt off the roads.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

James,

Nice bug! A neighbor up the street has a baby blue convertible bug.


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