Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Missing my baby today...
Dick forwarded me a picture of my late Boxer Maggie and it got me thinking about her so I dug out my favorite picture of her and thought I would share.
Bling is in the air - part2...
I hope you don't mind Joe but these need to be shared with all as the bike looks fantastic. Looks like we are going to make quite a splash in ES come the Spring Rally with yours and Dick's new additions.
Bling is in the air...
Had a visitor today and he was riding something green and shiny. Dick's "new" ZRX is definitely getting the "Frierson touch" and is really looking sweet!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
When free wifi goes bad!
Ran across this clip today from a tech podcast I listen to regularly and it made me think of one of you more than the others! Enjoy.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Post Your Desktop
Here's mine! Been running Vista for a few years now with no issues and although I bought 3 licenses of Win7 when they had the sale on them upon initial release, I just can't warrant the upgrade right now consideing how great my machine runs. As a bonus, I posted another screencap of my basic computer specs.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Past Rides; A Call to Action
I really liked Chuck’s post about documenting our past rides. I took it as a call to action. I consider myself frugal, but looking back, I think that – like most Americans – I’ve always had a things for cars.
My first car choice was pure lust. I spotted this 1951 Dodge Coronet out near the lake one day and I knew it had to be mine. I paid maybe $1500 for it – in running condition – from a dirty old man who didn’t mind selling a heap to a starry-eyed kid. Bitter and sweet. I loved the car but it was a turd. Problems from the get go. It had three on the tree, but it was Fluid Drive, so you didn’t have to push the clutch when you came to a stop light. Wound up selling it to a guy who came and towed it away for me. Lost a little money on that one.
Next came the 1969 VW Bug. I was fresh on the rebound from the Coronet and wanted something I could actually drive, as opposed to something that just looked nice in the driveway. I paid around $1200 for the Bug. It had been gone through and was essentially a restored car, although not in show-car condition. I bought the Bug about a year before finishing high school and it got me through the better part of my Bachelors degree. It lived up to the VW name and served me quite well. When I bought my next car, my dad suggested I park the Bug in his barn, which I did. It sat there for probably the better part of a decade until it was sold in 2005 to partially pay for my 2003 Kawasaki ZRX1200.
Third in line was the 1989 Chrysler Conquest TSI. A dead-sexy, turbo-charged thrill ride. I loved this car. Adjustable suspension, stereo controls in the steering wheel, disc brakes all the way around. This car was the shit. I got it out of shape once on a back road and wound up turned wrong the wrong way, but luckily didn’t do any damage. A hell of a fun car and I’m glad I never wrapped it around a tree. Just look at that! I wound up selling it a few years after arriving in Kansas.
Number four was a 1987 Honda Civic Wagovan. Honest to god, that was the name of the car. Anywho, I wanted something different when I got rid of the Conquest. I was tired of chasing down 16-inch Z-rated 245/45 tires at used tire shops. What I got was the Wagovan. Some stoner had drawn dragons and snakes on the inside roof of the car with colored Sharpies. You could lay down the back seat and it was a perfect sleeping area. I had a canoe on the top of that car more times that I can count. It was great for car camping.
And then came the 1993 Toyota Corobra. I bought it in September of 2001 with 50k on the clock and it has 155k on it now. You all know this story. She’s been a great car. I’ve hauled motorcycles (PLURAL), couches, canoes, enumeratous furnitures. Fabulous gas mileage that can barely be matched by today’s hybrids.
My first car choice was pure lust. I spotted this 1951 Dodge Coronet out near the lake one day and I knew it had to be mine. I paid maybe $1500 for it – in running condition – from a dirty old man who didn’t mind selling a heap to a starry-eyed kid. Bitter and sweet. I loved the car but it was a turd. Problems from the get go. It had three on the tree, but it was Fluid Drive, so you didn’t have to push the clutch when you came to a stop light. Wound up selling it to a guy who came and towed it away for me. Lost a little money on that one.
Next came the 1969 VW Bug. I was fresh on the rebound from the Coronet and wanted something I could actually drive, as opposed to something that just looked nice in the driveway. I paid around $1200 for the Bug. It had been gone through and was essentially a restored car, although not in show-car condition. I bought the Bug about a year before finishing high school and it got me through the better part of my Bachelors degree. It lived up to the VW name and served me quite well. When I bought my next car, my dad suggested I park the Bug in his barn, which I did. It sat there for probably the better part of a decade until it was sold in 2005 to partially pay for my 2003 Kawasaki ZRX1200.
Third in line was the 1989 Chrysler Conquest TSI. A dead-sexy, turbo-charged thrill ride. I loved this car. Adjustable suspension, stereo controls in the steering wheel, disc brakes all the way around. This car was the shit. I got it out of shape once on a back road and wound up turned wrong the wrong way, but luckily didn’t do any damage. A hell of a fun car and I’m glad I never wrapped it around a tree. Just look at that! I wound up selling it a few years after arriving in Kansas.
Number four was a 1987 Honda Civic Wagovan. Honest to god, that was the name of the car. Anywho, I wanted something different when I got rid of the Conquest. I was tired of chasing down 16-inch Z-rated 245/45 tires at used tire shops. What I got was the Wagovan. Some stoner had drawn dragons and snakes on the inside roof of the car with colored Sharpies. You could lay down the back seat and it was a perfect sleeping area. I had a canoe on the top of that car more times that I can count. It was great for car camping.
And then came the 1993 Toyota Corobra. I bought it in September of 2001 with 50k on the clock and it has 155k on it now. You all know this story. She’s been a great car. I’ve hauled motorcycles (PLURAL), couches, canoes, enumeratous furnitures. Fabulous gas mileage that can barely be matched by today’s hybrids.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Sapa Tatanka
Over the years I failed to document several cool vehicles I have owned, most notably a cherry 1974 Z-28 with a 4-speed Muncie and a 1986 Mustang SVO so I thought I would post a couple of pics of my 2000 Dodge Ram. Nothing extraordinary about her at all other than it represents the body style that "changed everything" in the world of trucks in America. I bought the truck from my brother in 2002 with less than 10K on the odo and she now has about 55K on the clock. The truck has been very reliable with the exception of the tranny which I had to have rebuilt because of issues that are well documented on the internet. I just got some Kumho Road Venture all-terrains mounted which I like very much and enjoy the "old school" look of tall, skinny, high profile tires. Like my ZRX, the truck is a great "15 foot" truck but any closer and you can see she's been kept outside the better part of a decade. I don't really put too much time and effort into keeping her spotless but I do use "Chuck's Tire-Foam" trick on the motor about twice a year and keep her cleaned up when the weather is nice. She has hauled a lot of rock and dirt, pulled her fair share of trailers and the 4-wheel drive has been invaluable here in the winters through ice and snow.
If only...
...I had an extra 10K! Having grown up in Europe from 1967-1972, I have always had a place in my heart for the early 70s euroboxes and hope to be able to have one at some point. This one looks to be a perfect start to something like the below!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
NADA - Not Cars
I'm sure most of you are aware that my brother raises cattle in Arkansas but not that he has been very active in the North American Devon Association as they work to bring the Devon breed back to prominence. See below for a short blog he did for the NADA on "cattle as a commodity". Also, I have linked to his ranch's website if you care to read more.
NADA - Guest Blog
Fourche River Farm & Cattle Co.
I am so proud of what he and his wife are doing and the determination with which they are doing it. He was able to find financial success early in life and has used that to jump-start their dream and they are loving every minute of it! You go bro!
NADA - Guest Blog
Fourche River Farm & Cattle Co.
I am so proud of what he and his wife are doing and the determination with which they are doing it. He was able to find financial success early in life and has used that to jump-start their dream and they are loving every minute of it! You go bro!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Time to Make Another Car Payment on the Corobra
Well, I bought a radiator from NAPA for $112 after tax. Top and bottom hoses for $25 total. I was a little under the weather this week and it snowed here yesterday, but I woke up this morning with a strong desire to tackle the job. A trip to the library to check out the Haynes. I started the work at around 11am. Temps in the low 30's today. Cold but not horrible. Step one, shovel snow off the driveway. Below you'll see a pic of the nice new radiator. Delicious.
Below you'll see my extravagant tool "chest". Basically a socket and wrench set I picked up a few years ago off the clearance aisle at Wal-Mart and a tool box of some other odds and ends.
Vice grips? We don't need no stinking vice grips. Seriously, I don't own a pair of vice grips.
You can only imagine my surprise when I removed the radiator only to find ANOTHER radiator behind it! Holy shit! What did I get myself into? A quick phone call to John and I learn that's an A/C Condenser. ....A/C Condenser.... in case you're taking notes.
And here's a look down into the top of the radiator. Can you even imagine the strain it put on it when I added that Bars Leak about two years ago? I can't believe it worked for a couple of years.
And now some pics of the radiator. There's whole sections of fins missing. She was clearly on her last leg. 17-year-old radiator.
I call this picture "Urban Potpourri".
I am entering it into a photo contest.
In this pic below, I'm doing my part to "class up" the neighborhood. Notice the REX is out. That's because the stock radiator cap didn't fit the new rad. So, I rode the ZRX to get a new one. I come back - frozen - only to run into a second road block: the bottom rad hose is too short. A second bone-chilling ride to yet another auto parts store to get new hoses. But luckily the new hoses worked. Thank goodness because I was running out of patience and daylight.
I finished up right around dark. Frozen but happy. All in all, the work itself was simple as pie. It would have gone smooth as silk if I had just had the right parts to begin with. I saved a few bucks and learned a little. Definitely worth it, even if I did freeze my nuts off.
Below you'll see my extravagant tool "chest". Basically a socket and wrench set I picked up a few years ago off the clearance aisle at Wal-Mart and a tool box of some other odds and ends.
Vice grips? We don't need no stinking vice grips. Seriously, I don't own a pair of vice grips.
You can only imagine my surprise when I removed the radiator only to find ANOTHER radiator behind it! Holy shit! What did I get myself into? A quick phone call to John and I learn that's an A/C Condenser. ....A/C Condenser.... in case you're taking notes.
And here's a look down into the top of the radiator. Can you even imagine the strain it put on it when I added that Bars Leak about two years ago? I can't believe it worked for a couple of years.
And now some pics of the radiator. There's whole sections of fins missing. She was clearly on her last leg. 17-year-old radiator.
I call this picture "Urban Potpourri".
I am entering it into a photo contest.
In this pic below, I'm doing my part to "class up" the neighborhood. Notice the REX is out. That's because the stock radiator cap didn't fit the new rad. So, I rode the ZRX to get a new one. I come back - frozen - only to run into a second road block: the bottom rad hose is too short. A second bone-chilling ride to yet another auto parts store to get new hoses. But luckily the new hoses worked. Thank goodness because I was running out of patience and daylight.
I finished up right around dark. Frozen but happy. All in all, the work itself was simple as pie. It would have gone smooth as silk if I had just had the right parts to begin with. I saved a few bucks and learned a little. Definitely worth it, even if I did freeze my nuts off.
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