Frantz

I sell cars (late model and new). Got a sorta rare one in and let a woman know who has been waiting. 5 years old 30k miles... lowest mileages available in the country and still falls under certified pre owned for manufacturer. She wants me to call her back when it's through the shop for check up. In the mean time another sales person gets a sight unseen deposit... he and his customer win. I have no problem with that. My customer wanted more info to make a decision, his did not and was ready to act.

Without sounding like I'm offering legal advice (because its not allowed and I have no clue what I'm talking about), you could still sue for negligence. But yeah... insurance is good to have. At least the owners are trying to help save some other cars out there with the parts.

Don't forget to save the factory manifolds then too! You wouldn't be the first guy to spend a whole lot more money down the road if you decide to go back to stock trying to find factory originals! If you're looking at a street car on somewhat of a budget then I would stick to the factory size. Easier to find headers that way and fewer pipes to engineer. 71 Riviera is one of the best looking cars of the period, congrats and welcome to the hobby!

Funny you should ask... Check out this thread... 2nd picture. Garden Gnome ID

I once inquired with a local attorney on the cost to get a title for a vehicle here in PA. He said costs normally start at $800 for their service and go up. Is that too high? Maybe... but if it means they'll have my back if down the road something comes up, and after I've put thousands of dollars into the vehicle... it's cheap insurance. There are certainly ways to get a vehicle title by switching between states with various laws on titling, but if someone turns up down the road with the original title, do they not have claim to the vehicle? Maybe the original owner isn't that sort, but what about when their kids go through the estate and out of curiosity run a pull for the vehicle. I have two cars stored about 3 hours away from me so I don't check on them often enough. They've not been registered for some time. If someone stole them and sold em to someone else who then got titles made for them What happens? Shouldn't I be able to lay claim with my original titles? I'm no attorney, and I would certainly buy a project without a title, but theses are things that concern me and I'd rather pay the money to get it done as right as possible.

That does seem like a solid starting point for someone. I've always liked those.

I think it's good to have HPOF be at 25 years. Frankly too many cars from the 1990s, 1980s and 1970s are being point judged that really are better in HPOF. It takes an unnecessary long amount of time to point judge a car that simply hasn't had a hard 25-40 year life, but hasn't been through an actual restoration either. There are some survivor exceptions that do great on points. I have no problem with a car starting the preservation and being awarded for it at 25 years of age. Further, what harm does it cause to the mission of the club?

Your car looks awesome! I would encourage you to go HPOF without the repaint. What a treasure you have!

Thanks Terry. I wasn't familiar with that aspect of it.

Bob you should try AACA judging if you can. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If you look over the award winners they aren't over-chromed red monsters. You also can NOT advertise your car for sale on the showfield. It's a relatively dignified event and honors cars and their owners who have preserved or restored to factory fresh. The topic of over restoration comes up and we do not penalize for being over restored so long as it's restored correctly. Meaning black is black, but it's not chrome or full of metal flake (unless done so factory). On the OP topic, I do wonder if there is a way to ensure "youthful distribution". I know there aren't enough youthful judges, but from time to time I'm on a team with another young person and it does seem like a waste of good knees. I know we're supposed to shift around what we judge, but I've yet to not volunteer to judge chassis at any meet because I'm 35 and a year or two younger than most everyone else. It's not a complaint. Actually it helps me feel more comfortable in a sorta new world for me. From what I normally can see, I look closer under the car than most of the owners have for quite some time. Maybe we should at least ask if a judge can't do chassis to prevent 5 judges on a team from all having trouble. That really isn't fair to the team, the car, or the owners (especially those who do take great efforts to make the chassis correct). Of course then most judges might check that box... so whats the solution? Allow mirrors for judging?

You could do a max deduction for either the fact that the original down draft tube is absent or because a non factory part was installed if you are doing it by the books. Of course that should warrant a conversation with the owner and if there were some requirement to do so and you have documentation then you'd be good. However, I'm not aware of any states requiring emissions equipment to be added to a car that did not originally come with that. You could bring the correct parts and put them back on once on the showfield for judging and put the emission stuff back on after the judging. If you opt for that, keep in mind that the cars may be judged more than once. National judged come by after regular judges. In fact you could be judged by three different groups by the end, so don't get the wrenches out after the first pass.

My neighbor had one of those EV-1 GM cars. He really liked it and hated to give it back as well. I was pretty young in the 1990s so my big take away was that it beeped when you backed up. But it was a big enough deal in our neighborhood that it stuck in my mind. I didn't grow up as a car guy either but it still made an impression.

Of course they are free to use whatever they want, just everyone else chooses to use the same system and Tesla uses their own. The Apple comparison is fair, and it's a chief complaint about Apple systems, even from those who love them.

It most certainly is. It leaves ownership of the dealership and moves a production unit for the factory. Tesla gave them to the museum so they are indeed the Tesla charging stations. Every other company uses a standard charging plug but Tesla uses their own. If you buy a Volvo charging station you can charge your BMW or Ford or Nissan. Yes they make conversion plug, but IMO it's simply another really dumb business move by Tesla.

I sell more Volvos straight cash than I lease. Not as surprisingly when I sold Fords it was fewer leases still (but very few cash deals). Many areas are financially conservative and simply refuse to look at leasing numbers. I have a client who pays cash every two years and wont let me show them how leasing is less money and less risk. Some parts of the country are at 70% for sure. But every number Ive seen past few years and the first hit when I googled it just to check is right around 30% for leasing nationally.

about 30% of new cars are leased.. .not 70%. For people who buy new cars every few years leasing saves money in most situations. That's off topic though. I have not driven a Tesla. I was in a showroom, but no one offered me a test drive. I really don't care though, that isn't my point. There is nothing "special" about them that anyone else couldn't make if there was a market demand. Same as Tucker. The big three weren't threatened by Tucker, they could have made em just as well. Tesla does some very stupid things, such as having a Tesla only charger when everyone else used the same one. They don't use dealers and have proprietary maintenance as well. They offer nothing that someone else couldn't offer if the market demanded it, and once the market accepts it, they have nothing to set them apart from everyone who copies it. It's just a really really poor business model. I have no problem with the product or idea, it just is a crap business model. At best, you could hope for a buy out as an investor.

A list of patents doesnt mean they are marketable. Making something different doesnt mean everyone else cant do the same IF it turns out to be popular. Whats unique about them that gives em a real chance? What are they doing to have mass appeal that Ford or VW couldnt do? Initial price is only part of the problem. I just dont see anything about them that mimics a sucessful company.

Has Tesla brought anything new to the market? I mean real marketable patents? Otherwise its really just marketing and once the technology is sorted out Tesla wont stand a chance. The lack of inovation rather than simply application would be my concern as a share holder (which I am not)

If it makes you feel better the consumer tax credit is non-refundable. Meaning it can take your tax burden down to zero, but it can't grant a refund.

Doug you're spot on. No way the government is going to let their revenue go out the window. The taxes collected are easier to swallow for the general public when they just see it as the cost of gas. Start showing them how much a year they're paying and you'll see an uproar. I think that's the main reason we haven't seen a push for change over even as fleet averages of fuel economy keep going up.

I always thought the story of Charles Jeffery on the Lusitania causing him to lose interest in the company was quite interesting, which of course lead to the option of Nash getting hold of the company and changing the name to Nash. The early auto pioneers where so interwoven it makes for a fascinating story in itself.

Welcome! I think I recognize your name from the AMC forums I used to frequent! Glad to have you and your great AMC here!

Electric is coming (again). It's not here yet though, regardless of what any Tesla owners tell folks at the charging stations to justify their purchases. We had some poor sap with a Nissan Leaf driving 70 miles at a time and then looking for a charging station. He came to our Volvo dealer after Sheetz (regional gas station with chargers) was out of order and the Nissan dealer had just changed buildings and didn't set up their chargers yet. Basically asking us for hand outs, which we gave him out of pity. That's no way to travel. Sure you could rent a car for these trips, but if all do is local you're really no better off than you were with a horse or bicycle in 1905. Frankly that's where I place electric cars right now, 1905. They exist, and can be forced to work, but there are still better options. But 1908 is coming!

Probably not too much until the new deal era, as that was when the expansion of federal employees really took off with a need of transportation. Of course, the 16th and 18th amendments of the constitution would also likely have even earlier examples with the IRS and ATF. Those are just guesses though, but probably the areas I'd start a hunt with.

Looks like one of those Chinese knock off logos they always try to say aren't imitations of other popular brands (Lincoln), but google is coming up empty for me. And the Do Not Enter signs looks US, but it is right hand drive...