Jim Bollman

My worst mistake was listening to my Father and buying a 1966 Mustang in 1968. I could have bout a 1963 Avanti for the same money and he said, "they don't make them any more why get something you can't get parts for". Granted I was getting rid of a 1962 Metropolitan that had been laid up for a couple of weeks a few months earlier waiting for brake parts, so he was probably right, since I needed dependability. Probably wouldn't have been as bad a deal accept driving a 66 Mustang in the rust belt does not have a happy ending. An Avanti would have tucked away somewhere when it was time to move on to the next daily driver.

I have played with GPS units off and on for years. First one required a laptop and was about as useful as the one Dave@Moon described. Used it on a couple of trips and put it on the shelf. It also was terribly slow connecting to satellites. My second one ran on my PDA with a small bluetooth GPS unit you tossed on the dash. I have used that one for 2 years and was pleased with it's mapping and directions (most of the time) but it crashed at the worst times and didn't always reconnect very fast if you turned it off. My new one (TomTom 1-XL), I have only had it for about a month so it has not been heavily tested yet but it looks like it will be a big improvement. Very sensitive, it connect to satellites if you sit by a window in the house. It is fast enough restarting that we will not feel the need to leave it on all the time. Battery is suppose to be good for 2 hours and can be plugged into the accessory DC plug (no cigar lighters anymore). A couple of of things I learned along the way: I picked a female voice since I'm use to the wife telling me where to go, I occasionally have to decide which female to listen to. The GPS is handy to give you an estimate of how much longer it will take to get there. Also good for finding restaurants, campgrounds, gas stations, motels, etc. Using Point of Interest files, manyh units allow you to add your own files. We always have paper maps along and have a rough idea where we are going, just nice to be reminded when to turn and a quick glance will verify road names you are driving by without looking for a sign. Several time while traveling with no time table we set the GPS to the shortest or no highway setting and just follow the directions. You see some interesting country and it has always got us there eventually. Don't try this pulling a trailer or with a big camper. Besides crashing at the wrong time the reason I replaced my old unit was maps can get old pretty fast and the company no longer supported my old PDA. Last Summer I listened to my wife, instead of the GPS going to Macungie PA and got off at the wrong exit and ended up in a new construction area. The GPS kept trying to help by telling me to turn on roads that didn't exist anymore. I found the solution by taking a turn into an older part of Allentown and then let it figure out how to get me to the Park in Macungie. Worked like a charm and came in on some city streets on the backside of the park. I bought mounts for each car I plan to use the GPS in so I can leave the mounts and move the GPS. I do find it useful when I'm forced to go into Rochester (big city for me) to places I haven't been. It helps find where I need to go and when I'm done I just hit the take me home button. But normally we don't take it along locally.

I thought I heard that Halon had been restricted or outlawed but kept seeing them available, not cheap but available. Did a Google search and they seem to be out there for aircraft and racing, didn't see any restrictions.

I have converted the museum list to a Point Of Interest file for my TomTom GPS. If anyone wants it here is a pointer to the file. The icon could be better, but it is recognizable. This is for the latest versions of TomTom that uses the .ov2 files If anyone with a different GPS wants a POI file I will attempt to convert the data with some software I have, just ask.

Here is a hot Link

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RVAnderson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Anybody have experience with a Halon? I hear they are unequaled for extinguishing an underhood gasoline-fed blaze because you can spray through the radiator without opening the hood, and, being a gas, doesn't have to hit the fire directly to put it out. Further, there is no white-powder mess. I don't own one but would like to hear from someone that does and has used it. I also hear they're ghastly expensive compared to the powder types, but still a low price to pay for saving your car with minimal clean-up. </div></div> I own two but have never had to use them. I bought them after seeing a demo and was very impressed. The nice thing about them is they don't do the damage the powder does on engine fires. I have one in my shop along with a large powder type. The game plan is if there is time to reach the Halon, I'll use that, if not or it isn't enough grab the powder extinguisher. The second one rides in my truck most of the time. The demo that made me get out the check book was at a trade show. The sales man got in a phone booth size enclosure set a fairly large fire with him in it, he set off a small Halon canister off and the fire was out instantly and he only had to come his hair. He also showed a video of a mockup office with an automatic sensor, they tossed a gas filled bottle with a lite rag sticking out of it. Before it could completely explode it was out. A second video show a boat bilge fire put out before a fellow standing in the bilge was burnt. They are used in large computer rooms where other fire extinguishing methods can cause as much or more damage than a fire.

I started off with a shop/barn 50% bigger than the house. Up till this Winter the daily drivers have always stayed out (wife's is in car port) but decided I wanted the new to me tow vehicle to be inside since it was in such nice shape underneath. Since I also didn't want to leave the slide in camper and open trailer out for the Winter I stacked them and rented a spot for the Winter. First time in 25+ years that I had to rent space. Not sure if I will add another building or continue renting. Since it isn't secured storage it is only $200 for 6 months so it is hard to justify building other than the connivence since it is stored till Spring no matter what (other campers and boats around it). I have fluctuated between 3 and 5 collector cars (currently 3) but like Skyking I collect mostly small cars and they stack in pretty tight. I have decided to limit myself to one large vehicle for comfort trips and rotate that out of the collection as I find something I like better. The 2 Crosleys I have now are keepers and I'm thinking that I should add one more. Of course I have added a couple of old tractors over the years so they take space to. I keep telling my wife I'm trying to be good, if I build it will probably just be a 3 sided shed to give some protection for the trailer and camper. I know many of you use an enclosed trailer for extra car storage. Is there a down side to that? I have a neighbor that has a small building for a shop and keeps adding trailers when he needs more space, he is up to 3. No real-estate tax and if you decide to move you are already mostly packed.

novaman, not as an argument either way on names but I thought you may like to know I ran in to another novaman on a different forum. I thought for a minute that I might have found another of your hangouts and actually poked into the postings from that novaman and discovered he was from a different part of the country (maybe world, I don't remember now CRS again).

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: oldcarfudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lots of European cars had flip-out turn signals. I believe even Rolls Royce had them. They were called "trafficators". Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ </div></div> My wife always called them mox nix sticks. They had a VW with them on when her Father was stationed in Germany. Not knowing any German I didn't know what it meant so I just Googled it and found this interesting explanation. <span style="font-style: italic">They were called "mox nix" sticks as many Germans(and some Americans) would pull up the wrong stick on a turn or even both sticks, hence mox nix, that is, "makes no difference" sticks.</span>

I use my real name on many forums that I am active on. I have not seen any difference in spam and unwanted eMails. I agree with Paul.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shop Rat</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Propellers. </div></div> See, I told you guys that some cars came with propellers. And ya'll thought I was just drunk on eggnog. </div></div> The Super models of Crosley in 1951-52 had propellers to but they were not optional and they were on the other end. Some Crosley people claim if you oil them well you can get them spinning fast enough to give you a boost going up hill.

I thought you wanted odd. The Crosley FarmOroad had the following list of options available and a few more. Snow Plow Post Hole Digger Front Mount Chopper Mower Skis for winter use on front wheels Disk Harrow Hay Rake Gang Reel Mower Cultivator Dirt Plow Sickle Mower Front and Rear Power Take Off Dump Box (Hydraulic) Pickup Box Dual Wheels Spring Locks Hydraulic Draw-Bar Rear Chain Drive Draw-Bar Front Pictures of some of these from a few years ago at the Crosley Nationals. http://crosleyautoclub.com/04Nationals/Saturday/index.html The fellow that owns the collection in the URL has managed to rig it so he can drive on the show with all the accessories even though most are not intend to use when the others are attached.

I'll take a tank of fuel oil for the shop furnace. Just can't bring myself to call for a delivery. Been using a space heater. Just occurred to me maybe a coal furnace would be better if I buy much more stuff.

Looks good. How about adding: Crosley Crofton Jeep CJ3 Studebaker Champ Ford F1 Ford F2 Ford F3 Thanks

Another shot of Ike's Crosley with Ike.

I paid $80 18 months ago for a 6 volt battery when I needed it immediately, from a local dealer. I find that Tractor Supply usually has a good price, I think the one I bough a year ago was around $40.

Just remembered another one, not really car related but vehicle related. We use to do the cut your own Christmas tree thing to. We went several years to a farm that would take you out and pick you up in a Studebaker Weasel (WW2 surplus full tracked vehicle) pulling a sleigh. It was worth the price of the tree for the ride. After bragging up the place, some friends decided to join us, they showed up in new down jackets and all the extras like we were going to the Arctic. Everything went well till on the way back a hydraulic line blew. Luckily the down jack the friend wore protected him from the hot hydraulic fluid as well as the Arctic cold. We walked the rest of the way out dragging the trees. I think the farmer gave him his tree for free. Wonder if that Weasel is still tucked in a barn down there somewhere.

A Christmas Trip to Remember I bought a pretty clean 62 Ford Fairlane around 1978-79. Just a used car and a bit on the old side as a trip car. As the Christmas trip back to the parents and in-laws (about 1200 miles round trip) got closer it looked like of the cars we had to choose from it was the most likely to make the trip and stay warm. The other two were a 65 Ford van that didn't have any heat beyond the front seat and a 72 VW that had rotted heat boxes. After the normal checking over of everything and loading tools and a service manual in the trunk we took of with our 3 year old son in the back seat (in a car seat I had installed seat belts). It was after work, in the dark (I didn't have a lot of vaction back then). Well we were not even 40 miles from home when it started missing and would not go over about 30 mph, it was starting to snow and it was cold. Only thing I could find open was a Sears Auto Center. They let me pull in but it was being run by a couple of kids not much older than the car if that. They were there to fix flats and maybe put on wiper blades. They were willing to work on it but didn't know where to start and I was not allowed to work on it (insurance). I pulled on the manual which they were grateful to see, and with a few suggestions from me we got it narrowed down to a couple of things with the coil being one of the easier things to fix. I told them to put on a coil and it fixed the problem and we were off again, now it is even later to be starting an 8+ hour trip. About 150 miles into the trip with no problems. Then we hit a bump and we had a straight pipe roaring away. We pulled off the interstate and found an open garage (don't you miss gas stations with garages attached?) They put it on the lift and with the help of a tin can and some clamps we were back on the road again with less roar. The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful. Yet another one of those cars I should have tucked away for a few years, if I would have just had more money and space. That little V8 made for a nice running little car.

I have done inspections on cars, boats, and other collectable things over the years for friends. It has gotten easier with digital cameras and the net. Sometimes I tell them to forget it sometimes I just make sure I have pictures of all the problem spots. Never left a deposit for anyone. I have also had friends look at things for me. I try not to pin them down to much on opinion, mostly looking for conformation that the pictures I have gotten are telling the truth or to get pictures taken by my agent not the seller. Latest one I had looked at by a friend was my new tow vehicle. I had put a refundable deposit on it but wanted a friendly eye look it over and go for a ride in it before I flew 1500 miles to drive it home. He missed a couple of minor things but found a few others. The seller was willing to adjust the price for the defects and fix one and we were both happy.

Well put ex98. Put me on the side of those that appreciate the thought. Not sure it will help retention, but it is always good to be appreciated.

Probably not high enough resolution for a cover. I took it a few years back with an early digital camera, the original is only 1280X960 pixels.

Thought maybe this would help the ID.

AACA has removed "Other" from most/all of judging forms over the last few years. If you see something that needs a deduction you have to put it in the closest category. Is there anything that could be associated with the ignition wiring, like coil wire or something else? I would guess it has modern markings on the wires. Are we talking a point or 2 or a big deduction?

House 1450 sq ft, Shop 2200 sq ft. Really should have built a bigger shop. Jim...

Not to back peddle to much, but since we have are own Port-a-Poty on our space, I only use the public ones a few times during the week. I never saw anyone do anything other than directing traffic. Now the companies do a good job of keeping them pumped and do clean them well when they come through. I just knew when I made the posting about the tips I would stir up a bunch of comments. Jim...