Twitch

It just seems like somebody way up there has a bug in their butt about hydrogen. It's great. They proved the concept more or less and built some viable prototypes. But stop the hoopla and concentrate on producing the fuel at a viable cost otherwise it's just more hot air when there are several other working solutions now available. It just seems they are ignoring all the rest and fixated on the one that actually doesn't work yet in an economic sense. I don't get it unless there is a huge number of politicians and others that figure some way to make $$ on hydrogen somehow. Anything that uses power/energy to produce an end product, fuel or otherwise, has to do so at an economically viable rate. This means that anything which plugs into the power grid increases the need for power at that stage. Anything electric still requires extra power plant energy. Most plants are coal, natural gas, a few garbage-to-methane and a handful of nukers. So to produce some clean energy we have to increase dirty energy output or use energy that could be better used heating homes and buildings. And in ANY new tech do we fully know how much energy will be required to manufacture and transport the components for whatever non-gasoline cars that come along. In other words if we squander 3 times the amount of fabrication energy to build the hi-tech Wazoo Flyer over the Hyundai Zippy w/gasloine engine, what the hell is the point? It becomes a viscious circle quickly.

On a not completely unrelated subject, I have had minor oil drips mysteriously stop, though not begin again.

Well if we're going to have pump attendants again I may have something to d in my retirement years! Try the NO FUEL air-powered car. The French guy in the U-Tube thing was on TV talking about a perpetual motion concept where the car runs an on board compressor to replenish much of the power used to run the car and partially fill the tank! http://www.futurecars.com/ http://www.theaircar.com/acf/air-cars/air-cars.html http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QmqpGZv0YT4

Last we heard around here was that it was taking $1.10 worth of energy to make $1.00's worth of hydrogen. So we got one of the Japaneze companies building a bunch of hydrogen cars for some reason. Probably more "public relations." Or perhaps they'll work out some cleaver government subsity program....as soon as they actually build some useable fueling stations. But unless something has changed via a breakthrough, is the ratio still upside down on cost vs. production or what?

As mentioned it isn't a high value collector-sought vehicle but there is a market for people who want well-kept lightly used luxury cars. It would be nice to word and ad directed to someone that doesn't just want a 2 car as a beater. An astute kid would appreciate it though more would go for performance cars- It's a big safe car as a kid's 1st car- I wouldda bought this for my oldest daughter's 1st car. Somebody will appreciate this car for what it is but it is hard to find that person.

Go to any dealer that is an Interstate Battery dealer. They may not have it in stock but they'll get it in 2-5 days. They are available- don't change your battery box. I got a new one for my 50 a month ago.

Anybody that is in the auto salvage business is a gambler. He's gambling that the investment he just made in some trashed car will pay off IF he sells enough parts off of the 'amazing hulk' he just "rescued." For him it's a business of profit and loss. Why should he share your impetus for saving old cars becasue you didn't know that someday there's be so many junked cars allegedly worth saving. You woulda bought more of them had you foreseen, right? So this guy may or may not have recovered his investment in a wreck. Besides his actual investment is his overhead, tax insurance and all that. And of course the value of the real estate that he has deferred to negative use as per community standards or simply his original land purchase is pretty well frozen. Unless he sells out to someone willing to continue to deal in dimes as profits while he segregates several acres of valueable land or sells out all his stock (unlikely) he has no alternative other than shred it all. After all, the salvage yard guy spent 30 years maintaining the yard which was there 30 years before. What more can be expected of him? Some of the same wrecks are still there when he bought it. He guesses if anybody was going to want them they'd have bought them by now. He isn't subsidized by old car clubs to be a criptkeeper until the hulks virtually disappear. He's not aware that the next big hobby trend for 82 Granadas is just around the corner. So this auto salvager/gambler has reached the end of his road. He made some good bets and some bad ones that still lie about mocking him. It is ashamed that his accountant who is handling the bid on his property has calculated that he could have done absolutely nothing with the property for 30 years and it would be worth the same. The salvager/gamber could have worked at a good paying job with full benefits and retirement while the junkyard land just sat and appreciated parlaying his end of work life payoff into a substantial sum. Instead he worked physically hard out in the weather 6-7 days a week with no bebefits and only a rare vacation. Now he wonders if he made the right gamble. He'll be fishing for gar in the Muskogee cause that's the only place his retirement dollar will go far instead of cruising the Greek islands in a yacht. He figured if anyone was still interested in owning a salvage yard as such, that someone would have stepped up willing to go through the rigors he went through, right? Well no one did. What does that tell us?

The one simple point that is undenyable is that there is beacoup oil under Alaska but we have given it to the elks so that can hapily frolic their days away......

The next time you have a block of time check this out. This is not some silly U tube crapola but it might give you a new slant on oil, gas and Alaska. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3340274697167011147

Look- here's what should work. Loosen and remove the lower hose connection from the radiator. Loosen and remove the upper hose from the radiator. You have removed the clean radiator from the equation. Start the car up and let the water pump circulate the water/coolant through the engine till it pukes out. Turn the heater on so flow circulates into and through the heater hoses. Put a garden hose with the water on in the upper hose and let the engine's water pump circulate the water till it is clear. Then you know the block is clean.

Just curious why you can't flush now. Old cars are dead easy to get at the lower hose and stick a water hose in the radiator as they run puking out all the gunk. A 15 minute no sweat deal.

Monzas were without a doubt far superior to the Valiant in every sense- looks, handling, power, response, uniqueness. Remember Corvairs Monzas were "sporty" cars that had no translated counterpart in the Valiant econo car line up.

Monzas were without a doubt far superior to the Valiant in every sense- looks, handling, power, response, uniqueness. Remember Corvairs Monzas were "sporty" cars that had no translated counterpart in the Valiant econo car line up.

Certainly no one is going to find a Duesey in a garage for $1,000 but there are tens of thousands of reasobnably priced vintage cars. I mean under $15,000 and often under $10,000. Everybody doesn't desire a Pierce Arrow or Stutz. Even if they were free the upkeep, insurance and hesitation for many to drive them would outweigh any fun factor. There are Nashes, Hudsons, Studebakers, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, postwar Packards, Dodges and Plymouths from the late 30s-50s if you want something different the the ubiquitous Ford or Chevy. In the 60s there are even more selections only at generally lower prices if you don't dream of muscle cars. 60s Camaros and Mustangs can be found that under $15,000. The may be "averge" condition but they'll give a lot of enjoyment for the dollar. From 1958-1969 Fords and Chevies are valued less than 10 grand if you stay away from convertibles and 2-door hardtops. Some are well under 10 Gs. Same goes for Dodges,Pymouths and even Chryslers. Many, models of Olds, Pontiacs, and Buicks are down there. AMCs are at near givaway prices across the board if you want something different. And most of these cars will be about as rare as seeing a Duesenberg at your local crusie in or show at the park. Most of the big boats don't fit in the category of "sought after" so a 66 Olds 98 can lord over the zillion Fords and Chevies that are. I encourage people that attend these functions to start looking and become educated if they express any curious desire of owning a vintage vehicle. I've found lot of guys at retirement age that definitely are goin to need something to do besdies listen to the wife till they die. They have a few bucks and most say "I always wanted one." They may need to recalibrate from 32 LaSalle to a 65 Thunderbird HT but they'll have a car at least. And a lot of these cars can and should be purchased from local sources and even Ebay in certain instances instead of from "collector" publications and sites who will have the prices jacked up. Believe me there are tons of people who know nothing of NADA Gold Book or any other evaluation source for aged autos.

Certainly no one is going to find a Duesey in a garage for $1,000 but there are tens of thousands of reasobnably priced vintage cars. I mean under $15,000 and often under $10,000. Everybody doesn't desire a Pierce Arrow or Stutz. Even if they were free the upkeep, insurance and hesitation for many to drive them would outweigh any fun factor. There are Nashes, Hudsons, Studebakers, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, postwar Packards, Dodges and Plymouths from the late 30s-50s if you want something different the the ubiquitous Ford or Chevy. In the 60s there are even more selections only at generally lower prices if you don't dream of muscle cars. 60s Camaros and Mustangs can be found that under $15,000. The may be "averge" condition but they'll give a lot of enjoyment for the dollar. From 1958-1969 Fords and Chevies are valued less than 10 grand if you stay away from convertibles and 2-door hardtops. Some are well under 10 Gs. Same goes for Dodges,Pymouths and even Chryslers. Many, models of Olds, Pontiacs, and Buicks are down there. AMCs are at near givaway prices across the board if you want something different. And most of these cars will be about as rare as seeing a Duesenberg at your local crusie in or show at the park. Most of the big boats don't fit in the category of "sought after" so a 66 Olds 98 can lord over the zillion Fords and Chevies that are. I encourage people that attend these functions to start looking and become educated if they express any curious desire of owning a vintage vehicle. I've found lot of guys at retirement age that definitely are goin to need something to do besdies listen to the wife till they die. They have a few bucks and most say "I always wanted one." They may need to recalibrate from 32 LaSalle to a 65 Thunderbird HT but they'll have a car at least. And a lot of these cars can and should be purchased from local sources and even Ebay in certain instances instead of from "collector" publications and sites who will have the prices jacked up. Believe me there are tons of people who know nothing of NADA Gold Book or any other evaluation source for aged autos.

I agree with you, we have to have comprehensive even on an older transportation car the way things are. What ticks me off is just knowing that part of what we all pay is because some deadbeat schmuck isn't paying a dime.

Hey Dandy Dave a lot of folks go to see cars at cruise ins or shows and think they don't have ebough money to own a vintage car. I'm talking people thinking most are in the $30,000+ range. They're delighted to find that there are a lot of interesting old treasures out there for less than $15 or even $10,000, well within their budget. I've talked to a lot of people who come by and had the idea that everything is in the 57 Chevy range of $40,000 or even more. When they find out they could get a decent Hudson, Nash, Stude or many others for 10-15K they are amazed. Whats' wrong with a really nice 54 Chevy for $10,000? I tell them my Packard is worth about 15 grand to me and they had some idea it shoulda been like 30! Go figure. There's people that just don't know but are interested to a great degree. I tell them to begin searching and be patient that they don't have to spend a lot. So why does that make be such a bad guy? No one, no one has ever asked, "how much money can I make and how fast by turning old carsfor profit?" Certainly we aren't in some mode where the newcomer that buys a 41 Nash is looked down upon by the character that has several cars which he's had for many years or the fact that a Nash doesn't measure up with his Mormons, Oaklands, Auburns and such. And then this other joker questions my future finances and has the nerve to tell me I'm bragging when I tell him about my housing worth? WTF? And for your satisfaction one house is free and clear bought for $75,000 in 1980- worth $625,000 now. Another house inherited that was free and clear was just sold at $500,000. 3rd place- owe $128,000- worth $800,000. So please tell me why I care if one of my cars went up $2,000 in perceived evaluation last year? I still maintain that the majority of people became involved with cars as a hobby because they enjoy cars- be they hot rods, classics or Jap tuner cars- not because they perceived them as a way to riches. Any upward valuation is completely secondary from the pleasure they derive from interacting with their cars. I have never come across any hobbyist that blatantly braggs about the value of their cars to others. How he bought them cheap but now they're valuable "investments." I've never heard a load like that till now. I'm sure that even someone as jaded as that now did NOT buy their 1st vehicle as a cornerstone to some big time retirement investment scheme. They bought the car cause they liked the car not because 20 years later it would possibly be worth more. The vast majority didn't do that before and they're not doing it now.

Well yeah, it's insurance company to insurance company. But if the other guy has no insurance your company will get stiffed even if you have comprehensive. These deadbeats disappear over night or file bankrupcy. So SOMEBODY pays. And that somebody may be you through elevated rates or everyone in general. How many times have we heard of ones rates going up even though an accident wasn't their fault and everybody had insurance? I can say that most vintage owners have mentioned that their insurers were fair.

What the heck should people wait for? They should get SOME car and start enjoying the fun of it all. No one can desire only one car and then pine for it because they can't afford it or spend more than it's worth just to have it. If anyone is waiting for a favorite car to actually decline in value you will never own it. Spending too much for any car is dumb and impulsive. Only the rich drunk guys at B & J auctions do that. There's legions of cars out there for under 10 grand. There is something that would appease anyone. If you own 8 cars Chacheska you don't sound moved by them you sound clinical as though it's all business to you. Do you drive them on nice days and get nostalgia flashes? Do little kids ask you about them? Do you ever take them out in the light of day to a show or cruise in to share them with others? You actually sound like a guy getting ready to sell them all and make a klling at a time in life when most enthusiasts are really enjoying and appreciating them. Sooner or later if we live long enough we all stop driving if we're smart. That has no effect on me now. Why should it? When that time comes it comes. I'm certainly not going to worry about something as minor as that. There is absolutely no reason I will not live in my house until I die either. And just because I chose to live in this house doesn't mean I didn't buy other houses either. Sorry but I've got about 2 million dollars in houses in toadys' money. Does that classify me as a poor planner, Bud? By the way I've killed cancer twice in 4 years and have had every possible side effect and hellishly negatively related secondary physical damage there is with more surgery to come. Yet when I can, I get out to the events and have my hands on my cars. Can't scare me. Still got my cars. I bought my Z-28 new and restored it about a year ago and never was surprised about the cost frankly. I'm not broke. It was less than I figured actulaay. My 1950 Packard I bought more or less on a whim. When I was 1st diagnosed with cancer I began collecting car images off the web to pass the time. Then I thought about my Dad who sold post-war Packards and looked for a 48-50. Checked basics and found some for more and some for less but needing more work. I didn't want a perfect show car I couldn't drive. I found a Grade B car that I liked and bought it at a reasonable price in lesss than 10 days after I decided on a Packard. Please be so kind as to explain where I went wrong. People that lost their houses should have known it was a little too good to be true when they only had to put $1,000 down. They basically lost rent money cause that had no equity through proper down payment in the houses in the 1st place! And "collectors" that purchased a slew of cars at the wrong time must be pretty poor collectors. Those who collect anything be it old watches or baseball cards know their market prices and are aware of trends. Why do I have to feel sorry for stupid people? We're back to people buying vintage cars for the sake of turning a profit again. Why do I not feel sorry for them? Besides how did they lose their shirts? You mean they bought high ans sold low? Boy is that stupid. Why did they have to sell? No investor besides day traders gets into any investment except for the long haul. And no smart investor ties up all his money in one commodity. Were they too stupid to diversify? Or were these wiseguys figuring on turning a fast buck by artificailly driving up the value of their "collection"? I have no sympathy in any case for stupid investors in the car market or any other. If they were pure enthusiasts they'd still own the cars and they would back up in value. If anyone wants to gloat over the perceived value of their old car, knock yourself out. I don't care a bit about it other than for insurance purposes. In fact I hope prices stay the same or fall so more people can enjoy ownership. I don't want or need my my cars to go up in value.

Found On Road Dead or Fix Or Repair Daily?

Frankly you're lucky the guy even had insurance. In L.A. County 55% do NOT!

I did not purchase my vehicles with the concept of them building equity, value or my wealth. I purchased what I wanted as an auto enthusiast not as an investor. I did not purchase my home as a money generating entity either. I purchased it in order to give my family a decent, comfortable place to live and grow up in. It matters little what my house is valued at today since it is still my residence and I plan to live here till I die. Obviously I have no plans of obtaining wealth from it. If anyone is actually worried about values please someone, name a vehicles that went DOWN in value during the past 5 years. By the time one attempts to research what car they think they should buy versus what they think they like in order to see it rise in value, it already did and they missed it. If you're some kind of bean counter who purchases a daily driver only with the regard of it resale value in the future you are truly alone. Nobody does that. There are auto enthusiasts and there are investor/collectors. But don't come to a show bragging about what your heap is worth. No one cares. Only the viewers that attend cruise ins and shows constantly ask "what's it worth?" because they have no concept to draw from. That's all they know. Focusing on values, prices and evaluations has done more harm to the hobby than anything by making it appear to be the primary concern for owning a vintage car. Knowing that there is money to be made spurs some on invest large amounts in unnecessary "frame up" rebuilds and lavishing cosmetic details on cars for the reason of turning high profits at auction. Rebuilding cars to a high degree of perfection for the wrong reason- pure profit is the antithesis of the reason the purist does it- pure love. Never heard of a race car driver say he got into racing becuase he wanted to become wealthy either. Most people I know own cars for sentimental reasons and have attachments to them beyond any profiteering schemes. Many have been offer more than current markets value them and declined to sell. I am personally sickened by the constant addiction by some to artifically manipulate prices upward through auction maneuvers. I'd like to see those who are only fixated on vintage cars' vaules to try another medium. What your broker didn't forecast the rise in gold and you didn't get in? So now you're hoping to make big bucks on hoarding some poor old car in your 10 year plan of building wealth? Don't buy a car for all the wrong reasons. You will never be happy.

To anyone who is a true vintage or other auto enthusiast the value of their vehicles is of little consequence.

Some are going up just a little, thankfully, others at a more rapid rate. I say thankfully to slow increases so that more people can enjoy something out of the past without getting a 2nd mortgage. Unfortunately auctions DO have effect on where prices go. It is one part of a multi faceted number of reasons. Certain evaulators state- Some guidelines: Pricing sources: Auctions, sales reports, Value-Track® database, classifieds and the general market (contacts, shows, etc.). Regional factors: There are some minor regional differences in prices, mostly for vehicles under $20,000 in value. Prices tend to be highest in the northeast and on the west coast. Very expensive cars operate in a global market. Show cars: Perfect cars are pretty rare. These vehicles have been treated to a very expensive concours quality, frame-off, no expensed spared, nut & bolt restoration and do not get driven. They command higher prices than CCMR's standard #1 value. Originality: All pricing assumes original, numbers matching engine. Deductions vary for engine swaps and can (but not always) be substantial -- be careful! Clean, totally original cars usually carry a premium relative to equivalent published prices. Original documentation is a big plus, especially on muscle cars. Having said that, there is a trend towards "upgrading" collector cars to make them drive and perform better than when they were new while retaining stock appearance. These vehicles generally suffer no value loss and in fact we have seen plenty of instances where they can bring more than a pure stock example. High Option Vehicles: Car & trucks that are highly optioned and/or accessorized with items such as visors, continental kits, power seats, tilt wheel, etc. usually command a premium. Figure an extra 10% or so depending on equipment. Imports: Pricing for imported cars is for US spec., left-hand drive unless not available in that configuration. Right-hand drive carries a price penalty on most cars, especially later models. Later standard-bodied RHD Rolls-Royce and Bentley models are particularly difficult to sell in the States. Trucks: Small departures from originality do not affect the value of trucks as it does cars. Engine swaps or upgrades, mild customization in the form of wheels, tires, and accessories can enhance value. Make sure you use the Truck Equipment Table Street Rods: Due to varying degrees of quality, parts, workmanship, etc., these are extremely difficult to accurately estimate market value. Many rods reflect the specific likes of the owner, and these don't always translate well to potential buyers. Monetarily, it is usually very difficult to recover the amount of money put into it. They are are strong and vibrant part of the marketplace, however. About Auction Results: Auctions are just one part of the collector car marketplace. Many collectors get the impression that if they see a 1957 Chevy sell for $70,000 at a major auction, then theirs must be worth that, too. This is a misconception. Auctions often bring above market prices for very nice cars. The reasons are many: there's money in the audience, egos come into play, bidders can get caught in the moment, and sometimes the cars that show up to an auction such as Barrett-Jackson or Pebble Beach are just stunning, one-of-a-kind, mega-buck restorations. Unfortunately, all is not always as it seems at an auction. Sometimes prices are bid up with "phantom" bidders, cars are declared sold that aren't, and even the bidding can be completely fabricated. In addition, dealers may bid among themselves soley to create the illusion of both interest and high values for specific cars. This is from Collector Cer Market Review

I have no fear of half million and up dollar cars being modded. A 32 Packard Vickie is in that range for a superb one. Even Supperods hasn't got that kind of money and likely no one else does either. So the bottom line is simply that a very few people have modified normal production Packards but have not laid out 500 Gs and up for any true classic. Nobody has turned a Pierce Arrow into a street rod, or a Delage, or a Dusenberg or a Voisin. So why are you now alluding to the fact? Lets see the pictures. The undeniable fact remains that none of us know how many of any car exist unless in isolated, very special cases where factory procution records are borne out by all the special cars still existing. Beyond that no one on this forum knows how many of each model during each years was manufactured in Packard since much of the records were dumped in the river. And for all the other marques no one knows how many survive either. Dave says he does but hasn't posted one legitimate factory production figure. You don't know how many of each Packard model was constructed in the 1930s and you don't know how many remain. To say otherwise is simply a lie. SUPERODS and other newcomers- About every 6 months or so a few sob sisters get all feminine emotional after something sets them off and harangue everyone that doesn't share their exact, illogical point of view about cars. The recurring paranoia is that there just aren't enough 100% stock cars out there. They're irrationally worried about things over which they have no control- what's going to happen to their cars when they die? How many cars are hotrodders modding per year? Will people in 100 years have vintage cars to see? Then they cry themselves dry and go along till somone like you comes along and set them off again. Oh, of course none of them will or can do anything about any of the transgressions they perceive to be perpetrated by others, like you, whose actions they consider responsible for ruining car hobbys forever. It's just all talk and emotional feelings like Oprah. And so ends the St. Patricks Day 2008 tear jerker.....