iamsuperdan

Just read that she passed away earlier today. We actually just watched Mad Max Beyond Thunderdone on the weekend and were wondering about how old she was now. What a talent.

That's a beautiful set!

That's the beauty of "science fantasy" as I call it. Anything is possible!

Caution: salty language in this link! But if you want to learn about swearing in medieval times, this is amusing. https://www.medievalists.net/2023/05/medieval-swear-words/

In a couple of the movies, you can see these "hovering" in atmosphere. Rogue One for sure, and I think the Rise of Skywalker too. If I recall, in one of the books, they use something called Repulsorlift, which is like an anti-gravity. As for flight in atmosphere, most Star Wars craft seem to be able to do so. Millennium Falcon is probably the best example of something that shouldn't be able to fly, yet does. Yeah, I geek out over some of this stuff!

Visually, I would leave that as is. I think it looks awesome. Steel wheels, hubcaps, bright red. Don't touch a thing! If you absolutely needed to swap an engine, there should be plenty of 2.3L EcoBoosts around. Small 4-cylinder turbo? Could be fun in that car!

What part the Great White North are you from?

Like what? I think the Transit is one of the only vehicles we see in for service that almost never has extended wait times for parts. Getting a new van is a challenge, but fixing the old ones is a snap.

Sitting at the bench today.

Not really irked, but the entire province of Alberta is on fire. Over 90 active wildfires with almost half considered out of control. https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/3ffcc2d0ef3e4e0999b0cf8b636defa3 No rain in weeks, hot temps, wind. Conditions have been perfect. We even have ongoing news stories on CNN. Looking outside, it looks like Blade Runner. Skies are smoky and hazy, sun is orange and entire sky looks orange. Very apocalyptic and dystopian. Our air quality is worse than Beijing right now. No fires in my immediate area, but I know a lot of people displaced and evacuated right now. Being outside sucks right now. Ash falling on everything, breathing is tough, so walking the dog is tough. Lots of people have even been listening to the experts and are wearing masks when outside. Luckily, thanks to last few years, everyone has boxes of masks still. Supposed to rain on Monday, so we'll see.

I've had a few other VWs, but they weren't really project cars per se. Just daily drivers that I had some fun with. 2005 Jetta TDI - lowered, murdered out, added a boost gauge 1992 Passat CL sedan - lowered, big stereo, full repaint 1992 GTI - only an 8V, left it bone stock, but a lot of fun to drive

I've had a few projects over the years, some more involved than others. No project vehicles at this time though. My first big one was a 1985 VW Transporter Double Cab. Did an engine swap, and put in the TDI from a 2005 Jetta. Had the transmission regeared to suit it better, changed suspension, added new wheels, grille, headlights, upgraded the front seats, added Tristar sliding rear windows. Was a lot of fun to drive, but it stopped being fun. So when the right offer came, away she went. Next big one was a 1992 VW Passat GLX Wagon. THis wagon had the VR6, which is an awesome engine. It also had the 5-speed manual. But it needed a little more. So the AC system was removed, and replaced with a big turbo kit. Complete re-map, new injectors, new Borla exhaust, intake, intercooler, and some other engine bits. Then did a set of coilovers and swaybars, brakes from a Porsche Boxster, and a set of Porsche wheels. I loved this car, until the head gasket went. Then it was parked, and while getting the motivation to fix it, someone offered me dumb money, and I sold it. I miss this one. Next was not a big project, but it was fun. 1995 Camaro Z28 convertible. Springs, struts, swaybars, brakes, intake, exhaust. Car was an absolute blast to drive. If it had a manual transmission, I would have kept it. Some days I think I should have kept it anyway.

I enjoy what I call the foo foo features, but am happy without most of them. As long as a vehicle has good headlights, a good stereo, AC, and heated seats, I'm pretty happy. And yes, I understand the irony of saying the above, and then actually owning a car that has ALL the foo foo features and electronic wizardry!

I really like the overall look of this one. Stance and wheel choice are perfect for it. What wheels did you use?

For the first time in about 30 years, I needed dental work done. Had a small cavity that needed fixing. So easy this time. Zero pain, super efficient. Barely even uncomfortable. Was pleasantly surprised. Although, my face is still numb and I'm drooling like a halfwit. Just managed to get tea all over my desk while taking a sip. ?

From a dealer perspective, these electronics are a serious pain in the butt. A lot of the time, it's that old joke. Have you tried turning it off an on again? Seriously. Computers. Ugh. Most times, dealers will not try to diagnose an issue over the phone. Too many backyard mechanics that will try something themselves, but will get clear instructions wrong, and then they're at the dealer complaining that someone told them the wrong info. Now it's the dealer's word against theirs. Quite often, diagnosing a problem requires the vehicle be plugged into the Ford computer system. Without the VIN or the van, it can be tough. On the Transits for example, there are 5 different head unit options, and 4 of them look the same. If its a company van, how would the driver know which was ordered? Then factor in some of the options that are tied into that radio. Navigation, 360 degree cameras, satellite radio, bluetooth, backup cameras, park sensors, climate control, heated seats...plus all of the set up for vehicle features. Now which one of those is causing the issue? I really, really like the tech, and think most of it is great. But when off warranty, modern cars scare me. As such, I'm quite happy with my old Tahoe or my old K1500.

Well thanks for the vote of confidence! My first thought was just to press the tune/ok button. That works like an enter button. And if that didn't work, the reboot would have been my next suggestion. We've seen a few with that system that require it. Somewhat common. What are the specs on your van?

I grabbed these. Almost 400 count for about $15 CDN. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0861MTQHC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I use them for exhaust tips and intakes.

Picture dump time. Bunch of random things I found on a memory card.

I have the clear Koala decal paper, and it definitely requires a spray. Will have to try this no-spray version. I like the sound of that.

I normally don't even look at big scale, but I'd make an exception for this one.

That's the one that really jumped out to me as well!

Ride your bike back and get some more pics of that 288 GTO in the showroom!