Harry P.

You can't sell what's free...

Hey, that's really cool! I subscribe to Hemmings "Classic Car" and "Muscle Machines" mags, but not the free newsletter! Go figure! Guess I'll sign up!

Mitt Romney (remember him?) has written what I think is the most rational, insightful, and well-thought out op-ed piece on the automaker bailout that I have seen yet. (And the fact that he agrees with my opinions almost point for point has absolutely nothing to do with my high regard for his piece... ) In case anyone wants to read it, here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/opinion/...amp;oref=slogin

Ok, George is back. Now everything's back to normal!

From Bob's "Read it and Weep" link (boldface added by me): "When the management of these automakers start acting like they’re in crisis, then perhaps we’ll believe them. They’ve come to Congress not to rescue their companies but to salvage their lifestyles. This is an industry that desperately needs bankruptcy and collapse to put an end to unrealistic labor deals and obnoxious executive behavior. The American taxpayer doesn’t have any business subsidizing this failure." AMEN!

I knew that would shake him up... but not that much!!!

Check out the October MCM... there's a great article on how to produce a weathered, "ratty" looking finish.

At your rate then, I guess you finish no model! Just kidding. It looks really good. Are you going to make this one "showroom new" or old and worn?

rat rod, rat rod, red rum, red rum...

Ummmm... how did you hapen to know that???

If you think that rat rods "suck", well, that's fine for you. That's you're opinion. Just remember, opinions are like belly buttons. Everybody has one...

GM, due to UAW contracts, incurs an approximately $1500 cost per car towards employee and ex-employee costs/benefits. Toyota (with no such UAW constraints) has an approx. $100 cost per vehicle for the same expenses. Do the math.

The whole "rat rod" thing is all about looks and "attitude". Performance? Ooops, forgot about that. You mean I was supposed to be able to fit inside and actually drive it???!!!

If you chop the top first, you'll have to glue it in place and then open up the doors. If you cut out the doors first, then chop the top, you'll have to take a similar amount out of the doors so they'll fit into the new, lower openings. Seems to me the better way to go would be to remove the doors first, then chop the top and reattach it to the body, then trim the door's window frames to fit. Either way will work, I guess.

On a scale of 1 to 10... 10!

I've been wondering, too. He hasn't made an appearance on ROM this week... that's not like him. I hope he's ok...

The GT500 stickers at 43 something, the KR at 80 plus. Either way, can you spell RIPOFF??? Eighty thousand dollars for a Mustang??? EIGHTY THOUSAND??? Ford must be banking on the "more money than brains" crowd big time...

I agree! I wouldn't pay $50,000 for a Mustang even if I had Warren Buffet's money!

Oh yeah! I totally missed that! My bad!

There is no "picture below"...

They are ridiculously overpriced even before dealers add their greed factor to it!

Ah, but in this case the "lending institution" is the American taxpayer!!! And furthermore, the problem is that the Big Three don't have a plan! That's what put them in their curent position in the first place! And to think that now, suddenly, they finally "got religion" and are willing and able to run a competitive industry... "Please, please just give us the money, we'll change, honest we will, we'll do it right from now on!" is pretty naive, I think. If I was in charge of the money, I'd have to say they sure haven't convinced me that they are a good risk for my money. I think a better plan, with better odds of the Big Three actually rethinking their business plan, is to allow them to declare bankruptcy and reorganize under Chapter 11 protection. Rather than continuing to operate business as usual with our free money, with a "promise" to repay the loans (that promise being suspect, at the very least), declaring bankruptcy would put the pressure squarely on their own shoulders and force them to reorganize and finally get their houses in order... or disappear forever.

Well, if this is supposed to represent a tow truck that could actually tow a car, then yeah... you need a bit more equipment! But I have a feeling you intended this as more of a "styling exercise" than a realistic tow truck... so in that case you're good to go!

Well, I guess we can argue the point to no end, but bottom line (and getting back to the original topic).. I like the current Mustang's style a lot. In fact, I like it so well that I am actually seriously considering buying one as my next car. That's a pretty big shift for me, never having owned a Ford product in my life, and never even having considered a Ford until the new Mustang came out. The new Mustang definitely got my attention! But I sure don't like the 2010's tailights. Think I'll get me a huge mega-deal on a "leftover" 2008 or 2009.

Fiesta and a new Focus isn't exactly "plenty" of new cars. It's two. The "new" Mustang was designed several years ago. Is the money spent on that car's development part of Ford's economic problems today? Of course! All the money they spent on all their cars is part of their financial problem today, in the sense that monies spent in the past were assumed to be replenished by continued sales of their product. Since their products aren't selling at expected levels, the cash cushion isn't being replenished at the level that it must be in order to survive. The hole in their bucket is losing water faster than their hose can refill it. And why should Ford have been "expected" to bring out an all-new Mustang vs. a redesign, anyway? Current economic situation aside, isn't the new Mustang basically a sales success? Maybe not wildly so, but at least before the current mess, the Mustang was selling fairly well. So why should Ford put out an all-new Mustang before it's really necessary to do so, sales-wise? Sure, a lot of car fans would like an all-new Mustang, maybe, but Ford apparently doesn't see that move as being quite as urgent. Hey... like so many modelers seem to believe when it comes to re-issued kits... let's be glad we have a Mustang at all!