What Pleased You Today!

[rattle can man]

almost any RWD vehicle is not great on ice & packed snow. You have to add weight to the back and adapt to the different vehicle dynamics

[Rob Hall]

It’s been over 30 years since I’ve driven a RWD car on snow.  I recall using snow tires and bags of concrete mix in the trunk and got around pretty well.  In snowy climates since then I’ve always had 4WD SUVs w/ all season tires and no problems.  I have a 4WD SUV and an AWD sedan now, my vintage RWD cars sit in the garage.   But working out of my house, I have the luxury of not going out when the weather is nasty (I really, really dislike ice and fog). 

Edited October 17, 2024 by Rob Hall

[crazyjim]

I moved to Florida so I wouldn't have to worry about driving in snowy conditions anymore.

[johnyrotten]

On 10/16/2024 at 1:28 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Yeah, 2WD pickups are kinda useless in snow, even worse if they don't have limited-slip diffs.

Neither of my pickups have limited-slip (both bought used) and it simply defies my understanding: why would ANYONE buy a new truck without it?

New "trucks" just aren't.  There glorified 4 door open air mini vans. Same reason I hunted far and wide for my sierra. Limited slip rear was the one option I wasn't living without, that and the MANUAL transfer case. The electronic one's are too prone to failure when you need them most. As far as 2wd, my old ranger with b.f Goodridge k04's and 300 lbs over the axle was completely capable as long as I didn't get silly. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

40 minutes ago, johnyrotten said:

New "trucks" just aren't.  There glorified 4 door open air mini vans. Same reason I hunted far and wide for my sierra. Limited slip rear was the one option I wasn't living without, that and the MANUAL transfer case. The electronic one's are too prone to failure when you need them most. As far as 2wd, my old ranger with b.f Goodridge k04's and 300 lbs over the axle was completely capable as long as I didn't get silly. 

I should have been more clear. Somebody bought both my '89 GMC stripper longbed single-cab and my '92 Silverado extended cab new...and I just can't fathom how anyone would have bought either of them new without limited-slip diffs. An actual truck without limited slip? What were they thinking?

Anyway, around here when it snows or ices, a fair number of the late-model high-dollar whatevers with 4WD, traction control, and all the rest of the whiz-bang techie wonderfulness find themselves upside-down in ditches, or sliding through intersections and crashing into stopped vehicles because their clueless operators think the money they spent on them makes them invincible, immune to the laws of physics and coefficients of friction on ice.

So me and my old trucks and cars (that I can usually get around in just fine, thanks, 'cause I learned to drive in snow country a long time ago) just stay home. So far, nobody's crashed into any of them in the driveway. So far. 

[Dave Ambrose]

41 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Anyway, around here when it snows or ices, a fair number of the late-model high-dollar whatevers with 4WD, traction control, and all the rest of the whiz-bang techie wonderfulness find themselves upside-down in ditches, or sliding through intersections and crashing into stopped vehicles because their clueless operators think the money they spent on them makes them invincible, immune to the laws of physics and coefficients of friction on ice.

We're all victims of the laws of physics. ? 

[johnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I should have been more clear. Somebody bought both my '89 GMC stripper longbed single-cab and my '92 Silverado extended cab new...and I just can't fathom how anyone would have bought either of them new without limited-slip diffs. An actual truck without limited slip? What were they thinking?

Anyway, around here when it snows or ices, a fair number of the late-model high-dollar whatevers with 4WD, traction control, and all the rest of the whiz-bang techie wonderfulness find themselves upside-down in ditches, or sliding through intersections and crashing into stopped vehicles because their clueless operators think the money they spent on them makes them invincible, immune to the laws of physics and coefficients of friction on ice.

So me and my old trucks and cars (that I can usually get around in just fine, thanks, 'cause I learned to drive in snow country a long time ago) just stay home. So far, nobody's crashed into any of them in the driveway. So far. 

I completely agree with you. My ranger was a "need a vehicle and this is what's available ". I did everything in my power to make that truck decent in winter. Living in upstate ny, I had no choice. All the wiz bang tech just gets you that much further before your in a bad way. False security. 

[rattle can man]

my shoulder is feeling good, despite lack of "adult supervision" yesterday and doing more than I have total in the week and a half since surgery. 

[John M.]

Since the three cars that ran the stop sign on my school bus and were pinched by the cops a few weeks back, I've been binge watching videos on YouTube showing the Karma cops in action. I'm pausing that to give a couple of my vintage model cars some attention. 

Edited October 19, 2024 by John M.

[89AKurt]

Limited slip, that's what transformed this 2WD pickup.  I made it up this little hill, which pleased me.

I also have solid timber (square logs) and a lead brick for weight over the tail end.  No electronics.

[Ace-Garageguy]

A N A L O G      D Y N A M I C     S T A B I L I T Y

Priceless.    

[John M.]

On 10/17/2024 at 1:29 PM, Rob Hall said:

It’s been over 30 years since I’ve driven a RWD car on snow.  I recall using snow tires and bags of concrete mix in the trunk and got around pretty well.  In snowy climates since then I’ve always had 4WD SUVs w/ all season tires and no problems.  I have a 4WD SUV and an AWD sedan now, my vintage RWD cars sit in the garage.   But working out of my house, I have the luxury of not going out when the weather is nasty (I really, really dislike ice and fog). 

Same here The last rear wheel drive car I owned was an 86 Olds Cutlass Supreme and I constantly got stuck in snow with it.  My current car a 97 Accord and the car it replaced a 98 Olds 88 were the best front wheel drive cars I had. Both would power their way through snow. 

[Russell C]

With decades-old daily driver vehicles, a person needs to set aside irks and think always positive. My battery gave up the ghost today, not an irk because I got an extra half year out of something that otherwise usually lasts 3-5 years tops. It would not give me one last crankup even after charging for hours on end today, and I'd found out last night that the nearest parts store didn't have one in stock. Not an irk, par for the course on dying batteries, while the next nearest did have one, which pleased me. The clerk there said it was good that I ordered it online to be available today since these particular ones to fit Mk2 VW Golfs / GTIs are just less commonly stocked lately. And in the Phoenix metro area, otherwise known as the Valley of the Fierce Sun, the high was not even too much above 70°F, a nice day for a long bike ride to go fetch the battery. Pleased that the wire basket I'd acquired last year to clamp onto my bike carrier was bigger than a car battery, which made carrying that load a snap.

Edited October 20, 2024 by Russell C
typo

[slusher]

On 10/17/2024 at 5:04 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

I should have been more clear. Somebody bought both my '89 GMC stripper longbed single-cab and my '92 Silverado extended cab new...and I just can't fathom how anyone would have bought either of them new without limited-slip diffs. An actual truck without limited slip? What were they thinking?

Anyway, around here when it snows or ices, a fair number of the late-model high-dollar whatevers with 4WD, traction control, and all the rest of the whiz-bang techie wonderfulness find themselves upside-down in ditches, or sliding through intersections and crashing into stopped vehicles because their clueless operators think the money they spent on them makes them invincible, immune to the laws of physics and coefficients of friction on ice.

So me and my old trucks and cars (that I can usually get around in just fine, thanks, 'cause I learned to drive in snow country a long time ago) just stay home. So far, nobody's crashed into any of them in the driveway. So far. 

Glad they have the payment not me!

[slusher]

I had a good day with my family today! My Big brother came over and my wife made Tocos . I have had 3 bad day but today made up for it.

[Ace-Garageguy]

11 hours ago, Russell C said:

With decades-old daily driver vehicles, a person needs to set aside irks and think always positive. My battery gave up the ghost today, not an irk because I got an extra half year out of something that otherwise usually lasts 3-5 years tops. It would not give me one last crankup even after charging for hours on end today...

Yup. Battery in my '89 GMC quit yesterday. It was due, as it lasted an incredible 11 years. Happy it quit at the house too, instead of 50 miles away in the middle of nowhere.  

[Rob Hall]

11 hours ago, Russell C said:

With decades-old daily driver vehicles, a person needs to set aside irks and think always positive. My battery gave up the ghost today, not an irk because I got an extra half year out of something that otherwise usually lasts 3-5 years tops. It would not give me one last crankup even after charging for hours on end today, and I'd found out last night that the nearest parts store didn't have one in stock. Not an irk, par for the course on dying batteries, while the next nearest did have one, which pleased me. The clerk there said it was good that I ordered it online to be available today since these particular ones to fit Mk2 VW Golfs / GTIs are just less commonly stocked lately. And in the Phoenix metro area, otherwise known as the Valley of the Fierce Sun, the high was not even too much above 70°F, a nice day for a long bike ride to go fetch the battery. Pleased that the wire basket I'd acquired last year to clamp onto my bike carrier was bigger than a car battery, which made carrying that load a snap.

 

When I was living in Phoenix, it seems like car batteries would last 1-2 years at most for me.  About 15 years ago,  I was commuting 50 miles a day in a 200k mile '84 Mercedes S-Class, it never let me down..  The original battery in my 10 yr old Jeep (which I bought in Phoenix as a CPO 7 years ago and it had come from So Cal), recently died, pretty amazing, never had a battery last over a decade (had a date on Nov 2013 on it).    Ohio's climate is milder, of course, is part of the longevity.  Not sure if the battery in my new-to-me 5 yr old Cadillac is original, I think it is in the trunk.

[johnyrotten]

9 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Yup. Battery in my '89 GMC quit yesterday. It was due, as it lasted an incredible 11 years. Happy it quit at the house too, instead of 50 miles away in the middle of nowhere.  

11 years on a battery,  good for you. Hopefully the replacement holds up, it has big shoes to fill. 

[John M.]

A lady friend who doesn't have a car was itching to go to the flea market in Salem NH today so I said no problem. Besides, the weather was sunny and low 70s all weekend. Perfect for a cruise and to get out of the house. 

[89AKurt]

Shot rockets this morning in Chino Valley.  This was a very satisfying launch.

 

Then the cops showed up.

They saw no problem, wanted to see it go higher is all.

[Rodent]

Not today, but Saturday. I received a call from a cousin in Alabama that I haven't seen or talked to since 1975. No fights or anything, just drifted apart I guess. I figured that is was a "somebody died" call, but it was anything but. She said that she and her sister and their husbands were going to be in California for a few weeks and she wanted to catch up. They were coming out because her son Riley Green was playing down in Indio and here in Sacramento.

I am not a country music fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I kind of like his music. I was given an Artist Guest armband and had unlimited access to the entire park with his parents and my other cousin and her husband. We hung out with Riley for a bit on his personal tour bus, and had to watch the concert from a really crummy vantage point ?. After he performed, we hung out some more and I was gifted "merch" and an autographed set list.

He didn't have much time to hang out, but they all (including his crew) made me feel like a real V.I.P. I must have been asked 10 times if I was from Alabama, and had the standard line: "No, The Air Force send Dad to California, he met Mom, and they got married. After he got out, he wanted to go home, but she refused so they settled in California and I came along 8 years later." Riley is a car guy as well. If you have seen the 85 LeBaron woody convertible or any of the GM squarebody trucks in his videos, they are his. I commented that the LeBaron was "kinda random" and his mom replied that Riley is kind of a random guy, LOL.

 

[Russell C]

3 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

...Then the cops showed up. They saw no problem, wanted to see it go higher is all.

[Falcon Ranchero]

Picked up an early 80s Sears Free Spirit the other day at the Re-Store. Must've been sittin' outside for a long time as the chrome was all rusty. This week is our "reading week" at the college and so that means we get the week off so I've been chrome polishing the bike and just tryina get it lookin' noice again. This is bike number 4 of the vintage bikes I own along with a circa 1971 Skyline 3-speed banana seat bike, my personal 1986 Supercycle Commuter 6 speed and my grandma's hand me down 1978 Supercycle Debutante.  

[89AKurt]

On 10/22/2024 at 5:13 AM, Falcon Ranchero said:

Picked up an early 80s Sears Free Spirit the other day at the Re-Store. Must've been sittin' outside for a long time as the chrome was all rusty. This week is our "reading week" at the college and so that means we get the week off so I've been chrome polishing the bike and just tryina get it lookin' noice again. This is bike number 4 of the vintage bikes I own along with a circa 1971 Skyline 3-speed banana seat bike, my personal 1986 Supercycle Commuter 6 speed and my grandma's hand me down 1978 Supercycle Debutante.  

I have a Chopper. ?  Saw the Columbia at the Williams car show this year.

[89AKurt]

On 10/20/2024 at 4:33 PM, John M. said:

A lady friend who doesn't have a car was itching to go to the flea market in Salem NH today so I said no problem. Besides, the weather was sunny and low 70s all weekend. Perfect for a cruise and to get out of the house. 

This was Saturday, I'm catching up. ?  Exactly what I did, she just moved here, and never been around because she was always tending her house for 11 years.  She was complaining about work keeping her at home all the time.  So I took her on a guided tour, on back roads to really confuse her. ?

First time I've seen Turkeys up there, stopped the engine and watched them casually wander around, like Thanksgiving isn't coming.