Location, location...

I am still kickin it in the Dirty. I have been down here 5 days and have made a few observations. Why does the South like GM products so much? As soon as you hit Carolina all the trucks turn from Ford to Chevy. Of course you have the big balla Impala and the other GM big body cars on giant wheels. I know this trend has made its way to VA but its a whole new level down here. I saw an 80's model caprice, rolling on big enough wheels it had a lift kit on it,  and the paint job had a giant fist full of dollas. Now that's classy y'all!

The funny thing is there is a huge hot rod culture where I am. So I guess you are at one extreme of the taste spectrum or the other. To each his own. At least they are saving all the old cars instead of crushing them.

So maybe Chevy holds a place in the heart of the South. Maybe the Ford plant being in my town saved us from the heartbeat. I don't have anything against Chevy, I am simply making an observation. You be the judge next time you are out driving around. If you want a mint full size Chevy car or short bed truck drive a few mile down and the prospects are endless.

Good luck finding a Dodge truck older than mid 90's anywhere but the Midwest. They made good farm and ranch vehicles so that makes since. Makes it hard to find a Ramcharger in VA. Let me put this in a little perspective. On Craigslist, between Hamptonroads, Richmond, and Raleigh there are about 10 Ramchargers. On the same list there are over a hundred Broncos and the same for Blazers. Now this all changed when Dodge restyled there line up in 94. That truck sold like hot cakes; most likely in forest green.

It is strange how a car can be so well received in one area or one people and not sell to another. I guess that's why people get paid to study demographics. So do I fall into a stereo type or demographic? I would like to think I don't but I am sure I do. I don't have a brand loyalty but I do gravitate to certain manufactures style and features. I also try and buy American.

So maybe I will broach the American vs the world car conversation later. Chevy is number one right now so maybe the dirty South knows whats up. You would not think that if you were down here. 

I know I have been taking digs at the South but I consider myself a bit of a redneck and love the good things about the South. To bad a lot is over shadowed. We will have to work on that.

GOD BLESS DIXIE! 

HELL YEAH!

The List... and then some

32 Deuce Coupe racing 55 Chevy in American Graffiti

73 Blazer pushed down the hill in Commando

72 Chevy Cheyenne in Dazed and Confused

68 Bronco in Dazed and Confused

92 Bronco driven by Anthony and Flea in The Chase

Aston Martin DB5 pick a Bond movie

69 Charger... You know!

80 Jeep CJ7 Golden Eagle driven by Daisy Duke

81 GMC 3/4 Ton Sierra Grande The Fall Guy

83 Ramcharger SUPERCHARGED the way Chuck likes it! Lone Wolf McQuade

68 GMC Suburban for the other guys in Lone Wolf McQuade. NOT Supercharged!

84 Suburban with a snorkel and lava resistant tires. Dante's Peak

07 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, I owned one. Terminator Salvation

83 Mustang GT Convertible in Goonies

84 Jeep Cherokee in Goonies. Remember it one the beach race that had pretty much every awesome truck ever made.

98 Audi S8 in Ronin.

77 T/A... Bandit

83 GMC G-15 A-Team. This is for my father in-law.

59 Cadillac Ambulance... Echto 1

50 Mercury in Cobra. Why was his gun so loud?

55 F-100 from Expendables. Stalone with 2 on the list.

85 Toyota SR5 Xtra Cab... Hello McFly!

63 Jeep Gladiator from Tremors. Tuff as nails and giant worms!

Well this all I could come up with in a day per my bro's request. Hopefully you will enjoy this small list as a trip down memory lane. If you like American movies you are going to see a lot of autos in them. Whether they play a big part or are just in the back ground. The Automobile invokes things in us we can't always explain. Some of the cars on this list are NOT awesome but the persona given to them and what they gave to the film is what makes them stand out.
Let me know which ones you think I missed. I would love to add to this. Hear is an awesome website, www.IMCDB.org. This site has every car from everything on film.
Makes you want to run out and buy some DVD's don't it?

The Ugly Hunt

Some of y'all know I have been looking for another SUV to replace the Jeep Wrangler I sold over the summer. Yes I have been looking all this time. Some times I think its me but then I snap back to the reality of people trying to get over on a poor, innocent guy like me. Well it ain't gonna happen! I hope that everyone looks at large purchases with this much discernment. Who wants to be stuck with a POS that was supposed to get them to work and be fun? I guess I will eventually root through the junk and find my flying unicorn; that means it's rare. I have looked at almost every generation of Wrangler, Bronco, Blazer, and even Ramcharger but still haven't found a worthy candidate. My wife thinks it's me sometimes and for a while I did too.
So I roll out to see this 98 Wrangler. The add says its in good shape, only surface rust, all maintenance done. We meet in a parking lot, some people feel weird you coming to their home with the advent of the Craigslist killer and all. At first the Jeep looks alright. I immediately smell the sweet aroma of coolant. This could be an easy fix but a vehicle with 27 easy fixes is a POS. Under closer examination I see multiple leaks from the whole drive train and cooling system. So I figure if the rust is minimal it might still be worth it. Keep in mind the asking price is $5500. So I move to the rust exam, this and the leak check are best done with a really bright light which I get from work. Under the carpet is where the mystery unfolds. The first indication is always sand in the carpet, this is almost impossible to clean completely out. That is why a lot of 4x4's will have the carpet removed and bed liner sprayed in, prevents and hides the rust easier. So I lift up the carpet in the trunk area and the floor boards, sho nuff, rust holes! That is the tell tale sign that this thing was dogged out on the beach and not well taken care of. After a quick test drive I feel it needs several new suspension components as well. So I walked from that one and many others just like it.
I tell you, it gets exhausting driving out to look at something that someone has assured you is the nicest that you will ever see and then... Well I guess they are trying to make a sale or maybe they don't realize how much of a piece their vehicle really is. I don't get mad at them even if it was a 2 hour drive with tolls. I just tell them what I found, they act shocked, and I leave. Like I said, God will put me in what I need but Moses was in the desert for 40 years, I hope it doesn't take that long.
So here is another thing I might get a few comments on, which 4X4 should I buy? I am interested to here y'all's opinions.
Stay tuned for a few more rants and random junk.

Sensations

Tonight I went on a date with my sweet little girl. It was a fun time at Christian chicken, but something was amiss. We took the standby vehicle. As we drove around town to our first stop, Toys R Us, it hit me when I turned in the parking lot and the van made the tell tale clicking noise of a bad CV axle. I wasn't embarrassed but it sounds terrible, is uncomfortable, and distracting. To top it off it's pretty dirty as well.
There is something to be said about driving enjoyment. You don't have to spend a butt ton of money to achieve that feeling. I love climbing into a freshly detailed car that smells of interior treatment and a quality wax. It really isn't as much the type of car but the condition. Yes, your enjoyment will increase if you are driving what you dream of but a lot of people are point A to B. I guarantee they enjoy seeing their floor boards again and being able to put their coffee down without having to move junk around. You have all seen, been in, or owned (not naming names but he's related to me) that vehicle that took 10 minutes to get ready for you to get in and your feet are still propped up on junk. Don't live in your car unless you are homeless or a truck driver! You will appreciate driving more, up the resale, and not litter when you open the door.
There are several car feelings you can experience. The I help the environment because I get 40+ MPG. Man this ride is smooth, I can't even tell its running. The I can get to the speed limit faster and louder than your green car! The work in progress but you see the potential in this soon to be classic. The most enjoyable, I have big enough tires to park on all ya'lls cars!
Whatever you have it will be far more enjoyable if it's clean and maintained. Who cares if it leaks a little oil, your gonna rebuild it some day but you can't enjoy it if you don't know if it's going to start when you get in on that 25 degree morning late for work.
So for a nominal price, a lot of test driving, research, and patience you can avoid despising the second biggest purchase in most of our lives. A little maintenance and not waiting till the part falls off will save you money, time, and heart ache down the road. I don't know why people neglect their cars and then get upset when it lets them down. Sounds like a metaphor but that's not my blog.

What's the difference?

There are so many different car and truck labels out there pretty much leaving the general population confused as to what they own or are purchasing. I don't want to steal Wiki's thunder but I will give ya'll a quick run down and food for thought.
I will not be a comment driven blog but some people and I have had an on going discussion on the subject... What is my car? Here are some terms I am sure you have heard; sports car, muscle car, performance car, gran touring (GT), pony, etc. Well whats in a name? Apparently not much anymore.
If you own a Mustang, what do you have. Well if it were the 60's you would have a pony car. In 2012 you have a sports car or a muscle car. Maybe a performance car? Is it still a muscle car if it has the 6 cylinder motor or a sports car because it has a back seat and an automatic transmission. Rear wheel drive, front engine, mid engine? Well lets just say, who made those rules anyway. If a car is fast and handles well it is a performance car. If you could use the car for a motorsport it is a sports car. If it has a lot of horse power its a muscle car. So most cars in these categories display all of these traits so call them what you will. Leave the pony car label to the 3 its intended. Careful in Europe throwing the GT word around, they like to fight over football (soccer) and touring cars.
This will probably come up again but I don't want to ramble. Personally I drive a foxbody coupe, performance, pony car with plenty of muscle, being modified to race in sports car club events. Is it confused or versatile? I say have fun with your car, legally, and don't waste to much time debating differences in opinion. If it makes you feel better, while driving a Neon with an intake and exhaust, to call it a sports car, just be ready to back it up. Just quit speeding thru the neighborhoods and parking lots, to prove how you can go over 25.
What is a roadster anyway?
Stay tuned, it could get worse.

Here Goes Nothing

I always thought Blogs and such were not my thing. Created for people that want there own reality show but haven't been discovered.
I enjoy talking and sometimes disputing about a multitude of subjects. Most of all the undisputed Man topic of old, the Automobile. This is not so easy for me to converse about in the company I keep these days I am more likely to be caught talking about point shoes or the latest on Book Face. Most people want a reliable, maybe fancy car that is under warranty and could care less about what makes it tick or how to get more out of it. There are still a lot of us Gear Heads out there but the mechanic is slowly being replaced by gadget guy. This is not necessarily a bad thing but sometimes I get the disinterested eye that leads me to wrap it up and move on to a more universal subject such as celebrities or the new iPhone.
This is a Blog to facilitate me running my mouth about what I enjoy, anything with wheels and a motor!