[MarkJerling]

The candidates were, Datsun 510, Toyota Corolla, Ford Pinto, VW Super Beetle.

I always took you as a man with more ambition that that.

[dbs]

I always took you as a man with more ambition that that.

True true
Ambition with no money sends you to .. well .... not many choices

[bertwert]

Yet you were considering Nova Scotia.

I believe there's a reason the song is called "Farewell to Nova Scotia"...


(Never been there myself, I'm sure it's really a lovely place...)

[bertwert]

Or come to South Dakota and enjoy our 4 seasons:
Winter's coming
Winter
Still Winter
Damn it's hot! (aka "Where did all of these bugs come from?")

Only four seasons?

You're missing out on our favourite season here: construction

[lesmore49]

I always took you as a man with more ambition that that.

You are correct, in your assessment of me, Mark. But sometimes ambition....... is overruled by one's situation in life.

The year was 1973.

My new '73 Toyota Corolla 1600 cost $ 2500 CAD, which was within a few bucks of those other econo cars I mentioned.

In 1970, at a used car lot that I was checking out, were two cars, either one of which I would of loved to have. They were both pre-owned, 1966 cars.

One was a Sunbeam Tiger with the 260 or 289 cubic inch Ford V8.

The other was a big Healy...the Austin-Healey 3000. Both on that day , in 1970...I could of had my pick...of either the Tiger V8...or the A-H 3000 for $ 1,895.00 CAD ! But I didn't have the money. In fact I was trying to fob off...strike that...sell my ....'69 V-Dub, in order to have enough money to partially pay for my first year at school (post secondary).

It was the old question of being at the right place, the right time...with the right amount of cash burning a hole in my pocket.



If William Shakespeare had been alive, he would of written a play that day, a tragedy about the luck of Les...possibly he would of called this...'Luck Les.'

[Racer X 69]

You need a 280z

I own several.

And several 240Zs.

Also one 280ZX.

14 in all.

A few examples.

A 1970 S30, series 1, VIN HLS30-05957, manufactured 6/70. A guy gave it to me when his wife said the cars or her.

My race car, a 1971 series 2, VIN HLS30-41924 manufactured 8/71. This car has been a race car in the Pacific Northwest since 1979. I bought it for$3,000 in 1989. I raced it so much that the original logbook quickly filled up, and I've got another half full.

The brown Z is a 1972 series 3, VIN HLS30-56539, manufactured 11/71. I bought it for $2,000 in 1992, as a gift for Mrs. Racer 1.0, kept it in the divorce (she refused to pay for it, and it was titled in my name).

I have a 1977 280Z, bright yellow. Don't have the VIN and info handy. It was one of those, "Hey, I've got a Z I'll sell you cheap!". When I saw it I offered to haul it away for free. The guy signed the title over, I loaded it up and stuck it in the back corner of the shop.

Offered as an option, only on Bright Sunburst Yellow paint code 411 280Z's, the Special Decor Package included rear window shade, racing mirrors and decal package.

The Z with more ZZZap! has commonly become know as The ZZZap-Z. The exact number delivered to Datsun Customers is not known, although it is likely that each Authorized Datsun Dealer in the U.S. received at least one, with volume Dealerships receiving additional units.

It needs all new sheetmetal from the firewall forward, as it was involved in a frontal collision. I have most of what I need, and when I retire later this year it is on my list.

[MarkJerling]

Only four seasons?

You're missing out on our favourite season here: construction

Or ours: Road repair season.

[lesmore49]

I don't remember seeing a 2 door Datsun 1600 ( 510 ) in OZ ?

Think the 1600cc engine was the North American market version. In Oz, I think you guys had the 510 with a 1.4 liter engine. My 1600 cc was an interesting engine. It was a 4 cylinder Hemi with OHV...great engine to look at...that big Hemi head , but with 1600cc. The standard engine for the Corolla in NA at that time was the 1200cc four banger.

[bertwert]

Or ours: Road repair season.

Currently, the Trans Canada Highway is being upgraded to a four lane highway through the Kicking Horse Canyon to the East of us right now. This is a several year project, and during periods of long closures, traffic is detoured about 1.5hrs, eventually going through the centre of town which is not really designed for such high volume of traffic and lorries.

Here's what it used to be like:

You Tube

You Tube

[VoiceOfReason]

I own several.

And several 240Zs.

Also one 280ZX.

14 in all.

A few examples.

A 1970 S30, series 1, VIN HLS30-05957, manufactured 6/70. A guy gave it to me when his wife said the cars or her.

My race car, a 1971 series 2, VIN HLS30-41924 manufactured 8/71. This car has been a race car in the Pacific Northwest since 1979. I bought it for$3,000 in 1989. I raced it so much that the original logbook quickly filled up, and I've got another half full.

The brown Z is a 1972 series 3, VIN HLS30-56539, manufactured 11/71. I bought it for $2,000 in 1992, as a gift for Mrs. Racer 1.0, kept it in the divorce (she refused to pay for it, and it was titled in my name).

I have a 1977 280Z, bright yellow. Don't have the VIN and info handy. It was one of those, "Hey, I've got a Z I'll sell you cheap!". When I saw it I offered to haul it away for free. The guy signed the title over, I loaded it up and stuck it in the back corner of the shop.





It needs all new sheetmetal from the firewall forward, as it was involved in a frontal collision. I have most of what I need, and when I retire later this year it is on my list.

you need more of them

[VoiceOfReason]

Currently, the Trans Canada Highway is being upgraded to a four lane highway through the Kicking Horse Canyon to the East of us right now. This is a several year project, and during periods of long closures, traffic is detoured about 1.5hrs, eventually going through the centre of town which is not really designed for such high volume of traffic and lorries.

Here's what it used to be like:
Kicking Horse Canyon Phase 4 - Aerial Views Before Construction - YouTube

that looks like a scenic drive

[Parallax]

You're missing out on our favourite season here: construction

Here that encompasses part of Still Winter, all of Damn It's Hot, and part of Winter's Coming.
What's really great is that with careful planning they can start a project just far enough into Winter's Coming that they don't get it finished before Winter so the road stays torn up for an extra 3 or 4 months.

[dbs]

Think the 1600cc engine was the North American market version. In Oz, I think you guys had the 510 with a 1.4 liter engine. My 1600 cc was an interesting engine. It was a 4 cylinder Hemi with OHV...great engine to look at...that big Hemi head , but with 1600cc. The standard engine for the Corolla in NA at that time was the 1200cc four banger.

Hi Les
The Datsun 1600 is what it was known as , I had one
The 510 name was not used in OZ
Don't remember a 1400 cc model over here

The first Toyota Celica 1500 cc ( the mustang look ) was its main rival.
With a lot of cars and motorbikes we rarely got more than one model, and if we did ( honda bikes had 3 levels and each level came out the next year ) you had all 3 at the same release for example..

Dave

[rod_grant]

Here that encompasses part of Still Winter, all of Damn It's Hot, and part of Winter's Coming.
What's really great is that with careful planning they can start a project just far enough into Winter's Coming that they don't get it finished before Winter so the road stays torn up for an extra 3 or 4 months.

“Careful planning”?
Here I think it is more like pot luck.
The hope might be to finish before winter, but by the time the engineers and accountants are in alignment timing may be gone awry. And when environmental and cultural public consultations are necessary (?) a couple of construction seasons may have passed.

[MarkJerling]

Here most road projects start 20 years later than planned, is completed 25 years later than planned and at three or four times the value of the lowest tender. That, of course, unless someone finds an endangered skink, bug or plant somewhere along the road's designated route in which case all that careful and precise planning is right out the window.