[lesmore49]

And I thought ours was small!
Most USA bays are 10' x 20' which makes ours seem small.

Our personal garage is 24 ' X 26 '. We have fit up to a mid size rear wheel drive van, a large sedan ('76 Impala), a 17.5 foot freighter canoe (special rack), a self driven snow blower, etc., motorcycle.... at once, on a regular basis.

For me, out here on the prairies , it is best to keep a lot of stuff...machinery...in a garage, due to the very cold winter temps.

[Racer X 69]

I park away in the farthest reaches of a mall parking lot.

I do it for two reasons.

Exercise, but also to get away from the madding (parking) crowd. Too many door chips or dents were suffered by my early vehicles...by the careless and the irresponsible.

That is one of my reasons too.

But.

When I had the last foot surgery, it was clear that I wouldn't be able to drive any of my vehicles because they all have manual transmissions, which require two feet to operate. So I jumped on the opportunity when the oldest grandson wanted to sell his pickup. The Eddie Bauer has an automatic transmission, perfect for the period of partial disability during recovery.

It has also proven to be an excellent beater, having come with a ready compliment of dings, dents, scratches and rusty holes. So when I take it to the store, I grab the closest spot, and dare anyone to be careless and irresponsible.

[dbs]

From this distance it looks pretty straight ......

[Racer X 69]

From this distance it looks pretty straight ......

Starting at the front fender, notice the wheel arch. The grandson hit a tree.

Moving back, the top of the cab over the door has a crease, about 4" wide, 3" deep, from just behind the windshield all the way to the back edge of the roof. Same tree.

The door has a large dent along the lower front, and another just behind the mirror. Yep, same tree. The dent around the door handle is the result of slamming the door to get it shut completely. The door hinge is worn and needs replaced, but he isn't mechanically inclined, and his dad only pretends to be.

Moving to the bed, the side between the cab and the rear wheel is dented. Pretty much sure a tree was involved. Same tree, same occurance.

Notice the rustout on the lower rear portion of the bed, just ahead of the rear bumper.

The rear bumper is also bent, with an upward twist. And yes, the tree did it. (I have straightened the bumper, as it embarrassed me to ride around in a beatup pickup truck with a twisted up bumper. I fixed it by backing into a tree, gently, then applying a carefully calibrated amount of throttle.)

So that is just the right side.

The left side isn't so bad.



The airdam under the left end of the front bumper is torn, not sure how he managed it though.

The lower rear leg of the front fender is rusting out.

The mount for step on the left side has been damaged. A tree was involved.

And the rear side of the bed has a large dent, the deepest portion looking like, um, I dunno, a tree branch tried to pierce it. Pretty sure it was that pesky tree again.


It is interesting to note that this pickup was previously owned by his other grandpa. The rusty bits are something that began while he had it, possibly even before him, as he was not the original owner, and the truck came from Kentucky.

[dbs]

Starting at the front fender, notice the wheel arch. The grandson hit a tree.

Moving back, the top of the cab over the door has a crease, about 4" wide, 3" deep, from just behind the windshield all the way to the back edge of the roof. Same tree.

The door has a large dent along the lower front, and another just behind the mirror. Yep, same tree. The dent around the door handle is the result of slamming the door to get it shut completely. The door hinge is worn and needs replaced, but he isn't mechanically inclined, and his dad only pretends to be.

Moving to the bed, the side between the cab and the rear wheel is dented. Pretty much sure a tree was involved. Same tree, same occurance.

Notice the rustout on the lower rear portion of the bed, just ahead of the rear bumper.

The rear bumper is also bent, with an upward twist. And yes, the tree did it. (I have straightened the bumper, as it embarrassed me to ride around in a beatup pickup truck with a twisted up bumper. I fixed it by backing into a tree, gently, then applying a carefully calibrated amount of throttle.)

So that is just the right side.

The left side isn't so bad.



The airdam under the left end of the front bumper is torn, not sure how he managed it though.

The lower rear leg of the front fender is rusting out.

The mount for step on the left side has been damaged. A tree was involved.

And the rear side of the bed has a large dent, the deepest portion looking like, um, I dunno, a tree branch tried to pierce it. Pretty sure it was that pesky tree again.


It is interesting to note that this pickup was previously owned by his other grandpa. The rusty bits are something that began while he had it, possibly even before him, as he was not the original owner, and the truck came from Kentucky.

Now that you have turned it around ... yes you can see ...

[Racer X 69]

I'd love an electric vehicle. Cheap to run and service and heaps of go! A Mustang Mach-e would do nicely!

Oh yeah.

Time for hooning.

You Tube

You Tube

[Racer X 69]

I recall the old mild steel, or whatever mufflers were made of back then. Rust out within about 5 years. But for about 30 odd years now our vehicles have been stainless steel and I think maybe the reason for that upgrade, might have something to do with emission laws, but not sure, just a guess.

But we have had 5 new vehicles (all GM) since 1989 and nary a muffler or exhaust replacement. We had the big Buick sedan for 13 years, nada. Boy I miss that big 6 passenger Buick sedan, Regret trading it in. What a car, Powerful, tremendously comfortable, quiet as a mausoleum .

Emissions reductions have driven the evolution to stainless steel exhaust systems. The exhaust is much hotter than it used to be as engines are run more lean to reduce emissions. Also, the catalytic converter is stainless, to endure the high heat, and to facilitate long life of the component, as the federal emissions laws require the manufacturer to replace them if they fail before 10 years/100,000 miles. The exhaust systems on today's cars are highly tuned devices, and must remain intact to ensure the emission systems function correctly, further driving the use of stainless steel all the way to the tailpipe.



Fun fact.

Exhaust systems on a gasoline powered vehicle rust out from the inside out, as the engine exhaust is loaded with water.

Diesel engine exhaust systems rust from the outside in, as the engine exhaust is oily, the fuel being oil.

---

Last edited by Racer X 69; 01-20-2021 at 04:10 AM.

[Racer X 69]

What will you guys be doing when everything is electric?

We will hot rod them Norm.

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

[tim60]

I told my wife and kids I want to float, dressed in my birthday suit, in a large formaldehyde filled glass jar in the corner of the lounge. Nicely back-lit, a bit like a lava lamp.
For some peculiar reason there's significant opposition to this idea but I "float" it every now and then, usually at dinner time.
.

They must be thinking: spare us.

[tim60]

And I thought ours was small!
Most USA bays are 10' x 20' which makes ours seem small.

Only the small cars here properly fit in shopping centre bays, allowing for the variations in how the people in the next bay position their car in their bay. A Range Rover completely fills a standard bay with the doors closed.

[tim60]

Our personal garage is 24 ' X 26 '. We have fit up to a mid size rear wheel drive van, a large sedan ('76 Impala), a 17.5 foot freighter canoe (special rack), a self driven snow blower, etc., motorcycle.... at once, on a regular basis.

For me, out here on the prairies , it is best to keep a lot of stuff...machinery...in a garage, due to the very cold winter temps.

Here in England a garage is an unusual feature in houses. And where available seems to be sized for an Austin7, completely unsuitable for almost all modern cars except for Smart, the 2 seater little thing.

People fill the garage with their rubbish they cannot bear to throw away. Also, your garage, or parking space, if you have one, is likely somewhere else in the development, not part of the continuous piece of land your house is on, although it is traded as part of the same land title.

[mkgd1]

Solar is fast becoming affordable. A mate of mine, however, has two wind turbines. Those make electricity at night too!

My solar has been running almost five years. Including the tax break I got, it will have paid for itself by the end of this year. That does nor include the installation which I did myself for a couple of thousand for materials.

---------- Post added 01-19-21 at 11:04 PM ----------

Here in England a garage is an unusual feature in houses. And where available seems to be sized for an Austin7, completely unsuitable for almost all modern cars except for Smart, the 2 seater little thing.

People fill the garage with their rubbish they cannot bear to throw away. Also, your garage, or parking space, if you have one, is likely somewhere else in the development, not part of the continuous piece of land your house is on, although it is traded as part of the same land title.

I grew up in a council estate in Yorkshire. When my dad got our first car, He rented a garage which was about a mile from the house. I remember walking with him when we put it away on a winters night. This was before antifreeze was common, so we had to drain the radiator at night or place a tiny kerosene heater under the oil pan and a rug over the engine. It was 1964 before we had a house with a garage. I often think how lucky I am now. The attached garage is 24'x26' I have a 30x50' shop in the back yard as well as a 15'x 50' RV shelter.

[lesmore49]

That is one of my reasons too.

But.

When I had the last foot surgery, it was clear that I wouldn't be able to drive any of my vehicles because they all have manual transmissions, which require two feet to operate. So I jumped on the opportunity when the oldest grandson wanted to sell his pickup. The Eddie Bauer has an automatic transmission, perfect for the period of partial disability during recovery.

It has also proven to be an excellent beater, having come with a ready compliment of dings, dents, scratches and rusty holes. So when I take it to the store, I grab the closest spot, and dare anyone to be careless and irresponsible.

About 15-17 years ago (can't remember exactly) one of our neighbours had a buddy who had a '95 Ford F 250, 4WD, with the 351 OHV V8 and automatic transmission. Can't recall if it was an extended cab or 4 door cab. It also had a fibreglas cap on the truck box.

It was in beautiful condition, had under 60,000 miles on it. He wanted a fair price for it and I gave it some serious thought.

In the end we decided against it, but whoever got that truck got a real creampuff.

A creampuff with a big, honking 5,8 liter V8, 4 WD, 3/4 ton....of a creampuff.

Still though......it was no Chevy.

[lesmore49]

My solar has been running almost five years. Including the tax break I got, it will have paid for itself by the end of this year. That does nor include the installation which I did myself for a couple of thousand for materials.

---------- Post added 01-19-21 at 11:04 PM ----------


I grew up in a council estate in Yorkshire. When my dad got our first car, He rented a garage which was about a mile from the house. I remember walking with him when we put it away on a winters night. This was before antifreeze was common, so we had to drain the radiator at night or place a tiny kerosene heater under the oil pan and a rug over the engine. It was 1964 before we had a house with a garage. I often think how lucky I am now. The attached garage is 24'x26' I have a 30x50' shop in the back yard as well as a 15'x 50' RV shelter.

When I was a kid in the '50's and '60's, my family used to go camping a lot (trailer) to a lake in northern Minnesota. Great place for a boy like me, who loved to fish and go exploring. I was about 10-11 years old. There was another family from my burg who would also cross the border and camp. They were recent immigrants from England and at first they had an English Ford...a Zephyr or a Consul , something like that.

The next year they had bought a new 1960 American Ford Galaxie, with the manual transmission and inline six cylinder. It was a glossy black and I recall the mother was absolutely enamoured of it, she kept on referring to it as a limousine , as it was quite large compared to the British imports we used to see, back then in N.A. It was a beautiful car.

Their son was about my age, a bit older then me and he was good guy. I recall going fishing with him, doing a lot of forest trail exploration, etc.

[StiffLegged]

Fun fact.

Exhaust systems on a gasoline powered vehicle rust out from the inside out, as the engine exhaust is loaded with water.

Diesel engine exhaust systems rust from the outside in, as the engine exhaust is only, the fuel being oil.

Fun, yes: fact, not so much. Burning petrol or diesel produces carbon dioxide (oooh naughty) and water vapour. Always both, unless your ute runs on charcoal which not being an Aussie I doubt.