Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

Well I cannot understand them because I sit here discussing options on cars I am not buying all day. :lol:
 
katwalk said:
Well I cannot understand them because I sit here discussing options on cars I am not buying all day. :lol:
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Yup, that doesn't seem to be a disease affecting most gearhead or techie females, which seems to be most girls on FG.

YF19pilot said:
Also, heated seats usually have their own, seperate fuse. Just yank that and you're good to go.
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Or you could, you know, not press the button that turns them on. :p
 
Spectre said:
I'd point out that heated front seats adds *maybe* 3-5 pounds overall to the car, including relays, wiring, switch/control unit and the heating units themselves. It's not a huge detractor from performance; if you don't like them, you need not use them and it's not like they're in the way if you don't want them.
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I'm not so bothered about the weight or performance I just dislike the idea of unessential tat in cars just waiting to go wrong. I understand it in a Jag or Roller or a Cadillac where you are paying for some luxury and comfort, but in a Beetle? :?

Although to be fair most of the cars I look at buying are from eras where such things as heaters and radios were extras and ultra luxury was a heated rear window/rear wiper! I've also looked at buying cars that run the entire electrical system on 2 fuses!
Personally if I was confronted with a cold car trip I'd just grab one of my chunky sweaters and throw an extra pair of socks on, I used to catch a un-heated bus 3 days a week at -10C in winter and although not comfortable it was bearable.

Another pointless feature: On Dad's Skoda you can adjust the climate control for the driver and passenger seperately, we are 2 feet apart FFS. :wall:
 
captain_70s said:
Another pointless feature: On Dad's Skoda you can adjust the climate control for the driver and passenger seperately, we are 2 feet apart FFS. :wall:
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No offense, but you've obviously not had many relationships with women, then - especially not ones involving road trips. Dual zone climate control eliminates the source of SOOO many 'car fights,' especially with a particular type of girl.

Even if you don't have the high-maintenance type in your life, girls tend to be more temperature sensitive than guys and often prefer a warmer temperature than the guys are really comfortable with. See most offices - when the guys have the AC set to a comfortable temperature for them, the girls are complaining it's too cold or breaking out the sweaters.
 
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Spectre said:
You've obviously not had many relationships with women, then. Dual zone climate control eliminates the source of SOOO many 'car fights,' especially with a particular type of girl.
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>:{
 
katwalk said:
>:{
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You're excused, you've got a medical condition and are not included in the group to which I refer. Those girls have no such reason. These would be the high-maintenance 24-hour-drama-queens.

Of course, if you get a dual-zone climate system, that type then has to find something else to complain about but it usually takes them a while and you get a few minutes of blessed silence at least, while they try to come up with some other thing to torment you with.

Normal girls would be and often are uncomfortable at the temperatures I (and many men) like to keep my cars at in summer months, so if you're going to be going lots and lots of places together in the same car, want to be considerate to your partner and the system's available, why not get the multizone system?

As for you, kat, I keep the AC in my cars at "can hang meat in here" in the summer, so you'd probably be just fine with that. :mrgreen:
 
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Usually I try not to whine about the temperature and just turn all the vents near me off assuming the other person does not enjoy sauna temperatures.

Most of the time it is not an issue because I do not like not being the driver, so then I can subject the other person to cold and terrible music :D
 
katwalk said:
Usually I try not to whine about the temperature and just turn all the vents near me off assuming the other person does not enjoy sauna temperatures.

Most of the time it is not an issue because I do not like not being the driver, so then I can subject the other person to cold and terrible music :D
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Define terrible music. :D
 
Spectre said:
No offense, but you've obviously not had many relationships with women, then - especially not ones involving road trips. Dual zone climate control eliminates the source of SOOO many 'car fights,' especially with a particular type of girl.

Even if you don't have the high-maintenance type in your life, girls tend to be more temperature sensitive than guys and often prefer a warmer temperature than the guys are really comfortable with. See most offices - when the guys have the AC set to a comfortable temperature for them, the girls are complaining it's too cold or breaking out the sweaters.
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This being the UK it's rare people my age can afford a car new/well speced enough to have proper AC anyway. It's only in the past 10 years or so it has really become common on cars.

I've already pretty much accepted that if I buy an old car I am essentially dooming myself to the single life anyway, very, very few of my classic car associates have girlfriends. Not really surprising when most of their money and time is used on keeping 35 year old cars on the road! :lol:
I don't even follow the "buy a nice looking/cool car to offset the lack of practicality" rule, I want a Dolomite, a plain 4 door saloon... probably in brown and even the name conjours up images of bugs and insects! :D

Besides even if I get a modern car (probably a a Pug 106 unless I can blag a Triumph Acclaim) it won't have AC and in the unlikely event a girl is in it with me they'll probably be more bothered by my collection of 1980s metal and early 70s prog rock. :p
 
My music collection is based on "how fun is driving to this song". Lets just say I have something from every genre and leave it at that. :lol:

captain_70s said:
Besides even if I get a modern car (probably a a Pug 106 unless I can blag a Triumph Acclaim) it won't have AC and in the unlikely event a girl is in it with me they'll probably be more bothered by my collection of 1980s metal and early 70s prog rock. :p
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No that is on my ipod AC is more important.
 
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captain_70s said:
I've already pretty much accepted that if I buy an old car I am essentially dooming myself to the single life anyway, very, very few of my classic car associates have girlfriends. Not really surprising when most of their money and time is used on keeping 35 year old cars on the road! :lol:
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Consider getting into old motorcycles, then. Costs less in all respects, takes less time and attracts a lot more girls. Not to mention that even the worst 70s bike is still infinitely more awesome than any BL produced contemporary mainstream car.
 
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toyota parts can be found even in dumpsters I said, they will fit every tercel I said.

US. FG-ers, does anyone know of an online store where I can get bits for my old beater, things like indicators and the like? eBay is of no help

Progress is going well, got the tires replaced and all the windshield washer jets replaced, The electrics got checked and most important of all, the 6 speed gearbox and 4WD system work flawlessly
 
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katwalk said:
No that is on my ipod AC is more important.
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Don't forget I live in Scotland, where it is rarely any warmer than an open window at 50mph can't solve! :p

Interestingly top spec Acclaims did actually have a AC as an option, but I'd imagine it was rarely ticked. RHD 106s didn't even get it as an option at all and the Dolomite is just too old to have it, you still had to pay extra for the radio!
Spectre said:
Consider getting into old motorcycles, then. Costs less in all respects, takes less time and attracts a lot more girls.
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I've considered it in the past but at the moment a car is more practical, especially for winter commuting when a motorcycle would kill me.

I won't be getting a car any time soon anyway (more pressing things to worry about), and although it would be nice to not have to rely on public transport private transport is still more expensive in comparison.
Besides old cars and bikes are too ingrained into my system to be pressed aside. I don't have many major hobbies/interests outside of motoring and music, they just happen to be very unfashionable and obvious! :lol:

Besides as somebody I know once said "It doesn't matter if something is cool or popular now, if Anthony likes it then it will die", I am to popularity what rickhamilton is to cars. If I get a motorcycle they will suddenly become about as desirable as the Ebola virus! :D
 
Just get a cute old car. Chicks dig cute.
 
Spectre said:
Consider getting into old motorcycles, then. Costs less in all respects, takes less time and attracts a lot more girls. Not to mention that even the worst 70s bike is still infinitely more awesome than any BL produced contemporary mainstream car.
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I don't know about that. That was the era of the AMF Harley-Davidson. Pre-detonation due to overheating, which lead to self destruction of the rearward cylinder was such a common issue that 90% of my materials project was done in the first five results of a simple google search. From what I understand, there has never been a real fix for this, and people are still destroying pistons, valves, etc.
 
The Lord Mayors got a new company car, black XJR. Although I'm not sure it was necessary to use it today when he went less than half a mile from his office to do some kind of bullshit for Look North.
 
katwalk said:
Just get a cute old car. Chicks dig cute.
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I actually came very close to buying this ?750 Toledo last year, but just didn't have the money to insure it. It is sort of cute in a "I am a tiny boxy car" way.
P200310_1808.jpg


Rather glad I didn't get it in the end, the new owner found it was a little bit crusty despite it's current MOT...
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It's currently in parts having quite a lot of welding done, nice to know its getting properly restored as I reckon I'd have killed it... :lol:

(Moral of the story is: save up a bit more money and buy a good example of a car, not a cheap one!) :D
 
Aston Martin said:
The Lord Mayors got a new company car, black XJR. Although I'm not sure it was necessary to use it today when he went less than half a mile from his office to do some kind of bullshit for Look North.
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Is his last name Prescott by any chance?
 
YF19pilot said:
I don't know about that. That was the era of the AMF Harley-Davidson. Pre-detonation due to overheating, which lead to self destruction of the rearward cylinder was such a common issue that 90% of my materials project was done in the first five results of a simple google search. From what I understand, there has never been a real fix for this, and people are still destroying pistons, valves, etc.
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The Rover engines have their cylinder liners fall out and wreck the block or crank; some Jaguar models of that era would literally blow gaping holes in their pistons. It only gets worse.

Besides, H-D bikes sold in the 70s aren't 70s bikes, they're 1930s bikes that happened to be sold in the 70s. And even a broken H-D is infinitely cooler and more awesome than, say, an Allegro or Marina.

Aston Martin said:
The Lord Mayors got a new company car, black XJR. Although I'm not sure it was necessary to use it today when he went less than half a mile from his office to do some kind of bullshit for Look North.
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That's okay, though, because he's got a....

Gaasc, I will post some links for you in a bit.

Edit: Gaasc, everything you need to know for your Tercel can be found here. http://www.tercel4wd.com
There's a guy selling a clinometer on there for cheap - I had to get the one in my ex-Pathfinder from Mongolia (no, literally from Mongolia) so getting it from some guy in California should be pretty easy.

There's also a Toyota mailing list I used to participate in that would be of some use to you. Unfortunately, it appears to have flamed out and died, but I still have some pretty extensive archives that I can check into if you need me to.

Keep in mind that your car is mechanically a second gen Tercel from the nose to the A pillar and from there it's all different; unfortunately the bodywork while similar looking is going to be different as well so 2WD parts will not fit the 4WD. If you're shopping the US eBay and other US sites, you're looking for 83-86 parts. That generation wasn't here long and the wagons got cosmetic restyling in 87. The Wagon's corner lights are unique to the Wagon and the JDM sedan that was based off it; the front turn signals are common to all that generation of Toyota Tercel.

If you seek new Toyota parts, talk to the Internet parts sales division of Lou Fusz Toyota in Saint Louis, Missouri. I used to order parts for my Hilux from them; despite their generic web page, they offer Toyota parts at a mail-order discount and will ship to odd places like Ciuadad Mier, Mexico. :p (Don't ask.)

eBay currently lists just one set of corner lights, and apparently they're both rare and not widely available in the aftermarket.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1982-87-TOYOTA-TERCEL-S-WAGON-CORNER-LIGHT-16-44-R-H-/390324496064
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1982...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5adfab0ce9

I would suggest you go snag those immediately.
 
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