A new game... Post pics from your cel phone V.1.0

[BruceK]

I guess those police look like the military because of what they might encounter.

Speaking of Volkswagen pickups from Mexico, I spotted this one, at the local Costco two days ago. It's got kind of a funny name too:  Amarok. It's about Tacoma or Colorado sized. I would think it would share a lot of components with Volkswagen's big SUV, so I wonder why they don't sell it here?

[94touring]

Were they "Ram Tough"?

[Jims5543]

I guess those police look like the military because of what they might encounter.

No doubt, I am not a gun guy, I tried to take a close up of the gun the one cop was holding, my son is a gun fanatic, he recognized the gun in the close up pic, its a fully automatic machine gun.

It is crazy to see, culture shock if you will, when you see stuff like this. Makes you appreciate home.

[94touring]

I guess those police look like the military because of what they might encounter.

No doubt, I am not a gun guy, I tried to take a close up of the gun the one cop was holding, my son is a gun fanatic, he recognized the gun in the close up pic, its a fully automatic machine gun.

It is crazy to see, culture shock if you will, when you see stuff like this. Makes you appreciate home.

I spent enough time down there from 07-10 in the non tourist parts that I got very used to it.  But on the topic of guns, last week at work on our passenger manifest doing the middle east stuff that I do, we had a list of each gun model on board. I've never seen a broken down list like that before. 

[Jims5543]

I guess those police look like the military because of what they might encounter.

No doubt, I am not a gun guy, I tried to take a close up of the gun the one cop was holding, my son is a gun fanatic, he recognized the gun in the close up pic, its a fully automatic machine gun.

It is crazy to see, culture shock if you will, when you see stuff like this. Makes you appreciate home.

I spent enough time down there from 07-10 in the non tourist parts that I got very used to it.  But on the topic of guns, last week at work on our passenger manifest doing the middle east stuff that I do, we had a list of each gun model on board. I've never seen a broken down list like that before. 

I cannot imagine the amount of hardware you are carrying to the ME.

[94touring]

I guess those police look like the military because of what they might encounter.

No doubt, I am not a gun guy, I tried to take a close up of the gun the one cop was holding, my son is a gun fanatic, he recognized the gun in the close up pic, its a fully automatic machine gun.

It is crazy to see, culture shock if you will, when you see stuff like this. Makes you appreciate home.

I spent enough time down there from 07-10 in the non tourist parts that I got very used to it.  But on the topic of guns, last week at work on our passenger manifest doing the middle east stuff that I do, we had a list of each gun model on board. I've never seen a broken down list like that before. 

I cannot imagine the amount of hardware you are carrying to the ME.

Something else recently that made me laugh after doing passenger airlines for a decade.  I opened the closet near the forward galley to grab by bag to swap crews while troops stayed on board. Opened the closet and there was a box full of knives they made them turn in. I guess they got them back at the end of the flight. Not locked up, not confiscated, just conveniently up front lol.

[Jims5543]

When you are coming back from Mexico, everyone in the group you are flying in with, all 8 of us, has some sort of THC in their luggage and you all just look at each other and mutter, shit....


Good news is none of us got tagged, some couple in their 20's did. Stupid stoners.

[BruceK]

Michael and I went to a car show this morning with our Minis and were very surprised to see a couple of other Minis show up.

This Mark I Cooper S was said to be a 1071 and a 1963 model. The owner said it was used in the US for decades then at some point went to France and did some rallying and then came back to the US. It has stickers from everywhere and an extensive selection of now-defunct Marchal brand lighting from France at the front. The door handles were post 1966 ones with the extra boss so not sure how that jives with 1963, but things get replaced and changed over the course of 60 odd years.  The UK number plate is for a 1997 Rover Mini so there's a story there I'm sure. 

Guess what just popped up on BAT? It'll be interesting to see what this goes for.  I thought the "Downton" Cooper S that was on BAT last week was wildly over-hyped and even still went RNM at over $50K (!!!!!).

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1963-austin-mini-cooper-s-2/

[Jims5543]

Michael and I went to a car show this morning with our Minis and were very surprised to see a couple of other Minis show up.

This Mark I Cooper S was said to be a 1071 and a 1963 model. The owner said it was used in the US for decades then at some point went to France and did some rallying and then came back to the US. It has stickers from everywhere and an extensive selection of now-defunct Marchal brand lighting from France at the front. The door handles were post 1966 ones with the extra boss so not sure how that jives with 1963, but things get replaced and changed over the course of 60 odd years.  The UK number plate is for a 1997 Rover Mini so there's a story there I'm sure. 

Guess what just popped up on BAT? It'll be interesting to see what this goes for.  I thought the "Downton" Cooper S that was on BAT last week was wildly over-hyped and even still went RNM at over $50K (!!!!!).

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1963-austin-mini-cooper-s-2/

Crazy small world moment. The comments in that action have been interesting.

[Jims5543]

I made a Amsoil order last week. My newer Tacoma hit 60K miles, all my Automatic Toyotas get a full flush every 60K miles. 

Anyway, if you typed in a promotion code you got some 10mm sockets.  LOL!

[BruceK]

Poor Mini. This car has been stuck on top of a pole in south San Antonio for at least 40 years. I first saw it in 1994 and was told it had been up there for a long time before that. The last time I saw it was about 30 years ago and I was very surprised to see it was still in place when I drove past it last week. It used to be a very chalky white, but it's been very crudely painted yellow. Still has its glass in place. I'm kind of shocked that nobody has thrown rocks through the windows.

It is a Mk I Mini, a hydroelastic car, and has the bosses on the door handles, which would mean it was built sometime between January 1966 and October 1967 (when the Mk. II was introduced). It still has its engine installed and looks to be a later magic wand gear change.


I guess theoretically it could be taken down and restored. But a restoration probably wouldn't be any fun at all. 

[MPlayle]

Even looks like it still has the spare tire in what is left of the trunk floor.

[BruceK]

Even looks like it still has the spare tire in what is left of the trunk floor.

Yeah I saw that too. The boot floor is mostly rusted out, but that seems like the worst of it.

[BruceK]

Look what showed up at a local C&C this morning, an Oz Moke.

[BruceK]

Also at the show I saw a Charger Ute kit (unfinished).

And a GMC motorhome from the 1970s with the fwd Oldsmobile Toroando drivetrain.

[Jims5543]

Every 6 months I have to get the Ceramic coating on the Mini's re-applied. My R53 and the Classic are both Ceramic Coated. It is a car care hack, washing the dirt off them and keeping them clean is very easy with the ceramic on there.  I rarely have to wash with a mitt.  I can typically pre-wash with the pressure washer, foam it up, rinse, all the dirt just washed off.

I dropped the R53 off last night, and have to swap the Classic with it at 11 this morning.

It has not rained here in a couple of weeks, yup!! As soon as I take the classic out it pours.

More insulting? The sun is out too.

[Jims5543]

Something I just remembered, when I registered the classic, I had the DMV run the British tag# to see if it was available for a custom tag.  It was and I ordered it, if you look close you can see my renewal sticker on the British tag. I keep the Florida tag in the bin behind the seat with the insurance and registration paperwork.

Also, I noticed the empty road, this is why I love summer here, its a relative ghost town here from July to mid to late October. Typically the heat breaks in early October and this begins MY car season, as ya'll are getting ready to winter your cars, I am taking mine out.

The sun came out this afternoon, heat index hit 100 with the mercury hitting 88.  It was a spicy ride back to storage with the Mini after the Detailer was done with his re-coating.

[94touring]

Yeah it's brutal in this heat.  Like me it always rains after I wash anything.

[Red Riley]

Just a cool drone shot from MME.

[Mudhen]

My son and I got out to a 2-day rallycross up in VT a few weekends ago - first time taking the '75 out since last fall...needed motor mounts, tie-bar bushings, and some other stuff and I kept putting it off.  The kid is fast, especially considering it's only his 3rd event.  But he was about 2.5 seconds/run faster than me on day 1, and 1.5 on day 2.  Hopefully that means I'm getting the hang of what the old girl can handle.









It was 90f - by the end of the day I was considering skipping my runs because the water temp was dangerously close to red - not sure what to do about that but probably VERY rare that we'll be racing in those conditions again.  It doesn't have a heater core in it which I want to put back - maybe just the additional coolant/heater on would help???

And my brand new tie bar bushing lasted just the two days.



The r53 wasn't immune to some damage as well when Liam hit a huge rock:



The car went into accident mode - shut itself down, hazards on - thankfully we don't have airbags in it!

A guy on the British Motorcars of New England group said I should be arrested for rallycrossing it - probably has some show queen that only comes out once/yr - I held off telling him what I really thought of his opinion! 

[cstudep]

Cars are made to be driven, drive it how ever the hell you like is what I say.

[MiniDave]

Just a cool drone shot from MME.

Fun, that was at the car show, and my Red car is parked right behind you.....I think that's me standing beside my car talking to the folks in the lawn chairs.

Did you take the shot or find it online somewhere?

[Red Riley]

Just a cool drone shot from MME.

Fun, that was at the car show, and my Red car is parked right behind you.....I think that's me standing beside my car talking to the folks in the lawn chairs.

Did you take the shot or find it online somewhere?

I stole it from the MME facebook page.
Dang, I didn't realize that was you. Did we chat at all? I was keeping pretty busy answering lots of questions about my car and trailer. It got a ton of interest.

[MiniDave]

Yes, we spoke several times, I was there when you arrived at the hotel....I said "I recognize that car"!