mark (12/30/82)
#R:ihuxn:-18700:zinfandel:3200006:177600:482 zinfandel!mark Dec 8 21:20:00 1982 On the related and much-repeated topic that big cars are much safer than small cars in accidents, I'd like to point out that that's only true in small car/big car accidents. If there were a lot of tanks on the road it would be true that tanks were safer than big cars in tank/big car accidents. When big cars are rare then big car/small car accidents will be rare and the safety difference will probably be swamped by other factors. Mark Wittenberg ...!decvax!sytek!zehntel!mark
nyles (02/01/83)
#R:rocheste:-38600:zinfandel:3200013:177600:404 zinfandel!nyles Jan 26 15:33:00 1983 Besides a blown head gasket and overfilling the oil, there is another possibility -- you could be over-revving the engine. I know this, because I do it. If you are like me, and have something like a Ford 302 V8, the fix is to install a splash plate. It goes between the crank and the oil resivoir. I didn't install one on my car, and wish I had. Nyles Nettleton decvax!sytek!zehntel!nyles
billh (04/07/83)
#R:fortune:-83500:kirk:18000002:37777777600:303
kirk!billh Apr 4 09:10:00 1983
The term 'curb weight' describes the weight of a car that is
ready to roll ... ie the gas tank is full, the windshield washer
has fluid and, there is oil in the engine. Essentially, it weighs
as much as it would when parked next to the curb.
Bill Hunt
hp - corvallisisis@inmet.UUCP (06/09/83)
#R:sdchema:-57200:inmet:2700003:177600:619
inmet!isis Jun 9 02:31:00 1983
I read an artical on Smokey (what-ever-his-last-name-is) and his
incredible sounding engine. He has a regular(?) series in "Popular
Mechanics". If not one of a regular series, the article appeared
about two or three (maybe four) months ago. There were some diagrams
provided. He (Smokey) refrained from telling all about how he keeps
the engine from continual pre-ignition since he doesn't have a patent
yet (it is in search i think). If i find the issue around here, i'll
get back -- meanwhile check out the library.
-- Dan Melnechuk
...harpo!inmet!isis
...hplabs!sri-unix!cca!ima!inmet!isisdavy@pur-ee.UUCP (08/16/83)
#R:hou5e:-55600:pur-ee:2900017:177600:814 pur-ee!davy Jun 14 09:03:00 1983 This month's Car and Driver (July - the one with "Baja" on the cover) has a very interesting article on the 55 mph. speed limit. It takes each NHTSA statistic and refutes it. It also gives some analysis of the statistics as compared with the years before and after the 55 mph limit came into effect, and shows that the 55 mph. speed limit has damn near nothing to do with gas savings (the same amount of gas could be saved if everyone kept their tires properly inflated), or saving lives. Really shows you how gullible the government thinks we are. By the way, they also include a postcard which you can sign, send to them, and they'll forward it to Reagan - it tells him to make good on his campaign promise and abolish the 55. "55 - It's not a good idea, it's just the law" --Dave Curry pur-ee!davy
davy@pur-ee.UUCP (08/16/83)
#R:houti:-31100:pur-ee:2900018:177600:504 pur-ee!davy Jun 24 19:22:00 1983 Re: unmanned radar I saw something similar to the "billboard radar" up in Milwaukee a couple of years ago. They had just installed a new freeway access ramp, with a big curve in it. There were signs all over saying "45 mph", and also, a big huge sign above the curve. The big sign was hooked to a radar gun, and if you were doing more than 45 mph, it would light up and say "SLOW DOWN" or "TOO FAST" or whatever. Cute, but seems kind of extravagant to me..... --Dave Curry pur-ee!davy
davy@pur-ee.UUCP (08/16/83)
#R:tekid:-135900:pur-ee:2900019:177600:1650 pur-ee!davy Jul 1 11:04:00 1983 Here we had a very similar case. A man left his mobile home booby trapped, such that if you opened the screen door, a 12-guage shotgun went off. A young boy, about 15 or 16, opened the door, received a shotgun blast in the chest, and because nobody was home, bled to death on the front porch. The man was arrested and brought to trial on manslaughter or something similar (it wasn't 1st degree murder, anyway). The man's main line of defense was that the boy was breaking into his trailer in order to steal something. There was no evidence to support this, other than the fact that the boy had a previous record of breaking and entering. After a great deal of controversy, the man was deemed innocent by a jury. I personally feel that the use of deadly force to protect your home is fine, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. Had the man been at home, and had the boy actually threatened his or his family's LIFE, I would agree with the verdict. But, booby trapping your door with a shotgun is absolutely ridiculous. What if the first person to open the door would have been the Avon lady? Would he still have gotten off? Remember, it was never PROVEN that the boy was breaking in. The question breaks down to "how far may a person go in order to protect his property?". Is manslaughter legal under these circum- stances? Is it right to kill someone in order to save your Sony Trinitron? Should it be? Why or why not? This is an interesting topic for discussion, and I'd like to see it continued. But, net.auto is hardly the place. Can someone recommend a more appropriate newsgroup? --Dave Curry pur-ee!davy
spaf@gatech.UUCP (08/16/83)
Gee, I wonder if the mailer at pur-ee believes that "net.auto"
means auto-submit?
Is there any way to kill or simply stem this tide of
orphaned responses from pur-ee!davy ? I appreciated his
comments the first (and even the second) time I read them,
but this is definitely getting out of hand!
--
The soapbox of Gene Spafford
CSNet: Spaf @ GATech ARPA: Spaf.GATech @ UDel-Relay
uucp: ...!{sb1,allegra,ut-ngp}!gatech!spaf ...!duke!mcnc!msdc!gatech!spafchris@umcp-cs.UUCP (09/04/83)
#R:ihnss:0:umcp-cs:-1:37777777600:828
umcp-cs!chris Jul 19 20:04:00 1983
Concerning lights with malfunctioning magnetic sensors: Right On!!
There's this one particular light, at the main entrance to the College
Park campus of the U of MD, that seems to work exactly backwards. I
often leave here at 2 or 3 in the morning. I get to the light; it's
red. There's no one nearby on the main street, Route 1. (However,
there're headlights far down the road so I don't dare make a
left-on-red.) So I sit at this red light for a while. Eventually,
someone comes down Route 1. Just as they approach the light, it turns
red for Rt. 1 traffic and green for me! If it let me through 60
seconds ago no one would have had to even slow down!
- Chris
--
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci
UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!chris
CSNet: chris@umcp-cs
ARPA: chris.umcp-cs@UDel-Relayhxe@rayssd.UUCP (09/04/83)
#R:yale-com:0:rayssd:-1:37777777600:743
rayssd!hxe Jul 6 10:44:00 1983
RE: Booby Traps
In most states, booby traps are definitely NOT legal in homes! I
would assume that they are also not legal in car stereos based on
the same legal principles. The test case that I recall for the
legality of booby traps involved a man who had wired a gun into a
tree near his front door and posted signs prominently that warned
would-be intruders that there was a booby trap in use. Neverthe-
less, a man tried to break in, the gun went off and blew away his
leg, and the robber (successfully) sued the homeowner for all
damages. Again, I could assume that this might happen to you if
you booby trap your car and someone gets hurt, even if they were
breaking in.
Heather Emanuel {decvax!brunix, allegra} rayssd!hxewookie@alice.UUCP (09/04/83)
#R:utzoo:0:alice:-1:37777777600:1855 alice!wookie Jul 11 12:28:00 1983 I have had similar problems in three high mileage rear axles nad from your description I would say the input pinion gear bearing may be failing. In all my cases it wound up being cheaper to get another axle from a junk yard and just replace the whole thing rather than try to replace the bearing since this requires careful setting of clearances between the ring and pinion gears. The fact that the fluid level was low may give some clue. One of my failures was due to a leaking axle seal which I ignored until I could get to it. In the process the fluid level dropped and I presume lack of lubrication caused the failure of the pinion bearing. So look for a leak either at each rear axle (remove the brake drum and you should not see any oil on the backplate) or at the input shaft (look for oil sprayed around the area where the universal joint is at the input to the differential). While you're looking at the input shaft see if it has any side to side play in it. If it has noticeable play then it is indeed the pinion shaft bearing that is failing. In all my cases the failure time was about two weeks of driving to and from work from the time I first heard the noise until the car was no longer driveable. The noise I heard occurred mainly during deceleration and so near the end when the noise got really bad (due to grinding of the gears inside) I had to drive with the rear axle constantly under forward load. This meant no backing up at all, not decelerating to reduce speed but using the brakes with the engine applied and definitely no coasting! Well I hope this gives some insight and who knows maybe it's just a noisy positraction unit like in my Trans-Am but then you didn't say it goes clunk, clunk, clunk when making a turn but is fine otherwise. Good luck and let us know the results! Keith Bauer White Tiger Racing
parent@ecn-ed.UUCP (09/04/83)
#R:aplvax:0:ecn-ed:-1:37777777600:1584
ecn-ed!parent Jul 13 22:06:00 1983
It seems that in Canada (well, British Columbia) you are legally
required to wear seatbelts. If you are not you can be cited, and the
police are able to stop you and check. They usually won't stop you to
see if you are wearing your seatbelt, but are sure to get you for it
if they stop you for something else (speeding, running a stop light,
etc.). There is also some law that limits the amount of damages an
insurance company is liable for if they can prove you were not wearing
a seat belt. Some landmark case happen a few years ago in which some
woman was hit by a truck (the truck driver was determined to be at fault)
and was badly injuerred and was partially
paralized, but because she was not wearing her seatbelt at the time of
the accident the lawsuit she filed against the trucker (for some vast
amount of money) was thrown out of court, and the insurance company had
to pay only what was stated in the trucker's policy.
While it is unfortunate that the woman was badly injured, I would not
want to be sued for more money than I'll ever make in my whole life just
because someone did not feel their health was not worth the time it takes
to fasten one's seatbelt.
I was fortunate one rainy night when I lost control of my car on a
curve at the top of a hill and ended up upside down in a ditch at the
side of the road. Of course, I was wearing my seat belt and was still
firmly in my seat when the car came to rest and was not harmed in the least
my car, alas, was not so fortunate.
---- Stefan Sobol ----
endwookie@alice.UUCP (09/04/83)
#R:ihu1f:0:alice:-1:37777777600:3781 alice!wookie Jul 11 13:03:00 1983 Engine timing is simply when the ignition spark occurs to get the fire going in the cylinder. Since it takes some amount of time to start the fire and since we would like maximum pressure to begin just after the piston reaches top dead center on the compression stroke, we must ignite the mixture sometime before top dead center (TDC). The next variable is the speed of the engine. Assuming the fire takes about the same time to get going then it may be deduced that as the engine runs faster the spark must fire sooner in the compression stroke. This is accomplished by the mechanical advance which is a variation on a flyweight governor. The farther out the weights move due to centrifugal force the more the timing is advanced (ignition occurs earlier in the compression stroke). The timing curve may be adjusted by changing the springs and weights in the distributor. Bringing the advance in sooner results in a peppier engine. The vacuum advance takes into account differing amounts of fuel and fuel mixture in the cylinder. While you are just cruising along not demanding much power from the engine, the mixture is leaner and there is less of it entering the cylinders. This type of mixture burns more slowly and so the timing is advanced even further for maximum efficiency. The vacuum in the engine gives a good indication of the demands on the engine and so can be used to control this additional advance. The simple setup is then a mechanical advance and a simple manifold vacuum advance. (In high performance work like racing the vacuum advance is not used since we want all or nothing from the engine most of the time) Pollution comes in to complicate the game. Advancing the timing increases pollution and thus we now do not advance the timing as much (check the initial timing settings for cars from the sixties and note how the timing is more retarded into the seventies. This results in a less efficient engine that doesn't pollute as much but burns more gas to get the same power. The vacuum advance used now used what is termed ported vacuum. By monitoring the vacuum just above the throttle plate we see no vacuum when the throttle is closed, high vacuum as the throttle is opened and then low vacuum as the throttle becomes wide open. Using this ported vacuum then provides no vacuum advance at idle and thus reduces pollution at idle and really doesn't affect the engine much since we aren't demanding anything at idle. Setting the initial advance gives a small amount of initial timing which gets the fire going early enough at very slow idle speeds like 600 RPM (before the centrifugal advance comes in). The initial advance will of course affect the total ignition advance at high speed when all the mechanical advance is in. In my race car the distributor is set up to get all the mechanical advance in at 3000 RPM and so we set the timing at about 3200 RPM at 38 degrees before TDC. More advance than this and the fire is started too soon and will try to push the piston back down on the compression stroke (it's trying to compress an explosion!) This results in pistons with holes in them or maybe bent connecting rods so we don't want to overdo the advance. If I set my timing at 37 degrees then the engine is less efficient and in the race car I have an overheating problem on warm days. You peobably won't see this on the street!) The type of fuel also affects how much timing may be used. High octane fuels burn more slowly (to prevent detonation) and so require more timing advance to get the fire burning. Air/fuel ratio also affects the burning speed and thus timing. I hope this gives you some idea of what's going on. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask! Keith Bauer White Tiger Racing
michaelk@tekmdp.UUCP (09/04/83)
#R:fortune:0:tekmdp:-1:37777777600:813 tekmdp!michaelk Jul 29 15:59:00 1983 I hate to extend the spelling discussion (it has been going on too long on too many net groups). . . I don't think that it seriously *bothers* anyone to see misspellings. However, the number and severity of the misspellings reflect upon the person who wrote the message, and therefore affects the seriousness to which that person's comments are taken. If a person does not take the time to correct massive gross spelling errors, how can that person be expected to correct or organize his/her thoughts? A person should want to spell correctly as possible -- not to please the readers, but simply to gain greater creditability for him/herself. Correction of another's gross misspellings usually does not gain anything for anyone. Mike Kersenbrock Tektronix Microcomputer Development Products Aloha, Oregon
dswankii@uok.UUCP (11/26/83)
#R:trsvax:55200018:uok:500002:37777777600:425 uok!dswankii Nov 4 04:07:00 1983 GM has had a history of hard hot starts beginning with some Chevy trucks. The problem was the heat from the exhaust system was hot-soaking the starter causing inumerable problems. You might try building a heat shield for the starter out of sheet steel,or, see if any GM dealer has a shield cheap(!) that you could convert. Also check Olds service flyers for info on this problem. David Swank II !duke!uok!dswankii
dswankii@uok.UUCP (11/26/83)
#R:cbdkc1:-26400:uok:500001:37777777600:85 uok!dswankii Nov 4 04:07:00 1983 Buy the new "Car and Driver". They did a report on it. Nice car. David Swank II
hakanson@orstcs.UUCP (11/26/83)
#R:rocheste:-336700:orstcs:3000017:37777777600:2119
orstcs!hakanson Oct 29 09:49:00 1983
I'm not an engineer, but here's what I've read:
Radials may affect the handling somewhat on older (or any) cars that have
been set up for bias-ply tires, for several reasons. As was mentioned
earlier, they give a harsher ride, and react more quickly to road conditions,
steering input (in general, but this depends on the individual tire, of course),
so they may cause more wear in suspension and steering components.
Another thing about radials is that they have a lower rolling resistance
than bias-plies, and thus may cause a caster-change while in motion. It
has something to do with the lower rolling resistance causing less of a
strain on the suspension, thus "pushing the alignment of the wheels back
toward the rear of the car" less than bias-ply tires. This seemed sort of
doubtful to me, as I didn't think most cars had that much "flex" in the
suspension. But that's what I read (I believe in Popular Science some
years back). And remember that the caster & other front-end alignment
settings are generally arrived at through experimental modification of
an engineering estimate (especially on older production cars). The fix
for this rolling-resistance difference is to set the caster to be "not
pushed so far toward the front," if that means anything to you.
We had an old '66 Pontiac that got switched to radials, and we didn't
know anything about changing the front alignment from factory specs, and
the thing was very twitchy -- difficult to keep going in a straight line.
This turned out to be a combination of having too much power steering,
worn & sticky ball joints, and not enough caster to give a good "center
feel" to the steering. Of course, one sample does not a population make....
If you doubt that radials have less rolling resistance, then have you
ever wondered why people get better fuel mileage when they use radials?
I also switched a '73 Celical to radials, and had very good results --
especially a 10% improvement in gas mileage!
Marion Hakanson {hp-pcd,teklabs}!orstcs!hakanson (Usenet)
hakanson.oregon-state@rand-relay or
hakanson@{oregon-state,orstcs} (CSnet)grw@inmet.UUCP (01/07/84)
#R:hpfcla:13200001:inmet:2700039:177600:80 inmet!grw Jan 5 10:51:00 1984 Why not post the source and info to net.sources and let people help themselves?
rcook@uiucuxc.UUCP (04/11/84)
#R:tekig1:-158400:uiucuxc:29800005:37777777600:206 uiucuxc!rcook Apr 11 13:28:00 1984 I would like to tell you about the gas mileage of my `67 LeMans convertable (which is for sale by the way). It gets very low mileage and I have no idea why- about 7-8 mpg. Any ideas why??? - ZZ>.
rmiller@ccvaxa.UUCP (04/12/84)
#R:hou2h:-32500:ccvaxa:4900040:37777777600:1164
ccvaxa!rmiller Apr 11 17:14:00 1984
quantitative tests on sailplanes (very high performance gliders if you
must) have shown that bugs on the wings can knock as much as 20-30% off
of the glide ratio. nominally, we are talking about things that glide (in
smooth air) at 40:1 and drop to 32-35:1 (typical) with a "standard"
collection of junk on the wings. (typical powered airplanes come in at
from 5:1 up to 15:1 BTW).
note that these wings (actually the entire aircraft) are designed to
maintain LAMINAR flow. there are extremely few powered aircraft (or
cars) that meet that requirement, but it's a benchmark. a laminar
surface that becomes turbulent due to {bugs, dents, rain gutters, rain,
discontinuities in shape (read that as a notch back roof!), etc} may
actually be WORSE than a mildly turbulent surface due to something called
a laminar separation bubble (please refer to a real aerodynamicist for
an explanation) and destructive interference of air flow elsewhere on
the surface.
the distinctions are important. overall, clean surfaces are likely
better, but you have to be really pushing the design to the limit to get
any useful advantage (other than a psychological one) from washing.grw@inmet.UUCP (04/26/84)
#R:inmet:2700093:inmet:2700094:177600:937
inmet!grw Apr 25 11:12:00 1984
Thanks to all who responded. While this issue (where to find a
third party manual for a late model SAAB) is far from settled the
thrust of what has been said is as follows:
o No one on the net has seen or purchased a third party SAAB manual
for (at least) 1980 and later 900s. This is probably not a good
sign.
o No one volunteered the actual price of an 'official' SAAB manual
though one person is planning to buy the doc set from SAAB for his
1981 900 Turbo. I asked for price info but no response as yet.
o I or one of the people who responded will probably contact one of
the SAAB Club chapters (there are chapters, right?) on the theory
that they would know if such a manual exists.
I'll post the 'final outcome' of this investigation when complete.
Thanks for your responses.
-- Gary Wasserman
...harpo!inmet!grw
...hplabs!sri-unix!cca!ima!inmet!grw
...yale-comix!ima!inmet!grwgrw@inmet.UUCP (05/18/84)
#R:alice:-274500:inmet:2700100:177600:294 inmet!grw May 16 15:41:00 1984 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Amazing! I used to do that same thing in my folks' '66 Plymouth Fury II station wagon. I thought it was malfunction in the wiring. Strange! -- Gary Wasserman ...harpo!inmet!grw ...hplabs!sri-unix!cca!ima!inmet!grw ...yale-comix!ima!inmet!grw
andrew@inmet.UUCP (05/18/84)
#R:alice:-274500:inmet:2700102:000:326
inmet!andrew May 16 17:56:00 1984
Interesting that both of you found this possible on '66 cars. That was the
first model year that 4-way flashers were required... perhaps the designers
of the electrical systems added the 4-ways without realizing (or caring)
that this was possible!
Andrew W. Rogers, Intermetrics ...{harpo|ihnp4|ima|esquire}!inmet!andrewAnonymous@inmet.UUCP (05/20/84)
#R:alice:-274500:inmet:2700103:000:400 inmet!Anonymous May 18 15:00:00 1984 ***** inmet:net.auto / alice!wookie / 10:51 pm May 10, 1984 I used to do that in my parents 66 Mustang when left in the car with no keys. To listen to the radio I would turn on the emergency flasher (in the glove compartment that year), turn on either turn signal and hold the brake pedal down. Thus I could get power to the radio continuously!! Keith Bauer White Tiger Racing ----------
tierney@fortune.UUCP (07/12/84)
#R:ihuxf:-228100:fortune:1500042:000:385 fortune!tierney Jul 12 09:48:00 1984 In the lovely state of California, the Highway Patrol does NOT use radar. They show evidence that Police Dept's who use radar are on the road less time and are therefore less effective police officers. The CHP believes that the protection of the public and service to the public is their mission, not the filling of courtrooms and state coffers with radar victims. Charlie Tierney
ajs@hpfcla.UUCP (ajs) (08/19/84)
> The add on Dana unit from Sears on my 69 Camaro could be adjusted with the > control unit on my lap and hold to speed and centering much better than the > factory unit on my wife's car. I've got a Dana on my Datsun F10 and I like it, except for a problem with the centering. Even with the adjustment all the way to the limit, it still sets a speed less than the current one. The error is proportional to the speed, ~2mph at 40mph, ~3mph at 60mph. I'm guessing it's an "impedence mismatch" between my little car and the off-the-shell speed control. Meanwhile, I have to do 58 to cruise at 55.... Alan Silverstein, hpfcla!ajs
hakanson@orstcs.UUCP (08/27/84)
Nf-From: orstcs!hakanson Aug 23 20:59:00 1984
The Dana cruise control has a low-speed setting, as well. Adjusting
that should affect the centering adjustment. The other thing you might
try is moving the speed sensor closer to (or farther from) the magnets.
BTW, my former 1973 Toyota Celica ST (my mother inherited it) has had
one of these units for perhaps 50K miles, without a problem (no lost
magnets, either). My brother's '72 Vega threw its magnets and he
replaced them recently, but they weren't strong enough, throwing the
sensitivity way off.... And my current '80 Dodge Colt didn't have room
in the right places under the hood (that I could find, anyway) to install
a cruise control. Luckily, I don't make many long trips, and have no
trouble maintaining a constant speed. Good luck.
Marion Hakanson CSnet: hakanson@oregon-state
UUCP : {hp-pcd,tektronix}!orstcs!hakansonhamilton@uiucuxc.UUCP (09/29/84)
"...65mph and 70mph state limits..." hmmm i remember a trip i took years ago from st louis to memphis via I55; the posted speed limit in arkansas was 75mph. did any other states have >70 limits?
dswankii@uok.UUCP (10/22/84)
Some times the door will not seal (or not get closed) and the rain will run in at the base of the door making it almost impossible to find the cause. Check the weatherstripping and see if it is kinked or torn. David Swank II University of Oklahoma ctvax!uokvax!uok!dswankii
mike@hpfclp.UUCP (mike) (11/15/84)
> I just bought a 1984 Dodge Turbo Daytona, and I'm happy as a clam. > The other day I blew the doors off of a Ford Mustang GT (HO V8), > both on a curvy course, and the straight away. Not bad for a <$10K car. > From: donz@tekcbi.UUCP (Don Zocchi) I'll bet your enthusiasm does not take into account one or both of the following: 1) The Mustang needed a tune-up. 2) The Mustang was an automatic. 3) The driver of the Mustang didn't really know how to race. 4) The driver of the Mustang didn't really want to race. 5) The driver of the Mustang wimped out at some point. I know that in my Capri with the 5.0 V8 I can put it in second gear and go from 10 to 60 in 7 seconds, at which time the tach reads about 4600 RPM. The Daytona's and the Laser's are nice cars, but I still think that V8's are faster. Michael Bishop Fort Collins, Colo.
rmd@hpfcla.UUCP (rmd) (12/11/84)
I have used a remote mounted Escort for two years and it has done everything I could ask it to do. I doubt that increased sensitivity or better false alarm rejection would make much of a difference. The major problems I have are not problems that a radar detector could solve. (e.g. VASCAR -- a timing based system) Rick Dow
mcb@hpfclo.UUCP (mcb) (01/16/85)
Re: tranny oils A buddy of mine at work has a '79 Volvo 242 with a 4 speed/overdrive tranny. I had some AMSOIL gear oil (SAE 85) that we were going to put in. Took out the filler hole plug and - surprise! - the oil that was in it was red: automatic transmission fluid. This is in a *manual* transmission. Hummm... I personally have my doubts about the lubricating ability of this for standard bearings. I also know someone who owns a '46 Willys Jeep that he uses SAE 140 weight gear grease in the transmission - I also have my doubts on how much that will buy you in terms of extended life. But hey, can save you the price of a health club membership :-) The AMSOIL gear oil works great - especially in cold weather. I recommend it. About $25.00 for 1 gallon. You'll only need half. Mike Berry, [ihnp4|hplabs]!hpfcla!mcb
mikey@trsvax.UUCP (01/30/85)
Any time an individual has arbitary control over issuing a "permit" to an individual for an activity that does not require a permit in other circustances there is going to be politics, favoritism, and just plain being "in charge" syndrome. I had a horror story of trying to deal with the Bethlehem, PA police over a renewal of a handgun permit. Pictures, fingerprints, fees, and investigations later I was turned down for "insufficient need". They would never put a denial in writing, just issue me a "target permit", of which there is no such thing in PA. Privately, I was told I would never get it. I considered a lawyer and a lawsuit. Instead, I went to the county officials, started the renewal process and got it. Classroom example: "little man in a big job trying to be big man". Makes me retch. mikey at trsvax
stank@uiucdcsp.UUCP (02/08/85)
<> > I am 6'4" and cannot tolerate driving is a seat that is > tilted too much. As a result, I found that I cannot fit > in: > > 1) ALL Japanese cars ( the Mazda 626 came close, though). > 2) ALL French and Italian cars. > 3) ALL British cars except the Jaguars. > 4) ALL German cars except the largest Mercedes. > 5) ALL American cars that are "compact", "subcompact", or > "sporty". Intresting comments. I'm 6'3" and weigh around 210 lbs. The Audi 4000 I recently bought is the LARGEST car I've ever owned. I also own a Honda Civic ('81). Other cars I've owned are several VW beetles and a '78 Civic. Funny thing is that I've never felt cramped in any of these cars. Stanley Krolikoski U. of Illinois ..!pu-ee!uiucdcs!stank Oh yes, I learned how to drive on my parents Chevy Impala and learned how to drive a stick on a rather large dump truck. Thus, I do know what having a lot of room in a vehicle means.
bill@hp-sdd.UUCP (bill) (02/12/85)
When I was 14, my Dad and I were confronted with a right-hand drive Fiat 850 in Ireland. He seemed to adjust to everything quickly, with the exception of the (manual) gearshift. Our solution to this was for me to do the shifting from the passenger seat. (That way, I shifted right-handed. He, of course, still handled the clutch.) We got pretty good at the timing after a while, so that it became automatic for both of us. It took longer to downshift smoothly, though. For a non-driving teenager, it was a lot of fun. I'd definitely recommend it.
jim@hpfcla.UUCP (jim) (02/12/85)
I'm glad to see dhd included longevity in performance. It's amazing how many "sports cars" from an unnamed Atlantic island spend so much of their time sitting in the driveway with their engine pulled (or just leaking oil!). Really, though, Ford's new machine sounds interesting. Let's withold judgement until we see how badly the American version gets screwed up since fuel economy and EPA restrictions are bound to tone it down.
jim@hpfcla.UUCP (jim) (02/12/85)
Funny that no body really mentioned (strongly) the Number One cold weather requirement: a Block Heater. In South East Idaho (where I'm from) there is no better $30 investment for your wintertime pleasure.
klein@ucbcad.UUCP (02/14/85)
> > <> > > I am 6'4" and cannot tolerate driving is a seat that is > > tilted too much. As a result, I found that I cannot fit > > in: > > > > 1) ALL Japanese cars ( the Mazda 626 came close, though). > > 2) ALL French and Italian cars. > > 3) ALL British cars except the Jaguars. > > 4) ALL German cars except the largest Mercedes. > > 5) ALL American cars that are "compact", "subcompact", or > > "sporty". > > Intresting comments. I'm 6'3" and weigh around 210 lbs. The Audi 4000 > I recently bought is the LARGEST car I've ever owned. I also own a Honda > Civic ('81). Other cars I've owned are several VW beetles and a '78 Civic. > Funny thing is that I've never felt cramped in any of these cars. Bodies don't scale proportionately to their height. I'm 6'2" and have never had a problem sitting in the front seat of any car, ever. However, I have a friend who is about 6' and can't sit in most Japanese cars. The difference, of course, is the torso size. I sometimes have problems fitting my legs in, whereas he never does. You have to consider more than just your height. -- -Mike Klein ...!ucbvax!ucbmerlin:klein (UUCP) klein%ucbmerlin@berkeley (ARPA)
ayers@convexs.UUCP (02/15/85)
/* Written 11:17 pm Feb 11, 1985 by bunny!cpr0 in convexs:net.auto */ I'm a very happy owner of an '84 Fiero SE. /* End of text from convexs:net.auto */ [I tried to mail this and it came back] ----- Unsent message follows ----- Please keep posting to the net. There are a lot of "happy" Fiero owners out here that welcome your input. I've had no problems at all with mine so far, and neither have the people I know that own Fieros. But if anything comes up, I'll be happy to pass it along. thanks! blues, II
hsu@cvl.UUCP (Dave Hsu) (02/21/85)
> > Really, though, Ford's new machine sounds interesting. Let's withold > judgement until we see how badly the American version gets screwed up > since fuel economy and EPA restrictions are bound to tone it down. In fact, according to numerous reviews, the domestic-version Merkur XR4ti's 2.3L 4 is SAE rated at 175 (or thereabouts) HP, while the European 6 only claims something in the neighborhood of 156. Popular Mechanics notes this with a line to the effect that this represents an unusual modification for an import (export?) model. =Dave Hsu= "...very dangerous. You go first." (301) 454-4526 ARPA: hsu@cvl hsu@umd2 USnail: Computer Vision Laboratory CSNET: hsu@cvl Center for Automation Research BITNET: hsu@umd2 University of Maryland UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!cvl!hsu College Park, MD 20742
jim@hpfcla.UUCP (jim) (02/23/85)
I drove the Escort GT turbo (120HP) and the Mustang GT today. Both machines were very peppy but the Mustang suspension was far more precise than the Escort (at the price of a stiffer ride). I drive nearly 600 city miles each month and figure, at $1.00/gal, the Mustang will cost me about $12/month more (using the sticker city mileage ratings for comparison). The inexpensive Escort AM/FM/Cas equipment had Dolby but was apparently unable to accomodate Cr or Metal tapes. The Mustang happened to have Ford's "premium" sound which was indeed better than their "ordinary" sound but was not really better than my $350 Clarion in my pickup.
haapanen@watdcsu.UUCP (Tom Haapanen [DCS]) (02/28/85)
In article <65@cvl.UUCP> hsu@cvl.UUCP (Dave Hsu) writes: >In fact, according to numerous reviews, the domestic-version Merkur XR4ti's >2.3L 4 is SAE rated at 175 (or thereabouts) HP, while the European 6 only >claims something in the neighborhood of 156. Popular Mechanics notes this >with a line to the effect that this represents an unusual modification for >an import (export?) model. This trend may be becoming more popular; the new Porsche 928 engine was designed specifically for the U.S. market and uses unleaded gasoline. The Germans have to make do without the 32 valves and four cams (eat that, you 'vette drivers!) until unleaded becomes widely available in Germany. The deadline for unleaded gas there was pushed back from 1986-01-01 to (I think) 1989-01-01 so that may not be for a while. On a similar topic: does anyone have any RECENT information whether there will be speed limits on the German autobahns? The Greens are pushing for it, and the SPD is apparently going along. Could be really bad news for anybody buying high-performance (German) cars... \tom haapanen watmath!watdcsu!haapanen Don't cry, don't do anything No lies, back in the government No tears, party time is here again President Gas is up for president (c) Psychedelic Furs, 1982
shep@datacube.UUCP (05/15/85)
Cyndi,
Ooops. You seem to be having more trouble with your 900 than
myself and family. I have an `82 900 Turbo with 60K miles; my girlfriend
and my parents both have `82 900 S's with about the same mileage. Between
the three of us, we have had not one serious thing go awry. Additionally,
my car has been subjected to what would easily be called "harsh" operating
conditions; sustained high-temperature 100+ mph operation at 1 bar boost
presures.
Anyhow, I have heard of Saab owners complaining of various
gearbox troubles. Have you written "The Saab Club"? If you care to
keep your car, it is required reading. Be glad to answer any questions.
Shep Siegel
Datacube Inc. ima!inmet!mirror!datacube!shep
617-535-6644 decvax!cca!mirror!datacube!shep
4 Dearborn Rd. decvax!genrad!wjh12!mirror!datacube!shep
Peabody, Ma. 01960 {mit-eddie,cyb0vax}!mirror!datacube!shepchan@hpfcla.UUCP (chan) (07/24/85)
> I took them for a few of my own road tests and I am > convinced that the car would roll over long before the tires let go of the > road. Explain to me how your car could roll over without the tires letting go of the road. -- Chan Benson {ihnp4 | hplabs}!hpfcla!chan Hewlett-Packard Company Fort Collins, CO (303) 226-3800 x3892 As usual, HP has nothing to do with what I say here.
ajs@hpfcla.UUCP (ajs) (07/27/85)
Re: auto mechanic costs $30-35 at dealerships here in Northern Colorado.
rjs@hpfcla.UUCP (rjs) (07/31/85)
While your car is warming up, let it warm up with the transmission in neutral.
ugzannin@sunybcs.UUCP (Adrian Zannin) (08/01/85)
> > I took them for a few of my own road tests and I am > > convinced that the car would roll over long before the tires let go of the > > road. > > Explain to me how your car could roll over without the tires letting > go of the road. Seems that everyone else that I have talked to has been able to figure out what I mean, but I will clarify it for you. Maybe I should have said that the car would have torn lose from the body mounts (actually, unibody) and rolled into a ditch... any clearer? -- Adrian Zannin ..{burdvax,rocksvax,bbncca,decvax,dual,rocksanne,watmath}!sunybcs!ugzannin
mrl@drutx.UUCP (LongoMR) (08/02/85)
>>> I took them for a few of my own road tests and I am >>> convinced that the car would roll over long before the tires let go of the >>> road. >> >> Explain to me how your car could roll over without the tires letting >> go of the road. > > Seems that everyone else that I have talked to has been able to figure out >what I mean, but I will clarify it for you. Maybe I should have said that the >car would have torn lose from the body mounts (actually, unibody) and rolled >into a ditch... any clearer? >-- > Adrian Zannin Bravo Adrian! Don't concern yourself. I usually ignore the morons or reply directly to them via mail. Funny, I have never gotten a reply! Mark Longo AT&T ISL Denver ...!ihnp4!drutx!mrl P.S. I'll bet this brings some of 'em out of the woodwork! I hope they either reply via mail or to [net.flame|/dev/null].
rmd@hpcnoa.UUCP (rmd) (08/02/85)
re: auto labor rates I drove to my parents' home in a small town in Iowa last year and had to have a thermostat replaced on Christmas Eve. I paid a total of $3.00 for labor. Rick Dow
chan@hpfcla.UUCP (chan) (08/06/85)
Does anyone know what BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) the Europeans use
to determine whether you are intoxicated?
-- Chan Benson
{ihnp4 | hplabs}!hpfcla!chan
Hewlett-Packard Company
Fort Collins, CO
(303) 226-3800 x3892
As usual, HP has nothing to do with what I say here.chan@hpfcla.UUCP (chan) (08/09/85)
>> >> Seems that everyone else that I have talked to has been able to figure out >>what I mean, but I will clarify it for you. Maybe I should have said that the >>car would have torn lose from the body mounts (actually, unibody) and rolled >>into a ditch... any clearer? >>-- >> Adrian Zannin >Bravo Adrian! Don't concern yourself. I usually ignore the morons or >reply directly to them via mail. Funny, I have never gotten a reply! >Mark Longo AT&T ISL Denver ...!ihnp4!drutx!mrl Are you guys always this serious? -- Chan Benson {ihnp4 | hplabs}!hpfcla!chan Hewlett-Packard Company Fort Collins, CO (303) 226-3800 x3892 As usual, HP has nothing to do with what I say here.
zrm@prism.UUCP (09/03/85)
Don't bother with dealer rustproofing, or any of the goopy black sort of rustproofing. Those kinds tend to block drain holes, and that can cause really serious, like throw the car away, rust problems. Spraying the insides of the rocker panels, etc. with oil works very well, but the downside is that you will need to go back to the body shop every year or two to get more oil sprayed in. Bilstein makes a waxy sort of rustproofing stuff that is applied like oil spray, but which might last longer. Also, don't bother with paint protector. If the paint protector, which is more fragile than the clear coat (assuming you have metallic paint) that it is protecting, ever gets hazy it will be a hassle to remove. With the money you save by omitting such a treatment, you could wax it yourself with an easy-to-use liquid wax, and then treat the car to a detailing job when it begins to look dingy around the edges. If you aren't too embarrassed to use it in front of your coworkers, get a car cover and put it on the car when you get to work in the morning. It will save your interior from fading due to exposure to the sun.
zrm@prism.UUCP (09/20/85)
I would like to hear more about auto painting, since I might be undertaking one or two restoration jobs in the next year. The prices mentioned here sound kind of low, if they apply to paint jobs where the color is going to be changed. A good paint job has got to be incredibly labor intensive: You have to strip off all the trim (carefully!!) and remove all the glass and the rubber seals around it. To prepare the body you have to sand it, and you may have to sandblast it. Then you have to clean up all the dings, dents and rusty spots. Then you can start to think about paint. Depending on the car and the level of fanaticism on the part of the owner, you may have to pull the engine too, in order to clean and paint the engine compartment.
bcbell@inmet.UUCP (09/25/85)
I seem to be responding to a lot of paint questions today... If you want a paint job that is smooth and lasts a long time, don't worry so much about the quality of the paint so much- worry about the quality of the painter. Surface preparation and spray technique are everything in auto finishing. Good preparation (remove all trim and weatherstrip, remove all old paint, repair, sand and fill) takes a lot of time (read: money) and good spray technique takes a lot of experience (read: money). I'd recommend locating a good body shop and taking it from there. About the various types of paint: Enamel and nitrocellulose laquer in no longer used except in restoration work on cars from the fifties and earlier. Modern cars use acrylic enamel or acrylic laquer. They are reasonably tough, high-gloss, and easy to apply. Polyurethane is by far the toughest and shiniest paint, but it's harder to apply and doesn't come in a wide variety of colors. Clear overcoats are sometimes used to add gloss and depth to the finish. Paint protectors are junk. Save money. Use wax. A note on colors. If you are restoring a car that has collector value, and if you have a consideration for resale value, you may want to paint the car its original color. Even if you don't want to paint it its original color, it's a good idea to paint it a color which is or was standard for some car which exists or existed, and write down the color number. This way is you need repair work done in the future you can get the paint mixed by number, which always yields a closer match than eyeballing it would. R.M. Mottola Cyborg Corp. Newton, MA.
bcbell@inmet.UUCP (09/25/85)
I highly recommend Ziebart for rustproofing. It is the choice of the major car magazines as well. They offer a very good guarantee and unlike some companies (Polyglycoat, for example) they are still in business. Any rustproofing is only as good as its guarantee, and any guarantee is only good if the company who wrote it stays in business. R.M. Mottola Cyborg Corp. Newton, MA
gkeyser@ada-uts.UUCP (10/17/85)
***** ada-uts:net.auto / vax3!gnosis / 11:38 am Oct 2, 1985 >In a recent article about replacing Honda rotors and bearings >a gentleman mentioned that he torqued down his wheel bolts. > ... The bolts had been over torqued (alloy rims are more >sensitive than steelL. > >Chris Villani >Fluke Alloy rims might be more sensitive than steel ones, but the former require more torque. For example, the shop manual for my Cordia specifies 57-72 ft-lbs range for lug nuts on alloy rims, while steel rims should be torqued only to 45-57 ft-lbs. Gutman Keyser.
marc@haddock.UUCP (12/06/85)
1) Are they still good buys (i.e. how quickly do they depreciate)? In my opinion, yes they are still good buys and in proper condition or restoration they usually retain or gain in value. 2) Which years are considered the cherry years? I have owned a '71, '74, '75 and consider the '74 the best out of the lot. Note: all had manual transmision and no air. 3) What bugs have been found? How can I look for them when examining a prospective buy? Odviously these cars are almost all owned by enthueists who like to "drive" them. Therefore inspect it as if it were a sports car. - Test for even compresion. - Test for transmision noise. Also, many of these cars are used year-round (in snow). The rocker panels, wheel wells and the top and rear areas of the front side panels are known to be problem rust spots. The front wheel well rust can easily lead to major structural problems around the front struts! Bring a small maginet with you to determine how much plastic has been used on vehicles that have been restored. 4) What advantage does the tii have? I've heard good things about it. What does this model have that normal 2002s don't? The tii version was originally desinged as a higher performing car with fuel injection. It was only available for later models, although it is reletivly easy to convert the older models. The main differences are a better design of the head and higher compresion pistons. This model is ideally suited for high performance modifications for rally use. Adding twin side draft webers, a higher grind cam and other misc. changes makes for one hell of a performer. 5) What's the going rate for a newer model (square taillights) in good repair (i.e. engine, transmission, brakes in excellent shape)? Currently, in the market place that I am in, a '72 or newer model is coming in for around $5000 as long as it is in good repair or restoration. 6) What's the going rate for a older model (round taillights) in good repair (i.e. engine, transmission, brakes in excellent shape)? Pre '72 models can, depending upon modifications and condition, can go up into the same class as the post '72 models. 7) How much do parts cost? Are they readily available? Parts are readily available (try Bap-Geon) and tend to cost about what you would expect for any "Yuppie" type of car. Also junk yards many times have the little incidentals you might need to properly restore a car. 8) Are they cars which need to be babied? Am I going to be spending most of my spare time fine tuning? I prefer to think of these cars as a hobbie (as they have been for me... I have totally restored the 3 that I have owned from poor condition). They do need attension as soon as a problem crops up and before it causes others. They do make great year round vehicles and are usually long lasting and quite reliable, although the maintenance cost is a bit higher then a cheapy american car of the same vintage. My reccommendation is to find a '74 to '76 model either tii or not with manual transmission that needs body work. Pay a body shop to fix up the car (after having an estimate) or repair the body yourself. If the engine eats too much oil, have the rings replaced and the valves ground. This approach should give you great sporty sedan that will last for a long time with proper maintenance. GOOD LUCK and enjoy... Marc Evans WB1GRH Interactive Systems Boston, MA
ajs@hpfcla.UUCP (01/02/86)
>> [59 line copy of article] > keep list Gag. Please learn to use the software. And once you know how, please don't copy any more than is really needed to make your point. Thank you. Alan Silverstein
jlp@.UUCP (01/15/86)
>of good points: first, the light is frequently seen thru several >cars windshields, which should help in heave traffic; ....... This is an indication of the poor driving skills of the average american driver. When I went through driver ed in the late 60's we were REQUIRED to look at the tail lights of as many cars in front of us as possible. being 6'3", this is still an easy habit for me to maintain. I become more alert in heavier traffic anyway (more ways to get hit, you know), so watching not just the car in front of me, but the four in front of him represents to me basic driving skill. >....................................................; second, >the lights can usually be seen dimly in the rear-view mirror >(this lets the driver know if he has a blown fuse/ defective brake >switch; honestly, when was the last time YOU checked your brake >light???). ...................................................... Every time I do night driving; i have one of those american tanks-- the buick electra -- which has the fiberoptic peephole into all the service light areas. Jerryl Payne ...!ihnp4!inmet!faust!jlp
jlp@.UUCP.UUCP (01/15/86)
{}
Legal Eagle, Help!! ouldn't Marty be saved ( have been saved) by tying into
the contract the SPECIFIC provision that all prices quoted as signatory to
the lease (state tax, excise tax, insurance, maintenance fees ) are fixed,
otherwise the lease may be anulled ( or voided, or whatever the legalese i
for this stuff)? It seems that this is a clear contract violation in
principle, but we lessees ( I'm one too ) have to be sure we're covered.
As for me, I'm looking forward to rollover date: Going from a loaded
Pontiac 6000 LE to a Baby Merc 190whatever. Fleet leasing is quite
appealing, especially in the Boston area, where college tuition is often
cheaper than insurance. But if fleet leasing is nothing more than bait,
i'll be glad to avoid it . Marshall Pontiac, saugus, simply paid half my
boston insurance out flat for the first year. the insurance came "down" 25%
in the second year, representing an out-of-pocket increase of 50% for me.
but hey, that's boston.
Jerryl Payne
...!ihnp4!inmet!faust!jlprm@faust.UUCP (01/20/86)
** Retrace this line with your passage ** > > > If you've been at all observant, you may have noticed that 86 cars have > > > a third brake light, per BIG BROTHER. Supposedly they significantly > > > reduce rear-enders, and seem like a very good idea.... > > Why do we need another light? Who came up with this one? Seeing some > > of the third brake lights it reminds me of a police car. Maybe this is > > the reason for reducing rear-enders. > The Big Brother is the NHTSA, and the studies have shown a 50% reduction in > rear-end accidents when there is a brake light visible at viewing level. It > isn't because it looks like a police car, but simply because you see if it you > are looking beyond the car in front of you -- the lower brake lights can get > missed if you aren't paying attention to them. The truth is that no one really knows the reason the third light reduced rear-end accidents in the NHTSA study. Oh yes, there is much speculation, but the original studies did not claim to know why the addition of the light reduced rear-end accidents- only that it did. As Seargent Friday used to say, "The facts, ma'm, just the facts." However I'n personally not above advancing an opinion on the subject. I think they helped for one of two reasons: 1. Just because they're different, and the average asleep-at-the-wheel American driver takes notice of something different. 2. As already pointed out, beacuse it makes the car look like a cop car, and people tend to be real careful about rear-ending cops. I further speculate that the easiest way to do a statistically significant study of this would be to find one or more large fleets to use for the study. And since most fleet vehicles (taxis, post office, gas company) have both text and distinguishing markings on them, they would look even more like cop cars at a distance. I would be very interested in the results of the follow up study (although I doubt there will be one) when these lights become commonplace. R.M. Mottola Intermetrics Inc. Cambridge, MA. The opinions expressed in this response couldn't possibly belong to anyone else.
rm@faust.UUCP (02/25/86)
** wash lines **
As Smokey Robinson once said; "I second that emotion." Most car washes
recycle the water. It is settled and filtered so I wouldn't worry too
much about getting someone else's dirt power sprayed into your finish,
but they can't filter out the salt. It is a particularly good idea to
avoid the extra price "high preasure chassis wash" offerred ar some car
washes. These things do an amazingly good job of spraying salt water
into every nook and cranny of your undercarriage. The caveat applies of
course only in areas that use salt on the roads.
R.M. Mottola
Intermetrics Inc.
733 Concord Ave.
Cambridge MA. 02138
UUCP: {cca!ima,ihnp4}!inmet!faust!rmrm@faust.UUCP (02/25/86)
** replace this line with your replace this line **
It may be of some interest to this discussion to know HOW the police
or local traffic authority determine the speed limit for a particular
piece of road.
One of the more common methods is to secretly monitor the speeds of
cars on the road. Averages from many cars and from a wide variety
of road conditions are collected. The speed limit is then set at the
85th percentile of the speeds collected.
I'm sure that no noe goes through all of this work for interstate
highways which are produced for certain speeds by design. It's also
obvious that small municipalities aren't going to go through all of
this just to post a speed limit. But it is generally considered to
be the preferred method of speed limit calculation.
This does tend to put a nail in the argument that people will travel
at 10 mph above the posted limit, no matter what the limit is.
R.M. Mottola
Intermetrics Inc.
733 Concord Ave.
Cambridge MA. 02138
UUCP: {cca!ima,ihnp4}!inmet!faust!rmrm@faust.UUCP (02/26/86)
If it's a high piched whine, the source of the problem is probably
not the distributor but the alternator. Buy the appropriate filter.
The filter may not work either. If it does not, the easiest thing
you can do is buy a better equalizer. Cheap units are notoriously
bad in this reguard. If the unit you have is from a reputable
manufacturer and the filter doesn't work, it might take a lot of
trial and error with different filters and filter placement to get
the noise out.
Good luck.
R.M. Mottola
Intermetrics Inc.
733 Concord Ave.
Cambridge MA. 02138
UUCP: {cca!ima,ihnp4}!inmet!faust!rmrm@faust.UUCP (02/27/86)
There are those of us who aren't as easily convinced that the 55
was the only factor in the decline in highway deaths. Some other
factors may include the fact that, with gas in short supply, people
drove fewer miles. There is also the possibility that cars were
getting noticably safer than in previous years. I'm not a statistician
nor do I have a good handle on all the raw data, but to assume
that there was a relationship between the 55 and lower highway
deaths without a careful analysis of the data doesn't cut it.
R.M. Mottola
Intermetrics Inc.
733 Concord Ave.
Cambridge MA. 02138
UUCP: {cca!ima,ihnp4}!inmet!faust!rmhill@ti-csl (03/05/86)
/* Written 10:41 am Jan 27, 1986 by ajs@hpfcla.UUCP in ti-csl:net.auto */
/* ---------- "Help me fight unfair speeding ticke" ---------- */
In the past I've read with detached amusement various postings about
speeding tickets. Now, after being branded a criminal on the way in to
work, it's suddenly all very real to me. :-)
Help! I need information or pointers which might help me win in court
(in Colorado). The circumstances are: county road, a 1/2 mile section
with fields on both sides, no side roads at all, caught by radar doing
57 in a 45 zone. Conditions clear, dry, with little traffic. Previous
speed limit sign (45) was 3/4 mile back, before a housing area; the road
"opens up" after leaving that section, but there is a 45 limit on all
county roads unless otherwise posted. Cop admitted to catching seven
people before me.
Do you have any sure-fire means to obviate the use of radar? Or to
argue that I was doing a safe and reasonable speed for the time and
conditions? How about the capricious nature of the speed trap? And
if I lose in court, need I fear worse results than just paying the
ticket by mail?
This really has my dander up. I have a clean record (8+ years), a well
maintained vehicle, and am not a wild driver. I even wear seat belts. :-)
Thanks in advance for any advice you can mail (or post if of general use).
Alan Silverstein, Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Systems Division, Colorado
{ihnp4 | hplabs}!hpfcla!ajs, 303-226-3800 x3053, N 40 31'31" W 105 00'43"
/* End of text from ti-csl:net.auto */rm@faust.UUCP (03/12/86)
>> I just heard a rumor that a 16-valve 1.6 liter Honda CRX >> is due in showrooms sometime this year. >> is supposed to put out about 135 hp. I >> can't wait to try one and see how Fiero's and MR-2's look >> through the the rear-view mirror. :-) > Not to be nasty but, my old 1985 Saab has the 16 valve arrangement, puts > out 160+ hp, and I am sure the Honda will look very good in my rear view > mirror. > Simon. Not to be nasty but, my old Corvette has 16 valves, puts out 300 hp, and Saabs still look like ugly slugs in my rear view mirror. R.M. Mottola Intermetrics Inc. 733 Concord Ave. Cambridge MA. 02138 UUCP: {cca!ima,ihnp4}!inmet!faust!rm (The problem with escalation is there's ALWAYS someone bigger and better. I wonder how my car looks in the mirror of a Super Bee?)
s0220@techsup (03/26/86)
The rotating cloth "brusshes" are not brushes, they are cloth. (Brushes are made of a stiffer material such as nylon, straw or something of this nature. e.g. tooth"brush", hair"brush", SCRUB"brush etc.) Whereas rotating brushless brushes are made of cloth, and therefore not brushes. The nomenclenture "cloth brushes is where you are getting confused. But to answer your question the rotating cloth "thingee's" (remember they're not brushes) replace actual stiff brushes that used to be used in car washes.
s0220@techsup (03/26/86)
Try shift linkage adjustment.