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Hi guys

Well I am going home tommorrow. I have not posted for a while as my power supply crashed and I was unable to buy another in Cartagena.
   Just add that to my grumpiness resulting from returning to Key West two weeks ago in time to throw away my washer, dryer, refrigerator and my classic 1990 Mercedes 300CE coupe along with the computer I had here.

    I received 3 and 1/2 feet of water in my home. My roommate lost his 73 classic firebird. This was my first experience with flooding and believe me it is far more damaging than wind. Everyone lost something. Sooo I am returning to my home in Cartagena where there are no Hurricanes, no smell and the floors are dry.  

Hang in there Pete and listen to Beatrice
jimc

... in response to going home, posted by jim c on Nov 12, 2005

I have always beeen a car guy.I started aa businesss called Eurosport in San Jose in 1988.We closed it in 1992.
I never lie,a BIG disadvantage in THAT business.
We dealt Mercedes,Jaguars,BMW's,Porshes,Corvetes.
Porshe buyers were the toughest,the car had to be perfect.Jajuar buyers were the easiest,if they knew anything about cars they would not be buying a jaguar anyway.I sold my first car to a British guy,jaguar XJS,12 cylinder.The were notorious for oil leaks.He kept calling me ,there is OIL on my garage floor.YOU BOUGHT a f- -king Jaguar buddy.They did this REAL dumb thing.The whole top of the v=12 was a big fuel injection systyem.To change the VALVE COVER GASKETS tou had to yank the fuel injection.So what do they do?Put a CHEAP cardboard valve cover gasket in.30,000 miles you pull the fuel injection AND the heads to solve an oil leak.Like $600 at good shop rates.Jaguar would charge you $1200.
People used to ask about Jags,they are a good car right?well they are unique,if you REALLY want one you will pay up for repairs.Mostly always a woman involved.The used to call  me "Jaguar" at Manheim Auto auction in Manheim Pennsilvania.They had the biggest "high line " sale  in the world every 4 weeks.I bought 6 in a row one time,they ran me up,I was bidding against the wall.I was green.didn't know they did that.I thought it took 2 fools to pay too much.Wrong.They laughed their ass offf big time I am sure.I bet they would stilll remember me 13 years later.
About 1990 I had an 85 Jag.,85,000 miles.It was f- - king falling apart.I said if this was a BMW it would be like new.I said no more Jags,probably a mistake cause I couild buy them so cheap.I swithed to BMW's mostly.I used to buy alot of 85-87 735's in about 91.I would buy them $6000 below Kelly blue book,the California book,and sell the $3000 below wholesale book.Obviously the book was crazy.
I never liked Mercedes.I had a 1978 in 1988. A doctor in Houston paid $26,000 for it ,450SL,and spent $17,000 on maitanance in 70,000 miloes.At Mercedes.$2500 for a f- - king catalytic converter.A pipe with some guts in it.I bought them aftermarket for $300.I told a dealer friend in LA a HONDA is a better car than a Mercedes.He is saying WHAT.That Honda,not $1000 maitenance I bet.
BMW FINALLLY quit screwing them selves in 1988 and came out with some cars that did not look like egg crates.Then in 1993 the V8 and they are kicking Mercedes butt.Strange new designs but REALLY goood cars.The new 3 fine.The last 3 I loved,the one I sold.I would buy a 1992 BMW 325 here but for the price I can have a honda and a jeep.
About the 87 911 Turbo.It was high geared 4 speed.The 5 speed wouldn't take the tourque.If I was in 3 rd gear getting on the freeway people are running up my ass hon king.Fastest production Car in the US.  "Only if you wound it.I never did just red line it and pop the cluth,I bet it was a sub 4.second  second car 0-60,the stock ones 4.5.good traction,rear engine.This one the boost  about twicw stock,drives the HP throught the roof.I bought it at a "float sale"n Orlando.They would hold you check for 45 days,so buy what you want but sell it in 45 days This one had 60,0000 miles.Nobody liked that on a Turbo.
So this truck shows up,they haul it back to Florida,I drive a 79 Dodge van for 5 years while I am buying my way back in to my retrement system.
GOOD lesson in humility.AND I would not be here if I did not do that.I get $42,000 a year from thast system.

Pete

... in response to Car  guy, posted by Pete E on Nov 14, 2005

I used to work as a line mechanic at a dealer who had a franchise for VW and Subaru. He didn't have a sales franchise for them, but we were authorized to sell parts for and work on Porsches too. Porsche parts were a rip off. Some of them were the same as the beetle and the bus (as in comming out of the same bin, with the same part number), but the retail price was different depending on if the customer had asked for it to fit a VW or a Porsche.

Remember the Rabbit and the Sciracco? They were the same car except for the body. One day a Sciracco that a customer had ordered came in. Nathan started doing the pre-delivery and noticed a severe oil leak....the block was cracked. The sales guy had already called the customer and told him the car was in and customer said he would pick it up during his lunch hour. We pushed the dead Sciracco and drove a brand new Rabbit into adjoining bays and went to work. By 11 o'clock we had the Rabbit engine in the Sciracco and the customer never knew the difference. (although the SOB dealer never gave us the $50 each bonus he promissed if we were finished before the customer showed up). A day or two later, we put the cracked engine in the Rabbit and our service manager called the VW zone office and yelled warranty. In the end, VW shipped us a new complete engine and paid warranty rate labor for R&R.

... in response to Re: Car  guy, posted by Michael B on Nov 14, 2005

I would have never guessed the ball joints on the 55. I thought it was the fins but I think that was the 57?

I have only owned one foreign car and that was an RX7. I got a lot of chicks with that in the early 90's and I think that is when I started the dreams of a Jag, but I heard all the oil leak / 50 dollar filter stories so I refrained. I worked for a VW dealership so I knew the Scriacco? stories as well.

I have had a 66 Impala, 66 GTO, 68 Roadrunner, 71 Charger, 71 Monte Carlo, 72 Skylark and a 73 Sattelite. Other than that I owned an RX7 and Smokey and the Bandit Tran Am. My Charger was the last on the list and I finally went for a newer car. I wanted something different and I drove my sister in law's Cherokee and I liked it. I was at the delaership and test drove a Cherokee. As the sales man was trying to sell me I popped the hood and immediately when I saw it: "Sold!" It's now a couple of years old, but the thing I like is that I can work on it like any other car. It's a nice looking ride, and I can afford to have someone fix it, but I prefer to do the work myself and I can do it with this. I'd like to get an H2, but just don't want to step into another car payment.

I'm not a Mercedes fan, but I like the BMW's and Jags. Sometimes I think about getting one, but with me, it would only be for the show. I know that I would be biting off more than I can chew, so I am just riding it out. I love my Jeep.

I forgot about the 70 Superbirds. I dig those too! Though not the fatest in the 1/4 mile the 69 Hemi Charger Daytona was the fatest American production car ever built topping out at 212 MPH. My next step into a new car will be after I am married.

On a humorous note: Going back to my Monte... we were putting the headers on at around 12:00 am. We dropped all the flashlights so they didn't work. We resorted to a candle and finally fisnished at 3:00 am. We started it up at 3:00 am with open headers and it was LOUD! The neighbor on one side was a family type guy about 30 and came over banging on the garage.... "KEEP THE NOISE DOWN! ARE YOU CRAZY!!!" We turned off the car and apologised. He was pissed. The next afternoon I went to my other neghbor's, (His daughter raced and was friends with Shirley Muldohney), he was in his 60's and passed now, so I will use his name: I said "Frank, I'm sorry about last night, I hope I didn't wake you?" He said: "Yeah, but that's ok, that sounded gooood!" haha!

That guy was great! I learned a lot from him. Actually everything I know.

V-Dude

... in response to going home, posted by jim c on Nov 12, 2005


SWAT Anti-Troll Detective....

A 1990 300CE Benz?!!! One of my all-time favorites! We're all glad (except for the trolls..lol) that you're safe & sound. Take care & holla at us, when you get a chance...

... in response to I was wondering what happen to my lead....., posted by Hoda on Nov 13, 2005

Yup.

Great looking coupe,24 valve 6 cylinder engine.They were the thing about 1988 when they went 24 valves and added about 50 horsepower.About 14 less than the 560 V8 as I recall,224 vs 238 in a mich lighter package.Body still looks conteporary.In the car businesss this was the time to really watch out for floood cars cat auctions.They have a hell of a time masking the smelll but wsorse everything got water damaged and you don't want one.It could be restored but its not that valuable.
Reminds me of my 1991 BMW 535 some f- - king Korean did an insurance hit on .He and passenger claimed injury,it was 10 MPH, air bag did't
even go off.But with US cost of repairs it was a total.
Hell of a car.0-60 7 seconds,30 MPG.
Long story,but linger in an intersection,get hit,if you can't prove he entered on a red he is right,you are wrong,I would like to send the SOB back to a 6 ft rice paddy and he is 5"8".Clever Korean acccomplice lawyer involved.Better yet NORTH Korea.Drag them both behind the same car untill we only have the smell left.
Sorry to be racist,appologies to good Koreans out there.
Still a little pissed.Felons the first to round up,course they no comprende nada,right.Try and procesecute them.
Sound familiar Craig?

Pete

... in response to Re: I was wondering what happen to my le..., posted by Pete E on Nov 13, 2005

You guys and your Benz's y BMW's.

About 3 years ago I got rid of my 71 Charger with a 440. Now that was horse power. Needless to say, I got a whopping 9 MPG on the highway when I took it easy at 60 MPH and had to worry about it everywhere I parked the darn thing.

Seriously though, sorry about the loss for you Jim and hope you get well soon Pete!

V-Dude

... in response to Re: Re: I was wondering what happen to m..., posted by valleydude on Nov 13, 2005

Actuallly GM went low compression 1971,so 70 last good year.Chrysler and Ford 72,so 71 high mark.And the charger was a new and forgettable body for 71 my opinion.

Pete

Pete

... in response to Re: Re: I was wondering what happen to m..., posted by valleydude on Nov 13, 2005

I was looking at a 440 Challlenger in 1970.The 426 hemi cuda convertable,about a grand more worth like 0ne million now.But so is my first house I sold for $24,000.

Pete

... in response to Re: Re: Re: I was wondering what happen ..., posted by Pete E on Nov 13, 2005

Oh Nice! I enjoy the stories of you guys that have 10-20 years on me and remember seeing them in the show room.
If I remember correctly the number of Hemi Cuda's that were built were only in the single digits?

I was thinking about stepping back, but prices in cars have skyrocketed. About 10 years ago I had the oppurtunity to buy a 427 Vette for $6,500 and just couldn't swing it. The people I knew with cash just didn't belive me, so I was out of luck.

I loved my Charger, but I just got tired of worrying about it.
I took it up to 150 MPH and it could still take more.
I bought a Jeep and left all that behind me. I am pretty happy with my decision except for the fact that the Charger could turn heads as much as a 7 series BMW. Haha! (You know how California is)

If I ever went back, I think my dream car would be a 71 GSX Skylark or a 71 Challenger Convertible.

What would you choose? (Without thinking about cost or investment)

V-Dude

Ok, for anyone that wants to complain that this isn't a car forum... My Uncle had a 64' 409 Impala in 1998. It blew a water pump in Alabama. He couldn't wait, so he traded it for a motorcycle to go see his girl in Mexico. jeje (True story)

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: I was wondering what hap..., posted by valleydude on Nov 13, 2005

I wasn't reading the car magazines enough.I bought a 70 GTO.But Buick had a stage one 455 that would even shut dowm the hemis,106 in a quarter.I came within a tape deck of buyinm one but it was the 350 hp.The stage one was listed at 360 HP so I am thimnking so what.It was really 420 hp with 550 ft lbs of touque.They lied for insurance.Looked liked granpaws car unless you got the gsx/The stage two was never available for the street.If someone got a real one its worth a fortune.Just the heads added 50 hoursepower.Then they put a hot cam in it.A factory hot rod version did 120 mph in the quarter.According to hemmmings its worth $60,000,the stage one,My GTO about $20,000.
Or course traction wwas a big deal then.Lots of thesde cars were 6.5-7 seconds 0-60,no tracion.But then they blasted right past 100mph.

Pete

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: I was wondering what hap..., posted by valleydude on Nov 13, 2005

Know what happens every generation? Those 'old junk cars' become 'valuable antiques'.....wish I'd kept my 55 Chevy, 50 Plymouth coupe and 68 Mercedes 200D ....and maybe a couple of others too....come to think of it, these days I could even probably turn some heads with my 70 VW Beetle sun roof.

Hey (since we're on the topic) here's a trivia question. What did Chevrolet stress in their 1955 ad campagin? (Why yes, that WAS the first year they offered their 'modern' V-8, but that's NOT what they advertized most)

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I was wondering what..., posted by Michael B on Nov 13, 2005

Hmmm,
I should know,I could cheat and look it up.Something with body construction?
55 was the year of all years in the car business.Chevy,pontiac,plymouth,Packard went V8.Probably would have happpened about 1950 except for the war.But the money to spend was there in 55.

Pete

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I was wondering ..., posted by Pete E on Nov 14, 2005

Ball joints, all prior year Chevrolets had kingpins. And they played that up in the advertising.

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I was wondering what..., posted by Michael B on Nov 13, 2005

S*** I know the V-8 was one of the big deals. Other than that, all I remember were seeing the old ads pushing the body lines.

I was big into 69-71's. I had a 66 GTO and though many would think it was a better car, I would trade it for my
71 Monte Carlo any day. That baby screamed! It was crazy too because all it had was a 350 with headers. I raced it a lot and afterward people would ask about it and never believe me.
Even the guy who bought it remarked that there was something about it.

Ok, we have hit on one my old passions here. haha!

V-Dude

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I was wondering ..., posted by valleydude on Nov 13, 2005

My story to top them.
My dad GAVE me a 1947 ford Sportsdman WOODY converttable in 1957.I was 14.I never liked it much.It seeemed old and slow.
I traded it in on a 1957 Plynouth Belevedre in 1960 (He was dead then  or I would have been)for $200.Basically gave it away.My uncle bought it,it stayed in the family for 30 more years.My cousin went bankrupt in a Nevada Casino but they couldn't get the car,it was in his mothers name.He sold it in 1990 for $43,000.Its now woth about $130,000.
The others not so much.50 olds,maybe $8000.I had that at the same time the convert,I didn't drive the convert in the winter in Idaho.Would outru everything short of qa 555.Pissed offfvmy vriends with hopped up Mercurys.
55 olds $10,000
57 plymouth,maybe $30,000 ,it was a turkey before.
64 olds cutlass.,$8000.
3 70 GTO's,.masybe $15,000 each.
Never bought one new,never.The Buick I was $80 off or it would have been the first.
Fastest car I ever had,1987 Porshe 911 turbo with a modified waste gate.They were 255 HP stock,this one like 450 net.Dog off the line,only had a 4 speed,but they it just went woooosh and planted you in your seat.Blow  it you were looking at big bucks and we were flirting with that without a reasonable boost limit.

Pete

... in response to going home, posted by jim c on Nov 12, 2005

your baby (the 300CE).  Hang in there bud.  Take Care -TNC

... in response to going home, posted by jim c on Nov 12, 2005

Jim,
Sorry about the loss,particularly the Mercedes,I know you loved that car.
Time to bail Key west permanently?
We might be over in Cartagena around February.Come on back to Cali,we will talk about it over some of that good french wine.

Pete