tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77637105025967481742024-02-06T20:59:14.828-08:001000 CutsDavid Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-74042727413265826232023-09-03T12:17:00.000-07:002024-01-12T21:01:33.913-08:00Kraftwerk's "Biggest" Fans: News Archive<div><div style="text-align: left;">My wife Jennifer manages her bookmarks by using an extraordinarily simple and trouble free process: she never creates bookmarks. This has saved her an immense amount of time and is quite efficient. I on the other hand have leveraged Google Bookmarks (now Chrome bookmarks) since the beginning and have 1000+ categories of bookmarks, some with subcategories. Occasionally the file is corrupted or duplicated and I then need to fix it, never an easy task. I really admire Jennifer, so carefree and unburdened. Despite my attempts at order, I can never seem to find the bookmark I thought I saved and that's especially true regarding our convoluted history as Kraftwerk fans. So here's every bookmark I could find on that subject, categorized and calendared.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is both our history and justification for nominating Tampa as Düsseldorf's sister city. We've been championing this as a passion project to our friends on City Council here as well as our influential friends in Düsseldorf who are well placed to make this a reality - and we'd love to shepherd the process along. We're convinced Tampa is a good fit, with our vibrant arts and museum scene and more than a few world class breweries that this is an excellent twinning of cities. How many people <a href="https://youtu.be/tMgxEKrtVpk" target="_blank">are so committed to having a twin city that they make a muppet video to support their argument?</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'll flesh this section out in the coming days with print newspaper scans and more media coverage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Florida Man Changes Name To Kraftwerk</h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJ1eMZmd8uuQkjF4k1abDwYxiVT27W2hdB6XHv2PX8rt-FN4S-mNSoHZgTnwkHZRk8_evB34VCDk_NnjCGXc3fV4n4EZu6Cuc1uNtNYI1JgI4VXei2pDCYmbAl2kNCTlIARMdVtBiNZdWe33CP8_mSUfC-ctxZObadPmvHmgwTYDz6i9lQWcW_Iog8A/s4087/kraftwerk-drivers-license_22362702329_o.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2653" data-original-width="4087" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJ1eMZmd8uuQkjF4k1abDwYxiVT27W2hdB6XHv2PX8rt-FN4S-mNSoHZgTnwkHZRk8_evB34VCDk_NnjCGXc3fV4n4EZu6Cuc1uNtNYI1JgI4VXei2pDCYmbAl2kNCTlIARMdVtBiNZdWe33CP8_mSUfC-ctxZObadPmvHmgwTYDz6i9lQWcW_Iog8A/w320-h208/kraftwerk-drivers-license_22362702329_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rheinische Post: <a href="https://rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/duesseldorf/stadtgespraech/gestatten-mein-name-ist-kraftwerk_aid-18174203" target="_blank">Gestatten, Mein Name Ist Kraftwerk</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2016-07-30</span></div></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div>Mix Magazine: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160721120014/https://mixmag.net/read/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-guy-called-kraftwerk-news/" target="_blank">A Day In the Life of a Guy Called Kraftwerk</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2016-07-20</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Magnetic Magazine: <a href="https://www.magneticmag.com/2016/07/man-in-florida-changes-name-to-kraftwerk-shares-a-day-in-the-life/" target="_blank">Man In Florida Changes Name To Kraftwerk, Shares a Day In The Life</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2016-07-21</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div>DJ Magazine: <a href="https://djmag.com/news/florida-man-changes-name-kraftwerk" target="_blank">Florida Man Changes Name To Kraftwerk, documents day via Flickr</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2016-07-21</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Dangerous Minds: <a href="https://dangerousminds.net/comments/florida_man_changes_his_name_to_kraftwerk" target="_blank">Florida Man Changes His Name To ‘KRAFTWERK’</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2016-07-22</span></div><div><br /></div><div>NME: <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/kraftwerk-1200934" target="_blank">Kraftwerk Fan Renames Himself After the Band</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2016-07-25</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Truth About Cars: <a href="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2016/07/kraftwerk-one-ttacs-became-florida-man-meme/" target="_blank">I Am Kraftwerk: How One of TTAC's Own Became a Florida Man Meme</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2016-07-26</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Road & Track: <a href="https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/news/a30184/florida-man-strikes-again-this-time-at-the-dmv/" target="_blank">How One Man Became KRAFTWERK Florida Man strikes again at DMV</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2016-07-30</span> </div><div><br /></div><div>Orlando Weekly: <a href="https://www.orlandoweekly.com/music/we-arent-the-robots-florida-man-isnt-kraftwerk-just-david-sanborn-2511343" target="_blank">We are(n't) the robots: Florida man isn't "Kraftwerk," just "David Sanborn"</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2016-07-26</span></div><div><br /></div><div>AV Club: <a href="https://www.avclub.com/no-a-florida-man-did-not-legally-change-his-name-to-kr-1798249822" target="_blank">No, A Florida Man Did Not Legally Change His Name to Kraftwerk</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2016-07-26</span><br /><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Kraftwerk Wedding</h1><h1 style="text-align: left;"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxUL8cNO9OZUmkMv2srN1MWvUrH7S40pqTBtQMJsqMltaVnICYoyW4vB2CFe6CYSE-FvuVUz4kbp28-kYPU4d2KbSlsmCIu_YzH6Odgp-fzmSNcH1yW2NGXkbS6_dJNYVt8J4YlFYJ2euAxdSTjjmcVyFyT73oOwaYx2Hp7gm8viAUrgHOf8P0eUU9CA=w320-h320" width="320" /></h1><div style="text-align: left;">Rheinische Post: <a href="https://rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/duesseldorf/stadtgespraech/verrueckte-hochzeits-idee-david-sanborn-feiert-kraftwerk-hochzeit_aid-19265033" target="_blank">Fan feiert verrückte Kraftwerk-Hochzeit</a> (Fan celebrates crazy Kraftwerk wedding) <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-02-03</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tampa Bay Times: <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/german-80s-band-inspires-kraftwerk-wedding-in-seminole-heights/2308733/" target="_blank">German '70s band inspires 'Kraftwerk' wedding in Seminole Height</a><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170108134002/http://www.tbo.com/news/german-s-band-inspires-kraftwerk-wedding-in-seminole-heights-20170106/" target="_blank">s</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-01-09</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Tampa Bay Times: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170107173329/https://www.tampabay.com/blogs/alleyes/all-eyes-photo-gallery-tampa-couple-celebrates-wedding-with-kraftwerk-theme/2308566/" target="_blank">All Eyes Gallery</a>: <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/all-eyes-photo-gallery-tampa-couple-celebrates-wedding-with-kraftwerk-theme/2308566/" target="_blank">Tampa couple celebrates wedding with Kraftwerk theme</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-01-05</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Creative Loafing <a href="http://www.cltampa.com/music/reviews/article/20848267/florida-couple-has-full-on-kraftwerk-nuptials-look" target="_blank">Florida Couple Has Full On Kraftwerk Nuptials</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-01-05</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Dimensions Music Festival: <a href="https://imgur.com/gallery/8I1rhcV" target="_blank">A Music Festival Thought Our Wedding Photo Was Kraftwerk</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2018</span></div><div><br /></div><div>8d Industries: <a href="https://www.8dindustries.com/blog/2017/1/8/fun-fun-fun-at-the-weddingbahn" target="_blank">Fun Fun Fun At The Weddingbahn</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-01-08</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Matrix Synth: <a href="https://www.matrixsynth.com/2017/06/a-kraftwerkian-wedding-complete-with.html" target="_blank">A Kraftwerkian Wedding, Complete with Synth Cake</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-06-17</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Ask Audio: <a href="https://ask.audio/articles/the-coolest-kraftwerk-synthinspired-wedding-cake-ever" target="_blank">The Coolest Kraftwerk Synth-Inspired Wedding Cake Ever?</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-06-22</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Vice: <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/bma5a5/the-man-who-changed-his-name-to-kraftwerk-had-a-kraftwerk-themed-wedding" target="_blank">The Man Who "Changed" His Name to Kraftwerk Had a Kraftwerk-Themed Wedding</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-01-05</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Electronic Beats: <a href="https://www.electronicbeats.net/the-feed/kraftwerk-wedding-ever/" target="_blank">This Is The Most Kraftwerk Wedding Ever</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-01-06</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">World's Biggest Kraftwerk Fans</h1><h1 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjg5pSteFjHXm-9UzXVQmTIJIMGnD7nlcgxBRXAfOFtpBbT6HETmUQ7bbMQwKBl9j44z7D4beKPEOIEG-YkPGcgU954mEv3U-3WCCgJLmyo2_kHEqeu7N26PaF4q4B4xKY2dNmsRu_ef8ySN9UIMD4FYmouQgcIQObyHSAEZCQTeKnybtaDBI9mwmKyHA" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1088" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjg5pSteFjHXm-9UzXVQmTIJIMGnD7nlcgxBRXAfOFtpBbT6HETmUQ7bbMQwKBl9j44z7D4beKPEOIEG-YkPGcgU954mEv3U-3WCCgJLmyo2_kHEqeu7N26PaF4q4B4xKY2dNmsRu_ef8ySN9UIMD4FYmouQgcIQObyHSAEZCQTeKnybtaDBI9mwmKyHA=w320-h176" width="320" /></a></h1><div>Rheinische Post: <a href="https://rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/duesseldorf/kraftwerk-konzert-zur-tour-de-france-2017-fans-flogen-aus-florida-ein_aid-21088891" target="_blank">Neun-Stunden-Flug für ein Kraftwerk-Konzert</a> (Nine Hour Flight For a Kraftwerk Concert) <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-07-02</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Westdeutsche Zeitung: <a href="https://www.wz.de/nrw/duesseldorf/die-groessten-kraftwerk-fans-kehren-zurueck_aid-25424705?page=all" target="_blank">Die größten Kraftwerk-Fans kehren zurück</a> (The biggest Kraftwerk fans are returning) <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2018-05-18</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Düsseldorf Department of Tourism: <a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/story/zwWBiYOKY30-Ug?fbclid=IwAR0zEwglCMDctC0lANyGqoz22_3cTpTrqH6sge3bef1rsbk-jCTfR7Pxpro" target="_blank">The Legend of Kraftwerk</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2018</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Rheinische Post: <a href="https://youtu.be/TTmafXgToH4" target="_blank">Interview mit den wohl größten Kraftwerk-Fans der Welt</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-07-02</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Rheinische Post: <a href="https://rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/duesseldorf/stadtgespraech/eine-neue-freundschaft-dank-kraftwerk_aid-22752783" target="_blank">Eine neue Freundschaft dank Kraftwerk</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2018-05-18</span><br /><br /></div><div>Rheinische Post: <a href="https://rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/duesseldorf/stadtgespraech/die-kraftwerk-fans-geniessen-die-cote-d-azur_aid-22828265" target="_blank">The Kraftwerk fans enjoy the Côte d'Azur</a> (Die Kraftwerk-Fans Genießen die Côte d'Azur) <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2018-05-24</span></div><div><br /></div><div>BBC Radio 4: <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09nvs2t" target="_blank">How Kraftwerk's classic 1981 Album Computer World Has Changed People's Lives</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2018</span></div><div><br /></div><div>8Sided: <a href="https://8sided.blog/radioactivities-the-life-and-times-of-mr-and-mrs-kraftwerk/" target="_blank">The Life and Times of Mr and Mrs Kraftwerk</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2022-06-20</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Orlando Weekly: <a href="https://www.orlandoweekly.com/orlando/everything-and-everyone-we-saw-when-kraftwerk-landed-in-orlando/Slideshow/31877761/31877771" target="_blank">Everything and everyone we saw when Kraftwerk landed in Orlando</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2022-06-23</span></div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Bringing Florian Schneider's Beetle Home</h1><h1 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuKZoZ7zBMyf5t-aBqRNcu89jP_6-Mgf3IaybCIhHIEw3F2zbv9FP26cVMF7guQMcCzyI08_wtfi2OPSFVM5RkpQ9ufRNLinrjI3X6Kam8mJFwYtd_8c8U5eItqzvbCrldmVgSiWpyThO8RAzYsLIYZgqXpiWq-4AShMkyo8b8pgLKHzq8CBR7e-2G8Q" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1413" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuKZoZ7zBMyf5t-aBqRNcu89jP_6-Mgf3IaybCIhHIEw3F2zbv9FP26cVMF7guQMcCzyI08_wtfi2OPSFVM5RkpQ9ufRNLinrjI3X6Kam8mJFwYtd_8c8U5eItqzvbCrldmVgSiWpyThO8RAzYsLIYZgqXpiWq-4AShMkyo8b8pgLKHzq8CBR7e-2G8Q=w320-h178" width="320" /></a></h1><div>Süddeutsche Zeitung: <a href="https://www.sueddeutsche.de/projekte/artikel/politik/unterwegs-mit-dem-alten-vw-kaefer-von-kraftwerk-e135412/?reduced=true" target="_blank">Fahr’n, fahr’n, fahr’n</a> and also <a href="https://imgur.com/gallery/iegD7tt" target="_blank">the Print Version</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2022-01-04</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Rheinische Post: <a href="https://rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/mettmann/brezel-kaefer-von-florian-schneider-esleben-aus-mettmann-in-usa-verkauft_aid-64496495" target="_blank">„Kraftwerk“-Käfer geht nach Florida</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2021-12-07</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Rheinische Post: <a href="https://rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/mettmann/leidenschaft-in-mettmann-dieser-kaefer-ist-ein-kraftwerk_aid-64502997" target="_blank">Dieser Käfer ist ein Kraftwerk</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2021-12-08</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Rheinische Post: <a href="https://rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/duesseldorf/stadtgespraech/mit-dem-kraftwerk-kaefer-durch-duesseldorf_aid-64497501" target="_blank">Mit dem Kraftwerk-Käfer durch Düsseldorf</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2021-12-10</span></div><div><br /></div></div><div>Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance: <a href="https://www.ameliaconcours.com/files/event_program/1677099713.2337_t89pp45v.pdf" target="_blank">2023 Amelia Concours Brochure</a> pg 26 <span style="font-size: x-small;">2023-03</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Hot VWs Magazine <a href="https://www.everand.com/article/643351587/Rare-Kafer" target="_blank">Rare Käfer</a> and also <a href="https://imgur.com/gallery/fkAUi2K" target="_blank">The Print Version</a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">2023-06</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Our Kraftwerk Creations</h1><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqdhPwZ225TOoyjSB_1HUYhaTcnRv0qbqLA0e-crTbo0eNBZHXbw53VMOs3Fj-dkZCV9Bp7bRn5VZ5QWNZhTXONT9S8UkRFduKmMFpOlF8OISUqiqFnvGIGWi6qDYvnne3A91wQJjI4V4NNmqeOBBJ2QWLe8Wu21GSs2veSFP6l601YLwslLVYKZZmOQ"><img height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqdhPwZ225TOoyjSB_1HUYhaTcnRv0qbqLA0e-crTbo0eNBZHXbw53VMOs3Fj-dkZCV9Bp7bRn5VZ5QWNZhTXONT9S8UkRFduKmMFpOlF8OISUqiqFnvGIGWi6qDYvnne3A91wQJjI4V4NNmqeOBBJ2QWLe8Wu21GSs2veSFP6l601YLwslLVYKZZmOQ=w320-h180" width="320" /></a><br /><div>Jennifer's Story About <a href="https://jenniferhuber.blogspot.com/2018/05/dusseldorf-sights-and-sounds-2017.html" target="_blank">Our First Düsseldorf Adventure</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Jennifer's Video Tour Of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1xMOQpeVAE" target="_blank">Düsseldorf Documentary June-July 2017</a></div><div><br /></div><div>David's Story: <a href="https://davesanborn.blogspot.com/2017/08/kraftwerk-superfans-in-dusseldorf-3-d.html" target="_blank">Kraftwerk Superfans In Düsseldorf + 3-D Catalogue Box Set Review</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2017-08</span></div><div><br /></div><div>David's Story: <a href="https://medium.com/@davidsanborn_71525/kraftwerk-arent-what-you-think-6ae65ed6ad83" target="_blank">Kraftwerk Aren't What You Think They Are And That's Okay</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2018-04</span></div><div><br /></div><div>David's Story: <a href="https://davesanborn.blogspot.com/2019/05/kraftwerk-sky-dancer.html" target="_blank">Kraftwerk Sky-Dancer: She said "wouldn't it be funny if ..." and I said YES!</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2019-05</span></div><div><br /></div><div>David's Story: <a href="https://medium.com/@davidsanborn_71525/rip-florian-schneider-26-days-of-silence-3793eaede6b3" target="_blank">RIP Florian Schneider: 26 Days Of Silence?</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2020-05</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Our Kraftwerk <a href="https://youtu.be/1QNyQ3kPv7s">Sky-Dancer Video</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Our Kraftwerk<a href="https://puppetwerk.com/" target="_blank"> "Puppetwerk" Video</a></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Kraftwerk: World's Most Influential Band</h1><div>DeutscheWelle: <a href="https://youtu.be/1651r_oqy48" target="_blank">Why Kraftwerk Are More Influential Than The Beatles</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Guardian: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/27/kraftwerk-most-influential-electronic-band-tate" target="_blank">Why Kraftwerk are still the world's most influential band</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Conversation: <a href="https://theconversation.com/see-them-to-believe-it-why-kraftwerk-is-the-worlds-most-influential-band-78138" target="_blank">See them to believe it: why Kraftwerk is the world’s most influential band</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Open Culture <a href="https://www.openculture.com/2017/12/the-case-for-why-kraftwerk-may-be-the-most-influential-band-since-the-beatles.html" target="_blank">The Case for Why Kraftwerk May Be the Most Influential Band Since the Beatles</a></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a 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/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0Tampa, FL, USA27.950575 -82.4571776-0.01892744657713763 -117.6134276 55.920077446577139 -47.3009276tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-14584273670635111562023-08-12T20:49:00.002-07:002023-08-21T03:57:57.328-07:00Don't Call Me Ranger: 2003 Mazda B2300<h3 style="text-align: center;">SOLD: Immaculately Maintained 2003 Mazda B2300 $5900</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnECdhISx6SRq3lZh0u3uoD3yOd_uv_mUuHlI-JvfcNUnPxWOrXb-xwz8L1PIjBNsDa9B4smsvMfHWg3NqEQmY_vBKZ_2HK-TOBrmAsMFJJhpMwAtlH-Onth-BOkSwYWpdVqBfwJE_JqfvDVj5wZ4Vm7u8l_glPEyYCA0xuJtPmD1SR5O70n5UlMZ1WVo/s6000/01%20DSC03084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnECdhISx6SRq3lZh0u3uoD3yOd_uv_mUuHlI-JvfcNUnPxWOrXb-xwz8L1PIjBNsDa9B4smsvMfHWg3NqEQmY_vBKZ_2HK-TOBrmAsMFJJhpMwAtlH-Onth-BOkSwYWpdVqBfwJE_JqfvDVj5wZ4Vm7u8l_glPEyYCA0xuJtPmD1SR5O70n5UlMZ1WVo/w640-h426/01%20DSC03084.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Back in 2013 my future wife and I needed a get-outta-town truck, a Swiss Army knife vehicle that could schlepp our earthly possessions and pull a trailer for our own version of John Carpenter's Escape from <strike>New York</strike> Austin TX. It needed to be frugal, not a bro-dozer and a manual transmission was mandatory. The market showed an intense love and therefore high price of Toyota Tacomas and to a lesser degree Nissan Frontiers. We ignored the S10 which left only the Ford Ranger and its Mazda twins the B2300 and B2600. Our pal Les drove a Ranger on New Orleans' cratered and buckling roads for many years without any real expenses, so we cast our net for one. <a href="http://davesanborn.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-small-pickup-vanishing-unicorn.html" target="_blank">Read all about it here.</a></p><p><br />Craigslist yielded an immediate result, a one-owner 2003 Mazda B2300 four cylinder with a 5-speed manual owned by an Indian doctor with a thick accent who lived in a nice part of town. My spidey sense approved: it was parked in a garage, the paint wasn't faded, there were no leaks and the chassis looked spotless. My test drive methodology is to spank the car in question and cane it mercilessly up and down local hills looking for anything to go awry. Often a sick or mistreated car will perform acceptably when driven sedately but cough up a hairball when asked to perform. This truck spent its entire 100k mile life being driven at glacial Indian doctor speeds so he was unaware of impending needs. I was able to quickly coax a misfire from it along with a check engine light. The OBD2 reader I plugged into the port indicated that the likely culprit was one or more of the coil packs which are not a big deal. I floated an offer slightly less than his asking price if he'd take of its needs first. He took it to his mechanic who replaced the spark plugs, plug wires, coil packs and did an oil change. A stack of cash was handed over and we were the proud 'new' owners of a decade old truck. We made it ours with a vintage old-school Zoom-Zoom sticker:<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6PwY6rNZWg5WTnDmUZT0YZvXtuRhXayA62ssufW2CC0BvZwu8t47Bfqi3Vdi1ZU3-TbnKKzvO7WpXJBwQ0Caf9NTY0NaT18KHOi1pR7yTpm-rFkZ9lj7mzQAdVu2e635gFym7a0bJYphzXFf5wP8Zp3r3SHLSp0SZlLJ1oGJCR1ALOtaWx8DqgPCCQ/s4032/20210507_190414.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6PwY6rNZWg5WTnDmUZT0YZvXtuRhXayA62ssufW2CC0BvZwu8t47Bfqi3Vdi1ZU3-TbnKKzvO7WpXJBwQ0Caf9NTY0NaT18KHOi1pR7yTpm-rFkZ9lj7mzQAdVu2e635gFym7a0bJYphzXFf5wP8Zp3r3SHLSp0SZlLJ1oGJCR1ALOtaWx8DqgPCCQ/w400-h300/20210507_190414.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Now a decade later we're sadly letting it go. We acquired a show car that needs a tow-vehicle rated for dual axle trailers, not the Mazda's forte even if it <i>can</i> do it in a pinch. Ironically we have used this Mazda to tow a previous auto project on a trailer and it performed heroically from Austin to Tampa, but then again we also didn't have to tow it up any mountains. </p><p><google-sheets-html-origin></google-sheets-html-origin></p><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; table-layout: fixed; width: 0px;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><colgroup><col width="57"></col><col width="147"></col><col width="57"></col><col width="329"></col><col width="46"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":41878}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">08/27/2014</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"LUU AUTO REPAIR"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">LUU AUTO REPAIR</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"COMPRESSION CHECK VEH INSP"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">COMPRESSION CHECK VEH INSP</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":65}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$65.00</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":41884}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">09/02/2014</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"CUSTOM SOUNDS"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">CUSTOM SOUNDS</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"JL AUDIO + KENWOOD STEREO INSTALL /SUB INSTALL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">JL AUDIO SUB + KENWOOD STEREO INSTALL /SUB INSTALL</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":1359.98}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$1,359.98</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="font-size: 8px;">PINNACLE CERAMIC TINT</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="font-size: 8px;">AUSTIN TX</span></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUTO TINT INSTALL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUTO TINT INSTALL</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":576.75}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$576.75</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":41887}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">09/05/2014</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTINS ALIGNMENTS & BRAKES"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTINS ALIGNMENTS & BRAKES</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"FRONT BRAKES & SHOES"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">FRONT BRAKES & SHOES</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":686.03}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$686.03</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":41898}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">09/16/2014</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"UHAUL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">UHAUL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"5000lb TOW HITCH INSTALL & PURCHASE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">5000lb TOW HITCH INSTALL & PURCHASE</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":283.13}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$283.13</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":41900}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">09/18/2014</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTINS ALIGNMENTS & BRAKES"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTINS ALIGNMENTS & BRAKES</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND SWAY BAR"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND SWAY BAR NEW BUSHINGS</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":201.99}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$201.99</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":41918}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">10/06/2014</td><td data-sheets-hyperlink="http://partsgeek.com/" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PARTSGEEK.COM"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); color: #1155cc; font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: bottom;"><a class="in-cell-link" href="http://partsgeek.com/" target="_blank">PARTSGEEK.COM</a></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"EXPANSION TANK"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">EXPANSION TANK</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"m/d/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":41963}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/20/2014</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"O'REILLY"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">O'REILLY</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"WASHER PUMP"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">WASHER PUMP WINDSHIELD</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":18.39}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$18.39</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"m/d/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":41992}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/19/2014</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"BILL'S COMPLETE AUTO SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">BILL'S COMPLETE AUTO SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"CLUTCH MASTER CYL REPL RADIATOR"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">CLUTCH MASTER CYL REPL RADIATOR</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":639.43}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$639.43</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":42020}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">01/16/2015</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUTOXTRAS"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUTOXTRAS</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"BEDLINER"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">BED LINER PLASTIC</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":292.17}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$292.17</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":42041}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">02/06/2015</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTINS ALIGNMENTS & BRAKES"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTINS ALIGNMENTS & BRAKES</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"CLUTCH KIT SLAVE CYLINDER RESURFACE FLYWHEEL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">CLUTCH KIT SLAVE CYLINDER RESURFACE FLYWHEEL</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":791.84}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$791.84</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":42084}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">03/21/2015</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"CUSTOM TRUCK OUTFITTESR"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">CUSTOM TRUCK OUTFITTESR</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"INSTALLATION OF TIMBRENS SUSPENSION BUMP STOPS GUARDS"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">INSTALLATION OF TIMBRENS SUSPENSION BUMP STOPS GUARDS</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":86.6}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$86.60</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":42228}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">08/12/2015</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"FIRESTONE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">FIRESTONE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"COOLING HEATER HOSE REPLACEMENT"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">COOLING HEATER HOSE REPLACEMENT</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":221.12}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$221.12</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":42250}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">09/03/2015</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"SULPHUR AUTOMOTIVE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">SULPHUR AUTOMOTIVE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"SULPHUR LA"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">SULPHUR LA</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"ALTERNATOR & LABOR"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">ALTERNATOR & LABOR</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":350}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$350.00</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":42268}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">09/21/15</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"FIRESTONE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">FIRESTONE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"HEATER HOSE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">HEATER HOSE</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":95.36}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$95.36</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":42272}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">09/25/2015</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PRECISION MAZDA"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">PRECISION MAZDA</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"SAFETY INSP. HEATER HOSE LEAKING MAJOR SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">SAFETY INSP. HEATER HOSE LEAKING MAJOR SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":722.52}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$722.52</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":42385}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">01/16/2016</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PRECISION MAZDA"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">PRECISION MAZDA</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"OIL CHANGE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">OIL CHANGE</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":0}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$0.00</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":42395}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">01/26/2016</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"OIL CHANGE FLUID SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">OIL CHANGE FLUID SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":103.61}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$103.61</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":-614630}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">03/13/0217</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"DISCOUNT TIRE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">DISCOUNT TIRE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUSTIN TX"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUSTIN TX</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TIRE ROTATION"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TIRE ROTATION</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":0}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$0.00</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":43126}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">01/26/2018</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"JIFFY LUBE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">JIFFY LUBE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AUTO TRANS SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AUTO TRANS SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":179.99}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$179.99</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":43249}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">05/29/2018</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"MOTORCAR PARTS OF AMERICA"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">MOTORCAR PARTS OF AMERICA</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"ONLINE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">ONLINE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PROSTART PLATINUM ALTERNATOR"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">PROSTART PLATINUM ALTERNATOR</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":123.58}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$123.58</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"m/d/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":43691}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">8/14/2019</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AC CHK REPL UPPER LOWER CTRL ARMS & OUTER TIE RODS FRONT LINKS ALIGNMENT"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AC CHK REPL UPPER LOWER CTRL ARMS & OUTER TIE RODS FRONT LINKS ALIGNMENT</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2030.37}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$2,030.37</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":43711}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">09/03/2019</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"ALIGNMENT"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">ALIGNMENT</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":50}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$50.00</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":43858}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">01/28/2020</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"ROT BAL TIRES ALIGNMENT AC CHECK"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">ROT BAL TIRES ALIGNMENT AC CHECK</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":211.56}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$211.56</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":43893}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">03/03/2020</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"INTAKE MANIFOLD / GASKET"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">INTAKE MANIFOLD / GASKET</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":584.58}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$584.58</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":43908}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">03/18/2020</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AC CHECK REMOVE AC MANIFOLD FLUSH"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AC CHECK REMOVE AC MANIFOLD FLUSH</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":405.43}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$405.43</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":43895}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">03/05/2020</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"ALIGNMENT"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">ALIGNMENT (WE HIT A HAMMER IN THE STREET)</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":60}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$60.00</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":44050}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">08/07/2020</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"SAM THE HUBCAP MAN"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">SAM THE HUBCAP MAN</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"INSTALL TIRES"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">INSTALL TIRES</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":100}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$100.00</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":44034}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">07/22/2020</td><td data-sheets-hyperlink="http://tirerack.com/" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TIRERACK.COM"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); color: #1155cc; font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: bottom;"><a class="in-cell-link" href="http://tirerack.com/" target="_blank">TIRERACK.COM</a></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"ONLINE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">ONLINE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"4 NEW SOLUS TIRES"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">4 NEW SOLUS TIRES</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":291.8}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$291.80</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":44046}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">08/03/2020</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"SHARP CUSTOMS"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">SHARP CUSTOMS</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"POWDER COAT RIMS"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">POWDER COAT RIMS TO BETTER THAN NEW APPEARANCE</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":230}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$230.00</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":44054}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">08/11/2020</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"ALIGNMENT"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">ALIGNMENT (AFTER INSTALLING A NEW STEERING RACK)</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":30}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$30.00</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":44202}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">01/06/2021</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">RICHARDS QUALITY AUTO SERVICE</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"REPLACE RACK & PINION + ALIGNMENT"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">REPLACE RACK & PINION + ALIGNMENT</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":300}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$300.00</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":44446}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="background-color: #999999; color: #444444;">09/07/2021</span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"SOFT TOPPER FOLDING CANVAS TOPPER"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">SOFT TOPPER FOLDING CANVAS TOPPER (VERY COOL ACCESSORY!)</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":800}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">800</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":44287}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">04/01/2021</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"AAA GLASS"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">AAA GLASS</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"TAMPA FL"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TAMPA FL</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"NEW WINDSHIELD"}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">NEW WINDSHIELD</td><td data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":0}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">0</td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":5,"2":"mm/dd/yyyy","3":1}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-34]C[0]:R[-1]C[0])" data-sheets-numberformat="{"1":4,"2":"\"$\"#,##0.00"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":11891.229999999998}" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 6pt; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">$11,891</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This spreadsheet list does not include most of the oil changes as I generally do that myself every 5000 miles. It had an oil change last week at Richard's Quality Auto Service, I didn't bother putting that on the list. The $11,891 figure is also incomplete, we absolutely missed some expenses. The $2,000 front suspension rebuild cured the squeaks and made it feel competent and handle like a Honda Accord all over again. We put a new compressor in a few years ago but I can't find the receipt so there's that. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wdbTEybzniw" width="320" youtube-src-id="wdbTEybzniw"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We installed racing stripes for a retro vibe:</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Okay, the stats: 153,000 well cared for miles and no accidents. Cold air conditioning, <a href="https://softopper.com/" target="_blank">cool folding "Softopper" canvas bed top</a>, fresh Solus tires and newly powder coated wheels done locally at <a href="http://www.sharpcustomcoatings.com/" target="_blank">Sharp Custom Coating.</a> tiny but mighty 8" JL Audio sub professionally installed with Kenwood bluetooth head unit that matches the colors of the dash with Infinity 6.5" speakers. New dash cluster bulbs. Recently completely rebuilt front suspension. Llumar ceramic tint that never fades and blocks heat. All done to the highest standards. Wired for towing with a 5000lb hitch receiver. COLD a/c, will blow ice cubes from the vents.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We chose this truck with no concern for its upholstery: it's trimmed like a commercial tow truck with grey vinyl seats. The driver's side has a tear that's had upholstery tape on it for years now. If you don't like bomb-proof vinyl you can always pull seats from a Ranger or Mazda at LKQ for a hundred bucks. I've been tempted but never cared enough to make the effort. The only current odd defect is that sometimes the Door Ajar dash light comes on. Probably needs the door switch cleaned, a project for the next owner. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a nutshell: we've taken amazing care of this Mazda, better than any other you'll find. Buy ours with confidence.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2Nna49eGRgpfHcb3ldVQfe7otA6640SuL55-pkzRTAhetc_XQsNJ2e6TJ2y397Qaprd2B5-9tlmyWTEHYlCYlrznvwjHp6AgNn9zaLb976jrWFhPmWC5esVMcNRp9ef6uOx1edSv7QMyshknhWed_EoZwTZsesHFd_YLpXz6ZOtVSS3Ia4zSzPToR5bw/s6000/01%20DSC03084.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2Nna49eGRgpfHcb3ldVQfe7otA6640SuL55-pkzRTAhetc_XQsNJ2e6TJ2y397Qaprd2B5-9tlmyWTEHYlCYlrznvwjHp6AgNn9zaLb976jrWFhPmWC5esVMcNRp9ef6uOx1edSv7QMyshknhWed_EoZwTZsesHFd_YLpXz6ZOtVSS3Ia4zSzPToR5bw/s320/01%20DSC03084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right side</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LLmOCR7s1cMDVNX80D2uS8eMgbRh6BBagO9aMBTUo5KK5Wy2mvBU_Yg2iXNgrKnfFWPWobk6img7_FEaMNy9k3QdFz0wzXkj_SmpBQaA-ievqFdbou1krVkI-5b0uMnLXq2Wpozdew5xZ5UUYAIcY9H0BQtjJIWYSDLjAeJQIgBBnNVseWI1u8Xg_jz2/s6000/02%20DSC03087edit.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LLmOCR7s1cMDVNX80D2uS8eMgbRh6BBagO9aMBTUo5KK5Wy2mvBU_Yg2iXNgrKnfFWPWobk6img7_FEaMNy9k3QdFz0wzXkj_SmpBQaA-ievqFdbou1krVkI-5b0uMnLXq2Wpozdew5xZ5UUYAIcY9H0BQtjJIWYSDLjAeJQIgBBnNVseWI1u8Xg_jz2/s320/02%20DSC03087edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left side</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FchIwDL1DvmIBUqNAPvv8G4G31oAVrblKGo9lu2fy163HP8uJsU6Cr9kBsqGjDLh9qotUAojiiFSgX7N8vFXQvazSEzQxk9pd3LfkbVNJnGrTLVMBK73t2q02M4LzzJMW3VBHaMlesxpvInj4TEkQcaztabr9rZGZwimNeg2vEaZ_po2eMT9EuaRiCvn/s6000/03%20DSC03088.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FchIwDL1DvmIBUqNAPvv8G4G31oAVrblKGo9lu2fy163HP8uJsU6Cr9kBsqGjDLh9qotUAojiiFSgX7N8vFXQvazSEzQxk9pd3LfkbVNJnGrTLVMBK73t2q02M4LzzJMW3VBHaMlesxpvInj4TEkQcaztabr9rZGZwimNeg2vEaZ_po2eMT9EuaRiCvn/s320/03%20DSC03088.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm a big fan of Mazda's fender flares</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNh5lipg027iewUGZ7YnmTKBe_tpgI6F1skaIjAKLPRlBq-mHAaf4NIY8WWvZrO4xxoEfddobrI8r7XKTg9Tq6RxpQ5Y0w1r5MtgxPWMO2IAm9XAL6RHF_AAblaN2D8FMfREzTf1CeUSM9jchpRBg2SYuB1HXtgfV4ZbRXbVWef2sjiOVvz5Hui3sjrf7t/s6000/04%20DSC03081.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNh5lipg027iewUGZ7YnmTKBe_tpgI6F1skaIjAKLPRlBq-mHAaf4NIY8WWvZrO4xxoEfddobrI8r7XKTg9Tq6RxpQ5Y0w1r5MtgxPWMO2IAm9XAL6RHF_AAblaN2D8FMfREzTf1CeUSM9jchpRBg2SYuB1HXtgfV4ZbRXbVWef2sjiOVvz5Hui3sjrf7t/s320/04%20DSC03081.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fender flares make it awesome</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Pp4qj1eNbICLQyVUZLpgaWgqTWtWNOCXhkWgr9gETyV3VS7zSoSAG3xM3fkCCgOvVkVlfATxMfmMHc6LLiQNpxscolh1JLCChezLnWsmiZT7W6U5YWjx6Lmt1-BtOjRsIszyiD3ekjVPsS9IUUtKxUrrqn3JZ2SW37L5nKj5SgWlYJ1HtBG3HOTUobyI/s6000/05%20DSC03082.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Pp4qj1eNbICLQyVUZLpgaWgqTWtWNOCXhkWgr9gETyV3VS7zSoSAG3xM3fkCCgOvVkVlfATxMfmMHc6LLiQNpxscolh1JLCChezLnWsmiZT7W6U5YWjx6Lmt1-BtOjRsIszyiD3ekjVPsS9IUUtKxUrrqn3JZ2SW37L5nKj5SgWlYJ1HtBG3HOTUobyI/s320/05%20DSC03082.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does anyone not like the flares?</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygdlL7yxWggaO_vKtL_pn4nRCxYI7Vymb1rDmISKhmeGB_RCC4xiro1yiRzUqYsZAig1klzkZuKcTu0LLDazavuxGuxNNOW2bz-3QbHkz-_b1qArWXraVX9blyTNNET2YKrrznpsI0O8WINJ9O5NfIfS7OBaVRTGyg0U5oNFB4eAiAknoLgH-8YOTQEQR/s6000/06%20DSC03083.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygdlL7yxWggaO_vKtL_pn4nRCxYI7Vymb1rDmISKhmeGB_RCC4xiro1yiRzUqYsZAig1klzkZuKcTu0LLDazavuxGuxNNOW2bz-3QbHkz-_b1qArWXraVX9blyTNNET2YKrrznpsI0O8WINJ9O5NfIfS7OBaVRTGyg0U5oNFB4eAiAknoLgH-8YOTQEQR/s320/06%20DSC03083.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drives like a bigger truck</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXf4KEQoz1953utJ2ZAFuT7qxVZGmalBH1uKIXV0pfvV0xtyJ2z-Xg2G9xny0kqvbyNzwuFBNIlnwak8kHBz6s_NQC8o-rJiXTlJ5gUcgzivlMb6hoP1PaAM3_XRFhgpi46zMoXMGQikAnwjbcQu6b8W8ojvSCrH8ZR8RszoNJJLxKS-59jwZdcwCRpFw/s4932/07%20DSC03092.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3288" data-original-width="4932" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXf4KEQoz1953utJ2ZAFuT7qxVZGmalBH1uKIXV0pfvV0xtyJ2z-Xg2G9xny0kqvbyNzwuFBNIlnwak8kHBz6s_NQC8o-rJiXTlJ5gUcgzivlMb6hoP1PaAM3_XRFhgpi46zMoXMGQikAnwjbcQu6b8W8ojvSCrH8ZR8RszoNJJLxKS-59jwZdcwCRpFw/s320/07%20DSC03092.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A simple but aesthetic face</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyv6Yi3V7gqHieIn80xYFNO5uEJo21fGckCjjxUaTWQlxZdRgZvHnN7ZnJG6rXt5ESgJOKu_fWd7wZ4uJGe6S7b-3W0iJCIjaTs7qlRfZsF5MnAqFiIslfhjo8y26qQA014TH8gNTcJ7cd4Ft7v1EE6O1CPXuSLIY1l8d5IDf66IjNLWhDeah0_avrHueE/s6000/08%20DSC03096.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyv6Yi3V7gqHieIn80xYFNO5uEJo21fGckCjjxUaTWQlxZdRgZvHnN7ZnJG6rXt5ESgJOKu_fWd7wZ4uJGe6S7b-3W0iJCIjaTs7qlRfZsF5MnAqFiIslfhjo8y26qQA014TH8gNTcJ7cd4Ft7v1EE6O1CPXuSLIY1l8d5IDf66IjNLWhDeah0_avrHueE/s320/08%20DSC03096.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mazda logo</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjdIUzdA6hbM89XpJsU0hqzGTlfv0ULWAsOINT15LbUoELwVSUzaW1r_4uFN6eMvjvZtTkZ9VIEUC0VNMHtOp0ve2XPzh4B11cb_PZ14PMwnDSCwkLkmsRsoltU_BqpdNMheG7j7dxdEGnEgykwzp-jY6UUuHSlQ-4XmIsB1Ik0W4-rMdWuujRu9FIazg/s6000/09%20DSC03105.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjdIUzdA6hbM89XpJsU0hqzGTlfv0ULWAsOINT15LbUoELwVSUzaW1r_4uFN6eMvjvZtTkZ9VIEUC0VNMHtOp0ve2XPzh4B11cb_PZ14PMwnDSCwkLkmsRsoltU_BqpdNMheG7j7dxdEGnEgykwzp-jY6UUuHSlQ-4XmIsB1Ik0W4-rMdWuujRu9FIazg/s320/09%20DSC03105.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No thumb over the license plate</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZWVtdDyqNsEnuZPNdNLv1M8VB0kqFivct_H4hXdsOc9zmK0GZD_VPaodPU76Ov69F9hvQcGDjoSv6-1IKwiYgiuV41ymkAvXH86raO4amAe4l-spbI8fPvHrkPXSQi6zKZvGkeclqlEGUz3i1dgOc1kHrCMEhQGW7XXuK8JqohBGsXMHgEyq6BAvz1oP/s6000/10%20DSC03095.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZWVtdDyqNsEnuZPNdNLv1M8VB0kqFivct_H4hXdsOc9zmK0GZD_VPaodPU76Ov69F9hvQcGDjoSv6-1IKwiYgiuV41ymkAvXH86raO4amAe4l-spbI8fPvHrkPXSQi6zKZvGkeclqlEGUz3i1dgOc1kHrCMEhQGW7XXuK8JqohBGsXMHgEyq6BAvz1oP/s320/10%20DSC03095.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoom-Zoom</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rHGsUu4mb8x7P9rFYR7tCMVemHjRmb1t0jd3r_ruWUrG9By5Dwp0FDzhBhuCWa4XxVZ3xlI3ONB-DJcQSK27jQrjQInpmedA4xk70otsiy2E-jRqjvo3S8z0bTkuqiwP0MUkmFib3-BXvZz8r1x5TZtq7Q2Ra4GwfodvjNgx8RjAcBU3TJlCIRV9Nr4m/s6000/11%20DSC03118.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rHGsUu4mb8x7P9rFYR7tCMVemHjRmb1t0jd3r_ruWUrG9By5Dwp0FDzhBhuCWa4XxVZ3xlI3ONB-DJcQSK27jQrjQInpmedA4xk70otsiy2E-jRqjvo3S8z0bTkuqiwP0MUkmFib3-BXvZz8r1x5TZtq7Q2Ra4GwfodvjNgx8RjAcBU3TJlCIRV9Nr4m/s320/11%20DSC03118.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clean engine bay</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIagb35IHJq9RTgFQlBmfYxX4NrC2IysFdED-gbF0com7S7L81YclzkyURspL3wj-6P6Xi_yrIAeTcV6RwJv7Tl2inqVrehYe7MOgrsuRSX_3YuGU9lhW1NG-MInvWq-5maa7ngBUye9emYgYdVZwbWjBi9xFAr9C01yPTDoBCvav1dGLGaJvcjA7CqR88/s6000/12%20DSC03107.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIagb35IHJq9RTgFQlBmfYxX4NrC2IysFdED-gbF0com7S7L81YclzkyURspL3wj-6P6Xi_yrIAeTcV6RwJv7Tl2inqVrehYe7MOgrsuRSX_3YuGU9lhW1NG-MInvWq-5maa7ngBUye9emYgYdVZwbWjBi9xFAr9C01yPTDoBCvav1dGLGaJvcjA7CqR88/s320/12%20DSC03107.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Softopper window up</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfsdkMe84wHDS8uNoXdPSYjP3it3xz7RQ_NQmJqRoMU9MmtYHp9rt5Oi8e1Crq3Wr320VA6c5_07gJROQsDtvV37WO17O2KYB0T1xy-hIWNReuG-sipV9pl_DpeGgRnWurTnrrAOlzlZZV0yJLShKRhPkwqvtqq0djOg6oDs0FrwyjArvVUcEexAU_UcZ/s6000/13%20DSC03102.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfsdkMe84wHDS8uNoXdPSYjP3it3xz7RQ_NQmJqRoMU9MmtYHp9rt5Oi8e1Crq3Wr320VA6c5_07gJROQsDtvV37WO17O2KYB0T1xy-hIWNReuG-sipV9pl_DpeGgRnWurTnrrAOlzlZZV0yJLShKRhPkwqvtqq0djOg6oDs0FrwyjArvVUcEexAU_UcZ/s320/13%20DSC03102.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Softopper looking towards the tailgate</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvePHE4CeDbIE9QCXTteXXWQQ1JyNVTikhAogAhxDkRGatI62IcRNm8MQ_ISVzL_CxiV7vP6_nZLc-oqz919ylqdZiXhUPepZCWLTjlWZyW9aRo6Lxhv3-xkgNaq8JL9Ywc7KrdhTR8IpSohqbTm7WaE2jNCErx0mLupe7mAKWTWXk5sHtiWAM-SnSJl5/s6000/14%20DSC03106.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvePHE4CeDbIE9QCXTteXXWQQ1JyNVTikhAogAhxDkRGatI62IcRNm8MQ_ISVzL_CxiV7vP6_nZLc-oqz919ylqdZiXhUPepZCWLTjlWZyW9aRo6Lxhv3-xkgNaq8JL9Ywc7KrdhTR8IpSohqbTm7WaE2jNCErx0mLupe7mAKWTWXk5sHtiWAM-SnSJl5/s320/14%20DSC03106.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Softopper looking towards the cab</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n4fb3R2zKjh5qanGM9NFGBvc1jv_NQv_LaKAEFXBn5yW2h_hnX_4vj_JNykLmU2gj6qDr5j6Oke5xWh2coHq9IQpTxxzyhFmYjy9bo1E_riUu7PKVwhJmJk9udAg1TCEZ3e7QPd5U4luPyH9QsedMDluhsewKr9PJqvIk7F8JTpUPzacMphDvSuV33uW/s6000/15%20DSC03094.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n4fb3R2zKjh5qanGM9NFGBvc1jv_NQv_LaKAEFXBn5yW2h_hnX_4vj_JNykLmU2gj6qDr5j6Oke5xWh2coHq9IQpTxxzyhFmYjy9bo1E_riUu7PKVwhJmJk9udAg1TCEZ3e7QPd5U4luPyH9QsedMDluhsewKr9PJqvIk7F8JTpUPzacMphDvSuV33uW/s320/15%20DSC03094.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Softopper</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqJYl_Toh7ElCQT5a8aAbEi-_H7Dl4BrTbdx9K3E8qB1WmzP4z5ArdSLsKhzYrRDhYKYSujnIWyXKODZuHFZy4Ku5i04HNHmkjPZcDhupD-L-WVI185ENm6aSbCUntAgi5BAghP8TFK47sfX1HYJwbXnn6IGqyNbXhuK0ANHFRpzsaxedE54EymwDwi5k/s6000/16%20DSC03109.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqJYl_Toh7ElCQT5a8aAbEi-_H7Dl4BrTbdx9K3E8qB1WmzP4z5ArdSLsKhzYrRDhYKYSujnIWyXKODZuHFZy4Ku5i04HNHmkjPZcDhupD-L-WVI185ENm6aSbCUntAgi5BAghP8TFK47sfX1HYJwbXnn6IGqyNbXhuK0ANHFRpzsaxedE54EymwDwi5k/s320/16%20DSC03109.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An oddly quiet truck at speed</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BOZkwR66hDswavSv0vo4wwXWz4_ehIx-zhWQAEN6JqeQ01J2DciiNw2UnIlkbA-vwU_OVPActMuk69bnC37wQpHOO-i8Li8lxjM6B68jco3J1955n3fpHSsCETnNRzzBz4MSZgRMdj7zjU6pPiBrWyOkaARTtZuq7Q7pJ35ePDyYKeLxlzUVa2SrvYtb/s6000/17%20DSC03108.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BOZkwR66hDswavSv0vo4wwXWz4_ehIx-zhWQAEN6JqeQ01J2DciiNw2UnIlkbA-vwU_OVPActMuk69bnC37wQpHOO-i8Li8lxjM6B68jco3J1955n3fpHSsCETnNRzzBz4MSZgRMdj7zjU6pPiBrWyOkaARTtZuq7Q7pJ35ePDyYKeLxlzUVa2SrvYtb/s320/17%20DSC03108.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A simple interior. Verrrrry cold a/c</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SuzobzzOnjz3rIpaI7kIY4xwSnfFp9fvxmmFWkX3kd0g6A2brptpumYRv8-p-B0OiSi1qTkl0GNxh9ZNE5uBx6PjF9e3j2R79tp5HMcuBUlXMlVM7Zbkx7JtpgAdyaZYpgTMCkfdZ0jhUmTKpl9elUU-gwINfS2H-du00uRqWA-JElfdwRaq80SI5FKY/s5006/18%20DSC03099.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3337" data-original-width="5006" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SuzobzzOnjz3rIpaI7kIY4xwSnfFp9fvxmmFWkX3kd0g6A2brptpumYRv8-p-B0OiSi1qTkl0GNxh9ZNE5uBx6PjF9e3j2R79tp5HMcuBUlXMlVM7Zbkx7JtpgAdyaZYpgTMCkfdZ0jhUmTKpl9elUU-gwINfS2H-du00uRqWA-JElfdwRaq80SI5FKY/s320/18%20DSC03099.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh bulbs in gauges</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsjKBoWNFdR0Uh10WGqqK62m8fIcI1QmtIzzz44vCr9lCRQz3AMLXs5oTeD_6qO1rhoiH5vk1NUCWJxa_XfLiPV-Gxqspi-TrFShcFVCAlj8EqMl1xZdFe5mjagmN3kNkIMSiOE6Hd-_7wNHrsSQ90LqJWRF7yK1Tku9IRHO8CnKiPLL2E1wgoCbAtXKZM/s4524/19%20DSC03100.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3016" data-original-width="4524" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsjKBoWNFdR0Uh10WGqqK62m8fIcI1QmtIzzz44vCr9lCRQz3AMLXs5oTeD_6qO1rhoiH5vk1NUCWJxa_XfLiPV-Gxqspi-TrFShcFVCAlj8EqMl1xZdFe5mjagmN3kNkIMSiOE6Hd-_7wNHrsSQ90LqJWRF7yK1Tku9IRHO8CnKiPLL2E1wgoCbAtXKZM/s320/19%20DSC03100.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenwood stereo has any color illumination</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3jHIhdpUT6t0rFFlNRnVJM92u5u-lOtSLFSwxat6yR6teb8Em2lHWrXBa-owWhGnsePMJz9Nkuyl5a9nolFWp5Aj6se2BBqBCtQTI8Cc2g8sJb24v6FaDLk5G5uoJoNBasP-HbsEwRJOwrjgdeggHlBU5QQiUb4XMmFQvlRUHLX3_e-UmMxL0-qLp4NZ/s6000/20%20DSC03110.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3jHIhdpUT6t0rFFlNRnVJM92u5u-lOtSLFSwxat6yR6teb8Em2lHWrXBa-owWhGnsePMJz9Nkuyl5a9nolFWp5Aj6se2BBqBCtQTI8Cc2g8sJb24v6FaDLk5G5uoJoNBasP-HbsEwRJOwrjgdeggHlBU5QQiUb4XMmFQvlRUHLX3_e-UmMxL0-qLp4NZ/s320/20%20DSC03110.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's like the factory intended for it to be there</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADpACyG2Lpo3Q-Hge-7CUPFoOhAuwg2w_bFMlvDhPUBld30maoEi3_ZFmXd6SRZuQfsHn-GRDzHzgHbkMLr01IL26Q3ddN6PK0-U68_sjDx4WJUrZqto8Oe33VNSJHWqdEvkH1FGU4tFqn8od5q9izNkHt3drZbQrTn4GqH2I-aakk5rszLiax8mLHilW/s6000/21%20DSC03111.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADpACyG2Lpo3Q-Hge-7CUPFoOhAuwg2w_bFMlvDhPUBld30maoEi3_ZFmXd6SRZuQfsHn-GRDzHzgHbkMLr01IL26Q3ddN6PK0-U68_sjDx4WJUrZqto8Oe33VNSJHWqdEvkH1FGU4tFqn8od5q9izNkHt3drZbQrTn4GqH2I-aakk5rszLiax8mLHilW/s320/21%20DSC03111.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Audio gear tucked away in a bespoke area</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-K4IqBkhtRr6ZYa1caNSYFNr3hxgH_MiWOOSo-6cozNYCvId98z2SvQ6ovgPvFBsXVE3RCHBn14XyBb2sosy5n91Ta7FCAPBjMj31TA5R11W6va6IMz6cT34azkgJa7NYytoEqYGaPHCNHZZ5y8-wnarm-yuxTcMMVXwwOil4jn_qqQiH4ByatW0_6QuL/s5600/22%20DSC03112.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3733" data-original-width="5600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-K4IqBkhtRr6ZYa1caNSYFNr3hxgH_MiWOOSo-6cozNYCvId98z2SvQ6ovgPvFBsXVE3RCHBn14XyBb2sosy5n91Ta7FCAPBjMj31TA5R11W6va6IMz6cT34azkgJa7NYytoEqYGaPHCNHZZ5y8-wnarm-yuxTcMMVXwwOil4jn_qqQiH4ByatW0_6QuL/s320/22%20DSC03112.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very well fitted JL Audio amp</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZMBe_Pk-qzyfqWsl8mLcoa-mwmmjIAo1IjPVWgyVrfFGd3J7ufoQnul9FJaJfK2e-Gg1UPyV2INHWqvQ7XxJo3JRbRlYo5OvXdhJ6yxFbP430cK275A6077yPUaVhBEK-JCYl1sdCk2Tn2K7BvfdWQdv8a7P8XMUXsq9mqXJ3XXQ6x-gKD9aE0pBbLhu/s6000/23%20DSC03113.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZMBe_Pk-qzyfqWsl8mLcoa-mwmmjIAo1IjPVWgyVrfFGd3J7ufoQnul9FJaJfK2e-Gg1UPyV2INHWqvQ7XxJo3JRbRlYo5OvXdhJ6yxFbP430cK275A6077yPUaVhBEK-JCYl1sdCk2Tn2K7BvfdWQdv8a7P8XMUXsq9mqXJ3XXQ6x-gKD9aE0pBbLhu/s320/23%20DSC03113.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Subwoofer remote discreetly on console</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhIjyQBdCm4PKSnbzTd3-WAoAF4Zx4fug9oiSV4815uHSp4IlQK8NI2yxm0p29xV1Lfi9CYqKhw8_14A_SRZLsWrcS2Lgt4TAF-7hJotetZdqQpif70NtR8M7SLHOWwRxiYsW2ZokfMofav-qXFRCWdNSzvr_WjpehhNI3iO3N5EOxgsNTOzUnEQD7ZML/s6000/24%20DSC03089.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhIjyQBdCm4PKSnbzTd3-WAoAF4Zx4fug9oiSV4815uHSp4IlQK8NI2yxm0p29xV1Lfi9CYqKhw8_14A_SRZLsWrcS2Lgt4TAF-7hJotetZdqQpif70NtR8M7SLHOWwRxiYsW2ZokfMofav-qXFRCWdNSzvr_WjpehhNI3iO3N5EOxgsNTOzUnEQD7ZML/s320/24%20DSC03089.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Solus tires, fresh powder coated rims</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfAlcVOjAsdLFf-7Fc6npBEIRinFg9UuQ4xiru2NbvUhtJ8RLj0Pbw03evu22u9IPv1xz8u3aPTBcn1FHwCQuzEyH4XLd5tZQsK4hJ8a6n0s_j43wbOsge2aqs5C5QfwkytIx24xc6OCkgWmOwOxQTsHR33sN0m04I6i4MglkJ40t5yMz9DCJ-f-XkfdL/s6000/25%20DSC03090.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfAlcVOjAsdLFf-7Fc6npBEIRinFg9UuQ4xiru2NbvUhtJ8RLj0Pbw03evu22u9IPv1xz8u3aPTBcn1FHwCQuzEyH4XLd5tZQsK4hJ8a6n0s_j43wbOsge2aqs5C5QfwkytIx24xc6OCkgWmOwOxQTsHR33sN0m04I6i4MglkJ40t5yMz9DCJ-f-XkfdL/s320/25%20DSC03090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPO6ey9Yg6BjNpsY_QUhiT05Uc7aYNYxyxURJMAmi48Yp1NKCT8thRTpw9lEedwpPUywc1-GgV_oYe81tXRlX9CLLbyMPRUlujeI7hjQgC4IHcQSGxLso9WJ2yFNDK5-Aebt-3N6NhDk7M-HeA5ZMbD5GiYK0JuBA84DQPNgmeri2zNaMa4mEnJUuwZe54/s6000/01%20DSC03084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPO6ey9Yg6BjNpsY_QUhiT05Uc7aYNYxyxURJMAmi48Yp1NKCT8thRTpw9lEedwpPUywc1-GgV_oYe81tXRlX9CLLbyMPRUlujeI7hjQgC4IHcQSGxLso9WJ2yFNDK5-Aebt-3N6NhDk7M-HeA5ZMbD5GiYK0JuBA84DQPNgmeri2zNaMa4mEnJUuwZe54/s320/01%20DSC03084.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjre_dJHNIG4A5xiZ5YcxOjiEWnuGvHZRmm0VrphekUM92TPDn68dOO6Eb-59TZHt-pydPIWtbdkwxpXnIVCeRXEICQavp_b6U_pGDMgaqvCBrPqdVNKUPux7FqxwXb0ZYj-ECgzxiePIxfAt9k5djqiJyXnzFc2lHHqaBwH4QK9Eu6Y8Mnv4kl5qR1lU6f/s6000/01%20DSC03084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjre_dJHNIG4A5xiZ5YcxOjiEWnuGvHZRmm0VrphekUM92TPDn68dOO6Eb-59TZHt-pydPIWtbdkwxpXnIVCeRXEICQavp_b6U_pGDMgaqvCBrPqdVNKUPux7FqxwXb0ZYj-ECgzxiePIxfAt9k5djqiJyXnzFc2lHHqaBwH4QK9Eu6Y8Mnv4kl5qR1lU6f/s320/01%20DSC03084.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-48587707135733791052021-09-24T08:17:00.013-07:002021-09-25T14:46:31.066-07:00Baby Advent II Speaker Repair<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSmvSl7nwdWRa2jQDBmY_xX6QdUNKvwNkCJdOa0rCaLi78psf0DIpYBcfdizM2_Ml7es4UV_tvenAd7tbJsFFfNEFdku7fSa5-k_wZDjTZEe5AM0WIUNMhWD9mkCPafpRw0bez7WOHAlJ/s2048/20210804_183356.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSmvSl7nwdWRa2jQDBmY_xX6QdUNKvwNkCJdOa0rCaLi78psf0DIpYBcfdizM2_Ml7es4UV_tvenAd7tbJsFFfNEFdku7fSa5-k_wZDjTZEe5AM0WIUNMhWD9mkCPafpRw0bez7WOHAlJ/w400-h300/20210804_183356.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nikki's vintage 70s hi-fi system. </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Back in college I never ceased to be astonished at the crappy stereos my female friends owned: no-name garbage like Kraco, Soundesign, Yorx or whatever. Sometimes that was borne of economic factors but generally even the silver spoon crowd either had something lackluster or just a clock radio. I don't know why this divide existed between the genders and in retrospect it seems that having a high fidelity stereo is considered a "guy thing". Then there were the exceptions, the women who loved their music and wanted to hear it properly. They were a vanishingly small percent and very intriguing for me - and still are for that matter. A good example is Susi, a cherished friend whose home audio consists of a beautiful pair of matched Conrad Johnson components with some Magnepan SMGa speakers that stopped me in my tracks when I first spied them and are a point of pride for her.</p><p>Recently another dear friend lost some of her possessions for ... reasons ... and I felt compelled to step in and assist. Nikki is a collector of vinyl and has far more LPs than most of the guys I know who claim to collect but her turntable was awol. What she still had was her dad's very lovely vintage Marantz 2235B receiver that she'd had serviced and re-capped. This demanded a period correct player to replace the Marantz turntable that had been its mate. I had a vintage 1972 Pioneer PL50 that would make a nice companion to her 1975 receiver so I set to sprucing it up: I installed a new needle on the stock cartridge, replaced the belt, oiled the bearing and adjusted the speed. A bit of oil on the plinth and then a blob of rubbing compound with the buffer on the dust cover and it looked nearly mint. <br /><br />But her speakers, oh my. Let's not mention them. Something had to be done. I trawled Craigslist and Facebutt Markethole and didn't see anything in the cheap and cheerful range. Then Nikki's pal Jonathan stepped in with his high school pair of Baby Advent II speakers which needed a bit of work. My pair of speakers for many years in college and afterwards were Advent Tower Prodigy and I had nothing but fond recollections of them. They punched well above their weight and made me happy for many years so their baby brothers were welcome. One of Jonathan's Advents appeared to have a burned out woofer, literally stuck at the bottom of its excursion and silent. I began looking for 6.5" replacements that had the same five ohm resistance, wattage and efficiency. My first foray was a no-name "5 Core" India manufactured woofer:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiZ21HcOMXpcwfVQepU9nEsZAlFmLH8T5jBWGDmYCbsYks3yJmXQxjw7egg9hA86B52oSgCEH8miuXKVgDT-fENJgfJAJnICzeNA9RLLI6TNWiUYGSVoscto1j5zvCg-6dPj41B6cgArC/s2048/20210813_153522.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiZ21HcOMXpcwfVQepU9nEsZAlFmLH8T5jBWGDmYCbsYks3yJmXQxjw7egg9hA86B52oSgCEH8miuXKVgDT-fENJgfJAJnICzeNA9RLLI6TNWiUYGSVoscto1j5zvCg-6dPj41B6cgArC/w400-h300/20210813_153522.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 Core? What is this, a CPU?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Here's the replacement on the right. Despite mostly matching the OEM unit in specs, its got a small magnet and a similarly weak bass response. It was really unimpressive compared to the working speaker, missing what I'd guess to be an entire octave of bass compared to the stock Advent woofer. Back to the drawing board and time for another speaker.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgew9Pt3CkR7zQ00XL1GBI0tu4E4TG4b6DSx-1snbJjPWHXPjJCX4_MoJGli2NYNkQwqr8qDVmbRO_LneuwEp1VskVzMQRC4MEoDYXhxbPVBou4Lg4og6uBKIXu7TEOJ-4JwffnZsI50X4X/s2048/20210819_182233.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgew9Pt3CkR7zQ00XL1GBI0tu4E4TG4b6DSx-1snbJjPWHXPjJCX4_MoJGli2NYNkQwqr8qDVmbRO_LneuwEp1VskVzMQRC4MEoDYXhxbPVBou4Lg4og6uBKIXu7TEOJ-4JwffnZsI50X4X/w400-h300/20210819_182233.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Sumo wrestler vs a bantam weight boxer.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Seen on the left, a Pyle PDMW6. It's 8 ohm and a good efficiency rating with a conspicuously large magnet. The higher ohm rating should yield more sound per watt. In theory. In reality it sounded just as thin in the Advent box as the tiny 5-Core speaker. My theory is that both had very stiff surrounds that needed breaking in. Who knows? What I did know was that the engineers at Advent had magically synergistic woofers for their speakers and I needed another stock one before I'd be satisfied.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0QT3hlAZ6VQ913C2Bs8s54_n1vlix81QtguO6Rsfkd9Ct1ChX1z3p6geer4WP2kzF92Mcikv1qAW2VTb-RpW2nWuuqhAinxRJfAnrMxXvdN6M0OceKh02sX11MPXLJDLmkpNvKgO1UzX/s2048/20210819_182450.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0QT3hlAZ6VQ913C2Bs8s54_n1vlix81QtguO6Rsfkd9Ct1ChX1z3p6geer4WP2kzF92Mcikv1qAW2VTb-RpW2nWuuqhAinxRJfAnrMxXvdN6M0OceKh02sX11MPXLJDLmkpNvKgO1UzX/w400-h300/20210819_182450.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pyle woofer arrived very bent and only worked after some brutal prying on my bench vice.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I reappraised the "burned out" Advent woofer: fully jammed at the bottom of its excursion, I'd nearly chucked it in the garbage. Closer scrutiny however revealed that the speaker cone didn't seem centered in the frame and the foam surround was distorted. I ohm'ed it and it measured normally. Jonathan told me someone had refoamed the cones in the past and I was suspicious that it was so off center that it got jammed. Maybe if I refoamed the cone? Not wanting to throw more time and money at it I bought literally the cheapest speaker surrounds anywhere: all the way from China, a pair for $3. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdWukGotT65tb2hQ6RBvcuyCFVtOtCSvDip0r6rkOXiWJrsSgWmLibrsR5lzBHG9btkuob8vfAdp2eIzdsbWbR-0A4IDyfi-xEffedOcWow1sbtn8w8K_nHcdok7xwxV17fJZfHNfTslH/s900/Screen+Shot+2021-09-23+at+7.49.45+PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdWukGotT65tb2hQ6RBvcuyCFVtOtCSvDip0r6rkOXiWJrsSgWmLibrsR5lzBHG9btkuob8vfAdp2eIzdsbWbR-0A4IDyfi-xEffedOcWow1sbtn8w8K_nHcdok7xwxV17fJZfHNfTslH/w400-h200/Screen+Shot+2021-09-23+at+7.49.45+PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aliexpress is crazy cheap and sometimes has good quality too.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>What I got was some of the most desirable woofer surrounds one could ask for: butyl rubber, chemically stable and tougher yet more pliable than any foam. Score!<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmhw6PfmIcg8bdQ8oeM6egM8yJXAoCawugWlyb6UDS_TtR5C-jguzDBKZDdA61Mcm_ldb-xRjLWLdAtu7-Gr4Wjq4B-38FDobpQLh1kepW0iNnsNaqMl4WMn3t5oURyXM77NADlNOKNq_/s2048/20210831_184026.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmhw6PfmIcg8bdQ8oeM6egM8yJXAoCawugWlyb6UDS_TtR5C-jguzDBKZDdA61Mcm_ldb-xRjLWLdAtu7-Gr4Wjq4B-38FDobpQLh1kepW0iNnsNaqMl4WMn3t5oURyXM77NADlNOKNq_/w400-h300/20210831_184026.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off with the very well adhered old surround ...</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>Now it was time to remove the old surrounds, not easy as they were fresh, not the crumbly decaying ones I usually scrape off. The cardboard trim ring disintegrated and the foam surround only came off after 45 minutes of rubbing with acetone, carburetor cleaner and Q-tips. Then with all surfaces clean it was time to attach the new surround.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVg3QnEn2NUDKgTL44ZWuY0tTMslH1CfY3Mfk8Cnul53QfbmCNgJcJEYxKbw0Q_RraOYMlukZe6MtEEJuz13S4K-Ay4m8m5sT3Qk6od0O90vbFxkdRYd1mhDRiAuOpeJA9OGyQ1fp_nVny/s2048/20210831_204512.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVg3QnEn2NUDKgTL44ZWuY0tTMslH1CfY3Mfk8Cnul53QfbmCNgJcJEYxKbw0Q_RraOYMlukZe6MtEEJuz13S4K-Ay4m8m5sT3Qk6od0O90vbFxkdRYd1mhDRiAuOpeJA9OGyQ1fp_nVny/w400-h300/20210831_204512.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barge: not just for shoes!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>There's no end of discussion online as to the best glue for this job. Ideally you use a glue that takes a few minutes before setting firm so that any needed adjustments can be made. The glue should be for whatever best suits your needs: woofers can be paper or polypropylene or aluminum and so on and the surrounds can be either foam or butyl rubber. I used rubber contact cement as it's the gold standard, but there's <i>no room for screw ups</i>. If things aren't centered, they're instantly adhered. A more forgiving glue is Aleene's Gel Glue, 8-Ounce, clear on Amazon but I didn't have any and was confident I could get it on the first try. There's two tricks to centering the woofer, the lazy route is to use a D-cell 1.5v battery and energize the coil so that it's centered, hopefully. The other is to carefully cut the dust cap off with an Xacto razor leaving a tiny bit connected and fold the cap back and put shims in between the voice coil and the magnet. I started with the battery but wasn't confident it would work so I used shims too. Some 3x5 cards were the needed thickness.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcOKyevuJJ6fUFC2x89hNAMySPFgfmtDZNb6vd2e5Dw787IVUVL7zBDq2lxwFLV-1iRAc5_3ixBrWJQBxWraZjpsBjFMoXzo7oMkiUk18f32QeveRxbmF7QyrEUWKYLEHpL_WsvdkSCJ-/s2048/20210914_180540.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcOKyevuJJ6fUFC2x89hNAMySPFgfmtDZNb6vd2e5Dw787IVUVL7zBDq2lxwFLV-1iRAc5_3ixBrWJQBxWraZjpsBjFMoXzo7oMkiUk18f32QeveRxbmF7QyrEUWKYLEHpL_WsvdkSCJ-/w400-h300/20210914_180540.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beefy butyl rubber surround.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>The cone does look a bit distressed after the acetone bath. In retrospect I could've colored it in with a big Sharpie? I used the battery to keep the cone fully retracted and I applied the shims. I then painted the contact cement on all surfaces and waited for it to dry tacky. I'd marked on the speaker basket exactly where the surround edge went and slowly applied it. </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lfSSR3dpFPWchcDHLpSZv9tmKPIDbKvYGpCM6WJwRi4B_PCCozda4KqKuSg3KblBo1K087fFDSp6B2DYPrc8WzZkyjN8IZvk72ghYtGqorTrwJGKVMuwa1MEkErlycIcySwDSMiSzE3z/s2048/20210914_180551.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lfSSR3dpFPWchcDHLpSZv9tmKPIDbKvYGpCM6WJwRi4B_PCCozda4KqKuSg3KblBo1K087fFDSp6B2DYPrc8WzZkyjN8IZvk72ghYtGqorTrwJGKVMuwa1MEkErlycIcySwDSMiSzE3z/w400-h300/20210914_180551.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you cut the cap, don't sever the speaker wires.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>It's real easy to screw this up as any deviation will compound. Once the surround was on the basket I removed the battery and slid the cone back up towards the surround until the edges touched then helped them along with a light touch until all surfaces were fully adhered. I glued the dust cap back down with Uhu model glue and cut a new trim ring out of black foam core and glued it over the surround edge. Success: the woofer now made a full excursion from top to bottom without touching.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrSuV9BWwST9PlscSPNm8ulnj5FJlId8PZ2_62gEmlzQoccZtAf04rUkZzsve2uMXoZJiahxyBpmcWaHxDQd_ySKhElr7u6U9b-lUuS8b2XZnJDXR0i_D_e75Py0zmRgtryZvrOiS3Bib/s2048/20210916_152521.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrSuV9BWwST9PlscSPNm8ulnj5FJlId8PZ2_62gEmlzQoccZtAf04rUkZzsve2uMXoZJiahxyBpmcWaHxDQd_ySKhElr7u6U9b-lUuS8b2XZnJDXR0i_D_e75Py0zmRgtryZvrOiS3Bib/w640-h480/20210916_152521.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Voila: the finished setup! This is a temporary placement as there's no room anywhere else. Yes, the turntable is slightly impeding convective cooling from the amp and might pick up some hum - and yes the speakers shouldn't share a surface that acoustically interacts with the turntable but despite all this it sounds great. The walnut Advents look appropriate even if they are from a later decade and Nikki can get back to jamming to her Syd Barrett and Donna Summers records.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to Jonathan for donating the speakers and thanks to Nikki for being a cool friend. This system is a great example of a true entry level audiophile system and it looks sharp too. I'd be proud to own it. Mazel tov!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifJL-zyKiZT8VyFkjBu-jqyU2lc_sdtwDhjzd57BPIfzeGeDOUx-AVZkavHZvWvpSSV3HGQqx3EZwGX4OimszFuJFi8bk47isnrQ9gHZxgViLcIesp9FOyITCxRi3IzKEfMHQS5yI_6dt/s1177/hifi+soundbar+stereo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifJL-zyKiZT8VyFkjBu-jqyU2lc_sdtwDhjzd57BPIfzeGeDOUx-AVZkavHZvWvpSSV3HGQqx3EZwGX4OimszFuJFi8bk47isnrQ9gHZxgViLcIesp9FOyITCxRi3IzKEfMHQS5yI_6dt/s320/hifi+soundbar+stereo.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><br />David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0816 E Zack St, Tampa, FL 33602, USA27.951926 -82.453370227.830578139783654 -82.5906993015625 28.073273860216347 -82.3160410984375tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-40007083430362811032021-07-03T16:06:00.026-07:002021-07-13T10:29:36.685-07:00Corvette Summer 2021! (SOLD)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2COkUmlo-7MsvXXNOn1fT5dYdyqlQMCHgL3FhWZsanbT2LkUJiYBY057VWGXDCNAC8mIN0LAkDml4HGERy0nxGDhf0P5WnY3c_fsKYFgRiPIads76UPmbJiVxDwgdWwxXn2N50j1aAZt/s2048/DSC00073edit.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2COkUmlo-7MsvXXNOn1fT5dYdyqlQMCHgL3FhWZsanbT2LkUJiYBY057VWGXDCNAC8mIN0LAkDml4HGERy0nxGDhf0P5WnY3c_fsKYFgRiPIads76UPmbJiVxDwgdWwxXn2N50j1aAZt/w640-h360/DSC00073edit.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Corvette's spirit animal</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>(Apologies to everyone who dithered on this deal. Congrats to Dylan for being a man of action!)<br />We've owned her for four years, long enough to check off "own a C4 Corvette" from our auto bucket list. Now it's your turn. We bought an Abarth for schlepping four people around so she doesn't get used as much as she should. I'd honestly not hesitate to get in this Corvette and drive across the country. She leaves us in better shape than we acquired her so our investment is your gain, esp. considering this is the lowest price you'll see for a very nice 6-speed convertible now appreciating in value. She's rattle free, drives smooth and the fresh suspension feels both taut and somehow ... comfortable.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Just The Facts, Ma'am:</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1990 Corvette with 6-speed manual transmission as the gods intended</li><li>Convertible for ruining your date's pompadour or bouffant</li><li>110,000 miles on the odometer, just enough to correct all the mistakes the factory made</li><li>Kenwood DDX6904S state-of-the-art headunit & stock Bose speakers</li><li>Headunit incorporates both a crash dash camera and backup camera</li><li>Cold air conditioning because we're not savages</li><li>Cruise control that works and has a user UI that still makes no sense to me</li><li>At least 50% tread on Cooper 275/40R17 tires</li><li>New aluminized complete exhaust system and new catalytic converter</li><li>New KYB Gas-a-Just shocks front & rear, aligned, tires rebalanced</li><li>New knock sensors, new oil pressure sending unit, new valve cover gaskets</li><li>Adjustable temperature cooling fans: this car never overheats</li><li>A great mechanic services this car in St. Pete and conveys with her ...</li><li>A whole bunch more</li><li>$8500 or a very, very interesting trade on a Datsun or RX7</li></ul><div><b>Minor Details I Chose To Live With:</b></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Tachometer reads 50% too high </li><li>Should be driven once a week or left on battery tender. Has battery disconnect switch</li><li>Brakes work awesome but one rotor is slightly warped thus a minor wiggle at quick stops</li><li>The price reflects the small demerits on this list 😀</li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5p9ARdLLX8bfLo0oNJh4V6nIjte6-VFuIxzfPwoXrvsBHmSgeZv4qXBGSP_DfnB9UyrPRGUAtTN_Ty_ekETQaPmmm-63Dk1cnQbbwwGfh0vsxCCaT-IURTBAtzSrmTgdZvZC7qYS3lLj/s2048/DSC00062-edit.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5p9ARdLLX8bfLo0oNJh4V6nIjte6-VFuIxzfPwoXrvsBHmSgeZv4qXBGSP_DfnB9UyrPRGUAtTN_Ty_ekETQaPmmm-63Dk1cnQbbwwGfh0vsxCCaT-IURTBAtzSrmTgdZvZC7qYS3lLj/w640-h360/DSC00062-edit.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seminole Heights is a mural neighborhood</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3qFpqVFqkyW4vAEUKssBRz0mUiozWC35JTqCl7QiBUCu63GP1Fa1Fz_nzE5NDfLM1KmIN95CHqK9eMGrglfEHaESCDt9VfFDns6-959K8UFd1QHVWMo5qrhU5KXbXvAmhLDgoT0n3Ypg/s2048/DSC00067-edit.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3qFpqVFqkyW4vAEUKssBRz0mUiozWC35JTqCl7QiBUCu63GP1Fa1Fz_nzE5NDfLM1KmIN95CHqK9eMGrglfEHaESCDt9VfFDns6-959K8UFd1QHVWMo5qrhU5KXbXvAmhLDgoT0n3Ypg/w640-h360/DSC00067-edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The left side (not shown) is also excellent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9ih8XsLsBUVxtphgHqjEA6kyZeYGqt_4THSCOO0iEaU0O-kURncqzbU1KO_gZArJGG1QYqsr30aXu1-WlEnnHSpgkrOO8IwC370DbuphF4M25eK9cLDYX4z3Q8-u3qyjqy_7it8Iv-0E/s6000/DSC00087.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3376" data-original-width="6000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9ih8XsLsBUVxtphgHqjEA6kyZeYGqt_4THSCOO0iEaU0O-kURncqzbU1KO_gZArJGG1QYqsr30aXu1-WlEnnHSpgkrOO8IwC370DbuphF4M25eK9cLDYX4z3Q8-u3qyjqy_7it8Iv-0E/w640-h360/DSC00087.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dash warning lights lit only when engine is off</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMTkGwqtT8olI30XVo88NJzhm5WBOB72Rpyur8NH5fvvPRtIBEO0Fm-RFmKxS-UYQA4QU4VjXrSdeLQmGT0eWHWCmz_5m80Sz7fS9bycmHT6Lhri42JtCuKrXp9sFMpe9eJ9c92Gccd_o/s6000/DSC00088.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3376" data-original-width="6000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMTkGwqtT8olI30XVo88NJzhm5WBOB72Rpyur8NH5fvvPRtIBEO0Fm-RFmKxS-UYQA4QU4VjXrSdeLQmGT0eWHWCmz_5m80Sz7fS9bycmHT6Lhri42JtCuKrXp9sFMpe9eJ9c92Gccd_o/w640-h360/DSC00088.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice cockpit with no overt blemishes</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWL7BYTwqCvO2S8nT2I0MrMj9OeKWu5p3ETjL9o3nvFrYKAAzQ_TT4Zaar2rHf7vceDRWAENlxHrrvuEKPBL-ecyHHg5eX4xpzbvO7vsFgn9rRXHvMw-3Qmtqd9y8F5V3I24qk1W4Wg9O/s6000/DSC00089.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3376" data-original-width="6000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWL7BYTwqCvO2S8nT2I0MrMj9OeKWu5p3ETjL9o3nvFrYKAAzQ_TT4Zaar2rHf7vceDRWAENlxHrrvuEKPBL-ecyHHg5eX4xpzbvO7vsFgn9rRXHvMw-3Qmtqd9y8F5V3I24qk1W4Wg9O/w640-h360/DSC00089.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clean engine bay</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtsBjI4V2JTvXJUDHQA1aZAGesCvAP74KiKWfOp9JJz2rADDFvrOaEP0L0rGuEqzFQIaUAm_X_97F0PBUHrz4ROzK4YzXnGTQHiW6zSqzgMAAIz4RYRsQrYJd-aMd0imcOo8f3uwhl-kr/s2048/DSC00084-shiny-edit.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtsBjI4V2JTvXJUDHQA1aZAGesCvAP74KiKWfOp9JJz2rADDFvrOaEP0L0rGuEqzFQIaUAm_X_97F0PBUHrz4ROzK4YzXnGTQHiW6zSqzgMAAIz4RYRsQrYJd-aMd0imcOo8f3uwhl-kr/w640-h360/DSC00084-shiny-edit.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm, glossy paint ...</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwGWRU0e_1qTVS71QnJoCus5ZcyGaf4c_lDKnNkfX8NA2VG98CbnQYnb9iKbjJHY94t8AS80xSmIPMkaKX-30wg6V4moowVsZsXfZA3GGrJ1AuxS9A5K4LgJvXt_MGttTcoU5ZQcthVfE/s6000/DSC00079.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3376" data-original-width="6000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwGWRU0e_1qTVS71QnJoCus5ZcyGaf4c_lDKnNkfX8NA2VG98CbnQYnb9iKbjJHY94t8AS80xSmIPMkaKX-30wg6V4moowVsZsXfZA3GGrJ1AuxS9A5K4LgJvXt_MGttTcoU5ZQcthVfE/w640-h360/DSC00079.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A surprisingly useful feature. The headunit also runs the dashcam</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='625' height='347' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx9dM4_MMtfXy2Ypc3RbLezs1V2B6jlIlu6tbxO_VyrUIus_R35z38SkwM1u-eQG4uAvxz1l6AjCpwOkwn3Xw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Cold start!</span><br style="text-align: left;" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-27704169970845602292020-11-24T20:46:00.012-08:002023-07-25T11:07:09.784-07:00In Russia, Vostok Watch Wears You!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKE4nszaIAQJkiMAatAcmIWQ20kf7swnFDwIotMZYu4qdYcT15GJ85cKexDX61eXBGVLh3ITtt7GElYjDmPyeGtHq0VAIR0UnI5E9tN-ngOUD0wOJkcH4fyNhGxpzDWBLk6iqxTrlRNwv/s2048/20201123_171130-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKE4nszaIAQJkiMAatAcmIWQ20kf7swnFDwIotMZYu4qdYcT15GJ85cKexDX61eXBGVLh3ITtt7GElYjDmPyeGtHq0VAIR0UnI5E9tN-ngOUD0wOJkcH4fyNhGxpzDWBLk6iqxTrlRNwv/w640-h480/20201123_171130-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vostok Komanderskie watches, broken & new<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Some people deal with their deep insecurities about aging by attempting to manipulate their slightly older friends into feeling paranoid about their age, all while casting themselves as a paragon of youth. To wit: my pal Scott who perceives wearing a watch as synonymous with sending telegrams, mail order catalogs, rotary phones and perhaps banging rocks together to make fire. "Just look at your phone for the time," he says then adds "older people sure like their watches". I had this conversation with him just before the Apple Watch came out so I guess the joke's on him now that everyone has a glowing screen on their wrist. The rest of the joke was that I was 46 at the time and Scott was taciturn to admit his age: thirtymumblemumble he'd say. I had an earned schadenfreude when I later discovered he'd turned forty and I could then call him fortysomething for the next decade of his life. But I digress.</p><p>Phones don't scratch the itch of having a nice timepiece on your arm and don't allow the subtlety of a sidelong glance at your wrist when you want to be covert about checking the time. More than that is the appreciation of excellent mechanical engineering that is embodied in a bespoke watch, especially if the timepiece has a mechanical automatic movement. The idea of the artistry and engineering that goes into microscopic gears, cogs and jewels for fulcrums to pivot on inspires in a way that quartz controlled battery powered watch cannot. <br /><br />To that end, the variation on this theme is nearly infinite. Picking what inspires you can be difficult. I've pushed some friends into watch ownership by gifting them one. The idea that this manifestation of my respect for them then becomes a daily article of appreciation brings me joy. I've given mechanical watches to more than a few friends over the years ... but I've never had the favor returned. </p><p>Until now.</p><p>Ivan is a cool fellow from <span style="background-color: #444444; color: #444444;">REDACTED</span>, Russia who stayed in our Airbnb a couple times over the years with his wife and daughter. He and his family are a good natured, progressive group who Jennifer and I got along with surprisingly well. It was an opportunity for me to show the section in my library on Russian history, their space program, dissertations on communism, collectives and Soviet era armaments. Similarly he was interested in American aerospace, music and our insane politics. It was a fortuitous meeting. We sent them home with our NASA flag to be discreetly flown in private quarters. Maybe Russians neighbors might not react well to this display of fandom but I could be wrong. <br /><br />We've been discussing visiting Russia and I expressed my desire to replace my broken KGB Vostok Komandirskie watch I've owned since shortly after the wall fell. Looking <a href="https://xn----7sbh6atardj7b7b.xn--p1ai/" target="_blank">online at the Vostok website</a> a number of great replacements called out to me and I fully intended to stuff my bags while there with a dozen of them considering how insanely inexpensive they'd be after the dollar to ruble conversion. Then the pandemic struck and we all know what happened after that.<br /><br />Cut forward in time a number of months and an unannounced package arrived from Russia with no fanfare at all. Here's what I got:<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRR5NFL18OgW053BMMWnIE8-0f_69FQTLjI2PJg-RyltMFU2yA9ShqtNxt5ledeg7vjlGpPW-S2LKenFA2wxvdwli2kKtkxFjhvLV_hbHgn3jfAaW-4g71C99QDW0FerxjrEU-80GRXm7y/s2048/20201123_173347.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Vostok Watch" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRR5NFL18OgW053BMMWnIE8-0f_69FQTLjI2PJg-RyltMFU2yA9ShqtNxt5ledeg7vjlGpPW-S2LKenFA2wxvdwli2kKtkxFjhvLV_hbHgn3jfAaW-4g71C99QDW0FerxjrEU-80GRXm7y/w640-h480/20201123_173347.jpg" title="Vostok Watch" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?-->Vostok Komandirskie "Amphibia" TU 25-07.1347-77, GOST 10733-98<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />A very tidy standard KGB issue Vostok watch, the most representative of the genre that one could find on the Vostok site! Honestly, many of the modern Vostok watches are styled awkwardly, are ungainly or have unfortunate or cliched graphics on their watch face. But this one was already in my fantasy cart when the day came that we visited. For the record, I'm very anti-fascist and don't celebrate the brutal foreign intelligence and domestic security agency of the Soviet Union, but I do find it fascinating and hew to the dictum that those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it. There's elements of Russian workmanship I admire, from their very reliable <a href="http://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Launch_vehicles/The_Russian_Soyuz_spacecraft" target="_blank">Soyuz capsules</a> to their <a href="https://www.imz-ural.com/" target="_blank">Ural motorcycles</a> based on an ancient BMW design to the <a href="https://www.lada.ru/en/cars/4x4/3dv/about.html" target="_blank">Lada Niva VAZ-2121</a> to the <a href="https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/the-jet-that-shocked-the-west-180947758/" target="_blank">Mig-15</a>. A Vostok watch is a collectible example of their heritage for making work-a-day mechanical items for the common man.<div><br /></div><div>Snobbery is rampant in the world of watches and keeps me from desiring a new watch from marquees like Tag Heuer, Cartier or Tissot. They make good timepieces but I'm not a fan of the ostentatious crowd who wear them. I'm conflicted about Rolex and would probably <a href="https://youtu.be/hHrvG-Wt4cQ" target="_blank">buy their Milgauss</a> in a moment of weakness. I especially loathe branded pieces of junk from Versace, Gucci, Bruno Magli, Kate Spade, Calvin Klein etc. as you're buying a name slapped on garbage. My collection focuses on 70s era Seikos, <a href="https://www.beyondthedial.com/post/seiko-bell-matic-the-complete-guide/" target="_blank">especially Bell-Matics</a> and <a href="https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/reinventing-time-original-bulova-accutron" target="_blank">Bulova Accutrons</a>, some of the most honest watches ever made. A Vostok slots in well to this aesthetic: effete watch snobs wouldn't wear them or know of their existence but any watch collector who appreciates simple mechanical designs and heritage will have a positive word for one of these.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlk2ab3EomvfeJov4YrMD0Stja8i5M69ZAqVvGELHbtw3pEYQiLOLjzMiicVqyDn5GpXLQqM8zh4Ht3fPaFcqDrc77sg3Rg8uRy92T2YhLkGbvM2Y01V0zEo413qYr5R6lnYqW0s_HbE4q/s2048/20201123_164748-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlk2ab3EomvfeJov4YrMD0Stja8i5M69ZAqVvGELHbtw3pEYQiLOLjzMiicVqyDn5GpXLQqM8zh4Ht3fPaFcqDrc77sg3Rg8uRy92T2YhLkGbvM2Y01V0zEo413qYr5R6lnYqW0s_HbE4q/w640-h480/20201123_164748-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sizing my Komandirskie</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I needed to size my watch and keep tools on hand for sizing and most watch repairs. For this I needed the blue press with the rotating collar for driving out the pins that hold the links on the watch band. I did help one out with the hammer and push-pin, removing a total of four links as five was too tight. There's also four notches on the clasp that allows for finer adjustment of size. It's important to injure yourself at least once when removing or reinstalling the link pins.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8yIWNUlvAAPc65b6ruC7Qtn7HJoFqT2sbmeA9tuj-eJAKHyJ8r3rhyaWpxzZHAjjasA6-0NrXsiuA4AIHeEWi9N4sBFlabKnmN6ipaN2VjsK-rV2rnuiFuNedueO6kT5r7aIFVT2Hj-m/s2048/20201123_165735-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8yIWNUlvAAPc65b6ruC7Qtn7HJoFqT2sbmeA9tuj-eJAKHyJ8r3rhyaWpxzZHAjjasA6-0NrXsiuA4AIHeEWi9N4sBFlabKnmN6ipaN2VjsK-rV2rnuiFuNedueO6kT5r7aIFVT2Hj-m/s320/20201123_165735-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No task is too small for an injury</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The watch now fits perfectly and I'll be wearing it to secret informant meetings, during prisoner exchanges, using it to time interrogations and as a token of my rank within in the Soviet apparatus. I'd bet Putin still wears his from the days when he was an ambitious and murderous young GRU officer. Thanks Ivan!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg33L7NZFwmtRjLtuFRks-yuInaBHCqEJvZBfbb6chEjJHUHnDuDeBq_vDrPw6IgYinI11i5vmmtx-VSQOXcnexcg_nwyk0aeXVggt3ILi5ereq1M0pLiSFFWiF7XaSw4GR595O0Rxllud/s1710/KGB-Lume.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1710" data-original-width="1710" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg33L7NZFwmtRjLtuFRks-yuInaBHCqEJvZBfbb6chEjJHUHnDuDeBq_vDrPw6IgYinI11i5vmmtx-VSQOXcnexcg_nwyk0aeXVggt3ILi5ereq1M0pLiSFFWiF7XaSw4GR595O0Rxllud/s320/KGB-Lume.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damn good lume - second hand included<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">The following section is Google photo translations of the manual which came with the watch. I made no real effort to correct translation errors so be warned.</h2><!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?-->
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIRLX9FqDQAz5lGi0LI3naqfsICl835Yzt75eEJfbleEd3Pk4jviWEkjdcCV9Mqc70Dk70wpAv_mjhlQ8jcGq6h6BJYnh0huNGoWrvnXZt2KKzramC0RkysrxJ_UjijFspv2rKkCt4ZaV/s2048/20201123_173801-01.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIRLX9FqDQAz5lGi0LI3naqfsICl835Yzt75eEJfbleEd3Pk4jviWEkjdcCV9Mqc70Dk70wpAv_mjhlQ8jcGq6h6BJYnh0huNGoWrvnXZt2KKzramC0RkysrxJ_UjijFspv2rKkCt4ZaV/s320/20201123_173801-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>ACCELERATED FLOOR ADJUSTMENT 1 CALENDAR. Floor. 3 Position 3. Move the crown Move the hour hand from the number “12” to the number “8” in the direction opposite to the arrows, and then along the direction of the arrows to the number “12” (until the new date of the calendar appears). Repeat the cycle "12-8-12" until the required number appears, After Paul 2 to finish the calendar adjustment, turn the crown to position 1. MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS the watch must be protected from shock, exposure to chemical products and the effects of magnetic fields; - to prevent fogging of the glass on the inside, it's necessary to control that the threaded cap is well screwed in; - to avoid getting dust and dirt into the mechanism, do not open the watch case.
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MANUAL FACTORY There's no need to wind the watch for everyday wear. If the watch has not been used on the wrist for more than a day, wind it by making 20-25 turns of the crown. To wind the watch, unscrew the crown from the sleeve - position 2 and wind it, slightly pulling the crown away from the case. Don't immerse the watch in water if the crown is not in position 1. (Position 1 - crown is completely screwed onto the sleeve). TIME SETTING Move the head to position 2 and pulling it until it clicks - position 3 set the arrows by rotating the head. After setting the arrows, turn the head - position 1. CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT Move the crown to position 3 and turn the arrows in the direction of their movement to set the date. Screw the head back in and fix it in position 1.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOHsx2_ZfzYnTAxc-7JwEW2CQpcdY2aHeIfMDvCUen-ADkRdof8YECFEDXqoMLae7KyrrkVirlP-cF1kGHOEcyqfJ9ksoL0RLP699b3khMEM6Nn7vaPXS1mbP_y4Ce3r6FOrzUBu18S-7/s2048/20201123_173807-01.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOHsx2_ZfzYnTAxc-7JwEW2CQpcdY2aHeIfMDvCUen-ADkRdof8YECFEDXqoMLae7KyrrkVirlP-cF1kGHOEcyqfJ9ksoL0RLP699b3khMEM6Nn7vaPXS1mbP_y4Ce3r6FOrzUBu18S-7/s320/20201123_173807-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?-->
Specifications for mechanical wrist watches "Amphibia", TU 25-07.1347-77, GOST 10733-98. Watch with a central second hand and an instant calendar. Automatic movement "Vostok" 24165. АЯ54 The number of ruby stones-31. Anti-shock device of the balance assembly. The case is stainless steel. Water resistant up to 20 ATM. Organic glass. Stainless steel bracelet. The daily rate at a temperature of 20 + 5 ° C within -20 .. + 60sec. / Day. The power reserve from one spring winding is not less than 31 hours. Average service life of the watch is 10 years.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDR5R1sUaRhrOJJtuvWd_lXHM_7GDA6WFFXMnXtJN2MsneI-2VFs9zKD7fJTdgXY2YqxQGMuQkevkOyWg_TYN5jqu3CeofIGqYqtUs4829vcWTlxyIaYxF47OS6mzyw8-BnKZJBhu2_N_d/s2048/20201123_173824-01.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDR5R1sUaRhrOJJtuvWd_lXHM_7GDA6WFFXMnXtJN2MsneI-2VFs9zKD7fJTdgXY2YqxQGMuQkevkOyWg_TYN5jqu3CeofIGqYqtUs4829vcWTlxyIaYxF47OS6mzyw8-BnKZJBhu2_N_d/s320/20201123_173824-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?-->
WARRANTY OBLIGATIONS. The warranty period of the watch from the date of its sale through the retail network. The shelf life of the watch is 1.5 years. 12 months. In the event of any defects found during the warranty period, we recommend contacting the workshop at the address indicated in the appendix, the company that sold the watch, or the manufacturer. Disadvantages of watches are eliminated free of charge within a period of not more than 20 working days from the date of their receipt at the factory or another organization authorized by the Manufacturer for repair or sale. Warranty repair of watches, replacement or refund of money is carried out in accordance with the Law of the Russian Federation "On Protection of Consumer Rights". For the addresses of the warranty workshops, see the Appendix "Service and Warranties". OTK EXTERNAL NUMBER CODE RELEASE DATE REGISTRATION 420457-22 03.09.20</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKZm2J9d66GDIwPmmhf7yyFyGyX1SmzCbzomtIyXcb3mOAzDnf3mr3N_Xqcg3l2v42W3VT2J1v3SPUZVG69CdzQIuLuS98TGwcKNfc32j9ZDqBepaaZx3Ztjf-XiIFhj0NgiUHxTUu_bV/s2048/20201123_173813-01.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1328" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKZm2J9d66GDIwPmmhf7yyFyGyX1SmzCbzomtIyXcb3mOAzDnf3mr3N_Xqcg3l2v42W3VT2J1v3SPUZVG69CdzQIuLuS98TGwcKNfc32j9ZDqBepaaZx3Ztjf-XiIFhj0NgiUHxTUu_bV/s320/20201123_173813-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><div>WARRANTY CARD
</div><div>Mechanical wrist watch "Amphibia" date of sale stamp of the store CJSC CHISTOPOLSKY WATCH FACTORY "VOSTOK" </div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsY9ARatZVhIvk1YbH1jOhug7pr3GPhdcRPS19M9wzdRnJ7vsJEDM3tLiIQkd6zVSnsjO1IAxNqjPyDcS_9wGc3UF4RyL0iiMn_6CIW8m8v10cjxN248SUk3EKlgHmnIVJ-WnsbVyY01B9/s2048/20201123_173833-01.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1348" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsY9ARatZVhIvk1YbH1jOhug7pr3GPhdcRPS19M9wzdRnJ7vsJEDM3tLiIQkd6zVSnsjO1IAxNqjPyDcS_9wGc3UF4RyL0iiMn_6CIW8m8v10cjxN248SUk3EKlgHmnIVJ-WnsbVyY01B9/s320/20201123_173833-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Closed Joint Stock Company Chistopol Watch Factory "VOSTOK" Russian Federation, Republic of Tatarstan 422981, Chistopol, st. Engels, 129T, bldg. Н-2 Phone / fax: (84342) 9-00-00 Sales department: (84342) 9-00-05 Warranty workshop (84342) 9-00-15 e-mail: rch6@mail.ru; B rch5 @ mail .ru Vostok Russian watch since 1942 www.vostokinc.com www.ChZvostok.ru<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgWN3TWtcZnKh5jPUbe-sk_cxf4jgV15RaPgeMeCOoPdxc1Dz2j2wcvwUy-cOtW1iqivHmfmOcx_koUO7T9jnC7zGQAyGSXNgJ6f5vX1HWKjFyHbGzD22dR8UNXBGAXT8ROa6PkwFI-L5/s2650/20201123_173947-01-01.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="2650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgWN3TWtcZnKh5jPUbe-sk_cxf4jgV15RaPgeMeCOoPdxc1Dz2j2wcvwUy-cOtW1iqivHmfmOcx_koUO7T9jnC7zGQAyGSXNgJ6f5vX1HWKjFyHbGzD22dR8UNXBGAXT8ROa6PkwFI-L5/s320/20201123_173947-01-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div>Petersburg, st. Odoevsky, 29, Primorsky shopping center, section 2, tel .: 8-812-904-5 / -01. St. Petersburg, Komendantsky pr-t, 9 bldg. 2 lit. A. TRK "Promenade" pom. five; tel .: 8-812-965-98-43. St. Petersburg, Aurum Service Center "Lentrapny", Nevsky pr., 48, tel. :: +7 (812) 385-58-44. St. Petersburg, Aurum Service Center "Severny". Engels ave., 154, tel .: +7 (812) 385-58-33. Degerurg, Service Center Aurum "Yuzhny", Kosmonavtov Ave., 14, tel .: +7 (812) 385-58-11. tseterburg, Aurum Service Center "Zapadny", Komendantskiy pr., 9, building 2, tel .: +7 (812) 385-59-22- St. Petersburg, Aurum Service Center "Vostochny", Kollontai street, 3 , tel .: +7 (812) 385-56-95. St. Petersburg, Clock House "Anker +", Ligovsky prospect, 111, tel .: +7 (812) 764-99-63 Ufa, Timeservice LLC, Prospect Oktyabrya, 62, tel .: 8 (347) 257-99-07. Chelyabinsk, "Watch repair", st. Engels, 34, tel .: 8-951-792-17-71. Chelyabinsk, mn "Prospect", 2nd floor, st. Kuznetsova, 12, tel .: 8-900-069-12-14. Yaroslavl, shopping center "Frunzensky", Moskovsky prospect, 97, tel .: 8-901-994-23-61. Vostok-Watches24.com - Thilo Muth, Neue Str: 3, DE-06311 Helbra, Germany Phone +49 178 1972073, e-mail vostok.watches24@icloud.com</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOwOccRC2rPzhUgD7Jj0uYNkjVXxYeouxJZLtR1tLNIdsAZ6aKZE6on_usNTDtLQWa1GLLavPZuMSBnx8R5R42cDxKzekgzBZODWTOPlZ1H32Dd1J6G4Wc6zoZXW2Tol7aUxy3F1E0hFZ/s2644/20201123_173923-01-01.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="2644" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOwOccRC2rPzhUgD7Jj0uYNkjVXxYeouxJZLtR1tLNIdsAZ6aKZE6on_usNTDtLQWa1GLLavPZuMSBnx8R5R42cDxKzekgzBZODWTOPlZ1H32Dd1J6G4Wc6zoZXW2Tol7aUxy3F1E0hFZ/s320/20201123_173923-01-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?-->
Astrakhan, O00 Timesservice. st. N. Ostrovsky, 21, tel .: (8512) 62-63-03. Balakovo, "Watch repair", st. Lenin, 94/1, TC "Garant", tel .: 927-100-82-38. Barnaul. "Watch repair", st. Yurina, 203 (2nd floor) 8 (3852) 40-20-37. Barnaul, "Watch repair", st. Pushkin, 76, tel .: 8-903-992-21-25. Volgograd, OOO "Timesservice", st. Naumova, 10, tel .: (8442) 98-03-33. Volzhsky, Lenin Avenue, 84, Central Department Store, 1st floor, left wing, tel .: 8 (8443) 45-90-10. Vinnitsa, LLC "Aviatekhservice LTD", per. K. Marx, 56, apt. 3, tel .: 38 (067) 7970088, 26-13-16. Yekaterinburg, IP Chinkova, TC "Moskovsky", pr-t. Lenin, 5, 2nd floor, tel .: 8 (343) 2-68-52-26. Yekaterinburg, LLC "Mokosh", TC "Kit", st. Amundsen 65, tel .: 8 (343) 290-92-42. Yekaterinburg, LLC "Mokosh", SEC "Megapolis", st. March 8 149, tel.: 8 (343) 290-59-50. Irkutsk, mn "Russian Watch", st. Litvinova, 2, tel .: (3952) 488-262. Kazan, "Workshop for repairing watches", Bauman st., 51, 2nd floor, TC "GUM", tel. +7 (987) 290-32-08. Kazan, TC "Dolphin", IP Minizanova, st. Zorge, d. 68, 1st floor, tel .: 898728945 39; B 8987 284 00 25. Kirov, LLC "Caliber-Plus", Khlebozavodskaya pr., Industrial complex No. 3, "MAYAK", tel .: (8332) 40-54-39. Kiselevsk, Trade House Oksinite, st. B-Dachnaya, 69 A, tel .: 8-960-915-69-09. Krasiodar, O0 Timeservice, st. Krasnaya, 174, tel .: (861) 242-46-88. Lviv, FLP Khomenko, st. B. Khmelnitsky, 212, bldg. 2, office, 212, tel .: (+38032) 232-97-67.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0St. Petersburg, FL, USA27.7676008 -82.640291499999989-0.54263303617884517 -117.79654149999999 56.077834636178849 -47.484041499999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-56500008483938031032020-06-19T15:57:00.001-07:002020-07-17T18:24:09.754-07:00Parappa & His RAV4 2-Door<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: #333333; color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">----SOLD----</span></div>
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Fun fact: this Rav4 debuted in 1996, the same year as Sony’s Parappa The Rapper and is very likely the car Parappa learned to drive in.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxq37nUXgS1XoKbQtf9PtNuP6e5GL4ojHHGbSTaZdh3qxoC2jXt4zo2GnvpxS3js2bEICSPBjfSsuTWkJx_DXjkfdwa6n2i2-Aijej69deoKRre7sGklHrSCWnI19N4R8Z5-CB0zxa3q9/s1600/aDSC01221-Pao-Rav4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxq37nUXgS1XoKbQtf9PtNuP6e5GL4ojHHGbSTaZdh3qxoC2jXt4zo2GnvpxS3js2bEICSPBjfSsuTWkJx_DXjkfdwa6n2i2-Aijej69deoKRre7sGklHrSCWnI19N4R8Z5-CB0zxa3q9/s640/aDSC01221-Pao-Rav4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm not saying that a two door 1st gen RAV4 is gangsta cool or even modern rap cool. But it's definitely hip-hop cool: I can't imagine Parappa learning to drive in any other car. Here's our rare and sought after 2-door Rav4, perhaps the nicest in the country hanging out with our new-to-us 1990 Nissan Pao.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7qQ1k6iVeMqH4yBz6tF6GAulRejfkQf_pIGM-L0BDQUdfzAncbQBtYq9wgDuHbXJ8OehCFQBhHJmdB1Lqmr9nIbeohfaB3WMTS9Ya4TnQ_Cl9D9sBUAY_cymha2nKHYG-r2gC0BcNH5p/s1600/parappa-the-rapper-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7qQ1k6iVeMqH4yBz6tF6GAulRejfkQf_pIGM-L0BDQUdfzAncbQBtYq9wgDuHbXJ8OehCFQBhHJmdB1Lqmr9nIbeohfaB3WMTS9Ya4TnQ_Cl9D9sBUAY_cymha2nKHYG-r2gC0BcNH5p/s640/parappa-the-rapper-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Rav4 coupe is an extraordinarily uncommon and cute vehicle with the driving dynamics of a tall Honda CRX. <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/1996-Toyota-RAV4-/223987222051?nma=true&si=hyiNo8YkgqjBm8yxcrPJniX7XSM%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557" target="_blank">Two door coupes demand a premium</a>, which reflects the rarity of these quirky, fun cars.<br />
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Ours has super glossy paint and a fresh set of Lexus ES 300h hybrid wheels. Original stamped steel wheels included in sale. Spare tire on hatch replaced with a much lighter temp spare.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDxY6h-PUJHUgZIcUzqyYEIV0HiKIiLOwCu5utXDwxPjLhyphenhyphenNNNgZ-Y94yp2nt2zIn61e8el8DCX4GDYVSIfIy2dXMtreMRDu73hf4J66e1ffsVDTArjyFa3QHc91NFuEkOK9SzC_Bq78O/s1600/DSC01213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDxY6h-PUJHUgZIcUzqyYEIV0HiKIiLOwCu5utXDwxPjLhyphenhyphenNNNgZ-Y94yp2nt2zIn61e8el8DCX4GDYVSIfIy2dXMtreMRDu73hf4J66e1ffsVDTArjyFa3QHc91NFuEkOK9SzC_Bq78O/s640/DSC01213.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Required equipment for any aspirational hip hop mutt, the Kenwood kdc-bt360u bluetooth stereo sounds great & matches dash lighting + the original cassette unit is included. </div>
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Entire windshield Llumar tinted to reject heat and UV with dark band added at top. Cold AC, keyless entry and an alarm. USB charger on dashboard. Five speed manual, like god intended. Shifts well. Front wheel drive. 150k miles on odometer. The only nonfunctional part on this car: the tachometer.</div>
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Fun fact: all seats can be folded flat providing space for two people to catch a nap on a long trip. </div>
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Fun fact: there’s two enormous, removable sunroofs for a near-convertible experience.<br />
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NEW within the last two years: </div>
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<li>Timing belt, water pump and tensioner</li>
<li>Distributor assembly including cap, wires and spark plugs</li>
<li>Alternator</li>
<li>Kenwood kdc-bt360u with bluetooth and USB inputs</li>
<li>Brake master cylinder and brake fluids</li>
<li>Fresh transmission gear oil</li>
<li>Front main seal and valve cover gaskets replaced: no oil drips</li>
<li>Alignment</li>
<li>Infinity Kappa 621x Two-Way door speakers and Pioneer in rear</li>
<li>Llumar highest spec ceramic nanoparticle tint </li>
<li>Fresh marker lights & all bulbs LED including brake lights that strobe for a split second</li>
<li>And probably many more things I'm spacing on...</li>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Cruising around to Parappa's driving test music.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmpethDTFmHFRb_gDzoYzxhSMfAvEeYYrpzvcPRWa1i5eu4yG_6Qr3TPj98QLDcG41hSFsU0WY9IRkTLD2p7JX3t3NlGZm1s6c2sZVl5A70QMlN_lCBhA6LgfYUwMXcTN3bSJxSngHCM3/s1600/Photo_2020-06-19_07-08-23_PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmpethDTFmHFRb_gDzoYzxhSMfAvEeYYrpzvcPRWa1i5eu4yG_6Qr3TPj98QLDcG41hSFsU0WY9IRkTLD2p7JX3t3NlGZm1s6c2sZVl5A70QMlN_lCBhA6LgfYUwMXcTN3bSJxSngHCM3/s640/Photo_2020-06-19_07-08-23_PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lots and lots of space for a tiny car. It's insanely well engineered for being practical. The rear seats flip and fold forward presenting a very tall space for big stuff.<br />
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There's a lot of thoughtful touches to the 1st gen RAV4 two door like glass headlights that never turn yellow or fade and upholstery that's borderline insane by today's standards. Also these Lexus wheels were meant for this car - as after all, a Lexus is a Toyota.<br />
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If you're interested in buying this minty RAV4,<a href="mailto:dsanborn@gmail.com" target="_blank"> drop us a line!</a> Others have sold for much more than this one at $4900 so hurry before it's gone ...<br />
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Note: this RAV4 sold in Arizona for far more. I'm not that patient and feel that I'd rather break even on mine than reap a giant profit:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NOT my RAV4 - but indicative of the coupe 2 door values</td></tr>
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-35888647268249243082020-05-06T18:17:00.000-07:002020-05-21T13:28:03.062-07:00RIP Florian Schneider: 26 Days Of Silence?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_02wMnsHE0I9YxqrNohpgxS2Lf3aZoAHn-tqLaaKFkdKLeEgmH3N75XXbmQr4jO3ITcpSPwfKRhR7RZNhgWkqHMQe4aEJAgkP1-GeAw1Q8Bg1vjROo_LdfnCk-MejQqEyoK3W5EaK_R5/s1600/Beetle+in+Concert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_02wMnsHE0I9YxqrNohpgxS2Lf3aZoAHn-tqLaaKFkdKLeEgmH3N75XXbmQr4jO3ITcpSPwfKRhR7RZNhgWkqHMQe4aEJAgkP1-GeAw1Q8Bg1vjROo_LdfnCk-MejQqEyoK3W5EaK_R5/s400/Beetle+in+Concert.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Florian’s Beetle fahren auf der 3d Autobahn</td></tr>
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Strolling a narrow Düsseldorf street close to the Altstadt district adjacent the Berliner Allee you may have stumbled upon a cultural and metaphorical Easter egg parked on the street. The more astute among any Kraftwerk fans would’ve felt a frisson as I did, a tingling sense of discovery and wonder that someone you’ve spent your entire life idolizing might be close at hand. Such were the thoughts that overwhelmed me upon encountering this particular grey on grey split window Volkswagen Beetle humbly awaiting its owner late one night a couple years ago.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glorious Grey!</td></tr>
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And upon further nearby investigation, confirmation. Briefly I felt like the human incarnation of the Television Personalities song <a href="https://youtu.be/V6zf7P8eTRI" target="_blank">I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives</a>.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes I feel like Columbo.</td></tr>
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And that was that. I didn’t ring the bell because I’m not an asshole and I didn’t meet him and never will and frankly would’ve made a mess of it if I had. There’s an old aphorism about not meeting your heroes and I’m generally a believer. I’m not naming names but I’ve crossed paths with a few artists I admire only to later find myself selling their albums on Discogs and I’m okay with preserving Florian’s dignity in this regard. Yes, I can recount a life-affirming encounter with Florian’s bandmate Wolfgang Flür (<a href="https://medium.com/@davidsanborn_71525/kraftwerk-arent-what-you-think-6ae65ed6ad83" target="_blank">see the interview here on Medium</a>), I once had crepes with Philip Glass and his son Zach and discussed Daniel Johnston with Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan & Georgia Hubley but then there’s the time that I stood outside Elizabeth Fraser’s hotel door and realized it would be madness to knock. There’s a time and a place. Elizabeth: you’re welcome.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wolfgang, my amazing wife Jennifer and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Electri_City-Dusseldorf-School-Electronic-Music/dp/1468314432" target="_blank">Electri_City author Rudi Esch</a></td></tr>
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But that’s not why you’re here. You’re here because Florian is now relegated to history and you’re grieving. He meant the world to you, you own all the Kraftwerk albums and posted in usenet groups back in the day lamenting the dearth of new material. 2008 found you grieving in a different way when Florian said Auf Wiedersehen to Kraftwerk, adjusted his jaunty wool alpine hat and departed to his favorite Westphalian Altbier pub forever leaving behind the band he’d founded 39 years previously. That’s who you are, we are one and the same, you and I. Therefore I won’t regale you with facts lifted from his Wiki and I won’t rehash the monumental significance of his achievements. You know them. </div>
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That said, I must weigh in on the discrepancy of time between when the world felt a disturbance in the Force and today when news broke of Florian Schneider’s departure. In a statement, Kraftwerk co-founder Ralf Hütter confirms “the very sad news that his friend and companion over many decades Florian Schneider has passed away from a short cancer disease just a few days after his 73rd birthday.” As I write this it’s May 6th 2020. Florian’s birthday is April 7th and so “a few days” generally means three, so we’ll assume we lost him April 10th. <br />
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What, exactly transpired in those 26 days? Can Ralf Hütter perhaps, set me straight on this? What about you Sony Berlin? Hello “one of his musical collaborators, who said Schneider had died a week ago and had a private burial”, what do you know about this Manhattan Project level of secrecy that has surrounded the death of one of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/27/kraftwerk-most-influential-electronic-band-tate" target="_blank">most influential musicians who has ever existed?</a><br />
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Had the same level of secrecy existed around Prince’s death Minneapolis would have burned. Had David Bowie’s transition to the aether been similarly smothered? Riots I assure you. Did Laurie Anderson sit on the news that her beloved husband Lou Reed no longer was waiting for the man? No. </div>
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Unlike those examples, Florian never had a dreadful Christian phase like Prince and never stooped to working with hacks like Gwen Stefani or Sheryl Crow. Florian never birthed anything as bad as the <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/flashback-david-bowie-faces-heat-on-glass-spider-tour-89166/" target="_blank">Glass Spider tour</a> and never bought songs from other artists to rebrand as his own. He never contractually phoned one in like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Machine_Music" target="_blank">Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music</a>. In fact Florian never composed so much as a mediocre song. There’s literally nothing be apologetic about, legendarily inspiring countless electronic bands from <a href="https://youtu.be/d5XJ2GiR6Bo" target="_blank">Orchestral Manouevres In The Dark</a> to <a href="https://youtu.be/LKYPYj2XX80" target="_blank">Daft Punk</a>. Apologies to fans of Prince, David Bowie and Lou Reed, I’m a fan too but I’m just belaboring the point that Florian had a perfect, unspoiled record of awesomeness. And yet, unlike those artists I just dunked on,<i> twenty six days elapsed before we knew</i> the supernova that was Florian shines no more.<br />
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I understand that there’s decorum and protocol regarding our fallen heroes and I’m glad that I could pay my homage to Falco at Vienna’s Zentralfriedhof cemetery. Similarly I once spent an hour with William S. Burroughs at St. Louis’ Bellefontaine Cemetery and remember the cold, grey day well. These were public figures and in death they still contribute to their fans. So then, what does the future hold for Florian? A memorial? A statue on the beautiful Königsallee? I ask out of fear that the memorial will have to exist in our hearts and minds. I ask for all the fans.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm NOT equating Falco to Florian but his glass obelisk memorial is truly astonishing!</td></tr>
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Would someone please give us a clue? Throw the smallest bone? I'm the <a href="https://youtu.be/P1rezswXJ2c" target="_blank">antenna, catching vibrations</a> here and feeling very receptive.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">David Sanborn is a rabid fan of Kraftwerk who once <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/kraftwerk-1200934" target="_blank">went to the DMV and changed his name to Kraftwerk</a>. Feeling that wasn’t sufficient, he then <a href="https://www.cltampa.com/music/reviews/article/20848267/florida-couple-has-fullon-kraftwerk-nuptials-look" target="_blank">proposed to his fellow Kraftwerk fan girlfriend that they get married as Kraftwerk</a>. Since then they’ve <a href="https://rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/duesseldorf/stadtgespraech/verrueckte-hochzeits-idee-david-sanborn-feiert-kraftwerk-hochzeit_aid-19265033" target="_blank">had a blast and made some great friends</a>.</span></div>
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-25762906293633262642020-04-29T13:50:00.004-07:002023-05-10T08:45:05.232-07:001988's 8mm Concerts: Butthole Surfers, Half Japanese & Alex Chilton<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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Somewhere in the back of your closet buried among cassette mix tapes and the Frankie Say shirt you're embarrassed to have ever worn but secretly love might be 8mm film footage that you should've digitized decades ago. It's the kind of millstone you'll never divest yourself of, but which will take an act of god before you put the pieces in motion to do something about. In my case it's an astonishing trifecta of my childhood home burning down, a global pandemic and surgery on a broken toe that opened up vast swaths of unlimited time for sit-down projects. That and winning the high bid on a <a href="https://www.wolverinedata.com/products/MovieMaker_Pro" target="_blank">Wolverine Pro 8mm film scanner</a>.</div>
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Presented here for you to poke with a stick is the product of that trifecta: vintage digitized 8mm film footage of the Butthole Surfers, Half Japanese and Alex Chilton all filmed over the waning months of 1988.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butthole Surfers at Numbers, Houston April 27th 1988</td></tr>
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Looking at this from the perspective of 2020s technology it seems absurd that one can now hold aloft a Hershey bar sized 4k / 60 frames per second low-light video camera that's also a phone and think nothing of it. Back then I borrowed a camera from the university A/V department and spent money I definitely didn't have on Super8 Kodak film and captured these shows on two 50ft reels. The limitations of the film are enormous: slow ISO speed, hard to focus in the dim viewfinder, can't set proper apertures in strobe lights, etc. Yet here it is.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half Japanese at Tipitina's, New Orleans Dec 9th 1988</td></tr>
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Chances are the film does have sound - but the Wolverine Pro film scanner doesn't do sound, so I'll link to someone's <a href="https://youtu.be/dc3WQZFacLc" target="_blank">fantastic recording of the Butthole Surfers concert</a> for full effect. Some lovely savant also <a href="https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/half-japanese/1988/tipitinas-new-orleans-la-63e20adf.html" target="_blank">enshrined the Half Japanese setlist here</a> - obviously a giant among men. Another lovely act of generosity tells us that Alex Chilton played at <a href="https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/alex-chilton/1989/hal-and-mals-jackson-ms-2be2205a.html" target="_blank">Hal and Mal's, Jackson, Mississippi </a>May 19th, 1989 but alas there's no setlist. Happily there's now a grainy 8mm film commemorating a night on Earth.</div>
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I'm an alumni of Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, a tiny oasis of culture in a vast cultural wasteland of churches, pastures and soy farms. If I wanted to see a good show that meant up to a 600+ mile roundtrip to New Orleans, Houston or Dallas. Being broke meant carpooling. The Butthole Surfers show in Houston was a road trip with Michael Donaldson, Les Jordan myself and others. The venue was DIY punk ethos personified, Houston's Numbers club, a dilapidated warehouse in an apocalyptic industrial district straight out of Repo Man. (I could be wrong on the venue and would love comments from anyone in the know.)<br />
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Cameras were not welcome but I'd prepared a laughably unlikely ruse to bring my 8mm film and still cameras in: a laminated card that simply stated "PRESS" which I tucked into the front band of a very cliche felt fedora I found at Goodwill ... which worked. Once inside it was mayhem and insanity as the show had started. Some was filmed from the pit where being moshed upon was a risk so I decided to try my luck carting my gear backstage to film from the side. A bouncer guarding the stairs glanced at my dumb hat and unbelievably waved me up but took great exception to the guy behind me emboldened at my success who tried to follow but instead got a brutal shove well back into the crowd.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">What cultural gems are lurking in your closet?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div>
David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-39929933205185628912020-04-16T18:07:00.006-07:002023-09-09T12:23:42.819-07:0010 Sublime Movies + Film Critics I Loathe and Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjVO2aRkUjT9pVw7xtuT49nhOLBzPnMQiwyedYBMigB1RlSeaUMG41fk1fOfIH05sW2yyVeAMX4yqA9rxMJkoUPngom8XdOBMjtRXilXaxzkM9FDcXZIB7WswPnFQULQxIvTgGFxzVoNn/s1600/Photo_2020-04-16_12-08-30_AM+%25281%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjVO2aRkUjT9pVw7xtuT49nhOLBzPnMQiwyedYBMigB1RlSeaUMG41fk1fOfIH05sW2yyVeAMX4yqA9rxMJkoUPngom8XdOBMjtRXilXaxzkM9FDcXZIB7WswPnFQULQxIvTgGFxzVoNn/s400/Photo_2020-04-16_12-08-30_AM+%25281%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Before I indulge myself with this polemic on movies that have most informed or entertained me in my half century of existing, let me be clear: I'm not "qualified" to review cinema nor am I a "film critic". Despite that, a lack of talent in this realm doesn't stop some film critics from achieving that very thing as a paid vocation. I have strong opinions on cinema but might lack the industry lingo to adequately elucidate why I believe what I believe. A good reviewer could conjure up the minutia of Federico Fellini's entire oeuvre with a smattering of references to Ingmar Bergman, Dogme-95 and concepts more obscure in a simple review of an Adam Sandler movie. Me? I can barely smash the buttons on my laptop to form cohesive sentences. Yet here we are: I'm about to make my opinion on a difficult subject concrete.<br />
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But before I do that, let me discuss arguably <i>untalented</i> film reviewers, guys who somehow were anointed by respectable newspapers with the aegis of smearing their opinion upon the cinematic crafts. There's two with whom I've had the misfortune of crossing paths, one a miserable Disney flack and mediocre grifter and the other a man who'd buy your girlfriend an unwanted drink at the bar while you're off putting money in the parking meter: respectively former Orlando Sentinel writer Jay Boyar and The Austin Chronicle's Marc Savlov.<br />
<br />I 'lived' in Orlando from 1989-91 and used cinema as an avenue of escape from the dreary reality of attending the painfully mediocre University of Central Florida, a school I accidentally transferred to from a far superior university. The only easily acquired film reviews to determine if a movie merited my pauper's patronage was The Orlando Sentinel. If the director was someone familiar like Hal Hartley or Wim Wenders I could skip the research, otherwise I'd scan my local paper and count the stars next to the film's name. Their primary critic Jay Boyar in particular earned my ire for his blatant sycophancy of Disney and to a lesser degree Universal Studios, understandable given that they own Orlando and their payola must've been legendary. I'd literally look for the movies Boyar panned and regard it as an endorsement.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool As Ice: so astonishingly bad that it circles back around to being good?</td></tr>
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One turkey film I purposely attended out of an incomprehensible depth of loathing and disgust for the lead man was Vanilla Ice's fall from grace: <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cool_as_ice" target="_blank">Cool as Ice</a>. It was as beautifully horrifying as I'd hoped it to be, a cinematic catastrophe. I recall that after seeing it Jay Boyar gave it 2.5 stars out of four. 2.5! That it could even move the meter was a staggering admission, but 2.5 out of four? Inconceivable! If before I'd considered Jay to be a flack, now I regarded him as the enemy.<br />
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And so it was that I found myself in a financially strapped, stunningly cold budget theater and sat upon hard and unergonomic seats awaiting the latest from Peter Greenaway: <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/prosperos-books-1991" target="_blank">Prospero's Books</a>. Provisionally I'm a Greenaway fan and loved all his films so my expectations were high. As the lights dimmed I noticed a man a few rows ahead of us sitting solo and scribbling in a notebook with a penlight which continued apace and it dawned on me "the balding head, the notebook ... it's my nemesis Jay Boyar"! This is the point where my girlfriend and I began discreetly tossing popcorn at the back of his head. He'd whirl around hoping to identify his antagonist but there were too many potential culprits. In retrospect that was the best part of Prospero's Books, my Waterloo for Greenaway. I read just now that it's 109 minutes long but my recollection was a film that staunchly refused to end, mocking our attention spans, our discomfited butts and leaving us nearly frost bitten, but even the worst Greenaway film <i>has to be better</i> than the crap Boyar lavished praise upon. Somehow Jay persevered to the end and glared at everyone on his way up the aisle. His review a few days later in the Sentinel perhaps reflected his popcorn pelting: 1.5 stars. He ranked a Peter Greenaway film <i>below</i> a Vanilla Ice film. Am I to blame? Nope. That was classic Boyar.<br />
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Jump forward seven-ish years and I'm now an Austinite and <a href="https://www.austinchronicle.com/" target="_blank">The Austin Chronicle</a> is my go-to newspaper for both urbane op-eds and movie criticism and again I have found a nemesis and allies in the fight for honest film criticism. I, like many of you count The Blues Brothers among the finest films made, it's a sublime rollick and the prospect of a good sequel from John Landis was at that moment in time a believable proposition. And so it was that I read Marc Savlov's 3.5 of 5 stars review of <a href="https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/1998-02-06/140238/" target="_blank">Blues Brothers 2000</a> and cast doubts aside and spent my dosh and time on an unmitigated, despicable turkey of a film. Life being short and time being valuable, I took his misdirection personally and was quite motivated to pen an angry missive to the paper that <a href="https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/1998-02-27/522886/" target="_blank">found its way into print the following week</a>:<br />
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<i style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="color: #999999;">Dear Editor:<br />Landis and his cronies should be stood up against a wall for desecrating the memory of the original film [Blues Brothers 2000]. I haven't been so appalled by a film since I saw Vanilla Ice in Cool as Ice at the dollar cinema years ago - and I went to that just so I could celebrate awfulness in full bloom. And damned if I didn't enjoy Cool as Ice just for that very reason. But Blues Brothers 2000 is undeserving of the barely restrained accolades your reviewer gave it. The 10-year-old Buster Blues was worse than I could have imagined, the musical numbers were arbitrarily thrown in and lacked all relevance to the movie, and the audience sat mute through the movie hoping something/anything funny would happen.<br />Your reviewer wrote, "...its heart and soul and sense of unbridled fun is so on-target that it doesn't matter..." Heart and soul? Unbridled fun? Did that reviewer accidentally sit in John Turturro's Brain Donors or the Cohen Brother's Raising Arizona? Then the description might apply. Otherwise the film is dreck, pimping the good name of the original for undeserved pocket change. Your reviewer should hang his or her head in shame for misleading me into throwing my money away. I haven't been so upset with a film reviewer since I lived in Orlando and regularly read Jay Boyar's movie reviews in the Orlando Sentinel, but only because he's the most idiotic person ever to put words on paper and is always consistently wrong. If you'd like a primer on how not to write film reviews, go to this site and read some of his reviews (URL), you'll reel backwards in horror in much the same way that I did at the execrable BB2000.<br />So please, print a retraction, and give BB2000 the La Bomba it earned. Or else bring me the head of that anonymous reviewer.<br />David Sanborn<br />[Ed. note: Mark Savlov wrote the review. His initials are signed at the end of the review.]</span></i></blockquote>
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Savlov did make the smallest effort replying to my vitriol, noting in a later missive (that I sadly now cannot find despite my best efforts) that he was very much stoned when he watched BB2000 which accounted for his ... optimistic 3.5 star rating.<br />
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Maybe don't get stoned while doing your "job"?<br />
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Later that year our pal Michael Donaldson aka Q-Burns Abstract Message was in town for a gig at a SXSW venue and gave a couple artist passes to me and my girlfriend. We went to a swanky downtown bar hosting an industry event and hobnobbed with local celebrities and saw the mayor there. At some point I realized I had to go pay our parking attendant and left for a few minutes. When I returned I found my girlfriend uncharacteristically sipping a flamboyant cocktail at the bar. She smiled and said "you'll never guess who tried to pick me up" and pointed at a guy across the bar. Yep: Savlov. She really appreciated it too. Thanks!<br />
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So that I'm on record as being capable of praise, let me affirm that AusChron film critics Kimberley Jones and Marjorie Baumgarten were my touchstones back then: if they gave a movie more than three stars then I'd like it, guaranteed. If they rated a film four or higher then clear a path motherfuckers I'm going to the movies. But Marc Savlov was a wildcard unlike Jay Boyar. Sometimes he liked good films (unlike Jay who reliably disliked anything good). <a href="https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/2000-06-23/chicken-run/" target="_blank">Savlov gave 3.5 stars to Chicken Run</a>, a film that extremely underwhelmed me and pushed my buttons for its egregious, cliched portrayal of Americans as loudmouthed blowhards with that character being played by an Australian no less. The horror! I penned a <a href="https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2000-07-21/77964/" target="_blank">perhaps unnecessarily vitriolic reply</a> and for the most part, I still stand by it, though in retrospect I might've been channeling some disdain from the bar incident. Who knows?<br />
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Anyway! On to my protracted <b>10 Best Films According To Me</b> segment that this has been leading up to, hey ho! So here they are in no particular order other than <a href="https://www.criterion.com/films/658-withnail-and-i" target="_blank">Withnail & I</a> being first and <a href="https://www.halhartley.com/shop/henry-fool-trilogy" target="_blank">Henry Fool</a> a very, very close second depending on my mood:<br />
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<li><a href="https://youtu.be/vGUuZJj7WwI" target="_blank">Withnail & I (1987</a>): a film I randomly saw on a rainy Seal Beach California day in 1987. We ducked into an arts cinema to escape the deluge and I saw a film destined to change my life and the way I look at cinema. This film is sublime and beautiful and tragic and darkly hilarious. I have a signed Richard Griffiths casting photo on my coffee table to prove it. It put dialog like "I mean to have you even if it must be burglary!" into my repertoire forever. </li>
<li><a href="https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/henry-fool-1117341192/" target="_blank">Henry Fool (1997)</a>: Hal Hartley was godlike before I saw this film. It's the perfect story of broken egos, fallibility, hope, insecurity and everything that makes us flawed.</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/Zmmsbvs4dWA" target="_blank">Rubin & Ed (1991)</a>: My wife Jennifer and I once had the immense pleasure of sitting down with Crispin Glover and chatting. Literally ALL I wanted to talk about was his appearance on Letterman to promote Rubin & Ed. Trust me, this cat can eat an entire watermelon. That writer & director Trent Harris could corral his stars into making this unlikely comedy boggles my mind.</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/lTjjtGVIclY" target="_blank">Barfly (1987)</a>: Gritty and uncompromising look at what motivates an artist. This is what made me hate "obviousness" and what it represents for the rest of my life. </li>
<li><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/almost-everything-in-dr-strangelove-was-true" target="_blank">Dr Strangelove (1964)</a>: I grew up convinced that at any moment I could be incinerated in a blinding atomic blast. This film illustrates everything wrong with how the military and governments work.</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/AonZdAfEQgA" target="_blank">Cross of Iron (1977)</a>: It's a Sam Peckinpah film starring James Coburn so I have to love it. Criminally overlooked too. Again, this is a film that exposes our military as being the crass, nepotistic ass-kissing fraud you suspected it was. Never mind that it's the German military here, they're all bad.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.criterion.com/films/29079-betty-blue" target="_blank">Betty Blue (1986)</a>: Quintessentially French, the French-est film ever made. A fiery love affair destined to implode, mental illness, an amazing score and featuring a relationship I swear I was once trapped in.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.highonfilms.com/hana-bi-1997-kitano-review/" target="_blank">Hanabi (1997):</a> It's astonishing that Kitano "Beat" Takeshi got his start as a stand up comedian, but then again only a master of the darkest humor could write, direct and star in a film this nuanced. I genuinely love this film. The ending chokes me up. </li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/lwISbJfRNz0" target="_blank">Dark Star (1974)</a>: This is the 1st 'art' film that I saw. I was reeling from the pain of freshly installed braces and was 13 years old. This film just happened to be on Tampa Bay's channel 44 and I sat transfixed by it, all pain temporarily forgotten. Honestly, I can't watch this without wondering what I've done with my life. This was John Carpenter's film school project for Chrissakes. </li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/Csv1wXOr5tY" target="_blank">Kelly's Heroes (1971)</a>: I could note the very famous stars or the director or the premise or the amazing score by Lalo Schifrin but I'll dispense with that. This is the best war film ever made if your yardstick is based on dark humor. </li>
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Honorable mentions: </div>
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<li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/feb/04/adrienne-shelly-wild-genius-waitress-stage" target="_blank">The Waitress (2007)</a>: Adrienne Shelly's only film before being stolen from us by an act of unspeakable evil. Hal Hartley cast her in his early movies and I like to think she was channeling him when she wrote, directed and played a bit role in this amazingly beautiful polemic on struggle and attaining happiness.</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/bE_X2pDRXyY" target="_blank">Winter's Bone (2010)</a>: directed by Debra Granik and starred Jennifer Lawrence, no film better illustrates the quiet desperation of rural America. I've been in many communities like the one depicted here and I'll attest it's dire and murderous. </li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/DLGrXGEMOSo" target="_blank">Repo Man (1984)</a>: Possibly the most quotable film ever made. Alex Cox at his finest. I lived in Los Angeles in the mid 80's and yep, that's what it looked like. I'd buy punk rock at Zed's Records in Long Beach and skate and work shitty jobs there just like the protagonists in the movie. I'm astonished that Alex then filmed the horrible Straight To Hell. As it stands, anyone making a film that bad can't be entirely trusted. </li>
<li><a href="https://variety.com/2014/film/festivals/film-review-space-station-76-1201136704/" target="_blank">Space Station 76 (2014)</a>: This is sci-fi done right. It's campy yet somehow gripping and poignant. Fans of Todd Rundgren won't believe their fortune. </li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/-eXI4uy3Mlg" target="_blank">Catch-22 (1970)</a>: The Joseph Heller book was as good as a book can be. Somehow the movie is better. Similar to Kelly's Heroes, the all star cast of this dark comedy will amaze you. If you still want to enlist in the military after watching this farce then god bless your tiny heart.</li>
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A sad and happy footnote: after penning this polemic on films and their critics I realized that Jay Boyar passed away in mid-2019. I would be doing him a disservice to edit my criticism of his writings as either way, dead or alive, that's the legacy he left. I do sense a sad vacuum where he once existed and I'm sure that he brought joy to people's lives, especially those who enjoy the most mediocre of Hollywood's commercial offerings. He'll be missed.</div>
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Happily, I just Bing'ed <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberley-jones-6460a9186/" target="_blank">Kimberley Jones</a>, a film critic I revered and noted to my happiness that she's the goddamned <i>Editor in Chief </i>of the Austin Chronicle now. Mazel Tov Kimberley! <a href="https://www.austinchronicle.com/authors/marjorie-baumgarten/2018/" target="_blank">Marjorie Baumgarten</a> meanwhile still plies her trade as a wordsmith and critic of immense talent: huzzah Marjorie: you two mean the world to me, carry on!</div>
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<br /></div>David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-7193804524650814692019-05-30T11:01:00.002-07:002019-05-30T13:42:16.407-07:00Kraftwerk Sky-Dancer: She said "wouldn't it be funny if ..." and I said YES! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYOdhG0YPxVcKibO52R9RJ94aohKNQo9rQszai7Z5lj7k5u3EGl2negmt876b03OpUYOJMOK9awBTzfmmQ6AIDHEFf3hLOxcD6Gotqhub5p_LAaxbpOCgBZz7i25Ya2SgmbVL83dZfulw/s1600/Youtube+Thumbnail.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="1274" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYOdhG0YPxVcKibO52R9RJ94aohKNQo9rQszai7Z5lj7k5u3EGl2negmt876b03OpUYOJMOK9awBTzfmmQ6AIDHEFf3hLOxcD6Gotqhub5p_LAaxbpOCgBZz7i25Ya2SgmbVL83dZfulw/s320/Youtube+Thumbnail.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sometimes an audacious idea pops into your head and you mull it over and then ... do it. For example, I jokingly suggested to my best friend and wife Jennifer that we should have a <a href="https://rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/duesseldorf/stadtgespraech/verrueckte-hochzeits-idee-david-sanborn-feiert-kraftwerk-hochzeit_aid-19265033" target="_blank">Kraftwerk themed wedding</a> ... and without a pause she said SURE! Point being: you should pursue the flashes of brilliance you're occasionally blessed with and also be the positive influence and enabler in someone else's life who needs that little push to make it happen. To wit, the creation Jennifer has crafted known as the Wild Wacky Wiggly Wolfgang.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwFaPvnHbiWBgFDYhOmJy8hCb4LArnSuyTUNoqFOliP-9oKmrZQ9BgZgSjeSHpanZFbxNYkLO_tW52mhxomU-0xaBFAGDJpwOgEcFczKm9opp7GXX111x1iz3egaCXETeso0KG1GqMScF4/s1600/IMG_0198.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwFaPvnHbiWBgFDYhOmJy8hCb4LArnSuyTUNoqFOliP-9oKmrZQ9BgZgSjeSHpanZFbxNYkLO_tW52mhxomU-0xaBFAGDJpwOgEcFczKm9opp7GXX111x1iz3egaCXETeso0KG1GqMScF4/s320/IMG_0198.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wolfgang Flür's face - from the Dentaku 7"</td></tr>
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Constructed of ripstop nylon bought from eBay and with a few back of a paper bag measurements of existing Sky Dancers, Jennifer plunged into this project without being sure if it would even work properly. Red, black and a kind of eggshell color were the settled upon choices, but not before ordering many color swatches and fabric samples so she would have a clue as the fabric's pliability, color suitability and hue.</div>
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Also initially purchased but found to be unsuitable were a 12 volt automotive radiator fan and high amperage 110v ac to 12v dc converter. This experiment was to hopefully make our Sky Dancer portable but in reality would only inflate our Wolfgang without the wiggle we desired.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">$100 down an interesting drain.</td></tr>
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On the other hand, it did inflate our Wild Wacky Wiggly Wolfgang for his inaugural moment in our back yard, late at night. To the chagrin of our very middling neighbors.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First inflation looks good!</td></tr>
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For reference, here's the Big Bear 3/4 hp blower we found locally for a fair price. Maybe this could be done cheaper but not without some expensive and failed experimentation.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvl_H6qK5oJOuTsTP42-rl2NTOCqnvZ5l069acaNknvB96_lN7hTJxMvv8vAwFWOm_a13Mj5OB4diLqOvpsfraQevKYvj9Mc3iUTtqZvm_1Vycpg_kBzLNRt1AnCb9VU1btZUMl217YCp/s1600/Big_Bear_Model_.75_HP_FAN__00512_zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="501" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvl_H6qK5oJOuTsTP42-rl2NTOCqnvZ5l069acaNknvB96_lN7hTJxMvv8vAwFWOm_a13Mj5OB4diLqOvpsfraQevKYvj9Mc3iUTtqZvm_1Vycpg_kBzLNRt1AnCb9VU1btZUMl217YCp/s200/Big_Bear_Model_.75_HP_FAN__00512_zoom.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Big Bear" 3/4 HP Skydancer Vortex Fan Blower</td></tr>
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For anyone wondering what our Kraftwerk Air Dancer looks like in real time and not projected backwards in time ...</div>
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Some fans collect autographs. We make artifacts and memories. This artifact is in honor of our friend Wolfgang and all our friends both in Kraftwerk (hello Fritz!) and the fans of Kraftwerk (hello John Shilcock, Paul Wilkinson, Thilo Schölpen, Rudiger Esch, Rob Keene & many more!). </div>
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Stay tuned for our Hazeltine 1500 computer terminal restoration (as seen on the cover of Computer World) and a review of Kraftwerk's discography on floppy disk.</div>
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-82067703717152466412019-04-07T22:09:00.001-07:002019-10-04T14:27:27.380-07:00Rev. Fred Lane: Icepick To The Moon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim Reed aka Rev. Fred Lane with Icepick To The Moon <br />
director Skizz Cyzyk at its Tampa premier March 2019</td></tr>
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There's a magic, shining moment in Fred Lane's jazzy "White Woman" that (lyrics aside) has put a demented smile on my face for three decades now. It's a moment so symbolic and such a poke to the eye of convention that it stands out like a billboard in a desert. Any fan of jazz understands the language: pick a key, choose a thematic melody and tempo then ... go. <br />
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Each instrument gets a moment to riff as the band members hand off solos through a combination of telepathy and subtle cues. Thus it is that one must sit through the horrifying cacophony of the saxophone solo in White Woman, ears ringing from its icepick stabs to sensibility when finally it's over and a tremulous and polite flute solo briefly bows in with promises to undo the harm - then the saxophone, defying every convention, barges back in and stomps the flute solo into the ground.<br />
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Genius.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totally a real album that exists.</td></tr>
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This moment is the penultimate summary of Rev. Fred Lane's oeuvre - taking everything you know and expect and turning it on its head. He's a demented Dean Martin exuberantly answering the question "what if Marcel Duchamp was from Alabama and played jazz" and then answering it with a backstory so opaque that further questioning is not possible. The Duchamp comparison isn't too far out of bounds either: The Rev. Fred Lane is the alias and absurd alter-ego of Tim Reed who was a member of the <a href="https://www.raudelunas.com/" target="_blank">Raudelunas collective</a>, a Dada inspired cabal of University of Alabama students who were willing to live for their art in the midst of a city dominated by football and greek fraternity culture.<br />
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Anyone who has ever studied the back cover of Car Radio Jerome has marveled at the astonishing musical catalog depicted there of Fred Lane recordings, albums with titles like "Abdul Ben Camel and the Anatolian Rave Ups", "Stand Up and be Counted Sherlton Welley", "Colonic Olfactory Cartel", "The Dog who Loved my Leg", "Fred Land Live at First Baptist Federal Prison", "The Hit" or any of the other thirty five depicted there know that it hinted at an unbelievably deep well of music, if only any of those LP's were to be found. Which they could not. Only two were released: 1983's "From the One that Cut You" and 1988's "Car Radio Jerome", both on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kramer_(musician)" target="_blank">Kramer's Shimmy Disc label</a>.<br />
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Thirty three of these albums are as real as the set of fictional encyclopedias from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tl%C3%B6n,_Uqbar,_Orbis_Tertius" target="_blank">Jorge Borges' short story "Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius"</a> - another beautiful speculative fiction of enormous proportions. And so it is that I unabashedly compare Fred Lane to titans of Dada and literature. I could go on at length about Fred Lane but my pals over at Dangerous Minds already wrote a <a href="https://dangerousminds.net/comments/danger_is_my_beer_meet_ultra-obscure_musical_cult_hero_reverend_fred_lane" target="_blank">short and illuminating piece</a> on the man and his legacy so I'll leave it to you to check that out. For those unfamiliar with the music, give this a listen, and don't weep overly much for the flute solo cut down in its prime:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nope, not real.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not real either.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLL9faQ4YejPgtjBZcZ4ZEe7IgdPI8XN_ya5Qj67LoyoGnXUC58X5XHmC650TVImD1Pw6d063ls7ss71QW4aqoEioIWzJQL_mfhh0Jrk1R182PC54sVF_0jHLHhZlahGvJE7quRGPlu2d/s1600/not-real-the-hit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1092" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLL9faQ4YejPgtjBZcZ4ZEe7IgdPI8XN_ya5Qj67LoyoGnXUC58X5XHmC650TVImD1Pw6d063ls7ss71QW4aqoEioIWzJQL_mfhh0Jrk1R182PC54sVF_0jHLHhZlahGvJE7quRGPlu2d/s200/not-real-the-hit.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totally a great LP if it existed, which it doesn't.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the best jazz I've never heard.</td></tr>
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For those of us who have spent the last few decades wondering whether these albums might exist or about the man behind the madness, fear not as a film documentarian improbably named Skizz Cyzyk has already spent two of those decades asking these burning questions. His debut effort <a href="http://www.fredlanedoc.com/" target="_blank">"Icepick to the Moon"</a> has touched down after an astounding <i>two decades</i> of halting production. It's a sampling of the evolution of digital video from the pixellated potato days of the late 90's to the 4k resolutions today as the technology evolved during production, yet this mixture of video qualities is natural if quirky. Mr. Cyzyk admits he learned the art of documentary film making by osmosis as his vocation is traveling to facilitate film festivals and has viewed thousands of films and documentaries. A recent job that thankfully involved far less traveling allowed him the desk time to learn Adobe After Effects to create the lovely animations that are peppered throughout and begin the process of editing footage into something cohesive. It was worth the two decade wait: lost footage was unearthed from the mid 70's and people came out of obscurity to talk on the subject who'd otherwise have been omitted had Skizz been a more hurried auteur.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your humble narrator would rather meet this guy than the Pope or Mick Jagger:</td></tr>
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The University of Tampa screened the documentary in the Cass center's theater and promised a "special guest". Initially we were concerned that no one would show up as it didn't seem to have been properly announced. Doors opened at 7:30 for an 8:30 showing and we sat alone in the dim listening to the banter of the three Radio-TV students who were sullenly assigned the task of operating the equipment. I felt sorry for them, having no idea as the significance of this documentary. It wasn't until well after eight that people began filtering in and before long all seats were occupied and I could breathe a sigh of relief. The fans looked like I expected: over 40, marching to the beat of a different drummer and proud to be a part of this. I was grateful to see a millennial couple behind us and upon introductions it was revealed that one is Tim Reed's nephew William - cool!<br />
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Peering further into the dimness behind us revealed a familiar figure at the back row. Our special guest was indeed special: band aids on his face, a dapper hat, chunky eyeglasses and white van dyke facial hair ... jackpot! There are times that warrant being a gushing, foolishly grinning fan-boy and this was one. I walked back and sat by him with a dumb smile plastered across my face and told him fan-boy stuff and he smiled back and was very gracious and appreciative to hear it. I told him about how he helped me embrace my southern heritage, that it was people like him and Flannery O'Connor, the Butthole Surfers, Wayne White, William S. Burroughs, The Residents or Truman Capote that could only have been forged in the crucible of the deep south to such great effect. I basically blathered, but I meant all of it from the bottom of my heart. Then I asked if he could sign the Icepick posters that the RTV department had thoughtfully given me, which he did.<br />
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Icepick to the Moon answered many questions for me, like what cauldron of the absurd could've cooked up a being as unlikely as Fred Lane and how did the very creepy song "From The One That Cut You" come about ... and why? That's a story best explained by the documentary, let's just say that it's based on something found in a derelict panel van ...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kind of note you don't want to find in a panel van.</td></tr>
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The Q & A after the movie was enlightening though the audience was shy about asking questions. I felt obligated to again chip in my two cents about the deep south being a crucible from which some amazingly offbeat talents have been forged. Here it is in its entirety:<br />
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I'd like to leave you with this: you too can own a piece of Tim Reed, so to speak. His focus lately has been on kinetic sculptures; things that whirl about in the wind and inspire whimsy, or as he puts it, "unusual kinetic sculptures for people who have nothing better to do with their money". I'm down with that. I must have a Booley in my yard STAT.<br />
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Tim Reed's contact info:<br />
jhootie7@hotmail.com<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Artist/Odd-Creachter-184816250954/">https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Artist/Odd-Creachter-184816250954/</a><br />
172 North Crest Road<br />
Chattanooga TN 37404<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jennifer Huber hearts Tim Reed!</td></tr>
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Addendum from the Rev. Fred Lane (Tim Reed) himself: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The stage show of FTOTCY was originally produced November 13,1976. The recordings Fun in the Fundus & Oatmeal are both from this production. Rubber Room was recorded in 1978 in anticipation of the Recommended Records sampler. This was delayed because of that label’s objection to the song’s content (literal minded maybe). They finally released I Talk to My Haircut (Why is this song’s subject matter less objectionable?)<br />Any how, the remainder of the tunes were recorded in 1981 at the Northport, AL chamber of commerce. We always used whatever space we could get away with.<br />The record was at long last released on my fake label Say Day Bew records in 1983, seven years after it should have been and since I was young it seemed like forever. </blockquote>
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-45817055080210044882018-05-10T15:31:00.004-07:002018-12-10T08:47:39.105-08:00Düsseldorf: Past is Prologue <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We wanted to do this documentary months ago but didn't know where to start so finally <a href="http://jenniferhuber.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer</a> just ... started. This trip was life changing; we met a personal hero of ours, Kraftwerk's <a href="https://www.popmatters.com/wolfgang-fluer-eloquence-2495474088.html" target="_blank">Wolfgang Flür</a>, toured the formerly top secret <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kling_Klang_Studio" target="_blank">Kling Klang Studio</a> and even made it onto a nationwide German news program ... but more importantly we left with a coterie of new friends that we admire.</div>
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Thanks to <a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%BCdiger_Esch" target="_blank">Rudi Esch</a> for your magnanimous donation of time and energy and loaning your mother to Marshall so that he could perfect his Rhineland dialect! All joking aside - our pal Marshall learned to speak German watching watching war films so any softer, more thoughtful tutors are welcome.</div>
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<a href="https://about.me/janwiefels" target="_blank">Jan Wiefels</a>: our impetus for going. It's amazing that a person we don't know / have never met would put two tickets to a sold-out show aside for us. We came this close --> <-- to not going before you stepped in! <a href="http://www.aachener-zeitung.de/sport/fussball/ex-bundesliga-stars-von-polizisten-und-paketboten-1.802224" target="_blank">Thorsten Schaar</a> was our other motivator: your intriguing proposition of being in a Tour de France press junket and city tour cemented the deal.</div>
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Thanks to <a href="https://www.modlord.com/" target="_blank">Memo Torfilli</a> for making a positive 1st impression of the city and for hanging out with the odd Americans. Also your Mod Lord fashion shop is on point.</div>
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The journalists we met were all singularly awesome, no big egos or bloviators, just salt of the earth talent like <a href="https://electronicsound.co.uk/" target="_blank">Mark Roland</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/andypietrasik" target="_blank">Andy Pietrasik</a>, <a href="http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/H/bo19159409.html" target="_blank">Tobias Rüther</a> and <a href="https://www.thebookseller.com/news/there-s-new-agency-toon-north-649961" target="_blank">Kevin Pocklington</a>. </div>
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Plus the colorful denizens of Düsseldorf: Fender Rhodes maestro <a href="http://www.thiloschoelpen.de/" target="_blank">Thilo Schölpen</a>, edm crushinators <a href="https://soundcloud.com/callshopradio/rob-keane-watt-callshop-radio-17092017" target="_blank">Rob Keane (WATT!</a>) and <a href="https://danielfassbender.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Daniel Fassbender</a>, <a href="http://picbear.club/wiebkekeane" target="_blank">Wiebke Keane</a>, <a href="https://www.xing.com/profile/Christina_Hooper" target="_blank">Christina Hooper</a> (Munich but whatever!), Frank Soentjens (Belgium but whatever!) and <a href="http://www.wim-wenders.com/" target="_blank">Wim Wenders</a> who sadly wasn't there. Props also to Les & Hilde for meeting us and enjoying a concert by a band not named Die Toten Hosen.</div>
David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-92167760456033881542018-03-28T10:17:00.000-07:002018-03-28T10:17:54.005-07:00Kraftwerk Aren't What You Think They Are And That's OkayWolfgang Flür is sitting across the bar table from us in Düsseldorf's posh <a href="https://duesseldorf.meandallhotels.com/" target="_blank">me and all hotel</a>'s penthouse lounge. He's small in stature despite my mental image of him as a musical titan and rather fetching for someone knocking on 70. Flanked by floor to ceiling windows looking out over a Rhineland cityscape preparing for the 2017 Tour de France Grand Depart I steel myself to ask an illuminating question or two from the one member of the band that I in years past found most compelling in their cryptic band and album photos. Wolfgang always seemed the most beatific, to the point of having a resting smile-face.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kraftwerk Robot Wolfgang Flür & Former Propaganda <br />
Chanteuse Claudia Brücken at Me And All Hotel, Düsseldorf</td></tr>
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At the moment he's animatedly splitting his time talking to a lovely post-Propaganda Claudia Brücken as well as former Die Krupps member and <a href="https://www.groenland.com/en/2014/11/electri_city-compilation-book/" target="_blank">Düsseldorf documentarian</a> author Rudi Esch about ... I haven't a clue. My collegiate German skills withered on the vine the day my degree was handed to me. Then he turns to me, pushing a vintage 90's cd walkman across the table and asks if I'd like to hear the latest project he's working on. </div>
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My journey to this point was an unusual one. Only a few years earlier I'd held an entirely different view about Kraftwerk, one carefully cultivated by both my ignorance and the shiny veneer created by founding members Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider of the aloof inscrutability of four teutonic men working together towards a common goal. When I did read about the band it was typically breathless proclamations of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jan/31/kraftwerk-pop-art-review-influential-beatles-bbc4" target="_blank">More Influential Than the Beatles</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/27/kraftwerk-most-influential-electronic-band-tate" target="_blank">The World's Most Influential Band</a> with the usual boilerplate brimming with superlatives of having invented electronic music and made hip hop possible. Who was I to argue? </div>
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Indeed Kraftwerk were my first musical love, having been gifted at age twelve a cassette of Man Machine from an older brother who found it trite but my instant and fanatical love for their music made them the most influential band ... in <i>my</i> world. Growing up in the pre-internet blue collar cultural wasteland of Florida's Baptist churches and cheap tourists eschewing the more expensive hotels near Disney World, that cassette represented a lifeline to a better place and signified a world of possibilities with its lovingly crafted soundscapes. Like many youth of the era waiting at a bus stop and feigning interest in Van Halen or Michael Jackson to their peers I knew I'd likely wind up eating that tape if they realized an alien was in their midst. Bands like Kraftwerk, Devo or The Residents gave the quirky youth of that time a sign that being a <a href="https://youtu.be/QM6SNrmH0r8" target="_blank">Beautiful Freak</a> was indeed okay even if one had to be circumspect about their love for them.</div>
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It was at this point I constructed my Kraftwerk time machine. Years came and went at a rapid rate; Reagan promised an economic reach-around for America, I graduated high school, Electric Cafe was released and a Space Shuttle exploded. I got a degree, opened a record store, the wall fell, Klaus Kinski got uglier, The Mix debuted and another Space Shuttle exploded. I taught English in Japan, got married/divorced and a really cool black man became president. It was a dizzying trip and it's surprising I survived the fast 1:1 ratio of time travel (only limitation: no reverse). It felt at times like riding a toboggan down a ski jump. So I get out of my device and stand there blinking uncomprehendingly at <a href="http://2014.moogfest.com/music/kraftwerk" target="_blank">2014's Moogfest Kraftwerk show</a> and realize that <i>there have been developments </i>as Ralf Hütter and ... three blokes I completely don't recognize take the stage and positively knock my socks off with a nearly orgasmic musical experience.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ralf & Friends land at 2014's Moogfest in Asheville NC</td></tr>
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It's perfectly reasonable to believe that Kraftwerk = Ralf, Florian, Karl and Wolfgang. It's emotionally etched in stone, like John, Paul, George and Ringo. Or Joey, Dee Dee, Johnny and Tommy. It's what I was sold as a kid, they couldn't possibly have seemed more cohesive, like a married couple (or two couples) who finish each other's sentences. Yet I was now conflicted like the protagonist in The Crying Game and trying to make sense of this curve ball.</div>
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Ralf, Henning, Fritz and Falk: this is the new reality. How did we get here?</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wolfgang's book just got a redux</td></tr>
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Wolfgang has written at length in his tell-all 1999 autobiography <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98534.Kraftwerk" target="_blank">Kraftwerk: I Was A Robot</a> about his split from the band in 1987 and the acrimony that followed, shining a spotlight on their dysfunctional relationship and prompting a lawsuit from his former bandmates (minus Karl who quit in 1991). His story is enlightening, at times riveting and laugh out loud funny but its core theme is one of alienation and loss: his name was expunged from some album credits, Ralf and Florian patented the drum pad that he designed, Wolfgang and Karl were shunted into cheap hotels separate from the founding members on tours and a litany of other slights and grievances.<br />
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Most astonishing was the idea that he and Karl were considered merely as employees ... earning a wage. The immense frustration he experienced peaks during the years that <a href="http://thebikeshow.net/podcast-special-did-cycling-kill-kraftwerk/" target="_blank">Ralf and Florian focused on cycling</a> to the detriment of touring or recording new material: he didn't get paid for riding a bike. The founding members both came from wealth and had financial safety nets but Wolfgang and Karl had to seek outside work to stay afloat with Wolfgang once posing nude for a men's magazine, though knowing his outgoing nature he'd probably have taken that gig regardless.<br />
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Inarguably the most creative and productive years of Kraftwerk coincided with Karl and Wolfgang's ~15 year "employment" with little substantially new conceptual material or albums produced since their departure. Indeed, Wolfgang had a hand in every album spanning from 1974's <i>Autobahn</i> to <i>Electric Café</i> in 1986 after which he bid his bandmates auf Wiedersehen. Every release since has consisted of remixed or reworked material with only 2003's <i>Tour de France Soundtracks</i> debuting new material alongside reworked versions of their 1983 hit ep <i>Tour de France</i>.<br />
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It's too bad that the employees in this scenario didn't have better union representation.<br />
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Then there's the counterpoint: if Kraftwerk were truly a two person band with Ralf and Florian at the helm (Florian later bowed out in 2008) it's not so surprising that they maintained such an iconic air of evolution and teutonic perfection for the outside observer. It's nearly impossible to maintain high creative standards when work is filtered through a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_by_committee" target="_blank">committee</a>, usually there's an alpha figure navigating towards a goal that only they fully understand. Even the legendary Klaus Dinger (who went on to found Neu!) was booted out of an early iteration of Kraftwerk for wanting (among other reasons) his name emblazoned on a red neon light rather than the blue of his bandmates. An apt automotive analogy would be that brilliant designers working solo like Harley Earl, Giorgetto Giugiaro and Bill Mitchell respectively designed the '59 Cadillac, VW Golf and Corvette Sting Ray. A committee designed the universally reviled <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/cars/the-pontiac-aztec-was-the-biggest-failure-in-automotive-history" target="_blank">Pontiac Aztek</a><span id="goog_1692577883"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1692577884"></span>.</div>
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It's important to not downplay Fritz Hilpert and Henning Schmitz's recent-ish Kraftwerk contributions as they've been with the band for more than two decades now and had a hand in some of the original studio recordings as sound engineers and programmers before that (Falk Grieffenhagen is the on-stage video technician). Time moves on and bands evolve. The perception that I carried for so many years of Kraftwerk as a monolithic entity was false. Music, like sausage, is often a production that is best left unobserved.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Review of 3-D The Catalogue LP & Blu-Ray</span></div>
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And so the world spins on with Ralf gifting us one more jewel of a collection, this year's <i>3-D: The Catalogue,</i> a curated nine lp / eight cd box set retrospective of all albums since <i>Autobahn </i>recorded binaurally for an immersive audio experience and a companion four disk Dolby Atmos mixed blu-ray box set for those fans with 3-D capable televisions.<br />
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In its defense, the 3-D box set's quality and documentation is fanatical, yet it's no surprise that Ralf's most popular question when interviewed is "when will a <i>new</i> album be released" to which his standard reply is “when it’s finished”. I suspect the Space Shuttle has nothing to worry about.<br />
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So I'm sitting across from Wolfgang (someone pinch me!) and put his headphones on, marveling for a moment at this cd Walkman relic from the 90's then hit play. After a studio fade and introductory motif I'm experiencing a good piece of electronic pop music with Claudia Brücken contributing her dulcet and subtle vocals to the track. I nurse one of Düsseldorf's famous Altbiers and try to savor all four minutes of the moment. It sounds reminiscent of his 1996 Yamo album "Time Pie", a perfectly serviceable if somewhat ephemeral bit of techno-pop. Existing fans will certainly shell out for it.<br />
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Headphones off, he asks what I think. I'm nonspecific but upbeat, choosing words I hope don't sound parsed. My love of electronica has always veered into the abyss from <a href="https://youtu.be/ln2ItXdayOY" target="_blank">Severed Heads</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/EEsjrg9j2c4" target="_blank">Throbbing Gristle</a> to modern artists like dark folk-electronica <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/6PC1Es6VDFmiLO2AFEh9hs" target="_blank">Tunng</a> and the quirky <a href="https://soundcloud.com/felix-laband" target="_blank">Felix Laband</a> so it's a struggle to review music that's intentionally crafted for mass appeal (take this with a grain of salt as I know I'm the minority here). Appeased, he says it's an homage to England's Birmingham, an industrial city of "brutal loud sounds" with factories and noisy steel mills and clarifies "My new pal <a href="https://soundcloud.com/moonraidermusic" target="_blank">Peter Duggal</a> formerly known as <a href="http://www.moonraider.net/" target="_blank">Moonraider</a> is my partner in music production. He's originally from Birmingham and comes from a film music and soundtrack background and invited me to Hebden Bridge to play the famous Trades Club. It was one of the best shows we ever did, it was crowded and the people went crazy about my music! That was the day we became friends and I was interested in his music ... we fit very well together."</div>
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Another artist with a very similar oeuvre is Wolfgang's pal Karl Bartos. For this trip I'd packed a copy of Bartos' <i>Off The Record</i> which was in my rucksack in the hopes that we'd cross paths. Again, it's a good album suffused with the overt melancholy of hope that lightning might strike twice, repeating most of the tropes and themes of Kraftwerk with a major clue being the album cover: Karl's Kraftwerk-era mannequin head. I'd bet on the wrong horse bringing this but it did lead to me asking a painfully obvious question to Wolfgang. I knew from his book that he's a sensitive man who doesn't tolerate awkwardness or ambiguity well. True to my nature, I made it awkward. </div>
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"As Kraftwerk have failed to put out new material for so long," I offer, "and knowing that your fans love your solo work as well as your former bandmate Karl's ... <i>why</i> haven't you two collaborated on any projects that would show the world what they're missing?" </div>
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He doesn't pause to think, responding reflexively, "Many fans and journalists have asked me that. The reason is we are developing in two different directions musically. I think we are great friends but musically we are too different." I'm sure I wore a sour expression as I wasn't buying it.</div>
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Knowing that people don't like being contradicted I plow ahead and say, "It's not like you're klezmer and he's gangsta. You're not that different, pretty similar actually within the world of electro-pop at least from my point of view..."</div>
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Wolfgang scrutinizes me and I fear I've made a horrible gaffe. One never knows what emotional cyclone exists within our fellow humans. Then his demeanor softens and he quite sincerely states, "Ask Karl. I would be open to it. I think I'm more open to it than he is. We've discussed it a lot of times but he always has an excuse for anything else. I think the main reason for it is that Karl seems to be still too close to the whole Kraftwerk sound and themes and I ... I am not. I have developed into the story teller and other things."</div>
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The excellent me and all hotel düsseldorf lounge (yes, it's lowercase) is crowded with journalists and some of Düsseldorf's musical luminaries like Rob Keane, Daniel Fassbender and some journalists who'd make a far bigger story than me so I thank Wolfgang and return to my table to contemplate my jet lag and excitement at having met someone I'd previously assumed to be a pop cultural chimera. There's still a full week ahead for our visit to Düsseldorf and the Tour de France's Grand Depart, but it still feels like we might've peaked too soon; this was only our first evening in one of Europe's most metropolitan and artistic cities.<br />
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<i>Epilogue: I wrote this for Electronic Beats magazine but failed to see it published with no explanation from their managing editor. My hypothesis on it being spiked is it's not entirely a positive piece about the band - a band that's notoriously fickle with the press. Perhaps they felt this might jeopardize future opportunities for band interviews or promotional items? A follow up story was planned about visiting the historic Kling Klang studios and the Düsseldorf music community in case anyone wonders about the abrupt ending of this piece.</i><br />
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<i>August 1st 2017 marked the long-awaited publishing of Karl Bartos' autobiography <a href="http://www.karlbartos.com/messagenew/362/20170801.html" target="_blank">Der Klang Der Maschine</a>. How Karl will approach the conundrum of telling the story of a band that historically prefers anonymity remains to be seen (for me), at least until there's an English translation. I wish him well at walking the fine line between Man and Maschine.</i><br />
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com6Düsseldorf, Germany51.2277411 6.773455600000033950.909617600000004 6.128008600000034 51.5458646 7.4189026000000338tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-21002874574973930642017-08-08T13:12:00.001-07:002017-08-09T08:54:41.445-07:00Kraftwerk Superfans In Düsseldorf + 3-D Catalogue Box Set Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Greetings germs, Germans and everyone else. We're here today to yack at you about topics near and dear to us - specifically us in Düsseldorf for Kraftwerk's July 1 2017 Tour de France concert. That and the just-released <i>3-D The Catalogue</i> box set that will put a dent in your bank account and a smile on your face assuming that you can still smile after the dent. And what a dent it is ... especially if you're a superfan and must have <i>all the formats</i>. For those with OCD completist compulsions you'll be on the hook for:<br />
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3-D The Catalogue on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/3-D-Catalogue-Blu-ray-Kraftwerk/dp/B06Y3VL6ZQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502216645&sr=8-1&keywords=kraftwerk+3-d+the+catalogue+blu-ray" target="_blank">Blu Ray</a> $170<br />
3-D The Catalogue on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/3-D-Catalogue-Kraftwerk/dp/B071XW61QC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502216765&sr=8-1&keywords=kraftwerk+3-d+the+catalogue+vinyl" target="_blank">Vinyl</a> $100<br />
3-D The Catalogue on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/3-D-Catalogue-8CD-Box-Set/dp/B06Y3PQCMG/ref=tmm_acd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1502216765&sr=8-1" target="_blank">CD</a> $45<br />
Kraftwerk <a href="https://www.amazon.com/LEE75S-Kraftwerk-Cotton-Volleyball-Bikini/dp/B01EWZ57A6/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502216765&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=kraftwerk+3-d+the+catalogue+vinyl" target="_blank">Panties</a> $10<br />
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Be thankful that you didn't brave the merchandise lines at the concert to buy these. The vinyl box set there was €160 which when converted to our paltry dollars is $190. I know this because our pal Les was at the show and was <i>100% sure </i>that the box set was €60 - so we braved the crushing merch line in which everyone pressed forward into a compounded crowd-smash which provided great insight into why there's so many crowd-crushing fatalities at European kick-ball matches.<br />
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I'm going to wildly generalize here and say that European people at concerts and sports matches are quite sociable and love a good dogpile so any excuse to jam up against another person is welcomed. From the perspective of anti-social Americans it's as confusing as the French's love of limburger cheese and explains why we rarely have crowd crushing deaths: we fundamentally don't like each other very much. But I digress. We got to the sales counter only to discover Les somehow couldn't see the 1 in front of the 60 but I did experience the thrill of a middle aged man grinding on my backside for a few minutes so there's that.<br />
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Jennifer and I reviewed the Blu-Ray and LP box sets - or mostly did. This is part one, the unboxing and the chatting and the anecdotes about the unexpected competitive nature of the title Worrrrrld's Biggest Kraftwerk Fans - which we aren't. Watch and learn.<br />
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Stay tuned for specifics on what it's like to be granted entry to the former Kling Klang Studios, the thrill of knocking back <a href="https://www.rumundco.de/Killepitsch-Kraeuterlikoer-07l" target="_blank">Killepitsch Kräuterlikör</a> with Kraftwerk's Wolfgang Flür and our attempt to make Tampa Florida look like a possible sister-city pairing for Düsseldorf.<br />
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Bonus topic for those who watched the video (above): who is nicer Canadians or Germans? Your vote can be placed with the widget at the top - right corner of this blog.<br />
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Until then - buy the 3-D Catalogue Box Set!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1-0HHO9JNewZHKC2rcL2v9LkNw-bxRxsf9l5nzsfMJKsh4oIPG57xkqMC8eSu8KrA44KzehBR9T4Fg8MsyJ1TmLMSj_1IadGtLyEhO0AcSPfekOhAPF4To9IGATtPwvOiZ_B9hwCrmWv/s1600/DSC06138_Kling_Klang_Phone_David.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1-0HHO9JNewZHKC2rcL2v9LkNw-bxRxsf9l5nzsfMJKsh4oIPG57xkqMC8eSu8KrA44KzehBR9T4Fg8MsyJ1TmLMSj_1IadGtLyEhO0AcSPfekOhAPF4To9IGATtPwvOiZ_B9hwCrmWv/s640/DSC06138_Kling_Klang_Phone_David.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The former Kling Klang Studio's intercom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wlx4vQsWxqMPls8FdUBS4YfswM-fGkdH-9BYlwFsRrYhROHK1UWD2aLYSiIJaJnBm2k-ufhStBvZ0M8p9VgFOkJp-8twDy5L45yKLXBmQ9JXYrr1Up6daRrxD6kE0Aa-o9rA0hr5oOge/s1600/DSC06014_Fan_At_Kraftwerk_Show.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wlx4vQsWxqMPls8FdUBS4YfswM-fGkdH-9BYlwFsRrYhROHK1UWD2aLYSiIJaJnBm2k-ufhStBvZ0M8p9VgFOkJp-8twDy5L45yKLXBmQ9JXYrr1Up6daRrxD6kE0Aa-o9rA0hr5oOge/s640/DSC06014_Fan_At_Kraftwerk_Show.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not Fritz - this is another superfan wearing a product of his wife's immense sewing skills.</td></tr>
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As an aside - if $100 for the Kraftwerk vinyl box set is too spendy to justify or you already have it, why don't you buy this drop-dead lovely <a href="http://davesanborn.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">NASA Voyager Golden Record Box Set</a> for about the same amount of your rapidly depreciating currency? Isn't it nice to have options?<br />
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<br />David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-27818716660493709712017-07-11T19:37:00.002-07:002017-07-11T20:51:29.470-07:00Thilo Schölpen Plays Kraftwerk: Live at Düsseldorf's Kunst Im Tunnel Cafe July 2 2017For any devout fan of Kraftwerk there's a fascination for their music in most any format. <a href="http://www.senor-coconut.com/" target="_blank">Señor Coconut Y Su Conjunto</a> nailed the genre with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGimRRi9E6Y" target="_blank">El Baile Alemán</a> (arguably the best covers of Kraftwerk theoretically humanly possible) but there's always room to expand the concept. If you dig Balkan sounds then the difficult-listening <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Various-Trans-Slovenia-Express/release/125787" target="_blank">Trans-Slovenia Express</a> is for you. Also: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/8-Bit-Operators-Tribute-Kraftwerk/dp/B000MCIC74" target="_blank">8-Bit Kraftwerk</a> for those with a chip tune fetish, an all Japanese band celebration called <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Various-Musique-Non-Stop-A-Tribute-To-Kraftwerk/release/786310" target="_blank">Musique Non Stop</a> for the appreciative Gaijin, etc. and so forth. Feel free to comment below on your personal favorite covers that I likely don't know about.<br />
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We had the fortune of attending (and recording) a live Thilo Schölpen gig in Düsseldorf which we walked into with no expectations or preconceived notions - and it turned out to be magical. Here's your favorite Kraftwerk songs rendered on a Wurlitzer electric piano (Fender Rhodes clone) by a maestro. I associate this instrument with bands like Steely Dan and Supertramp - and that's a good thing. Ordinarily Thilo would play on a proper concert grand piano but they're pretty hard to schlep to venues so here he's making do with one less octave on an abbreviated keyboard.<br />
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This was recorded the day after the Düsseldorf Kraftwerk Tour de France concert July 2, 2017 at the <a href="http://www.kunst-im-tunnel.de/kit-coffeebar.html" target="_blank">Kunst Im Tunnel Cafe</a> on the Rhine, a venue known for hosting artistically rewarding musical events. A Roland R-05 served yeoman duty here, a great gadget for lovers of live music. Any fan of Kraftwerk and the Fender Rhodes electric piano will likely swoon over this live recording.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/332284501&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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Thilo has quite a repertoire of other music as well, though his Kraftwerk renditions are truly astonishing. Thilo's personal site: <a href="http://thiloschoelpen.de/">thiloschoelpen.de/</a><br />
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A great place for Düsseldorf's specialties: Altbier and music: <a href="http://www.kunst-im-tunnel.de/kit-coffeebar.html">www.kunst-im-tunnel.de/kit-coffeebar.html</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thilo's axe: the Wurlitzer twin of the archetypical Fender Rhodes.</td></tr>
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<u>Set List:</u><br />
01 Computer World<br />
02 Showroom Dummies<br />
03 Neon Lights<br />
04 Autobahn<br />
05 Pocket Calculator<br />
06 Trans-Europe Express<br />
07 The Model<br />
08 The Robots<br />
09 Computer World Reprise<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thilo's a rather cool guy. I'm taking notes.</td></tr>
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<br />David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-44126453118764866312017-05-26T20:57:00.001-07:002019-08-16T08:58:33.732-07:00Felix Laband - A Life In Collage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_dlm-8PESZXrZn_JnjfO0hMXMVoHjKfMDj43IloFVAia1iTJpYOg1_1rSkkXKGdSZ3x6Au6OHJdzqYfVKUBJxmFW-MOejkdq3K3eTJMeBukUMU67nRJBu7GYu33tFK6ZljgEF73eXQBg/s1600/1476375_10152063053438832_1777108505_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_dlm-8PESZXrZn_JnjfO0hMXMVoHjKfMDj43IloFVAia1iTJpYOg1_1rSkkXKGdSZ3x6Au6OHJdzqYfVKUBJxmFW-MOejkdq3K3eTJMeBukUMU67nRJBu7GYu33tFK6ZljgEF73eXQBg/s400/1476375_10152063053438832_1777108505_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Trying to categorize <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/3E6Tbv49KoKnCoGqHJHQGx" target="_blank">Felix Laband's sublime music</a> is fraught with peril. It's a disservice to haphazardly pound the round peg of his art into a square hole called "electronic music"- that would be lazy and devalue what he does, potentially equating him to any common aspirational DJ with a MacBook Air and Bandcamp, like calling Nick Drake a "singer-songwriter" or Augustus Pablo a "reggae artist". It's an inadequate appellation.</div>
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Then again, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_electronic_music_genres" target="_blank">Electronic Music</a> is a Lernaean Hydra, a mythical beast that sprouts two heads for every one that is cut off. The branches and categories spawn subcategories and endless fractal iterations that are maddeningly OCD. Imagine if you walked into <a href="http://endofanear.com/" target="_blank">End Of An Ear Records</a> and saw that they'd subdivided their electronic music bin into genres: </div>
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Ambient dub Dark ambient Drone music Breakbeat Baltimore club Big beat Breakbeat hardcore Broken beat Florida breaks Nu-funk Miami bass Jersey club Nu skool breaks Disco Afro/Cosmic disco Disco polo Euro disco Italo disco Nu-disco Space disco Downtempo Acid jazz Chill-out Space music Trip hop Drum and bass Darkstep Drumstep Funkstep Hardstep Liquid funk Neurofunk Neurohop Sambass Techstep Dub Ambient dub Dancehall Dub poetry Dub reggae Dub techno Dubstep Dubtronica Electro music Freestyle music Electro swing Electroacoustic music Acousmatic music Musique concrète Electronic rock Alternative dance Indietronica Coldwave Dance-punk Dark wave Electroclash Electronicore Electropunk Ethereal wave Krautrock Minimal wave New rave Nu-gaze Space rock Synthpop Synthwave Electronica Berlin School Dubtronica Folktronica Funktronica </i></span><br />
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Laptronica Livetronica Ethnic electronica Al Jeel Arabic pop music Asian underground Bhangra Bhangragga C-pop J-pop K-pop Shibuya-kei South Asian disco Worldbeat Hardcore Gabber 4-beat Breakbeat hardcore Bouncy techno Breakcore Digital hardcore Frenchcore Happy hardcore UK hardcore Mákina Speedcore Hardstyle Dubstyle Jumpstyle Lento violento Hi-NRG Eurobeat Eurodance Bubblegum dance Italo dance Hip hop music Alternative hip hop Electro Electro hip hop Hardcore hip hop Hip house Neo soul New jack swing Trap music Trip hop UK garage House music Acid house Ambient house Balearic beat Chicago house Deep house Future house Tropical house Diva house Electro house Big room house Complextro Fidget house Dutch house Moombahton Moombahcore French house Funky house Garage house Ghetto house Ghettotech Hardbag Hard house Hard dance Hard NRG Hip house Italo house Jazz house Kwaito Latin house Microhouse/Minimal house New beat Outsider house Progressive house Rara tech Tech house Tribal house Trival Witch house Industrial music Aggrotech Electro-industrial Dark electro Electronic Body Music Futurepop Industrial metal Industrial rock Japanoise Neue Deutsche Härte Power electronics Death industrial Power noise IDM Glitch Glitch Hop Wonky Oldschool jungle Darkcore Ragga jungle Raggacore Post-disco Boogie Electropop Chillwave Dance-pop Dance-rock Techno Acid techno Detroit techno Dub techno Hardtek/Free tekno Minimal techno Nortec Tecno brega Techdombe Trance music Acid trance Balearic trance Dream trance Hard trance Nitzhonot Psychedelic trance Full on Suomisaundi Goa trance Progressive trance Tech trance Uplifting trance Vocal trance Trap Drill Future bass UK garage 2-step garage Dubstep Brostep Drumstep Chillstep Reggaestep Breakstep Future garage Grime Grindie Speed garage Bassline UK funky Vaporwave Vaportrap Future Funk Music Video game music Chiptune Bitpop Game Boy music Skweee Nintendocore ...</i></span></blockquote>
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But I digress. For the sake of simplicity let's skip the categorization, but note that Felix is an electronic musician with a heart. He's an alchemist mixing seemingly mundane samples of found audio, primitive tribal music, delta-blues riffs, radio jingles, street preachers, snippets of obscure and genius movies like Blue Sunshine or Night of the Hunter and pairing them with both acoustic and digital tapestries. It's organic, soulful, provocative .... any fan of <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/5VLPK60dHDC7rxhbZZZKRM" target="_blank">Brain Fruit</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/2G7vpCF1m7eRUdZSyrSvaK" target="_blank">Pram</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/2OutgY4d0D7MsQxDdyfmXG" target="_blank">Tunng</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6rFsq5pCovMlntERP8IoQO" target="_blank">Porn Sword Tobacco</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/54WjoPJa88ipWLSXoxe1he" target="_blank">Cliff Martinez</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/4cR5xGjVMuiGJXXsr5fhvE" target="_blank">The Books</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/7b7UOzPm1J4DnT0CZEaD7u" target="_blank">Four Tet</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/5LTFUQ0zoVFr5VhSmxoJvq" target="_blank">Plone</a> would feel right at home. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsrQE_Vboc2Jl3iHHr1-B10so9VGVB7vdZpcZbRIEiE5Nt2Lm_iB-aZ7riNxYreBp6B5p5Mb4M8Sz65L1cFRRVKTd6ydwMXs1fpn93WQvzWrGyGOSwyWCJTo3ChLJTRyu7pRQC4diLlzj/s1600/reprisal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsrQE_Vboc2Jl3iHHr1-B10so9VGVB7vdZpcZbRIEiE5Nt2Lm_iB-aZ7riNxYreBp6B5p5Mb4M8Sz65L1cFRRVKTd6ydwMXs1fpn93WQvzWrGyGOSwyWCJTo3ChLJTRyu7pRQC4diLlzj/s400/reprisal.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Reprisal" collage by Felix Laband</td></tr>
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His music, typically devoid of vocals presents an escape route from the grinding banality of meaning. The passionate lyrics of wordsmiths like Stephin Merritt or Elbow can elevate the spirit - but there's much to be said for a reprieve from lyrics when the music itself is fantastic. It's why traveling in countries where we don't speak the language affords the opportunity to imagine that the conversations we hear or the background pop music is nuanced and thoughtful, or at least don't plague us with their vapid nothingness. It's an oasis where we forge our own meaning, and this is the space that exists within Felix's creations.</div>
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Hailing from Johannesburg South Africa, Felix hasn't exactly become a household name here in the States. His obscurity made legitimate purchases of his music difficult, so like any rabid fan I resorted in the early 00's to *cough*piracy*cough* and felt the pain of having shorted an artist that has contributed so much to our well being. But now more than a decade later thanks to <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/78818-Felix-Laband" target="_blank">Discogs</a>, Ebay and Amazon it's easier than ever to patronize the artists we love. And so we did, with the largest music related purchase we've ever made. </div>
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Turns out Felix is a great collage artist. His <a href="https://www.instagram.com/felixlaband/" target="_blank">Instagram feed</a> has been a source of insight: shots of indigenous African tribesmen, moments of whimsy with his girlfriend Kerry, hanging out with dad, parties, EDM festivals and <i>many</i> intriguing cut-up collages. Collages that suggest a cultural heritage that's hard to parse, sometimes painful, often with a dark humor. The more one looks at his scissored and glued collages the more one can see the forces that cut, paste and bind his music together as if the art was an extension of the sounds. </div>
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We've admired the collages from afar and were smitten when we first saw "Reprisal" pop up in his Instagram feed. It elicited from us a palpable emotional response on par with Felix's music. There's a power to the poverty of the bleak, dark figure with the bucket, his head bisected by a broad kanji-esque brush stroke and a splatter of paint that could suggest bloodshed. We can infer that South Africa's brutal history of apartheid might factor into this tableau. It's a desperate scene that challenges us to derive meaning, to look for a ray of hope to break the code of the random letters peppered above and below. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEGkwJqFO2wxO43hiQDIMe4MYDrcBuwNeGQpx3Wx1janqKxkdUoMy-fNY8I90KKK5L-CAZ8YWGrNqevd5O7pOLP3XDgVj_G3WXsTxrcbyv0dw_sXKi1_lQsDN8hd0t2_kuOG3dNqOq_7M/s1600/Screenshot+2017-05-26+19.51.41.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEGkwJqFO2wxO43hiQDIMe4MYDrcBuwNeGQpx3Wx1janqKxkdUoMy-fNY8I90KKK5L-CAZ8YWGrNqevd5O7pOLP3XDgVj_G3WXsTxrcbyv0dw_sXKi1_lQsDN8hd0t2_kuOG3dNqOq_7M/s400/Screenshot+2017-05-26+19.51.41.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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The image on Instagram was hashtagged by the <a href="http://kalashnikovv.co.za/artists/" target="_blank">Kalashnikovv Gallery</a> and after a couple queries on email and Facebook we were able to ascertain that this piece was both on exhibition and was also (happily) for sale. It wasn't cheap, even the cost of the wire transfer alone was $50. We flipped a coin then did a best two out of three and decided to forge ahead with the purchase.<br />
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It took over a month, but the axiom about good things and waiting proved to be true: it arrived unharmed in a well crafted 2x4 and plywood bomb-proof box with a certificate of authenticity. The frame is a minimal and sturdy shadowbox with glass protecting the art. It will be a cherished addition to our lives. Anyone so inclined, please stop by and admire it.<br />
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Here's the breakdown for those considering buying art from another continent. Your miles may vary, but these were our shipping costs (in South African Rand):</div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">450R</span> Packing & Crating</div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">300R</span> Collection from Braamfontein</div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">700R</span> Export Documentation</div>
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<u><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">2990R</span> DHL Courier Service</u></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">4440.00R</span> Total<br />
($345 not including the cost of the art itself or the $50 wire money xfer fee)<br />
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Thanks Felix for making the rough and unforgiving process known colloquially as "being alive" quantitatively better. If we could do the same for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Confederacy-Dunces-John-Kennedy-Toole/dp/0802130208" target="_blank">John Kennedy Toole for having written A Confederacy of Dunces</a> or for <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065938/" target="_blank">Brian Hutton directing Kelly's Heroes</a> we would, but they're dead so you're it. We hope that repatriating your art is adequate compensation.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tmgH4iwjbAk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tmgH4iwjbAk?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: right; float: right;" width="320"></iframe>Lastly, in direct contradiction to the opening assertions about the beauty of instrumental vs. vocal music, would you consider collaborating with either Stephin Merritt or José González? Maybe you could do an electronica revision of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_Fact" target="_blank">Rodriguez' Cold Fact</a>?<br />
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<i>Please?</i><br />
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PS: We made a video of the unboxing of Felix Laband's art. The part where the face-hugging alien popped out of his chest was really fun. Here it is:<br />
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-8442535746420815262017-05-07T09:55:00.003-07:002020-07-23T09:52:03.011-07:00My Insane Honda Insight K20 Swap is FOR SALE<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QbaUc-ZZl8mD64cJ6vevvOYsImLp9DApvbouYm1D7toYy9JOSa3bz063q8HttEUpvrLFZpRl6QBsChH_NMCjBPvAsH303K0qqV9B4Wnctiqpxm0NFruDev-GV75XurgYmiawAQaBS638/s1600/Insight+%2526+vlad+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QbaUc-ZZl8mD64cJ6vevvOYsImLp9DApvbouYm1D7toYy9JOSa3bz063q8HttEUpvrLFZpRl6QBsChH_NMCjBPvAsH303K0qqV9B4Wnctiqpxm0NFruDev-GV75XurgYmiawAQaBS638/s400/Insight+%2526+vlad+house.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Stock 2000 Honda Insight</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">----SOLD---- </span></div>
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For years I've been the proud owner of a stock 2000 Insight that while amazingly thrifty has never provided much joy in the going-fast department. Averaging 70mpg on cross country jaunts has been fantastic but the only times the car ever truly brought me joy was at the gas pump. After a lifetime of owning various RX7's, Civic Si's, Datsun 240z's and Preludes this new paradigm of going slow was not fitting me well.<br />
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Then I discovered <a href="http://www.lhtperformance.net/documents/lht_k-sight.html" target="_blank">LHT Performance in St. Petersburg</a> had made waves in the Honda community by swapping the K20a engine from a 220hp Acura RSX R with its 6 speed transmission and limited slip differential into the tiny Insight making the sleepiest sleeper I'd ever seen. And I <i>really</i> wanted one ... but ... I'd need $21,000 and a different car for the K20 engine swap. My Insight is a rare one of 400 1st year model in 'Citron' green so to do this swap I'd need <i>another</i> Insight and an additional twenty one thousand dollars. Notably, I had neither.<br />
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Time passed.<br />
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Three years ago I discovered a K20 Honda Insight auction on Ebay in Connecticut that was less than 24 hours from ending. Keep in mind that I'd been looking for <i>years.</i> The price was manageable, less than a LHT production without the cost of a donor. With a blizzard barreling towards Connecticut and with little time to prepare I had to skip a pre-purchase inspection and just bid on it, hope I'd win and then fly there. Luckily I was not outbid thanks to the poorly worded auction title: "Honda Insight Custom Modified" with no mention of the K20. I bought a flight on Southwest and was there a day later.<br />
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<b>Specifications from the auction:</b><br />
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<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">Bullet points for short attention spans:</span> </div>
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<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* 2000 Honda Insight - all aluminum chassis & body - modified</span></div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* Hybrid power train replaced with Honda Acura RSX-R K20 2.0 liter VTEC - 200+ HP</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* Injector Dynamics 725 injection</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* AEM fuel rail/regulator</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* Hondata KPRO ECU</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* New light flywheel</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* Stage 2 clutch</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* Skunk2 exhaust manifold / all stainless steel exhaust</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* Completed car with 1/2 tank fuel = 1640 pounds</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* 6 speed manual K20 type R trans</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* Limited slip with helical gears</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* Custom RSX axles and Innovative engine mounts</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* lightweight alloy wheels / performance tires</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* Uprated brakes (front), sway bars, suspension, shocks, </span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* Gauge cluster replaced with S2000 unit</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">* Fully functional air conditioning</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3;">Cost to build & tune $ 24.8K. Plus 3K recent new ECU & tuning = $27.7K</span></blockquote>
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The seller was an agent for the owner so he knew few specifics about the Insight. I would have to go on instinct as in-depth questions were not an option. I did find a shop to run a compression check and there was no deviation from cylinder to cylinder and they found no glaring faults or signs of previous accident damages so I felt confident enough to pay and hit the road: 1800 miles back to Austin with a blizzard just beginning to hit. I stopped by a transmission shop to double check that the transmission was fully topped off with oil as the whir of the helical cut gears was slightly audible - but the engine is perched on urethane mounts that transmit noises I'm not used to hearing in my stock Insight. Everything checked out fine and my trip was pleasant. Sixth gear cruising on the interstate is sedate and little engine noise intrudes into the cabin. Passes need no downshift, a very odd sensation after years with a stock Insight.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yKPCn-TstUSCDJWBP4BtT1591_Et4_mHp_ZjgIDxrflbqefbiScwHYEfG4aHzrDJ6JCm3d0aahyphenhyphenaXScjEOTkqnM0DcR5cb7JVNqNPki6c9GlfC2uPKRymGaXKBZXrJstTrS0agw-5u4K/s1600/DSC05525-left-edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yKPCn-TstUSCDJWBP4BtT1591_Et4_mHp_ZjgIDxrflbqefbiScwHYEfG4aHzrDJ6JCm3d0aahyphenhyphenaXScjEOTkqnM0DcR5cb7JVNqNPki6c9GlfC2uPKRymGaXKBZXrJstTrS0agw-5u4K/s400/DSC05525-left-edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Reprogramming myself to drive a close ratio 6-speed was not easy. My muscle memory is mapped to five gears and I have to be very deliberate in shifting, even making a mental note 'I'm in 4th gear' etc. The shifter is a short throw, but adjustable. It feels like shifting a toggle switch. Unnerving also is the clutch - which is now perhaps three or four times harder than the fly-weight stock Insight.<br />
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Since then we've moved to Tampa FL. We're now 20 minutes from <a href="http://www.lhtperformance.net/" target="_blank">LHT Performance, the masterminds behind the original K20 Insight swap</a>. LHT have done work on the car since our arrival, swapping in a new AC compressor and some other minor updates like moving the battery to the hatch area and diagnosing/fixing an engine grounding issue. John, the Australian madman behind their automotive mayhem is an affable, down to earth guy who's an engineering whiz. George, his right-hand man is a fantastic enabler.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmqYtmKTeE_fN0ZfKdjxxdq7RWAQ0og06iQXbReUZd9G9IgnrXEAub0CUSOyUl4J3DGUGGS_7SGiZnWpzKy9H_PvPFPwKFz3e5_U2jxNDYzTqAJhD4ox5oLd06wKDfHHmhwPt7Ec67ohw/s1600/DSC05528-right-edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmqYtmKTeE_fN0ZfKdjxxdq7RWAQ0og06iQXbReUZd9G9IgnrXEAub0CUSOyUl4J3DGUGGS_7SGiZnWpzKy9H_PvPFPwKFz3e5_U2jxNDYzTqAJhD4ox5oLd06wKDfHHmhwPt7Ec67ohw/s400/DSC05528-right-edit.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
As you might imagine, driving this car is like driving a cannonball. When the Vtec activates all kinds of pandemonium occurs, the otherwise tractable and quiet car screams like a superbike and the steering, thanks to the limited slip differential generally goes where it's pointed while the tires attempt to transfer torque to pavement. Recently we encountered a BMW Z4-M in traffic being driven by a jackass, swerving from lane to lane on one of Tampa's wide boulevards by the airport. He made some poor lane choices and caught the last red light before a long straightaway with no side streets, with us behind him. He was an older middle aged guy with a much younger woman he was trying to impress. I knew he'd gun it on the green - unaware of the menace behind him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeHWjWPsynzdLvFF4rfJLBdlRJrmiPJajalgJw5rc74pSLn7Q9z2yq7MoSq6Lg3bhdyDLooL6vlBxLsQ0DSh3e8w0FEIKrlavG_tzFrh7S6EwuQNArFKUxFZzuZktOGW3l_GFkMdLYemB/s1600/DSC05536-engine-edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Honda's black magic." border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeHWjWPsynzdLvFF4rfJLBdlRJrmiPJajalgJw5rc74pSLn7Q9z2yq7MoSq6Lg3bhdyDLooL6vlBxLsQ0DSh3e8w0FEIKrlavG_tzFrh7S6EwuQNArFKUxFZzuZktOGW3l_GFkMdLYemB/s400/DSC05536-engine-edit.jpg" title="Where it's at." width="400" /></a>The loud snarl of the K20 had him quickly checking his mirrors in disbelief. We hit 120 mph with no change in distance from where we'd sat at the light - he was shifting past his redline with puffs of smoke between his shifts, then back on the brakes for the next light where he made an impromptu right turn rather than have another embarrassing moment at the hands of a hybrid economy car. I don't make a habit of this, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtp-yfo_LsRDUZZ3qdHjioIPqYGGhBWwm7_Jp3nWpDs5FzNnY0N8QUkQCKSMZ0bn8xQXGQELeQn34qYiJrmy4ctRB2x6ORUJZIzspK-ADvByd3oHzLX8zQT5wN9m1HFwziba3ZEwPsB5x/s1600/DSC05529-interior-seats-edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtp-yfo_LsRDUZZ3qdHjioIPqYGGhBWwm7_Jp3nWpDs5FzNnY0N8QUkQCKSMZ0bn8xQXGQELeQn34qYiJrmy4ctRB2x6ORUJZIzspK-ADvByd3oHzLX8zQT5wN9m1HFwziba3ZEwPsB5x/s400/DSC05529-interior-seats-edit.jpg" width="400" /></a>I've owned the car for a few years now and hardly driven it. There was a big move, a change of priorities and a lot of life in that time span that prevented me from enjoying it. Combine that with my stock Insight daily driver, a Subaru Legacy wagon and my TR6 and you might understand that I don't really need it. I don't have the temperament to drive such an insane car. I <i>despise and loathe</i> attention from the police and my driving record has been spotless for over eight years now - and I aim to keep it that way. But not if I continue driving this absurd rocket-pod. My knees are knocking together literally every time I get out of it. If you want what's essentially a snarling superbike on four wheels, it's for you.<br />
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As stated, <a href="http://www.lhtperformance.net/documents/lht_k-sight.html" target="_blank">LHT Performance</a> will charge you $21,000 - PLUS whatever you paid for the Insight that you want converted to K20 power. I'm selling mine for $12,500 total or less if you have an interesting trade on a classic Datsun 240/260/280z. It has larger Integra front rotors and red 15" alloy wheels that currently wear 195/60 all season tires that are a good winter compound but which I'd upgrade to a summer track tire if I were keeping it. It's fairly quiet until the v-tech sings the song of its people whereupon all hell breaks loose. Hold on tight to the steering wheel. The stereo is the stock Honda cassette unit with a factory cd changer in the hatch. No smoke, no oil consumption, no odd noises.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOlAsXublXlYrnGsJBUDFLMadnfzAxCuMiVwi7A-ISN8POe04MGegxaHHRTKzhKG2hWoeWUN7fwU5RKIYNclBHtZDyfI2IIklqF3J-O0hJTMa1JJGnLVYaWUb_fAcUPkC4t4-OS_n5wbX/s1600/DSC05532-hatch-edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOlAsXublXlYrnGsJBUDFLMadnfzAxCuMiVwi7A-ISN8POe04MGegxaHHRTKzhKG2hWoeWUN7fwU5RKIYNclBHtZDyfI2IIklqF3J-O0hJTMa1JJGnLVYaWUb_fAcUPkC4t4-OS_n5wbX/s400/DSC05532-hatch-edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Caveats are slightly odd silver paint on the hood's front that most people don't notice, an electrical slow drain that I've never taken the time to track down but which would be a non-problem if it was daily driven. The auction stated mileage as 55,000 but that was the what the S2000 gauge cluster indicated. The seller said it was more but it's not evident to my eyes. The car is close to flawless and ding free. The mileage of the engine is unknown as it was a Japanese market engine shipped over on a pallet. The vast majority of these engine pulls are from low mile JDM cars for various weird Japanese regulatory reasons. Bad for them, good for us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2o2aqS9d2lJLItVRpQNjRWO1h-eVbehBoa9XXE-2GjOLwXN6Lr2FmKMxJnWLypSFKle7ahJ7TR0xb3EfwtVtoyix3dSnWc3FjNeKNYEujwn25sb0-w1nBekjKTjxAyei7qFsXZYkDV9Tf/s1600/DSC05535-tire-edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2o2aqS9d2lJLItVRpQNjRWO1h-eVbehBoa9XXE-2GjOLwXN6Lr2FmKMxJnWLypSFKle7ahJ7TR0xb3EfwtVtoyix3dSnWc3FjNeKNYEujwn25sb0-w1nBekjKTjxAyei7qFsXZYkDV9Tf/s400/DSC05535-tire-edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
So that's it. I've had my fun. Now I want another Datsun 240z like the one I drove in college. It's your turn to lay down pain and agonizing defeat upon unsuspecting drivers in prestigious cars - and put the fear of god into the next douche who attempts to roll coal on the little hybrid car. Ask me how I know.<br />
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<a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHskZbHofJ" target="_blank">Here's the photos so far on Flickr in high resolution for you to poke with a stick.</a> Enjoy!<br />
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You can reach me by clicking on my profile or by emailing dsanborn at gmail dot com. <a href="http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/cto/6124392831.html" target="_blank">For anyone preferring to repost the Craigslist advert, here it is.</a><br />
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<It's now a few years later and ...><br />
I've had some time to think about this car and the lessons I derived from owning it. The primary takeaway is to avoid other people's projects unless you know them personally and their attention to detail. If you don't know them I'd suggest picking a car that has been in daily use for over a year, long enough for most of the bugs to be ironed out in the build. If you've flown across the United States as I did to check out this Insight, don't feel compelled to buy the car just because you blew $400 on a plane ticket there and don't want to blow another $400 on a ticket home. I was dismayed at what I found but I pressed on anyway and bought a car that was decidedly not fit for daily use and cost me many more thousands make mostly right.<br /><br />Don't buy a car from a 3rd party. If you're not dealing with the owner, don't do it. For reasons not clearly explained, this Insight was sold by a friend of the owner which is a nice firewall for avoiding personal responsibility. Questions that I really needed answers to about the build couldn't be answered.<br />
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An addendum on the video posted below: I originally videoed myself making acceleration runs up to 70mph, then realized when I was posting the video that I was clearly passing road signs showing (ahem) somewhat lower speed limits than I was traveling at. As I don't normally drive like Aryton Senna, it hadn't occurred to me that I was about to post self-incriminating evidence. As I know a horrible cop who'd love to see me arrested and buggered in the state pen I felt compelled to delete the fun stuff in the video. I've since paid more attention to how guys like Hoovie's Garage, WatchJRgo and others find nondescript back roads to break laws on, but I wasn't in the mood to reshoot my footage so I posted some much less interesting moments.<br /><br />For the yahoo dissing my shifts, I've always been concerned about crunching the syncros and like to give them time to spin up. Second gear on this Insight's RSX transmission was always a bit slow and I didn't want to induce syncro failure, thus my slow shifting. Yeah, I know you guys with tribal tattoos like to hammer your transmissions & throw them away like a used tissue, but that's not me. </div>
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My Insight was also the focus of a Jalopnik "Nice Price Or Crackpipe" story that I won't bother linking to. I'm a Jalop regular, posting under the sobriquet <b>Piston Slap Yo Mama</b> in case you find the article you can enjoy the astonishing tsunami of comment trolls who weighed in from their parent's basements on how worthless a K20s Insight swap is and how they could build one for less than $5000 (nearly impossible even if <i>all</i> the labor was your own) and so on and so forth. While I didn't build this car, I had a hand in diagnosing and repairing quite a few of the former builder's fuck-ups and know what it takes to do something right. I too remember being clueless and full of unearned self confidence, but back then thankfully there didn't exist a way for me to torture others with my ignorance.</div>
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So what does a person replace a brutally fast K20a swapped Insight with? A Fiat Abarth 500. Trust me, go test drive one. Ours has a Fiat Madness ECM good for nearly 200hp and unlike the Insight it's engineered to cruise comfortably at 100mph all day long if you're visiting Montana or just enjoy speeding tickets. It's nearly as small yet somehow provides honest space for four people and is a very competent handling sports car. Buy one and enjoy what's is destined to become a future collectible if you keep it long enough.<br /><br /></div>
<br />David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-59694703238811590742016-10-26T08:47:00.000-07:002017-07-11T20:08:38.710-07:00Kraftwerk's Timeline Circa 1998Spin Magazine published a beautifully illustrated story on Kraftwerk in 1998 pulling excepts from a seminal Lester Bangs book on the band with additional and fantastic timeline art. However as this was before the internet was a household fixture the article has fallen through the cracks and has gone unappreciated in the online world of the 20XX's. That's a shame as Florian Ribisch's excellent Kraftwerk illustration is a <i>stunning</i> work of art and deserves accolades. Depicting our beloved electro-boffins as gas station attendants perfectly reflects the aesthetics of any Kraftwerk album cover: the rectilinear building, a pastoral landscape, the ideal representation of a petrol station, the uniforms - all very teutonic and humorous as this is a band you'll <i>never</i> see pumping gas or being mundane.<br />
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I stumbled upon this illustration doing a Google Book search and realized that it doesn't appear anywhere else on the internet. While the scan of the article was good enough for reading, it left a lot to be desired for anyone curious about the finer details of the art and also the timeline of the band's history was grainy and lo-res. I wanted to make a large canvas of this image so I eBay'ed a copy of Spin's August '98 issue and scanned it. The one I got was in perfect condition, 18 years of existence had not yellowed the paper and it was without folds or creases. I cut the pages out with a razor and scanned them at 600dpi and used Microsoft ICE to paste the multiple scans of each page together as they were too large to fit on my scanner, then color corrected and fixed the imperfections from the printing process.</div>
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Here it is for your enjoyment. I'm posting the scans at the lower resolution of 2000 pixels tall but if anyone desires the TIFFs at a much higher resolution sufficient to reveal the offset dots from the gravure drop me a line or comment below.<br />
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-52691997829906445202016-10-01T17:44:00.000-07:002017-07-12T16:40:49.085-07:00Florida Man Changes Name To Kraftwerk<div>
Choose one: a soul crushing morning at the DMV waiting to renew your driver’s license amid a sea of crying infants or a visit to the ham-fisted death dentist your insurance plan forced on you? Everyone rich or poor inevitably has to do these things, and unless you’re <a href="https://youtu.be/xLnapb-30hA" target="_blank">Charles Nelson Reilly</a> there’s no preferential treatment.</div>
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As my fiancée Jennifer and I had just moved to Florida, we had to visit the grey bureaucrats at the DMV within 30 days or risk the ire of the state apparatus.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZMuPfUCMoAV4mjQU04DeC2IZMtJbtkSEQCbQcieSmrOz_bHyn-VXg5KYUB27oHRMMM2cRAMYjazmEkYI2bqDAps09t5l4pcqtmwKVTVFtS3EXE6b9cCycD-NmtDa2QFBdRbVHTJxK4SN/s1600/22362702329_1fa19de398_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZMuPfUCMoAV4mjQU04DeC2IZMtJbtkSEQCbQcieSmrOz_bHyn-VXg5KYUB27oHRMMM2cRAMYjazmEkYI2bqDAps09t5l4pcqtmwKVTVFtS3EXE6b9cCycD-NmtDa2QFBdRbVHTJxK4SN/s400/22362702329_1fa19de398_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kraftwerk is an organ donor.</td></tr>
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My better half went first. Ordinarily you get an embarrassing, scowling photo you’re legally obligated to carry for the next decade like a tiny Scarlet Letter. I challenged her to make the most of it as <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=pastafarian+church+drivers+license+picture&espv=2&biw=1440&bih=739&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYmcKOm4_OAhUEKh4KHXQLBy4QsAQIGw#tbm=isch&q=pastafarian+drivers+license+picture" target="_blank">o</a><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=pastafarian+church+drivers+license+picture&espv=2&biw=1440&bih=739&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYmcKOm4_OAhUEKh4KHXQLBy4QsAQIGw#tbm=isch&q=pastafarian+drivers+license+picture" target="_blank">thers have done</a>. After some cosplay preparation, she went as her polar opposite: a platinum blonde, ’50s-era starlet in a cocktail dress with ruby-red lipstick. She nailed it. Nobody who’s seen her remarkable license fails to comment. This also meant she’d thrown down the gauntlet and it was my turn; I had to bring my A game. Little did I know I was about to be a Florida Man meme.</div>
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Who doesn’t love a <a href="https://twitter.com/_FloridaMan?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Enews%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">good Florida Man meme?</a> Endless prose has been written in honor of his creative stupidity a magnitude beyond the ‘hold my beer and watch this’ standard. A quick check for recent examples yields <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/25/dean-paterakis-florida-school-board-candidate-haul/" target="_blank">“Florida Man Arrested for Uttering the Words ‘Erect Penis’ at School Board Meeting”</a> and <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3581439/Florida-man-caught-trying-smuggle-dead-alligator-parts-cops-notice-scaly-foot-sticking-dashboard.html" target="_blank">“Florida Man Caught Trying to Smuggle Dead Alligator in Car”</a> shows it’s not a meme in decline. A recent Florida transplant myself, I laugh it off when frenemies rag me about it — but society has always needed a group to lightheartedly defame, with French surrender monkey and Polack jokes as good examples.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59BlwGox1eKjCPOGY_1dVQ1Uy_uS8_DbiPRqo-V_-GTt3seBpNLeYilX6uVLyF43fdN9W_xbUK-HznR_jfJ77N3RenJGJz225mz-WwusCX6Se-XdQ3ZPaVIXE-rNkw7bC88Cu7bh460jh/s1600/21927535803_74364aa68b_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59BlwGox1eKjCPOGY_1dVQ1Uy_uS8_DbiPRqo-V_-GTt3seBpNLeYilX6uVLyF43fdN9W_xbUK-HznR_jfJ77N3RenJGJz225mz-WwusCX6Se-XdQ3ZPaVIXE-rNkw7bC88Cu7bh460jh/s400/21927535803_74364aa68b_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kraftwerk gets meta.</td></tr>
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Despite this, it came as a complete surprise to see my face splashed across hallowed journalistic institutions under the headline <a href="http://dangerousminds.net/comments/florida_man_changes_his_name_to_kraftwerk" target="_blank">“Florida Man Changes Name To Kraftwerk”</a>. Reality set in while sitting with my morning cuppa joe, wiping sleep from my eyes while noting an absurd number of <strike>Faceballs</strike> Facebook notifications: I’d somehow become a Florida Man too.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Ww4nAOgHDI7lrz5laa8VOP6njc66GPE6l_t57RXE7_r45m8Vk7XbjsGRECzAOx5He7HLbCKGYper3Aqf1mbCAMOatHxJEn12XbrlZ0uC-6cZn8_veRbWQdBuSC5bKNIshPei4sxs9kPu/s1600/22535191152_cbf73886bc_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Ww4nAOgHDI7lrz5laa8VOP6njc66GPE6l_t57RXE7_r45m8Vk7XbjsGRECzAOx5He7HLbCKGYper3Aqf1mbCAMOatHxJEn12XbrlZ0uC-6cZn8_veRbWQdBuSC5bKNIshPei4sxs9kPu/s400/22535191152_cbf73886bc_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kraftwerk fahr'n fahr'n fahr'n a truck.</td></tr>
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Here’s a sampling: legendary British music journal <a href="http://www.nme.com/news/kraftwerk/95232" target="_blank">New Musical Express</a>. The EDM friendly <a href="http://www.mixmag.net/read/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-guy-called-kraftwerk-news" target="_blank">MixMag</a>. Orlando’s own <a href="http://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2016/07/22/winter-haven-man-officially-changes-his-name-to-kraftwerk" target="_blank">Weekly</a>. Canada’s <a href="http://exclaim.ca/music/article/florida_man_legally_changes_his_name_to_kraftwerk" target="_blank">Exclaim</a>. Something in regards to <a href="http://www.magneticmag.com/2016/07/man-in-florida-changes-name-to-kraftwerk-shares-a-day-in-the-life/" target="_blank">Magnetism</a>. The best beats are usually <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/feed/check-guy-named-kraftwerk/" target="_blank">Electronic Beats</a>. Stoney and <a href="http://stoneyroads.com/2016/07/this-kraftwerk-super-fan-changed-his-name-to-kraftwerk" target="_blank">His Beats</a>. Our favorite city where women stand under red lights and beckon you into questionable situations, <a href="http://www.deephouseamsterdam.com/guy-florida-changed-name-kraftwerk/" target="_blank">Amsterdam</a>. Deutschland’s <a href="http://www.shortnews.de/id/1207177/florida-mann-aendert-name-in-kraftwerk-nach-deutscher-elektronik-bandlegende#" target="_blank">Shortnews</a> …</div>
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I’ve been a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/27/kraftwerk-most-influential-electronic-band-tate" target="_blank">Kraftwerk</a> super-fan since childhood. In the 70s, they beamed down from planet Germany and served up an electronic music genre not heard before. Kraftwerk were perhaps the <i>least</i> German musical group ever (despite the Sprockets cliche of “und now ve dance”) and shunned at home by their lederhosen-attired German comrades with a strong bias for <a href="https://open.spotify.com/user/teage03/playlist/5ARGJCUqvGavr7y0TFOO18" target="_blank">schlager</a>, oompah tuba music and David Hasselhoff. Despite this, Kraftwerk arguably became <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jan/31/kraftwerk-pop-art-review-influential-beatles-bbc4" target="_blank">more influential than The Beatles</a> and were associated with driving on the <a href="https://youtu.be/gChOifUJZMc?list=RDgChOifUJZMc" target="_blank">Autobahn</a>.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NL3NqfFTec8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NL3NqfFTec8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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They’re also a legendarily secretive band, a musical Thomas Pynchon that never grants interviews, doesn’t sign autographs backstage, doesn’t let the world know they’re mortals who put their pants on one leg at a time. It’s maddening. They want us to think they’d been plucked from the wreckage of a UFO and I’m not buying it. I wanted the world to see their mundane side — and there’s no place on planet Earth more mundane than the DMV.</div>
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I hatched a plan.</div>
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The woman at the DMV was remarkably accommodating for my license photo, ensuring the red shirt and tie would fully appear. I’d jettisoned my beard that morning, a companion of the past few years that had to go. Jennifer applied masking tape around my face and shot black hair dye onto my salt and pepper hair, a bit of pale makeup base and a touch of rouge on the lips. I was a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man-Machine" target="_blank">good facsimile of The Man-Machine</a>. Only a few people at the DMV openly stared. I bid them <i>auf wiedersehen</i>.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfLEXwOaDcS_yLpkfZbSedR9LS8FlJY7r_HvXGDuEA_UdiqNoY7cTVkTZmP3xGHMiP3inPHKmOxz3pe-_lIeLToBiyXO4DflNlUkUkjvYeSk3CctguOXJ6DTlraVrtwV6t1ISX4u4uNJG/s1600/22360786070_00c46f47a0_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfLEXwOaDcS_yLpkfZbSedR9LS8FlJY7r_HvXGDuEA_UdiqNoY7cTVkTZmP3xGHMiP3inPHKmOxz3pe-_lIeLToBiyXO4DflNlUkUkjvYeSk3CctguOXJ6DTlraVrtwV6t1ISX4u4uNJG/s400/22360786070_00c46f47a0_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kraftwerk fahr'n a Subaru.</td></tr>
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Kraftwerk spent the rest of the day in Tampa being mundane and human, shopping at <a href="http://www.microgroovetampa.co/" target="_blank">Microgroove Records</a>, eating lunch, making an unpublished homage to <a href="https://img1.etsystatic.com/069/1/11124987/il_570xN.807576273_iwho.jpg" target="_blank">Frank Zappa</a>, driving a truck, gassing a Subaru and feeding ducks before a solid eight hours of rest. I scanned and edited the license to obscure or confuse all identifying information and replaced my own real name with “KRAFTWERK” and <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHsknxJYr1" target="_blank">uploaded everything to Flickr.</a> The general reaction from my friends (most of whom are happy to listen to the radio) was that I was a “dork.” I promptly forgot about it. But the internet never forgets and loves to remix. I should not have been surprised that agent provocateurs would run with the name change angle. For the record, I didn’t change my name. I’m still the same smooth jazz, Tampa-based David Sanborn I’ve always been.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1xmEMMe74dRkxmO-WcnHPshzVVqGDa_rOwYSgsmRZ-QlvBx-fCA7gqza4jjw3mrdjVr9RdjE8roDXSpPydfx4EDrhXgDXXDxCDg0csMlYt2KdJXXuMDcEQBjmWbmxM00-rY98mAgApyJ/s1600/22360784930_3827c05c5f_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1xmEMMe74dRkxmO-WcnHPshzVVqGDa_rOwYSgsmRZ-QlvBx-fCA7gqza4jjw3mrdjVr9RdjE8roDXSpPydfx4EDrhXgDXXDxCDg0csMlYt2KdJXXuMDcEQBjmWbmxM00-rY98mAgApyJ/s400/22360784930_3827c05c5f_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These ducks are very teutonic.</td></tr>
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I’ll pass the DMV soul-sucking challenge along to you: make your photos noteworthy, live a little. You’re going to be stuck with it for a long, long time. Faith No More can explain the moral (if any) to this story with their evergreen <a href="https://youtu.be/JKDo6g4CCeU" target="_blank">I Started a Joke</a>.</div>
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Also, if you’re dumb enough to ride motorcycles, you should consider being an organ donor, too.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29GrcTAG6Cd8rZUQk14xh1k9Gd_xBHIdNNwaV5lQX_C7RjOCrx2GAu3lJkUKZtgvIB4KkiVeN3NKguGn88evkdEdIQCOg6MLStHUPI6asEMhMetjt39g3hI9Fy2khHtn-Y_tcGAxbSQ6y/s1600/22559919901_d1a8a6bf12_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29GrcTAG6Cd8rZUQk14xh1k9Gd_xBHIdNNwaV5lQX_C7RjOCrx2GAu3lJkUKZtgvIB4KkiVeN3NKguGn88evkdEdIQCOg6MLStHUPI6asEMhMetjt39g3hI9Fy2khHtn-Y_tcGAxbSQ6y/s640/22559919901_d1a8a6bf12_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kraftwerk dreams of electric sheep.</td></tr>
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Legal Disclaimer: this story <a href="http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2016/07/kraftwerk-one-ttacs-became-florida-man-meme/" target="_blank">originally appeared on July 26, 2016 on the automotive industry site The Truth About Cars.</a></div>
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-16528911261829692602016-09-12T21:33:00.003-07:002017-09-20T09:40:13.041-07:00The Infinite Subaru Wagons of Jackson Hole WY(<i>Many</i> thanks to Jack Baruth at Road & Track Magazine for giving this <a href="http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a33393/the-4000-car-that-all-the-millionaires-love/" target="_blank">piece a shout-out!</a>)<br />
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We visited Jackson Hole WY in August 2016 and avoided the soul-crushing swelter of Tampa's summer for one week. The place is devastatingly beautiful, the mountains, the moose, the alpine lakes, yada yada, go look at a tourist pamphlet, etc.<br />
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But the Subaru wagons ... EPIC! They're more common than gnats on a summer picnic, more prevalent than long-lost relations when you've won the Lotto. You can't swing a dead cat without hitting four or five.<br />
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Initially upon arrival, I didn't really notice them, I own one so I'm used to seeing them. But in Florida where I live they're a tiny minority. Nobody really digs their Swiss Army knife utility, their jack-of-all-trades capabilities. People in the Sunshine State tend towards bro-dozers, Ford F-150's, Silverados and Ram this or that. A Subaru doesn't prop up a tiny, damaged ego nearly as well. But in Jackson Hole where the men and/or women with mullets apparently don't need to prove anything the Subaru wagon reigns supreme.<br />
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I didn't start taking photos until our last two days there and even then didn't try that hard. Had I been diligent from the outset I can assure you there'd be 10x as many. I'll bet Marty from Mighty Car Mods would've been Johnny-on-the-spot about documenting them. Even then, I quickly decided to only photograph older generation Subaru wagons, so the more modern ones are the first few I shot. If one takes into account late model Subaru wagons, there might be more Subarus in that town than human inhabitants.<br />
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My takeaway is that there can't possibly be that many lesbians there. In fact, I suspect that's an overblown bit of marketing hyperbole. I think the denizens of Jackson Hole rock Subaru wagons because they're the perfect intersection of right tool for the job. If any other automaker can crack that code then good luck. It's going to take time, engineering prowess and some remarkable marketing. Even the unbelievably unkillable Honda CRV is a rarity there.<br />
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Now, in no particular order, I present to you ... The Subarus Of Jackson Hole!<br />
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Things have changed in Jackson Hole since the 1950's. I wonder how they got around without AWD and Thule bike racks? You'll be happy to know that the downtown district has hardly changed since the photo, below was taken.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhUjEwgNWKzYRpbb9o7x-8WmqPMXcV7XA1uBhf2Tb2jmmniidl7EIl1PW7DqvERQbkG7KfpJX1IeOMc5J58qbf-3N_z6jcvdLsqQ5YbBmPYYq1LtxfyPcQdfp6MzAP3ghXDPSHQ4n7fbu/s1600/JacksonHoleWY1950s_1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1280" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhUjEwgNWKzYRpbb9o7x-8WmqPMXcV7XA1uBhf2Tb2jmmniidl7EIl1PW7DqvERQbkG7KfpJX1IeOMc5J58qbf-3N_z6jcvdLsqQ5YbBmPYYq1LtxfyPcQdfp6MzAP3ghXDPSHQ4n7fbu/s640/JacksonHoleWY1950s_1200.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackson Hole circa 1950's a.k.a. before Subaru</td></tr>
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Since you scrolled down this far, here's the Craigslist posting that lured me into Subaru wagon ownership. 73,000 miles (not 78,000 as the ad stated), grandmother owned and garage kept are qualities I can't pass up. I negotiated the price to $3500 and drove an essentially new but classic car home. I'm not just a fan of boring cars as I also own a K20 engine swapped Honda Insight and a Triumph TR6, but we needed a four seater to schlepp people and dogs around and a Subaru wagon was the perfect tool.<br />
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This is the screen capture I posted on Faceballs. Exactly one person was perceptive enough to catch the easter eggs I hid in plain sight. Way to go Julian!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1vJfhyvIVPqzb35EzIjj9tlRMrxE2eUj_Zfxna1kD1BTx1dDTDHHWbUKtsBYaRx4bRO9WQnEFrLZa0wm2FKYte4igslLe1eSfMiwLqEkjo47_WGRABt42UhS7IgDbfXu5yavZ_BcyOSN/s1600/Subaru-Wagon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1vJfhyvIVPqzb35EzIjj9tlRMrxE2eUj_Zfxna1kD1BTx1dDTDHHWbUKtsBYaRx4bRO9WQnEFrLZa0wm2FKYte4igslLe1eSfMiwLqEkjo47_WGRABt42UhS7IgDbfXu5yavZ_BcyOSN/s640/Subaru-Wagon.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where's the Milo Yiannopoulos link?</td></tr>
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-7401895116266724992016-07-20T08:58:00.000-07:002016-07-20T09:01:51.168-07:00In Defense of the Name Blaine<div>
Blaine was the name of my childhood neighbor, a WWII vet with the best stories and all of them earned, not overheard. At nearly 80 he still lit his smokes with a Zippo and rolled his packs of unfiltered Camels into his t-shirt sleeve. He was dying of congestive heart failure but wouldn’t admit it, his conversations interrupted by long hacking coughs that drained his color. I’d see him walking on the side of the road in Florida’s 95 degree summer heat because his unloving wife drove their only car to Sears where she managed the shoe department. I’d stop and motion him in – he’d resist, complain that I had more important things to do. If I had more important things to do that merited letting him die in the summer heat, I don’t know what they could be.</div>
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Blaine deserved better. His children up north never called, forgot his birthday but used his place as a rest stop on the rare occasion they visited Disney. I really loved the guy, he was an appreciated substitute for my own deadbeat dad when I was in high school. Before he passed away in my sophomore year of college I’d sent him a new Zippo, monogrammed with my appreciation for my stand-in dad and a pack of Camels with a stern Sharpie’d note on them that they were NOT to be smoked. I was too broke to come home for the funeral but my mom said that Zippo was in his box of greatest treasures, next to the medals and Purple Heart and other sparse jewelry that a man acquires who’s too practical for such vane things. I've missed him ever since, not a week goes by that I don't think about him or ruminate on his battlefield stories of boredom and terror. I hope you've had a Blaine in your life too.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1tilp-8FAlmmy1HUcwaxbRXOKSLWN9LvDsy_6ExKfjaPh66swCD7RT35b7kgmUxjzBt5LpTpXQ9xVU_uRQhk5g2XHYxhTtu7Q-ltqiqjs94IzsUA6mIfJLWVIQfGf43jfbZbU1q2IKBc/s1600/blaine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1tilp-8FAlmmy1HUcwaxbRXOKSLWN9LvDsy_6ExKfjaPh66swCD7RT35b7kgmUxjzBt5LpTpXQ9xVU_uRQhk5g2XHYxhTtu7Q-ltqiqjs94IzsUA6mIfJLWVIQfGf43jfbZbU1q2IKBc/s400/blaine.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Blaine? His name is Blaine? That's not a name it's a major appliance!"</td></tr>
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-22234012665401078382016-06-30T18:22:00.004-07:002016-07-23T14:26:49.188-07:00The Nissan Pao - S-Cargo - Figaro ConundrumAny devoted masochist would or should gravitate towards owning an automobile not sold in his/her own country, with all the pitfalls that go with it. To that end, Jennifer has thrown down the gauntlet and declared "I Will Have a Nissan Pao - or an S-Cargo!" and with that the search began. It was with some enormous disbelief that the first search on Craigslist returned a Pao only a 20 minute drive away. Had we called last month that would've netted a S-Cargo too. What are the odds?<br />
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As I am loathe to retype the entire sordid history of these truly and refreshingly odd vehicles, <a href="http://lmgtfy.com/?q=nissan+pao" target="_blank">let me Google that for you</a>. I'll wait for you to get up to speed. Meanwhile, the bare minimum is that Nissan in a fit of madness/genius back in '89 released a trio of vehicles that were an homage to styles of the distant past, like creating a parallel timeline. This was well before the New Beetle, PT Cruiser or Thunderbird, and even those cars were meant to ape their former selves. Not Nissan. At any rate, here's the Pao we're considering, as seen at <a href="http://montumotors.com/" target="_blank">Montu Motors</a> in Oldsmar, FL:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjInspNilbeNjCVuk6Ja_2isys9-q9xMr69FNo3JzdwxPAkryBKDg3WBgTFQGfZgzvlAOxF6a4Ot03MirKIq-ZeyOKrTOOZjb7eIn959P6_XLCK5ekG8sQ12kU71DI6Ejc_5xkz6ZrSN4y/s1600/0630161032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjInspNilbeNjCVuk6Ja_2isys9-q9xMr69FNo3JzdwxPAkryBKDg3WBgTFQGfZgzvlAOxF6a4Ot03MirKIq-ZeyOKrTOOZjb7eIn959P6_XLCK5ekG8sQ12kU71DI6Ejc_5xkz6ZrSN4y/s400/0630161032.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tailgate folds down, glass hinges up, nice!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvNHFgWcdadxA-PKb4Tl1Sc52RKid__N7IfjDJR3amEqvYp_uUqyGxi6TK4qJngBTijRF_ZbHLWMhSOePLvqJuq8JZw76Lz2R8u36O4ghc6KxhYanQMKJmLHWjVA8WbcW1u9RHkJ1prNe/s1600/0630161107.mp4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvNHFgWcdadxA-PKb4Tl1Sc52RKid__N7IfjDJR3amEqvYp_uUqyGxi6TK4qJngBTijRF_ZbHLWMhSOePLvqJuq8JZw76Lz2R8u36O4ghc6KxhYanQMKJmLHWjVA8WbcW1u9RHkJ1prNe/s400/0630161107.mp4" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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Walk-around!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSDr5W_1qKb-9J8g3U7r9H3dqDMnP5FwuMXdR7wep16nU9wYwW5s-ia9gbInEHwpYpSBbJ4A2nPLjvhSwh451-yecsmY6iILvJhtcJHnHS2Uz1MoMerrNVNIZUX_0dDqf52_RGLdjTBSY/s1600/0630161032a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSDr5W_1qKb-9J8g3U7r9H3dqDMnP5FwuMXdR7wep16nU9wYwW5s-ia9gbInEHwpYpSBbJ4A2nPLjvhSwh451-yecsmY6iILvJhtcJHnHS2Uz1MoMerrNVNIZUX_0dDqf52_RGLdjTBSY/s400/0630161032a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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The very definition of Spartan.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQUNxpECkRZGWUwbsQdaV8SwIsMBcACPK8xyVxfXz5ePZqIJvvPnxAVgf2VqE_i9UJ-3St4u9l9Ou8lpV1vg3HJIChBmG7O7WhJSLg3RM0yGnECZQT-NXsQICyCOvsYKByQ13mNXJ1JjNR/s1600/0630161033a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQUNxpECkRZGWUwbsQdaV8SwIsMBcACPK8xyVxfXz5ePZqIJvvPnxAVgf2VqE_i9UJ-3St4u9l9Ou8lpV1vg3HJIChBmG7O7WhJSLg3RM0yGnECZQT-NXsQICyCOvsYKByQ13mNXJ1JjNR/s400/0630161033a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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It's the black sheep at Montu.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3h3BaorlAesdM64ojbYXxv8rSbMqbxeQdgymuRQsgQHf0TZImeh3MCrDVwJevJvX-TgCtyIFAMGoFsp8J7rOvX_mndd-m4Qz7abnOReHqCZS_dLFPjb_pqaXG5tOhMbIPPa2QMAFvdLT_/s1600/pao-stereo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3h3BaorlAesdM64ojbYXxv8rSbMqbxeQdgymuRQsgQHf0TZImeh3MCrDVwJevJvX-TgCtyIFAMGoFsp8J7rOvX_mndd-m4Qz7abnOReHqCZS_dLFPjb_pqaXG5tOhMbIPPa2QMAFvdLT_/s400/pao-stereo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even its stereo is retro!</td></tr>
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While not perfect, it's certainly much, much nicer than most any American 26 year old daily driver. There's a rust spot in the spare wheel well, the pivoting vent window frames are rusting, the accordion sliding rag top refused to open and there's a crack in the fiberglass hood. Sam tells us that he'll make sure that's fixed as well as service the a/c before the sale, so there's that.<br />
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In no order of preference, here's the other cars on their sales floor. I was smitten with the '89 Prelude 4WS 2.0xx - mostly identical to the one I owned, blissfully, over a decade ago.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgFIWzTUiNtUPduy2pe1WLmi8rxJb41lKEcxS82a7nkVhyaaXB1afJHLpRdXe5aqNOm-49qM_Ldz0h0fTA1p0fJlUXLliFYWvJy1w0Uf20SnBZqbRtE3t8GncXl0n2f8VNbJganweiCId/s1600/0630161113a%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgFIWzTUiNtUPduy2pe1WLmi8rxJb41lKEcxS82a7nkVhyaaXB1afJHLpRdXe5aqNOm-49qM_Ldz0h0fTA1p0fJlUXLliFYWvJy1w0Uf20SnBZqbRtE3t8GncXl0n2f8VNbJganweiCId/s400/0630161113a%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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The apogee of affordable Honda engineering.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9P5jJ-0vToYngMA8VqpXTBhFx18dN47H-lkxCzvO5Hb2B63h7o8wLblRZiFKsl_tqlI3h6we1J1fu5Jcmk6t_c-tUvJkG_YFSppqvETR4Q9jhWzQx69c2LNyC6MoDNnTankWhOACKmL9/s1600/0630161113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9P5jJ-0vToYngMA8VqpXTBhFx18dN47H-lkxCzvO5Hb2B63h7o8wLblRZiFKsl_tqlI3h6we1J1fu5Jcmk6t_c-tUvJkG_YFSppqvETR4Q9jhWzQx69c2LNyC6MoDNnTankWhOACKmL9/s400/0630161113.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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Those turbine wheels look better with age.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04KM3F7jGQK3qulLGNgK6TjdbajKhRLesn4XPwNa_5YfM1V0SJT3D-lU_MzL19sk-9LysIDG8BYVSimM13Roz6pq_PIzJIocsZgeeeeNJOMhcPU3vSKdAm6pxqTvf61CS6IVI2XjRSE1Y/s1600/0630161048a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04KM3F7jGQK3qulLGNgK6TjdbajKhRLesn4XPwNa_5YfM1V0SJT3D-lU_MzL19sk-9LysIDG8BYVSimM13Roz6pq_PIzJIocsZgeeeeNJOMhcPU3vSKdAm6pxqTvf61CS6IVI2XjRSE1Y/s400/0630161048a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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The most functional automotive cockpit ever.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CYNUzJuhxalDR9TUsTyjiOqPCzR0UIhn8XS_JTV7hEC7gHQNct-HgOFCK03qAYLPOn8h0xOM_8kzrrSZEblnLFk6_Uw1okksjJ5Ll8hFZp1yWlBJ0BJB-7RtYQHkSF3w6H0riqekL-Tr/s1600/0630161101a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CYNUzJuhxalDR9TUsTyjiOqPCzR0UIhn8XS_JTV7hEC7gHQNct-HgOFCK03qAYLPOn8h0xOM_8kzrrSZEblnLFk6_Uw1okksjJ5Ll8hFZp1yWlBJ0BJB-7RtYQHkSF3w6H0riqekL-Tr/s400/0630161101a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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My a/c was manual. This one is much nicer.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijq-IoWy_NgeiIRK7-hk3V_suJcshWP3avL4U4J5cUvKOex59iK1mNGOQea6PaXkeeiPlbbsJlgn0it52yJK3B5NOMn5vuGZ3_jt_IfC5Ogd6Mhu1Fvnsx8MHf1XJxUEkbkUQnu0K3m2K5/s1600/0630161102b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijq-IoWy_NgeiIRK7-hk3V_suJcshWP3avL4U4J5cUvKOex59iK1mNGOQea6PaXkeeiPlbbsJlgn0it52yJK3B5NOMn5vuGZ3_jt_IfC5Ogd6Mhu1Fvnsx8MHf1XJxUEkbkUQnu0K3m2K5/s400/0630161102b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make no bones about it: it's FOUR Wheel Steering!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6jn3E12KFDL7fzOZ3bozZgKsVZPbamO0cXdqx3-N9dy7FzB1MhcC17EvoDIZ9auPOemACj6aHPesSqcQd-f3yzRLuJhNPGYgLVPR_pLlLhzlYaOKshh3RwTo4YEhz3sewDjM6TVDT5kY/s1600/0630161005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6jn3E12KFDL7fzOZ3bozZgKsVZPbamO0cXdqx3-N9dy7FzB1MhcC17EvoDIZ9auPOemACj6aHPesSqcQd-f3yzRLuJhNPGYgLVPR_pLlLhzlYaOKshh3RwTo4YEhz3sewDjM6TVDT5kY/s400/0630161005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nissan Patrol fire truck. My Japanese pal Nob noted <br />
"The livery says it belonged to the Kamikawa <br />
City Fire Department, part of the Fukumoto Squad."</td></tr>
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I am a long-time fan of the Honda Beat - when I lived in Japan from 99 to 00 (that doesn't look right) they were still a common sight on the road, though their numbers were waning. It seemed that there was no closer four wheeled relative to the motorcycle available and certainly not with air conditioning and a stereo. I wonder if Kitano "Beat" Takeshi had any say in its name?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHS5ZEGFAQTfE7wU3nsNjSilw8XlWlw-dj_QwmqQSFQLMBAU2B-ke24VITdMP39A26z-exBTtEq3iCK8qFu5b4Gb4yCpeAxfPcOjrhDd79XhC4UHtxs92agjdIrEhIdMYn0g3IsDbsffR2/s1600/0630161044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHS5ZEGFAQTfE7wU3nsNjSilw8XlWlw-dj_QwmqQSFQLMBAU2B-ke24VITdMP39A26z-exBTtEq3iCK8qFu5b4Gb4yCpeAxfPcOjrhDd79XhC4UHtxs92agjdIrEhIdMYn0g3IsDbsffR2/s400/0630161044.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honda's legendary Beat. A truly Lilliputian roadster.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajrkqEyuAHIntie2_Zw8EeyLuKGkKe325R05hmhyphenhypheny7emgOMqPdLiIrInHi_M6be6MPcHJjI7SgnVSOslCcb9syB8JYNOODEclLQbuH6QhDR43sPe4UBK2S3wPEIhugX8UKEtcwDITZABp/s1600/0630161044a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajrkqEyuAHIntie2_Zw8EeyLuKGkKe325R05hmhyphenhypheny7emgOMqPdLiIrInHi_M6be6MPcHJjI7SgnVSOslCcb9syB8JYNOODEclLQbuH6QhDR43sPe4UBK2S3wPEIhugX8UKEtcwDITZABp/s400/0630161044a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really, really tiny kei. No better deal out there by the pound.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqqqh4N_tN3PDKQ7EIAZ1hWoFHUFePFLGjW4HnYgeOTM9b1APn9bdxA3lZl9utqp5RS-BfRkctycCU5gK4mPxD4kM_HRnGu7TOsYHaunt6NYDHfkqr7_00_JGB0i78suE78ob5EWiNhTZ/s1600/0630161045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqqqh4N_tN3PDKQ7EIAZ1hWoFHUFePFLGjW4HnYgeOTM9b1APn9bdxA3lZl9utqp5RS-BfRkctycCU5gK4mPxD4kM_HRnGu7TOsYHaunt6NYDHfkqr7_00_JGB0i78suE78ob5EWiNhTZ/s400/0630161045.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Trunk" No topside engine access?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like a BDSM dream. I kinda like it!</td></tr>
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-7066909373154035352016-02-02T21:47:00.000-08:002017-07-11T20:06:19.973-07:00The Small Pickup : The Vanishing Unicorn<h2>
Our "New" Mazda B2300 110k Mile Truck</h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Unicorn.</td></tr>
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Got a hobby that's physically bigger than stamp collecting or watch repair? You'll probably need a pickup truck at some point. It's a fact of life. Recently we needed to schlep my Kawasaki AR80 motorcycle to have a new exhaust fabbed in Houston. Then we needed to get it down to San Marcos for some dyno time. Now we need to go to Temple and retrieve my Honda CA77 Dream from a four year delay in its restoration at the hands of a well meaning procrastinator. I've found borrowing a friend's truck to be a royal pain and most people drive trucks that are thorough overkill for small projects anyway. What to do? Easy. Buy the vanishing unicorn of trucks: the small, four cylinder, 5 speed 'compact' truck.<br />
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Go to any dealer today - Japanese or American and try to buy a small, efficient pickup truck. Now, while you're off on a fool's errand I'll break it down for the rest of you: they don't exist any more. As far as I can tell people would happily buy them but nobody makes them anymore. I think this might be a bit of collusion between oil cartels and America's auto manufacturers, but more than anything it's this one dirty secret: it doesn't cost appreciably more to manufacture a larger truck than a small one, the cost differential is vanishingly small even if the perception of value isn't. So for a captive, domestic market bigger is better. Unless you're the consumer and you value efficiency.</div>
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As I typically don't use a sledgehammer to hang a picture on the wall, we similarly don't need a 15mpg <a href="http://www.fuelly.com/car/ford/f-150/2013?engineconfig_id=13139&bodystyleconfig_id=&submodel_id=" target="_blank">Ford F-150 Super Crew</a> behemoth to cart tiny motorcycles around. Our needs were crystal clear: small, four cylinder, five speed manual transmission and late model either foreign or domestic. I implored two close friends who own 90's Toyota Tacomas to sell theirs to us as both kept dropping hints they were looking to unload. Naturally they resolved to keep them upon detecting our fanatical interest. I remembered my friends Les and Hilde who drove a Ford Ranger truck for more than a few years on the mean streets of New Orleans and never ever had an issue with it. Their experience opened my eyes to the non-crappiness of Fords, at least since the late 90's. A bit of Googling revealed that they cost a bit less than their Toyota counterparts, had two decades of development on their chassis and if it meant anything, we could get one with the word MAZDA emblazoned across the tailgate even if it was really a Ford in a tailored shirt.</div>
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So I hit Craigslist and made calls. Lots of choices. But as a longtime user of CL I know that the good deals are snapped up within hours of posting and that trucks with a few days or weeks hangtime were probably not worth my effort. There's a rule of thumb: buy the best you can afford, usually that's cheaper in the long run and we didn't want a project. Other buyer's shorthand exists too. If they say "just add freon" that means a $1000 repair minimum. No receipts for upkeep? The oil's never been changed and it'll crater in your first week together. Dirty ass interior in the photos? Same thing. I specifically wanted to find one that was a one owner truck. The first owner is the one most likely to care about the welfare of his car. Amazingly on my first evening of calling, I found it: one owner, receipts, and garage kept with recent BF Goodrich tires and a tuneup. The next day (9/1/14) we were face to face with Raj, an Indian semiconductor engineer looking to unload his 2003 Mazda B2300 with 110,000 miles. He'd used it for commuting to work and it looked like it had lead a pampered existence despite the burst stitching on the grey vinyl seats, a typical problem.</div>
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The test drive revealed a problem that Raj hadn't noticed: at any throttle setting above easy-does-it the engine would stumble and miss. I reasoned that if he hadn't noticed this problem that he similarly probably had never driven it spiritedly, or perhaps even any faster than 55mph.</div>
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I had Luu Auto Repair do a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) which I can’t stress enough the importance of. One should always invest in this. It revealed that the truck has excellent compression on all four cylinders but needed new brake pads, rotors, drums and shoes. It needed all fluids changed, a new coolant expansion tank and a right front sway bar link.</div>
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Initial crank on each cylinder as well as continuous cranking scores:</div>
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#1 95psi, 190-200</div>
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#2 90psi, 190-200</div>
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#3 95psi, 190-200</div>
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#4 93psi, 190-200</div>
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Raj then inexplicably followed Luu’s recommendations & spent $375 replacing the inner and outer valve cover gaskets as the spark plugs wells had oil in them (its a dohc) as well as the intake gaskets. He also replaced the ignition coil as the car had a check engine light, returning codes P00301 and P0316 for missing cylinder #1. On top of this he also changed the oil! As we were going to offer him $3200 for the truck before these repairs, this was like getting a $200 better deal than we’d hoped to get. Woot!</div>
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BRAKES & ALIGNMENT</h3>
Despite having lead a pampered life, miles still = wear and tear. We took our B2300 to Austin’s Alignments and Brakes where my pal Matt runs a tight ship and threw some Benjamins at it. Here’s the breakdown: (9/5/2014)</div>
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* Front Ceramic Pads x2 $45.49</div>
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* Front Wheel Seals x2 $$17.94</div>
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* Front Hub & Rotor Assy x2 $135.92</div>
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* Rear Brake Drum x2 104.90</div>
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* Rear Brake Shoes $33.88</div>
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* Shop Supplies (aka tip) $5</div>
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* TOTAL $686.03 (parts $343 - labor $315)</div>
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The labor included tire rotation, brake fluid flush and bending the slightly cockeyed front bumper straight. Hopefully this is the last we’ll hear from these brakes for another 100k miles.<br />
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Then, feeling that we hadn't blown enough money on the B2300, we went back and had a front end alignment and fixed the worn out sway bar end links which also silenced the sleigh bell jingles from the front suspension. (9/18/2014)<br />
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Sway Bar Link Kit x2 $40.64<br />
Shop Supplies (cigarettes & booze) $5<br />
Alignment Labor .70 hour $63<br />
Sway Bar Labor 1 hour $90<br />
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TOTAL $201.99</div>
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<h3>
STEREO & TINT</h3>
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Next stop, bumping’ music and dark tint at CustomSounds on Burnet Rd. We literally took it straight from Austin’s Alignments to CustomSounds, heeding the axiom “no time like the present”. Mike Guerrero greeted us and remembered me as being that pleasant guy who asks probing questions then buys from Amazon. Well, not this time. Jennifer has a tendency to do things right now, so dorking around with delayed gratification was not in the cards. Our needs were complex: the fidelity had to be top notch, the stereo couldn’t intrude on the limited space in our single cab pickup and the head unit had to quickly read a 1tb hard drive, have bluetooth as well as a parametric or multi band equalizer. Here’s what we picked:</div>
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Kenwood CD KDCX998 - $230<br />
JL Audio Amp KD5003 - $280<br />
JL Audio Basslink control - $35<br />
JL Audio Box Sub CP108LG - $230</div>
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Hushmat Ultra Door Kit - $100</div>
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Rockford Fosgate 5x7 Speakers R168X2 (2 pairs) - $140</div>
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Ford Multi w/ Pocket - $20</div>
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Ford Harness ’98 Up - $20</div>
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Step Up RCA 12 Ft - $30</div>
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25ft 16 Ga Spkr Wire Pack - $18</div>
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8AWG Power Kit 600 Watts - $50</div>
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Plus these additional charges from our two visits that I find maddening, inscrutable and wildly inflated:</div>
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Shop Parts $44.25 + $8.25 (% labor heat shrink screws paint wtf)</div>
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Shop Charge $19.17 + $3.57 (% labor covering same stuff wtf)<br />
Audio Labor $350 + $55 + $25</div>
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WHAT IF I'D DONE THE STEREO MYSELF? 3X LESS EXPENSIVE!</h4>
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Years ago I pieced together a complete headunit, amplifier and custom built sub enclosure sub installation for both my Scirroco as well as my '85 Civic, and did a decent job too. So I looked around online at what we would've spent if I'd been just a bit more motivated and had searched out the lowest prices and done the installation myself. It's REMARKABLY cheaper.<br />
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Me, buying online would have cost: $682 vs $1829 from CustomSounds. I'm not knocking going the dealer install route: it's a package deal and there's a warranty. No knuckles get scraped and there's no surprises, other than spending triple what a talented DIY'er would.<br />
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Sub $220 Crutchfield</div>
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Speakers $70 eBay (both pairs total)</div>
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Headunit $220 Rakuten</div>
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Hushmat $60 Amazon</div>
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Bass Knob $30 Amazon</div>
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Fascia single din $15 Amazon</div>
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Amp Wiring Kit $12 Amazon</div>
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Spkr Wire 14ga $11 Amazon</div>
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RCA cables 2x $24 Amazon</div>
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Incidentals, Solder, Connectors $20<br />
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TOTAL $682<br />
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COOLANT SYSTEM</h3>
The mechanic at Bill's Complete Auto Service is an older epically bearded gent who works at a glacial pace and often stops to stare off into infinity, I guess contemplating how he wound up in a trade he was so unsuited for. He left a rubber grommet off the firewall and we drove around with a loud whooshing noise in the cab until we could get the truck back to him.<br />
Radiator and Clutch Master Cylinder Repair 12/20/2014:<br />
Clutch Master Cylinder $104.86<br />
Radiator $261.99<br />
Antifreeze $16<br />
Labor $225<br />
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TOTAL $639.43<br />
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A few weeks later I bought and installed these parts myself as I'd rather not pay someone to do a worse job than my own bumbling attempts:<br />
Coolant Expansion Tank - $49.23<br />
Heater Vacuum Valve $20 (Murray Climate Control - Vacuum Bypass Closes Heater Valve<br />
Part # 74809 make sure you get the right one, either 2 or 4 port)<br />
Ford coolant expansion tanks were made to fail. What shitty plastic. The only upside is that the expansion tank and the valve are replaced using basic hand tools and an afternoon of spare time.</div>
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NEW (To Us) TOPPER</h3>
Used, green bed topper. Smells of mold, doesn't match the truck's color and its clear coat is mostly gone. Pros: keeps the rain off our stuff and is lockable.<br />
$200<br />
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TINT</h3>
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Custom Sounds of Austin also did the tint. How Raj drove this truck for a decade under Austin's baking sun without tint <i>completely mystifies me</i>.<br />
Pinnacle Ceramic Tint 30% sides and 15% rear + eyebrow - $168</div>
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Pinnacle Labor - $110</div>
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Pinnacle Tint Labor Parts (huh wtf) - $3.19 </div>
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CLUTCH PILOT BEARING</h3>
The pilot bearing suddenly decided to commit seppuku (or is it hari-kiri?) resulting in a truck that often refused to go into any gear unless the engine was first switched off. Similar to my contentions that the stereo install's cost was greatly inflated by usurious labor, so too is the installation of a new clutch - but not nearly as much of a drubbing percentagewise as the stereo. Where the stereo component's cost were roughly a third of the final overall cost, in the case of the clutch it's closer to 50% so not as much of a bitch-slap to the bank account.<br />
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The cost to do the clutch includes replacing the slave cylinder on a just-in-case basis. This is proactively done as the engineers at Ford (obviously high from sniffing glue) thought it made sense to mount the slave cylinder at the center of the output shaft, necessitating a transmission removal when it fails. For such a well designed and thrifty truck this is a big, stupid booger of a mistake. But it is what it is. While it was all apart we went ahead and tossed a new clutch in too. If you're smart enough to change your hydraulic fluid every five years it likely will never have any issues. Unless ... while changing the fluid you screw up and introduce air into the system. Then the only way to bleed all the air out is to do a voodoo dance while removing the transmission so that you can turn the slave cylinder upside down while introducing fresh fluid to it. So don't do that.<br />
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COST:<br />
Clutch Slave Cylinder $67.50<br />
Clutch Kit $214<br />
Gallon Oil $32<br />
Labor 5.10 hrs $382.50<br />
Labor Resurface Flywheel $65<br />
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TOTAL $792<br />
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TIRES</h3>
New shoes for the truck were needed as the BF Goodrich Comp T/A's were older than we realized, tired and quite the hand full in the rain. New kicks ran a bit pricey with most good tires being roughly $100 per. Being of a frugal bent we checked Craigslist & found 4 General Grabber AT-2 225/70-15 tires with an asking price of $250. Adam posted the ad and stated that they were only a couple years old and had approximately 1000 miles on them. He'd removed them after noticing a slight loss of fuel economy on his 70 mile commute but wanted to keep them for an impending move to a snowy climate where they'd work well. Eventually he replaced the Ranger they were on with a Wrangler, so it was time to let them go. A slight haggling took place and we acquired them for a piddling $220.</div>
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Discount Tires mounted and lifetime balanced them for $76. Total cost = $296. Contrast this with if we'd bought them through Discount Tires with all their ancillary fees, disposal charges and taxes of $542. Thanks to Craigslist we have $240 additional dollars to spend on pizza and beer. Re. the Grabber AT2's the drive home was quieter than before as the prior tires would really sing. These are a bit more muted despite their very blocky tread design. Also slightly evident is the additional strain their 7 additional pounds per wheel puts on the engine. As the truck is not going to be used for long distance commutes, their lack of LRR "low rolling resistance' credentials is not as important. Overall they're good and we look forward to how they perform in the rain and eventually in the snow.<br />
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<b>THE MORAL OF THE STORY</b><br />
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What initially looked like a great deal turned out to be a mirage - but it was just bad luck rather than ignorance on our part. The clutch throwout bearing could've happened any time, same too for the coolant system that waited until it was in our hands to puke. When buying any used car one should set aside a stack of Benjamins for all the consumables and assume they all need doing. I'm tacking this bit on in July 2017: we've had to remove the transmission again to replace another coolant line. Seriously. There's a <i>plastic</i> coolant line that snakes behind and around the engine that can't be replaced without removing the transmission, so that was another $500 labor bill. The alternator died while towing our TR6 across the country. Then a friend of ours destroyed our air conditioner compressor using a ham fisted technique to lever off the old a/c clutch, so there's that too.<br />
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Would we buy another Ford Ranger / Mazda B2300? Probably not. On a positive note, we're pretty confident that we've covered our bases for the foreseeable future for sh*t that might break. If you buy one of these trucks, find a pampered one and bargain hard on the price.<br />
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Or make your friend follow through on the promises to sell his Toyota truck to you.</div>
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-16305775454711863752015-12-05T14:44:00.001-08:002015-12-05T14:44:15.486-08:00Chad Gets Some Bad News About Herman "Guppy" Brown<div>
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Anyone whose been to the Caribbean knows the enchanting sound of the steel drums, a.k.a. 'pan' or steelpan - the perfect upbeat music for sun drenched beachside afternoons spent with friends. It's impossible to be sad and be around pan music - unless you've just discovered that your hero, the manufacturer of the most revered steelpans in the Caribbean has just passed away.</div>
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Jen & I visited London early December 2015 and spent our time doing some very untouristy things like trying to find Lawrence Hayward in Shoreditch, seeing Wire at Tufnell's Dome and shopping on Regent Street. Early on an uncharacteristically warm evening at the Oxford Circus tube station entrance we heard some accomplished pan playing - Christmas songs all. We stood close to the lone musician (later introduced as Chad), a dark-skinned man of African heritage as he played intently while a mass of holiday shoppers streamed by mostly oblivious to the talent they were briefly exposed to. Maybe I'm more hard-wired than most for appreciating the music; I spent the first five years of my life more often than not a nude brown baby on the beaches of Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas where such a sound was not uncommon. But here in London? A treat I could not ignore.</div>
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I made two recordings of him with my Zoom H2n recorder. The first I elected to stand back a bit and get the sounds of London - people walking by speaking Russian, French and more, their heels clicking on the paving stones (the recorder was on the ground where it would pick up less wind noise). The second recording was started after we'd already talked to him for a few minutes about his time in London. For that I held the recorder. A <i>very</i> interesting aberration in the first recording is the high pitched noise, like electronic crickets that my recorder captured. My best guess is that there's a ton of buried power and telecommunications cables beneath the street that introduces EMI to things like a digital audio recorder. I can't think of any other cause for the noise. It's much less noisy in the interview when I held the recorder. Oh well. It's better than NOT recording it, eh?</div>
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Recording 1 - street playing </div>
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=3885592964/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://sambone.bandcamp.com/track/steelpan-chad-plays-christmas-caribbean-in-london">Steelpan Chad Plays Christmas Caribbean in London by Chad of Caribbean Steel Investments</a></iframe>
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Recording 2 - interview and Pan in A-Minor by Lord Kitchner</div>
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=1075921405/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://sambone.bandcamp.com/track/steelpan-chad-of-caribbean-steel">Steelpan Chad of Caribbean Steel by Sambone</a></iframe>
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The second recording is Chad talking about why he was in London and encouraging me to not waste my time in cold New Orleans for Mardi Gras when I could be in Trinidad listening to pan music. While we were talking he received a phone call and became crestfallen. <a href="http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,220887.html" target="_blank">Turns out that his favorite manufacturer of the pan, artisan Herman "Guppy" Brown had passed away the same day. </a>Chad pointed out that his pan made by Desmond "Mappo" Richardson, while being excellent in craftsmanship still wasn't the equal of one by Guppy Brown. </div>
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Take a minute to listen to this man excitedly talk about the music that makes his life go 'round and revel that we live in the kind of world where magic like this can be found at Tube stops and beaches in the Caribbean.</div>
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Anyone interested in purchasing the world's second best hand-crafted steelpans would be advised to contact <a href="http://playsteeldrums.com/about-steel-drums/buy-a-pan/" target="_blank">Desmond "Mappo" Richardson</a> in Trinidad at phone: + (868) 675 0918. Life's short. Wait too long and you might have to resort to the third best.</div>
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<br /></div>David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763710502596748174.post-41191174700807725412014-08-25T12:05:00.001-07:002014-08-25T16:26:00.091-07:00Honda Dream CA77 Electronic Ignition and Coil<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 1967 CA77 Honda Dream. There are many like it but ...</td></tr>
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I own a 1967 Honda Dream CA77. Being prone to rash decisions and quirky life choices it's a match made in heaven. I bought it in 2007. Now it's 2014 and I've ridden it ... once. It ran awful. That was after an ill-fated engine rebuild that it didn't even need, but I'm getting ahead of myself. At some point I'll go back and fill in the details on how I got here with so little accomplished (an innate talent). But for now, onward and upward.<br />
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I recently shelled out three Benjamins on a Probe Engineering FS-02E <a href="http://www.probe-eng.com/servlet/the-15/Honda-CA72-CA77-Dream/Detail" target="_blank">Electronic Ignition</a> for the beast as after the rebuild I never could get it to run without fouling the plugs and/or flooding. I also got a <a href="http://www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDetails.aspx?itemDescription=Dyna+Dual+Output+5.0+Ohm+Coils+%281%29+DC8-1&item=DYDC8-1-single" target="_blank">Dyna DC8-1 Dual Output Coil </a> from Z1 Enterprises for $70. My rationale for throwing this vertigo-inducing amount of money at my shitty running bike is predicated upon my incompetence with adjusting stuff and a general disdain for having to do any task more than once. A points ignition system is a guarantee that you'll be doing the same task again and again, searching for your timing light, ordering new points off eBay, messing around with it constantly because you're not sure you got it right, wondering why the timing drifted and so on. I'd much rather be riding.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBJtoRYYznmtyDu7qrCGLSkxQ6q3fJVGwfIZhtyJdlyjo_ytVhqPd64aCT1ndU1NA1E-9fjx-7eO1lLk7DKCGxmwZRDBhESuJmbowyyET9NY9reXUplImduuCZ4mAyyJNfG73iREu5Het/s1600/Electronic+Ignition+Probe+Engineering+A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="There are many who will swear by the point and mechanical advance. Good for them. I am sure we will see them on the side of the rally route with the points cover off smiling from ear to ear." border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBJtoRYYznmtyDu7qrCGLSkxQ6q3fJVGwfIZhtyJdlyjo_ytVhqPd64aCT1ndU1NA1E-9fjx-7eO1lLk7DKCGxmwZRDBhESuJmbowyyET9NY9reXUplImduuCZ4mAyyJNfG73iREu5Het/s1600/Electronic+Ignition+Probe+Engineering+A.JPG" height="213" title="Probe Engineering FS-02E Electronic Ignition for Honda Dream CA77" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probe Engineering FS-02E Electronic Ignition for CA77</td></tr>
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I know guys who prefer points and condenser manual ignition systems. They have split fingernails and fingers like sausages. They disdain any technology after the AM transistor radio. They're also known as masochists. I'm not alone in this observation as I recently read this in a Norton motorcycle forum:<br />
<i>"There are many who will swear by the point and mechanical advance. Good for them. I am sure we will see them on the side of the rally route with the points cover off smiling from ear to ear."</i><br />
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The old coil and regulator looks like something puked out of a 1950's vacuum tube radio. Modern regulators are infinitely better at being efficient, small and protecting the bike's circuitry from alternator voltage spikes. I don't have my new regulator as it's a pending hand-me-down from my massively patient pal Scott, but I'll post its install when I get it. For now you can compare the old coil to the new Dyna. This 5 ohm coil is half the original's size and will make a very hot spark + I can go to my local NAPA Auto parts shop and buy spark plug wires by the foot as they aren't molded into the unit like the factory did in the 60's.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out with the old...</td></tr>
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The Probe Engineering box arrived containing the black control module with its internal components thoughtfully sealed in epoxy, the pickup plate, trigger rotor, rotor clamp, velcro for mounting it and bonus NGK spark plug boots that have resistors built into them so I don't have to find resistor spark plugs, I can use any that fit. Also included: an 11 page manual. As a veteran of I.T. work, my first question to the end user was typically "have you tried rebooting" followed by "have you read the manual?". RTFM indeed.<br />
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My decision to buy this ignition system was weighed against the alternative kits: <a href="http://www.charlies-place.com/PAGES/Store/electronic_ignitions_new_2.html" target="_blank">Charlie's Place</a> carries their own very different take on the concept though they were out of stock when I decided to buy mine. Then there's <a href="http://www.elektronik-sachse.de/shopsystem/product_info.php?info=p35_digitale-zuendung-zdg3--honda-cb72-77-.html" target="_blank">Elektronik-Sachse</a> but at €320 the American dollar exchange rate would have been seriously out of kilter for buying this from Deutschland (why is the American dollar such a worthless proposition abroad when, for the first time in my life I have a few to spend? That's a rhetorical question btw).<br />
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Obviously there's a big difference in the design ethos of the Charlie's Place ignition system and the Probe Engineering unit. The Probe control module is remotely mounted, thus not on the cylinder head as Charlie's all-in-one design is, and therefore operates at a lower temperature. Mark Whitebook at Probe feels emphatic that a power transistor's operational temperature range is exceeded when mounted to a bike's cylinder. Other Honda's, CB's in particular had the points pickup mounted on the crankcase/crankshaft so the temperatures there are cool in comparison to the cylinder head but the Honda Dream's points are on the hottest part of the engine so mounting the control module module there is likely problematic. In the interest of full disclosure, I'd have bought the Charlie's Place system had it been in stock as it's $70 less expensive, but that's me, always looking to pinch a penny. Soon the difference between the two systems will be a moot point as I heard that Mark at Probe is discontinuing production of the FS-02e at the end of 2014 - or perhaps of ignition systems in general. If I hear otherwise I'll let everyone know.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed to the Harvest Classic...</td></tr>
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Meanwhile, I must take some time to get my Dream out of storage and prepare it for the rapidly approaching <a href="http://www.harvestclassic.org/" target="_blank">Harvest Classic</a> in historic Luckenbach Texas October 17th and 18th. Their website is down as I write this, so trust me it's a great event for any lover of vintage motorcycles to attend. It's a breath of fresh air for this part of the country as the focus is on European and Japanese bikes - Harley Davidsons are generally not evident unless they've been modified to a cafe racer spec (rare). Harley owners thankfully have their own festival called Republic of Texas Rider Rally (<b>NAMBLA)</b> with featured musical "talent" Ted Nugent. I strongly urge them to go enjoy their music and bikes there while we enjoy our microbrews, rockabilly and Betty Page lookalikes in scenic Luckenbach. Then again, I am a bit biased. I know one Harley owner who predates the modern era of accountants with mid-life crises riding $20k bikes covered in Harley logos - but he's the exception to the rule. There's always one.<br />
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When I first saw Quadrophenia, the classic Who movie about Rockers vs. Mods in mid 60's England, I totally identified with the Mods. I still do. Mods ride scooters and Vespas. Mods are intrinsically much cooler than their rocker counterparts with their big motorcycles. They bathe, they like ska and rocksteady. They've got cool fashion. The Harvest Classic is the modern manifestation of this epic rivalry. Go Mods!<br />
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David Sanbornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285517375438891897noreply@blogger.com0