Whoops.  For what it’s worth, I think that it would lock open to that position if someone wanted to try.  

I’m considering getting a mini. I’m switching from an iPhone 5s, which goes from 70% battery to dead when I try to load some Kinja blogs (I wish I were joking), so I think I’m solidly in the group that won’t be disappointed by the battery life.

No. To clarify, it is normally behind the vehicle, but swings out of the way when you need to lower the tailgate or open the barn doors of certain vans.  This makes it weigh about 80 lbs, but it’s a pretty good solution for some vehicles.  

Yup, and if clearance with the hatch is still a problem, they can get one of these beastly swing aways:

He’s probably now having a moment of unbelievable clarity.

Ah, this makes more sense now.

Spent a lot of time playing Rush 2 at a friend’s house. We either:

Work in progress on my ‘95 Previa. Temperature gauge will get pegged to max when I start the car. It eventually will fall back into the normal range.

Yeah, I knew someone was going to point out that the chain shouldn’t hit there : P I’m pretty sure that that is the worst area of flaking, so hopefully I’ll just paint it in only that location (after sanding). Yeah, I’d like to keep it original if I can. The only really broken component that I’ve found in the…

They’re pretty slick. The one I’ve had for awhile is a 2000 Tomos Targa LX that’s modified to look more like a cafe racer (a very common mod from what I can tell). Tomos America produces a lot of pretty entertaining instructional videos if you haven’t seen them.

These are the derailleurs from the bike that I am (amateurishly) restoring right now, an ‘87 Lotus Explorer. The detail that I’m struggling with right now is what to do with corrosion on components like these. As you can see, the plating is flaking off. Sand and paint? Look into having those parts re-plated? Forget…

This or the Mortal Kombat H2 I saw 5 years ago?

I saw a gold Continental of this vintage on the drive to Detroit last Saturday. Definitely a very awkward-looking car in its bustleback guise. I think yours is an improvement.

Okay, time to start a manufacturing business.

Ditto for canoe camping in Michigan in October. We were probably traveling on some of the same days as you and those low temperatures forecasts just kept getting worse...

Because Calvin pissing on a Ford logo, that’s why.

I picked up a Skil Model 2238 Cordless Power Wrench off the curb a few months ago. Haven’t wired up the charger yet to test it and it’s doubtful that the batteries will even hold a charge, but here’s hoping.

I’ve been lusting after a Tomos for sale with a similar same paint scheme:

As long as James May is in the kitchen cooking up his shepherd’s pie, I’ll buy the plane ticket.

This is my long-term plan for my project Alltrac 1995 Toyota Previa and my project 2000 Tomos Targa LX moped.  Except it’s: drive the van to campus, pop the hatch, roll the Tomos down a ramp or simply lift its 100 lbs out, pootle around campus on the Tomos.