In memoriam, I bestow upon you my highest compliments: Your Takes Were Good.

I still remember reading Popular Mechanics articles back in high school about all the battery longevity testing GM was doing for Volt development. Nerdy stuff like that got me into engineering, and it’s still kinda neat to see those batteries finding productive second lives in gonzo conversion builds. 

Flip it upside-down and it’s a batsignal! Guess the designers are trying to send out an SOS while BMW has them chained to desks in some hellish basement drawing ever-gaudier grilles.

Excellent storytelling and gorgeous writing. Please keep it coming!

As I tell my friends most weekend evenings: sorry I missed most of the party, but thank you for existing. My white suburban ass is much more woke as a result.

Maybe, but is knowing how to raid a 2010-era Nissan parts bin a boomer thing?

I love that “say yes to anything” attitude; it’s generally a good life philosophy. Thanks a lot for sharing, this was a lot to chew on. 

Lol it’s not a proper international trip without at least one incident of food poisoning along the way. Still, absolutely astonishing. I’m bookmarking these replies, because that sabbatical is something to aspire to, and 10/10 respect for making it happen.

Care to proffer some details? I'm in the market for an affordable sabbatical (hell, aren't we all?). 

If you're reading top-to-bottom, it's really a Kia Dodge Mini. 

My family’s ‘98 Camry (V6! Factory-optioned spoiler!) made it through two teenagers’ hooning phases (sorry, dad!) and is dutifully trucking its way to 250k miles today. The best, most Jalop vehicles are those which have a thing and do it well, and that includes a Camry’s reliability. It therefore earns a spot in the…

I realize these are dead-reliable, but having all the forces + bending moments + an optional driveline all running through that joint between the cab and engine units gives my engineering brain a nervous tic.

The beauty of a Niva is that you could label a brand new one as a 1994 and, aesthetically, no one could tell the difference. 

2020: Model S Hellcat

Range: 114 miles

Given the entirely different driveline, I’d expect this thing’s CG to shift (vertically and longitudinally) relative to a similar combustion-powered bike. I’m curious if that shift is noticeable in the twisties; is the handling “unique”?

Mazda’s red says hello and nice try. 

Found for $199,000. Feel free to leave me the extra $1k. 

“The test of the machine is the satisfaction it gives you. There isn’t any other test. If the machine produces tranquility it’s right. If it disturbs you it’s wrong until either the machine or your mind is changed.” - ZAMM

Mechanical design engineer (currently working on powertrains) checking in here. There’s more to the equation than factory jobs: people buying “American” cars keeps the Fjord Fjestas and (formerly) David Tracys of the world gainfully employed.