FWIW, Flint is the regional medical hub (2 major hospitals and only trauma centers within reasonable distance for a couple counties), has a number of colleges and universities, and since it sits on three major freeways still has some manufacturing in the city and tons more in the surrounding suburbs. Outside the…

Sounds like NJ and MI might have had the same civil engineer design some of our roads postwar. Supposedly a bunch went over to Germany to study the autobahn after the war ended, but I think we got the one who got sent to Berlin in late 1945 by mistake.

Fair points. Affordable efficient vehicle are a niche that definitely needs filled out more. I also think American buyers need to wean themselves off full-size vehicles where they’re not necessary. I know many coworkers who are single or empty nesters but keep buying pickups and full-size SUV/CUVs to keep up with the…

Well, they’re doing the best to meet those demands. There isn’t some magic that will make an all-steel V8 pickup get the same economy as a sub-compact, tow a mountain, and cost $20,000. So you use lighter materials and use forced induction with a smaller engine to get that fuel mileage up.

To be fair, most automakers do have many more options for EVs and hybrids available than they did in 2007, and overall new cars and trucks are more efficient than they were in 2007 thanks to improvements in engine and material technology. The problem is that consumers collectively have the memory of a goldfish and…

Yeah, that all goes back again to the turn of the century bigotry about those What Came From the Wrong Bits of Europe, namely the Catholic countries like Italy, Sicily, Poland, etc. When my grandparents married in the late ‘40s it was something of a big deal in their communities since my grandfather was a Catholic…

It’s more recent than that, even. My paternal grandfather’s side of the family is Polish, and black hair and an olive complexion run in the family. My grandfather told us he used to catch a lot of guff because of this. He was in the Army during WWII and one incident in France he and a buddy had a little too much…

Hats off to you, that was a seat-of-the-pants adventure. Now you need to brainstorm how you’re gonna step it up for next year. Pull a Comanche out of a lake? Dig an early slatgrill MB out of a Tunisian dune where it’s sat since 1942?

Those sudden heavy deluges we get in May-June can be scary, especially with how badly people like to tailgate here and all the cars on bald tires.

I would make an exception for extremely severe precipitation. I’ve done it once, but it was on an interstate during a summer thunderstorm with a sudden heavy downfall that lasted several minutes. Visibility dropped to maybe 2-3 yards and traffic slowed to about 15-20 mph but there were still idiots flying up from…

I too have stayed in that very Holidump for a few of my brother’s youth hockey tournaments years ago. Pretty sure the main entrance is just a portal to the Despair Dimension.

Oh man, I know someone like this. His car was always nearly on empty, only ever filled it with just enough to get wherever and back. He wasn’t broke or trying to be super frugal, just incredibly lazy in his words. He bummed rides with me all the time but always chipped in for gas. Remains the only person I’ve ever…

Michigan here, understaffing present in automotive and heavy truck/ag suppliers too. My dad’s department (stamping die design) at a major automaker hasn’t brought in any fresh blood in 16 years. He’s in his mid to late 40s and is almost the youngest guy there.

You’re a wild man David, may the gods of internal combustion smile upon you.

There are dozens of us who like this stuff, in the quiet down-low way. Big old mechanical stuff is awesome, but getting associated with foamers is sort of like leprosy.

Hate to burst your bubble, but I know several engineering/IT professionals who voted for the Cheeto That Walked Like a Man, couple of them were very active campaigning in Michigan for him.

The driveway gate at the mom and dad’s old house is narrow. Grandpa’s old van is big and doesn’t turn that sharp. Replacement doors are not cheap, and the phone call is going to be shamefully awkward.

My grandfather’s story:

Love your Wagoneer, the character is oozing off my screen.

Goes both ways. All that structural rust PATINA and booger welds EXPERT FABRICATION might give way from too many wayward toddlers.