Part of me still wants to see the Rocket between a pair of big grilles like that.

@diskreet: You can get the redneck out of the pickup.... but can you get the pickup out of the redneck?

@Sean Smith: Wow that is cool. Looks like something from Rube Goldberg, but it's the way it has to be.

This seems to be the place. I'm betting it's not their factory.

@mr_dude: Here's that AWD: [www.mcnews.com.au]

@Formerlythegreatestdriver: I'd go for a ride on that.

@TowerOfPower: If you're coming from a 15 year old tired out car, or from an SUV, the Caliber probably feels better anyway. :)

@PT Dirtbike - save the MN12s!: Gentlemen... BEHOLD... the party wagon!

Something of a homage to my '73 Cougar. Actually its last moments of propelling itself probably looked a lot like this, except the smoke wasn't from the tires.

@FormerlyPreferredCustomer: I'm more inclined to believe the SC part than the year. I'm thinking it'd be easier to adapt the SC pumpkin and some half shafts to the Miata's IRS than to swap in a live axle. Though if a guy's going to do this kind of swap I'd be looking for an aluminum pumpkin which the Mark VIII or…

@FP - Funny how it seems quiet around here, eh?: Minnesota's worse on salt than the Dakotas. With the old rustbucket cars it was easy to tell an MN used car from an ND or SD one.

@f86sabre: I love the "actual size" sticker on the Mini!

@PT Dirtbike - save the MN12s!: And here's the old garage. The extra 2' in each dimension meant I could park normally and I could decide whether the bike or the car was at the front.

Not my greatest photo ever, but you get the idea. The bike lives between the pickup's box and the T-bird's front fender with maybe 18" to spare, and I have to park like this to have enough room to swing the driver's doors. Yay for apartment land footprint economizing.

@bradleysoken: 1888?!?

Two wheels bad? Did I miss the memo? 'cause my bike's ability to get 50 MPG, outaccelerate most other vehicles around, and being able to get further off-road than most SUVs is a win in my book.

The cost reduction engineer in me feels compelled to point out that carbon fiber isn't exactly non-intrusive for the pocketbook. I'd pick conventional metallurgical changes, like HSLA steels taking the place of mild steel for strength improvements and/or weight reductions, as something that's had more impact for the…

Here's a page about the Fluid Drive transmission. It's a 3-speed manual with a fluid coupling between the engine and the clutch, for a step between the Buick Dynaslush and conventional torque-converter automatics.

@Shamoononon, Vampire Grater: Sounds like me on the KLR. I've come across speedbumps I don't even feel. 9" of suspension travel FTW.

This makes me want to keep my '96 T-bird on the road forever just out of spite. I'm even thinking about dragging my '73 Cougar out of the trees.