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Monday, November 27, 2006

Retro Encabulator

Since I work for Rockwell Collins I just can't help but post this. The Retro-Encabulator is a fictional device purportedly manufactured by "Rockwell Automation".

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Will they get it right? If so I have a car now...

The last few days have been almost perfect but now the weather idiots are all predicting rain turning to snow Monday night and into Tuesday. I have watched all the local news weather reports and none of them are holding back. They say, "Several inches in the valley." and "This is the big one!" I say, "I'll belive it when I see it!" Even as I sit and type this my ForeCastFox is popping up severe weather alerts.

Those of you who know me know that I have ridden my motorcycle year round for the last 3 years - Rain, snow, or shine. I have had a few sketchy days in the snow, and on a few occasions I have gotten to work only to have more than 12" of snow strand me without a way home. I really do enjoy my motorcycle and I will still ride to work this winter, just not as much.

I got a winter car...and it is kinda fun to drive. It is a 1991 Honda Prelude Si similar to the one to the left. Nothing really special, but it has decent alloy wheels and the best part it has All Wheel Steering. The AWS makes it interesting to drive. A small turn of the wheel to the left makes both wheels head to the left, this way on the freeway the car "crab-walks" sideways from one lane to another. A large turn of the wheel to the left the front wheels turn left but the rear wheels turn right - the ass end literally swings around behind you. You really notice this doing a U-turn or when pulling into a parking spot, an odd feeling for sure. My father-in-law Guy bought this car out of the thrifties for $400.00 with a "blown engine". Turns out it was "just" a broken timing belt that took the valves with it - really a pretty easy job. I initially just planned on helping my Guy get the car running by rebuilding the original head. Then Pick-n-Pull had a 1/2 off sale and I needed a part for my mom's Honda and while I was there I got an undamaged cylinder head for $45.00 - that is a tough deal to pass on. A new water pump, head gasket, intake-exhaust gaskets, alternator, and exhaust later she is running. Interestingly I had initially installed the timing belt with the cam and crank 180 degrees backwards. Rather than not starting at all like I would have expected it started and idled just fine, it was gutless though. Guess next time instead of just using the piston to make sure I was TDC I should use the mark on the flywheel...20 minutes later she was running like a champ. So for about $1,000 dollars and about 8 hours of work we have a running car. I made a deal with Guy that instead of paying me for any of my work that I get to take the car and drive it for the winter. This way I can find any of the little things we may have missed. It needs a window motor for the passenger window (got one yesterday, just need to install it) and I need to install the lower front ball joints. The stereo didn't have the removable face plate so we got a new one and some new speakers, sounds pretty good now. Still have to put an amp and sub in and I want to get a bike rack installed. Long story short is that I guess I am no longer the hard ass (read dumb ass) that rides his motorcycle in the snow. I think whenever there is a threat for snow I will be on four warm wheels...

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