Dear Digest-ers,
Thanks for all of your comments and any support letters that you might have
sent to your senators about Sen. Kopp's Smog bill to exempt all cars over 25
years old. If you haven't sent anything yet, SEND IT NOW!
As for the folks who suggested that I try not to piss off my neighbors and be
a good example of a responsable auto enthusiast, remember that zealots are
permamently pissed off and always looking for reasons to justify their
attitude. I hate to dissapoint them and have found that a rip snorting 350
powered muscle car Malibu can set off people like that almost as well as a
Harley with blatting "Fishtail" exhausts. My Minors are just too cute and
counterculture to do a proper job (though the same guy who complains about
the 'bu has mentioned that if I were to sell all of my old "knockers and
smokers," I could probably afford to buy a couple of "real" cars - he drives
a bleedin' white Saturn sedan!).
As for electric cars, my lifelong buddy, Bob Steinfeld, who STILL works at
Apple developing Macs, has been building electric cars since high school.
He's done two NSUs and a pair of VW conversions. His latest is an
electric/VW transaxle powered sand buggy chassis that is covered in aircraft
material that makes it look a bit like a windowless (yes, it has a
windscreen!) sedan delivery. It is very basic and weighs about as much as a
big motorcycle without the batteries. Add batteries and it weighs in like a
Buick! BUT it works well, handles pretty well and he can drive it to work a
couple of days on one charge. I'm keeping my Morris Pickup forever and have
considered converting it to electric power someday. The motor would fit right
under the bed floor, where the driveshaft lives now, and the bed is deep
enough to accomodate a layer of batteries without totally losing the
loadspace. Could make a large locking "trunk" out of the engine bay as well!
If the Government is so damn insistant on electric vehicles, why don't they
go out and order a bunch? Imagine putting all of the IRS into matching grey
EV1s! Fish and game could drive pale green SV1 El Caminos. They should be
testing these cars for our future consumption. Not since De Thomaso was
riding high, has the consuming public been asked to test unproven prototypes!
I rest my case. See you on the Funway,
Rick Feibusch
Automotive Journalist/Appraiser
http://www.EnglishCars.com/rick.html
mailto:RFeibusch@aol.com
61 Minor pickup
60 Minor Saloon
59 Minor Convertible
69 Chevelle Malibu 350
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