I love our Outback. It sits a little higher for when there's snow. It's all wheel drive and it gets 30+mph on the highway at 70mph.
Flintlock76 Sheldon, that Checker wagon is just too cool for words! I gotta get me one of those! (Yeah, fat chance.)
Sheldon, that Checker wagon is just too cool for words!
I gotta get me one of those! (Yeah, fat chance.)
I learned to drive on one just like that. My parents and I owned a total of 3 of them between 1969 and 86, put about 250,000 miles on each one.
Practical, well built, easy to maintain, the driveline was cherry picked from the auto industry for durablity, Checker build the body and assembled the car.
There are likely only a few thousand of them left. They only built about 5,000 cars a year on average, and most were cabs. But cars like the one in the picture were for the private market and were a little different cosmenticly from the cabs.
My father bought his wagon similar to the one in the picture, same color scheme, new in 1969. His wagon was one of only 325 wagons built that year for the private market.
Checker started in the 20's building cabs, the car everyone knows was introduced in 1956 and only changed a little until the end ofproduction in 1982. I was with that car that they first ventured into the private market.
1965 to 1970 was probably the high water mark for the design and features which did evolve even though the body changes were minimal.
Checker stayed in business long after they stopped building the cars, making body panels for Ford and GM.
Sheldon
Backshop I love our Outback. It sits a little higher for when there's snow. It's all wheel drive and it gets 30+mph on the highway at 70mph.
We got an Outback for my wife last year. She's loving it, too. So easy to get in and out of.
tree68 Overmod ...which braked suddenly, nosediving and lifting its already-high rear in the air... My late father once told me that if you know you're going to hit a deer, nail the brakes, then floor it. If you time it right, that will get the nose up high enough to hit the body of the deer, instead of the deer coming straight back through the windshield (which has happened). Now back to electric vehicles...
Overmod ...which braked suddenly, nosediving and lifting its already-high rear in the air...
My late father once told me that if you know you're going to hit a deer, nail the brakes, then floor it. If you time it right, that will get the nose up high enough to hit the body of the deer, instead of the deer coming straight back through the windshield (which has happened).
Now back to electric vehicles...
My nephew invested in a good-quality brushguard/pushbar for his F150. He has hit about 15 deer so far, with no damage to the truck or pushbar. He did say cleanup is sometimes pretty messy.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Flintlock76 Sheldon, that Checker wagon is just too cool for words! I gotta get me one of those! (Yeah, fat chance.) I learned to drive on one just like that. My parents and I owned a total of 3 of them between 1969 and 86, put about 250,000 miles on each one. Practical, well built, easy to maintain, the driveline was cherry picked from the auto industry for durablity, Checker build the body and assembled the car. There are likely only a few thousand of them left. They only built about 5,000 cars a year on average, and most were cabs. But cars like the one in the picture were for the private market and were a little different cosmenticly from the cabs. My father bought his wagon similar to the one in the picture, same color scheme, new in 1969. His wagon was one of only 325 wagons built that year for the private market. Checker started in the 20's building cabs, the car everyone knows was introduced in 1956 and only changed a little until the end ofproduction in 1982. I was with that car that they first ventured into the private market. 1965 to 1970 was probably the high water mark for the design and features which did evolve even though the body changes were minimal. Checker stayed in business long after they stopped building the cars, making body panels for Ford and GM. Sheldon
They were built in Kalamazoo, weren't they? Didn't know they made private vehicles, but remember seeing the wagons. Always liked the idea that the cabs were built to last. We had 2 Volvo 244DLA's for just that reason. Had wanted them to last 20 years. During the era when cars were junk in less than 100k miles. Was sad when Volvo discontinued the model. Today's Outback reminds me of Volvos of old. I still respect the safety of Volvos. They're just so expensive now, and the Chinese commies are exerting more pressure on the Swedes. Talk of now moving headquarters to China. Autonomy? Promises, promises.
zugmann Overmod How much of this is peripheral to the current craze for 'crossover' vehicles with to-me silly ride heights for on-road vehicles, I can't say; I have had very limited patience for the usual sort of appearance-driven 'lifted' trucks since having the mistortune of having to drive a couple that were not properly 'engineered'. Could it be that "normal"* cars are just so low to the ground (fuel efficinecy, aerodynamics, etc)? Pull up 4" too far into the parking spot and you risk ripping off your whole front clip on the curb. Hit a pothole and risk damaging a $1000+ giant rim and rubber band tire. Crunch your front end on a driveway thats ajust a little too steep. Nail your door when parking against a higher than usual curb. And if you get snow? Then you're a defacto plow. *those crossovers are the normal, I'm guessing, now.
Overmod How much of this is peripheral to the current craze for 'crossover' vehicles with to-me silly ride heights for on-road vehicles, I can't say; I have had very limited patience for the usual sort of appearance-driven 'lifted' trucks since having the mistortune of having to drive a couple that were not properly 'engineered'.
Could it be that "normal"* cars are just so low to the ground (fuel efficinecy, aerodynamics, etc)? Pull up 4" too far into the parking spot and you risk ripping off your whole front clip on the curb. Hit a pothole and risk damaging a $1000+ giant rim and rubber band tire. Crunch your front end on a driveway thats ajust a little too steep. Nail your door when parking against a higher than usual curb. And if you get snow? Then you're a defacto plow.
*those crossovers are the normal, I'm guessing, now.
Zug, what you wrote are the reasons I don't want another sedan. I'm 64, and my hips and thighs are NOT what they used to be. If I can sit down on a seat that is slightly lower than my rear end in a crossover or SUV, rather than lowering myself another foot to sit on the seat of a sedan, my hips and thighs are a LOT happier. And this is from a guy who walked away after his sedan (a Crown Vic) got smacked by an 18-wheeler doing about 45 mph. My only injuries were some pretty interesting bruises from the shoulder belt and minor neck strain.
And yes, SUV/crossover sales now outnumber sedan sales. It first happened a couple of years ago.
SALfan1 I'm 64, and my hips and thighs are NOT what they used to be.
I've got you by a few years, and my hips and thighs aren't a problem (yet). But I am 6'5" so my last three vehicles have been pick-ups. With the price of pick-ups these days, my next vehicle might be a tad smaller, but after driving a Pontiac T1000 for several years, I have no desire to be crawling in and out of my ride.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Yes, built in Kalamazoo. They promoted the private car thing pretty big in the 60's and were very popular with people pulling campers. One of the camping publications gave the car a rave review as a tow vehicle, and you saw lots of them at campgrounds. My parents were campers, that was why we bought the car. A Checker pulling an Apache or an AirStream was almost an iconic thing in the late 60's and early 70's.
Kalamazoo used them for police and fire for many years. The Army bought their share of the stretched Areobus limos, and some sedans as staff cars. During WWII Checker built those little trailers that went behind the jeeps.
I could put you to sleep with all the technical stuff that made them last so long, the car was amazing as was the list of options.
The car was lighter than people think, and a six cylinder cab version would get 18-20 mpg city, no problem. My fathers 327 V8 version got 20 mpg on the highway with the Apache in tow. Then the emissions laws kicked in, that an the early eighties recession is what did them in.
I am likely on a short list of people who can actually visually identify the model year of most Checkers - it is great fun watching movies to tell people the cab is the wrong year......
tree68 With the price of pick-ups these days, my next vehicle might be a tad smaller, but after driving a Pontiac T1000 for several years, I have no desire to be crawling in and out of my ride.
I still say pickups became popular because the larger truck-based SUVs (expedition, suburban, tahoe,) became outrageously expensive and "blinged out". You could easily get a crewcab truck for half the price or less. Now? Ugh... I like my truck, but I ain't paying what they want new ones for. Now we have a return of smaller trucks (Ranger, Maverick, Santa Cruz - and I expect in 10 years those will also be popular and outrageously expensive).
It kind of sucks as I was long-range planning on replacing my older suv around this time, but we all know how the car market is right now.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
SALfan1 tree68 Overmod ...which braked suddenly, nosediving and lifting its already-high rear in the air... My late father once told me that if you know you're going to hit a deer, nail the brakes, then floor it. If you time it right, that will get the nose up high enough to hit the body of the deer, instead of the deer coming straight back through the windshield (which has happened). Now back to electric vehicles... My nephew invested in a good-quality brushguard/pushbar for his F150. He has hit about 15 deer so far, with no damage to the truck or pushbar. He did say cleanup is sometimes pretty messy.
The last two deer incidents we've had, the deer ran into us. Both times hitting between the driver's side front tire and the driver's side door. One totaled the car, the other didn't. The one that was repairable was the replacement for the totaled one.
Jeff
zugmann tree68 With the price of pick-ups these days, my next vehicle might be a tad smaller, but after driving a Pontiac T1000 for several years, I have no desire to be crawling in and out of my ride. I still say pickups became popular because the larger truck-based SUVs (expedition, suburban, tahoe,) became outrageously expensive and "blinged out". You could easily get a crewcab truck for half the price or less. Now? Ugh... I like my truck, but I ain't paying what they want new ones for. Now we have a return of smaller trucks (Ranger, Maverick, Santa Cruz - and I expect in 10 years those will also be popular and outrageously expensive). It kind of sucks as I was long-range planning on replacing my older suv around this time, but we all know how the car market is right now.
The whole SUV, crew cab pickup, Suburban thing got its first beginnings when they legislated us out of cars like the Checker or an Impala wagon. Cars had tougher emissions standards before the trucks did, so they stopped building full sized cars and turned the pickups into full sized cars.
The unintended conequences of stupid government.
I don't think so. Late 90s, gas was cheap, so the car makers brought out the Expedition/excursion, and they fancied up the Suburban/Tahoes. Didn't help the sedans were never updated except to look like giant bubbles.
I think it was more market forces than gov't.
Besides - big sedans/wagons were so 1980s. Back when you had Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, way before Nirvana...
zugmannI don't think so. Late 90s, gas was cheap, so the car makers brought out the Expedition/excursion, and they fancied up the Suburban/Tahoes. Didn't help the sedans were never updated except to look like giant bubbles. I think it was more market forces than gov't. Besides - big sedans/wagons were so 1980s. Back when you had Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, way before Nirvana...
Todays automotive market is basiclly 3 product lines - Econoboxes with shoehorns to get adults in. Minivans and trucks. The lack of styling is because every manufacturer is designing against the same opponent - AIR. Air is a constant and can only be 'defeated' by using similar devices.
Sporty cars, Pirus and EV's are the condiments at present. EV's could become a 'thing' - the manufacturers think so, the consumer vote is still out.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
The problem is many people don't have garages/driveways so charging becomes an issue. Now since dealers probably aren't going to have lots full of new cars anymore - I could see them installing multiple chargers. Until the amount of EVs is high enough for gas stations to start adding more.
But they really need to standardize the charging system, like, 5 years ago. Having mulitple types of chargers, all with their own accounts and payment systems is stupid.
Flintlock76 I also read a review of a Ford electric pick-up truck. With no load it has a 300 mile range. Put a load on it and it drops to 100. Make of that what you will.
I also read a review of a Ford electric pick-up truck. With no load it has a 300 mile range. Put a load on it and it drops to 100. Make of that what you will.
The F150 Electric isn't even in production yet, so no one has fully reviewed it. The 300 mile projected range is with a 1000 lb load in the bed. When driven empty, probably as most people drive their trucks now, the range may be over 400 miles. Car and Driver magazine projected when towing at its full 10,000 pound tow rating, the range may drop to 100 miles. But you are talking now about a vehicle with a total weight of 16,500 lbs (6,500 curb weight of the truck + a 10,000 lbs trailer) so 100 mile range may be close.
In any event, if you are towing 10,000 lbs long distance, you would be better off with a F250 or F350. If you are going to tow something across town, or just use it to run to the Home Depot on weekends and throw some lumber in the bed, it will work fine. Most people will use this thing like a car anyway, so the range will be be more than enough.
But you are right. If you need a truck to pull something heavy long distance, no electric vehicle is going to work.
I've always been of the impression that the minivan replaced the station wagon. And yes, I agree the pickup/SUV replaced the full sized sedan.
Yep, In 2008, I replaced my big Chevy Caprice (that I used to pull a camper trailer) with a GMC Envoy. Tired of getting stuck exiting the Trolley Museum's snow packed parking lot during Polar Express nights. It owes me nothing. 53K miles on it. Now it gets very few as I am in a retirement building. Son wants me to buy a Subaru.
I used to have a part-time job as a taxi driver and drove Checkers. They were light as hell, you could crank the wheel and step on the gas and it would do a nice pirouette and come to a standstill. I got in trouble for that once, my boss asked me if I did that with my own car. I lied and said "Yes." But I never did that again. They were all clapped-out former medallion cabs from NYC and taken out of service there because of mileage restrictions but in Poughkeepsie, they were OK to use. There was another cab company in town that used Cadillac Fleetwoods only and after a couple of years they were looking pretty shabby. They weren't meant to be in near-constant use like a Checker.
Mark1979The F150 Electric isn't even in production yet, so no one has fully reviewed it.
I don't know, maybe I got it from this guy on one of his videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_9fFArZ-nU
Not that I'm blaming him, the man's a hoot!
I don't remember where I got the information on the F-150 from, maybe it wasn't even a F-150. Hell, I don't even remember if I went to the can this morning. I'm sure I did, but...
Hey, anyone want to get a "pool" started as to when this thread gets locked since someone's likely to complain we're not talkin' about trains?
Flintlock76Not that I'm blaming him, the man's a hoot!
A hoot all right, But I wouldn't take 3% of what he says seriously. He's clickbait personified.
My uneducated prediction: I think the F150 electric is going to do very well.
Needs a couple of more doors...
My parents owned a 6 door Aerobus from '65 to '69, which was replaced by a '69 long wheelbase Clubwagon with a 302, C-4 tranny and a 1 ton chassis. Manual choke, manual brakes and manal steering - a blast to drive.
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