The car thread ...

[O Really]

I worked part time on a land survey crew in college. You had to be special to get a seat in the truck; otherwise it was 4 to 6 of us in the ambassador. Not sure the year, but no fins.
We had beat the thing up so badly by driving any and everywhere through the woods that none of the doors would open. I'm sure we showed great professionalism at each jobsite as we all exited through the windows.

So '62 or newer. Before then there were fins. I'd forgotten they even made those things.

[neoplacebo]

Not in my opinion. Hell, that thing looks awful but I guess one can wear one's mask while driving or riding in it.

What - do you miss the plastic wood on the earlier version?

Not at all. I was just commenting on what I consider to be Jeep's decades long legacy of bland style. I've never been a fan of any of their products. However, having said that, I will confess to actually liking the old American Motors Pacer and Matador, both of which had dismal sales and soon abandoned. That Pacer I thought was cool; it was damn near as wide as it was long.....probably very stable on turns if it had good suspension. I liked the Matador because it reminded me of a cartoon car.

[O Really]

Speaking of cartoon cars...

[neoplacebo]

God Hell! I've never seen a picture windshield before. And those wipers are laughable. That must have been back when the USPS was going broke; no fucking wonder if they spent money on that. Notice no logo on the bastard; no one would claim to have made this goddamn thing.

[O Really]

God Hell! I've never seen a picture windshield before. And those wipers are laughable. That must have been back when the USPS was going broke; no fucking wonder if they spent money on that. Notice no logo on the bastard; no one would claim to have made this goddamn thing.

"Oshkosh Defense, a division of Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Corp., will assemble 50,000 to 165,000 of the new Next Generation Delivery Vehicles at its existing U.S. manufacturing facilities. The new fleet will include electric vehicles as well as fuel-efficient gas-powered vehicles which will have the ability to be retrofitted with new electric systems in the future. USPS described the deal as the first part of a multibillion-dollar 10-year effort to replace its aging delivery vehicle fleet and be more environmentally friendly. "

I was going to snark "probably one of DeJoy's slimey associates." Then I read a little more, and I'd say definitely a sleazy deal somewhere.

DeJoy was CEO of High Point, North Carolina-based New Breed Logistics from 1983 to 2014, and retired after his company was acquired by the Connecticut-based freight transporter XPO Logistics for a reported $615 million. Following that acquisition, he served as CEO of XPO's supply chain business in North America until his retirement the next year and was appointed to a strategic role on XPO Logistics' board of directors where he served until 2018.[6]

A 2001 audit found that the USPS had given New Breed Logistics a noncompetitive contract of more than $300 million starting in 1992.[7] The audit concluded that if the bidding had been competitive, taxpayers could have saved up $53 million. Reporting in 2020, NBC News wrote, "The audit raises questions about whether New Breed knowingly overbilled the Postal Service, and it renews scrutiny of the background and qualifications of DeJoy, a prolific Republican Party fundraiser and donor who was appointed to lead the Postal Service over objections from many officials involved in the selection process."[7] In addition, two reports to Congress in 1999 stated that $9 million and $33 million separately paid to New Breed could have been "put to better use." The USPS inspector general of the time retired in 2003 after a federal investigation into her abuse of authority, waste of public money and promotion of questionable personnel practices.[7]

When he was named Postmaster General and CEO, DeJoy was president of LDJ Global Strategies, a Greensboro, North Carolina-based boutique firm with interests in real estate, private equity, consulting, and project management.[8]

[billy.pilgrim]

I worked part time on a land survey crew in college. You had to be special to get a seat in the truck; otherwise it was 4 to 6 of us in the ambassador. Not sure the year, but no fins.
We had beat the thing up so badly by driving any and everywhere through the woods that none of the doors would open. I'm sure we showed great professionalism at each jobsite as we all exited through the windows.

So '62 or newer. Before then there were fins. I'd forgotten they even made those things.

That's the car. Same color too.

[billy.pilgrim]

God Hell! I've never seen a picture windshield before. And those wipers are laughable. That must have been back when the USPS was going broke; no fucking wonder if they spent money on that. Notice no logo on the bastard; no one would claim to have made this goddamn thing.

"Oshkosh Defense, a division of Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Corp., will assemble 50,000 to 165,000 of the new Next Generation Delivery Vehicles at its existing U.S. manufacturing facilities. The new fleet will include electric vehicles as well as fuel-efficient gas-powered vehicles which will have the ability to be retrofitted with new electric systems in the future. USPS described the deal as the first part of a multibillion-dollar 10-year effort to replace its aging delivery vehicle fleet and be more environmentally friendly. "

I was going to snark "probably one of DeJoy's slimey associates." Then I read a little more, and I'd say definitely a sleazy deal somewhere.

DeJoy was CEO of High Point, North Carolina-based New Breed Logistics from 1983 to 2014, and retired after his company was acquired by the Connecticut-based freight transporter XPO Logistics for a reported $615 million. Following that acquisition, he served as CEO of XPO's supply chain business in North America until his retirement the next year and was appointed to a strategic role on XPO Logistics' board of directors where he served until 2018.[6]

A 2001 audit found that the USPS had given New Breed Logistics a noncompetitive contract of more than $300 million starting in 1992.[7] The audit concluded that if the bidding had been competitive, taxpayers could have saved up $53 million. Reporting in 2020, NBC News wrote, "The audit raises questions about whether New Breed knowingly overbilled the Postal Service, and it renews scrutiny of the background and qualifications of DeJoy, a prolific Republican Party fundraiser and donor who was appointed to lead the Postal Service over objections from many officials involved in the selection process."[7] In addition, two reports to Congress in 1999 stated that $9 million and $33 million separately paid to New Breed could have been "put to better use." The USPS inspector general of the time retired in 2003 after a federal investigation into her abuse of authority, waste of public money and promotion of questionable personnel practices.[7]

When he was named Postmaster General and CEO, DeJoy was president of LDJ Global Strategies, a Greensboro, North Carolina-based boutique firm with interests in real estate, private equity, consulting, and project management.[8]

Here's some of the competition. Big front window must have been a thing.

https://www.trucks.com/2018/10/01/usps- ... layed/amp/

[O Really]

Cherokee Indians ask Jeep to stop using their name.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ch ... e-n1258581

Mohawk Indians have requested people rename the hair-strip style that they claim was never used by Mohawks or any other of the Iroquois nations. They say their style was a square patch on the back of the head, and that no Mohawks would ever wear a single strip.

[O Really]

This is a fun article "What's the Sketchiest Car You've Ever Driven?"
The replies/comments are better than the article.

https://jalopnik.com/whats-the-sketchie ... 1846396282

[O Really]

Camaro mod?
Nope. Fibreglass hung on Volkswagen.

[Vrede too]

An inebriated Ohio driver suffered minor injuries when he upended his car after crashing into a Taco Bell sign. (Westlake Police Department

Opps <hic>.

[neoplacebo]

1970 Super Sport Chevelle convertible sells for $400,000 This car was probably less than %5,000 when new.
https://www.yahoo.com/autos/1970-chevel ... 00277.html

[O Really]

Bruce Meyers, original creator of the dune buggy, died at 94.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cultur ... ce-meyers/

The first dune buggy being built:

[GoCubsGo]

Bruce Meyers, original creator of the dune buggy, died at 94.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cultur ... ce-meyers/

The first dune buggy being built:

[Ulysses]

I think I saw Bruce Meyers at a Pebble Beach Concours and/or Laguna Seca in the late 90's. I *think* there even was one of his dune buggies on the lawn at Pebble. Of course it didn't win Best In Show.

[Vrede too]

Speaking of cartoon cars...

God Hell! I've never seen a picture windshield before. And those wipers are laughable. That must have been back when the USPS was going broke; no fucking wonder if they spent money on that. Notice no logo on the bastard; no one would claim to have made this goddamn thing.

"Oshkosh Defense, a division of Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Corp., will assemble 50,000 to 165,000 of the new Next Generation Delivery Vehicles at its existing U.S. manufacturing facilities. The new fleet will include electric vehicles as well as fuel-efficient gas-powered vehicles which will have the ability to be retrofitted with new electric systems in the future. USPS described the deal as the first part of a multibillion-dollar 10-year effort to replace its aging delivery vehicle fleet and be more environmentally friendly. "

I was going to snark "probably one of DeJoy's slimey associates." Then I read a little more, and I'd say definitely a sleazy deal somewhere.

I don't share your aversion to the looks, but:

Lawmaker demands U.S. Postal Service turn over vehicle contract

The chairwoman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Friday demanded the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) release a contract it awarded to Oshkosh Corp that could be worth $6 billion to build up to 165,000 next-generation delivery vehicles.

Some Democrats in Congress have been critical that the USPS awarded a multibillion-dollar, 10-year contract to Oshkosh Defense, a unit of Oshkosh Corp, to build a mix of gasoline-powered and electric delivery vehicles instead of choosing Workhorse Group Inc to build an all-electric fleet.

Representative Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat who chairs the committee that oversees the USPS, said "a thorough review is warranted to ensure the award process is free from undue influence and potential interference."

She demanded USPS release the final contract, all offers submitted, records of negotiations and evaluation factors by March 26....

[Ulysses]

Let's see: $6 billion for "up to" 165,000 new mail trucks works out to about $36,000 each. But, if they get electrified "to the extent possible", that adds another $8 billion, and that works out to about $85,000 each. WTF?

Sounds like KillJoy is trying to bankrupt and/or humiliate the USPS to the point where one of his cronies can take it private.

Isn't a government run national postal service mandated by the US Constitution?

WTF?

[O Really]

The old (current) Grummies cost about $12K each on average 30+ years ago, and were basically a Chevy S-10 modified frame with sheet metal hung on it. No features, no A/C. But apparently it has been very hard to kill the beast.

[Vrede too]

Article One of the United States Constitution
Section 8, Clause 7
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_O ... f_Congress

The Congress shall have power
... To establish Post Offices and post Roads; ...

That's it, authorized, not "mandated", and no discussion of what that postal service should look like.
Postal Clause

[Ulysses]

I have to admit, the proposed new postal vehicle looks like it was designed by a committee of bureaucrats.

Not a good thing.

Perhaps they should purchase dual-fuel and/or all electric minivans. Or something like Amazon uses.