Anyone Remember?

Please note that the tests run yesterday were at best inconclusive. I do not have anything to report on that issue other than the family is nervous, and I need a diversion in order to not think about the harsh possibilities too much at this time. Therefore, in order to keep my mind from wallowing in the stress and worry, I post an unrelated, perhaps interesting to no one except me essay below:

I have not talked about automobiles before. I dare say I find automobiles enjoyable and interesting beasts to use and discuss. Here is a listing of automobiles I have had and my impressions of them (links show an example of the car, but are not actual photos of my beasts, nor of their color):

1963 Chevrolet Impala SS - beautiful car, wonderful looks, powerful as hell engine, beautiful chrome spinner hubcaps. I wish I had that car now. Cordovan Brown in color inside and out.

1971 Chevrolet Impala - an interesting car. The first car I had that did not come with the triangular vent windows (which I think was an effort by automobile manufacturers to force air conditioning upon us). This automobile was Burnt Orange in color with a black interior. I sometimes thought of it as a rolling pumpkin.

1973 Volkswagen Beetle - This automobile began my long love-affair with Volkswagen automobiles. A fun-to-drive classic the moment it was built. Cold as hell in the winter though. Brick Red in color, with a black interior.

1974 Plymouth Duster - A vehicle with a quirky personality. It was stylish enough for its time, but some of its features were archane even by 1970s standards (for example, the vents to allow air circulation were simply doors that opened near your feet... these doors connected directly to the outside. If used in the fall, leaves would flow in if you went over a leaf covered street, and in the winter, snow would enter. Hunter Green Metallic in color inside and out.

1979 Volkswagen Rabbit Diesel - My first diesel automobile and one of the most wonderful machines I have ever driven. My first front-wheel drive automobile as well. I truthfully would get between 50 and 54 miles per gallon of diesel fuel with this beast. It was dark sand/beige on the outside and dark brown on the inside.

1980 Chevrolet Chevette - A strange little car. Fun to drive, but when compared to the Rabbit, it felt like it was made of tin cans and aluminum foil. A rather odd color combination too... pale, milky grey on the outside, beige with orange accents on the inside. The gas milage of this beast was wretched in comparison to the Rabbit too, even though its engine was a four cylinder.... 18 mpg.

1984 Chevrolet Cavilier Station Wagon - a much more solid replacement for the Chevette. Fun and solid, and even though it was much larger and had a larger 4 cylinder engine, its gas milage was better too.... roughly 28 mpg. Dark brown exterior and grey interior.


1988 Mercury Topaz- a damn nice looking automobile, but a veritable pile of horsesh*t. The car was utterly unreliable and would not start any day it was humid or between 20 and 45 degrees, and the dealer could not fix it even with numerous attempts. The car was black with dark grey upholstery and when waxed it was beautiful, especially the black constrasting with the significant chrome detailing. It also had those damnable motorized seatbelts because car companies were too damn chintzy to put in airbags until forced to.

1989 Ford Escort - a bland workhorse. As reliable as could be but as bland as toast. Again, another car with the damnable motorized seatbelts. Silver in color with a grey interior.

1995 Chevrolet S-10 Pickup - my first truck and I will have to say I have been enamored with trucks ever since. They are so useful for the kind of nonsense I do.... including some aspects of my research (both lab and field work), home improvement projects my wife is pleased by my doing, and the volunteer work and other odd hobbies I work on. This beautiful beast was hunter green with a tan interior, but was totaled when not very old, when I was rear-ended at a stop light.

1996 Pontiac Grand Am - a reliable as hell, fun-to-drive vehicle that proved to be a strong workhorse for the family as well. You would be damn surprised at what you could fit in this small vehicle. Maroon exterior and grey interior.

1998 Cherolet S-10 Pick-Up Truck - the replacement I had for the beloved (but totaled) 1995 S-10. Equally valuable and dependable as the first. White exterior and grey interior.

2004 Dodge Dakota - beautiful and larger beast than the S-10 I had previously. Wonderful in all ways except gas milage. A current vehicle in our family. Red exterior and grey interior.

2004 Jeep Liberty - graceful but rugged looks, but also useful and fun to drive. A pleasure thus far. A current vehicle in our family. Dark blue exterior and grey interior.

That is it for me. What vehicles have you had? What do you think of the vehicles I have mentioned?

PipeTobacco