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| author | Adam T. Carpenter <atc@53hor.net> | 2020-11-29 08:53:22 -0500 |
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| committer | Adam T. Carpenter <atc@53hor.net> | 2020-11-29 08:53:22 -0500 |
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| download | 53hor-aa6ade8c1bc51bc8f379442bb00710438d1385fd.tar.xz 53hor-aa6ade8c1bc51bc8f379442bb00710438d1385fd.zip | |
organized posts, added profile, started makefile
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diff --git a/posts/wheels/2019-06-07-how-to-start-and-drive-a-hudson-hornet.html b/posts/wheels/2019-06-07-how-to-start-and-drive-a-hudson-hornet.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e60e5f4 --- /dev/null +++ b/posts/wheels/2019-06-07-how-to-start-and-drive-a-hudson-hornet.html @@ -0,0 +1,328 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html> + <head> + <link rel="stylesheet" href="/includes/stylesheet.css" /> + <meta charset="utf-8" /> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /> + <meta + property="og:description" + content="The World Wide Web pages of Adam Carpenter" + /> + <meta property="og:image" content="/includes/images/logo_diag.png" /> + <meta property="og:site_name" content="53hor.net" /> + <meta + property="og:title" + content="How to Start and Drive a Hudson Hornet" + /> + <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> + <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.53hor.net" /> + <title>53hornet ➙ How to Start and Drive a Hudson Hornet</title> + </head> + + <body> + <nav> + <ul> + <li> + <a href="/"> + <img src="/includes/icons/home-roof.svg" /> + Home + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/about.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/information-variant.svg" /> + About + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/software.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/git.svg" /> + Software + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/hosted.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/desktop-tower.svg" /> + Hosted + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a type="application/rss+xml" href="/rss.xml"> + <img src="/includes/icons/rss.svg" /> + RSS + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/contact.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/at.svg" /> + Contact + </a> + </li> + </ul> + </nav> + + <article> + <h1>How to Start and Drive a Hudson Hornet</h1> + + <p class="description"> + My understanding is there are a lot of people out there for whom driving + a car from the mid-20th century is an oddity, a curiosity, or a life + experience they can't relate to. This is for the non-experts, and + non-Hudsonites to get an idea of what it's like. + </p> + + <p> + There are some significant differences between driving the Hornet and + most other cars you come across today. Some of them are just because + there are sixty-six years between the Hudson and the 2019 model year. + Others are Hudson-specific. Many people who I've talked to have said + that they would feel intimidated driving my car (whether that's because + of its perceived complexity or obvious value to me). So, for those who + just want to know how it's done: here is how you start and drive a + Hudson Hornet. + </p> + + <h2>The Gauge Cluster, Switches, and Controls</h2> + + <p> + Open the door, slide onto the bench seat, and sit behind the [massive] + steering wheel. For those who haven't experienced it before, it feels + like you have a whole lot of room at your disposal, almost like there + <em>should</em> be more matter occupying the space around you. In front + of you is probably the shiniest dashboard you've ever seen. It's simple, + and probably slightly familiar. + </p> + <p>From left to right above the steering wheel you have:</p> + <ul> + <li> + A speedometer that tops out at 120 mph (with 99K odometer inside) + </li> + <li> + Fuel and coolant temperature gauges (and two dummy lights; more on + those later) + </li> + <li>A clock</li> + <li>An AM radio</li> + <li>A glove compartment</li> + </ul> + + <p>From left to right under the steering wheel you have:</p> + <ul> + <li>A 2-speed wiper control knob</li> + <li>A weather control (heater) temperature slider</li> + <li>A 2-speed weather control fan knob</li> + <li>The ignition barrel</li> + <li>A headlight switch</li> + <li> + A cigarette-lighter (the owner's manual calls it a cigar lighter!) + </li> + </ul> + + <p> + Also, underneath the dashboard on the left there is a parking brake + handle and hood latch release and on the right there is an arm which + raises and lowers the fresh air cowl vent. Think of it as "recirculate" + in more modern vehicles. If you're looking for the turn signal lever + it's the tiny stick to the left of the steering wheel. The indicator is + the little yellow light on the far left of the dash. There's only one so + it flashes when you're signalling left or right. We also added our own + air conditioning system, something Hudsons never came with from the + factory. + </p> + + <h2>Dual-Range Hydramatic</h2> + + <p> + The first thing that might confuse some folks when they first see the + car running is the shift lever. Many Hornets came with three-speed + manual transmissions that were shifted from the column (overdrive was an + option). However, lots of owners paid extra for the optional "Dual-range + Hydramatic", a fully automatic transmission from General Motors. Truly, + this car has a 4-speed automatic that requires no manual shifting during + normal use, making it that much easier to take a boatload of people to + get milkshakes. + </p> + + <p> + Behind the steering wheel is a shift indicator that deviates from the + "PRNDL" pattern most folks are familiar with. From left to right (shift + arm fully at the top to arm fully towards the bottom), the 'gears' are: + </p> + <ul> + <li>N (Neutral)</li> + <li>4-Dr (Drive, all four speeds)</li> + <li>3-Dr (Drive, three speeds only)</li> + <li>Lo (Low gear)</li> + <li>R (Reverse)</li> + </ul> + + <p> + Neutral isn't just a mid-way point between reverse and drive in this + car. It's a necessity. With automatic Hornets (and Hydramatics in + general), neutral is used to start the car. There is an electric lockout + preventing the car from being started in any gear but neutral, so you do + have to put the car in neutral before you turn the key (if you're on a + hill put your foot on the brake or engage the parking brake). + </p> + + <p> + Drive is split into 4-Dr and 3-Dr, which basically decides whether the + transmission utilizes high gear. In the owner's manual, Hudson + recommends using 3-Dr for driving around town (as the low RPMs delivered + by high gear means unnecessary shifting in and out of 4th gear) and 4-Dr + for highway driving. It really depends on what speed you're going to be + driving at but there isn't anything wrong with driving around in 4 all + the time. I typically leave it in 4th at sustained speeds above 45MPH. + You can switch between these gears any time while moving. + </p> + + <p> + Low gear basically locks the transmission in 2nd gear so you don't spin + the wheels. The owner's manual says this is for pulling out of sand or + dirt if you get stuck. + </p> + + <p> + Reverse works just about how you might expect but with an added catch: + if the engine is off it acts as park. That's right. When you turn the + car off you can put it in reverse and the transmission will engage a + lock pin to prevent the car from rolling. You can't start the car in + this gear because of the lockout however so you have to shift into + neutral to start the car. So for starting, put it in neutral, for + stopping, put it in reverse. + </p> + + <h2>Choke and Gas</h2> + + <p> + For cold starts, our Hornet (and I believe this was common for other + Hudsons of the time) is equipped with an automatic 2-stage choke. Push + the pedal all the way to the floor once to set the choke. After the car + has started and has warmed up, kick the gas quickly to the floor and + release to cancel the choke. + </p> + + <p> + For warm starts the engine doesn't need the choke but likes to be given + just a little bit of gas while cranking. + </p> + + <h2>The Keys, Ignition, and Warning Lights</h2> + + <p> + Hudsons like mine come with two keys. The octagonal one is for starting + the car, it's used in the ignition. The round one is used for the door + and trunk locks (and I believe in my case the glove box). My + understanding is this is actually reversed from the majority of Hudsons + and is due to a locksmith error at one point or another. + </p> + + <p> + The ignition switch sits so that the teeth of the key enter vertically. + Turning the key left powers accessories like the radio. Turning the key + right once switches the car to "ON" which will allow the engine to be + started and remain running. + </p> + + <p> + Here's where some things may vary depending on the year of the car. For + '51 Hornets, there's a separate starter button located all the way on + the left control pod. For these cars, you put the key in and turn it to + "ON", and then press and hold the button until the car has started up. + For '52 Hornets onwards, the ignition switch also activates the starter + if you turn the key past "ON" (like in most modern vehicles). + </p> + + <p> + If you turn the key to "ON" you'll see two red warning lights appear on + the dash next to the indicators marked "AMP" and "OIL". These are + [alternator] charging status and oil pressure status lights. Our car is + equipped with a 12-V alternator system so the AMP light really comes on + if there is low voltage while the oil pressure light comes on when + there's low oil pressure. These lights will only appear with engine off, + key "ON" or if something has gone very wrong. + </p> + + <h2>Starting and Driving</h2> + + <p> + So now that I've gone over the basics of all the components, here is the + normal starting procedure. It actually varies depending on whether the + engine has been warmed up. That's life with carburetors. + </p> + + <h3>From cold:</h3> + + <ul> + <li> + Put your foot on the brake, and shift the lever into neutral. Just + push it vertically, pulling towards you slightly if you need to. + </li> + <li> + Push the gas pedal all the way to the floor once and let your foot + back up again to set the choke. + </li> + <li> + Put the key in the ignition and start the car (the "AMP" and "OIL" + lights should switch off. + </li> + <li> + Wait for the engine to smooth out so you know that it's warm enough to + cancel the choke, and kick the gas pedal once to cancel it. (If the + RPMs are still higher than idle then it's not quite at operating + temperature yet) + </li> + <li> + Pull the shifter down into 4-Dr or 3-Dr (or R), and release the + parking brake by twisting the handle towards the steering wheel + </li> + <li>Let off the brake and you're off!</li> + </ul> + + <h3>From warm:</h3> + + <ul> + <li>Put your foot on the brake and shift into neutral.</li> + <li> + While giving just a little bit of gas, start the car. Both warning + lights should disappear. When the engine fires up you can let off the + gas and let it idle. + </li> + <li> + Pull the shifter into 4-Dr or 3-Dr (or R), and release the parking + brake by twisting the handle towards the steering wheel. + </li> + <li>Done.</li> + </ul> + + <h2>Stopping and Parking</h2> + + <ul> + <li> + Hold your foot on the brake and twist the parking brake handle towards + the door of the car, and pull it towards you + </li> + <li> + When you're ready to shut off the engine, you can shift it into either + neutral or reverse and turn the key off. Shift it into reverse if you + haven't already to lock the transmission. + </li> + </ul> + + <p> + Note: I usually engage the parking brake AND put the car in reverse, + just to be safe. If you had to pick one however I would use the + transmission in case you're on a steep hill and your brakes fail for + whatever reason. + </p> + + <p> + And there you have it! Not much is different from most cars around today + but there are one or two quirks (more about old cars than about Hudsons + in particular). The only major thing to keep track of while driving is + that you have no power steering, so get ready to anticipate turns sooner + and use more of the wheel with every turn. + </p> + </article> + </body> +</html> diff --git a/posts/wheels/2019-07-04-yabs-yet-another-bad-shop.html b/posts/wheels/2019-07-04-yabs-yet-another-bad-shop.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1dcaa2 --- /dev/null +++ b/posts/wheels/2019-07-04-yabs-yet-another-bad-shop.html @@ -0,0 +1,241 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html> + <head> + <link rel="stylesheet" href="/includes/stylesheet.css" /> + <meta charset="utf-8" /> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /> + <meta + property="og:description" + content="The World Wide Web pages of Adam Carpenter" + /> + <meta property="og:image" content="/includes/images/logo_diag.png" /> + <meta property="og:site_name" content="53hor.net" /> + <meta property="og:title" content="YABS: Yet Another Bad Shop" /> + <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> + <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.53hor.net" /> + <title>53hornet ➙ YABS: Yet Another Bad Shop</title> + </head> + + <body> + <nav> + <ul> + <li> + <a href="/"> + <img src="/includes/icons/home-roof.svg" /> + Home + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/about.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/information-variant.svg" /> + About + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/software.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/git.svg" /> + Software + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/hosted.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/desktop-tower.svg" /> + Hosted + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a type="application/rss+xml" href="/rss.xml"> + <img src="/includes/icons/rss.svg" /> + RSS + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/contact.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/at.svg" /> + Contact + </a> + </li> + </ul> + </nav> + + <article> + <h1>YABS: Yet Another Bad Shop</h1> + <p> + Today I received a text message from a local mechanic/auto shop asking + me to leave them a Google review. It was an automated message from a + shop that I know well and have used many times in the past. + Unfortunately, I have had several poor experiences (at the time they + seemed horrific) with them in the past year and I can honestly say + they'll never receive my business again. Now I could have used this as + an opportunity to leave them an anonymous nasty-gram but instead I'm + going to do the opposite. I'm going to write about everything I don't + like about them without telling you who they are or hiding who I am. Why + would I do that? Well for one, they were an excellent shop for many + years. I believe a recent change in management is to blame and I'm not + going to ruin their chances of making a comeback (because frankly I + would like for them to rebound). And secondly, I don't believe in + hiding. This page and its author are public knowledge. Now, in no + particular order: a sample of awful work from yet another bad shop. + </p> + + <h2>Mom's Truck -- Balls Out</h2> + + <p> + Mom's truck is a 2007 Chrysler Aspen that she loves very much. Dad does + a whole lot of work on it himself (the both of us do pretty much + everything we can in-house so long as we have the right equipment). + We've been taking her truck into this shop for years because we've found + them to be reliable, efficient, and economical. As I said before, at + some point in their recent history they changed hands -- either + ownership or management, I can't remember which. It was around this time + that Dad decided to overhaul Mom's front suspension. He replaced the + ball joints, tie rod ends, and a few other worn out parts. He then did + his own best-guess front-end alignment, but left everything loose so + that YABS could finish up the alignment and tighten everything. Now read + that again because it's important. Dad did his own alignment in our + driveway (as a cost-saving measure), got it decently close, but then + instructed this shop to finish the job and tighten everything up. + </p> + + <p> + Now here's where things fall apart. This shop full of professional + mechanics took one look at the alignment Dad did and decided it was good + enough. Hooray for Dad and supernatural mechanical skills, but the shop + didn't even touch the car. They called Dad back to come pick up the car, + telling him it was already good to go. They never tightened a thing, + even after Dad explicitly told them everything was loose and needed to + be tightened but they didn't to touch a thing. So what happened? Dad + picked up the car assuming everything was A-OK and Mom drove the car for + about a week before the two front tires wore down so badly they had to + be replaced immediately. Everything fell out of alignment as things + loosened further and further and the tires wore unevenly until they + ripped themselves to shreds. The worst part? These weren't tires with 6+ + years on them. These were brand new tires. So YABS got to install two + more front tires and then tighten everything. They did not cover the + costs, presumably because it was Dad who had done the alignment. Strike + one. + </p> + + <h2>Friend's Minivan -- Crude Necessities</h2> + + <p> + A good friend of ours drives a 2005-2006 Chrysler Town and Country. It + was actually Mom's car before upgrading to the Aspen (the minivan was + perfect in every way but it couldn't tow). Our friend has been using + YABS for just a long as we have. Once again, things started getting + kinda strange after several years of good service. She started getting + charged extra for simple repairs she had them doing very consistently. + They also started tacking on extra items for routine jobs. She would go + in for an inspection and they would claim she needed a new Part X. Now + this in and of itself isn't an uncommon or even strange request to make. + As cars age they need things and sometimes you don't know what they need + until you visit a professional mechanic. They remember the things you + forget about. + </p> + + <p> + One day they did all the forgetting, and they forgot a pretty important, + nay, crucial engine component: motor oil. Our friend took her minivan + into YABS for a routine oil change. Good diligence on her part. And + she's not the type to do that change on her own. She's too old to get + under a car anyway (no offense!). So she took the van to YABS and they + did a job they've done thousands of times: drain oil, replaced the + filter, and gave her back the car. Easy peasy right? Now I know I'm not + a professional but I'm thinking someone might have wanted to + double-check that several quarts of synthetic had left the shop shelf + and gone into the car they just backed out of the bay door. Now this + part of the story I'm a little fuzzy on so take it with a large, heaping + grain of salt, but I can say for a fact that they failed to + <em>completely</em> refill the engine oil before returning her car. + Supposedly there was enough in there such that the minivan survived long + enough for them to realize it before she drove off. + </p> + + <h2>Monty, My 2013 Ford Focus -- Nut Allergy</h2> + + <p> + I decided to give YABS another try after a long leave of absence. I + needed new tires all around for my daily driver. I also needed an + inspection and an alignment. A simple set of tasks for any shop (you see + where this is going). I initially tried to go to another local shop but + they were all out of the tires I was looking to get so I caved and went + to YABS. About halfway through the job they gave me a call and told me + they had some bad news. They said that there were some issues getting + the lug nuts off my wheels and that they had all been stripped, warped, + or otherwise destroyed in the process. They told me the only fix was to + get new ones from a supplier in town for about $160. Keep in mind the + entire job (inspection, tires, etc.) was going to cost $650. + Furthermore, dad and I had no problem getting those lug nuts off and + back on again just a few weeks prior when we changed the transmission + fluid. + </p> + + <p> + They didn't have an explanation that I could reconcile with. Joe Schmo + over the phone told me this is typical of Fords and Chryslers these days + and that they'd like to keep my lug nuts for a class action lawsuit + they're participating in. Now why on Earth would any sane mechanic, with + full knowledge they are dealing with a defective set of lug nuts, take a + high power impact wrench to those wheels without speaking with the owner + about it first? Smelled fishy to me honestly. But what was I gonna do? + Dad went out and grabbed twenty new lug nuts for cheaper than they + wanted to sell them for. + </p> + + <p> + Oh the tires were Cooper GTs by the way and they're amazing. They're + smooth and quiet and came with a very nice warranty. They're also made + in the USA, which is very important to me. 10/10 would recommend. + </p> + + <h2>Ol' Blue -- Tunnel Vision</h2> + + <p> + This was the real kicker. And this one doesn't really have any trailing + narrative. I got four new tires on Ol' Blue, my 1953 Hudson Hornet. They + were delivered to our house: four brand new Diamond Back wide white wall + radials. Super nice tires, with a super nice road hazard warranty (as a + side note I totally recommend you + <a href="https://dbtires.com/">check out Diamond Back's website</a> if + you're looking for white wall radials). So we brought the car to YABS + with the new tires and asked them to mount them on the car. + </p> + + <p> + When we went to pick up the car everything looked great and I drove off. + I made it all the way to the Monitor Merrimack Memorial Bridge Tunnel + before I heard a loud rattling and a bang. I looked in the rear-view + mirror and swore I could see my precious hubcap rolling off to eternity. + When they replaced the hubcaps they didn't fully press one of them on. + And it's not that difficult. These hub caps are very secure when pressed + on the rim, we've never had problems with them. Oh and we're talking + about Hudson hubcaps that came with the car, and aren't super easy to + find. And I couldn't stop to get out and grab it because I was right at + the mouth of the tunnel. We went back later to try and see it but we + couldn't. And it was probably destroyed getting thrown from the car + anyways. + </p> + + <p> + The worst part is, the hubcap took a chunk out of my white wall on its + way out from under the wheel skirt. So the day I got the tires I had to + take a picture and redeem my road hazard warranty. Luckily, Diamond Back + were true to their word and sent me a new one no questions asked. The + beat up tire is now my spare. + </p> + + <h2>Not All Bad</h2> + + <p> + Like I said before, YABS used to be a very nice shop with friendly + people that did good work. And they didn't charge exorbitant prices for + their work. Times have changed, and I believe management has as well. + I've stopped visiting their shop completely. I found a new one that I + trust and will be taking all of my cars to. They've already done a + safety inspection on Ol' Blue and didn't put up a fuss. They're clean + and friendly and don't seem to be out to screw me. But as with + everything else, your mileage may vary. + </p> + </article> + </body> +</html> diff --git a/posts/wheels/2019-08-30-keep-right-except-to-pass.html b/posts/wheels/2019-08-30-keep-right-except-to-pass.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..61f329f --- /dev/null +++ b/posts/wheels/2019-08-30-keep-right-except-to-pass.html @@ -0,0 +1,114 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html> + <head> + <link rel="stylesheet" href="/includes/stylesheet.css" /> + <meta charset="utf-8" /> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /> + <meta + property="og:description" + content="The World Wide Web pages of Adam Carpenter" + /> + <meta property="og:image" content="/includes/images/logo_diag.png" /> + <meta property="og:site_name" content="53hor.net" /> + <meta + property="og:title" + content="Left Lane is for Passing, Not Cruising" + /> + <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> + <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.53hor.net" /> + <title>53hornet ➙ Left Lane is for Passing, Not Cruising</title> + </head> + + <body> + <nav> + <ul> + <li> + <a href="/"> + <img src="/includes/icons/home-roof.svg" /> + Home + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/about.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/information-variant.svg" /> + About + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/software.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/git.svg" /> + Software + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/hosted.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/desktop-tower.svg" /> + Hosted + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a type="application/rss+xml" href="/rss.xml"> + <img src="/includes/icons/rss.svg" /> + RSS + </a> + </li> + <li> + <a href="/contact.html"> + <img src="/includes/icons/at.svg" /> + Contact + </a> + </li> + </ul> + </nav> + + <article> + <h1>Left Lane is for Passing, Not Cruising</h1> + + <p> + Greetings fellow drivers of Hampton Roads. You may have noticed a new + sign on I264 today that befuddled or confused you. It went something + along the lines of + </p> + + <blockquote>LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING NOT CRUISING</blockquote> + + <p> + Believe it or not this has been the law throughout Virginia for years + (<a + href="https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter8/section46.2-804/" + >read about it here</a + > + and + <a + href="https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter8/section46.2-842.1/" + >here</a + >). The law states you keep right except while passing. In most other + states things work this way but in Virginia, especially around here, the + left lane is treated as a moving, cruising lane. If you're in the left + lane and you've completed a pass please be mindful of the cars behind + you and move back over into the right-hand lane(s) so that other drivers + can do the same. + </p> + + <p> + It's really nice when this is practiced (like I said, I've experienced + it in other states) because you can easily move over when there are slow + vehicles ahead and then continue on your merry way. It reduces + congestion and prevents people from having to pass in the right lane, + which is both annoying and dangerous. Especially since this is typically + the lane cars from entrance and exit ramps are merging with. + </p> + + <p> + Don't forget too that it isn't rude or road-rage-y for someone behind + you to honk their horn or flash their lights if you're moving too slowly + in the passing lane. This is a perfectly polite request to pass you. You + don't set or enforce the speed limit. The correct (and legal) thing to + do, believe it or not, is to move over and slow down to let them pass + you. It's all about safe and sane driving etiquette. If you aren't + actively passing other cars, move on over to the right. It goes a long + way. + </p> + </article> + </body> +</html> |