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-rw-r--r--wheels/2019-06-07-how-to-start-and-drive-a-hudson-hornet.html328
-rw-r--r--wheels/2019-06-07-how-to-start-and-drive-a-hudson-hornet.md202
-rw-r--r--wheels/2019-07-04-yabs-yet-another-bad-shop.html241
-rw-r--r--wheels/2019-07-04-yabs-yet-another-bad-shop.md158
-rw-r--r--wheels/2019-08-30-keep-right-except-to-pass.html114
-rw-r--r--wheels/2019-08-30-keep-right-except-to-pass.md51
-rw-r--r--wheels/my-first-car-is-a-1953-hudson-hornet.md9
-rw-r--r--wheels/oh-sh-t-or-the-case-for-safer-classic-cars.md10
-rw-r--r--wheels/old-cars-are-perfectly-viable-machines.md15
-rw-r--r--wheels/sketchy-looking-gas-stations-aren-t-that-sketchy.md10
10 files changed, 683 insertions, 455 deletions
diff --git a/wheels/2019-06-07-how-to-start-and-drive-a-hudson-hornet.html b/wheels/2019-06-07-how-to-start-and-drive-a-hudson-hornet.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cbb87aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/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" />
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+ 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" />
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+ 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
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+ <img src="/includes/icons/information-variant.svg" />
+ About
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+ <img src="/includes/icons/rss.svg" />
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+ <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/wheels/2019-06-07-how-to-start-and-drive-a-hudson-hornet.md b/wheels/2019-06-07-how-to-start-and-drive-a-hudson-hornet.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 312ad8c..0000000
--- a/wheels/2019-06-07-how-to-start-and-drive-a-hudson-hornet.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,202 +0,0 @@
----
-permalink: "/posts/{{categories}}/{{slug}}"
-title: How to Start and Drive a Hudson Hornet
-categories:
- - automotive
-tags:
- - hudson
- - hornet
- - start
- - drive
-published_date: "2019-06-07 00:30:37 +0000"
-layout: post.liquid
-is_draft: false
-excerpt_separator: "\n\n\n"
----
-
-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. It's hard to capture what the actual experience is like in
-words (hopefully my YouTube channel does a better job) but I think instead I
-can do my best here to walk through the procedure of actually *operating* a
-Hudson Hornet.
-
-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.
-
-# The Gauge Cluster, Switches, and Controls
-
-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 *should* 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.
-
-From left to right above the steering wheel you have:
-
-- A speedometer that tops out at 120 mph (with 99K odometer inside)
-- Fuel and coolant temperature gauges (and two warning lights; more on those
- later)
-- A mechanical, electrically-wound clock
-- An AM radio
-- A glove compartment
-
-From left to right under the steering wheel you have:
-
-- A 2-speed wiper control knob
-- A weather control (heater) temperature slider
-- A 2-speed weather control fan knob
-- The ignition barrel
-- A headlight switch
-- A cigar-lighter (yes, cigar. Check out the owner's manual)
-
-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.
-
-# Dual-Range Hydramatic
-
-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.
-
-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:
-
-- N (Neutral)
-- 4-Dr (Drive, all four speeds)
-- 3-Dr (Drive, three speeds only)
-- Lo (Low gear)
-- R (Reverse)
-
-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).
-
-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.
-
-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.
-
-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.
-
-# Choke and Gas
-
-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.
-
-For warm starts the engine doesn't need the choke but likes to be given just a
-little bit of gas while cranking.
-
-# The Keys, Ignition, and Warning Lights
-
-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.
-
-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.
-
-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).
-
-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.
-
-# Starting and Driving
-
-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.
-
-## From cold:
-
-- Put your foot on the brake, and shift the lever into neutral. Just push it
- vertically, pulling towards you slightly if you need to.
-- Push the gas pedal all the way to the floor once and let your foot back up
- again to set the choke.
-- Put the key in the ignition and start the car (the "AMP" and "OIL" lights
- should switch off.
-- 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)
-- 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
-- Let off the brake and you're off!
-
-## From warm:
-
-- Put your foot on the brake and shift into neutral.
-- 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.
-- Pull the shifter into 4-Dr or 3-Dr (or R), and release the parking brake by
- twisting the handle towards the steering wheel.
-- Done.
-
-# Stopping and parking
-
-- Hold your foot on the brake and twist the parking brake handle towards the
- door of the car, and pull it towards you
-- 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.
-
-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.
-
-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.
-
-
-
diff --git a/wheels/2019-07-04-yabs-yet-another-bad-shop.html b/wheels/2019-07-04-yabs-yet-another-bad-shop.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e1dcaa2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/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/wheels/2019-07-04-yabs-yet-another-bad-shop.md b/wheels/2019-07-04-yabs-yet-another-bad-shop.md
deleted file mode 100644
index d123d92..0000000
--- a/wheels/2019-07-04-yabs-yet-another-bad-shop.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,158 +0,0 @@
----
-permalink: "/posts/{{categories}}/{{slug}}"
-title: YABS - Yet Another Bad Shop
-categories:
- - automotive
-tags:
- - yabs
- - sucky
- - auto
- - repair
- - shops
-published_date: "2019-07-04 22:12:46 +0000"
-layout: post.liquid
-is_draft: false
-excerpt_separator: "\n\n\n"
----
-
-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.
-
-# Mom's Truck -- Balls Out
-
-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.
-
-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.
-
-# Friend's Minivan -- Crude Necessities
-
-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.
-
-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 *completely* 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.
-
-# Monty, My 2013 Ford Focus -- Nut Allergy
-
-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.
-
-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.
-
-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.
-
-# Ole Blue -- Tunnel Vision
-
-This was the real kicker. And this one doesn't really have any trailing
-narrative. I got four new tires on Ole 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 [check out Diamond Back's website]() 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.
-
-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.
-
-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.
-
-# Not All Bad
-
-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 Ole 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.
-
-
-
diff --git a/wheels/2019-08-30-keep-right-except-to-pass.html b/wheels/2019-08-30-keep-right-except-to-pass.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..61f329f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wheels/2019-08-30-keep-right-except-to-pass.html
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html>
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+ <meta property="og:site_name" content="53hor.net" />
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+ content="Left Lane is for Passing, Not Cruising"
+ />
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+ <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.53hor.net" />
+ <title>53hornet ➙ Left Lane is for Passing, Not Cruising</title>
+ </head>
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+ <ul>
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+ <a href="/">
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+ </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>
diff --git a/wheels/2019-08-30-keep-right-except-to-pass.md b/wheels/2019-08-30-keep-right-except-to-pass.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 0e6daba..0000000
--- a/wheels/2019-08-30-keep-right-except-to-pass.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,51 +0,0 @@
----
-permalink: "/posts/{{categories}}/{{slug}}"
-title: Keep Right Except to Pass
-categories:
- - automotive
-tags:
- - left lane hogs
- - virginia drivers
- - passing lane
- - thru lanes
-excerpt_separator: "\n\n\n"
-published_date: "2019-08-30 19:57:34 +0000"
-layout: post.liquid
-is_draft: false
----
-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
-
-> LEFT LANE IS
-> FOR PASSING
-> NOT CRUISING
-
-Believe it or not this has been the law throughout Virginia for years ([read
-about it
-here](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter8/section46.2-804/)
-and
-[here](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter8/section46.2-842.1/)).
-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.
-
-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.
-
-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.
-
-
-
-
diff --git a/wheels/my-first-car-is-a-1953-hudson-hornet.md b/wheels/my-first-car-is-a-1953-hudson-hornet.md
deleted file mode 100644
index d03da5a..0000000
--- a/wheels/my-first-car-is-a-1953-hudson-hornet.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
----
-title: My First Car Is a 1953 Hudson Hornet
-categories: []
-tags: []
-layout: post.liquid
-is_draft: true
-excerpt_separator: "\n\n\n"
----
-Start writing already...
diff --git a/wheels/oh-sh-t-or-the-case-for-safer-classic-cars.md b/wheels/oh-sh-t-or-the-case-for-safer-classic-cars.md
deleted file mode 100644
index d48093c..0000000
--- a/wheels/oh-sh-t-or-the-case-for-safer-classic-cars.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
----
-permalink: "/posts/{{categories}}/{{slug}}"
-excerpt_separator: "\n\n\n"
-title: "Oh, Sh*t, or, the Case for Safer Classic Cars"
-categories: ["automotive"]
-tags: []
-layout: post.liquid
-is_draft: true
----
-Start writing already...
diff --git a/wheels/old-cars-are-perfectly-viable-machines.md b/wheels/old-cars-are-perfectly-viable-machines.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 2f4e104..0000000
--- a/wheels/old-cars-are-perfectly-viable-machines.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
----
-excerpt_separator: "\n\n\n"
-permalink: "/posts/{{categories}}/{{slug}}"
-title: Old Cars are Perfectly Viable Machines
-categories: []
-tags: []
-layout: post.liquid
-is_draft: true
----
-
-- tow boats
-- road trips
-- groceries
-- commuting
-
diff --git a/wheels/sketchy-looking-gas-stations-aren-t-that-sketchy.md b/wheels/sketchy-looking-gas-stations-aren-t-that-sketchy.md
deleted file mode 100644
index d81b295..0000000
--- a/wheels/sketchy-looking-gas-stations-aren-t-that-sketchy.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
----
-excerpt_separator: "\n\n\n"
-permalink: "/posts/{{categories}}/{{slug}}"
-title: "Sketchy-Looking Gas Stations Aren't That Sketchy"
-categories: []
-tags: []
-layout: post.liquid
-is_draft: true
----
-Start writing already...