New England Off Topic and Banter as Most Brilliantly Proposed by Cape Cod MINI

[snek]

So first, the Legislation passes a law that Massachusetts will follow the federal engineering standards and set the speed limits to what 85% of motorists drive. Then they let municipalities, MassHighway dept. and most notably the DCR to deliberately, consistently and intentionally break this law, and post speed limits that are lower, making the majority of motorists into lawbreakers. And now, just in time for the Fourth of July - a drumroll please - they pass a law it will cost you $75, WIN OR LOSE, to exercise your right and see a judge when you get accused of breaking the law. And during the whole process they lie to our faces this is about safety. Happy birthday America!

[JR9907]

I thought it was $25.00 for the appeal..

[snek]

Not anymore..

[snid]

Anything going on in northern MA / southern NH Saturday evening? Hopefully the brown MINI will be done getting tweaked at Greg's at a reasonable hour on Saturday, then I'm headed to Loudon. I have a room there for Saturday and Sunday nights, and I'll be doing the BMWCCA HPDE at NHMS on Sunday and Monday.

I think most people have my cell number, but if you don't PM / email me.

[GBMINI]

Make something happen

[pezboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by snid (original)

Wow... is this the whine thread now?

Yes.

$2500 later...I have a new power steering pump, working e-brake (first time in a couple years), new harmonic balancer (original one apparently had separated), new right wheel speed sensor (hard right-hand turns would trip the ABS, DSC, and flat tire monitor lights), and fixed oil leak.

Did not opt for the $1400 AC condenser (which is shot) or the $400ish post-cat oxygen sensor.

Best car!!!!!

[tedsmini]

Quote: Originally Posted by pezboy (original)

Yes.

$2500 later...I have a new power steering pump, working e-brake (first time in a couple years), new harmonic balancer (original one apparently had separated), new right wheel speed sensor (hard right-hand turns would trip the ABS, DSC, and flat tire monitor lights), and fixed oil leak.

Did not opt for the $1400 AC condenser (which is shot) or the $400ish post-cat oxygen sensor.

Best car!!!!!

You lucky dog! Sounds like you'll be all ready for the next round of this: Harmonic Convergence - an announcement of the forthcoming end of time.

[jwardell]

Quote: Originally Posted by snid (original)

Wow... is this the whine thread now?

Must be, there's only a specific thread for beer.

[snek]

That muttered curse word that reflexively comes out when you stub your toe could actually make it easier to bear the throbbing pain, a new study suggests. Swearing is a common response to pain, but no previous research has connected the uttering of an expletive to the actual physical experience of pain.
"Swearing has been around for centuries and is an almost universal human linguistic phenomenon," said Richard Stephens of Keele University in England and one of the authors of the new study.

[Theo]

The 24-Hours of Lemons



Some of you may know that this weekend was the "24-Hours of Lemons", a 15 hour (!?) endurance race where all race cars are limited to a total value of $500 including cost to acquire the vehicle and any modifications. The event was run this past Saturday and Sunday at the Stafford Springs Speedway on a road racing course configured on the half-mile oval. A total of 60 teams registered and, suprisingly, 55 of them were actually able to drive on to the track for the rolling start.

The New England MINI community was ably represented by the "Vermont Cow Tippers" with Jason Ross (snid), and the "Ducks of Hazzard" with drivers Pete Basilliere (nhref), John Danskin, Brian Lalor (blalor), David Thibodeau (lepew) and crew Sarah Curtis, Gavin McKeown, Allison Paschke, and some old fat guy.

The Vermont Cow Tippers ran a Volvo wagon decorated as an upside-down cow that was sporting a surgical-glove udder for Sunday's start. The Ducks of Hazzard ran an 87 BMW 325IS decorated as a duck (a big surprise there, huh?), complete with yellow and orange feathers and a grafted-on MINI grille and bumper cover. In the end, the Tippers finished in the top ten and the Ducks solidly held-down 25th place.

Sunday started with the the Peoples' Curse award which goes to the car that has been the biggest pain in the butt during Saturday's competition. The "award" results in the crews of the other teams taking blunt and sharp tools to the "Curse" car and, basically, destroying it. This was a little bit scary as it was rather primitive in nature, recalling a Hun, Vandal and Hoarde (no, that's not a name of a law firm) mob psyche. And, while there was much clamoring for front row seats, the smart money ensured survival by watching from afar so as not to be struck by axes and flying bits of car remains.

This appears to be an annual event with the Ducks representing the NE MINI community for the last two years. And, by the way, we're really not making this up. The Hartford Courant documented the event with video cameras. Their video shows the Tippers (white/black spotted Volvo wagon with cow legs on the roof) going round the track, and Pete Basilliere with the DuckMobile serving a "stop and go-get-lunch-for-the-officials" penalty, (complete with the hijacking of our parcel-shelf mascot, Jack) to appease the organizers. Update: Sarah was able to recapture Jack at the end of the race through some clever negotiation.

HERE is the Hartford Courant video of the 24-Hours of Lemons.

I would like to tell the Team AND the community how much I enjoyed being part of this, even though I was totally useless!

-------
P.S. A big "thank you" to Peter Braun (pbraun) for taking some fine shots of the Tippers and the DuckMobile in action!

[GBMINI]

Sounds like hilarious madness

[Theo]

It appears that the war in Afganistan, ethnic violence in China, and the fight over Michael Jackson's estate aren't enough to keep the keen eye of the dedicated news viewer. FOX news has summoned their crack news-hounds and sent them off to....

The 24-Hours of Lemons

And, while my soul cries for intelligent news reporting, my pride soars with the coverage of our #69 yellow and orange-feathered, duck-decorated BMW 325is representing the "Ducks of Hazzard" Racing Team.

Here's the link to the "news" report:

Watch - WTIC

[GBMINI]

Great coverage

[LePew]

Theo -- thanks for taking on the unforgiving role of team manager.

I might still be out there doing laps if you hadn't waved your "IN" pit board (or did it really say "NI"?) at the right times.

The more I look at pictures of the front of our faux MINI / "Duck of Hazzard", the more I wonder how we ever managed even 30 minutes at a time before overheating on Sunday with the bumper and all those feathers in place .....

[tedsmini]

Excellent! Loved the quote: "racing is for all idiots" or something to that effect!

Looks like a fun race with the right attitude!