December 1993 Issue -- Road & Track Magazine

We had just bought the house when this issue came out...

Pretty "bold" or egotistical line...

The Thunderbird launched in 1989 Model Year, I think (so production started in late summer/fall, 1988).

I had a rotation working at the Assembly Plant for the Thunderbird, in Lorraine, Ohio.

Lived in a hotel for 3 months.  The hotel was a  "resort" near the lake.    It had a golf course, restaurant, bar & a bowling alley, among other amenities.  For staying there, you got two free drink tickets for every night.  In the end, I ended up with a stack of tickets that I had not used!

I did try the bowling alley once.

I didn't golf at the time...

Unfortunately, I ended up in a group doing the quality reporting, on the paperwork side, not the active investigation/resolution side.

So, doing just paperwork was very boring.

The older guys I worked for were nice enough & often we went to lunch at a local bar.  The food at the bar was really good, as I recall...

I worked out of a trailer on the plant grounds & occasionally went into the plant to see some of the pre-production builds and the problems that they were having with running the new model on the actual line.

As I recall, things were not going that smoothly, at least initially.  I remember seeing assembly issue (stuff just didn't fit or fit poorly or were difficult to install...).

I remember that the rear C-pillar inner trim panel didn't fit well and was kind of loose when installed.  It's a large piece of plastic and wasn't designed with any support in the middle of the panel...  I think the solution that they landed on at the time was to shoot a self tapping screw through the middle of the panel, directly into the C-pillar inner sheet metal.  They used one of those chrome plated screws with a small finish washer so that it wasn't so unattractive...

One thing that I did that was fun on the rotation was to test drive some of the early pre-production cars.

There was a version called the "Super Coupe" with a supercharged V6.  It was pretty fast.

The car was not too much fun to drive, mostly because it was very large and heavy, but the supercharged engine was pretty impressive.

That engine in a smaller, lighter car would have been pretty impressive.

One experience I will never forget is being caught in a thunderstorm in the middle of the day on one of these test drives.

I was driving on a rural 2-lane road when the rain hit.  It rained so hard that I could barely see the end of the hood, let alone the road!

I was probably going about 25 MPH & I wanted to pull over somewhere until the rain abated.

But, since I couldn't see the road, I didn't know where to stop.  I was afraid that I would pull to the right and off the road into a ditch!

Fortunately, the roads were pretty straight in that part of the countryside so I just drove slowly & straight.

I did "pull over" where I guessed that I was off the main road, but wasn't sure.

I was also afraid that someone would drive right into the back of me, if I stopped somewhere...

It was truly nerve racking and frightening!

After a couple of minutes, the rain subsided and lessened to the point that I could start to see.  It turned out that I was stopped on a shoulder area next to the road and somehow had found a good place to stop.

Things could have been very bad...

I felt lucky that nothing bad happened.

The subject line of this article by Peter Egan really piqued my interest...

Selling stuff is something I'm uncomfortable with...

I'll read this article.  The 1994 Thunderbird is five years after the launch of this model.  Wonder how it changed in 5 years...?

I don't remember if I ever drove one of these.  I have a vague recollection that I may have but don't have any memories or impressions of the car...

While working for GM, I'm pretty sure I had an Opel Tigra to drive for a day (drove it home & back to work...).  My commute was about 55 miles each way at the time so driving it home & back is a pretty good chance to get a feel for a car.

There's a short piece on Bugatti buying Lotus.  I know Lotus has had a checkered history of ownership but didn't recall the Bugatti ownership...

The special versions by RUF, AMG & Alpina were and are pretty special...

I think this was the last Prelude before they dropped the model...

I drove a late 1980s Prelude with the four wheel steering, when I worked at Ford.

I was very impressed with the car.

It was fun to drive and just the right size.

I was driving my Honda Civic LX hatchback at the time (5-speed manual).  Two things went against the Prelude for me at the time.  I wanted the functionality of a wagon-like hatchback, which the Civic had, and the Prelude was significantly more expensive than the Civic at the time...

This and the Milano was the last hurrah for Alfa Romeo before then gave up and left the US market, I think right around the time of this magazine...

A co-worker drives one of these as his main vehicle.

It's kinda built like a tank.

The interior on his has kinda deteriorated.  So he has had to replace the sun visors, front seat leather trim, center console leather trim & steering wheel leather trim...

He's also had to replace the head gasket & rebuild some of the front suspension.

I can't recall exactly which year, but in the early 1990s, I went to both the Pebble Beach Concourse and the Monterey Historic Races.

It's the only time I went to the Pebble Beach Concourse.

It was nice to go once but it's too expensive.

The Vintage Races at Laguna Seca, on the other hand, I've been to several times since the early 1990s.  It's much more affordable and more dynamic an event.  Walking through the open pits is one of the highlights of the event...

The Probe was still in clay design phase when I worked at the Ford Design Center.  It was supposed to replace the Mustang.

It's front wheel drive.

I knew the other to Korean-Americans working in the Design Center (I was the only engineer and the other two were Designers/Stylist).  I think Richard Chung was the designer given/credited? with the styling on the Probe.

I think the Probe was built on a Mazda platform (may have been the same as the 626 coupe?).

Also, I think it was built at the time in the Mazda plant in Flat Rock, Michigan.

I'll read this short article.  $27,500... pretty expensive for 1993...

Cool wagon with turbo engine (222 hp).  Wonder if you could have gotten a manual trans with it...

Now Volvo is owned by a Chinese company.  In 1993, I would have never imagined such a thing...

 

The newer Gerstner Tool Chest -- part 2 - starting the cleaning process of the inside

I had previously applied Danish oil to the exterior of this tool chest.

It's dry and now starting on cleaning the inside.

The chest must have been kept with the lid open.  The felt has faded...

The mirror is missing too.

The top compartment (before vacuuming).

After vacuuming...

The top compartment looks OK after vacuuming.

Someone pulled out the nails on two of the mirror corners.  This one was bent as it was put back...  Will need to fix it.

The top nail is missing...

This is how it should look...

The drawer fronts are dirty, there's a few stains and some scratches.

The front lid is pretty stained, dirty and somewhat damaged...

It was probably kept in the open position for a very long time.

The felt is especially dirty and stained.

The wood has lots of stains from various stuff being spilled on it...

Closer view of LH side of the lid...

Closer view of RH side of the lid...

 

April 1994 Issue -- Road & Track Magazine

0-100-0 is interesting because it incorporates the performance of the brakes...

Just recently, it has gone from the Toyota GP of Long Beach to the Acura GP of LB...

Probably around the time of this issue, I got a chance to drive one of these.  I borrowed one to take home for one night.

(GM used to ship interesting cars to the studio I worked at and most people got a chance to drive the cars overnight.  Through this program, I got to drive some very interesting cars.  One I remember is the Opel Tigra - I think that's what it was called...  There was a European Ford coupe that I can't remember the name of...  

Some of the cars were not sold in the US and came from the European market...)

This is not the type of car I usually like but I remember being very impressed by it.  It was quiet, spacious, rode well and jumped when the throttle was tipped in.  The throttle response was addictive...

My friend BS got credit for doing the styling on the car.  I think he may have gotten promoted as part of that success.

He retired from GM a few years ago.

He's a big Porsche fan and has a 928 and a Cayman.

His 1/43rd scale model collection is impressive and expansive...

I don't remember the NSX-R but I really like the red seats...

Honda used to have a logo/graphic I really like...

I don't know when they got rid of it but it's a shame that it's gone...

Now that I work for Honda, I'm learning from the inside how Honda works.  Surprisingly different from other Japanese companies (extremely different from Toyota!).  After working for Toyota for 9 years, the Toyota culture is somewhat ingrained in me.  Working for Honda, the Toyota way conflicts with the Honda way and it's often frustrating to see the difference to the Honda way... 

Honda does some things that Toyota would never do in their culture.  One example is to have a meeting without sharing some preliminary information first.  In Toyota's culture, you don't surprise others with information that they have not had a chance to review before the meeting.  If people have not had a chance to review and consider the material, then you postpone the meeting.  The Honda way is to not share information till you are in the meeting and then start sharing information that you haven't had a chance to consider.  You're still supposed to give your opinion on the spot...

You get a more "gut reaction" type of response, which can be more pure sometimes.   Other times, some opportunity to reflect on new information can be very helpful...

Carroll Shelby is sitting on the Viper and next to the Cobra...

Shelby is well known for being generous with his signature.

Once, I was at SEMA in Las Vegas and was walking through the related industry tools show (in a different building from SEMA).

While walking through some small booths for some of the smaller companies in a quieter part of the show, I walked by a booth and area that was empty.

Someone was sitting at the booth on a stool, alone at a desk in front of the booth.  As I walked by, I though it looked like Shelby but wasn't sure, especially because he wasn't wearing his trademark cowboy hat.  I took a double take & I was sure that it was Shelby.

I walked back by (the area was still empty of people) and slowed down in front of Shelby and took a closer look.

It was Shelby.  He had a stack of small letter size "posters" of him and some of his cars in front of him.

What was surprising is that he was by himself.  No one else in the small booth.  I don't even remember what the booth was for...

As I slowed and lingered, I was hesitant to speak to him or ask for an autograph (I'm not much of an autograph hound).

Shelby didn't look too happy to be sitting there alone, wasting his time (I'm guessing he agreed to be there for 1/2 an hour or so to please a supplier or friend or ?).

He noticed me lingering and he asked me if I wanted an autograph!

I was first a little startled that he spoke to me first, and also because he was not very happy (he looked grumpy and sounded it too).  I didn't think his attitude was because of me, but instead due to the situation.

I stammered something about wanting an autograph.

I asked him to sign one for my daughter too.

I still have those somewhere...

Pretty amazing numbers for the Porsche 911 Turbo.

I wonder what this chart would look like today...

Almost never see a Geo anymore.  This Prizm is a rebadged Toyota Corolla that was built at the Freemont California plant (The plant was run by Toyota but used to be a GM plant that had been mothballed [I think they used to build the Camaro there] & brought back as part of the joint project.  I can't remember the acronym that the plant went by... it's at the tip of my tongue... I remembered:  NUMMI... New United Manufacturing something or other.  Now it's the Tesla plant...).

When I worked for GM, I got a two day tour of the plant and the Toyota Production System.

The tour was given to GM employees by a GM person who worked at the plant.

The Toyota Way was deeply impressive and made a big impact on me...  Later in my career, I would end up working for Toyota and see/work with the TPS and other Toyota culture from the inside...

Another feature article by Peter Egan.  Will read this too...

 

Thursday, November 5, 2020 -- Manhattan Beach Pier (warm day...)

Unusual weather.

Warm but overcast...

Although it was 86 F, it didn't feel that hot due to the clouds.

It was less overcast at the beach than at home but still unusual weather.

The wind patterns were abnormal too...

Holiday lights are up on the pier.

 

Shabu-Shabu dinner

Getting to like the ponzu sauce more and more...

The udon noodles go in at the end.

The kimchee is the Korean influence.

 

The newer Gerstner Tool Chest -- part 1 - Applying Danish Oil on the exterior

After applying the oil on the old Gerstner Tool Case, I cleared the space on the table saw extension to do the same for another Gerstner tool chest that I had previously worked on cleaning the exterior.  It's been ready for the oil for quite a while.

Finally got around to it.

All the hardware was cleaned previously.

The wood was lightly sanded with steel wool in preparation of Danish Oil application.

Due to the steel wool use, the original finish looks kind of flat, white and cloudy.  This will change once the oil is applied...

Started by applying the oil on the top left side.  The difference between the LH and RH sides are pretty dramatic.

Applied the oil all over the exterior.

Opened the lid and front cover to wipe down the excess oil that got into the joints...

The lid was very blotchy because the original finish had been damaged by some sort of chemical previously.  After the sanding and oil application, the appearance is much more even.  There's still a hint of the original uneven appearance but it's pretty subtle now.

The sides also oiled...

After about 30 minutes, the entire box was wiped down and the oil was made even, using a clean cloth.

Moved the tool chest to the back of the garage to let it dry/set overnight.

The finish is a nice warm color.

The top in this view looks pretty even.

The interior of the chest needs vacuuming & the drawer fronts need the same sanding and oil application as the exterior.

Another project for another day...

The center locking latch has the Gerstner name stamped into it.