New Front Derailleur -- Shimano Ultegra FD-6700 -- From the Whittier Bicycle Swap Meet

NOS Shimano Ultegra front derailleur FD-6700 for 10 speed setup (Ultegra is second to the top of the line for Shimano.  Top of the line is called DuraAce...).  The front derailleur on the bike I ride is corroding due to the pretty severe salt environment along the beach...  Still works OK but may not function well for too long so this is a potential replacement...  Don't really need it yet...

If you look closely at the castings and the finish, it's incredibly well made.  The individual pieces are like works of mechanical art.  The only piece that's not super nice is the chain guide (not that it's not nice but the cast pieces are so much nicer...).  Considering how functional (the tolerances in the moving joints is phenomenal...  everything moves/pivots with nearly zero slop...), reliable and durable this is, it's a pretty much the highest level of mechanical engineering achievement, for the masses...

Bike ride to Marina Del Rey on Valentines Day -- Sunday, February 14, 2016

A particularly beautiful day... (not super hot like the next day...)  

Original GT40 Brochure

Long Beach Car Swap Meet, Part 1 -- Sunday, February 14, 2016

This is an older hood ornament for a Jaguar.  It's the smaller version (there's a larger version that was used on some of the cars).  I plan to clean it up a little bit and mount it on a piece of purple Brazilian wood that I already have...

Radio Blanking plate for 49/50 Plymouth...

Radio Grille for 1940 Plymouth

Audi AVUS...  Was built as a concept car around 1990.  I remember buying a  1/87th scale model of it made by Herpa.
As I recall, the tiny model was very expensive... ($20?).

Boat Fuel Filler...  (should be chrome plated brass)

Don't recall what era Corvette hood badge this is without doing some research...  Guess is early 1980's...  It's cast metal and is very nicely made.

Late 80's Buick Riviera Horn button.  It's amazingly well made.  The center badge is cloisonne and the outer is covered by real leather with precise cuts on the back so that it can be folded over and made smooth without wrinkles at the edges.  This is of the highest quality!!!

At the top of Palos Verdes Drive East at Marymount University Entrance -- February 13, 2016 (Saturday)

This is the 1/2 way point of the 60 mile ride.  I lay on the grass a minute to recover from the exertion of riding up the hill...

Bike Ride to Marina Del Rey -- Thursday, February 11, 2016

Almost sunset...  The days are getting longer!  Pretty soon (in about a month on March 13) the time change will happen...  and the sun will set closer to 7 PM by then!

Hard to see in this picture but there's a crew team practicing near the far shore of the Marina Del Rey channel...

To the top of PV Drive East -- Sunday, February 7, 2016

Rode the same ride both days this weekend.  Total mileage for the two days was about 120 miles.  It gives me an inkling of what the professional riders must go through...

Color - Santa Monica Airport Antique Swap Meet -- Sunday, February 7, 2016

Ride to the top of PV Drive East -- Saturday, February 6, 2016

Looking back at the South Bay and the West Side from PV Drive West...  The weather was very nice... (low 70's)

They just opened a new "park" space next to the La Ballona Bike Path.  It's long and narrow and is on the edge of the bike path.

Bike path is on the left side of this picture.  Stopped here for a break on the way back home (about two miles from home...).

This platform is almost like a stage but it's empty.  Some chairs and tables would be nice...

View from about 1/2 way down PV Drive East (from the top).  You can see all of Catalina...

Marymount University, at the top of PV Drive East.  Stopped here in the shade of a tree for a break before heading back down the hill (completely exhausted by the time I get to the top...).  This is the 1/2 way point of the ride (the turnaround spot).

Harley Davidson 1968 and a Air Lockout...

Bought this a long time ago at a swap meet (many years ago...).  Just cleaned it (solvent tank & lots of brushing).  Was going to incorporate it with my air compressor in the garage (60 gal stand-up) but never did...  Will it ever get used?...  I'm starting to think maybe not...