Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Snow Day


Between 15 and 20 cm of snow predicted for today, schools closed. Does the Toronado rest, Nay soldiers on avoiding careening pickups and snowplows to bring me safely to work..yahhh.

Looks somewhat like a undersea predator, hiding itself in the sandy ocean floor awaiting an unsuspecting minnow or Honda.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Salty


Here is the great white north huge amounts of salt are deposited on the road in an effort to keep motorists out of ditches or opposing traffic.
The unfortunate side effect is dissolving cars. Rust proofing companies like Krown offer yearly oil treatments to keep the oxidation demons at bay. In these minus double digit days the salt only looks ugly coating your car. However when the temperature rises above freezing (approx. 40 degrees F) the chemical reaction takes place causing rust. The salt accelerates the chemical reaction between steel and water by providing a highly ionized environment. So as soon as temperature warms up head for the car wash!
The shade of Ransom E. Olds can be clearly seen to the left of the photographer.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Return Seat to Upright Position


The freezing weather continues north of the 49th and the Toro soldiers on. It does not mean all is perfect. To do list for slightly warmer weather, say like -10 degrees, is to replace the anemic aftermarket horns with some proper GM blasters. Also the driver’s power seat seems very sluggish in the cold.

The passenger seat is always happy to oblige, perhaps the grease in the drive cables is hardened or the motor may be on its last legs. As I now regularly transport two children to school, functional power seats are a necessity. With the driver’s seat all the way back (how I like it) the rear seat leg room is less than adequate for your average kindergartner or hobbit.

Morning ritual is power seat forward until my chest is pressing against steering wheel, once children delivered to place of indoctrination, seat goes back…so I should make sure I fix before it sticks in the crushed against the dash board position. Actually you can get four adults in the Toronado relatively comfortably, while my experience of modern BMW 6 series and Jaguar XJ’s is that the back seat is for show purposes only.

I will now enjoy the drive home, seat in the fully extended and lowered position.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Drive in the car wash come out clean

If you have children you might be familiar with that line from my favorite car friendly kids book, Toad on the Road. No nothing to do with Wind In The Willows, rather the story of new driver toad and the freedom he finds behind the wheel of his very own internal combustion vehicle. The book has been a favorite with all my children and includes a positive anti-public transportation message, “get off pig and ride with us”. Pig was on a bus you see.

It is never too early to teach your children the benefits of large cars that can a hold all of your anthropomorphic animal friends. “I can drive them here, I can drive them there, I can drive them anywhere…drive on Toad!

http://www.bullersooz.com/tr.html

Friday, January 16, 2009

Wife Drives Toro, Deliriously Happy


Busy day for the Toro. Wife has early meeting to host so she takes the mighty Oldsmobile while I take the 2002 Town & Country to deliver children to school. We then switch cars and I drive into work.

Made sure the Toro's block heater was plugged in for an hour or two and then warmed up and ice scrapped off the windshield for her.

As I watch from the living room window I see my dear wife having some trouble inside the car. Seat was too far back and it was so cold the power driver's seat did not want to move. Apart from that minor hitch no problems. However she did complain of some ribbing at work for driving such a big old car. Philistines they know not what they say.
Rare photo of extra full gas tank. Note vacuum economy gauge, helps maintain that 20MPG 77-78 Toro's are famous for.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

So Very Very Cold


From the hard to read title page you can see that we are already four winters (how we tell time above the 49th parallel) into our story.
The tale from the beginning will slowly be told but right now its -28 degrees with the wind chill and the Toro waits patiently for quiting time.
The cold weather makes the big 235/75R-15 Yokohama's look a little flat and the driver's side rear was down a few pounds. Added some air at lunch but the tire might have to come off the rim and be remounted for a better seal.
Yokohama's are all season and combined with the Toronado FWD have so far pulled me through a couple of winters worth of snow storms. Look for me, I will be the guy over taking all the SUVs in a blizzard.