Shop Time w/T.W. Friends

Not the Tacoma. That will be staying in the stable for the foreseeable future. Or until I'm tempted enough by the '24 Hybrid.

We have a 2005 Honda Pilot that my youngest was supposed to take over driving since we bought the Elantra for my other son. They don't like it because it's big and it doesn't have any of the safety stuff that newer vehicles have so we're selling it and will find something fitting once they have their license. No sense it sitting in the garage not being driven and taking up space.

Give me a bit to get some pictures together. But don't expect anything amazing.

 

I'm not the least bit surprised!

Happened!

Too hot for the snow to still be around.

No worries there. Just like when it's -40, we just keep our butts inside when it's stupid hot.

I better keep my mouth shut for this one. Just in case my wife is internet stalking me.

 

There’s things I like about the '24 Taco but not enough for me to buy one. I’ll keep my paid off, low miles '19 for a while (probably the next 20 years).

Free up garage space

 

If the gas mileage numbers are even somewhat close to my wife's Highlander*, I'll probably get in line for one.

* Last week on the road trip, cruise set at 112KPH, we were pretty consistently getting 35+. It's looking like 27 is the magic number, but a guy can hope.

Oh, don't worry. There's already a vehicle itching to be able to park in the garage. The niece is staying with us for a while. I'd rather have her inside than having to snow blow around her Jeep every time it snows.

 

Kids today -- at that age I would have been happy with something like this:

 

What kind of nonsense is that

I have parts of the garage I haven't even seen in
5,
10,
15 years

well... a long time...

Not sure if that is , , , or .

 

Today I bought my wife a used Honda Odyssey. She has been wanting one and her CRV is paid off. Her 66th birthday present. Lol it is amazing to drive. 36K on the clock and it has all the stuff my Tacoma doesn't have. So, we bought it and will eventually sell her 18 CRV. She is happy. I am happy.
Actually, minivans are like the ultimate road trip vehicle. We bought is so her 95 yo dad and 91 yo mom could ride comfortably. It's a 2022. Got it under MSRP but not by a lot. Yea! I own a minivan again! I'm special! Yea! Not.

 

My first car was a smooth-ridin’ road-huggin’ high-fashion eye-catchin’ quick-stepppin’ fuel-sippin’ pump-passin’ pocket-pleasin’ front-wheel-drive Omega from Oldsmobile!

 

I got the old Dodge daily van just because it cheap and in better shape than what I was driving.
I wasn't prepared to like it so much.
Quiet, easy to drive, attracts no attention, parts are cheap, insurance is cheap, reasonable on fuel - even Mrs Green will drive it if needed.

It only has front seats so full sheets of plywood, etc slide right in and the tailgate closes.
Simply the most versatile vehicle I have ever had.

 

When we bought the Pilot, we test drove an Odyssey but the car seat didn't fit in the back captains seats. It was black exterior, black interior and tinted. I didn't really want one then but looking back, it was a good looking ride. I'm sure the '22 is even better!

 

I've always thought that a slightly lifted, 4wd van would be the ultimate hunting/fishing machine; a person could store their junk gear in it, sleep in it....and if going solo, who needs a bathroom?

Congrats to her!!

 

They forgot to add "rear brake lockin' ".

GM really dropped the ball on that part of the design - and then ignored the issue for a long time, they got in trouble with the NHTSA over it.

 

Grey interior. Looks good.

 

I'm more happy my wife is happy. She was a nurse for 38 years in a VA hospital. She served six years as a flight nurse in desert shield and desert storm. She has put up with me for 40 years. She needs this if it makes her happy.
Me? Any old truck lol.

 

@Cwopinger - Pictures as promised.

The route: Fargo to Winnipeg to Dryden to Thunder Bay to Duluth to Fargo - 1,100 miles.



We went to a Brit Floyd (Pink Floyd cover band) concert in a small theater in Winnipeg on Saturday night. The show was fantastic and the light show was absolutely on point.



No pictures from Sunday but we just wandered around The Forks and my wife downloaded a "Haunted Winnipeg" self guided walking tour that was somewhat entertaining. For $5 it made for a good walk in parts of downtown Winnipeg that we wouldn't have seen otherwise.

Monday we checked out of the hotel and went to Assiniboine Park.





All of the flowers and trees were labeled but this one was my favorite.



When one comes across a comically large chair, one must sit in it.



Left Winnipeg and ate lunch in Kenora before moving on to Dryden. Nothing whatsoever of note in Dryden. It was simply a place to sleep.

Tuesday we headed towards Thunder Bay and stopped by Kakabeka Falls first.





Drove to Thunder Bay and had lunch then went to the car to figure out what to do next. Everything my wife was finding was outside. Which meant it started raining, of course. And was supposed to continue for the next 2 days.

We started looking for a hotel in Thunder Bay but virtually nowhere had any rooms available. We expanded out to Grand Marais but rooms there were outrageous so we said screw it and just drove to Duluth.

That ended up being a 9 hour, 410 mile day.

Packed up the next morning, rain was still in the forecast so we drove around Duluth for a bit and hightailed it home.

Not exactly what we had envisioned but you can't control the weather.

 

Goodnight everyone

 

Glad to see you !

I noticed you were missing but so many dropped out.

I hope all is as well as can be!

 

I was involved in building a 4x4 Ford Van in the the seventies.

It was more or less just sticking the Van Body on a F 150 4x4 chassis .

I would have to think about the steering set up and the clutch linkage took some fabrication .

The fuel fill was a custom fabrication and a 30 gallon fuel tank.

From What I recall the Dog house was custom built and the shifter levers had extensions added

 

Oh wow, I've got/had family tree roots up in those parts. Richwood, Thief River Falls, Grand Rapids, ect. Last time I was up there was in 2009 or 2010 for a memorial. It was so humid you could cut the air with a knife. Talk about rural. You betcha

 

Good morning everyone.