Random TRANSPORTATION pictures

[daepp]

All our daily drivers:

'76 Celica. Purchased from my dad's secretary for $1600 from money I earned (literally) digging ditches. I added a cat delete and a Weber - and it was/felt fast and reliable. Re-installed cat and carb just before I sold it - still ran great!



21 Window bus. Bought it for $1300, loved it throughout HS and college. Many many trips to the beach, and it never left me. Sold it to go on my honeymoon partially cuz we had no money and partially because I didn't think the prior owner's wheel well hatchet job could ever be fixed. Got $1700 for it. I know I know. But I did have the presence of mind to tell my new bride that some day I was gonna want to replace it with something else that was cool. And besides, we had a great time on our honeymoon...



I graduated from college with two degrees in 4 years plus one more (summer) quarter. Started my first "real" job in Sept of '85, and by October I (of course) bought my first new car. A 5 liter 5 speed, and it felt like lightning. But in those days most V8's were anemic and tied to a slush box. It was a thrilling purchase, and I put 150K miles on it.



My bride was driving a Bug when I met her. And she had had several. The first time I drove it I learned it had a messed up front end - her brother had apparently driven it over a curb. The next day we bought our first car together - a used '82 DL. SHE.WAS.IN.HEAVEN. To this day she still calls it her first "real" car. 4 speed stick with electric overdrive, very reliable, crappy A/C but quite comfortable seats.



And then I liked it so much, a few years later I sold the Mustang and bought a '90 240DL. I put 200K miles on it before I sold it, but I was forever bedeviled by the CEL and limp-home mode. Tried everything while under warranty and we never found it -- even replaced the DME. About one a month I'd have to undo the positive lead on the battery to reset everything. Eventually add a marine style lug so I just had to undo the wing nut...



After our first daughter arrived, we bought a '93 Ford Aerostar Eddie Bauer. Great van - no really. Cheap to own, no real problems. When the starter finally went out after a 100K miles I think a new one (from Ford) was under a hundred bucks. First time I drove it I thought, man, you could put a lot of kids in this things. in about 36 months we'd added two more!



I talked my employer into buying the ML430 - still surprised they went for it. But I took it everywhere, over hill and dale and through streams and across the beach. Guys with rugged looking F250's and SR5's wouldn't think I'd take it the places I did. These early versions were quite rugged with boxed ladder frames and all wheel drive. The ride wasn't up to Benz quality, but I loved it. Put 200K + on it, and then felt great about handing it over to my daughter when she started driving. It was a tank!





Next car for Mrs DAEpp was a 2000 Eddie Bauer Expedition we bought used. By far the best riding car to date we'd ever had.

[daepp]

Missed one - I bought a two year old lease return Lexus GS300 - no pic - but I put 200K on it and the only thing that ever broke was the electric "signal seeking" antenna.


More of the Aerostar days - man I wish they stayed that size...



Replaced the Expedition with an '07 GL450. Got a killer deal through a buddy at corporate MBZ, but I should never have purchased a first year of production car. Sold it at 100K when it left (extended) warranty.

Great riding car though - drove it to Yellowstone and it was a champ - even with the pod on top.



Eventually got another Lexus GS - this one was a 350. Direct injection 300hp v6, rear wheel drive, and again, not one thing broke after 200K miles. Still have it parked - can't bare to part with it.

And of course, in '04 I bought the '72 911.



2016 Exploder - great car and current DD. Better riding and quieter than any car I ever owned except the GL Benz. Only negative is it's a pig - 17 mpg and 4400 lbs!



And the Mrs finally picked her own car. After much looking she picked a two year old (lease return) MBZ S550. Half price from sticker. Unbelievable ride. And yes, even though still under original warranty, and even tho it was a CPO and they added one more year, I bought an MBZ extended warranty. And yes, I cross my fingers a lot!




Not sure why I got started down this road, or why anyone would care. But I was saving photos and thought I'd share.

[911boost]

Very cool David! I would need to really dig to find some pictures of our DD's.

Random pic.

[URY914]

[Racerbvd]

[Racerbvd]

[svandamme]

huh? twin chains??what's the point of that?

[Sarc]

[group911@aol.co]

Originally Posted by svandamme

huh? twin chains??what's the point of that?

Too much torque. The are bikes that were designed for kids being ridden by grown men.

[porsche930dude]

[Steve Carlton]

[Racerbvd]

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by daepp

Not sure why I got started down this road, or why anyone would care. But I was saving photos and thought I'd share.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. It’s great that you have so many photos. Bet you wish you had that bus back!

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

Oh man! You’re killing me! WANT!

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. It’s great that you have so many photos. Bet you wish you had that bus back!

I too enjoyed the trip and also wish I had my 67 bus back.

[dafischer]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

It's a real shame about those wheels.

[Sarc]

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by svandamme

huh? twin chains??what's the point of that?

Two different sprocket sizes, two speed transmission.

[Jolly Amaranto]

[IS300]

wish I could have got this one..... stuck on the Island of horrors