[Nader]

While wooing my now wife years ago, I hurried from the racetrack to the church downtown for mandatory pre-wedding counseling. I had my vintage racebike strapped onto a carrier on the back of my old 4-Runner. I came late to the session smelling of gasoline. I had an issue with the Keihin carburators on that bike and had to borrow spares from other racers, which led to me being doused in gasoline when hurriedly changing them between races. I now think she was just being polite/feisty, but back then, she said that me smelling like gasoline was "sexy." She'd never say that now.

Before and since then, I've had numerous sporting vehicles; everything from a stout old BMW airhead and Porsche boxer, to high-strung, high maintenance Ducati sportbike and Ferrari. Those bikes are gone, but I still have the Porsche and Ferrari. Also have a couple older Alfa Spiders (one a race car), and couple indestructible 4X4s including Ford 7.3L Powerstroke diesel (to haul my race stuff) and an FJ40 Landcruiser. I've done my own maintenance and have built a few race engines and done engine swaps on bikes and cars. I feel comfortable both swinging wrenches and racing wheel to wheel.

Over the years, I've watched the emergence of the new electric cars with curiosity, glad that there is progress and choices, but unwilling to give up my cool cars and bikes with their jewel-like drivetrains. Then recently I drove my brother's Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor. At first I didn't want to like it. But man. It felt like alien technology. Maybe like when the Native Americans encountered the first European settlers and witnessed cast iron pans, muskets, and men on horses. Made me feel like the writing is on the wall. Reminded me a bit of when MP3s, digital cameras, smart phones, and flat panel TVs came on the scene for my generation. Every generation experiences this kind of technological advancement, if not sea change.

Now, I'm wondering how long I'll maintain my ICE vehicles until they'll inevitably need retrofitting to electric drivetrains. Like the Delorean in Back to the Future. I'm thinking long game; 15-20 years in the future (I joined this forum over 15 years ago, it goes by quick!). What am I going to do? Box up the engines and gas tanks and keep them in the basement? Sell them while they're worth something to fund the retrofit? I might never smell like gasoline again.