Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Bob Heine's Auto Emporium

[TwoBytes]

Here's the Litespeed Blade I mentioned in a previous post. Sweet bike; put a lot of damn miles on it.

That's gorgeous!

Got any pics of your Klein?

 

[madison069]

All this bike talk reminded me of a college buddy who built a bike out of titanium and carbon fiber. It was a single speed bike and for some reason I want to say it had one pedal. He was into serious weight reduction for that bike.

 

[bulletpruf]

That's gorgeous!

Got any pics of your Klein?

I didn't have a Klein; think that was someone else who posted.

 

[Bob Heine]

Neat! Did you know hydraulic disc brakes are now basically the norm on fancy bikes?

@Squankum, I'd love to have a hydraulic disk brake bicycle but it would have to include a dual pull brake handle. Not the cheapest upgrade (four to five hundred dollars). I could buy a cheap $128 bike that has cable operated disk brakes.

Then there's the death thing. More cyclists are killed in Florida per million residents than any other state. By state, California has slightly more actual deaths but almost twice the population it's far less likely.

Isn't there a relative you want to bring into that joke? An "Uncle Benny" setting?

I think it usually starts with "Grandpa."

Bob - My Litespeed set me back about $5,000 in 2002 or so. It was the same bike Lance Armstrong had ridden in time trials for the Tour, so I figured it was good enough for me.

Had to Google the Paramount - quite impressive!

Scott, I really enjoyed cycling when I was younger but it does bad things to my back. There's a constant twist applied to it when riding with one hand. It also involves some weird gear shifting when the controls are on the frame (like my Cannondale). It's almost as bad as texting and driving because I'm looking down, pulling one or the other foot out of the pedal clip and flipping the lever up and down.

The talk of all of these expensive bikes makes me feel a little self conscious about my bike. We found it and the parts bike set out for the garbage. That was over 15 years ago.

Kirk, don't feel bad, I'm in the same boat. Mine was free with a little money spent to upgrade the brake lever, pedals, tubes and tires. The tires don't wear out but when they get thin, the sand spurs around here will puncture the tube if you don't use the heavy duty puncture resistant tubes.

Until a few months ago, we were still exclusively pedaling our 1985 Schwinn mountain bikes. My wife had grown to hate hers so when we stumbled across 2 Schwinn cruisers at a yard sale back in September, she immediately claimed the women's model (since dubbed "Pinky Herman") and then convinced me to buy the mens version for $40. The smile on her face on the first ride told me she had found the right bike for her. I was reluctant to ride the new to me bike but now I switch back and forth between them. Getting used to coaster brakes again took a few rides and the upright riding position makes my hands appreciate not hurting after every ride. Arthritis *****. But I still can't give up on my old mountain bike, we've logged thousands and thousands of miles together.

@dagofast, we logged a lot of miles on our Schwinn Varsity men's and women's bikes. We even brought Liane's Schwinn to Australia and at the end of the two years sold it for more than we paid for it. Of course inflation between its arrival in 1968 to its sale in 1991 meant it really sold it for a fraction of what a new one would cost.

Here's the Litespeed Blade I mentioned in a previous post. Sweet bike; put a lot of damn miles on it.

Scott, that's the kind of machine that deserves a display stand inside your home.

That's gorgeous!

Got any pics of your Klein?

Mat, I think @driftpin has/had the Klein: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/bob-heines-auto-emporium.319566/post-9884540

All this bike talk reminded me of a college buddy who built a bike out of titanium and carbon fiber. It was a single speed bike and for some reason I want to say it had one pedal. He was into serious weight reduction for that bike.

Cody, I suspect your buddy had a fixed gear single speed bike so he could eliminate the weight of brakes.

I didn't have a Klein; think that was someone else who posted.

Yup -- it was @driftpin.

 

[driftpin]

Yes, me.

I'll try to get a couple of pics of the Klein and the Litespeed.

The Klein Attitude MTB was top of the line Shimano XT when I had it built at my friend's shop. Next year, the XTR gruppo was released, and I bought the first one they got in, and had the XT gruppo installed on a Jamis chromoly MTB frame I had. FYI, Jamis is a FL business, last I knew. Their offerings cover a wide range of price points. The Klein weighs 23-1/2 lbs.

Here's a recent review on a classic Klein Attitude bike, far ahead of others in its construction. A quick search on ebay found prices all over the place, one asking $5700, others were a couple grand. It's interesting to see that the retro hardtails with rigid Klein forks (no suspension) and an integrated stem and handlebar sell for the most.

Contender Ten Best of 2021: A Radical Klein Attitude MTB

If one were to poll 100 people to see what they thought of this Klein Attitude mountain bike, I suspect that every single person would think positively. There is a lot of goodwill out there for Klein bikes, particularly their mountain bikes. That is because this Klein mountain bike - as well as...

contenderbicycles.com

The Litespeed is a Classic, it's a combo of Shimano 105, Ultegra 600 and Dura-Ace. I sent it back to the factory in TN for an overhaul/checkout, and when I got it back, the factory had some questions about it, as evidently it's one of the first two dozen bikes they crafted. Litespeed made a lot of frames in Ti for other manufacturers who slapped their headstock badges and decals on it/them.

I have an old chromoly Colnago road bike with a full Campagnolo gruppo I'd like to sell. I'm 5'10".

 

[Bob Heine]

Yes, me.

I'll try to get a couple of pics of the Klein and the Litespeed.

The Klein Attitude MTB was top of the line Shimano XT when I had it built at my friend's shop. Next year, the XTR gruppo was released, and I bought the first one they got in, and had the XT gruppo installed on a Jamis chromoly MTB frame I had. FYI, Jamis is a FL business, last I knew. Their offerings cover a wide range of price points. The Klein weighs 23-1/2 lbs.

Here's a recent review on a classic Klein Attitude bike, far ahead of others in its construction. A quick search on ebay found prices all over the place, one asking $5700, others were a couple grand. It's interesting to see that the retro hardtails with rigid Klein forks (no suspension) and an integrated stem and handlebar sell for the most.

Contender Ten Best of 2021: A Radical Klein Attitude MTB

If one were to poll 100 people to see what they thought of this Klein Attitude mountain bike, I suspect that every single person would think positively. There is a lot of goodwill out there for Klein bikes, particularly their mountain bikes. That is because this Klein mountain bike - as well as...

contenderbicycles.com

The Litespeed is a Classic, it's a combo of Shimano 105, Ultegra 600 and Dura-Ace. I sent it back to the factory in TN for an overhaul/checkout, and when I got it back, the factory had some questions about it, as evidently it's one of the first two dozen bikes they crafted. Litespeed made a lot of frames in Ti for other manufacturers who slapped their headstock badges and decals on it/them.

I have an old chromoly Colnago road bike with a full Campagnolo gruppo I'd like to sell. I'm 5'10".

Philip, you travel in a different crowd from me. I saved my money from delivering newspapers to upgrade from the heavy (even stripped down) bent frame 1950 AMF Roadmaster to an Italian bike I thought had chrome fenders (nope, bare steel).

I believe I paid just over $50 for it. It came with a generator and dual headlights but that system stopped working in the first week. Added a third headlight, also generator powered, that lasted until someone stole the bike. I had a chain and lock on it but it wasn't attached to anything so they just picked it up and walked away. Rode that bike everywhere, all the time, summer, fall, winter and spring.

Anything I buy on wheels costs a lot less than $1,000 unless it comes with a motor.

 

[Bob Heine]

I thought I understood house wiring but apparently not. Sometime last week the digital clock on my coffeemaker in the garage had to be reset. It needed to be reset again the next day. Thursday night the clock on my coffeemaker was off but the one plugged into the next outlet was still on. At the same time, the lights in the master bath are dimmed to a glow even though the dimmer is full on. Ah ha! It's the GFCI and all I have to do is reset it. Nope, not only will it not reset, it has shut off everything on the circuit it's protecting, along with three other circuits in the house. I was dumbfounded but it was 10:00 at night and I have a couple of GFCI outlets in the shed. Replaced the GFCI and everything returned to normal. Not sure it's possible but maybe the GFCI failure allowed some current to backfeed the breaker panel. For my CDO friends, I used an ivory GFCI (with ivory screws) in a white coverplate and didn't clock a single screw within reach.

 

[Finallygotit]

Bob, those GFCI outlets seem to fail in some of the strangest ways.

 

[Wiz02]

For my CDO friends, I used an ivory GFCI (with ivory screws) in a white coverplate and didn't clock a single screw within reach.

Oh the shame! How can you live with yourself?

 

[driftpin]

I have squirrelled away someplace a GFCI I removed from service, multiple internals were visibly cooked. I had a name-brand one I installed, and it lasted a couple of weeks. It was an old NIB one I'd bought years before so I couldn't return it. One of my friends who is a fire marshal in Broward Co (FL) has a collection of various electrical pieces which have caused fires, and are now part of his inventory to instruct other fire service members what & where to look when doing a fire scene investigation.

The comment I made before about seeing your shop lighting and the differing light colors from different luminaires and how such a difference would drive me crazy, was what I meant, not about a white faceplate being paired with an ivory duplex receptacle.

I didn't have the expensive bikes until I was an adult. My first bike was a hand-me-down coaster brake bike which had been through three older brothers before I got it. I think I was age 12 when I got my first 'English' bicycle, a skinny-tire 26" tire/wheel Raleigh with a Sturmey-Archer hub shifter with rim brakes. It was candy apple red, and it had stainless steel spokes that made a distinctive reflection rolling down the road. By the time I was 16, I got to use one of the family cars, we had VW beetles for the second car including a '62 cabriolet the parents bought new. That lasted about 6 years in the WNY lake effect snow belt coming off Lake Ontario, and the salt on the roads caused the rocker panels to collapse when I tried to change a flat tire, and used the factory jack. That was also the warm air channel from the engine I believe, for cabin heat which didn't help matters trying to stay warm in the winter.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob, those GFCI outlets seem to fail in some of the strangest ways.

Dan, I decided to take it apart to see if there was anything obvious. There's some black soot on one contact and some of the solder joints have some signs of heat but I don't see anything obvious.

Oh the shame! How can you live with yourself?

@Wiz02, I am unfit to be on the GJ so I flagellate myself several times a month.

I have squirrelled away someplace a GFCI I removed from service, multiple internals were visibly cooked. I had a name-brand one I installed, and it lasted a couple of weeks. It was an old NIB one I'd bought years before so I couldn't return it. One of my friends who is a fire marshal in Broward Co (FL) has a collection of various electrical pieces which have caused fires, and are now part of his inventory to instruct other fire service members what & where to look when doing a fire scene investigation.

The comment I made before about seeing your shop lighting and the differing light colors from different luminaires and how such a difference would drive me crazy, was what I meant, not about a white faceplate being paired with an ivory duplex receptacle.

I didn't have the expensive bikes until I was an adult. My first bike was a hand-me-down coaster brake bike which had been through three older brothers before I got it. I think I was age 12 when I got my first 'English' bicycle, a skinny-tire 26" tire/wheel Raleigh with a Sturmey-Archer hub shifter with rim brakes. It was candy apple red, and it had stainless steel spokes that made a distinctive reflection rolling down the road. By the time I was 16, I got to use one of the family cars, we had VW beetles for the second car including a '62 cabriolet the parents bought new. That lasted about 6 years in the WNY lake effect snow belt coming off Lake Ontario, and the salt on the roads caused the rocker panels to collapse when I tried to change a flat tire, and used the factory jack. That was also the warm air channel from the engine I believe, for cabin heat which didn't help matters trying to stay warm in the winter.

Philip, I do my best to keep after the electrical in the house because I know they can cause a catastrophe. I've always purchased brand name GFCI outlets but in recent years I've been replacing standard components with better quality as well.

Much as I would like to match all my lighting levels, it has been hard to do. The fancy undercounter lights came with bulbs and I didn't see a K-rating on them. When the bulbs die, I'll convert the fixtures to LED with higher K-ratings. A while back I replaced the buzzer starter style T12 garage fixtures with electronic starterr T8 fixtures when LEDs were just coming on the market. Since then I've been removing ballasts and converting the T8 fluorescent bulbs with LEDs. Before I finish this conversion they will probably come out with cold fusion lighting systems.

I lusted after expensive bicycles when I was a teenager after seeing the road bikes at a race in Mexico in 1959. It was my first sighting of clip-in pedals on a bicycle. I use them but keep them loose -- those guys strapped them on tight and had to reach down to loosen them when they came to a stop. My father bought a second car for my mother so she could drive the mile to work each day (instead of walking). It was a 1963 Triumph Herald convertible and dad bought it soon after I got married and moved out. He also bought a mechanical dishwasher to replace me. As I recall, he paid $1,800 for the Triumph and a race-worthy road bike was half that. I have somehow turned into the old man who thinks of going to the movies for 25¢, not $25. I also limit my luxury purchases to things my wife and I share so a Titanium bike would be very selfish when she walks around in thift stre clothes (although Boca Raton thift stores have pretty high-end outfits and accessories). If I bouht a $5,000 bike it would only be fair to buy her a $5,000 pair of shoes -- leding me to do my Redd Fox "Elizabeth, I'm coming" thing.

 

[Bob Heine]

We had a wonderful celebration with the family on Sunday. I planned to have a leisurely drive in the Cadillac, giving myself an hour to make the 45-minute drive. Before leaving, I wanted to check the tire pressure so I pulled the car out of the garage. The dashboard said I should check the pressure in the right rear tire. Of course it's flat as a pancake so I reversed it back into the garage. These tires aren't worn out but they are aged out so it's time to fork over my spare change.

I transferred everything to the PT Cruiser and made an uneventful trip to our son's house. Wanting to get home with some daylight, we got on the road before 4:30 PM. As I accelerated on the entrance ramp to the Florida Turnpike, the "I Dream of Jeannie" light on the dashboard came on. It wasn't making any noises or smells so I risked the few miles to the rest stop, where fluids were emptied and checked. Didn't ge involved in the emptying but did check the oil. It's close to the full mark (didn't wait for it to drain back fully) and it only has 1,500 miles on it since the LOF. Drove home with the light on, enjoying the mystery traffic jams that turned the 45-minute trip into a 90-minute trip, arriving home at a half-hour after sunset.

First task today was ordering a new oil pressure sensor from Advance Auto. Ordered it online so I would be sure it really was in stock . I have driven to the store to discover the part is in a warehouse in Montana too many times. They now e-mail you when it's ready to be picked up. Started the PT Cruiser to see if the light would come on and of course it didn't. Now that the new one is sitting on the workbench in its deep 1-1/16" socket, I expect it will stay off for quite a while. The Internet says this is a known problem with these sensors.

Last Wednesday I had a premonition I would need a Milwaukee M12 1/2" impact today. OK, maybe it fell in my basket when I found an open box item at Amazon for a decent price. The 3/8" one doesn't have the grunt to loosen the lugnuts on the Cadillac (140 ft-lbs). Tested it this evening and it was like the lug nut was finger tight. I see a couple more 3" PVC holsters hanging from the garage cabinet (there's a M12 angle die grinder in a drawer).

 

[madison069]

Talking about tire age, I'm facing the same issue with the Camaro. The tires were bought around 2007 and they might have 200 miles or so on them. No dry crack going on that I can see, but the age makes me want to replace them.

Since you are talking about buying a M12 1/2" impact reminded me to buy the M12 Angle drill. Seems Home Depot has the angle drill for $99 with a battery while everywhere else wants $99 for just the bare tool. I also ordered some stubby drill bits. When I repaired the Camaro's front bumper cover, I forgot to drill the holes back in the tabs. The tabs had split apart so I repaired it by using an epoxy for urethane and I covered the hole. I'm going to try the angle drill with stubby bits before I take the front cover off to drill the holes. Thanks for helping me spend my money, Bob! Of course my wife would say I don't need any help spending it.

 

[gearhead1960]

Bob, I have that 1/2" M12 Impact. It's a winner in my book. Will twist your arm off, making you a no armed bandit....

 

[jbmatth]

Talking about tire age, I'm facing the same issue with the Camaro. The tires were bought around 2007 and they might have 200 miles or so on them. No dry crack going on that I can see, but the age makes me want to replace them.

Please change the tires if you plan to drive it at all, mine were the same age on my cobra, always garage kept except during trips, looked almost brand new, tons of tread left, no cracks even from the inside. I was 2,700 miles into a 3,000 mile trip just cruising on interstate style road when one blew out. Split where the sidewall meets the tread about 2/3 of the way around:


I was fortunate the tread didn't come loose and damage the body, the one piece fiberglass body would have been VERY expensive to replace and repaint, or even worse if it cause me to loose control and wreck the car.

JB

 

[madison069]

Please change the tires if you plan to drive it at all, mine were the same age on my cobra, always garage kept except during trips, looked almost brand new, tons of tread left, no cracks even from the inside. I was 2,700 miles into a 3,000 mile trip just cruising on interstate style road when one blew out. Split where the sidewall meets the tread about 2/3 of the way around:


I was fortunate the tread didn't come loose and damage the body, the one piece fiberglass body would have been VERY expensive to replace and repaint, or even worse if it cause me to loose control and wreck the car.

JB

most likely I'll be replacing them before they see highway miles. Might roll them awhile in town while I dial out the engine and drivetrain.

 

[PugetDude]

most likely I'll be replacing them before they see highway miles. Might roll them awhile in town while I dial out the engine and drivetrain.

...most accidents occur within a mile of home.

 

[bulletpruf]

Last Wednesday I had a premonition I would need a Milwaukee M12 1/2" impact today. OK, maybe it fell in my basket when I found an open box item at Amazon for a decent price. The 3/8" one doesn't have the grunt to loosen the lugnuts on the Cadillac (140 ft-lbs). Tested it this evening and it was like the lug nut was finger tight. I see a couple more 3" PVC holsters hanging from the garage cabinet (there's a M12 angle die grinder in a drawer).

My people are M18 people but recently some folks here convinced me to try the M12 3/8" impact -- I was surprised that it was able to loosen 1/2" head bolts on my 7.3L diesel without any problems. M18 1/2" impact doesn't get a lot of use since I got the M12.

 

[Bob Heine]

Talking about tire age, I'm facing the same issue with the Camaro. The tires were bought around 2007 and they might have 200 miles or so on them. No dry crack going on that I can see, but the age makes me want to replace them.

Since you are talking about buying a M12 1/2" impact reminded me to buy the M12 Angle drill. Seems Home Depot has the angle drill for $99 with a battery while everywhere else wants $99 for just the bare tool. I also ordered some stubby drill bits. When I repaired the Camaro's front bumper cover, I forgot to drill the holes back in the tabs. The tabs had split apart so I repaired it by using an epoxy for urethane and I covered the hole. I'm going to try the angle drill with stubby bits before I take the front cover off to drill the holes. Thanks for helping me spend my money, Bob! Of course my wife would say I don't need any help spending it.

Cody, I have four new tires on four new rims in the garage that have never been used. I was on a roll with the '72 Corvette and had the suspension, drivetrain and exhaust finished so I bought the new shoes. I figure they will be burnout contest material.

I have the M12 Angle drill and use it more often than I expected. It's much smaller than my electric angle drill and with no hose, easier to manage than the pneumatic one.

Bob, I have that 1/2" M12 Impact. It's a winner in my book. Will twist your arm off, making you a no armed bandit....

Mark, I am very pleasantly surprised with it. The compact size and weight is so much friendlier than the wrist twister 1/2" HF Earthquake pneumatic impact. The M12 weighs 2 pounds 8 ounces and the Earthquake weighs 6 pounds 9 ounces. The impact tools are a lot better than my B&D 1/2-inch impact drill. I put the handle of that ****** between my knees when I'm stirring 5-gallon buckets of joint compound.

Please change the tires if you plan to drive it at all, mine were the same age on my cobra, always garage kept except during trips, looked almost brand new, tons of tread left, no cracks even from the inside. I was 2,700 miles into a 3,000 mile trip just cruising on interstate style road when one blew out. Split where the sidewall meets the tread about 2/3 of the way around:

I was fortunate the tread didn't come loose and damage the body, the one piece fiberglass body would have been VERY expensive to replace and repaint, or even worse if it cause me to loose control and wreck the car.

JB

JB, you must be telepathic. I filled the tire this morning so I could move the car into the driveway. Turned the key and the message center said battery was at 11.4 volts. I keep the car on a tender but disconnected it on Sunday. Looks like the 6-year old battery is next. Going to try an AGM this time (not an Optima).

Jacked the car up and removed the flat. There's a nail in the very corner of the tread, way too close to the sidewall to be repaired. After some negotiations that included a new bedroom couch, I ordered a new set of tires. To be fair, Liane was the one who insisted I buy four new tires (my merge ramp habits were mentioned). I donated $1,048.56 to Tire Rack this afternoon and they have already shipped two 255/40ZR-19 General G-MAX RS XL tires for the front and two 285/35ZR-19 General G-MAX RS SL. The General tires are not as highly rated as the Michelin Pilot Sports it came with but I rarely take the car above 80 mph. I also might be able to pay for the new couch with the $700 that would have gone to Michelin. The tires should arrive this week and I'll be trying a Mobile Tire installer. Sick and tired of Tire Kingdom service and their bait and switch pricing -- the $119 install price always turns into $180.

most likely I'll be replacing them before they see highway miles. Might roll them awhile in town while I dial out the engine and drivetrain.

Cody, the tire thing has changed a lot over the decades. Before they put dates or wear indicators on tires, I replaced them when there was no tread left. The baldest tires were always on the rear so they were saved for summer driving - the snow tires never wore out.

...most accidents occur within a mile of home.

Scott, most of mine occur inside the home.

My people are M18 people but recently some folks here convinced me to try the M12 3/8" impact -- I was surprised that it was able to loosen 1/2" head bolts on my 7.3L diesel without any problems. M18 1/2" impact doesn't get a lot of use since I got the M12.

Scott, my creaky joints love the light weight of the M12 tools. Especially the Fuel models.

 

[don long]

Bob
I just dropped in to wish you and the family a very merry Christmas and to thank you for all the support over the past several years

Don

 

[jbmatth]

I think you found a decent deal on the tires Bob, I'm pretty limited on what is available for my performance cars, one takes a 305/40-18 in the rear and the other is 345/30-19, it is tough to find the former and when I do they are over $400 each, the later is easier to find but start to hit $600 each real quick.

JB

 

[madison069]

Cody, I have four new tires on four new rims in the garage that have never been used. I was on a roll with the '72 Corvette and had the suspension, drivetrain and exhaust finished so I bought the new shoes. I figure they will be burnout contest material.

I have the M12 Angle drill and use it more often than I expected. It's much smaller than my electric angle drill and with no hose, easier to manage than the pneumatic one.

Cody, the tire thing has changed a lot over the decades. Before they put dates or wear indicators on tires, I replaced them when there was no tread left. The baldest tires were always on the rear so they were saved for summer driving - the snow tires never wore out.

After how much time, energy, and money that went into the paint job I don't know if I want to do burnout. Well, yes, I do but I don't want to blow out while doing it! LOL

The angle drill did seem like a good investment considering the times I've had to deal with tight spaces where the regular drill wouldn't fit. We will see how much use I get out of it once I get it in my toolbox.


You're right Bob, the tire game has changed. I remember as a kid we would just look for tires that held air and rolled with it. Went down to the tire shop and bought used tires for $10-20 a piece to put on our cars and trucks. I used to do tire rotations, tire replacement, balance, and tire repairs during college at a full-service gas station. When I did state inspection it was never a concern about the age of the tire, just had to have decent thread and no steel belt showing. I'm not saying age of a tire isn't an issue, I can tell how the rubber gets harder as they age, and they tend to lose their stickiness so to speak. If this was a beater car, I would roll these tires without a second thought, just made sure I had a spare tire in the trunk. But the Camaro isn't that kind of car and the tires won't be on the car long after I get it on the road. Once the carb and timing are dialed in to where it drives decent and isn't so pig rich, it will most likely go to the tire shop to get new threads and an inspection sticker.

 

[Craptain]

Bob, I checked out Tire Rack recently when I needed tires. They didn't have mobile installer anywhere close to me. But checking around local tire dealers I got a price match that actually worked out cheaper after installation. I'm not saying everything went perfectly. Appointments apparently just refer to the day not the time. .

 

[Grizz1963]

My view on tyres/tires is that replacing the four 6inch square patches that meet the road is cheaper than replace of the rest of the car, should you have a catastrophic fail.

JB’s blowout seems a bit premature, but is also a good warning.

And trailers are even worse, Minimal mileage over many years, usually stored outside in all weathers make them prime suspects.

 

[bulletpruf]

You're right Bob, the tire game has changed. I remember as a kid we would just look for tires that held air and rolled with it. Went down to the tire shop and bought used tires for $10-20 a piece to put on our cars and trucks. I used to do tire rotations, tire replacement, balance, and tire repairs during college at a full-service gas station. When I did state inspection it was never a concern about the age of the tire, just had to have decent thread and no steel belt showing. I'm not saying age of a tire isn't an issue, I can tell how the rubber gets harder as they age, and they tend to lose their stickiness so to speak. If this was a beater car, I would roll these tires without a second thought, just made sure I had a spare tire in the trunk. But the Camaro isn't that kind of car and the tires won't be on the car long after I get it on the road. Once the carb and timing are dialed in to where it drives decent and isn't so pig rich, it will most likely go to the tire shop to get new threads and an inspection sticker.

Man, if you were paying $10-$20 each for used tires, you must have been getting some nice ones! I think the going rate where I grew up (southeast Louisiana) was around $5 for a decent 14" or 15" tire. This was in the mid 1980's.

 

[madison069]

Man, if you were paying $10-$20 each for used tires, you must have been getting some nice ones! I think the going rate where I grew up (southeast Louisiana) was around $5 for a decent 14" or 15" tire. This was in the mid 1980's.

This was 1999 and 2000 for me. I was buying 8 ply. 16.5 tires for my 1978 Chevy crew cab with rusted out floorboard that got the street sign repair job! Lol

 

[Squankum]

Bob, I checked out Tire Rack recently when I needed tires. They didn't have mobile installer anywhere close to me. But checking around local tire dealers I got a price match that actually worked out cheaper after installation. I'm not saying everything went perfectly. Appointments apparently just refer to the day not the time. .

I'm very lucky to have a Mexican tire shop just a little over a mile from the house. Appointments? None, just show up, if they're busy, they're still going to get to it soon. All they do is wheels and tires all day, and mostly tires. Mount & balance & new valve? $15. Cash.

Really. I'm not sure if they're paying workmen's comp, but man, I like their attitude. They don't moan and whine that I bought the tires somewhere else and they're not trying to sell me a lifetime road hazard warranty or tire rotation contract.

I used to think the prices were good (similar for a leak patch, maybe $10?) because I was generally showing up with wheel/tires inside some other vehicle and they didn't even have to jack it up and remove it, but nah, just good prices all around.

Their overhead is low because, uh, other than the tire machinery, there is nothing overhead.

 

[Squankum]

Bob, semi-famous YouTube mechanic Rainman Ray has opened his own shop and somehow is attracting PT Cruiser customers (OK, I declare two in his first month being open to be a trend!) I think his shop is in Bradenton, FL, so probably inconvenient from the Atlantic coast!

Here he is diagnosing and repairing two coolant leaks on a PT Cruiser turbo. (Radiator and thermostat outlet. I have not watched the next video so there may be woe and intrigue about why bubbles kept coming up out of the filler neck.)

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob
I just dropped in to wish you and the family a very merry Christmas and to thank you for all the support over the past several years

Don

Don, thank you for stopping by. You look so happy working on the COE!

I think you found a decent deal on the tires Bob, I'm pretty limited on what is available for my performance cars, one takes a 305/40-18 in the rear and the other is 345/30-19, it is tough to find the former and when I do they are over $400 each, the later is easier to find but start to hit $600 each real quick.

JB

JB, my problem is spending money on tires that I know will age out long before they wear out. I've at least gotten over the prices.

After how much time, energy, and money that went into the paint job I don't know if I want to do burnout. Well, yes, I do but I don't want to blow out while doing it! LOL

The angle drill did seem like a good investment considering the times I've had to deal with tight spaces where the regular drill wouldn't fit. We will see how much use I get out of it once I get it in my toolbox.


You're right Bob, the tire game has changed. I remember as a kid we would just look for tires that held air and rolled with it. Went down to the tire shop and bought used tires for $10-20 a piece to put on our cars and trucks. I used to do tire rotations, tire replacement, balance, and tire repairs during college at a full-service gas station. When I did state inspection it was never a concern about the age of the tire, just had to have decent thread and no steel belt showing. I'm not saying age of a tire isn't an issue, I can tell how the rubber gets harder as they age, and they tend to lose their stickiness so to speak. If this was a beater car, I would roll these tires without a second thought, just made sure I had a spare tire in the trunk. But the Camaro isn't that kind of car and the tires won't be on the car long after I get it on the road. Once the carb and timing are dialed in to where it drives decent and isn't so pig rich, it will most likely go to the tire shop to get new threads and an inspection sticker.

Cody, I understand the reluctance. All that time and effort goes in the toilet when one of those brittle tires comes apart. No telling what kind of damage it would cause. One of our Corvette Club members had the front fender of his beautiful show quality silver C3 split wide open from a relatively new tire. It was a Firestone and they paid for the repairs and a complete paint job. Fat chance a company does that with aged out tires.

Ah, the good old days. I had to buy some tires for the new-to-me '56 Chevy because the front end was completely worn out. Went to Sears and bought their bottom of the line tires for $9 each. Working for $1.25 an hour that seemed like an awful lot of money (28.8 hours loading bales of peatmoss in customer cars).

Bob, I checked out Tire Rack recently when I needed tires. They didn't have mobile installer anywhere close to me. But checking around local tire dealers I got a price match that actually worked out cheaper after installation. I'm not saying everything went perfectly. Appointments apparently just refer to the day not the time. .

Andrew, from my experience, the tire stores in or near Boca Raton do a bait and switch every time I show up: "The only brand available for your car are the diamond encrusted ones they use on the Space Shuttle." The price of the tires at Tire Kingdom would be attractive if I didn't have to have them installed twice or pay for a fifth tire because of their screwup.

My view on tyres/tires is that replacing the four 6inch square patches that meet the road is cheaper than replace of the rest of the car, should you have a catastrophic fail.

JB’s blowout seems a bit premature, but is also a good warning.

And trailers are even worse, Minimal mileage over many years, usually stored outside in all weathers make them prime suspects.

Rian, you are so right. I just wish tire manufacturers didn't change the name/design so often. I would have sprung for two Michelins if they still sold the original Pilot Sport tires the Cadillac came with.

I cringe when I see the tires on some folks' trailers.

Man, if you were paying $10-$20 each for used tires, you must have been getting some nice ones! I think the going rate where I grew up (southeast Louisiana) was around $5 for a decent 14" or 15" tire. This was in the mid 1980's.

Scott, I also remember $5 used tires. One guy had $3 tires that would pass inspection but with a boot inside.

This was 1999 and 2000 for me. I was buying 8 ply. 16.5 tires for my 1978 Chevy crew cab with rusted out floorboard that got the street sign repair job! Lol

Cody, I was buying 670-15 cotton cord tires back in the day. No such thing as a belt except in those weird Michelin things from France.

I'm very lucky to have a Mexican tire shop just a little over a mile from the house. Appointments? None, just show up, if they're busy, they're still going to get to it soon. All they do is wheels and tires all day, and mostly tires. Mount & balance & new valve? $15. Cash.

Really. I'm not sure if they're paying workmen's comp, but man, I like their attitude. They don't moan and whine that I bought the tires somewhere else and they're not trying to sell me a lifetime road hazard warranty or tire rotation contract.

I used to think the prices were good (similar for a leak patch, maybe $10?) because I was generally showing up with wheel/tires inside some other vehicle and they didn't even have to jack it up and remove it, but nah, just good prices all around.

Their overhead is low because, uh, other than the tire machinery, there is nothing overhead.

@Squankum, I deal with a Cuban tire shop ten miles north of our house. They balanced the tires on the '87 Corvette after I took the clip-on weights off (the clip caused one tire to lose air when it lined up with the bottom of the tire). Tire Kingdom refused to touch them. High speed balance was $10 each tire.

Bob, semi-famous YouTube mechanic Rainman Ray has opened his own shop and somehow is attracting PT Cruiser customers (OK, I declare two in his first month being open to be a trend!) I think his shop is in Bradenton, FL, so probably inconvenient from the Atlantic coast!

Here he is diagnosing and repairing two coolant leaks on a PT Cruiser turbo. (Radiator and thermostat outlet. I have not watched the next video so there may be woe and intrigue about why bubbles kept coming up out of the filler neck.)

That video was interesting if a shade long. I did everything he did to replace the condenser and compressor. While I had it apart I replaced the aluminum intake with a composite one (10 hp upgrade) and upgraded the turbo plumbing. His was scary dirty compared to mine.

 

[scooterbum46]

Bob - was this before the mods or after?

 

[zmotorsports]

Bob, I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob - was this before the mods or after?

Gerry, my photo was from January 2012 in the middle of the mods. Your photo was from this morning when my coffee kicked in.

Bob, I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.

Mike, thanks for stopping by and for the holiday wishes.

 

[LeonardY]

Hey Bob!
Hope you and Laine have a Merry Christmas.
Be well my friend

 

[Bears Fan]

Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas

 

[Bob Heine]

Hey Bob!
Hope you and Laine have a Merry Christmas.
Be well my friend

Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas

Leonard and Tony, thank you for stopping by. I hope you and yours have a Merry Christmas as well.

 

[Squankum]

For about five seconds, I looked at this, and was thinking it was a slice of a femur of a large animal, and then I saw the second picture. I was a bit confused as to where this was all headed!

 

[jon72vega]

Bob,
My hope for you and Liane is that you have a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

 

[driftpin]

Bob, best wishes this (Festivus?) holiday and every day for Lianne and you. It's lots of fun to read your thoughts on pretty-much anything. Since we were both from The Empire State before reaching the Goldene Medina, there are some commonalities. I admire your resilience and initiative. The common characteristic of too-many (not enough?) tools and their uses, storage, and history is shared here.

And happy holidays and best wishes in the new year to all of the GJ members who share an appreciation for our Man in Boca Raton.

 

[harley jim]

Bob may you and Lianne have a wonderful and
Merry Christmas.
I get a real kick out of what gets said around here, and you have a real way with words!

 

[Toolfool]

Merry Christmas Bob.