Iron-y

["Mahoney, John" <jmahoney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The weekend was gray and damp, so I spent time talking with people about
American motors of tomorrow and thinking about American Motors of yesterday.
(More on that later...)  I chatted with folks from Michigan to California,
from Japan to the UK and the most amazing word heard was opinion that,
within three to five years, either Ford or GM may no longer be American
independents --- one of them may be forced to merge with an overseas auto
firm.  A century of "Big-Three Detroit" building America would be done.

Which company would be the Nash or Chrysler isn't hard to imagine; which
would be the Hudson or AMC is more knotty; which will be the General Motors
of the 21st century is already becoming evident.  

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200504260167.html

"I'm concerned about the current situation GM is in."

 - Chairman Hiroshi Okuda, in a 4/25/05 comment on possibly helping GM by
raising his prices, since US Toyota production is now at full capacity.  

At least the other former superpower gets help, too.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/04/26/042.html

>>
Humpster Irony

I have been driving the 1971 Green Humpster now as a daily car for 3 months
and have some observations to share.
<<

Ironic, also, that "humpster" is now the prevalent AMC hobby term: is anyone
hear able and willing to post the -actual- descriptive that AMC itself used?

It shouldn't break your hump to do so.  Or burst anyone's bubble either.


>>
Auction 2/26-27/05 pg. 102-103.  Any one got info on the cars and what led
to the Auction Results.
<<

Simply select "Auction 38" at:

http://www.classic-carauction.com/html/auction_results.cfm

Good luck with an AMC search.  

>>
at least two races.  What is different about Renault
now than when they were involved with our struggling
independent?
<<

Renault suffered from the "French-cars-in-America" syndrome for which
neither cause nor treatment have ever been found.  French cars can drive the
most treacherous roads worldwide, but can't survive on the smooth streets of
America.  French engines can find winning Formulae, can rally Trans port to
peak, Siberia to Africa and taste victories since racing began, but they
can't be fixed in a Main Street dealership or a backyard garage.  Something
must be lost in translation.   (Or maybe there's a difference between the
French and the Americans...

>>
you could have a Renault gold plated with diamonds and rubys and they STILL
would suck!!!
<<

just as there's a difference between the French and the Japanese.) 

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0504/26/1auto-162689.htm

>>
Of course all Ambos 1968 (or 60) and later came standard with AC, the only
other car that did at teh time was Rolls Royce (I have a copy of the AMC ad
that says so!).
<<

Actually, AMC noted that there were five others beyond R-R and Bentley:

Aston-Martin Coupe (and wagon; talk about high volume make and models!),

http://auta5p.car.cz/vystavy/fotoarchiv/salony68_04.jpg

http://www.astonmartins.com/db4_5_6_s/prod_np6c.htm

Ferrari 365 California (convertible; a/c was still optional on '71 2+2),

http://www.carsfromitaly.com/ferrari/index.html

Maserati Quattroporte,

http://weaky.free.fr/galeries/it/Maserati.htm

(you can click on the left-most photo, third row from bottom)

Grosser Mercedes-Benz, 

http://www.cumminscars.com/mercgrosser.html

(you can compare the plumbing with any "lesser" AM limousine)

and Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five (the two topmost models),

http://www.seemycars.com/images/1968Brougham/68prices2.jpg

http://gamma.nic.fi/~nallew/caddy68/www/fleetwood2.html

But don't take my words-and-pictures for it; read '68 AMC:

http://www.arcticboy.com/Pages/arcticboysfullsize4.html

Finally, don't name names and point fingers, but do sweat those details.

Whether rebuilding engines, rewriting auto history or popping pop icons.

1988 apology for posing on an anti-aircraft gun (not for propagandizing
'humane' treatment of US POWs and for broadcasting over Radio Hanoi) as
protests slowed filming of "Stanley and Iris" (when Barbara Walters was
married to Marv Adelson, CEO of Lorimar, seller of exercise videos) and 2005
contrition for a youthful [mid-thirties?] 'lapse' in judgment seem  callous.
With book and movie on the market, celebrity on the track and, at age 67,
nine more lives not to be lived (nor nine more Andy Warhols* to be painted),
money talks.  It says, "I'm sorry."  If "My Life So Far" isn't "My Life Is
Over," it may also whisper, "Better save for old age."

*Loft living is not a CNN penthouse, but neither is it Rambler cheap...

http://www.fotos.org/galeria/data/518/3Andy-Warhol-Jane-Fonda.jpg

http://www.guardian.co.uk/gender/story/0,11812,1451511,00.html?gusrc=rss  

Oops, I'ma gonna get banned.