Tacky car. Awesome jack.
We’re all probably quite aware of my addiction to the V8 Supercars by now. Last night I was curled up on the couch, contentedly watching this weekend’s race, and quietly pining for great vast sums of money in brown paper sacks. I mean sure, it would be nice to be able to partake of the excitement of driving a V8, but I’m pragmatic enough to realize that it would be phenomenally expensive. I doubt I’d make it more than two corners before I crashed horribly, and I consider myself to be a reasonably decent driver.
No, I’m more interested in having some of the gadgets that are on the car. Mostly the air-spike jacks. It’s coming to be fall ’round these here parts, and that means it’s not long before the snow starts to fly. That means I’ll have to swap out my performance tires for my studded winters, and doing that myself can be a long and tedious process, particularly since my IRS requires me to jack up each corner separately. An air-spike would speed things up enormously, but I’m not sure it’s worth the several thousand dollars it would cost me to install one.
What extremely high-priced piece of technology do you lust after because you’ve already found a way to fit it into your day-to-day life?
I've posted this once before, but I still want one:
<img src="http://atomictoasters.com/wp-content/gallery/professors-shutdown-images/800000-volt-transformer.jpg" width="400" border="2" style="border:2px solid black;" alt=" " />
An 800,000 volt transformer.
I'm with you on the air jack. Add the fact that I live in a 4th floor walk-up and have to store my wheels on my balcony and the only conclusion can be I need an elevator straight into my apartment.
Ah, you need a car elevator. Park your ride in your living room.
A helicopter.
This would also include the funds necessary for my training on how to fly it and all the gas and maintenance covered. The neighbors might not appreciate it, but it would make all these trips around town and to work much better.
Hmmm, ok, but what about the places that don't have enough space to land a helicopter? Land it somewhere else and take a cab to where you want to go?
Or just get a big enough helicopter.
<img src="http://www.aviationspectator.com/files/images/UH-60-Black-Hawk-helicopter-571.preview.jpg"width=500>
I've heard it said that you don't fly a helicopter, you keep it from crashing.
After owning several R/C helis I agree with that sentiment.
I'd love air jacks too but I could never have them if they were internally activated cause i'm sure I'd get the idea to go all "speed racer" on some low obstacle.
As we made the what's becoming regular trip between Toledo and Lexington again this past weekend, I really wouldn't mind
someonesomething doing the driving for me.<img src="http://www.liveinsurancenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Self-driving-car.jpg">
IMG from liveinsurancenews.com
I bet we could figure out a relatively inexpensive air jack system. The most expensive part would be the compressor. The right size pistons and even a standard 100 PSI compressor will work!
On Board Compressor – $80.
<img src="http://www.orientexpress.com/images/Product/large/7591.jpg" width=400>
12 Ton Bottle Jack – $80. (x 4)
<img src="http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_19543.jpg" width=400>
On board air jack system for under $500?
Priceless.
A compressor sounds awfully heavy. Why not use light explosive charges? You could generate the necessary PSI to lift the car, then just reload the jacks once you're done and have let the car down. Plus, it would make it even cooler.
Just use the seat belt pre-tensioner charges!
They make little on board air compressors. If you're planning on mostly doing the work at home, you don't even need an air compressor on the car. You should have one in the garage.
I do have one in my garage, and I'd still use explosives to jack up my rig if I still did my own work and as long as the wife wasn't home.
Why bother with a compressor? Just use a compressed gas cylinder, nitrogen, co2, or dual purpose nitrous oxide.
<img src="http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/media/catalog/product/cache/3/image/800×600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/k/0/k008c.jpg"width=300>
Or maybe a hydraulic setup!
<img src="http://images.autoline.info/s/construction-equipment-backhoe-loader-CATERPILLAR-428B—1_big–12041223242494423200.jpg"width=500>
Cierva C.30 Autogyro
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Cierva-Duxford.JPG" width="600">
Evil! Get it out of my sight!
Have you considered placing a call to the Suicide Hotline? They can help…
I just want to have some fun… A more modern one can be equipped with wing tip jets for direct, vertical, take off.
Dearthair, there was a lot of jacking up of Dale (my new old Volvo S90) recently to get the brakes working well. It too has an IRS (LSD even!) and at first for the rear I thought that cross brace that went across was not beefy enough. But it got really annoying really quickly, so I tried it, and it worked great. I've always jacked up the rear using the diff for Astrid the Amazon, but in this one there was that plastic 'leaf' spring so close by I was scared to get too close to it. I use a thin phone book on top of the jack pad, but in Canada I think hockey pucks grow on trees. Also on a lot of Volvos there is a good strong spot to lift on the frame near the middle and both wheels on a side come right-up. It's not on the lip though that further along where the jack that comes with most cars is intended, deeper under, look for a reinforcement going some across if Frankie has a spot like that there near the middle. Still just a floor jack is really quick even if you have to do four corners.
Good lord, you still name your cars….
Creepy, isn't it? Every time I call my RX-8 "Petunia", she gets hail damaged.
you know what's creepy? I started calling the new one Henry cause it was getting confusing to say the Volvo. When she heard that, my daughter said that was not right, that his name is Dale. I asked why, "He told me."
So that hail was your fault. I think you're going to have a few angry visitors over the next few days…
<img src="http://www.greatermedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/air-awards-phot.jpg" width=500>
This guy has been on the radio in Philly for a little over 30 years. He calls every attractive woman "Petunia".
You now look like Pierre Robert to me.
I do, I call my wife's car Van, as I did the previous two. My kids named the Volvos.
My S70 goes by both "Mjolnir" and "The Fridge"; the Fridge nickname comes from the exceptional A/C
An HEMTT/PLS camper and track support truck. Not sure where I'd put the sleeping quarters though. Maybe on the roof.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/6x6_HEMTT_equipped_with_a_cargo-handling_crane.JPEG" width=500>
<img src="http://media.defenseindustrydaily.com/images/LAND_FHTV_HEMTT-A3_w_PLS_Loading_lg.jpg" width=500>
Sleeping quarters? The one in the 1st picture just dropped off a porta-potty, and the second one set up your bungalow tent for you. What more do you want?