Frosty

Not a fan - this thing is now FWD. People, like me, want to see a RWD/body-on-chassis mid-size SUV - preferably off the Canyon/Colorado platform. The S-10 platform ended in 2005 and was replaced with the Trailblazer/Rainer/Envoy platform, which subsequently died in 2009/2010 with GM's bankruptcy. GM is producing a new Trailblazer - in Thailand, but not here in the USA. Go figure. Here is the Thailand-built Trailblazer. What's wrong with selling this here in the US? GM already sells Chinese-built Buicks here.

Lucy squeals from time to time when I turn the steering wheel all the way to the left or right. I can't get the power steering belt any tighter without fear of breaking it. So I use a belt quieting/lubricant spray to help keep it as quiet as possible.

So I should just get the GMC, that’s what you are saying, right?

I agree. I am not trashing Chevy, I am just avoiding the overlapping vehicles between Chevy and GMC. Where they overlap, I would choose the GMC over the Chevy. I checked out both the Terrain and Acadia Denalis at the North American International Auto Show back in January. They are well optioned. There is two problems with the Terrain and Acadia - for me. First both are FWD platforms and I prefer a RWD platform instead (I'm a dinosaur I know). Second, my wife already has a Chevy Traverse, the sister vehicle to the Acadia. We don't really need two of the same vehicle. I just thought of another requirement - refrain from black exteriors. I've owned four black vehicles already - two Trans Am, a Jimmy, and the Envoy. They look super when they are clean. Not so much when they are filthy. I currently own two black vehicles - the '86 Trans Am and the '08 Envoy. I'd like something different and requires a little less maintenance to look nice.

There is a manual turn screw that (in the event of a motor failure) you can leave the headlights up - which looks a little dorky driving around during the day. However, I'm not certain if that is what you are asking.

I understand the money thing for sure. What makes this more complicated is my brother-in-law/ex-brother-law is a salesman at the local Chevy dealership.

Two reasons: I prefer the GMC version over the Chevy in most vehicles - I've owned 3 GMC S-10 Jimmys over the years and only bought the 2003 Chevy Blazer because they had already stopped making the Jimmy version by then. Second, being the president of the GMC Truck Specialty chapter of POCI, I probably shouldn't drive a Chevy truck unless there isn't a GMC version available (aka the Avalanche). Now if there is a smoking deal on a Chevy that I can't get anywhere else on a GMC.....well money talks. A Trailbalzer SS with an LS3, hmmmm.....tough one.

Thanks for sharing the pictures. She looks great! Was the squealing from the tires or perhaps one of the engine belts?

Over the weekend, my wife was going thru the Saturday mail. In it was an unsolicited offer from a local Buick/GMC dealership saying they'd give me $1800 in trade for my 2008 GMC Envoy Denali with 203K miles on it. She came to realize that I've driven the wheels off of it and I should replace the car with something newer/less miles on it rather than put money into the Envoy. This means I have permission to shop for a newer vehicle. So the question becomes, what do I get next? My criteria is as follows: 1. Must a RWD vehicle platform - preferably 4WD or AWD. 2. V8 powered prefered but high output V6s would be acceptable if that is all the platform comes with. 3. Vehicle must be under 100K miles 4. Must have SiriusXM capable radio 5. Bluebooth capability to interface with my iPhone would be desired but not required 6. Probably needs to be a 4-door for the family So here is my current list of possible vehicles: GMC - Sierra pickups, Yukon, Canyon, another Envoy Denali Chevy - Tahoe, Avalanche, Trailblazer SS Buick - Rainier with low miles Cadillac - Escalade EXT (AKA Avalanche), CTS (AWD) Hummer - H2 or H3/H3 Alpha RAM - Pickup Ford - Explorer Lincoln - Navigator Chrysler - 300 AVD (with preferably a Hemi) Dodge - Charger AWD (again with a Hemii), Durango Jeep - Cherokee or Grand Cherokee As a whimsy - a Pontiac G6 convertible or a G8 GT - even though they do not match all my criteria. That's my current list - so I ask you? What other vehicles should I consider - given my criteria?

In addition to the performance goodies, I really like the screaming chicken graphic on the side of the car as well as the hood. Thanks for sharing 360!

Welcome to FP. You car reminds me of my brother's '71 Lemans.

JUSTA6's V6 Sunbird "Kustom"

I read somewhere that Knight was quoted as saying he was the "first man in history to blow through $13 million dollars!"

Thanks Joe!

Glad we could help!

True that!

I am so glad you've heard of Terry Knight and the Pack. Most people haven't. Terry Knight started out as a local DJ and then formed the band. When Knight didn't perform with the band, they'd call themselves the Pack or the Fabulous Pack. Farner and Brewer came from the Pack and Mel Schacher came from Question Mark and the Mysterians ("96 Tears" fame). Knight became GFR's manager and they eventually fired him in 1972. They performed a song called "Wide Track" as the Faboulous Pack. I don't know if you've every heard of it. I use to have the 45 record shown below. I gave the record to a fellow Widetracker for safe keeping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xUSYUaLMAA A local electronics store chain in Michigan (Highland Appliance) use to say "More speakers than a Grand Funk tour!!". Those of us who'd seen them live in concert knew what that reference meant. Grand Funk's Concert for Bosnia at the Palace of Auburn Hills concert and album, I was at that concert! So I guess I'm on the record! I was also at the 1980 Grand Funk Lives album and tour that started in Flint. The movie "Heavy Metal" had also come out at the time and their Queen Bee single was part of the soundtrack. Personally I like the cover of "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" better. BTW - Farner went to my high school, Flint Kearsley, but he never graduated.

I never heard your story on the 'Bird JUSTA. Thank you for sharing it with us. Slight correction on the V6. Buick developed the V6 back in '62 with the "Fireball V6", it came in 198 and 224 CI displacements. Kaiser purchased the engine and tooling from Buick in 1967 and put the Dauntless V6 in the Jeeps until AMC came along put the straight six back in the Jeeps. After the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, Buick bought the tooling and engine back from AMC in April of 1974. That's when the infamous 231 V6 came out.

I agree that this car is way cool. My point is it is looker and not a real performer. Let's not forget the H-body was specifically the Vega and Astre and they were built with 4-cylinders only. The H-Special was the Monza, Firenza, Sunbird, and Skyhawk. The H-Specials were built to accept the 305 V8s but not the H-bodys. My point is the added torque of a blown 350 with the stock running gear should have damaged the car in some way because of the excess torque unless hardened parts and a sub-frame connector was bolted in. You are right, there are a lot of questions we can't answer.

I do try to have fun Last Indian. As much and as often as I can. It's funny that you mention vehicles of motion. My dad was both an aviation and automobile engineer during his career. So to that end, he has flown in every know aircraft. Military transports, work on navy warplanes in Corpus Christi during WWII, commercial aircraft, personal aircraft, gliders, helicopters, and hot air balloons. I don't think he has ever parachuted. I have an eclectic choice in music. I most closely associate with rock/pop/metal. I do like some easy listening,' 40s big band/swing, bag pipe and drums, some Hawaiian and Celtic music, Jimmy Buffet / island music, and various vocal acts. Favorite acts have to be Jimmy Buffett, the Beach Boys, the Reflections, CCR, Kiss, and our local group Grand Funk Railroad.

What? No cold sodas? No cold beer? A man gets awful thirsty pickin' off zombies.

It turned out the guy was practicing an illegal religion and had enough nerve to protest in Tianenman about it. I also learned after that incident that in Chinese society, if the state executes a loved one, they charge the family for the cost of the bullet. It is considered quite a family/societal shame. As for Ireland, I wouldn't mind trying their beer(s). English beers are like making love in a canoe...f'ing close to water. Scottish and German beers are a whole lot better.

Yeah, it was the local police. However, as you know, both the military and police all dress in the same drab green uniforms. It was a police van that pulled up and dragged this guy's carcass, his wife, and daughter into the van. The wife wants to go to Ireland and Italy. She's half Italian and half Irish. I'm a goner.

He street raced it alright. From the traffic light to the first 1200 feet and then he let off. Any bets that is a real 350 and not just a dressed-up 305? As the Beach Boy song title goes - a "No-Go Showboat". Stop and think about it. If most of the stock drivetrain is retained, the engine can't be generating much torque or the rear window would have shattered, the body would have twisted, the rear end would have blown, or the drive shaft would have twisted or come apart from a lack of support from the missing sub-frame connectors. Stock tires and a 4-bolt lug? Stock front disc brakes? In my opinion this is a hack job. Granted it did look good and it's nice to still see it on the road.

Technically I've been in Washington and New Mexico. I flew into Seattle on my way to Hawaii but other than the airport, I didn't see anything so I don't count it. The only way to get to Four Corners Monument is through Highway 597 (4 Corners Road) in New Mexico, coming from Arizona. Since this the smallest corner of the state, I don't count it. I have also been to Scotland, England, France, Germany, Austria and China. My trip to China was not your typical experience either. A protester in Tiannenmen Square was beaten up 10 feet in front of me on my first day in Beijing and the whole thing was filmed by CNN International, and a stowaway was found on the plane returning us to Detroit. The Great Wall is humbling and cool though. Let us know if/when you decide to come up. I am sure Indyman Joe, JUSTA and notallthere can try to arrange to be around.