Jan 15 2010

Car spotting in Las Vegas

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This mid-1950s Internationl "Metro" van was so cute and charming I wanted to find the owner and see if I could buy it.

The Southwest is a car-spotter’s paradise.  Not only does the dry climate preserve old autos, but because they last longer, there are more old cars to see just running around.  Las Vegas and the surrounding area yielded a bumper crop, no pun intended. First off, out at the Nelson ghost town, there were a number of cars just sitting out in the desert, as old cars are wont to do. Continue reading


Jan 15 2010

Vehicle maintenance and bawdy juggling

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Preparing the Crimson Haybaler for front-line duty was simple; part of the reason we chose the Ranger was its simplicity.  It was inexpensive because TLC was needed, however.  I installed a new starter and fuel pump and the little truck runs just fine now, albeit a bit loudly and not quite so prettily, thanks to a missing exhaust and the guerilla modifications we had to make in order to tow it (see below).  We’ll set about turning it into the Ultimate Toad in the coming months. Continue reading


Jan 1 2010

Fruit juice and neon: Las Vegas’ Strip and environs

So what’s there to do in Las Vegas, if you aren’t a gambler (which we aren’t)?  Well, fans of the weird and wonderful owe it to themselves to take a walk through the surreal landscape that is Vegas.  Wander up and down the Strip, in and out of the big casinos, and marvel (or roll your eyes) at the sheer madness of it all.  Taken in the proper spirit (that is, not seriously), Las Vegas is quite the architectural fantasyland.  In the evening, of course, many of the casinos have free light, fountain and pyrotechnic shows as you walk up and down Las Vegas Boulevard.  This is not a secret, of course, so we don’t have to tell you to watch for the fountains at Bellagio or the Mirage’s volcano.

vegas-18 Continue reading