Locked And Loaded

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Sure are some strange and scary times we are all going through right now.This stupid Coronavirus is freaking a lot of people out.
This is just still the beginning, if we don't wipe it out soon, it's gonna drag on, the authorities are doing everything they can, terrified of a mass panic. ITS GONNA GET A LOT WORSE, BEFORE IT GETS BETTER. Been loading ammo into all my magazines, when the weak finally fold, they will start trying to think of what to do, this is where they start to breakdown, and start thinking about nothing but themselves. If they try to break into my house, they will be schooled with a hail of projectiles. I hope all you guys are ready!

[ross1]

Sure are some strange and scary times we are all going through right now.This stupid Coronavirus is freaking a lot of people out.
This is just still the beginning, if we don't wipe it out soon, it's gonna drag on, the authorities are doing everything they can, terrified of a mass panic. ITS GONNA GET A LOT WORSE, BEFORE IT GETS BETTER. Been loading ammo into all my magazines, when the weak finally fold, they will start trying to think of what to do, this is where they start to breakdown, and start thinking about nothing but themselves. If they try to break into my house, they will be schooled with a hail of projectiles. I hope all you guys are ready!

Snotty,
You and I usually see things (car related anyway) similarly. Having said that, do you really think arms are the answer?
This virus and perhaps even more so those too stupid or stubborn to recognize this are our greatest threat. We should all be staying away from others until this subsides.

There will not be marauding bands (of whatever group one might unreasonably fear) stealing the hoards of hand sanitizer, toilet paper, bottled water and macaroni. Even though such hoarders deserve a kick in the balls.
My state, Illinois, in a rare moment of clarity and good leadership, has decided(since some people don't get the message)for "shelter in place". It is necessary to mitigate transmission. It's going to hurt, we all need to suck it up, we are all in the same boat.
I hope you and all here fare well during this crisis and that you will not need to live with the guilt of having killed one of your neighbors, no matter how hungry they were.
Take care, remain calm.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Oh, I’m calm, but in a couple weeks the situation is going to be completely different, if this has not subsided by then, it’s gonna be worse than I think it will be, this is still nothing. My neighborhood is great, we all know each other quite well, and are all watching out for each other. It’s the stupids that live on the government dime, not five miles away in some projects that some bleeding hearts erected, those kinds are the ones I’m talking about. Crime has been steadily been ramping up since they came in, when this situation gets worse, and those weak F’s break down, you will start seeing some stupid crap going on. Be ready for it is all I am saying.

I decided to quarantine the outside world from me since last Monday. But I have to trek out to my shop tonight to check on things, collect certain tools, decided to do my custom sound install into my green wagon while I’m in hiding here at home. Good to have a lot of stuff to do, I’ve got enough projects to last me through next 5 or 6 virus outbreaks.... if this gets worse like it might, I shoot out to the country, me and some friends have a bunker which we set up five years ago, set up with everything 20 people would need.... that’s the last resort. Not looking to shoot anybody..... unless I have to, stay alive, stay safe.

[ross1]

Oh, I’m calm, but in a couple weeks the situation is going to be completely different, if this has not subsided by then, it’s gonna be worse than I think it will be, this is still nothing. My neighborhood is great, we all know each other quite well, and are all watching out for each other. It’s the stupids that live on the government dime, not five miles away in some projects that some bleeding hearts erected, those kinds are the ones I’m talking about. Crime has been steadily been ramping up since they came in, when this situation gets worse, and those weak F’s break down, you will start seeing some stupid crap going on. Be ready for it is all I am saying.

I decided to quarantine the outside world from me since last Monday. But I have to trek out to my shop tonight to check on things, collect certain tools, decided to do my custom sound install into my green wagon while I’m in hiding here at home. Good to have a lot of stuff to do, I’ve got enough projects to last me through next 5 or 6 virus outbreaks.... if this gets worse like it might, I shoot out to the country, me and some friends have a bunker which we set up five years ago, set up with everything 20 people would need.... that’s the last resort. Not looking to shoot anybody..... unless I have to, stay alive, stay safe.

Me too. I've been hiding in my shop getting at some of them.
Have faith in your fellows. When the chips are down even SOME of the S heads respond. WW II had the unintended effect of bringing differing peoples together. We are in a similar situation now.
So, on a brighter note, my governor who has wisely ordered everyone to stay in your f'ing house and for only "essential" businesses to remain open, has declared that liquor stores are essential businesses.

[JimLev]

There's a farm about 40 miles south of here where they have already started stealing eggs and milk from.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

There's a farm about 40 miles south of here where they have already started stealing eggs and milk from.

What's the population number out there where you live, Jim? Out here, the general public are still out and about, as if nothing is going on, don't get me wrong, traffic is down, driving around is awesome, Wish it was like this all the time. But I did have to go to CVS to pick up some prescriptions, the CVS I go to is inside a Target, people were in there shopping like any normal Saturday, some buying stupid stuff that at a time like this, in these uncertain times, stupid stuff as in, pots and pans, blankets, one woman had a tv in her cart. I got my mess and got the hell out of there. I'm hearing things like two days..... Two days from now, they will lock down the DMV.

[JimLev]

Most are staying in, the roads are fairly empty. Lots of restaurants are either closed or just doing take out. Movie theaters and malls are closed. Like Ross said the liqueur stores are open.
All of our BMW CCA events are postponed. Gas is down to 1.499/gal. The ethanol free good stuff is down to 2.999, that goes in the LS3.

New Mexico is the fifth largest state in the US by area, however, it is the 6th most sparsely populatedin the country, filled with mountain ranges, deserts and huge forests.
Total pop is 2.1 million, ABQ is the biggest city with about 560,000. I live 20 miles north of ABQ. About 5000 live in my town. It's nothing like is was back in taxachusetts. Still sort of the Wild West, many are packing heat which is ok by me.
Today we decided to go on a day long road trip, 360 miles later we were back. On a many stretches of road we drove well over an hour without seeing another car or house. Lots of dormant volcanos, lava fields, and other geological features.
Lots of places you can see 50-75 miles. Good if you want to blow out the carbon. Most hwy speed limits are 75 so your pretty safe going 85 as someone will always be passing you.

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[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Wow! Talk about another world! Actually would love that. How's the cellular signal once you're out there in the sticks?

[JimLev]

I was surprised the signal was pretty good almost everywhere we drove.
As we were driving past the VLA which is way out in the sticks a car buddy called me, excellent reception.
Always lots of places to explore.
It's not uncommon to see a freight train with 5 or 6 engines pulling over 100 cars with double stacked shipping containers.

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Lots of old mining town turned into ghost town and then starting to get some life back into them. This is in White Oaks. The "No Scum Allowed" bar.
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[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

No scum allowed, haha! Wonder what the population is out there!

[JimLev]

I think about 25 live there now.
Back in the day before the gold mining dried up there were 4000 there.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Twentyfive people! What a different life. How far is the closest grocery? Costco?

[JimLev]

Carrizzo is the closest town, no big chain stores.
White Oaks is about 12 miles northeast. Too small to show up in this map.
A lot of these small towns are less than 100 people with no services at all, interesting to drive thru but yu wouldn't want to live there. Lots of old broken down 40's to 60's cars scattered everywhere.
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Cerrillos is another ghost town that now has 50? people, it's about 15 miles south of Santa Fe.
Same deal, gold and turquoise mining died out, everybody left and slowly some peeps moved back in.
The Blackbird is a cool place to grab a beer and some food. Still have the 1800's pot belly stove.
I was there last week with a friend, that's his yellow TVR, you can see the reflection of my 540 in the window.
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[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Wow, 40's to 60's cars laying around all over the place? Are they restorable?

Thats pretty wild how times stood still out there. The picture of the saloon with the cars, be a neat picture to have a bunch of E39's tied up to the post, outside the bar, kinda like horses back in the day.

[JimLev]

Lots of them the paint has faded or gone, now with surface rust which could be blasted off. The interiors are pretty shot but that's easier to fix. The problem is most of the owners think they are work big bucks so they are holding out until some sucker comes along to pay the asking price, meanwhile they just sit. At least they aren't like the east coast rust buckets. Every Indian reservation has dead cars sitting everywhere. I wish I had a bigger garage.

Maybe when this Corona thing blows over I'll take the local CCA chapter up to the Blackbird and tie a few of them up.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

That would be awesome! But you might want to clear that with some of the local cowpokes! You don't want to disturb their chosen level of bliss with an invading force of German car driving city slicker pokes. Shoot some pictures of some of those old cars next time you're out that way. Never see that kind of stuff out here at all.

[JimLev]

Here's a few....not the greatest pic, took them while driving.

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[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Wow! Some nice old cars and trucks in there!

[JimLev]

Went for another 200+ mile drive yesterday, The High Road to Taos.
2 lane road most of the way, great views. Once you hit some of the back roads the junk cars are everywhere.
I'll throw up some pics tomorrow.

[JimLev]

Way out in the boonies......where most road signs are full of bullet holes.

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[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Wow man, '50 -'51 Stubaker, my grandfather had a factory in the Philippines that assembled a few thousand of those! In the first picture, that's either a '68 or '69 Toyota Corona Virus..... Were those abandoned? Or were they outside someone's house?

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Well, my two week quarantine is done, I had to get back to work today, of course, yesterday, that blowhard Nortrum decides to put out the stay at home order for us Virginians. I was issued a form to keep in my car that gives me a license to be free and come to work since our shop is considered an essential business. Of course, now the stupid Covid19 cases are now starting to ramp up, it doesn't help that the dumba$$es that live in Maryland all come into VA for work, stupid morons, the cases had been spiking over there for the past two weeks, I wish they would shut the Wilson Bridge down and shoot any of them infected basterds trying to come over. I hate those losers, they live in that craphole state so they don't have to pay VA taxes, then come over for all the work., what really makes my blood boil, these Maryland tagged cars which are everywhere, always drive like idiots and piss people like me royally off. I think I'm gonna draw up a license to kill and get it notarized.....

[JimLev]

^--LOL, chill out Snotty.

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Wow man, '50 -'51 Stubaker, my grandfather had a factory in the Philippines that assembled a few thousand of those! In the first picture, that's either a '68 or '69 Toyota Corona Virus..... Were those abandoned? Or were they outside someone's house?

They were outside different houses...if you want to call them houses.
Not sure what that train car was doing there, there wasn't tracks anywhere near that "house".

[Silvre39]

Thanks for the pics and stories Jim!
I've always had a driving vacation through the USA on my bucket list and those pictures just reinforce that need to do it.
Good to here how friends to the south are doing during 2020 Pandemic.
Meanwhile here in Ontario Canada I've been off work since March 20 and just been wrenching on my first 540i I bought a year ago working out bugs and bringing it back to the stage 0.
RockAuto orders are getting slower and sloooowwwweeeerrrr.
Groceries are open. Most hardware stores and auto service centers are deemed essential and have curbside pickup if you place order online or call.
Alcohol is also deemed essential thankfully.
Strict social distance is the rule here. Always 6ft apart.
All else is closed.
See you on the other side!
Cheers Dean

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

^--LOL, chill out Snotty.

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They were outside different houses...if you want to call them houses.
Not sure what that train car was doing there, there wasn't tracks anywhere near that "house".

Haha! I was all fired up last time I was on here, still am about these Maryland twits that come across the Potomac for jobs, and drive like complete morons. Ok, I'm a speeder, but at least I know how to drive at speed, these idiots are always speeding, with herkyjerky lane changes involved, always cutting others off, and the crime that comes with a lot of them when they come across that river..... all stolen motorcycles in this area always get found being joy ridden in PG county right across the river, bunch of thugs, and I have the right to say that, as one morning at about 4am, four of them came and stole my Toyota pickup and my Kawasaki ZX9 which was tied down on its bed, had just brought it back home from its first warranty service check. The cops happened to come around a corner and caught them unloading the bike on a ramp, they hit the lights and these a$$wipes drop the bike and run, it didn't matter that the 18 year old leader of this band of teenage chimps, grandma lived in the house that they were doing this at, they all got caught, 18 year old had a handgun in his baggy hoodlum jeans, then their lawyers kept getting postponement after postponement, and extension after extension, and since I was the victim, I had to constantly be in the courtroom, I finally objected loudly, and apparently annoyed the judge, the 18 year old got nailed on 2 counts of grand theft, for the truck and the bike, illegal possession of a firearm with numbers filed off, moron had crack in his pockets, destruction of property, the other teenage followers all got time in juvyhall, I'm sure are still not model citizens to this day. I wish VA would MD place C4 neck rings around these loser convicts necks with sensors set to blow their heads off if they come across the state lines. It can be done.... oh but I forgot, we have a complete idiot buffoon in the state capital calling the shots, wants to take our guns away and give these loser thugs free reign..... Damn it, all fired up again!

Lol, had to get all that bs off my chest..... All good now. So, what's new? Two weeks after I had to go back to work, I ended up getting layedoff, along with a few of the guys that I work with. It's cool, I got lucky with unemployment kicking in literally four days after I filed for it, first time in my life I've ever taken unemployment compensation. Some of the guys who thought they were the lucky ones are now tweed lying their thumbs at work, with no work coming in. Complaining about the peanuts they are getting paid with, can't file, until I told them to go and file for help, so since business has died, lack of work, they are now getting a partial aid package, bringing in personal projects and working on them in the shop during shop hours. Weird times.

The last week, I was super busy, still had my toolbox at the shop a spot I had my old green wagon still on the premises, I stripped it down, saved good parts, new parts that I had put into it, I traded the new front stock OEM sport suspension with a full set of 2,800 mile BC Racing coilovers off of another 528 wagon that a friend purchased, and didn't like the way it rode, the idiot that sold it to him never preloaded the springs properly, and the compression and rebound setting were set to soft, haha! Car was bouncing up and down on the highway, my buddy just wanted to bring it back to stock buying new airbags for the rear, Sam the idiot former owner had left all the airbag bits still in the car, luckily, it all still worked. He's happy, I'm happier! When I get them set and installed, I can still bring the car back to the shop and throw it up on the alignment rack as I can still use all the equipment. I finally go to done tearing the old wagon down, had the rest of it scrapped, went Andrew got a 26ft truck from Penske for the lift, got my toolbox and all my odds and ends back to my house. I was worn out, last day of the tear down, it was raining all day long, car was outside on jack stands, I did bring my pop up tent to help, it sure did, but I still got wet. When I go all done, I got home and passed out, spent all day relaxing, just go to up at noon today. Now, it's project time! Trying to decide wether to do the custom sound system, or the suspension swap in the green wagon.