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Is this for real???

TRB on Thu October 09, 2003 11:24 PM User is offlineView users profile

I was just messing around doing a few searches and ran across this thread.

http://www.bimmernut.com/wwwboard/e21/messages/16.html

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k5guy on Thu October 09, 2003 11:57 PM User is offline

I hope his liability insurance is up to date. All he needs is someone to get hurt "under his supervision" and the lawyers will eat him for lunch.



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steve325is on Fri October 10, 2003 11:27 AM User is offline

KCRonCarter was basically drummed out of the Roadfly E30 forums for allegedly copying someone elses design for a motor mount or something and selling it as his own. Haven't heard from him in months. Guess he moved on to annoy the E21 folks now.

You certainly meet all kinds on the Internet........

Steve

NickD on Fri October 10, 2003 12:59 PM User is offline

Gee, I don't recall if you have to be 609 certified to buy Autofrost or not, but it sounds like he is emulating the same scheme as the ID death kits where practically anyone can buy these kits, certified or not.

The really big question I have, is anyone stupid enough to pay 50 bucks rent plus $10.00 return shipping for about ten bucks worth of crappy AC tools?

Bigchris on Fri October 10, 2003 8:32 PM User is offline

Folks, we really need to be more tolerant of people who are trying to help the poor and downtrodden. I remember a guy with a $1000 Cadillac who might well benefit from an opportunity such as this...

NickD on Fri October 10, 2003 10:09 PM User is offline

What are you saying Chris? That we should only charge $45.00 to rent ten bucks worth of tools? How about offering a senior citizens 2% discount?

k5guy on Fri October 10, 2003 10:45 PM User is offline

My comment is that in a country where some of the populace thinks that contraceptive jelly is spread on toast, this guy is suggesting that just anyone can work on high pressure air conditioning systems. We need instructions on moist towelettes, or else the manufacturer will be sued by someone doing something stupid with them. McDonalds got sued for having HOT coffee. Can you imagine that? Did they expect an iced latte? Have you ever read all the warnings on the instruction manual for a handgun or chainsaw? While the people working on their own AC can do so, are they at risk of getting fined by the EPA? Will someone open the high pressure valve on the manifold gauge set with the engine running, and have the refrigerant can explode? Sorry about the rant, but I'd hate to see someone get hurt.

I've been on this board long enough to know that most people can and do fix their own AC system. But again, there are the few that get referrals to a local mechanic.....

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Bigchris on Sat October 11, 2003 3:06 AM User is offline

Nick, my tongue-in-cheek comment meant that on rare occasions we run across an individual so intent on taking advantage of everyone else that that they make perfect candidates for the royal screwing that they'd get from KC Ron Carter. (As in "Turnabout is fair play")

Not that I'd do that Tim, but the temptation, ah the temptation...!

K5guy, have you ever noticed that the people who don't read or heed the warnings think they are so smart that they don't need them? When you get to my age, you really begin to appreciate Darwin's theories of natural selection and survival of the fittest. I don't like to see people get hurt either, but I don't lay awake nights worrying about how I can protect others from doing things I wouldn't do. I can't think of any way I could even warn anyone about all the things I wouldn't do, much less the things I shouldn't do. I think the government wants that job.

NickD on Sat October 11, 2003 8:26 AM User is offline

Safety is a very dangerous issue that gives just reason for taking away our freedoms. On my recent visit to O'Hare airport, not that I have been going since 1962, I thought I was entering a POW camp with all the guards and the full body searches. I don't feel either my friend nor myself even looked close to an Arab terrorist and had to remind the airlines, in a very subtle fashion, that we were paying customers. I gather people that profile Arab terrorists are not as thoroughly searched if at all due to some kind of racist thing.

I spilt hot coffee on myself, not realizing the first time I got into my son's T-Bird that a should belt would be flying back when I closed the door and a good friends father is suffering from severe neck damage when an air bag blew up in his face, but these devices were added with safety in mind.

I could barely fit the owners manual into the glove compartment in the new Cavalier as it was so thick that forced me to read it from cover to cover. About 80% of it is all common sense safety related issues. But I read it in the light of what wasn't there, it said nothing about keeping your hands clear when slamming a car or trunk door. Ha, maybe I should sue GM for a couple of million for omitting that common sense statement. I really doubt if too many people will read that manual from cover to cover, and why doesn't GM and others, make you take a test first before you are allowed to use your product?

What it boils down to, to be safe, we should all be locked in an 8 by 8 foot padded cell with safety in mind and our society is leading to this as safety is the perfect excuse to impose new laws that will take away our freedoms. Product liability suits just about killed general aviation, all safety related issues with such things as not having a label on the already overcrowded instrument panel, not to adjust your seat while taking off. Your seat will fly back shifting the center of gravity causing your plane to nose up and stall leading to a crash. Is anyone that stupid to try something like this? The answer is yes, and it cost the aviation public billions.

k5guy on Sat October 11, 2003 1:13 PM User is offline

I agree with both of you. I do think that there is a type of Darwinism operating. Really young and inexperienced drivers have most of the accidents. I agree that it would impractical to stop them all from driving. I also agree that the airport safety is a little over the top right now.

As for the guy ripping people off, I don't like it either. But there is always caveat emptor. Do you think that Microsoft doesn't rip people off? How about conveinence stores like 7-11? It happens all the time. And then there are the spammers.... Do you really think that those sexual performance enhancements pills really work?



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Bigchris on Sat October 11, 2003 6:09 PM User is offline

My god are you saying they don't?!? What's an old man to do when he's surrounded by promiscuous 20-year old nymphomaniacs, call for help? Geez K5guy, I don't even have your phone number!

On a serious note, have you ever thought about what a great case could be made for never working near a running engine without wearing eye protection? Besides the refrigerant from a burst hose, there's also the scalding antifreeze, acid from exploding batteries, shrapnel from disintegrating belts and fan blades and no doubt more. And yet there's no big label under there warning about those dangers, and no hood interlock switch that kills the engine when you raise the hood. Be grateful for the simple pleasures and watch out for the day some litigious SOB decides that manufacturers have an obligation to protect us from those hazards as well.

k5guy on Sat October 11, 2003 11:43 PM User is offline

I see your point, but I don't 100% agree. And that's ok too. I think that we need the government to take down the Microsofts and the RIAA of the world. (Did I mention what a rip-off artist the RIAA is? The sell CDs for $20 each, and it costs them around $3 each to produce them. One guy figured out that the really big stars make about 10 cents per song off each CD. The record labels pocket the rest.)

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Mitch on Sun October 12, 2003 12:17 AM User is offline

Many years ago, I read a story about a guy revving the engine on his 50 Chevy and a fan blade flew off, hit him in the chest and killed him. Since then I never stand in the fan blade plane except at idle speeds.

I have also seen a couple of batteries explode; one in my 64 Malibu when I hit the starter. There was a loud noise like a backfire and a lot of smoke. Luckily, I was only 10 feet from my garden hose and was able to wash the acid down very quickly. How many times have any of us had our faces over a battery under all types of conditions. I try not to get over a battery anymore during underhood service but it is pretty difficult.

Bigchris on Sun October 12, 2003 1:32 AM User is offline

K5guy, your government is bought and paid for by the Microsofts and RIAAs of this country so don't hold your breath.

Mitch, have you ever seen a guy lean over a battery with a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth? I have many times and always retreat a good distance away. And how about someone with a heart condition accidently getting the back of his hand against a spark plug wire.

There is so much potential for harm under the hood of every car that it amazes me that the whole area isn't pasted with "Hazardous area - trained service personel only" stickers. It's like the last frontier of the wild west under there, anything goes!

I remember when Chrysler made their fleet of turbine cars available to the general public. Their engine compartments were really sealed down and idiot-proof. I wonder if we won't see something similar with the first hydrogen fuel cell powered cars.

k5guy on Sun October 12, 2003 3:22 AM User is offline

Actually, I've seen some studies that say that hydrogen fuel is safer than gasoline, because its lighter than air hence it shoots straight up. Many marine fires are caused by gasoline sinking to the bilges where it sits waiting for a spark. I'm not saying it has no safety issues. Its just a comparison of the two.


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NickD on Sun October 12, 2003 10:42 AM User is offline

Henry had a great deal of difficulty get his in dash fuel tank approved by all 48 states for the Model A, very simple, a short fuel line from the tank to the carburetor with a drainable glass bowl water separator and a shut off valve. No fuel pump, strictly gravity. The steel needle valves at the time tended to leak and took a great deal of skill to seat them properly. But as a restorer of this car, I have never heard of anyone having to replace the fuel tank, was very heavy with a super thick plating.

My 2N Ford tractor was the same, it was over fifty years old when I sold it and just as good as new. But what a joke afterwards with fuel tanks, wasn't a tank made on any car that you couldn't flatten with your foot. Any stone chip could knock a hole in it, the drains were worthless as it was a pile of rust. Was not a good idea to use a torch. The fillers were soldered in place and too much pressure when filling the tank would break the neck. Fuel tanks were a constant problem.

The oil industry in the 70's really attacked the hydrogen powered car as being totally unsafe, remember the Hindenberg was there story without stating that even with that major disaster, many had survived it, mostly the ones that panicked got killed. That lead to development of a storage medium where the hydrogen tanks would absorb the hydrogen and release it very slowly. But that car was still killed due to safety issues. In the mean time, gas tanks were just as poor as ever and still not worth a darn, but a little safer than the past.

Nova had a program showing how dangerous gas tanks still are, my sister-in-law was slowly fried to death in a minor accident, she couldn't get out and no one could get near the vehicle with gas pouring all over the ground, it was a terrible death. We recently discussed the importance of keeping the tank half way full to preserve the life of that piss poor fuel pump, but in an accident, you would wish you only a half of gallon of gas in the tank. Quite a contradiction, and if that fuel pump goes, you definitely would wish your tank was empty. Even in the Bravada shop manual, there is no way to drain the tank or pump it out if the pump is bad. You can however hot wire a good pump with a make shift hose to drain it. Absolutely 100% stupid design that is typical of all domestic vehicles. I am strongly contemplating changing the pump on my DeVille, another piss poor design example. I hear the new Park Avenues have a fuel pump access plate, it's about time. They also installed the tank on the Bravada before they dropped the body on, it was a pure bitch to get at some of the bolts, ha, you should hear me cuss, LOL. And the fuel line routing was incredibly stupid with very rusty connectors, even more cussing.

And this is safer than a hydrogen powered vehicle?

k5guy on Sun October 12, 2003 1:12 PM User is offline

There is also a STUDY that says the Hindenburg fire was not caused by hydrogen as the primary ignition source. While not everyone accepts this, it is a interesting possibility. Here is another link that contrasts a gasoline fire and a hydrogen fire in automobiles.


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Bigchris on Mon October 13, 2003 12:35 AM User is offline

The general public has an unreasonable fear of hydrogen, probably because they associate it with the Hindenberg or H-bomb. Most would probably think you were crazy if you told them there is hydrogen in water, and would pay a pretty penny for "dehydrogenated water" or a water filtering system purported to remove it from their drinking water.

That kind of hysteria extends to legislators as well as executives and employees of car manufacturers, so I'd expect that would be reflected in the first hydrogen fuel cell designs making them as "bullet proof" as possible against fools and tinkerers. Later on as experience and confidence in the fuel builds, the cost cutters will take over and cost, weight and ease of access will drive the designs. I recall the early electron tube computers at IBM had keylocks on all the access panels to protect the unwary against electrical shock. And that was before the lawyers took over the world.

Nick, I knew a guy who restored a '29 A that had been lying out in a field for several years. He wound up replacing many body panels but the frame and gas tank appeared to be solid. As the restoration neared completion he finally reached the point where the car could be test driven and at that point discovered that gasoline "weeped" out the bottom of the tank. Looking down through the filler you could see an area of rusted pinholes in the bottom of the tank where water had pooled over many years of disuse. Unable to find a welder willing to patch the tank, he repaired it himself with fiberglass cloth and epoxy working through the filler opening. I don't know if or how long the patch held, but I do remember him having to pick glass fibers out of that needle valve for weeks afterward.

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