Motor Monday slightly

So, the area where I work has several MRAPs. You know, the big military truck. Or, if you don't know, these.

Apparently on Friday, one of my coworkers new to the company was driving home, and was passed by a convoy of them. He snapped a picture of one of them. Another one of them then sideswiped him, which was helpfully caught by the dashcam of the squad behind him, and he's totally not at fault. The tires scratched up the side of his car, but the car itself is fine.

Now he gets to engage in the cycle of bureaucracy to try and get some manner of insurance or payment, because the cops were on their way to a raid and couldn't stop beyond a single member going "Yeah ok so I'll file a report but we can't stop call this number Monday bye."


I've seen them myself, I know they've got at least two of them and aren't afraid to bust them out for... I'm not really sure what they're doing that warrants a full on MRAP, there's regions of the area that aren't particularly great but I don't think they warrant quite that much truck...

Motor Monday: Automotive Militia Purposes

Not militia purposes of the sort that call for combat, more the ones such as those the Organized Militia are called for, and ones that the unorganized militia are eminently capable of. Disaster recovery, aid delivery, and other such similar things. Pretty much breaks down into 3 main categories, all of which I'm looking at in my search for a new car.

Bootleggers

Vehicle archtype: Rally Car
Examples: Focus RS, Subaru WRX, most AWD or 4wd cars with decent engine power
Function: Deliver people or supplies in a hurry over bad roads or very gentle offroading at good speeds, (mostly) regardless of conditions. Get someone to the hospital, deliver something important. Also probably able to get other cars unstuck from minor issues like snow/ice thanks to AWD, and maybe tow the smallest of trailers. Better than most cars, but mostly just fun to drive.

Jeeps

Vehicle archtype: SUV
Examples: Jeep Wrangler/unlimited, Suzuki Samurai/Jimny, Hummer H1
Function: Go places, move stuff. Able to climb rough stuff, it's unlikely to get stuck and good at doing such things as dragging trees out of the road, hauling vehicles from ditches or clear of where they're stuck, and moving people and things through sometimes awful terrain. Usually able to haul at least medium trailers. Some larger models overlap with trucks in places, and certain exceptionally c-capable vans may be considered in this region

Trucks

Vehicle Archtype: Pickup Truck
Examples: Ford F series, Ram trucks, toyota... seriously, fullsize and larger trucks
Function: As SUV, but with less people space (usually) and a lot more hauling capacity, both internally and externally. Larger footprint is harder to manage off road, but the power is retained for such things as hauling debris out of the way and freeing trapped vehicles. Occasionally more capable examples will show up in the news following disasters doing such things as fording floodwaters and such with a load of supplies from nearby towns. Larger examples can excel in towing enormous loads, which are often used as an advertising factor. Curiously, often get better fuel economy than




Compounding the problem are not always classified vehicles;

Questionable Utility

Vehicle examples: Light Trucks, Crossovers
Problems: Both are lesser versions of above classes, smaller, sometimes cheaper, and lacking most of the actual capabilities. Crossovers tend to be functionally minivans with a facelift, while light trucks are analogous to things like the el camino and el ranchero of old, with sport versions attempting to gain the capabilities of a full truck but usually failing fairly miserably (ex, sport versions of light trucks have no fuel savings over there larger counterparts, precious little cost savings, and far less room). OTOH, there's basically no light trucks left in the states new production, if you're looking at that.

Motor Monday: Car Shoppin'

Got hired on full where I'm working, with a tidy little raise now that the contract agency isn't taking a cut out of my check. My car is, however, in the process of dissolving out from under me. It's late 80s/early 90s steel, and I'm up in Wisconsin. The two do not get along well.

This means it's time to go shopping! Car shopping. Thankfully, I can drive stick, unlike most of my generation, so I've got some fun options available that other people don't. I've got some basic criteria to narrow the field; Approximately 30 mpg highway, AWD or 4WD preferable, and above-standard performance; This can take the form of hot hatches or similar, cars with some extra zip, or smaller trucks or SUVs that offer actually capabilities such as towing and/or offroading. Max price is $30k, but less is preferable if I can get it. Unfortunately, there's an added complicating factor; I'm a pretty big guy. Tall and broad shouldered, I often either can't fit my legs into a car, or I'm wedged into the door when it's shut. I'd love to get something like the Elio, which is cheap and performs decently by virtue of light weight, except it's basically vaporware at the moment.

Below are a few I've tested out that I actually fit in.

The Subaru WRX is one of my top contenders. Good ratings for reliability, performance, and user happiness. It's got AWD, and they actually work pretty decent when taken lightly off pavement being rally cars. They're a little spendy, but it's just because they include a lot of features that are upgrade packages on other cars in the class (and that AWD adds a bit). They've got a nice roomy trunk, although the newer models that get fuel economies where I want them aren't available with a hatchback for some reason. Test driven them, and they feel mighty nice, and I FIT very comfortably. I wouldn't be going for the STI package, because more power and expense than I have a use for, but it sure looks pretty.

Next up, and the car I actually learned to drive stick for, is the Ford Focus ST. 2wd and fwd only, but darn near $10k cheaper and a lot more subtle with its extra power. Rowdy handful and great fun to drive, with decent space inside and enough room for me to fit. Unfortunately I can't go for any of the higher packages that come with more sporty seats, because I have big muscley manlegs that are wider than the seats allow for when they have the racing wings to help hold you in place.  Still, very solid contender.

Ah, ol' reliable. A truck. Big ol' truck. Probably a Ford truck. There's a formerly beat to hell Ford Ranger at the family business, if we can get a functional engine in it again, it'll be a new truck (everything ELSE has been replaced). But, it's still 15 years old, and offers... less performance in every conceivable way than the modern generation of trucks. I'd lean towards a light truck, but they've gone the way of the buffalo as fullsize trucks shrink slightly, yet retain their capability in ways light trucks never hoped to achieve. Toss on all the options I want and a shiny new one goes just a bit above my price range (and below my favored MPG), but it'll have the specs I yearn for across the board. Thankfully, decent trucks have been a thing for a while, and even going back several model years they've still got pretty fair fuel economy. A couple aftermarket extras to improve the aerodynamics and load distribution and I'll be set with a pre-owned, and still have money to spare for a nice truck gun safe. Gotta have the slightly extended cab, though, to make sure I FIT in the thing. Going to be way harder to find a place to park than my current compact car though.


In testing, I've determined beyond any shadow of a doubt that... I do not fit in Hondas. There is no car made by Honda that I can comfortably fit into, driver's side or passenger, front or back.

Motor Monday: Slick Steam

Nice, hands off recirculating steam engine. Quick start-up, creature comforts, and nice and zippy! Seemed particularly relevant since I'm preparing for a Deadlands game.

I'm waiting for the Cyclone steam engine to FINALLY drop for consumer use, which I suspect is going to take off in a big way because power-to-weight ratio, fuel flexibility, ease of use, and price. Direct drive, no coolant system, no oil (water lubricated), no exhaust stuff (still has exhaust, but needs no muffler or emissions things) means it's basically going to be a perfect drop in engine for people looking to create stuff without much knowledge of things like gear ratios. But that will get its own post when they finally DO SOMETHING with the damned thing worth reporting, aside from occasional reports that someone else has partnered with them.

Motor Monday: Model A modernization project

Basically everybody I've ever met digs the old classics. 20s, 30s, maybe even up through the 50s or so, they've just got a bit of style about them. Performance of course is another thing entirely. That they don't have. But what if you could get a bit of both?

I'm not the first to think of this. There's the PT Cruiser, which made a fairly decent attempt at it, but there's just something subtly off about it. The lines aren't quite right, the style's not there, and most I know just view it as a pale imitation. The brush of bland, samey streamlining was hefted in its direction just a bit too enthusiastically. Gave it a little too much 'minivan', particularly the whole-body slope. Still, I appreciate the effort, and it's far from the worst attempt I've seen at such things. It's like a C+ or maybe a B-. Above whatever nebulous average, but still not the slam dunk, but quite nice for something you could justify as a daily driver. It's also about 5 years out of production now, although reviews say it was decent enough and kicked off some other new versions of classics that have turned out rather nice. 

Another crack at it from the other direction, pure performance with a bit of classic class, is the Factory Five '33 Hot Rod. It's a kit car, a custom race frame with a slick reproduction 30s style body. Performance-wise it holds up its end of the bargain, and the pricing's even not terrible considering it's meant to be a track car at just under $20k. Problem is, it's a kit car; you have to assemble it, and source a bunch of parts yourself off a donor car. This means you have to have have time and space to assemble it, no stylish rides for the mechanically impaired. And it gets worse: nothing in the way of amenities, such as things like, oh, I dunno, windows. Stock, you get a stripped out shell like many of the most determinedly focused sports cars, although if you've talent, time, and resources there's nothing to say you couldn't add stuff yourself. Still, worth a look if you want to turn some heads at the track http://www.factoryfive.com/kits/33-hot-rod/ In the looks department it's got it all down pat, but it's too heavy on the hot rod side of things to be anything but a toy without substantial extra work.

The Cheverolet SSR (Super Sport Roadster) is yet another attempt at classic styling, this time in approximately a truck. And still, there's something just a bit off. Even more than the PT Cruiser, perhaps, it's just TOO heavily rounded. It's based a bit more on a 50s custom truck, but it fits mostly with the theme. 

But there IS hope. From a major, mainstream company, no less (there are still things like Morgan that make things with classic style and immense price points to match). What could it be? Why, it's something that's even better than the original, in my eyes. The New Beetle, from Volkswagon. They took the classic styling, and streamlined it, made it sleeker and more capable. I've seen a few, they look good enough to turn heads. Gone is the cutesy look, in favor of a touch more aggressive styling. A sports car it is not, but it retains the rounded styling of years passed.

But this is not a project, you may be thinking. You'd be right, if for some reason you find me interesting enough to read this far. What IS a project is my thoughts to get some prototyping foam, or spend some time in any of the multitude of modeling softwares with which I am so accustomed. While I technically have the skills required to use modern engineering practices to design a car from scratch, there's little need for all that. Adjusting the frames and suspension and such is a task better left to those with far stronger software than I, simulation packages and the like to determine crash performance and whathaveyou. Thus far all attempts succeed handily in being functional on a modern level, but many fail in the style department, if ever so slightly. If I succeed, mayhap we'll all benefit from a modern take on the classics. If I fail? Well, I've tried and created something, and kept carefully tailored skills from decaying further

Motor Monday: Tactical Hotrod

Been a while since I had stuff for one of these. Been meaning to do this one a while.

A thing that rolled across my dash on the Book of Faces.

Motor Music Monday

Found this because it was the theme for a promo for Wasteland Weekend, which is basically live action Fallout/Mad Max/Metro 2033/etc, and is a big post-apocalyptic immersion party in the deserts of Vegas. Apocalypsed cars and costume are mandatory for the weekend. One of these years I may swing on by representing the Nuclear Winter covered Northlands, with our preserved fine brewing techniques despite the fall of civilization. I think I'll go more Metro 2033 apocalyptic pseudo-military style rather than Warboy/Raider/etc.

Motor Monday: Japanese Custom

Turns out, Japan has a thriving custom car/bike culture. Hints of it show through in various media, such as the famous Akira, and several other animes (Initial D comes to mind as well, although those aren't so much flash as they are just street racers).

Motor Monday: Repair and Restore edition

Everyone's always claiming to find a collection of fancy abandoned cars in a barn, and here's another one.

http://www.boredpanda.com/treasure-vintage-old-classic-cars-france-roger-baillon/

Otherwise I don't have anything interesting that I've found for this Monday.

Motor Monday: Concept Supertires, Why American motorcycles kinda suck, and Pretty Bikes

Not quite Rollcages, but I'd happily have a go in one of those things.


Anyway, on to bikes

http://lanesplitter.jalopnik.com/why-no-one-will-sell-you-the-bike-you-want-1641411378
Motorcycles are dangerous. It's inherent to the design, asking less surface area to do more, the fact that cars can't fall over (and don't try to do so if you attempt to slow down while turning, because they aren't leaned halfway over using the lean to keep from falling completely over). But there's a fair bit of distance between the inherent danger of motorcycles and how many people manage to get killed or kill themselves with them. Why?
Because of how they've been marketed in the States. Other countries with colossal motorcycle ridership don't have anywhere near the death rate from them we do. They also don't have motorcycles where "Enough horsepower to smear your remains across FOUR COUNTIES!" is a selling point.

Another problem with the motorcycling crowd is the resistance to safety gear, or insufficient safety gear. With the right gear, life is a hell of a lot safer.
http://indefinitelywild.gizmodo.com/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-motorcycle-sa-1596858706 The things people can and have walked away from after motorcycle crashes are frankly astonishing. Combined with above (driving things back towards bikes that aren't 40 billion tons and marketed as ludicrously expensive toys that will kill you), it would seem quite reasonable to assume that a good full suit of motorcycle armor should just be factored in as part of the price of the bike.

Also, a lot of them make you look like a damn space marine. I've yet to figure out why people don't like the idea of the protective gear. I'd go around dressed like a space marine all the time if I could get away with it.


And now, a few pretty bikes. Have some Futuristic Streamliner and Art Deco.

More at the link

More at the link

GURPS Metro: Vehicles

One of the party members bought a railcart, so I had to work out stats, might as well start the post here for tracking a few standard vehicles. Metro Vehicles tend to be built of scavenged parts, such as from reclaimed subway trains. Transportation was touched on in Life in the Metro, but here I'll go into depth.

The Rails
Small outposts exist throughout the rail system. Some are simple standalone outposts, heavily reinforced to protect their few occupants, others the starting point for frontier stations. Either way, they are the manual control posts for the connections between the rail routes, and they're vital to the function of what's left of the rail system. Many larger rail routes almost never change from their standard settings, but these switching stations allow for smaller, faster traffic to get by, or to switch onto smaller routes, access tunnels, and other such things. Most rail traffic uses small radio to call in their route if they need tracks switched, because they can do so without needing to stop.

The Powertrain
Human power is common, either by pedal or handcar lever. However, the same recirculating steam engines used before the calamity can be salvaged or occasionally built new. Regardless of how you get them, the value is about the same. Very small has 50HP, Small has 100 HP, Medium ones 200HP, and large ones 300HP. Also used to make power generators, etc. All are developed using the portable steam generator as a base and scaled some, along with stats from other recirculating steam engines both present and historical.

Very Small Vehicle Steam Engine (TL 6+1) (4 hours per gallon of fuel) $250, 50 lbs

Small Vehicle Steam Engine (TL 6+1) (3 hours per gallon of fuel)  $500, 100 lbs

Medium Vehicle Steam Engine (TL 6+1) (2 hours per gallon of fuel) $1000, 200 lbs

Large Vehicle Steam Engine (TL 6+1) (1 hour per gallon of fuel) $1750, $350 lbs


Armored Train
A compact version of the armored trains used between WWI and WWII of our world, they are the only real safe way to travel. Found on major routes, they're slow and cramped. Passengers sit on benches along the center of the train, facing outwards. Sloped armored walls leave just enough room for passengers to sit, with room for one moderate sized suitcase or similar below the seat, and a small pack in their lap. A small view port runs all the way around the train between the wall armor and the roof, covered with chain link fencing and often having a small steel slab to seal it in case of determined attack (Passengers are encouraged to return fire in case of attack). There's always at least one rotating turret, usually armed with a Heavy SMG or some manner of high capacity shotgun, and
the vehicle often has spikes and such to further discourage wildlife. Usually main routes that will be patrolled by armored trains are pretty safe even for those on foot, by virtue of large amounts of armed and armored traffic, but occasional wildlife attacks aren't unheard of. Bandit attacks are usually halfhearted, for posturing purposes, as a successful attack is likely to draw the ire of a large number of people. Most armored trains have 1-2 doors per side, with a spot at the end for the driver, and the engine at the back. Trains are generally about 5 yards long, and can fit up to 20 people. Tickets are about $10/mile traveled, and gets you about 250 lbs total of stuff. Armor is 1/2" thick sloped mild steel plating on the sides (18 sq yards total), 1/4" plating on top (4 sq yds). Large vehicle engine.

Driving (Locomotive)
TL   ST/HP   Hnd/SR   HT   Move   LWt.   Load  SM   Occ.   DR   Range   Cost   Locations
6+1    50          -2/6        11   1/8        6.5      2.5    +4    1+1     42      200      $35k      8W

Drasine
A drasine is a powered vehicle, often a car with the regular wheels switched for rail-riding wheels. Armored drasines are used by Militias and the Reclaimer's Guild to keep the tracks clear and usable. Semi-common on major lines, but they'll often make a run every so often through smaller or less used lines to clear out bandit or wildlife infestations that may have cropped up. Generally made from a pickup truck or similar with a lot of armor bolted to it. Switch the wheels back to normal and it's usable without rails, although they tend to be slow due to sheer mass. Armor can be any thickness, with medium being a light armored drasine, heavy being standard, and very heavy being a railtank. Roof armor is usually but not necessarily thinner, and on occasion may be completely open/unarmored. The listed Drasine is unarmored. Powered by a medium or large engine.

Driving (Railcart)
TL   ST/HP   Hnd/SR   HT   Move   LWt.   Load  SM   Occ.   DR   Range   Cost   Locations
6+1   55      0/4     11f  3/50   2.2    .85   +3    2      5    500     20k      G4W

Railbikes and pedalcarts
One of the go-to means of conveyance for those who need to get around on their own. Traveling merchants, package runners, and railtaxis all use them. They're usually built of one or two TL6 bicycles with wheels switched for rail compatibility, but are often equipped with a small or very small engine depending on size and cargo load. Usually lightly armored, if at all. They tend to be much faster, and use speed and operator knowledge of the rails stay out of trouble. They usually have more gears than a typical TL6 bicycle to allow higher top speeds. Cargo version trades top speed for weight. Generally relatively light, between 100 and 300 lbs unloaded, and easily moved from rail to rail if needed. The bicycle parts give Enhanced Ground Move 1, .5 for cargo, and stack per seat (A pedalcart with two seats can have Enhanced Move 1.5 with two riders, or Enhanced Move 1 for a cargo variant. Use average of the Moves of the riders). Capacity is 400 for a regular single railbike, 600 for a cargo variant. Weight is 75 per bike for regular, 100 for cargo. In the order of single, single cargo, double, double cargo, in the form of acceleration/top speed; With a very small engine, speeds are 4/25, 3/20, 2/15, and 1/10; With a small engine, those climb to 6/40, 5/35, 4/30, and 3/25. Most railbikes and pedalcarts can be converted to work on the surface with a wheel swap. HnD/SR is +1/3. Locations varies based on specific cart setup, typically Exposed (E) or Open Cabin (O), with 3-4 wheels.


Vehicle Modifications

Mild Steel Armor Plating, per 10 sq feet (~1 yd)
Light (1/8" thick) DR7, HP30 55 lb/10 sq feet
Medium (1/4" thick) DR14, HP38 102 lb/10 sq feet
Heavy (1/2" thick)  DR 28, HP47 205 lb/10 sq feet
Very Heavy (1" thick) DR 56, HP60 410 lb/10 sq feet
Angled Plate x1.5 DR, x1.5 Area/Weight, 1/2 internal space.

Headlights, bells, whistles, etc are added as anything purchased separately, and simply mounted to the vehicle. A pup tent can be mounted to the vehicle to give it a soft-top.

Motor Monday: Gotta go fast

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/infiniti-synaptiq-la-motor-show-design-challenge-2014-11-24 multipurpose race.... thing. I shall call it the Omniracer. Kind of reminds me of a Rollcage.

I swear I had more vehicle related things open. Some of them seem to have disappeared. Perhaps next time.

More Milestones

Not only have I gotten my first full and proper Job (not a summer job, not being an extra set of hands and a strong back at the family business, but a job that I hope will last for a significant span of time), but today I just completed my first fully solo car repair. I've worked on the family cars for ages, doing things like brake jobs and such, but those aren't significant enough to count. Today, I swapped the brake power booster on my car. My car is incredibly tiny, and doing so requires basically tearing out the entire steering column. I'm fairly certain that when they built this thing, it went base frame, power brake booster, everything else.

Now if only that had solved the problem I was trying to fix. I think the new master cylinder we had put in (we fixed basically every possible part of the brake system except the power brake booster, and what it was doing sounded like a power brake booster issue) might be bad, or might not have one of the lines on tight enough, or something.

Still, feels good to do something moderately extensive entirely solo.

ADVENTURE

Just went from home to Rockford IL to Southfield MI and back to home in two days. All total, after weather (more on that in a sec) and such things, around 20 hours of driving. All time not spent driving was spent at interviews, with a short rest in a cheap hotel room, so not particularly relaxing.

Snow's, fine. I can drive in snow. What's less pleasant to drive in is surprise snow. Doesn't start to snow and gradually get worse and worse, just suddenly SNOW. From clean and clear to zero visibility in the blink of an eye. There were a LOT of cars beached, rolled, and slid into ditches. I kept my car within my and its limits. Those new tires it got relatively recently were darn nice.

When adventuring, maps are invaluable. Self-reading maps are a particularly great convenience. Should have gotten one long ago, but at least I got one while it's still useful for stuff instead of once I was all settled.

Having a car decide it would like to face a different direction than it is presently traveling seems like a good way to test the nerves of the driver. In that case, when my car decided to do so after the person in front of me stomped on the brakes on a slippery offramp, I passed the test with flying colors and barely an elevated heart rate. Car managed to make it 90 degrees before I got the wheels to grip again and brought back into my lane, but I kept it on the road and mostly in my lane so the few other cars could go around me easily.

Don't think I've ever seen as many semis as on 94 to/from Detroit.

And that's just the way out there.

On the way back, got caught in another instant snowstorm, narrowly avoided getting caught in that colossal traffic jam by Michigan City. Decided to pull off for some dinner and to use the restroom, saw traffic grind to a halt on literally the other side of the bridge from the offramp. Met a gentleman at the Pizza Hut, who offered me free pizza (it was the same price for a personal and the full size daily special, so he got it to share with any other refugees from the traffic), who turned out to be an engineer who was looking to hire more engineers. He also gave me directions to get around the traffic jam.


First solo trip to far distant places, complete. Now if you'll excuse me, my wrists hurt from holding the steering wheel. 

Make way, coming through

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/crash-cliches-high-speed-1.htm#mkcpgn=fbdsc17

That's one way to clear roads clogged by abandoned cars, bandit blockades, and just about anything else you could run into in the varying flavors of apocalypse.

Drive-on Truck Tracks

Turn your truck into a tank. A tank truck. Truck tank? Trank? Trunk? Whatever.

http://americaloveshorsepower.com/wheel-driven-snow-track-system-for-pickup-trucks/

Basically, truck tracks have been around a while. They're good for snow and ice and anywhere you want a wide footprint. However, so far you always have to bring the thing into the garage (presumably if conditions are bad enough to warrant tracks it's a tad difficult to do the work outside), jack the thing up, pull the wheels off, and bolt on the track system. Now there's one that you just drive up onto like a ramp, and your wheel drives the track, which drives the truck.Their may or may not be a step of locking the tracks to the tires, they didn't show it in the first half of the demonstration video.

Other than the overly dramatic soundtrack, a reasonably good video, although they don't show any of the process of locking the tracks in place, if there is any such process.