You Can't Go Home Again...

"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile) 01/05/2016 at 10:49 • Filed to: None

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So, I have four cars. Two of them are project cars that don’t run, But That’s Not Important Right Now™. No, what I want to talk about is the idea of a pilgrimage. Can your car return to the place of its birth?

For my Benz, that’s easy, assuming cross-Atlantic travel: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! has been cranking out Benzes for over 125 years, and the W124 line was pretty modernized - some of the same robot chassis may even still be in use somewhere.

For my ‘60s Land Rover, it’s not too different: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! still exists and is even making Land Rovers, though the assembly line doesn’t entirely look like this anymore:

No, they’ve gone overhead line for modern models as you’d expect. No pit-in-the-floor cartways, better lighting, etc. Almost modern (looking at you, Morgan). They still run under-frame trolleys for the Defenders, but presumably that will draw to a close this year.

Interestingly, Land Rover’s status as the red-headed stepchild of Rover Company means that even with the latter switching headquarters and eventually dying off, Landy production has been constant there (outside strikes) for over 60 years. So, what about orphans? That’s when I get to the other two cars....

The Lincoln, made in 1959, came from the plant in !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , Michigan - at the time only two years old. It was a new plant to build Lincolns (particularly the new ‘58-’60 unibody Lincoln that Robert McNamara detested) and Thunderbirds and the like. The premium FoMoCo, in other words. The cream. Here’s a picture of the line as it appeared back then, with a T-bird leading (or is it trailing?) a slant-eyed monster, probably a Premiere:

Unfortunately, Wixom is no more. After the production of the Ford GT there (Hi, $kay!), the Wixom plant was wound down in a larger streamlining of Ford’s production facilities. The last car, a 2007 Town Car, rolled off the line 9 years ago, and in the intervening time, the plant has been torn down in favor of an RV center and a Menards home improvement store.

Continuing the story of pilgrimages prevented, we get to the Ranchero. It was made in November of ‘62, a ‘63 model, in the (later-named) !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , in Milpitas, CA. Within two years, that plant was making almost nothing but special-ordered Mustangs, as the sales for the Mustang caught fire.

The factory, dating from the early ‘50s, did not have the long lifespan of Wixom, and eventually had to close down in ‘84. It then lay dormant for a decade, and like Wixom, was replaced with !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . However, it was *not* torn down to do so. The plant itself was largely converted, which means that in a once-industrial setting can be found (among others) a Saks 5th Avenue.

What about your car? Can it “go home”, or did !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ?

Obsideon > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:03

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Well Saturn use to have a home coming every year. But Saturn is no more, but the plant is still there.

Wagons-Midwest > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:06

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I’m pretty sure the Subaru line in Gunma has been making Imprezas since 93, including the two I’ve owned. I don’t know if Nissan’s Smyrna plant is building Sentras anymore, but Honda is still making Accords in Ohio:

Justin Hughes > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:07

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Remember Saturn’s Homecoming events? Where they invited owners to a big party at the Spring Hill, TN plant where they were built? Those were the days. I never made it to one, myself, but going home again was the entire idea of this shindig.

To answer your question, after being idle since 2009, the Spring Hill plant is hiring and scheduled to reopen this year , building the Cadillac XT5 (formerly SRX).

As for my current cars, the BRZ is still being built at Subaru’s Gunma plant, and though the Jeep Comanche went away after 1992, the Toledo, OH plant still makes the Wrangler and Cherokee.

AndyG_UK > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:08

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Both my current cars are still in production, on the same lines they came down when new, so yes!

Brian, The Life of > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:08

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Claro que si, mi coche puede regresar a su hogar en Hermosillo!

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:09

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It could. Taking it home would lend to some awesome pics.

Agrajag > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:09

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Probably similar situation for my w123 as your 124. When my 2015 Golf TDI shows up at the door they’d pretend not to recognize it.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Brian, The Life of 01/05/2016 at 11:13

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Mi Milan se unirá a la fiesta en Hermosillo

Milwaukee_WY > Justin Hughes 01/05/2016 at 11:13

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The wife has a 2014 Escape. I was thinking of driving past the Ford plant for a photo op when we're in Louisville later this year.

skeffles > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:14

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Oblig.

2ndgear > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:14

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It’s exceptionally cliche’ to the core but as an owner of a C5 Corvette I’ve been wanting to drive it to Bowling Green, Kentucky to at the least get a shot of it outside of the National Corvette Museum. I passed through Bowling Green early last year (without the Corvette of course) for the first time and toured the museum. Got to stand next to some great cars including a ‘53 and the restored Blue Devil ZR1; one of my favorite Corvettes. It’s only a six hour drive for me so I could easily make a day trip out of it but work, life, and all-around no free schedule have prevented the trip taking place. My Corvette is a lower trim, non-museum delivered piece so it would likely be the first time it’s been back there since it first left in ‘98 (‘99 year model).

When I still had nearly a half-dozen Fieros I wanted to take one to GM Plant #17 in Pontiac, Michigan where they were assembled. The Fiero plant was in-op’ed shortly after Fiero production ended and was primarily used as a warehouse by GM. It was demolished recently after finally being sold some years back.

Someone Else's Projects > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:15

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Well damn, Browns Lane is completely gone.

Trollhattan is still around, ish.

No idea which Toyota compound built the Mk1 MR2 though.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:16

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my 66 malibu in glorious cameo beige was built in oshawa ontario, still churning out chevys. our plan was to try to return it to chevrolet this summer visiting family in the area, making something up about it leaking way too much for 47,000 miles. However, I’d have no problem driving it 3,ooo km for a mildly funny joke.

takehikes > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:16

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My 68 F100 Stepside was made at Ford’s San Jose plant too so she isn’t going home unless I feel like shopping.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > 2ndgear 01/05/2016 at 11:17

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Bowling Green is pretty much the definitional homecoming, but for a small volume “special” car like the Vette, ain’t nothing wrong with that. Kind of a shame you couldn’t make a Fiero pilgrimage though. Funny enough, a year or two back on Oppositelock, somebody linked a Fiero owners’ forum post, and I was able to extrapolate from the number of response to the poll therein that double digit percentages of all Fieros in existence were owned by people with three or more. That’s got to be fun.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Someone Else's Projects 01/05/2016 at 11:18

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Browns Lane

Kind of a shame, there.

Fl1ngstam > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:19

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My current cars were built in Ingolstadt and Washington, Tyne and Wear. Both factories still exist.

However, back when I had a Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, it would have been more difficult/complicated. The Body was constructed in Linwood, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The Sunbeam was the last car built there and this plant was eventually demolished in 1996:

From there, the bodies were sent to Hethel in Norfolk, England, where the powertrain was installed by those nice chaps at Lotus. The Hethel factory of course still produces Lotus cars.

Finally, the cars were transferred to the Ryton plant next to Coventry for final finishing and sales prep. This plant made a variety of Rootes group, Chrysler (Europe), Talbot and Peugeot cars before being closed and subsequently demolished in 2007. So, one out of three factories can be visited today...

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Agrajag 01/05/2016 at 11:19

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There are a couple not-Singelfinden Benz plants, but I think most came into existence in the 90s.

Mhart27 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:20

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RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Fl1ngstam 01/05/2016 at 11:21

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I had a VW made in the troubled Westmoreland plant. Since that shuttered, it’s been a maker of TVs, and currently nothing, I think.

veteran011 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:22

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I got an 04 Subaru. Assuming I can ship it accross the pacific, I could still bring it back to the Gunma facility that birthed it.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 01/05/2016 at 11:22

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Mildly funny jokes that require huge effort are among the best. Kind of like how I went out of my way to give someone a gas station fruitcake for Christmas.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:22

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Since I’m down to one car less than 4 years old, Yes I can go home, if I go to Germany. Once I build the fleet back up I’ll let you know.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > takehikes 01/05/2016 at 11:23

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It’s totally bullshit you can’t drive through the mall. As people dive to the curb, “I’m re-enacting, I’m re-enacting!”

J-rett > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:23

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Mine sure can! F150 was made in Dearborn, MI 16 years ago.

Milky > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:24

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cool thought btw. My car could but it wouldnt be the same. Karmann declared bankruptcy in the recession and sold the plant to VW. Making Golfs is a bit more boring from all the weirdness of - AMC Javelin, Porsche 968/914/911&356, Triumph TR6 & the Crossfire obviously.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > J-rett 01/05/2016 at 11:24

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I almost feel, with Ford’s many plants and closures and new openings and so on, that Dearborn is cheating.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Justin Hughes 01/05/2016 at 11:25

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They were fun, I went when I was in the Saturn Cult.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Milky 01/05/2016 at 11:25

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Yeah, that one’s a bummer. I have a friend with an AMC Alliance, but I’m not really sure if it should go to Kenosha, or land of le baguette, hon hon.

Alfalfa > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:25

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Torslanda Verken has built most Volvos for the past 50 years, even through American and Chinese ownership.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > veteran011 01/05/2016 at 11:26

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I think impractical shipping is totally okay for the “is it possible” question. Kind of a shame in some respects, though, for a pilgrimage to be impractical.

HammerheadFistpunch > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:27

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Still making land cruisers at Tahara plant, like they have been for 37 years.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Alfalfa 01/05/2016 at 11:28

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How many other Volvo plants are there? Land Rover and Benz were pretty obvious origins to me (being the only possibilities for DOM), and the Lincolns were only made im Wixom, but the Ranchero’s birthplace was a question of “decode the data plate”.

ezeolla > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:29

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2006 Pontiac G6 - Orion Assembly in Michigan, currently spitting out Sonics and Veranos

2012 Jeep Liberty - Toledo North, currently building Cherokees (I think)

2005 Jeep Wrangler - Toledo South, currently and hopefully forevermore building Wranglers

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > AndyG_UK 01/05/2016 at 11:29

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New cars? Made by manufacturers that haven’t gone witlessly bankrupt or gotten axed by a parent? HISS. We’ll not have your kind here.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > ezeolla 01/05/2016 at 11:30

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Your Poncho needs to be drawn in cartoon form grumbling about These Darn Kids and “Get Off My Line!”.

interstate366, now In The Industry > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:30

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The Sayama (Japan) plant where my Preludes were made is still around, still cranking out Hondas. Mostly beigemobiles these days, though.

Blanyer > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:30

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I won’t be taking my 2008 Saturn Astra back to the Antwerp plant. I’m pretty sure it shuttered with the last Astra H. There was a lengthy video on YouTube documenting the assembly of the last Astra there, but it’s since disappeared. 

Mercedes Streeter > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:31

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Assuming a short boat ride, my baby can return to smartville in Hambach, France. :)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Blanyer 01/05/2016 at 11:33

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Several points against you doing that, obviously. One, shuttered, two, Belgium, and three, trying to pilgrimage a rebadge. Just awkward. Four, It’s. A. Saturn.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:33

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Clearly your only course of action is to drive the Ranchero into Saks 5th Avenue and park it there for a while. Security will understand.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > interstate366, now In The Industry 01/05/2016 at 11:34

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Grumble grumble where’s the next-gen Prelude at, you bozos, grumble.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 01/05/2016 at 11:35

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Now that you’ve said it, I have to do it. This is another fine mess you’ve gotten me into.

AndyG_UK > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:35

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New'ish, one's Italian (made in Poland) and the other is French, brown and manual (though not dirty diesel or a long roof), please let me stay!!!!

Alfalfa > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:36

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Torslanda is the sole Swedish assembly plant. There’s another large one in Belgium, and the rest pretty much in China right now.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:37

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Sí, mi FieSTa ca volver a Cuautitlán Izcalli, pero tiene más divertido aquí;)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > AndyG_UK 01/05/2016 at 11:37

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Italian made in Poland is perverse enough, you can stay. Makes one think of spaghetti made with sliced kielbasa.

il buono > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:39

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Sure can go back to Japan. Not mine shown below, but same model year

Stef Schrader > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:39

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Holy crap, it’d be awesome to be working on your car and find that buried in there. Should’ve done this with paint.

AndyG_UK > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:41

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perverse maybe but tbh you wouldn’t want them made in Italy, ask owners who chopped in their previous (and made in Poland) model Fiat Panda's for new (made in Italy) ones, the build quality seems to have slipped somewhat!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > AndyG_UK 01/05/2016 at 11:42

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Quite right. Like my kielbasa analogy, it leans strongly on the Polish strengths and ought to be done as a matter of course, but isn’t.

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:42

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Really nice write up, it inspired me to look up what happened to the production plants of my current cars.

Peugeot 505 (1989) ==> built in Sochaux, FR ==> now building the 308, the 3008, the 5008 and the DS 5

Mitsubishi Pajero (1987) ==> built in Gifu, JP ==> now building Pajeros

Mazda RX-8 (2004) ==> built in Hiroshima, JP ==> now building the Premacy, 3, 6, MPV, CX-5, CX-9, MPV, and of course the Miata

Audi A4 (2006) ==> built in Neckarsulm, GER (I guess) ==> now building the A4, A5, A6, A8, R8 and Q7

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Stef Schrader 01/05/2016 at 11:43

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The owner very likely knows. If not... well, there’s a White Chocolate Town Car out there that’s The Last One, and somebody should find it.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:43

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this is actually a family plan in the works, recently ran into someone from the original family, was thinking of going to see them too, incidentally I live in Regina, Saskatchewan, which is the exact middle of nowhere, and they used to build Olds, Chevy and GMC here, the plant is still there, active before and after the depression, converted to war use and never went back to cars, I’ve worked inside occaisionally and it’s a cool building, and in my former career in an oddball bodyshop, I’ve worked on a 39 chev master deluxe that was built in my town, probably one of the last off the line. On an unrelated note, I’d like to submit my old malibu to kick off a new “beige is beautiful” feature. It’s slow, handles and stops poorly, and is as reliable as the day Chevy birthed it (not particularly), But damned if if doesn’t wear beige like a champ.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 01/05/2016 at 11:46

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The best heritage connections are the ones with a continuity of models from the past. Like in the case of the Rover, the Defender being made there today, or your A4 probably having been made nearly the same way as the new ones. I’ve been to the Eisenach Opel plant, which is now producing Opel/Vauxhall hatches - sadly those don’t have much of anything to do with the Wartburgs that were built there once.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 01/05/2016 at 11:47

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‘39 Master Deluxe? benderneat.gif

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Mercedes Streeter 01/05/2016 at 11:48

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That plant has windows. To the outside. WHAT

TylerLinner > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:50

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Fun topic.

My Rabbit was built by Karmann in Osnabruck, Germany. The “Anal” Probe was from Flat Rock, MI where they (fittingly) build Mustangs, and the Civic in Ontario.

The only vehicle I still have is the ‘65 F-100 which rolled out of Kansas City, MO in late 1964 (51 years old woooo!). I want to do a cross country road trip with it, and the factory would be an obvious stop on the way to the Rockies. It seems they still build F-150s there!

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > il buono 01/05/2016 at 11:52

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got one of those too, mine’s the canadian model, same as jdm with the wheel on the other side, being driven in canada for 31 years, its now a toyotafordpontiacandsomedodgebits, rusting since the boatride over.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > TylerLinner 01/05/2016 at 11:54

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There’s got to be some reason not to drive a ‘60s F-series crosscountry, but I’m not seeing it. A little noisy, but okay ride, good sightlines, better than *miserable* mileage, and a lot of class. Also, you can be the crazy guy that fills the bed with impulse souvenirs.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:55

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You fool, you know that I can go home with three of my cars:

Stop 1) BMW, Spartanburg, South Carolina. Now builds solely SUVs, but the most soulful cars to ever come from here were the E36/7 Z3 and E85/E86 Z4. Prior to the E89, every single Z3 and Z4 left the line in South Carolina.

Stop 2) Flint Truck Assembly. My 2005 Silverado came to life in that vehicle city of Flint, Michigan. HD models of the GM trucks are built in Flint, 1500 models are split between Mexico and Fort Wayne, Indiana. GM has said at some point some of the 1500 trucks will be made in Michigan, but they are so popular they have more than one factory building them.

3) My Ford pickup came to life in the Heartland. It was built at Kansas City Assembly.

BMW used to have homecomings for the Z3 and Z4. Since the production was moved to Germany, those have stopped.

Someday, we should go visit there.

EDIT: Technically my Audi can go home to Ingolstadt (if it ever dries out), and the Mini can go to Plant Oxford. However, my understanding is that Audis and Minis don’t float on their own...

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:57

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could have ruled the world, chose to mess around with old cars, think i followed the right path

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/05/2016 at 11:57

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The Z4’s pilgrimage is almost cheating. I’ve actually been to BMWWelt, but the museum was closed that day (!). The biggest downside to the Chevy’s pilgrimage is Flint.

fintail > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 11:57

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Sindelfingen represent:

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > fintail 01/05/2016 at 11:59

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I have tailfins and Benz, but not on the same car.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 01/05/2016 at 12:00

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New favourite Buck Owens ditty, thanks for that.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:01

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Aren’t a fair number of Daimler cars now built in Bremen?

Danger > Obsideon 01/05/2016 at 12:01

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But Saturn is no more, but the planet is still there.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 01/05/2016 at 12:02

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There’s another site where I lurk, not a car site, but which has an Albertan into a raft of old Studebakers. That, I’d like to see.

facw > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:02

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My Volvo S40 was built at Nedcar in Born in the Netherlands. That plant no longer makes Volvos (or Mitsubishis), but is currently still active building Minis.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:03

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You don’t know how hard it was not to make a Michael Moore joke.

Also, how is that cheating? That I can go right up I-85 for two hours or so and be there?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/05/2016 at 12:05

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There’s a factory in Bremen building Cs and crossovers, and there’s another plant that I’m forgetting that wrapped up W124 production and now builds As and Bs. So that’s at least three major locations in Germany.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:06

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If it goes to land of le baguette, then it should act as it ought to.

Sink to the bottom of the ocean.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:07

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But you could have a Ford Mondeo built in Genk, Belgium.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/05/2016 at 12:09

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You don’t know how hard it was not to make a Michael Moore joke.

Don’t I?

Anyway, yes. A two hour drive wouldn’t be cheating for our Europe friends, but it totally is in the US.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > TylerLinner 01/05/2016 at 12:09

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My 1995 F-150 rolled off the assembly line in Kansas City, MO. AND it has Twin I Beam front suspension.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > facw 01/05/2016 at 12:10

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Awkward pilgrimage, there. It’d be like coming home and finding out the parents sold the house. To a bunch of weird Germans who like tea.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/05/2016 at 12:12

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You know perfectly well that with a curb under a ton, I can make emergency flotation for it out of a weather balloon.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:13

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Rastatt, DE. The Daimler plant there builds A-Klasse and B-Klasse.

2ndgear > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:14

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They’re tons of fun but the fire jokes and the stories from non-owners that know more about your car(s) than you do get old quick.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:17

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I’ll only grant an exception if it is a 1987 GTA model.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/05/2016 at 12:21

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I believe it’s an ‘85 DL four-door sedan (with the 1.7!)

interstate366, now In The Industry > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:30

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I’m OK with letting the name rest. Although if Honda ever gets its enthusiast act together again I may change my mind.

takehikes > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:33

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This baby is a wicked high horsepower truck...240-6 with 150 hp and a 3 on the tree! Better get out of my way.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:33

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Still kept the “I’m sure that’ll do, Nigel” build quality.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:34

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Look! It’s a truck panther!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > takehikes 01/05/2016 at 12:35

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I’ve swapped my teeny little Ranchero’s engine from the 144 six to a Rover 262 ci (4.2L), and I’ve modified the steering column to shift four on the tree. It should drive great when I’ve finished it.

nerd_racing > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:36

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My favorite Ranchero!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/05/2016 at 12:36

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Panther, truck, I’m not sure there’s a distinction. Not sure I care, either.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > nerd_racing 01/05/2016 at 12:39

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Is it even your favorite subset, or just close? The bumper and fenders say it’s a ‘60 or ‘61, probably a ‘60. Mine, being a ‘63 (‘63/’62 sheet metal) came with a slab bumper and slightly pointier front fenders.

JustJim > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:41

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While I wouldn’t want to suffer the expense of a 2-way Trans-Pacific shipment; I wouldn’t mind driving the Miata to Mazda raceway at Laguna Seca. Follow that with a flight to Hiroshima and a tour of the factory cranking out ND’s sounds fun too.

SilverBRADo totaled his beigeslushboxmatrix > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:47

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The NUMMI plant where my Matrix was born is now the Tesla Factory .

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > SilverBRADo totaled his beigeslushboxmatrix 01/05/2016 at 12:55

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So if you do a homecoming, you’re both being declasse by price point and by imputed filthiness (at least vs. a Tesla). The factory’s probably embarrassed by you.

Needmoargarage > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 12:58

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My truck visited its birthplace just this morning. I drove my F-150 over to the Rouge Plant in Dearborn, MI for a work errand. It was a weirdly satisfying 20 mile pilgrimage.

My Miata’s journey would be slightly more difficult.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Needmoargarage 01/05/2016 at 13:02

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For some reason I’m picturing an Around The World in 80 Days sort of balloon escapade. With a Miata gondola.

TylerLinner > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 13:03

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I drove it from Detroit to Minneapolis and back this past summer and... well, I didn’t die. It hasn’t seen a ton of maintenance for about 20 years, so I have some work ahead of me. The plan is kind of like Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, except with a pickup truck and without going crazy. It gets around 12-13mpg with the 352 V8.

TylerLinner > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 13:06

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Link: http://tylerlinner1.kinja.com/road-trippin-i…

Needmoargarage > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 13:11

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I like that idea waaaaaayy too much.

Whenyouwishuponacar > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 13:11

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My Tacoma was one of the last Toyota trucks to roll out of NUMMI, a month before Toyota shut it down. Still there pumping out Teslas as we know. Someday I’d like to go up there (from L.A.) and take a picture with my beloved truck in front of the assembly building.

magnum1978 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/05/2016 at 13:11

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Belvedere is still operating. So yes my Fury’s can go home. They just might not fit.