Best of France and Italy 2018

"Jonee" (Jonee) 11/06/2018 at 12:45 • Filed to: Best of France and Italy, Citroen, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Renault

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L.A.’s best car show was this Sunday and it offered up its usual cornucopia of awesome and fascinating cars from across the Atlantic. The only place I know where you can see 5 R5 Turbos together plus Citroëns, Ferraris, Fiats, Lancias, and some surprises.

I brought my LNA and we got a primo spot next to this sweet Traction Avant.

Citroën was pretty well represented and there were a couple rarities this year:

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Not quite as many Renaults, but the ones that were there were pretty amazing.

I got to follow one of the R5's in which was cool.

There are never enough Peugeots in my opinion.

But, there’s always more Facel-Vegas than one would expect.

Here’s one of my all-time favorite cars, the Matra 530. A mid-engined sportscar from the somewhat forgotten French marque, it’s an odd combination of lines and curves that adds up to awesome in my eyes. Some people think it looks like an ugly fish, though.

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Let’s look at some Lancias!

And then there was this monster.

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Fiats in all shapes and sizes.

This is a Lombardi My Car, a gussied up 500 by the Italian coachbuilder.

There were flocks of Alfas, but I was running out of time by the time I got to that section .

Lots of Lambos, but there are the only ones I got excited about .

Here are a few Ferraris if you’re into those.

Maseratis.

My favorite of the gang of Panteras that showed up.

Three different models of Iso. A Lele, Grifo, and Rivolta GT. I had never seen a Lele before. It’s a Corvette V8 powered 2+2 coupe designed by Gandini and is kind of an alternate version of his Espada.

This Tatra always shows up I guess because it doesn’t feel welcome at any other car show.

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And finally, the biggest surprise was also neither French, nor Italian. It was this German Borgward Isabella Kombi just parked on the street.

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Star of the show!

someassemblyrequired > Jonee 11/06/2018 at 12:51

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AKA the cars I would have bought if I had won the Mega Millions.

Love the Iso’s - I should have bought one when they were unknown.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Jonee 11/06/2018 at 13:03

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Wow, that looks like an awesome show!

It’s funny a RHD CX ended up in the US, but what is even funnier is that it seems to have a Dutch plate hiding behind  the dealer plate. Which is a bit odd, because a CX of that age shouldn’t have a blue Dutch plate in the first place...

Cé hé sin > someassemblyrequired 11/06/2018 at 13:08

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Ah, if only - I remember when you could get a 246GT for small money.

someassemblyrequired > Cé hé sin 11/06/2018 at 13:12

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Dino Coupes were cheap until fairly recently too, though that ship has now sailed...

Smart money is probably hoarding Mondials as we speak.

QCGoose > Jonee 11/06/2018 at 13:14

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Fantastic variety! That Lele really reminds me of the Lambo Jarama. What an understated beauty.

RallyWrench > Jonee 11/06/2018 at 13:48

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Aaarrggghhh next year!  I didn’t realize how awesome the license plate is on that Borgward, well played to that guy. That brown Quattroporte looks like one that used to be around SLO, wonder if it’s the same car. Italian malaise! 

BobintheMtns > Jonee 11/06/2018 at 14:15

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Holy Shit...........

That’s a lot of beauties....

But goodness... red or white R5? T hat’s the question...

Jonee > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer 11/06/2018 at 14:16

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The mystery of that CX deepens. Maybe the plates are just for show and those are the only European ones they could find.

Jonee > RallyWrench 11/06/2018 at 14:18

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That plate is great.

There’s no malaise like Italian malaise. I can’t imagine there are that many running brown 80's Quattroportes in So. Cal.

Jonee > BobintheMtns 11/06/2018 at 14:18

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Why not both? I kind if dig the blue one, actually.

Jonee > QCGoose 11/06/2018 at 14:19

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I heard people call it ugly, but I think it’s a handsome car.

BobintheMtns > Jonee 11/06/2018 at 14:19

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All of them... such rad little cars

And the blue is like a blue ferrari... at first you’re like, “hmmmm” but then you’re like “ oh yeah!”

Cé hé sin > someassemblyrequired 11/06/2018 at 14:34

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It is! Prices are rising.

AuthiCooper1300 > Jonee 11/06/2018 at 18:19

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That blue is lovely. Decades ago I used to see one j u s t like that in my neck of the woods. The owner must have been a bit of a poseur, because every time I saw it it had two helmets atop the engine cover; b u t he w a s an amateur rally driver, so...

On the other hand the red one has a Bozian sticker plastered across the windscreen. Bozian used to be in charge of Renault competition cars ( r a l l y i n g , i n p a r t i c u l a r ) . I think their involvement became more apparent in the 90s, during the Clio era, but it seems they even worked from the beginning on the works 5 Turbos too.

Jonee > AuthiCooper1300 11/06/2018 at 19:54

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That Bozian sticker is awesome. The red Turbo 1 is local to me and I’ll see it now and again. Even once parked at the hardware store, so it’s a real daily driver.

QCGoose > Jonee 11/06/2018 at 20:04

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Well, it b eing parked next to the Grifo likely didn’t help its case lol. That thing is just a stunner.

Nauraushaun > Jonee 11/07/2018 at 01:03

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Holy fuck! Love the rear engined hatches especially the Clio. What a sight.

Also SM! Shame they had the retarded US spec lights but it's good to see some DS with the correct lights.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Jonee 11/07/2018 at 05:10

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i’m guessing there is no Czech car shows in thew USA that you’re aware of?

Jobjoris > Jonee 11/07/2018 at 14:30

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5 R5 Turbos? Insane!!! Even in Europe you don’t run into those that much!

Lovely Dino. But that battery really struck me!!!!

AuthiCooper1300 > Jonee 11/07/2018 at 15:44

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A rouge Grenade Turbo 1, with its TRX wheels, alloy panels and weird-ass Bertone interior as a daily driver? Wow, that guy (or gal) must be brave.

Interestingly I have never ever heard or read of the 5 Turbo being an unreliable road car... at least in stock trim (165 hp). I suppose the cooling in particular is so overengineered that the engine is not stressed at all. I wonder if the next step (kit “Cévennes”, 205 hp) is as good in everyday use though.

T h a t M o r e t t i i s l o v e l y . S o f u n n y i t w a s p a i r e d w i t h t h e D i n o S p i d e r...

Jonee > pip bip - choose Corrour 11/07/2018 at 23:52

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Unfortunately, no. There is a group of people with Communist cars that get  together now and again. But, Tatras never show up.

Jonee > Jobjoris 11/07/2018 at 23:55

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I think this was the first time that many R5’s have been there at the same time. Amazing.

That 2CV six volt? It’s incredible. Both the fact that it  still works, and the way it looks.

Jonee > AuthiCooper1300 11/07/2018 at 23:58

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Yeah, that’s interesting. I’ve never heard the R5 Turbo described as unreliable, either. It may have been more reliable than the regular 5.

Fraternal twins those two cars.

Jobjoris > Jonee 11/08/2018 at 02:56

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Yeah, that 6 volt. I’m sure the owner “got it working”, a restomod. No battery lasts that long, especially back then. It looks amazing so I’m glad he did!

Jonee > Jobjoris 11/22/2018 at 21:50

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He really went all out making it look right. It had nice oxidation and dirt all over it.

Jobjoris > Jonee 11/23/2018 at 03:06

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I want one in the Crown. Including 6 Volt.

Jonee > Jobjoris 11/25/2018 at 22:28

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I’m not sure you could run the radio with a 6-volt in an executive monster like the Crown. Are the lights sorted out, yet?

Jobjoris > Jonee 11/26/2018 at 10:33

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According to the guy sorting them out they were so Gerard’s mounting ‘m as we speak. He was watching porn on a huge screen when I picked up those headlights. Hahahaha. “Do you mind?” “I’d say you’d seen enough “ headlights”  for today!”.

Jonee > Jobjoris 11/28/2018 at 22:13

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Haha. Oh, Gerard. Not enough cars in the shop, or was he just taking his lunch break?

Jobjoris > Jonee 11/29/2018 at 13:42

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No no, not Gerard, the headlight guy. Gerard just mounts ‘m. Maarten altered them for driving on the right. AND IT’S GLORIOUS! THE RIDE IS AMAZING!!!!

Jonee > Jobjoris 11/29/2018 at 22:23

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Ah, Maarten. I didn’t think Gerard was the public pornography type. A headlight guy I can see.

I bet it is! That’s awesome. What is it like? Driving a cloud?

Jobjoris > Jonee 11/30/2018 at 05:29

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It’s like driving a Benz. With a different interior. Definitely not American cloudy ride. And the curtains in the back work electrically.

Jonee > Jobjoris 12/03/2018 at 22:46

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Ah, interesting. I can imagine it being Benz-esque, actually. What’s the motor again? Electric curtains is amazing. That would be too distracting for me. I’d keep opening and closing them.

Jobjoris > Jonee 12/04/2018 at 04:51

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It’s the 2JZGE, Toyota’s straight six that propelled the Supra as well. The Supra we all know had the 2JZGTE, the Turbo’d one. Solid engine!

I didn’t driving to the DMV. Because I couldn’t find the button to do so. Now I know so we could have an issue next time.

Jonee > Jobjoris 12/04/2018 at 21:39

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Right, the Supra six. I knew it was something like that. That is an excellent engine. And it must be bulletproof being Japanese from that era. I can’t wait to drive it!

You might not want to show me where the button is when I test drive it.

Jobjoris > Jonee 12/05/2018 at 05:26

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Definitely. The Turbo’d one was the 2JZGET I know now. Or 2JZGETT with a Twin Turbo (all the way up to 1000 horses!)!

I won’t. And you won’t find it without help. I needed Gerard to show me!

Jonee > Jobjoris 12/06/2018 at 02:29

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That’s a lot of horses. What did that go in? Was there a Crown SS? Can you get one of those twin turbo setups?

How does Gerard know everything?

Jobjoris > Jonee 12/10/2018 at 04:58

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The Supra g ot the Twin Turbo setup. It didn’t have 1000 horses stock but they were fairly easily tweaked to do so. Without breaking.

The man is a God. And all is finished now: taking my baby home tomorrow!

Jonee > Jobjoris 12/11/2018 at 00:42

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Incredible. They really don’t make them like they used to. When you start getting sick of the Crown, I guess you can begin on the mods.

Awesome! Are you going to start driving it to work right away?

Jobjoris > Jonee 12/11/2018 at 06:49

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Too bad, the license plates were not ready yet. One day delay, I was gonna take it to work yeah. The world needs to see that interior. And I need to learn Japanese as many of the controls are in... Japanese!

Jonee > Jobjoris 12/13/2018 at 01:14

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Did the plates come? Learning Japanese will take too long. Just keep pressing buttons and see what happens. Is there an owner’s manual?

Jobjoris > Jonee 12/14/2018 at 03:26

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Plates arrived! That’s right, I could check out the owner’s manual. In Japanese...

It’s glorious!

Jonee > Jobjoris 12/15/2018 at 23:16

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The pictures might help. Or use the Google translate app that connects to the camera and translates on the fly. I think it does Japanese.

You must really feel important when you’re driving it. Especially with the curtains closed.

Jobjoris > Jonee 12/17/2018 at 05:08

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That’s a good idea, might try that. I always feel important. Don’t you?

Jonee > Jobjoris 12/18/2018 at 00:25

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Yes. But, I’ d feel really important if I had electric windows in my cars. I may need to install some in the LNA.

Jobjoris > Jonee 12/18/2018 at 09:24

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All your cars! Which car do you use most now, the LNA or the Volvo?

Jonee > Jobjoris 12/19/2018 at 00:00

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That back window in the Nørdic Türb is perfect for curtains, actually. I kind of do an even split between them, I think. Depends on my mood, or how far I’m going. Although, I’ve taken the LNA on some long drives. Are you all about the Crown now, or are the Pikes in rotation?

Jobjoris > Jonee 12/19/2018 at 07:41

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You’d just need a tiny curtain. Awesome.

Pikes are for city. Crown for distances. Or if I have to move someone. 

Jonee > Jobjoris 12/20/2018 at 00:43

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For the LNA or the Volvo? That’s a pretty big piece of glass on the C30.

Do you make passengers sit in the back? Or, do you make them drive and you sit in the back?

Jobjoris > Jonee 12/20/2018 at 08:50

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The Volvo has???? We’re talking about this car right?

I think the rearwindow of the Crown is twice as wide!

Depends on the passengers. Krista doesn’t want to be seen in it. So she goes in the back and she makes me close those curtains...

Jonee > Jobjoris 12/24/2018 at 18:33

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It looks small in that picture, but it’s not half as wide as a Crown. Plus, it’s much longer. One curtain won’t do.

Haha. She doesn’t want to be thought of as a gang ster’s wife?

Jobjoris > Jonee 12/26/2018 at 11:26

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Well: be my guest and start measuring. I’ll do the Crown and let’s compare!

After I started referring to her as my “Geisha” she hardly speaks to me anyway....

Jonee > Jobjoris 12/28/2018 at 00:00

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41 inches wide and 27 inches high.

Wait’ll she sees the Yakuza tattoos...

Jobjoris > Jonee 12/29/2018 at 14:51

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Dude, now I have to get out the measuring tape!

Yeah, she really hates those...

Jonee > Jobjoris 01/02/2019 at 23:35

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How hard is that? I couldn’t find a brochure for your year Crown, or maybe it would have some dimensions amongst the specs.

Well, instead of a giant dragon on your back, maybe you could get a tattoo of Lizzy instead. Holding a samurai sword.

Jobjoris > Jonee 01/03/2019 at 04:24

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Not hard. Just lazy. Hardest part is getting a calculator and convert cms to Inches! That Crown diesel even had a bigger rear window.

Great idea. Or the Pao. She’s starting to love that thing.

Jonee > Jobjoris 01/05/2019 at 23:14

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Our tape measures have both centimeters and inches. What do you need a calculator for? Just open another tab and Google it. Bigger than your Crown, or the C30?

The Pao holding a samurai sword would be even cooler. What’s not to love about that car?

Jobjoris > Jonee 01/07/2019 at 05:05

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No, I want to use a calculator, don’t you miss those? I suppose even a 2cv has a bigger rear window than your C30!

I wouldn’t know. Maybe she’s just weird. Has to be. She’s living with me.

Jonee > Jobjoris 01/08/2019 at 00:41

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No, I don’t particularly miss calculators. The percent button confuses me. I bet it doesn’t! And I know how to find out... It’s around 33 inches wide, so no, not bigger than the C30's,

Seriously.

Jobjoris > Jonee 01/10/2019 at 03:59

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You went to Koko to check one out? Why does the percent button confuse you? You’re not familiar with the concept of percentages?

Seriously.

Jonee > Jobjoris 01/13/2019 at 18:29

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I was going to, but then I found it on Google like I do when I want to convert centimeters to inches, or vice versa. Percentages as a concept do not confuse me. I just get confused about when to use that button.

Like, totally.

Jobjoris > Jonee 01/23/2019 at 03:53

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Why don’t you just try “100", “%”, “10" and then “=”. I’m sure it doesn’t return what you’d expect. What a stupid butt on. Or we are stupid.

Jonee > Jobjoris 02/05/2019 at 17:53

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We must be stupid. When I do what you just said, it returns 0.00039683. I don’t know what the hell that’s telling me.

But, I looked it up. It’s not for calculating percentages, which you’d think it would be. It’s for using percentage in a calculation. So, if you want to know what something is after taking 15% off, you type 50 - 15 % =

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20080110-00/?p=23853

Makes sense, just not what I th ought it was.

Jobjoris > Jonee 02/07/2019 at 03:57

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Nerdy me would have just pressed 50*0,85. But using the decimal point won’t have you push less buttons. What a button, that % is, saves me the use of at least one button!

Jonee > Jobjoris 02/14/2019 at 02:06

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Well, using the decimal point means you have to do a little math on your own before you even punch anything in on the calculator. With t he percent button, the machine does all the work. That’s what I paid for. It’s like wash ing the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher.

Jobjoris > Jonee 02/15/2019 at 04:37

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I love that comparison. Got any others?

Jonee > Jobjoris 02/20/2019 at 01:58

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It’s like choking the chicken before playing hide the sausage.

Jobjoris > Jonee 02/21/2019 at 10:30

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Get. On. Stage!

Jonee > Jobjoris 02/27/2019 at 02:36

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When is the next open mic night at Purple Rose? 

Jobjoris > Jonee 02/27/2019 at 04:20

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You’ll wear your Darth Vader suit? In that case it’s anytime you want!

Jonee > Jobjoris 03/01/2019 at 02:01

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Haha. I actually do have a Vader helmet/mask thing. And it has a little microphone and speaker that makes you sound like him. I don’t think it does the brea thing thing, though. But, it should be fine for stand-up at the Purple Rose.

Jobjoris > Jonee 03/07/2019 at 03:29

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Haha, of course you have one of those. Does it scare Penny?

Jonee > Jobjoris 03/15/2019 at 00:35

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It does, actually. But, everything scares Penny. I also have a Greedo mask that sends her into a panic for hours even after I put it away. Funny enough, both of those were given to me. I don’t really need a Greedo mask. The Vader one might come in handy one day, though.

Jobjoris > Jonee 03/18/2019 at 04:58

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Haha, someone walking around in our house wearing a Greedo mask wouls scare the shit out of me! Who on earth gives you stuff like that?

Jonee > Jobjoris 03/22/2019 at 00:05

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That was another prop from someone’s movie, actually. I guess I’m the “nerd guy” who likes stupid shit. Of course, I had to try it on. And it scared the heck out of the cat. So, now if I’m rummaging in the closet and pick it up, she goes running. To her, I guess I transformed into a monster.

Jobjoris > Jonee 03/31/2019 at 09:15

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Haha, figures. I’m afraid you’ll need a bigger house if people end up giving you out all their movie props. Or start a business leasing out those props! You’ll need a warehouse then. And that’s a good thing: more storage for weird cars!!!!

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/14/2019 at 02:53

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I could rent out the weird cars, too. Prop houses used to be big business, but I don’t think there are as many of them as there used to be. Maybe it’s good time to get in. My apartment is pretty much already a prop house. At least for a ll those film s about movie and/or car nerds .