DOTS: No Weather for Walking Edition

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2)
06/02/2020 at 20:16 • Filed to: Dots, fire truck, 1995 M Edition Miata

It was quite hot today. Really too hot for 4 in the afternoon. My phone claimed 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 C) but it felt like more than that. I also chose to walk up some steep hills but the DOTS made it all worth it. Well, that and Turkey needed some exercise.

First up we have my best look yet of the rare 1995 M Edition Miata that is always cruising the streets of my town.

The paint and top wasn’t in as good condition as I thought but it is a daily. Not many NA Miatas around anymore, much less possibly the best edition of Miata ever to leave the factory. The interior was also the fantastic mustard color option as well.

Those wheels! The BBS wheels are just so so good! Also, someone appears to have smeared mud on the front of the car. Of course it’s an NA so it still looks thrilled to be included, but the smudge really irked me for some reason.

Hey, they are a Tech fan! I approve of everything about this car and its owner.

Across the street was another beacon of hope in a grayscale world.

Don’t see many Saab 9-3s, anymore, much less brightly colored convertibles. Not sold on this particular shade of yellowish green though.

A little bit of a light donk treatment looks quite good on this classic 63 or so Chevy Impala.

Speaking of Impalas, this later sedan was a little rough but very picturesque.

Another Chevy, this time a circa 68 Nova.

Yet another GM household. I love combo of colors but not necessarily of cars.

This armored SWAT unit was fortunately not in use. Looks to be based off of a previous generation F350 based on the lights and mirrors and the wheelbase looks about right as well.

The SWAT truck was on the backside of the new courthouse, which was built behind the old courthouse and the associated government offices.

Sky bridges are cool, but that smaller and higher up glass tube style one is cooler. I believe these are present more for security reasons, but nearby Atlanta has a troubled past with the elevated walkways between office buildings being constructed to avoid having to venture into the “unsafe” streets below, which basically meant they didn’t want to have to see black people. Many of these were built directly above the existing sidewalks and form a vast interconnected network.

I quite like how this photo turned out. The day wa s a little too hot and sunny for any really good shots though.

Lovely W123 wagon here in a striking shade of blue that I assume isn’t factory. It’s a turbo diesel too!

This long boi has been driving all over the place recently, in particular down the tightest and most challenging streets around. I presume a new guy is learning how to operate the rear steering. While noticing it navigating progressively tighter and more nerve wracking roads over the past month, I’ve noticed the door is usually open while in motion (possibly just broken) and I think they have a walkie talkie. I once saw them take it through the very tight and uneven streets of the Square at night when fewer cars were around and it did not look very fun.

The red F250 is plugged in to a special port on the side like an electric car, but I assume the battery does not power the vehicle. Probably just a massive reserve battery.

They’re out here still using Cro wn Victorias and old Expeditions. Very Ford lineup.

What’s the car on the sign? Model A Ford? Can’t quite place it but it looks fancier than the one I named and doesn’t have the right radiator.

I’ll leave you with Turkey just trying to catch his breath. It was v e r y . h o t . and I would not recommend it.

DISCUSSION (15)

dogisbadob > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/02/2020 at 20:23

That dog is so cute :o)

I heard the twin cities have those same walkways in the region because of the weather and the snow would otherwise shut it down

Chariotoflove > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/02/2020 at 20:25

I too like the wheels on the Miata very much. I can’t abide the donk treatment on that otherwise sweet Impala.

It was 88 here, and I thought it was a good idea to go for a ride at 3:30 in the afternoon. Twenty years in Texas and I still haven’t learned. I survived it though.

Nauraushaun > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/02/2020 at 20:35

The color on that MX-5 is fantastic. A bit more maroon/cherry than purple but I won’t hold that against it

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > dogisbadob
06/02/2020 at 20:36

Thank you. I always get compliments from people in cars, strangely, rather than fellow pedestrians.

Here, unfortunately, it was a way to isolate white people from rundown streets and minorities. The history behind it is fascinating but then again, the streets are actually just bridges designed to imitate ground level in many places to isolate people from the dangerous train tracks below so it’s turtles all the way down. The city has really had a revitalization in street life with streetcars being reinstated and a booming restaurant scene that wasn’t too hampered by the quarantine (many didn’t make it, of course, but people are eating out like there’s no tomorrow). My city only has these three sky bridges between the government buildings, separate from Atlanta’s interconnected office buildings and hotels (we invented the atrium hotel!)

Kinja'd!!!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Nauraushaun
06/02/2020 at 20:37

It’s very much plum but the direct sunlight isn’t great for photography so I had to tweak the images for them not to be terrible.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Chariotoflove
06/02/2020 at 20:38

I haven’t learned either, other than noontime is a God forsaken wasteland of thirst and desperation once you step outside.

I would of course prefer a stock Impala but that’s not the worst donk I’ve seen by a long shot. It’s not bad and not much worse than an over the top restomod.

Under_Score > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/02/2020 at 21:07

The dealer badge on that red Cadillac is for Capital, which shows just how long they’ve been around. The PA plate means that they probably had an On My Mind plate before, so one owner car?

Capital transitioned to a normal sticker long ago, though.

Kinja'd!!!

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/02/2020 at 21:50

I had a neighbor with a Saab that color, it was lowered on some nice grey wheels. I always thought it looked cool.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Under_Score
06/02/2020 at 23:06

Could be a one owner, since that cars demographic tended to hold onto things. I always love your insight into local dealer history. Sad that most places use stickers now instead of chrome plaques since they degrade much quicker and are usually less interesting.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
06/02/2020 at 23:07

Sedan? I thought it had a little too much yellow in it but the direct sunlight also made everything hard to look at so I don't know.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/02/2020 at 23:23

No it was also a ragtop.

It always reminded me of Mountain Dew.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/03/2020 at 00:11

Nice M edition Miata... I knew a guy in high school who had a BMW Chevette. In b eige. With a turbo! It was fun until it broke an engine mount and sliced the battery... after that, they sent it to be scrapped.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller
06/03/2020 at 00:15

I am pretty sure BMW never badge engineered that car. BMW powered? BMW branded? BMW and Chevette hybrid? I'm curious.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/03/2020 at 01:02

As in he bought a Chevette for $200 and put BMW badges on it as a joke. It was also a Honda, a Saturn, or a Volkswagen depending on what angle you were looking at it from. He really did put a turbo on it, though, and it made a noticeable difference in speed! But the DMV took one look at it and said “N ope! ”, so when it broke an engine mount and shredded the battery, he saw no reason to keep it. It’s probably a cube by now :(

I have a picture of it somewhere... I’ll try to find it soon.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller
06/03/2020 at 01:04

It may be your next fridge on its way from Japan. The metal might be shipped round the world before it finds its way back into your life.

Sounds like a really really stupid car for really really stupid fun.