DeserTBoB wrote:
On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 09:17:23 GMT, "Andy" wrote:

what is the make and year of youre grocery go getter and do you have any
pictures of it? snip

This one's a '77 Honda Accord my uncle bought new, one of only about
10 left running in the largest car state in the union. It has the
CVCC stratified charge combustion chamber, 3 barrel Keihin carburetor
and no catalytic converter (didn't need one). Most bonehead mechanics
do not know how to work on them or do proper machine work to its head.
Thus, I've done everything myself, save for wheel alignment, since it
was nearly new. It has just turned 100K miles and runs very well and
just passed the toughest smog test in the nation...again. It gets 30
MPG around town, and up to 35 on the road. However, my new VW beats
it by at least 40%, although on pricier #2 diesel. I won't be
installing 8 track in the VW.

As with all cars out here, there is no rust, but the clear coat paint
is alkyd based, and thus the excessive UV from the sun (thanks to
ozone layer depletion) has attacked the clear coat. Since the state
is buying old cars like this for $1000 to get them off the road, it
will probably go bye bye next year if it has trouble passing smog.
However, this time, this car only put out 5% of allowed HC and 40% of
allowed CO2, but the problem is NOx...I'm right at the limit, unless I
disconnect the vacuum advance unit. Parts are getting very scarce,
however. I can still get most service parts, but I have to 'net order
oil and air filters anymore. Honda supplies most engine parts, but
anything else is long gone. What's cool about driving this car is
that the 8 track fits right in, and kids think it's "cool retro."
What's not cool about it is it rides like all 1970s japanexe cars, and
is too noisy. Even my '79 VW Rabbit diesel was quieter, and rode a
lot better. It's the only car I have left with 8 track; the other
ones are gone, and when this one goes, that's it for car 8 track for
me.

This car came with a dealer installed Panasonic QC989EU AM/FM 8 track
with crappy 4" in door speakers. I added several modifications,
including removing the internal power amp and channeling line level
output from the first voltage stage out of this to an equalizer,
crossover and a large speaker compliment, including a subwoofer and
some spare E-V horn tweeters. As it turned out, the deck was better
than one might think, except for a susceptibility to arcing noise from
the motor. Some additional power supply filtration took care of that
problem. My MRL test cart shows this deck to be -4 dB at 15 KHz,
better than most home 8 track decks. The FM section is pretty good,
except it has the usual multipath problems all 1970s car FM radios
had. The AM has only fair sensitivity, but has good selectivity. Both
sections are at least as good as those overhyped Pioneer "Stupid
Tuners," as big a fraud as ever foisted in car audio.

I don't have pix of the car and deck right now, but I'll get some soon
as the stupid Sony comes back from warranty repair...AGAIN.


a 1977 Honda ?? (laughter...)

I'd be afraid to drive that at night...for fear the sun may come out,
and someone would see me in it...