Start the Machine!

[@stevesurfaro]

About 12 years ago, my former boss, the President of a Panasonic division walked into a Staten Island Guitar tuning and repair place called Mandolin Brothers, and there on the wall was a Gibson SG or similar, that I believe was the model Fu Manchu’s Bob Balch uses in that song. This was the shop George Harrison used for his tuning and he was a perfectionist!!! I’m sure Balch is too.

[@GigantoidArchive]

Balch is the guy behind the PlayThisRiff site and youtube channel. I don't really play, but find it fascinating.

[@Josh_Quillan]

They've always been Mercedes-Benz G-Class officially and G-Wagen unofficially. The G580 EQ has 4 electric motors and about 500+HP and probably bonkers torque. G-wagens are fascinating to me because they are used by several European armies and there are the usual no-frills surplus models and retail equivalents around, and also truck variants with pickup beds and so on, but at the same time it's the Sports Tank of choice for millionaires and people who want to look like hip-hop CIA agents. Genuinely good off-roaders while also simultaneously blinged out Statuswagens. Also, I hear that because their windows are totally flat and upright and thus reflective it's easy to mistake which side of the car traffic is on. Good model in probably the most common colour - but moving parts ought to be standard! I just got a box of oldies from ebay including a HW Datsun 200SX made in 1983, and to my surprise it has not only a metal base as standard but also an opening bonnet. The DeLorean from this year, in its debut form, has an opening boot, but they modded it out for some reason.

[@Chris_Hood]

[scribbles down "Statuswagen"] Good one! Previous special features on cars being retooled and downgraded are always a money concern for Mattel, one such move that was a surprise to me was the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup's change from a plastic rear spoiler to an alloy one. Assembly time costs must have outweighed the change to more expensive material, enough to change out for a new casting die at least. Not the first time I've seen a change as I realise while typing, where a separate plastic wing needing hand assembly has been switched out for metal (BMW M3 GT2, Acura NSX race model, Ford GT LM, and those three were right on my desk)

[@Chris_Hood]

It screams rich people pavement princess to me 😂 For automotive product placement, the Hyundai Santa Fe in _The Walking Dead_ sticks out. Never had a speck of dirt or any scratch on it during a time where no car washes functioned. Even the red Dodge Challenger got its window bashed in and scavenged for parts but no one ever touched the Hyundai in an untoward fashion

[@stevesurfaro]

@Chris_Hood I’m going to use that “Pavement Princess” moniker as it describes most every SUV that has never touched mud or sand!

[@Chris_Hood]

@stevesurfaro people sure love to cosplay as dirt digging mud bogging drivers in their Mall Crawlers 😆🤣 Edit, I'm looking at my red '23 RAM 1500 which is a terrific example of the concept 🤭🤭 I could go ON about how ridiculous it is

[@Ian_McRae]

Haven't opened my grey version yet, so your 'review' proved useful. Opened the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Corsa Revival today. Worth the effort l put into chasing it 😊

[@GigantoidArchive]

Yes, I know that it is now 2025, but the model of this G Wagon had me in a 2024 state of mind. ;)

[@norsefalconer]

Yeah, that's an electric. I few years ago I saw a guy on the beach driving an I.C.E. G-Wagon. It was lifted, big tires, and had the exhaust routed out the side (sounded great btw). He was totally sending it going up the beach. Pretty awesome, really.

[@GigantoidArchive]

Damn, I didn't know that. I buy VW and BMW electrics, so I guess I was bound to buy this, but yeah... I'm a dinosaur. I like gasoline cars more. I'm working on it, though.

[@norsefalconer]

@DiecastDispatch I'm still on the fence with electrics. I'm intrigued by the low maintenance, potential self-sufficiency (home solar/wind charging), and acceleration. But, combustion sounds, like that V8 G-wagon jamming down the beach, touch the soul somehow.

[@Chris_Hood]

@@norsefalconer the push onward for EVs without enough time and space for hybrids rubbed me the wrong way. The market needs opportunity to adjust to such a radical paradigm shift for a durable good.

[@norsefalconer]

@@Chris_Hood Yeah. Hybrids can be the best of both worlds. Barring a major breakthrough in batt tech, I think hybrid tech is where affordability and efficency cross paths.

[@Chris_Hood]

@@norsefalconer I'm hearing interesting things about _sodium_ based battery tech, hopefully more stable from the supply side of things. As lithium demand increases so does the geopolitics of it

[@CSmith-gb1sl]

Still waiting for the Corvair Ramp Truck, did find 1 Roadmaster Wagon in the wild.

[@GigantoidArchive]

When I was running Ignition Diecast, I did find one of those Ramp Trucks. If I find another one, I'll send it to you.

[@jodezero]

Gigantoid? Love it. Have to check the track out. I go to Target because I love disappointment! The selection is underwhelming

[@Chris_Hood]

Underwhelming in general or just especially in the post holiday sluggish replenishment? Stores are occupied with reining in their toy departments planogram settings after the rush is concluded