The Batavus Moped and Me

Welcome to my world. This is now my transportation, a 1977 Dutch Batavus Moped

First of all, this is a real moped. The word Moped is derived from the term motorized-pedal.

All the time, shady dealers attempt to pawn off their Chinese crap scooters as mopeds because "mopeds don't need a license" This is not necessarily true but here in the melanoma state, a moped does need to have pedals and be under 50cc , otherwise you need a title and a motor cycle license.

So now, this is main transportation. It is not that I can't drive because of a DUI, I have chosen this mode of transport. My own personal protest against "the man" You may have the pleasure of picking who "the man" is.

So here I am. My world has become smaller but more intimate. With a few modifications "tuning" the Ped got a three MPH increase to 28mph and that has has made a very noticeable change.

 

Rust from the fuel system

Remember Earth Day in 1970? My generation who was going to fight the pollution has ended up becoming huge polluters.  The pollution is there but it is not seem as much in the US sky's and now we have oil laying on the floor of the gulf. Hidden from view but destined to taint many lives for many years.

All this not withstanding in the wind. I enjoy the feel of freedom riding around. About 2/3 of the people I see smile. The other 1/3 are just asses because they can be. I always give these folks a little rev as I go by hoping for a backfire.  WTF, I iz a little bastard! I am old and I can say what I want!

I will keep up with reports of this new transportation mode of mine. I may even give some history and repair advise but that depends how generous I am feeling that day.

May the wind always be behind me, I need the boost. You may now kiss my shamrock.

Swarm and conquer!

Steve

  

Pay As You Drive Car Insurance

WTF! I have never had an accident or a moving violation yet I pay twice as much a year for car insurance than my car cost me!

You are required by law to carry a minimum amount of coverage if you own and drive a car, so why pay for car insurance that you do not use? Canada, Europe, and Japan and 35 states (of course not the one I live in) offer some form of car insurance based on the millage driven.

By plugging a GPS device into your vehicle, your millage information is tracked and transmitted to your insurance provider. After tallying this information the insurance company is offers discounts to drivers who use this pay as you go program. Some critics find the act of tracking where and when you are driving an invasion of privacy. (They have something to hide?) I would tend to believe that low mileage drivers are willing to give up this information for the incentive to save money.

The low millage driver and owners of secondary cars would pay much less than a driver who commutes back and forth to work daily. Since the rate is adjusted lower for older drivers, clean driving records and time of day, the savings on the yearly premium can be almost half of what the driver is paying at the present time.

Drives under this plan will have an incentive to look for ways to cut their millage which in turn will cut oil usage and pollution.

Whats so hard to understand about pay as you go car insurance? This is just like using a cell phone that charges only for the time used.

Steve

Is it a Mercedes UTE? Is it a Ford Tempo Pickup?

WTF is this thing? Half car, half pickup truck. Maybe it is a Transformer?

I asked the builder/owner, AKA:  Crazy Old Man of this vehicle a few questions.

Q: What is it?

A: The title states that it is a 1993 4-door, Green Mercury Topaz. I like to call it a Mercedes UTE.

Q: What is a UTE?

A: UTE stands for Utility. They are mainly built in Australia and are based on a passenger sedan, with a seamless body-molded tray. A Ford Ranchero or the Chevy El Camino are American versions of the UTE.

Q: Why did you build this?

A: To see if a custom vehicle could be built in the driveway using hand tools and very little money.

Q: What tools did you use?

A: A borrowed reciprocal saw, a hand held grinder a saber saw, circular saw and a drill and hand tools found around the home.

Q: How long did it take you to build?

A: Around six months of work in my spare time.

Q: So how much did it cost?

A: I bought the car at an auction for $350. I spent $1,036.35 for parts and paint for a grand total of $1,368.35.

Q: Anything special in the car?

A: The car is a stock Topaz except for the body work. I have modified a 12V cooler into an arm rest. The Paint is Pettit Easypoxy Deck Paint applied with a roller and tipped with a brush.

More pictures of this build from start to finish.
 

This car is now for sale! Contact me at crazyoldmanaskswtf@gmail.com.

Steve

Elvis Presley's Lost 1958 Cadillac Found

From NBC-2.COM

An unexpected discovery inside a 1958 Cadillac is creating quite a buzz at a Charlotte County car shop.

A worker noticed a gold-plated cigarette lighter and ashtray mounted on the back seat. The piece has the words "Elvis Presley" engraved on it.

And now for the WTF? moment:

Shop staff says the current car owner didn't even know it was there.

Now they're trying to trace these wheels back to the king of rock and roll. "We found a web site that there was rumor he owned a '58 Cadillac which this isn't the real color, the title of the car show it's supposed to be black," said Charles Allison of Nick's Custom Cars.

How cool is this? I wonder what they found under the back seat?

Steve