Alex Roy

1. hughJ March 18, 2011

   Only one ‘O’ in “loses.”
   • CarCast March 19, 2011

     Fixed, thanks!
2. big jim March 19, 2011

   I used to think Citroens looked ugly as sin. But after seeing this ’73…I still think they’re ugly as sin.
   • Ford Prefect March 19, 2011

     Some cars are masculine, others feminine. This beast? An entirely different animal. Who knows how to sex it, neither pretty nor handsome. That’s its charm — purely cerebral, intriguing to the point of weird, and makes you “love the alien”. French.
3. Christopher March 19, 2011

   Please have Alex Roy on more often ty
   • CarCast March 19, 2011

     Yes, I would say so, he was a great guest and has some very interesting stories.

     Sandy
4. Darren 420 March 19, 2011

   you adam lose your voice?
   • Ford Prefect March 19, 2011

     Speculation: sometimes guys neglect their hobbies to demonstrate to their spouse how responsible they are. (That’s one good reason to have hobbies. After all, it’s either hobbies or whores. Hmm… “hobby-whores”? Puntastic.)

     Or perhaps the audience for his voice has sucked all the air out the room? Me included.
5. Chris from Lakeland, FL March 19, 2011

   Well, this podcast achieved this listener’s objective, just as Sandy described early on. You need loud rock, blaring in the garage or a car show to get you moving on your project.

   My Boyz are useless on a troubleshooting project, as they need you to walk them through any task with some sure result, “turn that to the left. No, your other left!”. They get it from their Mom. “Honey, let’s go in the other left door”. It’s a good thing we live so far out in the country, because that way bullies have to travel for miles to find my boys.

   Anyway, on old buddy of mine was driving by from Orlando, today, and he swung by, which is easily 20 miles, each way, out of his way from the Interstate. And we got the Audi A80 running, that I have been working on, for months.

   That’s what fun radio shows about cars, on Saturdays, used to be. Now, every radio show about cars is about what to ask your receptionist at the “Shop”. I blame the old, “Car Talk” program, that used to be fun, but has become the, “Have you considered the new Honda Minivan?” program.

   We got the A 80 to run, today. Most expensive part? A new harmonic balancer pulley on the front, plus I replaced the waterpump and timing belt, as I had to tear all that off to get to the pulley. The pulley was hard to find and cost almost $300.

   We did that, in part, because the boys are at their father’s home, in part because Mom had to work on a Saturday, and in part because it was Man Day at our ranch, and a real man stopped by to give me a hand. And, in part, because we were able to listen to people talk about bending rules on a car show, not about what to ask a receptionist at the Shop.

   Car radio shows are no fun, any more, because nobody will tell you how you might try something. We had TWO fire extinguishers out, by the time we got the Audi running. We have isolated it down to a fuel problem, as we tried pouring fuel into the main injection line, shooting WD-40 into the air intake, then eventually pulled plugs and poured gas into the cylinders. It was fuel. It could have been spark, or air, but my buddy knocked me down with a giant electric spark, when I moved before he stopped cranking the starter. It could have been air. But it was fuel. The car ran when we removed plugs, poured fuel in, then tried it, after putting the plugs back in.

   The car is sitting level, right now, I have poured at least 3 gallons of fuel in it, and nothing shows on the fuel guage. Nothing arrives at the injection system. I suspect there is plenty of fuel in the tank (I towed this from my sister’s house as a present for the eldest boy, so I have no idea how much fuel it has).

   I have a hundred questions about the fuel problem that I have to figure out, now. But you know what I don’t have? Spark or air problems. On a pleasant Saturday, I have eliminated 66% of my potential problems with that car. Not because you took a call and walked somebody through a repair, but because you bring the old-fashioned attitude and have fun with people solving problems. Yeah, dropping a tire from a plane didn’t work out, but it was a good idea. Lame programs have no good ideas and suggest that people have their motor mounts checked, because the motor might be moving.

   Fuck That! We are supposed to be Americans, out there trying to solve problems. Is there some chance that some asshole is going to blame you for bad advice and impart some fake liability to you? Well, yes, I supppose there is. Just about as much of a chance that in this deep, internet world,? Yes, roll with it, guys. If some jerk in my part of the country causes you problems, then I will take care of that jerk.

   I may not be able to get the eldest kid’s Audi running, without help from a friend and a fun podcast, but radio car programs are infomercials, now. Carcast is fun.

   I swung by a place, today, 20 minutes before I had to get a loaned car back, and the local hardware guy let me slide; he let me grab a bunch of stuff, show up at the cash register, then said, “Get out of here. I’ll write this stuff down and you get back with me, when you have more time”.

   That’s what happened. That’s America. This guy trusted me to come back and pay for hardware, when I was on a mission and he was willing to wait. I never feel like there is anything I can’t fix, but boy do I feel like there are dozens of things I can’t fix, today, with my tight budget.

   It’s a nice thing to have somebody say, “You know what, your good for it”, and let me just take stuff.

   That takes years to develop and lots of karma.

   If you are frustrrated on projects, guys, part of that is that you don’t have a friend as good as mine, willing to blow an afternoon, helping you. The other part is that you need to stop and help people, at the side of the road. if that looks remotely safe.

   In my opinion, what went right for me, today, was payback for all of the things I have done for people on the side of the road.

   Be careful, but help.
   • Ford Prefect March 19, 2011

     No one’s going to reply to you because it’s mostly fact, and your anguish is almost like crying. What you got there, my friend, is a manifesto or a really good Country Music song. Don’t fret though, someone’s going fix this; have faith. I have faith. Passion demands patience. And yes, it’s most likely Adam, a man who understands Art and Industry, and is somewhat funny 😉
   • Ford Prefect March 30, 2011

     Sometimes I come off as an a-hole. Let’s try again:

     I hear you. “Click and Clack” became less “Nuts and Blots” ‘ and more “Mutt and Jeff”. That’s sad; we used to build and invent stuff. But everyone here feels that way. That was my point, you’re preaching to the choir. We hear you, but don’t expect a reply 😉
6. Tired Canadian March 19, 2011

   Thanks for what was perhaps the best CarCast ever ! Please more Professor Sandy Ganz and Motorator Matt hosted episodes, less with that blowhard Alan Corona.
   Keep up the good work and have a swell day.
7. Peter D March 20, 2011

   Thanks for featuring such an offbeat car!
8. gonzo March 20, 2011

   As a person that has driven cross-country multiple times, Alex Roy is my hero. I can’t wait to listen to this.
9. gonzo March 20, 2011

   He should’ve brought the Team Polizei M5, the gadgetry on-board is pure awesomeness!!!
10. Chris Kelly March 23, 2011

    I am a huge fan of the show and just wanted to let ya’ll know what a great job you’re doing. I own a bar in Japan and have played several of your shows here for the sailors that come in and they all love it. Keep up the good work!
    Trying to get Adam’s book but it’s not that easy over here in the Land of the Rising Sun! Let me know if there’s anything ya’ll need from over here or if you want pics ie from the shows that happen here in Japan,
    Chris
    • CarCast March 25, 2011

      Chris –

      Thanks for the good words! Hang in and hopefully you and yours are all OK. And yes, send me over an older Skyline 🙂

      Sandy

Comments are closed.