mplafleur,

I would like to build a plane. I've always wanted a short field plane. I have a perfect place for a grass strip about 1,200 feet with no obstacles on either end.

My cousin has just finished building a plane and my Dad and I are going over there Christmas morning to see it. He doesn't have forty hours on it yet, so we can't ride, but I'm anxious to see it.

Merry Christmas,

It doesn't amaze me anymore. They are everywhere and they are taking over the country in their sh*itboxes which average about 13 mpg the way they drive them.

Reading through this has gotten me pumped. I'm looking forward to getting home from work and getting in the shop.

whats that?

__________________
Jim

KCampbell said it best, there are spectators and participants in life. I don't understand how people can be "into" watching sports, or TV or any of the other myriad of non-brain-engaging things you can waste time on. I'm a contractor by day but I don't particularly care to mess with wood on my offtime. Why do I do this? I am actively and constantly trying to expand the list of things I can do. I do this with work, taking on new and bigger projects and trying to do things I haven't done before. I do this in my private life too. I have built cars, motorcycles, race cars, guns, houses, boats, RC toys of all types, hovercraft, etc. My attitude is that nothing is to difficult or complex to learn if you really want to. I don't fit in with "normal" people since I don't care for most of the crap society today calls entertainment. I would much rather tinker, build, repair, construct, etc. Theres satisfaction and accomplishment in what we do. Where is the satisfaction and accomplishment in making a car payment? Watching sports? Shopping? and the list goes on. Sometimes I feel like the country is becoming filled with no-nothing, no-talent, disinterested people. The upshot is I will always have a job. RT

__________________
When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

If loving cars and tools is wrong then I don't want to be right.

__________________
1981 240d
Newport,RI

In defense of my other hobby (sports), I have to say being "into" professional sports is not necessary "non-brain-engaging." It is for most people, but it sure isn't for me. When I watch sports, I involve my mind a lot. I'm actually a sportswriter, so I have interaction with the games. I also research sports history and mental aspects of various sports (mainly baseball). I actually wrote my 100-page Honors Thesis (which passed, BTW) on minor league baseball and its connection to the American Dream. So us sport-watchers aren't all a bunch of mindless bums.

Then again, the average football fan tends to be, uh ... well all you have to do is watch the commercials they show during games to know what kind of people most fans are. Oh well.

Ever see those people who rarely sleep?

I would love to be able to sleep 4 hours a night as there are lots of things I would like to learn to do.

A simple list includes learning:

The Israeli self- defense system Krav Maga

How to ski dive

How to play the guitar

harmonica

piano

I am a very good cook and would love to continue to learn.

There are lots more but I just drew a blank

One of the more frustrating things to me is htat neither my son nor my step-son are into sports. I would have loved the opportunity to teach/coach them.

This should be in the OD. We'd get a lot more responses.

__________________
Enough about me, how are you doing?

Now that you mention this, it is indeed off topic, but I don't go to the Open Discussion forum any more. I get cranked up enough talking about technical things, when I see political comments from mind numbed robots I really get cranked up.

Yes, I love baseball. I played alot from the time I was 8 through high school and then played two seasons full time in the Army, 144 games a year. For that reason, I can get into watching an occasional baseball game because I understand the game. But on a scale of 1 to 10 of enjoyment, PLAYING baseball is a 10 and WATCHING it be played is about a 2.

Merry Christmas,

I forgot. I'm 44 and I also got my Masters degree this year.

I also dabble in trying to learn Japanese and Russian.

Larry,

I've been helping some friends build two Cozys for the last two years. A canard type airplane based on Burt Rutan's Long-EZ. I'll be starting my own after I help them move the two planes we are working on into a newly built polebarn this weekend. I plan on using a rotary for the engine. I hope your cousin flys off his 40 without incident.

I've been told that we are "Renaissance men".

__________________
Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

I love all the big 4 sports, especially football and hockey. I can also sit down and watch me some TV too. It's funny to listen to folks talk about how great their interests are, and how mindless is the pursuits of others, then mispell "too". (I am guilty of being a horrible speller, by the way)
Oh well, one thing we have in common for sure is our interest and fascination in our old mechanical vehicles. I also enjoy reading other's posts, and hearing about their cars and repairs.
So....when will hockey start back up, by the way.....

(misspell?) oops

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I enjoy the engineering and mechanics of MBZ diesels since having a 1960 180Db 35 yrs. ago. It was a mystery mechanically, since there was no source of information for it like this site. Somehow kept it running for ten years before passing it on.
Fast foreward to today. Much better vehicles, information, parts needed delivered to your door. Researching, learning, doing maintainence and repairs yourself. Satisfaction of accomplishment and the pride of ownership and use.
Probably have more in common with Carrameow (Richard) et al. than most of the folks in my circle of friends. Also into hunting, airguns, fishing with bamboo, gardening, woodworking, retirement, TV sports (Gonzaga Bulldogs).

Man, I wish I could do so much, I'd love to break down and MB Diesel Engine and successfully put it back together, preferably a 0617. I'd love to have a shop to do it in.

I want to change careers. Don't conceed to one career.

I want to referee basketball again, high school and college level.

It sounds like I am with a few others here. I never did find much in watching sports. Personally, it bores me. Doing things are more in my interest. Working on the benz really is more of the satisfaction of doing the job right and having a fine car to boot. Even though I find that "right" changes sometimes after I read advice on this forum. This car must be a tinkerer's dream.
The rest of the time, I am constantly reading or working on some project. Some may even say that I tend to dive in head first but it is the challenge I enjoy. When I was young, for many years there was no one to show me, so I read about everything.
A few years ago, I took up flyfishing and then flytying. Then I went to Chile, S. America on a couple of trips for a flyfishing and travel adventure. Went alone, spoke very limited spanish and no guide service or tours. That was the first time I had traveled personally and not on business. It was so much fun that I went twice and am looking forward to when I can do it again.

__________________
Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

I got my first degree in Linguistics, with a minor in Japanese.

I ended up getting a job in Japan, and lived there for four years.

I'm pretty fluent in the language, and actually worked as an interpreter.

Hollar if you need any help or if you have any questions.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Larry B,
I have many tools, but can never find the right one.
Tonight I spent a 1/2 hour looking for my deep socket so that I could pull the Injectors on my '84 300D. I found it and completed the job in good time.
I cannot throw away anything remotely considered reusable. I am disorganised. I have a half empty shadow board (half finished, by previous owner). I don't have the tools for most of the shadows either.

I do maintain our 2 cars, house, and garden. I help our son learn to look after his posessions too.
I maintain our rental properties and collect the rents.
I am involved in our community (President of 2 groups, on Executive of 1 other)
I work 40 hrs/wk and contribute to forums like this and the Infopp biodiesel site.
3 or 4 times a year I assist in presenting a biodiesel workshop.

AND IN MY SPARETIME

I enjoy my wife's company, good food and wine. an occasional beer and live life in a way which I hope minimises my footprints on our world.

But, I still need more tools. I just bought a Mityvac on eBay for $US 40.00 + $US 26.75 postage to Australia.
These are just not available over here.

What else do I need? Valve adjusting spanners? Glow plug reamer? . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .

__________________
Tony from West Oz.
Fatmobile 3 84 300D 295kkm Silver grey/Blue int. 2 tank WVO - Recipient of TurboDesel engine.
Josephine '82 300D 390kkm White/Palamino int.
Elizabeth '81 280E, sporting a '79 300D engine.
Lucille '87 W124 300D non-turbo 6 cylinder OM603, Pearl Grey with light grey interior


Various parts cars including 280E, 230C & 300D in various states of disassembly.