Been busy, busy, busy and working the night shift so I have been very, very absent from the 'Shop. I'd gotten a couple friend requests a while back and finally got around to getting some "me" time on the computer and accepted.

A lot has happened with work, shooting and the cars. Promoted again (which cuts into my "me" time) which meant to move to nights, still shooting when I can but the promotion keeps me from traveling with the team and my trusty old 4.5 gave up the ghost a few months back.

At least we still have the CLK320. I've begun searching for a 300D or a 300TD for my 130 mile a day commute, figuring it has to get better mileage than the almost 300K Honda I'm running now.

I think I need to spend a little time doing some reading catch up, just wanted to let y'all know I'm still here.

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Welcome back and good to see you again Mike. Been wondering what happened to you.

Try to find a good, clean, '95 E300 for the best mileage.

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Jim

Welcome back Mike! Long time no see!

Are you still with the border patrol?

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Welcome back mike! My little bro is in your ao you should look him up shoot me a pm with your current number.

Hi Mike! Last April an ol' buddy of mine had a doodlebugger reunion. Most of us were too old and tore-up to stay awake past 10.

I'm thinking about retire in 3.

Glad you're back and I deeply appreciate the job you guys do.

Yep Hatty, still working the fence, only now I get less chance to hit the street/field with my guys. I still do though every chance I get when papwork or planning meetings don't interfere.

I'm looking from 82-83 through 95 Jim. The newer D's didn't seem to make it to CA so all I seem to be finding are 85 and older. No rush as the Honda keeps on chugging but I'm getting ready for a change. Its been 4.5 years since I came home from Michigan, bought the Honda there for $1,000 and have put about 130K on it commuting, only pennies on the mile . Shoot, I just changed by front pads today, they had better than 100K on them compliments of my highway commute.

Jeff, is this the bro I visited in DC? What's he doing down in my AO? How's your Dad doing? Tell him I said "hey".

Chris, you're just out of practice...staying up that is. Move to the night shift and stay awake all night, just like you always wanted to as a kid , then sleep all day. Only now I find my day time sleeping to be too good, so good I don't want to get up in the afternoon, I want to keep sleeping. I have to pull the pin in 5 years, 2 months and 19 days, not that I'm counting or anything. I told my front office I could be considered to be on the "one real bad day plan". Great position to be in, jamming time. I have my 20 years covered time and I'm 52 in August, I can walk anytime I want but I still enjoy doing what I do. Wifey is pulling the pin effective July 13, she's going out with 24 years service with the SO.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Mike the brother you met has magic legs now and is on to another thing, the younger is in your neck of the woods.

cryptic but I'm sure you get it.

Sounds like a hard job Mike, the big shoot out a few days ago is in all the papers up here.

The drug cartels seem to think they own our borders, keep proving them wrong!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Yeah, I got my 20 and have been working on my F-in-L's farm. I have liked what I do and plan to continue until grub #3 is out of university, at least. OTOH, I noticed recently how much I enjoy driving to the farm and how much I dither when returning. I think I'm on that glide path.

Magic legs...gotcha. Damn glad I smuggled that steak & taters in to him while I was there and I really enjoyed the short time he and I spent just shooting the bull. Baby bro is in the fifth branch IIRC, yes?

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

yes

Good to see you back, Mike!

Are you still in Temecula? My mom moved from Temecula to that large golf course community in Murrietta.

What happened to the 4.5? Are you going to get it back on the road one day?

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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".

Hola, Mike! Good to have you back.

We set up a little plinking range out here at the farm...cut some silhouettes out of plate steel. Good for .22 and pistols. Saves having to hoof it to the back side of the tank to change paper.

Come out and bang away at it sometime.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Paul,

The 4.5 up and died while driving. Couldn't get it restarted, brought it home with the intention of getting it running but with my new/current schedule that wasn't happening and then my wonderful HOA started involving themselves. I'd gotten 10 years of solid service out of the 4.5 but the HOA was making a stink so I cut it from the herd. Got more for it in non-running condition than I paid for it, so that is a plus.

Still sucks having to make that decision though.

Still in Temecula but work down south, so I have a 130 mile commute daily (round trip). Fortunately for me, working nights, I seem to be missing most of the traffic both ways.

Randy,

Don't know when I'll get to Austin, but when I do I'll slip out to Berry Hill. In catching up on reading I saw the pics from the TX GTG, looks like Marlene has been working hard out to the farm! Paint was, uhm, a touch tired . When I first saw the picture I said to myself that it looked like Randy's TD, but the paint, the horror LOL.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Wow, look at all the old guys you pulled out of the woodwork with a single post!