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06/11/2004 Entry: "The MI5"

This week's MI5

In honor of my new car, I present to you an automotive MI5 this week. (Incidently, Paddy mentioned that if he were doing the MI5, it would've been the same theme. Let's see how close I get to the questions he was going to use.)

1. What are you currently driving? What do you like and dislike about it?
I now have two vehicles. My "new" 1995 Taurus wagon, and "White Lightnin'," my 1992 Ford pick-up. I like being able to haul both passengers and drums in the wagon. The truck holds a lot, but can only hold two people and a kid comfortably. The cap on the pick-up leaks a little, so that's not good for hauling drums. And, they get cold in the winter with no chance to warm up. In the wagon, I'll be able to throw a little heat on them, at least.

2. Does your current vehicle have any strange quirks?
The wagon's doors only unlock with the key if the key has a certain side up. Flip the key 180 degrees, and it won't unlock the doors. The truck has two gas tanks. The first one, the gas level sending unit is broken, so it always reads empty on the gauge. The rear tank has a leak, and only holds about a gallon. So no matter how much gas you have, the gauge always reads empty!

3. Tell us a funny/unusual story about you and a car.
One time in White Lightnin', I got a flat tire in Augusta (about 50 miles away from my home). Bummer. Changing flats on a truck is a real pain. The jack and tire iron are stored under the hood. So I pulled on the hood latch, and it broke. I pulled it right out of the dash. Now, not only do I have a flat and a broken hood latch, but I can't open the hood to get the tools to change the flat. I had to be towed less than a mile to get a new tire put on at Sam's Club. Ironic part? I was just leaving Sam's when I got the flat!

4. If you could pick any car as your daily driver, what would you pick?
In reality, I don't care much about cars. I used to be able to tell models and years by looking. Not anymore. They all seem the same to me. Maybe I'm just getting old. But I do like the lines of the Audi TT coupe, and this here Mercedes.

5. If money were no object, and you could have any car you wanted, what would it be. Why?
The only vehicle that I ever really dream about with any regularity would be a late '20s Ahrens Fox. Big surprise, huh? Why the late '20s? I like the early models with the cab with no doors or winsheild. But in the early '20s, the wheels (not the tires) were made of wood. Expensive to replace/repair they are (a little Yoda speak for some reason this morning). Although this '49 Fox would do in a pinch. No doors, big gumdrop light, water cannon, twice pipes, button top, mmmm, clean!

Posted by Maria @ 06/12/2004 03:02 PM EST