Hobo Jungle

[rogruth]

For the Orange Township astronomer: Vesta

http://www.messagetoeagle.com/vestaenigmatic.php

[webenda]

Roger,

I could be mistaken, but I believe we have an MTJ member who lives in or near Orange Township, Pennsylvnia and enjoys astronomy, photography and tractors (amoungst other things). I thought he might be amused by the equatorial groves in the asteroid called Vesta. I know I am puzzled about who plowed those groves and why.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I know I am puzzled about who plowed those groves and why.

Very large off-road 4-wheeler doing laps?

[webenda]

I know I am puzzled about who plowed those groves and why.

Very large off-road 4-wheeler doing laps?

Here I was trying to figure out what the ground hog holes had to do with the grooves and it was so simple as ATV ruts. The ground hogs had nothing to do with it. Good deductive powers Rufus.

[rogruth]

Ah,I see it all now.

[The Dirt]

Wayne, no idea about the grooves, but the thing for me is of what we are now capable of doing, technologically, with quality of imaging, and that we could even get there in the first place. The Curiosity rover pictures have also been stunning.

Also amazing,that this craft orbiting Vesta is going to leave Vesta and fly to Ceres, whenthe timingis opportune.

Unreal!

[healey36]

MG's on the Rocks (Rocks State Park, Harford County, Maryland) Saturday, Sept. 29th:






The day was cold and damp...appropriate weather for viewing Brit iron...

Healey

[John Webster]

Lovely toys. Didn't think they made that many MGBGTs.

[jlong]

Damn Healy, that's quite the show case. MG's are cool. I had a 64 rag top during my college years in the late 70's. It was red and near identical to the red one in the second pic. It was pretty trashed when I graduated and I sold it for 500. I still have the original horn button that fell off. I liked it but the garden tractor motor had no power. And don't get me going on the twin SU's. I recall someone made kits for dropping small block chev V8's in them. Or maybe it was Ford Pinto engines or both. Anything would have done it justice. Just wish I had the money then to do a conversion.

[healey36]

From 1973 to 1976 the factory produced an MGB-GT with a 3.5 litre Rover V8 wedged into it. I think that engine was actually a small-block Buick engine that Rover used in their sedans for a number of years. I have seen them...they are beasts. I don't think you could slide a sheet of paper between the engine and the sides of the engine-compartment in any direction...very tight fit...God knows how you work on it.

They also produced the MGC which was an MGB with a straight-six in it. It is my understanding that, sadly, this was produced as a replacement for the big Healeys after BMC stopped producing those at the end of the 1960's. Scarcely a replacement, in my opinion, but then I'm a bit biased.

Healey

[Tramp]

I've probably posted this before but couldn't resist. My father racing in the late 40s with his Italian mechanic giving last instructions or who knows.

[healey36]

Wow...that's some history there. Looks like a late TC or maybe one of the first TD's, although the TD didn't come out until 1950. Most likely a supercharger under that cowling below the radiator. Never saw a TC with disc wheels, but I'm no expert. Looks like a Jag XK-120 parked adjacent, which dates it 1948 or later. Any idea on the location? Looks like it might have been a hill-climb...hill-climbing would be tough on spoked wheels.

The Italian is probably saying, "Don't mash up the car...I'll be in the Dunlop hospitality tent checking on that big blonde."

Healey

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Is it just my imagination, or does the mechanic look a lot like Robert De Niro in-character?
Murph

[webenda]

I see it too Murph.

[Tramp]

The mechanic was the machinist for Enzo Ferrari, actually forming the first V-12 with the legend. My father sponsored him so that he could come to Canada after the war. I met him once. A simply amazing man. De Niro must be a kindred spirit.

He made my father remove his wallet when racing—for weight. I have so many lovely stories about him—the polishing of inlet ports until they shone like a mirror.