California

[HillbillySailor]

Re: California

I enjoyed my visit out there, and wish I'd have took a duty station out there at least once during my Navy career. The weather is awesome. For a car guy, Keith's right, it it bitchin'. I couldn't believe all the old iron I saw on the streets. I loved driving down the Pacific Coast Highway, driving through L.A. and Hollywood, and just taking in the overall California experience. Definitely alot to keep a body busy and you don't have to look hard to do it. About everyone I met there was nice (except some guy got angry at me for taking a picture of his truck at the drags), and most seemed to love my West Virginia accent for some reason. I even had one older lady comment me on my manners (the whole open doors for someone and say sir/ma'am to my elders thing).

As to living out there on a permanent basis? The cost of housing, gas, and taxes are a little steep for me. That, and I love being within a day's drive from West Virginia. That's home to me. That's where most of my family is located. It would be real hard to not be at least somewhat close to that. If I didn't have those things to consider, I'd move there in a minute. Hell, if I was offered a good job out that way I'd still move out there even with all those considerations in mind.

[ch1ll]

Re: California

Don't come here.

Not even to visit?

[88 Dippy]

Re: California

Don't come here.

No worries David, I wont. Have absolutely no desire to go there whatsoever.

same

all the laws about cars.... none of mine would pass emissions being fedral emission system cars

and the GA has an engine out of a diffrent car. i hear people say they do not like that. plus it was in a few acidents. it's safe but not sure how they would look at it.

the LeBaron is a 92 with 137,000 miles. that means the mitsu 3.0 burns some oil due to sunken valve guids... not bad after it is up to temp it clears out but enough to fail if it was ever tested

[stage1scott]

Re: California

Guys.... I lived there in my youth.... left at 18 to join the Army.... went back for a month a year for many years and have spent lots of time there in the last few years.....

I love California.... genuinely... the weather is THE POOP.... No place on our dear earth is as good.... that Pure that simple... it is just the best... NO FREAKING WHITE STUFF EVER..... ( cept in the Mountains where it's supposed to be ).....

The Car culture is in fact Nirvana.... pure and simple... if you want it and your in LA you can have it... the guys are there.. they do the thing... Every damn night of the week you could do something really bitchen.....

I miss my friends and our way of life....

Here's the down sides.... it's Crowded .... read traffic... ( by a scooter.. lane splitting is legal and a true art form )...
It's really hard to make a name for yourself in a sea of incredibly talented people ( if your young and trying to be "that Guy" )
It's EXpensive like 14 mo's eating a ham sandwich.... I'm talking that's all they can afford.... cause the rest of the money went on that MD 20/20

Genuinely if your young and talented and want to make your mark.... you gotta be where the folks are... that simple.

Go....

If your an old fart like me.... who's got a little pension and a passion for all that junk.... go somewhere you can afford to live and love the life you can have there..... only you get to define your outcome....

K

Keith says it all right here-after growing up in PA,Michigan,Ohio, I moved here in 79 at the age of 25. In addition to my car sickness, I have had the motorcycle sickness pretty bad as well. Being able to ride 350 days a year was/is nirvana to me. I spent waaaaaay too many nights/mornings freezing my butt off in those winters in Michigan and Ohio repaing cars in shops that barely got above the outside temperature all day long. I have traveled the country extensively on 2 wheels and 4, and there are MANY MANY great places in these united states. My arrival here was heaven at the time. Now, I am certain when or if I ever retire (56 with a 10yo) I will have to move elsewhere to affford living. OTOH, mostly due to the huge population here, it is possible to earn a decent living in auto repair, as there are more cars that need fixed than QUALITY repair shops fixing them. I own 2 repair businesses and while I won't ever be rich, I do make enough to live here. And I can possibly run my shops into "the golden years" with the right combination of employees and maybe never have to retire. It surely is not for everyone, but the car and bike scene here, as Keith said above, is nirvana! One photo from a "detail clinic" we held at my business. MOtoring Magic yesterday-note, even though we are a "late model MINI repair shop" I advertised the free lessons on detail to the enthusiast public, and we got a 32 Ford Roadster, a Buick GSX (that I had never seen or heard of before!) A pristine 1987 Porsche Carrerra as well as a smattering of other non-MINI cars. That just illustrates how widespread the car thing is here. Oh yeah, and I would pointout-it is mid november, look at that sunshine pouring down!

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: California

We were (maybe still?) looking at moving to Cali - the thing that struck me the most was the attitude of most of the people I met - how do I say this? - they were a bit tightly wound.... illustrated by one conversation - "What do you do for hobbies?" the guy looked at me like I was nuts, said "I don't have a hobby, I work 7am to 10 pm... sometimes I don't see my kids for days on end..... his wife is a dentist and apparently she doesn't see the kids either.... the odd part, he didn't see anything wrong with that - and commented later his kids needed to grow up a bit (they were 7 and 10)...

my thought - all that nice weather wasted.

[Tazracing]

Re: California

Just wondering if anyone else has been romanticized by California as a result of images and stories from Hot Rod, Car Craft, or just hot rodding in general. I'm not one to move around much, I like to stay close to home, but if I could move anywhere, it would be So-Cal.

I was there for the first time last year for a friend's wedding, in San Diego, and I DID NOT WANT TO GO HOME. The streets, the flora, the cars, the weather -- it all looked so familiar, and I can only attribute it to having seen so much of it in the mags. It's fascinating that even pictures from tech stories, which may only capture a little bit of the environ, still leave quite an impression.

So, anybody else drawn to So-Cal because of the influence of the car culture?

nope I'd do texas or n.c. first..
cali is greenie ville.. no thanks..
same with fla... was nice to goto for a week but to live no thank you..

[bearphoto]

Re: California

Been here in so. cal for all my 55 years. the weather is the best, cept maybe here at home at 7000 feet, gets too cold for me in the winter. But down the mountain the weather is great. With that said, i am looking for "paradise". I'd like to get out of cali due to the political climate, heavy traffic and all the rules/emissions ect. So where is paradise? I dont want anymore cold, no tornadoes, no hurricanes, no high humidity and bugs, no dead forests/forest fires, no earthquakes (although better than tornadoes), no ski resorts

No high taxes, no high registration fees, retirement friendly. Just a few things to make it paradise for me.

[Chassisman]

Re: California

Do like I do....live in Central Calif.....dead center..... little over an hour to Yosemite national park.....around 2 hours to Monterey Bay ....1:45 To San Francisco.....and 3:30 to LA .....NO TRAFFIC..... 5/3 bath house on 5 acres... 175.000..... gas is 3.10 a gallon......I'm between Bakersfield and Sacramento tracks....and Infineon isnt that far either....FRESNO is 30 minutes south and has some the "GUYS" when it comes to car culture. Not to mention hall of fame pinstriper/custom painter Craig Judd lives in Chowchilla.....come to my paradise!!!!!.... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Caveman Tony]

Re: California

Honestly? I've lived (for at least a while) in about 11 cities now, and visited a hundred more, and there are plenty of a-holes in every one.

The traffic sucks in ALL metro and medium-density suburban areas. Cities in TX, FL, SC, AZ, MA, NY, MI, you name it. There are simply more cars on the road now.


I WILL say that AZ (NOT including Phoenix!), Utah, CO, and most suburban-to-rural areas in southern or western states are the bomb-diggity for car guys. No rust, and decent weather to roll in Nov-March.

Anyplace that gets wet or cold/wet weather just sucks. And I've shoveled my share of the white stuff.

On the subject of Cali, I will also say that those Californians who dislike other Californians are 100% correct! ;D

The cost of living is similar in most other expensive places these days, but you just can't get a house with a garage in So-Cal for anything less than obscene money. Same thing in NYC area, Boston area, yada, yada, yada... Someone, please prove me wrong.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: California

Do like I do....live in Central Calif.....dead center..... little over an hour to Yosemite national park.....around 2 hours to Monterey Bay ....1:45 To San Francisco.....and 3:30 to LA .....NO TRAFFIC..... 5/3 bath house on 5 acres... 175.000..... gas is 3.10 a gallon......I'm between Bakersfield and Sacramento tracks....and Infineon isnt that far either....FRESNO is 30 minutes south and has some the "GUYS" when it comes to car culture. Not to mention hall of fame pinstriper/custom painter Craig Judd lives in Chowchilla.....come to my paradise!!!!!.... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Chowchilla, local indian word for murderers. Apropriate because it's also the home of three prisons, including the ladies death row.

Even more scary, is that Steve Dulcich lives very near to you.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: California

Even more scary, is that Steve Dulcich lives very near to you.

now that would worry me the most ;D

[Chassisman]

Re: California

Do like I do....live in Central Calif.....dead center..... little over an hour to Yosemite national park.....around 2 hours to Monterey Bay ....1:45 To San Francisco.....and 3:30 to LA .....NO TRAFFIC..... 5/3 bath house on 5 acres... 175.000..... gas is 3.10 a gallon......I'm between Bakersfield and Sacramento tracks....and Infineon isnt that far either....FRESNO is 30 minutes south and has some the "GUYS" when it comes to car culture. Not to mention hall of fame pinstriper/custom painter Craig Judd lives in Chowchilla.....come to my paradise!!!!!.... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Chowchilla, local indian word for murderers. Apropriate because it's also the home of three prisons, including the ladies death row.

Even more scary, is that Steve Dulcich lives very near to you.

Steves a little south of me.....lol......and it's only 2 womens prisons.....Central Calif Womens Facility and Valley State Prison for Women....I actually retired from VSPW last feburary.....was born and raised here.....

And heres the only Indian killers....our high school football team...the CHOWCHILLA REDSKINS.....also can be seen in Brooks and Dunns INDIAN SUMMER video....and the guy in yellow/white...#12....is Tenn Vols QB Tyler Bray....when we shut them out for the vally title in 08.... ;D ;D ;D


And this dude is much scarier than Dulcich.......

[Tazracing]

Re: California

Guys.... I lived there in my youth.... left at 18 to join the Army.... went back for a month a year for many years and have spent lots of time there in the last few years.....

I love California.... genuinely... the weather is THE POOP.... No place on our dear earth is as good.... that Pure that simple... it is just the best... NO FREAKING WHITE STUFF EVER..... ( cept in the Mountains where it's supposed to be ).....

sorry hawaii is better

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: California

Guys.... I lived there in my youth.... left at 18 to join the Army.... went back for a month a year for many years and have spent lots of time there in the last few years.....

I love California.... genuinely... the weather is THE POOP.... No place on our dear earth is as good.... that Pure that simple... it is just the best... NO FREAKING WHITE STUFF EVER..... ( cept in the Mountains where it's supposed to be ).....

sorry hawaii is better

Hawaii has rust problems like the North East!

[Tazracing]

Re: California

but the weather