November in NJ - Ugh.

[Grabberlicious]

I've been scarce here for about a month now that youth hockey season has descended upon my life and I sit here posting from the local arena while the man-child is on the ice smashing the boards.

 

The Shelby sleeps all covered and winterized in the garage and I visit often to peek underneath and dream of April. Im in full-on motoring withdrawal. I feel like a junkie, but in a good way. I managed to find time for about 1K miles of fun since delivery last summer but like every junkie, I need MORE and it hurts.

 

In anticipation of the withdrawal symptoms and to the dismay of my most understanding and patient wife, Ive accumulated some things to keep me busy when Im not in my second living room with a built-in ice arena.

 

A Ford Performance short-throw shifter will eat up a few hours and help relieve some of the pain and you know - those pinch-welds look awfully delicate, so a couple of jacking rails are in order...?. You see where this is going...

 

I guess beyond posting to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving ???, how do the rest of you northerners keep the Motorsports withdrawals at bay?

[Don Johnston]

I am sure that you could find some TS members in Florida that would be happy to keep your Shelby warm and comfy and let it out on occasions to stretch its legs until you called it back home.

[Anton Ruighaver]

I'm with you in NJ Grabberlicious... The winter withdrawal is at times unbearable....

 

Anton

[twobjshelbys]

My SGT had the Hurst short throw, I loved it. The Cobra did too and when I got the FGT I had the short throw installed before I ever saw the car. The short throw BELONGS on these cars. I think Ford puts the lazy shifter on and then leaves the better shifter as a bone to the parts guys.

 

Vegas loves snow birds, even more than Phoenix so take a couple of days on a cheap flight and cheap hotels (middle of the week is best), come and see the Shelby factory/museum. It's really nice here now - I used the pool with water temp at 74* last week (but buttoned it up for the season this last weekend). Thanksgiving is going to be 80. It will cool down at night.

 

Come to Phoenix or Vegas for a driving class - Phoenix has Bondurant and Vegas has the school at Spring Mountain. This time of the year through early April is the best time for those classes.

Edited November 21, 2017 by twobjshelbys

[Don Johnston]

Doing Phoenix (son and family just moved from north CA) and LV with stop to see friends at Heritage Center in Feb. Not looking forward to the very cold nights (for us) but enjoy the cool daytime. Only few days during the year that I can wear my Shelby jackets!

Edited November 21, 2017 by 66GT350PS

[1 Alibi 2]

I do not & have never subscribed to the winter lay-up thought process.

I'll look for those no snow, no salt days like today ( 54* ), and take it out.

I remember it being 60* on Christmas & New Year's a couple of years ago, & history has a way of repeating itself..

[Doug_GT350]

I do not & have never subscribed to the winter lay-up thought process.

I'll look for those no snow, no salt days like today ( 54* ), and take it out.

I remember it being 60* on Christmas & New Year's a couple of years ago, & history has a way of repeating itself..

I'm with you on this one! Mine is in the garage covered on the battery tender but if it's a nice day and the roads are dry I take it out and rotate the tires.... besides it makes for some nice pictures with a Black car against the White snow!

[Secondo]

+1 I'm driving mine year-round too. Just put on the Pirelli Sottozero wintersport tires and they are fantastic! Weathertech floor mats! Local touchless w/undercarriage car wash for $5!

 

I'm in CT, in NJ you can definitely do it too unless you are "saving" the car for the next person.

[spectreman]

I grew up in NJ, fled when I was 21 to the warmer climes of SoFla. Walking to campus (Rutgers) along the mighty River Raritan, as the icy winter wind came slicing through was the final straw.

 

If any of ya'll wanna park your GT500's in my driveway, and leave me the keys, I'll watch over them for you.

Lee

[Helge Ruchelski]

 

 

 

[Jimmy Sak]

22519360_10155748346524844_7305636517192387960_n.jpg

 

 

 

Of course they do, you feed and pamper them!!! Spoiled, nah....more like well deserved!

[Hawkeye O'Saben]

I saw a GT500 on the streets here in Rockford yesterday, blue with white stripes. Upper 40s but dry.

[BIKEBOY]

In NJ you can definitely do it too unless you are "saving" the car for the next person.

Yeah, what a waste that would be!!

 

[ilmor]

I am addressing this issue by moving south...soon!

[ViperNC]

Being from NC, the move to Boston in 1998 during the month of January was a shock to my system. Did my 4 year tour of duty up there and couldn't wait to get back to warmer climates and longer daylight during the winter. Even in NC we have periods during the winter where I am stuck inside and can only go to the garage to look at the GT500 and Cobra. Fortunately, we get a break about once a week and a nice dry day with temps above 40 (and sometimes as high as 60) and I usually fire up both cars back to back for a couple hours of driving through the back country roads. It takes the edge off.....

 

Recalling my time in the Northeast, I would never live there again. Too cold, too gloomy, too long. I feel for you. Internet shopping is dangerous when you're stuck with no place to go, but at least you can occupy yourself with projects. I'm not a big gamer type, but I have thought about buying an XBOX with the full driving setup and some racing games. Maybe that would pass the time during the long winter months.

 

I have a friend in Scottsdale and went out to see him during the month of January last year. We went hiking on a 75 degree day. It was amazing. Also got to see a Barrett Jackson auction in person. That was a lot of fun. Oh..... and the girls at ASU are all beautiful, and there are a ton of them. Take "manchild hockey boy" out there to start researching universities. With any luck, he will fall in love with it out there and then you have a place/reason to go out there during the winter months.

 

Or as Ilmor plans to do: move south. All are welcome if you decide to join me in NC.

[David Hawkins]

I still can't believe people want to live in Canada and Alaska. Of course, I still can't believe people still want to live in California, but for a different reason.......

[Secondo]

All are welcome if you decide to join me in NC.

+1 Not liking the northeast. Planning on moving your way once the kids are settled.

[mach 1 1970]

Left Detroit in 1971 for south fla. Moved to Roswell just north of Atlanta in 1980 and thats as far north Im willing to go. The winter sports in Michigan were great when your a teen and driving Woodard ave was also great. But retired on the northern side of Atlanta is great for driving all Year round. Snow maybe once a year if that.

Two white Christmases In 38 years. Grandkids only 25 minutes away !!

65 degrees this weekend. No shopping but will be driving. Only 2 miles from I -575 and enjoy those on ramps a lot. The so called mountains are only one hour north and great country roads also. The beach 5 hours away.

Ride Sally ride ?....you better slow that mustang down !

Edited November 23, 2017 by mach 1 1970

[Secondo]

Left Detroit in 1971 for south fla. Moved to Atlanta in 1980 and thats as far north Im willing to go. The winter sports in Michigan were great when your a teen and driving Woodard ave was also great. But retired on the northern side of Atlanta is great for driving all Year round. Snow maybe once a year if that.

Two white Christmases In 38 years.

65 degrees this weekend. No shopping but will be driving. Only 2 miles from 575 and enjoy those on ramps a lot. The so called mountains are only one hour north and great country roads also. Ride Sally ride ?....you better slow that mustang down !

That's understandable!

 

Nice pic!

[ilmor]

 

Or as Ilmor plans to do: move south. All are welcome if you decide to join me in NC.

 

I'll be moved to and living in TN after Christmas :-)

[Helge Ruchelski]

Ahhhh...the Great White North!

You hosers don't know what you're missing! Eh?

[Secondo]

Ahhhh...the Great White North!

You hosers don't know what you're missing! Eh?

No, please tell us!

[Helge Ruchelski]

No, please tell us!

 

Whats not to like about this??

My sons car a few years ago after I asked him to clear the driveway and got attitude. So I did it...LOL

 

[twobjshelbys]

Being from NC, the move to Boston in 1998 during the month of January was a shock to my system. Did my 4 year tour of duty up there and couldn't wait to get back to warmer climates and longer daylight during the winter. Even in NC we have periods during the winter where I am stuck inside and can only go to the garage to look at the GT500 and Cobra. Fortunately, we get a break about once a week and a nice dry day with temps above 40 (and sometimes as high as 60) and I usually fire up both cars back to back for a couple hours of driving through the back country roads. It takes the edge off.....

 

Recalling my time in the Northeast, I would never live there again. Too cold, too gloomy, too long. I feel for you. Internet shopping is dangerous when you're stuck with no place to go, but at least you can occupy yourself with projects. I'm not a big gamer type, but I have thought about buying an XBOX with the full driving setup and some racing games. Maybe that would pass the time during the long winter months.

 

I have a friend in Scottsdale and went out to see him during the month of January last year. We went hiking on a 75 degree day. It was amazing. Also got to see a Barrett Jackson auction in person. That was a lot of fun. Oh..... and the girls at ASU are all beautiful, and there are a ton of them. Take "manchild hockey boy" out there to start researching universities. With any luck, he will fall in love with it out there and then you have a place/reason to go out there during the winter months.

 

Or as Ilmor plans to do: move south. All are welcome if you decide to join me in NC.

 

We lived in MA from 86-96 and I concur with everything you wrote about New England. Notably "too cold, too long" is about as good a summary as I can come up with.

 

The opening of the winter/spring semester at ASU is unique. There are whole bunches of women that come there and being new to the desert and coming from cold climates feel that 65 is an invitation to wear very skimpy stuff to the point of having a contest to see who could get away with wearing the least I worked at ASU in 1978 and my office was on the ground level and the window looked out on one of the main sidewalks through campus. You could tell the locals because they were wearing normal clothes until mid-March.

 

PS. It's 83 according to my weather station here in Vegas right now and I have the back door open

Edited November 22, 2017 by twobjshelbys

[ilmor]

Everyone has their preferences. The winters in the NE are indeed too cold, for too long. On the other hand, I'm also not a fan of the desert climates which are too hot, for too long for my liking. I am a fan of the seasons; all 4 of them. So, I'm hoping for the "mid-south" to be nice blend. Besides much longer periods of nice driving weather, TN will also provide a lot of nice wide-open spaces and roads to drive on. I probably won't be moving the Shelby GT down there until the winter weather has passed here up north, as I want to drive it there.

[twobjshelbys]

Everyone has their preferences. The winters in the NE are indeed too cold, for too long. On the other hand, I'm also not a fan of the desert climates which are too hot, for too long for my liking. I am a fan of the seasons; all 4 of them. So, I'm hoping for the "mid-south" to be nice blend. Besides much longer periods of nice driving weather, TN will also provide a lot of nice wide-open spaces and roads to drive on. I probably won't be moving the Shelby GT down there until the winter weather has passed here up north, as I want to drive it there.

 

re: mid-south. I knew some people from the old DEC (Digital Equipment Corp, who was very supportive of relocation, always company paid) that moved to Atlanta (Alpharetta) for that reason.

[mach 1 1970]

Everyone has their preferences. The winters in the NE are indeed too cold, for too long. On the other hand, I'm also not a fan of the desert climates which are too hot, for too long for my liking. I am a fan of the seasons; all 4 of them. So, I'm hoping for the "mid-south" to be nice blend. Besides much longer periods of nice driving weather, TN will also provide a lot of nice wide-open spaces and roads to drive on. I probably won't be moving the Shelby GT down there until the winter weather has passed here up north, as I want to drive it there.

Sounds like a well planned move and yes I enjoy the 4 seasons also. Signal mountain just north of Chattanooga is a beautiful area. Some beautiful lakes up that way as well.

[Secondo]

 

Whats not to like about this??

My sons car a few years ago after I asked him to clear the driveway and got attitude. So I did it...LOL

 

IMG_0062 (002) (Medium).jpg

 

[Don Johnston]

I am a fan of year around spring where I am without freezing winters or desert heat summers. I noticed with the change of seasons, my friends, like myself, were always looking forward to the next season. In the summer, we couldn't wait for colorful trees and cooler days. The after the falling leaves left the trees, we waited for the first snow and related fun, if there was time for any. In the midst of winter when the temperatures were miserably low, snow and ice a traffic nightmare and the bleak lack of color in nature, we wished for the days of spring flowers and warmer temperatures. As the spring showers and muddy fields kept us inside, we looked forward to warmer and longer days of summer and all the daytime fun it allowed. And the cycle repeated.

 

But I did find many with performance cars and trucks, venturing out on snow and ice free days as long as the roads were clear of salt and ice. It is a bit difficult, even with the best of tires, to get a fun run on a winding road at the low temps, but still fun.

[Fat Boss]

Awe come on out to Cali guys. We have the best Team Shelby calendar of events! It's forecast to be in the 70's today so I'll have the Shelby out.

 

Besides, the housing market provides an incredible investment that lower priced market owners need to work very hard to keep up with.

 

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Home-Values-Bay-Area-High-San-Jose-Zillow-Report-459309093.html

 

Remember, 80% of the land in CA is RED. Stay out of the train wrecks like SF and it's not so bad.