About MatthewAnderson

MatthewAnderson · ‎15-04-2021

Wow, well done on the Continental. That would be pretty cool to have here in Germany. THe god of TÜV failures is with us both.

MatthewAnderson · ‎15-04-2021

You got it. The other week I had the motor apart to do the timing belt and found that my garage is too small to squeeze my bike (stashed in the back of the garage) by either side of the car. So I was walking a lot a few weeks ago.

MatthewAnderson · ‎15-04-2021

Thanks. They are different plates on the same car. Here in Germany, the plate doesn't follow the car for life like in the UK or Australia. The first two letters represent the town the car is registered in. If the car migrates from one town to another or changes hands, the plate is supposed to be turned in and re-registered. In this case, the early plates were from Balingen (BL) in the Black Forest. I was allowed to drive on them for a few weeks before they had to be turned in. The later plates are LB for my town outside of Ludwigsburg.

MatthewAnderson · ‎15-04-2021

Wow, that's a touching story. If you ever the urge to rekindle those memories with a Lada of your own, I'd be happy to help you find something.

MatthewAnderson · ‎15-04-2021

It's possible that he was kidnapped for a weekend of compulsory window design and returned safely.

MatthewAnderson · ‎15-04-2021

Give in to the temptation, Sajeev!

MatthewAnderson · ‎11-03-2021

Totally agree on the Lada over Lloyd comment! I chatted to a few oldtimers here in Germany and they told me boarding school, particularly to learn English, wasn't all too uncommon.

MatthewAnderson · ‎11-03-2021

That is kinda sad! This should be a family treasure. I tried to find the car and the family but ran into a dead end. I would absolutely love to hand these photos back over to the decedents of these folks. They came from a huge box of photos that probably came from an estate sale.

MatthewAnderson · ‎24-01-2021

I'm an absolute sucker for Valiants and the earlier the better. I had an Aussie one in South Carolina for a bit that I bought off a rancher while visiting Tasmania, then shipped it over. It was that oddball 245 Hemi with the little 904 Torq-Flite. I think some guy in Iowa has it now.

MatthewAnderson · ‎24-01-2021

We are absolutely on the same track there. While I can't imagine waiting for a car that I ordered 13 years ago, I can imagine looking 13 years for the right Skoda Rapid somewhere in the plains of Saskatchewan. I had a Skoda Favorit for a bit but had to scrap it due to the rust. An old Felicia or Octavia would be obtainable but due to my unwillingness to spend money, a Tatra or Chaika is out of my league. I guess I'll start my 13 year clock for a deal on one of those.

MatthewAnderson · ‎24-01-2021

Thank you. I'll do my best to do it justice. It should be in a rollable state relatively soon.

MatthewAnderson · ‎24-01-2021

Oh man, what a place to be a chicken!

MatthewAnderson · ‎24-01-2021

I can not say enough good things about John Doonan. Truly a sharp, egoless, class act in racing.

MatthewAnderson · ‎23-01-2021

Fantastic read! As a former employee of the detail bays of Saturn of Raleigh (2001-2003), I can attest to the loyalty of Saturn customers. Even the salesmen, for the most part, were in love with the brand and grew disappointed when the metal panels, shared platforms, and even Honda motors trickled in. Mega kudos to this girl and her support network.

MatthewAnderson · ‎09-12-2020

I think I've seen that actually, or something similar. They seem to have those kinds of signs in the black forest, where the curbing also is painted like a race track...

MatthewAnderson · ‎09-12-2020

Found that out the not-so-easy-but-def-not-hard way - by getting rerouted around ZTLs for about a half an hour trying to find my hotel.

MatthewAnderson · ‎09-12-2020

To each his own. The guy legally doing 150mph down an unobstructed left lane on the Autobahn no doubt begs to differ.

MatthewAnderson · ‎03-10-2020

Thanks! I have lots of bad ideas, the adventures just come while trying to pursue them!

MatthewAnderson · ‎03-10-2020

With anyone else's automotive luck, I would say they could motor down Stadium without fear of repetition.

MatthewAnderson · ‎19-08-2020

Grandpa would have much preferred a quick facetime with the grand kids then straight back to the Elks for $1 Old Style..

MatthewAnderson · ‎19-08-2020

I'm intrigued about how you dug all of this dirt up. Receipt tracking and Facebook stalking? Not judging, I do it too.

MatthewAnderson · ‎19-08-2020

Zero trash inside! I was super bummed not to find some commie candy wrappers or old receipts. I was really hoping for some exact dates...

MatthewAnderson · ‎19-08-2020

Fantastic, Tom! Thanks a ton for this enlightening comment. That had not even crossed my mind. Maybe this also explains all 10 rear lugnuts bringing the stud threads with them.

MatthewAnderson · ‎19-08-2020

That is an amazing story and a very clever method of spying. I had really wondered how access to publicly broadcast shows would be policed in such a state. Now I know!

MatthewAnderson · ‎19-08-2020

I was really surprised to not find gum wrappers, food trash, or anything like that. And yes, my wife deserves the Nobel Prize for Tolerance of Horrible Ideas.

MatthewAnderson · ‎19-08-2020

Such a pragmatic approach to evangelism!

MatthewAnderson · ‎12-07-2020

That's exactly the plan! I want to repair/replace the bare minimum and keep as much as possible of the existing outward appearance. Can't wait to start driving it.

MatthewAnderson · ‎12-07-2020

That's awesome to hear! I've started cracking into the 407 and am trying to get it on the road as fast as possible...before I get distracted by something else. I have my eye on a Wartburg 353 at the local junkyard.

MatthewAnderson · ‎11-07-2020

Hey, I just saw your comment regarding the car being a potential movie extra. That's a fantastic idea. Perhaps when I've had my fun with it here, I'll send it to hang with my junk stash in the US. They do film a lot of movies in Charleston, SC...

MatthewAnderson · ‎11-07-2020

Thanks! Tried to do the little car justice.

MatthewAnderson · ‎11-07-2020

That's very cool. I would love a Trabbi at some point. I had always heard it the other way around - that the Trabbi was a bit easier to live with than the Moskvich. But either way, they aren't exactly battling it out for the top step of the podium.

MatthewAnderson · ‎09-07-2020

@Pepperalls I'm totally with you! If I were still in South Carolina and there was only one Favorit and there was no TÜV, I would've just blasted the undercarriage with square stock chromoly and home made flooring. But I watched a few videos of how it needs to be done here and for small repairs, the overlapping joints are totally doable. But for factory quality large scale repairs it would've depleted the global stocks of spot weld drill bits.

MatthewAnderson · ‎08-07-2020

Dash photos coming!

MatthewAnderson · ‎04-07-2020

My dad had a similar mantra to yours: Ride like you're invisible. Forgoing the assumption that you're seen saved me quite a lot of road rash.

MatthewAnderson · ‎23-06-2020

Really one of the all time best shows of platform versatility! My wife drives a 2008 with the Selecta gearbox and I love borrowing it to beat the snot out of it.

MatthewAnderson · ‎06-06-2020

Oh wow! We would have been nearly neighbors! Definitely the Suzuki is the sensible and reliable choice.

MatthewAnderson · ‎06-06-2020

The early ones had a four speed which no doubt would have been buzzy on the highway! Even the newer ones you are not supposed to use fifth gear under 90kph due to fifth gear being weak. I think many turn into for speeds anyway!

MatthewAnderson · ‎25-05-2020

Oh my God, can we be friends? When can I visit!? No pressure 😂

MatthewAnderson · ‎22-05-2020

Thanks! I love to hear that feedback! I'll keep doing dumb stuff and putting pen to paper. Where did you grow up with such access to cars like this?!

MatthewAnderson · ‎22-05-2020

Haha! Best to be drunk for that one! Lord knows how structurally compromised that poor car was due to all the salt air!

MatthewAnderson · ‎22-05-2020

Danke fuer ihre Nachricht! The rust issues still persist with relatively new models. I have seen several for sale less than 10 years old with really bad structural rust. Otherwise they are totally bulletproof and - fortunately or not - due to rust, mechanical parts are very cheap and easy to find. Now you've got me thinking about doing youthful things in a Manta!

MatthewAnderson · ‎22-05-2020

That's exactly the kind of percussive maintenance the Lada was designed to endure! I had a similar issue with the differential lock. It took a massive shock to the driveline to make it work again. Were your experiences in Canada?

MatthewAnderson · ‎16-05-2020

Thanks! Lots of ultimately hilarious situations when you give into a place but knowing the language. I had considered keeping a memoir of everything that happens but in my progressing German. I wish I had actually done it from the beginning! Maybe it's still possible.

MatthewAnderson · ‎13-04-2020

You should be careful of who you hang out with! 🙂

MatthewAnderson · ‎13-04-2020

How cool! I can't blame you for wanting another. Though I secretly wish that mine were an Ami-6, I will never, ever sell it.

MatthewAnderson · ‎13-04-2020

I don't regret selling any at the moment, even though I miss the idea of still having one. Example: I don't miss my particular Falcon ute but I miss the prospect of having a nice one.

MatthewAnderson · ‎07-04-2020

I think the only part that would cross reference were the mag-style lug bolts on the Falcon Ute and the AMX!