For the past 24 years I have traveled to thousands of RC races all over the Southwest using the faithful Chevy Astro Van. Bought new in 1985, it now has over 300,000 miles on it and has been to RC races in California, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. It has carried thousands of pounds of Lexan, been camping in many National parks, towed the Race Trailer and still starts every time and cruises smoothly at 75 mph.

But.....it is showing it's age in some areas and will become part of the "cash for clunkers" program this week. It will be sad to see it go, however the one constant in the universe is "nothing lasts forever".

A few old friends gathered at the RC races today for some parting shots with "the old race van". RIP

wow... in NY you could sell that as new!

Hey A McAllister FORD FLEX would look SWEET~~~

must be nice to keep a car for 20 years and not have the salt monster eat the bottom half of it.

around here a Astro would have big holes in them after 7 years.

... Chevy Astro Van. Bought new in 1985, it now has over 300,000 miles on it ... But.....it is showing it's age in some areas and will become part of the "cash for clunkers" program this week. ...

Seems like a good deal, might as well take full advantage of it, eh? Like most if not all gov't programs, some estimates indicated that up to half or more of the Tax Payer money spent on the clunker scam goes for overhead, waste, fraud and theft: another new NHTSA bureaucracy, offices, lots of computers, equipment, supplies, advertising, travel, meetings, testing, symposiums, bureaucratic bonuses and promotions, contractors, etc, etc. Would anyone be surprised if each individual clunker deal actually cost the Tax Payer (and our descendants) $10,000.00? $20,000.00? $50,000.00 or more? Their clunker scam sets a terrible precedent where for the first time in history, the feds actually go out of their way to destroy older vehicles for political purposes. It hurts the used vehicle, auto parts and repair businesses, and creates an artificial new vehicle sales “bubble” (kinda like they did with housing). Now its probably not too much of a leap for ’em to go after anything built pre-FMVSS/EPA someday in the name of safety, green and/or just politics. Enjoy your new Toyato/Hundy!
:dude:

I have heard lots of differing opinions on this program. I guess the bottom line is, the government is going to give the money (our money) away regardless....so at least some of us will get a break rather than handing the money straight to the big corporations.

I don't like the idea of destroying good vehicles that someone less fortunate could still use... but I'm not going to let an good oportunity pass by, nor should anybody else.

Not all deals will be borrowed money either and I bought a Chevy, not a foreign brand....hopefully it will help our economy some.

Thank you for buying USA, even if some of the parts are made else were... most of it stays here.
I figure your old car paid you back like $25,000.

you are right gary to buy american. i was really unhappy when the gov't allowed the cash for clunkers to foreign cars. i no that alot of the big threes parts come from overseas but at least the profits stay here not shipped overseas.

Nothing personal, it is what it is. Now a days, most folks probably would probably say “screw it”, someone is gonna’ take it so why not?

Philosophically speaking, do the good points outweigh the bad points?

Good points- A new car and $4500.00 for a $1500 turd on trade in (forget about the immediate depreciation upon delivery that might render it all meaningless). Support of local selling dealer, warranty, free car washes and oil changes. Helping the New General Motors and the car czars. New vehicle might be more effecient than older vehicle. Reduction in operating costs.

Bad points- Older vehicle COMPLETELY destroyed for political purposes. A poor family or individual denied an inexpensive vehicle and/or source of low cost parts. An auto repair and auto parts businesses denied another potential customer. Support of what could be considered legalized theft of tax payer money. Another data point in support of another illogical and wasteful big govt program. Another $4500.00 plus to $50000.00 borrowed from China to finance each clunker deal. The environmental harm and energy losses due to the complete destruction of the vehicle, etc, etc.
Admittedly, there are probably a large number of folks who think the above bad points are actually good points…

I'm glad that there is not a federal RC racing czar (yet)!
:dude:

I agreed with swtour ya shoulda went with the blue (oval). McAllister & oval its just a better match. Besides where ya gonna get the chevy serviced once they go in the tank with chrysler.

I had to chime in on this one.............

Chuck I hate to say it but the last real american car was the EDSEL. I used to be in the industry and I can tell you I have seen "made inXXXXX" tags from just about half the globe on cars. Not busting chops here just passing on what I have seen in yrs past. If you remember in the late 80's to mid 90's Chevy had the nova out as a four door hatch back ??? NOPE it was a rebadged toyota.

Gary to bad about loosing an old "friend" but a new one could be fun. As for me by the time I'm done with a car even the most down and out would pass it on. They have hit or exceded the 250,000 mile mark or 12 yrs plus in age.

I just hope they don;t go from cash for clunkers to..... cash for classics. It would be a shame to loose the whole hotrod and classic car hobby and industry.

My car of choise has an oval on the front BUT has 6 stars in that oval.............Yup I drive a Subaru outback. Unless I'm wrong it was made here at the plant in Indiana back in 96.

one thing to think about this "cash for clunkers" I would bet that at least half will get repoed bythe end of the year. with out a job it is hard to pay for that new car

hey gary you should make a body like your old van that would be cool

whats next? dieter trading in his epic van?

one thing to think about this "cash for clunkers" I would bet that at least half will get repoed bythe end of the year. with out a job it is hard to pay for that new car

hey gary you should make a body like your old van that would be cool

with that comment made i was concidering the cash for clunkers but i was figuring on a massive bill with a new ride, you still got to figure 4500 isnt much compared to a 25 to 30 thousand dollar vehicle.. i have a family of 5 which limits what i can get for a vehicle and cost.... im still unemployed and so far theres nothing in michigan for jobs... i feel the government is going to kill off the little car dealerships that sell nothing but used cars that some people cant barely afford but to get have to get for the transportation

You clearly missed what I said,, I said mostly in the USA. some parts elseware.

I had to chime in on this one.............

Chuck I hate to say it but the last real american car was the EDSEL. I used to be in the industry and I can tell you I have seen "made inXXXXX" tags from just about half the globe on cars. Not busting chops here just passing on what I have seen in yrs past. If you remember in the late 80's to mid 90's Chevy had the nova out as a four door hatch back ??? NOPE it was a rebadged toyota.

Gary to bad about loosing an old "friend" but a new one could be fun. As for me by the time I'm done with a car even the most down and out would pass it on. They have hit or exceded the 250,000 mile mark or 12 yrs plus in age.

I just hope they don;t go from cash for clunkers to..... cash for classics. It would be a shame to loose the whole hotrod and classic car hobby and industry.

My car of choise has an oval on the front BUT has 6 stars in that oval.............Yup I drive a Subaru outback. Unless I'm wrong it was made here at the plant in Indiana back in 96.

My wifes PT Cruiser was made South of the Boarder... 2002...
My Dodge Ram,,, Texas and south of the Boarder....2004
get over it...

Gary buy a car you will like... hopefullly it will last 1/2 as long as this one..

Bad points- Older vehicle COMPLETELY destroyed for political purposes. A poor family or individual denied an inexpensive vehicle and/or source of low cost parts. An auto repair and auto parts businesses denied another potential customer. Support of what could be considered legalized theft of tax payer money. Another data point in support of another illogical and wasteful big govt program. Another $4500.00 plus to $50000.00 borrowed from China to finance each clunker deal. The environmental harm and energy losses due to the complete destruction of the vehicle, etc, etc.(yet)!
:dude:

The program does not completely destroy the clunker just the engine. What they do is after the car is traded in the have to drain the oil out the engine put the drain plug back in than put about 5qts of Drano in the engine and run it till it locks up. The car is than placed on the back line until the junkyard can come and pick up the clunker, everything but the engine can be scraped or resold. but it does take away the chance for someone to get a inexpensive car

but what would the point be..if we re sold the gas hogs back to the poor so they have a cheap ride? the idea is/was to get the gas hogs off the road...one idea i do like so far..

not to mention the new chevy volt will get 230 mpg city and cost 33,000 poor saps who ran out and bout a sissy yota!

But...now they gotta shell out some more for the charging unit. Can buy alot of gas for $40,000. How long will the batteries last? :rolleyes:

But...now they gotta shell out some more for the charging unit. Can buy alot of gas for $40,000. How long will the batteries last? :rolleyes:

Does that even matter? There will be a new battery out before the season is over anyway. Oh, you mean real cars...... :lol:

-E

but what would the point be..if we re sold the gas hogs back to the poor so they have a cheap ride? the idea is/was to get the gas hogs off the road...one idea i do like so far..

not to mention the new chevy volt will get 230 mpg city and cost 33,000 poor saps who ran out and bout a sissy yota!

Nothing personal katf1sh, always enjoy your posts. And someday, if your Volt does indeed get 250 mpg, don’t look at the ‘lectric bill or battery invoice(s). And don’t crash in it either.

Gas guzzlers, eh? Each $4,500.00 coupon probably costs taxpayers upwards of $10,000.00 or more, considering overhead, waste and losses before a single vehicle is sold. Lets say your old rust bucket ‘85 Chevy dually truck had an EPA estimated combined 11 mpg. The feds will now give you a $4,500.00 coupon to trade it on a new truck (hopefully a Government Motors product) if it has an EPA estimated combined 2 mpg greater than the "gas guzzling clunker" to be destroyed. Isn’t that how it works?? A 2 mpg difference is all it takes on the bottom of their chart. Lets see how many miles will the new truck have to be driven to pay the taxpayer back for this investment. The difference in fuel mileage between the EPA estimated 11 mpg truck and the EPA estimated 13 mpg truck might really be 2 mpg. Using the EPA estimates to calculate the fuel consumed to travel 100,000 miles, the old truck will use 9,091 gallons of fuel, the new one 7,692 gallons. At a fuel cost of $2.50 per gallon, it will cost about $3,500.00 less to travel 100,000 miles in the new truck. Can’t forget $265.00 less federal fuel taxes paid too. So how much money did the taxpayer get back for the first 100,000 miles on the new truck?

Additionally, does anybody think destroying usable vehicles for political purposes is patently un-American? What about that gas guzzling clunker big block engine in the dually the feds ordered destroyed? Compare the "carbon footprint" of the clunker scam, shipping shredded short iron to the Orient and casting, machining and building a brand new big block from scratch to actually recycling (rebuilding) the old engine.

Is it all suppose to be some type of abstract psychodelic karma payback that only certain intellects can appreciate?? Do most folks really wanna' take full advantage of “FREE GOVERNMENT MONEY”? Sure glad we have RC racing to take one’s mind off of all the bovine scatology spraying about everywhere now-a-days…
:dude:

There is another REAL downside to all these [full size] battery operated electric cars. That being the amount of pollution created to produce the batterys, the disposal of those batterys when they expire and the other processes that deplete natural resources to produce the batterys in the first place. All under the guise of saving gasoline.

IT DOESN"T WASH!!!

Something else to think about in regards to the electric car, whats going to happen to the power grid when all of these things come on line at 5:30 or 6:00 when all of these green freaks get home from work and begin charging them? We are already short on the availability of electric generation, and now you're adding something else to consume more electricity. Think about what was happening out in California several years back. Rolling brownouts. On top of that, if the cap and trade bill gets passed, you better believe the cost of electricity WILL go up. Coal is the biggest generator of electric energy in the US (and possibly the world) and thats what cap and trade is directed at. I know one local Generation and Transmission Utility is having a very hard time getting a new power plant built here in South Carolina because it's coal fired. But yet when they run the water generation plant in Monks Corner, they get a bunch of bi****ng and moaning about sedement in the Charleston harbor. I guess you just can't win.

I read somewhere a couple years ago about a study concerning the actual cost benefits comparing a Hummer and Prius.

Taking into account the initial cost of each vehicle, maintenance, fuel and average life expectancy of each vehicle, it was actually cheaper to OWN a Hummer.


I'll see if I can find the article and post it.

I heard that on the radio a few days ago.

I found the article.

I also found a that a bunch of 'greenie-weenies' made claims to counter the article.

Just Google "Hummer vs Prius carbon footprint" and you will quickly find more on it than I care to read!



Well, since this is getting sorta political. Clike HERE (http://aclu.org/pizza/images/screen.swf) and make sure your volume is up a little. :)

at least the hummer is built in the US the other came in on a boat

This past Fall while listening to talk radio I heard an interesting fact concerning "American" trucks. Of all trucks made in the continental US the one with the most parts manufactured in the United States.............Toyota Tundra....

I am going to support whatever company that does not take bail out money from the Taxpayers. That Tundra is a great truck and Toyota is a great company, other auto manufacturers should try to copy their business model. I am a ford person from the word go, I have a 1999 F250 Diesel with 310,000 miles on it and a 2003 Expedition with just over 100,000. Both have been excellent vehicles. No way would I take 4,500 for either, lol. I say buy what you want and I agree with Gary, the Gov. is gonna give that money away so if you are in a position to trade you should do it as somebody is going to get the money, it might as well be you.

The "Old Race Van" is gone...replaced by a Chevy Equinox. Don't know where all the parts are made....Hopefully Chevy will build another one from the recycled Van metal and a GM employee will have a job and buy a McAllister Racing body.....I'm happy.

Gary McAllister

The "Old Race Van" is gone...replaced by a Chevy Equinox. Don't know where all the parts are made....Hopefully Chevy will build another one from the recycled Van metal and a GM employee will have a job and buy a McAllister Racing body.....I'm happy.

Gary McAllister

BEST of luck with the new car...may it live longgggggg.

Chuck

If I owned one of the top RC body companies in the USA, I would not have mentioned the clunker scam. Business must be pretty bad if you actually needed a taxpayer funded $4500.00 coupon to buy another minivan. Again, nothing personal. I have purchased dozens of your bodies and recommended them to many others. Just tried to present a few of the many downsides of the clunker scam. No need to go into the govt takeover of GM and the revenge politics used to dispose of employees, dealers, investors, suppliers, etc, etc, that a few VIPs didn't like. Guess the bottom line is that if you support that style of govt, and/or don't give a crap, take all you can when you can.
:dude:

The "Old Race Van" is gone...replaced by a Chevy Equinox. Don't know where all the parts are made....Hopefully Chevy will build another one from the recycled Van metal and a GM employee will have a job and buy a McAllister Racing body.....I'm happy.

Gary McAllister

Yea, but does it have the McAllister colors on it yet?

:wave:

-E

Congrats on the new van. Will miss the old Astro. It was such a fixture for us at events. I would also take this time to thank you for your undying support of rc racing. Hopefully this can continue for years to come. Now with the new van, Isn't it time for a road trip. Come on down from the mountain and visit us.LOL Hopefully we'll see you sooner than later.

Later,
Wes

If I owned one of the top RC body companies in the USA, I would not have mentioned the clunker scam. Business must be pretty bad if you actually needed a taxpayer funded $4500.00 coupon to buy another minivan. Again, nothing personal. I have purchased dozens of your bodies and recommended them to many others. Just tried to present a few of the many downsides of the clunker scam. No need to go into the govt takeover of GM and the revenge politics used to dispose of employees, dealers, investors, suppliers, etc, etc, that a few VIPs didn't like. Guess the bottom line is that if you support that style of govt, and/or don't give a crap, take all you can when you can.
:dude:
If you know Gary, you also know that he squeeks a little when he walks! All kidding aside, since we are ALL paying for "cash for clunkers" we are entitled to the rewards also! Besides after seeing white/blue/orange on the track for the last 12yrs, often in front of my car, I would like to see the Astro crushing party!

Congrats on the new van. Will miss the old Astro. It was such a fixture for us at events. I would also take this time to thank you for your undying support of rc racing. Hopefully this can continue for years to come. Now with the new van, Isn't it time for a road trip. Come on down from the mountain and visit us.LOL Hopefully we'll see you sooner than later.

Later,
Wes

an equinox is not a van its a 2wd suv.. cross breeding between a van and a suv.. LOL:tongue:

tgardner41-
That is a pretty dark view of our Government, and certainly not totally ill-founded. I used to work in D.C. many years ago in another life, so I know first hand how much waste of tax payer's money there is...however, the "Clunkers" program is probably the least offensive thing I've seen the Government do, and hopefully that cyclical thing I mentioned will help in some way. Not sure if we are one of the top RC companies, but we try to keep up some and buying a new car every 25 years doesn't mean I'm a spend thrift or getting rich doing this. I would have quit a long time ago if it was just for money. Oh, I do appreciate your support of McAllister Racing.

Darkside- I searched everywhere for a blue, orange and white Equinox...but no luck.

Thanks Wes...I'm sure we will be down to race soon....after it cools down a little.

Gary

Thank you Gary for some great bodies and your part in RC racing. What ever you bought is up to you, but you should have looked at the caddilac hybird 60,000 and it could have been yours for the next 30 years.

Hey Gary-

I bet Kathy will be much happier wheeling a new ride that "blends in" a little better.

IMO the old van should be spared by the city of Flagstaff and use it to throw penny candy out of during holiday parades.

Enjoy the new vehicle my friend.

Just to show how strange the cash for clunkers program is, hear is my truck it’s a 2003 dodge ram fully loaded 113000 miles and in perfect running condition. And my girlfriends 1993 ford tempo miles unknown leaks smokes but it runs good most of the time.

guess the clunker
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs142.snc1/5260_102084683138386_100000105653400_42394_464524_ n.jpg

Depending on its GVW your truck may not qualify due to its age, 2001 is the cut off.

I had to chime in on this one.............

Chuck I hate to say it but the last real american car was the EDSEL. I used to be in the industry and I can tell you I have seen "made inXXXXX" tags from just about half the globe on cars. Not busting chops here just passing on what I have seen in yrs past. If you remember in the late 80's to mid 90's Chevy had the nova out as a four door hatch back ??? NOPE it was a rebadged toyota.

Gary to bad about loosing an old "friend" but a new one could be fun. As for me by the time I'm done with a car even the most down and out would pass it on. They have hit or exceded the 250,000 mile mark or 12 yrs plus in age.

I just hope they don;t go from cash for clunkers to..... cash for classics. It would be a shame to loose the whole hotrod and classic car hobby and industry.

My car of choise has an oval on the front BUT has 6 stars in that oval.............Yup I drive a Subaru outback. Unless I'm wrong it was made here at the plant in Indiana back in 96.

Couldn't have said it better and just FYI I had a hand in that Outback being built right here in INDIANA from Indiana steel and other Indiana resources and factories,I hope your still enjoying it.

GVW is 6650 i think the cap is 8500

Hey Kevin-
You're right, Cathie likes the new Equinox, nobody knows us in it. People were always waving at us in the van. It is very well known in Flagstaff and has been in many Flagstaff parades. The crowds go crazy with RC cars in the parade.

boatanchor-
Your truck is probably the better qualifier for the Clunker program because of the mileage, but it's value may be too high to use it.
The deal on the Clunker program is 1984 or newer and the bigger the difference in gas mileage between the Clunker and the new car, the bigger the rebate. Of course it only works if the Clunker value is higher than the actual value.

Gary

Hey Kevin-
You're right, Cathie likes the new Equinox, nobody knows us in it. People were always waving at us in the van. It is very well known in Flagstaff and has been in many Flagstaff parades. The crowds go crazy with RC cars in the parade.

boatanchor-
Your truck is probably the better qualifier for the Clunker program because of the mileage, but it's value may be too high to use it.
The deal on the Clunker program is 1984 or newer and the bigger the difference in gas mileage between the Clunker and the new car, the bigger the rebate. Of course it only works if the Clunker value is higher than the actual value.

Gary

well instead of painting it or something like that, you should do some big vinyl decals for the rear windows, it would be alot cheaper and it will still get peoples attention, then you could resell it when you r done by just peeling the vinyl off...

tgardner41-
That is a pretty dark view of our Government, and certainly not totally ill-founded. I used to work in D.C. many years ago in another life, so I know first hand how much waste of tax payer's money there is...however, the "Clunkers" program is probably the least offensive thing I've seen the Government do, and hopefully that cyclical thing I mentioned will help in some way. Not sure if we are one of the top RC companies, but we try to keep up some and buying a new car every 25 years doesn't mean I'm a spend thrift or getting rich doing this. I would have quit a long time ago if it was just for money. Oh, I do appreciate your support of McAllister Racing...
Gary

Your bodies are tops with me! There should be a tax payer funded government program where they give everybody a 5 dollar coupon to buy a new 1/18 scale RC body, 10 dollars for a 1/10 scale and 15 dollars for an 1/8 scale...

I was a federal contractor for NHTSA/USDOT for over a decade so I probably know way too much about how they treat the public's money, all the waste, fraud, incompetence, nepotism, secret deals, gifts, the deadwood forests, etc. Never drank the koolaid though... FYI the new Government Motors Chevy Equinox was made by Suzuki in Canada, the engine was made in China, the transmission made in Japan, and was apparently styled by the visually challenged.
:dude: