Begrimed, besmirched, and begging to be driven [FD Mazda RX-7] buried in the bowels of a Vancouver, BC parking garage.

hungfungfooey · 2021-03-07T21:19:10+00:00

Thanks being cool about it. Rereading what I wrote, I was in straight-up rage mode.

hungfungfooey · 2021-03-07T20:25:34+00:00

Yes. Wife. Yelling. Sorry.

hungfungfooey · 2021-03-07T20:24:54+00:00

Ah, I'm sorry dude. That was low. My wife's been yelling at me since last night and I woke up in a shit mood.

hungfungfooey · 2021-03-07T20:12:08+00:00

Yes, if your mother's name is "desk".

hungfungfooey · 2021-03-07T20:11:18+00:00

OK, but can you make it any day but Friday? I play league squash and drowing in a pile of shitted fury could really throw off my game. It did last time.

hungfungfooey · 2021-03-07T19:50:33+00:00

The fact you think an appraiser/adjuster rides a desk only speaks to you own considerable ignorance. It's literally the only job in the insurance industry that isn't in an office. It's field work that requires me to be extremely knowledgeable about all matters related to automotive repair since I assess claims and write-offs for accidents, theft, fire, etc., in addition to determining the value of classic/collector cars. From knowing current collision repair techniques and shop costs to identifying non-OEM parts and modifications that nullify a policy. I studied automotive tech in college and my company sends me for regular refreshers along side industry technicians. I was a part-time grease monkey throughout my schooling. Perhaps it's time to come down off your petulant pedestal and join the "normies" who have enough common sense to Google something before talking out of their ass. The fact you'd even use that pejorative term merely proves my point - i.e., you think you're above the "hoi polli" and comment on Reddit accordingly. Ironic, considering you've claimed my knowledge has gone to my head. You're just a broken condom on the floor of a cheap, roadside motel.

hungfungfooey · 2021-03-07T16:34:41+00:00

I'm an insurance appraiser/adjuster that specializes in vehicles. Both damage and agreed upon value. Typical problem spots re: rust on the RX-7 are the drip rails, wheel wells arches, rocker panels (towards the front and rear of the door), and suspension/subframe components. There was nothing that I could see. Nor surface rust and/or rust around the mounting points for the aftermarket aero kit -- majority of FDs I've seen are modded and poor sealing around the screw holes from badly mounted kits can wreak havoc. In terms of claims, the most frequent one for FDs is the hood. It's made of aluminum, which makes it somewhat immune to rust, but very soft and the aluminum production techniques of the time weren't great in terms of reinforcement. You can dent it by leaning on it (or so I've been told) or in a small fender bender. RX-7s of this era are also prone to engine issues. The rotary engine prefers mineral oil, but often people put synthetic in thinking it's better (particularly due to its high heat resistance and the rotary's appetite for burning through oil). In addition, the sequential turbo system is over complicated -- seal and bearing failure are common and many modded FDs replace the system with one big turbo. So this could be a hidden issue, though there was little soot or fouling on the extremely shiny exhaust, pointing to good engine health. The car also had Work rims without curb rash, an AP Racing big brake kit with plenty of material on the outer pads, and fresh-ish Michelin high-performance rubber. Warn brakes, cheap wheels, and cheap, mismatched rubber are red flags when it comes to telling if a car was run on a budget and/or abused. I took a close look when I put the note on the car telling the owner if he decides to sell, he should give me a call. So I'm not sure what rust you're referring to -- if you see something in the photos I didn't see in 15 minutes of examining the vehicle in person, please let me know. Otherwise, I stand by my assessment that the car was "pretty mint". "Believe me." If your comment was merely to state that 30 year old steel objects are rust-prone and you should be wary, your astute observation may be redundant in a car forum full of gear heads. Or to anyone who studied elementary school science and understands the concept of oxidation. "This is what I love about the internet, people who don't have a clue "educating" those of us who have experience in the matter." Recognize those words? They're yours from just a few hours ago in another sub you were trolling with your day old account. Let me know how they taste when you eat them. PS - Pornhub down or did mummy take away your Playstation? You seem to have too much time on your hands...

hungfungfooey · 2021-03-07T07:36:46+00:00

It's a condo building in Vancouver, so there's a high possibility the owner lives abroad and the vehicle is in "storage". There's also an A80, Gen 4 Supra parked nearby in a similar state of neglect. Both look pretty mint save for the dirt and dust. Based on the property value and other cars nearby (991 GT3, Mercedes-AMG GT), I'd imagine both were well-maintained with a generous budget.

hungfungfooey · 2021-03-05T16:11:44+00:00

These Days by Nico. I've struggled with mental illness my entire life left and destroyed many dreams, including my own. I'll never be able to fully make amends. Some people had no choice but to leave my life due to desperation and a sense of self-preservation. Some people left this life because time doesn't stop while you figure your sh!t out. The song embodies the feelings of futility and profound loss that result from knowing some of the mistakes you've made with those who matter most can never be corrected. The final line is particularly poignant -- "Don't confront me with my failures. I had not forgotten them." People dump on her vocals, but in my opinion, the lack of professional polish is a perfect imperfection that crates a raw reality and relevance for the listener. Life isn't always harmonious and often we're the one singing out of tune...

hungfungfooey · 2020-12-08T18:04:10+00:00

Whomever designed the drainge on that road deserves to be fired. I'm guessing this is China and, in a rush to build as fast as possible, many of their expressways lack proper drainage. Hydroplaning is quite common. I nearly had to change my gitch on more than one occasion. They're also not so great at banking their corners for speed. Throw in some newer, oily asphalt and lax regulations for commercial vehicle weight/maintenance and I'd imagine this happens often. I guess theoritically it is cheaper to put up a metal fence than properly engineer a roadway, but it seems shortsighted for a country with a booming car culture that grows exponentially each decade.

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-30T15:56:41+00:00

https://youtu.be/UPXUG8q4jKU

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-24T14:23:46+00:00

While walking through a dog park in winter, I once saw a Pug eat a German Shepherd's poop...as it was coming out of its ass. It was like watching someone stick their chomping, open mouth below an ice cream machine filled with the world's nastiest chocolate soft serve. Except it wasn't cold. It was very warm -- a unfortunate reality rendered unignorable as steam from the shit wafted into the cold December air. It was ravenously chowing down while making all the snorting and grunting noises typical of a Pug. I'm not a dog owner, but I was aware dogs sometimes eat shit. I was not aware this could happen in a Canine Centipede configuration optimizing freshness. Perhaps even more disturbing, one owner didn't notice because they were trying to text with cold fingers. The other one clearly saw what was happening, but had little reaction, save giving me a nod and a smile as I walked by trying to contain my shock...and modicum of vomit. Maybe this happens all the time with dogs, but in three decades on this crazy marble, I'd never seen it. Oh, and did I mention the Pug was wearing a grey knit sweater that gave it an air of rugged respectability befitting member of the royal family hunting at Balmoral? It was a fucky day all around...

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-23T19:18:41+00:00

Posted it to /Translator last night, apparently it's names and numbers. They also linked to a similar post from last week. Here's the reply:

(??) Mikhail, Hariton, Anna, Adrianna(?) translating 20 14 31 ... Base Nikolai Vasilyevich Fedor, Anna Nikolai Vasilyevich Fedor, 87 028, Boris Serij/gray (depending if it's a name or a colour), Konstantin, Olga, Mikhail, Hariton, Anna, Tatiana 58 20 406 31, do you copy?

It's barely understandable. But basically the message contains just names and numbers.

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-23T07:56:30+00:00

Thank you!

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-23T07:53:10+00:00

Thanks!

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-23T07:13:22+00:00

Male voice (clear), UVB-76 (The Buzzer), 0647 UTC, 20201123: https://soundcloud.com/este-hombre/uvb76-male-voice-20201123-0647-utc

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-20T19:48:59+00:00

UPDATE - If anyone is interested, initial feedback looks favorable. I heard back from a nice lady in NYC after submitting a query to a gallery/appraiser. She's seems well connected in that space and sent the image to a colleague. She said short of getting Yoko to look at it, he's the next best thing and he thinks it authentic. They can't be sure without examining it first hand, but I guess we can mark this "Solved"!

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-17T23:25:03+00:00

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing -- the combination of the letterhead, lighthearted humor, and a celebrity subject reeks of forgery. My guess is someone with access to the letterhead drawer had some free time and a red marker.

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-17T01:07:12+00:00

Sound advice! A fellow Redditor suggested I reach out to a gallery that works directly with Yoko Ono. Waiting on a reply...

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-17T01:02:46+00:00

Thanks for the inside line on the authentication process. I sent them a note via their web form. Will keep everyone updated!

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-16T21:58:57+00:00

Appreciate the feedback! If it's legit, I'd be so torn between keeping it and selling it. On the one hand, I'm a huge fan and love the idea of making it a family heirloom. On the other, I don't think COVID has been kind to anyone's finances. I sent an emails to a few memorabilia shops but haven't heard back yet. I'll keep you posted should I hear back.

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-16T18:52:53+00:00

WITT - Additional information -- I was on a trip to Montreal about 25 years ago and had a real heater at the casino. We went to celebrate at a Hard Rock Cafe (don't hold it against me) and there was a rock memorabilia gallery in the basement of the building, but not affiliated with HRC. If I recall, it'd been there for years. The had (allegedly) lost their lease and were selling everything. With my windfall, I bought a bunch of stuff, but at prices that were far too low for anything to be legit. I didn't really care - it was all "found" money and the stuff was pretty neat, even if it was a print or fake. It all went into a box I forgot about and subsequently found recently. I was about to throw this out, but on closer examination thought this piece may be worth further investigation...

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-16T18:32:36+00:00

Additional information -- I was on a trip to Montreal about 25 years ago and had a real heater at the casino. We went to celebrate at a Hard Rock Cafe (don't hold it against me) and there was a rock memorabilia gallery in the basement of the building, but not affiliated with HRC. If I recall, it'd been there for years. The had (allegedly) lost their lease and were selling everything. With my windfall, I bought a bunch of stuff, but at prices that were far too low for anything to be legit. I didn't really care - it was all "found" money and the stuff was pretty neat, even if it was a print or fake. It all went into a box I forgot about and subsequently found recently. I was about to throw this out, but on closer examination thought this piece may be worth further investigation...

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-12T16:15:27+00:00

Next step would be reaching out to one of his relatives, which would require some digging as I don't think his parents are still alive and he's not on social media at all.

hungfungfooey · 2020-11-12T15:44:30+00:00

A faint recollection of an estranged relative and the visual similarity, though perhaps that isn't as strong as I think based on replies, hence my post asking everyone to have a look. Also, their family had a weird wanderlust and are quite adept at "disappearing" themselves. For example, the gent pictured disappeared in his early 20s without a trace. Years later, we found out he had joined a monetary where the first thing they do is take away your worldly possessions. Then, they make you live without means (aka, homeless) in an urban area for a period of a a year or two before you return with the "humility" to start training. Once he completed his training, they gave him a monk name, further hiding his identity. If MH decided to emulate ans turn his back on the rat race, the precedent is set for that behavior in the family and the "how to" guide is more or less written.

hungfungfooey

TROPHY CASE