10 Years of American Motoring – Audi/Morris/Porsche
Discussion
Subaru America v Roadkill{Hot Rod magazine crew}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS6AXjNcTPU
After driving the latest Legacy you might appreciate this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS6AXjNcTPU
After driving the latest Legacy you might appreciate this.
alangtt said:
I'm fascinated by you, your life and this thread. I've never been to America, looking at your photos It's everything I imagine it to be.
Is it your house with the Mercedes outside it (the huge one?)
I’m flattered to be considered a subject of fascination. Is it your house with the Mercedes outside it (the huge one?)
In reality I’m just an ordinary sort of bloke.
Likewise the huge house isn’t ours. In fact it’s not actually a house.
Known here as a ‘professional building’ its used by Doctors, Dentists, Accountants etc.
Owned by Ms. Whatty’s family, it’s handily located around the corner from our more modest home. It’s made for a good location over the years to take pictures of cars.
Our own house is a fairly humble 1920’s 3 bedroom detached ‘bungalow’ (albeit on two storeys, three if you include the basement.)
Here's another local house just sold.
Celebrity neighbours.
The Addams family are also moving out.
Fairview Cemetery, New Jersey.
Home to a certain Ms. W Houston.
Singer, actress, substance abuser.
Lived fast, died middle aged, left a house furnished in dubious taste
Roo said:
We sell a lot of gen 2 Prius' which bizarrely come with an alloy wheel with a plastic wheel trim on them.
Roo said:
If you get the opportunity to go you should do so.
I've been fortunate enough to go several times on holiday, but never to the East coast.
West coast and surrounding states looks vastly different.
That's the great thing about the US. It's huge with varying climates and scenery with something that will appeal to everyone.
Roo is quite right. Well worth a visit. BIG country.I've been fortunate enough to go several times on holiday, but never to the East coast.
West coast and surrounding states looks vastly different.
That's the great thing about the US. It's huge with varying climates and scenery with something that will appeal to everyone.
People back home ask me what is it like to live in the ‘States’ and quite simply the answer is ‘I don’t know’.
The sheer scale and cultural diversity of the place mean that I can’t offer an comprehensive overview of America other than New Jersey, my base since 1998.
I can provide a picture of life in a typical small New Jersey commuter town.
Monday September 8th 2014.
05:00 hours E.S.T
38 hours to departure.
Thread hijacking. My thread so I guess I can do what I like.
I started writing the above response yesterday morning and then thought I’d go out with Whatty Jr. and grab a few more pictures of the town we live in. On our return and just as I was about to upload them we suffered a power outage on our block. Annoying.
As we still have a thousand and one things still to do I’m afraid the virtual local town tour will have to wait till I get back to the U.K.
However I still just have time to address the reason for my soon to be ex-expat status.
When I started this thread back on July 25th I set myself the target of finishing the ‘story’ before we leave. Having spent the last 23 years working to tight schedules I actually thought this would be one deadline that was quite easy to meet. Not so it would appear.
My American tale is not really that remarkable. In fact I’m sure that the other 799,000 Brits who live here have far more exciting stories to tell.
As to why I’m leaving I probably need to briefly describe just how I got here in the first place. It recently dawned on me that I’ve now spent 15 years of my 23-year career working in the United States, the last ten as a Green Card holder.
For legal reasons I can’t say specifically what that career entailed, suffice to say it involves the media with a specialization in ‘communication’.
That sounds both glamorous and mysterious.
In reality it’s not. But this country is very litigious so in turn I have to be very ambiguous.
In fact I’ve just cancelled an insurance ‘umbrella’ policy for $5 million that protects me in the event of a lawsuits.
The premiums weren’t that expensive but they do put a sizeable hole in your fun budget over the years.
And N.J's expensively educated lawyers do love to sue. America really has too many of them. Law Schools and lawyers alike.
Me? I left school at sixteen and after a couple of false starts started a career in 1993 that has, up until the last couple of years, provided me with a comfortable living.
I’m not wealthy, in fact by relocating to New Jersey I gave up a very comfortable lifestyle in deepest Norfolk.
To stay there might have provided an easier path to more cash in the bank.
But easy paths lead to boring roads that don’t go anywhere.
1998.
Aged 29, no education bar 3 G.C.E’s and a certificate in cycling proficiency I arrive in New Jersey to start ‘something’.
I’m not technical but I’ve worked with OEM automotive, aerospace and defense companies.
Likewise Federal and State Governments, the Military and Universities like to talk to me.
Despite a lack of formal education I’m quite good at what I do.
That sounds arrogant and immodest.
I only know this because I’m now barred from doing it in the U.S.A, Canada, Mexico and Brazil.
Quite flattering really.
But I digress.
And I have to walk the Whatty dogs.
Edited by Whatty on Monday 8th September 15:26
Roo said:
YOU'RE A SPY.
)In fact I'm a bit of a unilateralist and prefer to work alone or in small teams. (Now that does sound clandestine
) Most migrants to the U.S come for a number of reasons. Work/ Education/Marriage or in the case of many; a better, even safer way of life for their families. I'm lucky enough not to be in that latter group.
My work brought me here, and my employer effectively 'bought' my Green Card based on my expert knowledge and skills in 2006.
Obviously if they had known I was going to get married to Ms. Whatty in 2009 they could have saved the $$$$.
Not a cheap process I understand.
That same employer was quite keen that I actually become a U.S Citizen and Passport holder. No thanks.
A fresh start here is still a very attractive prospect for many folk. In fact the U.S sponsors Visa lotteries with Poland and Ireland for the chance to start a new life in the U.S.
Monday September 8th 2014
21:25 E.S.T
Phew, long day, house empty-ish, bags packed, friends farewelled.
Obviously we’ll be back to visit.
And here we are, ready to go.
One last walk out with Whatty dog #1.
Driven past this place a thousand times, never stopped to really look.
Oldsmobile 442 and snowplow equipped Bronco. (Edited to add its a Chevy actually
)
Working Class Heroes. Cue Bruce Springtseen.
Somebody’s future project?
Now that what you call patina.
Its all in the details.
Drag race winner.
Playboy reader.
Bad photographer
Thanks America. Seen some stuff.
Had some interesting experiences.
Met some fascinatinging people.
Reality often stranger than fiction.
Got chatted up by a Secret Service Agent (female, standard issue Glock)
She was guarding the Governor of Kentucky.
I was getting pissed on his Bourbon.
Watched Mexicans trying to cross the Rio Grande River into Texas.
Very windy, very dusty. Definitely not a Country for Old Men.
Hunted for chukar in Pennsylvania.
Safety orange a bit jarring. Wot, no tweed?
Threatened by a gun toting Vietnam War draft dodger in Seattle.
It was a Derringer. The pacifist’s pistol of choice?
Escaped numerous speeding tickets using my UK Driving licence.
A foreign address and the pink and green paper bit just baffles the police.
‘So where is ……..Noor-Witch?’
21:25 E.S.T
Phew, long day, house empty-ish, bags packed, friends farewelled.
Obviously we’ll be back to visit.
And here we are, ready to go.
One last walk out with Whatty dog #1.
Driven past this place a thousand times, never stopped to really look.
Oldsmobile 442 and snowplow equipped Bronco. (Edited to add its a Chevy actually
)Working Class Heroes. Cue Bruce Springtseen.
Somebody’s future project?
Now that what you call patina.
Its all in the details.
Drag race winner.
Playboy reader.
Bad photographer
Thanks America. Seen some stuff.
Had some interesting experiences.
Met some fascinatinging people.
Reality often stranger than fiction.
Got chatted up by a Secret Service Agent (female, standard issue Glock)
She was guarding the Governor of Kentucky.
I was getting pissed on his Bourbon.
Watched Mexicans trying to cross the Rio Grande River into Texas.
Very windy, very dusty. Definitely not a Country for Old Men.
Hunted for chukar in Pennsylvania.
Safety orange a bit jarring. Wot, no tweed?
Threatened by a gun toting Vietnam War draft dodger in Seattle.
It was a Derringer. The pacifist’s pistol of choice?
Escaped numerous speeding tickets using my UK Driving licence.
A foreign address and the pink and green paper bit just baffles the police.
‘So where is ……..Noor-Witch?’
Edited by Whatty on Tuesday 9th September 04:34
Family Whatty has produced a fair few Ex-pats over the years.
So wander lust might be in my genes.
Between them they clocked up a few countries.
Africa, India, the Middle East and North America.
Some were teachers, others in business.
Some came home to the U.K. Some didn’t.
To the best of my knowledge most didn’t make a fortune overseas.
Meet the original ‘Whatty’.
Whatty Junior’s great grandfather.
A Captain in the R.A.S.C he was made a Military M.B.E in 1944 for organizing the repair of enemy vehicles captured in North Africa. In part this enabled the British 8th Army in North Africa to extend its supply chain and ultimately defeat the Afrika Corps.
He never spoke about it. I spent a bit of time digging the information up.
Humble background. Bus driver, Motorcyclist, Soldier, self taught Arabic speaker.
Worked for British Petroleum in Iran and the Iraqi Petroleum Company in Basrah.
Before it was fashionable.
Fast driver. Died in 1986. Sorely missed.
Would have made a good PH’er.
Meet Whatty Jr. Again.
18 months old.
Yells a lot. Makes Ms. Whatty and me laugh.
Have helmet. Will travel
Being a Dad has provided both new responsibilities and perspectives.
Seen a lot of stuff ‘here.’ Still want to do a lot of things ‘over there.’
Sail with Whatty Senior, drive the ‘Ring and Spa, shoot woodpigeons again with my old mate. (If you are reading this LB…. I know, rose tinted glasses)
Ms. Whatty wants to keep chickens, learn stick shift and see more of Europe.
A true Expat herself, sort of. Her family came over in 1629.
She’s a real trooper for putting up with me. Swears like one as well.
Whatty Junior doesn’t know what he wants yet.
But we’re prepared to suffer a bit of upheaval to give him a wider perspective on the world than he might get growing up in NJ.
Hopefully original Whatty would approve.
Thanks PistonHeads.
You’ve been a much needed home-from-home on occasion.
And in case your wondering.
And so I don’t forget.
Cheers, Whatty.
Deadline made
//Ends//
So wander lust might be in my genes.
Between them they clocked up a few countries.
Africa, India, the Middle East and North America.
Some were teachers, others in business.
Some came home to the U.K. Some didn’t.
To the best of my knowledge most didn’t make a fortune overseas.
Meet the original ‘Whatty’.
Whatty Junior’s great grandfather.
A Captain in the R.A.S.C he was made a Military M.B.E in 1944 for organizing the repair of enemy vehicles captured in North Africa. In part this enabled the British 8th Army in North Africa to extend its supply chain and ultimately defeat the Afrika Corps.
He never spoke about it. I spent a bit of time digging the information up.
Humble background. Bus driver, Motorcyclist, Soldier, self taught Arabic speaker.
Worked for British Petroleum in Iran and the Iraqi Petroleum Company in Basrah.
Before it was fashionable.
Fast driver. Died in 1986. Sorely missed.
Would have made a good PH’er.
Meet Whatty Jr. Again.
18 months old.
Yells a lot. Makes Ms. Whatty and me laugh.
Have helmet. Will travel
Being a Dad has provided both new responsibilities and perspectives.
Seen a lot of stuff ‘here.’ Still want to do a lot of things ‘over there.’
Sail with Whatty Senior, drive the ‘Ring and Spa, shoot woodpigeons again with my old mate. (If you are reading this LB…. I know, rose tinted glasses)
Ms. Whatty wants to keep chickens, learn stick shift and see more of Europe.
A true Expat herself, sort of. Her family came over in 1629.
She’s a real trooper for putting up with me. Swears like one as well.
Whatty Junior doesn’t know what he wants yet.
But we’re prepared to suffer a bit of upheaval to give him a wider perspective on the world than he might get growing up in NJ.
Hopefully original Whatty would approve.
Thanks PistonHeads.
You’ve been a much needed home-from-home on occasion.
And in case your wondering.
And so I don’t forget.
Cheers, Whatty.
Deadline made
//Ends//
top thread mate, enjoyed that from start to finish - best of luck w/ the move (and agree w/ above that an update will be required). 02:10 B.S.T - Sept.12.2014
Jetlagsville, Norfolk, UK
Well that was a hectic couple of days.
My last act in American Motoring.
American Dude Rule #1.
Don't mess with another man's truck.
Alternately:
There is now a Chevy Truck parked on an N.J street that is forever England.
Cheers Mike. Talk soon.
Apologies to Rupert Brooke.
Secondly, a genuine 'thank you' for your kind comments.
Reading back my last post it looked a bit contrived.
Apart from the Birds Custard tin.
That just looked tasty, in reality it was empty for years.
Edited to add.
Turns out the 'real' Whatty was actually a motor engineer for the East Midlands Omnibus Company. Drove them, possibly modded them.
Suffice to say, I'm 'back', Ms. & Master Whatty have arrived.
And possibly most importantly.
A BIG thank you to Virgin Atlantic Cargo & Heathrow Animal Reception Centre.
Made a stressful project at times a lot easier than we anticipated.
Apologies to the v.nice Senorita at the not very well signed Virgin Atl. Cargo office in Newark, NJ
When I asked if you were 'Virgin' I meant in the corporate sense.
Also apologies to the other 249 passengers and crew on Tuesday's nights VS002 flight. Master Whatty, while a veteran of 5 previous Atlantic crossings, screamed his head off.
Recalculating?
At times I thought the real time journey map had frozen.
On the road:
M4: M25: A1M: A505: A14:
Saw none of it. Crashed out.
A11, saw most of it.
Whatty Dog #1. Jetlagged.
By my feet he saw none of it.
His last journey this arduous was his first car ride in my Golf GTi.
En route home from Maryland in 2006 he threw up for 6 hours straight.
in 2006.
Making good time.
Bargain 30k miler Citreon C4 a nice cruiser.
Dash pod styling liked. Retro frog chic'.
Clap hands wipers amuse.
Suffolk has changed. Elveden Village has completely vanished.
Getting close.
Norfolk has changed.
Proximity to Lotus Factory means lots of prototypes recalled from my yoof.
Lotus Carlton a fave. Primitive wooden box on dash housed makeshift guages.
Super-Luxo-Barges? Not so many.
Hometown + Maybach = Surreal.
Touchdown:
Whatty has landed. T.F.T.
As has Scottie Whatty.
Poor sod, 3500 miles door-to-door.
Now faces deportation to North of the Border.
In truth he always looks this 'happy'.
Even these new seats sat on the driveway couldn't cheer him up.
My names 'Whatty', I was a recovering car bloke.
It was 456 days since my last car purchase.
Cheers and's it good to be back.
Jetlagsville, Norfolk, UK
Well that was a hectic couple of days.
My last act in American Motoring.
American Dude Rule #1.
Don't mess with another man's truck.
Alternately:
There is now a Chevy Truck parked on an N.J street that is forever England.
Cheers Mike. Talk soon.
Apologies to Rupert Brooke.
Secondly, a genuine 'thank you' for your kind comments.
Reading back my last post it looked a bit contrived.
Apart from the Birds Custard tin.
That just looked tasty, in reality it was empty for years.
Edited to add.
Turns out the 'real' Whatty was actually a motor engineer for the East Midlands Omnibus Company. Drove them, possibly modded them.
Suffice to say, I'm 'back', Ms. & Master Whatty have arrived.
And possibly most importantly.
A BIG thank you to Virgin Atlantic Cargo & Heathrow Animal Reception Centre.
Made a stressful project at times a lot easier than we anticipated.
Apologies to the v.nice Senorita at the not very well signed Virgin Atl. Cargo office in Newark, NJ
When I asked if you were 'Virgin' I meant in the corporate sense.
Also apologies to the other 249 passengers and crew on Tuesday's nights VS002 flight. Master Whatty, while a veteran of 5 previous Atlantic crossings, screamed his head off.
Recalculating?
At times I thought the real time journey map had frozen.
On the road:
M4: M25: A1M: A505: A14:
Saw none of it. Crashed out.
A11, saw most of it.
Whatty Dog #1. Jetlagged.
By my feet he saw none of it.
His last journey this arduous was his first car ride in my Golf GTi.
En route home from Maryland in 2006 he threw up for 6 hours straight.
in 2006.Making good time.
Bargain 30k miler Citreon C4 a nice cruiser.
Dash pod styling liked. Retro frog chic'.
Clap hands wipers amuse.
Suffolk has changed. Elveden Village has completely vanished.
Getting close.
Norfolk has changed.
Proximity to Lotus Factory means lots of prototypes recalled from my yoof.
Lotus Carlton a fave. Primitive wooden box on dash housed makeshift guages.
Super-Luxo-Barges? Not so many.
Hometown + Maybach = Surreal.
Touchdown:
Whatty has landed. T.F.T.
As has Scottie Whatty.
Poor sod, 3500 miles door-to-door.
Now faces deportation to North of the Border.
In truth he always looks this 'happy'.
Even these new seats sat on the driveway couldn't cheer him up.
My names 'Whatty', I was a recovering car bloke.
It was 456 days since my last car purchase.
Cheers and's it good to be back.
Edited by Whatty on Friday 12th September 02:58
Edited by Whatty on Friday 12th September 03:04
Tuesday September 16th- North Norfolk
Now this is my idea of a commuter road..well lane.
Meanwhile a bit further south.
The new ride awaits my return.
What goes around, comes around.
See first post on thread.
Not a 1.8T though.
Nor FWD.
My names 'Whatty', I was a recovering car bloke.
It was 456 days since my last car purchase.
Cheers, Whatty.
Now this is my idea of a commuter road..well lane.
Meanwhile a bit further south.
The new ride awaits my return.
What goes around, comes around.
See first post on thread.
Not a 1.8T though.
Nor FWD.
My names 'Whatty', I was a recovering car bloke.
It was 456 days since my last car purchase.
Cheers, Whatty.
Edited by Whatty on Sunday 15th March 08:58
Scuba_steve said:
Awesome thread - please update when you're back in the UK and settled.
The job sounds interesting, although you've told us precisely dick about it
The 'banned from doing it in the US' has piqued my interest.
Best of luck in future endeavours
Well here I am, back again online after what was a very hectic September. The job sounds interesting, although you've told us precisely dick about it
The 'banned from doing it in the US' has piqued my interest.
Best of luck in future endeavours
October will be no less busy.
Still not truly settled back 'home' - no house for one thing.
Completed the sale on our NJ home last week. So its a final farewell to life in Small Town New Jersey.
Bye bye Cranford, NJ.
A quick tour round in late August, early September with the camera.
Some places I'll miss, some I won't.
Rustic Mill Diner, North Avenue.
The only thing rustic thing was the plastic 'glass' ware.
Clean but never crystal clear.
Big menu. Big helpings
Big customers.
Yeah yeah,not your fault.
Let me guess... overactive thyroid?
Heard it a million times.
Fast food + sendentary lifestyle equals:
Jiffy Lube Oil Change Shop.
Catchy name, s
t service.Enticed by a $19.99 oil change for my GTi in 2005 their banana fingered monkey's cost me $500.00.
Cross threaded sump plug required a whole new oil pan. Their attempt at repairing with a Helicoil was even more laughable. Expensive lesson learnt.
"Go Team"
Cranford High School
Home to the Cranford Cougars football, lacrosse, soccer, basketball teams.
Bizarre. Saw more kids hanging out at the place during the long summer vacation than I ever did during term time.
The Strip Mall
Generica the beautiful.
You'll find these throughout the Northeast.
Cheaply built, poorly staffed retail outlets.
Kind of sums up New Jersey.
The McMini Mansion
Not in my back yard.....
1970's ranch style house on the right now not so fashionable. So, much easier to tear down and replace with faux mansion.
Quick wood frame build results in a fast buck for the 'Flipper' a.k.a your local property developer. Planning control - wossat then?
To my English eye the result is too much house on not enough land. The backyard will often be a five yard strip of grass between boundary lines.
Company cars.
The Town Police Department. Home to 65 full time officers. Serving 20k residents.
Not sure what they did all day. Watching road repair works seemed to be the main occupation.
Base salary plus overtime could make our local boobies (deliberate typo) a nice fat $135K a year plus health benefits and 50% final salary pension.
A New York City cop will be lucky to make 50% and will face real danger.
Throw in a 36 hour week based on 3 x 12 hour shifts, retire at 45 and you can see the appeal.
Pretty much a closed shop.
"My dad was a cop" the typical refrain. Irish, the typical last name.
Cops in plain cars.
While Cranford is hardly a hot bed of crime the detective team do important work such as fingerprinting town folk for work related background checks, firearms ID card applications and on occasion investigate MURDER.
Capital letters reflect the rarity. Local teenager one block from our house manages to kill his sleeping girlfriend while high on bath salts.
Oddly enough we never heard a thing.
Radox: by all accounts its the new local crack cocaine.
My tax dollars at rest.
The Town PD's sole motorbike.
Features include Siren,Lights, Comedy Magic Tree air freshener.
Also assigned officer has his name sign written on the panniers.
How's that for personal security?
About as good as letting me roam the PD parking lot.
Obviously they have gun's. Probably a Remington pump action in here.
I'm only armed with an Olympus and my wit.
One kept me focused, the other usually razor sharp was getting dull.
Meet some of the neigbours.
We never really knew any bar our immediate one's.
Everyone in a rush. Hence the patronizing signage.
Don't tell me how to drive, credit me with some common sense.
Oh wait.....
Forgot where I was. Remembered why I left.
How would you like to pay?
Having a permanently crewed fire department means lower house insurance rates.
Town residents can get a free ambulance ride but non-locals will be billed.
Our annual town property tax bill for our 3 bedroom home equated to 10 years council tax on a 5 bedroom detached house in Norfolk, UK.
1 Vietnam.
2 World Wars
3 Memorials
Countless deaths. Conscripted & Volunteer.
9/11 WTC Memorial.
6 Cranford residents perished.
Hence the number of columns.
Simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The scale of these memorials reflects in many ways the evolution of the town itself.
To my mind, less is often more.
Time for a new chapter.
Cheers Whatty.
Edited//typo//
Edited by Whatty on Sunday 5th October 12:09
Roo said:
Great update.
I'll tell my sister in law, who lives in Redgrave and works in Norwich, to keep an eye open.
She hacks around in a grey 2012 Z4.
Hi Mr.Roo, thanks for visiting m'thread once more. I'll tell my sister in law, who lives in Redgrave and works in Norwich, to keep an eye open.
She hacks around in a grey 2012 Z4.
I'll look out for your sister-in-law.
Know Wortham & Redgrave quite well.
Currently I'm living in 'Limbo'* and sort of 'working' in the Cloud.
I'm driving Franco-Germanic with/avec/mit 10 cylinders.
- Non-Norfolk people take note: 'Limbo' is not on any map of Norfolk.
It's not Harleston, although that place has been in limbo for donkeys.
Right I'm now off to say 'Bye bye to some nice American's'.
Unlike PH it's all about the Pork with these guys.
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