Matt

Matt

@spannerhead.bsky.social

Weird cars, planes, space, Appalachia, France, Formula 1, Pokémon, Craig Ferguson interviews.

772 followers104 following10.2K posts

Congrats to Boeing I guess for finally getting the MAX 10 certified, but damn if this shouldn't have been a clean-sheet aircraft. Sigh. #avgeek

This Acty Street Racoon was the star of C&C for me this morning. Owner was super chill and unpretentious, and he used to own a Cappuccino. #weirdcarbs #microvan

767 followers! This probably the plane type I've flown on most, since American used it for its RDU-CDG and JFK-NCE routes during the '80s and '90s. #avgeek

Wet day for a river cleanup! Got soaked to the skin, but we hauled in two big bags of trash. 🤘 Cruising down the creek was quite serene—until it started bucketing down. 😅

Had a very vivid dream last night I was behind the wheel of a black FB RX-7, just like the one I used to own. It sounded and felt EXACTLY like I remember it, and I've not driven an FB since 2014. Wild how the gestalt of a particular car can get so lodged in your subconscious.

Hiked by the Snowbird Mountain VORTAC station on the first day of my recent App Trail adventure. The facility looked well-tended and operational. I wonder how many of these are still around, and how much they're still used in the age of GPS? #avgeek

Am I the only one who considers the first-gen Altima to be Best Altima? (everyone loves the third, especially the SE-R). Trim size, J30-esque styling, crisp 5-spoke alloys, a JDM SR20DET swap away from really waking up...

About to enjoy a midday snack... This beauty's been hanging out on my back deck for the better part of a couple of months at this point. I just duck under its web.

My lovely girlfriend is returning from a trip to New England, and for the final leg, she'll be on a Boeing 717, one of my bucket-list planes to fly on. Last of the legendary Mad Dogs. #avgeek I'm not jealous at all. 😅

Turns out the Appalachian Trail is pretty awesome, even when you get stung by 6 yellow jackets halfway into the first day of a 3-day, 35-mile hike. 🐝 And have a suspected alien sighting at the end of Day 2. 👽 Day 3 was uneventful other than being mostly downhill and my knees are utterly shot. 😅

Postwar Armstrong Whitworth flying-wing airliner concept. Boy, I'm glad they included a pantry. I don't know if I could have taken this concept seriously otherwise. #avgeek Photo courtesy the Cancelled Aircraft FB group.

Why do Panthers have this trim strip on the top of the C-pillar? I've always wondered. It seems superfluous, but obviously the body is designed in a different way than other cars'.

Got a postcard (!) in the mail yesterday from a good friend in Seattle. I mean, who sends snail mail anymore of any kind? Needless to say, it made my evening.

I needed that W. Son's '09 F150 developed a gnarly misfire yesterday; he nursed it to a safe spot for the night. I drove over after work with a toolbox, but expecting to have it towed. Turns out the #3 spark plug blew out. Threads were even OK. Snugged it back down and it runs great. 🔧

Lived there for about six months right out of college. Lovely place, and it'll always been associated with runs on the beach and drives up and down A1A in the Supra with the targa top removed. 🤘

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If you're going to fit a Mariah bodykit, you need to upgrade the rest of the car accordingly. 🤘 Other remarks: - Where's the S5's characteristic pistol-grip shift knob? - A factory CD player in 1989? 😮 - Must be a very mild turbo since the S5's 13B has the highest C/R of any Mazda rotary.

bringatrailer.comNo Reserve: Turbocharged, 29k-Mile 1989 Mazda RX-7 Convertible 5-SpeedBid for the chance to own a No Reserve: Turbocharged, 29k-Mile 1989 Mazda RX-7 Convertible 5-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #263,224.

Always hated this about French. I had all the other numbers down cold and it always takes me an extra beat to think of anything from 70-99. 🙄