More on the Chip Shortage....

U.S. auto sales forecast to plummet in third quarter as chip shortage plagues industry (cnbc.com)

 

... and even more about semi-conductor shortage, shipping issues, and labour disruptions Generally, a supply chain gong show.

 

I remember when I was growing up in the Bay Area of San Francisco, there were a few chip manufacturing plants. I know for certain that Texas Instruments had one. I dated the daughter of an employee, and he took me on a tour one day. Totally awesome.
I know for certain there were a few others, although I never dated any daughters involved.
When they moved out to China, we lost a lot of tax income, both federal and state. Probably local as well. Then there's the employee income that pours in. A lot of people worked there. More tax income, as well as support for local businesses.
All gone.

The beautiful young ladies I dated, too. Let's not forget the loss of THOSE!

Take care all. Do the best you can for keeping your 4Runners 4Running!
Pat☺

 

I’m just here to point out that you can build a fully functioning car that requires zero microchips, the only thing keeping you from doing it is government regulations.

 

Yep. But you’d have a hell of a time trying to get Apple CarPlay working with this thing in the dash.

 

Remember when you could test those tubes at Safeway?

 

Haha! Yeah, the joke was in those days when radio evangelists could pray and ask the listeners for money and say “hold your hands to your radio and feel the warmth of my sincerity coming through to you…”

 

"Automotive News editor Nick Bunkley tweeted on October 1 that according to AutoNews data, General Motors "has been the largest seller of vehicles in the U.S. every year since passing Ford in 1931." With automakers having turned in light car and truck sales data for the first three quarters of 2021, GM's 90-year-run might not reach 91. According to AN figures, Toyota was 80,401 vehicles ahead when the October workday started. Worse, GM is so far behind its historic pace that it might only sell enough light vehicles in the U.S. to match its numbers from 1958."

 

Oh boy, I remember working on F-4 radar systems with tubes in them. Many many tubes. From big, like about 1/2 the size of a milk bottle (who remembers getting THOSE every morning??), down to little bitty peanut tubes. I got a module once, still in the original wrapping from Westinghouse, who we called the Circle Bar W. It was marked "Warranteed to Dec 1960". In 1980!
OLD radar systems, old aircraft, new pilots getting trained. Aircraft were older than the pilots by a ways.

I always took tubes from radios, record player amps, and so forth, I'd pick up cheap at yard sales and such, down to Radio Shack. They had a tester right inside the door. Of course, even if the tester had the ONE tube you needed, you still had to go all the way to the back to pay for them. Of course, that meant buying other things, needed or not
That was before I got anywhere near the Marines, and got formally trained. I just learned by doing. I did restore some REALLY nice consoles. Radio/record player in a nice wood cabinet, radios, TV, and record player with amp in a cabinet that took up most of a wall, stuff like that. Heck I spent as much time restoring the wood cabinets as I did the actual electronics.
Made some real good money for a 14 year old kid, though!

have fun all!
Pat☺

 

You think it’s bad right now, wait until the government tries to fix everything.

 

Or more than they already have…

 

Just think...you'll be the talk of the forum with your new 2023 4Runner with optional, exterior-mounted ATRAC unit.

 

I grew up in a small Western PA town and our "Rexall" drug store had a tester in the back.

 

WTF *is* that?
What’s really strange are the leather straps, suggested it’s temporary.

 

Here's a better shot of what it is. It's when they had to use 1950's parts to create a small computer chip from the 80's on the Delorean.

 

Oh yeah, Back to the Future 3. Excellent. It’s been a while.

 

lmao

 

Just saw a tv news story how the parts and chip shortage is not only affecting new car manufacturers, but auto repair shops cannot get the most basic mechanical parts for repair work. Cars sit in their shop lots for weeks waiting for parts. Even tires.
And they don’t see it ending soon.
https://www.cbs17.com/news/investigators/car-parts-shortage-causing-delays-in-vehicle-repair-in-the-triangle/

 

How many bicycles can I buy ? Its Jacked Up

 

I only know this for aircraft - but Goodyear aircraft tires are hard to find. I hope the Michelins I use on the Falcon Jet don't get scarce - I only have one set of those, and the main tires under the wings only last for about 100 landings...
Our Citation Jet needed a new battery at the beginning of August - we have waited two months so far for a replacement.

 

None.

It’s harder buying a bicycle than a car.

I spent two months in north California looking for a Santa Cruz Chameleon.

 

Yeah, about 100 landings...or 2 or 3 good, solid, Navy type, landings

Have fun, all!
Pat☺

 

What is GM/Ford going to do with all of those acres and acres of 2021 trucks that are waiting on chips, with 2022’s coming out?


Fire sale?

 

It'll be interesting to say the least. BUT, with the price of everything rising....a fire sale may put them back at 2021 prices?

 

Supposedly rental car companies have a big backlog of needed replacements. Maybe they’ll scoop up a lot.

 

Sign of the times? Or our new normal? But its ok the pretty anchor lady on your local news channel will help you navigate to your new normal.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/01/america-supply-chain-shortages

 

Long Beach, CA right now. 50+ Container ships backed up and waiting for offload.

To make matters worse, one of the ships anchors busted an undersea oil pipeline over the weekend which spewed about 125,000 gallons of oil into the sea. 15m stretch of beaches closed. Hopefully they don't close the port because of the spill.

Tons of consumer goods on those ships and probably some chips too.

 

Yuck, looks like a nice inversion layer hanging over all those big diesels just sitting there idling.

 

I’m so lucky I purchased my 2021 venture when I did. Just for fun I looked at the dealerships website the other day. They had my same exact 2021 venture (in transit) for 3,500 more..

 

You and me both. Bought my 2021 ORP in March, and took delivery in May. I think, just in time. For obviously different reasons, this shortage of new vehicles must be similar to the World War II period where you were on a waiting list for any new vehicle.

I'm in the manufacturing business. We use to quote 2-weeks or less to ship an item. Now it's 3-4 weeks just to ship.