The Marauder - Great Review by Top Gear

Ariens 832 Snow Blower with Clarence Impeller Kit

Took a video of my "new" Ariens 832 snow blower. The blower has an eight horsepower (HM80) Tecumseh engine with a 32-inch bucket. Bought it from a retired gentleman, a precision grinder by trade, who posted it on Craigslist a few months back. He said he purchased it new in 1975, used it a few years and then winterized & stored it in his walkout basement after his neighbor gifted him a 1979 Ariens 1032 when moving south.

The 832 starts up on the first or second pull if I do my part. Replaced the muffler with a New Old Stock part found online (originally for a minibike - I took off the deflector). Also rubbed cross-country ski wax on the inside of the chute. Snow just glides off.

I also installed a Clarence Impeller Kit as it was just dribbling out slush when first purchased.  Now it throws about 40% farther and I haven't had to clear it yet. I'm guessing it's throwing about 25 feet, haven't measured it. Guessing it will throw farther with some heavier snow. Fresh fuel has Sea Foam added for good measure.

The original owner followed the instructions meticulously and took off the fuel tank every spring for storage. He also put on a new scraper bar and skid shoes. The Ariens is a model 924016  / Serial No. 00404 with matching numbers. The teardrop bucket is model 924012 / Serial No. 010030. This thing is built like a tank and works like a Swiss watch. Hoping to get many good years of service out of her.

VW Black Beetle YouTube Take Over

Liked the VW XLV super bowl ad. But the YouTube take-over at youtube.com/blackbeetle will create even more buzz. The damn thing gone wild (bam-a-lam). VW's racing-striped Black Beetle knocks dirt and bombastically bam-ba-lam's the foundation of Youtube as it races to knock the user interface silly to Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's cover of Ram Jam's infectious "Black Betty." Nice one-two punch.

M-715 4x4 In action

Vegetal Chair

I found this wonderful video posted by David Carlson at the blog David Report. The mellifluous music by The Captains dances along playfully teasing your visual cortex with the meandering roots of the Vegetal Chair. Another site describes the biomimetic design story of the Ronan and Ewan designed Vegetal Chair. Grow see the video at Vimeo.com.