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Just got this new shop truck this morning. No, it's not an April Fool's Joke.
It's a '08 Chevy HHR Panel with three miles on the odometer when I drove it off the lot.
Bruce Bowers had his HHR at Fred's and I just couldn't take it any longer.
Actually, I wasn't planning on buying one for awhile but drove by the Chevy dealer and they had this one on the lot. It was the first one they had put up for sale. For some reason they are just not available in this area. As far as I know this is the first one in Temple.
Now, I just wonder what I could put on the side?
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'll be in Chuston, Tecksez for the next few days Ray. When I get back I can cut some vinyl and send it over to ya. What would you like it to say? Seriously, good ride cowboy.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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how bout a big fat polar bear, kinda looks like one already, maybe you could get pierre to print one when he gets his new printer, there's polar bears all over the place where he lives and he has a good digital camera so no artwork needed.
-------------------- Pete Payne Willowlake Design/Canadian Signcrafters Bayfield, ON
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then again, if you had one of those big 5 axis routers you could park on the table and carve it all up sawatsky-like with wiggly lines and everything
-------------------- Pete Payne Willowlake Design/Canadian Signcrafters Bayfield, ON
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Lot of potential there Raymond! Can't wait to see the end result!!
-------------------- Tony Vickio The World Famous Vickio Signs 3364 Rt.329 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 t30v@vickiosigns.com 607-535-6241 http://www.vickiosigns.com Posts: 1063 | From: Watkins Glen, New York | Registered: Sep 2001
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-------------------- Joe Crumley Norman Sign Company 2200 Research Park Blvd. Norman, OK 73069 Posts: 1428 | From: 2200 Research Park Blvd. | Registered: Sep 2001
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Very nice, Ray. You will love the ride, the comfort, and the economy!
I bet you get yours lettered before I do mine, though... Hey, it gets cold here in Minnesota in the winter and I don't have a heated garage. No, wait, it was that I needed to do a layout and finalize the design... yeah, yeah, that's the ticket...
Can't wait to see what you do...
-------------------- Bruce Bowers
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6451 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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Sweet Ray. I checked out some pics, etc. on the web. What is the cargo/passenger set up. Does is function like a mini van. ie: fold down seats. Is it big enough to get a 4'x8' in flat on the floor?
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There are no rear seats in the panel version of the HHR.
As far as the 4x8 issue goes... when you look as cool as you do profiling in one of these bad boys, who cares?
-------------------- Bruce Bowers
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6451 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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Well, being as I am the patriotic sort, I'd go with an American flag on the large expanse of white and my shop logo on the front doors. Maybe a big eagle on the hood, with a flag in the background. But that's just me. I'm sure you will come up with a great design. Good Luck and enjoy trhe ride. Don
-------------------- Donald Miner ABCO Wholesale Neon 1168 Red Hill Creek Dobson, NC Posts: 842 | From: North Carolina | Registered: Apr 2006
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I was looking at the same thing over the weekend. As cool as they look, man, they sure seem tiny! I'm not sure my ladders would fit in it. The price for the one I was looking at was right though. Please fill us in or keep us (me) up to date on the pros and cons!
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Pretty cool ride Raymond. I know you'll sweeten it up with your magic touch.
4x8's, ladders, what about putting a rack on the top?
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Although there is room in the back for lots of stuff, it is not meant (at least for me) to carry 4' x 8's and such. It will be used mainly for scooting around town and being a traveling billboard. There is no back seat but it does have some bins for storage.
We will use it to work vinyl and paint lettering on windows and such where a 4' ladder is sufficient, but not for heavy stuff.
It is comfortable, gets good gas mileage, has On-Star and lots of bells and whistles, but it is not meant to be a crane truck.
For the time being I will just do something in a digital print and then mull over paint schemes and such for a later time.
This is my first completely new vehicle and the best part is the smell inside.
New toys! Is this a great country or what!
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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2 things NOT TO DO......WRAP IT or VINYL IT.... paint on that will be so "retro"!!!!! we have a car show every sat evening. this guy has a beautiful 1951-52 FORD PANEL DELIVERY. and its sorta the bright 60's ford blue met. SWEET...till you get up next to the graphics...ITS PRINTED VINYL....really looks like crap.....on that vehicle.
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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I've only had mine for a few weeks Ray and I love it! I got 30 mpg on the first tank. Mine's silver
-------------------- Terry Baird Baird Signs 3484 West Lake Rd. Canandaigua, NY 14424 Posts: 790 | From: Canandaigua, New York | Registered: Dec 2002
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I think you should route some real cool 3D lettering for the side Raymond... GOLD LEAFED of course!
I've already done our trailer and am planning our truck now!
Can't wait to see what you do on the side...
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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You know, I found the answer to that burning question of whether a 4x8 would fit in the back of my HHR Panel! I fit one in mine last night.
I only had to cut it twice.
[ April 03, 2008, 08:08 AM: Message edited by: Bruce Bowers ]
-------------------- Bruce Bowers
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6451 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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These things are definately cool looking. As far as the 4x8 issue....how often do you haul around a 4x8 anyway? A lightweight little trailer will solve the 4x8 and ladder problem.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
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This probably is of no particular interest to anyone, but I would not have bought the HHR if I needed a truck. For installations and those times when we need to haul the 4' x 8's we use Mike's truck, which is a full sized '03 Chevy Silverado. It's his but I pay half the insurance and put gas in it when it is needed for the studio.
I've been looking at these HHR's for a long time, but when Mike decided to try out the Sheriff's department I no longer had access to his truck, so I was looking for a full sized pick-up. Luckily, he returned and my search for a HHR continued.
This would not be a practical shop truck if you did a lot of large signs, installations, etc. For me, it's perfect. As Jeanne says, it's my new toy.
She reminded me recently that I now have a lot of toys: HHR Panel, ShopBot, Fancy Video Camera, Adobe Editing Software, and one of those refrigerators that spit ice and water out the door. She said that it was time to paint the house and fix up the bathroom at home. I guess she's right...which is normal.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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the looks of the new HHR panel are beautiful for the normal person in any business and so are the looks of my 59 Chevy Carryall yet the gas mileage you'll receive differs from the LS6 454 I have in mine.
Good luck Raymond and God bless
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
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Jeez Ray... next thing you know, you'll be getting indoor plumbing and one of those electronic moon-dials you strap to your wrist!!
I think it's a GREAT looking vehicle.... I've come to like the looks, which I wasn't sure about at first.... but I especially love those blocky fenders and the panel version is the cat's meow!
Do 'er up good and make a point of posting the pics will ya?? Show us the candy Mister.
I'm with George - you can always get a light duty trailer for sheets of stuff - if ya needed to in a pinch.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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They are awesome, I would have had one but I could'nt fit a 4x8 in the back, so I got another Caravan with fold down seats, and we can fit a 4x8 in the back, then realized I have a 4x4 pick up truck and said.*&*&%$$%##@!!!!
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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I was trying to fit a 4' x 8' panel into my wife's "new" van a few years ago without destroying the upholstery and the guy at the supplier jumped down to help. He told me: "I have a wife, too."
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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this was one at car show last weekend...the accent lines are painted same color as lettering...
[ April 03, 2008, 04:25 PM: Message edited by: old paint ]
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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What a coincidence! I have spent the past 2 weeks researching possible replacements for my nice (buy not fuel efficient) Tundra. After researching everything from Magnums to Civics I settled on the HHRs. I have not parted with my truck as yet. I am worried about the space issue. As far as ladders go, just have the dealer install the HHRs side rails and cross members on top-it's rated for 100lb-enough for a little giant type ladder or a couple of aluminum ladders. I have been looking more at the passenger models though, you never know when you may need a back seat.
-------------------- Kevin Mann SignMann Sacramento, Ca Posts: 80 | From: sacramento california | Registered: Jan 2007
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Oh Ray I'm so jealous...I saw my first one abut 3 years back as I was coming home from a family reunion in Missouri...as i saw it go by I actually stopped and turned around to follow it...my wife thouht I'd lost my mind til she saw it too.
It was a beautiful saphire blue and looked to be lowered.
I want one bad! Maybe soon if my 300,000 mile chevy short wide ever quits! Until then?
-------------------- "Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"
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Raymond, Don't drink and drive!!!! I loved that car!
-------------------- Tony Vickio The World Famous Vickio Signs 3364 Rt.329 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 t30v@vickiosigns.com 607-535-6241 http://www.vickiosigns.com Posts: 1063 | From: Watkins Glen, New York | Registered: Sep 2001
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Seriously, good ride cowboy.
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