Taxes here are under $3k Friends out in NJ are shelling out $15k - $20k a year!
Taxes on a 900 sq ft house in Rhode Island was $2,200 when we bought it for $160K. We dumped another $175 K into it, bringing it up to 2,100 sq ft and our taxes jumped in the next five years to $9,100/year (close to the water on Narraganstt Bay). The public school system was terrible (still is). No trash pickup, snow plowing "in a few days - we'll see", very few public services. The waiting list for a mooring for my boat in the bay near the house was about 20 years....maybe. Any wonder why we sold it?
Go for it, Alan!
Alan
You put a bug in my ear, I'm renting a house in Stuart FL Jan-May next yr. If we like the area good bye $25K Jersey taxes. But I'll have to pay for you and Connie to come down to help w/ my Vintage 356!
So... I built a big house outside of Tremont, IL (population, 2000) in 2006. I spent more than I wanted to, but we did everything ourselves-- and ended up with a nice 6 BR, 4-1/2 bath house with an exercise room, a home theater, a 3-car garage, and a 1500-ish sq/ft barn with heated floors, a 12 ft door, and a storage loft. It was ridiculous. We did all of this just before all three kids moved out for good, making us like every other family in America who builds the house they wish they'd raised their kids in... right about the time they leave.
Anyhow in the fall of 2015, a friend pulled into the driveway and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. When we moved out, I was seriously considering selling the business too, and relocating someplace warmer with lower taxes. I did a bit of sniffing around, and found out a few things.
Illinois is #50 (out of 51-- New Jersey is worse) for the worst property taxes. We pay about 2.3% of the home's value in taxes every year.
Alabama has the second lowest property taxes in the US, and home prices along the coast are ridiculously cheap. A very nice new construction home can be had for under $250K, and the taxes are consistently way under $2K/yr. Some of the stuff I was looking at was under $1K/yr. Yeah, the schools aren't up to New England standard, but I've got nobody in school. I've been to Gulf Shores-- it's pretty nice.
In the end, we stayed. I've been building now for over a year (as of today), and I'll have chewed up every dime I had in the old place on something considerably smaller and less salable. I worked hard to keep the taxes down (lots of living space below grade, and in the "garage"), but they'll still be crazy. Regardless, this is home, and complain though I do-- I've had a pretty good life here, and I'll probably be planted under these corn and beans, just like my Grandpa.
I just wish we could get out of the governmental rut we find ourselves in. It's bad.
Let's see friends... in Leland, NC, Wolfgang in the FL panhandle along with friends in Tampa and Craig in Stuart FL, I swore after 3,000,000 trucking miles I would never do a driving vacation but the prospect is, beginning to get interesting maybe a very casual 3 week vacation in the late fall.
...........I estimate I'm 75 or so hours from finishing the Outlaw.
Stan Galat, '05 IM, 2276, Nowhere, USA posted:
... I was seriously considering selling the business too, and relocating someplace warmer with lower taxes...
Well, why not California, Stan?
You're right - Illinois is 50th worst in total state taxes. Rhode Island is 47th.
California is - wait for it - 10th. Yup, 10th.
Ah but the cost of living, right? That'll kill ya'.
Well, that does skew things quite a bit, but even adjusted for cost of living, Illinois is still 43rd. Rhode Island is 48th. And California is 34th.
Here's my source for the numbers.
Of course, the chart doesn't mention other factors that make that '34th' ranking a bit easier to swallow - winter Speedster driving, ocean view canyon carving, proximity to surf shacks, and all the fish tacos you can eat. And think of all you'll save on mukluks, snow blowers, and long thermal underwear.
Terry Nuckels, The Tebster, or I will be happy to find you a nice 3bd/2ba with a great deck, koi pond, and loads of curb appeal. Text us and set up an appointment.
But just not on Thursdays - we've all got yoga classes then.
Alan Merklin posted:Let's see friends... in Leland, NC, Wolfgang in the FL panhandle along with friends in Tampa and Craig in Stuart FL, I swore after 3,000,000 trucking miles I would never do a driving vacation but the prospect is, beginning to get interesting maybe a very casual 3 week vacation in the late fall.
...........I estimate I'm 75 or so hours from finishing the Outlaw.
Not to mention friends in Louden, TN and Charleston, SC.
Tnx Lane !
I'm buying dinner for you and Wolfgang in the Florida Panhandle.
I have a house in Howard co MD and Sussex co DE. Both approximately the same market value even though very different in size and land area. MD lot measured in acres, DE lot measured in feet. DE house does enjoy a short walk to the ocean, so there is that, and it has about 1/2 the floor area of the MD house.. MD taxes are pushing $9K and DE taxes are under $2K. I have always wondered where the local DE gov't gets its money. Maybe they don't need as much?? A puzzle.
Youz' guys keep making this road trip vacation sound better...we'll see how things fall into place come fall.
It was interesting, moving from Rhode Island (#47'th worst) to South Carolina (#9'th Worst), looking at the overall cost of residence.
We went from a 2,000 sq ft home 1/8 mile from the water to a 3,200 sq ft home at half the price right on the water (the Broad River - a tidal river). Taxes and insurance went from $9,100 (taxes) and $1,500 (insurance) in RI to under $3k (taxes) but $3,500 for flood insurance. If the house were situated one foot higher from the mean high tide line (we were at 9 feet - should have been at 10 feet!) we would have saved over $1K/year on flood insurance. THEN, after a few hurricanes farther south from us in the Gulf, most of the private insurance companies pulled out of the market, leaving FEMA as your only choice for flood insurance if you could even get it, plus all new coastal construction has to be elevated at least 11 feet above mean high tide - that is a LOT of housing affected in the "Low Country". If you live on or very near the water down south, flood/storm insurance is going to be a big consideration - like unavailable. so all the new construction has to meet Dade County (FL) construction codes and look like this:
Other than that, I would go back in a heartbeat. I never did get used to having politics creep into every single conversation, especially with strangers, but the folks we were closer to, like the car club or Kathy's quilting Guild, were all really nice folks - I'm sure it's the same everywhere else. We were this 
close to buying a house in Stuart, FL, for a while there, but ended up in Beaufort, SC, instead and glad we did. Stuart is a beautiful town with an actual, vibrant downtown but was growing a bit too fast for us back around 2000. A friend from a past company moved to Mobile, AL, for 15 years and recently sent me a note that they had moved to Stuart to be closer to his kids (the kids work at Disneyworld). They both love Stuart - it's a perfect little town.
So looking at Mitch's chart, I guess with Massachusetts (#31'st Worst) being between RI and SC I'm pretty well situated. I guess we're no longer "Taxachusetts"!! (or maybe not quite as much as in the past). We've got everything here we could want - great schools, good services, lots to do, an electorate semi-apathetic about politics (except the local races), and the only big exception is for warmer winters and longer Speedstah seasons because I no longer do winter sports. Maybe that will change now that the Grandsons are learning to ski! But like Stan, this, in the end, is home. I've tried other places....THIS is where I like to be. At least, everbuddy we tawk wit sounds like us!
Sacto Mitch posted:
Of course, the chart doesn't mention other factors that make that '34th' ranking a bit easier to swallow - winter Speedster driving, ocean view canyon carving, proximity to surf shacks, and all the fish tacos you can eat. And think of all you'll save on mukluks, snow blowers, and long thermal underwear.
Terry Nuckels, The Tebster, or I will be happy to find you a nice 3bd/2ba with a great deck, koi pond, and loads of curb appeal. Text us and set up an appointment.
But just not on Thursdays - we've all got yoga classes then.
Mitch, I'm in. How much is this paradise villa going to cost me? I can do some Yoga. Sandy likes to dig, so we need room for some fig trees, a pomegranate and maybe a little citrus.
$2,600 a year in taxes on our place. 2,000 sf + full basement and this ridiculous garage, a quarter-acre lot a half mile from the state park with the boat ramp, nice neighbors, so-so schools, walk to the library. And MD is supposed to be like the worst—44th all in? Yeah, we pay an income tax here too, but I don't feel oppressed.
Am I doing it wrong?
Ed, I don't think that any of us that can dump disposable income/savings on plastic toys are feeling oppressed, its more like sometimes you feel that your on a hamster wheel and would rather be on a treadmill.
Outlaw update photos...under construction.
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Now that's an engine. It's too nice to put in a car.
I also like the steering wheel - has the Brooklands look to it with the crossed spokes.
Unless I can locate another 9 screw hub (splines are rounded) I'll have to replace it with a black leather wrapped banjo wheel.
Looks good from here. 
You do nice work, Alan.
I like the steering wheel too. Would this get it?
" Almost... counts in horse shoes and hand grenades" .......... after pulling what little hair I have endlessly fondling the 48 Webers, I am going to strongly recommend everyone keep a brown paper bag in there tool box so you can hyperventilate into it when you experience the day I just #!@& had.
Been there more times than I want to admit Alan. Tomorrow will be better.
What a beautiful job you are doing. Hang on.
Project 43 update: A couple of weeks ago I finally attempted to fire the 2332, with gas pouring out of a PO badly installed AN fitting at the fuel pump and with no way to stop the flow all I could do was raise the lift and shove a Wal Mart plastic tub under the tank until it emptied, at the same time one valve cover gasket decided puked oil everywhere, it was a fun filled challenge running around the shop throwing old towels on the floor.......... This Speedster knows it's the last one and bit me more than once. After manning battle stations, swabbing the shop's deck and making the fuel and oil repairs, the Weber 48's still gave me fits, I rechecked the floats, checked the fuel pressure regulator , needle seats etc. to no avail this thing was dumping gas into the motor big time. So with throttle shafts leaking I decided it was crunch time and ordered new 48's. They arrived today so Monday. I'll set the floats ( 10 closed and 32 drop) get them on and set up, do a few other minor punch list items and and just maybe, it will be a driver for Carlisle..... Excess shop parts are for the most part sold off, a neighbor is buying the compressor etc, Wild Bill gets the scissor lift and Ed (Bridget) gets most of the remaining shop items as he will continue my mission to build and save Speedsters and Spyders on the east coast.
I feel for ya, ALAN. Some days are diamonds and some days are stones, and other days just turn into pure shyt. But you will overcome. Do you really need 48s?? I was expecting the story to end with getting new 44s. Can't wait to hear if all has resolved w/ the new hardware.
Jezzz man. Hang in there.
Thanks...yeah 48's for sure this motor is a Super Sized 2332 with Eliminator heads etc, a Big Gulp it has dedicated fuel lines for each carb from the pressure regulator.
Nice looking Alan. Are those valve covers powdercoated?
What a beauty and a great end to your line of builds!!
Art
"... end of the line . . ." we've heard that one before.
#43 is a whomper, no doubt about it.
Alan- IDF's or IDA's?
IDF will sell the old 48's on the Samba for cores
Cant wait to have ya near home buddy. Time to relax and enjoy life.
THANKS Tom ! Connie and I are looking forward to WV and good friends...
p.s. The car looks freakin awesome. Perfect color...perfect wheels...and a killer motor!
Alan, I think you will find those 48s (if with standard 40mm vents) are way too big unless you plan on driving WOT all the time. Your 2332 is big, but not big enough to pull the vacuum in normal driving RPMs required to make monster vents (and intake valves) work.
Similar to you, I started with a 2332 big everything plus Dell 48 Tri-Jets and 44mm intake Street Elims. No joy!
On the advise of others, including Jake Raby, I choked the 40mm vents down to 36mm and jetted accordingly. In other words, I throttled-down the 48s to behave more like Weber 44s. The drivability improvement was stunning.
A few years later, I replaced my 44mm intake Street Elims for CNC ported mini-wedge head from CB. On their advice I switched to 42mm intakes. Again, a very noticeable improvement in performance; but most important, the heads run MUCH cooler than the Street Elims. With the Street Elims I was fixated on the oil temp gauge. With the mini-wedges I'm concerned my gauge must get stuck at 200 cause it never gets higher.
If I had it to do over again I would go with Weber 44s. I'd rather choose smaller Dells, but parts are limited.
Anyway, you might want to give this some consideration: https://vwparts.aircooled.net/...earch=weber+48+36mm+
Thanks for the heads up advice this is the grocery list on the 2332 and why I think the 48's are necessary, I may be wrong, waiting on a set of new NGK's and we'll see how it goes.
Weber 86A Cam
Compression is set at (8:1) for everyday drivability.
Rebuilt dual Weber 48mm carbs
All engine steel parts cryogenic treated inclusive of the camshaft, crank, all valve springs, all head bolts, rods, rod bolts piston wrist pins
Ported CB Performance Competition Eliminator heads, combustion chamber is ceramic coated as are valves and exhaust ports.
Dual springs, with Pauter Billet roller rocker arms 1.4:1 ratio, with roller tips. (These heads flow a lot of air and fuel)
JE Pistons forged dish tops, 10cc dish with ceramic coated tops and graphite coated skirts
...........Nikasil 94 mm cylinders by LN engineering
Ceramic lifters ( these are unobtainable)
H Rods, CB Performance 5.7” length
Aluminum pushrods, Aircooled.net double tapered
Serpentine belt drive
CB Performance 7mm high deck aluminum super case built for 94mm cylinders, with 10mm case savers and sand seal
ARP head bolts and rod bolts etc.10mm
Extra capacity oil pump (36mm) Aircooled.net
Raby Aircooled Technology DTM body color matched cooling shroud
CB alternator with welded fan
CB Performance straight cut steel cam drive gears
Rod bearings Chevy 2”
4340 crankshaft from CB Performance nitrated with Chevy rod journals
Cam bearings, Gene Berg, dual thrust
Ignition Electronic w/ blue coil
Flywheel is forged steel. Lightened (CB Performance)
Starter: Hi-Torque (CB Performance)
96 row fan forced oil cooler with type IV in shroud cooler, external remote WIX oil filter.
Exhaust is stainless steel 48mm Python by CSP with J tubes also 48mm
CSP center pull carb linkage
The bearings are all Polydyne coated, the crank, case, and rods are all treated/coated with Oil Shed
It will be interesting to hear how this engine drives, Alan, as it's a bit of a mismatch of parts. The heads and exhaust are sized to make serious power in the 5,000-8 or 9,000 rpm range, and even the rod length seems to have been chosen with this powerband in mind. The cam and compression, otoh, suggest the builder was looking for more go anywhere, street friendly big-block torque . The camshaft's duration (244' @ .050", normally peaks about 5,000rpm or so) will be trying to shut the engine down just as the airspeed in the intake ports are getting ready rock and the heads are coming alive. The air volume that the intake and exhaust are capable of will probably extend the redline somewhat, but it won't rev nearly as high as it should (or make close to the power the heads are capable of), or have the intake port speed in the lower rpm's either. I'm guessing it may even be a bit hard on gas. The Competition Eliminators are also known as hard to keep cool on the street, so you have your challenges cut out for you.
I don't mean to sound like a complete downer here, Alan, but I don't really see any up-side to this combo. Al
By way of explanation, Al: the guy who put it together (previous owner) intended to eventually turbocharge it. That's why it's got the smallish cam and low compression with LN Nickies. I'm not sure what the heads are all about, but I'd be interested as well in how it runs. If it were mine (and it very nearly was), I would've put an FK8, some super-pro heads, and set the compression closer to 9.5:1. I'd have run 48s, but I think I would have tried IDAs with the extra progression ports.
But Allan stepped up and bought this, so it's his deal. I'm watching with great interest. This one is pretty cool.
Being originally built as a turbo engine makes more sense, Stan; never thought of that (don't know enough about turbo engines). I still think the Comp Eliminators are wrong, as they just don't do well on the street; I can't imagine trying to run them on the highway. I wholeheatedly agree with the FK8 (or FK10; what the hell, the engine's big enough!
), Superpros and 9.5:1; that would be a bitchen' Speedster engine! I can't get IDA's with air filters in my engine compartment, even with the Berg short manifolds (anybody want a set of Italian IDA's that have never had gas through them and I still have the boxes for? Just a hint- I won't give them away!
), and IDF's have the progression ports, will make the same power (or very close to it) and have a better float design for a car designed to rip around the curves, so they'll more than do the job. I do love the Nickies, though; but with the present exchange rate...
Now I sorta get a hint of what life is like up there on Mt Olympus where the gods of air-cooled engines live. Jeezy-peasy, I hope all this works out. Sounds like a stunningly spec-ed engine, but if it won't be happy under 4,000 rpm, or without its intended supercharger, it's going to be tough to handle.
Agree it's kinda a mix and match, if it had a turbo as intended and with this lightened speedster (about 1200 lbs.) it would be way over powered as it probably already is. It has a type IV cooler , 96 row fan cooler, 2.5" open lower engine bay firewall and a actuator that lifts the deck lid 3" that should run all the cool air need and hopefully the two coolers will keep the oil temp in check.