In yesterday’s Name That Part, I gave all of you the opportunity, should you seize upon it, to get head. And get it you did! Well done to you!
It sounds so much more exciting when I say it that way.
Using a particular system of logic I like to refer to as “blind luck”, über-commenter small-e ran away with the prize, by not only finding the answer, but finding an appropriately-matching photo. It was, as many of you worked out — but not as quickly as small-e, it should be pointed out — the “S14” head from a BMW E30 M3. I’ll be honest, the only reason I know it was an “S14” is because that was the file name of the picture I stole utilized. Some of you, however, were fully aware of this, as well as many trivial fascinating details about the head itself.
I strongly suggest that these people attempt to learn such intimate details about women instead.
On to today’s Name That Part!
Tom Lehrer, as well you know, was a mathematician at the University of California, Santa Cruz. At some point, he got bored with this, and started writing songs. If you are unfamiliar with his repertoire, you should immediately leave, pirate borrow all of his songs, listen to them, memorize them, sing them to your family members, and return once appropriately educated.
Seriously, I’ll wait.
Back? Okay, good. As you are now aware, he wrote such wonderful songs as “The Vatican Rag”, “The Masochism Tango”, and “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park”. His songs were widely admired, and his performances of them generally held in the highest of regard. The New York Times, in 1959, remarked, “Mr. Lehrer’s muse is not fettered by such inhibiting factors as taste.” As such, I can relate to him. Many such things are said of me on quite a regular basis, although not usually quite so eloquently, and with more swear-words. And usually by family members, rather than the New York Times.
Perhaps Mr. Lehrer’s most recognized, repeated and stolen performed song, is “The Elements”. It is nothing more than an unordered list of all of the elements known to science as of 1959, when the song was written, set to the tune of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Modern Major General”. I myself have performed this song three times now for auditions. To date, nobody has been anywhere near as impressed that I was able to navigate the whole song as I myself was.
What does any of this have to do with today’s Name That Part? That’s for you to work out.
Name That Part: Poisoning Pigeons Edition
45 responses to “Name That Part: Poisoning Pigeons Edition”
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Heater for washer fluid. Pre-fire recall.
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Power window motor for a Rolls Canardly
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No, no, no. It’s windshield framistat for a Lancia Omilagodo.
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I prefer the ones that are operated off of engine vacuum. That way, the faster you go, the slower they work.
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This is the first commercially available asthma inhaler, also known as a metered-dose inhaler (MDI). First developed by Riker Laboratories, now a devision of 3M Healthcare, its modern-day counterpart is now used by more than 305 people worldwide!
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Electric windshield wiper motor, but I don’t have a clue what it is off of. Those things are usually a major pain to replace. I ruined the cowl of several junkyard e30s removing replacement ones for my old 325. This one ISN’T an e30 part.
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It is clearly a wiper motor. If only I could remember the case shape better on the wiper motor for my XJ-S. This is disturbingly similar, but since it’s been several months since I’ve had it out, I can’t make any firm statements one way or the other. If I’d driven it to work today, I’d run out and check, but alas, I drove the truck today, and this isn’t the wiper motor from an ’88 K1500.
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Those actually aren’t all that bad to replace (at least in comparison to other cars, like a 4th gen Camaro where you have to drill out rivets). Also, with the E30 window motors, it’s a piece-o-cake to refurbish them. All you have to do is take them apart and sand the rust off the rotor. My guess is that it’s some sort of electric motor-Window, seat, etc.
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Reminds me of an IAC valve for some reason, but I wouldn’t have a clue which car, nor how to connect it to Mr. Lehrer’s repertoire. This also does not jive with Graverobber’s clue above. Actually an IAC valve should have an obvious air inlet, which I don’t see, so I’ll defer to wiper motor.
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A power antenna motor, but I have no idea what it goes to.
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Wiper Motor, Honda Element.
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I want to say power window motor, but it could also be an antenna motor. Judging from the hints, I’ll say it’s GM.
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Tom Lehrer’s album with “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” was my father’s first gift to my mother when they first dated as students at Occidental College. My mom, born and raised in Phoenix, had just transferred to Occidental (where her big brother was student) following a miserable freshman year at Washington University in St. Louis. Among her many dislikes about St. Louis were the ever-present pigeons. My delicate psyche was no doubt warped in my childhood as a result of listening to the wonderful ditties of Professor Lehrer. Knowing all the lyrics to “The Masochism Tango” was not a common talent among my third grade classmates — or their parents…
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“Modern Major General” = GM
“Elements” = Chevy Cobalt?
I have no idea if it’s correct or even an available part.-
No, but I like the way you think! Excellent line of logic!
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Love the lead in photo and especially the tags!
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I believe it’s a wiper motor and one found on ebay…that’s all I determine. 😉
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Lucas wiper motor for Mini Cooper
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Let’s see… Another song by Lehrer was “In Old Mexico”, part of which goes as follows:
Out came the matador,
Who must have been potted or
Slightly insane, but who looked rather bored.
Then the picadors of course,
Each one on his horse,
I shouted “Ole!” ev’ry time one was gored.
I cheered at the bandilleros’ display,
As they stuck the bull in their own clever way,
For I hadn’t had so much fun since the day
My brother’s dog Rover
Got run over.
(Rover was killed by a Pontiac. And it was done with
such grace and artistry that the witnesses awarded the
driver both ears and the tail – but I digress.)
Therefore I must conclude that part is a wiper motor from a Rover…!
What did I win…?-
…Or maybe a wiper motor from a Pontiac, such as the one that ran over Rover…
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I’m giving you the victory. It’s a Land Rover, but I think with that twisted logic, you deserve the win.
I was actually thinking that Land Rovers (Defenders, for instance) are the classic vehicles of the British military. So… making it through the song “The Elements”, set to the tune of “Modern Major General”… is kinda the same as navigating the elements in the form of a modern major general… which requires wipers.-
You have GOT to be kidding me…! I was totally working the Tom Lehrer perverse lyrics angle (and to anyone who’s heard the song, the line “My brother’s dog Rover/ Got run over” is sung with such a lilt).
I seriously mentally played with using that same Lehrer song as a way to finagle something about a Becker Mexico car radio like the one in my parent’s 220D, but I figured accusing the NTP part of being a power antenna motor was lame.-
I. Blame. Charles. That was freakin awesome!
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YOU ROCK. Absolutely.
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That’s an amazing train of logic Charles. Nice work.
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You are a legend. Plain and simple.
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My half-hearted guess of Jaguar was actually closer than I thought.
Now you’ve got me thinking. It looks similar enough that I might be able to get it to work in my Jaguar, and the Land Rover unit seems to be much cheaper. Even after tearing mine apart and getting it to work, it worked poorly, and has since stopped working again. I just don’t know if I’m willing to spend the money “just to see if it’ll work.”
Props to Charles on the win.
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Good job, Charles!
All this talk of Rover has made me sad again. 🙁
(For those of you not in the know, my parents had to put down my dog today. Sadness has overcome me.)-
🙁 *hug* I shall drink to your puppy tonight.
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That really sucks, and I am very sad for you. I know my dogs are like our kids, as we have been unsuccessful at having human ones. To lose one would be devastating. My thoughts are with you, my friend.
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Like kids, but more cuddly, more loyal, and often better-behaved. I’m truly sorry to hear the news.
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They also tend to pee on the furniture less than most children. Oh, and dogs can be trained.
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Yeah, and they rarely take your car for a spin without permission.
engineerd, sorry to hear the bad news. (S)he looks lovely. The old pup has the soulful, sorrowful look down pat, I would've given in to whatever (s)he wanted in seconds if subjected to such puppy-dog eyes.
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I am truly sorry to hear that… My dogs mean the world to me, and my heart goes out to you.
Judging by his face, he lived a long, happy life… i hope that is the case? -
Sorry to hear that, buddy… he looks a lot like my own Golden Retriever, who had to be put down last summer.
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Aww! Sorry bud. I still haven’t gotten over losing my dog this spring. Time for a tall frosty glass of Hefe Hooneweizen in sympathy.
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I have toasted Cheyenne’s memory during my first gin cocktail of the evening. Always remember that you brought her as much joy and love as she gave to you. 🙂
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Sorry for your loss, ‘neerd.
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Truly heartbreaking. Let us raise our glasses in memory of our friend’s best friend.
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Aw, man, I made friends with a Golden Retriever like yours today on Allen Street. He was tied up outside of Big Nose Kate’s Saloon while his people were inside having lunch. Not that bad, horses get tied up at the hitching post there all day and get plenty of attention. Everybody including me was making friends with him, giving him handshakes and pets on the head. If his owners made that many fans here in town, they’d be honorary Tombstone citizens. That’s the power of a Golden Retriever. Here’s to your wonderful dog.
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Sorry, bud. I’m still not over losing my dog this past spring. I’ll raise a glass of Hefe Hoonweizen in your honor.
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Damn hamsters and your non-refreshery!
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You have stumbled on a wonderful name for beer there. I may have to get back into brewing just to make a batch. Imagine the label possibilities.
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Dammit! What a great idea! I wish I still had all the home-brew wine-making equipment. I’d be running for the basement to whip up a homebrew batch of beer. Surely someone here must do home-brewing and feel like making a few batches!
Okay, distribution could be a bitch.-
I thought somebody mentioned a Hefeweizen yesterday, but I couldn’t pull it up in a search. Kind of like a local version of Breakfast Scotch, I guess.
Speaking of beer: Obviously, the Michigan Harvest Beer Festival is on my mind– it’s at Detroit’s Eastern market this weekend. Yours truly and various other shady characters will be there to class up the joint.
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