Leica a la Carte is a la Dead

[Sumarongi]

According to *my* source, Walter Mandler has been cloned, finally! That's a huge success of German cloning technology. Additionally, they've also cloned Walter's favourite Unicorn, you know, the one that has the special *furz* that is needed to very accurately and very slowly cool down the molten glass...

😀

 

[Jaymz007]

I am very Lucky!!
I am going to get my Ala Carte next week. I have been waiting since Dec of last year.
Good thing I ordered mine before they end the Ala Carte Program.

 

[pyeh]

Jaymz007, I was wondering how long an a la carte takes. My dealer said "minimum of 8 weeks" but it sounds like it's more like 5 months.

 

[Jaymz007]

I ordered it 12/19/17. And only now they are doing the engraving of my signature on top.
My Leica dealer said they should send it from Germany next week so by the time I get it, it might be another 3 weeks.

 

[Jaymz007]

Sorry I just look at my emails and I confirmed the final order on 1/19/18, so it is more like 4 months Total if it arrives this month. If not I guess it is more like 5 months.

 

[ian_watts]

Sorry I just look at my emails and I confirmed the final order on 1/19/18, so it is more like 4 months Total if it arrives this month.

About the same length of time it took Leica to service my M-A recently. Probably the same technician does both jobs😀 (I was told there is only one person servicing film cameras at Leica now).

 

[Tompas]

(...) *furz* (...)

Your German is excellent, congratulations! 😀

 

[pyeh]

Thanks for the time information, jaymzbond. Gives me some idea.
Ian, the lone film M tech must sit next to Huss’s single M9 sensor replacement tech. Perhaps this film person is about to retire and that’s why Stephen foresees the imminent end of a la carte. The M9 chap/woman, on the other hand, will be gainfully employed for years.

 

[Tompas]

(Completely off-topic...)

I'm glad some of you still have such an high opinion of German cars. Our next car will very likely be a Japanese one. Or maybe a French one; the best (as in no trouble at all for 14 years, until I sold it) car I ever had, was a Citroen. Go figure...

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

It must have been a 2CV* as that's the only one from all those years ago I remember with a smile...

Regards, David


* AKA the tin snail.

 

[Godfrey]

I still want a Citroën DS21 ... Someday! 😀

What I should have, actually, is something more like a Ford Transit ... That way, I'd have something I could carry my cameras and bicycle in. But I like driving the SLK too much.

G

 

[Huss]

(Completely off-topic...)

I'm glad some of you still have such an high opinion of German cars. Our next car will very likely be a Japanese one. Or maybe a French one; the best (as in no trouble at all for 14 years, until I sold it) car I ever had, was a Citroen. Go figure...

I just saw 2 different Citroen DS cars on a road trip in California last week.
What a cool car.

Didn't Maserati have a version? The SM I think?

 

[Huss]

Thanks for the time information, jaymzbond. Gives me some idea.
Ian, the lone film M tech must sit next to Huss’s single M9 sensor replacement tech. Perhaps this film person is about to retire and that’s why Stephen foresees the imminent end of a la carte. The M9 chap/woman, on the other hand, will be gainfully employed for years.

FYI the manager of a certain Leica Store told me they only have one tech, which is why it takes so long. I don't think he was meant to tell me that...

 

[Huss]

About the same length of time it took Leica to service my M-A recently. Probably the same technician does both jobs😀 (I was told there is only one person servicing film cameras at Leica now).

What did your M-A need? I had my M-A 'a la carte-d' by DAG as I had him remove the useless to me 75mm frame lines. Now the view with a 50mm lens is as it should be - like an M4!

 

[David Hughes]

I just saw 2 different Citroen DS cars on a road trip in California last week.
What a cool car.

Didn't Maserati have a version? The SM I think?

Yes, the Maserati version was something really, really special. Many years ago the prototype of the RHD version was offered for sale in the club's magazine but - alas - I didn't have that sort of money.

Regards, David

 

[kshapero]

I am very Lucky!!
I am going to get my Ala Carte next week. I have been waiting since Dec of last year.
Good thing I ordered mine before they end the Ala Carte Program.

Please tell us what you are getting.

 

[kshapero]

Saw a Citroen pickup truck at the beach last week. I was soaking wet from swimming and could not get a shot off. It looked like a custom hatchet job, but I can not say for sure.
It was something like this

 

[Godfrey]

Yes, the Maserati version was something really, really special. Many years ago the prototype of the RHD version was offered for sale in the club's magazine but - alas - I didn't have that sort of money.

The SM was very special, but the even more exotic XM of middle 1990s era was even more so. I had one of those as a hire car on one trip to the UK: it was a fantastic sedan, looked and drove as if it had come from somewhere Other Than Here.

Citroen have not distributed to the USA since about 1973. It’s a terrible shame.

 

[CMur12]

This looks like a Rover 2000 or 2000 TC converted into a pickup.
(Edit: I just noticed the bulge on the hood, so this is probably the Rover 3500, with the B-O-P [Buick-Olds-Pontiac] aluminum V8 purchased from GM.)

The Citroen SM was a Citroen with a Maserati engine. Citroen had bought out Maserati not long before that, as I recall.

I agree with Godrey. The Citroen DS 21 was an amazing car and I would dearly love to have one, myself!

- Murray

Saw a Citroen pickup truck at the beach last week. I was soaking wet from swimming and could not get a shot off. It looked like a custom hatchet job, but I can not say for sure.
It was something like this

 

[Huss]

I like the direction that this thread has taken!