So I was on Youtube tonight, and I ran across the ever-present "teaching (insert normally bad driver here) to drive a stick" video, which got me thinking...
You always see some guy video taping his girlfriend "learning" how to drive stick. I think when I have kids, if I have a daughter, I'm going to teach her all the ins and outs of driving stick along with performance/stunt maneuvers. Then when some jerk thinks he's going to get a funny video of her driving a stick (because she'll keep up the ruse that she doesn't know), She'll kill it a couple of time and then bust out some awesome J-turns, powerslides, burnouts, and donuts. That would achieve three things: be awesome, make for an epic Youtube viral video, and show the punk kid to have some respect for the females. Have fun buying tires, you prick!
I think I'd teach the same things to my future son too. Only slower, taking many more weeks to show him the awesomeness of driving. In his car. Which would have a wheezy, dead V8.
That's just my thoughts...
Friday, April 13, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Third Gen Torino (or Eight Gen Fairlane)
Hey everybody! Long time, no see. I should really change this to "Car of the Month"...
Today we look at the awesomeness that was the Ford Torino. The Torino was introduced in '68 as a higher trim line of the Fairlane, and had much of the same basic infrastructure as older Fairlanes (unit body construction, RWD, V8 and I6 options, and a fast, fun, but classy look. In 1970, a redesign came not only for the car but also the name. The Torino was the main car while the Fairlane was the subset base trim until it was completely dropped in '71. In '72, champagne fell from the sky, the angels sang, God smiled down from Heaven, and Ford engineers decided to make the Torino a good old body on frame design and threw in a 429 and a top-loader 4-speed with a four-link rear suspension and front and rear sway bars. The ride was smoother than Ron Burgundy's pick-up lines, and the car's looks would stop a blind man in his tracks. If there was a better car on the market in '72, Ford didn't make it, and I don't care.
Clint Eastwood named a movie after a '72 Torino, for Pete's sake!
With the zenith of the Torino being reached in '72, the downward spiral that followed was inevitable. In '73, the first of three major blows to all vehicle designs hit - the 5mph front impact regulation bumpers. This require that all front bumpers should withstand a a 5mph impact without damaging the car. The second blow came in '74 when they decided that the rear bumpers should have a similar guideline. The result was the loss of beautiful, body sculpted bumpers that add to and accent fascia designs. These were replaced by large, rectangular slabs or chrome plated metal mounted on springs with a soft plastic sheet that would crumple and bounce back covering the gaps between the bumpers and the body. Beautiful designs from all American auto companies were replaced with mutated, law-abiding versions. The Torino still had some panache, but it had lost some of its style in the regulation process. Luckily, the TV show Starsky & Hutch helped to add to the relevance of the Torino and immortalize the '74-6 body style in the minds of car, TV, and movie enthusiasts throughout history as the "Big Red Tomato" or the "Zebra 3".
The third blow to the Torino was the gas crisis. Ford had been gradually de-tuning their engines since as early as 1970 to try and make them get better fuel economy, but after the gas crisis of '74, they stopped putting in as many big, pavement pounding V8s and marketed the Torino as more of a personal luxury car. The Torino traded the 429 for the 460 (2-door models only) and lost the 351 Cobra Jet and the 4-speed after '74. In '75, the only remaining engine choices were 2 variations of the 351 2V (with less power than before), the emissions friendly 400 1V, and the 460 2V. No manual transmissions were available after '74. Ultimately, the Torino was cancelled at the end of '76, being replaced by the LTD II with its newer, sleeker, boxy lines.
I realize I don't normally do vehicle histories, but I really like Torino's. Especially because they are like an extension to the Fairlane line, which I also love and I used to own one. Since this took so long, I'll do the short version for how I would build mine, when I get it in the future after I land a job making tons of money.
I used to say, up until about two weeks ago, that I'd buy a '72 formal roof, paint it matte black with sweet rims and a kickin' stance, and redo the chrome in black chrome or powder coated dark grey. Something like this:
But recently I came across a guy who made a simple survivor '74 look drop-dead gorgeous with a simple wash and some nice rims.
So this has got me thinking...
What if I did the same general idea but instead of black, I use a dark, dark, almost black, metallic red with the black chrome (not the powder coating). The American Racing Torque Thrust II's really make this car look awesome. Especially if it's in black chrome. I think I'd get the '74-6 model and install the sleek, classic early '70s interior from the '72 model. Plus the back quarter windows roll down on the '72, and they discontinued that feature in '73 for cost savings. I've also seen one with the '72 front end on the '74 body. an idea that makes me wonder...
The drivetrain would be my usual deal. Stroked V8 (351 Cleavland), manual valve body automatic (I'm not sure which one they put in the late '80s F-250s and bigger, but I'd use that one because it was built to tow, then I'd add a reverse shift pattern), and posi-traction.
Another thought, if I did the black one, I was thinking about doing it with a bare-bones interior and a roll bar giving it a seriously menacing, visceral, and badass feel. The red version would be a bit more classy, so it'd have a full interior complete with sound deadening (for the ladies). This car would be quite nice in either version. It'll be awesome if I ever get it...
Today we look at the awesomeness that was the Ford Torino. The Torino was introduced in '68 as a higher trim line of the Fairlane, and had much of the same basic infrastructure as older Fairlanes (unit body construction, RWD, V8 and I6 options, and a fast, fun, but classy look. In 1970, a redesign came not only for the car but also the name. The Torino was the main car while the Fairlane was the subset base trim until it was completely dropped in '71. In '72, champagne fell from the sky, the angels sang, God smiled down from Heaven, and Ford engineers decided to make the Torino a good old body on frame design and threw in a 429 and a top-loader 4-speed with a four-link rear suspension and front and rear sway bars. The ride was smoother than Ron Burgundy's pick-up lines, and the car's looks would stop a blind man in his tracks. If there was a better car on the market in '72, Ford didn't make it, and I don't care.
Clint Eastwood named a movie after a '72 Torino, for Pete's sake!
With the zenith of the Torino being reached in '72, the downward spiral that followed was inevitable. In '73, the first of three major blows to all vehicle designs hit - the 5mph front impact regulation bumpers. This require that all front bumpers should withstand a a 5mph impact without damaging the car. The second blow came in '74 when they decided that the rear bumpers should have a similar guideline. The result was the loss of beautiful, body sculpted bumpers that add to and accent fascia designs. These were replaced by large, rectangular slabs or chrome plated metal mounted on springs with a soft plastic sheet that would crumple and bounce back covering the gaps between the bumpers and the body. Beautiful designs from all American auto companies were replaced with mutated, law-abiding versions. The Torino still had some panache, but it had lost some of its style in the regulation process. Luckily, the TV show Starsky & Hutch helped to add to the relevance of the Torino and immortalize the '74-6 body style in the minds of car, TV, and movie enthusiasts throughout history as the "Big Red Tomato" or the "Zebra 3".
The third blow to the Torino was the gas crisis. Ford had been gradually de-tuning their engines since as early as 1970 to try and make them get better fuel economy, but after the gas crisis of '74, they stopped putting in as many big, pavement pounding V8s and marketed the Torino as more of a personal luxury car. The Torino traded the 429 for the 460 (2-door models only) and lost the 351 Cobra Jet and the 4-speed after '74. In '75, the only remaining engine choices were 2 variations of the 351 2V (with less power than before), the emissions friendly 400 1V, and the 460 2V. No manual transmissions were available after '74. Ultimately, the Torino was cancelled at the end of '76, being replaced by the LTD II with its newer, sleeker, boxy lines.I realize I don't normally do vehicle histories, but I really like Torino's. Especially because they are like an extension to the Fairlane line, which I also love and I used to own one. Since this took so long, I'll do the short version for how I would build mine, when I get it in the future after I land a job making tons of money.
I used to say, up until about two weeks ago, that I'd buy a '72 formal roof, paint it matte black with sweet rims and a kickin' stance, and redo the chrome in black chrome or powder coated dark grey. Something like this:
But recently I came across a guy who made a simple survivor '74 look drop-dead gorgeous with a simple wash and some nice rims.
So this has got me thinking...What if I did the same general idea but instead of black, I use a dark, dark, almost black, metallic red with the black chrome (not the powder coating). The American Racing Torque Thrust II's really make this car look awesome. Especially if it's in black chrome. I think I'd get the '74-6 model and install the sleek, classic early '70s interior from the '72 model. Plus the back quarter windows roll down on the '72, and they discontinued that feature in '73 for cost savings. I've also seen one with the '72 front end on the '74 body. an idea that makes me wonder...
The drivetrain would be my usual deal. Stroked V8 (351 Cleavland), manual valve body automatic (I'm not sure which one they put in the late '80s F-250s and bigger, but I'd use that one because it was built to tow, then I'd add a reverse shift pattern), and posi-traction.
Another thought, if I did the black one, I was thinking about doing it with a bare-bones interior and a roll bar giving it a seriously menacing, visceral, and badass feel. The red version would be a bit more classy, so it'd have a full interior complete with sound deadening (for the ladies). This car would be quite nice in either version. It'll be awesome if I ever get it...
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Jeep Cherokee: 6-Month Review
Ok, so I've been driving my '96 Cherokee Country for 6 months, and I've been having some thoughts about it, overall. There are some small things that are kind of a nagging nuisance for everyday use, and there are some bigger issues that I don't like from a broader stance.
The smaller stuff isn't too bad, but could become more annoying during long-term use. The first thing you'll notice when using a Cherokee like this is that the door isn't long enough to not hit your back on the B-pillar (more noticeable when exiting), and the seat is too high. I've got the manual seats, so it's definitely a mounting height issue. The roof is pretty close to your head, and I frequently hit my head on the top of the door frame when I get out. Plus, my leg always hits the wheel if I leave it in a comfortable driving position, and I don't even have it down far! You shouldn't have to constantly move the steering wheel to get in or out of your car; it's not good for the wiring.
Other small issues would include things like no leg-room in the back seat, u-joints crawling over themselves if you turn too tight, and the fact that I bought this to haul drums and be fun to drive, but the back end is completely full when I put my drums in where I could fit everything just fine in the trunk of my Vic. And I never thought I'd ever say this, especially at this point in my vehicular life, but this Jeep has too much torque to be useful. In almost any wet situation, I'll lose traction off a red light and swing the back end out with minimal pedal. Granted, it is most likely that I have junky, cheap tires, but there's no excuse for that in non-standing water.
Those are the small issues, now on to the bigger ones. This thing rusts hardcore. Holy crap, does this thing rust! I honestly need an entire new floor, new rockers, sections of my roof, and half my exhaust just dropped off on the freeway! This thing is fun to drive on the highway, and I'm sure if I had the chance to go off-road, it'd be a blast, but I doubt it'll hold up to anything I would want to do with it. Somebody even kicked a hole in my floor on the passenger side! It seems like the drivetrain and suspension are durable, but all the bits holding them in place are going to rust in half and drop them all over everywhere. Not a fan.
I just can't get a handle on this thing. I got used to my Vic within the first month or two, but this thing has completely wrecked my parallel parking ability. I was talking to somebody online, and they made a very true statement, "The XJ [(Cherokee)] gets to be a bit of a handful over 60, and the Vic can do 85 without even noticing." I think this would be a ton of fun and seriously maneuverable off-road, but I'm not as happy driving it as a daily driver as I was in my Vic. I feel more comfortable, confident, and about 3-times as happy in my Vic. Granted, the mileage is better in my Jeep, it's more versatile, and it fits in smaller parking spots, but I'm semi-seriously considering selling it and using my Vic again (since no one seems to want to buy it).
You know, I think I like the idea of a little car with tons of power, and that goes with off-roaders too, just add good articulation and easy maneuverability, but as far as the application of that principle goes, I really like full-size, full-frame vehicles with big, brawny V8's with loud pipes. Take my Cherokee and give my an F-250 or a Raptor.
I know I said I was gonna do a build up on my Jeep, but I have no money, and this one is going to be way too much work. I think, if I can get a job for next semester that pays decently, I'm gonna sell the Jeep and fix my Vic. My sister-in-law has a '98 Cherokee, though, and we could do the same build on hers in the future. There are still options.
The smaller stuff isn't too bad, but could become more annoying during long-term use. The first thing you'll notice when using a Cherokee like this is that the door isn't long enough to not hit your back on the B-pillar (more noticeable when exiting), and the seat is too high. I've got the manual seats, so it's definitely a mounting height issue. The roof is pretty close to your head, and I frequently hit my head on the top of the door frame when I get out. Plus, my leg always hits the wheel if I leave it in a comfortable driving position, and I don't even have it down far! You shouldn't have to constantly move the steering wheel to get in or out of your car; it's not good for the wiring.
Other small issues would include things like no leg-room in the back seat, u-joints crawling over themselves if you turn too tight, and the fact that I bought this to haul drums and be fun to drive, but the back end is completely full when I put my drums in where I could fit everything just fine in the trunk of my Vic. And I never thought I'd ever say this, especially at this point in my vehicular life, but this Jeep has too much torque to be useful. In almost any wet situation, I'll lose traction off a red light and swing the back end out with minimal pedal. Granted, it is most likely that I have junky, cheap tires, but there's no excuse for that in non-standing water.
Those are the small issues, now on to the bigger ones. This thing rusts hardcore. Holy crap, does this thing rust! I honestly need an entire new floor, new rockers, sections of my roof, and half my exhaust just dropped off on the freeway! This thing is fun to drive on the highway, and I'm sure if I had the chance to go off-road, it'd be a blast, but I doubt it'll hold up to anything I would want to do with it. Somebody even kicked a hole in my floor on the passenger side! It seems like the drivetrain and suspension are durable, but all the bits holding them in place are going to rust in half and drop them all over everywhere. Not a fan.
I just can't get a handle on this thing. I got used to my Vic within the first month or two, but this thing has completely wrecked my parallel parking ability. I was talking to somebody online, and they made a very true statement, "The XJ [(Cherokee)] gets to be a bit of a handful over 60, and the Vic can do 85 without even noticing." I think this would be a ton of fun and seriously maneuverable off-road, but I'm not as happy driving it as a daily driver as I was in my Vic. I feel more comfortable, confident, and about 3-times as happy in my Vic. Granted, the mileage is better in my Jeep, it's more versatile, and it fits in smaller parking spots, but I'm semi-seriously considering selling it and using my Vic again (since no one seems to want to buy it).
You know, I think I like the idea of a little car with tons of power, and that goes with off-roaders too, just add good articulation and easy maneuverability, but as far as the application of that principle goes, I really like full-size, full-frame vehicles with big, brawny V8's with loud pipes. Take my Cherokee and give my an F-250 or a Raptor.
I know I said I was gonna do a build up on my Jeep, but I have no money, and this one is going to be way too much work. I think, if I can get a job for next semester that pays decently, I'm gonna sell the Jeep and fix my Vic. My sister-in-law has a '98 Cherokee, though, and we could do the same build on hers in the future. There are still options.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Video
Here's a quick, little post for you. This video is pretty awesome. I enjoyed it. It made me think of all the reasons I enjoy the open road. I hope you like it.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Revision Possibility
So I was on Youtube the other day watching partial episodes of the American Top Gear when I saw a review of the Ford SVT Raptor pickup. I think those trucks are pretty awesome, so I watched it. I was surprised to hear there is a new V8 that I didn't know about! So I researched it.
Apparently, they took the 5.4L modular engine platform and slid the cylinders apart a little further which accommodates a larger cylinder bore, 6.2L to be exact. The engine is said to retain many similarities to the previous modular engine including bell housing bolt pattern. That's right; you can bolt this into your Mustang, F-150, or Crown Vic! The engine is rated at 411 HP and 434 lb-ft of torque in the naturally aspirated Raptor, which is awesome for a baseline, but there is one big mistake that Ford made in upping the ante with this engine: it's only a single overhead cam engine. Now, I'm sure they will make a version that's DOHC and most likely bolt on a whipple twin screw and put it in the '14 GT500, but as it sits now on the lot, they deserve a good, old-fashioned Gibb's slap.
Before I go too far in calling them out on the SOHC-i-ness of this engine, I have a strong confidence two cams are on their way. That said, I think my previous concepts that involve a DOHC 5.4L, especially the Marauder clone, could and should be updated to be based on a 6.2L and then the requisite bore, stroke, and supercharging gamut. So now I need two people to go out and make an idiot of themselves for my benefit. One needs to blow the engine in a pristine Grand Marquis, and the other needs to obliterate a Raptor while leaving the motor in a useable condition. Ready, GO!
Apparently, they took the 5.4L modular engine platform and slid the cylinders apart a little further which accommodates a larger cylinder bore, 6.2L to be exact. The engine is said to retain many similarities to the previous modular engine including bell housing bolt pattern. That's right; you can bolt this into your Mustang, F-150, or Crown Vic! The engine is rated at 411 HP and 434 lb-ft of torque in the naturally aspirated Raptor, which is awesome for a baseline, but there is one big mistake that Ford made in upping the ante with this engine: it's only a single overhead cam engine. Now, I'm sure they will make a version that's DOHC and most likely bolt on a whipple twin screw and put it in the '14 GT500, but as it sits now on the lot, they deserve a good, old-fashioned Gibb's slap.
Before I go too far in calling them out on the SOHC-i-ness of this engine, I have a strong confidence two cams are on their way. That said, I think my previous concepts that involve a DOHC 5.4L, especially the Marauder clone, could and should be updated to be based on a 6.2L and then the requisite bore, stroke, and supercharging gamut. So now I need two people to go out and make an idiot of themselves for my benefit. One needs to blow the engine in a pristine Grand Marquis, and the other needs to obliterate a Raptor while leaving the motor in a useable condition. Ready, GO!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Idea for future Jeep Implementation
Hey, I know I haven't done anything to my Jeep to put on here yet, but I'm a little low on cha-ching.
To ward off the hungry mob of people wanting to see a Jeep build, I had an idea that I will post here lest I forget in the future. I should replace the bar that is under the back seat with a handyman jack so I could store it out of the way of daily use. Now I should go do measuring at Fleet Farm to see if it would fit.
Other updates on my Jeep: I found out that the floor consists of rust and holes (always a plus!). I have yet to do something with anything ("anything" includes the stereo, rust, suspension, interior, skid plating, lighting, dress-up, and more!). I have found that I can get a high (so far) of about 23 mpg highway with the windows down due to a non-working AC. I also drove another Cherokee with a 2-3 inch lift and deemed it workable for daily use, but I might try to lower the seat bracket because my head is close to the door frame when I get in and could make contact very easily. I had my Jeep on a lift today and a lift like that would still look good (in my opinion) with the stock-sized tires. This way it would look better, be better off-road, and still get gas mileage that would be acceptable to use daily.
These are my thoughts; I will work towards them as money allows. Patients appreciated.
Oh, and I went to Door County with my Jeep too!
To ward off the hungry mob of people wanting to see a Jeep build, I had an idea that I will post here lest I forget in the future. I should replace the bar that is under the back seat with a handyman jack so I could store it out of the way of daily use. Now I should go do measuring at Fleet Farm to see if it would fit.
Other updates on my Jeep: I found out that the floor consists of rust and holes (always a plus!). I have yet to do something with anything ("anything" includes the stereo, rust, suspension, interior, skid plating, lighting, dress-up, and more!). I have found that I can get a high (so far) of about 23 mpg highway with the windows down due to a non-working AC. I also drove another Cherokee with a 2-3 inch lift and deemed it workable for daily use, but I might try to lower the seat bracket because my head is close to the door frame when I get in and could make contact very easily. I had my Jeep on a lift today and a lift like that would still look good (in my opinion) with the stock-sized tires. This way it would look better, be better off-road, and still get gas mileage that would be acceptable to use daily.
These are my thoughts; I will work towards them as money allows. Patients appreciated.
Oh, and I went to Door County with my Jeep too!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Jeep Cherokee: Part 1
Jeep Article: Part 1
If you read automotive magazines, you’re bound to read articles that start out promising budget builds. That’s cool. Everybody loves to save money and customize a car that has awesome power and killer looks. The only downside is that there will always be the extra agenda of selling new parts from different specialty places. There’s nothing wrong with pushing parts from places that are probably giving a kickback to the magazine; these types of things help keep the magazines going and keep our subscriptions low. I’ve gotten a few months’ worth of magazines that boast multiple budget builds from both the magazine’s people and car’s regular people have built and are being featured. The latter seem to fit the bill well, but it’s easy to pull them apart for reasons like they have too much money or found a deal on a car shell that is WAY too unrealistic for other people to replicate. The magazine funded cars have tendencies of pushing parts that would be just as good as a slightly modified junkyard-sourced parts that would be a fraction of the cost.
Recently, I bought a ’96 Jeep Cherokee Country 4-door with a high output 4.0L with an automatic trans and a 231 “SelecTrac” transfer case. I know a few people who have or have had Cherokees and a U-Pull-It junkyard somewhat near my house with an insanely huge amount of Cherokees from which I could find parts. I thought it would be fun to do a REAL blue-collar man’s budget build using legitimate budget parts from junkyards, friends, eBay, craigslist, and more. Although some parts will need to be bought new, I will try to find the cheapest place to get them. I can assure this point because I am a college student with a very low income, and everyone seems to want a part of it.
For starters, I’ll just say the overall aim for what I want to do. I’d like to build up a Jeep that is comfortable for passengers; can haul if need be; is agile and able off road; dependable; and fairly economical since it is my daily driver. I’m thinking, for starters, a 2” spacer/shackle lift kit with extended shocks, 30” tires with cool rims, ZJ leather seat upgrade and stereo inside, full skid plating, towing upgrades, off-road gear (steel bumpers, winch, lighting, etc.), and maybe a stroker kit, if I get a whole bunch of money. I am using this as a daily driver, so it will need to be drivable during the build, and I will need to be able to sustain the vehicle which needs to be economic for that to work; or at least until I get another car…
Granted, I am a student who has a fixed, limited income that everyone wants a piece of, so this may take a while to get done. I will try to put this up in installments, with pictures of progress, parts, and installs, but I will keep you all updated on how it’s coming and how much it cost to do and how I got the parts.
But first, the down low on the Jeep as I bought it. I got a ’96 Cherokee (XJ) Country, as stated before, with 139,xxx miles on it with rebuilt steering, ZJ shocks on the front, and an added leaf in the rear springs, and slightly oversized tires on aftermarket Enkei Baja-style rims. It’s a great running car that rides great and is stiff and solid in the suspension department. The only thing I’ve found on it that doesn’t work right now is the A/C compressor (soon to be fixed). I got the Jeep for $2,250, and it’ll only go up from there.
That’s all for now. We’ll be in touch…
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