The auto industry is all abuzz because Chrysler has refused to recall certain vehicles the NHTSA says are prone to fuel tank ruptures in rear end collisions. Chrysler disputes NHTSA's data. The whole "car erupts into flames when hit from behind" brings back memories of the Ford Pinto.
Way back when I worked for some Lincoln-Mercury dealers. Mercury sold a Pinto cousin the Bobcat. Same car, different grille and trim. I became very proficient at installing the "fix" for the fuel tank. I put fix in quotes because although it satisfied the NHTSA it was a joke, or at least it seemed to be.
The fix was two part - a plastic shield that wrapped around the front of the fuel tank and just scooted under the bottom few inches and a fuel filler pipe that extended farther into the fuel tank.
The shield was supposed to prevent the fuel tank from being punctured if it was pushed into the rear axle. I'm not sure how successful a piece of plastic (no more than maybe 1/16" thick) would be at preventing a piece of iron (rear axle) from piercing sheet metal (fuel tank) if one was jammed forcibly into the other. Ford and the Federal government said it worked and I was/am just some auto tech. It just seems to me that if the force was great enough to crumple the car then the fuel tank still didn't stand a chance.
The extended fuel filler may have worked. The theory was/is that the original filler pipe would pop out of the tank if the tank was pushed forward even a few inches allowing fuel to spew out. By extending the filler pipe farther into the tank by about 4" the tank had to move farther before the pipe would come out.
The big problem with retroactive "fixes" is they are retroactive, not designed in. There really isn't much room to do what was really needed for the Pinto, and the Chrysler vehicles - relocate the fuel tank.
Let's face it any vehicle, especially a gasoline powered one, is a rolling bomb. Even the smallest fuel tank carries over ten gallons of highly flammable liquid. Engineers can do everything in their power to make that Molotov cocktail as safe as possible but it is a bomb waiting for ignition.
It is a testament to the engineers that modern vehicles are as safe as they are. But no matter how safe the vehicle it remains potentially dangerous. I don't know how I feel about Chrysler saying "no" to NHTSA but if the data is in dispute shouldn't that have some standing? Maybe NHTSA should just require all motor vehicles to be labelled "Caution, may be dangerous" and make every purchaser sign a waiver acknowledging that user may risk injury or death.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Wimps, the hot rod world is full of wimps!
I've come to the conclusion that the hot rod world is populated with nothing but wimps. It seems like no rod built in the last 5 years or so has a manual transmission. Wimps I tell you!
What has happened to hot rodders? I know many are my age or older with creaky joints and bum knees. But I still drive a manual transmission vehicle - my '87 Toyota truck. My legs and all the joints in it work well enough to push that clutch pedal. If I want to I can even power shift now and then.
I know that today's automatic transmissions are not yesterday's slush boxes but most hot rods don't use the latest autos. They all seem to be using a GM 350, 400, 700R or a Ford C4 or C6. So it isn't like the rodders are trying to eke out the best fuel economy with a 5- or 6-speed automatic overdrive trans with a lockup converter.
Best I can figure out is that many rodders are just plain lazy. They figure two pedals (gas and brake) are simpler than three. But there are so many good manual transmissions out there to ignore. The Tremec T-5 is so commonplace they are almost downright cheap. The Borg-Warner T56 six speed is readily available if not as inexpensive.
Hydraulic clutch action has eased the operation of even the most heavy duty clutch units. Gone are the days when you put a "truck" clutch and pressure plate in your rod to cope with the power.
I don't begrudge those that install air conditioning or a good heater into their hard top rods. But c'mon guys (and it is mostly guys) get back to shifting for yourself and leave the auto trans for your family sedan.
What has happened to hot rodders? I know many are my age or older with creaky joints and bum knees. But I still drive a manual transmission vehicle - my '87 Toyota truck. My legs and all the joints in it work well enough to push that clutch pedal. If I want to I can even power shift now and then.
I know that today's automatic transmissions are not yesterday's slush boxes but most hot rods don't use the latest autos. They all seem to be using a GM 350, 400, 700R or a Ford C4 or C6. So it isn't like the rodders are trying to eke out the best fuel economy with a 5- or 6-speed automatic overdrive trans with a lockup converter.
Best I can figure out is that many rodders are just plain lazy. They figure two pedals (gas and brake) are simpler than three. But there are so many good manual transmissions out there to ignore. The Tremec T-5 is so commonplace they are almost downright cheap. The Borg-Warner T56 six speed is readily available if not as inexpensive.
Hydraulic clutch action has eased the operation of even the most heavy duty clutch units. Gone are the days when you put a "truck" clutch and pressure plate in your rod to cope with the power.
I don't begrudge those that install air conditioning or a good heater into their hard top rods. But c'mon guys (and it is mostly guys) get back to shifting for yourself and leave the auto trans for your family sedan.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Cool Harbor Nights
It's the start of a new month and that means there's another car show right around the corner! Please join us for the next Cool Harbor Nights this Thursday, June 6th, from 4 p.m. until sunset in the old location in front of Princeton Seafood. Anthony has agreed to do the 50/50 raffle again this month and will be raising money for the Half Moon Bay High School's Industrial Arts program. It's also looking like we're going to have some visitors from Riders Recycle set up a small booth to educate us a bit on oil recycling and pass out free stickers and oil funnels. The weather's supposed to hold out with peak temperatures in the 60's so all signs point to a good show.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Kids These Days
As I was dropping my wife off at school - she's a substitute teacher and today she was subbing for the auto shop teacher (they just do book work when he's off) - I started thinking back to when I was young and dumb (some would say I am now old and dumb but that's another story). I don't think kids today are any different than I was back in the stone age.
My primary concern, other than having a running car, was to make it faster. I never gave a second thought to brakes, steering or suspension. Kids these days seem to just want to bolt or weld on a noisy muffler.
In hindsight I had it all backwards. Now if I could impart any knowledge to the young generation it would be get the brakes, steering and suspension up to snuff before you worry about going faster, sounding great or looking cool.
I think about some of the wrecks I used to drive. My uncle told me one was an accident looking for a place to happen and that I should jack up the radiator cap and drive a new car under it. He was right.
Brakes? Unless there was a horrendous screeching, scraping, metal-on-metal sound they were okay. If they pulled to one side or the other you just compensated for it. Half the time if they needed to be adjusted or had air in the system you just learned to "pump them up" as you braked.
The steering was something that either worked or it didn't. Most of the cars I had had so much play in the steering that I probably looked like one of those guys in the movies sawing away on the steering wheel while going straight. I did learn tricks to get a car through the state inspection. I remember one guy with an older car with king pins; he took out the zerk fittings and tightened a screw to take the play out. It worked to get it through inspection.
Remember coil spring expanders, those metal things you "screwed" into a coil spring to keep the coils from collapsing? That's what we used to level out the car in the front. Cheap coil overs that went over the rear shocks worked in the rear.
If I was doing it all over again the engine would be about the last thing I tackled (body work would be the absolute last). I'd go through the entire brake system, replacing or rebuilding wheel cylinders and calipers, replacing all flexible lines, replacing the master cylinder, flushing the system and all new shoes and pads.
The suspension and steering would get a complete inspection. All worn parts replaced. If the steering gear was adjustable it would be done.
Then I'd get some new tires. I used to go through the scrap pile wherever I worked and take the best pair of scrap tires. You wouldn't believe some of the tires I "fixed" and drove on. I was lucky that I only had one blowout when I was a kid. Now I'd go for the best tires I could afford.
If you've got a young 'un at home and he/she wants a car make sure they take care of the basics before they put in that stereo or big chrome muffler. Hook them up with an auto shop class so they can learn how to do some repairs without hurting themselves and get that car safe before anything else is done to it. Not everyone is as lucky as I was.
My primary concern, other than having a running car, was to make it faster. I never gave a second thought to brakes, steering or suspension. Kids these days seem to just want to bolt or weld on a noisy muffler.
In hindsight I had it all backwards. Now if I could impart any knowledge to the young generation it would be get the brakes, steering and suspension up to snuff before you worry about going faster, sounding great or looking cool.
I think about some of the wrecks I used to drive. My uncle told me one was an accident looking for a place to happen and that I should jack up the radiator cap and drive a new car under it. He was right.
Brakes? Unless there was a horrendous screeching, scraping, metal-on-metal sound they were okay. If they pulled to one side or the other you just compensated for it. Half the time if they needed to be adjusted or had air in the system you just learned to "pump them up" as you braked.
The steering was something that either worked or it didn't. Most of the cars I had had so much play in the steering that I probably looked like one of those guys in the movies sawing away on the steering wheel while going straight. I did learn tricks to get a car through the state inspection. I remember one guy with an older car with king pins; he took out the zerk fittings and tightened a screw to take the play out. It worked to get it through inspection.
Remember coil spring expanders, those metal things you "screwed" into a coil spring to keep the coils from collapsing? That's what we used to level out the car in the front. Cheap coil overs that went over the rear shocks worked in the rear.
If I was doing it all over again the engine would be about the last thing I tackled (body work would be the absolute last). I'd go through the entire brake system, replacing or rebuilding wheel cylinders and calipers, replacing all flexible lines, replacing the master cylinder, flushing the system and all new shoes and pads.
The suspension and steering would get a complete inspection. All worn parts replaced. If the steering gear was adjustable it would be done.
Then I'd get some new tires. I used to go through the scrap pile wherever I worked and take the best pair of scrap tires. You wouldn't believe some of the tires I "fixed" and drove on. I was lucky that I only had one blowout when I was a kid. Now I'd go for the best tires I could afford.
If you've got a young 'un at home and he/she wants a car make sure they take care of the basics before they put in that stereo or big chrome muffler. Hook them up with an auto shop class so they can learn how to do some repairs without hurting themselves and get that car safe before anything else is done to it. Not everyone is as lucky as I was.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Road & Track may vanish
In an article today The Detroit Bureau (http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2013/05/volvo-mitsubishi-road-track-failing-in-2013/) reported that 24/7 Wall Street predicts Road & Track may cease to exist very soon. "The most unfortunate selection is Road & Track. However, it may be among the most likely to happen."
Road & Track has a long, great history. Started in 1947 by Wilfred H. Brehaut, Jr. and Joseph S. Fennessy, it thrived after John R Bond bought it in 1952.
Road & Track was my entry into the mystical world of European auto racing. Who can forget Henry Manney III, Paul Frere, Allan Girdler, Phil Hill, Gordon Murray, Peter Egan, Rob Walker - the list goes on and on.
Over the years R&T became just another part of a huge conglomerate, Hearst Corporation. Hearst's two big buff magazines became almost carbon copies of each other.
I loved both Road & Track and Car and Driver, each for their own take on the automotive world, up into the '90s when they both became too corporate, too similar.
Road & Track lost an edge when European racing started showing up on television. But the insider aspect of R&T's writers brought more life to the teams and drivers.
It's too bad that both R&T and Car and Driver got sucked into a large corporation. Maybe they would have folded sooner, maybe not. Maybe as an independent R&T could have survived not as a main stream magazine but as what it once was, an enthusiasts magazine.
I often dreamed of writing for either Road & Track or Car and Driver but I took a different path. I doubt that I would have cut it with either. But I learned so much from both from being a better writer to understanding live a little more.
I remember reading an article by either Egan or Girdler. They were both at Buttonwillow, I think shaking down a Formula Ford of Egan's, when someone approached them and said something about how lucky they were to be able to be racing. One or the other said it had nothing to do with luck, it was hard work and tough decisions, and going after what they really wanted to do.
Thank you Mr. Egan and Girdler. I wanted to write about cars. I had no training and little education. I persevered and now I write about cars. I may not be famous; I may not be great, but I have fulfilled a dream partly because of you two.
I hope Road & Track doesn't fold. I hope that great, inspirational writers continue to crank out stories that get young folks dreaming. That is its true gift.
Road & Track has a long, great history. Started in 1947 by Wilfred H. Brehaut, Jr. and Joseph S. Fennessy, it thrived after John R Bond bought it in 1952.
Road & Track was my entry into the mystical world of European auto racing. Who can forget Henry Manney III, Paul Frere, Allan Girdler, Phil Hill, Gordon Murray, Peter Egan, Rob Walker - the list goes on and on.
Over the years R&T became just another part of a huge conglomerate, Hearst Corporation. Hearst's two big buff magazines became almost carbon copies of each other.
I loved both Road & Track and Car and Driver, each for their own take on the automotive world, up into the '90s when they both became too corporate, too similar.
Road & Track lost an edge when European racing started showing up on television. But the insider aspect of R&T's writers brought more life to the teams and drivers.
It's too bad that both R&T and Car and Driver got sucked into a large corporation. Maybe they would have folded sooner, maybe not. Maybe as an independent R&T could have survived not as a main stream magazine but as what it once was, an enthusiasts magazine.
I often dreamed of writing for either Road & Track or Car and Driver but I took a different path. I doubt that I would have cut it with either. But I learned so much from both from being a better writer to understanding live a little more.
I remember reading an article by either Egan or Girdler. They were both at Buttonwillow, I think shaking down a Formula Ford of Egan's, when someone approached them and said something about how lucky they were to be able to be racing. One or the other said it had nothing to do with luck, it was hard work and tough decisions, and going after what they really wanted to do.
Thank you Mr. Egan and Girdler. I wanted to write about cars. I had no training and little education. I persevered and now I write about cars. I may not be famous; I may not be great, but I have fulfilled a dream partly because of you two.
I hope Road & Track doesn't fold. I hope that great, inspirational writers continue to crank out stories that get young folks dreaming. That is its true gift.
Monday, May 20, 2013
HILLSBOROUGH
Bud Miceli’s maroon 1962
Chevrolet Corvette is just one among several high performance machines in a
personal collection reflecting a six-decade dedication to speed and the
motoring arts.
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The 71-year-old Redwood City, CA, resident has
entered his production hardtop two seater in the Sunday, July 21, Hillsborough Concours
d’Elegance – longest continuously running concours in the world -- at the
verdant Crystal Springs Golf Course in Burlingame, CA,. Miceli’s car will be
among an array of Corvettes highlighting the 60-year evolution of this
all-American sports cars.
“Our display will
showcase the evolution of Corvette design from 1953 to the present,” said
Richard Kelaita of Hillsborough, CA, who is organizing the display. “We’ve
chosen specific model years to show how designs evolved from generation to
generation – as well as within each generation. Concours visitors will also be
able to see Corvette stylistic traits that have lasted over the decades.”
The 1962 edition is
significant in that it represented a
transition year from the company’s smaller 283 cu. in. engine to Chevrolet’s
bigger 327 cu. in. block (producing 340
hp). It was also the same year in which noted Corvette driver Dr. Richard
Thompson notched SCCA’s A Production championship, winning 12 out of 14 class
races in his competition-prepared sports car . . .
Miceli has owned a number of Corvettes and in addition to the
1962 version has a 2013 LS3 edition. A native San Franciscan, Miceli early on
exhibited an aptitude for machine skills, working in gas stations and
eventually joining the operating engineers as a diesel mechanic.
He also ran with a high
speed crowd of seminal San Francisco hot rodders, including the late Jim McLennan,
a prime mover in the early Half Moon Bay Drag Strip, the late “Terrible Ted”
Gotelli and Andy “The Rodfather” Brizio.
He was a regular at McLennan’s celebrated Champion Speed Shop in South San
Francisco .
“I was so crazy about
racing, I took my dad’s stock ’50 Ford coupe,” Miceli recalls, “hopped it up
with a 296 inch flathead and raced the guys out on the Great Highway.”
A succession of hot rods
and production American super stock racers followed, including big block Fords,
Shelby GTs, and Chevrolets. His 428 cu.in. ’67 Shelby 428 GT ran in the mid-10
second range on quarter-mile competition on drag strips from Fremont, to Half
Moon Bay, Salinas and Kingdon (near Stockton). In the ‘60s he was president of
the Turner Ford Mustang Drag Club.
His mechanical skills
and knowledge of early performance rolling stock have led to a post-retirement
career as a restoration expert and he’s done specific work on a number of
vehicles, including 1953 – 1955 Corvettes owned by Atherton collector Phil White,
some of which will be part of the Hillsborough gathering.
Featured marque at the
Concours is the venerable British line Aston Martin, which this year celebrates
its 100th anniversary. There will be a special showing of coachwork
cars from Italy’s fabled house of Zagato, a lineup of vintage British
motorcycles and a retrospective look at 1957 model cars that made showroom
history in October, 1956 – the same date as the first Hillsborough Concours
d’Elegance.
Charity beneficiaries of
the Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance are
Autism Speaks, North America’s largest autism science and advisory
organization, the 49ers Foundation, which provides extensive support for
at-risk youth in the Bay Area and the Hillsborough Schools Foundation, which
provides support for four public schools in Hillsborough.
For further information,
go to www.hillsboroughconcours.org.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
The Fifth Annual Marin Sonoma Concours d'Elegance
Come See The Cars Owned By Hollywood Legends
Elizabeth Taylor * Mae West * Steve McQueen
Jean Harlow * Gloria DeHaven
Marin Sonoma Concours d'Elegance ∗ Sunday, May 19, 2013
Marin Civic Center ∗ San Rafael ∗ 10am - 4 pm
Come to the Concours and see the infamous 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud ll Drophead Coupe owned by Elizabeth Taylor and purported to have played a significant role in her blossoming affair with Richard Burton. Picture yourself next to Mae West in her 1934 Duesenberg J-370 sharing a laugh about how "when you're bad, you're better." Take a moment to imagine Jean Harlow driving her 1932 Packard Sport Phaeton, wind in her hair, a winsome smile on her face or Steve McQueen racing his 1961 Cooper T56 Mark ll Formula Junior before his Hollywood bosses forced him to choose between racing and acting.
We invite you to join us Sunday, May 19 to discover the cars that were as fast and seductive as the lives of the Hollywood Legends that drove them. Once you've toured the legendary, be inspired to dream of the future with modern "bespoke" automobiles from avant-garde artist Steve Moal, whose designs will challenge the way you think about automobile form and function. Craving more nostalgia? Visit our wood car and station wagon display and relive memories of your carefree youth of days spent at the beach, surfboard in hand. Add to the mix vintage Italian motorcycles, fine food, wine and fashion, and enjoy a lifetime of experiences in one, singular day.
Click here to purchase general admission tickets.
Purchase VIP Pavilion passes and delight in a catered lunch with dishes from famous vintage Hollywood restaurants. Enjoy Cary Grant's favorite Chicken Charlemagne
Smothered in Mushrooms, Onions and Brandy from Chasens, 1937 orClark Gable's favorite "Meat and Potatoes" -
Carved Roasted Baronette of Beef accompanied by Creamed Spinach,
Whipped Horseradish and Petit Baked Potato from Lawrys, 1938.
Enjoy with reserve-tier wines from Clos du Bois
with your meal and forget eating like a King - eat like a Star!
Purchase your VIP Pavilion passes by clicking here.
Featured vehicles for 2013:
Vintage automobiles formerly owned by Hollywood Legends
Bespoke automobiles from avant-garde artist Steve Moal
Corvette Sting Ray in celebration of the 50th Anniversary
Lamborghini in celebration of the 50th Anniversary
Japanese Manufacture
Vintage Italian Motorcycles
Wood Cars and Station Wagons
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Strange signs in Las Vegas? Mystery solved.
A post on Facebook showing this sign -
alleging that it was part of some nefarious government plot to spy on people. Always up for a good mystery I decided to look into the sign.
The sign in the picture is on West Spring Mountain Road near South Frontier Street, Las Vegas, Nevada. On my way to that location I passed first one, then another identical sign on Martin Luther King Blvd. That eased the search.
My first stop was at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. They had no idea what I was talking about and suggested I speak to Clark County.
Next stop the Clark County administration building where a very nice lady said they had no jurisdiction over signs and suggested that maybe the City of Las Vegas or the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, which was across the parking lot, might know. I went to the RTC office where a very helpful man said they didn't do the signs but he'd make some calls.
His second call was to RTC's Freeway & Arterial System of Transportation (FAST) proved fruitful. The signs are theirs. The signs went up in either 2005 or 2006; the signs are Trailblazers Signs. There intent was to help reroute highway traffic around tie-ups, hence the "Interstate" logo.
But there was a problem with the signs. The sign is intended to be lighted and for this purpose it is connected to the street lights. Except the street lights only come on when it is dark, thereby greatly reducing the hours in a day that it might be helpful.
If you look at the sign you will see the Interstate logo, two rectangular areas and one triangle/arrow. The Interstate logo could be lite with the appropriate route number, the rectangular areas would have information and the arrow would show the way. Pretty simple.
The sign I inspected had an antenna so I asked what this was for; FAST told me that the signs are radio controlled (or would be if they were actually used) and they can remotely program the info the signs display. Looking over the sign I saw nothing that resembled a camera or recording device. I asked FAST if they had cameras or recording devices on the signs and the guy laughed, saying basically that they can't even get them to display messages let alone spy on people.
So let's see the article, dated May 15, 2013, alleges the signs "are being installed" which implies they are something new. They have been up for about eight years. My investigation, and yes I am a retired investigator, showed no nefarious federal government plot as alleged in the article. Just another semi-good idea screwed up by someone who didn't think the whole thing through.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
“You Were Robbed”: NBC4 I-Team Exposes New “Tricks and Tactics” at Jiffy Lube Stores
Check out this NBC Los Angeles investigative report. Yes that is me, Bruce Hotchkiss, offering Joel Grover opinions and insight.
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/You-Were-Robbed-NBC4-I-Team-Exposes-New-Tricks-and-Tactics-at-Jiffy-Lube-Stores-207304771.html
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/You-Were-Robbed-NBC4-I-Team-Exposes-New-Tricks-and-Tactics-at-Jiffy-Lube-Stores-207304771.html
Friday, May 10, 2013
Should Automotive Magazines Be Part of An Automakers Ad Campaign?
Have you seen the TV ads, MotorTrend Ask People Who Don't Drive A Ford ...? Here's one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7mU3MX5LjA
I have a problem with this. I know MotorTrend is not the only magazine to partner with an automaker in an advertisement. And there are legitimate times when an automaker will quote a magazine's review, much like a movie review. But to blatantly sell one brand over another, well that seems to cross a line to me.
I'm not accusing MotorTrend of bias in their reviews of Ford products. I don't routinely read MotorTrend (unless I'm at the dentist). It does give me pause though. If they are being paid by Ford for these advertisements maybe ...? I don't know but it makes me uneasy.
I review new cars. I try to be positive in my reviews but if I get a dog I'll say so (thankfully there are no real dogs anymore). I am not paid by any car company though, not for anything. Yes sometimes I get a meal from one or the other at some event and I try to make sure I say so in print.
How would my readers feel if they saw Bruce on TV hawking a particular brand? Would they wonder if I glossed over any faults in a review of their cars? I would. Now if someone wants to take something nice I say and use it that's fine by me. But you won't see me selling cars.
So tell me, how do you feel about an impartial car magazine trying to sell you a Ford?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7mU3MX5LjA
I have a problem with this. I know MotorTrend is not the only magazine to partner with an automaker in an advertisement. And there are legitimate times when an automaker will quote a magazine's review, much like a movie review. But to blatantly sell one brand over another, well that seems to cross a line to me.
I'm not accusing MotorTrend of bias in their reviews of Ford products. I don't routinely read MotorTrend (unless I'm at the dentist). It does give me pause though. If they are being paid by Ford for these advertisements maybe ...? I don't know but it makes me uneasy.
I review new cars. I try to be positive in my reviews but if I get a dog I'll say so (thankfully there are no real dogs anymore). I am not paid by any car company though, not for anything. Yes sometimes I get a meal from one or the other at some event and I try to make sure I say so in print.
How would my readers feel if they saw Bruce on TV hawking a particular brand? Would they wonder if I glossed over any faults in a review of their cars? I would. Now if someone wants to take something nice I say and use it that's fine by me. But you won't see me selling cars.
So tell me, how do you feel about an impartial car magazine trying to sell you a Ford?
Saturday, April 27, 2013
2013 Western Automotive Journalists Media Days
WAJ's 2013 Media Days are behind us now. I missed the past two years so I am very glad I went this year.
When I first joined WAJ, actually before I became a member, I attended my first Media Day Event at what was then Sears Point Raceway and is now Sonoma Raceway. That was in 1999, and I had just started writing for the Pacifica Tribune. Terry Page suggested it would be beneficial for me come up to the track. Terry was right.
This year, as in the past few years, Media Days are held in and around Monterey, CA, with Track Day at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. In a break from the past this year it was headquartered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel & Spa.
As in previous years Media Days are two and a half days of cars and camaraderie. Monday, Day One, was for registration and what is called "Show and Shine" where some of the offerings were shown off.
Tuesday, Day Two is the "Ride and Drive" portion, a more relaxed way to get to know most of the cars available and the car company people who are there. The morning's drive was on a route through some of the prettiest parts of Monterey County, switching off between cars at predetermined stops. More than a few of us got off route but managed to find our way to the Quail Lodge Golf Club for a very nice lunch sponsored by Chevrolet.
After lunch we drove over Laureles Grade back to the Hyatt. All the cars were gathered and we could take them out for a 10-15 minute drive until 4:00 pm.
Below are cars I drove on Tuesday in no particular order:
Tuesday evening started off with a wonderful reception sponsored by Fiat and SRT. Very good hors d'oeuvres and a display of some of their cars.
After the reception we went to the Banquet sponsored by Toyota. I can't speak for anyone else but my meal - flat iron steak - was excellent. After dinner Toyota made a presentation of a check for $1,500, to the Cordell Koland Scholarship Fund.
We had something new this year thanks to Ron Harrison, some after dinner entertainment. Toyota sponsored what was called WAJ Club 21 (it is WAJ's 21st Media Days) Casino Night. There were blackjack tables and a roulette table as well as a darn good lounge act, Vinnie, a singer. All proceeds from our night of gambling went to the Cordell Koland Scholarship Fund as well.
Wednesday was Track Day sponsored by Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, one of the world's truly great road courses. I did not participate in Track Day this year (I was there but didn't drive) because, and I hate to admit this, I just didn't feel like a driver. Something was off, maybe it was the two year layoff, I don't know but my head and body just were not in the right place.
So I took some pictures, talked with some friends, and had a nice lunch courtesy of Mazda. I left the track around 2:00 pm.
All in all it was a very good year for Media Days and me. As far as I know none of our members did anything terribly stupid while driving and the weather was excellent (people who live in Monterey were complaining because it was "hot" although it probably wasn't over 75).
There are so many people to thank for a successful Media Days - the Page One Automotive staff and Stuart Langager, STI Fleet Services, Hooked On Driving for keeping us all safe on the track, our gracious sponsors, the prize donors, the Lone Oak Lodge for providing quality, inexpensive alternate lodging, and the car companies who participated. To those auto makers who were not present, you missed a terrific event and I hope you all make it next year.
I'd like to give a special thanks to the two Rons, Harrison and Posey, who made Media Days special. If I had realized in advance what a great base the Hyatt was (I've been there but just for lunch and the Mecum Auctions) I might have brought Nadine along. I know some people miss the old hotel because of the large breakfast buffet but I thought the Hyatt added some much needed class to the event.
When I first joined WAJ, actually before I became a member, I attended my first Media Day Event at what was then Sears Point Raceway and is now Sonoma Raceway. That was in 1999, and I had just started writing for the Pacifica Tribune. Terry Page suggested it would be beneficial for me come up to the track. Terry was right.
This year, as in the past few years, Media Days are held in and around Monterey, CA, with Track Day at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. In a break from the past this year it was headquartered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel & Spa.
As in previous years Media Days are two and a half days of cars and camaraderie. Monday, Day One, was for registration and what is called "Show and Shine" where some of the offerings were shown off.
Tuesday, Day Two is the "Ride and Drive" portion, a more relaxed way to get to know most of the cars available and the car company people who are there. The morning's drive was on a route through some of the prettiest parts of Monterey County, switching off between cars at predetermined stops. More than a few of us got off route but managed to find our way to the Quail Lodge Golf Club for a very nice lunch sponsored by Chevrolet.
After lunch we drove over Laureles Grade back to the Hyatt. All the cars were gathered and we could take them out for a 10-15 minute drive until 4:00 pm.
Below are cars I drove on Tuesday in no particular order:
Fiat Abarth Cabrio
Fiat Abarth
Cadillac ATS
MazdaSpeed 3
Scion FR-S
Lexus iq
BMW M6 Coupe
Volvo C30 Polestar
Dodge Challenger SRT8
Volvo S60 T6 AWD Polestar
Tuesday evening started off with a wonderful reception sponsored by Fiat and SRT. Very good hors d'oeuvres and a display of some of their cars.
After the reception we went to the Banquet sponsored by Toyota. I can't speak for anyone else but my meal - flat iron steak - was excellent. After dinner Toyota made a presentation of a check for $1,500, to the Cordell Koland Scholarship Fund.
We had something new this year thanks to Ron Harrison, some after dinner entertainment. Toyota sponsored what was called WAJ Club 21 (it is WAJ's 21st Media Days) Casino Night. There were blackjack tables and a roulette table as well as a darn good lounge act, Vinnie, a singer. All proceeds from our night of gambling went to the Cordell Koland Scholarship Fund as well.
Wednesday was Track Day sponsored by Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, one of the world's truly great road courses. I did not participate in Track Day this year (I was there but didn't drive) because, and I hate to admit this, I just didn't feel like a driver. Something was off, maybe it was the two year layoff, I don't know but my head and body just were not in the right place.
So I took some pictures, talked with some friends, and had a nice lunch courtesy of Mazda. I left the track around 2:00 pm.
BMW M6 Coupe
Fiat 500e
M-B SLS AMG GT
Electrics - Fiat 500e and Smart
All in all it was a very good year for Media Days and me. As far as I know none of our members did anything terribly stupid while driving and the weather was excellent (people who live in Monterey were complaining because it was "hot" although it probably wasn't over 75).
There are so many people to thank for a successful Media Days - the Page One Automotive staff and Stuart Langager, STI Fleet Services, Hooked On Driving for keeping us all safe on the track, our gracious sponsors, the prize donors, the Lone Oak Lodge for providing quality, inexpensive alternate lodging, and the car companies who participated. To those auto makers who were not present, you missed a terrific event and I hope you all make it next year.
I'd like to give a special thanks to the two Rons, Harrison and Posey, who made Media Days special. If I had realized in advance what a great base the Hyatt was (I've been there but just for lunch and the Mecum Auctions) I might have brought Nadine along. I know some people miss the old hotel because of the large breakfast buffet but I thought the Hyatt added some much needed class to the event.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance
The Hillsborough Concours
d’Elegance, longest continuously- running concours d’elegance in the world, has
named the celebrated British luxury sports car line Aston Martin as the
featured marque at its 57th gathering, Sunday, July 21, on the
verdant expanses of Crystal Springs Golf Course in Burlingame, CA.
Hours
of the Hillsborough Concourse d’Elegance are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $30
for adults and children 13 and under are free.
“We
are extremely excited to be featuring the world-renowned cars of Aston Martin
this year,” said Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance Chairman Rob Fisher, “and
while we may identify the brand most directly
with the magnificent cars of Sir James Bond, Aston Martin is now celebrating
its 100th year, making it one of the elite car manufacturers of the
world.
“Aston
Martin has proven to be an enduring automotive icon that has built luxurious
cars for the road and highly competitive cars for the track – not a simple
task. I look forward to seeing the finest examples gracing our field in
July.”
Among
early Aston Martin entries in the Hillsborough line-up of more than 220
classic, vintage, distinctive and collectible cars is a silver 1965 Aston
Martin DB5 Coupe presented by the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
More than two dozen fine and rare examples of this legendary brand are expected
for showing on the Crystal Springs greens.
The
Concours has also announced a special showing coachwork cars from Italy’s
fabled house of Zagato, a lineup of vintage British motorcycles, a panorama of
Chevrolet Corvettes ecompassing the evolution of this all-American sports car
and a retrospective look at the cars that were making showroom history in
October, 1956 – the same date as the first Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance.
Charity
beneficiaries of the Hillsborough event are Autism Speaks, North America’s
largest autism science and advisory organization, the 49ers Foundation, which
provides extensive support for at-risk youth in the Bay Area and the
Hillsborough Schools Foundation, which provides support for four public schools
in Hillsborough.
For
further information, go to www.hillsboroughconcours.org.
Dream Machines and more!
Don't forget that tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday, April 27 & 28, 2013, is the Pacific Coast Dream Machines at the Half Moon Bay Airport - one of the best, if not the best, car, airplane and more shows in the West. Be there! www.miramarevents.com/dreammachines
And coming up May 5, 2013, at Sequoia High School, @ El Camino and Broadway in Redwood City is the All American Truck Show. Check it out at www.LetsTalkEvents.com
And coming up May 5, 2013, at Sequoia High School, @ El Camino and Broadway in Redwood City is the All American Truck Show. Check it out at www.LetsTalkEvents.com
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Dealerships - Good or Bad?
Recently Tesla Motors has been in the news because they want to establish factory stores instead of franchised dealerships. This made me think about franchised dealerships and whether they are good or bad. They can be both.
A short time ago I talked, well actually listened, to a youngish man (30s?) talk about his experiences trying to get his new vehicle repaired under warranty. What was worse than the five trips to the dealer to fix what should have been something simple was the dealers seemingly "who gives a shit" attitude. Five visits to the dealer and this guy had a friend diagnose the problem that the dealer should have found on the first visit.
I believe that most dealers are honest and do good work. But a fairly large minority tarnish the rest. Let's face it, when it comes to sales most people would probably rate the experience right up there with having a tooth pulled. About the only thing worse in my mind is going into an appliance store where hordes of sales people descend on you like a swarm of locusts. Very few people come out of buying a car thinking they got a great deal, especially after the closer works you over.
Service departments are seen as only slightly less slimy. There are no more service writers or service advisers, they are service sales people. Their job is to sell you extras not solve your problem. And everyone knows that dealers' service departments are so much more expensive (not always true but that's the perception). Dealers aren't alone in this, almost every auto service place tries to up-sell you regardless of what you came in for.
One of the things that really irks me about service departments is how they set their own maintenance intervals. If your car's service schedule calls for oil changes every 5,000 miles, or spark plugs every 100,000 miles, the dealer may recommend maintenance much sooner, posting their own schedules. And they use high pressure to convince you to use their schedule. My recommendation has always been that if you aren't sure which schedule to follow use the "severe service schedule" in your manual.
I particularly dislike the dealers that try to sell you all kinds of additives or flushes. I used to deal with this on a regular basis during my years with the Bureau of Automotive Repair. Heck I ran into dealers that sold additives and services the manufacturer recommended against. If the service schedule provided by the auto maker doesn't recommend it don't do it.
All of this makes me wonder if the current franchise system really works. One of the biggest problems is that auto companies are loathe to discipline a dealer that sells cars. When I worked for Honda Canada years ago we had one dealer that accounted for something like 90% of the warranty sales of a certain part; it was obvious that they were overselling an expensive yet simple repair. But the sales side of Honda refused to allow discipline. Why? They were the number one selling dealer in Canada.
I'm not sure why franchise laws are so lax for auto dealers. Imagine if one of the many hamburg chains let their franchisees do whatever they wanted. Imagine if the franchisee decided the secret sauce was too pricey and substituted plain mayo. Now imagine that state law prevented the chain from terminating the franchise. That's how it seems to work with auto dealers.
I'll admit I hate buying cars from dealers. I haven't done it very often but when I have I've gone in knowing I'd get screwed. You never know what the real price is of a car, new or used (even with all the price sources available you don't know everything). And I hate the time after you've agreed to buy the car when they try to sell you everything except the kitchen sink. Paint protection, rust protection, how about a service contract, blah, blah, blah.
New car sales have to be confusing to the auto makers too. No two dealers pay exactly the same price for the same car. All kinds of costs and rebates go into what a dealer pays the auto maker and they can change at any time.
Years ago when Saturn first came on the scene they had the "no dicker sticker" and people liked it. Maybe if the auto makers set a firm price with a fair markup - the same price for everyone - people would like it. It might also remove one complaint that many dealers have - when someone goes out of their area to buy a car but expects the local dealer to perform any warranty work.
I don't know if having factory stores would work. I know non-franchise stores seem to work just fine. When you go into Costco or Walmart you don't expect to dicker and you know that generally the prices in California are the same as in New York. But some franchises work just fine. I'm no fan of fast food but you know that the Big Mac you buy in New York will taste just like the Big Mac anywhere else. The price may vary a little but not by much (unless you're in an airport). They may ask you if you want a shake or fries with your Big Mac but they won't send you off to the side to consult with the closer or treat you like you're some degenerate because you don't want fries.
My conclusion is that dealerships are the auto makers' weak links. The few bad ones give all a bad name and they don't change, often because of individual state laws that make it extremely difficult for an auto maker to discipline a dealer. I think the time is right for a change. We don't live in a horse and buggy era anymore so we should have to deal with horse traders.
A short time ago I talked, well actually listened, to a youngish man (30s?) talk about his experiences trying to get his new vehicle repaired under warranty. What was worse than the five trips to the dealer to fix what should have been something simple was the dealers seemingly "who gives a shit" attitude. Five visits to the dealer and this guy had a friend diagnose the problem that the dealer should have found on the first visit.
I believe that most dealers are honest and do good work. But a fairly large minority tarnish the rest. Let's face it, when it comes to sales most people would probably rate the experience right up there with having a tooth pulled. About the only thing worse in my mind is going into an appliance store where hordes of sales people descend on you like a swarm of locusts. Very few people come out of buying a car thinking they got a great deal, especially after the closer works you over.
Service departments are seen as only slightly less slimy. There are no more service writers or service advisers, they are service sales people. Their job is to sell you extras not solve your problem. And everyone knows that dealers' service departments are so much more expensive (not always true but that's the perception). Dealers aren't alone in this, almost every auto service place tries to up-sell you regardless of what you came in for.
One of the things that really irks me about service departments is how they set their own maintenance intervals. If your car's service schedule calls for oil changes every 5,000 miles, or spark plugs every 100,000 miles, the dealer may recommend maintenance much sooner, posting their own schedules. And they use high pressure to convince you to use their schedule. My recommendation has always been that if you aren't sure which schedule to follow use the "severe service schedule" in your manual.
I particularly dislike the dealers that try to sell you all kinds of additives or flushes. I used to deal with this on a regular basis during my years with the Bureau of Automotive Repair. Heck I ran into dealers that sold additives and services the manufacturer recommended against. If the service schedule provided by the auto maker doesn't recommend it don't do it.
All of this makes me wonder if the current franchise system really works. One of the biggest problems is that auto companies are loathe to discipline a dealer that sells cars. When I worked for Honda Canada years ago we had one dealer that accounted for something like 90% of the warranty sales of a certain part; it was obvious that they were overselling an expensive yet simple repair. But the sales side of Honda refused to allow discipline. Why? They were the number one selling dealer in Canada.
I'm not sure why franchise laws are so lax for auto dealers. Imagine if one of the many hamburg chains let their franchisees do whatever they wanted. Imagine if the franchisee decided the secret sauce was too pricey and substituted plain mayo. Now imagine that state law prevented the chain from terminating the franchise. That's how it seems to work with auto dealers.
I'll admit I hate buying cars from dealers. I haven't done it very often but when I have I've gone in knowing I'd get screwed. You never know what the real price is of a car, new or used (even with all the price sources available you don't know everything). And I hate the time after you've agreed to buy the car when they try to sell you everything except the kitchen sink. Paint protection, rust protection, how about a service contract, blah, blah, blah.
New car sales have to be confusing to the auto makers too. No two dealers pay exactly the same price for the same car. All kinds of costs and rebates go into what a dealer pays the auto maker and they can change at any time.
Years ago when Saturn first came on the scene they had the "no dicker sticker" and people liked it. Maybe if the auto makers set a firm price with a fair markup - the same price for everyone - people would like it. It might also remove one complaint that many dealers have - when someone goes out of their area to buy a car but expects the local dealer to perform any warranty work.
I don't know if having factory stores would work. I know non-franchise stores seem to work just fine. When you go into Costco or Walmart you don't expect to dicker and you know that generally the prices in California are the same as in New York. But some franchises work just fine. I'm no fan of fast food but you know that the Big Mac you buy in New York will taste just like the Big Mac anywhere else. The price may vary a little but not by much (unless you're in an airport). They may ask you if you want a shake or fries with your Big Mac but they won't send you off to the side to consult with the closer or treat you like you're some degenerate because you don't want fries.
My conclusion is that dealerships are the auto makers' weak links. The few bad ones give all a bad name and they don't change, often because of individual state laws that make it extremely difficult for an auto maker to discipline a dealer. I think the time is right for a change. We don't live in a horse and buggy era anymore so we should have to deal with horse traders.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Cadillacs, Nothing But Cadillacs
There was a nice car show just for Cadillacs last weekend here in Vegas at the Town Square. Nothing but Cadillacs. Although the newer Cads are nice my favorites tend to be from the later '40s through the '60s. Here are the pictures I took on my visit; I think you can tell my likes.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Cars I've owned
Have you ever tried to remember all the cars you've owned over your life? If you're only about 25 I guess it wouldn't be that hard. And if you've only ever owned a few it wouldn't be hard either. I'm 64 and I've owned a number of cars. So I'm going to try an list them as close to chronological order as my feeble memory allows. It's kind of confusing.
1949 Chevrolet 4-door Torpedo Back - I'm pretty sure this was the first car I ever bought. Probably paid about $20 for it and never really drove it. I think I was 14 when I got it. Bought it from someone who had it parked in the garage in the alley behind the Rankin's place. It never looked this good.
I never did actually drive this although I got it started a number of times. I think I did in the flat-head V8 by running it on lighter fluid dumped down the carb. For some reason I had a whole case of lighter fluid.
1959 Ford Convertible
Bought this from a used car lot in Willimantic, somewhere near McDonalds. Can't remember how much I paid or why I wanted it so badly. I drove it for a while but something must have happened to the engine (either a 332 or 352, can't remember) because I remember trying to take the heads off with a 3/8 ratchet set. Didn't work. I think it was "sold" to Sanborn's.
1957 Ford 2-door sedan
1949 Chevrolet 4-door Torpedo Back - I'm pretty sure this was the first car I ever bought. Probably paid about $20 for it and never really drove it. I think I was 14 when I got it. Bought it from someone who had it parked in the garage in the alley behind the Rankin's place. It never looked this good.
It was pretty much a piece of crap but it kept me busy for a few months until the first freeze with water in the block - split that block almost the whole length just a couple of inches beneath the cylinder head.
1953 Ford convertible
1959 Ford Convertible
1957 Ford 2-door sedan
I can't remember where this came from. It wasn't a very good car. I remember my Uncle Gibby telling me I should "jack up the radiator cap and drive a new car under it." That was cold but probably true. This is the car Doug Fraser and I ran away in.
1962 Ford ex-Connecticut State Police unmarked car
1962 Ford ex-Connecticut State Police unmarked car
There was a time when ex-State Police cars were the least expensive performance cars available. Connecticut always drove Fords. Can't remember who I bought this from but what a beast! 390 four barrel, 3-speed manual transmission, cop everything. Had the cast iron "headers", cross-bolted mains and solid lifters. Everything on it was super sized - the front brakes were 11" by 3", alternator was 100 amp, exhaust was about 1/2" larger diameter than normal - everything was special order. I wish I had this now.
1957 Ford Ranch Wagon
I bought this from some guy on Rte 44 in the Twin Hills area. It had a 292 with automatic. It was this car that made me realize how difficult a Ford Y-block was to tune up. Distributor at the back of the engine tilted over, plug wires running down the back of the cylinder heads through looms to the plugs. And then I found one spark plug seized in the head so I changed seven. Traded it in on the next car. Owned this car when I started work at Sloan's Garage in Vernon.
1961 Ford Sunliner
This car was on a used car lot down the road from Sloan's. I originally stopped in because they had this '61 Corvette. I test drove the Vette, a two-four barrel 283 with a 4-speed but I couldn't afford it (I think they were asking $1,100!). The Sunliner called to me. It was a 390 with a 3-speed manual and floor shifter. I loved this car but it really was a piece of crap. It never started in the winter. But damn I looked good in it.
1961 Falcon wagon
Don't remember where this came from but I do remember that I had it when I went to the private school in West Hartford (after I quit high school the first time my mom got me into this "special" school for "troubled" kids- I think I stayed for about a month before getting a full-time job at Moriarty's). The Falcon was another in a long line of pieces of crap. It has so much blow-by and so little power. Two things stand out in my mind though. The first was I out-ran the Coventry PD's '67 Ford cruiser down a dirt road (taking out a mailbox in the process) and coming downhill on Buena Vista Rd after being at my sisters and realizing the road was glare ice. The bald tires wouldn't stop; I put the car in reverse and tried to slow it down that way and it just kept sliding downhill. So I put it in drive, floored it and hoped no one would hit me as I entered Main St/Hwy 31. No one did.
1956 Ford
1956 Ford
Mine was black and white almost like a cop car (I don't think it was). It was a 272 with a 3-speed manual. My mom used to try and keep me from driving it as punishment. She'd take the plates off but I'd just make some cardboard plates (in Connecticut at that time if you lost your plates you could make paper ones until your new ones came in). Next she took my keys including my spare keys. I had a spare ignition switch with keys. Later on, after we moved to Avery Shore I was going to install a done up 352 I had into it but I sold that. Instead I bought a used 332 with a 3-speed manual. Had some run ins with the local cops with the '56 - just after putting the engine in I got stopped for driving without a hood. The cop was going to cite me but he couldn't find the section. As he flipped though his book I saw the section and pointed it out to him. He let me go. Later my friend Stan and I were out driving around at about 1 am in the summer. The cop (my arch enemy Ballard) asked what I was doing. "Driving." He turned to Stan and asked him. "Driving with Bruce." He also let us go.
1967 Fairlane GT 390
The great love of my car life. I was working at Moriarty's when it was traded in. Some farmer must have used it because I remember looking it over before I bought it and it was full of straw or hay. I think I paid $1,400 for the Fairlane. It wasn't this blue but a Robin's Egg blue. I love that car - 390 GT engine (335 hp) with a 4-speed. Like many kids I tried to make the car "better." I changed the 4-speed for a close ratio one, which meant the driveshaft would fit but I actually had one that worked. Changed the shifter to a Hurst. And then I made the fatal mistake of taking out the original, tiny tachometer that was mounted on the dash (ended up with a wiring fire). But the Fairlane was quick in a straight line and I loved it. I traded it for the Mustang because I had to get out from under the payments due to a youthful indiscretion.
1965 Mustang
Somewhere I actually have a picture or two of my first Mustang. It was this style, gold in color with a black vinyl roof. It had a solid lifter 289 with 3-twos, Mallory dual-point distributor, headers and curiously a 3-speed manual transmission. I later put in the close ration 4-speed from the Fairlane (a top-loader) which didn't work out as I hoped because the top-loader was physically much larger. In order for the shifter arms to work without jamming on the transmission tunnel I had to flow the 3/4 one upside down. Ended up with a very odd shift pattern with 4th and 3rd being reversed on the H. Took this car to Canada. Eventually sent it back to CT to be sold.
1963 Volkswagen
The first car I bought in Canada. Bought it in Ottawa. VW's were darn good in the snow and it snowed a ton in Ottawa that year. But VW's are that good in the cold unless they had a gas heater (a little blast furnace mounted almost on top of the gas tank). Drove the VW from Ottawa to Manitoulin Island (over 800 miles round trip) where we camped on the shore of Lake Huron, taking a road that wasn't meant for non-4WDs. On return to Ottawa I decided to go to the Can-Am race at Mont Tremblent. The road to the track was dirt part of the way and on the way out my rusty VW's body collapsed onto the accelerator cable severing it. One hundred miles from home with no working gas pedal! I wedged a piece of wood between the throttle lever and stop on the carb and drove home. Sold the engine to some kids from the US for their VW bus.
Mini
Then I bought a Mini. Great design, lousy car. It had the hydrolastic suspension. Like most it leaked. But that's okay because Mini's were not meant for winter no matter how well they did in the Monte Carlo Rally. First they were too low to the ground and with the 10" tires they were easily high-centered. Second a monocoque body with zero rust protection is not all that great where they salt the roads.
1949 Chevy Panel Truck
This was the last vehicle I bought while in Ottawa. Got it from some guy who had worked on the engine but never got it running. I brought it to life but should have taken the engine completely apart and gone through it. Some bearings were tight so it never cranked over like it should have and the rings were shot. I drove it around Ottawa for a few months before we moved to Toronto. We actually moved in the truck (about 270 miles) and probably went through 4 or 5 quarts of oil. By this time it wouldn't start without bump starting so we had to park on a slope whenever we stopped. But we made it. Sold it for a bit more than I had into it.
1971 Toyota Corolla Sprinter
Originally this was "our" car but I drove it most of the time. It had that little 1200cc "slant" four and a 4-speed transmission. Over the years I owned it I think it blew the head gasket four times - twice I had the head machined and twice I sanded the head. By the time I sold it I had to put premium fuel in it to keep it from pinging. I had it painted bright yellow by a friend, tricked out the carb (altered it so that the secondary opened quicker), built a front spoiler, and hand made a "performance" exhaust. It was fairly quick, often beating out 1600cc cars.
1976 Toyota Hilux
We had two other Toyota Corollas before I bought this truck but they were ours, not mine. This was the first new vehicle I ever bought. I had a lot of good times in this, took it on a few vacations including Cape Cod. It was also in a couple of accidents (not while I was driving it) and the paint never matched after.
1962 Mercury Breezeway
I bought this when I worked for Woolco, a department store chain. It belonged to one of the assistant store managers from Winnipeg. It did not have the retractable rear window; it was fixed. It was a 352 two-barrel with automatic. Nice old tank that just ran and ran. I gave it to my brother when he was in Chicago but there was something weird about the VIN and he never could get it registered.
1964 Dodge
I don't remember why I bought this car, must have been a good deal. It was a 4-door sedan, 225 slant six and Torgueflite. I adjusted the valves, changed the oil and filter, did a tune up and drove it for a few months. I gave it to my sister in Upstate New York.
1972 Volkswagen
Another car I can't remember where I got it. I'm pretty sure it needed a clutch when I bought it and ball joints. I did the clutch but had to sub out the front end. Drove it for a few months until we bought a new Honda Accord and I got the next car to drive.
1974 Toyota Corolla SR5
Probably my favorite Toyota. It was pretty well used when it became "mine", I think it had about 110,000 on it then. Like many cars of its era rust was a big problem. By the time I gave it to my brother it had well over 130,000 miles. I'd replaced the two front fenders with fiberglass ones, welded patches all over the place, and replaced the exhaust a couple of times. It still had two of its original tires and original rear brake shoes. These cars are collectible now.
1956 Ford Ranch Wagon
My friend Mike Thomas brought this back from Colorado. It was two-tone, red and white roof. I had wanted a 2-door but I got a 4-door. It didn't have an engine or transmission when I got it. I bought a rusted out '66 Fairlane 390 GT automatic for the engine and transmission. "Rebuilt" the engine (rings and bearings on the garage floor), changed the trans valve body to a later style that allowed manual shifts and installed them into the '56. I had the car painted a merlot in place of the red. It ran fine except for a vibration I could never chase down. I sold the car to someone in Connecticut for about $1500.
1974 Volvo
My mom gave me this car. It was pale green. It had over 100,000 miles on it when I got it. Fuel injected, 4-speed manual with overdrive. Nice car but when things go wrong - The heater fan motor seized and I had to take half the dash apart to get to it. In the middle of the night about 30 miles from my destination the fuel injection went full rich and filled the crankcase with gas. But you know in a cold, snowy Canadian winter there was almost nothing better.
1972 Dodge Duster
I bought the Duster on my first foray to California. 225 slant six automatic. Drove it back to Toronto from San Jose. Just after stopping for gas on the eastern side of Lincoln, Nebraska the alternator went out. It was January. I limped it to a motel, found an auto parts store, bought an alternator and two wrenches, and I was on my way. It served me well for about six months and then I sold it for a profit.
1989 Mustang 5.0
I bought my 5.0 while I worked for Honda Canada. 5.0s were bargain cars back then. I think the total price for mine was about $16,000. Towed a trailer to California when we moved back in December 1990. I kept it until about '95. This might be the favorite car I've owned.
1965 Mustang
I am really sorry I let this one get away. I had it for probably 5 years and put a lot of work into it. My hope was to fashion it like a FIA coupe. It was a 289 automatic when I bought it. I got a nice 5.0 from the SFPD for free (theft recovery), bought a T-5, found a '59 Ford 9" rear end (bolts right in), redid the whole suspension front and rear. It ran but I never got it finished and eventually sold it to someone with the money and will to finish it. I rue the day he took it away.
1965 Ford Ranchero
Bought this for cheap from a shop owner in SF. He'd liened it. It had a 289 2-barrel and 4-speed. I have no idea what transmission it was - it looked like a BW T-10 but just a little different. Needed way too much work, mostly rust repair. I drove it off and one for about three years and then sold it for a small profit.
1965 Ford Galaxie 4-door sedan
Bought this one from a tow yard - salvage title. It had a 352 four barrel and was pretty ratty although solid. Let my brother use it for a bit and the brakes went out. Thankfully he didn't hit anyone. Eventually sold it to a guy who was going to run it in the Double 500 (a 500 km rally for cars that cost no more than $500) painted in Gulf-Wyer colors.
1987 Toyota truck
This is my actual truck. I bought this in 2001 I think from a girl in San Francisco for $900. It was running on 3 cylinders and she lived on one of SF's hills. Wasn't sure I'd get it home. It had one burnt valve. I replaced the valve, lapped in all the valves, put in a new timing chain, guides and tensioners and it's run like a champ since (I still have it). It had around 180,000 when I got it, the odometer stopped working three years ago at 209,000. The original 4-speed trans has been replaced with a 5-speed. It got some rust from it's time in Pacifica and the sun is taking its toll here in Vegas but I think I'll keep it. Was offered $1,500 for it last year.
1971 Ranchero
Bought this from a then friend of mine. 351 Cleveland, 2-barrel, automatic. Nice car but not a California original and the Pacifica salt air got to it. Like this year Ranchero about the best though.
1972 Ranchero
Bought my '72 from a guy in San Bruno. Nice solid car but the engine was weak. Blew the right head gasket once and about a year later I severely overheated the engine (temp gauge/warning light didn't work but no excuse). I had a really nice 351C 4-barrel engine with a C6 to put in it but by that time I was hurting financially. Sold it to another guy in San Bruno who screwed me by never transferring the title and DMV lost the release of liability.
1987 Toyota Celica
Bought this in a time of need - I was almost carless (at least drivers) - paid $400 for it. Kept it for about four years. Pretty good little car. Someone stole the intake hose once and that pissed me off. It had a/c, power windows, cruise - the works. Sold it to some guy who wanted a safe car for his daughter.
I'm sure I've missed one or two cars. If I remember them I'll add them in.
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