The Boss is Back

Hello blogophiles; Reb here. The 440 horse 2012 Boss 302 has ascended to the top of the internet buzz today. From Mercedes Benz and Corvette forums, as well as the expected Mustang and Camaro outlets, videos of the Boss ripping up the quarter mile have raised some eyebrows and ruffled tail feathers.

'Vettes beware, the Boss is nipping at your heels with bottom 12 second time slips on bone stock tires. Swapping out the street tires for big stickies has netted high 11 second elapsed times.

Details as of now are sparse, but with a little more time they will come. It can't be confirmed whether or not any modifications have been done, but it is assumed the exhaust bypass caps have been opened due to the insane exhaust note. Judging by the window sticker still pasted on the window, this Boss is fresh off the showroom floor.

Personally, I'm willing to wager this car is bone stock and judging by the 416rwhp dyno Edmunds posted recently, this assumption is completely within the realm of possibility. With a sufficient 60ft, that is more than enough power to run the times.



12.36 at 116mph on stock tires



11.72 at 117 on stickies

Mobile Post 3: My Thoughts on the First Full Weekend of Racing

Hey guys, Wallio again, still at the world's longest drivers meeting, and still bored to the point of physical pain. In order to stave off insanity, I'm going to post again. I thought I would give my thoughts on this weekends racing activities.

This weekend we had the Foster's Australian Grix Prix in F1, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in Indycar, and the AAA Auto Club 400 in NASCAR. This was really the first full day of racing all year, and I watched it all.

Rebel and I, as well as The Steve and Hollywood, stayed up too damned late to watch the F1 race. With the start at 2:05am and the last lap ending at roughly 5:00am, it was an adventure. Many people ask why I put myself through this to watch the race. The simple answer is that I love F1. I love it because it is the only racing swries left in the world where everyone builds their own car. The cars are different, but built to the same rules. Run what you brung and pray you brung enough. The race itself was pretty much as expected. Red Bull ran away with the race, Mclaren has no doubt cheated there way to second fastest, the new Lotus/Renault partnership looks competitive, and Ferrari is continuing their ongoing slump from 2005. HRT couldn't even qualify (probably will DNQ a lot more). The real surprise were Mercedes, the Silver Arrows looking absolutely awful. They need to step up, to justify the millions that MB have invested.

The Indycar race made me mad. As usual we had constant Danica Patrick updates despite her being in the bottom third throughout the race. Also the four accidents she caused "weren't her fault" according to commentators despite the fact she just kept running into the back of people. Ok I can deal with that. I used to it. But the kicker was that Simona De Silvestra, another woman (one with talent) was running as high as 2nd, finished 4th and would easily have had 3rd if TK didn't keep blocking her. But the commentators critisized her, for "not using the Power 2 Pass enough". Uh, guys? She almost won the bloody thing! Meanwhile Danica in 14th 2 laps down (and most of the cars that finished behind her were cars she took out) ran "a solid race" WTF are you talking about? WTF are you watching? A no talent skank who poses mostly nude and can't drive gets more favorable coverage that a younger, more skilled woman who almost won? I don't get this country. Oh by the way Dario Francitti won. That's about how much coverage he got too. Dammit, now I'm just as bad......

Anyway, lastly we have the AAA Auto Club 400. I must admit up until this year, I never watched NASCAR, except for Daytona. The cars were all the same, the tracks nearly all ovals (I don't mind ovals, but I prefer a 50/50 split of ovals and twisties, like Indycar) and wrecking someone often is regarded as strategy. But Anne saw Days of Thunder over the winter, and started watching NASCAR. She became hooked, so I started watching and much to my dismay, I've seen every race so far this year. And as much as it kills me to admit it, I'm hooked too. The reasons why are surprising deep.

Compare NASCAR to F1, my favorite sport. F1 is cold, calulating, and razor sharp, while being bonkers all in one. Its like the skill and precision of a brain surgeon....but he uses a sawzall. It costs 65 million dollars just to field a last place team of two cars (so 32.5 million a car) which will barely qualify (cough, VIRGIN, cough) and it is a truly worldly sport, with drivers from over a dozen countries and 4 continents. It is a gentlman's sport, no banging wheels, no cussing, and certainly no fighting. Just show up in a suit, race for two hours, then jump on the chopper back to Monte Carlo. Lewis Hamilton caused quite a stir when he referred to Red Bull as "just a drinks company" how insulting! Nevermind, the fact that its true. And the cars, 900bhp beasts, that spin to a limited 18,000rpm and pull 6.5gs in the corners. The cars are so high tech, F1 teams steal NASA engineers to go racing. It truly is the pinnacle of motorsport.

Then you have NASCAR, its polar opposite. A barely qualifying car will cost a mere $200,000 (a mere 165th of its counterpart) and can be bought off the shelf, not needing to be built. Unlike F1, NASCAR cars are identical, save for the stickers, and half to be by rule. This leads to some insanely close racing (unlike F1, which can, and has, have one driver lead unchalledged for multiple races straight) and gives basically anyone a shot. NASCAR has a huge 43 car field (only Le Mans at 56 is bigger, and that track is 8.5 miles), versus F1 max of 24. So why is NASCAR going on me?

Because in a messed up way, NASCAR is America. Huge fields, even cars, and low cost of racing give even the underdog a shot, and the drivers, save one, are all Americans, so we see ourselves in them. Detroit still races in NASCAR, and despite sales figures, Americans still deep down love the Big 3, even if they won't admit it. But for me, its the over-the-top sense of drama. NASCAR is like pro wrestling in that each driver has a carefully crafted PR persona (good or bad) that they follow and embelish. You simply don't have this in any other racing series on earth. This driver hates that driver, that one is a momma's boy, etc. NASCAR feeds into our love of gossip (which is why I think Anne likes it) and the artifically close racing only adds to that. NASCAR is just like two American guys running their mouths, who go outside to settle it. And that is why NASCAR is my new dirty little secret.

More later I'm sure, as this jury duty is never going to end. Ever.      

NASA's Got Nothing on This

This is the Bloodhound (well a computer rendering of it anyway). The Bloodhound is the car that will take a shot at the undisputed land speed record. The current record stands at a staggering 763mph and is held by Wingcommander Andy Green in the Thrust SSC. The designers of that insanity on wheels are working on the Bloodhound. Only this time, they think they can achieve 1,000mph! That's like a cartoon. The specs are equally unreal. The car (can you really call it that?) will feature not one, not two, but three engines! One is a custom designed rocket that will produce 28,000lbs of thrust, one jet engine out of a Euro-fighter which produces 20,000lbs of thrust, and a Cosworth V8 Formula 1 engine. Now there is no direct thrust to horsepower formula, but from what I've read 22 pounds of thrust is roughly 1 horsepower. By that ratio, the two engines will have 2181.81bhp. Add to that the roughly 900bhp the Cosworth engine produces (it will not be limited to the 18,000rpm the FIA requires, but will flirt with 21,000rpm!) and the Bloodhound will have about 3100bhp.

Now I'm no engineer, but that seems low (if you can call 3100bhp low). A Top Fuel dragster produces roughly 8500bhp and it only goes 330mph. Yes, I know a TFD only goes a quarter-mile and the Bloodhound will be covering a distance over four times that, and yes I know the Bloodhound will have a supersleek aero-effecient body that a dragster doesn't, but that number still seems low. 5000-5200bhp would more realistic. But, the Bloodhound won't have any wheelspin, as its steel wheels (no tyres as they would detonate) aren't driven, just light fuse and get away! That might help a bit.

Also interesting is how they are going to use the Cosworth 2.4litre V8. The Bloodhound team plan on only using it to pump fuel into the two other engines. Yup, its only going to be a 900bhp, 21,000rpm fuel pump. Why? Because the insanely hign reving engine can fuel the motor quickly, and since it only produces about 265ft-lbs of torque, it won't hurt anything. All they have to do is keep that V8 fed with air at supersonic speeds........

Anyway, the test hack is supposed to be running by summer with a few months of testing before attacking the Salt Flats in 2012. Andy Green is getting old, I wonder if they need a driver pilot.....

Wallio out.

June Bug

Reb here. I've mentioned my car before, but until today have yet to upload any recent pictures onto the internet. Her name is June and this is how she sits as of the present. Dare I say she's Bullitt-esque? My summer plans for her looks call for a nice drop, tint, a black billet grill and wetsanded/polished headlights to cure the yellowing. Check her out.

Mobile Upload #2 The Never Ending Drivers Meeting

I'm bored stupid right now folks, as I've been forced into the bane of citizens everywhere: Jury Duty. It should be optional, like voting, or sex after marriage, but no its forced upon us at gunpoint (if you don't believe that, don't show up and see what happens). And since I don't have a real job, at least according to the state, I won't get paid! But you don't want to hear me bitch about useless civic responsiblities, you read this for cars and car related nonsense.

On that note, this post has a point related to cars. Well its really more of an observation. Sitting here with about 100 other people, in a huge room, its like a huge, never ending pre-race driver's meeting. If you've never entered an auto race, basically the way it works is before the race they summon all drivers (and somtimes crew chiefs as well) to a meeting, usually at race control. Attendence is mandatory, and the meeting consists of a bunch of guys half dressed in their nomex, drinking bad coffee and stale dougnuts (regardless of whether its a day or night race) while a high ranking official, usually the starter, endlessly drones on about shit that as a licensed racing driver, you know about and can do in your sleep. Such as what to do when a yellow flag is out, or what the pit road speed limit is. And the phrase "We're all professionals here" is repeated ad nauseum.

This is like that. A judge keeps babbling on about "justice" and "civic duty" and I'm on my third cup of brown, coffee flavored water (there's no doughnuts though, although I did come late) bored stupid. Sadly, while a drivers meeting ends with the glourious statisfaction of taking to the track, this will only end in nothingness, if it ends at all. Oh well, if this keeps up (and they told us to plan on being here a week) this blog will get mad updates. I'll have nothing else to do.

Lots of Random Crap

Greetings loyal Tuned readers, Wallio here with a bunch of random thoughts cluttering up my head.

First, you may have noticed a trend with my posts and Rebel's. His are thought out and philosophical, mine are barely-coherent rants about whatever grabs me that day. Reb is a man of few words, I never shut the hell up. You'll also notice this in our Driving Styles. While he's more cool and calculating, I drive at 110% all the time and often see the red mist. This will be demonstrated in our first video.

Speaking of videos, the first one's coming, I swear. I know it was supposed to be a semi-weekly thing, but you know how that goes. But they are coming. Honest.

Back to me vs. Reb for a moment, he stole my thunder a bit with his last post. I'm usually the old school guy, and he's the modern marvels man. That being said, I'm glad he posted that. I have a few observations on it. First, note the lack of a "muscle car" category. What consider muscle cars today were the Supercars of yore. Supercars as we know them today (Paganis, Astons, Bugattis) are a relatively new concept. As is the idea of a muscle car. Also, there are no 60-ft times listed because no one measured them. Back in '68 you only got a 1/4 mile time and speed, that's it. No 60-ft, no 1/8th mile, hell you didn't even get a reaction time! That all started in the 1980s. Finally, and I know I'm being anal here, the "Scrambler Rambler" didn't exist. They are referring to the SC/Rambler a Super Stock AMC rocket that's official name was the SC/Rambler (after its racing class). Don't know why they bothered testing it, only a few hundred were built (250 I think, I'll look it up though) so few people could buy it.

Also, I've been thinking more and more about a car autopilot lately. All one would need is a car with a built in GPS, a traction control system, and one of those new radar-guided cruise control systems.  Have someone do a little computer programming, and boom! Auto-pilot! The GPS would tell the car where to go, the TCS would work the throttle, and the cruise would prevent you from hitting anything. Only problem would be stop signs and red lights, I'm still working on that part. But that's a trivial detail really, and besides it would work wonders on Interstates. I really think this could work, so if anyone has, say a S-Class Mercedes or a 7-Series BMW and would like to let me play around with it, write to us at Tunedtv@gmail.com.

Finally, I had the joy of meeting one of our readers the other day. She is a sweetheart (although now that I know she reads this I may have to clean up my language a little). Anyway the point is, I love hearing from readers so please comment and email!

Retrospective

I haven't much to say at the moment, however, here are various performance specs from Car Life circa '69. I just wish 60ft times were recorded on the quarter mile runs. Traction on 6" wide bias plys had to be nonexistant at best. Have mercy on your eyes and click to enlarge.

What Makes A Car, You Know, A Car?

Hello all, I thought I'd post something a bit different today. Instead of just posting some auto news item, and ranting about'em, today I'm gonna get philosphical. Hope you don't mind.

Now working two jobs (three if you count wrenching down the garage) I have to drive a lot. And most of these miles are either in the late night/very early morning, I'm usually alone doing quite a bit of thinking. Today, I found myself behind the wheel of my Caddy thinking "why did I buy this?". Now this question was not an expression of regret, as I love Victoria, but it was a legitmate question. What made me choose this one car over the tens of thousands that I could have?

Well the obvious answer is "I like it." Well duh. But why? What parts of it do you like? And why do you like them? As I thought more about this, I realized every car I've ever owned, and every car I adore, all have four major things in common. They all pocess: Performance, Pedigree, Value, and "the X-Factor" (I do hope that hasn't been trademarked yet). A deeper look at these items will explain how I can love Mustangs and Chargers, and TVRs and Zondas.

1.) Performance: Summit Racing used to ask "How do you measure performance?" And its a great question because performance is realitive. We can see this with the DMC-12, and the Cossie Vega. They would be classified as dogs today, but lit shit up when they were new. Also, just because a car isn't "classically fast" doesn't mean it doesn't have the stuff. Take my caddy for example, she only has 156bhp, not exactly take your breath away type power. But when I'm on the freeway, late for a meeting, and I drop the hammer, she responds. Its all about how you measure performance. I know what you're thinking, and yes, I suppose you could use this definition to classify any car as a performance vehicle, but as a rule every car I'm interested in is moderately fast, or was when released.

2.) Pedigree: As a historian, one of the most important things to me is a car's well, history! I generally love cars with very deep roots (both Dodge and Cadillac are over 105 years old, ditto Ford). However, being a racer, cars with a deep performance history are important to me, so Companies like Ford, Ferrari, and TVR are favs of mine. This also applies to specific models. Winning racers such as the GT40 and Superbird are some of my wet dreams. A car has to prove itself over a long period of time in my book. I liked Foxbodies much sooner than first-gen Mustangs, because first-gens were yuppie trend cars, whereas Foxbodies were proven evolutions. Later I realized the early cars were game changers, and my appreciation followed. However, that doesn't mean that new car companies aren't going to get any love from me. Some have pedigree nonetheless, like Pagani, whose founder was the head of Lambo's composites. Basically, you need to be experienced to interest me.

3.) Value: Like performance, this too is realitive. Value doesn't mean cheap. A car can be expensive and be a good value if you get a lot of options, if its technologically relevant, and if its fast. A great example is the Zonda F Roadster, $827,000 but worth every penny. Or the new ZR1, sure its $110,000, but you get a Ferrari killer you could daily drive. Likewise, there are expensive cars that are so overpriced that no matter how admittedly good they are, they are crap value, such as the Veyron, the SLR Mclaren, or dare I say it the "Lexus-that-shall-not-be-named". Value works both ways. There are cheap cars that have amazing bang for buck, such as the Colbalt SS, or WRX STI, and cheap cars that are still crap value, such as an Aveo or Prius (wait, they're cheap, anyway). For me to buy a car, it doesn't have to be a steal, but it has to have enough value to justify its price, no matter how big or small the check is that I have to write, I never want to feel like I overpaid.

4.) "The X-Factor": This last one is kind of a cop out. The X-Factor is something that can't be fully explained, its a car's mystique. Its more than looks or ride, its just something that grabs you and makes you say "whoa". Overall Design could do this, so could the raw numbers, but usually its something less phyiscall. With Roxy, it was that she was a third-gen Charger, which most people hate, and which I thought "that'd be fun to hop up, nobody does that." When I bought Victoria, I went to the dealer looking at his third-gen Camaro. I took the Caddy for a test drive to humor the salesman, and after driving it, I knew I wanted it. That's the X-Factor. If a car doesn't have it, if it doesn't effect me, I don't want it. 

So there you have it, my four "must haves" for any car. Of course, despite this sometimes you get an oddball that doesn't fit any of these, in my case a Maserati GrandTurismo S. But generally, these rules apply. I might post my list of favorite cars tomorrow, maybe.

Wallio out.

Cheap Speed

Reb here, folks. I drive a '98 Z28. Not because it's my favorite thing to roll out of an assembly plant, but because it was the fastest and most reliable thing I could buy three years ago for $6,250. There are faster cars and there are cheaper cars, but I got a 70k mile Camaro, a 350 horse LS1, an air conditioner and a 20mpg average around town that ran 13.4s bone stock.

After dropping $379.99 into a set of ceramic coated Pacesetter long-tubes, she awarded me with consistent 12.9s. This is on 245mm Kumhos and 2.73 gears people. Credit where credits due, your B18 Integras, 4.6 Mustangs and old school Chevelles aren't doing that. Sure there are 5.0 Mustangs coming out now that run 12s stock, but this is in a car that was introduced at the end of 1997. That's 14 years folks. 14 years and they're finally catching up.

So.. I'm broke, in college and add what little I can when I can and that isn't often. I've since added a Yank 3500 stall converter and 3.73 gears, but they haven't been track tested. Hopefully next month that will change. I fully expect no worse than 12.3s on drag radials.

Throughout my tinkering I have learned how to go fast on the cheap. Between my full exhaust, gears, stall and wheels I have got about a grand in the car. A new Yank alone typically retails around $800. I've done this by buying used on LS1tech and craigslist, as well as selling off the stock parts that aren't needed anymore. Here's the breakdown.

Pacesetter Long-tubes and Y-pipe: $379.99 - $135 for factory cats= $244
Yank 3500 (used): $200
Motive 3.73'd rear end (used): $250 - $75 for my 2.73'd rear= $175
American Racing Torq Thrusts (used): $450 - $225 for factory wheels= $225

Total: $844

Throw in my cheap RV transmission cooler and $60 muffler and we haven't touched the grand mark. Exclude the wheels to only include speed parts and you're even cheaper. I could've saved another couple hundred if I hadn't bought the headers new.

It's all a matter of searching for the deals and having a little luck. I scored the gears already installed in a 10 bolt rear because a friend of mine upgraded to a Ford 9". I bought the stall off of a forum member who did a T56 swap. The wheels popped up in the classifieds and my stock ones sold on Craigslist. My cats sold to a fellow who bought them for recycling (before the economy took a dump and their value dropped).

It's amazing how much you can save by hunting for the deals and doing your own labor. Speaking of labor, I did it all as I went. I'm no mechanic, but good friends and Google are the best tools a fellow can have. What would have cost me atleast $3,000 in parts and labor has cost me less than a grand.

Enough rambling. What I'm saying is that if you want to go quick for cheap, chose a decent platform and spend carefully while doing your own labor. For what it's worth, I know a guy who spent as much as I have and all he has is a catback and cold air intake.

Spring's here. Get to building.

Updates, Thank Yous, and Vegas, Oh My!

Hello lovers of man's greatest invention,

A few techinical things first. We have more than 100 hits now. Wow, thats great. Thank you so much it does make it worth it, and its a great stress reliver. You may have noticed some site changes. Rebel's been updating things to look both awesome and professional. I have no skill at layout and design, I just press buttons and shit happens and usually Reb has to go fix it. But he likes that, so its all good. More changes are on the way as we perfect the site.

 I'd also to shamelessly plug the upcoming LCHS Classic Car Show on May 15th. Its for my day-job and will benfit the Historical Society and allow us to protect the past for the future. Or somethig like that. But seriously, if you are gonna be in or around the Wyoming Valley and can bring a car, please do, its for a great cause. Plus you'd get to meet me and Reb!

Finally an update for those interested, the new motor (which I'ved named the RS820-9) is in the Nova and has been run with no leaks. Picturs and a proper post on it to follow.

But now the moment you've all been waiting for....

The #2 Most Underrated Car of All-Time: The 1975 Chevorlet Cosworth Vega

Chevy wanted a hot version of the Vega, British tuning masters Cosworth (designers and builders of the winningest racing engine in history the Ford-Cosworth DFV) wanted to expand into America. It was a match made in heaven right? Well not really. At least not according to the public, who stayed away like the plague. Too bad too, because it actually was a phenominal car. Cosworth recast the Vega's four cylinder engine so that it was 101-cubic inches and made from aluminum. They then added their own in-house designed DOHC aluminum heads. "The Cossie" featured DOHC, 16-valves (four-per-clylinder) electronic igintion, electronic fuel-injection, five-speed manual gearbox (optional in '75 and standard in '76) and four-wheel disc brakes, items that wouldn't become standard on American cars until 15-20 years later! It also looked dead sexy coming only in black ('76 produced a few white ones) with gold trim. It also came with a gold metal dash similar to "Bandit" Trans-Ams.

Power output was impressive, it was listed at 110bhp but was about 145bhp, and much like the DMC-12, the car was really one of the fastest cars you could buy in '75 (which really wasn't saying much, but still). It was also modable. Camshafts were (and still are) available that allowed you to rev the little bastard to over 12 grand on the tach! Go on youtube and watch so videos of modded Cossies, they defy belief. It was the ultimate blend of European sports car, and American muscle. However, the car only lasted two years and sold less than 1800 (several hundred of which are confirmed as being destroyed) units before being canned. Why?

Well most American's had never heard of Cosworth as most Americans don't watch Formula 1 or World Rallye. They didn't understand what was so great about the engine, as the technology was so far ahead of its time no one understood it. Likewise, it was a Vega, Chevy's cheapest car, but with the Cosworth Package, it cost as much as a Corvette, Chevy's most expensive car! (It was quicker and thus worth it, but I digress) Plus the Vega had a reputation for unrealiabilty which the Cossie couldn'e escape. So sadly, despite there being only about 1200 or so left and despite Car and Driver naming it one of its "Ten Most Collectible Collector Cars of All-Time" a mint, low mile one will only run you about $8500. There's just no market for them.

And that's the sad story od the Cossie Vega. The final chapter in our Underrated Cars series tomorrow.

What the Hell Are You On? Automotive Edition

OK I know I promised a story on the Cosworth Vega today, but I don't have time for a real post, and this was too insane to pass up. I guess yesterday was World Customer Service Day, another BS made-up day nobody noticed. Except in China that is. Apparently some Chinese Billionaire order a Lambo Gallardo. When it arrived, it was improperly transported and damaged. This being China, his complaints and attempts at restitution fell on deaf ears. He called Lambo's corporate offices in Italy with an equally useless response. So being stupid rich, he desided to send Lambo a message. He waited until yesterday (World Customer Service Day) and paid some men to destroy the car with sledgehammers! He even called the local press and gathered a crowd of onlookers. The above pictue is them getting ready. And below is the deed itself being done.

Now I'm no Lambo fan (both Ferraris and Paganis are much, mch better) but that shit ain't right. And on that, I'm out. Vega story tomorrow....... probably.

So I Went With a Korean

What's going on folks? Reb here with my debut post. Honestly, I didn't have anything particularly interesting to say until Wallio said mention the Sonata. Hell, why not?

This past week my girlfriend and I took a trip back to Mississippi to visit my family and get away for awhile. While the original plan was to make the trek in my Camaro, her grandparents told us we could take their '08 Hyundai Sonata down. While at first I lamented the idea of a 2,000 mile round trip in a four pot econobox, visions of slaying rice on the freeway and full throttle onramp blasts quickly subsided as reality kicked in and I realized how much money we'd save by taking the Korean gas miser. The damn thing got around 540 miles to a tank. My Camaro won't even get 300. C'mon folks!

Past the obvious economy, the thing was whisper quiet and rode very smooth, unlike the Chevy that assaults what little hearing via dumped long tubes and warrants chiropractic visitations through it's Conestoga wagon-esque ride. Did I mention the thing had a trunk the size of a closet and plenty room on the inside? Needless to say, it was a nice departure. A little mundane and boring at times, but nice overall.

What made it even better was the XM radio. I seriously want to install one in my car. None of that bluegrass bullshit when you hit the outskirts of town; we listened to whatever we wanted with crystal clarity. XM Sirius radio FTW folks... FTMFW.

Around town the thing was god awful slow, but I'll excuse it considering how far she'd go without the gas gauge moving at all. The styling isn't bad either. It almost looks like an Audi A4 from the side. Really, Google an '06 or so A4. It's nothing some 18" Genesis wheels, tint and lowering springs wouldn't fix. All in all, I hated to give it back. Boring as it may be, it really serves it's purpose. I couldn't own one as my sole means of transportation, but I'd love something like it to daily drive while keeping the Camaro around for sunny days.

I'm looking now for a cheap 4cyl to putt around in. Maybe a Civic, Integra, Corolla, Accord, ect. Hell, maybe a diesel Mercedes or Volkswagen. We'll see what happens.

This is Reb signing out.

Lunchtime Ramblings #3: The Most Underrated Cars of All Time Part 1

Damn, its been awhile since my last post, anyway I've decided today to discuss over my lunch the three cars, that in my opinion, are the most underrated of all-time. These are all solely my opinion of course and me being me, all three are American. Today I'll unveil the first.

1.) The 1982 Delorean DMC-12 (no Flux Capacitor  jokes please)

Without question, the single most underrated car of all time is th DMC-12 (its not "the Delorean" thats the first of many myths about the car). In 1982 the car featured a Lotus-tuned suspension, 170bhp V6, and a stainless steel-body that wold never rust, ever. John Delorean advertised the car as "the last car you'll ever own". The prevailing myth is that the DMC-12 was slow. This is just that a myth. The DMC-12 beat the '82 Firebird, Corvette, and Camaro in a head-to-head test so it was the fasest thing you could buy in 1982 outside of a Ferrari or Lambo (admittedly thats not saying much, but still). Another myth is that they weren't popular, but the facts show a two-year waiting list when the company folded.

Why then did the DMC-12 fail? The simplest answer (and the one with the most evidence behind it) is really a rambling conspiracy theory at first glance. John Delorean had proposed his stainless steel car while still at GM. They told him they would never produce it, as it would put them out of business. So when John started his own company and it took off they got scared. GM used their at-that-time massive pull on the US government to stop him. The US contacted Maragret Thatcher the UK prime minister (the DMC factory was located in Northern Ireland) and convinced her to pull Johns loans 7 years early. With his 10-year loan now a 3-year loan John was screwed.

It was then the US government framed him for selling cocaine. But everyone just remembers him as "that guy who got caught seling drugs". Trouble was he was set-up. Don't believe me? His defense lawyer argued for only half-an-hour and called no witnesses and it took the jury less than two hours to acquit him. I'd say he was innocent. Trouble was it didn't matter as his reputation was ruined and his company had failed. GM had won, and still to this day no major car company has built a stainless steel car.

Tomorrow I will feature the second most underrated car of all time: The 1975 Chevy Cosworth Vega!

"Upcoming New Cars I Like" Rant (Finally)

Ok I know I promised a video discussing a few upcoming cars, and I made it, and edited it (Honest!), but I've finally decided to scrap it. I know this is supposed to be a video blog, but since I used a webcam, the video was terrible, and was only marginaly better after editing. So I've decided to go toward quality or quanity. Plus, Rebel wasn't in it and it isn't really fair to him (nor is it nearly as funny) when he's not around. Plus, after seeing the Pagani Huayra in much more detail at Geneva, I needed to rethink my remarks. So I thought I'd post it as a text post.

There's a few new cars that are causing all the headlines right now. The first is the Ferrari FF or "Ferrari Four".

This is both the first four-wheel drive car that Ferrari has produced and the first ever hatchback. I'm not buying into the hype on this one folks. Why did Ferrari decide to make a 4WD car? To compete with Lambo? What the hell for? The classic rule has always been if you want a flashly car, buy a Lambo, if you want a legit performance machine, buy a Ferrari. Like Vette vs. Viper, real pilots will always choose the Viper. So why is Ferrari pandering to this crowd now? Real drivers don't need 4WD, RWD more than suffices. And why a hatchback? Do people really need to carry luggage in their Ferrari? Really?

I wonder what old man Ferrari would say? I imagine he would not be pleased. It only reenforces his stereotype about Ferrari owners, that they were rich idoits who hated cars but wanted glamour and he dispised them for it. (Yes, he really believed this, and said it, repeatedly.) Oh well. We'll see if it sells. Sadly, it probably will.

Next, we have the Pagani Huarya (pronounced waɪ-rah).  I at first didn't like this car. I didn't like the front end, I didn't like the roofline, I hated the interior, and I definately didn't like the stupid, nearly unpronoucable name (its an Arginetinan wind god). But I realize now that I was only upset that it was replacing the Zonda, and in the case of the interior, it was an awful press shot that was released. Now, I love this car. It features an AMG V12 producing a few ticks over 700bhp, its RWD, and features gullwing doors and a beautiful "carbo-tanium" body that is ludicriously light, but strong enough to withstand 1.5g of cornering ability. This car, while not as insane looking as the Zonda, its dead sexy, and will no doubt ensure Pagani's rightful place as Italy's second greatest car company.

Last, there's the new Chrysler 300. The first thing you need to know about this car is that Rebel doesn't like it. But I do, and since he's not here, I'm going to talk about it. It looks have been redesigned to look more uppity (think Audi). New smaller grille, cat's eye headlights that extend up into the hood, and LEDs everywhere are the most notable changes, but the engines have changed as well. In America the 3.5L V6 will be standard and the 5.7L Hemi will be available. However, there is no more SRT-8 version (not in 2012 anyway) and only automatic trannies will be built. While I like the new body, and like how its basically the same price as the old one, I don't like the lack of an SRT-8, the lack of a stick, or the fact that the 3.6L V6 Diesel that European versions will get won't come to the US. Why not? What the hell? Interestingly, in Europe, this car will be badged as a Lancia, the first real evidence of FIAT's ownership of Chrysler.

Well that's enough for today, we should have the Nova's new lump together by tonight God willing, so hopefully an update on that tomorrow.

Gas Prices - The Realistic Perspective

Lately everybody's bitching about gas prices. "Oh no $3.45 per gallon! The world's gonna end!" People look at me funny when I tell them we have the cheapest gas prices in the world (outside of the Middle East of course), but its true. Want proof? Look at England, widely considered the world's strongest economy because the pound is so strong. Let's look at gas prices there.

This would normally be difficult as those quirky Brits buy gas by the litre instead of the gallon, so there's usually so math to be done. But the website This Is London has an article, dated today, with the headline "Gas exceeds 6 pounds per gallon". OK, that was easy, all we need to do is convert pounds to dollars. One pound is $1.62 cents. So if we say that gas is six pounds a gallon (remember its actually more, I rounded down) gas is $9.72 a gallon! In my car with its 18-gallon tank it would cost $174.96 to fill it! Again, remember I rounded down! Still think gas is too expensive here?

Add to that the idea of congestion charges.  This is a way for the Brits to cut traffic down. Every time you enter a city, a camera takes a picture of your plate and you get billed for 8 pounds! So if you didn't live in Wilkes-Barre, but you work there (like me), everyday when you cross the market street bridge, it would cost you $12.96 (8 pounds x 1.62)! Still think it costs too much to drive? It costs one third less than in the supposed strongest economy in the world. So the next time you hear someone bitching about gas tell'em Wallio say to STFU. And then explain why.

Sources: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23930433-petrol-prices-surpass-pound-6-per-gallon.do

http://coinmill.com/GBP_USD.html#GBP=1.00

Mobile Blog Test: Is This Thing On?

Hello all, just trying out the Tuned mobile phone posting voodoo thing. If this goes well, I'll be able to post in my bed, at night, instead of sleeping. I am a total insomniac afterall. I doubt its going to work though, why should anything make my life easier?

My rant tonight is a simple one. Why are so many ricers adding roof racks to their cars? Everywhere I look, I see WRXs, Focuses, Civics, and Del Slows with huge racks on top? Yes, I get that they're trying to add a bit of practicality to their rides, but really, you can either have fast, or practical. Not both, sorry. And yes I know late '60s big block vettes had optional luggage racks. That don't make it right people.

Well that's enough for one night, we'll see how this phone thing plays out. More tomorrow.

Lunchtime Ramblings #2 - A Quickie

Hey guys, no real time to post today, even on lunch, as the world is ending around me. However, I did say I wanted to post everyday, so here I am. First, a few technical bits. Our new facebook page is up and running in "test-hack" form. All Tuned updates will now go through there. Second, I have downloaded the Blogger for Android app for my phone, and once I figure out how to use it, it'll make my life much easier. I'm also thinking of changing the name of the blog. I never much cared for "Tuned" it was a stopgap I proposed to Rebel, and it kinda stuck. Post your suggestions for a new name in comments below.

I'd like to start by apologizing for Saturday's post. I was told it was over the heads of some of you, too nuts-and-bolts. Sorry about that, but now you know how I felt. It wasn't pleasant.

 The only real bit of news is the Renault spy scandal, which is heating up again. Three high level execs were fired amid accusations of selling Renault's (and by proxy Renault-owned Nissan's) hybrid tech to the Chinese. This caused a bit of an international incident (the Chi-coms don't like being reminded they steal everything). Problem was the fired employees claimed innocence all along, and now new proof is out that they were indeed set-up. Renault has massive egg on its face (not to mention three massive lawsuits) the Chi-coms are demanding an apology and the French Prime Minister and his ridiculously ht wife have called it "a national embarrassment." Who says cars and politics don't mix? Well thats all for today, I'm gonna play around with the mobile version later, so maybe another post tonight.

Horsepower Is a Matter of Inches (or Thousandths of an Inch, In This Case)

Greetings fellow speed freaks, in today's installment of Tuned, I won't be discussing what's making the news in the auto world, but we'll get into the nuts and bolts instead. I 'm blessed enough to be able to drive a race car during summer weekends, and we're currently building a new motor for it. It's a 502 cubic inch (that's 8.2 litres for you Euro types) Chevrolet engine, that should produce 620bhp before we add nitrous. Today we were supposed to start assembling it, as the block had returned for the machine shop(I didn't expect to post today, had to get the lump together!). However, the old man had purchased pushrods that were 3 thousandths of an inch too short. This would prevent the valves from opening correctly and basically lead to catastrophic engine failure (we'd done blowed it up). Three thousandths of an inch, stopped us dead (the correct rods will take 3 days to arrive).

I'm a pretty competent driver on the technical side of things, and I'm usually pretty good with a wrench, but the seer math involved overwhelmed me. This wasn't motorsport, it was a calculus lesson. George Miller, local guru of speed, arrived to help us out with a vast assortment of laser and digital instruments. Measurements were taken (to the ten-thousandth of an inch!) parts checked, cigarettes smoked, measurements retaken, heads shook, more cigarettes smoked. Racing has always involved a lot of math, the sheer physics it  requires to get a one-and-a-half-ton object moving at several hundred feet per second from a dead stop in only ten seconds in immense. However, that math is in the background, mentioned but rarely discussed. Today's math was the center of attention, and was so inanely detailed, I blanked out. I'm pretty disgusted today to be honest. To be brought down by numbers, on a instrument screen, that technically don't exist, is tough to swallow.

However, I did get some good pictures: First a shot of the new Aluminum Head being assembled. (Note the test springs on the two valves to the far left)/

Next, a shot of the other side of the block, showing the exposed pistons:

Finally, a look inside the intake port of the new head, showing off the massive intake valve that will dump fuel into the motor.

Rebel sends his love, he's gone back to the South for two weeks. He sent me a picture of a pick-up truck driving through Maryland with a cannon in the bed. Yeah, that's about right, all things considered. I'll probably post it Monday.  

Lunchtime Ramblings #1: The R34, Taliban-mobile?

Not a real update per-say, but I'm going to try to post something everyday. (We'll see how long this lasts). Some technical points first. Rebel's profile is now up, check it out and be educated. He hasn't posted yet, but he will, once I get him set-up. We talk everyday, and a lot of what goes on here is said by him, just under my signature, as I often post when I'm free (Rebel might be the only person in the world with less free time than me, two guys working 5 full and part time jobs combined AND one of us trying to go to school full time doesn't leave much blogging time).

We also have a counter now! Whoo! So tell your friends and lets get that odometer spinning. Speaking of features I know I've promised a video discussing new cars, and I did film it, and its 90% edited, but I hate it. Most likely it'll be scrapped and replaced with a text post. We'll see.

Well reading up on my auto news for today during lunch, as I often do, I came across an Interesting story. Seems the Dept. of Homeland Security has declared R34 Nissan Skylines illegal and they have set about seizing them all. See pic here.....

Seeing as Nissan never actually sold the R34 here (or the R33 or R32 for that matter) its a relatively small number, but the fact is that people paid (a ton of) money for these and had to jump through all sorts of hoops and red tape to get them legal to import and several years later they find out it wasn't good enough and they have to turn over their keys and watch it be exported back to Tokyo (with you picking up the tab BTW). WTF? Free country my ass. Doesn't the government have anything better to do? Aren't we fighting two wars and deep in the red? But a couple of ricers wet-dreams are the real issue here. Riiiiiigggghhhtttt. Question is what will they use in the new Fast and the Furious? But seriously, this sets a dangerous precedent. Soon the government can declare any car illegal on any grounds (according to the feds the R34s can't pass emissions, big fucking deal) and make you get rid of it. Soon we will all be driving Priuses.......

Anyway, I realized I never actually showed you the new Boss Mustang yesterday, so here it is.

That is just pure car porn, frankly. It really reminds me of the old ones, with factory rev-limiters that ran in Trans-Am. Too bad we don't have a Trans-Am series anymore........
Anyway, that's today's post, more tomorrow (probably) and be sure to leave comments!

The Evo is Dead, Long Live the SRT-8?

Well today we got good news and bad news. The bad news is Mitsubishi has decided to kill the Lancer Evolution. There will be no Evo XI. Because that makes sense. Kill off your only noteworthy car. I honestly can't think of any other cars they build, and thats sad. Mitsu used to have a stellar line-up, The Evo, the 3000GT, a seemingly endless supply of VR-4s. Real drivers cars. Those of you who know me, know I hate Jap cars. But I've always had a special place in my heart for Mitsubishi. They were the only Jap company I'd even think of buying from. But not anymore, as they're replacing the Evo with a series of electric cars. This replacing of performance cars with hippie-mobiles maybe a trend. But thats another post entirely......

The good news is that Ford has released more details about the Boss Mustang. It'll cost around 40k, produce 415hp at the rear wheels. It will also come with a "race key" which turns off all computer aids and lumps up the idle. I.....want.......one.

In the "WTF Dept" Chrysler has released more details about the new Charger SRT-8. It will feature a 6.4 litre Hemi (we're almost back to its original 7-litre form) an 8-speed auto-stick gearbox, boasting economy and preformance (yeah, good luck with that) and a body that's a blantant rip-off of the Lancer Evo that has just been axed. Don't believe me? You be the judge.

First the Charger.....

Now the Evo.......

Ignition

This is Tuned, a blog all about cars. Old cars, new cars, fast cars, and yes even some slow cars. But mostly about custom cars. We'll test'em, review'em, show you where they're built, and interview their owners. Well also head down the track for some racing action and we'll even participate a bit as well. Rebel and I will be your hosts throughout our epic journey through car nirvana.

This blog will update frequently (we hope) and feature written posts, pictures, but most especially videos. We have some great ideas in the pipeline such as my Preview of upcoming cars including the Ferrari FF, and the new Chrysler 300, our first "garage built" segment, and an interview with one of the biggest Cadillac aficionados around.

So stayed right here for all your car news and notes. And feel free to write to us at Tunedtv@gmail.com!