Are We Really Moving Ahead?

I read several disturbing articles this week and if you think about it, none of them were good for the hot rod hobby. One was about the legislative bill that is starting to move forward in California where the state, by the year 2040, wants a ban on all internal combustion engines. In my humble opinion, this is a lose-lose for everybody. I'm not looking at this from strictly a hot rod enthusiast point of view, but in regards to the big picture. There's a few items that are more than troubling. What will the state do with all those vehicles that have engines, including hybrids? Granted, I realize that in the Golden State any vehicle that's over 4 years old is considered a beater, but there's still a lot of gas-powered iron out there that's running on the street. It's not just going to disappear. Second, when is the government going to realize that, as of this writing, the producing or the manufacturing process of an all-electric and/or hybrid emits three times the emissions when compared to when a petrol driven rig is built. No carbon footprint, my ass. Maybe that manufacturing process will change by 2040 - it's going to have to.

While I feel all the speed-part companies that are based in California won't be affected a great deal, they'll just sell their wares to the other 49 states, I do feel that the state is boxing themselves into a corner. When all is said and done, and there are no more fossil-fuel burning monsters on the road, and they still have a pollution problem, who are they going to blame then? Will they finally go after the factories that have been polluting for the past 50+ years or will they turn a blind-eye because of election-based donations of sick amounts of cash? And please, don't even mention CAFE credits - that's just pure bullshit. So, with this bill, are we really moving ahead?

The same can be said for the even-greater divide of aftermarket parts. The quality of speed parts that are coming from Edelbrock, Holley, AFR, MSD, and the thousands of other reputable companies continues to increase. However, the stuff you purchase at your local parts store, is sliding ever faster down the dumper... and the skids are greased. I work at an automotive repair shop during the week, and it

seems that the parts are being made by companies that just don't care. In just the past two months, I've seen "brand new" parts already failing just after installation; batteries that have a dead cell, brake calipers where the piston seals leak when you bleed brakes, starters that are completely shot right out of the box, and ditto with wheel bearings. I've also seen exhaust parts that don't even come close to fitting properly, and the same with suspension parts. And all these examples are the "better quality" parts with better warranties, not the cheap shit. In this case, if you want to move forward, stick with the brands that have been around a long time like Moog, Federal Mogul, and others the like.

One of the best ways to move ahead, is to educate yourself as much as possible. And don't be afraid of tackling an older car to fix up. One of the best articles I've read in a while is about a group of young men (all aged 33 and younger) that are totally into vintage iron from the late 20's into the very early 30's. They're learning by listening to older mentors (there's a reason why we have two ears and only one mouth - to listen more than we talk), and doing it yourself. It's in the latest issue of Hot Rod Deluxe magazine. None of the rides these gentlemen have are pristine. In fact, one of them is a POS Special. "That's great", I hear you say, "But I live in the snow belt. I can't drive a 50's 4-door sedan in the winter." True - but how bout this; get yourself a ride that's at least 20 years old... like a late 90's Toyota Camry - a base model - to thrash around in the winter weather. Cheap, easy to work on, (ever lift the hood on one of these 4-cylinder no-frills cars? Everything is accessible), and when it craps out, buy another one just like it.

Life isn't perfect - we're all going to have good days and bad days. But in the grand scheme of things, don't you think it would be wise if we actually went three steps forward and only one step back instead of the other way around?

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

Are You Willing To Go The Distance?

I read an online article a few weeks back that came across my daily news feed that comes from a major automotive publication. I almost missed it with all the other articles on electric vehicles, the latest autonomous technology that's marching forward despite what seems like a blind regard to if this shit will actually work in real world environments, as well as if Tesla will actually produce the vehicles that look so incredible on paper. Apparently, the state of California is looking into (in other words it wants to) banning all internal combustion engines over the next 20 years. If that comes to pass, hot rodders and the hot rod industry may inherent the same outlaw reputation they did in the late 40's and throughout the 50's. This isn't some badge of honor - it will affect our hobby greatly. Today, not 15 years from now when the curtain is certain to fall, is the time to get involved. This would be an excellent time to join a hot rod club, have a membership with SEMA (it's free), and make phone calls to your local politician.

The article begs the question - are you willing to go the distance? Yes... you. As a society, we are a quirky, fickle, egotistical bunch. We really don't care about something until it affects us. We want to reap the benefits without doing the work. We want it to be some other guys problem. Will you let things go to hell in a hand basket while not lifting a finger, and then when things don't go your way, blame someone or something else? It reminds me of two customers I had in my automotive repair shop this week. One customer had an all-wheel drive vehicle, the other owned a hybrid drive car. The first customer was upset that when one tire went flat and was not repairable, that they would need four new tires due to the low tread depths of the other three tires. This is a basic fact that just about every owner knows in regards to all-wheel drive rigs; the all-wheel drive system works off of tire rotation and they all have to be close in tread. However, this customer wanted the benefits of AWD, without shelling out for the expenses that go with it. Ditto with the hybrid vehicle owner; they wanted to reap the glorious gas mileage, while ignoring the fact that parts on hybrids are different and sometimes more expensive.

The same mindset can be just as dangerous for the owner of a hot rod and/or street-strip ride. It rings especially true when horsepower is involved. It still amazes me how many times I've read or heard about, or fielded phone calls from people who are simply shocked that when they strapped on that 200 horsepower nitrous system to an otherwise stock engine, that it blew up after only a few massive hits of the laughing gas. Or how they purchased and installed a 600 horsepower engine and how it took out the rest of the drive-train within a week because the transmission, rear end and axles were still stock. Or how the guy purchased an aggressive cam, a big carb, single plane intake, and huge 3-inch headers, and then wondered why the combo fell on its face on the initial test flight after it was installed because of restrictive flowing stock heads and low compression. In each case, the time and effort to research and develop an effective game plan were never part of the equation. It's more than just shelling out your hard-earned cash, slamming in a go-fast part in and go. You've got to make sure that everything is compatible and up to the task. Are you willing to go the distance in research and building - even in regards to the financials? I've been there - it takes a wheelbarrow full of greenbacks if you want to go fast and have your stuff stay together... even if you do all the labor yourself and you are the poster child or trading and bartering.

I also see the same thing with bracket and drag racing. A very good friend of mine has a 1963 Chevy II A/FX car as well as a 1955 BelAir that competes in B/Gas. He can't count how many times he's been asked questions about the cost of going fast. He's had several people almost pass out when he tells them he has over $150,000 in both rigs, about 2/3rds of that in the Chevy II. As he puts it, it's the things you don't see that add up. The chassis, the engine and transmission internals, etc., never mind the fuel and anything that might fail or break. Hey - shit happens.

One of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is, "what car should I build or buy if I want to go really fast on the cheap?" My most frequent answer? A 1987-92 Fox-body Mustang . Love them or hate them, they are the modern equivalent of what the tri-five Chevy was in the late 60's and early 70's. They will literally accept any engine between the fenders, there is enough aftermarket support (even from Ford) to build a fleet of Mustangs, and you can buy a nice 12-second ride for under $10,000... way under. You want to bust the 10-second mark? In most cases, 10-12 grand will do it. You can't touch that in regards to any other vehicle. In most states, they are old enough now to qualify as antiques, thus side-stepping tougher inspection procedures. Ever wonder you rarely see one of these vehicles as a "restoration project"? Because they are way cheaper to buy either built or more than halfway there. While it may be tempting to buy that 1987 LX with the 4-cylinder that needs body work for $500, you'll spend triple what the car will ever be worth when you're done converting it to a screaming V-8. Granted, you can build it EXACTLY the way you want, especially if you're going custom, so the decision is up to you. I'm just sayin'.

Regardless of which aspect our vintage automotive you get involved with (hopefully as many as you can while stilling having a life), we ask to ask ourselves, "... are we willing to go the distance? Whatever that may be?" Take a good look in the mirror and go from there.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave