Can A Marraige Of "New" And Vintage Exist?

As I wrote last week, it felt good to be writing the blog again. It was almost equivalent to attending a reunion of sorts and catching up with old friends. I received a few emails over the past few days and in one or two of them, we traded replies as to:
 - what exactly is vintage (not to be confused with "old") and
 - what exactly is old (not to be confused with "vintage")!

Of course, your definition of old, or vintage, or nostalgic, will be different than mine. And our opinions will be slightly different from Tom the Chevy nut down the street - and that's fine. Strength is in diversity. Another bottom line is, even though we have different opinions, there is no true "right or wrong", we can all respect each other, and we can all benefit from each others experiences.

This discussion was, in part, fueled by an article I read on the Motor Authority website where the first known wrecked (ie; totaled) 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, will be going up for auction. I'm not taking sides on this, except for the fact that whomever purchased the vehicle originally was an idiot. The Challenger only has 64 miles on it and was demolished within one hour after driving it off the dealership lot (that's the idiot part). The selling price is anticipated to be between $20-30 grand, as Allpar has noted that the 707 horsepower (and that number is most likely underrated) Hellcat engines alone are going for around $17,000 dollars.
The kicker is, I can, without a doubt, envision someone purchasing the vehicle, parting it out, and putting all that goodness into a vintage car - especially an early 70's Challenger. The cooling system will have to be redone (because the original one in the SRT is shot), but apparently the engine still runs and the transmission is fully functional. Even the tires and wheels are good to go. If the Hellcat parts are swapped into some vintage iron, would this combination be one of the ultimate "vintage marries new" vehicles? Would it blur the lines of what exactly "old" is even further? What do you think? Here's a link to the article: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1016928_first-wrecked-2015-dodge-challenger-srt-hellcat-going-up-for-auction

Speaking of firsts, in my last blog I was getting pumped for some upcoming car show events. Here's

a doozer - if you're a GM or Camaro fan (or even if you aren't and just dig vintage Detroit iron), you may want to head to Carlisle Pennsylvania at the end of June for their GM Nationals show. Organizers for the event have confirmed that the very first Camaro from 1967 has been restored and will be at the event. ( Ed. Note - that particular car is not the one pictured). This also begs the question - will Chevrolet bring anything to the event in regards to the all-new, sixth generation Camaro? The events in Carlisle are huge. GM already had teaser shots at the Chicago auto show earlier this year and has also released photos of the profile via a body die.

Another first... at least for 2015. The first race of the season for NASCAR is done. By the time you read this, the fact that Joey Logano won the Daytona 500 is old news. That's not why we're here. I threw the vintage shifter into gear and jetted back 50 years to look at a number of things.
First question - do you know who won the Daytona 500 back in 1965... 50 years ago? A guy named Fred Lorenzen (who was at the time a very prominent driver) won the 7th annual event in a very stock looking Ford Galaxie.
One fact still amazes me is that Ford supplied the "body in white" as well as all the drive-train to Fred and his team. Fred was responsible for the interior, paint, decals, and finishing of the race car. That fact is unthinkable today. Races like Daytona were in their youth and racing teams used any and all creativity they could muster in order to capture the checkered flag. Competition still breeds creativity. Nowadays I feel like it sometimes promotes homogenization because of all the drama and politics. 

Also going back to about this time 50 years ago to 1965, Dodge and Plymouth were about to turn the drag racing world on its ear with their altered wheelbase Coronets and Satellites. Chrysler had already been experimenting with the 2% altered wheelbase rule the NHRA allowed in 1964. And since NASCAR banned the new generation Hemi engine (and thus Chrysler boycotted the series) in 1965, the manufacturer threw a great deal of its financial weight into these vehicles that "looked funny" - and without knowing, gave birth to the modern funny car. Again - groove on the simplicity of the car.


While many racers gained serious notoriety from these factory-supported creations, in my opinion, Dick Landy got most of the press, as car-buff magazines were all over this development. Of course, a couple of moon-shot wheelies didn't hurt either. While articles abound about these vehicles and Dick Landy's major part in them, I find it ironic that it is an absolute bitch to find decent pics on Google regarding his 1965 Dodge. Just sayin'...


 I was thinking about that sentence I wrote a few paragraphs up - competition breeds creativity. In this

case, it's not necessarily competition, but most of the time it's a result of the concept of dare to be different. This also ties in with the "new / vintage" marriage thing (I think...). Do you realize that diesel swaps are becoming one of the more common and popular engine swaps? I'm seeing them in everything from street rods, rat rods (where they are very popular), even muscle & drag cars. Apparently, the word is that the Cummings B-series inline engines are the small block Chevy's of the diesel world. From what I've read, they are quite adaptable on a multitude of platforms (not just trucks), can make shit-loads of power with performance bolt-on parts, and are literally indestructible. I can really dig this - the only problem I have is how to classify this type of automotive "marriage"...

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

Quantifying "Vintage" and Waxing Nostalgia

     What can I say? At this juncture - not much. It has been literally 10 months since my last post. I am at a loss at the time lapse. Blogging is like a habit - it's so easy to get out of and difficult to restart again. I could offer a litany of excuses as to why I haven't posted anything. They would range from traveling, to working my "regular" job, freelancing assignments, moving into new digs - it would be an arm length amount. But what would be the purpose? It's all in the past. As a good friend of mine once said, "... if you've got one foot always in the past and the other in the future - you're just pissing in the middle. You're not here... now". 'Nuff said.

     OK - so we're back. In trying to achieve a balance with all the things that are currently on my plate, I'm going to attempt to publish a new post once a week. Next, I'm going to make a serious effort to hold fast to the nitty gritty mission of Maximum Power - which is focusing on American high performance vehicles and their advertisements from 1955 to 1974, racing (drag, street, and NASCAR) primarily from the 60's, as well as all things hot rod, street rod, and rat rods. Feel free to bitch slap me, email wise, if I get out of line with this.

     You may be asking (or not) - is there anything new? You betcha! We've put the finishing touches on the new website, http://vintagev8photography.wix.com/photography
You can also like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VintageV8Dave
On either of those pages, you will also find links to Etsy as well as Fine Art America where you can purchase reprints in various sizes of vintage Detroit iron.

One aspect that has been added to the original mix from 2013 are tons of photos of vintage vehicles and muscle cars "resting in peace" in salvage yards as well as in various locations along the back roads throughout America. While not everyone has a yen for this sort of thing, it does offer a unique perspective on this type of Americana. 

     This being Daytona 500 week down in Florida, I figured this would be as good as any place to start. This is one event I'm glad to say that I've crossed off my bucket list, and did so many moons ago. Call me behind the times or just a chronic whiner, but I just can't stomach ticket prices (to any sporting event) that sell at hundreds of dollars a pop... and some of those aren't even for good seats. Never mind parking at this years Daytona starts at $55 per car. I realize that racing events are more than just a sport and entertainment - it's a business. B-I-G business. I get it. And yes, something has to pay for the maintenance and the current renovations being done at Daytona that will be completed by next winter. The end result of those upgrades will make the venue that much nicer and accommodating. Regardless of how you feel, I'm sure we can all groove on this vintage picture circa 1957 when they actually raced on dirt. Also dangerous and cool are the heavy duty boards that act as a barrier - that's all that separates the fans from the track.

     I must admit - there seems to be a real blurry line when it comes to either stock car and/or drag racing when one adds the term "vintage" or "nostalgic". I think some folks are confusing these concepts with "retro" - which is yet another gray area. Google some images sometime and use those key words and you'll see where I'm coming from. Vintage can involve anything from the mid-90's on down. Drag racing and the NHRA is not exempt from this.

     I was reading a short blurb in the March 2015 issue of Hot Rod Deluxe where they were discussing the Meltdown Drags from the summer of 2014. Like NASCAR, numerous NHRA events are over-priced plus they lack the magic that was so prominent from the 60's. All these sponsorships and gimmicks today are leaving grandstands half empty and groups of management that resemble government parties where no one can get along. The Meltdown Drags out in Illinois are a prime example of events that are family oriented, reasonably priced, and a blast to attend. No monies are awarded, no celebrities are paid to appear - just good old fashioned drag racing circa 1966. Guess what? The stands were over-flowing with fans... and no bullshit problems or drama.


     It reminds me of the photo to the left that was taken at the Niagara Airport strip circa 1966-1967. All the vehicles are regular street cars. None of them have hubcaps. Look closer and you'll see the dents in the Pontiac Tempest's drivers door and the busted taillights on the 1963 Chevy Impala. Just run what you've got. Very cool.


     When I was first looking over this classic picture, I was wondering what kind of motors were in these classics. Aside from the obvious GTO and Chevelle (almost out of the picture staging behind the Impala), I was contemplating about the 1964 Dodge or the 1966 Chevy II. Did the Dodge contain Max Wedge power or did the Chevy have the rare L79 350HP 327 cid small block? And while I was at it, did the Impala contain a 409 or a 427? One thing I love about that era is the concept of "sleepers". These were the cars that looked plain Jane, but could clean your clock at a stoplight encounter - and you wouldn't realize it until it was too late. A good friend of mine used to label those cars, "Captain Invisible and his Dealer of Humility". 
 
The following ad is from 1955, but it gets the sleeper concept across loud and clear. Looks like an ordinary Dodge, but the owner is all smiles when he hits the loud pedal (or is it because he's blowing the doors off the guy in the other lane...). Finally, dig the bottom line in the ad - "... it's a real bomb." Pretty controversial stuff for the uber-conservative 50's.

I had a recent muscle car forum discussion with some good folks about some of the greatest sleepers of all time. Some of the more obvious answers were thrown around many times - mostly vehicles built from 1963 to 1966. Detroit had the performance aspect down pat; the styling just hadn't caught up to it yet. However, one off-shoot that came out of that thread, was the discussion of "not-so-obvious" sleepers. There was some outrage that flared up when someone mentioned the Shelby inspired Dodge Omni GLHS and Charger 024 of the mid 80's.

The sticking points were the fact that both these vehicles had between 175-225 horsepower. But that was countered with the realities of power-to-weight ratios. While these vehicles only made so many ponies, the other side of the coin was the fact they only weighed 2000 pounds.Properly tuned, these vehicles were capable of quarter mile times in the 13 second zone. While that may not sound like a big deal today, that was brutal 30 years ago.

Finally, with all this snow on the ground, at least in our neck of the woods, it's hard to imagine warm days and cool cars that will be the norm in just over two months.Things will be picking up speed beginning in May with numerous car shows as well as Vintage V-8 Photography's involvement in Project Graduation at Medomack Valley High School in Waldoboro Maine. More details and pics will be forthcoming!

Until next time - peace out.
Dave  

You Have To Buy A Newer Car And Other Senseless Mind-Think

I gotta admit - traveling down South on a serious six month road trip had its advantages. If anything, it was witnessing how people lived in another part of the United States - it was like viewing a different culture. It really didn't hit me until I drove below the Mason - Dixon line, and especially so when I entered the Carolina's. There were three distinct differences, automotive wise, I noticed right off the bat when comparing similar aspects to the Northeast... some more obvious than others:
 1). Cars were in MUCH better condition (read: less rust) then here in the snow belt. Even older cars that are least 25 years or more in age  - a higher percentage of those were still on the road. And older cars sell for cheaper money to boot.
 2). There are WAY more new car dealers than in our neck of the woods.
 3). Everyone drives like they're trying to draft - like in NASCAR. As a result, they wreck way more cars than we do per capita regardless of the weather conditions. Hence probably the reason for cultural difference number two.

However, aside from the hot rods and classic cars I saw, I also noticed that just about everyone drove the same mundane form of transportation. I spent about six weeks along the coast of both North and South Carolina, so 4x4 trucks were non-existent - it was mostly automobiles. As was the case in most situations, people were driving a car they need, as opposed to the car they wanted.

This got me to thinking even more when a friend emailed me and told me he was purchasing a used Jeep. It wasn't new, but newer than the one he was replacing. I replied back and asked him why - I thought he loved the 1995 Jeep he currently had. He told me that while it ran great and had decent cosmetics, despite the 168,000 miles on the odo, he was tired of futzing with the electronics. It would just randomly die - usually at the worst time - and throw zero check engine codes. Naturally, every time he took it to his mechanic, it would never act up. In turn, his mechanic was hesitant to really delve into the problem, because he's told my friend that he'll spend way more money in diagnostic time and repairs than what the vehicle's worth.

Another point to this trial and error game that had him pissed off is that there must a million cars out there that suffer from the same circumstance. What do you do? Junk a perfectly good vehicle just because there's some electrical gremlin somewhere or a intermittent operating bad sensor? And because no one wants to take the time to find it? This same friend has a 1975 Chevy pickup with almost 400,000 miles on it - when the 350 engine finally gave up the ghost, he just installed a rebuilt motor and was good to go. Down time was maybe three days.

Part of the problem I feel, is that believe it or not, it's easier to find parts for a simple, no technology in sight 50 year old vehicle than it is for 25 year old car. Face it - very few people are currently restoring a vehicle built in 1989 save for maybe a Mustang GT, V-8 Firebird, or Camaro Z-28. Ever try purchasing exhaust parts for a 1990 Pontiac 6000 with the V-6? Or maybe an intake manifold for the oddball 350 V-8 in a 1992 Buick Roadmaster Limited? Try it sometimes...

So when you factor in that more perfectly usable vehicles are being scrapped - it makes the whole "Green" concept sort of fall on it's face in the end. Then there's the boring part of the deal. It seems every vehicle in the last decade was painted either silver, grey, black, some shade of champagne, or a color that resembles a brick red - but every manufacturer tries to hide that sin by calling it something flashy. Yawn city, baby.

My friend finished his email by stating that if he gets the money, he may put some larger "mudding" tires on the vehicle so he'll look like less of a lemming. All I could say was, "Good luck, brother..."

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

Road Trips

"So that's where you've been!" - a quote from a buddy of mine who I've haven't seen in about six months. He followed that up with, "Oh man - you haven't done a blog post in like... 9 months. That sucks." Yeah, it does. A great deal has happened and changed over that time period. Let's get reacquainted and caught up to date.

My 87 Mustang LX drag car that I wrote frequently about since 2012 has been sold as of the end of last August. The head gaskets got fixed, I had blast with it all summer, but other family responsibilities came up, and it had to go. It was a matter of priorities - a situation that many a gear-head faces usually at several times in their life. Another go-fast vehicle has yet to fill its shoes.What came out of the sale of the Mustang was a 1977 25 foot class c motorhome built on a Chevy 1-ton chassis.

Now you're probably asking, "What the hell did you do that for?" Fair enough. But due to my wife's health challenges, we had to leave the long cold winters of New England and venture south to see if things would improve. Not that we really wanted to do the snow-bird thing - we felt we were too young for that. In any case, it seems we picked one of the "best" winters in over 20 years (whatever that means) to travel down to Georgia. I must admit, overall, the RV performed admirably. In traversing over 5500 miles of all kinds of highways and back roads, we experienced only one tire blowout, one broken fan belt, and an ignition coil that reared a loose connection. We also replaced a seized fan clutch and cut off a stand-alone belt that went to the A/C compressor when the bearings inside the unit started squealing like a banshee.

Getting back to the sentence, "we felt we were too young for that" reminded me of a number of things people have related to us over the past nine months as well as other assumptions and perceptions while on a serious road trip. One of the biggest assumptions was since we were RVing, we must be retired and have cake-loads of money. Half the time I felt like saying, "Look what I'm driving - does it look like I'm retired with cash just flowing out of my back pocket?" Not to say that our RV is a piece of junk - it's actually quite comfortable and serves it's purpose very well. But it's 36 years old, didn't cost 100 large, and has seen it's share of road trips long before we purchased it. In fact, most people who RV full time still work to pay the bills. That aspect of today's economy doesn't go away.

However, being in a retro RV gave us the ultimate excuse, (along with our borderline mandatory priorities), to take an extreme road trip - from just above Portland, Maine to the Georgia / Florida line and back taking two completely routes. We embraced everything - from the weather, (which included snow, sleet, hail, 60 mph winds, torrential downpours, tornadoes, and temperatures that ranged from 84 to -2 degrees), the locals, as well as cities and the countryside in the middle of nowhere. By the way, we took over 6,000 pictures.

One thing I have to admit, any road trip - be it 2 days or 6 months, it gives you the chance to dismiss some of the unwritten societal rules - like your job, a certain time frame and/or schedule, and maybe even a road map. Who says you need GPS? And, for me personally, a road trip is never complete unless taken in an older, less than pristine vehicle. Why less than pristine? Then I don't have to worry about staining a beautiful interior, or worry the cans, bottles, and other assorted road food garbage that gets on the floors. Or trying to protect perfect exterior paint from various road debris.

An older vehicle (at least a 30 year old rear wheel drive American model with a V-8) is crucial because then you stand out from the common motorist. An even older ride, say from the mid 70's and earlier, opens all kinds of conversational doors. Besides, when you haven't shaven (or even showered) in the last few days, are eating all kinds of roadside and/or diner food, and are actually taking your time enjoying the moment, while surrounded by "get the f**k out of my way, can't you see I'm late & don't care about you" idiots - you can actually appreciate the fact you're on a road trip.

It can also be amazing what aspects of your life can fall away, while other ones can intensify. Besides the food, hygiene, and what your vehicle may look like, (all of which are never that bad when you're back at home), you become more aware of your surroundings - like really taking in a beautiful sunset on a country back road, striking up a 90 minute conversation with the cool hotdog stand guy, and not caring that you shut off your iPhone.

Stay on the road long enough, and you'll become a master at packing things for maximum efficiency in said vehicle, actually be okay with the fact you only traveled for 2 hours today because you spent three times that long sunning yourself on a warm day by a scenic river, lake, or the ocean. At that point, you have to sleep in the vehicle at least once. It's all about freedom... at least for a time.

Finally, the road trip is all about the experience - have a mindset like the main character did towards the end of the movie "Elizabethtown". Guess what? The road, the route, and this country isn't going to come to you - you have to find it. Take that road trip you've been planning for way too long before you can't do it. You'll thank yourself in the long run.

Until next time - peace out,
Dave

Getting Back To Basics and Other Rants

       You’ve probably noticed that this blog, in other words, me - had taken a few weeks off. At first, I sort of got into a self-bashing mode and briefly thought of a sign a friend of mine uses for his small business. One side says, “Yes! We’re open!” The flip side says, “Sorry, We’re Lazy!”

     I then realized that I wasn’t being lazy. I could have used the excuse that I was doing photo shoots at some local car shows as well in farther reaches of the state. While that last statement is true, I also looked back at the posts I have already written and realized that some things were missing. I had yet to really broach subjects like vintage drag racing and NASCAR in addition to muscle cars & high performance. So, in retrospect, it’s quite possible that the blog needed a break from me so I could get my act together.

     The car shows I attended were awesome. They are by no means the biggest ones I’ve ever been to, but they offered a great diversity of vehicles - all of which were driven there. No trailer queens. I personally have nothing against car shows, and while I’ve been to well over 200 in my lifetime and have seen some really cool rides, they don’t flip my cookies in the ways they used to. I no longer enter my car in the show as a participant - it’s just too much of a headache. I can no longer just sit there for hours on end & listen to some people blather with so much incorrect bullshit, that it starts ruining the experience. I’ll drive my car to and from the event, no problem; which is what I’d rather be doing anyways.

     I also find I’m attending smaller events. I’ve been to some huge 3 day events from New Jersey to  Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. What you see & what goes on there can literally blow your mind. And while I encourage everyone to attend a show like that at least once in their life, it’s something I’m starting to veer away from as a photographer and writer. I just can’t capture it all - it’s TOO much. When I go to smaller events, I can spend 6 hours at it & come away feeling totally satisfied with what I took in, made notes of, and photographed. I feel less stressed - and I get the feeling that the other people running the event as well as attending it, feel that way too. 

     At one of the car shows, I saw a number of vintage drag racers as well as stock car machines. This brought me back to what I wanted to cover in the blog. I’ll admit that I’m a pretty big nostalgia buff. I recently saw a blurb where long time NHRA Funny Car racer Dale Creasey Sr. is trying to make things work with a new racing crew and car. A Cadillac no less! Check out the pic. While it’s a Funny Car to the nth degree, it actually looks like a new Cadillac CTS, not some molded hunk of fiberglass that completely misses the mark. The car even has a cool name - not a sponsor. This is a case of character over commercial. All I can say is, “Bravo Dale!”

     The nostalgia aspect also got me to thinking about NASCAR. The modern day stuff I can’t stand - haven’t been able to stomach it for almost 30 years. Between the homogenized race car bodies, the ludicrous sponsorship deals, the junior high school drama, and the general boredom of the race just left me flat. Even when Ford announced it’s 2013 Fusion as a next generation NASCAR vehicle, it still had decals for lights, doors that weren’t doors, and body lines that were nowhere near stock. I’m sorry - but most modern day racing teams show up at the track with more equipment than many new car dealerships. I miss

the days from the 50’s through the early 70’s when teams had nothing but a few jacks, fender covers, and one good size tool box. Check out the pic from the 1972 season and Charlie McGee‘s Monte Carlo. It shows 4 guys using a couple of jacks, one small red tool box, and some assorted parts on the work benches. Never mind the fact it actually looks like a Monte Carlo. Amazing…

     All this supposed thinking got my brain working into the thought pattern of “What type of gearhead am I really?” My kids just want to say I’m becoming an old fart. I remember fondly the golden days of stock car as well as drag racing, I’m attending smaller car shows that are closer to home, I’ve grown tired of the concept of “completely restoring” another old vehicle - all the excuses are there.

     However, as I grow older, I find my automotive passions are widening. 25 years ago, it was muscle cars from the 60’s - I wouldn’t even consider street rods. Now, I fully embrace hot rods from the 20’s through the 70’s, and can even get into some modern day muscle. I prefer the older stuff because the lines, styling, and year to year uniqueness will never return to the production automobile. I prefer function over form, love patina, and stance & character still trump chrome and polish. I still enjoy rat rods, even though people are starting to grow tired of them. I am grateful that the pro-street excess of the 80’s and early 90’s hasn’t returned - and I hope it never does. I’ll never build a “checkbook” ride, but I can still appreciate them.

     Drag racing is the only sport I’ll watch on television and even that is not too often. In modern day racing, Funny Cars still ring my bell more than anything, but I prefer nostalgia racing hands down over everything else in that realm. Bracket racing has gotten old for me. Maybe it’s a case of been there, done that. And yes, I still have no interest in modern NASCAR or monster trucks.

    I no longer own (or purchase) cars that do not run, I’m through with trucks and 4x4’s, and for some reason I’m starting to groove on vintage motor-homes (see pic). I wished I hung onto a few of the vehicles I owned in the past. If I sold them all now, I could buy a nice house outright and still have money left over. I really have no marquee loyalty, but if I had to absolutely list them in order it would be Mopar, Buick, Chevy, Ford, Pontiac, Olds.

     I still go to car shows mainly to take photos & notes as well as to appreciate the vehicles. I’d rather do that than talk about them for hours. Showing & talking is another severe been there, done that. I will never stop trying to learn about the mechanics of a vehicle (new or  old), NOS stuff is way over-rated, I love the aftermarket as well as swap meets. I’ll keep my comments to myself in regards to automotive films as well as music.

     So - how about you? Let me kn ow what you think.
     Until next time, peace out.
     Dave

Triumphs, Challenges, and Human Nature - Oh My!

     Numerous people have heard this saying from me on several occasions over the years; “…sometimes it’s embarrassing to be part of this species called humans.” I will admit that I am guilty, on too many occasions to mention, of falling into that category. Last weeks example - my 87 Mustang. I knew it had a blown head gasket. I knew it had to be fixed… and soon. I knew roughly what the cost of the parts and the repairs (that I could not do myself) would be. I knew that the costs could be higher than what I estimated they would be. So when the car was finally finished, why was I still grimacing over the repair bill?

      Call it human nature. Call it having a chance to digest things. Or more likely, because of the “drama driven, never enough” society we live in, call it that we’re never really satisfied. And that last part is a pretty sad state, my friends. It’s been a few days since I stuffed the bill in my pocket and I’ve had time to reflect over what’s on it. First off in reality, I never even should have thought about what the final tally was, despite the fact it was a couple of hundred bucks over the original estimate. In the end, I got a screamin’ deal… plain and simple.

       What drove the bill up was the fact that the AFR aluminum heads were warped and had to be milled. This process is not something my friend nor I could do, so that job had to be farmed out. The guy who did the work, (thanks again Dan) not only did an outstanding job, but did it for dirt cheap. Why? Because he found out that these were going on an antique Mustang that served double duty as a drag car thinly disguised as a street vehicle. He thought the whole package (sleeper image) was “downright righteous”. He also heli-coiled some bolt holes in the heads, so we could install some new (as well as the correct type; ASE not metric) bolts that help keep some steering components in place. He did that part for free. The money I paid, along with a huge dose of thanks (and a 30 rack) just didn’t seem enough.

      While tearing the motor apart, we also found out that the 9 month old serpentine belt was just a whisker too big. The previous owner had to improvise since the A/C and the air pump were long gone by the time he bought it and he couldn‘t get in touch with the guy who built the motor originally. The guy ended up buying a new belt at a NAPA in New Jersey and the part came with a lifetime warranty. Since I had the original receipt, my local NAPA contact took that belt back, (muchas gracias Harley), listed it as defective, and gave me the correct size belt I needed. Again, free of charge.

      Is all this diatribe an attempt in massively gloating my good luck or ego? Far from it. The key point here is, is the power of building an effective network of friends and fellow gear-heads. I didn’t even know Dan before last week, but we shared a deep common thread of the love of performance cars and drag racing. You can also build a network of friends, contacts and fellow gear-heads from the most unlikely places. For example, before I purchased the Mustang, I restored an old Chevy C-10. 90% of the body work & paint was performed by several low security inmates that were due to be released from the local prison. It took way longer than we ever thought it would (about 8 months), but working side by side with these guys was an enlightening experience. Yes, prior to their stay at the prison, they made mistakes. Yes, they paid their debt to society. Yes, the admitted they fucked up. But they were also very real & human - more so than many other people I’ve dealt with “on the outside”. Even though that work was done over 3 years ago & the truck is long gone, I still keep in touch with one of the guys who helped with the work. He’s very down to Earth & probably one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet… tattoos and all.

      It also proved the benefits of documentation. One of the big selling points of this car was the fact the owner had a notebook that contained every receipt, part manuals, dyno sheets - anything that was installed, worked on, or done to the car over the past 15 years. That can be almost invaluable. Coupled with the fact that three different owners managed to hang on to all this paperwork before I got it, this is an absolute miracle- especially in this day in age.

      We still have some minor things to do on the 'Stang over the next few weeks. One of them is numerous oil changes. I’ll probably be performing about one a week for at least the next month to make sure all that crap (coolant & oil mix) is out of every crevasse in that engine. 

     In the end, a co-worker of mine put it best. After all the work was finished, the Mustang was fired up for the 1st time in 3 weeks & she ran like a Swiss watch. He said, "was it worth it?" The thoughts of listening to the V-8 roar, the aggressive cam, and the loud exhaust, made me smile and respond, "yeah... no question." Looking back on all the people who helped in any way on this major project also left me (and I still have it) with a deep sense of awesome and gratitude.

     Until next time, peace out.
     Dave

   

Old Meets New or The Value of Tribal Knowledge

     ^{I must admit - I'm starting to get annoyed. As I write this, it's 6am in the morning, it's raining for the 5th straight day, and the weather geeks who have predicted incorrectly for at least half the week, say it's going to rain for another day... if not two. Replacing the head gaskets (and all the other ones as well) on my 87 Mustang 5.0 is taking longer than I thought. Also adding insult to injury is the fact I can't wait to drive the car again and truly bang-shift some gears.}      
     However, this down time has given me a chance to check out some other aspects of the performance world. I’m not sure what drugs Ford is on, but they must be damn good. I receive a Mustang publication on a monthly

basis and in the June issue, it highlighted the 2013 Shelby Mustang Super Snake. Ford has blessed this rig with two power options, one with over 850 rear wheel horsepower. With the proper traction & gearing, as well as some practice time behind the wheel, this car has the capability of running high 9’s and almost 150mph in the quarter mile… and it runs on pump gas. I’ve owned cars that have gone that quick and I’ll tell you first hand - that’s cookin’ no matter what you’re driving. Alright, when all is said & done with the cost of the car plus options costs around $95,000 - but when you‘re running that quick, it’s going to run some serious coin to begin with. By the way, this car is already being built.

     Now, if that weren’t enough, in the July issue I received, Ford teamed up with Shelby Enterprises yet again and proceeded not only to turn up the wick, but basically torched everything else in it’s path. For an additional $45,000 or so, (hey - who’s counting right?) and to be built in limited numbers (the exact figure hasn‘t been determined yet) , is the Shelby Super Snake 1000... with 1200 rear wheel horsepower. Again, this ride cruises (if it’s capable of even doing that) on pump gas. That’s not just fast, that’s freakin’ sick. If I win the Powerball this week, I’m placing my order for one. Screw conventionalism.

     Before you send off a flaming diatribe, I’m not a Ford fan by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I’ve owned the fewest of them (a total of 3) when compared to Mopar or GM… and I’ve owned over two dozen antique, classic, and/or muscle cars in my 30 year automotive… umm… sickness. In fact, more than half my rides have been either Dodge’s or Plymouths. 

I’ve also haven’t forgotten that Chevy is releasing a Z/28 option on the Camaro for 2014. It will be the 1st Z/28 option since 1970 and unlike the small block V-8’s it was blessed with back then, will have a 7-litre 427 LS7 under the hood, with 505 horsepower - which is still nothing to sneeze at. The car will also have some unique styling cues that will differentiate it from a "regular" Camaro. I’ll shoot myself now by saying that GM has always had a distinctive way of inserting their feet into their mouths. Now you can send off the flaming diatribe…

      The bottom line here is I’m glad the manufacturers are not turning away performance in a corporate, robotic way, even during difficult economic times. If you look closely, a number of manufacturers still have their performance irons in the fire, domestic as well as foreign, to some degree. And that’s a good thing.
And while all this modern coolness is good for the psyche & soul, there is nothing like tribal knowledge. Say what? A college professor of mine once said, "You can’t appreciate the present unless you respect the past." As I grow older - never mind how old I am - this statement rings more true than ever before. I’ve heard some people in the automotive journalism profession state that they have grown tired of the "retro" styling of numerous performance vehicles. As for myself, I’m glad some of the auto manufacturers are still paying respectable homage to the muscle cars of yesteryear (the Dodge Dart not withstanding).

     I’ve come to grips that we are a country that no longer has a sense of history, or tribal knowledge. Corporate buyouts, budget cutbacks, layoffs, and downsizing (or "consolidation" as it’s now termed), all take a toll on tribal knowledge. Taking that a step further, when all this negativism slides down from the top, it also starts to erode things like ingenuity, taking risks, fresh ideas, and innovation. While some people say, "you can’t live in the past", I also mention that you can’t shut the door on it either. That’s one reason why I still love old vehicles, remembering back when I was a kid riding shotgun in my cousins GTO, and staring in awe of my neighbors Hemi Plymouth Roadrunner.

     Like anything, old cars as well as performance in general is more than just a business or a hobby. It can be good times & memories that can be shared and passed down through your kids & grandkids. We all know change is inevitable. In the automotive world, this should be part of the mission statement. However, we can be open to the gamut of performance, the marriage of new into old (think rat rods), while appreciating the present and respecting the past. Change, like life, is like an ocean wave. If we resist it, we’ll just get knocked on our ass. If we dive into it, we can go through it much easier.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave