Thanks for recommending the book, Jay. I picked up a copy and it's wonderful. My Dad was a Tool and Die Maker, and I grew up in a machine shop. I've always been fascinated by "How We Got Here", and this book is a treat!   - Jim ... View more

One of my "Bucket List" cars. ... View more

Yeah, but did they fix the soggy brakes?   - Jim ... View more

Too much of a dice roll to tell from the pix. Might be a good deal, or might be a disaster. If it were a Ram Air IV, it might be worth it, but that's a base engine car. ... View more

WHY don't they use their turbocharged engine? I know it would require certification in this chassis, but it would give the car some badly needed punch..... ... View more

Well done, and thank you for your service, Jake....   Semper Fi!   - Jim ... View more

One other source of jittery timing, at least on the cars I've worked on, has been the amount of clearance between the drive gear on the bottom of the distributor, and the bottom of the housing. You can move the gear up-and-down quite a bit on some distributors, and I use some hardened shims to take the excess clearance out. This matters on cars with helical-cut gears, as excess clearance will allow the gear to move up and down, and the helical gear translates this as a small amount of advance or retard at the rotor. ... View more

Saw one of these here in Fort Collins the other day. All black, with a vanity plate that said "HEARSE".   And it sounded really mean... ... View more

A work associate at a former employer had one of these, and it was the most impressive car I'd ever seen.   I'd love to have one, but waaay out of my league. - Jim ... View more

Heartwarming!   I'm glad Mr. McMillan found "his" truck!   - Jim ... View more

Another great article, Rob!   BTW...when you store your cars for "overwintering", do you put them up on jackstands, or just leave them sitting on the tires?   - Jim ... View more

Didn't know we had brand-specific groups here. ... View more

If you buy a JDM car, make sure you also join some forums related to that car, and the marque in general.  Many times forum members will have the unique parts to your car, and the forums usually have some very savvy members who can explain how to work on the car.   My "Old Japanese Car" was sold here originally, but there's about ZERO support available for it from Toyota, and the forums have saved my bacon many times, both in technical knowledge, and getting replacement parts for it.   - Jim ... View more

One of my best friends has a 1970 SJ, 455HO, 4-speed, black over black on silver, and it's one of my all time favorite cars. He's done a few things to it, but other than the 15x8 Trans Am "snowflake" rims, you can't see any of them without closely looking.   Great car, and a trend-setter.   - Jim ... View more

Waiting with baited breath for ACT II to begin.... ... View more

Regarding the price....."If You Have To *Ask*....." ... View more

As much as I admired MGB's, I thought the "C" was a dud from the get-go.   And I think you meant "understeer" in your third from last paragraph, and not "oversteer". These things didn't have enough power or torque to drive with the throttle!   - Jim ... View more

One of the Engineers I worked with at Fermilab back in the early 1970's had a Bavaria. Very nice car, and it was much quicker than it looked. ... View more

In my experience, swapping out the Hankook tires Hyundai likes to use with a better brand does wonders to eliminating the impact harshness these cars seem to have. When the OEM tires on my wife's Hyundai needed replacing, I put some much better Pirellis on it, and the ride improved tremendously.   As far as the Korean automakers have come, they've reached the stage where they need to talk to their tire suppliers..... ... View more

Well done, gentlemen! ... View more

Vaporware..... ... View more

+2 for SEM products!   Used them on my 1985 Toyota, and the color match was perfect. ... View more

Felt pretty much the same way about the 1975 VW Dasher "GT" I had for a couple of years. My '75 Scirocco had been in a very nasty collision, and was close enough to being "totaled" that I started looking for something else while the insurance companies battled it out. I found the Dasher on the local VW dealers lot for a very reasonable price, and bought it.   It always started, always ran, and only let me down twice; once with a broken throttle cable, and once when it backfired trying to start in -20*F weather, which made the timing belt jump a tooth. Both fixed by myself in short order.   But it inspired *zero* emotion in me, and I traded it in after two years. Totally unremarkable car, but it left me with that same "empty space" you mention.   - Jim ... View more

Go Speed Demon!   I've been enthralled with Bonneville ever since I built a kit of Mickey Thompson's "Challenger" when I was a kid.   Even though there are classes and rules, this is truly the last "Unlimited" form of racing left. Real "Moon Shot" stuff, and may it continue forever. ... View more

I read Marlan's article on Duttweiller's new "Big Block" in the latest Hot Rod, and was really impressed. These guys are going full-on Moon Shot to get the record! Still have Speed Week on my bucketlist. Maybe next year after all this virus nonsense cools off. ... View more

I saw one of these at the Greeley Old Time Farm Show in Greeley, Colorado last month. I'd seen pictures of them, but to go up to a living, breathing one, and hear it run was amazing.   We sure have come a long way!   -Jim ... View more

Wonderful story, Thomas, your best yet, I think.   I can feel your Grandpa smiling down on you.   - Jim ... View more

How did "Speed Demon" do this year, Brandan? ... View more

Interesting that the pictured engine has no provision for a distributor. ... View more

I bought my '85 Supra about 7 years ago because I couldn't afford a Muscle/Pony car of my liking. Even with my "American Iron" background I'd always admired them. Meeting up with the "import people" has been a great experience, and they welcomed me with open arms.  I always knew "We're All Car People", and I'm glad to say it's true. ... View more