Converting energy has loses. The additional weight and cost also impact the end result. I looked at a Volt - but when I factored in the cost and the limited range on just battery, it quickly lost luster. Here’s an imaginary trip - a solar vehicle that could be able to run down a lit highway. If we could do this, even a cloudy day would not be a big deal. And then all that infrastructure goes away. Which they talk about needing, but never share a real cost, or even the projected amount of additional electricity expected to be needed to power all these vehicles. With rolling blackouts at times in some areas, this is not something to just overlook. ... View more

The context for the time was correct. Yes, there was also a pandemic back then. There are those that in today’s world who had tragic job losses, death, and other struggles. I know several who took the unemployment, free insurance, and the supplement as a free vacation. So among the ones to feel sorry for, there are some that are indolent. A few of my close friends and I have polar opposite views on many topics. Unlike many, we can have open discussion. Many of these lead to discovering not everything is as each of us believed, sometimes changing or tempering the others opinion. We still can fish, eat dinner, take trips, and enjoy car shows and life in general together. Viewing everything through a political lens is destructive. Many times when this is done, important context is left out, or in its substitute your context of the time. I know several people who have abandoned this lens, and are much happier today. I consume something like this for what it is - a ‘What If?’ story of time and a lot of imagination. Nothing more. ... View more

If you don’t do it properly, you can also get hurt. So besides convenience, there is a safety factor involved. Go start a model T, and see if you get an education. My buddy who owns 2 of them was a bit too confident starting one for me. I got an education just by watching, and double check every time. ... View more

So stop in Gaylord, charge up, then go to Mackinaw City and stay the night while charging. This will give you time to plan your camping in trip in the UP. And wonder why they push EV’s so hard when a Hybrid would let you keep going. Seems like a good time to both dream and contemplate the reality of today. The UP is beautiful, but not exactly utopia for an EV. Just like many others areas I can think of. Next time I drive across the UP, I will smile as I fill up. And hope the future does not limit my options to how long my stop has to be. ... View more

Many only talk about the points that bolster there opinion, and totally ignore any drawbacks. How much better off we would be in choosing a reasonable path if both sides listed pros and cons instead of the skewed picture painted by many. It is like my green neighbors paving a tar path around their 10 acre yard. Then they ride an electric golf cart. Green would be walking it in the grass - better for both you and the environment. That they took down all the trees, laid sod, and water the whole thing only adds to how un-green they really are when you look at the whole picture. Cost drives many decisions most of us make. Time can be cost - if your trip extends into hotel stays to charge an EV, or you have to leave earlier to charge along the way, it becomes part of a picture few want to talk about. It’s not exactly like charging stations are located at a place you planned on visiting along the way. ICE, Hybrid, and EV each have pros and cons, and an overall picture to look at. If a picture seems too positive, look for what has been left out. Note how with fuel taxes - meant to maintain roads - a few see since a EV only pays this as hidden in the cost of electricity, which can be subsidized for a home charging station, there is a huge bridge to be built. And it will only drive up cost to the consumer. I think EV’s have a place, and so do Hybrids and ICE vehicles. But do not over simplify the picture. I agree it is complex, and many need to look at much deeper than the headlines. The local shopper listed 10 best paying jobs. Solar photoelectric installer was listed as a median of $342.000 a year. I’d like to see the data to support that - which a quick web search shows is between 40k and 80k. ... View more

Two more Hemi days come up this week. The Pontiac 427, which would have been interesting had it moved forward. And the Boss 429, which also had some unique features. Once I stopped to see if I could help a stranded Road Runner. He was sitting on the side of the freeway, and his ride had a busted torsion bar. My surprise was when he opened the hood - and there sat a race Hemi. Hard to miss the Holley carbs on a cross ram. Two unusual Hemi’s I ran across were aftermarket. Oldsmobile, and small block Chevy. I cringe to think of how much a whole custom motor like that would have cost back then - now CNC machines and other technologies ease the work. Looked at some Hemi cars in the 70’s. Only one I could afford at the time was a 1972 Dodge Colt. Put a smile on my face during the gas crisis. ... View more

Hybrids are a good compromise. You are not limited by one source of power, but able to leverage two sources to overcome range issues. And many also note that both can be used for a boost in power if needed. It’s kind of sad some are so set on pushing EV as the ‘only’ option. Just the investment in charging stations is a huge cost. Jay Leno’s car is interesting, especially compared to hybrids of today. ... View more

My dad bought a 1969 Judge with Butler RA IV heads in the mid 70’s. $1600, and ran in the 10’s with a single 4 barrel. Even in today’s dollars, a lot of bang for the buck. Still have the Butler motor, but the RA III I swapped in is much more enjoyable. Note that with some parts, assembling a complete motor goes down the road of many custom parts. Pushrods and rocker arms, valves and springs, exhaust, pistons, etc. to actually use those heads effectively will be another chunk of money. ... View more

Think it’s quite a stretch to think a few parts are worth more than the 69 TA with both a RA III and a 303. Market has spoken. Maybe for one of the dozen 427 Hemis produced. ... View more

A short video showing the changing of the map would show how the software can smooth out the map. Also interesting is dyno tuning - especially the large gains that can be made in a short time on a modified engine. Stand-alone EFI systems are also available for old vehicles. They are self learning, but usually come with software / ability to tune. The big plus to computer tuning is how quickly you can return to an old tune should an incremental one not pan out. Unlike the carb or points / distributor recurve, where going back is not so simple. ... View more

First any hood scoop that is functional. Extra points for shaker. Although the 1967 Z/28 cowl plenum rates up there - only some stripes as a give away to the true nature of the package. There were several makes that used cold air to feed a sleeping giant. Very few clues that a stoplight encounter might leave you seeing tail lights and wondering what just happened. Like running into an L69 W-30 F 85. ... View more

Living in Minnesota, the stick shift was a blessing. Second gear could get you going many times when first was an ice maker. And your first car with positraction made you wonder why it was not a standard feature. Until you realized how many cars you looked at found trees and poles with both rear quarter panels. There was a downside to being too confident. When I first started driving, my dad had a 1966 Cadillac with posi. I remember deer hunting one time going down an old logging road. Without posi, it might still be in the middle of the forest. With an automatic, and with posi, how many remember a light touch of the brakes would be helpful? Many times both wheels would spin, allowing you to get moving. That Town and Country ad was famous. Although I do remember my dad and I helping the neighbor across the street get up his drive. Big old Ford station wagon. No one would dare run an ad like that today - cell phones would make it way too easy to make a claim. ... View more

To me, the 2 1/2 inch Hemi muffler was a classic. A lot like the Hush Thrush. ... View more

Of these, the cam was the one that set you apart. It was not just a bolt on - it was more like a heart transplant. Get it right - so satisfying. Go to big, especially with an automatic or highway gearing, and you could end up with something with few words to describe how horrible it turned out. Holley usually worked pretty good out of the box. Like cams, bigger is not always better. The ability to buy parts and kits to tune them was a big plus.  While most of these are a visual clue to performance, I had some cars that left people scratching their heads when they wanting to see what beat them. One of my favorites was a 1971 Dodge Dart. Engine appeared to have only headers, and with the bench seat, you thought 318. Reality was a balanced and blueprinted 340, built for E Stock. That was a 4 speed, not a 3 speed. If you looked underneath, it was a Dana 60 with 4.10 ‘s. My brother in law talked about how fast his friends cars were in high school. He though this was like it looked - a brick. My wife asked him how he liked the ride. First out of his mouth was “I saw God”. Next was “now I understand why you said you wanted it straight before flooring it”. Another interesting one was a 1965 Opel wagon. 4 speed, narrowed 4.10 posi. Engine - wasn’t a 365 horse 327 an option that year? True shocker when opening the hood, but one look at a Winters manifold, Holley carb, and 327 decals, and it was a short conversation. My dream was to bolt a Subaru 360 body onto a similar setup. Had a couple of these micro cars. They needed a power boost. ... View more

Cruises around the city lakes were always fun. Did a lot of fishing on Minnetonka. Spring Crappie tournament was something I did for years.  ... View more

I had one car, a 1967 442, that after I sold it was reunited to the original owner. It was pretty easy for them to know it was their car, as their name was on the protecto plate, still in the glove box. Even in the early 80’s, the car was rust free, kind of unusual for Minnesota. And although a bit dull, no bondo and original paint. I imagine many times cars get missed as they may be repainted a different color.  I also keep my eye out for some of the cars I owned in the past. Most likely faded into the wrecking yard. The one I did find was auctioned at Barrett Jackson a couple years ago. Restored, including paint back to original color.  Only a few of the cars I owned would be easily identified as ‘the car’. Most had common options, and common colors. I always wonder if ones like the 1968 SS RS Camaro I owned, still exist. The original 396 375 horse was long gone when I owned it. But it still retained the 4 speed, the factory gauges and tach. The 4.56 rear end might help - I’m sure that was very rare. But probably would be something most would replace rather quickly. The fun of that option wore out quickly. Another one would have been my 1970 Z/28. Numbers matching, RS, 4.10 rear, with a M22. The M22 was what segregated that one out - lots of people claimed they had an M22, when in fact they had an M21. Nice story - kind of like the hunt ended quickly and you got some closure. Many may look for years and find nothing.   ... View more

Since I retired, my hobby has been to note when I find some of these cars again. The list includes a 1968 Hurst Olds, 1969 Trans Am, 1966 F85 L69 with a bench seat, 1970 Boss 302 sold at Scottsdale by the original owner, and my 1967 Z/28 sold at Scottsdale - I had sold it back in 1981. ... View more

Some of those actual cars I remember as a kid, I have found since I retired. ... View more

My first car was a 66 GTO I bought from my boss at the car wash for $150. It had a 68 350 4 bbl. I did not care a bit - it was a car. Upgraded to a 66 GTO 389 when a buddy wrecked his car. Not to make it more original, but it was a bigger motor with 69k on it. My next car was another 66 GTO. Couldn’t pass it up - 70 454 Chevelle SS motor. 15,600 miles on the body. Still have the protecto plate - original purchaser was a reverend. Next came my 67 Z/28. Original block was cracked, so they used a 327 block and all the internals, right down to the carb and distributor. It was actually Trans Am raced for several years, so things like springs and shocks had been upgraded. These were all cars I bought, drove, and enjoyed. Numbers matching and original - nice to look at, but never is something I placed a premium on for owning. Tributes / Clones are something I look at that when done right, can many times be as good or better than what rolled off the line. As long as the owner enjoys it, that is what matters. I can appreciate a car that looks the part until you open the hood just as much as a numbers matching original. You lose me completely when your 69 Z/28 has an auto, drum brakes, a 10 bolt, and a 5000 rpm redline on the tach, and tell me it’s a Z.   I can remember my wife’s cousin with a 69 350 two barrel swapping on a four barrel, then telling me it was an LT-1 and how fast it was. At the time, I had a numbers matching 70 Z/28 RS, with 4.10’s and an M22. I took him for a quick spin. Never heard another peep about the LT-1 he had. I do recall Holy Shi** coming out of his mouth as I shifted at 6500 rpm. Moment of enlightenment I guess. ... View more

One of the neighbor kids had a 69 with a 4 speed and the 428 SCJ. Triple black beauty. His girl friend wrecked it and blew up the motor in one fell swoop. Pretty sad ending for such a rare car.  There was also a kid whose dad owned an XR-7 GT - E with a 427 and a C6.  Being a teen in the 70’s I saw quite a few cars that were rare. But until the internet, you had no idea how rare they truly were. Between the insurance surcharge and the gas crunch, some of these were cheap to buy, but driving them was not at the time.     ... View more

As soon as you said idiot proof and only goes in one way, I knew you were in trouble. Simpler than the gear drive, but still a 50 50 deal at best. Those of us who grew up with points knew a match book cover can substitute for a feeler gauge. And you set the dwell before the timing. At times I have debated upgrading from the dual point on my old Pontiac to HEI, but I know what’s in there is not stock, and recurved. So although electronic would be nice, finding someone to recurve it would be a hassle.  Carbs are another mystery for some. Idle speed and screws are just the tip of the iceberg if you really want to dial one in. A buddy had a model T when I was visiting that wasn’t running right. All I needed was for him to tell me I could adjust it while he drove. What a difference. I just wonder how many drivers were killed trying to drive and adjust the carb themselves.  Engines need the same basic things to run right - whether a model T or a newer model with a computer. If you understand the old stuff, tuning with a laptop is not a complete mystery. Just your toolbox changes. So when you have valve adjustments, are you using the harmonic balancer? Or when the intake just closes, adjust the exhaust, and when the exhaust just closes, adjust the intake? If you are real good, you only need to rotate the crank twice.  My teacher was an engine builder. A hydraulic cam can be adjusted as basically a zero lash solid lifter cam for racing. Nice little trick to get a bit more out of your motor and if your started to get clatter, you knew you had some wear to look into.   ... View more

Smokey Yunick to me should have made the list.  What better example than his Omni, with performance and mileage? Plenty of offerings both showroom and aftermarket of innovation stateside. Factory offerings were often comprised of packages that included much more than just a cam. And our aftermarket includes packages to take a current LS and stand alone EFI and computer controlled transmissions, allowing you to put this in an older model. You can even use a laptop to tune them. With some boost, a person can have 1000 + horsepower, reliably. When you talk F1 cars and Rally cars, although we have COPO cars, our equivalent lies more in the aftermarket. ... View more

428, 4 speed, and buckets. That is one bad grocery getter!  There was a group around the Twin Cities that used to dress up wagons. One was a white and gold 455 Hurst Olds.  Another wagon I’ve never seen was a 1964 442. That year they actually made a few. ... View more

New inner wheel wells tells a story. Finding a correct motor is not easy. So restoring likely would be a money pit. Interesting that looking at eBay posting, that they bothered to put ‘48’ heads on it.  Like the ‘13’ heads, these came on more than just a  GTO, and both were found on cars with an automatic. Many of these cars are better to just drive and enjoy. Any similar 1969 or 1970 motor can be tailored towards RA III specs. The real jump was to RA IV, where the 4 hp was a meaningless number. And some parts, like the flex fan, were specific. ... View more

Interesting, but pricey. If it was cheaper it might be good in an old T Bucket. Article could be improved by some ball park costs of what else you’d need. ... View more

I remember being at Scottsdale several years ago and seeing a 1970 Calypso Coral Boss 302. There was a Maple Grove Ford sticker on the rear bumper. Got home, watching the auction recording, there was the original owner, a bit heavier and gray like me. I owned a 1967 Z/28 at the time we first met. Wished I had been there later in the week to see him again. His had the 4.30 gears in back, while mine was only 3.73’s. His was stock, while mine was an ex-trans am car with racing history. He used to joke about the trailer hitch on my car. Have a picture of the car in 1969, with a 1969 Z/28 with the crossram on the trailer.  I also have the picture on the Donnybrook newsletter that same year with my car going under the bridge at speed during a race. Bob kept papers current on the tow vehicle as the cross ram sometimes wasn’t running right. Both the Boss and the Z/28 were playing a game with horsepower back then. Headers and a bit of tuning, either could easily push over 400 horsepower.  These cars were crude by today’s standards, but were raw excitement and begged to be pushed hard. ... View more

Remember the Roadrunner ad, where they touted regular insurance rates? ... View more

Rarity does not always equate to valuable. And condition is everything. Interesting to see, especially that they definitely were a left and right pair.   This is like putting $10k on a roll of toilet paper during the shortage. Although the toilet paper would actually have some functionality should you get weary of the story.       ... View more

There was an auction near me last weekend that Dieter would have found a few subjects. A couple of the pictures had the trees taking over. And the description to bring a few friends and a chainsaw.  ... View more

Upgrading to dual master cylinder or disk brakes I view as a plus. I’m pretty open to things that improve safety and / or reliability for the most part. What I enjoy most is cars that look pretty original, but the things done to it make it so it the owner takes it out and drives it. Say you had a RA IV Pontiac, which had 4.33 gears. An overdrive transmission or swapping gears is a subtle mod. Manual steering to power steering also fits there.  I have mixed feelings on going to fuel injection vs. carb. A bit too obvious. ... View more