More times than I want to count (but less than I could count on one hand) I have tried to convert my points to electro-magnetic pick-up. Maybe it's the old British car Electrical problems issue, but I always packed my points as a back-up. I also always ended up using the back-up and getting rid of the electro-magnetic pick-up. ... View more

When I lived in Idaho, and could buy ethanol free gas at Conrad and Bischoff, I did an informal (but long and thorough) study of the efficiency of my old carbureted car (with a distributor, not coil packs) with ethanol free gas, and with ethanol containing gas. Basically, what I found was that ethanol is what we would call "filler." In other words, if 10 gallons of non-ethanol containing gas went 300 miles, 10 gallons of 10% ethanol containing gas would go 270 miles. Then I moved to Illinois - a major corn producing state. Ethanol was required. So I no longer had a choice between gas with and without ethanol. The interesting thing was that ethanol free gas in Idaho was usually more than 10% higher cost. So from a fuel use/cost basis using the fuel with ethanol was actually an advantage. If it caused maintenance problems with your car, that would be yet another factor to consider (that I did not consider at the time). ... View more

I don't know that one of these could be found for less than $10,000, but a Mazda Rotory Power pick up would be an impressive add. The Isuzu Vehicross is also an impressive pick! ... View more

When I evaluate a potential purchase, I always say there are generally 3 areas to look at 1. Electro-mechanical, 2. Body/Paint (including glass, trim etc) 3. Interior. If it's the car you want, the price is right, and it has some shortcomings in one of the 3 areas, it's worth considering. If it is 2 or 3 areas of shortcomings, well, you can make a car by hand cheaper - it's not worth doing no matter how much you want the car. ... View more

I have an XJ12C. It is not a running car at this time. It's a restoration project. I understand Lee Morrison. I don't like to get my hands dirty either. That's why I have an ample supply of disposable nitrile gloves. ... View more

I'm not a modified car and race car owner. I did not know that the same gauge maker for the common British car - Smith's - was used in racecars. I see them in the 1974 Parnelli VPJ-4 Formula 1 car here. Who says British car electronics suck, and run on captured smoke? These could pretty much all be mechanical (not electrical) gauges - although it is likely at least the tachometer is not. ... View more

I have a late (94) 4 cylinder Lotus Esprit. It's fast. It's also fairly reliable. The joke in the Lotus Club is - "Is your Esprit a V8?" "No, I have a car I can drive." Joke, of course but the early v8's did have a lot of issues. Later ones are much improved. ... View more

This is sort of like the semi-modern day equivalent of a Gordon Keeble (from the 60's) - An impressive car made in small numbers, virtually unknown - but quite the car anyhow. I had never heard of a Gordon Keeble until I saw a couple in person in a guy's shop. It's designer had origins in the Peerless company - but they put a high compression GM 350 motor in there with a deDion rear suspension, and updated the look a bit. Didn't become a super car, and they were out of business in a couple years - but they are some impressive cars. ... View more

Interesting - no mention of small block V-8's. The aluminum small block Buick/Olds/Pontiac 215 (3.5l) was used in a lot of cars - and became the Rover 3.5, 3.9, 4.0, 4.2, and 4.6 - and was also taken to a displacement as high as 5.0 l. It was as light as a cast iron 4 cyl. ... View more

And here I just thought Elon Musk took the Lotus Elise, elongated it, fit it with electric motors and a battery, and sold that....Oh, he did, and they talk about that. The Piontek Sportek looks like it has a 1991 lotus Elan windshield too - although I can't be certain of that. I have a 1991 Lotus Elan, and its windshield looks similar. Obviously I'm a Lotus fan. I don't think they make the best or the fastest cars, but they have been an influence in automotive design since the 1950's. And now for a mere 1 or 2 million US dollars you can order an all electric Evija - crazy. ... View more

I always heard of these as a 'bristol bolt,' but that's aparently not the official name. They are officially known as XZN head bolts. The thing you learn working with them is that they are a 12-point triple square - NOT a 12 point double hexagon. You might be able to use an allen wrench and hammer it in, but sooner or later you will strip it doing that. ... View more

I do a lot of my own work, and wholeheartedly agree with this list.  It could certainly be expanded, but these are the basics.  One thing I take some issue with is the torque wrench as shown.  A torque wrench is a great, and many times necessary tool.  My perspective - not that it's 100% accurate all the time - is that a beam style torque wrench should be more accurate than a "clicker."  It is easy for clicker's to get out of calibration, and the user doesn't know it.   ... View more

Surprised they did not put the Cadillac XLR on here, since they have another article about it specifically.  One of my top picks is an almost unknown car - the 2001 Qvale Mangusta.  Ford 32 valve V-8 should give plenty of power and serviability. ... View more

I'm a car guy with 10 cars.  People know it and have asked me similar questions.  For example should I buy a new subaru since it gets good gas mileage and replace my V-10 dodge truck that I drive every day (that's not me, that is what someone asked me).  I told them to do the numbers, and that they had to be kidding me.  It would take 20+ years to save enough on gas to pay for the subaru, and by then the subaru would be dead.    ... View more

I drove RT 191 from Springerville, AZ to Morenci, AZ.  It had so many turns it made me motion sick after 2 hours of non-stop turning at 25mph.  I was in a lotus.  I could have gone faster, but the road rides the continental divide.  I didn't want to go faster.  3 or 4 hours for 117 miles and it's well over 318 turns.   ... View more