Even though the 2020 SEMA show won’t take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center like it has in the past, Chevrolet has still built a small fleet of project vehicles that highlights its newest crate motors, as is tradition for this time of year. This time, one vehicle marks a significant departure from previous show-only offerings; Chevy plans to offer an electric crate powertrain for the first time ever, beginning in the second half of 2021.   This 1977 K5 Blazer is powered by a pre-production version of what’s officially termed the “Electric Connect and Cruise” powertrain, the first all-electric crate motor from Chevrolet Performance.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/blazer-e-concept-heralds-2021-arrival-of-chevys-ecrate-electric-crate-motor/   ... View more

This is a story about trailing arms.   Midday Saturday, Carl took the trailing arms outside and began to wire-brush them clean. This struck me as odd.   “There was this thing,” I said, “where, several weekends ago, in this very shop, I kept trying to make parts of this car nicer. Ben made fun of me for it. Because the rest of the car is so … crap.”   “He was right,” Carl said flatly, still brushing.   “But you are making those arms … nicer.”   “I am.”   My brow furrowed. “I don’t understand.”   Warm smile. “You probably shouldn’t.”   Know the rear suspension of a 2002, you know half the car and much of BMW in the latter half of the last century ... Read the full column on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/smithology/smithology-your-trailing-arms-are-too-short-to-box-with-carl/   ... View more

Located on the outskirts of Turin, Italy, Fiat’s heritage collection is full of what ifs.   What if the carmaker known for peddling pocket-sized city cars had made a Hummer? What if it had brought a ForTwo-like two-seater to the market over two decades before the Smart brand appeared? Or, what if Lancia had been given the opportunity to continue racing prototypes in the World Rally Championship?   The fascinating answers to these questions are housed in a 161,000-square foot warehouse that’s part of Fiat’s Mirafiori engineering complex. Some of the 300-plus cars displayed are regular-production models—like the last 126 ever made—but it’s the prototypes, the one-offs, and the concepts that caught my eye during a recent visit. Here are some of the stand-out vehicles in the firm’s   Heritage Hub.   Read the full list on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/9-wild-automotive-what-ifs-from-fiats-heritage-collection/   ... View more

We interrupt your newsfeed’s stream of overpriced electric cars, self driving gadgetry, and any other hype present in an election year to inform you that FoMoCo is installing a 6.8-liter Windsor V-8 under the hood of the upcoming 2022 Ford F-150 and Mustang ... Read the full news on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/coyote-ugly-is-ford-reverting-to-windsor-v-8s-with-pushrod-power/   ... View more

Fifty-six Halloweens ago, network television launched not one but two sitcoms that were perfect for ghosts and goblins—and, as it turns out, custom car enthusiasts.   The Munsters, broadcast on CBS, and   The Addams Family, on ABC, ran for only two seasons (1964–66), but they were so oddly outside the norm that we still talk about them today.   The same can be said for their cars. Well,   The Munsters’   cars, at least.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/56-halloweens-ago-the-munsters-had-the-ghoulest-cars-on-the-block/     ... View more

This Halloween we’d like to look back at some of our favorite cars that were stitched together by mad scientists who saw creative potential where others saw a pile of parts. Pop culture’s version of Victor Frankenstein’s monster is crudely sewn together. He’s clumsy, plodding, and dim-witted. These four-wheeled creations, in contrast, show that splicing sheet metal and trim can truly be an art form. (And they don’t   try to take revenge upon their creators.)   While we still appreciate the painstaking talent showcased in a flawless restoration, we’ve got a soft spot for those that see a production car as merely a jumping-off point. Here are seven of our favorite Frankensteined vehicles, in no particular order.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/lists/7-of-our-favorite-frankensteined-vehicles/   ... View more

For most of the past decade, there has been no heavy-duty option for SUV buyers who want a Suburban’s seating capacity with the towing grunt of a proper work truck. With the end of the GMT-900 generation (2007–14), GM retired its 2500-series of Suburbans and Yukons, and the monolithic eight-lug SUVs burbled off into the sunset without a replacement from the GMT-K2 (2014–20) trucks. Sure, you could special-order the fleet-exclusive “3500HD” K2-generation SUV, but it was out of reach for most of the public.   We’ve gotten a hint from GM that a heavy-duty Suburban could make a comeback ...   Read the full news on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/will-general-motors-bring-back-the-long-absent-suburban-hd/   ... View more

The internet has changed the car world forever. It has given us the ability to quickly and easily find experts and resources that would have previously involved hours of research just to find the right place to call, look, or ask. It’s never been easier to pose questions to a large group of people passionate about the same things you are—it’s also never been easier to annoy those folks by asking questions in ways that set everyone up for a frustrating experience.   To save you a little frustration, here are six tips to help you find what you need easily and quickly—and make life easier for anyone who offers their assistance.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/6-tips-to-get-good-help-from-the-internet/   ... View more

Air-tools are a god-send for mechanics, offering an endless supply of force in the form of compressed air that allows for these high-powered tools to operate all day without needing to charge up (unless, that is, your air compressor asthmatically can’t keep up with them), and a variety of tools operate off the same universal air fitting — which we’ll exploit for today’s Wrenchin’ Wednesday ...   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/wrenchin-wendesday-hang-time-with-air-tools/   ... View more

There are numerous comparison points between various makes and models of cars, but there is one that both enthusiasts and the common driver latch onto with unapologetic fervor—horsepower. It’s a number manufacturers have always put front and center in advertisements, and it’s also a tidy number for enthusiasts to discuss and determine a hierarchy.   But what is horsepower? Many enthusiasts know   a dynamometer can tell you how many horses you have, but what is that dyno doing in calculating that number? Does it actually relate to the power of a horse? Jason Fenske of   Engineering Explained   returned to his old form and dug into exactly what horsepower is and how it differs based on where you are in the world.    Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/what-is-horsepower-and-why-do-the-ratings-differ-by-country/   ... View more

Earlier this summer, spy photographers caught a glimpse of Cadillac’s upcoming CT4-V Blackwing testing near Milford. Much to our delight, our camera-wielding comrades snagged additional, close-up shots of Cadillac’s top-rung small sports sedan earlier this week. Have a gander ... See the full story on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/this-is-your-best-look-yet-at-cadillacs-ct4-v-blackwing/     ... View more

Goodwood SpeedWeek may have been held behind closed doors but the event proved to be a celebration of motor racing and motoring in its purest form, covering the sport from pioneering early 20th century steeds, right through to the current and future age, with classics, recent Formula One cars, Le Mans winners, modern supercars, and Formula-E racers—most adhering to the mantra   flat out and fearless.   The greatest cars and drivers that were due to be attending Goodwood’s signature annual motor sport events in 2020—the Members’ Meeting, Festival of Speed and Revival—had to be combined into one gala of motor racing greats. Yet none of their exploits would be possible without the exhaustive planning, preparation, and hard work that goes on behind the scenes ahead of every race, be it at Goodwood SpeedWeek or any other national or international motor sport event.   Behind the pairing of big-name drivers and beneath the multi-million dollar machines that rub door handles and smoke rubber are the ‘unsung heroes’ of motor racing. At SpeedWeek, Hagerty spoke to six competition car technicians and preparers, working on a broad variety of vehicles, from pre-war Bentley specials with competition history at storied sites such as Brooklands, through to the team manager of Porsche GB’s current one-model Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge race series.   Our selection of unsung heroes reveals what goes on behind the glitz and glamour to ensure the show goes on ...   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/people/meet-the-unsung-heroes-of-goodwood-speedweek/   ... View more

Like so many of the cars produced behind the Iron Curtain, this Polish sedan was originally built under a license from Italy’s Fiat. Named after the Italian Fiat 125 on which it was theoretically based, the 125p was a significantly different, watered-down version of its Italian relative. Like all the cars of communist Eastern Europe, it had immediate issues and poor reliability. By the time production ended in 1991, the 125p was hopelessly out-of-date—the first three-box sedan rolled onto the streets in 1967 ...   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/video/the-polski-fiat-125p-was-the-horrible-car-everyone-dreamed-of/   ... View more

After the disappointment of 2020, which saw the cancelation of practically every major collector car event in the U.S., anticipation is already building for the 2021 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Adding to the fun will be the first-ever class of historic Indy Cars.   The   annual California get-together of vintage race cars and racing enthusiasts   returns August 12–15, 2021 at the legendary WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca circuit. Applications are already being accepted at   register.weathertechraceway.com   for both the Motorsports Reunion and the Monterey Pre-Reunion scheduled for August 7–8 ... Read the full news on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/events/entries-open-for-2021-monterey-motorsports-reunion-indy-cars-added/   ... View more

After collectors (and speculators) scramble to purchase the next hot vehicle, they leave a pocket of affordability in the market behind them—a segment in which cars are bought to be driven, and buyers aren’t in it for the money. As prices seem to creep ever upward, car collectors often find themselves reflecting, “I could have bought one of those years ago for half what they sell for now.” Leaving aside the regrets of established collectors, such cars exist as a bright spot for those who’ve saved for that dream nostalgic ride and aren’t buying it as an investment.   Collectibles such as the homegrown ones we’ll discuss here typically haven’t received a body or frame transplant. They wear their original chrome, roll on stock wire wheels, and display the same trunk and hood ornaments as they did 20 or 50 years ago. We dug into our data and found four models, spanning six generations of style, whose prices have dropped in the past two years. The same amount of red, white, and blue cool—for less.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/valuation/these-4-american-classics-are-becoming-more-attainable/   ... View more

Nissan Performance Technology (NPT) entered the 1990s on a high in IMSA racing, dominating the ’89 season with its GTP ZX-Turbo and prying the GTP constructor’s points championship away from Porsche, who had largely owned the decade. The ZX-Turbo left some wide tire tracks to fill, but the Trevor Harris-designed endurance racing weapon known as the NPT-90 would successfully carry that momentum forward the following year. Only two cars were built, and the one we’re examining today is the first ...   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/video/take-a-deep-dive-into-nissans-npt-90-vintage-aero-warrior/   ... View more

Bronco mania is in full effect, from the configurator going live to concepts rolling out every few weeks. Between doubling (and immediately selling out of) the production run of the Bronco First Edition to tallying more than 150,000 reservations by the end of July, it’s clear that the appetite for the >Ford Bronco is strong. But which versions of the Bronco exactly? In a recent interview with AutoBlog, Ford’s U.S. consumer marketing manager Mark Grueber laid out some tasty details about what Broncos were being reserved ...    Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/what-broncos-are-the-early-buyers-selecting/   ... View more

A somewhat confusing automotive question is on the ballot in my home state of Massachusetts. It’s Question 1, the “Right to Repair Law, Vehicle Access Data Requirement Initiative (2020).” One side is arguing that it’s simply plugging a loophole in an existing “Right to Repair” law to include telematic (wireless) data, while the other side claims it’s an irresponsible data grab that jeopardizes personal safety. Which is it?   Read the full column on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/the-hack-mechanic/deciphering-massachusetts-right-to-repair-ballot-question/   ... View more

Jon writes: Do you know which would be the best replacement camshaft for the BRM engine in my 2006 VW Jetta TDI?  I’ve been told that in 2005–06 VW camshaft suppliers had bad steel in some. I have done oil samples since the car was brand new. I will see on the next sample at 7500 miles. The car has about 162,000 on it. It’s mostly stock; I have a G-force chip added 10 years ago, which I love: It picked up 5 mpg with it; I get 39 mpg (A/C off) in the city!   Sajeev answers: Now hold on a second!  You don’t need to change a BRM camshaft because it   might   fail ...   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/advice/piston-slap-a-hotter-cam-for-the-dirty-diesel/   ... View more

It seems that every aspect of the Ford Bronco reveal was steeped in anticipation and excitement. Now that we’ve seen the Bronco in the sheet metal, the next milestone we were waiting for was the online configurator,  which is finally live . Plenty of our staff has been busy digitally altering Ford’s new off-roader to suit their specific needs. Be forewarned, due to lots of demand, the Bronco configurator has been a bit slow to load. We got a spinning loading icon more than once and a countdown timer telling us to give the website a rest ... Read the full article on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/how-would-you-configure-your-2021-ford-bronco/   ... View more

My mom has owned quite a few interesting cars. Her first car, when she was in high school in 1971, was a 1959 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer, in two-tone copper and beige. After the Dodge she had a 1960 Chevy Impala two-door hardtop-that could be started without a key. Later on, she had a ’68 Mustang two-door hardtop, a ’73 Volvo 1800ES and a ’74 Capri V-6.   After my arrival,   Volvo 240DL   and 740GL wagons became the rule, followed by a series of Grand Caravan ESs (with optional AWD) and Durango R/Ts. After a decade of Dodges, she went back to Volvo and got a 2007 XC90 V-8. She is now on her second XC60, in ruby red. Still, there was one more Dodge in the mix. A   Dodge Viper GTS—in impossible-to-ignore Race Yellow ... Read the full column on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/2001-dodge-viper-gts-moms-grocery-getter/   ... View more

With custom bike culture exploding in recent years, the history and importance of the two-wheeled machines that first rolled off of the production line are often overlooked. Stock Stories tells the tales of these motorcycles.   By 1949, Triumph viewed the United States as a very important market. Sales of the Speed Twin had already demonstrated that there was demand for lighter-weight machines—lighter, at least, than the typical large twins that Americans were used to. However, the main question about the Speed Twin was its capability on longer stretches of road that were typically encountered in North America.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/motorcycles/stock-stories-1952-triumph-thunderbird/   ... View more

German tuner Brabus has launched a massively modified Mercedes with no less than 900 horsepower. The Rocket 900 is based on the AMG GT63S four-door coupe, but with an extra half a liter of displacement added to its biturbo V-8 engine, and a host of other performance enhancements ... Read the full news on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/brabus-rocket-is-a-900-hp-mercedes-missile/   ... View more

Don’t let hordes of the undead get in the way of your children’s education by sending them to school in this battle bus from Prague-based Torsus.   The meanest-looking school bus in the world is called the Praetorian and it has been designed to carry kids to school in the most inhospitable circumstances, such as when when the walking dead roam the streets, or perhaps more likely, when said school is in a remote part of the developing world ... Read the full article on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/check-out-this-czech-made-school-bus-for-the-zombie-apocalypse/   ... View more

Somewhere west of Laramie — west of Reno, even — the brake pedal of my new-for-2021, Hellcat-powered, flared-and-chaired Ram TRX went right to the floor. Smoke started rolling from the fenders as I hastily adjusted my plans for the next corner, which was coming up with all the alacrity a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 could provide. That was more or less the end of my fast backroad drive in a three-ton, full-time-four-wheel-drive truck. Really, what did you expect? Yes, the 14.9-inch rotors and two-piston calipers probably represent an absolute high-water mark in standard-equipment half-ton pickup brakes — but applied to a vehicle of this size, they’re not exactly prepared to turn the TRX into an immovable object. Which means they’re bound to lose when confronted with … an irresistible force ...    Read the full review on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/new-car-reviews/review-2021-ram-1500-trx/   ... View more

GMC’s long-awaited reveal of the 2022 Hummer EV was met with a wide range of reactions. Skeptics questioned the need for a 1000-hp “supertruck” and scoffed at its six-digit price. Others seemed surprised to find themselves longing for a new truck from a brand that has been gone for more than a decade. Many were simply impressed by its suite of off-road tools.   After a short presentation video ushering in the Hummer EV, GMC allowed interested potential buyers to put down a $100 deposit to claim their spot in line. The reservations for the $112,595 Edition 1—the first version of the truck, which will go sale in late 2022—filled in just 10 minutes. We’re not sure how many Edition 1 Hummer EVs GMC plans on making, though, and we did ask. GMC says it can’t share reservation/production volumes for the truck, so there could be 1000 reservations or 10,000 ...   Read the full news on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/2022-hummer-ev-edition-1-reservations-filled-in-10-minutes/   ... View more

For those of us who’ve been enjoying the fall colors in our classic cars, it might be difficult to imagine those tree-lined roads being anything less than beautiful this time of year. For that, we have the Highway Beautification Act to thank—at least in part ... Read the full article on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/enjoying-your-fall-color-tour-lbjs-1965-highway-beautification-act-aimed-to-keep-it-that-way/   ... View more

General Motors’ Spring Hill, Tennessee, assembly plant will wind down its current production of gas-powered CUVs and engines to make way for a $2 billion retooling and expansion to convert the former home of Saturn into an all-EV production facility.   Cadillac’s LYRIQ will lead   the charge as production ramps up in this new phase, though GM hints that Spring Hill will have a growing roll in GM’s EV portfolio.   For now at least, the Cadillac XT5 and XT6 will continue production at Spring Hill; GMC’s Acadia, built on the same C1XX platform, will move to GM’s Lansing Delta Township (Michigan) Assembly plant ... Read the full news on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/spring-hill-once-home-of-saturn-reaches-into-the-future-with-shift-to-ev-production/   ... View more

Ford announced today that it is teaming up with Filson, a storied outdoor outfitter, to create the ultimate wildfire-fighting concept based on the Bronco four-door. Dedicated Bronco fans may find that color scheme familiar, and for good reason—Broncos have historically been one of the preferred rides of the U.S. Forestry service ... Read the full article on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/ford-unveils-sweet-forestry-edition-bronco-alongside-filson-but-nixes-donut-doors/   ... View more