Two ads I really liked was the one for the Trans Am at the stop light that ate the foreign sports car in front of it when the light turned green. And the ad for on of the VWs they banned that was to show how tough the VW is by depicting a terrorist inside one in front of a sidewalk café. When he pushed the button the blast was contained within the VW. ... View more

But the Ford LTD was quieter than a RR. I saw it on TV so it must be true. ... View more

With our long time fair and mostly equal trade between our countries, I can deal with Canadian made cars as Canada has been a part of our automotive history since the beginning. I wonder though, are cars and trucks built for the Canadian market still badged differently than for the US market? I remember seeing Mercury trucks and a really cool Mercury XR7 Ranchero. ... View more

Totally agree. I'm a Ford guy myself but I always liked the real Charger so, to me, a 4 door Charger sedan sullies the nameplate. Wasn't thrilled about the 4 door Thunderbird nor the 4 door Grand Prix either. And I thought I would puke when Ford introduced the Mach-E, especially with the button on the dash to play a recording of "real engine" noises. ... View more

Great idea but have you priced wood needed to build this lately? I think they're even charging for used wood. Just being facetious. But seriously, wood pallets with casters might also be an option. They come in various sizes & capacities and are quite often free from businesses that receive bulk shipments. ... View more

Unlike the boats of the 70s, the 76-79 Seville was a really nice looking luxury car. Then in 1980, Cadillac redesigned the Seville to one of the most butt ugly things on the road. The bustle back trunk was just coyote ugly. ... View more

I'm not criticizing the Hemi-Cuda on this list, it probably belongs, not my say. But I remember in 1970 when the Barracuda became just the Cuda and what a good looking, desirable car it was, even for this Ford guy. The 340 was fast with more potential and engine sizes went to 440 Six Pack and of course the Hemi. When the 71 Cuda was introduced I remember one magazine reviewer when describing the redesigned grille, "We can't wait until last year." ... View more

Another "fast one" Chad Knaus pulled was installing rear shocks that rebounded extremely slow when compressed to hold the rear of the car down thus keeping the rear spoiler out of the air. When the race was over and the car went through tech the shocks had time to rebound and the rear height was within specs. ... View more

It looks like positive changes in the cars but NASCAR's "wokeness", format and rules nonsense will keep me from going back to watching. ... View more

Makes me wish I still had the 67 Triumph Bonneville I sold in 1976 because I thought riding back & forth to work on I-25 in Denver was too dangerous. Visited Denver 7 years ago and 1976 was wide open highways compared to now. ... View more

wow, whoopie, how exciting. I wonder if they will include recordings of real race car engines like Ford is considering in their mustang-e, ... View more

That was my father's thinking in 1966 when as a 16 yr old I wanted to buy the 1964 AC Cobra our family's friend used to own for $2995.00. And that one only had the 260 engine. ... View more

I'm a Ford guy but that 4 door Bronco is butt ugly. Looks like a Hummer wannabe. I think Jeep has one just as ugly so if Ford is trying to compete in the ugly department they are succeeding. Regarding remake of the Ranchero, what they need to do is make a US version of the Australian Ford Falcon Ute in the US. That is one good looking car/truck and very versatile with different cargo bodies available. . ... View more

And while these EV trucks are getting their batteries charged, trucks that run on gasoline and diesel will still be working. Just hope you can find a charging station out in the field when the battery goes dead. ... View more

I can't agree with Petty on this. Is he saying legends like A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Tony Stewart, etc. are not professionals? They got started dirt track racing and loved it throughout their driving careers? Is USAC Sprint and Silver Crown series amateur? What about Outlaw Sprints? No, these are professionals and professional racing. I might add they are more exciting to watch than what NASCAR has promoted since Bill France turned the reigns over to his kid. ... View more

I take it back. I just searched Ebay and Amazon and the movie isn't available. ... View more

"The Lively Set" was a 1964 movie that revolved around the Chrysler turbine car. I remember seeing and enjoying it but I was 14 at the time. I thought "Redline 5000" was a great movie too until I watched it again 20 years later. But I think it would be worth watching "The Lively Set" again, DVDs are available on ebay. ... View more

I've seen all of these movies except Diamonds are Forever and The Last Run. I don't know why I didn't see Diamonds are Forever, maybe I'll watch it next time it comes on my ROKU. I never heard of The Last Run but being a George C. Scott fan I will look for it. I wasn't impressed with 2 Lane Blacktop but the others I thoroughly enjoyed. But I have a few questions. Why in movies and TV shows from the 40s, 50s and early 60s, the driver frequently exits the car from the passenger side? Why, in almost every movie or TV show involving a car chase, why do we constantly hear the driver shifting gears? Always up and never down. Especially when a truck is involved. Why do we hear tires screeching on dirt roads? When a speedometer is shown, why is it never the correct one for the car that it is supposedly being driven? In older movies and TV, no matter what make car is shown, the sound of the engine cranking is always from a Chrysler gear reduction starter? Why in older movies and TV when driving a car with a 4 headlight system, the high beam bulbs are always the only ones lit. Back then when on high beam all bulbs would light. Why, also, at night the streets were always wet like it had just rained? I remember Mad Magazine in one of their spoofs of a TV show they showed a night scene and a guy was drawn in one of the boxes watering the street with fire hose with a logo on his coveralls that said, "Making It Look Like It Just Rained Company." Just some observations that mean nothing, the sun still comes up everyday. ... View more

I too have seen guys who never do any work, not even oil changes on their classics but claim they're real "car guys." I'm not trying to insult anybody so they are because they like driving their pride and joy, and I applaud that. But that's not my definition of a car guy. I like Jay Leno because he's a car guy who gets his hands dirty by doing his own work that he's able to do. I'm sure he knows his limits so farms out what he can't do himself which is smart. We should all know our limits. I encourage everybody who owns a classic to do as much work as they're able to do. Believe me, you will appreciate that car more. But as a mechanic with 50 years experience I too have my limits as all professionals do so I know all weekend warriors do too. I hate seeing hacked restorations because the owner, or professional, got in over their head. In my 1 man shop I don't specialize in classics but do take them in for work at times. The sentence Jay says, "They’re not overcharging—in fact, they’re probably undercharging." strikes home. I spend countless hours researching and locating parts for some of these cars but don't charge for it like I should. I remember trying to locate an axle and outer wheel bearing for a 1957 Chevrolet 3600. The axle took time trying unsuccessfully to find a machine shop that could resize the king pin socket. I then had to spend time doing an internet search that located a man in Oklahoma who specialized in dropping axles and had what I needed in his shop. The bearing was a different story. If it was a 3100 (1/2 ton) it would have been easy because I could have converted it to a roller bearing. No such luck on a 3/4 ton. After cross referencing numbers to get the GM number I found a NOS bearing, only one OEM or aftermarket I could find, on ebay for $1000 but wasn't willing to spend my customer's money like that. Finally researched using dimensions and found a PN for one the correct ID and OD but slightly wider and my local O'Reilly's had it in stock for around $65. Saved my customer hundreds but didn't charge for my time which amounted to over 5 hours for just these 2 parts. Now I tell my customers with classics, and some others too, doing parts research takes time and I'm going to charge for it. But I still don't charge enough for the total time. ... View more

For the most part I agree. I also don't think most Japanese imports of any year nor a 1965 Chrysler Newport 4 door sedan are classics either but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If not classics I call them special interest so not kick the sleeping dog too hard. But I have a 94 Mark VIII and consider it a classic. Apparently Hagerty does too since they insure it. ... View more

The scanner does not work if your car was built before 1995 using the OBD 1 system. However codes on GM OBD 1 systems are easy to read. On the connector under the dash use a jumper wire between the A & B terminals. If you're looking at the connector you will see 2 tabs at the ends of one row. A & B are on the other row, usually at the top 2 at the right end if those tabs are on the bottom row. Connect the jumper wire and turn the key to the on position without starting and read the codes using the flashing "check engine" light. All codes are 2 digits and the Code 12 flashed 3 times will be the first code signaling it is in the diagnostic mode. It starts with 1 flash, pause and 2 quick flashes. After it flashes 3 times any active codes will be read in a similar manner. For example, code 34 will be 3 quick flashes, pause then 4 quick flashes and repeat 2 more times until going to the next code. When all codes have been displayed Code 12 will repeat. You can then look these codes up in diagnostic charts available online. You can do something similar with Fords but you must use an analog volt/amp meter. I've done it years ago but don't remember how anymore since I have an OBD 1 scanner. ... View more

I know I'm a relic from a time it seems long ago, but I like the the clean lines of the 2005-06 GT and the original 1964 much better than the current model and especially these with the do dads, gee gaws, headlight bling and all. OK, the wings and things are required for aerodynamics when racing but for pure aesthetics, I'll take the older models, thank you. ... View more

Why shouldn't people have the right to work without being forced to pay an outside union. The union didn't created the job, the employer did. Yes, at one time unions were an asset to labor until they became corrupt and greedy. They often support politicians with workers' dues that workers more often than not do not support. It used to really irk me when I was forced to join the IBEW and then was told by the AFL/CIO who I should vote for as though I didn't have a right to my own beliefs. My last real job was non union and we were paid very well with good benefits and no union was able to get their hands on my retirement savings. But if you want to be a union member you have that right and nobody is criticizing you. But those who don't also have rights. ... View more

I can't say I'm surprised. California is bleeding industries and people for several years because of the way the state is run and those leaving are the tax base for the cities, counties and the state itself. Soon only the parasites will be left. Those running California are the most self destructive creatures on earth. What a shame. ... View more

I remember the days I had dreams much like young Mr. Acosta. Then life happened and the dreams were put on hold. While I'm doing OK, now my money is spent remodeling my house that is costing more than twice what I planned and my automotive projects are on hold. But when that's done, if it ever will be, I'll retire and play with my toys. So go for it, Israel, you're only young once and life has a habit of playing out that often takes you away from your dreams. ... View more

I appreciated the 57 Chrysler Wagon on this list. While always a Ford guy since 1955 when I began distinguishing car makes, I always liked the 57-59 lineup from Chrysler Corp. Their restyle was fresh and while the Dodge and Plymouth lines restyle in 1955 got rid of it, the Chrysler and De Soto lines lost that bulbous look. I remember an older friend who was a Dodge guy and had a 58 Dodge Royal 2D Hardtop. It wasn't cool to drive a 4 door sedan back then and a 4 door hardtop was only acceptable. I was quite younger, still riding my bicycle and needed to adjust my chain while away from home. Heck, we were always adjusting our chains. I saw Elmer and asked if he had a 9/16" wrench or even a Crescent Wrench. He admonished me saying, "I drive a Dodge, I don't need to carry tools." I haven't seen Elmer in over 50 years but remember him, his good nature and also his Dodge. ... View more

I don't like electrics but understand your thinking. Not saying I'm onboard, just understand. Maybe offer an EV option once they get up and running and the "flux capacitor" will be an integral part of the car. Sorry, I just had to say it.  ... View more

Back in Henry Ford's days the government encouraged innovation to build our country. Nowadays it's the opposite and seems bureaucrats are stifling innovation and trying eliminate competition, such as it is, to worldwide corporations that lobby ($$$$) our government; politicians and bureaucrats alike.  ... View more

The director of the NHTSA is appointed by the president so we elected them by proxy. And many directors seemed to do all they could to thwart the automotive industry. Joan Claybrook comes to mind, my opinion. Another problem with the NHTSA like all other government bureaucracies is their employees, many are activists with their own agenda that doesn't necessarily agree with the current administration so slow walk or even refuse to enact official policy. I just saw a leaked Zoom video meeting of federal bureaucrats bragging among themselves of the power they had to push elected officials around. My guess is some in NHTSA may have been against the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act so slow walked the regulations so it could not be enacted.enactment m ... View more

I see some of the jury rigging in this post and remember when I had to do things like that to get the job done and sometimes the real danger I put myself even foolishly working under a car supported only by a bumper jack. I was severely corrected by my father, who incidentally got smarter the older I got, over that bit of stupidity. So I understand when shortcuts or make do procedures are taken out of necessity. Just remember to take all precautions possible for your safety. I still remember the motto of a former employer that I haven't worked for in 40 years: "No job is so important that all safety precautions cannot be taken." In other words, I you can't do it safely, don't do it. Hire it done if you need to. Your life is well worth the extra money it will cost. ... View more

I moved to where we don't need snow tires. I remember telling people I keep my snow brush in the car to occasionally take out and show people and if anybody knows what it is, I haven't moved far enough south. I remember the Firestone ad with the song. And the Goodyear and Sears ads touting the studs bring back memories of grooves in pavement and sore hands because I was a fleet mechanic in the early 70s and we studded our own tires using a hand held pneumatic stud gun. Do that for several hours straight daily, your hand was extremely sore between your thumb and forefinger and you even developed callouses there. The Gulf tire ad was effective by mounting their tires on the stuck Chevy and having it effortlessly start moving from the same spot. I also noticed the Chevy had posi-traction which helped. Did you notice the kids weren't buckled in with their faces pressed against the side window when the lady was able to drive? How did we ever survive those days? Another tire ad I remember was Armstrong Tires GRR-ip The Road. ... View more

Trial lawyers loved them. ... View more

Why would you insult the Pinto brand that has already been drug though the mud with the lies about being prone to fires? Given the number of Pintos produced, their track record on that issue is no worse than any other car of that size and even many larger cars and/or trucks. There are cars with much worse track records. Did the $15 plastic shield Ford did not install until the recall fix the problem? I doubt it because getting rear ended in any small car of the period by a larger car could likely result in a fire and it still happens these days with some more prone than others. Regarding badging this Mustang-E, I wouldn't want to call it the Pinto-E. I wouldn't even want to call it the Edsel-E. ... View more

But it does have a silly “Propulsion Sound” feature. And just wait until the cold northern winter weather sets in. From what I read, lithium batteries lose discharge much faster. ... View more

It's their company and they can drag down the Mustang brand if they want. I'm out of the new car market with owning a 94 Mark VIII and 2010 F150 along with my 87 C4 and a couple other oldies I'm building that should see me to the day I'm too feeble to safely get behind their steering wheels. Regarding the zeal to flood our streets with electric cars, I join the chorus of those asking, "where do the get the electricity to charge the batteries?" On December 1st, Elon Musk said we will have to double our electric power output to meet the needs of the proposed electric fleet. And, guess what, all the solar, wind and geothermal, together, will not come anywhere close to accomplishing this meaning new nuclear, coal and natural gas plants the tree huggers hate will need to come on line. So much for the wealth grabbing "Green New Deal" and, so much for their silly zero emissions nonsense that electric cars achieve, they don't, and in fact many have said pollute more given the mining and processing of lithium for batteries, disposal of waste and needed electric generation by power plants. So go ahead EV drivers, be smug, but you're dirtying the air more than today's clean running, gasoline cars. ... View more

It's OK only a limited number of fans will be allowed entry because due to the stupid rules changes and now politicization, there are only a limited number of fans who want to attend, or even watch on TV for that matter. I know I quit watching not long after Bill France turned it over to his kids and just shake my head at the added stupidity that has ensued. But at least blaming it on the flu allows NASCAR hide the fact they are losing their fan base. ... View more

You obviously don't deal with teamsters. But in all fairness, shipping isn't cheap anymore even for non union shippers; wages, fuel, insurance, taxes & registration fees. Rates are usually based on weight and how much of the load one item takes and each car takes up a lot of space on the load. It doesn't really matter that the transport in only carrying cars. Rail transport to regions helps the pricing. Look how much it costs to just have a car towed, it's doubled in the past 10 years due to fuel and insurance costs. I doubt if auto transport is any different. ... View more

I always liked the original AMX and Javelins before 1971 when the two distinct models were merged into one. And this is a great story about a special one. What I especially like is Mr. Belfiore did most of the work restoring and modifying it himself. To me, that's a real car guy. ... View more

A sure fire way for me to find the need for that junk I've had sitting around for years is to throw it away. Guaranteed within 2 weeks I will need it. I once gave some 20ft long red iron channels to my scrap iron guy. Two weeks later decided to build a car port and those two 20 footers would have come in handy. I've often decided to "clean this place up" and thrown good used and even new parts away only to them within 2 weeks. My friends have had the same experience. If you have a place to keep your junk, do it or else you will have to buy it again. That is if you can find it because many parts I have thrown away are unavailable anymore.  And never, ever allow your spouse to talk you into rearranging your shop get rid of all that old junk because "we need the space."  My shop and my garage are off limits. That way when I do throw away that junk, I have nobody to blame but myself. But if you do keep your junk, keep it somewhat orderly and out of sight. Makes for a better relationship.  ... View more

When it comes to buying a pickup, be practical. I had, and wish I still did have a 69 Bronco that mostly fit my needs along with a small utility trailer when needed. When I decided to finally buy a pickup I wanted the highest GVW 3/4 ton I could get until a friend asked my why. I'm the type of man who wants to be prepared. When want to haul something I want adequate equipment. After telling him my intended use he said, "Get a 1/2 ton. It will do everything you need and is less expensive to operate; better mileage, tires less expensive, registration costs less, insurance may be less, etc. I followed his advice and am glad. Currently I have a 2010 F150 FX2 Supercab. I really wanted an 8ft bed but the 6.5ft does the job and will carry a strapped down 4x8 sheet with the tailgate open. I do have a 12ft utility trailer for larger loads, 20ft car hauler and 10000GVW dump trailer for occasional use. The way my truck is equipped, the GCVWR is 14900lb with a maximum trailer weight of 9500lb. Always look at those ratings before towing a trailer. I can't speak for everybody and I don't pull my trailers often but for those who do, you probably do need a bigger truck than me. But look at your usage before buying the biggest and baddest. 4WD or not? I lived in Colorado for several years an the only 4WD I ever had was my trusty 69 Bronco. And I bought that mainly to ensure my wife didn't get stranded because, at the time, we lived so far out of town. Unless you live in snow country or go off road a lot, you just don't need it except bragging rights. But so many people have it there is nothing to brag about. And again, the cost; more expensive to buy, more parts to wear and more expensive repairs. And in some states, insuring a 4WD is higher. When I bought my F150 friends asked why I didn't get a 4WD. I now live where it doesn't snow and I don't go off road other than on my property. And then only when it's dry so I don't need 4WD. If you need it, then you need it. But be honest with yourself, do you really need that? ... View more

And then there was the early 1964 AC Cobra with a 260 that I could have bought in the fall of 1995 for $2995. My father asked me, "Why do you want that *** **** thing?" My answer was the expected replies but all his mind heard was something I didn't say but was probably the truth, "Gee, dad, I'm almost 16. I want to go out and kill myself." High performance cars do not belong in the hands of low performance drivers. ... View more

Speaking about air tools, I hardly use mine anymore. Although there is no substitute for an air hammer, with the development of lithium batteries, I use my Milwaukee 1/4", 3/8" battery powered ratchets and 1/2" impact almost exclusively vs my air wrenches. I used to use my IR 1/2" when the Milwaukee just didn't have it but my new 2767 Milwaukee eliminated that need. I'm sure the De Walt tools are just as good. ... View more

The paragraph talking about a jet racing a car and the car would win is spot on. I worked at Al Udeid AFB which had either F16 or F15 fighters on base. The loaded takeoff weights of these fighters are 42000 and 68000 pounds respectively and it takes a lot of power and time to get that much weight to enough speed to take off. It's pure physics. But I loved to see them at night in full afterburner.  We also saw the B1 Lancer occasionally and I remember that beautiful supersonic bomber just seem to lumber down the runway and wonder if it would ever get up enough speed. ... View more

This is the 2nd time I looked at this story and I still don't want that ugly Chinese thing. ... View more

Stephen said he added a ballast resister to the system which could be the problem if his is using the factory Ford harness. Ford used a very light gauge wire to the coil to create the necessary resistance and the added ballast might have created too much resistance. ... View more

Have you never heard of Philco which was owned by Ford? ... View more

Regarding the C4 Corvette. Although I prefer Fords, like most American boys around my age, and many girls, I always wanted a Corvette. Reality always got in the way including the cost of insurance. My favorite Vettes are the C3 but the C4 is affordable. I've had my 87 for 17 years but haven't driven it in 2 years for various reasons due to work now needed and having other spending priorities. Thankfully Hagerty makes it affordable to keep insurance on it. I never was a Porsche fan but I do like the more traditional style of 944. I almost bought one 20 years ago but the seller changed his mind. The RR is not a car for the budged minded, even if you can get one reasonably priced. I had 67 RR in my shop once to replace rusted brake lines. Just looking at the brake lines then studying their braking systems I knew it would be a nightmare job that I did not want to do. I know there are factory trained mechanics who like to work on them, be ready to pay one because without proper training and tools, even a good mechanic will probably be in over their head. Something enjoyable happened while the Rolls was here, though. We have a video of our granddaughter in the backseat, rolling down the window and asking us if we had any Grey Poupon. I just wish I had a 67 Ford LTD to park next to the Rolls with a sign saying this car, the LTD, was quieter than that car, the Rolls. ... View more

I haven't been up there in 30+ years and haven't paid a lot of attention to the race in 20 years so didn't know the road had been paved. Sure makes it nicer drive for Joe Sixpack in the the family Truckster but I'm sure it also took something out of the race for the purist. Funny thing though, the dirt road to the top of Pikes Peak was smoother and wider than the paved on to Mt. Evans. But I haven't been there in 30+ years either so don't know if it has been improved. ... View more