Mind Over Motor Modification Guides

June 19, 2014 ndubs77 5 Comments

Every type of car has an aftermarket where you can customize your car and make it faster. When searching around for a new car to buy, many enthusiasts spend a lot of time digging through online forums to learn about what can be gotten out of each type of car with performance modifications. Online forums often provide a thorough, if cluttered and confusing, picture of what can be done to each type of car, and it often takes hours of digging to find it.

This is why we want to make some general modification guides for our readers that are quick and easy to understand. We won’t be going through every single possibility that you might find on the forums, no, this will just leave readers with a good idea of what to expect in a short amount of time. For any extremely specific concerns, the forums are still the best place to go.

We also aren’t going to go into too much detail on everything that is possible to do to a car with an outrageous amount of money because at that point, your imagination is the only limitation. Hell, you could make a Toyota Prius run a 10 second 1/4 mile if you had the money to spend, and the desire to do so.

What we are going to do is try and illustrate what can be done to a variety of different cars for a few thousand, or even a few hundred, dollars. Most people aren’t interested in doubling or trippling the cost of their car with modifications, but many people are interested in what they can get for a couple extra grand. These days, everyone seems to be doing at least some modifications to their cars, so, in many cases, the modification potential may be just as big of a selling point as anything else about a car.

We’ve already posted our Subaru WRX STi modification guide, but there are many more to come in the future. Let us know in the comments what cars you’d like to see us do modification guides for!

-Nick

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

The Ferrari that inspired the Ford Thunderbird

June 19, 2014 ndubs77 1 Comment

Here’s some fascinating automobile trivia for you. The inspiration for the legendary Ford Thunderbird (or T-Bird) came from a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta that was given to Henry Ford II by Enzo Ferrari. Yes, the two automakers had a long relationship before their famous falling out in the mid-1960s, which resulted in the Ford GT40. Just look at the styling of this one-off Ferrari Barchetta, especially the rear, and you will see the T-Bird in the making.

This one-off Ferrari currently resides in the Peterson Automotive Museum, and they let Jay Leno take it for a spin with his cameras rolling. Enjoy the sights and sounds of this machine that helped shape automotive history, because without this Ferrari, her daddy would’ve had to take away whatever else she was having fun, fun, fun with.

-Nick

CARS 101

Subaru WRX STI Modification Guide

June 18, 2014 ndubs77 44 Comments

The Subaru WRX STi is a fantastic package with solid Brembo brakes, a high-performance suspension, and around 300 turbocharged horsepower being put to the ground with pure all-wheel-drive traction. It is a deadly back road weapon as-is, but there is a lot of room for improvement should you want to take your rally car the the next level.

While better tires will improve any car, overall, the STi is already very well set up for handling and braking. To raise the excitement level, you can just dive right into adding horsepower.

This post is meant to be a generic, easy to understand guide for anyone who is looking into modifying a Subaru STi. We hope this will help save people the hassle of having to dig through online forums just to find the basic information. Look for more modification guides for other types of cars in the future.

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1958 Chevrolet Impala at the 2014 Greenwich Concours

June 17, 2014 Albert S. Davis 3 Comments

The Tri-Five Chevrolets of the 1950s are legendary, but I feel like the model produced just one year later is better than its three older brothers. 1958 marked the appearance of the top of the line Impala for the first time, and the name would stand as Chevrolet’s standard-bearer in the full-size market until 1985. The name is still of course used today (despite being dragged through the mud since my pre-teen years) as Chevy’s full size car. In ’58, the lineup got a redesign which brought quad round headlights across the board and marked the appearance of the three taillights per side that would stick to Chevy’s top of the tree models until 1966. Six-cylinder and small-block V8 engines were available as they were for 1957, but the ’58 brought with it the debut of the big-block V8 option. Although it only displaced 348 cubic inches at the time, this top V8 option was available with a set of three two-barrel carburetors and mechanical lifters, which increased output to 315 horsepower–32 more than the fuel-injected 283 that topped the lineup a year earlier.

This one on display at the Greenwich Concours at the end of May was a very straight example, sporting a rear antenna with the correct rearward slant, flashy chrome, and a clean set of knock-off style hubcaps. The Tropic Turquoise paint finish shined brightly against the cloudy but still bright daylight sky, and the white roof set everything off nicely. The ’58 chassis was a one-hit wonder and for 1959, the lineup got revised again, making this car a bit more unique than it would be. It stands to reason that the 1958 Impala and its lesser models of the year are becoming more and more collectible as time goes on–prices are beginning to rival what the 1957 models have been going at lately. I’m a sucker for the ’58 Impala, as it was a classier and more filled-out car than the 55-57 series, but not as over-the-top as the 1959 and 1960 cars. The earliest Impala strikes a great balance between the outlandish style of the late Fifties and the reserved taste of the early part of the decade. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1958 Chevrolet Impala at the 2014 Greenwich Concours →

Car Shows

Highlights from the CF Charities Supercar Show

June 16, 2014 ndubs77 Leave a comment

We showed you the American hypercars last week, but there were many more awesome cars present at the CF Charities Supercar Show as well. Everything from a Bugatti Veyron to an Ultima GTR to a full-on dragster, the crowds were stunned repeatedly.

Enjoy the highlight gallery of this fantastic show!

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Cars We've Driven, Everyday Normal Cars, Exotic Supercars, Luxury Cars

Cadillac ELR Reviewed (6.5/10)

June 13, 2014 ndubs77 5 Comments

The Chevrolet Volt hasn’t sold well, despite its fantastic technological design. The reason Volt hasn’t sold is because it costs around $40,000 when a Toyota Prius costs around $25,000; who would’ve guessed, but most cost-conscious consumers would rather save their extra fifteen grand.

GM knows the Volt is in trouble, so they’ve decided to attack the problem from a different angle — if the Volt is too expensive, then why not make it into a Cadillac, called the ELR, which can command a higher price. On the surface that seems like a good idea: take an over-priced economy car, turn it into a luxury car, and add a couple grand to the price tag.

Here’s the problem, though. GM didn’t just add a couple grand to the Volt’s price tag, they went and doubled it. So now, a way over-priced economy car has become a way over-priced luxury coupe.

Knowing all of this, when given the opportunity to take an ELR for a spin, I decided to put my predispositions aside, and see what the car had to offer. Maybe, just maybe, GM could’ve sprinkled it with some sort of magical pixy dust that would make it worth the $80,000…

Continue reading Cadillac ELR Reviewed (6.5/10) →

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1930 Minerva 80138 AL: Best of Show Concours International at the Greenwich Concours, 2014

June 12, 2014 Albert S. Davis 3 Comments

This year, the second day of proceedings at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance was an example of great weather, good vibes, and gorgeous European and Asian automobiles from Great Britain to Belgium to the former Soviet Union. The Best Of Show winner was a car that captivated everyone who came near it with beauty, style, and above all, cold hard substance. The winner of Best of Show was this stunning Belgian-crafted 1930 Minerva 80138 AL, with coachwork by Vanden Plas. The owner is Judge Joseph Cassini III and his wife Margie Cassini of West Orange, NJ. Cassini is a recently retired judge with an excellent car collection that has won multiple awards. For instance, his 1934 Packard won Best of Show at Pebble Beach last summer, and his Horch 853 Special Roadster won Best Of Show at Greenwich just two years ago. He’s also shown a beautiful 1933 Duesenberg SJ at Hershey, which I had the pleasure of seeing last summer (it won Most Elegant American Closed Pre-War).

The Minerva, however, was the star of this show two Sundays ago. Finished in a pearl earth paint color, the bodywork is paired with a 6.6L straight eight sleeve-valved engine. Cassini claims that this is one of 8 surviving “AL” models with that engine left. Cassini’s opinion on winning the award with the Minerva was, “It’s pretty humbling to see it recognized for the work of art that it is.” He purchased the car at the Gooding auction at Amelia Island only a few months ago (fully restored) and is showing it for the first time at Greenwich. According to the auction house website (goodingco.com), this is a Pebble Beach and Amelia Island class winner and has won Best Of Show at other Concours events previously. After receiving his award, Mr. Cassini mentioned that he will be bringing another Minerva to the Elegance at Hershey this coming Sunday–specifically, a Rollston-bodied 1931 cabriolet sedan which I am eager to see up close. Many congratulations to Joseph and Margie Cassini for winning Best Of Show in the Concours International. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1930 Minerva 80138 AL: Best of Show Concours International at the Greenwich Concours, 2014 →

Car Shows

Fast & Exotic American Things At The CF Charities Supercar Show

June 11, 2014 ndubs77 4 Comments

We went to the CF Charities Supercar Show this past weekend, and there was some serious American metal there. Not muscle cars, as you might expect, but an array of hyper-exotic supercars from US manufacturers, oh, and of course an imposing Black Hawk helicopter courtesy of the US Army. It was a very exciting event with eye candy in many forms, fast cars, deadly aircraft, and beautiful women — our founding fathers would be so proud!

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Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1969 Plymouth Road Runner M-Code at the 2014 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance

June 10, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

The Plymouth Road Runner was a legendary car in its own right. It launched in 1968 as a stripped out Belvedere with plenty of performance extras as standard equipment, an optional 426 Hemi V8, and a price low enough for a teenager to enjoy. In 1969, Plymouth improved the breed with a new front end, new taillights, new trunk trim, and new side marker lights.

However, halfway through the year, Plymouth decided to stop toying with the competition and dumped the 440-cubic inch V8 into the Road Runner coupe and hardtop. The M-Code package, as it was known for the VIN code, or the A12 package (on the fender tag), included the 440 V8 with a trio of two-barrel Holley carburetors and a bunch of go-faster goodies attached to the chassis. A Super Track Pack could be optioned alongside the 440 Six Pack to make this Mopar even more formidable on the street.

This engine also came with a sinister appearance package that added a flat black lift-off fiberglass hood with integrated scoop, hood pins, a set of black steel wheels with chrome lug nuts, and most of the brightwork deleted. This is probably one of the meanest looking muscled cars that Plymouth ever made and it happens to be a huge favorite of mine. Only 1,432 440 six barrel Road Runners left the factory in 1969, and this automatic-equipped one is a one-owner car that appeared at the Greenwich Concours earlier this month. So far, this is the first real 440+6 Road Runner I’ve had the pleasure of seeing in person. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1969 Plymouth Road Runner M-Code at the 2014 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance →

Car Shows

Exotic Supercars of the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance

June 9, 2014 ndubs77 1 Comment

Here are the exotic cars from the 2014 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. There was quite a spectacular display of some very rare supercars and hypercars on display this year, everything from the $1.9 million Pagani Huayra you see above, to a Ferrari Enzo, to the world-speed-record-setting Hennessey Venom GT, to Jim Glickenhaus’ P4/5 Competizione. It was surely a sight to be seen.

The Pagani Huayra really stood out, though. It spent both days of the show tucked away in the corner of Miller Motorcars’ display tent, but it was completely swamped with people the entire time. When it left the field, people literally lost their minds, jumping around in a reckless frenzy to try and snag the perfect shot of it.

Is easy to see why people go completely nuts over the Huayra when after a decade of grueling depravation for American car enthusiasts, it is the first Pagani to finally make it stateside. But the Huayra is also an exceptionally magnificent object, even by seven-figure supercar standards. Every aspect of the car seems so “full,” right down to the finest detail — nothing has been overlooked or under-thought.

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Car Shows

Pre-War Cars at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance

June 6, 2014 ndubs77 4 Comments

“They don’t make them like this anymore…”

That is a phrase I must have heard uttered over a dozen times during the weekend of the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance by people gazing at the magnificent pre-war automobiles on display. And they definitely don’t make cars like these anymore. In fact, most manufacturers of these majestic machines have long been defunct. The likes of Duesenberg, Packard, Minerva and Delage are all absent from the vocabulary of modern automobillia, and it’s a real shame because the cars they made were nicer (relatively) than even the top-of-the line Rolls Royce today.

In fact, as I’ve said before, Rolls Royce is really the only company from this era that still makes the same type of cars today as it did back then. Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz still exist, but have both moved their base of operation far down market. Yes, the pre-war era was a different time, when the automobile was a blank canvass for craftsmen to as they pleased. There was a lot of art-for-art-sake in these cars, and that’s something that is mostly absent from modern cars now that accountants and health and safety people run the show.

So the relative gray-scale of the cars we know today makes ogling over these pre-war gems an activity to be savored. I am really hoping for a renaissance of creativity in the auto industry, where the artistry will come back and add to all of the modern technology and design. The cookie-cutter designs of modern cars have gotten extremely old, and a design that aims to please anyone is also boring to everyone. So I’ve got my fingers crossed.

For now, though, just enjoy gazing at these incredible pre-war machines. The attention to detail, and the sheer craftsmanship is simply breathtaking to behold. Enjoy the cars!

Continue reading Pre-War Cars at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

/DRIVE on NBC Sports: Monaco Special

June 5, 2014 ndubs77 1 Comment

Drive has posted their NBC special on YouTube, so we figured we’d share it for everyone who hasn’t seen it. It originally aired on NBC as part of the coverage for the Monaco Grand Prix. Big props to everyone at Drive for getting that gig, and doing a phenomenal job with making us all learn, laugh, and drool. Chris Harris, Mike Spinelli and Matt Farah make a great trio, could Drive be the Top Gear of tomorrow?

-Nick