GTSparkplugs

It seems to never end. Every time I pass a magazine rack you check out the cover car and they boast something like 590hp Civic, 670hp WRX, 800hp (YOUR BRAND HERE), etc. That’s cool, someone modded up a car and made some big hp. But now those numbers are starting to climb for the production cars. No big deal, but too many knot-heads driving them around and showing up at car gathering showing off their pride and joy. Fine, but make sure you know how to drive your car. Just because you have the bread to pick up a Veryon, Porsche GT, etc, learn how to drive your car so I don’t have a nice laugh when I see your car on the Wrecked Exotics Site. It is a bummer when you check out the carnage on that site. And it is not getting any better, cars are getting faster and have more HP every year. And people aren’t getting any smater or better drivers it seems. If you have one of these cars (you know who you are) and think you can drive fast because it handles like a dream, let me know when the pictures are going to be up on the Wrecked Exotics Site. Simple solution, take a high performance driving course where they let you drive YOUR car. Or find out about track event that offer the HPDE (High Performance Driving Event) where you can get an instructor and hit the track and drive as hard as you feel safe AND don’t endanger me. By the way, you can use BLUE tape to keep any rock chips from messing with your paint and I can assure you that the damage from that will be less they you plowing into my Excursion (You will lose).

Seems being slow to finish my Cobra might land it on TV. Not that I really give a crap about that, it was funny coming across this while reading a blog about Top Gear USA Style. Looking and going well at least the car has some good company as I do like Adam’s Challenge Stradale (with the exception that it has a stereo) and his nice collection of odd cool cars. I have not included this in the VSE Cobra build thread but if you want to see about it, that thread starts HERE or if you want to see the more static site Shift Here.

Well I bit the bullet and did the front brakes on the ‘X’. I had started to have the standard vibrating pedal that most of the F250, F350, and Excursions have. I had a set of pads put in under the pre-paid service policy which amounts to the lowest cost pads without turning the rotor. Well about 20k miles later the pedal and truck would vibrate pretty bad when braking in the 50mph down to 40mph range.

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California’s New Cell Phone Law,  Safety Or Just Another Revenue Stream that is the question?

At first I thought that the new DMV laws that are to go into effect July might be something that is really good. I’m still a bit torn as the question of safety while using a cell phone is obvious but expecting this to really be policed is another story.

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Here is the information on the Tiger United 31, which is being held at Big Bear Lake.

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I just added a Garage Sale page. Time to get some workin’ room in the garage. Check out the page at GtSparkPlugs Garage Sale

I have some of my 1965-1966 Mustang parts, some small block Ford stuff, some fiberglass parts, some big block chevy parts (just a bit, more coming). And other odds and ends.

Not such a big deal, but I did my first web tool. It is a Tire calculator. Given the tire specifications it will calculate the dimensions of the tire as well as revs per mile, etc. This is the start of the tools section on GTSparkPlugs site (not set up yet). The goal is to do a tire size, gear and shift point tool set, next will be to add the data entry for rear end gear ratio, and trans gear ratios. Then calculate the speeds per RPM and shift points. The tool that I have been using and is very good is called GearCalc. It is a simple windows tool and very handy, but wanted the functionality on a a web based tool. So good for a couple of things, one is I use it all the time and nice to have it on the web, the other is good practice learning JavaScript which is a cool language.
Here is the link to the Tire Size Calculator Page

GTSparkPlugs Tire Size Calculator

My uncle has a pristine 1957 Chevy Bel Air Convertible that just finished (well not really finished, cars never are…) frame up restoration.

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My friends have been working on a great website to host videos and get technical help on automotive issues. They (The Motorator folks) have built out the site to support video downloads, technical question and answers, and are building a dedicated community of automotive enthusiasts. ‘The Ripper’ has already uploaded a ton of his cool videos from old car commercials, movie clips and promos to racing ‘The Ripper’ and other sorted bits. If you want a nice place that is simple and easy to host your automotive videos this is the place to start. They also have a technical advice section with experts in many areas of automotive knowledge, and don’t forget that you can also help by being an expert on anything that you may be able to help others with. A chance to toss in your 2 Cents! I really like the name, the Motorator has a nice ring like ‘The Ripper’

The site is at www.motorator.com

Sample link to ‘The Ripper’ and his new home of video hosting- The Ripper at Willow, Blown Engine

Updated 09/10/2008 Follow the thread

NOTE : I will post links with photos, scroll down and you will see them. All on Flickr for your viewing enjoyment.

Well, got out of work early this last Friday and since many schools are still out (UCLA, most thankfully) traffic was light. So grabbed the family and went to Bob’s Big Boy. I have been going on and off for years to the Car Night, even took the Ripper one night. It was really nice weather was really nice during the day and I figured some good cars would crawl out of the woodworks. And I was not disappointed. Some nice cars, some rat rods, a couple of cars with healthy motors and a few with mechanical cams so I was happy. Beard’o in a Z06 vett’ so that stereotype was satisfied. Saw a kid roll a ball under a moving 430 Ferarri, then the parent motions for the driver to stop to retrieve the ball but puts his hand on the hood for support of his weight as he bent down… You could see the driver cringe. Nice red 427 Cobra (A REAL ONE for a change), some nice Dodge products, a big tire 1969 Camaro, the engine however, seemed like a hydraulic cammed and thus likely using NOS as a crutch. Might have to toss some smack next time.

Overall if you want to a quick and fun car gathering Bob’s is an excellent spot. Put your name in for the 45 minute wait for the restaurant and check out the cars, it will be just about perfect! I can’t wait for the summer as the cars only get better. One caveat, if you go too often you will become bored with many of the same cars, so mix it up. I don’t know of other family places to have dinner and check out cars, but if you have some that are in the San Fernando Valley, send them!