Auto Ramblings – Page 12 – Traffic for you mind

June 8, 2009June 8, 2009

2009 Car Show Season in Full Swing

By Lloyd Frazier

Another car show season is well under way across our great nation. The Good Guys Colorado Nationals car show in Loveland, CO was a great start to the season for me. The rumble of those V8�s and the smell of exhaust coming out of those uncorked headers is enough to stir the soul of any car guy or gal. We arrived on Saturday morning at about 11am. The line going into The Ranch, an event complex at the Larimer County fair grounds, was long coming off of I-25. As we were waiting to be ushered in the parking lot, we saw several nice specimens of well shined, high horsepower hot rods driving around. Just enough of a taste to whet our appetite. As we rounded the drive into the parking lot, we saw the sea of vintage cars, trucks and people gathering to view the spectacle. We anxiously paid for our tickets and entered the gates to the extravaganza. The first section contained row after row of people hocking their wares. Parts for any vintage car you could think of were neatly placed upon tarps on the ground. Each part meticulously marked with year and model of car that it came from. Some of the hard to find parts had a hefty price marked on them as well. Conversations about cars people grew up with as a kid or were driving on their first date were all mingled together in a symphony of Americana . The car culture is well ensconced in our society. It does not matter how much attention the green energy movement gets in our media, it will take another couple of generations before that technology is woven into fond memories. And even then, you will probably hear very similar experiences.

Most importantly, we saw a plethora of beautifully restored automobiles. Some that you don�t see at every car show. So, instead of me babbling on, I posted a few pics out of hundreds I snapped. Next Saturday, I will be perusing the Fort Collins auto show in Old Town. Check back for the post.

Pontiac 8-gorgeous car

�69 AMC AMX-excellent build

Scooooby Doooooo!

�54 Chevy Belair convertible-voted 2005 Good Guys �Coolest Convertible??? pick.

69 ZL1-COPO Camaro-only 69 of these were ever built. This is #57. Only 2 were painted Daytona Yellow. All aluminum 427 with 12:1 compression.

68 Yenko SS Camaro-wow, I want one!

54 Chevy 3100-my favorite truck in the show.

Lloyd, signing out�.

May 27, 2009May 28, 2009

Is Fiat Repeating GM�s Mistakes?

by Lloyd Frazier

The last three months of reports coming out of the global auto industry has been full of wild speculation, some good news, and mostly bad. We are seeing the beginnings of a major realignment of this industry due to the global economic meltdown. The big question of the moment is why Fiat is so determined to follow in GM�s footsteps�and Ford�s for that matter. They seem to be on a crusade to rule the auto world. First they snag Chrysler, now they are after Opel and some others. Ford methodically shed Jaguar, Rover and Aston Martin last year, just ahead of when the major meltdown started materializing. That is why they are ahead of the curve in the global scheme of things. GM is still trying to slim down by dropping Opel, Saab, Saturn, Hummer, Vauxhall and some others. These domestics did what Fiat is now doing, gobbling up more than it can chew. And at the worst time in history. Or, do they know something that we industry observers are unaware of. Maybe this is the perfect time for bargain shopping.

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May 12, 2009May 26, 2009

Sportsmobile, Not Your Standard RV � Part 11

By Dave Boyer.

Thanks for following the Special Vehicle section. This is an ongoing article about my purchase and design of a 2006 Sportsmobile 4×4 vehicle. The last post went over the electrical system. This entry will cover the Exterior section of the 2005 order form provided by Sportsmobile West.

The Exterior:

This section starts with 110v outlets. The inside power outlets (12vDC/110vAC) were addressed in a previous post which also touched on outside mounting. Like I said before, I really don�t like things that a limb or branch can tear off so all my exterior outlets are mounted inside the propane door.

Being I have no propane system on board, there was plenty of space for a few extra power outlets. For my build, 12vDC outlets were very important as well, so twin marine grade power plugs were added.

I will sum it up by saying you need to decide how important an outside AC (or DC) outlet is for your needs. Always take into account what electrical outlets can be subjected to, such as water, mud and obstacles that can cause damage.

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May 1, 2009May 27, 2009

Auto Ramblings Second Annual Picks and Pokes – II Pony War

By Lloyd Frazier

Another Denver Auto Show has come and gone. I decided to highlight the new domestic muscle that has triggered the new pony car war. Why, you ask, do I choose to write about cars with American muscle, ingenuity, classic design, and impressive MPG to boot? Especially during this historical moment in time where the Big Three might become the Big Goose Egg. Wait! Before I forget…let me digress. I found a very interesting website that might help a lot of people avoid the stress and agony of navigating phone answering systems. Especially those voice command ones that don’t work worth a ding dang damn! Go Here>>> www.gethuman.com. I just found it a couple of days ago and wanted to spread the word about it. I have not tried it yet, but it seems like a helluva useful idea. It’s the little guy fights back against the corporate nincompoops that nickel and dime the hordes they draw into their web of sales tactics and non-existent services. Back to what is really important – CARS! I know this is a little late, but better that then never. I was not going to deprive myself of perusing the new car and truck offerings. As usual, the domestics are at the entrance. Most especially, GM on the left, Ford on the right and Chrysler some where close by. I was immediately drawn to the Mustang on display. It was a Cobra. The new 2010 is a real looker. Pony up (no pun intended) somewhere in the mid 40’s and you can lasso a GT500 variety packed with plenty of foot stompin’ power, better than average interior workmanship, and improved,

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February 1, 2009April 6, 2009

Sportsmobile, Not Your Standard RV – Part 10

by Dave Boyer

I went over the air conditioner system and covered some issues with AC (alternating current) power in the previous posting (part 9). This section will go into more detail about RV electrical systems and components. From the beginning I want to make note that there are several equipment options available out there other than what SMB offers.

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