Tag: Cars

By Lloyd Frazier

Remember when Dodge came out with the Viper, back in the early nineties? It was quite sometime before that, when US car makers were thinking about ‘Muscle Cars’. Since that time, performance figures have steadily climbed for select models in the Big Three arena. Daimler Chrysler with the Magnum and Charger, Ford with the GT and Mustang, and GM with new souped up lineup of Cadillac screamers, the Pontiac GTO and of course, the Chevrolet Corvette. For the middle american income earners, the Corvette held promise for being parked in their garage. And they would even have some extra pocket change to do some aftermarket tuning. Well, as the character Ray Arnold from the movie Jurassic Park, played by Samuel L. Jackson, said “Hold on to your butts.” GM has turned the team loose and they developed a 600hp Z06 dubbed the ‘Blue Devil.’ Most likely it will be officially released as the ‘Stingray’. It comes with a hefty sticker of $100,000+. Coming to a dream in your future. Can you image a 600hp vette…from the factory? GM has upped the ante by venturing into the exotic sports car arena. This will catch the eyes of the elite car connoisseurs all over the globe. This puts GM and the other US car makers back in the limelight. You can’t deny that the creativity and ingenuity is unmistakably All-American. Maybe the media, with a treasure trove full of bias in favor of all that is not American, will have to rethink how they can make GM, Ford and Chrysler look bad now. Look out peeps! The US Auto Industry is going to make a big comeback with or without your blessing.

Lloyd signing out…..

By Lloyd Frazier

If you could choose a car to bury in a time capsule and open up in 50 years, what make/model would you choose? Picture yourself in Tulsa, OK back in 1957. That is exactly what they did. To celebrate Tulsa’s 50-year anniversary, they buried a ’57 Belvedere. It was the quintessential gas-guzzling icon of its time. Tulsa citizens will get a real treat in 2007. The time capsule, which contains the Plymouth and other memorabilia stuffed inside it, will be opened in 2007. I ran across this story during my weekly visit to Hemmings Motor’s Auto Blog. Apparently, they took strict precautions to ensure that the car and all that is contained within it will be preserved well. The story line in the video states that Tulsa, at that time in 1957, had more cars per capita than any other city in the country, except, of course, Los Angeles. I never knew that little bit of American auto trivia. It just goes to show you how much the automobile is forever ensconced in our culture. Long live the American automakers!!

Lloyd, signing out

By Lloyd Frazier

If you could think of one American built car that stood the test of time and was in a class all by itself, that would definitely be the Chevrolet Corvette. First appearing in 1953 as a unique entry into the sports car market dominated by European makes, it was not a muscle car by definition. The Corvette used muscle car powertrains and has represented American performance for over 50 years. The new C6, which designates the 6th generation design, is truly a 21st century Corvette. The all new Corvette is equipped with an all-new standard LS2 6.0 liter small block V8 that delivers 400 horses at 400 ft lbs of torque, major revisions to the automatic and manual transmissions, and a muscular exterior design that is 5 inches shorter and 1 inch narrower than its older sibling the C5. And finally, the exposed headlights return after being mechanically concealed since 1963.

My first exposure to the new C6 was exhilirating. It has a roomy cabin, low profile and a cool heads up display. The acceleration is awesome. Bringing the car up over 120 mph and cruising at that speed for several minutes, you really begin to understand the superior aerodynamics of this car. When you back off the accelerator pedal, and cruise at a legal speed with all the rest of the mortals, you feel cheated, almost as if you are standing still.

To steal a phrase from a past GM marketing campaign for the Oldsmobile line, which they offed in 2004, ‘This isn’t your Fathers’ Corvette. The aftermarket is looming large for the new ‘Vette. Performance, handling, and appearance packages are all available to personalize your ride. The example on the right is a new Flowmaster American Thunder exhaust system and custom exhaust tips that replace the pair of dual flutes for a more bold, muscle car appearance. It adds a few more horses and gives it a great sound. And yes, you can add some kick with simple enhancements under the hood. There are fuel injection performance kits from K&N that can increase the air flow to the air intake chamber and release even more horsepower that is so well hidden. The example on the left is a K&N FIPK on a 2005 C6 Corvette. As you can imagine, there are as many combinations of enhancements you can do to personalize your ride as your imagination can come up with. That is the beauty of the American automotive experience. As usual, I am pleading my case to you. Go out and experience those great American cars!

Lloyd signing out.

By Lloyd Frazier

Hudson started in 1909. It was founded by 8 men, one of which was the department store magnate JL Hudson. The department store still exists today – Dayton Hudson.

Hudson had brought about several innovations in the automobile industry:
* First mass produced enclosed coach. This profoundly influenced GM and Ford.
* First low cost 6 cylinder
* Fluid clutch system
* Push Button start
* Step-down, monobuilt(uni-body)unit body. A lower center of gravity and wider body.
* In 1951, Hudson produced a souped up version of the step-down design called the Hornet. It changed the NASCAR circuit. It dominated from 1951-1954.

As with most US auto manufacturers, WWII halted all production of cars to produce armaments. Hudson made aircraft wings and fuselages, anti-aircraft guns, and landing craft engines. The depression put a dent in Hudson’s cash flow, as will most manufacturers. They finally merged with Nash in 1954 to form American Motors. The last Hudson to be built was in 1957. What an awesome car!
Trivia: American Motors became the third largest US automobile manufacturer in the early 60’s with the popularity of their compact Ramblers. By 1980, American Motors financial situation was floundering. Renault bought 25% interest of the company. Chrylser bought American Motors company in 1987 and phased out the brand in favor of the Eagle badge in 1988.