August 2014
CAR TALK
GENERAL CAR NEWS:
For some of us who’ve been around cars quite a while and enjoy motor racing, we experienced a disruption in the Force recently. You may have heard (or read) that on May 19, Sir Jack Brabham died at the age of 88. Jack was a superb automotive engineer, but is best known as one of only two Australian drivers to win a Formula One title; and he actually won three of them. He competed during Formula One’s golden age and won the driver’s championship in 1959, 1960 and again in 1966. The first two titles were won in the last years of front-engined racers. After almost retiring from driving, Brabham decided to build his own rear-engine Formula One racer, the Brabham RT19. He then went on to win the 1966 championship in that car at the age of 40, silencing some critics who were saying that he was too old to compete. When he did retire, he still remained a force in Formula One for another 30 years because of the Brabham team.
Jack was the first driver to be knighted for services rendered to motorsports. His sons Geoff, Gary and David have all achieved their own success in motorsports.
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We’ve talked about how well General Motors, and specifically Chevrolet, has been doing lately, but the state of the American auto industry in general seems to be quite healthy. Not sure how long the good news will continue, but new vehicles sales through the month of June 2014 rose 4.3%, topping 8 million units sold. At this rate, sales could soar past 16.5 million units for the year – a level not seen since 2007. In May, nearly every manufacturer posted gains that far exceeded the projections of industry pundits. General Motors and Toyota reported their best sales since 2008, while Ford saw its best sales since 2005. The U.S. arms of Audi and Porsche recorded their best sales month………..ever!
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CORVETTE NEWS:
Todd Christensen, who is the Corvette marketing manager, has stated that, “We plan to make news with the Corvette Stingray every year, in part by offering special-edition models that offer a unique, personal ownership experience. Our customers have told us they like that.” So maybe you’ve heard that Chevrolet recently announced two new configurations of the 2015 Stingray that you can choose. They are called the Atlantic Luxury drop-top and the Pacific Performance coupe. These models were introduced last fall at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas and received such a strong response from enthusiasts, Chevrolet decided to go ahead and offer them for sale.
The 2015 Corvette Stingray Atlantic Design Package is inspired by the luxury and performance of private jets seen at European vacation destinations. Offered exclusively on Z51-equipped convertibles, it is available in 2LT or 3LT trims. Features include: Z06-style splitter, shark-gray exterior vents, chrome Torque wheels with Stingray center caps, Stingray underhood liner and floor mats, custom splash guards, custom luggage, and more.
The 2015 Corvette Stingray Pacific Design Package is inspired by West Coast drivers who attend weekend track events. It’s offered exclusively as a Z51-equipped coupe, in 2LT and 3LT trims. It will have the following unique content: Satin black racing stripes, satin black Z51 wheels with Stingray center caps, “CFZ” carbon-fiber ground effects package and visible carbon-fiber roof panel, carbon-fiber rear spoiler and outside mirrors, red brake calipers, competition sport seats in red or black, carbon-fiber interior trip and sill plates, gray indoor car cover, and more.
So, there you go. If you really like being just a bit different, maybe one of these special models will fit your style.
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CAR TALK QUIZ:
Remember all the times you saw Richard Petty on TV talking about how he wouldn’t dare drive a car that didn’t have STP oil treatment in it? Remember the famous Red and Blue paint scheme Richard used to race around in, and in fact still often uses on his team’s #43 car even today? So what do the letters STP stand for?
“Scientifically Treated Petroleum”
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Rubber and plastics can be made virtually any color we want, all we need to do is add the right chemical or dye during the manufacturing process. So why are tires black, instead of blue, green or even red?
Being black is the result of the manufacturer’s attempt to extend the life of their automotive products. The color originates from the combination of stabilizing chemicals which are added and blended with the tire polymer during the production of a tire. The chemical responsible is called ‘carbon black’ and it’s added to protect your tires against ozone and UV damage. Manufacturers found that be adding the chemical, it drastically prolongs the life of the tire. So much so, that all tire manufacturers use this same additive in tire production.
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CAR SHOWS:
Next Saturday, August 16, is the date for the 6th Annual Surf City Garage Car Show. The show is open to all makes and models and there will be over $2,000 in cash and prizes, trophies and bragging rights on the line. This is the one time of the year that Surf City opens their American Muscle Car Collection to the public. Admission is free for spectators. Registration to enter your vehicle is $40.
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SAD STORY:
This story comes from an embarrassed Leonard, from the Heartland.
Back in July of 2000, I was putting together my ’78 Camaro project. As I put the torque converter into the transmission, I failed to spin it until the familiar “clunk” would have told me it was fully seated onto the pump.
I proceeded to bolt the engine and transmission together again, still oblivious to my screw up. I was in a hurry and more focused on getting this baby put together and fired up. Yes, the bolts seemed like they were harder to tighten up than usual, but my enthusiasm to finish was still unhampered.
As I continued to tighten the bell housing bolts, I hear a loud “POP” and thought, “Ah, there it goes.” I proceeded to tighten the bolts until everything was buttoned up, thinking the sound I had just heard was the torque converter seating itself.
A few hours later, with much sweat and colorful language, it was ready to fire up. As I turned the key to the “on” position, I could hear the fuel pump kick in. Within seconds, I cranked it over and the motor responded with a roar……..and so did the transmission. I had cracked the pump, sending shards of metal into the internals of the transmission, and it protested with a screeching sound unlike anything I had ever heard. Needless to say, I had to have my freshly-rebuilt transmission rebuilt again.
Just so you know, this was not my first time doing this type of installation. I had previously completed several that went off without a hitch. Put me on the wall of shame!
Moral of the story: never get in a hurry, keep your emotions in check and do it right the first time. When installing that torque converter and giving it a spin to seat, it should fall into place about an inch or so below the bell housing flange.
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