Normally, I do a Auto Factoid piece and you’d find a entry that would say on May 14, 1969 the last Corvair rolled off the factory line.
Some folks loved the car and many collectors still do. There were a few that really disliked the car for various reasons and one guy in particular, Ralph Nader, believed they represented all that was wrong with the U.S. auto industry. Although he may not have single-handedly contributed the end of the Corvair’s production, many believe he was instrumental in it’s early demise.
That’s why in a border town car show in Nogales, AZ I found this humorous:
What’s funny about a 1966 Corvair?
How about the Ralph Nader for President bumper sticker?
With the new C7 just days away with from it’s reveal – will it look the a Camaro or not much of a change from the C6?
We don’t exactly know, but what we do know it will have the GM small block a mainstay for 57 years. This version will be almost all new and dubbed the “LT1”, (after the 70’s engine) and will be naturally aspirated with direct fuel injection (the first with push rods). The idea is that the base Corvette will have 450 hp and 450 lb-ft, compression will be 11.5:1 and get 26 miles per gallon (yeah….RIGHT!!).
Read some more at the link below and in the Feb 2013 Edition of Motor Trend read “Up Close and Personal With the LT1” (page 15).
This is a repeat – it got lost in the move to the new domain – I had to add it back to the archives so I could refer to it in my up and coming post on Model Cars.
I should throw “collecting” in the title of this blog (but it’s really long enough), because, although it’s about 2.5 months old, I have mentioned collecting a bunch of times. But really that is part of hobby as well.
Of course if I were to list all the cars I’d love collect, it would be fairly long and in reality (my reality) unaffordable..unless you are Jay Leno… I hate that guy. Ok..I don’t hate him…not really..the green-eyed monster made me say that.
Since I’m not as funny as Jay and I have to work for a living….what?…..ok..ok….I’m sure Jay works very hard…I guess…it’s tough reading funny newpaper clips….ok…Sorry Jay, I have “substituted” this alternative method of obtaining the cars I’d love to own.
You all figured it out yet? I’m talking about models, scale diecast replicas. There is an entire industry out there that produces, imports and markets these items. Some of them are extremely well done.
Here are some shots of my collection. I’m concentrating on the Mustangs and Corvettes in the sizes 1/18 or 1/24 scale.
These are a few of Mustangs
And these are a few of the Corvettes.
A Few of the Vettes
Most of these are Danbury Mint and GMP pieces, I do like what they produce, lots of details and they are affordable (around $100.00 each).
Here is a few shots of the 1967 GT 350.
GMP 1967 GT350 Interior
GMP Mustang GT350 Engine compartment
The Franklin mint produces cars, Greenleaf, Motormint, just to name a few.
It’s fun and affordable and they do increase in value. It’s gotten so popular that even the mainstream car magazines like Hemmings (they normally have at least one article in every Motor News edition), Mustang Monthly and Corvette magazine have articles that discuss this portion of the hobby and even rate the quality of individual brands and their offerings.
If you collect already or want to get started drop a comment to this post. Toss in some pic as well.
Sometimes we forget how things evolved when it comes to the functioning of our cars. Sometimes to understand how they work its helpful to go back in time and view how the problem was solved.
Take for instance this 1937 GM film on how to solve cornering.
Some time ago I wrote about repairing my 1984 Corvettes door panel. The panel its self was not well made … read “cheap” and didn’t stand up well to time/use. Unfortunately, I can’t say there was any improvement in “quality” of the door panels in my 2007 Vette. But this project isn’t a Corvette door panel, but my son’s Chrysler LeBaron.
The LeBaron is 1990’s car and the door panels are 1990’s cheap, no nice way to say that. This quick project was didn’t start out about the door panel, other than we had to take it off to check the multiple window control switch. The window controls were part of a plastic insert that also has the remote control for the drivers’ side mirror poked through it. It stays put, normally by 3 prongs that push into “V” clips that are on stand-a-lone braces that are mounted on the door panel directly – but not well done.
Since the insert has slid down over the past few months, it seemed that either driving vibrations and/or normal door operations, so while we are in there we’d push the prong back in. Seemed simple enough.
The back of the panel a fiber board/plastic composite – not really fiberglass but similar and it’s pretty sturdy.
Back side of the door panel.
Here you can see the brackets I mentioned above. However, the way in which the bracket are attached to the board is meant to last forever. They are held together with bits of glue in holes along the edges of the bracket. In the heat of Arizona and the great condition our roads are in (tongue in cheek) this type of connection is not ideal.
Here you can see the glue the back of the bracket and that is oozed out into the holes.
This image below is the results of the glue pulling off – separating from the fiber board.
Part clue – Part fiber board. This was laying at the bottom of the door panel
It’s strange thinking that if I don’t post photos, it feels like i don’t shoot……Having the style and aesthetic of a photojournalist/documentary photographer, the process really isn’t finished until I share with like-minded people.
Over the last month I have purchased and currently importing my future wife…….a 53 Belair Hardtop
This 1953 Chevy Wagon was bought new by my Grandfather as a delivery wagon for his grocery store. My Uncle and Cousin had restored and maintained it until it was passed on to me. This is the actual first car I remember riding in as a toddler. I was fascinated by the chrome on the dash, and have been a car nut ever since.
After a lot of thought and conversations, I have decided what direction to go with the restoration of the Wagon. At first, I wanted to preserve the original state of the car, but if I did that, it would be dangerous to drive in today’s traffic. In 1953, there were no seat-belts and few other safety devices. I really would like to enjoy the car as it was meant to be…. driving it as much as possible. I would love to build it with a Big Block, but I am realistic so I plan to install the original Corvette engine and transmission from the ’78 Vette. I also want to install disc brakes all around with radial tires. Of course there is creature comforts like air conditioning I want to install. I will keep the original look of the car with a few exceptions like wheels and over-sized tires.
