Monthly Archives: June 2010

New addition to the C4

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It’s been a few days since I posted last, every once in a while life gets a little busy, business travel and a vacation.

However, this blog might have been idle but I wasn’t.

For as long as I’ve owned my vette, I’ve dragged around the original Bose stereo.  Yup, 1980’s technology, with a cassette  and AM and FM radio.  (You kids won’t remmmbbberr….hang on while I put my teeth back in…there…better…remember these and I use to walk to school when I was a kid, up hill both ways and snow up to here!!!!) It sounded really bad.  The cones were mostly dried out from the AZ heat and I think I’ve spent enough on original used speaker and amps (each speaker had its own amp) to buy four stereos with big amps and have the vette vibrate down the street without starting it.  I just didn’t want to get read of the thing….because it was original equipment.

Well, I finally broke down and replaced it.  HOWEVER, not with just a cd player and radio.  Nope.  I wanted something a little more fitting for the car. 

The 1984 C4, as more Corvette peeps know, was the most technologically, advanced car at the time.  It was the first car with computer controlled fuel injection, electronic shifting, and a dash-board with digital and graphic displays….and you can switch it from English to Metric.  So I wanted a stereo, befitting the other technology, but…..say it with me….Average Guy with and Average Budget!!!!!

So I couldn’t go to crazy.  What I did find was an all digital Pioneer Media Center.  No CD.  USB connection for IPODs or just a thump drive.  HD Radio that finds adds all the radio stations and …..wait for it…..drum roll………blue tooth phone connections.  KOOL or what…my wifes’ 08 Lexus has got nothing on my 84 Vette now…..ok..well she does have air-conditioned seats and navigation (…but my phone has that)  and the rear camera and a back seat (over rated!!!) and moon room (but my roof comes off!!)…away there’s more.

I did not want any thing to happen to the original speaker covers nor did I want any new holes, I wanted great sound and an original look.  So I added Alpine SPS 699’s in the rear, 260 watts and 85 RM and Alpine SPS 400 for the door speakers, 140 watts peak and 45 RM.  She sounds great.

 The original Bose system is safe,  all packed and stored.

Thanks for reading.  Drop me a note.

Tim

Auto Factoids for 6/6/2010

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Here ya go:

1928 Plymouth Code Q

7/7/1928 First Plymouth is made, some research suggest that it was actually  built on June 11, 1928.  It had  engineering code (or model) Q and had a 4 cylinder engine.  Check out the video on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGfwjTI1ahA

6/10/1951  A Jaguar wins the 24 hours Le Mans – it was a C-type version of XK120.  Here are a couple pics:

Jaguar at a race

XK 120 C

C Type

6/10/1927 – The Graham boys purchased what was Paige_Detroit Motor Cars.  The Grahams started out as farmers and glass bottle makers.  One of  the brothers invented a rear axle that would allow converting Ford car platforms in to light duty trucks.  Oh they are still in business – owning/running Madison Square Gardens and hosting sporting events.

Graham-Paige auto

6/11/1955 Horrific crash at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  Here are the details from History.com

Prior to the race, Levegh complained that the course was too narrow near the pit-stop area and the grandstand. This observation proved prescient. As Levegh was racing for the lead near the pit-stop area, he swerved to avoid fellow racer Mike Hawthorn s Jaguar as it moved toward the pits. Levegh s car, going about 150 miles per hour, came up too fast on Lance Macklin s Austin-Healey and was catapulted upward. The car crashed into the grandstand and its exploding parts went straight into the crowd. Levegh and more than 80 spectators, packed into the grandstand, lost their lives in the fiery crash.

6/12/1954 – Packard offers the first tubeless tires.

6/12/1975 – The last Chrysler Imperial was made.

1975 4 Door Chrysler Imperial

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Steve Sears 1992 Ford Ranger XLT and Paint

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Steve Sears is one of the readers of this blog and owner of a 1982 Mercury Cougar Station Wagon (again..I love this car). 

But that’s not all, Steve does a lot of his own work, including this unique paint job on his 1992 Ranger. 

Here is his recent project. 

The before: 

1992 Ford Ranger XLT

 

Tim, 

  

I completed my project last week and thought you’d like to see it.  I painted my Ranger with a roller.  I only did six coats of each color, usually 8 – 10 coats are required.  I like to call the color Haze gray underway and white.  I spent 26 years in the Navy so I thought the gray was appropriate for me. Ha Ha.  It’s painted with rustoleum mixed with mineral spirits in a 1:1 ratio thus the many coats required.  The body prep is the same as any other type paint job except that a primer is not used over the whole truck.  I only spot primed the bare metal and over the bondo used to fix parking lot dings.  It took a full 8 days to complete the project including the paint on the topper.  I have to wait a few weeks before buffing out for a full gloss.  For that I’ll just remove the mirrors and the bug shield on the front.  The process is well documented on the web over the last 10 years or so so I won’t repeat the process.   

  

I thought your readers would be interested. Finally I have the truck looking like new again.  It’s a 1992 Ranger XLT that I had bought new on April 24, 1992.  It has the 2.3 liter four and a five speed tranny.  The picture labeled 019.JPG is the before shot is attached.  

And the after photos: 

After Pic 1

  

After Pic 2

  

After Pic 3

Thanks very much for sharing it Steve.  (A roller?  Wow!!!!)  

  Drop me your comments!!!! 

Thanks for reading 

Tim 

Auto Factoids for the Week of 5/30/2010

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5/31/1927 – Mr. Ford produces the last Model T

6/2/1899 – Locomobile Co. Founded – they were in business until 1929.  They made a lot of cars, I hadn’t realized that.  Here are a couple.

1901 Locomobille - Cool..wonder what the 1/4 mile time were??

Love this one..Steam powered????

1923 48 Series Sport

6/3/1864 Ransom Olds was born in Ohio.  He developed and build cars named after him,  Oldsmobile and REO (his middle name was Eli, hence REO, hey that was a band name REO Speedwagon.

An Reo Speedwagon

I’ve never heard of the next guy, until now and did a little reading.

Barney Oldfield was born 6/3/1878.  He was a race car drive, but started out racing bike and wining silver medals in the process.  Here are a couple pics:

Early 1900's

Oh Yeah..that Henry Ford standing next to his car.