Product Review – Griot’s Garage – Long Lasting Tire Dressing Prt 2

Before I attempted to use the tire dressing, I washed the car and gave the rubber a good scrubbing.  For the actual application I used an old sock.  When I first poured the dressing on to the sock, it was a bit runny, but still has some consistency.  Keep in mind the temperature, 105 degrees in my garage where I  stored it and where I was applying it and about 108 outside.  I was a bit concerned, because with two show cars (one, a trophy winner and white!!) and having the tire dressing flung all over the paint isn’t cool, which is exactly what I won’t use the Eagle One brand.

I gave 3 of my 07 Vette’s tires two coats and I have one 3 coats.  Take a look a the results.

First coat:

First coat - not even - most likely due to the sock.

Another first coat

An additional note – these pics were taken in my garage with a less than optimal source light.

Now with the Vette  moved out into the sun and two coats.

Two coats - pretty nice coverage.

I really liked the 3rd application.

3 coats created a good look

So know I’ve given each tire 3 coats and since I don’t do this for a living, the next test had to wait.  I had a few ‘honey-do’ chores, before I took the Vette for a drive.  So the car sat in the sun for about an hour – temp was about 108.

With the to do list completed, I  needed  to take the Vette out to toss some air in the tires.  Yes…average guy tools = small compressor  that doesn’t hold enough air to top off four tires..heck…it can barely do one…got to upgrade one of these days.

Here is where the rubber meets the road and hopefully the tire dressing doesn’t meet the paint, but first a note. I did in fact drip some of Griot’s Garage – Long Lasting Tire Dressing on my chrome wheels and sure enough it cleans off with moist rag.

Take a quick spin about 1.5 miles from the house and I don’t drive 30 miles an hour…the tires spun pretty hard the entire trip.

At the air pump here is what I saw.

Light running

Same here.

I’ll mention, again the temperature and I think that might have something to do with it, but really this wasn’t bad.  The real test was whether or not it spread to the paint and since it’s a black car you aren’t going to see it as easily – it’s a clear liquid as well.  So a quick swipe with a white showed me all I needed to know, it came back clean.

So I’m pretty pleased with how the product worked.

As far as the “long-lasting” part.  I’m not going to be able to render a fair opinion yet for a couple of reason:

1.  I just put it on

2.  We don’t get much rain here in Southern AZ  but it is the monsoon season so it has rained 3 times since the application.

So that will have to be in Part 3 later on.

I need to add a few notes as I always do when I review a product. (Some of that laws school was worth the $$$.)

I don’t work for Griot’s, my only connection is that I”m on their mailing list.  This is the first product I’ve purchased from them.

I did see a tweet from someone related to Griot’s Garage commenting on this review, but don’t know the individual.

I’m not Consumer Reports or Consumer Digest.  I only comment on products I use in my search for “stuff” that works well for me.

Whenever I write about a product I try to follow the  instructions provided and always give any variances or events/conditions that might impact the outcome.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Product Review – Griot’s Garage – Long Lasting Tire Dressing

From time to time I check out a product that I hear about, in this case, from a repetitive mail from Griot’s garage.  This is a catalog of sorts, with a lot of merchandise and everything you need to spruce up your ride.

Thier “Long Lasting Tire Dressing” is the first item I’ve tried.

If you recall I did a review a while back on a tire gel here is the link: ” Like and Don’t Like – Products (Tire Gel) and Tools (Thread Chasers)”
http://wp.me/pKHNM-aJ

Here is my new try:

[vodpod id=Video.13290806&w=425&h=350&fv=file%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fvid299.photobucket.com%252Falbums%252Fmm296%252Ftimsweet2200%252FVIDEO0058.mp4]

Tire Dressing, posted with vodpod
Now before we start, the bottle you see in the video has instructions and to be fair, I’ll give you any variations.
The direction say, roughly, clean the tire, apply with application pad and that a light application will give you a shine and subsequent will increase the luster.  Not much there to go on.
Now you need to know that I applied the dressing with an old sock.  Most manufactures always try to sell something extra and kt, which is an “applicator”, the magic potion and a terry cloth/micro fiber towel.  I normally don’t go for that sales pitch.  So that was the only deviation.
A couple more variables:
1.  The dressing was stored in my garage.  The temperature in there today was about 105 degrees. I applied the dressing while the car was in the garage.
2. The temp outside was about 108.
3.  As you will see my Corvette’s tires have small sidewalls and a lot of small raised text and logo.
Ok so here are a couple before pics:

Before, notice the off-color

More of the discolor and you can see there isn't must sidewall.

Lots of raised lettering

Raised logo

Coming  up application and an opinion.

Thanks for reading.
Tim

Car Production Numbers. They Made How Many? 1926

Are you like me and like numbers and history?

Here are some numbers for car production for 1996.

At the number one spot was Ford with 1,426,612 followed by:

Chevy                    547,724

Buick                     266,753

Dodge                   265,000

Hudson/Essex   227,508

Willys-Overland/Whippet       182,000

Chrysler              135,520

Pontiac/Oakland     133,604

Ford was really knocking out some cars.

Here is a 1926 Willys-Overland Whippet

 

1926 Essex

 

In 1926 GM purchased all the shares of Fisher Body Company from the Fisher brothers and build a new building in 1927.

1926 was the first year for Pontiac, is sported a 40 bhp, 187 CID L-head 6.

Thanks for reading

Tim

 

How Many Did They Make? 1902

There is a lot of emphasis on numbers for production when it comes to collector cars and I get that, who wouldn’t what a low product something or other.

So I got to thinking about production numbers and thought it would be interesting post some up from time to time.

Now in 1902 there weren’t many cars being produced but there were 8 makers.

1.  Locomobile                                                                           2,750

2.  Oldsmobile                                                                        2,500

3.  Rambler                                                                            1,500

4. White                                                                                     385

5.  Knox                                                                                     250

6. Packard                                                                                 179

7.  Stanley                                                                                  170

8.  Union                                                                                      60

1902 White Auto

Knox Truck Circa 1902

 
 
Thanks for reading
Tim
 
 
 

 

Auto Factoids 7/10 -7/16 Checker – VW

Back by popular demand Auto Factoids.

July 12  – The first Checker automobile was produced in 1922.

–   It was a merger of sorts between Commonwealth
Motors (making bodies for cab companies as ‘Mogul’) and Morris Markin’s  Markin Autobody.

–  The engine is a 4 cylinder Buda Model Q with 27 hp.

–   1935 Checker used the Y-8 engine (Lycoming engine) and the Y-6 engine ( a Continental six-cylinder).

–   The last Checker autos were produced in 1982 with  a 229-cubic-inch (3.8 liter) V-6 engine and automatic 3-speed transmission.

1922 Checker Cab

1982 Checker Cab

July 14 – VW debuts the Karmann Ghia in 1955

–   360,000 coupes and about 80,000 convertibles we made between 1955 and 1974.

–   I will own one of these eventually.

1955 Karmann Ghia

1974 VW Karmann Ghia

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Project Pontiac 1949 Silver Streak Delivery Van

I have a co-worker who from time to time has mentioned his Pontiac project and we’ve ‘bench restored’ a few times.  But I’d never actually saw this car , nearly a picture.  But thanks to our first real rain here in Southern AZ since last year I think, and the fact that we don’t do our monsoon season any other way than “harsh”  my  co-worker’s (we’ll call him ‘Mike’…’cause that’s actually his name) neighbor had a tree that suffered enough wind damage it and to be taken down.  So Mike had to move the car, parked it behind his daily driver.  Got up this morning and decied..heck, I’ll drive it to work.

And that’s how I got the pic of the 1949 Pontiac Silver Streak Delivery Van, all original  and get this…..his family is the only owner the beauty every had.  His grand father purchased it new.  More to come on this one but here are some pics.

1949 Pontiac Delivery Van

 

Back Side of the '49 Silver Streak Delivery Van Pontiac style.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Closure Missing 1970 Mustang Grande

OK after all these years, after the car was gone.  I stopped by the house.  I was met by Al, short for Albert, not Alan, as Al informed me.

I told him that I had always wanted to check on the Grande and he informed I was a bit late.  He said he didn’t mind answers a few questions.

So I asked Al how got the car and he said he bought it back in 1972 from some guy.  “It was a nice car with an automatic.”  Of course my next question was what was under the hood and he said ‘nothing’.  “Took it out about 10 years ago and parked on the side of the house.”  He told me he never got the engine fixed, ” ’cause  it ‘cost too much.”  He ended up letting the guy that did some work on it keep.  “Ya know, it might have been a 302.”  He said he didn’t really know want to do with the body and just ended up hanging on to it.

So I asked him where the car end up, hoping it was sent out to be restored.  He said there was this guy from Texas that would stop by every now and then and ask if it was for sale.  He drives large pick up and always has an empty trailer attached.  This same guy that has stopped by a co-worker of mine, who has her son’s 70 Monte Carlo and her daughter’s 1969 Camaro sitting under her car port – waiting for some TLC and try’s to convince her that she should sell them to him.  She chases him off each time, but he’ll swing by a few months later.

A couple of weeks ago, Texas dude, stops by Al’s home and Al decided to get the Grande out of the yard and sold the man from Texas.

We talked a bit longer about my 1970 Mustang coupe and I showed him a couple of pics on my phone and then thanked him for his time.

There ya go..closure!

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Mustang Upholstery Part II

The next step is to remove the seat from the car.

For the Mustang the studs pass through the track and the nuts are under the car so a little space is need.  Since most average guy’s don’t have a lift in their home garage, so I pull out the trusty 2 ton floor jack and a jack stand.

As most Mustang owners know, they were built with subframes.  When jacking up the car with a floor jack place it on the frame, or use the standard scissor jack that attached to the seam at the rocker panel.  Either way once it’s in the air, DO NOT FORGET to put the jack stand under the car. Yes it actually takes longer to do the set up then to remove the bolts…but take the time to be save.

2 Ton Floor Jack

Floor pan plug that protect the bolts and studs.

These plugs pry out very easily.  I was able to get them out with just my fingers.  Once they are removed you’ll have access to the nut.  The distance between the opening and the nut requires an extension and the length of the stud requires a deep socket.  These were 1/2″.  The Mustang was raised in Arizona (get it?  First reader to drop a comment explaining “get it” wins a DVD.)  and all the plugs are in place.  This kept all the road grime and what not off the studs and nuts, they separated easily.

When you are done you should have this many parts.

When I purchased the Mustang I was told that the upholstery was replaced at some point. (Keep that in mind for later as well.)

[vodpod id=Video.11743606&w=425&h=350&fv=file%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fvid299.photobucket.com%252Falbums%252Fmm296%252Ftimsweet2200%252Fremoval1.mp4]

 

As you can see in the video I wasn’t able to get the seat out of the car. I initially I figured it was because I couldn’t pull out level enough for the studs to clear the holes due to the fact that I was holding the camera. However, after putting it down I still shouldn’t get the seat out. So I climbed back under the car and found that there was a second nut on the right rear stud. I’m guess it was doubled up, when the last installer wasn’t sure whether they already but one on? And of course you can see by the previous picture that those two nuts not the same as the others.

Part III will be coming up in a day or so.
Thanks for reading.
Tim

Mustang Upholstery Part I

I know, I have a lot of work scheduled for the Mustang. This includes interior work and yes maybe doing it all at once would be a good idea. But I drive it a couple of times a week and the seat is getting worse. So I decided it needed to be fixed.

 

The kit is from TMI and I think I purchased it from a Mustang parts dealer, but I don’t recall which one. Here’s a couple of videos on it.

 

 

What I noticed is the black piping. I know that the car was re-upholstered before I purchased it, so I’m guessing that this was not original, at least they don’t make them in the reproduction world.

 

Coming up is the removal of the seat.

Thanks for reading.
Tim

The Loss of Car Brand Rivalry – The Slow Death of innovation?

I was ready an article in one of the many auto related magazines (can’t recall which one…I’m behind on my reading….a bit <<>>>) and the author was stating that it’s no longer the Mopar guys vs. Ford guys or vs Chevy, but now it’s just tuner vs. tuner.

I first realized that, he was indeed correct and secondly that it really extended into many more areas of life.  But for now, I’ll stick with why I’m writing this.

When I was a kid (60’s and 70’s) there were clean lines. My Dad was a GM guy or more specifically a Chevy guy, his Dad had Mopars (but really anything that got him to a store for a ‘soda’ was fine with him).  On other side of the family (Mom’s side) there wasn’t much going on there with my uncles (except one who introduced me to Corvettes at the age of about 4 or 5), except my grandfather who always seemed to have a Ford – actually they were always the huge Mercury Marques or similar Merc model.

So there were many discussion on which brand  lasted longer, ran better, had more power and a very important are for ‘way’ upstate New York State, which one rusted slower (seems there were two types of cars no matter what brand – those with rust holes and those about to have rust holes).  Now school was where things got hyped.  Even as far back as grade school there were discussions about which car brand was better….I recall even then the full name of F.O.R.D – “Found On (side of) Road Dead”.

That was the core of a car guy’s or gal’s life back then.  Even those that made a living working on them had preferences.

But that is all being lost.  It’s hard to tag the exact cause or point in time this happened.  However, I’m going to blame racing.  Yup straight up, drag racing and oval track racing.  The thought that a funny car is really a Mustang or the template fitted oval track car is a Camaro or a Camry, is merely an illusion.  When the running of “real” cars stopped, the rivalry began to die.

Funny Car “Mustang” This is John Forces car…no offense intended

Not a Mustang

Camry Funny Car

Looks like the stang.

Ford Mustang

NASCAR Camry

NASCAR CAMARO

Coming up next:  So where does the lack rivalry lead us?

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Comment Update:

Like you, I grew up in a GM only family. My dad bought Chevy Station Wagons (stripper Biscaynes) for family hauler duty and Buick LeSabres for his personal daily drivers. Each and every car he bought faithfully lasted 100K miles with only minor repairs and service.

Then, in the 1980s several things happened that destroyed car loyalty. One, all GM cars were exactly alike both in appearance and crappy reliability. My dad was devastated that his 1982 Buick with Olds 305 V8 was in the shop 100 days per year, each and every year of the 36 months he owned that car, then his 1989 Beretta was the same in reliability. Second, the Japanese, or rather JAPAN, INC, realized that turning cars into ‘appliances’ was exactly what America needed and wanted. Styling is not as important as 200K reliability and 60% re-sale value. Finally, Detroit failed the American consumer by trying to make big profits on SUVs rather than compete on quality car products. All of this contributed to the errosin of car loyalty.

I read an article awhile back that stated that the Asian brand cars have loyalty among themselves in that Honda people buy Toyotas and Toyota people buy Hondas, and some people only consider all Asain brands both Japanese and Korean, but American loyalty has boiled down to the large truck market only. Pick Up truck owners are loyal to only GM, Ford, or Chrysler. In fact, the article mentioned that MOST F150 owners are likely to own Toyota products as their car product.

For me, I was a “MOPAR, or NO CAR” loyal Chrysler buyer for all of my driving life. My first car was a 1969 Dodge Coronet 440 that ruled the street of my neighborhood (less the occasional MACH1 that would beat me). My second car was a Road Runner that never lost a race. Then I matured into a Plymouth Horizon, a Plymouth Laser, followed by a Shelby Charger, a Shelby Lancer, and the present day LeBaron Convertible. I bought Chrysler products because they were the underdog of the Big 3, because Lee Iacoccoa needed our support, because they were the most patriotic brand, and because they were the biggest bang for the buck.

The Daimler takeover ended that loyalty. The FIAT ownership makes permanent that I will not buy another MOPAR.

Today, I am not loyal to any car manufacturer. I can pretty much guarentee you that I won’t buy foreign in that I ‘follow the money’; in other words, Ford and GM money do come home no matter where the assembly point, or source of the car. I lean towards Ford products in that they did not take a bail out, Bill Ford is a family owner of the company, Alan Mullay is an engineer that realizes crappy cars do not sell, and the Mustang is still the very best Muscle Car for the money. Always has been, and I hope will always will be!

Submitting my rant for the day, Bill

 

aaron_creed

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BrianIckler

RT @dustinlong: Covered Auto Racing RT @APSE_sportmedia: Retiring Bill Center 1 of a kind. Nobody outworked him. http://t.co/vasTGbmbY2 vi…