Field Trips – Page 2 – The Unmuffled Auto News

March 18, 2014 zoomvroom Field Trips, Road Trips, The auto dictionary. Look it up here!, World News

Ford Wins 12 Hours of Sebring for the First Time Since 1969!

The last time Ford won the 12 Hours of Sebring was back in 1969. That was when a Ford GT40 MkI beat out a Ferrari 312P. That was at the tail end of Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari’s decade-long motor sports rivalry.

Now, 45 long years later, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Ford Daytona Prototype brought the glory back to Dearborn after 12 chaotic and dramatic hours.

The skilled drivers, Marino Franchitti, Scott Pruett, and Memo Rojas, managed to get the Ford Daytona Prototype across the finish line a mere 5 seconds ahead of Ryan Danziel and the Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-03B. They managed to do this after a late restart bunched the field up.

The win makes Chip Ganassi the only team owner ever to have race titles from the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, and the 12 Hours of Sebring.

As for the GT classes, cars from Stuttgart took the win. Andy Lally, John Potter, and Marco Seefried won GT Daytona in the No. 911 car. Amazing pit stops helped Jörg Bergmeister, Patrick Long, and Michael Christensen drive the CORE Autosports Porsche 911 RSR to victory in the GTLM class.

With the Prototype Challenge class, former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Colin Braun helped put the CORE-ORECA Chevrolet FLM09 best reigning class champion Bruno Junquiera.

With the highly anticipated Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, fuel pump issues and 2 spins dropped the leading Vette to 6th, which disappointed driver Oliver Gavin. Ben Keating and the SRT Viper GT-D retired within the first hour after a truly spectacular fire.

The revolutionary Nissan DeltaWing led its class for several laps, but retired after Lap 104, thanks to a collision on that lap, in addition to a botched pit stop and multiple mechanical issues.

March 11, 2014March 11, 2014 zoomvroom Car Culture, Field Trips, Gifts for the Car Enthusiast, Road Trips, World News

A Spectator’s Guide to the Bonneville Salt Flats at Bonneville Speed Week

The Bonneville Salt Flats are one of the world’s fastest places. The sound barrier was broken there in 1997. Multiple records have been set there over the years. It’s also the only racetrack where the ground underneath you can give you sunburns…and taste bad! I’m hoping to the 2014 Speed Week (August 9-15) with my dad. I thought it would be smart to tell you what to do and bring as a spectator. Enjoy.

The Bonneville Salt Flats are in the high desert of Utah. The Salt Flats are located just 5 miles away from Wendover UT, and West Wendover, NV. West Wendover is a casino town, and Wendover is a pretty neat little town. Wendover Air Field is located at the edge of Wendover, and it’s the same air field that the Enola Gay took off from with both atomic bombs both times. There’s a small museum honoring the brave flight crew and the Manhattan Project.
Bring a cooler with a LOT of ice and water bottles! Fill up your cooler with at least 15 water bottles. That might seem like a lot of water, but temperatures can go as high as 120 degrees. There is a gas station on the frontage road leading to the Salt Flats that sells gas, water, snack food, and sandwiches. It is advised to fill up with water and/or gas here. Vendors sell food and water on the Flats, but they have been known to run out in the past. Bring your own snack food and a LOT of water and hydrating drinks (people say that Gatorades, Vitamin Waters, and iced tea are also good things to bring).
Sun protection is REALLY important here. The Bonneville Salt Flats have never heard of shade. Bring your own. Be imaginative – bring beach umbrellas, sun hats offering head and neck protection, and snow-worthy sunglasses. The reason for the sunglasses being that tough is that the salt is so reflective that you can get snow blindness. Vendors do sell heavy-duty sunglasses, but they are overpriced ($20). Veterans of the salt say to bring skiing sunblock – the reflectiveness of the salt, plus the Sun beating down on you can make your skin look like a tomato. Running long-sleeved shirts are also a good investment – they mean that you don’t need to worry about your arms, and they help keep your torso relatively cool.
Spectators are encouraged to walk the pits and talk with the racers. Last year, the pits were over 3 miles long and 4 city blocks wide! They are expected to be larger this year. Bring a bike or some other form of two-wheeled transportation.
Camping chairs are a good investment. The salt is way too hot to sit on. The salt will leave burns a mile long on you! It will also go into your pores and hurt like crazy to get out! Since there are no grandstands, bring camping chairs with cup holders and an umbrella stand. You’ll thank me later.
Radios are good to bring. Racer/race information is broadcast on the 1610 AM radio frequency. Racers also communicate with race officials or their pit crews with CB radios. If you don’t have a radio, you should get one. Otherwise, you won’t know anything about a racer or how fast they went! There is no PA system except for a driver’s meeting on the first day that everybody is invited to.
Tarps and shoes: The salt gets everywhere, and it corrodes whatever it gets on. Bring a heavy-duty tarp and smooth-soled shoes are a good investment. I don’t mean VANS, I’m thinking shoes like sneakers.
Binoculars are a good thing to bring. Those tiny birdwatching binoculars you have won’t cut it. Their field of vision is too small to track a vehicle going 200+ mph down the course. Spectators can be anywhere from the start line to the final mile marker (Mile 6), but they are always 1/4 of a mile away from the cars for safety reasons. Get big binoculars with a wide field of vision. Because many cars are going in excess of 200 mph (some even go 400+!), this is too fast to track with the human eye, according to veteran spectators.
Optional entertainment is a good thing to bring, as Bonneville Speed Week isn’t meant to be fast-paced, even though the cars and motorcycles go bloody fast! Bring the day’s newspaper, a good book, a new magazine, etc. Some people bring iPads, but it’s hard to read or do whatever on something that reflects the Sun into your eyes. Taking a nap or working on your tan is also a good idea.
Cameras are a must. Make sure that your camera has a good zoom feature that can capture a car at least 1/4 of a mile away. Also, make sure that you have something to download the hundreds of pictures you took that day onto.
Be prepared to meet lots and lots of nice people. Lots of the racers are ex-engineers, ex-JPL employees, etc. When you ask some of the racers what they worked on, and they give you, “If I tell you, and then I kill you” response, they aren’t joking. Don’t go further than that with them! Many racers are nice people who will go out of their way to show you their car, offer you a drink, or just chat with you for hours on end. While there are some people who aren’t people people, there’s a LOT of nice people people.
The engines from the cars are very, very loud. Think Top Fuel on steroids kind of loud. This is because the engines are large and they have no restrictive exhaust systems on them. The high-octane racing fuel will burn your eyes if you are too close.
Vendor food is good. If you can name it, vendors offer it. The food is good, but everybody says the Enola Gay Cafe is the best. I don’t doubt them. It’s even got folding tables and chairs for you to sit in! It starts cooking at 6:00 AM (many racers arrive before then to work on their cars), and stops cooking at 5:00 PM (when everybody leaves the salt). Many vendors sell t-shirts and other souvenirs.
How to get to Bonneville from Wendover is important. Here are directions on how to get there from the main drag in Wendover, UT. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Wendover+Blvd,+Wendover,+UT/Bonneville+Salt+Flats+International+Speedway,+Bonneville+Speedway+Rd,+UT+84083/@40.7604641,-113.9657532,12z/am=t/data=!3m1!4b1!4m16!4m15!1m5!1m1!1s0x80ac2f5b4f0db3a7:0xb33345362043f07d!2m2!1d-114.0355344!2d40.7375496!1m5!1m1!1s0x80ac308e73f0ed1b:0x6c5d8e3c50acde7!2m2!1d-113.895972!2d40.762569!2m1!6e4!3e0. As you can see, it’s pretty easy. Also, the volunteers who put on Speed Week have an entry/exit road marked with cones. Stay inside of the cones. Going out will mean your car will bury itself into the slushy salt and it will take lots of digging and tugging from multiple pickup trucks to extricate you.
Salt Corrosion is one of the worst fears among those of you living back East. Salt is extremely corrosive, and the Bonneville Salt Flats are no exception – they will turn your car into vehicular swiss cheese! Think twice about taking your brand-new Ferrari onto the Salt. If you do, there is a truck stop just off of the I-80 that has a large carwash. It is recommended that you take your car, rental car, motorcycle, whatever you are driving there, and wash EVERYTHING off! With your bikes, a garden hose or compressed air will do just fine. I’ve already talked about shoes, so I won’t go too far into that – just make sure that you can’t find any on them when you get into the car – it tracks everywhere, and it is difficult to get rid of.
Where and what to stay in is always a good thing to ask yourself when going on a trip. There is a Best Western and other small hotels in Wendover, UT. West Wendover has a Super 8 and multiple casinos. All of these are booked solid through August 20th. Same thing with the RV parks. The mud flats outside of the Salt Flats are your only choice right now, unless you want to stay in Park City, or Salt Lake City. Both of those are 110 miles away from the Salt Flats. The mud flats are what they sound like.
Clothing is always good to have on hand. Do NOT wear blue jeans – the tiny rivets in them will leave small, painful burns all over your hips and legs! If you wear shorts, put sunblock on. Make sure that your belt buckle cannot touch any skin – it will hurt! Make sure your shirts are lightweight, light-colored long-sleeved running shirts. Make sure your hats have a big brim that protects your face and neck. Skiing sunglasses (not skiing goggles, alien) are also good.
Where to eat in Wendover is a good thing to know. Long story short, follow the racers. Many of the racers have been coming to the Salt Flats for years, and they know where the best places to eat are. The Mexican restaurant at the truck stop is a good place to eat, as well as Mildred’s Custom Burgers. Following the racers is a good idea, but waiting for them to finish eating isn’t. Waiting for a table can take hours. Neither restaurant knows what reservations mean, so driving quickly to get ahead of the hordes of hungry racers is smart. But, sitting at a table inside (where all the racers are) is nice. The racers talk about their day on the Salt, and previous experiences on the Salt. Listening to their banter and chatting with them is smart. Just be thoughtful of those waiting for your table.
What to do in Wendover/West Wendover is also good to know. Wendover Air Field is now a small airport, but it was where the Enola Gay took off from both times with the atomic bombs, and there’s a small museum honoring the brave crew and the Manhattan Project. The hangars look like they are right out of WWII, but inside, there is a multitude of cool helicopters, planes, and other stuff. West Wendover has not one, but five casinos! Wendover has a small movie theater that offers an air-conditioned escape from the boiling desert heat. There are a few National and Regional Parks (Bonneville is a National Park) in the area. There is even a 9-hole golf course that takes advantage of the desert to lure golfers onto rocky hills.
Gas stations are always a good place to get drinks and gas. Buy at least 15 water bottles at the gas station on the frontage road leading to the Salt Flats. The Wendover Truck Stop I have talked about, as well as the small gas station on the way to the Salt Flats. Don’t ever underestimate Bonneville – it gets hot, and always keep drinking! Dehydration is a bad thing under the best of circumstances, but you could be dead by the time the helicopter from Salt Lake City arrives.
What to do after the racing ends is good to know. The Bonneville Salt Flats close about 5:00 PM, and they open at 5:00 AM. Bonneville is on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land, and it is fenced off and gated at 5:00. When racing is winding down, go back to your car and pack up and head out. It gets crazy getting out of there at 5:00! Go into Wendover for a burger or Mexican food. The racers enjoy an ice-cold beer or two, but don’t let that discourage you! Go up and talk to them! They are cool folks!
When to get to Bonneville to set up to watch racing: Bonneville opens up at a bright-and-early 5:00 AM, but most racers get there about 6:00 AM. The courses open up at 7:00, and the quickest runs happen from 7:00-9:00 AM, as the air is cooler and less humid there. You have to pay a small amount of money as an entry fee every day as a spectator (racers pay for it when they register their car for Speed Week), but it’s really not much. Getting there earlier is better.
Bring a lot of cash. Some vendors don’t take credit cards, and the Bonneville volunteers collecting entry fees don’t take credit cards or checks. Plus, cash is good to take wherever. You can use it to tip, donate to the Wendover Air Field museum, or even donate to the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA).

I’ve also attached one of my favorite Roadkill episodes, where they attempt to set a landspeed record. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEcbwvNaxE8

Also, take a peek at the SCTA’s website. http://www.scta-bni.org/Bonneville.html

The colors, excitement, people, cars, and the beauty are just some of the reasons why people return to Bonneville year after year. It’s called Salt Fever. Catch it! Come to Speed Week 2014 and hopefully you can meet up with me and my dad! Plus, getting to Bonneville is a beautiful road trip in itself. Enjoy the trip to Bonneville and your time there!

July 16, 2013 zoomvroom Field Trips, Out N' About

Out And About In Sonoma County!

So, I’d promised you some more drool-worthy hunks of Motown iron, right? Well, here they are!!!!!

I’m quite sure that all of you know what this lovely car is, right? It’s a pristine 1967 Pontiac GTO with the 400 cubic-inch engine (6.6 liters!) and an automatic transmission. Not the ideal choice for me, but I’m sure it gets the job done. While it looks like it had a restoration about 5-7 years ago, it likely hasn’t put that many miles on in its lifetime. The odometer reads a mere 80,145. This is a sure sign that the car has been driven about 1,500 miles a year. That’s pretty gentle, but I don’t think that the car cares that much!

Below, a pristine 1960-ish Chrysler 300 Windsor Sedan was parked just a few parking spots away. It has a nice white-and-blue color scheme. Inside, a satellite radio/iPod connector has been fitted (BOO!!!!!). Enjoy this land barge!

I like the skinny whitewall tires. They contrast nicely with the gigantic chrome wheel covers. More nice photos of nice cars next time!

July 5, 2013 zoomvroom Car Culture, Field Trips

The Best Cars of the 20th Century On Display – in South Africa!

Don’t ask me about the location – I don’t know why! I guess South Africa is full of car buffs. The Franschhoek Motor Museum is located about an hour away from Cape Town, South Africa. It contains a horde of classic cars that will make ANYBODY’s mouth start drooling!

About 100 cars out of a collection of 300 are displayed at one time. According to the knowledgeable staff, about 200 of the cars run. Five full-time mechanics take painstaking care of them, while restoring selected cars that don’t run. Each of the running cars is driven at least once a month, on days when the museum is closed to the public. The cars don’t sit there doing nothing, either!

One nice feature of the museum is that the museum offers rides in one or two cars to visitors. It can be educational for children of all ages to be crammed next to the driver in a 1930’s Austin. Visitors can also be chauffeured around in an early-1950’s BMW 502 Sedan, or lounge in the backseat of a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow and a Cadillac Fleetwood (both cars are rare to South Africans).

From Formula 1 race cars to humble two-stroke DKW sedans from post-war Germany, the collection marries idiosyncrasy with a deep appreciation for the significant cars of the past century.

There is a wide variety of cars that range from the crowd-pleasing Ferrari 250 GT SWB and the McLaren F1, but also more obscure, rare cars like the 1911 Lorraine Dietric luxury tourer with a brass horn in the shape of a snake curling along its fender, or a 1910 Wolseley town car from the Edwardian period.

For truck lovers, they can stare at the 1923 Ford Model T pickup with wooden sides and the Chesterfield Cigarettes logo.

You can mooch around on the website at http://www.fmm.co.za/home/

June 14, 2013 zoomvroom Car Culture, Field Trips, Out N' About, The History of Autos, Website Reccomendation

Coverage from the 11th Annual Peggy Sue All-American Cruise!

Every year, the Peggy Sue All-American Cruise and its related events take over sunny Santa Rosa, CA. Restored cars, hot rods, low riders, raised Jeeps, and antique American cars are all part of the mix. We have entered our 1950 GMC 100, “Betsy” twice. It’s always been a lot of fun for me to see all of the classic cars in the parade or the massive parking lot where they are displayed! This year, one of my good friends joined me in watching the classic American cars cruise around downtown Santa Rosa. Revving engines? Check. Drunk people yelling at drivers to “Step it up, dude!”? Check. Squealing tires? Check? The smell of burnt brakes? Check. Annoyed and overworked event staff? Right on. I know that you are getting bored reading my words about what was going on. I’ll cut to the chase: It was a LOT of fun, and you should join me next year. Enjoy the pictures.

I don’t know what this Chevy Nova had under the hood, but it sounded NASTY! Many of the cars at the parade were either restored to Concours-levels or were built for the drag strip. This one was built to rule the streets.

This 1959 Chevrolet Corvette is a rare “Fuelie.” Instead of a carburetor, it has a primitive version of fuel injection. This particular example was restored to a “Level 1.” Level 1 means that it is virtually perfect. That it is.

This 1966 Chevrolet Biscayne is a powerful, efficient, and stylish family sedan from the muscle car era. It has a 327 cubic-inch V8 engine and a two-speed automatic Powerglide transmission. It’s lovely.

I find it nice that the interior of the same Biscayne matches the exterior of the car. Even the steering wheel has chrome on it!

Same car. This is the model designation. The car is a barn find from somewhere around Redwood City, according to the owner. He restored it himself, and he did a very good job of it!

For those of you old enough, you should remember the aero-wars days, when big engines and aerodynamics were all the rage. The 1971 Plymouth Roadrunners and Superbirds were the car of choice for many famous NASCAR drivers. Richard Petty left Ford in 1969 to go to Plymouth. He did so much better in a Plymouth Superbird that Ford built the Torino Talladega as a response. This particular Roadrunner has the 440 Six Pack (a 440 cubic-inch V8 with THREE two-barrel carburetors!), which was just one step below the mighty 426 Hemi engine. It is painted in the iconic Lime Green that is popular with automotive restorers.

This Corvette is one of the nicest Corvettes that I’ve seen in a LONG time! It is painted Aqua Blue and Snow White, with a matching interior. It has the 283 cubic-inch V8 and a four-speed manual. It is a 1956 Corvette. The only shame? That it’s far too nice to tour Route 66 in.

Sorry about the fingertip on the top of the camera view. The sun was shining and I REALLY wanted to tell you about this truck! It’s a 1965 Chevy K10 with the optional 327 cubic-inch engine and a three-speed manual. It is built to tackle any trail, and take anything that you want with it. It may not be stock, but it looks like it will outrun just about any Jeep from the same era off-road.

Remember the Chevy Vega? If you don’t, it’s okay. The Vega was powered by a 305 cubic-inch V8. It was relatively powerful and fast, but it was a minor disaster for Chevy. This Vega is a 1974 model. It wasn’t the nicest car there, but it was one of the newer cars there.

The best part about this 1969 Chevrolet C30 is that it is used a lot. I don’t know how much, but I have seen it at Sonoma Raceway’s Wednesday Night Drags as a tow vehicle. It’s the perfect tow vehicle. It’s got a 350 cubic-inch engine that’s all-original. So is most of the truck.

This rare 1971 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am is one speedy car. It’s all stock, and plenty fast that way. It’s got the 350 cubic-inch V8 engine found in many GM vehicles from 1969-1999. The top speed is 130 mph. This car means business. The lucky driver had to keep the car in first gear. he also kept touching the brakes because the car wants to leap forward. Lucky him.

I’m going to apologize in advance for the direction of the photo. This 1951 Dodge cab-over semi has been so heavily customized that the only thing original about it is the cab. That’s it. The rest of it is custom-built. The truck is a heavy-duty car-hauler with three axles. The engine is a brand-new 6.7-liter Cummins Diesel engine that has two turbos instead of one. Wow!

While motorcycles aren’t as common in the parade as cars, there were still a good three or four. This 1946 Indian Roadmaster has the iconic “shovelhead” engine that many motorcycle enthusiasts favor. This Indian Roadmaster is banana yellow with the “caramel cream” seat. I like old motorcycles like this. Maybe some readers will buy me one…

The Indian logo is still in the original chrome, almost 65 years later. The gas tank can hold 10 gallons. It says that on the chrome gas cap.

I like the way that Indian made the front wheel cover so stylish. I was talking to the owner for a minute, and I found out that he drove it all the way down to Santa Rosa from Healdsburg. That’s not a lot of fun on an old motorcycle, yet Indian motorcycles are built to cruise. I’m guessing that it was probably a comfortable ride down to Santa Rosa.

This 1932 Ford Roadster is a sick hot rod. The lady standing by the car is the owner. The car has a Ford 351 Windsor V8 engine. It has a Jaguar rear end, and a five-speed manual. This car means business. I don’t know what I like more: The mechanical parts of the car, or the exterior? That’s a decision that YOU will let me know in the comments section…

This Ford Bronco looks like it came out of some post-apocalyptic movie. It’s got aggressive tires, a six-inch lift kit, and a 302 cubic inch V8. I don’t know the exact year, but it looks like it’s from around 1967-8. This is one nice Bronco.

This is one of the coolest, most amazing Jeep CJs that I’ve ever seen. And that’s saying a lot. This CJ is stock, and is a 1947 model. Between the drivers seat and the passengers seat, there is a metal rifle/shotgun holder for two high-powered guns. Not that it would be used for that!

How often do you see a stock 1932 Ford roadster? Not at all often! This is a stock 1932 Ford roadster that could sell for upwards of $150,000 in its current condition. It even has the rumble seat and the original interior! It’s beautiful!

That’s all, folks!

If you would like to check out the Peggy Sue’s Cruise website, it is http://www.peggysuescruise.com/home/

May 6, 2013 zoomvroom Car Culture, Car Reviews, Field Trips, The History of Autos

A Wonderful Day at the Track!

I’m pretty sure that I’ll be getting some comments from you wonderful readers telling me that I am one lucky guy. I know that I am, thank you very much! You’re probably wondering why I’m so lucky. Allow me to explain.

In the beginning of March, my uncle set me up with one of his friends who was going to be lapping his 1970 Datsun 240Z at Sonoma Raceway. Emails were exchanged, and then we got to the track early. We saw the Z (pictures will be near the bottom of this post!), and went into that garage. The team mechanics were going through the checklist. I’ll be monkey’s uncle if I tell you that car didn’t sound amazing! It sounded wonderful! At idle, it had a burble that popped, hummed, whistled, and belched at the same time. Since it has such a high idle speed (2000 RPM, average), it’s kind of loud. At full throttle, it sounds like a Lamborghini Aventador, a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, a motorcycle, and a Corvette ZR1. Life couldn’t be much better.

The owner and driver of the Z, David Martin, showed up, and we said hello. After a few minutes of talking, we went down to pit row and watched as David’s instructor, Ken, told him to do 10 warm up laps. We sat on the concrete barrier wall, and watched classic race cars go flying around the track. One team had a large trailer with about five classic Porsche 911’s and a couple of new ones. Next to us was a portable shade tent that was keeping a Can-Am Ferrari and a 375 America from 1956 from the harsh effects of the sun. The 375 was beautiful, and extremely fast. The Can-Am Ferrari was scarily fast.

In one of the garage stalls near us was a team with a 2005 Ford GT super car. They had a guy sitting there with a laptop computer analyzing everything about the car. When I say everything, I MEAN everything! The Can-Am Ferrari (don’t ask what it was – I don’t know!) was faster than the Ford GT, which knocked out 1 minute, 30 second laps.

At lunch, we talked with David’s instructor, Ken. Ken used to race everything from F1 to stock cars. His story is sad, but I can tell you something good about him: He’s one of the best drivers I’ve ever seen! After lunch, we had to wait for a bit because a car blew its engine on the final turn, and all the oil spilled out. We waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, cars were allowed back on the track. David waited until other cars had gone through where the oil slick was. Then, he headed out, but he went much slower those laps.

At about 2:00 PM, it was time for us to go. Sadly, track day was over. We said our goodbyes, and headed home. I think that you will enjoy the history of David’s Z. I’ll also share with you some pictures of him and his Z.

Here’s the history:

In 1974, Brad Fisselle made the decision to step up from the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) Professional Division to IMSA (International Motor Sports Association). he formed a full team and company, which was named Transcendental Racing. Transcendental Racing built, developed, tested, and raced their new creation. Their creation? A 1970 Datsun 240Z prototype for the IMSA Camel GT Series. In 1975, Brad had his first three professional victories and was awarded IMSA’s Most Improved Driver award, becoming the only man to win these coveted awards in both IMSA and the SCCA. He then went on to win eight out of the eleven races that his team entered in for the IMSA GTU series. During this time, Brad Fisselle beat the Datsun factory team many times.

This Datsun 240Z is the 1976 IMSA GT/U Championship car. The chassis of this car was the first 240Z imported to the United States in 1970. My dad had one of the original 240Z’s as his father did all the legal work for Datsun! Mac Tilton designed the suspension and built some of the specialized parts. The chassis, roll cage and body were all constructed by Dave Kent with assistance from Yoshi Suzuka. Yoshi was also responsible for the design of the aerodynamics on the car. John Knepp of Electramotive built the engine. Many of these businesses are long dead. In it’s day, this Datsun 240Z was the fastest and most technologically advanced car in IMSA and SCCA.

Sometime in the early 1990’s it was decided that a full restoration was needed. The car was starting to fall apart, and didn’t look as good. The team’s original captain, Joe Cavaglieri was hired for this task. The car was stripped down to the chassis, and rebuilt from the tires up to 1976 IMSA GTU specifications. Using development parts from the NISSAN GTP program, modern electronics, and new piston and cam designs the engine produces 400hp. Considering that this comes from a 2.0-liter inline six-cylinder, that’s quite impressive. No turbochargers or superchargers have ever been near this car.

In the day the team was the one of the very best in IMSA, the preparation of the car was always at the highest level, more like that of a top Indy Car team than a GTU team. The restoration was done with that same mindset. The car is absolutely perfect both cosmetically and in performance. The fit and finish, attention to detail and superb craftsmanship exhibited in this restoration is spectacular. Right now, the car is capable of winning a podium position at any classic car race, or winning a Best-in-Show at Pebble Beach. Since the completion of the restoration, the car has competed in the Mitty at Road Atlanta and the Monterey Historic Automobile Races plus two club events and one test day.

Here is a list of the championships that the car has competed in:

IMSA GT/U (Grand Touring Under 2.5L) 1975 Season Mid Ohio 2nd GTU (Pole Position) Laguna Seca 2nd GTU Mosport 1st GTU Mid America 1st GTU Talladega 1st GTU

1976 Season (IMSA GT/U Champion): Road Atlanta 1st, GTU 15 OA, Laguna Seca 2nd, GTU 10, OA Ontario 4th, GTU 12, OA Lime Rock, 1st GTU, OA Mid Ohio 1st, GTU 5, OA Daytona 250 1st, GTU 9, OA Sears Point 2nd, GTU 9, OA Talladega 1st, GTU 5, OA Pocono 1st, GTU 5, OA Road Atlanta 500 1st, GTU 8, OA with John Morton Daytona Final 1st GTU.

I’ll stop keeping the pictures from you, and share them with you.

This is David at the 2012 Rolex Reunion at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca at the infamous Corkscrew S-Bend.

This is the same race, but on a different lap. This is also at the Corkscrew.

I’d like to give many, many thanks to David Martin of Red Car Winery and the Martin Group for letting me hang around and watch him. I’d also like to say thanks to his awesome mechanics and instructor, who were kind enough to talk to me about racing throughout the day! Thanks to my amazing uncle who originally set me up with David! Thanks to David, his team, and my uncle, for letting me come with my dad so we could have an awesome day watching an awesome person drive an awesome car! Clearly, I had a great day. Told you I was lucky.

February 27, 2013 zoomvroom Car Culture, Field Trips, Road Trips

The Best Defensive Driving Schools or MY Plans for This Summer

Imagine a rainy day, and a car drifting over into your lane. You swerve and start to skid. You lose control of your car. It’s certainly possible, and especially for a new driver. As I head ever closer to 16, I am anxiously counting off the days until I get my learner’s permit. I won’t tell you the exact date, but those who know me well enough know that date. When I was little, my mom would make a paper chain before an exciting event. I would rip a link off everyday, counting down until the big moment. Anybody have those?

Back to topic. I don’t really have that many plans for this summer. I would like to do life guard training, and an automotive oriented internship (any suggestions wonderful readers?), but other than that, I am free. So I had a talk with Mom and Pops, and we have agreed to send me to (at least -wishful thinking. All in the name of safety, after all) a defensive driving school! Of course, most of these courses are simply one day, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do multiple one-day courses! Right, Mom? Hint, hint. I decided to research defensive driving schools all around the U.S. of A. Think of the travel opportunities… After a few hours of ~~fun~~ solid research, I narrowed down the research to the following schools:

Richard Petty Safe Driving Course: The Richard Petty Safe Driving Course is meant for young drivers like teens. As you can imagine, the King of NASCAR takes immense pride on how to teach teens how to drive. Defensively and safely. There are courses at many NASCAR road courses, and the biggest course is at Talladega Superspeedway! This course costs $329-399 for a one-day course. Cars are provided by Chrysler, Dodge, and SRT. The course is part of a large study conducted by Clemson University Automotive Safety Research Institute. Many graduates return for the Richard Petty Experience, where you can drive a detuned stock car (race cars as close to stock as possible) at Daytona Speedway! Those interested in taking the course can find more information at drivepetty.com/safe-driving
Advanced Driving Dynamics sounds like a name for physics nerds. It’s not. This course is a one-day crash course on how to drive cars safely, defensively, and quickly. Toyota provides the cars, and there is a certified Toyota technical team ready at all times. This course only happens in the spring at Irwindale Speedway, and it is not very well-known. However, this makes it a prime place for small studies to be conducted, and a good amount of teens from the Los Angeles area come to take this course. The cost is $350, with a $100 deposit 60 days in advance. You can find more information at advanceddrivingdynamics.com
BMW Teen Driving School is what it sounds like. This course teaches teens how to handle the Ultimate Driving Machine in icky conditions. Instead of using thousands of gallons of water for the skidpad, BMW uses a special chemical favored by many militaries around the world. This chemical is safe, and it replicates ice, snow, or rain-covered asphalt. There is a family program that teaches parents how to be good driving role models for their teen. Parents can take this course, test-drive as many Bimmers as they want on the same course their youngsters are driving, or go go-karting. This course takes place at the BMW Testing and Performance Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina. This is also the factory for the BMW X1, X3, and X5. If you are interested in going to this course with me, you can visit bmwusa.com/performancecenter#teenschool for even more information. The cost is $550 for one day, and $950 for two days.
Street Survival Teen Driving Course: The BMW Club of North America sponsors this amazing program for teens. This course is a one-day course that teaches teens how to drive their car at the limit, and stay in control. Instead of using a car that the teen is not familiar with, teens use their own car. Not only does it make them feel more comfortable, but it shows them what it is like to drive their own car at the limit. This is the most inexpensive teen driving course, coming in at a grand total of $125 for one day. The teens who come here with their learner’s permit often come back the next year with their driver’s license. You can see just a teensy bit more information at streetsurvival.org
Honda Teen Defensive Driving School: This course is not as positively reviewed as all of the other courses, but it shows teens how to drive on many different surfaces. These surfaces include snow, ice, rain-soaked asphalt, gravel, and mud. Plus, the teens get to do all of this in Honda’s latest sports car. Parents get to watch their kid going around the skidpad in a skid car (a car with wheels that can be altered by the instructor). This course takes place at the Mid-Ohio Motorsports Park, and costs $375 a day. More information can be found at midohio.com/School/Courses/Defensive-Driving/Honda-Teen-Defensive-Driving-Program
Bob Bondurant School of High-Performance Driving Teen Course: Bob Bondurant is a household name in terms of high-performance driving schools. His school has taught many celebrities and average people to drive like a race-car driver. His first customer was Paul Newman! They recently added a teen program where teens drive their own car and/or a Bondurant Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE. Parents can pay just a little bit extra, and become two more backseat drivers! Many teens said that the experience was enjoyable, and that they would recommend it to their friends. This course costs $495 for a five-hour course, $895 for a one-day course, and $1,595 for two days. If you want to join me, reserve your spot at bondurant.com/programs/teen-driving-program
Miller Motorsports Park Teen Driving Course: Miller Motorsports Park is a large racetrack in Ohio where many people enjoy lapping agile cars. Miller Motorsports park charges $250 a day for teens to learn how to drive a car defensively. They don’t simulate icky road conditions, but they do simulate bad drivers and fake “road rage.” Teens who take this course say that they know how to get away from somebody having a case of road rage. You can look at Miller Motorsports Park’s Teen Driving Course at millermotorsportspark.com/driving-school/safety-schools/teen-driving-school.html
Sim Raceway Highway Survival Driving School: Sim Raceway sounds like a game for the xBox. It’s most certainly not. This school teaches drivers how to be good drivers on highways. The course teaches drivers how to drive cars on the highway in appalling conditions. They have to pass other drivers on a long skidpad. Where does this take place? Beautiful Sonoma Raceway! Close to where I live! The reviews are 100% positive, and everybody says that the instructors take pride in teaching teens how to drive well on highways.
Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy: The Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy is situated in traffic-clogged Los Angeles, CA. It teaches drivers how to be aggressive in the perpetual traffic that is Los Angeles, and then teaches them how to drive a German luxury car (or SUV) on the windy canyon roads above Malibu. The reviews are positive, and everybody likes driving the cars. Sessions are private, except for parent-teen workshops. These private sessions can cost anywhere from $200-500. Parent-teen workshops cost about $1,200. However, these parent-teen workshops are fun, educational for everybody, and the teens get to drive a Mercedes-Benz of their choice. Sounds like fun! Check out mb-drivingacademy.com/us/en/home.html

I can’t wait to see you guys at one of these driving programs!

May 22, 2012 zoomvroom Car Culture, Field Trips

The 2012 American Graffiti Salute Coverage!

Remember my post last year on the 2011 American Graffiti Salute? Well, the 2012 Salute topped the 2011 in just about every way! I know that you’ll DEFINITELY agree with me when you see all the pictures…! For many of the pictures, I will provide what information I know…

This 1966 Chevy Corvette Sting Ray has some nice candy-apple-red paint that would make a cherry jealous. I have no idea what engine and transmission are under the hood, but I’d like to take it for a “test drive…”

What I DO know about this even MORE amazing 1963 Corvette Sting Ray with the hallmark split windows is that the original owner bought it new with the high-performance 427 V8 and the Muncie “Rock-Crusher” M21 four-speed manual. Lovely. Even better at 125 mph…

My cover photo of “Nashty Habit” is higher-resolution than this picture, but here’s the info: Nashty Habit has a 454 engine from a souped-up Chevelle and a five-speed manual from G-d knows where. The wheels are custom-forged, and the body and chassis are from a 1931 Nash.

This 1950s Ford step-van looks and sounds to be original. But then again, who knows what secrets it might have under the hood…

This 1992 Shelby Cobra replicar has a Chevy Corvette Z06 engine and a Mustang five speed manual. I know this because I was walking by and saw the sign for the car (hence the information on all the cars).

Remember this E-Type/60’s Ferrari replicar from last year? If you don’t, it’s got a new Ford 5.0 liter Coyote crate engine that pumps out somewhere in the general vicinity of 500 horsepower. VROOM!

This 1938 Graham Town Car was bought new by the owner’s grandfather, and has been passed down generation by generation. The car was frame-off restored in 2003 by the current owner. Apparently, it’s more comfortable than a 1960’s Cadillac or Lincoln. It’s got a full leather interior, seats five comfortably, and gets 21 mpg. And I almost forgot to mention that it’s got close to 240,000 miles on the odometer!

Please DON’T ask me WHY this 1995 Plymouth Prowler was in the parade! My guess is that it is NOT a delivery vehicle, but simply an advertising piece for the pizza parlor! I don’t know HOW “Pinky” got the car into the parade!

This other ’63 Chevy Corvette Sting Ray Split Window Coupe was bought in 1993 in very dilapidated condition. It needed a lot of work, but it IS a rare fuel-injected ’63 that they bought for something ridiculous like $6,500!

This 1962 Ford Thunderbird has the high-performance 390 cubic inch V8 that slurps fuel at the ridiculous rate of 8 miles per gallon! But, it IS very fun to drive and only has 23,000 miles on the clock. It must be really hard to not use all 480 lb-ft of torque when passing a Prius!

This lovely 1957 Ford Ranchero pick-up has almost 100,000 miles on the clock and has been owned since new by a local Ford fanatic! It has the easy-to-drive 390/automatic combo, and most of those have been used towing old Fords around!

This 1949 Mercury Club Coupe has a large 8.1 liter engine from a 2002 GMC Sierra pickup. It may not have a lot of horsepower, but it’s got enough torque to make a bulldozer jealous! VROOOM come literally!

This amazing 1970 Ford Torino Talladega has a numbers-matching 428 Cobra Jet engine and Muncie M21 transmission that send power to the rear wheels via yet another numbers-matching Ford 9-Inch rear end. The tires are Goodyears that have better traction than a Formula 1 race-car! VROOM should come in epic doses on THIS car!

This rare forest-green/black Dodge Challenger T/A could look better in my opinion, but it’s fast, so that’s all that matters…With the historic 426 Hemi engine mated to a four-speed-manual, this car can go up to 140 mph! But it probably comes at the expense of comfort and fuel economy.

This quite amazing Pontiac Tempest was built just two months before the GTO came out in 1962. Bought new with the high-power 326 V8, this car DEFINES the phrase “fun in the sun!” It’s been a daily driver since the day the owner received the pink slip. It’s had not one, but TWO restorations (1981, 2009) in it’s 180,000 mile career! I would LOVE to drive this car if I could!

This 1946 Willys JEEP was bought just a few years ago from the original owner, and the owners enjoy every single mile that they rack up on the odometer! These old JEEPs are some of the toughest vehicles in the world, often going up to 400,000 miles before they are made into cheap toaster ovens. I hope that THIS JEEP doesn’t follow the same route as it’s siblings – civilian-issue JEEP’s from the 40’s are very hard to find, always fetching up to $20,000 for the better ones.

This lovely 1953 Mercury Club Coupe is all-original, and has been owned since new by the original owner. It’s got the extremely rare “Skyroof” glass roof and the even rarer “Aquamarine Blue” paint. It may not be fast, but you’ll get there in style!

It’s nice to know that the owners of these late ’60s-early ’70s Cadillac “Land Yachts” take pride in their cars, and take them to parades. They are nice cars, but they are big, hard to drive, and slow. But, they are very comfortable, and effortless cruisers on the Interstates.

This chopped Chevy half-ton pickup has a Chevy 350 c.i. engine that pumps out way too much horsepower and torque for something this old! One could call it a street racer, but I prefer to call it a random creation!

This 1934 Ford Tudor sedan has been thoroughly souped-up, but it has Ford 460 C.I. V8 and a leveling kit that makes a smooth ride when racing a GTO! Plus, it’s got a Rockland Standard Gear Tranzilla T71 six-speed manual that can handle too much torque!

This 1966 Plymouth Roadrunner is all-original except for the brand-new Cragar rims and B.F. Goodrich tires. It sounds simply amazing, and I’m sure that just about anybody would like to drive it! I would…

This faithful 2004 Shelby Cobra 427 replicar has just about everything (and then some) on it! To the untrained eye (which I’m sure that none of you have!), one might assume that it actually IS a ’64 Cobra, but they would be so wrong that it would be bordering on stupidity!

This 1967 Mercury Cyclone convertible has the 390 C.I. V8 pumping out enough horsepower to make a semi jealous! Those optional “Dog-Dish” rims help with the aerodynamics and timeless looks of the 1967 Mercury Cyclone!

Remember this classic Studebaker Hawk sedan from last year? If you don’t it’s got the small six-cylinder that has only 120 horsepower, but everybody (and I mean EVERYBODY) was giving these people the thumbs up! They were cool (literally) because of the cool old air conditioner that sucks air in and cools it before it blows into the cabin!

This is the last amazing picture that I will show you, so I’ll give you all the tough specs on this 1950 Ford F100 pickup. It has the powerful old six-cylinder engine and goes about 40 mph, but is pretty cool! I wish that I could have seen some awesome readers of the Unmuffled Auto News there! Well, see you next year!

April 4, 2012 zoomvroom Car Reviews, Field Trips, New car info

I Caught Three Whoppers (NOT the candy…)

So, the reason that I was playing hooky Friday is because my dad got an invitation from Maserati of San Francisco, CA to drive their full line of cars! I guess they made a mistake! Apparently, we have $240,000 to throw at a Gran Turismo MC. . .One can only hope. . .Anyway, we went to the beautiful property of Raymond Winery in St. Helena, and started out in a smokin’ Royal Blue Maserati Gran Turismo. Our driving route consisted of going pretty far up Sage Canyon from the Silverado Trail to Lake Hennessey, a local lake on the way up to Lake Berryessa. On the first (of many) blind curves on the canyon, we almost hit some random guy in a Nissan Altima rental car dropping his girlfriend off (on a busy 2 lane road, on a blind curve). I was in the front seat while my little sister, and the driving instructor were in the back (with next to no room). My dad hit the brakes, downshifted with the paddle shifter and swerved. All while hitting the horn. Nice multi-tasking, dad! As soon as we saw a good stretch of straight road, Jeff, our personal race driving instructor had my dad put the Gran Turismo in “Sport” mode. Immediately, the car got much, much louder as a result of the exhaust opening up. Then, we felt a tremendous power rush of both horsepower and torque. We shot up to about 70 mph in about three seconds. Then, there was a curve. Even though the suspension of the Gran Turismo is mildly hard, the Gran Turismo MC is harder, yet rides as smooth, just with more road feel.

When we got back, we decided to take the Gran Turismo MC for a spin. The MC is the fastest, most expensive, most powerful, and coolest stock Maserati to have ever been built. The body is the same body used for the GT3 Racing Series. This means that it has a LOT of carbon fiber. The hood is hand-formed by a little old Italian guy singing an old opera (it’s true!). The MC has a smooth, controlled ride, yet it has a track-tuned suspension. Of course, if you own an MC, you can change the suspension setting with a screwdriver. The MC makes 433 horsepower when it’s not in sport mode. When it is in sport mode, it makes 444 horsepower, 357 lb-ft of torque, and gets loud enough to shatter an eardrum. That’s the type of car the neighbors hate. . .When you get up to about 4500 RPMs, you feel a quite noticeable horsepower surge. Once you get to that level of horsepower, it goes all the way up to 6,500 RPMs, before it downshifts. When in manual mode, any gear will bring you up to redline and the fuel cutoff before the rev limiter brings the revs down, and upshifts. On this drive, there were no crazy Nissan drivers, and we were able to go way, way past the speed limit. We got to 90 mph before we slowed down for a turn. Also, one cool feature that all the Maserati’s have is when you open or close a door, the window opens about an inch, so there is no vacuum as you open the door. It’s automatically closes when you close the door. Pretty cool, huh?

When we got back from our drive in the MC, we decided to take a ride in the Quattroporte GTS. This has the 433 horsepower, 4.7 liter V8. I was the one who convinced my dad to drive it, as my little sister’s and the driving instructor’s legs were most likely wanting some room for themselves. So, I got in the front seat and got myself comfortable. Then, my butt started hurting a bit. I thought “I’ll just recline the seat back about an inch or so.” The moment I put my hand on the little hand joystick thing, my seat started moving up and down, forward and backward, and reclining and other wacky things. I, of course, freaked out. I started hearing wild laughter from the back. I looked back, and there were the driving instructor and my sister playing around with their own controls for MY seat! The reason that there are controls for the shotgun seat is, when you’re being chauffeured, you can move the shotgun seat forward so your legs have more room. Anyway, we had a lot of fun on the drive in the Quattroporte GTS and the other Maserati’s.

Here’s some pictures of the cars we drove. The black sedan is the Quattroporte GTS, the Royal Blue coupe is the Gran Turismo, and the white car that looks like it’s ready to race is the Gran Turismo MC. The Burgundy Red convertible is the Gran Turismo convertible. My personal favorite, the Gran Turismo MC. Why? It’s lovely lines that wouldn’t be out of place in a Rembrandt, it’s 187 mph top speed, and room for four adults. Who couldn’t love it?

Here’s some words of wisdom from Dad:

“The first thing I realized when driving these awesome cars is that my son would be telling the world of my exploits – but, oh well! Let’s just hope no Highway Patrol officers are reading this post.

After walking around the vehicle and admiring it’s beautiful craftsmanship, I settled into it’s luxurious seat and familiarized myself with the cockpit layout (very nicely designed, with everything easily readable). After adjusting my seat, steering wheel and mirrors, I fired up the sweet sounding engine. After making sure everyone was buckled (and had said their prayers) I took off for the scenic rolling hills of Napa Valley. Just to be sure I had a feel for the car’s performance (yeah, that must be the reason) I gunned it out of the driveway, accelerating to 70 mph in a few seconds. Once everyone was breathing again, I crossed a narrow bridge with an oncoming truck (Jeff wasn’t too sure about that maneuver). When we hit the Silverado Trail I opened it up a bit and then turned onto Sage Canyon (a road I’ve driven many times before). Deciding to let the car open up may have been premature, as we immediately came upon the Nissan half off the road – no problem with the magnificent stopping power of 4 wheel Brembo brakes. I used my time in the GT to get a feel for the road, knowing the best was yet to come.

The next ride was definitely the best. Driving the Gran Turismo MC was incredible. This car is perfectly balanced and transmits every piece of the road into your body without any sense of harshness. After opening it up in sport mode, with it’s perfectly tuned exhaust, I reached Lake Hennessey in what felt like no time at all. After turning around, I began shooting down the canyon. Coming upon a steep downhill left-hand curve which immediately switches to a right-hand sharp curve, I noticed a series of long skid marks! Not to be deterred, I simply downshifted and used the engine to steer through in a smooth continuation of power – this car’s amazing! What my son didn’t know was that Jeff later pulled me aside and admitted he was concerned when I entered that maneuver at 80 mph. Definitely an amazing vehicle – I’ll take 2!

The Quattroporte GT S was all luxury. My daughter enjoyed the limo like ride in the back (and messing with her brother’s seat). For a sedan, there’s nice power, though you definitely feel the weight difference having just driven the GT MC. Coming back down Sage Canyon, I noticed a glimmer from behind a tree in the distance ahead. Fearing the worst (read CHP), I downshifted and slowed, only to discover a frightened gentleman checking his mailbox on the side of the road. The glimmer was sunlight reflecting off his new catalog. We all had a great laugh at his expense.”

Thanks, Dad! You’re a great guest blogger.

I’d like to give a special thank you to the amazing Raymond Winery staff and property. Also, Maserati/Ferrari of San Francisco, CA deserves a HUGE thank you for letting my dad drive. Plus, they do deserve an extremely large thank you from me and my sister for letting us come along. I’d also like to give a personal thank you to Jeff for his patience and kindness to us. Thank You!

December 2, 2011 zoomvroom Car Reviews, Field Trips, New car info

Even MORE Live Coverage from the San Francisco International Auto Show!

So, I’m sure that most of you know that the San Francisco International Auto Show ended sometime last week. But, I CAN give you the inside scoop on a few cars… At the Toyota stand, there were two Camry Daytona 500 Pace Cars that were unlocked! Toyota did a great paint job on their Camry Pace Cars, so I just HAD to snap a photo of the Daytona 500 logo.

This was the Camry I was able to get into. Even though Toyota put a five-point harness in, beefed up the airbags, and put an awesome paint job on, this Camry is totally stock. It’s the newest generation (9th), an XLE model (V6, six-speed automatic, cool rims, leather interior, navigation system, Toyota Entune entertainment system, HID headlights, and it makes 268 horsepower! WHEW! That was a long sentence.

Sticking with the Japanese, the REALLY small Mitsubishi IMEIV took up almost as much space as a SMART fortwo! The IMEIV looks a bit bigger than it is… So, I went to the SFIAS (San Francisco International Auto Show) with my good friend Joshua Valentino. While at the Hyundai stand, we met another car nut; Greg. Since the Mitsubishi stand was right next to the Hyundai stand, we decided to take a look at the IMEIV. Greg decided to try hitting the backseat with his elbow. The backseat was so flimsy that it flipped BACKWARDS, taking Greg with it! Joshua and I thought it was REALLY funny! So, I’ll give you the inside scoop on the IMEIV. It is all electric, built for eco-weenees who only have $10,000, want a car with 50 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, and only drive 100 miles a day…

Over at the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram stand, there was once a mighty Jeep Wrangler with lots of chrome… Okay, I’ll stop with the bad poems… This Jeep Wrangler has the all-new Pentastar V6, a six-speed automatic, chrome, beefy tires, and a leather interior. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that it has RUNNING BOARDS!! Just 30 years ago, you had to weld running boards onto your surplus Jeep, there was no chrome, no Pentastar V6, no six-speed automatic, and no leather interior! This Jeep is part of Jeep’s new way to attract buyers who want looks, power, off-road capability, and be comfy inside. The Pentastar V6 makes 283 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque hooked up to a six-speed manual or automatic. It has the option of rear-wheel drive, or four-wheel drive .

Staying American, we head over to the Fisker stand. With their brand-new (good) Karma, Henrik Fisker, the man who penned the: BMW Z8, Aston Marton V8 Vantage, and Jaguar XJ220 believes he can sell 2000 Karma’s a year. Priced at $81,300, the Fisker Karma is the working person’s cool car. The Karma has a total of 403 horsepower and 960 lb-ft of torque, mated to a 1-speed automatic transmission. It has a 3.73:1 rear axle ratio that helps propel it to a top speed of 125 mph!

Straying back to Asia, the small SUV, the Hyundai Tuscon was a star attraction over at the Hyundai stand. With it’s 176 horsepwer, 155 lb-ft of torque engine that’s mated to a six-speed automatic and in this case, four-wheel-drive, it can tow up to 2,000 pounds, haul 1880 pounds, go mildly off-roading, and go to a maximum speed of 112 mph. Plus, it gets 20/28 mpg for city and highway, as tested by the EPA.

Thanks for putting up with my HORRIBLE poems and okay pictures (I promise better ones next year)! Even though the show has ended (only five days ago…), I was thougthful enough to attach the website for you to look at sfautoshow.com

I hope to see some of you next year…