Hot Rod Garage

Carroll Shelby International Museum

2010-10-30T21:22:00.000-07:00

If anyone is visiting Las Vegas... Make sure to visit the Carroll Shelby International Museum. The Shelby Museum is located on the Las Vegas Speedway site. Free tours are available at 10:30am Monday through Friday of both the museum and the Shelby Mustang/Cobra production facility. Below are a few images I took during my visit. Enjoy!!

2011 Super Snake Shelby

Shelby 427 Cobra CSX3056

CSX3056 was the first in a short run of Cobras and was featured in media outlets worldwide

The car had an unfinished aluminum look with a meatball 98 on the side of the hood for the majority of the car's life. Carroll had it polished in 2002... took more than 1000 man hours.

This is it!!! Shelby number 1!!! 1962 Shelby Cobra CSX2000

Shelby Cobra CSX3178 - This is a street version big block Cobra with the optional roll bar and automatic transmission.

1965 Sheby Mustang convertible. Never thought they made any... They told us a total of 12 of them were built by Carroll.

Here is another rare Shelby Mustang. This is a Hertz Shelby that was not painted the typical black.

Sheby GLHS

1969 Shelby GT 500
1983 Dodge Shelby Charger Prototype

2011 Shelby Mustang GT350

Mustang Terlingua

2010 Shelby Super Snake

I thought this was pretty cool. During the tourthey let you write your name on the wall in their shop. Thought that was pretty neat for them to do.... I added mine to the thousands of names.

New Rims - American Racing Salt Falt

2010-10-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

Been a while since my last post. Truck is almost finished and getting pretty excited. Here are a few pics of the new rims.

Took a while to determine the rims I wanted but thought the Salt Flats was a pretty cool choice.

Some thing else I added are the SS emblems on the fenders and tail gate.

S10 Update

2010-05-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

Had some time today to start putting back together some of the trim pieces...

I was not sure if I was going to install the S10 rear spoiler but I think it looks pretty decent... The exhaust tips are from a 1996 Camaro Z-28

v8 looks nice an pretty in there... Still have touch up a few things in the engine compartment.

The matte black does not look that bad....

Still thinking about changing the extreme rims. Next... Install my MSD box. Just ordered my cables to install on the HEI distributor.

S10 is Home

2010-05-04T16:53:00.001-07:00

Decided to go with a matte black... Wanted to give it a bit of a rat rod feel. This is not just a flat black primer but a matte base coat / clear coat using PPG products. Still not sure what it will do in the Florida sun.

Time to start putting her back together... did pick up an MSD 6AL box that I will try to install this weekend. Had to wait for the HEI wires to arrive prior to installation.

Time to put her in the garage...

New Project - Honda Trail CT 70 CT70

2010-05-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

Well, here is my new project. Not even done with my truck and already working on something new. Believe it or not... I found it at a garage sale and just had to have it.

This is a 1976 Honda Trail 70 with 940 original miles... never been touched and everything is there.

Did not try to start it as I would like to get the old gas out and clean the carb. Last owner had it running about a year ago.

Should be a pretty cool little ride...

The "Tucker Rod" is getting painted!!!

2010-04-18T17:36:00.000-07:00

It is TIME!!! Well, decided that some paint would be appropriate to finish up the v8 conversion. Decided to do things a bit different and painted matte black.

The truck was pretty straight and did not need much body work other than a quick DA and some blocking.

The taping is almost done....

A huge THANKS to my friend John for taking on the job of painting another of my vehicles... Aside from being a great painter, it's always nice to spend time with him. Here he is mixing the K38.

Here is the first coat of primer....

Almost done....

First coat is finished....

Here it is after the second coat... Next is some blocking and we should be ready for some paint!!! Can't wait.

S10 Digital Speedometer ZQ8 Frame Brace

2010-03-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

A few quick updates.. Since I could not get my speedometer to work I decided to us my Garmin unit. I know it's not perfect but should do the job for now. Since it has a speedometer setting I will use it for now.

Another angle....

and another.... I also added my G-Tech meter on top of the Garmin. When I get more time I will build a cleaner version.

Here is the ZQ8 frame brace installed... It now has all the ZQ8 options aside from the Bilstein shocks. Looking for those next.

Chevy s10 v8 8.5 Rear Axle Update

2010-02-21T20:51:00.001-08:00

Here is how it all started... 3:73 "one-wheel-wonder" - For some reason I just keep finding new things to add as the project goes on. Almost seems like I don't want to finish it for some reason. Well, we always look at making our vehicles a bit faster... well, I thought it might make sense to also make it stop bit better. If there's one thing good about the "Clash-for-clunkers" program... is that you can find some pretty nice upgrades from late model vehicles at a decent price. I was able to find a 8.5 rear with a 3:42 gear (I'm hoping the lower gear and my over-drive will give me a bit better mileage) to replace the non posi unit. Pretty easy swap.. below are a few pics.

Here is the 7.5 out of the truck. Just remove the brake lines, rear u-bolts, drive shaft and parking brakes and you are pretty much good to go.

Here is what it looked like once it was removed. I also had to unbolt the sway-bar from the rear to drop the rear-end. Due to the exhaust, I was not able to mount the small shock that helps with wheel hoop.
Here it is waiting to go in...

Looks pretty good in there. I did have to use 1/2 axle set back plates to make the drive shaft fit.
I bought the plates from www.s10v8.com and they worked great.

Resurfaced the rotors - New pads... should be good to go.

I have to say that this upgrade will be well-worth-it in the long run. I was able to do everything for less than 200 bucks. Amazing what you can find at your local junkyards these days....

Update 11/25/09

2009-11-25T17:53:00.001-08:00

Been a while since my last post. This has been a pretty busy summer with many other priorities more important than my truck... This does not mean I was not able to work on it here-and-there. Here are a few things I've done since y last post... The truck is running, upgraded all of the suspension with ZQ8 parts, installed traction bars and a cowl hood. Below are images of my latest upgrade.... I was able to find a 1998 4x2 Chevy Blazer with the dual piston calipers... Talk about an easy swap. Took about twenty minutes per side.

See below:

Here is what I started with... The stock brakes from a 2.2l 1995 S10. I think most of the times we all think of making our rides faster.... Well, I started thinking about this and thought that having better brakes would also be a good idea. From the very beginning this was going to be a very LOW budget build... 99% of everything I have done has been buy hustling parts here and there, trading and CRAIGSLIST... you have to love Craigslist. I was able to purchase the entire brake system for a junk yard I frequently visit for 60 dollars. Yes, deals are out there if you are willing to be patient. Thought this was a steal ... All I had to do was turn the rotors and buy new brake pads. The entire changeover cost less than 100 bucks.

Here is what I started with... I hope the dual piston set-up makes a difference.

The removal of the old parts were very simple.... remove the upper/lower ball joint bolts, Tie-rod end bolt and the brake line. Believe it or not the brake line took the longest to remove.

Here is the new spindle installed....

Installed the rotor, installed the brake pads, brake line ( I had to use my original line) as the 1998 are a bit bigger and that's it!!! I know what many of you are saying.... Why didn't you paint the calipers and made them look new. The reason... this is a 1995 truck!! As much as I love it (or I would not be doing this swap) I want it to have the feel of a 1995 truck. I want it to be functional and not have to worry about making sure my calipers are clean. For that I have my Chevelle... Well, to date I have about $250 (out-of-pocket) money in the build. Not bad...

Next project... install a posi with rear disk brakes... Hope to find some at the Turkey-Rod-Run.

January update

2009-02-15T17:36:00.001-08:00

The new shifter arrived...Used a B&M Camaro / Firebird shifter

Is this thing going to fit??

Here I am doing a test fit...

A bit of silicone...

Perfect fit... since I used late model Trans Am seats the shifter does come a bit close to the drivers seat...

Well, that's done

Here is my honey helping me with the oil...

OUCH!!!

I know... Total mess in the garage...

I originally had the fuel pressure regulator mounted on my heater core box but thought it was a bad idea having it directly on top of the headers

Since taking this shot I had to once again relocate the fuel pressure regulator since the hose neck in the picture was not going to work. There was no way I could use this neck and the alternator on the drivers... no way to run the upper radiator hose. I used a swivel water neck and had to mount the fuel pressure to a manifold bolt

Not sure what I was doing in this one....

Steering shaft is done... fits nice inside the headers

New gauges are in... just need to wire them

Here is the finished shot of covering the original shifter opening.

Here is a shot of the new opening... this gives you a good idea of the distance difference between using a camaro WCT5 and not an S10 trans

Modifications are also needed to your heater core... after taking measurements I cut the area out and used a piece of tin to cover it up.

Here I am trimming the piece...

Almost done but this gives you a good idea of what it will look like...

Well, that's it for now....

S10 Update 12-16-08

2008-12-17T18:17:00.000-08:00

Latest update on my S10 V8 conversion. Well thought things were going good all day and then a major setback. I'll explain later...

Started by covering some of the firewall with some high temp material knowing that the headers would come close to the firewall. I also covered the slave cylinder line with Mr Gasket Thermal Sleeving since it's made from plastic. Not sure if this will work but I'm going to try it out.

Next was setting up my fuel pressure regulator... I used a Mallory 4309 unit with a return since I will be using the trucks pump in the tank. After looking at this set-up I don't like it at all... I will work on this and move them around. I'm not pleased with the placement since it sit on top of the passenger header.

Next was making room for the shifter with the Camaro World Class t5. I was able to take the measurements from the bottom once in installed the motor pretty easily. I decided to use a short-throw B&M shifter as if fits amazingly well with this set-up.

Here I am making the new access for the shifter

Here's what it looked like once installed. Big difference in shifter location from the s10 t5 to the Camaro t5

Another shot....

The t5 bolted up amazingly well with the stock cross-member from the truck. All I had to do was egg-shape the original bolt location. The only challenge was the original f-body trans tabs that mount to the shaft that runs bak to the rear end.
Quick modification was to cut the forward most tab... the rear one comes close and I might go back and also cut it off.
Here is the motor for what I thought would be the last time... well after looking at things a bit closer there was one mayor mistake I made along the way.....

Not sure what I did wrong but my oil pan hits the cross-member in the back. That is with the motor as far back as possible...The passenger head comes real close to the heater core cover. With all the reading i've done... I've not come across anyone with this problem... Not sure if it happens to be the pan I'm using on the motor but it's the pretty standard pan that came with the Camaro motor.

After all that... I gave up for the day. I started getting a bit frustrated. While I was cleaning up I decided to take a couple of shots of the 1992 Trans Am and 1964 Chevelle. Here's a couple of pics of the T/A...

Here is the Chevelle... Drove it work a few days ago and had a blast.

S10 V8 - Last "test fit"

2008-12-01T22:09:00.001-08:00

Here is my last "test fit" to check how everything will come together for the final installation. Be prepared to do this a few times as it will help you determine how everything will fit.

I decided to put on the bellhousing to check clearances with the firewall and fuel lines. After doing this I decided that I would remove then and install my fuel pressure regulator next to my fuel filter. The only lines I will run up are the main feed and th vent line.

Getting closer....

Here it is in the bay... everything went well...

At this point I also made sure to take some measurements in regards to the radiator support and where the radiator will sit.

S10 V8 Clutch Install

2008-12-01T22:05:00.001-08:00

A few pics of the new clutch

Freshly cut flywheel...

Clutch and pressure plate are on...

All we need is the bellhousing... and we are done

s10 Radiator mod

2008-12-01T21:26:00.001-08:00

Here are a few images of the radiator modifications I did for the V8 swap

This is a look at the AC condenser with the radiator off.

I decided to move the "Corvette" radiator inside the core support to give me as much room as possible. This was a pretty easy modification that took about 45 minutes. I started by cutting the upper lip so the placement of the radiator could be as far forward as possible.

After a few placement "tests" I was able to determine where I needed to make the cut so the filler neck would fit.

Here is another angle to give you a better idea of how far forward the radiator was placed.

After making a few brackets to hold the radiator this is what it looks like from the front.

I decided that I will plan on using my AC again since I live down in Florida... This modification gets a bit troublesome... Since I decided that I would use "hood pins" it make it a bit easier. I removed the hood latch and oil cooler lines and mounted the AC condenser in it's place. You can also do this with the hood latch but would have to modify it at the lower bottom to give you room to slide the condenser in.

This is what it looks like once I was done. All I have to do is clean everything up prior to installation.

Daytona Turkey Rod Run 2008

2008-12-01T20:57:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures from this years Turkey Rod Run in Daytona.

S-10 V8 Project - 2

2008-08-30T20:04:00.001-07:00

Time for the 2.2l to come out... I started with the seat since I knew it would have to come out at give me better access to the sifter. I have a great set of late model Trans Am seat that will replace the bench seat.

This was pretty much a virgin interior asides from the stereo and tach. As you can see the seat was ready to be replaced....

Under the carpet I found the original plastic mat the truck came with...I had put in a carpet a few weeks after I bough the truck new and totally forgot I left the mat under the carpet. Looks new and think I might just use it.

Here is a shot with the seat removed and carpet pullet back so I can access the shifter cover.

The hoist is connected...only a few minutes before it's out. After the shifter was removed I disconnected the driveshaft, fuel lines, motor mount bolts, all electrical plug connectors (made sure not to cut anything as all the sensors will be used during the new motor install).

Here it is... The shifter was removed from inside the truck to make this a bit easier. Not a difficult removal at all... I did this by myself and took about 1/2 hour. The hardest part was trying to remove a header bolt... it was very rusted and finally snapped.

Here she is on the garage floor... I have to say that this 2.2l was one of the toughest motors i've driven... this little thing just kept running without a single problem.

I was hoping to use the stock 5 speed as I heard that all 94/95 S10's had the leftover third gen Camaro/Firebird WC T5's....
Well, the good news...I was happy to learn that it was a WC T5. Here is the ID# 1352-216. The bad news.... these late model S10 WC T5's have a Ford housing. I was going to bolt the bell housing from a Chevy non WC T5 but it does not fit.

Here is the non WC T5 that I took out of the Camaro... not sure if I will rebuild this one and use it rather than the WC T5 from the truck. I think they sell conversion bell housing but are very costly.

After taking the motor out I cleaned the area a bit. The next step was to install the motor mount. For this you will need the conversion mounts to be used on the motor and the 2.8 motor mounts for the cross member. Since my truck was a 1995 all the holes were there but I had to tap the plates as many of them were not threaded. This was pretty easy and did not take long at all. After reading the JTR book; it mentioned that you would have to remove the lower A-arms or cut access hole to be able to get a nut in place. This scared me since I didn't want to do this... a few months ago I replace the entire front-end and getting those springs back sucks. Here is what I did and it only took a few minutes.... I just used a pull magnet to guide the bolt in-place. Once the screw grabbed I removed the magnet and was able to get a socket in there to tighten the bolt. This was the tricky part... it took a few minutes.

Today I wanted to do a test-fit to see what type of mods I would have to make to the firewall.

I quickly learned that tall valve covers will not work as they will hit the master cylinder. Next, I had to remove the headers... for some reason it was easier to install them once the motor was in place.

Here's another shot of the motor in place with short valve covers. They fit just fine...

Next I installed the pass header and notice that I will have to push back the firewall a bit to get the exhaust to fit correctly.

The drivers side was pretty easy to install... no problems once i took out the steering shaft. As you can see it goes through the header. I will have to use a steel line for the slave cylinder as the plastic one will melt since its so close to the headers.

Starting to look good. Next steps will be to remove the motor an make the modifications to the firewall.

1995 Chevy S-10 V8 Conversion

2008-08-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

The project has started... NO TURNING BACK!!!
I will update the blog as much as possible during the build. From the day I drove the truck from the dealer with 6 miles on the odometer, it has always been my dream to stuff a v8 between its frame rails. Fast forward 13 years and I'm just getting started... For some reason I just can't get rid of her... maybe its because it was my first new purchase. Who knows... all I can say is that I'm supper excited and can't wait to get her rolling down the road.

Chevy 350 - Mild cam ... getting ready to install the water pump.

New pump installed

Decided to use a serpentine setup as I think it looks much better than the typical set-up. I was able to pull the set-up from a 4.3L and it fit perfectly on the 350.

For some crazy reason I'm thinking about using a Trans Am air unit on the motor. Not sure how it would look and if it would even work without making some modifications. For some insane reason I'm still in love with 2nd gen T/A's and thought this might look good.

Well, after putting her in the shop... it was time to start the transformation....

First to come off was the grille....

Bumper.....

Hood and fenders were next on the list....

Starting to look better every minute....

Next off was the fender wells....

Finally I removed the radiator core support...

Well.. that's it for today... more later.... Next? Motor and tranny will be removed...

None of this would have been possible without my "master mechanic" Tucker!!

National Automotive and Truck Museum of the United States (NATMUS)

2008-06-11T20:13:00.000-07:00

Here is another great visit in Indiana...The National Automotive and Truck Museum of the United States (NATMUS) opened in 1994 and currently occupies the service and parts department building at the Cord L-29 building. These are two of the few remaining factory production buildings of the company. There you will see exhibits including trucks, cars, and transportation-related models and toys.

You may contact the museum during regular business hours of 9am to 5pm any day of the week, by calling them at 260.925.9100. You could also visit their web site at: http://www.natmus.org/index.html

Here are some images that I took while I was there...

1969 Camaro Z-28

1970 Buick GS

Even though I'm not a Chrysler person I have to say that the Hemi motors are some of the most beautiful motors ever built.

I would love to hear from anyone that knows the history of this Charger...

Shelby details...

Shelby interior

Essex Grand Prix 427 Shelby Cobra

Hell Drivers Racer

Is this a work of art or what... Asides from the engineering team I bet there was also a design team that but these Duesenberg motors together. This motor is a straight 420 cu. in. eight cylinder model J motor.

Every detail of this motor is amazing...

Nothing like a "Pink" Cadillac...

Superbird

1939 Oldsmobile Model T 3/4 ton

Indiana

1957 T-Bird

Shelby Cobra

Ford GT - 40

Kissimmee Mecum Auction

2008-06-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

Back in January 24-26, 2008 I was able to help out driving a ton of cars during the Kissimmee High Performance Mecum Auction. I have to say that this was a blast and I would like to THANK my wife and the St. Cloud Corvette Club for making this possible. The Mecum group were just amazing and extremely nice. I wish I had more images but things just moved too fast... its one car after the other. I was able to drive over sixty cars across the block... just about every Corvette, Camaro, Trans Am, Mustang you could imagine. FUN TIME... Below are a few images from cars I was able to enjoy.

Lot S171 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona
426/425 HP, 4-Speed

Car reached 410,000 but did not sell...

The absolute wildest Mopar specials ever built began with the Charger Daytona in 1969. Produced to be approved for NASCAR racing, the Winged Warrior was the first racer to break through the 200 MPH level on the oval tracks. With the aerodynamic nose and towering rear spoiler, the imposing appearance itself assured legendary status that continues to this day. But when coupled with the mighty 426 Hemi engine and 4-speed transmission, this car reigns as a Mopar performance flagship of the muscle car era. Only 22 Hemi 4-speeds were built, out of a total production run of 503 Charger Daytonas. This stunning T5 Copper Metallic Hemi Daytona was restored by a well known Mopar enthusiast and was completed in 2005. The White interior contrasts perfectly with the exterior trim. Certainly a rare and spectacular example of one of the most impressive muscle cars to roam the streets and dominate the tracks.

Lot S151 1968 Shelby GT500 KR Convertible
428/335 HP, 4-Speed

Sold - 155,ooo

Early in 1968 the Shelby GT500 was equipped with the 427 big-block which, although detuned, still put out 390 horsepower. Then in April the 427 made way for Ford’s shiny new weapon, the 428 Cobra Jet. Rated at only 335 horses, in actuality it produced 410 horsepower at 5400rpm and 440 lb-ft of torque at 3400rpm. Changes to the “police pursuit” 428 included revised heads with larger intake and exhaust valves, the competition 427 intake manifold, 735-cfm Holley R-4174 four-barrel carburetor, an oilpan windage tray and a functional Ram-Air induction system. To mark the change to the new engine, the GT500 was renamed GT500KR for King of the Road.

The other significant addition to the 1968 Shelby lineup is well represented here in the form of this superbly restored Highland Green GT500KR convertible. According to the SAAC Registry, this exceptional car is one of only five KR convertibles in this color equipped with both the Toploader four-speed manual transmission and factory air conditioning.

Great care was taken in restoring this rare beast to as-original condition. The understated but lustrous Highland Green paint, wood-grain trimmed black interior and engine compartment are correct in every detail. In addition to the twin-scoop fiberglass hood, custom front- and rear-end treatments and other Shelby body mods, the car also wears the Cobra Jet badging exclusive to the KR. White “GT500KR” sill striping, white-lettered Goodrich tires and Kelsey-Hayes Magstar wheels provide the final visual cues.

Most KR convertibles were well-optioned, and this car is no exception. Performance is augmented by the GT Equipment Group, power steering and power brakes with front discs, while the 3.00:1 Traction-Lok rear end takes advantage of the engine’s prodigious torque. In addition to the Shelby Cobra instruments and trim, the Interior Décor Group, tilt-away steering column, AM radio and tinted glass add to occupant comfort.

A milestone in the Shelby saga, this rare GT500KR is listed in the SAAC World Registry and documented with both Deluxe and Personal Statistic Marti Reports.

Highlights:
- 1 of 5 KR 4-speed/AC convertibles
- GT Equipment Group
- Visibility Group
- Power Steering
- Power Brakes w/ Front Discs
- Tilt-Away Steering Column
- Air Conditioning
- AM Radio
- Interior Décor Group
- Tinted Glass
- Marti Report documentation

Lot S159 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS Pace Car Convertible
396/375 HP, 4-Speed

Sold - 47,000

Chevrolet’s new Camaro rocketed to national popularity when it was chosen to pace the 1967 Indianapolis 500. Four Ermine White 396 convertibles were specially prepared for duty on race day at the Brickyard, and one hundred replicas were built for use by race officials and VIPs in the month preceding the event. These cars were later sold to the public as used vehicles, with various combinations of options. All were painted Ermine White with Bright Blue Z87 Custom interiors and bore the famous “Official Pace Car” body-side decals.

This is one out of that group of one hundred Pace Cars sold through the Chevrolet dealer network. Its excellent condition is the result of a complete frame-off restoration. Equipped with the 325 horsepower 396 big block and Turbo 400 automatic, it also has power brakes with front discs, factory tach and gauge package, tinted windshield, Special Interior Group that included bright windshield pillar moldings and the console-mounted shifter.

For full details visit their site:
http://www.mecumauction.com/auctions/consignment_list.cfm?AUCTION_ID=FL0108

S-10 V8 Project

2008-06-01T12:56:00.000-07:00

This will be my new "automotive" project that I will be working on in the following months. I have decided to do a v8 (350) swap on my 1995 Chevy s10. I will make sure to post updates as I continue to work on it. If anyone has any information on this swap please drop me a line.

I can officially say that the project has already started since I found my donor car. The donor was a 1985 z-28 that had just had the motor (rebuilt) no long ago. The transmission (t5) will need a rebuild. For some reason I felt bad about taking "one more" z28 off the road.

Here is the z-28 prior to getting my hands on it. The car was pretty much "all there" but it needed work.

Pretty straight body...

Interior was in your "typical" 3rd gen condition.

Here is what I was after....

Here is my brother Frank helping me with the removal.

We decided that it would be best to remove the motor and tranny at the same time.

After getting the top of the motor free we were able to get to the motor mount bolts. Next we moved to remove all the t5 hydraulic lines, electrical wiring and hoses.

Removing the motor from the bay was pretty easy to do. I'm glad we removed the tranny and motor together.
Tranny was pretty nasty....

Here is the motor on the engine stand. I will clean the motor and replace as many gasket as possible. I will make sure to update with images of the motor when its done.

T5 ready for the rebuild....
NO MORE ENGINE....

1999 Corvette - New baby

2008-06-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

Well, it was time to add a Corvette to the family. After looking at a few new cars it was decided that Corvette would be the best choice. It has always been my wife's favorite car and I have to agree that she has great taste. The car is near mint with 30,000 miles and has just about every option available. After driving the car for a few weeks we have been very surprised that the average city mileage has been 20.7 mpg. After going over all the RPO codes I found for 1999, I noted below all the options this Corvette was optioned with in red. I will also list all the codes below so anyone can use them to reference their Corvette.

AAB
Memory, Driver Convenience Package (Memory package to recall settings for outside rearview mirrors, radio, power seats and heating/ventilation and air-conditioning controls for coupe and convertible ($150).

AG2
Power Seat Adjuster, Passenger, 6-Way

AK5
Inflatable Restraint System, Front Seat, Driver and Passenger

AQ9
Reclining Seat, Driver and Passenger (Sport Seat) (AQ9 Sport seats, coupe and convertible ($625).)

BGR
Bowling Green Plant Processing

B34
Covering Front Floor Mats, Carpeted Insert (B34 Front floor mats ($25).

B84
Molding, Body Side, Exterior (B84 Body side moldings ($75).

CJ2
HVAC System, Air Conditioning, Automatic Temperature Control (Dual Zone) (CJ2 Dual-zone air conditioning ($365).

C2L
Roof Package, Dual Removable (consists of CC3 and CF7) (C2L Dual body color-keyed roof panel and blue transparent roof panel ($950).

DL5 Decal, Roadside Service Information

DL8
Mirrors, Outside, LH/RH Remote Control Electric, Heated

D42
Shade, Rear Compartment Security (includes cargo net) (D42 Luggage shade and cargo net ($50).

FE1
Suspension System, Soft Ride

FE9
Certification, Federal Emission

F45
Chassis, Selective Real Time Damping (F45 Continuously Variable Real Time Damping, not available with RPO ZS1 package or hard top ($1 695).

GU2
Axle, Rear, 2.73 Ratio

IL3
Trim, Interior Design (L3) (Base w/ AQ9)

JL4
Control, Active Brake (JL4 Active-handling System ($500).

JL9
Brake System, Power, Front & Rear Disc, Antilock, 4-Wheel

K63
Generator, 110 Amp

LS1
Engine, Gas, 8-Cylinder, 5.7L, MFI, Aluminum (VIN G)

MX0
Merchandised Transmission, Automatic O/D Provisions

M30
Transmission, Automatic 4-Speed, 4L60-E, Electronic

NF2
Emission System, Federal, Tier 1

NK4
Steering Wheel, Sport Leather

QD4
Wheel, 17.0 x 8.5" Front and 18.0 x 9.5" Rear, Aluminum, Styled

T82
Headlamp Control, Automatic On-Off (T82 Twilight Sentinel for coupe or convertible ($60).

UN0
Radio, AM/FM Stereo, Seek/Scan, Compact Disc, Auto Tone, Clock, Electronically Tuned Receiver (ETR) (UNO Delco-Bose music system ($100).

UV6
Display, Head Up (UV6 Heads-up display ($375).

UV7
Antenna, Windshield, Rear Lift Window, Radio

UZ6
Speaker System, 6, Quad Front Door Mounted, Dual Quarter Mounted (UZ6 Bose speaker and amplifier, hardtop only ($820).

U1S
Changer, Remote Compact Disc (U1S Remote CD changer ($600).

U52
Instrument Cluster, Electronic

VM3 Label Information, consumer contains BPR IMP Standard

V49
License Plate Frame (front) (V49 Front license plate frame ($15).

V73
Vehicle Statement, US/Canada

XGG
Tire, Front, P245/45R17-89Y, BW TL SBR HW4, EMT

YGH
Tire, Rear, P275/40R18-94Y, BW TL HW4 SBR, EMT

41U
Primary Color, Exterior, Black

92I
Interior Trim, Lt Gray

923
Trim Combination, Leather, Lt Gray

1AZ
Order Modification Orders Sold

1SA Standard Package Option 01

1 - US built
G - General Motors product
1 - Chevrolet Motor Division vehicle
YY – Corvette
2 - 2 = Two-door hatchback style 07, 08, 77, or 87
2 - 2=Active manual belts with driver and passenger inflatable restraint system
G - LS1 5.7-liter (346 cu. in) Sequential multiport-fuel-injection (SFI) V8
0
X - The model year where 1999
5 - Bowling Green, KY
120159 - production sequence

1999 corvette information:
The fifth-generation Corvette, in its third model year, added a fixed-roof hardtop to the lineup that already consisted of coupe and convertible body styles.
The fixed-roof Corvette was the first offered since the leg endary second-generation Sting Rays of 1963-1967.
The new hardtop Corvette featured body lines unique to that model and they subtly set it apart from the coupe and convertible.
Its standard equipment included the six-speed manual transmission (an automatic transmission was not available), limited-slip rear axle with 3.42:1 ratio and Z51 suspension with stiff springs, large stabilizer bars and large mono-tube shock absorbers.
The Z51 suspension was also optional on coupes and convertibles.
All 1999 Corvettes were powered by the 345-hp 5.7-liter LS1 V-8.
The coupe and convertible used the 4L60-E electronically-controlled four-speed automatic over drive transmission, with the six-speed manual unit optional.
New optional features for 1999 Corvette coupe and convertible models included a Heads-Up Display (HUD) system which projected key instru mentation readouts onto the windshield to allow driv ers to view vehicle vitals without taking their eyes oft the road; Twilight Sentinel, with delayed shutoff of headlamps, allowed for exterior illumination after the ignition was turned off; and they also featured a power telescoping steering column that allowed driv ers to more accurately tailor the position of the steer mg wheel to their specific needs.
Optional again on all 1999 Corvettes was the Active-Handling System (AHS).
AHS operated in harmony with the anti-lock braking and traction-control systems to selectively apply any of the four brakes in an effort to help the driver counteract and diffuse dangerous handling characteristics such as oversteer and understeer
The Corvette's standard equipment list included next-generation dual airbags; air conditioning; leather seating; power door locks and windows; a Passkey II theft-deterrent system; electronic speed control; an electronic Driver Information Center; and Remote Function Actuation with Remote Keyless Entry.
Colors for 1999 CS Corvette coupes and convertibles were: Arctic White; Light Pewter Metallic; Sebring Silver Metallic; Nassau Blue Metallic; Navy Blue Metallic; Black; Torch Red; and Magnetic Red II Clearcoat.
The fixed-roof hardtop came only in five colors: Artic White; Light Pewter Metallic; Nassau Blue; Black; and Torch Red.
Leather interiors were standard and came in Black; Light Oak; Light Gray; and Red.
Convertible tops were available in White, Black, and Light Oak.

I.D. NUMBERS

The serial number [Vehicle Identification Number -- VIN] was stamped on a plate on the inner vertical surface of the left windshield pillar visible through the windshield.
The Fixed roof hardtop serial numbers ranged from 1G1YY12G*X5100001 to 1G1YY12G*X5133283
The coupe serial numbers ranged from 1G1YY22G*X5100001 to 1G1YY22G*X5133283
The convertible serial numbers ranged from 1G1YY32G*X5100001 to 1G1YY32G*X5133283
Position Character Description
1 1 US built
2 G General Motors product
3 1 Chevrolet Motor Division vehicle
4&5 YY Corvette
6 1 or 2 or 3 Body style number
1 = Two-door fixed-roof hardtop
2 = Two-door hatchback style 07, 08, 77, or 87
3 = Two-door convertible GM body style 67
7 2 or 4 2=Active manual belts with driver and passenger inflatable restraint system
4=Active manual belts with frontal and side-impact driver and front passenger inflatable restraint system
8 G LS1 5.7-liter (346 cu. in) Sequential multiport-fuel-injection (SFI) V8
9 ? A check digit that calculates the characters in the serial number and gives it a single digit code and can be used to verify that the serial number is legitimate
10 X The model year where 1999
11 5 Bowling Green, KY
12-17 100001 and up production sequence

The 1999 Corvette exterior colors were:
10U = Arctic White
11U = Light Pewter Metallic
13U = Sebring Silver Metallic
23U = Nassau Blue Metallic
28U = Navy Blue Metallic
41U = Black
70U = Torch Red
86U = Magnetic Red II Clear Coat
Upholstery Codes
Color Leather Upholstery
Black 193
Light Oak 673
Light Gray 923
Red 943

ENGINE

Feature Standard Engine (RPO LS6)
Type V-8, 90-degree Overhead valve
Block Cast aluminum block and cylinder head
Displacement 346 cid (5.7 liters)
Bore & Stroke 3.90" x 3.62"
Compression ratio 10.1:1
Brake horsepower 345 @ 5600
Torque 350 lb-ft @ 4400
Main bearing five
Valve lifters hydraulic, two valves per cylinder
Fuel supply Sequential Multi-port injection (MPI) system

TRANSMISSION

Four Speed Turbo Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission (TMH 700-R4) with floor-mounted gear shifter
Six-speed Borg-Warner Manual with floor-mounted gear shifter

CHASSIS

Feature Coupe & Convertible
Wheelbase 104.5 inches (2.654 m)
Overall length 179.7 inches (4.564 m)
Overall width 73.6 inches (1.869 m)
Overall height 47.9 inches (1.217 m)
Front tread 62.0 inches (1.575 m)
Rear tread 62.1 inches (1.577 m)
Standard Tires Front/Rear P245/45ZR-17 Goodyear Eagle GT / P275/40ZR-18 Goodyear Eagle GT
Steering rack and pinion (power assisted)
Front suspension Independent SLA forged-aluminum upper and lower control arms and steering knuckle, transverse monoleaf springs, steel stabilizer bar, and spindle offset.
Rear suspension Independent five-link design with tow and camber adjustment, cast-aluminum upper and lower control arms and knuckle, transverse monoleaf springs, steel tie rods and stabilizer bar, and tubular U-jointed metal matrix composite driveshaft.
Brakes Antilock four-wheel power disc
Body construction Fiberglass; integral perimeter frame with center back bone/all-welded steel body frame construction
Fuel tank 19.1 US Gal (15.9 Imp Gal) (72 liters)

OPTIONS

RPO AAB Memory package to recall settings for outside rearview mirrors, radio, power seats and heating/ventilation and air-conditioning controls for coupe and convertible ($150).
RPO AG1 Power six-way passenger seat, hardtop only ($305).
RPO AP9 Parcel net, hardtop only ($15).
RPO AQ9 Sport seats, coupe and convertible ($625).
RPO B34 Front floor mats ($25).
RPO B84 Body side moldings ($75).
RPO CC3 Roof panel with blue tint ($650).
RPO C2L Dual body color-keyed roof panel and blue transparent roof panel ($950).
RPO CJ2 Dual-zone air conditioning ($365).
RPO D42 Luggage shade and cargo net ($50).
RPO F45 Continuously Variable Real Time Damping, not available with RPO ZS1 package or hard top ($1 695).
RPO G92 Performance 3.15:1 axle ratio with automatic transmission, not available with six-speed manual transmission ($100).
RPO JL4 Active-handling System ($500).
RPO LS1 5.7-liter sequential fuel injection aluminum V-8 (no-cost option).
RPO MN6 Six-speed manual transmission, no charge in hard-top, in other models ($825).
RPO N37 Tilt-telescope power steering column in coupe and convertible ($350).
RPO N73 Custom magnesium wheels ($3,000).
RPO R8C National Corvette Museum fac tory delivery option ($490).
RPO T82 Twilight Sentinel for coupe or convertible ($60).
RPO T96 Fog lamps ($69).
RPO TR6 Lighting package, hardtop only ($95).
RPO UNO Delco-Bose music system ($100).
RPO U1S Remote CD changer ($600).
RPO UV6 Heads-up display ($375).
RPO UZ6 Bose speaker and amplifier, hardtop only ($820).
RPO V49 Front license plate frame ($15).
RPO CYF California emis sion system ($170).
RPO ZS1 Performance handling Package ($350).
RPO 86U Magnetic Red Metallic paint, coupe and convertible only ($500)

Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum

2008-04-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum is a museum located in Auburn, Indiana that is dedicated to preserving cars built by the Auburn Automobile, Cord Automobile and Duesenberg. It is comparable in purpose to the Studebaker National Museum which is also located in Indiana.

Growing up in the "Muscle car" era, I was not sure this museum was going to be interesting at all. Well, did the visit change my mind... No matter what type of automobiles you are interested in, visiting the museum will give you an incredible appreciation on how amazing these vehicles truly are. To say amazing is an understatement.... they are works of art. Not only from the careful design of the coach work but from an engineering standpoint. The motors these engineers created are works of art. They are just a nice to look at as the cars themselves.

Please visit their web site at: http://www.acdmuseum.org/index.htm

Here are some of the displays you will see at the museum:

Raisbeck Engineering Hall of Technology

Showcases the innovation, initiative and intellect of the Auburn Automobile Company. Highlights five technologies developed by the Auburn Automobile Company that are still in use in today’s production cars. Learn about engines and technology related to the Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg automobiles and study biographies of the company’s key engineering staff.

Dean V Kruse Gallery of Auburn Automobiles 1900 - 1924

Auburn automobiles from 1904 to 1924 are exhibited in a setting reminiscent of an Auburn sales showroom during this period of time. This gallery illustrates the prolificacy and skilled workmanship inherent in a regional - if sometimes struggling - midwestern auto firm. These predecessors to E.L. Cord’s arrival at the company show the astonishingly rapid development of automobiles.

Auburn Foundry Gallery of Auburn Built Automobiles

No fewer than ten different brands of motorcars were manufactured in the city of Auburn in the pre-WW I era. This enlightening gallery proves that, even on the local scene, Auburn had formidable competition at the time. Invariably these manufacturers had earlier been well-established carriage builders, who embarked on horseless carriage activities as progress beckoned. Auburn, Indiana, was a center for vehicle development and manufacturing, teeming with new ideas in construction, power, design and marketing, as this exhibit vividly discloses. The ambience places you in the early part of the century including window treatments that duplicate scenes from the manufacturers and the city of Auburn.

Lincoln Financial Group Foundation "The Cars of Indiana" Gallery

The State of Indiana was one of America’s most productive regions committed to automotive commerce, ranging from the inception of hundreds of marques, to the widespread proliferation of manufacturers of auto components. Indiana is judged to have had the potential, prior to 1925, of attaining an automotive status similar to Michigan’s. Displayed is an enviable collection of rare and unusual automobiles built in the Hoosier state.

Timothy S. Durham Gallery of Classics

Alongside Full Classics TM manufactured by Auburn Automobile Company, this gallery contains many Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg automobiles and its contemporaries. Presented are domestic and foreign products that competed to be the most luxurious and prestigious car during the Classic era.

Robert M. Pass Gallery of Special Topics

Specific areas of special interest are presented in-depth in the award-winning gallery.

Auburn Automobile Company Showroom Gallery

Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg motorcars of the classic era 1925 - 1937. This gallery is located in the original art deco sales showroom where dealers came from all over the world to select inventory to sell.

These magnificent automobiles, positioned in this momentous historical context, render the museum both distinctive and unique, charged with a significance that is absolute and irrefutable. The classic cars - rich in history, technological innovation, unduplicatable luxury and aesthetic beauty define the stature of the Auburn Automobile Company with clarity and excitement.

Gallery of Special Interest Automobiles

These domestic, foreign and prototype vehicles are milestones of automotive advancement. This gallery brings closure to the museum’s cohesive interpretation of the auto industry. It offers a sense of the ways in which each automobile company led to the next and how each idea inspired a heightened, more sophisticated turn of succeeding ideas.

Hurricane Charley Ferrari

2007-12-14T14:28:00.000-08:00

Hurricane Charley rips the roof off secret Florida Ferrari lair

1964 Chevelle project

2007-10-11T20:45:00.001-07:00

Over the past week I was able to get my 327 put back together. The great thing about doing this yourself is how much you can learn. I have to say that I did have some help from friends at work and that was very much appreciated. I was able to take the car for a quick ride and it seems to pull strong. The best part about it is having oil pressure... being able to see that needle on the gauge read past zero is like looking at a Picasso. You see, the whole problem started when I rounded the cam and wiped out my lower end...

Motor made it back in...

Getting ready to go in...

Here is the new oil adapter I put in rather than having the canister. There is also a big difference on what type of adapter you need to use pending on your year motor. There is one adapter for the 1963 to 1967 327 motors and a different one for the 1968 to 1969 motors.
This is what the 1963 to 1967 version looks like once its all in place.
Here she is almost ready to go in...
New 8.8 wires...

Earson 1.6 roller lifters
Here is my bottom end all finished up...Ready for the oil pan.
I wiped out my cam pretty bad and that means the metal from the cam and lifter only has one place to go... Not only to the bottom of the pan but every little hole it can find. This also means that your bearings are going to have a very bad day. I ended up having to cut the crank: Mains .0010 - Rods .0020
Here are my timing marks all lined up

Just installed the cam....

Dad's cars

2007-10-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I came across a box with some images of my dad's cars. I posted some images of a Chevy that he customized back in the 50's. I'm pretty sure it's a 51/52/53 Chevy but any help identifying would be great. Enjoy

This pic was taken in South Hackensack - New Jersey

1973 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible

1966 Mustang

Corvair

1973 Eldo

Corvair

Not sure what this one is... if anyone has any idea please drop me a line.

1950/1951 Ford Woodie

1950 Ford

This is a custom my dad built. I'm not sure of the year and I'm hoping someone can help me out. I think it's a 1951/1952/1953 Chevy...

1955 Chevy Bell Air - First thing dad bought after returning from Korea.

1955 Chevy Nomad - put over 300,000 miles on this one before the motor finally went.

His pride 1957 283 dual quad Corvette. This car was bought in Florida and raced at Daytona.

2007-08-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

Here we go again... Below are some images of my latest project since I'm done with the Trans Am. After rounding the cam on my 327 I pretty much destroyed my lower end on the motor. At least for now... I still have to take the cam out to make sure the cam bearings are OK. Taking the motor out was pretty seasy... Took about three hours by myself. I did have some blood loss but that's pretty much expected. I would not have it any other way. Just rub some 10-30 motor oil on it and it's all better.

Here is the crank out of my 327...bearings were toast
Well, my S10 made it to 200,000 miles :-) Who says Chevy can't make long lasting motors...

Rods and pistons... Take a close look at the bearings... down to the copperEarson 1.60 roller rockers

Lower end shot...
Oil pump was toast

Almost out...

What would a motor removal be without some blood loss?? Gets better, keep looking...

Made a mess on the floor
Nothing a piece of tape and oil can't fix...

Trans Am update

2007-07-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

Regulator Swap:
Remove the door panel and the plastic weather barrier to access the door internals. Note: The door pictured below is from a 1992 Trans Am. Depending on the model year of your f-body, the door may have a different appearance to some of the internal components.

Before attempting to remove the current regulator, roll the window down as low as it will go. It is not desirable for the window glass to come crashing down and shatter when the regulator is removed from the door. I then looked to see what would be the best position for the window that would give me access to the bolts I had to remove. To make sure the window would not come crashing down, I made me a wooden peg that I could wedge between the door and the glass to hold it in place. Makes things alot easier if you are doing this by yourself.

There are four 1/4 inch aluminum "peel" rivets on each door that hold the regulator to the door shell. To remove the rivets, I: ground the head of the rivets smooth with a grinding wheel (be careful not to pit the window glass) knocked the center stud out of the rivet with a hammer and punch using my power drill, I drilled down the center of the rivet to detach the "head" from the "shaft" of the rivet
Once you remove these bolts you will have to remove three others in the back that hold the window regulator. Once all the rivets are removed, the motor should hang free. There are three roller guides on the regulator, two are on the same track. First remove the guide/arm from the track on the inner half of the door shell by sliding the motor/regulator assembly towards the lock mechanism (or door jamb, whatever as long as you slide it to the back of the door). Next, continue to slide the assembly back and allow the second guide to slide out of the track located on the outer half of the door, continue by sliding the third and last guide out of the same track, in the same manner. The assembly should be free. To remove the free Regulator/Motor assembly from the door shell, you basically have to force it out, cause it ain't going without a fight. The biggest access hole in the door shell is towards the door jamb, on the lower half of the door, you should be able to flex the regulator arm enough to get a guide outside the door, from then on, it's all careful flexing, and trying not to break something...

Removal and installation of the motor:
The window moves up and down because the motor pushes a half-moon shaped gear up and down. That gear is spring loaded. I highly recommend clamping down and securing the gear and spring assembly before removing the motor from the regulator. There are two rather large holes in both the regulator arm, and the gear, I shoved a screwdriver in both those holes at the same time, effectively stopping movement, and greatly increasing my safety. The gear would have the effect of a circular saw if allowed to spring loose, I cannot stress the importance of securing the gear enough..
The motor is held to the regulator by three rivets, drill them out. After the motor has been separated from the regulator, attach the new motor. My new motor came with a set of screws to replace the rivets I drilled out on the motor, these screws turned out to be very weak, and stripped when I tightened them, so I decided to use stainless steel bolts the new motor on. Keep in mind, you may have to align the motor gear, and regulator gear, I did this by slowly "bumping" the motor by attaching the wiring harness to the new motor and tapping my power window switch. Visually inspect everything.

Installation of the new Regulator/Motor assembly:
Sliding the new assembly back in the door shell is the same as removal. Installing the guides is the exact opposite of removal. And that's where this project stops being fun. There are four rivets that held the assembly to the door shell, and now there should be four holes where each rivet was. You have three options when it comes to replacing the first four rivets you've drilled out. The first option is to go to a GM dealer and order the correct rivets, and installation tool, which I highly recommend BTW. The second option is to use smaller rivets, this is an option because the large 1/4" rivets originally used are very hard to come by. To use the smaller rivets, you'll need to find some small washers so the rivet has something to grab on when it's secured. The Third option is to use nuts and bolts, this is the option I chose. I used stainless bolts and lock washers on each bolt head. I didn't use washers on the nut because it's just too difficult to get a washer on that side.. The bolts I used were a bit long so I ended putting them in from inside the door and having the nut on the outside. Once I had the tight and had the window operating correctly I took my grinder to shorten them. This ended up working great. Also, since I used a grinder and got down to the metal... I used some primer (black) to make sure I covered any exposed metal.

Once I finished with the window motor... I installed the door panel back on the door..
Well, here is the interior waiting for me to get it back together...

First thing I did was install all my header pamels and seals...

Next was the Radio

Geeting there....

Well, it's finished...

Here it is all done... after almost two years it feels good to have it done. Specially when I handed the keys to the car to my wife.

S-10 Front end install

2007-07-15T16:20:00.000-07:00

Well, after 185,000 miles I thought it was time to rebuild my front end...

I started by removing all the hardware holding the swaybar to the lower A arm. I then removed the outer tie-rod ends. Only three more bolts for you to remove the whole unit including the centerlink comes out together. There are two bolts on the passenger side of the frame and one on the drivers side that bolts to the rack and pinion.
Here is the entire unit taken out together... Makes things easier...
Here's the part that sucks. I also changed my upper and lower ball joints... I just hate having to take coil springs out... What made it worse is that the lower ball joints are pressed in and you need to remove the lower A arms and have them pressed at a shop.

Once I had the lower ball joints pressed on it took a while to get the springs back on... I even used two different spring compressors but due to the short distance from the upper and lower A arms none of them worked. Well, I said a prayer and used a five foot pry bar to get them on... If you plan on doing this make sure you are careful not to have the spring pop out and loose any body parts. Have I mentioned how much I hate doing this??? Well, after a front end alignment and new tires, she drives like new.

Trans am gets painted!!!

2007-03-26T19:42:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like the Trans Am is getting painted 3/23/07.

Used some old IROC wheels to paint the car rather than using the T/A "gold mesh" wheels.
Here she is next to a 1953 Ford... In the showroom you could barely see a 1947 Chevy Convertible and a 1969 Vette.

Car makes it in the booth for some paint
It was pretty crazy trying to tape this one...
Almost Ready...

John applies the base color...
A little more base...
Here comes the Clear....1st coat
2nd coat....
A HUGE thanks to "Johnny Clickner" at Wolfmans Rod & Restoration in Kissimmee for his patience and help to make this happen.

2007 Daytona 500 Twin 125's

2007-02-27T21:36:00.000-08:00

ON MY DAY OFF!!!

2007-02-05T13:28:00.000-08:00

Did I mention that I just bought a new air compressor... Makes things so much easier.

Just added a new oil pressure guage to the Chevelle... Let's hope it was the guage and not the oil pump....

Have you ever tried to change you headlight motors on a F-body? Well, I learned the HARD WAY!!! For some reason the engineers at GM did not want anyone to pry from the headlight housing to get the headlight motor out.... well, after a few nasty words and busted knuckles, I finally got this back together. Replaced all the bushings in the motors so they better work. ...

Here are some pics of my lawnmower. For some reason it was not running good at all... a carb rebuild and it's all better...

2006 Daytona Turkey Rod Run

2006-11-28T16:42:00.000-08:00

Here are some images from the 2006 Daytona Turkey Rod Run. During the drive to the show/swap meet was also pretty exciting since on my return I broke 190,000 miles on my truck. Not bad considering that I've never had to do any major work to the truck at all. Can't believe that I have that many miles on the original clutch...

Here are some pics that I took while I was down at the show. Enjoy.

1995 Chevy S-10

2006-11-19T18:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been fortunate to have some pretty cool cars but I have to dedicate this post to my faithful 1995 Chevy S-10. This is hands down the most reliable truck I've ever owned...I bought “Penelope” new back in 1995 and I have been driving it ever since. I’m close to 190,000 miles on her and the only thing I’ve ever had to replace to date has been an AC compressor and a few brake pads up front along with a few set of tires. I guess buying the “life time” guarantee on the pads has saved me some money…
Believe it or not I still have the original clutch, rear breaks and just about everything else is original asides from what’s listed above. This truck has helped me with all the “automotive” jobs I’ve had… from hauling motors, rears or any other part you could imagine. I’ve had so much weight in the bed at times (with the suspension bottomed out) that when I hit a small bump on the road my front wheels came off the ground.
I have to say that the truck has never left me on the road and when it does I will have a small block waiting.

1964 Chevy Malibu Chevelle SS

2006-11-19T18:08:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of my 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle SS. This is a factory air conditioned SS Malibu that has 97,000 original miles. The car was rust free when I purchased-it from the previous owner. The original 283 is in the garage. I got my hands on a 327-365 hp motor and stated from there. New specs: CAM duration at .50" in. 224 degrees EX. 234 degrees Lift in. .465 EX. .488 Lobe Separation 114; Camel hump,no accessory holes,160/62cc port volumes,62cc chamber; forged..small journal....3.25" stroke; Erson 1.60 roller rockers and cam. Power Glide 3000 stall with 3:73 gears. Here are some specs for anyone with a 64:

1964 VIN Breakdown
The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) has much the same information as the Trim Tag such as the series/model, year, and assembly plant. The difference is the last six numbers relating to the the assembly plant sequence as opposed to the trim tag's Fisher Body sequence.
A typical 1964 Chevelle VIN might read: 45635 K 183855 being a Malibu V8 2-seat, 4-door station wagon assembled in Kansas City, MO.; DD was initially to be used for "Delivery Date" but few were stamped.
First Digit: Manufacturer Year
4 - 1964
1964 Model SeriesSecond and Third digit: Series Designation
53 - Chevelle 300, El Camino, 6-cylinder54 - Chevelle 300, El Camino, 8-cylinder55 - Malibu, Custom El Camino, 6-cylinder56 - Malibu, Custom El Camino, 8-cylinder57 - Malibu Super Sport, 6-cylinder58 - Malibu Super Sport, 8-cylinder
1964 Body StylesFourth and Fifth Digit: Body Style
11 - 2-door sedan15 - 2-door wagon35 - 4-door station wagon, 2 seats37 - 2-door sport coupe45 - 2-door station wagon67 - 2-door convertible69 - 4-door sedan80 - 2-door sedan pickup
Sixth Digit (Alpha Designation): Production Location - see below
Seventh through Twelfth Digits: Sequential Production Number
The sequential starting number for the 1964 Chevelle was 100001 at all Chevelle assembly plants.
Production at the Kansas City plant exceeded 100,000 units sometime in mid to late June so the VIN sequence from that timeframe to the end of production would be 2nnnnn for the Kansas City plant.

From 1964 through 1968, the SS was a separate series. The 1964 Malibu SS could be ordered with a V8 (VIN starts with "458") or L6 (VIN starts with "457"). The 1965 Malibu SS could be ordered with a V8 (VIN starts with "138") or L6 (VIN starts with "137"). The 1966 through 1968 SS series was only available with the 396 engine (VIN starts with "138").
The series/model designation on the body plate DOES NOT indicate a 6-cyl. or 8-cyl. engine but rather a trim level for a series such as '35' or '36' for a Malibu. For example, a 136xx number on the body plate does not mean a V8 engine was installed in the vehicle. You must check the VIN to see if a 6-cyl. or 8-cyl. engine was originally installed.
There are numerous examples throughout this site of even numbered series on the body plate (e.g., 13469) and the VIN shows an odd number (e.g., 13369) indicating a 6-cylinder engine. There are also numerous examples of odd numbered series on the body plate (e.g., 13569 in 1971) indicating that not ALL Fisher Body plates used even numbered series indications.
The exceptions to the above is any 1966 through 1968 body plate with the number '38' as the second and third digits. The '38' series (SS396) was a separate series in the Chevelle lineup during these years and ONLY available with the 396 8-cyl. engine. Trim for a '38' series SS396 was different from a '36' series Malibu, hence the body plate on a 1966 to 1968 SS396 Chevelle (or 1968 SS396 El Camino) will show the '38' series and definitely be an 8-cyl. Chevelle.
The 396 engine could be ordered on the 1966 and 1967 El Camino, but they did not have the SS option package; the SS El Camino did not appear until 1968 and 1968 was the ONLY year you can verify by the body plate and/or VIN as being a SS396 El Camino as the series/model is 13880.
In 1966 and 1967 only, the SS also had its own body style designation (model) for the 2-door sport coupe and can be identified on the body plate and VIN with model number "17" in the model designation as opposed to 64/65 and 68/72 which used model "37" to denote the 2-door sport coupe. The "17" indicated the new strut back styling of the top.
Not all assembly plants used the same format on their Fisher Body number plates. Some early Chevelles/El Caminos (64-67) had option groups, some plants did not include those. Some used 'A' or 'B' to denote bench/bucket seats even though the trim code used was only for bench/bucket seat type, some plants did not use 'A' or 'B'. Please check your plate for the assembly plant and compare to sample plates I have throughout this site.
It's also been noted that the body assembly unit numbers appear to be sequential to the body type (2-dr sport coupe, convertible, etc.) through model year 1969. From 1970 through 1972, the body assembly unit numbers are not sequential.
Beginning in 1972, the Chevelle VIN plate changed to (1) a single letter indicating the basic model (Malibu, Chevelle, El Camino) and (2) a letter after the body style indicated the engine installed in the car. The Fisher Body plate DID NOT change from previous years. Where a 1972 VIN might read "1D37U" for a Malibu 2-dr sport coupe with a 402 engine, the same Fisher Body plate would still read "13637" with no engine size specified.
Dan Carr has put together a very comprehensive set of facts to determine if a Chevelle/El Camino is a true Super Sport.
GM of Canada has documentation available.

Typical 1964 Fisher Body plate breakdown. Some assembly plants have more information on their plates than others and some have information on different lines. Please check the individual assembly plants for specifics.
Line 1: Body assembly date of vehicle. A typical body assembly date is 06C
This production date of 06C decodes to June (06) in the third week (C).
01 - January
07 - July
02 - February
08 - August
03 - March
09 - September
04 - April
10 - October
05 - May
11 - November
06 - June
12 - December
A - First WeekB - Second WeekC - Third WeekD - Fourth WeekE - Fifth Week

Line 2: Series/Body Style, Assembly Plant, Fisher Body unit number. Atlanta, Euclid, Fremont, and Van Nuys also added the model year (64) as a prefix to the series/body style such as 64-5837 where Baltimore and Kansas City only used the series and body style such as 5837.

Block Casting Numbers and Casting Dates - The small block and big block engines alike are identified by a casting number, found at the left rear of the block on the flange forward of the bell housing. On either side of the block (small block) or the right side of the engine above the old pan rails (big block) you will find a casting date. This date is the actual casting time of the block at the foundry. A typical casting date -- A 28 9 -- translates into January (A), 28th day, 1969 (9).

1989 Pontiac Trans Am GTA

2006-11-19T17:55:00.000-08:00

This is a 1989 Trans Am that I purchased from a junk yard and I have to say it was probably one of the nicest cars I've ever had. I added a few things I had laying around in the garage and they made a huge change. I added and air foil, headers, underdrive pulleys and cold air box... Not much but it made a difference.
GM makes new N10 dual catalytic converter exhaust available for the '98 Firebird, freeing up 13% more power from some LB9 and L98 equipped 1989 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am's. 1989 Firebird models optioned with t-tops receive new Lexan plastic tops. The new tops are lighter in weight and tinted darker, but are more dome shaped and age rapidly. GM replaces many sets with glass under warranty, but the Lexan tops continue through 1992. All rear disc brake optioned Firebirds now receive PBR brake calipers and larger brake rotors. This resolved issues GM encountered with the earlier rear discs, and increased stopping power. Introduction of GM's Vehicle Anti Theft System or V.A.T.S. makes all 1989 Pontiac Firebird models more theft resistent by incorporating a small resistor into the key. VATS equipped cars also display antitheft system warning decals in the lower rear corners of side windows.
The 1989 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am is selected to pace the Indianapolis 500. Pontiac markets a new 1989 Pontiac Firebird pace car replica. This special 20th Anniversary 1989 Pontiac Firebird Turbo Trans Am (TTA) based on the GTA is only available in white with tan interior and comes equipped with a Buick 3.8L V6 with a turbocharger developed from the Grand National. These 1989 Firebird replicas are as close to the actual pace car as any replica offered up to this time. The only changes made to the cars that actually were on the track during the race were the additions of strobe lights and safety equipment. 1,555 were produced, 5 being test cars. Out of 1,550 cars produced by PAS, the actual pace cars were randomly selected and sent to Indy for testing and modification. When they were released to the public they were underrated in power. Not all came with T-Tops or came with leather either, there were hardtops and cloth cars. Every car in the 1989 Pontiac Firebird Pace car replica line has an an automatic transmission, the 2004R. The five test TTA's, because they were for pre-production use, were pulled off of the assembly line without regard to color and they were not white. At least two of these test cars were sold to private individuals. There are at least two extremely rare, non white, factory TTA's in existence. Its known that one is red. GM did not offer a factory convertible TTA. However, one was created by ASC.

Specs:

1,324 T-Top & Leather Interior
187 T-Top & Cloth Interior
24 Hardtop & Leather Interior
15 Hardtop & Cloth Interior (Base)

4 Test Cars with T-Top & Cloth Interior
1 Test Car with Hardtop & Leather Interior

1990 Chevy Iroc Camaro

2006-11-19T17:43:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics of a very nice 1990 Iroc that I had... This was a great running car that never left me stranded. I sold this one so I could purchase my 1992 Trans am Convertible. You might notice that I did not have the correct 1990 rims on the car...I had them but prefered the older looking rims.
The 1990 model year was only a half year of production due to Chevrolet not renewing the IROC contract, no IROC-Z's were produced after 12/31/1989. Instead, the 1991 Camaros were introduced early during last half of the 1990 model year.1990 IROC's and RS's are easily identifiable: 1990 was the first year for the updated interior which included drivers side airbag, redesigned instrument panel, yellow lettering on dash, rounded controls, etc. So 1990 Chevy Camaro IROC's are the only '90 Camaro IROC's with the new interior. 1990 RS's are the only RS's with the new interior and the older valances (before the new `scooped' side valances).The LB8 2.8 liter V-6 was replaced by an increased displacement 3.1 liter LH0 V-6.In 1990, the base engine for the IROC was finally the LB9 TPI 305 rather than the base LO3 V-8. However, G92 had to be specified now to get the better cam/230hp LB9 motor in the 5 speed LB9 IROC-Z. Previously, all 5 speed LB9 IROC-Z's got the higher output LB9. One other difference between a 1989 5.7 IROC and a 1990 5.7 IROC are the pistons. The 350 (only) received lighter weight pistons thus a slight horsepower increase of 240 (1989) to 245 (1990). In 1990, TPI Camaros switched from MAF air metering systems to MAP systems. This eliminated the mass airflow (MAF) sensor.IROC-Z convertible now came standard with 16 inch wheels and P245/50ZR-16 tires.G80 limited slip differential became standard equipment on IROC-Z.The Borg-Warner HD rear end was dropped and replaced with the old 7.625 (7 5/8) inch rear end. Because the Borg-Warner axles were no longer being used for the G92 option, optional axle ratios changed slightly: LB9 305 TPI 5 speed went from 3.45 (1989) to 3.42 (1990) and the B2L 350 TPI went from 3.27 (1989) to 3.23 (1990).

Content of G92 was expanded and purchased as a `performance package' rather than requiring other options. G92 could be ordered two ways: with or without air conditioning. Ordering G92 `without air conditioning' (C41 standard heater) added the 1LE performance package. G92 performance packages were only available with B2L or LB9/5 speed. All 350 IROC-Z's were required to have one of the G92 packages in 1990.

G92 with air conditioning (C60):

Optional axle ratio (305/3.42, 350/3.23) Rear disc brakes (J65) Performance exhaust system (N10) (dual catalytic converters) Engine oil cooler (KC4)
5.0 liter TPI (LB9) with 5 speed gets revised cam for 230hp rating.
G92 with out air conditioning (C41) in addition to above adds 1LE performance package consisting of:
Fog lamp delete Aluminum driveshaft (JG1) Aluminum spare wheel with smaller spare tire (N64) Larger (11.86 inch) front rotors and PBR Australian built HD front dual piston aluminum calipers
Special swinging fuel pickup in gas tank and special 18 gallon baffled fuel tank for fuel pickup down to .5 gallon reserve to prevent fuel starvation in hard cornering
The 1989 1LE special deflected disc shocks were dropped for the 1990 1LE IROC-Z and standard IROC-Z gas shocks were used.

34 1990 1LE LB9 (305 TPI) IROC-Z's were built. 28 1990 1LE B2L (350 TPI) IROC-Z's were built

1989 Chevy Iroc 350 TPI

2006-11-19T17:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a 1989 Iroc that I cut-up for parts...

1955 Chevy Bel Air Project

2006-11-19T16:39:00.000-08:00

Here is one that never got finished...

1992 Trans Am Project

2006-11-19T12:47:00.000-08:00

This is a how I bought the car about two years ago. Here is a brief history that I was able to pull from online...If there is anyone out there that know how many were made in the various color/option combinations please drop me a line at dparras71@cfl.rr.com
1992 marked the final year for third generation platform. 1992 provided few changes for the Firebird. Mid-year tuned port injected cars received blank throttle body plates rather than the "TUNED PORT INJECTION" plates of prior years, and black painted valve covers rather than the previous years silver components. The end of the L98 in the Corvette led to rough cast runners finding their way into L98 birds. Some cars received special rubber snubbers on the rear hatch frame designed to make the hatch more stable. Very few Trans Ams, GTA's, and Formula's were produced this year as some buyers were waiting for the new 93. In 1992, a company by the name of Street Legal Performance(SLP), modified a factory built Formula into what they called the "Firehawk". When you were to purchase your car, you would specify that you wanted this limited option. Then the Formula you selected, was sent out to SLP to be modified. No two cars they produced were alike, for they all were special orders. SLP had anticipated making 250 of these screaming machines, but only 27 were ordered. Out of those only 25 were ever built. They were numbered 1-25 for hardtops (numbers 18 and 23 were never built), and the ONLY Firehawk Convertible was numbered 27. Of those 25 Firehawks 21 were "Mandatory" Red, 1 Aqua, 1 White, 1 Blue, 1 Green, 11 had the Competition Package, 3 came with Aluminum Engine Blocks, 1 had T-Tops and 1 was a Convertible. RPO Code: B4U.

Here is my current project... Started with the suspension and currently doing the body prep for paint.

Here are some images of the body prep.

House Project

2006-11-08T19:45:00.000-08:00

Here is my latest project in regards to "home renovations" although you soon learn that it's a never ending project. This 2100 sqf addition consisted of 1000 sqf of garage "shop" area and 1100 sqf of living area.

The following images were taken when we excavated the footings and started building the forms to pour the slab.

This wall will separate the living room from the bedroom
Rafters are done and ready for the ceiling to be finished.

This is the soon to be "workshop" garage. Most of the framing is done and I'm getting ready to start with the electrical. Also installed are cable lines for modem and television. Also prewired the garage for speakers.
Here are the stairs that will be used to access the upstairs loft. From this image you can notice that the rear windows from the main house are still installed. These will soon be removed and the "under-the-stairs" area will be framed and closed to be part of the main residence.

This is the start of the upstairs framing of the walls
From the kitchen area looking at the living room.
From the living room looking at the kitchen.
Wall looking from the living room to the bedroom.
Rafters are finished along with the wiring... Ready for some plaster and insulation.

The exterior is also starting to take shape. Just covered the building with tyvek and I'm ready to start installing the windows and garage door.
This will be the secondary entrance from the main residence to the shop area. Getting ready to finish the flooring with wood.

The interior is starting to take shape.. This is the area under the stairs.
Even my honey gets into the action.
Added archway to the hallway.
Kitchen is taking shape.
Doorway looking into bath.
Just installed the flooring to the bedroom.
The garage is even taking shape...

Added second AC unit.
Shower just installed.
Bath is starting to take shape.
During the time of construction I also replaced the roof of the main residence.

1955 Chey Nomad 2006 "Hot Rod Power Tour"

2006-11-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

Power Tour Does the East Coast in 2006!

Continuing the tradition of having the Power Tour begin where the previous year’s Tour ended, this year’s 12th Annual HOT ROD Power Tour will kick off in Kissimmee, Florida on June 3. That’s where the 2005 Tour ended, after moving south from all the way up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This year, we’ll go the other way, traversing the eastern seaboard as we head north and have stops in Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, before stopping for the finale at the legendary Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. E-town is a world-class dragstrip, so in addition to the huge show that is the Power Tour, expect to see many of the participants wringing their cars out on the track.

Ram Jet ZL1 Limited Edition Fuel Injected ZL1 454
With only 200 Planned for production, the Ram Jet ZL1 is sure to be a highly sought after item. The Ram Jet ZL1 is based on the legendary all aluminum ZL1 cylinder block. The ZL1 block first introduced in 1969, was used in Can Am racing and found it’s way into a very limited number of 1969 Corvettes and Camaros. With a few modern updates such as provisions for a roller camshaft and improved main webs, the ZL1 block is still produced from the original tooling used in 1969.

2008 2009 Chevy Camaro

2006-11-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

Here are some images I was able to take of the new 2008 - 2009 Camaro prototype. The images are not that great since they were taken from my camera phone.
Just to prove that German automakers aren't the only ones who plan products based on what their rivals have done, GM comes out with the Camaro--a retro-styled, two-door coupe with a honking big V-8 that harks back to the glory days of Motown. If that sounds familiar, that's exactly what Ford did with the Mustang. Hot on the heels of the Pony car's success, DaimlerChrysler has dusted off the Challenger and Chevy has produced a new Camaro, a nameplate that was more recently interred. The muscular Camaro concept is pure '69 updated, with the kind of subtle detailing that makes it look up-to-the-minute. The interior is very glitzy, and pays homage to the original, even down to the GM seat belt insignia and the twin instrument pods.
The car is 186.2 inches long and rides on a 110.5-inch wheelbase. The wheels are 21s at the front and 22s at the rear, shod with monster 275/30 front and 305/30 rear tires, which should be able to corral the 400 horses from the LS2 6.0-liter V-8 engine powering through a six-speed manual transmission. The show car has a cobbled together chassis with an all-independent suspension, but if it makes it into production, it will use the so-called Zeta Lite architecture that will be shared with Holden in Australia. The good news for GM is that the architecture--while hardly cutting edge--is far more sophisticated than the live-axle Mustang. Insiders say that a $20,000 base model production car could use an inexpensive V-8 (the LS2 would come in a costlier model), so a V-6 version would be offered only to make the car easier to insure. The real car would have smaller wheels, but the overall diameter of the tires wouldn't be much changed. GM vice-chairman and product czar Bob Lutz apparently loves it and joked on the show stand "all I have to do is persuade this man"--referring to GM CEO Rick Wagoner--"to pay for it."

2006-11-08T12:30:00.000-08:00

P 51 MUSTANG
The North American P-51 Mustang was an American long-range single-seat fighter aircraft that entered service with Allied air forces in the middle years of the Second World War and became one of the conflict's most successful and recognizable aircraft.

The P-51 flew most of its wartime missions as a bomber escort in raids over Germany, and helped ensure Allied air superiority after 1944. It also saw service against Japanese air forces in the Pacific War.

The Mustang began the Korean War as the United Nations' main fighter, but was supplanted by jets by the conflict's end. Nevertheless, it remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s.

The definitive version of the single-seat fighter was powered by a single two-stage supercharged V-12 Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 machine guns.

Many Mustangs were converted for civilian use, especially air racing.
Shortly after the Second World War began in 1939, the British government established a purchasing commission in the United States, headed by Sir Henry Self. Self had sat on the (British) Air Council Sub-committee on Supply (or 'Supply Committee') along with Sir Wilfrid Freeman, who as the "Air Member for Development and Production" was given overall responsibility for RAF production and research and development in 1938. One of Self's many tasks was to organize the manufacture of American fighter aircraft for the RAF. At the time, the choice was very limited. None of the US aircraft already flying met European standards; only the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk came close. The Curtiss plant was running at capacity, so even that aircraft was in short supply.

North American Aviation (NAA) President Dutch Kindleberger approached Self to sell a new medium bomber, the B-25 Mitchell. Instead, Self asked if NAA could manufacture the Tomahawk under licence from Curtiss. (North American was already supplying their T-6 Texan trainer but were otherwise underutilized.)

Kindleberger replied that NAA could have a better aircraft with the same engine in the air in less time. As executive head of the British Ministry of Aircraft Production, Freeman ordered 320 aircraft in March 1940. Fortuitously, on 26 June 1940, MAP awarded a contract to Packard to build Rolls-Royce Merlin engines under licence. And in September, MAP increased the first production order by 300.

The Mustang was an extremely well-made and excellent plane, although its coolant system could be shut down by a single bullet that pierced an external feed. Pilots joked that: "A kid with a rifle could bring it down." In addition, according to the manual, the engine would become starved for oil if the plane was flown inverted for more than 10 seconds.

The result of the MAP order was the NA-73X project (from March 1940). The design was in keeping with the best conventional practice of the era, but included two new features. One was a new NACA-designed laminar flow wing, which was larger than others on similar aircraft while still having the same drag. This left plenty of room for landing gear, guns, ammunition and fuel, all completely inside the well streamlined wing. Another was the use of a new radiator design that used the heated air exiting the radiator as a form of jet thrust in what is referred to as the "Meredith Effect." There is controversy over whether this was adapted from a design by Curtiss Aircraft or was developed as part of the overall design by NAA engineer Edgar Schmued.

The USAAC could block any sales they considered interesting, and this appeared to be the case for the NA-73. An arrangement was eventually reached where the RAF would get its planes, in exchange for NA providing two more cost-free to the USAAC.The aircraft first flew on 26 October 1940, 178 days after the order had been placed - an incredibly short period. In general, the prototype handled well and the internal arrangement allowed for an impressive fuel load. It was armed with four .50 M2 Browning (12.7 mm) guns and another four .30-06 Browning A4 (7.62 mm) guns - a somewhat lighter armament than the contemporary Focke-Wulf Fw 190, which had four 20 mm cannons and two 7.92 mm machine guns. In comparison, the British Spitfire carried two 20 mm cannon and four .303 machine guns.

It was quickly evident that performance, although good near sea level, was not up to European standards at higher altitudes. This was due largely to the mechanically supercharged Allison V-1710 engine. The finer points of supercharging were very much a British specialty: United States engineers had concentrated mainly on the turbocharger instead and the Allison suffered in consequence. Equal performance at high level had not been anticipated as a requirement for the Allison.

About 20 of the Mustang I were delivered to the RAF and made their combat debut on 10 May 1942. With their long range and excellent low-level performance, they were judged useful for tactical reconnaisance and ground-attack duties over the English Channel, but too slow at altitude to be used as fighters.

The smaller machine guns were removed from the Mustang Mk. IA to improve performance. At the same time the USAAC was becoming more interested in ground attack planes and had a new version ordered as the A-36 Apache which included two more M2 guns, dive brakes, and could carry two 500 pound (230 kg) bombs.

In April 1942, the RAF's Air Fighter Development Unit (AFDU) tested the Mustang at higher altitudes and found it wanting, but their CO was so impressed with its maneuverability and speed that he invited Ronnie Harker from Rolls-Royce's Flight Test establishment to fly it. Rolls-Royce engineers rapidly realized that re-engining the Mustang with a Merlin 61 would result in a phenomenal improvement in performance. Freeman drove the Merlin Mustang conversion hard, insisting two of the five Mustangs that were being re-engined with Merlin 61s, be handed over to Carl Spaatz for trials and evaluation by the US 8th Air Force in Britain. [2]

The result was astonishing. The high altitude performance and range with the use of drop tanks enabled the mark to excel as a bomber escort. After sustained lobbying at the highest level, American production of the Mustang with the Merlin engine was started in early 1943 with P-51Bs and Cs starting to arrive in England in August and October 1943.

The pairing of the P-51 airframe and the Packard-Merlin 68 engine was designated P-51B/C (B being manufactured at Inglewood, California, and C at Dallas, Texas). The new version was used in 15 fighter groups, that were part of the 8th and 9th Air Forces in England, and the 12th and 15th in Italy (the southern part of Italy was under Allied control by late 1943).

The main role of the plane was bomber escort. It was largely due to the P-51 that daylight bombing raids deep into German territory became possible without prohibitive bomber losses in the middle of 1944.

The P-51D was considered by many as the definitive Mustang version. One of the problems with the Mustang was poor pilot visibility to the rear. The British had field-modified some Mustangs with fishbowl-shaped canopies called Malcolm Hoods, which somewhat corrected the problem. All British P-51s were equipped with Malcolm Hoods, and some American ones were also equipped with them. However, North American decided to do better than that, and equipped the new P-51D Mustang with teardrop-shaped bubble canopies derived from the British Hawker Typhoon fighter. The fuselage behind the pilot had to be cut down to accommodate the new canopy, but the new design offered the pilots unrestricted vision in all directions with virtually no distortion.

A common misbelief is that cutting down the rear fuselage to mount the bubble canopy reduced stability, requiring a dorsal fin to be added to the forward base of the vertical tail. Actually, both the B/C and later D/K models had a low speed handling problem that could result in an involuntary "snap-roll" under certain conditions of air speed, angle of attack, gross weight, and center of gravity. Several crash reports tell of P-51Bs and Cs crashing because the horizontal stabilizer was torn off during maneuvering. The report says:

"Unless a dorsal fin is installed on the P-51B, P-51C, and P-51D airplanes, a snap roll may result when attempting a slow roll. The horizontal stabilizer will not withstand the effects of a Snap Roll. To prevent recurrence the stabilizer should be reinforced in accordance with T.O. 01-60J-18 dated 8 April 1944 and a dorsal fin should be installed. Dorsal fin kits are being made available to overseas activities"

Photographs of P-51B/C models fitted with a similar dorsal addition, which has to be made to fit the different contours of the B/C rear fuselage, prove that the problem requiring it wasn't unique to the D/K versions. While some existing aircraft do not have the dorsal extension fitted, many were equipped at some point in their service or refurbishment with a taller model tail, which provides a similar increase in yaw stability. Also, civilian owned examples often have newer, lighter radios, an absence of external munitions and drop tanks, removed guns and armor plate, and an empty or removed fuselage tank - reducing the need for the dorsal fin.

Among other modifications, armament was increased with the addition of another two M2 machine-guns, bringing the total to six. The inner four machine guns had a supply of 400 rounds and the outer two 270. In previous P-51s the M2s were mounted at angles that led to frequent complaints of jamming during combat maneuvers. The new arrangement allowed the M2s to be mounted in a more standard manner that fixed a lot of the jamming complaints. The .50 caliber machine guns, though lacking penetrative power, proved adequate against the FW-190 and Bf-109 fighters that were the main opponent of the USAAF by this time. Later models had under-wing rocket pylons added to carry up to 10 rockets per plane.

The P-51K differed from the P-51D only by its hollow-bladed Aeroproducts propeller. This propeller turned out to be badly manufactured and created dangerous vibrations during times of high throttle, and was eventually replaced.

The P-51D/K started arriving in Europe in the middle of 1944 and quickly became the prime USAAF fighter in Europe. It was produced in larger numbers than any other Mustang variant. However, by the end of the war, roughly half of all operational Mustangs were still B or C models.

P-51Ds were also built under licence in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation

The original NA-73 had been built to the USAAF acceleration standard of 8.33 g (82 m/s²), which made it stronger but considerably heavier than if it had been designed for the British standard of 5.33 g (52 m/s²). To be more in line with the classic Spitfire, both the USAAF and the RAF were interested in lightening the plane, which was expected to boost its performance significantly.

That resulted in what was basically an entirely new plane, and it gained a new name, the NA-105. Several prototypes were built with different engines from the P-51F (same engine as the D), G (Merlin 145M) and J (Allison V-1710-119) models. However none of these went into production.

Instead the final production version was the P-51H, using the new V-1650-9 engine, a version of the Merlin that included automatic supercharger controls and water injection for bursts of up to 2,000 hp (1,500 kW). With the new airframe several hundred pounds lighter, the extra power, and a better streamlined radiator, the P-51H was among the fastest propeller fighters ever, able to reach 487 mph (784 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m).

It was planned that the H model would become the standard fighter for the USAAF for the invasion of Japan, replacing all other models. Production was just ramping up with 555 delivered when the war ended. Additional orders, already on the books, were cancelled.

At the Casablanca Conference, the Allies formulated the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) plan for "round-the-clock" bombing by the RAF at night and the USAAF by day. American pre-war bombardment doctrine held that large formations of heavy bombers flying at high altitudes would be able to defend themselves against enemy interceptors with minimal fighter escort, so that precision daylight bombing using the Norden bombsight would be effective.

Both the RAF and Luftwaffe had attempted daylight bombing and discontinued it, believing advancements in single-engine fighters made multi-engined bombers vulnerable to interception and destruction, contrary to Douhet's thesis. The RAF had worried about this in the mid-1930s and had decided to produce an all night-bomber force, but initially began bombing operations by day. The Germans used extensive daylight bombing during the Battle of Britain in preparation for a possible invasion. The Luftwaffe found daylight bombing raids sustained high casualties and soon switched to night bombing (see The Blitz). Bomber Command followed suit in its subsequent raids over Germany.

Initial USAAF efforts were inconclusive because of the limited scale. In June 1943, the Combined Chiefs of Staff issued the Pointblank directive to destroy the Luftwaffe before the invasion of Europe, putting the CBO into full implementation. The Eighth Air Force heavy bomber force conducted a series of deep penetration raids into Germany beyond the range of available escort fighters. German fighter reaction was fierce and bomber losses were severe — 20 percent in an October 14 attack on the German ball-bearing industry. This made it impossible to continue raids deep into Germany without adequate fighter escort.

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning had the range to escort the bombers, but was available in very limited numbers in the UK, was difficult to maintain, and its Allison engines proved unsuitable for operations in the extreme cold of high altitudes. The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was capable of meeting the Luftwaffe on even terms, but did not then have sufficient range. The Mustang changed all that. In general terms, the Mustang was at least as simple as other aircraft of its era. It used a single well-understood and reliable engine, and had internal space for a huge fuel load. With external fuel tanks, it could protect the bombers all the way to Germany and back.

Enough P-51s became available to the 8th and 9th Air Forces in the winter of 1943-44, and, when the Pointblank offensive resumed in early 1944, matters changed dramatically. The P-51 proved perfect for the task and the Eighth Air Force immediately began to switch its fighter groups to the Mustang, first exchanging arrving P-47 groups for those of the Ninth Air Force using P-51s, then gradually converting its Thunderbolt and Lightning groups until eventually 14 of its 15 groups flew the the Mustang.

Luftwaffe pilots attempted to avoid US fighters by massing in huge numbers well in front of the bombers, attacking in a single pass, then breaking off the attack, allowing escorting fighters little time to react. While not always successful in avoiding contact with escort (as the tremendous loss of German pilots in the spring of 1944 indicates), the threat of mass attacks, and later the "company front" (eight abreast) assaults by armored sturmgruppe FW-190's, brought an urgency to attacking the Luftwaffe wherever it could be found. The P-51, particularly with the advent of the K-14 gunsight and the development of "Clobber Colleges" for the in-theater training of fighter pilots in the fall of 1944, was a decisive element in Allied countermeasures against the Jagdverbände.

In May 1944, the fighters of Allied Tactical Air Forces were granted permission to "free-hunt": roaming away from the bombers after providing fighter cover, and attacking German planes at Luftwaffe airfields. The numerical superiority of the USAAF fighters, superb flying characteristics of the P-51, and pilot proficiency crippled the Luftwaffe. As a result, the fighter threat to US, and later British, bombers was greatly diminished by the summer of 1944.

USAAF Tactical Air Forces then concentrated on ground targets, trains, military equipment, etc., in preparation for and support of the Allied invasion of France.

P-51s also distinguished themselves when challenging advanced enemy rockets and aircraft. A P-51B/C with high-octane fuel was fast enough to pursue the V-1s launched toward London. The Me 163 Komet rocket interceptors and Me 262 jet fighters were considerably faster than the P-51 but not invulnerable. Chuck Yeager, flying a P-51D, was one of the first American pilots to shoot down a Me 262 when he surprised it during its landing approach.

The Eighth, Ninth and Fifteenth Air Forces' P-51 groups, all but three of which flew another type before converting to the Mustang, claimed some 4,950 aircraft shot down (about half of all USAAF claims in the European theatre), and 4,131 destroyed on the ground. Losses were about 840 aircraft. One of these groups, the Eighth Air Force's 4th Fighter Group, was the overall top-scoring fighter group in Europe, with 1,016 enemy aircraft destroyed, 550 in aerial combat and 466 on the ground [1]. In aerial combat, the top-scoring P-51 units (both of which exclusively flew Mustangs) were the 357th Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force, with 595 air-to-air combat victories, and the Ninth Air Force's 354th Fighter Group with 701, which made it the top scorer in aerial combat of all fighter groups of any type.

P-51s were deployed in the Far East later in 1944, operating in both close-support and escort missions.

The USAF Strategic Air Command had F-51 Mustangs (F-82 Twin Mustangs and F-6 Mustangs F=Fotorecon} from 1946 through 1951.

P-51 Pilot Medal of Honor Recipients
Three US fighter pilots were awarded the Medal of Honor for actions while flying the P-51.

Major James H. Howard of the 354th Fighter Group was awarded the Medal of Honor for action over Germany on 11 January 1944 while flying a P-51B, when he was separated from the rest of his flight while escorting a formation of B-17 bombers which then came under attack from over 30 German fighters which he then took on singlehandedly. While Howard only claimed two kills, crewmen on the B-17s reported that he downed at least six German fighters.

Major William A. Shomo, commander of the 82nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, was awarded the Medal of Honor for action over the Philippines on 11 January 1945, a year to the day after Howard's action. Flying F-6Ds on an armed recon mission, Shomo and his wingman spotted and attacked a flight of twelve Japanese fighters escorting a Betty bomber. Shomo downed the bomber and six of the escorting fighters while his wingman downed three more of the escorts.

Major Louis J. Sebille of the 67th Fighter Squadron was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for action over Korea on 5 August 1950. Flying on a ground attack mission against a heavy troop concentration, his F-51D sustained severe damage from enemy ground fire. Rather than attempting to return to base or bail out over friendly territory, he continued his attacks until finally deliberately diving his Mustang into an enemy antiaircraft battery.

ESPECIAL TURISMO - Brazilian Article

2006-10-30T12:25:00.000-08:00

This is an article I did for EPOCA Magazine in Brazil - Ele se libertou da tela de cinema e sobrevoou os espectadores que assistiam à primeira apresentação de Mickey's PhilharMagic, o maior show de tecnologia 3D lançado pela Disney. Com pose de maestro, Mickey, o dono da festa, regeu uma orquestra formada por Pato Donald, Simba, Aladim e outros personagens, todos recriados em bits e colocados a poucos centímetros dos olhos da platéia. As crianças tentavam alcançá-los com as mãos e se divertiam com as poltronas que borrifavam água e as bocas de ar que lançavam bolhas de sabão. 'Parece que os bonecos ganham vida e flutuam diante de nossos olhos', descreve Diego Parras, 'engenheiro da imaginação' na Disney.

O estilo é o mesmo de Fantasia, o desenho animado de 1941 que Walt Disney tinha como seu favorito. A tela de projeção é a maior do mundo, com 50 metros, e fica numa sala de cinema gigante montada no Magic Kingdom, em Orlando. Cada visitante recebe óculos especiais, uma espécie de passaporte para a realidade virtual. 'A animação 3D dá volume aos personagens e os faz interagir com o homem', revela Parras.
A tecnologia usada no brinquedo imita a visão humana. Para criar o efeito tridimensional, duas câmeras de vídeo filmam o desenho animado como se fossem duas pessoas assistindo ao mesmo filme a partir de pontos de vista diferentes. Os vídeos são tratados no computador e recebem filtros. Em seguida, são exibidos simultaneamente na telona, por meio de dois projetores. O resultado são imagens confusas e embaçadas, que ganham nitidez quando o espectador usa os óculos especiais - eles reconhecem os filtros e dão noção de profundidade. A tecnologia de terceira dimensão começou a ser explorada pela Disney em 1953 e, nos últimos cinco anos, se tornou uma das mais populares dos parques temáticos. Neste mês, o brinquedo será lançado para coroar os 75 anos de Mickey Mouse.

Hispanos detrás de la "magia"

2006-10-30T10:17:00.000-08:00

El español Diego Parras, ejecutivo de Walt Disney Imaginarium, frente a la Expedición Everest, una nueva de las atracciones.Hispanos detrás de la "magia" de DisneyMickey Mouse nunca podría hacerlo solo M. Cortés y M. Carretero, EFE25 de Agosto de 2006. El español Diego Parras, ejecutivo de Walt Disney Imaginarium, frente a la Expedición Everest, una nueva de las atracciones. El español Diego Parras, ejecutivo de Walt Disney Imaginarium, frente a la Expedición Everest, una nueva de las atracciones.

Miles de hispanos trabajan "tras bastidores" para hacer realidad la "magia" de Disney en labores que van desde tomar decisiones ejecutivas hasta la confección de elaborados trajes de personajes como "La Bestia".
Las "hadas" trabajan tras bastidores
Ahora, tras su último parque temático en Hong Kong, la compañía quiere seguir su expansión china con otro en Shanghai.Como si se tratara de una de las "hadas" del cuento de la Cenicienta en el taller de costura de Disney, la salvadoreña Rina Barahona distribuye cada labor, desde el diseño hasta la selección de materiales, la costura y el bordado de cada traje de los personajes con minucioso empeño.

"Es un proceso detallado desde el principio hasta el fin de cada traje en el que cada una de las personas que trabajamos en el taller tiene una labor determinada", dijo Barahona con más de ocho años de trabajar en Walt Disney World, y que asegura ha sido "La Bestia" quien más trabajo les ha dado por su "enorme tamaño".

Diego Parras, un español que trabaja para la División de Walt Disney Imagineering, departamento que se encarga de la creación y desarrollo de atracciones, hoteles y cruceros de la compañía, asegura que su labor requiere de sobrepasar "constantes retos".Una mezcla de sueños y tecnología"En Disney, para convertir los sueños en realidad todo empieza con una historia, y a partir de ahí se desarrolla la tecnología que vamos a usar y los planes sobre dónde y cómo se va a construir la atracción", declaró Parras, que desde niño soñó con tener de "compañero de trabajo" al "Pato Donald".Parras asegura que cada proyecto en que ha participado a lo largo de casi 17 años que lleva trabajando en distintas áreas de la compañía, lo ha "marcado", pero es "Expedition Everest", la más reciente atracción de Animal Kingdom, el que recuerda como uno de sus mayores retos."Poder trabajar en ese proyecto fue una experiencia increíble por todo lo que implicaba recrear de la forma más cercana posible cómo es la vida en una pequeña aldea del Himalaya o la leyenda del 'Yety' para que los visitantes tengan esa experiencia", afirmó el español originario de San Sebastián tras recordar los constantes viajes a sitios lejanos.Al igual que Barahona y Parras, existen miles de hispanos que trabajan en los seis parques de atracciones de Walt Disney World en Orlando, Florida.Pese a que la política de la compañía impide divulgar cifras exactas acerca de sus empleados, portavoces de la empresa aseguran que el número de hispanos que trabajan en Walt Disney World se cuenta "en miles".Walt Disney World Company es el principal empleador del centro de la Florida, con más de 50 mil personas que trabajan en la empresa.

Walt Disney World Company es el principal empleador del centro de la Florida, con más de 50 mil personas que trabajan en la empresa. "Siendo nosotros el mayor empleador de la Florida central, donde la comunidad hispana es grande, proporcionalmente debe ser un número significativo", declaró Denisse Godreau, vicepresidenta de comercialización de Disney en Orlando.Walt Disney World Company es el principal empleador del centro de la Florida, con más de 50 mil personas que trabajan en la empresa. Para el chileno Alan D'Antoni manejar su vehículo en dos ruedas a toda velocidad para evadir a un "enemigo" en una intrépida persecución o elevarlo sobre una rampa para saltar sobre explosiones pirotécnicas es algo cotidiano.Y es que D'Antoni es piloto de uno de los automóviles que participa los 365 días del año en el espectáculo "Lights, Motors, Action!" que Walt Disney World inauguró en el 2005."Todo está bajo control y con todas las medidas de seguridad necesarias pero siempre justo antes de salir a escena es como andar en una montaña rusa por primera vez", señaló D'Antoni, que interpreta a uno de "los malos" del espectáculo.Labor con los animalesAlejandra Renjifo, una joven puertorriqueña que trabaja como nutricionista animal en Walt Disney World, toma su tarea de supervisar la dieta de los animales "muy en serio".Si bien Renjifo asegura que constantemente están buscando nuevas combinaciones y cantidades de alimentos para el menú de los animales, éstos no siempre se muestran satisfechos con los resultados."Tenemos un grupo de gorilas a los que le hacemos la dieta cada día con alimentos frescos, pero tenemos que rotar los alimentos porque si ven que les damos manzana hoy y ya la habían comido ayer, se aburren y no comen", dijo la especialista, que empezó a trabajar en Disney hace cuatro años.Para el chileno Alan D'Antoni manejar su vehículo en dos ruedas a toda velocidad para evadir a un "enemigo" en una intrépida persecución o elevarlo sobre una rampa para saltar sobre explosiones pirotécnicas es algo cotidiano.

El año pasado, Walt Disney celebró el medio siglo de "Disneyland" con un espectáculo en torno a "Cenicienta", explosiones y persecuciones cinematográficas y una conexión global con sus parques temáticos en Europa y Asia.El primer "Disneyland" se inauguró, en realidad, en julio de 1955, y en la actualidad cuenta con instalaciones en California y Orlando, en Estados Unidos, además de los situados en Tokio, París y Hong Kong.

2006-10-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

Picture of the family one wonderful Florida morning. :-)

RUSH

2006-10-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

Music Video:SUBDIVISIONS (by Rush)

Music Video Code provided by Video Code Zone

A tribute to the best band ever...Over the course of their decades-spanning career, the Canadian power trio Rush emerged as one of hard rock's most highly regarded bands; although typically brushed aside by critics and although rare recipients of mainstream pop radio airplay, the group nonetheless won an impressive and devoted fan following while their virtuoso performance skills solidified their standing as musicians' musicians.
Rush formed in Toronto, Ontario, in the autumn of 1968, and initially comprised guitarist Alex Lifeson (born Alexander Zivojinovich), vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee (born Gary Lee Weinrib), and drummer John Rutsey. In their primary incarnation, the trio drew a heavy influence from Cream, and honed their skills on the Toronto club circuit before issuing their debut single, a rendition of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away," in 1973. A self-titled LP followed in 1974, at which time Rutsey exited; he was replaced by drummer Neil Peart, who also assumed the role of the band's primary songwriter, composing the cerebral lyrics (influenced by works of science fiction and fantasy) that gradually became a hallmark of the group's aesthetic.
With Peart firmly ensconced, Rush returned in 1975 with a pair of LPs, Fly by Night and Caress of Steel. Their next effort, 1976's 2112, proved to be their breakthrough release: a futuristic concept album based on the writings of Ayn Rand, it fused the elements of the trio's sound -- Lee's high-pitched vocals, Peart's epic-length compositions, and Lifeson's complex guitar work -- into a unified whole. Fans loved it -- 2112 was the first in a long line of gold and platinum releases -- while critics dismissed it as overblown and pretentious: either way, it established a formula from which the band rarely deviated throughout the duration of their career.
A Farewell to Kings followed in 1977 and reached the Top 40 in both the U.S. and Britain. After 1978's Hemispheres, Rush achieved even greater popularity with 1980's Permanent Waves, a record marked by Peart's dramatic shift into shorter, less sprawling compositions; the single "The Spirit of Radio" even became a major hit. With 1981's Moving Pictures, the trio scored another hit of sorts with "Tom Sawyer," which garnered heavy exposure on album-oriented radio and became perhaps their best-known song. As the 1980s continued, Rush grew into a phenomenally popular live draw as albums like 1982's Signals (which generated the smash "New World Man"), 1984's Grace Under Pressure, and 1985's Power Windows continued to sell millions of copies.
As the decade drew to a close, the trio cut back on its touring schedule while hardcore followers complained of a sameness afflicting slicker, synth-driven efforts like 1987's Hold Your Fire and 1989's Presto. At the dawn of the 1990s, however, Rush returned to the heavier sound of their early records and placed a renewed emphasis on Lifeson's guitar heroics; consequently, both 1991's Roll the Bones and 1993's Counterparts reached the Top Three on the U.S. album charts. In 1996, the band issued Test for Echo and headed out on the road the following summer. Shortly thereafter, Peart lost his daughter in an automobile accident. Tragedy struck again in 1998 when Peart's wife succumbed to cancer. Dire times in the Rush camp did not cause the band to quit. Lee took time out for a solo stint with 2000's My Favorite Headache; however, rumors of the band playing in the studio began to circulate. It would be five years until anything surfaced from the band. Fans were reassured in early 2002 by news that Rush were recording new songs in Toronto. The fruit of those sessions led to the release of Rush's 17th studio album, Vapor Trails, later that spring. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide