Any car nuts out there?

You know who you are, the ones that can tell the year of a car by seeing the tail light housing, or curve of the roofline? The ones that can find fault with a Dusenberg, yet appreciate a Trablant in almost the same sentence?
I'd like this just to be a place to talk cars/pickups/vans/bikes. What do you drive? What would you like to drive? What's cool, what isn't?

My dream car is...a Honda Civic. No, seriously. I love the little, fuel-efficent, long-lasting, non-polluting cars. On second thought, maybe I'd prefer a hydrogen car...

The problem with hydrogen cars Borg is that you have to get the hydrogen from natural gas, which of course is an evil fossil fuel that requires wells in natural areas, or you have to get it by splitting apart water, which takes more energy to do than you get back out of it when it's burned. And of course where do you get that power? Coal power plants? Your gas-electric hybrid is definitely the way to go.

Originally posted by es347fan
Any car nuts out there?

You know who you are, the ones that can tell the year of a car by seeing the tail light housing, or curve of the roofline? The ones that can find fault with a Dusenberg, yet appreciate a Trablant in almost the same sentence?
I'd like this just to be a place to talk cars/pickups/vans/bikes. What do you drive? What would you like to drive? What's cool, what isn't?

Ah, you must be talking to me. If money is no object, I'll take a Ferrari 360 Modena with the sequential manual transmission. If price is an object then I'll take an Infiniti G35 coupe with the 6speed manual.

I own a 48 jeep willys still in the process of being redone. I like the old jeeps they were very tuff.

My current personal choices:

While Ferrari's are great, they're not made as daily drivers. For a daily driver, give me a Jaguar XJR. Since Ford began injecting vast sums of money into the company, the quality has risen to where it belongs. Of course, with Jag, there's tradition, and to that end it's got to be British Racing Green, with biscuit interior.
Everybody needs a truck, one that's durable & reliable. It also needs the power to move out of its own way, give me a Ford F-150 SVT Lightning. It's got the towing capacity, and the load space to handle whatever I need to move, and is certainly one of the best handling & fastest production trucks. I'll take mine in gloss white, thank you very much.
Everybody likes toys. There's an old saying: you can tell the men from the boys by the price of their toys. Yes indeed. Make mine a gleaming yellow, with black stinger 1967 Corvette coupe, 427 tri-power & a Muncie. Probably the best (and last) year of the Sting Rays, for the next year it was a Mako Shark.

Originally posted by es347fan
My current personal choices:

Everybody needs a truck, one that's durable & reliable. It also needs the power to move out of its own way, give me a Ford F-150 SVT Lightning. It's got the towing capacity, and the load space to handle whatever I need to move, and is certainly one of the best handling & fastest production trucks. I'll take mine in gloss white, thank you very much.

I've never figured out why you would try to make a truck into a sports car. Then you've got a bad truck and a bad sports car.

Go to your local Ford house - first be sure it's one allowed to sell SVT products, and take a Lightning for a drive. No, it's no sports car, not meant to be. It's a hot rod truck, but one that comes with a warranty. The braking & handling will probably surprise you, as much as the straight line acceleration should impress you.

Originally posted by es347fan
Go to your local Ford house - first be sure it's one allowed to sell SVT products, and take a Lightning for a drive. No, it's no sports car, not meant to be. It's a hot rod truck, but one that comes with a warranty. The braking & handling will probably surprise you, as much as the straight line acceleration should impress you.

Oh no doubt that they would eat most cars in a straight line and even braking and handling. But for the same money I can get a sports car that would beat the Lightning. Trucks just aren't my bag, I guess.

OK, so you don't like trucks. Not everybody does. I've had a P/U as a daily driver for the past 15 years, so I'm really used to them. MSRP on a Lightning is $31K -> $33.5K. That's what's on the window sticker. Do a bit of arm twisting, or belong to one of the many groups that qualify for super discounts, and you'll pay much less. Guniess World Book just "certified" a totally stock Lightning as the fastest regular production truck, clocking it at 147+ mph.

Originally posted by es347fan
OK, so you don't like trucks. Not everybody does. I've had a P/U as a daily driver for the past 15 years, so I'm really used to them. MSRP on a Lightning is $31K -> $33.5K. That's what's on the window sticker. Do a bit of arm twisting, or belong to one of the many groups that qualify for super discounts, and you'll pay much less. Guniess World Book just "certified" a totally stock Lightning as the fastest regular production truck, clocking it at 147+ mph.

Out of curiosity, do they have anything approaching normal cargo and towing capacities? I recall that the Typhoon/Cyclone couldn't tow anything and were restricted to 500 lbs of cargo.

The F 150 used is a half - ton truck, in other words, pretty much your standard full sized regular cab, short bed pickup. Payload is 1350 lbs, towing 5000 lbs. It's a rear wheel drive, and features a 5.4 L (330 cu in) supercharged motor, rated at 380 hp.

Ford SVT (http://www.svt.ford.com/flash/index.html)

The Typhoon / Cyclone were smaller trucks to start with, fitted with an AWD sport drive train and turbo'd V6. They weren't meant to be used as trucks, but as urbanite's toys.

2000 Koenigsegg CC or 2002 Koenigsegg CC 8S. That is, if we're talking dream cars.

As for what I currently drive? Little fuel efficent Nissan that costs me little, and gets me where I need to go (gotta love the contrast between dreams and reality, eh?).

:rolleyes:

Es347fan does that lighting ford only come in 2 wheel drive? If so you can't really claim it as being a real truck can you? JUST KIDDING

F= found
O=on
R=road side
D=dead

or
F=f**Ked
O=over
R=rebuilt
D=dodge

Just wanted you to know the true ford company logo :p :D :D

F irst

O n

R ace

D ay


The old day's everlasting fights of Chevy vs Dodge vs Ford ended some time ago. It used to be a real milestone for any vehicle to go over 100K, now it's become commonplace. I'm not aware of any particular line of vehicles sold in the U.S. that really qualify as "bad" cars or trucks. Gremlins, Pacers, Pintos, Corvairs, Chevettes, Vegas, Yugos, are all the stuff of history now. The cars & trucks of "now" are much better, faster and safer in all respects than the cars of yesteryear. How many folks do you really know that can rebuild a carb or set points? A lost art, and thanks to various computer geeks, we now have super reliable fuel injection, solid state high energy ignitions, and excellent braking systems.

I was just busting, I wondered if you were going to bring up the race day saying. Did you know the only reason ford was first on that race day? It was because only ford was in the race :D

I agree somewhat with your statement about being better and more fuel efficient. I had a 64 chevy pickup with a straight 6 that got anywere from 23 -28 miles to the gallon I also had a 78 jeep cj7 that did almost the same. I had a 3/4 ton dodge wagoneer with a 318 v8 that got 15 to the gallon. The catch was is that you had to keep them tuned up something almost nobody(everyday Joe) knows how to do today. As far as being safer yes somewhat they are or have more safety features, but would you rather be in a 57chevy car or a dodge neon when they hit head on?

Originally posted by mad dog
As far as being safer yes somewhat they are or have more safety features, but would you rather be in a 57chevy car or a dodge neon when they hit head on?

I get your point on big vs. small here, but since you asked, I'd rather be in the Neon. Built in crush zones, 3 point belts (did 57 Chevys have belts of any kind?), collapsable steering columns, air bags, headrests, etc. The Neon driver's biggest problem is getting hit by the flying Chevy driver.

I'll go with Lionel on this one, I'll take my chances in a Neon. In the old chevy, after you crush your chest with the steering wheel, chances are you're going to launch head first through the windshield. No thanks.

You guys are silly, first off I own a neon and I'll tell you right now chances are the Chevy is going to go right over the hood of the neon and crush what or who ever is inside. I will give you the seat belt part though. I was just making a point that the body's of the older cars were alot stronger then todays. I will say that todays cars do have alot more safety features though. Brakes have come along ways, nothing like the old drum brakes. The one thing that is scary is how people learn to drive and how much more power these vehicles have today. We made the vehicles safer and better running but the common sense of the driver has almost disapeared.

Originally posted by mad dog
You guys are silly, first off I own a neon and I'll tell you right now chances are the Chevy is going to go right over the hood of the neon and crush what or who ever is inside. I will give you the seat belt part though. I was just making a point that the body's of the older cars were alot stronger then todays. I will say that todays cars do have alot more safety features though. Brakes have come along ways, nothing like the old drum brakes. The one thing that is scary is how people learn to drive and how much more power these vehicles have today. We made the vehicles safer and better running but the common sense of the driver has almost disapeared.

Stronger bodies aren't always good for getting into crashes, though. You need to have the body collapse to absorb the energy of the crash. That's part of the problem NASCAR is having - the cars are to strong and don't deform when they crash, as opposed to the Indy and F1 cars that basically disintegrate on impact leaving the safety cage around the driver.

But ultimately, as you sort of imply, a modern car will probably be able to avoid the accident with better steering, handling, brakes, tires, etc.

Has anyone checked out the new BMW Rolls Royce, or the Volkswagen Bentley?

AutoWeek (http://www.autoweek.com/)

It's a great weekly magazine, and a fine website as well.

Have been out looking at the redesigned Ford F 150. It sure has grown. I looked at 2: XLT & Lariat extended cabs. Biggest difference between the 2 is the Lariat is much more plush & comes with a leather interior. Sit in the Lariat, and you can almost believe you're in a Lincoln Navigator instead. In both trucks, everything is within reach, and looks pretty good. Not everyone is going to want a pickup truck this large though, and that's the only mistake Ford may have made. We'll just have to wait and see how they survive that ever-questionable first year of production, as with any completely new model.

Originally posted by es347fan
Have been out looking at the redesigned Ford F 150. It sure has grown. I looked at 2: XLT & Lariat extended cabs. Biggest difference between the 2 is the Lariat is much more plush & comes with a leather interior. Sit in the Lariat, and you can almost believe you're in a Lincoln Navigator instead. In both trucks, everything is within reach, and looks pretty good. Not everyone is going to want a pickup truck this large though, and that's the only mistake Ford may have made. We'll just have to wait and see how they survive that ever-questionable first year of production, as with any completely new model.

It seems like every model from every company grows each year. You'd think there'd be a limit to this but it seems to continue.

I think I would choose what my brother has got.

After being in this Rocket! I couldn't choose any other, it is a Toyota Supra Twin turbo been modded big time, with all the bits for the engine that make it shine. The mods have given it the power to Accelerate from 0 - 110 mph in 5 seconds, and can do 200 m p h.

I couldn't believe the day he took me out in it. I know it's a Japanise import and I think that would probably explain a lot of the power.

A Supra done up right can be damned fast. And those engines are bullet-proof, so you just keep turning up the boost until you chicken out.

I used to have a '76 Chevy Nova...I am still hurt over trading that car. It had a V8 and when I stepped on that gas it put me back in the seat....dang I miss that car! My Ex made me get rid of it when I got pregnant with our first child (I still have yet to figure out why LOL)

my dream car....that was it. *sigh*
but then again my car right now is pretty cool too, '97 Chrysler Sebring Convertible. My brother tells me it is a "chick" car, well the last time I looked......LMAO.

FORD JOKES TO ADD TO THE LIST!

F= Fix
O= Or
R= Repair
D= Daily

Only cause you know you're driving a ford when you have to check the rear-view mirror every 5 seconds to see what part just fell off:D

hahaha...why I laugh...oh yeah!

I used to hate Fords just as much as you, but they have grown on me. At the car dealership I work at, we have a lot of Fords (used cars). The big boss really likes them, and he buys a lot of them. Most of them start right up just fine, have few problems (that I know of), and most of the stuff in them works fine. In fact, the A/C seems to be quite reliable on them. GMs, well...let's just say here in Florida (where you need A/C) a GM is not the car to buy. And remember, we are talking 7-10+ year old cars.

Most of the Japanese cars I've driven have terrible A/C and I've never driven an American car that couldn't cool to below Arctic temperatures in about 2 minutes. Doesn't stop me from buying Japanese cars, though.

I've owned 1 Japanese car: a 1973 Mazda RX-3 wagon. Cute little car, very fast. The 260Z Datsun (now Nissan) was brand new at the time, & that little Mazda would flat out run them.

Frontmaster: I've yet to see any vehicle that was street legal run 1-110 in 5 seconds. It just doesn't happen.

Interesting. My parents had an RX2 - gutless off the line but once you hit the upper ranges it would fly.

On the Supra issue - those cars can be amazingly fast. However MK IV Supra drivers are notorious for having inflated opinions of their cars.

A really fast Porsche goes 0-60 in 4 seconds, has a top end of around 185 or so. Check Car & Driver, Motor Trend, or any other favorite auto magazine's archives for test results. Toyota virtually copied the famous BMW straight 6 for use in the Supra. No doubt they did a fine job, unfortunately, the Supra was priced right out of existence. Is a Supra fast? Sure. Will it run with Porsche or Corvette? Not likely.

The RX-3 was fun while it lasted. I dumped it when the seals on the rotor began to leak, and I was heading overseas again anyway, that time to Germany. I had no need to ship a vehicle to Europe, especially one needing a new motor.

Es or anyone I was just wondering if you had seen the new chevy truck the SSR. Kind of kool looking, and I think it puts out around 300 ponys. It's also a convertable, not much box space because of the roof going into the front part of the box.

Haven't seen one at a dealeship yet, read something about their being a delay caused by a problem with the top mechanism. Yeah, it's a retro-hot rod looking thing kinda-sorta acknowledging the late 40's / early 50's Chevy trucks. Look for sticker prices to be in the $40 K area, with dealer price gouging raising that price considerably.

Originally posted by es347fan
Look for sticker prices to be in the $40 K area, with dealer price gouging raising that price considerably.

It always blows me away that people will pay above sticker price for a non-limited edition car. I bet after a few months those things will be languishing on the dealer lots. Not because they suck or anything, just because there's a pretty limited market for those types of cars.

Exactly. Not a lot of folks have $40K + to just toss around. It is amazing how folks will just accept dealer gouging on a new ride. Anyone paying MSRP is nuts, above MSRP is way beyond nuts.

I own a 87T2 RX-7. Fun car to drive, and fast as hell for a 87 sports car.

My dad had an 88 Turbo II. Definitely fun. Would do some strange things sometimes, like spew out big clouds of smoke.

The Wankel engine is plagued by bad seals on the rotor. There have been continual improvements to the design, and we can only hope that in this newest version they've killed even more bugs.

Im actually in the market for a new car, for a while was into the srt-4 because of the 230whp but i couldnt get past the neon heritage and just its overall look. Im now seriously considering a 2003.5 mazdaspeed protege, if i can find one. Under 20,000 and it is turbo'd by callahway with superb handling and a sick system. Too bad it was limited production. If I had my ultimate pick though i would probably be rolling around in the Shady Mobile (if you know what im talking about you'd probably agree)

The only thing less reliable than a Neon is a turbo Neon. But it is indeed fast. If I had been in the market for a car in 2003 I would've been all over the Mazdaspeed Protege.

The Mazda 3 looks as if it may be a suitable replacement.

As for me, I've just laid a substancial down on a new Porsche 911 C4S tiptronic. Eat your hearts out, fellas!!

Tiptronic? Say it isn't so! Ah hell, I'm still jealous.

Yeah, I went with the Tip for a couple of reasons. Preformance numbers aren't changed significantly, traffic around here can be the stuff of nightmares and my significant other - who is helping to fund this new toy - flatly refuses to drive a stick. So, we added a few grand to the bottom line and I get my 4 wheel bullet. So nice to be TINKS! (Triple Income, No KidS).

I am almost ashamed to get on here for fear that everyone likes no one. I have a 57 Pontiac being restored and also redoing a 37 GMC p/u. I drive a 90 Dakota and a 99 300M as long as life goes on things will be this way.

Vintage Pontiacs have always been favorites. The first car I ever traveled over 100 mph in was a 58 Pontiac 2 door, driven by my great Aunt, & she'd had 4 previous ones to that. A 37 GMC p/u, now that's a rather rare vehicle. Are you restoring it to stock, or doing some mechanical upgrades as well?
The 300M isn't bad, but IMO, it will be improved when Chrysler decides to put the hemi in & return to rear wheel drive. The 300 should have 300 hp or better, don't ya think?

I've always been a fan of Pontiac muscle cars, specifically the firebird and t/a. (hence why my avatar is the indian phoenix found on most firebirds).

Originally posted by silverbulletkc
the indian phoenix found on most firebirds).

You mean the "fire chicken?" :D

Originally posted by LionelHutz
You mean the "fire chicken?"
That or the "Screaming Chicken"...ive heard both:D

It's known as a " pukin buzzard " & "thunder chicken" as well.

My friend just got a 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7 GT look it up on the net

Those were pretty cool. That was the year I grad HS.

2005 mustangs are sick, fastback, Styled like the old 60's (best) mustangs. THey even got rid of that crappy Fox lplatform and now ride on a modified Lincoln LS platform. Like the new thunderbirds. Im kinda in the market for a new car and now im thinking i might hold out until this fall when they are released. Plus they are going to be the most affordable mustangs in a while. GT will be around 25k and be more powerful than the current GT. Lets see, new F-150:best truck ever made, New Ford GT:Ferrari killer, New T-bird: just cool, Soon the new Shelby Cobra! i mean come on, Ford is on their game right now fo' sho. I dont care what people say, ford is the best american car company. And somebody come at with an an argument against that, I dare you.

I guarantee you that you'll be seeing complaints of unreliability coming in in a few years regarding today's newest Fords. The new Mustang looks...alright, and the new F150 looks damned nice I'll admit. So do the new T-Birds. It's hard to judge the best American car company since they mostly suck...GM came out with that old-style truck (it's name escapes me) this year plus there's the new Colorado (replacement for the S10) which also looks nice.

American cars suck anyway. I've always been partial to Toyotas and Nissans.

Ford needs to get off of this retro kick and start producing modern cars again. They did a nice job of copying the old car and making it look modern, but I don't want a old looking new car. I want a 350Z or an S2000 or something. As for the T-Bird - it's been selling so badly it's going to get axed soon. They lost big time money on that one.

I do like how Ford redesigned the Mustang GT and I think it will do well. What are your fav vehicles from NAIAS?

http://autoshow.msn.com/as/autoshow2004/gallery.aspx?src=autoshow2004%20TARGET=_Blank?sect ionID=230

Originally posted by silverbulletkc
What are your fav vehicles from NAIAS?

The DB9, the Ford GT, and the new Vette. I've never been a big fan of the Corvette, but the C6 looks damn nice.

The Ford Mustang GT and the Shelby Cobra Concept are my favorites. Does anybody think the Ford Bronco looks like a futuristic armored truck? Or that the Jeep Treo concept looks like a dune buggy?

That Mustang looks great. Going retro isn't all bad. I remember Ford GT 40s from the old days, the new one looks fine, be nice to examine one close up.