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Flappy Paddle is the one true shifter. [Car] Thread.
Posts
http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/pricesandrules.aspx
Oh I love reading about the 24 hours of lemons but I just wish they had more local races like those or the Swedish ones. If they had a 24 hours of Lemons in the central Colorado region I would do that too.
Also 24 hours of lemons is once a year where these Swedish races sounded like they were once a month or more often.
SCCA is alright and all but it is usually a lot of money for very little seat time. Plus it doesn't involve a bunch of cars that have been beat to hell and no one cares if you tap each other every now and then.
No, I am not really communist. Yes, it is weird that I use this name.
The 24 Hours of LeMons has races all over the US. I know Houston has one each year and so do other places.
No, I am not really communist. Yes, it is weird that I use this name.
Pistons are custom ordered so they'll take about 3 weeks... once I start digging in to this sweet new small block I'll post some sexy pics!
http://picasaweb.google.com/114040477562741676294/VintageGrandPrix2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCOnjk7e4ruT8YA#
Yes, the Audi R8 pictured is the one that won LeMans several times. Don't know what it was doing at a vintage event, but it was cool to see.
The conti wasn't being raced - someone with a team that had a bunch of old corvettes (you can see a split window in the back) had it - I had just finished telling my buddy that my first automotive purchase given infinite resources would be a 1966-67 Lincoln Continental Convertible, and we turned a corner and there one was.
There were plenty of classics that didn't see tracktime. Like that gorgeous alfa (pictures 60-63 or so).
Too bad, woulda been fun to get some pictures of a Lincoln leaning into a corner with 3 wheels on the ground.
http://jalopnik.com/5638227/ford-focus-st-hatch-hotness-goes-global
I'll take one in blue, please.
I am the winner
I think I just found the replacement for my tC.
Any word on the price? I'm thinking $25k-ish.
I'd say $25k-$35k, these things are not cheap in Europe by any means, the RS went for up to 40k.
They do tend to throw in a substantial US discount, though.
I don't think I can wait that long.
I finally decide on the new Focus, but then they announce the RS for release in 2012. ARGH!
MK: DS Code: 528.341.706.032 - Import from Play-Asia PSN: VictorX10
In other news, is it so wrong that I love that little Fiat 500 Chrysler is bringing to the states?
You know there's a new one (ferrari based) in the works?
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/12/video-new-lancia-stratos-gets-ready-for-its-closeup/
No, I am not really communist. Yes, it is weird that I use this name.
Combination of factors. The Focus started the same here as there, but in 2006 or so the focus got a complete remodel in the UK, but with an increase in price to match. In the US, the Focus was Fords lowest echelon car, available as a stripper for about 10k new. Ford America didn't want to risk moving the Focus up-market at that time so they just refreshed the US model. With the introduction of the Fiesta here in the States, and Ford moving almost all product to world-wide platforms, enter the new Focus. The same is gonna happen with the new Fusion. It'll be moved slightly up-market and be the new Mondeo which is gonna be unveiled in Paris next year (2011).
Lots of people complain about this. The short answer is that the focus is more of an upmarket car in Europe, while people in the states can't reconcile the concept of "upmarket" and "compact." This has been changing over the years, and Ford is unifying its lineup to reflect this - meaning we in the US get all the nice styling and exteriors and performance that has been available overseas for a while.
No, I am not really communist. Yes, it is weird that I use this name.
Miata with a Hyabusa engine in it.
Somehow I think doing a fully electric conversion would be easier than this conversion.
Edit: While I am at it here is the all electric miata conversion: http://hackaday.com/2010/02/15/converting-a-miata-to-all-electric/
No, I am not really communist. Yes, it is weird that I use this name.
I don't think it's necessarily "upmarket".
The EU, in general, doesn't seem to go in for cars as large as the US. The Focus isn't considered "compact", it's pretty much a standard family car, and the latest model has actually being criticised for being quite large for its intended market (Looked at straight on it's very nearly the same size as the Mondeo, the next largest Ford model).
The most fiercely competitive sectors are standard hatchbacks (Focus/Astra/Golf/Megane/etc) and small hatchbacks (Fiesta/Corsa/Polo/207/etc). So that's where the manufacturers spend their money. The 2009 top ten selling models for the UK are:
Ford Fiesta … 117,296
Ford Focus … 93,517
Vauxhall Corsa … 84,478
Vauxhall Astra … 67,729
Volkswagen (VW) Golf … 57,187
Peugeot 207 … 48,037
Mini … 39,866
BMW 3 Series … 39,029
Vauxhall Insignia … 36,040
Ford Mondeo … 34,418
1. Ford F-Series: 179,632
2. Toyota Camry: 150,242
3. Chevrolet Silverado: 149,949
4. Honda Accord: 131,043
5. Toyota Corolla: 121,643
6. Honda Civic: 118,459
7. Nissan Altima: 96,428
8. Dodge Ram: 94,516
9. Ford Fusion: 85,146
10. Honda CR-V: 78,917
Interestingly I've noticed that even among equivalent vehicles the US version of a car will tend to be a saloon rather than a hatch, as in Europe. Our Corollas (though in the EU it's now been replaced with the Auris) and Civics are almost invariably hatchbacks. Saloon versions exist but they're very rarely purchased because they lose value a lot faster than the hatchback equivalents.
Pickups are very unusual because they're difficult to insure. Most mainstream insurance companies will assume you're a self-employed builder and refuse to cover you, specialist insurers will take them but they assume business use so they load the premium.
It's excerpts from the Travis County Commissioners Court meeting on the F1 Race being planned for Austin. I really get the feeling these guys were just assuming red tape would disappear. It's kinda dry, slightly worth it for the Ron Paul dude.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TshFWSsrn8
Hell of a driver though.
I was super pissed when the plan for the F1 race in NJ was scrapped by fucking Christie. Son of a bitch, that would have been great, an F1 race only like an hour away.
It's the precision of the donuts that impresses me.
The legacy of the Citroen Xsara F2 incident, I suppose.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11301831
Edit: for reference the cheapest smart car is ~$12k and gets 33/44mpg while this thing costs 9k and could get around 74mpg.
No, I am not really communist. Yes, it is weird that I use this name.
I am sold already.
Changed my own oil for the first time this weekend. Since I can't put my car up on jack stands (no driveway or garage), I used an oil extractor and it worked great.
Next up is a series of preventative maintenance work: valve cover gasket, spark plugs, o2 sensors, and fuel filter. I was also planning on doing the coolant expansion tank, coolant sensor, and water pump, but I think that can all wait until next spring.
No, I am not really communist. Yes, it is weird that I use this name.