Speed Styles

Speed Styles: Volksfest 21 Part 2: Things and Shiz

2011-08-14T21:35:00.000-07:00

Speed Styles: Volksfest 21 Part 2: Things and Shiz

Volksfest 21 Part 2: Things and Shiz

2011-08-14T21:15:00.001-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

I'm on a roll. 2 posts in 2 days!

Anyways I am going to throw up a bunch more pictures from Volksfest. Some are edited and some are not so there will be incongruity. Cheers

One of two 911s at the show.

Fuch you...

Cool splitty hiding in the swap area. Also thanks to the guy who hooked me up with a foil sticker for $1. It's on the steering wheel of our bus!

Cool dumped panel van. The owner was like "I have a grey double cab that's lower."

Mark from Metalkrafters bus representing.

Phat turbo on the TT.

TT engine.

There were two VW dealers there. I don't think any showed last year.

Here come the things

That was in the orange one.

Pretty wild exhaust system. I love the v-band muffler connect.

This green Thing was wild. The guy put some serious cash and work into it.

Clean engine.

One of my favorite pictures. Sometimes they just come out right.

Got a little crazy with photo shop. No sir that glowing isn't natural haha.

This one had marbled accents.

...and a sucker in the engine vent.

There was probably around 10 Things at the show. All of them were very very nice.

That brown one in front had some nice wood interior accents.

Another one of my favs.

Finally I wanted to ask... is this a heater or air conditioner of some kind?

Answer meee! I beg yousss

Anyways I'll be back with much much more. Enough that it will get boring haha.

Volksfest 21 Part 1

2011-08-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

We went to Volksfest in Pataskala Ohio today. There was a great turn out and it got me fired up about working on our vdub. I have 300 ish pictures from the meet. I'll start and continue to bombard viewers with them asap.

I tried to get artsy and I think I succeeded and failed.

Also I am trying to learn Photoshop more and more. I don't expect even near-pro quality but I wouldn't mind some eye candy shots haha.

Here is some stuff from the parking area. Some is very very edited.

Ill try to update again soon with a good chunk of good stuff.

A loss

2011-08-09T21:05:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

My Aunt recently passed after a long battle with cancer. It was a really sudden event in something that's been on going for a while.

It's sad to say but the whole thing was almost normal. Then all of the sudden she was on her death bed.

She ended up in a hospice center and let me tell you that place was nuts. It was beautiful. The landscaping was green and perfectly pruned. The inside was very nice. There was a great view of the lake. Basically it looked like a small upscale hotel.

But then if one peered into an open door the whole place flips upside down. Dying people were sitting watching tv, visiting with family or just sitting...waiting.

I really think they try to get people to forget where they are. I did a number of times. I know that sounds crazy. One thing that really tipped me off to this theme was a picture frame that concealed a connection for oxygen. It slid on a track.

Anyways here's my aunt in a few words...

Cathy Bauer,
A cool flower.
A warm blue eye'd smile,
that said "stay for a while."
Care that surpassed the self,
and nurtured everyone else.
Confidence settled inside,
resting though not to hide.
Instead it guided a woman,
strong, but soft like linen.
Even in the end she loved,
and will forever inspire from above.

Here's a pic from the man stickydiljoe.
The car threw a rod through the block. A loss though it's nowhere near human.

Local Show and Stuff

2011-07-28T20:36:00.001-07:00

Whats up reader(s)

I just wanted to throw some pictures of a local show. Its mostly muscle cars.

Parked my car with some of the others. Kinda out of place haha.

But I figured if the ghost busters Aztec can chill at the show so can the teg.

This Chavelle was immaculate. The guy even had the underside painted gloss black.

You could eat off the bottom or anywhere else for that matter.

Fat Cadillac

Hemi powered wagon

Goodfellas style Lincoln

This Bel Air was really cool I've never seen a hood on a Bel Air like that. But maybe I never noticed.

Ls motorzzzzz and corvettes galore

SSSSupercharger

These wheels barely cleared the brakes. I think the guy downsized them. You couldn't even fit a finger between the brakes and the wheels... anywhere.

440 with a six pack I beleive.

Interesting drag triumph. Definitely not stock.

Good color on this bird.

Speaking of good colors this AMC was cool too bad the paint job got rushed. It got a little blotchy on the roof.

Please all car builders take your time... its worth it!

This is really a crazy muscle car. It has angles and lines all over the fenders. I really like it. It is something different from a typical Ford, Dodge or GM car.

Stock looking new Camero with a little supercharged power under the hood.

Finally the only other non-American car in the show... cue the sexy female British voice and enunciate please... the...E-Type Jag-u-ar.

Big inline 6. Tri-carbs.

Tried to get artsy.

Skinny A-arms.

That's about it. Until next time think and thrive for speed.

Ault Park Pics... Better Late Than Never

2011-07-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

I am going to throw up the rest of the good pics we got from the Ault Park Concours D' Elegance.

Before I start I'm feeling too lazy to edit all 95 pics so here they come as they are hahaha.

First an unrelated thing... We figured out why our vw bus was losing compression. See if you can spot the problem

If you said "Hey there's a hole there that shouldn't be there!" You are correct haha. I will update with the progress of the engine rebuild. Check out the full build log.

Anyways back to business...

Interesting woody

Ferraris

Nice booty

I wish I had a better pic... The basics are all-wheel-drive, jet engine, Indycar.

Back to Ferraris

I believe there are like 20< of these in the world or something.

NSXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The 959 was one of my favorite cars of the show. There are probably 20 in the country because Porsche refused to crash test them for America. Richard Hammond of Top Gear said that these cars lost Porsche money when they sold them to people because of all the R&D.

Bill Gates actually pushed a bill through congress on importing non-U.S. legal cars so he could import one of these babys.

Guess what that's in...

If you said Ford GT congratulations brainiac.

How many red cars were at this show??? I guess it suits speed haha.

GT3 RS anyone?

How about carbon fiber?

This Porsche was pretty awesome. Its a coach built car that has a 4 cam Carrera engine in it. The builders worked with Porsche to make the cars. Its a kind of sleek 356 (maybe aluminum bodied I am not sure).

Did I say there were Ferraris?

THE MACHINE

Didn't I say that already?

An OG Chrysler 300, one of the coolest American cars in my opinion.

A little red on red. I swear there's some kind of theme in this show. I just can't put my finger on it.

This was kind of cool... Husk Varna (probably wrong spelling)

Real deal Shelby

Car of choice for despots and dictators around the world.

Love these Jags.

Crazy mint early Prelude Si. It had 6500ish miles on it and a B21 engine of course. Too bad it was an auto. That's probably why no one drove the piss out of it like every other Honda haha.

That about does it.

Until next time enjoy life.

Some Stuff to Check Out

2011-07-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

I just wanted to share a few things with my constituency. There has to be at least 1 of you out there haha.

Anyways first I write for an online magazine (now it's pretty dormant) while I'm at school.

It covers eco-news around South East Ohio and features life style and science based pieces as well.

If its something you're interested in I think it is a great place to spend a few minutes online...College Green Magazine

Next in the spirit of environmentalism and automobiles I heard a great story this past week on NPR. The story featured something which always twists my brain up... natural resources.

The fact is that I love internal combustion. I love speed. I love high rpm rips. But the problem with that is that most of us need to consume gas to make beautifully thrilling speed happen. We also need gas for power plants, appliances, heating... the list goes on and on.

As a result we consume a large quantity of gas. So much that we are starting to run out of easy to get gas. Thus we have to dig deeper and in harder to reach places. Thus technology called fracking has emerged.

The process basically involves blasting water with cutting particulate, lubrication, and other additives into shale deposits which hold natural gas miles under the ground.

The process has been met with great controversy. Personally the repercussions scare me (like any dumb hippie). But I also think that we need gas like a dope fiend needs smack.

If I had to chose between longevity and survival of the human race and blasting to 9000 rpm's honestly it would be a tough choice. Part of my vain rationale comes from the fact that everyone else seems to ignore the issues and simply enjoy gratification at whatever cost. In the end I guess I'm just a spec of dust on a rock in the middle of a vacuum. I guess if I had to though I would keep this rock running.

Let me know what you think... are we as doomed as it seems?

Check this guy's^^^^^ thread, Baller RHD S2k...

4th of foo-ly

2011-07-04T21:20:00.000-07:00

Hello reader(s)

Tonight I feel like going on a rant so here it comes,

The Fourth of July what a momentous holiday. We celebrate our freedom. Our forefathers put their lives on the line for this freedom. In celebration we blow shit up.

Honestly who doesn't love fireworks? Explosions electrify a person like nothing else.

But context is very important. Explosions at certain times indicate different reactions.

What if we switched places on the Fourth of July with people in a war torn country?

I think we both would be scared shittless.
Happy Fourth of July!

Photo credit : The Chronicles

Chaotic Serenity

2011-06-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

Chaotic serenity,
the mind is a free entity.
The sky rains down upon the,
yet its light helps one see.

The world begs the question
the mind has only suggestion
Unknowns confuse and blind
thoughts erupt like a prisoner once confined

None know the full truth,
nothing really is fool proof.
Yin and yang refuse to coexist,
instead they are at constant rift.

Anxious the eyes open wide,
is that really what is inside?
Or is there some other world,
where the mind and the spirit are curled?

Together the forces of the mind collide.
Neither settles and neither will hide.
Instead like tennis it's back and fourth.
Chaotic serenity, the minds brilliant sport.

Ault Park Cocours d'Elegance Part 1

2011-06-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

I wanted to share a massive amount of pictures I took at the Ault Park Concours d'Elegance.

It's a show where all the fat cats bring out their toys and show off. I saw several million dollar cars during the course of the day.

I will say that for some reason during the show I got a funny feeling. Some of the people there reminded me that cars can just become some meaningless plaything/ possession. It kind of made me tired and weary even though I was looking at some of my dream cars, including a Porsche 959.

None the less I bring you part 1 of a several part series where I will show you all the pics I took. Some are pretty bad. Also forgive the underline thing I have no idea what the deal with that is.

Cheers and happy hunting. Also some cars I could not identify so lmk what they are if you know.

To start...

Its a bummer. I had a bunch of shots of cars outside the show. I put my touch screen camera in my pocket and it formatted and erased them. So I snapped a few of some Porsches outside. There were a bunch more nice cars though.

I met the owner of this Hudson Terraplane at another show. The truck has been completely restored, mostly by the owner. He said that they took the original rotted out truck bed and took it apart piece by piece and then copied each metal patter and welded it all back together new. Immaculate.

This was a cool car. I like to think of it as an early compact.

The wheels were really nice too. I wish the pictures showed the red pinstripe that went on each spoke. It really made a nice final touch.

Shiny!!!

Some Ferraris at the entrance

The Testerosa engine was impressive. I realized that they are so expensive to fix because Ferrari decks their cars out like a swill army knife.

Cts V coupe, 556 supercharged bhp and a sick brake set up. Its one of the best looking new cars on the market today imo. (it looks the best in person).

I liked this white Packard. The dash is a piece of art.

This baby was really nice. The pictures don't do the paint justice.

I'll end with the bat mobile. Haha. I talked to the guy who built it. It has a jet engine but it's street legal and he indeed drives it on the street. He said that the body is a mold from a movie prop car. I wish I could have got better pictures because the car is wild. I did manage to get a vid of the jet engine running to check that out, for the audio at least.

Why that Whip

2011-06-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

I just finished a video for a class on why people chose the car they drive. It is certainly not definitive but I think it sheds a little light on the topic.

Check it

Cheers

A poem from the beginning of the year

2011-06-08T07:58:00.000-07:00

In and out. Breathe

Can you see the future?

What do you see?

Self fulfilling prophesy.

Look at her, where did she go?

While you were dreaming you didn’t know?

Tell the future, or at least what you can control,

And watch your life tick In a consistent roll

on and on and on and on

until its gone.

Roll your role

No longer fishing without a pole.

Not fishing at all

Instead living with out fear of falling

Down or up is better than trolling

Crawl to walk and crawl again.

While no one understands the end,

one thing is certain the end will come.

Will I be trolling sucking my thumb?

No I shall search for life that other unknown

Lest if I find it my mind will turn to stone.

Live as if you’re alive

2011 January 1

The teg

2011-06-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

Well today I wanted to throw up some pictures of my beloved 1998 Acura Integra Ls.

This is my integra there are many like it but this one is mine. (full metal jacket haha)

Anyways the integra is a strange car. Personally I love the way it looks and I think the shape makes it one of the sleekest hatchbacks on the market. Also I think that it is an incredible bang for the buck as far as quality and performance are concerned.

My parents bought me the car when I was 16 or 17. After I got my license me and my dad started trolling Cincinnati for autos. His requirements were that it had to have abs and air bags.

I wanted something that had a stick shift and I wanted it to be fast. My dad wanted the car to be safely fast.

We looked at probably 10 to 15 cars before we came up with this one. Among them were a VW Corrado G60 (not roadworthy), 2 VW Jetta's (too lame), a VW Gti (only had 4 of 5 gears working among other problems), and a nice VW Scirocco (no enough safety).

Then we stumbled on a beat up integra. It was white and had rust in many places and a worn out interior. Since we drove 45 minutes to check it out we took it for a spin. I was in love. The car felt extremely responsive, the transmission was very positive and the car was pretty fast.
None the less my dad refused to even consider it because it had so many problems. I was bummed but I now realize what a nightmare that car would have been.

After driving that teg I was set on getting one. A few weeks later an ad on auto trader alerted me to this 98 integra with 125,000 miles on the clock. We arrived at a nice suburban neighborhood. The driver was a girl whose father had purchased the car for her after leasing it. He was also a Porsche nut so he and my dad got along.

An overlook of the car revealed small problems like old tires and a hood latch that had to be manually reset. But otherwise the car ran like a top and only had some small cosmetic damage. We think that the previous owner just rolled into a good mechanic whenever service needed to be done.

My parents paid $4900 for the car and I think it was a great investment.

After buying the car I entered a ricer phase where I wanted to mod it in every complex way I could. I tried and failed at this and made a few regrettable mistakes along the way.

Now I have come full circle and intend on keeping the car as subtle as possible.

It now has 164,000 miles on it and I intend to keep it until it falls apart, although I am to
neurotic to let that happen.

The list that Craig built

2011-05-30T15:58:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

I was doing some thinking today and I decided to cover a topic that seems to be very split as far as social views... Craigslist

Recently someone I met told me that her brother was going to buy a bike she wanted on craigslist. I thought it was a great idea. Then she told me her brother planned to bring his pistol just in case he needed to use it. I did a mental 180 in shock. I could not see any reason to do that, maybe the dude should just go to a store.

Personally I think I have spent a few thousand dollars on craigslist over the time I have used it. I have also sold probably a thousand dollars worth of goods on craigslist. Not once have I encountered anything worse than tough haggling.

Craigslist catches a bad rap because of some sensational stories. This bad rap is warranted, don't get me wrong. When one has a section called "erotic services " one is asking to monger human trafficking and prostitution. That is exactly what it did right in our faces.

A quick browse of the section revealed photos of half naked or fully naked women and men offering various sex acts. The ads were complete with phone numbers and, get this, prices!

I also think that it probably still goes on though it is more hidden in the website.

In light of this you all must think this website is a demon. But I assure you most people on the website are (mostly) honest, good people.

There has been one time where I have been dissatisfied with craigslist. I purchased a bumper for my car that was an incorrect year. I did not realize this until I had it painted and went to put the car back together. Needless to say I was pissed off.

But I attribute this mistake to ignorance more than a shady seller. Every time I have gone out and purchased something on craigslist since I have been more alert, more cautious and most importantly more educated on the product.

Ever since I have had nothing but good interactions with people. Their circumstances vary, their attitudes vary, their looks vary, but one thing remains constant I get a hell of a deal and meet great people.

I once went to check out some auto parts from a guy. I found the car sitting on the ground with no suspension. He told me they bought the car to get its parts, because it had many aftermarket parts on it. I had seen the ad for that particular car on the website for a long time and I believed his story. He then told me he had recently gotten out of jail. He then told me that his friend who purchased the car had just gotten married.

Believe it or not everything was true. The friend showed up with his new wife still in dress clothes. and the guy was extremely nice and allowed me to pick through the pile of Honda parts in the corner of his one room apartment. Interior panels, a disassembled engine, wiring, and various other pieces were in and around the pile. I picked out what I needed and left with no problems and good spirits all around. I spent a total of $45.

Believe me or don't believe me but here is a list of things to remember when shopping on craigslist.

1. Be skeptical, never buy sight unseen.
2. Research what you are buying before hand. Make sure it is really a deal and that it is indeed what you need and are seeking.
3. Deal in cash only
4.Only take the amount of cash you want to spend with you and leave your wallet in the car, just in case.
5.Haggle, unless the seller really gives you a good deal.
6.Be skeptical once you see the item and make sure nothing seems fishy about it or the seller.
7.Be respectful of the seller.
8.Think before you act (a golden rule in life imo)
9.Return the favor to other buyers, give them decent deals (you don't have to rob yourself to do this but be reasonable.)
10. Enjoy it!

Jams for the searches ahead

Thought and the derivative

2011-05-25T20:16:00.001-07:00

Hello reader(s)

Tonight I would like to share my interpretations of a mathematical... change called the derivative.

Detailed explanation

The derivative is a function typically defined by the notation F, dy/dx, or f '.

Essentially derivatives indicate a change of one factor with respect to another factor.

Usually we compare two variables like "x" and "y". The notation dy/dx indicates that a change is occurring in y with respect to x. X may be doing something but it can also be fixed.

The two factors are tied together and dependent on one another. In real world terms the the earth could be seen as one factor. Wind blowing over the earth would be a factor which changes with respect to the earth. The earth changes and the air changes with respect to the earth.

This can be measured with derivatives, though as of now I cannot give any specific equation now.

Mathematical definition of the derivative.

The math operation is pretty simplistic in its most basic form.

It essentially looks at exponential changes and their variations.

n
Take the exponential function A

(n-1)
The derivative (dA/dx) can be found by .............. (n-1)*A

There are many derivative rules for other applications and variations of changes.

Check it.

I hope to post more detailed content of interpretations of math as I come to understand it.

Finally I leave you all with

A stickdilljoe masterpiece (stickydilljoe.com)

B.o.B and a headache

2011-05-23T07:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

Well I have to say I am frustrated. I am currently in charge of Ohio University's yearbook.

No that is not a joke. None the less I am learning fast and hard how professionals get the job done compared to school organizations. Its hard and people take things very seriously.

I regret to say that I had to make a tough decision to cut out a spread I really wanted to keep. The problem was that it would have threw a ton of pages threw a loop.

Thus I present to you pictures from the B.o.B. concert at Ohio University's Convocation center.

The photos were take by Ohio University student and talented photographer Joel Bissell

The kicker is that I actually realized I forgot an l in Joel's name in the book and I had to send a whole slew of revisions pretty late to the printer as a result. They are probably pissed. I say cheers, life sucks sometimes.

Regardless the teg drove great today as usual although I did have an adventure with her yesterday. Long story short tar=big mess on paint. arg.

Swaybar End Link DIY and TI

2011-05-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

I wanted to share a DIY I posted on team-integra.net.

Here is a link.

Team-integra.net is a website I have trafficked for four or five years. It is a perfect example of why the internet is great.

The website is a forum specifically for Acura Integra enthusiasts. The forum has thousands of threads full of knowledge accumulated by loyal Honda enthusiasts.

I say it is a perfect example good internet because it is truly communal. Many people add what they know to the site. DIYs, maintenance tips, performance articles, stories about problems, and build logs are all part of user generated content.

The beautiful part is that since the website relies on the community facts get checked and corrected out of principal. To top it off it's free!

Check it or honda-tech.com if you are looking for any kind of info on Hondas. I guarantee you the websites will point you in the right direction.

Cheers!

Also here is a link to a map I made on google maps.

Check it!

Engine Math

2011-05-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

One of my goals in life is to build engines. I would like to learn how to modify engines to be both more powerful and efficient.

One car that is very iconic in my mind is this mid 1990's honda civic.

Photo from the ad

The car has a motor Honda produced for fuel economy. The owner decided that instead of swapping the anemic but efficient motor with one of many engines a person can put in a civic (the last time I check the number was 7 different engines) he would modify the fuel efficient 1.5 liter motor.

The result is a claimed 228 hp, where the motor probably had 60 to start, and a claimed 55mpgs.

I am a big fan of math as a way to interpret the world around us. My goal is to take this same mindset with me to engine building.

I use this compression ratio calculator all the time as I dream of putting the engine together I have in various parts around my parents house.

I need some advice though on volumetric efficiency. This site states that the equations is

VE= (3456* cfm)/(cubic inch displacement*rpm)

Does this seem valid?

I will add more content on this topic as I gain more experience.

Also here is a good write up on the mechanics of a four stroke motor.

It burns ahh it burns!

2011-05-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

I am a huge fan of doing vehicle maintenance on ones own. I think it helps a person get in tune with their vehicle (forgive the pun). It also is cheaper and prevents a person from getting the run around from one of many questionable shops. I do not think that all mechanic shops are bad but one must be wise.

The only downside of vehicle maintenance besides frustration, is that it is dirty. Every time I crawl under a car, I crawl back out greasy. I love it. But I don't think it's that healthy.

Recently I was helping a friend with his brakes on his old Civic (since it has been sold) and I accidentally spilled some brake fluid on my hand. An unnatural warmth spread throughout my hand in all the areas the fluid coated. It burned!

Thus I want to tell any avid do-it-yourself-er that safety is more important than the project. Always protect yourself with gloves, eye protection, a mask, and long clothes when applicable.

Take it from a person who has had metal shards stuck in the eye, a fingernail ripped off, numerous cuts, and injuries I probably cant remember all while working on a car.

Also consider the environment when you get to your project. Again mechanical work is dirty. Never work on Air conditioning systems before evacuating freon. I accidentally let mine out once and I deeply regret it. It does damage to the Ozone and It can give you insta-frostbite if you catch the blast, I was lucky enough to dodge it.

Finally fluids like oil and antifreeze should be recycled. Local auto parts stores usually have drums in the back where you can deposit waste oil to be recycled. Antifreeze is a little tougher to recycle. Once a local auto parts store worker told me "Dump it down the drain. But don't get caught."

I listened to him because I could not see any other option. But there are options one just has to look. A quick search on google netted me an EPA list of some places that recycle the toxic but vital automotive substance.

Remember when it comes to Cars, safety, the earth and DIY in general your brain is the most powerful tool you have. Use it!

Thirsty???

2011-05-03T14:50:00.001-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

I just wanted to throw a few quick pics up that I got walking home today. I'm not entirely sure whats in this H2O but anyone with some ideas let me know.

First Honda DIY

2011-05-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

Well I will admit it I am a Honda fanatic. I just wanted to link to my first Honda DIY, although it could be used on any car with a washable air filter.

DIY Cleaning K&N style air filter

Check it. My filter had never been cleaned and it gave me a little peace of mind to clean it after four years of service. Its one autozone part I am pretty happy with.

and now...

Time, time, time see whats become of me
As I look around at my possibilities,
Every thing passes like a cool breeze
Try to get it all but don't blink or sneeze.
Or just relax and do as you please,
don't be compelled by lost opportunities.
To dwell on whats gone will plague the mind
Instead think of today and see what you find.
For sometimes opportunity doesn't knock
instead one must leave to flock
and create the path along the journey
We will all follow the same one in the gurney.

Jams for the love of life ahead.

Cheers

The cost of speed

2011-04-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

(Photo courtesy of Edmunds.com)

Hello Reader(s)

Today I would like to take a short exploratory whack at where the car industry may be going in the recent wake of fossil fuel shortages, environmental destruction, and efficiency developments.

But first....

Ahhh Speed I love thee
Blast, shred curves euphorically
The cost? Life lost. Brake!

I love speed and everything about it. The smooth curves of Appalachian Highway 32 tempt me to put the accelerator pedal to the floor as I travel between Athens and Cincinnati. But the fear of legal repercussions, loss of life, and even higher insurance rates keep my inner speed freak at bay, most of the time.

Recently though though life has made me dwell on my taste for internal combustion fueled speed. I love the internal combustion engine. It is a wonderful and enduring piece of technology but it is not without flaws. Internal combustion's greatest weakness is its thirst for natural resources.

The creators of the internal combustion engine probably had no idea about how widespread and necessary it would become in the daily life humans. But now, especially in America, we need it.

I recently saw a film called Gas Land and briefly spoke with the director Josh Fox about the issue of natural gas in America. He portrays a bleak picture of hydraulic fracturing. It is a process in which companies use water mixed with chemicals and abrasive minerals to blast deep into the earth to break open natural gas deposits. The process is extremely effective and wards off foreign oil dependency. But it does it at a high cost, the pollution of watersheds and the destruction of natural habitats. Gas companies argue against Fox saying the process is safe and incidents of pollution are isolated. But it is hard to dispute flammable "drinking water."

This got me thinking. We need gas like a crackhead needs his/her fix. We have new hybrid cars but they are an imperfect solution. First they disappointingly sacrifice speed although there are some exceptions. Like the new Infinity M35h and Porsche's newly developed 918 supercar. Both offer huge horsepower for a hybrid as they couple the insta-torque that electric motors are known for (Check the Tesla Roadster) but I still am not convinced.

Life is an existence full of duality. Energy is no different. Say we exnay gas powered cars, what are we left with? Electric motors. Then we still need energy from power plants burning coal or producing nuclear waste. Furthermore these cars are much less efficient than say a 1993 Honda Civic Vx which gets 45 mpg's. They also weigh much more meaning that they will need a more electric hungry power plant to fuel them. Finally the batteries needed to power these vehicles are just as detrimental to the earth as hydraulic fracturing, it just happens over seas. The earth elements needed to make batteries have to be mined from deep in the earth and this process rapes mother earth as much as any other form of mining.

None the less we are headed in the right direction.

I am starting to look at natural resource dependent energy like a car restoration. When you first get a car you want to restore it is usually in rough shape. It is rusty, maybe doesn't run, the interior smells like the swamp toads that mated in it for seven years, and many pieces are missing. Frankly there are days when you want to just say screw it and throw it to the scrap yard. But slowly the car gets blown apart. Every piece is looked over and refurbished if need be and by the time its over it looks better than it did from the factory, and no one see's the work that has been done.

Right now we are in the blowing apart stage. We found the rusty, misfiring, dinosaur that is the energy crisis. Experts are in the process of diagnosing problems. A plan of attack is starting to go into motion (Check Diane Rehm's interview with Dept of Energy Secretary Steven Chu).

We just need to relax and continue addressing problems and keep moving forward because, although it may not seem like it many times, we are moving forward. Drive efficiently; use hybrid car's responsibly and not just for the smug factor; ricers and racers don't forget the catalytic converters; bike or walk places; turn off the lights; conserve and most importantly think. Maybe you are the missing link to another step in weening off fossil fuels or at least using them in an environmentally responsible way. Though leads to progress and progress is beautiful even if it seems as if it is nonexistent. Life is....................................and we should keep it that way.

Back to the greasy past...

2011-04-18T22:31:00.000-07:00

Hello reader(s),

I have been doing a lot of automotive writing lately and frankly I am sick of it and need some change.

Earlier tonight I was reading an excerpt from Barbara Ehnereich's book Nickel and Dimed for a class I have tomorrow. It's actually a different excerpt than what I have linked to but I wanted to share her vibe with you anyways.

Anyways the book is about working unskilled labor jobs to survive at the poverty level. The author went out and tried this.

The excerpt I read detailed the work Ehnreich did at a restaurant as a waitress.

This brought me back to when I worked for Sonic Drive In and I wanted to share my experience. I have a lot to say but Ill try to make it brief and chronological.

Frankly, when I was 15 my parents caught me smoking pot for the second time and I vowed to quit. This, to me and my parents, involved getting a job. One weekday after school my mom took me out to put applications in. I applied a few places but got only one bite, Sonic.

I went in the following week for an interview. Aaron the energetic, wiry, by the book general manager asked me a few questions like "do you know how to count money?" I answered all as I thought he would like to hear them. I got the job. I was thrilled. No really, I was.

The first day of work, a warm early spring Saturday, I am on drinks. This involves filling up cups with soda, to making ice cream Sundays. Drinks are huge business at Sonic. We get slammed with customers and all of them seem to want something special in their drink. Orders for blended shakes with candy inside, tiny banana splits, slushies of all colors of the rainbow and cokes with chocolate in them bombard me.

Once busy time flies. I am amazed by how unadulterated people I work with are. Smack talk, cigarette cravings, and loud brandishing of sexual desires for movie stars are the soundtrack to my day. I love it.

The Sonic building is small and crammed full of food paraphernalia. The front of the building hosts the ice cream, mixers, pop machines, cash register, and a small counter top used as an office. A row of deep friers, a grill, a cooler, a freezer, a smoking area, sinks, and bathrooms fill the rest of the store. The whole place has a very saturated smell which reminds me of a shake made up of burgers, fries, grease, and vanilla ice cream.

I work through the summer and into the next school year at Sonic. I eventually work every position I can at the store. I wait on customers, take orders at the drive thru, cook, and make drinks. My enthusiasm fades day by day and I start to understand why people talk so much about nothing all day.

I also start to notice some things about my work place. The first thing that occurs to me is that cleanliness is secondary to business and demand. This is first apparent during my first day. A huge rush sets in for ice cream and milk shakes. Customers keep pouring through the drive through and a waterfall of melted ice cream pours from the bottom of the mixing machine, across the small stainless steel table it sits on and onto the floor. A wet rag sops up some of the tributaries but the river continues to flow with business.

Cleanliness secondary to business also applies in the kitchen where cooks jump right into the work day without hand washing. It really doesn't matter though because after 15 minutes in the kitchen grease saturates the hands and makes water roll off with little to no cleansing effect. A sheen of grease also covers the tile floor and even after mopping it retains an unnaturally glossy finish to its adobe color.

Finally the workers, besides some high schoolers, all seem to be stuck. It seems like everyday a cook quits but two weeks later is back at it. My managers seem to be at the peak of their careers and only upgrade to other restaurants. Bleak wages seem to be part of the reason why people constantly want to leave and want to stay as most adult employees pay rent and bills and everything else that comes with life.

Drugs seem to be another contributing factor. I quit quit smoking after about 6 months of work because I know I can come in and do my job either way. Even though my boss specifically told me that I should not get high for work even though Sonic doesn't drug test. My fellow workers also know this but mary jane is an appetizer. Once my fellow cook, Johnny, a Vietnam veteran in his late 50's told me that occasionally smoking heroin was O.K. among many other drug tales.

Eventually management changes and the store is sold to a new owner. Only one manager stays around, Denise. She is a mild mannered, but strong willed, (truly) straitlaced woman, with a high pitch voice that rings through the restaurant during rushes as ambient noise turns explosive and apocalyptic.

Denise knows what goes on with the cooks but she lets it go. She knows they need money just like she does. I don't always agree with Denise but I respect her.

More and more I become disillusioned with my $5.75 an hour. I then get a raise when minimum wage raises and I still could care less. What started as a fun new thing has completely lost its luster. Eventually I get tired of my new boss and that puts me over the edge. I turn in my two weeks notice.

The last hour of my last day there is a rush. I am cooking on the fry side. I see the clock strike quitting time. Cheryl, the owners mother whom the owner calls by her first name, asks me to stay longer. Considering I have been her whipping boy for the past months I giver her a blank stare. She says something about helping out in an angry screechy tone and walks away.

I get the hell out of there before she can come back. The feeling leaving those doors is unmatched. I am free again. Free! I blast queen and rev the my engine as I leave the parking lot.

I don't come back after I pick up my last check for a year or two. When I come back I see some of the friends I had made still work there. Denise is still there and looks the same and sounds the same and seems the same. I see Johnny working the drive through one day. He doesn't recognize me even when I call out his name.

Photo Credit goes to Joey Lee @ the Chronicles (stickydilljoe.com)

Thought and the Toyota Celica Supra

2011-04-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader(s)

I live at the end of a street. My friends live a few streets down. Usually when I walk to their house I take the back way. This involves several parking lots and a few alleys, all pretty unremarkable and frankly dismal except one thing which brightens every trip I take.

Yes its a car. One that five years ago I would never have liked.

Its a 1983-1986 Toyota Celica Supra. This photo came from an article in Super Street Magazine.

Ive started doing a little looking around because I think this may be one of my favorite Japanese cars of the 1980's. Its look just screams transformer. It has independent rear suspension, and an inline engine, though I am not sure how many cylinders it has.

I would love to drop a v8 in one.

I found a few videos of supra lineage.

video1

video2

I also found a pretty good forum with celica supra owners.

The down side to getting one of these babys is that they succumb to rust easily because of all of the trim and the nooks and crannys on the car. All I have to say is keep them alive.

Rust
Starts in places
deep and hidden.
It needs no itro
one day it shows.
The battle starts.

The legendary Porsche 959

2011-04-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

Link to the picture location

I have been wanting to write about this car for a while. My dad mentioned that top gear included it in an episode with the Ferrari f40. That spurred me to do a little research and here is what I came up with.

The 959 originally started as Porsche's way to get into the rally car scene. It was built as a light weight, twin turbo, all wheel drive car with a total of 444hp. Here are more stats.

Link to the picture location

The car was revolutionary because it was one of the first refined super cars. Impractical, uncomfortable, extremely fragile, and flamboyant had been the theme of super cars of the past. Just look at the Lamborghini Countach .

The 959 changed things though. I brought a new level of technological refinement to the table which allowed it to do things many super cars never could, like hit a top speed of 196mph. (Although that was quickly surpassed by Ferrari). It also had abs, adjustable suspension, and tire pressure sensors.

But Porsche did more than just play in the mud. Porsche decided to sell it to the public and by decide I mean they picked lucky millionaires/billionaires to buy the car from them. I say billionaires because one of the first people in the U.S. to buy a 959 was Bill Gates, although he may not have been in the 10 digits then. The issue was that Porsche refused to crash the 959 for U.S. safety standards because of the low production and high value of the car.

This article outlines the battle that enthusiasts like Gates had to undertake to get the 959 legally on U.S. soil. Loop holes opened up after lobbying and millionaire funded legal disputes. Eventually the government allowed the 959 to land on U.S. soil as long each was cleared by the EPA before being driven. Also U.S. import laws exempt cars over certain ages from having to go through all of the modern regulations so the 959 probably has an even easier route into the country now. Again this car can only be registered as a show car though and can be driven only a few thousand miles a year. But at a price tag of a $225 million who really drives these cars anyways. Let me get a ride if you d0!!!