Memorial Day and The Indy 500 2010 -- The Greatest Spectacle in Racing?

Hi folks -- I went to the hottest Indy 500 in history yesterday. Going there brought back memories from childhood, of that very special day that marks the beginning of summer. A family tradition (at least around age 5) we had back in Kenmore, NY was going to my aunt's house on Delaware Avenue to watch the annual Memorial Day parade from the second story porch. A bit later in age, I would sit with my cousins in the living room and listen to the Indy race -- no talking allowed! I can also remember one Memorial Day going out to drive with my learners permit during the morning, and being hard-headed, staying in the right lane despite my father's objections of not wanting me over there due to road debris. I was plenty hard-headed back then. memorial day was a day in which cars were at the center of my life, either listening to the race, learning to drive, or washing and shining them up.

Now to yesterday's race. I was fun sitting with all the folks drinking in the stands despite the heat that would subsequently turn their brains into mush by lap 50. Florence Henderson and Jim Nabors sang (how old is that guy anyway!). The fighters did their fly-by. But I was not terribly impressed with the excitement of the race, with exception of the accident near the end. Not enough blood and death? Maybe. But also since all the contestants drive cars with the same engines, same body-maker, same Firestone tires, where are the differences that lead to inherent competition. There is not enough aggressive driving, passing, heated rivalries. Too much cooperation and not enough free market Darwinism in America right now.

Rat Rods -- Cars and Parts Swap Meet and Sale, Springfield, OH, May 29, 2010

So what is a rat rod? These are becoming increasingly popular, as witenssed by the several at the Friday night cruise in and today at the Cars and Parts Swap Meet.

From Wikipedia:

Originally a counter-reaction to the traditional hot rod, a label recently applied to undriven cars and super high priced "customs". The rat rod's beginning was a throwback to the hot rods of the earlier days of hot-rodding, built to the best of the owner's abilities and meant to be driven. Rat rods are meant to loosely imitate in form and function, the "traditional" hot rods of the era. Biker, greaser, rockabilly, and punk culture is often credited as influence that shapes rat-rodding.

The typical rat rod is an early 1930s through 1950s coupe or roadster. Early (pre-World War II) vehicles often have their fenders, hoods, running boards, and bumpers removed. The bodies are frequently channeled over the frame, and sectioned, or the roofs chopped for a lower profile. Later post-war vehicles are rarely constructed without fenders and are often customized in the fashion of Kustoms, leadsleds, and lowriders. Maltese crosses, skulls, and other accessories are often added. Chopped tops, shaved trim, grills, tail lights, and other miscellaneous body parts are swapped between makes and models. Most, if not all, of the work and engineering is done by the owner of the vehicle.

Recently, the term "rat rod" (or rat car, as modern cars are not actually hot rods like the name suggests) has been used to describe almost any vehicle that appears unfinished or is built simply to be driven.

The origins of the term and cars is most interesting. Again, from Wikipedia:

The December 1972 issue of Rod & Custom Magazine was dedicated to the beater, a low-budget alternative to the over-polished, slickly-painted, customized early car. The beater could easily be considered a progenitor of the rat rod with its cheap upholstery, primer instead of paint, and lack of chrome or polished metals. However, owners of these beaters often had a high-dollar machine sitting in their garage.

As with many cultural terms, there are disputes over the origin of the term "rat rod". Some say it first appeared in an article written in Hot Rod Magazine by Gray Baskerville about cars that still sported a coat of primer. Some claim that the first rat rod was owned by artist Robert Williams who had a '32 Ford Roadster that was painted in primer. Hot Rod magazine has since verified this.^[1]Although the term likely started out as derogatory or pejorative (and is still used in this way by many), members of the subcultures that build and enjoy these cars have adopted the term in a positive light.

Cruise-In Friday Night, May 28, Kettering (Dayton) Ohio

This is a photo of the engine bay of supposedly a Porsche 914-6. I didn't know if this was a legitimate 914-6 or an impostor? I thought the 914-6 came with the engine from a 911T, thus having Zenith or Weber carbs. This car also had an array of driving lights mounted so far down near the road surface in the front, tha I wonder if these lights would last during any serious event on the road or track.
The Dash from a 1962 Chrysler Crown Imperial. Not many of these cars made. The old guy who owns this car was a pleasure to talk to.

The mill from a modified Camaro. I bet this sings!

Goodbye, Mercury!

Bloomberg is reporting that Mercury is going by the wayside, officially so only after a July meeting at Ford. How sad -- but in a way, nothing much lost by the decision. The current model line up for the most part is nothing but re-badged Ford products, and a Grand marquis that is favored buy the oldest demographic group in the American market.

What cannot be lost are memories of the Mercuries of the past that had an impact on my life. In particular, a 1953 Mercury that my cousin Richard (who was 15 years older than I, had in 1955 when he married his first wife Laureen. I loved the shape of that car for some reason, and its maroon color. And then school friend Don Izard's father's 1957 turnpike Cruiser, a wonderfully overly- accessorized model at a time when the dinosaur in the drive reigned supreme in American life.
Edsel Ford's Mercury may be gone after 2010, but in the hearts and minds of us who grew up loving cars, how can we forget the car that was at the center (along with James Dean!) of Rebel without a Cause.

How Did VW Dealer Service Become the Lowest Rated of all Makes in the U.S.?

There was a time when VW Dealer Service was the envy of the American auto industry. But if I am to believe a recent issue of Consumer Reports, VW now is in the inenviable position of having the worst dealer service according to consumer surveys in the U.S., among all makes of cars being sold here? How the mighty have fallen!

I have only had one recent experience with a VW dealer related to service, and that was actually several years ago when I took my daughter's 2003 Jetta in for routine matters in San Antonio. Most certainly, my first reaction to the entire affair was that it was expensive, far more expensive than it should have been. These people take their customers for granted, no way to be in today's business climate. And it seems that VW's office in the U.S. either doesn't have the will or the guts to clamp down on its dealers and force them to either be customer centered or to be forced out of the relationship.
We need a new generation of business leaders world wide it seems, ones who sweep away complacency and if need be, rule with fear, driving out the many bad apples that now are a part of our institutions.
The other issue with VW which is evident from reading consumer reports for years now is where did your quality go? There was a time when "Made in Germany" meant something. It seems now that VW, BMW, and Mercedes all make products that are at the bottom of the quality lists.

Last "auto-Biography" from summer session I: Greory Sheil and his 2002 Toyota Echo

Greg Sheil

HST 344

May 20, 2010

Auto-Biography

My auto-biography is about the family car I drove throughout high school until I bought my own car. This car was a 2002 Toyota Echo. I will never forget how well that car treated me nor the memories I had with it. The reason we had a third family car before I was able to drive was because my grandfather had recently purchased it a month before he passed away and the dealership wanted to buy it back for two thousand dollars less than they sold it to him. It was a great car for a new driver and had the remainder of the warranty. Needless to say it was a perfect car for me for a number of reasons. Primarily, it only has a 1.5L engine with 108 horsepower. If I would have been driving any other car with a bigger engine, I probably would have gotten a few speeding tickets. The amazing fuel economy of 35 city miles per gallon and 40 highway created one of my now favorite pastimes. Driving for fun with the windows down and the stereo turned up, all while achieving spectacular gas mileage.

Now, do not be fooled by that tiny, golf cart-like engine. The car weighs under 2500 pounds with two passengers, which meant it could get up and go in city traffic. Passing on a two lane highway took a little bit of timing and gall. I definitely drove that car as if it were a racecar, and not an econo-car. That Echo has been on four, three, two, and zero wheels before while I have been behind the wheel. I did my share of doughnuts in wet and snow covered parking lots and ramped it once. When most people ramp a car, they do it on a short hump normally over railroad tracks; however that was not the case for me. I launched that 2500 pounds of steel airborne off a thirty foot hill going 87 miles per hour. There could not have been a more perfect, smooth landing. This was the most reckless thing I did in that car, and I am happy to say my driving habits have substantially calmed down since then.

I used that car as a stress reliever if I was ever worked up about something. There is nothing better than cruising with the windows down going 55 miles per hour down a country road listening to your favorite tunes. My brother now drives that car and I do envy him from time to time, because of all of the times I had in it while I was an adolescent. I do worry from time to time that one day it will just fall apart on him for no reason; however it will probably have something to do with how I drove it.