A good looking rear end! Installing a Ford 8.8 inch rear end into the 1967 Cougar

Hi folks -- on Sunday Tony and I (mostly Tony) got to work on finishing the rear end swap on his 1967 Cougar. The above 8.8 came out of a 1998 Ford Explorer and was modified by taking off existing brackets and then welding new ones on to match the configuration of the Cougar. Particular attention was paid to make sure the brackets are properly spaced and that the pinion angle was correct. Once this job is done it is on to the engine rebuild.

Rebuilding a Ford 289

Hi folks-- yesterday we started cleaning the Tony's garage to get ready to rebuild a Ford 289 to put in his 1967 Mercury Cougar. One slight detour today -- putting in a 8.8 rear end from a 1998 Ford Explorer into the car. I'll keep you all informed as we go!

Mid-term Exam -- "The Automobile and American Life" University of San Diego, March, 2011

Mid-Term Dr. Heitmann HST 378 March 8, 2011 Name_________________________ I Identification and Significance. (50 pts.) Answer five of the following eight by writing a short paragraph (minimum 3 to 4 sentences) on each of your choices. Make sure you are as incisive and factual as possible with your response, and stress the significance of the person, place, or thing. 1. The Bicycle as a Technological Antecedent 2. The Origins of Mass Production 3. The Duesenberg Automobile 4. Harley Earl and his Art and Colour Group at GM 5. Edward S. Jordan and automobile advertising 6. The Transition to the All-Steel, Enclosed Automobile during the 1920s 7. The Automobile and the Origins of the Great Depression 8. Pre-WWII Blues Music and the Automobile Essay. (50 pts.) Answer one of the following by writing a coherent essay harnessing factual evidence whenever possible. Your answer should have both an introduction and a conclusion. It can be said that during the first four decades of its history the American automobile industry was guided by people of great vision. In your opinion, who were these individuals (you need not list every person, but those most important as you make your case), and what did they specifically accomplish? Be as specific and as detailed as possible in your essay response. Without doubt, the introduction and diffusion of the automobile during the first half of the 20th century resulted in enormous social change in America. Discuss the impact of the automobile on society and the American family, making sure to include: perceptions from the religious community; intergenerational conflict; courtship and mating; the place of women in the family; and finally, changes in home architecture.

Some Mary Kay Pink Cadillac Photos

Hi folks -- I was visiting with Ed Garten on Friday morning at a local Panera in Beavercreek, Ohio when Ed noticed that a Mary Kay Cadillac parked out front actually had a "Mary Kay" chrome trim designation placed on the trunk of the car. So I decided to check a few photos on the web and here are some that I found. Yes, it is more than a car that the women who sell Mary Kay products gain from taking on the challenge.

Mary Kay Ash purchased her first pink Cadillac in 1968. The car was repainted by the dealer before delivery to match the Mountain Laurel Blush in her compact. As it turned out, it was a rolling advertisement, and Mary Kay rewarded her top five producers with pinkCadillacs in 1969. Pink was an obvious color choice — matching the company's eye and lip color palettes. Since 1980, the shade used by the Mary Kay fleet has been exclusive to Mary Kay. Every two years, a Director can be eligible for a new Cadillac.

When the two year lease has expired, the cars are repainted, prior to being auctioned off. The shade of pink has changed over the years. In 1998, the color was changed to "pearlized pink."

Back Home in Ohio for Spring Break -- Starting up the 1971 Porsche 911

Hi folks -- back home for a short break, but also hopefully a bit of research on stealing cars at the University of Toledo. First hing (almost) was to check on the hibernating Porsche 911. Before I left, I invested in a Battery Tender (available many places including Batteries Plus -- but much cheaper on Ebay). The Tender worked great -- a very strong battery system made starting the first time after 10 weeks quite easy. It took a while to get gas again to the Webers, and I did use one squirt of starter spray, but once running the car has been a dream. And I have had so much fun driving the car the last day -- over to Cliffs in Xenia Township, and here and there as well. Yesterday we had high winds and the cross winds moved the car quite a bit on I-675, but hat is expected from a rear engine car. After driving the blue Nissan the past ten weeks the differences are telling, however; the Nissan's Brembos really stop the car better than the Porsche, although the Porsche's brakes calipers need rebuilding.
But the existential joys of driving an old sports car outweigh any modern benefits.

No Bullshit! -- Audi, Trained Noses, and Bull Hides for their Interiors!

Again, Thanks to Ed Garten for this Information!
Audi Leather Interiors Only Use Bull Hides, Sniffed by Professionals
With perhaps the highest reputation for interior excellence and quality, Audi has upped the leather-quality ante and will now only make leather interiors from bull hides. It’s not sexism: bull hides are apparently larger and of a higher quality than those of cows.From the best, most homogenous bull hides, Audi takes only the “croupon” (the back, once the shoulders and legs have been removed). It’s the part least likely to show scars or scratches from the bull’s life. After a multi-stage tanning process, Audi runs 45 separate tests on leather samples to check them for stretching and wear.Audi also employs a six-member Nose Team. Formed in 1985, the team is made up of experts picked for their extra-sensitive snouts. They take small pieces of interior components—wood and leather, for example—and heat them to 176ºF. Each so-called professional sniffer then smells each sample before giving it a rating.The Nose Team helps Audi keep unpleasant scents out of its car interiors. It’s not all fun and games for the testers, though: so as not to pollute test results, the sniffers can’t work if they have colds, and are prohibited from smoking or wearing perfume to work, and can’t even eat garlic.