Hat tip to Ryan for the shot of his auto-themed jack o'lantern!
воскресенье, 31 октября 2010 г.
Happy Devil's Night!
суббота, 30 октября 2010 г.
Commenter Of The Day: Do-Mi-Do Duds Edition
One stig two stig red stig blue stig
Orange stig blue stig old stig new stig
some are pink and some are blue. some are old and some are new.
some are fast and some are glad. And some prefer very, very dry run.
Why are they fast and glad and prefer a dry run?
I don't know. Go ask Clarkson.
Some are thin and some are fat. The fat one has an American accent.
From there to here, from here to there, super fast cars everywhere.
Here are some who like to race. They race for pace in the hot, hot car
Oh me! Oh my!
Oh me! Oh my!
what alot of funny things go by.
Some have a lap time and some have four.
Some have six laps and some have more.
Where do they come from?
I cant say.
But i bet they have come a long, long way.
We see them come.
But mostly go.
Some are fast.
And none are slow.
Some are silent.
And some like music
Not one of them is like another.
Don't ask us, we don't know.
Go ask Captain Slow.
пятница, 29 октября 2010 г.
For $6,500, Girl, I’m Just a Jeepster For Your Love
The Acura Integra, especially in GS-R or balls to the wall Type-R form, has a reputation for handling that's wedding night tight. Matching that tightness was the vote for yesterday's1998 Integra, which, at 49%/51%, put the car firmly into theNice Crackrealm.
If off-road prowess is as important to you as on, then today's1968 Jeep Jeepster Commandomay be right up your canyon. Following WWII, Willys-Overland found a ready market for its CJ, or Civilian Jeep, among both farmers and flannel wearers. Looking to add a little cosmopolitan civility to the hair-chested utility of the CJ, W-O introduced a new series, the VJ (predating MTV by 30 years) Jeepster in late 1948. The Brooks Stevens design sported a longer wheelbase and only two-wheel drive, but was still easily recognizable as a Jeep. Unfortunately it didn't catch on with the car buying public, forcing Jeep to rip van winkle the truck for more than a decade.
In 1966 the Jeepster was revived in C101 form, and to celebrate it gained the moniker Commando, mostly because it never wore underwear. The new Jeepster eschewed the earlier truck's Go Devil L-head four banger for a much more contemporary F-head engine dubbed the Hurricane, as titty twister had already been copyrighted. Also available, and powering today's contender, was the 225 CID Dauntless V6, an engine that was sourced from Buick. You're probably familiar with that engine's odd-firing nature, and GMs eventual re-purchase of the tooling, but that's a story to save for when we have a Grand National to talk about.
Here, the 160-bhp engine throws its weight around through a three-speed manual transmission and sturdy 4-wheel drive system that features manually locking hubs, just like the trail rated Gods intended. The body of the C101 edition lost all of Brooks Stevens' flamboyant curves, and was saddled instead with what appeared to be an elongated CJ body with only a severely canted back end to shake the design up. That's not to say it's unattractive, and in fact, with its hardtop in place, the C101 Jeepster exudes a jaunty charm usually reserved for middle aged men smoking pipes while fly fishing.
The interior gets no love in this Commando's Craigslist ad, but on outside, while the seller doesn't claim it to have the universe reclining in its hair, he does tout new paint, new tires and, most importantly, no rust. He also mentions 40K, but it's confusing whether he means that's all it's got on the clock, or that's what he's done in it using it as a daily driver. Other than that, he's pretty tight lipped. That's okay, because they say a picture is worth a thousand words, and we have four to examine in order to determine if this Jeepster is worth the $6,500 that the seller is asking. What do you say, does that price make you think this Jeepsteris so sweet and so fine? Or, is that too much for you to sayI'll make it mine?
Vampire!
Nice Price or Crack Pipe: 1968 Jeepster Commando for $6,500.online surveys
Little Rock Craigslistor gohereif the ad disappears.
Help me out with NPOCP. Clickhereto send a me a tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.
четверг, 28 октября 2010 г.
For $6995, You Can Make This Bone Stock GS-R Integral to Your Life
There isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate a good dump, but for six-large, hardly anyone appreciated yesterday'sSBC-powered Toyota Hilux, even with its dumper bed. That fact was reflected in its Hershey squirtalicious 80% Crack Pipe loss. Oh what a feeling, indeed. Today, in contrast to that Frankenyota, let's take stock.
By the early eighties, Honda was enjoying some enviable levels of customer loyalty and retention. That being said, consumers' tastes mature, and for some, even the Accord offered insufficient size and luxury. To keep those buyers from straying from the fold, Honda introduced the Acura brand to the U.S. market in 1986. The initial offerings were still based on Honda platforms– Accord in the case of the Legend, and Civic, by way of the non-U.S. market Quint, for the Integra.
The Legend soldiered on for years, offering its comatose buyers competent but uninspiring sedan and big coupe action with a pinch of aluminum V6 excessive oil consumption thrown in. The Integra, being smaller than a Legend, but bigger than a Civic, fell into that sweet spot of size and performance so avidly proselytized by Goldilocks asjust right. And for those of you now thinking about Goldilocks and another kind of sweet spot, may a bear eat you, you perv.
The Integra went through two generations before today's version hit the market. Over that time it gained performance and competence, and provided, along with the NSX, a valid sporting cred for the upscale Honda division. This GS-R edition, in stealth white, represents the upper mid-grade of the Integra line up for '98, possibly garnering it the Goldilocks seal of approval. Neither RS, LA, or luxo-GS, nor Type-R rabid, the GS-R has proven to be a popular canvas for tuners to express their inner Mugen, and finding lambo doors, hacked turbo mods or ass-kicker subs in one never comes as a surprise.
Maybe that's the reason this apparentlybone stock 106,000 mile coupedoes seem so surprising. Yeah, it's not a Type-R, but then again, just because ground round isn't filet mignon doesn't mean anIn N OutDouble Double isn't a damn tasty burger.
Here you get a 1,797-cc VTEC four pumping out 170-bhp at 7800 rpm. On the downside, it also produces only 128 lb-ft of torque @ 6800, making pretty sure the party doesn't start until 6:30 sharp. Of course it has a five speed gearbox, in this case an extremely short-geared one that makes highway cruising kind of a high-rev chore. Along with the VTEC-enabled 170 ponies, the GS-R gets an 8000 rpm redline and a tower brace under the bonnet. Below that is Honda's sweet double A-Arm suspension and an ABS enabled disc brake at each corner, along with 15"alloy wheels. Remember when 15"wheels were the big ones?
All that mechanical mumbo jumbo is good for a zero to sixty time of tick over 7 seconds, and a top speed of 132 mph. Contemporary testers described acceleration runs as explosive due to the sudden onset of power, but then who doesn't like the feel of lighting a JATO halfway up the onramp? That feeling will go along with the feel of mouse fur upholstery and an expansive cabin afforded by an extremely low cowl line. The interior here is as clean as the outside, and is as fine an example of‘90s styling and seat patterns as anything you could find. New for 1998 was dead cow for both the steering wheel as well as for the phallic shift knob. Up top the glass roof (unavailable on the Type R due to weight savings) allows the light to shine in, and as the dealer selling this car has madesure the dash is drowning in ArmorAll, you'd probably want to wear some shades before getting in during daylight hours.
If you did get in, you might want to consider its price. As you would expect of a savvy dealer, the price is a fin below the next big jump, in this case $6,995. What do you think, is that too much, too little, or, in Goldilocks parlance, just right.
You decide!
Nice Price or Crack Pipe: 1998 Acura Integra GS-R Coupe for $6,995.customer surveys
Infiniti of Scottsdaleor gohereif the ad disappears.H/T to MrHowser for the hookup!
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среда, 27 октября 2010 г.
Ford Posts $1.69 Billion Quarterly Profit
вторник, 26 октября 2010 г.
The Twin-Turbo Lamborghini Crash As It Happened
Thespectacular crashof Underground Racing'stwin-turbo Lamborghini Gallardoat theTexas Milethis weekend amazingly yielded no serious injuries, but it did provide us with this video made up of an amazing sequence of photos from photographer Keith Kaminski.
The
Initial reports indicated the strong wind knocked the Italian supercar off balance when the driver pulled the chute, but Kaminski, who took these shots, saw something else:
From my perspective, the chute deployed right at the One Mile mark. The brake lights came on about a 1/4 mile later. The car immediately lost control and then hit the dirt. I saw nothing that would lead me to believe the chute got tangled on the wheel or the cross wind had any serious effect of the crash.
It's hard to tell exactly what happened in the video, we're just glad the drive walked away under his own strength.
Photo Credit: Keith Kaminski, music creditDay For Night
понедельник, 25 октября 2010 г.
Chevrolet"Like A Rock" From The Mid-90s
Chevrolet's"Like a Rock"advertising campaign began in 1991 and lasted until 2004. Featuring the musical talent ofBob Seger, the whole campaign was excellent and a little ridiculous for what they fit in a 30 second advertisement.
Chevrolet's"Like a Rock"advertising campaign began in 1991 and lasted until 2004. Featuring the musical talent of
I'm not sure what makes me enjoy these ads so much. It could be the ridiculous amount of emotion and Americana jammed into a commercial. It could be the awesome scenarios that would almost never occur outside of a Chevy truck commercial. It could be it's because I remember watching and loving these ads when I was younger.
Watching this particular mid 1990s example leaves you with more questions than answers. Among them I wonder why they couldn't have waited until the crane got a little lower to drop that heavy load of stuff. What happened to that smiling man's left eye; is he going to be okay? How is hanging out alone on the hood of your dually working out for that guy? Did he have to sell his home and family to pay for gas?
I don't know the answers to any of these questions, but I can tell you one thing, I want to know. It is unbelievable how entertaining 30 seconds of advertising can be. How can you not watch this and not long for a time when a truck advertisement meant you were going to senselessly abuse your product at every given opportunity.
воскресенье, 24 октября 2010 г.
Cult Motorsport's Custom Challenger SRT8 Looks Evil
суббота, 23 октября 2010 г.
We're Still Giggling Over"Saudis In Audis"
No matter how hard we try, we just can't get"Sau-ooh-dis in Au-ooh-dis"out of our heads this morning.
пятница, 22 октября 2010 г.
2012 BMW M5: My, What Pretty Exhaust Tips You Have
Alas, these shots of an all-new Monte Carlo Blue BMW M5 do little more than tantalizingly tease us with the promise of some very aggressive lines— and a question or two about the dark area between those shiny pipes. We'll have to wait until we see it drop a little bit more of its tarp lingerie before we can say anything for certain. {via5Post}
Hat tip to Jason!
четверг, 21 октября 2010 г.
This Is Why We Love The Cadillac CTS-V Coupe
Watch and witness some amazingly awesome close-in camera action of the CTS-V Coupe and his supercar friends as they drift around this gorgeous private track a stone's throw away from the Big Apple.
I think I've watched this video half a dozen times already— and it keeps getting better— every time I see it.
Video Credit:Tangent Vector
среда, 20 октября 2010 г.
Old GM Creditors Take On U.S. Treasury
Old GM creditors take on U.S. Treasury in bankruptcy court over who is entitled to the fruits of $1. {AutoNews}
вторник, 19 октября 2010 г.
For $1,995, Wake Up Rip Van Wankel
Mazda was on the ropes in the mid‘70s. Sporadic gas shortages ($0.62 a gallon!), and strangling emissions standards made the decision to hook their wagon to the Wankel engine's star seem foolhardy at best, and corporate suicide at worst. They needed a saviour, and just as things seemed to be at their darkest, they found two in both the piston-packing GLC, and the best home a rotary ever had - the RX-7 sports car.
The RX-7's debut came out of nowhere and its position as a cheaper, but just as potent competitor to the Porsche 924 solidified its success. Today's IMSA-channelingwidebody '79 RX-7might be solid, although in its dormant present state, taking it out for a test drive will require downward slopes and a tail wind. Popping the Z-28 be-scooped hood reveals the reason for that, as the 12B rotary powerplant residing there lists aft-ward like Quint's boat after Jaws ate him.
Being a tail-dragger is quaint if you happen to be a Piper Cub, but when you're Mazda drivetrain, it can only mean bad mojo. Not only is the twin-rotor resting at an angle more appropriate for rescuing Chilean miners than sending power back to the GLC-shared live rear axle, but the car's lack of a radiator is going to mean all your Prestone's going to end up on the garage floor. So it's not a runner, but much like last week'sproject Pantera, this whale-tailed Mazda is rife with possibilities.
Down there where the 12A is currently tilting at windmills is a space roomy enough that the thought of dropping in a larger, higher horsepower, motivator wouldn't be considered Quixotic. An LS1 will, and has, fit beneath the sloping hood of the SA RX-7, providing much more push than that of the 100-hp 12A. Alternatively, you could keep it all in the familyandkeep the 50/50 weight distribution by replacing the 1.1-litre with a larger, and perhaps more turbocharged, 13B. That would put close to two hundred ponies between those fat front fenders, making sure the car walks the walk.
Or, you could just get that 12A running and drive the car like that. At less than 2,300-lbs before all the bodywork, 100-hp would sure feel like a whole lot more. And inside you might feel like it'sI Ass-Cones the‘80swhat with the simple dash and bulky Recaro seats. The passenger side looks good to go, while the condition of the driver's highly-bolstered bucket is indicative of why you should never try and light a fart while sitting in your car. Recovering the seats, and a new carpet set - plus a general cleaning would be all it takes to make this Mazda habitable once again.
Okay, so it needs either an engine rebuild, or a new motor, and even hobos wouldn't take up residence in the interior, but the wide-body looks good, and with fewer than 88K on the clock, the car's probably still a reasonable base for whatever you want to do with it, plus the rear wing will serve as a handy pushbar for getting it home. And all that could be had for $1,995. Typically, for that kind of cheddar, you'd be getting a car that not only doesn't run, but also looks like it fell out of a dog's ass, with faded paint, and usually one pop-up permanently pointed skyward. Here, you're getting a car that your neighbors would be proud to see ensconced on your front lawn for the next couple of years. Hell, they'd stop by asking when you were going to get it running, not so that they wouldn't have to see that eyesore,but so that you could take them for a ride. It looks like it'd be that much fun. But is it a Lincoln-short of two-large fun? Would you consider paying that much for a stationary artwork like this? Or, for that price, would you punch the snooze alarm for this Rip Van Wankel?
You decide!
Nice Price or Crack Pipe: 1979 Project Widebody RX-7 for $1,995.online surveys
Wyoming Craigslistor gohereif the ad disappears.
Help me out with NPOCP. Clickhereto send a me a tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.
понедельник, 18 октября 2010 г.
2012 Nissan GT-R: 530 HP, 7:20 'Ring Time
The new 2012 GT-R is now more than justslightly revised aerodynamics. According toNAGTROC, the 2012 model adds more power through added boost, larger exhaust piping, modified valve timing, and a few other tweaks.
Not surprisingly, they've extended the number of editions to six: Club Track (racing-only), EGOIST (super customized), Pure Edition, Black Edition, Premium Edition, and SpecV.
{NAGTROC}
воскресенье, 17 октября 2010 г.
BMW's 767: The Golden Fish That Got Away
The Bavarian manufacturer needs no introduction. Its reputation is far too strong. Be it the least expensive 1 Series or a fully loaded 760, every BMW oozes ofFreude am Fahren.
And that's just swell, until people start making the comparison with Mercedes. These two have been at it for a long time now, but BMW hasn't been able to take the crown for good from its Stuttgart-based nemesis. Sure, most people admit that Bayrische cars tend to be sportier, but when the subject changes to luxury and prestige the Merc always comes out on top.
Dreamt up in the late eighties by Dr. Karlhienz Lange and two colleagues, the 767 was a concept car based on the then-fresh E32 750i/750iL. And while there was nothing wrong with the300 hp 5-litre V12 (M70), the new engine simply blew it out of the water.
Such was the enthusiasm of its creators that the first prototype V16 was up and running on a dynamometer just 6 months after the initial idea.
Cast in high silicone aluminum, the V16 was, in fact, the aforementioned M70 mill with 4 extra cylinders, fancier Bosch DME 3.3 engine management (that treated it as two separate in-line eights) and a boot-mounted cooling system, due to the fact that it was 12 inches longer than the donor engine. Despite this extra bulk, it only weighed 60 kg more, while the power got upped to 408 hp and 461 lb-ft (from 332).
It was no surprise that it could hit 62 in just 6 seconds and reach a top speed of 175 mph.
It beats me why this car was never given the green light. Some say it could have been the lousy fuel economy. I say it's a damn shame that it only got to be a well kept secret.
Photo Credit: Gavin Farmer/BMW Car
This piece was written and submitted by a Jalopnik reader and may not express views held by Jalopnik or its staff. But maybe they will become our views. It all depends on whether or not this person wins your vote in the second round of our reality show,"Who Wants to be America's Next Top Car Blogger?"
суббота, 16 октября 2010 г.
For $9,500, You Could Drive Erik the White
Nobody was flipping yesterday's360-powered Dakota drop top, which is a good thing as who knows how strong that roll bar really is. That muscle truck wannabe was neither fish nor fowl, but came awaysmelling fouldue to its rank price and gained an accordant 81% Crack Pipe vote.
People usually say something smells fishy, or that there's something rotten in Denmark, when they come across hinkiness. Well, today'sSaab 900‘Carlsson'(it's about half-way down) isn't quite Danish modern, but its monochromatic palette matches that of its home country of Sweden's most popular fish dish, pickled herring. And on top of that, it's a little hinky.
The 900 was a derivation of the precedent 99, sharing much of that car's body structure and mechanical layout. Where it differed was in the nose, which was elongated in the 900 to meet U.S. crash standards. That added length didn't mean more room for a bigger engine, however, as the 900 continued to use the Triumph-based four cylinder, which rode backwards and behind the transaxle, making it nominally a mid-engined car.
Here that engine is the 2.0-litre with the 16V head and high-pressure turbo. That combination was good for 185-bhp in non-cat form, and 175 for those with. Power is sent forward (or backward if you're the engine) through a five-speed manual gearbox and on to the front wheels which are suspended by a unique A-arm set up that is big reason why these cars handle so damn well. Out back, the hatch and back seats are held up by a beam axle that mounts with what amounts to a pair of Watts linkages, keeping the axle flat through the twisties.
Also flouting convention is the large three-door body which provides a hatch opening like a T-Rex' maw, and a wrap around windscreen that brings substance to the brand's Born of Jets tagline. These cars are known for being durable as long as not affected by the tin worm, and this one appears to be free of that ignoble rot. What it's not free of is extraneous body cladding and questionable remodeling, which is where the hinky begins. The seller claims this to been the recipient of a‘Carlsson' kit, but that addition- as opposed to it being one of the 600 real Carlsson editions - doesn't necessarily add to its value. Real Carlssons, I'm pretty sure, were UK-only, and I'm also pretty certain that in the UK the passenger does all the steering and the driver only gets to change the radio stations and rummage through the glovebox. This car is left-hand drive.
There's also the issue with the model year, this one being claimed an '89, while the Carlsson package was offered for three years starting in 1990. In its favor, this car does appear to be a Saab. On the other hand, the modifications to the rear, including a tail light panel most frequently seen below pickup truck tailgates, makes it look like a Capri II from that angle. Up front, the hood gets some crazy bumps and scoops that seem a little excessively extroverted for the Saab's traditionally less flashy nature.
Like I said, hinky.
It does have the whale tail, Saab-branded back window louvers and AirFlow body kit just like a real Carlsson, so if you've always pined for one, this homage to the homage to Erik Carlsson may just be the Lingonberry in your pie. The seller lays claim to new arctic white paint (the Carlsson came in Black, Talladega Red, and White), and to having spent a crap-load of Kronor for new parts and service, including a highly desirable Phoenix Gold stereo and Motegi(?) rims. It's surprising that the investment was so much as, being Swedish, don't Saabs, like their fashionable Ikea furnishings counterparts, require only an allen wrench for service?
So, Carlsson or son-of Carlsson, or whatever it is, with 153,000 on the clock this 900 turbo seems well maintained and sorted. If the scoops and spats and whatnot are your bag you might even prefer this to a standard turbo or a more demur SPG. The seller of this one wants $9,500 for his Trollhatten Turbo, and it's up to you to determine whether that's the equal to the sum of its parts. What do you say, is this‘Carlsson' worth that kind of cash? Or, does all the added bits subtract from this 900's value?
You decide!
Nice Price or Crack Pipe: 1989 Custom Saab 900 Turbo‘Carlsson' for $9,500.online survey
Saabnet.comor goherefor the condensed version.H/T to the handless Sean for the hookup!
Help me out with NPOCP. Clickhereto send a me a tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.
You decide!
пятница, 15 октября 2010 г.
Mercedes SLS AMG GT3: Luxury Sports Car Transforms Into Bare-Bones Racer
There aren't any real details yet on this latest GT3 race car, but just by looking at the images you can see the SLS AMG GT3 is a very serious piece of equipment. Everything that doesn't make the car go faster or grip better has been tossed aside, pretty much everything is carbon fiber, and rumor has it the engine gets massaged up to 600 HP. Asking price is supposedly somewhere in the neighborhood of $500,000, so you better be pretty well funded to run this beast. {Mercedes viaAutocar,eMercedesBenz}
четверг, 14 октября 2010 г.
Virgin Atlantic Fantasy Flying vs Reality
Virgin Atlantichasa new ad out! And it makes flying look like something between attending the VMAs and a scene from 300. But let's keep itreallyreal here, Virgin—you're cool, but flying is not like this.
The full ad—which, to its credit, is well done, as far as travel porn goes—can be viewed in its entirety below. Slow motion! Sultry flight attendants! Gourmet shrimp—in slow motion! It accomplishes something between making me want to run out and buy a ticket to anywhere right now, and making me feel a lot less cool about myself.
среда, 13 октября 2010 г.
For $5,000, Get Ready to Take Out the Euro Thrash
The Dutch wear wooden shoes. And heel and toe action in pine clogs is neigh-on impossible, making the advent of the DAF Variomatic CVT transmission a godsend in the Nether regions. We here at Jalopnik - while not exactly barefoot and preggers - prefer not to get splinters in our feet, and like our shifters to be manual and coggy rather than continuously variable and belty. That didn't play into the favor of yesterday'sDutch Military DAF 66YA, leaving it with an 85% Crack Pipe loss, and line of cars behind it at the exit.
Today's candidate also hails from Yurrup, but that and four tires that are round is about all it and the DAF have in common. Cheaper by a grand and a half than that DAF comes an1985 Merkur XR4Ti, and for that happy hour cover you'd be getting a much more potent drink. It was created in the heady days when Ford's engineers and designers seemed like they were on peyote, and had locked management out so they wouldn't smack down such radical fare as the Taurus/Sable twins and the brilliantly re-imagined Thunderbird Aerobird. The Merkur brand was Ford's attempt to leverage European product, and establish a differentiation factor for Mercury. Sadly, it didn't work. The mid-west dealers couldn't pronounce the brand, and the Deutchmark/Dollar exchange rate sent the car's price on a roller coaster ride- well, the first part of the ride at least, you know, where it just keeps going up? Merkur only lasted for 4 years and two models, and these days finding the second - the Scorpio hatchback - on the road is like discovering an actual Almond Roca in the litter box. Mmmm, cat candy
The smaller and sportier XR4Ti on the other hand remains an iconoclastic and desirable ride, and typically current cars fall into two categories- dog turd, or Schnell-wagon. This '85 falls into the second category. The chassis of the European Ford Sierra, upon which the XR4Ti is based, rivals the contemporary BMW 3-series for creds: solid uni-body architecture, coil and strut suspension with trailing arm IRS in back withdisc brakes all the way aroundbrakes better than Fred Flintstone's, and an available T9 five-speed. Wrapped around those specs was a body that was the antithesis of the Bavarian's inability to think outside the box, and rivaled its fat American cousin for roundiness. The Merkur came to the States with the additional unique styling traits of a split second window and bi-plane rear spoiler. Motivating the Merkur was Ford's tried and true 2.3-litre, here with a turbo bolted to it.
This red rocket still has the funny windows, as well as the pressurized four cylinder, but along the way from there to here it has lost the plate rack that used to bisect the hatch. In its place is the less ostentatious single spoiler off of a later, duller '89. Now for some people, an XR4Ti just doesn't look right without the wacky split-level air management system back there, sort of like seeing Richard Simmons without his trademark too-short shorts and peek-a-boo scrote. Making up for that on in the visual department is a Cosworth Sierra nose piece which adds a gaping maw and a set of Cossie headlamps and hood gills. Giving it an almost Plymoth Sundance appearance from certain angles, the plastic rocker cladding has gone the way of its parent brand as has the front bumper, having been replaced with one from a MKIII Jetta! Mustang 10-hole alloys keep the tires from rolling away, and the seller says the paint looks better in the pictures than in the metal.
Underhood the 2.3 benefits from a slew of upgrades and replacements including a big valave head and intake and exhaust plumbing roto-routed by turbo Pinto modder40bob. There's too much there to list again, and only the deletion of both A/C and heater is obviously a questionable choice. The chassis has seen similar mods and should give the what's now likely now over 200-pony engine a good sparring partner.
Inside the car looks to have stood both the test of time reasonably well, with only some crazing I the leather and a few wonky dash joints to show for it. In back there's a pair of 12"speakers if that's your kind of thing, and if it isn't, well, just toss‘em out. There's no mileage given, although with so many parts replaced, it's questionable as to how relevant it would be anyway. The seller does say it's rust-free and madethe Kessel run in less than 12 parsecsa recent run from Seattle to Cali without issue.
You might take issue with the price however, as at $5,000 asking, it's a hell of a lot more than the aforementioned dog turd Merkurs clogging up the Craigslists. This XR4Ti has a enough upgrades and new stuff that even the seller's admission that the Garrett is leaking doesn't necessarily mean it'll be a money pit, but are you willing to pit your money against that chance? What do you think, is five grand American a deal for the Merkur? Or, does that price mean this car's days at the orphanage are just beginning?
You decide!
Nice Price or Crack Pipe: 1985 Merkur XR4Ti for $5,000.survey software
Seattle Craigslistor gohereif the ad disappears.
Help me out with NPOCP. Clickhereto send a me a tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.
вторник, 12 октября 2010 г.
For $6,500, Become a DAFt Punk
Headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands, DAF has long been known for their commercial trucks, military vehicles, and the first automotive application of the continuously variable transmission, the Variomatic. Common today, and yet another nail in the coffin of the manual gearbox, the CVT took decades to make the jump from riding mower to mainstream automotive application due to its inherent fragility and inability to handling anything more than a flea's flatus worth of horsepower. Modern metallurgical advancements have overcome those limitations, but back in 1959, when DAF first set CVT to cement, the twin-rubber belt transmission received its marching orders from a 600-cc aircooled flat twin that put out a meager 22-bhp. Over the next decade, larger versions of that engine, as well as Renault Cléon four-cylinders were made available, as the Variomatic was engineered to be more robust, and less like part of a dime store wind-up balsa airplane.
This1974 DAF 66YAhas that French four, which also powered the Rs five and nine - as well as others - here in the states. The 1108-cc engine was shared with the precedent 55, but the rear suspension on the 66 was all new, replacing coil sprung swing axles and dual-belt differential action with a De Dion and leaf spring set up, and a real diff. That wasn't enough to keep DAF in the car biz, and the same year this YA was inducted into the Dutch military, DAF sold their car operations to Volvo. Yorgdy, vorgdy, vordgy.
DAFs are rare enough here in the States, the Daffodil only being briefly sold here, but the not-for-U.S. YA military version is a real Dutch treat, this particular car likely being the only one here. The 66 got boxy but mundane‘70s bodywork care of Giovanni Michelotti, however the YA gets its own cut-down jeep-like architecture, including slab sides and doors and top made out of fabric. Inside, the dashboard is knee-cracking steel, and upon it are dropped three gauges that are dwarfed by the wart-like wiper motor aheadof the three-spoke steering wheel. The rest of the interior is hose-worthy, with seats as uncompromisingly flat and featureless as the Nordic snow. The seller claims just under 80K on the clock, all done without a stepped gear change. The CVT that made that possible lies flat in the back, affordinga narrow tunnel between the footwells and protection from a snapped tranny band flying off and taking out your nuts.
Speaking of nuts, you might have to be to think about maintaining the fragile and rare CVT, as well as the rest of this hen's tooth of a truck. But some people are up to such a challenge, some actively seek them out, and thrive on the opportunity. For those, finding a replacement centrifugal clutch or worn brake shoe isn't just a daunting task, its a grail quest that proves virility. If we existed in an era where we all lived in caves and farting was the height of musical achievement, these individuals would be the hunter/gatherers bringing back fresh unicorn daily while everybody else was finding nothing more than rancid skunk butt. Owning and preserving this DAF would be just as Herculean a task, and no one would ever question your virility whilst driving it. Plus, it comes from the company that made the Daffodil!
So, historically significant, militarily strategic, and more testosterone imbuing than having your peen noted by the Guinness Book, this DAF 66YA will be the hit of any Volvo, DAF, orphan, or military car show. Sure, getting there will be slow - with only 44-hp, the zero to sixty time on the 66 could be calculated using the Saturnian calendar - but top-off cruising on a Sunday afternoon, with the transmission constantly velociting behind you, would be pretty sweet.
But would it be $6,500 sweet? That's the Buy it Now on this DAF, and now it's up to you to stop being continuously variable about it and settle on whether that's a decent price. What do you think, is it worth it, or is that price DAF-fy?
You decide!
Nice Price or Crack Pipe: 1974 DAF 66YA for $6,500.Market Research
eBayor gohereif the ad disappears.H/T to mzs for the hookup
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