tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post3398858040010881846..comments2023-11-10T04:17:00.492-05:00Comments on View From The Porch: Little boxes all made out of ticky-tacky.Tamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-78737587092377093242011-08-05T00:26:24.606-04:002011-08-05T00:26:24.606-04:00I'm willing to bet that the ZX would also emba...I'm willing to bet that the ZX would also embarrass the wallowing twisting pig that was the stock '79 Camaro Berlinetta.<br /><br />All stiffening seemed to do was move stress to some other place that would start to crack or tear. Must have added at least 80 pounds in stiffening by the time I was done; on top of what the subframe connectors massed.<br /><br />Then having to redo a hunk of it when we fixed the A-arm geometry...<br /><br />I seriously considered buying a boat because it would waste LESS money.Angus McThaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09295013525738248801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-75501613645161629252011-08-04T06:17:48.390-04:002011-08-04T06:17:48.390-04:00My '65 Mustang 2+2 4sp with a replacement '...My '65 Mustang 2+2 4sp with a replacement '68 302 2bbl gave 33mpg highway. Came with a 2.80 open rear. Rated @170hp. Weighed 2800 lbs without the bumpers. (dragstrip weigh-in)<br /><br />My '86 Colt Turbo (1.6L, 100hp) gave 25mpg combined, 30mpg highway. Actually making boost @70mph doing it. Dad talked me out of it for use as a dinghy for his motorhome. <br /><br />My '83 Mazda B2200 longbed diesel gave 34mpg combined, 42mpg highway @ 55-60mph, 28mpg @ 80-85mph (loaded w/2 racebikes). 57 hp@ 4000rpm's! Sounded like a sewing machine @80mph.<br /><br />My '71 Mustang 429 Super Cobra Jet(auto!) gave 5mpg town, 10-12 highway, with a 4.11 Detroit Locker rear. NHRA rated stock @ 475hp (Ford claimed 370hp).<br /><br />Would love to have any, or all, back. (The '71 only because it's a valuable ($40k+) collectible now.Willhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722792638246578812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-83259882463776067312011-08-03T22:56:29.093-04:002011-08-03T22:56:29.093-04:00Yup, or a whip on my ass...:) ATYup, or a whip on my ass...:) ATAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-15259889263119542382011-08-03T22:10:32.981-04:002011-08-03T22:10:32.981-04:00Boy, once you get the bit between your teeth...Boy, once you get the bit between your teeth...Tamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-79377147409165211892011-08-03T22:03:41.255-04:002011-08-03T22:03:41.255-04:00That little open compartment in the center dash co...That little open compartment in the center dash console was there for the dealer-installed tape deck which I added; a separate unit from the stereo and about the size of a small cigar box. And I'm not sure about the guys at that stereo shop; the Datsun Z's had a reputation at that time that had eclipsed what passed for a performance Camaro of the same year, and the term was far more universally used among "gearheads" then when speaking of the Jap. Had you told them a '69 Z-car, now that would have been totally understandable. Maybe by the time you had yours (10 years later?), that had changed.<br /><br />As to this: "...the earlier Z's were bare-knuckle fighters (and better-looking, too.)"<br /><br />No doubt about the first point, much the same as a BMW 2002 and an Audi Fox compare to later, more "refined" versions.<br /><br />And the '78 Z was (is) indeed a beautiful thing. But while purists will always prefer originals, the refinements made the '79 a better choice for me, both as a babe magnet (cut me a break, I was 25) and for cruising back and forth from Palm Beach to Valdosta to see my daughters (teen dad, hence my temporary single status). And the (re)designers did a great job of maintaining those beautiful lines and incorporating the fore and aft cowcatchers into the ZX contours, unlike the hideous afterthoughts that plagued the Z.<br /><br />Except when it came to the 2+2 of course. What those back "seats" did to that gorgeous profile...so in that case, I agree with you on point number two also. But any who care to Google up pics of the three can decide for themselves, on looks alone, which is the more attractive iteration...unless you'd like to post some profile pics here. :) <br /><br />In my case, the double page spread in Motor Trend's Import Car of the Year issue sold me (not the shills, TK). Sold a bunch more folks too; sales went through the roof. Yeah I know, that's another neg for purists, but purists don't feed the bulldog.<br /><br />Geez, why does my every little reminisce have to be a frickin' novella?<br /><br />ATAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-22370035745439241782011-08-03T15:07:54.847-04:002011-08-03T15:07:54.847-04:00McThag,
"That 280Z embarrassed the Camaro.&q...McThag,<br /><br />"<i>That 280Z embarrassed the Camaro.</i>"<br /><br />Mine was a 280ZX (and a 2+2 at that...)<br /><br />Big difference between the 280Z and its 280ZX replacement: The latter was heavier, had a squishier suspension, and came with more creature comforts. By comparison, the earlier Z's were bare-knuckle fighters (and better-looking, too.)<br /><br />Funny Story: I was working in small-town Georgia and called the local stereo shop for an adapter kit to put a CD player in "my '79 Z-car."<br /><br />I got there to find that they were holding a kit for a '79 Camaro.<br /><br />"No, not 'Z-28'; '280ZX!"<br />"Oh, you said 'Z-car'."Tamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-4697843584729649642011-08-03T14:46:06.872-04:002011-08-03T14:46:06.872-04:00We car nerds know all about this because it's ...We car nerds know all about this because it's good to know your enemy!<br /><br />Also to avoid buying a used one as a project car.<br /><br />That 280Z embarrassed the Camaro.<br /><br />If one is stubborn and willing to spend the time and money on it, you can build a second generation Camaro to perform with anything out there. It will also likely be less reliable and more uncomfortable too. My '79 could hold its own with mid-80's ZR-1 Vettes. But where they were just driving their cars, in air conditioned comfort; I was wrenching and welding and troubleshooting about 55% of the time. With no AC! With what I was spending on fixing the damn thing I could likely have made a car payment and had a genuine ZR-1; or at least with the time saved I could have had a second job that could have made that payment.<br /><br />All things considered, I really like my '08 Vette. Starts every time, AC works, fun to drive, 21 mpg in town without playing the max-miler game (26 if you do).Angus McThaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09295013525738248801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-39899488645681940552011-08-03T14:06:07.809-04:002011-08-03T14:06:07.809-04:00All of these great comments and not one comment ab...All of these great comments and not one comment about this?<br /><br />"wouldn't accelerate hard enough to pull a greased string out of a cat's ass"<br /><br />THAT right there is pure gold.<br /><br /><br />I still miss my 87 Honda Accord Hatchback with a stick. Used like a truck and a sports cars. 14 years of hard driving and poor service, including a major wreck, and it still got 28 mpg city/ 32 hwy. And it was TOUGH.<br /><br />Only got rid of it because a new a/c was more expensive than the car since the gov't interfered with the freon..... And you need a/c during the summer in VA if you have a baby.Cargosquidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15109858929179841075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-69988163286549595102011-08-03T08:02:58.968-04:002011-08-03T08:02:58.968-04:00You can bet your ass if it comes down to saving Ga...<i>You can bet your ass if it comes down to saving Gaia, saving gas money, or saving your ass, people will invariably pick the last.<br /><br />The thing with those old, tiny cars was that they seemed safe if you were the one running into something, because there just wasn't any energy behind it. Something hitting you on the other hand...</i><br /><br />And I guess that's part of the problem. The SUV explosion has killed the tin can. One of the reasons small cars are so dangerous is Sally homemaker loading the Suburban with 1.2 kids and a soccer ball and texting her husband on the way to practice. (Feel free to mix and match genders in the stereotype) <br /><br />Oddly enough, I see a lot more SUVs and vans in accidents than work trucks or panel vans. I had to take a course in the military before they let me drive a Hummer, but on the outside they'll just hand you the keys to something 5 times the size of your prior car without blinking.Woodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17258502914515356626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-51422930368669123942011-08-03T06:20:02.147-04:002011-08-03T06:20:02.147-04:00Docjim505,
Many modern cars get BETTER mileage wit...Docjim505,<br />Many modern cars get BETTER mileage with their automatic than with a manual (if the latter is available). The new Mustang V6 is one of those. And you can work on these cars too. It just takes a slightly different skill set and a few additional tools. The days of the shade tree mechanic are far from over.<br /><br />ChrisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-5998230731635565962011-08-03T03:19:49.112-04:002011-08-03T03:19:49.112-04:00The new Mustang gets 305hp and 31mpg out of it'...The new Mustang gets 305hp and 31mpg out of it's six cylinder.<br />The V8 has 412hp and I am getting 22.5 combined out of the 'vert.<br />Compare that to the 81 Rampage I had before that was powerful enough to pull dandelions up (if you didn't want the roots) and got 28mpg.<br />Yes I owned a Rampage. Yes, I'm pathetic enough to admit it.Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11308171394825291900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-80555161199582864382011-08-03T01:55:01.613-04:002011-08-03T01:55:01.613-04:001990 Plymouth Acclaim.
125mph
26mpg
Room for 6 AME...1990 Plymouth Acclaim.<br />125mph<br />26mpg<br />Room for 6 AMERICANS<br /><br />Miss it.<br /><br />I inherited Mom's 88 Reliant. May add a turbo to the 2.5l four. Hmmm.<br /><br />Ulises from CAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-6978141311900272582011-08-03T01:09:14.093-04:002011-08-03T01:09:14.093-04:00Tam - All but the most wretched clean-it-out-with-...<b>Tam</b> - <i>All but the most wretched clean-it-out-with-hose loss leaders on your neighborhood dealer's lots are stuffed full of things that used to be considered amenities: power windows, remote adjustable mirrors, power door locks with remote. Automatic transmissions outnumber manuals in passenger cars by a staggering margin, and even performance-oriented cars are like as not to have some paddle-shifted clutchless setup rather than the classic three-pedal row-your-own.</i><br /><br />We just bought a Honda Fit to be my commuter car, replacing the CRV I was driving. MPG went from 27 to 36, which is a nice increase. I suspect that it would be even better if the Fit didn't have all the crap you list PLUS an automatic transmission because my wife (like many Americans these days) finds using a clutch to be only slightly easier than building a space shuttle using common household materials.<br /><br />How DID we survive in the days when the average car had nothing more than a manual transmission, vinyl seats and floor mats, hand-cranked windows, manual door locks, single-speed windshield wipers, and an AM radio with one speaker???<br /><br />The other problem with modern cars is all the electronic gadgets required simply to get the engine to run. The days of the shade-tree mechanic are over.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-43875566280355520402011-08-03T01:03:37.155-04:002011-08-03T01:03:37.155-04:00You can bet your ass if it comes down to saving Ga...You can bet your ass if it comes down to saving Gaia, saving gas money, or saving your ass, people will invariably pick the last.<br /><br />The thing with those old, tiny cars was that they <i>seemed</i> safe if you were the one running into something, because there just wasn't any energy behind it. Something hitting <i>you</i> on the other hand...Gnarly Sheennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-52814894762407763292011-08-03T00:04:54.624-04:002011-08-03T00:04:54.624-04:00Well, my first 3 cars were a 67, then 68, then ano...Well, my first 3 cars were a 67, then 68, then another 67 Chrysler Newport 4 door, all with the 383 Four Barrel. SLOOOW off the line, handled like a Fishing Trawler, but when you wanted to cruise from Ohio to Texas, they were Sweet! No joke, one could easily could put 3 Six Foot Tall Bodies in the Trunk, because that's how I snuck my friends into the Drive-In.<br /><br />Fast forward to 1982, bought my First New Car, a Dodge Omni 024. 1.5 VW Engine, no turbo, stick, but it got 35 MPG on the Highway, and under the 55 MPH speed limit, it was good enough.<br /><br />Yesterday, I took my '07 Honda Fit down to West By God from Cleveland and Back, and I got...35 MPG. So after 30+ years of CAFE Crap, and 25 years of Technological Innovation, I have ZERO improvement in Gas Mileage. But I guess I'm supposed to be Safer and Greener.<br /><br />You know, I have a 400 SBC with the 4 Bolt Mains sitting in my garage from an old '74 Impala I once owned. I have the Vortec Heads sitting on a 350 SBC that is moving my Pick Up around. Now if I drill out the steam holes, and find me a rust free 2nd Gen Camaro or Firebird....Bubblehead Les.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00730873284089958084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-37561269459815352242011-08-02T21:49:41.641-04:002011-08-02T21:49:41.641-04:00Most overlooked performance car of the early 80s: ...Most overlooked performance car of the early 80s: 1984 Dodge Colt Turbo. At less than 1900 pounds, 91" wheelbase, it had the "huge" 1.6 liter engine that made just 105hp but had scads of low end torque. Coupled to the dual-stick 8 speed manual transmission, this ugly little bucket could eat Omni GLH Turbos, or any other Mopar turbo for sale, all day long. Or any new Camaro or Firebird. With only 70hp less than the 84 Mustang GT, but weighing in nearly 1000 pounds less, the Colt was usually faster. And if the Mustang guys really tromped on it, they were liable to break the rear axle. Oops. Brand new, I think the 84 turbo Colt cost about $1.79 or something ridiculous like that. <br /><br />Oh, and if you could resist the urge to tromp on the gas, they'd give back 45mpg or better on the tank. And you could fling them through the corners like a maniac.drew458http://www/barking-moonbat.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-20789937504497566172011-08-02T21:41:52.184-04:002011-08-02T21:41:52.184-04:00Yes it "is", not "was". And ev...Yes it "is", not "was". And every *everybody* knows it. It's the American way!<br /><br />I was gonna say, if as I inferred from your original quip you were a 10-year-old girl car nut, that would be quite a rarity. <br /><br />Then I remembered we're talking about you. :)<br /><br />ATAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-58808245333081852452011-08-02T21:20:00.658-04:002011-08-02T21:20:00.658-04:00AT,
I loved my '79 280ZX, even if it was a 2+...AT,<br /><br />I loved my '79 280ZX, even if it was a 2+2.<br /><br />Sure, it was a soft, plush-bottomed boulevardier compared to the 240/60/80Z's that came vefore it, but it was a knife-edged dueler compared to a '79 Camaro mullet-mobile. :)<br /><br />(But <i>Motor Trend</i>'s "Car Of The Year" is still payola, and every gearhead knows it. :p )Tamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-22570194719636621132011-08-02T21:06:47.796-04:002011-08-02T21:06:47.796-04:00"MT was for plush-bottom yayhoos and their &q..."MT was for plush-bottom yayhoos and their "Car Of The Year" was payola and every gearhead knew it. ;)"<br /><br />Well of course. Those ZX's were damn sure a lure for the plush-bottoms I was after; let's say they had a broad appeal ;)...<br /><br />And if effective promotion is payola then every mag, every show, and every commercial blog could be called payola too. Every "gearhead" of every ilk is really just another mark, and every amused and aloof observer knows *that*. <br /><br />It's all just so darn relative and subjective, ain't it?<br /><br />ATAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-23762137370521186462011-08-02T20:15:25.144-04:002011-08-02T20:15:25.144-04:00I picked up a Datsun 510 with an L16 engine and 4 ...I picked up a Datsun 510 with an L16 engine and 4 speed in 74 when my Vette got stolen, went from 6mpg to 30 mpg in Hawaii... I could damn near drive for a month on one fill up!Old NFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16404197287935017147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-45843276172482648742011-08-02T20:00:04.939-04:002011-08-02T20:00:04.939-04:00AT,
"Motor Trend's Car of the Year (rech...AT,<br /><br />"<i>Motor Trend's Car of the Year (recheck those attic mags, Tam).</i>"<br /><br />MT was for plush-bottom yayhoos and their "Car Of The Year" was payola and every gearhead knew it. ;)Tamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-18355499164695046202011-08-02T19:54:02.189-04:002011-08-02T19:54:02.189-04:00Here's an alternative to the nose heavy V8 Mia...<a href="http://www.miatabusa.com/" rel="nofollow">Here's an alternative to the nose heavy V8 Miata</a> The right <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IUone3p5Tw" rel="nofollow">turbo setup</a> should satisfy your sideways urges.bedlamitenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-81381320406543841572011-08-02T19:38:18.069-04:002011-08-02T19:38:18.069-04:00As much as I've been thinking about shooting b...As much as I've been thinking about shooting brakes these days, I've given some serious thought to putting my hands on a Bobcat wagon, taking a GT-40 headed 302 out of a sploder, coupling it to that nice Borg Warner T-5 transmission, a narrowed Ford 9 inch pig, and bolting on the Mustang 2 doghouse- they call it a Muscat. I'd have to make some serious changes to the suspension, but it could be done. <br /><br />There's just something about a nose heavy light car with mucho cojones that appeals to me.oghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07551049745184408924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-19838817496234338172011-08-02T19:19:29.417-04:002011-08-02T19:19:29.417-04:00Weight is the enemy of fuel economy and handling. ...Weight is the enemy of fuel economy and handling. (That "road-hugging weight" in the Fifties? Well, you should have seen those antediluvian suspension designs.)<br /><br />My current ride weighs 400 lb more than its predecessor (same model year), and those 97 extra ponies drink quite a bit. Is it worth four seconds faster zero to sixty? Sometimes.<br /><br />(WV: aniliki. Describes several unctuous media types you probably know.)CGHillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03789097361138861462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-3878881130210628402011-08-02T17:19:58.532-04:002011-08-02T17:19:58.532-04:00Diesels are evil. I don't care if they smash t...Diesels are evil. I don't care if they smash the oil just as it came out of the ground, like god intended.Chuck Pergielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14473338620167201696noreply@blogger.com