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VIDEO: What Will Happen if the Big Three U.S. Automakers Collapse?

Автор: RaymondLilly | среда, 30 сентября 2009 г.

GM has put together an informational video of what it predicts will happen if the Big Three automakers all fail next year.

Some highlights:
-If all three fail next year it will result in 3 million U.S. jobs lost in the first year
-Total governement tax loss over three years = $156.4 billion
-The U.S. GDP would drop 4 percent, compare that to the fact that the current economic downturn was caused by a .3 percent drop
-One out of every ten jobs in the U.S. relies on the U.S. auto industry

1970 Chevrolet C10 Pickup Truck, With Bonus 90s Political Flashbacks [Down On The Street]

Автор: RaymondLilly |

Welcome to Down On The Street, where we admire old vehicles found parked on the streets of the Island That Rust Forgot: Alameda, California. Today's pickup appears to be a late-90s political time capsule.

Usually, when a vehicle owner's political beliefs- be they of the strident Left or the enraged Right- are sufficiently powerful to make painting messages on the vehicle's body seem like a good idea, that person keeps the messages up to date. Not so with this '70 Chevy; after the mid-to-late 1990s, it appears that no cause fired the truck's owner up like his or her loathing for Bill Clinton.

Proposition 209, which abolished ethnic preferences in California schools, dates from 1996. You'd think there'd be at least one recent right-wing talk-radio bumper sticker on the thing, but it's all totally vintage. Now I need to find the lefty counterpart to this truck; perhaps a VW Transporter with big "EL SALVADOR IS SPANISH FOR VIETNAM" signs on the flanks in peeling, faded house paint.

Since we don't see any 307, 350, or 400 emblems on this truck, we can assume it shipped from the factory with a 250- or 292-cube inline six. Since replacement engines tend to have a revolving door into and out of the engine compartments of old Chevrolets, there's no telling what powers this truck today.

First 400 DOTS Vehicles • DOTS FAQ

GM’s Diversified Approach To The Future

Автор: RaymondLilly | понедельник, 28 сентября 2009 г.

2010 Volt: Just one piece of GM's future

Whether you are a fan of GM or not, and I certainly have been as critical as anyone, the world’s largest company shows signs of bolstering their committment even further to provide better fuel efficiency in the future. In each area of vehicle production; gas, diesel and hybrid, GM has important plans in the works.

2010 Chevy Volt: Whether it looks like this or not is another story

To begin with, GM is promising to produce one new hybrid per quarter for the next four years. In November 2010, GM plans to launch the Chevrolet Volt, which uses a different type of gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. The electric motor alone drives the wheels and the gasoline engine powers a generator that recharges the lithium ion battery pack.

The company has just opened an advanced powertrain testing laboratory in suburban Detroit. The automaker is rolling out engine technologies that maintain performance while lowering emissions and fuel use. GM has been adding gears, (nearly all of GM’s future automatics will be six-speeds), reducing the weight of its powertrains and designing engines capable of being mass produced with high-tech features such as direct fuel injection and turbochargers.

The model for GM’s future plans for lighweight gas engines are already on the road and embodied in cars such as the Pontiac Solstice GXP and it’s cousin the Saturn Sky Red Line. The engine used in those roadsters is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with direct fuel injection and a turbocharger. The 260 Horsepower for these vehicles constitutes the most power per liter of any production engine GM has ever made.

GM's new 4.5 diesel engine

Two new diesel engines are planned, one for trucks and one for cars. About a year from now, GM will launch one of the most important new engines in its 100-year history: A 4.5-liter diesel V-8 that will be offered in light-duty versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups and in SUVs.
The elimination of a heavy cast iron exhaust manifold and a lighter intake manifold cuts 75 pounds of weight that is part of a conventional diesel engine. These weight savings in should result in a 25 percent fuel economy gain over the standard 5.7-liter gasoline engine and enable the Silverado to get around 26 mpg in city and highway driving.

GM's innovative HCCI engine

Also in 2010, GM hopes to be the first automaker to launch a vehicle with an HCCI engine. Homogeneous charge compression ignition enables a gasoline engine to run like a diesel at idle and at cruising speeds. The result is about a 15 percent fuel economy gain and dramatically lower emissions.

Finally, fuel cells are also in GM’s near future. The company is launching test fleets of Chevrolet Equinox hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles in North America, Japan and Europe. GM’s latest generation of fuel cell can fit in the space of a four-cylinder engine. The company expects to have fuel cells ready for mass production by 2012. GM is hoping one or all of these innovations will help resurrect their business.

GM Recalls 857,735 Vehicles, Cue The Late-Night TV Class Action Law Suit Ads

Автор: RaymondLilly | суббота, 26 сентября 2009 г.

Today, GM announced the recall of 857,735 vehicles equipped with heated windshield wiper fluid systems [although at least one early bird attorney already has the number inflated to 944,000 on his "Lemon Law" website]. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a short circuit in the wiper fluid system’s electric wiring may cause other electrical features to malfunction, resulting in an odoriferous smoke and a significant fire hazard. The recall was reportedly issued for certain 2006-2008 model year vehicles and applies specifically to the 2007-2008 Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Cadillac Escalade EXT, GMC Acadia, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Saturn Outlook; the 2006-2008 Hummer H2, Cadillac DTS, Buick Lucerne; and the 2008 Buick Enclave.

To rectify the problem, GM will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse that will automatically disable the system in the event of a short circuit.

Spy Shots: Production Chevy Volt Interior Exposed?

Автор: RaymondLilly |

GM has slowly been releasing more teaser images of one its most highly anticipated new models, the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid.

Chevrolet Beat for the U.S. is almost official

Автор: RaymondLilly | пятница, 25 сентября 2009 г.

GM said today that it is finally considering bringing the Chevrolet Beat to the U.S. as it shifts its focus from trucks to fuel-efficient compact cars. GM’s spokesman Dee Allen said that...

Backyard Lambo Of The Day: Hawaiian Diablo With Big-Block Chevy Power [Backyard Lambo Of The Day]

Автор: RaymondLilly | понедельник, 7 сентября 2009 г.

The Turbo Buick-powered Fauxborghini Diablo we saw yesterday looked pretty quick, but only 400 horsepower? The real thing came with more like 500 horses, so we had to find a Fauxborghini that could beat that figure. Sure enough, here's this tube-frame brute that gets 600 fuel-injected horsepower (or maybe that's bullpower) out of a good ol' reliable big-block Chevy 427. It seems to have been built pretty well, and the price is under 42 grand. Yeah, the huge carbon fiber shift knob is horrid, but you'll be able to buy a new one with all the money you save on engine parts.

[eBay Motors]

Yenko collection being unloaded at Barrett-Jackson

Автор: RaymondLilly | суббота, 5 сентября 2009 г.

Filed under: Time Warp, Auction Action, Chevrolet

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Don Yenko's Chevrolet collection

While not necessarily to the same extent, Don Yenko was to Chevys what Carroll Shelby was to Ford. He may not have beaten Ferrari at Le Mans, but Yenko built some of the most powerful Bowtie muscle cars of the 1960s. With only a few hundred built, they're also some of the most valuable. At the upcoming Barrett-Jackson auction in January, a private collector will be selling off his collection of five Yenkos, which are considered to be some of the best and most original in existence. Up for grabs will be a trio of 1969 Camaros, a 1981 Turbo Z Camaro, and a rare Yenko Nova. The highlight will be the Daytona Yellow Camaro that is one of three existing cars built by Yenko for NHRA drag racing. It features a COPO 427/425 V8, 3-speed automatic transmission, Hurst shifter, and more. Follow the jump for Barrett-Jackson's press release with more details on these rare muscle cars.

Gallery: Gary Holub Yenko Collection

[Source: Barrett-Jackson]

Continue reading Yenko collection being unloaded at Barrett-Jackson

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The Top 5 Most Legendarily Lame Cars

Автор: RaymondLilly | пятница, 4 сентября 2009 г.

There have been, and always will be, cars that are legendary for the impact they left on the automotive industry or society in general. The following is a list of the Top 5 cars that have left their own, unique impression - an impression that probably won’t soon be rewarded by the Power Circle.

1. 1976 AMC Pacer

It almost doesn’t seem fair to pick on the Pacer inasmuch the Pacer has made almost every “Worst Car” list ever conceived since 1972. But alas, one must give credit where credit is due. With an emphasis on emissions control and fuel efficiency, the AMC Pacer listed a net weight of approximately 3000 lbs and roughly 120 hp. It was widely regarded to be only a slight upgrade from the Radio Flyer wagon.

2. 1977 Mercury Marquis

John Candy’s ride of choice in “Uncle Buck”, the Mercury Marquis comes by its suckitude from a purely aesthetic standpoint as it doesn’t poses any glaring mechanical defects. Unfortunately, just being ugly is enough. The 1977 Mercury Grand Marquis comes it at Number 2 as the quintessential car for the motorist who wants to effectively communicate, “As a matter of fact, I don’t have anything to lose.”

3. 1978 Ford Country Squire

The minivan’s predecessor, the station wagon is a culture icon. Reminiscent of a simpler time, the Ford Country Squire represents an era when it was perfectly acceptable when, due to a lack of adequate seating for your large family, your little sister frequently rode on the dashboard. The Squire was child-friendly in other ways as well - its vinyl seating surfaces provided little-to-no resistance for frenzied attempts at escape from Dad’s frequent disciplinary swats from the driver’s seat.

4. 1989-93 Chevrolet G-20 Van

Remarkable for its apparent generality, the 1989 Chevy G-20 Van makes the Top 5 List simply for it’s incredibly duality. Nothing can silently (yet strongly) broadcast either “Undercover Drug Enforcement Strike Force” or “Child Predator on the Prowl,” quite like it.

5. Ford Festiva [pick a year, any year]

With enough interior space to seat approximately ½ of an adult comfortably, and models featuring 56-horsepower, 65-horsepower, and 88-horsepower respectively, the Ford Festiva is the product of what was most likely a friendly little competition between engineers who had already earned tenure (”Oh yeah, Bob? Well they’ll never go for this…”).

It's Official the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 puts out 638 HP!

Автор: RaymondLilly | четверг, 3 сентября 2009 г.

GM officially unveiled the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, but at that time the automaker had yet finalize the certification of the 6.2L LS9 V8.

Ever Found “Your” Car in the Junkyard?

Автор: RaymondLilly | пятница, 21 августа 2009 г.

For those of us who own and work on cars built in the last couple of decades, the question may not seem so meaningful. But when your pride and joy falls a little further back, it’s a rare occurrence to find your car still rusting peacefully at the local junkyard. This weekend, Jen and I were both completely blown away by the inventory at All American Classics, but when I stumbled upon not one but four 1966 Impalas, including this yellow 327 Super Sport, I totally lost it. What amazed me even more was the incredible amount of good useable parts that remained on these cars–I wanted to take everything, and I guess now I understand a little better why the shelves in our garage are lined with enough Ford Escort parts to build a whole ‘nother one of Jen’s cars. Luckily, I’d left my credit card at home–but I still left with a trunk full of really cool stuff and I’m sure it won’t be long before I find myself going back for more.

How about you–ever found your rare or classic car at the junkyard?

'66 327 Super Sport Impala