Import Culture

[1mic]

Originally posted by M5Power
Because it's a horrible car by today's standards. And I mean horrible.

m5 doesnt knoe **** about 510s and there exteme manuverability at autocrossing...

 

[advanR]

1mic, Im going to step in and state my opinion that you are, ......well kind of an idiot. Your avatar and way with words shows a bit of your culture.

The 510s' old school look is pretty cool. And they can be very quick and agile cars, with motor swaps. But they are far from reliable, rust easily, and just plain require a lot of effort to keep them clean and nice.

I would think about buying a 510 or bmw 2002tii if I had the time and the room for a project. I really think they are cool, different cars. I remember I saw a guy who had made a site giving the details of his project of placing an s14 from an e30 m3 into a 2002. Im sure that was one quick car. An engine with as much "character" as the S14 would be just awesome in the light 2002. I think he said he could keep up with e36 m3s on the track EASILY. getting passed on the track by a 2002 must be a little frusterating if you are driving an e36, hahaha.

 

[Gil]

Hooligan,
Why in the world would hot rodders in the late 1940's put Chevy engines into Fords? The Fords were what the moonshiners ran in order to get away from the revenuers. (The actual start of Hot-Rodding, Cause if you couldn't beat the guy chasing you, you went to jail).
In fact, at the Ford Museum, there is a letter from none other than John Dillinger praising the speed, reliability, and handling of the Fords. According to Dillinger, "they had all the others 'skint'."
Plus, Ford had one major advantage over Chevy until 1955. Can you tell us what that was? I'll give you a Hint. It's appearance in 1955 saved America's favorite Sports car.

 

[miata13B]

Could it possibly have been the legendary V8 motor? Remember 'There is no replacement for displacement!'

 

[miata13B]

Now what two cars were introduced in 1967 and 1968 respectively?

 

[Gil]

Originally posted by miata13B
Could it possibly have been the legendary V8 motor? Remember 'There is no replacement for displacement!'

Give that man a kewpie doll!!
You are correct. I doubt Ford drivers started swapping to Chevy motors until a good bit after 1955.
Further, the motor that turned the Sunbeam Alpine into the Sunbeam Tiger was a small V-8 from the company that was First On Race Day. That's right. The same motor that turned the AC Ace into the Ford/AC Cobra.
The 260 cid V-8 was chosen for the Sunbeam because it fit into the engine bay. Why did it fit?

 

[Gil]

Originally posted by miata13B
Now what two cars were introduced in 1967 and 1968 respectively?

In deference to your name, and your love of the vererable Rotary engine, and Japanese Hot rods, I will say the Toyota 2000GT and the Mazda RX-2.

 

[miata13B]

Well, I was thinking of another vechile, actually one in particular dealing with Chevy, but in light it is an import thread, let me research this.

 

[miata13B]

2000gt in 1965 and the RX-2 was 1971. Think American, think Chevy. "there was no Uncle Ben's rice hurt in the making of this vehicle!"

 

[Gil]

I'm not sure about the RX-2. However, a prototype of the 2000gt, ended up in the 1966 James Bond movie, "You Only Live Twice", in convertible form.

 

[miata13B]

yeah that is true, but it went into production in 71, I think correct me if I am wrong but I think the prototype of the RX-2 came out in 68 or 69, so if we go by prototype , you got 1968 down pat.

 

[Gil]

Originally posted by miata13B
Well, I was thinking of another vechile, actually one in particular dealing with Chevy, but in light it is an import thread, let me research this.

Oh, the Camaro was "born" in 1967. But, it's younger brother the 1969 model was the best looking, no other Camaro comes close.
As for the 1968 model year...You have me there, unless of course, you are referring to the introduction of the "Mako-Shark" bodied Corvette.

 

[miata13B]

that is one, the other I was in reference to was the SS model that was introduced in 68 which has been a dream car of mine since I was 5 oops, yeah and the mako shark too

 

[miata13B]

I don't know the answer to this one right now, I know a few years ago Blitz with an R34 snagged the title from Porsche. Who holds the Current tops speed on the autobahn???

 

[misnblu]

Gil, wasnt the flathead v8 one of the first v8's to get the hotrod treatment??
Oh and yes, Ford guys have been using Chevy engines and vice versa for years now, they still do. Thats old school and see them at the track even today.
Misnblu

 

[Gil]

Originally posted by misnblu
Gil, wasnt the flathead v8 one of the first v8's to get the hotrod treatment??
Oh and yes, Ford guys have been using Chevy engines and vice versa for years now, they still do. Thats old school and see them at the track even today.
Misnblu

Give that man a Kewpie doll too!!
*mental note; order mor kewpie dolls*
The Ford Flathead V-8 was the first motor that had any SERIOUS aftermarket support.

Noone has answered my Sunbeam Tiger question.
Why did Sunbeam go with the Ford 260 cid V-8, instead of one of the others?
Hint: it's my pet peeve in the tuning of Chevy VS Ford engines. A Chevy "design flaw" with the V-8's.
(I know you'll get this MISNBLU).

 

[misnblu]

(I know you'll get this MISNBLU).

You've got a lot of confidence im me.
Not really sure as I didnt follow the Sunbeams or imports at that time in my life. I knew about them but being in America, I was more involved with the actual Muscle cars of the day and even thought the Cadillacs of the day were cool.
Id have to guess because the car was either raced with this conversion or that Chevy had a say so in the design of the car with the v8 in mind. THis is just a guess though.
I would like to know the answer though when it is answered correctly.
Misnblu

 

[Gil]

My impatience is killing me!!
The ford motor was used for one major reason.
Misnblu, One more hint, then I tell all.
Get your tiiming light and set the timing on a Chevy V-8. The catch is: you have to USE the timing light, and you are by yourself.
(It's possible, even easy, to to this on a Ford, but not as easy on a Chevy.)

 

[MazKid]

1967 was the first Rotary engined mass-produced car, the Cosmo.

Modding cars has been around since Mazda was Toyo Kogyo making cork in Tokyo(early 1900s). As soon as someone changes a car in any way, like putting on a seat cover to turbocharging, it's modding.
Import modding, as it's know today(Japanese cars mostly, also means VWs, Hyundia, and Cavaliers ) began in the 60's essentially.

Hot rodding began in the '40s.

Ohh, and here in STL, ricers(tasteless import tuners) burglerized Adrenaline Speed Shop(a nice tuner parts place) several days ago. They are currently looking for a red '93 Civic hatch, like that's going to be a hard thing to find(finding the right one might be though), they even showed one that was parked in Adrenaline's garages .
So now not only are some people tasteless, they are criminals.

 

[misnblu]

Ok, the only thing is that the Chevy distributors are in the rear and the Fords are in the front, making it easier to time the car. Is that it??
Misnblu

 

[Gil]

Originally posted by misnblu
Ok, the only thing is that the Chevy distributors are in the rear and the Fords are in the front, making it easier to time the car. Is that it??
Misnblu

Another kewpie doll for Misnblu!
The 260 was way larger than the four-cyl in the Alpine. The only way to make it feasible, was with a motor with the distributor on the front. (Anybody else remember changing rotors, and adjusting points with those frequent tune-ups?)
With the 283 Chevy, the distributor would have been difficult to see, and impossible to get at.

 

[misnblu]

I remember setting dwel, adding dual advance weights to the distributor for faster advanced timing and timing the car by ear. I never used a tach or timing light to set the timing in the '66 Buick. Ran pretty good and accrued 245,000 miles on it before its untimely demise.
Thanks for the nostalgic trip back into time Gil, brings back many fond memories and mammaries too.
Misnblu

 

[misnblu]

Oh, on my buick engine (340 cu. inch), the distriburor was in the front, unlike the chevies of the same period. They of coarse had the distributor in the rear of the engine. To me that was a poor design and should've been like the Buick engines of the day.
Misnblu

 

[Gil]

To quote Lara Flyne Boyle in MIB II: "with the right set of mammary glands you could rule this planet."

 

[Gil]

Originally posted by misnblu
Oh, on my buick engine (340 cu. inch), the distriburor was in the front, unlike the chevies of the same period. They of coarse had the distributor in the rear of the engine. To me that was a poor design and should've been like the Buick engines of the day.
Misnblu

I'm with you. I much prefer the distributor on the front of the engine. It's just flat easier to work with. Though, I can't really fault the performance of the Corvette. But, I bet it was hell to do a tune-up on an earlier Big-Block Vette. (Maybe that's why the hoods open backwards.)

 

[miata13B]

I gotta agree with you guys. That is one of the top ten in design flaws that I have seen. Another one of my personnal favorites is the under body of the mid- 90's mustangs. You basically need a lift that they have in garages to work on it. There is no point around the underneath of the car to lift it and put support jacks under it except the frame itself and that is practically in the center of the car.

 

[-Fred-]

I could always write something on how the "Import Drag Racing" scene started, just to clarify a few myths...

 

[Gil]

Originally posted by miata13B
Now what two cars were introduced in 1967 and 1968 respectively?

Another "pony" car was introduced in 1967 *kicks self for forgetting* The Mustang sibling the Mercury Cougar was intro'd in 1967.
Also, intro'd in 1968 was the baddest of the bad. The AMC Javelin. It became the baddest of the bad in 1969 with the AMX version.

 

[Gil]

Originally posted by PunkRock
I could always write something on how the "Import Drag Racing" scene started, just to clarify a few myths...

The floor is yours PR.
I also would like to see pix of the Integra.

 

[misnblu]

No, I want to see pics of the Amc Javelin. That car rocked and was a menace to any of the street race ppl racing at that time.
Heh, I remember when you would see one or two every day.
I even remember seeing the venerable KR500 Mustang, remember those??
Man, I miss those days. As a young boy (10 or so), I would dub every hot rod that I would see and would have competitions with my friend on the first dub of a bad ride. (phat by todays terms. hehe)
Misnblu