This is an eventful October and there are so many
things to talk about!
Do we talk about the Yanks, Mets, Giants, and Jets?
Do we talk about how North Korea has Nukes now?
What about the hypocrisy of far-left liberal students at Columbia University that shout down “Free Speech” every time they disagree with the speaker?
Or perhaps Senators and Congressmen that can’t keep it in their pants?
The list could go on and on.
Even though those are all interesting and debatable subjects; this is not a political forum, so we will stick to cars.
Let’s discuss that.
Several things come to mind in the automotive arena. First being that our beloved “car season” is winding down. Some cruise nights have shut down for the season already. And unfortunately, one of the more popular spots – the old K-Mart shopping center on Hempstead Tpk in Levittown has been closed for cruising! Yes, the owners have asked Nassau’s Finest to keep any and all cool cars out of there. So... by the wayside goes another popular Tuesday night venue.
Fear not fellow enthusiasts, there are several spots still open for us through the end of this month and into November.
But alas, things will eventually stop for the season. What then? Do we all just pack it up and wait for April?
Not this guy!!
To begin with, I drive my cars until the first snow. Day or night. I will go where the cruise nights are and I WILL NOT run for home as soon as it gets dark out! That really rubs me the wrong way when you guys do that.
In the summer people hang ‘til 10PM. It seems that as the daylight hours get shorter, most of the guys with cars head home when darkness starts to come! What are they - pumpkins turned into vehicles for a few daylight hours that have to be home before they change back?!?
I don’t get it!
What the hell?
Does Momma say “Be home before it’s dark out or you can’t drive your car anymore!”
Do your headlights not work?
Are you afraid of the dark?
What gives???
If you can hang ‘til 10 in June and July, why do you split at 8:30 in August and even earlier come September/October?
No logic in it at all. Stay a while. Nobody’s gonna hurt you. You won’t turn into a Pumpkin, and Momma won’t take away your car. 9PM seems a reasonable time in the Fall doesn’t it? We are all big boys with no “School Nights”!
Ok. Glad I got all that said. Now off to the rest of the Newsletter! We have a big one for you with several guest columns including one from a new writer! So sit back and enjoy!
We are also starting a new kind
of contest for you readers! Different from our Picture Caption Contest, this one requires another kind of
thinking.....check it out... and good luck!
Oh, and by the way.....
________________________________________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1 Editor’s Introduction
2 Puzzle Fill In Contest
3 Cruise Night
Information
4 Guest Writer’s Columns
Joan Cressi
Lou
Refano
Andy
Vourlos
Rich’s
Tech Tips
5 My Car Story x 2
6 The Archive
7 Editor’s Closing
________________________________________________________________
Long Island Classic Cars.Com’s
Submit
your entry along with your name and e-mail address to: newsletter@liclassiccars.com
This
contest is open to everyone! (LI Classic Cars.com paid personnel, regular
column writers, and business advertisers are not eligible.)
Winners
will be notified by e-mail and/or phone.
Please
submit all entries by the 7th of the next month. (ex: for October’s contest the
entries are due by November 7th)
No
substitutions of prizes will be allowed.
In
the event of prize choices, winner will be given the opportunity to select the
one they want.
All
decisions are final and are made by the paid personnel of Long Island Classic
Cars.com
Winners
must claim their prizes within 30 days of contest end or forfeit the prize to
the runner up.
A few
simple rules:
1) Think!
2) Print
out and e-mail or mail in the form, or just submit your written answers ...
first one with all the correct answers wins!
Here is the
puzzle for our October “Puzzle Fill-In Contest”!!
Good luck Boils and Ghouls!!
___________________________________________________
“EXTRA
EXTRA! READ ALL
ABOUT IT!!”
The Cruise Nights are starting to
end! Here’s the latest …
2006 Cruise Night location
updates:
TUESDAYS: McDonald's. Metropolitan Ave. & 69th Road, Forest Hills, NY.
Sponsored by East Coast Car Association/Toys For Tots
TUESDAYS: Audrey Ave. Oyster Bay, NY
DONE FOR THE YEAR
TUESDAYS: Bald Hill Cultural Center. North Ocean Ave. Farmingville, NY
Sponsored by the Farmingville Fire Department
TUESDAYS: Old K-Mart Plaza. Hempstead
Tpk. Levittown, NY
CLOSED DOWN BY OWNERS 1st week Oct.
WEDNESDAYS: KFC. William Floyd Pkwy & Montauk Hwy. Shirley, NY
Sponsored by Bow Tie Boulevard Camaro Club
THURSDAYS: Wendy’s Shopping Center. Montauk Hwy and Locust Ave, Oakdale, NY
Sponsored by Still Cruisin’ Car Club
FRIDAYS: Bellmore Train Station. Sunrise Highway. Bellmore, NY
Public Gathering
FRIDAYS: Massapequa Train Station. Sunrise Highway. Massapequa, NY
ONLY RAN BRIEFLY AUG & SEP
SATURDAYS: *AM Cruise* Steve’s Collision. 618 North Bicycle Path. Port Jefferson Station, NY.
Sponsored by Steve’s Collision.
SATURDAYS: Sonomax Station. 278 Greenpoint Ave. Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY.
Sponsored by East Coast Car Association/Toys for Tots
SATURDAYS: Kohl’s. Corner Grand Blvd and Commack Rd. Deer Park, NY.
Public gathering.
SATURDAYS: KFC. William Floyd Pkwy & Montauk Hwy. Shirley, NY.
Sponsored by Bow Tie Boulevard Camaro Club
SUNDAYS: *AM Cruise* Ocean Pkwy, Captree Beach Parking Lot through May, then at OBI.
Public gathering.
PS –
Whoever has information on the early Sunday morning cruise out
near where OBI used to be, please let us know.
___________________________________________________
GUEST
MONSTER(S) COLUMN(S)
We welcome Joan Cressi
from the Long Island Karting Association (LIKA). Joan shares with us the story
of this organization that she has had a profound impact on. I wish I knew about
this when I was a kid! After you read this, get in touch with them and go check
them out! Great for adults too!
Lou Refano
does a bio this time out. I think he went through two ink cartridges on this
one!
His article fits in
nicely with one of our “My Car Story” features. Which one you ask? Hmmm, I
guess you’ll have to read on to find out!
Andy Vourlos
returns with a great article about the art of cruising! Yes, it is an
art! Andy takes us along with him on a recent cruise and gives some etiquette
tips along the way.
Rich’s Tech Tips keeps on giving with amazing info that everyone out there can use.
Remember, Richie can only sleep at night if he unloads some of this vast store
of knowledge from his brain. He’s kind of like DATA from Star Trek. Wonderkid.
You can send thanks to him at: raremopar@aol.com
In the MY CAR STORY
section we have two featured vehicles. The first is from Dave Delman who
has an attention grabbing and wonderfully preserved DeLorean. Dave has done
many mods to this car as well, and believe me, it draws lots of crowds at all
the shows!
Our second featured
vehicle is also of European vintage. Italian to be precise. Kris & Steve
Becker tell us about their Fiat X 1/9. I saw this at a cruise night and
just had to get it featured here! A very nice car owned by a couple that loves
to drive! (PS They were also featured back in August ’04 with another one of
their classics!)
Enjoy…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Long Island Karting Association
By Joan Cressi, LIKA V.P.
The Long Island Karting Association was formed in 1966 by a group of kart racers who started to race at the old Westhampton Speedway. The speedway was built and owned by a Mr. Caricola. He had built a ¼ and ½ mile asphalt oval track. They held speedway races on Sunday afternoons. Some kart racing enthusiast, who had been racing in local parking lots, approached Mr. Caricola as to the possibility of racing karts at his facility. He agreed to let the karters set up a road course that incorporated parts of the ¼ and ½ mile ovals. They devised a track using safety cones that defined the layout of the road course. It originally ran clockwise but was soon changed to run counter clock wise as the original layout had a hairpin that was at the end of a straightaway and that made those old time kart brakes work harder than they were designed for. Therefore the change.
That’s when the club was formed as they had to have a set of rules. There had to be some sort of leadership as someone had to deal with Mr. Caricola when it came to settle on how much the racers could afford to pay him for the rental of the track that the club would use on Sunday mornings. Every Sunday, when the karters had a scheduled race, members would come out early and set up the safety cones that defined the road course layout. They would do their racing and had to be finished by about 1 PM and then have to rush out and pick up the cones and leave the site as that was the time that the big car racers would start using the oval track. That original road course configuration remained unchanged for over 20 years. Improvements were made as time went on. The original ovals fell in disuse when Mr. Caricola passed away. The club then dealt with Mrs. Caricola. I must say that LIKA always had good relations with the Caricola’s. We were good tenants and we always cleaned up after every race, and we respected all the rules that applied to us for running the races at the Westhampton Speedway.
LIKA made many improvements to the original layout: Building safe curbing for all the curves, adding rumble strips on the exit of the curves thus keeping the racers on the part of the track that was designed for racing. Give the average racers room and they will use any and all areas that are available to them. Therefore, curbing and rumble strips became very necessary. That kept everyone on the same racing surface. At one time there was a homemade telephone connection to every corner for the use of the corner marshals. When LIKA saw a problem, they quickly found a solution. And all of this was done with a volunteer base.
There were not too many classes back then.
Most of the karts were what they called A Bones, Blitz Karts which were made
locally, and a few, for that time, sophisticated karts from California. Most of
them used the 2 cycle McCulough motors
that were used for chain saws. There were many other 2 cycle motors that were
adapted for kart racing, even some more powerful ones that were imported from
Today, karting is worldwide. It
is now bigger in Europe, much bigger, than in the 
Kart racing is one of the safest sports for youngsters that there is. Just ask the companies that insure karting. It is a family sport where without the participation of a youngster’s parents, there would be no Junior classes. Almost all fathers are a hands-on necessity, as is with some mothers. Keeping lap times of the junior racer is a must. Without mother, you would not know what is going on. What else is new? It is a sport where you do more than cheer on the sidelines. It’s real family. Most children are in group sports, and that is good. You can have a bad day in group sports and still win. Not in kart racing. That youngster in that kart is doing his or her best, with the support of Mom and Dad, but doing it alone when on the track. You learn real fast that it is up to them as to how well they do when the race starts. It teaches self discipline and determination. Let’s not confuse this with bravery. There is NO bravery in motors sports. It takes brains to win. A so-called brave driver will never be a real winner. Most of them learn real fast that so-called bravery on the race track leads to accidents. It’s those who use their heads, who concentrate and who stay fit that become the regular winners.
The same in real life when they get older.
LIKA has not been racing at the old Westhampton Speedway as it was sold to a developer and he is building senior citizen housing at the site. We have been racing at the Nassau Coliseum’s parking lot #8 for the past two years. LIKA has laid out a very exciting road course for it’s members to race on. We have a class for almost everyone. Besides running two cycle motors, LIKA also has a large array of 4 cycle classes.
So come on out and see what it is all about. To find out about our race dates and schedule go on line and bring up www.likaonline.com When you come to the track you will see boys, girls, men and women racing against each other on equal terms. How often do see that in sports? And you will see competitors as young as 5 years of age and as old as 70 years of age. So come on out as seeing is believing!
(Joan you have a great organization! When my boys turn 5 we will be there!) Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
THE STORY OF JOHN DELOREAN
by Louis
Refano
The American automobile industry has
seen quite a few fascinating, creative people with big dreams. One such
individual, flamboyant and determined, who ultimately broke ranks from the
corporate world to follow his own path, was John Z. DeLorean. He was
responsible for two of the most creative American cars ever.
Born in Detroit in 1925, John was an honor student at Cass Technical High
School. There he signed up for the electrical curriculum. The young
DeLorean found the Cass experience to be exhilarating, and excelled at his
studies. DeLorean's excellent academic record combined with his talents
in music netted him a scholarship at Lawrence Institute of Technology, a small
but illustrious Detroit college that was alma mater of some of the area's best
draftsmen and designers. There again he excelled in the study of industrial
engineering, and was elected to the school's Honor Society.
In 1943, DeLorean was drafted for military service and served three years in
the U.S. Army before being honorably discharged, when he returned to Detroit to
find his mother and siblings in economic difficulty due to the strains of
Kathryn's single income. John went to work for the Public Lighting Commission
for a year and a half in order to put his family on firmer financial ground
before resuming at Lawrence to finish his degree. In 1948, DeLorean
graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering.
John's maternal uncle Earl Pribak, a foreman at Chrysler's engineering garage,
recommended that he attend the Chrysler Institute, and John concurred. The car
manufacturer ran a post-graduate facility that would allow him to advance his
education while concurrently being allowed exposure to real-world engineering in
action. In 1952, DeLorean graduated the institute with a masters degree
in automotive engineering and joined Chrysler Corporation. During this time,
John also took on night classes at the University of Michigan to earn credits
toward his MBA, which was awarded in 1957.
DeLorean's time in the employ of Chrysler lasted less than a year, ending when
he was offered a $14,000 per year position at Packard Motor Company under
supervision of noted engineer Forest McFarland. DeLorean quickly drew attention
at his new employer with his development of an improvement to the company's
Ultramatic automatic transmission, giving it a much improved torque converter
and dual drive ranges; it was launched as the "Twin-Ultramatic. After four
years at Packard he would become McFarland's successor as head of Research and
Development.
DeLorean then left the financially-strapped Packard and accepted a job at
Pontiac Division as an assistant to chief engineer Pete Estes and general
manager Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen. Knudsen was the son of the former
president of General Motors, William Knudsen – who was called away from his
post to head up the war mobilization production effort at the request of
President Roosevelt. DeLorean and Knudsen were to quickly become close friends,
and John would eventually cite Bunkie as a major influence and mentor. Knudsen
wanted to improve Pontiac's youth and performance image, and DeLorean was in
the middle of the action.
DeLorean's years of engineering at Pontiac were highly successful and produced
dozens of patented innovations for the company, and in 1961 he was promoted to
the position of division chief engineer. He is credited with developments such
as wide track wheels, torque box perimeter frame, recessed and articulated
windshield-wipers, the lane-change turn signal, overhead cam six-cylinder
engine, Endura bumper, and a variety of other cosmetic and structural design
elements. But his most enduring contribution to the automotive world came
in 1964 in the form of the first muscle car.
Despite a GM corporate policy that prohibited the use of engines larger than
330 inches in intermediate-sized
cars, DeLorean got around the rules by specifically offering the 389 in V8
as an option package. The rules were vague at GM as new "models"
required corporate approval but "option packages" did not. When GM's
executive got wind of the existence of DeLorean's project,
the GTO, it was too late to pull it out of production and Pontiac responded
that no more than 5,000 GTOs would be built in 1964; with that the corporate
brass was appeased. Shortly thereafter, Car & Driver magazine in its March,
1964 issue featured a road test of a '64 GTO with the optional Tri Power (three
two-barrel carburetor) version of the 389 V8 and four-speed transmission to be
tested against a Ferrari GTO, but the Ferrari didn't make it to the party so
the magazine ended up testing the Pontiac alone and recorded a then-unheard of
0-60 mph time (for a stock production car as opposed to an exotic sports
car) of 4.6 seconds and a standing quarter-mile of 115 mph in 13.1
seconds.
The publishing of that road test substantially increased demand for GTOs as
Pontiac dealers often found themselves swamped with more potential buyers than
cars to sell. Pontiac then responded by dramatically increasing GTO production
to meet the demand. By the end of the 1964 model year, approximately 32,000
GTOs had been assembled - well above the initial projections of 5,000 units.
For the 1965 model year, GM would increase the displacement limit for
intermediate-sized cars to 400 cubic inches, ensuring the future of the
GTO as well as competitive muscle cars from other GM divisions such as the
Oldsmobile 4-4-2, Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 and Buick Skylark GS.
The GTO (Gran Turismo Omologato, named after the Ferrari) is credited for
saving Pontiac from their dated stigma as producer of the "old lady's
car" by creating a design that symbolized a generation of new, younger,
more affluent drivers with a need for speed and style. From its launch in 1964,
sales of the car and its popularity continued to grow dramatically in the
following years. DeLorean received almost total credit for its success–he had
indeed created a new niche vehicle, the muscle car, which would be soon
emulated by other GM divisions and competitive automakers. John DeLorean became
the singular golden boy of Pontiac, and was rewarded with his 1965 promotion to
head the entire Pontiac division.
John DeLorean was no longer a professional engineer. At 40 years old, he had
broken the record for youngest division head at GM, and was determined to
continue his string of success. Adapting to the frustrations that he perceived
in the executive offices was, however, a difficult transition for him. DeLorean
believed there was an undue amount of infighting at GM between divisional
heads,
and several of Pontiac's advertising campaign themes met with internal
resistance, such as the "Tiger" campaign used to promote the GTO and
other Pontiac models in 1965 and 1966.
In response to the ponycar market dominated by the wildly-successful Ford
Mustang, DeLorean asked GM management's permission to offer a Pontiac version
of a similar vehicle then under development at the Chevrolet division that was
set for introduction as a 1967 model, named the Camaro. In May 1966, Pontiac was
granted approval to offer its version of the sporty X-body car. However, by
this time it was too late for Pontiac to put the car in production with the
usual fall introduction of the 1967 models in late September, so the division
decided to hold off its introduction until February, 1967. Even the later
introduction precluded the possibility of a truly distinctive Pontiac ponycar
with its own sheetmetal, so the 1967 Pontiac Firebird ended with virtually all
sheetmetal shared with the Chevrolet Camaro except for the hood. The front end
would get a pointed Pontiac split grille with quad headlights in contrast with
the Camaro's flat front end and single headlights along with louvered
taillights from the larger GTO. The Firebird would also be powered by Pontiac
engines and marketed in five different models (both coupe and convertible)
ranging from a base model with an economical six-cylinder overhead cam engine
to the 400 inV8 from the GTO.
Shortly after the Firebird's introduction in 1967, DeLorean turned his
attention to development of an all-new Grand Prix, the division's personal
luxury car based on the full sized Pontiac line since 1962 but whose sales were
sagging by this time, for the 1969 model year that would have its own distinct
bodyshell with drivetrain and chassis components sourced from the
intermediate-sized Pontiac A-body (Tempest, LeMans, GTO). The 1969 Pontiac
Grand Prix looked a lot like a slightly scaled down Cadillac Eldorado with its
razor-sharp bodylines and a six-foot long hood. Inside was a sporty and
luxurious interior highlighted by a wraparound cockpit-style instrument panel,
bucket seats and center console. The 1969 Grand Prix offered a sportier and
higher performance alternative to the other personal luxury cars then on the
market such as Ford Thunderbird, Buick Riviera, Lincoln Continental Mark III
and Oldsmobile Toronado in a smaller size and lower price tag. The '69 Grand
Prix was one of the industry's biggest success that year with production ending
up at over 112,000 units - far higher than the 32,000 1968 Grand Prixs built
from the full-sized Pontiac body.
During his time at Pontiac, DeLorean had begun to enjoy the freedom and
celebrity that came with his position, and spent a good deal of his time
traveling to locations around the world to support promotional events. His
frequent public appearances helped to solidify his image as a "rebel"
corporate businessman with his trendy dress style and casual banter.
Pontiac remained highly profitable under DeLorean, and despite his growing
reputation as a corporate maverick, on February 15, 1969 he was again promoted.
This time it was to head up the prestigious Chevrolet division, General Motors'
flagship brand.
In 1972, DeLorean was appointed to the position of vice president of car and
truck production for the entire General Motors line, and his eventual rise to
president seemed inevitable. Instead, John DeLorean unexpectedly resigned from
General Motors on April 2, 1973 at age 48, telling the confused press that
"I want to do things in the social area. I have to do them, and
unfortunately
the nature of our business just didn't permit me to do as much as I
wanted." GM gave him a Florida Cadillac franchise as a retirement gift,
and DeLorean did in fact take over the presidency of The National Alliance of
Businessmen, a charitable organization with the mission of employing Americans
in need, founded by Lyndon Johnson and Henry Ford. But soon he was to
follow his own singular vision to build the kind of car he really wanted, as an
independent. He was to form his own company, the De Lorean Motor Company
(DMC), showing a two-seater sports car prototype in the mid-1970s called the De
Lorean Safety Vehicle (DSV), with its bodyshell designed by Italdesign's
Giorgetto Giugiaro. The car entered into production as the DMC-12, but
generally known simply as the De Lorean. The De Lorean was skinned in stainless
steel and featured gull-wing doors. The production model was powered by the
"Douvrin" V6 engine developed by Peugeot, Renault and Volvo. Much of
the money that was used to help develop the DeLorean was loaned to him by a
good friend that worked with him at GM, Robert d'Angelo.
The first model was to be called the DMC-12. Intended to be a safe, ethical,
and sleek sports car, DeLorean aimed to begin production by the late seventies.
This was an unrealistic goal, since DeLorean needed a few extra years to raise
the capital and decide which government would invest in building a state of the
art factory. Northern Ireland was the highest bidder at the end, and the
factory was built in record time. The DMC-12 did begin production in early
1981.
"He chose a sports car as the first vehicle for DMC because it would help
establish an image, an image incidentally that parallels John Z’s feelings
about himself... youthful, aggressive and adventurous." - Autoweek
The factory to build this car was set up in at Dunmurry, in County Antrim,
Northern Ireland, with substantial financial incentives from the Northern
Ireland Development Agency (around £100 million) – this despite a report from a
management consultancy firm that gave the project only a 1 in 10 chance of
success. Renault was contracted to build the factory, which employed 2,600
workers at its peak production. The engine was made by Renault, while Lotus designed
the chassis and bodywork details. The factory started manufacturing cars in
early 1981, and turned out around roughly 8,500 cars over 21 months–but the
dream would come to a quick end. DeLorean was arrested for conspiracy of money
laundering involving dirty money supposedly in an effort to keep his car
company afloat in an elaborate government sting operation. Aside from 10 days
spent raising sufficient bail, he never went to jail as he was acquitted of all
charges due to entrapment. His company collapsed in 1983, a year after he
was arrested in Los Angeles and accused of conspiring to sell $24 million of
cocaine. He was acquitted of the charges, but continuing legal entanglements
kept him on the sidelines of the automotive world, and he declared bankruptcy
in 1999. The British government had ordered the DeLorean factory closed
down in November 1982. In 1985 the DeLorean hit the mainstream again as a
central component in the movie "Back to the Future".
DeLorean lived out the rest of his life in New Jersey, attempting to peacefully
live in retirement. In 2000, he was forced to sell his NJ estate (which is now
a Trump golf course), and lived the remaining five years of his life in a condo
in NJ. John Zachary DeLorean passed away on March 19th, 2005 from complications
after a stroke. He was 80 years old. At the time of his death, he was
working on a business venture project known as DeLorean Time, a company that
would sell high-end wristwatches. DeLorean's death caused the dissolution of
the company, and no DeLorean Time products were ever offered to the public.
DeLorean will be remembered for producing two vehicles that captured the
imagination of the public at large...the Pontiac GTO, and the DeLorean sports
car. Because of these, his esteemed place in automotive history is
secure.
Sources: www.imdb.com, wikipedia.org, dmcnews.com
(Lou, it’s time for me to shave again and I just did it before I started
reading your article! Great job – very informative.) Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Art of Cruising
By Andy
Vourlos
Its
7:00 AM on one of the most beautiful Sundays in
September. The air is fresh with the
morning dew. Blue sky,
white puffy clouds, a glowing, yellow ball rising from the east. The birds are singing their Sunday
hymns.
The
electric motor sound of a garage door opener briefly disturbs this
tranquility. Twenty seconds later, it
ends. Shuffling can be heard from
inside. A trunk lid pops open and a
cooler packed with a picnic lunch is placed in the cavernous space among other
items:
Folding chair?
Check.
Extra oil?
Check.
Extra antifreeze mix? Check.
Air pump? Check.
Camera?
Check.
Anxiety?
Check and double check.
The
Sunday symphony is now about to turn into heavy metal. Two pumps, a turn of the wrist, and the
unmistakable sound of a Chrysler gear-reduction starter echoes in the garage,
followed by a “clearing of the barrels”.
The soothing sound of a non-catalytic-converted V8 on high-idle warm-up
fills the air. After a few more blips of
the throttle, its time to back her out.
Slowly,
you inch your way out. The echo of the
exhaust in the garage goes from a thundering boom to a crisp crackle as the
rear pipes clear the door and are now in the morning air. White vapor fires out of the unrestricted
pipes with authority, reminding you of a shuttle launch.
Civilian
cars pass you by, on their way to church, to get the morning paper, to head out
for the day. A few folks smile and
wave. Others drive on like you aren’t
even there. Traffic is light. And then, you hear them, coming from the
west. Getting louder and louder. The air
becomes more and more filled with the distinctive notes of small and big-block
Mopar V8s. Suddenly, they come into
view. A Coronet’s horn is heard. Waves abound.
Its time to join in. Let’s roll.
You
pull out into the light traffic and open up the barrels to catch up. The dual exhausts are signing their
song. The freight train is up ahead,
dutifully maintaining the speed limit, each keeping a safe distance between
themselves. You’re running it hard to
catch the tail end, while being courteous to civilian motorists as you blow
their doors off like a NASCAR stocker from yesteryear. You ease up as you approach the last car in
this rolling parade. The rules are
unwritten, but clear. You’re the tail
end, now. If others join in, they will
follow in behind.
The
crew is doing the speed limit. You’re
keeping a respectful following distance.
Draw a bead ahead; nothing but Mopars.
Dodges, Chryslers, and Plymouths rolling along in a tribute to the
Pentastar, and this great land we call our home. Halfway to our destination its time for a
coffee break and fluid check. The crew
knows what to do instinctively. Everyone
pulls in and parks one by one, respecting each others moment. The way it was meant to be.
Time
to roll to our final destination. The
lead car, as before, pulls out. Each
cruiser follows suit in the order in which they started. No one cuts in. No one races up alongside one another. It’s a smooth and steady ride for the next
hour. Through small towns, and quaint
villages. Traffic lights enter the picture as
One
of your cruisers has a slight driveability issue. You all pull over slowly, together. A quick analysis under the hood reveals the problem
and all is corrected. You pause for a
moment and look at the gleaming metal parked alongside the road. One beautiful ride after the next. All parked and positioned as to look like a
nomadic family, each waiting their turn to get back out on the road.
You’re
ready to reenter the traffic. The tail
end car steps out first and stops, so that the lead cars can roll out without a
civilian car getting in the way. Its
almost like daring the civilian cars to hit you, and for a moment you feel a
rush. That’s not why you brought your
ride out today, though, and the car gods are upon us. Today we’re invincible, and off we roll.
Our
final destination looms just ahead.
We’re rolling past acres and acres of trees. Sand dunes dot the landscape. Passing a scenic overlook, you can see the
mighty
You
just took a ride on the Mopars to Montauk Cruise 2006. Hope to see you in ’07.
(Andy, awesome article my friend! Thanks for the ride!) Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
By Rich
Fiore
STOP STALLING -
CHOOSING THE RIGHT TORQUE CONVERTER FOR YOUR CAR
For most of us selecting the right torque
converter can be quite a mystery. Unless you have been around for many years with
very specific knowledge in this gray area, it is nearly impossible to predict
how a torque converter will behave in your ride. Throwing darts is never a good
way to make a choice. In a nutshell it is best to call the converter
manufacturers and speak with their tech reps.
So lets start with the basics. There are 2 reasons why an
auto trans will need a converter. First they allow the engine to de - couple (
is that like divorce ?) from the rest of the drive train at low speeds
eliminating the need for a clutch. Second the slip that is built into a
converter not only lets the engine rev immediately into its power band, it
allows slipping action to help multiply torque. This explains the
extremely high torque curves generated by an auto trans car on a chassis
dyno. The converter adds some great gear multiplication ( to an extent ) to get
you out of the hole faster. Keep in mind you never get something for nothing.
So lets chit chat about stall speed and what makes a
converter tick. Stall speed is simply the RPM at which the converter locks the
motor to the driveline and multiplies torque at a one to one ratio.
The guts of the converter are the pump, stator and turbine. Being a fluid
coupling, the 2 halves are never directly locked together the way a clutch disc
is to a flywheel - unless its a modern day lockup type with an integral
friction clutch. A good converter should produce less than 10% slippage after
the engine RPM has exceeded the stall speed. If this does NOT occur, the slippage
will build up too much heat, destroy the trans and obviously waste engine power
... a no - no for us gear heads.
Converters are rated to stall within a certain RPM
range. That’s not because Converter companies don't know their products.
It is because a particular cars engine characteristics and vehicle specs
influence stall speed and would make picking a precise number
impossible to predict ( kinda like the lottery I waste my money on weekly ) .
Heavy cars with tall ( numerically low ) gears and large diameter tires offer
more resistance to forward motion, so the converter will stall at a higher RPM.
A lighter car with steep ( numerically high ) gears and smaller tires
will stall at a lower RPM. Bottom line .... the easier the motor can accelerate
the vehicle, the lower the stall speed. Dig it?
The horsepower and torque curves of your motor will
obviously have a huge effect on stall speed. Engines that produce more
low end torque will bump the stall speed to a higher RPM. But the same
converter will hit stall at a lower RPM behind a less Torquey ( yes that's my
new word ) higher winding engine. A lot of companies designate their
converters for big block or small block vehicles. If you buy a converter
that's rated at 2,000 – 2,500 RPM stall, the rating is meant to span a
variety of motors with different power curves.
A converter’s size limits the amount of torque it can
safely handle. Larger diameter converters have bigger parts ( obviously more
torque ) but are not always a good thing. Large fins exert more bending
forces and can result in breakage or failure. Smaller diameter converters
reduce torque ( less stress on fins ), but raise the stall speed. Generally
smaller converters are better suited for peaky H.P. engines with
higher winding torque curves.
So the bottom line when choosing a torque converter is to
contact the companies directly. Its like going to the doctor. The more info you
give him the better the diagnosis. Keep in mind you have to be honest with
yourself and decide how you intend to use the car: strictly track or a
combination of both street and track. After you have got your percentages down
you should have the following info handy for your rep:
1.
Displacement
2.
Compression Ratio
3. Cam Profile
( duration @ .050 in. lift and lobe separation angle )
4. Carb or
injector size
5. Trans.
model and gear ratio's
6. Rear end
gear size
Hopefully this takes some of the guesswork out of placing
the right torque converter behind your screamin’ engine.
Remember,
if you got em ... smoke em.
Quick and Dirty: Think about adding a
nice transmission oil cooler to protect your new investment!
(Obviously a great deal of knowledge is present in your brain. How about teaching auto topics at a school Ritchie?!?!!) Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dave
Delman: 1981 DeLorean DMC-12
My car is 1981 DeLorean model DMC-12 as it
is known. It was built in Northern Ireland, in November 1981 and I
am the second owner.
I have always wanted a DeLorean, but it was a luxury I never could
afford. When I was in my medical residency, one of my mentors had
two. I offered to help him work on it but alas that never came
to be. Back in the late 80's I went to a gathering of DeLorean owners at
Heckscher State Park. There were many "Ds" there and my passion
grew. I didn't get a DeLorean, but I did get a "Living the
Dream" T-shirt which kept the dream alive for me. Every few years I
would drive out to PJ Grady's in West Sayville. Each time Rob, the
owner, would tell me the same thing. You can spend $20,000 now, or if you
pay less then you'll end up paying more in the long run due the repairs
that it will likely need. Well I couldn't afford 20 grand for my hobby
car, so I would just leave, always a bit disappointed.
One year I got a birthday gift of all the
back issues of DeLorean World magazine, and the dream lived on. Then a
few years back I thought I finally found the one I was looking for! It
was on eBay and though it needed work, it was advertised as in good running
condition. I bid on it and won! Now I was really
psyched. I called the seller up and said I would be taking the train to
Philly to buy the car and drive it home. There was a silent pause on the
other end of the phone - then the excuses came about how I shouldn’t drive it
home because of this, that, and the other things wrong with it. Hey,
the auction said it was in good running condition... so I said
fahgetaboutit!! I went from being really excited about my
"new" DeLorean to down in the dumps and disappointed.
I went back out to PJ Grady's and there was
a car there that needed a lot of work and he was willing to sell it as is, but
the exterior was in very good condition. We struck a deal and I finally
had my D! That was it and I bought vin06530 in October 2002. 
Since that time I have replaced and
fixed, upgraded and modified many things. I recovered the dash, binnacle,
headliners and most recently the center console. I have added my own
alarm, remote car starter, multifunction third brake light, daytime running
lights, cruise control (with the actuator up front), air horns, lights on
reminder, low oil pressure alarm, rear deck speakers, transmission solenoid
indicators, moved the automatic transmission governor to the engine
compartment, LEDs in the doors and center console (including that
little cigarette lighter bulb), modified the AC mode switch to turn on the
AC compressor with defrost, modified the door lock module, added
additional lumber support for the drivers seat and then “Leatheriqued” both seats.
I even installed what we DeLorean owners call remote door launchers: a system
to open the gullwing doors remotely. Not to mention that 2700 ohm
resistor that is still in series with my new ignition pick-up coil, but that's
another story.
My pet project is a car computer system which I am still working
on. Some of its highlights include the in dash 7" VGA
touch screen. As a full blown computer system is has the
typical DVD-CD player / burner, internet access, GPS, mp3 player, rear
view video camera, etc. I have also designed and built a computerized
monitoring system for oil pressure, water temperature, speed, odometer,
miles per gallon, fuel injector pressure, gear indicator, inside temperature,
radio antenna control, battery voltage monitor, 2 trip odometers, air/fuel
ratio display, fuel gauge, miles to empty, average mph cooling fan status, etc.
Hey if you can think of something else it should do please let me know.
You can read
more about my car at www.dmc12.info
I love getting together with the
other DeLorean owners to talk shop, see what others have done to their
cars and to help them too. It's a blast caravanning and going to car
shows with it. It is my solution to the mid life crisis.
(Dave, nice car! Incredible mods to it, and the ‘Back to the Future’ theme works great too!) Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Don’t let this little kitty cross your car’s path! 
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Kris &
Steve Becker: 1978 Fiat X 1/9
The
last “My Car Story” we wrote was in August 2004 and centered on our 1969 Lotus
Elan. The article ended with Kris
looking to possibly add a 1979 Elan Coupe to our garage. When this did not work out we discovered a
nice-looking Fiat X1/9 sports car for sale on EBay. Having owned one for 8 years back in the
1980s, I knew it was a fun car to drive and it’s looks always drew a crowd.
The
X1/9 was designed as a replacement for the Fiat 850 Spyder, an entry level,
rear engine sports car produced in the late 1960s. This car is a mid-engine layout, with the engine
aligned crosswise in the car (common in today’s front engine cars but rare back
then). The engine is a 1290cc overhead
cam unit with a 7000 RPM red-line and 61 horsepower driving the rear wheels
through a 4-speed synchromesh transmission.
Braking is provided by 4-wheel discs and steering is non-power rack and
pinion. The body design is similar to a
Porsche Targa, with a removable hard roof that stores in the front trunk and a
permanent glass rear window. With the
roof removed it is an open convertible, while installing the top turns it into
a closed coupe. In fact, the
registration lists it as a 2-door sedan.
We
called the seller and agreed to drive down and look at the car, which was
located in south
The
car had been stored in a shed for several years and was covered in dust and
dirt, with the original grey-painted wheels rusted and chipped. A close examination of the car revealed no
rust and my trusty magnet did not find any plastic filler. The car had apparently never been damaged by
accident or rust. The seller gave us the
background on the car – it had been purchased in
Driving
the car brought back memories of my first X1/9.
With an engine of only 1290 cc putting out 61 horsepower you won’t win
any drag races. But the mid-engine
layout and wide track resulted in a car that loves a curvy road. The secret was to keep the revs up and don’t
slow down for the corners. This car ran
well, was slow as can be, and handled great.
We promptly went home, placed a bid on EBay and crossed our fingers till
the auction ended.
We
went down once more to pay for the car and get the necessary paperwork so it
could be insured and registered in New York and, about three weeks later, we
went back down to take possession and drive it home, keeping up with 70+ mph
traffic and turning over 5000 rpm while cruising. On the way back I noticed a few minor
problems and drove directly to Penny Lane Auto Group to get it looked over and
inspected. The car needed a new steering
rack, as the bushings were shot ($105 brand new!!) and a radiator cap. We also replaced both rear calipers, four
brake hoses and a couple of Fiat badges.
This was all it needed to turn it into a car reliable enough to be a
daily driver.
At
the time my wife, Kris, who owned and rode a 
Since
then she has entered the car in several shows and took a 2nd place at the MG
club’s Vanderbilt Concours in 2005, a 4th
place in another car show on Long Island, and applied unsuccessfully to
the Greenwich Concours in June of this year (our Lotus had won its class at the
Greenwich in 2005). We bring the car on
a regular basis to the Tuesday cruise night in Oyster Bay and have entered the
car in the Sunday in the Park Concours at
The
X1/9 was built from 1974 to the mid-1980s, but is very rarely seen
anymore. We are constantly getting waves
from people who have owned one, wanted to own one or knew someone who did. It’s a cousin of the Ferrari 308 and was one
of only 7 mid-engine sports cars built in 1978, with five of those selling for
five figures (when the Fiat sold for about $5,000). It hibernates now during the snow and salt
season on
(Kris & Steve, thanks for
another fine contribution! Really nice car – take me for a ride next time!)
Pete
______________________________________________________
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June 2006 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Jun06.html
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August 2006 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Aug06.html
September 2006 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Sep06.html
You
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website.
___________________________________________________
I hope you enjoyed this month’s edition. Send in any comments to newsletter@liclassiccars.com
We would like to start a regular column in
January that is from a female’s point of view. (In other words, we want some chick to write for us!) This column
can be of any topic you choose as long as it somehow relates to automobiles.
Any interested person kindly let us know! The column will be of a quarterly or
bi-monthly nature so be prepared to write several times per year. There are
many ladies out there that love cars, so don’t be shy. Volunteer and have fun!
Put your creative talents to use and let your inner muse out!
Pete Giordano
Long Island Classic Cars.com