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solvegas

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #30 on: April 08, 2013, 12:25:19 AM »
Me, too. It's what Jay Leno does with NBC's money.


Yes, I enjoy his articles in Popular Mechanics. NBC is run by morons which is why they are dead last in broadcast ratings. They'll regret what they have done to Jay.

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pedonbio

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #31 on: April 08, 2013, 03:45:16 AM »
Yes, I enjoy his articles in Popular Mechanics. NBC is run by morons which is why they are dead last in broadcast ratings. They'll regret what they have done to Jay.

Solvegas, we both know that tv executives are all given an I.Q. test, and anyone scoring normal or above is eliminated.
Someday, chi1dren, this entire fuck-up will be yours.

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Eliza D

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #32 on: April 08, 2013, 08:17:16 AM »

The Karma is 'electric' in much the same way the Chevy Volt is electric: electric motors drive the wheels, but power from the battery pack is supplemented by a small, raspy gas engine/generator (which I believe comes from GM as it happens, and is the source of some of the criticism the Karma's received). The Model S is a 'pure' electric like the Nissan Leaf or Tesla's earlier roadster: nothing but batteries.
  


I'd forgotten that there's plug-in hybrid model for the Karma.  Don't think I'd feel comfortable in a battery-only car. I like the idea that if the car runs out of power, that I don't have to be towed someplace for a recharge, but can "simply" put a gallon of gas in the tank and go.

E.L. was, of course, responsible for the Cord. They were pretty advanced for the mid-1930s:

Cris loves that coffin-nosed Cord.  Was front-wheel drive, wasn't it?
It's all about the fantasy...
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solvegas

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #33 on: April 08, 2013, 11:35:32 AM »
Cris loves that coffin-nosed Cord.  Was front-wheel drive, wasn't it?

Yes and, considering it had the drivetrain in a conventional layout, is why it's so long nosed.

Solvegas, we both know that tv executives are all given an I.Q. test, and anyone scoring normal or above is eliminated.
 


No kidding. I used to love the History channel but lately it's Pawn Stars and it's derivatives and dramatizations with tenous historical background. What happened ? Well, CBS bought the channel and ruined it.  :'(

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Eliza D

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #34 on: April 08, 2013, 12:35:46 PM »
^We were just talking to Cris' kids about that the other week and they said that there is a new show on History called "The Bible" which is actually good and not a reality piece of crap.

We checked it out, and for the most part, it's not bad.  So, at least, there's ONE show.  Otherwise, I'll check out History International.
It's all about the fantasy...
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pedonbio

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #35 on: April 08, 2013, 05:50:34 PM »

Cris loves that coffin-nosed Cord.  Was front-wheel drive, wasn't it?

As sol said, yes, front wheel drive. Also, hideaway headlights, and a few other developments that wouldn't come back for 40 years or so.
Someday, chi1dren, this entire fuck-up will be yours.

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Eliza D

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #36 on: April 08, 2013, 11:03:10 PM »
Also, hideaway headlights, and a few other developments that wouldn't come back for 40 years or so.

Except, perhaps, in dreamcars, like the '37 Buick Y-Job.
It's all about the fantasy...
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solvegas

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #37 on: April 09, 2013, 01:34:04 AM »
Another thing the Cords and Duesenbergs had was inline 8 engines. So did Buicks of the time. Why ? Because an inline engine is inherently smoother because the torsional forces and the firing sequence makes for a smoother engine. This puts less vibrations to the car frame. The disadvantage is packaging. The V configuration engines will require less space in the engine compartment. But those cars had the styling to pull it off anyways. Also, in the 20's and 30's Cadillacs had V-12 and, in the Fleetwood Phaetom Royale a V-16. When Al Capone had a armored car built it was the Caddy because the engine was strong enough to move it at a decent speed.

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Tugboatcap

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #38 on: April 10, 2013, 12:05:15 PM »
The biggest reason you didn't have V-8's in all the cars back before 1934 is that no one could cast one in one piece.  All the V-8's, V-12's and V-16's prior to Henry Ford's 1934 Flathead were cast in multiple pieces; 2 piece crankcase (left and right side), 2 in-line cylinder assemblies that bolted to the crankcase halves and 2 heads and all of those had to be machined to fit one at a time and then bolted all together.  They were very expensive to make and machine. 

Ford motor company was the first to successfully cast a V block in a 1 piece casting as a production engine.  In-line 8's could be cast in one piece fairly easily and were much cheaper than the multi-part V-block engines of the time. 

It took several years before any of the other auto makers mastered the sand casting techniques Ford pioneered that allowed for an easy and economical one piece V-block casting.

Tugboat"I have a love/hate relationship with the Ford Flathead V-8's"Cap!
TugboatCap!
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Palomine

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #39 on: April 12, 2013, 03:15:14 PM »
I'd forgotten that there's plug-in hybrid model for the Karma.  Don't think I'd feel comfortable in a battery-only car. I like the idea that if the car runs out of power, that I don't have to be towed someplace for a recharge, but can "simply" put a gallon of gas in the tank and go.

I may be mistaken, but IIRC the Fisker Karma is ONLY available with the 'range-extending' generator (a four cylinder GM gasoline engine). I also think all models of the Karma are plug-ins too. The difference between models seems to basically provide a bigger battery pack for longer electric-only range, just as in the Tesla Model S (3 models with bigger batteries/pricetags).

What you refer to is often called 'range anxiety' ...the base models of the Karma and Model S, as well as much less costly true-electric cars (no gas engine/generator... just batteries that are recharged primarily by plugging the car in) such as the Nissan Leaf and the Coda and the (relatively awful) Mitsubishi i-MiEV can all comfortably go between 75 and 100 miles or more on a full charge (except in very cold climates) which is generally enough for most daily drives for most people most of the time (which is fine... many electric cars are 'second cars' for families who also have a gas car for interstate travel). I don't know the claimed vs actual ranges for some of the newer true-electric cars such as the Honda Fit and Ford Focus/C-Max/etc... but being able to get close to 100 miles per charge seems to be the minimum range that companies feel consumers will expect.

The Volt (both the current version and the upcoming version) as well as the Cadillac ELR (a Volt in a fancy suit) have shorter electric-only ranges due (in part) to the fact that they're carrying around gas engines and fuel tanks.

Added later: only semi-related: the upcoming BMW i3 which looks like a goofy, oddly-proportioned little hatchback but apparently drives exactly like a BMW (which is to say: very well in terms of steering, acceleration, brakes, etc...) IS an example of an all-electric car (which is how it comes standard) that offers the option of a 'range extender' (a gasoline motor to act as a generator)... in the case of the i3, it's supposed to a two-cylinder (?) motorcycle engine. The i3 is currently the electric vehicle that is most interesting to me (even though it's not quite out yet)... I've seen it at car shows... nothing much to look at, but if it drives as well as journalists say it does... ;) 
« Last Edit: April 15, 2013, 09:42:38 AM by Palomine »

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Eliza D

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #40 on: April 13, 2013, 01:57:11 AM »
^You're probably right, Palomine.  I think what I'm recalling was future plans for an all-electric version.  Can't remember where I heard that, either from the woman at the Fisker booth at last year's NY Auto Show or in their promo video.
It's all about the fantasy...
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luvdemwhoppers

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #41 on: April 14, 2013, 05:17:59 PM »
if it don't burn rubber, I don't want it
I'm walkin' here

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gOOber

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #42 on: April 14, 2013, 06:59:59 PM »
The perfect car for going 200mph on the autobahn.
....rejoicing in the fullness thereof....

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luvdemwhoppers

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #43 on: April 18, 2013, 05:50:31 PM »
hammer down cobra 427
I'm walkin' here

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Eliza D

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Re: Cars I'd Like To Know
« Reply #44 on: April 19, 2013, 11:11:02 PM »
The perfect car for going 200mph on the autobahn.

How much is a Veyron goin' for these days, gOOb?  About 2 mill a pop?
It's all about the fantasy...
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