Where It All Began.

The other day I took a trip down memory lane and tried to remember my earliest automotive memory. I recall my dad using the swing-set in our yard to hang the rear end of his VW Beetle from when he replaced the motor. Apparently I wasn't yet a fully-fledged automotive fan, as this seemed like a rather grave injustice, and a serious misuse of a father's veto power over his kid's toys.

Another early memory was that fateful run down 'The Hill' (pause for dramatic effect) near my house with my cousins in my pedal car. Each excursion was more elaborate and complicated than the last, and the culmination was certainly the time we strapped a kid-sized wooden airplane swing onto the top of the car (a wooden copy of a Ford Model T my dad made by hand) and went flying down the gravel road at over 100 km/h (probably closer to 2 km/h)... with catastrophic results!

I was the driver, and take full blame for the accident. That said, the car was more adapted to boulevard cruising than a Baja off-road adventure, what with its 1/4 inch thick wooden disk wheels (a fan belt nailed around the circumference gave some pretense of adhesion, but it was more for show than anything). The steering was a little tricky too, as you turned right to go left and left go go right, and all of this was compounded by the extra 50 pounds of plane swing strapped to the top. It was an impressive prototype vehicle, to be sure, but the trial run would be its first and only.

The sun was beating down as we pushed that monstrosity to the top of 'The Hill'. Ah, that hill. It made Pike's Peak look like a speed bump. The air was thin near the top, but we kept pushing. A little known-fact is that there was a fourth member that day, a cousin named Aaron. Conspiracy theorists have gone wild over the years, with many claiming that the youngest member of the group (he was around four years old at the time) was never even there that day. But he was, and he was installed in the back seat of the airplane, ready to make history with the rest of us. Unfortunately, just before take-off his flight approval was revoked (when his mom drove by and yanked him off his seat and asked us if we were nuts; she gave us full permission to kill ourselves, but not her youngest son before nap-time).

At the top of the hill we turned the car around, pointed it down the hill, and climbed into our positions (me in the drivers seat, Josh in the back, and Matthew on the top, in the plane). With little ceremony, I released the emergency brake (lifted my feet off the ground, Flintstones-style), and we were off. We were thrown back into our seats as the breakneck acceleration got us up to maximum velocity in a split second. Mathew (the navigator, on top) yelled out directions to guide me ("Okay, no cars coming!"), while Josh (the systems specialist, in back) kept me updated as to the critical operating parameters ("I can't see anything!"). Everything was a blur, and I must have blacked out, because the next thing I remember was the car careening off the road towards the ditch. An experienced driver, despite my young age, I expertly counter-steered out of the skid to regain traction, and hung out the rear end to force the pedal car + plane hybrid into a well-controlled power slide (which is to say I held the steering wheel straight and screamed like a little girl).

Alas, I was not able to recover. We bent the laws of physics, but they snapped back, and the car hurtled off the road, coasting silently through the air in a cloud of dust and gravel. The Ford logo on the front of the pedal car hit the pine tree squarely, several hundred feet (maybe more but probably less) above the ground, and the front beam of the car snapped. In the blink of an eye it was over. But it wasn't really over, no...

Matthew, on the top, was hurtled through the air in spectacular fashion, getting 'big air' (that's kid lingo for a jump) before landing several hundred metres (or was that centimetres?) away on a pile of branches. When asked about it nowadays, he gets a far-away look in his eyes, as he thinks back to those long minutes (milliseconds) soaring through the air. He will tell you that he saw his life flash before his eyes, just before his military (GI Joe) training kicked in and he pulled himself into a full tuck position, enabling him to perform an expert barrel-roll thrust-kick manoeuvre to soften the blow and come to a textbook landing in proper crouched-commando position (he landed like a sack of potatoes).

As for me, it is a miracle that I am here today to recount this harrowing tale. I braced for the impact, powerless to do anything. My body slid forward on the plastic seat, and I felt my face contact the steering wheel. When the car came to a stop and the wheels stopped spinning, my first thought was for my fallen comrades ("Oh crap, dad is gonna kill me!"). I looked down to the steering wheel and saw a drop of blood (real blood!). I felt my lip, and there was another drop. Knowing that I only had moments left before my body emptied itself of its blood, I was determined to first save my cousins. I managed to extract myself from the twisted, mangled wreck using some superhuman force I summoned from within (or in simpler terms, climbed out the window)...

I saw Matthew off in the distance (two feet in front of me) where he had landed, and he came and joined me. We knew that Josh didn't have much time left, stuck in the back (he really had to pee), so we forgot our own injuries and tended to him.

Jammed in the rear rumble seat of the Model T, Josh was unable to extract himself from the horrible wreckage. The sturdy cables (twine) holding the plane in place had loosened after the intense impact, and his exit path above his head was blocked. If I recall correctly, he was stuck back there for several hours (minutes), crying and wailing (laughing) due to the agony of a broken leg (he bumped his knee). With the jaws of life (a jackknife), we were eventually able to extract him from the carnage. He put on a brave face, but an experience like that changes a guy, and he was never the same afterwards.

We stood silently looking at the scene of the wreck as the dust settled around us...

It was a long and solemn walk back down to my house (approx 1 minute and 10 seconds), knowing that we had come within an inch of our lives. Luckily, both my father and my uncle were there, and we stumbled over each other trying to find the words to explain our harrowing adventure, though I don't think that we were ever able to fully explain the gravity of that day to anyone ("So you goofballs strapped the plane to the pedal car and crashed it into a tree?"). Our physical wounds eventually healed (my lip stopped bleeding, Matthew got a band-aid on his arm, and Josh took a pee), but the emotions of that day marked us for life.

It has been over 20 years since I have told this story, which has become a family legend. Some of the details have become murky, but it is a timeless tale that needed to be told, and it is one of my oldest and most powerful automotive memories...

EDIT: Thanks to my little sister for finding and sending this photo, one of the few of the infamous green Model T pedal car in action...

Also found picture proof of the misuse of my childhood swing for automotive purposes...

Ford: Aluminum Can.

Automakers have all been asking themselves the same question lately: what magic bullet can help us meet ever-increasing fuel economy standards? Ford's answer? "Aluminum can."

There are many different solutions to reduce fuel economy. Aerodynamics, engine design, improvements in fuel quality and composition, fuel sources, vehicle size, to name a few. Another very important factor is vehicle weight, and Ford has been working hard to pull a maximum of weight from their biggest seller, the F-150 pickup truck.

The most popular vehicle in the US for over 3 decades now, the F-150 is a common sight all over North America. The full-size pickup truck is a North American particularity, as most other regions in the world make do with either smaller pickups, or forego pickups (with an open bed) entirely and use instead vans and wagons as utility vehicles.

Rumours have been circulating for some time that Ford was seriously studying replacing significant amounts of steel in their trucks with steel, and apparently it's going to happen. The next F-150 has been shown at the 2014 Detroit North American International Auto Show, and it has been reported that close to 750 lbs (340 kg) have been shaved off, which represents nearly 15% of the weight of the current truck. The improvement in fuel economy will be drastic.

Aluminum has several significant advantages to steel (including weight, corrosion resistance, and formability), and has already been used in the auto industry (the F-150's current hood, for example, is already made out of aluminum). Where Ford is going to meet resistance is with the traditional pickup truck buyer who associates aluminum with soda pop cans, aluminum foil, and other light, flimsy uses. Ford markets their trucks under the "Built Ford Tough" slogan, and are really going to have to make en effort to prove that their new lighter trucks are as tough as ever.

My current job is in the automotive industry with a company that makes aluminum parts (heat exchangers), so it's easy to understand why I find this news so exciting. I touch aluminum every day, and know its strengths and weaknesses. Technically speaking, aluminum does corrode, actually faster than steel. The advantage of aluminum corrosion (aluminum oxide) is that it forms very quickly and in a thin, tightly-adhering layer, which then acts as a barrier to further corrosion attack in wet and salty environments. Steel corrosion (what we typically call rust) is loose and voluminous. It easily flakes off the surface of the metal, and allows further corrosion to remove more material until you have a hole in your fender, for example.

While the resistance of aluminum to corrosion is a big plus, it is not without complications. Salt (like you find in the air near the sea or in places that salt the roads in winter) in the presence of water accelerates corrosion in aluminum. So does the presence of another metal, such as steel. If a future F-150 owner were to, for example, use steel rivets to attach something to the side of their truck, the steel would provoke very rapid corrosion in the adjacent aluminum. As a result, the paint on the new F-150 will be an integral part of the trucks corrosion defence system. Ford has been studying and testing aluminum parts for years and years with major aluminum suppliers, and I have no doubt that they have worked all of these bugs out, but it will be interesting to see how the trucks will hold up over time.

I applaud Ford for their bold gamble, and I look forward to seeing one in person. Lets raise a can (aluminum, of course) and cheers to this automotive revolution!

What's Long, Grey, And Rear Wheel Drive?

Recently I wrote about a 505 sedan for sale nearby, a long and low 1980s sedan from Peugeot, a rare rear wheel drive model from a company known for its small front wheel drive econoboxes. This roomy, comfortable car would make an excellent touring vehicle for long-distance trips.

Peugeot 505 story... 

Sifting through some old pictures I have, I came across ANOTHER car that fits the same description: a rather under-powered, large, 4-cylinder sedan with a manual transmission on a rear wheel drive platform. No sporting intentions, just a simple, down-to-earth spacious family cars with seating for five and a big trunk for luggage. To make the comparison complete, this car was grey, just like the 505!

It was a Ford Granada, a model that was sold in Europe from 1977 to 1985. I found it for sale on the same website as the 505 almost a year ago. At the time I had called and planned to go see it, but it sold before I got the chance. While more potent V6 and diesel versions did exist, this specific model was a sedate 1.6 litre 4-cylinder gasoline engine version. It DID have a manual transmission (4-speed), which is a big plus to me.

These two vehicles appear to my eyes to be very comparable, and to be sure I threw together a table comparing some of the major dimensions. It turns out that the Granada is actually a fair bit larger, even if it's a bit lower than the 505. They may pale in comparison to the size of American sedans from the same era, but for Europe, both of these were definitely not the average family car you saw parked in every driveway.

While not everyone is going to agree, I find something very appealing with these large 80's touring machines. I think that before I plan my next big road-trip I really need to pick something like this up.

Does anyone know of any other cars of this type from the same era that were available in Europe? I'm always glad to learn about old cars, and would be glad to discover some other LGRWD wonders!!!

An Odd Way To Even Things Out.

Just a few weeks back the government announced that the speed limit on the Boulevard Périphérique (the 'peripheral' ring-shaped highway that encircles Paris) would drop from 80 km/h to 70 km/h. The goal of this drop in the speed limit, which has been studied for years and tested on certain stretches of the boulevard since 2011, is to reduce accidents and lower noise and air pollution. It would seem the results are positive, as, since January 1st, 2014, the official speed limit is 70 km/h.

While a car fan rarely approves of the tightening of speed limits, in the case of the 'Périph', it really doesn't make all that much difference, as the amount of traffic on this very busy road will make even 70 km/h hard to attain.

A different proposal being studied for Paris drivers is much more problematic for motorists. The law being considered (apparently similar laws are being studied on other European cities as well) would effectively cut in half the number of cars on the road on any given day. Vehicles with odd-numbered licence plates would be allowed to drive on, for example, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while those with even-numbered plates would be allowed to drive on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Feel free to take a moment and let that sink in. Try to picture planning your daily commute to work, a trip to the grocery store, dropping the kids off at the pool, an emergency run to the hospital, a surprise call from Grandma who needs a ride to Bingo... basically, any of the dozens of reasons you might want to use your car at any given moment if you can't use your car half of those days.

Few people would disagree that limiting traffic and the resultant pollution and accidents and headaches is important, but I simply can't see how this could work. At all. In certain cases it would push people to carpool with coworkers, but not everyone has the chance to easily take advantage of such a situation. Ever-climbing housing prices in Paris (like in most major cities) push people further and further outside the city, into the suburbs, with often limited public transit options. And for those lucky enough to live near a train or bus route, there's still the over-crowding that already exists on many routes to contend with.

Many argue that two-car families will simply make sure that they have an odd and even-numbered car, or will arrange to borrow the opposite-plated car from friends and family to be able to drive every day. There's no question that this plan would reduce the number of cars on the roads, but at what cost? The gain is clear (less time wasted, less pollution, potentially fewer accidents), but what about the loss? Will businesses and companies suffer if employees and customers can't easily get to where they need to go? Will the cars kept off the roads on certain days simply be replaced by other cars that have the correct plate for that day? Will an influx of taxis cancel out the reduction in cars every day.

It's a potentially messy situation. I will be watching closely to see if this plan gets put into law. For now I will concentrate on keeping my speed below 70 km/h, and worry about which days I'm allowed to drive when and if it happens.

Highway To Heaven.

 

A little automotive joke to end the year...

 

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A car fan dies, and before getting to Heaven, finds himself in a line at the Pearly Gates. He sees the people in front of him being handed car keys. When he gets to the counter, Saint Peter looks at a list and hands him a set of keys and says "Ford Escort".

 

"Why do I get such a cheap old car?" he asks.

 

"Because you cheated on your wife ten times" was the response.

 

"But why does that man over there get a Mercedes Benz?" he asks.

 

"Because he only cheated five times."

 

"And the guy with the Ferrari?"

 

"He never cheated on his wife" replied Saint Peter.

 

A short while later the man is driving down the Highway to Heaven in his Escort and is passed by the man in the Mercedes. Shortly after the Ferrari driver whizzes by. A few kilometers later the man sees the Ferrari pulled off to the side of the road and the driver leaning over the steering wheel, crying. The man pulls over and walks up and taps on the window. The Ferrari driver opens the window and the man says "Why are you crying? You're driving a Ferrari!"

Sobbing, he replies "Because I just saw my wife drive by in a Lada!"

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Happy New Years everyone!

Snow Day!

While most car fans are happy when the roads stay dry and clear all year round, as a Canadian who grew up with a white Christmas every year, I sure wouldn't mind a few flakes. Winter just isn't the same without a bit of snow, but with 10 degree weather and sun in Paris today, I think I'm going to have to accept that it's just not going to happen.

But that's okay, because I was taking a peek at a bunch of old photos and came across a few of my cars in various winter scenes. For some reason I like seeing a car in the snow, and I'm always sure to grab a photo. Since I didn't have a white Christmas this year, I'll have to enjoy the old photos of past cars playing in the snow!

There's the Fiat Multipla rental I had when I first arrived in France years ago... for those that don't know the Multipla, all I can say is that it's better that you CAN'T see what it looks like as it's a pretty hideous beast! This picture was taken in the Swiss Alps after a trip to the Geneva Auto Show in 2006. It started to snow the Saturday afternoon, and I drove until I couldn't drive any further and stayed overnight in a great old hotel in the mountains. This is what I discovered the next day!

Here is a picture of my Daewoo Nubira, this time on the French side of the Alps. I took it near Albertville on a ski trip, in 2007 or 2008. I pulled off the winding road to snap some pictures of the beautiful scenery, and then turned the camera on the Nubira. It was not much more attractive than the Multipla, but I have a soft spot for unattractive misfit cars it would seem!

Two years later a different car, a different mountain range. It was after a trip with two family members into the Pyrenees mountains for another ski trip... over 1000 kms and 12 hours with two very jetlagged people who couldn't believe I was going to force them to go so far in so little car! But we made it and had a wonderful roadtrip thanks to the always-entertaining Peugeot 104 Style Z coupe!

And the last, my lovely Citroen GSA parked quietly in front of the house after a rather big snowfall just before Christmas 2011. The GSA was a formidable snow machine, especially when it got deep and the hydraulic suspension was set to 'high' mode. I recall searching out snowdrifts to blast through that day...

Even if I didn't get snow for Christmas it's fun to see these pictures again and remember the fun I've had in the snow with my various gone but not forgotten cars!

Kid Toys For Big Boys.

Talk about the perfect ride for the old and young car fan in all of us... it's a full-size, fully-functional Lego car! For as long as I have been a car fan I have also been a Lego fan, and spent hours of my childhood building cars out of my coloured bricks. I never had quite enough Lego to do what these guys did though:

The creators built this car out of more than 500,000 pieces of Lego. And as if that isn't cool enough, the car runs on compressed air! It may not yet be ready for high-speed use, and I cringe at the thoughts of the crash-test results, but it's a very impressive engineering exercise. Several companies are currently investigating the potential of compressed air as a future source of energy for cars, so this isn't JUST a toy.

Check out the following website for plenty of pictures and more details on the project:

The 'superawesomemicroproject' website

Well done guys, the adult car fan and child Lego fan in me thank you for creating something they can both enjoy! And with Christmas only a few days away, those still scratching their heads over what to get me just got a little hint...

What Would I Buy Today?

It has been ages since I looked up old cars for sale. It used to be that I would look several times per week on a website called "Leboncoin" (translated into English it means 'The Good Corner'). This website is THE go-to place in France for used car listings. The site isn't specifically automotive; you can sell anything you like, but their car, motorcycle and related equipment sections are very popular and very well set up to make searching easy.

This morning, the first morning of my Christmas vacaction, I got thinking about how I hadn't been back to Leboncoin for a while, so I thought I'd do a search for something fun. Despite my never-ending desire to buy another old car, it really isn't an option right now, but I figured it would be fun to take a peek and see what, if I really was buying something today, I would pick.

Didn't take very long. The website is well organised, and it is easy to search either by keyword (name, make, model, etc), or by many of the drop-down lists (age, price, location, engine type, etc). An expert of the site, I know exactly what I'm looking for... I limit the age to 1990 and older and pick vehicles in my region... and even if it's fantasy time, I also have a realistic side, so I stick a 2500 euro cap on it.

(EDIT: The link no longer works; it would seem the car was sold)

Four pages of cars. I scan through quickly, as I go with my gut and want something that catches my eye. And one car does. It's a 1989 Peugeot 505. A long low sedan, it was Peugeot's last RWD car and produced from 1979 until 1992. To my eyes it has a profile as attractive as that of a Jaguar XJ of the 80's and 90's, with the cabin set far back on the chassis and a long hood and trunk that taper gently before dropping off abruptly.

This version, the SX model, is equipped with a 2.5L diesel engine and 5-speed manual transmission. Far from the sporty, powerful GTD version with its turbocharged 2.5L engine, this pedestrian example is more of a casual weekend touring car suited for lazy drives through the countryside. Still, it appears to be very clean, at least on the outside, and with only 153,000 kms (barely broken in for an 80's French diesel!), it most certainly has many good years ahead of it.

And while I am quite fascinated by this car, I saw a few others that also caught my attention... I think I need to drop by 'The Good Corner' more often!

EDIT: A friend with a great automotive website I've already mentioned (www.testdrivejunkie.com) just posted a picture of a great 505 Turbo ad on his Facebook page... glad to see I'm not the only one who likes these cars!

https://www.facebook.com/testdrivejunkie

A Euro Ford To Get Excited About.

 

Big news for sports car fans, Ford is FINALLY bringing their iconic Mustang to Europe! No more back-door importers cutting holes to jam in side marker lights, or swapping in coloured turn signals, or riveting licence plates into spaces never designed for them. Ford has redesigned their 6th generation, 2014 Mustang as a true world car, with Europe in mind from the beginning.

Varying automobile standards around the globe (such as crash tests, headlight and taillight specifications, and safety equipment, for example) have made it difficult for an automobile manufacturer to design a car for one market and later try and introduce it in another. A car well suited to the US, for example, won't necessarily cut it in Asia, just as a car certified in Europe might not pass the test for South America.

This was the case with the current Mustang. As with every previous Mustang, the US domestic market was all that mattered when it was designed. That car was and still is a success, but when it came time to plan the 2014 version, Ford had bigger ambitions. Having a car dependant on the US market is a dangerous proposition... if that one market shrinks, there is no way to boost sales elsewhere to compensate.

Starting next year Ford will be playing in a much larger sandbox. Europe's weak economy is certainly not an automaker's golden ticket, but a car as unique and legendary as the Mustang will certainly be able to gallop its way into the market. Studies have shown that the Mustang nameplate is one of Fords best-known names even in countries where it has never officially been sold. That's a huge plus for an automaker, as getting a new car onto the radar of new car buyers is a huge, costly struggle.

For as long as it has existed, the Mustang has found its way to Europe by way of import companies or private citizens who have imported the cars on their own (such as American military stationed on bases in Europe). This is a very pricey option, however, and results in a very expensive Mustang.

The other sticking point until now has been the engine displacement. Some would argue that the only true Mustang is the one with a 5.0L V8, but an engine of that size is hugely taxed by European governments keen on pushing people into low-displacement, economical cars. When the average car engine is somewhere below 2.0L, the tax rate on a 4.6L V6 or 5.0L V8 is prohibitive.

It seems that Ford was really willing to do what it takes to help the Mustang succeed in Europe, as they have included a 4-cylinder option for the first time in over 20 years. This 2.3L Ecoboost turbo engine will put out more than 300hp, so while the reduced displacement will help tax and insurance rates, the power is still there to make this one respectable ponycar.

Looks are subjective, but I think that this new 'Stang is a knockout. It's got the creases and bulges to prove it's a sports car, and the clean, sleek profile to help it fit into parking lots filled with BMW and Mercedes and Audi coupes, the go-to brands for Europeans looking for a sporty ride.

I really think that Ford has something hot on their hands. In the very least it will continue the success it has always known in the US... but it will also be a truly unique, stand-out option in Europe, and I suspect that it will redefine the sports car market there over the next few years.

 

A Car Guy With Heart.

And here I thought that I was the biggest car fan around! Turns out I'm not, not by a longshot. A certain Cort Stevens, who I have not yet had the pleasure to meet but have exchanged with for years, outdoes me big time. He is the creator of one of my favourite Facebook pages, 'Old Cars, Strong Hearts'. Cort himself posts plenty of photos and stories, but he also lets page members post their pictures of old cars and advertisements and toys, and even shares ads for cars and parts for sale.

Click here and 'Like' the "Old Cars, Strong Hearts" page!

I get a real kick out of the mix of automotive wonders he posts, from old American classics to quirky Japanese sports cars to unidentifiable European oddballs. If it's car-related it's allowed, and as a result you never know what you're going to find. There are great sites out there for specific types of cars, but none are quite as good at showing such a broad range that will appeal to your typical old car fan.

When I first got to know Cort he was a massive Chevrolet Monte Carlo fan, and had owned many of these legendary RWD coupes. 'Monte Carlo' may evoke images of a rich, sunny gambling paradise to Europeans, but a tried and true North American gearhead knows that it's the name of a large traditional sports coupe from the 1970's and 1980's.  While he still has a Monte, these days he is more of a Chevrolet Caprice Classic fan, with a 1979 sitting alongside a 1989 in his garage. The Caprice is a legend in its own right, and is the kind of roomy RWD landbarge cruisemobile that is no longer built.

(As an aside, I personally have a troubled history with the Caprice... it was my dad's 1988 Caprice Classic station wagon, kitchen-appliance white with a burgundy interior... sitting in the rearward facing third row of seats, watching the road roll out from underneath the rear window and trying not to throw up... but I digress...)

For those that don't eat, breath and sleep cars, Cort likes to share his vast musical knowledge too. He regularly provides 'CD Showcases', with links to great old songs that one can easily imagine blasting while out on a roadtrip. Many of the songs are well known, but quite a few are true hidden gems that I only discovered thanks to the 'Old Cars, Strong Hearts' page.

Ah yes, the heart. This is the part that makes this online group even more special. I don't know all of the details, and wouldn't dare try to tell his story, but Cort is quite open about the fact that he has been through multiple heart surgeries. He recently posted a story on his 'OC,SH' page about a fellow heart-surgery friend who passed away last week. It was a touching tribute that spoke of their meeting as Cort enjoyed the experience of a lifetime, a "Coast-to-Coast" roadtrip across the US in 2011. What better way for someone who loves cars, and music, and people to spend their time than driving across the country in a car he loves, music blaring, meeting dozens of people who share his passions and trials and joys?

Cort, if ever you want to get some attention, ship your shiniest Caprice over here and organise a European roadtrip! I guarantee that you'll turn some heads, and I'd be more than happy to join you for the ride. I'll drive and you can be DJ! And that's at the heart of being a 'car guy', right?