The Car Thread ... !

[0388631]

lol... Yes, I've heard of a Ford Taurus. I've never heard of that particular V6-powered monster. I've yet to see one on the road in So Cal.

Ah, the SHO? Yeah, those are "rare." Specifically that not many are willing to spend $42,000+ on a Ford. Which is in line with Chevy SS in terms of price, with the latter being slightly more expensive. Though you see the same issue with the E300. About $53,000 starting with a 4-cyl. engine. It's been a poor seller here with the E43 being the logical step up or the E400 Coupe. I'm not sure what MBZ was thinking about when they delayed the E400 powerplant to not be available in sedan form for a year or two.

 

[elf69]

@bunnspecial I'm not technical with the carbs so I honestly do not know what it is.

I have about 90% finished body work.
I'll see if can get up more photos weekend.

I'm saving it as only 3 made to this configuration! (only 2 known survive today)
All numbers match and even all the glass is original with matching numbers.
All original running gear in it and auto box still smooth as ever before we took it out to paint engine bay.

 

[44267547]

lol... Yes, I've heard of a Ford Taurus. I've never heard of that particular V6-powered monster. I've yet to see one on the road in So Cal.

The Ford Taurus SHO is the high-end performance car from Ford of the Taurus line. They are rare on the roadway, which is one of the reasons I opted for this car, because I tend to opt for vehicles that many don't have.

It's a twin turbo charged 3.5 L V6 (all-wheel-drive) direct inject engine with a 6 Speed transmission, with Manual paddle shifting capabilities. My specific Performance model produces approximately 400 hp with a tune and will outrun most cars on the roadway today. It's also classified as the 'ultimate sleeper.'

As far as what this car has for options, it's fully loaded and competes with a five series BMW in terms of the interior, with a Sony sound system and touch capacitive controls. It even has built-in massaging seats as an option if one wanted it.

What I really like about this car aside from the raw performance, is its extremely comfortable to drive-in and and it's a big and bold car, which has a fairly commanding presence.

[doublepost=1508403170][/doublepost]

Ah, the SHO? Yeah, those are "rare." Specifically that not many are willing to spend $42,000+ on a Ford. Which is in line with Chevy SS in terms of price, with the latter being slightly more expensive

The SHO is Indeed Rare (Which is why I like it). Ford does not market it at all, but given the fact like you stated, it's a performance car that's likely not in the price point range of many consumers today. For every 50 Ford Tauruses I see on the roadway, I would say approximately one of them might be a SHO.

As far as the Chevy SS is concerned, that's actually been discontinued as of recent.

 

[D.T.]

The Ford Taurus SHO is the high-end performance car from Ford of the Taurus line. They are rare on the roadway, which is one of the reasons I opted for this car, because I tend to opt for vehicles that many don't have.

What I really like about this car aside from the raw performance, is its extremely comfortable to drive-in and and it's a big and bold car, which has a fairly commanding presence.

View attachment 726165

Nice photo! That would look amazing dropped about 1.3-1.5" or so, looks like Eibach and H&R make a kit 🙂 Maybe a 5-8mm spacer 😀

 

[elf69]

OK so my classic 1972 Vanden Plas Princess.
If you really wanna see some project shots...

We bought this from eBay. it had little to no interest and I got it cheap.
If not sold it was destined for the scrap yard 🙁

Gladly we got it and I'm happy.
So we picked it up and here is what it looked like.

[doublepost=1508412339][/doublepost]So we get it back to the workshop...

The start to pull it apart and see how bad it is, oops...

 

[Hater]

Guess I should chime in here...

My E21 I've owned since early 2013.

I bought it off the second owner, who fitted the suspension and wheels.

It's currently off the road having some body work done (damn rust) but it's also had the standard suspension and wheels refitted, the lowered look was fine for a few years but I am over it, so am returning the car to standard.

Also looking for something else to work on, currently in the market for a tatty 993 911 if anyone sees one, I don't want a good one, I want a neglected one I can pull apart.

Ah Vanden Plas's.... my mum had one as her first car, but it was the one based on a Mini...

Edit: Nope I'm wrong, it was a Riley Elf

 

[elf69]

Then lets start the repairs....

new metal on left hand made repair panels...

both sides...

Sill comes off

arch on other side rotten too.

trumpet repairs...

more as we go one but my dad to been best health so work stopped for now.
We 80% finished body repairs then strip off old paint and repaint.
[doublepost=1508412670][/doublepost]

Ah Vanden Plas's.... my mum had one as her first car, but it was the one based on a Mini...

one based on mini as in the riley elf or wolseley hornet?
I run owners club website for those cars and own a 1969 riley elf.

 

[Hater]

I run owners club website for those cars and own a 1969 riley elf.

Yuh the Elf, your username confused me, but now it makes sense!

 

[elf69]

lol.

yes it's my handle on almost every forum I use!

 

[duffman9000]

I see so much work to do there lol. Work or beer, work or beer? The choice is obvious.

 

[0388631]

Anytime is appropriate for Beer O' Clock, except work and whilst driving.

 

[D.T.]

The choice is obvious.

It is ... BOTH. 😀

 

[elf69]

I do not drink (alcohol) so slightly more money for the car!

I have a donor car, a 1966 austin for parts.

 

[D.T.]

I do not drink (alcohol) so slightly more money for the car!

If we cut out alcohol, I'd already have my supercharger 😀

In smaller purchases news: got a couple of new leather pieces in today. Nice, high grade, perforated leather shift and e-brake boots. 😎

 

[elf69]

this weekend I'm planning on doing similar to this in my 2001 tiburon

Photo not my car.
Got nice big cone filter, but got another one on order as one I got not great.
This SRI should give me better fuel economy at cost of top end as it taking in warm air not cold.

Will do cold air when can fabricate pipe to avoid my auto gearbox cooling pipes!
The kit I got is for manual and will not fit 🙁

 

[duffman9000]

I used to have a 1968 Dodge Dart, but sold it when I went to college. The slant six threw a rod so I replaced it with a V8. The drum brakes were terrible so I replaced them with disc brakes. The rear end was puny so I swapped that too. And larger rims and tires and blah. After all that I learned a cold, hard, truth and the reason why I would never own an old car anymore: it was still an old car.

And don't get me started with points. The inventor is surely in hell.

 

[bunnspecial]

And don't get me started with points. The inventor is surely in hell.

The guy's name was Kettering 🙂

If you want to start a flame war, go on the MG forum and ask about replacing your points with an electronic module.

BTW, for anyone who detests points, there are electronic options available. The most common and least expensive option(common enough that you can buy it across the counter for a lot of common distributors at auto parts stores) is the Pertronix. It's a hall effect sensor with a magnet ring that fits on the center shaft. They're around $100 and entirely contained in the distributor, although they have their downside. There are more complex and expensive options. I ran a Pertronix module in my MG for a while, although I don't anymore.

My biggest issue now is quality of points and condensers. I buy them from a guy in Minnesota who rebuilds Lucas and Bosch distributors, and works over the points and condensers before he sells them. They're a bit more expensive, but not by a huge amount.

Granted I now run a "hybrid" system where I use points to trigger a capacitive discharge ignition(CDI). Since the points are only an on/off switch in this system, the only wear is between the rubbing block and the cam. The system intentionally runs ~500mA through the points to keep them clean, but you don't have the 300+V at a couple of amps as in a Kettering system-that's what chews through the tungsten sputtering(which, by the way, is often inconsistent or too thin on modern points).

 

[duffman9000]

The guy's name was Kettering 🙂

If you want to start a flame war, go on the MG forum and ask about replacing your points with an electronic module.

BTW, for anyone who detests points, there are electronic options available. The most common and least expensive option(common enough that you can buy it across the counter for a lot of common distributors at auto parts stores) is the Pertronix. It's a hall effect sensor with a magnet ring that fits on the center shaft. They're around $100 and entirely contained in the distributor, although they have their downside. There are more complex and expensive options. I ran a Pertronix module in my MG for a while, although I don't anymore.

My biggest issue now is quality of points and condensers. I buy them from a guy in Minnesota who rebuilds Lucas and Bosch distributors, and works over the points and condensers before he sells them. They're a bit more expensive, but not by a huge amount.

Granted I now run a "hybrid" system where I use points to trigger a capacitive discharge ignition(CDI). Since the points are only an on/off switch in this system, the only wear is between the rubbing block and the cam. The system intentionally runs ~500mA through the points to keep them clean, but you don't have the 300+V at a couple of amps as in a Kettering system-that's what chews through the tungsten sputtering(which, by the way, is often inconsistent or too thin on modern points).

I replaced my Dart's points with electronic ignition lol. My dad's late 70s Honda CVCC also had points. Oh the wonderful feeling when your car dies on the side of the road late at night.

 

[bunnspecial]

one based on mini as in the riley elf or wolseley hornet?
I run owners club website for those cars and own a 1969 riley elf.

You're doing some amazing work.

I'm an MG guy at heart, and I wouldn't mind an MG 1300(I think that's the same basic car, isn't it?).

With that said, though, if I added an MG saloon to the garage what I would REALLY want would be a Magnette ZA.

On the auto box thing-I got into a discussion last night with someone on automatic MGBs. I knew they weren't super common, but I dug through Clausingers "The Original MGB"(the definitive reference on MGBs, MGCs, and V8s) and found the numbers listed. The number of LHD units, which presumably went to North America, was somewhere around 200. For a car with a total of 500,000, that's mighty small-it makes cars like the US 74 1/2 GT(1274) look common.

Auto MGCs-particularly GTs-are actually a decent bit more common. I've driven an auto MGC GT, and it makes a nice cruising car. MGCs already have a very different "feel" from Bs, and I feel like the auto is nicely suited to the relatively sedate driving experience compared to the B.

 

[2298754]

https://www.consumerreports.org/car...ion/car-brands-reliability-how-they-stack-up/

New rankings out for 2018

Toyota/Lexus at the top as usual

Cadillac and GMC right at the bottom 😳

--
https://www.consumerreports.org/car-reliability/10-least-reliable-cars/
https://www.consumerreports.org/car-reliability/10-most-reliable-cars/

Least

- Camaro
- GLC
- F-Pace
- Acadia
- 500
- XC90
- Focus
- Fiesta
- Escalade
- Model X


Most

- Kia Niro
- BRZ/86
- Lexus ES
- Lexus GS
- Audi Q3
- Toyota RAV4
- Lexus IS
- Toyota Prius V
- Toyota Prius C
- Infiniti Q70

 

[duffman9000]

https://www.consumerreports.org/car...ion/car-brands-reliability-how-they-stack-up/

New rankings out for 2018

Toyota/Lexus at the top as usual

Cadillac and GMC right at the bottom 😳

Damn it lol. I’m liking the looks of the new Cadillacs to one day replace my Audi A4. I’ve put in 40k in my A4 and so far nothing major (keeping my fingers crossed).

 

[bunnspecial]

And, on a somewhat related note, I did actually more or less finish ONE of the carbs that's going on my MG while the originals go off for rehab.

Most of what I did was cosmetic(they were pretty grungy) but what prompted me to dive into doing a pseudo-rebuild was a leaky gasket at the base of the float bowl where the jet connects. I actually don't have that fixed yet-I'm still trying to get the old gasket out. I did do new needles, seats, and floats along with several other gaskets. I also "blinged up" the dash pot dome.

Also, take note of the throttle disk. The rehabbed one has a solid disk, while the other has a poppet valve in the disk. The poppet valves are an emissions control device that keeps the mixture from going rich when the throttle is snapped shut.

Unfortunately, the springs lose tension and the valves start to leak all the time.

Many folks will solder them closed, but that doesn't fix one of the other major issues-you still have the valve stem and spring right in the air path.

So, all said and done, installing solid throttle disks is most certainly a sound decision IMO.

Also, at the top end, the engine is SEVERELY restricted in its ability to breath. Changing the cam along with a port and polish(these are old sand cast heads-they actually have a lot casting flash and imperfections that can can be smoothed out to make a real difference) certainly helps this, but intuitively I suspect that removing a big obstruction in the air intake will as well. I've not seen published figures, but I suspect that ditching the poppet valves may be good for 1-2HP-not much but every little bit helps on an engine with this little power.

 

[0388631]

I'm more surprised people think Chevy's testing of that mid-engine car will turn out to be a Cadillac.

 

[elf69]

@bunnspecial after all the hard work so far I may be forced to sell the 1300 VDP 🙁
Yes you are correct in that the MG1300 is same as the Austin 1300 bar slight body changes.
BMC was good at badge engineering back in the day.

The magnette is very nice, but If I had to choose an MG.... the Magenta.
Almost bought one but at time it needed work and I needed car on road.

I am a fan of the ADO16 (1100/1300) and ADO15 (mini) cars.

 

[D.T.]

And, on a somewhat related note, I did actually more or less finish ONE of the carbs that's going on my MG while the originals go off for rehab.

Most of what I did was cosmetic(they were pretty grungy) but what prompted me to dive into doing a pseudo-rebuild was a leaky gasket at the base of the float bowl where the jet connects. I actually don't have that fixed yet-I'm still trying to get the old gasket out. I did do new needles, seats, and floats along with several other gaskets. I also "blinged up" the dash pot dome.

Nice cleanup and polish work! Obviously, the part has to be functional, but I do love a little engine bling 😀