The steamer is the granddaddy of all engines, dating back some 2,000 years. All of the earliest “cars” were steamers, and the golden age of steam cars in the teens and twenties resulted in some fabulously refined vehicles. The Stanley was very successful and set the world speed record in 1906 that was only broken recently; and the ultimate development, the highly refined Doble, created a legend. The advantages of the steam engine are the ability to burn almost any kind of fuel, generate maximum torque at starting rpm, no need for a transmission, and the ability to power the loudest of horns. There have been numerous attempts at automotive steam engine revivals; but their many downsides have relegated them to the obscure pages of wikipedia: delay in getting up a head of steam, bulky condensers, oil contamination of the steam, inefficiencies, etc.. But Cyclone Power Technologies has been developing a radical update on a compact, efficient, eco-friendly steam engine. Before we dismiss it as more hot vapor in our usual dismissive TTAC manner, let’s take a closer look first: (Read More…)
Today’s Bobcat CC tends to reinforce the image of Eugene as an insane asylum refuge for the disaffected, eccentric, permanently drugged, but artistic and creative goof-balls of the world. Well, that’s largely true, and it sure keeps things interesting. But the reality is that there are two Eugenes: south of the river and north of of it. That’s a slight over-simplification, but you get the picture, here: just imagine that the yellow line between the Charger SRT and the Datsun 710 is the Willamette. But there are circumstances that cause the two sides to intermingle, like this little parking lot behind an accountant’s office. Guess whose car is the accountant’s and whose is his patchouli-oil scented assistant’s? Another perspective to assist your efforts after the jump. (Read More…)
I promise that this will be the last Bobcat post on this Bobcat Thursday. I can only take so much of the seventies before giving myself stomach malaise. But all this Volt jingle business brings back that wonderful era when no self-respecting car ad was without a sick-making jingle, like this Bobcat gem. I tried, but failed to find a Bobcat dance routine; Sorry.
Pictures tell a thousand words, so these are going to spare me some. What more could I say anyway? More seventies-era glamor, pick-up mobiles, and drag-racers’ favorite funny cars follow: (Read More…)
My gig is to wander the streets of Eugene and hopefully stumble onto something worthy of your attention. Sometimes, my wildest expectations are exceeded, and then exceeded again. Walking down Willamette Street, I see the distinctive rear hatch of what I take to be a Pinto. Nice enough. But no, this is a Mercury Bobcat; quite a find in this day and age. I start snapping away. And then the owner shows up and tops it all: he’s converted this Bobcat to a steam injection system of his own invention, and it’s going to pull twelves in the quarter mile and get 75 mpg. Incredible! (Read More…)
Lets get back to some grilling. Here’s a nice set of bars, but are they actually metal? Tuesday’s Datsun 510 was picked up by ktm; congratulations. I know that at least one of you faithful CCCluers noticed tha the Datsun I used in the story didn’t jive to the Clue. Just another way to throw you off the scent. Wait a minute; that doesn’t make sense. It’s been a long day. Happy Cluing!
It’s getting late in the game today and we’re down a couple of points, so its time to go for a double. Thanks to an easy pitch from the UK government and AutoBlogGreen, I’m going to swing. The Nanny State Incarnate is encouraging local UK governments to introduce blanket 20 mph speed limits in all residential area. And ABG picks up the story from Autocar and adds its own little brilliant addition to the story: its going to save fuel. Now how is it that a writer for the biggest little green blog in the land doesn’t know that cars are way less efficient at 20 mph than at their peak efficient speed of somewhere between 35 and 50? And there’s more; in fact this might well be a triple: (Read More…)
Earlier today in my Celica Supra Mark II CC, I lamented about not buying a Supra instead of the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe I impulsively bought in 1983. How about you? With the benefit of hindsight, which one specific car purchase would you do over? What did you buy, and what should you have bought instead?
Wouldn’t it be fun to be able to go back in time and make different choices about the cars we bought? As I sit here and contemplate the qualities and my memories of the Mark II Supra, I ask myself just what the hell I was thinking when I bought that ’83 T-Bird Turbo Coupe instead of a Supra? Don’t remind me; it was in a moment of typical youthful impulsiveness. The Supra had it all over the noisy, thrashy, live-axle T-Bird: a silky-smooth DOHC inline six, more horsepower, IRS, four-wheel disc brakes, and Toyota’s superb build and material quality. Live and learn. (Read More…)
Having worked at a Japanese language tv station in LA in the seventies, I developed an early appreciation of their commercials. Here are a couple of Datsun ads highlighting the Blubird/510. The first one parallels the flying theme of my CC, and the second one, after the jump, shows off the coupe version, which sadly was never exported to the US. Shades of the Volt dance. Enjoy! (Read More…)
There were three key ingredients that that made the Datsun 510 fly: the BMW 1600, “Mr. K”, and a certain sharp rise taken flat-out on Bunker Hill Road.
The Prius’ organically shaped battery vent was recognized by rwb. Congratulations! Now lets move on to a different body part, the A pillar. Does this one look familiar, or does it just seem that way, or are you seeing things? Wild guesses are good, so don’t be shy.
Toyota’s Supra had a rather linear evolution, unlike the Datsun/Nissan Z-car, which lost its way and re-invented itself how many times? Starting out as a soft-sporty coupe with a lazy six borrowed from Toyota’s sedans, it became distinctly sportier and harder-edged with each of its four generations. The final iteration, the turbocharged Supra gen4, has become the stuff of legends and tuners, as in this recent TTAC review. We’re going to take a look at the first three generations this week, so things may start off a little slow, but should be moving pretty quickly by Friday’s wild-looking yellow gen3. Stay tuned! (Read More…)
Recent Comments