Check it out!!!

Well it's been a while!!! I missed talking out my rear and y'all actually reading it. Hopefully I still have some readers left. I haven't had much time to dedicate to this but I hope you keep looking here for new post. My wife and I celebrated a late 15th Anniversary 2 weeks ago. We went out to Southern Virginia wineries, ate at a fabulous restaurant in Halifax, and stayed at a great B&B, which so happened to be located 4 miles from VIR. Now this was not intentional but it was a pleasant surprise. VIR is Virginia International Raceway. We are not talking dirt track or even that group that only turns left. This is an awesome euro style road course in the back country of my great state. In my last blog I talked about cruising. This is an example of a perfect trip. The rolling countryside to the wineries, lovely meal and stay. Then the next morning just a short drive to Porsches screaming past you at 150+. The other great part about the track is we simply walked through the pits like we belonged there, got to see all the cars up close and personal; little to much as we drove in and parked at the pit I had to take some evasive maneuvers around some cars probably worth well over $300k. The atmosphere was very welcoming and you could stand and watch from a balcony, the hardtop, or picnic in the grass. It really have a since of "man I want to race". Knowing that these were not professionals but some just had a lot of loot but we were at the Porsche club race. If an average or below like me wanted to race you could get into this relatively cheap. You might not win but it's still fun. They even have days called drivers education that you can bring anything on the track, you just need a helmet. Needless to say, I can't believe I didn't know about this track. And ladies there is a spa and lodge there as well as euro karts, skeet range, and golf course. Plus there are plenty of great things to do along the way and it's a great rural drive. So I recommend this type of racing to everyone. You get to see real cars that are very similar to the ones on the street so they are easily identifiable. The cost to get in is cheap, $10 on most days. Can you believe they didn't even pay me to brag this place up, I liked it that much. So who wants to sponsor me and the stang to race? Yeah me neither. I recommend checking out the web site for dates of events and pictures. It's www.VIRnow.com. Remember to have fun along the way too so as to sweeten the deal for the ladies.

Cruising

I know I have been slacking but hopefully I still have some readers out there.
I want to hit up another good weather type of car thing, Cruzing! Whether it's 5 minutes or a few hours you need to get that ride out on the street for some enjoyment instead of just a commute. If your like some guys I know you wax that beast you keep under wraps then you put it back in the garage. Get out there and enjoy it, cars are made for that purpose, to drive!
Well there are several types of things I like to do with my rides. Even if you don't have a "cruising" type of auto you can enjoy the scenery or drive to an event. Get out and see your state. Get off the 12 lane monster and take a back road. I love driving to a small destination such as Virginia Diner out past Suffolk. I recommend the peanut or chess pie, there food is ok but the desserts are where they shine! When you have a destination it splits the drive up and makes it a little more about the whole family versus just the driver. A lot of places have car events. You don't have to own a show car to go check it out and they are usually free to spectators. I don't know one person that doesn't enjoy looking at cars at least for a little while. These events can be found right down the road or a day trip away. Some shows include a "run" which means they all meet and drive to the show. This is more entertaining to me because you get to here and see them run and if the PO PO ain't around you might see a little more out of the cars. It's nice to look at the cool rides but even cooler to see them in action. Sometimes if you are at the end of the show you can watch them all leave. In a more rural setting this can lead to some messing around and a few burnouts and side by sides. It's all in good fun and I have never felt in danger at any of the events I have attended. Another great part about car events is you can learn a lot about cars. If you are thinking about getting a project you can get first hand experience and an up close look at possible considerations. Plus you can get a feel for how much time, effort, and expertise it takes to build a work of art.
Another favorite of mine is the cruise to eat! If you know me you know I can pack away the ice cream. So a nice day and a trip to Sonic or Rita's will make the whole family happy. Maybe you drive to the one down the road or take the long way and make that a final destination. There are several car meetings that are at food places. There is always Jenros cafe at Haygood. That has been going on every Saturday for years. A new place out in Chesapeake called Hot Rodders looks promising, they are attempting to rival Jenros for that cruise in diner feel. The Princess Anne Farmers Market has a weekend car event as well. There are lots of little shops there if the family gets tired of the cars. I have been to many car events and have brought all different types of friends and they have never been disappointed.
As far as cruising goes, just get off the beaten path and roll down some back roads. I know its hard to believe there are any of those left in the great metropolis of Hampton Roads but here are a few spots I like to drive. I grew up in Blackwater and that still has plenty of back road left. You can take Blackwater road or any of the side streets and make it as long or short as you want. There is also the drive to Knotts Island and taking the ferry across; my kids had a blast on that one. The drive to Munden Point Park is great and there is a fun destination. There are so many more all over the place, just look at the map and get off the interstate.
As far as cruising to show off, I don't do that to much anymore but I am sure the Ocean Front is still a place to go, just remember the cruising law (read the signs). Any big event will have tons of people if you are trying to display your pride on wheels. Don't forget Strawberry Fest is coming up and the Chesapeake Jubilee, you will have plenty of time to show off what you have sitting in traffic. As for me I prefer a more low key, relaxing time. So if you need any tips, hot spots, or a cruising buddy let me know and if you have any great spots or events coming up please let us know.

Summer Is Coming!!!

Well it's almost that time again. No matter what you drive your enjoyment will increase if it is clean. If you are an enthusiast, summer means not filling your wash bucket with hot water so you don't freeze washing your ride in January! Either way this is the season that starts those feelings of wanting to get out and drive. Whether it's a road trip, cruising, or the all American Sunday drive, most will spend more time in their cars during nice weather.
I have some tips and some of the ways I do things for getting your ride ready for summer on the CHEAP. Now I am not talking dollar store cheap. You have to spend a little to get a quality product that last. Which should save you money and time in the long run. For instance a good quality wax should last several months.
So what do you use to clean your auto? My Dad used dish soap; I guess he didn't like the wax to stay on the car! My parents both only washed their cars every 6 months or so. This leads to more time spent trying to scrub off the prehistoric bugs and sap that is now part of the automobiles structure. All the sap and bug removers I have tried will NOT take off bugs that are 6 months old on an un-waxed car. Elbow grease and maybe some WD-40 might work. As gross as this sounds I use my fingernails because the scratches left behind can be repaired with wax.
If you want a ride that not only shines but is easier to clean and withstands minor environmental hazards you need to protect it. Start with a thorough cleaning with a good automotive soap that reduces water spots and residue. I use Turtle or Mcguiars products, they seem to be reasonably priced and you can catch them on sale at most of your local stores. I have used the Gold Class and with all the hard water here and my black cars it still cuts down on the spots very well. It won't strip your wax either which prolongs the life of your paint product; so save time and money.
After the bath you need to dry it. Water and wax leaves an annoying mess to clean up. I have owned an Absorber since 1997 and it still works like a champ. Easy to clean and soaks up way more than that old piece of leather your parents used plus mine is 15 years old. I sometimes take a little drive to get the water out of the nooks and crannies too. Nothing more obnoxious than water streaming down from a side mirror into your wax that is supposed to set up.
Now if your ride has a lot of scratches or door paint from that jerk in the parking lot or if it just doesn't look clean, especially white cars, I have used Mcguiars Cleaner Wax. I have used this to get stubborn bugs, sap, mold, and whatever else you can think of off of all my rides. For anything you can't remove with cleaner wax you can try rubbing compound or a clay bar kit. I have used Mcguiars Ultimate Compound and Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound. The Mcguiars is more forgiving and less abrasive so you don't have to be as careful. You can really screw up your paint with these products so read the directions carefully and do a little at a time. Matter of fact, ALWAYS try any product for the first time in an inconspicuous, small area.
The Clay Bar will give you a glass smooth finish and take oxidized paint off. Nothing's perfect and if your paint has been neglected too long you might be calling Maco instead.

After it's thoroughly dry, ready the muscle and "wax on wax off Daniel San". I have used almost every wax on the market so here goes the list, cause its critical! If you aren't going to remember to wax your car often then I recommend Nu Finish, lasts a good 6 months but its comparatively hard to work with. I have had several Jeeps with black trim, for that I used Turtle Wax Ice. It will not leave white on your trim...which looks like crap. Now on my 2 black cars I use Mcguiars NXT. It really brings out the deep black color and shines like a champ. Don't fall for the "black wax", I don't think it makes a difference.

I also have used plain Turtle wax which is fine but a little hard to get off. I prefer the paste over the liquid but this Tech Wax only comes in liquid and its great. Easy on and off, save some elbow grease!  Some diehards only use real carnuba wax. This is due to it is very natural and 40 years ago the finish on a car was very different. So if you have a 63 Ferrari with original paint you might want to get the good stuff. I apply the wax by hand with an applicator sponge and use a powered random orbital buffer to ease removal. I used to do this by hand but good gravy it takes a while if you use a thick wax. Trust me the $30 is worth it for the buffer. I don't recommend a circular polisher unless you have experience. You can literally burn your paint off.

Of course if you clean the paint and the all the trim looks like poop then you will be disappointed just the same. If you are going to do the job go all the way. For all my rubber and plastic I use F21. I use it from my dash to the tires, just make sure you use a different rag! It doesn't add that gangster shine but it brings out the color better, last longer, and doesn't collect dirt like the Afro sheen tire goop.

I haven't owned a vehicle with chrome on it until now. I have seen several polishes used. A polishing ball will definitely help. They usually go on a drill and cut way down on polishing time. I have heard Flitz is a good polish. Just make sure you get the right product for the metal you have and the finish that is on it. Leather can be treated with the F21 but I would recommend a leather conditioner although most "leather" is not real now a days. The carpet in your ride can be treated just like the carpet in your house and the fabric upholstery like your couch. Don't buy off on the auto carpet cleaners, it's all the same. Definitely get a small wet/dry vacuum so you can clean all those nasty spots like the hole full of pine straw and dirt in the front door jamb. If you neglect these spots plan on treating rust in the not so distant future. I also use my shop vac for sucking the water out of nooks before I wax. After all is said and done you have an automobile that will be more enjoyable to drive, have a higher resale, and be easier to clean next time. If you use a product or technique to clean something on your ride please share with us in the comments.

Now that it's clean my next write up is on cruising, so get ready!

Whats up...

It's been a while since my last post, so sorry to my loyal fan base for leaving y'all hanging. I am still processing the few comments about what to do with the Bronco I just bought. Most said to fix the mechanical things first but check this out, I will get the bodywork done with the money I have saved. Then I will fix things it needs with the un-budgeted funds because my wife won't let it just sit broke; genius!
Well enough about that. What is up with the price of cars these days? I am not that old and the cost has increased dramatically in the past 20 or so years. I know that the price of everything is up but cars seem to have surpassed the cost to income ratio by leaps and bounds. For instance a 91 Mustang 5.0 cost about $15k new but I just bought one for $2600. A new Mustang 5.0 (yes they brought it back) base price is $30k. So in 21 years it doubled in price. Some other things have gone way up as well, such as gas...that kind of goes hand and hand, especially when we're talking cars with V8's in them. A dollar and fifteen cents for a gallon of regular gas in 1991. It's about $3.85 or more now. That's worse than the cars but we will stay on subject.
So if the price of a car doubles in 20 years but then decreases about $2000 as soon as you buy it and $600 per year all you can hope for is it keeps running till you pay it off. Then if you keep it in really good shape for at least 25 years hopefully the value will start to go back up if you bought a desirable ride.
Another issue is the crushing of cars. If you don't have a "restore worthy" ride the manufacture of new parts for your aged auto will soon fade away. I have a 1999 Mercury and needed a tail light, needless to say they do NOT manufacture this part any longer so I had to get it from the salvage yard. So, you could imagine a car from the 80's that you wanted to keep running, instead of putting yourself in debt, would be even harder to find parts for. Oh and thanks for the "cash for clunkers" Obama! All those great cars crushed and more people in debt for a car with a little better mileage. So now I can't get as many parts from salvage for my Bronco or Mustang but they are desirable so there is an aftermarket for them. There will not be an aftermarket for 1999 Mercury Villagers, trust me. My point is the market and Government has driven people to buy new cars and the difficulty of repair has made a lot of people scared to keep these new cars past warranty. So if you are a manufacture with a long warranty your smart. The average age of cars on the road is 10 years which is a record high because the economy has tanked. You companies that took bail outs can kiss my butt, lower your prices because a clunker trade in can't save the world from exuberant prices.
My advice is never buy new! I would like to see these big companies lower or sustain their prices for at least a decade. The government puts all these gas mileage restrictions which sound great for the environment but the bottom line is they mandate and we pay for it in research, technology, and retooling. We don't need a new model every year and we are not going to make up the difference in gas savings while paying a $500 car note. All the while your new ride is wearing out and depreciating. I'll stick with what I have! The government puts regulations on fuel prices so why not step in on all the other expenses we have?

What's Next?

I just brought home my new to me 93 Bronco. It needs a little work but is definitely drivable. So I am tossing around a couple of ideas of where to start fixing this beast up. My wife says I should take it to the body shop first and get it looking sharp. I don't want to be that truck on the side of the road that people drive by and say, "that looks so nice I wonder why its broke down?" This was the original plan, my better half said I should at least have one ride that looks decent. All in all it needs at least a grand in cosmetic work, including a few missing body parts from www.lmctruck.com, and that's a cheap estimate if you have ever priced body work.
So that will eat up all of the funds I presently have. There is also the maintenance list; not as fun but necessary. So a tune up (cap,rotor,wires, and plugs), brakes (rotors and pads), fluid changes, and repack or replace bearings. All this comes to about $500 in parts and that is using Summit Racing parts. www.summitracing.com really offers inexpensive solutions to after market performance. Kind of like buying generic at the grocery, just as good but a 1/3 of the price. So already have stuff picked out I just have to pull the trigger and then find time to install it all.
I definitely want to replace everything with factory looking parts that offer a higher degree of performance. This is what I did with the Mustang. I used several Ford Racing parts, mostly purchased from Summit. These look factory, they are not some bright gaudy color that doesn't match the rest under the hood. They do offer a significant performance increase. For instance my Ford Motor Sports water pump is natural aluminum but flows 40% more than stock.
Of course I want to modify it some. I don't want to go to crazy with lift and tires. Probably just stick with 33's on factory wheels. I could use some new motor parts that increase mileage and horse power. So the big question is where to start? I would love y'alls opinions...well I think I do.
What would you do to the Bronco first? What type and size tires? What improvements, mods, or general maintenance would you start off with?
So far I love driving this SUV, it handles like a truck but it's a nice ride. Plenty of room and it's a V8 with a manual shift 4 wheel drive. Everything you NEED and no gadgets that get in the way.
So let me know, if you had a $1000 to spend on your ride what would it be?

Read the fine print...

Just got my new title and registration for the 93 Bronco I bought from my cousin. Yes, I finally found a 4x4 I can live with...well I hope so. My cousin, who owns his own shop out in Pungo, was gracious enough to sell it to me even though he wanted to drive it for a while. He is the type that gets autos and fixes them up while he drives them then sells it for profit. He rebuilt the tranny and went through the rest of the truck to make sure it would be some what reliable. The Bronco spent it's life mostly in Texas and California so the only rust on the truck are two small spots on the tailgate, which is typical for Broncos. This was the main draw to the vehicle and a fresh transmission all for $2500. That's a lot better than the rust buckets I have been shuffling through for the past 6 months!
Now for the interesting part of the transaction. Most people that have bought used cars have had a similar situation as this. I pay my cousin and he hands me a title...from Texas. This is pretty common with people that buy and sell a decent amount of vehicles. Why spend the time to title it when you are going to turn it over. So he got it from a guy on a trade that bought it from the title holder and none of them titled it. I am now 3 people removed from the name on the title. Technically this is illegal but that is because VA wants their money. You don't need to track a car that isn't on the road. There is a down side to the removed ownership purchase. That is if there is a discrepancy with the title. Wouldn't you know it there was, it was signed in the wrong spot.
The limited transaction DMV at the court house was my first stop. No line! This was a good start but short lived. The woman at the counter said "oh, he signed in the wrong spot. I can't help you, try the full service DMV." After I got off work I went to the full service and waited about 45 minutes just so the lady at the counter could tell me, "you have to get the seller to make an affidavit saying he signed in the wrong spot." Of course I ask, what if I cant get a hold of him? It has been a year since he sold the vehicle to the first buyer. So what your telling me is I have a vehicle I cannot register if I can't get this guy to send the affidavit? The response was less than helpful. Needless to say I went home pretty upset.
So I prayed after my awesome wife saved me from a breakdown and found the guys number on the Internet. He was still in the area, this was rare considering he is an officer in the Navy. God willing he was more than helpful and faxed me the paper work I needed. Third trip to DMV was a success and now it is officially my new ride. My wife can rest a little easier now that I am not out looking for the unicorn.

Jesus take the wheel...please!

A couple of years ago I noticed an ad for a Volvo that depicted a couple wanting to get somewhere before it closed. The jerk driving the car is not paying attention and just weaving through traffic, a lot like VB. Anyways long story short, his car tells him when he is about to rear end someone because he is driving too fast and not paying attention. He avoids the accident and they get their hotdogs in time. That is worth risking the lives of people who didn't get to choose whether you got a drivers license or not!

Well this seems to be a trend now and even Ford has sensors all over their cars to remind you that you are driving a few ton piece of metal down a road full of people at probably around 60 MPH! Oh, don't forget the cars that brake for you so as not to interrupt your text or shuffling through your playlist to find that sweet new driving song. Someone I work with told me when she is in her $60k Benz the wake up assistance always goes off when she is texting. This is due to the detection of swerving!

This is no new thing. There has been talk of cars that drive themselves for decades. Ever since autopilot the industry has been figuring out ways to remove the driver from the equation. Human error leads in car accidents, even if it was a mechanical failure it was probably due to poor maintenance practices. The busier our lives get the more we try and make up time in transit. But you wouldn't want the bus driver to be texting his girlfriend and eating a donut while you were on board. What makes this same person feel they have adequate training to drive and do these things without causing a wreck. Notice I did not call it an accident beacause it is NOT! Accidents just happen and could not have been avoided.

I feel that driving is a privilege and an experience but adding electronics to counter act the electronics we use to distract us is never good. There have been several advances in vehicle safety where electronicly controlled is the way to go such as ABS (anti-lock brakes), traction control, anti roll midigation, etc. Even a novice driver has a better chance at avoiding or at least reducing damage of a crash with these items in place. This beats the good old days of locking the brakes up and sliding 500 feet and hoping you could maneuver well enough to go around whatever you were about to hit without rolling over. I have driven both new and old. For driving experience I enjoy the old, for transporting my loved ones or commuting to work with all the distracted drivers I prefer as much safety as I can get.

I know we all make mistakes, I have made more than a few. I really try and pay attention to driving and driving alone. Driving is the most dangerous thing we do unless you swim with sharks in fish underwear. So why do so many take it lightly, at least til it's too late? I witness the same people speed past my daughter and I every morning at the bus stop. My little girl told me of how a driver tried to go around the bus stop sign and her friends mom yelled at the driver. Too bad there isn't a braking system to stop cars when that stop sign comes out. I know you say "how could they not see it or just disobey it" but what is the difference between that stop or the one that we all roll through every day? We think its clear from our precise judgment? Fact is, the quick look doesn't always see. People respond to consequences just like children. If you drive to work running lights, speeding, etc. You will most likely do it until you get a good ticket or are in a crash. I am guilty of some of these violations as well. I say we need to get up a little earlier and drop some extracurricular stuff so we don't have to rush so much.

As far as the car electronics go I say more power to them! People are going to not pay attention and drive like jerks anyway so maybe these nuances will give me a fighting chance. If they aren't going to see my daughter crossing the road maybe their sensor will and stop the vehicle in time. Although this is still dependent on the electronic sensor telling the computer which tells the brake controller which applies the brakes which slow the rotation of the tires which contact the ground.

Lets just hope the maintenance was preformed on this vehicle!

Good luck out there, a lot of airbags wouldn't be a bad idea either!