The Sofa Swerved Right Into My Lane, Officer:

gball said:
This is in no way a shot at "car guys" as I have a few in my family, but stuff like this reminds me that I really don't care that much about cars and try to spend as little time as possible inside them. I admittedly did at one time succumb to the allure of the the mid-life crisis car, and in a staggering display of cliche I went out about 10 years ago and traded in my very practical and comfortable German sedan for a very impractical and uncomfortable (for someone 6'4" such as myself) German sports car. What a mistake. At least I learned my lesson and only kept it for a couple of years. Now I drive a sub-$20k Subaru and couldn't be happier.
Click to expand...

I am a car nut. My first car was a 1966 Ford Fairlaine GT with a NASCAR Tunnel Port 427 / 4 speed - making 600+ horsepower - totally stock - in factory trim. That bug-bite has never left me...

I have never owned a car with an automatic transmission and passed up several nice cars because of this. My S197 Mustang is by far the most comfortable car I have ever owned. At 6'-3" 210 lbs, I sit super comfortable, don't hit my head getting in AND can drive my S-197 with my Jimi Hendrix hat on.

I have Ford Racing gymkhana suspension, lowered a full 3" and tuned for road racing, with 20 X 10.5" rear wheels shod with 275/35/20 ZR rated tires, 20X9.5" front wheels running 255/35/20 ZR rate tires, 'Super Track Pack' 31 spline differential, into which I fitted 4.30 gears, a full race tune and a hand held tuner that affords me the ability to adjust every parameter on the car on the fly.

with a Tremec TR-3650 5 speed overdrive, I constantly get 25-27mpg on the freeway - 18-20 in town - and a record best of 29mpg on long trips. The 4.6 3-Valve V8 is totally stock internally.

I commute 3-4 hours a day currently. I can get out of this car and I feel 19 years old. In every other car I have driven, including BMW and Mercedes, an hour behind the wheel and I am super uncomfortable...
 
The impact was centered on the lower left corner of A/C condensor/Radiator/Cooling Fan - It basically squashed them together into one unit. This image shows right side.

The Trombone - Style power steering cooler (tube parallel to floor above) somehow escaped damage:

20191216_174107.jpg

Look at the core support - the black, rectangular crossmember at 1 O'clock in the photo below. It's made from layers of 1/8" steel welded together and it bolts onto the front frame rails with four 3/4" bolts. It's not damaged:

20191216_180635.jpg
 
Yargnad said:
You don't know how much I wish I knew what all of that meant.....

My dad was a master mechanic before his health hampered his ability to work in hot conditions and was actually on a few racing crews on the GTP circuit as well as Skip Barber and Panoz. I asked him once the teach me and he said it was a :poo:ty job and he didn't want me to get stuck doing it for life like he did. Instead he got me hook on computers and after 23 years of that, I wish I were a mechanic... at least I would have some skills that are actually useful in this world. Computers, as most modern technology, is garbage - that's coming from an expert in nearly all fields of IT.
Click to expand...

Dad was a NASCAR tech for Panelli Jones/Vel Militich Race Team and it was his 396 CID 'FE' engine that won Riverside in January 1968. I learned from the best, I would say...

Parnelli's Tornio at Riverside California, January 28, 1968 with experimental 369 CID 'FE' V8. Smokey Yunick's Gold & Black Chevelle in the background. The 396 Ford destroyed the Chevy's taking the forst 5 spots for the win....

Parnelli January 28, 1968 Riverside.jpg

Dad's jacket patch:

Vel's Parnelli Team Patch.jpg
 
Last edited:
Robert Herndon said:
Dad was a NASCAR tech for Panelli Jones/Vel Militich Race Team and it was his 396 CID 'FE' engine that won Riverside in January 1968. I learned from the best, I would say...

Parnelli's Tornio at Riverside California, January 28, 1968 with experimental 369 CID 'FE' V8. Smokey Yunick's Gold & Black Chevelle in the background. The 396 Ford destroyed the Chevy's taking the forst 5 spots for the win....

View attachment 35750

Dad's jacket patch:

View attachment 35751
Click to expand...
That place is just up the street from me.
I learned how to work on cars as a punishment for coming in late on Friday nights, lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top