Automotive Tips & Tricks: Suggestion #2

Coming from a guy that has been on fire more times than I’m willing to admit… (when I was young and foolish of course.)

The Automotive lesson today is:

“Always keep a fire extinguisher, water hose, and / or a 5 gallon bucket of water nearby when you are playing with fire & sparks.  Fire gets out of control faster than you can yell “denim inferno”, so always look around at your surroundings before sparking up the torch or turning on the welder.”

What Do Old Chevy Truck Models Names Mean?

Last Wednesday, we talked about Curb Weight, GVWR, GCWR, GAWR, payload capacity and how “tonnage” slang terminology is not reality.  Now, let’s put all of that great knowledge to use by deciphering the name’s of old Chevy truck models and old GMC truck models.  The automotive slang is in quotes for your reference. To determine which truck you have, just look at the 5th digit of the VIN number.  This is the digit of the VIN that tells you the series of the vehicle. Interested in learning more about deciphering your vehicle’s VIN number? For Chevy and GMC full size trucks built after 1980, it will be C, K, R or V.  Oooooh, a secret code? Read on…

Fix old Chevy truck models yourself with quality auto parts at 1aauto.com
Read More

Gas Prices: Anybody Else Notice The Sneakiness?

It didn’t really hit me until this weekend, but I think gas prices have been sneaking their way back up again.  Those little rascals….  According to Gasbuddy.com, we are currently averaging around $3.00 per gallon for regular gas in the US.  While that certainly isn’t as bad as the $4.00 per Gallon in 2007, it is not as nice as the wonderful days in mid-2008 when we were dancing in the streets over the sub-$2.00 gas average.  It definitely makes me consider creating an 87 octane tune for my truck so that I can run it on 87 whenever I want to be cheap, and then swap to 93 when I want to force 25 psi through it. Is it summer yet?

What are the gas prices like where you live?

Graph Picture Credit:

GasBuddy.com

Ford Truck Names: What the Heck Do They Mean?

Earlier this week, we talked about Curb Weight and payload capacity and also how “tonnage” slang doesn’t really apply any longer.  Now, let’s put all of that great knowledge to use by deciphering the name’s of Ford, Chevy, and GMC trucks.  In this article, we’ll focus on Ford, which is a bit easier to understand than our earlier post on Chevy truck names.  For your reference, the automotive slang is in “quotes.”

Ford Truck’s

F100 Truck = “1/2 Ton”
(1953-1982) 4000-5000 GVWR

F150 Truck = “1/2 Ton”
(1975-Current) ~6000 GVWR. The F150 started life as a heavy duty alternative to the F100 (“Nicknamed the “Heavy Half Ton”, it was allegedly intended to dance around new emissions regulations.)

F150 Truck with “7700” Package = “1/2 Ton” Heavy Duty
(1997-04) 7700 GVWR

F250 Truck = “3/4 ton”
(1953-1999) 8500 GVWR

Read More

How Can Such A Little Subaru Handle So Much WIN!!

subarusamvarvan_1

It would be untrue for me to say that I don’t need a 1970 Subaru Samvar 360 Van in my life in a big way.  A fellow Subaru enthusiast passed this eBay listing over to me (Item # 250742053151) because a car soooo spectacular obviously deserves to be put on a pedestal in public view. Just look at how ridiculous it is!  I’m not sure if it belongs in the circus, on the grass at the Concourse D’Elegance, doing AWD turbo time trials up Pikes Peak, or hanging the front wheels while burning nitromethane at the drag strip.   The possibilities are endless!   Could this Samvar actually Read More

Automotive Tips & Tricks: Suggestion #1

The Automotive lesson today is:

“When using a DVOM (Digital Volt Ohm Meter), don’t put your finger on the backside of the wire that you are stabbing into.  There is a 102% chance that you will stab yourself in your finger. Anybody that owns a multimeter has done it….. and it hurts…. every time.”

Also, I took this picture by myself, without a timer or tripod. Think about that for a moment.

Totally Gross: Vehicle Weight Ratings 101.

GVWR

Half ton, one ton, three quarter ton, etc…  The funny thing about tonnage ratings is that they are still thrown around today but were only really accurate up into the 1960’s.  Since then, “tonnage” has become a slang way of separating the light, medium, and heavy duty truck models. Back when tonnage was accurate, it was a measurement of the truck’s Payload Capacity.

Payload Capacity = Passengers + Cargo weight. This means the weight of the people, gas, beverages, rocks, mud, and yes even the pet raccoon that lives under the seat. This does not include the weight of the vehicle or any sort of towing number nonsense.   In a perfect world……

1/2 ton truck = Safely carry 1000 lbs of people and cargo

3/4 ton truck = Safely carry 1500 lbs of people and cargo

1 ton truck = Safely carry 2000 lbs of people and cargo

Unfortunately, those ratings have become vague guidelines on all trucks newer than the 1960’s. Read More