Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

I believe it's any vehicle over 80 inches in width. Trailers included.
Correct. Which is why the Raptor needs clearance lights.
 
I think you guys missed the follow up Mythbusters that showed a cargo net was the best for fuel economy.

I have also seen that manufacturers have experimented with what is a rather large spoiler that folds down, similar to the one CrzRsn posted that is integrated with the tailgate.
 
Link me to that cargo net mythbuster thing. I have a hard time believing that.
 
I think you guys missed the follow up Mythbusters that showed a cargo net was the best for fuel economy.

I have also seen that manufacturers have experimented with what is a rather large spoiler that folds down, similar to the one CrzRsn posted that is integrated with the tailgate.

IIRC, this was later walked back as an instrumentation failure.
 
IIRC, this was later walked back as an instrumentation failure.
Gave it some more thought, and I can see it being true for some those early 90s boxy pickups where aero was not even a consideration for the design teams. Modern trucks are so finely tuned to guide air over the bed as best as possible - from contours of the roofline at the back to the cab to the thickness and slope of the top surface of the tailgate - that there's no way a cargo net will be better.
 
This reminds me of the stupidly mounted 3BL ( :p @CrzRsn ) on the ND MX-5. It's in front of the bootlid, directly behind the roof. Meaning that Mazda actually sells luggage racks to put on the bootlid that have their own 3BL.
On the NC, the 3BL was at the rear end of the bootlid.
 
Speaking of tailgates, GMC has been advertising the hell out of their latest origami design. I can’t help but look at that as a worthless add on that costs $2k to replace when it has something dropped on it or the owner gets hit.


Two things, that oragami thing will get ice in it and freeze everything up. Surely some engineers from Detroit would think of this? Plus, you’ve seen the trucks where the tail gate is curved from having so much heavy stuff smashed on it. This is going to break so quickly however, I don’t know if that type of owner will get this.
 
I was reminded that this was a thing on cars at one point in time. I don;t think I have ever seen a car that actually had that option though.

iu




I wonder if it worked at all.
 
I was reminded that this was a thing on cars at one point in time. I don;t think I have ever seen a car that actually had that option though.

iu




I wonder if it worked at all.

Similar products are still sold today, though they are manually applied. From what I have heard, they do not work anywhere near as well as real chains or cables.
 
That is fairly obvious. It is a weak substitute, to say the least.
 
:D

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Wtf? That's udderly stupid.

Just saw another car with the same stupid implementation.... and it just happened to be another FCA product... the facelifted 2019 KL Cherokee.
 
Rally start in 33 hours.
  • Car... Uh, well, the guys who were building it managed to break the parts car windshield, but they say they have one lined up tomorrow morning and will drop it in, slam it in the trailer and go. And they're an 8 hour drive from the start line.
  • License plate and insurance... They exist.
  • Getting to the starting line... Uh, well, my ride backed out, so I'm trying to arrange alternatives.
  • Packing... I've decided i'll be going with "racing onesie" as cold weather gear because it's thematically appropriate and, honestly, the most insulative piece of clothing I own. Also, a helmet, because this stupid thing has a cage and braining myself on it is not the best idea. Contemplating a HANS because why the hell not.
  • Tools... $35 Harbor Freight toolset procured.
  • Sanity... Missing.
  • Girlfriend... Convinced I'm about to die.

Start rally tied for first (with an LT1 Roadmaster sedan done up Houston Slab style)
Car broke.
Decided to go get my truck and tow it for the rest of the rally because that'd be hilarious.
U-hauled it home. It broke the uhaul trailer.
Transferred it to my truck and trailer. Total power steering fluid containment failure, leading to non-op PS and non-op power brakes (yay hydroboost). On an 11,000lb rig with a trailer. Parked in the middle of the street.
Strong-armed that for an hour to park it somewhere not in the middle of the street.
Assessed what vehicles I own that are road legal and actually operable. Found BRZ and Outback. Dad uses the Outback as his daily, and he has a dog he takes most everywhere, so I should leave that. BRZ it is!
BRZ is about 7000 miles overdue for a 7500 mile oil change.
Change oil.
Hit highway.
Catch up with rally at the Pittsburgh hotel.
Drive a bunch. Ohio River Valley to Lexington. Red River Valley to Nashville. On to Birmingham.
Got insulted at the Lane Motor Museum concours judging when they said the world's highest mile BRZ is no more notable than any random 2009 Camry.
Lose a net total of like 400 points for switching to a reasonable car (the towing extravaganza brought me back up quite a bit)

Not sure where I finished, I assume midpack. The slab took second, losing to a Yugo. Not Mr. Regular's Yugo. That was the black one. The red one won. I'm pretty sure I won the 21st Century Car category, though (that was me, a rental F-150 that replaced a busted AMC Eagle, a Fusion Hybrid,
a Kia of some sort, a Hyundai Sonata.)


Oh, and somewhere along the line I lost my primary credit card. So there's that.
 
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Just discovered the Cleetus McFarland Youtube channel and I've got to say I'm properly enjoying it. Well, I've seen bits and pieces of random videos for a while but I just actually started watching full videos. I'm most of the way through the auction Corvette series and its fantastic.

And so on....


Total buffoonery and its wonderful. And funny enough, I've actually learned a few things watching them.
 
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I watched a bunch of their videos not too long ago, where they bought a wrecked GT500 and swapped the drivetrain into a Crown Vic. It was pretty good stuff.
 
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