Category Archives: Editorial

The Death Of Visability And The Age Of Driving Blind

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1985-mercury-sable-rearAll modern cars seem to be burdened with the task of keeping their occupants safe at all costs.  Which is a good thing, because all modern cars are impossible to see out of.  High beltlines create a claustrophobic sitting-in-a-bathtub feeling, and impossibly huge C-pillars bring visibility to near zero.  To me this is a chicken and egg situation.  Is it better to drive a tank with its hatch shut or actually see what you are doing? Continue reading →

What’s the Deal with JDM Badges?

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jdm-badges-acura-nsxI have noticed that a lot of drivers in the import car scene like to re-badge their vehicles with emblems from the Japanese Domestic Market.

Acura NSX change theirs out to Honda NSX, since they don’t have Acura in Japan. Some Lexus drivers do this with Toyota, although they did start selling Lexus-branded vehicles in Japan in 2005. Nissan 350Z drivers rebadge their cars as Fairlady Z. Here’s a Pontiac GTO driver who re-badged his car as a Holden, as they are sold in Australia.

I want to ask every one of these people: what satisfaction do you get out of doing this?

How can you slap a Honda badge on your Acura NSX because it’s “more authentic” but overlook the fact that the steering wheel is still on the left hand side? Have you already done every other mod to your car and just couldn’t think of anything else to do? I just don’t understand the motivation behind putting JDM emblems on your US-spec car. Maybe it does something for you, but I find it utterly silly.

Hot Rods vs. Rat Rods: What’s the Difference?

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hot-rods-vs-rat-rodsTwo of the most popular types of custom cars on the road are hot rods and rat rods. To a non-car person these vehicles may look similar, but to the trained eye, there are some key differences between the two. The purpose of this article is to give you the knowledge to identify which type of car you are looking at.

Let’s start with the similarities: both hot rods and rat rods are NOT supposed to look like factory original, production cars. Continue reading →

UK English to US English Automotive Dictionary

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With the prevalence of satellite TV and streaming shows online, it is now possible to see TV shows from beyond your own country’s borders. In England, TV shows like Top Gear and Wheeler Dealers appeal to petrolheads of all ages, and they are growing in popularity with American audiences.

However, British people use some pretty different terminology than Americans when it comes to automobiles. Therefore, I have come up with a list of translations between UK English and US English.

UK English / US English

aluminium: aluminum, a lightweight and non-ferrous metal used in the construction of automobiles

bonnet: hood, a hinged panel which covers the car’s engine

Continue reading →

The Presidential Limo Did Not Simply Bottom Out In Ireland (Cadillac DTS)

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A few years ago there was a popular video making the rounds.  Maybe you’ve seen it, maybe you haven’t, if you haven’t here you go.

It seems pretty obvious what happened, after the BMW 7 Series scrapes out President Barack Obama’s limo takes a stab at it and completely bottoms out, more or less disabling itself.

Well, that’s not what happens at all, at least in my opinion.  Have a look at the wheel gap of the front wheels, the car is completely laid out.  I have scoured the internet looking for answers and some of them are pretty far fetched about what actually happens. Continue reading →