Category Archives: Automotive

Automotive, Weapons

Glock vs the 911

30 Comments

Most guys are comparing the Glock to the 1911.  I’m going to compare it to the 911…


For the last 40 years Porsche has been remaking the same design and calling it brand new, and the fans have been lapping it up and eagerly await the next version. Those on the outside look at it and see that it is the same thing.  The engine was misplaced, tacked on the rear like an afterthought outboard motor.  Every one is waiting for Porsche to scoot it in a bit to improve the car’s balance.
Glock only comes out with a new gun when someone makes a new caliber… In the twenty years of Glockdom, we have seen new generations which we are told are better than the previous ones, and the Glock Enthusiasts will happily explain it to you like evangelical missionaries.  But those on the outside look at it and see the same fault… That grip angle.  It’s wrong.  It’s not the same geometry that Saint J. Moses Browning chiselled in stone, so it can’t be right.
Now here is the thing about both the car and the gun… Like them or not, they work.  The racing beetle continues to be one of the worlds very best sportscars, as the Glock continues to be one of the best handguns.  Wrong or not, there is something very right about them.

Automotive

Another failed electric car.

13 Comments

Aptera motors.  Belly up.  The idea behind the Aptera was pretty good.  By excessively streamlining everything to get the most efficiency possible by reducing as much drag as possible, allows the car to get the most movement from the motivation.

The problem with the Aptera car is that it’s pretty much a standard electric.  Plug it in, charge it up, drive for a couple miles, then you have to plug it back in.   If you live in a city and only need to drive a couple miles to work and back… well.. maybe then such electric cars could work for you. But where I live, this sort of E-Car is pretty much completely useless.

Here is the layout that would work… and it’s simple, rugged, and reliable.  In fact, this system is used daily, all over the country.  Trains. We use a small, efficient diesel engine that spins a large flywheel.  The flywheel turns a generator which charges a bank of batteries.  The power then goes to the four electric motors.  One powering each wheel.  This gives the car an active computer controlled all wheel drive system so the car could actually be decent to drive.  Now, we add in some regenerative braking and efficiency is improved.

I’ve talked about this sort of electric car before, only to have some shoot the idea down because they thought I was talking about putting the electric motors in the wheels.  No, in the car, but not in the wheels.

Okay, so hands raised in the back of the room… yes.  You.  “You’re still burning fuel, how is this more efficient than a regular car?”  That’s a great question.  Talking about a car’s efficiency, the biggest drain on it is the transmission.  This layout doesn’t have one. Right there, there is a great deal of gain in efficiency.  Also, the computer system could control the engine’s RPM’s and fuel consumption based on output requirement, or even shut it down all together.   This system doesn’t require anything to be plugged in, to be recharged, and it can be driven farther than any other electric.  Unlike other hybrid systems, like the Prius… this is a true hybrid system… the petroleum powered engine doesn’t drive the wheels at all… and it doesn’t have a transmission. Which makes this system more efficient than any of those.  Also, it needs fewer heavy batteries.  So this type of car could actually be fun to drive… might even handle.  And like Cousin Jeremy is always concerned about, it could go around a corner.

 

Automotive

Axis Powers

3 Comments

When Germany and Italy work together on something, amazing things happen and France surrenders.
Ducati and AMG have conspired together to build an evil motorcycle called the Diavel AMG.  It’s already banned in Poland.
Quite seriously, Italian designs and German engineering is the best of both worlds… It’s the automotive equivalent of crossing the streams.

Automotive, Uncategorized

Favorite Carmageddon Moment.

11 Comments

I’ve posted about favorite car movies and chase scenes… But I’ve never brought up this one.

Now, I am not a huge fan of George Looney Clooney, but he does a great job in this film  “The Peacemaker”.  In this scene, we have a car chase up to the point that Clooney says “Screw This” and turns the table.  He stops running and then uses his big Merc as a warhammer and demolishes the two little Bimmers that are chasing him.  You almost feel sorry for the little guys.  Almost.

 

Nicole Kidman spends a lot of time showing off how good her bottom looks in slacks. Eh, pretty good actually. The rest of the movie is fun, but not to be taken seriously. Nicole’s character is the least believable out of all of them. Oh, I also like the scene when Clooney jumps from chopper into the truck. That’s good stuff.
So, what is your favorite Carmageddon Moment?

Automotive

Tango Uniform Truck.

2 Comments

Many of you know my old Chevy truck. It’s a 2500 Scotsdale four by four, with an extended cab. It’s been all over with multiple trips to Vegas and has carted around four of those who contribute to Concealed Carry Magazine. It’s been a great truck and I am very fond of it. My wife is even more taken with it. She enjoys the strong engine and capacity to haul pretty much anything.
Unfortunately the old War Wagon is on it’s last legs and othe thing could go Tang Uniform at any time now. It’s now leaking oil from multiple locations, smoking, overheating, and running like total crap now. I’m not sure what the problem is… But it’s more than what I want to deal with right now.
I have the chance to buy a Toyota Forerunner… If my check from the publisher is what I hope it is. Then my Bride can have her baby blue Explorer back and I’ll have a rig to drive through winter. Driving the Chevy back and forth to work every day isn’t going to happen. Especially since it doesn’t have a heater anymore. I think if I get this Toyota, I’m going to do something with it…
Check certain engine parts, check mileage per gallon, try to measure just how good the rig is running. Then do a full Slipstream treatment on it. A long term test. See if Slipstream has solid benefits like what we think it has. The Chevy is just too beaten down to be a good test mule.

Automotive

Bike chain failure.

2 Comments

I knew I was well overdue to get a new bike chain.  I was planning on doing it in October, towards the end of the riding season.  Fate however, had other plans.  Coming back from a lunch at Cafe Rio, the chain broke.

I’ve had a chain break before on me.  When it did, the chain locked up the rear tire and I was suddenly dumped to the ground.  I was going pretty fast and the results were unpleasant but not serious as I was wearing good protective gear.  I was shaken, but not stirred.   This time, it was strange… engine RPM just ramped up and spun free with no increase in speed… the chain just unspooled off the sprockets.

The bike will go into the shop tomorrow.  New chain, sprockets, tires. (7000 miles of hard riding is evidently the life span of these tires I had.) While it’s in the shop I’ll have them put in some iridium plugs, K&N filter and rejet it.

I think my riding for the year is done.  I’ll hit it again in the spring.

Automotive

Riding.

7 Comments

image

The new helmet came in from LeatherUp.com. It’s a Scorpion. It is lighter and quieter than my last helmet, and fits better too. It’s a good upgrade from the one that literally saved my life.   This wasn’t the first time a helmet saved me.  These things are important and I just can’t understand why a guy would want to ride without one.  A rider is 16 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than a driver… Safety first.
I know the risks, and I am cautious.  But bad things can happen. Like a stray five gallon bucket hitting me in the head.  Guys, if anything happens to me… Know that I was enjoying doing something that loved. And that isn’t a bad way to go.  Because of my health… I can’t do a lot of what I used to do… But I can still ride.
I would still like to trade my Honda Magna for a Sport Bike… Because I need more peg-clearance.  Not to go faster… But to slow down less.
Any takers?