Have owned tons of classic GM trucks and cars (mostly 60's stuff) but right now no classics, have a pair of trucks for me and the wife - I bought a 2006 Silverado SS Intimidator edition (Dale Earnhardt package, I call it the Redneckinator); wife got jealous that I had a truck so I picked up another 2006 Silverado SS (in silver birch metallic) for her. My "weekend" ride is a 2006 Chrysler 300 SRT8 that I picked up not long ago with practically no miles (under 10K) to replace another of the exact same car after I sold the old one to a friend. Lots of bang for the buck in that SRT8.

Richard

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Thanks, and at least in the first generation of these cars - the only model that you could get with -all- the options. The Chargers, Magnums, and Challengers were all down-level by comparison, even when fully loaded.

It's taken a while for modern car looks to grow on me, but I do find myself really liking this car. I bought the previous one in 2012 and for several months I'd just go to the garage door and open it and admire the sexy beast in there.

Richard

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Recently swapped on a set of Hellcat-style (actually from a Scat Pack, same exact wheel but the "hyper black" gunmetal type color isn't available on a Hellcat) forged 20x9.5" wheels and 275/40 Pirelli P Zero tires, extremely low mile take-offs from a new Charger.

To go along with them, I installed the 15.4" 2-piece rotors and Brembo 6 piston calipers that also come from a Hellcat. Big brakes! You pretty much couldn't physically fit anything larger inside the hoop of a 20" wheel. Painted the front calipers silver to match the rear calipers on my car and keep it classy; the bright red wasn't gonna cut it.

Pic next to the Challenger taken at a little cruise-in Mopar meet in Galveston a couple weeks ago.

Richard

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There's costly lessons, and then there's costly lessons...

(pic not from my car, thankfully - it's a 392 Hemi that suffered extreme failure with a big Whipple supercharger on top)

Richard

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Yep, that car belongs to a guy I know - late model Challenger - these engines are known for not tolerating much boost on the stock bottom end. I don't know if he had spent the money to go forged or not, but it's possible there were some issues with the builder. I already sent him some info on another engine. There are guys with totally streetable 1000HP+ monsters under the hood based off that engine but you gotta go forged, there's just no way around it.

Richard

NICE retrofit! Car looks sharp.

Richard

Met up with my little brother for dinner last night. He works for JLR and is currently testing out another prototype - the all-electric I PACE, to be introduced as a 2019 model. I'm not about electric cars at all but this is pretty impressive. Apparently it outperforms the Tesla P100D in acceleration AND braking, if you asks me looks way better, and is about half the price.

Richard

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While the point is taken you can google 2019 I PACE and you'll see it starts at around $69K up to $80K for the top trim level, while the P100D is about $140K. You'll see pictures too, and can make up your own mind on the looks.

Richard

In all fairness, it's not very hard to be better than a Ford Explorer.

Richard

Or as we know it here in the U.S., a Ute version of the Chevrolet SS or Pontiac G8

If you were considering a Tesla S but for the price, scroll back up a little bit and see the pic I posted of the 2019 Jaguar I PACE. Serious competition for the Tesla, and IMO a better looking car, and considerably cheaper. It will start at around $69K though.

I'd skip the Alfa and Maserati if you actually want to own a car you can drive.

Richard

Understood. The lines are a little blurred between sport sedan and crossover at this point; the ones with the lower roof and window profile like the I PACE look more like a sedan, to me.

Richard

I've got way too many "gone but not forgotten" to post here and don't have pictures of many of them, but this little '83 BMW 635csi gray market car was a lot of fun. Euro model, speedo in km/h, headlight wipers, way better looking bumpers (no accordion rubber of the U.S. models), and I do believe higher HP engine than the U.S. model. Not sure why I thought about this car today. Bought it in GA and drove it home to TX; pics are seller's. This was my second 6 and my last BMW; only took me 2 times to learn that lesson!

Richard

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Previous 6 was a '78 633csi that someone tried half-heartedly to fake an M6 out of which is kinda pathetic. But I sold it like that before doing an un-convert. I did pull the M6 badge off the trunk and install the correct badging, though. Pics from so long ago I think they were taken on my 1.2mp Kodak d-cam!

Richard

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They're fun cars if you like classics and don't mind not having all the modern creature comforts. Also, if you don't want to depend on it as a daily driver.

There are some weak spots on them now that they're this old so if you are seriously considering one, look up a classic 6 series buyer's guide (BMW Mag did one many years ago, it's probably online somewhere) before checking out any cars. The front fenders can be bad about rusting out, if it's got the self-leveling rear suspension (generally on the later 80's cars) it can be trouble/expensive. Overall not bad cars though. Bimmerforums is a pretty good if I recall, but it's been years. Might also look at Bigcoupe forums.

The ultimate would be a gray market Euro M6 but you'll pay. And I do mean pay! But what a great looking car with a pretty fun level of power.

Richard

Wonder what it would cost to get one of the latest 300 SRT's out of Saudi Arabia...since they're not available here since 2014.

Aussies get 'em too but RHD would be a no-go for me.

Richard

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Not really a Ford fan but I can appreciate what Carroll Shelby brought to the table for them. Cool to see the GT40 in the display at Shelby. The GT40 definitely has my respect; the whole history of that program is so amazing and the cars are impressive, beautiful, downright sexy.

I was pleasantly surprised when The Grand Tour did practically a whole episode on the GT40 story and that they let James May run one on the track! It was the natural choice really, considering Hammond would have just crashed it, and Clarkson simply wouldn't fit inside one.

Richard

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Very nice. Guys with Cameos can brag about being "first" but a Fleetside is way more useful.

Richard

I can sort of appreciate what they were trying to do with the Blazer thing but the execution of it is terrible. The roofline of the modern Tahoe is ALL wrong for the classic body lines of the fenders, and those large diameter Rally-styled wheels look awkward and weird, and I'm NOT a "big wheel hater" (I have 22" Centerlines on my Silverado SS after all.) It's just weird, over-all.

Not specifically about the Scrambler pic you posted, but I kinda like the new Jeep Gladiator, it's cool as a 4 door Wrangler pickup type vehicle...but I see a lot of space in the aftermarket to give it some help. I absolutely cannot stand the appearance of the stock bumpers, tailgate, taillights, and wheels. Jeep really missed the mark on those styling areas.

Richard

Well howdy, DJ Jim.. Where ya been man..

Richard

LOL now you've gone and screwed up the car thread with that oldie moldie pic

Me and the catfish were just talking about you over on the IRC. You know, that ancient technology thang

Richard

The exhaust coming out on the area where these trucks are famous for rotting huge holes in the bottom of the fenders, cracks me up. Obviously a clean example like yours wouldn't be rusted there, so I guess that's why it cracks me up. Nice rides! (I've owned my share of flappy-fender 60-66's)

Richard

Right, I got you, just saying you obviously restored the truck so it wouldn't have been left rusted. I doubt there's an original fender out there for these trucks that hadn't got flappy at one point or another. I was lucky enough to own a couple trucks that still had fairly solid fenders but the majority were rusted out; it's a bad spot.. also had a '63 Suburban with the floorboards so rusted out on the sloped part up to the firewall that you could watch the front tires roll, and occasionally a rock would fly though and nail the ceiling.

Richard

Love those new F-Types.

Pretty sure Jaguar spent more development money on that exhaust note than some makers spent on their entire cars.

Richard

"GAS LOL"

(fills up tank in minutes at millions of locations across the country LOL)

Richard

That car appears to be in amazing shape for an old Triumph.

Decades ago I helped some guys build one that was pretty far gone; it had roofing sheetmetal for floor pans and a really cracked-up (enamel?) paint job; car was barely a 20-footer. It ran and drove OK but after a hard freeze damaged the engine (can't remember all these years later if it cracked the block or it simply overheated after he lost his coolant from the freeze damage) he decided on an engine swap.

The original 100-ish HP 4 cyl gave way to a Ford 2.3 ("Pinto" engine) with some upgrades; it got a performance cam and roller cam followers, cast iron header from a Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, 4 barrel style intake that we first tried a 390cfm Holley on but it was a little much, IIRC we ended up using a 350cfm 2 barrel salvaged from shop owner's stash, I think it was the center carb off a Ford tri-power setup. It got the T5 transmission from the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, also. Shop-made engine mounts, shortened driveshaft, changed the wiring from positive ground to negative ground, and a bunch of other work later..

Guy now has a 1960 TR3 that will blow the doors off a TR6 without breaking a sweat. Real sleeper with the original skinny spoke wheels, cracked paint job, etc. the only clue given that it may not be original are the Monza exhaust tips poking out, and the just-ate-a-whole-cake grin on the owner's face as he blazes by..

Richard

Respectfully, and honestly, none of those cars are in danger of that happening to them.. not in the target market at all.

Richard

Beats me.. must be a Florida thing. We don't see them done up like that around here.

And a Chevy 350 in an XJS is just natural. Nobody going to spend the money getting that V12 going again in a car that has almost no value.

Richard

I've got a whole garage full of discount Mopar parts.. nearly a whole car's worth, slightly used..

Richard

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A few like to clown the modern Mopars for being boats, but the SRT stuff is a lot of bang for the buck. Unmodified 100% showroom floor original, even the first gen SRT8's will do about 173mph top speed. 176 is claimed but not sure if realistic. I've had my 2006 300C SRT8 up to.. uh.. not *quite* that fast.

Richard