The All Aluminum, mid-engine Audi Quattro Spyder has created an enormous stir when it was unveiled at the Frankfurt International Auto Show earlier this year.
The Spyder was developed with help from Ferry Piech, who is part owner of Porsche AG. Piech has often stood in complete disagreement with the way Porsche has been managed. One of Piech’s reasons for having the Spyder developed was to show Porsche what his idea of a sensible sports car was. The engineers at Audi were able to demonstrate how easy it was to build a fast and affordable sports car with the track day enthusiast in mind.
At first glace the Spyder is reminiscent of the Porsche Cayman and carries a lot of the same characteristics. A two-seater, mid engine sports car, with front and rear trunk areas. The Spyder utilizes the venerable 2.8-litre Audi V6 mid-mounted and strapped to a 6-speed manual transmission with Quattro all-wheel-drive. Horsepower, Torque and Speed numbers are yet to be released. But the Spyder is available in three colors: Tornado Red, Baltic Green and Fahrenheit Orange. Prices are expected to start around $45k US.
April Fools! – we hope you enjoyed this throwback to 1993.
The Audi Spyder was an actual pre-production vehicle with only a handful built. But after much hesitation, Audi decided that the recession in the automobile business required full concentration on larger-volume models, therefore the Spyder would never reach full production. In the end, the final decision not to produce the Spyder may have been influenced by the desire not to compete directly with Porsche.
As the sole member of the GTM Book Club, I found yet another $1 bin treasure: “Colin Chapman: The Man and His Cars” – This time via Amazon by way of a recommendation from member Matt Y.
Unlike other historical accounts, this book jumps right in. It’s 1945-ish, and Colin is off to college. His area of expertise is “civil engineering” and much like Dallara, Chapman becomes obsessed with aeronautics and even enlists with the RAF. After a chance visit to a [Time] Trials event near the RAF base, he immediately took an interest in modifying cars, especially using techniques he learned in aircraft design.In the early days Champman spent a lot time modifying Austins, but quickly realized he wanted more, and started to design his own vehicles… said in a James May voice… and by now, you’re off to sleep I take it.
I could go on-and-on-and-on… as does the book – But I am going to spare you rest of the TL:DR 380 pages and just say this book is a chore to read through. As biographies go, it was written a few years after Chapman’s death in 1982; so the stories and memories recounted by the biographer (Gerard ‘Jabby’ Crombac) are still fresh. Everything feels very day-to-day as well as race-by-race which makes sense considering Gerard is a journalist – which also means many of the particulars must come from extensive note taking. Despite all the detail there are still some items that seem to be left out almost as an assumption for the reader. And let’s face it, the only people reading this probably already knew the surrounding details pretty well, allowing them to fill in the gaps. It is important to note that the book is chock-full of technical details and #secretsauce that any avid classic car historian would swoon over. As an added bonus, there is plenty of “inside baseball” disclosed with respect to the operations of Lotus at that time.
For most of us, reading this some 30+ years later as a casual bedtime story is akin to deciphering Ancient Egyptian while you wait for NyQuil to kick in – thankfully the author did include lots of pictures! So here’s what I’ll do, instead of waxing poetic about Colin Chapman for the next 1000 words, I’m going to list out the most important things you should know about Colin Champman + Lotus (from the book) and leave all the remaining trivial drama and techno jargon behind to discover on your own.
Chapman’s full name is “Anthony Colin Bruce Champman” – which happens to coincide with the letters you see on the Lotus insignia (below) – born 1928, in England.
The Why/Where/When and How Chapman came up with or decided upon the name Lotus (for Lotus Cars, Lotus Engineering, etc) is still a mystery to this day. But the name was used from the very beginnings of his work.
Chapman was married to Hazel Williams in 1954 (28 years; although they had been dating since the mid-’40s). He had two daughters and one son, Clive Chapman, who currently runs Classic Team Lotus, offering restoration, maintenance and operation of historic Team Lotus Formula One cars.
The early days of Lotus Engineering was housed in a series of “sheds” which they called a factory until a fully functional factory would be setup years later at RAF Hethel, in Norfolk, England. Trivia: Top Gear “Test Track” (Dunsfold Aerodrome) was designed by Lotus, mimicking their test track at RAF Hethel!
Lotus Cars all have a “type number”; Racing cars are only known by their numbers (ie: Lotus 25, 29, etc.); whereas Street cars carry names starting with the letter “E” – for example: Elite, Elcat, Europa, Elan, Esprit, Elise, Exige, Evora, etc. Very early Lotus’ were known as Mk-# (1-10 using roman numerals) up to the Lotus Eleven (the number “11” was not used #itscomplicated).
Chapman pioneered the use of struts in rear suspensions in the late ’50s. Even today, struts used in the rear of a vehicle are known as “Chapman Struts” – Note: Chapman struts are virtually identical to the ones used on the front which you and I know as “MacPherson Struts” that were invented 10 years earlier in 1949 – however, the mounting position/geometry makes the patent somehow unique. #itscomplicated.
Chapman popularized the “monocoque chassis” vehicle design with the 1962 Lotus 25 Formula-1 car.
When American racing driver Dan Gurney first saw the Lotus 25 at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, he was so struck by the advanced design that he invited Chapman to the 1962 Indianapolis 500. The Lotus 29 debuted at Indianapolis in 1963, with Jim Clark finishing second. Lotus would return in 1965 to win the Indy 500 with Jim Clark becoming the first non-American winner of the Indianapolis 500 since 1916.
Inspired by Jim Hall, Chapman was among those who helped introduce aerodynamics into Formula-1 car design. Lotus introduced the concept of positive aerodynamic downforce, through the addition of wings, at a Tasman Formula race in early 1968.
Chapman, working with Tony Rudd and Peter Wright, pioneered the first Formula-1 use of “ground effects”, where a low pressure area is created under the car by use of venturis, generating suction (downforce) which held the car securely to the track while cornering.
The Lotus 7 was the most popular and longest running Lotus vehicle manufactured during Chapman’s run of the company. The car has been made famous the world over as a sports icon. The rights to the 7 were sold to Caterham in 1957, where the vehicle was produced until 1972.
Both Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth (of Cosworth Engineering) were close to and even worked for Chapman for some time; and were instrumental in developing many of the components and engines that helped Lotus win so many races.
Sadly, SIX – Formula 1 drivers have died behind the wheel of a Lotus: Alan Stacey during the 1960 Belgian GP, Ricardo Rodriguez during practice for the 1962 Mexican GP, Gary Hocking during practice for the non-championship 1962 Natal GP, Jochen Rindt during practice for the 1970 Italian GP, Ronnie Peterson at the start of the 1978 Italian GP (died in hospital from injuries), and F1 World Champion Jim Clark was killed in a Lotus F2 car at Hockenheim in 1968.
From 1978 until his death, Chapman was involved with the famed GM designer John Z. DeLorean, in his development of a stainless steel sports car (the DMC-12), to be built in a factory in Northern Ireland which was majority-funded by the British government and … we all know how that one ended 😉 #itscomplicated.
One of Chapman’s last major technical innovations was a dual-chassis Formula-1 car, the Lotus 88 in 1981.
Colin Chapman died in 1982 from heart failure, at only 54 years old.
Well that about wraps it up – Chapman was nothing less than a genius and his cunning ability to push the rules until they were rewritten against him (and Lotus) really did help drive sports cars into another dimension compared to Lotus’ competitors (and predecessors). Lotus was a fury of evolution, from one design to another, year-after-year. From mad scientist-like sketches that were mapped out on pub napkins to breathe taking masterpieces on the track, what Chapman was able to create in his short time with us, was nothing short of amazing!
If you’re an avid history buff, then this book is definitely for you. The technical detail is tremendous and would probably make for a great documentary series – but if you don’t have that kind of time, I highly recommend taking a shortcut and checking out the cliff’s notes version of “Chapman + Lotus” – on Wikipedia.
My Retro Relativity series continues with a world renowned automotive icon originally known as the “KdF-Wagen.” – It’s probably true that not many of you know it by this name – since only 210 were built in 1938. But! – in post-war-1946, production of the KdF-Wagen was restarted and it became known as the VW Type 1. The Type 1, at the time, was better known by the nickname “Käfer” in Germany – which is only cool in Germany – so the name was quickly changed again and became known the world over – by English speaking folks like you and me – more officially as the Beetle and informally as the Bug. Interestingly enough, there is actually a compiled list of ALL the names which the Beetle has been called around the world during its lifespan – be sure to check it out.
The Bug has a long history to it. And I will summarize: originally designed in 1934 by Ferdinand Porsche under direction from Adolf Hitler to fill the need for a “People’s Car” (Volkswagen) that anyone could afford. #fullstop. Although, it was believed that Porsche copied the design of Czechoslovakian car maker Tatra’s V570 prototype (above), in which they sued VW prior to Germany’s invasion and the start of WW2 shortly thereafter – but that’s a history lesson for another day.
With 1946 post-war production of the Bug starting in the newly named city of Wolfsburg, Western Europe was the primary location for its sales until its first opportunity to sell in the US in 1950 after multiple attempts to find a US dealer network to carry them. To everyone’s surprise, the Beetle was a hit, and it very sold well. How well? By 1955 one million of them were parked in driveways across America – To top that in 1972 VW had produced 15,007,034 Beetles matching the total number of Ford Model T’s ever produced and eventually reaching a total 21,529,464 world wide for the Type 1, a number that has yet to be beaten.
Even though the Beetle was no longer sold in the US after the early 1980’s, it was produced in Mexico for the global market until 2003! – right alongside “the New Beetle” from 1998-2003. WOW! The Type-1 holds the record for longest running production vehicle ever manufactured. The first re-introduction of the Beetle in 1997 was as known the Concept 1. Many younger individuals are familiar with the new Beetle which made its debut in 1998 and ran until 2011 until it was redesigned again to the current A5 (MK6-based) version.
Note: Personally, I think the redesign (as seen above) made the newest Beetle look much better overall. Compared to the 1998-2011 cars, it had more of an original feel, more of a nostalgic look similar to the KdF-wagen.
The Beetle, it’s chassis, components, and more – have been used for so many other applications. A very popular one in the California surf scene was the “Dune Buggy” and the Myers Manx. People have used them to make sand rails as the air-cooled engine proved reliable in dry desert like areas. This led to more popular “Baja Bugs” for racing. Many folks have modified the Bug for all sorts of racing, including drag racing and formula-spec (Formula Vee), making impressive power numbers from the flat-4. And on the extreme end people have cut them and made trikes, kit-cars or even put the shell over another vehicle with larger power trains. (examples below). Not to mention all of the military vehicles and additional VW models that were based on the Bug design like the Type-2 Bus, Type-411, Karmann-Ghia, etc – heck! even the Porsche 356.
After many years the Type 1 seemed to take on a life of its own. For many of us it will forever be known as the “Love Bug” due to the series of Herbie movies in which the #53 Beetle was the star.
To further ingrain its reputation as a “Love Bug” into American culture, the Beetle become synonymous with its “hippie” drivers throughout the ’60s.
Continuing right into my childhood, the ’80s brought back Beetle-mania with a yellow Type 1 better known to many of us as “Bumblebee.” (Transformers).
There are clubs, magazines, and events (like “the Bug-Out”) held specifically for this iconic car. And who as a child didn’t play a game of “punch buggy” ? #nopunchbacks.
Unfortunately for many male fans of the original Bug, the new (MK4-based) Beetle was geared towards female drivers with accessories such as flower petal looking wheels and even a flower vase incorporated into the dash.
After a few years, VW did recognize that they were missing out on sales because of the gender bias and offered some specialty models to draw in more sales from men with options like the VR6 powered RSI (europe-only, above) and the Turbo S (below).
Although VW has decided to cancel production of the current beetle, which is scheduled for later this year (2019), compared to the MINI I reviewed in the last segment, I feel the only way the Beetle could have been kept “more true” to its ancestry was to have reintroduced it with the rear mounted engine – but that’s what we have the 911 for, right? (Although, how cool would that have been?!?). The future of the Beetle is still undecided, maybe it’s on break for the next 10-15 years while VW continues to refine more cutting-edge technologies… Maybe it will be an all-electric version next time. Either way, I’m anxious to see what they do with it next.
[Editors Note] Fairwell to the Beetle … check out fellow author Matt Y epilogue describing his family experiences “Memories of the VW Beetle” with this iconic car. His article was submitted to NPR back in July of 2019.
I don’t generally like to blend my professional life with my extra-curricular activities, but after watching a recent commercial from TrueCar while on a recent business trip, my cyber (spidey) senses were left tingling… Let me put some context around my concerns, I’m a nearly 20 year veteran of the IT industry, with a specialization in Cyber Security (and an obvious passion for Automobiles). Since my mind was hyper focused this week on cyber matters, I viewed this seemingly benign and “convenient” feature from TrueCar (below) with completely different eyes than I normally would.
WOAH! – WAIT?, WHAT?!?– As you saw from the video: Simply put in your license plate number, get details on your vehicles build and a quote in seconds. Some high-level questions that immediately came to mind: How does this really work? Are there any gates to stop some random person from using your license plate to look up information? How much PII (Personally Identifiable Information) is being exposed here? If PII isn’t exposed, what other information could I leverage or obtain from this app to get more detailed information about YOU? How many back-end systems are tied together here? How far does the rabbit hole go?, asked Alice. – I’ll also admit, I’m rather sensitive to vehicle ownership privacy, since I have had a vehicle stolen which was never recovered.
Following the simple steps laid out by TrueCar‘s website, I quickly downloaded their app onto a compatible device. I started working through the process… using my neighbors license plate number, Ha! – to prove a point – a Chevy Avalanche that spends more time parked than running. All of these screen shots (below) were taken in sequence, so follow along:
Through that entire process (which took a total of 30 seconds); I was able to:
1. Capture a random License Plate number 2. Was never asked to login or create an account 3. Authenticate/Verify myself in any way: as a human, bot or the vehicle owner 4. Verify the Yr/Mk/Model of the Vehicle 5. Acquire its VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and an estimated value.
So what else can I do with this information?
Asking the mighty Google about: VIN NUMBER LOOKUP yields a variety of web-based tools – the leader in the space being CARFAX. And for those unfamiliar with CARFAX – if you take a vehicle’s VIN and run it through the system it generates a report about the vehicle and here’s what you get:
I was actually relieved that I was gated by CARFAX – because they wanted to make some money off of the information they are capturing from Insurance Companies, Police Reports and the Dealership Records Network; depending on my level of *interest* I could spend the $40 to see if this vehicle was properly maintained or has been in a major accident. Attempting to keep our ROI (Return On Investment) high and save time, I’m sure there’s another “Free Service” on the first page of our Google results that will give me more details, right?
By way of VehicleHistory.com, I learned that the Avalanche has a clean title; and as of a few years ago, has relatively low-mileage for its age; with all major recalls completed. So far we’ve learned that the VIN data is vehicle-centric with little to no PII being exposed – which is good. If I was a car thief, I probably have everything I need to know about this vehicle to make a decision… but let’s say I’m a cyber criminal.Thanks to an online law dictionary by way of asking Google about: LICENSE PLATE LOOKUPS, I got a quick tutorial on how to leverage the public record system to gather even more information surrounding the Avalanche. This allowed me to dig even further:
Unlike VIN searches – which are designed to offer a potential buyer a look into the “medical history” of the vehicle – these “license plate lookup services” seem to drive their user towards a more critical data payload. Both of the websites above claim to offer “Name of Vehicle Owner” but more importantly “Registration Details” – which could potentially translate to a “Physical Address.” and for a couple of bucks, we can have that – but dropping down another rung a website like Findbyplate.com actually made my possibilities even wider and my stomach churn.
Ok, Take a breath…
Please know that my intent was not to overly rattle all of my friends – I was really apprehensive (and anxious) to begin my research for this article – seeing an opportunity to take a moment to bridge two of my worlds and spread some Cyber Awareness. For peace of mind, I’m going to keep the rest of my findings “rated-PG” and not build out a complete compromise formula for someone to follow. But by now I’m sure you can see where this was going: with enough data points, public records, time and available“free services” you should infer that someone could begin to create a dossier about YOU by starting with something as simple as your license plate number.
Many people will agree that moving public services to general availability is a good idea and does create mass convenience, but it also opens up new attack and data collection vectors. My hope is that you take away a better understanding of why Cyber Security is important and why data protection is crucial. There are so many seemingly innocuous data fragments out in the wild… Data that we take for granted each day as we move more-and-more services “to the cloud.” – We need to consider how disparate systems could be linked together through common data points creating a “pivot lookup” effect. Which means, as Cyber Professionals, we must remain vigilant about how we protect these tools and services and remember that at the end of the day there is a direct correlation to protecting individuals, families and their privacy.
In the meantime, I’ll leave you with some fundamental Cyber Security Best Practices you can employ today:
Use Strong Passwords, and don’t reuse them
Use Two-Factor Authentication whenever possible (or offered)
Never send sensitive data through unsecured email
Keep your operating system & software up to date
Back up your data
Change the default passwords on your smart devices
and some vehicle specific tips…
Never sync/pair your smart device to a rental car
Always delete your “user profile” on your cars multi-function / entertainment systems before you sell them.
Be considerate on the road, you never know who is capturing your actions in photo/video
Drive a manual, its an anti-theft-device 😉 #savethemanual
In a previous article Eric M wrote about the square-boxy designs of the ’80s… to my disappointment, he didn’t speak enough in regards to what I consider the best “Square Body”. Those who know me well are aware of my strong affection – maybe it’s an addiction – towards what is known as the GM Square Body Truck. What makes this model so great? – You ask … or maybe You didn’t, but I’m going to tell you anyway. LOL.
How about a 19 YEAR PRODUCTION RUN for starters! – Debuting in 1973, the square body truck had a large selection of options and trim packages including third party factory aftermarket options. These trucks really had their roots grounded in 1960-66 with the first generation of the C/K models of GM trucks. The second generation only lasted from 1967-72 leaving the debut of the third generation in 1973 and continuing through 1988-91 under the R/V labeling. Maybe that’s why they weren’t mentioned much in the previous article... they weren’t really from the ’80s, but were offered throughout the entire decade!
GM marketed their third generation design as the “Rounded-Line Pick-ups” but the owners of these trucks have reestablished them to be more commonly known as the “Square body” – and rightfully so, just look at it! They were trimmed as Custom, Custom Deluxe, Cheyenne, Scottsdale, Sierra, and Silverado to name a few. The square body consists of multiple body lengths: the regular cab truck, crew cab (Also known as the 3+3), the Suburban (the longest running non interrupted vehicle model EVER!!! from 1933-present), and the K5 Blazer (or GMC Jimmy).
Designations & Identifiers
The C/K and R/V designations on the trucks are quick ways to differentiate a few key items:
The C/K was used for the square body from 1973-87 and changed to R/V in 1988.
Following one of the four letters would have been 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, or 35 depending if it was a Chevrolet or GMC. The “5” was used the Blazer (or Jimmy) while 10 and 15 were the half-ton trucks.
20 and 25 covered the three-quarter-ton trucks, and lastly the 30 and 35 consisted of the one-ton trucks.
In later years those numbers were converted to 1500, 2500, and 3500 (mainly with the R/V series trucks from 1988-91).
The C and R generally meant the truck was 2WD while K and V meant they were 4WD.
There was a variety of power train options as well, a 250 cubic inch inline 6 cylinder with “3 on the tree” all the way to the 454 cubic inch big-block with a 4L80E 4 speed lock up converter automatic. Note: The 4L80E was only offered in 1991 for this body style.
The combinations seemed endless depending on your desire or need! – A factory option was the Camper Special which had a higher GVW than the standard truck.
How about one of those aftermarket factory options I mentioned earlier? The “extended cab.” My research shows that between 1973-1987 only about 2,500 of these trucks had extended cab conversion making them a fabled “great white buffalo”that very people few have ever seen in person. Custom Vehicles International of Arlington, TX (which is no longer in business) was the primary company offering these conversations and GM even granted the factory warranty after the work was done. The price tag on the extended cab was a staggering $6,000 on top of the cost of the vehicle. Even interior options were available from companies such as Choo Choo Customs in Chattanooga, TN which included captains chairs instead of the second row bench seat and a lifted roof (in the Suburban), upgraded center consoles, and even televisions! Many of these add-ons were of wood based construction and trim – think “Conversion Van” style.
Western Hauler offered a custom back seat for the crew cab that folded down to a bed as well as steel beds utilized on ranches and farms. There were also “cab and chassis” versions that came without a bed and generally a narrowed rear axle.
These trucks were also widely used by the US military as the CUCV (Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle). For military use, the trucks were upgraded and rated as “5/4” or 1 & 1/4 ton trucks with the exception of the Blazer version. They had multiple designations depending on their set up, including: M1008, M1009, M1010, M1028, and M1031. The military used them for anything from general cargo hauling, command post, fire fighting and even communications!
This generation of GM trucks has been widely used and appreciated. There are many websites and even car clubs dedicated to the Square Body. They were used in Hollywood movies and TV shows, and even recently seen in films passing by as “extras.”
For me and many folks that I know, these trucks hold a special place in our hearts and memories. As a child I spent lots of time riding around in Square Bodies. After I got out of the military I purchased my first one for $175 and in a matter of two weeks my brother and I had it road worthy. Since then, that specific truck has been modified a few times and I have added *many* more to my collection. One day I hope to complete my collection, owning one Square Body from each year 1980-’91 – as I prefer those years the most.
And stay tuned – as I am thinking of building myself one specifically for the track!
If you have questions about the Square Body, are looking to buy one and need advice or are just looking for parts, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
If you don’t have an on-board Oil Temperature gauge in your vehicle, you probably have no idea how hot your oil is getting during a session.
Vehicles driven hard at HPDEs or AutoCrosses with stock components or even stock oil coolers often see oil temperatures as high as 250 degrees Fahrenheit! But, don’t rush out just yet and buy a gauge and install it just to prove us wrong…
High Temperatures are Dangerous – If you’re an auto-maintenance-101 expert and have changed your own oil, you know that most motors will carry several quarts of oil for internal lubrication. These days, modern engine oils have a lifespan of somewhere between 7,500 to 10,000 miles before thelubricating molecules and added detergents completely break down. But the reality is: sustained spirited driving wears down those chemicals prematurely.
Reviewing the chart above, you’ll see that different additives in various oils will change their operating and extreme heat ranges. How do you know what oil to choose? – A mineral based synthetic like Shell’s Rotella-T – often used in heavy duty diesels – is rather inexpensive ($60 for 5 gallons at Tractor Supply) and durable, but it’s effective heat range isn’t ideal for our use cases. Whereas a more expensive racing inspired ester synthetic like Motul’s 300v runs much cooler and has a higher tolerances but costs upwards of $50/gallon (Amazon) – WOAH!
Unfortunately, the answer is completely dependent upon how you use your vehicle and environmental factors. Remember that oil temperature gauge we mentioned earlier? …don’t go install one just yet – but if you need to get a quick base line, you can quickly measure the oil temp post session with an analog dipstick thermometer. To find an answer, we urge you to experiment with different brands (not weights, please keep those to spec) but keep in mind that every engine responds differently to oils, additives, weather, etc. But, if you do have an oil temperature gauge installed– it will give you immediate evidence and make your 7th grade science teacher’s lecture on “the scientific method” that much more relevant. More importantly, we always recommend changing oil in a heavily used sports car every 3 months or 3,000 miles – whichever comes first. Changing the oil often keeps the lubricating ability boosted without an oil cooler.
So… Why do I need an oil cooler? – The principle behind how an oil cooler works is rather simple: Engine oil coolers are small radiators placed in front of the coolant system on an automobile that lower the temperature of the oil as it passes through the coils. And an oil cooler system can maintain the quality of your favorite oil for longer periods of time by lowering the working temperature of the oil by as much as 30%. Aren’t they a pain to install? –Oil coolers can be quickly installed in most domestic engines (and transmissions) because they are fitted to accept an oil cooler by design. Most imports and smaller, front-wheel drive vehicles, however, will not be “cooler ready” and will require additional work to make them fit.
No fear though, you’re not about to go full MacGyver here, the “additional work” is generally in the form of figuring out how to fit your “universal oil cooler” – from manufacturers like Mishimoto or Mocal – somewhere in the nose of the vehicle where it can get a steady air stream. Luckily, auto manufacturers (mostly) standardized the pipe fittings used for oil filters and therefore a simple “sandwich plate” (seen below) is used to adapt the oil cooler lines to an existing engine with AN fittings.
Some modern vehicles claim to already come with an oil cooler mounted to the engine, in most cases, especially on smaller front wheel drive vehicle this is done using a water/oil heat-exchanger (as seen below from a MK4 VW) which is fitted to the oil filter housing.
The idea behind the heat-exchanger is two fold: 1). Quickly heat up the oil using a water jacket in the colder months to help speed up the process of getting an engine to operating temperature. 2). Use the water jacket as a heat-sink to take the excess oil heat to the radiator for cooling. In principle this system should maintain “uniform temperatures” while driving. Unfortunately, with extreme driving this type of system can be easily heat-soaked and overrun.
With the sandwich plate and its pipe fitting adapters, you can still add an external cooler to this sort of setup, but often times for our applications it is better to remove these heat-exchanger units completely (above) for optimal coolant and oil efficiency. The sandwich plates are also often designed to accommodate additional sending units (oil temp and/or pressure gauges) or auxiliary oil lines – for that aftermarket turbo you bought for your ’99 Miata. Additionally, if you are confined to a tight engine bay, check to make sure someone hasn’t designed a purpose-built solution for your vehicle (like on our VR6 above). You can also use some space saving sending units (as seen on our 2018 holiday list) as part of your build. – Ok – now you can order that gauge, along with your oil cooler kit (remember to check with: Mishimoto, Mocal, Jegs, Summit Racing, etc for options).
In the end, oil coolers are *always* helpful – Even though there is still a rather heated debate surrounding “oil that is too cool” – and I agree to some extent … if we are only talking about street cars. But in any AutoX, HPDE, Track or Forced Induction (Turbo/Super -charger) vehicle I’m not sure there is ever a condition where “the oil is too cool.” – And, in all seriousness, adding an oil cooler to any motor will extend the life of the oil, thereby extending the life of the engine.
Placement of the oil cooler can be hidden, and it can usually be mounted into even the most cramped engine compartments. The only negative aspect of using an engine oil cooler is the need for more oil, up to two quarts more per oil change, because of the oil required to fill the coils and lines. But at the end of the day, using an oil cooler in your vehicle can only increase the longevity of its engine (or transmission).
And remember, as tempting as those new springs, shocks and big brakes might be… mods that focus on the longevity and endurance of your vehicle will pay dividends if you plan for more spirited driving. We hope to see you out there this season, with your newly installed gauges and oil coolers. #merrymotoring.
Within the GTM community, the debate of which car should I buy? never seems to fully end. Whether it be: what should I buy as my first track car? my backup car? my new daily? … or I just want something different. The fury of this debate within our group will quiet from time-to-time, but during the slower months someone will bring it up … yet again … and the arguments resurrect themselves in full glory.
Tune in everywhere you stream, download or listen!
Granted, this question can be asked for various types of driving situations, but we’re not interested in talking about Mini-Vans and SUVs, so we’ll focus on Spirited Driving + AutoCross + Track Days. But before we start, here are some top-tips (from various members) to keep in mind when shopping for a new sports car:
“Never drive your heroes” – Matt Y
“Look around the paddock, and start with what you see.” – Brad N
“If you’re *not OK* with me putting a boot in the door of your car, then you’ve selected the wrong car.” – Matt Y
“Build vs Buy … Buy.” – Sam H
So rather than rehash this for the elevendy-millionth time, here’s an attempt to help you navigate the plethora of options that are available:
We’ve put together a list of Top-10 “great starter track cars” …
Vehicle
Pros
Cons
E36 Series BMWs
E36s are a mainstay at any track weekend. Well balanced, great handling with a huge following and aftermarket support.
Building a really “competitive” E36 can be a slippery slope, its also a German car approaching 30 years old which brings its own issues, but parts availability is currently not one of them.
E46 Series BMWs
The bigger and more powerful successor to the E36. Fantastic power and handling and the last of the purpose built ///M cars. Like the E36, it too has a large aftermarket support.
More expensive to own/operate than the E36.
MK4 (’99-’05) VW
So many variations to pick from: Golf, Jetta, Beetle and Mk1 Audi TT. Many engines: 2.0, 1.8T, 2.8 & 3.2 V6. Huge aftermarket and one of the cheapest German cars to own/operate.
Many would argue that FWD is the VWs biggest drawback. In stock trim, the MK4s are very soft, but with proper mods are competitive in their class.
Mini Cooper S
The MINI is a “bang for the buck” sort of car. Torquey, quirky and light, but gobs of fun to drive!
Short wheel base can make them feel twitchy if you’re not used to them. BMW engineering makes them a bit overly complex, and not much space to work on anything.
Suburu BRZ / Toyota FRS
Out of left field comes a front-mount RWD combined offering from Subi-yota.
Well balanced, forgiving and easy to drive. Very popular and competitive, with a large aftermarket.
In base trim, the BRZs engine isn’t going to get you overly excited, but what it lacks in power it makes up for in handling.
Porsche 996
Porsche? Wait… I thought we were talking about starter cars? Well, the 996 is very much that, being the best value-for-money Porsche available (winning over the aging 944).
Take care of the IMS issues and a couple other small recalls specific to the 996 and you’ve got yourself a cheap track day Porsche.
’14+ Ford Mustang
3 engines to choose from: Turbo 4, V6 and 5.0 V8. The new Mustang is sleek, well built and handles amazing out of the box. The engine choice is really your preference, but starting with the Focus RS shared Turbo 4 is a cheap way into the sport. Great aftermarket support.
The Mustang is a bit heavy, but it’s not noticeable when driving. You’re not allowed to visit a Cars & Coffee. Ever.
Hondas
Pretty much any Honda/Acura product (aside special models like the S2000, Prelude) are going to be reliable and cheap to operate. Huge aftermarket support.
Honda is not known for having the most powerful engines. High horsepower numbers and V-TEC obfuscate the dismal torque specs – but that doesn’t mean they’re not fun, you just have to push a little harder.
C5 Corvette
Big Motor, Big Fun. Roughly 400 horsepower without mods and a solid chassis.
Cheap to get into because of its age, but carries a higher total cost of ownership versus some of the other vehicles on this list.
The answer is always… * MIATA *
The Miata defines: CHEAP.
Well balanced, forgiving and easy to drive. Tons of parts and support.
If your goal is to go racing, buy an already prepped car and save some serious money.
It’s a Miata, don’t expect it to amaze you with specs. It forces you to grow as a driver since you have to run it at the absolute limits to be fast.
Honorable mention… Porsche 944
944s are still out there in abundance, it was one of Porsche’s highest selling vehicles by volume, very popular and cheap because they shared many of their parts with older VWs. They are perfectly balanced and easy to drive.
The 944 is a icon, but it hasn’t aged well. Owning / operating a 944 unless you’re able to work on it yourself carries a high operating cost. Building from a base street car is expensive and starting with someone else’s prepped vehicle is a smart choice.
Honorable mention… The 350 Z
Now that the 350Z is 15 years old, the prices have come down significantly. The VQ motor is strong, and the handling is similar to an E46 BMW. The 350Z is a forgiving chassis making it easy to drive on track.
Because you don’t see many 350Zs on track, you might be a pioneer of sorts. The aftermarket scene might be more “showy” than track and could be frustrating to find the right parts. And there are rumors about possible transmission issues when stressed – but there’s always a fix for that.
Honorable Mention… Dodge Neon
It might not look like much, but the affordable FWD econo-Sedan has a large following and plenty of aftermarket and racing support. The Neon is a great competitive option to Hondas, Minis and VWs.
It’s a Neon. 😉
In order to widen your net we recommend websites like RacingJunk.com which makes it easy to pick up someone else’s already done, or nearly done Track Rat. Starting with cars from BringaTrailer.com can go either way but based on some members experiences, and can often bring unforeseen problems. #garagequeens. Finally, Cars.com is often a quick and easy way to search for cheap street cars.
Don’t agree, let’s agree to disagree? Come share your opinions and continue the conversation on the Break/Fix Facebook Group!
What else should you buy?
Disclaimer: GTM’s high-level assessment of these cars is based on our member/owner experiences and we urge you to do your own research and fact-checking before committing to any one vehicle. GTM isn’t responsible for your satisfaction, happiness or overall track experience with the vehicle you choose. Make sure to visit some vehicle specific online-forums and/or owners clubs for highly detailed and first-hand information on any vehicle you might be interested in.
As a gear head, I have been interested in cars since I was a child. Cars that are fast at the track, an old hot rod at the weekly cruise-in during the summer, or even that exotic on a poster hanging on the wall in my bedroom.
As I have gotten older I have been very fortunate to have been able to see many different makes and models throughout my military travels. Even though my tastes have matured and I’ll admit I have my biases, I can respect aspects of an opposing manufacturer’s offerings.
Having recently read member Mike C’s article on “Fictional Movies, Real Racecraft“ – it stirred up some opinions on film making. My appreciation for automobiles makes watching Hollywood “car movies” a chore. It is painful to see filmmakers sacrifice so many vehicles so regularly. Until movies like Transformers, The Avengers and even the Fast and the Furious Series we were fortunate as a minimal amount of vehicular carnage was seen in movies compared to TV.
The Dukes of Hazard is a perfect example of the excessive destruction of cars. During the shows run (1979-1985) an estimated 300 – yes, you read that right:300 – Dodge Chargers were consumed and only about 17 “General Lee’s” remain. That is roughly a 95% sacrifice rate. Taking so many Chargers off the road undoubtedly increased their value drastically. You could make an argument that this was a form of vehicular poaching. Had the Charger never starred in the show there is a possibility that there would not be as much of a desire for the car. The Charger was used in movies like “Bullet” and others, but the draw was not the same as the Dukes. Shows like “The Fall Guy” starred the My #1 – the GM square body truck. Various years and trims+options were used over the course of the series, but the original “Fall Guy Truck” was a 1980 GMC K25.
The less refined square body connoisseur might not have realized the slight differences in the various trucks. And some heavy modifications for the show, like a mid-mounted engine are things the average owner of these trucks never saw at a dealership.
As a youngster it was awesome watching the carnage without an understanding of the impact of destruction on the automotive community. #ignoranceisbliss. The movie “Cobra” starring Sylvester Stallone was the first time I realized my feelings had changed with respect to sacrificing these cars.
As a pre-teen, I was “allowed to watch” the movie with some accompanying adults, and I remember by the end of the film they were chatting about “how much a shame it was to destroy the notorious 1950 Mercury Monterrey Coupe.” – and I tended to agree. I recall stepping away from the screen in awe of what I had seen and began to understand that even though it looked cool the filmmakers had destroyed a piece of irreplaceable craftsmanship – and more so now, than then, a piece of history.
Honestly, I can still appreciate a good crash scene but nowadays they are bitter-sweet. Hollywood continues to destroy vehicles to draw people in to the theaters, making money off of these sacrifices until they can use high-quality CGI or reuse previously shot footage. In my opinion it’s definitely a blow to automotive enthusiast community and I continue to cringe when I watch the list of vehicles that have been destroyed because of Hollywood continue to grow and grow.
In full disclosure, no vehicles were harmed in the creation of this article!
Stumbling down the never ending rabbit hole that is YouTube, I recently found myself watching Roadkill. Produced by Motor Trend it originally released in 2012 and is hosted by David Freiburger who spent years with 4-Wheel & Off-Road Magazine, Car Craft, Rod & Custom, and other publications before moving over to the position of editor in chief of Hot Rod Magazine – and his co-host Mike Finnegan who has written articles for Dragboat, Truckin’ Mag, and Mini Truckin’as well as others.
Roadkill was formed when the duo decided to start filming their road trips so people could take a behind-the-scenes view of what happens while creating articles for the vehicle magazines they work for. Each episode is its own adventure, some with a goal and others without. A mainstay in the series is finding random vehicles and attempting to drive them back with minimal history or knowledge before their purchase. Many times they are on a budget or they encounter mechanical issues that prevent things from going smoothly. And when things go wrong, because they always do – “Because Roadkill.” #becauseroadkill
Some of the episodes simply deal with going to pick up a vehicle for Hot Rod Magazine for an article, fixing a random car from a junkyard or online shopping, competing in a Motorsports event, obtaining vehicles for their personal collection, or even doing joint episodes with other YouTube channels like Mighty Car Mods from Australia.
In other episodes they pull previous purchases and modify them for various purposes, from off-roading to just pulling wheelies. #ftfoi. They have even brought personally owned vehicles into the show for race events, challenges, and even an engine swap in the Summit Racing parking lot (See Episode 4).
These guys have also done junkyard rescues like a 1969 Mustang Mach 1, 1950 GMC Truck, and a 1967 Plymouth Barracuda to name a few. They have participated in various events such as 24 hours of Lemons, Alaskan Ice Racing, One Lap of America, and many more. An example of their extra-ordinary mods include (but are in no way limited to) supercharging a 1978 Monza Spyder using leaf blowers.
Rooting for the underdog really adds to the excitement of the show. While some of the innovative solutions will have you impressed, others may leave you scratching your head. But as a “wrench-turner” who does not always follow a belief of using conventional ways to resolve issues, this show in many ways feels like looking in a mirror. Some may look at their methods and think these guys are crazy but having done some very similar repairs myself – I can’t help but reminisce over my personal automotive experiences. The show really documents their self proclaimed, “Bad ideas – Brilliant execution.”
If anyone has some extra time to kill this winter, prepare to be entertained by something different! I would definitely recommend checking out Roadkill. The show can be seen on Motor Trend on demand or YouTube at a slightly delayed release. It has sponsors such as Dodge, Optima, JEG’s, EBC, and more. The show even spawned its own short lived magazine Roadkill: Automotive Chaos Theory.
They also have spin offs like: Roadkill Garage and Finnegan’s Garage on YouTube, so be sure to check those out as well. And who knows, maybe GTM will begin to have video articles for our various events in the future too! The constant chaos makes RoadKill humorous to say the least. Even when things don’t go as planned the hosts lean on the phrase “Best day of work ever!” – and I – 100% agree and personally love their job! Watching their interactions feels similar to how some of the GTM club members are when we get together. As a contributing author for GTM, I see a fun relationship between this show and some of our articles, especially our weekly recaps during the race season!
When you hear the word “relativity” your thoughts probably go something like this: “Time > Space > Einstein > EMC2” – but Websters also defines relativity as “the absence of standards of absolute and universal application.” – Which is the perfect jumping off point for my next series of articles titled “Retro Relativity” where I’d like to discuss – or maybe just rant – about how “digitally remastered” versions of automotive cult classics are a disservice to the enthusiasts community. **call me a purist.
Originally designed by Sir Alec Issigonis of the British Motor Corporation (BMC) the MINI had a production run from 1959-2000 (41 yrs) with minimal changes. When people hear MINI, most don’t know that it could have been a BMC, British Leyland, Rover, Morris, or an Austin. With such an abundance of manufacturers through the years, most people didn’t realize that multiple factories were producing the same car at the same time!
The MINI also came in various different types: like the Cooper (its the performance model – if you can imagine that), Clubman, Estate, Moke, and even the Pick-up.
Engine sizes varied, although the engine itself was essentially the same design with a different displacements. The largest version of the MINI 4-cylinder was 1275-cc (which is less than my motorcycle!). The majority were 4-speed manual cars but it was possible to find an occasional one in an automatic (but who in their right mind would want that?). They were also offered in left hand or right hand drive since they were manufactured in and shipped to multiple countries. Originally these cars came with 10 inch wheels (sporting DUBS? Nah, I got DIMES! ), later years they offered them with 12″ and with slight modifications you could fit the massive 13″ wheels on a MINI! In the US the MINI was offered until ’70s when there wasn’t faith that the MINI could meet the new restrictive California emissions being imposed at that time.
Popularity
The MINI had two key events that made it super famous. First was their successes at the Monte Carlo Rally and secondly it starred alongside Sir Michael Caine in the original Italian Job movie in 1969.
As you can imagine – any movie or TV show can make a vehicle popular. We could list them off for days. But winning races can be a more difficult way to gain notoriety, especially through a discipline like Rally. John Cooper of Cooper Car Company worked with Sir Alec Issigonis to modify the MINI for competition. Their efforts paid off as the MINI won the rally in 1964, ’65, ’66, and ’67. Although the 1966 victory was stripped away after being disqualified over “headlights that were against the rules.” – This ruling caused a lot of upheaval and rule changes for future events. In 1966, the first four positions were British teams and the MINIs would have placed in first, third, and fourth had there not been a protest with the headlights. The Cooper is easily recognized by its racing stripes on the bonnet (that’s “the hood” for us ‘Muricans), and signature Union Jack on the white top. Most people don’t realize Coopers were more often painted in British Racing Green than Red.
Not understanding the fascination with the classic MINI until I bought one, I now tell people driving one is like driving a street legal go kart! The video below is a little display of a MINI’s handling through this Gymkana/Autocross to reinforce my point (below).
The Takeover and Transition of MINI
BMW acquired the rights to build cars using the Mini badge in 2001 starting with the Hatch/Hardtop. With BMW taking control some consider it to be the defamation of an icon.How did BMW defame the MINI?, you ask. By not keeping it true to its heritage. With the designs that BMW has chosen to release since the Hatch, there has been a lot of misplaced Badge Engineering. Some examples of this include: the original MINI Clubman (which is supposed to have a squared front end), the Estate is what Americans would consider a station wagon, and the Countryman was originally a “woody” version of the estate, and what the heck is a Paceman? BMW chose to just use the older naming but not keep true to any of the actual designs of these older MINI variants. Not to mention that the subsequent generations of the MINI have also become bigger and larger. Maybe we should start calling them the MAXI and the MACRO?
Many know that I have a slight dislike for BMW in general. #fullstop. After owning multiple BMW products I have come to have my reasons why. But I think one of BMWs biggest mistakes is not keeping true to the history of the MINI when they decided to relaunch the vehicle. Other manufacturers are guilty of this as well: VW with the Beetle and Fiat with the new 500, as examples. On the other hand, Chrysler did a stellar job with the Challenger, presenting a car that looks very much like the original.
A lot of people may have little knowledge of the MINIs history, but it is an impressive one. In my personal opinion the MINI was the British VW Bug (Although my British friends strongly disagree!) being a simple and economical people mover. The classic MINI has a huge global following that has inspired clubs, magazines, forums, and even dedicated companies. I like to see old things whether it be movies remade, buildings refurbished, or cars be reborn. But in my opinion I feel it appropriate to keep true to the heritage of what you’re making. The MINI with its long run, deserved more respect and consideration of its history.
