BigDFoodTrucks: Hanging up the Keyboard...

BigDFoodTrucks: Hanging up the Keyboard...: After much consideration, I've come to the decision to shutter Big D Food Trucks. While I've had a swell time eating my way through DFW stre...

Fast N' Loud, right here in Dallas!

I should feel defeated by this but I don't. Originally I had planned to take this blog and one day turn it into a customs/speed shop. There are 3 elements to my shop, a full custom/rebuild, a quick turn around restoration/modification, speed and performance. With my buddy Kyle on board we could expand into motorcycles. I always faced the idea of working on a few cafe racer types.

Anyway, you get the idea. We were going to have a Motorsports division that fell under the speed shop where I'd have local students in the Dallas area come to help work on the car(s) to learn a thing or two and put a personal touch on the cars that will eventually be raced and possibly auctioned off or sold. The kids could help me create new art cars and give them something to be proud of on race day. Learning valuable skills for now and the future. We could even help get them into some of the new teen driving advanced schools while working with Ford or Audi who run advanced classes currently.

Wow, now that I put digital pen to paper, it actually sounds kind of brilliant. Throw in a few car shows and work with local hot rod groups or social outlets like Ricekiller.com to get some meet ups or shows to boot. I don't care if it's a Lotus Elan or Cadillac Eldorado, they are all welcome. My only requirement is I get to use a Ford F-150 Raptor as my tow vehicle.

Sounds too good to be true, well, as I jabbered on, a great new show on Discovery HD has beat me to the proverbial punch! Nearly to the T of what I had hoped to one day set up, the guys at Gas Monkey Garage have already done such things. All while using a Raptor for a tow vehicle. I know right? Makes me sick! Not really, I love it! Just a couple of awesome guys working on hot rods to do the right thing and sell them to potential owners and get these rides back out on the road. Based in Dallas, Richard Rawlings and Aaron Kaufman run the shop to do such awesome duties. Reminds me of some of the shops I used to hang out at in Oklahoma.

So what I wanted to do is promote the homegrown show of epicness, Fast N' Loud and hope that ThrowingRods can take a little time out and go check out Grease Monkey Garage! Here's to hoping! Check out the show and I hope these kinds of things keep going to keep the auto culture out on the roads. Wednesdays at 10/9c

What's new is new and what's old is old.

So, for a while I've been thinking about finding a replacement for my old Tyco Heads Up Turbo Hopper. I've known for a while I wanted to get back into the hobby but just haven't had the time or place. Though I do have a great parking garage. So this weekend I wanted to do a scale down of my dream garage. Just for the more budget minded. I have known about the company Traxxas for a while but I stumbled upon their Mustang Boss one day and wondered what new toys they had to offer. Toys isn't probably the proper term as they are much more advanced than what I had as a kid.

But I have to think, owning a sports car takes a lot more money than you want to spend. Especially when trying to save for a house or you just don't have the cash to put up or live with a sports car or high performance sedan. There are a number of things you can do like go buy and old Miata or 325i. But that still takes a lot of time, effort and most of all, cash. So my offering is a miniature version of some full scale fun! Below is a list of awesome scales that, if on a budget, and want to have a bit of 4 wheeled fun, then why not go for the list below!

Check it out.

Boss 302

Ford Raptor

Ken Block Fiesta

John Force Funny Car

Grave Digger

And you didn't have to get any grease under your finger nails! Unless there is some lithium grease somewhere.

Never Going Back Again says Mustang

Stevie Nix and Lindsey Buckingham may know all too well about rumors but Mustang fans know them as well. It looks like the rumors were true. About the OX cart axle pony car being updated with an Independent Rear Axle for the 2015 model year. With the cat out of the bag, sales are going to go one of three ways. One, your performance enthusiast is going to hold out for a 2015. Two, the older generation of Mustang owners my denounce the new Mustang and hang on to their stake in Mustang past. Three, new buyers won't know the difference and continue to buy the car regardless. Either way Ford is pushing for a more dramatic and fashion forward look and feel for the Mustang. Regardless of final design rumor, the truth is that the Mustang is changing and notably for the better. With the Mustang going on a diet and an IRS in the future, things are looking exciting. But for now it's all speculation. But this is a step in the right direction if I do say so myself. Personally the best solid axle in car history has served the Mustang quite well, but these new underpinnings should prove to be a valid improvement.

To boot, the new root of challenge between the Mustang and M3 on and off the track is now going to become one of the most valid and still crazy comparisons in automotive history. Both cars are looking to loose weight. But one is going back to a root that is familiar but experimental. Well received (1M Coupe) but still somewhat foreign. The other has had its roots instilled and is moving into a new generation, like a slingshot. So, I'll leave you with the words of the great Ricky Bobby, "Slingshot engaged."

Firestone 550 Izod Indy Car Race at Texas Motor Speedway

Again, it's a GREAT weekend at Texas Motor Speedway! The Firestone 550 Izod Indy Car race comes to town this June 9th. Of course I have to support our American open wheel racing! Though Texas is not a road course, I'll get over it. If you ever get a chance to even go out and see an Indy Car race, do so! Not much will be able to take that sound of roaring flat plane V6 with forced induction. Now the cars are running off of E85 these days which is an interesting change from years past. But Chevrolet has long supported its mission to utilize alternative fuels in racing as can be seen from some of their project cars and racing teams.

Now, back to the Indy Car series. Will Power is the current points leader in the series and Scott Dixon in a shallow distance of second. Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchiti do have a battle for third though and it will be interesting to see how the next couple races play out, but there is plenty of racing left in the season. Check out more info about the race in Texas here!

Global Rally Cross Comes to TEXAS

Hey there rally fans, a new form of rally is storming the US with Global Rally Cross. A combination of moto-cross and rally, all on a set track. Yeah, it's a bit different than your typical rally but there is plenty of good hooning in the arena. Drivers like Tanner Foust, Brian Deegan, Ken Block, Dave Mirra, Travis Pastrana and many, many more!! This Saturday, Texas Motor Speedway is hosting the first GRC at TMS. Prior to an evening of Indy Car Racing this event caters to a younger crowd of automotive enthusiasts. Given that when I was getting into my more prevalent young driving years, the world of moto-cross was growing at an exponential rate. While the 4 wheeled industry was slowing being pushed away. Well times have changed and we are seeing a shift in paradigm. The world of Rally Racing is being brought back with a vengeance in an extraordinary way. Many enthusiasts may not agree but if its the way it has to go then so be it. Drivers like Ken Block and Tanner Foust are new faces in a pit of old moto-cross riders turned rally, sport truck or NASCAR drivers. These new drivers have charisma, attitude and the obvious driving credentials to make these new sports a legitimate option for enthusiasts. New forms of hoontastic events such as Formula Drift and Gymkhana add to the show of new venues to revile in the sights and sounds of a new wave of both high powered muscle cars and light weight rally cross champions. It's a great time to be a car guy/gal!!

Throwing Rods will not be able to make it out to the event this weekend but will be there in spirit at least. If you are like me, then you can remain sane and go pick up one of these awesome Ken Block R/C cars from Traxxas! I think I should add a couple to the ThrowingRods garage, what do you think?

Deep Thoughts

So, I've contemplated dream garages for years. But as I get older I have more and more realizations of what's possible, affordable and easy to upkeep. Now affordability is a relative term for sure. Any car guy knows this. Today on the other hand I just started wondering what would be the ultimate combination of some of my all time urges. Within some amount of reason. I came up with the following list: 


Acura NSX

It's low, it's got the engine between the axles, it's incredibly reliable, handles on rails and only one last thing. Ayrton Senna. 


E36 M3 (Race)

It's awesomely ugly, fairly light, easy to work on and doesn't break the bank like the other M Machines. No one seems to care as much for this model. Give it a tune up, patch in some bracing and go to stitch welding and viola! A weekend track car with super aftermarket support.


Ford Raptor

Seriously, I have to explain this?


2013 Mustang Boss

It's old, it's new, it has parts from all era's. It captures American spirit, has a rumbling but brilliant V8. gives the feel of that hot rod you missed in high school with the spirit of a new, more sophisticated break neck thrill ride. 


So what's your future garage look like?

SXSW, a road trip via iPhone.

Just some great joys from Austin and what fun and finds you can have automotive and not when you get out on the open road!

Live!

Red Bull Stage

Slammed Cadillac

Shiny Toy Guns and downtown Austin

Lunch with Billy Gibbons

Volt Test Drive

Minis

The Cult at the Chevy Sound Stage

Car Art? Camaro Hood

Doritos anyone?

Eve6

Hmmm, Turbo Sonic

The M Machine

To SXSW and BEYOND!

Well, maybe not beyond, but at least to and from. Getting there though we were graciously allowed the opportunity to take a brand new Chevy Cruze down to Austin. Now, I have to thank James Wood Chevrolet in Decatur for lending us a temporary ride and for Drive Me Happy Chevy DFW for making it happen!

So, I started this blog because of the lack of enthusiasm for car culture today and I was happy that Chevrolet was able to see into this, not by way of me or anything, but by bringing the company to the youths of sorts. Sponsoring SXSW, the social media attention and other local events that Chevrolet has been helping entertainment seekers get to, is kind of an interesting and astounding move. You never know what kind of marketing will work, but in this case of the Facebook/iPad generation, they took the market to them. I won’t go into my spiel about how the younger generation cares not about the automobile, but at least they are being tapped into to show that if you have to get somewhere, why not check out the fact that we are hip to the world also. What I will do is embrace a new found way to create car culture. That’s what I’m about. This time it was a road trip to Austin, via Drive Me Happy Chevy, after winning passes to SXSW.

So, on to the good stuff.  We picked up our Cruze as early as we could get to Decatur on a great Wednesday morning. We thought we would just be picking up a demo car with no options, not even a Cruze really, probably an Aveo or hopefully a Sonic. But we really got hooked up with a Cruze LTZ with RS package. I’m not as fond of the headlights of the Cruze but as an overall package, the car looked really good and gleamed in Silver. Great news is that we had hands free Bluetooth, push button keyless start and leather trim on nearly everything. I want to commend Chevrolet for using European style leather on the steering wheel with quality cross stitching and a fairly thick ring. Finally these companies are getting it right! This is a big time score in my book. As a driver and enthusiast, if I’m holding on to the helm of my automobile with dainty, thin, cheap rubber, I’m far from confident in the rest of the car. Though somewhat confusing at first, the Cruze’s multitude of steering column stalks took a minute to get used to but very easy to operate when understood. Most of it was tied into the center positioned info screen in the gauge cluster. The trip meter has come a long way! Push button start is also a great trend, but Chevrolet’s execution is a bit off the mark compared to the competition here. The button in the Cruze blends well into the dash and doesn’t seem to flow with the niceties of the rest of the dash. Most owners prefer a designated button that is fairly obvious while not being obnoxious but festooned as to mesh with the other dash bits. On the other hand, every push button, even the gear selector in the center stack was positioned very well and ergonomically for both myself and my wife. Who, by the way, actually won the Music Passes for us to SXSW. My only true gripe, which applies to many car manufacturers, is how tall the dashes are getting to be. Neither I, nor my wife are tall and so lower dash heights mean better visibility for us. This is a trend in most manufacturers currently though. Overall, we were both very impressed with the interior and overall visibility. As a premium car owner, I’m fairly staunch on how I rate interiors but the Cruze did just about everything very well. I just nitpick.

Let’s move on the fun stuff. Performance. With our model packing the 1.4L Ecotec Turbo 4 cylinder, it should be no slouch. Well, there is a lot to this story. The engine alone is a well designed and durable power plant that is very capable if a little bit low on power for a turbo powered engine. The transmission is what may be the weakest link here. While really experiencing good torque delivery and limited turbo lag, the gearing and shift timing are what keep this engine at bay. Now more and more automobiles are forced to be better at fuel economy and for this, the gearing is right and the car moves quite well. But Chevrolet should be offering a Sport mode at least, with quicker shifts and higher rev limiting. It only takes a quick programming to do such things. Chevrolet’s turbo engines have proved highly potent in the past so I would little worry about the engine. But at this point, even Hyundai is offering a sport shift mode. This would really perk up the car, especially in our Rally Sport trim, bigger wheels garnished with high performance Michelin All Season tires. My quick suggestion, keep the RS package, with the super low compression in the Turbo, allow for just a bit more boost and kick up the power. Allow quicker shift timing and more range in holding the rpm limits, even the 3.94 axle ratio could be an option. With 138Hp/148ft-lb of torque, it’s not far off of the baseline 4 cylinder. Now, this isn’t negative as this is good power for such a fuel efficient vehicle with great room. As far as steering feel goes, it is certainly adjusted for the non performance enthusiast and more for the comfort. Which is over 90% of the buying public so I have no qualm other than it would be good to implement a bit more road feel. Steering action was spot on though. If we wanted to go, it went. Nothing to complain about and easy operation thanks to an electronic power assist unit.

Comfort is not forgotten. Now I might have already mentioned the view from the driver’s seat, but what about your friends and family? I was very surprised with the amount of room we had in the Cruze. Though seemingly short, the leg room and ceiling height was great for all, even our tall passenger in the rear. Trunk room and opening was spacious and easy to access. Everything you’d ask for in a traveling car. Not boring you with dimensions, we were able to get all of our gear for the week for 3 people, easily in the trunk with room to spare and an empty cabin for whatever else we wanted! Realistically, the Cruze came with more upscale features than I would have ever thought a mid range model would offer. Touch sensitive entry with key sense, leather and aluminum surfaces with soft touch areas where necessary, XM radio with iPod connectivity available. Dual zone climate control, remote start and hands free communication. If I say any more I’m going to run out of letters! It does come with many available options when makes the Cruze versatile and economical. Chevrolet has certainly put mid level cars back on the map with the Cruze.

Road trips are a great way to get well aquainted with you automobile and I advise everyone do it whenever they can. We were fortunate enough to have an great venue to land at for ours. Chevrolet was big in influence with multiple venues, laser light shows, catch a Chevy (basically a free Cruze cab…if you can catch one) and test drives. I was lucky enough to catch a Sonic coupe for a test drive while we were down there. A sweet little car that I’m excited to see Chevy bring to the market. Why? Because small cars need to be enjoyable as well. Easily fuel sipping, financially smart, small cars need to make a comeback as great competition to those who have run the market for the last 20 years. My wife on the other hand, enjoyed a top down Camaro SS, in perfect orange and white. Sounds backwards right? Well I’m an obscure enthusiast and I have to check out what’s a little different. On the other hand, I missed the Corvette test drive by 10 minutes.

Of course SXSW was great and we never got to see as many acts as we would have wanted to. It was a great time and now have plenty of memories. More road trips in the future? I hope so. I hope everyone does. If you are in the market for a small to midsized vehicle, I would recommend you take a look into the Cruze. I never would have if not given the opportunity but now that I have, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with all that has become, the Cruze. Certainly worth putting into the list of your current competition. Let the games begin!