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alternative energy
2009 corvette zr1
Building The 638 HP LS9 Corvette ZR1 Engine
Ever wonder what the hand-assembly of an LS9 — the 638 HP supercharged heart of the 2009 Corvette ZR1 — actually looks like? Well, the guys over at Automobile actually got to lend a hand in bolting one together. So, let's all take a moment to forget all about Nurburgring lap times and dealer mark-ups to sit back and watch GM do what GM perhaps does best: build a big ol' thumpin' V8. Video after the jump. More »
tata nano
Tata Nano To Offer Compressed Air Engine Optional, Make Electric Cars Look Silly
Buried in a New York Times article on "Low-Carbon Chic" (vomit) comes confirmation the Tata Nano, the $2500 (or maybe a bit more) mini-car will offer a MDI compressed air engine as an option. Tata has been backing MDI for a while now, and off-the-cuff we mused at the idea of the compressed air engine option in a Nano months ago. Given the novelty of the engine, it was more a dismissal than speculation. Well, we guess it turns out we were right. Remember after the Tata Nano was unveiled, how all the enviro-dweebs whined incessantly about how the huge swath of new little cars on India's streets would contribute bajillions of tons of carbon dioxide to the environment? Well, maybe they'll be eating some crow because $3 worth of electricity will probably fill a tank for a 125 mile trip. More »
ford mustang svo
We've now heard from a second source that Ford is readying a return to the 2010 Ford Mustang of a badge familiar to malaise-era muscle car fan-boys — the Mustang SVO. Just like the original limited edition mid-eighties Mustang was all about merging power performance with fuel efficiency — we're hearing similar rumblings on this new 'stang. We'd already heard Ford's plans for the Boss engine lineup and we already understood the new Mustang would be less V8-focused than the current Mustang's muscular lineup. We'd also heard the pony car would be receiving Ford's new silver bullet, a twin-turbocharged engine equipped with their new EcoBoost technology. What we hadn't heard was what the boys over at Garage419 today claim — that it'll be a four-banger capable of hitting 300 HP and this newly-badged 'stang will be lighter than the GT by 500 lbs. Holy game-changer, Batman!
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Ford To Bring Mustang SVO Badge Back For 2010 With 300 HP Eco-Boosted Four-Cylinder
We've now heard from a second source that Ford is readying a return to the 2010 Ford Mustang of a badge familiar to malaise-era muscle car fan-boys — the Mustang SVO. Just like the original limited edition mid-eighties Mustang was all about merging power performance with fuel efficiency — we're hearing similar rumblings on this new 'stang. We'd already heard Ford's plans for the Boss engine lineup and we already understood the new Mustang would be less V8-focused than the current Mustang's muscular lineup. We'd also heard the pony car would be receiving Ford's new silver bullet, a twin-turbocharged engine equipped with their new EcoBoost technology. What we hadn't heard was what the boys over at Garage419 today claim — that it'll be a four-banger capable of hitting 300 HP and this newly-badged 'stang will be lighter than the GT by 500 lbs. Holy game-changer, Batman!
More »
choose your eternity
The Lamborghini Jarama sprinkled a little olive oil on the Maserati Quattroporte and ate it like a little gnocchi (in spite of the Maser's vast bulk) in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll, triumphing in a near-unprecedented 80-20 ass-whupping. Apparently the Maserati was just too easy for our voters, and we totally understand. That's the reason we're going with a couple of projects featuring crazy international engine swaps today, because there's nothing as cool as a car that will be a tire-roasting deathtrap, yet never worth even a quarter half of the money you squander invest in it!
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PCH, Engines Not Found In Nature Edition: LS1 BMW or 1JZGTE Volvo?
The Lamborghini Jarama sprinkled a little olive oil on the Maserati Quattroporte and ate it like a little gnocchi (in spite of the Maser's vast bulk) in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll, triumphing in a near-unprecedented 80-20 ass-whupping. Apparently the Maserati was just too easy for our voters, and we totally understand. That's the reason we're going with a couple of projects featuring crazy international engine swaps today, because there's nothing as cool as a car that will be a tire-roasting deathtrap, yet never worth even More »
industry news
Who's The Boss: Ford To Axe Boss Engine In Mustang, Limit Use To Super-Duty?
Buried beneath pickup truck news — by way of PickupTrucks.com and Automotive News — we're told Ford may be axing (or at least severely limiting) their program for the large displacement Boss V8 engine. These "Boss" engines, sources claim, were planned for the 2010 Ford Mustang and F-150's, and expected to go head-to-head with big-liter engines from Chrysler, GM and Toyota. According to the two outlets' internal Ford whisperers, the bigger engines may be being scrapped altogether. That means, potentially — in addition to the new Ford F-150 not getting a range of "Boss" V8s — the Mustang may lose out on the big, bold and bossy engine as well in favor of a smaller displacement V8. While our sources at Ford claim "it's hard to axe something that was never on the table to begin with," Ford's President of the Americas, Mark Fields tells a different story. More »
choose your eternity
The low-miles AMC beat the NASA-built Fairmont in the Electrocutioner Edition Choose Your Eternity poll, though the Fairmont did make a respectable showing. Today we're jumping back into a pool of flaming gasoline, because there's no telling how much longer the smell of incompletely burned hydrocarbons will hover around our garages. After seeing a Datsun 610 in the junkyard and then the '78 Toyota brochures over at Japanese Nostalgic Car (thanks, SOS10), we decided to find a couple of Japanese cars built before they'd discovered focus groups (and airtight quality control) over there.
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Project Car Hell, Co-Prosperity Sphere Edition: Nissan Fairlady Or Mazda Luce?
The low-miles AMC beat the NASA-built Fairmont in the Electrocutioner Edition Choose Your Eternity poll, though the Fairmont did make a respectable showing. Today we're jumping back into a pool of flaming gasoline, because there's no telling how much longer the smell of incompletely burned hydrocarbons will hover around our garages. After seeing a Datsun 610 in the junkyard and then the '78 Toyota brochures over at Japanese Nostalgic Car (thanks, SOS10), we decided to find a couple of Japanese cars built before they'd discovered focus groups (and airtight quality control) over there.More »
engine swap
911-Powered VW Vans Are Everywhere!
The 911-powered '74 VW Transporter was the big winner in yesterday's Favorite PCH poll, but when was the last time you saw a Vanagon with a 911 engine? Outside of Germany, that is. Chris Hull over at Autofiends shot what we hope is such a Vanagon in SoCal; if it's for real, we approve strongly. [Autofiends]
engine swap
Austin-Healey 100 With Blown Jaguar V12 Has Almost Enough Engine Now
The Austin-Healey 100 is a true British sports car, all right, but there's something missing. What could it be? Yes, of course- a Vortec-supercharged 5.3 liter Jaguar V12, which is what Canadian lunatic Martin Jansen has installed in this '54. We don't get any horsepower figures for the engine (which seems odd, considering the engine builder goes by the moniker of "Dyno Dave"), but it's a safe assumption that it's much, much, much more than the 90 horsepower of the original A-H four-cylinder. The build quality here is just staggeringly good and the whole setup somehow fits neatly under the hood. We have no choice but to give this engine swap an extra heavy-duty Jalopnik Stamp-O-Approval™! [BritishV8.org]
engine swap
1967 Mercury Cougar With OM617 Turbodiesel Should Run On Lard!
You want to drive a car powered by the most reliable automobile engine ever produced, you want to burn non-petroleum fuel, yet you don't want to drive a boring ol' Mercedes sedan like every other anti-dinosaur-juice diesel demon in town? Loyal reader Vance has pulled our coat about this '67 Cougar with a freshly rebuilt turbo-equipped Mercedes-Benz OM617 installed; this setup looks like it was done right, though the price seems on the painful side and the performance is likely more tortoise than hare (albeit a tortoise that could win a 500,000-mile race with ease). [Craigslist Los Angeles]
engine of the day
Engine Of The Day: Chrysler Trans Four
After Uncle Sam bailed out "too big to fail" Chrysler in 1979, the race was on to bring to market small front-wheel-drive cars that could compete with Japanese imports better than sluggish Cordobas and Volares. The K-cars were powered by Chrysler's very first all-metric four-cylinder engine, the 2.2, and it proved to be a reasonably reliable and versatile powerplant. Just about every car Chrysler built from 1981 through the mid-90s could be had with some flavor of the 2.2 or 2.5 engine, and the turbocharged versions made plenty of power; the peak was the Turbo III, with Lotus-designed DOHC head and an output of 225 horsepower. Be sure to check out Allpar's interview with engine designer Pete Hagenbuch, for the scoop on how the Slant Six and 2.2 were developed. [Allpar]
moment of junkyard zen
A Case Of Junkyard OCD?
While I can't claim to be a junkyard photographer of Lost America's caliber, I do my best to capture junkyard images that tell a story. The other day, I went to the local yard... More »
safety
Toyota Prius, Now With Fake Engine Noise!
The ongoing saga of THE SILENT KILLERS continues to unfold. Today we encounter researchers at Stanford University demonstrating their external speaker system for the Toyota Prius, designed to warn the blind, children and other susceptible parties that an unusually silent vehicle is on the prowl. More »
choose your eternity
The Dirtbag XJ-S pounded the Sepia 1940 Mopars like a Canadian carny pounding a case of Moosehead in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll, which was about what we expected. After all, a V12 Jaguar can beat most any PCH contender, up to (and perhaps including) a Citröen. We'll test that hypothesis later, but today we're going to try our hand at Hell Projects featuring lightweight vehicles with hoon-centric engine power. You see, you need to consider the possibility- however remote- that you might one day crawl out of the crater of boiling sulfur in your garage and actually finish a project. At that point, the hell must continue, as you careen out onto the public roads in a barely controllable deathtrap pawing and snorting at the ravaged pavement with ten times the horsepower its designers intended.
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PCH, Power-To-Weight Edition: V8 Peugeot 403 or Blown Beetle?
The Dirtbag XJ-S pounded the Sepia 1940 Mopars like a Canadian carny pounding a case of Moosehead in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll, which was about what we expected. After all, a V12 Jaguar can beat most any PCH contender, up to (and perhaps including) a Citröen. We'll test that hypothesis later, but today we're going to try our hand at Hell Projects featuring lightweight vehicles with hoon-centric engine power. You see, you need to consider the possibility- however remote- that you might one day crawl out of the crater of boiling sulfur in your garage and actually finish a project. At that point, the hell must continue, as you careen out onto the public roads in a barely controllable deathtrap pawing and snorting at the ravaged pavement with ten times the horsepower its designers intended.More »
gadgets
The Vibering Concept Won't Provide Pleasure, May Protect You From Hybrids
Despite the sexual connotations of the name "Vibering," it's actually a concept in design that's purpose is not to please the nether regions. In actuality, the ring's designed with the blind and/or deaf in mind to protect against THE KILLER PRIUS. The concept sure sounds simple — with two sound-detecting rings and a wristwatch, the Vibering listens for a variety of different sounds, including car engines and honking horns. It will then warn the wearer on the distance and proximity of the car with a series of vibrations. In addition to being able to detect auto noises, the Vibering also listens for common phrases like "Excuse Me" and more. It's only a conceptual design by the design team of Kwang-seok Jeong, Min-hee Kim and Hyun-joong Kim (yeah, we've never heard of them either), but it's a hell of a lot better than the external speaker idea. [Yanko]
rat rod
When we brought a car with a crazy engine/transmission swap and some wild junkyard suspension mods to the 24 Hours of LeMons race, some folks thought it wouldn't last a dozen laps... but we knew better. You see, we've got the mighty Hellhammer, aka Junkyard Dave Schaible, as crew chief, and this guy can build anything. Here's one of my favorite Hellhammer projects: one of the first- if not the first- of the current generation of Northern California rat rods, built back in the early 1980s. It's a Model T body (which was found, complete with bullet holes, sitting in a Castro Valley field) on a Model A frame, powered by a '49 Cadillac 331-cubic-inch engine spinning a seriously lumpy mid-50s-vintage Isky cam. It's built entirely from stuff Dave had sitting around, including a Geo Metro back seat, '40 Ford brakes, handmade headers, etc., and I'm having a tough time thinking of any vehicle that's more fun to drive. Those of you heading to the Billetproof show in September will get to see this machine in person.
Before They Called Them Rat Rods: Hellhammer's Caddy-Powered Model T
When we brought a car with a crazy engine/transmission swap and some wild junkyard suspension mods to the 24 Hours of LeMons race, some folks thought it wouldn't last a dozen laps... but we knew better. You see, we've got the mighty Hellhammer, aka Junkyard Dave Schaible, as crew chief, and this guy can build anything. Here's one of my favorite Hellhammer projects: one of the first- if not the first- of the current generation of Northern California rat rods, built back in the early 1980s. It's a Model T body (which was found, complete with bullet holes, sitting in a Castro Valley field) on a Model A frame, powered by a '49 Cadillac 331-cubic-inch engine spinning a seriously lumpy mid-50s-vintage Isky cam. It's built entirely from stuff Dave had sitting around, including a Geo Metro back seat, '40 Ford brakes, handmade headers, etc., and I'm having a tough time thinking of any vehicle that's more fun to drive. Those of you heading to the Billetproof show in September will get to see this machine in person.
choose your eternity
Fiero-based Fierraris and Fieroborghinis are great (though the vast majority of you went with the Zimmer Quicksilver over the Fierrari in the poll), but a realistic-looking, V8-equipped Fieroborghini can run you over 20 grand. If only you could get a real Lamborghini for that kind of money... ah, but that's just impossible, right? Hell no! This is Project Car Hell, where you can put a finicky Italian supercar in your garage for the price of a new 4-cylinder Camry... or less! Better brush up on your Italian, Giuseppe, because you're gonna be a Lamborghini owner!
More »
PCH, You Can Afford A Lamborghini Edition: 1970 or 1971 Espada?
Fiero-based Fierraris and Fieroborghinis are great (though the vast majority of you went with the Zimmer Quicksilver over the Fierrari in the poll), but a realistic-looking, V8-equipped Fieroborghini can run you over 20 grand. If only you could get a real Lamborghini for that kind of money... ah, but that's just impossible, right? Hell no! This is Project Car Hell, where you can put a finicky Italian supercar in your garage for the price of a new 4-cylinder Camry... or less! Better brush up on your Italian, Giuseppe, because you're gonna be a Lamborghini owner!More »
project car hell poster child
