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Posts Tagged “

Metal

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rat rod

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.

1:20 PM on Fri May 30 2008
By Murilee Martin
2,999 views, 67 comments

Latest by Evil_Genius: Hellhammer has my old truck.. Maybe the big block out of it will get reincarnated in something cool like this.. A little about Dave.. When we were building the V8olvo we were having an issue with wheel offset and I was more »

24 hours of lemons altamont

When You Go From 44th To 15th Place In Six Hours, You Get A Few Dings

When racing started at Altamont on Sunday, we knew we had some catching up to do; thanks to overestimation of fuel consumption, some pit slowness, and a penalty incurred by yours truly (more on that later), we started the day in 44th place out of 90 cars. We had the power, we had the skilled drivers, and we had a block of Swedish steel that could shrug off hits from the biggest opponents. And, speaking of the biggest opponents, a certain bullying orange Plymouth fared quite badly in a series of paint-trading incidents with our own WhatWouldJesseDo; see that orange paint on the tire in the image above?

2:00 PM on Tue May 13 2008
By Murilee Martin
2,533 views, 76 comments

Latest by whatwouldjessedo: @Harms: Well, I hope I didn't do anything to piss anybody off out there. If I did, my defense is beginner's ignorance, or maybe the V8olvo helped me channel the war-mongering ways of the Norse Gods. In any case, that was my more »

24 hours of lemons altamont

Yes, Those Were Vacuum-Operated Skulls On The Black Metal V8olvo's Roof

With all the excitement of the race, I totally forgot to post photos of what the Black Metal V8olvo actually looked like by the time we had it all painted and bedecaled. Thing is, we didn't have time to apply the decals until we actually got the car to the racetrack. First of all, some commenters have wondered about the skulls mounted on the front edge of the car's roof. Those aren't just decorative skulls that just sit there. Hell, no! These are anatomically correct med-student skull replicas, and they're equipped with crowns of plumber's tape, Fiat indicator lights for eyes, and Dodge minivan vacuum motors operating the jaws! With high manifold vacuum (i.e., idling, cruising, decelerating), the vacuum motor pulls the skull's jaw shut; low manifold vacuum (i.e., gas pedal mashed to the floor) allows springs to pull the jaw open. I'll write up the fascinating details of how to build such important racing accessories for yourself, but for now let's check out the nice "before getting beat to hell" photos of the car.
More »

2:00 PM on Mon May 12 2008
By Murilee Martin
2,639 views, 59 comments

Latest by Murilee Martin: @turbo zero: Wayne is a team member who didn't get in a lot of the photos I posted on the build. Great wrench, great driver. I'll do a post on the team's experiences with all that info... when I manage more »

Just received the following text message from Murilee: "[Team Black Metal V8olvo has] gone from 44th place to 19th so far today." Continue following the team's progress along with all our coverage here.

14 comments

24 hours of lemons altamont

Black Metal V8olvo Moving Up Through Ranks, But Taking A Beating

So we put in the Loverman followed by Viergangfuchs this morning and started knocking off some quick laps, passing like crazy and moving up to the 20s in the standings; Mr. Baruth has our best lap time, with 51 seconds. Now the Evil Genius is driving, and he's also fast as hell. However, the level of competition is getting ratcheted up, tempers are flaring a bit out there, and we're dishing out and receiving some damage in the heat of the action; the front suspension just needed some major toe adjustments after a bit of mutual metal grunching with our friend Xarg's Cavalier wagon. Sorry, guys! Meanwhile, the Porcubimmer, after leading for a while yesterday, has been de-quilled by various mechanical maladies; full report later.

5:15 PM on Sun May 11 2008
By Murilee Martin
2,188 views, 11 comments

Latest by NovaloadMissesPolar: @DoctorNine: That would completely rock if they just played and sang and stopped with cutaways to the vogue face closeups. Yeah, you're cute, get on with it. more »

24 hours of lemons altamont

Life, Racing Go On

There was definitely a sense of gloom hanging over the pits this morning, but just about everyone here felt that we ought to go out and have fun doing what the late Mr. Summerfield loved doing: racing. The number of cars out on the track is quite a bit smaller than what we had yesterday, as mechanical failures take their toll (though Jay Lamm's rigorous "don't hit each other" policy is working well, with not many cars getting sidelined by enduro-style damage). Team Black Metal V8olvo is now in Full Hammer Down Mode, with our fast drivers out there and our car rising in the standings (at last check, we were #34). Our goal: to be the fastest Swedish car! I may not have time to post for a while, as I'm on pit duty and my driving turn is coming up shortly, but will do my best.

2:15 PM on Sun May 11 2008
By Murilee Martin
2,520 views, 36 comments

Latest by Kelly: @TexanIdiot25: A few of the links come back as the 'author' has removed the item...but here's my take. I've not been a Jalophead for more than a few months, but I'm a hard core gearhead, otherwise. The Acclaim will likely have transmission failure more »

24 hours of lemons altamont

The Race Is On!

And here comes pride up the backstretch! I'm the next driver up, so this will be brief: right now our friends on Team Porcubimmer are in first place! Black Metal V8olvo is in "preserve the car" mode, so we're running in the middle of the pack now. The car seems to be doing all right, although those of you who predicted that the Mercedes-Benz radiator would leak have been proven correct (not a serious leak, fortunately, and we have a spare).

4:30 PM on Sat May 10 2008
By Murilee Martin
2,373 views, 33 comments

Latest by NovaloadMissesPolar: Jeez, I hate trying to read those blogs. You're right, @TexanIdiot25. They are saying someone was killed??! more »

24 hours of lemons altamont

Last Second Thrash, Race About To Begin!

We've spent the morning applying stickers, discussing driver strategy, and being hectored by Mr. Lamm about all the horrific penalties that await overly aggro drivers (in honor of Mother's Day, one penalty involves being forced to eat an entire meatloaf while another team member plays the role of the mother, hovering and shouting that the victim is the Least Favorite Child). I'm pretty busy now, but stay tuned for more live action when I get a breather! [24 Hours of LeMons and 24 Hours of LeMons Altamont coverage]

2:30 PM on Sat May 10 2008
By Murilee Martin
1,503 views, 13 comments

Latest by mr.chophoppers: Bah, you left some dots off: It's "Ragnarök". more »

altamont lemons 2008

24 Hours of LeMons Early Birds Get Set Up At Altamont

Teams competing in the 24 Hours of LeMons race can check in and get their cars past the tech inspection judges on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. Teams showing up on Friday get first shot at the good pit spaces, and Team Black Metal V8olvo decided to claim some real estate today. Tech inspection went smoothly and we're cleared to race. More »

10:00 PM on Fri May 9 2008
By Murilee Martin
2,620 views, 55 comments

24 hours of lemons

Black Metal V8olvo Now Equipped With Rebel Swedish Flag Roof

When your V8-powered Volvo race car already has a 5-speed, Fiero wing, and hood scoop, what more do you need? That's right, a great big Swedish Rebel Flag on the roof! We had this planned for quite a while (though several commenters read our minds and suggested the idea), and we finally made it happen last weekend. Before you go and read Señor Loverman's TTAC writeup, make the jump to check out the blow-by-blow. [The Truth About Cars] More »

6:20 PM on Mon May 5 2008
By Murilee Martin
3,870 views, 51 comments

Latest by n/a: I'm 100% swede, and I approve of this volvo - and it's awsome styling - for a full 110% !!! If you guys doesn't reach the checkerd flag first in that v8 powered swedish behemoth, I will take a flight over more »

question of the day

What Is Your Favorite 90's Racing Game?

In honor of today's release of GT5 Prologue we've been holding on to a few video game QOTD's. Yesterday, we asked you about your favorite racing video game from the 1980's and today we're zooming ahead chronologically to the 1990's. This is a decade that saw us go from Virtua Racing, a game so advanced it required a special processor in the cartridge, to the original Gran Turismo. You had games with performance and style as varied as Lotus Turbo Challenge and the original Twisted Metal. For good or ill we also got the original Grand Theft Auto top-down games. More »

11:40 AM on Tue Apr 15 2008
By Matt Hardigree
3,050 views, 140 comments

Latest by n/a: GT2. It was as real as real could be for the time. I was able to race with every Honda (in every color) I owned up until that point: Blue Prelude, Red Integra, Black Civic. Although the Skyline GTR was more »

offbeat news

Thief Fingered By Canadian Car Forum Still Needs One More

Take note: You do not mess with the motorheads at Beyond.ca unless you want 46,000 righteously angry, resourceful, and tech-savvy Canadians on the lookout for you. This is especially true if you're an easily recognizable eight-fingered stoner who's too stupid to stash one of the more visible and distinctive cars in Calgary. Before long you'll have an unflattering new nickname and a target on your back that — thanks to Google Maps — is almost literally visible from orbit. More »

1:14 AM on Fri Apr 4 2008
By John Krewson
5,499 views, 53 comments

Latest by TexanIdiot25: Flavor enhanced with A.D.D.: The thread is hilarious, and ends with the apparent Mother, Future-Mother-In-Law, and the now Ex-GF bitching it out in the end! more »

top gear

Top Gear Knock-Off Makes Us Think America Doesn't Deserve Top Gear

Just when we were starting to get excited about the possibility of an American Top Gear, with or without Adam Corolla as host, someone clues us to Scott VanPala's Heavy Metal, which may be the worst knock-off of our favorite show we've come across (and we've seen a few of them). We don't know what's worse: the bad alliteration ("the Caddy is about as capable as a cabbage") the strange conclusions (buy a Murano) or the subtle racism. Wait, we know. It's the guy's annoying voice ("Mista patata hed"). New Jersey's Kermit the Frog shouldn't be doing auto programs. We'd much rather have Leno. [Autostreamfilms via Motive Forums]

10:45 AM on Fri Mar 28 2008
By Matt Hardigree
5,581 views, 89 comments

Latest by Joseph: Can't they just pay Clarkson, Hammond, and May their money and get the real show over here. Who cares if they bash Americans every episode, the show is great! more »

24 hours of lemons

Hood Scoop Adds Dignity, Top Fuel Power To LeMons Volvo

Not long after I joined a 24 Hours of LeMons team, I attended a barbecue at a friend's house. Friend's husband, Darren, is a motorcycle mechanic, so naturally all the gearheady guys gravitated to the garage to look at grimy machinery and listen to The Atomic Bitchwax on the garage boombox... and then I saw it. Just lying there on top of a box of Honda pistons was an old battered Mr. Gasket Street Scoop. Yes!
More »

10:40 AM on Wed Mar 26 2008
By Murilee Martin
3,879 views, 68 comments

junkyard

Horgh Commends Your Soul To A Scandinavian Junkyard!

When you find yourself in a skeletal birch forest with freezing North Sea winds slicing through your bones, berserker ghosts swinging rusty battleaxes, and the voice of Loki booming from the skies, you know you've found the right junkyard! That's why Horgh (and commenter JanTheMan) want you to know about the amazing Kyrkö Mosse junkyard in Sweden. [Skroten På Kyrkö Mosse]

10:15 AM on Fri Jan 25 2008
By Murilee Martin
1,397 views, 24 comments

commenter of the day

Commenter of the Day: Viking Senior Citizens Edition

Once again, Doctor Loverman is busy (no doubt performing a heart massage using a dirty toilet plunger), and so the duty of selecting the COTD falls to me. Today we had a chorus of huzzahs for this commenter's observation about Teutonic methods of keeping the elderly from slowing society down, and we're giving the latest Commenter of the Day award in accordance with the will of the mob. More »

6:30 PM on Fri Nov 9 2007
By Murilee Martin
897 views, 11 comments

death to non-assisted metal

Heavy Metal Amazon Award!

We were listening to Sweden's own Hellacopters earlier, who aren't really a heavy metal act per se, but their founder, Nicke, was the drummer for death-metal act Entombed, whose second record is really the only example of the genre that we ever got particularly into. However, this Swedish metalhead's dedication to non-false metal has gone much, much farther beyond a common rock 'n' roll addiction. In fact, he has been given government disability insurance, allowed a flexible schedule to get his metal on, and now this: Roger Tullgren of Hässelholm, Sweden, you win Jalopnik's Heavy Metal (Volvo) Amazon award. We hope the Swedish government sees fit to honor our request to outfit you with a gloss-black, choptop vintage Volvo with the Venom logo airbrushed carefully onto the hood and license plate frame reading "Vaya Con Satan." – Davey G. Johnson More »

9:45 PM on Wed Jun 20 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
291 views, 5 comments

Latest by lascauxcaveman: @Ed D: Man, that 122 project has potential. But -2 for the stupid occult-looking graphics and -3 for the phrase "pimped rat rod". more »

cry wolf!

Plural Opel Coupes, Black Metal, Mantas!

We can't believe we spaced on this, seeing as Venom frontman Cronos has been known to show up at Spinelli's old LasagnaFarm project from time to time. But if you needed further proof about the supremacy of the Manta, please note that Venom, who likely were attempting to be the scariest band in the world, manned their guitar chair with a bloke who called himself "Mantas" for a period of 25 years. One Manta may be poop-yer-pants awesome, but to really welcome the kids to hell, you need a bunch of 'em. Yep. – Davey G. Johnson More »

7:00 PM on Thu Jun 7 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
425 views, 10 comments

Latest by Turboner: @M0L0TOV: Looked better than the Probe until precisely 1993. Then it's a toss-up, but you get 225/50/16 tires on 8" wide wheels on the Probe GT version, whereas the MX-6 with the same 2.5 24V motor got skinnies. more »

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