I'm Back

Finally moved into my place in Toronto and just got internet installed in the house.  You're all excited, I know.

Imperial Speedster

In a past issue of Hot Rod mag I saw a car that blew me away.  This project was designed by Murray Pfaff and Pfaff Designs.  They started with a boat of a car, the 1959 Chrysler Imperial Crown Custom and after a mind blowing amount of chopping and fitting reduced it into a little two seat speedster.  They also fitted it with a modern 6.1 Hemi and the dash cluster out of a 1960 Imperial.  I jumped online to find out more info and photos of the car and project so here they are.

   

I've added some links to the project sites with piles of info on the build process.  This incredible undertaking and equally incredible results is definitely worth a look.

http://murraypfaff.wordpress.com/

More build photos

Added a Tower Strut to the Mustang

Ordered a tower strut from a company called Agent 47.  Weird name but the product looks pretty good and best of all it clears the factory plenum cover.  Install went super fast and super easy however I over torqued one bolt and twisted it off.  Not sure if it's really a big deal or not.  I just paid for an alignment so I'd have to tear it all apart to fix that bolt and then have to get it aligned again.  I took it out for a spin anyway and it may have been my imagination but it did feel much tighter in the turns.

I also bought a DRL (daytime running lights) module because I'm moving to Canada and they require them.  I tried to go through the proper channels and went to my Ford dealer to have them turn them on in the computer but they said it requires a registration number from Canada before they can do it.  I thought this was a ridiculous process to go through so I just bought the aftermarket module for $38 and will do it myself.  F U Canada and FU Ford.

Deadline Rant

I've been watching a lot of Netflix crap lately and one of the shows called Street Customs reminds me a lot of the video game industry that I'm a part of.

Street Customs is a show based around the West Coast Customs company that is ran by a guy named Ryan Friedlinghaus.  They basically customize vehicles for people.  Not really hot rodding them but more like they "pimp" them by lowering the cars, adding tons of electronics, big wheels, and fancy paint jobs you know, nothing to do with speed at all just flash and bling.  Their customers are generally the rich and famous that can't stand owning a car that might look like somebody elses.

So anyway this show completely pisses me off because the management style Ryan displays is ridiculous!  Generally speaking what happens is a celeb walks in and says I want something outrageously custom and I want it in a week.  Ryan says, "No problem." and at that point he has shrugged the responsibility of getting it done off onto his employees.

From that point on he spends the rest of the project yelling at his employees to work late nights and weekends to finish in the insane time frame that he himself created and if it doesn't happen he blames them instead of himself.  As a manager and owner of the company it is completely his responsibility to create realistic deadline that allow his employees the time they need to not only finish but complete it at a level of quality that is expected.  If they truly are the "world famous" West Coast Customs that they claim then even celebrities can have the patience to wait for their high quality products.  If not then go get crappier quality from someone else.  Go tell Bugatti that you want a Veyron in a rush and they'll tell you to stuff it.

The same thing happens in video games.  Publishers want ground breaking innovation in a ridiculously short time period which forces everyone to work insane hours to complete it.  For the publisher it's all gravy because the employees are all salary and don't get overtime so they get the product out faster and cheaper.  They have no motivation to make realistic deadlines other than a higher level of quality which they expect anyway.  It's all simply an insane circle.

Watch Love the Beast or I will come to your house and strangle you.

Tonight on Netflix I watched "Love the Beast.", a story about actor Eric Bala and his obsession with his very first car.  I totally identify with him since I also still own my first car, a 1970 Plymouth Duster 340.  If you have a passion for cars at all you'll check it out.  If you don't then you have no soul...of course I've been drinking...

McLaren Auto Porn

Serious Wheels posted some high rez pics of the 2011 McLaren MP4-12C GT3 car.  It's a beautiful car but the horsepower numbers seem low.  The page claims it's a 3.8 liter V8 with twin turbo chargers and it's putting out 493hp.  That seems a little wack.  My stock Mustang has a 4.6 liter V8 naturally aspirated and is putting out 300hp.  So I'm a little confused.  Click the link to see for yourself.  Serious Wheels

Older Video But it has Two Things I like to Watch, Mustangs and Vicki

Gotta lover her giggle and the 1000+ horsepower.