This is
the 8th year of Long Island Classic Cars.com!!
And I
bet that 2010 is going to be the best one yet!!!!
Hey,
have you ever wondered what life would be like if people didn’t have the
affection and affinity for cars that they do?
Just
imagine how different society would be! Especially here in the United States.
We
are the biggest and most varied car crazy culture in all the world!
Yes,
the Italians have the need for speed since the day they are born. And the Brits
love their motoring and touring. And many other countries have people that love
cars too. But here in the good ole USA, we have millions of people that are
fascinated with the automobile ever since its creation over one hundred years
ago and some who even base their entire life around them!
Think
of all the ways the automobile has changed us, and in fact, created the way we
live….
Beyond
the obvious transportation related changes such as ease of travel, quicker
trips to far away cities and towns, and the growth of suburbia. Look at the
deeper felt implications of a society’s culture actually built and shaped by
the automobile!
Ahh,
I just love it!
Back
in the 1920’s people started recognizing social status based on the car they
drove. (That is, if they even had one.)
In the
30’s artistic designs and the dreams of future visions were played out on the
drawing boards of Detroit as the car took shape from basic transportation to
works of art that had form as well as function.
By
the 40’s the Hot-Rodding craze had started. Especially after WWII as the growth
of the aforementioned suburbia led to driveways and garages for the masses.
These were people who started tinkering with and modifying their cars. They
were the ones who planted the seeds for generations to come!
The
50’s saw an all-out car culture boom with drive-ins, roller skate wearing
car-hops that served you food in the comfort of your own parked auto, and music
that was written about cars as well!
The
60’s were the greatest time of change, as affordability was there in one way or
another for almost every member of society to own a vehicle. And as the Muscle
Car phenomenon was born, Drag Racing and speed went to a whole different level!
By
the 70’s the winds of cultural change led to a dumbing-down of vehicles from a performance
standpoint. But the people of the USA bemoaned that change. Customizing and the
love of cars remained though, and this was the decade where the intrinsic value
of older cars started being appreciated.
The
80’s saw the beginning of a renaissance as performance was slowly being reborn
and car collecting became a hobby. It was indeed a down decade for the quality
of new cars, but the long established American passion for cars was still
there!
The
90’s was a huge decade for the rise of classic cars as investments. It also saw
Detroit designing and producing cars that performed better than ever! Europe
also became a big player in the return of performance cars to the marketplace.
Even Japan with their econo-box vehicles started churning out little road
burners that fueled interest for a whole new generation of enthusiasts.
The
‘00s, the turn of the 21st century, saw the unleashing of power,
speed, performance, and quality that would have been unthinkable even ten years
earlier! The cars made were designed to capture the craving for speed and power
that exists within the American Culture. The collector car phenomenon also was
in high gear as prices skyrocketed and leveled several times!
Our
culture, the American Culture, has been imitated (for the good and the bad) all
around the world. And our love of cars is no exception! Our passions have been
seen and embraced throughout Europe and Japan. The car show has become an
international phenomenon and tens, if not hundreds of millions attend them each
year! Collector auctions, which have existed for decades but were never
groundbreaking affairs have become market indicators and barometers of each
seasons swings and tempos in the market!
They
are attending by tens of thousands of people at each event and have become
cultural destinations in their own right.
What
does this decade hold? Who knows. But whether the market is up or down, and
regardless of what kind of cars are produced and where they come from, the
passion of the American people for the automobile lives on!!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1
Editor’s Introduction
2 Picture Caption Contest
3 Cruise Night Information & New Car
Clubs
4 Guest Writer’s Columns
Tom
Sebastian
Justin Appelbaum
Rich’s Tech Tips
5 The Archive
6 Editor’s Closing
___________________________________________________
Long
Island Classic Cars’
Submit your entry along with your name and e-mail
address to: newsletter@liclassiccars.com
This contest is open to everyone! (LI Classic Cars.com
paid personnel, regular column writers, and business advertisers are not
eligible.)
Winners will be notified by e-mail and/or phone.
Please submit all entries by the 20th of the next
month. (Ex: for February’s contest the entries are due by March 20th)
No substitutions of prizes will be allowed.
In the event of prize choices, winner will be given
the opportunity to select the one they want.
All decisions are final and are made by the paid
personnel of Long Island Classic Cars.com
Winners must claim their prizes within 30 days of
contest end or forfeit the prize to the runner up.
If there are multiple correct entries on puzzle,
matching, fill-in, or Q&A contests - winner will be randomly selected from
all correct entries.
A few
simple rules:
1) Be funny
and creative!
2) Keep it somewhat
clean!
Go to it! Send in your creative captions by 3/20/10 and win the
prize!
___________________________________________________
“EXTRA EXTRA!
READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”
The Cruise Nights are all going to start in a month and a half! If you run one – make
sure your listings are up-to-date!
CAR CLUBS
– Get your EVENT listings in
to us ASAP!! The public will be waiting to see what is happening and when!
Don’t miss out on having yours publicized with everyone else’s!
People plan early where they are going to go!
If anyone knows of any cruise locations
that are fully up and running and not in danger of being cancelled
please let us know so we can post them for all to see - here and in the EVENTS
section of the website in the Spring. Minimum 40 cars attending.
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Here’s a new club that has been listed with us on
Long Island Classic Cars.com!!
Check them out in the CLUBS section. We are always happy to have new clubs
join in!
East
to West Classic Car Club. This is a club in the Northport, LI area that focuses on charity work.
A tight group that feels its better to give than receive! They have about 50
members and we should see quite a bit of these guys this year.
___________________________________________________
GUEST WRITERS’ COLUMNS
Tom Sebastian describes in detail the Monaco Grand Prix from his multiple first-hand
experiences there! We are lucky folks to have this man writing for us. His
stories are rich and his experiences richer. And we get to read all
about them!
Justin
Appelbaum from AutoMat hits us with
some DONKS! Not the kind on the top of the head that can make you dizzy, but
the automotive kind that also has an effect on your mind. What am I talking
about? You’ll just have to read his article to find out.
Rich’s
Tech Tips does it again! Richie tells
us all about the ins and outs, ups and downs, and… the unwanted noises of the
valvetrain system. He also gives us
huge amounts of info on possible causes, diagnosis, and repairs of this
complicated system!
(I’m telling you all –
Rich should open up a shop – he could make a small fortune off his knowledge,
advice, and repair work!!)
Enjoy…
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Tom
Sebastian Two Months to Live… Now
What?
OK,
bad joke. But, should such a curse
should ever befall you, and it is still early spring, here’s what you do… The Monaco Grand Prix! Get there
anyway you can!
You
know you made the right decision (and also, dying or not, that you’re still
very much alive) when that topless Swede on that rather large yacht tosses a
smile your way. [1] (Now, if your wife catches you with that
silly grin on your face you could be in trouble -- especially if she is the one
who bought these outrageous tickets which, depending on 
the exchange rate, could be
as high as $735 each – for a 2 hour race!! [2]
)
F1
is always a thrill wherever you see it… but, if you can only do one in your
lifetime, make it this one. This is
Formula One for all the marbles. It’s all
here: the decadence, the over-the-top rich (new and old), and the terrifying
glamour (terrifying because you thought you knew what rich was; after
you get a load of this, you’ll will
finally know what it is). And I haven’t said anything about the food
yet. (Be prepared for $20 cokes.)
But,
a bit more about those yachts… You think you are looking at Norwegian
cruise ships. You’re not. Private.
All of them. Just your ‘average’
Riviera couple, some friends, and a full-time crew of 14, out for a day at the
races. (For some humongous fee, they
are allowed to align the bow of their ship along side the track.)
As
for the race, itself, first of all, it’s an all-out street fight. No traditional track here – this one goes
right through town. (And what a town! [3]
)
There
was a time when racing through city streets was much more common than it is
now. But the unending quest for ticket
control, safety issues, concession licensing, and the expansion of the
racetrack business model long ago put out that candle. Except at Monaco.
You have to see the 1966
movie, Grand Prix. Actually,
just the opening scene will do. Not
really as good a movie, in my opinion, as Steve McQueen’s Le Mans, but
the opening race sequence in this one is batter than any in the Le Mans
flick. That scene alone will get you
‘high’ on the place and its atmosphere.
Compared with what you would see today, the racecars
covered in the movie are quite tame, but they were still top of the line racing
machines back in the day. And because
the science of racing safety was not quite developed – there was quite a bit
more danger then, older technology or no.
Oh, never mind… You might never find the old VHS
tape. Here it is, thanks to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_it_LDxxIKY
(As with Steve McQueen in LeMans, the actor,
James Garner, did his own driving in this one, too. Impressive!)
Monaco lives for this race. And, as a result, the organizers have
mastered the complexities of organizing and running this wild event. The
intricate scaffolding goes up and down around the town in an eye blink. The authorities long ago convinced the
town’s businesses that cessation of traffic for a few hours for three days of the
year could mean big returns in other ways.
So much so, that Prince Albert, when asked what the GP means to Monaco,
said, “On a scale of 1 to 10, 12!” Well-off or not, this event
injects a ton of cash into the town.
This is a great car and people show. You can
have as much fun listening to what’s being said (mucho English spoken here) or
just observing what the locals are driving, as you do watching the race -- and
be just as mesmerized! In fact, for
those not quite as insane about Formula One racing as others may be, I
always recommend just going to the Thursday Qualifications -- and skipping the
main event altogether. Sunday, during
the race itself, is the time to walk the streets. You can actually get into places, eat and shop, without
the gigantic throng of race fans pushing you about. (Remember, Monaco is one, small burg.)[4] And because the Monaco track, with its
unending turns and shifting requirements, is a rather tough place to pass,[5]
qualifications can be as exciting as the race itself. Meaning: If you can start out at the front of the grid, chances
are good you’ll be there at race end. It is so intense, just one-half of a
second divided the first 6 qualifiers the last year I went. Also, the Thursday tickets are much cheaper
(hundred dollar range). And being
Thursday, most everyone is still working – so no crowds and plenty of seating
choices.
Now for the difference between the quaint and the
modern. (While I do like Indy cars, F1
is ever so much more interesting.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpJshzMrpD4
So there you have it folks… There are worse things
at the end of your days than the prospect of ending it all in the exciting
atmosphere of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Guide anyone?
(Tom, you paint the picture so well – I want to be
there! I have to go rent those movies! ) Pete
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Donk You Very Much
For those of you who don’t travel south of the
Mason-Dixon Line there is a growing trend that is based around early to mid
1970’s GM full size cars, and they are called “Donks.” They are typically very flashy, extravagant
rolling displays of ones own style and ideas of how a car should look. The complete opposite of a low rider, which
tend to be original looking, early to mid 1960’s GM vehicles, Donks are known
for being extreme raised versions of their counterpart, sitting on 22 inch and
larger wheels. Sometimes with extensive
modification to the suspension and body, 30-inch wheels are installed! As with all trends, they rarely stay
put. That is why it was no surprise
when a Long Island native who plays professional football in the south came to
AutoMat Co. in Hicksville when it came time to start his project Donk.
In this day and age when a professional athlete gets his
or her signing bonus, the first thing that they purchase is a brand new
Mercedes-Benz, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Porsche, etc, slap a set of rims on it,
tint the windows and call it a day. You get the picture. No imagination. In the case of AutoMat’s client, he wanted to stand out from the
crowd and not just blend in; he had a vision and wanted to see it though. His car of choice was the beat up, junkyard
bound, scrap metal candidate of a 1972 Chevrolet Impala Convertible that you
see before you. Most would look at this
car and wonder what one might be thinking - taking on a project like this, but
it was a solid platform and that was all AutoMat Co. needed to get the wheels
rolling.
When the 72 Impala rolled off the flatbed and into the
shop, some serious plans had already been laid out. It had been established that the frame and body would be
separated, making this a full frame off restoration. For starters, what was left of the original interior was removed,
leaving the car entirely gutted. Some
nice features that this Impala came with were factory power seats, power
windows and air conditioning, this was a fully optioned out version. Next the nose of the Impala was removed in
one piece and the bolts that hold the body to the chassis were separated for
the first time in 30+ years. The stock
small block 350 was removed and sent to the scrap pile along with the
transmission, rear end and original suspension. All of the chrome trim was taken off the car and sent out to have
a fresh layer of shine laid down. From
the factory there were large rubber pads on the bumpers that were removed and
the holes closed up for a smooth look.
The rest of the old, faded, and dented polished trim was removed as well
and sent to the polisher so that it would not seem like second fiddle to the
chrome. Once there was nothing left but
bare metal, the car was sent to the media blaster to strip off the numerous
layers of paint that have been set down over the years.
With the car back in bare metal, the bodywork could
begin. To make for a sleeker, more
custom look, the door handles, door and trunk locks, rear parking lights and
emblem holes were all filled in. The
mile long body panels were blocked and made laser straight. For the most part there was very little
bodywork that needed to be addressed.
This was a California car so there was almost no rust or corrosion. Multiple layers of primer were applied once
the car was made smooth and to the body shops high standards. The color that the car would be sprayed was
to be a custom very high flake multi stage paint job. It was based on a factory metallic burgundy color from a 2007
Hyundai, and I say based because there is almost nothing left that you could
consider factory. There was a
tremendous amount of tweaking to the color list get it to where it would be
unmistakable.
While the body was being taken care of, the chassis and
running gear were being worked on the mechanical side. The chassis was stripped down to bare metal
and all the various bits were removed to make way for new components, but not
before a beautiful coat of black was sprayed creating a clean surface to start
the build. All of the old worn out
bushings were removed and new ones installed, firming up the ride and
increasing the its quality. As
mentioned earlier, a large aspect of the “Donk” is that the suspension is
raised, on this job though that was not how this customer wanted to roll. So new original springs were installed front
and rear, eliminating any sag from the old parts and once again increasing
handling. Along with the springs, new
body color painted shocks were mounted supporting the frame. While the original rear-end housing was
kept, the gears inside were replaced with more appropriate units that would be
driven by the new motor and transmission.
Speaking of the power plant, a brand new GM Performance
ZZ 383 Stroker Crate Motor with their legendary Fast Burn aluminum heads was
sourced and mated to a Freddy Brown Performance transmission. This engine put out a whopping 425 HP and
460 ft/lbs of torque. All that power in
a small block can certainly go a long way, even in a huge car like this
Impala. A GM Performance serpentine
pulley system was installed replacing the factory v-belt set-up. This gives a much cleaner and more modern
look to any performance/muscle car. Air
conditioning is also included in this set up, keeping this hot ride cool even
on the most sweltering of days. Now
that the power plant was assembled, there was no way that the factory GM orange
that the block was painted would stand, so a heavy coat of custom mix paint was
sprayed on the engine and transmission before it would be installed on the
chassis.
The interior was the next area to be tackled; a pearlized tan ultra vinyl combined with a maroon suede would make up the custom upholstery job. This, along with the balance of the build will be detailed fully in the next installment of this newsletter.
( You like teasing us huh
Justin. Now we gotta wait for the conclusion!) Pete
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RICH’S TECH TIPS
By Rich Fiore
VALVE TRAIN NOISE - SEARCH AND
DESTROY
Nothing bothers me more than a valve train noise! Besides being annoying and unnecessary...
it can rob the engine of power and fuel mileage! So lets start with the
very simple basics: A valve lifter ( aka tappet or cam follower ) rides
on an egg shaped thingy (lobe) which is part of
the camshaft. It travels in a bore and coverts the cam's
spinning motion into an up and down motion. The pushrod travels up and
down and sits in the lifter and pushes up on one side of a see - saw (
rocker arm ). The other side of the rocker arm pushes down on one of the
engines valve stems and opens the valve. Got it?
The lifter can be either one of the solid or hydraulic varieties. A
solid lifter is a rigid component. There is a pre - determined clearance ( lash
) which is checked at the valve with a feeler gauge. A hydraulic lifter is designed to automatically compensate for
any variations in the valvetrain, thereby yielding zero lash. Lash being the
space between the rocker arm and valve stem when the lifter is on the base
circle of the cam. It performs this magic when it fills up with oil ( under
pressure ) through a metering orifice and check valve. While it fills it is
referred to as “pumping up” and draining is known as “bleeding” or “leaking
down”. When adjusting valve's with a hydraulic lifter's there is initially zero
lash, then a pre-determined amount of turns on the rocker nut to center
the lifter's piston within its bore. With some manufacturers like
Chrysler, there is a rocker shaft and no adjustment since all length's are
pre-determined. Some aftermarket hydraulic lifter set - ups can use shims or an
adjustment screw with a locknut.
The hydraulic lifter has some advantages. No more valve adjustments, quieter
operation, smoother running engine, along with longer cam and valve
life and the elimination of the rocker pounding on the valve!
In
diagnosing valvetrain noise there are many components to look at which can
create noise. Lack of adjustment is not the only cause. It can also be due
to sticky valves, weak springs or over-revving of the engine. A
mechanical problem can also be to blame. Lifters are usually to blame but
the following can also create problems :
Lack of lube between the rocker arm and pushrod or valve stem.
Excess valve guide clearance.
Excess wear on valve stems, pushrods and rocker arm pads.
Worn cam lobes.
A loose valve seat.
A warped valve.
Excess lifter bore wear.
Loose rocker arm shaft/worn rocker
Broken Valve spring
Bent pushrod
If all of the above is ok and it appears to be a lifter, its time to isolate
that bad boy. With valve covers removed and pumped up oil blocked off,
find a 3' section of garden hose. Start the engine and place
one end on the rocker near the valve stem and listen in the other end. It
will be obvious which is the bad lifter. I have also used a rag and pushed down
on the rocker ( above the valve stem ) to isolate the noise. A way to
double check is to kill the motor and push up and down on the rocker at the
pushrod side. If it shows too much movement or feels spongy, its probably
leaking down too fast.
After locating
the bad lifter, one must determine what caused the failure. This can usually be
figured by the sound that the bad lifter made. The four types of lifter
talk are as follows:
1. Loud Rapping - Lifter plunger stuck in its body from varnish or dirt.
Possible worn lifter base. Bent pushrod.
2. Moderate Clicking - Again mild varnish or lifter wear depending on how
much.
Fast
or slow leakdown. Slow is noisy when cold.
Fast is when oil is hot and thin.
3. Intermittent Clicking - Some dirt that may occasionally pass through.
Possibly
a flat or pit on the lifter check ball which rotates.
4. Overall Valvetrain noise - Too much oil could foam pushing air in the
lifters.
Not
enough oil to lifter due to worn oil pump, low oil
or clogged
oil pick up or gallery lines. Too thick of
an oil especially when cold.
Repairing:
If the bad lifter is found to have excessive varnish, its a
matter of time before the others fail.
Replace all of
them and while there, look closely at the cam. Obviously if the cam is scuffed
it must go too. If a rocker arm was worn out, determine if there was a lack of
lube. Some push rods are hollow and get plugged up or oil galleys which
feed the rockers can be plugged. Remember when taking things apart to put
them back in their original location!
Final
Adjustment:
Obviously adjust your valves per the manufacturers instructions... be it hot or
cold. When adjusting the hydraulic type I like to rotate the engine until
both rockers are completely up ... meaning the lifter is on the base circle. I
then twist the pushrod while loosening the locknut ( obviously no
adjustment on Chrysler vehicles with a rocker shaft ). Once it just spins
freely I start tightening until the pushrod just stops spinning.
This is zero lash.
Now I turn another 1/2 or 1 complete turn based on the manufacturer specs. Do
all the same way, run your engine and recheck.
So with a little knowledge and game plan in place, isolating and
correcting valvetrain noise is just a click away ... sorry I couldn't
resist.
Quick and Dirty
: Hopefully we are all preserving our cam and lifters with motor oils
containing zinc or using a zinc additive ?
(“a little knowledge”? Rich
– you do yourself a disservice! That’s
a tremendous amount AND wealth of knowledge!!) Pete
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Here
is where you can access previous editions of the Long Island Classic Cars
Online Newsletter.
http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/
You can also access the previous Newsletters through a
link on the main page of the website.
___________________________________________________
Folks – I am exited for the upcoming spring car
season. It is always a renewing and reinvigorating experience of mind and
spirit for us car enthusiasts! Passions are re-ignited (as are long-dormant
engines) and we all seem to get that extra “skip” in our walk. That spring in
our step. That ….well… you get the idea.
Having just come from the President’s Council
Meeting I can tell you that everyone is excited and working on their plans
already! We had some guest speakers including Government Officials from Nassau
County that are planning a LARGE classic car bash for later this year! AutoMat
and MotorMouth Radio spoke as did I, and one or two other guests. This is a
great hobby!
And its just getting better all the time!!
Just a little bit longer
now; two months, and we will be dusting, cleaning, prepping, and working on our
rides again!
Pete Giordano
Editor
Long Island Classic Cars.com