Piston King Motor Oil

These videos are awesome!  Simply hilarious!

Calvin Harris - Summer

While sort of an odd song to focus on drag racing, it works for me.

Roadkill: Episode 29

This makes me excited to build our '68 Firebird!

2014 Gratiot Cruise - Eastpointe

This is the first year my Camaro has ever made it to the Gratiot cruise.  Typically, we all go to the show, but we park and walk.  This year, by friend Rod brought his '41 Ford pickup, my '69 Camaro, Dad's '95 Formula, Father-in-law's '14 Challenger SRT, and Brother-in-law's '14 Challenger R/T Shaker.  It was nice to have so many family and friends with their cars at the show.  After a few hours of settling in, we still walked the cruise, and though turnout seemed a bit lighter, was still a very good kickoff to this year's cruise season.



My wife's dream car, which I hope to some day get her.

One of the baddest wagons ever, and I'm not a big fan of Olds.  This Vista Cruiser though, man, with those skylight windows, simply awesome!






Nice Coronet.


This is about how my dad's Challenger will ride, perhaps even a little bit lower.










Twin turbo power!






A boat of a car, but those lines are perfect.  The wheels and stance are perfect on this one.


I really like the two tone on this Ford.




You don't see many Falcons, and this is one of the nicest, with some massive meats out back!


3rd Gens continue to gain popularity.






There are but a handful of cars that can get away with the metal flake paint jobs, and this one definitely qualifies.






Uhhhhh....ok.



2014 Gratiot Cruise - Eastpointe

1968 Pontiac Firebird Update: 6-11-2014

I sold off the power window motors a few days ago, and also picked up some full length floor pans and a radiator support.  While the car has been on hold for awhile, my Camaro is now on the road and ready for the cruise season.  I can now try and find some free time for us to get back started on the Firebird.  Next step is getting the subframe out and the floors cut out in preparation of new pans.

Hot Rod Power Tour: Norwalk, OH

While my Camaro didn't make the trip down, I simply couldn't let the Power Tour pass us by without stopping my Norwalk to check out the action.  While a very light rain prevented fun runs down the track until around 4pm, there were plenty of cars on the grounds to check out.  So many cars in fact that they had to start parking them on the west side of the track, after running out of space in the pit area.  It was a great turnout, and an amazing number of VERY nice vehicles.  This was my two daughters first trip to the drag strip, and while our 1 year old wasn't really phased by it, our 3.5 year old was having a blast.  She said "Daddy, this is cool!"  She then was cheering on the cars, and then even stated "Daddy, stop playing on your phone and watch the cars!"  I don't think I will have any trouble getting her back to the track!

The car responsible for me owning my '69.  I first read about this car in 1993 or so, and I was hooked.  I've watched this car change many times over the years, just as I've watched mine also undergo many changes. Thanks Crusher Camaro!

One sharp '58 Chevy!


When they first announced the Z28 I was skeptical.  $75K for a Camaro?  I will now agree, that it has it's place amongst the lineup, and is perhaps more worthy of the badge than any Camaro from any generation.



Perhaps the ONLY candle apple 2nd gen Firebird I have ever seen.




I admit, I didn't know if this was a new car, old car, or even a kit car.  Then, I stumbled upon an article in the Detroit News a day or two later.  It's a Lucra, and seemingly one hell of a track car. 

This is what my '68 Firebird would have looked like.




Big, road hugging, Mopar.




I believe this car was featured in Hot Rod not too long ago.  Simply amazing car.




Viper eater.  No, really!  Powered by a Duramax Diesel, this thing edged a Viper with a 12.1 to a 12.2 in the 1/4 mile...and the crowd went wild!














One of the coolest Olds ever.








I spotted this Camaro from a few isles away.  It caught my eye, as I new it was looked a little odd.  As I got closer, I realized that it was a 4th gen Camaro with a kit to make it look like a 1st gen.  I will say, I like it better than the Vette kits I have seen, but it still looks a little odd.  If they added chrome side mirrors, I think I could very well live with it.

I will say, from the rear, most Camaro enthusiast would be hard pressed to tell that it wasn't a '69 Camaro.  They truly did an awesome job in my opinion, and would be curious to see a t-top car.




I think the future of drag racing holds a lot of promise.  I say this, because I was watching a lot of "late model" cars running down the track.  My definition of late model is anything that came with efi from factory, so the 80's cars to the stuff being sold on lots today.  You saw a lot of owners of new Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers, Vettes, Vipers, and even Caddys blasting down the 1/4 mile, which is VERY healthy for the sport in my opinion.

2014 Hot Rod Power Tour - Norwalk, OH

Washed, filled up, cruised, and Emma approved.

I gave the Camaro a long over due washing, after filling it up the night before.  Then, I managed to talk my daughter Emma into a ride.  At 3.5 years, the only reason she hadn't rode in it before was it lacked sound deadener and the heat, noise, and fumes were a bit much in the cabin.  It's still loud, but once we pulled out of the garage Emma agreed, it wasn't TOO loud.  I'm not sure she stopped smiling the whole time we cruised to downtown Detroit, nor was she scared when I jumped on it, squealed the tires a bit, and grabbed second.  When we arrived home, she said she had fun, and was anxious to go again!  It was the reason I spent so much time this winter getting the car more family/rider friendly, and I think I was as happy as my little girl.  We are ready to hit a cruise night, as well as the Gratiot Cruise next Saturday.  Once our little Lily switches to a front facing seat, we should all be able to pile in the Camaro and make outings a one vehicle trip.

Norwalk Raceway Park or Gilmore Car Museum?

Tomorrow, I find myself in the same dilemma that I was in last year, and for the same reason, weather.  The 2014 Hot Rod Powertour makes their stop at Norwalk Raceway Park tomorrow, and I would love to check it out.  Yet like the NMCA event last year, there is a chance of rain.  In this case, it's a 40% by 6 pm.  Thankfully, the chance is less prior to 6 pm.  My second option, as it was last year, is to instead head west and check out the Gilmore Car Museum.  I have long wanted to check out the museum, but have always felt that it's one of those things best enjoyed after the cruise season is over, a rainy day, or even in the dead of winter.  I will make a last minute decision tomorrow morning, whether to head south to Norwalk, or west to Hickory Corners.  Either way, I will be seeing cars, taking pictures, and exposing my girls to the hobby.

Camaro Update: 6-6-2014

It's been a few weeks since my last update. Rest assured, I have made some progress, though still have a little work to do. I have taken it for a road test, though it was only a couple miles. I did verify that the transmission shifts through all of the gears, though I'm not sure that it shifts as hard as it did before. Granted, the way it shifted before was so violent that it left me a bit nervous when it shifted under part throttle. A defective temp gauge has prohibited any further road tests. My list is down to about a half dozen items, and will easily be finished by next week, and she will be ready to cruise. That said, I may hold off for a week or two on the line lock. I made a mounting plate today for both my line lock solenoid and my new proportioning valve/distribution block, but I will likely have to make 5 new lines and bleed the brakes, so I may put that one off until I can get all the lines ready to go, so as I'm off the road a minimal amount of time.  I also need to install my front seat belts, the new temp gauge, exhaust hangers, and secure my interior switches and two gauges.  That's it, after that, I will be ready to race!

2014 Challengers: SRT and Shaker

Here are some more shots of my father-in-law's SRT, as well as my brother-in-law's Shaker edition Challenger.  Both have already begun to see some mods.  The SRT has a new shifter, exhaust (with a nice rumble), strut support, and a cold air intake.  The Shaker has a new exhaust as well, and a nitrous kit is currently being installed for an extra 100 hp shot.