People love to talk about car sounds. We even mimic them. They can bring back memories of a car you or a family member owned. They can refresh visual memories of a race you attended or even participated in. They also bring back memories of a not so nice incident.
I can recall each sound in separate wave lengths in my first car accident, I was actually on my way to take my drivers test. I was driving my father’s brand new Ford Granada (he worked at a Ford dealership as body shop manager). The car was totaled, the other driver ticketed. A quick car swap and I went on to pass my test.
There are a few more sounds I remember. I remember my high school buddy’s 1973 Mach I, normally as he dusted me in my ’66 Chevy Impala an awesome noise that Mustang made. There was there the sound of the V8 under the hood of my Chevy – smooth but still throaty. (I don’t know if that’s even a work..but I’ll hustle over to Wikipedia and add it.)
But the other day was watching one of the Jason Borne movies and of course the there are the normal car chases. He was driving a little mini cooper and within all the metal crunching and tire squealing, there was one sound, at pause in the chase when he shifted that Mini and the sound the transmission made, triggered a memory.
In 1982 I was stationed in Germany and when I eventual got my European drivers license, the first car I could afford was a 1970 European Ford Escort. It was a 3 speed manual, shift on the flour and the sound of the transmission shifting in Jason’s Mini Cooper brought back that memory of my first European car.
My First European Car
Of course it didn’t have the pep that the Borne Cooper had, but it got me around.
Post up a note about a car sound that sparks a memory for you. Best one wins a free gift.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
The sound that sends shivers done my spine is that good old camshaft overlap!
Rumpity Rumpity RUMP!
The more the overlap the better. As a young punk hanging around my older brothers with their Hemis and their Big Blocks that sound always did it for me. I built the engine in my Corvette that way. Went up to the parts counter at the local speed shop and told the guy Hey!, “I want the biggest cam I can put in my big block”!
It was the largest overlap cam (613 lift 326 duration) Craine had in their book.
He said I wouldn’t be happy with “That Combo” but man he sure was wrong! I LOVE the fact it idles at 1400 rpm and “SOUNDS” like it wants to shut off! RUMPITY RUMP RUMP!!!!
Great one Roy!! Ok…Let me know where I need to mail your gift.
Thanks Tim!
My Address is
8401 cherry hill rd
Ypsilanti mi 48198
Oh those gear reduction starters on MOPARs from the late 1950s until the early 1980s. That slow “rar, rar, rar” would be heard from any Chrysler product starting built in that era.
Ocassionally on my Dukes of Hazzard DVD sets you can hear the ol’General Lee (1969 Charger in most scenes) start with that familiar MOPAR starter sound that just makes the show a bit more motor head lovable (or is it MOPAR Head?).
When do I get my prize?
I have a gear reduction starter on my Corvette now and it sounds just like the old Mopars!
hhmmmm…I’m sure How I feel about that. LOL!!!
Great one Bill. You get the DVD.