We have a couple of debuts’ this week and a couple of Birthdays.
First up on Sept. 23 in 1969 the iconic and now recreated Dodge Challenger.
From this:
1969 Challenger
And this:
The Iconic General Lee
To this:
The 2012 version.
Virgil Exner was born on the 24th of Sept in 1909. Who was “Ex”? A car designer. Oh…ok…of what? Just a couple of designs, like all of these:
Studebaker Champion
Studebaker Starlight
Chrysler C-200
Chrysler 300 letter series
Chrysler 300 non-letter series
Chrysler New Yorker
Imperial 1955-1961
Chrysler Diablo Concept with Ghia
Plymouth Savoy
Plymouth Belvedere
Plymouth Fury
Plymouth Suburban
Plymouth Valiant
Dodge Coronet
Dodge Firearrow Concept
Desoto 1961
Desoto Adventurer
Bugatti 1965 concept with Ghia
Mercer-Cobra 1965 concept
Duesenberg 1966 prototype with Ghia
Stutz Blackhawk
Bill France was born on the 26th in 1909 in our nations capital. Mr. France was an American race car driver. He is best known for co-founding and managing NASCAR, a sanctioning body of United States-based stock car racing.
The final debuts was on Sept. 26, 1967 when AMC released the Javelin.
We were lucky enough to have a cloudy morning for this month’s Cars and Coffee. The diffused light that the clouds provide makes my job really easy! Enjoy the photos.
Few post back I mentioned the issues with being able to shift the C6 into reverse and then generally the shift began to get worse. Additionally the clutch fluid would become low.
As most Corvette owners know, the C6 has a separate hydraulic clutch. I had the fluid flushed numerous times and eventually we found a small leak at the clutch slave cylinder.
Replaced the cylinder and stopped the leak. This stopped the fluid usage and shifting improved, but only slightly.
Eventually it began getting much worse. With the ignition on the car would not go into reverse at all. The only way to get it into reverse was to turn the car off, put the that trans in reverse and start the car. Even then, it would sometimes kick itself out of gear when started Then highway shifting began slipping and RPM when up.
I do auto cross the car and I guess some spirited street driving. Here is what my clutch and flywheel now look like, yes… I saved them!!!
Clutch1
Clutch 2
Those shiny rivets – not a good thing!!!!
The Flywheel, interesting coloration, don’t you think?
Up until 1952 the only engine available was the L6 cylinder and it again was the main power plant for the ’52 production year.
This engine for 1952 was an iron block with a bore and stroke of 3.438X4.50 with a compression ratio of 7.0:1. With 5 main bearing and topped with a Stromberg 380359 or 380349 or a Carter E9AI it produced 116 hp. This was pretty much the same for all the L6’s but bore and stroked changed through the life of the company as well the number of main bearings (most numbering four) and the displacement fluctuated between 236.7 and 250.6 CID. The engine disappeared from Desoto line-up in 1954.
L6 Engine
But the really big deal for the 1952 Desoto was the addition of what would become one of the most famous engines every produced. It was the spherical segment combustion chambered engine, the Desoto Hemi V-8.
It was an overhead value hemispherical combustion chambered iron block. It displayed 276.1 cid and it’s bore and stroke was 3.626×3.344 inches and a compression ratio of 7.0:1. It had hydraulic lifters and five main bearings. Topped with a Carter 2bb (models 884S, 884SA and 884SC it produced 160 hp. The Firedome V8s were the same but used the Carter models 908S,909S and the 910S.
Some famous and infamous events this week occurred this week in automobile history.
General Motors incorporated 9/16/1908 – I often think that GM was started with Chevy, but in fact GM was a holding company for Buick in 1908. Shortly after incorporation Oldsmobile was added and the following year (1909) Cadillac, Cartercar, Elmore, Ewing, and Oakland (would become Pontiac) were purchased and added to the company.
Speaking of Buick, on Sept. 17 in 1854 David Buick was born in Scotland. He didn’t start out building car but engines to sell for farm equipment and then for cars and then developed his business to build both engines and cars in 1902. He developed the “Valve-in-Head” overhead valve engine.
Now for the infamous – Sept. 19th 1970, Ford introduced the Ford Pinto. We all know the story of the lack of safety surrounding the gas tank and the less than stellar calculated approach to not wanting to spend the $$ to make is safe.
1970 Pinto
Finally this week on Sept. 21, 1895 Duryea Motor Wagon Company was founded.
The Duryea brothers entered their horseless carriage in many shows and races. The Duryea Motor Wagon carriage won the first prize in the first ever American automobile . The wagon was produced in 1893 and had a 1 cylinder engine and 4 HP.
One of my worse fears is to over heat a car, I’m talking almost phobia status for me. I’ve had it happen all too often, with my first car ’66 Impala and various cars I’ve owned. This includes a 1988 Toyota (new at the time). It makes a horrible mess and depending the composition of your it can warp heads and effects electrical work, under hood plastics and even paint.
Avoiding this in one of my number one goals. When I designed my ’70 Mustang’s engine (w/dealer installed A/C – which means that the condenser is in front of the radiator) I picked a triple core aluminum radiator for the cooling plant. I want my cars running cool. I have ever had an over heating with the Mustang and that includes trips to the drag strip. When I owned my 84 C4 I avoid the problem as well. One of the major concerns with Corvettes is….well…let me have Steve, one of my two constant readers show you.
Tim,
My vette was running pretty warm about 3 weeks after I bought it. Nice and cool
at highway speeds.
The picture shows what I'm sure is a full 22 years of crap on the radiator.
Runs at normal temps now. Lots and lots of bolts on that fan shroud. Ha Ha.
Steve
Thanks Steve. This is the number one place to first look if your Corvette begins running warm.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
