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Harley Davidson’s First Turbo Charged V-Rod
Harley-Davidson’s Street Rod Promises to “Give Your Soul A Jolt”
I’ve only ever ridden a motorcycle once, but it was indeed a Harley-Davidson. I was going to dinner with a friend and when he arrived I was a little hesitant – I’d forgotten he didn’t have a car. I sat gingerly on the back seat and buckled my helmet, grateful that I’d had the forethought to wear something warm, as the evening was quickly turning cool – not to mention the wind resistance would become an issue once we reached the highway.
I’ll never forget that first ride. It was something out of an 80’s action movie, or at least that’s what it felt like to me. I held on for dear life as we turned corners with abandon, raced through the downtown area, and located a parking spot. The ride back was even wilder, as it was completely dark. There’s nothing like hanging on for dear life late at night on the back of a motorcycle.
Now that I’ve had the experience, I’d be willing to try riding a motorcycle or even driving one, though I doubt there’s one I’d be more excited to try than a Harley-Davidson, especially after seeing the new line up, particularly the 2018 Street Rod. Starting at just under $9,000, the Street Rod promises to “redline your adrenaline” (according to the Harley-Davidson web page), “give your soul a jolt,” and “take you to the edge”.
Though I may not have been born an adrenaline junkie, I have been made one by my friends’ encouragement to try things like skiing, skydiving, ziplining, rollercoasters, and motorcycles. And with the new, aggressive Street Rod, I may have found the motorcycle that can race away from traffic jams while catering to my thirst for adventure.
New additions and upgrades to the 2018 Street Rod include the High Output Revolution X 750 engine, which not only provides the motorcycle with 8% more torque, but 18% more horsepower as well. Drag style bars with end mirrors give the bike a jaunty, sportier look while maintaining the aggression and fierce spirit of the original. Front and rear suspension have been re-worked to provide increased suspension travel. You don’t have to travel solo, either. The Street Rod comes with an additional seat for a passenger, as well as foot pegs so that everyone’s feet are comfortable – no easy feat when you’re riding a motorcycle for hours at a stretch.
Seat height maxes out just under 30 inches, and altogether the bike weights just over 500 pounds. There are customization options available as well, including things like bungee bars, an exhaust shield kit and air cleaner kit, and a reach seat. Of course, these options will raise the base price, but if you’re jonesing to go on a road trip with a friend or partner, you might want to look into these extras.
Want to see more of this beautiful new machine? You can go browse through Harley-Davidson’s website, try your hand at building your own custom Street Rod, or peruse the accessories as you daydream about that road trip you always wanted to take. Remember how it feels to have the wind at your back and the sunrise (or sunset) ahead of you? It might be time to dust off your leather jacket and your helmet and take some wheels for a spin.
The Ford Ranchero: An Unconventional Classic
Before the term “hybrid” was commonly used, Ford created a vehicle that would have taken to the word instantly. The Ford Ranchero was created to bridge the divide between pickup truck and station wagon, with the ability to go from a practical vehicle to a Sunday drive vehicle with no prep time needed. It is noted as being the first post-war American vehicle to combine elements from a sedan and a pickup. It also paved the way for another company to create their own version, Chevrolet’s El Camino.
The Ranchero was so popular that the vehicle went through seven generations before it was deemed past its prime. From 1957 to 1979, it sold quite well, and not just in North America. It was also popular around the world in places like Argentina, South Africa, and Australia. For the first generation it was produced only in North America, in Ohio, but as it continued to do well, factories popped up both in America (Georgia), as well as other countries like Canada and Argentina. By the end of its run, however, it was back to being produced only in Ohio.
Interestingly, it appealed to the general public as well as those involved in the vehicle industry, with a slogan of “More than a car! More than a truck!” The Ranchero’s name and design were created to play on an American Southwest theme, in an effort to advertise it as a utility vehicle to ranchers, farmers, and the like. The Ranchero was indeed roomier than even some larger pickups, and also came with a larger windshield, with a bigger selection of colors, giving credence to the idea that everything was indeed bigger out West.
Being well-known around the world, the Ranchero went by several different names as it got older, including the Meteor Ranchero in Canada, the Falcon in Australia, and the Fairlane (third generation) in the United States. While the overall design did not change very drastically, the seventh generation Ranchero looked markedly different from the original Ranchero. There were fewer curves and more hard lines, and had more in common with the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar than the original’s connections to the Ford Durango and Torino. Part of the issue is that there were several more regulations on vehicle sizes, and in order to meet those, the Ranchero had to give up the reason it had been created in the first place.
Though the El Camino is more collectible, there are plenty of people who are still on the lookout for the Ford Ranchero. While there aren’t as many miniature kits available as there are for more classic cars, Revell has offered a few over the years, and AMT/ERTL has one of the 1961 Ranchero available. Hot Wheels also had a model for sale for a while, as did Tonka, but it seems Ford’s groundbreaking utility vehicle is one of those “you had to be there” cars.
The idea of this type of hybrid is still around, but it remains to be seen if Ford will ever reissue the Ranchero.
Semi Sleeper Cabs
The value of custom sleepers for semi trucks has a lot to do with money savings on trucker’s other accomodations. It costs a lot to get a big roomy semi sleeper fabricated onto a tractor unit, or even a big sleeper truck that’s not a big rig, but that means every night the driver is on the road, he or she doesn’t have to pay for a hotel or motel. It’s the truck sleeper cab life!
It’s also useful for RVers or people who drive commercial transport, even owner-operators, who don’t have a house of their own, or even a rental in some cases, because they can live out of their semi sleeper. Some of them are even up to luxury RV motorhome standards – semi trucks with showers and toilets, couches and entertainment systems, that allow their owners to use them for road trips for fun as well and camp out.
They also could be said to increase the types of jobs a driver or owner-operator can take on, because his required costs are lower without hotels, and he doesn’t have to schedule his trip or driving legs around stopovers.
The cost of a big sleeper trucks extra large unit is said to be around $200000, but that’s for a new luxury large sleeper unit with all the trimmings. Some of the best ones are being made by ARI trucks. You can obviously get them cheaper, and a used tractor that has a sleeper on it is usually cheaper than that price. This can be measured against the cost of a cheap apartment or house, which starts at $40,000 or so for the very cheapest, and goes up from there.
A New Ford Bronco
Hindsight is 20/20
We’ve written about the Ford Bronco previously, its thirty-year reign as both a compact and full-size SUV. It hailed from Michigan and was sold all around the world, including South America and Australia. Sadly, only three decades after production began, it was replaced by the Ford Expedition. This is one of the rare vehicles, however, that will be welcomed home to Michigan for another glorious run, starting in 2020. There have been rumors on the internet for years, but Ford has finally confirmed that we will be seeing a new Ford Bronco in just a few years. While we don’t know many details as of yet, there’s a lot of speculation about what we’ll be seeing this time around.
What we do know: the announcement that the Bronco would once again be produced by Ford was made in 2017 at the North American International Auto Show. It will be replacing the Ford Explorer as a mid-size SUV. It will also be produced in its original home of Michigan along with its sibling, the Ford Ranger. It won’t be a repackaged Ford vehicle, either. Assurances have been made by the Ford chief technical officer, Raj Nair, to dealerships and potential customers: this will be an entirely unique vehicle.
The Bronco will likely appeal to the off-roading crowd as an alternative to jeeps such as the Wrangler, as it will have more room, updated technology, and possibly even a hybrid option. These would definitely do well in green-friendly areas like Washington state, Oregon, and Colorado, where a larger number of the population take their environmental concerns into consideration when purchasing a vehicle. They might also appeal to desert state customers who need something rugged for both work and play.
What we can speculate on: the axle configuration, type of engine and transmission, two-door or four-door options, and the possibility of a removable roof and doors. It seems the most desired axle configuration among off-roaders is a live front axle, though this does not seem to fit with Ford’s previous builds of off-road vehicles. There are rumors that the Bronco will be outfitted with a ten-speed automatic transmission, a V6 engine, and that it will be available in both two-door and four-door makes. We don’t know whether it will arrive in late 2019 or early 2020, but it is said that the base model of the new Ford Bronco will start somewhere around $30,000. No word on what types of packages will be offered.
Ford has teased its audience with photos of a covered model of the 2020 Bronco, which has been altered by intrigued fans and designers, as well as a splash page on their website that hints at future announcements. They promise that the Bronco will be “bigger and badder than ever”. It will look modern, but hearken back to its original design. There’s also a social media channel you can follow if you want to keep up with what’s being discussed in regards to production announcements, design reveal, and pricing. You can follow Ford Social or check their website for updates.
The Pontiac GTO – A Return, or Rumor?
A rumor is like both a conspiracy theory and a prank – on the one hand, you have an idea that sounds just true enough to not be completely laughed off, and on the other, you have an event that causes embarrassment for almost everyone involved except its creator. That’s what it’s like to believe a rumor. You desperately hope it’s true and then when it turns out that it’s just another fib making its way through the rumor mill, you kick yourself for ever hoping that something that good could also be true. I searched and searched for news of the new Pontiac GTO and then discovered that not only has it been a rumor for the last several years, but that concept designs for it were put out as part of an April Fool’s Day joke.
I’m disappointed to say the least, but the good thing about a conspiracy theory (and I prank, I suppose) is that there is still some value to be found in it. Despite the letdown of the Pontiac GTO not being confirmed, there are some good ideas floating around out there, and as many vehicles are coming back into vogue, it isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility that the GTO would make a comeback.
While many fans have touted it the original muscle car, it has never been able to keep up with more popular vehicles such as the Camaro. The original GTO was released in 1964 and though it was only around for a decade the first time around, it was re-released in the mid 2000’s for a few years to gauge the public’s interest. It disappeared in 2006 and we haven’t seen it since, though of course the internet is rife with speculation about a possible 2018 or 2019 re-release.
According to the rumors, the new Pontiac GTO is supposed to cost anywhere from $28,000 to $40,000. Its interior will be inspired by the mid-2000’s model, while the exterior will take its design ideas from the elder Pontiac GTO model, though with an updated, modern twist on features such as the headlights. What most fans are concerned about is the engine, and the debate rages between a 6.2 L V8 engine and a V6 engine, though of course anyone who knows muscle cars will most likely be rooting for the V8.
Of course if you can’t wait, you can visit a specialty shop and make over your Pontiac GTO, but where’s the fun in that when a newer model may be imminent? There’s the rub, though. We may talk about this for years and never see another GTO from Pontiac. We may see kits sold, or automobile shops offering re-designs and upgrades, and nary hide nor hair of the rumored new model. Or, we could see it next year. Who knows?
That’s the thing about rumors. Whether you love to spread them, hate to read them because you’ll get disappointed, or fall somewhere in between, it can’t be denied that there’s something about them that intrigues us. Hopefully though, this one will turn out more fact than fiction.
2018 Dodge Charger: A Muscle Car For The Modern World
Looking back I have not only my grandfather and uncle to thank for my interest in mechanics (Grandpa had his own shop in the barn to work on his cars, while my uncle worked for Land Rover for several years), I also have my brothers and dad to thank for their enjoyment of the computer game franchise Need for Speed. While I may never have gotten the hang of driving with the keyboard, I did enjoy watching them and talking the various benefits of each car with my brothers.
One of the few cars that was brought up with regularity was the Dodge Charger, an incredibly long lived model that has been around since the mid 1960’s. It has gone through seven generations, including the current model which has been available since 2011. While it has undergone a few body changes, upgrades, and redesigns since then, the new 2018 Dodge Charger is perhaps my favorite of them all due to its practical four-door build, the the lean, low design, and the new technology that makes driving something like this even easier and way more fun. Dodge calls it “America’s only four-door muscle car”.
The 2018 Dodge Charger is available in a dozen colors from White Knuckle to Pitch Black. There are also nine models to choose from, ranging from the SXT to the SRT Hellcat RWD. Pricing goes from just under $29,000 to almost $70,000. Standard mechanics include a V6 or V8 engine, the TorqueLite 8-speed automatic transmission, and Five-Link independent rear suspension. The exterior resembles muscle cars from the 1960’s and 1970’s with its side scoops, angular headlights, and new grille design. The interior, however, seems to be most like a luxury sports car, which includes a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated leather seats in the front, individually folding rear seats, and a five-seat total with plenty of room to spread out.
The new Fuel Saver Technology (thanks to the Hemi V8’s ability to shut off half the cylinders when they aren’t needed), high-beam headlamps, blind spot monitoring, and active braking also make this model a practical decision (insofar as it’s practical to consider buying a muscle car). There are also other available safety features, including Hill Start Assist, all-speed traction control, adaptive cruise control, and rain-sensing wipers. If being safe and practical is important to you when purchasing a sports or muscle car, then the Dodge Charger might be something you want to look into.
Along with all these upgrades, new tech toys, and safety features, you can also customize your new Dodge Charger with several packages offered by Dodge. My favorite is the BlackTop package which just makes the Charger even cooler. Everything in the interior is blacked out, including the steering wheel and instrument panel, and on the outside, the decklid spoiler sports the same dark hue to match.
Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it. If you want to go take a look at all the 2018 Dodge Charger has to offer, you can do so by visiting Dodge.
Chrome Shop Mafia: You Wanna Play Rough?
There’s nothing like being a kid and getting told you can pick one toy off the shelf. The possibilities are endless, and the decision-making process can be harrowing. You debate things like how long the toy is likely to last, which one has brighter colors, who else has the toy, and if you can possibly convince your parent or grandparent that two would be better than one. As you get older, your toys just get bigger. At least, that’s what my dad says.
It can still be difficult to choose, however, because the options (depending on your financial resources) are infinite. Do you want a drone? A boat? A four-wheeler? Or maybe you want to combine work with pleasure and get a truck. It can haul equipment, luggage, or merchandise, and you can outfit it with all sorts of accessories, upgrades, and paint jobs. There are stores all over the world that specialize in truck “toys”, host truck shows, and offer unique decals, wraps, and paint, but I haven’t quite seen another like the Chrome Shop Mafia in Joplin, Missouri, part of the 4 State Trucks family.
The Chrome Shop Mafia not only provides custom parts, free installation guides, CSM merchandise, and a rewards program (check out the press releases and details about it here), it also takes part in truck shows like the Guilty By Association Truck Show, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year in September, and were the stars of a 5 season, 41-episode run of a reality TV program entitled “Trick My Truck”, which can now be purchased and viewed on the iTunes or Amazon Prime platforms. They eat, sleep, and breathe trucks and it shows in their incredibly imposing, awe-inspiring gallery of work. They’ve also got a community Facebook page with a 4.7 star rating, with videos, blog posts, photos, an e-mail list, and a place where you can request their catalog.
Most truck makeover companies that I’ve researched do not have this kind of online audience. The Chrome Shop Mafia is dedicated to working with clients, putting together amazing trucks, and showing off their incredible skills. Not only do they care about their social media presence, their reputation, and their advertising, they care about their customers, the people who keep them in business. It’s getting more rare to find a company like that these days. It takes a special love to provide such high quality work.
If you want to see what sort of shenanigans the Chrome Shop Mafia gets up to, you can check out their latest updates on their Facebook page. If you’d rather peruse their merchandise, view their gallery of photos and videos of past projects, or find out when their next truck show is, you can do that by clicking this link to their website. And remember, if you’re an adult now and can make your own decisions about which toys you want, the Chrome Shop Mafia is a great place to start looking for that bigger, better, badder toy.
Aston Martin: The Sky’s The Limit
My dad loves the James Bond film franchise. As I got older we started watching them together and saw the last few in theaters. Nothing says James Bond to my dad and me like Bond’s vehicle, the beautiful Aston Martin. The classic lines, the grace, the speed of that car takes my breath away every time. And now, with a new James Bond film coming out and Aston Martin announcing that they are taking to the sky with their next project, I’m even more eager to see how Aston Martin evolves with the times while retaining its chic design.
Aston Martin has been building cars in England since the early 1900’s, but it wasn’t until the 1960’s, with the appearance of an Aston Martin in the James Bond film Goldfinger that the vehicle became known around the world as a true icon. The Bond films continued to use the Aston Martin brand throughout its films, even into the Daniel Craig era (most memorable in Spectre) and apparently, beyond. Even with all the financial troubles that assailed the company throughout its first 100 years of business, it was able to stay afloat and roar into a new period of financial stability with models like the Vulcan, Lagonda, and DBX in production, and investments from outside groups such as Daimler AG and Investindustrial.
Andy Palmer, CEO of Aston Martin, has been tasked with turning its financial hardships around, part of which has been solved by the influx of investments. It remains to be seen, however, whether sales will pick up or keep declining. With Aston Martin’s history of quality products, it may be possible to keep moving forward, with the help of some innovative designs and a willingness to work outside the box.
Continued interest in older Aston Martin vehicles (a 1956 model was sold at Sotheby’s for over $22 million) as well as an advertising campaign aimed at a new audience of female drivers have kept the company in the public eye, but last year’s announcement of a flying version of the sports car could be the boost Aston Martin needs to jump into the future of travel. Some are skeptical, of course, that the plans are anything but publicity for the newest James Bond film, but so far the company has been resolute in its goal to have a working model within the next two years.
The new airborne vehicle would be an electric hybrid, with seating for three and vertical landing/take-off. Aston Martin isn’t the only competitor in this field either, as Rolls-Royce, Uber, and Airbus have also thrown their hats into the ring of up and coming individual air travel, though of course Rolls-Royce is the only one who will likely be able to match Aston Martin’s sports car designs. If you want to read up on Aston Martin’s announcement regarding their flying car design, you can do so by visiting the BBC write-up. Even if the majority of us will not be driving one, I’m hoping we’ll get to see it in an upcoming Bond film. It’s the coolest toy he has.