Archive for the 'Performance' Category
June 20th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
HXC Performance, a Chicago-based automotive design, manufacturing and consulting firm, will show its new 2011 HXC Hemi ‘Cuda Convertible at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show to be held November 3-6 in Las Vegas.
Artist's rendering of the HXC Hemi 'Cuda
Based on the new Dodge Challenger platform, the HXC Hemi ‘Cuda is inspired by the 1971 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda convertible. Equipped with a hand-built 426 Hemi developing 600 horsepower and 600 foot-pounds of torque, the HXC Hemi ‘Cuda will be an updated version of one of the most sought-after muscle cars of all time. The last ‘71 Hemi ‘Cuda sold at auction for $4.1 million.
The base Challenger R/T with a 6-speed transmission will be converted with a Shaker Hood, custom grille, fenders, taillights and bumper and will wear billboard graphics similar to the original. It will also feature Brembo brakes, BBS wheels with Pirelli Pzero Rosso tires, a KW V2 coilover suspension, Kooks suspension and Corsa exhaust.
Rear view of the HXC Hemi 'Cuda showing the billboard graphics
The car to be shown in Las Vegas, No. 001, will be a white HXC Hemi ‘Cuda with all the goodies mentioned above plus a Kicker audio system and a Hurst shifter. After the show, the car will be sold at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Collector Car Auction in January.
Mopar, Autoform Development, Coach Builders Ltd, Pirelli Tires, Brembo Brakes, BBS Wheels, KW Suspension, Vortech Superchargers, PPP Engines, Kooks Headers, Corsa Exhaust, Sparco, Hurst Shifters, Kicker Audio, AirAid Filters, Highlander Concept Rendering.
May 12th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
The folks over at Jalopnik recently sampled the capabilities of a civilian version of the military-sales-only Jeep J8 pickup at Island Lake State Park near Brighton, Michigan. Check out Ben Wojdyla’s review at AEV J8 Milspec: Offroading Jeep’s Forbidden Fruit
May 4th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
The new Dodge Ram 1500 beat its full-size competitors from Ford, GM and Toyota in a head-to-head comparison set up by online auto resource Edmunds.com.
Edmunds said the field was filled with all-new trucks, making this a good time to see which one had the right stuff. Following two weeks of trailer towing, highway cruising, camping and off-road adventures, the Edmunds staff made their decision.
“After all the points were tallied, the Dodge Ram takes the win with a very well-rounded performance,” wrote Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing. “We knew from previous experience that the Ram’s coil-spring rear suspension works well when the truck is unloaded, but this time we found it has the chops to handle a trailer, too. The superior lateral stiffness of a five-link rear axle and a rear antiroll bar keep things from getting all swimmy while towing, even when we’re late for lunch and with a winding road between us and a burrito plate. Later, the burritos stayed down because the Ram 4×4 is best at smoothing out washboard tracks and putting the power down in sand, as you don’t get the insistent rear-axle hammering of leaf-spring rear suspensions.”
To read the entire article, check out Inside Line at Edmunds.com.
March 29th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
Dave Kanners, who partnered with Richard Maskin in campaigning AMC Hornets on the Pro Stock tour in the 1970s, passed away on Friday, March 27, after a five-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Kanners died just days before celebrating his April 1st wedding anniversary with his wife Sue.
Maskin & Kanners took an AMC Hornet X Hatchback all the way to the 1976 NHRA World Finals where Kanners qualified No. 1 and ran well, recording low e.t. in the first three rounds. In the final run, Kanners lost to Wally Booth in the other factory AMC. Kanners outran Booth in the final, 8.76 to 8.78, but Booth’s quicker reaction time gave him the victory. In 2004, fans voted the race one of the NHRA’s top 20 moments.
In 2003, Kanners became one of the first eleven people to run a 26-mile marathon at the North Pole.
March 26th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
DragTimes.com reports a brand-new stock Dodge Viper SRT10 recorded a quarter-mile run of 10.92 seconds 129.79 mils per hour at Maryland International Raceway.
Vipers typically score 11.6-second to 11.9-second runs, but owner Jamie Furman scored a tricfecta of a hot car, perfect conditions and a flawless launch to rack up a record.
March 11th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
Larry Griffith, who piloted a 426 HEMI-powered Super Stock Dodge Dart to the United Drag Racers Association championship in 1968, 1969 and 1970, took delivery of the second Dodge Challenger Drag Pak on Monday, March 9 at South Oak Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Matteson, Illinois. On hand for the delivery were Griffith’s original 1968 Dart and Joe Hilger, former v-p of Global Service for Chrysler, who restored the Dart to its original condition. Dennis Guest, dealer principal of South Oak Dodge Chrysler Jeep, made the new vehicle delivery.
The first of the Challenger Drag Paks was purchased by drag racing legend Don “Big Daddy” Garlits who plans to use it in NRHA Division 2 this year as he celebrates his 60th year in drag racing.
Developed in 2008, Dodge says the Challenger Drag Pak from Mopar is the first drag-racing-only factory package car built in the past 40 years and is a descendant of the 1968 HEMI-powered A-body Dart and Barracudas. Not equipped for street use, the Challenger Drag Pak is purpose-built for sanctioned NHRA stock, super stock and comp eliminator drag racing.
The Challenger Drag Pak is based on the Challenger SRT8 and is finished in stock eliminator configuration. Mopar reduced vehicle weight by approximately 1,000 pounds and added a composite lift-off hood with functional scoop, Viper-style front seats, polycarbonate door windows, lightweight cooling module with electric fan, manual rack-and-pinion steering, special cable-operated deck lid release, special lightweight front brake assemblies and special cable-operated throttle linkage and pedal assembly.
Mopar will build a minimum of 100 Challenger Drag Race Package Cars to meet NHRA requirements but if you haven’t got your name on one already; you’re out of luck. Chrysler says the entire 2009 run has been sold.
February 12th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
Transamerican Auto Parts announced today that Rancho, the off-road suspension and shock absorber division of Tenneco, has beconme a sponsor of the 4-Wheel Parts Truck & Jeep Fest events for 2009.
“Rancho is a great marketing partner of ours and we are excited to welcome them as an official Sponsor of Truck and Jeep Fest,” stated Rob Forman, Director for Transamerican Auto Parts, who owns and operates Truck and Jeep Fest.
“Rancho is very proud to be one of the 2009 Official Truck and Jeep Fest sponsors,” said Bob Willis, Western U.S. Sales Manager for Rancho. “These shows give us the opportunity to showcase our latest and most exciting shock and suspension technologies for the four wheel drive market.”
The 4-Wheel Parts 2009 Truck & Jeep Fest events kick off Feb. 28th in San Mateo, CA and include eight events across the U.S. Over 100,000 square feet of custom trucks and Jeeps will be on display along with the latest wares from top off-road product manufacturers.
The 2009 schedule includes: San Mateo, CA from Feb. 28-Mar. 1, Puyallup, WA from Apr. 4-5, Denver, TX from May 16-17, Ontario, CA from June 13-14, Denver, CO from July 11-12, Canfield, OH from July 25-26, Orlando, FL from Aug. 22-23, and Atlanta, GA from Aug. 29-30. Admission is free, except for the special Canfield, Ohio, show. Off-road enthusiasts can win prizes at hourly giveaways, see product demos, take advantage of special factory direct pricing (up to 25% off already low show prices), special incentives on installation. There’s also a huge overstock and discontinued area with merchandise priced at pennies on the dollar.
For more information about 4-Wheel Parts and the Truck & Jeep Fest events, visit www.4wheelparts.com/events.
