National...........$5.01 a gallon
Avis..................$7.99
Hertz................$8.29
This is what you will be charged if they have to top off the tank, if you opt not to prepay them, and don't fill the car before returning it.
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Showing posts with label informative. Show all posts
Showing posts with label informative. Show all posts
Monday, February 21, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
I've just added a translator widget, adapted from the brilliant Dicasblogger.com.br translator widget
I adapted the code from Dicasblogger.bz to the following, but since they were are writing their blog in Brazil, they speak Portuguese, and never wrote a code for translating anything to Portuguese, nor did they use a flag of Brazil, so I need one of those also, I can't adapt any code to translate from English to Portuguese... can anyone write the code to do that?
Here is one source code to show an example of what it takes, But it's not complete or all that would be displayed would be the flag,
and none of the code text. So, clicking on the flag will work for a translator... but to see and example of the source code behind I'm going to have to delete a little bit of it
!--– Add English to Italian –-- a
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"
onclick="window.open('http://www.google.com/translate?u='+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+'&langpair=en%7Cit&hl=en&ie=UTF8'); return false;"
title="Google-Translate-English to Italian" img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 0px solid; WIDTH: 32px; HEIGHT: 32px; BORDER-TOP: 0px solid; CURSOR: pointer; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px solid" title="Google-Translate-English to Italian" onclick="window.open('http://www.google.com/translate?u='+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+'&langpair=en%7Cit&hl=en&ie=UTF8'); return false;" alt="Google-Translate-English to Italian" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_mcq01yDJ2uY/Sdke2xCmrPI/AAAAAAAAAj0/Jv14yyDo1i4/Italy.png" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" /
I deleted all the <> >< stuff so you can read it.
What I did adapting the code from Portuguese to English as the origin language seems to have worked, if you find it didn't, I'm sorry. I can't do anymore with it, coding is beyond me.
Here is one source code to show an example of what it takes, But it's not complete or all that would be displayed would be the flag,
and none of the code text. So, clicking on the flag will work for a translator... but to see and example of the source code behind I'm going to have to delete a little bit of it!--– Add English to Italian –-- a
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"
onclick="window.open('http://www.google.com/translate?u='+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+'&langpair=en%7Cit&hl=en&ie=UTF8'); return false;"
title="Google-Translate-English to Italian" img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 0px solid; WIDTH: 32px; HEIGHT: 32px; BORDER-TOP: 0px solid; CURSOR: pointer; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px solid" title="Google-Translate-English to Italian" onclick="window.open('http://www.google.com/translate?u='+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+'&langpair=en%7Cit&hl=en&ie=UTF8'); return false;" alt="Google-Translate-English to Italian" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_mcq01yDJ2uY/Sdke2xCmrPI/AAAAAAAAAj0/Jv14yyDo1i4/Italy.png" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" /
I deleted all the <> >< stuff so you can read it.
What I did adapting the code from Portuguese to English as the origin language seems to have worked, if you find it didn't, I'm sorry. I can't do anymore with it, coding is beyond me.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The cassette player died this year, 2010 was the last year a manufacturer installed one in a car
Lexus was still making the SC430 with a tape deck in 2010... shocking isn't it? !News and photo from the Hooniverse
http://hooniverse.com/2011/02/11/and-now-a-moment-of-silence-for-the-cassette-player/#more-42689
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Formula 1 racing, why Americans (and growing numbers of others) don't care, the stats
Since 1983, the sophistication and technological advancements in race car body and engine design have made the race cars far closer in similar capabilities to the point that they are identical, and once on the track, rarely can pass each other, to the extant that the facts show they finish the race in the order they began the race.
Ergo, there is no race, no competition, and no point to watching cars go around a track for hours without changing anything but the fule tank level. Boring.
http://thechicaneblog.com/2010/04/04/suspicions-confirmed-current-f1-mathematically-proven-less-interesting/ has the stats graphed out.
some reasons:
Decreases in overtaking due in part to 1 engine per race, rev limited engines, equalized horsepower and decreasing amounts of design freedom, aero-grip dependency, exotic technology in brakes, the stopping distances are too short giving no window of opportunity to really take advantage of mistakes... on that topic, cars are more reliable, and fewer fail on the course than decades ago
- 1993 >> 1994: A lot of changes after Imola to make F1 safer
- 1995 >> 1996: 107% Rule, field size down from 26 to 22
- 2000 >> 2001: Traction Control Introduced
- 2003 to 2005: Engines must last longer
http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=115835
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Stats from Automobile Magazine, Feb 2011, page 16
in the 201o season:
there were 19 races, and teammates finished 1-2 no fewer than 9 times
not counting opening laps, and pit stops, there were only 4 passes for the lead all season. Snore fest. Only one was successful, one resulted in both drivers spinning out, one was an immediate repass. The only "successful" pass was a teammate passing another to accumulate points for the championship. Big whoppee I say with emphatic dullness.
Eight of the 19 races in 2010 were won from the pole, 6 from 2nd on the grid, 3 from 3rd, on from each 4th and 5th
In 2010 there were 5 winners in 19 races, compare that to 1982 when 11 winners in 16 races
Ergo, there is no race, no competition, and no point to watching cars go around a track for hours without changing anything but the fule tank level. Boring.
http://thechicaneblog.com/2010/04/04/suspicions-confirmed-current-f1-mathematically-proven-less-interesting/ has the stats graphed out.
some reasons:
Decreases in overtaking due in part to 1 engine per race, rev limited engines, equalized horsepower and decreasing amounts of design freedom, aero-grip dependency, exotic technology in brakes, the stopping distances are too short giving no window of opportunity to really take advantage of mistakes... on that topic, cars are more reliable, and fewer fail on the course than decades ago
- 1993 >> 1994: A lot of changes after Imola to make F1 safer
- 1995 >> 1996: 107% Rule, field size down from 26 to 22
- 2000 >> 2001: Traction Control Introduced
- 2003 to 2005: Engines must last longer
http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=115835
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Stats from Automobile Magazine, Feb 2011, page 16
in the 201o season:
there were 19 races, and teammates finished 1-2 no fewer than 9 times
not counting opening laps, and pit stops, there were only 4 passes for the lead all season. Snore fest. Only one was successful, one resulted in both drivers spinning out, one was an immediate repass. The only "successful" pass was a teammate passing another to accumulate points for the championship. Big whoppee I say with emphatic dullness.
Eight of the 19 races in 2010 were won from the pole, 6 from 2nd on the grid, 3 from 3rd, on from each 4th and 5th
In 2010 there were 5 winners in 19 races, compare that to 1982 when 11 winners in 16 races
the Pits at the race track
called that becuase the race cars would driver over open pit lane to stop above his crew that could then quickly get work completed without using a jack to get up under the car. Remember, cars didn't even have oil filters until, what, the 1920's? The model t didn't have an oil filter and had to have the oil changed every 300-400 miles.
learned about this (should have been intuitive) and photos from http://thechicaneblog.com/2010/08/10/in-the-pits-at-the-vanderbilt-cup/
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Dean Jeffries, pinstriper and custom car bulder, Oakland Roadster Show winner
I was just reading an article about Dean and the Mantaray, and learned that he travelled to Indy for the 500, and on year, pinstriped 2/3rds of the race cars
James Dean was one of his early customers, and Jeffries painted "Little Bastard" on the Porsche 550 Spyder that Dean owned.
Agajanian took Jeffries to the 1952 Indy 500, Mobil Oil, noticing his unusual painting and pin striping style, hired him in the following years to paint any of the Indy race cars. It was free to the teams and Mobil got their logo somewhere on the car. Jeffries would paint and pin stripe the cars and helmets of race car drivers like Jim Rathmann, Parnelli Jones, and A. J. Foyt, and become Foyt's paint and body man.
After that, in 1962, he worked for famous race car designer and builder Carroll Shelby on the Cobra.
Dean's show car, Mantaray, first appeared at the 1964 Oakland Roadster Show where it won the Tournament of Fame First Prize. The smallblock Ford engine & 4-speed trans came directly from Shelby as partial payment for work Jeffries had done and to this day that Cobra engine has just a few miles on it.
James Dean was one of his early customers, and Jeffries painted "Little Bastard" on the Porsche 550 Spyder that Dean owned.
Agajanian took Jeffries to the 1952 Indy 500, Mobil Oil, noticing his unusual painting and pin striping style, hired him in the following years to paint any of the Indy race cars. It was free to the teams and Mobil got their logo somewhere on the car. Jeffries would paint and pin stripe the cars and helmets of race car drivers like Jim Rathmann, Parnelli Jones, and A. J. Foyt, and become Foyt's paint and body man.
After that, in 1962, he worked for famous race car designer and builder Carroll Shelby on the Cobra.
Dean's show car, Mantaray, first appeared at the 1964 Oakland Roadster Show where it won the Tournament of Fame First Prize. The smallblock Ford engine & 4-speed trans came directly from Shelby as partial payment for work Jeffries had done and to this day that Cobra engine has just a few miles on it.
For more about Dean Jeffries, mostly photos of his pinstriping, Krazy Shirts, and his magazine advertisements: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Dean%20Jeffries
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
California Smog test... not much interested in tailpipe emissions
If you have had a jump start, replaced your battery, or removed your battery to replace engine parts like I did yesterday, your newer model vehicles with computers will have lost some memory that the smopg test requires as so important, you fail the smog test
What the hell is so essential about the computer memory of my Grand Am? How much time I've spent over the speed limit? How much I've spun the tires to the extent the computer kicks in the idiot light for "Loss of traction" ?
The smog test guy tells me that it's the history of the computer tuning the fuel and exhaust parts that can vary to keep the emissions clean.
I told him that if the emission out the muffler is clean it is good enough for me. I have to come back once I've added a lot of miles to the history of the computer, so the state of California can see that my car doesn't have to work too much to keep the emissions in check
What the hell is so essential about the computer memory of my Grand Am? How much time I've spent over the speed limit? How much I've spun the tires to the extent the computer kicks in the idiot light for "Loss of traction" ?
The smog test guy tells me that it's the history of the computer tuning the fuel and exhaust parts that can vary to keep the emissions clean.
I told him that if the emission out the muffler is clean it is good enough for me. I have to come back once I've added a lot of miles to the history of the computer, so the state of California can see that my car doesn't have to work too much to keep the emissions in check
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
If you are looking to visit car museums in the USA, here a list not to miss
here is a list of the top 10 in the world: http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-automobile-museums.html?articleid=122959 which completely agrees with http://smashingusa.com/12-definitely-worth-a-detour-car-museums-of-america/ and they agree that the Henry Ford, the National Corvette, and the Petersen are not to be missed and they suprised me with the Studebaker and the Natl. Auto museum in Reno (formerly the Harrah).
Some others: the Gilmore in Michigan (doesn't open til May http://www.gilmorecarmuseum.org/ )
and if you get into Michigan see the Motorsports Hall of Fame http://www.mshf.com/ ,
the AACA in Hershey Pennsylvania http://www.aacamuseum.org/ ,
and if you got to Penn stop by Allentown and see http://www.americaonwheels.org/
you might try the Swigart in Huntingdon, PA http://www.swigartmuseum.com/index.html
and the Punta Gorda muscle car in Florida, the Indianapolis Speedway museum, and a must is Speedy Bill's!
The Lane museum is quirky and full of micro cars, it's in Nashville, and the Crawford in Cleveland are both in this top 10 list http://www.journeyetc.com/travel-guide/top-10-best-automobile-museums-to-visit-in-the-us/ While in the neighborhood of Illinois / Ohio, see the Packard in Dayton Ohio http://www.wrsol.com/usatravelguide/2009/12/bestcarmuseums-americaspackardmuseum/ .. ..
In DeSoto Kansas is Grandpa's Garage & Body Shop
http://www.classicaldrives.com/50226711/in_a_town_called_desoto_grandpas_garage_features_old_fords.php
Ya gotta see Speedy Bill's! It's the museum of American Speed in Lincoln Nebraska http://www.museumofamericanspeed.com/default.dlp
In Pheonix Arizona is the Penske Auto museum: http://www.automotto.org/entry/jaunt-across-the-car-museums-of-america/
Here in So Cal, which you'll probably not consider during the trip, but sometime afterward... I still haven't gotten to these myself: The Nethercutt, Justice Brothers, Blackhawk, and you ought to see Galpin Ford's display
Here's a list of museums by state: http://www.team.net/www/museums/us.html but it's 5 years old, and might not be 100% accurate anymore
Here is a link to a list of lots of US auto museums http://www.digital-librarian.com/car_museums.html
Some others: the Gilmore in Michigan (doesn't open til May http://www.gilmorecarmuseum.org/ )
and if you get into Michigan see the Motorsports Hall of Fame http://www.mshf.com/ ,
the AACA in Hershey Pennsylvania http://www.aacamuseum.org/ ,
and if you got to Penn stop by Allentown and see http://www.americaonwheels.org/
you might try the Swigart in Huntingdon, PA http://www.swigartmuseum.com/index.html
and the Punta Gorda muscle car in Florida, the Indianapolis Speedway museum, and a must is Speedy Bill's!
The Lane museum is quirky and full of micro cars, it's in Nashville, and the Crawford in Cleveland are both in this top 10 list http://www.journeyetc.com/travel-guide/top-10-best-automobile-museums-to-visit-in-the-us/ While in the neighborhood of Illinois / Ohio, see the Packard in Dayton Ohio http://www.wrsol.com/usatravelguide/2009/12/bestcarmuseums-americaspackardmuseum/ .. ..
In DeSoto Kansas is Grandpa's Garage & Body Shop
http://www.classicaldrives.com/50226711/in_a_town_called_desoto_grandpas_garage_features_old_fords.php
Ya gotta see Speedy Bill's! It's the museum of American Speed in Lincoln Nebraska http://www.museumofamericanspeed.com/default.dlp
In Pheonix Arizona is the Penske Auto museum: http://www.automotto.org/entry/jaunt-across-the-car-museums-of-america/
Here in So Cal, which you'll probably not consider during the trip, but sometime afterward... I still haven't gotten to these myself: The Nethercutt, Justice Brothers, Blackhawk, and you ought to see Galpin Ford's display
Here's a list of museums by state: http://www.team.net/www/museums/us.html but it's 5 years old, and might not be 100% accurate anymore
Here is a link to a list of lots of US auto museums http://www.digital-librarian.com/car_museums.html
Friday, February 4, 2011
Mullins museum info, it's not open often, and you must buy tickets in advance
805.385.5400
Info@mullinautomotivemuseum.com
VISITING HOURS
Visiting hours are 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM on days the museum is scheduled to be open.
DATES
The Museum will be open on the following dates:
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Tickets must be purchased in advance.
http://www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com/tickets--information.html
Tickets are not refundable and cannot be exchanged.
Third-party convenience charges will apply.
TICKETS PRICES
Adults $10
Seniors (62+) $7
Children (5-12) $5
Children under 5 FREE
For more about the Mullin Museum: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/10/peter-mullin-auto-museum-not-open-yet.html and
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/mullin-museum-is-finally-open-but-only.html
Info@mullinautomotivemuseum.com
VISITING HOURS
Visiting hours are 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM on days the museum is scheduled to be open.
DATES
The Museum will be open on the following dates:
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Tickets must be purchased in advance.
http://www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com/tickets--information.html
Tickets are not refundable and cannot be exchanged.
Third-party convenience charges will apply.
TICKETS PRICES
Adults $10
Seniors (62+) $7
Children (5-12) $5
Children under 5 FREE
For more about the Mullin Museum: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/10/peter-mullin-auto-museum-not-open-yet.html and
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/mullin-museum-is-finally-open-but-only.html
Saturday, January 22, 2011
You have less than a second to see the biker... Click on the image to see the full size first
Too late, next time slow down and be careful, it's the only way to see better... Ducati advertising found on
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Henry Ford had a Model T truck made from aluminum
Ford in 1925 initiated Ford Air Transport Service - the world's first regularly scheduled commercial cargo airline.Ford Air Transport Service started with Stout 2-AT Pullman aircraft in 1925. Henry and Edsel Ford had a investment in Stout Engineering that became the Stout Metal Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company later that year in August.
The first 2-AT was built at the Stout factory in Dearborn and called the "Maiden Detroit". The other aircraft in the fleet were also 2-AT's, named "Maiden Dearbon I, II, III and IV". Initially the aircraft were for Ford's company use. The first scheduled commercial flights in America were begun when The "Maiden Detroit" flew 1,000 lbs. of freight between factories in Detroit and Chicago on April 14, 1925. Ford Air Transport served routes between Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland.
The aircraft operated out of Ford Airport off of two grass runways with night lighting.
The safety and predicability of the first cargo flights were used to advantage in securing the first airmail contracts under the Kelly Act. The "Maiden Detroit" entered Contract Air Mail service on February 15, 1926 with Henry and Edsel Ford loading the first bag of mail. The aircraft flew from Detroit to Cleveland under fighter escort to become the first commercial transport of air mail.
In 1928 Ford sold the airmail routes to Stout who also was operating his own airline with Stout-Ford built aircraft. The last official flight was in 1932.
Photo from http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428585 information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Air_Transport_Service
Friday, January 14, 2011
Racing stripes
invented by the Briggs Cunningham team in 1950, according to Automobile Magazine's Robert Cumberford, Feb 2011 issue, Jay Leno Bugatti feature
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
I often get solicited to post someones article, list, or link to their site, but don't. Here are some I'm interested in if you want my attention
10 best websites for what ever... especially how you rank your top 10 favorite blogs
10 worst mechanics,
10 worst ripoffs in the auto world (besides Bernie Madoff),
10 hardest repairs due to engineering shortsightedness,
10 most difficult to diagnose problems with your car,
10 easiest things you can troubleshoot your self (battery dead? Voltage regulator? or Starter? is the most common problem) ,
10 cheapest insurance companies (did that myself a couple years ago),
10 insurance companies to avoid,
10 women that broke a mechaincs heart,
10 women that will destroy your mechanics ego by knowing his job better than he does,
10 best jobs in the mechanics world,
10 best auto related companies to work for (pep boys, sears, discount tire, AAA, or what?)
10 coolest bosses you've worked for,
10 best fringe benefits from working at your shop,
10 nicest people you've met while getting a quote on your repair
10 coolest conversations while waiting for your car to get fixed (mine was a WW2 Battleship gunner telling me about the USS Iowa)
10 best trades for work (spare engine for a repair on your truck?)
10 ways insurance companies screwed you out of your claim, even if it was because you weren't fluent in insurance lingo and missed the thing you could have done to save your self a headache
10 cheapest places to get new tires
10 worst mechanics,
10 worst ripoffs in the auto world (besides Bernie Madoff),
10 hardest repairs due to engineering shortsightedness,
10 most difficult to diagnose problems with your car,
10 easiest things you can troubleshoot your self (battery dead? Voltage regulator? or Starter? is the most common problem) ,
10 cheapest insurance companies (did that myself a couple years ago),
10 insurance companies to avoid,
10 women that broke a mechaincs heart,
10 women that will destroy your mechanics ego by knowing his job better than he does,
10 best jobs in the mechanics world,
10 best auto related companies to work for (pep boys, sears, discount tire, AAA, or what?)
10 coolest bosses you've worked for,
10 best fringe benefits from working at your shop,
10 nicest people you've met while getting a quote on your repair
10 coolest conversations while waiting for your car to get fixed (mine was a WW2 Battleship gunner telling me about the USS Iowa)
10 best trades for work (spare engine for a repair on your truck?)
10 ways insurance companies screwed you out of your claim, even if it was because you weren't fluent in insurance lingo and missed the thing you could have done to save your self a headache
10 cheapest places to get new tires
Monday, January 3, 2011
Finally, a compressed air car is built
French enterprise MDI backed by Cater SA, a Swiss business have taken the concept to the roads, naminf a four wheel vehicle Airpod —to reflect on its engine powered by nothing but compressed air.
The fact that Geneva airport and a few French-speaking Swiss towns have already shown keen interest in Airpod augurs well for the project; not to mention that EU countries have already approved of the project.
It holds that initial production will kick off on Swiss grounds (in Reconvilier) where the first unit should roll out by March 2011
The fact that Geneva airport and a few French-speaking Swiss towns have already shown keen interest in Airpod augurs well for the project; not to mention that EU countries have already approved of the project.
It holds that initial production will kick off on Swiss grounds (in Reconvilier) where the first unit should roll out by March 2011
News from http://www.thecartimes.com/
Here's a simple idea why the US automakers are doomed to never be great and profitable again, 3X more retirees than employees
The Detroit Three's 267,000 hourly retirees and 72,000 surviving spouses
GM has 53,000 hourly employees and Ford has 41,000.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101214/OEM01/101219920/1424#ixzz1A1Yy1Inf
So, if you're curious why a new car costs 6 times more now than in the 60's, 2wice as much as in the 80's... you might draw the connection between the increase in # of retirees and the increase in the cost of a car, I bet that would chart a straight line, lower left to upper right.
GM has 53,000 hourly employees and Ford has 41,000.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101214/OEM01/101219920/1424#ixzz1A1Yy1Inf
So, if you're curious why a new car costs 6 times more now than in the 60's, 2wice as much as in the 80's... you might draw the connection between the increase in # of retirees and the increase in the cost of a car, I bet that would chart a straight line, lower left to upper right.
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