#Auto industry wheel

[britsyankswheels24]

🇺🇸 As we approach Chrysler's 100th anniversary, Frank B. Rhodes Jr., great-grandson of company founder Walter P. Chrysler, is raising concerns about the brand’s future and wants to take action to rescue it. In a recent open letter to “investors and workers,” Rhodes announced his plan to revitalize Chrysler and its related brands—Dodge, Ram, and Jeep—under new “American” ownership.

🚗 Stellantis, the current parent company of Chrysler, has come under criticism from Rhodes for its management of the brand, which he claims has been severely neglected. The Chrysler brand currently offers only one vehicle, the Pacifica minivan, while several promising concept cars, such as the Chrysler Airflow, were shelved before reaching production. Rhodes highlighted Stellantis’ focus on European brands like Citroën and Peugeot, arguing that Chrysler has been left behind.

💼 Rhodes, who has been a Chrysler ambassador for over 40 years, points to his family’s legacy and his own ownership of the final Chrysler 300C as reasons for his dedication to the brand. He submitted a 17-page proposal to Stellantis executives, inviting them to a confidential discussion on reviving Chrysler. His plan includes giving equity stakes to employees, echoing the worker-centered vision of his great-grandfather, who founded the company on principles of American ingenuity and innovation.

📉 Rhodes also expresses concern about the future of Dodge, which has focused heavily on electric vehicles (EVs) despite its core customer base being more interested in American muscle and performance cars. He argues that Stellantis’ push toward an all-electric lineup by 2028 for Chrysler is out of step with market trends, where hybrids are gaining popularity. The all-electric path, Rhodes warns, could be disastrous for the brand’s future.

🔧 Despite these challenges, Rhodes remains optimistic about the potential to rebuild Chrysler as a symbol of blue-collar luxury and innovation. He is calling for a return to American-designed and built products, and greater autonomy for Chrysler and Dodge within Stellantis. Rhodes’ ultimate goal is to rescue the brand from what he sees as poor management and ensure that Chrysler survives to celebrate its next century.

🚨 As Chrysler fans prepare for the 100th anniversary celebrations next summer, including a large event in Pennsylvania, Rhodes is urging action to prevent the brand from fading into obscurity. Without intervention, he warns, Chrysler’s future looks bleak.

[metalmanauto]

Metalman Auto: Your Source for Precision Tubular Fabrication Services

Metalman Auto specializes in precise tubular fabrication services for various applications. We ensure flawless welding and finishing for superior results. Contact us for your tubular fabrication needs.

[dear-ao3]

love going home just so i can go run errands with my dad. today he had to go to staples cause they printed his order wrong and i went with him.

my mom gave him a whole laundry list of things to tell the staples people and he said “yes yes i got it” then immediately got in the car and said to me “this is a job for 5 seconds of summer” and turned on the meet you there live album (man has taste) and drummed on the steering wheel and sang along the whole way to staples

in the staples parking lot he saw a lifted pickup truck and went on a rant about how “they ruined the geometry of a perfectly good car by making it look stupid” (he’s worked his whole life in the auto industry)

then we went inside and he politely explained to the staples employee how the order was printed wrong and even went as far as to hijack their ruler to measure the thing he wanted to give them the right dimensions (and they still somehow screwed it up) and had them reprint 3 samples so that he was sure it was Right

then we hopped back in the car and he kept on jamming to 5sos (this time in victory) and did an epic jersey slide across the entire 5 lanes of traffic, but said to me “don’t worry, i didn’t do that while mom was in the car”

epitome of the “because it’s iconic and i love to do iconic shit” audio. 10/10 experience. no notes.

[seat-safety-switch]

Like any honest, well-adjusted human being, I've often had reason in my life to daydream about owning my own 1,600-ton sheet metal press. I don't want to have to go to the junkyard for a fourth time this weekend just because I forgot the passenger door is also rusted out.

Why should the automakers have all the fun? Sure, they have millions upon millions of dollars, whereas I have about fifteen bucks in my wallet. They have enormous facilities capable of serving the mechanical and electrical demands of such an intense machine, and I have a motorcycle gas tank on my kitchen table because there's simply nowhere else to put it. Automakers can source kilometers-long rolls of precision-engineered high-strength steel, and I think I might be able to weld some stolen road signs together with enough advance notice. This, it turns out, is all details compared to the big problem with setting up my own autobody foundry in my backyard: the noise.

Yes, friends. Like in many well-meaning jurisdictions all across this once-great land, the bigwigs at City so-called Hall have decided to stick their noses where they don't belong. Regulating that residential neighbourhoods are not allowed to operate massive industrial machinery in the backyards is against what the founding motherfathers intended when they stole this country from the people who were already living there. Back then, people made wagon wheels in their backyard. They didn't have the luxury of going on RockAuto and ordering them from a distant trading partner, somewhere that they still built things.

What am I saying? We need to shake up government in this country. I envision a world in which the government pays you to punch out new tailgates for a 1993 F-150, immaculate bumperettes for a Valiant, and rust-free patch panels for Escorts. They will tell you it can't be done, which is even more proof that we need to go do it ourselves. If you manage to find someone willing to back this political project, send them by my house. I'll be there all weekend trying to figure out where the Princess Auto warranty on $10 hydraulic bearing presses and $3 ball-peen hammers becomes invalid.

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1949 Delahaye 175 S Saoutchik Roadster

Saoutchik was a cabinet maker when he moved to Paris from his home in Ukraine around 1900, but he didn’t take long to establish himself in the fledgling automotive coachbuilding industry and he showed a consistent flair over the next 50 years which puts him among the very elite of automotive designers.

His designs borrowed little from other designers, and along with names such as Figoni et Falaschi, Chapron, Franay and de Letourner et Marchand, Saoutchik was one of the foremost designers of exquisite Art Deco coachwork during the 20s and 30s.

Saoutchik was commissioned to produce the spectacular work-of-art by flamboyant English collector, Sir John Gaul. The design was based on the first post-war Delahaye chassis from a 175 S Roadster (chassis number 815023) producing 165 bhp from an engine much larger than the pre-war Delahayes ran – a 4,455 cc naturally aspirated overhead valve inline six cylinder engine with four-speed electro-mechanically actuated Cotal Preselector gearbox, Dubonnet coil spring front suspension, De Dion rear axle with semi-elliptic springs, and four-wheel hydraulic finned alloy drum brakes. The wheelbase was a whopping 116 inches.

The car was unveiled at the 1949 Paris Auto Show, and was exhibited at all the major European concours events that year, from Paris to Monte Carlo to San Remo, scooping the pool wherever it was exhibited. It won best-in-class in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2006 just a few months after a complete restoration. Just a few months later, the car was honored again, winning People’s Choice at theprestigious Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance.

Having fulfilled its exhibition duties, it then passed through a succession of other flamboyant owners, including actress Diana Dors.

The final word on this stunning automobile goes to Ian Kelleher, President and Chief Operating Officer, RM Auctions

“Following the financial depression of World War II, there were few collectors with the means, flamboyance and flair to commission a car as exotic as this Saoutchik Roadster. Arguably the most desirable post-war, coachbuilt automobile of all time, it is truly a masterpiece of the coachbuilder’s art. Eye-catching and exotic, it is wonderful to drive and combines superlative styling on a chassis of competition quality.”

Courtesy of RM Auctions

[sims4cars-breezemotors]

“Let freedom roam”

2023 Jeep Wrangler 🇺🇸

The Jeep Wrangler is an old friend, and a fun one too. With battleground roots as a Willys in World War II, the four-wheel drive Wrangler is as comfortable slogging through mud as it is delivering mail or shuttling sorority sisters around town. It is a refreshing alternate ego playing against the auto industry's penchant for giant screens and hermetically-sealed cabins.

Available since February 2’nd for “No Limits” and “All Inclusive” tiers exclusively.

Model with HQ interior and functional light.

Go and join my Patreon!

[liberatingreality]

The principles underlying propaganda are extremely simple. Find some common desire, some widespread unconscious fear or anxiety; think out some way to relate this wish or fear to the product you have to sell; then build a bridge of verbal or pictorial symbols over which your customer can pass from fact to compensatory dream, and from the dream to the illusion that your product, when purchased, will make the dream come true. They are selling hope.

We no longer buy oranges, we buy vitality. We do not just buy an auto, we buy prestige. And so with all the rest. In toothpaste, for example, we buy not a mere cleanser and antiseptic, but release from the fear of being sexually repulsive. In vodka and whisky we are not buying a protoplasmic poison which in small doses, may depress the nervous system in a psychologically valuable way; we are buying friendliness and good fellowship, the warmth of Dingley Dell and the brilliance of the Mermaid Tavern. With our laxatives we buy the health of a Greek god. With the monthly best seller we acquire culture, the envy of our less literate neighbors and the respect of the sophisticated. In every case the motivation analyst has found some deep-seated wish or fear, whose energy can be used to move the customer to part with cash and so, indirectly, to turn the wheels of industry.

— Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Revisited

[moontyger]

The history of tobacco regulations warns against counting on Congress to penalize big cars. A powerful industry like cigarettes or auto manufacturing can rely on support from “home state” lawmakers — North Carolina for tobacco and Michigan for automobiles — as well as an army of lobbyists to defend itself in the insular confines of Capitol Hill.

For reformers, a wiser approach is to demand change at the state and local level, overwhelming industry lobbyists with proposals mushrooming across the country.

That strategy was hugely successful during tobacco battles two generations ago, Proctor said, and its lessons are universal. “If the mouse hole is small, one cat can control 1,000 mice,” he told me. “But if 1,000 mice attack a cat, they might well win.”

To fight car bloat, local activists must first expand the ranks of people who see big vehicles as a danger to themselves and their loved ones. “Part of the genius of the nonsmokers rights movement was to point out that what we have taken for granted as the social default shouldn’t be the social default,” Milov said. Perhaps a new generation of community groups could devise a slogan akin to “Thank you for not smoking.” (“SUV is not for me”?)

Although car safety rules are a federal responsibility, state and local officials have numerous mechanisms to counteract vehicle size. Cities could follow Montreal’s lead and increase parking fees for owners of the biggest cars. Local and state governments can replace the SUVs and pickups in their vehicle fleets with sedans. States, which register cars, could emulate the District of Columbia and scale fees to vehicle weight. They can also ban aftermarket lifts, which expand the blind spots of already towering trucks. Local leaders in Paris have even discussed prohibiting SUVs entirely from downtown areas.

The private sector, a frequent target of anti-smoking activism, could also encourage reasonably sized automobiles. Real estate developers, for instance, can install “compact car” parking spots proximate to entrances, providing a convenience to their owners while also expanding total parking capacity.

When local activists secure a win against car bloat, Milov suggests they throw themselves a party. “The nonsmokers rights movement gave people a sense of efficacy — a sense that they participated in something and saw the change pretty quickly,” she said. “City council did X or Y, and you experience it and see that the sky is not falling. Then more people become mobilized around the issue.”

Still, even a wildly successful movement against gigantic trucks and SUVs will require patience. While many smokers were willing, even eager, to quit their addiction several decades ago, the same cannot be said about people who now own oversized cars and trucks. They and automakers will almost certainly rally around the status quo — much like the tobacco industry did decades ago. But their defenses are not impregnable.

The movement against car bloat is nascent, but it has righteousness on its side. Like cigarettes, enormous vehicles can kill those who never used the product, which calls for regulation. Forty years ago, the intuitive outrage of secondhand smoke was an eye-opener for many Americans. A similar narrative could help people recognize the havoc that four-wheeled behemoths now wreak on the nation’s streets.

[armedjoy]

as someone in the auto industry, i dont "like" any manufacturer, it really boils down to "whats the least shitty." and without a doubt, german cars have the most undeserved reputation. whenever someone says "german engineering" unironically, thats someone who has both absolutely fallen for the PR founded on european prestige & R&D to solve problems that didnt exist, and has never turned a wrench on one. VW is absolutely an inferior product, but somehow they command premium prices. a rav4 or crv is in the same price ballpark as a tiguan, and a camry or accord is similarly equivalent to a jetta - ask yourself when was the last time you saw the VW entry puttering around at a similar age & mileage. I see toyotas and hondas regularly exceeding a decade and 150k, funny how the german equivalent is a rarity, particularly in the winter rust zone.

if you know someone whos selling a passat and you need wheels, it would behoove you to rideshare while you wait for a corolla or civic to come along.

[awesome-casuallyfamouscollector]

Dodge, Jeep & Ram Just Overpriced Junk: There is also no chance that anyone would want to buy these ugly American internal combustion engine "luxury SUV" boxes...in Europe...No, no and now...

Source: Screenshot from original video published by Thomas Sieber on October 24, 2024.

P.S. It's really hard for me to imagine the world of illusions the American car business elite live in if they imagine that someone wants to buy these overpriced "luxury" ICE boxes on wheels... American business has completely lost touch with the real world. America's problem is definitely not electric cars, because your auto industry elites don't understand what's going on in the global auto market at all...

[britsyankswheels24]

🇺🇲 On September 4, 1957, Ford Motor Company introduced the Edsel, a new division aimed at revolutionizing the market. Unlike Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury, the Edsel had its own identity with four models: the smaller Pacers and Rangers, and the larger Citations and Corsairs.

🚘 The Edsel became notorious for its failure. Launched during a booming economy, it was designed as a large, flashy car. But by the time it hit showrooms, the economy had shifted, and consumers wanted smaller, more efficient cars.

🤔 The Edsel’s unique design, including push-button gear shifting on the steering wheel, wasn’t well-received. Issues like a hood ornament that could fly off didn’t help its reputation. In its first year, Edsel sold just 64,000 cars, losing $250 million ($2.5 billion today).

💔 The Edsel brand was discontinued after the 1960 model year, marking one of the biggest flops in automotive history.

[odinsblog]

Modern cars do more than get you from Point A to Point B. With sophisticated, internet-enabled onboard computers, they provide vehicle manufacturers with a truckload (pun intended) of data on where you’re driving, what you’re buying, demographic data and more. So what are they doing with all this information? That’s what the newly created California Privacy Protection Agency would like to know, and so it has launched a review of the auto industry’s data privacy practices.

“Modern vehicles are effectively connected computers on wheels. They’re able to collect a wealth of information via built-in apps, sensors, and cameras, which can monitor people both inside and near the vehicle,” said CPPA Executive Director Ashkan Soltani in a statement.

With more than 35 million vehicles on the road in the Golden State, that is a lot of data for these car-makers to scoop up. [And sell!]

The announcement was hailed by advocacy group Consumer Watchdog’s Justin Kloczko, who said in a statement, “These companies know more about us than we know about ourselves, and they’re the ones in control of our personal information, not us.”

(continue reading)

[scrumptiousbeardturtle-blog1]

Self-Driving Cars: Accelerating Change in the Automotive Sector

Buckle up and get ready for the ride of a lifetime! The auto transport nationwide is undergoing a groundbreaking revolution, and self-driving cars are at the wheel, steering us toward a future of unprecedented possibilities.

From eliminating the need for a driver to enhancing safety on the road, autonomous vehicles are transforming the way we travel, commute, and even think about transportation.

Imagine a world where rush hour becomes a thing of the past, where traffic jams are a mere memory, and where every journey is smooth and stress-free. Self-driving cars are making this vision a reality, as they navigate through congested roads with unparalleled precision and efficiency.

But it's not just about convenience and ease. The impact of conditional driving automation goes far beyond our daily commute. They have the potential to revolutionize industries, reshape cities, and even save lives.

With autonomous vehicles, businesses can optimize their logistics, reduce costs, and improve delivery times. Hospitals can transport vital medical supplies faster than ever before. And individuals with mobility challenges can regain their independence and freedom. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

But how do self-driving cars work? How do they perceive their environment, make decisions, and ensure safety?

These are the questions we'll be diving into in this comprehensive LinkedIn article. We'll explore the cutting-edge technologies that power autonomous vehicles and the challenges they face on their path to perfection.

So, fasten your seatbelts and join us on this exhilarating journey into the world of self-driving cars. Discover how they are transforming the auto industry, redefining mobility, and paving the way for a brighter, more connected future.

Stay tuned for the full article coming soon! Like and share if you're as excited as we are about the future of transportation. Let's drive innovation together!

[seat-safety-switch]

Everything around us is made of a series of little miracles. Look at an airplane: that shit is objectively crazy on the face of it. We're just used to the whole thing. You would show the airplane to a caveman and he would drop stone dead on the spot, his brain leaking out of his ears onto the Paleolithic tundra, preferring to die rather than to believe such a thing is possible. And that's before you start pulling the airplane apart.

We are lucky, all of us, to be in this era where not only are crazy stunts of engineering and manufacturing prowess possible, but that they are common. You can walk your ass down to the Auto Value and pick yourself up a wheel bearing, which itself is made out of many near-identical and precisely-constructed and ball bearings to a degree that would have been impossible a hundred years ago, for five fucking dollars. That's the cheap shit one, too, so don't put that in your car. It won't last more than 200,000 km, not like the seven-dollar one will.

Charles Babbage, the guy who invented the mechanical computer? You know what he spent most of his time doing? Hiring folks to make screws that were all the same kind. Yeah. The idea of being able to just buy a screw and put it in a consistent hole was not a thing in his era. Hell, he even got into a fight with the Queen about how wide to make railroad tracks ("all the same," he said. "a bunch of crazy fucking different sizes," said England.) Nope, it's the computer made with all of those screws that our history books are all psyched about. It goes clickity-clack and tells us that four times four is sixteen!

A biologist would tell us that we're just trying to emulate the greatest miracle of all, the existence of organic life, blah blah who cares? I got that for free from my parents. What I didn't get was a radio modem the size of a fingernail that lets me send poop emojis to Egypt at the speed of thought. Apologies to all of my distant ancestors who had to work out how to evolve, like, toes and stuff. That was probably really hard, but now I'm reaping the benefits. For instance, without toes, I wouldn't appreciate the machine I just now saw on YouTube that weaves brand-new socks out of planet-killing industrial microplastic waste. Pretty rad! I bet it's got some very precise screws in it.

[cyberpsychotic-purgatory]

H Y P E R L A N E

Music: Skeler - ID

After checking in with Mara, and restocking on supplies from his safe house tucked away in Santo, Jack gets into his modified Mitzutani Shion and makes for the nearest Hyperlane entrance.

Setting the Hyperlane auto-driver to the Northern Industrial District Sector 12 exit.

The steering wheel retracts, his seat moves and leans backwards to a 45 degree angle as the vehicle engages it's mag-lev guided system and launches forward, pulling 2gs, pressing him into the syn-leather seats. The skin on his face distorts ever so slightly, but only takes a few seconds to adjust to this new accelerated norm. 300 mph, driven by a supercharged BMW E30 engine, a swap out from it's stock 5-cyclinder; a twin turbo aspiration for better usage in his races as opposed to a single which would be better off the line. Lastly, the piece that makes this all possible on the Hyperlane, a mag-lev system installed on the bottom of the car that acts like a rail-gun accelerator. Using an advanced Electro-magnet, it works in tandem with the Hyperlane's electro magnets built into the road. I would direct you to this link for in-depth information on how Mag-lev propulsion works if you're not familiar.

It'll be 20 minutes before he reaches the NID at this speed. With the Hyperlanes having a diameter of roughly 100 miles give or take a dozen here and there.

During this time, Jack call's Gordie "Optic" Dockett. A Media out of Watson's mega-building 10. He'd done work with him before, specifically the Dynalar gig with Mara, and the guy seemed capable. Though he didn't like the idea of splitting the pot.

The holo rings…."Jack, Mara tells me you might need a hand?"

"Yea I've got this guy in NID that owes a bookie in Watson money."

"Bookie in Watson? Who?"

"No idea, wasn't in the deets. Anyhow, I'm not sure what I'm walkin into so if you don't mind being an extra body.."

Gordie cuts him off, "I got you Jack, no worries. Just slide a piece of that 10 thou when you're done."

Jack curses to himself. Why the fuck did Mara tell him how much it was?

"Sure, let's call it a flat 2 and see where it goes from there."

Jack rolls a 17 for Persuasion vs. Gordie Dockett's 23

"Woah woah. 20%? Maybe it's cause we haven't worked together enough but I ain't some hired muscle. You call me, shits getting done. I want 40 flat, and 50 if there's issues."

Jack grits his teeth. He rolls a crit success 20 for Cool. He avoids being argumentative.

"Gouging me man. Alright whatever, fine 40 it is. I'll see you there."

Jack sends him some meet-up cords in NID and closes the call.

Jack messages Mara

Way to hand out too much info. The guy is takin half the pot …just let me explain the deets on the gig next time please.

Well fed hands, Jack. He did a lot of work pro-bono for me on my next gig.

For you. This is my gig with a different fixer. Just saying respect the boundaries.

Mara sends a confirmation but doesn't reply.