#Rear Axle Steering

[vmantras]

Mercedes EQS AMG 53: Luxury Meets Performance

₹2.45 Cr Design and Exterior Aesthetic Excellence The EQS AMG 53 embraces an ultra-modern design language, blending aerodynamic efficiency with AMG’s signature styling elements. The flush door handles and one-bow body design contribute to a drag coefficient of 0.23, ensuring maximum efficiency and quiet operation. AMG-specific elements, such as the black-panel front grille with vertical…

[akulride]

Sedan Petrol 7 Airbags (Driver, Front Passenger, 2 Curtain, Driver Knee, Driver Side, Front Passenger Side) Obsidian black, Polar white, Graphite grey, High-tech silver, Selenite grey, Sodalite blue, Spectral blue, MANUFAKTUR Opalite white bright, MANUFAKTUR Patagonia red bright, MANUFAKTUR Graphite grey magno 5 Star (Euro NCAP)

[carsthatnevermadeitetc]

Velocity Signature Series Mustang Convertible, 2024. The Florida-based specialist tuner has added a convertible to their first generation Mustang Signature Series restomod range. The work includes fitting a contemporary 460hp 5.0 litre Coyote V8 with six-speed manual or 10-speed auto gearboxes. There's also new rack and pinion steering and a four-link rear axle with upgraded brakes, 17 inch wheels and a redesigned convertible top.

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1930 Ford Highboy Coupe

There’s always lots of detail work with any build and this ’30 Ford highboy coupe is no exception. Look closely and you will find Craftworks Fabrication handmade steel motor mounts. The license plate and valve covers were painted by Jeremy Seanor of Luckystrike Designs. He also painted all the accompanying engine and tranny parts. The powdercoat was handled by Pittsburgh Powder Coat while the chrome plating was conducted by Jon Wright’s Custom Chrome Plating.

The chassis is comprised of a Roadster Shop custom frame that was stepped, stretched, and features contoured ’32 Ford-style framerails. It was also then boxed, capped, and has hole punch flared front framehorns. From here the frame is outfitted with a Super Bell 4-inch drop, drilled and plated I-beam axle, low-profile monoleaf spring with Ridetech tubular shocks paired to custom-made drilled billet radius rods from Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop. Steering falls to the Flaming River box and a LimeWorks Hot Rod column topped with a four-spoke Billet Specialties Sprint Car–style leather-wrapped wheel. In back there’s a Currie 9-inch rearend outfitted with 3.70 gears, 31-spline axles, QA1 coilovers, a Pete & Jakes Panhard bar, and a parallel four-link setup. Braking is a combination of disc/drum front to rear. The forward braking dark gray–painted Wilwood Dynalite calipers are neatly hidden behind the Pete & Jakes finned backing plates. While in back the 9-inch is outfitted with 11-inch brakes, this time hidden beneath the SO-CAL Speed Shop finned drums all the while the chassis rides on a full set of 16-inch Dayton wire wheels wrapped with Coker/Excelsior rubber measuring 5.50R16 in front and 7.00R18 in the back.

All hot rods have something fun settled between the ’rails and beneath the hood (well if they have a hood). In the case of our ’30 Ford highboy coupe it sure appears to be a vintage Ford Y-block but after more than a cursory look we begin to see the telltale signs that there’s something more. Indeed, while it may look like a Ford it truly is a 376-inch LSX iron block, with aluminum heads and ARP studs, plus adapter-equipped small-block Ford (Windsor) valve covers all from Don Hardy Race Cars and then assembled by Talik and Marc Mullin. The intake is an Edelbrock LS dual quad with a pair of Thunder AVS EnduraShine carbs dressed in OTB air cleaners. Delivering the gas from the Tanks stainless reservoir is an Earl’s Performance billet fuel pump. More engine accessories include an MSD 6AL box to go along with the MSD billet Ford small-block distributor that functions through a timing cover adapter from Chevrolet Performance all the while using an MSD coil and Lokar vintage plug wires. Powermaster also supplied the alternator and starter, the battery is an XS Power AGM, and a Wegner Motorsports water pump is used as well as a Wegner front accessory drive unit. This 500-plus hp V-8 utilizes custom headers made at Craftworks Fabrication based on Ultimate Headers LS header flanges. The pseudo-Ford small-block is backed up to a TCI StreetFighter 700-R4 with a 2,800-stall speed converter operated by a Lokar shifter. The trans cooler comes by way of Derale Performance and moves the power through a 3-inch-diameter custom-made driveshaft.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Mise en Place 10

Warnings: noncon, coercion, manipulation. Proceed with caution.

Thanks all for reading and I hope you’re excited for this one. All feedback is more than welcome and loved and appreciated. Reblogs are most helpful.

Part of The Club AU

The walk back to the club is silent. You have a knapsack hooked over your shoulder as you keep your head down. You hurt bad as Thor shows you to a large red truck.  

You hug yourself with one arm as he opens the door. He stands back, waiting for you to climb up. You grit back as you reach for the interior of the door and lift a foot. You shake as you try to lift yourself and he catches you, hiking you up the foot of the ascent. You quickly wriggle away and drop into the seat. 

You clear your throat and keep your eyes aimed away from him, “thank you.” 

“Not at all, fawn, no effort at all,” he assures, “everything in?” 

You nod and curl your shoulders inward, making yourself as small as you can. He gentle shuts the door and you stare at the dashboard. He strolls around the hood, his size made even more obvious compared to the truck. Where the vehicle feels gargantuan to you, he seems to match it. 

He gets in the drivers seat, his weight shifting the axle, and he buckles in, reminding you to do the same. You grumble and click the belt into place. He asks if you need anything, you shake your head. You just want to sleep. 

He turns the engine, a loud rumble that mellows out to a hum, and he steers out of the lot. You turn your head to the window and watch the street lights pass. You bend your neck to hide a yawn as the silence persists. You wish he’d just left you at your apartment. 

Twenty minutes, maybe more, time smears with the streaks of coloured lights along the way. He pulls into the driveway of a walk-up and reaches above the rear view, tapping the button to open the garage door. He rolls into it and flips on the compartment light as the metal door shuts behind the truck. 

He kills the engine, the yellow light still shining in the cramped space. He glances over before he gets out, “still awake, fawn?” 

“Yep,” you reply as you undo your seat belt. “Thanks.” 

“Not at all,” he gets out on his side and leaves his door open. He shuffles around and flips on the overhead light in the garage. He turns back and reaches in to flip off the compartment light. He lingers and reaches across the seat. “Shall I carry your bag?” 

“I’m fine,” you insist and lean into the door as you push it open.  

You drop out onto the floor and can’t help but let out a squeak as your injured ankle throbs. You close the door and wrap your arms around your bag as you hobble around the front of the truck. Thor beckons you to a door, unlocking it then stepping back to let you through first. 

You enter and pause on the mat. You sidle out of his way and bend to put your bag down, the effort causing you to shake. You peel off your shoes as he turns on the light and illuminates the broad hallway of the townhouse. You knew by the outside alone how much nicer it was than your back alley apartment. 

You grab your bag and brace the wall as you stand straight. Your eyes dampen from the work of it. Such a simple act and it’s excruciating. You feel him watching you but you refuse to acknowledge that as your stare at the hardwood. 

“Right, let me get you settled,” he says, “how about a tea?” 

“No thanks, I’m tired,” you insists. 

“Of course, you would be, fawn,” he agrees, “come, let me show you the guest room.” 

“Oh... I don’t mind the couch--” 

“The state of you,” he interjects, “I couldn’t let you.” 

He points you up the hallway, “the bathroom is just here,” he intones, “the kitchen behind us, should you want for anything, please help yourself.” You only grumble. “Up stairs,” his voice dwindles, “mm, it’ll be a climb...” 

“I can make it,” you sniff. 

You turn around the banister and take the first step. It aches in every part of you. You hook your bag at your elbow and use your other arm to support yourself against the railing. You climb up a stair at a time, he follows right behind you. You’re staggered pace is embarrassing. 

As you get to the top, he gently touches your lower back and brushes by you. He turns left and you go to follow him. You stop short as he pulls open a closet and takes out a folded waffled blanket. He shuts the door and nods over your head. 

“Behind you, fawn, only want to make sure you have all you need,” he says, “a spare blanket, just in case.” 

You turn back and follow his direction to the door just to the other side of the staircase. He reaches around you to twist the handle and pushes it inward. He flicks the switch next to the door and steps back. 

You pass through the door, your body needy at the sight of the bed. It’s better than your futon, you can tell just by the look of it. Your reticence and pain keeps you from jumping into it. 

You move cautiously to the bench at the foot of the bed and put your bag down. You feel him behind you, lingering. You face him. He fills the whole door frame. Once more, his stature surprises you. It frightens you. 

The man who did this to you, he’s smaller. Average maybe, even if he worked out to access, but look at the damage he’s done. What could a man like Thor do? You repress as shudder and fold your arms, wincing at the tenderness in your ribs. 

“Thanks... again,” you murmur. 

“Not at all, fawn, if there’s anything else you require, simply let me know,” he says, “my door is across from yours, at a diagonal. Just a knock away.” 

“Mm, right,” you grumble, “think I’ll just sleep and be out of your hair in the morning.” 

“You are not trouble, fawn,” he assures you. 

You just nod, “good night.” 

“Yes, good night,” he purrs and stares at you for a moment before he grasps the door handle and backs out, reluctantly closing it from the outside. 

You sit gingerly on the bench and sigh. You don’t get it. Why is doing this? Are you really that pitiful? You close your eyes and rub them.  

You’ll set an alarm so you can head out early and get your apartment sorted—shoot, you still don’t have a phone. Well, that will be the first thing you deal with. You’ll just have to hope you wake up before him. 

[f1mike28]

AMG SL63 „An Icon Reborn“.

AMG SL, the new edition of an icon, returns to its roots with a classic soft top and sporty character. At the same time, the luxurious roadster as a 2+2 seater is particularly suitable for everyday use and puts its power down on the road with all-wheel drive for the first time.

High-tech components such as the AMG ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL suspension with active anti-roll stabilisation, rear-axle steering, the optionally available AMG ceramic high-performance composite brake system and the standard-fit DIGITAL LIGHT with projection function sharpen the sporty profile.

In combination with the AMG 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine, this results in a driving experience of the highest order. As a consistent Performance Luxury model, Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach has developed the SL completely independently. Two models with AMG V8 engines will kick off the market launch.

At market launch, the new SL starts with two output levels of the AMG 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine. The engines are assembled purely by hand at the company’s site in Affalterbach according to the „One Man, One Engine“ principle. In the top model SL 63 4MATIC+ (combined fuel consumption 12.7-11.8 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions 288-268 g/km)[1].

The engine develops 430 kW (585 hp) and provides a maximum torque of 800 Nm over a wide rev range from 2500 to 4500 rpm. Accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h takes only 3.6 seconds, the top speed is 315 km/h.

In the SL 55 4MATIC+ (combined fuel consumption 12.7-11.8 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions 288-268 g/km), the V8 unit develops an output of 350 kW (476 hp) and a peak torque of 700 Nm. The sprint from standstill to 100 km/h takes 3.9 seconds, the top speed is 295 km/h.

Mercedes-AMG One man, one engine Handcrafted by Michael Kübler @f1mike28 in Germany Affalterbach.

Driving Performance is my Passion! Mercedes-AMG the Performance and Sports Car Brand from Mercedes-Benz and Exclusive Partner for Pagani Automobili. Mercedes-AMG Handcrafted by Racers.

[1solone]

Husband:

My wife is missing.

She went to rescue people from the flood yesterday and has not come home...

Sergeant at Police Station:

What is her height?

Husband:

Gee, I'm not sure. A little over five-feet tall.

Sergeant:

Weight?

Husband:

Don't know. Not slim, not really fat.

Sergeant:

Color of eyes?

Husband:

Sort of brown I think. Never really noticed.

Sergeant:

Color of hair?

Husband:

Changes a couple times a year.

Maybe dark brown now.

I can’t remember.

Sergeant:

What was she wearing?

Husband:

Could have been pants, or maybe a skirt or shorts. I don't know exactly.

Sergeant:

What kind of car did she go in?

Husband:

She went in my Jeep.

Sergeant:

What kind of Jeep was it?

Husband: (sobbing)

It's a 2019 Rubicon with Sprintex Supercharger with Intercooler, DiabloSport T-1000 Trinity Programmer, Teraflex Falcon 3.3 Shocks ,1350 RE Reel Drive Shafts, Method 105 Bead Locks, Toyo 37" X 13.5" Tires, Custom Olympic Off Road Front Bumper, Olympic Off Road Smuggler Rear Bumper with tire carrier, Seward Radius 4s LED Light, Seward 12" LED Light bar, 50" LED Light bar with, sPod LED switch pod with Boost gage,, Rigid LED Lights, 15# Power Tank, Rock Hard Cage, Rock Hard Under Armor, Posion Spyder Sliders, Posion Spyder Crusher Fenders, Posion Spyder Evap Armor, Posion Spyder Extreme Duty Trans-Mount Cross Member, Bushwacker rear armor, 5.13 Gears, Magnum 44 Front Axle, Off Road Evolution "C" Gussets, Cobra 75 CB Radio, Warn 10K on Front and 8K Winch on Rear, Bartact Seat Covers, Delta Quad Bar Xenon Headlamps,Tantrum LED Offroad Rock Lights, Teraflex HD Tie Rod, Teraflex Falcon Steering Stabilizer, Teraflex Alpine Long Control Arms Front & Rear, Teraflex 4" springs, Teraflex JK Performance Slotted Big Rotor Kit, TeraFlex Monster HD Forged Front Adjustable Trackbar, Teraflex Front & Rear Brake Line Kit, Teraflex Bump Stops Front & Rear, Surprise Straps, Hothead Headliner, Teraflex D-44 Diff Covers, Wild Boar Grille, Rigid Ridge Hood, Drake Hood Latch's & a Tuffy Security Drawer......

(At this point, the sobbing has turned into a full cry.)

Sergeant:

Don't worry buddy. We'll find your Jeep.

[diabolus1exmachina]

Alfa Romeo Disco Volante by Touring Superleggera 

The Disco Volante is a two-seater Gran Turismo. It is based on the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione coupé with its front-central mounted 4.7 litre V8 engine and a transaxle rear drive with unmodified specifications. Each unit, of which the construction requires 4,000 hours of manual work.The present Disco Volante celebrates the myth of the 1952 style icon. The new design briefing required to blend ingredients as innovation, emotion and aerodynamic properties into a timeless and essential shape.During the development stage, Head of Design Louis de Fabribeckers and his team cooperated with the engineers on an almost daily basis. “We focused on the preservation of the design essence. – says de Fabribeckers – Once the design frozen, we had to understand the manufacturing problems and solve them right away without compromising the design.”In consistency with the car’s design philosophy the interior has a ‘science fiction’ feel to it. Part of this ‘spaceship’ atmosphere was created by elements like the red LED interior light profiles. Also, aeronautics has been the inspiration for parts like the dashboard, instruments and seat adjustment lever.The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione chassis was chosen for its light and rigid structure and its outstanding dynamic properties. Therefore it forms the perfect basis for the coach-built bodywork of the Disco Volante, integrally conserving the rolling chassis and drive train.The Alfa Romeo 8C’s steel space-frame and other structural elements were retained to guarantee torsion stiffness, high performance and the quality standard. The frame members and the central carbon cell remained unchanged. Elements of the underpinning and the body, such as the engine bay and firewall, the windscreen and cowl, the a-pillar and the locks and hinges have been retained too, just as the dashboard and instruments, the pedals and the steering wheel. Parts like doorframes, the roof frame and the c-pillar have been modified to match with the new shape.The layout of a front-central mounted engine, a transaxle transmission and rear-wheel drive offers an optimal weight distribution of 49-51% between the front and rear axles. To ensure excellent handling the front and rear double-wishbone suspension scheme is combined with hub carriers of forged aluminium and additional trailing arms for the rear suspension.The lightweight and compact 4.7 litre V8 engine delivers 450HP and 480Nm peak torque. It is coupled with a six-speed sequential transaxle gearbox with electronic control and paddle-shift gear selection. Together with a limited-slip differential and a state-of-the-art braking system with large diameter, ventilated discs a precise, dynamic and proactive drive is ensured. The Disco Volante can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4,2 seconds and has a top speed of about 290 km/h (181 mph).

All new and modified components of the Disco Volante have been CAD designed. In this process, which covers feasibility, safety, homologation, aerodynamics and structural analysis, the most advanced IT tools and simulation techniques have been used.

Since torsion stiffness and noise reduction are of critical importance, special attention has been paid to the under-body structure and its elements, like the tubular frames supporting the rear wings and bumper, and the roll bar joining the c-pillars. Other complex design issues were the tailgate hinges, the 3d-cambered door window, and the front wheel covers.

The Disco Volante was then submitted to a CFD aerodynamic study to enhance the airflow and ensure optimal downforce in the rear section. After that, FEM calculations were run to assess resistance and rigidity of all parts subject to homologation.

Touring Superleggera is synonymous with the manufacture of lightweight bodywork. The weight advantage of aluminium is one of the assets of Touring Superleggera’s construction methods. Nowadays however, the craft of hand-beating aluminium panels is combined with the use of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). For the Disco Volante, Touring decided to use this combination of aluminium and CFRP. This has been the result of a study conducted to define optimal use of materials for the bodywork in terms of weight, resistance, precision, finish and quality, and ease of repair in case of damage.

The CFRP is used for specific components like the front bumper and grille, the bonnet, the skirts, the boot lid and the integrated rear-window frame. The bonnet and the boot lid are sandwich-built with Nomex filler in-between to obtain a better stiffness/weight ratio and to dampen vibration and noise.

The aluminium panels are hand-beaten using an epoxy mould. Since the inner frames of most parts of the bodywork are made of CFRP, this requires gluing of aluminium on carbon fibre. This technique adds to the rigidity as the glue has structural properties.

The body panels are pre-assembled on a laser measurement platform using a jig. This ensures that the strict tolerance required is respected. After adjustment, the panels are either welded or glued. The body-in-white is then used to preassemble and fit all trim components, brightware and moulding.

[no1-pogi-americano]

The 1960 MG MGA 1600 Roadster is a British sports car that was produced by MG from 1955 until 1962.

The MGA replaced the MG TF 1500 Midget and represented a complete styling break from MG's earlier sports cars. Announced on 26 September 1955 the car was officially launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show. A total of 101,081 units were marketed through the end of production in July 1962, the vast majority of which were exported. 5869 cars were sold on the home market, and the MGA was replaced by the MGB.

The MGA design dates back to 1951, when MG designer Syd Enever created a streamlined body for George Philips' TD Le Mans car. The new bodywork traded the MG TF's articulated fenders and running board for ponton styling, with a single styled envelope fully enclosing the width and uninterrupted length of a car.

The TF featured a high driver seating position. A new chassis was designed with the side members further apart and the floor attached to the bottom rather than the top of the frame sections. A prototype was built and shown to the BMC chairman Leonard Lord. He turned down the idea of producing the new car as he had just signed a deal with Donald Healey to produce Austin-Healey cars two weeks before. Falling sales of the traditional MG models caused a change of heart, and the car, initially to be called the UA-series, was brought back. As it was so different from the older MG models it was called the MGA, the "first of a new line" to quote the contemporary advertising. There was also a new engine available, therefore the car did not have the originally intended XPAG unit but was fitted with the BMC B-series engine allowing a lower bonnet line. The MGA convertible had no exterior door handles, however the coupe had door handles.

It was a body-on-frame design and used the straight-4 "B series" engine from the MG Magnette saloon driving the rear wheels through a four-speed gearbox. Suspension was independent with coil springs and wishbones at the front and a rigid axle with semi-elliptic springs at the rear. Steering was by rack and pinion. The car was available with either wire-spoked or steel-disc road wheels.

While the make (or marque) is MG, the model was named MGA by John Thornley in 1954.

This is a comparison of a 1960 MGA 1600 and a 1962 MGA 1600 MKII. Here's the further detail of the red 1960 should you be interested in seeing more of it.

[my-whai-whai-blog]

(Wip) horror story chapter 1

so I'm adding the intro this one time, because i edited a little bit to it. it is still in a work in progress so any critique is welcome or just comments in general enjoy :)

Intro

Droning heat.. That’s what the fake cheery national news said was forecasted this summer, any other time I would have welcomed this weather with an ice pop or blasting an electric fan. But this summer it would be what brought me to a further abyss than the one i thought i was on the edge of.

In the middle of a mild early summer climate forested lake area away from any civilization aside from a well worn two-laned road. That connects to a less traveled dusty graveled road out to this nestled lakeside community center for recovery and relief. A lone encrusting suv rolls down the gravel road at an even pace under the speed limit to not tear up the road and leave a giant cloud of dust and rocks. Passing lapping carpets of leaves and with trees as quick passing thoughts in the cracked rear-view mirror 

In the mid sized well used vehicle. A well trimmed man is in the driving seat thumb drumming on the steering wheel in an off beat pattern. His hair in very manicured fashion is a 1920's era hairstyle, slick with the scent of Aqua Velva or perhaps Vitalis wafting from him like an aura. And a thick mustache that you would think he took inspiration from the macho men of the past to show his authority. he drums away and slightly corrects the vehicle to the right side of the road when he sees a slight road block in the way and takes a mental note to the maintenance crew to come by, changing to a different tune or pattern when he felt like it or couldn’t remember the rest of the song he is following in his head. 

Crossing the last bend in the road to the last stretch towards the compound of buildings, known as Remit Reservoir recovery center. “Rest your rocks at the Remit Reservoir!” The man hums to himself as he finishes his drum routine, him noticing too late as a giant hulking mass collides into the side of his suv. Like a male moose in full stampede and rolls over with a deep crunch to the top of the car. then crashes into the opposite side of the road with a giant roaring wet thud to the thick covered forest floor near the compound’s walls. After getting his head to stop rattling like a timber rattlesnake. He steps out to inspect the damage and if what hit him is still in the immediate area.

A bus heaving on what felt like its last breaths, transporting multiple walks of lives. Most of the riders on the dying beater bus have shed their top shirts and or took to using their pamphlets as makeshift fans to get away from the muggy heat of the bus cabin. Because of course the bus that is on its last axle out of the grave has a busted a/c that has not been functioning since the end of the gulf war and the windows are jammed with two inch thick tree sap. The group of boiling and poised to get out twenty to thirty somethings looked on through the dusty windshield to see cold gray cement and sun washed colorful tiles take up their vision instead of the endless summer hazed cast forest floor and full tree capped canopy they have been watching to pass the time through the old and cracking windows to their home away from home for what they hope is just the summer.

The bus comes to a wheezing and skipping stop in the mid way point of the loop driveway. The sun scraping at the opaque shadows casting from the entrance canopy that barely quaffs the roof of the bus. Groans and sighs of great relief fill the old creaking oven death trap on flattening tyres; scrounging of personal belongings and last minute snack purchases from the second to last resting point. The occupants file out at random due to what they stowed on board the cabin. Some brought what could only be described as their whole wardrobe and their kitchen sink; some just bringing what was actually needed on their carry-on portion of luggage for this trip and step out to wait for the rest of it in the full muggy heat by the rusted underbelly storage; and few step out quick as they can with a carry-on filled bare essentials and cruise under the canopy to get some form of relief as they wait for the rest to disembark. 

Chapter one 

I got off that death trap as fast as my aching drenched body could let me. Felt like I was moving through a thick swap while made of pure sludge and sticks. Thankfully I didn't bring much for this, the only good advice my grandpa gave me was, “pack light and you will be alright”. Old man was a rolling stone for a reason, and the family couldn't get him to settle down for long. Made me wonder why this pack rat that’s still in that rusty relic is here on this trip. Or any of these people. My only judgment is we all have our baggage to work on here. 

After coming to that judgment I look around at the scenery of the center. Feels like a midday liminal space with how quiet and well maintained this entrance is. Like someone or something is waiting just around the corner you perceive. Didn’t help with the heat and  the jittering chorus of bugs wafting loud buzzing over the foreign to me bird calls. I circle my view to the left side corner of the entrance wall, I feel the presence of being watched from right there. But all there is this streaking stain of what could be described as a concoction of healthy and dying moss and multiple molds. Mixed and merged in areas along the stained to make something only a highly educated biologist could probably understand. 

I grit my teeth and gut to help begin my first slow step to investigate this stain. As soon as my foot makes outstretched contact with boiling sunbaked asphalt, I feel a strong tug back and the smell of foul old care products my loose grandpa would use; and just as much if not more. A man with a full forearm taller than me and a stone heavier as well, whipped me around a towel in the wind. “Hey, I don't need to be losing one of my little sheep to the wonders of this place just yet. We still have orientation and room assignment”. He says with that same fake cheery tone I heard with the newscasters this morning, but with a low growl to show some authority over me. Then came back to the same cheery tone to list off what needed to be done first. I had no time or power to register any resistance to his control to set me back to the herd of lost sheep.

I tried to put it off as fatigue from the long drive out this peculiar complex of rest. As I follow behind the atypical shepherd of this group, I glance back to the strange stain to see a clean up crew hard at work cleaning or prepping to clean it.

[vmantras]

Mercedes-Benz EQS 580: Luxury Electric Sedan Review

₹1.62 Cr The Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4Matic represents the pinnacle of electric luxury sedans, blending state-of-the-art technology, remarkable performance, and the renowned craftsmanship Mercedes-Benz is known for. Here’s a detailed breakdown: Design and Aesthetic Appeal The EQS 580 exudes sophistication with its aerodynamic design and avant-garde styling. Every design choice balances form and…

[airkewld]

July 12th | Airkewld HQ | The Kindigit Design's Performance Package

The PRO's got a call from Dan in Utah who had just got done watching an episode of Bitchin' Rides featuring the little sister, built by Dave King and his team at Kindigit Design.

He wanted to emulate it the overall stance on his 1956 Beetle with some slight changes, which everyone over at the HQ loves! Dan is going to install a 190hp engine in it so the PRO's needed to thing PERFORMANCE with this one. Up front, the PRO's went with a Stage 1 PRObuilt Beam that has been narrowed 4 inches and also has drop spindles. We went with adjustable shocks front and rear and an OEM PRObuilt Steering System that will last for years! GEN 2 BAD Series Brakes were installed on the beam in a Wide 5 pattern along with 4 piston Wilwood calipers in grey. This thing will handle, stop and can be tuned to his liking. I love it. We opted for the PRObuilt Performance Transaxles with short axle to give the VW a deeper dish in the rear on his 17" Two-Piece Smoothies. More on those later. We went with a 4.11 ring and pinion and the overdrive 4th out of a super beetle to keep his monster motor from over revving at high speeds. Mated to the trans, we installed a GEN 2 BAD Series Disc Brakes in the rear with an ebrake caliper, we opted for no color due to not being able to see them through the wheels. But should he decide to not install the caps, them GEN 2 matching center caps are going to look epic! Back to the 2 Piece Smoothies, we went with RAL3020 (red) on the hoops and went with the machined center....drool. The PRO's wrapped them in Kumho's, 205-40's up front and 215-45's in the rear. Everything Dan needed to do this install was purchased to allow him to have an adult Lego set from the PRO's at Airkewld. If you want to do something similar to your 1949-1965 Beetle, here are some links and costs. 17" Smoothies - https://www.airkewld.com/5-Lug-Smoothie-17-Inch-Wheel-9001-p/9001.htm - $3953.72 as pictured Stage 1 PRObuilt Beam with Adjustable shocks and install kit - $3454.35 as pictured GEN 2 BAD Series Front Disc Brake Kit - $1699 as pictured Installing Brakes onto the PRObuilt Beam - $75.00 GEN 2 BAD Series Rear Disc Brake Kit - $1640.42 PRObuilt Performance Transaxle - Short Axle - $2863.33 Installing Brakes on the transaxle - $185.00 Matching rear Adjustable Shocks - $558.90 $14,000 shipped in the lower 48 states if it is picked up from a local R&L Terminal near you or $14,500 to your residence in the lower 48 states. We have great rates worldwide as well.

[scotianostra]

On January 26th 1878, Blacksmith Kirkpatrick McMillan, inventor of the bicycle, died.

Or should it be inventor of "a" bicycle? Frenchman Comte de Sivrac made a bicycle, of sorts in 1791, but it was a simple affair,  two wooden wheels at the front and rear, with a beam in the middle, and a bench on it, no steering, no pedals or chain, you just used your legs to push it along. The non-steering, slippery Sivlark was not even as good as a modern three-year-old's toy car, and the first bicycle with steering wasn't born until 1817. German Karl Drais installed a steering device on the basis of the "Trojan Wheel", but it still needs to use two feet to move forward when riding a bicycle

In 1840, oor ain Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a blacksmith, made improvements on the basis of the wooden wheeled cart invented by Dries. He installed a crank on the axle of the rear wheel, and connected the crank to the front pedals with a connecting rod, and the front and rear wheels were made of iron, the front wheel was large and the rear wheel was small. In this way, the people's feet leave the ground at last, and the alternate stepping of the feet drives the wheels to roll the vehicle forward. 

It took him about a year to complete and, it is thought that by 1839 he was happy with the finished product.

Tipping the scales at an estimated 57lbs (about 27kg) it was a tricky beast to manoeuvre but Macmillan was soon growing in confidence in its use and gaining speed.

The sight of him flying through the countryside aboard his new means of transport earned him the nickname "Daft Pate".

He went as far north as Carronbridge, at the entrance to the Dalveen Pass, and as far south as Holywood.

Soon he was able to travel the 14 miles to Dumfries in less than an hour

By 6th June 1842, reports suggest he was ready to undertake the trip to Glasgow.

"Women and children cheered him," claimed his biographer.

"Others - many others - still ran indoors when they saw him approaching.

"Workers in the fields left their crops to line the roadsides and see this amazing, this amusing 'man on wheels' pass by."

It was only as he approached the south side of Glasgow that problems arose.

Newspapers of the time report an unnamed Dumfriesshire man cycling to avoid a crowd and striking a young girl.

The rider was fined five shillings for the offence and many have concluded it must have been Macmillan.

Not everyone is completely convinced by this version of events, cited as proof of his inventor's role.

Alastair Dodds, in his book Scottish Bicycles and Tricycles, was not persuaded by the evidence.

"Whether indeed Macmillan was the inventor of the bicycle or merely a copyist may never be known but it is almost certain that the inventor was Scots," he wrote.

"The sheer number of stories suggests that there must have been quite a cottage industry building various types in Lowland Scotland at this time."

Writing in the late 19th Century, however, James Johnston had no such doubts.

"The word 'bicycle' means, of course, properly speaking, the first two-wheeler propelled and steered with the feet off the ground, and he was undoubtedly the first man to solve this problem and construct a really practicable bicycle," he said.

Whatever the case, it brought him little fame or fortune during his life.

"He took out no patent, being too busy otherwise with his lucrative country business," wrote Johnston.

The man himself did not fully realise the importance of his work.

Macmillan married in his 40s and had six children with his young wife Elspeth.

Only two of his children would outlive their father, while his wife also passed away aged just 32.

Macmillan himself died on this day in 1878 and a plaque at the Courthill Smithy sums him up in just six simple words taken from the poem The Problem by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

"He builded better than he knew".

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

Custom 1953 Muntz Jet Convertible

This 1953 Muntz Jet convertible underwent a three-year custom build under previous ownership, and it was purchased by the seller in 2021. The car is powered by a fuel-injected 5.7-liter LT1 V8 engine paired with a four-speed automatic transmission and a Ford 9″ rear end, and it is finished in Apple Pearl with a white Carson-style removable top over gray snakeskin-style Naugahyde upholstery. Features include custom bodywork, an Art Morrison frame, power-assisted steering, four-wheel disc brakes, airbag suspension, Painless Performance wiring, and more modified and fabricated details. This custom-built Muntz is now offered with a copy of Rodder’s Journal magazine featuring a story on the build and a clean California title in the name of the seller’s business.

Custom 1953 Muntz Jet Convertible

The steel, aluminum, and fiberglass body is mounted on an Art Morrison ladder frame that was boxed and finished in semi-gloss black, and the floor was raised 3″. The exterior was repainted in a Sherwin Williams two-stage Apple Pearl mixed by the late Stan Betz. Features include a chopped Duvall-style windshield, 1950 Chevrolet headlights, dual Appleton spotlights, 1951 Ford Victoria side windows, and a white removable Carson-style top fabricated to match the height of the chopped windshield. Additional equipment includes color-matched rear fender skirts and chrome bumpers. Wear from fitting the top is noted on the rear deck.

Custom 1953 Muntz Jet Convertible

Steel wheels sourced from a 1976 Dodge measure 15″ and are mounted with Cadillac Sombrero-style covers and whitewall tires. A matching spare fitted with a BFGoodrich Silvertown tire is mounted within a rear-mounted Continental-style chrome carrier. A Mustang II front end accommodates power rack-and-pinion steering , and the car rides on an electronically-adjustable Air Ride Technologies airbag suspension system along with 2” lowered front spindles, Strange Engineering tube shocks, a rear Panhard bar, and front and rear sway bars. The seller reports that the front control arm bushings were recently replaced.

Custom 1953 Muntz Jet Convertible

Custom 1953 Muntz Jet Convertible

Braking is handled by GM G-body-sourced calipers matched with Ford Granada discs up front and Ford SVO-specification calipers and discs at the rear.

Custom 1953 Muntz Jet Convertible

The cabin was customized by Jim’s Auto Trim of San Diego, California, and features Glide bucket seats and a rear bench trimmed in gray snakeskin-style Naugahyde upholstery, along with matching treatments for the dash trim, headliner, and door panels. Additional equipment includes a 1952 Lincoln steering wheel mounted to a shortened Lincoln steering column, gray cut-pile carpet, and a Pioneer stereo housed within a custom center cubby.

The engine-turned “Hollywood” instrument cluster houses Stewart Warner gauges consisting of an 8k-rpm tachometer, a 160-mph speedometer, and auxiliary readings for fuel level, battery charge, oil pressure, and water temperature. The five-digit odometer displays 25k miles, though total chassis mileage is unknown. A Lokar pedal assembly was fitted during the build.

Custom 1953 Muntz Jet Convertible

The Corvette-sourced 5.7-liter LT1 V8 features a polished fuel intake manifold along with billet aluminum valve covers, and additional features include an Opti-Spark distributor, a Griffin aluminum radiator, and a wiring loom sourced from Painless Performance Wiring. A set of long-tube headers are connected to a 2.5″ exhaust system equipped with dual Dynaflow mufflers. The seller reports that the oil was recently changed.

Custom 1953 Muntz Jet Convertible

Power is routed to the rear wheels via a four-speed 4L60E automatic transmission and a Ford 9″ rear end with with 3.55:1 gears and Strange Engineering 31-spline axles. Additional photos of the underside, drivetrain, and suspension components are presented in the gallery below.

Custom 1953 Muntz Jet Convertible

The car was featured in issue #36 of Rodders Journal magazine

[baconautoranch]

3 Amazing Features on the 2023 Buick Encore GX

One of the things that makes crossover SUVs so appealing is the fact that they have enough space for people and things, but they aren’t overly large and cumbersome to drive. If you’re looking for a vehicle that has a great reputation, is durable, and has extra space but still drives like a car, then you need to check out the 2023 Buick Encore GX. It has some features you’ll find absolutely amazing.

1. The Various Trim Levels

Having options is always a good thing, and you get choices when it comes to the SUV. There are three trim levels to choose from, including Preferred, which is the base level that comes with a wide range of standard features that make this option anything but ordinary. The second option is the Select trim, which has some awesome extras, including a leather-wrapped steering wheel, power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, and rear park assists.

The final trim level option is the Essence. This one is the top of the line for this SUV, and it comes with heated front seats and steering wheel, leather upholstery on the seats, a power liftgate, and a panoramic sunroof.

2. The Engine Options

In addition to choosing which trim level you want, you also get a choice when it comes to the engine. The Encore GX has two options to pick from: a 1.2-L three-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, or a 1.3-L turbocharged engine that produces 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. Both of these engine options are paired with a continuously variable transmission.

All-wheel drive is standard on this vehicle, and it’s also equipped with an electronic coupling system. This system is in place to enhance traction and stability in variable weather conditions, distributing torque between the rear and front axles when needed.

3. The Upgraded Interior

When it comes to the interior of this vehicle, you can seat up to five passengers. When the rear seats are in use, you get 23.5 cubic feet of cargo space, and when they are folded down, you get 50.2 cubic feet of cargo space. You can even remove the cargo floor to gain an additional 2.7 inches of cargo space.

When it comes to the technology in this vehicle, each trim level has an 8-inch touchscreen that is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. The infotainment system also features voice recognition and Bluetooth, as well as comes equipped with a six-speaker audio system and Wi-Fi hotspot.

When it comes to smaller SUVs that still offer the space you’re looking for, you can’t beat a Buick. If you’re ready to be amazed by this vehicle, visit Bacon Auto Ranch today!

[f1mike28]

C63 AMG Coupé Black Series "The Dark Side Of Mercedes-AMG".

Back in the days the C63 AMG Black Series includes an upgraded version of the legendary M156 6.2L n/a V8 engine rated by 517hp and 620Nm of torque. A black diffuser insert from the SLS AMG GT3, chromed twin tailpipes, AMG sports suspension with AMG rear axle differential lock, three-stage ESP, two AMG sports bucket seats, black DINAMICA microfibre upholstery on the centre panels of the seats and doors, omission of the rear bench seat (single rear seats available as option).

AMG performance steering wheel in nappa leather/DINAMICA microfibre, steering wheel rim featuring flattened top and bottom sections has aluminium shift paddles for manual gear changes, red seat belts and red contrasting top stitching on the steering wheel, on the seats, door centre panels, armrests on the doors, the centre console and on the shift lever gaiter, three autonomous round dials has a three-dimensional TFT colour display.

The AMG Track Package includes 255/35 R 19 front and 285/30 R 19 rear sports tyres from Dunlop, active rear-axle transmission cooling with radiator in the rear apron.

The AMG Aerodynamics package includes carbon fibre flics on front apron, carbon-fibre functionally tuned front splitter, fixed carbon-fibre rear aerofoil with an adjustable blade.

Mercedes-AMG One man, one engine Handcrafted by Michael Kübler @f1mike28 in Germany Affalterbach. Driving Performance is our Passion! Mercedes-AMG the Performance and Sports Car Brand from Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-AMG Handcrafted by Racers.

The Black Series projects from Mercedes-AMG are limited, unique and very rare. Keep your eyes open because you will see them only for a few seconds.