#coyote engine swap

[mcscgreenwheelsautomotivere-blog]

Dashboard Installation on Staff Sergeant Reckless

[thepartyponies]

stream of consciousness post

my new car is great in a lot of ways but it’s… slow

It’s the base model 5-series 2.5L i6 189hp 6500rpm in a ~3600lb car

My other car I usually drive is a Taurus SHO 3.2L V6 220hp 7000rpm, which is just enough to have fun with in a ~3400lb car. A great engine in a mediocre car. Now I have a great car with a mediocre engine.

If I wanted to change that, I’m contemplating two different routes.

Swap in the 3L m54b30 version of the engine from the e39 530 sedan or e46 330, maybe get the 330 zhp engine for a bit more power and revs. that would be fairly affordable and probably replicate the performance of the Taurus, while keeping the straightforward parts compatibility and i6 smoothness, and I could possibly manual swap it at the same time relatively easily.

But that would still only get me 235hp/6800rpm, which would be… enough, but it’d still be slower than it looks, with the M5 front bumper and wheels (still need the back bumper).

The s54 engine from the e46 m3 would be really fun, 3.2L 333hp 8000rpm, or the actual M5’s s62 V8, 4.9L 394hp 7000rpm, but those are really expensive and questionably reliable. The 540’s m62 4.4L V8, 290hp 6000rpm, would also be an option with factory compatibility but it’s got timing chain reliability issues, and isn’t very powerful or efficient for a modern V8, and revs even lower than what I’ve already got.

So then there’s the ford coyote v8, 5L 435/460/480/500hp and 7000/7500rpm depending on the version. Pretty fuel efficient for what it is, and while more expensive than the m54b30 I could probably find one for less than an m3 or m5 engine, and it would have better power, efficiency, and reliability/maintenance friendliness than any of the other options, and more revs than anything but the s54, especially if I go for the gen 3 coyote.

I’m definitely not going to LS swap it, yes that’s the cheapest most powerful option, but a low revving pushrod engine just wouldn’t suit the car.

I’d really like to get one of the ones with the tremec tr3160 transmission, not the mt82. The gt350’s 5.2L 526hp 8250rpm V8 also exists and has that trans, and would be amazing, but might be too expensive and vibrate too much. idk I haven’t driven one to know, but I really like the current i6 smoothness and want to stay as close to that as I can.

Another issue is the rear differential. The only direct swap for the current open diff is the M5’s lsd, and those are expensive and only have one ratio option. What I want to do is put the ford 8.8 irs diff in it, either from an older explorer or cobra etc, or from whatever s550/s650 mustang I get as a donor car. Problem is, the mounts don’t fit. You’d need to modify or replace the rear cover, and weld new front mounts onto the car’s subframe. Doable, I’ve seen it done for the guys who have ls swapped these, but it’s work I don’t currently know how to do. I’d probably have to get a lot of outside help for the whole project, especially the electronics programming and wiring. My friend who sold me the car is a fabricator, which could come in handy.

Then there’s the exhaust. One of the most annoying things about the car. Every e39 5-series has the spare tire and battery on the right side of the of the under-trunk area, which only leaves room for a single exhaust on the left side. The M5 ditched the spare tire to run dual exhaust, which is a lot to give up. All the dual exhaust conversions I’ve seen online either replace the whole rear floor with m5 sheet metal, or are ugly hack jobs. All of them lose the spare tire. I think, if you ran small mufflers, or had the muffler further forward, you could shift the spare tire to the center and sneak a second tailpipe between the tire and battery compartments.

Alternatively, just run the stock axle-back section for quiet mode and have two valved dump pipes in front of the diff. But I really like the aesthetics of the m5 bumper and quad tips, so idk

[savagenewcanaan]

Michael Savage New Canaan  HellFox Mustang Is Specifically What You Believe It Is

Ford's most renowned muscle auto ever created the American efficiency auto market has reached be the Mustang. This has a great deal of reasons behind it including engine alternatives, styling, and also suspension focuses. However the huge thing is it concentrates extra on utilizing its power as well as boosting hands well rather than just going right quick. One generation that perfectly exhibits this is the Fox Body however there was always one point that was wrong with it. It has basically no power from the factory.

Michael Savage New Canaan

Allow's encounter it, unless you get a cobra Fox Body system is not great in terms of making huge power numbers without much adjustment. That's exactly why engine swaps are such a prominent upgrade for these legendary American muscle mass cars. Typically, these consist of Coyote or a newer generation 5.0 L Ford V8 engine. However, this auto utilizes a system that is perhaps a lot more obvious for American enthusiasts. The ever before glorious Hellcat.

Michael Savage New Canaan

That's right, under the hood of this Fox Body Mustang is a Hellcat V8. Relaxing the road, the fiery supercharger makes a wonderful noise as it tosses the car around on the road. Spinning tires is plainly not really challenging as shown with video footage of the automobile relatively damaging the rear loosened while driving. Most of this mix's advantages come from the truth that the Foxbody is virtually 2,000 pounds lighter than the Charger or Opposition Hellcat. In general, this is a wild item that utilizes raw power and also a light frame to display the most effective of both systems.

[mikesavagenewcanaan]

Mike Savage New Canaan HellFox Mustang Is Exactly What You Assume It Is

Ford's a lot of renowned muscle vehicle ever before produced the American efficiency automotive market has actually reached be the Mustang. This has a great deal of factors behind it including engine alternatives, styling, as well as suspension focuses. Yet the huge thing is it concentrates a lot more on using its power as well as boosting hands well rather than simply going straight fast. One generation that perfectly exemplifies this is the Fox Body yet there was always one point that was wrong with it. It has basically no power from the manufacturing facility.

Mike Savage New Canaan

Let's encounter it, unless you get a cobra Fox Body system is not fantastic in regards to making huge power numbers without much alteration. That's exactly why engine swaps are such a preferred upgrade for these famous American muscle mass vehicles. Generally, these consist of Coyote or a more recent generation 5.0 L Ford V8 engine. Nonetheless, this vehicle makes use of a system that is probably much more noticeable for American fanatics. The ever marvelous Hellcat.

Mike Savage New Canaan

That's right, under the hood of this Fox Body Mustang is a Hellcat V8. Unwinding the road, the intense supercharger makes a wonderful noise as it tosses the car around when traveling. Spinning tires is plainly not extremely difficult as revealed with video of the car apparently damaging the rear loose while driving. Most of this mix's benefits originate from the reality that the Foxbody is virtually 2,000 pounds lighter than the Charger or Challenger Hellcat. Overall, this is a wild item that makes use of raw power and a light framework to showcase the best of both platforms.

[gobbogoo]

I love how despite every dwarf having the same dialogue/cadence, they each still retain wildly different personalities just due to their kits and how they're played.

Gunner inevitably feels like this no-nonsense babysitter due to his straightforward-but-effective weapons and game-saving shield. His slow mobility and huge firepower means he constantly swaps between being the team's mobility-impaired grandpa to the guy everyone comes running to when the monsters start pouring in. Big "I don't get paid enough for this shit" vibes. His ability to only take half damage from explosives also makes him the only class that doesn't have to fear Driller's C4 shenanigans.

Scout is a hyperactive idiot who is everywhere at once, goes for stupid daredevil plays, and is always either the first or last to die. Scout's high mobility but low crowd-control gives him this overconfident playstyle where he's totally cool and in control right up until he suddenly isn't. There's a flashiness to his kit, and that sense of style is only emphasized by him being the game's poster-boy. Scout is a class we all like to complain about, but he's also the class we all miss the most when he isn't around, because that flare gun is the only utility/mobility tool with a role that can't be replicated/substituted by another class.

Engineer is this Macgyver type guy who's highly adaptable, but specifically in this scrappy "eh good enough" kinda way. His kit is comprised of weapons cobbled from repurposed mining equipment, pilfered crystals, and reverse-engineered tech. Likewise his platform gun encourages him to repurpose his environment and solve problems in an equally janky-but-functional fashion. Basically he's clever and inventive, but in the same stupid and ill-advised sort of way that Wile-E Coyote is.

Driller is this unhinged war criminal who everyone is just a little bit scared of. Besides being Mr. Team Kill, his kit is built entirely around uncompromising overkill and collateral damage. Instead of working around obstacles, he carves right through them. Instead of just shooting bugs, he burns, freezes, or dissolves them. Instead of a utility tool, he has what is effectively a second, extra-powerful grenade slot. While his drills allow him to be just as creative as Engineer, it doesn't come across as repurposing the environment so much as forcing it to bend to your will. His up-close, make-everyone-suffer-including-myself playstyle gives off this feeling of sadistic hatred not just for the bugs, but for the planet itself.

engineer pipeline versus scout pipeline

he slays though

[a-pirate]

Vendrik Vanderbeek and the Quadra Turbo-R V-Tech "Arcadia" Mk. III

[indynerdgirl]

How to get Top Gun: Maverick into the Run Verse, A Thought Process

(Because I love both of these so much and I need them to exist together somehow. I hope you don't mind me playing a bit in your sandbox @themonkeycaball! 😆)

First, the overly complicated way:

It's implied canon that in the MCU Stark Industries designed and developed the F-22 Raptor (see screenshot from the first Iron Man movie of said model of the YF-22, the prototype that became the F-22, outside Stark Industries in the scene when Tony goes to SI to give his press conference after being rescued).

In real life, the F-22 was designed by Lockheed Martin. Lockheed also designed & developed the F-35 Lightning II. So it's safe to assume that in the MCU, SI also designed the F-35.

It's also safe to assume, within the context of the Run Verse, that Darcy could have easily worked with Tony on the project (though timelines in the Run Verse might need to be fudged a bit because IRL the F-35 was developed from the early 90s to the early 2000s with the first working prototype flying in 2006).

The F-35 has three variations, one each for the Air Force, Navy, and Marines. And they're now starting to fly the F-35 at TOPGUN.

Between her work at SI, her work with SHIELD, and her (assumed) military connections in general (from working with Tony on Jericho & other projects and Rhodes), she could easily become a military liaison for SI in the future.

As a SI military liaison with knowledge & probably expertise about the F-35, Darcy could end up at TOPGUN as a civilian instructor like Charlie was in the original Top Gun movie (assuming that was ever a real thing at Top Gun).

She happens to be at TOPGUN at the same time as the training for the special mission is happening, she meets Lieutenant Natasha "Phoenix" Trace, they become friends, Phoenix introduces her to everyone else, and now the Top Gun: Maverick crew is in the Run Verse.

Now the much shorter, easier way:

Darcy went to high school with Natasha and they were good enough friends that they stayed in touch after school (mostly through social media but they do call or text each other every once in a while). Darcy happens to be in California when Natasha is called back to TOPGUN so they arrange a meetup at The Hard Deck. The rest of the crew is there as well, Natasha introduces Darcy to everyone, and now the Top Gun: Maverick crew is in the Run Verse.

Bonus - Darcy's reaction to everyone:

Hangman - Can't stand him at first, really wants to punch that smirk off his face.

Rooster - They totally hit it off as friends. Same taste in music and she geeks out with him over his old Bronco.

Bob - Reminds her of Steve and she immediately joins the 'protect Bob at all costs' squad.

Fanboy - Like with Rooster, they totally hit it off as friends. They communicate almost exclusively in pop culture references which confuses everyone else.

Payback - Takes her a bit to figure him out, but when she finds out he also has a love of mechanical engineering they really hit it off as friends.

Coyote - He's a bit aloof at first because he really doesn't know what to make of her whirlwind energy. She eventually wins him over by introducing him to one of his idols, Rhodey.

Maverick - Reminds her of both her dad and Rhodey. Turns out he actually knows Rhodey, they met years ago when Maverick was part of a pilot training swap with the Air Force.

[theramseyloft]

Trichomonas gallinae from Pigeons to Raptors

I talk a lot about why feral pigeons should be treated like stray dogs in other posts, from the perspective of them being being a species as purely domesticated as Dogs, which can’t survive away from humans.

They should not be clogging up wildlife rehabs, whose resources should be reserved exclusively for the native wildlife for which they were set up.

(Not one sane person would advocate releasing stray dogs among rehabbed wolves or coyotes, no matter how many generations of them had been born in that alley.)

There is no benefit to releasing feral pigeons “back into the wild”.

Certainly not for the pigeons... who are exclusively dependent on human hand outs or garbage for food and building to roost and nest.

Not for the people, who are generally disgusted by the byproduct of sick, hungry ferals, which does serious structural damage because of the high uric acid content of feces from birds who have not been able to get enough to eat.

Not even for their predators.

Because of the way their medical care is traditionally handled, lost pigeons and their feral decedents are unsafe for predatory birds to eat.

As stated in the previous post, Performing breed breeders and fliers go one of two ways regarding birds with any symptoms of illness:

Either

1. They don’t waste money on treating a sick a sick bird. If it’s sick enough to affect its performance, that specific one is just killed.

Or

2. They use a fraction of the dose of the meds designed to treat an actively symptomatic bird as a monthly “preventive” for the entire flock.

Killing off a bird that’s symptomatic doesn’t mean the other birds in that loft and flying from it don’t have that pathogen.

It just means that they aren’t showing symptoms.

Aaaand using small doses of a treatment as a monthly “preventive” would have any one anywhere near the fields of pathology and epedimiology tearing their hair out in horrified frustration...

Because that is praaactically step by step instructions in how to build up a pathogen’s immunity to a treatment.

Whish brings us to this heinous little bastard;

which causes Trichomoniasis; Trich/canker/frounce.

Trichomonas gallinae eats epithelial cells lining the sinus, crop, and trachea, and forms plaques that make it very difficult for meds to get to as a defense mechanism against the immune system of its host.

Individuals are highly motile, moving with three sets of flagella.

Making it very easy to go septic.

There are three ways this parasite spreads:

1. Mouth to mouth feeding between mates or from parent to nestling.

(By far the most common in columbids)

2. Eating seeds thrown up by a starving late stage bird who physically can’t swallow them

(A common way to transmit it to song birds)

3. Eating an infected prey bird.

Pretty much any bird can catch and transmit the protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae, which causes Trichomoniasis; Trich/canker/frounce.

But most wild birds die from it very quickly, leaving it only a brief opportunity to spread to a new host.

What makes the feral descendants of racers and other performance breeds of domestic pigeon in particular especially dangerous carriers to raptors is their high immunity to it.

While a pigeon would have to have an active infection to spread trich to song bird (via vomited seed), an infected pigeon doesn’t have to be symptomatic to spread the parasite to a raptor, who is exposed directly by eating them in bite-sized pieces.

I have purchased birds from grand champion show breeders who looked to be in perfect health on arrival...

But their throats were swarming with Trich when swabbed. (part of my standard quarantine procedure)

Nearly every feral that’s entered our program through rescue has had a crop load of Trich, but were completely asymptomatic on arrival.

A raptor that had eaten one of these birds that was “healthy” by all appearances would still have sickened from it and died with out immediate veterinary intervention.

Our livestock doesn't exist in a bubble.

What we do (or don’t do) with our domesticated animals has consequences.

And when your biosecurity is nonexistent, and you either half ass treatment of a pathogen or don’t bother to treat at all, outbreaks are inevitable, and devastating to outside populations.

Pigeon fanciers talk about Canker like it’s nothing. Pop one pill and it’s done.

But this parasite is devastating.

And the way it’s treated by fanciers practically guarantees a fast track to developing drug resistance.

Domestic Pigeons left “in the wild” or “returned” to it not only have no beneficial niche to fill and no way to keep themselves fed,

They act as a reservoir for increasingly resistant pathogens practically engineered by the half-assed veterinary care of the fliers who provide a constant stream of new blood as racers and other performance breeds are lost from races or tosses or separated from kits.

Because of this, as much as the moral issue of having abandoned them in the first place, feral pigeons should not be ignored.

It is possible to drastically reduce their numbers with out any inhumane measures.

Taubbenhouses, comfortable shelters where nest boxes, feed, and water are provided, and any eggs laid are swapped for fakes, work wonders for population control.

With out injections, trapping, or poison, the reproductive rates of feral populations where this strategy was employed decreased by 95%.

Imagine combining that with better veterinary care for pigeons who belong to fanciers...

Maybe we could avoid...

This.

(Graphic photos under the cut)

This pigeon died of Trich.

By the look of it, those plaques went straight to its lungs...

This wood pigeon's entire throat was blocked.

Here is a septic pigeon (three and a half weeks old or so), with lesions all the way down its digestive tract.

Another septic pigeon (adult), with lesions all over its liver and even laced into its muscle tissue.

This is what happens when a hawk eats a pigeon with resistant trich.

This owl probably wasn’t able to swallow around that lesion 

This falcon chick (in particular danger due to falcons primarily preying on other birds) won’t be able to swallow soon.

This owl's choanal slit, glottis, and esophagus have been completely blocked off.

This peregrine (post-op) was lucky to have survived.

From the article ( http://www.shropshireperegrines.co.uk/news/news.html ):

“June 2014 - Peregrine chick treated for Trichomonas Gallinae

Two young peregrines, one male and one female, have been recovered in a distressed state from a scrape in north Shropshire by members of the Group and taken for treatment at the Cuan Wildlife Rescue Centre at Much Wenlock.

On examination both birds were diagnosed with "trichomonias gallinae", an infection affecting the birds' mouths, throat and eyes. According to the vet who examined the birds, the infection had most probably occurred by eating infected pigeon meat. Unfortunately the female chick did not survive.”

[rallyrecce]

Rally Sweden 2022 A-Z - Part 1

It's almost time to kick off this years Rally Sweden, so we have rounded up a few facts and interesting Swedish tidbits - a veritable Smörgåsbord of information for you to gorge yourself on.

A

Andersson’s – the Rally Sweden entry list will give us a twofer on Swedish Andersson’s – tattoo loving, part-time male model, co-driver to Gus Greensmith, Jonas and two-time JWRC winner Per-Gunnar.

A natural talent in front of the camera and behind the notes.

Alska - 'to love' in Swedish. We definitely 'alska' Rally Sweden.

Aurora – it won’t only be the Lazer Lamps of the cars lighting up the night sky, there’s a good chance of the Northern Lights putting on a show.

B

Blondes - it's a Swedish stereotype for a reason. Gus Greensmith will feel right at home amongst his fellow natural blondes.

Bertelli, Lorenzo – swapping his F*ckmatie Fiesta for a Puma, Prada employee Bertelli will take a few day’s annual leave from the fashion house to make his first appearance in 2022.

Edit: his boss wouldn't authorise his annual leave so he has to work instead of coming out to play.

No time off and I have to go and hang around hundreds of models at Milan Fashion week - it's a hard life.

Banks, Snow – the move up north means guaranteed snow and with that come snowbanks! Once again, the boys will be bumping their booties off these snowy hillocks to aid their turns, unless the snowbanks bite back and they end up disappearing into them, like some Inuit igloo garage.

The wild snow bank gets hold of cars and drags them back into their lair.

C

Coffee – the other alternative fuel of the WRC, the Championship could not run without it. Take it away and you’d be left with only teaboy, Craig Breen, running through the stages, everyone else would be back at the service park curled up, half asleep with massive caffeine withdrawal headaches.

Celsius – The mercury might dip as low as -12⁰C in Umeå and its thanks to Anders Celsius that we can measure this. Astronomer, physicist, mathematician and all-round general smarty Swede, Celsius came up with the temperature scale, replacing the previous scale of cold/bloody cold/feckin’ freezing.

D

Duktig – Swedish for being good at something/talented. Plenty of that Duktig around the service park.

Dynamite – another erudite Swede, Alfred Nobel, gave the world dynamite, but on witnessing Wile. E. Coyote’s misuse, felt guilty and invented the Nobel Peace Prize.

E

EV Mode – the WRC’s new wonder technology caused the FIA a few headaches in Monte Carlo when they had to start investigating multiple drivers for not flipping the switch and going all electric when they were in the EV zones.

Elk – a popular site in the Swedish woods and sometimes on the stages. We just don’t want to see one getting chased down by a Puma.

F

Fika - it’s not just the WRC’s cast and crew who love their coffee; the Swede’s are such big fans that they have a word for a coffee and cake break, ‘fika’. Breaks are built into the work day and it is ingrained in their culture.

Fart & Farthinder – this will be a high fart event, with no farthinder slowing crews down. Speed and speed bump to our Viking friends.

G

Gift - means both 'married' and 'poison' in Swedish. Interesting.

Greta Thunberg – wee Greta must be so proud of the WRC, going all environmentally friendly, saving the planet one rally at a time, as green as the trees that the cars plough into when they run off the road. I’m sure she’ll be out on the stages of her home rally, cheering on the cars, placard in hand – she’s good at a catchy placard is our Greta.

Translation: I Love WRC

H

Hybrid – manufacturers have rocked down to electric avenue at the FIA’s instruction, chucking the Energizer bunny in the car – or a 100kw electric motor, alongside a 1.6 litre turbocharged petrol engine. As the first outing in Monte Carlo showed, these beasts have still got major bite, the speed is blistering and the roar is definitely still there sound wise, albeit a little different.

The Energizer bunny looks a little different than I remember.

I

IKEA - the worlds favourite Swedish furniture store, they should set up a stage through one - might take a few hours to get round though, probably never see a few of the cars again as they are lost forever in the windowless labyrinth.

J

Junior WRC - Sweden sees the return of the JWRC with 8 crews competing. Last years victor, Sami Pajari, decided to stick around and repeat a year of JWRC school so he can kick some ass again but this time in a 4 wheel-drive car.

Remember your 'mirror, signal, manouver' Sami.

Julmust – this skandi soft drink outsells Coca-Cola in Sweden in the run up to Christmas. Apparently, it tastes like a mixture of cola and root beer. Chuck some pumpkin spice in it and you might be able to flog it in the UK.

K

Kalle Rovanpera – with the two old-timer, part-timer Sebastien’s sitting in 1st and 2nd in the championship, and choosing not to take part in Rally Sweden, this leaves 3rd place little Kalle to perform the job of snow plough, going 1st on the road.

"But I don't want to sweep the road"

Köttebullar- those famous Swedish meatballs.

L

Lagom - not too much, not too little but just right - that's 'lagom'.

Lynx – these tufty-eared, tigers of the north can be found across Sweden. Let’s hope they stay well hidden and we don’t see any Puma vs Lynx battles on the stages - there’s only room for one big cat out there boys and girls.

M

McDonalds – surprisingly Sweden has the highest number of restaurants per capita.

Marcus Gronholm - the 2x WRC champion has been on the top step of the podium 5 times at Rally Sweden with his last win back in 2007.

Still the boss.

Miles - the crews will cover 303.74 competitive miles over 19 stages.

[vividracing]

New Post has been published on https://www.vividracing.com/blog/top-8-best-mods-for-the-ford-f-150/

Top 8 Best Mods for the Ford F-150

The Ford F-150, often called America’s pick-up truck, boasts a best-selling record and solid reputation. The F-150 consistently delivers impressive power, performance, off-road capability, and attractive styling. Over the years, Ford’s flagship truck has continued to exceed customer expectations to become what is it today. The latest F-150 is purpose-built to be relentlessly tough with a military-grade, aluminum-alloy body and torture-tested, high-strength steel frame to get the job done and get it done smarter. Ford combined premium muscle with fine-tuned intelligence and a rugged design to check all the boxes truck owners want in one complete package. Even with that, many owners browse the aftermarket for ways to customize their pick-up to either set it apart from the rest or enhance its natural DNA. There is a plethora of options to take the F-150 even further in terms of looks, sound, efficiency, and proven power gains. The following is a list of the top 8 mods you can to do your Ford F-150 to bring it to the ultimate level.

1. Tonneau Cover

  Add some versatility, along with a slew of other benefits, with a tonneau cover for your Ford F-150. While having a big truck bed can be great, it can also come with some negatives. Sure, you can haul around a large volume of gear, cargo, and equipment back there, but then comes Mother Nature and passersby with sticky fingers. It can be hard to protect your belongings when they are just out in the open like that in terms of both keeping them dry from the weather and secure from onlookers. An unprotected truck bed can also become damaged, itself, and corroded easily from exposure to harmful UV rays, heavy rain, and snow. Heavy winds can also blow some of your things out of the truck and cause debris to blow in and collect there.

A tonneau cover lets you have the best of both worlds with options ranging from soft and hard variants, rolling, retractable, or folding bed covers. Also, having one of the most popular trucks in the world, having a slew of options to choose from when it comes to functionality, styling, and price points is amazing. A tonneau cover will also add a sleeker and more streamlined appearance for your F-150’s back end and can even add an aggressive look depending on the material you choose. On top of all that, an open pickup truck bed generates aero drag which can cause the engine to work harder and consume more fuel. A bed cover is a great investment for all the aforementioned reasons and improving your fuel economy too.

Shop Tonneau Covers for Ford F-150 Here. 

2. VR Tuned Flash

No matter if your Ford F-150 is equipped with the 2.7L EcoBoost V6, 3.5L EcoBoost V6, or the 5.0L Coyote V8 engine, a VR Tuned ECU flash can be highly beneficial. Our ECU upgrade transforms your truck to a whole new level offering a more enhanced driving experience. With a VR tune, you will experience quicker throttle response, increased torque, and more horsepower with top-end pull to redline. All in all, the driving characteristics and drivability of the Ford F-150 are vastly improved while providing you with additional benefits that your truck craves. After all, an ECU flash gives you reliable performance when you need it most and helps squeeze out the potential power of your vehicle – especially when paired with other mods.

The Ford F-150 has untapped resources and VR tuned can help get more power out of it with improved performance and dyno-proven gains. And, while dyno sheets are great to show where power is actually made, what is more important is how it drives on the street. Enjoy better throttle response, quicker 0-60mph times, and a stronger pull on the highway. For automatic F-150s, their shifting is cleaned up while the rev limiter on both is raised to give you faster acceleration times. This is the optimal tune for 93 octane vehicles. 91 octane vehicles can expect similar performance but with slightly reduced figures. VR Tuned alters the factory timing and fueling maps to offer reliable, safe, and strong peak performance gains. All tuning is done via the OBD2 port using the new HPTuners MPVI2 system.

Shop VR Tuned Products for Ford F-150 Here. 

3. Air Intake

There is a reason why upgrading your vehicle’s air intake is one of the first mods most enthusiasts look into. That’s because it boasts a healthy list of benefits at a reasonable price point and is super simple to install. Swapping out the restrictive stock air intake system on the Ford F-150 is one of the cheapest ways to gain additional horsepower and torque while also improving overall performance. While an air intake alone will not add quite as much power as other engine products, it will help your engine in a number of ways like delivering better airflow, reducing air temperatures, and increasing fuel economy. On top of all that, it will also add a nice, throaty growl to your F-150 when you step on the gas.

Due to where your Ford F-150’s factory air intake is located under the hood, your engine is breathing air that has been warmed by the heat of the engine. Warm air is less dense and has a lower oxygen content, while cool air is denser and contains more oxygen. More oxygen means a more complete combustion cycle and more power. This is why cold air intakes are so popular. They are designed to bring in cooler air that is not heated by the engine to improve performance and deliver added power gains. Other advantages include better acceleration and vehicle responsiveness, improved gas mileage, less frequent servicing (because of better filters), and a burly soundtrack. 

Shop All Air Intakes for Ford F-150 Here. 

4. Exhaust System

While Ford’s EcoBoost V6 engine promises better fuel economy together paired with satisfying performance and adequate capability, it lacks in the aural department. Thankfully, the automotive aftermarket can improve the sound of your truck, and the easiest way of doing that comes in the form of an exhaust system. Upgrading the stock restrictive exhaust can really elevate your driving experience and provide better airflow that translates to additional horsepower and torque along with higher fuel economy figures. A cat-back exhaust system is a common upgrade for the Ford F-150 as it is an affordable way of gaining better performance and sound with enhanced looks to boot.

Traditional exhaust systems are designed to be quiet, unassuming, and restrictive. Keeping in mind that the EPA focuses on virtually everything leading up to the catalytic converters, changing out the stock cat-back system for an aftermarket upgrade is a fast and easy way to transform the overall personality of your truck without sacrificing emissions. Implementing a cat-back system will allow the engine on your F-150 to breathe more freely, increase power, and improve gas mileage while adding a more stylized appearance and bolder exhaust note. They are also usually made from lighter materials that contribute to fuel efficiency and maximum acceleration while holding up to the elements better than the factory system.

Shop All Exhaust System for Ford F-150 Here. 

5. Sliders/Nerf Bars

We can all agree that trucks have gotten much bigger within the past few decades. Even an average F-150, today, sits higher over traffic than it has before. So, if you aren’t the tallest, have hip or knee issues, or have young kits that need to climb up into your truck, a set of nerf bars can come in handy. After all, they do say work smarter and not harder, right? The aftermarket offers a wide range of nerf bars, drop steps, running boards, and rock sliders for your Ford F-150. There are even power ones that drop down when the door opens to give you a step up, and then tuck back away once you close the door again. No matter what your needs are or budget it, there are plenty of options out there for you.

Nerf bars are popular because of their sleek, yet rugged appearance. Compared to running boards, they have a narrower stepping surface. Standard nerf bars tend to be two to six inches in diameter, with a round or oval shape. Drivers can choose between different materials and finishes, including polished stainless steel, carbon, matte, textured, plastic, or aluminum. No matter what material or length you choose, you can be confident that nerf bars deliver a perfect balance of aesthetics and functionality.

Nerf bars make it much easier to enter and exit the truck while providing a stable place to step when accessing items on the roof or in the bed. Since nerf bars stick out slightly farther than the wheels and body, they offer a level of defense against scratches and other damage. For example, if the vehicle next to you accidentally flings their door open or a runaway shopping cart comes your way, the damage will be on the nerf bar rather than on the door or paint job. In the same fashion, nerf bars protect against rocks, branches, and other debris that may come up when traveling down the road or out on the trails.

Shop All Nerf Bars for Ford F-150 Here. 

6. Lift Kit

A lift kit (or leveling kit) can elevate the handling, overall capabilities, and ride height of your Ford F-150. This is a great mod to do if you are making cosmetics changes, like new wheels, or if you want enhanced off-road performance. Typically, lift kits are used to create more space to fit meaty tires as well as increased ground clearance for the trails. With a lift kit, you will experience anywhere from 3 to 12 inches of additional ground clearance which allows for wheels that measure up to 35 inches in diameter (or more)! Lift kits are certainly the best option for heavy-duty off-road enthusiasts, as they can greatly improve your truck’s abilities in the mud, sand, snow, and other rugged conditions. Apart from the functional benefits of a lift kit, this package will also change the appearance of your F-150 to give it a more aggressive aesthetic at a mere standstill.  

So, whether you are looking to upgrade your tires for more traction and wheel travel or you just want that meaner look without altering the towing capacity, lift kits are a great way to go. The aftermarket offers an impressive range of options and sizes from trusted brands that will have your Ford F-150 looking and driving its best. Body lift kits are designed to lift your truck two to four inches higher by using a high-grade nylon spacer between the body and the frame. Suspension lift kits, on the other hand, are designed to lift the vehicle as high as the owner is comfortable with. Choosing between the two mainly depends on what you are looking to accomplish with your truck. If you just want to sit up a little higher behind the wheel, body lift kits are a more affordable and practical option. However, if you are looking to really take on the great outdoors and add some massive tires to your truck, go with the suspension lift kit instead. 

Shop All Lift Kits for Ford F-150 Here. 

7. Wheels/Tires

The Ford F-150 is America’s top-selling truck and, for that reason, can be spotted virtually everywhere you go. If you are looking for a way to make your vehicle stand out among the rest of the herd, switching out the factory wheels is a simple and quick way to give your ride some added personality. Incorporating some new wheels gives your truck a customized look that makes a bold statement because we all know that the wheels can really make a vehicle. Just think of it as the shoes on a person – it can tell a lot about them. Whether you are in the market for a set of super-aggressive, rugged off-road, timeless classic, or minimalistic style wheels, there is something out there for everyone. 

While browsing the aftermarket for wheels, you may also want to pair up that set with some beefy tires – especially if you have a lift kit. You need to decide how big of a tire you want, which will depend a lot on the type of driving you will be doing. For example, 33-inch tires are a great entry-level option for trucks that will spend most of their time on highways and paved roads. This size provides a more aggressive look and some off-road capabilities. Going up to a 37-inch tire will give your rig an aggressive lifted stance with added ground clearance and offer great off-road performance. The type of driving will also influence the type of tire you purchase, i.e. all-terrain vs. mud-terrain.

Visit the Vivid Racing Wheel Shop Here. 

Visit the Vivid Racing Tire Shop Here. 

8. Custom VR Steering Wheel

You spend hours behind the wheel of your Ford F-150 truck when commuting, at work, and for road trips, so you may as well take your driving experience to the next level! A VR steering wheel will do just that, providing added comfort for your hands and an elevated interior look that goes to show that the little details can sometimes make the biggest differences. Your new VR custom steering wheel will be based on the Ford F-150 or F-250 OEM steering wheel cores. So, no matter the year or buttons your model has, Vivid Racing can make an upgraded steering wheel for you. Our factory alters the shape while keeping the original inner ring for safety. The upgraded product features beefier hand grips at 9 and 3 positions to deliver a more enhanced and in-control driving experience. 

The VR steering wheel shop boasts several different options to choose from so you can configure your wheel, including colored 12 o’clock rings, matching stitching, leather, carbon fiber, perforated leather, Alcantara, and more. And because these are crafted from a factory steering wheel core, you retain your original buttons and trim along with reusing your airbag. It’s important to note that this is not a simple cover but a completely re-engineered steering wheel based on your personal taste and needs.

Shop Ford F-150 Custom Steering Wheels Here. 

[mcscgreenwheelsautomotivere-blog]

Project: Staff Sergeant Reckless

[oldshowbiz]

“I have a three-year-old son,” a Dakota mother told the Boston Globe in 1961. “He just loves these programs. And when they’re over he runs through the house pointing his cap gun and shouting, ‘Bang-bang! I’m killing Indians.’ It can be very embarrassing...”

In most local markets, packages of cartoon shorts were introduced by a weatherman pulling double duty, usually dressed as a policeman, a sailor, a train engineer or “an Indian chief.” These afternoon programs presented cartoons like Big Chief Ugh-Amugh-Ugh (1938) and Wig Wam Whoopee (1948) starring Popeye. There was Big Heel-Watha (1944) directed by Tex Avery, Two Little Indians (1953) featuring Tom and Jerry, and Rhythm on the Reservation (1939) starring Betty Boop. Every major cartoon figure took a turn perpetuating Native stereotypes.

Gumby starred in Indian Trouble (1956), Indian Country (1957), and The Indian Challenge (1957). TerryToons released Indian Pudding (1930), The Last Indian (1938) and The Wooden Indian (1949). The Van Beuren studio contributed Molly Moo Cow and the Indians (1935) while Columbia Pictures unveiled Wacky Wig Wams (1942). 

Racial slurs were used in the titles of Paramount cartoons like Slip Us Some Redskin (1951), Sight for Squaw Eyes (1963) and The Squaw Path (1967). Some cartoons went so far as to demean specific tribes. Warner Brothers released Sweet Sioux (1937) and Sioux Me (1939) while the Walter Lantz studio produced Syncopated Sioux (1940), Boogie Woogie Sioux (1942), and Sioux Me (1965). 

And just in case your children didn’t get the point about the apparent peril of Native peoples there was Porky Pig in Injun Trouble (1938), Mighty Mouse in Injun Trouble (1951), Lippy the Lion in Injun Trouble (1963), and Cool Cat in Injun Trouble (1969). 

One of the last Looney Tunes shorts ever made was Hocus Pocus Powwow (1969), which swapped Wile E. Coyote for a beleaguered Native American who falls off a cliff and and has his body transformed into an accordion after being leveled by an anvil. 

Cartoon stereotypes swarmed the minds of its viewership, doing for young children what Fox News would do to old men, courting ignorance and distorting perceptions. 

“Writers and producers know nothing of Indian life or history and find it easier to deal in stereotypes than search for the truth,” said Clarence Wesley, president of the National Congress of American Indians in 1960. “Even my own kids are getting a warped version of history.”

[mikesavagenewcanaan]

Mike Savage New Canaan HellFox Mustang Is Exactly What You Assume It Is

Ford's a lot of renowned muscle vehicle ever before produced the American efficiency automotive market has actually reached be the Mustang. This has a great deal of factors behind it including engine alternatives, styling, as well as suspension focuses. Yet the huge thing is it concentrates a lot more on using its power as well as boosting hands well rather than simply going straight fast. One generation that perfectly exemplifies this is the Fox Body yet there was always one point that was wrong with it. It has basically no power from the manufacturing facility.

Mike Savage New Canaan

Let's encounter it, unless you get a cobra Fox Body system is not fantastic in regards to making huge power numbers without much alteration. That's exactly why engine swaps are such a preferred upgrade for these famous American muscle mass vehicles. Generally, these consist of Coyote or a more recent generation 5.0 L Ford V8 engine. Nonetheless, this vehicle makes use of a system that is probably much more noticeable for American fanatics. The ever marvelous Hellcat.

Mike Savage New Canaan

That's right, under the hood of this Fox Body Mustang is a Hellcat V8. Unwinding the road, the intense supercharger makes a wonderful noise as it tosses the car around when traveling. Spinning tires is plainly not extremely difficult as revealed with video of the car apparently damaging the rear loose while driving. Most of this mix's benefits originate from the reality that the Foxbody is virtually 2,000 pounds lighter than the Charger or Challenger Hellcat. Overall, this is a wild item that makes use of raw power and a light framework to showcase the best of both platforms.

[t-top-apologist]

On Kit Cars

Ok, hear me out. Build a reasonably comfortable mid-engined kit car, think a cheap (used) GT40 replica or one of those LMP1-styled kits, aimed at achieving the performance comfortable mid-rear grand tourer. Sticker it up in a tasteful livery, and then thrash the thing because kit cars are bottom-rung.

It’s a kit car after all, so performance doesn’t matter. If you wanted that, you’d put an LS (or a coyote if that’s your thing) in it and do what everyone else does with their kit car. No, don’t do that, that’s unoriginal.

What a kit car requires is a unique powertrain. A run-of-the-mill V8 just doesn’t do it. A kit car is begging for a feat of engineering, especially when it comes to engine configurations. So an LS, as reliable as it is, would be better off swapped into an RX-7 or (better yet) one of those new 4 cylinder Supras that’s bound to get crashed. Let me present a better idea: the Ford Modular V10. 

Prefer a Lamborghini or Ferrari V12? Good luck affording one. A BMW or Audi V10? It might’ve come cheaper, but good luck affording maintenance. The Dodge V10? That 8 liter displacement is attractive until you have to fit the thing behind the rear seats. The 6.8 Triton V10 is just a Ford modular with a pair of extra cylinders tagged on, the perfect engine for a kit car: powerful, reliable, and interesting. 

Present in any number of F250s, E350s, and various Ford-powered motorhomes and school busses, the Triton V10 possesses that Crown Vic sturdiness with an extra boost in horsepower and torque. Most of the parts are the same as those in a good portion of 90s and 00s police vehicles, which means that they’re also cheap as dirt, especially compared to exotic engines with the same layout. The low price, and small (comparative) size that allows it to fit in spaces that the Dodge’s V10 cannot is just an added plus.

Kit cars driven on the street are meant to be interesting, not practical or particularly fast, and the Triton V10 is interesting, though its fuel economy means the label of “practical” is less appropriate than “durable.”

Though a V10 GT40 replica won’t keep up with a track-focused LS-equipped SLC, it will stop Ford purists from complaining about an LS Small Block where a Cleveland Big Block should be.

[jaynsandy]

Definitely not Kansas

Sandy and I have been in Quartzsite for five days now. We're learning the ropes of our new job and settling in for the winter. So far so good...

Quartzsite, itself, is nothing spectacular. Just a dusty little town centered on the intersection of I-10 and Arizona 95. Keeping that, and the fact that we've only been here for less than a week, in mind I think everyone should experience this place at least once.

Once you're out of town and in the desert the scenery, though sere, is spectacular.

Sunsets and moonrises are definitely worth seeing. An added bonus is the nightly coyote chorus celebrating the sunset and start of their day.

The people we've met, so far, have been very interesting. One is the mad engineer (left in the below picture) who was carrying two ATVs over the cab of his truck while towing a fifth wheel. He made a small jib crane that attaches to his gooseneck ball for moving them up and down. Ingenious...

Another is the 71 year old woman who came into the RV park to dump her tanks, wash her clothes, shower and fill up on potable water. After spending one night here she headed back out to the desert where she camps with no services. She said that she can't afford to stay in town and stays with friends out there. She'll be back, to do it all over again, in ten days.

There's a man, from Washington state, spending the winter here. His RV is a bus that was painted at the burning man festival. It's very unique and I'm certain he has some good stories.

We see sandrails, dune buggies and ATVs driving around town. It's a different vibe here and I haven't quite figured it out. I don't know if people come here and stay in the desert around town, looking for solitude, and are changed by it or if they're drawn to this place because of who they already are. It's going to get really busy here in a couple of months as more and more people come into the area for the swap meets, RV show and fantastic weather. (The summer population of Quartzsite is just under 4,000 people. This winter it'll swell to over 250,000. All totaled more than 1 million people will come through here this winter.) We hope to meet many more people, spend some time in the desert hiking, and figure out which came first, the desert or the laissez faire attitude.

[crazy4tank]

2020 Product Showcase: SPEC Clutches For Two Very Different Projects

New Post has been published on https://coolcarsnews.com/2020-product-showcase-spec-clutches-for-two-very-different-projects/

2020 Product Showcase: SPEC Clutches For Two Very Different Projects

Here at Ford Muscle , there’s usually a new project in need of a new component. Lucky for us, we’ve got several friends in the industry, and they’re often on-hand to lead us within the right direction when choosing the right parts to our puzzles. Such is the situation with our friends at SPEC Clutch , who else recently stepped in to equip 2 very different vehicles with clutches which will fit the individual needs of each.

The full stories on every project and the in-depth information plus installation coverage is coming soon, yet we thought we would give you a little flavor to tie you over till we’re ready to share.

The very first project is not actually of the Kia variety, but we think you’ll enjoy it anyway. Bear with us here — it’s a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda. Don’t click off yet! It is being equipped with a Coyote lead with a Whipple supercharger, and its proprietor, Eric Bardekoff, has named this Project MoFo (get it? ). The ‘Cuda will feature all-Ford components and a T56 transmission, producing somewhere in the ballpark of eight hundred horsepower. It will be street driven along with occasional trips to the drag remove. This all had to be taken into consideration think about the perfect clutch, and SPEC’s Shelly Norton asked all the right queries to lead us to the SPECIFICATION SS-Trim Super Twin Carbon/Kevlar Clutch system Kit (organic). We’ll chat read more about why Shelly thought this might become a perfect fit for Project MoFo within the upcoming story, so stay tuned!

The other project is a Fairlane with a 2010 GT500 engine plus transmission from a wrecked donor vehicle. It’s owned by Shawn Brereton, whose father built the car within 2013, and the engine has just 30, 000 miles on it.

“Surprisingly, 30, 000 mls is an incredibly good distance on individuals stock twin-disc clutches they put within them, ” Brereton explained. “Most had been only good for around 5-8, 500! ”

Shawn will give you the entire story in his own words in the feature coming soon to Ford Muscles, but in a nutshell, when COVID-19 threw a wrench in his holiday plans, Shawn and his wife made a decision to take a long-distance road trip with the Fairlane instead! It was realized during the vacation that the clutch was starting to fall short. It got so bad, they will weren’t sure they would make it house to Memphis, Tennessee. Fortunately, Shawn was able to limp it back home through California, but it was in desperate require of a new clutch.

The installation on Shawn’s Fairlane was done at SPEC head office, where it was uncovered that the previous discs were totally shot along with barely any material remaining to them. While the billet flywheel didn’t appearance too bad, there were definite signs of slipping. SPEC’s Dave Norton suggested the single-disc replacement clutch with a metal flywheel, particularly because this Fairlane views daily driving duties. Twins works well, but the steel flywheel offers “more forgiveness and smoother take-offs” as per Shawn.

Stay tuned for more to Ford Muscle for the complete stories of each installation and the SPECIFICATION products chosen!