I could see it being useful for much better engine temp control. Currently, an average thermostat will let an engine get fairly warm, then when it opens it dumps a ton of cold water into the system and shocks it. I think modern ones are better since most have a bypass orifice, but I know from watching the temp gauge…

No cheap-ass thermostat for this engine: there’s an ECU-controlled rotary valve thermostat that can do more than just turn water flow on or off.

Easy answer for the email of the week: military time.  My wife’s family was a military family and they still use it all the time.  Took me a little bit to get used to, but it’s easy enough.  The day starts at 0 (midnight) and ends and 24.  The numbers only get bigger and it makes a fair deal of sense.

Fair enough, though it’s not like it’s that far off.  You get all of 40 hp with the race gas and you could always just run race gas on the street, though that’s not really a financially good idea.  I think the bigger tradeoff would be the skinny wheels up front.

Eh, I don’t know about that.  It might be usable in the sense that it has street manners, but I’m guessing it doesn’t have any kind of battery capacity to be used in any kind of average commuting.  And the Demon is basically a 9 second IC car already that’s plenty driveable on the street.

Can they bring back the seats from the 70s while they were at it?  Even “economy” back then would be like business class today.  Just go whole hog and do some “retro” flights with vintage uniforms and planes that actually have some space and comforts on them.

So take all those cars that would normally sit in a drive thru and now figure out where they are going to go at your local fast food establishment.  If anything I would almost expect even more pedestrian accidents with the increased foot traffic in and out of the restaurant that now has a very full parking lot.

I really need to finish putting mine back together.  Spun a rod bearing on the track on my 04.  Engine is out in pieces in the garage and new parts are sitting in boxes just waiting for me to get the block cleaned up so I can put it back together.

Especially in a British sports car, lol.

A battery kill switch wouldn’t necessarily do the job unless you also wire the alternator through it somehow.  I suppose that’s potentially feasible, but if the car is running, just shutting of the battery isn’t going to do much.  I’m guessing there’s a standard way to wire it in the NHRA safety manual though,…

I can say at one point I just about forgot how to ride one.  I learned as a kid, but pretty much didn’t touch one for a decade or more at one point.  Humorously enough I even ride a motorcycle, but that first time trying to get back on a bike was a bit weird.  I live only a few blocks from my parents house so it’s way…

These stories just remind me of a car dealer in the KC area that claimed two fo the cars he had were from the movies.  They were stunt cars that were basically stripped out, but functional.  So a no interior setup, but one seat and that was about it.  Not sure I really believed him, but I guess it could have been…

and would undercut the ultra-luxury supercars of the world

I actually saw one in a Sam’s Club parking lot in KC the other day, sorta by accident.  I turned at the wrong intersection near Oak Park Mall and went to turn around in this parking lot and as I got closer I saw the badge on the fender and the hood.  Needless to say it was the best mistake I’d made in a while.  Shame…

This should come as no surprise–you’ve got a remarkably light car

Yeah, my mom has a 94. I think it’s a hoot, but I needed real windows and a roof so I got an 04 since I was going to daily it. Hers is still super fun to drive though. I wouldn’t say it’s hard to control as much as just the controls are a bit heavier. The brakes do suck though. I drove mine and then hers back to back…

That every Viper ever made wants to kill you.  I’ll admit the early cars were a bit rough around the edges and that most people weren’t used to that much torque right off idle, but the modern ones are so much better and the traction control system in the gen 5 is pretty highly praised.  If you have any idea how the…

The main trick with the switch gear though is that Porsche is only Porsche and only makes Porsches.  It would make sense that all of their stuff is “nice” because their whole brand is “nice”.  Not that I don’t get your point, but it’s a little bit apples to oranges in that regard.  Chevy could make dedicated stuff for…

You can daily pretty much anything if you are committed enough.  I daily drove a 71 Vette in high school (15ish years ago), a 67 Dart with manual everything when I got my first job, and now an 04 Viper.  I’ve never cared about not having cruise control or power options or fancy tech, I just enjoy the ride.  Does that…

Was basically going to say the same thing.  I did daily my Viper for years and still would if my wife’s back would put up with it.  Now that I’m married I have a weather car to drive when it’s rainy and crappy out, but I drove the Viper in the rain plenty and ran every errand I could in it.  The irony is that it’s my…