We all have seen or been on an offroad capable vehicle at one time or another in our lives. Some of the most capable products on the market include 4-wheelers and buggy type vehicles. Today, we are going to focus on what makes these things so fun and capable at the same time.
If you couldn't already tell, the most important component in any vehicle is the motor and its application to the vehicle. All good producers of these off-roading vehicles stick to similar engine designs. The formula for a good motor in this application is a light, compact,and power dense engine. This benefits the driver for many reasons. The first being that when the engine has a very good power to displacement ratio, the vehicle tends to be more efficient. The engine needs to be light because a heavy engine would add lots of unneeded weight to the vehicle, causing it to possibly become stuck and less efficient. These engines are constantly evolving with new innovations, like turbocharging and supercharging to even further increase both power and fuel economy.
The small frames and narrower tracks allow for access to otherwise off-limits areas. This versatility is aided by long traveling suspensions and shocks. What this enables the driver to do is to allow the passage to areas with only a 4' or less wide path to travel upon where other larger vehicles like trucks and jeeps would be incapable in passing through. Although these smaller tracks can be a blessing, they can also be a curse with the greater risk of flipping over while turning at high speeds. This is caused by a high center of gravity falling over the tipping point axis of the vehicle. The same problem can occur in any vehicle, but the speed varies with the center of gravity point.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Fastest motors ever
If you have ever read into any aviation book or lesson, chances are that you have come across the mentioning of a legendary plane. This plane is the SR-71 Blackbird and it's fame is well earned. It is one of the fastest manned airplanes to have ever flown, and it is also one of the most secretive ever. This plane was so good and so fast that when a SAM or surface to air missile locked onto it, the Blackbird simply outran the missiles at speeds up to and quite possibly past mach 3.5 or three and a half times the speed of sound. The reason the true top speed is still unknown is that it is top secret information. The Blackbird was capable of hitting such great speeds for many reasons like aerodynamics and high tech flight computers, but the largest part of this amazing place reaching the speeds that it did were due to it's engines. They are called the Pratt and Whitney J-58 and they are behemoths and an amazing feat of engineering.
If the declassified top speed isn't enough to amaze you, then maybe the fact that such a powerful engine was designed by hand and mind without computers, calculators, and just a slide rule, Oh yeah and this was back in the late 1950's and early 1960's. There are many things that make the engines extremely unique, but for the sake of time we will just stick to the big things. The engine itself actually operates in two stages. The first being that of a turbojet engine, and the second being that of a ramjet. Here is how it works, the engine operates as a normal after-burning turbojet engine up to mach 2.2, where the next element comes into play for a few reasons. The first is a concern of fuel efficiency, and the next is of heat. The afterburners at mach 2.2 are using an incredible amount of fuel, and there is so much heat at this point that any more would melt the nacelle or capsule holding the engine in the plane. The engine has 6 air bypass tubes that draw cool, compressed air from the 4th stage of the fan in front of combustion, and bypasses it directly to the after-burner area, thus creating a cooler and even more oxygen rich environment for the fuel to burn in, This creates massive efficiency and allows the blackbird to cruise at mach 3.2.
What this plane contributed to the country in terms of vital information may never be fully known to the public, but there is already enough known to cement it's legacy in history as the fastest and highest flying manned airplane ever.
If the declassified top speed isn't enough to amaze you, then maybe the fact that such a powerful engine was designed by hand and mind without computers, calculators, and just a slide rule, Oh yeah and this was back in the late 1950's and early 1960's. There are many things that make the engines extremely unique, but for the sake of time we will just stick to the big things. The engine itself actually operates in two stages. The first being that of a turbojet engine, and the second being that of a ramjet. Here is how it works, the engine operates as a normal after-burning turbojet engine up to mach 2.2, where the next element comes into play for a few reasons. The first is a concern of fuel efficiency, and the next is of heat. The afterburners at mach 2.2 are using an incredible amount of fuel, and there is so much heat at this point that any more would melt the nacelle or capsule holding the engine in the plane. The engine has 6 air bypass tubes that draw cool, compressed air from the 4th stage of the fan in front of combustion, and bypasses it directly to the after-burner area, thus creating a cooler and even more oxygen rich environment for the fuel to burn in, This creates massive efficiency and allows the blackbird to cruise at mach 3.2.
What this plane contributed to the country in terms of vital information may never be fully known to the public, but there is already enough known to cement it's legacy in history as the fastest and highest flying manned airplane ever.
Turning old to gold
A large part of the car enthusiast world is not so much concerned about what cars are the newest and most modern, but they are more enthusiastic about the cars of old. These time machines on wheels can give us a glimpse into what life was like in the past and for some these are what all cars should be. Now, most if not all of these old cars emerging from the past are going to need at least some repair or world to restore them to their former glory, and this is what I want to discuss. The re-creation of history and restoration of classic cars.
Sadly, these cars are becoming more and more rare to find in fixable condition as nearly all the "barn find" treasures out there in the world have emerged. This also has driven up the price of the vehicles substantially. When a new and untouched find surfaces, it should and will be acted upon quickly to obtain these cars for restoration.
When properly restored, some of these cars can bring sums of into the hundreds of thousands to the many millions of dollars at auctions. The best classification for a completely original restoration of a classic car is the Councours level and only a few hundred cars exist in the world with this level of restoration quality. In order for a proper restoration to be completed, many hundreds and even thousands of hours and a huge sum of money went into the restoration of these cars. So the next time you see one on the road, be sure you remember what that owner has invested in their ride.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Traffic
The worst nightmare for anyone with a fast car and/or a lead foot. This is the product of when drivers of less confidence, experience or just a lack of that stuff that makes us driving enthusiasts tick converge onto a road at the same time in a large quantity. Although in some places it is simply sheer volume that causes back-ups, many times it can be avoided. I have discovered the solution to this problem and it comes as a simple piece of metal on the floor of your car all the way to the right of the driver's floor compartment. It is called a gas pedal and when used properly, can achieve magical things. These things go on to include achieving speeds greater than 35 miles per hour, allowing for the escape from accidents and finally, the smooth transitioning into a traffic flow at the speed of the road, and not the speed of the on-ramp.
What people seem to be lacking is an understanding of how to utilize this magical device in their cars, so instead they just leave it alone and don't bother to use it. I am here to clear up any misunderstandings on how to use this device. You take your RIGHT foot, lift it up off of the brake pedal where it has rested for miles, and using the balls of your feet, press down on the gas. You may experience a new sensation sort of like you are being pushed back into your seat by an invisible force. This is good, it is called acceleration and should be familiar to you in no time. After you get this new use of a crucial part of the car figured out, magical other things will happen. People will no longer shout at you as they pass you on the highway to "get off the road" and to "learn how to drive" because i just did it for you. You will also now be able to re-paint your car and not worry about the paint because no angry drivers who have been stuck behind you for the last 3 hours wont try to side swipe or key your car.
Just remember, with great power, comes great responsibility.
What people seem to be lacking is an understanding of how to utilize this magical device in their cars, so instead they just leave it alone and don't bother to use it. I am here to clear up any misunderstandings on how to use this device. You take your RIGHT foot, lift it up off of the brake pedal where it has rested for miles, and using the balls of your feet, press down on the gas. You may experience a new sensation sort of like you are being pushed back into your seat by an invisible force. This is good, it is called acceleration and should be familiar to you in no time. After you get this new use of a crucial part of the car figured out, magical other things will happen. People will no longer shout at you as they pass you on the highway to "get off the road" and to "learn how to drive" because i just did it for you. You will also now be able to re-paint your car and not worry about the paint because no angry drivers who have been stuck behind you for the last 3 hours wont try to side swipe or key your car.
Just remember, with great power, comes great responsibility.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Best Driving Roads
To me, the ultimate in driving experiences doesn't come in a luxury wrapped Mercedes or Rolls Royce. For me, the best experience would come when driving a car with an actual maual gearbox, through a road that is both fun to drive and majestic to look at. Why a manual you may ask? The manual is all about purity. If i could choose which car I would take with me on these roads, the choice would be between an AC Cobra and a Noble M600. Both of these cars have the most bare bones driving environment available, yet they contrast each other perfectly. I would take the Noble to a place like the Autobahn, or to the Nurburgring and let it loose. I would chose the AC Cobra for cruising in the Rocky Mountains on I-70, along the California coast in the summer, and many other open-air experiences only properly enjoyed in a car like the Cobra.
For me, there has to be lots of direct interaction with the road. I go insane when I have to drive a car where the steering is so electrically interfered with it feels like you are in a video game. I also as mentioned before need to be shifting the gears myself with a true manual transmission. I know there are those of you out there who will say that dual clutches improve performance, and I say to that "I would rather have it be me performing to the best of my abilities instead of a computer doing it for me. The road must be winding and ebb and flow. Just like the life itself, things are always going to be changing direction and going up and down, this is what makes the road good.
When you find your road, you'll know it. Just make sure it is truly the right road for you and then stick to it forever.
For me, there has to be lots of direct interaction with the road. I go insane when I have to drive a car where the steering is so electrically interfered with it feels like you are in a video game. I also as mentioned before need to be shifting the gears myself with a true manual transmission. I know there are those of you out there who will say that dual clutches improve performance, and I say to that "I would rather have it be me performing to the best of my abilities instead of a computer doing it for me. The road must be winding and ebb and flow. Just like the life itself, things are always going to be changing direction and going up and down, this is what makes the road good.
When you find your road, you'll know it. Just make sure it is truly the right road for you and then stick to it forever.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Airplanes
A little while ago I wrote about trains. Well now I would like to discuss another mode of transportation, and that is Airplanes.
The greatest thing about flight, is the speed at which you travel at. On conventional roads, there are speed limits and there are obstacles that need to be avoided. But not in the sky, there are no obstacles and this means unlimited speed, at least relatively speaking. What this means is that people can go wherever they want with the freedom to do so in a timely manner. In an around the world trip that once took people years to complete can now be done in just a few short days. This is thanks in part to 2 things. Cabin pressurization and the modern engine of an airplane. What pressurization did was to allow planes to travel at higher altitudes while maintaining a safe near sea level pressure within the plane itself. The modern family of airplane engines allow for great efficiency along with capabilities of greater speeds, thus increasing the distances being able to be traveled.
There are things within flight that we have grown to pursue as well, the most exciting and well known of these pursuits being the pursuit of speed. The fastest manned take off and landing capable airplane is the SR-71 Blackbird. This airplane is capable of hitting speeds of mach 3.5 or 3.5 times the speed of sound. That puts it at about 2,200 mph with some rough calculating. And that is just the declassified top speed. This 40 year old airplane's top speed could still very well be and could always be classified. The fastest thing to ever fly however, was the Bell X-15 a Ever since the first flight back in 1903 by the Wright Brothers, the world has been able to fulfill it's many millenniums old desire for flight. Since then things have come a long way. From the first flight lasting only 59 seconds, we have now produced airplanes that fly at the reaches of the earth's atmosphere and can travel from New York to Los Angeles in under an hour. The list of accomplishments man has achieved with flight is one of the longest lists of anything in this world.
ircraft. It was mounted to the wing of a B-52 for takeoff, and once the desired altitude was reached, it was deployed. The top speed was over mach 6.72 or 4,520 miles per hour. This is a video courtesy of You Tube that discusses the X-15 more in depth. https://youtu.be/TFcCx4uR6rk
The future is very bright for flight, and I am very excited to see what is in store for the next generation of pilots and passengers of flight.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
The Little Things
We have all wondered what really needs to happen to make our ride stand out just a little but more than usual. It might not take much, and it might only take an hour to do so. Oh and of course a little elbow grease when the hour starts to run on. If you haven't already caught onto what I am talking about, I am talking about detailing your car, What this entails in it's basics is what you see in The Karate Kid. "Wax on, wax off Daniel son." Well young grasshopper, I am here to help explain to you why this simple act of caring for your car can be all that it takes for your car to stand out.
There are many reasons as to why waxing your car's paint is a good thing to do.When done correctly there are no downsides to doing it, (unlike other things I can think of). When you wax your car, it is taking off the layers of grime not taken off from conventional washing. It then replaces this grime with a protective waxy layer that helps prevent new grime from accumulating on your paint. Basically it is like an exfoliation for your car. It will leave the paint shiny, glossy, and smooth to the touch and will guarantee that heads will be turned as the sun reflects off your paint job.
However, you must be careful about when you apply it, you don't get distracted because if the wax stays in for too long and dries too much, it can stick to your paint and when you go to de-wax, the paint will come off as well as the wax. This happened to a neighbor one time and he was not in a good spot since he had to get his whole car repainted otherwise the paint wouldn't match.
When you go to apply wax to your car, be sure that it is washed and completely dried before applying. If the surface is wet, the wax wont stay on, and if it is dirty, it will not work as well as intended. The wax will go on as a cream colored liquid, you can either apply it to a towel and then onto your car, or directly apply it to the paint and then work it in from there. Then, as mentioned before the wax will begin to dry out so pay attention. When the wax comes off onto your finger as a dry cream powder, it is time to remove that portion of the wax from your car. You can apply multiple coats if you feel the need, but don't go crazy, good wax isn't the cheapest stuff around. Once you are done, the paint will not only look better and stand out more, it will be able to bead water and keep it from ruining that freshly cleaned car of yours.
There are many reasons as to why waxing your car's paint is a good thing to do.When done correctly there are no downsides to doing it, (unlike other things I can think of). When you wax your car, it is taking off the layers of grime not taken off from conventional washing. It then replaces this grime with a protective waxy layer that helps prevent new grime from accumulating on your paint. Basically it is like an exfoliation for your car. It will leave the paint shiny, glossy, and smooth to the touch and will guarantee that heads will be turned as the sun reflects off your paint job.
However, you must be careful about when you apply it, you don't get distracted because if the wax stays in for too long and dries too much, it can stick to your paint and when you go to de-wax, the paint will come off as well as the wax. This happened to a neighbor one time and he was not in a good spot since he had to get his whole car repainted otherwise the paint wouldn't match.
When you go to apply wax to your car, be sure that it is washed and completely dried before applying. If the surface is wet, the wax wont stay on, and if it is dirty, it will not work as well as intended. The wax will go on as a cream colored liquid, you can either apply it to a towel and then onto your car, or directly apply it to the paint and then work it in from there. Then, as mentioned before the wax will begin to dry out so pay attention. When the wax comes off onto your finger as a dry cream powder, it is time to remove that portion of the wax from your car. You can apply multiple coats if you feel the need, but don't go crazy, good wax isn't the cheapest stuff around. Once you are done, the paint will not only look better and stand out more, it will be able to bead water and keep it from ruining that freshly cleaned car of yours.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)