>Someone up in Ford remembered us...the American Car Enthusiast!!! I was in a video store the other day, and there was a whole impromptu discussion group going on around the "F" section of New Releases. Some guy had been about to rent "The Fast And The Furious" 
but then another guy browsing around said he hated the movie because all the cars are foreign cars except one or two, and only the foreign cars are depicted as GREAT cars... So people began to talk about whether the movie was a big commercial for foreign cars, an insult to US cars, and whether such issues should even matter to someone trying to find a good movie to see.
It was a pretty fun visit to the video store. (I decided to pass on the movie, even though I do think Jordana Brewster is the sexiest thing out there...)
Mark W.
The fastest and most furious car in the movie is not a jap car but a glorious purple Dodge Challenger that plays a big role in the final chase scene in the movie. But, yeah, other than that it's all rice rockets. But then the rice rocket crowd go see movies. 15-25 year olds have always been the core hot rod crowd. Today they soup up Hondas and Toyotas, not Detroit Iron. Why? Insurance is one reason. Try getting insurance on a 'Stang if your a 20 year old guy. A Honda hatchback is a lot easier. Style plays a big role too. And while the new 'Stang is nice it's also pretty retro. Look at the Celica GT and it's just a lot more modern looking... anyway I like The F&F and it would make a good DVD rental.
There is a big difference between the standard "ricer" (no racial offense, just a generic term - think of "poser") Honda Civic and the Supra.
Someone was lamenting about front-engine rear-drive. I would add another thing - forced induction.
I used to be a Ford maniac, eagerly reading all the technical coolness that was "just around the corner". Throughout the 80s, they offered up TBI, single cam in block, 2 valve head, 2 wheel disc brakes, live axel suspensions, etc. They
never delivered.
All of this was trumped in 1987 by the Supra (4 wheel discs with ABS, TEMS, 4 wheel independent double wishbone suspension, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, turbocharged, intercooled, direct electronic fuel injection, etc.) All with one of the best build-qualities in the business.
I bailed and went Japanese. Working on cars is fun again.
Now lately, things are looking up on the domestic front. Ford was first with the 4.8L OHC engine. Many of these cars are worth a second look. The Mach 1 sounds interesting. Add to that the fact that Toyota doesn't make a US spec car I'd buy now (I don't do front-wheel-drive. Sorry) and I may someday own another Ford. Clearly, it's nice to see somebody serving this market as the Japanese recently abandoned it.
PS: Horsepower numbers are for the stock car. With bolt-ons doubling that is possible. Many have done it with stock internals! I sure don't miss the "Save a Buck or Two" attitude that I always encountered with disassembling some domestic component.
Here are the
specs on the Mach 1. Looks like the live axel is alive and well.
