THE GRAND ILLUSION

KRAMER’S tone was ominous. “Charlie, you’re playing with the big boys now. It’s gonna cost a lot of money.” Charlie Caldwell was building his 8th project with his wife and garage partner, Denise. They had started years ago with an early production ’66 Street Hemi Coronet which they eventually sold for funds to build a Max Wedge. Then he found a ’64 Dodge-number 5 of 5 built 426/4- speed street wedge with 2600 original miles. Now it was a ’65 Dodge Coronet A990 clone the Caldwell’s were delving into. Jim Kramer of Kramer Automotive would be supplying rare and hard to find parts for their project as he had done with their previous builds. But this one might call for a second mortgage. Like many boomers today, Charlie saw the A990s run as a teen. Course he wanted one (who wouldn’t?) but buying one on a Mercury Comet Six budget was a trick that David Copperfield would have had a hard time pulling off, so it remained just a dream. Besides, Charlie wasn’t a hard core racer, just a regular guy running his Olds 4-4-2 street car down the strip occasionally on weekends at the local Thompson Raceway Park. An A990 might have been cool on the street, but certainly not practical with that finicky Race Hemi and small single exhaust (to make the car street legal). But the A990 package was not meant to be driven on the street. Chrysler even had a disclaimer inside the glovebox stating that the A990 was meant strictly for competition, not the street. And there weren’t that many around. The factory built only 101 ’65 A990 Plymouths and the same number for Dodge. Almost all were ownermodified for racing with that exhaust being the first to go. Many were converted to altered wheelbase cars for ’66 and later modified even more radically. An original unmolested A990? Even less of a chance than Ehrenberg picking up a bar tab. Jim Kramer estimates no more than 10 or so of these original factory race packages remain from the original 202. But whaddya know, Kramer just happened to have one sitting at his shop—a black Coronet belonging to “Hemi” Eddie Strzelecki. So what was the A990 package? For you new Yugo to Mopar converts who gave up trying to find lunch pail Yugo parts here are the highlights: ’Course the Race Hemi with aluminum heads, magnesium intake, 3166 carbs, special steel hood with scoop, the aforementioned single exhaust and mod’d right side shock tower, A100 van seats (Bostrum) on aluminum mounts, single wiper, single headlights (requiring a special grille), no sun visors, no armrests or backseat and no outside mirrors (they were an option in ’64-’65.) A big Super Stock battery came mounted in the trunk. Charlie was able to pore over Eddie’s car closely, noting especially how the right side shock tower was tweaked plus the additional modifications that allowed the right valve cover to be removed to adjust the valves without undoing the motor mount and jacking up the Hemi. He also scrutinized the body panels that differed in detail from production Coronets. Unlike almost all A990s, Charlie’s ride wasn’t destined to set tire on a dragstrip. Long ago, he and Denise decided to build show cars rather than nostalgia racers. Still, Charlie’s plan was to create a tribute A990 as faithful to the original as he could. But as we all know the best laid plans of mice and men… (you can read about the micemobile clones in our sister publication, “Rodent Rides” now on newsstands). Charlie found a ’65 Coronet roller, purported to be in good shape in Atlanta, Georgia. It looked good with a skim and quick paintjob, but stripped down in his garage, it showed its sins that would take floor pans, trunk pan, cowl, rear lip moldings and more to resolve. Not wanting repop parts if he could avoid it, Charlie went with used originals, including a K-member, from Kramer. Original hoods were not available, but Kramer’s repop of the factory piece is an exact copy. Kramer also supplies the pattern to cut out the proper hole in the hood and the mounting instructions. Two grilles were needed to make the one that accommodated the single headlights. Charlie sent them to Eddie Strzelecki who fab’d a proper grille. The grilles were pitted, and anodizing made them worse, so Charlie had to go the more expensive chrome route, sending the grille and headlight bezels to Jason Bair of Big Hemi Customs, for the brightwork. The rest of the shiny stuff was done by Doug Baumgardner, owner of Perfection Metal Polishing. One of the major deviations from an original A990 is under the hood. Charlie’s initial plan was to come up with a correct iron Race Hemi. But that was before he found himself at an estate sale where he saw an Indy 426 aluminum Megablock with Mopar Performance heads. The family showed him paperwork that indicated some custom work to the oil galleys and such, with the total coming to 13 grand. They said they’d take 5 just to get rid of it. Charlie said he’d be stealing it at $6500, so he forked over $1500 more than the asking price (Ehrenberg would have bargained $1500 off the asking price). Charlie sent the mill to Michael’s Racing Engines who builds all his engines. Michaels upped the ponies with a K1 stroker kit to net 492 cubes and stuffed the holes with street-friendly 10.5:1 Wiseco pistons and a Comp Cams solid roller bumpstick. Up top are Manley valves, Indy rockers and Smith pushrods. A Cloyes timing set and Milodon deep pan are entries in the durability column. Just as Michael was buttoning up the engine, he called Charlie and asked him what kind of fuel pump he wanted  “Whaddya mean? I gave you the Hemi pump I bought from Kramer.” “Yes, but this aluminum block has no provision for a mechanical fuel pump.” “Duh!” Tim Hyatt of Hyatt Racing solved the problem donating the Mallory electric fuel pump. But there was more to come. And another thing. Charlie always wanted a magneto. Some guys lust after Rolex. Charlie? Magneto! He couldn’t wait for the tooth fairy to come across, so he bought himself a used Ronko Vertex unit, sent it to French Grimes Racing who dialed it in for the Hemi. Charlie loves the way it looks and he likes to crank the engine to build up oil pressure before he hits the mag to fire up the Hemi. Rick Gorski of Firecore cooked him up a set of custom wires. Course stock would have been a Chrysler electronic ignition or dual-point distributor (which Charlie has on his shelf). With a nod toward originality, Charlie picked up a magnesium intake (7 lbs.) with the 3116 Holley carbs, linkage and gas lines along with a Hemi fuel pump and air cleaner from Kramer. Those air cleaners are impossible to find, and some guy repop’d 100 sets that are dead-nuts on. Even so, because even the ’pops themselves now are scarce, the tab for that alone came to two grand. “Charlie you’re playing with the big boys now …” was a recurring haunting refrain that echoed in his head. Michael’s dyno showed 770 hp and 760 ft-lbs tq on a mild pull. Chrysler supplied a header exhaust system for racers to swap for the joke pipe that came on the car. But that race exhaust was way beyond Charlie’s already blown up budget. TTi headers were put into play backed by a 3˝ stainless full exhaust out the rear—an 8-hour fab job by Bob Makki. The trick was to route the exhaust around the electric pump and along both sides of the gas tank making it look neat, original, and legal. Bob’s parting comment to Charlie was to, “never come back with another job like this.” Paint and body prep were handled expertly by Brian Westbrook and Adam Dopp of East River Rides. For some reason there was a color mixup and Flash Red (an ’87 Dodge Omni color) was sprayed instead of the correct Bright Red (although we can’t remember an Omni ever looking this good). The Caldwells liked the result so much, they didn’t insist on a repaint. Can’t blame ’em. The engine installation, as was the total car disassembly and reassembly, was handled by Charlie and Denise in their home garage that’s well equipped with lifts and welders and snacks in the fridge. But it wasn’t snack time when Charlie tried to close the hood that threatened to smash his $2,000 air cleaner. A panic call to Kramer. “Charlie, didn’t you know that the A990 cars had to have a .-inch spacer between the frame and the K-frame which lowered the motor so the hood would clear the air cleaner?” “Duh!” Most A990s came with a TorqueFlite, but Charlie wanted a 4-speed, He called Jaime Passon at Passon Performance and asked him to supply a Hemi trans from clutch pedal to trans mount. The 8.˝ rear with 4.13 gears was built by John Peto. (The Dana 60 replaced the 8.˝ rear on Hemis starting in ’66). Moving to the chassis, Charlie tied the frame and went with Hemi T-bars up front and Super Stock springs out back. Pretty conventional. He took a detour from stock with the binders, opting for Master Power Brakes discs all around. He was having a problem sorting out another disc brake setup for a ’65 Comet he had bought from another company and was getting nowhere with them. He happened to stop at Master’s shop in Mooresville, North Carolina on a trip back from Florida. They were able to solve his problem that he had struggled with for 2 years in short order. Charlie was so impressed that he bolted their brakes on the Coronet and he became an avid fan of theirs. Charlie’s says his good words about the company has sold many brake sets for them (so where’s the commission?) When it comes to A990 interiors, there aren’t many choices. There are only two guys offering them—Gary Ball and Jim Kramer. Charlie went with “you’re playing with the big boys” Kramer who gave up his last set of A100 van seats along with a complete interior—door panels without holes for the rear window cranks and no armrests. Ralph Farinacci made the rear package tray and rear seat delete panel. Scott Whitaker of Dynamat came across with the sound and heat barrier. Charlie has the correct Stewart-Warner gauges and Sun tach that he mounted in the car just like the one in Eddie’s car. He felt pretty good about that…until he tried to hook it up. Too bad it doesn’t work with a magneto (Duh!). Charlie was stymied for months until he found an adapter that allowed him to pick up a signal from the mag. It works “reasonably” well (give or take 500 rpm), but what the hey, Charlie ain’t racing anyhow. That Super Stock battery was another piece of work, custom made for him by the Antique Auto Battery Co. When the 80-lb. battery was done, the girl called him with the bill and asked if he was sitting down. Good thing, the total came to almost $500. Charlie groaned and said “I know, I’m playing with the big boys.” Charlie and Denise began their A990 project in 2009, and the car saw its first show in 2012—the National Hot Rod Reunion in Kentucky where it took top honors in the Muscle Class and Best of Show. That was followed by Best Super Stock at the Drag Times Reunion in Henderson, North Carolina. This car was also one of 6 chosen to represent the 100th year of Dodge and the 50th year of the Race Hemi at the CEMA show on the steps of the Walter P. Chrysler museum. Charlie’s tribute car competes against “real” A990s. Such was the case at the York, Pennsylvania show where it still won Best of Show. More than one judge told Charlie privately “there ain’t enough real parts on most of these so-called ‘real’ cars that they’re any different than the car you have. The difference is you’re telling the truth. ”

LEFT: Ralph Farinacci made the rear package tray and rear seat delete panel. Neat job, we might add. BELOW: Antique Auto Battery built the 80- lb. Super Stock battery clone. The bill came to almost $500. It’s like, how many amps to you want to spend. Most A990s were automatics, but Charlie wanted a 4-speed supplied by Passon Performance. Interior is a copy from “Hemi” Eddie Strzelecki’s rare unmolested A990. A special adapter was needed to pick up the magneto signal to run the Sun tach. Interior is another Kramer offering. That was his last set of A100 van seats. Charlie promised to let Jim sit in them on occasion—for old times’ sake.

LEFT: Bob Makki bent

a custom 3˝ stainless

exhaust that exits at the

rear—an 8-hour job that

Makki says he’d never

do again.

BELOW: Charlie felt the

stock 14˝ wheels were

almost humorous on

a Super Stock, so he

swapped them for 15˝

painted steelies. He has

Firestone bias-ply up front

and Firestone pie dish

street slicks out back.

Michael’s Racing Engines did a good job making a modern Indy Megablock with MP heads look like a period ’Stocker. Charlie picked up a period Ronko-Vertex magneto because he always wanted one even though a electronic ignition and dualpoint distributor would have been correct. He does have the correct magnesium intake and Holley carbs. Headers are TTi as the Chrysler pieces were just way too expensive. A990 repop’d hood came from Kramer Automotive with instructions for cutting the hole. Repop’d air cleaner, also from Kramer, broke the bank at 2 grand. The GM master cylinder, part of MMP’s 4-wheel discs, came with the original ’65 shell.

HOW TO TUNE YOUR OWN SHOCKS?

Testing of each valving disc combination was performed on Biltsein’s in-house shock absorber dynamometer. The graphs it produced revealed how each valving change we made affected the compression or rebound performance of the shock absorber. The new Bilstein 8125 is a coilover remote-reservoir damper designed for custom installations. However, what we learned from working with the 8125 can be applied to just about any rebuildable shock absorber.

Before performing any work on a rebuildable remote-reservoir shock absorber, such as the Bilstein 8125 (delivered to the customer with 200 psi of nitrogen pressure), you need to relieve the reservoir of its pressurized nitrogen gas. This can be done through the schrader valve located on the reservoir end cap.

After relieving the pressurized reservoir, removing the rod guide screws, and sliding the wiper cap up, the rod guide can be depressed slightly to reveal, and allow removal of, the snap ring inside the shock body. Then the piston rod assembly can be carefully lifted out of the shock body.

With the piston rod assembly firmly held in a vise (with a soft buffering layer such as a towel between the piston eyelet and the vise), the rod nut can be removed, allowing removal of the valving components. When reassembling after any valve changes, be the sure this rod nut is tightened to the manufacturer’s specific torque setting. Shock absorbers have been around in one form or another the early 1900s, but those drivers wouldn’t recognize the sophisticated dampers used on street or off-road vehicles today. A shock absorber is a fairly simple device, yet it can also be extremely complicated (depending upon style) and is commonly misunderstood. First, we’ll cover some of the basics, myths, and truths about shocks. Then we’ll introduce you to some theory about shock valve tuning and provide a few examples of tunes and the shock dynamometer results of those examples. In the end, we hope you will have a deeper understanding of shock absorbers, and how you can tune a rebuildable shock absorber to suit your specific needs. For the most part, the springs don’t damp (control) the movement of the vehicle, its axles, and its tires and wheels. Instead, the springs support the vehicle on its axles, wheels, and tires. A shock absorber damps spring movement (oscillation). As your Jeep goes along the trail and encounters an irregularity in the trail surface, the tire and wheel move upward and push the spring up (or in the case of a coil, compress it). The spring reaches its maximum upward movement and then pushes back down on the tire/wheel combo, allowing it to follow the surface of the road. Without a shock absorber, the tire/wheel and spring (along with the vehicle) would continue bouncing up and down uncontrolled until the force was finally damped by the spring. If you’ve ever driven a vehicle with bad shocks, you know what this uncontrolled spring oscillation feels like. There are a wide variety of shock absorbers today, but most are all designed based upon two basic types: monotube and twin-tube. Monotube shocks have a working piston attached to the piston rod inside the shock body, a portion of which is filled with hydraulic oil. A second, freefloating piston separates that oil-filled section that the primary piston moves through from a high-pressure nitrogenfilled section. The nitrogen gas helps prevent cavitation (air mixing with the oil and creating a foam), which can reduce the shock’s effectiveness. Twin-tube shocks have a piston in an oil-filled internal tube that’s inside the main shock body, and a base valve at the bottom of the internal tube. The exterior shell contains oil and low-pressure nitrogen to help reduce cavitation. Twin-tube shocks have some advantages, such as greater piston travel in a compact space and more oil (help with cooling). However, that extra body shell can trap heat. Other than outright physical damage, heat is a shock’s worst enemy. There are also internal bypass, multi-stage externally adjustable, remote reservoir, coilover, and other designs that can affect the performance of a shock absorber. For the purposes of this article, we are using the new Bilstein 8125 shock absorber, a monotube remote-reservoir unit that is rebuildable. Because the Bilstein 8125 is a remote-reservoir model, that reservoir helps manage heat and contains the dividing piston. This allows the 8125 to have a longer stroke (more travel) than a non-reservoir shock of the same body length. There are two basic shock piston designs: digressive and linear. The main difference is in the hole (port) design. The digressive piston we are using in this example has fluted ports on both sides of the piston that begin near the center on one side and end near the outer rim of the piston on the other side. The 8125’s digressive piston is symmetrical so it doesn’t matter which way it’s placed on the piston rod, and it offers a higher level of control without harshness. The Biltsein 8125 can also be easily taken apart so the valving of its piston can be altered. Valve discs (some refer to them as shims or plates) are the key to tuning a high-performance shock like the Bilstein 8125. These discs help control the volume and the speed at which oil can pass through the piston, and that directly influences the damping performance of the shock absorber. The shock absorber’s compression and rebound characteristics can be altered (or tuned) separately to provide just the right ride quality you desire for the conditions you drive in. Using the Bilstein 8125 as our learning model, we’ll look at each of the different parts of the valve disc stack in order, talk about what they do, and how they can affect shock absorber performance. Our baseline setup included (in this order) a valving nut, a rebound brake washer, five rebound discs, a reboundside bypass disc, two preload discs, the digressive piston, two more preload discs, a compression-side bypass disc, six compression discs, and a compression brake washer. See the baseline valve disc chart for specific valve disc sizes in our baseline shock valve setup. Valve discs are stacked in layers over the piston’s ports to regulate the flow of oil, thus creating the rate of compression and rebound. The valve discs have different outside diameters, as well as different thicknesses. Both measurements affect how much oil can pass by them. Differing amounts of oil pass around their outer edges due to their different sizes, and more oil can pass by them depending upon how much pressure the oil exerts on the discs as piston speed changes. For instance, two discs with the same diameter, but different thicknesses, will have different flow characteristics. The thicker disc will flex less under pressure and allow less oil to pass, creating a higher rate of compression or rebound (depending upon which side of the piston it’s placed) than a thinner disc of the same diameter. Some valve discs, such as the brake, bypass, check valve, and its corresponding check spring, work in unique ways to control the flow of the shock oil that the piston is passing through. The brake, as it’s called, is the thick, washer-like valve disc (with its rounded edge on one side mounted away from the piston). Its job is to “brake” or resist the amount of flex that the compression or rebound discs undergo during shock piston strokes. It is especially useful for helping to limit or slow piston stroke during high-speed piston movements. This can occur when the tire of your vehicle hits a large and abrupt trail surface irregularity. It can also happen if the vehicle is airborne and the tire lands hard on the road surface. Bypass discs (sometimes called bleed discs) can be used on one or both (both in this case) sides of the piston to allow shock oil to pass through much more easily than normal valve discs of the same diameter because of the openings around their edges. One or more preload discs can be used between the bypass disc and the piston to preload the deflected discs various amounts. In addition, bypass discs with larger or more openings can be used to allow more oil to pass more rapidly through the piston. The more oil that easily passes through or around the bypass disc, the more rapid the shock can react to slow speed (piston speed) events. This is most helpful in tuning the shock for terrain irregularities, like embedded rocks, to soften the ride.

Baseline Valve Disc Chart

Brake Washer - 12.01 id, 32.5/2.5

Support Disc - 12 id, 30/50

Deflected Disc - 12 id, 32/50

Deflected Disc - 12 id, 36/50

Deflected Disc - 12 id, 46.8/35

Deflected Disc - 12 id, 46.8/35

Bypass Disc - 46.8/15, A=4.5mmˆ2

Rebd. Preload Disc - 12 id, 32/35

Rebd. Preload Disc - 12 id, 32/40

Piston - 12 id, 60 od, digressive

Comp. Preload Disc - 12 id, 32/40

Comp. Preload Disc - 12 id, 32/35

Bypass Disc - 46.8/20, A=4.0mmˆ2

Deflected Disc - 12 id, 46.8/35

Deflected Disc - 12 id, 42/35

Deflected Disc - 12 id, 36/35

Deflected Disc - 12 id, 30/35

Deflected Disc - 12 id, 24/35

Support Disc - 12 id, 18/50

Brake Washer - 12 id, 37.5/3 concave

This is the baseline test valve build chart. The 12 ID number indicates the inside diameter of the discs and piston in millimeters to match the 12mm OD valving post on the piston rod. Numbers such as 30/50 indicate the outside diameter and thickness of the discs in millimeters. For example, 30mm OD by 0.50mm thick or 46.8mm OD by 0.35mm thick. The brakes are 2.5mm and 3mm thick, so they don’t bend but support the deflected discs that do bend. The bypass discs are available in a variety of thicknesses and combinations of slot numbers and widths. The A values indicate the bypass areas in square millimeters. More bypass area allows more oil flow at low stroke velocities, before the deflected discs start to bend. The thickness combinations of the deflected discs on each side of the piston create damping at higher stroke velocities when the deflected discs do bend. The preload discs vary the amount of preload on the deflected disc stack, which varies their resistance to initial deflection.

Anytime you are working with the valve discs of a shock absorber, we strongly recommend that the compression valve stack, piston, and rebound valve stack be laid out in order of removal so that they will all be replaced in the proper order. Shock absorber performance can be compromised if these components aren’t properly replaced.

Bypass discs are available in a variety of thicknesses and combinations of slot numbers and widths, can be used on the rebound and compression side of the piston, and are helpful in tuning the shock for terrain irregularities like embedded rocks to soften the ride. A bypass disc’s “A” value indicate the bypass area in square millimeters. More bypass area allows more oil flow at low stroke velocities, before the deflected discs start to bend.

The bypass spring and check plate (a patented Bilstein device) can be placed between preload discs and the bypass disc to create more force (make the stock stiffer) overall throughout the shock’s rebound curve, allowing the tire/wheel combo to come back to the terrain more gently and slower after compression.

THE FAMILY YUPSTER

HARD FACTS:

Vehicle: ’94 YJ Wrangler

Engine: 2.5L I-4

Transmission: Chrysler 30RH

three-speed automatic

Transfer Case: NP 231, SYE,

TeraFlex 4:1 kit

Suspension: Prototype Superlift/Black

Diamond X2 kit, long-arm front

with Bilstein coilovers, SOA rear

Axles: Dana 30, 4.88 gears, ARB Air

Locker; Ford 8.8, 4.88 gears,

Detroit Locker

Wheels: 16.5x8.25 Hummer H1 double

beadlocks, Copperhead Fab rings

Tires: 38x12.50R16.5 TSL/SX Super

Swampers

Built For: The kids to learn

Jeep purists took a while to warm up to the YJ. The square headlights of the “Yuppie Jeep” caused it to be seen as an inferior successor to the beloved CJ. Thirty years after it was introduced, the YJ has successfully won over many bang-for-your-buck Jeepers. For one, first-gen Wrangler frames are stouter than their predecessors. Less demand for these ’87-’96 Jeeps also typically makes their prices lower than the earlier Flatties, CJs, and later TJs and JKs. Gary Wainwright of Bradford, Arkansas, initially bought his ’94 YJ from its original owner when his oldest kid turned 15. “Kristen had her permit, and we wanted a car she could drive to high school,” he told us. “I figured she couldn’t get in too much trouble in a four-cylinder Jeep with an automatic.” Subsequent birthday presents included mud tires and a mild lift kit. “She and I installed them in the garage,” Gary proudly added. For her 18th birthday, Kristen asked to go to the Ouachita Jeep Jamboree, which was held at the Hot Springs ORV Park. “We got hooked,” Gary said. Dad and daughter were soon adding air lockers, axle gears, and a TeraFlex 4:1 transfer case kit. They also joined the Arkansas Crawlers, the host club at the Hot Springs ORV Park.

Chassis

Gary calls the YJ “just a basic rig.” It’s actually fairly interesting from the frame down. This Jeep was used for product development back when Superlift was title sponsor of the Hot Springs ORV Park. The suspension company acquired the Black Diamond line from Warn and was looking at ways to broaden its appeal. Black Diamond’s original claim to fame was the XCL coil conversion kit for YJs and CJs. Superlift prototyped a secondgeneration Black Diamond kit, called the X2, a 7-inch-lift suspension system designed to conquer challenging trails but also handle predictably on the road. Front coilovers were chosen for significant wheeltravel gains, and a spring-over rear setup helps control body roll during cornering on the road. Kevin Dill designed the X2 kit, and his résumé also includes the Atlas transfer case for Advance Adapters. Gary is in the car-lift business (he owns Weco Inc., a company that installs and maintains commercial two-post hydraulic vehicle lifts), so his YJ was a natural X2 lift test mule. Since the job required cutting off spring hangers, Gary decided to significantly increase the wheelbase from the stock 93.4 inches to 110.5 inches. He accomplished this by extending the frame 13 inches in the rear and adding a ledge. It somewhat resembles the OE front area between the grille and bumper. Instead of doing the rear spring-over on the tired Dana 35 rear axle, Gary swapped in a Ford 8.8 from an Explorer for better durability and factory disc brakes. The SOA job involved welding the rear spring mounts and pads on the axle to get the proper pinion angle. The premium leaf packs were engineered specifically for the kit and use nine thin leaves, Teflon inserts, and military wraps on the main leaves. The result is a relatively soft rate, but with good body roll control. Bilstein 5100 shock absorbers control the un-sprung weight. The front suspension is a long-arm/ coilover configuration. Installing it required cutting off the factory suspension mounts. Welded-on DOM hoops serve as the upper mounting points for Bilstein coilovers with remote reservoirs. The lower mounting brackets bolt to the axle. The control arms use easily sourced OE bushings as opposed to Heim ends. Each arm is two pieces, connected by a threaded joint. This allows the arms to swivel during suspension travel. Arm length can also be adjusted to set optimum caster. The lower arms are contoured to clear chassis components during suspension travel and to not rub on the tires at full steering lock. The belly pan/skidplate has integrated control arm mounts. Gary installed the lift kit in his garage. At the same time, he decided to make his own high-steer linkage using beefy bar stock. Drivetrain The factory 2.5L four-banger has logged more than 120,000 trouble-free miles, as has the 30RH automatic transmission. Gary added a MagnaFlow muffler and does routine maintenance, but that’s the extent of the work. The NP 231 transfer case still has the YJ’s original upgrades: a skip-yoke eliminator and a TeraFlex 4:1 low range kit. The stock Dana 30 front axle remains in service. However, it received an ARB Air Locker and 4.88 gears. The rear Ford 8.8 runs a Detroit Locker and 4.88s. Custom Tom Wood’s driveshafts run between the axles and transfer case. This drivetrain has held up well with the 38-inch TSL/SX Super Swampers. Gary mounted the tires on Hummer H1 beadlocks he customized by welding on rings from Copperhead Fab. Body and Interior Interior upgrades are minimal. Gary added Tuffy center and overhead consoles. He also started with an aftermarket cage kit, that welder Randy Smith customized, tying it into the frame. Gary removed the OE carpet kit and then coated the interior with DIY roll-on bedliner material. The stock tub is still alive. However, Gary gave it the “competition cut.” (He helped organize the Gorilla Run at Hot Springs ORV Park, one of the first rockbouncer competitions and a predecessor to the SRRS.) Other add-ons include tube doors, fenders, and rocker bars that Randy Smith fabricated. Maxxima LED taillights are significantly brighter than stock, and Gary upgraded the nose of the YJ with a Warn 9.5ti winch. Good, Bad, and What It’s For Once purists look beyond the square headlights and stainless brightwork, this YJ provides about as much fun as humanly possible for the amount invested. It is also an integral part of the Wainwright family. Gary says, “My wife almost gave birth to our youngest child in it on her first trip out!” That kid, Cordell, is driving in these photos.

TIME CHECK LETS "LIKE" AND CONTINUE TO "LIKE"

Another Awesome Ride Today!

THE LEMON LAWS

Lemon laws are American State Law that provide a remedy for purchasers of cars and other consumer goods in order to compensate for products that repeatedly fail to meet standards of quality and performance. Although there may be defective products of all sorts ranging from small electrical appliance to huge pieces of machinery, the term "lemon" is generally thought of as applying to defective vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, SUVs, and motorcycles. These vehicles and other goods are called "lemons". The federal lemon law (the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act) was enacted in 1975 and protects citizens of all states. State lemon laws vary by state and may not necessarily cover used or leased cars, and other goods. The rights afforded to consumers by lemon laws may exceed thewarranties expressed in purchase contracts. Lemon law is the common nickname for these laws, but each state has different names for the laws and acts. There are two types of warranties. Express warranties are usually statements in writing such as those provided by the manufacturers in owner's manuals and other written sales or advertising materials, or by a sample or model. Implied warranties are broader in scope and assure consumers that the retail product would meet certain minimum standards of quality whereby the product is fit for use for the purpose intended. In each type the manufacturer assumes the liability and responsibility to correct the defect or to repurchase or replace the product. Typically, the existence, scope and consequence of express and implied warranties is a matter of state law, usually covered by Article II of the Uniform Commercial Code. Federal lemon laws cover anything mechanical. The federal lemon law also provides that the warranter may be obligated to pay the prevailing party's attorney in a successful lemon law suit, as do most state lemon laws.

Basis

At the core of most lemon laws is the manufacturer's breach of warranty. A manufacturer's warranty is what makes the manufacturer legally responsible for repairs to the consumer's vehicle or good. It is a form of guarantee. An expressed warranty is typically a written warranty. An implied warranty, unlike an expressed warranty, is not written. The law imposes these obligations on the manufacturer, the seller or both as a matter of public policy. These vary from state to state. Although each state imposes different requirements for its own consumer lemon laws, a basic condition common to virtually all jurisdictions is that, in order for the lemon law to apply, the automobile or product must have been purchased with a warranty. Products purchased on an "as is" or "with all faults" basis are typically not covered by state or federal lemon laws.

Canada

The Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan (CAMVAP) is the dispute resolution program for Canadians who have problems with the assembly of their vehicle or with how the manufacturer implements its new vehicle warranty. CAMVAP covers new and used, owned and leased vehicles that are from the current model year and up to an additional four model years. CAMVAP is free for consumers, and hearings are held in the consumer's home community. The process normally takes less than 70 days from start to finish. Most consumers are able to handle their own case without the assistance of lawyers. The manufacturers do not use lawyers. Their representatives usually are serving or retired district parts and services representatives. An inspection of the vehicle normally is part of an arbitration hearing and the arbitrator can order a technical inspection of the vehicle at the program's expense if doing so is required. CAMVAP arbitrators can order the manufacturer to buy back the vehicle; repair it at the manufacturer's expense; pay for repairs already completed; or pay out of pocket expenses for items such as towing, diagnostic testing, rental cars and accommodation related to the problem with the vehicle. The arbitrator can also determine that the manufacturer has no liability.  CAMVAP is available in all Canadian Provinces and Territories.

Singapore

A similar "Lemon Law" was passed in Singapore's parliament on September 1, 2012, to strengthen consumer protection laws. Singapore's Lemon Law applies to all goods (including consumables and perishables) but it does not apply to services

Under the law, consumers can report a defective item within six months of delivery and it is the responsibility of the retailer to prove that the defect did not exist at the time of delivery. The consumer may have the option to request for repair or a replacement, and if that is not possible, ask for a reduction in price, or even a refund.

Source: Wikipedia

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Imagine you're an aluminum ingot hot from the smelter, facing all future possibilities!

The can keeping a fistful of beer contained in the griller’s hand. Maybe you’ll be the child’s bat pinging a line drive through his window, or a spar in the wing of the Airbus tattooing the blue sky high overhead. Or are you a gearhead? Sorry, you can’t actually be a gear—most of those jobs go to steel. But you’re needed desperately elsewhere. Engine parts, structural elements, and suspension components have all been cast, extruded, and forged from aluminum for the sake of weight reduction. Or maybe you’re an aesthete, and you’d like to be stamped into a body panel. If you work your way into an Audi TT, you could find meaning in any of these roles. The all-new 2016 TT is the third generation of Audi’s architectural hatchback, and, as before, nearly all of its metal bits—upper body structure, side frames, fenders, doors, hood, roof, hatch, and bumper beams, plus assorted engine and suspension parts—are aluminum. The materials mix shifts around a bit for gen three, though, with steel now used for the engine cradle, floorpan, and firewall. That helps keep weight to 3167 pounds, 25 less than the previous car and 242 less than a similarly sized Volkswagen Golf R, which shares a platform with the TT and similarly packs a turbo 2.0 and four-wheel drive. Powering the new TT is the Volkswagen Group’s redesigned EA888 2.0-liter fourcylinder, which retains the EA888 name but little else aside from bore and stroke. It’s built around a 72-pound iron block that is one of heaviest single pieces of ferrous metal in the car. Integrating the exhaust manifold into the aluminum cylinder head helps the engine get up to operating temperature quickly, reducing startup emissions. In European applications, this engine gets both direct and port fuel injectors, the latter to better mix fuel and air to hitspecific emissions targets. But here in the U.S., where our exhaust requirements are different, it’s not a concern worth the investment, and our TTs are DI only. But it’s still unmistakably the Wolfsburg turbo 2.0, sounding and responding like the engine we’ve experienced in a succession of VW products. Floor it from a stop and there’s a slight delay before its 258 pound-feet of torque peaks at 1600 rpm, and then power piles on smoothly until all 220 horsepower manifests at 6200 rpm. For a car with such an unremarkable powerrating, the TT’s performance is impressive: zero to 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds, with the quarter-mile taking 13.8 seconds at 99 mph. That’s 0.6 second quicker to 60 and 0.6 second more fleet through the quarter than a GTI. Switch the exhaust to dynamic mode, and a sound actuator gives the impression of a deeper exhaust rumble. Shifts from the dual-clutch gearbox are faster and smoother than those of most traditional automatics, and kickdowns are instantaneous. Even in manual mode, flooring the accelerator produces a sixthto- second downshift as fast as a rifle shot. Presently, the only way to get a TT in the U.S. is with DSG and Quattro. If the TT’s straight-line figures are on the verge of sports-car speed, its braking and roadholding are legitimate sports-car performances. And the sensations associated with them are nearly as impressive. Brake feel is excellent. The pedal travels a touch too much, but pressure is consistently firm once the stopping starts. A70-to-zero braking distance of 151 feet betters the 10Best-winning BMW M235i, as well as one of the M4s we’ve tested. As does 0.98 g on the skidpad. Audi’s Drive Select system tweaks steering effort, engine sound, four-wheel-drive engagement, and throttle and transmission mapping. In either comfort or dynamic mode, the steering is linear, progressive, and weights up beautifully. It’s breezy and light in comfort, and barbell-heavy in dynamic. With the shortest wheelbase of any car yet built on Volkswagen’s super-versatile MQB platform, the TT changes direction quite well for a four-wheel driver. The Quattro system can direct 100 percent of engine torque to either the front or rear axle, and switching the system into dynamic mode biases that output to the rear. Under even light throttle (cornering), Quattro directs torque aft, relieving pressure on the nose and allowing the TT to rotate readily. One thing we wish Drive Select could alter is suspension response. (Adjustable dampers will be standard on the forthcoming TTS.) With our car’s optional 19-inch wheels ($1000), the ride was fairly harsh, though not unduly so for a car with handling this direct. We will now switch gears and rant until we’re blue about the TT’s fancy new infotainment system. Cleverly designed to cut the passenger out of the equation entirely, it does away with the central display screen, replacing it with three air vents and one large, reconfigurable panel in front of the driver. There are no mechanical gauges anymore, just a digital tach and speedometer that can shrink as necessary to allow other displays—radio, media, navigation, vehicle settings, and telephone—to take up an inordinate amount of space and driver attention. The driver manipulates these various functions using steering-wheel controls. The passenger can manage them using the central MMI knob and some buttons but can’t see the screen, so there’s little point. Proving how much Audi wants the driver to keep hands on the wheel and use the controls there, the redundant volume knob is positioned just out of reach, in front and to the right of the shifter. Here, though, it is optimally, patronizingly placed for the passenger. (You want something to do, Bradley? Fine. Control the volume.) On Audi’s website, we came across a plug for the system, promising that it would allow the driver to “be informed, not overwhelmed.” Putting four gauges and more than a dozen different icons on one screen, giving the driver some 20 separate things to look at, doesn’t seem like the best way to accomplish that. Just two years ago, we called Audi’s MMI the least frustrating, most user-friendly infotainment system in the entire industry [“Doing IT Right,” January 2014]. As much buzzword momentum as the phrase “distracted driving” has Above: The TT’s clever and obsessively detailed HVAC vents might be the year’samassed, it seems few automakers are actually doing anything to combat it. And by assigning sole responsibility for these secondary systems to the driver, Audi seems to be asking the chain-saw juggler if he can’t also tune the carburetors while he’s at it. At least the air vents that replace the infotainment screen are lovely, although they, too, are wildly complex. Some companies publish exploded imagery to show the various components of their body structures or engines. Audi released a rendering of an air vent exploded to show the 20 or so different parts in each. All the HVAC controls are nested inside the vents. You adjust temperature by turning the knob in the middle of the center vent, and you push it to engage the automatic setting. The knob on the leftmost of the three vents controls fan speed. The knob on the right vent selects air distribution. Both driver and passenger have an outboard vent on the dash near the door handle. Pushing the button in these activates the seat heater. It is a complicated but clever and tidy way to package HVAC controls, and the vents and knobs are satisfyingly graduated and hefty (not unlike our nephew, who mercifully got that wrestling scholarship to Central). Otherwise, the TT’s airy interior is restrained, bordering on the bland—a particular disappointment considering that the first-generation TT touched off a cabindesign renaissance, going so far as to offer baseball-glove stitching on its seats. With a row of toggle switches low on the dash andits clever circular vents, the TT’s interior reminds us of a German Ford Mustang. It’s rendered almost exclusively in a black rubbery material that would be pleasant to plant your face into during a vigorous frontend impact but isn’t otherwise noteworthy. At least the sport seats (another $1000 option) are supremely comfortable. We’re similarly lukewarm on the car’s exterior. The first TT was groundbreaking, unlike anything we’d seen before except maybe in futurist sketches of a reborn Porsche 356. Then the second one was, well, kind of like the first one, but not as shocking. This third generation just looks as if Audi replaced some radiused curves with kinks and called it a day. Unless you park it next to its predecessor, telling them apart is tricky. The TT used to be automotive sculpture; now it’s a small, chunky R8 clone. It’s still pretty and sports some nice detailing but no longer invites the sort of stares the original did. Indeed, we found ourselves feeling somewhat detached from the TT as a whole. It’s a comfortable and capable sports coupe, but it doesn’t offer holistic driver engagement. An example: We’re accustomed to this engine impressing in more-affordable cars, where it feels like an overachiever. In this context, though, it lacks the personality and immediacy of a suitably premium engine, say BMW’s straight-six or even Ford’s 5.0-liter V-8—just two alternatives available near the TT’s base price of $43,825. With options, our tester climbed to $50,600, at which point buyers looking for something thrilling could be tempted to stretch another few grand for a Corvette. And while the TT’s chassis improvements are impressive, with this base car

outcornering and outbraking even the old TT RS, the car itself feels aloof. Despite excellent steering and body control, the data broadcast to the driver’s backside is dominated by reverb from the stiff suspension and large wheels. It’s so stable and planted that it needs more power to come alive and dance. The TTS’s additional 72 horsepower and 22 pound-feet of torque should achieve that, but, despite its looks, a mini R8 this is not. In fact, we’re not quite sure what the TT wants to be. One day, this aluminum ingot may be ground up, melted down, and re-formed into other stuff—maybe several hundred very handsome soup ladles. Meanwhile, it’s no longer serving as the fashion accessory it once was, nor, in this configuration at least, as a true, premium sports car. For now, it’s just a fastidious aluminum dumpling— one rife with possibility.