Online Hot Rod Magazine and Custom Car Pics

Written by Craig Pike Once in a while, some new car technology comes by that’s worth knowing about. The first time I saw that “Around View Monitor” or AVM in the 2008 Infiniti EX35, I was blown away. Before I go much farther, here’s where Infiniti started, with their Infiniti-marquee concept sketch: The car’s well designed on the outside, but I’m writing about what’s inside. In a natural progression, parking safety or near car "visualization" has moved from rear sonar to front & rear sonar to back-up camera. From their, we make the giant leap to AVM or Bird’s Eye camera as I’ve been calling it. Check out this video: How’d they do that? The EX35’s got 4 cameras now, mounted as show in front, rear and each side view mirror. The end result is a computer enhanced, 360 degree view around the car as if looking from above. It makes parallel parking a breeze and you’ll never have to worry about backing over something unseen from the driver’s seat. I think with a view like this, my wife might not park too close to my hot rod in...

Some how while trying to make this website and taking care of my family, I'm also working on my Pinto Powered 27 Ford Roadster, "Bonnie". I thought I'd update everyone on the progress. I'm doing this so that all of the 230 users of My Ride is Me will do the same! We're talking to our web designer about how to show EVERYONE's blogs all in one place. That way, we can all keep up with what's new. First off, here's the car... if you haven't seen it yet, I haven't done enough self promotion! (hardly possible) This is what it looked like before the 2006 Goodguy's show. That red paint you see on the header is GONE (as soon as it got hot!) and the car hasn't been that clean since! Plus, the paint (primer really) had faded here and there unevenly, so here's what I'm trying to finish before the show: 1) Custom dual Weber 44 IDF carbs. Here's a few pics: The idea here is best said by the guys at Inglese: Weber-carbureted engine to idle smoother, have a slicker "feel" to it a low speeds...

I was hoping Janne Kutja, our friend from Finland would add more of his Chip Foose-likework to his garage here at MyRideisMe.com. His garage is looking good. Here's more about Janne, in his own words: I'm Janne Kutja born in 1980 in southern Finland. I grew up there in small village, and got interested in cars was little kid. I used to draw my own car models back then, I didn't look at any pictures. I guess that's the reason I got interested in hot rods and customs. Hot rod magazines then fed my hunger and customs were the most interesting, especially when I saw Cadzzilla on the cover of the Finnish Street & Race Magazine (RIP), that was and still is really a huge hit. I did build model cars but I couldn't find time, so focused more on artwork. I've drawn cars quite actively 12 years or so. I build cars too, but haven't had time or money to do it much lately. My favorite's sheetmetal work when it comes to building cars, and I even have chopped half dozen cars, some of them with my brother....

Welding to Win with Joe Gibbs Racing® Courtesy of Lincoln Electric Hidden along a tree-lined parkway of unmarked office buildings in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina, lies a brand new steel-and-glass white structure that could be home to any number of corporations in any industry. But through the main door it becomes clear that this is something more than an insurance agency or software firm. It's home to Joe Gibbs Racing®, bejeweled in trophies, racing jackets and display cases literally filled with artifacts from the nation's fastest growing sport. Past the receptionist, across the main lobby, an observation deck overlooks one of the most advanced auto shops in the world. Through a panel of high windows is a conspicuous absence of grease stained floors and stray tools. Instead, the vast open space of more than 150,000 square feet shines in pristine white and better resembles an operating room than a fabrication shop. It's a virtual racecar laboratory, where engineers work side-by-side with master fabricators to create the fastest machines possible within the guidelines established by their sport. Those team fabricators, in turn, rely on the welding experts at Lincoln Electric®...

It was my pleasure to meet Kirk Wright of Scottsdale, AZ at the Scottsdale Pavilion's show. We started talking about my car, a 27 Ford Roadster and the the 2.3L Pinto motor I run. Then Kirk started telling me about some of his cars. After hearing about the Model T 'banger motors he was building, I set up a meeting at his house to see what he's up to. His card says AAA Typewriter Service on it, so I didn't know what I was getting into. I got into this: If you're into nostalgia racing or old-OLD time hot rodding, or just really into Model T's, then you just spilled your beer. You're looking at a one of kind Hemi headed model T engine. The valve cover is also a unique piece. It's a modified original Ardun valve cover. Kirk added extra room to clear the custom made aluminum roller rockers. Displacing 190 cu. in, Kirk expects this engine to put out about 320Hp. Don't believe it? Kirk's basing that number on another T engine he's built and dyno'd. That's in another T pickup that Kirk's owned since 1951...

The world wide web is truly world wide! So far, for the 6 days in October, MyRideisMe.com has been visited by 45 countries. Even Kazakhstan! No joke! The countries that visit us most from outside the US in October are the Netherlands, Australia, France and Germany, so far. I think our friend Dirk Behlau from Germany (pixleyle.de) has been helping us spread the word and I hope Mark from the National Association of Street Clubs will help us get some more members from the United Kingdom. You can see Mark and his wife Yvonne's garage here.   For our first full month of operation, September, we had 66 total countries visit us. The tops were the Netherlands, Canada, France and Finland.It's great to see what's happening around the world for hot rods and bikes. It's cool that some styles are universal and carry over, but there's always something different to be found when innovative people use what's available. Check out this ride from Hamburg, Germany. It's from our friend Ralf over at Chromjuwelen. He's taken1972 Pontiac LeMans Coupe and transplanted a Toyota Supra (7M-GTE) engine! Here's his garage. His...

After selling both the Nissan 240SX race cars he had owned and saying, "I'm not getting another race car..." Brady Dohrmann of Tempe, AZ picked up this race prepped BMW M3. I work with Brady, so it was only natural to make him the first officially sponsored MyRideisMe.com race car! It also helps that with his previous cars, Brady pretty much won every event he raced in and was featured in a couple of magazines. He won his class at the 9/22-23 Track Day at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) and was 3rd overall. It's a big responsibility being Brady's sponsor. We had to show up late and bring 3 cold Burger King Whopper Jr's. With backing like that, I'm sure Brady will continue to be successful. To see more pictures of Brady's car, check out his Brady's garage. To see all the pictures I took from the race, go HERE: If anyone would like the high res photos, please get in touch. There yours...

Ever wondered what it looked like inside the cylinder of your favorite hot rod or sport bike? Check out this video: High Speed Video of 4 Stroke engine   SORRY! The video was made private....

Courtesy of Lincoln Electric TIG WELD 4130! The Lincoln Electric Company, Welding Services. June 2000 Yes, you can TIG weld 4130 tubing up to .120" wall thickness easily with the techniques and procedures described in this bulletin. Answered are the top ten most frequently asked questions about TIG welding 4130 Chrome-Moly. These attached procedures apply to typical sporting applications such as experimental airplanes, racing car frames, roll cages, go-carts, bicycles, and motorcycle frames. The suitability of these techniques and procedures must be evaluated for your specific application. Q. Can I weld 4130 using the TIG process? A. Yes, 4130 Chrome-Moly has been TIG welded in the aerospace and aircraft industries for years. As with all welding, proper procedures and techniques must be followed. Q. Do I need to pre-heat? A. Thin wall tubing (< 0.120" wall) applications do not typically require the normal 300ºF to 400ºF pre-heat to obtain acceptable results. However, tubing should be at room temperature (70ºF) or above before welding. Q. What filler material do I use? A. Although there are several good filler materials, ER80S-D2, is one you should consider. This filler material is capable...

My man Mr. Freeze out of Gilbert, AZ is a friend to MyRideisMe.com. He's just purchased this Chevy Cab over engine (COE) that's got a 455 Olds Toronado FRONT WHEEL DRIVE powertrain under it. This is going to be good! Check out Mr. Freeze's garage for a look at the work he does. He's not a full time builder but he spends alot of time out in the garage. Can't wait to see it come together!   The truck's built now... check out some pictures and a keyless ignition install here....

Plasma Cutting: Determining if it's Right for You and What to Look for in a Machine Introduction Do you need a cutting tool for occasional repair and maintenance work? Have you recently embarked on a new project that requires higher cutting volumes? Or, are you looking for a new alternative to your current mechanical saw? All of these scenarios provide great reasons to investigate plasma cutting. With the cost of machines on the decline, smaller-sized, portable machines flooding the market and technology offering increased benefits and easier usage -- it may be time to take a serious look at plasma for your cutting applications. The benefits of plasma cutting include ease of use, higher quality cuts and faster travel speeds. What is Plasma Cutting Technology? In simplest terms, plasma cutting is a process that uses a high velocity jet of ionized gas that is delivered from a constricting orifice. The high velocity ionized gas, that is, the plasma, conducts electricity from the torch of the plasma cutter to the work piece. The plasma heats the workpiece, melting the material. The high velocity stream of ionized gas mechanically blows the...

How To Successfully Weld Aluminum with a Compact MIG Welder from Lincoln Electric By Jim Harris®, Product Manager, The Lincoln Electric Company and Frank Armao, Group Leader, Non Ferrous Applications, The Lincoln Electric Company When it comes to welding aluminum items around the home or garage, there are a few misconceptions we hope to clear up: 1) That you need to invest in a $4,000 welding machine and be highly skilled to have success; 2) With no practice you can make excellent welds the first time the wire feed welder is taken out of the box; and 3) You need an expensive spool gun suited for aluminum. The truth is that with practice, the right equipment and proper set-up, a compact MIG welder will be able to tackle occasional aluminum welding jobs. Using your MIG welder, you will be able to work on a variety of items around your home and yard, such as grills, railings, backyard furniture, boat docks and even decorative elements. Compact MIG welders, such as the SP, Weld-Pak or Pro models from Lincoln Electric, are available at distributors and retail outlets. A Word About Aluminum...