traumadog

^^^ What do you think is the case in America today, when one of the most popular shows on TV declares a winner by figuring out who has screwed the others more effectively (Survivor - the ratings winner for 5/11/08)? I mean, what's more emblematic of the "what's in it for me" culture in America than that? And this is probably the same reason that GM/Ford/Chrysler can't duplicate Toyota's results, even though Toyota has openly shared their keireitsu philosophy.

Apparently, the Fusion is to get the 6AT as well... http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...0337/1148/rss25

Okay - so the cartilage next to the tendons of the rotator cuff are torn. I guess both are managed the same, regardless.

Just curious - and I didn't see it... Does the expansion of the 6-speed auto in the Malibu mean that the hybrid gets it too? I'd wonder what that would do to the hybrid's fuel economy numbers... And it's too bad they're dropping the MT from the Cobalt sedan, but I guess it's true that there are so few buyers of it nowadays, despite a bump in MPG for them.

Just my $0.02 - I'd think that adding the BAS "hybrid" system could add to that without losing alot in weight.

For those that wonder why they still have the 3.5 VVT - if you look, they still have the 3.9 VVT in the convertible, too. Now why they don't switch to the 3.6 for the 'vert is beyond me. And for my $0.02 - I wouldn't mind a G6 GXP Coupe with the LNF (maybe uprated to 300 hp?)/6A/Saab XWD...

They're saving that for the G8 GXP, apparently.

FWIW - I know what your pain is like - it's happened to me, twice. I had an '89 Grand Am SE stolen from my apartment in NJ - the guy peeled out in front of a cop and wrecked it heading into Camden, NJ. The cops lost the guy. I still have my '81 Eldorado - was stolen from the East Orange VA in NJ - and was found in Newark a week later. Both batteries were stolen (posts were ripped out) , as well as the stock radio, speakers, retracting antenna, hubcaps and interior light bulbs (!?!). An engineer's transit was in the back (gone) and the trunk was filled with dirty pipes. I'd bet that the thieves would still be using it if it weren't diesel and diesel being tough to get in the middle of Newark. On top of that, I got charged several days' "storage fees" from the impound lot that the Newark PD used, even though it took them that long to call me. And yes, since the car had trashed tires, they fork-lifted the thing around, wrecking the side paint. In any case, I got it back. And even though I drove it home, I wound up replacing the engine block soon after that, too.

Hmm... I got one because it was one of the most inexpensive nice V8 6-speed coupes I could get.

So my question stands - though now I'd be looking for Vauxhall parts...

So the big question is - can you get me parts? lol Congrats!

I wonder if Toyota decides to hold off on the HD Tundra in the face of the new CAFE regs. A large truck is probably not where they want to go with a 35-MPG mandate over their heads.

No - I'm not. I'm way upstate - though I've heard of that guy (I think he sold it though).

IIRC, the two blocks I have are both DX blocks, so I should be good there. Big thing I guess is to find some ARP hardware to replace the head bolts, though that's not a priority for me ATM.

Which is funny, because my mom bought new a 1987 Continental ( and still has it). My 'rents also dabbled in a Hyundai and a Ford LTD wagon, though now owns a '00 Jimmy and a '02 Grand Am. Mine is currently 4/4 GM, though not all bought "new" - the Saturn was used.

Dunno - but I do know they only made 11,765 Eldorados with the diesel that year, so I'm in pretty rare company already. I also have a spare block in my garage, too. I'm just hoping I don't have to take it off the road anytime soon.

Just to bring back parts of an old thread... I wonder how the Holden Coupe 60's reception is altering plans for production of a new Monaro. I guess, depending on production capacities, I'd hate to think that a low-volume coupe with a V8 (read: G8 GTO) would affect CAFE too much. Besides, isn't showing off a hot concept coupe the way Holden got the green light to make the last Monaro anyway? Here's to hoping...

Hey - the 350 diesel only lasted a few years too. Makes me wonder how hard it'll be if I'll have to scrounge for parts.

My last car is a '02 Trailblazer EXT... It's the wife's car, and as such, not much is done to it except for lowering springs (~2" drop all around). I've also been tweaking it some with my EFILive, especially since gas is now close to $3.50 a gallon here...

I also have a "project car" for my son. Mind you - this car isn't meant to be a big-boost project or anything - it's really meant as a "car care 101" for my 14-year-old. That being said, we've done quite a few things... Here's where it was when we bought it (at 160k miles) - it was owned by a girl not long out of college, who owned it since high school: First, some basic maintenance was done - change oil/trans fluid & new filters, as well as recharged the A/C. We also replaced a worn upper-engine mount, and since it also seemed to be "overheating", we replaced the engine coolant temp sensor as well (apparently a common problem). Then came the somewhat harder stuff. First, new brakes all around. The originals were worn well into the backing plates and were grinding badly. Did some bodywork - including fixing the headlights... it's amazing how much these things can rust: And next, the exhaust... many parts on it were rusted, and the flex-pipe was even gone: Here's a shot of the entire cat-back, rusted out in several places We also added some electric door locks to the SC2 - got the actuators and wiring from an old SL that was being junked. We wired the actuators into the remote start that came with the car. Missed the pics of the outer door skin off, but it was a royal pain getting 14-year-old rusted bolts out. Threading the wiring into the passenger compartment was a pain, too. We also decided against installing the internal door lock switches, as reaching across for a 2-door isn't that hard. And besides, both locks are wired to lock/unlock together. As for what else, we're waiting for warm weather to install the "new" item - a '92 header...

As for my other cars, I also have a "garage queen"... My pimp-tastic 1981 Cadillac Eldorado 5.7L Diesel This is my rolling monument to GM stupidity... It is currently unrestored, but has had repairs from being stolen... it does have its original Burgundy Metallic paint on the doors, though the hood, trunk and fenders were repainted. Even unmodded, it made AutoBlog's Reader Ride of the Day too. And, the saga that goes with this car made it on Cadillac's site MyCadillacStory... A listing of my big changes: Exterior: Stock Interior: Stock Electronics: Wired for CB, Sony 3x10 rear deck, 4x6 front speakers w/OEM head unit (old speakers were stolen) "Performance": Touring Package tires (225/70R15 tires), Performance Friction pads on stock 4-rotor brakes, K&N Air Filter. And as it sits, it's probably the last Diesel Cadillac in NY.

Just wanted to drop a line in here... figured I'd peek in here to see how things go. Anyhow, my house is pretty much a GM house, with products from three decades and four divisions. My main car is my 2004 Pontiac GTO in silver, now almost completed with the process of a LHD Holden Monaro conversion (only missing some seat covers). Some pics: The exterior: Underhood - I tried my hand at airbrushing some Corvette fuel rail covers: List of mods: Engine: * K&N AirCharger short-ram intake & baffle * Hand ported/polished throttle-body w/ coolant bypass * NGK TR55IX Iridium Spark Plugs (gap to 0.055 inch) * Taylor "409" 10.4mm wires * EFILive street tune in progress... Transmission: * B&M Ripper short-shifter kit * Royal Purple Synchromax (transmission fluid) * =! CAGS via EFILive Exhaust: * DynaTech long-tube headers w/ cats * SLP Power-Flo stainless cat-back Suspension/Brakes/Wheels: * Hotchkis front/rear adjustable swaybars * Pedders heavy-duty front end-links * Pedders front "radius rod" bushings * Delco Durastop front pads (Corvette C5 size) * Front PowerSlot rotors w/ painted calipers * Stock 18x8 & 235/40/18 Bridgestone RE040s * (winter) Stock 17x8 wheels & 225/50/17 Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 Body: * 2005 Monaro VZ front bumper and fender side markers * Gravana Tuning Type-W ("Woodward") hood * Monaro/Commodore SS molded splash guards (painted Silver) * Deleted spoiler, filled/painted stock holes * Replaced Pontiac badging with Holden emblems front, rear, door sills, wheel centers and dash * Vauxhall Monaro instrument cluster gauge faces, in black Interior/Electronics: * Installed homemade dead pedal * Hard-wired Valentine One radar detector w/ mount next to interior rear-view mirror Pending install: * 2005 OEM calipers w/ Monaro decals & Russell braided SS brake lines (320mm vs 296 mm diameter rotors, now just sitting in my garage) * ATE Super Blue Racing (brake fluid for the caliper swap) * port/polish LS1 heads (OEM 241 casting) * PFYC/Banshee "split-dual exhaust" rear bumper inserts The net-net - last dyno 8/13/06, untuned: And for those that might be interested, I've done some autocrossing in it, too. It's been an Autoblog Reader's Ride of the Day Autoblog link: And I even got a mini-magazine write-up in GMHTP, too.