The Official Hot Rod Thread - Part 4: Burnouts for Distance

[maxwelhse]

Personally, I will hold out and burn dinosaurs as long as I can. I absolutely HATE electric/hybrids. As an auto technician, I NEVER wanted to be an electrician let alone deal with the same level of electricity as a lineman.
Our fleet of hybrid Toyota Camry's has dropped since battery packs started needing replaced. I think our cost was something like 10k per unit. For city driving there wasn't near as much cost savings as was promised. More often than not the cars were running on the gas engine/generator anyway.

As a hobbyist mechanic, half of the appeal of an EV is that I won't touch it. I don't really want a hybrid. I'd like a full EV appliance that I can use up and throw away like I would a toaster, but an insanely fast toaster.

Pretty much my entire life I've had to work on my drivers with more frequency than I'd like and at some point the line between drivers and toys gets too blurry and wrenching starts being a chore.

And... I'm not expecting to have anyone watching my back for me as I grow older and I'm eventually going to need the car to drive itself. I may as well get my feet wet while I'm alert enough to understand what is going on. There are dino cars that will sort of self drive, but that's very clearly not where the heart of the technology is.

 

[thunderchicken]

I was a test engineer for the hybrid transmission for the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade for about seven years. I’m just curious if you know what the battery pack for one of those behemoths goes for. We always figured it’d be almost as much as the truck, but none of us could afford to buy one anyway so it didn’t matter much.

No, I have no idea how much a battery pack for one of those would be. I'm sure it would be incredibly expensive though

 

[churchmouse]

No, I have no idea how much a battery pack for one of those would be. I'm sure it would be incredibly expensive though

I have seen shops break into those packs.
they are insanely complicated and seriously dangerous.

 

[thunderchicken]

As a hobbyist mechanic, half of the appeal of an EV is that I won't touch it. I don't really want a hybrid. I'd like a full EV appliance that I can use up and throw away like I would a toaster, but an insanely fast toaster.

Pretty much my entire life I've had to work on my drivers with more frequency than I'd like and at some point the line between drivers and toys gets too blurry and wrenching starts being a chore.

And... I'm not expecting to have anyone watching my back for me as I grow older and I'm eventually going to need the car to drive itself. I may as well get my feet wet while I'm alert enough to understand what is going on. There are dino cars that will sort of self drive, but that's very clearly not where the heart of the technology is.

I can kind of understand where you are coming from. But I fail to see how everyone ending up with "throw away" EV's can be a good solution long term.
I just don't see any of it as being as beneficial economically or environmentally as they are pushing it as. Nothing is ever as it seems

 

[thunderchicken]

I have seen shops break into those packs.
they are insanely complicated and seriously dangerous.

Indeed
I know a guy that is really into hybrid/EV technology. He has a Honda that has a bad cell in the battery pack. The cells are available individually but pretty much nobody wants to mess with it because they are so complicated. This guy taught advanced electrical and hybrid technology classes as well as alternative fuels classes for 11yrs for one of the big tech training schools. He helped write training materials for Snap-on and was involved in writing ASE testing for alt fuel vehicles. So he really isn't some hack. But, he has resolved that he will just ignore the warning lamp for the battery pack until the car is basically dead, because the battery pack replacement cost exceeds the value of the car even though it's only like 5yrs old. To me, that is crazy.
Not everyone can afford to buy a new car every 4 or 5 yrs.
This stuff is very complex and intimidating and will be crazy expensive to get worked on

 

[indyblue]

I wouldn't want be in an accident in an EV, particularly a T-bone. There are so many instances of batteries exploding into flames after an accident that some fire depts. don't yet know how to deal with them, can't just squirt water on 'em or move them. Some are just left to burn themselves out for hours before the wreckage can be removed from the roadway safely.

There's a lot of energy that can be released quickly in those batteries and I am uninterested in EV until the tech needed to mitigate the reactions caused by the breaching of batteries is solid.

And you will not be able (or maybe even allowed) to modify or DIY repair them just like John Deer. Everything will be locked by software/firmware. Screw that!

 

[woowoo2]

On the electric car topic, one of the podcasts I listen to (Everyday Driver), the hosts are huge fans of the little Chevy Bolt.

GM is replacing the battery pack in all of them.
Seems that they like to catch on fire.

 

[maxwelhse]

I can kind of understand where you are coming from. But I fail to see how everyone ending up with "throw away" EV's can be a good solution long term.
I just don't see any of it as being as beneficial economically or environmentally as they are pushing it as. Nothing is ever as it seems

Oh, it isn't beneficial at all to anything that way its being done now. It will end in a giant disaster for all of us. But if the hippies that are already destroying everything are going to force it on us, I'm going to take advantage of it too. If I'm doing the time, I'm doing the crime without remorse. These are the same turds that are getting the EPA to shut down speed shops. Hey, if those are the games they want to pay, I'll go faster with a way worse environmental decision.

Or, that's the theory.

 

[maxwelhse]

I wouldn't want be in an accident in an EV, particularly a T-bone. There are so many instances of batteries exploding into flames after an accident that some fire depts. don't yet know how to deal with them, can't just squirt water on 'em or move them. Some are just left to burn themselves out for hours before the wreckage can be removed from the roadway safely.

There's a lot of energy that can be released quickly in those batteries and I am uninterested in EV until the tech needed to mitigate the reactions caused by the breaching of batteries is solid.

And you will not be able (or maybe even allowed) to modify or DIY repair them just like John Deer. Everything will be locked by software/firmware. Screw that!

In general, death is the least of my concerns. I drive 25+ year old cars on a daily basis now. I may as well put wheels on a casket by comparison to anything modern, including EVs.

As for locking customers out of them, I don't agree with it but that's also the least of my concerns. I'm expressly interested in one so I won't fiddle with it. I have more wrenching to do right now than I will likely live long enough to accomplish. I'm to the point that I only want to work on the things I enjoy working on. Fixing crap so I can drive to work the next day isn't something I enjoy all that much. Someone else can do that. I'm trying to put a plan together to get through maybe the next 30 or so years and then kick off. I'm pretty sure an EV is in those cards for me.

 

[thunderchicken]

More than most realize, manufacturers have already locked down software/firmware.
I work at one of the city garages. Even though the city has bought software/firmware access from Ford, Dodge and GM we are still given limited access to some stuff. The GM program give access to only, only be able to update or reprogram 3 modules in a years time. So we have a fleet of Chevy trucks that once we have replaced any combination of 3 (ABS, ECU etc) modules or perfom an ECU update per a TSB, we are locked out and have to send vehicles to the dealer for those services. Dodge sold the city an entire system that required special equipment to run their diagnostic equipment and then just a year later it was phased out and we have had to resort to using a hotspot on a cell phone to connect to Dodge's dealer connect service to get the system to connect with their servers. Sometimes we have cars parked 3 or 4 days while we get connection problems corrected. Ford's the most open with info and access. Our only limitations are what our laptops capabilities are. Their oasis/up fitter access is the easiest to use too.

 

[maxwelhse]

Talk about an unlikely hotrod. A 1976 Buick Deuce-and-a-Quarter. That car is what the poors drove when I was in high school in the 90s, and me being among the poors, I related.

This must be what the older guys felt like when tri-5s started showing up in odd places.

 

[churchmouse]

Talk about an unlikely hotrod. A 1976 Buick Deuce-and-a-Quarter. That car is what the poors drove when I was in high school in the 90s, and me being among the poors, I related.

This must be what the older guys felt like when tri-5s started showing up in odd places.

Hey I like it.
right in line with the Donkmaster insanity but a daily

 

[churchmouse]

More than most realize, manufacturers have already locked down software/firmware.
I work at one of the city garages. Even though the city has bought software/firmware access from Ford, Dodge and GM we are still given limited access to some stuff. The GM program give access to only, only be able to update or reprogram 3 modules in a years time. So we have a fleet of Chevy trucks that once we have replaced any combination of 3 (ABS, ECU etc) modules or perfom an ECU update per a TSB, we are locked out and have to send vehicles to the dealer for those services. Dodge sold the city an entire system that required special equipment to run their diagnostic equipment and then just a year later it was phased out and we have had to resort to using a hotspot on a cell phone to connect to Dodge's dealer connect service to get the system to connect with their servers. Sometimes we have cars parked 3 or 4 days while we get connection problems corrected. Ford's the most open with info and access. Our only limitations are what our laptops capabilities are. Their oasis/up fitter access is the easiest to use too.

You and I saw this coming with the ECU and factory monitors and Ta-Da here we are.

 

[maxwelhse]

Hey I like it.
right in line with the Donkmaster insanity but a daily

I like it too. Not sure I'd want to financially support a 600hp 4500lb car as a daily driver though. I do think it's awesome the guy kept it all Buick.

You and I saw this coming with the ECU and factory monitors and Ta-Da here we are.

Another reason why I'm considering just succumbing entirely to the beast and going electric. No reason to even pretend I'm gonna work on it.

And I have 4, or maybe 5, "forever" cars right now with 3 needing extensive multi-year restorations. I'll have no shortage of fossil fuel things to play with.

Speaking of, since I'm temporarily lifting my self-imposed INGO embargo and way over-particpating (as expected), my Fox cleaned up a lot better than reality this spring so I'll let it tell you lies in this picture...



(The Jeep is telling is a pretty tall tale too... but I'll take it)

 

[churchmouse]

I like it too. Not sure I'd want to financially support a 600hp 4500lb car as a daily driver though. I do think it's awesome the guy kept it all Buick.



Another reason why I'm considering just succumbing entirely to the beast and going electric. No reason to even pretend I'm gonna work on it.

And I have 4, or maybe 5, "forever" cars right now with 3 needing extensive multi-year restorations. I'll have no shortage of fossil fuel things to play with.

Speaking of, since I'm temporarily lifting my self-imposed INGO embargo and way over-particpating (as expected), my Fox cleaned up a lot better than reality this spring so I'll let it tell you lies in this picture...

View attachment 154202

(The Jeep is telling is a pretty tall tale too... but I'll take it)

Actually glad to see you posting again.

 

[maxwelhse]

Actually glad to see you posting again.

I'm glad the lights are still on the mouse is still kicking!

It's a weird time of year for me so I welcome the distraction. I'll have to put the INGO pipe down and get back to work soon. This has the potential to be the first year in... so many I can't remember, that I have a shot at getting all of my stuff ready for winter and then getting the summer stuff ready over the winter. If I play my cards just right, I might even be able to work on stuff just for fun next summer. I'm not sure if I even understand that feeling anymore.

 

[maxwelhse]

 

[churchmouse]

How basic and simple.

 

[Bigtanker]

Here is the first one on that subject.

 

[churchmouse]

Here is the first one on that subject.

Sharp cat