BobDrye

Thanks Jerry!!!!!!

If a Hummer gets 6.25mpg, then to travel 100 miles it consumes 2048 ounces of fuel. A vehicle that gets 25mpg consumes 512 ounces. At 50mpg the requirement is 256 ounces, or almost a 90% reduction in consumption. For a manufacturer to have a fleet average of 35mpg it's going to have to sell a lot of 50mpg cars. What will they look like?

Jack Bauer could go for hours.

Happy Birthday

Since states have the autonomy to control the dealer franchise laws in their particular state, these changes don’t have to happen at the federal level. If just one large state opened up their eligibility criteria regarding the retailing of new cars, other states would have to follow suit as buyers flocked to that state and the improved retail model. The states get a lot of money from the tax revenue that comes from auto sales and no state wants to lose that money, so… In Europe they started this, (Block Exemptions) but it never really happened. The requirements that the manufactures’ required for the independents to do warranty repairs were so great that none could meet them.

It appears that a Chrysler Dealership is in the same town. I would suspect that Chrysler Corp gave them a higher priority. It still sucks as this Dodge Dealership was not having financial problems. They could’ve been given more than a month to find another brand. I still have problems with federal laws taking precedent over state laws.

Letter from a Dodge dealer letter to the editor My name is George C. Joseph. I am the sole owner of Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu, a family owned and operated business in Melbourne, Florida. My family bought and paid for this automobile franchise 35 years ago in 1974. I am the second generation to manage this business. We currently employ 50+ people and before the economic slowdown we employed over 70 local people. We are active in the community and the local chamber of commerce. We deal with several dozen local vendors on a day to day basis and many more during a month. All depend on our business for part of their livelihood. We are financially strong with great respect in the market place and community. We have strong local presence and stability. I work every day the store is open, nine to ten hours a day. I know most of our customers and all our employees. Sunshine Dodge is my life. On Thursday, May 14, 2009 I was notified that my Dodge franchise, that we purchased, will be taken away from my family on June 9, 2009 without compensation and given to another dealer at no cost to them. My new vehicle inventory consists of 125 vehicles with a financed balance of 3 million dollars. This inventory becomes impossible to sell with no factory incentives beyond June 9, 2009. Without the Dodge franchise we can no longer sell a new Dodge as "new," nor will we be able to do any warranty service work. Additionally, my Dodge parts inventory, (approximately $300,000.) is virtually worthless without the ability to perform warranty service. There is no offer from Chrysler to buy back the vehicles or parts inventory. Our facility was recently totally renovated at Chrysler's insistence, incurring a multi-million dollar debt in the form of a mortgage at Sun Trust Bank. HOW IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CAN THIS HAPPEN? THIS IS A PRIVATE BUSINESS NOT A GOVERNMENT ENTITY This is beyond imagination! My business is being stolen from me through NO FAULT OF OUR OWN. We did NOTHING wrong. This atrocity will most likely force my family into bankruptcy. This will also cause our 50+ employees to be unemployed. How will they provide for their families? This is a total economic disaster. HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN IN A FREE MARKET ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? I beseech your help, and look forward to your reply. Thank you. Sincerely, George C. Joseph President & Owner Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu

Daimler AG has acquired an equity stake of nearly 10 percent of California electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc., the German automaker said Tuesday. The two companies have been working together to integrate Tesla's lithium-ion battery packs and charging electronics into the first 1,000 units of Daimler's electric Smart car. Daimler said its stake in Tesla will allow the companies to collaborate even more closely on the development of battery systems, electric drive systems and in individual vehicle projects. "Our strategic partnership is an important step to accelerate the commercialization of electric drives globally," said Thomas Weber, Daimler's head of research. Tesla, based in San Carlos, Calif., is the only production automaker selling a highway-capable electric vehicle in North America and Europe. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the lithium-ion pouch-cell battery developed by Daimler is of interest to Tesla. "We are looking forward to a strategic cooperation in a number of areas including leveraging Daimler's engineering, production and supply chain expertise," Musk said in a statement. "This will accelerate bringing our Tesla Model S to production." As part of the collaboration, Herbert Kohler, Daimler's vice president of E-Drive and Future Mobility, will get a Tesla board seat

MoPho: My shop is 16 miles south of Wash, DC. I'm 1 block from I-95, and could go north or south @ 200mph for 5 miles or more on a 8 lanes. The mountians are 45 minutes away so I spend most of my time on flat straight roads. Acceleration is a nice fix!

Loren: Excitment begins @ 500! It's fun when you can blow the tires out in 3rd and....4th gear.

Sorry I haven’t had a scenic run out for ages, so these are taken in my drive/sisters house When I said that you need some dirt on it I was addressing the above comment. I've been polishing my 7 for the past week trying to get ready for Carlisle this weekend. If it rains I'll have to do it all over again. WELCOME!!!

I'm just a "Red Neck" and we say that 2.5 lbs per hp is just right! We like mud and Sprint Cars are @ 1.5 My sister is pregnant and I am all excited, I didn't know what sex the baby is going to be and I'm anxiously waiting to see if I will be an Aunt or an Uncle. lol.

Welcome, but you need some dirt on that 7.

Gary: Just take the conopy off your RV4 and you'll be fine.

I'm going to say that the picture is of a Mitsubishi TD04L-14T-6 Volvo Turbo.

Hank: Are you using a kit?

What weapon do you want me to bring?

A non turbo Busa engine develops about 100 ft lbs of torque. Why not try to find something very light?

Martin: I like the look. I was reading today about the Beach Boys. After all of their car songs it appears that they didn't know anything about cars, and never went to the races.

Is this a "Hot Rod"?

What's the ratio, what does it weight, and most important, how many foot pounds of torque are you going to punish it with? Ask 7evin!

I like to think that some of us graduated!!!!!!!!

Scannon: You deffinally pushed my button. Carlisle is next weekend and I'm trying to make my aluminum shine like the afternoon sun. You have put things in prostective! I wish I could say thanks.

Jerry I still remember the bill after paying for the QA1s.

David Planakis will ride with me. He is building a 5.0 powered 7 of his own design, and is about finished with the frame, suspension and running gear. He owns a repair shop in Fredericksburg, Va and started building the 7 after leaving road racing. He's quite a brain trust, and is always helpful.