Your Muscle Car Needs Pypes Exhaust!

June 2nd, 2009

Before I start this blog, I want to clarify that I have no affiliation with the Pypes Performance Exhaust company, nor is this a sponsored blog or link exchange thingie.

I will admit that I did have a business relationship with Pypes founder Chris Casperson a few years ago, but that was only as a writing gig. I was writing the newsletters for his Performance Years website and forums. That short period showed me the type of person and businessman Casperson is.

First off, in case you are unfamiliar with Pypes, or are looking for a high-performance exhaust system you should know that Pypes supplies complete performance exhaust systems for American performance vehicles ranging from the 1950’s to present.  Most of their systems include a custom designed X-pipe, or crossover, at a considerably lower price than others that include no crossover at all or just a basic balance tube with their systems.

Pypes also performance-matches systems with a choice of 4 distinct mufflers to best suit your horsepower and sound requirements, rather than forcing you to buy one type of technology that may not be best for your application.

What makes Pypes even better is that they are the only company in the industry that stocks fully-polished aluminum ceramic systems.

We sweat the details – from our sales staff to our unique products, from our unique packaging, ‘real’ instructions and post sale technical support, you will get a fresh new look that you haven’t experienced from other exhaust companies. pypes

Now let’s get to Casperson. It’s my own opinion that Chris doesn’t get the recognition in the classic car hobby’s support industry as others do. This is a shame, because he’s a very nice guy and in my own dealings with him, I found him to be fair and honest – not just with me and our buisness, but with his customers, employees and the thousands who use his Performance Years tech forums every day. (While it’s a great way to boost his business, the people who utilize the PY forum have no clue how expensive it is to run a huge forum on a commercial server and have a full-time webmaster to boot.)

So, what we have here is a fair and honest company, selling a superior product with tremendous customer support.

What more could you ask for?

I recommend Pypes to my readers and friends. If you need an exhaust system for your classic car — go see ‘em at PypesExhaust.com

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Heading North? FL Car Shows are Too Hot in Summer!

May 26th, 2009

It’s getting too darn hot in Florida now…

I’m looking at car shows in Atlanta, Richmond, Dayton, OH and Syracuse, NY.

syracuseshowThere’s a Super Chevy Show at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA on June 5th-7th. Then there’s a big antique car show at Richmond Raceway Complex in Richmond, VA on June 20th. Beyond that there’s a combined POCI (Pontiac-Oakland Club Int’l) and GTOAA (GTO Association of America) in Dayton 0n 7/7 and the Syracuse Hot Rod Nationals on July 17th-19th.

These shows would take me north during the hottest months in Florida. Not that I wouldn’t be home for most of the summer, but these events…gradually creeping nor’ward, would certainly make it easier for me to check out several thousand muscle cars this summer while promoting Mac’s Wax!

The trouble will be in coordinating these and getting my wax , polish and other items stocked while on the road.

But heading north seems like a fun time. I just hope my dog won’t go neurotic on me while I’m MIA!

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My Mopar Mishap

May 17th, 2009

A few stupid notions kept me from enjoying the incredible Challenger RT and a Cuda 440.

You’ve probably noticed a heavy-lean toward GM-built muscle cars in the Big Block Blog. This is because, for most of my life, I’ve been a big fan of the GM A-Body cars and the F-Body as well. My pride in owning (at different times) 2 GTOs, a Trans Am, an Olds 442 and an Impala SS, is a testament to my GM brand-loyalty.

It’s not that I didn’t like or enjoy the notion of owning a Ford Mustang Mach I, or a Dodge Challenger RT, or the menacing, growling Plymouth ‘Cuda 440. I also toyed with the notion of purchasing a Javelin AMX. Many times.

I was also a fan of the way-too-fun Roadrunner, (a 383, 4-bbl. would have been just fine, thanks), and I really loved…. believe it or not… the Duster 340!

But for a few bad words spoken about these cars, I would probably have owned at least one or two of them. First, a friend of mine owned a light blue ’69 Mustang Mach I. He refused to push it in any

My friend's blue Mach I was a true muscle car. I didn't believe him.

My friend's blue Mach I was a true muscle car. I didn't believe him.

way and drove it like it was his baby. It probably was. I’m sure he took it out and gave it a good thrashing now and then, but none of us were the wiser.  For this reason, I always envisioned that Mach I to be more of a cruiser. When I just barely beat a 1970 ‘Stang in a 1/4-mile duel at New England Dragway with my 455 Olds 442, I changed that thought pattern rather quickly.

After I sold my ’75 Trans Am, I was seriously considering a purchase of a Dodge Challenger RT at one point. It was Plum Crazy Purple as I recall, but it had a black vinyl top. (Why?) I never liked muscle cars with vinyl, but that wasn’t the reason I didn’t buy this Challenger. When I told my best friend that I was thinking of buying the Dodge, he said, “Why? They handle like shit.”

I was mortified. He went on to explain further how Cudas, Challengers, Roadrunners, Dusters and even the GTX, all had “flimsy front end components” and that I would probably kill myself in one of them. It was about that time that I saw a car that had flipped onto its roof in a ditch. It was a black ’69 Charger. That was all I needed. No Mopars.

"Sublime" green or not, this car was a blast to drive. But not for me...I was too trusting and never test drove it.

"Sublime" green or not, this car was a blast to drive. But not for me...I was too trusting and never test drove it.

Pretty lame. But that’s how kids can influence others and destroy a car company’s efforts to market their cars!

Probably one of the more lame excuses for not buying a Mopar was also mechanical: the starters emitted a sick kind of straining sound when cranking over any sized Chrysler engine. If you know cars, then you know the sound of those starters. My friends and I thought it meant that the starters were too weak and would have to be replaced often. But when I finally went off to college in Florida and needed a car for my night job, a 1968 Plymouth Satellite with four doors and a 318 was offered to me for $200 by a guy in my dorm. He had received a new car for Christmas. I bought the car and never had a single starter problem….despite that “whir.”

I came close to buying Barracudas, Challengers, Duster 340 & 360 models and even an American

The AMX was gorgeous. It's in this photo...somewhere.

The AMX was gorgeous. It's in this photo...somewhere.

Motors AMX, but I never pulled the trigger. This is something I’ll always regret.

The AMX sounded great, looked super fast – even while parked – but I just hated those seats. They seemed so thin and uncomfortable to me. I was a cruiser and those seats just wouldn’t cut it for me! Call me picky, I know….

In the end, I loved and still love the GM style and drivetrains. But I feel as though I missed out on a huge segment of the muscle car era.

This regret will normally resolve when I park my butt in front of a 1969, Carousel Red, GTO Judge hardtop.

Yep, a few minutes of good ol’ GM therapy is all I need.

This week’s Mac’s Wax Car Care product of the week is Mac’s Pro-Detailer & Waterless Wash. It’s a spray-on cleaner with wax that maintains your car’s freshly-waxed appearance! But if you add just a bit of water to it you can use it as an eco-friendly waterless car wash spray! Just spray it on

Spray it on...wipe it off. Done.

Spray it on...wipe it off. Done.

and wipe it off — It’s that easy! It leaves behind a beautiful glossy shine with almost no effort required. Buy some today and keep it handy in your trunk to remove bird droppings or other debris. It’s available at www.Macs-Wax.com!

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Time for a New Muscle Car: Camaro Z28

May 12th, 2009

Now’s the best time to buy a used Z28

With only 3 generations in as many decades (can’t afford to consider the 4th Generation, 2010 Camaro yet), you’d think I could make a snap decision about what kind of Camaro I am setting my sites on.

The 1st Generation is out of the question. Not that a ’69 Camaro Z28 wouldn’t be an awesome choice, but these are pony cars and a lot of them were sold back in the late 60s. Go to a decent-sized classic car show and you’ll see a handful of 67-69 Camaro models in the SS, RS, or Z28 editions. Now with Goodmark making 1969 Camaro hardtops and ‘verts, you’re gonna see a lot more of these creatures roaming the streets. It’s a good thing, but too much saturation might lessen their value.

The 2nd Generation Camaro started out strong, with the incredible 1970& 1/2 Z28 and SS. The model year design carried through until the arrival of the 1974 Camaro, which offered no SS model and a heavily-decaled Z28 with a lethargic 350 that would spell the end of the Z28. That is until 1977, when Chevrolet decided to revive the muscular F-body again.

Even the hood scoop was just a decal, but the '77 Z28 was a triumphant return!

Even the hood scoop was just a decal, but the '77 Z28 marked a triumphant return!

The 1977 model was a good start – despite the poorly aspirated V-8, but Chevy diehards found a lot of potential there. It had an under-nose spoiler and body-colored bumpers, The rear deck spoiler was decaled to match the hood scoop decal and a set of stamped steel wheels could be ordered that also matched the body color. Pretty cool stuff!

The Z was back!

The 1978 through 1981 model Z28s were called the “2nd Generation Soft-Noze Era” Camaros.

This is one period I am very focused on with my new Z28 search. I think the ’78-81 Z28 were absolutely beautiful and, as I write this, you can still purchase one in very good condition for under $7500. One reason I find this period of Z28 history especially appealing is due to its front fender venting and the front spoilers; both are close in design to the Z28′s bigger and bolder brother from Pontiac – the Trans Am. My very first new car was a 1975 Trans Am, and I am not ashamed to admit that I would just sit and stare at that car for hours.

This '81 is too nice for words. I think I see IROC-Z rims?

This '81 is too nice for words. I think I see IROC-Z rims?

So, my choice for this period is a ’79 Chevy Camaro Z-28. although I would be just as happy with an ’81.

The photo on the right is proof enough that these cars were exceptionally pretty. And the fact that a handful of these 2nd Gen soft- -nose cars went through Barrett-Jackson @ Palm Beach means they are already a good investment choice!

The 3rd Generation Arrives: 1982

I am not a big fan of any 3rd Gen Z-28 from 1982 through 1984. The cars looked nice, but they had this chintzy feel about ‘em that I didn’t like at all. It wasn’t until the engines were equipped with the TPI-intakes that I started to take notice of the Camaro again, and that Camaro was of course, the IROC-Z!

The 3rd Generation Camaro IROC-Z was not only sharp, but it could outhandle just about any car on the US market.

The 3rd Generation Camaro IROC-Z was not only sharp, but it could outhandle just about any car on the US market.

Suddenly, Chevrolet was back on track. It had taken about a decade, but the Z-28 was, once again, a respectable muscle car and road warrior.

Not only was there a return to power, but the 5-speed manual and 4-spd. automatic transmissions made them more efficient and faster. The beefed-up suspension and sway bars made it one the the best-handling American cars ever built.

There seems to be a lot of people who look down their noses at the IROC-Z28. I think they believe the IROCs were made for mullett-wearing rednecks who couldn’t afford a Corvette. It’s a shame so many see this super-handling machine as a lower-end of the white trash scale sled. In actuality, the IROC-Z had no real rivals in it’s class.

The Pontiac Trans-Am was also a much-covetted model back in the late 80s, but watch to eBay auctions and Mecum, Kruse and Barrett-Jackson events. I think you’re going to see the ’85-90 IROC-Z appreciate in value – far above the Pontiac F-body from those same years.

So, my choice?

I’m leaning toward a 1979 Z28, possibly an ’81. But I have not ruled-out the ’87-90 IROC-Z28.

The 1981...very nice.

The 1981...very nice.

85-87 IROC-Z

Ouch.

Ouch.

See you next week!

85-87 IROC-Z

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The Whole Web is plugging-away. It’s my turn.

May 7th, 2009

I’m selling car wax, folks!

I have tried to be subtle about my neat lil’ wax n’ polish website, but today I was thinking; “The entire World Wide Websticle is out there plugging-away at their sales, promo and shameless marketing — why shouldn’t I?”

I had to actually convince myself that I’ve never really become angry over the incessant marketing I see wherever I surf. I mean, I don’t even get mad about behind-the-window pop-ups anymore. So, why should I give a rat’s azz if a few people don’t like my subtle ads for car wax, polishes, spray waxes, waterless car washes, interior dressings and sudsy, citrus washes?

It’s not like I’m gonna turn into some kind of single-minded, all-too-focused-to-have-a-life shillmeister.

In fact, I should be a little proud of my Mac’s Wax brand. How many classic car guys (and gals) are not interested in a good, quality product to help keep their pride-and-joy shining and protected?

My "Butter Wet Wax" goes on incredibly smooth and comes off even easier! The shine is the deepest, wettest I've seen in a pasty liquid.

My "Butter Wet Wax" goes on incredibly smooth and comes off even easier! The shine is the deepest, wettest I've seen in a pasty liquid.

I have tried several waxes. I have a white truck and a darl-colored SUV, so I can really see the range of shine on dark and light vehicles.

My Butter Wet Wax looks good on either vehicle. It even smells amazing! The shine is very deep and the paint actually looks wet! In fact, in all my years of taking care of my cars and trucks I have never seen a wax create a sheen like this. And the best part? It’s only 13-bucks at my website.

If you’re worried about all the rumors that carnauba wax “begins to melt and then holds dust, grime and bug parts,” you can forget that. This Butter wet Wax has the latest polymers and UV protectants. While carnauba wax melts at 185-degrees F, this stuff has to reach well-over 210-degrees to begin to soften.

I also sell “Wicked Cherry Wet Wax,” which is the same wax as the Butter Wax, but it is cherry-colored and scented. A nice gift for the ladies who enjoy taking care of their cars!

I have a truly amazing concoction called Mac’s Pro-Detailer & Waterless Wash. Not only does this stuff float-up the dirt and grime from your car’s surface – without using water – but as you wipe it off you take the dirt with it and leave a coat of nice carnauba-based wax behind. (Tip: spritz just a small amount of distilled water over it afterward and it’ll even-out that wax, leaving an incredible shine!)

Pro-Detailer and Waterless Car Wash; what a great idea!

Pro-Detailer and Waterless Car Wash; what a great idea!

Have you ever used those terrible, oily, super-high gloss interior spray dressings that make your glass all spotty and seem to attract more dust?

I have always saved that for last because I loathed the greasy, chemical feeling you’d get on your hands. Even the smell was too “chemical” for me.

Now, let me ask you this: how many cars have you purchased that came with a super-high gloss steering wheel, dashboard and door panels?

How about none?

New cars smell great and they don’t have glossy interiors. This is why I sell this amazing interior dressing called Silk Shine. What Silk Shine does is coat your vinyl, rubber or plastic interior items with a fast-drying, silky smooth, milky kind of solution that smells awesome and doesn’t leave you with an oily mess on your hands. The lower-sheen is slightly higher than factory-new, but it looks great!

Silk Shine has a lower, classy sheen and it smell great!

Silk Shine has a lower, classy sheen and it smell great!

If you have a nice new import car, an expensive American road warrior (Corvette?), or an old restored classic, why in the world would you want to have a glossy dashboard?

I also have three other kinds of washing solutions.

My Citrus Power Suds is a highly concentrated citrus-derived, grease cutting auto wash that uses 0.5 oz. per 2 gallon bucket. If you want to strip old wax from your car, use a full ounce! and my Citrus Power Suds with Gloss Enhancer is the same wash with polymers that protect and leave a beautiful streak-free shine.

Finally, I have Mac’s Go Green Waterless Wash. Similar to my Pro-Detailer, the Go Green sprays onto your car’s paint and lifts the dirt. It suspends the dirt away from the paint so it can be wiped off with a nice, fluffy terry towel. Not only does it clean and shine your car, but it can save over 100 gallons of water per wash. Now that’s a green product!

Laser Buff breaks down into smaller and smaller material

Laser Buff breaks down into smaller and smaller material

Finally my Laser Buff – Purple Scratch & Swirl Killer starts out as a compound that removes deep scratches and swirls in your paint, but as it heats up and is worked into your paint it breaks down into finer and finer particles, eventually becoming a super-fine polish. This enables you to compound, polish and protect in one easy step!

There are several other products available at www.macs-wax.com. If you have questions you can email me at kmaxwax@gmail.com.

One very important factor is this: I use stick-on labels, cheap 16-oz. bottles and have very little operating expense. (No warehouse, no advertising company, no colorful brochures.)For this reason, I can sell you these incredible car care products for much less than the big boys. Don’t be fooled by flashy boxes with fancy labeling  and hype. Just get the better stuff for less at Mac’s Wax!

Remember: your car is one of your biggest investments!

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How to Wax Your Car. The Real Way!

May 5th, 2009

New cars or old classic muscle cars; they all need protection

by Keith MacDonald

What is this topic doing on a musclecar blog?

Well, too many times I’ve been to car shows, cruise-ins and auctions and have seen gorgeous cars that appear to be perfect at 20-feet, but then they lose that beauty when you get a little closer and can clearly see swirl marks, scratches and other blemishes in the paint. All of that can be avoided.

Let me start by saying that I confess to swirling and scratching the paint on many of my old cars and the reason was: I just didn’t know there was a system to washing and waxing your car . Had I known, it would have saved me hours of work in my driveway or garage.

A natural sponge or microfiber wash mitt works great.

A natural sponge or microfiber wash mitt works great.

Washing

It makes sense not to fill a bucket with piping-hot water, or freezing cold water either. Hot water will contribute to wax-stripping and cold will cause your soaps to gel and not dissipate evenly in your wash bucket.

Use a car wash cleaner – with or without glossers. I prefer a little glosser in mine which is why I use my own brand of Mac’s Wax Citrus Power Suds w/Gloss Enhancer ($8). Do not use kitchen dish detergent!

Do not use too much soap. Follow the directions on the bottle or jug, Too much detergent will strip your wax – even with a gloss-enhancing wash solution. Less is more.

Wet the car down well and spray off as much dirt and dust as you can. This means less grit will be pushed around by your cleaning sponge or mitt.

You should wash from the top, down. Doing the glass first, then the roof (thus keeping any roof grit from swirling your glass). Once you have finished the roof, rinse all the soap and dirt from the car. Be sure to dip your mitt or sponge often! (Some people have a 2nd rinse bucket to clean their wash mitt in. This keeps gritty dirt out of the soap bucket…smart, huh?)

Now wash the hood and trunk, rinse and do the upper half of the doors, fenders and rear quarters. (We’re almost done…) Next, do the dirtiest area: the lower panels and bumpers. Rinse everything well and towel it dry.

How Dry I Am…

Be sure to use a large, soft, fluffy terry cloth towel to dry with. I use a microfiber towel, which also works well. If you want to use a shammy or ShamWow-type product, be sure to wet it first. If you don’t, it will cause tiny scratches in your paint; not good for black paint or dark colors.

Wax on…Wax off…

Start with a good quality carnauba-based wax. I prefer Mac’s Wax Butter Wet Deep Shine (16 oz. $13). Sure, I sell this wax under my own brand, but it is an awesome wax, which is why I chose to sell it!

People who want to sell you non-carnauba waxes will swear to you that carnauba wax will soften and melt – this holding on to dust, debris and bug parts. This is baloney! Carnauba wax has a melting point of 160-degrees F. But when they add the polymers and UV protection, that break-down temperature soars above 200-degrees. Sure, the hot sun on a black car can get very hot. But the wax will not “melt off.” Once you begin to drive, the air movement alone will drop the temperature back down.

Be sure your car is in the shade and that you can hold the palm of your hand on the surface. This means it is cool enough to wax. Do not wax below 50-degrees F.

Remember this?  In the movie, The Karate Kid, Mr. Miyagi told Daniel-San to put wax on in a circular motion and then remove it in the oppisite circle movement.

Remember? “Wax-on, wax-off…”

(photo courtesy Columbia Pictures)

(photo courtesy Columbia Pictures)

This was actually the wrong way to wax a car.  Applying wax in a swirl motion might be okay, but removing it with a circular swipe is bad, bad, bad.

What happens is the dried wax residue can ball-up on your wax-removal towel and this can actually hold just enough grit to cause swirl marks!

Swirls can be seen at multiple angles. If you wipe off your wax from front-to-back, starting at the top (again), and keep your wiping pattern going that way , there may be “marks,” but they will be very hard to see except for at one angle. In other words, any miniscule scratches your wax or towel create can be hidden by single-direction removal. On the sides of the car, I will remove wax by going up & down only!

When you are finished, lightly spritz each section with your hose and re-wipe to even-out the wax, remove any wax dust and really buff-up the shine.

Done!

A glossy coat of wax makes all the difference!

A glossy coat of wax makes all the difference!

Check out the best in car wax, polish, spray waxes, spray glossers and tire and interior dressings at www.macs-wax.com!

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