Author Archives: Jay B.

Ye Olde Volvo Net

I found an interesting anti-sway bar FAQ, posted on swedishbricks.com in 1992. A writer asks about upgrading the sway bars on her husband’s new 245:

So, we bought the ’92 240 5 spd wagon. My husband, to whom I regularly deliver hardcopy of Volvo-net wisdom, wants to know about the best width swaybars for improving cornering. He feels it is ironic that my ’76 240 wagon seems to do better without sway bars(?), and that the new car could use an upgrade. I have the general list from Volvo-net Who’s who, but would appreciate elaboration.

The answer she gets is the same as anyone would get on the Brick Board 18 years later:

For a recent car, such as your new 245, I would suggest the following “improvements” :

Tires : replace stock 185R14 Michelin with 205/70HR14 tires (see tire chart) less important on a new car, very important after 40k miles

Dampers : replace stock shocks with iPD “specially-valved” Bilsteins only then

Sway-Bars : replace stock sway bars with iPD sway bars

Since this was posted online in 1992, all of the email addresses are colleges, including the new 245 owner at harvard.edu.

Blown Up Brick

scrubs-volvo-240On the TV show Scrubs, Zack Braff’s character J.D.  owned a brick that blew up in the first episode of the fourth season.

70gtoblI had a friend whose 1970 Pontiac GTO blew up in front of his apartment. We were hanging out in his place when one of his neighbors stopped by and said “Dude, your cars on fire.” We ran out the door and saw the goat spitting flames from both edges of the hood. My buddy  had worked on his carburetor earlier in the day and there must have been a leak somewhere in the fuel line.

When the fire department got there they immediately tried to puncture the radiator, because the heat from the fire could cause it to explode. They swung an axe into the nose of the car over and over again until radiator fluid gushed to the ground. They sprayed the car w/ foam and let it smolder. All we could do was sit on the curb and watch the tires pop from the heat. The car was totaled.

Via IMCDB

Your Dream Car, circa 1949

The grandiosity of the narration in this video is hilarious. It’s a 10 minute film documenting the design and testing of 1949 Fords. It’s no ordinary car. It’s “Designed From the Inside Out”:

Here is the idea, a motorcar, conceived as a space for the riders, space that is to be enclosed and powered…

Yup, that’s a motorcar alright.

I love how @6:30 the cars get handed to the marketing guys and angels in heaven sing their approval.

The Magic Highway, circa 1958

In this Disney film from the late 1950s we are introduced to the highway of tomorrow. I look at this and wonder if they could possibly have been that naive. An atomic reactor melting rock to tunnel through mountains? Complete robotic control of your car? Rocket powered cargo ships? Everything works smoothly and cleanly in the world of colorful cartoons. In real life I think there’d be problems with highways cantilevered on the side of the Grand Canyon.

Disney obviously hated the clutter, chaos and decentralization of the city. He dreamed of a centrally planned world where there were no conflicting interests, everyone agreed that his vision was ideal, and we could be whisked away from dirty reality and concentrate on shopping. No thanks, Walt.

C4C Destroys Demolition Derbies

From the Daily Show, more unfortunate consequences of the Cash for Clunkers Program.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
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Save the Clunkers!

More from Time Magazine:

There’s at least one group of people who are happy Cash for Clunkers is over: demolition-derby drivers. Participants in these events, in which drivers smash into one another until there’s only one engine left running, don’t enjoy the sight of old cars going out of commission without making a pit stop at the county fairground. “Obama is an anti-demo-derby guy,” says Tory Schutte, head of the Demolition Derby Drivers Association. “He’s targeting the cars we’ve been using.”

Brick as Political Billboard

volvo-240-demo-derby

Way back in 2008, Illinois entrepreneur and demolition derby driver Keith Gray launched a campaign for Illinois State Senate against Terry Link. Under the theme “Demolish Politicians” Gray drove his 1990 Volvo 240 DL station wagon in the Lake County Fair Demolition Derby in July of 2008.

From Team America’s 10th District Blog:

“I’ve raced in the derby seven times, but this year it’s different,” Gray said. “I’m in the middle of my campaign for state senate, and I saw an opportunity to utilize my derby racing tradition to spread the message that I’m not doing this as a career politician or to gain political clout. I’m a normal guy who is sick of being taken advantage of by the Illinois political machine.”

volvo-240-keithgray-demo-derby

volvo-240-keithgray-demo-derby-after

He placed 3rd after busting the steering system and losing the ability to turn. His chariot lived to race another day, however, as the block, tranny and chassis went relatively unscathed. As for Keith Gray’s dreams of the Illinois Senate? He was defeated by Terry Link, who is now running for the office of Lt. Governor of Illinois.

BONUS: Anyone care to interpret the text written on the windshield in this photo?