Saturday, August 26, 2006

1969 'Cuda Fastback Salt Flats Racer!

You know those refined fastback 'Cudas from '67-'69 that you took a liking to years ago? The ones you always wondered about, aerodynamically? Like how slippery it LOOKS, yet how in many places it wasn't actually??? You SORT of suspected that maybe BEAN COUNTERS were at fault, behind the scenes, right???
You knew guys raced 'em, even some took 'em out on to the flats here and there, but how about ones that actually broke some records?

Well, thanks once again to Jalopnik ClickHere and MoparMax Magazine PerformClickoscopy , here is a cool little article (albeit TROY'S pictures and text), that show you their successes!!!

Meet the geniuses at Rad Rides By Troy (Modification Brilliance In Motion)!
DropDaMouseHammerHere

They have a few NEW ideas on how to CLASSICALLY attain maximum velocity, as you will see... Every member is just absolutely incredible! And what PROJECTS they crank out!


The Salt Flats Racer Project from the amazing shop of TROY!


The Metalwork. A LOT of work!


The BODY Work. Although a nice '69 'Cuda Fastback is cut up, at least the pros at TROY are doing the surgery!


1,200 HP+ from only HALF an engine! Granted, it has a mega turbo, precision internals, and YES, ONE lone v8 HEMI Head upon it.

The crew at Troy's really put a LOT of effort into this flyin' fish, dubbed: "The BlowFish". Although, I personally got a bit queasy seeing the pics of the 'Cuda being cut up, they have an excellent Flash animation of the operation in a slideshow format.
FlashMeTheCudaPicsDaddyO
Very nicely done, guys!!!

A few of THEIR pictures, worth MORE than a thousand words:








MAY I Plagiarize, errrr, I MEAN, QUOTE the fine folks at Rad Rides By Troy???

Breaking News from the Bonneville Salt Flats
Monday, August 14

"The Cuda ran it's first run today at approximately 3:30 p.m., on the Bonneville Salt Flats. On it's first pass the Cuda ran 236 MPH on the short track and broke the record on the shakedown. Troy said, it was the fastest pass ever for a door-slammer on the short track. The Cuda ran 4th gear low at 6000 RPM's. The current record was 234 MPH.

George said, the car ran smooth and handled good.

The Rad Rides by Troy team was watching from the finish line and is extremely excited! We're looking forward to a second run on the long track, possibly on Tuesday. Watch the site for pictures from the Flats.

Way to go George and to the Rad Rides by Troy Team!!!"

Breaking News from the Bonneville Salt Flats
Thursday, August 17





"Today the Blowfish made its second run at Bonneville on the long course at 11:02 AM. Once again, it exceeded expectations by breaking the world record (currently 230 mph) before it even got half way down the course.

Blowfish reached 255.658 mph in the fourth mile of the five mile "long" course. George slowed it down in the last mile as part of a test of the overdrive gearing.

The crew is looking over the car in the record impound area while tecnicians review the massive amount of performance data that is collected during each run.

George said the car ran fantastic but the course was a little rutted. "We have ourself a real race car!" he shouted as the Rad Rides by Troy crew met him at the finish line.

Troy and the team will assess the car's condition and the race plan for the rest of today and the week.

The car will most likely run the long course for the second time tommorrow. Stay tuned for more exciting reports from Bonneville!"

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Chrysler Cruisin' Coast2Coast!

Chrysler Cruisin' Coast2Coast!
Jalopnik posted this with the question of just what kind of mid/late Sixties Mopar this convertible was. Judging from a few visual clues and the domed instrument cluster, it looks to me like a '66 Chrysler Newport or 300...


Those big-block Chryslers are FAST!

Sunday, July 16, 2006

PT-Power-Shift

Power-Shifting the ol' PT Cruiser Turbo! Hoonage without the $1,800 repair bill. As if those transaxles could take any abuse to start with!

DISCLAIMER:
1. Manual faking on an automatic.
2. Funny sound effects - standard equipment.
3. No PTs were harmed in making this vid (no VISIBLE damage). Although Mom might wonder why her shift linkage is so sloppy and loose now. Friggin' kids.


Click to see Video

Saturday, July 15, 2006

V-8 Chainsaw

Well,
NOW I believe I can say:
"I SAW it all!" You will, too (Thanks, Jalopnik!)

V-8 Chainsaw

CARS is a SUCCESS!

PIXAR's "CARS" is a SUCCESS!!!
How so? Proof? Fifth week still pulling in good money? No.
Here's your proof! They made the cover of MAD Magazine! You know you are something grand if THEY skewer you! Courtesy of a funny co-worker suffering from "Valve-Tie-Dementia" as well as a SEVERE "Monk-e-Mail" addiction (thanks a LOT, CareerBuildersDotCom!!!), here is some top-notch artwork from MAD artisté Tom Richmond that graphically offers PROOF:


Here are three contiguous pages of brilliance from Jacob Lambert (writer) and Tom Richmond (artist - PIXAR, are you SEEING THIS???), depicting:
"Rejected Characters From 'CARS'"


Hilarious, no???
Thanks, David! And thank you, MAD Magazine!!!

Saturday, June 24, 2006

"CARS" is EXCELLENT!



"CARS" = EXCELLENCE!!! John Lasseter and the entire crew at PIXAR are collective GENIUSES!!!!!

These two main characters (Lightning and Sally) are fantastic, of course:



"CARS" by PIXAR Animation is nothing short of an artistic, humorous MASTERPIECE! I especially like THIS guy, Doc Hudson:


So far, I have only seen it thrice. I find it totally mesmerizing and the artistry and animation are truly breathtaking! I was so overwhelmed by some of the beautiful rendering that I missed a lot of little details the first time around. There was clearly a great deal of research and input from car people involved in the creation of this fantastic movie! It isn't JUST for a target 12-year-old-audience, by the way!

My all-time favorite Mopar Racing Legend is in it, too:

Just as likeable onscreen and animated as he is in real life, too!

Although I truly am endeared to all the characters in this...

I just have to say that GUIDO Rocks!!!!!!!

He only knows TWO WORDS in English: "PIT STOP"!!! (Well, THREE if you count: "Okay!") Yeah! Watch the little guy on Race Day! You'll enjoy it, I promise!!!

"Laugh-So-Hard-Ya-Shoot-Yer-Diet-Cola-Thru-Both-Nostrils-Moment" (there were so MANY!!!) was when THIS guy, MACK:

SNORES! It sounds just like a "Jake Brake"!!!
His late-night Interstate 40 scenes will remind you of SOME time in your long-distance-driving-sans-caffeiene motoring past! Although in MY case, no video exists, so ya can't prove a thing! So there!

New movies just do not generally attract my attention... unless they're... incredible. Last movie I went to was: "The Incredibles"! It was...

INCREDIBLE!


Movies? PEH! However, there ARE exceptions!
Being totally fed up with violence, brutality, heartbreak and the general angst and rottenness that bombards (not just me, but...) US all so often, THIS feature represents what I look for in a movie. I am so sick of grotesque and shocking gore (Al and otherwise) that permeates the general atmosphere in moviemaking. The latest glut of Vampire-Related/VideoGame-Movies (or feature-length-commercials, as I like to call them!) are ridiculous! Oh, and who else has had an overdose of Animé's oddball storylines? I mean, I can dig the better-quality animation, but WHAT kinda DOPE FIEND WRITES THIS STUFF, ANYWAY??!!?? AND... is it just ME??? Or is just about every movie and song out there lately A REMAKE??? The over-the-top-ultra-action-hero moviemaking that went hand-in-hand with the development of computer generated graphics quickly became formulaic and annoying.... and then there's Science Fiction.

Sci-Fi drives me crazy.

Or perhaps, BEAMS me crazy.

Every Sci-fi movie shown on the Sci-Fi channel seems to be written by the same guy. Disillusioned hero and / or heroine fights losing battle with big institution (big corrupt government agency, big clandestine hidden spook-like-CIA-type-"CENTRE", big industrial conglomerate replete with team of assassin-ninja-squadrons, big-oil/drug/earthling-slavetrading-cartel, or some big threatening organization - did I leave out the Mafia???), intergalactic threat appears, they get recruited for suicide mission, in the middle of the conflict, they are drawn together romantically, and at the height of consummating their lustful intentions (which are quite often built up fairly well), there is the stereotypical coitus interruptus by the alien predator or the building they're in being destroyed suddenly by the aforementioned intergalactic scallywag. Then the epic battle-royale, the bloody victory (barely) and the happily ever after ending that features, as standard equipment of course, the "...or is it???" cliffhanger ending where the viewer is shown something like a claw creeping out of the destruction, giving all the impression that there WILL be a sequel if the bean-counters have THEIR way with it!

Brother! The only Sci-Fi I think I can handle anymore usually has the silhouettes of either Joel or Mike and their two robot buddies at the bottom of the screen, and that is only if the Sci-Fi they're cracking on is sufficiently cheesey.

Cheesey goodness!

Which brings back the reason CARS is so appealing... LAUGHTER! The true medicine of this short human life! CARS even has several great storylines, mostly revolving around friendships, and in the character of Strip Weathers ("The King"), Family!

THIS IS A CRAP-FREE-MOVIE (well, okay, there ARE a couple of "pooty-tooty-sounds")!

NO cursing! No filthiness, except when Lightning gets a grille-full of mud & bugs! Got kids? Take 'em to see CARS! No kids??? Go see CARS! No eyesight? Buy the soundtrack!!!

This guy just about steals the show:

Especially with that backwards-drivin' and tractor-tippin'!

And Cheech Marin is perfect as Ramone:

Ramone owns the BodyArt Shop. Gives himself way cool new paint jobs and graphics almost daily when business is slow. Each one is totally cool! Know WHY??? Each main design theme for Ramone was drawn by: YEP! YOU guessed it! CHIP FOOSE!!! Now, how great is THAT???

There's even a sort of left-handed history lesson in here, too. Noted Route 66 historian Michael Wallis portays this guy:


There are so many car-related things in this movie it is INCREDIBLE! Which PIXAR always delivers anyway! Even the little crawling bugs and flying insects are little VW Beetles! Which also make the same noise that EMPI-modified Bugs and Dune Buggies used to make! Too cool!

This movie even starts off with a kick@$$ Sheryl Crow song set to a very well crafted racing sequence! I just can't say enough good about this movie! If you are even remotely a bit of a gear-head, you simply MUST see this movie... several times in big-screen-surround-sound-goodness! You WILL enjoy it! It IS worth more than the standard admission price in my book! And this from someone who RARELY goes to the movie theater!

HEY, when you go, here's a TIP:
STAY PAST THE END CREDITS!!! There's one last scene with Mini and Van! Priceless!

But BEFORE THAT, one of the BEST BIT-PARTS of the entire movie is when THIS GUY, Sarge:

-is drill-instructing the SUVs at the Off-Road-Training-Camp. PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE DIALOG BETWEEN SARGE AND THE JET BLACK, BLINGED-OUT-HUMMER (with the huge Spintecs)!!!! I fell outta my seat laughing so hard!!!!! You will, TOO!!!!

So, any ideas as to WHAT my main Christmas giftage will be this year????? As my dear ol' Dad used to say: "Three guesses and the first two don't count!!!" :)

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Tom & Ray On "CARS"


Tom & Ray as "Rusty & Dusty"
Tom & Ray Magliozzi have a few things to post about their roles in Pixar's "CARS". Good for a grin or two! Those guys!!!
NOTE: Since their interview page keeps changing, here is the entire text of it, instead of a broken link:
Fans of National Public Radio’s “Car Talk,” which stars Tom and Ray Magliozzi as Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers, can catch their voices on the big screen June 9 when Pixar’s latest animated movie, “Cars,” is released. Ray is the voice of Dusty Rust-eze (left) and Tom is the voice of Rusty. In this Q&A, the brothers answer questions about their roles in the film. Image © Disney Enterprises, Inc. and Pixar Animation Studios. All rights reserved.
How and why did you get involved in the "Cars" movie project? Are these the first movie roles for you?

Ray: John Lasseter, the director and brains behind “Cars” and “Toy Story,” is a fan of our show, I guess. He tried to get us to play gas station attendants in “Toy Story,” but we were too lazy back then. Plus, we figured, computer animation? Toys that come to life? Who's going to watch that?

Tom: Despite the fact that we told them to flake off on “Toy Story,” John called again and said he had great parts for us. And he'd written them with us in mind.

Ray: We found out later that he had actually written them for Carrot Top and Art Garfunkel, but they turned him down.

Tom: These are our first movie roles. I mean, have you seen our faces? We could only work in animation.
So who are Rusty and Dusty Rust-eze? What are their roles in the film?

Ray: They're brothers who sell bumper ointment…

Tom: Don't ask!

Ray: CAR bumper ointment. They're a couple of old cars who dispense wisdom to the hotshot rookie racecar, Lightning McQueen.

Tom: We told them we wanted roles that would really stretch us professionally, ya know. So they cast us as decent, smart guys. We needed a lot of coaching for that.
What's it like doing voice work for a movie? How is it different from — or similar to — doing your radio show?

Ray: Well, you only get to do one take on radio. In other words...

Tom: ...this was a lot more work! We must have done dozens of takes of some of those lines. And not one extra doughnut. Not ONE! Isn't there some kind of actors' union?
Are there any surprises from you two that moviegoers can expect to see?

Tom: We don't know. We haven't seen the movie yet. They kept inviting us to all these premieres and special screenings, but one week I had a hair appointment, and the other time my brother was at the Seat Cover Convention in Toledo.

Ray: So it's all a surprise, at least to us. But given what a great job Pixar has done on everything they've touched, I suspect it's going to be a very good movie — despite the fact that we're in it!

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Disney PIXAR'S "CARS" !


Disney / PIXAR'S "CARS" Movie!
This movie is looking better and better all the time! Now that they are listing more info about it, I am totally intrigued! After last year's incredible "The INCREDIBLES", I thought "CARS" was going to be pretty lame stacked up against THAT! HAH! Dumb thought! PIXAR'S people know what they're doing! I knew I had to start making plans to see it when I heard that Paul Newman was going to be in it, but now that I see that RICHARD PETTY is in it... as "The King" *, no less... WOW!

* People of Christian faith and rabid fans of Elvis Presley should note that Richard Petty is a very down-to-earth person who's never really been too comfortable with that moniker, so make note that there is no offense nor human-worship expressed OR implied! Stock Car "FANS" tagged him with that title, and we MUST remember that "FANS" is an abbreviated version of the word: "FANATICS". Not that I am expecting a retaliatory jihad for that or anything!

Getting back to the movie, you absolutely MUST check out Disney / PIXAR'S site!

Please have a look at their Interactive Poster, too. Here's a screen shot of it:

Did you know that Tom and Ray Magliozzi are in this, too? Those who are familiar with these Bostonian Brothers are all too familiar with their hilarious program and news articles broadcast under the name of "Car Talk by 'Click & Clack' - The Tappet Brothers". If you explore their site, you'll remember that Tom had a much beloved '63 Dodge Dart convertible that was tragically lost in an accident a number of years ago. Ray, his brother, always chided him about that car. Just have a look at my screen shot, and look who is represented by what kind of vehicle there!

As a reference, and to give you some background into the significance of Tom's old '63 Dart, just feast your eyes on THIS technical article:
Tommy Magliozzi's '63 Dart Convertible

PIXAR ROCKS! You get cool details like this when actual car guys are behind projects! Although I hope Disney isn't gonna sue me or anything, I felt I just HAD to point out such cool Mopar features of this upcoming movie! I plan on seeing it at least 3 or 4 times in the theatres. If I don't get sued or anything!

Go check out their site, it is quite well done:
Disney / PIXAR'S "CARS"

I like the matching up of certain celebs with certain vehicles, too! George Carlin doing the voice of a VW Hippie-Microbus named "Fillmore"... Cheech Marin as a '59 Impala Lowrider named "Ramone"... Paul Dooley as a Jeep M38 named "Sarge"... not to mention Bonnie Hunt as an attractive 2002 Porsche named "Sally Carrera", Owen Wilson as the main character, a late-model stock car named "Lightning McQueen", "Larry The Cable Guy" playing a '55 Chevrolet tow truck named "Mater" (short for "Tow Mater"), John Ratzenberger as "Mack" the transport truck, and the legendary Paul Newman as a '51 Hudson Hornet named "Doc Hudson", who also happens to be the Judge and main town official of scenic "Radiator Springs", located in beautiful "Carburetor County", right off of "Route 66", of course! Not to short-change other talented actors like Tony Shaloub, Michael Keaton, and many others. Bob Costas even has a part as a character named: "Bob Cutlass". Too bad I could not find a shot of THAT car! Too funny!

Go see it! I am certain it will be surprisingly better than people may initially think! In the meantime, have a safe and happy Memorial Day, and beyond all the BBQs and parties, let's NEVER forget those brave individuals who served this country, some making the ultimate sacrifice. If you know a Veteran, make sure you pay special attention to the ones who DON'T "talk about it"!!! THOSE are the ones you need to thank the MOST!!!



May peace, happiness and good health be yours!

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

A Few Little Subjects


Here's a neat little 'cuda to look at. Just because! Aren't I nice to you?

A few little subjects from some notes found recently in an obscure little Notepad document. Thought I'd share them with you for whatever educational and/or entertainment value they might contain...

To start with, an article written by Joe Sherlock, whom I consider to be quite astute and well-versed in many things. You may find it a bit difficult to read without shouting things like: "AMEN, Bruddah!", but here it is:
Joe Sherlock's Rant Against D-C For Killing Off Plymouth:
Plymouth
Go get 'em, Joe!

And here are a few neat-o things for you to peruse online:

This movie just keeps looking better and better:
PIXAR'S "CARS"

Dooo Youuu Waaant A BaaaNaaaNaaahhh??? Please don't hate me if you cannot get this tune outta yer head!:
Tally Hall's "Banana Man" Video

Cool Fontastics, approved by Mister Jalopy:
House Industries

NY Car Collectors' Garage:
Collectors' Garage

Check out THIS "SWALE" Surf Vid:
Professional Skimboarders
Watch it now on StupidVideos!


They're Taking The Hobbits To Isengard... gard...gard...g-g-g-gard:
Hobbit Folk Rock
Watch it now on StupidVideos!


Driving Lessons:
Driving Lessons
Watch it now on StupidVideos!


Akron 2006 Olympic SKI JUMP:
Midwestern Ski Jump
Watch it now on StupidVideos!


The TWINKIES Project:
TWINKIES Project

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Remembering Ronnie Sox

Diane, Mrs. Ronnie Sox, respectfully asked for people to remember Ronnie at his best.

Reasonable request. So, to honor her request, here is Ronnie Sox. At Speed. In his FAVORITE 'Cuda! Actually, his favorite race car, the 1968 "L'il Boss" Hemi'Cuda! ;_;

Sunday, May 07, 2006

SNIGLETS! Rich Hall's Enhanced Verbiage!

After the VERY untimely passing of Ronnie Sox, I have been looking for a bit of HUMOR-Medicine to ease the blues. I may have found it! Poking around an already overcrowded 'My Documents' folder, I discovered an old Notepad file entitled: "Sniglets". Sniglets. Not officially words you'd see in Webster's Dictionary, although they NEED to be included there!

Sniglets are the brainchild of American comedian Rich Hall, a North Carolina native.



He was a regular on Saturday Night Live in the mid-Eighties, and that was his showcase act. Possessing a very keen and sharp wit, Mr. Hall has long held my admiration and fascination at crafting "Words That Should BE"!

I don't remember where I got this from, perhaps from a myriad of e-mail forwards. I just cannot remember. There's a good possibility that some of these are written by Rich Hall wanna-bes, too. You never really know when dealing with Internet-based stuff. So, without further delay, here are quite a few Sniglets! Presented in the hope that you'll get a laugh or two, and that the humor will do you some good!

I believe Rich Hall would approve, and am fairly certain that Ronnie Sox would want to see us smile again, too!

___________________________________________________________

Here are your Sniglets:

110 At The Equator (won' ten at the ek way' tawr) - n. Any burning sensation experienced directly below the navel when putting on a pair of jeans straight from the dryer.

Accordionated (ah kor' de on ay tid) - adj. Being able to drive and refold a road map at the same time.

Aeroma (ayr oh' ma) - n. The odor emanating from an exercise room after an aerobics workout.

Aeropalmics (ayr o palm' iks) - n. The study of wind resistance conducted by holding a cupped hand out the car window.

Agonosis (ah uh no' sis) - n. The syndrome of tuning into "Wide World of Sports" every Saturday just to watch the skier rack himself.

Airdirt (ayr' dirt) - n. A hanging plant that's been ignored for three weeks or more.

Anaception (an a sep' shun) - n. The body's ability to actually affect television reception by moving about the room.

Animalanche: When you kick your stuffed animals in your sleep and they
fall all over you or the floor. (from Kaffit, age 9)

Anticiparcellate (an ti si par' sel ate) - v. Waiting until the mailman is several houses down the street before picking up the mail, so as not too appear too anxious.

Aquadextrous - adj. Possessing the ability to turn the bathtub faucet on and off with your toes.

Aqualibrium (ak wa lib' re um) - n. The point where the stream of drinking fountain water is at its perfect height, thus relieving the drinker from (a) having to suck the nozzle, or (b) squirting himself in the eye.

Arachnidiot (ar ak ni' di ot) - n. A person, who, having wandered into an "invisible" spider web, begins gyrating and flailing about wildly.

Attrinyl (a try' nil) - n. (chemical symbol: At) A black, bulletproof, totally inflexible type of plastic, used primarily in covers of pay phone directories.

B+ Stampede (bee' plus stam peed) - n. The attempt by half the classroom to claim the paper with no name on it.

Backspackle (bak' spak uhl) - n. Markings on the back of one's shirt from riding a fenderless bicycle.

Baldage (bald' aj) - n. The accumulation of hair in the drain after showering.

Bargue (bar' gyoo) - v. To whine, fuss, and complain a great deal while at the same time trying to get someone to see your point of view. Ex: The young child bargued with his father until his father gave in and let him stay up past his bedtime.

Bazookacidal Tendencies (bah zew' kuh sy dal ten' den seez) - n. The overwhelming desire of most individuals to reach out and pop the gigantic gum bubble billowing from someone's mouth.

Beavo (bee' vo) - n. A pencil with teeth marks all over it.

Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at 3 in the morning and cannot be cast out.

Begathon - n. A multi-day event on public television, used to raise money so you won't have to watch commercials.

Bimp (bimp) - n. A blurry or "double-edged" felt-tip marker

Bixplex (biks' pleks) - n. Psychological block in which a person cannot choose which color of disposable lighter to purchase.

Bleemus (blee' mus) - n. The disgusting film on the top of soups and cocoa that sit out for too long.

Blithwapping - v. Using anything BUT a hammer to hammer a nail into the wall, such as shoes, lamp bases, doorstops, etc.

Blivett (blih' vit) - v. To turn one's pillow over and over, looking for the cool spot.

Blooage (blew' ij) - n. The residue left on fingers after using an S.O.S pad.

Blossor - n. The hair style one has after removing a baseball cap.

Blurfle (bler' ful) - v. To be caught talking at the top of one's lungs when the music at the bar or disco suddenly stops.

Bomca (bahm' ka) - n. A lubricant derived from the salivary gland used for turning book pages.

Bovilexia (bo vil eks' e uh) - n. The uncontrollable urge to lean out the car window and yell "Moo!" every time you pass a cow.

Bowlikinetics (boh lih kih neh' tiks) - n. The act of trying to control a released bowling ball by twisting one's body in the direction one wants it to go.

Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

Brattled (brat' uld) - adj. The unsettling feeling, at a stoplight, that the busload of kids that just pulled up beside you is making fun of you.

Brazel (brah' zul) - n. The scratch plate on a matchbook.

Brimplet (brim' plit) - n. A frayed shoelace that must be moistened to pass through a shoe eyelet.

Brumby - n. The fake antique plastic seal on a pretentious whiskey bottle.

Bugpedal (bug' ped uhl) - v. To accelerate or decelerate rapidly in an attempt to remove a clinging insect from a car's windshield.

Bumperglints (bump' ur glintz) - n. The small reflective obstacles in the middle of interstate highways which supposedly keep drivers awake and on track.

Burbulation - n. The obsessive act of opening and closing a refrigerator door in an attempt to catch it before the automatic light comes on.

Burgacide - n. What you call the desperate action of a hamburger leaping to its death through the holes in the Bar-B-Q grill.

Bursploot (ber' sploot) - v. To position one's thumb at the end of a garden hose to increase the pressure.

Busblender (bus' blend dur) - n. The device at the front of the bus that tosses your fare around for a while, then swallows it.

Cabnicreep (kab' nih kreep) - n. The structural condition in which the closing of one kitchen cabinet causes another to open.

Caffidget (ka fij' it) - v. To break up a Styrofoam coffee cup into several hundred pieces after consuming its contents.

Carbonicles (kar bon' i kuls) - n. The tiny drops of soda thrown into the air above your glass after you pour it.

Carcreak (kar' kreek) - n. Those crackling, tinkling, creaky noises your car makes after you park and turn it off.

Careena (ka reen' uh) - n. Any mangled or missing piece of highway guard rail.

Carperpetuation (kar' pur pet u a shun) - n. The act, when vacuuming, of running over a string at least a dozen times, reaching over and picking it up, examining it, then putting it back down to give the vacuum one more chance.

Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

Cereoallocative (ser r o al' o ka tuv) - adj. Describes the ability of a seasoned breakfast eater to establish a perfect cereal/banana ratio, assuring there will be at least one slice of banana left for the final spoonful of cereal.

Chalktrauma (chawk' traw ma) - n. The body's reaction to someone running his fingernails down a chalkboard.

Charp (charp) - n. The green, mutant potato chip found in every bag.

Cheedle (chee' dul) - n. The residue left on one's fingertips after consuming a bag of Cheetos.

Cheeriomagnetism - the quality of cereal that causes the last five Cheerios in the bowl to clump together.

Chipfault (chip' fawlt) - n. The stress point on a potato chip where it breaks off and stays behind in the dip.

Choconiverous - adj. Biting off the head of the chocolate Easter bunny first.

Chwads (chwadz) - n. The small, disgusting wads of chewed gum commonly found beneath table and counter tops.

Cigadent (sig' a dent) - n. Any accident involving a cigarette: for instance when it sticks to your lips while your fingers slide off and get burned.

Cinemuck - n. The combination of popcorn, soda, and melted chocolate which covers the floors of movie theaters.

Circuloin Technique (sur' kew loyn tek neek') - n. The popular approach to steak dining in which one eats around the edges first, then works his way toward the middle.

Circumpopulate (sur kum pop' yew layt') - v. To finish off a Popsicle "laterally" because the "frontal" approach causes one to gag.

Clunes (kloons) - n., pl. People who just won't go.

Combiloops (kom' bih lewps) - n. The two or three unsuccessful passes before finally opening a combination locker.

Conagraphs (kohn' a grafs) - n. The raised relief squares on an ice cream cone.

The Cranial Stomp (the kray' nee uhl stomp) - n. A somewhat primitive dance performed by youngsters trying to step on the heads of their shadows.

Crayollia (kray oh' lee uh) - n. The area on the refrigerator where kindergarten drawings are displayed.

Creedles (kre' dulz) - n. The colony of microscopic indentations on a golf ball.

Crinks (krinks) - n. Crevices and junctions where car wax gets in but doesn't get out.

Crummox (noun): The amount of cereal leftover in the box that is too little to eat and too much to throw away

Cubelo (kyew' beh lo) - n. The one cube left by the person too lazy to refill the ice tray.

Cushup (kush' up) - v. To sit down on a couch somehow causing the cushion next to you to rise.

Darf (darf) - n. The least attractive side of a Christmas tree that ends up facing the wall.

Deodorend - n. The last 1/2 inch of stick deodorant that won't turn up out of the tube, and thus cannot be used without inducing lacerations.

Detruncus (de trunk' us) - n. The embarrassing phenomenon of losing one's bathing shorts while diving into a swimming pool.

Digitritus (dij ih tree' tus) - n. Deposits found between the links of a watchband.

Dillrelict (dil rel' ikt) - n. The last pickle in the jar that avoids all attempts to be captured.

Dipwavers (dip' way vurz) - n. People who raise their hands when riding on roller coasters.

Doork (dawrk) - n. A person who always pushes on a door marked "pull" or vice versa.

Dopeler effect (doh' peh ler eff ekt) - The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

Droot (drewt) - n. A Dorito with an unnatural fold in it.

Eddihate - v. To turn off the stereo or television set when a Crazy Eddie commercial appears.

Efforex - n., v. Substitute.

Eiffelites (eye' ful eyetz) - n. Gangly people sitting in front of you at the movies who, no matter what direction you lean in, follow suit.

Elbonics - n. The actions of two people maneuvering for one armrest in a movie theater.

Ellacelleration (el la sel ler ray' shun) - v. The mistaken belief that repeatedly pressing the elevator button will make it go faster

Elmerdermis (el mur durm' is) - n. The white sheath that surrounds the nozzle of a glue dispenser.

Erdu (uhr' dew) - n. The leftover accumulation of rubber particles after erasing a mistake on a test paper.

Essoasso (ess' so ass' so) - n. any person who drives through a corner gas station to avoid stopping at the intersection.

Eufirstics (yew fur' stiks) - n. Two people waiting on the phone for the other to hang up first.

Exaspirin (eks as' prin) - n. Any bottle of pain reliever with an impossible-to-remove cotton wad at the top.

Execuglide (eks ek' yew glyd)- v. To propel oneself about an office without getting up from the chair.

Facon (fay' kon) - n. The fake bacon bits served at cheap salad bars

Famamage (fa mam' aj) - v. To eliminate any annoying engine noise by simply turning up the volume of the radio.

Fenderberg (fen' der burg) - n. The large glacial deposits that form on the insides of car fenders during snowstorms.

Ferroles (fer' olz) - n. The holes in the bottom of a steam iron.

Fetchplex (fech' pleks) - n. State of momentary confusion in a dog whose owner has faked throwing the ball and palmed it behind his back.

Fictate (fik' tayt) - v. To inform a television or screen character of impending danger under the assumption they can hear you.

Finnage (fin' aj) - n. The act of watching your money swallowed up as your groceries ride the conveyor belt at the supermarket.

Flammabyte (flam' ma bite) - n. That ever changing address in memory which always causes programs to blow up.

Flannister (flan' nis ter) - n. The plastic yoke that holds a six-pack of beer together.

Flarpswitch (flarp' switch) - n. The one light switch in every house with no function whatsoever.

Flen (flen) - n. (chemical symbol: Fl) The black crusty residue that accumulates on the necks of old catsup bottles.

Flimps (flimps) - n. People (usually observed in waiting rooms) who have advanced the Evelyn Wood technique to the point where they can flip through a magazine without ever looking down from the clock.

Flintstep (flint' step) - v. To wind up one's feet before running away in fear. Common among cartoon characters.

Floles (flolz) - n. The extra (fourth and fifth) holes in notebook paper. Created in the hopes that one day mankind will perfect a "five ring binder".

Flopcorn (flop' korn) - n. The unpopped kernels at the bottom of the cooker.

Flotion (flo' shun) - n. The tendency when sharing a waterbed to undulate for five minutes every time the other person moves.

Flotta Factor (flah' ta fak' tur) - n. The proven scientific fact that at a self-service pump, the last ten cents take longer to reach the tank than the first twelve dollars' worth.

Flurrant (fluhr' uhnt) - n. The one leaf that always clings to the end of the rake.
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*Bonus Sniglet From "Jonny Hawk":
Flurrbles (flur' bulz) - n., v. Strange, odd, trilling or rolling flatulence from aged co-worker, usually strained through chair-seat (see Septafilter).
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Fods (fahdz) - n. Couples at amusement parks who wear identical T-shirts, presumably to keep from getting lost.

Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

Foys (foyz) - n. Missing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that you later find stuck to the underside of your arm.

Frankfluid (frank flew' id) - n. The liquid at the bottom of hot dog packages.

Fraznit (frahs' nit) - n. Any string hanging from an article of clothing which when pulled causes the article to completely unravel.

Frust (n): The line of dust that accumulates when sweeping dust into a dust pan and frustratingly backs you up because you can never get it into the pan.

Frustra (frus' trah) - n. The special plastic used in the manufacture of fast-food ketchup packets.

Fuffle (fuh' ful) - v. To assume, when dining out, that you are making things easier on the waitress by using the phrase "when you get a chance..."

Furbling (fur' bling) - v. Having to wander through a maze of ropes at an airport or bank even when you are the only person in line.

Furbula (fer' byew luh) - n. The designated chewing area on a dog's back.

Furterus Zone (fer ter' us zohn) - n. The empty stretches of bun on either end of a hot dog.

Gapiana (ga pee ah' nah) - n. The unclaimed strip of land between the "you are now leaving" and "welcome to" signs when crossing state lines.

Gazinta (gah zin' tuh) - n. Mathematical symbol for division; also the sound uttered when dividing out loud. (Example: "Four gazinta eight twice.") (ed. note: this one came from Leigh in Australia. As a Canadian I would say "Gozinta)

Genderplex - n. The predicament of a person in a restaurant who is unable to determine his or her designated restroom (e.g. turtles and tortoises).

Gertatious (gur tay' shus) - adj. Having the adolescent fear that hanging one's arm over the bed at night will mean being dragged under.

Gibble (jib' buhl) - n. The sliding keyhole cover on a car trunk.

Gimplexus (gim plek' sis) - n. Rear area of thighs, which must be peeled from car seat on hot summer days.

Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

Gizzledipplers (gih' zul dip lurz) - n. Those annoying waving hands seen on the back of Winnebagos (placed there by people too lazy to be friendly on their own).

Glackett (glak' it) - n. The noisy ball inside a spray-paint can.

Gladhandling (glad' han dling) - n. To attempt, with frustrating results, to find and separate the ends of a plastic sandwich or trash bag.

Glamp (glamp) - n. The telescopic device used to retrieve golf balls from ponds.

Glassable - n. anything that a parent tells a child not to go near because it can be broken (especially something made of glass)

Glibido: All talk and no action.

Gleemites - n. Petrified deposits of toothpaste found in sinks.

Gleemule (glee' mule) - n. (a unit of measure) One unit of toothpaste, measured from bristle to bristle. (Not to be confused with GLEEMITES, which are petrified deposits of toothpaste found in sinks.)

Decaflon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

Grackles (grak' elz) - n. The wrinkles that appear on the body after staying in water too long.

Grantnap (grant' nap) - n. The extra five minutes of sleep you allow yourself that somehow makes all the difference in the world.

Greelite (gree' lite) - n. The eerie glow that emanates from beneath escalator steps.

Grintiger (grin' tuh jer) - n. The numbered code on the back of a greeting card that, when deciphered, reveals the price.

Gription (grip' shun) - n. The sound of sneakers squeaking against the floor during basketball games.

Grisknob (grisd' nahb) - n. The end of a chicken drumstick which always gives the appearance of having more chicken on it.

Gromaxes (grom' ack sis) - n. Inside area of knees used to grip steering wheel when holding a map.

Gummerator (gum' uhr ay ter) - n. The pointed rubber object on the end of some toothbrushes.

Gurmlish - n. The red warning flag at the top of a club sandwich which prevents the person from biting into it and puncturing the roof of his mouth.

Gweek - n. A coat hanger recycled as a car aerial.

Gyroped (jy'roh ped) - n. A kid who cannot resist spinning around on a diner stool.

Hacula (hak' yew luh) - n. The last few inches of tape measure or lawn mower cord that refuses to rewind automatically.

Hangle (hang' ul) - n. A cluster of coat hangers.

Hempennant (hem' pen ent) - n. Any coattail, cuff, or dress hem dangling outside the door of a moving vehicle.

Hoaraxiomist - n. A Person who reasons about the meaning of programs.

Hozone (ho' zohn) - n. The place where one sock in every laundry load disappears to.

Hudnut (hud' nuht) - n. The leftover bolt or screw in any "some assembly required" project.

Hydralation (hi dra lay' shun) - n. Acclimating oneself to a cold swimming pool by bodily regions: toe-to-knee, knee-to-waist, waist-to-elbow, elbow-to-neck.

Hystioblogination (his' te o blahg in ay' shun) - n. The act of trying to identify a gift by holding it to your ear and shaking it.

Icision (ih sih' zhun) - n. Delicate operation performed on Neapolitan-flavored ice cream in which one entire flavor is precisely and systematically removed.

Idiolocator n.- The symbol on a mall or amusement park map representing "You Are Here"

Idiot Box - n. The part of the envelope that tells a person where to place the stamp when they can't quite figure it out for themselves.

Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

Inkslick (ink' slik) - n. A greasy spot on a piece of stationery or test paper.

Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

Irant (eye' rant) - n. A seamless pistachio; a pistachio nut afraid to come out in public.

JB point- (J B/ just because- poynt' ) - n. The point at which the parent of a child within the midst of a pediquerey is pushed to shout "Just because!" or, "Because God made it that way!"

Jiffylust (ji' phee lust) - n. The inability to be the first person to carve into a brand-new beautiful jar of peanut butter.

Joes of Arc (johz' uhv ark) - n. Tiny drops of Mr. Coffee that die on the burner after the pot is removed.

Jukejitters (jook' jit erz) - n. Fear that everyone thinks that you picked the awful tune emanating from the jukebox when it was actually the person before you.

Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

Kawashock (kah wah shahk') - n. Pulling into the last remaining parking spot only to discover a motorcycle there.

Kedophobia (ked oh fo' be uh) - n. The fear of having one's sneakers eaten by the teeth on the escalator.

Kernelkling (kur nuhl' kling) - n. The shell of a kernel in a bowl or bag of popcorn that seems spot-welded to the roof of one's mouth, and cannot be removed without the making of cat-like hissing noises in an attemp to lessen the suction of said kernel

Keyfruit (kee' froot) - n. The one apple, pear, or tomato in the stand that, when removed, causes all the others to tumble forward.

Knuck (nuk) - n. Ice cream collected on the back of the hand when scraping the last portions from the box.

Krogling (kroh' gling) - n. The nibbling of small items of fruit and produce at the supermarket, which the customer considers "free sampling" and the owner considers "shoplifting".

Krogt - n. The metallic silver coating found on fast-food game cards.

Lactomangulation - n. Manhandling the "open here" spout on a milk carton so badly that one has to resort to using the "illegal" side.

Laminites (lam' in itz) - n. Those strange people who show up in the photo section of brand-new wallets.

Limalope (ly' muh lohp) - n. The disgusting foreskin on a lima bean.

Linenee (lih nen ee') - n. The member of a two-person folding team at the laundromat who takes the sheet and completes the fold.

Lodgecombing (loj' coh ming) - n. Final reconnaissance before vacating a motel room.

Loggium (log' yum) - n. Water that drips from one's nose hours after swimming.

Lorp (lawrp) - n. The part of the shoe that collapses when you try to pull it on without a shoehorn.

Lotshock (laht' shahk) - n. The act of parking your car, walking away, and then watching it roll past you.

Lub (lub) - n. The small deposit of spinach that lodges itself between one's teeth.

Luposlipaphobia - n. The fear of being pursued by timber wolves around a kitchen table while wearing socks on a newly waxed floor.

Maggit (mag' it) - n. Any of the hundreds of subscription cards that fall from the pages of a magazine. (pl. MAGGREGATE)

Magnocartic - n. Any automobile that, when left unattended, attracts shopping carts.

Malibugaloo (mal ih boo' guh lew) - n. A dance that affects barefoot beachgoers on hot summer days.

Manillium (mah nil' ee yum) - n. The lifespan of the clasp on a manila envelope before it breaks off and dies.

Marp (marp) - n. The impossible-to-find beginning of a roll of cellophane tape.

Mastacambulistophile - n. Someone who walks while eating, as from the local coffee and donut stand back to his office.

Mattrescotting (mat' res kot ing) - n. The pattern of gray and white lines on an institutional mattress.

Maypop (may' pop) - n. A bald tire.

Methylphobia (meth il fo' be uh) - n. The fear that you are going to have to pay for the one cent you over-pumped at the self-service station.

Microtrek (my' kro trek) - n. Any nervous trip to the microwave oven to make sure the food hasn't incinerated.

Microts (my' krotz) - n. The two thumbnail-sized pieces you end up with when trying to remove a paper towel in a public washroom.

Mimoids (mim' oydz) - n. People addicted to the smell of newly mimeographed test papers.

Mittsquinter - n. A ballplayer who looks into his glove after missing the ball, as if, somehow, the cause of the error lies there.

Mopeeps (moh' peeps) - n. People compelled to look through the curtain opening of your motel room as they pass by.

Mophenes (mo' feenz) - n. The semi-truck headlights that invade your motel room at three in the morning.

Motspur (mot' sper) - n. The pesky fourth wheel on a shopping cart that refuses to cooperate with the other three.

Mowmuffins (mo' muh finz) - n. The dried accumulation of grass on the underside of lawn mowers.

Mozzalastics (maht suh las' tiks) - n. Large deposits of cheese that stick to the top of the pizza box.

Multipochoholes (mul ti po' cho holz) - n. Wounds left in the test papers from overerasing.

Mummabolic chorus (mum uh bah' lik ko' rus) - n. When three or more people are singing along to a tune and suddenly discover they are all faking their way through the unintelligible lyrics.

Mumphreys (mum' freez) - n. (a useless sniglet) Those strange extra digits you find on push-button phones.

Musquirt (mus' kwirt) - n. The water that comes out of the initial squirts of a squeeze mustard bottle.

Mustgo - n. Any item of food that has been sitting in the refrigerator so long it has become a science project.

Napression Marks (n): Those indentation lines on your face created by your bedding when you first wake up.

Narcolepulacy (nar ko lep' ul ah see) - n. The contagious action of yawning, causing everyone in sight to also yawn.

Negatile (neh' guh tyl) - n. An area of the bathroom floor where, somehow, the scale registers you five pounds lighter.

Neoice (nee oh ice') - n. Any ice cube removed before its time that upon close examination, resembles a carpenter's level.

Nerb n. a noun used as a verb. For example: They didn't language the proclamation very well. nerb, nerbing, nerbed v. the act of using nouns as verbs in a sentence.

Netsec - n. A Unit of time used in indicating work time lost due to reading net.jokes

Neutron Peas (new' tron peez) - n. Tiny green objects in TV dinners that remain frozen even when the rest of the food has been microwaved beyond recognition.

Nevitts (nev' itz) - n. The sandpaper-like deposits on a cat's tongue.

Nicometer (nik oh mee' tee awr) - n. A cigarette that exits though a car's front window and reenters through the back.

Nifleck (nih' flek) - n. The unmarked domino in the set.

Niz (niz) - n. An annoying hair at the top of a movie screen.

Nizzlebrill (nih' zuhl bril) - n. The "night-day" switch on a rearview mirror.

Nocturnuggets (nok' ter nuh gitz) - n. Deposits found in one's eye upon awakening in the morning, also called: GOZZAGAREENA, OPTIGOOK, EYEHOCKEY, etc.

Nugloo (nug' lew) - n. Single continuous eyebrow that covers the entire forehead. Also known as a Unibrow.

Omnibiblious - adj. Indifferent to type of drink. "Oh, you can get me anything. I'm omnibiblious."

Oopzama (ewp' za muh) - n. Sudden scratching of scalp or face upon realization that the person you were waving at isn't who you thought it was.

Opling (op' pling) - n. The act, when feeding a baby, of opening and closing one's mouth, smacking one's lips and making "yummy" noises, in the hope that baby will do the same.

Optortionist (op tor' shun ist) - n. The kid in school who can turn his eyelids inside out.

Oreosis (awr ee oh' sis) - n. The practice of eating the cream center of an Oreo before eating the cookie outsides.

Orogami (or oh ga' mee) - n. The miraculous folding process that allows Kleenexes to methodically emerge from the box one at a time.

Orosuctuous (or oh suk' chew us) - adj. Being able to hold a glass to one's face by sheer lung power.

Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease.

Otisosis (oh tis oh' sis) - n. The inability to meet anyone else's eyes in an elevator.

P-spot (pee' spaht) - n. The area directly above the urinal in public restrooms that men stare at, knowing a glance in any other direction would arouse suspicion.

Pajangle (pah jan' gul) - n. Condition of waking up with your pajamas turned 180 degrees.

Pedexpression (ped ehx presh' shun) - n. The helpless look on the face of one's pet, that is being played with by rowdy children, as if to say "help!"

Pediquerey (pehd' eh kweer ee) - n. The continuation of one's child to ask "why?" no matter what the answer to the last "why?", commonly asked about a subject that does not matter.

Pediddel - n. A car with only one working headlight.

Pelutho - n. A South American ball game. The balls are whacked against a brick wall with a stout wooden bat until the prisoner confesses.

Penciventilation (pen si ven ti lay' shun) - n. The act of blowing on the tip of a pencil after sharpening it.

Pepperlonely...the piece of pepperoni left on the cardboard when you pick up a piece of pizza.

Perkuburp (n): the burp that a percolator (now archaic) makes when it's finished.

Permapression (pur' muh preh shun) - n. The discovery that there is no real difference in the various cycles of your washing machine.

Petonic (peh ton' ik) - adj. One who is embarrassed to undress in front of a household pet.

Petribar - n. Any sun-bleached prehistoric candy that has been sitting in the window of a vending machine too long.

Petrool (pet' rul) - n. The slow, seemingly endless strand of motor oil at the end of the can.

Pewtone (pyu tone') - n. (chemical symbol: Pu) A major atmospheric component of towns with paper mills.

Philopologist (fil ah pahl' ah jist) - n. A specialist who loads people onto amusement rides.

Phistel (fis' tul) - n. The brake pedal on the passenger side of the car that you wish existed when you're riding with a lunatic.

Phonesia (fo nee' zhuh) - n. The affliction of dialing a phone number and forgetting whom you were calling just as they answer.

Phosflink - v. To flick a bulb on and off when it burns out (as if, somehow, that will bring it back to life).

Photoyokel (fo to yo' kul) - n. A person who presses the wrong button on a film camera causing it to dismantle.

Phozzle (fo' zul) - n. The buildup of dust on a record needle.

Picklettulance (pik ul et' yu lans) - n. The ability to remember the entire family's order at a fast-food restaurant.

Pielibrium (pu lih' bree uhm) - n. The point at which the crust on a wedge of pie outweighs the filling and tips it over. -Rick Bamford

Piepushers (py' puh shurz) - n. Attendants at fast-food restaurants who, no matter what you order, try to unload apple or cherry turnovers on you.

Piewagon (py' wa gun) - n. The small vehicle that carries games pieces around a Trivial Pursuit board.

Pifflesquit (pif' ul skwit) - n. The wire net surrounding the cork of a champagne bottle.

Pigslice (pig' slys) - n. The last unclaimed piece of pizza that everyone is secretly dying for.

Pillsburglar (pilz' berg ler) - n. Person able to sample the icing on a new cake without leaving a fingerprint.

PIYAN (pi' an) - n. (acronym: "Plus If You Act Now") Any miscellaneous item thrown in on a late night television ad.

Polarind (poh' luh rynd) - n. The peeling on a polaroid snapshot.

Postalports (poh' stul pawrtz) - n. The annoying windows in envelopes that never line up with the address.

Prema-cheerio or Toodle-oops - n. The uncomfortable silence shared by two people after they've said good-bye to each other and continue to walk together out of necessity. (courtesy of Scott Ellis)

Premail (pree' mayl) - n. Mail that is placed behind the visor in the car and left for several months before it is finally sent.

Prestofrigeration: The peculiar habit, when searching for a snack, of constantly returning to the refrigerator in hopes that something new will have materialized.

Pretzaline (pret sah leen') - n. The salt deposit at the bottom of a bag of pretzels.

Primpo (prim' po) - n. A person who passes a mirror then has to step back, presumably to reassure himself he still exists.

Pulpid (puhl' pid) - n. A kid who enjoys the carton more than the item that came in it.

Puntificate (puhn tih' fih kayt) - v. To try to predict in what direction a football will bounce.

Pupkus (pup' kus) - n. The moist residue left on a window after a dog presses its nose to it.

Purpitation - v. To take something off the grocery shelf, decide you don't want it, and then put it in another section.

Queery n. A question to ascertain one's sexual orientation.

Reled (ree led') - v. To reset all the digital clocks in the household following a power failure.

Retrocarbonic (ret ro kar bon' ik) - n. Any drink machine that dispenses the soda before the cup.

RigidMiddleDigititis (rij' id mid' dull dij ih tie' tiss) - n. sometimes v. The condition affecting nearly 100% of all motorists when another motorist arrogantly cuts in front of them.

Rignition (rig ni' shun) - n. The embarrassing action of trying to start one's car with the engine already running.

Roebinks (roh' binks) - n. Those mysterious chimes you always hear in department stores.

Rovalert (ro' val urt) - n. The system whereby one dog can quickly establish an entire neighborhood network of barking.

Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

Sark (sark) - n. The marks left on one's ankle after wearing tube socks all day.

Scribblics (skrih' bliks) - n. Warm-up exercises designed to get the ink in a pen flowing.

Scribline - n. The blank area on the back of credit cards where one's signature goes.

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*Bonus Sniglet from "Benevolent Donor"!

Septafilter (sep' ta fil' ter) - n. Fabric upholstered chair seat used as a makeshift Hepa Filter. Used primarily by aged co-worker to strain post-lunchtime-Indian-diner-farts through. Although light gray in color, initially, Septafilters quickly take on a deep, dark, rich, earthen, coffee-like tone from repeated overuse. Usually quite rank in smell. Call HazMat agencies for disposal.
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Shirmers - n., pl. Tall young men who stand around smiling at weddings as if to suggest that they know the bride rather well.

SHMIDDLE: noun The hole in the center of a bagel. "The cream cheese was oozing out from the shmiddle."

Shocklet (shahk' lit) - n. The seldom-used third hole on an electrical outlet.

Shoefly (shew' fliy) - n. The aeronautical terminology for a football player who misses the punt and launches his shoe instead.

Shuzma (shuhz' muh) - n. The portion of window cleaner that the spray tube can no longer reach.

Sirlines (sir' lines) - n. The lines on a grilled steak.

Slackjam (slak' jam) - n. The condition of being trapped in one's own trousers while trying to pull them on without first removing shoes.

Slopweaver (lsahp' wee vuhr) - n. Someone who has mastered the art of repositioning the food on his plate to give the appearance of having consumed a good portion of it.

Slottery And Vendication (slot' er ee and ven' di kay shun) - n. A public misdemeanor in which a person gambles on a vending machine, loses, and tries to exact revenge by kicking it.

Slurch (slerch) - n. The combination "ouch" and slurping noise one makes when eyeing someone else's bad sunburn.

Slurm (schlerm) - n. The slime that accumulates on the underside of a soap bar when it sits in the dish too long.

Snackmosphere (snak' moh sfeer) - n. The empty but explosive layer of air at the top of a potato chip bag.

Snacktrek - n. The peculiar habit, when searching for a snack, of constantly returning to the refrigerator in hopes that something new will have materialized.

Snargle (snar' gul) - v. To lessen the visual impact of a horror movie by filtering it through one's fingers.

Sniglet (snig'lit) - n. Any word that doesn't appear in the dictionary, but should.

Snigletologists (snig' leh toh' loh jists) - n. People who have nothing better to do than sit around thinking up sniglets.

Snuggage (snuh 'gaj) - n. The act of retying both shoestrings when only one needed it.

Somnambapologist (som nam ba pol' uh jist) - n. Person too polite to admit he was sleeping even when awakened at three in the morning.

Spagellum (spa gel' um) - n. The loose strand on each forkful of spaghetti that beats one about the chin and whiskers.

Spagmumps - n. Any of the millions of Styrofoam wads that accompany mail-order items.

Speclums (spek' lums) - n. The miniscule bumps on a strawberry.

Speraws (sper' awz) - n. The pinched marks on the ends of hot dogs.

Spirobits - n. The frayed bits of left-behind paper in a spiral notebook.

Spirtle - n. The fine stream from a grapefruit that always lands right in your eye.

Spood (spewd) - n. Flat wooden "spoon" that accompanies ice cream cups.

Sprout Lines (sprowt lynz) - n. Visible lines at the bottom of trouser legs where the hems have been let down.

Spudrubble (spud' rubb uhl) - n. Unclaimed french fries at the bottom of a fastfood bag.

Squaffles (skwa' felz) - n. The individual squares comprising a waffle.

Squalkeenus (skwal ke' nus) - n. The shock syndrome that comes from biting into a popsicle with one's front teeth.

Squanderprint (skwan' duhr print) - n. Directions that try to make you use up a product faster than you normally would. (Ex.: Apply shampoo. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.)

Squatcho (skwatch' oh) - n. (another useless sniglet) The button at the top of a baseball cap.

Squatic Diversion (skwa' tik dy vur' zhun) - n. Any pretended activity that commands a dog owner's attention while the dog relieves itself on a neighbor's lawn.

Squigger (skiwg' uhr) - n. A cherry tomato that explodes upon contact with a fork.

Stroodle (stru' dul) - n. The annoying strand of cheese stretching from a slice of hot pizza to one's mouth.

Subnougate (sub new' get) - v. To eat the bottom caramels in a candy box and carefully replace the top level, hoping no one will notice.

Swaznia (swaz' nuh) - n. The thin, disgusting membrane that connects the bottom of the tongue to the top of the jaw, presumably to hold it in place.

Table Snorkeling (tay' bul snawrk' ling) - n. Frantic gesticulations when one bites into hot food and has to take in air to cool it off.

Telecrastination (tel e kras tin ay' shun) - n. The act of always letting the phone ring at least twice before you pick it up, even when you're only six inches away.

Telepression - n. The deep-seated guilt which stems from knowing that you did not try hard enough to "look up the number on your own" and instead put the burden on the directory assistant.

Telletiquette (tel et' ih ket) - n. The polite distance kept by one person behind another at an automatic teller machine (so as not to be suspected of trying to glimpse that person's secret code).

Testlice (test' lys) - n. Those tiny bugs that invade your hair when you're taking an exam.

Thermalophobia (thur muh lo fo' be uh) - n. The fear when showering that someone will sneak in, flush the toilet, and scald you to death.

Thrickle (thri' kel) - n. The itch in the back of the throat which can't be scratched without making disgusting barnyard-type noises.

Tidnab - n. The opposite of a bandit; one who surreptitiously leaves items, as a neighbor who leaves some of his bumper crop of summer squash on your doorstep.

Tilecomet (n): the piece of tolietpaper that clings to your foot after you've left a public restroom

Traficulous - the condition that exists while driving, when you are trying to pull out through an intersection where it is clear to the right but not to the left, then it is clear to the left but not the right then the same over and over again.

Tricklemicrochips - n. Those little tiny broken pieces of Doritos that seem to trickle to the bottom of the bag or bowl no matter what.

Turfigee and Pedigee (ter' fih jee and ped' ih jee) - n. The two extreme target points of a rotary lawn sprinkler, TURFIGEE being the safest point at which to walk past, PEDIGEE being the most dangerous.

Twinch (twinch) - n. The movement a dog makes with its head when it hears a high-pitched noise.

Uclipse (yew' klips) - n. The dangerous arc into another lane made by drivers just before executing a turn.

Ufluation (yu flu ay' shun) - n. The peculiar habit, when searching for a snack, of constantly returning to the refigerator in hopes that something new will have materialized.

Uhfage (uff' aj) - n. The unit for determining a television's age, that is, the amount of time it takes for the picture to appear once the set has been turned on.

Umbrace (uhm' brays) - n. The small strap that holds an umbrella in place.

Upuls (yu' puls) - n. The blank pages at the beginning and end of books, presumably placed there so you can rewrite the ending.

Vacation Elbow (vay kay' shun el' bo) - n. A condition that suddenly develops in a father's arm during a vacation trip that allowed him to reach out and slap you from incredible distances.

Vegiludes - n. Individual peas or kernels of corn that you end up chasing all over the plate with your fork.

Voitlock (voyt' lok) - n. When the basketball gets lodged between the rim and the backboard.

Waftic (wahf' tik) - adj. Describes any person in whose direction campfire or barbeque smoke always blows.

Warbloid (war' bloyd) - n. The tiny device in cassette players that eats tapes.

Waterpuss (wa' ter puss) a feline that is fond of water. - Robyn, age 10

Wattbobble (wat' bah bul) - v. To remove a hot light bulb by turning it several seconds, letting your fingers cool, then repeating the process. This is generally followed by the glorious revelation of using your shirttail to catch the hot bulb.

Werxilation (wurks ul ay' shun) - n. The property of some screen doors to start to slam shut only to catch themselves at the last moment and "float" to a gentle close.

Woowad (wew' wad) - n. Giant clumps of stuck-together rice served at Chinese restaurants.

Yardribbons (yard rib' onz) - n. The unmowed patches of grass discovered after one has put away the mower.

Yinkel - n. A person who combs his hair over his bald spot, hoping no one will notice.

Yotate (yoh' tayt) - v. To allow a yo-yo to unwind itself.

Zeept (zeept) - n. The accumulation of dead insects around an electric bug fryer.

Zerblot (zur' blaht) - n. The last kid picked in any neighborhood sporting event.

Zipcuffed (zip' cuft) - v. To be trapped in one's trousers by a faulty zipper.
_____________________________________________________

And there you have it... your overdose of Sniglets!



Thanks, Rich Hall! We needed the laughter!!!

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Ronnie's Wish



Ronnie Sox's wife, Diane, posted a gracious thank-you note at their site: Ronnie Sox
and here is the note, verbatim:

"A special message to all of Ronnie's fans from Diane Sox

It is with great sadness I must report the passing of my husband, Ronnie Sox. Ronnie was, in the minds of many, the greatest drag racer in the history of the sport. His following and his fan base, even to this day, was a testament to his success, both on and off the drag strip. Even though not actively involved in NHRA Drag Racing for many years, the legion of fans that flocked to see him at appearances was gratifying to all of us, and made his last days much easier. Up until the last hours, he was amazed and humbled by the response, and well wishes of the people he had influenced over the years.

His racing career spanned periods of six decades, beginning in the mid fifties, driving an Oldsmobile out of his father's service station in Greensboro, North Carolina. Over that period of time, his success included all major automotive makes, although the bulk of his success came in Chrysler products. His success record during the time of drag racing's phenomenal growth was incredible, and the Sox and Martin team set the standard in performance, appearance, and just plain class. The cars were flawless in preparation, the crews were professional in appearance, and the following was incredible. After being on the cutting edge of the birth of the Funny Car, Ronnie led Chrysler's charge back into the focus into more traditional type stock bodied race cars. Touring Chrysler Plymouth dealers around the country, with a clinic program to teach customers how to get the most out of the performance of their cars, they dominated the late sixties. As the gasoline burning cars evolved from cars fitting into different classes into a heads up Pro Stock concept, Ronnie was so dominant that the rules were changed specifically to end his dominance.

Ronnie continued to dominate throughout the early seventies, until the rules makers made it extremely difficult to win with a Chrysler product. He went on the "outlaw" match race circuit, and remained semi retired until 1981, when he came out of retirement to win the IHRA National Championship, this time in a Ford. He teamed again with old teammate Buddy Martin for a couple of IHRA Ford Pro Stockers in the late eighties, until a racing accident ended his full time career. He was involved with Chrysler's Pro Stock truck effort in the nineties, and when Chrysler resurrected the Hemi Ronnie was back in the saddle again, this time with a reincarnation of his most famous race car, his 1968 Plymouth Barracuda. With its reintroduction, the fans came with it, and he was in demand for Nostalgia appearances throughout the country. His schedule was quite full, and he regretted not being able to fulfill all the requests.

He honestly did not realize how many fans he has, and the support and love shown from people all over the country was of great comfort to him. If you could have seen him light up upon receiving the cards, letters, and emails from you, his fans, I am sure you would be comforted, too. For that, I am grateful.

I would like to thank all of you for the support and love shown us over the past couple of years, rough as they have been. They would have been much rougher, without you, his fans. For that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and ask God to bless you all.

Please know that Ronnie loved you all back, and we ask that you remember him as he was in his heyday. I also ask that the example of his class, and his attributes as a person, lives on in each of you.

God Bless you all,
Diane Sox"
______________________________________________________

Those who wish to honor this great man may do this in his memory:

Ronnie's Wish...

Ronnie's wish was that more could be done for children suffering from cancer.

Donations may be sent in Ronnie's memory to:

American Cancer Society
4240 Park Place Ct.
Glen Allen, VA 23060
804-572-3700

Please indicate that this is being sent in Ronnie's memory and to reference Diane's information so that she will then be notified of receipt.

American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society


Thank you!

Sunday, April 30, 2006

April 22, 2006... A very sad day.



Apologies for the blurry resolution. Must have been the tears falling into the PC.

Unbeknownst to me, this April 22, 2006 was a very sad day. A great man has passed. The legendary (amazing how MUCH that word shows up in this blog...) RONNIE SOX passed from this life after a prolonged fight with cancer. Along with a goodly amount of Mopar afficianados, I am profoundly saddened by the loss of such an accomplished racer. My heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Diane, his family, to his many friends, to those fortunate enough to know him.

Ronnie achieved the greatest number of victories with the "Li'l Boss" 1967 through 1969 Fastback 'Cudas, 6 Championships, if I am remembering this correctly. No one could ever match his timing and prowess with speed-shifting 4-speed manual transmissions. I always enjoyed any news of him winning. He really was quite a force to be reckoned with on the dragstrip!

Speaking of which, here is a nice picture of Jake King, Buddy Martin, and Ronnie, and in my opinion, it shows how much these guys enjoyed their vocation:



He WAS "Mr. Four-Speed"... check out this quote from NHRA's site, about Ronnie:

"Ronnie Sox, long regarded as one of the greatest four-speed drivers ever and voted No. 15 on NHRA’s list of Top 50 drivers, died April 22 after a long battle with cancer. He was 67.

The longtime racing partner of Buddy Martin was the winningest Pro Stock driver (nine victories in 23 events) during the short-lived four-speed era (1970-72), and he claimed six Super Stock victories from 1967 to 1969. His skills as a four-speed driver in match races, in cars ranging from his lumbering, full-sized Chevys in the early 1960s to his injected, nitro-burning Barracuda Funny Car in 1966, are also part of drag racing lore.

Perhaps the best measuring stick for Sox's shifting talents is 1973, when everybody switched to the clutchless Lenco transmissions. Many teams cited reduced breakage as the primary reason for the move, but just about every driver went quicker with a Lenco, some picking up as much as a tenth of a second. Sox, by contrast, was the only driver whose car slowed with a Lenco, losing a very measurable .04-second."

I say the team of Jake King, Buddy Martin and Ronnie Sox were one of the most feared in drag racing! They always seemed to work well together! All the time!



Ronnie campaigned 'Cudas almost exclusively, although they also had some very notorious "B"-Body missiles as well. Some of the Dusters he ran later were just as spectacular. In my opinion, though, the sight of him bangin' gears so effortlessly down the tracks in those fastback 'Cudas are the best of memories! Ronnie really did well with the '68 'Cuda. 1968 was a great year to run Mopars, and the factory was even selling TURN-KEY-RACE-CARS in the form of '68 Fastback Plymouth 'Cudas and '68 Dodge Darts. With 426 Cross-ram HEMIs, fiberglass front ends, lightweight side window glass, lightweight A100 van seats, they even went to the extreme of having the side glass raised and lowered with seat belt webbing instead of heavier crank handles and gearsets! Trunk-mounted batteries were commonplace. All for reduced weight! From the factory! What a program! Cars sold in primer, and with street usage disclaimers. Unless you were unable to drive, you had a good shot at a win SOMEWHERE, sometime! Now picture THAT, but apply the potent ideas and abilities of the Sox & Martin Team to this factory racing unit that ALREADY has VERY strong "kung-fu"!!! They gave new meaning to the phrase: "Go, TEAM!"... Heavy accent on the "GO"!!!! Likewise "TEAM"!

But what a TEAM, too! Master Mechanic Jake King, Wearer-Of-Many-Hats (doing whatever needed to be done!) Buddy Martin, and THE Driver With The Gift Of SPEED, RONNIE SOX (who also, by the way, would do whatever needed to be done)!!! Taking THAT potent unit and making it even MORE efficient and powerful was what Sox & Martin were all about. After that heavy factory involvement ended, the guys did it up with even more gusto! They continued on long after insurance companies and manufactured oil crises essentially buried factory performance cars for the dry era after the Musclecar period. Did quite well, too. Step back into time, and into Ronnie's "Office", with this nifty Stewart-Warner Gauge Advertisement from 1969:



Step back about one year, to 1968, and here is a cool shot of the huge Dodge Transporter with not only the '68 'Cuda, but the '68 GTX on the back! Now THAT is some SERIOUS hardware:



Ronnie seemed to be fondest of the '67- '69 Fastback Barracudas, but the '68 always had a special place in his heart. Here is a picture of Buddy and Ronnie going over Ronnie's favorite ride, the 1968 'Cuda:



Friend Paul Harsh (whom I've not seen in a few years), owns a very nice '70 Superbird 440 and a really sweet little '67 Formula-S Fastback, which he converted into a nearly perfect replica of Ronnie's favorite "Li'lBoss". Paul was fortunate enough to actually meet Ronnie a couple of years or so ago at a Mopar meet. He said that Ronnie actually found HIM, and complimented him on what a nice 'Cuda he had! He said they really had quite a nice time talking 'Cudas, Mopars, racing and other such topics! One of these days, if I have my camera with me, I shall have to ask Paul about that visit he had with Ronnie, and shoot some pictures of his S&M 'Cuda. I do have a few shots SOMEWHERE of it, at a car show shortly after the bulk of the mechanical and cosmetic conversions were done. It REALLY looks nice! Runs about as fast, too! Born with a 273 v8 under it's bonnet, the 'Cuda had a 440 Magnum in it that last time I saw it. Paul then had plans to acquire a crate HEMI to complete the project.

My daughter Katy and I visited Paul one weekend afternoon after he had done the 440 swap. He took us for a nighttime ride in the 'Cuda (still with the stock factory B-5 Blue paint). With 3 people in the car, even I was surprised with how quickly it launched, how well it dug in, how fond of high speed it seemed to be! Katy found the low-back bucket seats fairly "chiropractic", too! That little 'Cuda was pretty darned nice with the original 273 in it. But with that 440... in a car that weighed less than 3000 pounds... what a neck-snapper!!!

Paul was very well-studied in all things Mopar, and actually owned a fearsome 1969 A13 'Cuda 440 Fastback, Saffron Yellow with black stripes. Which, again, if I am remembering this correctly, THAT was either his first car OR his first NEW car. He sold the A13 and always regretted it! He could not believe how eager it was to overcome stillness and achieve high-velocity! After acquiring the '67 Formula-S from the estate of the elderly first owners, he soon grew tired of the 273 small block and longed for the old A13 days.

After the 440 conversion, he got the idea to up the ante and do it up like Ronnie Sox's 'Cuda. Paul always admired Ronnie, and this next project just seemed to be a natural progression! Although, he was doing pretty well with the 440, I wonder if he ever got the crate HEMI for it. I cannot remember if he still had the 440 in it when he met Ronnie. I do remember him saying it was a Mopar meet where they ran drag races, had burnout contests, etc. He certainly enjoyed meeting Ronnie and visiting with him! He said Ronnie was a good guy, and from what I have ever heard and read of him, I can easily believe that. Wish I had met him before he went on, but I sure am happy for Paul! What a neat experience he had! I wonder what additional plans Paul has for his 'Cuda since Ronnie has passed on... We are much poorer in his absence.

Farewell, Ronnie! We lift our collective front wheels in praise and remembrance of you!

Sunday, April 23, 2006

The A13 'Cuda 440 option

The A13 option.



Wicked. Challenging. Frighteningly fast.
_________________________
Corners like a bulldozer!
(Read on for a little MORE on THAT subject!)
_________________________
Blame it all on THIS guy:



Mr. Norm. (See link to 'Mr. Norm's Chicagoland Speed', please)

He STARTED IT!!!

Yep. Stuffing 383s in the all-new-for-1967 Dodge Darts. The idea caught on quickly. 1967 also saw the release of (in my opinon) the most elegant designs the Barracuda was in. All the "A" Bodied cars saw a much larger engine bay, although nowhere NEAR as spacious as the new "E" Bodies would be in the 1970-1974 model year. The "E" body RWD platform was essentially a "B" Body (Belvedere, Satellite, GTX, RoadRunner, Coronet, SuperBee, Charger, *pant*pant*, catches breath...
crikey-how-MANY-vehicles-did-Ma-Mopar-MAKE-on-this-platform???) in WIDTH, and an "A" Body (Valiant, 2nd-gen 'Cuda, Dart, Duster, Demon, Scamp, Swinger) in length. Meaning, plenty of room for monster engines like the 383, 440, and the legendary 426 HEMI. Without all the twisty tweaked tubing they called exhaust pipes the big-block "A" Bodies had.

Mother Mopar, inspired by Mr. Norm, embraced the idea that there is NO substitute for cubic inches of v8 power. Like the old adage went: "There's NO replacement for DISPLACEMENT!"

So... in 1967, stuff like THIS started happening:



Sweetly designed, svelte Barracudas.
Bigger TEETH! Ouch! Well, Ford was enjoying some "successes with excesses", cramming a big block 390 in their ponycar. Steve McQueen would make it pretty darned popular with his 1968 movie "Bullitt".

Although, me personally??? I'd like that beautiful triple black 4-speed 440 Super Commando Dodge Charger, please!!! And hold the body-damage! Oh, and DE-SELECT the "shotgun-toting-hitman-riding-shotgun" option, PLEASE!!!

But DO substitute a set of four Magnum500 rims on blackwall Michelin 70-series touring radials, in lieu of the magically-detaching-yet-re-appearing-but-good-looking-Dodge-hubcaps-
on-the-dual-stripe whitewalls... Thank you very much!

So, perhaps because Ford had such a good time with their 390 Mustang GTs in '68, for the 1969 model year, Ma Mopar unleashed the furious little A13 'Cuda440 straight-liner. Paraphrasing a bit, note the observation of ace performance car writer / tester Ro (Roland) McGonegal (words of which appear in his excellent article about the A13 option), "Critics labeled this car: 'A DISTURBING automobile!', and with GOOD reason, too!" He would, as well, in the "Summer Of Love", especially after attracting the attention of a New Jersey State Patrolman with the little beastie's keen abilities to easily VAPORIZE the rear Goodyears! CUE: The Flashing Roof Lights And Siren!

After impressing the heretofore UNIMPRESSED law enforcement officer with his then-current "Super Stock" Magazine creds and scientific findings, he was able to get back on the New Jersey roadways... and enjoy "gas mileage like someone poked a HOLE in the tank"!

Along with such OTHER notable A13 features, like:

*The mandatory "no A/C" (just PERFECT for long, humid summer commutes and road trips!) ...think 'SAUNA'...

*The "sorry-you-have-no-choice-in-the-matter" 4-wheel DRUM brakes (MANUAL, at THAT)

*The super-resistance-training-upper-torso-workout-NO-power-steering-on-
a-not-too-responsive-steering-gearbox-assembly
(clearly NOT suitable for certain canyon roadways!)

*The super-soft Goodyear Redliner 70-series wide ovals on stock 14" steelies that grip for... oh, let's be generous, and sayyy... about the first half-hour or so...

Well, there WAS a bigger engine bay than the '63 - '66 A-Bodies, BUT, not THAT much more room! Enough room for a power boosted larger brake master cylinder for some disc brakes would have been nice! Just a bit more clearance for a power steering pump would have been a superb idea, too! BUT, this was history in the making!

NO ONE had a BIGGER engine in a ponycar for 1969! True, Pontiac would start bringing out Super-Duty 455s in Formula and TransAm Firebirds for the 1970½ model year, and Chevrolet would do likewise with their 454 as well going into 1971. But then, there would be the counter-attack with Ma Mopar's cool new E-Body 'Cudas and Challengers with plenty of room for the legendary 426 HEMI between the inner fenders!!!

Ro has been involved in many of our favorite go-fast publications, most notably HotRod magazine. For an enjoyable read, please navigate to Ro's A13 article, and read all 4 pages of it, please. You WON'T be disappointed! http://hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/113_0304_cuda/index.html

Here's Ro launching the little fish in a slightly modified photo:



Check out that left rear tire there. Dig that groovy sidewall flex happening already!

Y'know... ya just CAN'T FISHtail PROPERLY without one of these dandy little A13s!!!

I remember seeing a few of these little brutes just before my Dad got his last new car, a 1969 B-5 Blue Barracuda Premium Fastback. Of course, I did my very BEST to talk 'em into a 383 Formula-S, or even ticking off the dangerous little A13 option. But nothing doing, there, Sport! As it turned out, Father indeed, knew best! His little 318 with A/C sprinted nicely, handled beautifully, and got reasonably good fuel economy even in the days when straight-line-speed ruled! Plus, it looked good to boot! Gotta live in the real world, even back in the days when Al Gore was fathering the internet!

I also remember how GOOD the A13s sounded, but oddly enough, how SLOWLY their owners took them around turns. I remember thinking: "Why don't they just ENJOY all that THROTTLE they PAID EXTRA FOR, and just simply POWERSLIDE around corners in a classic tire-smoking Joe Mannix style??? After all, they DID check the "A13" option, did they not??!!??"

The REAL reason they tended to go easy in the turns was because there was just a little too much weight up front! Where the 318 and 340 'Cudas handled quite nicely due to a closer 50/50 weight balance, the A13 'Cuda 440s handled like BULLDOZERS!
Conservative estimations placed the 440 models at 57% to 60-something% weight up front. Coupled with the slow ratio manual gearbox and bias-ply tires. Not pretty.

Pity the poor little F70-14 Goodyears doing their darndest to cling and grip to any little bit of friction course available, and check out the picture of a brand-new A13 TRYING go FAST around a corner:




Well, I guess payment books, and the looming threat of insurance rate hikes may have been in their minds. In looking back, I believe they probably had quite a few sleepless nights after a little late night tire-frying, too. So, perhaps THAT may have been the awakening of their common sense. The beginnings of family life may have been there, too. I wonder how many of those little brutes were traded in later for 318 Satellite Wagons with the prerequisite fake-bark siding???




Bet they sure miss THOSE good old Rapid-Transit-System days:



Well, it sure was a blast while it lasted! Thanks for visiting, hope this gave you a nice flashback to 1969, The Lunar-Landing-Moon-Walking, Crazy Outdoor Rock Concert In Upstate New York period of time also known as:

"The Summer Of Love", but without all the nasty chemical hallucinogens!