Right now, holding the phone to my ear, hands sweaty, mind racing, what will my Mustang feel like with an all new crate motor this spring?  It's exciting and anxiety induscing trying to pick the perfect crate motor, I know, I've been there.  But don't let the potential for unlimited horsepower and a shiny new heart for your baby blind you from the truth.  The truth is that most cars are not ready for a new power plant, that souped up crate motor may just break more than the bank.

Crate Motor

Consider the following, your car can only perform as good as it's weakest link.  For example, having 500 horsepower under your foot doesn't do any good if you have bicycle tires.  And, having a great intake system will not get it's greatest benefit if you have restrictive exhaust.  The same goes for your motor, when buying a crate motor it's important to make sure your weakest link is replaced first.

If you have a worn out stock motor, then you probably have a worn out stock transmission system.  By just swapping out a new crate motor, with bigger horsepower numbers, you are now applying more stress on that tired transmission.  Probably just a matter of time before old faithful takes a dump on you, making that shiny new crate motor an expensive paper weight.

I would recommend making sure the following components are beefed up before going with a higher horsepower crate motor.

• Beefed Up Transmission - Nothing spells disaster for an old transmission than a big horsepower crate motor.
• Proper Suspension - Having the proper suspension setup can be more important than horsepower.  The suspension in your car, if tuned properly, will have a big impact on power transfer.  The goal is to get the power to the ground, not just at the flywheel.
• The Right Motor Mounts - If the place you are buying your crate motor from offers a mount kit, buy it, don't go flimsy chensy on this new investment.  A powerful motor can twist itself right out of the engine bay, the same goes for the rear end.
• Professional Installation - Sure it looks easy in all the car magazines, but actually installing a crate motor can be a big undertaking.  This can be especially true if this is the first time you've ever seen an engine not located snugly under a hood.

So, those are my tips on buying a crate motor, or what to prepare for when buying a new crate motor.  Consider this a checklist for buying a crate motor, to help save you money, and hardache down the road.  After all, we want the performance in our minds to reflect directly into the first time we plant the throttle on the road.

Crate Motors on eBay

Crate Motor Buyer Guide Engine Book Chevy Ford Mopar    US $.99

USED VALVE COVERS OFF GM PERFORMANCE CRATE 350 MOTOR    US $1.99

502 CID AIR CLEANER DECAL for BBC crate motor    US $5.49

Ford has seriously revamped the all new 2010 Mustang GT, making an already appealing car drip with sex appeal.  At least for a car nut like myself, the only thing needed to complete the package would be a Racing Fuel smelling air freshner, dangling from the rear view mirror.  But I digress, the new 2010 Mustang GT is really starting to win over even the most jaded reviewers of Fords staple stallion.

Sound Piping

The most noticable change in the 2010 Mustang Gt is the sound you hear in the cabin.  Ford has literally piped in sound from the engine bay, to the cabin, so you can enjoy the sweet tones of the 4.6 liter V8.   This all new for 2010 sound pipe is equipped with a Tuned Membrane to allow the perfect transfer of sound, no fumes, to the driver and those lucky enough to be riding along.

2010 Mustang Mods

Those lucky enough to swing by the Mustang Stable at the Los Angeles International Auto Show was able to fully customize an all new 2010 Mustang.  Thanks to computer technology customers could build and modify to their hearts content and then see the Mustang built right in front of them, on the computer screen.  Optional accessories and modifications include everything from different wheels and tires to hood and sidescoops.

“Nobody has done this before with a new vehicle as popular as Mustang,” said Mark Conforzi, chief designer, Vehicle Personalization.

These mods will be available to anyone ordering a 2010 Mustang from their local dealership.  As of this posting Ford is making available over 40 unique mods that can be ordered.  No doubt this will be a great selling point for those that want to make their 2010 Mustang their own, without hitting up after market companies.

When Can You Buy 2010 Mustang GT?

Ford is suspected to open up orders for the 2010 Mustang this Spring, but your wait may depend on your order.  Knowing the condition of the Big 3 right now they may be hungry to push these out the door.  Retail is expected to be around $28,000 for the 315 horsepower V8 2010 Mustang GT.

Video Of 2010 Mustang GT

Ford.com Press Release Notes

Customizing 2010 Mustang

Official Ford Press Box

2010 Mustang GT

Teens Buying Cars

When you were younger and you became old enough to drive did your parents give you a car? Chances are they did not. I see and hear teens talking today on how they can't wait to turn 16 as their parents are going to buy them a car so they can drive. At just 15.5 years old in a lot of states a teen can legally drive by themselves from sun up to sun down. Considering they can get the permit at 15 that means they only have 5 months experience. Some teens can drive fine at that age but most should not even be driving alone for sure.

But lets not rant on that. Kids today get everything handed to them. Once they get a drivers license they get a car and their insurance and probably their gas is also payed by the parents. All they might have to do is help around the house a couple of hours a week or in some cases they don't have to do anything extra. This is the wrong thing for parents to do. Kids today just don't seem to treasure stuff they get like the previous generation did. I think kids should be taught to be responsible and to earn what they get.

When I turned 17 I bought my first car. Well I took out a loan or my mom did and I started paying for my car. I also payed for my own insurance,tires,repairs and maintenance and anything else the car needed. I did not go out and by a brand new car either. I was smarter than that but I did get a nice 2001 Honda civic ex. It gets great fuel economy and is perfect for a starter car.

I bet that if you made your child pay for his or her car they would think more of it. They might not drive it as hard or as crazy if they were the ones paying the repair bills either. If they had to work 20 hours a week to drive they might just take care of the car,what a thought! After all they earned it with their own money and it was not some handout. I think teaching this life lesson early can really help you kid later in life. Being responsible with bills and such can pay off big time when they go out and get their first house. I know I learned a lot about bill paying and budgets.

Sydney, Austraila will be getting access to an all new Nissan GT-R super car and I just have to say it is AMAZING.  This all new GT-R is hot, drips of speed, handling, and everything that made the GT-R of the past legendary on the Nurburgring.

The new Nissan GT-R will be available in two different flavors, a GT-R and a GT-R Premium, $148,800 and $152,800 respectively.  Also, you won't be able to purchase the GT-R at just any Nissan dealership, there will only be 11 locations available to buy.  These special dealerships are Nissan approved High Performance Centers.

This new Nissan carries a hefty promise, to be the fastest mass-production car in the world.  After looking at what's under the hood and the transmission paired it's easy to see how it might actually be able to back it up.  The GT-R rocket will be pushed down the road by a hand built twin turbo 6 cylinder and paired to the first ever independent all wheel drive transmission.

The GT-R is powered by a hand-built twin-turbo VR38DETT 3.8-litre V6 engine delivering a mighty 353kW and 588Nm across a wide mid-range expanse from 3,200rpm to 5,200rpm.

It also introduces the world's first independent rear transaxle all-wheel drive system. The GR6 sequential six-speed has paddle shift control for the dual clutch rear transaxle, while drive to the wheels is via the electronically-controlled ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive system.

Itching to get your hands on one, good luck, Nissan is only expecting to produce about 200 units in the first year.  No doubt the demand for one of the most accessible super cars in the world will be high, so start making friends at the limited number of dealerships early.

New Nissan GT-R

Is it too late in the game to call these 2009 Honda Spy Photos? I mean, it's a few weeks earlier than what Honda had initially planned as an unveiling, but the world will be introduced sooner than later when it comes to this new Honda SUV. Actually, as of this posting the full details of the tiny Honda Pilot should be available at your local dealer.

Oh well, here are the shots of some 2009 Honda Pilots being unloaded off of the truck in the Detroit area, thanks to the Edmunds team of spy shooters.

HONDA 2 WHITE HEADREST COVERS    US $.07

Large HONDA Eagle Embroidered Motorcycle Biker Patch    US $.88

HONDA ACCORD GENUINE ACCESSORIES SALES BROCHURE    US $.91