Holy Homologation!Even though a new production Monte Carlo isn't scheduled to appear for a couple of years, Chevy has redesigned the NASCAR racing version of the car for 2003 in order to take advantage of development work done on the aerodynamic package for the '03 Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR racer.
So what's new with the '03 version? Mostly it's a series of tweaks intended to meet NASCAR's demands for effectively equal aero packages for next season. In fact, while the nose is a new piece for the Monte, most of the actual shape of the car will be shared with the Grand Prix. Kevin Harvick's car also gets a new paint job.
Cats And Dogs Sleeping TogetherOn October 10, 2002, all notions that the rivalry between Ford and GM was absolute and unchanging were swept away as the two companies announced they'd cooperate in developing a new six-speed automatic transmission for front-drive cars. That's Dave Szczupak, vice president of Ford Powertrain Operations, and Tom Stephens, group vice president of GM Powertrain shaking hands over the deal in this wholly spontaneous and candid photo. In a flurry of subsequent agreements between the two, it was further announced that both GM and Ford consider The Olive Garden the best moderately priced chain restaurant, that 100 percent cotton sweatshirts are more comfortable than cotton-poly blends, and that Po is their favorite among the Teletubbies.
Joint ventures aren't anything new. Ford has produced minivans with Nissan, and GM has been building cars with Toyota for nearly two decades at a plant in Fremont, California. But this is the first time these two fierce rivals have agreed to cooperate on such a significant product. The new transmission for midsize cars and SUVs will have a common design for both Fords and GMs but will be built in their individual plants. Hey, now we know how to bring back the Camaro! Just slap a new name badge on the Mustang!
Top 10 ListBest Things About Working At Car CraftWhat's the best thing about working at Car Craft? Well, it's not just one thing.
1.Having the opportunity to work for love instead of money. Since we get paid practically nothing at CC, it's best to think of it as missionary work.
2. Never worrying about what to do with free time. Stories to write, stories to edit, and photos to take during the week. Events to cover on the weekends. Free time was overrated anyhow.
3. The convenience of working in the only office building in Los Angeles not near a freeway. When traffic is light, it's 20 minutes to make it from the I-10 to CC's stately offices. But traffic is never light, and even after fighting the freeway commute, it's still 45 minutes to the office. So you're already behind on your stories before you even get to work.
4. The enjoyment of doing editorial projects on your own cars. This assures that nothing gets finished or done right the first time, thanks to grueling deadline pressures.
5. Literary challenge. After studying English in college and reading all the great books, it's at CC where we can exercise our finely honed prose in stories about installing carburetors and attending car shows. Writing novels is for wusses anyway.
6. The delicious taste of citrus hand cleaner. At least 9 out of 10 stories you're working on require that you wash your hands with Fast Orange or some other citrus-based hand cleaner before breaking for lunch at a fast food place. This ensures every french fry will have that zingy taste of citrus.
7. Expense reports. There's no time to get them done, and if you don't, management gets seriously down on you. But if you take the time to get the expense reports done, your stories are late and management gets seriously down on you. Basically, no matter what, management is down on you, and that provides clarity about where you stand in the world.