Articles
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False Neutral Podcast #119 – What we’re looking forward to
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Eric, Garrett, & I talk about a couple of new bikes, then discuss the bikes we still want to own, the projects we still want to build (or finish), the roads we want to ride, and the motorcycle-oriented destinations and events we would like to experience, including the Sammy Miller Museum. And of course, there’s…
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Introducing the #Dadburban – 2017 Chevrolet Suburban Premier
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We are a four-kid family. I campaigned for a while to get a full-size van after we realized that our 2008 Sequoia was not quite big enough. We settled on the “Dadburban”, a 2017 Chevrolet Suburban Premier, last spring. It is not the ideal off-road Suburban since it is not a Z71 trim, but it…
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Breaking Free – Driving a Mustang to California and Back to Save My Sanity, Part 1
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I thought the lockdowns and travel restrictions of 2020 wouldn’t get to me. I’ve never been very outgoing or open with my thoughts and generally stick to my introverted, socially awkward ways. So having the ultimate excuse to stay in my comfort zone should have been easy. Let me tell ya…it absolutely was not. About…
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Gene Haas is taking over Formula 1
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If you didn’t see the photo this morning, Gene Haas appears to be Photoshopped into the 2021 Haas F1 team photo. Elizabeth Blackstock over at Jalopnik documented the bizarre scenario well. If you look closely, there’s a problem with American owner Gene Haas. No, not the many, many millions he’s pumped into a perennially losing…
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What was your news for the week?
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We’re getting to that time of year where car news worth reporting on becomes scarce. Rather than attempt to dig up sales reports or talk about whatever Elon is doing to piss people off this week, I’m opening it up to you. If you saw something, broke everything, or did anything even remotely car related…
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Hooniverse Podcast: Episode 310 – Bring a bank vault
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Ron Baugh and I walk through a few crazy recent listings on Bring-A-Trailer. Then we talk about Radwood and some off-road driving I did with an old and two new Volkswagen vehicles. After that, it’s time for your questions. If you’d prefer the audio-only version, head to https://anchor.fm/hooniverse or check us out wherever you normally get your…
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Last Call: Peasant in a Jeep edition
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Modern Jeeps are anything but cheap. It’s difficult not to spend over $50,000 on a new Wrangler or a Grand Cherokee. Over the last decade, if not more, Chrysler’s checkered reliability has been significantly improved. So now imagine driving three generations old Range Rover, which certainly has its issues, and thinking you’re somehow superior to……
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Scott Tallon, Jeep – Off The Road Again: Episode 99
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Welcome back to the Off the Road Again podcast! We’ve missed you. The focus is on the off-road adventure but we also dabble in all things SUV, truck, and van, maybe even some rally cars. Ross & Chris welcome Scott Tallon to the show. Scott is the Director of US Jeep Brand Product Marketing. He has a Wrangler and a Grand Cherokee L in…
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Volkswagen Off-Road Racing – Past and Future
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Volkswagen’s have been racing in the desert for decades. Juiced-up Baja Bugs are amazing at dispatching dirt with barely any horsepower. VW is still playing in the dust, but now it’s bringing out machines from its electrified future. The automaker invited me to Johnson Valley to try out a 1969 VW Beetle and a pair…
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Infiniti QX50 and the Nissan VC-T variable compression ratio engine
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Decades ago, variable valve cam timing became a thing and is now present on most gasoline engines. Sometime after that, we went away from the distributor and adopted direct ignition systems that allow for multiple sparks during one power stroke. Direct injection was another big thing, allowing a precise amount of fuel injected directly into…
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This BMW 2002 for sale is basically perfect
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I am no BMW fan. The modern stuff is a massive turnoff. There are moments of brilliance in the brand’s history of course. In fact, one of my favorite driving experiences happened behind the wheel of a BMW. This was a 2002 restored and modified by Clarion for its Clarion Builds program. Interestingly, that blue…
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2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro l Review
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“Why are dinosaurs always green?” That line, posted to Twitter in response to a photo of this vehicle, stayed with me throughout the entire loan. I’ve been overly critical in my reviews about the lack of updates to Toyota’s more rugged vehicles like the Tacoma, Tundra, and the 4Runner. Mercifully the Tundra was updated for…
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Pandamonium – the ultimate Fiat Panda
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The boffins at M-Sport in the UK, the team behind Ford entry in the World Rally Championship, have created the Ultimate Fiat Panda. They took a stock Fiat Panda 4×4 shell and matted it with a Ford Fiesta R5 which involved widening the body shell by 360mm so that it could fit the R5 running…
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2021 Ford F-150 4X4 PowerBoost Hybrid l Review
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Ford continues to push the boundaries and expectations of what people expect a certain vehicle to be. The all-electric crossover Mustang Mach-E got some attention, but wasn’t really even the beginning of the perception push. The EcoBoost version of the vaunted F-150 dates back a full decade and lots of truck people yelled at their…
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Tony Montero: Is it time to get more aggressive with this one?
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I’ve had my 1991 Mitsubishi Montero for some time now. I’m happy with the way it looks and I don’t see myself ever selling this one. That said, I am itching to do a bit more with it. And that means I may have to add to it. Initially, I told myself I wouldn’t put…
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Autopia2099 was enthusiastically electric
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The first-ever Autopia2099 occurred this past weekend, and I’m happy to report that it felt like a success. A wide swath of car and bike lovers showed up to Optimist Studios in Los Angeles to gawk, chat, and hang out while talking about the future of electric vehicles. This wasn’t simply an opportunity to show…