By Brian Lohnes

BangShift.com

General Motors has dropped to number 15 on the Fortune 500 list, out of the top ten for the first time in 101 years. Ford dropped one spot, from number seven to number eight. Weirdly, without a massive bailout from the US Government, GM wouldn’t even exist. This is the first time in the history of the company that they haven’t been in the top 10.

2009 was an unmitigated disaster, not only for GM for for the entire auto industry. The General definitely took the worst of it though. It was a year spent paring down brands, closing dealers, laying off employees, and chewing through three different CEOs.

While Ford’s year was no banner-maker, that company has introduced a product line up that seems to be doing a better job than any other domestic manufacturer at dragging stalwart import buyers back to an American brand. Please don’t take that as a compliment, as we aren’t sure we’d be “proud” of luring import buyers to American cars that look and feel like imports, but at least they are paying the bills. Ford dropped a spot, but are in a position they’ve never been in before with regard to the 500 list. They’re ahead of GM.

Chrysler? That’s a whole different kettle of fish.

Source — MLive.com – General Motors falls out of top ten of Fortune 500 list for the first time in 101 years

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Topo told me he was building this car when we met up last year at SEMA. Well, I somehow missed seeing it until I got my latest copy of DUB Magazine in the mail last week. So here it is. What do you think? You’ve seen his widebody Challenger and widebody Camaro. How does this treatment work on the Stang? More pics and video after the jump! Via DUBMag.net

Continue reading "Topo’s Widebody Mustang" »

By David Clarke

highspeedhijinks

A while ago I asked a question whether I should go with wrapped or coated headers for my Boxy Brown. I took everyone’s opinions into consideration, but in the end I decided to stick with my first choice and wrap my then recently acquired headers. In choosing to wrap, I prioritized underhood heat reduction–a definite issue for my hot-running crate motor with the old cast iron manifolds–over simply looking good and being shiny, which is the most you can expect from many of the header coatings on the market. Now, not only are my headers wrapped but they’re on the car and looking great, so now is as good a time as any to tell you just how I did it. Below the jump is the process I used, with corresponding pics for each step, along with helpful hints that might help you avoid some of the pitfalls I walked into.

Continue reading "How To Wrap Exhaust Headers" »

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

I finally managed to get all four of my cars together in one place at one time, along with all three of Chris’s. This necessitated pulling my Concord out of storage, charging up the Eagle’s battery, and finishing the fuel pump project on my diesel Escort, but in the end the photo shoot was great motivation for getting everyone running and roadworthy and out into the sunshine.

How about you? What did you do this weekend?

Continue reading "What Did You Do This Weekend?" »

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

A bizarre comparison has been making the rounds, sparked by the disconcertingly similar numbers of new M3 and Mustang GT. Now I’m sure the experience of driving these cars is like night and day. But, at least in terms of their raw vital stats, these cars are virtually identical on everything except price. So the obvious question is, which would you choose? And if you went with the Mustang, what would you do with the nearly $30K left over?

Cool graphic via Jalopnik.

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

Having survived an Aerostar rollover, I’d be hesitant to put anything that expensive on the roof of one of these vans–but it takes all kinds, right? Via thereifixedit.

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

This is the kind of thing that’s almost too awful to even contemplate having happen to your ride. Some demented crack-baby was roaming the neighborhood and decided to shut himself inside of Bill’s ultra-clean, frame-off-restored 1950 Chevy. Then, either unable to figure out how to get out of the car or simply possessed by a diabolical urge to mindlessly destroy something, the miscreant smashed most of the Chevy’s windows from the inside until he found one he could bust through. I know the kid probably hasn’t had the best start in life, and naturally I am not at liberty to say what I really think should be done with him–I can only hope that Bill can relatively easily get his ride back into the pristine shape it was in before the attack. Best of luck, man.

Continue reading "Neigborhood Urchin Trashes Member’s Custom Chevy" »

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Now here’s a project that’s gonna be fun to follow on CarDomain. How about a frame off resto on a ’67 Chevelle that’s gonna be motivated by a “454 Big Block 70 over with Edlebrock tunnel ram and two Demon 650cfm carbs, blueprinted and dyno’ed at 870 horses”? See more on Romell’s ride page.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Hunter has been working on his ’61 Apache since age 12. Now he’s 15 and finally has his learner’s permit. Less than a year to go! Check out his ride page for more pics of this cool purple truck.

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

Steve’s got some very nice mods into his Volvo 1800, not the least of which is a custom blower setup. Talk about a great little track toy! Check out his ride page.