EE- Jeep History Part 2

The successor to the CJ is the Wrangler. It has been in production from 1987 to now. There were three different names that the Wranglers go by. From 1987 to 1995, they were known as the “YJ”, from 1997 to 2006 they were called the “TJ”, and from 2007 to now they are called the “JK”. The YJ’s and TJ’s had two body options: a 2 door convertible or as a regular 2 door SUV. The YJ had three engine options, two 6 cylinder engines or one 4 cylinder engine. They came with options two three speed automatic or three five speed manual transmissions. There were two different editions of the YJ: the Renegade and the Islander. The TJ had the opposite engine options. It came with the option of two four cylinder engines or one six cylinder option. There were also three new transmissions added to the lineup to give the TJ eight different options. These three new additions include a four speed automatic, another five speed manual and a six speed manual. The TJ came with several different trim levels. A few of these include the SE, X, Sahara, and Rubicon. The TJ had one special edition. This was called the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. The Jeep JK is the current vehicle on the market. The JK come with three different engine options. These include a four cylinder diesel engine and two v6 engines. Also there is an electric model out on the market. The JK also comes with four different transmissions. These include a four speed automatic, two five speed automatics, and a six speed manual. The JK has four body options: a 2 door convertible, 2 door SUV, 4 door convertible, or as a 4 door SUV. The 2door body styles come in three model options: X, Sahara, and Rubicon. The 4 door body style comes in Unlimited, X, Sahara, and Rubicon. The Jeep is just one those vehicles that most people can be happy and have fun with.

EE- Jeep History Part 1

When I think of a vehicle that can go anywhere, a vehicle that has its own class. One that just screams fun, I think of the Jeep. The Jeep is one of those vehicles that you can modify to your liking. You can do small things to it like taking the top and doors off. You can do major modifications to it like a lift kit, bigger tires and you can even add a small 4bt engine, a four cylinder diesel engine produced by Cummins, to it and turn it into an awesome swamp buggy. It originated from the World War 2 military vehicle the “Willy’s Jeep”. The modern era Jeep is the Jeep Wrangler. The predecessor to the Wrangler is the CJ or “Civilian Jeep”. These were produced from 1944 to 1986. There were thirteen different types of CJ’s. Up until the CJ 5, 1944-1954, the Jeeps had a 4 cylinder engine and a 3 speed manual transmission. When the CJ 5 came out, it had the option of 3 4 cylinder engines, 3 6 cylinder engines, and a v8 engine option. It also had the choice of a 3 speed or a 4 speed manual transmission. When the CJ 7 came out in 1976, one of the 6 cylinder engines was dropped from the lineup. A new transmission option was added. This was a three speed. In 1981 the CJ 8 was out on the market. It was known as the Jeep “Scrambler”. It had a pickup truck styled body. The CJ 10 came out it in 1981 also. It only had the choice of a 4 cylinder engine or 2 6 cylinder engines. It only had two transmission options: a 3 speed automatic or a 4 speed manual. The CJ 10 like the CJ 8 had a pickup truck styled body. The CJ’s are the classic Jeeps that many people want to collect.

CC-El Camino

One of the weirdest vehicles that came in to production has got to be Chevy’s El Camino. It came in to production in 1959. The El Camino is a car and truck mix. Its front end was a car while the rear end was a truck bed. It was based off of Chevy’s Impala platform. The El Camino was in production from 1959 to 1960. Then Chevy discontinued it for four years. Then in 1964, it was put back in production. This time it was based off of one of Chevy’s well known muscle cars, the Chevelle. Even though it was based off of the Chevelle, it didn’t have the high performance engine options that the Chevelle had. The 1964 El Camino had three engine options. The first two were 283 v8’s. One produced 195 horsepower while the other produced 220 horsepower. The third was a 327 v8 that produced 250 horsepower. The 1965 model had two new engines added to the lineup. They both were 327 v8’s. One made 300 horsepower while the other pumped out 350 horsepower. In 1967 the El Camino only had two engines in the lineup. They were both the new 396 v8’s. One made 325 horsepower while the other made 350 horsepower. In 1968, a 375 horsepower version of the 396 v8 was added to the lineup. The lineup of these three engines lasted until 1970. In 1970 there were completely new engine options. These options were the 350 v8 that made 300 horsepower, two 402 v8’s that made 350 horsepower and 375 horsepower, and two 454 v8’s that made 360 horsepower and 450 horsepower. In 1971 the 1970 engine options dropped in horsepower, but still produced a decent amount. Then they were decreased again. Only the 454 v8’s produced a decent enough amount of horsepower. By 1973, the El Camino was on the decline and would eventually end. The El Camino was one of the weirdest vehicles created and lasted an impression on the people of the muscle car age.

CC-Chevy Camaro

Due to the Ford Mustang, Chevy decided release its own muscle car. In 1967, the Chevy Camaro’s first generation was released until 1969. It had eight engine options. Two of which were 6 cylinders. There are four engines in the lineup that are worth mentioning. They include the Z-28, the 350 and the 396. The Z-28 was a special option that came with the Camaro. It made a racing model pretty much. It’s one of Chevy’s most famous Camaro option. The Z-28 engine was a modified 302 v8 that produced 290 horsepower. The next engine is the 350 v8. There were actually two produced, a base model and the SS (Super Sport) model. The base model produced 250 horsepower. The SS model produced 295 horsepower. The final engine is the 396 v8. There were two different options. Both were SS models. One produced 325 horsepower and the other produced 375 horsepower. In 1968 a third 396 v8 was added. It produced 350 horsepower. In 1969 two new engines were added to the lineup. Both of them were 427 v8’s. One produced 425 horsepower and the other produced 430 horsepower. The second generation Camaro lasted from 1970 to 1981. One of the biggest changes happened in the beginning of the second generation. The Z-28 size was bumped up to a 350 v8 that made 350 horsepower. Also the first Z-28 that had an automatic transmission was offered in the beginning of the second generation. From 1971 to 1973, the amount of horsepower was decreased on all of the Camaro’s engine options. In 1973, the Z28 was the only engine that was built for performance that the Camaro had. In 1975 the Z28 was dropped from the lineup and all the Camaro had was underpowered engines. The engines included a 250 6 cylinder that made 105 horsepower, and two 350 v8’s that ranged in power from 145 horsepower to 155 horsepower. The Z28 came back in 1977. It only made 185 horsepower. The Camaros remained underpowered until the third generation. The horsepower started to pick up in 1988/1989. Eventually the Camaro would be dropped from production in 2002. Then it would comeback in 2010 with more power and better equipped than the original cars. The Camaro is one of Chevy’s most recognizable sports cars alongside the Corvette.

AA- Ford Thunderbird

I’m more of a truck guy. When I look at Fords, I look mainly at their trucks. When I look at the history of Ford, I look at the history of their truck lineups. But there is one Ford vehicle that is not a truck, but sticks out in my mind. It is the Ford Thunderbird or “T-Bird”. It sticks out in my mind because it was one of my uncle’s favorite cars. The T-Bird began in production in 1955. Ford wanted to compete with Chevy and its Corvette. The 1955 and 1956 T-Birds were only available in a two seat option convertible option. The 1955 T-Birds came with two engine options. Both were 292 cubic inch v8’s. One produced 193 horsepower. The other produced 212 horsepower. The 1956 year model received a third option to go with the 292 v8’s. It was 312 cubic inch v8 that produced 215 horsepower. The 1957 T-Bird was the last to be offered as a two seat vehicle. Ford added three new engines to its lineup. All three of them were new variations of the 312 cubic inch v8. One produced 270 horsepower, one produced 300 horsepower and one produced 340 horsepower. The 1958 T-Birds marked the beginning of the second generation of T-Birds and the beginning of T-Birds with four seats. Ford offered one engine. This was the new 352 cubic inch v8 which produced 300 horsepower. In 1959 Ford offered a new engine option to the lineup. It was the Lincoln 430 cubic inch v8 that produced 350 horsepower. Nothing much was added in 1960. Just a version called the “Golden Edition”. It was a golden colored hard top. Also, the U.S.’s first powered sliding sunroof was offered with these vehicles.1961 marked the beginning of the third generation of T-Birds. There was only one engine option in the 1961 model. It was a 390 cubic inch v8 that made 300 horsepower. In 1962, there was a “Roadster” model. This was a reintroduction of the two seat T-Birds. There was a second engine option. It was a high performance version of the 390. It produced 340 horsepower. The T-Bird was 1963 had no new options or upgrades to it. The T-Birds from 1967 to 1976 were built to be large. It would stay in production for another 29 years. The T-Bird is one of the few Ford cars that sticks out in my mind. It is also my favorite Ford car.

AA- Pontiac GTO

One of America’s original muscle cars is the Pontiac GTO. Pontiac is owned by GM. The Pontiac GTO emerged when they decided to take a car named the Tempest and drop a powerful engine in it, put on a dual exhaust and gave it sportier tires. The GTO first game out in 1964. The engine options included a 389 v8 which produced 325 horsepower and a 389 v8 with three two barrel carburetors that made 348 horsepower. In 1965 Pontiac came out with a Ram Air 389 v8 that made 360 horsepower. What this did was bring more air in to engine to create more horsepower. The headlight design was changed to. The design was changed from the two lights on each side being side by side to being on top of each other. In 1966 Pontiac reached a record high in sales when they sold close to 97,000 GTO’s. This is the highest for a muscle car. Due to emission standards, GM banned the three two barrel carburetor 389. In 1967, Pontiac got rid of the 389 engines and came out with 3 versions of the v8 400 engine. Each produced a different amount of horsepower. These amounts included 255 horsepower, 335 horsepower, and 360 horsepower. These engine options stayed the same until 1971.The 1968 GTO’s had a few new designs on them. The front bumpers were pretty much rubber and indestructible. The headlights design was changed again. This time they were given a hidden look, which were the same as all of the other muscle cars. In 1969 Pontiac came out with a second version of the GTO known as “The Judge”. The Judge had a v8 400 Ram air engine that made 366 horsepower. In 1970 the headlight design changed again. There were four lights that were wrapped in the front bumper. A new engine was introduced and it replaced the lowest power 400 engine. This new engine was the 455 v8 that made 360 horsepower. Due to government regulations, the 455 v8 was in its last year in 1971. This is also when the power of the GTO and its sales were starting to decline. In 1972 the Judge model was discontinued. 1973 and 1974 marked the end of one of the original muscle cars. The GTO’s last engine was an underpowered 350 v8 that made 200 horsepower. This is one of America’s original muscle cars. The GTO was also one of Pontiac’s most famous alongside the Firebird and the Trans Am.

Y- History of the Corvette

One of America’s most iconic cars is the Chevy Corvette. It is over 60 years old and still in production. In 1953 the first generation of Corvettes was produced until 1962. They are known as the C1. They were originally just a six cylinder car made for cruising. This changed in the second generation, also known as the C2. They were offered with high performance engines. These engines included a 327 cubic inch v8, a 396 cubic inch v8, and 427 cubic inch v8. The 396 was produced for one year. The horsepower produced by the engines ranged from 250 horsepower to 560 horsepower. The C3 generation is one of the recognizable Corvette. It is the Stingray Corvette. Along with the 427 and the 327, this generation also had two new engine options: the 454 cubic inch v8 and the 350 cubic inch v8. The power generated from the engines 300 horsepower to 465 horsepower before 1972. From 1972 till 1982, these engines produced from 180 horsepower to 230 horsepower due to the conservation of energy and the environment. The C4 generation Corvettes rank low in how collectible they are. The engine offered with these Corvettes was the 350 cubic inch v8. Horsepower ranged from 205 to 405. This generation lasted from 1984 to 1996. The C5 generation took the title for high performance vehicles. The engine offered was a 346 cubic inch v8 that produced horsepower ranging from 345 horsepower to 405 horsepower. The C5 generation is considered a modern sports car. This generation lasted from 1997 to 2004. The C6 generation lasted from 2005 to present. The C6 is the most upgraded from the past generations of Corvettes. The C6 Corvettes were offered with a 6.0 liter v8 and a 427 cubic inch v8. Horsepower from these engines ranged from 400 horsepower to 638 horsepower. The C7 Corvette is still under production. It is projected that this generation of Corvettes or suppose to be nothing like the previous Corvettes and they are supposed to be very modernized. One of America’s most iconic cars is still going strong today.

Y-History of GM's pickups

What seems to be an iconic truck to the U.S. are GM’s lineups of pickups. Chevy and GMC, who are owned by General Motors, started to produce pickups in 1919. Chevy and GMC have the same exact vehicles. The only difference is the name of the vehicles and the company’s logo on the front grille. The portions of the history I want to focus on are the trucks from 1962 till now. In 1962 Chevy/GMC started to put C/K stamps on the trucks. C meant two wheel drive, while K meant four wheel drive. Chevy had either a 10, a 15 a 20, or a 30, indicating what the size of the truck was. 10 meant half ton, 15 meant half ton long bed, 20 meant three quarter ton and 30 meant full ton. GMC had 1000, 1500, and 2500. There were two body styles. Chevy and GMC had a Fleetside, the sides of the trucks are smooth, and the Stepside, which had a bed that had steps on it by the cab. The models from 1962-1966 had a few different engine options including a v8 327 cubic inch that made 220 horsepower. In 1965, GM introduced air conditioning in to the Chevy and GMC pickups. The truck models from 1967 to 1972 were redesigned. GM came out with a new sport version. GM put new marker lights on the side of the trucks and added more chrome to the trucks. In 1969 there were three new v8 engines offered, The first two are 350’s, one offering 300 horsepower and the other offering 350 horsepower. The third is a 369 that made 310 horsepower. In 1970, both the GMC and Chevy trucks came out with a new three speed automatic version. The trucks from 1973 to 1980 received a new body style. GM started offering a four door cab or known to others as a “crew cab”. Engines ranged from a 250 cubic inch inline six cylinder that made 100 horsepower to a 454 cubic inch v8 that made 240 horsepower. In 1977 the full ton pickups were offered in four wheel drive. A v8 diesel engine was offered in the C-10 pickups. The trucks made from 1981 to 1987 were built lighter. During this time frame, GM also offered a new 305 cubic inch v8 engine that made 160 horsepower. It was more powerful and had better fuel economy than the 350 cubic inch v8’s. In 1982 GM offered a 6.2 liter diesel. Also known as the “Detroit Diesel”. This was offered on the K pickups. Also a new 4 speed automatic transmission was offered in 1982. It created less wear on the engine and created a better fuel economy. In 1987 GM changed the nomenclature for their four wheel drive and two wheel drive vehicles. The four wheel drive trucks had a V, while the two wheel drive vehicles had a R. This was then changed back to C and K during the timeframe of 1988 to 1998. Instead of the stepside, GM came out with the sportside , which is a leaner version of the stepside. 1988 was also the first time, GM offered “shift on the fly” four wheel drive. This meant that the driver could put the truck in to four wheel drive while the truck was in motion. Originally the driver would have to turn on locking hubs on the front tires and then would have to put the truck in park or neutral and put the truck in four wheel drive. In 1992 GM upgraded the 6.2 liter diesel engine to a 6.5 liter diesel engine. In 1993, GM had improved engines that included three different v8’s and a v6 4.3 liter engine. The three v8’s include a 5.0 liter, a 5.7 liter and 7.4 liter. In 1996, all of the gas engines GM was using were named “Vortecs”. The current generations of trucks ,1999 til now, saw little changes. In 1999, GM offered their pickups with the Silverado and Sierra naming depending on if you bought a Chevy or a GMC. GM offered new v8’s that ranged from 4.8 liters to 6.0 liters. They still kept the same v6 engine and the 6.5 liter diesel. The 6.5 liter diesel engines would later be dropped and the Duramax diesel engines would be substituted in. The GM trucks were offered with high class options like satellite radio, DVD players and other options in 2003. From 2003 till now, the GM truck models would stay constant, only the body styles would change up a bit. GM’s trucks have always been a favorite for many.

W- Toyota Prius

One of my least favorite cars, but in my opinion, the most revolutionary car is the Toyota Prius. The Toyota Prius is a hybrid vehicle. This means that it uses more than one source of fuel, usually powered by gasoline and electricity. The Toyota Prius is one of the most fuel efficient cars on the market. The Toyota Prius was developed before people started worrying about the environment and fuel efficiency. It started to go on sale in 1997. The Prius was first sold only in Japan. When the Toyota Prius first went on sale, the sales were slow. In 2001, the Toyota Prius started to be sold worldwide. Due to the worldwide sales in 2001, the Prius had to be redesigned for places like the U.S. where speed limits are higher and people drive long distances. In 2004, the Prius was redesigned. The engine was redesigned to be more fuel efficient than the previous models and the body was redesigned. It was redesigned to be a five door hatchback, which means that it has two doors on the driver side and passenger side and a lifting tailgate. This would become the design of the car from now on. Also it was made roomier inside of the vehicle. In 2008,hybrid cars became popularity due to the record high fuel prices at the time. The 2008 model Prius became popular due to its 45 miles per gallon on the highway and the 48 miles per gallon in the city. Due to the popularity of the Prius, Toyota added three different variants to the Prius lineup. The first is the plug in Prius. The plug in Prius is the most fuel efficient Prius. The second is the Prius V. It is the larger model of the Prius family. The third is the Prius C. It is the compact model of the Prius family, meaning that it is the smallest model. The Prius like I said isn’t my favorite car, but during a time of rising fuel prices and destruction of the environment, it is a revolutionary car and the best for the time period we are living in.

U-Toyota Camry

One of the best vehicles on the road is the Toyota Camry. There are more Camry’s on the road than any other vehicle. It was introduced in 1983. Toyota wanted to make a vehicle to replace one of their other vehicles, the Toyota Corona. In 1986 it was rated as a “Best Buy” and has been since then. The Toyota Camry is a front wheel drive sedan. Toyota started to manufacture these cars in the U.S. in 1988. The plant is located in Georgetown, Kentucky. The first generations of Camry’s were produced from 1983 to 1986. The second generation was produced from 1988 to 1992. The second generation had several different engine selections. The smallest was a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine. The larger engine was a 2.5 liter v6 engine. This generation also came out with an all-wheel drive option. The third generation Camry’s were built slightly larger and were classified as midsized. The third generation came with a 2.2 liter 4 cylinder engine that produced the same power as the 2.5 liter v6, and was more fuel efficient than the 2.5 v6. The third generation also had a new v6 engine. The new v6 engine was a 3.0 liter. Due to the high costs of manufacturing the all-wheel drive option, Toyota dropped it from their lineup. Toyota started to make their vehicles in 1994 by adding two standard airbags and giving the vehicle a better chance against side impacts. In 1994 Toyota also a U.S. built coupe version with different trim styles and the choice of either the 4 cylinder engine or the v6 engine. The 1997 models were lighter and quieter and more power due to increases to horsepower and torque in the engines. The 1997 Camry’s had a 5 speed manual v6 option. The 1997 cabs on the cars had more space than the older models and it was also the safest vehicle. The 1998 Camry’s had low emissions. In 2002, Toyota was still producing the 3.0 liter v6, and Toyota came out with a new 4 cylinder engine. It was a 2.4 liter engine. Both these engines were fuel efficient and didn’t have many emissions. In 2004 Toyota came out with a new v6 engine. It was a 3.3 liter engine that was also fuel efficient and had low emissions and is still used by Toyota. Overall, everything changed by Toyota to the Camry was the way they looked from 1983 till now. The engines were changed slightly, but still were consistent. These are safe, reliable vehicles and they fold their value.

U-History of the Duramax Diesel

One of the favorite engines of people, especially people who like pickups, is the diesel engine that General Motors puts in their line of heavy duty pickups. This engine is called the Duramax. GM teamed up with Isuzu to produce these engines. They formed a company called DMAX Ltd. The Duramax is a v8 direct injection turbo diesel engine that has 32 valves, the parts in the engine that puts fuel in the cylinders so it can be burnt. When it came out, it was the first “Common Rail” diesel engine. What this is, is a rail in the engine that feeds fuel into the valves at a higher pressure. These engines started to be produced in 1998 and were first on the market in 2000. The first generation was sold until 2004. The first generation was called the LB7. The 6.6 liter LB7 produced 520 lb. ft. of torque. Half way through 2004, the second generation Duramax engine was put on the market. This engine was called the LLY. It produced 605 lb. ft. of torque. The valves were redsigned so the owner can work on the engine easier. The LLY also came out with an intercooler. This helped make the engine more efficient. The air that is recirculated through the engine, through the intercooler, and put back into the engine. The cooler air burns better than warmer air. In 2006 the next generation of Duramax engines was put on the market. This was called the LBZ. The engine was improved to 650 lb. ft. of torque. The engine was designed to be stronger physically so it can take more abuse. This meant that people who like to tune engines to produce more power than they were produced with became attached to this engine. The LBZ also had a bigger intercooler. These were the last Duramax engines were the last one to not have a DPF. The DPF is an abbreviation for diesel particulate filter. This was put on the engine so it can keep the exhaust fumes cleaner when it leaves the vehicle. This was also added so the vehicle was still legal to drive if someone decided to alter the exhaust. The DPF hurts fuel economy. This generation of Duramax engines was also the first to be equipped with the heavy duty Allison transmission. The very next year the LMM engine was on the market. These engines produced 660 lb. ft. of torque. These engines had to meet new environmental standards, but still produced power. In 2010 the current engine was put on the market. This was called the LML. It produces 765 lb. ft. of torque. Everything on the engine was updated so it created more power and ran much cleaner. The Duramax engine is a favorite of many with 1.5 million were sold up to date. These are reliable engines that are put in a sturdy brand of truck.

T- History of Ford's Diesel Pickups

A lot of people want a brand new Ford pickup with a diesel engine, but most do not know the history of Ford’s lineup of diesel pickups. Most people buy a vehicle because it looks good, its reliable, or because it sounds good. People don’t know the history of many lineups of vehicles and what makes them go. Here’s the history of the diesel engines that Ford has used in their ¾ ton and full ton (F-250 and F-350) pickups. In 1982 Ford decided to introduce a line of diesel pickups. Ford partnered up with International Truck and Engine company, or as most people call it International, and would eventually be renamed from International to Navistar. From 1982 to 1988, Ford was putting a 6.9 liter IDI v8 engine in their trucks. These engines were not turbocharged, meaning they did not have a turbo like all modern diesel engines. IDI means indirect injection. This meant that fuel wasn’t injected directly into the engine. This engine made 170 horsepower and 315 lb. ft. of torque. In 1988 Ford put a large7.3 liter IDI v8 in their trucks. These also weren’t turbocharged, at least not until the 90’s. In 1994, Ford discontinued the IDI and came out with the 7.3 liter v8 Powerstroke. The 7.3 Powerstroke was direct injected and came standard with a turbocharger like the other Powerstrokes from then on. It had more power than the IDI’s and was a tough engine. Many of these engines were sold because lots of people liked them. It is even ranked in the top 10 diesel engines. Some Ford truck enthusiasts even believe that Ford should’ve stuck with the 7.3. In 2003 Ford switched from the 7.3 liter v8 to the smaller 6.0 liter v8 Powerstroke. The 6.0 Powerstroke was the answer to the governments limiting of emissions. The 6.0 created lots of power with low emissions. It produced 570 lb. ft. of torque. These engines had lots of problems due to the emissions control. In 2007 Ford replaced the 6.0 Powerstroke with the 6.4 liter v8 Powerstroke. The 6.4 was quieter and cleaner than the previous two Powerstroke engines. These engines produced 650 lb. ft. of torque. It had twin turbochargers (two turbochargers). They were supposed to be more reliable than the 6.0, but not as reliable as the 7.3. The 6.4 still had problems. The current engine Ford has in their pickups is the 6.7 liter v8 Powerstroke. The 6.7 is supposed to be more advanced than the previous Powerstroke engines. Ford decided to tear down the Powerstroke and rebuild it and make upgrades to the Powerstroke engine. One of the most important things that were upgraded on these engines is the ability for the engines to start in cold weather. The problem with diesel engines in the cold is that diesel can gel up if it’s too cold. Also if it is too cold, the engine might be too cold for the diesel to ignite. If not all, then most diesel engines have some sort of way to heat the engine before the driver starts the engine so. This is either a block heater, which heats the injectors up and, or glow plugs, which work the same way as the lights in a toaster. Glow plugs heat the inside of the cylinders. All of the diesel engines used in Fords had glow plugs. The pre heating system in the 6.7 is supposed to heat the engine faster. The 6.7 Powerstroke will possibly be upgrade for a better, upgraded version like the other engines, but this one will be around for a while. Ford’s lineup of diesel trucks are reliable and tough. From the beginnings in 1982 with the primitive 6.9 liter v8 IDI, to the beginnings of the Powerstroke name with the 7.3, to the current 6.7 Powerstroke, Ford’s lineup of diesel pickups have been able to compete and perform with the diesel pickups on the market.

T-Dodge Pickups 1961 to Now

Dodge started producing pickups in 1921. But the trucks that everyone knows from Dodge are the trucks from the mid 60’s to early 70’s to now. There are two series that are included in this. The first is the “D-series” that was produced from 1961 to 1993 and the “Ram series” that started production in 1994 and is still being produced. The “D-Series” was bigger than the previous Dodge trucks. Towards the end of the “D-Series”, they were starting to be called “Rams”. At first these trucks had 2 inline 6 engines. One was a 170 cubic inch engine that produced 101 horsepower. These engines were only put in Dodge’s light duty trucks (D-100). The other engine was a 225 cubic inch engine that produced 140 horsepower. These were put in Dodge’s heavier duty trucks up to the full ton trucks. In 1964 Dodge started to come out with a sports version. These trucks had a bigger 426 engine. These engines produced 365 horsepower and 470 ft. lb. of torque. In 1965 they had a standard six cylinder 225 engine and two options of a v8 318 and a v8 361. In 1967 a 383 v8 became an option. It made 258 horsepower and 375 ft. lb. of torque. In 1972, a 400 v8 was produced with 200 horsepower. A 360 v8 was also produced with 180 horsepower. In 1978 the D-150 (half ton) and D-250 (3/4 ton) were offered. These trucks were offered with a Mitsubishi brand no-turbo diesel engine. The highlight of Dodge’s pickup history was the introduction of the Cummins turbodiesel engine in 1989. These engines were originally put inn big rigs and farm tractors. The Cummins engine was more advanced than GM’s or Ford’s Diesel engines. The Cummins had a turbo, which helped produced more power. It also had direct injection. This means that the fuel was put directly into the engine. This created better fuel efficiency and had lower emissions. The first generation Cummins that was put in Dodge’s pickups were a straight six cylinder 5.9 liter engine with 12 valves. These engines produced 400 ft. lb. of torque. They were put in Dodge’s ¾ ton (D-250) trucks and full ton (D-350) trucks. The last of the “D-Series” was made in 1993. In 1994, Dodge introduced the new “Ram Series”. In the “Ram Series” the trucks were labeled with a 1500, 2500, and 3500. These trucks had a 5.9 liter gas v8 option and the Cummins as an option. The v8 5.9 liter gas option was later switched for a modern v8 Hemi. The Cummins engine has stayed constant from 1989 until now. There were few modifications to it. The new Cummins and the new Hemi v8’s are very modernized from what these pickups had.

S- Plymouth Road Runner

One of Chrysler’s most recognizable muscle cars, besides the Dodge Super Bee, Charger and the Plymouth Barracuda, is the Plymouth Road Runner. The Road Runner, along with the other cars mentioned above, are a part of the MOPAR car group. The Road Runner is a modified version of the Belvedere car. Plymouth then paid the Warner Bros $50,000 to put the famous cartoon bird, The Road Runner, on the car. Plymouth wanted to go back to making cars that were fast and selling them for cheap like the original muscle cars were. In 1968, the first Plymouth Road Runner was produced. The 1968 Road Runners came with a 383 v8 which produced 335 horsepower. The 383 was the standard engine. But it also came with a second option. This option was the more powerful 426 v8 Hemi engine. It produced 425 horsepower. The interior was basic. It didn’t have a bench seat or a carpeted floor. There were two 2door versions, one was a hard top, and the other was a pillared coupe.The base model was sold for $2896. If you wanted the Hemi version, it cost $3610. The horn on this car was a replica of the Road Runner’s well known “beep-beep” and the hood had vents. In 1969, these cars were offered with a convertible option. There were also two new engine options. The first is a 440 with a four barrel carburetor which produced 375 horsepower. The other is also a 440, but it had a triple-two carburetor, which means it’s a six barrel carburetor. This version of the 440 was called the “440 +6” and it produced 390 horsepower. They also had a hood scoop like the Dodge Super Bee. This helped get more air in to the engine. The 1970 model had a different hood. It had a trap door, that when a switch was hit, a shark cartoon will pop up with the phrase “Air Grabber” on the side. This was meant to help get air into the engine. A 3 speed manual transmission became the standard transmission along with an optional 4 speed manual transmission. 1971 was the beginning of the end if the muscle era. Due to government regulations, the 383 engine and the 440 engines dropped in horsepower. The 383 produced 300 horsepower. The 440 v8 produced 370 horsepower and the “440+6” produced 385 horsepower. The 426 Hemi stayed the same, but it would be dropped the next year. In 1972 the 383 was dropped also with the 426 hemi. The Road Runner still came with the 440 v8 and “440+6”. The 440 v8 only 280 horsepower, and the “440+6” only produced 330 horsepower. The Road Runner gained two new engine options this year to. One was a 340 v8, which produced 240 horsepower. The other was a 400 v8, which produced 255 horsepower. In 1973, the Road Runner only gained one new engine. This was a 318 v8, which produced 170 horsepower. In 1974 the 340 engine was replaced with a 360 v8. This engine produced 245 horsepower. This engine line up lasted until 1976. In 1976 there were only two engine lineups, the 318 v8 which only produced 150 horsepower and the 360 which only produced 170 horsepower. This lineup lasted the rest of the life of the Road Runner. The Road Runner was a big part of the muscle car era and one Chrysler’s most recognizable cars.

S- Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang is one of America’s classic muscle cars. It was first produced half way through 1964. The first generation was produced until 1966. They first came out with a few different engine options. The options were a 2.8 liter 6 cylinder, 3.3 liter 6 cylinder, a 4.3 liter v8, 3 different 289 v8’s, one with a 2 barrel carburetor that made 210 horsepower ,one with a 4 barrel carburetor that made 220 horsepower , and a high performance 289 that produced 271 horsepower. Later on a racer named Carroll Shelby introduced the GT 350 v8 engine to Ford. This happened because he wanted to help Ford out sell Chevy and their Corvettes. Besides the high performance 289, the other versions had a 3 speed manual transmission. The 289 high performance engines had a 4 speed manual transmission. The cab of the car was pushed back farther than the other vehicles of the time. The Mustang had a longer hood and had a shorter rear end. They also have the iconic mustang on the side of the vehicle. The v8 mustangs out sold the six cylinder engine versions right away. The second generation was produced from 1967 to 1968. The second generation Mustangs had actual competition. They had to compete with the Chevy Camaro, the Pontiac Firebird, and the Plymouth Barracuda. These new Mustangs were slightly bigger than the first ones. These mustangs still had the 3.3 liter, the 289 v8’s which produced 200 horsepower, 225 horsepower or 271 horsepower. One of the new engines the Mustangs had was a 390 v8 “Big Block” which made 315 horsepower. In 1968, the Mustangs dropped most 289 v8’s and only had one as an option that made 195 horsepower. Ford came out with two different 302 v8’s that year. One had a 2 barrel carburetor that made 220 horsepower and a 4 barrel carburetor that made 230 horsepower. Ford also had two new “Big Blocks” to. One was a 427 v8 and the other was a 428 v8. The 427 made 390 horsepower while the 428 made 335 horsepower. The third generation was from 1969 to 1970. The 289 v8’s were discontinued by this time. These mustangs had a new 351 v8 that made 250 horsepower, a 390 v8 making 320 horsepower, and two different versions of the 428 v8’s. One of the 428’s made 335 horsepower and this was called the “Cobra Jet” and the other 428 made 360 horsepower and this was called the “Super Cobra Jet”. The fourth generation was made from 1971 to 1973. This generation was bland at best. This generation had engines ranging from the 250 to 6 cylinder to a v8 302, to two different forms of the 351 and the Cobra Jet 429 and the Super Cobra Jet. The fifth generation Mustang was not a favorite. It was called the Mustang II. The only thing that came out of this generation was the v8 5.0 engine. The sixth generation lasted a long 15 years, being produced from 1979 1993. The main engine of this generation was the 5.0 v8. It produced the most horsepower for the Mustang. The seventh generation also included the 5.0 v8 engine. Between these two generations, the only thing that changed was the body style. Ford didn’t change the engine until the eighth generation. The eighth generation started production in 1999 and lasted to 2004. Tis generation had the option of a 4.6 liter engine or a Cobra engine. The current generation of Mustangs has an original fell, as Ford put some of the classic look in to the car. The Mustang in general is a favorite for most car collectors.

Q- Dodge Charger

One of the most recognizable muscle cars is the Dodge Charger. They were popular enough that in the TV series, The Dukes of Hazzard, the main characters Bo and Luke Duke drove an orange 1969/1970 Charger that had a confederate flag painted on the roof and was named The General Lee. The first generations of Chargers were produced in 1966 and were produced to 1967. Beside the roof style and some of the trim on the car, this generation of Dodge Charger is the same thing as the Dodge Coronet. Chrysler, the car company that owns Dodge, needed a car that compete against Ford’s Mustang. Dodge had a Charger built for racing that had a 426 v8 Hemi engine. This helped Dodge win 18 wins and a title championship during the 1966 NASCAR Grand national season. When Dodge produced a street version of these cars, they put a 318 v8 engine. Dodge also offered a 361 v8, to versions of a 383 v8, a v8 440 v8, and the what most people say is the best engine Dodge put in the Charger, the 426 v8 Hemi. The 426 Hemi produced the most power out of the engines offered. It produced 425 horsepower. The second generation Charger was produced from 1968 to 1970. The second generation Charger had the same engine options as the first generation Chargers. The second generation Chargers had new body style that everyone loved and still loves. The second generation Chargers were built for stock car racing. When it lost to the Ford Torino Talladega, produced by Ford just for racing. Dodge answer to this was the Charger Daytona, which had a wing sticking out on the back to help keep the car closer to the ground when racing. The Daytona Charger was not offered during the 1970 year. The third generation Chargers looked similar to the second generation, but it still didn’t look as good. They were produced from 1971 to 1974. Besides the engines previously offered with the first two generations, the third generation included a 440 “six pack”, which had three two barrel carburetors. A carburetor is the part of the engine that puts fuel in it. This generation, along with the second generation was successful. The fourth generation wasn’t as successful. It was produced from 1975 to 1977. This was produced during the energy crisis of the 1970’s. The 1975 model was only offered with a 360 v8. Eventually the fourth generation offered a 318 v8. These Chargers weren’t very successful. The fifth generation was produced from 1982 to 1987. The only thing noteworthy about this generation is that it was offered with a Shelby engine, the same ones offered in the Shelby Mustang. This would be the last Charger made for 19 years. The sixth generations Chargers were the first Chargers to comeback after a long break. They have a modern style look. They are offered with a 3.5 liter v6 , a 5.7 liter v8 Hemi and a 6.1 liter v8 Hemi. The Dodge Charger is a classic muscle car. They were an icon during the muscle car era along with other cars.

Q- Ford Bronco

One of the most well-known vehicles is the Ford Bronco. The Ford Bronco is a sports utility vehicle or S.U.V. Ford Started to make the Bronco in 1965/1966 to compete with Jeeps CJ-5, which is a model of the Jeep Wrangler, and the International Harvester’s truck line ,which they named the scout. Later on they were modified to compete with the Chevy Blazer, Jeep Cherokee, and the Dodge Ramcharger. The first Broncos were produced in August 1965 didn’t have many options like an automatic transmission or power steering. These were the first generation of Broncos and they were produced from 1965 to 1978. The first generation of Broncos were compact S.U.V.’s. The only engine they had at first was a six cylinder that only made 105 horsepower. In March of 1966, Ford began to offer a 289 v8 engine and a 302 v8 engine. The first Broncos, while weren’t offered with many options, did have the option to have a snow plow kit, trailer hitch, and winches. They also had the option of having two fuel tanks, one was larger than the second fuel tank when this option was selected. In 1967, Ford came out with the sport package of the Bronco. This was a “higher class” version of the Bronco. It included options like a cigar lighter and trim around parts of the vehicle. Due to companies like Jeep, International and Chevy producing S.U.V.’s that were starting take the Ford Bronco out of competition, Ford had to upgrade their line of Broncos. The second and third generations of Ford Broncos were the first generation of them being full sized S.U.V.’s. They were converted to full size because Chevy started to produce their own line of full sized S.U.V.’s known as the k5 Blazer. The second 1978 to 1979 while the third generation was produced from 1980 to 1986.The second generation of Broncos offered a choice of a v8 351 engine and a v8 400 option in 1978. They also had an option of 4 speed manual transmission or a 3 speed automatic transmission. The Bronco stayed consistent throughout its second generation. The only things that changed between the second and third generations were the engine options, the 351 v8 was a constant option while a 300 inline 6 cylinder was offered along with a 302 v8, while the 400 v8 wasn’t offered anymore. Besides the engine changes, the third generation had the same transmission options. The fourth and fifth generations of Broncos had a new body style. It had an aero look. The first two generations of Broncos had a boxy body style; the new body styles had a curvier look to it. Both the fourth and fifth generations were produced at the same time, from 1987 to 1991. They would be the last generation of the Bronco. Ford went on to sell them until 1996. These Broncos were offered with the options of a 351 v8, 302 v8 and a 300 inline 6 cylinder. They were also offered with the option of having a 5 speed manual transmission, 3 speed automatic transmission or a 4 speed automatic transmission. The Ford Bronco had a long 30 year run and during its production, a compact version of the vehicle known as the Bronco II was being produced. The Ford Bronco is a well-known S.U.V. among people and collectible to some.

R-Toyota's Pickup Truck lineup

Toyota produces many reliable vehicles but the two that stand out is its lineup of pickups. Toyota has two lineups: The light duty Tacoma and the heavy duty Tundra. The Toyota Tacoma didn’t get its name until 1995/1996 when the Seventh generation of this pickup debut. It got this name because Toyota started to sell more of these trucks in the U.S. and wanted to give it an English name. The seventh generation Tacomas came with two different engines. The two wheel drive trucks came with a 2.4 liter gas engine and the four wheel drive trucks came with a 2.7 liter gas engine. Both the four wheel drive and the four wheel drive trucks also came with a v6 3.4 liter option. The current eighth generation still has the 2.7 liter engine but their new v6 engines were upped to 4.0 liters. Toyota still makes changes to the Tacoma so it can keep competing in the truck market. The Tacoma’s heavy duty cousin, the Tundra is also a competitor on the market. The Tundra was first produced in 1999. There are more Tundras sold than the GMC Sierra 1500, but is still behind the Ford F-150. It shares the v6 3.4 liter engine with the Tacoma. The Tundra has a choice of a 4.7 liter v8 liter, and a 5.7 liter v8. There is also a special variant of the truck from the Toyota Racing Development (TRD). What makes these engines different is that they are supercharged. What this means is that it gives the engine more power. There are two forms of these engines, a v6 and a v8 engine. Toyota is planning on producing two different types of the Toyota Tundra, a half ton version (similar to the Ford F-150, Chevy/GM 1500 and the Dodge Ram 1500) and an actual heavy duty ¾ ton version (similar to the F-250, Chevy/GM 2500 and the Dodge Ram 2500). Toyota is planning on producing a diesel version of the Tundra that they would include in their ¾ ton trucks. Toyota trucks are tough and reliable. They hold their value and can compete with any of the U.S. produced trucks.

R-Ford's Super Duty pickups

One of the most reliable and well-known truck lineups out there is Ford’s line up of Super Duty pickups. This is Ford’s line up of their heavy duty trucks. These trucks began as having the Heavy Duty or “HD” stamp to its name. Like all ford trucks, these trucks usually have an F and a number following. For Ford the heavy duty/ Super Duty trucks are called the F-250, F-350 and F-450. F-250’s have single rear tires while the F350’s have an option of having single rear tires or dual rear tires. The F-450’s only come with dual rear tires. The F-250 stands for ¾ of a ton, the F-350 stands for a full ton and the F-450 is greater than a ton. The Super Duty line up began in 1999. The first generation of Super Duty trucks lasted from 1999 to 2007. These trucks came with the option of having a regular cab (2 door), a Super Cab (small 4 door) and Crew Cab (large 4 door). Along with the different cab options, buyers can buy each truck with a different sized bed. The options for bed sizes are for a 6 ¾ ft. bed and an 8 ft. bed. Engine options for the first generation Super Duty pickups included two different diesel engines and two different gas options. One of the diesel engines offered was the 7.3 liter Powerstroke from 1994 to 2002 which had between 500 ft. lb. of torque to 520 ft. lb. of torque. From 1994 to 1997 Ford’s heavy duty trucks didn’t have the Super Duty label. It is said these engines were one of the best Ford put in their heavy duty trucks. The other is the 6.0 liter Powerstroke, which was offered from 2003 to about 2008. These engines produced between 560 to 570 ft. lb. of torque. These engines had lots of problems. The two gas engines offered were a 5.4 liter v8 and a 6.8 liter v10 engine. The second generation Super Duty pickups started 2008 and are still being produced today. The second generation Super Duties also had two diesel engine options. The first is the 6.4 liter Powerstroke which produced 650 ft. lb. of torque. These engines replaced the 6.0 liter Powerstrokes. The 6.4 liter Powerstroke was later replaced with the new and current 6.7 liter Powerstroke. The 6.7 liter engine produces from 800 ft. lb. of torque to 850 ft. lb. of torque. The gas option offered in the second generation Super Duties is a 6.2 liter v8 engine. This truck line up proves to be tough and reliable. This lineup is a favorite of many people and continues to compete with other truck lineups on the market.