No Reserve! 7.3l Power Stroke Turbo Diesel Engine. Crew Cab. Ready To Customize on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ford recalls 2020-21 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, 2021 E-Series

Ford announced safety recalls for the 2020-2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator along with the 2021 E-Series early Monday. The recalls address entirely different issues.  In the case of the 2020-2021 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, that issue is motor mount hardware. Specifically, the fasteners that secure the passenger-side motor mount may back out. In Ford's words, this can result in a "loss of power," which is the entirely predictable result of an engine parting ways with the vehicle it powers.  As alarming as that may sound, owners should not have to worry about anything extreme, as the passenger side mount is only one of multiple, and Ford says it is not aware of any incidents that have occurred with vehicles in customer hands. Ford says it impacts only about 1400 examples of the Explorer and Aviator in the States (plus two in Mexico and 65 in Canada) that were built at Chicago Assembly Plant between July 28 and 30, 2020. Ford is in the process of alerting its owners to the recall, and those with affected models will have their mount hardware replaced by their local Ford dealerships free of charge.  The 2021 E-Series is being recalled for a potential heat management issue resulting from improperly aligned thermal insulation on the underside of its engine cover. In vehicles where this insulation was not properly installed so that it reaches all the way to the edges of the cover, the resulting heat bleed can cause high in-cabin surface temperatures, and direct contact them could result in burns.  This is the larger of the two recalls, as Ford says it covers nearly 33,000 examples sold in the United States and Canada. Fortunately, as with the above issue, Ford says it has not been made aware of any customer incidents. Ford says the remedy is a set of insulation patches for the exposed areas.  Related Video:

Michigan museum offers Model T driving classes

Halfway between Detroit and Chicago, there is a car museum that gives visitors a unique level of interaction with antique cars. The Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, MI has a driver's training class to teach people of any age to learn how to drive a Ford Model T.
From the crank starter to the column-mounted throttle control, this driving school teaches people all there is to know about driving and operating a Model T. Each class lasts about two and a half hours and is only open to 18 students. There are ten sessions planned for 2014 - twice a day on May 3, June 22, July 22, August 23 and September 14. The class costs $95 (or $85 for members), and it also includes a tour of the museum's automobile collection.
In addition to this driving school, the museum has plenty of exhibits on the property, and it's open all but three days per year (Easter, Christmas and New Year's Day) with free admission for school field trips and active military. Be sure to check out the Gilmore Car Museum's website or visit them on Facebook for more info.

Chris Harris checks out Ken Block's Hoonicorn '65 Mustang

Ken Block's Hoonicorn, which stars in Gymkhana Seven, might still bear a passing resemblance to a vintage 1965 Ford Mustang, but underneath the skin, the car is one of the baddest custom machines to ever do a smoky burnout on the road. The ever enthusiastic British auto journalist Chris Harris is now showing what really makes Block's new ride tick on video, and Harris even gets to go for quite a ride. The only Mustang components really left on the Hoonicorn are the A-pillar, B-pillar and roof, according to Harris. Everything else is ditched to create Block's ultimate Gymkhana tool. The 845-horsepower, 6.7-liter Rousch Yates V8 sits behind the front axle, and the grunt is routed to all four wheels through a Sadev gearbox usually found on Dakar Rally vehicles. The whole drivetrain is packed with cool little touches; like that giant handbrake that also disconnects power from the front wheels when in use. The superlatives about the Hoonicorn could go on forever, but settle in and let a very excited Harris tell you about just some of them. He's like a kid in a candy store here, and the look that combines surprise, fear and joy during his ride with Block is the kind that lacks a suitable word in the English language.