A Reminder to Visit Our New Blog

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Just a reminder to everyone who has been a loyal visitor to this electronic newsletter (blog).  We've started our new Motorheads Performance newsletter which has daily postings with informational articles for anyone who is involved or interested in classic cars, street rods, hot rods, classic trucks, muscle cars, vintage cars, or American sportscars. We like the new format and updated style. We hope you do too. We'll keep this newsletter available so you can access old articles of interest.

Here's some recent articles:

• Classic Cars Rentals Available in Texas
• Warning About Swapping Out Engine Pulleys
• Buying Classic Cars As Investments - What Are Your...
• Watch this great time-lapse video
• Motorheads Performance Attends Snap-On Event (see some cool car pics!)
• Heat Affects Texas Classic Car Enthusiasts! - What you should do in the heat.
• Hard Times Hit Home For A Motorheads' Customer  
• Motorheads Performance "Student" Graduates!

 We've also added a second, brand new newsletter specifically for shop news, where we report on the small things that happen each day in the shop. Guy will normally give an update on projects, discuss a problem he frequently sees, or talk about new equipment or services at Motorheads Performance. Usually brief and designed to keep our customers informed.

Motorheads Performance Receives Invitation to Australia
by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Last week, I wrote an article which was based on an interview I had with award-winning inventor Frank Will.  Mr. Will had recently won an award from the editors at Popular Science magazine for his work on Over7, an automotive design which uses waste heat to reduce car engine friction, resulting in higher efficiency, lower emissions, and fuel consumption savings!  His design also won awards from the Society of Automotive Engineers Australasia (SAE-A), and he was one of sixteen Fresh Science winners in 2011.

Following a series of subsequent discussions with Mr. Will, Guy Algar and I have been invited to visit Frank at Deakin University in Australia, where he has led his research and testing at the School of Engineering!  We're excited that we will be able to tour the facilities and "talk shop" with Frank, who is also an American Classic Car enthusiast, and in fact, had been very successful in motorcycle racing earlier in his career.

If you missed out on the original article, please read it now!

Although a trip to Australia will need to wait a bit as we're extremely busy at Motorheads, Guy and I look forward to a trip which will be immensely interesting and extremely satisfying. We will keep you posted!

Time-Lapse Engine Rebuild is Great!
by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

I caught a great YouTube video that I just had to share with all our fellow Motorheads! Don't know everything that's behind an engine tear-down and rebuild?  Just watch what one guy did over a period of 11 months, taking over 3000 photos, then putting them all together in a clever and entertaining time-lapse sequence! 

Nothinghereok apparently bought an engine off of ebay after his engine had died. He began taking the photos so that he could remember how everything came apart. This is something Motorheads Performance always recommends if you're not experienced - whether it's taking an engine, transmission, body, interior, etc. apart!  Too many people take a car apart without realizing that they have to remember (often years later) how to get it back together again!  Another hint is to always "bag and tag" everything - especially nuts and bolts!

We're not experts on foreign cars, (as we work only on classic American cars and trucks from the 1920's through 1970's), but shop manager Guy Algar says this engine looks like it might belong to an MG perhaps? Love the choice of music...watch this video!

So, for all of you wondering why an engine rebuild is so expensive, as you can see, there are an awful lot of pieces that need to be removed, cleaned, sometimes replaced, and all put back together in the correct sequence and in the correct place!  In other words...quite labor intensive!

Thank you nothinghereok for sharing such a great piece!

Risk of Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke
as Texas Temperatures Soar
by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Texas is in a heat wave and working on your classic car or truck project can be dangerous. With temperatures in the triple digits all week, it is no wonder that many are wisely staying indoors. But, there are always those who underestimate the affects that this type of heat can have on your body, and how quickly innocent seeming symptoms can turn deadly!

Guy Algar of Motorheads Performance says, "We're accustomed to working outdoors and without A/C in the shop, even in 100 degree weather. But we're also acutely aware of the dangers and take precautions each and every day, including protection from heat and sun and drinking a lot of water and drinks containing electrolytes." Motorheads send this caution to those who don't spend so much time outside, or go back and forth between air conditioning and short stays outside. Heat exhaustion can set in unexpectedly, and heat stroke (sometimes called sunstroke) can quickly follow if the symptoms of heat exhaustion are ignored. We offer the following information on the dangers of heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke so you can quickly recognize the symptoms. The information here is not a substitute for medical advise. We urge you to contact your physican and or emergency services or 911 if you suspect you are having symptoms and take action quickly.

Heat Exhaustion - Heat Stroke

Heat exhaustion is usually brought on when people who are not well adjusted to heat go outside and work in a hot or extremely humid environment. When temperatures are high outdoors, the human body cools itself mostly through evaporation of sweat. When conditions are hot and humid, the sweat-evaporation process does not work properly. Your body experiences loss of fluids and important salts or electrolytes. When these are not replaced, or not replaced in sufficient quantities, your body experiences symptoms that can resemble mild forms of shock.

Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion can include:

• Moist skin which is often paler than normal and cool to the touch
• Profuse Sweating
• Muscle cramps or pains
• Feeling faint or dizzy
• Headache
• Weakness
• Unquenchable Thirst
• Nausea
• Increased pulse rate
• Core temperature 100 F or more (most accurate taken rectally)

Heat stroke can develop rapidly if you do not take care of heat exhaustion symptoms. One of the easiest forms to recognize occurs in people whose cooling mechanisms may already be impaired, such as those that suffer from medical conditions which predispose them to the symptoms.You may already be sensitive to slight shifts in temperature, or have problems with sweating. The most dangerous form occurs in people who are considered healthy, but may be engaged in strenuous activities in the heat, because it is unexpected and symptoms can escalate very quickly.

Symptoms of Heat Stroke can include one or more of these:

• Previously moist skin becomes hot and DRY, even under armpits
• Skin appears flushed (red or dark pink)
• Blood pressure elevates, then may suddenly fall later
• Hyperventilation
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Unconscious
• Abnormal mental status (dizziness, confusion, hallucinations, even coma)
• Rectal temperature of 105 F or more

What to do for Heat Exhaustion?

 At the first signs of heat exhaustion, you need to lower the body temperature, rehydrate and rest. Get out of the heat and take steps to reduce the person's body temperature. Use a fan, get into A/C, hose down with a garden hose, cool shower or bath. Drink cool water or Gatorade or anything but alcohol! Alcohol will only dehydrate the person more. Avoid further activity and rest until feeling better. Call your doctor if these immediate remedies do not work, or if symptoms get worse.

What to do for Heat Stroke?

 If you suspect Heat Stroke call 911 IMMEDIATELY. People die of heat stroke. It should be taken very seriously.

Better Fuel Efficiency for Classic Cars?
A New Invention Shows Promise
by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance, Leesville, TX

Motorheads Performance was honored to interview inventor Frank Will to discuss his Over7^TM design, which recently caught the eye of the editors at Popular Science in their search for top inventions for their 6th Annual 2012 Awards. Mr. Will's innovative design uses waste heat to reduce car engine friction by warming the engine oil to its optimal operating temperature, resulting in higher efficiency, lower emissions, and fuel consumption savings!

After reading an article in the June 2012 issue of Popular Science magazine, I must admit, something hit a cord. Since I work and live side-by-side with a mechanical engineer, I guess some of the intrigue in what they do has rubbed off on me, and I was immediately curious. The article aptly described Mr. Will's life as having always "been consumed with improving engine performance."  In fact, he began racing motorcycles in Europe when he was a teenager. He won a world championship race in 1991 before becoming an automotive engineer with Ford in Germany and later also Australia. Leaving his job in 2008, he began working on what later was dubbed "Over7".

I admit, I wanted more information. The concept sure seemed sound. It just made a lot of sense, and a sentence near the end of the article caught my eye. "He also plans to furnish a $200 to $400 conversion kit that mechanics could use to install the system in older cars." Well, I thought...the wheels turning in my head...I wonder how well the system would work on a classic car?  It would seem a simple add-on would not detract much from keeping an engine original, as it works by collecting hot motor oil before it returns to the oil pan, instead redirecting it to a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the engine's exhaust gas, heating it even more. This makes it less viscous, at the same time keeping it from burning up the engine due to the thermostat control, which does not allow the temperature to exceed 300 degrees. Amazingly, the actual engine block stays at a relatively cool 200 degrees, making it easier to turn the crankshaft and run the oil pump, thereby requiring less fuel from the engine.

While this system may not work well in a performance engine that our customers use for their street/strip muscle cars and classics, I'm thinking this could be a good thing for our classic car customers that have daily drivers, or regularly use their cars for cruises, etc., where gas mileage can be an important consideration! By this time, my mind is racing ahead of itself. How easily would this conversion kit be to install? Would a "one size fits all" system work, or would there need to be modifications for different size engines, etc. The questions began flying, and before you know it, I was contacting the inventor, Mr. Frank Will, at Deakin University in Geelong, Australia, where he has led research and testing at the School of Engineering during his Ph.D. project!

I was astonished and pleased to receive a quick, personal reply from Mr. Will. He not only answered my questions, but engaged in a back and forth dialogue where I found out that, yes, Frank IS an American Classic Car enthusiast! While a friend has "an old Mustang", his dream car would be "the yellow hot rod from American Graffiti". Well, Frank, you are in good company! A NICE pick!  I know our friends and customers at Motorheads are nodding their heads in approval.

PHOTO:  Frank Will with Formula SAE racing car developed and built at Deakin University (photo: Donna Edwards)

Earlier, I alluded to the efficiency of Over7. In fact, tests have indicated that its use can cut gas consumption by 7 percent, and emissions by up to 30 percent, which is a big savings. Research has found that a typical car engine wastes about 80 percent of its fuel, with only 20 percent of the fuel's energy being used to actually drive the car forward! The rest is lost as heat. Mr. Will's Over7 appears to address this waste. Mr. Will explained, "One of its most important features is that it doesn't have to heat all the oil in the sump. Instead, it heats only the active oil in the engine lubrication system. This makes the overall heat transfer process much more efficient. Other benefits include the potential to reduce engine wear and improve performance." 

My immediate questions about how the invention worked were answered, but I still had questions that I thought others might also find of interest.  Here, in interview format, are some I thought our readers would enjoy:

Motorheads:  What caused you to look at engine oil as a possible way to improve efficiency?

Mr. Will:  Around ten years ago some articles were published about exhaust gas heat exchangers to warm up the coolant faster. I thought that's a great idea and that it also should improve fuel economy, but it didn't. So I asked myself why and did some analysis and concluded that most of the heat transferred from the exhaust to the coolant doesn't really make it into the oil as it is lost to the ambient air. So I thought why not heat up the oil directly and performed some tests that showed some encouraging results. However, some of the results didn't make sense to me so I looked further into it and came up with the new systems specification.

Motorheads:  Being a performance shop, we love the idea of lowering the heat in an engine block. Will the Over7 work on classic cars and trucks as well as modern day vehicles?

Mr. Will:  Yes, it will but mostly during day to day driving where the oil doesn't really get warm enough. On the race track of course it's a different scenario where you want to keep the oil temp below a certain limit, similar when you tow a trailer up the mountains in summer.

Motorheads:  Will conversion kits be available at any time in the near future for shops like ours to install for customers?

Mr. Will:  I hope so and I'm looking into it. At the moment I'm running some further tests with different configurations to determine the detailed business case. And I'm looking for a large partner with the relevant market access. However, my main focus at the moment are engineering projects with car manufacturers as they are under a huge pressure to reduce the CO2 emissions of their future cars that they are currently developing, cause by new CO2 emission regulations that are currently being introduced in most parts of the world. The system has the potential to be retrofitted to existing engines and we don't think it will require big changes. It should be much cheaper to fit than an LPG conversion for example. Built into a new car, it should pay for itself within a month or two.

Motorheads:  How can Motorheads Performance participate in the testing and installation of these systems?

Mr. Will:  Interesting question, it might be a bit difficult due to the distance. But I had a look at the parts that you distribute and I found a couple of brands that make some parts that could be used in a conversion kit with some modifications/adaptation. These companies may be interested in the collaborative development of such aftermarket conversion kits which would speed up things a lot.

PHOTO:  3 Over7 Components in testing (photo credit: Donna Edwards)

Motorheads Performance hopes to introduce some specific American manufacturers to Mr. Will's Over7 design. We'd love to see if they are interested in working with him on a conversion kit which could be used here in the United States. Meanwhile, Mr. Will is currently testing Over7 at emissions labs, and getting his invention ready for others to use.  "We were very pleased with the results of tests on our prototype system. Now we are working on further testing with car manufacturers and their suppliers, in order to optimize the technology to best suit their needs." He hopes that Over7 could be in use within six years.

Frank Will has also been recognized for his work on Over7 with a Gold Award by the Society of Automotive Engineers Australasia (SAE-A), and was one of sixteen Fresh Science winners in 2011, a national program for early-career scientists sponsored by the Australian Government in order to present their research to the public. We'll be excited to see how this project develops!
 

Photos in this article first appeared on freshscience.org and have been reprinted with permission from Mr. Frank Will.

About the Author: Andrea is co-owner of Motorheads Performance, a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads specializes in cars and trucks from the 1920's through the 1970's. Their job is bringing old cars back to life for their customers. Guy L. Algar is the Shop Manager. He holds 5 ASE certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), and is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years of design, installation and troubleshooting experience.

Are Trucks The New HOT Classic?

Antiques were sought after, classics from the 1950's were hot, then came the muscle cars, which have dominated the field the last decade or so. Now, with the economy in plunders, and the classic car industry taking a hit with prices and values falling, we get an eye-opening piece of news that was released today.  Old trucks are HOT!

For many years, buying and restoring an old truck was something done primarily only by those who truly love them. It wasn't seen as much of an "investment". Trucks have always tended to be an overlooked commodity, but I invite you to read the story which appeared in PickupTrucks.com. Perhaps you'll change your way of thinking about trucks!

To sum it all up, basically insiders were stunned at the prices that some of the old trucks were fetching at last week’s 2012 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction. A 1932 Ford pickup went for $250,000. The 1958 Chevy Cameo (shown in picture below) sold for $93,500. A total of 25 different trucks sold for more than $50,000 (including commission)! See the complete sale list by clicking the story link above.

“We have been watching classic pickup values steadily go up for a few years now, and this was definitely the year of the pickup in Scottsdale,” said McKeel Hagerty of Hagerty Insurance, which tracks auction sales throughout the country. “Compared to 2011, the average prices are up, and the buzz around pickups was talked about just as much as the multimillion-dollar sales.” (requoted from post by Mark Williams in PickupTrucks.com)

“Classic pickups are currently one of the hottest trends in collecting,” Hagerty said. “For many years, old trucks were primarily used for utility purposes, but collectors are now buying them to restore and show. The great thing about classic pickups is they are affordable, easy to work on, have great style similar to the cars of the era, and appeal to a wide audience.” (requoted from post by Mark Williams in PickupTrucks.com)

Motorheads Performance have always been interested in classic trucks, and Guy and I own four ourselves. Yet we've always heard the same old story, "Why waste your money on that!"  In the eight years we've been repairing, maintaining, upgrading and restoring all types of projects from the 1920's through the 1970's, we've had a great share of old pickup trucks that have been lovingly repaired and/or restored for our customers.  Not every old truck will attain values like those reported, but we're pleased that this may be a boost to the values these great, often overlooked, vehicles.

While the news may be good for those who already own an old truck, news like this certainly will bring about demand for them, and we may soon find ourselves with inflated costs to purchase them, raising prices on parts, as well as difficulty in finding parts. When certain "investors" get involved, they're doing so because they can pick something up cheap, fix it up and turn around to get big profits. We've seen it happen with the classics and the muscle cars. Will it now be the hillbilly hotrods?

Guy Algar and Andrea White are owners of Motorheads Performance, a classic car repair shop located in South Central Texas. They specialize in classic cars and trucks, muscle cars, antiques, hot rods and street rods.

1955 Chevy Couch Raffle

Guy and I wanted to share some news about a project with a very worthwhile cause.  Our friends at Central Texas Classic Chevy Club in Austin have been working on a club project, and we're calling on all our friends, customers and vendors to see what they can do to help out.


Lone Star is the club's single largest annual show/event! Every year, one of several Texas based Classic Chevy Clubs hosts the car show in their city. Classic Chevy's from all over Texas and surrounding states participate. This year, the Central Texas Classic Chevy Club is hosting a Statewide Chevy Convention in San Marcos at the Embassy Suites on IH35. The event is called " Lone Star XXX". The event will take place May 4-6, 2012.


The club's project for this event was the construction of a 1955 Chevy Couch, complete with working lights, and stereo. The couch is completed and is currently on display at Dicks Classic Garage in San Marcos. Dick's Classic Garage is part of the Central Texas Museum of Automotive History. This couch was 100% constructed from a real car and was made from contributions for this effort. Check it out:

100 % of the sale of raffle tickets will be turned over to the Laity Lodge Free Camp for Children.  Central Texas Classic Chevy Club will not receive one cent from this raffle. It is our way of giving back to the community. Dan Bowen, President of CTCCC, says, "If you have time, please go see the couch at Dick's Garage in San Marcos and buy a raffle ticket for this well worth cause." The tickets are only $10 each or 5 for $40. All ticket sales are tax deductible.

For more information about the event please visit Central Texas Classic Chevy Club.  Guy Algar and Andrea White of Motorheads Performance are pleased to support the cause, and encourage others to as well.