1973 Ford Maverick Sedan [Down On The Street]

Welcome to Down On The Street, where we admire old vehicles found parked on the streets of the Island That Rust Forgot: Alameda, California. We've seen two-door Mavericks here, and now here's our first sedan.

A fair number of Mavericks roam the island, including this '70, this '74, and this '74. The non-Grabbers are still not considered particularly collectible, so we must assume these cars have stayed clear of The Crusher on the strength of their daily-driving prowess.


In 1973, the base Maverick sedan was listed at $2,297. For that price, you got the 200-cubic-inch inline six-cylinder engine, which was helpful in teaching drivers the virtues of patience. With the cheapest Dodge Dart sedan that year selling for over 200 bucks more, the Maverick was a pretty good deal. Should we mention the $2,306 1973 Datsun 510 here?


Here's another spot with two DOTS cars within sight of one another; that's the 1960 Studebaker Lark just around the corner.

First 400 DOTS Vehicles • DOTS FAQ

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Chevy Camaro and Corvette ZR1 Duke It Out On The Asphalt, If You Think The Camaro Wins, You Might Be A Redneck

From Autoblog via MuscleCarBlog: the Chevy Camaro SS and the Chevy Corvette ZR1 were caught going pound for pound on the test track the other day. The Camaro SS actually manages to hold its own in the turns, but when it comes to balls-to-the-wall, flat-out on the straightaway, there’s really no contest.

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Acura Reportedly Kills the Next-Gen NSX...It's a Sad Day

Thanks to the economic downturn many automakers are being forced to cut many of their programs, vehicle plans, etc. Most of the most dire news lately has come from the Big 3 U.S. automakers, but now Toyota and Honda are also being forced to make some cuts.

Honda recently announced plans to cancel its participation in Formula One and now its being reported that the automaker has canceled plans for the next-generation Acura NSX supercar. Prototypes for the NSX have been seen many times and it was reported that the NSX was going to be Acura's most powerful car ever with a V10 engine putting out way over 500 horsepower.

Honda's CEO, Takeo Fukui reportedly made the announcement about the fate of the NSX. It's also being reported that Honda has suspended plans to launch the Acura brand in Japan. Hopefully this news does not also mean that the much needed V8 engine is also in jeopardy. At this point the fate of the V10 engine is unknown.

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Ex Formula One Racer Ricardo Patrese Takes Wife For A Spin In Honda Civic R, Hilarity, Divorce Ensues

Although the screaming/general panicking is down entirely in Italian, it’s not necessary that you understand what’s being said in order to get a kick out of the video. Bonus footage of hilarious Honda Civic ad after the jump.

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Toyota’s Recall of 3.8 Million Vehicles Proves Point: Toyota Still Builds Quality

Next week, Toyota will issue the biggest U.S. recall in its history.

For floormats.

Not engine problems, not transmission failures… but floormats that don’t quite fit just right.

Granted, those floormats can interfere with the accelerator pedal and cause uncontrolled pedal-to-the-metal acceleration, but still the flaw is in the floormat.

As far as serious issues go, this one’s about as minor as it gets. The fix? Take out the driver’s side floormat. I’m guessing there won’t be a flood of appointments at Toyota service departments on this one.

Let’s compare Toyota’s latest recall with some other recalls this year:

In April, GM recalled 1.5 million vehicles because of the possibility of engine fires.

In February, Chrysler recalled 13,350 minivans for risk of fire in an electrical circuit.

Also in February, Ford recalled over 11,000 2009 Rangers because the wheels could fall off.

Toyota had some bad floormats.

If anyone questions Toyota’s quality these days, I’m thinking a quick look at this should be convincing enough to prove that the company is still building the most reliable cars on the road.

The models affected are:

2007-2010 Camry
2005-2010 Avalon
2004-2009 Prius
2005-2010 Tacoma
2007-2010 Tundra
2007-2010 ES 350
2006-2010 IS 250 and IS350

Now, in all seriousness, should you ever encounter a stuck accelerator pedal, Toyota provided some suggestions on what to do:

First, if it is possible and safe to do so, pull back the floor mat and dislodge it from the accelerator pedal; then pull over and stop the vehicle.

If the floor mat cannot be dislodged, then firmly and steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet. Do NOT pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort required to slow the vehicle.

Shift the transmission gear selector to the Neutral (N) position and use the brakes to make a controlled stop at the side of the road and turn off the engine.

What company do you think builds the most reliable cars? If you own a Toyota vehicle that’s part of the recall, have you ever experienced a stuck accelerator?

-tgriffith

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New BMW Z4 Marks End For 6-Cylinder M3 Engine [The Penultimate Driving Machine]

It’s time to say goodbye to one of the smoothest, most driver-friendly engines of all time: the E46 M3’s 3.2-liter straight-six. We’re paying our respects Jalopnik-style with a mega-gallery of straight-sex.

While the aesthetes in us are relieved by the 2010 BMW Z4’s lack of fish-faced ugliness, the drivers in us are a bit worried. Only available as a folding hardtop, we’re a bit concerned about the added weight and lack of a sexy coupe, but mostly, we’re disturbed by the absence the S54B32. Though the Z4 will use inline-six engines, ranging from a 2.5-litre 201bhp to a 302bhp twin-turbo 3.0-litre, it won’t be getting the 343 HP naturally aspirated 3.2-liter unit. That means the old Z4, which has now gone out of production, was the last production BMW to use the legendary powerplant.

The S54B32 engine is an evolution of the S52B32 engine of the E36 M3. It makes 343 HP at 7,900 RPM, 269 Lb-Ft of the creamiest torque you’ll ever use at 4,900 RPM and revs all the way to 8,000 RPM. It was used in the E46 M3, 2001 and 2002 Z3 M Roadster and Z3 M Coupe, the Z4 M Roadster and Coupe and even the Wiesmann Roadster.

The reasons for its popularity are two-fold: its specific power output exceeds 100 HP/liter without the aid of forced induction and its torque curve is fat, smooth and gap-free across the rev range. The S54B32 revs quickly, makes power everywhere, sounds like nothing else on the planet, responds instantly and, most importantly, is really, really fast.

The S54B32 won the overall International Engine of the Year award upon its introduction in 2001, then went on to win the 3.4-liter category for six straight years. It happens to be this particular Jalop’s favorite engine of all time, preferably housed in a flat black Z4 M Coupe, or in his dreams, a Caterham Super7, which would allow him to experience the engine as it repeatedly bounces off its redline in all its undiluted glory. [via CAR]

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New ‘09 Honda Ruckus Heats Up Scooter Gang Turf Wars, Bloodbath In Whole Foods Parking Lot Imminent

Or so I like to imagine. In my mind, I picture a squad of Ruckus riders isolating and encircling a rival scooter rider, mocking him mercilessly as he nervously tries to secure his soy-base purchases to the back of his Vespa. In another scene, I picture a guy at a stoplight on a Ruckus, flexing his henna-tattooed arm, revving his 49cc, single cylinder engine for the girl in the Honda Civic Hybrid next to him.

All joking aside, despite the fact that it would be shamed off the track at any respectable sport bike meet, the Ruckus is actually an impressive ride for its class. It maxes out at 43 mph but since it weighs only 194 lbs, any faster than that and you’d be airborne. With congestion in cities the way it is, flight capability might seem like an attractive option, but with the Ruckus’ petite 49.8″ wheelbase and 28.9″ seat height you don’t really need it, maneuverability isn’t an issue.

Just those specs alone coupled with a base MSRP price of $2,149 already make the Honda Ruckus a pretty easy sell, but the deal clincher is the absolutely amazing fuel efficiency. The Honda Ruckus’ 1.3 gallon tank carries an official EPA fuel consumption estimate of around 85 mpg, but reviews I’ve read from individual owners place the actual average at around 100 mpg. Despite my public distaste for anything featuring below 200-hp, I am prepared to go on record admitting that the 2009 Honda Ruckus is actually pretty damn cool.

2009 Honda Ruckus Specs Sheet:

ENGINE
Engine: Type 49cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke
Induction: 15mm CV carburetor with automatic choke
Ignition: CD

DRIVE TRAIN
Transmission: Automatic V-Matic belt drive

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION / BRAKES
Front Suspension: Twin-downtube fork; 2.2 inches travel
Rear Suspension: Single-shock; 2.6 inches travel

Front Brake: Drum
Rear Brake: Drum

Front Tire: 120/90-10
Rear Tire: 130/90-10

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 49.8 inches
Seat Height: 28.9 inches
Curb Weight: 194 pounds
Fuel Capacity: 1.3 gallons

OTHER
Emissions: Meets Current CARB and EPA standards.
Available Colors: Black, Metallic Silver
Model ID NPS508

FACTORY WARRANTY INFORMATION
One year Transferable, unlimited-mileage limited warranty; extended coverage available with a Honda Protection Plan.

[Photo and Specs from Honda Powersports]

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