: Video Compendium

YouTube for DrivingEnthusiast.net

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:17:26 GMT

We've finally gotten around to putting a couple of the hundreds of videos we have on our DrivingEnthusiast network websites up on YouTube. These videos are buried in the dozen sites that make up the DrivingEnthusiast.net sites. Organizing them all on YouTube will make them easier to find, and easier to embed.

Visit us here: YouTube.com/DrivingEnthusiast - and look for a heckuva lot more as we go thru everything we have.

Where's the torque wrench?

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 10:14:44 GMT

National Geographic GT-R docuomentary

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:34:26 GMT

National Geographic was given unprecedented access to Nissan development during the creation of the GT-R. Here is the resulting 45 minute video, in three parts courtesy of YouTube:

幼児・教育折り紙の折り方
by RocketPunch

日本折紙協会のページです
by RocketPunch

珍獣の館フラッシュ作品集
by RocketPunch

Top Gear Season 12 promo

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:29:47 GMT

Season 12 begins on November 2nd... of course it's only broadcast in Britain and we won't get it here in North America on the lame BBC America for at least a year. You'll have to resort to ... other ways... to see it any sooner...

Windows 7: Multi touch demo

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:24:41 GMT

"Multi touch" in Windows 7 is touchscreen, but with two or more fingers manipulating objects. Software and hardware enhancements are required.

Motor Trend drives a pre-production Nissan 370Z

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:21:35 GMT

Several journalists have been offered test drives in a pre-production 370Z by Nissan. Certain details as well as full un-camouflaged images are still embargoed. Nissan will release full images on October 29th, and technical details 2 weeks later just before the debut at the Los Angeles auto show.

So what do we know?

latest FM platform (and that's a very good thing: ye olde FHM platform under the Z had serious issues). Like all the latest FMs, the tires are considerably taller.
99" wheelbase.Length taken out of car just behind the rear seats. Also wider.
3.7 liter DOHC V-6 engine from the G37 - perhaps with a few more horses. 6-speed manual, 7-speed automatic.
"measures" taken to reduce overall weight. And that's a good thing too - the last Z was a porker.
composite doors (see the video) to save weight

What don't we know (yet)?

weight
width
HP and torque
costs, colors, option groups, etc
availability

What not to do when you get a speeding ticket

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:30:54 GMT

Of course we're sure that Obama will fix things so that obviously sane and innocent civilians don't get targeted by mean Police Officers anymore ;-)

Jeremy Clarkson Obituary

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:11:37 GMT

Well he's not dead yet... but should somebody finally have enough of the opinionated SOB and do him in, here is an obituary that is ready for use at any time:

Yes, this is one of the hottest rumors today on the internet... so hot that even YouTube's allegedly ultra-fast servers can't keep up with it. If Clarkson ever does get killed... expect financial systems to collapse, expect the major auto manufacturers to merge, expect Ford to sell off the company that saved it's a**, and worse. Oh, wait, that's exactly what happened this week. Maybe Clarkson really is dead?

Evo X Dealer Technician Training Videos

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:40:40 GMT

Autocar: GT-R vs M3 vs GT3 track comparison

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 02:20:17 GMT

An Autocar test, brought to us courtesy of YouTube.

Notice how poorly the new V-8 (m92) M3 does in the testing: it's heavy, has slow steering, terrible brakes (2 fast laps = an extra 4" of brake travel; third lap = brake pedal on the floor!), and it's not particularly fast (0-60 in 5.2 seconds!).

The GT-R does of course win, despite being the heaviest (and not the most expensive). Note that this is the standard model of the GT-R, whereas the GT3 and M3 are special models of the existing lineup. When the GT-R V-Spec comes out in another year, the results will be even better in the favor of the GT-R.

950 HP 2JZ S2000

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:29:31 GMT

With 950 HP at the wheels from the over-boosted Supra TT motor, the old saying "there is never enough HP" may finally be proven untrue.

Jay Leno's SHOGUN

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 11:30:31 GMT

And, speaking of the SHO, here's a link to a classic SHO video: Jay Leno's SHOGUN.

Sorry for the poor quality, this is the only copy of this video I've been able to find.

This is a classic engine swap and is worth watching!

Don't know what a SHOGUN is? Watch the video... be prepared to be amazed

SHO engine swap video

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 10:58:08 GMT

When the author's engine dies at an SHO track day, an engine swap results. For SHO enthusiasts, this one is for the books.

Follow this link to Google video, where several SHO videos of interest can be found: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2512960666019453093

Follow this link to SHOCAL, home of the original posting (and many interesting posts): http://www.officialshocal.com/phpBB2/

The continuing popularity of the SHO never ceases to amaze me. 19 years after the car was first put into production, there are more enthusiasts than ever modifying them and even tracking them. Follow this link to read my own experiences with SHO ownership: SHO versus SHO. I wrote it in 1998... I may need to update my experiences with a SHO project car one of these days. I have looked at a few recently...

Did you know that I have a SHO-specific Blog on my site? Use these links:

Another Supra TT engine transplant - this time into a vette!

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 03:24:39 GMT

I don't know how or why there are so many available Supra twin-turbo engines… without the Supra they came in originally. This time the swap is into a red Corvette. The Corvette engine is probably now a boat anchor in the Gulf.

And if you think this is odd, well, the swap takes place in Kuwait. The old ‘vette apparently survived Saddam’s invasion…. although very apparently not entirely unscathed.

2 parts to this video:

Right turns might be a bit of a challenge... see if you notice why!

Lexus IS-F at Leguna Seca - video

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:39:58 GMT

A very clear message from this video: the IS-F has plenty of power and is built battleship tough. This is official Lexus video from the Taste of Lexus Event in California. There is still one T.O.L. event left in 2007: http://tasteoflexus.com

And, in case you missed it originally, here's a replay of the video that made this event famous:

Classic Commercial: Honda Impossible Dream

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:26:20 GMT

From Honda of UK.

Not an old commercial, but retro themes from the history of Honda. Note the old S500 as well as the new S2000. Stars British actor Simon Day driving and riding a number of classic and modern Honda products. Hist first vehicle is the classic Honda "monkey bike", which was a plan to build a small bike that could fit into both a car and a boat.

Caveman commercials - the next step

Tue, 29 May 2007 14:38:27 GMT

The Caveman commercials have been extremely popular - and several were made since the original one. Perhaps more will be made yet, but in the meantime the team that brought them to the screen has now taken then to ABC, where the Cro-Magnon pre-humans will have their own show this fall. And they live in Atlanta.

Here's an out-take from the pilot episode: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid900723872/bclid900497044/bctid900576207

You can see that the caveman are again hip and modern - although their reference to a no-class rap song is something that the classy and sophisticated - intelligent- cavemen from the television commercials would never have done. It looks like the cavemen are de-volving into crude pre-humans again?

Reference:

Cavemans Crib - Geico site showing the sophistication and class of the cavemen: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/categories/autoIndustryAdvertising/2007/02/05.html#a1993
Entire string of Cavemen commercials: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/categories/autoIndustryAdvertising/2007/02/05.html#a1992

Industry Advertising Blog:

Vintage Nissan 300ZX ad... and the future of the Z

Tue, 29 May 2007 11:55:43 GMT

A classic 300ZX ad - and look who guest stars at the end!

Challenge to enthusiasts: how many people know who this is? Use the Comments feature to answer!

Here's a video made by Nissan at the time of the "Z Concept", celebrating the history of the Z to that point-in-time:

300ZX

Question to enthusiasts: isn't the 300ZX more sophisticated in many ways than the 350Z? A similar suspension, great horsepower (for it's time), a more reliable transmission, and more svelte handling? Yes, it wasn't exactly a sales success, and it did cost too much (the yen being partially to blame), and the Supra handily beat it (but then the Supra is now gone and the Z survived). Two engines were offered, 4 transmissions, and 2 bodystyles. Compare the 300ZX to today's Z - so much more was offered then.

So did the 300ZX really eclipse the 350Z? Or is this heresy? Think carefully about your response, use the Comments feature to reply.

Current Z

With the current Z, I see many issues: horrendous service quality of the manual transmission, too much weight (the downside of using the FM), and the infamous suspension alignment issues. On this last item, many owners have had severe problems (every single owner I know with 1st or 2nd year cars has ditched it). The worst problem I see for enthusiasts is lack of means to adjust the camber both front and rear. You've got to drop well over a thousand dollars on aftermarket replacement parts just to adjust the camber... how could you be serious about autocross or track events without this ability? Personally, as much as I want to like this car, I can't see a clear reason for getting one.

Future Z

What does the future hold? It's understand that there wil be a new 350Z ("370Z", or should it just be re-branded "Z" to allow for other variants?) on the much improved FM platform for 2009. It's likely to bring the new 3.7 liter engine with it, perhaps with a little more power (when will Nissan finally move up to direct injection?). Rumors that Nissan is developing a toned-down GT-R engine that would be available for the G37 would likely apply to the Z as well since those cars will then be on the identical platform.

And then there is the upcoming GT-R: at a starting price of well over 3 times the cost of a base Z, it will totally eclipse the Z in every performance measurement.

Closing

Use the "similar posts" feature below to see past posts about the Z, including the rumored 450Z.

Use the "Comments" feature to discuss.

Vid: '97 SHO w/Flowmasters

Sun, 27 May 2007 15:34:04 GMT

How does a SHO sound with Flowmasters?

It ain't pretty...

Top Gear: Ford ST220, MazdaSPEED 6, Vauxhall Vectra

Fri, 25 May 2007 13:09:12 GMT

Part 1

Part 2