This is my very last post on my blog for school. It has been a long time coming. I started it off with 2022’s summer car announcements and ended it with the debate on Tesla. In my last blog post to wrap up these past 9 months, I am going to talk about things I have learned, changed my opinion on, and my thankfulness for being given this opportunity to put my interests out for the world to see.

I have made multiple blogs on new announcements from all different kinds of vehicle manufacturers, along with debates about the good and bad about specific vehicles and their manufacturers. I’ve also written about my own car and the work we do in the shop, plus our class trip to the ICC Power Show. There was one blog post that really sucked to write, and it was about losing an icon to the automotive world, but it was also a way to celebrate everything he did and how inspirational he was.

I’ve had a blast talking about my experiences in the automotive world. I have done plenty of engine, tire, and component work, but also some of my own body work. It goes from the typical oil change and tire rotation to brake jobs to the replacing of alternators or control arms or exhaust systems. It has given me a lot of confidence to feel that I can make it into the automotive workforce. Then, with the body work, I am working on repairing my rear bumper, painting and bolting it back in, and installing a rear spoiler to my vehicle. Just some cosmetics, but it will definitely make it look a lot better.

I have thought through a lot of things about my future and what I want to do after high school. I have considered technical school or just going straight into the workforce and building a reputation there. At first, I thought I would try technical school. Yet, as my senior year has gone by, I decided that I don’t really want to have to go to school again, even if it is just two more years. Plans have changed and after visiting the area where I am planning on moving after high school, I have found a lot of different opportunities that can help me get into the automotive field. There are car wrapping shops, smaller mechanic shops, and plenty of dealerships to get my foot in the door at. So, I could either fix vehicles internally, bodywork, or sell vehicles.

All in all, to wrap up my blog, I have had a lot of fun writing about my interest in the automotive world and I cannot wait to see where my life takes me next! I have learned a lot this past year about cars, but especially about myself and my plans for the future! I would again like to thank my teacher for this opportunity I have given to write about my passion and share it for anyone that decides to check out GearTrends!

Tesla Inc. is an automotive, artificial intelligence, and clean energy company. Formerly Tesla Motors, it was founded July 1, 2003 in San Carlos, California by Martin Eberhard and Mark Tarpenning. The company was named after Nikola Tesla, inventor of many different electricity-based devices, including the Tesla coil and remote control.

In February of 2004, Elon Musk became the company’s largest shareholder with a $6.5 million investment. Then, in October of 2008, Musk became the CEO. That is some of the background of Tesla as a company, but let’s now talk about their vehicles and advancements in the self-driving technology.

Originally, Tesla had one vehicle: the 2008 Tesla Roadster. Based on the Lotus Elise chassis, this vehicle was made as an all-electric sports car. With a 53 kilowatt lithium-ion battery, 3-phase 4-pole AC induction motor, this battery-powered sports car makes 288 horsepower. It had a 3.9 second 0-60 compared to the Tesla Roadster Sport, which had a 3.7 second 0-60, because of its slightly upgraded electric motor.

Now, closer to present day under Elon Musk’s power, are new vehicles. Tesla has 4 main models that they produce, the Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y. This model naming was intentional by Elon Musk, because taking the model number or letter spells out a specific word. The Model S and 3 are pretty similar, except the Model 3 is a little taller than the S, along with having the smoothed out front end instead of black insets. Then the Model X and Y. The Model X is basically their SUV with gull-wing back doors, while the Model Y is kind of a compact SUV without the Model X’s cool doors.

Tesla Inc. is also producing semis and their Cybertruck. The Cybertruck, in my opinion, looks like a car that a 2nd grader would draw, but that may just be me.

These Tesla vehicles have something else other than being completely electric, they also have self-driving capabilities! Makes me feel like we are moving closer to the SkyNet and Terminator timeline. But, people think it is exciting to see what artificial intelligence can do, especially when it comes to taking over the driving for them. Yet, there was a large recall on their full lineup of vehicles produced between 2016 and now; 362,758 vehicles total were recalled. This recall is for the Full Self-Driving software, which allows the vehicle to exceed posted speed limits and drive through intersections in unlawful or unpredictable manners. This makes it sound like Tesla’s software isn’t completely ready, but that’s been known for years now. There are plenty of videos and tests that show the self-driving software isn’t ready. There was a video in the news a few years back that showed a Tesla running right into a flipped box truck on an interstate, which its sensors and cameras somehow did not pick up on. Yet, the software has advanced from there, but it apparently still has a lot of problems. There were even videos and images of people sleeping while their Teslas did all the driving for them. This is now no longer possible, since Teslas will now force you to keep your hands on the wheel or the system will “punish you.” This shows that they make fixes for problems that could be an issue to human safety, and they will continue to do that. According to Tesla, they will be sending out a software update to fix the current recall issues, which means that customers don’t have to bring in their vehicles, they will just update remotely, like a phone or computer would. That is essentially what a Tesla is, a car built around a computer.

Could full self-driving capabilities be our total future, or will it cause more problems than we think? When it comes to our safety, would it be best to let a computer with cameras and sensors make all of the decisions on how to keep us safe? Is it because human minds are less capable at problem solving in quick events than a computer is? Will computers take over our lives, and subsequently, our thinking and reasoning skills? Those are my questions for anyone that has any interest in the AI scene.

Chevrolet, one of the biggest car brands in the U.S. out of Detroit, MI, have unveiled their 2024 Corvette. Yet, this one is a little different from the ones in the past. This one has the LT2 6.2 Liter V8 in the back, along with an electric motor for the front end. Yeah, that’s right, the mid-engine Corvette with an electric-AWD system! This makes it Chevy’s all new hybrid super-sports car!

Here are the specs: e-AWD, 0-60 in 2.5 seconds, 655 combined (Engine and Electric Motor) HP, and a Quarter Mile in about 10.5 seconds. After further review by outside testers, the Corvette E-Ray sounds like a great vehicle for people with the money that are in the super-sports car market, starting out at $102,900. Along with that price tag comes a 0-60 acceleration greater than the McLaren Senna and the Bugatti Chiron, which are million dollar vehicles! That means for at least a tenth the price, people can purchase their own speed demon.

The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray will come standard with all-season tires and Magnetic Selective Ride Control to adjust the way the vehicle rides depending on the road terrain it is on. It has been made with year-round performance in mind, using technology that has been inspired by their C8.R race car and Le Mans prototypes. The E-Ray will have a stealth feature, allowing the electric drive unit to take over and drive short distances and at limited speeds.

There is a purchasable package, called the ZER Performance package that includes high-performance Michelin Pilot summer-only tires, along with chassis tuning and some other performance upgrades. The E-Ray also comes with the new standard of wireless car-playing capabilities and performance speaker systems.

All in all, it sounds like the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray will be a fantastic super-sports car for people with $100k burning a hole in their pockets. It will have a whole new electric system included with the LT2 V8, pushing its performance to the max, along with some more advanced technology. In my opinion, I think Chevrolet did a great job with their new Corvette. It looks fantastic in my opinion, especially with the color matched front bumper instead of the factory black color from the original C8. This car should really impact the car market and show how well this new e-AWD system turns out for the future.

Kenneth Paul Block, also known as Ken Block, was an American rally driver with the Hoonigan Racing Division. He was also one of the co-founders of the DC Shoes brand. Ken Block participated in many other action sports, like skateboarding and snowboarding.

Ken Block is mostly known now for his driving stunts with his Hoonigan brand. He did his Gymkhana series where he would do drifts and stunts in different locations around the world, like Los Angeles, for example. He did 10 of these Gymkhanas in total. He had a partnership with Ford 11 years after leaving Subaru, which he went back to in January of 2021.

Ken Block was notorious for his Hoonicorn; a 1965 Ford Mustang completely rebuilt for drifting and speed, being able to go 0-60 in less than 2 seconds. He also had other Ford vehicles in his collection, like his Focus RS RX, Fiestas, 1978 Escort MK II and 1991 Escort Cosworth, 1986 RS200, 1977 F-150, and more.

He even had many of his vehicles included in driving video games, such as the Forza Horizon series. Starting is Forza Horizon 3, there was a car pack that was purchasable, allowing you to own a handful of Ken Block’s Hoonigan vehicles. They continued to be featured in the next two games, along with their other racing franchise, Forza Motorsport. Other games like Grand Theft Auto V have parody versions of the Hoonicorn, Hoonitruck, RS200, and Fiesta.

Sadly, on January 2nd, 2023, in Utah, Ken Block passed away. He was involved in a snowmobile accident on his ranch. He was age 55 with a wife and three daughters. One of his daughters, Lia, had her own social media profile since she was in many videos with him, even getting her own car to practice performing stunts in, just like her father.

Ken Block was an inspiration to many people all around the world. He made so many gain interest in vehicles and motor sports, including me. I remember watching Gymkhana 7: Wild in the Streets on Los Angeles back in 2014, and it changed how I felt about cars for probably the rest of my life. Even my automotive teacher said he was a big inspiration to him, especially since we have a Chevy Nova that we are trying to get running and possibly drift, like the Hoonigan “Kill All Tires” Nova. He will never be forgotten, because of how big of a change he made in this world.

In Graber’s auto shop, we have a 1977 Chevrolet Nova body. We decided we would try to build it into a drag car, at least to the best of our abilities, so probably closer to a race car. Puckett bought it last year for only $600, but that’s because it was so bare bones. It currently has a metal roll cage, barely working doors, and a trunk lid and cowl hood that aren’t even on. The front fenders come off super easily, there isn’t a front grill, and there are absolutely no windows. There aren’t any headlights or taillights, either. Yet, we did put in metal racing seats last year. So, essentially, this car has been built from the ground up.

Now, mechanically, this Nova is going to be fun, at least I hope. We have a 350 small block Chevy engine made by Graber, with a possibly working transmission. We have done a lot of wiring in the car, getting the JEGS gauges in the dash, having them all light up when the battery is flipped on. We have a kill switch to the battery in the trunk in-case of a fire, because, after all, this thing will be a “race car.” The day of me writing this blog, we put the radiator in its hopefully permanent place, getting the brackets all drilled in. We are waiting to figure out how the fan will sit with it, along with getting the transmission cooler in place when it comes in. It still needs a driveshaft put in, which we may have to kind of make ourselves. It is seeming to be more and more likely that this Nova will start up sooner rather than later for us, which would be an amazing sight to see.

Yet, while the Nova has been in the shop, it seems like more things have been broken on it than fixed. Since there is a 1&2 class and a 4&5 class, communication doesn’t really work. So, that means when my class, 1&2, works on the Nova, sometimes the 4&5 class comes in and messes up our work or even tries to change the way we do things. Lately, though, they have been pretty good about leaving it alone and letting us deal with it.

It has been a great experience so far working on our project Nova. There have been plenty of ups and downs, but that’s just part of the job!

I drive a 2006 Dodge Charger SXT. It is a 3.5 liter V6, making around 250 horsepower. Yet, it weighs almost 3,500 pounds. It is white with a blue stripe going down the middle of it, and it has aftermarket rims. I plan on buying a rear spoiler for it soon to put on, mainly just for looks.

This is my first car. I had always wanted a Dodge Charger, but never thought I could get one for my first car because I always assumed they were just too expensive. Yet, after looking around, my parents and I found a lot of the early models from when they brought it back that were reasonably priced.

Dodge had started producing the Charger for the public in 1965 and sold it as a 1966 model. From there, it went through many changes. The ’66 Charger was more of a fastback body style that transformed into the ’69 and ’70 models, made iconic in the Dukes of Hazzard television series and the Fast & Furious movie series. From there it continued to be a “classic muscle car,” taking on some of the Coke bottle styling along the way. Then, it was turned into a vehicle that resembled a town car, in my opinion. From there it was slowly transformed into a hatchback, where it stopped being produced in 1987. Then, in 2006, Dodge brought it back and they have been making them every year since!

My dream is to one day purchase myself a Dodge Challenger. It doesn’t have to be a brand new one, maybe closer to the 2010-2015 models. Around 2014 was when Dodge started to change up the looks of both the Chargers and Challengers, giving them a more sleek look. I have always liked both Chargers and Challengers, yet now that I drive a Charger, I want to get a good feel for a Challenger. The Charger is nice since it is a 4-door sedan, which allows you to have more people and haul more things, yet I really like the look of a Challenger, along with the thought of having a 2-door, proper American muscle car. I already have a lot of fun in my Charger, but I think I could have a lot more fun in a Challenger, preferably with a V8 instead of a V6 too.

All in all, I am a big fan of Dodge. Yes, they are known for having issues, but that’s really all vehicle manufacturers, depending on who you are and aren’t a fan of. I like speed and big, smokey burnouts, and I definitely get that with a Dodge. Plus, I think they just look and sound amazing!

This is my second year being in Mr. Graber’s automotive class, along with also being in his transportation technology class my sophomore year. I have enjoyed being in all of Graber’s classes, and I appreciate all of the things he has taught us over the years. He is a great mechanic, and is not a super serious guy, which makes things a lot more fun. This means he always has some great stories to tell and make us laugh. I have had so much fun being in Mr. Graber’s classes, and here are some of the memories!

Since I am writing this after the first quarter of my senior year, I don’t have as many memories to share compared to last year, but I do have a pretty funny one that happened the week of me writing this. We had a 2003 Buick Park Avenue that needed a fuel pump and filter replaced, which was located in the trunk. Trying to get it out was a major pain and took about 4 people in multiple class periods in total just to get it out. Well, the car had close to a full tank of gas, and working with a FUEL PUMP, the thing in the same location as the gasoline, was what we were dealing with. It also didn’t help that we were laying in a trunk doing this, meaning any fuel and fumes were just sitting in the trunk with us. This led to some headaches and a bit of a “high” on gasoline fumes. It wasn’t great, but it was pretty funny in the grand scheme of things. This is a picture of my buddy Wyatt while he was trying to pull the fuel pump out.

Last year we had a lot of funny thing happen and some different vehicles in the shop, and one of them was the Franken-Ford. This truck belonged to our boss over LTEC, Mr. Puckett. It was an old Ford F-150 that sat in a field for years. When we got it up and running, it ran terribly, smelled so bad, and was just an absolute monstrosity, but we all thought it was funny. Yet, we got it running in good enough condition that we finally got it out of the shop.

We also had an exhaust, completely rusted out, fall off of one of the vehicles donated to us, which led it to be straight-piped. Yet, our boss said it needed a muffler, sadly, but it was fun while it lasted.

Lastly, we would always mess with each other in that class. So, one day when Peyton brought his Mustang in the shop to get a tire rotation done, we decided to put the wheels in random places around the shop, which is how one ended up in the trash.

I have had such an amazing time in all of Graber’s classes and I can’t wait to see what else is in-store for the rest of my senior year!

The LTEC automotive and welding classes went to the ICC Power Show, which has competitive games to participate in, all different kinds of cars to see, and other activities. This was my second year going, as I went with the automotive class last year as well. My first year was very cool, but this year definitely topped that, and here’s why!

This year they had two separate car shows, one in the front parking lot with mostly classic cars, like a Firebird and GTO, multiple 50s-70s Fords and Chevrolets, along with a few other cars and trucks. Then, the lower lot where the rest of the show took place, they had the cars from dealerships and car brands. BMW and Toyota came to the show! BMW had a really nice M3 and a new, all-electric iX M60, which we were allowed to sit in and blast music. Toyota brought two 2020 Supras. One was a plain white one, while the other was outfitted with a livery based on the classic Toyota red, orange, and yellow liveries. We were allowed to sit in and rev that car, which was amazing!

Along with those vehicles brought by their brands, some dealerships came out and brought some of their specialty vehicles. There were two Chevrolet C8 Corvettes, one in highlighter yellow and another in all black. Also, we could sit inside a new, all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning, which was pretty cool.

The most exciting part for me was the Mopar booth. They had a 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Wide Body, which I was the first person allowed to sit in, all thanks to my friend Hayden asking for me because I was too nervous to. It is my dream car, and the fact I could just sit in it made me so happy! They also had the Ram TRX, their competitor to the Ford Raptor. This was the first time I had seen either in-person.

This trip, which will most likely be my last, to the ICC Power Show was so fun! All of my friends and I could geek out over new and classic cars, along with have fun participating in the various challenges and watching other people compete. I had great time and I definitely hope to fulfill my dream of one day owning a Charger SRT Hellcat!

The Detroit Auto Show unveiled plenty of new vehicles from American motor companies. Some are coming to the market in the next couple of years, while others, we may never see on the roadways. This is a recap of some of Ford’s lineup at the 2022 Detroit Auto Show.

First on the list was Ford revealing their 7th generation Mustangs! Many believed it would be an all-electric or hybrid vehicle, but Ford decided it would be a classic American muscle car. It will either come as a turbo-charged 2.3L 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine, or as a 5.0 V8 Coyote, both with rear-wheel drive. You can also get it as a 6-speed manual in the V8, or a 10-speed automatic transmission in the 4-cylinder. The Mustang will also include a Remote Rev feature on the key fab, allowing the owner to rev the car’s engine without actually being inside. Also, they are adding an electronic drift brake, allowing for a quick and easy way to get your Mustang sideways, and probably into a crowd or two.

Lincoln, the luxury vehicle division for Ford, was showing off two of their concept vehicles: the L100 and Star concepts. The L100 was made to showcase the future of the electric automotive world with sleek and aerodynamic body designs and a pod-like cabin. It also had an “interactive symphony of lights” bringing it to life. The concept was self-driving with a completely glass roof, reverse-hinged doors, and swivel seats, and because of its ability to drive itself, it had no steering wheel.

Lincoln’s other electric concept vehicle is the Star. It’s another futuristic car with suicide doors, glass hood to show off the frunk (front trunk), and a lot of LIGHTS! Lincoln put illuminated crystal accents all over the vehicle, along with back lit seats and doors. The Detroit automaker announced their plan to release 4 new, all-electric vehicles by 2026!

Ford unveiled a lot of vehicles at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. There are Mustangs coming in the next few years, along with Lincoln’s look into the future. There were many more vehicles announced, and not just by Ford. There is so much more to come from the automotive world in the future, and this is just the beginning.

Ending the summer off, many car companies have announced vehicles going into production into the upcoming years, along with some concepts, possibly inspiring new vehicles to come later on. Here are a few of the new cars set to release in the near future.

Delorean, the defunct motor company of the 1980s. Their one and only car was the DMC-12, most widely known from the Back To The Future movie series. But, now they have come back from the dead! This year at the Monterey Car Week hosted at Pebble Beach, CA, Delorean showed off their new vehicle, the Alpha5. This new, all electric, and very futuristic vehicle is set to release in 2024, at an estimated price of $145,000! Also, to even have access to the ability to purchase the Alpha5, you have to sign up to the Delorean Alphas Club, for a one time purchase of $88. It will reportedly have a 0-60 mph in 2.99 seconds, 0-88 mph in 4.35 seconds, and a top speed of 155 mph. The Alpha5 is supposed to have a 100kWh battery with a 300 mile range, a standard range for the electric vehicles of today.

Next up is Dodge. They have announced a 2023 Dodge Hornet. It is a compact SUV with a 2.0L 4 cylinder engine, along with an AWD drivetrain. In my opinion, it has the face if a Charger and a shrunken body of a Durango. It will start at about $30,000.

Following Dodge’s new Hornet is their Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee! It is the all new ELECTRIC muscle car coming to Dodge’s lineup. It is a very bizarre vehicle. It is a 2 door, 4 seater Charger with an 800v electric AWD propulsion system. This is crazy power in itself, but it gets crazier. They have added artificial exhaust sounds at the rear of the vehicle to give it that electric muscle, banshee screaming sound. Dodge is planning on releasing their new Charger in 2024. The base SXT model is reportedly priced at about $60,000, while the Daytona SRT package will be around $95,000!

This summer has ended off with many new and very different vehicles, and there are plenty others that I didn’t cover here. So, if you are interested in seeing what other cars are supposed to come out in the upcoming years, definitely check out articles and videos covering all the other announcements made this year!