The Carmudgeon Show

• Your BMW M3 Comes Thanks to Jaguar — The Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 186

  Bank robbers prefer sport sedans: all the speed of a supercar with seating for all their accomplices — and trunk space for their loot. And the fast sedan was born with the Jaguar sedan powered by a Le Mans-winning-engine. In the 1950s, Jaguar was on a Le Mans winning streak with its MK120-C and D-Type race cars. But why let the sports cars have all the fun? In 1955 Jaguar introduced the 2.4 Saloon (aka the Mark 1), and a handful of months later plopped their Le Mans-winning 210 hp 3.4L straight-6 engine into the chassis to create the 3.4 Saloon. Equipped with race-spec 4-wheel discs and double-wishbone front suspension it outran everything (including the police), and is arguably the world’s first sports sedan. In this episode we’ll cover the elegantly menacing Jaguar 3.4 Saloon or “Mark 1”. Starting with how to properly pronounce Jagyoowuhr. Or is it Jagwire? Depends. We’ll cover the marque’s origins – from Sir William Lyons’ Swallow Sidecar Company, to early sports cars like the XK120 and the Le Mans winning streak of the 1950s with the C-Type and D-Type. The 2.4L straight-6, followed by the monster 3.4, then 3.8, and even 4.2 which was used all the way up until the mid-1980s in the XJ6 and even early 90s in the Daimler DS420. The 3.4 Saloon employed 4-wheel disc brakes, double wishbone front suspension, a cantilevered rear leaf spring, and panhard rod. Early cars had centrally-mounted gauges, and the chassis was Jaguar’s first to use unitary construction. Sadly, galvanization wouldn’t take off for another two decades, starting at Porsche. And while the unibody proved stronger than anticipated, it wasn’t strong enough to protect racer Mike Hawthorne when he fatally crashed his Mark 1 while passing a Mercedes 300SL Gullwing in England in 1959. The Mark 1 comes from a bygone era of race cars where Le Mans-winning engines (and entire vehicles) would find their way into dealer showrooms effectively unchanged. With few exceptions since (notably the McLaren F1 – which, incredibly, went the reverse direction from streetcar to dominant race car). The last of the breed may have been the Mark III Ford GT40, as things escalated dramatically with the arrival of the Porsche 917. Luckily for us poors, plenty of lower level racing exists, and we got a handful of other homologation specials to choose from in the form of the BMW E30 M3, Mercedes-Benz 190 2.3-16, Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, and Rover SD1, to name a few. Cars like the Alfa Giulietta Ti sedan give the Jag a challenge for the original sports sedan mantle, but the Italian wasn't first. In today’s world, the Jag was a performance-per-dollar bargain akin to a Tesla Model 3. Or possibly a Dodge Charger Hellcat. In any case, today’s quintessential sports sedan, the M3, has gotten far too pricey to be considered a bargain. As Derek points out, if you’re a thrifty enthusiast, skip the G80 and E30 and get yourself a nice used E36 or E46. No matter what you buy, budget for fixing it (especially if it’s a Land Rover). And always, always get a silly license plate. Just maybe one that doesn't tempt fate like Jason's friend's NEED AAA plate. Because, umm, he did. Immediately. [The words Hagerty Roadside didn't fit on the plate. Obviously.] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Driving a CLK63 Black Series MANUAL — The Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 185

  The 6-speed swapped Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series is finally here, and Jason drove it! Derek’s – or rather OTS’s – OEM-grade 6-speed manual CLK63 Black Series by Kwiek Classics is done, and Jason and Derek get behind the wheel to review the car that AMG should’ve built all along.  Enthusiasts around the world have never had a chance to interact directly with AMG’s only clean-sheet engine, the M156 – a monster 6.2L, 32-valve, DOHC, cross-plane V8 making 500 horsepower for the CLK63 Black Series. But now, thanks to Matt Kwiek at Kwiek Classics, we finally can! And it’s why Derek and his business partners at OTS bought one for Matt to manual swap using OEM Mercedes-Benz parts. The swap is done, and the car is here in the Bay Area where the Carmudgeons got to row the gears in AMG’s widebody beast of the noughties. By junking the recalcitrant automatic transmission, the car is transformed into the athlete its flared fenders promise it to be. Combine the manual trans with the factory triple-adjustable dampers (which feel like they’re full of sand in its current track configuration, though according to Jason are magical with the settings Mercedes used at the launch event) and the CLK63 Black Series becomes a car that even the most curmudgeonly enthusiast will struggle to come up with an excuse not to buy. As familiar and confidence-inspiring as the best M cars like E36 and E46 M3, and with an engine more engaging and experiential than the likes of the E39 M5. Even better to drive than a V8 Vantage and a Lexus LFA. Unlike typical 3-pedal swaps that lend themselves to terrible throttle mapping (see: Pagani Zonda), this one is a 9 out of 10, and an easy “marry” over a plethora of Ferraris: Testarossa, 355, 550 – even a Porsche 997 GT3. After the AMG, we dive into Jason’s recent dyno day at Chuckles Garage in NorCal, where Jason managed to take 3 spots on the dyno’s leaderboard for least horsepower (not including Jason, who can put down 500 watts). Jason got power numbers on his E31 BMW 850CSi, the Rover SD1 3500 V8, and the Honda Beat. Plus a friend brings along a Euro-spec 850CSi for comparison. Using some Turner Motorsport chips for the dual-ECU S70 850CSi motor, in conjunction with some Ferrari 599 mufflers, Jason’s CSi managed to beat the Euro car at 304 rear wheel horsepower. But even with Ferrari exhaust, the 850 still needs help in the sound department. Luckily, @czechmate_e30 is working with a fabricator to make a set of stepped headers for BMW V12s! Then, with fresh dyno numbers in hand, Jason combines the data with the power figures from the rest of his fleet, and indexes them by percentage of peak power versus percentage of peak RPM. The resulting graph provides an excellent visualization as to where and how each of his car’s engines makes their power. Science! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• The Cizeta-Moroder V16T: Max Lambo — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 184

  The Cizeta-Moroder V16T was the world's first sixteen-cylinder supercar, beating Bugatti by more than a decade. From its Gandini-designed Lamborghini origins, to disco-backed financing via Giorgio Moroder, a star-studded launch party with MC Jay Leno, and a cavalcade of lawsuits that continued up until the death of company founder and creator Claudio Zampolli in 2021. Brian Wiklem’s "16" book is available here: https://www.cizeta-v16t.com/ This is the true story of the Cizeta-Moroder V16T.  The Cizeta’s mysterious engine has left many guessing when it comes to its origins. Turns out, it has 2 cross-plane crankshafts from a Lamborghini Urraco P300 V8, a block design taken right from Ferrari’s 308 V8, and heads dissimilar to each — looking more like Cosworth’s contemporary DOHC designs. We even learn – thanks to Iain Tyrrell's Classic Workshop – that there appears to have been a flat-plane crank version in the works too!  Lots of nerdy engineering talk in this one: the torsional forces acting on crankshafts that make V16s (and straight-8s) not work so well, and how Claudio solved for them with a central power takeoff unit in his transverse V16 with a longitudinal transaxle – as opposed to the McLaren F1 (which debuted not long after) which did the inverse with a longitudinal engine (albeit with 4 fewer cylinders) and transverse transaxle. There were only a handful of V16 engines in the early 1900s, early examples fitted to Cadillacs and Marmons, with the Cizeta and other esoteric oddballs filling the gaps until present day, but now we’re getting a new one in the form of the Bugatti Tourbillon – whose predecessors used a much shorter “W” layout for their 16-cylinder powerplants. In any case, the cross-plane crank in the V16T elicits a raucous, lopey idle, and a Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Chewbacca-grade WOT bellow accompanied by a cacophony of gear and induction noises. Build quality is exceptional throughout, and puts the Bugatti EB110 and Countach to shame.  Claudio would find himself in very public spats with Jay Leno, the author of the V16T book itself, Brian Wiklem, and countless others at car shows, on Ferrari forums, on Facebook – just about everywhere. He may have been paranoid and a little delusional, but he was an incredible engineer and mechanic, and we’re grateful to have been able to experience the Cizeta-Moroder V16T! Huge shout-outs to owner Brendan Gallaher, Jay Leno, and Brian Wiklem. At the start of this episode, we’ll also talk Golfs! Specifically MK7s, and the one Jason just bought for his niece. Believe it or not, despite decades of VW-dom, Jason has never owned a real GTI until this car. Now he’s turning the youth into car people one relative at a time, starting with the purchase of a 2006 Infiniti G35 Coupe 6-speed for his nephew a few years ago, and then sending him to driving school with it. His niece got to attend the same driving school in Jason’s E30, Beatrice. And, if Jason leaves the surprise 034Motorsport tune on this new GTI, his niece will inherit a car much quicker than her older brother’s (and Derek may have to buy one too). But should we trust 18-year-olds (or Dereks) with 300 hp cars? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Special Guest, Nick The Audi Fan — The Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 183

  We dish the VW/Audi dirt with tuning company 034Motorsport’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Nick Mercadante. We’ll discuss 40 years worth of VAG foibles, from mismatched rotors, calipers that can’t handle the heat, 1980s ABS tech, wandering shifters and shattering engine mounts – but don’t worry, 034 has you covered!  Nick brought out his Audi 90 for us on this episode, and we’ll start by discussing its 6-level, buttock-melting heated seats (the relay for which is on its deathbed). Jason’s dad had this same car back in Germany in the 90s – featuring cloth seats, crank windows, and no AC. It made for a significantly improved Autobahn experience compared to his previous car, an FJ60-Series Land Cruiser. However, in stock form, the little Audi inline-5 hotrod of the 80s is no match for Jason’s modified 170 hp VW Scirocco. The Audi 90’s 7A engine just doesn’t have the oomph to make up for the drivetrain loss and general heft of the AWD drivetrain. If it had the turbocharged 3B motor from the S2, it may be a different story… Speaking of stories, Jason wrote one for Automobile Magazine some 15 years ago on this exact car that now sits in our background. Did you know it has a carbon fiber driveshaft and an anti anti-lock button? Yes, ANTI anti-lock.  We learn about the delightfully colorful California vehicle titles of the last century: both rainbow and pink (which is where the phrase “pink slip” comes from). And Derek is deeply distraught to learn Nick has removed the original California 2-number plate (and to learn just how easy it is to register cars outside of California). We’ll cover Nick’s various vehicles: his college runabout Audi 90, UrS6 wagon, his BMW M2 (F22), Porsche Cayenne GTS (958.2), Audi SQ5 (w/ nearly 700 hp), his Kei truck Subaru Sambar (w/ nearly 20 hp), his Porsche 944, Audi TT RS, and his first-gen Audi R8 V8 with a NASCAR-grade 034Motorsport exhaust.    Speaking of Nick’s cars, we’ll also cover another 034 Nick’s collection – friend of the show, Nick Sgambelluri, who so generously provided (and abused) his monster-turbo Audi 200 sedan, as well as his pristine first-gen Ford Probe Turbo for the Dark Horse ICONS episode – where its axle unalived itself in the middle of a reverse donut (sorry, Nick!).   We talk 034Motorsport (which is singular and starts with a “zero”), including their 7 lbs aluminum flywheel for the Audi 90, their dogbone engine mounts, their origins making ECUs for 5-cylinder cars 20 years ago, and their new arm, 034Tradition, which will make classic parts to fill in the voids left behind when parts manufacturers discontinue them (they will even take requests!).  Other fun tidbits: Jason’s secret new turbo car, the classic RV anal-prefix name game, washing titles in Alabama, Derek the felon, trash Kumhos, Derek advising against too much stroking, the Rover gets a makeover (suspension and tires), and possibly a full Vitesse-style engine build via Redline Rebuilds! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Randy Pobst, Live Special Guest! — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 182

  We talk with SCCA Hall of Fame race car driver Randy Pobst. From his racing origins in a Mk1 VW Rabbit, to his 2 wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and his personal car collection – including his Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am and Flyin’ Moose Volvo 740.  To start, we’ll dive into Randy’s racing experience: factory contracts with Porsche, Mazda, Volvo, and Toyota. Winning the 24 Hours of Daytona not once, but twice, and his 2015 induction into the SCCA Hall of Fame. We’ll cover his exploits at Thunderhill, VIR, Road Atlanta, Laguna Seca, Daytona, Pikes Peak, Sonoma, Lime Rock, Willow Springs, and more!  From humble origins in a Mk1 VW Golf (no, not a GTI), to a factory-backed FX16 Toyota Corolla, to setting a Laguna Seca lap record in a McLaren Senna. Randy even worked on the set of 2 Fast 2 Furious as a driving instructor for the film's stars: Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, and Devon Aoki – to name a few.  Randy eventually met Jason while filming an uncooperative Cayman GT4 for Motor Trend, and, despite a rocky start when Jason unexpectedly flung a Range Rover off track while racing Randy in an Alfa Romeo 4C, the two teamed up again to film multiple Ultimate Drag Race, Lap Battle and ICONS episodes for Hagerty. The whole gang laments some of the most irritating modern car tech: excessively bright headlights, lights that are somehow off at night, ABS systems that fully shut down when traveling backwards, AEB overreach, and EPAS systems that completely ruin a car’s limit handling by curtailing the driver’s ability to quickly catch a slide (like the Shelby GT350 Randy repeatedly spun and Jason crinkled at Willow Springs – not to mention the Unplugged Performance Tesla Model 3 Randy famously wrecked at Pikes Peak).  Speaking of handling, Randy divulges his dislike of twitchy cars like the Jaguar F-Type R and XJ, the KTM X-Bow, and Ariel Atom. Jason on the other hand loves an ass-y car like the V12 Vantage S, but says the Lotus Exige V6 Cup was so tail-happy it was uncontrollable. The Porsche Carrera GT is somewhere in the middle with mixed reviews and experience all around. While on the topic of handling dynamics, Randy tells us his secret plan to invent a fix for the C8 Corvette’s trailing throttle oversteer. He also gives praise to Porsche’s Lars Kern for his work on the latest crop of RS products – which may or may not be Randy’s favorite track cars of all time out of the box, alongside the 2014 Porsche 911 50th Anniversary Edition. All of which receive top marks on Randy’s understeer spectrum, and are polar opposites of the likes of a 1960s Cadillac.  We’ll touch on Randy’s personal car collection as well, which includes a Volvo 740 sedan and wagon, his 1977 Pontiac Trans Am “Randit” (and its oil starvation woes), Toyota Tundra tow vehicle, VW Karmann Ghia and early Tesla Model S.  Plus, Derek invents a new phrase for “road rage”, Randy bitch slaps cars out of his way, and also beautifully sings Primus’ Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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