In addition, NBB, DaimlerChrysler, and all the other major vehicle, engine, and fuel injection companies are actively engaged in a research program, testing B20 and lower blends of biodiesel in the advanced diesel engine platforms mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for '07 and '10 model-year vehicles.
"The NBB's goal is for B20 to be approved in all major diesel engines and vehicles with the new '07-and-later model-year engines, and we are making significant progress toward that goal," said NBB Technical Director Steve Howell.
Howell noted that while the use of B20 may not void the warranty of U.S. engine manufacturers, this is the first time an OEM has specifically approved B20 use in a warranty statement.
Promoting increased use of biodiesel is a part of DaimlerChrysler's campaign to reintroduce diesel-powered passenger vehicles to U.S. consumers. Modern, clean diesel vehicles offer fuel economy improvements of 30 percent and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, compared with gas-powered vehicles. At the same time, diesel vehicles provide the power and performance valued by American consumers.
"While diesel technology alone can make big strides toward helping us meet our national energy, environment and security objectives, when you add biodiesel and other biofuels, it gets really exciting," Chrysler Group's LaSorda said.
Nationwide, more than 600 major fleets now use biodiesel commercially, and more than 600 retail filling stations also make it available to the public.
You can learn more about biodiesel by visiting www.biodiesel.org.
Sport Truck Slang Term of the Month
Hammered: An adjective describing an extremely lowered sport truck, as if the truck was squashed to the ground with a hammer. Use the word in a sentence like this one: "That truck is hammered!" and impress your friends. Hammered can also be used to describe us after one too many shots.
10 Mostly Worthless Facts
1. According to a '94 copy of Berliant's "Used Car Reliability and Safety Guide," the Dodge Ram and Chevy S-10 tied for Second Place for "most complaints associated with accidents." What the heck does that mean? Your guess is as good as ours. We figure that's why we don't have a current copy of that particular book.
2. In case you were wondering, in 1978, Ford built 422,264 1/2-ton F-150 Crew Cab Styleside pickups. The base engine was a 300-cid inline six-cylinder engine that produced a whopping 101 hp at 3,000 rpm. In a truck that weighs in excess of 3,500 pounds, that would equate to one slow pickup.
3. In the movie, Commando, Arnold Schwarzenneger's character rolls a stolen yellow Porsche that miraculously drives away unscathed in the next scene.
4. In 1991, GMC produced the Syclone-a Sonoma-based compact pickup that could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds, thanks to a port fuel-injected and turbocharged 4.3L V-6 engine. It was the baddest compact truck at the time and still fetches as much as $25,000 today in the used marketplace.
5. Right now, there's five minutes left on the clock until it's time to break out for lunch.
6. The first speeding ticket issued in the U.S. was in 1902. Hey, at least they can't blame it on us.
7. Most people think of Chevy's first overhead valve V-8 as the small-block from the '55 model year. However, believe it or not, Chevrolet had an overhead valve V-8 in 1914! The line ran for one year, before it was ditched only to resurface in 1955.
8. Did you know that Mad Max's last name was Rockatansky, also known as the Dark One, and there were only two of the black interceptor cars made for the series? One was built for the first movie, which was rebuilt into the car in the second movie, along with the long-range fuel tanks in the back. The other car was a rough mock-up used for most driving shots and was finally the car that was totaled in the second movie. On completion of the filming, the good car was sold as scrap to a wrecker with the strict orders to destroy the car, luckily the owner of the wrecking yard couldn't bring himself to do it! Unfortunately, the car now resides in England as a result of bureaucratic bungling.
9. In 1916, rearview mirrors became standard equipment on production cars. You think the guy in 1902 would have still gotten the ticket if he had some?
10. New York was the home of the first National Automobile show held in 1900.
Mooneyes Christmas Show
Are you digging on big, fatty white walls, mad pinstriping, and older trucks that actually have some decent body styling? Then, welcome to the club. Flat colors and big ol' chunks of flake in paint are only the beginning of the Rat Rod craze. Older nostalgic trucks are hitting the scene hard and turning heads at the same time. Who needs expensive paint tricks when you can roll in suede?
If you have these same cravings, Mooneyes knows how to dish it out to y'all. Every year around the Christmas season, Mooneyes puts on a show for all the grease monkeys. The show used to be just a local gathering of hot rod enthusiasts but has now exploded so big that it could not be held at the Norwalk-based shop anymore. This time, the local Sheriff's Star Academy parking lot in Whittier, California, served as the grounds for the show. There were around 500 vehicles that made it onto the lot, and about the same amount were piled up on the streets surrounding the grounds.
There is something for everyone to see there. If the rods aren't enough for you, there are other exciting sites to see, such as live rockabilly bands, vendor booths with pinstripers flinging paint, and of course, a '50s-inspired crowd. It's definitely like traveling back in time, but in a good way. For more information, go to www.mooneyesusa.com.