Young GunsDon't mistake this subtle-looking Camaro for a V-6 ride. Matt Kinback is a 20-year-old mechanical engineering student at the College of New Jersey in Ewing and loves his very quick Chevy. His '94 Camaro features some interesting factory options, including the B4C police package. Chevrolet built a select group of B4C six-speed police cars with lots of heavy-duty equipment, a calibrated speedometer, and a sequential-port fuel-injection LT1 350 engine producing 275 hp. During the '94 Michigan State Police Patrol Vehicle Test, these cars clocked a top speed of 154 mph on a 4.7-mile oval. The '93 police Mustang reached only 135 mph the previous year. Mike hasn't said if he has verified his Camaro's top speed, but he did mention that he really likes the power the car has.
He found the clean example on the used-car lot at a local Chevy dealership with just 52,000 miles on the clock. Mike tells us that when the salesman went inside to take a phone call, Mike opened the console and read the option label. That's when he spotted the B4C code. The special car is sans any badging, and since purchasing it he's added a K&N system and swapped the 3.42 cog for a set of 3.73s.
OversteerJohn NelsonIt's strange to be a member of Generation X. I'm old enough to remember life without computers and cell phones. Receiving a hand-written letter from a friend is one of life's small joys. On the other hand, I recognize the power and convenience of the technology that is so prevalent, and using a computer and cell phone feels natural. Let's face it-I may like being unreachable, but the e-mail is here to stay.
Why the philosophical rambling? A fw months ago, I was making arrangements to photograph and write a car feature for CHP. I was flabbergasted when this particular car owner revealed that he didn't have e-mail. How would I get the info sheet to him, allowing the feature to be written? Courier pigeon? Luckily, the man in question did have access to an outdated but still serviceable device-a fax machine.
This situation is the exception, not the rule, in hot rod circles. Gearheads have embraced the Internet, and with good reason-it's the world's biggest bench-racing arena. We can collaborate, investigate, and just plain ruminate on whatever is on our minds. The Web is rich with information, and some of it's even accurate.
On a recent surfing safari, I found a disparaging comment about CHP Garage. "You notice how they're picking quotes off the web?" the poster protested. Are we connecting with the gearhead community by surfing alongside you, checking out what you're saying as we explore our own interests? Are we keping abreast of the lastest trends? Or are we revealing that print car magazines have nothing original to offer?
CHP may come to you in a format that Herr Gutenberg invented more than 500 years ago, but I like to think we're still relevant. In general, we print guys still have access to trick parts, hot cars, and testing equipment that eludes many of the Web sites. And there's the feel factor-there's something irresistibly tactile about picking up a magazine, feeling the pages, looking at the pictures. And therein lies the key to print's continued popularity. Most of us still can't read the Internet in the can-yet. When that happens, it's really time for the magazines to worry
For SpeedBob MehlhoffLeave The Driving to Whom?I just read a story in Fortune, "Leave the Driving to the Car" (May 1, '06), that discusses a new technology currently available in some luxury cars that can control most aspects of driving except for the steering. With this system your foot never touches the accelerator or brake pedals.