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Yamato

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  1. Yamato
    The year is 1983.
    Chrysler has just introduced America to the minivan, and it's a smash hit. Toyota, somewhat misreading the American market, introduces the LiteAce, which had been popular in Japan. Though surprisingly comparable to Chrysler's minivans in terms of performance and quite a bit cheaper, the Toyota LiteAce (sold simply as the Toyota Van in North America) was also noticeably smaller. Being an import didn't do much to help it, either. Most people understandably spend the extra money on the Chryslers for extra cargo space and parts that would be readily available. Two years later, Ford introduces the Aerostar minivan to compete with Chrysler's mighty Caravan, Town & Country, and Voyager. Toyota continues to sell the unpopular Van, and sales drop even further.

    The year is now 1990. 
    Toyota finally kills the Van, and replaces it with something magnificent: the model year 1991 Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima in Japan and the Toyota Tarrago in Australia.


    Personally I love the styling, but I know that may not be your thing. It's definitely 90s, with some "spaceship" and "jellybean" thrown in. Bear with me here though, because that's not the best part about this van.

    For whatever reason, I'm not even sure Toyota themselves know why, the Previa is mid-engined. Well, front-mid engine. Not the standard style of mid-engine, but the entire drivetrain rests between the axles so it still counts. The Previa's inline four engine is mounted at a 75 degree angle, nearly sideways, underneath the front row of seats with the transmission trailing behind. This layout, similar to that of the Mazda RX-7, results in a vehicle with a perfect 50-50 weight distribution. Additionally, it gives the Previa the lowest center of gravity of any minivan ever. Completely unnecessary for a vehicle that will never see a racetrack, but totally awesome.



    The original 135 hp engine setup proved inadequate, so in 1994 the option of a supercharger was added, boosting power to 158 hp. This was comparable to Dodge's V6, though the Previa was heavier than the Caravan. Unfortunately, the addition of the supercharger removed the option of a 5-speed manual transmission. Can't have all the fun, I guess. The supercharger became standard equipment for 1996 and 1997. Rear-wheel drive was standard, while "All-Trac" all-wheel drive was an option.

    I don't know if it's just me, but the idea of a mid-engined, supercharged minivan is just so absurd that it's amazing. I have seriously been considering one of these for my next vehicle.

    Anyway, it'll probably be another 3 years before I post in this blog again. Keep it real.
     
  2. Yamato
    I really love the fact that you can choose to spend an assload of resources simply to disable traction control on the Nomad and become a drifting legend.
     
    Honorable mention: the game spawning NPCs in a mile off during dialogue and cutscenes so that scenes supposed to contain them now feature a nice section of wall paneling accompanied by distant, unintelligible speaking.
  4. Yamato
    It is widely known that Shrek=Love and Shrek=Life.
     
    From this picture:

    It can be seen that Ball=Shrek.
     
    This implies that Ball=Life.
     
    Interestingly, this also implies that Ball=Love. What's the significance of this?
    I'll leave you to decide.
  6. Yamato

    Nissan S13 Family

    By Yamato,

    So before we get started, I'd just like to put it out there that this is one of my favorite model families ever. All of the cars belonging to it are or have the potential to be absolutely brilliant. But what, you may ask, is an S13?
     
    Lemme break it down for ya...
    The S13s were produced between 1989 and 1998 and came in two general body styles: coupe and hatchback. Among the two styles there were numerous subdivisions, all of which will be explored in this entry. Several engine options were available for each model, and all came equipped with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. Prior to the 1990 model year, all S13s came equipped with a CA series engines. After 1990, all Japanese S13s received the SR series engines, while the North American models (only introduced in 1991) received KA series engines.
     
    Engine Specs
     
    CA18DE
    ​DOHC 16-valve I4
    Power: 131 hp @6400 rpm
    Torque: 117 ft-lbf @5200 rpm
    Displacement: 1.8L
     
    CA18DET
    ​DOHC 16-valve I4
    Power: 167-175 hp @6400 rpm
    Torque: 166 lb-ft @5200 rpm
    Displacement 1.8L
    Turbocharger: Garrett T25
     
    SR20DE
    ​DOHC 16-valve I4
    Power: 140-169 hp @6400 rpm
    Torque: 132 lb-ft @4800 rpm
    Displacement: 2.0L
     
    SR20DET
    DOHC 16-valve I4
    Power: 205 hp @6000 rpm
    Torque: 203 lb-ft @4000 rpm
    Displacement: 2.0L
    Turbocharger: Garrett T25
     
    KA24E
    SOHC 12-valve I4
    Power: 140 hp @5600 rpm
    Torque: 152 lb-ft @4400 rpm
    Displacement: 2.4L
     
    KA24DE
    DOHC 16-valve I4
    Power: 155 hp @5400 rpm
    Torque: 160 lb-ft @4400 rpm
    Displacement: 2.4L
     
    Nissan Silvia
     

    A Silvia K's
     
    The Silvia was the coupe version sold in Japan. This is one of my all time favorite cars, and turbocharged models continue to be popular among the drift and street racing scenes due to their good performance, reliability, and ease of maintenance. A convertible version of the Silvia was available, but was quite unpopular due to its increased weight, chassis flexibility, and high price tag (around $38,000). Trim designations are as follows.
    Silvia J's: Base model. Nothing fancy on this one, available only with a naturally aspirated engine.
    Silvia Q's: Higher level trim package than the J's. Power accessories were standard equipment. Again available only with a naturally aspirated engine. The Club Q's package added automatic climate control and a spoiler.
    Silvia K's: The performance package. All of the options of the Q's, but with the added bonus of having a turbocharged engine. The Club K's package added a spoiler, 15" aluminum wheels, and projector headlamps.
    Silvia A's "Almighty": Step up from the J's model introduced in 1992. Had some, but not all of the options available on the Q's.
     
     
    Nissan 180SX
     

     
    The 180SX was the hatchback version in Japan. These are also popular on the drift and street racing scene. Although it shares the same chassis as the Silvia, the 180SX looks almost completely different. Despite the visual disparity, the two cars perform very similarly. Originally, all 180SXs came with a turbocharged engine, but later models would be offered in N/A packages. All models were electronically limited to 112 mph (180 km/h). Trim models are as follows.
     
    First Generation (1989-1990)
    Type I: Base model.
    Type II: Minor trim differences, HICAS II four-wheel steering was an option for this trim level.
     
    Second Generation (1991-1995)
    Type I & Type II: Nearly identical, minor trim differences. Both available with Super HICAS four-wheel steering.
    Type III: Added in 1992, minor trim diferences, introduced electronic climate control and CD player.
    Type R & Type X: Replaced Types I, II, and III. Type X was a higher level package.
     
    Third Generation (1996-1998)
    Type X: Cosmetic trim package including spoiler, skirts, front lip spoiler, and 15" alloy wheels. Production ended in 1997.
    Type R: Much the same as the Type X, but lacking the cosmetic additions. Production ended in 1997.
    Type S: First 180SX to be offered without a turbocharged engine. Visually similar to the Type X.
    Type G: Introduced in 1997, similar to Type S.
     
     
    Special Models
    As previously mentioned, the Silvia and 180SX are popular with street racers. As such, they are often involved in collisions, or their owners are simply trying to reduce the car's weight. A certain modification has sprung from this that is popular enough to deserve its own mention. The appeal to this modification lies in the fact that the front end of a Silvia weighs considerably less that that of a 180SX, largely due to the 180SX's pop-up headlight assembly. Because of this and the fact that the two vehicles share the same chassis, it is not unusual for 180SX owners to replace the front end of their vehicle with the front end of a Silvia. The resultant car is known as a Sileighty or Sil-80, a portmanteau of Silvia and one-eighty.
     

     
    The opposite of this, in which the front end of a 180SX is attached to a Silvia, is known as a Onevia. Interestingly enough, the Onevia was actually a production model in North America, where it was marketed as the 240SX coupe. The Sileighty got its own limited-production run from a Japanese auto shop known as Kids Heart. A total of 500 "official" Sileighties were made.
     
     
    200SX
    The 200SX was the European version of the 180SX. It was only offered with the CA18DET engine. Unlike the 180SX, the 200SX was not limited, and as such it was capable of reaching 137 mph (220 km/h). Many of the standard features on this model were Nismo-only options on the 180SX. The 200SX was discontinued in 1994.
     
    240SX
    The 240SX was North America's version of the 180SX. It was offered in both hatchback and coupe styles. As previously mentioned, the 240SX coupe was essentially a production version of the strictly aftermarket Onevia, albeit with a less powerful engine. Prior to 1991, all models used the KA24E SOHC I4, but all models after this switched to the KA24DE DOHC I4. Much like the 180SX, the 240SX is popular in drifting competitions due to a large assortment of available aftermarket upgrades and relatively light weight. Production for the 240SX ended in 1995.
     

    240SX Coupe
  7. Yamato

    Hats!

    By Yamato,

    Yeah, it's a blog about hats! Exactly what the title makes it sound like. Anyway, I have found that one can often tell a lot about a person's personality by the type of headwear they don. I have taken the liberty of making a handy-dandy, albeit short, guide to hat-induced personalities for your enjoyment!
     
    Let's kick things off with the pakol.
    .

    The pakol, especially when worn by men named Derek, signifies an individual with poor decision making capabilities. This is the kind of person who would yell "FIRE!" in a theatre or drive a cargo truck through a minefield.
     
    Next, the trilby.
     

     
    *sigh* It isn't great... I think we all already know how this one works.
     
    Which brings us to the fedora.
     

     
    The fedora often gets confused with the above trilby, the difference being brim size. To clear things up, Indiana Jones and Al Capone wore fedoras. The trilby is often frequented by, well, you know...
     
    Flat brims.
     

     
    I have yet to meet a person wearing a flat brim who didn't turn out to be a colossal scumbag. It's something about the brim being flat. If the brim has been bent, the effect is nullified, and the characteristics are closer to that of our next hat...
     
    THE TRUCKER HAT.
     

     
    Notice the bent brim. This is crucial to the effect.
    This is the hat of a man who drives for a living, leaving behind not only many a defective tire tread on the pavement, but also much of his life. Alternatively, they are worn by men who inhabit that most noble of domicile, the trailer home. The personality of a trucker-hatter is often hard to nail down, ranging from kind guardians of the road to belligerent trailer dweller. In short, the wearer of the trucker hat represents the true embodiment of America. That is, varied and proud.
     
     
    The cowboy hat.
     

     
    The hat that defined the West. Not so popular today as it used to be, but it still has quite the following in states such as Oklahoma and Texas. Worn by men who work for a living, take pride in their work, and drive pickup trucks.
     
    The bush hat.
     

     
    This type of hat, especially one with the band of alligator teeth, is the hat of MEN. Wearers of this type of hat wrestle giant spiders, ride kangaroos, and drink snake venom for breakfast. THEY PUT LUMBERJACKS TO SHAME.
     
    Lastly, the Fez.
     

    Not this Fez...
     

    This fez.
     
    Fezzes are not cool. They're worn by Shriners and old people in "secret societies".
     
    So yeah, that's that. Keep in mind that all this constitutes an opinion. However, the difference between my opinion and your opinion is that mine's right.
  8. Yamato

    END DISCRIMINATION

    By Yamato,

    AS WE ALL KNOW, DISCRIMINATION PLAYS AN UNFORTUNATELY LARGE ROLE IN OUR SOCIETY. IT DIMINISHES OPPORTUNITIES, IT CAN LEAD TO UNEQUAL PAY, AND IT HAS ARGUABLY BEEN THE CAUSE OF MORE CONFLICT THAN ANY OTHER FACTOR. RIGHT NOW YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING "WHY THE FUCK IS THIS GUY WRITING IN ALL CAPS?" WELL, I AM OF THE OPINION THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO END DISCRIMINATION IS POINTLESS SO LONG AS WE ALLOW A CERTAIN HEINOUS, SUBCONSCIOUS DISCRIMINATION TO CONTINUE. WHAT IN GOD'S HOLY NAME AM I BLATHERING ON ABOUT? ALPHABET DISCRIMINATION.
     
    EVER SINCE THE GREEKS CREATED THEIR ALPHABET, THERE HAVE BEEN UPPERCASE AND LOWERCASE LETTERS. FOR ALL OF THIS TIME, THE LOWERCASE LETTERS HAVE GOTTEN THE SHORT END OF THE STICK, NOT BEING "GOOD ENOUGH" TO BEGIN SENTENCES OR PROPER NOUNS. TAKE A AND a FOR EXAMPLE. DO THEY NOT MEAN THE SAME THING? DO THEY NOT MAKE THE SAME SOUND? WHY, THEN, SHOULD ONE BE TREATED AS INFERIOR TO THE OTHER? I THEREFORE POSIT THAT ALL LOWERCASE LETTERS SHALL FROM HENCEFORTH BE THROWN OUT. THE ONLY SOLUTION TO SUCH DISCRIMINATION IS HOMOGENIZATION.
     
    I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, "THIS IS INSANE, LETTERS CAN'T FEEL DISCRIMINATION!". AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY CAN'T. BUT DOES THAT SOMEHOW MAKE IT MORALLY RIGHT? JUST THINK OF THE DISCRIMINATORY MINDSET NEEDED TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN SUCH A SYSTEM. IT'S SICKENING, REALLY. IF WE ARE SO QUICK TO JUDGE A LETTER'S WORTH BY ITS SIZE, MIGHT WE NOT ALSO USE THE SAME SUBCONSCIOUS PROCESS TO JUDGE THE WORTH OF OUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS?
  10. Yamato

    My Day in a Nutshell

    By Yamato,

    > goes to the beach
    > wants to go surfing
    > remembers name is Charlie
    > Charlie don't surf
    > napalm blows out the waves anyway
    > board gets stolen by Lance
    > fml
     

    Fuck you, Lance...
  14. Yamato
    Recently, I found my old copy of Mass Effect and embarked upon my sixth playthrough with my original character, thus making it one of only three games that I have ever re-played more than five times (the other two being Mercenaries and Seek and Destroy). This got me to thinking, "Why the hell do I enjoy this game so much?" Here's my top three reasons.
     
     
    1. The M35 Mako
     
    The M35 Mako is arguably one of the most badass fictional vehicles ever for the sole reason that it simply cannot be stopped. The only terrain a Mako can't traverse is a 90º cliff face or upside-down. On top of that, its 155 mm mass accelerator cannon makes a very nice conversation piece when it isn't blowing Geth into oblivion. But the magic of the Mako isn't simply in its qualifications, it also resides in the abilities it grants you. It allows you to explore planets, fight baddies who would normally kick your ass into next Tuesday, and just generally muck about, thereby adding a smattering of carefree attitude to an otherwise serious game.
     
     
    2. The Weapons
     
    There really wasn't that much weapon variety in this game as far as styling goes, only two body types per weapon class and only a handful of colors. I'll admit that the guns in this game are grossly out-styled by the guns in ME2 and ME3. However, two things that make me love the weapons in the original Mass Effect. The first is not just that you can mod the ever-loving shit out of them, but also the sheer ridiculousness that said mods spawn. Put two Scram Rails and explosive rounds on a shotgun and you've got yourself a one-shot wonder capable of taking down all but the toughest of enemies with a single spread. Two Frictionless Materials mods on an assault rifle gives you the capability to unleash an endless, unholy maelstrom of bullets upon your enemies, which is a lovely segue into the second thing: infinite ammunition. As far as ammunition went, the only thing this game asked was that you occasionally pause your river of bullets to allow your gun to cool down. Even then you could still tell the game to go fuck itself with the aforementioned mods. All in all, a wonderful weapons system. Shame they broke it in ME2...
     
    3.

    You better watch him, he's a shifty bastard...
     
    One of my favorite easter eggs ever. It's simply a space cow that advances towards you and steals your money, but only when your back is turned. Located way the hell out in the absolute middle of nowhere, the only thing distinguishing this klepto-cow from any other space cow is that handy nameplate on your HUD. There's truly no point to its existence, but it makes me laugh every time.
     
     
    Anyway, that's all I got. I may or may not do one of these on the other two games I mentioned. Depends on how bored I get, I suppose.
  15. Yamato
    Triumph of the Will is quite possibly the single most well know piece of Nazi propaganda in existence. It depicts the 1934 National Socialist Party rally in Nuremburg.
     
    From a technical standpoint, this film is a masterpiece. 30 cameras, 120 technicians, day shots, night shots, audible outdoor sound... and all of this in 1934 (the film then took six months to develop and edit before being released in 1935). The director, a woman by the name of Leni Riefenstahl, was actually given carte blanche by Hitler himself to produce this movie, and as a result she was able to have lighting gantries, camera track, and even entire bridges built throughout Nuremburg solely to aid in the production of the film. Seeing as there could be no retakes, much care was taken in advance towards getting the shots correct. Multiple cameras and roughly 65 hours of film were used over a period of three days in order to have the greatest possible chance of nabbing that "perfect shot". The 65 hours of film were later edited down to a mere 2 hours for the final version. From a visual standpoint, it isn't very far off from the studio-filmed Hollywood movies of the time. A rather impressive feat, considering that it was filmed outside on location in what was essentially one take. Now, I would be lying if I told you that the event was not rehearsed multiple times beforehand. The Rally was essentially the first "made for film" event and Hitler himself was adamant that everything be perfect for the film.
     
    Now content is another matter entirely. This film is astoundingly dull to the modern viewer. It's two hours of Hitler (and the occasional other party leader) making speeches and people marching to music. Even though Hitler was very... passionate... when he spoke, it still doesn't make for an exciting film. But that isn't what it was going for anyway. Its sole purpose was to demonstrate the might of the National Socialist Party and spread its message to the German people, and it does that rather well.
     
    So, do I recommend that you watch it? Absolutely.
     
    Do I advocate its message? Not at all.
     
    So why do I recommend it then? Because improper understanding of the past will only lead to the repetition of its mistakes in the future.
     

  20. Yamato

    Iron Sky

    By Yamato,

    This one right here was an absolute gem. I was very pleasantly surprised at it. I was honestly expecting something of the quality of "Nazis at the Center of the Earth", but I got something infinitely better and far more humorous.
     
    The basic idea behind this movie is that the Nazis fled to the moon in 1945 after realizing defeat was imminent. Now (actually in 2018) they've decided that they kinda want the Earth back and as a result stage a full scale invasion complete with flying saucers, zeppelin shaped spaceships, and, of course, a brilliantly over-designed superweapon.
     
    This movie far exceeded my expectations in a number of categories. The acting was actually surprisingly good, far better than I've seen in any comparable movies, at least. The special effects, while maybe not quite top notch, were done excellently. Props and makeup at least seemed to know what they were doing, no Nerf guns or mustard makeup in this movie. All in all, very good quality.
     
    Another plus for this movie is that at no point does it even begin to take itself seriously. From the black man turned white and swastika shaped moonbase to the flower-power getaway van and "Black to the Moon" posters, nothing even hinted at sensibility. I loved it!
     
    However, I think the thing that made me like this movie as much as I did had to be its cynicism towards the world in general. It pulled no punches. The US president is highly 'Murrikan (and female, that's something), the highly illegal, treaty-breaking ("C'mon, it's what we do!") armed United States spaceship is named the USS George W. Bush (and is ludicrously overarmed), the treaty-breaking armed Russian spaceship blares the Soviet national anthem as it passes, the UN is depicted as a group of bumbling brawl-happy idiots... It's just great. Nothing is sacred.
     
    In short, this is definitely the kind of movie I would expect myself to make.
     
    OVERALL VERDICT:
     
    9/10 Absolutely brilliant, wonderfully executed, and fucking hilarious. I would definitely watch it again.
  21. Yamato

    Pony shoes

    By Yamato,

    Figured y'all would get a kick outta these kicks. Bought 'em a week ago, just arrived in the mail yesterday. Pretty damn comfy if I do say so myself...
     

  22. Yamato

    Such is My Life...

    By Yamato,

    >buys microwave burritos
    >instructions on package say "microwave for 1 minute 15 seconds"
    >set microwave for 1 minute 20 seconds
    >80 seconds later microwave beeps
    >fuck yeah, burrito time
    >grab plate
    >plate is hotter than the deepest pits of hell
    >scream in agony
    >don't let go because burritos
    >plate is literally melting both itself and my hand
    >make it to table
    >take bite of burrito
    >mfw it's ice cold
     

  23. Yamato
    You thought that I had forgotten about it, that it would all blow over without so much as a whisper... You thought you could escape it...
     
    YOU WERE WRONG.
     
    In the Annals of Time it was written that a great day would come, and on this day all of Mankind would pay tribute and there would be much jubilation, for something most amazing would have occurred.
    But, it was also written that this day would bring great sorrow to the kingdoms of men with the knowledge that such wonder must come to an end and will never be seen on this Earth again.
     
     
    That day is my Second Forum-versary.
    That day is today.
    Rejoice.
  24. Yamato

    1957 Chrysler 300C

    By Yamato,

    I’m gonna kick-off this blog with one of my all-time favorites, the 1957 Chrysler 300C. This 300 was the third in Chrysler’s so-called “Letter Series” and landed on one of Chrysler’s facelift years. While the car was largely based upon the new New Yorker, some major differences from more standard-line cars included a gaping grille meant to provide adequate air to the engine and create an overall more aggressive appearance, stiffened suspension, and red, white, and blue “300” badges. Available colours were officially black, red, brown, white, and green. However, other options were available through special order.
    The 1956 300B had been the first car in America to produce 1 horsepower per cubic inch (with the optional 354 cu. in. engine). In 1957, Chrysler decided to up the ante and swap out the 354 for a 392, increasing power output to 375 horsepower standard with the option of 390 (only 18 cars were produced with these specifications). While the new model didn’t have the same stunning power/displacement ratio, it was still the most powerful car available on the American market. The option of a manual transmission was dropped for 1957, and the car came with a 3-speed TorqueFlite A488 automatic.
     
    Like the two previous 300s, production was quite limited. 1,918 coupes were produced along with 484 convertibles for a grand total of 2,402 cars, making if the third most produced Letter Series after the 1964 300K and 1965 300L (3,647 and 2,845, respectively).
     
    Specifications
    Performance
    Power: 375 hp @ 5,200 RPM
    Torque: 420 lb-ft @ 4,000 RPM
    Compression ratio: 9.25:1
    Top speed: 140 mph
    Fuel economy: 10-15 mpg
     
    Dimensions
    Height: 54.7 in. (1.39m) (coupe), 55 in. (1.40m) (convertible)
    Width: 78.8 in. (2.00m)
    Length: 219.2 in. (5.57m)
    Wheelbase: 126 in. (3.20m)
     
    Random trivia bits
    Came equipped with a dashboard-mounted rearview mirror
    14-inch wheels
    Air Conditioning was an available option and cost $495
  25. Yamato

    Blog Intro

    By Yamato,

    In this blog I will periodically post random bits of car trivia, stats, and opinions. If you don't know cars, this blog is here to educate you. If you do know cars, it's here to entertain you.
     
    Most of the cars featured in this blog will be either American or Japanese. My encyclopaedic knowledge of cars is slightly lacking in the European theatre. This does not mean that no European cars will ever be featured, it just means to expect the other two far more often.
     
    If you have a particular car in mind that you want me to feature, I'll take requests in the comments. I'll do, at the very least, an opinion page on most requested vehicles. I don't really expect this to become all that popular, but here we go anyway. First entry'll be either tonight or tomorrow night.
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