My father is a huge Nascar fan. Dale Earnhardt was his hero. The day that he died was the day the music died for my father. Honestly, I don't think that he would cry that much if I died. I would like to think that he would, but I wouldn't bet my life on it, no pun intended.
I think Dale Earnhardt is the real reason that he bought the Redneck Mobile, better known as the hunk of junk in my driveway, thirteen years ago. It was one more way for him to be part of Dale Earnhardt fandom. Like the shrine of Dale Earnhardt memorabilia in the living room wasn't enough to label him "Cuckoo for the Intimidator."
The problem is that my father didn't commit to the image. Sure, he grew the mustache, and he bought the black car, but then he stopped. He just wanted the Redneck Mobile to look good. He could have cared less if Old Red could make it up a hill. Now, having inherited Old Red, I'm paying for it.
As I'm typing this post, it's raining outside, and I'm reminded that, if I were to go get in my car and drive somewhere right now, I would most likely spin out at the first red light or stop sign that I came to. I'm also reminded of the time a few years ago that my car started to shake so badly when I took it over 40 miles per hour that I thought that every nut and bolt on it was going to fall off in the middle of the road, leaving me with just a metal shell to sit in. Luckily for me, a much-needed tune up fixed that problem. However, there are still days when I wonder if the Redneck Mobile is going to make it to the next light or not.
While I'll never have a real need for speed--you'll never catch me drag racing or driving 100 miles per hour on Interstate 75--I would like the Redneck Mobile to have some gusto powerwise. One way I could upgrade Old Red, other than getting it a much-needed paint job, is to add a turbocharger or supercharger to the engine. Right now, my car has a V-6 engine. It's okay, but obviously, given Old Red's tendency to chug-a-lug up a hill or around a semi, it's not the best.
Turbochargers and superchargers work by way of a forced induction system. As you can probably imagine, when air is compressed, more of it can enter the cylinders of your car. More air equals more power each time the cylinders explode. If that sounds like automobile Greek to you, think of it this way. Your computer hard drive can only hold so many files. If you want to speed it up and be able to add more files once you get near capacity, what do you do? You compress the files. Well, that's what a turbocharger or supercharger does, only with air instead of with bytes of information.
Turbochargers and superchargers aren't exactly the same, however. While they'll both get you what you want--more power--they have different ways of getting you there. A turbocharger is powered by exhaust steam, while a supercharger runs off of a belt. They also have their own unique advantages and disadvantages. For example, many consider a turbocharger more efficient because it utilizes wasted exhaust. However, you will have to drive at higher speeds to see the actual boost in power. A supercharger, in contrast, provides a quicker boost of power and is easier to install, but it's also more expensive than a turbocharger. Personally, I would take either one, if it meant that the Redneck Mobile wouldn't stall on me. I'm not picky. Hint, hint, Dad.
If you are looking to give your own car a boost, whether you drive a hunk of junk like mine or something a lot nicer like a Volkswagen turbo powered Beetle, check out www.turbochargerpros.com. The site sells turbochargers, superchargers, and nose covers to help you improve the performance of your vehicle. Whether you are looking for a new part or a remanufactured one, they will have it in stock at wholesale prices and available to ship free the same day. To ensure that they are selling only the highest quality products, the company's employees thoroughly inspect each part before it ships and test them on air, hydraulic, and engine replicator machines. They also include a full warranty with each part. Most warranties are a year-long or better. If the part fails during the warranty period, TurboChargerPros.com will ship you out a new one at no cost to you. The company will even pick up the tab for shipping. Plus, unlike a lot of sites on the Internet, if you have a problem with your order, you can call up TurboChargerPros.com's toll-free customer support representatives. You don't have to wait days or even weeks to get a response by email. It's definitely a site worth visiting.
Since I never got a response on my last email about my car to Dear Old Dad, it looks like I'm going to have to send another one with a link to TurboChargerPros.com. Maybe this time he'll actually get the hint to fix my car, but I'm not holding my breath.
