Wednesday, May 30, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER C7 B e s t W 1934 h e e l s FORD O a k v i l l e -F -H 4 -£ _ _ U N E S : Power to the masses By Malcolm Gunn SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Imagine heading down to your Ford dealer and picking out a family-favourite Ford Taurus. On the options sheet you check the box that'll give your grocery-getter a 420-horsepow er DOHC V12 engine straight out of an ultra-exotic Aston Martin DB7 Vantage. Now, imagine paying about the same amount money for that car as you would for a run-ofthe-mill V6 version. Sounds improbable, if not impossible, right? Well, back in the early 1930s that was the public's reaction when word leaked out that Henry Ford was planning to introduce a V8 engine to his line of low-priced cars and trucks. Up until that time, such an engine was the exclusive domain of the luxury automo bile market, including Ford's Lincoln division. Mass V8 power to the people simply did not apply to the everyday Ford Model T or Model A owners who could only dream of having that many cylinders at their dis posal. But Henry Ford was deter mined to make it happen. His motivation was simple: William Durant's Chevrolet car company had earlier introduced six-cylinder power to its low-priced vehi cles. The Chevy `Blue Flame' straight-six was not only a smoother-running powerplant, but delivered a whopping 20 more horsepower than Ford's comparatively bog-slow 40horse four-banger. As a result, by the end of the 1931 model year, Chevrolet had dethroned the Model A as the most popu lar brand on the market. Henry Ford had actually tin kered with six-cylinder power in his company's early days, but without much success. So in 1929, amid extremely tight security (even Henry Ford's son Edsel was initially kept in the dark), a small group of engi neers housed in a separate `skunkworks' facility began working on development of a mass-produced V8 motor. To keep production costs down, the engine's block had to be cast in one piece, something that had never before been accomplished. After consider able trial and much error, that hurdle was finally crossed. While work on the V8 car ried on in earnest, Ford contin ued to hedge his bets on fourcylinder power.'A separate engi neering team worked to improve the existing powerplant, eventu ally adding 10 more horsepower to its previous rating of 40. In March, 1932, production finally began on the Model 18, the name given to the first V8powered Ford passenger car. Underneath the longer and mild ly altered body (designed by a group headed up by Edsel Ford) were several significant improvements compared to the Model A. The new 221 cubicinch flathead V8 used rubber engine mounts to control vibra tion, and the entire chassis was constructed using a stouter frame. The car's front-mounted gas tank had also been relocated to the rear for better weight dis tribution. Mechanically, the V8-powered Fords were equipped with larger brakes and the threespeed manual transmission received synchronized second and third gears. Finally, the steering ratio was increased to aid maneuverability. The launch of the Ford V8 created an enormous public sen sation, with millions crowding into dealerships for a look-see. But early on, demand far out stripped supply for a number of reasons. The teething problems created by the rushed introduc(S e e `C a r' p ag e C6) A unique & wacky team building experience m a s m for organizations, big & small Liberty replaces Jeep Cherokee (Continued from p ag e C8) Four-Wheel Alignment Special · Price not applicable to all models Thursday, June 21, 2001 Oakville Entertainment Centrum 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm For more information call: 1-800-816-4149 Resister today! Pull together 7 individuals, including yourself, and say... YES, WE CAN SEND A KID TO CAMP! Challenge yourself, challenge your team mates, challenge your organization. The more pledges you raise, the more HAPPY 1 Canoe x $1,300 = A Happy Camper (It costs $1,300 to send one child to an Easter Seal Camp for 1 week.) In the compact sport utility class it's the drive systems that separate true offroaders from the pretenders. With two dual-range systems to pick from - parttime Command-Trac or full-time Selec-Trac - the Liberty is one of a select few in its class to offer a transfer case delivering both low- and highrange gearing. The Liberty's arrival in dealer showrooms will likely be a real shock to those diehards accustomed to yearafter-year of Cherokee boxiness. But with its invigorating design, roomier passenger and stowage space and upto-date power, this newest Jeep should make plenty of new friends - including possibly a few current Grand Cherokee owners - right from the start. Fill out the information below and: Fax The Easter Seal Society at or Phone The Easter Seal Society at Entry deadline June 2, 2000. YES! I want to register a team of 7 in the PORTAGE FOR EASTER SEAL KIDS Team Captain: I I ( I I Address:_ Postal Code: City: _ Phone:_ E-mail: How many people are in your organization? _ A M AO O · S6 H V IC E& T A H T S Pius tax w here applicable. Please present coupon a t time o f write-up. N o t to be com bined w ith other offers. N o t redeemable fo r advertised specials, previous purchases, o r cash. Expires June 3 0 , 2 001. Maintain the Advantage CAMPERS there will be... and you'll benefit, too, from a line-up of incentive prizes that recognizes your outstanding fund-raising effort on behalf of the kids. *o o SERVICE HOURS: M o n ., Tu e s . & T h u r s . 8 a m -5 p rn W e d n e s d a y , 8 a f n -8 p m F rid a y , 8 a m -5 p m S a tu rd a y , 8 a m -4 p m H U JWtoKvme Beaver society KHHSSHS Gateway PenE qutiy _ . Oakville Audi 557 Kerr Street, Oakville (905) 844-3285 M i H IK ER S HAVEN .HOLY COW II PQ [ s M 3 ld YDU END R O G U E I MORE NO CHARGE EQUIPMENT No charge options valued at $2,000 (MRSP): power door locks, power windows & quarter vents, power heated mirrors, sunscreen glass, speed control, tilt steering.1 . 2001 CHRYSLER NEON LE a Spacious design, cab forward architecture, advanced breading system. Power brakes, bucket seats with 2-way adjustable head locking restraints, AM/FM stereo cassette, automatic transmission, air conditioning. Nicely equipped 28C: all new 3.3L V6, engine, 4-spd. auto, trans., dual front air bags, dual sliding doors, A/C, am/fm stereo cass. 7 pass., cargo net, roof rack, child seat anchor, 5 yr./100,000km powertrain warr. w/5yr/100,000km roadside assistance & more! 2001 DODGE CARAVAN 7 ^ 7 5 4 / m t f l (o nwfldis, Lease For L / i $15)7 due $ Lepe$ Plus $4,592 downpayment or equivalent trade. $300 security deposit and $955 248 ft Choose OR 0 %Financing Ask about our Neon power pock and power pock support & ^ family value group! up to 60 months O.A.C Choose OR o% P u r d i a s e up to 60/mths on all Caravan models Plus taxes,license, odmin. fee. O A C