#core four v fab five
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In terms of trying to transplant how Dick’s generation grew up to independent adult heroes onto Tim’s generation, one of the significant issues is that the two groups have very different backstories.
The Fab Five and their generation were largely cared for children with present guardians during their teen years. Their ‘growing up’ rebellion moments were about wanting to establish their own identities separate to their parent/guardian. Then once NTT occurred and new young adult characters were added to it, you had a bunch who were escaping overbearing guardians with expectations the young adult didn’t want to fulfil, and leaving trauma behind.
The Core Four and other 90s heroes, in contrast, were mostly latchkey kids. They had loving but absent parents and parental figures. They were largely expected to grow up and show they were independent in their early teens. The arcs of their stories were not about growing up and finding themselves and ‘be your own person’, but about learning to trust others and interdependency and working together.
Like the shape of a Fab Five story is ‘in my preteens or earlier a Disaster Happened and I was taken in by a hero who cared for me and taught me the business as their sidekick. Then around 18-20 I moved out to live in a sharehouse with my friends as I wanted to find who I was outside of the shadow of being a sidekick’.
While…Tim’s generation largely aren’t sidekicks in the same sense. The shape of THEIR stories are of ‘teenager with largely absent adults is expected to grow up and show emotional maturity too early’. It’s actually notable that Tim, Kon and Bart all have long term story arcs that involve gaining a stable household right near the end.
Kon’s entire solo is the story of how he is neglected and exploited by every adult around him. He doesn’t have parents. He’s Peter Pan, the little boy who cannot grow up, who lives without parental expectation. He’s a celebrity kid exploited by Rex Leech and by CADMUS, who’s expected by those around him to act in an adult manner and held to that standard while simultaneously specifically being underage and not having the right to make his own decisions. His final arc in Superboy is about being so abandoned he doesn’t even have CADMUS to depend on anymore so he has to find an apartment and a job (the building superintendent) and is expected to act and function like an adult in that position. Superboy #59 (FIFTY NINE) is when Kon finally gets his own name. Superboy #100 is ABOUT Kon moving in with Jonathan and Martha Kent and finally having a stable home environment where he can be a child. Heck Kon’s already had a story where he’s ‘married’ and responsible for a kid. He’s had solo space adventures.
Bart’s solo is about Bart and Max learning to be a family together, but also: Bart’s childhood didn’t contain parents. Meloni turns up occasionally through his solo and loves him but also has to disappear away back to the 30th century at the end of each appearance. The final arc of Bart’s solo is about him moving in with Jay and Joan Garrick for more stability, because Max has disappeared (and stays disappeared). And then, post his solo, Bart even already has HAD an arc where he had to grow up and assume the Flash mantle (which went horribly wrong and led to his death).
Tim? Tim’s entire solo is about upheaval and change. The first time he’s expected to behave as an independent hero, not a sidekick, is literally Robin #1 when Azbats kicks him out of the Cave. Jack threatens to send him away to boarding school on multiple occasions and DOES for the Brentwood arc. He loses Jack, he loses Dana, he moves out to be a hero caring for his own city at 16, in Bludhaven post War Games. Bruce’s adoption of Tim was all about giving him back that sense of stability and support so that Tim had people backing him up again in his personal life and not only as a hero. And then he does the ‘leave and get a new identity’ thing during Red Robin.
And Cassie? Cassie starts with a loving mother and her story arc over becoming a hero is about periods of operating on her own. She moves away from her mum to go to Elias School. Due to operating as a hero under her own name she eventually has to come up with the alias of Drusilla Priam to give herself a non-public identity to retreat to (and isn’t living with Helena Sandsmark but renting on her own during this period to protect Helena).
This is a set of characters for whom it makes no narrative sense to tell a story of them growing up by ‘moving out and finding their own identity as separate heroes’ because their entire PAST is about being alone and looking for connections and people to rely upon. They haven’t been looking for their mentors to accept them as independent adults, they’ve been looking to their mentors to be present and work with them.
They have already all BEEN through the steps of moving out (while underage) and learning to look after themselves as nobody else was there to support them. Growing up for them is about learning to trust and be respected for the skills they already have and trusted to know what they’re doing, rather than leaving to show they can operate independently.
And that’s a harder narrative to show, because it’s a less common growth story in our culture. But in the Core Four’s case, I’d argue a lot of the traditional signifiers of adulthood (moving out; moving away for education; taking responsibility for a city on their own; travelling for quests) are things they were already expected to do while still significantly underage, and so sending them through that plot again isn’t showing anything new to allow them growth. What they need is the adults around them to treat them as adults for the things they already can and do do.
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The Fate of Thundersub Two
Title: The Fate of Thundersub Two
Author: Gumnut
5 Jan 2020
Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS
Rating: Teen
Summary: You can push it only so far. Episode tag to 3.19.
Word count: 1920
Spoilers & warnings: Spoilers for 3.19 and future episodes of season 3.
Timeline: Immediately after 3.19
Author’s note: This was quickly written with no brain and reflects the quality of my lack of cerebral functioning at the time. I literally killed off sleep to write this because I’m supposed to be writing my other fic. But we have an episode tag :D And hopefully I can sleep in a little tomorrow since it is nearly 2.30am at the moment. I hope you enjoy this anyway :D
Many thanks to my wonderful supporters, you know who you are. ::extra big hugs::
Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.
-o-o-o-
Hiram Hackerbacker was a patient man. Science requires patience so it was to his advantage to have as much of it as possible.
However, having co-existed with the Tracy family for many years, that patience had often been tested, and today was another one of those days.
He had been in the midst of fuel calculations for the Zero-X. They had hit a snag in the weight and energy expenditure ratio and he was reduced to having to create a lighter, more energy efficient fuel. This required molecular calculation and design, something which involved a great deal of concentration.
To have John interrupt him to say that Virgil had taken Thunderbird Two for a swim yet again was enough to throw all the calculations out of his head. “W-what?!”
“I’m sorry, Brains, but Virgil needs your help. Two is on approach and her systems are experiencing intermittent failures.”
“Th-that’s because she is n-not a submersible.”
John shook his head. “Rescue called for it and you know Virgil. Whatever is necessary.”
Brains sighed. “V-very well.”
John smiled at him before switching the feed to Thunderbird Two.
“V-Virgil?”
“Hi, Brains.” There was considerable guilt in his fellow engineer’s expression. “I have VTOL failure in two out of four engines and I suspect her port rear thruster isn’t going to last much longer. I may need to crash land.”
Brains bit back on a curse. “Have you t-tried the auxiliary p-power relays?”
“Yeah, no go.”
Switching the feed to his phone, Brains strode out of his lab and ignored the door that slammed behind him. “Where are Gordon and Thunderbird Four?”
“FAB2.”
“Why?”
“Didn’t want to risk him. And, well, he had other concerns.”
Brains frowned as he stormed into the comms room. Scott was glaring at him and the duplicate hologram of Virgil hanging in the middle of the room. Brains ignored him and pulled up Thunderbird Two’s status.
He groaned.
“Virgil, you know as m-much as I that you c-can’t land her. Her secondary c-computer core is flooded, her p-primary core is well on the way to joining it. It is a m-miracle you are still air-borne. In fact, you should d-ditch her into the ocean as s-soon as p-possible before the decision is t-taken from you.”
The hologram of the second eldest Tracy sagged. “Where?”
“T-two hundred m-metres from the island m-minimum. We will r-recover her.” Virgil’s expression was tragic. “I promise.”
Beside Brains, Scott straightened. “Virgil, that’s an order. We can’t risk you. I’ll launch Thunderbird One and assist.”
Virgil glanced down before obviously steeling himself. “FAB.”
Scott’s lips tightened and he nodded at his brother before loping up the steps and disappearing into his chute.
Moments later, One erupted out of the pool deck and disappeared to the south in search of her crippled sister.
Brains shivered.
And waited.
-o-o-o-
Virgil Tracy knew how to swear and at this moment he was exercising every piece of profanity he could bring to mind.
Brains was right. Two was going to fall from the sky, it was only a matter of time. His dash was screaming at him, a new red light and alarm added every few minutes. This would make it the third time he would have to fish his ‘bird out of the ocean.
She dropped suddenly as her port thruster sputtered, her flight path skewing as her forward thrust struck out of balance. Shit. Goddamnit.
“C’mon, Two only a hundred or so kilometres and we’re home.”
She sputtered again.
And her port thruster died completely.
“Shit!” His girl swung around in an unbalanced turn, weight and thrust completely out of sync.
It was a terminal spiral dive. There was not a damn thing he could do.
Didn’t stop him from trying.
She ignored him.
The ocean and sky began to spin.
A solid thunk on her hull, a screaming roar, and her spiral slowed, her altitude and direction corrected...and the blue of auto took over her controls. “Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Two, I have your control...what little you have. Compensating for your thruster failure. Virgil, bail out.”
“Scott-“
“Now, Thunderbird Two!” His brother’s voice stood for no argument.
Defeated. “FAB.”
He threw his chair back and yanked out his emergency jet pack from the overhead locker. He secured it to his baldric and harness, and with one last look at his beloved cockpit, stepped onto the platform and sent it up through the overhead hatch.
The roar of One assailed him through his helmet, the wind a buffeting aggravation.
“Virgil, move your ass, she’s about to hit!”
And the ocean was far too close for comfort.
He triggered the jetpack and shot up into the sky.
Just as his ‘bird hit the water.
It was spectacular.
And heart-breaking.
One disengaged before impact, accelerating out of harm’s way. Scott had killed Two’s remaining thruster, but her speed was too fast and as her nose caught the water, the momentum differential between forward and back, flipped her head over tail.
Virgil gasped as her belly was exposed to the sun and she hit the water like a breaching whale.
His heart attempted to beat itself to death against his ribcage.
With little more than a bubbling sigh, his girl began to sink below the waves.
No.
“Deploying inflater bags.” Scott’s voice was protocol. Over comms specifically for Virgil, it was reassurance.
Yellow appeared in the water below and the bags rose, somewhat awkwardly as they were deployed from the now underside of the upside down Thunderbird.
But his girl was floating and not disappearing into the depths.
He let his breath go.
-o-o-o-
“Thunderb-bird T-Two is not a s-submersible!”
Gordon jumped as Brains’ angry voice hit him. He had hurried back the moment John had told him that Virgil had crashed his ‘bird. Of course, the Indian Ocean was a fair way away by sub, so it had taken him quite some time to make it back to the Island without the assistance of his cargo carrying brother.
After docking Four, Gordon had the unpleasant experience of discovering Two in her hanger. The puddle around her and behind her where she had been dragged in by the heavy duty pods punctuated her condition loudly.
Thunderbird Two wasn’t going anywhere for quite some time.
“Lives were at stake.” Virgil’s voice was strained.
“Yes, including yours.” Oh great, Scott was in on this. Though, to be honest, where else would Scott be in this situation? “You could have killed yourself, Virgil. Either in the water with the freighter or when you crashed your own ship.”
“You ordered me to ditch her!”
“She was going down anyway! You would have been killed!”
Great. There it was. Scott had had the shit scared out of him again. How many times had his eldest brother been faced with Virgil crashing his ‘bird?
Too many times.
Gordon sighed and took that last step into the comms room.
Someone had to save his brother from his big brother and the resident genius engineer.
“Hey, guys.” All three turned to stare at him. “Virg, you okay?”
A single nod. Well, as okay as a Tracy brother could be when their ‘bird is in pieces.
Brains’ turned back to Virgil. “R-repairs are going to t-take some time. Time we do not have l-leading up to the Zero-X p-project.”
“I will work on repairs.”
“V-Virgil, you d-do not understand. Th-thunderbird Two’s frame was w-warped in the collision. She is s-tructurally unsound. She n-needs a new hull. The plane in the hangar is only g-good for sp-spare parts.”
Gordon’s heart sank as Virgil stared at Brains.
“I-I’m s-sorry, V-Virgil. Thunderbird T-Two needs to b-be rebuilt entirely.”
Virgil was still staring.
Gordon was doing a little staring of his own. “How can International Rescue operate without Thunderbird Two?”
“I’m a-afraid, it will h-have to m-make do.”
Virgil was still staring at Brains, his expression caught in shock.
Scott looked a little stunned himself, but his eyes kept darting between the two engineers.
Until Virgil sat down hard on the couch behind his heels.
“Virgil?”
But Virgil had buried his face in his hands.
It was a matter of strides before Gordon was sitting beside his brother. “Hey, Virg. We will rebuild her.” His hand landed on a tense shoulder.
Virgil didn’t respond.
-o-o-o-
The next few days were quiet for Brains. Mostly because he was tackling the fuel design problem and not having much luck, so consequently had locked himself in his lab in order to focus on the problem.
It was the fourth day after the demise of their cargo carrier before he saw Virgil again. The pilot had disappeared into the villa and the few times Brains had surfaced for food or been physically dragged out of his lab by Sally Tracy, Virgil hadn’t be anywhere to be seen.
He did know that John arrived down from Five on the second day and late one night as he was stumbling to his rooms, Scott and John could be heard having a very loud ‘discussion’ in the comms room. Brains knew better than to interrupt that. When the Tracy’s argued, there was usually enough passion in the room to set the furniture alight, not to mention random engineers who might accidentally get in the way. So he went to bed and ignored it.
But on the fourth day, Virgil appeared in Brains’ lab, eyes a little bloodshot and demeanour tired. Brains didn’t realise he was there at first. It wasn’t until Virgil reached around him and asked him about the fourth variable in his equation, that he realised he was being watched.
“Oh, V-Virgil. H-how are you?”
“Fine. Just on the hunt for some J-12 threads for Four.” A frown. “What are you doing? Is that praeline oxide? Are you trying to bind it with neutrozine?”
“Yes. W-we need an increase in fuel energy with a r-reduction in mass.”
“Why?”
“The Zero-X fuselage is too large to b-be launched at current r-ratios.” He threw up the design hologram for his fellow engineer.
Those bloodshot eyes frowned. “You’ve based the design on the original Zero-X.”
“M-most certainly. It was the m-most efficient d-design.”
“But it is not working.”
“No. We have d-different mass require-ments to the original d-design and, so far, I have been unable to compensate.”
Virgil spun the hologram around on its axis. A slight frown and he pulled out his phone, stabbing it with his finger.
“Cahelium would lighten the load, perhaps enough to stick with the current fuel.”
“We do not have enough p-processed cahelium in store and n-not enough t-time to refine more.”
Virgil pursed his lips and stabbed his fingers at his phone again.
An undefined expression flickered across his face. Voice quiet. “Yes, you do.” A swallow and he held up his phone. “Cannibalise Two.”
Brains stared at the hurried calculations and his eyes widened. “Yes. That is perfect!” He scribbled down the numbers into his tablet. Within moments he had cross referenced the resources and added up exactly what he needed. Two would tip the scales. He could also possibly use her structure as it was. It would speed up production. Of course, with her damage, he would need to check her integrity thoroughly.
If only he could use Three as well, he could incorporate her strength here. That would require extra thrust there, but then Three had that strength already.
The calculations piled up in his head. By the time he had come up with a feasible design, Virgil was long gone.
-o-o-o-
FIN.
#thunderbirds are go#TAG Spoilers#tagspoilers#thunderbirds#thunderbirds fanfiction#Virgil Tracy#Hiram Hackenbacker#Scott Tracy#Gordon Tracy#episode tag
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The other gym location was ok!
What is lacked in toiletry amenities (no Q tips, worse shampoo) it made up for in other pros (running water and toilets).
…
It was more crowded, but the locker room is bigger so it’s less noticeable.
…
The decor was equally questionable, but think less meth addled disco rave and more sex dungeon?
...
I give it four out of five Fab Five members, mostly just for saving the day.
...
...and speaking of spooky the sauna was spooky ooky, v dark and weird. Too hot it raised my core temp and now I’m sweating at work.
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Scotland v Belgium: Red Devils on a mission for Euro 2020 glory
Belgium ran out 4-0 winners in a friendly match at Hampden last September
Euro 2020 qualifying, Group I: Scotland v Belgium Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow Date: Monday, 9 September Kick-off: 19:45 BST Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Scotland; live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app. Highlights: BBC Scotland 23:00
The Hazard warning lights are switched off, but the Belgian juggernaut still threatens to plough into Scotland’s already-flimsy hopes of automatic qualification for Euro 2020.
Let’s be thankful, though, for small mercies. World football’s top-ranked team are heading for Hampden without the magical Eden Hazard and his brother, Thorgan. Two other regulars, Vincent Kompany and Axel Witsel, are ruled out by injury as well.
So what’s left in the Belgium squad? Well, plenty actually. Even without the above Fab Four, it’s a ridiculously talented group of players with sights set not just on reaching the finals but picking up the prize.
That desire has only deepened on the back of a third-place finish at last summer’s World Cup. The only high-profile retirement post-Russia was Marouane Fellaini. Others, who’d contemplated quitting had they become world champions, opted to stay on and have a crack at landing the European crown instead.
The Belgian golden generation, globally lauded for the quality of its football entertainment in recent years, still lacks a tangible reward.
They’re men on a mission. Just look at their qualification results so far. They’ve beaten all five of their Group I opponents already, scoring 15 goals and conceding only once.
Few outside the Scotland squad will be expecting anything other than another enhancement to those already-impressive statistics.
Steve Clarke’s players were outclassed in Brussels in June and a home defeat at the hands of Russia on Friday night hasn’t exactly lifted spirits ahead of the return fixture against the group leaders.
It’s onwards and upwards for Roberto Martinez, who is interim technical director with the Belgian FA as well as national team manager. With an eye on the future, he’s drafted in the likes of Lyon’s former Celtic defender, Jason Denayer, and 18-year-old Anderlecht midfielder Yari Verschaeren.
But the core of the Belgian squad remains pretty much the same. And, while there may be some notable absentees for this game, they still represent the toughest of challenges for suffering Scotland.
Ones to watch
Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku were both on target when Scotland lost 3-0 to Belgium in June
I had about 15 contenders in this category to start with, but I’ve narrowed it down to three and there’s no doubt about who tops the lot. Kevin De Bruyne is quite simply one of the best players on the planet at the moment. Injured for a big chunk of last season, the Manchester City midfielder clearly wants to make up for lost time. De Bruyne’s deployed in a slightly deeper position for Belgium, but that doesn’t stop him making and taking chances.
Romelu Lukaku isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Manchester United fans weren’t exactly distraught when he left for Inter Milan. But the Scotland defence won’t be taking their eyes off Belgium’s record goalscorer. The last two head-to-heads have gone 7-0 in their favour, with Lukaku scoring three of the goals. Underestimate the powerful striker at your peril.
Even if Scotland get enough of the ball and manage to get the better of the experienced Belgian defence, they still have to find a way past Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaud Courtois. First capped eight years ago at 19, the former Chelsea number one has now reached 75 international appearances. He was voted top goalkeeper at last year’s World Cup and generally takes a whole lot of beating.
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Undercover Boss—A Look Inside Ford’s Prototype V10 Mustang
Walk into a Dodge, Chevrolet or Ford dealership, plunk down the cash, and you can drive away with 500, 600, 700, or even 800 horsepower. Whether you fancy corner carving or straight-line acceleration, today’s hot rods give you amazing performance, and they do so without sacrificing drivability. In most cases, you get reasonable economy and can check the option box for every creature feature imaginable- right down to heated and air conditioned seats.
But long before any new performance model makes it to the showroom, engineers develop an idea, build prototypes, test theories, and sometimes even hit the track to see if the bird will fly. Even when the engineering proves to be sound, however, no project is ever guaranteed a green light.
One such project that’s worth mentioning was the insane V10 Mustang created by Ford in 2004. This was not a big-budget deal either, but a skunk works project built mostly after hours by passionate engineers.
At first glance, this silver ‘Stang appears to be nothing special—until you raise the Cobra R hood and lay your eyes on the fantastic 351-cube V10 power plant. Okay, you say, what’s the big deal? Ford stuffed a 6.8L V10 truck engine in a Mustang. Well, this is no basic truck engine, not by a long shot.
Motivating this Mustang is an all-aluminum, short-stroke, high-winding, quad-cam modular V10 engine created by engineers with the desire to build something really special. The project started as a “what if” idea in the early 2000’s by Ford’s Powertrain Research and Advanced Engine Development group, headed by Kevin Byrd, who you may recognize as part of the dynamic duo on the TV show Two Guys Garage.
“We did the V10 to inspire the company to get into the supercar segment, to compete with the Viper and Corvette,” said Byrd, Research and Advanced Engines, Technical expert for engine architecture and design concepts and Supervisor for CAD and CAE. “Another part of the company was doing the Ford GT, but it was not publicized, even within the company at the time. We hoped the two [V10 and Ford GT] could merge. So as it turns out, we built that Mustang not to really push doing a V10 Mustang, but more to inspire something more powerful,” Byrd added. “We really didn’t have budget to do a project like this,” he added. “It was a grass-roots deal, and it came from the bottom up, not the top down.” If you recall, Ford didn’t have a supercar like the Dodge Viper, and in order to build one, Byrd and the team recognized that Ford would first need a supercar engine, so they set out to create something one.
Before a single part could be built, they had to figure out how to make things happen without having a ton of resources. “The budget didn’t exist to do Ford’s normal and official development or manufacturing,” Byrd told us. “And Ford’s performance arm at the time, Ford Racing and the engineering group at SVT/SVE, had nothing to do with the project. Ultimately, it came down to following a series of steps by creative and passionate engineers.”
Byrd tapped key players to help him develop the foundation, including the block, heads and crankshaft. The decided on a 5.8L (351-cube), V10 using an all-aluminum block with a 3.55-inch x 3.54-inch bore and stroke, which is essentially a 4.6L with two cylinders added. But Ford already had a V10, so why not use that engine? As Byrd described, the truck V10 was a tall-deck truck engine with a split-pin crank, like you’d find in a 60-degree V-6. It also shared the 5.4L deck height, so it would be very difficult to fit in a Mustang or a supercar.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Despite the odds being stacked against them, the team forged ahead and began to create a block. They essentially sawed off the front of a 4.6L block and mated it to another 4.6L with the front two cylinders remaining. This gave them the necessary short deck height, along with the front timing cover with bosses and bolt holes for a 4.6L modular engine.
Using the same cut-and-paste theory, they cast heads using cores from the DOHC Cobra R, which were the best Ford had to offer at the time. The heads were fitted with cams featuring the same specs as the 2000 Cobra R, which produced more than 400 horsepower in V8 form.
Another unique piece in the V10 puzzle was the crankshaft. Rather than use a split-pin design, the team chose an odd-fire crankshaft with a common-pin design. Byrd explained, “because the crank has a 72-degree pin offset, when you put that in a 90-degree block, it doesn’t line up to a 72-degree firing position. It ends up being 90/54, so you get that odd-fire sound,” he added. The crank is forged from 4130 billet steel, so it’s plenty strong and it swings Manley H-beam rods and 10:1 compression pistons from the SVT Cobra R.
Still, there were necessary parts that couldn’t be pulled from a bin. They fabbed up an oil pan and got to work designing a suitable intake manifold. Feeding the 10-cylinder is a one-off intake pieced together from a sliced and diced 2000 Cobra R manifold. It utilizes a cross-ram design with straight runners and a small crossover between the plenums. Each plenum is fed by a pair of 70mm throttle bodies that are opened by a unique pulley and cable system. “Greg Coleman helped with the progression. We worked on the engine after normal work hours,” said Byrd.
Another problem was the lack of a suitable engine controller. Nothing in the Ford bin was capable of running the odd-fire V10. So, they couldn’t just wire it all up to a single EEC-V computer from the 6.8 V10 (an engine that uses a split-pin, even-fire crank with balance shaft). But, the EEC-V was capable of running an inline five-cylinder engine, so they decided to use two EEC-V processors, one for each side of the engine.
“The fact that we have two processors is why there’s twin throttle bodies and a pair of 80mm mass air meters,” said Byrd. “Ken Jahr did the engine calibration, and he got it running really well. The current V10 controller could do a I-5, or a split-10, even-fire V10, but since we did a common 10, 58/72 degree firing order, uneven-fire, the current controller couldn’t do it, so we ran two and set them up as I-5 and doubled up on the mass air, crank, cam, throttle position and water temp sensors.” If you look at the interior photo, you’ll see two computers strapped together in the passenger-side foot well.
After a few months of work, they had a complete ready-to-run prototype. Amazingly, the engine came in 60 pounds lighter than the iron-block 5.4L Cobra R engine, and it even measured 351 cubic inches. But the coolest engine in the world would be useless if no one saw it run.
With the help of Jim O’Neil’s group, they were able to pull a car together. “We had a silver 1999 Mustang out back. It was the mule for the 2000 Cobra R engine, and it still 5.4 Four-Valve in there. We dusted it off, pulled out the V8 and dropped in our V10. O’Neil and Richard “Tiny” Mitchell helped get the engine fitted properly. The Mustang already had a six-speed and Ford 9-inch rear. Engine-to-firewall spacing remains is identical the 4.6, and the V10 only adds 4 inches of length to the front, so even the front dress fits without too much trouble.”
The Drive, Then and Now
The first time I laid eyes on the V10 was 15 years ago in fall of 2003, when I worked for HOT ROD sister magazine, Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords. I met with Byrd, Ford’s Nick Twork, and a few other Ford guys at Milan Dragway outside of Detroit. To be honest, I had no idea what I would be testing, but my boss, editor extraordinaire, Jim Campisano, set me on the mission to “go drag test a Mustang.”
I arrived, helmet in hand, and was shocked to see a V10 resting under the Cobra R hood. Byrd was excited to have a journalist drive the team’s creation and I immediately understood how important it was to produce good numbers, as it could make or break the project.
The car was clearly a mule. It was loaded with data-gathering equipment, and a pair of air/fuel readouts that were mounted to the passenger side of the dash. Byrd told me to climb in and get comfortable. So I adjusted the seat to get a good reach on the clutch and I rowed the shifter through the gates to get a feel for the gears.
With all the confidence in the world, he told me to get out there and hammer it, so I did. Running on BFG street tires, I did a mild burnout, staged shallow and launched at 2,500 rpm. I had decent grip off the line, but none when I shifted Second. The first run ended in 13.06 seconds at 116 mph. After a few passes, I chopped the elapsed time to 12.83 at 116.25 mph, but there was much more left in the Stang. With a little feel for the V10, we bolted on a set of Mickey Thompson ET Street tires and went back to the line.
My first good pass with the sticky rubber came with a 5,500 rpm launch, 6,900 rpm shifts and the result was 11.76 at 117.81 mph. Next, I turned the launch up to 6,000 and the Mustang responded, clicking off a 11.56 at 116.84 mph. It was clear the V10 loved rpm. Everyone was thrilled with the 11.56, but I knew there was more. We let the engine and clutch cool for 30 minutes, then I rolled to the line, did a Second-gear burnout and staged as shallow as I could. I put the V10 on the limiter at 7,000 rpm and dumped the clutch when the tree flashed. The ‘Stang ripped from the line ,and I grabbed gears at redline without lifting off the gas. Fourth gear came in a hurry and I crossed the stripe in 11.51 seconds with a speed of 118.18 mph.
The team was thrilled. The V10 put on a show and produced times much quicker than anything on the market at the time. In fact, we ran a supercharged 2003 Cobra the same day with a best of 12.83 at 110 mph. A typical 2004 Mustang GT could run 13.70s. Just for fun, and with the track in better shape, we went back to the BFG street rubber, and knocked off a 12.44 and a 12.28 at 117 mph. What a monster! (Note: the story ran in the February 2004 issue of Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords magazine.)
Ford brass was so impressed that the team was asked to produce a 7.0L (427-cube) version of the V10 for a few special projects. “We did a version at 427 cubic inches and really stretched the limits of bore and stroke,” said Byrd. “This would have been more of a race engine, not really for production purposes. Chris Theodore, who was the VP of Advanced Product Creation, loved the engine and he wanted us to build something really cool. He wanted to capture the enthusiasm and hope. When we did the Carroll Shelby Cobra concept, it was more real. All the engineering and momentum was real. Even in 6.4L form, it was a fully doable, production-intent engine. Bore, stroke- it was legit,” he said. “Ford’s published HP numbers were 605, which was amazing for the mid 2000s. Unfortunately, the economic downturn of the time caused the plug to be pulled on this project. Other prototypes that used the short-deck V10 were the GR-1 concept and the Ford 427 concept.
“But everything was there to do it, including the low-volume line at Wixom [Michigan]. The transaxle, engineering, development- it was all there. It was a great vision, and we could have done two or three supercars off the same engineering. It had a lot of manufacturing sense. We also could have done an iron block version with off-the-shelf parts. There could have been a 2- and 3- valve variants. Imagine what cool things could have happened?” Byrd added.
Fast-forward to 2018, and I got a call from a friend at Ford who told me the V10 Mustang was still alive. A small group of employees saved it from going to the crusher and had brought it back to its former glory. Fortunately for me, I was scheduled to be in Detroit so I asked if I could take it for a drive. I was handed the keys and the fun began. I didn’t have time to schedule a drag test, but I did get to hit the streets and rip a few gears.
The V10 was as strong as I remember. It has a sound all its own and pulls from the crack of the throttle to 7,000 like a scalded cat. The six-speed powershifts like a dream and catching gears sends the tires into a frenzy. What’s more fun than that? Sadly, my wheel time was limited, but it was enough to put a smile on my face. Now, some 15 years old, the GT feels antiquated, but the engine, oh that engine! It’s a work of art that makes you appreciate those who dreamed and executed. Even though Ford never green-lighted the mill for production, we’re glad it was created and that it still exists today
The post Undercover Boss—A Look Inside Ford’s Prototype V10 Mustang appeared first on Hot Rod Network.
from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/prototype-v10-ford-mustang/
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New Post has been published on Healthy Food and Remedies
New Post has been published on http://healthyfoodandremedies.com/2017/03/10/70-yoga-poses-tone-strengthen-detox-body/
70 Yoga Poses to Tone, Strengthen and Detox Your Body
Performing yoga not only helps tighten your muscles, but it also increases your energy levels, strengthens your body, increases your flexibility and helps get rid of all the extra jiggle. Luckily, our friends at Popsugar Fitness have a collection of different yoga positions and poses that can help you tighten your tummy, tone your thighs, sculpt your arms and legs and detox your body. Trust us, you’ll be feeling the burn while finding a fun new way to tone and tighten. Grab your mat, turn on this fab zen and flow playlist and get to work!
Yoga Sequence For Stronger Legs:
Whether sporting leggings with sneaks or skinny jeans with pumps, here’s a 14-pose yoga sequence to make your tight pants proud. This workout is all about the thighs, hips and booty. Hop on your mat and work through this sequence on the right side, and then repeat on the left.
1. Wide Squat: (1) Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips. (2) Bend your knees and lower your hips toward the ground. (3) Bring your palms together at your heart center, and firmly press your elbows against the inside of your knees, helping to open the hips even further. (4) Shift weight into the heels, lengthening the crown of the head up toward the ceiling, holding for five deep breaths.
(Photo: FitSugar)
2. Extended Wide Squat: (1) Release your hands to the floor, walking them away from you as you press your belly toward the floor. (2) Relax your head, staying here for five breaths.
(Photo: FitSugar)
To see the original article, click here.
Poses That Strengthen Your Abs and Core:
Bikini season is right around the corner, so let’s get to strengthening our abs and overall core. This will prevent back pain, improve your balance and posture, and make running and other sports feel easier. Plus, you’ll feel confident in and out of your clothes. Keep reading to learn these eight poses that target your core.
3. Warrior 3: Balancing on one leg really challenges your core! If you’re not using your abs to stabilize in this pose, you’ll likely tip over. Here’s how to find your inner warrior. (1) Stand with your feet together. (2) Inhale as you extend your arms out wide in T position or straight overhead for a more advanced variation. (3) Exhale as you bend forward at your hips, lifting your right leg straight behind you coming into Warrior 3. (4) Draw your navel toward your spine, and hold for five breaths. (5) Then come to stand, lower your right leg, and repeat with the left leg lifted for another five.
(Photo: FitSugar)
4. Camel: (1) A classic backbend that increases spinal flexibility, Camel also works your core muscles and opens tight shoulders. (2) Stand on the shins with the knees hips-width distance apart. (3) Lean back, and place your hands on your heels, arching back, and allowing the head to fall between the shoulder blades. (4) Continue to press the hips forward to engage the abs, thighs, and tush, enjoying this pose for five breaths.
(Photo: FitSugar)
To view the original article, click here.
Yoga Sequence to Tone Thighs and Inner Thighs
Are you ready to tone your thighs and say goodbye to your inner-thigh fluff? Now you can work these muscles without even stepping foot in a gym! Try these 15 poses on the right side, and then repeat on the left side. You’ll feel your thighs getting slimmer with each move!
5. Side Fierce: (1) Stand at the front of your mat with both feet together. (2) Bend the knees to squat down into Fierce pose. (3) Rotate your torso, and cross your right elbow over the outside of your right thigh. (4) Actively press into your outer right arm to lift the torso. (5) Pull the right hip back to keep both knees in line and keep weight back into the heels. (6) Hold here for five deep breaths, gazing over the left shoulder.
(Photo: FitSugar)
6. 90Arching Three-Legged Dog: (1) From Side Fierce, rise back up into Fierce Pose. (2) Fold forward, and take a vinyasa back to Downward Facing Dog. (3) Step both feet together so your big toes are touching. (4) Keeping the left heel on the mat, raise your right leg in the air coming into Three-Legged Dog, and then bend the knee. (5) Actively squeeze your right heel in toward your hip, lifting the knee high. (6) Lift your head up, and turn to look over your left shoulder, arching the spine. (7) Hold here for five breaths, keeping the belly still and breathing into the chest.
(Photo: FitSugar)
To view the original articles, click here and here.
Yoga Sequence For a Tighter Backside:
Are you looking for a way to get a swoon-worthy behind? This sequence of moves is guaranteed to tone and give you a fuller backside! You’ll want to strut down the street and show off your new goods right away!
7. Downward Dog: (1) Begin on your hands and knees. (2) Your wrists should be underneath your shoulders, and your knees should be underneath your hips. (3) Inhale as you tuck your toes under your heels. (4) Then exhale to lift your hips, coming into an upside-down “V” shape called Downward Facing Dog. (5) Spread your fingers wide, and create a straight line between your middle fingers and elbows. (6) Work on straightening your legs and lowering your heels toward the ground. (7) Relax your head between your arms, and direct your gaze through your legs or up toward your belly button. (8) Hold for five breaths. Traditionally, this pose is done during Sun Salutation A, so you can also come into it from Upward Facing Dog.
(Photo: FitSugar)
8. Three-Legged Downward Dog: (1) From Downward Facing Dog, step both feet together so your big toes are touching. (2) Shift your weight onto your hands and your left foot equally, and raise your right leg into the air. (3) Try to keep your shoulders parallel with the ground, and gaze at your left thigh or up toward your belly to help you stay balanced. (4) Stay here for five breaths, then lower your right leg down. (5) Perform Three-Legged Downward Dog on the other side.
(Photo: FitSugar)
To view the original article, click here.
Poses to Tone Arms and Upper Back:
You wave goodbye to your friend and it feels like your arm is jiggling even after you’ve stopped waving. Don’t fret. It’s easy to tighten and tone up your arms — just hop on your yoga mat and do these eight poses that will strengthen and sculpt your arms in no time. Move through this sequence on one side and then repeat again on the other.
9. Arching Three-Legged Dog: (1) This arm-strengthening variation of Three-Legged Dog involves bending the knee of your top leg, increasing the flexibility in your hip flexors, spine, and hamstrings. (2) Begin in Downward Dog. Step both feet together so your big toes are touching. (3) Keeping the left heel on the mat, raise your right leg in the air coming into Three-Legged Dog, and then bend the knee. (4) Actively squeeze your right heel in toward your hip, lifting the knee high. Lift your head up, and turn to look over your left shoulder, arching the spine. (5) Think about drawing your head and foot toward each other (if your spine is extremely flexible, your foot and head will touch). (6) Hold here for five breaths, keeping the belly still and breathing into the chest.
(Photo: FitSugar)
10. Extended Tabletop: (1) Strong and poised like a ballerina, Extended Tabletop will open the front of your body, increase flexibility and strength in your shoulders, and tone your tush. (2) From Arching Three-Legged Dog, slowly lower your right foot to the floor behind you as you simultaneously raise your right arm in the air. (3) You’re essentially rotating your body 180 degrees so your belly is pointing up toward the ceiling. (4) Readjust your feet if you need to so they are parallel and slightly wider than hip-width apart. (5) Press firmly into your feet to lift your hips high, engaging your glutes and hamstrings, and extend your right arm over your face. (6) Hold here for five complete breaths, gazing at your extended hand or up toward the ceiling.
(Photo: FitSugar)
To view the original article, click here.
Detox With These Yoga Poses:
Been overdoing it a little this time of year? If your body could use some fine-tuning, you can do more than sip on detoxing green juice. Hop on your yoga mat, and do these eight poses designed to detox the body. You have your circulatory, digestive, and lymphatic systems to thank for getting rid of toxins and waste, and these poses stimulate those systems. Pick out the poses your body needs or practice them all, and you’re on your way to feeling like a new you.
11. Wide-Legged Forward Bend: Not only a great pose for opening tight hamstrings, allowing your head to fall below your heart in Wide-Legged Forward Bend also reverses the pull of gravity, encouraging circulation of blood throughout the body as well as fluid to your filtering lymph nodes. The folding motion also squeezes the belly, which moves things along for digestion. (1) Stand with your feet four or so feet apart, heels turned out slightly wider than the toes. (2) Standing tall, interlace your hands behind you, pressing the heels of your palms together in a double fist. (3) Take a deep breath in, and slowly fold forward at the waist, lowering your hands as far as you can. (4) Keep the spine long and straight as you breathe for five deep breaths. (5) Engage your legs, and slowly rise up to stand.
(Photo: FitSugar)
12. Open Side Fierce: If you want to strengthen your lower legs, Open Side Fierce will have your quads and glutes burning. This deep twist also aids in digestion. You’ll feel the gentle pressure on your kidneys, liver, and spleen, which stimulates the removal of waste. (1) Stand with both feet together, bend your knees, and squat down, coming into Fierce Pose. (2) Cross your right elbow over your left thigh, planting your right palm on the floor beside your left foot. (3) If you can’t reach all the way, just allow your fingers to hover in the air, as close to the floor as possible. (4) Extend your left arm straight up toward the ceiling, stacking your shoulders, and gaze at your lifted palm. (5) Make sure both knees are parallel. Hold for five deep breaths. (6) Press into your feet, inhale to rise back up to Fierce, and exhale to repeat this pose on the right side, holding for another five breaths. (7) Then rise back up to Fierce Pose, and straighten the legs.
(Photo: FitSugar)
To get the original article, click here.
Poses to Get Rid of Back Fat:
While there’s no miracle move to diminish back bulge, it’s still important to strengthen and tone the muscles in that area of the body. As you begin to lose weight from all the cardio you’re doing, you’ll reveal slim, chiseled muscles waiting underneath. Here are nine yoga poses that will target all the areas of your back.
13. Warrior 3: What it works: Back and shoulders. Stand at the front of your mat with both feet together. (1) Shift weight into your left leg and kick your right leg behind you, balancing with your torso parallel to the floor. (2) Extend your arms straight in front of you. (3) Draw your navel toward your spine and hold Warrior 3 for five breaths.
(Photo: FitSugar)
14. Half Moon: What it works: Back and sides of the torso. (1) Begin in Downward Facing Dog. (2) Step your right foot forward between your hands, and rise up into Warrior 1. (3) Then open your hips, arms, and chest into Warrior 2 Pose. (4) Place your left hand on your left hip and stretch your right arm straight out, creating length through the right side of your body. (5) Shift weight into your right foot, and lift your left foot up. (6) Plant your right palm flat on the ground under your shoulder. (7) Bend your right knee or use a block if your hamstring is tight. (8) Try to distribute your weight evenly between your right hand and foot. (9) Look down at the ground and bring your left arm straight up. (10) When you’re ready, look up toward your left hand. Hold for five breaths, then try Half Moon on the left side.
(Photo: FitSugar)
Grab your yoga mat and your favorite exercise leggings and get to work toning, tightening and detoxing. You’ve got plenty of moves to chose from!
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V. T. Green (Part 5)
Title: V. T. Green
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five
Author: Gumnut
21 - 22 Sep 2019
Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS
Rating: Teen
Summary: “Did you discover this, Brains?” He frowned. There was something familiar about this. Maybe they had discussed it recently.
“Oh, no, this is V. T. Green. The man is brilliant.”
Word count: 3282
Spoilers & warnings: None.
Timeline: Standalone
Author’s note: Ooh, two parts in two days. I’m on a roll :D I hope you enjoy it :D
This is one that I have been meaning to write for some time. I hope you enjoy it :D Many thanks to @scribbles97, @vegetacide and @thunderstorm-bay for all their wonderful help with this.
Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.
-o-o-o-
Scott was staring at him as if lost for words. The medbay suddenly felt very small.
John’s voice interrupted. “Virgil?”
Virgil cleared his throat and shifted where he sat. “Yes, John.” His arm twinged and he grit his teeth. Damn it.
“I have something you will be interested in.”
“Tell me you’ve found who did it.”
“I think you know who did it.”
What?
“Well, I don’t know. Tell me.” Virgil’s revelation had obviously sunk into his brother. His eyes were glittering with anger.
“About a month after we saved the dam, Windemere ordered a check on the nanocrete. A crew was sent out, but the results were inconclusive. Records show that there was no concern regarding integrity, but a sample of the nanocrete was taken.”
“They messed with our stuff?” Scott was building up a fine head of steam.
“Hardly our stuff, Scott. Besides, Brains has molecularly masked the nanocrete anyway. They had no way to reverse engineer the formula.”
“So why take a sample? It would have been a bitch to hack off.”
“Diamond cutter coupled with a microlaser.”
“Microlaser.” Virgil jumped on the word like a life buoy in the middle of the ocean. “Windemere did this?”
“According to the dam records.”
“Did they go out again?”
“Yes, a month later. Reason was recorded as another integrity check.”
“That’s when they did it.” Virgil bit his lip.
“I concur.” There was something in John’s voice. “I have several images from Global Two on that day.” Images were shunted down to the medbay’s holoprojector.
There were only four and the camera had been focussed on the town, not the dam, but when John looped them into sequence, the crew, dark against the stark white concrete wall moved in a familiar pattern, touching first the central position of the nanocrete followed by the weak points Alan and Gordon had shored up earlier in the day.
“Windemere.”
“Yes.”
“But why?”
“An opportunity, perhaps?”
“By sacrificing his own dam? His own career?”
“A gamble that is still to pay off?” John’s voice wasn’t quite as calm as usual.
Virgil straightened where he sat. “It is not going to pay off.” He threw himself to his feet. “We need Aunt Val and I need to see Windemere.”
He turned to leave and ran slap bang into his brother. The shock shook his frame and his arm.
“What the hell, Scott?”
“Where do you think you are going? I told you to get some rest.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not even supposed to be here. You’re supposed to be home in bed.”
“I’m fine! This needs to be done and it needs to be done now.” He glared up at his brother. Of all the frustrating...
“Goddamnit, Virgil, you have to push it, don’t you.” Scott’s voice had dropped rather than risen which meant he was beyond pissed and well into apoplectic. “I will speak to this guy. You sit your ass down now.”
“Scott-“
“No! And don’t you think I’m ever taking you out on a rescue injured ever again.”
Virgil straightened, his glare a physical heat between them. “Do you think I enjoy doing this? Do you think I am into self-flagellation? I do this because it has to be done. I do this because I am the only one who can do it.”
“Bullshit, Virg! I can fly Brains out here in no time.”
And there it was, the core of the matter. “Brains is a mechanical engineer, Scott. He’s a goddamned genius, but when in the hell is this family going to realise I have my own specialities. I may not have a pile of blasted paper to prove it, but you’ve always trusted me. Always. Why not now?!”
It took Scott down a peg, his shoulders shifting as he let out a frustrated sigh. “You’re injured.”
“I have a weakened arm. There is nothing wrong with my brain, Scott, and that is what is needed here. No heavy lifting, no mechanical aid, no Thunderbird Two, just me and what is between my ears. For god’s sake, trust me.”
“I do.”
“Then let me do this.”
“Virgil...”
“Oh, for the love of... no wonder most of you haven’t worked it out.” Frustrated, Virgil used his left shoulder to push past his brother. “Thunderbird Five, could you please put me through to Aunt Val?”
“FAB.” Whether John had overheard their discussion or not - he probably had - he did not react to it at all.
Virgil strode out the medbay, heading for the hatch so his girl could let him down onto the worn asphalt his ‘bird was parked on. Scott followed without a word. Whether or not what had been said made a difference, Virgil did not know. Chances are Scott would pick up the conversation later and rip strips off him, but too bad. This had to be done now.
-o-o-o-
Scott was furious.
He followed his brother out of his ‘bird and into the evening light. Far down below the dam, water gushed into the stream, desperate to empty the reservoir.
Whatever John said to their Aunt, it had her appearing in a GDF flyer almost immediately, the vehicle hovering to allow both brothers to board.
“Scott, I have to say I am happy to have you boys here on this one. Thank you so much for all your assistance with the evacuation and shoring up the town.”
Keeping a polite face, Scott buried his anger at his brother to maintain civility. He would save it for later. “It is what we do, Colonel.”
“Well, I am very happy that you do it. Now, John said your request was urgent.” The flyer lifted slowly.
Scott looked at his brother. Okay, Virgil, this is your play.
A flash of brown in his direction. “Colonel, we need to speak to Windemere. I have some suspicions I need confirmed.”
“Windemere is in the brig. He did nothing but hamper attempts to prevent this disaster. I have questions of my own.”
Virgil straightened his shoulders. “I need to see him. It is important.”
Casey flicked a glance at Scott, who tilted his head just a little. Virgil’s shoulders tensed beside him.
Okay, maybe Virgil had a point.
“Virgil needs to speak to the dam supervisor. He has some technical questions.”
Casey lowered her eyes to the younger brother, her lips pursed just a little. “Very well.”
-o-o-o-
There was an empty cabin and a couple of chairs. To be honest, Virgil was quite happy to sit down. Scott was right. He shouldn’t be here, but it was no good wishing for what he couldn’t have. Work with what you’ve got. It was a Jeff Tracy motto, one Virgil Tracy kept close to his heart.
Of course, the pissed off mother hen beside him, didn’t fail to notice his sag into the chair. Even Aunt Val was eyeing him with concern.
Fine! He had a bent wing, but for god’s sake, he was okay.
Scott furrowed his brow.
Virgil turned away and ignored him.
Windemere was led into the room. Both the GDF and Thunderbird Five were recording this interview. Virgil desperately needed an independent eye that wasn’t IR to see what this man had done.
“Mr Windemere, these two agents of International Rescue have requested to speak to you. Please answer their questions fully and to the best of your knowledge.”
The man snorted. “I know my rights. I don’t have to say anything.”
“That is your choice, but you will find that the charges being laid against you will go kindlier if you help.”
“Is that a threat?”
Casey straightened, an eyebrow arching. “No, Mr Windemere, a simple fact.” The Colonel turned and took another seat towards the back of the room witnessing the interview as Virgil had requested.
Windemere turned to Virgil. “So, have you finished destroying my dam.”
“As I have repeatedly said, Mr Windemere, the dam’s disintegration was not caused by our repairs.”
“Prove it.” It was almost a snarl.
Virgil arched an eyebrow. “We have. It must have taken you some time to laser bore all those holes into the dam wall.”
“What holes?”
Virgil poked at his holoprojector and his scan results appeared for all to see.
He didn’t miss the quietly indrawn breath of his Aunt behind him.
Windemere was suddenly very still. His expression wasn’t perfect, the man was too stupid for that.
But not stupid enough.
“And I suppose you put that together with your little proprietary gadget that no one else knows anything about?”
“These scan results were achieved using a standard IR structural scanner, a device we use to locate structural defects, load points and hidden support mechanisms. I used the same scanner last week to calculate the weakest point in a brick wall in order to save a toddler from a fire. Yes, they are proprietary and no, you can’t see their schematics. The scan, however, is correct and true to fact.”
The snarl returned. “Why should I believe you.”
“Why shouldn’t you?”
“Because you destroyed my dam.”
“We did not destroy your dam.”
“Prove it.”
“I just did.”
“Well, isn’t that just perfect for you. All that data that no one else can prove right or wrong, we just have to believe you are not lying.” His lip actually curled like a dog’s. “But you are.”
Virgil let it wash over him. Beside him, Scott was stiff as a board.
“What possible reason would International Rescue have to want to destroy the Grand Sequoia Dam?”
“To hide your own screw up.”
“What screw up?”
“The damage that your fancy concrete did to the dam.”
“There was no damage.”
“Prove it.”
Scott’s knuckles creaked as his fist tightened.
Virgil didn’t dare look in his direction.
“Mr Windemere, what are your qualifications?”
The man blinked, the question coming out of left field, but he straightened somewhat, obviously proud of his own achievements. “I am a graduate of the highest ranked engineering college in the world, Denver, of course.”
Virgil knew this; John had briefed them both on Windemere’s background prior to this little interview, but the engineer was still caught between laughing and cursing the fact this idiot was a product of the same educational institution he was.
Goes to show that education is certainly not everything.
“Were you there when Abby Applegate blew up the Chem Lab building?”
The man actually snorted. “I dated Abby Applegate.”
Well, that explained a lot. Abby Applegate was legendary at Denver. She was a genius, but not too bright on so many other fronts. Her theories were breakthrough, her execution catastrophic. The woman had been at Denver forever and yet she still hadn’t graduated. Virgil suspected the College kept her on campus as a public service while farming her for her brilliance.
Windemere frowned. “You went to Denver?!” His eyes widened. “You’re Virgil Tracy!”
“Yes.” The man was an idiot. Their attendance only overlapped by one year, but then Windemere had been there long before Virgil ever set foot on campus.
“Son of Jeff Tracy.” And there was the inevitable.
“Yes.”
“You work for International Rescue?”
Virgil’s arm was aching and his patience growing short. “Abby Applegate is brilliant. She was a core contributor to today’s hover technology. Did you know that?”
Windemere stared at him. “Sure. What has that got to do with anything?”
“Do you remember the Pacific seaquakes several years ago? The Tsunami Disaster? Abby Applegate was responsible for designing the technology that enabled the Hood to create those seaquakes. She didn’t know, or, I suspect, care, who got their hands on the technology. She released the designs as a theoretical. The Hood got his hands on them and the world suffered for it.” He pinned the man with his eyes. “This is why International Rescue technology is proprietary. This is why we don’t release our designs or formulas. Everything we do is for the good of everyone. But not everyone cares like we do.”
“Have you finished preaching?”
It was Virgil’s turn to tighten a fist under the table. “What did he offer you?”
“Who?”
“The Hood.”
The sudden silence was telling, but far from proof.
“He wanted the formula for the nanocrete, didn’t he? Offered you money in exchange for your career and integrity?”
Windemere’s lips thinned. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
God, the man was a pathetic liar. Beside him, Scott shifted in his seat. Virgil reached out and placed his hand on his brother’s knee. Blue flickered in his direction.
“Mr Windemere, we have molecular proof of artificially instigated concrete cancer, we have the delivery method, we have your service records, we know you did this. You do not have the technology the Hood requested and we are not going to give it to you. Your better option is to own up to your crimes and hope the courts are kinder to you for it.”
To Virgil’s surprise, the man smiled. “But to prove it, you will have to reveal your technology to those courts.”
Virgil eyed the man. What was his motivation? He stood to lose everything in this scheme. What could possibly be driving him to career suicide?
The man’s smile widened.
Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. It couldn’t be as simple as that, could it? Really?
“You know, Scott, I don’t think he knows anything. I don’t think he is bright enough to pull this off.” He flicked a glance in his brother’s direction, hoping he’d pick up on his train of thought.
As always, his big brother read his mind, eyes drilling into his for just that split second. “I told you that. He has to be a puppet of a smarter mind. We are wasting our time.” Scott stood up.
“I am no puppet!”
Wow, that was quick.
Acidic blue cut the man down. “There is no way you are smart enough to pull this off, Windemere.”
Virgil stood up. “He dated Abby Applegate. Perhaps she inadvertently released another of her ‘ideas’. Colonel Casey, the GDF will have to do something about her.”
Aunt Val rose, eyes darting between Virgil and his brother.
“It wasn’t Abby!” Windemere threw himself to his feet.
Virgil ignored him, taking a step towards the door. “Did I tell you about the time Abby set fire to her dorm by exploding a donut?”
Scott followed his lead. “A donut?”
“Pumped it full of homemade C-4 equivalent. Blew out sixteen windows and burned down half the building.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No, it was spectacular.”
“It wasn’t Abby!”
“No one was hurt, fortunately. Though she did revolutionise the explosives market. Come to think of it, I used a derivative just last week during that mine collapse. It is an excellent product to work with.” He latched onto his brother’s eyes. “This corrosion would be right up her alley. I don’t know why I didn’t think of her earlier. It’s not like she hasn’t supplied the Hood before. He does only work with the best, I’ll give him that much.” A dismissive hand thrown in Windemere’s direction. “There is no way Windemere would make the grade.”
“Hey!”
Virgil hit his comms, knowing John was already listening in. “Thunderbird Five, could you give me a current location on Abby Applegate. She should be still housed at Denver College grounds.”
“FAB, Thunderbird Two.”
“Abby didn’t do it! I did!”
The room fell silent except for the harsh breathing of the man at its centre. His face was red, skin gleaming in the overhead light. “I’m just as smart as Abby, Just as smart. Smart. I’m smart.” And something in the man’s angry mind clicked and he realised exactly what he had done. He went still as stone for a moment, staring wide-eyed at Virgil.
An inarticulate scream and he threw himself across the table, hands clawing.
One hooked Virgil’s sling before he could react and, for a split second, all he saw was Windemere’s wild face and a flash of pain striking across his vision in all its colour variegated glory.
A blur of blue IR uniform and Virgil found himself falling back into his seat with a jarring thud as Scott intervened between him and the raging engineer. GDF guards piled in, and the man was dragged off the IR operatives, still screaming incoherently.
“Lock him up.” Aunt Val’s voice could not have been more disgusted. Windemere was bundled out of the room. His screams echoed down the hall.
“Virg, you okay?”
Virgil blinked and found Scott crouching down at his side, worry in his eyes. “Uh, yeah. Sorry about that. Didn’t expect him to completely explode.” He straightened up and winced. “Should have reacted quicker.”
His brother looked up at their Aunt. “Do we have enough?”
A sharp nod. “We have enough. Thank you, Scott. Thank you, Virgil.” She frowned down at him. “I think it is time you went home, young man.”
Virgil resisted the urge to roll his eyes as Scott immediately straightened up. “I agree.” He held out his hand. “C’mon, Virgil, Grandma is waiting.”
This time he did roll his eyes. “I’m fine.” But as he took Scott’s hand and his brother helped him to his feet, he realised that, yes, he was beyond tired, he was sick of being in pain, and yes, all he wanted to do was go home.
For just a moment, Scott drew him close. “You did good, Virg.” A squeeze to his uninjured shoulder. “You did good.”
-o-o-o-
The ride home was a blur.
Scott hauled him onto TB2, dragged him to the medbay, and produced the dreaded painkillers, glaring at Virgil until he swallowed the necessary dose down.
There was a brief ‘discussion’ on whether Virgil should lie down on the gurney, but ultimately he ended up in the cockpit.
He must have fallen asleep because next he knew Scott and Gordon were gently pulling him from his seat and lying him down. A flush of cooler air had him breathing in deep, but another sigh and he drifted again.
Murmured words, the familiar scent of his own cotton sheets, and he let himself go.
Job complete.
Now he could sleep.
-o-o-o-
The afternoon sun was crawling across his bed when Virgil woke the next day.
Its brightness had him blinking and shifting stiffly in his bed. A yawn, creaking fabric and he discovered he was still in his uniform, his baldric draped over a chair and his boots out of sight. It had obviously been impossible to remove the blue coverall simply because of his sling.
A whiff and he realised his odour wasn’t the most pleasant. A shower sounded divine.
Movement, however, was a whole different matter.
He sighed.
His ceiling invited thought as he traced the meditative swirls, his mind skipping over the events of the day before. Windemere’s stupidity, Abby’s brilliance. The nature of genius.
Gordon’s proud grin as he realised Virgil was V. T. Green.
He smiled, a fondness for his younger brother swelling in his gut.
But those thoughts returned his mind to the situation with his website, Brains and what the hell he was going to do about it all.
Yesterday had shouted all kinds of issues at him. So many examples of genius and stupidity and the abuse of knowledge and power. He pursed his lips.
Reaching for his tablet, he brought up his blog, only to find his inbox once again bursting at the seams with notifications.
Quiet words under his breath.
A decision and he flicked through his dashboard until he found what he was looking for.
He swallowed and, with a touch of a finger, shut the website down.
Permanently.
-o-o-o-
End Part Five
Part Six
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Assembled Piece by Piece, This 8-Year Build is Finally Complete
Ron Porter from Hudson, Florida, is a retired Marine contractor who specialized in building boat docks and boat lifts. When he was not modernizing elements in the maritime industry, he was enjoying his hobby of building cool custom classic trucks, an ongoing fascination that began when he was 14 years old with a $5 1947 Plymouth. In the last several decades, the trend continued with lots of fun vehicles residing in the garage. With a previous feature truck article already under his belt, this 1950 Chevrolet 3100 pickup is his latest and now that it’s complete he’s already working on a third that’s coming along nicely. Builds always become easier the more often you do them, thanks to the combination of experience and the unending source of parts available from the aftermarket and the Internet. Here’s an example: Ron was able to find the cab for this truck in Crystal River, Florida; the chassis and suspension, designed specifically to fit a 1950 Chevrolet pickup came from TCI Engineering in California; Smoothie Fab running boards came from North Carolina; the bed came from Mar-K in Oklahoma; and dozens of other critical parts arrived at his door, thanks to the mailman.
From the outset, the collection of components was designed around a potent powerplant, one that Ron had stored in the corner of his garage long before he started on this truck. Built by his good friend Charlie Ratliff in Port Richey, Florida, the motor began as a balanced Chevy 454, stroked to 466 ci and capable of moving any vintage pickup with authority. “I wanted a good, noisy one,” he told us as he opened the hood during the photo shoot. Once again, aftermarket parts were the answer, beginning with a Thunder Series Edelbrock Endurashine 600-cfm carb and Air Gap intake, Lunati cam, Mallory electronic ignition, and Sanderson-coated headers that feed a stainless steel exhaust system with MagnaFlow mufflers. A two-speed Rainbow Products fan and four-core aluminum radiator keep temps in the green while the March Front Runner pulley system drives all the accessories. Using a custom aluminum driveshaft, the big V-8 sends an estimated 575 hp to the Turbo 400 trans, upgraded with a B&M shift kit.
With the big-inch motor sitting quietly in the corner patiently waiting for a home, Ron got the ball rolling by ordering a complete TCI Engineering chassis package, carefully painting every inch when it arrived. Assembly began with their independent coilover frontend with 2-inch drop spindles followed by the Currie 9-inch Posi rear with 3.25 gears, held in place by TCI Engineering’s four-link. Alden coilovers keep everything stable. Eliminating the gas tank from the cab, Ron relocated the new 17-gallon aluminum fuel cell to the rear of the chassis, installing a billet filler cap in the bed. The Flaming River rack-and-pinion power steering connects to a Flaming River chrome column inside and is topped off with a steering wheel that Ron won at a car show. TCI four-wheel disc brakes ensure modern stopping power. The chassis became a roller, thanks to the 20-inch Coys wheels, 8 inches wide up front and 10-inch versions in the rear, wrapped in Saffiro rubber.
The cab was next and although it was in fair shape, lots of time was spent removing the dents and dings acquired over the years. The firewall was recessed 4 inches to accommodate the big-inch motor. Working smart rather than hard, Ron bought replacement parts rather than trying to salvage badly damaged originals. The hood and the passenger side front fender are original, the driver side front fender was found on the Internet, and the 2.5-inch wider fiberglass rear fenders came from Superior Glassworks. Smoothie Fab 16-gauge cold rolled steel running boards widen to match the extended rear fenders. Body mods include door handles and emblems shaved, the air vent in the cowl was welded shut, and a new chrome grille and stainless steel bumper added to dress up the front end. Lots of time was devoted to the engine room, hiding hoses and wiring to create a sanitary look. The Mar-K bed is outfitted with traditional Oak planks with a blonde stain and there’s a subtle antenna located between the cab and the bed. The rear was fitted with a custom pan and Chevrolet woodgrain logo was added to the tailgate. Lokar LED oval taillights and license plate light illuminate the rear. The ominous twin pipes tell you this ain’t yer daddy’s old Bowtie.
Moving inside, the distinctive leather-lined interior begins with distressed leather buckets sporting embroidered Chevrolet logos separated by a custom center console with cup holders. Leather door panels, floor mats that display the Chevy logo, and the matching brown tweed headliner and carpet all blend together beautifully. The truck entertains with a Kenwood stereo head unit powered by a five-channel Kenwood amp under the seat that energizes 6.5-inch Kenwood component sets in the kick panels along with a second pair of 6.5s and twin 10-inch subs on the rear cab wall. Controls for the single pane Nu-Relics power windows are on the dash, the Nostalgia Air A/C uses an additional panel under the dash for the vents, and the dash itself has all the unnecessary holes filled to highlight the modern Haneline gauge package. Brian Bojinoff at Master Crafted Custom Interiors in Hudson, Florida, worked with Ron’s wife, Diane, to come up with the fabrics, colors, and arrangement.
The final step in the process was bodywork and the beautiful Matrix root beer metallic paintjob, done by his friend Whitey Molnar. Although it doesn’t look it, the sophisticated paintjob was done in a makeshift paint booth at home and became the perfect complement to the rustic brown leather interior. Molnar sprayed the truck in separate pieces, ensuring that the bottom was just as detailed as the top. The truck was an eight-year build finished last year. Smiling, Ron says, “It would have been completed a lot quicker if everything fit but then I would have missed out on all that aggravation! In the end, I am really happy about the way it turned out.” Now that he has about 700 miles on the truck, Ron has already turned his attention to working on the third Porter custom, a 1947 five-window that will probably find its way to these pages soon (depending on how things fit, of course!). Special thanks to Charlie Ratliff, Brian Bojinoff, Whitey Molnar, and, of course, Diane.
Facts & Figures
Ron Porter
1950 Chevy
CHASSIS
Frame: TCI Engineering, 116-inch wheelbase
Rearend / Ratio: Curry 9-inch with 3.25 gears and 31-spline axles
Rear Suspension: TCI four-link and coilovers
Rear Brakes: TCI Engineering 12-inch disc brakes
Front Suspension: TCI Engineering independent front suspension and coilovers
Front Brakes: TCI Engineering 11-inch disc brakes
Steering Box: Flaming River rack-and-pinion with chrome column
Front Wheels: Coys C5 Chrome 20×8
Rear Wheels: Coys C5 Chrome 20×10
Front Tires: Saffiro SF500 245/40ZR20
Rear Tires: Saffiro SF500 315/35ZR20
Gas Tank: Aluminum 17-gallon relocated under the bed
DRIVETRAIN
Engine: 1986 Chevrolet 454 V-8
Heads: Stock steel, ported, and polished
Valve Covers: Chrome Chevrolet Bowtie
Manifold / Induction: 600-cfm Edelbrock Thunder Series AVS carb, Air Gap intake manifold, Endurashine finish
Ignition: Mallory electronic
Headers: Sanderson ceramic coated
Exhaust / Mufflers: Ceramic-coated 2.5-inch system, MagnaFlow stainless mufflers
Transmission: 1986 Chevrolet Turbo 400 with B&M shift kit, 2,400-rpm stall speed
Shifter: Flaming River
BODY
Style: 1950 Chevrolet 3100 pickup
Modifications: Shaved door handles, two-piece windshield, one piece tinted side glass, air vent in cowl welded shut, sanitary engine compartment with hoses and wiring hidden
Fenders front / rear: Stock steel front, 2.5-inch wider fiberglass fenders in the rear, custom-tapered running boards.
Hood: Steel, smoothed
Grille: Stock, chrome
Bed: Mar-K bed, Oak planks with a blonde stain, Chevy logo on the tailgate, custom rear pan
Bodywork and Paint by: Whitey Molnar, C&W Enterprises Hudson, FL
Paint Type / Color: Matrix Root Beer Metallic basecoat with Diamond clearcoat
Headlights / Taillights: Halogen headlights and oval Lokar LED taillights
Outside Mirrors: Hagan
Bumpers: Stock rechromed
INTERIOR
Dashboard: Filled with auxiliary panel for A/C vents
Gauges: Haneline and Omega
Air Conditioning: Nostalgia Air
Stereo: Kenwood eXecelon KDC-X599 CD receiver with built-in Bluetooth, Kenwood five-channel amplifier, four Kenwood 6-inch component sets and two Kenwood 10-inch subs
Steering Wheel: Aftermarket, distressed leather wrapped
Steering Column: Flaming River chrome and tilt
Seats: Chevrolet van seats, with deleted headrests, distressed leather, and embroidered Chevrolet logos
Upholstery by: Brian Bojinoff, Master Crafted Custom Interiors Hudson, FL, and Diane Porter
Material / Color: Distressed Brown leather on seats, center console, and door panels
Carpet and Headliner: Brown tweed
The post Assembled Piece by Piece, This 8-Year Build is Finally Complete appeared first on Hot Rod Network.
from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/assembled-piece-piece-8-year-build-finally-complete/
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