aside to rice vs american (long)

[0h n0 5.0]

guys I posted this on another street racing site an i'm going to do the same here.

There are some legit imports that are nice lookin, and fast, but they are few and far beween the everyday sticker buzzzbombs being driven by the stoner with the backwards visor in the next lane or in your local high school parking lot.

They are usually highdollar, money monsters only bought out for show duty or crusin on nice days: the same philosophy as any other high dollar speciality muscle car of any make. Does any one else just think this (import scene) may be a changing of the tides? A new generation of hot rodders clashing against traditional ideas of ol skool rodding?

I'm willin to bet had the internet been around in the 60's, the ol skool guys in the street rod lincolns, merc's and chevys would have been bitchin at the muscle car guys in their big block gas guzzlers: not wantin to change from tried an true methods in favor of the unknown.

We all see how that turned out. Both have survived to become huge at shows, rods next to musclecars next to 80's strip burners next to late model street monsters. Its the knowledge obtained through acceptance and implications of other ideas that have keep this hobby alive since the 1950's. I think its incredible the power obtained from these inline 4's, the suspension and tweaking have produced some awesome corner carvin suspensions and their lighter frames make the potential for speed incredible. ( see the DEWlite platfrom for the 04 Mustang concept )

Rice is a mentality, a "holier-than-thou" perception of the world, one's car and a blatant state of denial of 2 simple facts: (1) that you don't admit there are cars faster than you. and (2) I want to be one so desperately that I'll do anything to make it look fast. Ever seen rusted-out ghetto chevy caprices with 20's, tints, and low hangin side exit exhaust?: Domestic rice!

Our local tint and audio place is primarily an import hang out, but I had to get a CD player installed so I went in.. (90 percent of what they sold is dress up, lights, strobes, exhaust). There was one guy buyin a cold air kit, but it was $800!! The market is still relatively small for imports in certain areas, so there's the reason for the price fluctuations.
but rice is imitation. (see 5.0 Mustang - July issue) Rice mimics the autocross look formula cars dealing with suspension, cornering and race car handling abilities.

Domestic V8's have been forever associated with the 1/4 strip of sheer power and brute acceleration of dragsters. We' re both imtating another breed of car and we both fail and succeed where the other one dosen't but Rice works both ways. Guys, if you don't admit there is such things as fast imports out there, or ya claimin 7.5 liters of tire-shreddin power under a fake cobra decal, then you're no better than rice boy with his type R sticker. you've already lost because you've become a hypocrite of everything you deem wrong with automotive performance namely the immitiation of something you are not. (I have a big pet peeve with cobra r rims on every GT I seem to run across) plus you've thrown out any possible notion of one beating you before you've even turned the key.

Racing is in the mind. not the hands, or eyes.

Keep a clear mind on the Battlefield

oh no 5.0