
Engine Alternator
Issue 11 • Engine & Transmission Tips No great story ever started with “I remember when my alternator failed.” Inside your engine is something called
Starring a 1964 Buick Skylark Convertible that didn’t do it!
My Cousin Vinny is a 1992 blockbuster film starring Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei.
The story goes that two young New Yorkers are traveling through rural Alabama, and are mistakenly arrested for murder, based solely on the vehicle they drive, a metallic mint-green 1964 Buick Skylark Convertible. One of the defendant’s cousins Vinny Gambini, a brand new attorney, attempts to defend them. But it’s Gambini’s girlfriend Mona Lisa Vito that solves the case by proving that the defendant’s car could not have been that of the murderers’.
The film was applauded by the legal community at large for its accurate depiction of legal statutes, court procedures, and trial strategies. For instance, Gambini’s cross-examination of Sam Tipton (grits), Ernie Crane (dirty windows), and Constance Riley (glasses) represents technically competent impeachment of the prosecutor’s witnesses.
The one flaw in the movie was the most criticized by motorheads.
Screenwriter Dale Launer explained that while Mona Lisa Vito says on the stand, that there were two cars in the 1960s made with independent rear suspensions, the Corvette and the Pontiac Temptest, there were actually three.
In the film, Lisa (Marisa Tomei) testifies that the 1964 Buick Skylark Convertible couldn’t have made tire tracks linked to the vehicle of the murders. The Skylark had a solid axel rear suspension, so when the vehicle’s right wheel went up on a curb, the left wheel’s tire mark would have been from the edge of the tire, not a full flat imprint.
Unfortunately, there was a third car that could make those marks, a Chevrolet Corvair. And car enthusiasts brought that to the attention of the filmmakers immediately. Launer’s response was that “All of Lisa’s automotive expertise came straight from my own head. There was no research whatsoever.”
Bill Gambini’s Skylark was a two-door cabriolet with a Wildcat 355 V-8 sporting 300 cu. in., and 250 horsepower. It had a one-barrel carburetor and 11:1 compression. It had a three-speed manual transmission. It was 203 in. long, 74 in. wide, and stood 55 in. tall.
Interestingly, The exchange between the prosecutor and automotive expert about the equipment used to analyze the tires was taken almost verbatim from an actual court transcript. The witness was asked how he analyzed the evidence, and answered “I have a dual-column gas chromatograph, Hewlett-Packard model 5710a with flame analyzing detectors.” The D.A. quipped, “Does that thing come turbo-charged?” and the witness answered, straight-faced, “Only on the floor models.”
Issue 11 • Engine & Transmission Tips No great story ever started with “I remember when my alternator failed.” Inside your engine is something called
If you’re the proud owner of a Ford Explorer, you know that it’s not just a vehicle, but a ticket to adventure. This iconic SUV,
The 1992 Ford Explorer XLT Debuted In Jurassic Park Legendary. Not for its engine, but for its paint job! To be honest, the Ford Explorer
Hey there, car aficionados! If you’ve ever dabbled in the world of car repairs or you’re simply a Ford lover, you might’ve heard the term
Issue 21 • Engine & Transmission Tips Yes, there is more than one kind of strut in your car! Here’s another great Fraser Engine Co.
Issue 23 • Engine & Transmission Tips Use these great tips for a smarter washing experience and super results! Some folk love to wash their