Saturday, March 25, 2017

ice fishing straight out of the car, a '46 Chrysler New Yorker

1940s circus, behind the scenes

1951 trip to the lake in a late 40s Pontiac

wrecking companies sure have sunk a long way from this downtown streetfront business model

Emmanuel Zurini’s bronze Maserati 250F, and Stanley Wanlass’s The Racers, 1978

a most remarkable collection of classic cars, and 48 of them went to auction in Sept 2015, and resulted in 24 million dollars


the residence was once the summer house of the king of Denmark






this 1914 boat tail model by Schebera Coachbuilders is just one of the cars in the 24 million dollar collection of Mr. Henrik Frederiksen










Wilhlem Maybach started his career as an apprentice to Gottlieb Daimler. He is credited with several Mercedes innovations still in use, the radiator among them.

Maybach outlived Daimler and went on to build V12 dirigible engines for Count Zeppelin and, with his son, formed an autombile company after WWI.

In the 1930s Maybach, like Mercedes and Packard, offered more affordable models. The Maybach SW-38 was one of these cars. Its Spohn design gave true meaning to the term “fitted luggage”



http://www.slmarket.com/is-denmark-losing-a-national-treasure-bonhams-to-sell-off-frederiksen-collection/
https://www.classicdriver.com/en/article/cars/danish-delights-day-exploring-incredible-frederiksen-collection
http://www.sportscardigest.com/bonhams-frederiksen-collection-auction-results/
https://amyshorephotography.com/2015/07/21/the-frederiksen-collection/

This contest give away 57 Chevy was built by George Barris for Ringo Starr


It’s hard to upstage an icon like Ringo Starr, but this ’57 Chevy Bel Air Coupe stole the spotlight from the former Beatle in an NBC television prime time special titled "Ringo." The program also featured Carrie Fisher, John Ritter, George Harrison, Vincent Price, Art Carney and Angie Dickinson – but the real star was the car.

Craig stereo systems wanted a custom ’57 Chevy for a prize in their ‘Win The Car of Ringo Starr Sweepstakes.’ The ads featured Ringo with the car and ran in Hot Rod, Motor Trend and many teen magazine…and it moved like it looked!”

The 45-minute special, a rock and roll twist on "The Prince and the Pauper,” originally aired on April 26, 1978. One of the more memorable scenes shows Starr’s nerdy separated-at-birth character, Ognir Rats, behind the wheel and singing “You’re Sixteen” to his girlfriend (Carrie Fisher). The two end up getting arrested for grand theft auto at the end of the song by Policewoman Angie Dickinson.

As advertised, Craig awarded the Chevy to a lucky sweepstakes winner in 1978. It eventually ended up in Australia, where it was purchased by a Beatles collector and remained for decades.



https://www.autoevolution.com/news/ringo-starr-s-custom-1957-chevrolet-bel-air-up-for-auction-photo-gallery-74933.html#
https://www.mecum.com/lots/LA0713-158501/1957-chevrolet-bel-air-barris-custom/

Dick Shepard probably has the greatest collection of Triumph motorcycles



While the collection contains at least one example of every Turner-designed Triumph ever made, it is also replete with rare and unique machines – the quest for one of which resulted in Shepherd meeting his long-standing “finder” Mike Jackson, a former director of Norton Motorcycles and a respected doyen of the vintage-bike world.

after more than 45 years of buying and refining – and a great deal of detective work to track down rarities – Shepherd is the proud owner of what is probably the greatest collection of Triumph bikes in the world: more than 320 of them.

He bought the only car Triumph Motorcycles ever made, which was called the Ladybird.
“The owner,  would only sell the car with the single-cylinder prototype bike that was the first machine to be raced at the Isle of Man TT by Triumph’s senior road tester, Percy Tait."

He also bought the most important motorcycle in the history of the ISDT, the only one to have won five gold medals, and went on to find the other three team bikes that competed alongside it in 1964, the Steve McQueen - Bud Ekins year, and so now has the full set.

Shepherd also counts among his collection the actual TR6 machine famously ridden by Steve McQueen in The Great Escape;
the supercharged, twin-engined Cyclotron on which tuning ace Fred Cooper became the first person to officially exceed 200mph on British soil in 1972;
 the TR5 ridden by Henry Winkler’s The Fonz in the television series Happy Days;
the Bonneville ridden by Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible III (bought at auction in 2012 for £13,800);
 and the T100 that won the celebrated 1966 race at Daytona International Speedway when Buddy Elmore came from a seemingly impossible 54th place to take the chequered flag.

https://howtospendit.ft.com/vehicles/82661-triumph-motorcycles
https://www.thebillionaireshop.com/triumph-motorcycles/

I was reading an article in Driving Line magazine (Nitto Tires) about a dodge transmission swap, and it brought up "cryogenically treating" the gears


Although the truck left the assembly line packing a G56 six-speed manual transmission, it was scrapped long ago. After destroying four gearboxes—a common problem when the G56’s aluminum case is exposed to the earth-twisting torque a modified Cummins creates.

 But before the six-speed swap took place, the NV5600 was torn down, its internal parts were cryogenically treated for stress relief, and the gearbox was rebuilt.

The ’05.5 and newer Ram trucks were equipped with the G56 six-speed transmission—Jake’s being one of them—which is notorious for failing when subjected to high torque loads (i.e. from a modified Cummins in front of it). After replacing the G56 on three separate occasions, an NV5600 swap was performed. And not only that, all of the NV5600’s internals were cryogenically treated by Zumbrota Bearing And Gear (ZBAG) of Zumbrota, Minnesota prior to being installed.
http://www.drivingline.com/articles/the-everyday-ram-a-650hp-dodge-anyone-can-build/
http://zbag.com/


SO... ever hear of cryogenically treated gears? I haven't. But they are a thing

Michael Eisenberg, a Los Angeles collector of famous motorcycles, owns a few incredible motorbikes.


He owned one of the Captain America bikes (there are more than 2, Dan Haggerty restored and sold them after Easy Rider)

Eisenberg is well-versed in the memorabilia business. He supplied many of the motorcycles that decorate the Planet Hollywood restaurants, and once co-owned a Los Angeles motorcycle-themed restaurant with Fonda and “Easy Rider” co-star Dennis Hopper

Haggerty on the other hand, had a lot of problems after his popular tv show Grizzly Adams, even sold cocaine to undercover cops in 1988, and did 10 days in jail for tax evasion in 1985.
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-uneasy-riders-20141017-story.html


Michael Eisenberg, sits on the customized Captain America chopper Peter Fonda rode in “Easy Rider”

The gleaming stars-and-stripes panhead chopper with chromed hardtail frame is accompanied by three letters of authenticity. One is signed by the National Motorcycle Museum, where it was displayed for 12 years. Another is from Fonda and a third from Haggerty.
http://www.pressherald.com/2014/09/17/easy-rider-bike-going-to-auction/

He has owned a few Steve McQueen motorcycles too, though I can't figure out why he buys and sells them. Just for profit I suppose, damn shame


http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cars-512717-mcqueen-harley.html

Eisenberg, whose day job is selling high-end properties for Keller Williams in Beverly Hills, bought his first bit of McQueen memorabilia — a motorcycle that the actor owned and rode — 25 years ago and has watched it steadily increase in value. Actually, he’s watched it as it sits in his living room, much to his wife’s chagrin

Since then, he's bought and sold Steve McQueen's sunglasses, watch, and Chevy truck.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/08/steve-mcqueen-memorabilia_n_2432903.html

I have some strange news... driving instructor killed on a track in Vegas, fellow instructor now sues the supercar rental business


a Lamborghini Aventador involved in an accident that killed two people on Feb. 12 had brake problems and was not suitable to be used on the track because it was a roadster with a convertible top that didn’t have a roll bar or cage.

After the fatal crash that killed SpeedVegas driving instructor Gil Ben-Kely and Canadian tourist Craig Sherwood, other driving instructors were required to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, perform a road test on the track and sign an acknowledgment form that says, “every precaution has been taken to ensure my safety as well as the safety of our guests.”

The lawsuit alleges that the SpeedVegas track “is inherently, excessively and unnecessarily dangerous in design and operation” and that brakes on cars used in the operation were not properly maintained.

Durban, who had asked track managers to move a concrete wall farther away from the track at the turn where the Aventador crashed and to install Formula One-TECPRO safety barriers, said his suggestions weren’t taken when the track reopened for business on Feb. 22. He refused to sign the acknowledgment form.

“Unsafe or unreasonably dangerous conditions continue to exist at SpeedVegas following the fatal crash that SpeedVegas had not changed and that are a threat to plaintiff, his co-workers as well as customers of SpeedVegas,” the lawsuit says.

Citing public policy for employers to provide a safe and healthy environment for employees, Durban said he has been effectively terminated because he refused to work in unsafe conditions. He also is seeking an injunction to close the track until safe conditions are installed.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/business/speedvegas-driving-instructor-sues-close-las-vegas-track

Now get this... this news? Came out in the newspaper the day after the next post, that Top Gear USA is going to film at this place. I think we are going to hear more about this

here we go, here comes another Flop Gear USA... The BBC is going to try another (they never learn) Top Gear America

‘Top Gear’ Spinoff ‘Top Gear America’ Greenlighted By BBC America, and the show will be filmed at the racetrack east of Las Vegas

Top Gear America reviews not just exclusive and state-of-the-art vehicles but also the cars of America’s culture defining past, according to BBCA. Each week also will feature a different celebrity who will compete for top honor on the leader board at the new Top Gear studio and track, Speed Vegas.

The network says the eight-episode hourlong series will be hosted by racing enthusiast and actor William Fichtner, world champion drag racer Antron Brown, and British car journalist Tom “Wookie” Ford.

The three will race various vehicles along the scenic highways and historic tracks of the American west and, in “Top Gear” tradition, each episode will feature a celebrity guest racing around a track in an attempt to beat other celebrities’ times and will include the presence of mysterious masked driver The Stig.

The previous BBC America Top Gear was on tv for 6 seasons.

Clarkson Hammond and May did about 21. See what I mean by Flop Gear? CHM and Top Gear were the highest rated tv show on the planet. Everyone loved it.

BBC America Top Gear? I tried it once, I never bothered ever again. It simply could not meet the expected amount of entertainment that it simply HAD TO in order to earn that name.

https://speedvegas.com/en/world-of-speed/news/top-gear-america-to-film-at-speedvegas/394

Model A Times magazine did a fantastic article on aftermarket heaters, I never looked into how they worked




Friday, March 24, 2017

1922 grand opening of a Calpet gas station, and everyone was looking sharp, even the genie (or gypsy) girls

it's sad, once car dealerships were sorta cool, now you wouldn't know that it was ever a car dealership

Welderup has a new cool car, a lot newer than most of their stuff, a '68 Charger

How do you go from this to that? Upside down to right side up? Lots of careful planning and big construction equipment


the brakes were way too touchy, and grabbed just a little too much!




http://isserfiq.blogspot.com/2016/08/any-landing-you-can-walk-away-from-is.html  for the full article and more photos.  Cool blog, written by a car and plane enthusiast, who collects Coleman gas lanterns and is a master carpenter. Incredible work. 

wow, a website that posts only car stories from magazine company's online coverage

http://ca.lalalay.com/autos/enthusiasts/

so, if you're ready to let your subscriptions end, this seems to have most of the good stuff, and loads so damn much faster than corporate sites with all their crappy advertising

Congratulations to the Campbell family, and compliments to Nitto tires (not only have they dominated drifting, but Nitto just swept the podium at King of the Hammers)






Nitto went from presenting sponsor in 2014, to title sponsor in 2015, and now it's found 1st, 2nd and 3rd place all using Nitto tires, and 4th place was the 2016 winner, also on Nitto tires

This victory makes Shannon Campbell the first three-time winner of the race and is the first time a tire manufacturer has swept the podium in the race’s 10-year history.

It's got to be particularly celebratory at the Campbell home, his son Wayland took 2nd place, just 28 seconds behind his fathers pace.

https://theshopmag.com/news/team-nitto-tire-sweeps-podium-king-hammers

It's not a race that is easy on parts




Shannon finished the King of the Hammers on three tires in 6 hours 46 minutes and 4 seconds.

only 50 of the 122 racers made it to the finish line in the 14 hours allowed

http://www.moneypitclassifieds.com/Classified/the-campbell-family-makes-history-at-the-2017-king-of-the-hammers-article-81.aspx#.WNXpgvnyuUk

http://www.nittoracing.com/portfolio/shannon-campbell/
http://www.drivingline.com/articles/koh-driver-profile-shannon-campbell/

Drivingline is the in house magazine of Nitto tires by the way and the online coverage is pretty damn good http://www.drivingline.com/

They pulled out that Jeep from the Cape Cod half buried in sand garage



You probably recall that I posted the whole story a month ago http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2017/02/an-old-jeep-wagoneer-buried-in.html

Mr Norm's van.... since 1977, it's been groovy baby with a 440, Dana 60, and probably a cool stereo too. The 2nd owner bought it from Mr Norm in 1979, and kept it til 2016



Mr. Norm developed the conversion van concept as a substitute for the declining market share in muscle cars and scored another first. He opened a van department in the fleet office to supply the burgeoning van conversion business with vehicles. He purchased 280,000-sq. ft. of additional property to store the increasing automotive inventory. Grand Spaulding became the Number Two Dodge dealership in volume sales.

http://moparblog.com/mr-norms-van/

This 1977 B200 Long Box with a 440, Dana 60 rear, and power everything not only features crazy paint but a mural of the final 1970s Mr. Norm’s Super Charger funny car in action. Kenny Safford was the driver, but this van was owned by none other than Mr. Norm Krause himself, who had the murals painted on this van and drove it before it was sold in 1979. It then stayed with the same owner for the next 40 years or so.

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/check-amazing-stories-behind-barn-finds-hidden-gems-2016-mcacn-show/