Mon, Apr 12, 2010

Fri, Apr 09, 2010

The Island

I am one of a growing number of people who have found a way to make ends meet by working online. After that moment, I didn't spend very many more winters in Canada before it dawned on me that I could work from just about anywhere in the world. About five years ago, I left my home and native land for a tiny island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea.  Gozo was my family's first choice for a new home for several reasons.  We wanted to live somewhere that English was spoken, was a safe place to raise children and was warm.

As I settled into a new life, I started noticing all the old cars around me.  It was almost like some kind of automotive time machine.  There are a few reasons that I can think of for this situation.

The isolation that comes with being on an island means that importing cars is more expensive so people have a lot of motivation to look after the cars that they have.

We drive on the left here, so that limits the sources of used cars to places like the UK and Japan. One of my friends here in Gozo bought his first car from Italy.  It has the steering wheel on the 'wrong' side.

The Mediterranean climate of Gozo (my #1 reason for being here) helps reduce the effects of corrosion.  This might be less interesting to readers in California where they have a similar climate, but I grew up where salt is poured onto the snowy roads for five months every year.  They say rust never sleeps, but I think it takes regular naps in Gozo.

Automotive repair, like many other service industries, is more affordable on Gozo than it is in North America.  I have only owned one car here.  It was a 1989 Skoda Favorit (don't laugh, I paid cash for it!).  It had some predictable problems during the time that I drove it, and I was always surprised at the reasonably priced repairs.

A major factor effecting the longevity of cars on Gozo is the fact that the island is so tiny (26 square miles) that they never get driven very far. I was shocked that the car I bought was 17 years old with only 18,000 miles on the odometer. 

I should point out that there is no shortage of newer cars here.  Tourism and a relatively buoyant real estate bubble created a lot of disposable income.  My former landlord is a farmer and he drives a new Alfa Romeo.  I have seen some major changes in Malta, having moved there just as the country was joining the European Union.  One relatively recent change involved a reduction in the import tax on used cars.  I think this change has meant that a lot of drivers have put away their vintage cars and bought late model Japanese cars.  But it's the old cars that interest me, along with the old stories.  That is why I always slow down whenever I pass by Carmelo Hili's machine shop in the village of Xaghra.



The Man

I can without hesitation call Mister Hili a friend.  His machine shop is on the same street as the first maisonette that my family and I rented in Gozo.  He would spent most afternoons working on one of his engines in the doorway of his shop.  I think this is his favorite spot.  There he can make use of the natural light for his work and he can also see and be seen by the tourists who walk by.  He has a warm welcome for anybody that stops.  On one occasion he picked some oranges from his backyard for me to take home for my kids.  On another occasion he gave me a cold beer.

The first words that he said to me on my most recent visit were short and to the point.

"I'm an old man."

He is in his 70’s, but his imagination and enthusiasm can make you forget his age.  He was a young boy when many of his prized possessions were made.  The pivotal event that brought all of these machines to Malta and Gozo was WWII.  These tiny islands in the middle of the sea played a very important role for the allies during this war.  Winston Churchill referred to the nation as an unsinkable aircraft carrier.  That didn't stop German and Italian airplanes from trying.  The islands and its inhabitants were bombed relentlessly.  I talk about the nuts and bolts of the war with Mr Hili but I shy away from talking about what everyday life was like.  There were over 3,000 air raids between 1940 and 1943.  After the war, the citizens of the islands were awarded the highest honor from the King of England, the George Cross.

Mr. Hili is not your typical car collector.  In fact, cars are merely a subset of his obsession with machines of all kinds.  He leaves the doors of his garage open so that passersby can have a peek at his collection.  People with only a passing curiosity might think that the vintage clocks and radios out front are a representative sample of what he has inside.  They don't know what they are missing.

Carmelo has two WWII era motorbikes stored in an overhead loft.  He has a collection of military helmets.  He has military portraiture.  There are spent shell casings in a wide range of sizes.  Various airplane propellers adorn the walls of his garage.  He has a 60 year old bottling machine in working order.  He uses a well worn and partly broken old bottle to show people how it worked.

Large engines take up the lions share of the space in Mr. Hili's Garage. His true passion is bringing old engines back to life.  Since many of these engines were designed to power machines that are obsolete, their new life is something akin to retirement.  It's not a bad place to retire.  Carmelo's back garden has a gold fish pond and fruit trees.  He does whatever he can to protect the outdoor machines from the weather. 

On my recent visit I was specifically interested in what cars he might have hidden away.  I was a bit worried that he might have sold them all or something because we spent half an hour looking at stuff like generator engines and windmills and caterpillar tractors.  It turned out that he had his cars all the way at the back of his yard in a makeshift sheet metal shelter.  The front of the winter shelter was just a large shade cloth. Mister Hili was a good judge of my state of mind and he pulled the cloth aside like it was a game show curtain. 


The Cars

Three vehicles were crammed inside the shelter along with a few rototillers and other assorted farm machinery.  There was only one that I could identify myself.  It was a 1942 US Army Jeep.  The US Army had been in Malta during the war.  One squadron built a temporary air strip out of a major road on Gozo.  Mr. Hili didn't buy the Jeep directly form the army.  There was a glut of surplus army vehicles on Malta shortly after the country gained independence from Great Britain in the ‘60s.  The Jeep is probably the most well known military vehicle on the planet.

A vehicle that you will never see marketed to civilians is the Daimler Scout.  Like the Jeep, it is better known by its nickname. Infantrymen called it the Dingo.  The model in Carmelo's back garden is from 1943 and it was used by a military branch known as the “Desert Rats”, that fought Rommel in Africa.  Take note of the bolt cutters mounted on the metal plate that takes the place of any kind of windshield.  One unique thing about these vehicles was their transmissions.  They have five forward gears and five reverse gears.  They were also quieter than one might expect.  I guess the point was for the enemy to not expect you.

The third military car is a 1939 Austin 8.  It is Mr Hili's favorite of the three and I don't blame him.  It is an awesome car.  This car really represents an era when cars were designed to be beautiful and functional.

By K. Habesh   Thu, Mar 25, 2010

It is impossible to miss when you see it. It’s modern, elegant, stylish and aggressive at the same time. The car transporting US Presidents at home and abroad is not just an ordinary one. Some have compared it to a tank. It can provide a cover and shelter if needed. It is the safest car in the world.

It is not surprising that automobiles have been popular with American presidents. After all, America is a country that championed the concept of an affordable vehicle that many could own. It was Henry Ford’s vision that came in to a reality in a relatively short period of time thanks to unparalleled ingenuity and economic innovation of US entrepreneurs.

The very first President who drove an automobile was William McKinley, but it was not a state car, it was his personal vehicle. Theodore Roosevelt was the first American president to ride in a state owned car, which was a white Stanley Steamer, similar to the red one shown here. There were several other makes and models that the Whitehouse used over the years, but the long legacy of service belongs to Cadillac and Lincoln, icons of the world’s automobile heritage.

It was not until Woodrow Wilson’s administration, that Cadillac was first introduced to the presidential fleet. He used one to ride in a 1921 parade commemorating WW I. Ever since, Cadillac has been one of the favorites of the US Presidential fleet. In 1938, two Cadillac convertibles were delivered to the White House equipped with ammunition, two way radios and generators. This marked the first time cars came with defense capabilities; signs that Secret Service was becoming concerned about Presidential security. These cars were nicknamed “Queen Mary” and Queen Elizabeth” and served three presidents: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Even though the cars were custom made and outfitted with the state of the art gadgets, they were not built exclusively for the Whitehouse.

The first car specially built for the US president was a 1939 Lincoln V12 convertible, named “Sunshine Special”, shown here. It was built for Franklin D. Roosevelt and was equipped with sirens, running lights, wider running boards and grab handles for the Secret Service agents. However, on December 8, 1941, the day after the Pearl Harbor attack, the Secret Service was so concerned about the president’s safety, they used a 1928 Cadillac 341A Town Sedan, which originally belonged to none other than Al Capone! It was ironic that the President was driving in a car that once belonged to the biggest gangster in the US, but it was an armored vehicle, and offered more safety than the standard Presidential issue Lincoln.

Eventually the Presidential Lincoln was modified to have armored tires, one inch thick window glass and compartments for the machine guns.

In 1950 two custom-built 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitans were introduced to the Presidential fleet. They were used by presidents Truman, Kennedy and Johnson.

The car that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in was a 1961 Presidential Lincoln Continental convertible. It is probably one of the best known and the most viewed presidential vehicles in US history. It was available with a Plexiglas roof for protection in case of a bad weather and came with all the custom built features that were available at that time. It included, among other things, sirens, custom air conditioning system, radios, and custom interior. Armor and bullet proof windows were standard on all vehicles in the Presidential fleet; however, the details and armor grades were not available for the public. Shown here is a replica, with the Texas School Book Depository in downtown Dallas, the building where Lee Harvey Oswald fired a fatal shot from that killed the President.

Since 1969 to the present day, the only cars used by the Whitehouse were Lincoln and Cadillac. President Nixon ordered a 1969 model limousine, which had a sunroof in case the president wanted to greet the people lined up to see him. It had several noteworthy features, such as retractable handgrips and running boards for the Secret Service as well as the standard safety components.

Nixon also ordered a custom-built 1972 Continental, equipped with bulletproof glass, armored plates, a 7.5 liter V8 engine and C-6 3 speed automatic transmission. It was the car that Ronald Reagan rode in during his assassination attempt in 1981.

In 1983, President Reagan received a Cadillac Fleetwood limousine shown here, which came with a Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 3-speed transmission. The car was state of the art at the time, equipped with all the available technology and defense mechanisms. It had an armored body, bulletproof glass and specially designed interior that allowed for an individual under the protection to stay in the car unharmed even in the case of an attack with a large caliber, high powered weapon. Again, due to the security concerns, caliber and armor ratings are not released when it comes to the presidential limousines.

To give you a general idea on the armor and how it is rated, here is a short summary; usually, armor is graded on the scale of 1 to 10. 10 been the highest available for a civilian vehicle, which is somewhat comparable to the military standards. It would not be unreasonable to assume that US Presidents have the highest and the best available armor in the world installed on their limousines.

In 1989, President George H. W. Bush used a modified 1989 Lincoln Towncar, with a 460 CI V-8 with an E4OD 4 transmission.

As usual, secret service released only the general description of the car and its characteristics. But it is known that, it didn’t differ by much from its predecessor, Reagan’s Cadillac.

Due to the advance in communications and media, today people have the opportunity to learn more about cars used by the President. In the ‘80s it was much harder to get this type of information.

Since President Clinton, The Whitehouse has used Cadillacs for the President’s transportation. In 1993, the Whitehouse received a Presidential series Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, with a 7.4 liter V-8, and a 4L80E 4 speed automatic transmission. The car did not have a sunroof or running boards due to the security concerns. The car is shown here at the White House entrance.

Each of these cars are located either at the Presidential libraries or in the manufacturer’s museums.

Unfortunately, due to the security implications, the Secret Service has requested that all future presidential automobiles be used for testing in order to increase and improve safety and security. Although replicas will be kept, there is a good chance that the originals will be destroyed during the testing process.

When looked at from the today’s perspective, one will be surprised by the advancements made in the field of security and particularly in the Secret Service equipment used in protecting the President. Very first limousines that American presidents rode in, were just regular, serial production custom built cars. When compared to the modern Presidential limo, it is stunning to learn how much the technology has changed, and the degree that US Presidents are protected today.

The Secret Service is very reluctant to disclose the details of these cars, and understandably so.  It is classified information that may compromise the President’s safety. But let’s look at what information is available for public; it will give us a better understanding of the evolution process of the Presidential fleet.

The Secret Service name for the vehicle is “beast”. Although not much information is available on the car, when it was first described in 2009, it was mentioned that it is protected by five inch armor used in military vehicles, run flat tires, and bulletproof glass. Due to the fact that glass prevents much of the natural light to enter the vehicle, florescent halo lights are used to light the interior. The car seats seven, and the two rear seats are reserved for the President and his passenger.

It is completely protected from chemical and biological weapons. In case of a biological or chemical attack, the Secret Service activates a lock down mode, which converts the car in to a completely air tight capsule; it has enough of a reserve of gas, air and water to be driven to a safe location and remain in lock down mode for 24 hours.

It can withstand an attack by a rifle, high powered assault weapon and rocket propelled grenade. It is equipped with a night vision system, run flat and puncture and shred resistant tires on steel rims that allow a driver to escape even in the case when the rubber tire is completely destroyed. The gas tank is completely armored, and equipped with foam that prevents fuel from exploding even in the case of a direct hit. The doors are made of eight inch thick armored material. They weigh the same as those on a Boeing 757 jet. The windows are bullet proof and the only one that opens is a driver’s window. It opens only three inches, so the driver can communicate with the Secret Service. The driver is equipped with GPS and an on board control system located in the dashboard.

Defense accessories include: night vision cameras, shotguns, and tear gas. There are bottles of the President’s blood stored in the vehicle in case an emergency transfusion is needed.

Some of the luxury items are a folding computer table, satellite phone connected to the Vice President’s office and Pentagon and luxury reclining seats.

Materials used in the car include: steel, aluminum, titanium and ceramic. The car is equipped with 6.5 liter diesel engine, but due to the heavy armor, the maximum speed is 60 mph. Gas mileage averages eight MPG.

Then the President is traveling abroad, it is airlifted by C-17 GlobeMaster III military planes.

100 years have passed since the first US President drove a car, and there is now no world leader better protected using his limo and accompanying Air Force One airplane and Marine One helicopter.

The US Secret Service has been one of the most successful organizations in the world when it comes to protecting the heads of state, and the Presidential limo is one of the most important parts of the operation. It is a symbol of an American power, security and professionalism.

By R.J. Magill   Fri, Mar 19, 2010

In the world of 1960’s slot car racing, looks were everything. Even an adolescent boy could tell that the 1/32 scale Chaparral would be fast. With that big airplane wing in the back and those ultra-sleek lines, how could it lose?

Even the name elicited speed. The Chaparral was named after the Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus). A good name choice; the speedy bird would always out-run the Wiley Coyote!

The Chaparral name is most recognized by race and non-race fans alike for the famous “vacuum cleaner” car (Chaparral 2J), but there is much, much more to the Chaparral legend.

Jim Hall is the Texas oil magnate/renaissance man responsible for the development of the Chaparral and ultimately, the evolution of the modern racing sports car. A very large statement I know, (appropriate for the state of Texas!), but let’s walk through Hall’s accomplishments and the various iterations of the Chaparral, then you can make up your own mind!

The Jim Hall Chaparral sports car legacy extended beyond the famous “vacuum cleaner” (Suckdowmcyx fastashellianus) that literally and figuratively gripped the collective imagination of the world in 1970. There were many innovations and a number of models of Chaparral that came before the 2J.

The Chaparral 1 (1961-1963) was the first car to carry the name. Hall financed the development and construction of the car. The team of Troutman and Barnes (of Scarab fame) designed the vehicle. The car utilized a front-mounted small block Chevrolet engine, four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes. Hall raced two of the Chaparral 1 cars with considerable success and the Texan used the design, which was rapidly becoming outdated, to test his own ideas.

The first true Chaparral, the Chaparral 2, was perhaps the most innovative racing sports car to ever be designed and built in America. Hall served as chief designer, builder, financier and part-time driver of this vehicle. Hall utilized a monocoque chassis and a small block Chevy motor as the basis for the car. Some of the prototypical applications on the car that made it revolutionary included the use of a GRP (glassfibre reinforced plastic) body, and an “automatic” transmission, comprised of a torque converter equipped with a single-speed gearbox rather than the conventional friction clutch design. The use of the semi-automatic transmission and GRP materials allowed this car to be the dominate force in SCCA racing from 1962 to 1965. The Chaparral 2 won 22 of the 39 races it entered in that period.

The Chaparral 2B remains a mystery as it was never raced and there are no pictures. Some believe that it was an aluminum sports car produced for research purposes.

The Chaparral 2C was a one-of-a-kind that entered just three races in 1965. The 2C’s first race was Jim Hall’s last win in competition. The second race it did not finish and the third ended in a crash. Hall designed a foot operated moveable rear wing mounted in the bodywork that could be adjusted horizontally for low drag conditions, such as the straight-aways by pushing on a foot pedal. When the car entered a corner and the foot was removed to brake the car, the wing would return to a high drag/down-force position for additional traction. This time, the dependable Chevy small block was paired with a 2-speed automatic transmission. Another change was the color- all white would become a Hall trademark for all true Chaparrals to follow.

The Chaparral 2D coupe was designed to compete with Ford and Ferrari at international endurance events. The 2D was actually the 2C chassis that was transformed into a coupe version. The best finish was a win at Nurburgring in 1966. This Chaparral also competed at the 1967 Daytona 24 hours and the Sebring 12 hour, but did not finish either race. The car utilized a big block Chevy and a 3-speed automatic transmission.

The Chaparral 2F was created for the 1967 endurance racing season. Hall widened the chassis and used wider tires. He used the movable rear wing of the 2E and kept the front aerodynamic “door”. This car was extremely fast but was plagued by mechanical problems, possibly stemming from the large block Chevy (7.0 liters) and the 3-speed automatic transmission. The car won the only race that it finished.

The Chaparral 2G (1967-1968) was actually a second generation 2E, Hall’s favorite car. There was only one 2E aluminum chassis available. Hall decided to go ahead and enter the Can Am series with the one car. The 2G again featured wider tires to help offset the big power (427 Chevy) with the lightweight chassis. The 2G was very competitive (3 second place finishes) but did not win a race- a big disappointment by Chaparral standards.

The 2H replaced the 2G in 1969. This car was a direct descendent of the original Chaparral 2. Hall returned to GRP material for the chassis and introduced the new aerodynamic concept of reducing the drag by decreasing the frontal surface area and spoil as little airflow as possible. This car was narrower and had the driver sitting low in the cockpit. Astronaut John Surtees was hired to drive the Chaparral but he had limited success and no wins.

The Chaparral 2I, like the 2B, is a bit of a mystery. Most people believe that this version was never raced and was simply a forerunner of the 2J.

In 1966 the legendary Can-Am series was born. It was intended to be as “rule-less” as possible and an unlimited sports car class of the Federal Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The Chaparral 2E was initially a new aerodynamic concept on the existing 2C aluminum chassis, with a small block Chevy and a 2-speed transmission. A second type 2E was built from the ground up, specifically for the Can Am series. This version used Hall’s most advanced aerodynamic concepts to date and it provided a paradigm for virtually all racing cars to come after it.

The most visually apparent feature of the 2E was the huge movable rear wing that was attached directly to the rear suspension, about three feet above the rear wheels. The wing operated as a reverse airplane wing, providing down-force instead of lift. The car sported bulbous, sweeping lines and the very “airplane-like” side mounted radiator intakes. Hall also utilized an integrated ducted nose that directed airflow to create additional down-force. The moveable rear wing was ultimately banned by the FIA based on the “no moveable aerodynamic components” rule. Hall went forward with a fixed-wing which was not adjustable by the driver during a race.

The 2E is said to be Jim Hall’s favorite Chaparral design because of its smooth handling and adaptability to different racing conditions.

The 2E body design was also a consistent winner on the slot car tracks in the backrooms of hobby shops!

Perhaps the most unusual Chaparral, and definitely the most famous, was the 2J created for the 1970 Can-Am season. The so-called “vacuum cleaner” or “sucker car” utilized ground effects created by two 17” fans powered by a single 45 hp snowmobile engine. The fans provided down-force by “sucking” air from under the car, and Lexan-plastic skirts to help “seal” the car to the ground. The car had amazing gripping power and allowed tremendous maneuverability at all speeds.

Driven by the legendary Jackie Stewart, the 2J proved to be the fastest car on the circuit by winning the pole position in a number of races. Rival racing teams (mainly McLaren) complained to the FIA about the Chaparral 2J’s superior handling and speed.  Even though the car experienced numerous mechanical problems, and had not won a sanctioned event, the car and the engineering principle were outlawed due to the “no moveable aerodynamic components” rule; the same rule applied earlier to the 2E’s adjustable wing.

After a sabbatical from racing, Hall returned with the Chaparral 2K in the 1978 Indianapolis 500. Under the technical direction of John Barnard, the last Chaparral was a yellow Lola look-alike driven by Johnny Rutherford. It was a ground effects car that brought Formula One wing-car techniques to the Brickyard. After nearly winning in 1979, Hall returned in 1980 and captured the title. The car also won the CART championship that same year. Soon after, Hall decided that it was time to retire the Chaparral.

Jim Hall took a sport that was generally treated as an art and introduced a more empirical approach that advanced the theories of aerodynamics and applied physics. Jim Hall’s Chaparrals set the standard for race cars of today and the cars of tomorrow.

Designed for the 2025 revival of the LA Times Grand Prix, the General Motors Chaparral Volt uses advanced EREV propulsion, energy collection, generation and management systems to create an entirely new category of racing machine. The Volt collects and generates its own energy from three different clean renewable and abundant resources: Earth, Wind and Fire.

Earth (Geologic) Gravity and momentum-capture regeneration, along with aero-thermal resistance which provide high levels of braking efficiency and active energy regeneration.

Wind (Aero-Thermal) the Volt utilizes the basic idea from the Chaparral 2J; with rear turbine extractors for cooling of the power cells, down-force and (in reversed direction) a combination of aero-assist braking and energy regeneration.

Fire (Radiant Sunlight) integrated thin-film PV panels for the car’s body take advantage of the world’s most abundant resource, the sun, and converts it for use as the Chaparral Volt’s primary power source.

When I first laid eyes on the Volt, it took me back to those days “when looks were everything”. If they ever produce a 1/32 scale version of the Chaparral Volt, I might have to get back into the slots!

By R. Miller   Thu, Mar 04, 2010

VW Campers have become an iconic part of motor history. The first models went on sale in the early 1950’s, and since then people can’t seem to get enough of them. As well as being aesthetically appealing, these vans provide a perfect camping experience, with its large interior and comfortable living space. A VW camper can make your holiday, which is why it is such an iconic model today.

The first VW models started to sell in the early 1950’s. This model was called the Spilt-screened Kombi. True to its name, the bus has two screens instead of one, which was extremely fashionable at the time. This style of Camper has since become one of the most sought after vehicles, due to this model being replaced in 1968 with a single screen version. Because there are only a number of the Split-screened versions left, this Camper has become some what of a collector’s item. Due to its rarity and age, the Split-screened Kombi can be worth quite a lot of money.

The VW interior has played a big part of the van’s popularity.

The van isn’t just a means of transport, but also as a place to live when you are on your travels. A standard VW Camper comes with fold out beds and chairs, a fold-away table, good storage space, a sink and electrical sockets (amongst other features).

It is easy to see why the van is so appealing- you can make it into your own little home and customise it how you wish. There are also a range of extras which you can add to your van to make it even more like your own portable house. Extras such as air conditioning, a portable toilet and an attachable tent are also available.

The VW Camper has become a retro icon during recent times, probably due to its association with hippies in the late 1960’s. Many people now look to buy to restore them into their original forms, and then can live the culture that they created in the 60’s. You can also hire VW Camper vans, if you can’t afford your own, but you still wish to experience some of that iconic magic. The Camper is a fun and fantastic option if you are looking to go on a holiday which requires you to travel as well as find your own accommodation.

http://www.devonhappycampers.co.uk/

By Steven Hennis   Thu, Feb 18, 2010

The January 2010 collector car auction season in the Arizona desert has come and gone.  Thousands of cars were bought and sold, millions of dollars changed hands, and the weather was some of the worst on record for the region.  Despite the sluggish economy and wild weather, the beginning of the 2010 collector car auction scene can be deemed a success.

Most people who follow the collector car markets closely, or even on the periphery, know about the annual Barrett-Jackson auction conducted in Scottsdale every January.  It has become a staple of SpeedTV’s schedule, both the live broadcasts and the edited re-broadcasts shown periodically throughout the year.  Craig Jackson, his auctioneers, car wranglers and high profile buyers and sellers are the celebrities of the collector car sales industry.

However, fewer people realize that during that same week there are three other collector car auctions conducted around the Scottsdale area.  The auction houses of Russo & Steele, Silver and RM also conduct collector car auctions during that same week. Although these three other auctions are smaller than Barrett-Jackson, they are still seen as significant events.

The Barrett-Jackson broadcast illustrated the severe weather in the region.  Winds blew steadily and gusted at speeds up to sixty miles per hour, nearly four inches of rain fell, flash flooding developed and there was even a reported tornado in the area.  These collector car auctions make use of massive scale tents in which to conduct their auctions and under which to display the cars to be sold until it is their turn to be on the auction block.

Unfortunately, one of the storage tents at the Russo & Steele auction site succumbed to the storm during Friday night. The tent lifted from its tie downs and supports, dragged across hundreds of cars staged beneath the tent, and blew out onto Highway 101 dragging metal parts and tent poles along.  The damage to cars ranged from some chaffing caused by the tent fabric to serious damage from the tall, steel tent support poles falling directly onto vehicles.  Hagerty Insurance, a collector car insurer, was on the scene Saturday morning to assess the damage, which is estimated at over $1 million in claims. Thankfully, nobody was injured during the incident and most of the cars are likely repairable, however there may be some total losses. It is suspected some consignors were not insured, as the auction does not provide insurance for the cars. The auction did manage to get under way by Sunday, and extended into Monday to get all of the cars to the block.

Despite these difficulties, the auction managed to sell $6.88 million in vehicles (down from over $17 million the past two years), with a sales percentage of 39% and an average sale price per car of $48,000. The RM Auctions event in Phoenix sold $18.2 million in vehicles, with an impressive total sales percentage of 89%.  Additionally, the Silver Auctions event was the same weekend and the Kruse International event was held the previous weekend.

Each of these car auctions is unique, with each auction house catering to different niches and markets.  Barrett-Jackson, with total sales of $68 million (an increase of 11% from 2009) and an average per car of just under $55,000, is the only auction which has absolutely no reserve prices on any of its vehicles.  A “reserve” is a price which is set by the owner such that if no bidder offers a price at or above that reserve, the vehicle will not be sold but will remain with its seller/owner. 

The “Top Sale” of the auction wasn’t even a car though, but a 1929 Hamilton Metalplane which sold for $671,000, the sole airworthy example remaining from a very short production run of twenty nine units.

The next twenty top sales vehicles at Barrett-Jackson were a very eclectic mix.  The two highest-priced cars were original Shelby Cobras (Lots #1317 & #1303), both powered by 289 cid V8’s, which sold for $478,500 and $410,500, respectively.  Shelby Cobras have a very long and well established record of high dollar sales, based upon their incredible performance, race ready looks, extreme rareness, and amazing racing history. It also didn’t hurt that the man himself, Carroll Shelby was there in attendance.

Eight of those top twenty were musclecars from 1966 through 1970.  The top vehicle among this group of immaculate fire breathers was a full bore rottiserie restored 1970 Plymouth Superbird (lot #1289) which featured a 426 cid Hemi engine mated to a 727 Torqueflite automatic transmission. 

Superbirds are very rare birds indeed, produced along with its Dodge Daytona clone, simply to homologate the body for NASCAR racing purposes.  Superbirds are associated with Richard Petty, who dominated the 1970 NASCAR season driving a powder blue one. The design used the basic Mopar B-body design and added an aerodynamic nose, outrageously high rear wing, aerodynamic rear window design and front wheel well air extractors.  Rare by any standards, only 77 were built with the 425 horsepower hemi engine and automatic transmission.

Rounding out the top twenty cars were two immaculately restored pre War models, a 1935 Cadillac Fleetwood and 1937 Cord Phaeton, an amazing 1941 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe transformed into a hot rod, an ultra rare Kaiser Darrin convertible, a resto-modded 1956 Chevy Bel Air convertible, an unusual 1958 Corvette that’s party a resto-mod and partly restored, a very specially ordered 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350, a one-off 2011 Mustang pace car, a limited edition 2008 Corvette factory-built with a 427 cid LS7 engine and a 2008 Mustang FR500S racecar.

The final car in the top twenty is an extremely unique Watson Roadster (Lot #1292) which was custom-built by street rod builders Randy Grubb and Michael Leeds.  These two visionaries came across two vintage M47 Patton Tank engines, which are 1792 cid aluminum air cooled V-12’s which produce an estimated 910 horsepower and 1500 lb-ft of torque.  The first engine was used to build the “Blastolene Special”, which was completed in 2002 and immediately sold to Jay Leno.  This car sold for $280,500 and was the second, and last, Blastolene Special.  The body is an open wheeled design which resembles 1950’s Indy race cars.  The vehicle’s stunning body is over twenty two feet long and overall weight is in excess of four tons, due to very heavy tank engine and Greyhound bus transmission.  This is the sort of car that has come to symbolize the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction – completely over the top!

The RM Auction was conducted in Scottsdale at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, a very fitting location for RM’s typically high end collection of cars for sale.  The highest-bid vehicle did not even sell - an incredible 1940 Chrysler Thunderbolt which was bid up to $1,175,000 but failed to reach the seller’s reserve!

The theme of RM’s 2010 auction at the Biltmore was “The British Are Coming” and that proved to be prophetic as five of the top ten sellers were British. 

The highest selling vehicle was a 1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT, which went for $1,001,000.  This lightweight coupe featured a 302hp six cylinder engine with a close ratio four speed transmission, capable of 0-60 barely six seconds and a top speed in excess of 150 mph.  The handling was extraordinary for the time, thanks to a fully independent front suspension, a live rear axle and four wheel disc brakes.  Only 75 DB4 GT models were produced from 1959 though 1963, making this car extraordinarily rare.  The eighth highest seller was a 282-hp Aston Martin DB5 GT which went for $429,000.

At number two was a $632,500 1967 Shelby 427 Cobra, powered by a 427 cid Ford V8 tuned to produce around 500-hp with an all aluminum body, capable of 0-60 in barely four seconds and 0-60-0 runs of less than ten seconds, a record that stood for decades. 

Three Rolls-Royce models made the top ten: a 1933 PII Continental, a 1934 Phantom II Continental Sedanca and a 1963 Silver Cloud III.  Similarly, two early ‘30s American made Duesenberg Model J cars held down the third and fifth positions among RM’s top sellers.  The ninth highest position was taken by a well optioned, mocha colored, 1933 Chrysler CL Custom Imperial which looks very much at home beside the two Rolls-Royces.

The fifth highest sale at $429,000, was a stunning 1954 Mercury XM-800 Dream Car built for display at the 1954 Detroit Auto Show.  This car possesses a well documented and history.  By 1957, its car show display days were over so the Ford Motor Company gifted it to the University of Michigan’s Automotive Engineering Lab for training and education.  In the mid ‘60s the University sold the XM-800 to a private owner and he moved the car to a rural farm where it was stored in a rented barn space.  At some point the barn storage was needed for other matters and the former Dream Car was pushed outdoors where it sat neglected for several years until it caught the eye of a young car enthusiast who purchased it from the farmer with hopes of restoring it.  This young man never restored the car, but his actions preserved it for over twenty years until he sold it to the most recent owner.  This owner painstakingly researched the XM-800 and restored it back to its original condition and beyond – unlike the original 1954 version, it is now fully functional and drivable.

The XM-800 Dream Car included many forward thinking design and style kudos such as the forward canted A-pillars, aerodynamic fender skirts, and sweeping curves due to the use of fiberglass body panels.

From airplanes and cast off Show Cars to lavish luxury and neck snapping performance, the 2010 Arizona auto auctions once again prove that men really are still smitten with their cars.

By Mandy Edmondson   Sat, Feb 06, 2010

In the early spring of 1999 we needed a truck. My husband and I were both in college, and short on funds, so we went to the junk yard. Neither of us was sure if we would find anything suitable. We paid at the gate, walked in and there it was. A primer grey GMC half ton pickup, a bit beaten up but it had tons of potential.

After a closer look, it looked to be road worthy enough to at least get it home if it started. We found and asked the manager if the early ‘80s GMC truck ran.  He said “We don’t have an early ‘80s GMC.” When we pointed it out to him, he said “That’s a 76’ GMC. At least that’s what the paperwork says! We bought it anyway for $1,500 and left once we got it started. After barely getting it home, we parked it and let it cool down. Soon after we started looking closer at the front end, we found more than expected. The entire front end was shot. The tie rod ends were bent, bushings shot, and the wheel bearings were melted to the spindles!

We had all that fixed in no time, plus added a break booster to go with that straight six motor. We put a fresh coat of grey primer and drove it just like that for a while, even going cross country that summer with no A/C. Going through the desert was hot, I wished we had A/C the whole way!

The straight six finally had a big problem, a spun main bearing, but it was fixable. My husband had been telling me for sometime that he wanted to replace the straight six with a 350, and after a little thinking I said “Honey, if you paint the truck that dark purple I want, you can build your motor.” His eyes lit up like a green light and he agreed, “So that means I can make it a hot rod” he said. I looked at him “No that’s not what I said” and he just stood there. Then it hit me that the other day he had been telling me that that was exactly what he wanted to do. 

And so it started. We bought a used block with heads, had the block bored fourty over and had the heads shaved. We ordered almost everything else we needed to build the engine. While we awaited the arrival of the internal motor parts he painted our truck my beloved deep purple.  It turned out he liked the color too once it was done.

When the parts arrived it only took him a few days to get everything put together and ready to put in the truck. He was rather proud of his accomplishment as this was the first time he had ever done this.  

Just a few days after completing the motor install he told me he was not done, he wanted to put an after market muffler on the truck. A few hundred bucks and a day later and you could hear him about three blocks from our house! Hooker Headers and Flowmaster exhaust were the perfect addition. The neighbors did not like it at all, but he loved it. 

Things went really smooth for several months, and then the transmission started slipping. I guess we should have replaced it with the motor, but with money being tight we didn’t. I asked my mom and her husband, who own a mechanics shop for a little help. They got in contact with a guy that builds custom racing transmissions and we told him exactly what we had so he could build us a transmission. Just a short time later, our transmission was ready, paying just $600 for it. Now his 650 hp engine had a proper transmission; a turbo 350 SS.

Once the motor and transmission were complete he started working on the interior of our truck in his spare time.

He decided he wanted to refinish the dash, as it was still the original. We ended up just recovering the existing dash with an automotive grade vinyl material. That lasted for a few months, and then the decision was made to buy a complete new set of gauges. We had already bought an oil pressure gage since the original gage cluster did not have one. We decided on the PRO-COMP ULTRA-LITE Auto Meter brand sliver faced gages with a silver outer ring. At this point we designed a custom dash and crafted it out of wood. We were looking for something different and unique. You can’t get more unique than designing something yourself. Once we had a final design we found that it was going to be very difficult to cover. Ultimately we decided not to cover the dash, but to leave it in a raw wood state. 

As time went on we found that many people in our community knew of our truck. Our daughter loved it, saying “Faster daddy, faster!” anytime we went anywhere. She also loved to go in the parking garage at the mall and set off car alarms as they drove through. I think my husband did too. His favorite thing to do was to race the person who pulled up next to him at a light and thought they could beat him. He won most, and lost a few, but always in good fun. We all enjoyed having people ask us about our truck, and always drove it to the local car shows, but we never entered it in a show. Sometimes I think we really should have entered it in a few shows, but you know the old saying “Hind sight is 20 / 20”. 

In February 2002, he ended up killing the 350 engine too, as the cam bolts backed off and caused all kinds of things to go wrong. The block and most of the internal parts were ok and it could have been fixed, but we decided to buy a new Chevy Silverado instead. He was comminuting about 65 miles a day, five days a week for work, and the gas prices were killing us. As I think with most people who build a hot rod style car, we did not intend for it to be daily driver commuter. My little brothers’ 16^th birthday was coming up, and he was restoring a ‘64 C10 Chevy and he wanted to build his own engine. At this point he did not have a block to start with, so I talked to my husband and we decided to pull our engine and give it to him. My husband wanted to turn our truck into a drag only truck anyway. 

Our truck sat untouched for several months, but then we pulled the transmission out to put it into our next project, our daughters Camaro.  

My husband received a job offer in Texas that we could not pass up, so we moved. We could only take one of the project cars with us so we took the Camaro. We decided that the Camaro was more important because it was our daughters’ car, with which she had helped with every step of the way. The truck was left on my grandmother’s property in Southern California. Eventually we signed the truck over to my little brother so he could sell it. Keep in mind this is the same brother that we gave the engine to, so eventually he got the whole thing! Just a short time later my grandmother told me that our truck was gone.  

My car “loving” brother sold our truck, to a scrap yard! When I asked him why he would do such a thing, he told me it was in his way and he did not have the time to try and sell it. It still makes us mad when we think about what happened to our truck. We would have never signed it over to him had we had known that he would cut it up like that.  

We will always have good memories about our first project truck. It was a great and humbling experience that taught us just how much we enjoyed working on cars and trucks. I can’t wait until we have the room to start on another project.

By Carson Honaker   Tue, Feb 09, 2010

If you love muscle cars like I do, then get ready to have your “pistons blown off” at Floyd Garrett's Muscle Car Museum.   Floyd Garrett is a nationally known muscle car expert with over 40 years of hands on experience with these high performance vehicles.  When it comes to answering questions about muscle cars, he probably knows the answer.

Floyd Garrett built up a highly successful trucking company that hauled wood chips from local lumberyards to paper mills in Fernandina Beach, Florida.  Once he was financially secure, he started collecting vintage muscle cars that he loved from his youth.  He focused on the rare and unusual, starting with the first car in his collection, a black 1970 Chevelle that he bought in 1975.

As Floyd's collection of muscle cars grew, he wanted to share his love of these high performance machines with the public.  Eventually he moved to Tennessee and after collecting a number of muscle cars through the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, he opened Floyd Garrett's Muscle Car Museum on April 26^th, 1996.  The museum is located in Sevierville,  Tennessee in the beautiful Smoky Mountains. Floyd's collection has grown to over 90 cars that are worth over $7 million.  Besides muscle cars, there are also cars of beauty, distinction, and style from the ‘40s and ‘50s. 

The museum is Nirvana for anyone who loves American muscle cars.  It is definitely one of the finest collections of such vehicles anywhere.  The museum has rare cars, early drag cars, factory race cars, and even some celebrity owned cars which all make for a fascinating collection.  The first automobile that you'll encounter as you enter the museum is Elvis Presley's first limo, a 1960 Lincoln.  The cost for the limo new was a whopping $10,544!

But muscle cars are Floyd Garrett's true love and passion.  Some of the cars in the museum are vehicles that most of us have only read about in magazines.  Among them are a 1971 Cuda convertible, a 1969 ZL1 Camaro, a 1971 Dodge 440 Superbee, a 1962 409, and a 1969 Boss 429 Mustang.

1962 Chevy Impala 409

1971 Dodge 440 Superbee

1971 Cuda Convertible

In addition to the breath taking vehicles on display, the museum also includes a display of rare racing engines, a collection of racing memorabilia, and a gift shop with various souvenirs for automobile junkies.  Touring the museum will take about 45 minutes to an hour for visitors to take everything in.  Floyd owns many of the cars in the museum but the majority of classic vehicles are on loan from other car collectors.  All automobiles have been restored to immaculate, running condition.

The museum is also home to a couple of ‘60s-era Pontiac drag cars, as well.  One of the classics is a “Swiss cheese” 1963 Catalina two door Sedan.  There is also a an amazing black '62 Super Duty 421 lightweight that was campaigned in the early ‘60s by dealer Ted Ware Pontiac. 

If you love race cars from yesteryear, Garrett's museum has some of these, too.  There is Dyno Don Nicholson's '65 Comet A/FX car and early NASCAR is represented by an unusual 1957 Chevy convertible originally driven by Joe Lee Johnson, winner of NASCAR’s 1959 National Convertible Championship.

There is something for everyone with more than 90 ground-pounding, fire-breathing examples of human engineering.  The museum is open all year except for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April to December and and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from January to March.  Adults tickets are $9.75, ages 8 to 12 are $4.00, and under 8 years old is no charge (taxes not included).  The museum is located at 320 Winfield Dunn Parkway in Sevierville, Tennessee. 

By Isaac Small   Thu, Feb 04, 2010

So, you think you know your cars now, do you? Well, consider this to be a test of your knowledge of Pontiac history. 21 Pontiacs are featured here: some are current models while others are truly classic in every sense of the word, dating back to the early 1960s. 

Aztec - Ugly is as ugly does. This crossover vehicle ashamed the Pontiac fleet for two years during the early 00s.

Bonneville - Full sized Pontiac sedan excitement retired in 2005 after more than 40 years of service. Part of GM’s massive restructuring and retiring of top model names.

Catalina - This model hearkens back to the mid 60s when two door hard tops ruled the day. Discontinued during the late 70s during GM’s "down sizing" shell game days.

Fiero - Mid-engine sport two-seater built for Pontiac during the go-go 80s. GM reached into their parts bin and took out Chevette and other components to create this little roadster.

Firebird - It goes without saying that this "pony" car is sorely missed. The good news is that it may be back by the time the 2009 model year rolls around.

Firefly - Twin to the Geo Metro, the Firefly was Pontiac’s 3 cylinder captive import of the late eighties to mid nineties.

G6 - Current compact model in Pontiac’s arsenal available in rakish coupe or sporty sedan.

Grand Am — With its 1973 debut, the Grand Am quickly became the division’s mid-range performance car. Retired in 2005 with a host of other Pontiac model names.

Grand Prix - Hidden tail lights and a concave rear window marked the Grand Prix’s 1963 debut. The car has survived GM’s model name shake out and today’s car is a mid-sized, front wheel drive sports sedan.

GTO - Introduced in 1967, the GTO was a true coupe turned sports car. Eliminated in the 1970s, the GTO is back thanks to GM’s Australian division, Holden. Rear wheel drive and a big V8 too.

LeMans - Originally a Tempest model, the LeMans became its own model once the Tempest name was retired in the 1970s. Retired in the mid 1990s after a cheap Korean car was allowed to carry its name. Sheesh!

Montana — A minivan for Pontiac, if not for the ages.

Parisienne - During the 1980s Pontiac needed a version of the Chevrolet Caprice. This full sized, rear wheel drive sedan filled the bill.

Phoenix - Part of GM’s "X cars" of compact import fighting vehicles introduced during 1979 as a 1980 model.

Sunbird - Nothing but a rebadged Chevy Cavalier.

Sunfire - Compact coupe retired in 2005 as part of, you guessed, GM’s model restructuring.

Sunrunner - Nothing but a rebadged Geo/Chevy Tracker.

Tempest - From the early sixties until the early seventies, the term "muscle car" befit this hot coupe. Especially nice as a convertible!

Trans Sport - Hideous looking minivan that debuted in the early 1990s. Mercifully replaced years later by the Montana.

Vibe - A currently produced compact five door sport wagon; cousin to the Toyota Matrix.

So, there you have it. At least another half dozen models were left out from this time period plus many models that dated back to the division’s founding as part of the Oakland Automobile Company in 1926. Pontiac excitement...have you caught it yet?

By Stefan Abrutat   Sun, Jan 24, 2010

You’d think, if anyone knew how to drive in the snow, it would be Canadian Police. Apparently this is not the case in Toronto, where this police cruiser answering a 911 burglary call swerved to avoid another vehicle, lost control and ploughed into the front room of a house. Judging by the angle he arrived at, he must have caught some sweet air!

We are happy to say that the officer was unhurt in the incident, although Sherriff Roscoe P. Coltrane has been through worse.

By Paul Fraser   Sun, Jan 24, 2010

This has been a record-breaking year for classic cars, proving that the collectors' market has remained resilient throughout the recession.

Bonhams enjoyed a record sales total of £3.7m at its Important Collectors' Motor Cars & Fine Automobilia at Olympia, earlier this month (December 7). Ninety-five percent of its lots sold by value, with a vintage 1906 Rolls-Royce Light 20hp Tourer proving itself as the star car, bringing an incredible £441,500.

Across the pond, we've reported on no less than four world records racked-up by Canada's RM Auctions, throughout 2009. Dominating these, of course, was the breathtaking sale of the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, for a staggering $12.4m last May. With the sale, RM managed to smash its own world record for the highest price achieved at auction. Another world record at RM in 2009 was the sale of a historic 1952 Jaguar C-Type. Selling for $2,530,000, it established a new record for a C-Type.

Next-up was the 1950 Aston Martin DB2 Team Car 'VMF 64'. Boasting Le Mans and Mille Miglia provenance - and the Chairman of Aston Martin as a past owner - it set a new auction world record for an Aston Martin DB2, achieving $910,745 in London, last October.

Elsewhere, an award-winning 1932 Ford Model 18 Deluxe Three-Window Coupe doubled its original estimate, selling for a record price for a Ford Model 18 of $165,000 at RM's Amelia Island sale.

Finally, don't forget the impact that celebrity provenance can have on a car, particularly when the automobile in question has been overhauled by the design and aviation mastermind Howard Hughes, when his creative and competitive genius was at its peak. Easily the most significant Hughes automobile - he made it more dynamic, reduced the original weight by thousands of pounds and modified it to easily cruise at over 100 mph - it brought a remarkable $1million in Tulsa.

Even this was beaten by a one-of-a-kind Ferrari Fiorano 599 GTB. Painted in Ge Liln porcelain-inspired Oriental swirls by the leading Chinese artist Lu Hao, it sold for $1.77m at an auction in Beijing.

By Car Chat Guy   Thu, Jan 21, 2010

Recently I purchased a used Fisher Price Power Wheels Mustang on eBAY for my son for Christmas. I was interested in the 2005-2009 model, which is virtually impossible to find new, as the new 2010 model has already been introduced, even in kiddie versions.

I found a few and started bidding, eventually winning the bidding on one at half the price of a new one. The auction requirements were form e to pick it up, as it often costs almost as much as the car itself just to box and ship these things. Upon loading it into my van and taking it home, I noticed several of the panels were well worn and scratched up by the two boys who previously owned it. It really needed a new hood, seats, seat belts, steering wheel and rear deck. It really could use new rims and tires, but I decided that new tires were not going to do much more than old ones in terms of driving and traction, and a cheap fix for the rims could be a $4-5 can of chrome silver spray paint.

I found a couple of local Power Wheels service reps on Google and quoted out the parts I needed. One was a vacuum repair store, and the other was a hobby shop. Each had different pricing on each part, although they were approximately in the same range. I decided upon the hobby shop as they had better knowledge about such things. In a couple of weeks my parts were in and the restoration process began.

I was surprised at how much dirt was under those seats. It looked like many of those unrestored ’65 and ‘66 Mustangs I like to look at on eBAY that people without the time or funds to restore them sell for a couple of thousand dollars. Some of the “bright work” (really silver stickers, not chrome) was also dinged up so I got a new silver sticker sheet for the side mirrors and steering wheel. The stickers representing a mock dashboard were also pretty weathered, probably from the kids leaving the car out in the rain. This was the one part I couldn’t find to replace.

The hood and seats came out very easily, but the rear deck lid was a bit of a challenge. I was a little disappointed at the quality of plastic used for the hood and rear deck lid, not only for the replacements parts, but the originals as well. I’ve seen scale model kits with better higher quality plastic.

Another challenge was figuring out how to get the old steering wheel off. It assembled differently from a Barbie Jeep I assembled earlier for my daughter. I consulted the online assembly manuals, which are pretty good, and saw that the steering wheel center rim was only covered by a Mustang “running pony” sticker, another part that was near impossible to find. I pulled out an old “Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC)” sticker and put it over the new center rim once the new steering wheel was installed. I was getting good at this. The Barbie Jeep took me 2-3 hours to put together, whereas I was only about an hour into this project.

Last was a quick once over with some furniture polish. The manual recommends this over car wash or car wax since the car body made out of plastic.

Christmas morning was a blast! It was cold out but the kids went for a quick ride. The battery is probably the next thing to replace, as the old one doesn’t hold much of a charge for long. The gears might need a little work too, as the car sometimes has trouble going uphill on long grades. Then again, with my son being tall, and getting moreso every day, this will probably be back on eBAY this time next year. Keep looking!

By Aussie Diamond   Wed, Feb 10, 2010

Today, police autos help in patrols, traffic stops, and other activities in every town. They were developed soon afterwards the advent of cars. Before that time, police would patrol their jurisdiction on horseback, or even on foot.

The very first police automobile is alleged to date to 1899, when an electric automobile patrolled the streets of Akron, Ohio. It might only go 16 miles per hour, and had to be recharged every thirty miles, but it was regarded as a major development in the history of police forces. Police officers actually used bikes far before they used patrol cars, in part because autos were more expensive. The switch to cars was motivated essentially by the proven fact that law breakers were using cars ; chasing a car on foot or on horseback became unrealistic.

Early police cars were often referred to as squad cars because they were used to hold a group, or squad, of officials to a crime scene. In the 1920s and 1930s, they were driven by one officer, who could cover a much wider area by driving than on horseback, thus saving the police dep. money. These autos were often the same ones driven by non combatants with a few alterations, sometimes just markings and lights.

The 1932 Ford was an extremely preferred car offering high power for a good price ; as a consequence, many police automobiles were adapted from this model. For that period of time, the Ford offered way higher power than both Chevy and Dodge. It was not till the 1950's that major motor corporations started offering special police packages ; Ford was the first to do so in 1950, followed by Chevy in 1955 and Dodge in 1956.

Though new police cars aren't supplied to non combatants, vintage police vehicles are very popular for restoration and display. Retired patrol vehicles can be restored with all of the proper equipment, since a lot of this is available to the general public. it can be hard to find period-correct parts and accessories for older autos.

Modern police automobiles come in all shapes and colours, although the majority are black and white or white and blue, with decals to allow them to be easily identifiable for non combatants. They might be called patrol vehicles, cruisers, or interceptors. Various makes and models have been used across the years ; most are based on standard models of civilian autos. Popular models throughout the years have included the Chrysler Enforcer in the early 1960s, the Mercury Monterey of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Ford Torino and LTD during the 1970s, the Chevy Impala during the late 70's and early 1980's, and the Chevrolet Caprice in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Most police cars today are adapted from mainline cars like Mercedes-Benz autos in Germany, or the Chevrolet Caprice and Impala, Ford Focus, Dodge Charger, or other well-liked models in the U. S. . Today, the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is a popular model designed specifically for police use based on the Crown Victoria civilian car. Today police cars are hi-tech with every tool imaginable.

By Gabriel Lozen   Sun, Feb 07, 2010

You could collect hood ornaments not just because they are considered collectors’ pieces or because they are old but also because of their intrinsic, artistic value. Hood ornaments are essentially company logos but some of the hood ornaments that people collect are beautiful enough to be considered works of art.

Hood ornaments are also called ‘mascots’. These may be categorized as ‘factory’ mascots or ‘accessory’ mascots. The figure of the ram on the 1935 Dodge is an example of a ‘factory mascot’. The car manufacturer made the factory mascots while the more fancy ‘accessory’ mascots were specially created by jewelers or artists. This is why accessory mascots are considered to be of much greater value than other types of hood ornaments.

You will find that the hood ornaments you collect will be mostly made of nickel or chrome-plated zinc. However, you may come across hood ornaments that are worth collecting in brass, bronze, glass, pewter, and polished aluminum as well. Most hood ornaments end up getting dented or pitted so you may find it difficult to build up a collection of hood ornaments that are in an unused state. Accessory ornaments fetch a higher value if they still have their original price tags or packing. The best known examples of hood ornaments that belong to collections are the twenty nine glass mascots designed by French designer, Rene Lalique.

Your first step towards collecting is to specialize in a segment that will allow you to collect hood ornaments that fit your budget. Hood ornaments made by Ford, Chrysler, Kaiser and Buick are far more affordable than the ones made by Rolls Royce, Auburn and Cord.

Every once in a while you may chance upon hood ornaments that you can collect, in auto salvage yards. Another good option is to look for hood ornaments in flea markets and yard sales that are still attached to old cars. If you do find a hood ornament that is part of an old automobile, request the owner to allow you to buy only the ornament. You can sometimes pick up a collectible hood ornament really cheap especially in rural areas.

Look after your collection of hood ornaments very well as they will be useless as collector’s pieces if they get develop pits or dents. Keep them in a dry place, away from any kind of moisture. Do not use any harsh cleaning agents on them.

Remember: if you cannot afford to build your collection of hood ornaments from Lalique don’t despair! You can build up a collection of hood ornaments even on a budget and yet be proud of it.

By Carson Honaker   Mon, Feb 22, 2010

Eighteen year old foreign exchange student, Nicolas Carranza from Quito, Ecuador brought with him not only his Ecuadorian culture but a strong love for the automobile.  He turned 18 over the summer and came to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and attends high school as a senior. His hometown with a population of 1.5 million, is the capital of Ecuador, but he and his family live in the outer parts of Quito, what we would call the suburbs. 

It is often in these areas that there will be local car shows.  Nicolas tries to attend as many as he can.  In fact, Nicolas and his father entered one of his father's classic cars, a 1972 Mercedes Benz 280, in a local car show recently.  Nicolas recalls that it was a very exciting moment when the car won a showmanship trophy and he and his father enjoyed the many compliments they received about the car.

Nicolas isn't fully sure why he has such a love for cars.  His father is a program officer for the United Nations, so he is often away on business.  His mother is a chemical engineer.  So that often leaves Nicolas and his younger brother on their own, mostly spending time with friends.  Nicolas believes the time he had to spend with friends, who also love cars, is probably the reason why cars hold his fascination. 

Back in Quito, Nicolas was able to take an automotive repair class at his high school.  He says this was by far his favorite class.  Last year, he and his friends were lucky enough to work on one of his favorite cars, a Ford Mustang.  In the class, the focus was on taking an engine from a '64 Mustang apart and then putting it back together.  The class project lasted almost six months but Nicolas says it was very exhilarating and something that he'll never forget.

When Nicolas arrived in Chippewa Falls, he hoped to take an automotive class at the high school he was going to attend.  Unfortunately the class was already full, so instead he   went about looking for a local car club with which to get involved. He ended up calling the Chippewa Valley Sports Car Club.  He isn't a member since his stay in the U.S. is so short, but he is able to meet with the club once a month. 

As part of the car club, Nicolas was able to be a part of the “Wheels & Wings” event this past September which had an aviation fly-in, air show, and a collector car show.  Nicolas says that it was a blast and he saw many amazing vehicles.

Of course, like everyone, Nicolas is more partial to certain vehicles than others. His favorite car is the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer.

He really loves the sleek styling of the body and the performance-tuned suspension.  Back in Quito, he was able to test drive one with his father and he said it drove so smoothly and had “amazing” power.  When it comes to something more classic, Nicolas really loves the '67 Porsche 911 as he says it has a lot of power and rides very comfortably.

He has really enjoyed his time in the United States, but he is excited about his future as he finishes high school.  He plans to do something automobile related.  He'd like to try his hand at car racing but also likes taking cars apart.  So his initial plan is to go to mechanics school back in Quito, Ecuador.  He'd also like to collect some classic cars on the side and fix them up in his spare time.

By Dean Sherwin   Sun, Jan 24, 2010

Recently, I have noticed a growing trend in the motorsport world. As Formula 1 was rocked by concerns over it’s existence during 2009 and the global recession put pressure on the auto industry, drivers started to become edgy. Unsettled even. Eying greener pastures, shifting in their racing seats and taking bold moves.

What's happening to team loyalty? Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, you stayed with your team until the bosses kicked you out! Now those same bosses are begging drivers to stay and scrambling to bring up younger drivers to replace those who do make the switch.

The surprise return of Michael Schumacher to F1, following a neck injury, a few years ago tops the news. However, this time around he won't be driving his red Ferrari. Instead he'll be climbing into a Mercedes factory team car. The deal to have Schumacher race in a Silver Arrows car was signed towards the end of December.

Each team has begun testing their new cars, perhaps most notably McLaren, allowing significant media access to their testing phases. It appears all the teams are rallying together to get more media coverage, and hopefully more interest from the public.

Kimi Raikkonen, the F1 star who won the World Championship, is now starting to feel more at home in the World Rally Championship under Citroen. He contested several rallies for the team in 2009 and now all signs point to him staying in the driver's seat for the 2010 championship, possibly resulting in a permanent switch from Formula 1 to rally.

He said "I always wanted to compete in rally, especially in the World Rally Championship at some point in my career. Thanks to Red Bull, I have the opportunity to drive the best car of the series with the Citroen C4. This is a new but very exciting challenge. For the moment we have a one year contract and we will see how it goes for the future. I am really looking forward to testing the car and taking the start of the first rally."

Ford is also unleashing their new Fiesta S2000 onto the WRC stages this year and putting Martin Prokop behind the wheel. The 27 year old Czech, Junior WRC World Champion will have his first race with the big boys in Sweden between the 11^th and 14th of February when the WRC kicks off once again.

While speaking very highly of his new car and team, Prokop said "I decided to drive the Fiesta S2000 because it is a great, beautifully built car. I like the way Ford organizes its WRC campaign, as well as the fact it knows how to present its successes and effectively support its customer teams."

Meanwhile, smaller rallies (mainly for the cameras and local fans) have been taking place throughout Europe such as the Citroen French Championship and UK stages.

Sebastian Loeb, who barely scraped by in Wales GB Rally to take the 2009 WRC crown with co-driver Daniel Elena is now being considered to drive in Lemans for Peugeot. He, along with several other drivers were taking part in tests and it will be decided soon whether or not he too will jump between motor sport classes and race in Lemans this summer.

Meanwhile in the Le Mans World, we have yet another shifting driver. Jean-Christophe Boullion, 2005-06 Lemans champion and Vice-Champion in 2009 will make up the fourth driver for the Rebellion team for the 2010 season and will also be at the helm for the 24 Hours of Lemans. While this is said to be high ambitions from the Swiss team in the sport, one can't help but wonder if it's part of the aforementioned trend.

A little birdie also told me that Alex Mac Dowell, the successful Saloon Car racer is considering a move to the MSA British Touring Car Championship after a good debut test drive of a rear wheel drive BMW a few weeks ago. A big change from his small Renault Clio he currently races.

Alex said "The test was fantastic and I want to say a big thank you to everyone at Motorbase for helping things go so smoothly. The BMW is obviously a completely different car to what I've been used to the last couple of years in Renault Clios but I didn't have any problems adapting to the rear wheel drive. The increased grip was one of the biggest differences."

As the 2010 championships get geared up and ready to race, drivers and teams are still moving around all over the place while smaller tournaments are not given their usual spot in the limelight during winter months. Let's hope lasts year's success and professional decorum remains for the first season of a brand new racing decade amongst those who lead the international racing scene.

By Maria M.   Thu, Jan 28, 2010

If you’re a car guy or gal visiting Detroit, you won’t want to miss out on seeing GM World. Admission is free to this part showroom/part auto museum which features a rotating display of about thirty cars and trucks, all GM products, of course, including vintage, classic and currently available models.

Located on the ground floor of the riverfront tower, GM’s exhibit space is huge, almost the size of a football field, and features twenty large scale interactive video screens that give an overview of GM’s century of history, as well as the particular history and features of the vehicles currently on display. You can take your time, look around, and kick the tires. Well, okay, they might mind if you kick the tires, but you can sit in the latest models and some of the old standards, remembering your glory days or imaging those just around the corner.

GM World also rotates in special displays. For example, in 2003 to celebrate the Corvette’s 50th anniversary, GM brought in 18 different versions of the Corvette through time, starting with a ‘53 Corvette and hitting all the highlights between then and now.

What else to see while you’re there: When you’re done with the GM World auto display, make sure you check out the Renaissance Center itself. At 758", it’s easily the tallest building in Detroit. There are shops, a hotel, restaurants, and exhibits that will keep you looking around for at least a couple hours. When you’re done, you can head up in a glass elevator to the Coach Insignia restaurant on the 73rd floor, where you can splurge on a posh meal, or simply take in a pretty amazing panoramic view of Detroit, the Detroit River, and Windsor, Ontario.

Detroit Historical Museum

Location: 5401 Woodward Avenue, Detroit 48202

Phone: (313) 833-1805

Size: 80,000+ sq ft

Admission: $4-$6, Children under 4 are free

Open: Wednesday through Sunday

Just three miles up Woodward from the GM World Headquarters, you’ll find the Detroit Historical Museum, another must-see attraction when visiting Detroit. The Detroit Historical Museum, as the name suggests, features more than just car exhibits, but this being Detroit, cars feature heavily in both the city’s history and the museum’s exhibits. On the first floor, across from the main entrance, you will find the first of the museum’s two auto exhibits. Known as the Motor City Exhibit, this permanent but perpetually updated collection features the first car ever driven in Detroit, a Tin Lizzie that you can sit in or crank, and a bit of history about Detroit’s long and sometimes tumultuous love affair with the auto industry. In the words of the museum’s website, the display seeks to educate visitors on "how cars built metro Detroit and how metro Detroit built cars." When you’re done checking out what the first floor has to offer, you can head upstairs to the second floor and what many gear heads will love best about the museum, an auto assembly line replica where you can see cars being put together.

Sloan Museum

Location: Flint Cultural Center Campus, 1221 E. Kearsley Street, Flint 48503

Phone: (810) 237-3450

Size: Multi-site

Admission: $3-$6, Children under 2 are free

Open: Daily (Buick Gallery closed on Sundays)

What else to see while you’re there: The Detroit Historical Museum has too many features to list, but many locals will tell you that their favorite part of any visit is the Streets of Detroit exhibit in the museum’s basement. Travelling down a flight of stairs will take you back in time. You’ll get a sense of what Detroit looked like at different points over the course of the city’s over 300 year history.

For many people who’ve never been to Detroit, and even for some who have, their only familiarity with the city of Flint comes from Michael Moore’s 1989 movie Roger & Me. The Sloan Museum is named for Alfred P. Sloan, who was President and Chairman of General Motors long before Roger Smith came on the scene.

Flint, located about an hour north of Detroit, is tied to the city in literal terms by I-75, but also by the auto industry. If you’re in the area, and you love cars and car history, travelling up to Flint to visit the Sloan Museum is definitely worth the trek. Like the Detroit Historical Museum, the Sloan Museum features far more than cars, but the car exhibits are simply not to be missed.

The museum features a number of permanent exhibits, like the Flint and the American Dream gallery which showcases Flint as the birthplace of General Motors. But where this place really shines is in its rotating selection of special features, like the recent sixteen week Arts, Cars, and Stars exhibit, which featured a fun mix of history, hands on interactivity, and some really fascinating cars, like the Buick Bug.

Photo courtesy of Douglas Wilkinson

The Sloan Museum is also home to the Buick Gallery and Research Center, where you can see more than 25 locally manufactured classics and concept cars, including a ‘51 XP-300, a ‘54 Wildcat II, a ‘56 Centurion, a ’63 Silver Arrow, and a ’77 Phantom.

Beyond the main museum and the Buick Gallery collections, The Sloan Museum is a sort of epicenter for car enthusiast happenings in the area, so if you’re planning on visiting, check the museum’s website for special events. For example, the Sloan Museum’s annual Auto Fair, which happens every summer, has been referred to by local press as "a car fanatic’s paradise." Last year’s theme was "Muscles, Speed, and Performance." The event drew over 600 cars. This year will mark the fair’s 38th year.

What else to see while you’re there: When you’re visiting, you’ll probably want to plan enough time to see the rest of the museum, and not just the car exhibits. This place has something for everyone, but is especially loved by kids. There are science exhibits and a planetarium with laser shows and a ‘50s style diner.

Photo courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society

By Susan Hart   Sat, Jan 23, 2010

My name is Henry T, and I was born in 1915. My latest owner loved me very much, but had to sell because he needed money for medical expenses. A new home was sought so an ad was placed in the newspaper, and soon, a man came to take a look at me. He walked around and around, stopped to look under my hood, then conferred with Ben, my current owner. They nodded and a deal was struck.

Ben put me back in the barn and I sat there for a few days. Saturday came, and there were sounds outside the barn door. Ben opened the doors up suddenly, and brilliant sunshine flowed in. A rental car dolly was right outside, attached to a large white van. On the side of the van it read "PCPA Theatrefest — Alan Hancock College".

Ben patted me a few times and after handing the stranger my keys and paperwork, turned suddenly and went back inside his house. Several men loaded me onto the car dolly, strapped me down, and we were off.

We arrived in Santa Maria an hour later and I was unloaded outside of a small warehouse, then wheeled inside. The men were excited and asked if they could see me run. Paul, my caretaker, started looking under my hood, spraying things under there which felt cool, and sitting inside on the driver’s seat. He got me started after releasing the clutch and moving a few gears.

After a while, they all left and closed the door. In the dark, I could see that I was surrounded by racks of costumes and boxes of shoes, and a few pieces of flat wood that resembled trees I wondered what it all meant. I looked over at a counter and saw a manual. It read "Reproduction of a 1915 Model T Owner’s Manual".

In the weeks that followed I was driven around the parking lot and then over to a green and grassy field. Someone took a lot of photographs with actors sitting inside of me, dressed in period costume. I learned that I was to star in a play called Ragtime. It was a bit nerve wracking, because I didn’t really know what a play was. My caretaker, Paul, made a wheeled dolly and then I was attached to that. I didn’t use my wheels to move around, and instead, was wheeled around like royalty. I was polished and shined until my dark blue paint sparkled.

Days later they took me over to a large building which they referred to as a theatre. Inside, I was placed on a large wooden area and I could see many rows of seats in front of it. Apparently, people usually sit in these seats and watch things that are going on in the area of this stage, where I sat. During the weeks that followed, people sat in me, sang in me, sang around me and even danced beside me. A lot of the time they were also sad, then happy, then angry again. Eventually, everyone was excited because "Opening Night" had arrived.

People were nervous and when the music began, the curtains opened. Ragtime was my first play and I loved it. A young man, Coalhouse was his name, bought me in the play and this gave him a great sense of pride and satisfaction. He took his girl for a ride and then some racist firemen wrecked me because Coalhouse was an African American and "didn’t deserve to own such a fine car". This incident made Coalhouse bitter and angry and in the end, led to his death.

When the show ended each night I took a curtain call. This made me almost as happy as when Ben had owned me.

After a few weeks they loaded me back onto the dolly and we drove about 40 miles down to a little Danish town called Solvang, where I was unloaded into an outdoor theatre. That was a little eerie at night because when all was dark and everyone had gone home, the bats would fly in and out of the rafters, and the pigeons would make haunting noises as they woke from sleep.

We played a few more weeks in Solvang and then I was taken back to Santa Maria and put into storage. There was a fun evening where I sat out front of a fundraising event and where people could look at me as they went in. An online auction was held after that and I was sold to a deli owner who would now take me to another home.

My caretaker Paul gave me one last wipe with a soft cloth after he showed me to my new owner, and as saw me being loaded onto a car dolly and then driven away, he turned and went back into the warehouse which had been my temporary home.

Later, as I sat in a luxurious garage at my new home, and after my new owner gave me another wipe with a soft cloth, turned for a last look, then shut off the light and closed the door, I knew I was loved once again. I guess it’s not a bad life - living almost a hundred years and still getting around pretty good, and being loved many times over.

I think that my maker, Henry Ford, had only love in mind as I rolled off the assembly line. That, and fulfilling the American Dream, just like Coalhouse in Ragtime. 

By Dean Sherwin   Fri, Jan 22, 2010

The cars that were featured in TV shows and movies are the objects of fantasy brought into our reality. There are many cars considered legendary because of their Hollywood connections, driven by fictional characters just as fascinating as their rides.

Starsky and Hutch

The Gran Torino is a stunning piece of American styling. Everything about it screams “back off” but in a sleek and sexy way. When the show first aired in 1975 it caused a whirlwind of admiration for the show, and the car. More than a few Torinos were painted red with the trademark white stripe, as Ford even offered it as an option. Hutch gave it the nickname “The Striped Tomato”.

The producers used several different Gran Torinos during stunt scenes, beauty shots and driving scenes. The cars were model years ‘74 thru ’76, but since the body style of the Torino didn’t change it wasn’t really noticed much, if at all by viewers.Now, a few of the cars have been restored, and are on display in museums such as this one in the Imperial Palace Auto Collection in Las Vegas.

The Torinos often suffered body damage during stunts and were reused in filming. Some eagle-eyed, die-hard fans of the show spotted several dents and misshapen panels in some scenes, especially as kinproduction was winding down in the final season.

 Knight Rider

A 1982 Pontiac Trans Am “KITTed” out with high tech gadgets, such as self-healing technology and full access to military and government files and communication would set you back a fair amount of dough so most of us simply settled for relaxing at home letting “The Hoff” pick up the tab for us.

While a Ford Shelby GT500KR Mustang was used for the 2008 ABC remake of the show, I personally think the KITT 2000 based on the Trans Am platform is still the best. Remember the cool interior with all the instruments and equipment. Michael Knight had the Interior Oxygenator, Video Display Monitors, Passive Laser Restraint Systems and the ever useful Surveillance mode that allowed KITT to track its surrounding and all the people/vehicles in it at his disposal.

The original KITT is on display at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida but there have been several different reincarnations of the car such as in music videos, commercials and in subsequent movies and productions.

The team behind building the actual car for the show said “it took an extraordinary amount of time and effort to come up with all KITT's features. The easy part was building them and putting them into the Trans Am”.

Dukes of Hazzard

The 1969 Dodge Charger, painted orange with an “01” on each door and a confederate flag on the roof was Bo and Duke's car in the ‘80s surprise hit series the “Dukes of Hazzard”. The car quickly took on its own name, the General Lee, in a reference to the Confederate General, Robert E. Lee.

It would perform spectacular stunts in every episode, such as high speed corners on country dirt roads, jumps over ravines, and rough landings. The car had the doors welded shut forcing Bo and Luke to jump through the windows, after sliding across the mile long hood, something which became kind of a trademark move for the pair. Other modifications included permanently open windows and visible roll bars.

The Charger itself has recently been sold at private auction for just shy of half a million dollars, a testament to how much the TV series meant to fans of the show and auto enthusiasts.

Bullitt

In 1968, Steve McQueen was back on the silver screen with “Bullitt”, a tale of a detective and his iconic 390 CID V8 Ford Mustang with over 325bhp.

The most notable scene in the film, and probably one of the best car chase scenes in movie history, is when Detective Bullitt is pursued by two assassins in a black Dodge Charger through the hilly streets of San Francisco. The Charger and its equally charred occupants meet their demise by running into a gas station, while Mc Queen steers into a nearby ravine, busting the front wheel.

The film is so well revered that was selected by the Library of Congress to be in preservation at the National Film Registry. Ford has also produced modern “Bullit” versions of the Mustang in 2007 and 2008 in order to commemorate the car.

Batman (1965 Series)

Batman is one of the world's most recognized super heroes, and has a fan base of millions. His car however, the Batmobile has a following of its own. While it has been remodelled severely since its original version dating from the 1939 comics where it was nothing more than a luxury sedan with a bat motif, during the ‘80s, ‘90s and pretty much made into a tank for the 2007 movie, I think the '55 Lincoln Futura concept car which was kitted-out for the television series in the mid ‘60s is the image which springs to mind for most when they think of the Batmobile.

Tthe Bat-Phone, police radio and a laser were fitted to the car along with other gadgets. Building the car for the series was done in less than three weeks when 20^th Century Fox pushed the show’s slot forward in their schedule. An old '55 Lincoln Futura, which had been lying around a workshop often used for movie car modifications, was quickly modified and thus the most iconic version of the Batmobile was born.

Cars represent a time in the 20^th century that yearned for freedom, fulfilment and speed. So it's important to recognize the important role TV and film has played in creating these cultural icons.

By Christopher Smith   Thu, Jan 21, 2010

The final few years of the “Decade of Excess” were a significant turning point for the automobile, both in terms of technology and performance. Modern amenities such as anti- lock brakes, adjustable suspension, traction control and airbags were becoming more prevalent. The finer points of computerized engine management were finally starting to pay dividends, with nearly all vehicles monitored by a bevy of sensors controlled by a computer, adjusting everything from ignition timing to fuel pressure. Carburetors and distributor caps were being replaced by coil packs and electronic fuel injection.

Horsepower figures, both in naturally aspirated and forced induction applications, were quickly rising, giving birth to the quickest cars since the heyday of the original muscle car days, while at the same time offering better fuel economy and significantly cleaner exhaust emissions. The end of the ‘80s saw the proliferation of the minivan, the birth of the modern SUV, and the beginnings of the import tuner craze. As these cars inch closer to the quarter-century collector mark, some could well be on the verge of a value explosion. In fact, some are already there.

At long last, in a decade that opened with a fuel crisis, a recession, and a general consensus that the days of motoring for pleasure were over, comes the final segment of this three part exploration into a fascinating era of automotive evolution. Trust me when I say it was worth the wait

1988 Pontiac Fiero GT

Time has been good to the short lived Fiero, especially the 1988 GT model. That was the year GM saw fit to actually give the car its own suspension, as opposed to the earlier cars which borrowed components from a variety of pint sized GM econocars. The suspension tweaks turned the already spry corner carver into road course hero, and though the mid-mounted 2.8 liter V6 engine only made 135 horsepower, the two seat Fiero was a featherweight at just 2,600 pounds. Hooked to a five speed manual, it easily tripped high 15 second quarter mile times, although the car’s natural environment was anything but a straight line acceleration run. Its low stance, mid engine configuration, four wheel disc brakes and balanced handling made the Fiero a true sports car delight, equaling or even besting some rather notable competition from Germany and Italy. Yes, the Fiero had a bad rap for reliability, and it’s been the basis for far too many copy cat body kits, including one very Ferrari-esque dealer-option package called the Fiero Miera, but in reality the Fiero was a great little runabout, and that affection is the reason why these cars have such a loyal following today.

Where are they now?: Low mileage GTs in good original condition are no longer the pennies on the dollar purchases they used to be. Book prices suggest a retail figure of $5,000, but real world prices have the nicer examples falling in the $6,000 to $10,000 range, with showroom cars going higher. Given the Fiero’s passionate following and the 1988 specific upgrades, many feel this particular model is a contender to become a high dollar collectible.

 1988 BMW E30 M3

Thirty years ago, the automobile was struggling for a new identity in a rapidly changing world. The tried and true methods of creating horsepower were no longer acceptable. The old American adage of “bigger is better” was invalidated by changing political forces and a need to do more with less. The significance of the day is never truly understood or appreciated until viewed through the scope of history, and though nobody realized it at the time, the merging of old school engineering and modern computer technology was completely changing the automotive landscape, creating the foundation upon which all modern vehicles exist. It was the decade where automotive evolution took a larger leap forward then ever before. That’s where the character comes from. That’s where the passion comes from. That’s why we love our '80s cars.

The legend that is the BMW M3 began in 1986, when BMW manufactured 5,000 road-going copies so the original M3 could compete in the World Touring Car Championship. Based on the company’s compact E30 3-series, the M3 attacked highways around the world with a 195 horsepower, four-cylinder engine sourced from their factory Formula 1 team. A five-speed manual transmission sent power to the rear wheels, aggressive suspension tuning gave the car an amazing combination of poise, confidence and grip without being overtly harsh, and snazzy bodywork dressed up an otherwise subdued exterior. Being BMW, the car was of course outfitted with plenty of luxury bits and tech gadgets, including leather, anti-lock brakes, heated mirrors and door locks, and the all-important M3 badging on the grille and trunk. Approximately 5000 E30 M3s were imported into the U.S. over the course of the model’s five year production run, though they were burdened with a $35,000 sticker price which placed the Bimmer uncomfortably close to cars like the Porsche 911. Nevertheless, the E30 M3 holds a very firm position as one of the greatest road-going performance cars of all time, and it established a premium standard for performance motoring excellence that is still carried by the 2009 E90-series BMW M3.

Where are they now?: The aura and pedigree of the M3 combined with a limited production run keep M3 values between $15,000 and $20,000, even for cars with significant mileage. Finding one is the challenge, as most E30 M3 owners aren’t interested in selling their piece of automotive history.

1988 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z

Manufacturers were trending away from turbochargers near the end of the ‘80s, but somehow the Chrysler bosses missed the memo. They were in love with their 2.2 liter turbo engine, as was tuning legend Carroll Shelby. When he wasn’t busy tweaking the flaccid Dodge Charger into the autocross warrior Shelby GLHS, or turning an innocent Dodge Shadow into the Shelby CSX, he co authored the undeniably sexy Dodge Daytona Shelby Z, powered by a better, stronger, faster, version of the 2.2 turbo that made 174 horsepower. The Shelby Z also delivered suspension tweaks, four wheel disc brakes, a beefy Getrag gear box, and of course the all important Shelby trim. Pop up headlights, a low roofline and a sweeping fastback design gave the Daytona a long, sleek style that looked fast even when it was standing still, and it was plenty fast for the day, if slightly slower than the V8 powered competition from Ford and Chevy. The Daytona, along with much of the Chrysler lineup, suffered from Chrysler quality control issues that plagued the automaker through the ‘80s and ‘90s, but it remains one of the sexiest cars to have graced the roadways of yesteryear Americana.

Where are they now?: Whether or not the Shelby magic will translate to the turbo Dodges of the ‘80s remains to be seen, but thus far values for the Daytona aren’t terrifically extravagant. Expect to pay in the $6,000 range for a low mile, excellent condition Shelby Z, with well used models going for significantly less.

1987 Buick GNX

Ah yes, you probably thought I’d forgotten about this car. The original ‘82 Regal Grand National already received our nod back in part one of this series, but the GNX is simply in another category altogether. Marketed as the “Grand National to end all Grand Nationals,” the uber-exclusive GNX served as the grand finale to the second generation Regal platform, and in the process it became the quickest American production vehicle of the ‘80s, and it spanked numerous specialty production vehicles as well. Tweaks to the Grand National 3.8 liter turbo V6 upped the GNX to an estimated 300 horsepower, resulting in straight line acceleration that easily trumped anything else in the domestic performance market of the day, not to mention a majority of musclecars from the late ‘60s.

The fact that the GNX was based on a mid level luxury platform like the Regal is irony enough, but considering the meanest American made muscle machine in 15 years was powered by a turbocharged V6 instead of a thumping V8 only made the GNX that much better. Though the Regal would transition to a more sedate front drive platform for 1988, the GNX solidified its place in automotive history as the baddest car of the ‘80s, and one of the most desirable performance machines in the history of the automobile.

Where are they now?: The GNX is one of those once in a decade wonder cars that transcends the collectible market. Standard rules don’t apply, and with only 547 identical copies produced, entry into the GNX owners club will more than likely set you back six figures. For mere mortals, “settling” for a good condition, 245 horsepower Grand National is far more realistic, though even these cars are holding strong in the $20,000 range despite a rather plentiful supply.

Wed, Apr 14, 2010

Jamiroquai front man Jay Kay has seen it all. He has been homeless, slept on park benches and delivered pizzas just to make a living. However, fate has something more in store for our man. He wrote songs in his free time, and soon afterwards, his passion has led to eighteen years of making music. Numbers do not lie: five MTV Music Awards, a Grammy, six multi-platinum albums, more than 35 million worldwide albums sales and five world tours, it's fair to say that for Jay Kay, music is passion.

His real passion, however, is his cars. His vast, multi-million pounds car collection, is a sight to see. He doesn't just display his cars, he actually plays with them. He has a purpose-built course in his home in Buckinghamshire, and he is the top placer in Top Gear's “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” contest. He has joined numerous motorsport events, like the Kop Hill Climb and the Gumball 3000 rally as part of Team Adidas. Most important, however is the fact that Jay Kay respects what each of his cars represejaynt, saying that cars are things that must be looked after for future generations. Once you see the cars he has in his collection, you would be inclined to think the same.

Let's start with his first ever car, a 1972 BMW 1602, a car with much history. BMW first created this car as an upgrade for the BMW 1500. The 1500's design has been decidedly German, and BMW considered that the car would sell more if they improved the design. Thus, BMW commissioned Giovanni Michelotti, credited for the success of the Triumph Spitfire and TR4.

The car was purchased from the proverbial old lady, with 15,000 miles in the odometer. He then sold it to one of his band members, but due to sheer sentimental value, he bought it back. The car since then has been with its rightful owner ever since.

Another tasteful car sitting in the collection is a yellow Fiat 500 Abarth. The car's preppy engine and playful driving dynamics prompted Jay to call the little yellow car "Naughty", a simple yet appropriate nickname if there ever was one. This car also portrays Jay Kay's out-of-the-box attitude, as he considers the Fiat as a proper Mini Cooper alternative.

Another stand-out car in his collection is the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman. During the time of its release, the Pullman was considered to be the pinnacle of automotive engineering. With competition coming from Rolls-Royce, Cadillac and Lincoln, this car pulled ahead in the large luxury segment. In fact, the car was so large that the biggest engine in Mercedes-Benz's line, the 6-liter 300 was inadequate and Mercedes-Benz created the massive 6.3-liter V8 M100 engine especially for this model. Owners of this prestigious vehicle include John Lennon, George Harrison, Hugh Hefner and Elvis Presley. It was so prestigious, in fact, that the landaulet model was specifically used by the Pope. Jay Kay's own Pullman was originally owned by Coco Chanel herself, and Jay Kay says that he bought it from a specialist when he was on a trip in France.

Of course, Jay Kay is a proper rock star, and proper rock stars own proper sports cars/Ferraris. Foremost on his list of sport cars is his black Enzo Ferrari. This particular model is so exclusive that only 400 cars were produced, and Ferrari deemed Jay worthy enough to drive one. He should really consider himself lucky, as the Enzo's V12 engine is one of the most powerful naturally-aspirated engines ever assembled, rated at 651 hp at 7,800 rpm all the way to the 8,000 rpm redline. Ferrari's formula one technology is in full force in this model, including such features like a full carbon-fiber body, F1 style paddle shifters and composite ceramic brakes.

To show his love for his Enzo, he even recorded a song specifically for this car. The song, called "Black Devil Car" was included in Jamiroquai's 2005 album, Dynamite. One can only imagine what it would feel like driving a car of that caliber; the experience may indeed tempt anyone driving it to become devils themselves. Unfortunately, the Enzo was recently damaged by a chef working at the Brudenell Hotel in England. The chef threw rocks at the car, damaging the windshield and shattering the windows, causing about  £30,000 (about $42,000) in property damage.

The Enzo Ferrari may be a tool of the devil, but his other Ferrari, the 550 Maranello, must be heaven-sent. He calls this car the finest car of all time, and it is easy to understand where he is coming from. The sleek 6-speed manual transmission and its beautiful handling all serve to endear the 550 to Jay Kay. Driving the devil Enzo might cause onlookers to stare with envy, but drive the 550 and those envious onlookers would transform into fawning bystanders in no time. I think that the same chef who vandalized the Enzo would have gotten cold feet if he were faced by this 550 instead, as this car is an art form in itself.

When one has a Ferrari, it is safe to say that that same person may also have a Lamborghini lurking in their garage. As it turns out, Jay does own a Lamborghini Miura SV, the car that has been credited to have started the trend of exotic, high-performance, two-seater mid-engine sports cars. The Miura started out when the founder of Automobili Lamborghini, Ferruccio Lamborghini complained to Enzo Ferrari about the quality of the clutch in Ferrari cars. Enzo Ferrari, instead of listening, rebuffed Ferruccio, and thus Ferruccio created his own version of the supercar. Jay's model, the SV is the most popular model in this line-up, sporting a 385 HP 4-liter V12 engine feeding the power to the rear wheels.

He also owns a purple Lamborghini Diablo SE30, another landmark model for the prestigious Italian marquee. The SE30 is one of the most exclusive cars in the planet today, with only about 150 models built. SE stands for Special Edition, and what makes this Diablo special is that it was conceived as a racing variant specifically for Lamborghini's 30th anniversary, with numerous weight reducing features, making it 276 lbs lighter than an ordinary Diablo. The title track of Jamiroquai's third album, Travelling Without Moving, starts with the sound of Jay Kay revving the engine and moving up the gears in this Diablo SE30. He actually planned on using this particular car for the music video of "Cosmic Girl", but the car got involved in an accident and Jay Kay had to rent another unit from a local collector instead.

Another absolute stunner in his collection is his black Maserati A6G2000, designed by Pietro Frua. Frua's treatment of the Maserati coupe can only be described by one adjective: classic. In fact, the car is so exquisitely restored and detailed that it was awarded the "Best In Show" and "Best Grand Tourer" prize in the 2007 Salon Prive Concours D'Elegance, helping cement its status as a classic Italian sports coupe.

Of course, Maseratis were originally created for motorsports competitions, and in this aspect Jay did justice to Maserati's racing heritage. That's why he entered this very same A6G2000 to the Kop Hill Climb competition, along with the 600 Pullman and three other Porsches, the 911 Carrera, the 911 S and the 356 Speedster.

Of the 30+ cars Jay owns, he chose to collect three Porsches. Hey confesses, however, that his love affair with Porsches has only just begun. Among his Porsches, his favorite is the 911 GT3 RS, which he says is a future classic. The custom color schemes available for this car, and the improvements on performance and handling, especially the weight reduction which makes the power to weight ratio of the GT3 RS to 300 bhp per ton makes the car a classic in the making indeed.

Jay Kay is only human however; he can't drive all of his cars at the same time. When he just needs to go out for grocery shopping or other trivial stuff, his purple Audi RS 6 C5 Avant is there to help him get the job done without any hassle. The boot of the Avant allows 455 liters of storage space, expandable to 1590 liters with the rear seats folded down. The 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8, generates 413 ft-lbs of twisting force. The cavernous boot, the monstrous torque, coupled with Audi's reputation of reliability and efficiency, makes the RS 6 an intelligent choice for a rock star's daily driver.

What's next for Jay Kay then? During last year's Salon Prive supercar show, Jay Kay was spotted ogling the One-77, Aston Martin's newest supercar. Going as fast as 220 mph in test runs, the One-77 represents the pinnacle of Aston Martin's engineering expertise. Of course, the One-77 isn't sold yet, but if ever Jay Kay decides to buy one, we know that this car would get the respect its heritage deserves.

By Kenneth Reilley   Thu, Feb 11, 2010

Calling the Chevrolet Corvette a cultural icon is an understatement of almost blasphemous proportions. Like baseball and mom's apple pie, the Corvette is without question one of those too rare examples of perfect form meeting ingenious function that helps define our national heritage. Since its introduction in 1953, the Corvette has been the undeniable standard by which all others are judged; its inspired design not only enhances the journey, it impassions the soul.

That passion is the first thing you notice when you meet Tim and Deanna Cipriani. They share a fiery passion for life, an obvious passion for each other and an enduring passion for cars, especially the Corvette. Tim says, "When I was young, my uncle had a ‘67 Stingray with a 427 in it. It was a beautiful ride and I've loved GM's ever since." Not to be outdone, Deanna replies, "When I was a kid, my brother and I would go on vacation with our parents and count how many Stingrays were on the road." Clearly, the argument of which of them has loved Corvettes the longest wouldn't be settled any time soon.

Ironically, Tim's first car wasn't a ‘Vette, it was a 1967 Camaro Z28 at the age of 16; it would be almost 30 years and 11 Camaros later before he'd own his first Corvette, a black 1999 C5 Coupe. In contrast, Deanna first drove a burgundy ‘94 C4 Coupe back in her early 20’s, but she's never owned a Corvette for herself. That all changed when her and Tim bought that black C5, which they subsequently traded in for a silver 2001 C5 Z06 two years later. Not long after that, as if guided by fate, an accidental click on a link in a Corvette forum led them to a site they’d never been on before. When the home page opened, they couldn't believe their eyes: A silver 2006 C6 Z06, their dream car, staring right back at them with the words "FOR SALE" stenciled along the bottom of the picture. Three days later, they parked it in front of a restaurant and celebrated with friends.

For some, owning a Corvette is an ego-boosting status symbol, and understandably so, but for Tim and Deanna it goes so much deeper than that. They genuinely love the car for its own sake and enjoy sharing that passion with others. "We haven't made very many modifications," Tim says, "the Z06 doesn't need any, it's a magnificent machine." Indeed it is; from front to back, top to bottom and inside out, this car is the epitome of quality and performance. From the moment you sit in the racing-inspired seats, you're captivated by the impeccable fit and finish throughout the cabin - and then you start the engine. It rumbles to life in a fraction of a second and your heart rate peaks with every blip the throttle. There are 505 horses sitting under the hood of this car, and Tim likes to take them all out for a little run whenever he can… just to keep ‘em in shape.

There's no better way to enjoy your passions than to share them with people who feel the same way, and that's exactly what the Cipriani's have found in the Diablo Valley Corvettes club in Concord, California. Established in 1970, the club is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary with a full calendar of events and activities. They take regular scenic excursions up and down the California coast and trips to places like Oregon's Rogue River. They go on wine runs, holiday runs, local runs and charity runs , even the occasional AutoCross racing event, all as a way to express their common appreciation for the same passion.

Having already owned three Corvettes in the last 10 years, I asked both of them if this one was their last or might they be thinking about trading up sometime in the future? “We love this car but we'll never say ‘never’," Tim responds. "If the right opportunity presents itself, we may not be able to say ‘no’.” That sentiment isn't hard to understand; one taste of this engineering masterpiece and your appetite will beg for more. Deanna says, "We don't need a four-seater car anymore, so as long as they keep making Corvettes we’ll keep buying ‘em!”

Who could blame them?

By David Etienne   Thu, Jan 21, 2010

Thu, Jan 28, 2010

The ‘70-‘71 Mercury Super Cobra Jet Cyclone Spoiler 429 GT. A title that was well earned in its day as one of the fastest factory muscle cars made on the planet. It was specifically designed and inspired by the NASCAR racing circuit in the late sixties and early seventies. You’d be lucky to find one of these machines used and in good condition and not rotting into the ground in some old person’s backyard somewhere. Generally, you won’t see anything bigger or badder than the SCJ Cyclone GT or Spoiler GT which all had the option of a huge 428 or 429 Cyclone V8 big block power plant. Talk about raw torque and horsepower, most of these bad boys would do 0-60 in six seconds, and run a quarter mile in less than 15 seconds right from the factory. I’ve even heard of some running a low ten second quarter mile run, while missing one cylinder to boot! This car is very rare at just over 600 made.

In all of my 39 years I have never even heard of the SCJ Cyclone spoiler until I met Markus. This guy is a restorer that does it right the first time. Ever heard of a rotisserie? No, not the one at the Boston market! A rotisserie is a device specifically designed so you can mount a stripped chassis or unibody of a car on, and spin it around to treat all of the areas that need it in terms of patching, welding and seam sealing. But for you restorers out there, you know what I mean. It’s necessary to go over every square inch if you really want that piece of mind of knowing you did it right the first time. Well, Markus had his ‘70 Cyclone Spoiler on the rotisserie for about a year and after extensive sandblasting and re-welding of the torque box in the unibody he thankfully found that he had very little frame rot.

He inherited the car from his dad about twenty years ago, and has been collecting the parts to restore it ever since he started his construction business after High School. This guy can build a house from the ground up just about by himself. This is a picture of what the car will look like when it is done.

The rear end and Tail lights remind me of my favorite car from the Mad Max movie, the XB GT AMX from Australia. Though it had a 351 Windsor and was screaming for a big block, the car is almost as rare as the Markus’ car and if I could find one, I would buy and rebuild it.

The Montego was the basic model offered as the high performance car after ‘71 as well as the Torino mid-sized and Falcon models. Those models started and were offered in late ‘68 through the early ‘70s. If you were a teen in those days you’d really work hard to try and earn enough to buy either a Cyclone GT or a Montego Spoiler to be the king of the strip. The Cyclones only came in two door hard tops at the time. Most of the Montego Cyclones came with a 351ci 250-290 hp 4 barrel V8 with a four speed transmission and a Hurst shifter on the floor.

The gauges are positioned and angled towards the driver for at-a-glance peripheral sight. One of the rare and sought after perks of owning a true Cyclone Spoiler GT. It seems the longer the name of the car in those days, the better the collector potential was for the future! 1971 was the last year of the Cyclone and 429 ci engines averaging 380 hp were a regular option by ’71 for all of the Cyclone and Spoiler models.

The suspension packages were a cross country ride system that was long lasting and had reasonable cornering stability as compared to some of the other more cantankerous cars at the time with big block engines. These power plants required a bit more spring in the front end as you can imagine.

Those big blocks usually got no more then 10-12 mpg if you were lucky and could resist putting your right foot down for a quick adrenaline rush. These beasts were famous for the $100 bill on the dash trick. If you had a 429 Cyclone Spoiler and a friend who thought he was quicker than the car, you would set a $100 bill on the dash and tell him “If you can grab that bill before you’re thrown back in the seat then you can keep it” was the game in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. If you ever have a chance to ride in a Cyclone, I would strongly recommend it. 450 ft lbs of torque at 3,500 rpms is the reason, let alone the torque at redline.

This Ram air system was a standard option on the SCJ Cyclone GT Spoilers and Montegos. The front Grill even had a removable center section for easy camshaft changing at the different tracks at which they were raced, whether it was drag racing or the NASCAR circuit. The engines were all 90 degree V8s with big Cyclonic intake ports and valves, hence the Cyclone name. It came with hydraulic valve lifters and a Holley 4 barrel carb. Aluminum valve covers, dual exhaust, traction lock differentials, AC and power windows were offered as factory options. You could order it with either a 351ci engine or with the bigger badder 429ci depending on your aptness to handle the extra power and not get too squirrely going down the road. Everyone who knows true muscle cars, knows how easy it is to over steer the car while under power and potentially crash.

Well, Markus took his Cyclone off the rotisserie just recently and is now sealing it and getting it ready for paint. He has decided to build the 429 big block to the hilt, leaving no exceptions to horsepower, and show it at as mant shows as he can attend. He has spent numerous hours searching for all the ingredients he needed, from all the window moldings to the original steering wheel center section that has the Spoiler logo. I believe that piece alone was $500 just for the center vinyl part of the steering wheel. He has almost everything he needs to finish it, and is now putting in a lot of shop time to have a rolling chassis by the middle of summer 2010. His goal is to have it as original as possible minus the engine, drive system and suspension. The nice thing about this car is everything was built so well, he is able to use most of the original drive components like the 9” nodular rear end pumpkin it came with. This piece looks like something right out of a drag racing parts catalogue and it’s a stock part made out of forged ductile iron. He’s going to modify the suspension though, and also add a new four wheel disc brake package for additional stopping power.

I’m certainly aware of Cyclones since I met Markus. They just don’t build’em like that anymore…   

Tue, Jan 26, 2010

They say good cars don’t get old, or at least that they get better when they do. Old cars always have battle scars about which to boast, and owners who drove them with pride. Cars from way back have quite a story to tell, because they reconnect the past with the here and now. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why Thomas Price has a soft spot for vintage cars.

He has a soft spot for almost thirty of them, in fact. He has amassed his collection of stunning and memorable vintage cars over the years, including his favorite Alfa 8C. And at 67 years of age, Tom Price has no plans to stop collecting cars just yet.

Believing in Cars

He has been hoping to own a roadster from the pre-war era, despite his already jaw-dropping collection. Price collects cars not to just put them up on a pedestal and keep them under lock and key. He does his vintage cars justice by racing them, and winning often.

Price’s infatuation with automobiles started early on. His love for everything on wheels has fueled him to dedicate his career to cars, with more than three decades of auto entrepreneurship under his belt. With Price, his work is also his hobby.

Talk to Tom Price about his cars and he’ll probably mention the 1932 Alfa Romeo Supercharged 8C before all others. Bought from an Englishman who raced the Alfa 8C in the ‘80s, the sturdy car’s shelf life was given another extension after Price continued to race it with pride. Just last year, his Alfa Romeo 8C had another victory at the Wine Country Classic, proving that the car still has what it takes to win. That’s why he believes in his cars.

Tom Price’s favorite: 1932 Alfa Romeo Supercharged 8C

Hunting for Treasure

Tom Price has been in the car industry long enough for him to possess the extra knowledge needed to spot a diamond in the rough.

When it comes to cars, he doesn’t shy away from cheap buys and bargains. More than a decade ago, he spotted an ad in the paper about a 1948 Jaguar drophead convertible. At a little over $1,000, it was a bargain. Price acted fast, purchasing the magnificent Jaguar without delay.

Aside from its pedigree, the car had a few special touches that made it stand out. The convertible top had a classic landau bar made of chrome, and three control presets for the operation of the top: closed, partly closed, and fully open. It also had a “trafficator”, an electrical switch found on the steering wheel, which was arguably the forerunner of the modern turn signal and “suicide doors” an unusual feature where the doors open from the front.

Firing up the Ferrari

Price is also the proud owner of a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. He has every right to be proud as there are less than forty of this model, each carrying a hefty $15 million price tag minimum.

Purchased in 1983, the car belonged to a Maserati distributor. Its previous owner raced it and scored World Championship points, finishing second overall. The car even proved its value beyond racing, with its former owner often driving it home after the races.

The GTO has lived a full life, with Price himself having raced it more than a hundred times. He also drives it out on the streets, becoming an esteemed ally in Price’s everyday travels. “It’s phenomenally balanced; it’s powerful,” Price declared proudly. “The stylish beauty…the shape. You slide it through the corner and once it comes out, it goes fast.” Said like a true racer.

The GTO has a 3.0 liter V12 engine with 300 horsepower. Price said that most vintage race cars are much faster now than before, due to modifications and improvements that their modern-day owners often add. However, his Ferrari broke that rule. “This car was so developed at its time that even with professional drivers racing it now, their lap times are approximately the same or even a little bit slower than what the best drivers had back in the early sixties,” Price shared.

More recently, Price raced the GTO in the 2009 Shell Ferrari Historic Challenge. He has raced it in the same event several times before, earning his own share of wins.

During a race in Mont Tremblant, Canada, another car sped up past Price’s Ferrari, damaging the front of the car. But after a hasty repair, the patched up Ferrari still ended up winning the race.

Enjoying his keep

Indeed, Tom Price makes it a point to enjoy all the cars in his collection. He often takes his vintage Packard Station Wagon to picnics and on short, leisurely trips.

Originally priced at about $1,500, the 1941 120 Station Wagon was nicknamed “The Logs” by Price after a lodge situated by Lake Tahoe. The car actually spent the majority of its existence around that area. Aside from its history, another factor that resulted in its nickname was its beautiful interior. The overhead was intricately varnished, reminiscent of a wooden boat’s handcrafted interior.

There were less than seventy models of this station wagon built, making this vintage car another of Price’s prized possessions. The station wagon is the color of buttercup, the exact same hue that the car came out as when it was first released by Packard.

Feigning Innocence

Tom Price has another jewel in his garage that looked almost sinfully unsullied, the 1965 Aston Martin D-5 convertible. Its color is a dark, rich green, almost black to the casual observer. Both its color and its simple yet classy design gave it an air of innocence. However, there was more to the car than meets the eye.

Price’s Aston Martin was actually a custom made left hand drive, of which less than twenty models were built. Although the car’s exterior has already been repainted, its interior was still in its original leather upholstery.

Not a car to be underestimated, it can reach 180 miles per hour with its six cylinder overhead cam engine with an impressive 300 horsepower.

Living the Life

Because of his hard work and determination, he has succeeded in doing what most wish for, that is, enjoying what he does for a living. After funding his own college education in Colorado, he worked hard, with Ford Motor Company for several years before he finally started his very own dealership in Marin County, California.

The Price Family Dealerships, has exclusive Marin County dealerships for Jaguar, Volvo, Aston Martin, and many others. He has expanded his business to other areas, including Sunnyvale and Sacramento. Now, he has more than ten franchises all across California.

It’s a dream come true for Price to be surrounded by his first love: cars, cars, and more cars.

Reaching Out

For Tom Price, success is not merely a matter of getting, it’s also about giving. His dealership group has been a loyal sponsor of several advocacies, including several children’s causes, such as “Advocates for Children” and “Dedication to Special Education.”

The Price Family Dealership has also been playing a considerable role in raising breast cancer awareness by sponsoring the Breast Cancer Coordinating Council in Marin County.

After the devastation that hurricane Katrina left in its wake, Price also reached out to the hurricane victims. Through his dealerships, he raised more than $75,000 to aid those who were injured and those who lost their homes.

Despite Tom Price’s exquisite vintage car collection and business operations, being a philanthropist is perhaps how he would like to be most remembered.