68 posts, newest first.
American cars running world stage endurance races isn’t new or unusual. Previous to the all-conquering Ford GTs, there was Cunningham, some Cadillacs, a variety of Corvettes, not to mention Mustangs, the odd Camaro or so, and Panoz, ad infinitum. As 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the tragic loss of The Intimidator, Dale Earnhardt, Sr.,…
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Back when I was a much younger man, in a much more innocent time, my friends and I used to do such mundane things as ride our bikes all around town, just for fun, looking around, and discovering. Of course me being me, there was always a camera in my pack or around my neck,…
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INSIDE SCOOP: EX-EXEC THEODORE’S ‘LAST SHELBY COBRA’ BOOK DELIVERS Chris Theodore had enjoyed a major-league, big-game automotive career as a senior product development engineer and executive-level program manager. His resume includes stints at AMC, Chrysler, ASC, and a long, solid run and subsequent retirement from Ford. And Chris’s Ford menu includes the Ford GT, Ford…
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THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT DID: FORD’S VENERABLE 1.6L ‘KENT’ INLINE FOUR Most ardent Ford types can name every V-8 engine family the company ever produced; the Flathead, the Y-Block, the MEL (Mercury Edsel Lincoln), the FE, the original Fairlane Small-block, the 385 Big-block, 427 SOHC, the Mod motor, Coyote. But every four cylinder? Bet not.
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Here’s some of the new stuff out this season: And remember you can doubleclick on any image to see it full screen Don, The Snake, Prudhomme, Life Beyond the 1320, by Don Prudhomme with Elana Scherr I predict this to be one of the top new books of this rather strange year. A great book…
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SUPERCARS: A CENTURY OF SPECTACLE AND SPEED EXHIBIT ON-DISPLAY DATES: October 2020 to May 9, 2021, with possible extension We’ve all been dying for a fix of our favorite automotive events, motorsport, and car museum tours. While many of the world’s great car museums are closed for all the reasons we all know, it doesn’t…
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Some news I thought you might enjoy…MS LOS ANGELES November 10, 2020 – Bruce Meyers, 94, a prolific artist, inventor, surfer and the creator of the original iconic Meyers Manx that popularized the dune buggy craze known the world over, has along with his wife, Winnie sold their company to Trousdale Ventures, announced today…
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PORSCHE 935 CLASS STARS AT 2021 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE Photo by Dav,e Wendt. Courtesy of The Brumos Collection. Jacksonville, FL — A class of significant Porsche 935s will be featured at the 26th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance on March 7, 2021. Porsche’s landmark 935 made its debut 45 years ago in a world that was reeling…
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Most of us saw and presumably enjoyed the film Ford v Ferrari, which in some world markets was named Le Mans 1966. Sure, you can quibble with some of the factual accuracy of this big-screen, big-drama racing epic, as true fans know not everything happened as portrayed. And some of it didn’t happen at all. But in the…
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If you just love pouring over, and otherwise crunching classic/collector car auction results from all over the world, then I’ve got a ten pound book to drop into your lap. Tired of reruns on TV? No worries, this monster tome will keep you busy all winter. The stats alone are staggering: 5066 cars of 335…
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Some great news about my Happy Place,,, The announcement was made during a ticketed virtual ceremony on Oct. 22, 2020. This achievement marks the second time the Petersen has earned this top honor from The Historic Motoring Awards, which first began in 2011. LOS ANGELES (Oct. 23, 2020) – The Petersen Automotive Museum has been named…
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During one’s lifetime, we all own at least one vehicle with “personality.” Mine was a 1962 Ford Econoline van. It was the barest and most stripped version produced, with a 200 cubic-inch straight-six motor, one-barrel carb, very manual trans, two seats, and the minimum number of windows. No radio, no heat, one sunvisor. The thing…
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Please doubleclick on this image to enlarge for readability…
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A Heartfelt Goodbye to Journalist, Photographer and Amelia Judge John Lamm John Lamm. Photo courtesy of Bill Warner It is with a heavy heart that I relate that my friend of over 40 years, John Lamm died last week after a long battle with cancer. John and I met through our relationship with Road &…
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THE PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM PRESENTS VIRTUAL DEBUT OF THREE BRAND-NEW EXHIBITS Some https://vimeo.com/user123851453/review/465190035/5834a08405 Some news from my friends at the Petersen Automotive Museum as they gear up to reopen. I for one can’t wait — MS Who: The Petersen invites you to preview three brand-new exhibits before the museum reopens to the public. This…
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Well, they did it. A group of dedicated, like minded car people set out to put on a great car show at the Rogue Valley Country Club in Southern Oregon, and in spite of Covid, wildfires (or possibly the risk of rickets, shingles, locust, the 40 year flood, and whatever else 2020 could throw at…
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Hopefully y’all come and see me and say hi…MS Autobooks-Aerobooks 2900 W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505 (818) 845-0707…
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GALPIN’S MUSTANG II MAJOR: A NOSE JOB THAT WAS MEANT TO TURN HEADS VAN NUYS, Calif. – Herbert F. “Bert” Boeckmann, II, didn’t lead Galpin Ford to the position of the #1 Ford Dealership in the World by accident, nor by not having an eye — or nose — for cars. He grimaced when he got…
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OFFICER ERIC GAONA’S HOT PURSUIT IS RESTORATION OF SSP MUSTANGS BAKERSFIELD, Calif — Ford has been producing and selling law enforcement patrol and pursuit vehicles for many decades, as have most other American-brand carmakers. The majority of those cars have been large rear-drive four-door sedans with huge V-8 engines. You know, just like Elwood said in…
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Some fun news out of the Petersen Automotive Museum I thought you might enjoy…MS PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM TO AUCTION RESTORED 1961 MGA OUTLAW AND MORE AT VIRTUAL GALA 1961 MGA Outlaw, Photo Credit: Petersen Automotive Museum As part of its 26th Annual Gala Celebration on Sept. 26, 2020, the Museum will be auctioning a six-night stay…
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I always liked and appreciated the Wagoneer. Obviously the world and the premium SUV market has evolved considerably since the last Wagoneer model Jeep produced some years ago now. This move makes perfect sense to me, and the new one should compete handily with various Land and Range Rover models, Cadillac’s Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, the…
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Hi Gang, this post is somewhat similar to another post I put up about Cuba some weeks, ago, but highlights one particular vehicle and build that I’m especially taken with, so I hope you enjoy it to see semi again — Thank you for visiting, MS Author’s Note: A few years back, Linda and I…
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All photos courtesy of Bill Warner and the Amelia Island Concours Paul Goldsmith and Linda Vaughn Welcome NASCAR’s Oldest Racecar to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Museum Paul Goldsmith poses with the “Roarin’ Relic” at Daytona International Speedway. Photo courtesy of Bill Warner. Paul Goldsmith, 94, is the only man to win on…
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After a successful 1st year car show at the Rogue Valley Country Club in Medford, Oregon, the Club has established on a long-range plan to become Southern Oregon’s premier automotive gathering. With a goal of expanding the number of cars from its first year, this by-invitation-only show will take advantage of the beautiful grounds…
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AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE ANNOUNCES SPECIAL CLASSES FOR 2021 Jacksonville, FL – Announcing the special classes for the 26th Annual Amelia Concours d’Elegance, March 4-7, 2021. 1938 Hispano Suiza DuBonnet Xenia. Photo by Michael Furman. Hispano-Suiza The fabled Spanish-Swiss grand marque remains the only car named for a king, Alfonso XIII of Spain, himself a Hispano enthusiast, who owned…
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LOST DETOMASO ZONDA CONCEPT POWERED BY FORD – WITH A TWIST Most enthusiasts will remember Italy’s deTomaso Automobili (later deTomaso Modena) as producer of the Pantera in joint venture with Ford from 1971-74. This relatively small specialty carmaker had other models too, relying mostly on Ford engines for power. Even though Alejandro (Italianized as Allessandro)…
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Barrett-Jackson Returns to Live Events with Fall Auction at WestWorld of Scottsdale; Revised 2020 Schedule Announced SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – July 30, 2020 – Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions, announced today a special Fall Auction will take place at WestWorld of Scottsdale, October 22-24, 2020. The Barrett-Jackson executive team made the decision to hold the three-day…
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We’ve all likely noticed that every time a car (or truck) model gets refreshed or redesigned, it gets larger in nearly every dimension. There are many reasons for this which include customer demand for more cargo and people room; the need to incorporate more complicated powertrains, safety gear, and electronics; and further, much of this…
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HOT ROD Deluxe. Rod & Custom. Street Rodder. Popular Hot Rodding. Due to a combination of changing times, mergers and closures, the media convergence, and titanically poor management, one by one, many of America’s best, best known, and/or most enjoyed magazines about hot rodding have gone the way of the Dodo bird. Which then gives…
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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – We’ve been aching to get behind the wheel of the new Ford Mustang Bullitt Edition ever since it was introduced at the North American International Auto Show in early 2018. Seeing the new car up on that big stage, sitting alongside the original ’68 Mustang GT 390 used in the making of…
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Some potentially fun and interesting news I thought you might enjoy – MS US Marshals selling 3 replica movie cars: ‘Back to the Future’ DeLorean, ‘Ghostbusters’ ‘Ectomobile,’ and ‘Batmobile’ from Ohio federal criminal case involving Medicare fraud For Immediate Release July 15, 2020 Contact: Lynzey Donahue U.S. Marshals Headquarters Office of Public Affairs…
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As I’ve mentioned to you and posted about before, my daughter lives and works as a freelance writer and ESL teacher in Tokyo. And sharing my affinity for strange, cool, and wonderful cars, she snaps them along her trail and shares them with me so I can share them with you. And you can double-click…
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I couldn’t be happier about this, as Lyn is both friend and star.– MS AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE HONORS LYN ST. JAMES IN 2021 Racer, writer, broadcaster, entrepreneur and honoree of the 26th Annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, Lyn St. James. Photo courtesy of Lyn St. James. Jacksonville, FL — Racer, writer, broadcaster, entrepreneur and motivational…
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I’ve always loved this bodystyle — so check out this one…MS We’ve all said it: “I really should have kept that car.” Whether it was our first one, our last one, or just a fast one, every enthusiast can name at least one prize from their past that they should have hung on to (this statement is usually uttered…
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Hey Southern Oregonians — tired of couch arrest? Cars need to get out for some air? Looking for a great Cars n Coffee? This once launched in Medford about a year ago, and had a bit of a slow windup, but appears to have really turned the corner now, with attendance increasing every weekend. And…
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Gang…this is just the type of story that I really love. A young woman who has ambition, passion, and skills, pursuing a life in motorsport. Don’t laugh — you’d be amazed at how many F1 and top tier sports car racing teams have women in their top engineering, managerial and operational spots. Something tells me…
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A few years back, Linda and I visited Cuba with a group of like minded car people. The whole trip was magical and I don’t recall if I ever shared it with you. Wonderful colorful places, warm lovely people, great food, nice beaches, and a seriously enthusiastic and resourceful car scene. Given more recent changes…
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BLAST FROM THE PAST: GALPIN FORD FOUR-ENGINE ‘MACH IV’ FUNNY CAR Multi-engined dragsters became ‘A Thing’ back in the 1960’s. “What’s the easy way to double the power of your quarter-miler? Simple – drop in another engine, and tie them crank-to-crank.” Then “TV Tommy” Ivo went the whole thing two better by creating an exhibition…
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2020 SHOW CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC Dear Friends of the Steve McQueen Car and Motorcycle ShowOver the last thirteen years the Steve McQueen Car and Motorcycle Show has been a pillar of support for the Boys Republic, helping to create an environment for the public to know and understand the benefit of supporting this…
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OFFICER ERIC GAONA’S HOT PURSUIT IS RESTORATION OF SSP MUSTANGS BAKERSFIELD, Calif — Ford has been producing and selling law enforcement patrol and pursuit vehicles for many decades, as have most other American-brand carmakers. The majority of those cars have been large rear-drive four-door sedans with huge V-8 engines. You know, just like Elwood said in…
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Some damn fine news in my world, and I hope in yours too…MS PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM TO REOPEN FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020 The museum will strictly adhere to the guidelines set by the CDC, State of California and County of Los Angeles to ensure the health and safety of community members, visitors and employees LOS…
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FLIGHT OF FANCY: STORY OF ‘MIZAR,’ THE GALPINIZED FLYING FORD PINTO VAN NUYS, CA – A flying Ford Pinto? Yes, we promise. A flying Galpinized Ford Pinto? Sure, why not? In 1973, aeronautical engineer and inventor Henry Smolinski had the idea of beginning with a rear single-engined Cessna Skymaster, removing the main front cockpit section, and replacing it…
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As a guy who writes car books for a living, I pay close attention to all the new bookware that gets published. Plus of course I love to read them. Here’s a couple new ones for your consideration. JUNKYARD: Behind the gates at California’s Secretive European Car Salvage Yard, by Dieter Rebmann and Roland Lowisch…
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3 of 3: The Scimitars Reunited Highlights from the 25th Annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance The three Scimitar prototypes were reunited at the 25th Annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Photo: Deremer Studios, LLC. Industrial designer Brooks Stevens might be best remembered for the clever, low-cost product makeovers he performed for independent automakers. But sometimes he…
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You may or may not know that one of my daughters lives and works in Japan. She’s lived in several places during her tenure there, but is most currently based in Tokyo, and currently riding out the Co-19 wave in a lovely, historic city called Kanazawa (which I’ve visited and highly recommend). Mo isn’t an…
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This makes me sad, one less great car museum in the world. Like most, World of Speed recently went on what it intended as temporary shutdown due to Co-19. Instead I rec’d word last night that it is shuttering its doors for good, dispersing its assets, and calling it a day. This is a crime…
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Most of you will remember Italy’s deTomaso Automobili (later deTomaso Modena) as producer of the Pantera in joint venture with Ford from 1971-74. This relatively small specialty carmaker had other models too, relying mostly on Ford engines for power. Even though Alejandro (Italianized as Allessandro) deTomaso tried to develop a wide variety of his own…
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Dear gang, I miss my daily, weekly, monthly, favorite car events just as much as you do. But in order to keep the old personal hardware active and moving, Linda and I take a walk at the end of nearly every work day. We seldom go far from our neighborhood, but constantly see interesting cars,…
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I was talking cars with a friend who has recently moved from SoCal up to Oregon, and he shared with me some charming photos (dated 1943) of his father and uncle and their hot rodded Model A. My guy’s name is Larry Harlan, and if you look closely at a couple of the photos, you’ll…
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By the late 1990’s, Italy’s scrappy DeTomaso Modena car company (makers of the Vallelunga, Mangusta, Longchamp, Deauville, Guara and Pantera) was struggling to survive. Allessandro deTomaso was in poor health, the much-loved Pantera had run its production course, and the exotic mid-engined Guara was expensive to produce and not certified for sale in North…
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Car Culture evolves over time and with society… My thanks to Kirk Gerbracht for the idea and the pix. Stay healthy and well y’all, and hopefully someday we’ll all be back to fuzzy dice.
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You MUST double click this to see it large, then go slowly around with your eyes, and you’ll understand not how risky, but how truly dangerous (and stupid) this was. I wouldn’t use this rig to change a set of wiper blades, much less an engine and trans. We’ve all occasionally Rube Goldberg’d a few…
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At Least 101 ways to screw up a Perfectly good car… By Kirk Gerbracht, and me We understand and respect that everyone is entitled their taste, be that for architecture, wine, movies, music and of course cars. But some stuff is just so stupid it warrants a hard critical look. These are photos we’ve gathered…
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A lot has been said and written, and will continue to be, about Sir Stirling Moss who passed away April 12, 2020, at the age of 90, at his London home. His racing record generally speaks for itself: Sir Stirling Moss is one of the world’s most accomplished racing drivers. He raced successfully in Formula One…
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SHOW RESCHEDULED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC As some may know, we have been forced to reschedule the 2020 show due to COVID-19 NEW DATES: The car and motorcycle show will now be Sunday September 06 (and not Saturday) for 2020. The commemorative dinner will still be the night before on Saturday September 05, 2020. 2020 EARLY BIRD SAVINGS STILL IN…
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Dear Gang, I hope you are all sheltering in place and supporting social distancing and such — all the better time to read. Assuming the book publishing business and market returns to normal once the virus crises is over, I’ll have two new books out for your hopeful enjoyment. Right now the plan is for…
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Everyone has opinions about Toyota’s Prius Hybrid; some love them, some revile them as the killers of all automotive fun, or accuse their owners of being arrogant — which to me is all BS. I’ve owned one — a second gen 2005 model that we bought new — and it was a marvelous car, that…
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Most people know something about India; a deep long cultural history, for a time under British rule; the sacred cow, the Taj Mahal, exotic foods, faces and places. What you may not be familiar with is this amazing country’s century long motoring culture. From the earliest days of cars, often wealthy Indian Maharajas and…
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50th Anniversary of 12 Hours of Sebring 1970 Celebrated with Expanded E-book Dear Gang…for my money, Sebring 1970 was one of the most compelling and exciting endurance sports car races ever, and most certainly the finish was. Peter Revson and Steve McQueen were challenging for the lead in a finely balanced but generally outgunned privately…
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The annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is among my very favorite automotive events in the world. So many things make it special. It’s held at a Ritz-Carlton Resort on the beach in Florida, so let’s talk venue. Founder and chairman Bill Warner is a vintage racer in his own right, and longtime professional racing photographer…
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When the first Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedans came out in 1985/6, it was truly compact, not much bigger than a BMW 2002 / 3-series. At first they were only four-cylinder powered, tidy, nicely equipped, and a sales smash. Because of its diminutive size, everyone nicknamed the new smaller Mercedes as the “Baby Benz.” Of course…
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I make it my point to attend “breakfast cruises” or “Cars N Coffee” events all over the world whenever I can find one. One configuration of my posse: Norbert on the left, then Paul, with the camera, who now lives in Oregon but was down visiting, Kirk in the striped shirt, and me, the fat…
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You may or may not know of James Hetfield, lead guitarist, singer and all around front man for the pioneering metal band Metallica. I don’t know him personally, but among his talents and passions is a huge spot in his heart for custom cars and hot rods. Many of them built expressly for him by…
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I’m crushed over the passing of John Andretti, January 30, 2020, after a four year long battle with colon cancer. He was just 56 years old. Even though he wore the benefit and baggage of that famous name (being nephew of Mario, son of Aldo, cousin to Michael and Jeff, and uncle to Marco) John…
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I hope you’ll enjoy this photo as much as I did setting it up and shooting it… Here’s the story: Clark Cable Greats Gather at Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles Acting icon and Hollywood macho guy and sex symbol Clark Cable needs little introduction here or anywhere else (“Frankly, Scarlett….” you know the rest)…
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The XC90 was Volvo’s first real entry into the Sport/Utility marketplace in 2002, and remains at the top of its model lineup as its largest SUV, and only 3-row seat model. It’s been updated and remodeled several times over its near two-decade long life, and the current example is as modern as can be, fresh,…
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I apologize to all of you for not posting this up during last month’s holiday season, just my own bad for not doing so. But the event is so worthwhile, and the spirit and cause so good, plus a lot of great cars, I felt it was still worth a look and a mention, and…
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By now you know that I’m a huge supporter of this wonderful charity event, and I’m happy to tell you that the dates are now set, and that vehicle entry registration is now open (and please don’t wait until the last minute, as the field does fill up). You can learn all about it here: https://stevemcqueencarshow.com/car-show-registration/…
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