Jul 24, 2020
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...
Jul 21, 2020
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...
Jul 15, 2020
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...
Jul 12, 2020
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...
Jul 8, 2020
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....
Jul 6, 2020
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...
Jul 2, 2020
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...
Jun 29, 2020
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...
Jun 25, 2020
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...
Jun 22, 2020
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.”...
Jun 18, 2020
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...
Jun 15, 2020
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...
Jun 12, 2020
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...
Jun 8, 2020
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...
Jun 3, 2020
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...
May 29, 2020
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...
May 26, 2020
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...
May 13, 2020
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...
May 8, 2020
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...
May 4, 2020
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...
Apr 30, 2020
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...
Apr 27, 2020
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...
Apr 25, 2020
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....
Apr 21, 2020
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....
