Saturday, January 04, 2014

the coolest thing I've seen today, the engines that made hot rodding fun. by the artist "Zombie"

probably the prettiest thing I've seen all day

I did not know anyone had adorned huey's in Nam with nose art... that is cool!

Indian fire truck


ain't that something?! found on http://mentallydefectiveandborntoolate.tumblr.com

cool Road Runner poster I don't think I've seen before


Found on Facebook

perhaps the finest 100% unrestored exterior and interior Shelby Mustang GT 500 existing. (it was kept in climate controlled storage from '75 - '05)


One of the most coveted prizes a Shelby can collect is the Chairman’s Award, given to a select number of original, unrestored vehicles at the annual SAAC Convention. This 1969 Shelby GT500 was a hands-down winner in 2006 at SAAC 31, taking the prize after thirty-five years of careful storage in a dry, heated garage. Prior to that, it had been a summer car for its second owner, who purchased it from its first owner in June 1970 at 6,000 miles, just months into its life. It was retired in 1975, never to see the light of day until 2005.

Now showing approximately 49,000 miles, the car is still entirely original except for tires and exhaust, some new belts and hoses and a replacement smog system. The Deluxe Décor interior is virtually flawless, as if it has never been occupied, and all the original inspection stickers and grease-pencil markings are intact. The recipient of a sympathetic detailing by Colin Comer, the car is uniquely finished in its original Pastel Grey paint with Black interior and Red seat and carpet inserts, an unusual and attractive combination.

Described by Comer as “absolutely the finest unrestored, 100% original paint and interior 1969 GT-500 you will find”, there is no disputing its qualification as a collector’s dream, especially taking into account its fully documented history in the hands of a single caring owner over a thirty-five year period. There is simply no other GT500 like it.

Highlights: -
Unrestored original 1969 Shelby GT500
 - Original paint, interior, driveline, stickers and factory markings
 - Winner, Chairman’s Award, SAAC 31, 2006
 - Pastel Grey with Blue stripes, Black/Red interior
 - 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air 4-speed
 - Detailed by Colin Comer
 - New Goodyear GT Polyglas tires
 - Completely documented with inspection reports, Owner’s Manual and warranty book

Found on http://mentallydefectiveandborntoolate.tumblr.com/post/69781005117/hotrodzandpinups-oldschoolgarage-69-shelby

chain drive dual overhead cam, on a v twin. Cool

Symbolic motors has a 2006 Ford GT just fresh from the factory, it's one of the rare few locked away after delivery for investment


This is particular FORD GT was completed in May of 2006. It was ordered and delivered new with all four available option packages; Premium McIntosh Audio System, BBS Forged Alloy Wheels, Colored Keyed Brake Calipers and the Full Length Body Stripes It has resided in in single-owner, private museum collection since it was purchased with no actual on-road use. It remains with only the original test and delivery mileage totaling just 41 miles. It still has all of the delivery plastic and coverings from the Ford regional distributor as it arrived new.

Inspection photos and additional details can be accessed by clicking on this link:

http://symbolicphotos.weebly.com/2006-ford-gt.html

A new Von Dutch photo, and Steve McQueen motorcycle that I have't seen before


"Steve McQueen Had the first two Honda Fours in this country and he gave 'em to me to tear into and customize." is the caption that is with the photo where I found it, though what that has to do with a Flying Merkel motorcycle... I've no idea. The above shows nothing to do with Honda. That engine is also a Flying Merkel, as you can see by comparison http://mentallydefectiveandborntoolate.tumblr.com/post/68458402447/publicdenimy

found http://sexyprocity.tumblr.com/post/72244169413/mentallydefectiveandborntoolate


the Von Dutch business card is found on http://mentallydefectiveandborntoolate.tumblr.com


car guy humor, how to sell a high mileage Jeep


from the back page of Car and Driver... I think. It may be Road and Track... I didn't take notes

Doesn't want to walk, doesn't want a door ding


Why does the DMV make us take off our glasses for our drivers license photo?

Are they looking for another Clark Kent / Superman ?


Seems stupid to me to wear glasses to drive, glasses to read the DMV paperwork, and glasses most of the rest of the day, but not allowed to have them on while getting a permanent record of our looks on our IDENTIFICATION! Yes, the DMV is pretty stupid.. you can get your car registered at AAA but not get an H6 print out at AAA

Friday, January 03, 2014

the All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion, by Fanny Flagg, author of Fried Green Tomatoes


The Jurdabralinskis’ gas station was nearly shuttered when all the area men joined up during WWII, but the family’s four girls bravely stepped up. Eldest daughter Fritzi was already a great mechanic, having been a professional stunt plane pilot in the 1930s. When Fritzi joins the WASPS, an elite but downplayed female branch of the U.S. Air Force, the story really comes to life. Flagg’s storytelling talent is on full display. Her trademark quirky characters are warm and realistic, and the narrative switches easily between the present and the past.

 both photos from http://www.pinterest.com/sarahsundin/transportation-in-wwii/

You might not have heard about the women that had taken up the workload at the full service gas stations, they were also known as "Victory Girls", the same situation of the men going to WW2 made the circumstances that evolved into "A League Of Their Own" and the Rosie the Riveter workers. And back in WW1 the women went to war in the Motor Corps of America http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2013/04/motor-corps-of-america-i-just-learned.html


B17 Bomber the Mission

this bicycle rim lighting idea is very cool!



Called Revolights, available at REI... and probably local bike shops.

http://revolights.com/

new to me terminology "Cowboy Cadillac" means expensive truck


Automobile Magazine had a cool idea to compare dashboard designs from the 70's and today

by the way, I was in a 2013 Camaro today, selling as a used car, and the damn thing has a HUD display. Heads up display of the speedometer... I haven't seen one of those since 1989. Why don't all cars have these yet?

One of my favorite comic strips, Mutts, by Patrick McDonnell has fun with a pedal car




Vegas Baby! I love this comic strip, who else quips from the movie Swingers

this might be a good way to keep from getting door dinged


I parked in the nearest open spot (on the right of the photo) and then realized that if I left the cart be, and not return it to the corral, it would keep that side of my car from getting door dinged.

Then it occurred to me that maybe, that cart was put there so the other car wouldn't get door dinged. I wonder if that other car put it there, or if anyone has gotten to realize that the best way to keep from getting door dinged at the grocery store is to pull a couple carts alongside their car

Will Ferrel's character Ron Burgandy is advertising for Dodge (70 commercials for the Durango).. has any other movie character advertised new vehicles?


that headline is pretty damn funny though "overly active ski bunny people"



hang in there, the glovebox ad isn't repeating.. he switches up the ending




Street Rodder Premium new issue on the rack


Motor Trend Classic is killed off again. Bastards.

once again they let us subscribers know only 6 months late, and think we'll be satisfied getting Motor Trend magazine. Why can't they kill Motor Trend and keep making a magazine I actually respect?

It might be relevant to point out that the editor of Motor Trend Classic has only done stories of new expensive cars since Feb 2013 http://www.motortrend.com/staff/angus_mackenzie/

they still have it up on their website http://www.motortrend.com/classic_cars/ and advertise selling you a subscription

but the postcard I got in the mail today says it's dead, and my subscription is going to be filled by the regular (boring) Motor Trend

Thursday, January 02, 2014

the 1967 Super Mustang (built by Ford) sleek slingshot dragster with windtunnel testing that debuted at the 1967 Winternats




info and photos from: http://blogs.mustangandfords.com/6572837/miscellaneous/rare-mustang-from-1966-goes-for-154k/#ixzz2pIlKX1ly

it was driven by Tom Mc Ewen, who barely fit in it...




above images found on http://kustomsandchoppersmagazine.com/2011/10/12/dragsters/ taken at the Meadow Brook Concours and a larger gallery can be found at http://jalopnik.com/5324780/meadow-brook-concours-preview-tom-mcewens-super-mustang/

 take a look at this guy trying to get out of the office below:


The car was sold in 1968 to Mickey Thompson, were it stayed in his huge collection until his death in 1988. The car was fully restored by its previous owner in 2003 and just sold at auction in 2009




http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/

what 4 door won the 1975 Spring and Summer Nats, and was the runner up at the Winter and Gator Nats? The Gapp and Roush Tiajuana Taxi 1972 Ford Maverick








images from http://www.gapponline.net/tag/tijuana-taxi/ and http://www.competitionplus.com/featured-stories/2773-gapp-a-roush--hailing-the-cab  and https://www.facebook.com/groups/stiffspeed/

Gapp, he was the engineer at Ford in charge of the 429 racing engine program for both NASCAR and drag racing in the late 1960's

Roush is Jack's last name, and Jack Roush has made a lot of very fast mustangs. Nuff said

Full long article at http://www.competitionplus.com/featured-stories/2773-gapp-a-roush--hailing-the-cab

above image from http://stiffspeed.tumblr.com/

Why does a car with a SBC have a faster 60 foot, than the same car with a BBC? Inertia

As Wayne Gapp (from the Gapp and Roush team that won a lot of early 70's NHRA races) explains, and he was the engineer in charge of Fords 429 racing program for NASCAR and drag racing ....

NHRA was still running with the seven pounds per cubic inch rule .... under those rules, Chrysler won every race, because their Hemi was a much better motor than the Chevy or Ford. 

It wasn’t long before Bill Jenkins was petitioning the NHRA to have the rules altered to allow the use of a small block engine in a Vega at the same seven pounds per cubic inch configuration. 

The NHRA bought into the idea, thinking that it was “six of one, a half-dozen of the other”, I guess.

 Problem was, if they had consulted their physics books they would have realized that it wasn’t all that straightforward. There was a thing called inertia, which no one took into consideration. 

Simply stated, if you take a 2,700-pound big-block car and a 2,300-pound small-block car and you let out the clutch on each one, it’s the inertia off the line that determines the performance during the first 60-feet of the pass, not the horsepower. 

In other words, if you kick a cement block and a block of wood, quess which one will travel the farthest? So, naturally, Jenkins’ little Vega just jumped off the starting line and consequently it killed the Chryslers during the 1972 season.”

http://www.competitionplus.com/featured-stories/2773-gapp-a-roush--hailing-the-cab

Fokker invented the gearing that prevented WW1 fighter planes from shooting their propeller to pieces.


simplified for simple and easy tracking of the process

image is a screen shot from a terrific show called  "Connections" that used to be on TLC channel

Wednesday, January 01, 2014

the 1000th B-29 the Boeing built, in Wichita Kansas




above, shows the difference in size between a B 29 and the Boeing Kaydet... below, the size comparison between a B 29 and a B 17


Robert of RetroHound.com and ClassicDragsters.com posted these photos at http://www.retrohound.com/some-boeing-b-29-superfortresses-that-my-grandparents-helped-build/  because he came across them in a scrapbook or box and his grandparents were part of the crew that built the B-29s

very stuck in a mud road in 1928... why did they even attempt to cross without draining the road?


the above is probably an "after" they went through the mud, but it gives a good view of the size of the tank


I'm thinking the above when when they began to think they had a problem, and told someone to take a photo


and about here is where they got stuck so bad they couldn't make anymore progress forward




I wouldn't go down this without a bridge! Looks like water on both sides, and probably is right after the spring thaw by the sold weather hats they are wearing


Photos from, and thanks to Robert who runs RetroHound.com and ClassicDragsters.com