Bespoke Beauty London Telegraph Tubular backbone chassis, built for Revival D-type replica racing series. Five-speed Tremec gearbox. Front suspension Jaguar XJ6, rose-jointed; custom-made 2.5-turn rack-and-pinion steering.
Vintage Cars on Road to Nowhere BBC News Vintage cars winding along country lanes may become a thing of the past as car clubs navigate red tape to get on the road again.
Fiat 500 Painted by Tracey Emin Sold for £200,000 at Auction London Telegraph Here's a car for which depreciation is hard to predict: a Fiat 500 with bodywork painted by Tracey Emin sold for £200,000 last week at the annual auction for the ARK (Absolute Return for Kids) charity.
Margaret Thatcher persevered against incredible odds, not the least of which was being a woman. She was loved and reviled, but nobody can say she didn't leave her mark.
 by nachista |
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 by JPeterman |
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 by Shibbolethian |
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June 21, 2008
I've gone to my farm in Kentucky for the weekend. It's a great place to relax, do a little hard physical labor, and forget about the rest of the world. If you don't have such a place, I highly suggest you get one.
In the meantime, here's a little something that I found for you to read with your morning coffee.
See you on Monday.
J. Peterman
From The Wall Street Journal:
John Nagel takes pride in the half-dozen awards his car has won at classic-car exhibitions. Adding to his pleasure: He doesn't have a coveted, and costly, Corvette or Mustang, but a 1975 AMC Gremlin that he bought three years ago for just $2,000. "People always smile at my car and tell me their own Gremlin stories," says Mr. Nagle of Sylvania, Ohio. "One woman proudly told me she was conceived in the back seat of a Gremlin."
Welcome to the world of classic car shows, where vehicles that once carried people from Point A to Point B now transport their owners and avid onlookers back in time. There are thousands of such shows around America this summer, ranging from small gatherings at local drive-in restaurants to far more elaborate and formal events.
Ford Model T owners and admirers will gather in Richmond, Ind., July 21 to 26 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the car that put the country on wheels. The Cadillac & LaSalle Club will hold its 50th annual Grand National Meet in Cherry Hill, N.J., on Aug. 12 to 16. (LaSalle was once a popular companion brand to Cadillac.)
Some events have an element of whimsy, such as the annual Orphan Car Show in Ypsilanti, Mich., held in early June. Deceased brands such as Powell, Davis, Nash and Studebaker have their day, and General Motors' now-departed Oldsmobile division should be admitted a few years hence. Other shows are model-specific and regional, such as Vettes on the Rockies, an annual Corvette conclave in Frisco, Colo. (this year's is July 31 to Aug. 3). Still others are way upscale, notably the annual Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, Calif. (Aug. 13 to 17), where classic cars in pristine condition can fetch seven figures at auction, and the drink of choice is champagne, not beer.
Share the Eye:
"Weekend Cars" on the Way Out? Jalopnik Who needs a big dumb gray Solara convertible anyway? That means there will be more, cheaper weekend cars for us car guys to scoop up and try to find room for (after we talk the wife into it).
Nash Statesman Coupe Jalopnik With perfect Michigan weather, there was no excuse for us not to make the drive over to Ypsilanti for the annual Orphan Car Show.
Stowe Vermont is Wild About Classic Cars PR Newswire Stowe, Vermont is the site of five automotive events this summer, showcasing Corvettes, High-Performance "Supercars", Cobras, and British marques.
still thinking about today...
Greetings: As I have stated before, I look at various sources several times daily just to see what cars are available. I look at various makes, types, vintage; whatever happens to have my attention at that particular moment. I buy cars not for monetary reasons but just for the pure joy I find in unique automobiles (and boats). I have a handful of cars that I will never part with because of some strange attachment that I have with them. My wife just thinks it one of my really wierd quirks. I still drive the same car I took my driving test in when I turned 16. It's a 1963 Austin Healey 3000 Mk II. My dad was the original owner of the car. My 10yr old son understands its importance to me. I just built a dune buggy because I always wanted one when I was young.
Needless to say, I really enjoy car shows. You never know what will show up, and the stories behind the cars can be quite amazing.
Although I don't collect or own a "classic car", I certainly admire the design, craftsmanship, loving care and pride of ownership that has gone into these mechanical marvels. The memories that these vehicle have provided and may still hold within.
My first and most favorite car was a 1965 GTO that was nothing to write home about on the outside but a real beast under the hood. I just loved to drive it for the sake of driving it.
They have several weekly "cruise nights" in the area which is when all the classic "Detroit Muscle Car" owners come out and strut their stuff. It's always a loud and proud event with lots of chrome.
Capt. Neptune; I think it's terrific that you still drive your first car. Hope there are lots of great memories in it for you, and many more to come.
I love old classic cars. Jags, Rolls, MG's....the list goes on.
My father had a1952 MG TD, (here in the U.S.) The steering wheel was on the British side (the correct side, by the way, Ha! Ha!), and the manual gears were shifted opposite to a left-side steering wheel car, (a cheap anti-theft device). I learned to drive a stick in that car. I can truly say that I not only speak two versions of English but I can drive two versions of manual gears! Once, when the water pump failed, he had to send to England for a new pump. It took a long time as they had to build one for him. That's one car I wish I owned.
A great car to drive in the rain....a very British experience.
The best old car I ever owned was a 1958 Chevy Bel Aire station wagon. I sold it before I went into the military for a quite a large sum of money. I wish I still owned it. I saw one in cherry condition (like mine) sell for $50,000 a couple of years ago. Great for a day at the beach with surf boards sticking out the back, in search of those wonderful California beach bunnies (an endangered species today).
Of course, the prize for the surfers back then was a 1957 Chevy Nomad station wagon or, even better, an old Woody. Nothing better to take a date in to the drive-in movie theater or a Bob's Big Boy to be served in the car by the car hop girls.
In England, my father owned a late 20's Woolsey. He also owned an Indian motorcycle. He'd keep it in the kitchen at night. The smell of castor oil and the leather riding outfit is a cherished memory.
In Slymar, California (here in the San Fernando Valley) there is a classic car museum - The Nethercutt - and in L.A. there's the Petersen Automotive Museum. They're great places to take the kids (or a date). The Nethercutt, especially, because admission is free!
One thing I do miss is the Friday night cruising on Van Nuys Blvd. We would cruise behind one another up and down the boulevard showing off the polished chrome and the chrome air filters and headers. And upsetting everyone who had the misfortune to be driving a middle class new car. Of course cruising and street drag racing (which the police never seemed to care about back then, as long as it was done in some remote area) was made illegal.
I can imagine the consequences today of cruising my SUV on Van Nuys Blvd. They'd probably think I was getting ready to do a drive-by shooting. I try not to think about it, or even think about doing it!
ExPat: I have a 1970 RHD Landrover 109 Is really fun execpt when you have the idea to pull into a drive thru. My daily driver is a Landrover Defender 90. I really love those old British cars.