Enjoy the small scale too!

1:24 scale dioramas that are very cool and detailed http://www.wilcosdioramas.com/

Awesome video! Australian filmaker and photographer Keith Loutit has a cool technique, this example was filmed in Brisbane... cool city I loved in Au

http://keithloutit.com/2008/11/23/metal-skin/

News update on the compressed air car

http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2008-11/mighty-wind-compressed-air-cars-planned-airport-test-us-launch

"Zero Pollution Motors' ambitious plan calls for production of up to 8,000 compressed-air vehicles a year beginning in 2011, with plants spread out among nearly every US state. That car, larger, more powerful and with a longer range than the AirPod (15-20 mph = 130+ miles), will cost in range of $20,000."

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/07/oil-may-lose-its-customer-base-when-we.html

UCSD has a class on musclecars! Asst. Prof Seth Cohen teaches it once a week for 10 weeks.

I can't find anything on the internet about the article in Muscle Car Review, Dec '08, pg 88-89 . So you might want to get ahold of a copy quick and read it for all the details. Robert Genat photographed and wrote the article of this May event.

Sometimes the internet is a let down when you are trying to find more info on an event.

Anyway, Asst. Prof. Seth Cohen http://checohen0.ucsd.edu/SethCohen.htm who is a '73 Mach 1 conv owner, (and knows more about chemistry than anyone I'll ever hear about,) took an opportunity the UCSD offered to come up with one unit seminar courses that would get fulltime freshman integrating with college life and faculty, and came up with a class on musclecars, the past era they personify, the retro swing of modern cars, the booming musclecar market, the similarities of the past and present musclecar eras and doubtlessly... other stuff.
http://sdmustangclub.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=423 mentions that the muscle car owners enjoyed interacting with the students too. Who wouldn't?

I received an email back (Thanks!) from Asst. Prof. Cohen and it's good and not-so-good news "Thanks for your kind comments. I probably will offer the class again, but not for another year or so (perhaps 2010, this is because I am on sabbatical this year)." and a the photos you see here of the 68 Raod Runner and the Gt 351 Mustang ( I don't know either)

MoPar extra large photos so you can get print them into posters,use them for computer wall paper, or business card background...

All of these are as large as possible, click on them for full size, enjoy!

Full chain of events? Balboa Park car show had the most optioned out 28 model A http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/06/randalls-28-model-with-factory-extras.html I've come across, so I photographed it and talked to the owner, who invited me over to photograph his 30 Plymouth http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/06/1930-plymouth.html , and told me all about the street cars that are still hanging around as houses and a restaurant http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/06/survivors-of-era-i-doubt-anyone-else.html , and introduced me to friends of his whose wood work I'd admired at Balboa on a Chrysler Town and Country http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/06/chrysler-town-and-country-woody-brought.html , who has a 2 car garage where he restores them, and has a bookshelf and MoPar packaging that wouldn't get out of my head until I'd gotten better photos. http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/06/mopar-all-way.html

Yeah, I carry all that around in my head. Any wonder why I can't remember when the car council and Mopar Club meetings are?

If you think of any other cool things that these photos can be used for, please email me (jbohjkl@yahoo.com) or use the comment function please

1956 Piaggio Ape (ahh pay), resurected from a Casper, Wyoming neglected barn find

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaggio_Ape Basically Vespa scooters fitted with twin rear wheels (chain driven) and a load platform above them

http://www.museopiaggio.it/en/piaggiostory.html

With a factory 6 volt electrical system, Paul decided something brighter was needed, and went with a 12volt hi-lo beam for the top spot light

This series of 5 photos follows the fuel tank filler, from the cream color gas cap above to the tank and how it fits into the cockpit

The below shows the customized pedal on the left that isn't part of the factory design... and the good looking rubber strips on the floorboard

Below the seat is mocked up in place, great diamond design, ( coincidentally? ) diamond plate is looking ready for work as the new rear platform

Friction shock absorbers

These shots are to show the suspension without the engine in the way.

Bought for $50, and the removal of it from the farm.

The Piaggio Ape is the answer to postwar transportation http://www.vespaclubofireland.com/vespa%20history.htm in a country of small roads and people who needed something small that would get the goods moved, and pass each other on the road. In view of the small roadside fresh produce stands, and small goods in farmers markets, an Ape will do the job very well and not be a gas hog. 4 speeds forward, and reverse.

Paul's brother Dave was told about the Ape by a friend, because Dave is a scooter freak, but after getting the Ape home and assessing the condition, he passed it on to Paul. It's come a long way..., there was only one 1/2 of a good side to the glove box.

Vespa and Piaggio links:

http://www.vespaonline.com/zClassifieds-index-cat-1-page-41.htm

http://www.glasgowmods.co.uk/genre/introducing-northern-soul/vespa-symbols-of-soul/

http://www.vespaape.com/body_myape.htm

http://www.vespafriends.com/forum/showthread.php?p=12127

http://www.museopiaggio.it/en/piaggiostory.html

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2006/12/santas-high-speed-sled.html

These two in yellow are of the museum of Piaggio's and Vespas

http://retro70.blogspot.com/

http://scootergoogle.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html has a full list of Vespa Serial Numbers By Year: 1946-1971 including Vespa serial numbers, by year, at the end are serial prefixes for Vespa models marketed in North America by Sears & Roebuck (primarily as the Allstate.)

If you have one to add to a registry: http://www.apevintage.com/indexe.htm

In favorite all time car stories, is the Team Sprite high school car restoration, now onto their new project ! Team Isetta !

In Jan 07, a story spread around the internet about a school that had a really cool English teacher, a really cool project, and some teens with the best class that we all wish we could have been part of.

Restoring a '58 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite.

Starting with a basket case and about 2 dozen boxes of unmarked parts (some weren't off the Sprite!) the last owner had removed in his attempt to restore it, a Bugeye Sprite was reconstructed and restored by a teacher with moxie, and girls with a afterschool project to enable their learning of the fundamental automotive skills of repair and maintenance.

I posted http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/01/high-school-auto-restoration-class.html then.. exchanged an email with the teacher, and never forgot how cool the story was. I've shared it with readers here, and told lots of people at car shows while we enjoyed swapping stories.

They are onto the new project, a '57 BMW Isetta 300! Living Wisdom High, in Nevada City Ca. is the place I consider to have the coolest kids car project ever.

The Isetta was parked in '67 or so when it broke the driveshaft donut, and was started on in May of 2007 by the team of 5 students, this time one boy added to the previous all girl project, and they are not financed by the school. It's an after-hours and summer project, that is funded by donations. Cookies are welcome, but parts support is priority one! http://www.teamisetta.com/Press.html

Parts still needed... donations accepted, but if you have to sell it, they understand and would like first shot at meeting your price....

battery ............... NOS side mirrors ..........door lock tumbler & key
source for rubberized Coconut "hair" seat padding
engine side heater duct ..........inside luggage rack and net for cabriolet
NOS gas cap .................................................both coupling flange
gray fabric for sunroof & cabriolet top ...........paint
clutch disk , spring & pressure plate .........factory radio (working or not)

http://www.teamisetta.com/

Have an artistic idea for the "Whale" license plate design?

The California Coastal Commission announces the WHALE TAIL License Plate Design Contest!
The winning artwork will be featured on the new official CA DMV license plate available for purchase by all California Drivers.
The Coastal Commission is launching this contest to find a new image for its specialty license plate.
Entries, including entry forms, must be postmarked or hand-delivered to the Commission's San Francisco office by 5pm on Thursday January, 15 2009.
For more information, including entry forms and design guidelines, visit http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/plate/newplatecontest.html
call 1(800)COAST-4U or write to:California Coastal CommissionWhale Tail License Plate Design Contest
45 Fremont Street, Suite 2000
San Francisco, CA 94105

We would rather be enjoying this, an empty military airfield, a full tank of gas, lots of fresh tires, someone else paying the bills

http://video.kenblockracing.com/flash/small_player/preloader.swf?vendor_id=204&media_id=9183&bgcolor=FFFFFF&au

Photojournalism pro's

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/

You'll like the Australian GP series http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/10/the_2008_australian_motorcycle.html

Update on Dean Moon's awesome hauler

I was just emailing back and forth with "longrooffan" John Lee of http://oleragtop.blogspot.com/

who did a few terrific posts about haulers http://oleragtop.blogspot.com/2008/12/few-more-transporters.html was one..http://oleragtop.blogspot.com/2008/12/vintage-auto-transporters.html the other that had me recall where I'd seen that hauler before... .http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/06/one-unique-vehicle-transporter-of.html

and today I find on http://stipistop.com/page/13/ a link to a new post over at http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2008/10/16/the-cheetah-transporter-an-unlikely-el-camino/

Which is amazing that the Dean Moon hauler http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2006/11/worlds-fastest-car-hauler-200-mph-had.html#links

has been located, and they too are looking for more info on the Mercedes hauler that inspired it...
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/06/one-unique-vehicle-transporter-of.html
.http://oleragtop.blogspot.com/2008/12/vintage-auto-transporters.html

Yeah... a lot of posts I pull together take that much time and websurfing to find cohesion. I love this stuff! Now to email this to Dan at Hemmings.blog

Jedi powers, Ninja skills, kung fu so strong... Chuck Norris says damn!

High speed skills that would be impressive if you were magnetically linked to the track, but he ain't. Slip-slide-spin and never gets close to wiping out.

My new biker hero.

New 1902-03 vintage bikes

http://www.ridleymotorcycle.com//Motorbike/desert.htm

Olli Erkkila is a creative genius. He's invented cool Citreon looks, customizes bicycles, and makes his own illustrations of concept cars too

Olli, you are a genius.. Mad Snail. Perfect name, perfect gasser look, nailed the greeen windows, fenderwell headers, rims, straight axle front end.. wow

http://www.ollierkkila.com/Site/?page_id=4

Brilliant! Simple, new, innovative. Only $135

http://www.designpublic.com/shop/cycloc/13652

Why not engineer that ol bus to carry the car along inside? Brilliant!

Graham Smith has spent 20 years converting his 1968 Daimler Fleetline double-decker bus and it carries the 1960 Fiat 500 cozy.

http://stipistop.com/go.php?http://www.ize.hu/click.php?id=9990&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-1088833%2FPictured-Double-decker-bus-converted-camper-van--room-park-car-inside.html

Via http://stipistop.com/

A rare trailer and pulling car combo...

This custom-made, one of a kind vehicle was built exclusively for the purpose of towing this Aerocar trailer. The tow rig is a 1938 INTERNATIONAL D15 customized in Brantford, Ontario by Brantford Coach... the cab and chassis with a shortened wheelbase also is only a 6 cylinder 93 horsepower motivator, with a 4 spd trans and a 2 speed rear. http://www.hindleysgarage.com/38intl.htm

Straight from owners themselves!

Their website: http://www.hindleysgarage.com/

Longhorn Lowriding... is reinventing the Vespa

Watch the short video on their website. You'll get a kick out of it! Careful of speaker volume though http://www.customscooter.nl/english.html

Hank Young customs, choppers, and hot rods

The customized modified 2002 Hayabusa is built by Hank Young, it's been fitted with two small HID headlamps, a Bonneville land speed-style front fender, an extended, tubular swingarm, and a spoked rear wheel.

How cool is the front!?! Visually impacting, and has to be a good aerodynamic aid too.

Young Choppers 531 Delk St SE Marietta, GA 30060 Phone: (770) 425-1305 http://www.youngchoppers.com/

From: http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Custom%20Bikes/hayabusa_gulf.htm

Great article on Hank here: http://www.prickmag.net/hankyoungfeature.html here http://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=566

and http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=70768051

Via: http://stipistop.com/

A travel insurance company started by a woman who couldn't get insurance... she had breast cancer. Now, she insures cancer fighters

Travel insurance

Our travel policy has been developed by a woman with first-hand experience of living with the condition. She understands, better than most, the frustration of trying to find affordable cover so families can enjoy a well earned break with peace of mind.

Our competitive travel insurance has been created for all, in consultation with established breast cancer charities that understand the issues faced by those affected by breast cancer, especially when seeking affordable travel insurance.
We believe insurepink addresses the main issues:
Fairness when providing cover for everyone with the condition, as well as everyone who simply wants to support the cause
The same process for obtaining cover, with or without the condition
Reflecting the true risks of holiday travel, not the perceived risk of travelling with a severe condition
Standard competitive insurance for you and your family
Changing insurance for the better and giving something back so everyone benefits

Travel insurance
Travel FAQ
Travel Hints and Tips
Car insurance
Car FAQ
Car Hints and Tips
Home insurance
Home FAQ
Home Hints and Tips
About Pink Ribbon Foundation
Fiona's story

http://www.insurepink.co.uk/travel-insurance/travelInformation.html
Thanks to Neilson Hall for bringing this up!

Eric Bana, Love The Beast

Actor Eric Bana always wanted to be a race car driver, and kept a musclecar for years... now he takes it on a rally race! 600 Hp at the rear tires!

http://www.lovethebeast.com.au/ and http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1284028/

Via: http://stipistop.com/page/5/

The Harley Davidson scooter, caller the Topper

http://harley-davidson.oldcarandtruckpictures.com/

Here is a Harley Davidson scooter ad, from Popular Mechanics circa 1959
http://www.rukverc.hu/article.php?todo=view&vid=12
This is a better look at the Harley Davidson Topper they are showing and my photos from the Topper on display at the San Diego Auto Museum: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/01/1960s-harley-scooter-and-trail-bike.html

There is a huge variety of cool stuff here, photos and videos

http://stipistop.com/

John Lee finds some incredible stuff, here's an amazingly funny video, "Have a backup plan"

http://oleragtop.blogspot.com/2008/09/gotta-back-up-plan.html

Coolest custom tool rack we'll see for a while

From http://www.garagejournal.com/?p=162

Via: http://oleragtop.blogspot.com/2008/11/stuff.html

This may be the coolest thing you see all day, incredible precision driving

http://oleragtop.blogspot.com/2008/11/precision-driving.html

Cool remarkable train photos from Shorpy and Pixdaus

http://pixdaus.com/ and http://www.shorpy.com/

Good place to get used tires and save lots of money, I've been buying from them since '95

In Miramar, off Santa Fe Rd.

Some cool cars at the Salisbury House annual car show

The red rimmed buggy is a Sears

the above is a 1923 Columbia

the above is a 1912 Little

http://www.pcaucr.org/site/page.jsp?pageid=196 and http://www.aroundtheworld.scotland.net/ for more about the rally

Around the World in 80 Days London to Beijing Motor Challenge sponsored by the Classic Rally Association, outfitted their 1949 Buick Super with eight-ply truck tires (normal car tires are four-ply) to prevent flat tires on the 20thousand mile journey in 2000. This is one of about 100 woody Super wagons that still exist. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3828/is_/ai_n8911630

This was one of 10 teams form America, but the only all American team of drivers and American car, to drive in the legendary Silk Road. Airlifted from China to Alaska, driven to New Jersey by way of northern states like Montana and Michigan, then flown to Morrocco for the finish. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F00EFDB163DF93BA15754C0A9669C8B63

A Bantam

http://www.salisburyhouse.org/aspx/photogallery/photogalleryphotos.aspx?albumid=10 For a gallery from the Salisbury House website about the car shows the host

http://www.fordmustang.us/gallery/v/CarShows/ is where I borrowed these photos from.

1970 Superbee rolling chassis needs a new project manager... factory 4 spd, 383, with optional 3 speaker dash, some body work already done

Factory race set up, 4speed, no PS, no PB, bench seat. Scorch red, tan interior. Gromet440@yahoo.com is a buddy of mine who is not desperate to sell, he's got time to take the best offer, and he wants this to find a new home where it's going to get back on track.

Update to the Dennis Albaugh collection photos, 24 more added

Here's one new one. The rest are here: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/06/dennis-albaughs-collection-in-alkeny.html in my first post about this collection, since that's the one that everyone finds from Google

Via: http://www.fordmustang.us/gallery/v/CarShows/ from a thread there, I emailed Steve who posted the photos I updated with in Nov. and he emailed me the link to these 2 dozen I updated with today.

Advertising posters from International Harvester

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/artofthedraw/index.html

Via: http://www.coudal.com/moom/ and it's Museum of Online Museums from the link that Dan sent me... way cool Dan! Thanks!

A link I thank Dan for showing me.. Thanks Dan!

No kidding, there were specific plates for Michigan furniture mover, parking lot, junk truck wagon, landscape and tree operator, garbage collector, and peddlers... whatever that means

I had no idea Michigan had so many varieties in any one year, but the coolest plate they ever made, with red, white, and blue... stars and stripes too, had over a dozen different variants!

License Plates of the U.S. and Canada used during 1976
Click on state, province or territory below to view plates.

http://www.plateshack.com/76/index.html

A bit about California registration too:

1976 was the year that California started staggered registrations. 1975 stickers had been issued for the calendar year 1975, with no month stickers to go with them. In 1976, drivers received month stickers based on the center two characters of their plate.

Looking for a car by year, or name, or museum?

http://www.remarkablecars.com/

The Smithsonian Institute, historical marvel of the USA, it's both amazing and educational, in person or online

http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/exhibition/exhibition_8_2.html

For a terrific tutorial on how the worlds use of the car began, the many facets of incorporating the automobiles into our civilization and culture, the variety of exhibits is probably the finest in the world.

Drivers licenses, license plates, gas pumps, parking meters, radiator emblems, car safety features, road evolution, automakers transformed from agricultural implement makers, carriage builders to carrozzeria, traffic signs, road improvements, car repair tools, gas stations... and so on.

Radiator emblem collection in the Smithsonian

Radiator emblems were colorful metal plates with a manufacturer's name or logo that attached to the radiators of early automobiles. Varying in shape and size, but never more than a few inches across, the emblems were small branding devices.

With about 55 emblems on display, around 1/4 of the cars made in th USA from 1890 to 1930, and a brief description of the car, the company, and the design of the emblem.

In the descriptions of some, I read about a couple standard features of different cars, like a Kodak camera, a compass, and tire chains.

Some of the brief descriptions are pure brain candy, educational, information I find fascinating: Louis Chevrolet was a well known racecar driver who aspired to owning his own automobile company. William Durant, a partner at the Durant-Dort Carriage Company ( the nation's largest carriage company), was looking to branch into automobile manufacturing and approached Chevrolet to help design a car for the general public. Along with French engineer, Etienne Planche, and former Buick plant manger, Bill Little, Chevrolet and Durant began their company.

http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/collection/results.asp?Type=Keyword&Keywords=radiator+emblem&SearchField=Name

the Scooter was born about 90 years ago

a 1917 image via: http://www.shorpy.com/ had me look this up

From 1918 is the Museum’s Autoped Motor Scooter, made by the Autoped Company of Long Island City, New York. This compact scooter was designed for short distances, in that it had small (15-inch) tires at either end of a short platform on which the driver stood. Once the destination was reached, the steering column, which contained all operating controls, was folded down over the platform and the entire scooter could be stored in a compact space.

The little machine was powered by an air-cooled, 4-stroke, 155-cc engine over the front wheel, and it came complete with a headlamp and taillamp, a Klaxon horn, and a toolbox. Developed during wartime and gasoline rationing, the little scooter was quite efficient, but it never achieved widespread distribution

All control of the vehicle is through the steering column. Turning the column steers the machine in the conventional manner; pushing it forward engages the clutch; and pulling it back operates the internal, expanding brake on the front wheel.

Turning the left grip operates the throttle, and turning the right grip operates the compression release through a wire controlling the opening and closing of the intake valve. A hand Klaxon is mounted on the left grip. The steering column can be folded down and secured to the rear fender for compactness in storage.

http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/collection/object_307.html

Breakfast at Balboa will be on Dec 21st

Dec 21st 2008 at Balboa Park. Time: 7am - 9:30 am. We will be doing a toy drive. Please bring an unopened gift to our next event in efforts to bringing comfort and joy to less fortunate families in San Diego.

Bring your appetite. Hot pancake breakfast with sausage and bacon will be for sale, $5 per plate. Breakfast includes: 2 huge pancakes 2 pieces bacon 2 pcs of sausage. Hot coffee and juice available at no charge.
http://www.breakfastatbalboa.com/2008/11/20/next-event-date-dec-21st-at-balboa/