Just a Car Guy: 1/11/09

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Ron Pratte car collection

Ron Pratte of Chandler, Arizona, multi-millionaire who sold Pratte Development, one of the nation’s largest wood framing and concrete foundation companies to Pulte Homes at the peak of the Arizona housing boom and cashed out just in time to avoid the slump. Known in the car world for the $5 million winning bid for Carroll Shelby’s 1966 Super Snake AC Cobra 800hp 427 dual quad, dual supercharged. http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/01/carroll-shelbys-personal-cobra-sells.html

Ron is the brains behinds the Pratte Development Company, Inc., which builds one of the nations largest wood framing and concrete foundation companies. To top it off, he has his business located in one of the fastest growing areas of the country.

Most of the other car aficionados know Ron Pratte from his last years purchase of Futurliner bus (he brought it for over 4 million dollars), and he bought the first Shelby GT500 last year for nearly $650,000.
http://www.techbanyan.com/3221/ron-pratte-car-collection/
http://theronprattecarcollection.blogspot.com/

When Pulte Homes Inc. last month announced it has entered a 50/50 joint venture with its largest trade contractor in Arizona and Nevada, eyebrows went up across the American housing industry. A high percentage of them belonged to GIANT production builders who compete head to head with the Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based colossus.

Pulte and Phoenix-based carpentry trades mogul Ron Pratte are equal partners in the new company, Pratte Building Systems, formed to replace Pratte Development Co., one of the nation's largest wood framing and concrete foundation companies. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
http://www.housingzone.com/topics/giants/giants/pbg04ba003.asp

Philanthropic: Ron Pratt appears to have spent nearly as much on charity as on cars. In a single auction on the Tony Stewart race car, Ron Pratt increased his own bid to $300K, inspired others to throw in additional funding of $80K, had previously donated $100K independent of the BJ auction and helped to achieve another $20K from an auction for a couple of $20 posters.
And then? Donated the car back to the Gwynn Foundation that sold it to raise money a second time by selling it again at Barrett Jackson auction Jan 18th 2009. And it sold for 165 thousand to go directly to buy electric wheelchairs for kids.

Do the math. That’s $500K, yes 1/2 million, raised for the foundation that supports those afflicted for Muscular Dystrophy.
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/01/22/who-is-ron-pratte/
Buying the 2006 Jeff Gordon Monte Carlo for $500,000. The proceeds go to the National Marrow Donor Program.

In February 2009, the Arizona Classisc Thunderbird Club may be touring the collection..... So look to their website after that to see if any of their members post photos or talk about the collection: http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/actc/events.html

http://ratevin.com/story.php?title=Ron_Pratte_Car_Collection

The Futurliner bus from Barrett Jackson http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2006/10/vintage-modern-concept-buses.html
Carroll's personal 427 AC Cobra dual supercharged, 800hp
1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special Motorama concept car.
Oldsmobile F-88 show car
the One-Millionth Thunderbird
1924 Ford 4-AT-E Airplane, that was shot in Pearl Harbor's attack in 1941
1945 P-51 Mustang "Ped Dog"
The Cosmonaut retrieval boat
Tony Stewart’s 2007 Home Depot Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Jeff Gordon's 2006 No. 24 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Beverly Hillbillies Woody
the first 2008 Shelby GT500 KR Glass Roof
Carroll’s personal 1969 GT500 convertible
The last Sting Ray
The first T-bird off the assembly line
he started his private car collection at B-J 2003 by buying 52 cars (http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/184760/page/0/fpart/3/vc/1 )
http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/nevt/PrattGallery.html
http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/survivors/pages/44-74469.shtml

Firestone Air Chief auto radios

Thanks Randy! These two are the centerfold in the 1938 Firestone catalog

Click on all photos to make them full size

Cool stuff in the 1938 Firestone Auto Supply catalog

Thanks to Randy for letting me scan this cool catalog!

The 1938 Plymouth advertisement

Thanks Randy!

Western Auto ad from 1937

Thanks Randy!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

TOOLS!!! A very accurate description of common garage tools!

If you've used these tools you know exactly what it is describing.
DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, denting the freshly-painted part which you had carefully set in the corner where nothing could get to it.

WIRE WHEEL: Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light. Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, ''What the...??''

ELECTRIC HAND DRILL: Normally used for spinning pop rivets in their holes until you die of old age.

SKILL SAW: A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short.

PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood blisters.

BELT SANDER: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs.

HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle. It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.

VISE-GRIPS: Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.

WELDING GLOVES: Heavy duty leather gloves used to prolong the conduction of intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.

OXYACETYLENE TORCH: Used almost entirely for lighting various flammable objects in your shop on fire. Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub you want the bearing race out of.

TABLE SAW: A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles for testing wall integrity.

HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK: Used for lowering an automobile to the ground after you have installed your new brake shoes, trapping the jack handle firmly under the bumper.

EIGHT-FOOT LONG YELLOW PINE 2X4: Used for levering an automobile upward off of a trapped hydraulic jack handle.

E-Z OUT BOLT AND STUD EXTRACTOR: A tool ten times harder than any known drill bit that snaps neatly off in bolt holes thereby ending any possible future use.

BAND SAW: A large stationary power saw primarily used by most shops to cut good aluminum sheet into smaller pieces that more easily fit into the trash can after you cut on the inside of the line instead of the outside edge.

TWO-TON ENGINE HOIST: A tool for testing the maximum tensile strength of everything you forgot to disconnect.

CRAFTSMAN 1/2 x 24-INCH SCREWDRIVER: A very large pry bar that inexplicably has an accurately machined screwdriver tip on the end opposite the handle.

AVIATION METAL SNIPS: See hacksaw.

PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER: Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids and for opening old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads.

STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER: A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws.

PRY BAR: A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part.

HOSE CUTTER: A tool used to make hoses too short.

HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit. Alternatively used to locate the user's thumb in enclosed work areas. Also see "Dammit Tool" below

MECHANIC'S KNIFE: Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on contents such as seats, vinyl records, liquids in plastic bottles, collector magazines, refund checks, and rubber or plastic parts. Especially useful for slicing body parts and work clothes, but only while wearing them.

DAMMIT TOOL: Any handy tool that you grab and throw across the garage while yelling ''DAMMIT'' at the top of your lungs. It is also, most often, the next tool that you will need
http://www.vettemod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2786

Have any to add to the list? I'd love to share them.

My favorite is the NUMBER ONE TOOL: Cash

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

The 1925 Rolls-Royce Aerodynamic Coupe,

Some photos are from my girlfriend Tere, http://justacargal.blogspot.com/ and it goes to show that it takes different points of view to see something completely.

Originally the car was a 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom I with a body built in 1934 by Jonckheere of Belgium. Like all other prewar Rolls-Royce motorcars, this Phantom I was delivered new in chassis-only form to a coachbuilder. Hooper & Co. was the chosen body maker and in 1925, the completed vehicle was delivered with cabriolet coachwork to its first owner, a Mrs. Hugh Dillman of Detroit. Mrs. Dillman reportedly did not like the car and it appears never to have left England.

The Rolls-Royce was purchased by the Raja of Nanpara before being passed on to an unknown number of other owners and by 1932 was seen in Belgium. Two years later its then owner sent the car to Jonckheere of Belgium to be stripped of its cabriolet body and fitted with fashionably aerodynamic coachwork complete with twin sunroofs, a large fin, a sloping radiator shell, and round doors.

Although the design was controversial and not highly regarded by most Rolls-Royce aficionados, the car was well received by Concours d’Elegance judges of the day and was reported to have taken a Prix d’Honneur at the August, 1936 Cannes Concours d’Elegance.

The prize winning car then passed through the hands of several other owners, and was observed in Bar Harbor, Maine before World War II being driven by a chauffeur who was supposedly so obese, that he could not get out of the car to assist his employer to disembark. The Round Door Rolls was next discovered in the 1950’s, in New Jersey, in a junk yard.

It is not known who rescued the car from being scrapped, but East Coast entrepreneur Max Obie eventually acquired the unusual Rolls-Royce and had it refurbished. Obie would take it to shopping malls, making claims that the car had been owned by royalty and charged admission for people to look at it.

In the Spring of 2001, the Peterson Automotive Museum took possession, and Mr. and Mrs. Petersen decided to bring the car back to its concours winning glory. Every component was removed, checked for wear and authenticity, then reconditioned or replaced as needed. The car was painted black which highlights its subtle contours and striking profile.

http://classiccars.about.com/b/2008/04/24/1925-round-door-rolls-royce-at-the-petersen-museum.htm

http://justacargal.blogspot.com/2009/01/la-jolla-motor-classic-rolls-royce.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BynpHOvLqlU from a perspective across the street on on the roof of the nearby hotel

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=324570 a gallery from a H.A.M.B. member

Cool images from all over the internet

Made by a shop in El Cajon, just East of San Diego

Coolest looking engine to grace a Ferrari

Love the headlight covers... it's a Ford Maverick

Above from Pixdaus.. looks like clutch parts to me.

That better not be a lit cig in that nice car

The magenta photo was from Suede and Chrome, Scruffy finds cool stuff!

Automotive columnist for Edmunds and formerly for the LA Times, regular contributor to Rodder's Journal, former exec. director of the Peterson Museum

He writes regularly for Rodd Report, Rodder's Journal, Road and Track, Automotive Magazine.

"Few writers in the realm of automotive literature can match Ken Gross's way with words," described the award's chief judge, David Hess of Springfield, Virginia.

"His encyclopedic grasp of automotive science, design and technology shines through his columns in ways that even lay readers can understand. He combines this knowledge with a fluent command of language that stokes the senses in one's mind, to the point of hearing thrumming cylinders and sniffing the tangy odor of hot engine oil."

Gross is a freelance writer whose column "Road Warrior" has appeared on Inside Line since the site's launch in January 2005.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/ColumnsIndex/subsubtypeId=219/subsubtypeName=Road%20Warrior

Garage / collections of the rich and famous. Looking past the link will make you say wow.

http://ultimategarages.net/garages/ken_gross_garage.html

The private garages of Bob Lutz, Ralph Lauren, Ken Gross, John McMullen, Bill Hammerstein, John Shirley

Briggs and Stratton Motor Wheel

Photo from Shorpy.com, ad from another post I did in the first week of December 2008

Vintage ads from a 1918 Country Gentleman magazine

Wow, a single track. That is cool!

These two yellowish ads are for Caterpillar tractors, who still uses yellow and black as company colors

http://flickr.com/photos/dok1/sets/72157603809498914/

the Top 10 List of the Most Interesting Cars of America’s Influential Past Presidents and Current Candidates

This top 10 most interesting cars list coincides with what is considered to be one of the most historic presidential elections yet. To compile the list, Hagerty Insurance researched the personal vehicles of America’s past presidents and current candidates and selected one car for each individual that is the most attention-grabbing for his time. The result is a fun and informative look at what drives American presidents.

William Taft (1909-1913): Baker Electric – Taft was the first president to own and drive cars during his presidency. One of the most interesting cars he owned was, ironically enough, “green”— a Baker Electric. This electric vehicle was especially popular with women in the era, as it did not require any cranking and was virtually maintenance-free.

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945): 1939 Packard 12 – In the 1920s and 30s, Packard produced some of the most beautiful and innovative cars of the era. Packard's V-12 engine was especially smooth and provided exceptional performance in its time. http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/05/packard-12-limo-luxury.html

Harry S. Truman (1945-1953): 1945 Ford Super DeLuxe Tudor Sudan – All automakers shut down their production during World War II and did not return to making passenger cars until 1946. The very first car assembled after World War II was a white Super DeLuxe Tudor Sedan assembled on July 3, 1945, and it went to President Harry Truman.

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961): 1956 Chrysler Imperial – The 1956 Chrysler was updated with the new 1956 “Forward Look” styling. This particular model was frequently used by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and became known as “The Detroit Car.”

John F. Kennedy (1960-1963): 1961 T-Bird Convertible –- This was the first year for the much sleeker “Bullet Bird” styling. The Thunderbird was 1961’s Indianapolis 500 pace car and was featured prominently in U.S. President John F. Kennedy's inaugural parade. (This was probably helped along by the appointment of Ford executive Robert McNamara as Secretary of Defense.)

Richard Nixon (1969-1974): 1950 Oldsmobile – This particular car owned by Nixon is of historic impact because it was referred to during his infamous “Checkers” speech that was said to save his candidacy for vice-president, when his honesty and loyalty were in question.

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989): 1952 Army Jeep, Model M-38A1 – This was a gift to President Ronald Reagan from his wife Nancy and was considered highly collectible by the time he received it in the late 1970s.

Bill Clinton (1993-2001): 1967 Mustang Convertible – Clinton owned this Mustang as a collector car prior to and during his presidency. He has been quoted as saying that this car was the hardest thing for him to leave behind when he moved to the White House.

John McCain (2008 Candidate): First car: 1958 Corvette – This is considered a highly coveted collector car and was the first year for the dual front headlights, which gave the car a much more aggressive look than any earlier Corvette.

10. Barack Obama (2008 Candidate): First car: Ford Granada – This was reportedly Obama’s grandfather’s car and the car he learned to drive in. To quote Obama directly: “It may be the worst car that Detroit ever built… This thing was a tin can. (Detroit was) trying to compete with the Japanese. They wanted to keep the cars big, so they made them out of tin foil… You basically couldn't go over 80 (miles per hour) without the thing getting out of control."

President Coolidge: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/12/what-1924-car-with-radio-looked-like.html

Taft's steamer limo: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/06/presidential-limo-circa-1909.html

I've read every issue, I get them from paying Hegerty's for insurance, but both are worth praise

https://shop.hagerty.com/s-9-hagertys-magazine.aspx

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Tulip Wood Torpedo

http://www.taringa.net/buscador.php?a_id=88568

Trublpruf tires, by Lambert

From Shorpy

Love vintage motorcycling? Then you've already probably worn out this awesome website...

But if you've been too busy on other stuff (like me) let me send you to a very cool vintage motorcycling site... they've got everything cool about cycles, like a 12.66cc single cylinder engined Bugatti with twin cams and a blower that runs up to 10,000 RPM http://www.jockeyjournal.com/

1932.... wow, our grandparents were nuts too, and forgot the crazy stuff they did when we came along

from a July, 1932 issue of Modern Mechanix.
http://www.jockeyjournal.com/?p=567 via Ian who is the man running the show at http://techandtonic.com/

Thanks Ian!

Anyone know 280 SL characteristics so well you can help out Scott?

I thought you might have an answer to this question...I am looking for a 280sl and was told that there are little triangles in the paint, on the body, above the headlamps that indicate wether or not the car has been repainted. Apparently if the car has been repainted, these marks will be sanded off in the process, thus indicating that it may not be the original color and/or paint. This sounded a little far fetched to me but... I thought I would check with someone knowledgeable to make sure this guy wasn't just blowing smoke.
Thanks,
Scott Wetherby

Monday, January 12, 2009

Crank starting an EMF that's 100 yrs old, engineered to make everyone capable of starting it the hard way. It takes 5 attempts, and 20 seconds.

Wow. If I can live 100 years, and still move... I think I'll be ahead of the statistics. If I can get moving under my own power 20 seconds after trying, I'll be surprised!

Some magazine editors are still not paying attention to flipped photos

Jan 2009, Muscle Car Review, page 29. I hope you can find a copy on the stands still, it's a great magazine... but it's funny to spot a nice car, and realize the lettering on everything on the car is backwards.

Barney Oldfield and the Golden Submarine, 1917

http://www.taringa.net/posts/autos-motos/1425193/1917-Miller-Golden-Submarine.html

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/03/miller-golden-sbmarine-raced-by-barney.html

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/02/barney-oldfield-american-icon-record.html

" the streamlined car's enclosed cockpit was an attempt by Oldfield to improve safety after his friend and fellow racer, Bob Burman, was killed"

http://www.airportjournals.com/Display.cfm?varID=0510015

This is one cool drag racing website!

This machine has run 6.60's in AA/GS. Damn!

http://draglist.blogspot.com/

Sunday January 11th, 2009 gas prices at the Chevron on Garnet in Pacific Beach. In this world of $38 dollars a barrel of oil...

What the hell is Chevron thinking? That's what they were charging when oil was $60 a barrel.

42 gallons of oil in a barrel at 38 dollars.
21 gallons of that oil becomes gas.
3 dollars a gallon of gas.
Thats 60 bucks of income on gas from the barrel that Chevron paid 38 dollars for. You buy 13 gallons of gas and you've covered the costs of a barrel of oil.
They've nearly doubled the profit they were making in Feb 2007.

Anyone wondering how they are making record profits, every quarter, for any company on this planet?

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/02/60-bucks-barrel-for-oil-from-opec-275.html

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Ever wonder why some gas stations charge more than others in the same city?

The above is at the 805 and Adams...

The above is in Pacific Beach, and is 14 cents more... well, I guess in that sectioned off area of San Diego, there aren't a lot of gas stations, and they must realize few people will drive very far to get cheaper gas

So is anyone going to let these guys in on the news that they are 2 blocks away from gas that's 77 cents a gallon cheaper? And that just 15 minutes away from gas that's 91 cents a gallon cheaper?