Saturday, December 13, 2014

wow, Model T Snowmobile discovered that had been left in the remote forest of Labrador since 1928



It was brought up to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1927 by Donald B. MacMillan, an American explorer, to gather firewood; to travel to towns in the region and occasionally to give a lift to the Inuit and Innu people whom MacMillan wrote about in his journal.

MacMillan was interested in the newest technologies, and brought cameras to document and study the use of the automobile and the cultures of the Inuit and Innu people in the area.

It was local knowledge that the Ford was there, and pieces had been removed over the years until Nunatsiavut authorities decided to step in and retrieve the vehicle.

The chassis and body had been flipped upside down, presumably by scavengers seeking parts. The two doors, which were rather beaten up, and two tracks lay on the ground on either side, as if they had fallen off. The engine and manifold lay near the front end, and parts of the carburetor were several meters way. The dual-wheel fenders that came with the snowmobile kit were still attached to the body.

Some instruments from the dashboard are gone, as are the steering wheel, the wheels, the windshield, the radiator and one of the most important features: the skis, made of wood and metal in New Hampshire by the Snowmobile Company. http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-model-t-ford-snowmobile-club.html for more about the Model T Snowmobile





photos from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/automobiles/labradors-first-snowmobile-heads-down-the-comeback-trail.html?ref=automobiles&_r=0#  via  http://theoldmotor.com/?p=134471

the Packard plant ruins are getting some attention, and have been bought by a developer


It was once the largest auto manufacturing plant in the world.

Fernando Palazuelo bought the disaster zone for $450,000 in the forclosure auction when the two higher bidders failed to carry through, and has hired industrial cleanup crews and aerial cranes for the 40 acre factory site, which has been the poster child of urban blight in Detroit and hasn’t produced an automobile since the mid-1950s. He plans to build apartments, retail, space for high-tech entrepreneurs, light industrial operations and artist studios.

Before Fernando bought the plant from Wayne County, it was owned by a man called Dominic Cristini, who went to prison in 2006 for selling ecstasy out of an abandoned school nearby. This model of civic and cultural pride went to new depths of depravity when he played with blackmail, claiming to have some legal ability to hold up the title transfer and delay and dissuade investors from showing any interest in getting into business with developing the colossal ruin. Some Chicago business had convinced Wayne County to sell the Packard plant for 2 million, and then failed repeatedly to pay in $100,000 increments. http://detroit.curbed.com/places/packard-automobile-plant-detroit

Palazuelo said he reached a deal in July with Cristini because the county auction didn’t succeed in fully extinguishing his ownership interests. County auctions are run as buyer beware scenarios, and Palazuelo’s full ownership wasn't legally clean, delaying his plans to obtain financing and attract tenants.

Palazuelo said he struck deals last month with Cristini as well as 17 creditors to Cristini’s former company, Bioresource. It looks like Cristini wasn't the only party with a fast switcheroo to play, Wayne County also didn't include a key parcel of land in the auction, and demanded property taxes pronto. After all, the only incentive for this wreck to change hands was to get current on taxes, and find some sucker that will pay taxes for the time being.

Palazuelo has contracted with O’Brien Construction of Troy as general contractor. The architect is Albert Kahn Associates, whose namesake designed the original factory complex that opened in 1903.

http://www.freep.com/article/20140820/BUSINESS06/308200039/Packard-Plant-Fernando-Palazuelo-update


http://theoldmotor.com/?p=134619

He plans to apply for historic and brownfield tax credits to help pay for the project, which could cost up to $300 million and take decades to complete. He pledged to hire Detroit workers, including the scrappers who have been dismantling the factory ruins for years. “We are ready to pay a good salary,” he said. “We’re trying to get them working in the right direction with the Packard Plant.”
http://www.freep.com/article/20140820/BUSINESS06/308200039/Packard-Plant-Fernando-Palazuelo-update

 Palazuelo said he also is attempting to acquire a world-famous Banksy graffiti mural that was excavated from the site by artists in 2010 before Palazuelo owned it. In the 3rd surprise boobytrap,
the moment artists from the 555 Gallery, who removed it from the ruins of the Packard Plant claiming that they were merely saving the work from imminent destruction and would put it on public display?

 Critics said that gallery had no right to take it — and that the meaning of the graffiti art is indivisible from its location, so to move it is to kill it. In the wake of the initial Banksy publicity, a company aligned with the then-owner of the Packard Plant sued the gallery for its return. Eventually, 555 paid $2,500 for clear title and the work went on display at the gallery, a renovated old police precinct in southwest Detroit.

After stating that they had no interest in selling it but getting clean and clear possession of it? 555 revealed that it planned to sell the Banksy to raise money for its primary mission of providing exhibition space and studios for artists and educational programs. Critics charged the gallery with hypocrisy.


update, Oct 2015: this art was sold at auction, Julien's Auctions in Hollywood, £ 90,000 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/banksy/11905421/Banksy-art-sells-for-less-than-expected-after-Detroit-mural-goes-for-90000.html

how crazy is it that artists commemorate the ruins, and amateur film makers capitalize on the vast empty urban wreck, with motorcycle movies?




Many prospective designers/developers/concept artists have imagined what might be done with the 40 acre plot and building frames (which must be built to withstand bombs)  http://parallelprojections.com/rtr-results
http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2014/11/heres-one-plan-to-break-up-and-rebuild-the-packard-plant.php

http://packardplantproject.com/index.html

but some very good website creator has made a before and after imagery that is astonishing in how they have made a half dozen slide/change images of the Packard plants vibrant business time, and it's decayed corpse today


at the website, you drag your mouse over the images, from left to right to go from "then to now" http://www.freep.com/article/20121202/NEWS01/120823062

the Army is selling Humvees through online auction ending Dec 17th, to the public. Only legal for offroad use

For the first time, this sale to the public from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) through IronPlanet's GovPlanet.com is open to anyone. Since bidding started at $10,000 a couple of weeks ago, pent up demand has yielded bids on nearly all of the Humvees — selling for off-road use only.

AM General, which has manufactured more than 300,000 Humvees since the Army adopted them in 1985, has made no secret of its opposition to the sale of military Humvees to the general public — which had heretofore been restricted by the government.

The company's website says it sells parts or service information only to its military customers, and not for vehicles that "wind up in civilian hands." AM General "opposes any use of these military vehicles by individuals or entities outside of the military context for which the vehicles are designed."

The surplus sales could be viewed as competition for the company, which manufactured the civilian "Hummer" from 1992 to 2010, and debuted a civilian "Humvee C-Series" kit in 2013 for the base price of $60,000, without a power train.

Restrictions on the M908, M908A1, M1038, and M1038A1 model Humvees — which are out of military use — were lifted by the US State and Commerce departments in the last year or so, clearing the way for DLA. Beyond the military, surplus Humvees had only been available to fire and police departments in the 1033 program

In July, DLA awarded IronPlanet a two-year contract to manage and sell DLA's rolling stock surplus assets, valued at $50-$70 million annually, with a bid equal to 75.29 percent of revenue share to the DLA.

IronPlanet has since held three auctions from the stock, which includes cargo trucks, tractor trucks, utility trailers, forklifts, construction equipment. After the holidays, it plans to continue weekly auctions for the items, some including the Humvees, which are at more than 60 military sites around the country.

"You can bid any time prior to the auction itself," Berry said. "We structure ours like events, with all these items selling today, and then a live format, where instead of the auction just concluding anonymously, you get to watch all the items selling."

good morning!




Friday, December 12, 2014

Want to be on a car show? Can you spend a week on it?


BBC America show MUD SWEAT and GEARS is heading into Season 2 and is now casting for Car Enthusiasts of all kinds – through out the North America continent primarily, but if you wow the casting director, it probably won't matter where you live.

 Do you love all things cars? Are you a fan of shows like TOP GEAR?

The hosts and two car enthusiasts have a day to perform car stunts on BBC Worldwide’s new channel.

Its first original commission. Mud, Sweat and Gears follows automobile journalists Tom “Wookie” Ford and Jonny Smith as they both captain a team of two fellow car enthusiasts and are given 24 hours to mutate, supersize or reconstruct ordinary vehicles to compete in stunt challenges along the way.

Does the idea of BUILDING or TAKING APART CARS excite you??

If you can take a week or so, and participate, the BBC show will fly you and your buddy to LA for the filming, put you up in a hotel, take care of meals and even pay you a small stipend.

BBC needs dynamic TEAMS of TWO who have what it takes to transform ordinary cars into the most extreme, wild vehicles. All you need is a PASSION for CARS, an over the top IMAGINATION and a COMPETETIVE STREAK!

If interested, please send: Name Age Photo Location Contact information
Brief description of you and your buddy/team mate to:
Msagcasting@gmail.com

Thank You!!

http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/bbc-america-greenlights-unscripted-series-mud-sweat-and-tears-1201122579/  for a review by Variety magazine

great idea for racing, "24 hours of Le Mons" style... luxo barges with skinny tires, that have been represented in movie car chases



Imagine, no limits on what engine / trans / gears... just that it must be a big ol yacht from 1958-1988 and have been represented in a car chase in a movie from 1970-1989. With one requirement, the same tires that all participants must buy from Wal Mart, the skinny Douglas Xtra Trac 2 all-season radial, size 215/70R15.

For more fun: http://autoweek.com/article/wait-theres-more/get-ready-next-big-thing-racing-spec-land-yacht

Thursday, December 11, 2014

I've been challenged to do a better top ten list of the coolest Collector Car Barn Finds, but I can't narrow my list down to less than 25

the Baillon Collection  http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/12/amazing-neglected-car-collection-barn.html

The Schlumpf Collection / Sleeping Beauties http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/02/cars-in-barns.html may have been the news makers that coined the term "barn find"

Ak Millers Stutz Collection http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-secret-stutz-stash-of-ak-miller.html

the Portuguese Barn Find http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/12/update-on-portugese-barn-find.html

the fire fighters GT 40 http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-recent-gt-40-barnfind-is-featured.html  http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/02/barnfind-gt-40-pulled-out-of-garage.html

the high school 250 GTO http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/10/ferrari-250gto-out-to-pasture-for.html

Dr Carr's Bugatti Atalante http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/01/1-of-17-1937-bugatti-type-57s-atalante.html

and the New York garage 1938 Bugatti Atalante http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/06/in-new-york-garage-since-1962-1938.html

the 1953 375M Spyder Ferrari that was abandoned in the trailer http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/01/must-read-sleeping-beauties-top-10.html

the variety that sold in 2012 included an Allard, a Glasspar, and a Tucker, http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/01/barnfind-tucker.html  plus a Gullwing 300 SL, and Corvettes like the 53, and the 63 Splittie http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/07/barn-finds-year-in-review-of-whats-been.html

or the one family 1928 Benz http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/06/one-family-owned-1928-mercedes-benz.html

the Glockler Porsche http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/03/interesting-porsches-at-desert-classic.html

Larry Shinoda's Boss http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/12/larry-shinodas-boss-302-barnfind.html

the graduation gift racer 300 SL Gullwing http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/09/barnfind-1958-gullwing-300sl-found-is.html

Jay Leno's Gullwing 300 SL http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-thought-id-posted-that-jay-leno-found.html

The Le Mans Ferrari in a Devin body http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/02/barnfind-devin-was-hiding-ferrari-340.html

Mrs Anheuser Busch's 1927 Rolls http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/06/barnfind-1927-rolls-royce-of-mrs.html

The Australian mine 1929 race Harley http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/1929-factory-race-harley-not-found-in.html

the delivery crate 1939 Harley http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/11/harley-barn-find-1939-with-sidecar-and.html

the 1915 Indian http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/12/barn-find-1915-indian-found-in-garage.html

the Silver Dollar http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/11/43-years-in-barn-but-it-had-one-hell-of.html

Ak Millers Caballo 2, and a Cunningham C3 http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/recent-barnfinds-recently-located.html

Dino De Laurentis 250 GTE Ferrari  http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/08/barnfind-ferrari-250-gte.html

Jay Leno's parking garage 1931 Model J Duesy http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/01/must-read-sleeping-beauties-top-10.html

and the Shelbys

CSX 3027 "The Cobra In the Barn" http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-barn-find-427-sc-shelby-ac-cobra.html

and the Dragon Snake http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-shelby-cobra-dragonsnake-has-been.html

But the most sensational celeb story connection to a barn find is the storage unit Cobra Daytona CSX 2287 http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/stop-if-youve-heard-this-one-before.html

Carroll's promo Cobra http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/01/barnfind-shelby-ac-cobra-and-one-owner.html

the GT 350 that Galpin Ford bought http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-barnfind-gt-350-that-galpin-bought.html  http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/gt-350-shelby-mustang-barnfind-just-44.html

maybe the Teachers Pet GT 500 Shelby GT 500
 http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-perennially-dusty-barnfind-school.html
 and  Mark's
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/12/some-people-wait-lifetime-to-find-great.html
  is trumped by Larry Brown's
 http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/03/larry-brown-put-only-8531-miles-on-his.html
 because Larry kept it clean and in original condition

the Pakistan brass era fire trucks http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/when-you-think-about-barn-find-fire.html

I don't think that the abandoned in a field, buried in a tractor trailer, or left behind the house are quite barnfinds.... but some remarkable stories have happened that ought to get special attention...

the Dino buried in the yard,  http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-full-story-of-dino-that-was-dug-up.html
 the #004 Porsche http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-lifelong-passion-for-cars-since-he.html  the Delahaye under the olive tree http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/01/must-read-sleeping-beauties-top-10.html
or the split window beetle in Pakistan on the street http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/only-and-lonely-spilt-window-beetle-in.html
 or the Greek 1951 barndoor 23 window http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/11/robs-most-amazing-adventure-treasure.html
the "Old Man of the Mountain" Peerless used as a mining generator: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/07/old-man-of-mountain.html
of the wreck of a Ruxton http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-worst-looking-example-of-project.html
the Jonckheere Rolls Royce http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/01/before-and-after-photos-of-incredibly.html

the list that was made by Picollecta:  https://www.picollecta.com/p/10-of-the-greatest-collector-car-barn-finds-1000015101

yup... when someone says barnfind to me... most of these come to mind. And a few others I couldn't find the link to. But I've posted them all, and somewhere on this site, you'll eventually come across them

If you can think of a great barnfind story I've missed, please let me know, at jbohjkl@yahoo.com and I'll share it here. Or use the comment feature. Thanks!