Tuesday, November 19, 2024

1939 Zephyr sedan delivery and 1955 R69/R70 BMW streamliner that it carries




It's always very intriguing to learn more about a car, and this morning I read a good article on the Renault from SEMA that was the absolute standout


For the third straight year, Pit+Paddock and ENEOS Oil joined forces with Dai Yoshihara to award one lucky project car builder with a feature vehicle spot at the SEMA Show.

This year, Justin Cashmore stunned the judges with his 1960 Renault Dauphine, which he rescued from the California desert and transformed into a one-of-a-kind creation.

Justin was in the Navy for over 20 years, stationed in Japan, Italy, and Florida. Through his experiences and travels, he developed a unique skill set and style, working on vehicles of various makes, models, and eras while soaking in car culture first-hand from three different continents. The result is a man who lives in Simi Valley, California, where his job is to wrench on his buddies’ cars while dedicating his spare time to creating individual masterpieces.

Jaguar has unveiled its new brand identity, marking the beginning of its EV-only era. And it's likely the stupidest thing I've seen all year. They don't even show, or mention what the hell the poses are supposed to sell




So, if in the upcoming days you hear about investors abandoning Jag, the stock plummeting, and the whole damn company shutting down after a faceplant heard around the world, you'll know why

Thanks George! 




Jaguar has officially revealed a complete overhaul of its branding identity, signaling the start of its transition to an all-electric lineup. The British automaker introduced a bold new logo in anticipation of the highly awaited Jaguar Design Vision Concept, set to debut on December 3.

This concept car will give a glimpse into a future luxury electric sedan slated for production in 2025, as part of the brand’s ambitious plan to redefine itself in the luxury electric vehicle market.

Managing Director Rawdon Glover referred to the rebranding as a “complete reset,” acknowledging the boldness required to transform the brand. To complement the unveiling of the new design language, Jaguar will host a series of gallery exhibitions in Miami, showcasing works from emerging artists who embody the brand’s ethos of originality and innovation.



Glover said, and I quote "We assume that 10-15% of our current Jaguar customers will follow us, so relatively few."

During excavations along Old Kent Road in London, archaeologists found a Roman road


Wating Street was built closely following the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43, according to a Wednesday press release from the London Borough of Southwark.

Prior to this discovery, there was very little evidence to support the exact route of the ancient Roman road.

"The discovery of an intact section of Roman Wating Street directly under the current Old Kent Road has redrawn the Roman road map for Southwark and informs on Roman construction techniques generally.

last week several new Raptors were stolen from Ford, about a half million dollars worth, and they were later found abandoned in a ditch. The thieves know nothing about four wheel drive



Eric De Seynes collection of motorcycles will be at Retromobile (Thank you Solène B!)


Monday, November 18, 2024

a 15 year old, in 1976, was driving this to high school. I kid you not

 https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=9650013968349231&set=g.1686223568321025

haven't posted jack today, and not much yesterday, because as of Saturday, I've started my cat adoption process.

 just like dating, you can choose based on looks, but anyone with a god damn bit of IQ knows that getting along matters so much more than looks 

so, you better spend a lot of time together finding out if you get along before moving in together. 

Just my perspective/philosophy, since I don't jump into many stupid decisions, because I learned from experience a LONG time ago that regret will eat you up and ruin your life

I chose to take some time after SEMA to adopt a cat, not based on looks, but, based on that cat behaving like it wants to get along, wants to be given attention, and wants to spend a lot of time sleeping, and NOT destroying my stuff. 

I've had 2 cats since I got out of the Navy in 1999, I mention that because the govt does NOT want enlisted having a pet in the barracks, or out to sea... 

my first was given to me as a kitten by a well meaning girlfriend, who certainly found that cat a good human, and he died of unknown cause, but seemed to have been a heart attack. He died in his favorite sleeping spot at about age 12. Probably from a lifetime of less than the best dry cat food. 

If anyone knows of an analytical comparison of dry cat food, that proves which major brand, easily found in pet stores, and or grocery stores, is the best for a cat, let me know. I went with what was recommended by my vet. 

I adopted a kitten with a girlfriend about the time my 1st cat died, and she just died of old age (15) and cancer. This one got all the damn wet cat food she could ever ask for, ignored most, liked some but didn't eat much, and was the best cat for me in every category. 

Now, I have the ridiculously high standard set by that wonderful lifelong companion by which all others will be measured, and I want to be sure to get a remarkably well behaved cat that likes me a bit, ignores all the stuff I have that a cat can easily destroy, feels free to sleep where ever, when ever, and get brushed as much as it likes. 

Anyway, like you ought to know, this is a blog, not a company owned website, I post what I like, when I can, in my spare time, and believe me, the last 15 years of the posts were usually while one arm was wrapped around a sleeping cat. 

So, that's why the posts were very few today, it sure as hell isn't because I ran out ot SEMA stuff to post, there is a LOT more of that to come

mysterious bamboo cart, resembling a two-wheeled wagon, was found in the Swiss Alps... revealed by the melting of a glacier


U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating complaints that engines can fail on as many as 1.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles

The probe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers the 2016 through 2020 Honda Pilot and Acura MDX, as well as the 2018 through 2020 Honda Odyssey and Acura TLX. Also included is the 2017 through 2019 Honda Ridgeline.

The agency says in documents posted on its website Monday that connecting rod bearings on vehicles with 3.5-liter V6 engines can fail, leading to complete engine failure.

Honda recalled about 250,000 vehicles in November of 2023 to fix the same problem. But the agency says it has 173 complaints from owners who reported connecting rod bearing failures, yet their vehicles weren't included in the recall. One owner reported a crash with no injuries.

The agency said it's opening a recall query to determine the severity of the problem in vehicles not included in the 2023 recall.

it's nearly time to buy Xmas cards, send out the presents, and avoid the post office madness that is the Christmas season

 

I didn't think my blog would outlast Roadkill, with David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan, but, they made money and were in business, and not many tv series last longer than 13 years, Supernatural and the Simpsons are about it.

 

https://www.theautopian.com/motor-trend-kills-roadkill/

Sunday, November 17, 2024

The Race of Gentlemen (TROG) returned to New Jersey, the 1st weekend of October

 




https://www.hotrod.com/events/the-race-of-gentlemen-2024-event-coverage/
https://www.hotrod.com/features/the-race-of-gentlemen-2024-drag-racer-portrait-gallery/

Cherry Creek Schools of Colorado expanded its high school program training future aircraft mechanics to a three-year program


senior Izzy Mitchell is focused on tightening a propeller. It's part of the classroom curriculum for her course in powerplant aircraft mechanics.

"We're learning a lot about the engines and how they work, like carburetors," Mitchell said.

"I figured, if I know how to fly a plane, I probably should know how to be able to fix it," Mitchell said.

Her teacher, Ty McNew, spent years working on F16s in the military. He's now passing on his knowledge of planes by teaching the next generation of aircraft mechanics.

"We bring in real airplanes, real helicopters, real test equipment and we try to teach them the latest and greatest of whatever the industry is seeing at this time," said McNew, aviation powerplant instructor at Cherry Creek Innovation Campus.


Russia needed armor so badly that its biggest film studio, Mosfilm, donated 36 tanks that had been used as movie props, including the aging T-55, to Russia's defense ministry.

The director general of Mosfilm, Shakhnazarov said, according to a transcript published by the Kremlin. "In 2023, we handed over 28 T-55 tanks, eight PT-76 tanks, six infantry fighting vehicles, and eight trucks we had in our military department to the Armed Forces."

Mosfilm's website says the studio has over 190 armored vehicles, armored personnel carriers, and self-propelled guns

Figures from Dutch open-source tracking group Oryx say that Russia has lost 10,888 armored vehicles since the war began, including 3,558 tanks.

the top 10 of the Hot Wheels international search for the next coolest car has finally got it's crazy fun and cool cars






1938 Ford Hunting Car was found in a remote part of Argentina, built on a truck chassis instead of the usual car chassis




The coachbuilder, Tieppo Hinos, was a company from Argentina.

Bantam with a 5th wheel?

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2013488009095496&set=gm.27872911828966691&idorvanity=1464654713552429

I love innovation with old tools used at machinery parts

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10227173790790817&set=a.1617402035143

Bugatti - bicycle engine.




5.7 sec '59 DeSoto, a doorslammer, NOT a funny car!




the North Adams Fired Dept still has their 1944 Mack! Wow! Thanks Tom!

 
The pumper joined the Fire Department in 1941 and served the city for nearly 40 years. 

The vintage fire truck was retained as a source of pride by the department, but at more than 60 years old, the Mack was definitely showing its age. Firefighters, students, volunteers and more than a dozen businesses stepped up to keep the pumper going.

The major body work was done at T&M Auto on Curran Highway, where the truck was parked on Thursday morning.

"We got it in this spring, and put a ton of work in - body work and painting," said T&M owner Michael Milazzo, who estimated at least 500 hours were spent on the truck just this year.   "We've been discussing this project since '04 but it took it this long," 
Milazzo said, adding later that "we have a great community and there are a lot of people who don't realize how strong the community is."

In addition to work done by McCann students and Milazzo, a host of other businesses gave services, time and materials - from Dean's Quality Auto tuning the engine and rebuilding the exhaust to Sanford & Kid providing interior upholstery.

Meranti said firefighters spent many hours repairing and rebuilding parts of the truck and he and his sons, Mitchell and Matthew, rewired the vehicle.

Mack Manufacturing in Allentown, Pa., delivered the brand-new pumper to Fire Chief John F. Saulnier in November 1941 and put into service after passing a "rigorous three-hour test" at the Briggsville Dam, according to reports at the time by the North Adams Transcript. It was ordered through the former Brewer Bros. dealership at a cost of $10,000. At the time, the Mack company said it was only of only five enclosed-cab firetrucks in the state

They restored it in 2012

.

A single-engine plane crash in a motorhome lot near the top end of the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip halted Sunday’s championship finale for almost two hours. (thank you George! )

The plane ended up nose-first into an RV, which was moved out of place by the incident. The cause of the crash is unknown and the investigation continues. The NTSB and the FAA have been notified.

“From what we know, the units rendered life-saving emergency medical services as well as mitigating any fire potential from the surrounding vehicles, generators, and things of that sort,” engineer Jonathan Torres, the public information officer for L.A. County Fire, told media at the scene. “From what we know, we have two critical patients and two moderate that have been transported to local emergency rooms.”

Yutaka Murakami b.1957. Japanese watercolourist. "Catch the Wind"

 https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10233241306084326&set=gm.8874442316002091&idorvanity=3208900389223007

the Allis Chalmers HD 14 tractor crawler came from the factory with railroad track welded into the sides of the tracks machinery

 

and one ended up in the river at the bottom of a canyon, and was never pulled out. The video creator says it's Happy Valley, but not what state. 






straight to the point


Charles Nuss worked as a mechanic’s helper before opening Charley Nuss Garage, his own repair shop, in Rockford, Ill. With the success of the garage, Nuss obtained the Mack truck franchise in 1959, becoming Mack of Rockford. His son carried on the family business, and grew the collection of Mack / AC trucks