Just A Car Guy: 12/3/06

Saturday, December 09, 2006

The KITT car still hangs around in Florida

Someone still is enthralled by the Knight Rider tv show car, KITT. Hard to fathom liking that car so much you'd buy the car... but this one has Florida plates - and we know how stupid they proved themselves in Florida, all the smart ones left after thier 1st hurricane, the dumb ones stayed and bought the KITT car.

http://fishki.net/comment.php?id=15708

Hurst SC/Rambler, the only production car with glasspacks from the factory

Doug Thorley headers followed by Thrush straight through glasspacks. That's sweet, from the factory. 3.54 gears, and a Hurst 4 speed. Nice.

A special Rogue called the Hurst SC/Rambler (Stock Car (SC) or original factory) model was built in 1969, featuring flamboyant red, white and blue graphics, a bizarre hood scoop, the 390 V-8, and a stiffer frame (needed to withstand the engine's massive torque). A dead-stock SC/Rambler could do the quarter mile in the low 14s. To keep weight down AMC offered no options on the SC/Rambler except an AM radio -- no air conditioning, no power steering, no bucket seats, no console. 1,512 were made at a dirt-cheap price of $2998; an example in top condition is worth over $10,000 today (if you can find one).

Needing an entry in the growing compact performance segment, AMC took the lowly Rambler Rouge compact and decided to make a muscle car out of it.

AMC turned to Hurst Performance Research Inc., and created the SC/Rambler (often nicknamed "Scrambler"), which debuted in the middle of the 1969 model year. All SC/Ramblers began life as appliance white Rambler hardtops with two-tone mags, racing mirrors, blackout grille and tail panel, Hurst badging, and a functional ram-air hood scoop with an upthrust snout.

Under the hood, AMC fited its largest V8, the 315 bhp, 390 cid V8.

A Borg-Warner four speed with Hurst shifter and a 3.54:1 limited-slip differential completed the powertrain. The suspension was toughened up with heavy-duty shocks, anti-sway bar, and anti-hop rear links. E70x14 Red Stripped Goodyear Polyglas tires and the AMX's optional heavy duty brakes with Bendix front discs were included. The interior was standard gray vinyl Rouge interior with the addition of reclining bucket seats (with red, white, and blue headrests), full carpeting, and a Sun 8000 rpm tach strapped to the steering column. A $61 AM radio was the only option available.

The exterior was treated to one of the wildest factory paint jobs on any muscle car. Two exterior options were available. The first 500 cars built featured the "A" trim with red center body side panels, and thick blue horizontal racing stripes on the hood, roof, and deck. A blue arrow pointed towards the scoop, which had large letters spelling the words "390 CU.IN" and the word "AIR" appeared on both sides of the air scoop. When these quickly sold, a second batch of were made with the new "B" type trim. These had a mostly white exterior with narrow red and blue stripes. Then a third batch was made, reverting to the "A" style trim, but lacking some of the elements. About 1,200 of the 1,512 made had the "A" treatment.

It may have been a supercar caricature, but it was quite a performer. With 315 bhp and a curb weight of just 3,000 lbs., the hot compact had a power-to-weight ratio of just 10.03 lbs/bhp. This enabled the SC/Rambler to pull off quarter miles in the low 14 seconds at 99 mph. Not bad for a little compact from AMC, even if it lasted only one year.
Production: 1,512
Engines: 390 V8 315 bhp @ 4600 rpm, 425 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
Performance: 390/315: 0-60 in 6.3 seconds, 1/4 mile in 14.3 seconds @ 99 mph
Great production info and a factory lists of parts that made this special, like the glasspacks and "headers by Doug" Thorley, a reputed step above Hookers and Hedmans.

B paint scheme photo from http://hotvvheels.tumblr.com/

Did you want to see the V-10 viper engined Tomahawk in action?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7MedT2TDRM&eurl=

Bras can't coexist with cars.... don't argue, just hit the link

Vince has found that bras and cars seem unable to exist in close proximity... much respect Vince... love your old stuff!

http://thehollywoodextra.blogspot.com/2004/12/bras-and-cars.html

Cool pic

On the first day I bought my LAST musclecar, I was introduced to the coolest Burbank drive in

Pic from http://thehollywoodextra.blogspot.com/ cool website. Vince, if you read this, check through this blog for the AMX 2, and AMX 3 pics... Re: a comment you made about how it's a shame they weren't produced. Come to San Diego, in the Balboa Park Auto Museum, Dick Teague's wife donotated one, it's on permanent display.

1905 San Fran family in a steamer out for a Sunday drive

Mopars are so cool, Russians post these pics

From http://ziza.ru/2006/12/05/avtomobili_proshlogo_veka_31_foto.html

Brake care and maintenance 101, from a FUBAR pic for visual aid

This took me a minute to grasp how this functions, I thought about racing applications, like the drilling and grooving for brake dust removal and cooling. Then when I couldn't get a handle on it, I know that some drum brake were finned really well on some early 60's cars.. esp. Oldsmobiles but this is direct brake pad to cooling fins... so WTF? Then I noticed the accompanying pic of an unwrecked rotor.

So that was my reminder that those cooling fins are BETWEEN SOLID STEEL PLATES! How in the hell could that FUBAR brake been driven to that extreme? No effing way that wouldn't jerk the car to one side like a tbone from a Mack truck if the barkes were hit.

Daily driver Boss 302 touted on the CAR CRAFT Feb 2007 issue cover

Michelle Holstein's. Riverside Ca. Picture i found by accident on a russian site that is completely diverse on content... and when you can't read a damn word, photo content counts.
Автомобили прошлого века (31 фото)
seems to translate into Automobiles found here, 31 photo's... so why not, right?
from http://ziza.ru/2006/12/05/avtomobili_proshlogo_veka_31_foto.html

Friday, December 08, 2006

Ford Seattle-ite prototype.. goofy 4 front tires

In 1954, Miller beer toured with this bus, cool.

The High Life Cruiser:

The original Miller High Life Cruiser, designed in the early 1950s by renowned industrial designer Brooks Stevens, became an instant fan favorite, and was one of the first mobile marketing campaigns of the modern era. Ahead of its time, the vehicle hydraulically lifted and showcased a 10 ft. high replica of the Miller High Life bottle on its roof when parked. Throughout 1954 and several years beyond, the High Life Cruiser visited folks across the U.S., sharing stories of the High Life brand?s first half-century.

The new High Life Cruiser is 35 feet long and showcases hundreds of pieces of High Life memorabilia from the last century, including a retro style High-Life bar.

You want to root for under-dogs; especially when they are grandads trying to set a new landspeed records with nothing but guts: take it away Jay Leno

Jay writes an article a month for Popuar mechanics, and they are damn good. read this one, and you'll probably be hooked too.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/jay_leno_garage/4199623.html

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/jay_leno_garage/ for al the articles Jay writes

Like Jay Leno? Heard of his tank powered rod? Car and driver had him race a tank, great writing

http://zelastchancegaragedu78.blogspot.com/2009/10/jays-roadster.html has a gallery and write up about Jay's tank car

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQHRNeY9zUU&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fscheerti%2Eblog%2Ehu%2Findex%2Ephp%2F%3Fpage%3D2

and for a good write up from the shop that works on keeping the tank car in tune:http://bankspower.com/blog/show/79-THE-LENO-TANK-CAR-COMES-HOME-TO-BANKS-FOR-A-CHECK-UP

Thus, we have a tank-powered car conceived by a glass artist (Randy Grubb) and owned by a celebrity with a world-famous chin. This had the makings of a high concept at least as good as Gigli. All we needed for a solid draw was some gunplay and explosions. That's when we called the Army.

Click the link for the 4 page article, it's a great story, well written

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=4&article_id=8789

In another entry I'm going to show some incredible stuff the Blastolene Special maker's business partner makes... so cool. (Randy Grubb, glass artist, engineer and co-owner, Blastolene Brothers, Grant's Pass, Ore. Michael Leeds, artist and co-owner, Blastolene Brothers, Santa Cruz, Calif.)

Here's a list of the cool stuff Jay garages for occasional fun

Jay Leno's vehicle collection includes 84 cars and 73 motorcycles as of April 11, 2006[1] This is a partial list. The cars are housed in Leno's "Big Dog Garage", comprised of three adjacent warehouses in a Burbank industrial park. It is run by Bernard Juchli and one other mechanic.

Cars
1941 American LaFrance triple combination Series 600 pumper V-12 (Firetruck)[2]
2006 Ariel Atom [3]
1916 Auto Car [4]
1909 Baker Electric [5]
1931 Bentley 8-Litre
1926 Bentley roadster (twin-turbocharged eight-liter Bentley engine) [6]
1931 Bentley sedan [1]
19xx Bentley Speed Six [6]
19xx Bentley Turbo R
xxxx Blastolene Special
19xx Bugatti
1937 Bugatti Atlantique
19xx replica Bugatti Type 37A [6]
19xx replica Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic [6]
1955 Buick Roadmaster (originally restored) [7]
2006 R-Cars Chrysler Crossfire I-Cell [8]
1956 Chrysler Imperial [9]
200x Chevrolet Corvette C6 [10]
200x C5 Corvette Z06 [5]
1916 Crane Simplex Model 5 Holbrook Skiff [11]
19xx Delahaye [12]
1966 Dodge Coronet Hemi [9]
1992 Dodge Viper
1996 Dodge Viper [13]
1993 Dodge Viper RT10 (first production Viper in black) [14]
1925 Doble steamer[1]
1927 Duesenberg SJ
1930 Duesenberg SJ
1932 Duesenberg SJ (Murphy-bodied) [15]
19xx Duesenberg SJ
19xx Duesenberg SJ
1937 Fiat Topolino [1]
1966 427 Ford AC Cobra [5]
19xx Ford Festiva (Ford Taurus SHO motor and a nitrous setup)
1966 Ford Galaxie [16]
2005 Ford GT [1][17]
1966 Ford GT40 [18]
1915 shovel-nosed Franklin (California-built body by Harley Earl)[6]
1915 Hispano-Suiza [12]
19xx Honda Insight
1950s Hudson Hornet [1]
19xx Jaguar XK120 [1][19]
1939 Lagonda V12[6]
19xx Lamborghini Diablo [20]
1967 Lamborghini Miura P400 [21]
1998 Light Car Company Rocket[22]
2004 Maybach 57 [23]
1970 Mazda Cosmo [24]
19xx Mazda Miata [25]
2005 Mazda RX-8
1995 McLaren F1 [4][26]
2005 McLaren SLR [4]
1913 Mercer Raceabout [9][6]
19xx MGB Roadster [27]
19xx Mini [28]
193x Morgan Motor Company 3-wheeler [5]
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado (1,070hp) [29][30]
1932 Packard Twin Six 12-cylinder coupe [9]
2004 Porsche Carrera GT [31]
1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II (1,000hp Merlin V12, 1,806 pounds of torque)[6]
1958 Saab 93B [32]
19xx replica Shelby Cobra (429 SOHC Ford V-8 under its hood)
196x Shelby Mustang fastback coupe
1968 Shelby Mustang GT350 [5]
1906 Stanley Steamer
1909 Stanley Steamer Model R [33]
19xx custom Tank-Car (1792 cubic inch fuel injected twin-turbocharged V-12 M47 Patton tank engine; est. 1600 hp and 3000 lb-ft of torque) [34][35]
19xx WO Bentley [36]

Motorcycles
19xx Brough Superior SS100 [37]
19xx Broughs
19xx BSA Lightning
19xx Desmo
19xx Ducati Hailwood (replica) [38]
19xx fmr bike: Moto Morini 500
19xx Harley-Davidsons [38]
1927 Harley-Davidson with sidecar [39]
19xx Honda 350 twin (first bike)
19xx Jet/MC C18 jet engine (with the C18 Allison Rolls Royce jet engine, used as a bike) [39]
19xx Mammoth (1200cc)
19xx Norton Manx [40]
1908 Pope [39]
19xx Triumph Bonnevilles (1 1964) [41]
2004 Triumph Rocket III
19xx Velocette Thruxton
19xx Vincent Black Shadows (>15) [42][43]
19xx Y2K Turbine Superbike (320hp engine from a Bell helicopter) [2]

http://www.answers.com/topic/jay-leno-s-vehicles

Thursday, December 07, 2006

I like prototypes... hell, I just dig cars

1961 Mako Shark most of these pics are from a russian site http://autowp.ru/

1962 XP 755 Mako Shark

1965 Mako Shark

1969 Manta Ray

1973 Astrovette

1956 SR-2 Corvette
http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net is a great site and was my source for this SR-2, the precursor to the SS Corvette

I love COE's, and fire trucks, so link to this if you do too

http://capecodfd.com/PAGES%20Special/Breakers06.htm

1938 Dodge Airflow, cool old fuel truck

I was just reading in the Haggerty newsletter (March 2010) about the Ford museum in Dearborn, and how they were looking for one of these fuel tankers, and that they couldn't find one in even halfway decent condition.. they'd all been used to death. So they restored one, or bought one that had been restored, and the museum now has it's fuel tanker and it's one of the few or only vehicles there that isn't in original / as found condition. They are so proud of the original condition vehicles they actually glue paint chips back onto the 999 when they fall off

Once, men were allowed to be men... crazy daredevil, 4 motor, 4 wheel drive, rocket powered nuts.

http://www.almar.easynet.be/turbonique.htm has a really good article, and good photos.

http://vales.com/MTM2/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12159&ARCHIVE for the best color pics and description of how powerfully enticing this was, it went on go carts (215 mph), cars, boats, etc... strap on 1000 HP, or the full boogie 1500 HP if you clang with big brass notes when you shuffle along.

http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2006/04/the_real_acme.html

I won't even repost the madness here.... I can't possibly do justice to the sheer machoness of strapping a 1000 hp 760 ft lbs rocket to the rear axle of a dragster and hitting the "fun" button. Trust me, Coop, and iowahawk... read it all, soak it in. Our fathers and grandfathers were effing madmen with motors and we should just drop to one knee in homage the the giants who once walked the USA, racing for the shits and grins of it all.

thanks to http://positiveapeindex.blogspot.com/2006/04/real-acme.html for reminding me about this, and I'll have more on this from my archived books and magazines someday.

http://www.the-rocketman.com/turbonique1.html has 5 photo galleries of bikes, boats, cars, and go karts that had used these.