Some good ones from Pixdaus

All car parts art... way cool

http://pixdaus.com/?setstyle=1&sort=

Bad news on Chevrolet delaerships closing due to the worsened economy... or was it really due to being sued for 50 million?

http://thegarageblog.com/garage/doors-close-on-13th-largest-us-dealer-group/

or it could be the " $50 million deceptive advertising lawsuit and.... litany of complaints from consumers in the states where it operated.... Bill Heard sells “around $2.5 billion” a year and employs more than 3,500."
from http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/09/22/daily35.html

one fun video of 4 wheel burnouts in an Audi Quattro on an autocross

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v218/screech101/?action=view&current=Quattro.flv

Great racing photos, and warbirds, and other very cool stuff

This is one great cool perspective of the Cyclone spoiler, and Smokey... my one-of-a-kind all-time car-guy hero

http://flickr.com/photos/27666849@N04/ is the flikr site, 27 pages of photos that are awesome...

Via: http://thegarageblog.com/

For more about Smokey: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/12/smokey-yunick-camaro-is-for-sale-again.html

The Garage.... over on the right side column of favorite websites

http://thegarageblog.com/garage/gallery-american-lemans-season-finale-at-laguna-seca/#more-6724 photo gallery of the work of Jon Emerson

Rare 1956 Daimler Conquest roadster spotted in San Diego

The strangest things happen when you are are work, like stumbling upon this beauty. Brought over to the US in the mid seventies, it hibernated in a barn for 3 decades until the owner died, and his son sold it. It's getting proper attention now.

When I went looking for info on it on the internet, I found that it has recently been posted on http://bringatrailer.com/2008/09/23/1956-daimler-conquest-roadster-barn-find/ a cool website I like too.

Cool old Mercedes Benz ambulance at El Cajon's Wednesday night cruise

This tailgate shot shows a unique look... the back looks similar to a minivan, and the tailfins are tucked in tight for an odd take on the Mercedes look.... I think its cool to see something so unusual but similar to an ordinary car of it's kind

Car insurance comparison

For insuring my daily driver I am calling the top 10 biggest insurance companies around, and with the identical policy info given to them, here's the dirt on how bad they will rip you off compared to the other company.

 Rip off? Yeah, if you are forced to pay for it but never use it, need it, or file a claim, it's a rip off.

If you use it, when you need it, that's a different situation of trauma, drama, and need for assistance.. that would be a damn good time to have customer service.

I haven't had any customer service from car insurance companies, just from the insurance agent that I was fortunate enough to find when comparing companies years ago. My agent has been at the same company, as an agent for over 30 years, and I really dig his whole role and occsional check in with me to keep in touch.

Anyway here's the rip offs: (6 month policy quotes) in US Dollars

 Allstate: $438

AAA: $448

 Farmers: $477

 Geico : $525

State Farm: $608

Progressive: $619

Mercury: $634

20th Century / AIG : $696

Sad huh?! I'm going to get more quotes, and update this post with them, during the regular work week I suppose, since Saturday wasn't good for gettting ahold of local agents when their company didn't have a 1 800 #

 Also, if you are a member of the following 6 occupational organizations, associations, or university degree holding professions, you are going to get a discount too from some insurance companies:

 California Medical Assoc.

California Association of CPAs

LA county Bar Association

Degrees in Education, Engineers, and Scientists

So, if you were lucky to get college degrees for those wealth making professions, you are going to keep more of your dough 'cause the insurance companies have found that those types of people aren't as likely to have their expensive cars stolen, damaged in parking lots, or hit in traffic jams. Must be really special to have the car gods shine on you like that.

 Also, the insurance companies will jack you for a more money if you don't have car insurance... they aren't picky either, they don't care if you stopped due to a reason, or who you used to have, they are equal opportunity opportunists, and just that you don't currently have insurance on a car is all the reason they need to charge more without doing anything more for you.. further giving me cause to label them all rip offs.

More photos from El Cajon's nitro night

This is the hood ornament from the Canadian Mercury, the Monarch (above)