Good news (free to active duty military! ) if you are in Southern California... the Peterson Museum is giving tours of the vault! Weekends only I think, you'll want to call ahead to verify

5 tours per day will run approximately one hour at:
 11:00 a.m.
 12:30 p.m.
 2:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
5:00 p.m.

It's the first time in the Petersen's 18-year history that regular visitors have access to the city-block-sized basement that houses hundreds of vehicles demonstrating the history of the automobile as it's played out in Southern California.

Tours may be reserved by calling 323.964.6331 or purchasing your tickets at the admissions desk the day of your tour. For more information go to www.Petersen.org

Tickets to the vault cannot be purchased in advance or online. They are only available in person at the museum, and only for a two-week test run, after which the Petersen will assess its popularity and decide how to proceed.

The New York Times posted a story about this a week and a half ago: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/05/petersen-museum-is-opening-its-vault-to-visitors/

Also, it costs $12 to get admission to the museum, up to $12 to park, and $25 for the vault tour. You can save the cost pf parking if you go on a Sunday, and park about two blocks away in the residential area. I found that at 8th and Genesee there was plenty of available parking. I didn't have to feed a meter, which may not matter on a weekday, but cost 2 dollars a half hour in the museum area. Sheesh.

Also, gas costs $1.20 more a gallon in that area than the normal prices at the 405 and Santa Monica Blvd. The nearest Starbucks I found was at Wilshire and Santa Monica Blvd intersection

Tool contest could win you some cool stuff if you Facebook

Learned about it from http://fullerhotrods.com/ and the Facebook page for OTC is http://www.facebook.com/OTCTOOLS just head to the tab with "Tis the Season"

Contest ends tomorrow. Sorry, I only just learned about it

Did you like the posts about collections in barnfinds, the collections of cars that were found to have been neglected for decades? Well, here is another. In Belgium, and it's all Alfa Romeos

These are good photos, but there is another great set at http://timster1973.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/the-lost-alfas/ who says there are only 6 cars.

First it was the Sleeping Beauty collection of the Schlumpf bothers, then the welded shut collection of the variety of cars bought up by a collector when they were cheap, in Portugal. Now, this group of cars in a Belgian Castle. Cool world we live in, and interesting finds are still happening.

The original source website is dead. Well, it might just be having issues, but it doesn't seem to work. http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/ and so I learned about this on http://sucksqueezebangblow-juice.blogspot.com.br who posted it a month ago

A couple photos are at http://www.wernerschijvenaars.nl/gallery/71988 but they aren't as good as these ones, and provide no info

Local Motors was at SEMA again this year with the Rally Fighter tied into MaxTrax and Griffin Radiator

But in addition to the Rally Fighter, the Local Motors company has teamed up with Dominoes Pizza to have a contest to design a new Dominoes Delivery Vehicle.

https://forge.localmotors.com/pages/competition.php?co=72&tab=design-brief for the whole scoop, they've gotten to the interior design stage so far.

$8,000 in prizes will be awarded throughout the phase, which will run through December 18, 2012. Design components will ensure pizzas remain level and secure; drinks upright; cold items cold; hot items hot; and that the driver has easy access to condiments and other items essential for delivering orders quickly. All seating, interior access points and storage areas will be designed without compromising safety, durability, insurability or affordability.

The Making of a Pizza Delivery Vehicle Local Motors and Domino’s Pizza launched a global quest to revolutionize the pizza delivery experience. In Phase 1, the overall concept for the Domino’s Ultimate Delivery Vehicle was selected – the Domino’s Pack, by Anej Kostrevc of Slovenia. In Phase 2, Domino’s team, Local Motors staff, and members of the Forge – the Local Motors global community of automotive designers, engineers, fabricators and enthusiasts – worked together in a Collaborative Packaging Challenge, to select an underlying platform for the Ultimate Delivery Vehicle. Now, in Phase 3, it is time to move inside the vehicle and take a closer look at how it will all come together.

http://www.localmotors.com/

beautiful colors make a damn good photo

found on http://btwl.tumblr.com/post/36876784701/automotivated-garcia49chevyprofile-by-lunchbox but the source is http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunchboxphotoworks/8136550856/in/photostream

the source of this one is  http://www.flickr.com/photos/jujernault/7414658228/sizes/l/in/faves-emeric59430/

unsual design for a dash board, but expecting ordinary boring things at SEMA is not why you go there

How about this dashboard? I can't think of any I've ever seen with a convex dash this bowed

DragQuioa the Antron Brown family dragster

I love that bumper sticker, unexpected, and perfect for the SUV it's on

I think this '41 Cadillac has a cool look, Tucci hot rods built it, and put in a 500hp Northstar engine

I just learned that Tucci Hot Rods made it to the Ridler great 8 with their 1935 3 window Ford back in 2009. That is high level perfection.

http://www.tuccihotrods.com/home.html

Did you know there is a poster visual identification guide to Porsche's between 1948 and 1978?

the lighting was terrible and the photo didn't turn out, but you'll probably want to buy one if you are that interested. http://delawarepca.clubstore.us.com/product_info.php?products_id=300083 has them for 25 bucks. They are the same cost everywhere else I found them

have an older vehicle that doesn't have the computer telling you the tire pressures, and want to know fast and easy if the tires are still correctly aired up?

TPMS sensors are pricey. A couple hundred each last time I saw one sold. And without a cars computer to interact with the sensor, the next best thing are these! Cool idea!

Found at SEMA. Best place to look though new gizmos, gadgets, and products fro vehicles

I rarely read about the auto industry, but noticed that wardsauto.com is a good place if you want to learn about news and analysis of the data, about countries, corporations, and the business in general

http://wardsauto.com/news-analysis-0

and a couple examples:

Ford currently has about 3,500 showrooms in its home market, down from 6,500 six years ago, Farley says.... Farley, who was promoted earlier this year to executive vice president of Global Marketing, Sales and Service and Lincoln.

Since 2006, Toyota’s share of the segment has fallen from 18% to 11% while Honda’s has dropped from 16% to 12%, Ford says. Overall, some 20% of new cars in the U.S. hail from B/C, up from 13% in 2004.

both excerpts are from http://wardsauto.com/blog/ford-s-farley-wants-cut-through-clutter

They also cover tradeshows, conferences, etc etc in addition to data collection and reports

it's been 57 years since the Packard plant in Detroit closed, it's been falling apart just longer than it operated. Why is it still sort of standing? All 37 acres of rubble? A good article to read at WardsAuto.com

Rome has its ruins, we have ours in Detroit.

 People may debate about which Roman ruin is the greatest. Some say it’s the Coliseum. Others vote for the Forum or the Baths of Caracalla. They’re all amazing.

 By consensus, the mother of Motor City ruins is the Packard plant.

 It doesn’t amaze, it dismays as a titanic industrial wreck: 35 acres of decay near the city center.

so begins a good article written by Steve Finlay, and the rest is at http://wardsauto.com/blog/packard-plant-mother-motor-city-ruins

its worth the read.

The Veteran Car Club of San Paulo Brazil gave a tour to high schoolers... that is cool!

cars made between 1910 and 1930 like a 1917 and a 1923 Maxwell, 1927 Graham Paige, and a 1927 Huppmobile Erskine

Pagotto explained the differences between the bodies of the models exposed and expounded on the "Schools" American and European Restoration, first conceptualized the optimization of brightness, in the amounts of chrome and accessories, called "Restoration Show" and European: committed the accuracy of the restoration in the original patterns, using original materials and to maintaining imperfections from the time of manufacture.

Guided by instructor Fabio Pagotto young people had the opportunity to learn a little more about the history of the automobile from the early 20th century, the influence of the wagons of the vehicles and the pioneering era of Henry Ford's Model T in manufacturing

found on http://www.accasc.org.br/noticia.php?intNotID=82 which has more photos and info, via the newsletter of http://www.clubedocarroantigo.com.br/cca_m01_h_class.asp?cod_cli=33

Multiple motor madness from the 60's surfaces on the Mboxcommunity.com forum as one member uploads cards he's held onto for about 40 years

Above, the Odd Couple slingshot, the front engine is a Chev, and the rear is the 3rd hemi to hang in the back of the AA/gas dragster. The Chev never broke in the 2 years that 3 hemis ate dirt

I see two engines in the back, and I don't remember seeing a double engined wheelstander before. Photo was at OCIR. I think that the drivers side door says M/T chassis. Huh?

photos thanks to Damien from Australia and the http://onfourwheels.blogspot.com/ blog and found the photos on http://www.mboxcommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?108903-Dragster-Scans 

1952 Ford F-6 COE, the Frankenford, a lot of humor and effort to look grungy

having the exhaust come out like this doesn't mean the engine actually is under the 57 Chev hood, but it could be. Unique at the least, pretty cool for sure. Having the radiator right in front of the rear axel makes me think the engine us under that hood... but that would be a lot of work to redesign the truck like that. Makes me wonder what they did with the original engine area