did DeSoto ever make a truck? I know that though they are rare, Plymouth, Packard, and Mercury did... but does anyone know if this is not factory made?

Just a few of the hundreds of Mopars at the annual spring event in Las Vegas, Mopars at the Strip

I bet it's been a long time since you've seen a Sport Fury GT 440, C body, if ever

Reason #420 to not do drugs, poor choice of rims and white wall tires

Shelby GT350 Mustang, with a couple strange things about it

What is this 4 knob device? Speaker controls? Power amp for the stereo?

 and when the sign on the dash said the car was still owned by the original owner, but I saw this temp registration in the back window, I wondered what was going on...

I still can't figure out why it's an 1988 Nissan listed on the temp.

A WW2 Jeep with a dog tag diplay... that is innovative and darn cool

the license plates of the USA in 1941, the variety of the designs is remarkable

cool collection and display!

1915 Ford Speedster

compare it to the 1913 speedster if you like: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/1913%20Ford%20Speedster

A garage that has more cool stuff than most, and nothing less than cool

A tire mount and balance tool box originally

 A tool store display of taps and dies

the sign a vehicle had to display if it were being operated by a newly licensed driver, to warn all the other traffic that it's not as experienced on the road

 The above are on shelves, that are really Model T running boards. Isn't that awesome?!

Not many Rickenbackers were made

Possibly a carnival sign?

this is just a part of the tools this kid is selling

 from http://t-s-k-b.tumblr.com/

readerscorner:

Taken from Ellis Bridge looking over a tool trader’s spot at the Ravivar Bazaar (Sunday Market) in Ahmedabad. The display of tools at this particular stall is about 4 times that which you can see here and is all set up for only one day a week.

(Source: avatak, via bassman5911)

Planes of Fame airshow this weekend in Chino (Los Angeles area)

6 of the remaining 8 flyable P-38s will be there flying, plus a B17, B24, B25, etc etc. Lots of cool planes!

http://planesoffame.org/index.php?page=performers

Does anyone know what is the story about this backward truck?

the photo is cropped to exclude the background vehicles, and does not cut off the back of the truck. The back of the cab is the back of the vehicle

Thanks Marc for sending it!

I tank U ... a cool old military Jeep truck

Some cool vehicles never get to the car shows... they just sit in the streets. I found this today while out for a walk

Kellog's Vrooms?

Why do Italian car companies car some models Spider/Spyder? The answer from Car and Driver magazine

Terrific article that delves into tax cheats in Italy getting busted.... the simple way. Police pull over expensive cars, and check the owners tax records. Sort of like the IRS looking to see if you can afford the Ferrari you drive

Ferrari’s home market is in a shambles even as the company records ­massive growth in the U.S., China, and India. Italy accounted for only 248 of the black stallion’s sales in 2012, half the number sold there the year before. Maserati’s sales have fallen 80 percent since 2009, but it’s not just Fiat brands that are hurting. Lamborghini president Stephan Winkelmann can count Italy’s monthly sales on one hand. The cause for the collapse goes far beyond the European economic meltdown. Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo slammed the government in Rome: “Once again, the exception is Italy, where we have witnessed a drop partly due to the economic crisis, but also to a hostile environment for ­luxury goods which have long been, and continue to be, an important resource for the country.”

So what hostile environment could discourage thin-soled Italians from buying their own supercars? Pressed for cash and tired of losing an estimated $150 billion a year to tax evaders, Italy’s government started digging around. Last winter, police raided a posh ski town and struck gold. High-end cars were pulled over and their drivers were asked to sit tight while the home office checked tax records. One in six—42 vehicles total—were being driven by someone who had reported a meager annual income insufficient for supercar ownership. It was a PR win for a government under fire for cutting social services it says the country can’t afford. Emboldened, tax cops set up checkpoints in wealthier cities and even dropped in on a Ferrari owners club get-together. The tactics netted dozens of scofflaws, including an F40 driver owing more than $10 million in delinquent taxes.

Even for the drivers of such ostentatious cars, the attention was unwelcome. Tax cheats or not, owners dumped their supercars in droves, venting to news outlets that they were being harassed by police. Come this spring, the situation should settle down. The government is initiating an automated check of tax records for anyone ­making large purchases. While the checkpoints targeted people who already owned their cars, the automated system should keep the small, financial-enforcement police unit busy enough that it won’t need to staff checkpoints anymore. While legit owners won’t have to worry about being harassed, less-scrupulous Italians are now reported to be buying cars outside of Italy, in cash, and registering them abroad to stay below the radar. Ferraris will return to the autostrada, albeit in smaller numbers.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/checkpoint-carlo-how-tax-cops-killed-italys-supercar-market/

Car and Driver magazine, I had no idea they were so informative! And so many infographics!

I've recently covered a couple informative pieces about the car companies going away from stick shifts, and not having an option if you don't like the automatic transmission http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2013/01/stupidest-thieves-of-week-could-not.html
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/08/stick-shift-vs-automatic.html

I can't find the link about the Ferrari no longer offering a stick in some model, American destination cars I suppose, because only 8 of 3000 were ordered with a stick last year... if I remember correctly, and I often don't

1925 Stutz Weymann bodied, one of two 695 Convertible Roadster, with the rarely seen Balloon Bumpers, and a hell of a big running board mounted searchlight

the engine cowling is painted metal, and the firewall area is material covered

The gator skin is here and there and everywhere throughout

not the only beautiful wood spoked steering wheel you'll see today

the search light and this fire extinguisher cause me to think that this car was used by a fire chief

I say you got your money's worth from this gallery