best real car story I've learned in a while, Victor's R/T was a dealership showroom draw

the dealership was in central LA, and special ordered this R/T to be catnip to Mopar musclecar buyers, and intended to race it when the 1970 model came along a year later to replace it in the showroom.

But a guy came in who wouldn't be denied, and paid what the dealership who didn't want to sell it, demanded. 

He died within the decade, and his widow then drove it as a daily commuter. It's a Super Track Pak 4.11 geared Dana 60, 727, 440 4 barrel.... but it wasn't able to run forever without oil added, and soon windowed the block with the #2 cylinder piston. 

She had it taken to the nearby service station who replaced the block, and dumped the ventilated one in the alley behind the service bay... 

About this time, a car finder was out getting the local kids hired on a muscle car search party, handing them photos of the cars he was out to locate. One of the kids saw this getting the engine replaced, let him know where it was, he contacted the widow who was read to sell, and Victor bought it from the finder for a good 200 dollar fee. 

This was in the early 80s, and he set about restoring it, after the original block was grabbed before it could be sent to the junkyard. The original block was a condition of the purchase, as Victor was an NCRS Corvette guy, and matching numbers stuff is critical to them. 

He cleaned up and restored the original parts, had the block welded and fixed, and has only driven it 1000 miles since finishing the restoration. It hasn't left the garage in a decade, and this was it's first day out breaking the long hibernation. 

cool stuff from Nascar's glory days

I spotted one of those new digital license plates today... they look just like the European ones

I've never heard of the 1974 Satellite Sundance, but they only made about 300 of them, and they aren't desirable in any way, so it's not any surprise they are forgotten

1974 was a end run year, the Satellite body was only given minor updates mainly for emissions and safety compliance. The series trim level started with Satellite, Satellite Custom, Roadrunner occupied the performance end while Sebring and Sebring Plus took care of the premium trim series.

the Sundance coupe which offered a unique set of graphics on the hood and sail panels and a special interior to coordinate with the metallic gold paint. It was a Spring Promo based on the Sebring Plus model. The Sundance option gave you a special interior with white vinyl bolsters and Sundance pattern cloth inserts on door panels and seats. The exterior received Sundance sail panel decals, grille header panel decal.

http://phscollectorcarworld.blogspot.com/2018/08/1974-plymouth-satellite-sundance-edition.html

Super Stock Hurst Barracuda don't come up for sale very often, and they are very expensive, but this replica seems reasonable at 90k

I dig it, and the seats make it awesome

found in the swap meet at the Van Nuys Mopar Spring Fling

the tools were great quality, there were Snap On, Proto, Craftsman, Mac, Williams, etc and the prices were surprisingly good

this would be cooler if the shifter was turned 180 degrees

spotted on interstate 5 this morning

I spent hours on the 405 today through LA metro area, but didn't have a single issue until I was on the 5 back in San Diego county, and the 405 was screwed by the VP who has to have the 6 lane interstate to herself for her motorcade, it's ridiculous, use a helicopter dumbass!

some moron in a top down Wrangler didn't look over his shoulder or in his side mirrors to check that the lane he was moving over into was not presently occupied by something

Maybe he was oblivious, or just stupid. But his girlfriend in the passenger seat, closest to ME, freaked out scared that she was about to die because the Jeep was about 3 feet into my lane, before he heard her scream, and yeah, at 70 mph I heard her scream too, over the road noise and my radio on the 70s ch on XM.

I had noticed the Jeep moving over though, without a turn signal, and was already moving over to the shoulder, we didn't collide. 

he had unlimited view, unobstructed, and wasn't using it, or any caution. And just yesterday I was posted here to be cautious because its not safe out there

Goodwood Members Meeting is on all weekend!

both days of 80MM will be streamed live across both the Goodwood Road & Racing website, the YouTube and Facebook accounts

https://www.youtube.com/@GoodwoodRR

https://www.goodwood.com/grr/event-coverage/members-meeting/2023/4/how-to-watch-80mm/

been a long time since I've seen a Vector

https://www.hotcars.com/best-american-cars-define-automotive-excellence/

Russia has been at war with Ukraine for many months now, and has lost about 1500 tanks in battle... and the Ukrainians have been getting those back into the fight, against Russia

Ukraine’s own tank corps, 900 T-64s and T-72s strong back in February, also has suffered heavy losses: around 375 total write-offs, of which 130 or so tanks were captured by the Russians. 

The difference between Russian and Ukrainian tank attrition is that Ukraine has captured from Russia more modern tanks than it has lost to Russia, while Russia has had to dip into its warehouses and open-air tank parks in order to make good its own losses.

There weren’t enough intact T-80s and T-72s in storage to replace the T-80s and T-72s Russia had lost, but there were lots of T-62s. The Kremlin ordered the 103rd Armored Plant in Chita, in southern Siberia, to recondition 80o T-62s through 2025.

The old tanks began arriving at the front this summer, where they stiffened Russian battalions trying—and ultimately failing—to hold onto Kherson Oblast in southern Ukraine. There’s no evidence the T-62s played any meaningful role in the fighting. There’s ample evidence their four-man crews abandoned the tanks at the first opportunity.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/11/28/the-ukrainian-army-captured-dozens-of-the-russian-armys-old-t-62-tanks-and-is-now-sending-them-back-into-battle/?sh=5c192ae618d2

the Tennessee Bureau Investigation looked into the complaint against then-Perry County Deputy Jonathan Kelly (his sheriff's department didn't)

Kelly worked for the Waynesboro Police Department before joining the sheriff’s office in his hometown of Linden just over a year ago.  https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/perry-county-deputy-terminated-tbi-investigating/

On Wednesday, Feb. 22, a Perry County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Kelly with one count of aggravated rape and one count of official misconduct.

Kelly had indicated to the woman he pulled over for a traffic stop that she wouldn’t be charged if she engaged in “sexual contact” with him.

https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/former-perry-co-deputy-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-woman-during-traffic-stop/

https://www.wsmv.com/2023/02/28/former-perry-county-deputy-accused-raping-woman-during-traffic-stop/

https://www.newsbreak.com/linden-tn/2941392939219-deputy-rapes-woman-at-traffic-stop-and-tells-her-she-won-t-be-charged-tennessee-cops-say

https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/former-deputy-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-woman-during-traffic-stop-in-tennessee/

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article272625665.html

So, do Boy Scouts and Marines not apply to get hired in the various law enforcement agencies because it's so disgusting they puke to even think about applying? Or are their applications destroyed because the corrupt, disgusting, rapist murderers in the law enforcement agencies won't allow honest people to get hired and put a stop to the behavior even backwoods 3rd world country's cops won't tolerate? Asking for a friend. 

I wonder what his mom thinks of him now. I doubt she even considers visiting him in prison

How do police respond to anyone that can't calmly answer their questions? Excessively, violently, unprovoked, maliciously, and one might easiloy assume, with great joy as they render that person in need of a hospital. Why? Their are bullies with badges out to assault everyone without a badge

San Diego County has agreed to pay nearly $200,000 to a man who was put in a headlock and thrown to the ground, kicked and shocked with a Taser by deputies while he was having a low blood-sugar episode so dire that a paramedic later said it was “the lowest I’ve ever seen someone that’s still breathing."

He went to the East Village Asian Diner in the upper class beachtown of Encinitas, (so sweet of a place, the famous live there, Joe Walsh, Tony Hawk, Richard Dreyfuss, Shaun White) to get something to eat to raise his blood sugar, but while there, as his blood sugar continued to crash, he became disoriented and appeared to nod off while at the counter. 

A restaurant worker called 911 and soon five deputies confronted Carr.

Carr was able to tell the deputies his name, but his answers to other questions made no sense. Deputies believed he was under the influence of drugs. 

When he was unable to comply with their orders to leave the restaurant, they grabbed him off the seat and manhandled him, eventually pinning him against the food counter. Body-worn camera footage captured Carr calmly saying, “Please don’t. Please don’t. Please don’t,” according to a court filing.

He was then tased in the back and flung to the ground in a headlock where the deputies piled on top of him. He was tased twice more — the third time for five seconds until the device automatically shut off — before being handcuffed and carried outside, court records recounted.

Paramedics arrived, and Deputy Jason Ferguson told them Carr “says he’s diabetic” and pointed to the insulin pump.

A paramedic took a finger-prick blood test which showed his blood-sugar level to be extremely low, leading one paramedic to be heard on the body camera remarking it was the lowest he had ever seen for someone who was breathing. They quickly gave him oral glucose to raise the level and took him to the hospital.

Deputies later charged him with trespassing and resisting arrest, but prosecutors declined to file a case. 

In the suit, county lawyers argued the deputies were justified in arresting Carr for trespass — the restaurant manager said he wanted him removed — and for resisting.

U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino said the police could be sued for both the excessive force and false arrest claims.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2023-03-13/carr-sheriff-lawsuit-settle-diabetic

Tell me again, what makes the USA such an amazing country that people from other countries want to suffer to get here, to escape the corrupt police in the countries they are fleeing from? Really? 

did you hear about the Massachusetts overtime scandal where dozens of troopers in the now-disbanded Troop E were pocketing taxpayer money for overtime they never worked.

 and then there was the staffing shortages at police stations caused by a domino effect where other troopers work overtime to fill the gaps because cops called out of their normal shifts, to work optional overtime shifts. 

Massachusetts State Police fired at least 22 troopers in the wake of the Troop E scandal, which came to light in 2018. Ten faced state or federal charges with many pleading guilty. Several others retired amid the probes.

The state created the Inspector General’s Division of State Police Oversight, which authored the latest report, to audit the beleaguered agency.

Five years later, the oversight division’s report says the overlaps between overtime and regular shifts do not rise to the level of abuse seen in Troop E. The division’s biggest qualm was that the overtime protocols weren’t baked into written policy. But it’s not the first time the oversight division has raised concerns.

A report from last year found that troopers were paid for a combined 447.9 overtime hours they didn’t work in 2016 because of sloppy record-keeping and union agreements.

https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2023/03/13/state-troopers-day-jobs-ot

DEA Task Force agent Sgt. James Darrell Hickox sold illegal drugs and amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars, and was discovered - not by the DEA, or the Sheriff's dept, as they are oblivious to their own corruption, but instead by the FBI investigation into illegal drug use and trafficking.

Nassau Sgt. James Darrell Hickox was arrested by the FBI Friday on charges of possession with intent to sell cocaine, MDMA and fentanyl. That same day, the FBI arrested Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joshua Earrey. As First Coast News was the first to report, the FBI claims Earrey bought oxycodone from his own confidential source while serving as a member of a local DEA Task Force.

The complaint against Hickox was released late Monday. It says Hickox should be charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute illegal drugs including cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy) and more than 40 grams of a substance containing fentanyl.

The FBI probe began after it received a tip that Hickox and another officer routinely stole money and drugs from suspects. The source said the officers frequently allowed the source and a criminal associate to take a portion of confiscated drugs and cash seizures "off the top."

A search warrant executed March 10 at Hickox's home yielded large quantities of drugs, imitation drugs and cash in a detached garage with a sign reading "Gator's Man Cave." The complaint says FBI agents found "three shoeboxes containing cash," estimated at about $100,000, in a bedroom closet.

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/nassau-county-sheriffs-sergeant-arrested-fbi-drug-investigation/77-651cbec8-0ef5-4cfb-b338-f5958b803c93

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/crime/2023/03/14/fbi-arrests-dea-agents-from-jacksonville-and-callahan-in-drug-cases/70006916007/

tragic, avoidable and ironic - police brutality at an anti police brutality protest, resulted in a woman being shot in the eye, and the city responsible losing a lawsuit and paying her ten million dollars (instead of them keeping their cops in control)

A woman shot with a projectile and blinded in one eye during the George Floyd protests reached a financial settlement with the city of La Mesa who settled because she was shot with a projectile for $10 million.

Leslie Furcron, 59, was struck in the head by a round of bean bags deployed by LMPD. She is now in a medically-induced coma, and her incident has also left local activists demanding answers and change in policing.

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/la-mesa-woman-blinded-in-one-eye-during-2020-protests-settles-with-city-for-10-million/3189823/

As I recall from my police academy training, deliberate head shots by cops with bean bag shotgun rounds, are illegal, as they are lethal, and the point of "less than lethal" bean bag rounds is to change the mind of the person getting shot, without wounding or killing them, as govt sanctioned lethal methods must be authorized by the judicial system (death sentence) or meet the requirements of the legal "lethal force" definition of police procedure

Would this protest have turned out this way if the cowards running the city and county govt been brave and professional, and brought out tables and chairs and listened to the protestors, brought in their secretaries, assistants, managers, and had an informal meeting and discussed the issues, the demands of the voters, residents and constituents? Nope. Not that anyone has tried, but sending in the shock troops and swat gets the same result every time... never gets communication accomplished. See the movie The Trial of The Chicago 7 to see how the govt runs a protest the wrong way, and how smart protestors must be to avoid the obvious pitfalls the govt will throw in the way of the citizens who demand the govt change to be "of the people, for the people and by the people" instead of run by lifelong politicians looking to get rich by the benefits of the powerful position, insider trading, and real estate investments

32 year vet of the Oklahoma City police dept,( it's captain ), was drunk driving

and had the vulgar display of power to verbally ask the cop arresting him, to turn off the body cam so they could "talk" aka get him out of the arrest... and he ran into the rare honest cop who wouldn't cave into peer pressure

Capt. James “Matt” French, 55, was pulled over Sunday morning after the officer saw the police veteran swerving and speeding in his unmarked, city-owned SUV

https://nypost.com/2023/03/17/oklahoma-city-police-captain-arrested-on-suspicion-of-dui/

two Oklahoma County jail detention officers and their supervisor were found guilty of misdemeanor counts of cruelty to a prisoner and conspiracy.

they resigned during the investigation, their Lt retired, and the jail was turned over to a trust. They were also placed on probation for two years, banned from working in law enforcement, and must complete 40 hours of community service.

In 2019, Miles and Butler allegedly pulled at least five inmates out of their cells one at a time late at night to be handcuffed, forced in a ‘standing stress position’ in a booth and listen to ‘Baby Shark’ on repeat at a very loud volume for hours on end.

In 2020, former detention officers Christian Miles and Gregory Butler, and their supervisor, Christopher Hendershott, were charged with four counts of cruelty to prisoners, four counts of corporal punishment to an inmate, and four counts of conspiracy.

A federal lawsuit was filed in 2021 by some of the impacted inmates against the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority, the former detention officers, and the Board of County Commissioners.

One of those plaintiffs was re-arrested in 2022 and died in custody.

https://www.al.com/news/2023/04/ex-oklahoma-jail-guards-sentenced-for-forcing-inmates-to-listen-to-baby-shark-on-repeat.html

https://kfor.com/news/local/ex-oklahoma-co-jailers-sentenced-to-probation-in-baby-shark-torture-case-after-no-contest-plea/

there is at least one Sheriff who either is really professional, or soon will be running for re-election - regarding the news last week, about an event that occurred in January 2021. Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony

Broward County Deputy Carlos Ferrufino has been suspended without pay, and faces two counts of misdemeanor battery, one count of tampering with evidence and one count of petit theft. He 

He used a Taser on a man while the man was trying to video-record a family member’s arrest, which is legal, and is an act of creating evidence, then after tazing the man, he took the man's Apple cell phone, and did not enter it into evidence. That's battery, and theft. 

“As law enforcement officers, our oath to uphold the law does not exempt us from following the law. There are consequences for breaking the law, even if it means bringing charges against one of our own,” Sheriff Gregory Tony said

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/florida/2023/03/22/florida-deputy-accused-of-using-taser-on-man-taking-his-cellphone/

The Justice Department has charged the executive director of the San Jose Police Officers Association with attempt to unlawfully import valeryl fentanyl, and has accuse her of using the police union’s office to communicate with her suppliers and mail the drugs.

valeryl fentanyl is a variation of the powerful synthetic opioid, that law enforcement agencies in multiple states have also been spreading misinformation about touching, sharing videos of officers allegedly collapsing after skin contact with the drug.

Between 2015 and 2023, Segovia allegedly used “her personal and office computers to order thousands of opioid and other pills to her home and agreed to distribute the drugs elsewhere in the United States”, the justice department said.

At least one package of drugs, in 2021, was sent using the UPS account of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association, according to a photograph of the shipment, according to the criminal complaint against Segovia.

The packages of controlled drugs were allegedly labeled “Wedding Party Favors”, “Gift Makeup” or “Chocolate and Sweets”, prosecutors said.

Segovia was charged “as part of an ongoing Homeland Security investigation into a network that was shipping controlled substances into the San Francisco Bay Area from abroad”, the justice department said.

Segovia, 64, has worked for the union since 2003, and that “she maintains control over financial and administrative matters associated with the SJPOA, as well as the SJPOA Charitable Foundation”and  “works with Concerns of Police Survivors (Cops) in line of duty deaths”.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/30/california-police-union-executive-charged-importing-opioids

"Aloft" sculpture by Ed Carpenter

https://www.edcarpenter.net/portfolio/aloft/

By 1929 Wichita had 11 firms engaged in aircraft manufacturing and boasted production of 25 percent of the country's aircraft.

This set the stage for the construction of Wichita's Municipal Airport terminal, which is one of the largest examples of Art Deco architecture to survive in South Central Kansas.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/kansas-aviation-museum.htm

Thieves broke into a car dealership in Kentucky and made off with six brand-new Dodge Challenger Hellcats. They made it out the door in under 60 seconds

The thieves made off with four from the showroom floor. The dealership made it especially easy for them by leaving the keys inside the vehicles.

https://jalopnik.com/thieves-make-incredibly-quick-getaway-in-6-dodge-challe-1850178371

someone found a P 40 that had been buried on a South Pacific island during WW2, restored it about 1/3rd of the way, and now it's up for sale

It's easy to get the idea that it couldn't fly, and they got a replacement plane, and needed the junk one removed from the area - so burial was the simplest easiest way to get rid of it. 

https://silodrome.com/curtiss-p-40-warhawk-project-plane/
During its active life in the war this Curtiss was piloted by Lt. H. W. Harris and Lt. J. J. O’Neil who shot down three or more enemy aircraft in the Spring of 1944. This plane was known as White 17 with the nose art “Spooky” and “Dolores” when it served with the 7th Fighter Squadron of the 49th Fighter Group USAAF.

After 50 years buried underground the aircraft was rediscovered and carefully excavated, it’s new owner decided to have it returned to flying condition, no mean feat given its condition, and the restoration process began in 1999.

During the long rebuild the fuselage has been returned to almost complete condition as well as the internal equipment. It’s now being sold as-is with the substantial original wreckage including original wings confirming identity and provenance of this historic airframe.

The aircraft is being sold through Platinum Fighter Sales out of Melbourne, Australia with an asking price of $695,000 USD.

https://www.platinumfighters.com/inventory/1942-curtiss-wright-p40n-5-project-1044 

The Louisville, Kentucky, police force routinely discriminates against Black residents, uses excessive force and conducts illegal searches, the U.S. Justice Department said

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland launched the civil rights probe into the department, whose officers shot Breonna Taylor dead after bursting into her apartment on a no-knock warrant, as well as the Louisville-Jefferson County government. Former Louisville detective Kelly Goodlett, pled guilty to federal criminal charges that she helped falsify the search warrant that led to Taylor's death.

The probe found a wide-ranging pattern of misconduct by police, including using dangerous neck restraints and police dogs against people who posed no threat, and allowing the dogs to continuing biting people after they surrendered.

It is the first probe of U.S. policing begun and completed by the Biden administration, the results of the Minneapolis review have not yet been released, which had promised to focus on racial justice in law enforcement after a spate of high-profile police killings of Black Americans.

The investigation found the police department used aggressive tactics selectively against Black people, who comprise roughly one in four Louisville residents

Police cited people for minor offenses like wide turns and broken taillights, while serious crimes like sexual assault and homicide went unsolved, the probe found, adding minor offenses were used as a pretext to investigate unrelated criminal activity.

https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-justice-dept-reach-oversight-agreement-with-louisville-police-2023-03-08/

Hall Scott was the company that employed the designer and builder of the model T accessory Ruckstell rearend, Grover Ruckstell

Grover Ruckstell earned his master degree in automotive engineering from Princeton University. He later became well known in the racing circles as head of the famous Mercer racing team. In 1914 Ruckstell and Eddie Pullen both drove Mercers in the famous Corona Road Race at Corona, California. The race track was a perfect three mile circle which still exists today as Grand Avenue. The competition was fierce with such drivers as Bob Burman, Eddie Rickenbacker, Earl Cooper, Ralph DePalma, and Barney Oldfield.

Ruckstell’s involvement with the two speed rear axle is reported to have begun in 1913 while he was working for the Ford Garage in Maricopa, California. The first axle he built was for a truck used in the local oil fields. This interest was cut short by World War I when Ruckstell joined the new Army Air Force and was commissioned a Captain.

Following the war, Ruckstell was employed by Hall Scott Motor Works, Berkley, California and became head of the Airplane Motor Department. While employed there his interest in the two speed rear axle was renewed.

Ruckstell was not the inventor of the two speed rear axle. However, he was the most successful entrepreneur who succeeded in developing the basic concept into a popular product.

http://www.chaffinsgarage.com/l-z/ruckstell.htm

they used DDT wantonly before they learned how toxic it was or that it was going to destroy egg shells, and the bird population

 

it was cheap and effective at killing pest insects... but house flies? Those damn things got used to it, and immune. 

https://www.proxibid.com/Standard-Insect-Spray-w-DDT/lotInformation/75722006

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/ddtgen.pdf