Here is a new Dodge AWD commercial video that shows you EXACTLY what a grocery store is like in the hours before a snowpocalypse. I’ll speak for Massachusetts by saying “we can relate”.
Category: 1A Auto Blog Home
Who’s George Barris ?
While attending the World of Wheels a few years ago, I was patiently waiting in line for Mr. Barris’s autograph with my father who’s a 67 year old auto body man, when a kid in his early 20’s said “Who’s George Barris?”
My jaw dropped,what the heck are they teaching kids these days? George Barris is the guy responsible for most of those cool cars we got to watch every week on our favorite TV show growing up as kids. He was responsible for taking a 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car and transforming it into the Batmobile, and who could ever forget the 1969 Charger, the “General Lee”, flying through the air every Friday night at 8:00. My favorite Barris creation of all time is the Munsters Koach, and Grandpa’s coffin car.
When it was my turn to get an autograph I shook his hand and said “Thank you Mr. Barris for creating all of those cool cars we got to see on TV as kids”, not to mention the awesome models that followed. He laughed and asked what my favorite car was, and I pointed to the Munsters Koach on display behind him. He was a great guy, and it was pretty cool meeting a legend.
So what was your favorite TV show car when you were a kid?
Images borrowed from: http://www.barris.com
Gearhead Destinations: Toad Hall Classic Car Collection
If you live in the north east part of the US, and you are an automotive enthusiast, Toad Hall is a destination that you absolutely must check out. Appropriately named after Toad Hall in the book “The Wind in the Willows“, Toad Hall is a collection of 50+ red sports cars located at the Simmons Homestead Inn in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. The short story of how this all came together is that a gentleman named Bill Putman started buying red sports cars that he liked, and before long, created an amazing collection. The full story actually involves some racing, some family, and some cats, but I’ll let you check out his website for that. Luckily for us, he opens his garage doors to dreamers like myself. Read More
Everyone Should Attend A Racing School
With every year that passes there are more and more drivers on the road. Introduce the cell phone into this equation and things can get down right hairy out there.
I see people following to closely, driving to fast during bad weather conditions, not giving enough room for lane changes, and not knowing when to apply the brakes.
So here’s where the racing school comes in, strap in and buckle up we’re going for a ride! Read More
This Yellow Citicar Could Make You Green.
Back in 1974, Vanguard began production of the Citicar. It was the brainchild of Robert Beaumont, and although he was from the north east, he produced all of these cars in Florida. For around $4500, you could have your very own fully electric vehicle. It seated 2 comfortably, could probably hit 38 mph, and would make it a distance of 50 miles on one charge! Take that Volt! Sure you appear to be driving a cheese wedge, but haters with gasoline engines aren’t saving the environment like you are. Sadly, just 3 years after production began, strict government regulations drove the Citicar company to its electrified grave.
The company was broken up into pieces and sold at auction. A gentleman named Frank Flowers from New Jersey purchased the largest piece of the Citicar company and by 1979, he was successfully producing the ……..wait for it……… “Comuta-car”. That’s right folks, no longer would you be in an upscale Citicar, you were now surrounded in a safety net of proper New England slang. For all intents and purposes, The Comuta-car was a Citicar, but with numerous improvements, including a larger motor, and a rally stripe option (lolwut?). Following the Citicar’s destiny, production ceased after just 3 years. Like most automotive stories, there is a bright side; take a guess at who has the record for the most post-war electric vehicles every produced? Not-so-fast Tesla. Apparently, this Citicar / Commuta-Car vehicle still holds that record! Congratulations you little electric wedge of cheese!
Now that you are totally amp’ed up about the C-cars and their amazing history, let me sweeten the story yet again by revealing that there is a Citicar for sale on eBay right now for one third of the original purchase price! What a value! It’s banana yellow, has a small crack in the hood, and doesn’t charge when you plug it into the wall. All of which are mere details. The starting bid is $1000, but there is a buy it now price for $1500. So what do you say? Are you mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared to go green with 1970’s technology?
eBay Item # 250766266276
Citicar flyer borrowed from: http://www.didik.com/
If You’re Going To Blow Up Your Engine, Do It Right.
It isn’t often that you see the entire upper end of an engine blow apart, shoot about 20 feet in the air, and land next to the vehicle that it was just powering. Apparently it isn’t that uncommon with tractor pulling vehicles though, because there are a few YouTube video of such events.
Here is the video:
Video: The Lancia Delta S4 Goes 0-62 in 2.3 Seconds….on Dirt.
The Lancia Delta S4 has been invading my brain for a few days now, and I just can’t seem to shake it off. If you aren’t familiar with it, I’m not that surprised because it was part of Group B Rally Racing back in 1985 and 1986. Then it sort of fell off the planet. Between 1982 and 1986, Group B rally racing was “open minded” when it came to the race cars, so some of them were horrifyingly, stupid, silly fast. In fact, they were so dangerous that Group B was ended by the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) at the end of 1986. Many people blame the rally spectators for this FIA decision because sometimes they stood in front of oncoming race cars, and got hit…..duh… I’m not here to place blame though, I just want to share the greatness that is the S4.
The Lancia Delta S4 was loosely based on the Lancia Delta. In reality, they shared almost nothing, except for the general shape of the body. The Delta S4’s body was built from carbon fiber, it had long arm race suspension, all wheel drive, and of course a twin charged mid mounted engine. Officially it made 480 horsepower, but off the record, it was rumored to be closer to 600. That is ludicrous power from a little 1759cc engine (That translates to about a 1.8 Liter or 107 cubic inch), not too shabby. Read More