"Bring a Trailer .com " gets national magazine feature

http://bringatrailer.com/ has been on my recommended website and blogs list since I started listing my favorites to recommend to you, if you haven't checked it out yet, get a moment of guilty pleasure at work ( I think that is where most people are looking at this blog at)
Page 17 of the Nov 2010 Automobile Magazine has a full page Q and A, or read it right now at http://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/1011_bringatrailer_editor_in_chief_randy_nonnenberg/index.html

Sports and muscle cars are a better investment than the stock market

Hagerty's is a really cool car insurance company, this was part of their newsletter. Click on it to make it full size and easier to see what the various colored lines represent, and what cars comprise the group that the blue line that is out outperforming the stock market

Chris has posted a thorough comparison of a variety of car by their drag coefficients

I had no idea that a Ford Probe, a Vector, a Chevy Lumina APV (mini van), and a Jaguar XJ220 all had a .30 drag coefficient, remarkable!

But the 1948 Tucker was just .28! and the '35 Tatra was .21, better than the new Mercedes Benz CL E Class Coupe

go check it out http://chrisoncars.com/?p=1854

A list of blogs that are both helpful and resouceful for car restorers

http://www.satellitedish.org/blog/2010/50-essential-blogs-for-restoring-classic-cars/ in their own words "Here are 50 essential blogs for you to read as you embark upon or continue your journey to restoring the car (or cars) of your dreams"

I'm of the opinion that this site is only making lists to drum up traffic, and I thought about that in terms of sending people their way when they are not in this vehicular realm of websites... it's offputting that they are just trying to pump up their stats... but I leave it up to you. The list is fairly complete in including the go-to auto blogs, but it's also obvious to me that they aren't readers of these blogs, and when you read how they describe the sites you are already familiar with.

(#19) http://olragtop.blogspot.com is great, and on my recommended list for sheer enjoyment of John's musings and writings and enjoying life, but it isn't about VW's,

(#13) http://gti-rides.blogspot.com/ is only about 7 pages deep, has nothing to do with restoring or restoration, and is only informative about BMW M30s and a half dozen other cars

Things left in rental cars and found by the clean up crew after the vehicle was dropped off at the rental car place

3 million cash... drug deal that was interrupted by cops who then confiscated the vehicle, but didn't throroughly search for evidence

an Uzi... Secret Service sorta dropped it and didn't notice it, rental car company called them up to let them know they'd "misplaced" somehting important

a kilo of cocaine... DEA rented a vehicle to transport a large haul of confiscated coke... and "misplaced AKA lost" one kilo. Under a bench seat, somethign like that, who knows.

I went to a couple other rental car places, and they enjoyed hearing the stories, but wouldn't share any of their own unless the corporate office gave the OK ... seems everyone is on a gag order, no telling any stories because of lawyers and "confidentiality" legal mumbo jumbo.

If any of you want to share stories like these, I don't print names, dates, locations, or companies... so use the comment thing, or email me and I'll add them to this list. jbohjkl@yahoo.com

Penetrating Oils Compared

Machinist's Workshop magazine is reported to have tested penetrants for break
out torque on rusted nuts. (I'm waiting for vevrification)

Significant results! They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrants with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment.

Penetrating oil ..... Average load

None ..................... 516 pounds
WD-40 .................. 238 pounds
PB Blaster ..............214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ...... 127 pounds
Kano Kroil ............ 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix... 53 pounds

The ATF-Acetone mix was a "home brew" mix of 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone.

Note the "home brew" was better than any commercial product in this one particular test. A local machinist group mixed up a batch and all now use it with equally good results. Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is about as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price.

Why I don't have advertising

A lot of people have asked why I don't have any advertising.

Two reasons,
1) I don't like car insurance
2) I'm not selling out my clean and straightforward blog for less than an annual income I can live off of

I was just informed by some Image Space Media - "Image Space Media, the nation's leading In-Image ad network." - that they can make me alot of money. - "Now serving display banner + rich media ads Ads served through our partnership with AOL + ISM's direct advertisers = bigger payouts!"


Any guesses how much they figure my blog of about 500,000 annual page views will make me in a year?

one penny per thousand hits. Thirty bucks a year. THAT is not worth all the clutter of stupid ads no one is interested in looking at

"Why car thieves love a '94 Honda Accord" from Insure.com, a good look at the stolen car issue

The most stolen vehicles:

1. 1994 Honda Accord
2. 1995 Honda Civic
3. 1991 Toyota Camry
4. 1997 Ford F-150 Pickup
5. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
6. 2000 Dodge Caravan
7. 1994 Chevrolet pickup (full size)
8. 1994 Acura Integra
9. 2002 Ford Explorer
10. 2009 Toyota Corolla
Source: NICB, based on car thefts in 2009

Older cars tend to be popular targets. In addition to supplying in-demand parts, these older cars are:

•Easier to steal. Car manufacturers in recent years have added many theft deterrents that older models don't have.
•Not as likely to have after-market security devices, such as warning, tracking and disabling devices.

Metropolitan areas with the highest vehicle theft rates

1. Laredo, Texas
2. Modesto, Calif.
3. Bakersfield, Calif.
4. Stockton, Calif.
5. Fresno, Calif.
6. Yakima, Wash.
7. San Francisco/Oakland/Fremont, Calif.
8. Visalia/Porterville, Calif.
9. Las Vegas/Paradise, Nev.
10. Albuquerque, NM

Source: NICB, based on car thefts in 2009

Read the whole article to be better informed about car theft:
http://www.insure.com/car-insurance/most-stolen-cars-2010.html

He was the oldest living owner of a car from new, and drove his Rolls Royce for 77 years

Mr. Allen Swift ( Springfield , MA.) received this 1928 Rolls-Royce Picadilly P1 Roadster from his father, brand new - as a graduation gift in 1928.

He drove it up until his death last year .....at the age of 102 (in the year 2005)

He donated it to a Springfield museum after his death.

It has 170,000 miles on it.

Swift, who died in October 2005 at the age of 102, was a legend among Rolls-Royce collectors for owning his green Phantom I, S273 FP Rolls longer than anyone in the world had ever owned an individual Rolls-Royce. In recognition of that fact, Rolls-Royce Motors presented him with a crystal Spirit of Ecstasy award at the Rolls-Royce Annual Meeting in 1994.

Swift and the Springfield Museums were brought together through a network of antique automobile collectors. In 2002, when he was 99 years old, he approached the Museums to discuss finding a new home for his Rolls-Royce. Confident in the Springfield Museums' ability to care for the automobile and to tell the story of Rolls-Royce manufacturing in Springfield, Swift indicated that he would donate his car if a building could be found to house it.

In the summer of 2005, the Springfield Museums became aware that the Verizon building, adjacent to the Museums, was available for purchase. Joseph Carvalho, president of the Springfield Museums, and Guy McLain, director of the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum, shared that information with Swift and described how the building could be converted into a museum. In September, Swift's attorney informed the Museums that Swift would donate the money to purchase the building.

The Springfield Museums will take possession of the building in June and will launch a fund-raising campaign to renovate it. When complete, the new Museum of Springfield History will display wide range of remarkable artifacts that tell the rich and multidimensional history of this city.

http://www.springfieldmuseums.org/news/view/51-new_springfield_history_museum_made_possible_by_connecticut_entrepreneur

My thanks and appreciation to James R for sending me this email!

Jim http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/06/tour-with-jim-86-yrs-old-who-still-has.html was 86 when I met him and he still had his 23 Ford from high school, but he'll have to live another 20 years or so to equal this story

Ford designed his Model T to run on Ethanol Alcohol...

It took 25 % of the fuel market in the midwest.. it was made from corn, it was basically white lightning.

John D Rockefeller, founder and head of the Standard Oil Company didn't appreciate Ford cutting into his oil profits, and started funding the ammendment we know as Prohibition.

Because if the constitutional ammendment cut off all alcohol production, all of Fords ethanol alcohol automotive fuel would be wiped out of business, and Standard Oil would increase profits immediately by 25% or more (due to increased growth in car sales) .

For continued to make Ethanol compatible vehicles for 12 of the 13 years of prohibition, and then he gave up.

Right after prohibition was over President Teddy Roosevelt broke up the Standard Oil company due to its monopoly of the energy market and iunterference in Government.

The two parts recombined 88 years later, and now Exxon Mobil have bigger profits than any other company, corporation, or business in the world... consecutively, year after year.

Source, the documentary "Fuel" by Josh Tickell

can someone tell me what causes highways and freeways to have designated "Safety Corridors" with traffic fines doubled?

I found lots of these in Arizona, and only have ever seen one here in California. I couldn't see any reason for these sections to have any difference from the mile before or after.

Are they just money makers? Double the fines, get cops to heavily patrol those areas, and rack up revenue from speeders?

What's the difference between the old gullwing Mercedes Benz and the new SLS AMG doors?

Problem:
The engineers were are not allowed to make gull wing doors like they did in the 50's... it's a kinder-softer-gentler time in the world of cars, and if a driver flipped a new gullwing on the roof, they wouldn't be able to get out.

Solution:
The SLS AMG has exploding bolts at the door hinges.

Source: Automobile Magazine April 2010 issue, Ezra Dyer article page 30

Monument to Emile Levassor

Emile Levassor; Pioneering car inventor, racer, and victor of the Paris-Bordeaux-Paris 1895 enduring 48 continuous hours of virtually nonstop driving, a feat possibly not yet repeated. Ok, it was at an average of 15 mph, but that was incredible for 1895.

This monument (raised in 1907) is likely the most grandious tributes ever erected to an automobilist.

Monument to the car

On November 26, 1907, a stone monument was inaugurated square Parodi, boulevard de l'Amiral Buix in Paris XVI °, in honor of Emile Levassor and pioneers of the industry and motorsport. The sculptor Jules Dalou represented Levassor driving the car on which he had won the race Paris-Bordeaux-Paris. This monument, funded by public subscription, was presented to the City of Paris.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89mile_Levassor

(StillOutThere commented contrary, disagreeing about the monument... fact check before you post a disagreement on facts, I'm always wrong in my opinion, just ask my girlfriend... but rarely about facts StillOutThere... )

Car stats

California freeways:
75% of the cars on the freeways are newer than 1996.
1.2% are older than 1972

So why are the state politicians so focused on screwing with the emissions of the pre 1972 cars?

Disney doesn't allow the use of Segways at the Disney resorts

If you are an individual with a disability which substantially limits your ability to walk and you use a Segway as an assistive moblity device and intend to visit the Walt Disney World or Walt Disneyland Resorts the proposed settlement, if approved by the court, will allow Disney to continue to prohibit the use of Segways by those with disabilities.

You will be forever barred from contesting the fairness, reasonableness, or adequacy of the settlement or from pursuing any claims against Disney related to the use of Segways at the Disney Resorts.

United States Department of Justice

Joins DRAFT In Opposing Disney Settlement
The Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice files an amicus brief in a rare objection strongly opposing the proposed settlement as "fundamentally unfair" to people with disabilities.

Click on links below to view PDF's
DRAFT Press Release
DOJ Objections to Proposed Disney Settlement
DRAFT Objections to Proposed Disney Settlement
Disability Rights Advocates For Technology http://segs4vets.org/

How does this apply to you? Well, if you hapopen to be injured in a auto colliosion that is due to someone elses poor driving, you might need a wheelchair or a Segway for ambulkatory assistance. Wouldn't you like to use it if you went to Disney? Seems to me that if you use a wheeled chair, a seeing eye dog, or are married to, related to or become wheelchair bound, you might find this affects you too.

Dangerous Diagram: The Jumps of Evel Knievel ... a cool website the sets a new standard for entertaining information!

The first ever interactive infographic documenting the career of a modern superhero -- a man who captured the imagination of a nation for the better part of two decades.

The infographic illustrates all of Evel's jumps. At a glance you can see when he made each jump, what he jumped over, what bike he used, how far he went and whether or not he sustained any injuries during the jump.

http://www.spotmotorcycles.com/evel-knievel-infographic/

Thanks Ken! You rock!

A comparison of 33 different car companies sales losses. Who needs 33 brand name cars from 7 corporations?

Basically sales are down 30-45 percent in the automotive new car market.
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/01/by-the-numbers-march-2009-aint-no-joke-edition/

News update on the compressed air car

http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2008-11/mighty-wind-compressed-air-cars-planned-airport-test-us-launch

"Zero Pollution Motors' ambitious plan calls for production of up to 8,000 compressed-air vehicles a year beginning in 2011, with plants spread out among nearly every US state. That car, larger, more powerful and with a longer range than the AirPod (15-20 mph = 130+ miles), will cost in range of $20,000."

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/07/oil-may-lose-its-customer-base-when-we.html

In favorite all time car stories, is the Team Sprite high school car restoration, now onto their new project ! Team Isetta !

In Jan 07, a story spread around the internet about a school that had a really cool English teacher, a really cool project, and some teens with the best class that we all wish we could have been part of.

Restoring a '58 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite.

Starting with a basket case and about 2 dozen boxes of unmarked parts (some weren't off the Sprite!) the last owner had removed in his attempt to restore it, a Bugeye Sprite was reconstructed and restored by a teacher with moxie, and girls with a afterschool project to enable their learning of the fundamental automotive skills of repair and maintenance.

I posted http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/01/high-school-auto-restoration-class.html then.. exchanged an email with the teacher, and never forgot how cool the story was. I've shared it with readers here, and told lots of people at car shows while we enjoyed swapping stories.

They are onto the new project, a '57 BMW Isetta 300! Living Wisdom High, in Nevada City Ca. is the place I consider to have the coolest kids car project ever.

The Isetta was parked in '67 or so when it broke the driveshaft donut, and was started on in May of 2007 by the team of 5 students, this time one boy added to the previous all girl project, and they are not financed by the school. It's an after-hours and summer project, that is funded by donations. Cookies are welcome, but parts support is priority one! http://www.teamisetta.com/Press.html

Parts still needed... donations accepted, but if you have to sell it, they understand and would like first shot at meeting your price....

battery ............... NOS side mirrors ..........door lock tumbler & key
source for rubberized Coconut "hair" seat padding
engine side heater duct ..........inside luggage rack and net for cabriolet
NOS gas cap .................................................both coupling flange
gray fabric for sunroof & cabriolet top ...........paint
clutch disk , spring & pressure plate .........factory radio (working or not)

http://www.teamisetta.com/

top 10 car guys of all time, in no order

Steve McQueen
Henry Ford
Jay Leno
Petersen Publishing founder Bob Petersen
'ol dad Gray Baskerville
NHRA founder Wally Parks
Mickey Thompson
Smokey Yunick
Bob Lutz
Zora Duntov

Not afraid to add to the list instead of bumping anyone off it, I'm adding Enzo Ferrari, who you may not know, was selling cars so he could afford to make and drive race cars.

Am I wrong? Did I not think of some other people who are more of the "car guy" through and through, for their influence, history, ability, hands on knowledge, and passion for vehicles in general? I hope you surprise me! Please either email me at jbohjkl@yahoo.com, or use the comment section

East Side (Yo!) http://backstreetwheels.blogspot.com/ adds the following, and I'm going to have to think about them and look them up for my own education before I'm going to add them to my list... some I'm probably going to, but not all of them I think... anyway, here is East Side Richard's top car people:
Giles Villeneuve
Paul Newman
Don Garlits
Shirley Muldowney
Roger Penske
Carroll Shelby
Mark Donahue
MARIO
Ron Fellows
A.J. Foyt
Phil Hill
Danica Patrick (HOT)
Sterling Moss
Lee Iacoco
Dan Panoz
The Edelbrock family

All right, I'm adding Carroll Shelby to my list without further thought, I've already made the case for Carroll, http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2006/12/meanest-cobra-ever-made-ever-carrols.html

I'm adding Bruce Meyer, former chair of the Peterson Museum, collector, restorer, etc. Owns several instantly recognizable cars, like the Pierson bros coupe, the Greer, Black and Prudhomme dragster, the Doane Spencer highboy roadster, and the So-Cal Special bellytanker
http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/collecting/2005/03/04/cz_ms_0304guide.html

Randy add Walter P Chrysler.. who introduced the Plymouth and DeSoto lines of cars in the 1920's and they survived the great depression, something Randy believes was only accomplished by one other line that was introduced in the 20's.... Pontiac
East Side Richard forgot his favorite, Giles Villeneuve in his earlier list, so that is now appended. Giles had the best battle for 2nd place in racing... is the contention of http://www.theprancinghorse.co.uk/profile_villeneuve.html and I agree emphatically. Just enjoy the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFxfPw1LoCg&feature=related for the first minute, Giles is in the red Ferrari