From dust to dust, people and cars come and go, but sometimes the old is reborn … and out of the dust emerges something immaculate.
A 1969 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 428 Cobra Jet is a mouthful to say but it will drop any car enthusiasts jaw. This particular garage-find was owned and perfectly preserved by a now-deceased automotive connoisseur and set for auction — hot on the heels of the submersible Lotus Esprit used by James Bond in “Never Say Never Again” and a ’63 Ferrari GTO that became the most expensive car ever sold.
Larry never washed the car for fear of scratching the paint job or cause even the slightest bit of rust. Yahoo News estimates that the only time the car was ever washed was before delivery. Accordingly, the car is in absolute showroom condition, except for a layer of dust.
GT 500 Love the hood!!
This snake features a larger, 428-cubic-inch Cobra Jet engine mated to a four-speed manual transmission, which has run only 8,500 miles in total. The spark plugs, belts, fan, and hoses are all original. The only items that are not from 1968 are the tires.
Considering that this highly collectable GT500 has sat idle since 1973, it’s an extreme rarity. The Mustang was originally purchased for just $5,245 in 1969. Now, though, it should sell at auction for over $100,000.
The car will be auctioned off by Ron Gilligan Auctioneering on April 25.
It also looks like pack-rat owner also owned a 1971 Ford Ranchero with only 53,000 miles on it, and get this … a 1974 Ford Econoline Custom 100 van with only 554 original miles. Both vehicles are for sale along with a variety of other mint, perfectly maintained vehicles from the estate.
This 1969 Shelby GT500 that will hit the auction block later this month is one of those rare Drag Pack-equipped Shelby Mustangs. Only 1,157 GT500 Sportsroofs were built, but 25 of those came with the Drag Pack and 4.30 gears. An of those, only seven …
The automotive world may have shifted its focus to the sixth-generation Ford Mustang, but the previous breed is still going strong. Shelby has just announced the Signature Edition GT500 Super Snake, a rip-roaring tribute to the Mustang’s fifth generation.
Wow it’s the end of January already. Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids) for the last week of January 2015.
Jan 26th 1920 – Lincoln Motor Company formed.
Lincoln Motor Company was actually started in 1917 and produced Liberty engines with Ford parts for World War I. After the war they began producing luxury cars. By 1920 the company had financial issues and Ford bought the company in 1922. Ford allowed the company to operate separately until 1940.
1921 Lincoln Model ‘L’
Jan 27th 1974 – Not being able to drive 55 became against the law as President Nixon signed the national speed limit law in response to gas/oil issues.
Jan 28th 1950 – Preston Tucker was acquitted of mail fraud.
The history of the Tucker car is extremely interesting. The Tucker car was an innovation ahead of its time and offered an alternative (rear engine) to the typical cars being produced in that era. The car industry was a powerful and influential business entity generally were not interest in a start-up threatening their share of the industry. The car of the future (called the Tucker Torpedo – while under development) was produced in 1948 against insurmountable odds. Only 51 Tucker 48’s (Model 48) was produced in 1948, 47 still exist.
While dubbed “Tucker Torpedo” during production no ‘Torpedoes’ were produced.
Some Tucker Specs:
– Engine: H-6 (horizontally opposed), OHV, 335 ci (4.50 x 3.50 in. bore x stroke), 7.0:1 compression ratio, 166 bhp, 372 lbs/ft torque.
– Performance: 0-60 in 10 seconds, est. top speed 120 mph
Jan 29th 1886 – Benz developed the first gasoline (internal combustion) automobile.
Carl Benz’s Motorwagon.
The Motorwagon engine was actually built in 1885, 1886 was when Mr. Benz applied for the patent
Some specs on the Motorwagon’s power plant:
– Rear mounted horizontal engine with vertical crankshaft
– Belt primary drive and final transmission to the rear wheels by side chains
– Displaced 984cc and mustered up .9 horsepower
– Top speed was achieved at 8 mph
– Loud
– Smelly
It was a tubular chassis suspended in place by three large wheels.
Jan 30th 1958 – Rambler American debuts
This was the first car created by American Motors Company (AMC). The company was formed by the merger of Nash and Hudson. The American for 1958 was only built in a 2 door with one engine option, the 195.6 cu in (3.2 L) flathead, that producing 90 hp. There were a couple trim options the base or Deluxe and the Super.
The American was produced in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Australia and Iran.
Jan 31st was a big day in automotive history with the debut of Pontiac’s 2 door Custom Safari (1955)
Who doesn’t love a two door wagon?!?!?!?!
Rarer than the Chevy Nomad, the Safari was produced as the Star Chief Custom Safari with 3,760 made and as the Chieftan 860 “Colony” 2 door (two or three seats): 8,618 in 1955.
These sported the 287 V8 engine and were topped with 2 or 4 barrel carb.
Jan 31st Studebaker/Packard debuts the Clipper (1957)
Frankly this car was a mess! Actually it was just a Studebaker with Packard tail lights, bumper and instrument panel, fitted with stamped overlays for body panels. Referred to as Packardbaker, these were not well received. They did use the 289 (4.7 liter) engine from the Golden Hawk, which produced 275 hp. Also came in a wagon version.
The 1956-1957 Packard Clipper was the car that was supposed to mark out Clipper as a brand in itself, despite the fact that the manufacturer was going through a really rough spot that, one year later, would spell the end of …
I read a story at the time the Preston Tucker Movie was out that said they used a late 40s Studebaker as a “stand in” for the Tucker in the rollover stunt, modified to look like a Tucker. Dan Lyons says: February 23, 2013 at 8:03 …
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I’ve written a few articles on car collecting and a couple covered collecting model cars. I’m particularly fond of dealer promotional cars ( click here: Car Collecting Scaled Down – Promo Cars ).
As with any hobby you have to be aware that sometime what is offered for sale might not be the real thing. If you do a quick search on Ebay you’ll find hundreds of model cars for sale. Look closer and you’ll see many labeled “Dealer Promotion” models. But look even closer and you’ll see there are many that misuse that label.
Promotional models were model cars used by dealership at the time a car was new (or new for the year) and they were often staged around the showroom for customer to touch and look at. Many of the models had a list new features listed on the bottom.
Bottom of a Ford Galaxy.
This is the bottom of a 1960s Ford Galaxy. You can see a list of features.
The models were normally one color with minimal detail and no real functionality outside the rolling wheels.
For example, take a look at this:
Plain non-functional model – chrome wheels and rubber tires that roll.
Much like the Galaxy above it is plain and non-functional.
Nondescript white box.
Stamped “1984 Corvette” – first year of the C4 body style
Now look at this:
Here is a 1950 Chevy Pickup. Supposedly a dealer promo.
It’s in a newer box with warning on it…not something printed on toys back in 1950.
If you really can’t tell this shows it was made by Ertl in 1995.
See the difference? How can these be ‘true’ promotional models if they were produced in 1995?
Clearly the Ertl model is not a true dealership promotional model but a replica.
I failed to realize that as the seller advertised it as a “promo” model. Not to say it’s not a nice model it is and depicts a 1950 Chevy pickup closely. However, it is not a dealership promotional model.
Caveat emptor!!!
Thanks for reading.
Tim
Do you have a collection of model cars? Let us know.
… wheel swings to the side. You can notice that the tires are rubber, the wheels are plastic and they are on metal rods. Do you have a sale car collection? Let us know. Thanks for reading. Tim. dealer promo car models …
dealer promo models, Edsel, Ford, Ford Motor Company, Pacer, Paul Daniel digital marketing, promo car models, promotional model cars, savageonwheels.com, Teletouch. ← 2013 Acura ILX Premium · Diecast: CMC Ferrari …
1/25th scale model promotional cars, Buick, Buick Electra, Electra, General Motors, paul daniel creative digital marketing manager, promo car models, promotional car models, savageonwheels.com, Wheat’s Nostalgia.
Bastnas is a rural ore field in southern Sweden that’s been noteworthy for its mining since the late 1600s. It’s also the place where a pair of brothers decided to start a scrapyard to serve as a final resting place for the cars used by WWII servicemen.
Eventually, even the scrap yard was abandoned and nature has slowly reclaimed its sovereignty. The 15 photos below are part of a much larger set by Thomas Geersing that documents the current state of the Bastnas Scrapyard: beautifully dilapidated.
To see the rest of Thomas Geersing’s photos chance the link below.
I met a guy one time who has a Volvo junkyard with many RWD Volvos in Gary IN. I have now spent many hours trying to find his place again but can not. He is not a registered business. Does anyone know of this guy?
Yes, old Volvos are the official car of Eugene, the posterboys of everything that defines a true Curbside Classic. They’re everywhere, at least a couple per block, in the right […]
With the Hellcat Challenger hitting showrooms and personal garages these past few months, you can bet that owners have been out showing off their 707+ horsepower Mopar to the locals. Whether it’s a few street races or even out at the strip, tires are being worn down and Hellcat owners are willing to take on almost everything in sight to prove they have the most powerful muscle car ever produced.We’ve seen a few roll races with a C7 that didn’t bode well for the Corvette, and even one perhaps overzealous attempt to take on an F-16 fighter jet. Racing a fighter jet is nothing new, however, and we would certainly hope that anything the Big Three can produce won’t outpace a jet that costs more than $14 million.
As we’ve seen in the past, Tesla’s Model S P85D simply gets incredible acceleration and can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in an insane 3.2 seconds. While we’ve already seen the Model S P85D go up against a Lamborghini in the past, StreetCarDrags has …
Say “P85D” to Tesla owners and fans, and you will see the drooling and twitching and heavy breathing and lustful stares–and more drooling–that Tesla’s fastest, highest-performance electric car brings. The same happens with the word “Hellcat” for fans …
Turbocruiser, world’s first gas turbine bus, introduced GM Desert Proving Ground, Mesa, Ariz., established. 1961—Buick introduced first American V-6 passenger car engine. 1962—GM produced its 75,000,000th U.S.-made vehicle. Number of General Motors’ …
Today Volvo opened a new manufacturing plant and body shop at its production facility in Torslanda, Sweden, exactly 50 years after the original Volvo Torslanda plant opened on April 24, 1964. The new body shop will build the new 2015 Volvo XC90 SUV …
Every now and then I share a book that I’ve found useful while I’m doing a restoration or managing a restoration for some who loves their car and wants is restored, but doesn’t have the knowledge or time to manage it themselves (in progress a rare 1975 VW standard – article forth coming as we are just about to marry the body back on the chassis).
A few posts back I mentioned the upholstery project I did on my 1970 Mustang (now residing in a small collection in Nebraska). Along with the upholstery I did a lot of work on the interior – dash, carpeting, headliner…the works. I was reminded of the books I used for the process and one in particular was authored by Daniel Strohl entitled “Muscle Car Interior Restoration”.
There are a few books out there but this one covered the fundamentals very well. So well, in fact that I’m going to give a copy away to one of my readers. Drop me a note at timsweet@cox.net or AGCarRestoration@cox.net or post up on my Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/AGCarRestoration with a pic and some info.
Muscle Car Interior Restoration by Daniel Strohl
You can catch Daniel’s writings over on Hemmings.com and the Hemmings Motor News. As you know I love the Hemmings’ publications.
Get me a pic of your project (completed or in progress – love the in progress photos) and get chance to pick up a free copy of “Muscle Car Interior Restoration”.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
Post Script: Other than a happy consumer, I have no relationship with Hemmings or Dan Strohl.
Leathercloth. Naugahyde. Ambla. These are just a few of the words that car-makers have used to name vinyl upholstery. Name and euphemistically disguise a badly hidden truth in fact, because vinyl has almost always been seen as inferior to cloth trim or …
If that’s you, don’t miss the Hemmings Auto Museum (216 Main St., 802-447-2496, www.hemmings.com, open May-October, free), a small auto museum featuring vintage vehicles on display. And hiking deserves a second mention, as there are so many great …
Five years later this car is now spruced up and sits outside the Boot Hill Gift Shop in the “Town too Tough to Die” Tombstone, AZ. !
I don’t know too many car peeps that don’t have a soft spot for abandoned cars. Either they stir up distant memories of years gone by or inspire you to think of all the possibilities for that misused piece of iron. One of my hobbies is to photograph abandoned car when I get the chance. Whether they are just sitting in a junk yard, or field or even being used as advertising they mark the passage of time.
On the outskirts of Tombstone, AZ. is where you’ll find this car. It’s easy to spot as it is the ‘landmark’ advertising car to get you to stop at the Boot Hill gift shop. Clearing abandoned at some point, it was dragged to its current post many years ago and is a bit of a tourist attraction.
Greeting you at the edge of the town “that’s too tough to die” Tombstone, AZ is this 1939 Packard.
As you can tell it purely used as prop now.
This Packard 120 still retains it 288 Straight Eight engine. Look like with a little TLC it will roar to life.
The 288 (sometime called the Super Eight) produced 150 HP. Not a lot for all that American steel. But speed wasn’t a factor when you are headed to the local ‘boot hill’.
It’s a fair piece to bring a body to Tombstone, AZ from Texas.
Although the Arizona heat is tough on car interiors this one still retains all of its details. Has the shift column and I’m betting the new for 1939 Overdrive.
Henny began using the Packard chassis 1937 replacing the stretched Model A chassis.
This old hearse has a ton of character and prominent place at the edge of town.
One by one, the engines of 22 classic cars come alive. Some cough with a wheeze, some need coaxing and some hum with precision. Whatever their personality, they all start. This is the first miracle of the road trip. Gathered in a semi-circle around …
Murphy owns a 1939 Packard Super 8 Henney Hearse and Powers always wanted a ride in it. Murphy was willing, but somehow it never worked out. A funeral has yet to be scheduled at St. John’s Cathedral, but Murphy vows that when it happens, Powers will …
If you are like me you tend to be excited about some portions of the car restoration hobby and not so much with others. Digging in to the engine – love it! Brakes or exhaust – let’s “get ‘er done”! Upholstery – OH…no…no…noooooooooo!!!
Just the thought of damaging the upholstery is sickening, these materials don’t patch well and I can’t stand the thought of driving around with ripped interior…it’s just unacceptable!!! Fixing it just isn’t something I look forward too. I have had success with kits and they are a bit of work, but nothing like what a good custom shop can put out.
You can see my handy work at the links below (some video’s are missing – lost in the cloud when one company bought out another).
So when I ran across the article below, I thought that this is something I would benefit from reading. Even if I’m not going to buy a heavy-duty sewing machine and start my own upholstery shop there will be some good tips to learn. I won’t be posting them here, so chase the link below and bookmark it.
BLOG: Auto Upholstery 101
Harry Weimann
December 23, 2014
I’ve been writing “Interior Insights” articles for over three years now. Most of my articles have been focused on the business portion of the automotive upholstery industry. I’ve talked about everything from customer service, looking for new talent to marketing your business.
Starting in 2015, I will be taking a new direction on article topics. I plan on launching a series of articles that deals primarily with basic auto upholstery.
These articles will reach out to the novice as well as experienced individuals who are interested in auto upholstery and want a better understanding. I will cover materials, tools, specific interior components and techniques used when reupholstering a vehicle. I will also touch on all types and styles of vehicles.
This is a lot of ground to cover and a variety of subjects to address. I would appreciate feedback as I write on new topics each month—areas that you would like to know more about. I have years and years of experience and a true love for the auto upholstery industry; I love teaching others what I know.
He was born Aug. 28, 1935, in Elgin, son og the late Hiriam Sanders and Mary Wooten Sanders. He was in the auto upholstery business most of his life and will be remembered by many. Mr. Sanders is survived by his sons, David Sanders (Kathy), of Gaston …
Harry Weimann, director of education at WyoTech Blairsville and a business owner since 1986, says he wishes he would have learned to look for the appropriate skills long ago. “As a business owner for many years, I’ve hired several employees,” Weimann …
The name Pininfarina is synonymous with expensive and elegant Italian sports cars such as the Maserati GranTurismo, Alfa Romeo Spyder and a log file of Ferraris such as the 365 GTB/4, Enzo, F40 and Testarossa. The global design legend does much more than style beautiful cars though, and ample testimony will appear at auction this week in the form of a little known 1960s concept car. With its four wheels arranged in a diamond shape, the tiny aerodynamic four-seater Pininfarina-X had a drag coefficient of 0.23, indicating that Pininfarina was a long way ahead of the rest of the world in exploring the critical area of aerodynamics, long before it was fashionable.
Pininfarina hatte das Model X ausgiebig getestet und sogar rund 145 km/h erreicht. Damit war der X deutlich schneller, als ein normaler Fiat 110. Trotz des Mißerfolges war Farina von der Aerodynamik in den Bann gezogen und ging abermals auf Professor …
Featured cars include a 1969 Ferrari 365 GTS by Pininfarina and a 1932 Packard Deluxe Eight Individual Custom Sport Phaeton by Dietrich. Details: Jan 14-16. Preview runs 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Auction runs 5-9 …
[ ATTRIBUTE: Please check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/66733752@N00/3532006434 to find out how to attribute this image ]
