Category Archives: Auto Restoration

Father of fallen driver lashes out at NASCAR racer Stewart: Commentary

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Father of fallen driver lashes out at NASCAR racer Stewart.

 

The headline above is from http://www.momomotorsport.com and the link is above so you can read the story.   Below is my commentary.  I invite your comments.

I have to say this is very sad. A young racer lost his life and a veteran driver will forever have to live with that incident. There is no judgement here as I’m able to know what actually transpired other than what a couple of video clips may or may not show.

Moving forward, I think racing organizations should take a look at two aspects of racing – the pit maneuver (the bump) and the conduct while on the racing surface (track and pit row). Suspension and banning maybe appropriate when a driver intentionally bumps another and/or a driver leaves his car after an accident and approaches cars in motion either on the track or pit row. (For example.. throwing your helmet at a moving car!!)

I understand the intensity of the moment. As a police officer and a racer I’ve felt the same type of emotions under specific conditions. i

If you lack the internal tools to be able to avoid a physical confrontation, then yourself grab a camera crew (so the world can see you defend your honor – or lack of it) and take it back into the pits or the winners circle and punch it out there!!

Intentionally hitting another car or otherwise needless endangeringyourself and other drivers or track crew, should get you banned…someone will come along and fill the void….there are lots of hungry drivers out there.

Racing organizations, racing teams and race track officials…get some backbone and stop this behavoir or pack it in!!!

 

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Thanks for reading.

Tim

What Tony Stewart must do in wake of fatal accident

Tony Stewart has overcome some big obstacles and conquered some enormous challenges throughout his career to become one of NASCAR’s biggest stars and most accomplished drivers. But the three-time Cup champion has never faced a challenge like …

2015 Mustang “OK” to Buy Date is NEAR!!!!

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The information posted over at Mustang6g says that Tuesday September 10 is the ok to buy date your 2015 Mustang. According to Mustnag6g this means that dealers will have the ok to begin selling stock inventory. Special orders on this date will then begin production. According to the post at Mustang6g this is to limit any glitches on special order vehicles. The 2015 Mustang convertible wont’ begin production until September 15. Its ok to buy date is not slated until October 27.

 

via 2015 Mustang Production And Sales Schedule Revealed By Mustang6g – StangTV.

Can't wait to how they sell!! Still have to wait until Oct. if you want the 'vert version

Can’t wait to how they sell!!
Still have to wait until Oct. if you want the ‘vert version

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

 

2015 mustang sales brochure

Bugatti to replace the Veyron with an even faster hypercar hybrid

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Based on its talks with “Bugatti insiders,” Autocar reports that the next-generation hypercar will be capable of flipping the last two digits of the Veyron’s 268-mph 431-km/h world record, reaching speeds up to 286 mph 460 km/h. Bugatti’s computer simulations suggest that the new car will also be quicker, launching to 62 mph 100 km/h in 2.3 seconds.

via Bugatti to replace the Veyron with an even faster hypercar hybrid.

 

bugattiveyronsuccessor-0

Thanks for reading.

Tim

bugatti hyper hybrid

They Made How Many? 1962

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I love this series (well I write it…so those were wasted letters) and 1962 was a mix bag of cars. The beginning of the space-age, muscle car era and the ending of the classic, heavy, finned cars.

For example take a look at the 1962 Imperial:

You can still see the fins, but a little space-age flare with the taillights.

You can still see the fins, but a little space-age flare with the taillights.

 

Now the 1962 Thunderbird:

Fins are almost gone and now see the space-age/turbine round taillights.

Fins are almost gone and now see the space-age/turbine round taillights.

 

So the leader for 1962 was Chevrolet topping the charts with 2,061, 677 units produced. That is 600,000 more cars than it’s nearest competitor Ford that came in second with 1,476,031 and for had nearly 1 million more than the 3rd place manufacture Pontiac with 521,933 units. Rambler was 4th with 442,346 followed by Oldsmobile with 428,853.

The rest of the field looked like this:

Buick – 399,526

Mercury – 314,366

Plymouth – 339,527

Dodge – 240,484

Cadillac – 160,840

Chrysler – 128,921

Studebaker – 89,318

Lincoln – 31,061

Imperial – 14,337

Checker -1,230

Metropolitan – 420

Thanks for reading.

Tim

1962 cars

Tesla selling like gangbusters in China | Automotive News

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“Will it play in Peoria?” asks the age-old question about how Broadway shows would be received in Middle America. Well, apparently Tesla Motors plays well in Beijing. It’s part of Tesla chief Elon Musk’s grand plan, of course.

The California-based maker of the battery-electric Model S has delivered about 1,000 of the vehicles in China since shipments started there in April, Bloomberg News says, citing Dougherty & Co. analyst Andrea James, Barclays Plc analyst Brian Johnson and Wedbush Securities analyst Craig Irwin. Tesla also started shipping its first right-had drive Model S sedans to the UK in June.

It is estimated that all those deliveries helped push Tesla’s second-quarter global vehicle deliveries close to the 7,550 mark, which is more than the company forecast and would set a new quarterly record (Tesla’s second-quarter results will be announced later today). It would also mark about a 45 percent jump from Tesla’s 2Q sales a year ago.

via Tesla selling like gangbusters in China | Automotive News.

 

tes

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

tesla model x

Tesla trying to keep Model X demand low for now

When running a business, having to throttle the hype for a new product isn’t such a terrible problem to have. That’s exactly was Tesla is doing with its Model X SUV, which is slated to go on sale next year. During a quarterly earnings call (transcript …

Panasonic partners with Tesla on Gigafactory – Jul. 31, 2014

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Since Tucson, AZ (where I’m located) is in contention for the Gigafactory, I like keeping up to date with Tesla events…plus I think they are  nice cars!!!

The companies announced Thursday that Panasonic PCRFF will contribute an undisclosed sum to a proposed “Gigafactory,” the location of which has yet to be announced. Panasonic will also make and supply cylindrical lithium-ion cells to be assembled into batteries at the factory, and the two companies will set up a supply network for the materials used at the plant.

Check out the detail @ Panasonic partners with Tesla on Gigafactory – Jul. 31, 2014.

 

Gigafactory!

Gigafactory!

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

tesla tucson

Tucson to Tesla Motors: Your building permit is ready

Tesla Motors has received a $3 billion building permit for construction of a battery assembly plant in Tucson. The permit is for a one-story building of up to 5 million square feet in size at an address “to be determined.” It was issued by the city of …

Roush previews their own version of the 2015 Mustang | Mustang News

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As we get closer and closer to the 2015 Mustang getting into customer hands, we are also starting to see more previews of the various aftermarket Mustangs that will be built. We’ve earlier shown you versions from Saleen, Steeda and Galpin Auto Sports, and now we can show you the newest one from Roush. The company today released a photo with the outline of what is presumably a 2015 Roush Mustang on their Facebook page, although with the exception of the 5-spoke wheels it’s impossible to tell some of the design changes.

Roush didn’t offer up much information either. They simply said to “keep a close eye on our page during the coming weeks as we start to pull back the curtains and reveal what Roush Performance has planned for the 2015 Ford Mustang.”

From the looks of the image we suspect the photo is real and not just a rendering like other previews. This wouldn’t be a huge surprise, as Roush has close ties with Ford and often collaborates on engineering. In the past Roush has had early access to create parts for the Mustang and often is first to market with their aftermarket version. We fully expect to see a Roush Mustang in the next couple months, so stay tuned!

via Roush previews their own version of the 2015 Mustang | Mustang News.

roush-2015

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Roush Teases Their 2015 Ford Mustang – We Reveal More with Crude Editing

While we don’t know anything about the 2015 Roush Mustang, we do have the shadowy image above that teases the next generation aftermarket tuned Mustang and thanks to my very questionable photo editing skills – we have an even better look at the fine …

roush mustang

 

Engine Line UP – 1964-1966 Griffith

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Ok…how many of you stopped to Google Griffith?

Not a commonly mentioned classic car, right?

Well the Griffith was developed by a Ford dealer, Jeff Griffith.  It was a tubular frame with a British TVR body bolted on.  He produce the cars in that configuration, until the source of the TVR bodies dried up he found replacement with a sleeker (nicer looking in my option) by Intermeccanica in Italy.

So what powered this homogenized sports car?

Well since Jeff was a “Ford” guy so you can bet he at least had a Ford iron block in the mix.  The total production of the Griffith was 285 cars from 1964 t0 1966.

The TVR Body looks great!!!

The TVR Body looks great!!!

This 1964 Griffith in the British TVR body had two engine options.  Both were Ford 289.   Both were overhead valve and had cast iron blocks.  The first option had a bore and stroke 4.00″ x 2.88″ and a compression ratio of 9.0:1.  Five main bearing and hydraulic lifters topped with a Ford model C3AF-9510B two barrel it produced 195 bhp.  The second option matched up with the first option, except with a higher compression ratio (10.5:1) and topped with the Ford model C30F-9410AJ “4” barrel. That boosted the bhp to 271!!!  That’s a heck of a jump…but wait…keep in mind this car weighted only 1450 lbs!!!!    Think about that!!!!!

Love the British Racing Grreen in this '65 Griffith

Love the British Racing Green in this ’65 Griffith

For 1965,  TVR bodied car matched the two options in the previous year to the ‘T’.

'65's 289

’65’s 289

1966 was a different animal. No more TVR bodied Griffith, this baby tucked it’s power house iron in an Italian steel body from Intermeccanica.   And like the body…the Ford engine was gone.  In it’s place was a Plymouth V8…yes a MORPAR!!!!  It was an iron block with overhead valves. Bored and stroked to 3.63″ x 3.31″  and a compression ratio of 10.5:1.  Add in the 5 main bearing and solid lifter and top it off with a Carter 4 bbl. carb (ADB3853S) and you could coax 235 bhp out of it.  Not bad…down from the 271 with the Ford 289.   However the car with it’s new Italian designed steel body, weighted over 1000 lbs more then the TVR version, topping the scale at 2540 lbs.

Sharper looking with the new body!!

Sharper looking with the new body!!

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

TVR Griffith 200

The TVR Griffith 200 (or Griffith Series 200) was a lightweight fibreglass -body sports car . make was TVR and the model was Griffith 200. …

“Blood Muscle” highlights seized vehicle sale | Hemmings Daily

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“Blood Muscle” highlights seized vehicle sale | Hemmings Daily.

David Nicoll purchased his car collection with the blood of others – literally. During his time as president of BLS, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office maintain that Nicoll received $33 million in payments from a medical blood test bribery scheme that he personally ran for seven years, and which netted more than $100 million in total revenue. Per prosecutors, BLS would bribe physicians to send their patients for medical tests which were oftentimes unnecessary, to be paid for by insurers. Far from being sly and frugal with his ill-gotten profits, Nicoll was an extravagant spender. It’s on record that he spent $154,000 at a gentleman’s club, over $400,000 on sports tickets, $700,000 on an apartment for his “female companion,” and, most importantly, over five million dollars on cars.

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See the rest of the collection @    “Blood Muscle” highlights seized vehicle sale | Hemmings Daily.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Ain’t Social Media Great? Converstation with Top Gears’ Rutledge Wood

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Are you a fan of Top Gear?  I am!  Have been since it’s been on cable.  Of course we don’t travel in the same circles, Rut has his Fox Sports gig(covering motorsports) beside all the Top Gear filming and promo events and I’m a wannabe writer, covering the automotive world.  So it’s highly unlikely we’d cross paths and sit down for a car discussion.  Unless????

That is what’s so great about the age we live in.  On my twitter account (@restortation)  I’m a follower (among many) of Top Gear and guys (Tanner, Rut (@rutledgewood) and Adam).  Just luck let me catch a Tweet by Rutledge that mentioned that he had a Facebook event today where fans could chat with him.

So I closed my office door (yeah I was at work) and joined the crowd on Facebook.  I actually got a few questions answered.  Here they are:

Write a reply…

Tim Sweet: Who finds the cars you use in the show? Private individuals?

Rutledge Wood: I have found almost all the ones I’ve used…but I’m not in LA to go test drive them. We have some amazing producers that bust their butts for us. Huge support team…but we find most of them online. Craigslist, Auto trader, and even a few on ebay

Tim Sweet: Thanks…great!!!!

Tim Sweet:  So who is the STIG…I won’t tell anyone….?
Rutledge Wood: honeslty…I have no idea. They wont talk to me. Never seen them.

Rutledge Wood: I want them to give me a hug

Tim Sweet: Everyone wants to hug the STIG

Tim Sweet: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. I got to get back to this ‘work’ thing I do every day…my C6 needs a super charger!!!! Take care!!!!

Rutledge Wood: Thanks! Good luck with the C6 !

 

Twitter and Facebook are great tools.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

'Top Gear's' Rutledge Wood on

Two Time Trophy winner. 1970 Mustang

Two Time Trophy winner. 1970 Mustang