The world’s most significant all-Corvette show is moving back to central Illinois. After nearly a decade of being held at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Bloomington Gold will be moving about 115 miles south to the town of Champaign for 2013, near where it first began nearly four decades ago.
According to Bloomington Gold CEO, David Burroughs, “Although it will be hard to beat the beautiful fairways of Pheasant Run, input from Corvette-owning customers wanted more opportunity for socializing and driving events as part of the entire Corvette show experience. It needed to become more dynamic.”
David went on to say: “Our customers own Corvettes because they are fun to drive. So, we needed a venue that not only served our exhibitors and customers who buy/sell and certify Corvettes, but also a venue that makes it easy and fun to navigate to/from and around the community before, during, and after the show. Therefore, we needed a small-town atmosphere with big-town hotels, great facilities, and quick escape routes to miles of country roads. Champaign, Illinois, has the smaller-town atmosphere, and the University of Illinois Assembly Hall grounds have everything else.”
So mark your calendar for June 27-30, 2013. Not only will this be the first year for the new venue, but it will also be the show’s 40th anniversary. And if you’ve ever attended one of the Bloomington Gold shows, you’ll know that there’s something very special planned that every Corvette enthusiast will not want to miss. In the meantime, the 2012 edition of Bloomington Gold will remain in St. Charles and take place June 21-24. For more information, visit BloomingtonGold.com.
1973 was a good year, I was a still in high school and big engines weren’t extinct yet. Ford had a big assortment. We are talking 10 to choose from if you didn’t count the Mustang engines.
Ford Pinto (this will be a parking log spot light coming up)
On small size 6 cylinder were still king but 4 cylinder was available for the Pinto. For the larger engines displacement was large and the horse power small.
There was only one 4 cylinder available, reserved for the ill fated Pinto. It sported an overhead cam and iron block. It displaced a whopping 122 cubic inches and as one would expect had the smallest bore and stroke – 3.58 x 3.03. The compression ratio was 8.2:1 and it tore up the street with 86 hps. (No I didn’t for get the “1” in front of that.) It was topped with a Ford/Weber 2 barrel carb.
2.0 Pinto Engine
The six cylinders came in 2 varieties and were used in the Maverick and Torino. The first was dubbed the Maverick 6 cylinder. It was configured with overhead valves and a cast iron block. With the bore and stoke 3.68 x 3.13 it was able to displace 200 cubic inches. The compression ratio was slightly higher than the 4 cylinder at 8.3:1 but it was fitted with a 1 barrel Motocraft carb resulting in only 84 hp.
The second ‘big brother” six cylinder was called the Maverick/Torino. Again it had the overhead valves and cast iron blocks, same as its little brother, but it had a greater stroke 3.91 (3.68 X 3.91) compared to the its sibling 3.13. The compression ratio was lower (8.0:1) and topped with the same single barrel carb it managed 88 hps.
The Torino was not a small car so it really need those 4 extra hps!!!
Ford 6 cylinder - nicely restored!!!
V8s for 1973 coming up and then the Mustang engines.
These are some of the best styled cars for that year. ( I really like the convertible for 1963 Merc as well). The ’64 Comet looked like it was moving, while standing still.
1964 Mercury Comet Cyclone
The engine line up for the 1964 Mercury came in 3 flavors. The Comet, the Cyclone and Mercury versions.
The Comet engine was a 6 cylinder, overhead valve with a cast iron block. 170 cid with a bore and stroke of 3.50 x 2.93 and combined with a compression ratio of 8.7:1 it produced 101 hps. Well not actually a powers house with the one barrel carb, C3YF-9510E.
Now the Cyclone engine was a bit of a bump. It was a V8 with overhead valve and a cast iron block displacing 289 cubic inches. The compression ratio 9.0:1, bore and stroke of 4.00 X 2.37 and hooked up to a 2 barrel carb (C5MF-9510A) helped produce 210 hps.
The 3rd option was the most powerful, producing 250 hps and matched up to the cyclone engine, except where it matters. Displacing – 390 cubic inches with the bore and stroke 4.05 x 2.37, 9.4:1 compression ratio and topped with the Ford C4MF-9510D two barrel carb.
Fords 2 Barrel C4MF-9510D Carb
1964 Mercury Colony Park Station Wagon - carried the 390.
Kim’s husband passed and she’d really like this car go to someone who will restore it and not part it out. Car will need some work. If you purchase this car I’ll help project manage the restoration. Might even have some spare part for ya. Car is here in Tucson.
“1970 mustang coupe for sale. It was my husbands, but he passed away and I don’t have the money to fix it up the way he wanted it to be. I don’t want to sell it for a parts car, I would like to sell it to someone who will restore it and take care of it. It did run at one point, but it has been sitting under a cover for the last 7 years or so so it won’t start. He was in the process of replacing the vinyl roof, so that is why the top is rusty. It probably needs to be replaced. The engine is a 289. All the parts he had bought comes with the car. Extra doors, windows, hood, tail lights…and a few other things. This car is a definite project car!! Any questions, please feel free to email.”
There’s car art (art with cars) and then there’s car art (art on a car).
Here are a couple interesting pieces.
The first is in Prescott, Az. Prescott is beautiful city in up-state Arizona where we love to hang out. It features a beautiful town square that would rival any of them back East. That square is the venue of some very enjoyable events, include a collector’s car show and an all Corvette show, every year.
Walking a few blocks away from the square is a parking garage with one side depicting an a mural.
Mural in Prescott, Az
Notice the cars?
Here’s a close up:
Mural in Prescott, Az
Great art work!!!
Let move to the other end of the spectrum. I’m keeping in mind that “Art” is in the eye of the beholder..nah…that’s not working here!!!
Bisbee, Az is nearly the complete opposite of Prescott, Az. In fact, it’s even located at the opposite end of Arizona. Tucked in to the mountains, near the border of Mexico, it is very interesting mining town, turned tourist town. Bisbee sits in a time warp stuck between the 1960’s and mid 1970’s. Gives all the feel of the VW bus generation with a huge variety of artist’s, art galleries and old mining camp homes built into the side of the mountains. No..this ain’t the travel channel…so here’s the Art on the Car.
It appears to be a….why YES!!!…it is an El Camino. Ya..know….I can’t really say any more…you look at it…and give me some feed back!!!!
El Camino - Art'ed out
Yup...eactly...WTF!!!
Well..ya know....it was cheaper than going to MACCO for a paint job
With the upcoming release of the Shelby GT500 Super Snake many people will have an opportunity to put on of these limited edition Shelby’s inside their garage. It’s quite the opposite for the 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake as the person who wins this ebay auction for the only 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake ever produced will have the ultimate limited edition Mustang. The 1967 Shelby Super Snake sports a 427ci V8 with 520 horsepower, a 170 mph top speed and unique triple stripes. The ebay auction is set to end in a week. Check out the pictures after the fold.
