Ok…so it’s not a full-size Studebaker Avanti, but it was affordable. This is a 1960’s model kit which I picked up on the Internet.
This was partly complete.
This is a motorized model, which is unique. It was a complete kit and was partly assembled when I purchased it.
The bottom half of the car (rocker panels, etc.) was glued on and the electric motor was installed by a previous owner.
A little motorized action – just add a fresh AA battery.
I decided to paint the body and top first before continuing with the build. These are being sprayed painted.
I masked off the chrome (way harder than on a full size car) and any excess paint will come of with an exacto knife. I masked off the interior opening as that will get hand painted.
After looking at the second coat, I can see there’s going to be the need for a bit more sanding and another coat of paint applied.
I’ve said it before; the Doof Wagon does it for me; I’m a music maniac, and I am a sucker for the repurposed 8 x 8 MAN Missile-Carrier packing heavy Watts cabinets. As if that wasn’t pure madness already, they also had a musician from Hell playing a …
As the debate over the Charlestown shooter spirals into a tangent on displaying the Confederate flag, private companies are beginning to stop selling it. A few days ago, Walmart and other retailers announced they would stop selling Confederate flags.
Recently we told you that the fastest car ever produced is up for sale. Now, one of the most interesting looking cars in the world just hit eBay. It’s a Drop Tank Lakester and it’s 100 percent jet-powered.
The Lakester is 16 feet long and was inspired by the world’s first cruise missile, the German V-1. While it looks like it used to set records, it was built to be a show car—a driving work of art—but it can shoot six-foot flames out its tailpipe.
Here are a couple of links to another lakester I wrote about previously:
In the sea of muscle cars and hot rods here at Barrett-Jackson, this streamlined chrome roadster really stood out as being truly unique. Constructed from the wing tip tank of a Lockheed Super Constellation airplane, the “Lockheed Lakester” is built to …
The first time I understood Steve McQueen was a car guy was when I saw an image (poster I think) of him and a Jaguar with fantastic lines.
Steve McQueen’s Jaguar: Steve McQueen bought it twice – and twice had his license suspended for driving it! Jay gets an in-depth tour of the King of Cool’s “Green Rat.”
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Last year, Jaguar brought one of its most legendary models back from the dead with a limited production run of the Lightweight E-Type. These were brand-new cars built to the exact specifications of the 1960s originals by Jaguar Land River’s Special …
Sticking with the Steve McQueen theme (his cars seem to be popping up all over the Internet) here is a video on his 275 GTB/4. Great looking car!!!
This is one of Steve McQueen’s own personal cars which he bought during his time working on BULLITT. Steve absolutely loved his NART spyder until it was totaled only a couple days after purchase. So when there weren’t any more available he bought the hard top version.
The guy great taste in check out his 1956 Jag in the next posting.
The 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (Estimate Available Upon Request) will be offered without reserve. With an approximate 10,000 miles from new, this 275 GTB/4 is an original four-cam model. After being held by one family for more than 40 years, the four-cam …
Yes you read it correct!!! What you see below is a rare sight. An extremely well preserved ProStreet/Drag AMC Matador.
Sure I’ve seen AMX as a drag car and I’ve even seen a Gremblin and a Pacer with V8 shoved between the fenders, but I’ve never seen a Matador with a drag set up. And the condition is amazing.
See for yourself.
This is the Matador X
Also referred to as Matador Series 10
Control Freak Suspension specializes in AMC suspensions (and other makes).
The Matador X was a true sub-model not just a option package.
The Matador X had only a two year run 1974 and 1975.
As best as I can tell this is a 1975 and if the 401 badge on the side is correct, the is one of four cars (two door coupes) that left the factory with those engines that year (rest of the 84 cars with that engine were 4 door…hiss….boo!!!)
I would seriously consider doing up a Matador like this!!!
Got an interesting AMC? Drop me a note, we can get it published.
I realized that the name, Tempo Matador, could be formed from the model names of two other notable cars, the Ford Tempo and the AMC Matador. Realizing this, I screamed like a banshee and flipped over the table at the soft-serve frogurt shop I steal my …
I realized that the name, Tempo Matador, could be formed from the model names of two other notable cars, the Ford Tempo and the AMC Matador. Realizing this, I screamed like a banshee and flipped over the table at the soft-serve frogurt shop I steal my …
Today, however, we’re going back in time and to Detroit — actually, to Kenosha — for a long-out-of-production AMT kit that has us cranking up the Frijid Pink and catching a buzz off the Testors fumes: this AMC Matador Coupe. Yes, the seller hopes to …
Busy week this week this week for #AutoFactoids…. So here we go!
June 7, 1928 – First Plymouth is produced. Some research suggest that it was actually built on June 11, 1928.
1928 Q Code Plymouth
It had engineering code (or model) Q and had a 4 cylinder engine. Check out the video on YouTube:
June 10, 1927 The Graham boys purchased what was Paige_Detroit Motor Cars. The Grahams started out as farmers and glass bottle makers. One of the brothers invented a rear axle that would allow converting Ford car platforms in to light duty trucks. Oh they are still in business – owning/running Madison Square Gardens and hosting sporting events.
Graham Page
June 10, 1951 Jaguar won it’s first Le Mans. It was a C-type version of XK120
C-type XK120
June 11, 1955 Tragic day in racing history – over 80 spectators were killed.
Here are the details from History.com
Prior to the race, Levegh complained that the course was too narrow near the pit-stop area and the grandstand. This observation proved prescient. As Levegh was racing for the lead near the pit-stop area, he swerved to avoid fellow racer Mike Hawthorn s Jaguar as it moved toward the pits. Levegh s car, going about 150 miles per hour, came up too fast on Lance Macklin s Austin-Healey and was catapulted upward. The car crashed into the grandstand and its exploding parts went straight into the crowd. Levegh and more than 80 spectators, packed into the grandstand, lost their lives in the fiery crash.
June 12, 1954 Packard cars are sporting tubeless tires.
1954 Packard
June 12, 1975 Chrysler stops producing the Imperial.
1975 Chrysler Imperial – yes it’s on the drag strip.
Jun 14, 1832 Nikolaus Otto is born in Holzhausen, Germany. Famous for his patent for his 4 cycle combustion engine.
Here are your Auto Factoids #AutoFactoids for the beginning of June, 2015.
May 31, 1927 – Ford produced the last Model T. There is some debate as to actual date and it’s said that the 15th million Model T rolled off the production line on May 26th, 1927 and the Henry and Edsel drove it off the line. The Model T was one of the major factors for governments push for the develop of our road system. And did you know that Henry Ford was green? Yes, he recycled the scrap wood from the production of the Model T and turned it into charcoal. It was originally call Fords Charcoal. It was later renamed for Henry’s brother-in-law who selected the charcoal plant – his last name was Kingsford – as in Kingsford Charcoal.
The 15 Millionth Model T!!!
June 2, 1899 – Locomobile Co. was founded. The company was formed by the editor of Cosmopolitan John Walker, after he purchase a design plan for a steam car from the Stanley brothers ( who didn’t being production of their Stanley Steamer until 1902). Their plant was first located in Watertown, Mass and moved to Bridgeport, Conn in 1900. The first car bodies were just runabouts with steam engines. The company was the first to have their automobiles used in a war – The Boer War. It was used as the tractor and chuck wagon of sorts. The production of steam cars continued until Locomobile began R&D with internal combustion engines. By 1902 they had seven body styles and had sold over 4000 cars. Production of gas powered engined in 1904. Their honors included the first U.S. built car to win an international race.
Vanderbilt Cup Winner
Powered by a 60hp, straight 4 cylinder engine it won the Vanderbilt Cup in 1908.
In 1919 they produced their most enduring car, the Model 48. The 48 was a large car and powered by a side valve straight 6 cylinder with 525 cubic inch displacement and producing 48.6-hp.
Company was purchased by Durant Motor (Billy Durant of GM fame) and continued to operate as Locomobile, selling cars under that name until 1929.
Model 48
June 3, 1864 – Ransom Olds was born in Genvea, Ohio – Founder of the now defunct Oldsmobile car manufacturer. Although Henry Ford often get credit for inventing the assembly line production – Ransom was the first to use the assembly line. (Ford gets credit for improving it and adding universal parts.)
For years, Henry and Edsel Ford had been denying that the day was approaching. Asked whether they were working on a new model of car, after nearly two decades of producing the famous Model T, they kept mum. But, as TIME noted back then, “in the U. S. …
Bothell Park gets Ford Model T sculpture, dedication Saturday. This Ford Model T Sculpture at Red Brick Road Park in Bothell was created by local high school students. — image credit: Contributed photo. 0 …
Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids) for the last full week of May 2015.
May 26, 1906 Mauri Rose was born in Columbus, Ohio. Rose still holds the 2nd spot for the most Indiana 500 wins. His first win was in 1941 but he didn’t finish in the car he left the starting line in. The first car was a Maserati and developed mechanical issues and he moved to a Wetteroth/Offenhauser car. He managed two back-to-back wins in 1947 and 1948, driving one of a Deidt/Offenhauser Blue Crown Spark Plug Specials.
Mauri in the Maserati were he started in pole position in his first win.
Muari in Wetteroth/Offenhauser car
Mauri in the Blue Spark car!
May 29, 1946 Kaiser-Frazer produced its first vehicles. Kaiser-Frazer’s plant was located in Willow Run Ypsilanti, Michigan. The company was formed when the two purchased the defunct Graham-Paige (of which Frazer was once Present, prior to WWII). There first cars were called the Frazer and Kaiser, one a mid-level luxury car and the other an innovative front wheel drive model.
The two parted ways in 1951 and the company name was changed to Kaiser. They went on to design some fantastic cars like the Darrin (named after one of the designer – Dutch Darrin. Bill Tritt was the other part of the team.) and on to the Jeep fame with Willys-Overland.
1950 — Johnnie Parsons. 1949 — Bill Holland. 1948 — Mauri Rose. 1947 — Mauri Rose. 1946 — George Robson. 1942-45 — No races, World War II. 1941 — Floyd Davis and Mauri Rose. 1940 — Wilbur Shaw. 1939 — Wilbur Shaw. 1938 — Floyd Roberts.
The Manhattan has been honored by the community and is the first hot rod to win the people’s choice award two years in a row at the annual Kaiser Frazer Club National Convention. Share This Article. Facebook Twitter Google+ Email. Author: Christopher …
Members of the Binghamton Kaiser Frazer Club will bring vehicles, Reilley said. The Seward House Museum, at 33 South St., will showcase several cars, including the Seward family’s own Packard. There will be automotive memorabilia for sale and, if you …
I’m a bit old school about driving like feeling the road (yeah even the pot holes!!) and not floating, making a car hit the curve just right and shoving the clutch pedal to the floor and find the next gear! That’s all part of the enjoyment for me. But paddle shifting is here to stay and I’ll be disappointed if the clutch pedal disappears from all new cars.
I’m sharing this article from Mind Over Motor as it hits on some key points I can relate too when it comes to this “new fangled” 🙂 way of changing gears.
Mind Over Motor
I am someone who has publicly lamented the decline of the manual transmission. But I’m also someone who has enjoyed the merits of modern paddle shift gearboxes in many cars.
I find myself very much split on this issue, so lets take a look at the various reasons why shifter paddles are replacing a gear lever and a third pedal in some of our favorite cars.
Note: To clear this up right away, by “paddle shift” I mean cars with automated manual gearboxes, either dual-clutch or single-clutch. I am in no way talking about anything like a Toyota Camry with the “sport package”, which has paddle shifters as a marketing gimmick.
1. More versatile on the road. (Having your cake and eating it too)
If you had something like a Lamborghini Diablo back in the mid 1990s chances are you had a lot of fun out on the open road. However, when you got into town and hit traffic, the heavy clutch made driving the car more of a $250,000 chore than an enjoyable way to spend a weekend afternoon. Considering the average speed of traffic on most roads is around 25-30mph, you’d be spending far more time putting along slowly than stretching the car’s legs. It’s a wonder why most owners hardly ever drove their exotic cars.
Today, Lamborghini only offers their cars with a paddle shift transmission. The sales numbers spoke for themselves, once paddle shift was offered back around 2004, demand for manual Lambos simply fell off.
Paddle shift basically solved all the issues described above with the Diablo. Now, in an Aventador, you can rip your way into town and then just put the car in automatic mode when you hit traffic. You have a car that is a ferocious supercar when you want one, but is also just as easy to drive as a Toyota Camry when you don’t. You are no longer writing a six-figure check to put yourself through misery. And I agree, that is a major plus, especially in cars that had very difficult manual gearboxes like most supercars did.
Chase the link below for the rest of the article and come back and let me know what YOU think!!
Paddle Shifting the 997. Porsche 997 GT3 Cup Paddle Shifter. Created by Holinger, supplier of gearbox components to Porsche AG, this paddle shift system is designed specifically for the 997 GT3 Cup, replaces the tunnel-mounted sequential …
Paddle shifters are the ultimate “cool factor” of a car. For people who experience paddle shifting for the first time, you might as well be Mario Andretti. They look super cool on the car, and are functionally genius. However, there …
The automatic features several shift modes, as well as manual paddle-shifting, and the manual transmission features automatic rev-matching for drivers who haven’t yet mastered the heel-toe shift method, and it has a no-lift shift feature allowing you …
Nestled in the engine compartment is Audi’s familiar, silky-smooth direct-injected 2.0L TFSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine, mated to a traditional six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic paddle shifting. The engine churns out 200 horsepower …
Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids)for middle week in May 2015!
May 17, 1868 – Happy Birthday Horace Dodge (Niles, Michigan)
Horace was one of the original Dodge brothers. He was born into a working family, with Dad owning as machine shop. In 1903, he and his brother John won a contract to produce transmissions for Oldsmobile and the following took a contract building engine for Henry Ford. They build their own plant in 1910 and John eventually became a vice president at Ford. By 1913 they ended their relationship with Ford and began producing their own vehicles – trucks and ambulances mainly for military use and most found service in WWI.
Horace
Dodge Half Ton Truck
May 19, 1903 – Buick Incorporates – Buick is the oldest (longest running) active car manufacturer in North America – well brand name is the oldest, still active. Buick started out as Auto-VIM and power company in 1899 as an engine manufacturer and produced two prototype. In 1903 it was incorporated by David Dunbar Buick and produced their first car in 1904.
First Buick
May 22, 1929 – Goodyear Blimp took its maiden flight. Still provides some of the best auto racing coverage!!!
Goodyear Blimp.
May 23, 1875 – Alfred Sloan was born in New Heaven Conn. He headed up GM as President and guided it through some iconic car designs.
Here is this weeks AutoFactoids (#AutoFactoids). May 10, 1923 – GM names Alfred P. Sloan as president. They didn’t just pick from the streets. He was actually, a draftsman for a bearing company, Hyatt Roller Bearing.
Auto Factoids 2011-1 Corvette Fuelies RPO 5789EAuto Factoids 2011-1 Corvette Fuelies RPO 5789E Average Guy’s Car Restoration, Mods and Racing1957 – 1958 saw the use of the New 283 engine in Chevy’s including …
The company was the first to have their automobiles used in a war – The Boer War. It was used as the tractor and chuck wagon of sorts. The production of steam cars continued until Locomobile began R&D with internal combustion engines. By 1902 they had seven body styles and had sold over 4000 cars. Production of gas powered engined in 1904. Their honors included the first U.S. built car to win an international race.
