Pics taken at C.I.A. Salvage, Limerick Maine- May 5, 2008. I'll leave it to you to wax poetic about the cars if you so choose and/or make jokes at rural Maine's expense, etc.
1) 1946-48 Dodge sedan
2) hood mascot of same
3) 1952 Kaiser Manhattan
4) same
5) 1955 Kaiser Manhattan
6) 1957 Ford firetruck, January 08
7) same, May 08
8) 1960s Falcon Clubwagon
9) 1964 Imperial Crown Coupe- one of 5233
10) tailpanel mascot of same
11) rear side view
12) 1966 Plymouth Belvedere II- 273 V8/auto, For Sale sign on windshield
asking $2K
13) nose of same
14) rear 3/4 of same
15) 1967 Chevy Bel Air
16) 1968 Olds F85
17) nose of same
18) 1968 Mercury Monterey
19) 1968 Plymouth Valiant Signet
20) 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger
21) nose of same
22) 1969 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S
23) badge
24) 1970 Dart Swinger
25) rear view of same
26) 1970-71 Dodge pickup
27) 1970s Opel- I don't know anything about these, maybe you can fill in
the year etc.
28) 1972 Plymouth Scamp
29) rear view of same
30) 1974 Dart Swinger
31) 1974 Buick Estate
32) same

I'm always reminded of the car driven by Bud (Harry Dean Stanton) in Repo Man when I see a full-size Chevy from this era. The original Alex Cox screenplay (yes, I live by the Repo Code to the extent that I have a copy) was very specific about the make, model, and year of every single vehicle in the movie, and Bud's car was supposed to be a '70.


Even with the bent front bumper, this car is way nicer than my 1:25 scale Beater '70 Impala model, but it's got the right number of doors. Actually, it's possible that this car is really a Caprice, since there are no identifying emblems (the Bel Air and Biscayne models didn't come in two-door versions for '70).


The interior looks quite nice, with the big ol' vinyl bench seat that was the standard back then.


The base engine for the big '70 Chevy was the 250-inch six. However, hardly anybody wanted to drag a 3,800-pound car around with 155 horsepower, so most of these cars have the 350 small-block. Of course, you could go wild when looking at the options list and get yourself any Chevy engine all the way up to the 345 horsepower LS4 big-block... and your friendly Chevy dealer would likely have found a way to get the factory to install the mighty 460-horse LS6, had you produced a sufficiently thick stack of bills.

When was the last time you saw a Volvo 164 on the street? For me, it was this one, last December. So what are the odds that two of them would turn up at a local self-service wrecking yard, within sight of each other. Even after several weeks on the yard, they're pretty much complete- looks like 164 parts aren't in demand.

First, let's have the anthem!

Before you go lining up your airbrush artist and gold-plating shop, you need to get a starting point. Since we're going old-school traditional here, the obvious choice would have to be the '64 Chevy Impala coupe. Now, you could find yourself a nice original '64, but have you priced them lately? You won't be able to afford that huge mural depicting La Noche Triste across the hood if you blow your entire roll on Day One, and it's simply unacceptable to get a four-door or even a Biscayne. We've got the solution, though, and a fine one at that: This 1964 Impala Two-Door (go here if the ad disappears) has a totally reasonable price tag of only $1,800. There's rust, the engine and glass are missing, but the seller has "ALL THE DOORS AND FENDERS AND HOOD and trunk WHICH ARE SRAIGHT," plus "95%" of the trim. The seller really does want to sell the car, not like those other guys who spam their basket-case Impalas on Craigslist because they "just want the world to know that they own a Impala." The drivetrain will be easy and cheap, which means you'll have plenty of time and money left to take on... everything else!

Come on, doing a '64 Impala lowrider is like building yet another big-block '69 Camaro- sure, you'll love it... but you'll just be one of a very large crowd. How about going with an for an earlier era for your classic lowrider? Something just as iconic, but that would turn heads on Whittier Boulevard in 1955 just as readily as today? We're going back into time, back to a topsy-turvy world in which you could utter "Mercury" and "cool" in the same sentence and not have everyone avoid eye contact with you. Yes, 1949, when these three '49 Mercury coupes (go here if the ad disappears) were made! The seller claims one of the three is "THE BEST ONE" (though it's unclear how that was determined) and he or she "WOULD SELL ONE OR ALL." As an added bonus, the cars are located in the Flaming Lips' hometown of Norman, Oklahoma, which means you'll be humming "One Million Billionth of a Millisecond on a Sunday Morning" every time you look at your new project! It's not clear how many cars you get for $3,950, nor is it clear whether you get any drivetrain or interior components. Take heart, though, because you can see at least two unbroken pieces of glass in the photos! Once you've made one solid '49- hey, with three cars you've got a real shot- you can get started on applying many, many coats of hand-rubbed lacquer paint, put together a rumbly flathead engine, etc.

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According to the press release, the owner and convenient name-haver, Teritius Fortune, believes all of the gadgetry being loaded into cars these days detracts from the joy of driving. The exotic-looking cars being planned are small, reaching a height of only 42 inches, and very light — under 2,000 lbs. While FortuneSport claims no affiliation with Panoz, the niche car builder will be assembling the cars for FortuneSport at its Hoschton, Georgia facility. If this turns out to be for real, it's pretty exciting, but as it stands now, a render and a press release is a long way from a fly-weight road car.

FORTUNESPORT RELEASES DETAILS ON THE RT.S

23 July 2008 - Gwinnett County, Georgia - FortuneSport Vehicle
Engineering Systems, LLC (FortuneSport) today confirmed the launch of
their first production sports car, the Rt.S; a sub-2,000 pound, 350
horsepower sports coupe. Inspired by Group C prototypes, the chassis of
this road and track car will feature an aluminum semi-monocoque,
integral steel roll cage, a mid-mounted V8, and a pushrod suspension
system. Key weight-saving features are full composite bodywork, seats
integrated into the chassis, and rolling gear supplied by BBS. The
power to weight ratio of 5.1 lbs per bhp translates into a road car
capable of sprinting from 0-60mph in 4 seconds and a top speed of
175mph. The target price is $85,000.

Penned by Turkish newcomer Emre Husmen, the Rt.S is a vision of sports
cars in the year 2035. Characterized by short overhangs and a long
wheelbase, the overall length of the car is 164 inches. Clever
packaging means the height of the vehicle is 42 inches, while retaining
enough head room to comfortably fit a 6-foot 4-inch passenger.

Teritius Fortune, Owner of FortuneSport, said, "FortuneSport believes
that the pleasure of driving is not in the electronics and sixteen
speaker stereo systems, but in the driving itself. Especially given the
current green movement, the best way to engage the driver was to
substantially reduce vehicle mass. With the large number of
grand-tourers on the market, we used this philosophy to build a true
sports car."

The Rt.S is scheduled for a launch in Late 2010 as a 2011 model. A
track-only version will be launched late this fall in conjunction with
FortuneSport's Rt.R Development Program. Visually similar to the Rt.S,
the Rt.R will feature a 510bhp engine and a curb weight of 1,650 pounds.
To be assembled by the Panoz Group, the Rt.R will be capable of running
in a number of amateur track events, as well as FortuneSport-branded
events held in conjunction with the Skip Barber Racing Schools. The
Rt.R requires a security deposit of $200,000.

July 1st my dad and I bailed out of a visiting with my grandmother in Kansas and flew out to San Francisco to buy my dream car - a Lotus Europa. I had been lusting over these cars for about a year and half. Race car suspension? Check. Extreme light weight? Check. Racing history? Check. Lots of personality? Oh my yes! Good price? Well, a little higher than I wanted to pay ($8500) but I figured it was the perfect time to do it in my life. The one we were picking up was in ok condition - actually mechanically it was in very good condition, but aesthetically it was not that great - even by Europa standards. Oh, and by 'picking it up' we were actually driving it 2700 miles most of the way across the country to Huntsville, AL! David, who I bought the car from, was great in coordinating everything with me and also did a lot of prep work to get it ready for the trip - he even gave us a full tank of gas! We got to his house about 2:30pm Tuesday and he spent a couple of hours getting me familiar with the car, this would be the first time I had ever driven a Europa. So at about 4:30 we left from San Francisco.

The drive through rush hour San Francisco traffic was a bit nerve racking to say the least. This car is low, real low. From our vantage point Ford Foci looked like towering Expeditions. We also found out real early that bumps that an ordinary car wouldn't even notice were like hitting huge potholes that sent shudders all throughout the car. It also lacked power brakes so I had to get use to the long pedal travel and high effort. The shifter in this car was good but different; most cars you can just push the gearshift up to shift into third, in this car you had to deliberately move the shifter to the right a few inches. The cable operated clutch was something to get used to too.

We did eventually get across the Golden Gate and took a break at the park there. What a spectacular view! I couldn't believe how many bicyclists were there too (I love bicycling). Our goal for the first day was to camp at South Lake Tahoe which was approximately 240miles from David's house. Unfortunately we got a late start and found ourselves driving in the dark - not fun in the Europa. I could barely see where I was going and worse was that I could tell that the road was nice and curvy - so I was missing out on all the fun. About 30 miles from Lake Tahoe we decided we couldn't take anymore and found an entrance to a National Forest where we wondered around for a while looking for a campground until we couldn't take that anymore so we just camped on the side of the road. Compromises in packing for this trip saw no room for a tent so we were sleeping under the stars - somehow I slept better that night than I typically do at home.

The next day we had the goal of getting to Zion National park - some 600miles away. One of the funnier events on the trip was when my dad was getting back in to drive after stopping at an overlook for Mono Lake. The overlook was slightly sloped towards a guardrail. He got in, put it in neutral, took the parking brake off, and let it roll right into the guardrail while frantically searching for the brake pedal! The pedals in these cars are extremely close together, I actually bought a really narrow pair of shoes but they were still not narrow enough so I drove most of the way bare foot. Because the pedals are so close together it's easy to put your foot on the clutch thinking it's the brake because in a normal car the clutch is about where the brake would be. I started laughing after he did it, he was pretty embarrassed I think. Luckily it didn't do hardly any damage (those bumpers actually do something!).

Onwards from Mono Lake, where I got to test out the Europa's dirt road ability (it really hated the washboards), we made it to Zion National park at about 7-8pm. Zion probably used to be a great place, it's still nice, but there are way too many people there. We actually camped in a designated campground that night but once again without a tent. The next morning we spent a few hours hiking at the park before heading out. The roads the previous day were actually a lot of fun, but the third day was mostly straight desert roads in the hot of the Summer. Right outside of Zion we also made an adjustment to the car that we should have made at the beginning - remember all that crashing over the bumps? That was mostly caused by the 12 way adjustable shocks being put on their lowest setting for comfort. Bad idea, we put them on setting 6 and it improved things dramatically.

Desert driving also caused the car to run rather hot especially when driving uphill. If you have ever driven through the northern parts of Arizona you know there are a lot of slow climbs up to the summits....and then back down. Luckily the car didn't get hot enough to cause problems so we didn't lose any time. Around 6pm we finally made it out of the desert, both of us extremely tired of seeing rock formations, and got into the mountains of Colorado. The car did really well here too, even at about 2 miles high it wasn't struggling although if you floored the throttle it was obvious it wasn't getting all the air it wanted. After supper we found ourselves driving in the dark once again, but we figured something out - nobody cared if we used the brights all the time! We could actually see with the brights on so it made night driving 20 times better. We found a campsite somewhere in between South Fork and Alamosa.

The next day's goal was to make it to Kingman, KS - about 400 miles away - where we could rendezvous with my mom who was taking care of her mom. We made good time and got there around 2pm on Friday - I was finally able to take my first shower since Tuesday! After visiting with my grandmother, my uncle and my cousin for a while we left with me driving the Europa following my mom and dad in their car. The intent was making it as far as we could without falling asleep. Unfortunately we only made it to about Tulsa, OK before I hit this particularly nasty bridge transition at 70+mph in the dark. The car absolutely launched in the air and I knew I heard the sound of pieces falling off. I immediately pulled over to the shoulder and checked for missing pieces or bent suspension - no problems found! But it scrambled the electrics quite a bit (insert Lucas joke/reference here) - one of the headlights went out, and the turn signals wouldn't work but the lighted turn signal indicators on the dash were on solid when ever the lights were on! A policeman pulled over and offered any assistance and showed interest in the car. Everything was road worthy except the headlight so we drove to the nearest hotel.

The next day was just about making the best time possible to Huntsville. The car made it without any more problems - in other words, for a British car (especially a Lotus) - it did really well. It leaked about a quart of oil every 600 miles, and averaged above 35mpg - I got 41mpg the last time I filled it up! The car, in my opinion, was really comfortable to drive - no back aches or sore muscles. The last day my ears started ringing a bit. There were a few people that were pretty interested in the car, and it was fun watching people coming the other direction turn their head probably wondering what in the world it was. It was really an incredible trip, one I hope to do again in another unique car but hopefully then I can do it over 2 weeks rather than 5 days so I can actually take my time and enjoy the scenery. I also probably won't do it right in the middle of the summer either. In conclusion, I used to think all those cool cars I wanted being in California was a terrible burden, now I think it's a plus!

Because the 911 and 912 from this era look pretty much the same, and this car has no emblems on the engine lid (anyone have any idea why?), it took me quite a while to figure out what I was photographing. More 912s than 911s were built in the late 1960s, so I was leaning that way... and then I spotted the "912" emblem on the dash. Mystery solved!


For $4,760 (just 220 bucks less than a '67 BMW 2000CS), you got the 912 and a 102-horse four-cylinder. Hand over $5,990 to the boys from Stuttgart, and a 911 with 148 horses could be yours, while $6,990 ($410 more than the cost of a shiny new Jag E-Type) would put a 911S with 180 horsepower in your driveway.


Not being a Porsche expert, I had to consult with circle-track racer Jack Baruth to figure out the year of this car, since Porsche's Teutonic efficiency precluded making frivolous (and easily identifiable) year-to-year changes. Thanks, Jack!

[Jay Leno's Garage]

As of this writing, the WRX-S and the STI 330S are "go" for limited production by way of Prodrive. Of course, our speed-addled minds only want to know about the 380S. Well, according to Subaru, the car is at least six months from public availability, and even then, subject to public demand. So all you hooligans out Great Britain way, feel free to let 'em hear your pleas.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE HAT-TRICK FROM SUBARU

* Three new high-performance Special Edition Imprezas
* 255 PS Impreza WRX-S at £22,495 OTR
* 330 PS Impreza WRX STI 330S for around £30,000 OTR
* Ultimate 380 PS Impreza WRX STI 380S concept

Subaru has scored a high-performance hat-trick for the British International Motor Show with the launch of no less than three new Special Edition new-shape Impreza models - two of which can be seen at the show.

All receive Prodrive engine upgrades plus comfort and styling tweaks, giving enthusiasts an unprecedented choice of sporty Subarus.

The 255 PS Impreza WRX-S costs a highly-competitive £22,495 while the 330 PS Impreza WRX STI 330S will be priced at around £30,000 (both on-the-road). First deliveries are expected in September.

Still in concept stage is the 380 PS Impreza WRX STI 380S which could become available within the next six months pending positive customer response.

Visitors to the show (July 23 to August 3, ExCeL, London) can see both the STI 380S concept and the WRX-S on Subaru's stand N23.

Impreza WRX-S Offers More Power And Style
Based on the new Impreza WRX, the 'S' model offers £4,500 worth of extras for a £2,500 premium, costing £22,495 OTR.

Banbury-based Prodrive has re-programmed the 2.5 litre 'boxer' engine's ECU (electronic control unit) and modified the exhaust system. This sees power leap from 230 PS at 5,200 rpm to 255 PS at 5,400 rpm while the torque improvement is even greater, growing from 236 lb.ft at 2,800 rpm to 287.6 at 3,000 rpm - a staggering 51 lb. ft more.

Maximum speed remains at 130 mph but the 0-60 mph time drops from 6.1 seconds to 5.5 seconds. Naturally, in-gear flexibility is greatly enhanced.

The new Impreza WRX-S also boasts 18x7.5 ins anthracite GT1 alloy wheels with 225/40 tyres, an STI front grille, STI front lip spoiler and STI rear wing and body-colour tailgate moulding.

Also standard is a MOMO 'Air-Race' gearknob while the colour choice is between San Remo Red, WR Blue Mica, Obsidian Black Pearl and Satin White Pearl.

Standard equipment on the Impreza 2.5 WRX-S includes front and rear spoilers, side skirts, a rear diffuser, leather-covered steering wheel, all-wheel drive, a rear limited-slip differential with Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control, 10-speaker, six-disc radio/CD player and xenon headlamps.

Impreza WRX STI 330S Brings Back The Burble
The new Impreza WRX STI 330S also benefits from a Prodrive Performance pack with modified ECU and exhaust system - this time with paired twin 90 mm diameter stainless steel exhaust pipes to bring back the burble so loved by 'scooby' fans.

Power goes up to 330 PS at only 5,400 rpm compared to the 300.5 PS at 6,000 rpm of the standard model.

Torque is boosted from 300.2 lb ft at 4,000 rpm to 346.6 lb ft at a lower 3,400 rpm making for an even swifter, effortless driving experience.

Top speed is the same 155.3 mph but the 0-60 mph time drops from an already swift 4.8 seconds to only 4.4 seconds.

Expected to be priced at around £30,000 OTR, the new Impreza WRX STI 330S has an especially luxurious specification - even compared to the already well-equipped standard STI which costs £26,595 OTR.

Upgrades include leather-covered Recaro front seats, satellite navigation, Smart-entry and push-button start.

Visually, the new special-edition sports new five-spoke 18x8.5 ins alloy wheels wearing 245/40 R18 tyres. It will be available in the full range of STI colours.

Standard equipment on the Impreza WRX STI includes a six-speed gearbox, Si-Drive giving three different engine response modes, a Multi-mode Driver Control Centre Differential, Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control and - of course - symmetrical all-wheel drive with front and rear limited-slip differentials.

Show-Stopping WRX STI 380S Concept
Sure to be a crowd-puller is Subaru's range-topping special edition Impreza WRX STI 380S which previews at the London International Motor Show.

Dubbed a concept, the STI 380S could reach dealers within six months pending positive response. Its final specification will be finalised following customer input and will be hand-built to order.

The STI 380S will include a complete engine rebuild by Prodrive with many up-rated components to reliably achieve the target 380 PS.

Improvements over the standard Impreza WRX STI will include uprated suspension and exhaust system plus an enhanced body kit.

Other visual changes will be the option of either gold or silver-coloured 18x8.5 ins BBS alloy wheels with 245/40 tyres.

PRICING

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced pricing for the 2009 MAZDA6 sports sedan will start at $18,550 for a MAZDA6 i SV, equipped with a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter I-4 engine and a six-speed manual transmission. Pricing for the 2009 MAZDA6 s, powered by a 273-horsepower V6 engine and six-speed Sport AT automatic transmission begins at $24,130. Destination charges for all 2009 model-year Mazda vehicles are $670, $715 in Alaska. The 2009 MAZDA6 will be available at dealers across the U. S. starting in late August, 2008.

The highly anticipated 2009 MAZDA6 is the first of Mazda's "Zoom-Zoom Evolution" second-generation vehicles, building on a heritage of sports sedans and sports cars that no other manufacturer can boast, and bringing a combination of sports sedan, sophistication, build quality and product insight not currently found in the market.

"This is the most important new vehicle Mazda has launched in a decade," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO. "Bringing any new car to market at a competitive price has always been critical, but seldom more-so than today. Customers are looking for that rare combination of style, dynamics, economy and a great price, and the all-new 2009 MAZDA6 delivers on all levels."

The 2009 MAZDA6 will be available as a four-door sedan and in four trim levels: SV (I-4 models only), Sport, Touring and Grand Touring, and with varying levels of standard and optional equipment. All models, regardless of engine or trim grade, will include as standard equipment: air-conditioning, power windows, mirrors and door locks, anti-lock brakes (ABS), dynamic stability control, traction control, frontal and seat-mounted airbags for driver and front passenger, side air-curtain airbags for front and rear seat passengers and a tire-pressure monitoring system.

Power for the 2009 MAZDA6 will be available from an all-new Mazda-designed and developed MZR 170-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a 273-horsepower 3.7-liter V6, as used in the 2008 CX-9, Motor Trend's 2008 Sport/Utility of the Year and the 2008 North American Truck of the Year. Transmission choices are a six-speed manual or five-speed Sport AT automatic with manual-shift mode (2.5-liter engine) or a six-speed Sport AT automatic with manual-shift mode (3.7-liter V6). I-4 models equipped with the Sport AT are certified at the ultra-clean SULEV level, and PZEV in California-emission states. All V6 models meet ULEV standards for all 50 states.

As it has been since the first MAZDA6 launched in 2002, all North American MAZDA6s will continue to be built at AutoAlliance International, in Flat Rock, Mich, a joint venture with partner Ford Motor Company.

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mazda North American Operations oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City; and in Puerto Rico by Mazda de Puerto Rico in San Juan.

So, that Thunderbird Deficit I mentioned earlier- it turns out we've seen only one Alameda Thunderbird in this series, and that was a gloriously hideous '61. Now it's time to look at a nice 60s T-bird.


Looks like the interior is in great shape, down to the factory AM radio. Judging from the sticker, it appears that the car's owner is a regular at Alameda's finest tiki bar.


Speaking of this car's owner, a simple check of the Radiator Hoes site shows that it's my fellow Alameda East Ender, Swiskee. We've also seen Radiator Hoe Bon Bon's Dart wagon, as the Hoes have a strong Alameda contingent.

We also see what we're assuming are smaller, optional five spokes which weren't in the officially released image. What we can also see here is the highly controversial front fender bulge seems a heck of a lot less pronounced when in in the light of day. Now if only that weird grille would look different with the sun shining down. (Hat tip to Darius)

I tell you what, every time I see that three-across seating layout of the Matra Bagheera, it makes me ache for a Bagheera to call my own. You figure all the possible automotive seating layouts had been established a century ago, and then here come the French with a totally new approach. Sure, it's a crazy approach, but that's why we love French cars so much! The Murena was the successor to the Bagheera, and the seller of this '80 Matra Murena is quick to point out that "Only 6 are known to exist here." Stressing about hard-to-find parts? No need! This Murena is in "very good condition considering the age of the car," so what could it need? Turnkey operation, for sure- hey, this thing can hardly be considered a project at all! Well, the transmission is hosed ("deliberate and not fast shifts at high revs usually eliminates or lessens problem with 2nd gear"), there's a big crack in a rear fender (plastic body, just like a Fiero!), and no doubt some other surprises. Thanks to UDMan for the tip!

You've got to love that Matra, but where's the power? If you're going to plunge yourself into the never-ending agony infinitely rewarding world of French car ownership, don't you want something fast? Sure you do, and that's why Teargas has found us this 1979 Alpine A310. The '79 A310 was powered by the exact same Peugeot-Renault-Volvo V6 drivetrain as the one used in the De Lorean DMC-12, and if that's not a great reason to buy a car... well, there's really not much more to say, is there? Just like the Murena, the transmission in this car has some issues with second gear. You'll get around to fixing that problem, just as soon as you synchronize the six Weber carburetors. Yes, six- got to have one carb per cylinder in a true performance car, right? The windshield is cracked, but you get a new one (list price: $2,800, which should give you some idea of the cost of every single part, no matter how insignificant, on this car), and there's the somewhat disturbing statement "it was setup for rally and raced before that-by the previous ownder" in the description. Best of all, a "sterling silver Alpine collectible keychain" comes with the deal.

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It's been a couple months since our last Scout in this series, and this is the oldest one I've managed to find on the island so far.


In '72, you could get your Scout II with a 196-cube four-cylinder engine (that's 3.2 liters, for you fans of the metric system and/or really big four-bangers) or a 304-cubic-inch V8. No, that's not an AMC engine- genuine farm equipment here!


Breakers breakers, any takers? It's been a while since CB radios were relevant; whatever vestige of CB that the cellphone didn't kill, cheap and powerful FMS/GMRS radios finished off. Still, a CB antenna on a Scout just looks right.

We've seen six International Harvester vehicles so far in Alameda, which means we get a poll. Which one do you like best?

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I admit it- after finding the '60 Peugeot 403 near my house, I've been searching for a French car project to call my own (this in spite of having been the owner of a sadistically unreliable Peugeot 504 in the past). Thing is, the old Peugeots have something of a power deficit, and it just seems wrong to take the easy way out by doing a Japanese drivetrain transplant. Then Vintage Racer found this genuine Offenhauser turbo engine. Now we're talking! The Offy is a torque monster of a four-banger, with pistons the size of gallon paint cans and a racing history nothing else can touch, and it would be just the powerplant for this '68 Peugeot 404 sedan... which is priced at approximately 1/25th the price of the engine. This 404 gets PCH points for the classic statement "Ran when parked" and the inclusion of a parts car in the deal. You'll need to deal with the transmission and rear end issue, of course, and we suspect the Pug's frame might not really be up to Offy-style twistage... but imagine the looks of awe you'll get as you cruise your town's main drag with the sound of a 30s Indy racer bellowing from your little French sedan.

Did I mention that the engine here was "Overhauled many years ago, not run since?" No? Hey, when you get the impossible-to-find vintage turbo intake and exhaust components as part of the $21,500 deal, you can't complain- you'll sort it out! And you'll definitely be motivated to do so every time you look in your garage... because you'll see that amazing engine sitting on the concrete right next to this '65 Rover 2000 sedan. We don't know how much the seller wants for it, but it's a safe assumption that he or she hasn't exactly been overwhelmed by offers so far, in spite of the fact that it's "all origional, paint is ever pritty good." You can sell the engine (which the seller claims has "less than 8000miles on it since rebuild") to defray, oh, 0.03% of the cost of the Offy, and recline in that fine, fine Rover seat and dream of the day when you own the only Offenhauser-powered Rover sedan in your time zone.

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The 7.0-liter, 550 HP stock engine is equipped with twin turbos from Nelson Racing Engines and needs race fuel to hit those figures. It carries an auxiliary fuel tank expressly for that purpose, while the main tank hold premium pump gas, which automatically switches the engine into "low 1,000s mode."

The engine will now be put through a final tuning phase before taking to the track I the near future with the aim of setting many speed and performance records.
[via World Car Fans]

Heraldic crests! Knights in armor! Seeing this hood ornament, I find it impossible to believe that Buick didn't offer an Electra Brougham for '73. Surely there must be some mistake!


Just in time for the Arab oil embargo of '73, this 4,682-pound dreamboat purred down the highway courtesy of a 210-horse 455 engine. That seems like a pretty poor power-to-weight ratio, but keep in mind that Tricky Dick lowered the speed limit the very next year. Just in time, too, because this car probably gets 9 MPG at 75 MPH and 11 MPG at 55 MPH.


This car is in very nice original condition, but you don't have to go to a car show to see this kind of thing on the Island That Rust Forgot!

We've had 18 cars from the first year of the Malaise Era in this series, and some- maybe even most- of them are pretty cool. That means we need a poll! Vote for your favorite 1973 DOTS machine, then check out the '73 Electra gallery.

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I saw the post about the rotting Come From Behind Racing Probe and wanted to share the sole picture I have of our team's car awaiting the crusher.

Though I'm pretty sure that the yard didn't know what to do with a 1972 Lincoln MKCRXXX, they did take the liberty of destroying the only decent part of the car that we left on it; the windshield. Altamont 2008 was the Eyesore Racing CRX's 4th and final race. Too many nasty collisions left the frame rails too bent to repair, though a blown carburetor gasket that spewed engine coolant into every part of the engine (resulting in lots of steam from the air cleaners and crank case vent) is what ultimately led to the overheated death of our proud team mate.
The head gasket was fine... until we ripped it out for replacement in the last hour because we thought that it might be the problem. There is a coolant line that runs into the carb on those EW1 Honda engines (none of us know anything about carburetors, so this was all voodoo to us) and some gasket or line inside the carb body sprung a leak and followed the air into the engine.

Could we have fixed it? Maybe. But that would have taken a lot of work that should be put into our new car. A single tear falls from my eye... the memories! (fist shaking in the air)