57Sweptside was dodging neutrons in bomb-test country when he decided to drop in on a junkyard in rust-unfriendly southeastern Nevada… or maybe it was northwestern Arizona. Either way, these carcasses will likely still be there by the time you see the photos. Here's what 57Sweptside has to say about his adventure:

Along US-93, between Kingman, AZ and Hoover Dam is a pretty desolate stretch of road. Every time we pass this yard (2x for every trip between Phoenix and Vegas) we swear that we're going to stop. This time we actually did it. As we peeked through the fence and tried to snap pictures, the caretaker came out of his on-site motor home to see what we were up to. He invited us into the yard, but not until we paid $5.00 each. Since it was the RETURN trip from Sin City, we weren't burdened with excess cash, but we managed to come up with $10.00. My wife and my sister opted to stay behind, sensing some similarities to the plot of a horror movie they once saw. My brother-in-law and I had already made the decision for them, but gave very convincing apologies and promises about "next time". Of course the old "curator" said it wouldn't be any fun if the girls stayed behind and he waived the admission fee for them. It seemed reasonable, after all he was 81 years old, had been blinded during cataract surgery and couldn't keep up with Kevin and me as we climbed over the rows and piles for rare treasures. And the girls got to chat with him, or more accurately, listen to him tell stories of driving a wrecker and bringing in some of the hulks that still sat there, escaping a whiteout in Nebraska and winding up in Kingman after WWII, and a detailed account (down to make/model/year of each participant) of a drunk driver outrunning the police and wrecking at mile post 148. If we weren't in such a rush to make it home for dinner (and to rescue the 7 grandchildren my mother was "babysitting" for the weekend), I could have stayed for a couple hours just to listen to the old man's stories.

EVERTHING in the pictures is for sale. Most of the vehicles have prices on them, and I think the "collection" can be bought as a whole. The prices seem a bit steep for some of what's out there, but I imagine that money talks out in this part of the desert. A lot of this stuff is complete with trim and emblems, but the interiors are beyond trashed. I didn't ask about parts, but there were plenty of cars lacking powertrains.

I can't figure out what the pickup with the flat nose fiberglass is. Any idea?

You can check out the whole set of photos here when you're done with our gallery.

To those uninitiated, liquid gasoline isn't the thing to worry about when you're fueling, it's the fuel vapors. While liquid gasoline is extremely flammable, gasoline vapors are explosive. This is what two friends found out when one decided striking a match near his fuel-pump operating friend would be super funny. Jokes on him as the fuel vapors instantly caught fire and produced a huge fireball, catching the jokester on fire which resulted in burns over 20% of his body.

The other occupants of the fire-engulfed Geo Tracker were a woman in the back seat and a child, who both made it out safely before a gas station attendant came out to put down the fire. Chandler, Arizona and Kissimmee, Florida were not available for comment on their status as stupidest places in the country. [KPHO]

Officials in Pinal County, Arizona have recently terminated their contract with Redflex, the company currently providing speed camera coverage for the rural area. Reasons for the termination include negligible income from the program and a doubling of accident-related deaths on the applicable roadways.

The two camera vans shuttered 11,416 times during the period between September 2007 and last month. Of those snaps, 7,290 resulted in tickets, but only 3,711 were paid. Those paid tickets resulted in $134,199.43 of gross profit, but the county only saw a net profit of $12,391.58. After running the numbers through a very complex series of algorithms, we arrive at the total cost of the speed camera program, which is a whopping $121,807.85.

Instead of the failed camera program, county officials hope to reinstall actual police officers to do the ticketing, thereby upholding the motorist's constitutional rights to face their accusers.

Constitutional Rights 1. Speed Cameras 0. Booyah.

(Hat tip to Jeff!)

[AZCentral]

At the end of the video the group adds the following note:

Ho Ho Ho! Death to the surveillance state! Free movement for all people!

Only Santa knows who is naughty in nice. Lumps of coal to all those who make it their business to watch and control. From the border wall to the freeway and redlight cameras.

No Controls On Movement!

Now we know what all of those Ron Paul supporters are doing with their free time. If you're keeping track this week the score is:

Misfit Teens/Vigilante Santas: 2
Traffic Cameras: 0

[YouTube via KFYI]

I spotted this 1949 Frazer Manhattan (?) and 1949 Kaiser Traveler before, but I forgot where they were. I stumbled across them again on my way to pick up a radiator for my 1980 Z28 project. There are actually spider webs between the tires and ground. Nobody was home, so I had to make due with the exterior pics only. I had no idea how cool the Traveler was until I googled it.

After finding these in a "historic" neighborhood, I correctly concluded that there would be other classics around. Unfortunately, they were all in driveways. I snapped a few shots from the street. The Ford truck was on the street.

These pics date back a year or two, but this yard in Phoenix is a car nut's dream (Desert Valley Auto Parts). With the absolute lack of rust (except on obviously Midwestern cars), the parts are nearly pristine. The crown jewel, in my book, is the 1957 Dodge Sweptside pickup. Yes, that's the limited production version with DeSoto wagon panels stuck to the bed. For $3500 I almost bit, but we all tell the same story with a different make/model. Here's info on the super-rare Sweptsides, which were stepside pickups with DeSoto station wagon fenders stuck on intended for the Lincoln Blackwood/Mark LT/Chevy Cameo crowd.

ONE-OF-A-KIND 2008 FORD SHELBY GT500KR DRIVES EXCITEMENT AT BARRETT-JACKSON AUCTION ON SATURDAY

* Ford and Shelby Automobiles to auction one-off Shelby GT500KR featuring a full glass roof to benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
* Ford Racing and Patrick Dempsey to auction off his No. 156 Ford Mustang FR500C, which the star raced in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge series

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 17, 2008 - A one-of-a-kind 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR will go on the block at this year's Barrett-Jackson auction: the only "King of the Road" model to feature a full glass roof. Continuing a Ford and Shelby tradition of charitable giving, proceeds from the auction will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

"Barrett-Jackson is an ideal venue to launch and sell Ford's premier models," said Robert Parker, Ford car marketing manager. "It's the ultimate platform for selling the world's most remarkable cars, and we've created a unique GT500KR just for the occasion."

Barrett-Jackson will feature an unprecedented stable of muscle cars, led by a vintage Mustang from each year in which performance legend Carroll Shelby and Ford Motor Company produced the street-ripping 1960s classics. The highlight of the crop will be Mr. Shelby's personal 1969 GT500 convertible, followed by a pristine 1967 GT500 originally gifted by Carroll to his son, Mike Shelby.

Muscle car enthusiasts are sure to tune in on SPEED TV this Saturday to watch Ford continue to lead the muscle car wars.

Shelby GT500KR with Glass Roof

The 540-horsepower Shelby GT500KR on the block at Barrett-Jackson is a unique rendition of the most powerful factory-built Mustang ever. Shelby GT500KR production began in Las Vegas on Jan. 11, Carroll Shelby's 85th birthday. The one-of-one ebony black GT500KR up for auction will feature the same full glass roof that is being offered as an option on the 2009 V-6 Mustang and Mustang GT models only.

The glass roof provides a third roof option for customers and responds to their growing desire for more natural light. The glass is tinted, which reduces both infrared rays and vehicle cool down time by 50 percent. Production of large sunroofs has increased nearly 200 percent in North America since 2003, according to Just-autos.com.

While the Shelby GT500KR coupe features racing stripes over the roof, the unique glass roof on the auction model features stripes etched directly into the glass.

"Barrett-Jackson will be a rare opportunity for one lucky bidder to own a Shelby GT500KR with a glass roof, a car no one else can even buy," said Carroll Shelby. "It's been too long, but I'm very excited to have the 'King of the Road' back."

"Only Ford Motor Company and Shelby American have sold more genuine Ford-powered Shelby vehicles than the Barrett-Jackson auction over the past 35 years," said Craig Jackson, president and CEO of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Co. "I'm proud that Ford and Carroll Shelby chose to sell a one-of-a-kind 2008 Shelby GT500KR coupe at our auction, where only the finest, authentic Shelby vehicles are offered to the public."

Patrick Dempsey's Ford Mustang FR500C on the Block Saturday

In another exciting development, Ford Racing and Patrick Dempsey, the star of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," also will auction the actor's No. 156 2005 Ford Mustang FR500C.

Dempsey drove the car in the 2007 Grand-Am KONI Challenge series for Hyper Sport Racing, a team he co-owns. Since its debut in 2005, the Mustang FR500C has earned seven poles, 10 wins, 92 top ten finishes and 25 podium appearances. Featuring a Ford Racing 5.0-liter Cammer R50 engine, it continues to be the road racing car of choice.

Dempsey will be on stage as bidders vie for this unique race Mustang. The winning bidder also will also receive a helmet, gloves, shoes, hero card and DVD box set of the third season of "Grey's Anatomy" signed by Dempsey. In addition, the winner will enjoy a track day with Hyper Sport Racing and a day for two at the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT.

Ford Exhibit Celebrates Speed

Building on a valued partnership, Ford plans to remain a key automotive sponsor of The Barrett-Jackson Auction series as a third venue is added in Las Vegas this October. As part of this sponsorship, Ford will bring interactive elements to Barrett-Jackson, including a drifting track, racing simulators and a dyno-simulated drag racing display.

This year, Ford will add a life-size Mustang collector's display which showcases a 'Steed for Every Need,' along with a new "Built Ford Tough" tent that houses Ford's feature vehicles. Consumers also can look forward to a few surprises. "We have found that experiential elements allow us to create a lot of memories for our current and future customers," said Parker.

Ford, Barrett-Jackson and Shelby: $1.7 Million Raised for Charity

During the past three years, Ford and Carroll Shelby have raised more than $1.7 million dollars for charity. Last year, the first 2007 Shelby GT Mustang was auctioned off at a winning big of $600,000. In 2006, an early production 2007 Shelby GT500 also sold for $600,000.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 250,000 employees and about 100 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

About JDRF

JDRF was founded in 1970 by the parents of children with type 1 diabetes - a disease that strikes children, adolescents, and adults suddenly, makes them insulin-dependent for life, and carries the constant threat of devastating complications. Since inception, JDRF has provided more than $1.16 billion to diabetes research worldwide. More than 85 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education. JDRF's mission is constant: to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. For more information please visit www.jdrf.org

GM to Build Test Track at U.S. Army Proving Ground [Bloomberg]

When he's not writing Car Hack's Notebook columns for the Jalop, our mate from Birmingham, UK, Nick Hall must suffer his day job. Such drudgery it is to fly to Scottsdale, Arizona to drive the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera in the desert at ludicrous speeds, trying to outwit a police force that lives to put his speed-gathering ass in the joint. What torture it must be to face the blank page after such a trip.

The final figure would have Arizona State Troopers reaching for the extradition papers, as figures of, theoretically speaking of course, 172mph, is akin to setting off a dirty bomb in a schoolyard round these parts. Of course it might just be bluff and bravado, depending on whether your belt carries a holster and cuffs.

WCF Test Drive: Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera [World Car Fans]

Related:

You know, we've of course come out vocally against speed cameras, but Francesca Cisneros of Chandler, AZ simply does not give a fuck about them. Or at least, she didn't used to. After racking up 69 speeding tickets since March, all but five of which were camera-capture citations, Cisneros faces eleven large in fines and may be looking at jail time. Reportedly, she told investigating officers that she thought it perfectly fine to throw the tickets away. Wow. We're out of florid descriptors for that level of stupidity. Readers? [Thanks to TexansAreHot for the tip.]

69 tickets? Yes, I got 'em — and threw 'em away [MSNBC]

Related:
Disgruntled Motorist Blows Up Speed Camera [Internal]

The Jundland Wastes are not to be travelled lightly!

With Miss Nicole back behind the wheel and properly chastised, we cruised through some amazing scenery down 95, as well as an abundance of trailer parks, until we got to Quartzsite, which besides being home to overstuffed 55 gallon drums of quartz, is also home to something called "The Main Event," which apparently involves thousands of people in motorhomes trading rocks. It's also famous as the only place Dan Gurney and Brock Yates were ever pulled over on the Cannonball, a traffic stop that prompted Gurney to stretch the Kirk F. White Ferrari Daytona's legs, eventually hitting 171 mph. Ours only tops out at 130, but for the next few stages, that top speed is primarily useless, and the stealth factor will prove invaluable.

"Leaving Lake Havasu" doesn't quite have the same impact as "Leaving Las Vegas," but we left anyway.

Cutting across on I-10 from Quartzsite to Blythe and having switched drivers, we loaded up on bonus cups at a drive-thru Starbucks, cut across town and caught CA 78 south, which turned out to be one of the most incredible drives of the trip. Rory Camagian of Los Matadors took the same route with a camera guy on board their Gallardo SE while Emil relaxed on the Bullrun bus and watched Beverly Hills Cop and drank beer. When we convened that evening, you could see the awe in his face. We went from farmland to straight-up Tatooine-style desert, and then once we took a quick run down the 111 to I-8 east of El Centro, we passed through mountainous, rocky terrain, the likes of which we'd never seen. It was like a micron-sized being's view of piles of sand.

Keri was really giving the long-wheelbase Audi's throttle the business on this leg, and the Valentine One didn't start chirping with any regularity until we got into the San Diego metro area. We were craning our neck and straining our eyes, staring out the back window through the tint, trying to make out telltale Crown Vic grille-and-headlight combos.

We pulled into the parking lot across the street from the W Hotel, not having placed well due to the morning's Garmin goof (we really can't thank you enough, Noah!), but we were proud of ourselves, having shaved an hour and a half off the time predicted by the Audi's Nav Bitch, and somehow, even though the only moments of real levity were laughing about random signs and business in Quartzsite and Blythe, we were friends. There's something about spending more than the better part of a day trying to beat the clock, other drivers and the po-po while doing it safely and taking only reasonable chances that really bonds you to people. We know it sounds somewhat cornball, but it's a trial by fire, and by the end of the day, we were working really well as a team, with the right-seater running the Nav Bitch, the driver doing her driving thing, and Los Jalopnik studying the road atlas, watching for cops, and disembarking in an attempt to figure out why a train hadn't kept a-rollin'.

The next morning, when we ran into Keri in the parking lot while shooting cars, we gave each other a big hug and she asked, "Do you want to ride along with us again today?" While we had other options, we immediately said yes.

More on the Bullrun [Internal]

On an absolutely sweltering, uncharacteristically humid Nevada morning, after a blast to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway with Noah Lehman-Haupt in the SuperSpeeders/Gotham Dream Cars Ford GT, we hopped in the back seat of the Rensing/Nicole Audi A8L, did a quick lap of the Shelby proving ground, and shot off for lunch in Lake Havasu. Click through for the tale.

As one of the first cars to leave the speedway, we knew it would only be a matter of time until characters like Lehman-Haupt/Ferretti, Tove Christensen, the Collins Brothers and Peter "I drive Porsche" Kolb would come hammering past us on I-15. We kept in radio contact with Noah, whose Garmin GPS had rendered the team nearly unstoppable on the eastern half of the rally. It had failed us plotting the route to the Speedway, however, and it was about to fail us again.

Noah had decided he and Rob were going to take 93 over to I-40 at Kingman, AZ. Which, of course, took us right over the Hoover Dam. Now, we've wanted to see the Hoover Dam since we were a wee Jalopnik, but today wasn't the right time to be sightseeing and moving slowly. But, slowly we were moving, so we made the best of it and took in the sights. We'd thought about counselling Keri and Jen against the route, but seeing as we'd met Keri roughly five minutes before we got in her car and Jen when we got in the car, we figured that it'd be prudent to let it lie.

We did have a piece of advice from Alex Roy to share, however; proceed slowly through Kingman, as it's a hornets' nest of speedtraps. The best part was when Lehman-Haupt got addled and radioed us later saying, "We're coming into Kingman. We've heard that Alex Roy says there are a lot of speed traps here." Thanks again, Noah.

We caught AZ 95 down to Lake Havasu City, and then something ridiculous happened. Lake Havasu's most famous attraction is London Bridge, which was disassembled in the late 1960s and put back together in Havasu, opening in '71. Yet off the city's main artery, there are no directions to the Bridge, which we were supposed to cross to find the checkpoint. Find it we did, with help from a local girl in a Jeep. Every Bullrunner without prior experience in the town had the same problem. In fact, many said that this checkpoint was the biggest goatfuck of the entire rally.

While we were refuelling, Jen stopped to talk to some folks who wanted to know know if we were making a movie or something, prompting a frustrated discussion between us and Keri, who finally hopped out of the car and yelled, "JEN!"

More on the Bullrun [Internal]

If he's the Hulk, then we're the A-team.

Man lifts car off pinned cyclist [azstarnet.com]

Related:
Stan Lee eBaying His Mercedes [internal]

We once had a Hyundai Excel that couldn't hit 147 mph if it were reentering the atmosphere from space. But boy, how times have changed for the Koreans' finest. An Arizona man was recently clocked going 147 mph in a Hyundai Sonata that had been either leased or rented. Of course, according to police, he's in for serious fines and/or jail time for that (and other) speed-related transgressions. Notwithstanding that he probably wasn't rolling on Z-rated tires, we think the guy deserves a metal medal of honor. He's the automotive equivalent of the astronauts who had to ride on those g-force simulators, back when scientists thought such heavy gravity would send the flyboys' kidneys rocketing out of whatever exit holes the organs left in their skulls. The right stuff, indeed. [Thanks to Daniel for the tip.]

Man arrested in 147 mph Loop 101 violation [The East Valley Tribune (AZ)]

Related:
Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Hyundai Sonata, Part 1 [internal]

The last thing you'd expect from a man named Nickel is a car made of mahogany. (We daren't go for the wooden-Nickel joke.) But that's just what Jerry Nickel, of Apache Junction, Arizona came up with. Powered by two 500-inch Cadillac mills, each driving one set of wheels, Nickel's creation was built over four years using 1,000 board-feet of lumber, lovingly cut into over 4,000 little pieces and laminated together by five gallons of glue. We wanna know what it turns in the quarter-mile.

A wooden dream [Tom Strongman via RideRoom ]

Related:
What Wood He Do for a Mercedes 300 SL? [Internal]

We posted earlier that cars with wonky suspensions could render speed camera photos unusable in Australia. Reader Chris writes in with another tip, although it mightily raises the vehicle's redneck quotient. Then again, that could be a plus for some readers. Click through for the tip.

Boat prop hitch covers work too.

While visiting the family farm, my brother and I bolted up an old hitch to the front of his Jeep and helped move some field equipment around the tight confines of the shop. When we returned to the camera happy wilds of Scottsdale and Paradise Valley Az., I bought (On Clearance!) one of those prop hitch covers to put on the front. Like so much on my brother's 77' Jeep....what goes on, never comes off. (It's nicknamed the Watermelon....green on the outside, red on the inside, and the backseat is the pits)

Anyhow....my brother noticed that when he would drive by those "Your speed is __" machines that it would put up astronomical numbers that rapidly fluctuate. 130+!!! Now a couple things here....Scottsdale and PV love the cameras.....my brother hasn't driven under the speed limit since the day he got his license...and he is driving a 77' Jeep CJ. We have driven by these cameras multiple times at extra legal speeds and ....nothing. Not one ticket received in the mail! Could it be that the machine can't make up its 'mind' and fails to take a picture?

That front hitch has come in handy....

Related:
My Hoopty, Rollin', Speed-Camera Evadin' [Internal]

So the ZAP-types are apparently taking delivery of 85 federalized smarts to offer to dealers; one of the first is Tim Day, of Phoenix, AZ. We're really confused now. We suppose ZAP is some kind of interim-sorta niche-dealer network until DCX finally decides for sure that they're going to establish one of their own for the erstwhile Swatchmobiles, which Dieter says is increasingly likely.

Related:
Zetsche Says: Smart Likely Headed to US [Internal]

Commenter buzaw0nk noted last month that the nation's first speed cameras had gone up on Arizona's Loop 101 highway in Scottsdale. The early reports are in, and authorities say that motorists have noted less weaving in and out of traffic, as well as reduced speeds. The program's currently a nine-month trial, but assume that we haven't seen the last of these beasts on the roadside, considering the cameras have flashed 15,000 motorists in two weeks. [UPDATE: We're dumb. DC beat Arizona to the speed-camera punch, and we even wrote about it. Thanks, Mike.]

Loop cameras slowing cars, official says [Arizona Republic]

Related:
Chastise, Don't Punish: Brits Say Signs Reduce Speeds Better than Cameras [Internal]