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offbeat news
offbeat news
Runaway Car Knocks New Zealand Man Off Toilet, Ruins Reader's Digest
A man in Christchurch, New Zealand was enjoying his evening porcelain meditation when all of a sudden he had an unexpected visitor in the form of a four-wheel-drive truck (not pictured). Let this be an important lesson that, when parking on a hill, you need to engage that handbrake properly. Also, don't put your bathroom on the bottom of thirty-foot-long hill. Police said the vehicle belonged to a contractor next door who was a little displeased to find out that said truck was suddenly parked in someone else's house. Our favorite part below the jump. More »
autorama
His work has been seen on TV series such as Bewitched, Star Trek, and Get Smart, as well as on the big screen in Blade Runner, Robocop, Back to the Future II, and Sleeper. So it really comes as no surprise that the 2008 Motorama Builder Of The Year is Gene Winfield. He's one of the greats, right up there with Ed Roth and George Barris. He was one of the first to make a "Lead Sled" Mercury, but it's obvious that he wasn't tied down to just that particular sort of Kustom. Even if you're not into "blended" paint jobs or the low stances, you really can't ignore the talent and creativity this gentleman still has. There's so much we could say, but we'll just let you enjoy the gallery below of his display at the 2008 Detroit Autorama.
2008 Builder Of The Year: Gene Winfield
His work has been seen on TV series such as Bewitched, Star Trek, and Get Smart, as well as on the big screen in Blade Runner, Robocop, Back to the Future II, and Sleeper. So it really comes as no surprise that the 2008 Motorama Builder Of The Year is Gene Winfield. He's one of the greats, right up there with Ed Roth and George Barris. He was one of the first to make a "Lead Sled" Mercury, but it's obvious that he wasn't tied down to just that particular sort of Kustom. Even if you're not into "blended" paint jobs or the low stances, you really can't ignore the talent and creativity this gentleman still has. There's so much we could say, but we'll just let you enjoy the gallery below of his display at the 2008 Detroit Autorama.
gas prices
House To Gas-Gougers: Beware
With the same gusto they mustered when legislating timelines for troop withdrawals, the House of Representatives today signed off on legislation that would severely punish gas-gougers. Not surprisingly, the White House has already threatened a veto claiming the law is a form of price controls. While we personally disagree with the White House (about everything) and think it is cute that Congress is trying to do something before $4 per gallon gas causes voter revolts, our reading of the bill is it was doomed to begin with. You want vague language? Read this:The bill directs the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department to go after oil companies, traders or retail operators if they take "unfair advantage" or charge "unconscionably excessive" prices for gasoline and other fuels.Anyone care to define "unconscionably excessive?" To our eyes, the dozens and dozens of arcane tax loopholes oil companies receive (calculating the taxable value of their inventories based on old stocks, not market value, etc.) would qualify as "unconscionably excessive." We also think limiting refinery capacity just in time for summer is unconscionably and excessively
news
"OMG, I Just Ran Over A Hobo, LOL!"
The Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill that would ban teenagers from using cell phones while driving. The bill still has to be passed by the upper house and signed by the governor, but let's be honest that we all know that's going to happen. It's an easy way to look good and, even better, most teenagers can't or won't vote! One delegate pointed out that in the seven seconds it takes to send a text message in a car going 60 mph you drive two football fields or over one hundred hobos. More »
news
Rappin' With The President Wrap-Up: US Auto Execs Play In The Rose Garden
We were a bit slow on the Tivo button, so all we've got is the last four minutes of the just-to-the-side-of-the Rose Garden press conference where "Slick" Rick Wagoner, Tom "Two-Shoes" LaSorda and Alan "Get Yer Irish Up Like A Boeing Jet" Mulally officially reported out the obvs outcome of their meeting with the President. Comments like "We're not looking for a buyout" apparently couldn't be emphasized enough, with the only surprise being that they were allowed a one hour meeting rather than a mere 45 minutes. Oh, and those aren't our nicknames for the CEO's of the Big Three — we're kind of assuming those are President Bush's doing. More »
news
Clear The Streets, DC! US Auto Chieftains Driving To Meet President At 1:15 PM
Just a reminder if you're reading guys, you've got less than an hour to hightail it over to your meeting at the White House. Y'all won't want to be late as you've only got 45 minutes with President Bush — so make it snappy. We've heard that the General's CEO, Rick Wagoner, will be driving a Saturn VUE Greenline hybrid, FoMoCo CEO Alan Mulally will be driving a Ford Escape hybrid and the CEO of the 'merican side of the German-American hybrid, Tom Lasorda, will be driving a Chrysler Sebring. Wait a second — Tom, no hybrid? Oh, right, Chrysler doesn't have one, do they? Well, maybe you should carpool with one of the other kids. We'll have more this afternoon as we hear it. More »
news
Jalopnik Poll: A Real Live Meeting At The White House?
After more delays than we can keep track of, the long-awaited meeting between President Bush and the automakers is finally here. After six long years, Bush has finally found time in his busy schedule to meet with the heads of the traditional big three — and boy, we're expecting it to be chock full o' meaty issues like fair trade, currency and health care. But with Bush's penchant for randomness — combined with FoMoCo CEO Alan Mulally, the General's CEO Rick Wagoner and the CEO of the American side of the German-American hybrid, Tom LaSorda's glee at finally receiving an audience with the great King George, we're thinking they may sway off topic a bit. Given that, we've got the following important question for you, our astute readers, right below the jump:More »
news
Attack of the Killer B: Tarantino's "Death Proof"
If your Fangoria subscription is up to date, you know directors Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Sin CIty) and Quentin Tarantino are teaming up on a double-feature project, "Grind House," which sends up Saturday-night slasher flicks of the 1970s. Tarantino's piece is "Death Proof," a terror turn about a stuntman played by Kurt Russell (whither Mickey Rourke?) who stalks and murders women with his tricked-out, armored, death-proof Camaro. According to a leaked copy of the script, the stuntman meets his match when he goes after a stuntwoman, played by IRL stuntwoman Zoe Bell. According to IMDB, it's filming in Austin, Texas. As these things go, "Death Proof" will either be the best film ever made, or a sad, stilted pile of crap. There's probably no middle ground here, which of course is for the best. [Tip of the blade to The Car Connection] More »
2006 woodward dream cruise
2006 Woodward Dream Pre-Cruise: The Hunter House And The El Camino, Two Perfect For Words
Only a one in a million moment could have paired two of the most amazing things in our life in the same picture. An El Camino and The Hunter House restaurant on Woodward Avenue in downtown Birmingham. This must mean only one thing — and just like Jake and Elwood Blues, we've been tasked by some heavenly force to cover the 2006 Dream Cruise...as well as eat lots of the famous burger joints sliders. So we've delegated the task to Wert, and now with just four days left until the largest single-day classic car cruise in the world, here's the first daily update: More »
concept cars
Dodge Challenger Slides Into Hunter House: Oohs, Aahs And Heartburn
An industrious photog friend of ours happened to be sitting on Woodward Avenue across from Hunter House, the B.S.B.J.I.T. (Best Slider Burger Joint In Town) and happened upon the second of a two-day Chrysler Group journalistic extravaganza. The mighty German-American hybrid gave auto writers of all shapes, sizes and weights an opportunity to drive some Mopar concept metal including the exterior-is-already-done Dodge Challenger. The not-so-much pedestrian event was interrupted by the grumbling stomachs of Chysler engineers, thus necessitating the quick stop in downtown Birmingham. More »
news
The Fit Is In Da House...Of Blues?
We don't know why "Hard Rock Cafe" never tried this — partnering with a car to get some street cred from the kiddies. Or maybe it's the Fit trying to get some street cred from the live music and southern-cook'n crowd? Either way, the two brands are getting jiggy with each other in a month-long "Fit In The House" promotion featuring a charity auction (yay for philanthropy!) of a one-of-a-kind custom-painted Honda Fit featuring a mural by an artist who's claim is "my art is straight up." Yeah — this is a match made in heaven. Except when I think creole jambalaya and BBQ baby back ribs — I don't so much think Honda Fit. When I think Honda Fit, I get more of that whole ninety-nine cent sushi vibe. More »
