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bugatti veyron targa
Bugatti Veyron Targa To Bow At Pebble Beach, Car Snobs To Feign Disinterest
The Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance usually plays host to the reveal of at least one high profile, high-dollar piece of driveway candy every year. This year is no exception with the Bugatti Veyron Targa expected to make an appearance and drop its very expensive top. And when we say expensive, what we really mean to say is ridiculously expensive. More »
new cars
Pininfarina Hyperion, Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe-Based Convertible To Premiere At Pebble Beach Concours
The coolest thing about the Pininfarina Hyperion isn't its swooping, yacht-influenced lines or abbreviated passenger compartment. It's that this isn't a concept car, it's a one-off coach-built special commissioned by a wealthy enthusiast. Other details on the Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe special haven't yet emerged, but expect to see the Hyperion in full at the Pebble Beach Concours in August. [via Pininfarina]
down on the street bonus edition
Careful, Don't Dent The Espada With The Kia's Door!
After getting a Lamborghini Espada for yesterday's Project Car Hell, I remembered this Espada we photographed in the parking lot at the Monterey Historics last summer. We were driving a plush Sorento, provided by the nice folks at Kia, and look what rumbled up and parked next to us!
pebble beach concours
What Was That Mystery Car? 1954 Fiat 8V
We finally had a Mystery Car contest that lasted more than a few hours, with pauln correctly identifying the car as a 1954 Fiat 8V coupe. As promised, here are the photos of the whole car. See, it's actually in pretty good shape, despite the somewhat battered hood scoop.
fast as a shark
Fifty Years of Kerouac's "On The Road"
Fourteen years before the United States mandated exit numbers on Dwight Eisenhower's brainchild of a road system, a Lowell, Mass native of French-Canadian extraction named Jean-Louis Lebris de Kerouac published a novel that would change countless lives; a mash note to an already-dead America living under the weight of what Igor Kurchatov and J. Robert Oppenheimer had wrought. More »
1:30 PM on Thu Sep 13 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
919 views,
18 comments
pebble beach concours
Bobby Unser's 1972 Torino
It was great seeing all the vintage race cars at Laguna Seca a couple weekends back, but what struck us about most of them was how small they really are in person. Then we saw this monster: it's the NASCAR '72 Torino driven by Bobby Unser to a fourth-place finish at Riverside in 1973, and it made the Lotus 11s parked nearby look like mechanic's creepers. Dig that 625-horsepower Boss 429! Now we can see why all 70s Torino owners need to go out this very minute and chop about 5" off their cars' ride height. We were very, very disappointed that this car wasn't let out onto the track with a bunch of high-strung Italian race cars. 3800 pounds of Detroit iron coming through!
fast as a shark
Imperfect perfection as a child is rarely equaled as an adult. Why do we remember games of "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" more fondly than some random hookup with a hottie picked up in a bar? Adult perfection is just more complicated. Spouses, jobs, locales, children of our own that we want to stuff so full of perfect moments that they can't possibly fail in life. And hopefully don't go around picking up STD's in bars. More »
Rolling Nirvana
Imperfect perfection as a child is rarely equaled as an adult. Why do we remember games of "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" more fondly than some random hookup with a hottie picked up in a bar? Adult perfection is just more complicated. Spouses, jobs, locales, children of our own that we want to stuff so full of perfect moments that they can't possibly fail in life. And hopefully don't go around picking up STD's in bars. More »
1:00 PM on Thu Aug 30 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
893 views,
20 comments
Latest by cargirl76: btw - the Mirage definitely went 125, I might have been trying to impress you when I said it went 135. I'm pissed about the Lotus too. more »
Earlier today we spoke of the Napier-Railton setting a 1939 speed record at the Brooklands Motor Course outer circuit. Sections of the British race track are still intact, or as the photographer who took these pictures writes - lying derelict, broken into by Gallaghers. [Brooklands Race Track]
a gentlemen's pursuit
Our favorite part of going to events like the Monterey Historics or the Pebble Beach Concours is seeing cars not only spit shined for static display, but also barreling around a race course. The 1933 Napier-Railton Special was built exclusively to run the Brooklands Motor Course high-banked oval at maximum velocity. In 1939 John Cobb pushed the 24-liter Napier Lion aircraft engine powered Special to a speed of 143.44 mph. This Brooklands outer circuit record stands unbroken today. The Napier-Railton wasn't moving at record speeds when the Brooklands Museum director wrestled the two-ton monster through the corkscrew at Laguna Seca. Then again, the car was never designed to turn right. [Motoring Exhibits via the Brooklands Museum]
The 1933 Napier-Railton Special
Our favorite part of going to events like the Monterey Historics or the Pebble Beach Concours is seeing cars not only spit shined for static display, but also barreling around a race course. The 1933 Napier-Railton Special was built exclusively to run the Brooklands Motor Course high-banked oval at maximum velocity. In 1939 John Cobb pushed the 24-liter Napier Lion aircraft engine powered Special to a speed of 143.44 mph. This Brooklands outer circuit record stands unbroken today. The Napier-Railton wasn't moving at record speeds when the Brooklands Museum director wrestled the two-ton monster through the corkscrew at Laguna Seca. Then again, the car was never designed to turn right. [Motoring Exhibits via the Brooklands Museum]
pebble beach concours
Because One Can Never Have Too Much Can-Am
We've already yammered at length about the glory of Can-Am. It's one thing that Los Jalops can all agree on. Detroit brawn, Euro-sportiness, Texan ingenuity and enough sheer gobsmackery to make the most jaded automobile fan remember why he or she fell in love with cars in the first place. Little in this world is more awesome than even the most pedestrian Can-Am car. We had the action gallery the other day. Here're some shots from the paddock at Laguna Seca on Sunday. Go forth and drool, minons. Then drool some more.
pebble beach concours
1957 Elva Mark IIa at Monterey
We love us some British race cars around these parts, and this '57 Elva stopped us dead in our tracks at Laguna Seca. Powered by the venerable Coventry Climax engine, this thing was just itchin' to hit the track and beat some of those cars from the other side of the water.
pebble beach concours
1955 Aston Martin DB3S at Monterey
As much ass as 50s Italian race cars may kick, there's something about the British racing machinery of of the era that really hypnotizes us. Fortunately, we were able to function sufficiently in the presence of this '55 DB3S (see worship page here) to haul out the cameras. Our only regret is that we didn't get a chance to see this beast run.
pebble beach concours
The 1966-1974 salad days of Can-Am racing were a result of the Sports Car Club of America and the Canadian Automobile Sports Club joining forces. The adoption of Group 7 FIA rules spawned a North American racing class with no restrictions on engine size or boost pressure. Tire size was wide open. Weight was optional. While there were no rules on construction materials, Can-Am cars had to have an open cockpit, two seats, and two doors. Unlimited rules encouraged innovative thinking. The Jim Hall Chaparral 2J featured not one but two engines. A snowmobile mill spun a set of rear-mounted fans that generated over 1000 pounds of downforce without need for drag-inducing wings. We didn't see the 2J or driver Jackie Stewart at the Monterey Historics, but we did catch Chris MacAllister of Indianapolis, Indiana drive his number 5 1971 McLaren M8F to the checkered flag.[Can-Am History via Vintage RPM]
Monterey Historics Can-Am Action Gallery
The 1966-1974 salad days of Can-Am racing were a result of the Sports Car Club of America and the Canadian Automobile Sports Club joining forces. The adoption of Group 7 FIA rules spawned a North American racing class with no restrictions on engine size or boost pressure. Tire size was wide open. Weight was optional. While there were no rules on construction materials, Can-Am cars had to have an open cockpit, two seats, and two doors. Unlimited rules encouraged innovative thinking. The Jim Hall Chaparral 2J featured not one but two engines. A snowmobile mill spun a set of rear-mounted fans that generated over 1000 pounds of downforce without need for drag-inducing wings. We didn't see the 2J or driver Jackie Stewart at the Monterey Historics, but we did catch Chris MacAllister of Indianapolis, Indiana drive his number 5 1971 McLaren M8F to the checkered flag.[Can-Am History via Vintage RPM]
pebble beach concours
Arrh, Matey! Thames Freighter Drops Anchor At Laguna Seca!
It's telling that each one of the three Jalopniks did a separate double-take and quick "Whoa- what's that thing?" as we encountered this Thames Freighter 800 van at Laguna Seca last weekend, a reaction that puzzled onlookers clustered around an Enzo a few yards away- here are these guys with press passes totally ignoring the Ferrari in favor of a van! It looked Econoline-ish from a distance (and, in fact, it is a Ford), but up close we realized that the Thames is even cooler. This van was sold in Britain as the Thames 400E (and here's a worship site that will explain more of its story), but fortunately they made an export version with left-hand drive. Judging by the black-on-yellow license plate, we assume this is one of the late-50s models. Check out the great nose vents, placed so as to direct air and bugs directly into the driver's crotch!
pebble beach concours
Jalopnik Choice Award: 1959 Fiat Abarth Zagato 750
With the old fashioneds well emptied and the hoopla surrounding the Pebble Beach Concours moving into forgotten, it is now time to present the never prestigious Jalopnik Choice Award. This 1959 Fiat 600-based Abarth Zagato 750 is part of the San Diego Collection, and on the block for a 125K. The Karl "Carlo" Abarth worked 750cc engine kicks out 57 horsepower, which propels the double bubble top coupe to a top speed of 112 mph! Fun to drive invariably comes as part of car's 1200-pound curb weight. Style is courtesy of Zagato. The final bid on this as-yet-unsold car was 88K. We're hoping to find the 500-dollar restorable version hidden underneath seventy three boxes of old Sunset magazines at a Burbank garage sale. [Fiat Zagato via the San Diego Collection]
pebble beach concours
Ferrari 512 BB LMs at Monterey
While Porsche 935s are supremely awesome and the DeKon Monzas force us into shit-eating-grin mode, we also dig the few oddball machines that wind up in the IMSA ranks at Monterey. For example, we present to you the Ferrari 512 BB LM. While it wasn't a particularly successful race car, it's pretty close to as sexy as it gets. The above model was campaigned by Charles Wegener of West Chicago, Michigan. It placed sixteenth under the crushing weight of a 935-and-Monza sea. The #100 BB of Kurt Schultz finished 26th. Still, we love these Ferraris just for being there. We could stare through that rear Lexan for hours. And we would have, were there not a race going on. [HowStuffWorks]
pebble beach concours
There is a rawness to vintage race cars sorely missing from their more modern counterparts. The IMSA cars that closed the 2007 Monterey Historics at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca sent this point home in ten laps. Turbocharged and naturally aspirated Porsches tossed it up with V8 Corvettes and Monzas. A BMW, Ferrari, and a Ford were on track for race fan sonic amusement. Chad Raynal of San Jose took the checkered flag in his 1975 DeKon Monza. The symphony of forced-induction compression theatrics and atmospheric RPM was a winning combination for all. Our personal favorite was the lone 1974 Ford Capri RS3100 piloted by John "Ten-Tenths" Norman, who took tenth place.
Monterey Historics IMSA Racing Action Gallery
There is a rawness to vintage race cars sorely missing from their more modern counterparts. The IMSA cars that closed the 2007 Monterey Historics at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca sent this point home in ten laps. Turbocharged and naturally aspirated Porsches tossed it up with V8 Corvettes and Monzas. A BMW, Ferrari, and a Ford were on track for race fan sonic amusement. Chad Raynal of San Jose took the checkered flag in his 1975 DeKon Monza. The symphony of forced-induction compression theatrics and atmospheric RPM was a winning combination for all. Our personal favorite was the lone 1974 Ford Capri RS3100 piloted by John "Ten-Tenths" Norman, who took tenth place.
