Ted's Garage Blog

The New Ted's Garage Blog!

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:46:00 -0600

We have upgraded the ClassicCar.com blog with new software with many enhanced features.

- Fully searchable.
- Improved comment system.
- Integrated article archive.
- Integrated newsletter archive.
- Easily add posts to Digg.

New comments will not be registered immediately. Once you have an approved comment, you will no longer have to wait for your comments to appear on the post. Also, any comments that include links must also wait for moderation.

Enjoy!

Live Video of Kruse Auction

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 09:19:50 -0600

Michigan Live Events is hosting live streaming videos of the Kruse International Classic Car Auction conducted at the Michigan Antique Festival. At the time of this writing they are auctioning off a very clean late-model Lincoln with 25,000 miles on the clock. The car sold for all of $2,350.

The lots appear to be mixed. A 1993 Chevy pickup was followed by a red and white frame-off restored 1972 Chevy Cheyenne. The Cheyenne went for $7,000 but apparently did not hit reserve. The auctioneer -- who was working his butt off trying to get top dollar -- mentioned they sold a similar Cheyenne for $52,000 at the Myrtle Beach show. The Cheyenne was followed by a nice looking 1971 Camaro Z28 clone fitted with a 454. The car went for $7,100 but again did not hit reserve. A few cars later a beautiful cream-colored 1966 Thunderbird convertible crossed the block for $15,000 -- reserve not met by almost half.

The event takes place over this weekend and is LIVE right now. Click here then click the big orange button with an arrow in it to launch the live video.

"Build-A-Bear" For Car Nuts

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:02:09 -0600

Build-A-Bear is a retail shop that allows kids to select a teddy bear, stuff it, and choose accessories. The kids literally "build" their own bear. Now car enthusiasts have their own version of Build-A-Bear in a company called RIDEMAKERZ. You choose your body and chassis and then customize it to your liking. There's even an option to make your RIDE into a remote-control vehicle. Each RIDE is equipped with, "...body, chassiz, stock treadz, stock wheelz, RZ Mix SONICPOD, working headlights and taillights, Certificate of Title, Personalized License Plates, RZ Tool for assembly and RZ CRUIZECASE." RIDEMAKERZ just opened a shop in the Mall of America, located in Bloomington, Minnesota.

RZ SLING gold blinger

Hired! Vintage Chevy Training Video

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:46:00 -0600

The first clip here is a not-exactly-politically-correct MST3K - Mystery Science Theater 3000 - parody of Hired!, one of the worst-acted, slowest, least-exciting, and rambling Chevrolet training videos ever made. If you want to see the real video, click through to view the rest of the post.

Hired! MST3K parody:

Continue reading "Hired! Vintage Chevy Training Video"

Kids' Summer Camp at the Petersen

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:34:40 -0600

Could this be the coolest summer camp ever? It sure would beat the heck out of picking wood ticks off your kids noggin' when they get back from a traditional summer camp out in the boondocks. Kids ages 7 - 12 get to explore the Petersen Automotive Museum collection and exhibits and participate in hands-on projects. Projects such as map making, clay sculpting, collage, 3D modeling, printmaking, design drawing, and a mysterious workshop called 'experimenting.'

The basic information from the Petersen Automotive Museum site:

ENROLL NOW!
Children ages 7 - 12 are eligible to participate

Week 1: Tuesday - Friday, July 24 - 27, 2007, 9:30 am - 3 pm
Week 2: Tuesday - Friday, July 31 - August 3, 2007, 9:30 am - 3 pm
Week 3: Tuesday - Friday, August 7 - August 10, 2007, 9:30 am - 3 pm

Enrollment Fees:
Museum members $190
Non-members $230

Extended Child Care (optional): $60 for each week
Extended child care is available 8 am - 9:30 am and 3 pm - 5 pm everyday during camp.

Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis and is limited to 20 students per week. For information or registration, please call 323-964-6373 or email mcamacho@petersen.org.

2007 Art Center Car Gallery

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 23:07:00 -0600

Autoblog has another nice gallery posted. This time it's of the unusual cars that were present at the 2007 Art Center Car Classic show. There are quite a few interesting cars in the gallery, including domestics and foreign models, both newer and older.

The example below is the trio of 1953 - 1955 Alfa Romeo BAT concept cars. BAT is an acronym that refers to Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica rather than specifically to the cars bat-like look.

More Miscellany From Iola

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:21:24 -0600

Cleaning out the camera. Found some wheels with Hudson caps, a Ferguson 35 tractor, a military Jeep, a few gas pumps, and a literature display. That's about all I have. It was pretty slim pickings come noon on the last day of the event.

Continue reading "More Miscellany From Iola"

More From the Iola Swap Meet

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 17:51:22 -0600

I made it to Iola. Sort of. By the time I walked through the gate the gatekeepers had abandoned their post and the banners were coming down. There were a few vendors sticking it out to the 3:00 official closing time, but most had long packed up. Even though the show was winding down there were last-minute deals to be had. Krause -- publisher of Old Cars Weekly -- had a tent full of remainder books on sale for $2 to $5 a pop. I picked up standard catalogs for Chrysler, Ford, Cadillac, Mustang, imports, a spotters guide, a book on muscle car advertising, another on concept cars, and a beautiful 752 page color hardcover about hotrods all for 52 bucks. Not a bad deal at all.

Here are a few of the cars that were staying put until the festivities were done:

The '67 Pontiac Lemans was a GTO convertible clone painted up like a Hot Wheels car. In the window was a dealer sticker that listed the MSRP at $3,429.77.

View the full post to see larger photos.

Continue reading "More From the Iola Swap Meet"

Iola Swap Meet Photo Gallery

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 20:46:00 -0600

Can't make it to the Iola Swap Meet up here in Iola, Wisconsin? Me either, and I live an hour away from the dang place. The show promoter -- Old Cars Weekly -- has a photo gallery of what we are all missing. It looks like a really good event this year. There's still one day left... maybe, just maybe I'll make it. You can see even more at Angelo Van Bogart's blog.

If you are not a subscriber...

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 22:31:19 -0600

this is what you missed in the July issue of Classic Motor News. We took a brief look at the life of William Harrah, the collector who assembled a 1,500 car collection which eventually became the National Automobile Museum. We linked you to resources that provide detailed information on how to do a $50 paint job on your car. And finally, we recommended Dean Batchelor's book, Harrah's Automobile Collection for those who would like to learn more about Harrah and his cars.

In every issue we also include tidbits on what is happening in the ClassicCar.com forum, a pre-war and post-war featured classified ad, and wrap up every issue with the best of Ted's Garage Blog. Get Classic Motor News in your mailbox every month for free. It arrives around the 10th of the month, it's easy to subscribe and unsubscribe, and it's available in both text-only and graphics-rich versions.

Click here to sign up.

When a China Rally Goes Bad

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 20:38:00 -0600

The most recent issue of the Sports Car Market Magazine email newsletter has a link to a story about the adventures of SCM staffers and a father and son team who signed up for a Chinese rally only to find they wouldn't get quite what they were expecting. The rally sounded like an opportunity of a lifetime to participate in a two-week, 2,500-mile drive from Hong Kong to Beijing. The cost was only $17,560 all-inclusive for a two-person team. The cost covered 5-star hotels, mechanical support, interpreters, and a professional rally team to organize, plan, and assist with the event. That's when things started to break down... continue the story at SCM.

Via SCM

Full-line '57 Chevy Truck Commercial

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 01:24:00 -0600

The vintage car commercials are fairly easy to come by these days, but we don't see too many good vintage truck ads. Especially one that lists the various light, medium, and heavy-duty Chevrolet trucks available in the 1957 model year. This Task Force '57 commercial is rather poetic for a truck commercial. Just as they do today, Chevy marketed their trucks on toughness and do-it-all ability.

So we made our push through the arctic bush
On that ribbon of mountainous road
And we held our stride on that rugged ride
In spite of the heavy load
Our 'matic transmission locked in position
No shifting from drive to low
Proving by test that Chevy is best
Wherever a truck can go

Monterey Historic Automobile Races

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:57:54 -0600

Come August 17-19 it will be once again time for the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races held at the famed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California. This year's event highlights the Indy Roadsters. More than 40,000 visitors attend the races to watch more than 375 historic race and sports cars compete in 14 race groups. Tickets for spectators range from $45 for a Sunday pass to $125 for the 3-day "Super-Admission." If you can't make it to the races, the event organizers maintain a large gallery from previous events.

One of many historic vehicles entered in the 2006 event as seen in the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races gallery:

Cool Tools: Sheet Metal Nibbler

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 20:29:00 -0600

While reading Toolmonger -- a great blog devoted to tools of all types -- I came across this photo of a sheet metal nibbler. It reminded me of how important this inexpensive tool has been in my garage. These sheet metal nibblers cost anywhere from 10 to 50 bucks and are readily available at parts stores and outfits such as Harbor Freight. They cut through car body sheet metal like it is butter, snipping out a 1/8" wide piece of scrap as it goes.

I've owned the same nibbler for quite a few years and the jaws have never needed to be replaced. I also found the nibbler to be much easier to control than tin snips and the nibbler leaves a relatively dull edge on the metal. The ease of control makes the manual nibbler ideal for fitting small patch panels, but yet the nibbler is fast enough to cut through long sections quickly.

The amount of force it takes to operate the nibbler is a touch more than a tin snip and unlike most metal cutting power tools the nibbler is absolutely quiet. No more fishing around in the toolbox for earplugs or aggravating the neighbor with the sound of the power nibbler.

Video of the 1964 Peterbilt Hotrod

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 22:04:29 -0600

Yesterday we posted links to a gallery of Great Race photos and amongst them was a unique Peterbilt hotrod. Unfortunately, at this time I don't have much information on the truck other than it is a 1964 Peterbilt 359 run by Rucker Racing as car #100 in the Great Race.

On a side note, if custom big rigs are at all interesting, stop on by Stranger's Trucking Web Site. There is a small gallery of custom rigs from the 2005 Mid-America Truck Show held in Louisville, Kentucky.