car Review, Performance and Features on automotorplus.blogspot.com

2013 Toyota GT 86 Review And Interior

2012-03-07T21:39:00.001-08:00

2013 Toyota GT 86 Review And Interior - Toyota GT 86 size 86 mm, height 1285 mm and 2570 mm wide, dimensions that are now sporting four-seater is the most compact available.

Both the engine and the driving position was referred to the lowest level to achieve a better balance: the machine is almost perfect weight distribution of 53:47 front to rear. Engine size and driving your hips flat four points – the lowest of any current production model of Toyota – Toyota together provide 86 GT Ultra low center of gravity, only 475 mm.

Toyota GT 86 with light vehicles, making it easier for drivers to explore the flexibility and quiet play. Suspension with MacPherson struts with double wishbones front and rear. Enter the 17-inch ventilated disc brakes front and rear.

2013 Chevrolet Spark review

2012-01-16T03:23:00.001-08:00

2013 Chevrolet Spark mini-car, introduced in 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show International, is the only car in its segment to offer a seven-inch color touch screen capable of displaying radio-based navigation smartphone, the media and contacts for hands-free calling.

A sporty four-passenger, five-door hatch is updated to the United States and Canadian consumers, Chevrolet Spark is designed to stimulate first-time buyers and residents of the city with style and bold colors, affordability, security 10 standard air bags, fuel efficiency and maneuverability.

Although compact, the Chevrolet Spark offers more passenger and cargo space than other cars like the Mini, Fiat 500 and the Scion iQ Smart fortwo. Equipped with a 1.2 L four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission, Chevrolet Spark will offer fuel economy competitive.

2013 Chevrolet Spark side angle view

2013 Chevrolet Spark back view

Exclusive Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system, which displays the personal connectivity of Pandora and Stitcher internet radio, will be offered on 1LT and 2LT models as Chevrolet Spark will be sold in the United States and Canada in mid-2012.

In addition to MyLink, Chevrolet Spark is the only car in the segment to provide added value five-year warranty, 100,000 mile powertrain and safety and security of OnStar.

The original version of the Spark has been sold in Europe, Asia, Australia, Mexico and South America, where he has received several awards style and safety.

Designed for those who live large and loud. Just like the Chevrolet Cruze helped strengthen its position in the small car segment with a higher value than expected, the Chevrolet Spark is designed to challenge preconceived notions about how an affordable mini car can look, feel and drive.

While the Chevrolet Spark looks like three-door hatch, the designer cleverly disguised rear door with integrated handle to the C-pillar. This technique provides a sporty four-door Spark without sacrificing comfort and utility. An integrated spoiler above the rear hatch door Spark improve dynamic performance while also improving car aerodynamics, for fuel efficiency.

Wheels-in-the-corners stance Chevrolet Spark was further emphasized by the standard 15-inch alloy wheels. Other exterior styling enhancements include a new grille and front fascia, rear fascia again, and modified headlamps and taillamps. Redesigned outside mirrors also improves aerodynamics.

Uplevel including the rocker panels feature matching moldings, chrome brightwork on the beltline trim and liftgate handles, details on exhaust outlet poke-through and around the fog lights.

Attract the attention of finished exterior covering Salsa, jalapeno, Denim, Pink Lemonade and Techno, as well as traditional colors like Grey Area, Granite Black, Ice Silver and Summit White.

Found in a family members garage rafters when cleaning, a rare 1968 Scat Pack Super Bee light sign, for sale on Craigslist

2012-01-04T19:29:00.000-08:00

Aprox. 55" wide, 35" Tall, 8" Deep
Aprox. 6 lbs
Plastic with cardboard back.
Original hanging chain attached.
Original 2 prong electrical cord attached.
5 original light sockets attached.
original Dodge Dealer Lighted Scat Pack Super Bee Sign. I found this while cleaning out a garage of a family member who had it stored in the rafters. As you can see from the photos, all the light sockets work (non original bulbs) and the plastic does not have any burn marks! Everything is original including the hanging chain.

Car collector extraordinaire Bruce Meyer defines the acronym CSX as Carroll Shelby Experimental

2012-01-03T20:43:00.000-08:00

That is what I thought it was too, but after reading Shelby Cobra Fifty Years, the author Colin Comer, expert in Cobras, defined CSX as Ace car company 3rd series (a =1st b=2nd c=3rd) S was for Shelby, the customer... and X was for export.

So, what is the right definition? I'll have to get the Shelby company, or the SAAC to let me know, and settle this.

Autoweek’s Vinsetta Garage

2012-01-03T20:07:00.000-08:00

Named for a storied auto-repair shop on Detroit’s legendary Woodward Avenue, Autoweek’s Vinsetta Garage originates in the Motor City, for people who live for cars everywhere.

http://www.vinsetta.com/

here's my opinion of it after watching it:

Started with a look at Bruce Meyer's cars, and some other collector guys with a LeMons Caddy and Bobcat, then a discussion on what is a car person/guy, a dialog with Courtney and Auto Week editor, in a E type Jag.... which the editor calls a Drophead Coupe. Get off your high horse, it's a convertible you egotist. Why are so many editors full of themselves? Ditto Jag owners.

Then a self promoting Auto Week dream week rundown of what the lucky 20 will get to do if they win.

Every moment of the show has a music bed soundtrack as if the watcher can't get enough music, or needs a sound bed to get them through the show. It's too loud. It's not necessary. It's annoying.

Every 5 minutes is a commercial, and self promoting commercial among others. So half the 30 minute window was commercial or self promotion.

So, in a nutshell, mediocre to annoying. Better than Hot Rod TV, but not by much. It's no wonder so many of us keep watching British Top Gear

Hot Rod Delux turned up a great stroy this month... a found duece had unexpected history, on El Mirage, and a timing tag turned up!

2012-01-02T21:51:00.000-08:00

I just keep getting Hot Rod Delux, it never seems like Hot Rod and Car Craft, wasting our money on endless pages of ads and warmed over articles on rebuilding engines and transmissions... they stick to old photos, cool old cars, and lots of interesting stuff turns up... like this duece.

Lewis McMillan bought this one at the LARS (LA Roadster Show) in 1978, and had no idea it had dry lakes racing history. (I label dry lakes racing as "dry lakes racing, LSR, racing. LSR" in the post labels)

He shipped to his home in Lexington North Caroline, and stored it away til he could get to it... 24 years later when he'd collected all the parts he wanted to add, like a Halibrand quick change, boxed frame, etc

Speaking of cool parts, those headlights are 1943 Seagrave fire truck lights!

So when he dug into fixing up the car, he discovered a matchbook with a guy's name on it, and it turned out to be the guy who raced it in 48! Arvel Youngblood. The new and old owners met and Lewis learned about the car... somehow a friend of Lewis found the timing tag and reunited it with the car. Awesome.

Mary Ann Foss and Black Magic (58 Pontiac), they won the 1964 D/SA title

2012-01-02T20:55:00.000-08:00

Long story short, a mother of 4 kicked butt on the track! If you have the 1964 Nov issue of Hot Rod, go to page 72. If I remember, I will scan that and post it here.

Image from http://allshops.org/cgi-bin/community/communityalbums.cgi?action=openalbum&albumid=9980177328148

The Salt 2 Salt Studebaker set some records at Bonneville this year, with an interesting 182 cu in v8

2012-01-02T20:29:00.000-08:00

photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/70716191@N00/sets/72157627367551319/ where they have a gallery of Bonneville photos or go to their home page (the home of the 1953 Studebaker coupe that established the records in: XO/BGC, XO/BFALT, XF/BFALT, XF/BGALT, F/CGALT, and F/CFALT ) for links to many years of Bonneville galleries http://www.salt2salt.hutman.net/

The trick of getting such a small displacement is using a tiny one year only block, and the crank from another model year to get the right numbers.

Cool Model T stuff found on Acesdeluxe.blogspot.com

2012-01-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

http://acesdeluxe.blogspot.com/

I just learned of a new museum, lots of cars and motorbikes, it's in Murdo, on I90 1/2 way across South Dakota

2012-01-02T19:24:00.000-08:00

Here is the inventory from 2011, it's not 100% accurate, but close enough to let you know what you can expect to find, you can get a look at them at http://www.pioneerautoshow.com/tour-cars.php

Ronnie Kaplan's #33 Javelin... 1970 Trans Am race car, it's a Red White and Blue color scheme I haven't seen before

2012-01-02T18:47:00.000-08:00

Ronnie was the Javelin Trans Am team leader 1967-1969 and a conversation about his time racing is here: http://www.tajavelin.com/penske_kaplan.html

Found on http://homeracingworld.yuku.com/topic/24746/javelin-livery

Get your Red White and Blue TA Javelin fix at http://www.tajavelin.com/photos.html

Awesome drag racing video, it's been too long since I posted one... the audio and video are incredible, especially at minute 4:07 watching the Hemi Under Glass carry them the full 1320

2012-01-02T13:07:00.000-08:00

Found on http://acesdeluxe.blogspot.com/

Pulling teeth made easy the motorcycle way

2012-01-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

found on http://acesdeluxe.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html

With Van Halen playing the 1984 hit "Jump", Zona Rapida posted a gallery of cars flying over hills

2012-01-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

that is clever and funny
http://zona-rapida.blogspot.com/2011/11/fotografia-jump.html

The highlights of the 2011 WRC season, or... drifts, crashes, and how to fly a car

2012-01-02T12:28:00.000-08:00

Found on http://zona-rapida.blogspot.com/

If you want to browse through a summer car show in Canberra Australia, I found a webite for you

2012-01-02T12:17:00.000-08:00

you'ss be able to look at the sunkissed warm Aussie cars from where ever on the planet you are, no mattter how much snow is outside your home, see cars you've never seen before like the Armstrong Siddeley, and ponder what keeps the rest of the world from adopting the Ute as a common car model http://onfourwheels.blogspot.com/

Opening a car door for a girlfriend... what it means

2012-01-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

Either the car is new, or the girlfriend is

What to do with kids or toddlers when going for a drive 100 years ago was simple, put them in a car seat... but where the car seat was located was unreal by todays standards

2012-01-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

on the far back, or the far front, it's like the idea that placing a kid over a bumper never spraked the notion that kids in the proximity of a bumper become a bumper. Our ancestors seem to have lived by sheer accidental good luck sometimes.

all found on http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/251713.html?1323523343

Charles Bronson was a car collector... who knew?!?! His Bugatti type 49

2012-01-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

Looked like a 34 hot rod, with a 427 cammer, so it was bought at a swap meet... when the new owner stripped it down to check it out, discovered it was built on a stolen Shelby Cobra chassis

2012-01-01T21:25:00.000-08:00

found in the book Shelby Cobras Fifty Years, photos by Jeff Burgy

2011 totals versus 2010 totals

2012-01-01T21:23:00.000-08:00

Visits in 2011

Total 735,331
This Week 22,061

PAGE VIEWS
total 2,994,177
this week 49,172

380 followers and 8670 posts

Visits in 2010
Total 614,209
This Week 13,287

PAGE VIEWS
Total 1,315,718
This Week 31,918

208 followers, and 6600 posts

Rene Ortega in Mexico has a marvelous gallery of Carrera Panamerica photos of cool cars

2012-01-01T19:46:00.000-08:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ranachilanga/

Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly, Lisa Hudson Photography

2012-01-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

Red Bull brings in the new year, Levi LaVallee broke his own world record for distance jumped on a snowmobile by launching 412 feet

2012-01-01T09:33:00.000-08:00

from
http://www.redbullusa.com/cs/Satellite/en_US/Video/red-bull-new-year-no-limits-021243143084453

ESPN has a much better video at http://espn.go.com/action/story/_/id/7409827/new-year-no-limits

LaVallee jumped alongside Robbie Maddison, who unofficially broke the world record for distance jumped on a motorcycle during practice for Saturday night's event. Maddison said he jumped 392 feet during practice but during the live event, he came up just short of the 391-foot record, landing at 378 feet, 9 inches.

After working out the details of their individual approaches, the pair sailed through the air, in synchronistic fashion, jumping over 300 feet of water from the North to the South at the Embarcadero Marina Park. Robbie Maddison was leading at about 110 mph with Levi LaVallee gaining, as if in the draft, at maybe 120 mph. http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2012-red-bull-jump-lavallee-maddison

And that is about it for news coverage of this spectacle event. Not like its a heavy news day around the world, but basically no one but ESPN and Ultimate Motorcycling were there and reporting about it today

Maddison kick-started the Red Bull series in 2007 by jumping his motorcycle 322 feet in Las Vegas. The following year, he jumped onto and then off the 96-foot high scale version of the Arc de Triomphe at Paris Las Vegas.

Maddison has jumped the 279-foot wide Corinth Canal in Greece, at a height of more than 300 feet above the water, and did a no-handed back flip over the open span on London’s Tower Bridge.

Tere found a great video compilation of the past new years eve Red Bull jumps!