Quote of the Day

Comrade Misfit looks at Dodge's plans to equip the new Challenger with a 3L six and brings a perfect analogy:

Only those CPAs and MBAs running things could take a six-cylinder car and. by having the engineers slap on turbochargers, claim to make it a muscle car. It's about as legit a muscle car as Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds were legitimate home-run kings. 

Yup.

 

Seen oot and aboot

The Costco parking lot got a pretty sweet visitor.

It looks like a Willys MD, otherwise known as the M38A1 Truck, although repainted in Florida beachy colors.  If I'm right on the model it would be from the mid 1950s.

Vmroom!

Seen last night:

1964 GTO.  What caught me was the three carbs on the 389 V8.  The owner basically took it down to bare metal and built it back up again, and he did a nice job.

This is the car that started the Muscle craze.  Basically, John DeLorean took their second gen Tempest chassis and dropped a big block Bonneville engine into it.  Pontiac initially planned a production run of 5000; they actually sold 32000.

 

Automotive genius

Tam caught sight of a Citroen 2CV in the wild, which is pretty cool.  But it was only one of the very many cool products to come from Andre Citroen's french autoworks, and highlights the importance of culture (both the corporate and national variety).

Let's talk culture.  Andre Citroen was a graduate of L'Ecole Polytechnique, France's foremost technical university.  It's influence there is sort of like what we would see here if MIT, Stanford, and Cal Tech merged.  It's graduates have always been a big deal in France, and Citroen was kind of the poster child for that.  He put his company on the map with the Traction Avant, the first unibody car (introduced in 1935).  It's gorgeous exterior hides just how revolutionary its design was:

The unibody construction is unremarkable today, but this was 85 years ago.  It meant that the car sat lower because there was no chassis platform.  This lower center of gravity made the handling better, and the Traction Avant had a reputation as a getaway car beloved of gangsters of the day.  

But there were two other innovations: front wheel drive (hence the name: "Traction Avant" means forward traction) and hydro-pneumatic suspension.  This last is an alternative to leaf springs:

Here's where culture comes in.  Hydropneumatic suspension is very clever, and much superior to springs - so much so that Rolls Royce licensed the design for its Silver Shadow, and it is used today on the British Challenger tank.  However, it's complicated, with a lot of parts compared to a spring.  This is both very French and precisely what you would expect from a Polytechnique grad.  That culture (what The Queen Of The World calls "complicating a cornflake") is why the design remained mostly confined to France.

But here's a story from my young days.  A friend's parents had one of Citroen's later models, the DS:

You could drive this on only three wheels - the dealer actually did this and was stopped by a cop who ultimately realized that there was no law against doing this.  The car didn't even come with a jack - if you needed to change a tire you just raised the appropriate wheel off the ground using the hydropneumatic suspension.

It was entirely revolutionary, have superior results, and was overly complicated.  In short, it was very french, and neatly sums up why those people simultaneously charm and irritate us here.

But there's no way to describe the engineers at Andre Citroen's company as anything other than genius.  The 2CV, the Traction Avant, and the DS were revolutionary.

Why do American Jews vote Democrat?

Frequent commenter NITZAKHON asks over at his place.  He's Jewish, and is as mystified as I am.

But to me it seems like they're voting against their interest.  Perhaps cultural identity trumps religious identity for many, but it sure looks like the crocodile isn't going to eat them last.

UPDATE 12 March 2019 11:52: About sums it up:

The world's first car

It's older than America.

Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot invented this fardier à vapeur in 1770.  It was a three wheeled steam powered transport developed for the French Army, who was looking for something to haul cannons around.  While it had all sorts of drawbacks (you had to fill up its water tank every 15 minutes) it actually worked, and would go several miles per hour while loaded with a few tons of stuff.  He got a pension from King Louis XV for this.

What's cool is that in 2010 some students at ParisTech (yes, there is such a school although they likely have never gone to a Bowl Game) built a working model from original plans.  The public unveiling starts about 2 minutes into the video and while the music is more than a bit annoying the fardier itself is tres magnifique.

Seen while out

It has an Infinite Improbability Drive.  Bungied to the roof, so there's clearly not much thrust.

It looks like this may be the official car of the Senate Democrats ...

The World turned upside down

I spoke and emailed with several people yesterday, people who were very worried that Clinton would win.  My argument to them was this: We live surrounded by countless lies.  Most of what we are told is a lie.  Instead of listening to that noise, believe what you see with your own two eyes.

That can be tricky, too.  Here's a picture of a city in the clouds.

We're surrounded by countless lies.  We're used to photoshop - smart people always question whether what they see in a picture is legit.  To paraphrase the old commercial: is it real, or is it photoshop?

This is real.  It's from NASA's Astronomy Picture Of The Day, and it shows the shadows from the Chicago skyline cast onto Lake Michigan.  When you see something unusual, it's very often that you can figure out what is going on.

Like this election: the polls almost all showed her ahead, but the eyes reported something different.  Trump got more GOP primary votes than anyone in history.  Clinton had to rig the primaries to beat a dottering old socialist that nobody had heard of, and who had no accomplishments during a lifetime in office.  Trump rallies were like rock concerts, full of people, noise, and energy.  Clinton's gatherings were small, and often stuffed with paid campaign workers.

And most of all, the Queen Of The World and I went to Ohio and back several times during her Dad's final illness.  No Clinton signs anywhere, Trump signs everywhere.  And we went through Columbus each time - the true blue heart of Democrat Ohio.

The eyes don't lie, but you just need to connect the dots to make the picture make sense sometimes.  I've been saying for months that Trump would win - this is why.

I don't know what Trump will do as President, or whether he will be a good one or not.  But if there's just one thing that comes from his time in office, let it be an end to the lies we hear from the Press, from the Universities, from our "betters".  That would be refreshing, and the outcome of last night's contest would hopefully provide a moment for them to reflect.

But if not, remember to trust your eyes, even if it sometimes seems upside down.

Seen at the Classic Car meetup

This guy has a real sense of humor.

Car pr0n

1960 Willy's truck.

Seen at a local auto and cycle show in Frederick, MD.

If you can afford a Ferrari, you can afford to pay for parking

But it looks like you don't have to.

Cool old car

Seen three years ago at the Owl's Head, Maine car show.  Didn't get the make/model, blast it all.

Kilted To Kick Cancer - Day 24: tricky to change a flat tire

I'm referring, of course, to the 1948 TASCO with it's odd wheel pods.  It looks like it was inspired by fixed gear 1930s aircraft landing carriages.  The whole car seemed to be inspired by air frames.

TASCO sands for The American Sports Car Company, and this concept car was the first to have a T-top roof.  The inventor (Gordon Buehrig) sued GM when they infringed on his patent with the 1968 'Vette.

We're coming down to the wire, and JayG in particular has harnessed the power of his fully operational Battle Star blog to pull neck and neck with Team Borepatch. But the point is not the competition, the point is the end goal - all the teams are pushing towards breaking $10,000 in this month's fund raiser.  Please click through to donate to this cause.  It's fully tax deductible, as a 501(c)3 charity.  The Donate link is here, and please select Team Borepatch.

And if you click through to read Brigid's post you'll see why she is also invested in this - her Dad is fighting that same fight right now.  She is so invested that she's made an enormously generous offer: the first twenty all donations of $50 or more via Team Borepatch will receive an autographed copy of her amazing The Book Of Barkley.

Note that I've modified the rules - all donations will get a copy of her outstanding book, because I'll buy them myself for her to sign.  So not only can you get a great read, not only can you support a great cause, but you'll help drive her rankings on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  And you can watch me riding in a kilt.  If you screw your courage to the sticking point.

Kilted To Kick Cancer - Day 22: Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

I think that the artists who animated the file had actual models to use for inspiration for the wonderful cars in the flick.  Like the 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt:

Everything was almost cartoon rounded.

It reminded me of this:

We're two thirds of the way through the fundraiser. Please click through to donate to this cause.  It's fully tax deductible, as a 501(c)3 charity.  The Donate link is here, and please select Team Borepatch.

And if you click through to read Brigid's post you'll see why she is also invested in this - her Dad is fighting that same fight right now.  She is so invested that she's made an enormously generous offer: the first twenty all donations of $50 or more via Team Borepatch will receive an autographed copy of her amazing The Book Of Barkley.

Note that I've modified the rules - all donations will get a copy of her outstanding book, because I'll buy them myself for her to sign.  So not only can you get a great read, not only can you support a great cause, but you'll help drive her rankings on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  And you can watch me riding in a kilt.  If you screw your courage to the sticking point.

Kilted To Kick Cancer - Day 16: Cyclone

More specifically, the 1959 Cadillac Cyclone.

Yup - Harley Earl was here.  390 cubic inches of big block goodness and a bubble top.  It had an anti-crash radar system (really!) hidden in these cones.

From back when Detroit dreamed outsized dreams.  This month we're dreaming outsized dreams about beating prostate cancer.  There are two weeks left in the fundraiser.  Please click through to donate to this cause.  It's fully tax deductible, as a 501(c)3 charity.  The Donate link is here, and please select Team Borepatch.

And if you click through to read Brigid's post you'll see why she is also invested in this - her Dad is fighting that same fight right now.  She is so invested that she's made an enormously generous offer: the first twenty donations of $50 or more via Team Borepatch will receive an autographed copy of her amazing The Book Of Barkley.

Kilted To Kick Cancer - Day 15: Nice shape!

This is so sweet I could feel myself getting a cavity just looking at it.

That's a 1935 Bugatti Type 575 Competition, designed by Jean Bugatti (son of founder Ettore.  One of these was recently discovered and sold at auction for 3.4 Million euros.  I guess collecting these is like collecting Picassos or Rembrants.

There are two weeks left in the fundraiser.  Please click through to donate to this cause.  It's fully tax deductible, as a 501(c)3 charity.  The Donate link is here, and please select Team Borepatch.

And if you click through to read Brigid's post you'll see why she is also invested in this - her Dad is fighting that same fight right now.  She is so invested that she's made an enormously generous offer: the first twenty donations of $50 or more via Team Borepatch will receive an autographed copy of her amazing The Book Of Barkley.

Kilted To Kick Cancer - Day 12: Back To The Future!

I missed yesterday's kilt picture with all the family drama.  But those of you who know me know that I'm nothing if not obstinate, and so it's back to the future!

That's a 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero, the only one of the cars that I'm been posting where I actually have a price tag.  This one was purchased in 2011 by the Petersen Automotive Museum for a cool €761.600 (around $850,000).  Yowzer.  The keen eyed among you will remember this car from Michael Jackson's 1988 film, Moonwalker.

But the car pr0n (and the kilt, err, pix) are just the surface trappings.  The fundraiser is the thing, and Justin at Kilted To Kick Cancer says that all y'all have donated over $3,500 so far (across all the teams)!  And there are still two and a half weeks to go.  It would be great if this year blew previous years away.

Please click through to donate to this cause.  It's fully tax deductible, as a 501(c)3 charity.  The Donate link is here, and please select Team Borepatch.

And if you click through to read Brigid's post you'll see why she is also invested in this - her Dad is fighting that same fight right now.  She is so invested that she's made an enormously generous offer: the first twenty donations of $50 or more via Team Borepatch will receive an autographed copy of her amazing The Book Of Barkley.

Kilted To Kick Cancer - Day 4: Edsel's greatest design

A lot of people forget that the infamous Ford Edsel was named after Edsel Ford, who was a very good designer.  How good?  This good:

That's a 1934 Edsel Ford Model 40 Special Speedster.  Here's a picture sans kilt.

That's so sweet you can almost taste it.  Err, the car, not the kilt.  Currently on display (for the next 2 weeks only) at Atlanta's High Museum of Art.  Recommended, if you're in the ATL.

This is Day 4 of the Kilted To Kick Cancer fundraiser for Prostate Cancer research.  If you are of a mind to donate to a great charity, hit their donation page (and please make sure that you select Team Borepatch).  It's a great cause - Prostate Cancer is what took Dad - and it's tax deductible as a 501(c)3 charity.

Kilted To Kick Cancer - Day 3 with an awesome old car

I'm doing my very best "Vanna White" Car Show presentation at the Atlanta High Museum of Art Automotive Art exhibition.  Good thing there's a great car here.

It's a 1936 Stout Scarab, envisioned to be a Living Room on wheels.  It was basically the first minivan, but with style.  I posted this picture a couple days ago, but this is the view of the rear.

No, you don't get a view of my rear, although thank you for asking (you perv).  Der Wik describes the insanely cool design:

By discarding the usual running-boards and expanding the cabin to the full width of the car, as well as using a long wheelbase, the Scarab offered a spacious interior. Space was further maximized by placing the engine directly over the rear axle and moving the driver far forward, so that the steering wheel was almost directly above the front wheels. Passengers entered through a single, large common door, and encountered a flexible seating system, that could be configured in almost any arrangement imaginable, except for the driver, whose seat was fixed. Rivaling the seating in modern MPVs, such as the Chrysler Voyager or Renault Espace, there was even a small card table which could be fitted anywhere among the passenger seats if so required. Interiors were appointed in leather, chrome, and wood. Design elements also worked in a stylized ancient Egyptian "scarab" motif, including the car's emblem. Visibility to the front and sides was similar to that of an observation car, although rearward vision was almost nil and there were no rear-view mirrors.

Want.

This is Day 3 of the Kilted To Kick Cancer fundraiser for Prostate Cancer research.  If you are of a mind to donate to a great charity, hit their donation page (and please make sure that you select Team Borepatch).  It's a great cause - Prostate Cancer is what took Dad - and it's tax deductible as a 501(c)3 charity.

Cars as works of art

If you are in Atlanta during the next two weeks, make a point to visit the High Museum of Art's delightful exhibit on concept cars.  These are most definitely not your typical Detroit Coffin.

The detail is often more beautiful than the overall lines (which are beautiful indeed).

It's a wonderful exhibit, and has been extended until mid September.  Recommended.