Harley Davidson engines 1911-2007 infographic

found on http://hdshovelhead.blogspot.com/

Zora Arkus Duntov, somethings I knew, some things I just learned

In addition to the galleries of Super Sport Corvettes that Zora made, I've posted very little biographical info about him. I just read the following

The Belgian born son of Russian Jewish parents, Duntov had already outrun the Nazis, revolutionized hot-rodding (with his eponymous line of Ardun accessories for Ford’s Flathead V8), and aided the development of Allard sports cars by the time he saw the new-for-‘53 Corvette at the New York Motorama. He loved the car’s lines and despised everything else. So he wrote a letter to GM telling them as much and was hired shortly thereafter.

Duntov’s love of speed was no mere whim. While helping Allard engineer their sports cars he proved a talented driver as well and later piloted a Porsche 550 to class wins in two 24 Hours of Le Mans; the last of which, ironically, during the same 1955 event that would eventually lead to the AMA ban on racing. Nonetheless, he profoundly influenced American motorsports and, in particular, the Corvette.

By 1955 the Corvette traded the 150hp straight six engines and powerglide automatic transmissions of ’53 and ’54, for 195hp, 265ci V8s and three speed manual transmissions. By ’57 the Corvette added a 283hp 283ci V8, a limited slip differential and fuel injection. All the while, Duntov kept his eyes and talents focused on the racetrack and by the 1957 AMA ban on racing he stood at the center of one of the greatest contradictions of mid-century corporate America. While GM’s brass touted safety, forward styling and advanced color theory, Zora Arkus-Duntov quietly slipped some of the country’s most successful race cars out the back door; among them the championship winning Corvette seen here.

 Duntov would have a hard time explaining why his engineers vacationed together in Nassau during Speed Week.  Harder still the suitcases packed with Bermuda shorts and prototype intake manifolds.

Duntov’s available speed equipment; since the words ‘speed equipment’ weren’t exactly politically correct in ’61, however, the high performance parts were identified by their harmless sounding RPO or “Regular Production Option” numbers. It seems that while the AMA might wonder why any factory would offer a fuel injected, 315hp 283ci V8, they were far less likely to question “RPO354.”

Ditto RPOs 675, 685, and 687 which, in non-GM-speak are a Posi-traction differential, four-speed manual transmission, and heavy-duty suspension and brakes, respectively. The boxes of uninstalled parts that came with a few cars, on the other hand, are a different story altogether. Known by a select few as the ‘Sebring package,’ the vented hood, stiff front anti-rollbar, aerodynamic headlight covers, and 37 gallon fiberglass gas tank didn’t have RPO numbers and, by all accounts, left Duntov’s office without his bosses’ blessing or knowledge.

 Duntov would have a hard time explaining why his engineers vacationed together in Nassau during Speed Week.  Harder still the suitcases packed with Bermuda shorts and prototype intake manifolds.

Partnered with Zora to win races in Corvettes were Don Yenko, and Dr Dick Thompson. Dick was a dentist, and such an expert in winning SCCA raes with Corvettes he wrote a book on what a buyer should do to order the things only the insiders knew about (the RPO codes) and items like aluminum flywheels... and that little trick got Don Yenko suspended from SCCA racing for 6 months. FIA racing allowed the aluminum, but SCCA didn't allow them in B-Production

info from http://www.sportscardigest.com/duntovs-secret-corvette-gulf-oil-race-car/

Autoweek’s Vinsetta Garage

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

Book Review: Shelby Cobra Fifty Years... incredibly well done book

the inside cover shot is terrific, and that is the way the rest of the book carries on, it's terrific.

The author, Colin Comer, is an enthusiast, researcher, racer, and owner of a couple Cobras, perhaps sequentially and not simultaneously... but I point out that this author is not just a research book writer. His basic bio and reason for writing comprise the preface pages. His website: http://www.colinsclassicauto.com/

Starting with the origins of Carroll Shelby's drive and ambition to make a sports car, http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/05/possibly-earliest-shelby-sports-sars.html for the ads for his sprts car dealership mentioned in the book, the where and how fall into place through the first chapter, which though focusing on Carroll, aslo spotlights Ed Hugus, race car driver, and thoroughly partnering with Carroll from the beginning as the first Cobra dealership, and used his "Spot" at LeMans to get a Cobra into the race. Could anyone be more helpful to a startup sportscar maker?
Phil Remington also gets a spotlight http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/07/phil-remington-last-of-soup-to-nuts.html

In the book a passing mention is made of Carroll's most famous personal Cobras, the dual supercharged 427 http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/01/carroll-shelbys-personal-cobra-sells.html

Chapter 2 gets thoroughly into the early racing, drivers, and events.

As you can see by the pages I've used here, the book averages 3 to 4 photos per page... I love that.
 I thought I knew a good amount about Cobras, http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Cobra but with the connections, collectors, experts, drivers and owners the author learned from, he has linberally stuffed twice as much info I've never seen before into this book throughout the article and captions as I expected. It's a treasure of knowledge... simply astonishing. If you can only recollect all you'll learn from this book you'd be able to converse with any Cobra enthusiast

For example, you're likely already familiar with the CSX numbering, and various Cobra types, but I learned of the CS, COX, and COS Cobras for the first time. You see, CSX doesn't even come close to being what I thought it stood for, I thought it was Carroll Shelby Experimental. What a good guess! But it really is C for 3rd series Ace manufacturing, S is for Shelby (the Ace customer) and X is for Export.

I brought that up to show there is always more to learn, and to help with explaining CS were Cobras that weren't exported out of England, And COB and X were CObra Britain and CObra eXport.

This will help to explain the the #3 Cobra in the above right hand photo was the CS2131 and it's sister CS2142 that raced at the 1963 LeMans were not export Cobras

Awesome artgallery photos like the above are all though the book

It's wonderful how many car club members photos from car shows are in to book too

Like I was saying about the amount of information I learned for the first time, were these two coachbuilt customs, the Bordinat Cobras. Above CSX3001 was a bare chassis that went to Detroit Styling, and named the XD Cobra by Ford, the body was a new vacuum-formed plastic material from US Royal. Aint't that amazing? I've never run across any mention of these before! They disappeared into the storage warehouses of the Detoit Historical Museum http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-didnt-know-that-detroit-historical.html in the 1960's, and were found by 30plus year Ford employee and Cobra enthusiast Jeff Burgy. Below is the red CSX2008 called Cougar II by Ford and shown at the 1964 New York Worlds Fair http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/1964%20Worlds%20Fair

you'll learn about the Dragonsnake Cobras, like the yellow one above (the only factory yellow Cobra) now owned by collector and museum owner Steven Juliano http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/11/steven-juliano-collection-im-betting.html

A gallery of the above http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/12/cobra-dragonsnake-at-sema.html

A gallery of El Cid: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/02/el-cid-one-of-few-shelby-cobra.html

This book is so damn good, and shows how incredible much info the author knows and shares with the readers, he has many pages about the DragonSnakes (8 made) and photos of at least 6, CSX2019 (Elvis http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Elvis used it in a movie then it went back to Shelby American to become the 1st factory DragonSnake), CSX2427 the yellow one, CSX2472 that never did drag race, it was used by it's owner as a street car, then the 2nd owner autocrossed and road raced it, CSX2093, CSX2357, and El Cid CSX2248. The Motion "Kng Cobra" CSX3159 may or may not be an official DragonSnake

for a photo of another Motion built up DragginSnake http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/11/great-heavens-dragginsnake.html and   http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/1964%20Worlds%20Fair 

There is a chapter on the Corvette vs Cobra competition, chapter 4

For photos of Don and the number 89  http://justacargal-s.blogspot.com/2011/10/coronado-speedfest-pit-personal.html CSX2473 is the #89, I think Don said it was the most winningest, or most raced Cobra

The above image is to show the CSX2001, collector Bruce Meyer, http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/12/bruce-meyer-car-guy-preserver-of.html and I wanted to point out the cool little race car stripe/page number... that is a nice touch, as well as the below chapter numbering racing stripes. That is a damn fine touch

Chapter 5 gets in depth about Cobra collectors and clubs

For some great Castrol ads with the Daytona Coupes: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/castrol-ads-celebrating-world.html  

For ads about accessories and engine parts: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/07/shelby-parts-and-accessories.html and http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/07/it-was-long-ago-but-you-could-build.html

and http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/07/carroll-shelby-advertising-youve-never.html and the earliest Cobra advertisements http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/05/early-cobra-advertising.html

Chapter 6 has a hell of a good look at the wide variety of memorabilia, brochures, handouts, and merchandising Carroll used for advertising. Below is the 1963 "Snakeskin" dealer kit

I just bust out laughing when I tell people about the "Pit Stop Deoderant" that I've posted about here before,  http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/1967-shelby-advertising-of-pit-stop_19.html but I've never seen a can of it before.... Colin, you really nailed it! Great find!

In brief, there is so much to enjoy that I didn't know, I was looking for things I did know just to learn more.

by the numbers
7 chapters
129 pieces of paper between the covers, 256 sides

The form and layout are nice, great presentation, with high quality photos

Photos: 286 color images, 131 black and white.
Period ads, brochures, pamphlets, etc: 34

The only things that might make this book better would be if the author wasted many more years of research talking to every car enthusiast to pick their brains and made this the complete encyclopedia of Cobra knowledge. I'm happier reading this book and enjoying the photos to want him to have taken more time making it.

The few things that I know of not in this book are posted here on my blog, and if you want the extraneous Cobra info I have, and the extra pictures, here you are:
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/10/not-many-cars-are-shelby-cobra-daytona.html CSX2465 is certified by Carroll Shelby himself to be a real Daytona Coupe but not mentioned in the book. Likewise http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/12/home-built-shelby-cobra-daytona-was.html CSX2130, the Willment Cobra Daytona, the AC Cobra prototype http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/03/prototype-ac-cobra.html
And the Shelby Record: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/09/lp-that-will-get-record-player-out-of.html
the "Pit Stop Deoderant" that I've posted about here before,  http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/1967-shelby-advertising-of-pit-stop_19.html

CSX2451 the Mercer Cobra http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/12/mercer-cobra-may-be-ugly-enough-to.html probably doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the book due to its anti Cobra looks, and lack of usefulness as a sportscar

If I'd been the author I would have had a chapter on the first owners that kept their Cobras forever, like CSX2305, CSX2227, and CSX2006 http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/10/one-owner-1964-shelby-ac-cobra-289.html , six are supposed to be still with their original owners according to Cruisin Style Magazine http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/03/ac-cobra-trivia.html , and some coverage of the Daytona Coupes on Bonneville, and a chapter on the barnfind Cobras. Yes, of course you can just read the Tom Cotter books for those, but it's incredible info and would be a great addition to this book. I can understand leaving it out to keep on point of the focus on owners that love, drive, and race their Cobras, and not stuff them away for decades of neglect

Prices are around 27 dollars online: http://www.amazon.com/Shelby-Cobra-Fifty-Years-Colin/dp/0760340293/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325441861&sr=1-1

Once you've enjoyed this book, you might also get a kick out of the Cobra Ferrari Wars http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/02/excerpted-photos-from-website-selling.html

Smart alternative to drinking and driving in Canada were just posted on Autos.ca

Rather than wonder if it's okay to drive when you've had some alcohol, take other measures. The best course of action is either to put a completely sober driver behind the wheel, or spend the night wherever you are.

 If you know you’re going to be drinking at your destination, leave the car at home and find another way to get to the party. That way, you won’t be tempted to try to get your vehicle home.


Across Canada

Operation Red Nose – This service operates in select communities in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan. Find your community on its website and carry the phone number with you when you go out. When you call, a team of volunteers will come to you – whether you’re at a bar or a private party – and will drive both you and your vehicle either to your home, or to your final destination for the night. It’s free, but if you give a donation, it will go to a local charity.

Taxi Guy – Call one number – 1-888-TAXIGUY – and you’re connected to a national network of 425 taxicab companies, for a total of 17,500 cabs in over 700 cities and towns. You can buy “Taxi Dollars” through the website that you can tuck in your wallet for emergencies or give as gifts, redeemable only for cab fare. Smartphone apps are available through the website.

#TAXI – Use your cell phone to call #TAXI – that’s #-8-2-9-4 – anywhere in Canada, give your location, and you’ll be immediately connected to either the first available taxi company or one of your choice in the area. There are smartphone applications available through the website, too.

Arrive Alive – An iPhone app that lets you enter people you can call to get you home, your favourite taxi company, or a direct line to Taxi Guy. Get it through iTunes. Visit ArriveAlive.org for tips on hosting a party and getting your guests home safely.

For the specific Canadian provinces, and more ideas: http://www.autos.ca/health-and-safety/feature-drinking-and-driving-alternatives

I wish I had more of infographics like this to share, this is awesome, and found on SwissStache... "What cop car lights look like"

from http://swissstash.tumblr.com/

I can't find a bigger source of infographics, but I also couldn't find any I found interesting at http://infographics.alltop.com/

This is the kind of infographic there aren't enough of: just simple, informative, cool, and automotive

Similar Chevrolet evolution of the bowtie infographic: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/10/evolution-of-chevy-bowtie-logo.html

if you are interested in looking at the how cool the old speedometers were, you're on the right website, and can find hundreds by looking though the ones I've posted http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/speedometer

SAAB filed for bankruptcy last week... brought low by GM's bankruptcy and pathetic management, who've blocked its sale to Chinese companies in fear that Chinese would get GM technology and processes. Like that hasn't happened already

Saab CEO Victor Muller said "the last nail in the coffin" was previous owner General Motors Co.'s rejection of a Chinese company's attempts to gain control of the ailing Swedish brand.
Volvo Cars, Sweden's other car maker, is presently ramping up production after China's Geely Holding Group bought it from Ford Motor Co. last year.


Muller, a Dutch entrepreneur, used his luxury sports car maker Spyker Cars to buy Saab from GM in 2010 for $74 million in cash plus $326 million worth of preferred shares. He vowed to gradually increase production while restoring Saab's Swedish identity — which critics said was diluted under GM ownership. But the company ran out of money just a year later.

As production stopped and salary payments were delayed, Muller fended off bankruptcy by selling Saab's real estate and lining up financing deals with investors in Russia and China. He bought time by placing the company in a reconstruction process under bankruptcy protection.

But the deals fell through, blocked by regulators or by GM, which was concerned that its technology would end up in the hands of Chinese competitors.

GM spokesman Jim Cain told The Associated Press Saturday that each new proposal "results either directly or indirectly in the transfer of control and, or ownership of the company in a manner that would be detrimental to GM and its shareholders."http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45720823/ns/today-today_news/t/saab-declares-bankruptcy-gm-blocks-chinese-deal/

this is what happens when a company loses control of it's ownership and the whims of takeover corporations dictate its fate. Stay independant my friends, either be your own master, or work for someone else, but don't let them own you.

A good review of tire company promotions and what to avoid

from http://www.tirevan.com/ which is looking to win you over win less expensive tires, serviced at you home or work, because a mobile tire installation doesn't have to pay rent on a brick store http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/05/tirevan-sell-mount-and-balance-set-of.html if you live near the Washington DC or Philiadelphia metro areas

Car news, Cuba loosens up on car ownership laws, lets Cubans buy and sell cars now

For the full story: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/13/us-cuba-cars-idUSTRE7BC21820111213/

Liberalizing car sales is one of more than 300 economic reforms the government of President Raul Castro is undertaking as part of an "updating" of its socialist system.
Since it entered into effect at the start of October, around 300 people are lining up daily to register vehicles, or buy and sell others, and the vehicle registration office has processed around 3,300 buy-sell certificates, state media reported.
In the small country of 11 million people, news of sales or potential buyers spread through word of mouth, a few informal car brokers who hang around in parks or a few websites - though occasional "For Sale" signs dot cars lining the boulevards.
"It made the buying and selling between people flexible. It recognizes vehicles as property which wasn't recognized before," said a Cuban lawyer waiting in a park outside the vehicle registration office

Don Lee, remarkable story, remarkable number of race cars with his name on them

 Above, The Alfa Romeo Tipo B or P3 Monoposto Chassis 50002 was the first genuine single-seat racing car in Grand Prix racing and it dominated the competition in the 1932 season, winning almost at will. Its first appearance came at the Italian GP at Monza on June 5.

 It joined the Scuderia Ferrari-ran Alfa team in 1934 before being sold to Count De Villapadierni in Spain and later to Frank Griswold in San Francisco. After running in the 1939 and 1940 Indianapolis 500 and coming in first at the New York World's Fair in 1940, the car was sold to Tommy Lee in Los Angeles. Entered as the 'Don Lee Special' at the 1946 and 1947 Indy 500 it was driven by Hal Cole.

Above photo shows Luigi Chinetti watching the W154 getting worked on,
Below is the Mercedes-Benz W154 entered by Don Lee at the 1947 Indianapolis 500, it is chassis number 9, which after WW2 was discovered in Czechoslovakia. This was the car with which Lang had won the Coppa Ciano in 1938.

 The car was sold to Don Lee, an American racing team owner. During 1938, the rules for the Indianapolis 500 were modified to allow the European Grand Prix cars to compete, and in 1947, Tommy Lee entered the W154 with Duke Nalon as the driver.

Nalon discovered that Riley Brett, an Offenhauser mechanic, had obtained some Mercedes engine blueprints. Nalon was able to make copies and from these, the team was able to prepare the engine. The mechanics started the engine but left it running on idle which caused the fuel to condense in the engine manifold. Due to the engine being mounted at an angle, the rear cylinders filled up with fuel, breaking the conrods and one piston. A new piston was hastily sand cast in time for the race.

Although Nalon set the second fastest qualifying speed, the qualifying system meant that he would start the race from 18th position. During the race, the replacement piston failed after 119 laps and the car had to retire from the race

Photo credits, top one I took at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, from Conceptcarz, then Stefan Marjoram at the Goodwood festival, and bottom photo I was just sent by David

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/06/don-lee-special.html
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z15031/Alfa-Romeo-P3-Tipo-B.aspx
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanmarjoram/5009392962/in/set-72157624870187185
http://theoldmotor.com/?p=15093

Now, the info... Don Lee had been a bicycle shop owner who became a protégé of Los Angeles pioneer businessman Earle C. Anthony, purchased his Los Angeles radio station KHJ from  Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler in 1927.

Don was the exclusive west coast distributor of Cadillac automobiles in the early 20th century. In 1919 Don purchased the Earl Automobile Works of Hollywood, California.

Harley Earl, the son of the company's owner, was kept on as manager. Renamed Don Lee Coach and Body Works, the company produced many custom designed Cadillacs for the rich and famous. Harley Earl left the company to become the head of General Motors styling department in 1927

Having amassed a fortune selling automobiles, Lee branched out in broadcasting in 1926, purchased or built 12 radio stations, creating his own  network, and having such a power base he put his transmitters and antennas on a hill in Griffin Park Los Angeles... now became known as "Mount Lee.".. .just above the Hollywood sign.

Don bought a 20-acre site on a mountain top at the eastern boundary of Griffith Park, widening the transmission field equipment to take in new thousands of homes in the Hollywood hills and the San Fernando Valley. The site is one and a half times higher than the top floor of the Empire State Building in New York. Mount Lee is thus the highest television location in the world. (Info circa 1937)

Part of Mount Lee was sold to Howard Hughes, who intended to erect an estate for his then current love interest, Ginger Rogers

Frank Kurtis got started working with automotive fabrication when he was hired by Willet Brown and Tommy Lee to rework Don Lee Racing Team's midget car bodies.

If you were living in California back in the nineteen-oughts, he probably watched four-cylinder Cadillac speedsters tearing through the countryside in those much ballyhooed city to city runs that often headlined the sports pages from 1905 into the WW1 era. Locally, team-Cadillac race drivers, running under the Don Lee banner (Don Lee was California's first and only Cadillac distributor), were as famous as Barney Oldfield - who they often competed against. Multiple Cadillacs regularly finished in the top five. Naturally, victory on the road racing and speedway circuit translated to enormous success in the showroom.

Cadillac and California were made for each other. Year-around motoring weather coupled with scenic attractions radiating in all directions led to extensive road building early on. Don Lee was among those who played a leadership roll in promoting State highway construction. By 1916 the roads in Southern California were being touted as the most advanced in the nation. From the sportsminded millionaires who wintered here at the turn of the century, to the subsequent flow of wealthy tourists who came to see the sights and ended up staying, Cadillac was the Southland's foremost luxury car. From the very beginning, an estimated ten percent of Cadillac production was allocated to California. Don Lee provided sales and service through a statewide network of urban master dealerships, with sub-dealers handling the suburban and rural areas.

Quite the remarkable connections, Frank Kurtis, Howard Hughes, Harvey Earl, Harry Chandler. The time and places of our lives affect a lot.

new info about 1937 Chevrolet dealerships installing truck beds in business coupes... I thought that was a thing people had to make for themselves

I've posted about this gas rationing ingenuity before, that a truck was issued more gas rations, and a car less, so some people converted their cars into trucks by just adding a pickup bed where the rumble seat or trunk had been... this is the first I've read about it being done by a dealership... But the owner of this 1937 Chevy business coupe is the 2nd owner and bought this car 40 years ago, so I'll just work with that.

found on http://crosleykook.blogspot.com/2011/12/six-engines-one-wagon-37-chevy-two.html

Radio repair specialists found in this issue of Hagerty magazine

Bebe Peugeot, one more interesting and rare car I've never heard of, but found at the Mullin museum, and learned of on Wikipedia. What a great hobby!

 cool radiator ornament

The original Bébé was presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1904 and stole the show as a modern and robust creation that was cheap, small, and practical.

Tiny dimensions meant that its small engine could propel it to 25 mph. Though selling price was deliberately kept as low as possible, technologies like rack and pinion steering and a driveshaft instead of a chain were included in the vehicle. Production began in Audincourt in 1905, and the car proved to be popular. Bébé sold 400 units in the first year, or 80% of Peugeot's production. It was also exported, particularly to Britain. The Type 69 was sold until 1912

The Type BP1 Bébé was a design by Ettore Bugatti, initially for the German car firm Wanderer, then also built under license by Peugeot for the French market.

 Peugeot displayed it under their marque at the Paris Motor Show in 1912. Production began in 1913 following discontinuation of the Type 69. Wanderer built their car with Bugatti's own 4-speed transmission, but in order to keep production costs down for the French version, Peugeot fitted a 2-speed gearbox initially, which was then replaced by their own 3-speed.

Bébé scored some racing success among small car classes, notably at Mont Ventoux in 1913, where it won in its class. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peugeot_B%C3%A9b%C3%A9

How to import car parts from the USA

http://www.metica.se/blogg/2011/11/22/sa-importerar-du-bildelar-fran-usa/ has a long list from first hand experience... you'll want to use a translate program like Google Chrome to make it easy to read

Want to buy a car club plaque? O'Brien Truckers .com has 12 thousand, and can make new ones

Dennis who left a comment about another car club plaque "Veeblefetzers" said that he bought 8,000 plaque patterns from the original pattern maker for Chicago Metal Craft.  So we can make you as many new, new old stock ones as you'd like. Here's a link to any of the 12,000 plaques we have for reproduction (the other 4,000 are the original patterns from Speed Gems).https://www.obrientruckers.com/ecom/category/235/3/

I just got a email back from Dennis, check out this cool story:
Just last night I got a call from a guy looking to see if I could make a plaque from a photo I had. When I asked for the name of the club you could hear the questioning in his voice like "Why does it matter what the name of the club was?" When I looked it up in my database and described it to him he gasped! And it gets better. He was an original member and knew the guy who had drawn the artwork back in the day. Well I was as excited as him because it turns out this particular plaque, Exterminators So. Cal., was the one that Chicago Metal Craft used in their ads in Hot Rod back in the 50's!!!!

My thanks to my fellow vets, past and present. Some gave all, all gave some... believe it

if you thought, hey it's past Veterans day... think again. Every day you don't speak the language of the 3rd Reich, the Japanese who sought to rule the Pacific in WW2, etc etc. it is the day to thank a vet. Whether they were in combat, or stuck on a fence in Wyoming just passing time looking around to see if the USSR was trying to sneak into and ICBM silo, every one was doing their part knowing that any moment they were likely to be called to the front.

No Red Bull air races in 2012

Red Bull says the one year break its race series that happened this year will extend another year through 2012.

A spokesperson for Red Bull Air Race told the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association there will be no races again in 2012 saying, “a revamped concept and a fixed race calendar will be revealed in 2013.”

Found on http://www.wired.com/autopia/

cool new bike lock that resembles a sport drink bottle, and fits perfect into your bikes bottle holder

Brilliant! found on http://www.bemlegaus.com/

The review on Wired.com is that it is useless against hardcore city bike thieves... but just about everything is, to anyone with a car and tools, about nothing is theft proof... high speed rotary cutoff wheels will slice through Kryptonite and all the other stuff you think keep your bike chain and locks imperivous.
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/10/bike-bottle-lock-trades-security-for-convenience/