After a long week of working hard, nothing is more welcome than a weekend to yourself. So take after the driver of this sweet '32 Ford, and go hit the town and have a good time. You've earned it.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Working For The Weekend
After a long week of working hard, nothing is more welcome than a weekend to yourself. So take after the driver of this sweet '32 Ford, and go hit the town and have a good time. You've earned it.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Daily Drivers
Car shows are great. You get to see row after row of incredible machinery. Ferraris sit next to Mustangs, and Packards mingle with F-100s. But there's something about seeing those same cars on the road as daily drivers that I personally love. Sure, the car gets dirty and you have to be more careful, but in the end it's worth it. You're driving a vehicle that's fun, and you're improving your driving experience, as well as everyone else's. Here are some of the coolest machines I've seen being used as everyday drivers.
A daily driver needs to be capable of handling almost any situation, so a pickup truck is a wise choice. This 1953 Chevrolet 1500 shows its age, but also its character. It's clearly seen better days, but it's still a hardworking machine.
The Ford Falcon is an ideal car for urban living. It's big enough to be comfortable, yet small enough to be practical. This particular Falcon is a 1963 model. It could use a car wash, but otherwise it's a solid car. Plus, it looks good in red.
If you want something more spacious, take a look at this 1964 Chevrolet Bel Air Sedan. The Bel Air model offered a terrific combination of luxury and performance. This particular example has seen some wear and tear over the years, but despite that, the lines of the car still look great. It's elegant and sporting, an impressive feat for a car getting close to fifty years old.
The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia's styling is hit or miss. It's either sporty and cute or bulbous and fat. Personally, I like it. The stylish design seats two, has plenty of luggage space under the hood, and uses the dependable and efficient VW air-cooled engine. This one is a 1964, and looks pretty good. The headlight covers are a nice personal touch, and the paint, although worn, still catches the eye.
The Ford Mustang has been around for years, and is now a household name. But this classic example harks back to the days when the pony car was just an infant. The Mustang's debut in 1964 was a huge success, and the car sold extremely well. This 1966 Coupe wears plenty of custom addons, including aftermarket wheels, Shelby-style stripes, a hood scoop and a modern sound system. All of these things make this Mustang a sporty stallion indeed.
No, it's not a GTO. This is a 1967 Pontiac Le Mans, the GTO's little brother. Apart from a different taillight design, the Le Mans and the GTO are almost identical aesthetically. The difference was in performance. The Le Mans was less geared for performance. This one, though, looks like a serious street machine. It's rolling on Cragar wheels, and has a super cool two-tone paint scheme. A nice car for sure.
This 1972 Chevrolet Blazer looks ready for anything. The green paint goes well with the white top, although the top is detachable for those sunny fall afternoons. On the road, the Blazer is small enough to be a very usable daily driver. Leave the pavement, however, and suddenly it's a hardcore off-roader. It's the best of both worlds.
These vehicles are all interesting cars. At a car show, none would be the star attraction, but out on the streets they're real eye-catchers. They do service every day as dependable workhorses, rain or shine. Consider this: When these cars were built, however many decades ago that may have been, they were built to be everyday machines. So why can't they still be? It's a question worth thinking about.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Top 10 Automotive Names
In today's automotive market, you might have noticed the ever-growing quantity of uninspired car names. You can buy a CTS, a Z4, an M6, an A8, a 328i or an E 500 AMG. All this alpha-numerical rubbish makes me long for the automotive names of the past. Take, for example, Firebird, or Torino. Those names suggest performance and style. G35 sounds like a movie rating or a microwave oven. So, to honor the great names of the past, let's take a look at my personal favorites in a Top 10 countdown.
10. Aston Martin Vanquish
10. Aston Martin Vanquish
The Aston Martin Vanquish was a V12-powered speed machine capable of eliminating lesser vehicles completely. James Bond drove one in Die Another Day. Such a vehicle needed a bold title to proclaim its abilities. "Vanquish" certainly meets those qualifications.
9. Lamborghini Diablo
Diablo is Spanish for "devil", and what better way to describe Lamborghini's successor to the Countach than as a devil? The Diablo was lightning fast, super light, and utterly gorgeous. However, in true Lamborghini fashion, the car was also aggressive and wild. The name couldn't match up better.
8. Dodge Viper
The Dodge Viper is a beautiful, curvaceous machine. But underneath, it's all performance, not unlike a real viper, which is slithery and eye-catching, but not to be messed with. The new Viper, officially badged as an SRT instead of a Dodge, looks poised to strike when it hits showroom floors soon.
7. Ford Bronco
The Ford Bronco is small next to some off-road machines, but it packs a serious punch. Combining stylish looks with untamed performance helped make this Ford a strong competitor against its 4x4 rivals.
6. Bugatti Veyron
It's mind-bogglingly fast, eye-meltingly exotic, and it costs more than a private island. The engine produces 1001 horsepower, more than enough to propel you to its 200+ mph top speed. It's reserved for the wealthy and famous, and is unlike any car ever built. What is it called? Veyron.
5. Rolls-Royce Phantom
You don't drive a Rolls-Royce, you're driven in one. Very few individuals get the chance to enjoy all that a Rolls-Royce has to offer. It's often considered the ultimate in luxury, to the point that it's become a unit of measurement. The "Rolls-Royce of wristwatches", for example. The Phantom gets extra credit for having an incredibly imposing name.
4. Mercury Marauder
Mercury is rarely associated with muscle cars, but the 1969 Marauder offered premium luxury and American horsepower in one car. And what a good looking car it is. Hidden headlights and magnum wheels are a stunning combo. The name, Marauder, is icing on the cake. It just oozes power and style.
3. Shelby Cobra
Carroll Shelby came up with the name "Cobra" in a dream. Now, years later, it's still a dream car for many people. The fabulous British sports car design is killer as-is, but the souped-up American 427 under the hood takes the Cobra to the next level. Mr. Shelby passed on just months ago, but his creations, the Cobra especially, will live on for eternity.
2. Ford Raptor
The big American super-truck may not be as incredible as the other cars on this list, but the name is practically unbeatable. I mean, come on. Say it out loud a couple of times. The big blue beast is actually a pretty sweet ride. A 6.2 liter V8 provides plenty of horsepower, and the big wheels and lift kit make it nearly unstoppable. Say it with me now: Raptor.
1. Jensen Interceptor
The Jensen Interceptor is an iconic British sports car that has acquired a successful fanbase over the years. It's good-looking, sporty, and unique. But the name really puts it over the top. Interceptor just screams power, strength, and looks. The Jensen does meet those qualifications, but to be honest, when I think of "Interceptor", this isn't the car that comes to mind.
Now THIS is an Interceptor. The custom 1973 Ford Falcon XB used by Max Rockatansky in Mad Max and The Road Warrior. It's powerful, ominous, and mean. It's also first place.
And that concludes this Top 10 post. Keep in mind, these aren't the only cool automotive names out there. I had to narrow down a list of roughly 30 names into the ten you see above. If you think I missed a name, or you want to make suggestions for future posts, comment below! And, as always, stay tuned for more posts.
A Quick Refresh
You might have noticed that the site has a new appearance. I've made some subtle changes, such as a more user-friendly archive and a change of colors. Other than that, it's still the same site. There'll be many more posts to come in the near future, so keep your eyes open.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Two Times The Two-Tone
Walking around the peaceful suburbs of Houston often offers up some interesting machines. Recently I came upon these two colorful classics.
Despite having no roof and only one door, this mid-70s Volkswagen Thing was rocking the two-tone paint scheme.
This 1959 Willys Wagon lends itself to a two-tone paint job. This is the kind of vehicle that can serve as a daily driver as well as a weekend show car.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Car Show Report- 5/19/12
Every year, Blanco, Texas, hosts a car show along the banks of the Blanco River. The May weather and scenic location almost always guarantee a great turnout. And today was no exception. With so many different types of cars on hand, there was something for everyone. Here's a look at some of the most interesting cars to attend.
Before actually making it out of the parking lot, I was stopped by this beautiful custom Camaro. The amount of convertible 1969 Camaros driving around Texas is a pretty low number, so I had to take a closer look. This one has been tastefully modified with custom wheels, as well as a high performance LS motor, as evidenced by the "SS/LS" badge on the hood.
I was almost in the car show when I had to make one last detour. This 1969 El Camino was too cool to pass up, and was clearly a daily driver. Badging indicated a 350 V8, which means that this car, or truck, if you prefer, is no slouch.
Alright, that's enough from the parking lot. On to the cars of the show, which are arranged by year, to make things easy. Starting us off is this 1932 Ford sedan. A 1932 Ford is far from unique, as every car show seems to have at least one, but unmodified versions are less common, and a sedan is rarer still. The red wheels and blue paint combine nicely on this car, lending to its classic look.
I'd seen this bluer-than-blue Ford before, but hadn't taken that close of a look at it. However, I have to admit there's something about this car that really works. Few cars on the road, or anywhere else for that matter, have paint jobs this striking, so it stands out. Although I guess it's hard to drive around in a classic Ford coupe and not stand out. A sweet ride for sure.
Some cars look good with flames, and some cars don't. This 1936 Ford coupe definitely falls into the first category. A radical interior and custom wheels were cool additions to a hot car, and made the whole thing look even better.
Although I admire the polished, pristine show cars, I prefer to see workhorses like this. Cars were meant to be driven and enjoyed, not displayed behind velvet ropes. This 1936 Ford pickup is clearly a daily driver. It shows its patina with pride, and the wooden box in the back suggests a previous life as a farm truck. This one was just plain cool.
This 1951 Chevrolet truck is one of the best looking pickups I've ever seen. The silver-grey paint and dark grey wheels gave it an almost stealthy appearance. You get plenty of old American pickups here in Texas, but this just might be my favorite one yet.
Like I said, there's no shortage of old American trucks around here. This one, a 1953 Chevrolet, stood out with its bright yellow paint job. There's not a lot to say about this one, other than mention how clean it was.
This 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air had all the right stuff. The paint combination was gorgeous, the interior was immaculate, and custom wheels added a little bit of personalization. This is my favorite "Tri-Five" Chevy, although the fin-tastic '56 and '57 models are definitely not bad cars. I simply prefer the ultra-clean lines of the '55.
That said, it's hard to go wrong with this 1957 Bel Air. Light blue suits these cars, and the aftermarket wheels on this one look great. Not a whole lot to be said about this one. It's just a good-looking car.
What we have here is a 1963 Ford Galaxie 500XL. The nondescript white paint job might lead you to believe that this is just an average Ford grocery getter, but you'd be wrong. Under the hood lies a Holman-Moody 390 V8, which is more than capable of smoking any opposition you could find in 1963. Overall, this was a super nice car.
Yes, yet another Chevrolet pickup. I'll be brief on this one, and say that it's a 1964 Stepside, and it looks good in blue. Very good.
I'll start to speed things up a little bit, as there's plenty of pictures. This 1965 Malibu SS was classy, and the custom rims are a nice addition. This one was nondescript, yet at the same time it stood out.
This is one I didn't expect to see. The experienced gearhead will recognize this as a 1965 Sunbeam Tiger, which is a Sunbeam Alpine powered by a Mustang V8. The brilliant idea was the brainchild of none other than Carroll Shelby, who had achieved fame with the Cobra by doing almost the same thing.
This 1967 Ford Mustang GT has a lot going for it. Custom wheels, spoiler, and hood scoop combine with an iconic Mustang paint scheme, white with blue stripes. Terlingua badging on the sides pays homage to the Mustang racing efforts of the aforementioned Carroll Shelby. Power comes from a modified 428 Ford engine.
Here's another 1967 Mustang, this time a GT-A fastback. Blue paint and retro wheels made this car an eye-catcher.
This is a car you don't see everyday, a Mercury Cougar. This one is in pristine condition, and rides on aftermarket Cragar wheels. I was very pleased to see this at the show, as Cougars seem to be getting rarer and rarer.
Seeing a genuine Shelby is always a treat, and this 1967 GT 350 doesn't dissappoint. Rock chips marked the Brittany Blue paint, showing that this car is a daily driver. It's hard not to like this car.
Seeing one Shelby is uncommon, but two? That's pretty unlikely. Nonetheless, this 1968 Shelby GT 350 convertible was soaking up some Texas sunshine. I don't know the exact numbers, but a convertible Shelby is pretty rare these days, so I was thrilled to look at one up close.
This 1969 AMX was wild. Side exhaust, tuned engine, and plenty of custom bodywork drew attention. The silver paint was highlighted by blue stripes, a color combo that works well on this classic AMC.
Basking in the shade was this 1969 Corvette Stingray Convertible. The yellow paint was hard to miss, and made the car that much cooler.
This 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 was absolutely flawless. A 351 V8 coupled to an automatic transmission provided power. The white interior was unique, and the color was reminiscient of a European sports car. I quite liked this one.
It was great convertible weather, and this 1969 Pontiac Le Mans was in its natural habitat. Seeing a Le Mans is refreshing, as they are less common compared to a GTO or a Grand Prix. This one was especially nice in red.
Here we have another Mustang, a 1972 Mach 1 in yellow. This generation was the last of the muscle Mustangs, and lasted until 1973. In 1974, the Mustang became the rather unpleasant Mustang II. The 70s weren't kind to muscle cars.
Mopars were in short supply at the show, but this little Dodge Dart Swinger didn't dissappoint. It was clean, cool, and simple. A good car can be fairly plain-jane, as this Dart clearly illustrates.
A Triumph Stag is a car you don't see very often in the United States. Yet somehow, this one snuck in. The groovy British sports car is stylish yet simple. Nothing overly complex or complicated. This one has been kept in stock condition, and is very well-maintained.
Last of all is this 1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z. It's impossible not to want one of these at least a little. The color is pretty, and T tops are just plain cool.
So that's that. It was an impressive turnout, with lots to look at. You've got to admire car culture, and the people that drive long distances to show off their car. The people are friendly and talkative, the cars are cool, and on days like this, the weather is perfect. There's no place on Earth like a good car show.
Before actually making it out of the parking lot, I was stopped by this beautiful custom Camaro. The amount of convertible 1969 Camaros driving around Texas is a pretty low number, so I had to take a closer look. This one has been tastefully modified with custom wheels, as well as a high performance LS motor, as evidenced by the "SS/LS" badge on the hood.
I was almost in the car show when I had to make one last detour. This 1969 El Camino was too cool to pass up, and was clearly a daily driver. Badging indicated a 350 V8, which means that this car, or truck, if you prefer, is no slouch.
Alright, that's enough from the parking lot. On to the cars of the show, which are arranged by year, to make things easy. Starting us off is this 1932 Ford sedan. A 1932 Ford is far from unique, as every car show seems to have at least one, but unmodified versions are less common, and a sedan is rarer still. The red wheels and blue paint combine nicely on this car, lending to its classic look.
I'd seen this bluer-than-blue Ford before, but hadn't taken that close of a look at it. However, I have to admit there's something about this car that really works. Few cars on the road, or anywhere else for that matter, have paint jobs this striking, so it stands out. Although I guess it's hard to drive around in a classic Ford coupe and not stand out. A sweet ride for sure.
Some cars look good with flames, and some cars don't. This 1936 Ford coupe definitely falls into the first category. A radical interior and custom wheels were cool additions to a hot car, and made the whole thing look even better.
Although I admire the polished, pristine show cars, I prefer to see workhorses like this. Cars were meant to be driven and enjoyed, not displayed behind velvet ropes. This 1936 Ford pickup is clearly a daily driver. It shows its patina with pride, and the wooden box in the back suggests a previous life as a farm truck. This one was just plain cool.
This 1951 Chevrolet truck is one of the best looking pickups I've ever seen. The silver-grey paint and dark grey wheels gave it an almost stealthy appearance. You get plenty of old American pickups here in Texas, but this just might be my favorite one yet.
Like I said, there's no shortage of old American trucks around here. This one, a 1953 Chevrolet, stood out with its bright yellow paint job. There's not a lot to say about this one, other than mention how clean it was.
This 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air had all the right stuff. The paint combination was gorgeous, the interior was immaculate, and custom wheels added a little bit of personalization. This is my favorite "Tri-Five" Chevy, although the fin-tastic '56 and '57 models are definitely not bad cars. I simply prefer the ultra-clean lines of the '55.
That said, it's hard to go wrong with this 1957 Bel Air. Light blue suits these cars, and the aftermarket wheels on this one look great. Not a whole lot to be said about this one. It's just a good-looking car.
What we have here is a 1963 Ford Galaxie 500XL. The nondescript white paint job might lead you to believe that this is just an average Ford grocery getter, but you'd be wrong. Under the hood lies a Holman-Moody 390 V8, which is more than capable of smoking any opposition you could find in 1963. Overall, this was a super nice car.
Yes, yet another Chevrolet pickup. I'll be brief on this one, and say that it's a 1964 Stepside, and it looks good in blue. Very good.
I'll start to speed things up a little bit, as there's plenty of pictures. This 1965 Malibu SS was classy, and the custom rims are a nice addition. This one was nondescript, yet at the same time it stood out.
This is one I didn't expect to see. The experienced gearhead will recognize this as a 1965 Sunbeam Tiger, which is a Sunbeam Alpine powered by a Mustang V8. The brilliant idea was the brainchild of none other than Carroll Shelby, who had achieved fame with the Cobra by doing almost the same thing.
This 1967 Ford Mustang GT has a lot going for it. Custom wheels, spoiler, and hood scoop combine with an iconic Mustang paint scheme, white with blue stripes. Terlingua badging on the sides pays homage to the Mustang racing efforts of the aforementioned Carroll Shelby. Power comes from a modified 428 Ford engine.
Here's another 1967 Mustang, this time a GT-A fastback. Blue paint and retro wheels made this car an eye-catcher.
This is a car you don't see everyday, a Mercury Cougar. This one is in pristine condition, and rides on aftermarket Cragar wheels. I was very pleased to see this at the show, as Cougars seem to be getting rarer and rarer.
Seeing a genuine Shelby is always a treat, and this 1967 GT 350 doesn't dissappoint. Rock chips marked the Brittany Blue paint, showing that this car is a daily driver. It's hard not to like this car.
Seeing one Shelby is uncommon, but two? That's pretty unlikely. Nonetheless, this 1968 Shelby GT 350 convertible was soaking up some Texas sunshine. I don't know the exact numbers, but a convertible Shelby is pretty rare these days, so I was thrilled to look at one up close.
This 1969 AMX was wild. Side exhaust, tuned engine, and plenty of custom bodywork drew attention. The silver paint was highlighted by blue stripes, a color combo that works well on this classic AMC.
Basking in the shade was this 1969 Corvette Stingray Convertible. The yellow paint was hard to miss, and made the car that much cooler.
This 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 was absolutely flawless. A 351 V8 coupled to an automatic transmission provided power. The white interior was unique, and the color was reminiscient of a European sports car. I quite liked this one.
It was great convertible weather, and this 1969 Pontiac Le Mans was in its natural habitat. Seeing a Le Mans is refreshing, as they are less common compared to a GTO or a Grand Prix. This one was especially nice in red.
Here we have another Mustang, a 1972 Mach 1 in yellow. This generation was the last of the muscle Mustangs, and lasted until 1973. In 1974, the Mustang became the rather unpleasant Mustang II. The 70s weren't kind to muscle cars.
Mopars were in short supply at the show, but this little Dodge Dart Swinger didn't dissappoint. It was clean, cool, and simple. A good car can be fairly plain-jane, as this Dart clearly illustrates.
A Triumph Stag is a car you don't see very often in the United States. Yet somehow, this one snuck in. The groovy British sports car is stylish yet simple. Nothing overly complex or complicated. This one has been kept in stock condition, and is very well-maintained.
Last of all is this 1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z. It's impossible not to want one of these at least a little. The color is pretty, and T tops are just plain cool.
So that's that. It was an impressive turnout, with lots to look at. You've got to admire car culture, and the people that drive long distances to show off their car. The people are friendly and talkative, the cars are cool, and on days like this, the weather is perfect. There's no place on Earth like a good car show.
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