RARE & WELL-DONE: SHELBY G.T. 500 MUSTANG TRIFECTA!

Posted on October 8, 2021October 8, 2021 by MartynL

For the first time ever, three of the rarest, most significant Shelby G.T. 500 Mustangs will be in the same place at the same time: RARE & WELL-DONE: SHELBY G.T. 500 MUSTANG TRIFECTA! In August 1966, Carroll Shelby placed a special order with Ford for three G.T. 500s, powered by the new dual-quad 428 cubic-inch (7-Liter) Special Interceptor engine. All three were painted Candy Apple Red and fully optioned with air-conditioning, California emissions, AM radio, and “Deluxe” Mag Star w...

’21 RPM NATIONALS: FLATHEAD DRAGS, SHOW & SWAP MEET

Posted on October 5, 2021October 5, 2021 by MartynL

We asked Car Guy Chronicles' Jim Palam to travel back to the Halcyon Days of Flathead hot rods and drag racing. He didn't need a time machine – just a tank of gas, an alarm clock set for 4 am, and directions to Santa Margarita Ranch in Central California for the ’21 RPM NATIONALS: FLATHEAD DRAGS, SHOW & SWAP MEET. I started sticking my head into dimly lit garages and greasy engine compartments when I was 14 years old. My older brother Tommy – AKA Tommy Tuner - who at 16 was already ...

SPORTS RODS: ROAD-RACING V-8 HYBRIDS!

Posted on September 22, 2021September 22, 2021 by MartynL

Rod & Custom historian, Pat Ganahl blogs about the birth of hot-rod-engined Imports, also known as California Specials: SPORTS RODS: ROAD-RACING V-8 HYBRIDS! In the 1950s, imported English Allards, could be ordered with American V-8 engines – Ford Flatheads to Caddys and Chrysler Hemis – while MGs, Austin-Healeys and others required hot rod surgery to replace anemic four-bangers with V-8s. Plus, there were limited-production domestic Kurtis 500-S sports cars available with as much V...

VENTURA NATIONALS: RODS, CUSTOMS, BIKES & GUITARS!

Posted on September 17, 2021September 17, 2021 by MartynL

While he wasn't ready to spike-up his hair and tattoo a car club logo on his chest, Car Guy Chronicle's contributor, Jim Palam, was more than willing to motor South on Highway 101 and immerse himself in the cuffed-denim and octane-fueled culture of the 18th annual VENTURA NATIONALS: RODS, CUSTOMS, BIKES & GUITARS! There are lots of things that go together well – like bows & arrows, macaroni & cheese, Batman & Robin. But for those of us with octane in our veins, the rhyth...

PORSCHE: WERKS REUNION MONTEREY 2021

Posted on September 9, 2021September 9, 2021 by MartynL

Having recently joined the Porsche owner’s ranks with his ‘Poor Man's' 914, Car Guy Chronicles’ Jim Palam took a Friday-the-13th detour from Car Week events in Monterey and headed to Seaside to catch the air-cooled action at the PORSCHE: Werks Reunion Monterey 2021. In the wide-wide-world of sports cars, Porsche is the one enthusiasts call The Perfect Athlete. Built with the promise of perfection, performance and reliability, over two-thirds of all Porsches ever built are still on the r...

BONDED GOODS: ASTON MARTIN DBX

Posted on September 3, 2021 by MartynL

The fabled British automaker's first sport-ute - BONDED GOODS: ASTON MARTIN DBX - will definitely leave you shaken and stirred, blogs Road Test Editor Howard Walker. There'll come a time when Bond, James Bond, will need to hand back the Walther PPK, the MI6-issued Omega Seamaster and the License to Kill. He'll get hitched, settle down, and no doubt have a couple of rug-rats with Moneypenny. The current 007, Daniel Craig, is 53 for goodness’ sake. Arthritis and AARP are surely just around t...

PEBBLE BEACH 2021: CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE

Posted on August 28, 2021August 29, 2021 by MartynL

CGC’s Jim Palam spiffs up for the 70th Anniversary of the premier venue for the best-of-the-best classics and specialty vehicles with new gear, classy cards, a black mask and a snazzy haircut. In the process, he coins a new word to describe MONTERREY 2021: PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE: Automotacular! There are a number of judged automobile events that capture the undivided attention of the automotive press and the pulsating hearts of automobile enthusiasts – and then, there is the prestigio...

RANGE ROVER SPORT: SVR ULTIMATE EDITION

Posted on August 25, 2021 by MartynL

Bespoke treatment turns Land Rover’s most popular vehicle into the most luxurious, most powerful model in its portfolio of legendary SUVs - RANGE ROVER SPORT: SVR ULTIMATE EDITION. Special Vehicle Operations has launched a special edition Range Rover Sport SVR with spectacular new solid glass flake paintwork options for the first time. Featuring a selection of exclusive paint color combinations and tailored interior detailing by the SV Bespoke vehicle personalization team, the 575 horse...

MONTEREY 2021: ROLEX MOTORSPORTS REUNION!

Posted on August 24, 2021August 24, 2021 by MartynL

Jim Palam set his GPS and focus on WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, as he headed out into a dense morning fog to capture the action and excitement of Monterey Car Week's largest event – historic car racing at MONTEREY 2021: ROLEX MOTORSPORTS REUNION! I consider myself a good driver but I was unusually nervous heading into a heavy fog shrouding the long, ridgetop South Boundary Road that leads to the admissions checkpoint at Laguna Seca. The unforgiving fog was one thing, but the realiza...

MOTION 482-INCH VETTE: THE BEAST FROM BALDWIN

Posted on August 4, 2021 by MartynL

The most powerful Phase III Corvette built in 1969 - MOTION 482-INCH VETTE: THE BEAST FROM BALDWIN was close, but not a true Baldwin-Motion car. It was a 600-horsepower Vette built on a brand-new Stingray from Reedman Chevrolet, supplied by purchaser David McCaughey, a returning Vietnam vet. After serving a couple of tours in Vietnam in 1968, McCaughey returned home to Southampton, PA and gave serious thought to buying the car he had been dreaming about for the past year - a super-perform...