MULLIN MUSEUM: FRENCH AUTOMOTIVE CROWN JEWELS!

Posted on March 25, 2018 by MartynL

Some of the most revered and acclaimed cars in the world, including the ‘36 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic by Jean Bugatti, ‘39 Delahaye Type 165 Cabriolet by Figoni and Falaschi, ‘37 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS Goutte d'Eau, below, and more will be showcased in an exhibit that opens on April 14 at the Mullin Automotive Museum, Oxnard, CA. The Mullin Automotive Museum’s “crown jewels” will return as part of its upcoming exhibit, L’époque des Carrossiers: The Art and Times of the French Coachbuilders. Th...

’69 CORVETTE ZL1: TRIBUTE WITH PERSONAL TOUCHES!

Posted on March 24, 2018March 24, 2018 by MartynL

Historical ZL1 background info plus George Haddad’s stunning alloy-engined Corvette Tribute.To understand the importance and uniqueness of George Haddad’s ‘69 Corvette ZL1 Tribute, top, you have to go back to late-1968. Hot Rod magazine broke the ZL1 Corvette story in the December 1968 issue with an unforgettable all-aluminum big-block 427 engine wearing bright yellow headers, above, on its cover. Haddad built this ZL1 Tribute at his shop, http://www.fabulousrestorations.com/ Exact production n...

’87 GNX REDUX: DRIVING BUICK GNX #002!

Posted on March 21, 2018March 21, 2018 by MartynL

Scott Oldham recalls his GNX driving experience and being the first to be involved in a GNX fender bender. That’s something he’ll never forget. Neither will I. In 1987 I handled media relations for Buick on the east coast, wrote the BUICK GNX book that went with each of the 547 GNXs and had #002 in my New York City press fleet. The first media loan went to Joe Oldham at Popular Mechanics magazine, and son Scott, later to become a respected member of the automotive media community, borrowed it t...

‘50 CHEVY: RONNIE STAPLES’ SPLITLINER!

Posted on March 20, 2018 by MartynL

Prior to joining Ronnie Staples’s fleet of pro-built hot rods and Resto-Mods, the Splitliner was a mild custom powered by a 350 crate motor. That was then; this is now. Within a week of purchasing this custom Chevy Fleetline coupe from Scott Graham, Generations Body Shop, Franklin, IN in 2002 Staples started to turn it into the Splitliner showcased here. It already had been chopped one-inch, nosed and decked, and had its hood and fenders reshaped. It had Mercedes taillights, tan interior and da...

LEGEND OR MYTH: ZORA’S MARQUE OF EXCELLENCE!

Posted on March 17, 2018March 17, 2018 by MartynL

VOLUME 1 of Kenneth W. Kayser’s CORVETTE, Legend Or Myth & Zora’s Marque Of Excellence series reveals everything you have always wanted to know about the creation of the first Corvette plus Zora Arkus-Duntov’s unique sports car passion. Since the first Corvette broke cover more than six decades ago, there have been dozens of books, thousands of newspaper and magazine articles and many single marque magazines focusing exclusively on America’s Sports Car. And, Corvette Godfather Zora Arkus Du...

2018 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS: THE BEST GETS BETTER!

Posted on March 15, 2018March 15, 2018 by MartynL

Bill Warner and his team continue to raise the bar; the 23rd annual Concours d’Elegance does not disappoint…even when rain is in the forecast. In a world that appears dedicated to instant gratification, for anything to endure 23 years, let alone thrive and prosper, is unusual to say the least. But such is the case with the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. For nearly a quarter century it has been treating aficionados to all forms of automotive wonderment in a beautiful setting. This year was n...

CLASSIC AUTO SHOW: MOTORS & MYSTERY IN LA!

Posted on March 9, 2018March 10, 2018 by MartynL

The ‘Mystery’ is the mysterious Mysterion and Mike Brewer’s two different shoes, reason enough to keep checking the latest at http://CarGuyChronicles.com , blogs Jim Palam. Taking inspiration from the UK’s Classic Motor Show, the US Classic Auto Show was promoted as “The largest three-day indoor classic car show in the U.S.” My hopes were high as I escalated to the second floor of the LA Convention Center and got a friendly wave from Wayne Carini, star of Chasing Classic Cars. This was the seco...

INDYCAR: WHAT’S MISSING AT ST. PETE?

Posted on March 8, 2018 by MartynL

Stephen Cox examines the decline in overall entries at Indycar events over the years and looks at what, if anything could or should be done about it. Qualifying for an Indycar race is no longer considered an accomplishment of any value in the auto-racing world. Of course, qualifying well is still valued. But qualifying itself is not, because every team that shows up automatically makes the race! This is one of the unspoken differences between Indycar racing today and Indycar racing of the...

’66 PLYMOUTH STREET HEMI: BONNEVILLE TO SUBURBIA!

Posted on March 2, 2018 by MartynL

After setting the B/Production Flying Mile record of 156.35 mph at the Salt Flats, I daily-drove and drag raced the 426 Street Hemi in around New York City. Bob Summers’, left, pre-production ’66 Plymouth 426 Street Hemi registered a top speed of 160.82 mph and set a USAC-FIA two-way Flying Mile record of 156.35 mph. It also set the two-way Flying Kilometer record of 155.30 mph. The B/Production records had been “owned” for years by factory Pontiacs prepared and driven by Mickey Thompson. I had...

LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN PERFORMANTE: FAST & FURIOUS!

Posted on March 1, 2018 by MartynL

Just one year from its debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, the Huracán Performante has already taken the production car lap-time records on eight international circuits. The record times were set during press trials carried out by prestigious magazines on their circuits of choice: 03/07/2017 Vairano (Quattroruote) –1’09”.43 03/08/2017 Balocco (Auto) –2’38”.07 29/08/2017 Contidrom (Auto Zeitung) –1’29”.6 25/09/2017 Mira (Autocar) –1’05”,03 28/09/2017 Wroughton (The Gr...