Friday, February 25, 2011

Good 'Ol Boys

A pair of exceedingly squat Galaxies make this program even more appealing. Reminds me of a Little Golden Book before bedtime.

Pit Stop #40

Targa Florio 1967
Ford GT40 Jo Schlesser/Guy Ligier
DNF.

Check out the sporty leisure hat in the background. That's something you won't see today ......... unless it were emblazoned with some indistinguishable corporate logo.


Via: Autodiva

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Racing Behind The Iron Curtain



A selection of brilliant programs from The Sachsenring, home to the East German Motorcycle Grand Prix from 1962 until 1971.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Interpretation




The only thing these hot rods have in common is that they all started life as Model A Fords.


Sunday, February 13, 2011

Strip Shot #6

Harry Luzader's 1932 Ford
about to reach for the sky.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Down But Not Out

Bill Henderson's 1940 Willys had a lot more nose down attitude than most of its contemporaries. Running a supercharged, fuel burning 392 Chrysler built by Chet Herbert, Henderson's Willys ran as a full bodied fuel car and not a gasser. The wild paint job was the work of none other than Larry Watson.

Just Add Paint

Larry Watson redefined the custom car when he loaded up the spray gun to paint his then new 1958 Ford Thunderbird. Intricate paint schemes became the new hammer and torch as custom cars gleamed under the latest metalflakes, candies and pearls.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

A Little Off The Top

1966 saw things at Lincoln-Mercury starting to get a little funny. The Plastigage Corporation was enlisted to produce four fiberglass Comet bodies for each of their match race drivers. From the outside, they had the appearance of stock bodied Comets, except Jack Chrisman's GT-1. Jack hacked the roof straight of his car and turned it into a wild roadster. This roofless wonder was a very strong performer, running over 180 mph in the quarter, until parachute failure destroyed the plastic projectile. After running out of strip and stopping power, the GT-1 crashed, burning to the ground.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Givin' You The Willys

An excuse to post more vintage
shots of Willys gassers.

Heaven And Hell


Heaven was just as hot as hell on the quartermile.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Elegance Redefined

I don't often post contemporary stuff, but in this instance I must make an exception. Built for owner Paul Hoffman, metal master Rudy Rodriguez has created an absolutely stunning 1940 Mercury. Read the whole story on
The H.A.M.B or visit Rudy's website : fullertonfabrications.com

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Jet Jockeys

Odds on that the poster is better
than the movie.

But I have been wrong before.......

Via: wrongsideoftheart

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Mighty Mouse

Sush Matsubara and Joe Mondello combined forces to build one of the greatest
Fuel Altereds. With Sush behind the wheel and Joe handling the horsepower,
this little Fiat became the first Altered to break 200 mph in the quarter.

Monday, January 10, 2011

It's A Gas

General Motors series of gas-turbine powered concepts culminated with the ultramodern Firebird III of 1958. What a shame today's highways aren't choked with these four-wheeled spaceships,
instead of nondescript Asian sedans.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Barris Kustom Goodies

Barris had it all going on in '63.

Up, Up And Away

More often than not, Dick Landy had his Dodge pointed toward the stratosphere.

Via: The H.A.M.B

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Numero Uno

A much slimmer Cobra - before packing on the cubes.

Via: oldcarmanualproject

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Mr Speed

I bet most of these kits saw out their twilight years in the model car mortuary, on top of the wardrobe.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Where There's Smoke

Magnesium, methanol and metalflake -
a volatile combination.

Safety First

Are these being made in China now ?

Monday, December 27, 2010

Grocery Getter

The only thing missing from the space age 1956 Plymouth Plainsman was a load of Herman Miller furniture in the the back.

Via: carstyling.ru

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Friday, December 24, 2010

Trunk Call

The Jetsonesque interior of the 1960 Chrysler Imperial had it all.

Smoothsville #2

Al Glickman sunk a hole in one when the Ayala Brothers worked their metal magic
on his 1951 Mercury.


Via: rickhovingkustoms.com

From The Glovebox

Monday, December 20, 2010

Ski Safari

1964 Wide-Track Pontiac Safari.

The ideal choice for those icy backroads.

Via: leifpeng

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Off Beat


Pontiac stalwart Dick Jesse's GTO based flopper was a peculiar amalgam of funny car and dragster.
More akin to competition coupe than funny car, Mr Unswitchable was a curious addition to the emerging funny car circus. Perched atop his severely chopped GTO, Jesse resembled a lunatic tank commander high on the scent of methanol, ready to blast his way to victory. Powered by 421 cubic inches of supercharged Pontiac power, Mr Unswitchable is a reminder of a time when innovation tore up the quarter mile. Sadly, funny cars have become generic showponies, indistinguishable other than their hideous advertising.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Strip Shot #5

As Cold War tension escalated, Plymouth launched their own weapon.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Smoothsville

Jerry Quesnel 1949 Mercury.

The key to building a custom this refined is knowing what not to do.


Via: The H.A.M.B

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Metamorphosis

You would be hard-pressed to describe the original Willys Model 77 as anything other than practical, however in the hands of horsepower crazed drag racers this homely little coupe took on an attitude all its own. What may have been best remembered as an austere depression-era relic, hustled its way down the quarter mile and into history as one of the gasser war's finest.

Via: The H.A.M.B

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Bulls Eye

Lamborghini's Muira debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 1966 and immediately hit the bulls eye. Marcello Gandini's tour de force is still electrifying four decades
after it was unveiled.

Artist's Impression #2

Car Life Magazine
July 1965


Via: mustangtek.com