Evolution of the Batmobile, all 70 years of it

This, you have to click on for full size
found on http://fireballtim.com/blog

Dean Jeffries, pinstriper and custom car bulder, Oakland Roadster Show winner

I was just reading an article about Dean and the Mantaray, and learned that he travelled to Indy for the 500, and on year, pinstriped 2/3rds of the race cars

James Dean was one of his early customers, and Jeffries painted "Little Bastard" on the Porsche 550 Spyder that Dean owned.

Agajanian took Jeffries to the 1952 Indy 500, Mobil Oil, noticing his unusual painting and pin striping style, hired him in the following years to paint any of the Indy race cars. It was free to the teams and Mobil got their logo somewhere on the car. Jeffries would paint and pin stripe the cars and helmets of race car drivers like Jim Rathmann, Parnelli Jones, and A. J. Foyt, and become Foyt's paint and body man.

After that, in 1962, he worked for famous race car designer and builder Carroll Shelby on the Cobra.

Dean's show car, Mantaray, first appeared at the 1964 Oakland Roadster Show where it won the Tournament of Fame First Prize. The smallblock Ford engine & 4-speed trans came directly from Shelby as partial payment for work Jeffries had done and to this day that Cobra engine has just a few miles on it.

For more about Dean Jeffries, mostly photos of his pinstriping, Krazy Shirts, and his magazine advertisements: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Dean%20Jeffries

California Smog test... not much interested in tailpipe emissions

If you have had a jump start, replaced your battery, or removed your battery to replace engine parts like I did yesterday, your newer model vehicles with computers will have lost some memory that the smopg test requires as so important, you fail the smog test

What the hell is so essential about the computer memory of my Grand Am? How much time I've spent over the speed limit? How much I've spun the tires to the extent the computer kicks in the idiot light for "Loss of traction" ?

The smog test guy tells me that it's the history of the computer tuning the fuel and exhaust parts that can vary to keep the emissions clean.

I told him that if the emission out the muffler is clean it is good enough for me. I have to come back once I've added a lot of miles to the history of the computer, so the state of California can see that my car doesn't have to work too much to keep the emissions in check

Radiator hoses

They seem to fail between 75,000 and 100,000 miles, and about 10 years..

If you are looking to visit car museums in the USA, here a list not to miss

here is a list of the top 10 in the world: http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-automobile-museums.html?articleid=122959 which completely agrees with http://smashingusa.com/12-definitely-worth-a-detour-car-museums-of-america/ and they agree that the Henry Ford, the National Corvette, and the Petersen are not to be missed and they suprised me with the Studebaker and the Natl. Auto museum in Reno (formerly the Harrah).

Some others: the Gilmore in Michigan (doesn't open til May http://www.gilmorecarmuseum.org )
and if you get into Michigan see the Motorsports Hall of Fame http://www.mshf.com/ ,
the AACA in Hershey Pennsylvania http://www.aacamuseum.org/ ,
and if you got to Penn stop by Allentown and see http://www.americaonwheels.org/
you might try the Swigart in Huntingdon, PA http://www.swigartmuseum.com/index.html
and the Punta Gorda muscle car in Florida, the Indianapolis Speedway museum, and a must is Speedy Bill's!

The Lane museum is quirky and full of micro cars, it's in Nashville, and the Crawford in Cleveland are both in this top 10 list http://www.journeyetc.com/travel-guide/top-10-best-automobile-museums-to-visit-in-the-us/ While in the neighborhood of Illinois / Ohio, see the Packard in Dayton Ohio http://www.wrsol.com/usatravelguide/2009/12/bestcarmuseums-americaspackardmuseum/ .. ..

Ya gotta see Speedy Bill's! It's the museum of American Speed http://www.museumofamericanspeed.com/default.dlp

In Pheonix Arizona is the Penske Auto museum: http://www.automotto.org/entry/jaunt-across-the-car-museums-of-america/

Here in So Cal, which you'll probably not consider during the trip, but sometime afterward... I still haven't gotten to these myself: The Nethercutt, Justice Brothers, Blackhawk, and you ought to see Galpin Ford's display

Here's a list of museums by state: http://www.team.net/www/museums/us.html but it's 5 years old, and might not be 100% accurate anymore

Here is a link to a list of lots of US auto museums http://www.digital-librarian.com/car_museums.html

Mullins museum info, it's not open often, and you must buy tickets in advance

805.385.5400

Info@mullinautomotivemuseum.com

VISITING HOURS
Visiting hours are 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM on days the museum is scheduled to be open.

DATES
The Museum will be open on the following dates:

Saturday, February 12, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011

Tickets must be purchased in advance.
http://www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com/tickets--information.html
Tickets are not refundable and cannot be exchanged.
Third-party convenience charges will apply.

TICKETS PRICES

Adults $10
Seniors (62+) $7
Children (5-12) $5
Children under 5 FREE

For more about the Mullin Museum: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/10/peter-mullin-auto-museum-not-open-yet.html and
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/mullin-museum-is-finally-open-but-only.html

Brilliant. Please read, and if you don't already drive this way, change. This is wisdom

found on http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/can-we-please-stop-hotlinking-pics/20411

Henry Ford had a Model T truck made from aluminum

Ford in 1925 initiated Ford Air Transport Service - the world's first regularly scheduled commercial cargo airline.

Ford Air Transport Service started with Stout 2-AT Pullman aircraft in 1925. Henry and Edsel Ford had a investment in Stout Engineering that became the Stout Metal Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company later that year in August.

The first 2-AT was built at the Stout factory in Dearborn and called the "Maiden Detroit". The other aircraft in the fleet were also 2-AT's, named "Maiden Dearbon I, II, III and IV". Initially the aircraft were for Ford's company use. The first scheduled commercial flights in America were begun when The "Maiden Detroit" flew 1,000 lbs. of freight between factories in Detroit and Chicago on April 14, 1925. Ford Air Transport served routes between Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland.

The aircraft operated out of Ford Airport off of two grass runways with night lighting.

The safety and predicability of the first cargo flights were used to advantage in securing the first airmail contracts under the Kelly Act. The "Maiden Detroit" entered Contract Air Mail service on February 15, 1926 with Henry and Edsel Ford loading the first bag of mail. The aircraft flew from Detroit to Cleveland under fighter escort to become the first commercial transport of air mail.

In 1928 Ford sold the airmail routes to Stout who also was operating his own airline with Stout-Ford built aircraft. The last official flight was in 1932.
Photo from http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428585 information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Air_Transport_Service

Racing stripes

invented by the Briggs Cunningham team in 1950, according to Automobile Magazine's Robert Cumberford, Feb 2011 issue, Jay Leno Bugatti feature

Largest auto recalls in history

from http://autozine.com.br/seguranca/os-maiores-recalls-da-historia

I often get solicited to post someones article, list, or link to their site, but don't. Here are some I'm interested in if you want my attention

10 best websites for what ever... especially how you rank your top 10 favorite blogs
10 worst mechanics,
10 worst ripoffs in the auto world (besides Bernie Madoff),
10 hardest repairs due to engineering shortsightedness,
10 most difficult to diagnose problems with your car,
10 easiest things you can troubleshoot your self (battery dead? Voltage regulator? or Starter? is the most common problem) ,
10 cheapest insurance companies (did that myself a couple years ago),
10 insurance companies to avoid,
10 women that broke a mechaincs heart,
10 women that will destroy your mechanics ego by knowing his job better than he does,
10 best jobs in the mechanics world,
10 best auto related companies to work for (pep boys, sears, discount tire, AAA, or what?)
10 coolest bosses you've worked for,
10 best fringe benefits from working at your shop,
10 nicest people you've met while getting a quote on your repair
10 coolest conversations while waiting for your car to get fixed (mine was a WW2 Battleship gunner telling me about the USS Iowa)
10 best trades for work (spare engine for a repair on your truck?)
10 ways insurance companies screwed you out of your claim, even if it was because you weren't fluent in insurance lingo and missed the thing you could have done to save your self a headache
10 cheapest places to get new tires

Finally, a compressed air car is built

French enterprise MDI backed by Cater SA, a Swiss business have taken the concept to the roads, naminf a four wheel vehicle Airpod —to reflect on its engine powered by nothing but compressed air.

The fact that Geneva airport and a few French-speaking Swiss towns have already shown keen interest in Airpod augurs well for the project; not to mention that EU countries have already approved of the project.

It holds that initial production will kick off on Swiss grounds (in Reconvilier) where the first unit should roll out by March 2011

News from http://www.thecartimes.com/

Here's a simple idea why the US automakers are doomed to never be great and profitable again, 3X more retirees than employees

The Detroit Three's 267,000 hourly retirees and 72,000 surviving spouses
GM has 53,000 hourly employees and Ford has 41,000.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101214/OEM01/101219920/1424#ixzz1A1Yy1Inf

So, if you're curious why a new car costs 6 times more now than in the 60's, 2wice as much as in the 80's... you might draw the connection between the increase in # of retirees and the increase in the cost of a car, I bet that would chart a straight line, lower left to upper right.

Old fashioned spam came on a post card, from Ford, and tried to sell Model T owners new fenders, pistons, and axle overhauls

Found on http://www.bookofjoe.com/2010/12/1928-car-repair-mailer-sent-on-a-penny-postcard.html

The Camelback locomotive design, used in conjunction with the exceptionally wide Wooten firebox, not safe though

The "Camelback" design, which straddled the cab over the center of the boiler, allowed the exceptional width of the Wooten firebox, which burned lower BTU anthracite coal from Eastern Pennsylvania.

The Locomotives in the picture were also called "Mother Hubbards" among other names. They were discontinued from freight service because if a side rod broke, it would wipe out the cab and if on the engineer's side, the engineer also. In yard service they were much safer because of the lower speed which was not so likely to break a rod and sling it through the cab.
photo from http://www.shorpy.com/node/9335?size=_original

Reasons horses towed cars... cars got stuck easy, horses pulled them out... but did you know Nantucket outlawed cars from 1900 to 1918?

This is an interesting example of another reason on Wikipedia: "Clinton Folger's "Horsemobile" delivering mail, on South Beach Street, at Hayden's Hot Sea Bathhouse entrance.

For nearly twenty years, from 1900 to 1918, Nantucket was the only place in the nation that successfully fought encroachment of the automobile within its limits. Opposing politicians on the mainland and large property owners, mostly non-residents, Nantucketers kept the island free of the "gasoline buggy" until the final vote of the town on May 15, 1918. By the narrow margin of forty - 326 to 286 - the automobile was allowed entry.

Clinton Folger was the mail carrier for Nantucket. Because cars were forbidden by the town, he towed his car to the state highway for driving to Siasconset: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Horse_drawn_US_Mail_car.jpg

But why do the next two cars appear to have been changed to make a seat for the horse driver where the radiator should be?

Brilliant and wise reader angyl_roper (if your email was available on your profile or any of your 3 blogs, I'd email to thank you!) used the comment feature to tell me that: "During the Depression, Ford sold a conversion kit so that you could use a horse to pull your car since fuel was too expensive. I believe this was for the Model A primarily, but also for the Model T. (so why work your horse so hard, instead of just riding the horse and leaving the car at home?)

However, I'll also note that the top two pictures are snowy and it could just be that hitching up horses (and a sled, in the second one) was an easier way to get your car where you needed it than driving it there.

from http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428585&page=920

the 1903 Oldsmobile runabout, usually called the curved dash Olds...

Was first to be put together on an assembly line, predating the Ford vehicles, and never getting proper mention in the history books for that.

Also, first automobile to outsell electric and steam powered machines.

7 Hp Duryea was the first automobile attempt to drive from coast to coast, in 1899

Above are a couple of guys with a REO Mountaineer, 1906... and have nothing but the similar cross country in an early car rlevance, to this story that follows (photo from http://www.shorpy.com/node/8903?size=_original )

after the Louise and John Davis car with the backing of two newspapers left New York City they had about made it to Syracuse, and were passed by a one armed bicyclist that had left new York City 10 days after the car had.

Winton tried it 2 years later in May of 1901, but only made it 530 miles from San Fran in route to New York when he was hopelessly stuck in a sand drift

In the movie "The Great Race" you may have liked the "Leslie Special" ... but did you think they'd ever put it in another movie? I'm 1st to notice

above photo via: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428585&page=733

There are differences, but the grill, hood ornament, and distictive doors are the same. The Leslie Special was made for the movie "The Great Race" and is not a vintage real car, it's a custom built to look like the Thomas Flyer that won the 1907 Paris to Peking race http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/winner-of-1907-paris-to-peking.html .

Both movies are Warner Brothers Pictures, and that makes it more possible that its the same car... what else would a movie company do with a movie car after the publicity is over for the first movie it was featured in?

http://www.imcdb.org/movie_65446-The-Ballad-of-Cable-Hogue.html demonstrates that no one has identified the car yet on the IMCDB site

Gotta love old movies for cool unusual cars

( http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/couple-of-brass-era-vehicles-from-movie.html and http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/couple-of-brass-era-vehicles-from-movie.html and http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/biggest-wagon-ive-ever-seen-might-only.html ),

and I was really surprised to discover this famous car isn't mentioned to have been in a 2nd movie anywhere on the internet. But it is undeniably the same car painted green, and until now, nothing was on the internet about it.

A tale of the Tubonique racing cart from the great maniac that drove it! Capt Jack ( no better name could ever be thought of! )

Above two photos from http://zelastchancegaragedu78.blogspot.com/2010/05/draggokart.html

Jack McClure's go kart powered by twin Turbonique t-16 jets, it turns 152mph in the quarter. 400 lbs of thrust.

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/turbonique for all the Turbonique info, advertising, and videos I've come across

1965 Z-16 Chevelle called, "The Sizzler", a name that would prove dangerously ironic less than a year after McClure took the driving assignment. Powered by one of Turbonique's "Rocket Drag Axles" the car was a true freak show and ran speed and times totally unheard of from stock appearing cars of the era.

"I ran the sizzler car for one season," McClure said. "I think I ran 25 or thirty dates with it. The car was a real Z16 Chevelle that had one of the Turbonique Rocket Axles in it. The big problem was that all the Turbonique stuff was shit and it didn't hold up. Middlebrooks had lots of ideas and designs but the stuff was always on the verge of breaking or blowing up. I had no idea how dangerous the Turbonique rocket kart was until a few years after the fact and I looked back on my time with it and thought about how lucky I was that the thing didn't blow up."

But back to the Chevelle.

"So the car was able to be driven around on the regular engine and transmission, but you didn't use that on the strip. On the track I would put the car in neutral, hit the button and drive the Chevelle down the track with the rocket axle providing the power and smoking the tires all the way down. The way the rocket axle worked was pretty simple. There was a rocket engine that was ignited when I hit the button. The exhaust (thrust) from the rocket engine would spin this big turbine wheel which was attached to some planetary gears that spun the axles and drove the car. The problem was that the gears and turbine wheels couldn't hold up to the abuse and I had a couple turbine wheels break and even melt on me. All this came to an end when I went through the lights at 162mph, the turbine wheel melted and locked the whole works up tight. I was told the car rolled 12 times. I was lucky not to be killed and I was done with anything that had to do with Turbonique."

Read the entire interview, "The Life and Rocket Powered Times of Capt Jack McClure "
http://www.bangshift.com/blog/The-Life-and-Rocket-Propelled-Times-of-Captain-Jack-McClure-One-of-Drag-Racing-s-Most-Incredible-Performers.html