Autoblog

Bring a Trailer branches out, launches garage and storage service

Jeff Sabatini — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Classics

There's really no website we like better than Bring A Trailer. In fact, when Congress passes the Stop Online Piracy Act and the corporations shut down everything on the Internet except WhiteHouse.gov, we're probably going to be more upset at losing BaT than our own jobs.

So we're stoked about this latest offering from the same guys who fill our e-mail inboxes with automotive dreams for sale every day: The BaT Garage. This is not some virtual garage hosted on an Internet server in an office park in Nebraska, but a real facility, with mechanics and tools and grease and oil and all the smells you associate with such. It's located in Hayward, CA, and here's the best part: You can store your own car there and let the staff take care of it for you.

While basic pricing runs between $200-$300 per month, BaT will also offer additional services like airport pickup, a fueling service, delivery and even detailing. The operation is being run by Virtuoso Performance, whose resume includes supporting 28 cars at this year's Monterey Motorsports Reunion. We can't wait to see the BaT Garage in person, and we have to ask, is it too early to talk about franchising opportunities?

Bring a Trailer branches out, launches garage and storage service originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cuban government authorizes citizens to buy, sell cars

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:44:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal

Raul Castro is changing the way life works in Cuba, lentamente. According to Reuters, the island ruler sent several hundred reforms to the annual Commuist party congress, and one of them just approved now allows Cubans to buy and sell cars made after 1959. Previously, only cars that predated the island's Communist revolution could be commercially traded by anyone not specifically given permission by the government.

That gives the 11-million-strong populace access to other makes like the Lada, Nissan, Isuzu and Mercedes-Benz models that the well-connected have been able to drive in the intervening 52 years. However, even though the new law states that owners can act "without any prior authorization from any entity," it doesn't mean it's open season: there remain limits on things like importing and ownership of cars. Castro said the law will help ensure the survival of Cuban Communism.

Now they just need to address the fact that the average Cuban makes about $18 a month.

Cuban government authorizes citizens to buy, sell cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Group seeks national registry for historic cars

Dan Roth — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:04:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Government/Legal

The Historic Vehicle Association wants to change the fact that there are national historic registries for places, boats, planes, and trains, but nothing to protect vehicles with historic value. The Association, started in 2009 by Hagerty Insurance, a company that specializes in coverage for classic vehicles, is championing the passage of laws that further protect historically significant vehicles and allow them to stay on the road.

Determining which vehicles are significant and assigning a degree to that significance is one of the head-scratchers the Association is up against right now. "We're looking at how things are treated, everything from a Marmon Meteor to a milk truck," says Carmel Roberts, Association Director of Government Relations. There are design, ownership and origin factors that determine a vehicle's place in history, and the association is open to upgrading vehicles so they can continue to be used, the same way historic homes can be outfitted with modern plumbing and wiring.

It's unclear whether the effort and expense to pass laws protecting older cars will have any effect on their preservation. Cash for Clunkers didn't apply to 1957 Chevrolet Bel Airs or 1973 Lamborghini Espadas, for example, and legislation doesn't change the expensive reality of just storing a car properly, let alone restoration.

Group seeks national registry for historic cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Classic American cars collect to Cruise

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Misc. Auto Shows

If the muscle car era started in 1964, only to be reinvigorated in the last decade or so, we need a tidy way to label all those memorable cars that came before or don't have the massive cubic inch engines needed to qualify for the muscle category. We'll just call 'em classics.

In the gallery after the break, you'll see a smattering of old Fords, some turned lovingly into hot rods, along with old Cadillacs, Corvairs and convertibles. There's the scattered Studebaker and even a few surprises... like The Most Interesting Man in the World.

We've gone ahead and labeled our classics gallery to the best of our abilities, but a few of these could be off by a year or two and some are pretty much identifiable due to their extreme modifications. No matter, each one is a certified classic - we hope you enjoy the gallery, and we'll see you next year in Woodward!

Classic American cars collect to Cruise originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Cuba's cadre of classic American cars in danger?

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc.

Cuba has an interesting law when it comes to the purchasing and sale of automobiles. While European and Asian cars can be imported, only vehicles built before 1959 (the year of the Cuban Revolution) are allowed to trade hands on the open market.

This means that Cuba's automotive landscape is filled with an excess of classic American iron. It's a post-war plethora of beautiful automobiles in varying states of repair. This could all be changing, however, because the island nation is talking about reforming some of the laws that have been on the books for decades.

If Cubans are allowed to purchase modern vehicles, does that mean an end to the classics, which have come to serve as iconic fixtures of this communist Caribbean country? Not right away, according to a report by NPR. The classic cars are a treasured part of Cuba's history, and folks feel that they will be sticking around even after modern vehicles begin to arrive. Only time will tell.

[Source: NPR via The Truth About Cars | Image: FDITG/Flickr CC 2.0]

Report: Cuba's cadre of classic American cars in danger? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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365 Days of A: One man's quest to drive a Ford Model A for entire year

Zach Bowman — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Sedan, Etc., Ford

Jonathan Klinger's 1930 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan - Click above for high-res image gallery

Spend enough time shuffling through buff books or clicking around enthusiast blogs and you'll eventually come up against the term "appliance" used with a derogatory bent. For fans of the automobile, few things are more terrifying than the degradation of the car's reputation. Whereas vehicles once required their operators to possess intimate knowledge of an encyclopedia's worth of quirks to get them to function properly, they've now slipped into the same realm of soulless servile technology occupied by washing machines, refrigerators and the Shake Weight.

But there are still a few relics of this long-forgotten Age of Involvement bumping around. Just ask Jonathan Klinger. The guy has taken on a brave quest to pilot a 1930 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan as his daily transportation for a full year. Through snow, wind, rain and heat, Klinger will turn no wheel other than the wire-spoke rollers of his A.

Continue reading 365 Days of A: One man's quest to drive a Ford Model A for entire year...

Gallery: Jonathan Klinger's 1930 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan

Continue reading 365 Days of A: One man's quest to drive a Ford Model A for entire year

365 Days of A: One man's quest to drive a Ford Model A for entire year originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Fire guts Dennis Gage's home, misses car collection

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 09:26:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Celebrities

Dennis Gage, host of My Classic Car on Speed TV and noted mustache aficionado, had a particularly rough Christmas this year. According to the Indianapolis Star, Gage's home in southern Indiana caught fire and was subsequently destroyed. His wife and son were home at the time but managed to escape without injury. Sitting next to the house is Gage's detached garage, which is home to several classic cars and motorcycles. The garage also escaped the fire without injury and his collection was unharmed.

That's certainly great news about his cars and bikes, but at the end of the day all of that stuff is just that - stuff - and it can be replaced. We're very happy to hear that his family made it out of the house safely and hope that the affable auto aficionado and his family rebound quickly. Thanks for the tip, beammeup1701!

[Source: Indianapolis Star | Image: MadStache via Facebook]

Report: Fire guts Dennis Gage's home, misses car collection originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 09:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neil Young's LincVolt severly damaged in warehouse fire [w/video]

Autoblog Staff — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Hybrid, Safety, Lincoln, Celebrities, Electric

Multi-fuel turbine electric hybrid Lincvolt - Click above to watch video after the jump

It's better to burn out
Than it is to rust

It's a tragedy of epic proportions. Neil Young's 1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV convertible, which he has spent the past few years converting into a multi-fuel turbine electric hybrid, has been severely damaged in a fire. Fresh from a trip to Las Vegas where it was presented to adoring crowds at SEMA, this 19.5-foot-long representative of classic American automotive statuary, dubbed the "LincVolt", was resting comfortably in a warehouse in San Carlos, CA when a fire suddenly erupted. Possibly from the trunk of the behemoth itself.

According to a statement appearing on the LincVolt's website, "We are still investigating the exact cause although it appears to be an operator error that occurred in an untested part of the charging system." Apparently, the Lincoln has its own ~~area code~~ black box-like computer that is being sent to Perrone Robotics in an effort to pinpoint the precise cause of the malfunction.

The structure, which is said to have suffered over $1 million in damages, was also home to much of the singer's music equipment and memorabilia. Due to the extraordinary efforts of firefighters, most of it was saved.

We can only hope that, if the LincVolt is now bound for that final scrapyard in the sky, it will inspire a tune as great as the elegy to Young's 1948 Buick Roadmaster hearse, Long May You Run. To see footage of hybridized classic along with Neil's keynote address to SEMA, hit the jump for freshly finished four-part video. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

[Sources: Mercury News, Lincvolt]

Continue reading Neil Young's LincVolt severly damaged in warehouse fire [w/video]

Neil Young's LincVolt severly damaged in warehouse fire [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Woodward: Classics make Dream Cruise worth the weather

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:03:00 EST

Filed under: Misc. Auto Shows

Classics: 2010 Woodward - Click above for high-res image gallery

There's no doubt that classic cars make up the bulk of what keeps us coming to Detroit to cover the Woodward Dream Cruise year after year. But what makes a car a classic?

That question is as debatable as ever, but for the purposes of our coverage this weekend, we're calling a classic anything built before 1964 or so. That's around the first year you could buy a Pontiac GTO - what many consider to be the first true muscle car - and the end of what we're calling our classic car era.

Yes, it's a bit arbitrary to divide all these vintage vehicles into two groups, but there's just too many for one gallery! So here's the first, our gallery of pre-1964 (or so) classics. Post-1964 (or so) muscle cars will follow, so get through the gallery below and we'll bring the muscle a little later.

Gallery: Classics: 2010 Woodward

2010 Woodward: Classics make Dream Cruise worth the weather originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #183 - Odyssey, IQS, UAW, CR-Z, CTS Coupe and Grand Cherokee

Dan Roth — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:45:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Etc., Government/Legal, BMW, Cadillac, Chrysler, GM, Honda, Jeep, Kia, Toyota, UAW/Unions

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

This week's podcast team is Sam Abuelsamid, Alex Nunez and Dan Roth. We dive right in after a quick garage overview and take on the 2011 Honda Odyssey, JD Power's Initial Quality Study results, action suggested by the new United Auto Workers president, and a whole bunch of first drives. The 2011 Grand Cherokee, Honda CR-Z and Cadillac CTS Coupe were all sampled by our wheelmen, and we discuss. We work in your feedback and wrap up with a question at the 80-minute mark. See you next week!

Autoblog Podcast #183 - Odyssey, IQS, UAW, CR-Z, CTS Coupe and Grand Cherokee

In the Autoblog Garage:

BMW X6 M
BMW 335i
Kia Sorento

News:

Hosts:
Dan Roth, Sam Abuelsamid, Alex Nunez

Runtime: 54:32

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly

Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #183 - Odyssey, IQS, UAW, CR-Z, CTS Coupe and Grand Cherokee originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Huntington Beach Concours celebrates 25th anniversary in spectacular style

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Misc. Auto Shows, Motorcycle

2010 Huntington Beach Concours - Click above for high-res gallery

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year was one of our favorite smaller concours, the Huntington Beach Concours d'Elegance in Southern California. Not quite as prestigious as some of the other concours we cover - like Greenwich, happening on the opposite coast on the very same weekend - it's always an eclectic show, featuring everything ranging from hot rods to supercars, pre-war classics and motorcycles. One of the things that makes this show extra special is what makes some real estate worth a lot more than others - location, location, location. Within spitting distance of some of the biggest and best automotive collections in the world, this laid-back exhibition always manages to bring out some huge surprises.

Split over two days, the Saturday show is billed as Hot Rods in the Park, and focuses mainly on American iron, while Sunday is the Concours d'Elegance proper, with more European makes represented. Sunday was the day to see Corvettes, Ferraris, Alfas, Minis, Nimbuses and Ducatis if you're into those kinds of things. We stopped in for a spell on both days, fully prepared to be wowed, and the entrants still blew us away. Sure the muscle cars and classics were cool as usual, but check out the lead sleds, customs and bikes that turned out this year! Highlights included the vintage custom Harleys, '57 "Scraped" Caddy, '61 409 Impala SS and a '42 Willys Americar Coupe Altered drag car. As nice as those were, the standout vehicles of the weekend were even more impressive.

Randy Simmons brought a 1947 Hudson pickup powered by a 7.3-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel. It's an A/DT class SCTA land speed record truck that has run over 135 miles per hour and looks like it could hold a place of honor in just about any museum in the world. Ducati got our attention when we noticed an aluminum paint job on the tank of one of its display bikes. Yep, it was the new limited-edition 1198R Corse - the updated-for-2010 1098R replacement. And then there was a streamlined red motorcycle that stopped us in our tracks. Have you seen The World's Fastest Indian yet? If not, go rent now. The late Burt Munro's highly-modified Indian Scout has been resurrected and brought to a level of finish that would have left him dumbfounded. The bike just emerged from a massive restoration project and was being shown in anticipation of its official coming-out party at Pebble Beach in August. That's when the engine will be re-fired for the first time in 21 years. Even standing still, it's a mighty impressive bike, as well as a bit of motoring and movie history.

Gallery: 2010 25th Annual Huntington Beach Concours d'Elegance

2010 Huntington Beach Concours celebrates 25th anniversary in spectacular style originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A sneak peek at Motor Trend Classic

Dan Roth — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc.

Motor Trend is keenly aware of the readership shift to online sources for up-to-the-minute automotive news, that's why it has a blog, a YouTube channel and a presence in social media. Despite the changing paradigm, there are still things that print outlets do more brilliantly than anyone else. There's no way to beat the compact form factor and high-quality display of a blissfully battery-free magazine. Carefully-edited copy, glossy photography from some of the best lenses in the business and eye-catching layout, it all gels when the right cars power onto the pages.

As the web and print find their natural symbiosis, one trend may be toward more specialization and niche focus for magazines. Putting premium, rearview-gazing content into a new vehicle, Motor Trend is relaunching Motor Trend Classic. This has been tried before, but this time around, MT is giving more pages (some penned by our own Jonny Lieberman!) fewer ads, and an aversion to posting the content on the web. So far, the sneak peek has us wanting more, though it's a near certainty that it's just going to take one punk with a scanner to burst MT's bubble about this content never showing up on the web.

[Source: Motor Trend]

A sneak peek at Motor Trend Classic originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Brass Era American LaFrance firetruck speedster is a prehistoric Blastolene

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions

American LaFrance firetruck speedster - click above for high-res gallery

One of our favorite cars from 2009 is the Blastolene Peterbilt hot rod. You know the one with two (count 'em, two) superchargers bolted to its Detroit Diesel V12. Hubba hubba,. And if we had access to a time machine, our very favorite car from say 1933 might just be this firetruck speedster, that's quite possibly a direct ancestor of Blastolene. For certain the two are related in the chutzpah department. As the owner states, "You don't know what 'awesome' is until you drive this car."

Where to even start? First of all, brass era cars rule. Even if this particular American LaFrance bucket isn't exactly 100 percent of the period. The chassis is from 1921 type 14-6 short wheelbase firetruck. The motor is out of a 1918 type 31-6-75 front drive aerial ladder, while the aluminum cowl comes from another American LaFrance firetruck built between 1927 and 1930. The speedster just looks like it hails from 1915 (the year which it's coincidently registered). Pretty amazing, no?

Let's talk motor for just one moment. The six-cylinder powering this particular rat rod is a 14.5-liter inline-six (that's 820 cubic inches) good for 105 horsepower. Not oodles of power, but with twelve spark plugs (six off the distributor, six off the magneto) and all that displacement, you can bet this guy is torquey enough to pull stumps. Need more convincing? The differential takes 600 weight oil. Currently, the speedster's sitting at $50,000 (reserve not met) with a buy it now price of $149,000. Serious bidders only, and good luck!

Gallery: LaFrance Firetruck Speedster

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Brass Era American LaFrance firetruck speedster is a prehistoric Blastolene originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Audi tracks down the last Horch... in Texas?

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:19:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Sedan, Videos, Audi

The search for the last Horch -- Click above to watch video

You have August Horch to thank for Audi. A former engineer for Karl Benz, Horch started the second oldest company of the original four companies that merged to form Auto Union (the first was Wanderer). But it was Horch whose name, translated into Latin, became "Audi."

The last Horch was built in Ingolstadt in 1953, and Audi wanted to find it. They put their vintage car locator, Ralph Hornung, on the case and he ended up in a field in West Texas. Follow the jump to view a video explaining the search and how the once mighty V8 found its way to a lonely Lone Star pasture. And on a side note, Hornung has a most awesome job... Thanks for the tip, Alex!

[Source: Audi TV via YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Audi tracks down the last Horch... in Texas?

VIDEO: Audi tracks down the last Horch... in Texas? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AB stops at the 27th Concours d'Elegance at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:31:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Cadillac, Chrysler, Ford, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Lincoln, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari, Specialty, Luxury

27th Concours d'Elegance at the St. Regis, Dana Point - Click above for high-res image gallery

For its 27th iteration, Orange County's most prestigious classic car show returned to the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, and finally dropped the "Newport Beach" from its name. No longer would it be known as the Newport Beach Concours d'Elegance, instead adopting the Concours d'Elegance at the St. Regis moniker. The title may have changed, but the quality of the entrants hasn't. Still benefiting the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Hospital and the CSP Assessment and Treatment Services Center, the field of classic cars at this concours was once again stunning.

This year's featured marque was Mercedes-Benz, and the automaker was represented by some truly spectacular models, aided in no small part by the show's proximity to the Mercedes Classic Car Center, the factory-backed restoration shop for vintage Mercedes vehicles. Besides the beautiful Benzes, the roughly 3,000 attendees got to see about 300 other classic and exotic vehicles spread out around the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort and the adjacent Dana Point Sea Terrace Park. Read on to learn what else we found during our day in Dana Point and don't forget to check out the huge gallery below.

Gallery: 27th Annual Concours d'Elegance at The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort

Continue reading AB stops at the 27th Concours d'Elegance at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort

AB stops at the 27th Concours d'Elegance at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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17th Annual Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:26:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Lamborghini, Maserati, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Motorcycle

17th Annual Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance returned to its picturesque setting at Trump National Golf Club this past Sunday and we were fortunate enough to make it out. Thankfully, the recent Southern California wildfires missed this area of Palos Verdes, so the 17th installment of the concours went off without a hitch. Well, it was cloudy all morning, but that hardly dampened everyone's spirits. This classic car gathering is one of our favorites, not only for the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and the well manicured golf course setting, but because of the quality of cars on hand. It's like a scaled down Pebble Beach, with several of that show's alumni in attendance.

This year's featured marque was Maserati, but all of the Italian brands were extremely well represented. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, Iso, Bizzarrini, De Tomaso and Lancia all had strong fields, as did Italian motorcycles, which were a new class this year. There were even a few Cisitalias, Fiats, Oscas and Siatas on display. On the non-Italian side of things, there were customs, horseless carriages, brass era cars, British luxury cars, American luxury cars and a lot of other stunning vehicles.

Some highlights included the Italian race cars - Maserati Birdcage, Monopostos and 200 SIs, Iso Griffo A3/C, and the legendary Lancia Stratos (a genuine HF team car done up in Alitalia colors). The Moto Guzzi Lodola and Vespa GS160 stood out in the bike field, but it was really nice to see all of the Maserati, Ferrari (not related to Enzo), Moto Guzzi, Ducati and Benelli cycles as well.

Other four-wheeled stunners included the Pinin Farina Series I Cab, ATS 2500, Lancia Flaminia Zagato, Cisitalia Nuvolari, Ital Design Manta, Alfa 1900 CSS, Luigi Chinetti's old Lamborghini Silhouette, '50 Merc, '54 Chrysler and Plymouth Ghias, Rolls Woodie, Vauxhall, Delahaye and Lagonda sports cars, Franklin, Wills and Panhard pre-war cars, and Steve Tillack's display of everything from a barn find and bare bodies to a glorious Ferrari formula car. We've assembled a huge gallery of most of the entrants, many with their information placards in frame so you can track down more details about your favorites.

Gallery: 17th Annual Palos Verdes Concours

17th Annual Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog spends a day at the 22nd Annual Seal Beach Classic Car Show

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:31:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for huge high-res gallery from Seal Beach

We love spring for a multitude of reasons, but mainly for the car shows that start popping up around the country. The sun comes out and so do the classic cars, hot rods and muscle cars. This weekend we stopped by the 22nd Annual Classic Car Show in Seal Beach, California along with about 25,000 other folks. The show features around 500 cars, stretching from PCH to the pier right down the heart of Main Street.

The day includes a pancake breakfast, a running of the local pinewood derby, and a whole lotta' fun. Besides the bands that show up to play everything from swing to rock-and-roll, there were also the sounds of the cars themselves during the periodic cacklefest moments of the day. That's when the show participants are encouraged to start 'em up and stomp the loud pedal. It's quite an earful, especially if you happen to be standing next to one of the dozen or so race cars in attendance, like we did when a vintage Yeakel dragster once piloted by Tom "Mongoose" McEwen dropped the throttle.

Although muscle cars are generally king at these types of gatherings, there are also a number of other classes. Everything from the aforementioned race cars to European classics; from hot rods to Woodies; from customs to boats, bikes and even buses. A great event that puts a big emphasis on wholesome family fun in a quintessentially American way and you can check it out in our massive gallery below.

Gallery: 22nd Seal Beach Classic Car Show

Autoblog spends a day at the 22nd Annual Seal Beach Classic Car Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve McQueen's stolen Cadillac recovered

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Cadillac, Celebrities

A busted car theft ring has turned up a vintage Cadillac once owned by one of the Magnificent Seven. The five-finger-discount drivers out of Colorado, headed by Jeffrey Earle Piper, would steal expensive rental cars, change their VIN numbers and "sell" them. The new "owner", who was in on the whole thing, would then report "his" car stolen and collect on the insurance policy. One of the cars found among the loot: a $133,000 1959 Cadillac - looks like a Series 62 convertible - that once belonged to Steve McQueen. It's other claim to fame: a guest spot on the TV show MacGuyver. The mystery we're still trying to solve is which one of its owners put the Yeti pelt over the driver's seat? Hat tip to Derek!

[Source: Denver Post]

Steve McQueen's stolen Cadillac recovered originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog visits the San Diego Auto Museum, Part I - The Cars

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics

Click the 1948 Tucker above for more from the San Diego Auto Museum

While on a recent trip to San Diego to ride some dirtbikes, we decided to check out some the sights that the city had to offer. Of course, being the car-obsessed ~~nerds~~ individuals that we are, it didn't take too long for us to end up at the San Diego Automobile Museum. Tomorrow, we'll bring you the best of what we saw on two wheels, but today is devoted to the cars. From some of the earliest four-wheelers (and three-wheelers) right on through to some Italian exotics from the '60s, '70s and '90s, there was plenty there to keep our interest. Our favorite has to be the rear-engined Tucker from 1948 -- very cool. We've assembled a gallery of pics below and have captioned them where appropriate. Enjoy!

Gallery: San Diego Auto Museum Cars

Autoblog visits the San Diego Auto Museum, Part I - The Cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2008 Woodward Dream Cruise launches new logo, website

Chris Shunk — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Misc. Auto Shows, Specialty

The Woodward Dream Cruise has been a very professionally run event for most of the past 13 years, but when it came time to check for updates on the Dream Cruise website, it was amateur hour. That has changed, as the rip-roaring event has been given a more modern website with easy to traverse navigation and cleaner graphics. The site also includes a new blog that features the ideas and knowledge of the Dream Cruise leadership team.

Team Dream Cruise also wanted to feature an all-new logo that captures the spirit of an event that hosts a million people and 40,000 vintage hotrods. The team hand-picked former GM Design Director Dick Ruzzin to come up with a classic yet contemporary design that gives props to the classic car, while also providing the event an extra touch of class. Ruzzin chose the classic 1930's roadster as the new face of the Dream Cruise, and we'd say the end result is a job well done. Click on the gallery below for Ruzzin's progression from first sketch to final product, and click the link below to visit the Dream Cruise website. The actual event takes place Saturday, August 16th, and you know we'll be there.

Gallery: Woodward Dream Cruise Logos

[Source: Woodward Dream Cruise]

2008 Woodward Dream Cruise launches new logo, website originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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