Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[24 Hours of LeMons: Pre-Buttonwillow So-Cal Junkyard Scabenger Hunt]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/06/24-hours-of-lemons-pre-buttonwillow-so-cal-junkyard-scabenger-h/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/06/24-hours-of-lemons-pre-buttonwillow-so-cal-junkyard-scabenger-h/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/06/24-hours-of-lemons-pre-buttonwillow-so-cal-junkyard-scabenger-h/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Inaugural 24 Hours of LeMons LA Scanbenger Hunt - click above for high-res gallery

Last December the 24 Hours of LeMons hosted the inaugural Junkyard Scavenger Hunt, a.k.a. The Day the Infamy Stood Still. On Sunday, August 2, about 20 participants from the upcoming Buttonwillow Histrionics (August 15-16) descended on a San Fernando Valley junkyard for Scabenger Hunt II: The Crappening. Why would seemingly sane people willingly show up at high noon to sweat themselves half to death in the filthy, 100+ degrees scorched asphalt nightmare of a Pick'n'Pull? For largely meaningless prizes, of course!

We came up with a list of items (heavy metal cassettes, unexpired prescription meds, X-mas tree air fresheners, etc.) one could reasonably encounter in a junkyard. Then we assigned each item a value. The team with the most points would win the pole position. That's right, the winners "earn" the chance to be the first car on the grid in a sixteen hour endurance race. Which is a bit like being the skinniest contestant on Dance Your Ass Off. Or something.

Sunday's winner was the legendary Team Porcubimmer, a "hella veteran" collection of track rats that managed to come in second place at the first LeMons scavenger hunt. This time, they concentrated on the low-value, but easy to find items and simply blew the competition away. The Porcubimmers were 300 points ahead of the other teams before we stopped counting. They even beat the team that wrenched the intake manifold off a V12 Jaguar XJ-S. Every team that participated got at least two Gerald R. Ford Memorial Pardon Certificates (that's LeMons speak for get out of jail free cards), as well as t-shirts and patches. Fun and heat stroke was had by all. Full inventory of items on the list after the jump, high-res images in the gallery below.


Gallery: 24 Hours of LeMons LA Junkyard Scabenger Hunt

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Continue reading 24 Hours of LeMons: Pre-Buttonwillow So-Cal Junkyard Scabenger Hunt

24 Hours of LeMons: Pre-Buttonwillow So-Cal Junkyard Scabenger Hunt originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>24 Hours of LeMons24 Hours of LeMons Scabenger Hunt24 Hours of LeMons Scavenger Hunt24HoursOfLemons24HoursOfLemonsScabengerHunt24HoursOfLemonsScavengerHuntButtonwillo HistrionicsButtonwilloHistrionicsButtonwillowGerald R. Ford Memorial Pardon CertificatesGeraldR.FordMemorialPardonCertificatesJunkyardLeMonsLeMons Scabenger HuntLeMons Scavenger HuntLemonsScabengerHuntLemonsScavengerHuntScabenger HuntScabengerHuntScavenger HuntScavengerHuntThu, 06 Aug 2009 18:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Track Daze: Project 318is at Buttonwillow, Day One]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/08/track-daze-project-318is-at-buttonwillow-day-one/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/08/track-daze-project-318is-at-buttonwillow-day-one/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/08/track-daze-project-318is-at-buttonwillow-day-one/#commentsFiled under:



Imagine your perfect track day. A dozen cars, dry tarmac and absolutely zero loose nuts behind the wheel. That's been our experience so far at Buttonwillow. We've had the pleasure of being invited to a private track event organized by Jack Fried, co-creator of the Lotus Challenge Series and all-around genuine gent. For the majority of Friday, the track has been open, so whenever the urge strikes, you just head out and go. With only a half-dozen vehicles on the track at any given time - primarily Porsches and Loti - we're in our own private nirvana. And Project 318is is holding its own, despite being thoroughly outclassed by the rest of the field.

Continue reading Track Daze: Project 318is at Buttonwillow, Day One

Track Daze: Project 318is at Buttonwillow, Day One originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buttonwillowproject bmw 318isproject track slutProjectBmw318isProjectTrackSlutFri, 08 Aug 2008 18:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Project Track Slut Update: Prepping for the big <strike>day</strike> days]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/06/project-track-slut-update-prepping-for-the-big-day/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/06/project-track-slut-update-prepping-for-the-big-day/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/06/project-track-slut-update-prepping-for-the-big-day/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click either image for a gallery.

As I type this, our BMW 318is is up on the rack, sans transmission, to replace the clutch and all the assorted bits that go along with the job. The last-minute clutch work, along with fitting a set of Hawk HPS brake pads and replacing the brake fluid with Castrol GTLMA synthetic, is all in preparation for our two-day track assault this weekend at Buttonwillow raceway.

We'll be running configuration 13 on Friday and Saturday, and plan to keep you updated over the weekend on how the Slut is holding up to our relentless flogging in 100-degree heat. Along with the upgraded pads and fluids (not to mention the H&R cup kit we installed in our previous post), we've managed to score a set of Kosei K1 wheels (+42mm offset), sized 16x7-inches and weighing 15 pounds from the TireRack for the bargain-basement price of $129 a piece. Needless to say, closeout sales rock, and with the TireRack offering Advan A048s (medium-hard compound) sized 225/50ZR16 on special for $149 per tire, we snatched up four new gumballs for track duty. They've been heat-cycled and mounted, and after a spending a few days on the Bimmer, we're convinced that our nerves will give out before the tires do... for the first few laps, at least.

Check back on Saturday for pictures from the track, a run-down of how things went on Friday and updates between our sessions on Saturday.

Gallery: Project Track Slut: Last-minute prep

Project Track Slut Update: Prepping for the big day days originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmw 318isBmw318isbuttonwillowfeaturedproject track slutProjectTrackSlutWed, 06 Aug 2008 18:35:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Driving the Mazda Furai concept at Buttonwillow]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/14/video-driving-the-mazda-furai-concept-at-buttonwillow/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/14/video-driving-the-mazda-furai-concept-at-buttonwillow/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/14/video-driving-the-mazda-furai-concept-at-buttonwillow/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mazda Furai

Of all the Nagare-themed concepts that Mazda has released over the past two years, one stands out. The Mazda Furai concept was unveiled this past January in Detroit and it walked away with our internal Best of Show award. Built around Mazda's two-year-old ALMS Courage C65 chassis and motivated by a 450-hp, three-rotor Wankel juiced by E100 Ethanol, the Furai was a concept that stood above the rest. Part of that was due to its stunning design, but mainly because it was also runner. And run it does. We've already seen video of the Furai testing at a track in Japan, and now we get to experience what its like inside during a few hot laps around the Buttonwillow circuit. Hit the jump to check it out, and make sure your speakers are turned up to 11, unless you're still at work.

Gallery: Mazda Furai Concept

Continue reading VIDEO: Driving the Mazda Furai concept at Buttonwillow

VIDEO: Driving the Mazda Furai concept at Buttonwillow originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 May 2008 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buttonwillowfuraimazdamazda furai buttonwillowmazda furai videoMazdaFuraiButtonwillowMazdaFuraiVideovideoWed, 14 May 2008 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Banks D-Max Type-R GMC race truck]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/02/video-banks-d-max-type-r-gmc-race-truck/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/02/video-banks-d-max-type-r-gmc-race-truck/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/02/video-banks-d-max-type-r-gmc-race-truck/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Okay... our love for rattling heavy-duty pickups notwithstanding, the idea of a Duramax-powered GMC race truck still seems odd, even though a half-year has passed since we first mentioned this monster. But with Audi's oil-burning R10 taking the checkered flag last month at Sebring, maybe Gale Banks doesn't have a proverbial loose rod bolt or two.

To prove that progress has been made on this monster over the winter, Banks has posted an update with some video clips on the company's website. None of them will raise goosebumps like Climb Dance, but it's still pretty cool to see a big red pickup truck doing skidpad testing without looking like one of those Consumer Reports rollover tests. And we definitely feel sorry for the Miata driver at Buttonwillow that was overtaken by the D-Max - that had to be a somewhat scary (and humbling) experience.

Video: Banks D-Max Type-R GMC race truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 May 2006 15:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ButtonwillowdieselDuramaxGale BanksGaleBanksSidewinder: D-MaxturbodieselTue, 02 May 2006 15:54:00 EST