Autoblog

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

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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eBay Find of the Day: 1980 Range Rover 6x4 custom pickup is full of hot air

Dan Roth — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Etc., Land Rover

Custom Range Rover crew-cab truck - click above for gallery

So you've got a hot air balloon and a Range Rover, no problem so far. Then, one day you catch the "you got chocolate in my peanut butter" fever, and it's time to create a Rover/Balloon mash-up. Your handy pile of old money means that the Rangie goes off to a bespoke vehicle specialist, said to specialize in "stretch Rolls Royce and 6-wheel Range Rovers for oil sheiks." Well, who else would you send it to, anyway?

Of course, since the balloon runs on LP gas, converting the Rover to run on the same fuel will save some money. With the dosh you save, you might as well install some big, chunky tires so that it "rides like a big Range Rover on chunky tires," and trashes fuel economy a little, too. The vehicle is in the UK, but the seller will ship. Construction quality is reportedly epic, and who doesn't have a desire for the castoffs of the wealthy? Looking at the photos, it appears to have taken its share of (ab)use lately; the blue hood is a nice touch, along with the various trappings of old Rovers, like the permanently exposed fusebox. It's on eBay for just under $8,000 - a pittance for a custom crew cab Range Rover pickup, especially if you've got a hot air balloon kicking around.

Gallery: Crew Cab Range Rover Pickup

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: 1980 Range Rover 6x4 custom pickup is full of hot air originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1972 Lamborghini Espada is tanfastic

Noah Joseph — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Lamborghini

1972 Lamborghini Espada Series II - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you were shocked when Lamborghini unveiled a four-door in the form of the Estoque concept at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, then you know how enthusiasts must have felt when the Raging Bull took the wraps off the Espada in 1968. A four-seat Lambo? Shocking! But that's what they did, and the Espada entered into the history books.

Powered by Lambo's trusty 3.9-liter V12 that already appeared in the 350GT, 400GT and Miura, the Espada was the first Lambo to be offered with an automatic. In fact, it was the first automatic transmission - all two speeds of it - capable of handling that much power, and came on offer with the 1974 model. This model, however, was made in '72 - making it one of the last Series II models made before the Series III came along - and is equipped with a five-speed manual, along with four-wheel disc brakes and a fully independent suspension: cutting edge stuff for its time.

It's tan, it's had one owner, and from the looks of things, it's been kept in meticulous condition. The car's up for grabs on eBay by Lamborghini Houston. Bidding at the time of writing is up to a modest $20,200 and the reserve price hasn't been met yet, so if this is your idea of automotive heaven, stop on by and check it out.

Gallery: 1972 Lamborghini Espada Series II on eBay

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: 1972 Lamborghini Espada is tanfastic originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Caveat Emptor: Columbus, Ohio dealer taking deposits on Volt

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:53:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Auctions, Hatchback

2011 Chevy Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

Fans of the Chevrolet Volt have been waiting patiently nearly three years now for the first extended-range electric vehicle to debut. One Columbus, Ohio area Chevrolet dealer is looking to take advantage of this eagerness by posting an auction on eBay Motors for its allocation of Volts. Jack Maxton Chevrolet is now taking deposits on the Volt a full year before the first production models are scheduled to roll off an assembly line in Detroit.

There are clearly problems with this. The current bid is at $1,525 but it's not clear from the listing just what the winning bidder will get. It could be the first position in line, if and when Maxton gets some Volts, but we can't say for sure.

Notice we said if Maxton gets the Volt. We checked with Volt spokesman David Darovitz at General Motors who told us that it's not certain that every Chevy dealer will get the Volt: "They must first go through a rigorous certification process" to ensure that they are ready to sell and service the electrically-driven compact and its battery. Darovitz also tells us, "Dealers have not been selected" at this time, and that includes Maxton Chevrolet. You might want to keep that in mind before placing your bid. Remember, patience is a virtue. Thanks to Nat for the tip!

Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt

[Source: eBay Motors]

Caveat Emptor: Columbus, Ohio dealer taking deposits on Volt originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Motors begins offering free vehicle history reports from Experian

Michael Harley — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Auctions

Consumers wary of purchasing vehicles off eBay may take a bit of comfort in the online auction site's announcement that all vehicles built since 1981 will now include free vehicle history reports effective today. The "AutoCheck" information, supplied by Experian Automotive, will detail whether vehicles have been involved in major accidents, have salvage titles, have been stolen or repossessed, have had their odometers tampered with, or have seen special duty as a taxi or police vehicle. Of course, the service is only able to detail information which has been reported, a common complaint about vehicle history reports. Nicolas Franchet, senior director of U.S. vehicles at eBay Motors, says the free reports will help build the level of trust between the buyers and sellers. "We're interested in being the best place to buy and sell your car online," Franchet said.

Those familiar with eBay Motors will recall that the site has offered vehicle history reports from CarFax, Inc., when supplied by dealers. Those reports are still be available via a link, but the new AutoCheck data supplied without charge is now automatically displayed in a shaded area below the vehicle image in the body of the listing. For more details, check out the official press release after the jump or eBay Motors.

[Source: Experian Automotive | Image: Sean Gallup/Getty]

Continue reading eBay Motors begins offering free vehicle history reports from Experian

eBay Motors begins offering free vehicle history reports from Experian originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Northstar-powered 1998 Buick Riviera prototype

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:20:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Auctions, Buick

Northstar-powered 1998 Buick Riviera prototype - Click above for high-res image gallery

As we approach the big SEMA show in Las Vegas next week, it's time to look back at a previous star of the show. Sometime back in the mid-80s the decision was made that Buick would abandon V8 engines and instead be the home of the V6. Even for top models like Riviera and Park Avenue, turbocharged and supercharged versions of the long-lived 3.8-liter V6 would serve propulsive duties. Needless to say, not everyone in the bowels of the Warren Tech Center agreed with this approach.

In 1998 a group of GM engineers felt the Riviera should be powered by no fewer than eight cylinders and knew full well it was possible. The Riv of that era shared its platform with other models like the Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Aurora, which of course were powered by the still contemporary Northstar V8. A single Northstar Riviera example was built as concept and trotted out at the 1998 SEMA Show.

Upper management did not agree with the premise and only a year later the whole Riviera program was euthanized. Somehow, that one V8 powered Riv survived and managed to get sold outside of GM on a salvage title. If the styling of that last Riviera doesn't give you convulsions, the car only has 10,200 miles on it and the Buy It Now price is $20K. The current bid of $3,550 hasn't yet hit the reserve so it's anyone's guess what this will go for - if it goes at all.

Gallery: Northstar-powered 1998 Buick Riviera prototype

[Source: eBay]

eBay Find of the Day: Northstar-powered 1998 Buick Riviera prototype originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Police auctioning off motorized La-Z-Boy used in DWI

Michael Harley — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:41:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Etc., Government/Legal, Humor

If you've ever had the urge to cruise your neighborhood in a self-propelled La-Z-Boy, your opportunity has arrived. Minnesota resident Dennis Anderson (no relation to the Gravedigger monster truck franchise - we think) has forfeited his notorious motorized, and over-the-top modified, recliner chair involved in his DWI incident and crash recently is going on the eBay auction block later this week.

To recap, this masterpiece of motorized furniture isn't your average run-of-the-mill family room napper. This particular innovative and highly customized chair is fitted with a nitrous-boosted lawnmower engine good for a top speed in the neighborhood of 20 mph (it is fitted with a parachute... apparently in case you happen to drive off a cliff). Dual headlights help guide you home from the late nights at the bar, while an integrated stereo sound system will make you everyone's envy at the stop lights (maybe from the curb, as we don't think it is technically street legal).

While Mr. Anderson got off with two years of probation for his antics, his prized possession is sadly being liquidated - sans reserve price - thanks to a Minnesota law allowing police to auction vehicles seized in drunk-driving cases. So, what do you think it will go for?

[Source: Engadget]

REPORT: Police auctioning off motorized La-Z-Boy used in DWI originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1987 Ford RancheroStar

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Truck, Auctions, Ford, Specialty

1987 Ford RancheroStar - Click above for high-res image gallery

The last time that we spotted today's eBay find of the day, it was cruising along Woodward Ave in Birmingham, MI this past summer. The RancheroStar immediately caught our attention, but evidently the For Sale sign in the window didn't catch enough eyeballs from onlookers. Thus we now find it again.

According to its eBay listing, the creator of this minivan-trucklet died before completing the project, although he apparently had some pretty serious plans for it going forward. The truncated 1987 Ford Aerostar currently has its stock front V6, rear-wheel drive (not front-wheel drive as in the listing) configuration, but the deceased creator had plans to eventually replace it with a mid-mounted 460 cubic-inch V8. Apparently, the bodywork as it stands today is all metal, with no fiberglass or dreaded Bondo. From what we saw briefly at Woodward, the vehicle seems to be well executed for as far as it got.

If you are interested in an oddball project to complete, this one might be worth checking out. At this point, there aren't any bids, so you might get a good deal. If you do pick it up and complete it or at least paint it, let us know and it could get an Autoblog follow-up. Thanks to Scott for the tip!

Gallery: Woodward 2009: The Weird and the Wonderful

[Source: eBay]

eBay Find of the Day: 1987 Ford RancheroStar originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: George Barris' rockin' 289 Cobra-powered 1967 Voxmobile [w/VIDEO]

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Celebrities, Specialty

1967 Voxmobile by George Barris - Click above for image gallery

Feelin' Groovy? Do you like guitars, speed and attention? If so, check out eBay Motors item number 260492703795. It's the one-and-only George Barris-created Voxmobile! Powered by a Cobra 289, it's said to be the fastest promotional vehicle ever created with an estimated top speed of 175 mph. Not that we'd recommend it. Molded from wood, plastic, steel and fiberglass, the fully-functional, guitar-sided Voxmobile was designed for publicity and incorporated a bunch of Vox musical components.

Think of it as a super-quick parade float, or better yet, a '60s calliope, with 32 guitar inputs, a Vox Super Continental organ, three Vox Beatle amplifiers, and a dozen or so additional speakers. Most of it still works, but the seller says this original, unrestored, 40-year-old custom vehicle needs a bit of work to make it all hum.

The Voxmobile was once owned by the world's fastest guitarist, Jimmy Bryant, and was almost a Hollywood star, dropped from the final cut of the Jack Nicholsen flick, Psych-Out. It still made the promotional lobby cards though. And it can be yours for the low-low price of just $175,000. The seller will even help you source a correct bass and head unit to complete the package. This thing is a hoot, but the promotional video for it is stellar. You won't believe the level of talent that came out to reminisce about this Barris creation. Check out the groovy YouTube video after the jump and the full gallery of pics by clicking below.

Gallery: 1967 Barris Voxmobile

[Source: eBay Motors]

Continue reading eBay Find of the Day: George Barris' rockin' 289 Cobra-powered 1967 Voxmobile [w/VIDEO]

eBay Find of the Day: George Barris' rockin' 289 Cobra-powered 1967 Voxmobile [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hurst SEMA Scholarship Camaro eBay Auction underway

Jonny Lieberman — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Chevrolet

Hurst/SEMA Camaro - Click above image for high-res gallery

SEMA, Chevy, eBay and Hurst have teemed up to auction off a Hurst-tuned Camaro with the proceeds going to the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, "a program that fosters industry leadership by supporting the education of students pursuing careers in the automotive aftermarket."

Win the auction and in addition to an all-expense-paid trip to this November's SEMA show in Las Vegas, you'll be rolling in a thoroughly-modified 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, kitted out in red and silver graphics, 20-inch polished wheels, an Eibach suspension and a host of other mods. Make the jump to get the details,.and if you want to help a poor, struggling, underprivileged automotive engineer out, here's the link to the eBay auction. Opening bid is $10,000 -- happy bidding.

Gallery: Hurst/SEMA Camaro

[Source: Hurst]

Continue reading Hurst SEMA Scholarship Camaro eBay Auction underway

Hurst SEMA Scholarship Camaro eBay Auction underway originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1984 Volkswagen GTI MkI

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Auctions, Europe, Hatchback, Volkswagen

1984 Volkswagen GTI MkI - click above image for hi-res gallery

No doubt we've had GTI on the brain the past week or so after driving Volkswagen's new, fun, we-like-it-more-than-we-thought-we-would MkVI GTI. And if you read our review, you're aware that Volkswagen is actively trying to market the new GTI as if it's cut from the same cloth as the original gangsta GTI. It's priced nice, too, starting at just a smidge over $23,000. But what if you could get a real GTI, an ur GTI - which would you take? And what if said MkI GTI had only 517 miles on it? That's not a typo - just 517 miles! And stored properly, too. At least according to the seller, "My father had owned a Shell Service station for 50 years, he knows how to maintain a vehicle LOL and is quite the perfectionist."

Well, friends, today is your lucky day. Here we have a 1984 GTI that isn't even done with its break in period. The story -complete with lots of LOLs - goes something like this. The seller's dad bought the car new in January of 1985. He had a new Blaupunkt stereo installed (gotta have that). Then he had back surgery. Two more surgeries and twenty-five years later, the poor guy still can't drive a stick. So, the GTI has to go. And there's no reserve. Currently the bidding's at $5,600 with over six days to go. We have the strange premonition that it's going to tick up a bit higher than that. Happy bidding! Big ol' Autoblog shoutout to Mike R. for the tip!

Gallery: eBay 517 Mile 1984 Volkswagen GTI MkI

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: 1984 Volkswagen GTI MkI originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM reportedly ending pilot eBay program, yet claims success

Chris Shunk — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Auctions, GM

Back in August, General Motors began a pilot program in which it opened up its own eBay mega store. A total of 225 dealers had participated in the California-only pilot, but GM has decided to pull the plug on the program effective today. With the program ending instead of expanding to all of the 50 U.S. States and beyond, many would call the program a failure. GM doesn't see it that way.

The General is calling its eBay experiment a success, stating that the program helped the Detroit, MI-based automaker reach potential customers who wouldn't have otherwise considered GM products. We're not so sure about that one, but then again we're not invited to many board meetings at the Ren Cen, either.

While GM and eBay aren't releasing the amount of sales generated by the program, some site statistics are being released. GM's auction site achieved a fairly impressive 1.5 million views during its month-and-a-half in existence, with a reported 15,000 dealer leads.

GM spokesman John McDonald says that the company is focusing its efforts on a new marketing campaign that touts the General's new 60 day money back guarantee. And just because GM is ending its eBay experiment, it doesn't mean that its thousands of dealers are going to stop posting new cars and trucks on eBay Motors. Dealers from all OEMs have been using the popular auction site for years, and it seems that the majority of auctions on the site now are of the dealer variety.

[Source: Seattle Times]

GM reportedly ending pilot eBay program, yet claims success originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Hyundai-based X-4 "concept car"

Dan Roth — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Auctions, Specialty

X-4 "concept car" - click above for image gallery

Here's what to do with that Elantra GT you couldn't flip for Cash for Clunkers money. The seller is listing this "X4" as a Hyundai-based concept car, though it's unlike anything we've seen on the show circuit. A lot of work went into making this a conversation piece from what looks like parts of a leftover Hyundai, some VW Type 1 bits, and a whole lot of wackiness.

The build quality, while displaying care and attention to detail, looks to lean toward the late-1970s kit-car end of the spectrum. That's not to say that this vehicular oddity doesn't display ingeniuity, it's sure to draw a crowd of curious bystanders wherever you go with its odd styling and close-set rear wheels. The open design is well suited to cruising golf courses in fair climates, but it's unclear whether you'd have a hassle trying to legally register and drive such a contraption. There's about a day left, and the reserve hasn't been met by the current $5,100 bid for this unique bit of creativity with its matching trailer.

Gallery: X4 Hyundai based concept car

[Source: eBay]

eBay Find of the Day: Hyundai-based X-4 "concept car" originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Tim Allen's gruntworthy "Licorice Streak Special"

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Auctions, Ford, Celebrities, Specialty

1932 Ford "Licorice Streak Special" Tracknose roadster - Click above for high-res image gallery

When television funnyman Tim Allen rang up Steve Moal and asked for a custom Tracknose roadster, his response was the car you see here. It's known as the "Licorice Streak Special" and it's won numerous awards in the 10 years since the Home Improvement star was handed the keys. The gang at Moal Coachbuilders did their typically wonderful job of turning out an immaculate one-off that captures the attitude of a classic hot rod with modern designer touches that make this car equally at home at a week-night cruise-in or on the Links of Pebble Beach.

It's technically a '32 Ford, but very little of it would have been available to someone wandering into a Ford dealership back in the day. Just check out all of those Art Deco brass bits by "Kaki" Kakizaki. It's got an aluminum body stretched over a custom tube chassis and is powered by a built SVO 351 that definitely delivers "more power" (*Cue appropriate grunting*).

While it would take something on the order of $450,000 - $500,000 to replicate it, the Licorice Streak Special is up for bid for another 8 days or so and is currently still below its reserve at "just" $85,100. Check out the gallery below and the eBay Motors listing for all of the details about the build. Thanks for the tip, Matthew.

Gallery: Tim Allen's 1932 Ford "Licorice Streak Special" Tracknose roadster

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Tim Allen's gruntworthy "Licorice Streak Special" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Chrysler Imperial - Rampage edition

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:39:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Truck, Auctions, Etc., Chrysler, Dodge, Specialty

1990 Chrysler Imperial pickup -click above for high-res image gallery.

If you have kids, you probably know that no matter how times you tell them that two wrongs don't make a right, they still have to find out for themselves. Case in point, the 1990 Chrysler Imperial - which clearly had way more than two wrongs against it from the start - has been with a Dodge Rampage. The Rampage actually wasn't a terrible idea, although the execution left something to be desired, especially on the inside (where have we heard that one before?).

The Imperial, on the other hand, stretched the K-Car to within an inch of its life - and beyond. With ridiculous overhangs and narrow width, the front-drive Imperial was simply no match for Cadillac and Lincoln - to say nothing of Europe's luxury machines. However, we can't help thinking that if Lee Iacocca had a ranch somewhere, he might have had the Chrysler engineering staff whip up something just like this. As we write this, there are no bids on this luxurious load lugging gem, so have it. Thanks to Craig for the tip!

Gallery: Chrysler Imperial Custom - Rampage edition

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Chrysler Imperial - Rampage edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Despite low take-rate, GM reportedly extending eBay experiment

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Auctions, GM

General Motors' experiment in selling new cars and trucks on eBay hasn't exactly been a raging success story. Despite this, America's largest automaker has extended the program, which will now run through the end of the month instead of halting on its originally scheduled ending date of September 8th.

According to estimates from Automotive News, GM has listed some 16,000 new vehicles on the auction site but has sold only 50 of those machines. That's not the entire story, though, says Mark LaNeve, GM vice president of U.S. sales:

We are very pleased with the progress of the initial promotion and its ability to raise awareness and consideration for our outstanding new-vehicle inventory... The numbers on eBay itself aren't significant, but we didn't think it would be. The dealers want to continue it, and so we are working on making some tweaks to it and continue.

The General says that 4,000 or so eBay shoppers have negotiated with the automaker to purchase a vehicle, but the vast majority of those transactions have not taken place online. Instead, a large portion of those buyers contacted the dealership directly to finalize a sale or haggle on a price after viewing the auction. And so the experiment continues...

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Despite low take-rate, GM reportedly extending eBay experiment originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find Of the Day: 2006 Maserati MC12 Corsa track machine, chassis #3/12

Noah Joseph — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Auctions, Maserati

Mserati MC12 Corsa #3 - Click above for high-res image gallery

When Ferrari unveiled the Enzo supercar in 2002, it was the fastest, most expensive roadgoing vehicle ever to roll out of the gates in Maranello. But the exotic automaker - and its sister company Maserati - soon found that its wealthiest customers were willing and eager to pay even bigger money for the chance to get behind the wheel of even more extreme versions on the race track. So to meet that demand, the Enzo gave birth to two track-bound seven-figure beasts: the Ferrari FXX and the Maserati MC12 Corsa. Only twelve of the latter were made available for the Trident marque's most loyal customers. We reported on one example - the only one that managed to get onto the street - going up for sale a little over a year ago, and now another has popped up on eBay, this time right outta Miami.

The MC12 Corsa is an extended derivative of Maserati's racing program. Rather than field a competition-spec version of the Enzo itself, Ferrari lent the platform to Maserati - which was then under its wing following acquisition by Fiat - to create the MC12 GT1 racer. Homologation requirements in the FIA GT championship required Maserati to build a small run of street-legal versions, of which 50 were built and sold to select customers.

But some wanted more. So Modena cranked out the Corsa, a sort of mid-way point between the street-legal and full-on racing version, packing an upgraded 744 horsepower V12 engine in a competition-spec body, with everything kept in check by carbon metallic brakes sans ABS. It's got a full racing cockpit, complete with five-point harnesses, wheel-mounted digital display and everything else the make-believe racer could desire. Having originally sold from the factory for €1 million (US$1.47 million), bidding for chassis #3 starts at $879,000. Check out the listing after the link and the images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Maserati MC12 Corsa #3 on eBay

[Source: eBay]

eBay Find Of the Day: 2006 Maserati MC12 Corsa track machine, chassis #3/12 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Rare '69 DeTomaso Mangusta packs pedigree, Gurney engine

Noah Joseph — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Ford

1969 De Tomaso Mangusta with Gurney Eagle engine - Click above for high-res image gallery

American muscle. Italian design. Cadillac Allanté notwithstanding, that right there is a recipe for success. And few were ever as capable of straddling that divide with one foot in each of the best of both worlds as De Tomaso. Like modern-day Pagani, De Tomaso was founded by an Argentinean based in Modena, and the small automaker created some of the most exotic machinery of its day. Chief among them was the Mangusta - its Italian name means 'mongoose,' which might not seem as ferocious an animal to name a sportscar after as, say, a jaguar, viper or stingray, until you realize that the little rodents are known for eating cobras. Then the Mangusta's mission statement becomes a little clearer.

Like the later revival (which was subsequently sold under Qvale and then MG badges), to say nothing of its prey, the original Mangusta packed Ford V8 power: From 1967 through 1971, 400 Mangustas rolled out of the De Tomaso factory with 289s or 302s installed, out of which fewer than 200 are believed to still be around.

So it's not every day that one goes up for sale. And what you see here is no ordinary Mangusta, either. Its Boss 302 engine was retrofitted with race-spec cylinder heads and intake manifold sourced from Dan Gurney's legendary Eagle racer. The body, which comes on an original chassis separate from the engine in this eBay auction lot, has a touch of rust despite a restoration by celebrity garage Pino's Auto Body and it's painted Ferrari red. The stunning rosso exterior is complimented by a tan leather interior that even has a sterling-silver nameplate. This particular Mangusta once belonged to cosmetics heir and noted car collector Jack Nethercutt before passing into the hands of Vector founder Gerard Wiegert, giving this exceptional exotic an even more interesting pedigree. Check out the enormous gallery of images below and the auction listing after the link for more.

Gallery: 1969 DeTomaso Mangusta w/Gurney Eagle engine

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Rare '69 DeTomaso Mangusta packs pedigree, Gurney engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1968 Chevrolet Corvette SCCA racer recreation

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:44:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Performance, Auctions, Chevrolet

1968 SCCA Chevrolet Corvette tribute - Click above for high-res image gallery

Next up on the auction block is every Corvette-loving Walter Mitty's fantasy come true, a 1968 SCCA Corvette hardtop convertible race car. Okay, maybe that's not everyone's idea of the perfect Corvette, but for those of you old enough to remember the glory days of SCCA Trans-Am racing circa 1968, this car should hit all the right buttons. What started life as a perfectly adequate, four-speed 327/350 optioned 'Vette, has been transformed into the very special race car tribute you see in our gallery. It's a street car that looks an awful lot like the Trans-Am racers of the late '60s and early '70s.

The good folks at 2nd Generation Automotive Restorations are the ones who turned it into what you see here today, minus this car's current fire-breathing factory race engine, a genuine Bowtie ZL-1. That's right, the current owner found one of the factory's limited edition Ram Jet ZL-1 engines (number 155 of only 200 made) nestled in a '55 Chevy show car. The engine had just 36 miles on it and needed a better home. We'd say the result is pretty spectacularly awesome. This very car was featured in the August 2007 issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines and can be yours for a Buy-It-Now price of just $60,000 - it would probably cost nearly twice that much to replicate it today. If this sounds like the right car for you, you'd better act fast. Bidding ends today at 7 PM PDT.

Gallery: ebay: 1968 Corvette Tribute car

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: 1968 Chevrolet Corvette SCCA racer recreation originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Gorgeous 1964 Lincoln Continental has a 723-hp secret

Dan Roth — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Lincoln

723-horsepower 1964 Lincoln Continental - Click above for image gallery

The Elwood Engel Continentals are so instantly recognizable that Lincoln borrowed some of their design cues when creating modern vehicles like the MKX crossover. These big hunks of awesome from the Sixties are still even relatively affordable, too. The seller of this gem claims that there's more than $120,000 invested in this much modified example, which is admittedly a whole lot more than we'd expect to pay for even this gobsmackingly nifty thing, so it's possibly a case of overdoing it. You've got a day, and as it stands now, the reserve has not been met by a $30,000 bid.

Lower than a dead man's blood pressure, this Lincoln has been expensively redone in a stunning shade of PPG Cherry Black. Underneath, chassis mods have been carried out to add an Air Ride Technologies suspension that gives you the slammed stance for going low and slow, but it also pumps up to regular height for motorvatin'. Underhood yields the biggest surprise, as if the beautifully straight bodywork, sumptuous leather interior and high standard of work weren't enough.

Pop that lid and where you'd expect to see an MEL or 385-series lies a 351 Windsor-based engine, now displacing 427 cubic inches and breathing heavily with a ProCharger iron lung and spinning an AOD transmission. A mid-century masterpiece powered by more than 700 horsepower done up tastefully sounds good to us.

Gallery: Custom eBay Lincoln Continental

[Source: eBay]

eBay Find of the Day: Gorgeous 1964 Lincoln Continental has a 723-hp secret originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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