Autoblog

Could bamboo resin be a good alternative to carbon fiber for cars?

Zach Bowman — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Toys/Games, Electric

The quest for ever-better lightweight manufacturing materials has led one electric vehicle builder to consider using woven bamboo fiber and vegetable resin in the place of costly carbon fiber or heavy fiberglass. The material is already being put to use in the surfboard industry, and Greg Abbott, a guy who spends his days converting internal-combustion vehicles to EVs, says that in the future, EV kits may have bodies that use bamboo for their body structure. Abbott says the material is strong enough to fall somewhere between fiberglass and carbon fiber on the strength-to-width ratio scale.

Bamboo has a number of fairly obvious appealing traits as a manufacturing material. The crop is quick-growing, stout and easily replenished, which makes it inexpensive as well. The plant is used in everything from flooring to textiles, paper and water processing, so the thought of turning to bamboo for car bodies isn't that far fetched.

Could bamboo resin be a good alternative to carbon fiber for cars? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windsor-area police looking to ID car involved in hit-and-run fatality. Can you help? *UPDATE

Zach Bowman — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Canada

Police in Windsor, Ontario are attempting to determine the type of vehicle involved in a fatal hit and run recently. Kyle Peters, a 15-year-old, was struck while riding his bicycle on Country Road 34. After being admitted to the hospital in critical condition, Peters died from his injuries the following morning. According to The Toronto Star, Peters was hit somewhere between roads 21 and 37 and was struck at around 9 p.m. A single piece of fiberglass was recovered from the scene, measuring 11 inches by 16 inches.

So far, police have been unable to identify the vehicle that struck Peters. Law enforcement is welcoming any tips related to vehicles with missing pieces of fender in the area. Likewise, police are seeking help identifying the vehicle based on the piece of bodywork as well. Do you recognize the fiberglass piece above? Take your best guess in 'Comments' and be sure to note that anyone with information on the accident can contact the Leamington Police Department via their website. Thanks for the tip, Dan!

*Update: The Toronto Star is reporting that Peter Martens Schmitt, 18, has been arrested in connection with this incident and charged with failure to remain at the scene of an accident, criminal negligence causing death and dangerous driving causing death. He was driving an older model Audi.

[Source: The Toronto Star]

Windsor-area police looking to ID car involved in hit-and-run fatality. Can you help? *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Italianate 1991 Acura NSX

Zach Bowman — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Acura, Lamborghini, Design/Style

Acura NSX meets Lamborghini - Click above for high-res image gallery

Full Disclosure: We have loved the Acura NSX since long before we were all smelling like teen spirit. The car will always hold a special place in our hearts, so the car you see above is particularly blasphemous in our eyes. Someone, at some point in history, looked at their reliable, capable near-supercar from Honda and thought, "You know what this needs? A little more Lamborghini Diablo."

That person, then, evidently commenced to slather the lightweight Japanese hellion in enough fiberglass to convince your average passer-by that the car actually hails from Italy. As far as body kits go, this one is the real deal. The builder even went so far as to badge the brake calipers with Lamborghini script and plop a faux twelve-cylinder intake on top of the Japanese V6, even though it doesn't appear to be bolted to anything.

Is it bad? Well, outwardly at least, it appears far more convincing than one might reasonably expect. But would we have been less insulted if were a Pontiac Fiero under that orange skin? Undoubtedly - but the builder at least gets points for creativity, as this is evidently a one-of-one proposition. If you dig it, you can find this creation on eBay Motors with a Buy-It-Now price of $49,000 in Branson, Missouri. The seller is willing to entertain offers. Thanks for the tip, Jesse!

Gallery: Acura NSX-Lamborghini Mashup

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Italianate 1991 Acura NSX originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What could have been - AMX/3

Dan Roth — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Classics, Etc., Supercars

UPDATE: It turns out there were actually some running and driving versions of this car, link in text below.

The fact that AMC never produced this car is probably part of the reason why they were able to hang on as the last independent automaker until the twilight of the 1980s. Looking at it now, though, makes us wish they'd gone after the mid-engined supercar segment with their iconoclastic flair. Sure, that'd mean an interior done up in noxious orange tartan, but look at that design! Richard Teague and crew managed to create a very muscular form evocative of what may have happened had a Toronado mated with Signor Miura. There were several development cars created, but no production version. What has recently surfaced is one of the "pushcars" used at events to show off the exterior styling. Pushcars were basically fiberglass bodies splashed from molds of the clay bucks. Underneath the exterior was a wooden framework and rudimentary axles front and rear.

Other pushcars from the same program have surfaced, one was even stuck atop a pole at a used car dealership before being rescued and restored (as a pushcar, that is.) The AMX/3, however, remained sealed away in Bruce Wayne's underground lair, it would seem, until earlier this year. The seller, second owner of the AMX/3, had intended on mounting the body to a Pantera chassis, but decided to sell it instead. New owner Tom Dulaney intends to restore the pushcar back to its original setup, but not before taking molds from the body to possibly create replica pieces. So, in the end, we may actually be able to own the sexiest AMC that never was, even if it is underpinned by a Fiero. Actually, there's no word on what would serve as a chassis, so let your imaginations run. We know what will be circling our heads as we fall asleep tonight.

[Source: Hemmings]

What could have been - AMX/3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 27 Oct 2007 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1957 Bonaguro Special

Chris Paukert — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Auctions, Etc.

This sensational one-off 1950's custom is a hand-crafted built over the course of six years (1957-1963) by one man - John Bonaguro. If you're picking out elements from other cars of its time, you're not alone-- the designer cribbed a 1955 Oldsmobile Rocket V8 and transmission for motivation, the taillamps are Chevrolet circa 1958, the seats are from '62 Ford Thunderbird, and so on.

The hand-laid fiberglass body is original, and the car 'received a sympathetic restoration a few years ago,' which appears to have put it in good running order, with the patina of a vehicle that is actually meant to be driven. It boasts a radically low-slung greenhouse with a pursed split rear window and gorgeous looking custom aluminum bumperettes.

The car has a solid show history, and was featured in a 1964 Hot Rod magazine Custom Car Annual. As the eBay listing's text correctly points out, complete custom cars from this era are hard to come by, as many were subsequently cannibalized or scrapped to yield parts for later project cars.

We think this Bonaguro Special is a real looker, with a cohesive design language that has held up far better than most of the period pieces still seen circulating now and again. If its condition is as good as it looks in the listing, the current bidding price of $25,100 would appear to be less than half of what it is worth.

[Source: eBay]

eBay Find of the Day: 1957 Bonaguro Special originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Apr 2006 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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