Autoblog

SEMA 2009: Pinkee's ignites lust for a Pontiac Firebird

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:20:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Pontiac

1977 Pontiac FireBird by Pinkee's Rod Shop - Click above for high-res image gallery

This year's SEMA show might have been a bit smaller than in years past, but there were certainly some heavy hitters in the crowd that proved the old "quality, not quantity" adage. Take, for instance, this super-clean, super-fine 1977 Pontiac Firebird. Like the Ringbrothers "Afterburner" Fairlane and the Goodguys Street Machine of the Year 1962 Corvette C1-RS, the look is modern, yet definitely retro. Dreamed up by hot rod artist Jimmy Smith, it was crafted to life by Pinkee's Rod Shop of Windsor, Colorado.

It has a smooth-as-glass appearance with its gloss black paint dripping off its shaved and streamlined form. Elegantly simple billet wheels, naked headlamps and a restyled rear complete the exterior look. The interior hasn't been forgotten either, as it is fully custom and equally straightforward. The same can be said for the engine bay, which looks like a surgical O.R., with its LS7 engine resting neatly in a fully customized bay. It was easily one of our favorite cars at this year's show.

Gallery: SEMA 2009: Pinkee's FireBird

SEMA 2009: Pinkee's ignites lust for a Pontiac Firebird originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Confirmed: "Phoenix" Trans Am conversion kit coming for Camaro

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:56:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Pontiac

Kevin Morgan Pontiac Trans Am Renderings - Click above for high-res image gallery

So... as of January 1, 2010, Pontiac is dead. Buried. Gone forever. No more. Obviously, something as pesky as death ain't going to stop hard core Trans Am fanatics from driving an (almost) honest to goodness 2010 Pontiac Trans Am and/or Firebird. Why? If you have to ask... you bring up a good point. Especially because when you get right down to it, the Trans Am was rarely anything other than a Chevy Camaro with different sheet metal.

Keeping that in mind, Trans Am Depot will be offering body kits that will transform (lowly) Camaros into full-on screamin' chicken Trans Ams! Based off Kevin Morgan's original design(s), the Phoenix Trans Am kits will be unveiled at the 2009 Trans Am Nationals. And then you'll have the chance to own a Trans Am that costs more than a Camaro but is just as fast. Hey - just sayin'. Fully detailed press release after the jump.

Gallery: Phoenix Trans Am

[Source: Trans Am Depot | Kevin Morgan Designs via Jalopnik]

Continue reading Confirmed: "Phoenix" Trans Am conversion kit coming for Camaro

Confirmed: "Phoenix" Trans Am conversion kit coming for Camaro originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two real muscle cars destroyed for art's sake... Art is mad

Dan Roth — Fri, 16 May 2008 09:54:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., GM, Pontiac, Lifestyle

Jonathan Schipper started grinding models of muscle cars into each other like tectonic plates as a way to express the "slow, inevitable death of American Muscle," and he's progressed to using two actual cars at an installation at Chicago's NEXT Art fair.

Well, let us tell you, Jonathan: American muscle is alive and well. Taken a look at horsepower ratings lately? How about some recent Nurburgring lap times from GM products? Time and technology have marched on from the Firebird and Camaro of the Foghat era, so there's no need to give two examples a slow ride into each other's sheetmetal just to point out that there's hardly any around. Cars are a commodity, so by nature, old cars will "die off" through crashes, rusting away, or being recycled for parts and then sold for scrap. It could be that we just don't get it, but really, maybe Schipper could learn how to paint like Von Dutch if he wants to do art with cars. This particular piece makes Piss Christ look like the Mona Lisa. Time-lapse video after the jump - thanks for the tip, Joe!

[Source: Hemmings, Photo: Art Addict]

Continue reading Two real muscle cars destroyed for art's sake... Art is mad

Two real muscle cars destroyed for art's sake... Art is mad originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 May 2008 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #87

Dan Roth — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Concept Cars, Podcasts, Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Truck, Crossover, Acura, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, GM, Suzuki, Volkswagen, India

The Chicago Auto Show wasn't that eventful, but that's what we lead off Autoblog Podcast episode #87 with. The Challenger was the biggest deal, followed by the Denali XT, and then a bunch of inconsequential things. We did find ourselves talking about the Suzuki Equator and the Ford Transit Connect, too. We give you our first up close and personal impressions of the Challenger SRT-8 in this podcast. We also saw the VW Routan, which certainly doesn't conjure warm, fuzzy memories of Type IIs gone by. Chevy's Traverse calls into question the usefulness of Saturn's Outlook in the product lineup. Speaking of GM badge-engineering, we got word this week that Pontiac will not be getting a Trans Am companion to the Camaro, dang. Another disappointment is the rumor that Cerberus is going to let the Viper run down without rewinding the clock for a third generation. We wrap up by touching on the possibility that an Indian pickup could be the first diesel hybrid in the US, even though it's not even being imported yet, and we're sure that when it gets here, it'll generate even more hate than the new Acura RL. 42 minutes, that's it. Sorry it's a little late this week, it's all Alex's fault, I swear.

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Autoblog Podcast #87 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Feb 2008 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Catch "Travolta Fever" on eBay

Dan Roth — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 10:07:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Auctions, Pontiac

By buying this (garishly) customized Firebird, you're really purchasing a way of life. Inexplicably listed as a 1971, when it's clearly about a decade newer, this car is your ticket to a full-on star shrine. You get the car, a trunkful of memorabilia and knicknacks, even a domain name (travoltafever.com). The car itself was built in 1979 by George Barris, and it encapsulates some of the pop culture ethos of the late 1970s. The interior has a manly theme inspired by Urban Cowboy, though when we set our gaze upon it, all we could think was Brokeback Mountain. Nevertheless, it's certainly better than the stock Poncho interior was. The exterior has been flared in an odd way, endowed with a large spoiler, and painted in the fashion of the time. The car is actually named "Travolta Fever," so says the hood. How awesome, you could have a Firebird named after the same virus that inspired Travolta to release a double album.

All snarkiness aside, it's a cool piece of Kustom Kar history, which is inextricably linked with a well known Hollywood star. Star value always inflates car prices, for better or worse. This one comes with a collection of other memorabilia, as well, and looks to be in good shape. There's no telling whether it will truly appreciate in value, but $25,000 isn't that outrageous for a car with a known celebrity link that comes with all kinds of extra stuff. Some of that stuff includes a Revell scale model kit, a copy of the "Travolta Fever" double LP, and various other pieces signed by George Barris. You're guaranteed to draw a crowd at your local car show with this thing, even if you're parked next to a Bandit Trans Am.

Catch "Travolta Fever" on eBay originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goat or Chicken: Will 2010 Pontiac be a Firebird or GTO?

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:27:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Pontiac

We visited this issue in February, when Winding Road speculated Pontiac would get a Camaro spinoff, but now Car and Driver is weighing in. With the imminent return of the Chevy Camaro, many Poncho fans have wondered about a possible return of the screaming chicken, as well. Pontiac's last attempt at reviving a storied model (GTO) met with mixed results. The GTO was supposed to be a slam dunk for Pontiac. Take an existing rear drive muscular platform, add a few Pontiac trim pieces and a GTO badge, and voilà, instant success. Well, it didn't quite go as planned and GTO sales were rather tepid. Not that it wasn't a good car, especially in 6.0 form, but it didn't really set hearts aflutter, especially compared to the wildly successful retro Mustang.

So will Pontiac get a new GTO, or maybe a Firebird instead? With the G8 coming to replace the Bonneville and Grand Prix, a suitable RWD platform is already approved for US consumption. And of course, it's also underpinning that hot new Camaro. So if Pontiac gets a new muscle coupe, will it show up as a goat or a chicken? That's what Car and Driver asked Pontiac. After a long silence, C and D finally got some answers. Surprisingly, they seem to point towards a new GTO. They based this on Bob Lutz's own words: "No carbon copy of the Camaro will make it into any other GM-brand showroom" is how they put it. They also point out that while a Firebird would have to be essentially the same as a Camaro, a GTO from the same platform could be bigger and different enough to claim its own place in the market, maybe more of a G8 coupe. Whichever badge this future Pontiac sport coupe wears, it should get the same 261-hp 3.6-liter DOHC V-6 or 362-hp LS2 6.0-liter V-8 options as the G8. They would be offered with five or six-speed automatics, respectively, but six-speed manuals should be available, as well. Tough choice, really - a Firebird that would be a restyled Camaro, or a GTO that could go its own way. Which would you choose?

[Source: Car and Driver]

Goat or Chicken: Will 2010 Pontiac be a Firebird or GTO? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Bullrun-winning Trans Am

John Neff — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:03:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Pontiac

We watched a marathon of the SpikeTV reality show based on the Bullrun Rally and hosted by Bill Goldberg, but weren't too terribly impressed with the premise. It seemed one needed only a decent proficiency at reading maps, as well as a lot of luck, to win. The winning team was the father/daughter duo of Mike and Morgan Alsop from Lafayette, Indiana, who took top Bullrun honors at the helm of their 2002 Pontiac Trans Am WS6. While the finale is still sitting on our TiVo, we know that the Alsops got as far as they did by making more friends than enemies, while watching their own backs at the same time. Meanwhile, their Trans Am performed flawlessly throughout the 4,800-mile rally and proved to be bulletproof, unlike the rides brought by many of their competition.

Like true Americans, father and daughter Alsop are eager to capitalize on their fifteen minutes of fame and have put the Championship Trans Am up for sale on eBay Motors. One of the Alsop's fellow Bullrunners already put his Lamborghini Murcielago up for sale on eBay, but he didn't have the decency to give the car a tune up or fix any of the damage it received from the competition. The Alsop's sent their car to a body shop immediately following the race and ordered up a new paint job, tires, suspension components and an engine tune up. So not only are you buying a hella fast Trans Am that's proven to be as reliable as the setting sun, you're also buying a car that's seen the bright lights of Hollywood and has a few stories to tell.

Thanks for the tip, Mike!

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Bullrun-winning Trans Am originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Knight Rider spoof... freaking hilarious

Chris Shunk — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:06:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Supercars, Pontiac

Every once in a while we see one of those flash-based spoof cartoons that are just too good to pass up. This one, which is a commercial for Australia's CarsGuide, takes a hilarious swipe at the early 80's car show Knight Rider to show how important the right car really is. From the car's request for a destination, to the constantly changing cast of women in "Day Rider's" passenger seat and the giant cell phone in a suitcase, this one has all the makings of comic immortality. The "plot" of the spoof is that Michael Day is trying to stop an illegal shipment of hair mousse. Fittingly, the character spoofing David Hasselhoff ends up laying on the ground at the end. Check it out after the jump.

[Source: YouTube via Hemmings Car Blog]

Continue reading VIDEO: Knight Rider spoof... freaking hilarious

VIDEO: Knight Rider spoof... freaking hilarious originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Year One Bandit T/A in action! - UPDATED with latest version

Dan Roth — Thu, 03 May 2007 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Videos, Pontiac

UPDATE: Our friends at Year One graciously hooked us up with the latest version of this video - embedded after the jump.

"Bandit you're reckless and you live much too hard..."

We feel a full-fledged late 1970s lovefest coming on soon. Not that it'd be any worse than the resurgence of 1980s pop culture among those that didn't live it. Let's just say it was bad the first time, and hasn't improved with age. One thing that is better this time around are the Bandit T/A recreations from Year One. We reported on these a while back, and since we're all hot for the darn thing, here's some more eye candy. Looks like Sheriff Buford T. Justice finally has his day in the sun at the end of this short promo video, which we've embedded after the jump.

[Source: Year One]

Continue reading VIDEO: Year One Bandit T/A in action! - UPDATED with latest version

VIDEO: Year One Bandit T/A in action! - UPDATED with latest version originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 May 2007 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Breaker, Breaker: Year One recreates Bandit T/As

Dan Roth — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 09:04:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Pontiac

click the pic above to view a gallery of Year One Bandit Trans Ams

Every now and then when I'm hammering to make time on a road trip, this is what goes through my head: "East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'..." Second only to Star Wars in 1977, Hal Needham's iconic Smokey and the Bandit also seared itself into popular culture like the Space Opera. Thirty years on, a black 2nd-generation Trans Am still makes us think of bootlegging Coors.

To commemorate the Burt Reynolds vehicle, Year One is teaming up with the veteran actor and building a limited number of Bandit inspired Trans Ams. These cars won't be highly suspect like those that pop up on eBay from time to time, or aftermarket kits like those made by Trans Am Specialties and Choo Choo Customs back in the day. No, they'll be the real deal, and Year One isn't taking the easy way out, either. Since the Bandit car was a T/A, all of the Year One cars will be true T/As, and titled as such. You could get away with a Firebird as a basis, but that's not how Year One rolls.

There will be three variations on the Bandit theme, BAN1, thru BAN3. All cars have full body restorations first. Floors are replaced, as are other needed panels, so that the hi-po Ponchos have the best basis to build from. Flush-mounted glass, smooth fender flares, custom projector headlights and LED taillights update the basic car. Chassis mods firm up the structure with subframe connectors, tubular control arms and high performance bushings and springs. The interiors get pimped out in the same custom fashion, with "Bandit" inserts on the door panels, modern seats, a race-inspired gauge cluster and the requisite CB radio. It wouldn't be a Bandit car if you couldn't pick up that mic and say "Snoman, gotcher ears on?" BAN2 and BAN3 packages get increasing amounts of performance from monster aluminum 455s or LS-derived engines, as well as further chassis tweaks and more toys inside the cockpit, like a nav system and race harnesses.

Some history, and Year One's press release after the jump

[Source: Year One]

Gallery: Year One Bandit Trans Ams

Continue reading Breaker, Breaker: Year One recreates Bandit T/As

Breaker, Breaker: Year One recreates Bandit T/As originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Apr 2007 09:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: The Magnificent 5 from Wide-Trac Country

Alex Nunez — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 15:36:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Coupe, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Pontiac

It's been a while since I threw an old TV spot up for your enjoyment (though Dan has done a fine job serving up tasty nostalgia nuggets of late), and John's post on Winding Road's pie-in-the-sky Firebird Trans-Am future-fantasymobile had me flipping through my YouTube faves for something related to our fine flaming-feathered friend from Pontiac.

While that hypothetical TA clearly looks to the 70s for inspiration, I'm going back to the previous decade for today's bit of retro-marketing fun. It's got everything you'd expect: great old cars, entertaining period voice-over work, clever needling of the competition from Mercury, Ford, and Plymouth, plus a soundtrack that somehow lends the whole affair a sense of urgency. In fact, after viewing this I felt a strong desire to fly home in a magnificent new Pontiac Firebird...tonight.

Enjoy! The video's after the jump.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: The Magnificent 5 from Wide-Trac Country

VIDEO: The Magnificent 5 from Wide-Trac Country originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Feb 2007 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Should Pontiac's RWD coupe be the GTO or Trans Am?

John Neff — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM, Pontiac

In its latest issue, Winding Road calls the fact that Pontiac will get its own rear-wheel drive coupe based on the same Zeta architecture (sorry, "Global RWD platform" is the new official name) used by the upcoming Camaro is a "poorly kept secret". We weren't aware the decision to give Pontiac a piece of the pie was so solid, but are pleased to hear the news nonetheless.

When a new rear-wheel drive Pontiac debuts sometime around 2010 as a 2011 model, however, what should it be called? The obvious choice is to reuse the GTO moniker that was controversially slapped on the back of a Holden Monaro coupe and sold in the U.S. from 2003 to 2006. But what's a Camaro without a Firebird Trans Am twin, we ask? GM still retains the rights to those names, and as the speculative rendering above done by Poblete proves, Burt Reynolds' most famous ride looks damn good updated for the new millennium! We encourage you to check out the latest issue of Winding Road by clicking here to see an additional rear shot of this Trans Am mockup. It's worth the extra couple clicks.

I'll be honest with everyone, I've never been the new Camaro's #1 fan in terms of design, but I could get behind a Trans Am that looks good, screaming chicken and all.

[Source: Winding Road]

Should Pontiac's RWD coupe be the GTO or Trans Am? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Chicks! Gunplay! Pontiac! It's the '82 Firebird!

Alex Nunez — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:29:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Videos, Pontiac

The YouTube treasure trove continues to bear fruit, this time in the form of a dealer video for the then-all-new 1982 Pontiac Firebird. Like another favorite of ours, the '64 Dart television commercial, the Firebird propaganda film also features exploding clay pigeons. This time, however, it's a lovely '80s babe pulling the trigger during the opening minute instead of a little kid. Said shotgun is then used to demonstrate the gat-swallowing cargo capacity of the birdie's hatchback. All that and more after the jump!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Chicks! Gunplay! Pontiac! It's the '82 Firebird!

VIDEO: Chicks! Gunplay! Pontiac! It's the '82 Firebird! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hot Rod wants your help selecting its next project car

Eric Bryant — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 14:34:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket

We certainly wouldn't claim that the only measure of a gearhead is the number of projects in his or her garage, but certainly it's a useful metric. By that standard, Hot Rod's David Freiburger definitely deserves his post as editor-in-chief, but even he has found himself with more cars than time and is now looking for some assistance in setting priorities.

Hit the link below to view and vote on the projects. We think that The Rallye Duster and NovaXCross would be hugely entertaining, but too many of our formative years were spent watching Smokey and the Bandit and so The Track Day TA is our pick. Note that no bonus points will be awarded to commenters who point out our fetish for cars from the disco decade that are built into all-around performers, as this has previously been established.

[Source: Hot Rod (Subscribe)]

Hot Rod wants your help selecting its next project car originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Jan 2007 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How not to drift, Vol. II

Eric Bryant — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 17:34:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos

Previously, we learned that it's a bad idea to drift in areas populated with curbs. In this installment of Autoblog's Please Don't Act Like a Dufus lessons, the class will learn that other real-world obstructions can also cause significant damage.

In this particular case, the unfortunate driver of a third-gen Pontiac Trans Am rips some donuts and puts on a decent smoke show - right up until the point where he finds a manhole cover that protrudes above the surface of the pavement. The impact appears to shear something major in the rear axle (likely the axle shaft itself, judging by the intact wheel lugs), and the left rear tire decides that it no longer wishes to support its corner of the vehicle. That's OK - those stock 10-bolt rear ends are ripe for replacement anyways. Too bad the honeycomb wheel had to suffer, but at least the quarter panel didn't hit the ground.

[Source: Streetfire via CamaroZ28.com]

How not to drift, Vol. II originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Sep 2006 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trademark dumpster diving reveals a few gems

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 08:54:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, GM, Lexus

The news that is not 'right' has uncovered some interesting automotive tidbits while scouring through obscure trademark filings.

First, General Motors has patented the term "8 speed" for use with what is presumed to be an eight-speed transmission. Logical, no? That would put their premium brands, Buick and Cadillac, on par with Lexus' newest tranny int their flagship the LS460.

Second up, LLN says that on October 6th, 2006 (whaaa?), GM filed a 'published for opposition' writ through the trademark office for the word 'Firebird.' We have no idea what the designation 'published for opposition' means (is there a patent lawyer in the house?), but LLN contends that it's a necessary step when reregistering a title. This may be what Bob Lutz has been mentioning under the name 'GTO,' but what's more interesting is the 'Fiero' moniker has also been re-applied for. This may be the first step in the General's plan of offering a small, hard-top coupe, but if it's just a Solstice with a fixed lid, our interest is only mildly piqued. Doesn't the name Fiero imply a mid-ship layout? We think so.

Finally, Lexus may not be pursuing the whole perfection thing soon, as they've applied for two new slogans: "The Passionate Pursuit of Potential" and "The Pursuit of Potential." We think it may be best to let our readers do the analysis on those.

Ready, set, speculate!

[Source: LeftLaneNews]

Trademark dumpster diving reveals a few gems originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Sep 2006 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baldwin Camaro shipped to Puerto Rico

Erin Mays — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Classics, Tuners, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

Luis Felipe Cruz Morales, a drag racer in Puerto Rico, will be among the car enthusiasts to receive the Baldwin-Motion Camaro, a modified version of the 1969 muscle car. Cruising to the tune of 600-horsepower put out by a 540-cubic-inch engine mated to a modified TH-400 automatic transmission, the vehicle is one of just 12 Camaros modified by Baldwin-Motion to the tune of $169,000 for the SS-427 model and $189,000 for the Phase III 540. Cruz's Camaro will also be painted "Motion Red," sport silver stripes and offer a red leather interior.

The deal marks the first export of the Baldwin-Motion Camaro, and as company CEO Larry Jaworske jokes, all Cruz's drag strip opponents will see of the Camaro is "a red and silver blur and four Corsa exhaust tips."

[Source: Edmunds InsideLine]

Baldwin Camaro shipped to Puerto Rico originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Aug 2006 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The making of the Camaro Concept

Eric Bryant — Sat, 06 May 2006 14:03:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Chevrolet

With the return of Chevrolet's Camaro all but certain, we're pretty much reduced to playing the speculation game over option levels... and waiting. In the meantime, as thoughts of smokey burnouts and parking-lot doughnuts pepper our imagination, click on over to Popular Hot Rodding's website via the link below to read the behind-the-scenes story of the Camaro Concept's battle to go from the drawing board to the floor of the 2006 Detroit auto show. The author of the story wisely lets designer Tom Peters (a veteran of the 2nd- and 3rd-gen Camaro) tell the story, with several paragraphs of direct quotes. If you're a Camaro fan, it's a great read, and even if you're not, it's still an interesting piece of insight into what it takes to move a concept through corporate red-tape.

[Source: Popular Hot Rodding]

The making of the Camaro Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 May 2006 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aspiring Texas Knight Rider gets his t-top stripped

Chris Paukert — Wed, 03 May 2006 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Etc., GM, Pontiac

We're not sure how K.I.T.T. didn't see this coming, but Matt Cyr-Knight, a 22-year-old college freshman in Texas had his heart broken when his Knight Rider clone was burglarized last month while attending class at San Antonio College.*

We're not exactly sure how a 1998 Pontiac Trans Am qualifies as a K.I.T.T. K.A.R.R., but we feel bad for the David Hasselhoff super fan, who has become so engrossed in the defunct 1980's television staple that he's "...gone by the name Knight since age 19 and plans to legally change his last name."

Apparently, Cyr-Knight's car was damaged when a thief pried open the T/A's t-top, thereafter copping K.I.T.T.'s ICE - head unit, amplifier, subwoofer and radar detector. Grand total? $400.

No suspects have been apprehended, but Autoblog has it on good authority that Garthe Knight (pictured) is on the local authorities' short list. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Cyr-Knight's Hasselhoffmobile was parked adjacent to the "Chance Academic Center." Or perhaps not.

Regardless, with his insurance settlement squared, Cyr-Knight might consider putting a downpayment on this eBay beauty. Or this one. Or this one. Decisions, decisions...

(*Yes, we know the article is almost two weeks old, but it's Knight Rider, people... priorities!)

[Sources: The Ranger.org; KnightRiderOnline.com; eBay]

Aspiring Texas Knight Rider gets his t-top stripped originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 May 2006 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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