Autoblog

It's this kind of thing that makes it hard to keep Thanksgiving dinner down. We aren't frequent viewers of Pimp My Ride, so we really only catch the show's work via the occasional eBay auction. Frankly, in the few cars we've caught we thought we had seen everything. But no. Not in the least. Latest challenger in the Heavyweight Pimp of the World competition is this: a 1976 Pacer X with a starry-orange-fade-to-yellow paint job and yellow and white shag interior.

Channeling the spirit of Austin Powers, but without his superb taste, the transformation includes a custom 8-track player and the requisite multiple LCD screens. The buyer did at least pull the white shag carpeting off the headliner and replaced it with the stock headliner. (But the shag is included if you want to put it back.) Nevertheless, he left the yellow wing on the car. We'd rather not say anything else about the car right now, because we're starting to feel a little nauseous.

Check out more pics and get the complete skinny at eBay. And proving that the spirit of salesmanship never dies, the listing begins with the words, "Here's your chance to own..." A fine chance, indeed.

Thanks for the tip, Peter!

[Source: eBay]

Looks like MTV wants to shake things up a bit on Sunday nights. They are set to pit two customizers against each other in a new series that will join a longtime favorite in the lineup. Out-going classic "Pimp My Ride" will follow the freshman series "Trick It Out" starting at 10pm ET/PT. Check your program guide though, because the site has it listed as airing on Thursdays instead of Sundays. There's a full press release after the jump that explains what the new series has to offer, but in brief, "Trick It Out" will be more of a competitive show, where cars will be customized by different specialists who want to one-up each other and show off their mad skillz. Set in L.A., the show will visit some of the top mod shops to see who can "trick out" their vehicle the best.

It will be two four-member teams each week starting out with similarly beat up rides and identical budgets of 15 grand(!). In just 10 days, the teams have to turn their "worn-out clunkers into the most badass looking rides imaginable." To keep the shops from repeating their favorite tricks, there will be a different theme each week. RJ Devera, who you may remember in the first Fast and the Furious as the guy playing Gran Turismo in his car before the first big street race, will be the judge who decides which team gets not only bragging rights for the build, but also both the winning and losing rides.

It sounds worth a watch, especially if the teams figure out how to get to the judge. We're guessing this might be a knock-down, drag-out fight in the works. And for "Pimp" fans who might be feeling withdrawal symptoms, MTV says shows are now available at the iTunes Store, Amazon Unbox, and the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Of course, they could always pick up one of the show's creations for themselves instead.

Full release after the jump.

[Source: MTV]

Sometimes folks buy a slice of automotive history and put it somewhere safe, away from roads and crowds, so it won't get hurt. If you bought this particular example of automotive history, you'd probably lock it up somewhere safe because, like the folks who are selling it, you wouldn't actually drive it anywhere in public -- outside of Zacatecas.

What is it? It's a truly pimped-out Chrysler Voyager that miraculously survived this transformation on Pimp My Ride. Among the tasties included: black suede ceiling, triple flip down monitors, a 32" footrest monitor, denim upholstery, a lighted floor controlled by remote, lasers, and heart-shaped exhaust tips. Don't expect to haul much, though -- the back end is, of course, nothing but speakers. However, it does come with an advance mobility power sliding door for when grandma needs to get her pimp on.

If you saw the episode and you're really interested, you should know that it doesn't come with the Vroom Box. Whatever that was, it was only a prototype. So if you're a pimp with a family, you chariot is calling. And don't let being light on funds stop you -- the seller even offers a link for a loan.

Thanks for the tip, Sean!

[Source: eBay]

Next week on MTV, it's a "Very Special Edition" of Pimp My Ride. In honor of Earth Day coming on April 22, the crew of the popular MTV show that proves on a regular basis that having a large budget in no way guarantees good judgment will be updating a 1965 Chevy Impala. Generally, the best way to have a 65 Impala help the environment would be to tow it to the nearest car crusher and then melt it down to make new cars.

That, however, wouldn't be nearly as entertaining as the approach taken by the crew at Galpin Auto Sports, and it certainly wouldn't merit inclusion here. Instead, they've tossed the old pre-EPA engine that was in the Impala. GM provided the team with a brand new Duramax diesel V-8 as is used in the automaker's full size trucks and SUVs, and after a few minor tweaks, it was installed in the Impala. Result: the GAS crew took the engine from 360hp to 800hp running on biodiesel! Stay tuned for more on the veggie oil special later this week.

[Source: MTV]

Here it is, folks, this is what you get for the tuner who has everything. Introducing the "Pimp My Heart," a system that uses sensors in the steering wheel to gauge your heart beat as you drive and subsequently pump said heart beat through your car's audio system for the ultimate beats. Using his Heart Beat Bass Booster, inventor Takehito Etani offers up "Pimp My Heart" for the "ultimate unity between car and driver."

The concept takes a look at bass thumping, its role as a marker of territory and "psychological armor," and asks some questions. What if the bass sounds are the driver's real-time heart beat instead of beats of music? Does our relationship with the vehicle/driver and the pedestrian change?

Sounds very academic, eh? While we wonder if dear Takehito has too much time on his hands over there at Carnegie Mellon, it's kind of a cool trick for the car that has everything -- it takes bass thumpin' to a whole new level.

[Source: Works by Takehito Etani via Fresh Creation]

In an effort to better protect the Mustang name, Ford Motor Company has taken to prosecuting companies with names incorporating a Ford trademark, including Mustang and nicknames like Stang and Pony. According to Mustang Monthly, companies that violate the rules are being presented with a letter directing the company to transfer internet domain names containing "Mustang" to Ford, as well as instructions to stop using Mustang in the company name. The letter also reportedly requests that all marketing materials, including brochures, banners, business cards, etc. be turned over to Ford so that they can be destroyed, and also directs the company to cut Ford a check for $5,000 in damages. Companies choosing not to comply could end up in a legal battle with Ford costing in excess of $100,000. Seems a little excessive, but it's within Ford's right and responsibility to protect its trademarks, right?

But what about the collateral damage? What of the companies that will undergo financial harm by halting advertising until the issue is resolved, or those small shops that don't have the marketing budget to reprint all of its materials? And what about Ford's efforts over the years to encourage aftermarket shops to produce product for the Mustang, thereby increasing the Mustang's attractiveness to car buffs looking to customize.

So what's the answer, dear readers? Is Ford going overboard, or is the company rightly protecting its property?

Thanks to Matt for the tip.

[Source: Mustang Monthly]

West Coast Customs is out and Galpin Auto Sports is in on MTV's new season of the Xzibit-driven car makeover show Pimp My Ride. Galpin is well known for customizing all manner of Ford product for decades and has a rich history as one of the Blue Oval's most colorful dealerships. In addition to the design talents provided by Galpin's own Beau Boeckmann, the new season of Pimp My Ride will also feature a familiar face in Mad Mike, who used to work for West Coast Customs and host the show shotgun style with Xzibit. Check out this page for some examples of Galpin's past work (like the above "deceased" themed F-150) before the new season airs on June 15th.

[Source: Inside Line]

The 1957 V8 Chevy panel truck featured on MTV's Pimp My Ride in August of 2005 is up for bid on eBay. Xzibit and his crew painted the outside red with yellow flames, installed several flat screen TVs with a DVD player and PlayStation 2, bolted on chrome bumpers and a chrome steering wheel, and outfitted the vehicle with 20-inch Axis tires and a ten-speaker, three-thousand-watt stereo system.

The bid's currently at $25,100, but the reserve hasn't been met yet. Wife and child not included.

[Source: Ebay]

Thanks to Ty for the tip.

 

First Sgt. William von Zeal did a little shopping while stationed in Iraq with the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion-- he picked up what is believed to be Saddam Hussein's 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL for around $5,000 from a private owner in Baghdad.

The white Benz in question was fitted with armor plating, loudspeakers, hidden microphones, and... wait for it... flame throwing side pipes. Likely one of three such white Benzes, Von Zeal has yet to definitively prove that his car was Hussein's, but he does have some clues, including a sales receipt listing "the Iraqi government" as previous owners.

But the reservist may not get the chance to prove its provenance once and for all, because he no longer has the car in his possession-- Federal customs agents seized it in New Haven, Connecticut, and are treating it as a "possible war trophy." The car is being held by the government because of potential infringement upon federal smuggling law violations, along with possible breach of an executive order banning the importation of items owned of the former Iraqi government.

Federal agents were holding the car while investigating possible violations of federal smuggling laws, as well as an executive order barring the importation of property from the former Iraqi regime.

Von Zeal has not been charged with any crimes, but the future of the car and the case is uncertain. At least one Autoblogger hopes he gets his ride back... or better yet, CNN officially declares it will never to use the word 'Pimped' in another headline ever again. Ever.

[Source: The Associated Press via CNN; LyricsFreak]

*(With sincerest apologies to Janis Joplin and Keith Barry, our tipster who came up with the reinterpreted ditty that we can't get out of our heads. Because our friends all drive Porsches, we must make amends)

Scion may have forgtten the spellcheck, but its remembered to bring some excellent aftermarket suppliers for its customization program called Optomize. The 150 possible parts (Alpine and H3R Performance among them) can be added by dealers at the time of purchase, and are covered by the manufacturer's warranty, which is a huge benefit over traditional aftermarket bits. Like many youth-oriented brands, drivers drop huge chunks of change on profit-rich Scion add-ons, and Toyota is no doubt trying to perfect its product lineup to keep the cash in the hands of dealers, not third party shops.

[Source: InsideLine]