American Muscle Cars - Hurst SC/Rambler

The Rambler American was a tried and true AMC compact car.
The Rambler badge has been created by Nash in 1954 and it's name continued on with this car.
It was designed to be a low priced family car and was actually commissioned by AMC President George W. Romney, the father of Mitt Romney.

But in 1969, AMC went a little crazy with this little compact car.
They took the compact car and turned it into a muscle car, the Hurst SC/Rambler, designed by AMC and Hurst Performance.

They took a normal little Rambler and shoehorned a 315 horsepower 390 AMC V8 engine into it, the same engine that came in the AMX.
Then they gave it a T-10 four-speed manual transmission, a Hurst shifter, dual exhaust with Thrush mufflers and a heavy sway bar, plus some more goodies.
This was a factory full on race machine.
No options, just pure speed.
The cost...$2,998.00.
Yep...that’s it.
Even in today's economy, that would be under $20,000 dollars for a dragstrip ready car.

In factory trim, the Hurst SC/Rambler could go 0 to 60 in 6.3 seconds and blast through the quarter mile in 14.4 seconds at 100.44 mph.
When people modified them...they got faster.

By the way...the SC stood for "Super Car".

Buick Gran Sport - American Muscle Cars

When most people think about muscle cars, they don’t think about Buick.
It's usually Fords, Chevys, Dodges, Pontiac....rarely a Buick.
But Buick made some very good muscle cars.
Like the Buick Gran Sport.

Like most muscle cars, it was based on a car that Buick already had, in this case, the Buick Skylark.
The Skylark was a good, solid family car.

So in 1965, Buick took it and dropped in a 400 inch Buick V8 (that was bored out to 401 inches).
They gave this "family car" 325 horses and 445 foot pounds of torque.
The Buick Gran Sport was born.

The model continued for several years.
But the "Holy Grail" of the Buick Gran Sport was the 1970 Buick GS 455 Stage 1.
This "Skylark" had a 455 cubic inch V8 shoehorned under the hood that put out a rumored 360 to 400+ horsepower.
This baby could turn the quarter mile in a little over 13 seconds at 104 mph.
And it was rumored it could hit 0 to 60 in 6.1 seconds.
That may not sound like a lot these days, but we are talking about a regular street car with a carburetor.
It wasn’t fuel-injected and it wasn’t all fiberglass, it was metal.

Today, if you are lucky, you can get a 1970 Buick GS with the 455 for $37,176 at an auction.

1970 Chevelle SS

The Chevrolet Chevelle was introduced in 1964, and the model could be anything from an economy car to a very powerful muscle car.
The Chevelle came with (I think) every engine Chevrolet put out, from the 194 CID Inline-Six to the 454 CID Big-Block V8.
The 1970 Chevelle SS equipped with the LS6 454 V8 was probably the pinnacle of the high performance version.
Right out of the showroom, the 454 put out 450 horsepower and 500 foot pounds of torque.
That pushed the 3260 pound car through the quarter mile in 13.1 seconds at 107 mph.
And like I said, that was stock.

I had a friend growing up that had a SS that he had modified that would almost literally tear up the pavement.
More than once I hit my head on the headliner when he popped the clutch and yanked the front wheels off the ground.

Good times.

Jaguar Lightweight E-type

Jaguar Lightweight E-type

This was an evolution of the Low Drag Coupé. This Jaguar made extensive use of aluminium alloy in the body panels and other components. However, with at least one exception, it remained an open-top car in like the D-type to which this car is a more direct successor than the production E-type which is more of a GT than a sports car. The cars used a tuned version of the production 3.8 litre Jaguar engine with 300 bhp (224 kW)) output rather than the 265 bhp (198 kW) produced by the "ordinary" version. At least one car is known to have been fitted with fuel-injection.

The cars were entered in various races but, unlike the C-Type and D-Type racing cars, they did not win at Le Mans or Sebring.

Bob Jane won the 1963 Australian GT Championship at the wheel of an E Type.

The Jaguar E-type was very successful in SCCA Production sports car racing with Group44 and Bob Tullius taking the B-Production championship with a Series-3 V12 racer in 1975. A few years later, Gran-Turismo Jaguar from Cleveland Ohio campaigned a 4.2 L 6 cylinder FHC racer in SCCA production series and in 1980, won the National Championship in the SCCA C-Production Class defeating a fully funded factory Nissan Z-car team with Paul Newman.

Jaguar E- Type, Low Drag Coupé (1962)

Jaguar E- Type, Low Drag Coupé (1962)

After the introduction of the E-type, Jaguar wanted to investigate the possibility of building a car more in the spirit of the D-type racer from which elements of the E-type's styling and design were derived. One car was built to test the concept designed as a coupé as its monocoque design could only be made rigid enough for racing by using the "stressed skin" principle. Previous Jaguar racers were built as open-top cars because they were based on ladder frame designs with independent chassis and bodies. Unlike the steel production E-types the LDC used lightweight aluminium. Sayer kept the original tub with lighter outer panels riveted and glued to it. The front steel sub frame remained intact, the windshield was given a more pronounced slope and the rear hatch welded shut. Rear brake cooling ducts were located next to the rear windows,and the interior trim was discarded, with only insulation around the transmission tunnel. With the exception of the windscreen, all cockpit glass was plexi. A tuned version of Jaguars 3.8 litre engine with a wide angle cylinder-head design tested on the "D" type racers was used. Air management became a major problem and, although much sexier looking and certainly faster than a production "E" type, the car was never competitive: the faster it went, the more it wanted to do what its design dictated: take off.

The one and only test bed car was completed in summer of 1962 but was sold a year later to Jaguar racing driver Dick Protheroe who raced it extensively and eventually sold it. Since then it has passed through the hands of several collectors on both sides of the Atlantic and now is believed to reside in the private collection of the current Viscount Cowdray.

The Jaguar E-type (1971-1975)

A new 5.3 L 12-cylinder Jaguar V12 engine was introduced, with uprated brakes and standard power steering. The short wheelbase FHC body style was discontinued and the V-12 was available only as a convertible and 2+2 coupe. The convertible used the longer-wheelbase 2+2 floorpan. It is easily identifiable by the aggressive, slatted front grill in place of the mouth of earlier cars, flared wheel arches and a badge on the rear that proclaims it to be a V12. There were also a very limited number of 4.2 litre six cylinder Series 3 E-Types built. These were featured in the initial sales literature. It is believed these are the rarest of all E-types of any remaining.

The Jaguar E-type (1966-1971)

The series 2 E-type Jaguar ran from 1966 to 1971.
Open headlights without glass covers, a wrap-around rear bumper, re-positioned and larger front indicators and taillights below the bumpers, better cooling aided by an enlarged "mouth" and twin electric fans, and uprated brakes are hallmarks of Series 2 E-type cars. De-tuned in US, but still with triple SUs in the UK, the engine is easily identified visually by the change from smooth polished cam covers to a more industrial 'ribbed' appearance. Late Series 1½ cars also had ribbed cam covers. The interior and dashboard were also redesigned, with flick switches being substituted for rocker switches that met U.S health and safety regulations. The dashboard switches also lost their symmetrical layout. New seats were fitted, which purists claim lacked the style of the originals but were certainly more comfortable. Air conditioning and power steering were available as factory options. It was available in FHC, OTS, and 2+2 versions.

The Jaguar E-type

The Jaguar E-type or XK-E was manufactured by Jaguar between the years of 1961 and 1974. The E-type revolutionized sports car design, with performance, handling and looks ahead of its time. It was priced well below competing models, helping it to high sales for a high performance car. In excess of 70,000 E-types were sold over 14 years.

It is often referred to as the E-Type Jag.

In March 2008, the Jaguar E-type ranked first in Daily Telegraph list of the "100 most beautiful cars" of all time. In 2004, Sports Car International named this car number one on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s.

The Series 1 was introduced in March 1961, using the triple SU carburetted 3.8 litre 6-cylinder Jaguar XK6 engine from the XK150S. The first 500 cars built had flat floors and external hood latches. These cars are rare and more valuable. After that, the floors were dished to provide more leg room and the twin hood latches moved to inside the car. The 3.8 litre engine was increased to 4.2 litres in late 1964.

All E-Types featured independent rear suspension with torsion bar front ends, and power-assisted disc brakes. Jaguar was the first auto manufacturer to equip cars with disc brakes as standard.

The Series 1 can be recognized by glass covered headlights (up to 1967), small "mouth" opening at the front, signal lights and tail-lights above bumpers and exhaust tips under the license plate in the rear.

3.8 litre cars have leather-upholstered bucket seats, an aluminum-trimmed centre instrument panel and console (changed to vinyl and leather in 1963), and a 4-speed gearbox that lacks synchromesh for 1st gear ("Moss box"). 4.2 litre cars have more comfortable seats, improved brakes and electrical systems, and an all-synchromesh 4-speed gearbox. 4.2 litre cars also have a badge on the boot proclaiming "Jaguar 4.2 Litre E-type" (3.8 cars have a simple "Jaguar" badge). Optional extras included Chrome Wire wheels and a detachable hard top for the Open Two Seater.

A 2+2 version of the coupe was added in 1966. The 2+2 offered the option of an automatic transmission. The body is slightly longer and the roof angles are different. The roadster remained a strict two-seater.

There was a transitional series of cars built in 1967-68, unofficially called "Series 1½", which are externally similar to Series 1 cars. Because of the American pressure the new features were open headlights, different switches, and some de-tuning (with a downgrade of twin Zenith-Stromberg carbs from the original triple SU carbs) for US models. Some Series 1½ cars also have twin cooling fans and adjustable seat backs. Series 2 features were gradually introduced into the Series 1, creating the unofficial Series 1½ cars, but always with the Series 1 body style.

The Jaguar XK150

The Jaguar XK150 was a sports car produced by Jaguar between 1957 and 1961. It replaced the previous XK140.

Jaguar XK150Initially it was available in Fixed Head Coupe (FHC) and Drop Head Coupe (DHC) versions. The Open Two Seater (OTS) Roadster model was not launched until 1958. Token rear seats were fitted in the coupes.

Although having a family resemblance to the XK120 and XK140, the XK150 was radically modernized. For the first time a one piece windscreen was used and the wing line no longer dropped as much over the doors. The bonnet was widened and opened down to the wings and on the OTS the bulkhead was moved back to make it about 4 inches (102 mm) longer. The car was available at various times in Red, Pearl Grey, White, Indigo Blue, Claret, Cots wold Blue, Black, Mist Grey, Sherwood Green, Carmen Red, British racing Green, Cornish grey and Imperial Maroon.

Inside the car the walnut dashboard went, to be replaced by one trimmed in leather. On the early Drop Head Coupes, an aluminum center dash panel with an X pattern engraving was fitted which looked similar to the early 3.8 E-type. It was discontinued after June 1958. The doors were thinner giving more interior space.

The standard engine, the same as fitted to the XK140, was the 3.4 litre DOHC Jaguar straight-6 rated at 180 SAE bhp at 5750 rpm but most cars were fitted with the SE engine that had a modified cylinder head with larger exhaust valves rated at 210 SAE bhp at 5500 rpm. Twin 1.75 inch SU HD6 carburettors were fitted. In 1958 the S model was launched with three 2 inch SU HD8 carburettors and a straight ports cylinder head giving a claimed 250 SAE bhp. The engine capacity was increased in 1958 to 3.8 liters by increasing the bore. Claimed output was now 220 bhp for the standard and 265 SAE bhp for the S version.

Four-wheel disc brakes appeared for the first time although it was theoretically possible to order a car with drums. Either wire wheels or disc wheels could be specified. Suspension and chassis were very similar to that on the XK140. Steering was by rack and pinion; power steering was not offered.

Production totaled 2265 Roadsters, 4445 Fixed Head Coupes and 2672 Drop Head Coupes.


technorati tags: Jaguar XK150, car, car parts, cars, classic cars, cool cars, Daimler Motor Company, fast cars, hot cars, jaguar, muscle cars, sports cars, Tata Motors

The Jaguar XK140

The Jaguar XK140 was a sports car manufactured by Jaguar between 1954 and 1957. Upgrades over its predecessor, the XK120, included better brakes, rack and pinion steering, and modern tube type shock absorbers instead of the older lever arm design. The name referred to its 140 mph (225 km/h) top speed. The XK140 continued to feature the famous Jaguar XK engine with the SE mods from the XK120 as standard, now delivering 190 bhp (142 kW) at 5750 rpm. The special C-Type cylinder head was also carried through from the XK120 catalogue as an option, providing 210 bhp (157 kW).

With the introduction of the XK140 in late 1954 (all sold as 1955 models), the primary visual change was the more substantial front and rear bumpers, with large overriders. Another new feature was the provision of modern flashing direction indicators, operated by a separate switch on the dash. The twin amber lights positioned above the front bumper helped to distinguish the XK140 - until XK120 owners started installing the same equipment. The front grill was the same size as the grill on the XK120, but was now a one piece cast unit with fewer, thicker vertical slats. Above the grill was the Jaguar mascot, and a chrome strip which extended back over the bonnet. This strip continued down the centre of the boot (trunk) lid, where it contained a red shield with the words 'Winner Le Mans 1951-3' inscribed in gold.

The interior was also more comfortable for taller occupants with the addition of 3 inches (76 mm) in length. This was achieved by moving the engine forward which allowed the firewall and dash location to be relocated as well. The new arrangement left no room for the XK120 battery compartment, and the single battery was now repositioned low down inside the wing on the inlet side, making it almost impossible to replace.

In 1956, the XK140 was the first Jaguar sports car to be offered with an automatic transmission. As with the XK120, the availability of wire wheels and dual exhausts were options although most cars imported into the United States had wire wheels. Cars with disc wheels continued to be offered with spats closing the rear wheel arch. The XK140 was available in three body styles. A Roadster or OTS (Open Two Seater) which had a light canvas top assembly that when lowered fitted behind the seats and thus completely disappeared inside the body. The interior of the Roadster was very sparse with no wood embellishments, but with a leather dash. Just like the XK120 Roadster, the XK140 OTS or Roadster had removable canvas and plastic side curtains on light alloy doors. The DHC or Drop Head Coupe had a more substantial padded top that when lowered sat above and outside the body of the car, it also had a fixed windscreen (unlike the removeable windscren of the OTS). The DHC also had roll up windows and a very elegant veneered dash, both of which featured on the FHC or Fixed Head Coupe as well. As a gesture to practicality, a jump seat was added to both coupe models.


technorati tags: Jaguar XK140, car, car parts, cars, classic cars, cool cars, Daimler Motor Company, fast cars, hot cars, jaguar, muscle cars, sports cars, Tata Motors

The Jaguar XK120

The Jaguar XK120 was a sports car manufactured by Jaguar Cars Limited between 1948 and 1954. It was the first post-war sports car from the brand, succeeding the SS 100 which ended production in 1940 after the start of World War II in Britain. The XK120 was launched at the 1948 London Motor Show as a test bed and show vehicle to highlight the new Jaguar XK engine. The car caused a sensation, which persuaded William Lyons to put it into production as a standard model.

The first cars manufactured in 1948 and 1949 had hand built aluminium bodies on an ash frame. Jaguar built 240 of these alloy bodied cars prior to moving to a more mass production XK120 in order to meet the demand for this popular model. With the 1950 model year a production version had a steel pressed body with alloy doors, bonnet, and trunk skin. Other features included torsion bar front suspension, and a removable windscreen.

Power came from a dual overhead cam 3.4 L straight-6 engine, Jaguar's famous XK engine. With an alloy cylinder head and twin side draft SU carburators, the XK engine was very advanced for a mass produced unit, developing 160 bhp with the standard 8:1 compression ratio. A 7:1 low compression version of the engine was also available to cope with low quality fuel. This same basic design of the XK engine was used in 3.8L and 4.2L versions into the late 1980s.

The XK120 name referred to the vehicle's impressive 120 mph (193 km/h) top speed - even faster with the windscreen removed - and at the time of its launch it was the world's fastest standard production car. It was available as a coupé (FHC or Fixed Head Coupe, introduced in 1951), convertible (DHC or Drop Head Coupe, 1953), or the original roadster (OTS or Open Two Seater). An XK120 FHC can claim the first import win in NASCAR when it won NASCAR's first road race at Linden Airport, New Jersey, June 13th, 1954 with Al Keller at the wheel. Earlier in the year, on 31 January / 1 February, an XK120 Coupe driven by Mrs D Anderson, Chas Swinburne and Bill Pitt had won the first 24 hour car race to be held in Australia, the 1954 Mt. Druitt 24 Hours Road Race.

The Roadster had a very light weight canvas top and removable side curtains screwed to the doors, which had no external handle - to open them you reached through the screen to pull a cord on the inside. It also had a removeable windscreen, which could be removed so that "aeroscreens" could be fitted. The DHC or Drop Head Coupe had a padded top and roll up windows. Both the FHC and DHC had an elegant wood veneer dash, whereas the roadster's was leather. All models were manufactured with spats to cover the back wheel arch which enhanced the streamlined look, but when optional (from 1951) wire wheels were fitted, the spats had to be removed to make room for the hub spinners. There was also an M version (called SE for Special Equipment in England) which included increased power, stiffer suspension, dual exhaust, and wire wheels.

An OTS roadster with all weather gear in place tested by The Motor magazine in 1949 had a top speed of 124.6 mph (200.5 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 10.0 seconds. A fuel consumption of 19.8 miles per imperial gallon (14.3 L/100 km/16.5 mpg US) was recorded. The test car cost £1263 including taxes.


technorati tags:jaguar ,cars,sports cars, exotic cars, classic car,porsche sports car,search sports car,porsche sports

Jaguar

And now a car brand that is near and dear to my heart.
(Cause I own one...LOL)
Jaguar.

Jaguar Cars Limited is a luxury car manufacturer, based at Whitley, Coventry, with two UK production plants at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham and Halewood, Merseyside. It was founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company in Blackpool in 1922, changing to SS Cars Ltd in 1934 in Coventry, and finally becoming Jaguar Cars Ltd in 1945, followed by several subsequent changes of ownership.

The name is pronounced "jag-u-ar" with the term "Jag" being used colloquially.

Although many media reports stated that on 2008-03-26, Jaguar and Land-Rover became owned by the Indian company, Tata Motors, the Ford Motor Company and Tata Motors stated, in press releases on the same day, that the sale is not due for completion until the second quarter of 2008.

It is understood that Ford Motor Company Ltd. will not retain any shareholding in either the Jaguar or Land-Rover companies, unlike Aston Martin where on its sale a small shareholding was retained; the total sum to be paid in cash by Tata Motors is approximately US $ 2.3 billion, Ford will then contribute up to US $600 million to the Jaguar Land Rover pension plans.

Jaguar Cars holds Royal Warrants from HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Charles.

Founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, by two motorcycle enthusiasts, William Lyons and William Walmsley, the SS Jaguar name first appeared on a 2.5 litre saloon in 1935. The Jaguar name was given to the entire company in 1945.

Jaguar made its name in the 1950s with a series of elegantly-styled sports cars and luxury saloons. The company bought the Daimler Motor Company (not to be confused with Daimler-Benz), in 1960 from Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA). From the late 1960s, Daimler was used as a brand name for Jaguar's most luxurious saloons.

The Lamborghini Reventón

Lamborghini Reventón is a mid-engined sports car that debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. It is currently the most powerful and expensive Lamborghini road car to date, costing one million euro. The official press release states that only 20 will be built (and one for the Lamborghini Museum). The exterior styling was inspired by the F-22 Raptor. Although the exterior is partially new, almost the entire mechanics (including the engine) are taken directly from the Murciélago LP640.

Initial reports suggest that the 6.5 litre V12 may receive a power boost of approximately 15 kilowatts (20 horsepower), bringing the new ouput close to 490 kW (650 horsepower). In spite of this, and the car's carbon fibre components, the Reventón accelerates to 100 km/h (62 mph) in the same time as the Murciélago LP640 (3.4 seconds).

The instrument panel in the Reventón comprises three TFT liquid crystal displays (LCDs) with two different display modes. The instruments are housed in a structure milled from a solid aluminum block, protected by a carbon fiber casing. The G-Force-Meter is completely new and it is one of the talking points of the Reventón. It displays the dynamic drive forces, longitudinal acceleration during acceleration and braking, as well as transversal acceleration around bends. These forces are represented by the movement of an indicator on a graduated 3D grid depending on the direction and intensity of the acceleration. Formula One teams also use a similar device to analyze dynamic forces.

By simply pressing a button, the driver can switch to the second, quasi-analogical display, where there are the usual circular instruments; speedometer and tachometer. The G-Force-Meter still remains at the center of this display mode.

Lamborghini has also picked up some of parent company Audi's design language. For the first time, Lamborghini incorporated daylight running lights with the headlamps of the Reventón. Seven Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) at each headlamp flank the Bi-Xenon main beam and they stay lit whenever the car is in movement. Due to the high temperatures in the rear lower part of the car, special heatproof LEDs are used for the indicator and hazard lights, stoplights and rear lights with a triple arrow optical effect.

The Reventón is named after a fighting bull according to recent Lamborghini tradition. The car's namesake, owned by the Don Rodríguez family, is best known for killing famed bullfighter Félix Guzmán in 1943. Reventón means "explosion" or "burst" in Spanish, when used as a noun.; in automotive terms, it means "blowout, flat tire" when used as a noun. When it was used as the name of a bull, however, it was intended to be interpreted as an adjective a quality or property of that bull in particular. Then Reventón means "he who is used to making things burst".

The Lamborghini Gallardo

The Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with 5,000 built in the first three years of production. It is less expensive than Lamborghini's larger, more powerful Murciélago.

The car is named after a famous breed of fighting bull. The Spanish word gallardo translates into "gallant".

The Gallardo was designed as a competitor to the Ferrari 360, and now competes with its replacement, the Ferrari F430. The Gallardo has a rear-biased all-wheel drive system which differentiates it from its rear-wheel drive competitors. Lamborghini's parent company Audi is renowned for its Quattro AWD system, however Lamborghini uses a system of its own.

Unlike the Countach, Diablo, and Murciélago models, the Gallardo does not have scissor doors.

The Gallardo was designed by Luc Donckerwolke, who won the 2003 Red Dot Award for the design of both the 2003 Gallardo and 2002 Murciélago.

At current U.S. prices, a 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo coupe costs USD $186,250 - $222,800, while a 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo spyder costs USD $201,595 - $263,595.

As at March 2008, the Gallardo is the only model to use the Lamborghini V10 engine.

The Gallardo offers two choices of transmissions, a conventional (H-Box) six-speed manual transmission, and an advanced six-speed electro-hydraulically controlled 'semi-automatic single-clutch sequential manual', which Lamborghini abbreviates to "E-gear". The "E-gear" allows the driver to make shifts much faster than a manual transmission would, however with this option one sacrifices a certain measure of control that the manual transmission would offer. The driver shifts up and down via paddles behind the steering wheel, and does not need to manually actuate the clutch.

The Audi R8 sports car, launched in early 2007, is based on the Gallardo platform, and uses a 4.2 litre V8 in place of the Gallardo's V10 to avoid competing directly with the Gallardo.

For the 2008 model year, an onboard computer, iPod connectivity with USB, heated mirrors, Q-citura stitching that originally could only be found on the Nera model, and a beige soft-top on the Spyder, were added to the Gallardo.

technorati tags:ferrari ,lamborghini ,cars,sports cars, exotic cars, classic car,porsche sports car,search sports car

Lamborghini Murciélago, part 4

The Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT is a race-only version of the Murciélago, developed jointly with Reiter Engineering and Audi Sport. It has rear-wheel drive unlike the standard Murciélago to comply with the FIA, ACO, and JAF rules. The car retains the standard Murciélago V12, but has air restrictors to manage power. Its acceleration and top speed are highly dependent on the gearing selected for a particular race track.

In March 2006 at the Super GT Suzuka 500 km, a Murcielago R-GT specifically built for Super GT (and rebadged RG-1) for the Japanese Lamborghini Owners Club (JLOC) recorded the first win ever for a Murcielago when they earned a win in the GT300 class. In March 2007 in the FIA GT Championship, the All-Inkl.com Racing Murciélago won the Zhuhai 2 Hours.

In December 2006, Reiter Engineering tested an upgraded Murcielago R-GT LM, featuring redesigned body work and a new rear wing with less drag.

Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa is the only person in the world to own a converted automatic Murciélago. The car was given to her as a gift by her husband, but upon realizing she could not drive a manual transmission, Kobe Bryant had the car converted to an automatic. The estimated cost of the car after conversion and customization was US$400,000.
German tuner Hamann Motorsport produced a one-off LP640 Roadster with enhanced aerodynamic components, new rear silencer, new wheels and some interior enhancements.
In the first season of Bullrun, a game show, Team 10 raced with a Murciélago.

A Lamborghini Miura concept car was presented at the Museum of Television & Radio on January 5, 2006 alongside the Los Angeles Auto Show, though it was not present at the show itself. Instead, the Miura officially debuted at the North American International Auto Show two weeks later. It was the first design by new Lamborghini chief, Walter de'Silva, and commemorates the 1966 introduction of the original Miura in Geneva.

Lamborghini president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann has denied the concept will return the Miura to production, saying “The Miura was a celebration of our history, but Lamborghini is about the future. Retro design is not what we are here for. So we won’t do the Miura.”

Lamborghini's own Reventón is a mid-engined sports car that debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. It will be the most powerful and expensive Lamborghini to date, costing one million euro. The official press release states that only 20 will be built, but it is rumoured that the total number could be 100. The exterior styling was inspired by the F-22 Raptor. Although the exterior is partially new, almost the entire mechanics (including the engine) are taken directly from the Murciélago LP640.

Austin show to feature custom cars, hot rods

Austin show to feature custom cars, hot rods: "The 33rd annual Austin Custom Car and Hot Rod Show continues through Sunday at Austin at Palmer Events Center.
The show will feature the General Lee from 'The Dukes of Hazzard' movie and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle assault vehicle. In addition, the latest custom cars and hot rods, including mini-trucks, pro street machines, antiques, restored cars and classics, will be on display. "

FayObserver.com - AP Article Page

FayObserver.com - AP Article Page: "Bruce Suggs preaches the gospel while he burns rubber.
Suggs is the pastor of Crystal Springs Chapel and the owner of Suggs Auto Sales, a body shop that restores classic cars and modifies them into hot rods.
'We can fix anything but a broken heart, and we can take you to the church that can take care of that,' Suggs said.
Most people will know Suggs' company as Christ First Customs, the name he uses when he competes in shows. Suggs' show truck is a 1940 Ford F100 painted red with yellow flames.
On the back of the truck are three crosses with the words 'Covered by the blood of Jesus.' Near the exhaust, 'Make a joyful noise for the Lord' is written on the truck. People shoot more pictures of the words than the truck, Suggs said.
'It really opens up an avenue like never before.'
After spectators approach the truck, Suggs hands them placards with photos of the truck. On the back is a testimony that uses auto restoration as a metaphor for Jesus.
'Some people think you can't be a Christian and enjoy things like this. But you can,' Suggs said. 'Everything we do belongs to the Lord.'
Making hot rods complements his responsibilities as a pastor, Suggs said. When a church member needs help, Suggs can drop what he's doing. Suggs owns the company and he doesn't need permission from the boss to leave work.
But otherwise, Suggs is working side by side with his employees. His sons-in-law Jonathan Barefoot and Mike Francis work at the shop. Another employee, Cliff Boahn, is a church member who works part time."

Roadster show is a celebration of 1932 Ford hot rods

Roadster show is a celebration of 1932 Ford hot rods: "Don’t think that Henry Ford and his son, Edsel, didn’t have big things in mind when they combined the mechanical ingenuity of the first mass-produced, affordable V-8 with a stylish and aerodynamic body to produce a family of Fords in 1932. They could never have imagined how big it would become.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the 1932 Ford, the iconic symbol of American hot rods. Ford Motor Company is launching the anniversary festivities in a huge way, with a display of the 75 most significant ’32 Ford hot rods of all time. The display will be part of the 58th annual Grand National Roadster Show, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious hot rod and custom car show, held in Pomona, Calif., January 26-28.
The 75 most significant ’32 Ford hot rods were selected by a committee of automotive and hot rod experts who selected the 75 from a list of 474 nominees.
The Deuce 75th Anniversary exhibit will be staged in its own 42,000-square-foot building on the grounds of the Los Angeles Fairplex. At least 60 of the 75 ’32 Fords will be on display in person. Eight from the list have not survived. The exhibit has been specially designed to allow show goers an unobstructed view of each of the display vehicles and all 75 cars will be honored with large-format placards featuring essays written by well-known authors and historians Pat Ganahl and Greg Sharp along with many rare photographs.
A special multi-media program featuring rare historic images and film will play on a large-format screen in the center of the building."

WhoWon.com ... The Internet Source for Motorsports News and Information

WhoWon.com ... The Internet Source for Motorsports News and Information: "CLARENCE, N.Y. -- The Pro Modified Racing Association is pleased to announce its return to Western New York’s Lancaster Raceway Park Sunday, July 29, as part of the 2007 PMRA tour.

Lancaster Raceway Park, situated in Clarence, New York, is a one-eighth mile drag strip operating under International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) sanctioning. Many of the New York-based PMRA competitors consider Lancaster their home track, and have raced at this Niagara Frontier facility many times.

'This will be a great event for our fans,' said Lancaster Raceway Park's Jim Reid. 'We are always trying to bring in the best of shows, and believe the PMRA will offer top-notch racing. The PMRA Pro Modifieds give our fans a chance to see local home track stars. We expect to see fans at Lancaster that we haven't seen there for years.'

This PMRA tour stop will be the third annual visit at Lancaster.

Lancaster has a long tradition in motorsports. With both a drag strip and a paved oval track, Lancaster has presented the best in racing to fans of Western New York and Southern Ontario.

Joining the PMRA Pro Modifieds at Lancaster Raceway Park will be the Can-Am Stock/Super Stock Series. This popular grass roots drag series, which features competitors from Ontario and New York, was formed in 1996, and continues to grow each season. The participants, known for their awesome wheelies, are fan favorites wherever they appear."

Kevin & Karen Alstott's '35 Ford wins America's Most Beautiful Roadster award - Autoblog

Kevin & Karen Alstott's '35 Ford wins America's Most Beautiful Roadster award - Autoblog: "Last year's winner of the prestigious Ridler Award at the Detroit Autorama has added another big trophy to its collection. Kevin and Karen Alstott's 1935 Ford convertible captured top honors at the 58th Grand National Roadster show on Sunday night when it was named America's Most Beautiful Roadster.

This was the 58th edition of the Grand National Roadster Show, which was known as the Oakland Roadster Show before moving to the more spacious Los Angeles County Fairgrounds. The honor has been won by some of the industry's most notable hot rodders, including Blackie Gejeian, George Barris, Tex Smith, Ermie Immerso, Boyd Coddington and Chuck Lombardo.

The Alstott's '35, nicknamed the Iowa Radster, was built by Roger Burman at Lakeside Rods & Rides. Marcel DeLay hand-formed the body and the Recovery Room finished the interior. Power comes from a 408-cubic-inch all-aluminum small-block engine."