Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Utah Museum of Fine Arts: Moving artwork that’s 2 tons and has an engine

From Salt Lake Tribune: Utah Museum of Fine Arts: Moving artwork that’s 2 tons and has an engine


Paul Fraughton | Salt Lake Tribune The Mormon Meteor I, pictured Wednesday, May 23, 2012, in front of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, is one of 19 classic cars that will be featured in an upcoming exhibit at the Salt Lake City museum.

Workers unload artwork from trucks at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts on a regular basis, and people on the surrounding University of Utah campus take little notice.

Most of the artwork, though, doesn’t weigh 2 tons. It also doesn’t roar like the engine inside the Mormon Meteor I, the 1935 Duesenberg SJ in which Ab Jenkins set early speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

That car and 18 other classic automobiles were unloaded this week at UMFA, where they will make up a new exhibit, "Speed: The Art of the Performance Automobile," on the museum’s first floor starting Saturday.
Unloading the Mormon Meteor I drew more than a dozen spectators on Wednesday morning, with people snapping photos on their camera phones of the pale-yellow torpedo with Jenkins’ signature and the block-letter "DUESENBERG" name in gleaming chrome.

It’s not a new idea to put cars in a museum setting, said Ken Gross, guest curator of the exhibit, who notes that the Museum of Modern Art in New York had an automotive display in 1951.

Gross and his team handle the cars like fine art, wearing white gloves to keep the vehicles as immaculate as possible. But it’s these artworks’ bulk that can make the logistics a challenge.

The corridors of the Marcia & John Price Building, which UMFA calls home, were just a bit wider than the widest car in the show, "The Beast III," the 1952 streamliner built by Chet Herbert. What’s more, "The Beast" has its wheels almost completely enveloped by the car’s aerodynamic body, and very few surfaces where someone can place a hand to push. Ultimately, Gross had to get into the driver’s seat and steer the massive car himself.

To move the Mormon Meteor I, John Carefoot — who curates the private car collection of the Meteor’s owner, Ohio banker Harry Yeaggy — discussed with Gross and Webb Farrar, the "automotive exhibition consultant" overseeing the exhibit’s staging, about where workers can and cannot push the car. The windshield supports are too delicate to push, while the massive chrome exhaust pipe that runs down the Meteor’s right side will be too hot to touch.

Carefoot climbed into the driver’s seat and revved the engine, sending up a loud roar and a belch of exhaust. He then slowly drove the car toward the museum’s double doors, with Farrar guiding him in, pointing left or right to make small adjustments. Once the car crossed the threshold, Carefoot cut off the engine. It would be moved by hand from there.

Gross said the Meteor I is to be placed prominently in the exhibit, facing grille-to-grille with the Mormon Meteor III — on which Jenkins set many records in the 1930s at the Bonneville Salt Flats, a dozen of which still stand today. Gross said he was inspired to place the two Meteors facing each other, emblematic of two other famous vehicles in Utah history: the locomotives No. 119 and Jupiter that met at the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.


The full list of classic cars in the "Speed" exhibit won’t be unveiled until next week, but some of the cars in the show are:
• The 1957 Jaguar XK-SS once owned by movie star Steve McQueen.
• The 1952 So-Cal Speed Shop Belly Tank Lakester, another record-setter at Bonneville.
• A 1965 Cobra Daytona Coupe.
• A Ferrari 375MM once owned by filmmaker Roberto Rossellini and actress Ingrid Bergman.
• A Mercer Raceabout, a racing vehicle made about a century ago.
The cars are owned by collectors and museums from around the country. Some are owned by Utah businessman and former ambassador John Price, whose family’s foundation is the exhibit’s title sponsor.

Monday, May 28, 2012

England: Calling all classic cars

From Bedford Today: Calling all classic cars
DO you own a classic or vintage car?

If so then Bedford Guild House wants to hear from you.

On Sunday, July 1 the Bunyan Run will be held at Woburn Park, and over the last 10 years it has raised almost £20,000 to help older people in Bedford.

Anyone interested in coming should call Maggie at Bedford Guild House on 01234 352038.

Appalachian Golden Classics car show is June 3 in Zullinger

From The Record Herald: Appalachian Golden Classics car show is June 3 in Zullinger

Zullinger, Pa. — Appalachian Golden Classics 22nd annual car show will be held Sunday, June 3, in Zullinger Community Center. Proceeds will be donated to Waynesboro Area Community and Human Services and The Lunch Place.

The show is open to owners of all antique and classic Chevy cars, trucks and street rods from 1911 through 1983.

Registration will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The pre-registration fee is $10 and the fee the day of the show is $12. The show is sponsored by Affordable Basement Solutions.

Awards will be presented at 4 p.m. There will be dash plaques to the first 100 entries and trophies in all classes.

The Chevy classes are: Pre-1955, 1955-1957, 1958-1983 full size, through 1983 trucks, 1953-1983 Corvettes, 1967-1983 Camaros, 1964-1983 Chevelles and 1962-1983 Novas.

Other awards include: Best of show, driver’s choice, oldest Chevy, longest distance, special interest (Chevy) 1984 and older, sponsor’s choice, and special interest (non-Chevy) all years and makes.

There will be door prizes, a 50/50 drawing, music by L.L. Dee Jay and a food stand. Admission for spectators is free and vendor spaces are available.

Monday, May 21, 2012

I crave your indulgence

My mother's sister is visiting for three days.


My mom's deaf as a post, my dad can't be bothered to get out of his chair, so I will be doing the entertaining - the chauffeuring and the talking and the communicating - for the next three days.


So I'll be posting back here Thursday.


Thanks for your patience.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Motor Club members' classic cars star in new Ron Howard movie filmed at Cadwell Park

From This is Grimsby: Motor Club members' classic cars star in new Ron Howard movie filmed at Cadwell Park

ACCORDING to these enthusiasts, the classic cars are the real stars of the new movie filmed at Louth's Cadwell Park.

Among the attractions of the movie Rush filmed at Louth's Cadwell Park were a dozen cars lovingly tended by members of Lincolnshire and Louth Motor Club.

As reported, the popular circuit played host to blockbuster movie director Ron Howard and his crew as they shot scenes for the bio-pic of world champion driver Niki Lauda, which is set for release next year.

It tells the harrowing story of the 1976 crash that almost claimed his life and how, just weeks after the accident, he got behind the wheel to challenge his great rival, the British driver James Hunt.

But film producers needed other stars to complement actors Daniel Bruhl and Chris Hemsworth and so an SOS went out to Lincolnshire And Louth Motor Club president Ken Marsh and his 219 members. More than a dozen classic cars from 1960 through to 1973 were needed for filming at the race circuit.

Included in the "cast" of cars were a 1964 Austin Cambridge, two MGBs, a Morris Traveller, a 1960 Austin Mini and a 1968 Triumph Herald.

Ken also took along his treasured 1961 Jaguar MkII which he has owned for nearly 50 years.

He said: "Most of our members have cars from between the Thirties and Fifties and many of those with cars from the Sixties and Seventies were out working.

"They wanted them in strategic places around the circuit.

"All the members said they had thoroughly enjoyed the three days of filming.

They particularly enjoyed getting on the outfits from the era."

The club members were allowed to enter the pits where they watched filming of the Formula One cars being stripped and rebuilt.

Ken, 78, said he did not remember the names of the actors he spoke with, but recalled the exact details of the cars.

One wealthy movie crew member turned up in a new Jaguar XF and, on spotting Ken's classic declared: "Now that's what you call a Jaguar."

The president and club events co-ordinator said he was now looking forward to seeing the club name in the credits for the movie.

Ken said: "It was very interesting to see how the other half lived."

On the road
Many of the "stars" of the movie will be going on tour to classic car rallies throughout Lincolnshire in the coming weeks.

Keep reading your Grimsby Telegraph for details of the car shows at Caistor on June 3; Louth on June 10 and June 17 at Ludborough.

Man crashes stolen classic car in police chase

From Salt Lake Tribune: Man crashes stolen classic car in police chase 

A man crashed a stolen classic car during a police chase in South Salt Lake on Monday afternoon.
An officer at 3200 South and State Street saw the Chevrolet Chevelle turn northbound onto State Street at a high speed, nearly hitting another car around 3 p.m., said South Salt Lake police spokesman Gary Keller. 

The officer followed the car into the parking lot of Auto Mart, 3081 S. State St., and turned on his emergency lights for a traffic stop.

The driver threw the Chevelle into reverse, glancing off the patrol car and hitting a used car in the lot, Keller said. 

The driver went to another parking lot, where the driver nearly hit another officer who was walking toward his patrol car, Keller said.

The driver led police on a chase to 200 East and then to 3300 South, where the driver turned east and accelerated quickly, Keller said. 

Police called off the chase near 700 East, just as the driver veered into oncoming traffic to avoid a lane reduction and collided with two cars. 

The Chevelle spun out, and the driver ran away. Officers caught him at 800 East. 

The Chevelle had been stolen out of Naples, Keller said. Inside the car, officers found multiple guns, including a shotgun. The driver had at least two felony warrants out for his arrest, Keller said.

"This could have turned really bad," Keller said.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

ClassicCars.Com Partners with instaVIN(TM) to Bring Vehicle History Reports to The Classic Car Market

Press Release: ClassicCars.Com Partners with instaVIN(TM) to Bring Vehicle History Reports to The Classic Car Market

PHOENIX, May 15, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- ClassicCars.com, the world's largest online marketplace devoted to classic and collector vehicles, and instaVIN(TM), a leading provider of vehicle history reports, announced a partnership that provides the availability of instaVIN vehicle history reports for ClassicCars.com dealers, buyers and private sellers. By partnering with instaVIN, ClassicCars.com, already an industry leader with a collective inventory worth in excess of $1 billion at any given time, becomes the first major classic car classified site to integrate vehicle history reports. ClassicCars.com has also been named as an affiliate for the instaVIN service. 

"ClassicCars.com is always on the lookout for premium services to add to our portfolio that will benefit our entire audience, dealers, buyers and private sellers," said Roger Falcione, Founder and CEO of ClassicCars.com. "The availability of instaVIN vehicle history reports is a great resource that helps buyers buy with more confidence and allows sellers to provide more vehicle transparency. We selected instaVIN to be our classic car vehicle history reporting partner because of their superior history data, report quality and overall service." 

instaVIN is the only major history reporting service that provides vehicle history reports for classic cars (vehicles older than 1981). instaVIN reports provide title history, junk and salvage events, insurance total loss events, open lien status and historical sales and listing data. A free record check and free VIN check are provided prior to purchase and reports are just $6.99. 

"We are excited to work with the industry leader in bringing the only history report of its kind to the marketplace. They are working with us to provide a superior product at a competitive price to the channel," said Jim Irish, CEO of instaVIN. "The ClassicCars.com team is highly professional and will represent our product well to the dealer and consumer markets." 

Of particular value for dealers in the ClassicCars.com Dealer Network is the ability to link a ClassicCars.com account with an instaVIN account and purchase reports in bundles that can be applied towards the vehicle listings of their choosing. 

"This is one of the reasons that we list all of our cars on ClassicCars.com," said ClassicCars.com dealer Harry Clark, of Classic Promenade in Temecula, CA. "The ClassicCars.com team is always forward-thinking, adding valuable services to its site for dealers. Until now, we couldn't provide our customers history reports; through ClassicCars.com and instaVIN, this information can be accessed, protecting and informing both sellers and buyers." 

About ClassicCars.comFounded in 2007 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, ClassicCars.com is the premier marketplace for pre-1991 vehicles. With a catalog of more than 30,000 vehicles at any given time collectively worth in excess of $1 billion, ClassicCars.com is home to the world's largest selection of classic vehicles for sale. ClassicCars.com has industry partnerships with Hemmings Motor News, Cars.com, TraderOnline, the National Street Rod Association, JamesList, instaVIN and several top-tier auction companies. Visit www.classiccars.com for more information. 

About instaVIN(TM)instaVIN is an authorized provider of the most comprehensive Title and Brand data available, through a partnership with the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). Unlike other major vehicle history services, instaVIN data is available for modern and classic passenger cars and light trucks, recreational vehicles (RVs), motorcycles, and heavy trucks. instaVIN works with domestic and international distributors and the data can be customized to an organization's specific needs. To learn more about instaVIN Vehicle History & Title Reports go to www.instavin.com . For business development and reseller inquiries, please contact instaVIN at 888-98-'INSTA' (46782) or sales@instavin.com.
 

Saturday, May 12, 2012

New Jersey: Classic cars revved up for Hammonton cruise

From the Hammonton News: Classic cars revved up for Hammonton cruise
HAMMONTON — Hundreds of classic cars will fill the streets of Downtown Hammonton in one of the most unique and family oriented classic car shows in the state. Mainstreet Hammonton presents the 19th Cruisin’ Mainstreet: Remember Friday Nights beginning at 5:30 p.m. on May 18. The rain date is May 19.

Cruisin’ Mainstreet offers a nostalgic glimpse of yesteryear by celebrating the ’50s with bubble-gum blowing and hula-hoop contests. There will be food, in-store specials and fun for the entire family.

The show is supported by Cruisin’ Classics Auto Club with sponsorship by Susquehanna Bank, Action Auto Body and Al & Rich’s.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Jerry Seinfeld pitching reality show about classic cars

From Zap2it.com: Jerry Seinfeld pitching reality show about classic cars

jerry-seinfeld-larry-david-vw.jpgJerry Seinfeld could soon be back on your TV screens and this show is most definitely not about nothing. The Daily reports that Seinfeld is pitching a new reality show around Hollywood based on his love of classic cars.

Tentatively titled "Comics and Cars," the show would feature Seinfeld and pals like Alec Baldwin, Ricky Gervais and Larry David test-driving cars from their past, reminiscing and cracking jokes.

A source says, "The show is about funny conversations between funny people. This is Jerry-driven. It's a personal project, a laboratory experiment that he cooked up."

Seinfeld has been tweeting about the project recently, posting Twitpics of himself and Ricky Gervais in a classic car, strolling down the street, and himself and Larry David with a 1952 VW bug. We wonder if he has any kind of relationship with Jay Leno, because it's well known that Leno is a huge classic car fan and collector.

A source also tells The Daily that Seinfeld may not be looking at long-time partner NBC. It's more of "a niche concept" that is suited for something like the Speed Channel.

What do you think, Zappers? Would you watch Jerry Seinfeld and pals be funny and drive around classic cars?


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Monday, May 7, 2012

Classic car tour kicks off Art of the Automobile event today

From Daytona Beach Journal (Friday): Classic car tour kicks off Art of the Automobile event today
More than 30 cars and 70 years of automotive history pulled out of the News-Journal Center's parking lot Friday morning.

The classic-car aficionados were driving in the Fields Classic Motorsports Tour, a group drive from Daytona Beach to St. Augustine. The tour marks the start of today's Art of the Automobile -- A Lifestyle Event, now in its second year in downtown Daytona Beach.

"We see it as a nice little kickoff to the event," said Matt Hoffman, organizer of the tour.

Hoffman, of Fields BMW of Daytona, said he hopes to see the tour become an annual car rally.

The cars ranged in age from a 1939 Ford Deluxe, hot-rodded up in red with yellow flames, to the lead car, a sleek 2012 Fisker Karma hybrid. They ranged in muscle from a clutch of burly, candy-colored Corvettes from the '60s through the '80s to a bronze 1976 AMC Pacer.

Gill Pepitone, Coral Springs, said the oft-maligned economy car has only 40,000 miles on it and sees the tour as a shakedown run for a planned summer cross-country trip.

The longest, widest, most-photographed car was a red-and-white 1960 Buick LaSabre convertible belonging to Tony Cassata of Ormond Beach.

"There's more steel in the front fender of this car than there is the whole of a 2012 car," he said. Restoring it was a two-year labor of love.

Cassata said he was looking forward to driving the car to St. Augustine with the top down all the way. "You wouldn't believe how this car drives," he said. "It floats."

After the tour, many of the car buffs dressed up and returned to the News-Journal Center to party with other car enthusiasts at the Thunder Ball gala. A crew from "Muscle Car Workout" was slated to film at the event.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

FL: First Coast Gears: Annual Rev It Up for Wounded Warrior Car Show

From FCN: First Coast Gears: Annual Rev It Up for Wounded Warrior Car Show
FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. -- If you love classic cars, you had plenty of eye candy you could check out Saturday.

The Third Annual Rev It Up for Wounded Warrior Car Show was held at Fleming Island Presbyterian Church.

Sponsored by the church and the Clay County Cruzers, 40 trophies were given out along with door prizes and raffles. Proceeds benefitted the Wounded Warrior Project.

Among the cars on display was Franklin Wolf's 1968 Mercury Cougar. He's the original owner and bought his baby on March 9, 1968. Total price out the door: $3,242.84.

"We were living down in Melbourne and had decided we were going to buy a Chevy and were on our way to buy a Chevy when we stopped by and talked by the Mercury people and the salesman said: 'what do I have to do to put you in this car,'" said Wolf, who had planned to buy a Camaro.

"We drove it as a family car for 20 years, stored it for 20 years, then when I retired we pulled it out of and restored it." These days Wolf only drives the Cougar to shows and even though it is in pristine condition, as Wolf points out, a restoration is never really finished.

Meanwhile, Chevys ruled on the Southside at the Vette's in the Spring Car Show at the Plaza at St. Johns Town Center. The two shows ran concurrently. The Vette's show was put together by the Jacksonville Corvette Club and Whisky River.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

UK: Classic cars in charity run

From Bexhill Observor: Classic cars in charity run
SIX splendid cars from a bygone era aim to prove they are still very much part of the present with a 300-mile charity run from East Sussex to West Yorkshire next month.

Their owners are all members of the Bexhill Classic Car Association, though two hail from Rye and it was outside the Sue Ryder charity shop in High Street, Rye, that they assembled this week prior to their intended journey north over the period Thursday, May 10 to Monday, May 14.

Due to make the journey are a brace of Armstrong-Siddeleys, a Morris Minor, a Renault Estafette van, a Datsun and a Humber Super Snipe, all of which are pre-1972 vintage.

Keith Robinson, who helped found the BCCA some six years ago, said: “In the past we have supported the Irvine Unit at Bexhill Hospital, but this year our chosen charity is Sue Ryder Care and it is to the charity’s home at Sowerby Bridge, near Halifax, that we’ll be driving.”

Sue Ryder Care, named after Baroness Ryder, the late wife of Leonard Cheshire, himself founder of a charity to provide homes caring for disabled people, provides compassionate care to those with end-of-life and long-term needs.

Keith said: “We’ve had great support from the Bull Inn at Glyne Gap, where the association meets on the third Wednesday of every month, and we’re hoping others will back Sue Ryder Care with donations in recognition of our trip.

“At the same time, six classic cars from Stirling, Scotland, will be journeying south to rendezvous with us in Yorkshire, so we hope that this, too, will help raise both the profile of the charity and much needed funds for the work it does to help those in need.”