Category Archives: Automotive Lifestyle

What does a car-enthused lifestyle look like?

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1936 Delage D6-70 Figoni et Falaschi Milord Cabriolet at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

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1936 Delage D6 Awards Ceremony

A Delage at Pebble Beach, to the seasoned, is not a surprise, nor is anything bodied by Figoni et Falaschi. The design house mixed with that automobile manufacturer is a match truly made in heaven, like mixing the best Chardonnay with the perfect high-end French meal. Delage is a well-known brand among the prewar automotive cognoscenti and the D6-70 shown here has a rich history. This is a car that may have won a concours event when new in 1936 and its unique coachwork and body style, coupled with the fetching paint combination, convinced me to stay a bit and take some photos. I wasn’t the only one captivated, either–the judges awarded this D6-70 the French Cup award and a Second In Class trophy for the European Classic Early class. It’s not the enormously entertaining D8-120, but it’s pint-size charm still holds plenty of classic appeal. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1936 Delage D6-70 Figoni et Falaschi Milord Cabriolet at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance →

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows

1968 Dodge Charger at the New Hope Car Show

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1968 Dodge Charger Front Right

Recently, I featured “Dodgezilla” on Mind Over Motor. Well, here’s another 1968 Dodge Charger, but this one is a completely different animal. It’s tame, bred in captivity, as opposed to being fed steroids through a funnel down the carb. This ’68 is a regular Charger with the 383 big block V8, a four-speed manual transmission, and all of the lines that made the ’68-70 a heartthrob both then and now. This white example sported a red interior–a bit unusual for a Charger, but considering that this one was restored as more of a cruiser than a bruiser, that’s perfect. This was a brutally cool car in its day, and the Charger’s aura has aged well, rather like a fine wine. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1968 Dodge Charger at the New Hope Car Show →

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Say hello to “Dodgezilla”, everyone, the monster of the River Edge Car Show.

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1968 Dodge Charger Front Side

I’m a sucker for the second-generation Dodge Charger. Produced for a scant three seasons, it’s a representation of the Charger at its very best–a bruising, but sexy muscle car with equal parts testosterone and paunch. It’s difficult to improve these cars…but the owner of this absolutely evil ’68 has managed to do it. With its dark green finish and matching interior, the lines were well-represented on the exterior, but the lack of a hood belies this car’s true intentions. The owner calls it “Dodgezilla”. I couldn’t agree more, especially in green. In the place of a small-block V8 typical to this particular car lies a stomping 440-cid V8, with twin carbs and a high rise intake below the enormous hood scoop. This is not a Dodge for the faint of heart. It may not be terrorizing Japanese workers and tearing down buildings, but it’s green and looks like it’s up to no good anyway. It’s not Godzilla. It’s Dodgezilla. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Say hello to “Dodgezilla”, everyone, the monster of the River Edge Car Show. →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Jay Leno Takes The Challenger Hellcat For A Spin!

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Jay gets his hands on Dodge’s new beast, the Challenger SRT Hellcat. Feel the fury of 707hp!

-Nick

Automotive Lifestyle, Car Games

What would you buy for the price of a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster? Well, this is what Al thinks of that.

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Lamborghini Veneno Roadster Price Game

Nick’s gotten his posts up, so I’m going to show you what I think. Four and a half million dollars. I”m going to say that again. FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. I can’t even imagine that amount of cash fitting in a standard sized suitcase. The Veneno’s nice and all, and it is a tantalizing machine…but I can’t justify that price. It’s got the Aventador’s engine and a body kit (I know I’m oversimplifying things here). That’s enough for a house and a good number of very nice cars. However, this is about just cars, and the 24 cars listed below will do the trick perfectly for me. There’s a lot of overlap and a few of these cars are probably better off as trailer queens, but I plan on driving what I picked, whether it be to the grocery store, the track, or to work. There’s 24 cars here, and I’ve got a reason for choosing each of them. Here we go! Continue reading What would you buy for the price of a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster? Well, this is what Al thinks of that. →

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1957 Ford Thunderbird at the River Edge Car Show

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1957 Ford Thunderbird Front

The early Ford Thunderbird was a completely different animal to the four-seat tanks that followed it which launched the personal luxury coupe industry in 1958. The first three years of the Thunderbird were a small two-seat convertible that was aimed right at the Corvette. Why Ford ever changed it is beyond me, and my favorite example, the 1957 model, was right here for the taking at the 2014 River Edge Car Show. I was pleasantly surprised to see one in this gorgeous dusk rose color, despite the lack of a hardtop and the lack of the standard wheel covers. In fact, the Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels with tri-star knockoff caps on the centers looked excellent in the cloudy July sky. As the sky cleared up, the metallic paint finish became a blinding source of simple beauty. Ford knocked one right out of the park in ’57 and then, despite making a more profitable model in 1958, ruined the potential of having a true Corvette competitor. As a result, the 55-57 Thunderbirds are worth a large amount of money, and it’s pretty easy to see why. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1957 Ford Thunderbird at the River Edge Car Show →

Automotive Lifestyle, Car Games

What would you buy for the price of a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster?

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Lamborghini Veneno Roadster Price Game

The Lamborghini Veneno Roadster is a spectacular machine to be sure. In addition to the fact that it looks like a space-fighter only 9 examples will ever be made, making it one of the most exotic cars on the planet. I guess that’s why Lamborghini wants a hefty $4.5 Million to snag one of these bad boys.

But is it really worth that kind of money? I mean, if we’re totally honest here, the Veneno Roadster is really just a slightly upgraded Aventador Roadster underneath. It doesn’t have a ton of fancy technology or an obscene amount of horsepower like many of today’s hypercars that cost only a fraction of the $4.5 Million. I mean an Aventador Roadster costs less than $600,000, even if you load it up with all the  crap, so what you’re spending the extra $3.9 Million on is just a body kit… an epic, change your trousers sort of body kit, but a body kit nonetheless.

That got us thinking of a question: For $4.5 Million dollars, would you have the Veneno Roadster? Or would you have other things that add up to that amount? And if you’d choose to forgo the Veneno, just what could be had for the same amount of money?

Continue reading What would you buy for the price of a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster? →

Cars We've Seen, SHOWCASE

1969 Ford Mustang Notchback spotted in Somerset, NJ

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1969 Ford Mustang Right Front

After a day at work in Somerset NJ, I went out with a few co-workers to relax and enjoy the beginning of the weekend at The Stage House just around the corner. While parking my car, I saw this orange Mustang backed into a prime parking spot right up front. As I was taking pictures, my manager, Martin, who purchased a Deep Impact Blue 2014 Mustang GT last year, met up with me and said “I parked and just had to go and look at this.” It’s pretty clear–the Mustang, especially those from the Sixties, are consistently crowd-pleasers. This one, with its flashy orange paint and black torque-thrust style wheels, looked fantastic. The interior looked rather original too and was pretty much unmolested save for a set of speakers and a new head unit. In all, this is a great example of a Mustang that someone can drive a bit more often with a good sound system and grippier tires for unexpected weather. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1969 Ford Mustang Notchback spotted in Somerset, NJ →

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille at the 2014 Greenwich Concours

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1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille Front

The year is 1959.  Your boss has just reviewed your assessment on setting up a new development of suburban homes near a major interstate highway in small-town America.  He’s very happy, closes his books, and gives you a 40% raise and promotes you to the head of your local developer office.  As you walk outside to your four-year-old Buick sedan, you realize it’s time for a change.  You’ve made it to the top of the heap in life, and you need a car to show your success.  Only a Cadillac will do, and you’re determined to make a statement.  So, you pick this one right off the showroom floor and show it to your wife and kids that night.  Everyone is overjoyed at your success and they all love the new Coupe DeVille you’ve just bought.

Back in 1959, Cadillac was a true success symbol for most Americans.  My great-grandfather had a few of them, and after my grandpa became a successful dentist in the 1970s, he bought one himself.  The 1959 models are considered by many to be the most grandiose of the postwar Caddies, with the tallest fins ever fitted to an American car, stunning chrome and a set of colors some could only dream of seeing in the late Fifties.  This particular 1959 model is a soft shade of pink with a  white top, known as Persian Sand.  This car is also equipped with an immaculate white interior and looked every single way of perfect.  The ’59 always has been and always will be a crowd-pleaser car, and this one’s no different.  Whether you fancy the chrome up front, the sky-high fins out back, or the hulking side profile, there is definitely something for everyone to enjoy on the 1959 Cadillac, and there’s certainly enough space inside to carry every single one of them.  This car, as Jerry Seinfeld said on Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee not long ago about the ’58 Eldorado Seville, is “as thrilled with itself as you are.”  I couldn’t agree more.  Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille at the 2014 Greenwich Concours →

Car Shows, Obscure Autos, SHOWCASE

1935 Duesenberg “Mormon Meteor” at the Elegance at Hershey

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Duesenberg Mormon Meteor Special Speedster at Hershey

This is the “Mormon Meteor,” a one-off Duesenberg that set a world land speed record in 1935. Based on Duesenberg’s Model J chassis, it was commissioned by famed driver Ab Jenkins for the purpose of setting a land speed record. Much to the delight of his sponsors, who funded the build of the car, Jenkins set a speed record by averaging 135.47mph over a 24 hour period at the Bonneville Salt Flats in October of 1935. The record stood all the way until 1961, which is quite impressive considering the caliber of racing cars that came out between 1935 and then (Jaguar D-Type, Ferrari Testa Rossa, etc).

After setting the speed record, Jenkins made the necessary adjustments to the car for street use and drove it another 20,000 miles around his home area in Utah. This is a very significant automobile, and a real testament to the quality of Duesenberg’s engineering, because it was based on a production car, the Model J. Now obviously it wasn’t just a standard Model J with a body kit, no, it’s 420ci (6.9L) supercharged straight-8 engine was heavily tweaked to produce a massive 400hp, a huge amount of power for the day. Most road cars on sale today can’t even reach 135mph, let alone average that for a whole day, so the Duesenberg Mormon Meteor is really an engineering marvel. As pre-war automotive technology goes, this car might just be the pinnacle.

The Elegance at Hershey was my second encounter with the Mormon Meteor. It took best in show at Pebble Beach in 2007, which, incidentally, was my inaugural  visit to the events of Monterey Car Week. Naturally, if it can win Pebble Beach, then it can win other concours events, and it did just that by taking best in show this year at The Elegance at Hershey. All Duesenbergs are special cars, certainly the pinnacle of their era, but the Mormon Meteor may well be the the king of them all. It is a mighty impressive, and very beautiful machine, with the craftsmanship and quality to withstand the ages.

I just hope my photos do it justice, enjoy!

Continue reading 1935 Duesenberg “Mormon Meteor” at the Elegance at Hershey →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Class: Of Course! Custom 1985 Pontiac Parisienne at the 2014 River Edge Car Show

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1985 Pontiac Parisienne Brougham Front

Michael Levy is the sort of guy who thinks differently from the rest of us car guys.  When we zig, he zags.  When we tell him that a mid-Eighties Pontiac isn’t a car we want in a collection, he begs to differ, then goes the extra mile.  This is a 1985 Pontiac Parisienne Brougham, a car from the mid-Eighties automotive toss-up that was General Motors’ full-size cars.  1985 was the final year for Pontiac to sell a big sedan on this platform (from here on out, it was just wagons, and only through 1990).  The Parisienne was pretty much identical in almost every way to the Chevy Caprice of the era, except that it was a Pontiac product.   Michael, however, has other ideas.  He took this Parisienne and made it his own, by making a number of changes.  The badges have been Frenched in (made flush to the bodywork), and the paint, despite being the right colors of the car from the factory, were redone in a matte finish, not metallic like the original.  The interior is still pretty much stock, but the Grey Poupon in the center console indicates that we’re not talking about a normal set of tastes.  Under the skin, he’s added sequential turn signals (a la the current Mustangs), a train horn, and even a shovel and tarp in the trunk–for those of you who owe him money.   It’s currently running a 305, but he did mention plans to put a 350 in it soon.  He’s painted the wire wheel covers to hide the center of the spokes, making a “floating” effect appear between the trim rings and the center caps.  However, the best modification to this Parisienne has to be the suicide doors–this was the one modification that was making everyone do a double-take, including me.  It’s done so well, it looks like the factory should have done it in the first place.  This is no Rolls-Royce, and it’s not a pimpmobile.  It’s a “class-mobile”, and I absolutely love the uniqueness of this car.  I enjoyed seeing this car in River Edge last week, and I’m sure you will all enjoy it as well.  Enjoy the photos.  Great car, Michael!

Continue reading Class: Of Course! Custom 1985 Pontiac Parisienne at the 2014 River Edge Car Show →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Petrolicious’ piece on the Ferrari 330 P4 gives life a new meaning

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I had goosebumps the whole time when I saw this video. The Ferrari 330 P4 is one of the most significant sports racing cars of all time, and this is the only remaining true P4 in existence. The other P4s were turned into Can Am cars, and Jim Glickenhaus owns the Ferrari 330 P3/4, the P3 that made the jump to P4 spec. So this thing is precious beyond belief.

This Petrolicious video will make your lust for the P4 almost agonizing in severity, because in addition to hearing its godly V12 howl, and seeing its timeless sexy looks, the owner tells us just how great it is to drive. Oh how I’d love for even just one lap in this car someday. Here’s to hoping…..