1983 Chevy Celebrity Eurosport Dragster
Ah, the Eurosport, Chevrolet’s well-executed package for classing up the ’80s A-Body front-drivers. Catch a Eurosport in your peripheral vision quickly, and it’d be easy to mistake it for a Volvo 7-series, or still an Audi 5000 (G). What we hold right here is a cycle capsule in two ways. First, the Celebrity was GM’s redemption on the X-Body’s failure to deliver on its potential. The Celebrity is the car at which the General got its act together, completely ages before the Taurus, too. Secondly, such a certain Celebrity was swept up in the Pro Street craze overly customizers glommed on to in the days when a guy can draw off a hot pink reservoir top. It’s a span piece, made when the Simpsons got significantly on Tracey Ullman.
The excesses of the 1980s are favorably embodied in the decadent Pro Street movement; the same ethos drove the popularity of hair metal. There was an side&wshyp;line to it, an underlying cause in the blues. Pro Street’s blues got the grit and rocket electricity fumes of monumental drag racing. Many cars we would kill for today (unrusted late ’60s MoPars, anyone?) suffered the fate of making cut up and tubbed, next fitted amidst teeny miniscule front tires on horridly ubiquitous Centerline phone-dial rims. The end result is a car which processes as far as a T. Rex performs preacher curls in its wimpy tiny amount arms. Handling’s not the point, rabid craftsmanship and for the duration of the top all of it are. This car, absolutely has too among its pro generate quality of magazine coverage, triple-blown big block, tube frame, huge Mickey Thompsons, and the requesite drag chute and top notch aleck license plate. Rather as opposed to cry in an extra increasingly rare car making hacked up by a cokehead fabricator, there isn’t anybody that may attention too a Celebrity headed below the knife. In fact, they will avert dead in such a tracks and say “cool.” Get your proposals in now, or just recently end everyone’s suspense and fork through the 50G’s for the thing. You’ll be a hit at the local choke and puke cruise night.
[Source: eBay]
1966 Austin Healey 3000 Mk III
The annual Orphan Car Show took place in Ypsilanti, MI yesterday and Mother Nature while undoubtedly model weather for the event. One of my tailored favorites of the confirm was such sparkling pearl grey 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III. As amid a good number of of the cars on display, the current was in far best state as opposed to any Austin-Healey overly repeatedly came out of the British factory. The finishing on the present car obviously had a lot of attempt put to it and very much shimmered in the sunlight. According to the owner, he did the mechanical restoration additonally a proficient shop handled the person work. The 3000s got erected according to 1959-67 in 3 string through such Mk III making one of the later on cars. This is classic British motoring at its best. Click the gallery under to view a good amount images of currently awesome Austin-Healey and possibly we will spotlight Other a larger number of cars based on what i read in the Orphan Car Show during the week.
Rare 1957 Chrysler Diablo Concept up for auction
When we imagine of the phrases ‘Chrysler’ and ‘Diablo’ together, memories appear to mind of a phase when the American automaker possessed Lamborghini and unveiled a successor to the iconic Countach model. But that is not how the present is. The Chrysler Diablo Concept basically dates returning to 1957 when it was the star of the U.S. Automatic verify circuit. Most of the Autoblog workforces was not alive going back then, but properties notify us it was as when the Dodge Viper Concept earliest debuted in 1989. The car was originally conceived by Chrysler’s famed design head, Virgil Exner, and is an model of aerodynamic design projection in the ’50s. It’s argued so the car’s circumstances was inspired by watching ink blots blown by 200 mph winds around the surface of plastic models, that we do not basically see in the svelte shape but we will take this word for it. The 22-foot-long car is constructed on a shortened 1955 Chrysler 300 succession chassis and facets a soft convertible top the present was added by the Italian styling enduring Ghia, who tweaked the car’s design by reworking the fins and painting it red (it was originally black) before the car debuted on the 1957 U.S. Automatic demonstrate circuit.
[Source: RM Auctions]
eBay Find of the Day: Jaguar XJ220 in LeMans Blue
It’s hard to agree Jaguar repeatedly making for a supercar getting prepared to its latest sad arena of sales, but it did easily overly returning in the the first part of ’90s when our walls got plastered in on posters of the Ferrari F40, Lamborghini Diablo and this, the Jaguar XJ220. In our humble estimation, the XJ220 is one of the a multitude of gorgeous supercars of all time designed, and alternatively as opposed to relying on eight or twelve cylinders fancy its Italian competition, the XJ220 made it to 200+ mph paying for a twin-turbocharged 3.5L V6 generating 550 horsepower and 473 pound-feet of torque. Unfortunately, no one always got one up to 220 mph to validate the car’s nomenclature. The XJ220 headed on the cash in on in 1992 surrounded by a base expense of $650,000 and alone 281 got yet made. One of folks examples based on 1994 is up for auction on eBay Motors amid a commencing bid of $300,000. Bathed in a rich-looking LeMans green coat job, right now ideal has one and only 3,092 miles on its odometer, although it looks to own a few items overly difficulty attention. One of the wheel middle caps is missing, the passenger portion headlight paint is off, and is this an aftermarket stereo in there? The rest of the car looks like it’s as up to date as the day it was built. We skepticism Jaguar should be going back to the supercar ring surrounded by a contender anytime soon, but this moment eBay Motors auction reminds us of a age when Jaguar stood toe-to-toe surrounded by the giants. Thanks for the tip, Kevin!
[Source: eBay Motors]
Caroll Shelby takes delivery of paddle-shifter-equipped Superformance Daytona Coupe
You might expect that Carroll Shelby has quite a collection of cars. He’s even put up a few for sale recently, including his personal 1969 GT500 Convertible that he’s owned since new at Barrett-Jackson this year and the unique Cobra Supersnake that sold for $5,000,000 at last year’s auction. A few years ago Shelby also auctioned off one of the six original Daytona Coupes that he had owned for more than twenty years. He must have missed it in the garage, because he requested that Superformance build him one of their new Daytona Coupes. Designed by Peter Brock, the same man who penned the original, this modern version of the Cobra Coupe retains the wonderful shape of the original while offering some creature comforts not found in the race car. Carroll’s personal car, which was delivered to him this week, features the “Guardsman Blue” paint scheme of the original cars as well as the #98 that on the car he previously owned. Unique to the car is a one-off paddle-shift transmission designed by MasterShift mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Power comes from a 427SR Roush crate engine pushing out nearly 500 horsepower. Follow the jump for the press release and check out the gallery below of the car you wish you owned.
[Source: Shelby Distribution USA]
Awesome-Ness custom bike exhibit to open in May
Arlen Ness, a legend to the custom bike community, started out by painting customer bikes on the weekends as he worked to deliver furniture during the week to pay the bills. Gradually, his skills and reputation transformed his small company into the parts-selling juggernaut that it is today. Along the way, Ness has created quite a few one-off creations, many of which are now considered to be classics. Some of them, like the ‘57 Chevy knock-off “Ness-talgia”, twin-engined and twin-supercharged “Ferrari-bike” (above) and Bugatti-inspired “Smooth-Ness” recall iconic automotive designs of years past. According to Ness, those three bikes represent some of his personal favorites, and each of them, along with many others, will be on display at an upcoming exhibit at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio called Awesome-Ness. Interested in attending? The event will run from July 24 through the end of June 2009.
[Source: Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum]
U.S. Postal Service to celebrate the tailfin starting in October
All the way back in 2004, we wondered out loud why the U.S. Postal Service chose only to showcase cars from the first half of the decade starting in 1950. All of you waiting on pins and needles now have an official date when this offense will be rectified: October 3, 2008. Starting on that day, each of the 37,000 Post Office locations will begin offering five new “50s Fins and Chrome” 42-cent first-class stamps as part of the “America on the Move” series. We’ve gallerized each of the upcoming stamps for your viewing enjoyment:
[Source: U.S. Postal Service]
Knight Rider producer interviewed: Turbo Boost, Battlestar Galactica and new Attack Mode
We all know what a disaster the 2-hour Knight Rider movie was (click here for a refresher). Regardless, the return of the series has been green lit for the Fall and Shadowy Flight recently sat down for an interview with Gary Scott Thompson, Executive Producer and Showrunner of the series. Thompson’s credentials include creating the show Las Vegas and the original Fast and the Furious movie, and he also points out that he had nothing to do with the 2-hour Knight Rider movie that aired in February. The show’s new EP revealed that he and his writers are leaving the 2-hour movie in the past. His new writing staff, which includes writers from Lost, Prison Break and Smallville, but also Walker, Texas Ranger and Charmed, is dealing with some of those plot points introduced in the movie that now can’t be ignored, but are basically going to start all over again with the first episode.
You can check out the two-part interview by hitting the source link below, but the major bit of news revealed is that Turbo Boost will again be part of KITT’s arsenal, though the technology will be reinvented for this era where fast cars that jump aren’t all that mind blowing. Thompson also told Shadowy Flight that the overly winged Attack Mode KITT is being redone and will be different than the one seen in the movie. Finally, Thompson compares his Knight Rider series that’s still in gestation to one of our favorite shows on TV, Battlestar Galactica. Both are reinventions of older TV shows, but BG is currently the shining light of modern television, while Knight Rider has gotten off to an extremely rough start. We hope it compares to the weekly trials of Admiral Adama and the crew of Galactica, but we’re not holding our breath. Thanks for the tip, Neil!
[Source: Shadowy Flight]
Rendered Speculation: BMW’s baby Isetta
This latest rendering of the long-rumored return of the Isetta brand, an offshoot of BMW, looks much more modern than any previous rendering that we’ve seen of the rolling mini-retro-mobile. According to the accompanying report on Autocar, the rear-engined zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) has indeed been approved by BMW, though we’ve heard nothing truly official as of yet. If true, the U.S. would be the likely first market to see the Isetta, possibly as early as 2012.
At this point, BMW is reportedly still deciding whether or not to offer both electric and internally-combusted versions of the new city car. BMW has quite a few small engines currently powering their line of motorcycles, and one of these engines could make an appearance in the rear of the vehicle. Possible powertrains also include a hybrid, natural gas or even fuel cell variants. Because of the high investment required to get the proposed vehicle off the ground, BMW could partner with Daimler-Benz which already offers its own tiny car under the smart brand. Rumors also link long-time BMW partner Manga Steyr to the project. Interestingly, the Canadian based auto parts giant has recently confirmed that they are working on hybrid vehicle development.
[Source: Autocar]
Future Classic: 1984 Chrysler Minivans
Think of what the automotive landscape looked like nigh on 25 years ago. Mentioning “family car” in 1983 would have conjured a station wagon. Some of us dig wagons, while others think we’re daft because of the stigma they still carry. There’s no denying that a wagon is an excellent way to transport kids and stuff, but those beasts of yesteryear often led to yearnings for an alternative. We all remember getting carsick while sitting in the rear-facing third row torture chamber, cut off from the rest of the family and their future-looking vantage point. The tailgunner position was a great way to test out new hand gestures on following motorists, though.When the Chrysler minivans were revealed to the world in 1983 as 1984 models, they were a revelation. The Caravan and Voyager were not the first vans based on compact chassis, but they were such a successful combination of the elements that sales took off and imitators sprang up only after Chrysler had firmly established its status as the segment trendsetter. Continued after the jump.
It’s taken 25 years for cracks in the armor to appear; Chrysler’s newly redone vans are fighting for their lives against the formidably excellent Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey after years of dominance. While they may not have originated the idea, Chrysler’s minis certainly moved the segment from niche vehicle to the pinnacle of the mainstream. Chrysler was selling a lot of full size vans in the 1970s, and many to families because they’d equipped them with carlike features. An A-series van equipped with such luxuries as full carpeting, power windows, air conditioning, and 8-track stereos (matchbook optional) was a comfortable way to cover long stretches in the 1970s.
The success of the big vans led to the idea of a smaller, more garage-friendly van, especially since Chrysler was faced with a paucity of wagon choices. While the excitement led to an initial flurry of work, there just wasn’t room for a unique platform and its attendant tooling costs. The mid-1970s were not kind to Chrysler - the company landed in dire financial straits by the end of the decade. Oddly enough, in the late ’70s, a second whack was taken at what was to become the minivan. By that time, there were front-wheel-drive components to be had from the Omni/Horizon, and initial concepts look like a van box with an Omni nose. Eventually, K-Car underpinnings served as the basis of the Minvans, and the price of the program had grown considerably from the first round. Lee Iacocca saw the value, though, and had the intestinal fortitude to green-light the T-115 vans.
The 1984 model year wasn’t even a complete one for the new Minvans, but even so, 209,000 found buyers. Amazingly versatile cargo haulers, able to swallow sheets of plywood as well as carry the entire family on vacation, it’s easy to see why the public fell in love with Chrysler’s new phenomenon. Three rows of seats fit into a compact wheelbase, while the car-based chassis offered a lower ride height than truck-based vans, which made entry and exit supremely easy. The car platform also imbued the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager with an easy-driving demeanor, far less intimidating than the bigger vans. The whole package was no longer than a K-Car wagon, fitting easily in suburban garages, too.
One area where the vans were lacking was powertrains. While modern minivans are not very mini, they’re also faster than even some sports cars were back in the 1980s. A lot faster. All minivans now carry V6s that kick out more horsepower than a Mustang GT did in 1984. A modest selection of four-cylinder engines with less than 100 horsepower were all you could initially get to power your wood-sided box, though turbocharged engines offered some more oomph, and V6 engines eventually found their way between the strut towers.
At a time when the Volkswagen Vanagon was about the only vehicle that might be considered a direct competitor, Chrysler’s minivans were a revelation. Interiors were filled with innovative ideas, and every successive generation saw further refinement, ensuring that Chrysler minis maintained their position as the bogey to beat. Novel thinking continues to manifest itself in Chrysler’s vans, and the arrival of the minivan also accomplished something else - it shifted the stigma off station wagons, giving the shooting brake a little breathing room to learn how to be cool.
We have yet to see a concours-quality first-generation minivan. For that matter, it’s getting hard to find one that hasn’t been attacked by the tinworm, but the fact remains that the minivans are going to be old enough to actually show up at a “classic car” event with credibility.
They may have been the scourge of the road before attention was redirected to SUVs, but they were the vehicle that kicked off a paradigm shift in the marketplace, and they continue to get better with every revision. When GM and Ford have bowed out after receiving a considerable drubbing, Chrysler remains the sole domestic brand in the fight.
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