Archive for category Featured
The Kustom Photography of George Barris!!! OUT NOW ON DVD!!
Posted by rariccardi in Featured, Kustoms on November 8, 2009
Here is the info on the newest Barris DVD by the talented guys at The Mad Fabricators Society You need to buy this. See a little known side of the “King of Kustomizers”
Kustom Photography of George Barris
Well after a year of working on this DVD I finally have them done and available on DVD
Many people don’t know George the photographer.. He was a HUGE part of documenting our history all over the states and brought it all to the magazines for the world to see…The movie is a journey through 1000’s of pictures that george shot for the mags and his own use..these are all mounted on a 14×17 sheet all hand cut out by Shirley Barrisand taped on to the sheet.. She was a trooper!!
So Brett approached me a while back and asked if I wanted to team up and put out a DVD so I started going though all the pix and was overwhelmed with all the fantastic pix.. but how do you make this into a move?? So I built a rig that allows me to mount my camera and move it forward and back and i’m able to move the sheet left and right… So once I shot that we needed ContentSo Ana Marco (from that mag) set us up with Larry Watson.. so we had him come to Barris and the two sat and went through all the pix and told stories about a bunch of them..(can be a DVD on its own) After that we got a hold of Brad Masterson who is renting the space next to George’s shop on Atlantic and has it set up with a bunch of old Barris Memorabilia and Pix.. George shows us around the shop then we hops into Brads Chopped Chevy and we hit some of the locations the pix were shot at.. After that we meet up with Greg Sharp from the NHRA museum and he gives us even more detail on George the photographer…Along with pictures the are in the movie the DVD will have a slide show feature that will have pix in sections Kustoms, Hot Rod, Bikes etc..that you will be a to hit play and just check out the pictures.. on-top of that the whole thing is Scored Live by the Dynotones…
1966 Olds 4-4-2
Posted by rariccardi in Featured on November 1, 2009
The 1966 Olds 442. Icon? Some think so. Take a look at this great feature for the knowledgeable folks at Old Cars Weekly.
1966 Olds 4-4-2
BRIAN EARNEST
It might not have been the dumbest thing he’s ever done, but Paul Tyler figures it was on the short list.
For some reason — temporary insanity being the most plausible excuse — the Tampa, Fla., resident sold his beloved 1966 Oldsmobile 4-4-2. He had dreamed about owning such a car from the moment he saw a picture of one for the first time, enjoyed every minute of the 10 years he had the car, and to this day isn’t sure what possessed him to sell it to an acquaintance back in 1976.
“I don’t know why I did it. I kicked myself 1,000 times,” says Tyler, in his friendly southern drawl. “I guess I thought I needed to get it out of the garage.”
But after 10 years of regret and penance, the Car Hobby Gods apparently thought Tyler had suffered enough, and fate gave him a second chance – not just a second chance at a nice 1966 4-4-2, but a chance to buy back the same car he had once owned.
Olds 442 sideview
“I had not seen the fella (who bought it) in some time, and a mutual friend said to me, ‘I know you wished you hadn’t sold that car … Well, that fella is out of work and I saw him and he said he needed money. I bet you could buy it back.”
Sure enough, the car’s owner was willing to sell it back, but he too, was destined to have seller’s regret. “He said, ‘I’ll sell it to you with one stipulation: That if you ever decide to sell it again, you have to give me an option to buy it back from you!’ I told him not to worry, the car was going into my will and will be a part of my estate, and that’s the way it’s going to go. I sold it one time, and that’s all. I won’t do it again.”
“I drove out of the dealership for $2,929, sold it for $800 10 years later, then 10 years later bought it back from him, when it was 20 years old, for $4,000,” he adds with a laugh. “He had repainted it the original color while he had it, and I figured it wasn’t a bad deal because I couldn’t have had it painted and insured for $3,200. It worked out pretty good.”
Tyler’s love affair with his bronze ’66 is sort of one of those quintessential matches made in car heaven. He was smitten with the new 1966 4-4-2s immediately, ordered his car before the new models were even available, and never regretted his purchase for a minute — even 43 years later. He took delivery from Brandenburg Chevrolet in Beattyville, Kent., where he lived, in late November of 1965. The car started life as a Cutlass Holiday coupe, but the 4-4-2 package added a host of goodies that turned the car into one of the best all-around muscle cars of the era.
Oldsmobile 442 sideview
When it was restyled for 1966, the Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85 took on a more massive, creased-edge look. The 4-4-2 high-performance option package included seat belts, an instrument panel with a padded dashboard, a windshield washer system, two-speed windshield wipers, a left-hand manual outside rear view mirror, foam padded seat cushions, carpeting on the floor front and rear, chrome roof bow moldings, a deluxe steering wheel, front bucket or custom seats, deluxe armrests, a courtesy lamp package, 7.35 x 14 tires and seat upholstery in either all vinyl or cloth.
Under the hood of the 4-4-2 model, the 400-cid V-8 had been tweaked by another five horsepower (to 350 hp) thanks to a slight increase in compression ratio. Late in the model year, the 4-4-2 received another adrenalin injection (to 360 hp) with the one-year-only triple two-barrel carburetor setup. From the standpoints of both performance and rarity, the 1966 Olds Cutlass 4-4-2 equipped with the 360-hp factory Tri-Power installation is the most desirable example of these production years to a real muscle-car enthusiast.
Car Life magazine took one of the Tri-Power screamers from 0-to-60 mph in a mere 6.3 seconds and called it the “civilized supercar.” Quarter-mile runs were made in as little as 14.8 seconds with a terminal speed of 97 miles per hour. Car and Driver magazine test drove a 1965 Olds 4-4-2 convertible with a four-speed manual gearbox and a 3.55:1 axle in May 1965. Its 0-to-60 time was recorded as 5.5 seconds and the quarter-mile run took 15.0 seconds at 98 mph.
Tyler never tried to set any speed records in his car, using instead it as daily transportation for a decade.
“I kept the car for 10 years and sold, and 10 years later I bought it back,” Tyler said. “During that time he only put about 10,000 miles on it — something like that. When I got it back it was exactly like it was when I sold it to him, except that he had changed the (wire) wheels on it and put on some different (mag) wheels that were a factory option. When I bought it back from him, he said, ‘Your original wheels and hubcaps are in the trunk,’ so everything is pretty much original on it. The only other thing that’s been changed is the carburetor. The original carburetors had a diaphragm in them, and I had some problems with that, so I replaced the carburetor.
Oldsmobille 442 window sticker
The engine has been rebuilt once. The car has about 117,000 miles on it, and about 11,000 since it was rebuilt.”
Tyler’s other nod to non-originality was a more mileage friendly rear end. “It came with the 390 differential, and I ran it that way for three or four years,” he recalled. “And that 390 was just eating me up with gas.”
These days, Tyler doesn’t drive his 4-4-2 as much as he used to, but he still enjoys the style, power and ride that made him choose the Olds over more popular muscle cars back in ’65. “I had friends that and Chevelle 396s, Super Sports, and had a very close friend that had a ’66 GTO, and I always felt that interior-wise, the 4-4-2 was much nicer. It just had a nicer, you might say more luxurious, look. The ride I thought was better, and I firmly believed the handling of the 4-4-2 was the best of any of them.”
“As far as I can remember, they were the only cars that had the sway bar in the rear directly from the factory …I lived up the Appalachian country in Kentucky, and drove on roads that went up and down and round and round. That handling was a big selling point to me at the time. All the automotive magazines were talking about the handling because of the sway bar in the rear.”
It’s clear from the way Tyler talks about the car that he hasn’t lost any affection for it, even though it’s no longer a daily driver and is no longer required to make tracks up and down the Kentucky high country.
“There is just something about it,” he said. “It’s become a part of the family. I’ve just always liked the design of the car and have always thought it was one of the nicest-looking cars that I had ever seen, and still have ever seen.
“Nowadays some people that look at it think. well, it doesn’t have an automatic, or doesn’t have power steering or power brakes, and of course doesn’t have air conditioning, so it has some drawbacks for Florida. But I’ve had several people try to buy it and lots of people ask for it, but I always tell them no, it’s not going to be for sale.
“I feel very lucky. I know I’m extremely lucky to have gotten it back.”
Oldsmobile 442 interior
1966 OLDS 4-4-2 SPEC’S
ENGINES
BASE V-8: Overhead valves. Cast-iron block. Bore and stroke: 4.00 x 3.975 inches. Displacement: 400.0 cid. Compression ratio: 10.50:1. Brake hp: 350 at 4400 rpm. Taxable hp: 51.20. Torque: 440 at 3600. Hydraulic valve lifters. Five main bearings. Carburetor: Rochester 4MV four-barrel. Engine code: V.
OPTIONAL V-8: Overhead valves. Cast-iron block. Bore and stroke: 4.00 x 3.975 inches. Displacement: 400.0 cid. Compression ratio: 10.50:1. Brake hp: 360 at 5000 rpm. Taxable hp: 51.20. Torque: 440 at 3600. Hydraulic valve lifters. Five main bearings. Carburetion: Three Rochester two-barrel. Engine code: V. (NOTE: This rare engine was installed in the foillowing cars with the 4-4-2 package:157 standard F-85s, 178 Deluxe F-85 s, 383 Cutlass coupes, 1,171 Cutlass hardtops and 240 Cutlass c onvertibles.)OPTIONS
Power brakes ($41). Power steering ($94). Air conditioning ($343). Tinted windows ($30). Power seat ($69). Head rests ($52). Power trunk ($12). Floor mats ($7). Vinyl roof ($74). Sports console ($68). Cruise control ($41). Tilt steering column ($41). Wire wheel discs ($61). Tachometer ($52). Electric clock ($15). Radio ($64). Power antenna ($29). Rear radio speaker ($15). AM/FM radio ($147). Power door locks ($68). Rear defroster ($21). 4-4-2 package fror F-85 and Cutlass two-door models ($152). Automatic transmission ($230). Four-speed manual transmission with Hurst shifter ($184). Close-ratio four-speed manual transmission with floor shift ($184). Positive traction rear axle ($46). Heavy-duty clutch ($5).Series Body/Style Body Type Factory Shipping Production
Number Number & Seating Price Weight Total
F-85 + 4-4-2 — SERIES 3400 — V-8
34 07 2d Coupe-6P $2,570 3,153 lbs. 647
F-85 DELUXE + 4-4-2 — SERIES 3600 — V-8
36 17 2d Coupe-6P $2,735 3,196 lbs. 1,217
CUTLASS + 4-4-2 — SERIES 3800 — V-8
38 07 2d Coupe-6P $2,785 3,219 lbs. 3,787
38 17 2d HT-6P $2,922 3,243 lbs. 13,493
38 67 2d Conv-6P $3,117 3,349 lbs. 2,853
NOTE 1: Prices include basic cost of 4-4-2 package.
NOTE 2: Base F-85 production included 103 with three-speed, 456 with four-speed and 88 with automatic transmission.
NOTE 3: Deluxe F-85 production included 88 with three-speed, 798 with four-speed and 331 with automatic transmission.
NOTE 4: Cutlass coupe production includes 221 with three-speed, 2,422 with four-speed and 1,144 with automatic transmission.
NOTE 5: Cutlass hardtop production includes 297 with three-speed, 8,025 with four-speed and 5,171 with automatic transmission.
NOTE 6: Cutlass convertible production includes 62 with three-speed, 1,448 with four-speed and 1,343 with automatic transmission.COLLECTOR PRICING
1966 Oldmobile 4-4-2
Two-door sedan
No. 1 Condition: $27,000
No. 2: $18,900
No. 3: $12,150
No. 4: $5,400Two-door hardtop
No. 1 Condition: $31,000
No. 2: $21,700
No. 3: $13,950
No. 4: $6,200Two-door convertible
No. 1 Condition: $39,000
No. 2: $27,300
No. 3: $17,550
No. 4: $7,800
1946 Volkswagen Beetle
Posted by rariccardi in Featured, Old Cars Weekly on October 30, 2009
Thanks to the great folks over at Old Cars Weekly for this story on the vintage classic 1946 Voltswagen Beetle.
1946 VW
Few people who were alive at the time of the Beetle’s rise to prominence need to be reminded of its appearance. Many described the two-door sedan, with its rounded profile, as an “ugly duckling.” Volkswagen would later capitalize upon the image, rather than attempt to dispute it. As everyone would eventually realize, the shape of the Beetle would change little over the next three decades. Volkswagen still promoted a continuous sequence of mechanical and detail improvements.
For 1946, the engine size was increased from 985 cc to 1131 cc. This 1.1-liter power plant was used from 1945 through1950. The sealing tubes for the engine push rods had new corrugated tube ends. Early engines were rated 24.5 hp and often referred top as “25-hp” models. The 25-hp Standard version was actually introduced during 1945 and 1,785 cars were made in that calendar year. An unsynchronized four-speed gear box meant plenty of double clutching was required to change gears, especially when downshifting. Next to the gearshift lever was the manual choke button.
1948 VW back
Early Volkswagen models had a split-oval rear window with a rather thick pillar between the tiny panes. American cars had abandoned running boards before World War II, but Volkswagen kept them — though they weren’t the kind that anyone could stand on. A notch below the rear bumper permitted insertion of a hand crank.
Characteristics of early cars included a rear axle with single-acting shocks (1945 to 1951), a T-shaped luggage compartment handle (1945 to 1949), pull-out door handles (1945 through 1959) and a license plate pressing on the rear engine cover (until 1949). Early examples wore nipple-shaped chrome hubcaps. The gas tank, which was mounted higher than on earlier models, sat under the hood. The hood had to be raised with each fill up. Lighted turn-signal semaphores were activated by a switch on the dashboard. Also on the dashboard sat a pair of glove boxes, neither of which contained a door. There was no gas gauge, but when the driver noticed evidence that fuel might be running out, he could reach down to the firewall and turn a tap to open the reserve tank, which held an extra gallon or so.
VW droptop
Lack of body insulation contributed to a noisy-running car. This trait actually helped endear early Volkswagens to their owners. These cars had the front lubrication fittings on the inner track rod joints and they no longer sat at right angles to the track rod. The brake cable had a new lubrication nipple. The early 4.50 x 16 tires were replaced with size 5.00 x 16 rubber. Some efforts were made to reduce engine noise, such as the use of cardboard insulation in the engine compartment.
There was a lot going on in Germany, and the rest of the world, at the time the Beetle evolved.
100th VW
Allied forces entered the area of the Volkswagen factory on April 10, 1945. A total of 17,109 people lived in the town, then called KdF-Stadt, and nearly half of them were auto workers. Around 336,000 workers (called “Volkswagen Savers”) had put 267 million German Reichsmarks into a special account to earn a car. The account was administered by the German Labor Front.
Volkswagen’s rise from the ashes was not a smooth or easy journey. As Motor Trend noted in its 1954 Worldwide Automotive Yearbook “Nine years ago (1944) British auto manufacturers refused to give consideration to the possibility of getting the British Zone Wolfsburg plant for the ‘people’s car’ back into production. Located less than 15 miles from the Russian-occupied East German sector, 60 percent of the plant had been destroyed by Allied aircraft bombings. Rain and pilfering had added to the loss, so that in late 1945, the possibility of converting the bomb-pocked rubble into a successful business seemed extremely remote.”
At its first meeting in late May, the town council voted to name the town, then under British military governance, Wolfsburg. For a time, the assets of the auto company were seized and it was renamed Wolfsburg Motor Works. Near the end of spring 1945, car building began on a limited basis and 1,785 vehicles were manufactured, primarily for use by the occupying British and French forces. Some government vehicles, such as postal vans, were also constructed. In addition, repairs were made to British military vehicles.
On October 14, 1946, the 10,000th Beetle produced since the end of World war II rolled down the assembly line. The early Beetle required a full 39 seconds to move from 0 to 60 mph. Its top speed was a reported 65 mph. It delivered 35 mpg fuel economy.
the 10,000th Beetle
PRODUCTION
Model # Body/Seating Weight Production Total
11 2d sedan 1,600 lbs. 10,020
ENGINE
Base Four: Horizontally opposed, overhead-valve four-cylinder (air cooled). Light alloy block with cast-iron cylinders. Displacement: 69.0 cid (1131 cc). Bore & stroke: 2.95 x 2.52 in. (75 x 64 mm). Compression ratio: 5.8:1. Brake Horsepower: 24.5 at 3000 rpm. Torque: 51 ft.-lbs. at 2000 rpm. Solid valve lifters. Downdraft carburetor. 6-volt electrical system.
CHASSIS
Wheelbase: 94.5 in. Overall length: 160 in. Height: 61.0 in. Width: 60.5 in. Front tread: 51.0 in. Rear tread: 49.2 in. Standard tires: 5.00 x 16. Turn circle: 37 ft. Turns lock-to-lock: 2.4.
TECHNICAL INFO
Layout: rear-engine, rear-drive. Transmission: four-speed manual (unsynchronized). Gear ratios: (1st) 3.60:1, (2nd) 2.07:1, (3rd) 1.25:1, (4th) 0.80:1, (reverse) 6.60:1. Standard Final Drive Ratio: 4.43:1. Steering: worm and cap nut. Suspension (front): king pins with transverse torsion bars and upper/lower trailing arms. Suspension (rear): swing axles with trailing arms and torsion bars. Brakes: mechanical, front/rear drum. Body construction: steel unibody on stamped steel floor pan. Fuel Tank: 8.8 gallons.
COLLECTIBILITY
The upcoming release of the digitally remastered catalog of the songs of John, Paul, George and Ringo has everyone re-visiting “Beatlemania.” But Volkswagen’s Beetle has had a consistent mania towards it since its
inception in 1938 as Germany’s “people’s car,” envisioned to be built economically for the masses in the same way the Model T Ford put American on wheels decades earlier. The earliest version of the Beetle available in the United States in the late-1940s did not sell in large numbers. The earlier Beetles, known as “split-window” Beetles through 1952 due to their sectioned rear window, were mainly brought into the United States from servicemen returning from their military duties overseas. To find a Beetle from the 1940s in any condition is difficult, but one in pristine condition will attract $25,000-$35,000.
COLLECTOR PRICING
1946 Volkswagen two-door sedan
No. 1 condition: $25,000
No. 2: $14,700
No. 3: $9,450
No. 4: $4,200
VW-3
1957 Pontiac Bonneville
Posted by rariccardi in Featured on September 7, 2009
The great folks at Old Cars Weekly have done it again. Take a look at this 1957 Pontiac Bonneville
1957 Pontiac Bonneville
Pontiac’s entry into the modern V-8 era in 1955 was overshadowed by the media focus upon Chevrolet’s new Turbofire V-8. Both marques had previously produced V-8 engines — Chevy in 1917, Pontiac in 1932 — but those efforts belonged in the distant past. In the mid-‘50s, Chevrolet and Pontiac shared a common interest in shedding their conservative images and the best place to start was under the hood.
The new Pontiac V-8 displaced 287.2 cubic inches and was credited with 180 hp. Pontiac moved quickly from this starting point to assert itself as a major player in the performance race. By March 1955, its V-8 was available in a power pack version equipped with a four-barrel carburetor, special intake manifold, dual exhausts and a 200-hp rating.
The following year, buoyed by a larger 316.6-cid displacement, ratings as high as 285 hp and a series of successful record runs at Bonneville by Ab Jenkins, Pontiac was clearly a power to be reckoned with among American performance cars.
For 1957, Pontiac once again increased the size of its V-8. The new displacement was 347 cid. But ranking as perhaps the final and most dramatic step away from the legacy of Pontiac’s L-head, straight-eight era was the introduction of the limited production Bonneville name for a Motorama dream can this publicity, plus images of record-smashing Pontiacs streaking across the Utah salt flats, was tailor-made as a backdrop for the new model’s introduction.
1957 Pontiac Bonneville
A major contributor to the Bonneville’s sleek and distinctive lines was its chrome bodyside sweep-spear, which resembled a rocket ship’s profile. Also included in the Bonneville’s styling format was an anodized aluminum rear fender segment similar to that found on the Safari station wagon, pseudo side fender louvers and tri-star spinner hubcaps. Four-ply 8.5 x 14 whitewall tires were also standard for the Bonneville.
But the most sensational elements of the Bonneville’s trim with the words “Fuel Injected” positioned on its front fenders and deck.
Chevy’s introduction of its own fuel-injected engine preceded the introduction of the Bonneville in February of 1957, but the Bonneville’s exclusive nature guaranteed it plenty of attention. The Rochester FI system used by Pontiac differed in several ways from its Chevy counterpart. The most significant distinction involved the Pontiac’s longer air pipes.
Pontiac did not release an official power rating for the Bonneville engine, which had the same 10.25:1 compression ratio as other Pontiac V-8s. Instead, Pontiac offered a rather vague statement reporting that it produced “in excess of 300 hp”. Many Pontiac historians believe that the Tri-Power (three two-barrel carburetors) engines, especially those with dealer-installed solid lifer cam, were superior performers.
1957 Pontiac Bonneville
However, the Bonneville’s primary attraction was not as an all-out quarter-mile terror, but rather as a luxurious high-powered highway cruiser. But results of a test by Motor Trend magazine of a pre-production Bonneville that netted a 0 to 60 mph time of 8.1 seconds plus a top speed of 130 mph indicate that the Bonneville needed no apologists for its performance.
The Bonneville’s $5,782 list price included, in addition to the fuel injection unit, a long list of standard equipment. Among these were Strata-Flight Hydra-Matic transmission, power steering, power brakes, dual exhausts, eight-way power seat, electric wipers and washers, underseat heater and defroster, deluxe Wonderbar radio, electric antenna, custom latex foam front seat cushions, oil bath air cleaner, full flow oil filer, external mirror, non-glare interior mirro, passenger side visor vanity, deluxe steering wheel, padded dash, deluxe floor carpets, parking brake warning light, back-up lights, plush lights for the trunk, ashtray, glovebox and parking light.
Only 630 Bonneville convertibles were produced for the 1957 model year. The following year, the Bonneville name was applied to a full range of top-of-the-line Pontiacs.
The result of Pontiac’s Bonneville venture? A successful revolution in how the car-buying public perceived Pontiac and the existence of a very rare, very desirable and very exciting automobile.
1957 Pontiac Bonneville
ENGINE
Bonneville V-8: Overhead valve. Cast-iron block. Displacement 347 cid. Bore & stroke: 3.94 x 3.56 in. Compression ratio: 10.25:1. Brake hp (estimated): 315 @ 4800 rpm. Five main bearings. Hydraulic valve lifters. Induction: Rochester mechanical fuel-injection.
1957 Pontiac Bonneville
Bonneville production
COLLECTIBILITY
The “F-word” in old car hobby circles means something entirely different than the vulgarity used on the streets. Car collectors want to hear the word “fuelie” and enthusiasts of the 1957 Pontiac Bonneville hunt hard to find an authentic fuel-injected model from that seminal year in Bonneville history.
Only 630 fuelie Bonneville convertibles were released in ’57 with the stipulation as being “dealer use only” models. Because demand will outstrip the number of remaining survivors (minus the replica pretenders), the current top value of $150,000-$180,000 should only increase as the collector car market gains traction in the coming months, especially come early 2010 at the January Arizona auctions.
COLLECTOR PRICING
1957 Bonneville
No. 1 condition: $179,500
No. 2: $125,650
No. 3: $80,780
No. 4: $35,900
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1953 Corvette
Posted by rariccardi in Featured, Old Cars Weekly on September 7, 2009
The great folks at Old Cars Weekly have done it again. Take a look at this 1953 Corvette
1953 Corvette
The first Corvette was built on June 30, 1953 at the Flint, Michigan, assembly plant. It was Polo White — as all the debut Corvettes would be — it was handbuilt, it was small, and it was America’s first postwar production sports car.
To call the 1953 ‘Vette an iconic automobile would probably not do it justice. Although it took a few years for the American buying public to warm up to the idea of a domestic-built sports car, the little Chevy, with all its first-year warts, certainly went where no American car had gone before.
1953 Corvette
The new 1953 Corvette had a fiberglass body, chrome-framed grille with 13 heavy vertical chrome bars, rounded front fenders with recessed headlights with wire screen covers, no side windows or outside door handles, a wraparound windshield and protruding, fender-integrated taillights. The interior featured a floor-mounted shifter for the Powerglide two-speed automatic transmission and oil pressure, battery, water temperature and fuel gauges, plus a tachometer and clock.
Each 1953 Corvette was virtually hand-built and a lot of minor changes were made during the production run. All of the first-year cars were Polo White with Sportsman Red interiors. All had black canvas convertible tops which manually folded into a storage space behind the seats. Other 1953-only features included special valve covers, a one-piece carburetor linkage and a small trunk mat. Short exhaust extensions were used on all ’53s (and early ’54s) because they were prone to drawing exhaust fumes into the car through the vent windows. A black oilcloth window storage bag was provided to protect the 1953 Corvette’s removable plastic side windows when stowed in the trunk.
The signature stoneguard (or “fencing mask”) headlight covers were part of the “sports car” image. Such cages were often used on race cars of the period to keep the headlights from getting broken by rocks and road debris.
1953 Corvette
Inside, the cars featured full instrumentation, including oil pressure, battery, water temperature, fuel and tachometer. The design of the instrumentation was a bit unusual, however, with the gauges located centrally in the middle of the dash, giving the passenger an equal look at everything but the speedometer, which was wrapped above the steering column.
The new Corvettes had plenty of other flaws, although you’ll rarely hear any complaints from anyone lucky enough to own one today. The early carburetors leaked and were known to cause fires. The bumpers were purely for looks and offered no protection. The lack of roll-up windows made for a leaky cabin. There were no door locks our outside door handles. The huge steering wheels made for a difficult driving position, particularly for larger drivers — who also had to endure little head room.
But the biggest knock on the car was the modest “Blue Flame six” that went under the hood. It was plenty reliable, but only kicked out about 105 horsepower, which wasn’t much even for a tiny car. Chevy engineers mated the mill to three Carter type YH sidedraft carburetors featuring “bullet” air cleaners and aluminum manifolds to stretch the power output to 150 bhp at 4,500 rpm.
In addition to being the first, the 1953 is the rarest Corvette. Model year production peaked at 300 units. About 225 of the 300 Corvettes made in 1953 are known to exist today, although the first two cars built are missing and are believed to have been destroyed.
1953 Corvette
The ’53s were constructed in an area at the rear of Chevrolet’s customer delivery garage on Van Slyke Ave., in Flint, Michigan. By early 1954, Chevrolet announced that 315 Corvettes had been built and that production of the model had been shifted to the assembly plant in St. Louis, Missouri. Programming, at that point, called for production of 1,000 Corvettes per month in St. Louis by June 1954. The company predicted that 10,000 per year could be built and sold. Zora Arkus-Duntov joined Chevrolet Motor Division in 1953 and would become chief engineer of the Corvette.
I.D. NUMBERS
The Corvette used the standard Chevrolet Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) coding system. A tag located on the left-hand front door hinge pillar consisted of 10 symbols. The first symbol was an E for 1953 models. The second and third symbols indicated the model year, for example 53 = 1953. The fourth symbol identified the assembly plant as follows: F = Flint, Michigan. (All 1953 Corvettes were made in Flint). The last six symbols were digits representing the sequential production number. Corvettes for 1953 were numbered E53F001001 to E53F001300. Engine numbers were found on the right-hand side of the crankcase behind the distributor. The engine numbers for 1953 models used the prefix LAY. Since the Corvette bodies were virtually handmade, they did not carry standard Fisher Body Style Numbers as did other GM cars. The Corvette model number consisted of the four digits 2934, which also served as the body style number for the early production years.
1953 Corvette
ENGINE
Inline. Six-cylinder. Overhead valve. Cast iron block. Displacement: 235.5 cid. Bore and stroke: 3.56 x 3.96 in. Compression ratio: 8.0:1. Brake hp: 150 at 4200 rpm. Single breaker-point ignition. Carburetor: Three Carter Type YH one-barrel Model 2066S (early models); Model 2055S (later models).
1953 Corvette
CHASSIS FEATURES
Wheelbase: 102 inches. Overall length: 167 inches. Front tread: 57 inches. Rear tread: 58.8 inches. Steel disk wheels. Tires: 6.70 x 15. Front suspension: Coil springs, tubular shock absorbers and stabilizer bar. Rear suspension: Leaf springs, tube shocks and solid rear axle. Drum brakes. Axle ratio: 3.55:1.
OPTIONS
Signal-seeking AM radio ($145.15). Heater ($91.40). White sidewall tires.
PRODUCTION
1953 Corvette
COLLECTIBILITY
While it doesn’t perform anything like the Corvettes that came after as far as speed and agility, the first-year, 1953 Corvette outperforms most of its descendants on the auction block. It was not that long ago, before the current market correction put the brakes on most early Corvette values, that a 1953 Corvette, in authentic excellent shape and with correct documentation, commanded in the neighborhood of a quarter-million dollars or more for the best of the best. With only 300 built originally, and the never-ending love affair that enthusiasts have for America’s sports car, when market mania returns the initial Corvette will be one of the leaders as an investment commanding top dollar.
COLLECTOR PRICING
1953 Corvette
No. 1 condition: $195,000
No. 2: $136,500
No. 3: $87,750
No. 4: $39,000
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The 1969 AMC SC Rambler
Posted by rariccardi in Featured, Old Cars Weekly on August 2, 2009
The great folks at Old Cars Weekly have done it again. Take a look at this 1969 AMC SC Rambler/28
1969 AMC SC Rambler
When AMC trotted out its new products at the Chicago Auto Show in March 1969, one of the most eye-catching vehicles was a small hardtop with a patriotic color scheme and a massive scoop dominating the front portion of its hoods. This AMC Hurst SC/Rambler represented one of the company’s most unique models and the swan song for the Rambler American compact car.
Every muscle car lover knows the name of Hurst Performance Products. So, in 1969, American Motors hooked up with the Pennsylvania performance parts company to surprise everyone with the SC/Rambler (or “Scrambler” as some folks call it). Hurst actually thought up the idea and AMC bought it.
1969 AMC SC Rambler
Based on the two-door Rogue hardtop coupe, the SC/Rambler stressed the big-engine-in-little-car format to the max. Below the hood went a 390-cid 325-hp V-8 linked to a Borg Warner four-speed manual gearbox with a Hurst shifter. A 3.54:1 rear axle with Twin-Grip differential was included, too. With a curb weight of about 3,000 lbs., the hot little car had a power-to-weight ratio of 10.03 lbs. per horsepower. This made it eligible for drag racing in the National Hot Rod Association’s F-stock class.
The AMC factory estimated low 14-second quarter-miles at 98 mph. Road Test magazine clocked 14.4 at 100.44 mph and managed to hit 109 mph without topping out. Modified SC/Ramblers have run the quarter-mile in the 9-second bracket.
In addition to the power team, the SC/Rambler included a long list of extra-cost goodies like a big hood scoop for Ram-Air induction, fat dual exhaust pipes, a column-mounted Sun tachometer and Bendix front disc brakes. Blue-finished five-spoke mag-style wheels, 14 x 6-inch rims, wheel trim rings and fat red-striped Goodyear tires were also standard. The SC/Rambler interior was done in plain-looking gray vinyl, but it had red-white-and-blue headrests. This color scheme was carried onto the body, in several variations. Full carpeting was another selling feature.
1969 AMC SC Rambler
The first 500 cars built had red center body side panels and thick blue horizontal racing stripes on the hood, roof and deck. A blue arrow pointed towards the scoop, which had large letters spelling the word “AIR” and calling out the engine size. This was the “A” type graphic treatment.
When the cars sold quickly, another batch was made with new “B” type trim. These had a mostly white exterior with narrow red and blue stripes. Then, a third batch of cars was made, reverting to the type “A” trim, but lacking all of the elements. The A-finished cars seem to be the more common of the 1,512 SC/Ramblers built.
The SC Ramblers created certainly livened up showrooms, but not all dealers carried them. They certainly appealed to street racers, and a big block with 315 horses stuffed into a small car was a formidable machine on the street or strip, and that’s where many of the cars wound up. A registry of some of the surviving cars exists and can be found online here.
Rambler chart
ENGINE
BASE V-8: Overhead valves. Cast-iron block. Displacement: 390 cid. Bore and stroke: 4.17 x 3.57 inches. Compression ratio: 10.2:1. Advertised hp: 315 at 4600 rpm. Advertised torque: 425 at 3200 rpm. Recommended idle speed: 650 rpm. Five main bearings. Forged crank and rods. Forged crank and rods. Hydraulic valve lifters (non-adjustable). Carburetor: Carter AFB four-barrel. Exhaust system: duals standard on all models with 390 engine.
OPTIONS
Automatic transmission. Heavy-duty 70-amp battery ($8). Heavy-duty battery and 55-amp generator ($26). Heavy-duty cooling system ($53). Positive traction rear axle ($42). Available rear axle gear ratios ($5). Power steering ($90). Front and rear bumper guards ($25). Tinted glass, all windows ($32), windshield only ($23). Push-button radio and antenna ($61). Undercoating and underhood insulation pad ($21). Electric windshield wipers, required in V-8 Ramblers ($15). Code 56-4 Appearance group with sill moldings and wheel discs ($39). Code 70-1 Handling package with heavy-duty sway bar, shocks and springs ($17). Light group, includes door switches, trunk, courtesy, glovebox and other lamps ($23). Visibility Group with outside rearview remote control mirror, electric window/washer etc. ($29). (NOTE: Some options may have been standard in the SC/Rambler.)
COLLECTIBILITY
When you talk muscle cars, an AMC product probably does not come racing to the front of the mind. That’s been a problem for AMC as far as fair
market value is concerned, as the Big Three’s Chevelle SS, Boss 429 and Superbird reign supreme in the performance world, leaving AMC in the dust.
Even within AMC’s performance menu, the Javelin and AMX top the list, but this is a slight to the maker’s other potent performance cars such as the
Hurst Edition 1969 SC/Rambler. This model has all the muscle goodies, a compact body with a big-block 390-cid V-8 stuffed in, Hurst-shifted
syncromesh four-speed, Twin-Grip differential and patriotic red, white and blue finish.
All that, and a No. 1 condition example can still be had for mid five figures. A muscle devotee looking for a fun machine with lots of investment potential can’t miss with a SC/Rambler.
COLLECTOR VALUES
1969 AMC SC Rambler
No. 1 condition: $38,900
No. 2: $27,230
No. 3: $17,510
No. 4: $7,780
69 hurst scrambler ad
Nirve George Barris Cruisin Usa
Posted by rariccardi in Featured, Ratrods on August 2, 2009
The new Nirve George Barris Cruisin USA Batt Cruiser Mens Cruiser Bike with 26Inch Wheels. Matte Black. Ratbike? Nirve
Nirve George Barris Cruisin USA Batt Cruiser Mens Cruiser Bike
Barris/Mannix GTS in Antique Automobile
Posted by rariccardi in Featured, Movie Cars on August 2, 2009
Barris/Mannix GTS in Antique Automobile
Hello to All,
Just wanted to let you know that the Barris/Mannix GTS is featured in an article in the current issue of Antique Automobile, the official magazine of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA).
On the cover is my other “TV” car, the ex-Roger Moore Volvo 1800S that was used in “The Saint” television series. This car is on loan to the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania until October 12.
For those of you who may want a copy on the magazine, you can contact Karen White at the AACA office. The phone number is 717-534-1910, email is : general@aaca.org . The cost is $4.00 plus shipping per issue.
Best Regards to All,
Bill Krzastek