Daytona 500 - The Great American Race

"Gentlemen...start your engines!" Forty-three of the world's best stock car drivers are going to keep me glued to the edge of my sofa for 5 hours today as we officially welcome in the start of the NASCAR racing season. I haven't watched much racing in the past few years, but with this terrible winter, I need this. If you like, you can play along with the Fox Fantasy Auto Racing online. It should be exciting, as the front row of the Daytona 500 will be Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon! Go Jr! The leaderboard will be posted online as well. If you like NASCAR video, then you will want to check that out as well.
UPDATE - Record number of cautions!

Tommy had his track official meeting yesterday at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, and the track opens one week from today. We better get that big block put back together and installed in the wagon this week!

First Muscle Car

Today, Tommy, Zach and I went to the Atlantic City Car Auction to start off the 2011 year. One of the many beautiful cars we found there was this 1964 Pontiac GTO, arguably the car that started the entire muscle car era. This was the only '64 that we found, but there were a ton of GTOs from 1964-1970 for sale in the auction. I explained to Zach the importance of this car, and then we went and purchased some hot-rod T-shirts, a Chevelle Hat, and 2 gallons of Captain Lee's Spra' Strip. We need to start to get the paint off of the Chevelle, and I've had much success with this product before on the Stingray.

We also came across this 1966 Chevy II survivor, a true 1 of 1 car widely accepted as the only know 1966 L79 SS Nova Sports Coupe that was produced with Tropic Turquoise with a Fawn interior. It was ordered an d delivered to Hawaii in the spring of 1966 as a heat delete car with a rear speaker. The car still has it's original factory drive train, a 327 cu/350 HP with M-21 4-speed and 3:73 12 bolt posi rear. The car was un-restored with all original sheet metal, thanks to it's warm Hawaii storage until 2009. This was probably the nicest and unmolested L79 left in the country.

My First Car

OK, I may be taking this way, way back, but here I am in 1970 with my first car. I still remember this little plastic pedal car. We lived in a trailer in PA, and my parents owned a 1968 Camaro. I don't remember the Camaro... go figure.

Some of my earliest memories were of my grandmother racing her 1967 Jaguar in the Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association. I think riding around in that car, and then watching her fly by me as I stood on the side of the road left an indelible impression on me. There has never been a day in my life since that I have not thought of something automotive.

66 Chevelle Front Seats

I can't believe that we actually found a pair of front seats for the '66 Chevelle! I woke up Saturday morning, and stumbled all blurry-eyed onto Craigslist. The ad read:

"i have a set of 66/67 chevelle orginal bucket seats that need to be redone. they are complete seats. if you were to do them the right way i would sandblast them and paint the frames and then bring them to an upholster and get new foam and leather skins. somebody that is building a chevelle knows how much these seats are worth to the cars finished product if they are trying to make it original.... they would also know how much each seat frame goes for brand new. its around 350 per seat frame brand new and im looking to get 200 obo for both. you can give me a call - thank you, frank. p.s. pics upon request."

Nancy wanted me to try to low-ball him, "Offer him $100", she said. I've been looking for months, and the best price I've found so far was $550 (when you could find one or two), so I had no problem paying the full price. The seller purchased the seats at Carlisle after he put a deposit down on a '66 Chevelle. When he brought the seats home, he found out the seller of the Chevelle sold the car to someone else. Ouch! The seat backs and trim will need to be replaced/rebuilt, and new foam and covers installed, but the foundation is all there. I'll detail the seat rebuild in a few months, right now they are just going to be put away in storage.

Hot Rod TV

Not much on TV this weekend for the gear heads to watch, so I'm posting a little Hot Rod TV! The Pump Gas Drags should get me out of my winter funk.

Chevelle on the winter roads

I had Sarah's '71 Chevelle out on the ice-covered roads, and got a few comments about driving it on a winter day like today. I can't wait to wash and detail it, but there is still just too much snow and salt. I had a guy try to get me to street race him with his Mustang, which was never going to happen, but the thought was nice.

I also found a new video on YouTube about another 1966 Chevelle restored by CC Auto and Body in Craig, Colorado. It was a 2008 Moab Utah Car Show, 1st and Best of Show Winner. They have published an article "The dying Art of Auto Body" which I wanted to share. The Chevelle was a really rough project, much worse than ours, but the end results seem very nice. Hopefully this will help motivate me, although I think a nice spring day would do the trick too.

Shinya Kimura @ chabott engineering

My friend Jason found me this video of Shinya Kimura, formerly known as the founder of "ZERO" or the so-called "ZERO Style" motorcycles. He has launched his own workshop called "chabott engineering" in the city of Azusa, California in 2006.

In his 25 year career in the motorcycle world, Kimura started his own small repair shop named Chabo in 1992, a year before he started ZERO in Japan. Chabo means "bantam rooster" in Japanese and, to Kimura, it means "back to basics". To me, his style is so raw and brutally functional, and yet there is so much beauty in his work. I am thinking of incorporating his style into my next build.

shinya kimura @ chabott engineering from Henrik Hansen on Vimeo.

Atlantic City Car Show

Every year, at about this time, I start to get cabin-fever. I hate the snow and the cold, and I can not wait for spring, and to get back to the garage and track. So when the Atlantic City Car Show and Auction is just around the corner, I can hardly wait.

Held annually at the Atlantic City Convention Center, the Atlantic City Classic Car Show and Auction is the East Coast's largest classic car show & auction! Over 60,000 enthusiasts and collectors are expected to browse, buy and admire this premier collection presented by GPK Auctions, February 18 - 20. Over 1000 collectible cars will be available for sale all on one floor. I love to browse the parts and memorabilia available from the vendor too. Oh, who am I kidding... we just need an excuse to hit the White House Sub Shop for some cheese steaks!

EVENT SCHEDULE

Dates:

Feb. 18, 19, & 20, 2011

Show Hours:

Fri. 8:30am - 9pm

Sat. 8:30am - 9pm

Sun. 9am - 5pm

Auction Hours:

Fri. 10:00am - 9pm

Sat. 10:00am - 9pm

Sun. 11am - 5pm