The State of Estates

Posted on Oct 31, 2016 in Antique | Comments Off on The State of Estates

Women are like cars, we all want a Ferrari, sometimes want a pickup truck, and end up with a station wagon – Tim Allen Not long ago, I discussed the evolution of the modern estate car (station wagon as we call it in the US) in an article called “Taking Aim at the Shooting Brake.” In it, I highlighted some of the coolest examples of estates ever created, and...

Should I do a color change on my vintage car?

Posted on Oct 24, 2016 in Featured | 2 comments

My 1967 Buick Gran Sport in Verdi Green. I recently wrote a blog on a Pink Mist 1968 chrome-bumper GTO (The Rarest GTO you may have never wanted ) that asked whether its rarity, color and chrome bumper would persuade or dissuade you from buying it. Some responders said that they liked the pink and would retain the color. Others said they didn’t and would just...

Frontier E-brakes Getting Shafted?

Posted on Oct 17, 2016 in Editorials | 2 comments

Greetings, Another longtime listener, firsttime caller … I have a two-parter. First: My 2007 Nissan Frontier will soon be due for a rear brake job. I’ve never worked on rear disks. Should I replace the emergency-brake shoes as well as the service brake pads, or will a simple inspection of them do for now? Also, I’ve had varying advice here: should I have the...

Popular Automotive-Related Mobile Apps

Posted on Oct 15, 2016 in Technology | 2 comments

Supplying 21st century with once-unobtainable access to a vehicle, a dizzying assortment of smartphone and tablet apps provides the driver with an out-of-car experience. Over the course of the past two years, virtually every automaker is now engaged with a brand-specific mobile application making their automotive products more accessible than ever before....

Building Your Own Bugatti: The Kellogg Type 57/59 Roadster Special

Posted on Oct 14, 2016 in Racing | 2 comments

I know a fellow named Budd Blume here in Oaxaca, and we had lunch a few days ago. Budd is an old-fashioned car nut who has built, owned, raced, and been otherwise involved with some of the world’s most interesting cars. I mentioned that I had just done a post on the new Bugatti Galibier sedan, and so he started talking Bugatti lore. Turns out a guy named Bob...

Why All Mobile Phone Use Should Be Banned While Driving

Posted on Oct 7, 2016 in Safety | 3 comments

If there’s any lingering question as to why cell phones and driving should never be used in combination, the picture above should clear it up pretty quick. Between the bus and the big rig is what’s left of a pickup, which was being driven by a 19-year-old kid. Just prior to slamming into the semi, the young driver had sent or received 11 text messages in as...