Fins & Fenders

High Oil Prices Gave Birth to Brooklands Car Then Stalled Production

This automobile and two others were featured at the State Historical Building in Des Moines, Iowa last year in a showcase called Running on Empty.  The display included fuel efficient (such as this Brooklands prototype) and alternative fuel vehicles.

From a Historical Society press release:

Michael Bogardus Prototype – “The Brooklands”

The gasoline shortages and rising oil prices of the 1970s encouraged Bogardus to design and construct his own fuel efficient vehicle. He unveiled his prototype in 1980 as a two passenger, three-wheeled economy car. Powered by a 500cc Honda engine, it claimed high gas mileage and a thrill to drive. Small and fuel efficient, Bogardus had hoped to market the vehicle to the fuel conscious public. But the 1980s brought stability to the oil market and less opportunity for the vehicle. “The Brooklands” is from the Historical Museum’s permanent collection.

 

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Stick with Stamps that Feature 1950s Classic Car Fins and Fenders

These new stamps from the U.S. Postal service are aimed squarely at the classic car demograhic.

According to the USPS website:

On October 3, 2008, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the Postal Service™ issued 42–cent America on the Move: 50s Fins and Chrome commemorative stamps in five designs, designed by Carl T. Herrman of Carlsbad, California.

America on the Move: 50s Fins and Chrome stamps are available in a self–adhesive pane of 20 and a $13.95 premium stamped postal card booklet of 20.

The stamps feature paintings by renowned automobile illustrator Art M. Fitzpatrick of Carlsbad, California. This is the second issuance in the America on the Move series.

The pane features the following classic American cars:

• 1959 Cadillac Eldorado
• 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk
• 1957 Pontiac Safari
• 1957 Lincoln Premiere
• 1957 Chrysler 300C

The previous issuance of America on the Move was 2005’s 37–cent 50s Sporty Cars, which featured:

• 1952 Nash Healey
• 1953 Chevrolet Corvette
• 1953 Studebaker Starliner
• 1954 Kaiser Darrin
• 1955 Ford Thunderbird

You can order these cool classic car stamps online HERE, or at your local post office.

Classic 1961 Corvette Set the Stage for the 1963 Sting Ray

 

I spotted this sweet Tuxedo Black 1961 Chevrolet Corvette in the parking lot of the East Moline, Illinois Hardees.  Standard equipmentin '61 included carpet and an electric clock.

The General Motors Corvette was first introduced in 1953, and with a six-cylinder truck engine under its fiberglass hood it wasn't much of a sportscar.

The 1961 Corvette featured a 283 V8 and an option list included a heater and power windows.  1961 was also the last year for wide whitewall tires and a contrasting side cove color option.

Changes in 1961 model set the stage for the 1963 Sting Ray.

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Daryl Hannah Talks with Fins & Fenders About Her Biodiesel El Camino on ebay

Recently I had a chance to ask Daryl Hannah a few classic car questions.  In particular, I wanted to know more about the sale of her biodiesel El Camino on ebay.

It's not true that I am a fan of Daryl's on-screen work as a film actress.  Nor is it true that I have many of her films on DVD and laser disc.  Well, maybe it is true, but that in no way affects my ability to be objective in this important journalistic matter.

With that bit of housekeeping out of the way, on to the interview...

Kelly Rundle (for Fins & Fenders): What was your first car, and do you have a favorite story about it?

Daryl Hannah:  My first car was an old jeep with no roof or doors.  My friends got over the thrill pretty quick after a few rides in the rain, but I always liked being in touch with the elements.

KR:  (Hmmm...my mind is wandering...I better change the subject) What's the story behind your El Camino?  Why did you choose it?

DH:  I wanted a fuel efficient diesel car, one that could fit my surfboard and bike, and look kinda cool.  I had no idea they made a few hundred diesel El Caminos in the 80s until I saw mine on ebay.  I'd never even bought anything online until then.  All my friends said if the first thing I bought was a car, I'd better stop online shopping right away.

KR:  (She's already talking about the ebay thing...why is she changing the subject?) If it was not already converted to biodiesel when you purchased it, why did you make that choice and what was the cost?

DH:  For a diesel engine to run on biodiesel, there is no conversion necessary.  The diesel was invented by Rudolph Diesel in 1900 to run on vegetable oil so farmers could grow their own fuel.  Biodiesel (B100, which is 100% biodiesel) is already thinned to the viscosity of diesel, so no conversion is required.  You might have to change the filter more often at first because biodiesel cleans your engine and gets all the dirty diesel gunk out.

The only minor conversion the diesel engine needs is for it to run on S.V.O. or Straight Veggie Oil.  That's what I'm moving to next so I can grow my own fuel and i already found another El Camino to try it out on!

KR:  (Crap! she knows way more about this than I do...I'll throw her a curve)  Some people might be put off by the prospect of having to refine their own fuel.  How much trouble is it?

DH:  It is possible to make your own biodiesel but not as necessary any more.  You can buy biodiesel at the pump now in many places!  There is a link to a map of stations on my website.  Since biodiesel is non-toxic and not highly flammable you can store it at home, as I do.  I'm offering a home fueling station with my El Camino when i auction off the car!

KR:  (I'm losing control of this interview...relax, I've still got game) With biodiesel conversions, hybrids, and electric cars such as the Tesla (0-60 mph in 4 seconds), is it becoming more "cool" to be "green"?

DH:  Cool or not, these cars and other sustainable vehicular innovations are really the future of transportation.  We have to move as quickly as possible to a post-petroleum economy and to a wiser energy matrix.  And hopefully the cars will look cool too.

KR:  (logical...and great use of alliteration...what's she hiding?) Why are you auctioning your El Camino on ebay, and what is planned for the proceeds?

DH:  I love that car!  It just floats down the road.  It's so comfy.  It has been really reliable for me and a great spokes-vehicle for biofuels.  I'm auctioning it off to spread the word, get people excited about the possibilities of biodiesel, and share the love.  If I could find more of them I'd love to make them available to everyone.  As I said we're offering a complete home fueling station to go with it so people can experience how easy it is to kick their petroleum habit.   We'll use whatever proceeds there are to keep the website (dhlovelife.com) rolling and ad and sponsor free.

KR:  (a talking biodiesel El Camino?...but what does she really want?)  What about your new car?  What is your dream "green"  machine?

DH:  For now I'll be driving a somewhat cloned version of my El Camino and I'll be running it on S.V.O. to see how that goes.  We got our hands on a thousand gallons of hemp oil at a phenomenal price.

I dream of a strong 4-wheel drive electric car I could charge with my solar panels, and pull my horses behind.  A hybrid diesel would be amazing too, because then I could get 100 miles on one gallon of waste grease!

KR:  (She's in favor of cloning?...that's not cool...and that horse-pulling thing sounds like animal cruelty)  Do you have a favorite classic car..."green" status aside?

DH:  I love old cars, old trucks, muscle cars, low riders. I have the Trans Am from Kill Bill which I'm thinking of converting to be an alcohol burner.  And an old Buick Skylark I want to make electric.

KR:  (Buick Skylark...hey my parents had two...a '61 and a '65...concentrate!)  Ecological and energy problems seem overwhelming and even insoluble at times.  Why do you think it is still important for people to make lifestyle choices that benefit the environment?

DH:  We still want to give our species, other species, and the planet the best shot don't we?  It's just common sense to live in a wiser, cleaner, healthier fashion - for yourself and for everything else!

KR:  Thanks for talking with Fins & Fenders, Daryl, and good luck with your ebay sale!

   

The New Dodge Challenger is Coming

I have a friend who owned two 1970 Dodge Challengers (one a convertible...and may have been a '71) and together we purchased one that we repaired, repainted, and resold.

So, imagine our collective glee at the news that Dodge has updated the classic  Challenger muscle car...right on the hooves of Ford's update and re-release of the 1967 Mustang.

What next?  A new Camaro??!!

Missing in the new Challenger?  A ride like a flatbed truck and cheesy plastic interior trim.  Intact in the new model?  Unlike the Dodge Charger redesign misfire, timeless Challenger styling cues are featured front, rear, and center. Oh, and there's a Hemi under the hood.

There are more cool Challenger pics here, and a press release here.

Our Chrysler Performance West DVD also features a Dodge Challenger and other classic Chrysler Corporation cars and muscle cars.

Daryl Hannah's Biodiesel El Camino to Be Auctioned on eBay

You may have heard that Daryl Hannah's way cool biodiesel El Camino (a.k.a BIOBEAST) is for sale.

What you may not have heard is that it will be listed for auction on eBay beginning January 7, 2008.

On her website, Hannah says the car is one of a few hundred factory-built diesel El Caminos, and that the car/truck runs on "...B100 sustainably sourced biodiesel."

Included in the deal is a B100 biodiesel pump and home-fueling station.

All that, and exhaust that smells like popcorn. : )

Little Smart Car is Big on...Parking Options

I'm quite sure than when Mr. Trace, keener than most persons, thinks about small cars, he wonders (perhaps out loud) about safety.  I know I do. But the makers of the new Smart car have already anticipated our concerns and they have crafted an ingenious response in words and pictures (I especially liked the pictures).

This clever car doesn't actually exist...yet...in America.  At least, you can't buy one...yet  But you can "reserve" one with $99 via their website.  A very shrewd idea indeed.

At 9 feet long and about 5 feet wide and 5 feet tall, it's half the length of my old 1966 Chrysler New Yorker and not much larger than my first cell phone.  Canny Europeans have enjoyed them since 1998 and brainy buyers in 36 countries may already have one in, I guess, very tiny Barbie doll-sized garages.

The Smart company is owned by DaimlerChrysler and they project gas mileage to be 40 mpg for combined city and highway driving.  Somehow I expected it to be higher, since it's so...small...and astute.  We once got 44 mpg on the highway with our Ford Festiva when it was nearly new.  Come to think of it, it wasn't much bigger than this car.  I guess I was "smart" way back in 1988.  But, I digress.

Smart offers three wise models with base prices ranging from $11,590-16,590, and my favorite is the clever Cabriolet shown below (both photos are Smart publicity shots).

Now, where do I put the subwoofer?

Rambling On About Woodies and Wagons

Earlier this year I spotted this pretty little 1964 Rambler station wagon at the Rock River Rodders car show in Colona, Illinois earlier this year and it reminded me, as these entries so often do, of a car show DVD from FinsAndFenders.com.

"Doheny Wood!" features a full range of really cool woody station wagons gathered on a (dry) beach in Southern California.  These guys spend so much time, effort, and moolah on the wood bodies of these beautiful cars, that the thought of rain sends them packing.

From the very very rare 1946 Mercury Sportsman woodie convertible (the only remaining factory-built model in exhistence!) to a striking 1949 Chrysler Town and Country convertible, we're talking wall-to-wall wood paneling on wheels.

Interviewees talk bird's eye maple, hydro-electric windows, veneer, surf boards, and Jan and Dean.

Classic car trivia and restoration stories and tips put a final coat of vanish on this DVD.  "Doheny Wood!" makes a great gift for the wagon-loving classic car buff (or is it the wagon-buffing classic car lover?) in your life.  Station wagons are the next big thing in classic cars, so order your DVD today!

And yes, there are more Rambler station wagon pics in the gallery.

Roush 427R Mustang Breaks Away From the Herd

So there I was minding my own business at a local drug store when this little filly cantered in and parked "I've-got-a-cool-car-and-I'm taking-two-spaces-style" next to an unsightly grease spot.

The 427R is a Roush version of the 2006 Ford Mustang and even standing still it makes my heart gallop a little faster.

Thanks to a supercharger, the 427 is more than just a nifty model number and a fancy sticker, it's an indication of 427 hard-charging horses under the hood from a 4.5L, 3-valve V8.

More beauty shots of the grease spot (and the car, too) can be viewed in the gallery.

I was going to explain the whole horsepower thing (with a lot more "horse" lingo thrown in for good measure), but reconsidered since I don't have any idea what it means beyond the rather obvious WOW factor.  However, these folks do know why we still use this antiquated phrase and what it all means (minus the tolerance-stretching horse lingo).

If you are an unbridled Mustang fan, then toss a lasso over our "Mustangs at the Queen Mary" classic car DVD.  When 200 Mustangs gather anywhere off Federal land or away from European dinner tables, we grab our video camera.  This video features a 1964 1/2 Mustang Indianapolis 500 Pace Car, a 1968 Mustang California Special, a 1987 Mustang Saleen, and many more 'Stangs parked next to the majestic Queen Mary in Long Beach, California.

Can you lead 200 horses to water?  Find out by ordering your own copy of "Mustangs at the Queen Mary" today.  It also makes a great holiday or birthday gift!

Plymouth Prowls with Trailer in Tow

Captured near the Iowa-Minnesota border: this red-hot Plymouth Prowler with a cool matching trailer.

Or is a 2002 model, and therefore a Chrysler?  To me they are all Plymouths, but maybe I'm a disgruntled Plymouth owner carrying a grudge over the demise of another historic nameplate.

Almost 12,000 Prowlers were manufactured between 1997 and 2002 (though no 1998 model was offered) and they are as eye-catching as ever.  Did they start the retro-styling movement carried on by the Chrysler PT Cruiser (also orginally planned as a Plymouth release), Chevrolet SSR, Volkswagen Beetle, Ford Mustang, and others?  You bet.

Our classic car DVDs don't feature any Plymouth Prowlers, but our Chrysler Performance West Fall Fling VII DVD has something for every Mopar and muscle car lover on your holiday or birthday gift list.