The Motor's been sent to Eric!

Eric's taken on the task of going through the motor.  I wish him luck.  And it isn't that expensive to ship a 12a engine to Seattle, especially if you divide it into three boxes.....now getting it back....hmmmm

TRAINING FILM - Grand Prix

I've procrastinated on writing about this film for awhile now.  Basically it's pretty much the same as LeMans but with a plot.  You know, evilish Ferrari team, driver with a troubled past and something that might be described as a love interest.   It also has Toshiro Mifune and some awesome camera work .  The split screen stuff is pretty amazing and the split, split, split, split screen is even more awesome BUT Frankenheimer seems to completely forget about the technique halfway through the movie.
PARENTING TIP - My 6 year old loved this film.  That's when I realized that "adult" films of the 60s are way better for kids than kid films of the 2000s.  There really isn't any violence, foul language or nudity.  People are courteous, dress really cool  and there's no glaring product placement.  We did have to fast forward through some of the lengthly relationship conversations but the movie kept him interested and he actually still talks about it.  AND it was way better than Herbie fully Loaded.
TRAINING TIP -  Like LeMans I learned that basically you only win if the other team crashes or has mechanical problems.  In this case the main driver of the Ferrari team is killed and the Ferrari coach(?) pulls the entire team.

The Tulare Agfaire

John's dad John sent me some images from the World AgExpo in Tulare.   You know some substitute engines for the car.  This was by far my favorite.  Why  1) it's big and yellow 2) They painted it after they put the belt on (classy and officially triple yellow). 3) a couple plants on the pallet (extra super classy).

I'm officially sold.

Announcement from George C

"I just want to suggest that everyone avoid ColdStone's new ice cream cupcake. 

All sorts of gross. 

ugh.

wish I could puke that thing up."

and as a haiku

new icecream cupcake

wish I could puke that thing up

ugh, all sorts of gross

Back from Utah

I went to Logan Utah to do a panel discussion/artist's talk and drooled over all the houses with old cars, tractors and anything else you wanted strewn across the yard....sigh....

Well it snowed and luckily I didn't follow through on my idea of flying to Utah and driving a $500 car back.

youtube follow up - Santa Baby

I spent a little time searching the internet for more about the "Santa Baby" scooter that was featured in my previous video post.  I couldn't find much except a couple flicker images.  All I can say is the level of detail for something so awesomely horrifying, is brilliant.

I heart youtube

Youtube meets the needs of my short attention span.  I started off by watching the tractor pull video above.  John's dad John sent it to me and I have to say it shows one of the most effective ways of examining your pistons ever.

Then  I got bored and started watching videos of people playing records and this is one of my all time favorites.  *It's best if you play the tractor pull video and record video at the same time*

Who needs a turntable when you can pretend.  I wish that I'd done this, the first 45 is my favorite.  The same guy shot some great video of the Isle of Wight Scooter rally 2008 where aesthetics are job 5.  I want Santa Baby at :22 seconds.

enjoy!

Album Covers

So, Jalopnik recently did a gallery of 80 Auto-themed album covers and had some glaring omissions.  And like any obsessive record nerd my first reaction was to look at my wall of album covers to see what they had missed.  So here's my quick additions
El Trio Colombia "Invita a viajar" - really who doesn't think of this album when they're working on their car.
Hurst takes you to the '64 Nationals - A classic, so much better than the '63 or '65 Nationals and don't get me started about the '66 Nationals.  AND it's got a dedication to a dedicated man on the back, the ""grand-daddy of drag racing"" (that's double quoted because they quoted it from someone) Dan "Big Daddy" Garlits.
SCRAMBLE, The Sounds of Motorcycles at Speed -   Like everyone when I think dirtbikes I think New York and this album was recorded at the cross country motorcycle races at Andre's Farm in East Fishkill, New York.  With tracks like "Honda 125" and "Zundapp 250" I don't know how Jalopnik missed this one.  Unless there was some sort of 4 wheel bias.
Finally, one of my favorite albums of all times

Griff Borgeson Presents Hot Rod Heaven BAKERSFIELD SMOKERS -  With tracks like side one's "4) A Chrysler stock has trouble with shifts, then a Chevvy (sic) dragster makes a good run.  A badly behaved Buick with Dynaflow makes its run rather awkwardly." how could this one have been forgotten.  Plus the absolutely brilliant drawing by Ed Robbins on the cover.  I've loved this album enough to make a piece about it.

Are You Ready for Some Football!

Fun weekend! Paul and Eric came down to tear apart the car.  We hadn't really done anything like this since college when we were tearing apart scooters and playing with gravity propelled vehicles.  Sadly, we didn't "live on our bikes" and moved to where there were jobs and schools.  So, it's been a 20+ year hiatus since our last project.

The good part about working with engineers - Eric immediately organized my tools but was sensitive enough to my needs to keep the flourescent recorder and wood glue on the tool box.
The bad part about working with engineers -  Both Paul and Eric fell madly in love with the rotary engine.

In the end I got to play the role of the pessimist "maybe we should think about a different car?"  Eric got to be the enthusiast "we can fix this car!"  And Paul got to be the nihilist "it's going to be impossible no matter what so why not just stick with this one."

So, we'll see what happens.  I'm going to attempt to send the engine to Eric to go through and he'll deliver the verdict.