I have always been intrigued with how someone’s action can effect the actions of so many others and more importantly how someone’s dreams can affect his or her own destiny. One such dream really amazes me especially when you consider how it indirectly affected the lives of so many industries meaning , labor, trucks, automotive, boats and even airplanes. But then again try to think of any major automotive corporation that didn’t tell the same story.
Continue reading →

Kia has lost some of the dramatics surrounding the Detroit Auto Show revel of the 2009 Borrego. Pictures have started to float around cyberspace of Kia’s first entry into the midsize SUV market.

A V6 engine will be standard; while a new V8 - another first for the Kia brand - will be optional. The new SUV will incorporate the latest in noise and vibrations-reducing engineering, also offering consumers the Korean manufacturer’s renowned 10-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, kind of nondescript.

Why change a good thing?

In my mind the look of the Porsche 911 is classic.

Continue reading →

Some unscrupulous people will go to any means to own a ”classic” car.

A customer changed her mind about buying a new car. The sales manager said her trade-in was already sold. The case ended up in front of a jury.

Cleveland’s Fox News affiliate reports that a jury convicted the former sales manager at a local Chrysler dealership on theft charges after he refused to return a customer’s trade-in after she backed out of a deal.
Continue reading →

In general, I’ve always found Toronto’s finest to be a pretty good bunch of guys. Every now and then though, you hear a story that just makes you wonder who peed in who’s corn flakes.

It seems that TPS pulled over Dean Baldwin while he was driving Michel de Broin’s Shared Propulsion Car. This is no ordinary car though. The drivertrain has been removed from the Rusty Regal and been replaced with pedal power. So what was he pulled over & ticketed for? Driving an unsafe vehicle.

Considering that a car does not have to have an engine to pass a DOT inspection here in Ontario, that seems a little silly. That said, the votive candle headlamps certainly wouldn’t pass, nor would the hole in the floor. Really though, does this thing pose that much of a threat?

Via TTAC

There has been lots of talk in The Garage lately about vintage racing. One thing hasn’t been mentioned though and that is the involvement of volunteers. Even back in those early days, without legions of enthusiastic helpers there would be no organized racing.

Here in Canada, those volunteers have been helping racers race since 1959 under the banner of Canadian Race Communications Association. They have worked races at Mosport, Harewood Acres, Green Acres, the Canadian Grand Prix and the Molson Indy/Champ car race in Toronto.

During that long history, there have been some pretty incredible people involved. Club officials would like to try to get as many of those people as possibly together for the 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2009. If you are one of those people, or know one, then contact CRCA though their site.

Via Inside Track

A lot of what I enjoy most about The GarageBlog is that anyone who enjoys automobiles whether it be late model, old school, muscle, antique cars or even the latest on luggage racks with lipstick holders, can find something for every need here. One minute we can ask ourselves what was the biggest news coming out of the Nascar circuit this year and the next we can be reading why we shouldn’t be buying a sports car from Germany. (Do they really make sports car in Germany?)

Recently I have noticed several share my appreciation for some of the history of racing right here in my own back yard so I thought I would attempt to share some of this.
Continue reading →

Yippeee! My 2008 Rally Calendar just arrived courtesy of Andrew Harvey! What a calendar it is too, with gravel, snow tarmac and more. As if time doesn’t go fast enough, now I have a reason for the months to fly by.

You can get your own by visiting AndrewHarvey.ca Just be sure to duck when those bits of flying gravel jump off the page!

The Porsche mystique is made up of many legendary cars and the people who designed and drove them. Of the cars, arguably the most important car, the one that laid the foundation for Porsche’s racing supremacy was the Type 718 RS 60 Spyder. This diminutive little car took on and beat not only cars in its’ own class, but those in the larger displacement classes as well.

At the Bologna Motor Show in early December, Porsche will unveil a modern tribute to the famed RS 60. The Boxter RS 60 Spyder wears a new front end, reminiscent of the original car to set it apart from normal Boxters. Added performance comes from an upgraded exhaust that allows 303 horsepower. Wheel spacers push the 19″ Porsche SportDesign wheels further out in the wheel wells to complete the visual.
Continue reading →

The Dakota went home today and in it’s place, we’ve got a 2007 Chrysler Aspen. My initial thoughts are that this truck has gotten a bit of a bum rap from the media. It rides nicely, looks great and has all the toys one would expect of an SUV of this level. We’ll let you know what we think as the week rolls on.