Starting some years ago one of my passions for speed led me to becoming an active member of the North American Eagle which is a challenger built to take back the Supersonic land speed record from the Brits and return it to the United States. Our goal is to break the existing record of 763 mph by reaching 800 mph! The main power plant for this awesome machine is a J-79 turbojet jet engine that was originally was used in the Phantom F-4’s. There is also the possibility of utilizing a small 6,000 lb. thrust liquid propellant motor for added boost. The car weighs about 13,500 lb., but instead of the approximately 180 hp V-8 engine under the hood, the North American Eagle has 39,000 hp! It would take about $10,000,000 dollars to build the car today, which includes developmental, engineering and non-recurring costs. Someone once asked, “Can you drive this car on the street?”… The answer is no. For some reason the state highway patrol have problems with cars that shoot 70 foot flames from the tailpipe! You think you gave fuel economy problems? In full afterburner this car consumes about 10 gallons of jet fuel every second! In one mile it burns 50 gallons. Do the math… that works out to .02 miles per gallon, or about 105 feet per gallon. All of a sudden $5.00 a gallon to fill my 22 gallon pickup doesn’t seems so bad.
Continue reading →

41 years after it’s debut on TV, George Barris’s original Batmobile still captivates children and adults alike. Whenever the Batmobile is shown, there is a huge crowd around the display. One of four cars used during filming is about to hit the auction block over in jolly olde England.

Continue reading →

After 39 years of hibernation, the 1966 Mercury Station Wagon that served as a love nest for Dean Martin and Stella Stevens in the 1966 movie “The Silencers” is now on permanent display at the Volo Auto Museum.
A stylish, sexy adventure in the tradition of James Bond, “The Silencers” was a big hit for screen legend Martin and Playboy model Stevens. As secret agent Matt Helm, Martin saves the planet from a megalomaniac and his dastardly covert organization.
George Barris, builder of the original Batmobile and other famous Hollywood cars, created the perfect mode of transportation for a spy living the swinging lifestyle made popular by Martin and his Rat Pack friends.
The Sex Wagon, as it’s referred to in the movie, features two separate bedrooms clad in leather upholstery, a fully-stocked martini bar, a tailgate modified to lower as a step, and a working TV, which was a big deal in 1966.
The museum recently purchased the wagon from the private estate of Swing Dance Hall of Fame Member Lou “Bart” Bartolo. A big fan of the three Matt Helm films, Bartolo purchased the wagon from a back-lot sale at Columbia Pictures in 1967 and kept it in storage until his recent death.
The museum spent months restoring the vehicle to its original condition. On July 1, 2006, during a special event at the museum, Barris was reunited with his Sex Wagon for the first time in nearly forty years.
Believing the vehicle had been destroyed, Barris was shocked and thrilled to see the wagon once again and began to recall stories of Martin and Stevens and the production of “The Silencers.”
“For me, this car is a great reminder of a very special time in Hollywood history,” he said. “It brings back a lot of good memories.”
The Volo Auto Museum is home to the George Barris TV & Movie Car Collection, featuring the original Batmobile, The General Lee, K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider and close to 50 other famous vehicles.
The Volo Auto Museum, 27582 W. Volo Village Road, Volo, IL, is open seven days a week.
Source PRNewswire.