Many of you hot rodders and car nuts are able to stick with one car for years. I don't know how you do it? I have what what is called "The Car of the Week" syndrome. Sometimes its as simple as seeing a cool car on the road. Then I get on the laptop and start google searching. I look at the classified ads for used examples, forums to see what people are doing to them, and pictures to find inspirational examples. I thought I'd ramble a bit about a few of those cars to give you an idea of how all over the hot rod map I am. There is a goal to this madness, and that is trying to decide on what my next car will be. This week's "car of the week" is the first gen' Scion xB. That's right. Did I not mention that my car passion has no boundaries? Did you read my Pro-Touring meets Hellaflush story? Just a glimpse into my funky car taste. So, Scion xB...check out this woody xB. I'd build a Box a few ways, old school hot rod is definitely one. ...
Bonneville Salt Flat Favorites
posted by GreaseGirl
Bonneville Salt Flat Pictures: One great thing about attending Speedweek at Bonneville Salt Flats is that there's something for everyone. You get to watch all sorts of vehicles leaving from the same starting line, all seeking to break the record of whatever class they're in. And just like in the "good ol' days" of hot rodding - the only thing anyone really cares about is going fast! But until I get to sit behind the wheel and drive down the salt at record breaking speeds, I've gotta pay attention to some of the other details that just might not have anything to do with speed! So here it is...Grease Girl's picks for Salt Flat Favorites 2009. Best Way to Get Around. This isn't a mini-sized hotwheel! This is a monster-truck sized red wagon! Best Body Type. Call me partial, but I can't help but have a little pride when the most common body type ya see at Bonneville is nearly as old as Speedweek and happens to be almost identical to my own daily driver! That's right, Studebaker Coupe's were aerodynamic when first made and they just keep on...
1933 Ford Pickup Gets Salty at Speedweek 2009
posted by Hechtspeed
Bonneville Salt Flats Hot Rod: One piece of the Bonneville Speedweek recipe that can't be forgetten is the get together on Friday and Saturday night at the Golden Nugget in Wendover. From a Salt insider, the Nugget Car Show is not an official car show. You won't find any websites announcing the Car Show, but it just sort of happens. It has become a tradition. Enter Jerry Armijo and his 1933 Ford Pick up hot rod. As I was strolling the Nugget parking lot soaking in the hot rods, I saw this pick up full of Salt. It was not the only hot rod with salt covering it, but it appeared to be the rod with the most. One of my favorite parts of the Bonneville Salt Flats is how the salt gets everywhere. These open wheeled hot rods are especially good at flinging the salt. I started snapping pictures of this rod and how the salt was basically covering the windshield when I met Jerry, the proud owner.Here's what I found out about this cool ride. It's a 1933 Ford Pick up. When...
Speedweek 2009-Bonnie’s Homecoming
posted by Hechtspeed
Bonneville Salt Flats: Welcome Home Bonnie! I think its only fitting that the first pic from Speedweek 2009 that we post is of our fearless leader, pikesan. I'll let pikesan post most of the pics of his car "Bonnie" and her homecoming to the Salt Flats but, I took this cool rolling shot Saturday morning and wanted to share it with you all. This was taken about 30 seconds after Bonnie and pikesan (suffering from a sever case of Salt Fever) made it onto the Salt for the first time. What a cool moment! I switched to shutter priority mode on the D90 and started snapping pics while trying to drive (luckily the entry road is super wide). This shot inspires me to build my own roadster. Well, that's it for now. The MyRideisMe.com crew that made it out to the Salt (we missed you Swanee) for Speedweek 2009 will be sharing stories and a sizeable photo gallery. It was also the first time pikesan, GreaseGirl and Hechtspeed met in person. We had a great time and can't wait to share our experiences! Ok, this pic is just too good (imho)...
Bonneville Bound – My Traveling Buddy’s go 250mph!
posted by pikesan
Bonneville Salt Flats Race Car: Traveling alone sucks. That's why I'm glad to have a traveling buddy for the long drive from Phoenix to Wendover, Utah for Speedweek on the Bonneville Salt Flats. I'm towing my 1927 roadster, so I can't drive that fast so I fit right in with my 250mph partners on the road, "Bonnieville Bob" and his son Rocky. Their B/GMR modified roadster is a stretched 1927 roadster that's been as fast as 251 mph at Bonneville and that's just 4 mph off the record. Much more to come on these guys since I'll be shooting lots of pictures of all the race cars and picking Bob and Rocky's speed-brain for all they're worth! Look for us on the salt! And if you know Bob, say hi right here by leaving a comment. ...
Speedweek Push Vehicle: Blown Cherry Red Caddy
posted by Hechtspeed
Bonneville Salt Flats Perfect Pusher: As part of the crew at MyRideisMe.com leaves for the Salt today and I leave tomorrow, we can almost taste it, the Salt that is. Here's a quick picture of one of the many push vehicles you'll see at Bonneville. But, granted, this is not your typical pusher. Most of the time you'll see trucks and big sedans giving their racecars a push start. This blown Caddy Coupe takes the Push Vehicle to a whole new level and is definitely showing off, and everyone loved it! This hot rod gets its pushing duties done in style. 1 more day and a wake up until we get out on the white stuff. Can't wait. Did I say I was...
17 Days, 8 hours, 31 minutes, 2 seconds ’til SPEEDWEEK
posted by Hechtspeed
...that's right, 17 Days until Speedweek 2009 at the Bonneville International Speedway , "Worlds Fastest Speedway" in western Utah! MyRideisMe.com will be at the salt in force. This will be my third salt'venture. I'll be accompanied by the MyRideisMe crew, pikesan, GreaseGirl and Swanee. We've already got some stories lined up and plan to grab more. What would you like to see from the salt? Drop a comment below and let us know and we'll hunt it down! ...
2008 Speed Week-“Car Show” on the Salt
posted by Hechtspeed
Bonneville Salt Flats: 2008's Pictures: I'm a little intimidated to tackle a story that even has the words: Salt Flats, Bonneville, and Speed Week included. The 2008 Speed Week day-trip I made last year was only my second time on the salt in Bonneville, the "Fastest Place On Earth" as the Bonneville Speed Week website declares. I wanted to share a few words and pictures from that day. I made the 1.5 hour drive out to Bonneville International Raceway with my good'ol 1959 JC Higgins rat rod cruiser pedal bike. The Bonneville salt-essentials strapped on the rear rack: bottles of water, sunflower seeds, sunblock and the old point and shoot camera. You need a bike just to get around the pit area. Why you ask? The pit area is 3 miles long and about 2 miles from the starting line!!! I spent most of my time near the starting line and in the pits soaking in sun, salt and of course the coolest "Car Show/Cruise-In" ever! OK, so there's no official car show, but that's what I call it. There are a few hundred old roadsters, coupes, muscle cars,...
Speedseekers Photobook: Vintage Drags & More – Book Review
posted by pikesan
Speedseekers is new book by German born designer and photographer Alexandra Lier. Visiting Speedweek's salt for the first time, she was hooked. Suddenly a fascination with fast cars, hot rods and customs drove her from her design studio to garages shooting top mechanics and builders or she was off to races to get more pics of the cars she loves. That passion is captured in her first book, Speedseekers Organized into five main chapters, History, Garage, Speed, Landspeed, and Style & Sound. That first chapter about history might as well say "vintage drag racing" cause the included photos are a fantastic collection of legendary racers from Wild Willie Borsch to to Big Daddy Don Garlits to a fiery burnoutin his first rear engine dragster by the legendary "TV" Tommy Ivo. I spent over an hour studying the vintage pictures, then explained some of them to my sons: "This guy held on with only one hand!" I can't get enough of nostalgia drags and the people and cars that made it great (and still do in some cases). From there, I skimmed over the Garage chapter to check out Speed....
“Kiddie Corvette” Brings Top Dollar at Auction
posted by Jim Volgarino
Promotional Corvette Pedal Car at Lambrecht Story by Jim Volgarino Info and some images by John Arnold Models, Inc. In the mid-1950s, General Motors, along with all the major car companies of the time, was enthralled with promotion. Coming off a decade of world war, the company was letting out all the stops to drive people to showrooms with glitzy ads, colorful promotions and incentives meant to get dealers nationwide excited to put one more GM product on the road. Nothing represented the promotion mania better than Chevrolet’s Corvette! Introduced in 1953, the Corvette featured styling cues no one had ever experienced from a US automotive manufacturer. The Corvette was born for promotion and GM wanted every ounce of promotion capital from its little plastic sports car. But promotion wasn’t just for the adult car jockey who was itching to glide down the boulevard in a low slung roadster. The kiddies were part of the action too. UPDATE, 9/30/13: Since writing this article about the Kiddie Corvette, we've been contacted by John Arnold, John's company, John Arnold Models, Inc. does full restorations and offers replacements parts...
1978 Corvette Pace Car with Unbelievable 4 Miles on ODO
posted by pikesan
1978 Corvette - Black, Silver with Red Trim: And it's still got the plastic on the seats! You saw the only 5 miles 1958 Chevy Apache Pickup, how about this 1978 Corvette? "Push off the truck and in and out of the show room" is all the miles she has! Get this... The top bid getter, so far, at the Lambrecht Chevy Auto Auction is this 1978 Corvette Pace Car. Now, is this one of the most popular Corvettes? No... Comes with big block? 4 Speed? No and no, but... what does it have going for it? Un-real! Never offered for sale plastic on the seats and steering wheel still never seen the road! original decals, in the box with the center caps and emblems Original Invoice and MSO still holding onto the window! As you can see from the pictures, she could use a detailing! Bids are up to $35,500 so far, but might go for more. Corvette collectors, you gotta go for this one! Find out more about the auction and the woman running it here: Lambrecht Chevy Auto Auction here. Want...
Record Setting Bombshell 1952 Buick Super Riviera
posted by pikesan
Straight 8 Buick Bonneville Salt Flats Racer There are some cars that are near-universally popular. Here's one. Jeff Brock, the owner, co-builder and driver of this wicked 1952 Buick Super Riviera showed up at the 2008 Bonneville Speed Week with his Buick and floored spectators and racers alike. Since then, the "Bombshell Buick" has seen some serious metal work to make and re-make it into the, "the sculptural form he favored for creating a fast, furious work of art." Done. To help you catch up on where the Buick started, after finding it in an abandoned lumber mill near Phoenix, here's a few build pictures, then we'll catch up with Brock's plans for this year. Here's how she looked when purchased. Jeff says, "Our "first date" ... bofore shot. Her ass was fat ...I played hard to get." Here's a great shot of the Buick nose before modification. Most of the GREAT shots featured here were taken by Gunther Maier. (If I'm using someone else's shot, please tell me) From here, we better fill you in on Brock's plans for 2012 Bonneville Speed Week: "Yes,...