BMW Z3 - GoldenEye

"Bond returned in 1995 with a German set of wheels - although he only managed a short ride in the country before handing the car over to his American contact, Jack Wade."

http://www.007.info/Cars.asp

technorati tags: custom cars,hot rods, hot rods: tuners, cars

2006 SEMA Show - Las Vegas - Event Coverage - Eurotuner Magazine

2006 SEMA Show - Las Vegas - Event Coverage - Eurotuner Magazine: "The big news at SEMA was VWoA's triumphant return with its R GTI concept. To many this was huge news, but et readers already knew every detail after we exclusively revealed it in our 12/06 issue. The sexy R GTI shared VW's booth with the Thunder Bunny: a Rabbit turbo built in cooperation with Neuspeed to celebrate its original 1980s Rabbit GTI. The third car was the APR GTI: a participant in VW's Tuner Challenge, which we brought you in the 1/07 issue. Four tuners competed for a place in VWs booth, and APR won the vote. Second place went to ABD Racing, and its GTI was displayed in our Primedia booth. The remaining tuner cars from H&R and WRD were also at the show."

Classic Touch To Tourist Guide Launch (from This Is Wiltshire)

Classic Touch To Tourist Guide Launch (from This Is Wiltshire): "A CLASSIC car, part of an important historic collection, has helped launch the 2007 North Wiltshire Visitor Guide.
North Wiltshire District Council has just launched the essential guide for anyone visiting the area with the help of the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum founders, Richard and Hasell Atwell.
20,000 copies of the guide have been printed and are available at tourist information centres throughout the district.
The guide contains a range of useful information on the wide range of attractions, accommodation and events in the six towns of Calne, Chippenham, Corsham, Cricklade, Malmesbury and Wootton Bassett and surrounding countryside.
Amongst the attractions listed is the hidden gem of the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum in Calne, home to more than 150 vintage and classic cars."

A classic-car extravaganza

A classic-car extravaganza: "CRYSTAL COVE, Calif. -- The sun is a soft glow on the still-slumbering Pacific at dawn, before the ocean awakes with yawning waves, and the seaside shops blink open their shutters.
But nearby is the sound and smell of serious horsepower. Engines are roaring as Lamborghinis, rare Porsche speedsters and lime-green Vipers roll almost regally into the lot of a strip mall perched high above the sea. The surfers may still be sleeping, but the car nuts are most definitely awake."

The Statesman

The Statesman: "NEW DELHI, Feb. 11: It was an envious day for the Capital’s car regime. As the Statesman Vintage and Classic Car Rally 2007 made its way from Barakhamba Road to Gurgaon, the eyes of onlookers forgot to blink and people dropped their jaws in the pleasant surprise of witnessing India’s oldest classic cars.
The sight of royal oldies like Buick, Austin, Ford, Lagonda, Chevrolet, Rover, Morris, Rolls Royce, Dodge, etc made people spell bound. After catching the glimpse of our rich history, they were lost in the splendid heritage of India.
For some people it might be a hobby, for others passion but for Kanwarjit Singh and Ravi Kapur it was not less than a challenge to restore a 40-year-old car which had been lying at the road side for past four decades. In early 2004, they joined hands to restructure the 1939 model, Hillman Minx. They had to convince its 95-year-old owner to part with it on the promise that after they reinstate it, he would be the first person to ride in it. “Rebuilding the body of the car was the toughest part. It took six months of continuous efforts to finally bring the car to its best original look,” said Mr Kanwarjit Singh Chadha. Another such personality obsessed by the adventure of driving classic cars is Mr Diljeet Titus. He was one of the biggest participants of the event and had made his 13 cars ran in the rally."

Warrnambool Standard

Warrnambool Standard: "HORSEPOWER rumbled Port Fairy at the weekend when South West Hot Rod Club's annual show roared into town.
Visitors, holidaymakers and residents alike basked in the glory of more than 300 entries on display.
Hot rod enthusiast Andrew Hodges said it was his 17th visit to the show.
``We come down every year,'' Mr Hodges said.
``I've got four hot rods and I try to rotate them every year. I have a chopper too,'' he added.
He said the show had received 150 to 160 entries, but estimated more than 300 cars had arrived on site yesterday."

1932 Ford Hot Rod Celebrates its 75th Anniversary

1932 Ford Hot Rod Celebrates its 75th Anniversary: "The 1932 Ford is the holy grail of hot rods. Better known as 'the Deuce,' it's the car every hot-rodder wants. Roadsters and coupes are especially prized, but any Deuce will do.

Over the years, hot-rodders have never stopped modifying the '32 Ford. It's been chopped and channeled, dropped and drilled, fixed up and souped up. It's been raced from one end of the country to the other, from dry lakes in California to drag strips in Indiana.

And, of course, the Deuce is the icon of street racing everywhere.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the 1932 Ford, and it's being celebrated by a gathering of the most significant Deuces of all time.

Last year, Ford commissioned a panel of hot-rod experts to review a list of some 474 worthy cars and whittle it down to 75 cars. To honor these cars, Ford has created a special display, 'The 75: The 75 Most Influential '32 Ford Hot Rods.' It will be unveiled at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California, January 26-28, 2007.

Many of these historic cars had been lost over the years only to be rediscovered by today's enthusiasts. A surprising number have been carefully restored to look the way they did in their heyday. Only a few are still missing. "

WhoWon.com ... The Internet Source for Motorsports News and Information

WhoWon.com ... The Internet Source for Motorsports News and Information: "POMONA, Calif. -- The celebration continues at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, as the '32 Ford, the quintessential hot rod, marks its diamond jubilee.

'Deuces Wild,' the Museum's anniversary exhibit, opens Feb. 7 featuring several of the 75 Most Significant '32 Ford hot rods as determined by a blue- ribbon panel of hot rod experts. Included will be Chili Catallo's 'Little Deuce Coupe' which appeared on the Beach Boys album of the same name -- perhaps one of the most famous '32 Ford hot rods of all time; a re-creation of Fred Allen's 'Devil Deuce;' the 'Orange Crate;' and roadsters from Tommy Foster, Neal East and the Berardini Bros. In total, 11 cars, 10 of which were deemed the '75 most significant.' The exhibit runs until June 18.

'You'll never see these historical cars together again,' said Museum Executive Director Tony Thacker, who was on the judging panel and has authored a book on the Deuce. 'If you're a Deuce fan, this is a once-in-a- lifetime collection.'

In addition to the cars, historic and never-before-displayed photography of early '32 Fords in production will be shown. Photographs of hot rods and racing Deuces will grace the walls of the Museum, a landmark part of the Los Angeles County Fairplex."

Performance World Custom Car & Truck Show Coming To Toronto

Performance World Custom Car & Truck Show Coming To Toronto: "TORONTO - February 1, 2007: From a 1951 Mercury to a 1969 Camaro, the feature cars at the 2007 Performance World Custom Car and Truck Show are sure to capture both the eye and the imagination. The hardcore show for car enthusiasts rides into the International Centre (6900 Airport Road) from March 9-11, 2007 with custom cars and trucks competing for $50,000 in cash and awards. On top of the not-to-miss feature cars and personalities, the event boasts more than 600 top show cars and trucks and over 250 exhibitors, covering 350,000 square feet. Visitors to the 2007 Performance World Show will be treated to the Foose ’69, one of only twenty Camaros conceived by renowned car designer Chip Foose and hand built by Unique Performance. Owner Fred Cini of Wasaga Beach, Ontario was on a flight two years ago when he read about this rare and stunning vehicle that combines world-class technology and automotive craftsmanship inside an updated beauty. While the motor consists of the raw power of a 572cid / 620 HP GM Aluminum Head Big Block V8 Engine, the body boasts style and sophistication with its Jaguar door handles, Foose badges, custom hood, smooth bumpers and Hot Hues paint. Cini, as an avid car enthusiast, jumped on the opportunity to obtain a Foose ’69 and now owns the only one in Canada."

The Dodge Viper, Part 4

Viper GTS-R
Using such production engine components as the block, cylinder heads, and crankshaft, Team Viper engineers were able to extract up to 750 hp from the normally 450 hp second generation 8.0 L V10 engine. The chassis was re-engineered from the ground up by British sports manufacturer Reynard Motorsport's Special Projects Division under chief engineer Paul Brown, losing much of the Roadcar's heavy tubular steel and fibreglass structure in favour of lightweight carbon fibre components.

The car made its competition debut in the 24 Hours of Daytona with Canaska Racing in 1996, then the 24 Hours of Le Mans, when a GTS-R finished tenth overall in its very first run for glory. The next year, Team Viper (who now switched services to Oreca) switched to the GT2 class and proceeded to dominate, winning five titles in the FIA GT Championship between 1997 and 2002. Oreca switched to the prototype class in 2000, but customer Vipers continued to be the most competitive in the series.

In 1998, Team Viper returned to Le Mans to set new track records in practice. When the checkered flag dropped on the 24th hour of the longest day in racing, Viper GTS–R racers finished first and second in their class to become the first American car to win at Le Mans in three decades, and the first–ever production–based American car to grace the winner's circle.

In addition to the race cars, Chrysler built 100 street-legal 1998 GT2 Championship Edition Vipers, which were rated at 460 hp (343 kW) and 500 ft·lbf (67 N·m) of torque. Named after the GT2 categories it competed in, it was aesthetically similar to the GTS-R with its paint job, aerodynamics package, and visual options in order to publicize the Viper's achievement in the FIA and Le Mans. Also in 2005 LeMans Series season two Viper GTS-R cars were entered by the privateer team Paul Belmondo Racing.

The Dodge Viper, Part 3

The Dodge Viper underwent a major redesign in 2003, courtesy of DaimlerChrysler's Street and Racing Technology (SRT) group. The new Viper SRT-10 was heavily restyled with sharp, angled bodywork. The engine was enlarged to 8.3 L which, with other upgrades, combined to increased output to 505 hp (375 kW) and 525 ft·lbf (711 N·m) of torque. The chassis was also improved. It became more rigid and weighed approximately 80 lbs less than the previous model. The cornering was exceptional, rivaling or surpassing many other supercars from Ferrari and Porsche. An even better chassis and engine were planned for the car, but Chrysler feared that the Viper's price would reach $100,000. Even if that were the case, the Viper's price would still undercut its rivals significantly. The initial model was a convertible. In 2004, Dodge introduced a limited edition Mamba package. Mamba edition cars featured black interiors, with red stitching and trim and saw their MSRP price rise by roughly $3000. 200 Mambas were produced.

The new Viper SRT-10 Coupe (no longer called the GTS) was introduced in 2005 at the Detroit Auto Show as a 2006 model. It shares many of its body panels with the convertible but takes its side and rear styling cues from the Competition Coupe (see below). The new coupe looks much like the previous Viper GTS and retains the "double-bubble" roof shape of the original, along with the original GTS's taillights as well offering the original Viper Blue paint scheme with white stripes (referred to as GTS Blue) for an added homage to the original Viper coupe. The engine was also certified by the SAE to produce 510 hp and 535 lb/ft of torque. It is important to note that the engine makes the same power as before, only the numerical value of the power was changed. Unlike the original coupe, the chassis was not modified. This made the new coupe heavier than the convertible, and thus slightly slower in low speed acceleration. Handling and high speed performance were improved by the coupe's stiffer frame, reduced drag, and increased downforce.

It has been confirmed officially that the 2008 Viper will get a 90hp bump up to 600hp and a 25lbft torque bump up to 560lb-ft from a displacement increased up to 8.4 liters (510ci/8354cc), better flowing heads with larger valves and dual throttle bodies. The development of the engine was done with help from McLaren Cars and Ricardo. Changes outside of the powerplant are minimal, but still influential. The T56 transmission has been replaced with the new Tremec TR6060, and a revised shifter has been paired with the new gearbox. Shifts are claimed to be 18% quicker (faster than the Corvette Z06). The Dana M44-4 rear axle from the 2003 model now has a GKNVisco differential that greatly help the tires in getting grip under acceleration. One last performance upgrade was the removal of run-flat tires; the new tires remove most of the minor flaws of the early gen III models and should give the Viper nearly unmatched handling on any circuit. Another notable change is the reworking of the exhaust system, previous third generation Vipers had their exhaust crossover under the seats which resulted in a large amount of heat going into the cockpit, this was done initially to help improve the cars exhaust note, since the first 2 generations of Viper, which had no crossover, were criticised for their lackluster exhaust notes. For 2008, the Viper exhaust will utilize a new exhaust system with no crossover, reducing the heat that enters the cockpit, but still produces an exotic sound.

The third generation Viper has been sold in Europe since 2004, the first model to be sold as a Dodge, as part of Chrysler's new sales strategy for the European market. It's however sold as the "Dodge SRT-10", as the Viper name is a registered trademark in the UK.

Performance:

(2003-2006)

0-60: 3.8 sec.

0-100: 8.36 sec.

quarter mile: 11.7 sec. @ 123 mph

top speed: 196 mph

slalom: 72.4 mph

skidpad average g: 1.05

The Dodge Viper, Part 2

Second generation models increased engine power, improved suspension, and reduced braking distances; the 1996 to 2002 Viper GTS had a 450 bhp (336 kW) engine, which could complete the quarter mile 0.7 seconds faster and increased top speed by 35 km/h (22 mph) or so. A number of third party firms have modified the car to boost performance.

A coupe model, called the GTS, was also introduced in 1996. An interesting feature of the coupe was the "double bubble" roof contours; two small humps to accommodate drivers wearing helmets. Indeed, the Viper's performance has made the vehicle popular for both amateur and professional racers. Vipers can be seen participating often in drag racing, road racing and drifting. The GTS, like its predecessor, was chosen as the pace car for the 1996 Indianapolis 500.

Dodge contracted French racing team Oreca to build a racing version of the Viper known as the GTS-R in the FIA GT Championship's GT2 category, where they won the series in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002 (the last two with Larbre Competition). The car also won its class in the Le Mans 24 Hours from 1998 to 2000 and took overall win at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Dodge would celebrate by releasing a special edition model with the winning car's livery.

In the first six years of production almost 10,000 Vipers were sold. The second generation Vipers were exported to Europe, where they were sold as Chryslers.

The 1999 model was the last Viper that had forged pistons. Subsequent years had lighter-weight, hypereutectic pistons similar to other sports cars, as well as improved exhaust systems. 1999 saw the introduction of the Cognac Connolly package, which saw cars with distinctive Cognac colored interior, special leather and interior trim. Also in 1999, the American Club Racing (ACR) model was introduced. This model featured suspension and engine enhancements focused on maximizing performance in road racing and autocross environments. Horsepower was bumped to 460 bhp in these models. Continuing chassis refinements, ABS braking was introduced in 2001. In 2002, the end of second generation production was celebrated with the release of 360 commemorative "Final Edition" models. These models were painted red with white stripes, paying tribute to the famous race-winning Oreca cars.

Performance (GTS):

0-60: 4.0 sec.

0-100: 8.6 sec.

quarter mile: 12.2 sec @ 118 mph / 2000 RT/10 ran 11.98 in magazine test)

top speed: 190+ mph

slalom: 71.3 mph

skidpad average g: .98

The Dodge Viper, Part 1

The Dodge Viper is the most powerful production car made by Dodge. Production of the two seat sports car, the Dodge Viper, began at New Mack Assembly in 1992 and moved to its current home at Conner Avenue Assembly in October 1995.

The Viper was conceived as a modern take on the classic American muscle car. While there are some who insist that the iconic AC Cobra was a source of inspiration, the final version of the Viper was far too large and heavy to seriously claim any direct lineage with the compact and lightweight vehicle. Most saw claims to kinship with the Cobra as a marketing exercise, although Carroll Shelby was involved in the initial design of the Viper.

The Viper was initially conceived in late 1987 at Chrysler's Advanced Design Studios. The following February, Chrysler president Bob Lutz suggested to Tom Gale at Chrysler Design that the company should consider producing a modern Cobra, and a clay model was presented to Lutz a few months later. The car appeared as a concept at the North American International Auto Show in 1989, and public reaction was so enthusiastic, that chief engineer Roy Sjeoberg was directed to develop it as a production car.

Sjoberg selected 85 engineers to be "Team Viper", with development beginning in March 1989. The team asked then-Chrysler subsidiary Lamborghini to cast some prototype aluminum blocks based on their V10 truck engine for sports car use in May. The production body was completed in the fall, with a chassis prototype running in December. Though a V8 was first used in the test mule, the V10 which the production car was meant to use was ready in February 1990.

Official approval from Chrysler chairman, Lee Iacocca, came in May 1990. One year later, Carroll Shelby piloted a preproduction car as the Indianapolis 500 pace car. In November 1991, the car was released to reviewers with first shipments beginning in January 1992.

The first prototype was tested in December 1989. It first debuted in 1991 with three pre-production models as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 when Dodge was forced to substitute it in place of the Stealth, and went on sale in January 1992 as the soft roofed RT/10 Roadster.

The centerpiece of the car was its engine, with the car claimed as being built around it instead of the driver, boasting very few comforts, which did not even include door handles. Originally designed as a truck engine and based on the Chrysler LA engine, then a division of the Chrysler Corporation, revamped Dodge's cast-iron block V10 for the Viper by recasting the block and head in aluminum alloy, and giving the engine a significant power boost. Some within Lamborghini felt the pushrod two-valve design, while adequate for the truck application for which the engine was originally created, was unsuitable for a performance car and suggested a more comprehensive redesign which would have included four valves per cylinder. However, Chrysler was uncertain about the Viper's production costs and sales potential and so declined to provide the budget for the modification.

The engine produced 400 hp (298 kW) at 4600 rpm and 450 ft·lbf (610 N·m) of torque at 3600 rpm, and thanks to the long-gearing allowed by the torquey engine, provided surprising fuel economy at a claimed 21 mpg US (11.2 L/100 km) if driven sedately. The body was a tubular steel frame with resin transfer molding (RTM) fiberglass panels. Typical of American performance car design, it had a front-mounted engine driving the rear wheels; it was also heavy with a curb weight of 3,280 lb (1,488 kg) and lacked many modern driver aids such as traction control or anti-lock brakes. Car and Driver magazine referred to this generation as "the world's biggest Fat Boy Harley", and likened driving it to "playing ping pong with a Louisville Slugger baseball bat." Despite this, in straight line performance, it completed a quarter mile in 12.9 seconds and had a maximum speed of 164 mph (264 km/h).

Suspension on the first-gen Viper was equally frugal, with many front-end pieces coming directly from the Dakota pickup truck.

Performance:

0-60: 4.6 sec.

0-100: 9.2 sec.

quarter mile: 12.5 sec. @ 112 mph

top speed: 180+ (confirmed by Road and Track magazine / 1992)

700 ft slalom: over 65 mph

skidpad average g: .96

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Viper

www.bumpstop.com

Check out Len's ongoing project and daily driver. It's a 1968 Suburban. Louvered hood and tailgate. 1939 Ford tail lights and wheels. Full air ride suspension with separate systems for front and rear. Chevy 350 4-bolt engine, Weiand manifold, Edelbrock Carb and Muncie 4-speed and much more! I can't complain, he's cruising in style.

Simon Quinten is coming to us from down under (Australia). His customized VW has a 1835cc motor with ported & polished heads counter weighted crankshaft, 40mm Weber and a 2.5 inch exhaust. Its been lowered with KYB gas strut inserts in the front and KYB gas shocks in the rear . It has Porsche 928s front bucket seats , opening rear windows Porsche headlights , 16in wheels , fiber glass guards , whale tail (off a 930 Porsche) , and custom stainless steel running boards. That's one cool Beetle.

Who said customs couldn't include a awesome rig? Check out John's 1999 Peterbilt 379 Model Tri axle Tractor. He wrote us a nice description and we'll let him tell the story.

Motor: Caterpillar 3406E, 550hp, Transmission is aa 18 Speed Eaton Fuller, the rears are Two speed Peterbilt rears 4:11 on the bottom for Pulling heavy loads and 3:73 on the top for Speed.

The Interior consists of all Peterbilt Chrome Gauges and tags, Rosewood & Billet steering wheel, Chrome upper door plate, Rosewood arm rests, Rosewood Emergency buttons including the dimmer lights and windshield wiper knobs...Chrome gear shift cover aftermarket peterbilt seats,carpeted floor, chrome cb cover and microphone, Rosewood speaker grill covers, Clarion Cd player, Clarion speakers, all the swithes on the dash are chrome sticks w red diamond jewels in the ends.

Exterior includes Full stainless steel fenders for 3 axle combo, 18 inch Texas Bumper with swinging License plate bracket Quilted Leather fender covers, 127 inch hood, 6 inch exhaust including the elbows, 12 inch slam visor, chrome windsheild surround 15 inch donaldson aircleaners, stainless steel light bar in the rear, stainless steel box covers, aluminum hydraulic box, and tool box (behind the cab) 5% limo tint all the way around...L.E.D Lights under the bumper, in the air cleaners front and back, in the side and back of the cab, and in the rear light bar... Polished fuel tanks, polished air tanks under the doors, polished grill, all aluminum polished alcoa wheels, stainless steel mudflap weights.... This truck has also won second and third place trophy's in West Virginia and Pennsylvania as a real working class truck........We really like it.

This is Eric's pimped out Blazer. He has a Fosgate RFX 8230 headunit in the front. In the back he has 36 Audiobahn A2800E amplifiers pushing 18, 12" Audiobahn Alum12s (dang, that's alot of woofers). For better performance he has an Audiobahn AEX30 30 band equalizer. Did I forget to mention 18, 1 farad Audiobahn ACAP1 capacitators to feed his amps? This system has peaked at 179.8 db's at the last competition he entered. I say a Boom-Chica-Boom!

See more Customs like this at :
http://www.bumpstop.com/custom.htm

Sleeper Cars

A sleeper (US English) or Q-car (British English) is a car that has high performance and an innocent looking exterior. Sleeper cars are termed such because their exterior looks little or no different from a regular version of the car, but internally they are modified to perform at higher levels, thus they can catch the unaware "sleeping".

Some cars come like this from the factory ready for those who want performance without drama, whether understatedness suits their chosen image or lifestyle, or because they do not wish to attract undue attention of the police. For instance, many high-performance sedans look hardly different from the lower-powered models in the range; for example, the Audi RS4, Acura TL Type-S, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution RS, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Cadillac CTS-V, Volvo S60R, Chrysler 300C SRT8, Mercury Marauder, Volkswagen Passat W8, 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS, Nissan Skyline GT-R, and the Dodge Charger SRT8, among others. Cars with external badging, or other visual elements that give the impression of high performance, are not true sleeper cars.

Other vehicle owners create sleepers by swapping more powerful engines, or other performance modifications like turbochargers, and leave the external appearance exactly the way it came from the factory. Sometimes hints of the car's true nature show if one looks and listens carefully: wider tires, a lower stance, or a different engine tone or exhaust note. Gauges and instrumentation are often kept to a minimum. Some owners go as far as to use weight reduction techniques employed by other performance enthusiasts, such as removing items not fundamental to street racing, such as rear seats, interior trim, spare tire, or even the heater.

In some countries, customized sleeper vehicles (as with other heavily modified street cars) may be considered illegal for road use, because the car's level of performance is higher than intended by the vehicle manufacturer; if the owner has focused only on straight-line performance, the existing braking, steering, tires, and suspension systems may have been rendered inadequate. The emissions control system (such as intake and exhaust restrictions, or the EGR system) is often bypassed or removed entirely in customized sleeper vehicles.

Owners sometimes reduce the evidence that their high-performance car is such by removing characteristic badging and trimmings. Sleeper cars often contain stock body work and wheels found on their less-capable brethren to better blend with other traffic and appear unassuming. Some owners simply like having performance without show, but a more predatory use of the sleeper is in street racing, where it is used to fool an opponent into underestimating a car's performance for the purposes of "hustling". Some have even gone so far as to leave their cars' exteriors banged up and rusting, and sometimes even causing additional rusting with the use of battery acid.

Sometimes sleepers will be cheaper to insure when compared to an equally fast sports car, but some insurance companies may refuse insurance to owners of heavily modified vehicles.