Toyota: Stick Car Commerical

Well, I like Toyota commercials. Read More

On Slate: Bus Pass for a Porsche

Why does this guy have a Christmas tree tied to his bike? Because he wants a Porsche and doesn't think they would let him take the tree on the bus. For the full detail on the green hot rod solution -- how public transportation can fund the gas-guzzler of your dreams while shrinking your carbon footprint-- check out the story today in Slate.com. Read More

Ferrari: 356 GT Living in Bethesda

Proof again of the value of a Sidwell Friends education -- a 1969 Ferrari 365GT 2+2 for sale in Bethesda, Md. And only $120,000! Test drive anyone? Read More

Cheap Thrills: "Fluting" Pontiac Fiero

We know. You haven't been thrilled by a Pontiac Fiero since you last wore a herringbone gold necklace. But give this $700 ride in DC a look if only for the phenomenal ad prose -- it's the best we've seen on Craiglist in a long while.
Owner says he put $3,000 into the Pontiac and was able to coax it down the road for all of 500 miles. Biggest problem -- the "fluting."
"Until the head gasket is replaced," he writes, "compression above a certain point in the cylinders will vent into the coolant, which makes an alarming "fluting" noise. TRANSLATION: driving hard or for more than 20-30 minutes will both sound goofy and wreck the engine. Yikes!"
Yikes indeed. And the head gasket is just the start. Owner has a long list of defects including a fucked motor mount, a screwdriver trunk latch, an interior that "smells like the 80s" (clove cigarettes and Bartels and Jaymes puke?), and one headlight that fails to retract when the lights are off. "It winks," he writes.
On the plus side, it's a gold Fiero that gets 32 mpg, when it runs. Bust out the herringbone.
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Junkyard Escapees: '68 Chevelle

We get excited when we're cruising Craigslist and come across a Chevelle for under $3,000. Unless they look like this hot rod. The owner of the beater Chevy in Harford County, Maryland is asking $2,700 to tow it home, if you can find something solid to hook your chains to. The car looks like it hit a tree in 1972 and was left rusting into the yard since then. So what's good about it?
Well, we're not really sure. It's too small for a demolition derby. A 454 under the hood? Nope. A 307. But hey, it's not just any wrecked Chevelle with an anemic 307. Owner says it's a matching numbers wrecked Chevelle with an anemic 307. And with its rotting leaves color scheme, it'll be hard for the neighbors to notice it resting/rotting in your yard.
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Porsche 356 Update: Bring Cash

Update:I emailed the owner of this Porsche 356 for sale in Roanoke to inquire about the price. Come to find out it's a dealer. He says he'd "like to get as much as possible for the car." That's funny. I was thinking the exact opposite. He says he's going to put the car on ebay for a while to see what the market will bear and then will email back with the price. What do you think the ebay barometer will read?

Oct. 18: Barn finds like this '62 Porsche 356 B for sale in Roanoke, Va., don't happen in the east. If fact, these cars never even seem to come up for sale outside of California. This one still has it's California plates. It's super original and complete. It needs a total restoration. And it's probably priced well beyond our means. The seller has it listed for $1, which, I guess, is his way of saying if you have to ask....
Silver with a red interior is the best-looking color for a 356.This one is in surprising nice shape. It was fairly rare for these cars avoid being messed with in one way or another before ending their first lives in the proverbial barn. Owner says it was a one-owner California car until 2008. No word on how it wound up in Roanoke.
Owner says the engine (a 1600 "S") is in running condition, though we find that hard to believe (Who puts a running 356 to pasture?) He says the oil pressure is good and the engine turns over. The carb throttle plates are seized up, however, from the long slumber.
In our opinion, the 356 is the most beautiful Porsche of all. If we could afford to, we would buy this one and restore it when we could afford to. In the meantime, we'd be happy just looking at it. More photos here.
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Cheap Lux: T-Bird (The Big Ass Version)

Here at Rumblenote, we're more into sports cars and hot rods than luxury. But we know some of you folks like the notion of rolling down the road in a Lazy Boy recliner. So we troll the classifieds with a eye out for cool land yachts to keep you happy. And when it comes to land yachts, we don't think you can do much better than this '68 Thunderbird in Sykesville, Maryland.
The T-bird looks in great shape. We never thought we'd say it, but wethis we've have finally found a car that looks right with wire wheels. Landau top looks great in a Billy D sort of way as well. Owner says it's in nice shape (and it looks it) with some little things here and there like messed up like the turn signal switch. The beast has a 429, which means it burns five gallons of gas before you hit cruising speed, which is going to be a problem. Might be a great donor engine for a street rod. But owner wants $5,500 firm, which seems a bit steep, unless he's rating it by the pound. Also says he's only selling it because his wife is having a baby. We'd suggest waiting till the third trimester before hitting him with a low ball.
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Maryland Classics: DC Piaggio

Historic tagged Piaggio near farmer's market on Eye Street NW. We like, particularly with the rack, sure to be filled with produce. Read More

Roads Safer Except on a Bike

Rush hour might steal your soul, but the chances that it is going to kill you dead have fallen dramatically. Death rates on American roads have fallen to the lowest level since they started keeping good track back in the early 1970s, according to a Wall Street Journal story. Researchers don't know why exactly. Could be that fewer folks are driving, since gas is pricey and traffic jams are no fun. But the rate of deaths per miles driven has also fallen. So the drop is more likely caused by the prevalence of side airbags and other safety equipment like stability control. However, one group of travelers hasn't had the same luck.
The WSJ story says more bikers than ever are killed on the roads. In Texas, for example, deadly accidents involving bikers have risen 46% since 2005. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why -- more bikers on the road, faster bikes, and fools not wearing helmets. Read More

Thieves Can't Figure it Out Either

You'd think the shitty economy would have brought out the car thieves. It probably would have. But the same bunch of computers that make modern cars impossible for shade tree mechanics to fool with have also stumped thieves. As a result, car thefts are at a 20-year low, according to a story in USA Today.
It's not just sophisticated alarms that are thwarting thieves. The USAT story claims that an increase in built-in technology like ingition immobilizers and GPS tracking technology has made boosting cars a poor proposition. Gone are the days of the hot-wired car. Long live the smash-and-grab thieves, however, at least in my neighborhood.
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Porsche 356 Alert!

Barn finds like this '62 Porsche 356 B for sale in Roanoke, Va., don't happen in the east. If fact, these cars never even seem to come up for sale outside of California. This one still has it's California plates. It's super original and complete. It needs a total restoration. And it's probably priced well beyond our means. The seller has it listed for $1, which, I guess, is his way of saying if you have to ask....
Silver with a red interior is the best-looking color for a 356.This one is in surprising nice shape. It was fairly rare for these cars avoid being messed with in one way or another before ending their first lives in the proverbial barn. Owner says it was a one-owner California car until 2008. No word on how it wound up in Roanoke.
Owner says the engine (a 1600 "S") is in running condition, though we find that hard to believe (Who puts a running 356 to pasture?) He says the oil pressure is good and the engine turns over. The carb throttle plates are seized up, however, from the long slumber.
In our opinion, the 356 is the most beautiful Porsche of all. If we could afford to, we would buy this one and restore it when we could afford to. In the meantime, we'd be happy just looking at it. More photos here.
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Cheap Projects: '64 Ford Galaxie

It runs. It's not too rusty. It's $1,800. And in our opinion, the '64 Galaxie is one of Ford's best looking cars ever. This one for sale in Culpepper, Va., comes with a running small block, a rough interior with a bench seat, and all the trim, bumpers and body parts necessary to complete.
Owner says it needs a bit of "patch work." He doesn't specify where. The engine looks like it's been covered in grease since the early 1970s. The trunk panel is a bizarre shade of orange. This one needs some work, but the price is right.
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Porsche Panamera: The Plimo

Porsche is spending some serious advertising cash on TV spots like this one. The goal is convince buyers that the stretched-out 4-door Panamera is, in fact, a Porsche. Cool commercial. Cool special Web site with Jerry Seinfeld Porsche vids. Lame Car. And I've finally figured out why I hate it: The Panamera looks like a Porsche 911 limousine. And what could be lamer than that? Read More

Want the Job? Drive a Chevy

As a native of the formerly great state of Michigan, I'm a booster of the formerly "Big Three." Even if the majority of their cars are crap, they are American crap, dammit, Michigan crap. Rooting for Toyota is like switching from the Lions to Patriots just because the Lions suck. A sign of poor character.
Yet I chucked (chuckled, I mean) at the absurd job listing I saw today.
To be considered for the public relations job at an advocacy group in East Lansing, Mi., the applicant must own a "union made American automobile." Certainly narrows the talent pool.
Since I can't afford a Corvette, and I don't plan on commuting in pre-1970 Chevy, I think I'll pass on that one. I'll root for Detroit, but I'm not going to wear a Lion's jacket.
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Cheap Projects: '64 Chevelle SS

It's cold outside. Any gearhead who still has a job ought to be thinking about a winter project. We haven't seen a better one recently than this '64 Chevelle Super Sport in Leesburg, Virginia. Owner says it's a real Super Sport, although if you're one of those guys who cares about matching numbers, you might best move on.
But if you're looking for a good cheap project, this Chevelle could be it. The grunt body work is done. It's got a '68 327 matched to a Powerglide transmission. Engine is installed. Seller is asking $3,800, which seems fair. For our money, the 64 to 67 Chevelles are the best looking of the lot, particularly the Super Sports. By the looks of the photos, the owner has done the hardest work. You've got all winter to finish the rest. Read More

1955 GMC: Mud Hauler

We can't think of a vehicle that is less useful than this 1955 4x4 GMC panel in Parkton. Impossible to parallel park. Blind spots the length of the thing. Wheel hum that drowns out the radio. But man, what a cool looking beast. If I were a contractor in the boonies who regularly drove on Forest Service roads, I'd have to take a look at this one.
The owner is asking $4,500 for the truck. He'll take $1,000 if he keeps the 35 BFGs. Either way, we think it's a bit too much. Owner says he bought the truck to restore it, but didn't get too far. It's rusty and the top is peppered with dents. It's got a lamo 400 small block and rear end from a 1987 Chevy. It sounds like truck isn't ready to roll, though it's hard to tell (the seller isn't into periods, so the ad is nearly incomprehensible).
We're saying $3,000 with both sets of wheels. Appeal to the owners logic. He says he needs the cash for another project. More likely, he realized the '55 is useless.
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Greenpeace After Your Hot Rod?

In a case reporters manufacturing news, few reporters from Bloomberg called around to advocacy groups including Greenpeace and asked what they think about Ferraris, Lamborghinis and the supercar like. Guess what? They don't much like them: “High-emission Ferraris are an indulgence the climate can’t afford today,” Michael Crocker, a Greenpeace spokesman told Bloomberg.
It's a manufactured faux-trend story, but the Bloomberg article probably speaks to what's to come. Greenpeace and the state environmental quality folks have more or less left supercars and classic guzzlers alone, aside for guzzler taxes. But we don't expect them to lay off for long. The cars are an easy target -- particularly classic cars, which, since they are no longer manufactured, have no natural advocacy group aside from the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association.
Here at Rumblenote, we eat tofu, own a fleet of bicycles and have been known to take long walks in the woods. We care about the environment. And we think the country should go after polluters, starting with the biggest dirt balls first. So after regulators take down big agriculture, coal-fired power plants, gassy cows and long-haul Camry commuters, we'll be ready to talk Ferraris and classic weekend drivers.
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Porsche to Bring Back 914?

Back when I received my license in the late 1980s, the cool Porsche to own was a 944 or, even better, a sharky 928. By contrast, a 914 was the car you ripped Porsche crests off in the junkyard. How tastes change. Compared to its expensive siblings, which look as dated as an argyle sweater, the lines of the 914 look classical modern. No wonder Porsche should want to bring the cheapie back.
According to a story posted yesterday on the Motortrend site, that is what Porsche plans to do. According to the magazine, creating a sub-Boxter entry level Porsche is the top priority for the company. Since VW (Porsche's partner on the original 914) now owns Porsche, we suppose it makes sense. Motortrend includes a few drawings of how the entry-level Porsche might look. No word yet on if the car will be badged 914. But from the looks of the drawings, we'd say the car needs more 914 looks. Especially since the original is finally coming into its own.
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Flames: The Golden Ratio

For months, we’ve been hitting you with the proposition that adding a set of flames is the best way to improve the looks of a beater rod. Today, we have found the exception in this flamed ’71 Ford Econoline van for sale in Edgewater. A favorite winter ride of the scummier set of Harley riders, the Econoline should benefit from a ring of fire. But as this van shows, a certain ratio of flames to junker status must be maintained or the effect is robbed. Call it the golden flame ratio – the crappier the car, the larger must be the flames. As such, the smolder sprouting from the wheel wells of the Ford are entirely insufficient. This guy needs the full-body job. Read More

Hot Rod '56 Chevy

We don't know the owner of this '56 Chevy, but we're pretty sure he styled it after a popular plastic model from the 1980s. Add a snorkel scoop, a nice set of flames and some ladder bars and it would be the car. We bought the model. Needless to say, we like this car, though at $15,000, it's no cheap thrill.
The owner owner, who has the car listed in Laurel, Maryland, says the car has the eternal hot rod setup -- a fresh 350 with a Holly carburetor, a set of Thrush cherry bombs and vintage Cragers. It's also got a custom grill (which we're probably glad we can't see) and an odd cowl induction hood that looks stolen from a Camaro. We'd probably ditch the oddities for a snorkel scoop, a nice set of flames, and some ladder bars, just like Revell did it.
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Rumblenote: Top Posts

It's been ten months since the bored evening when I cropped a photo of my dad doing a burnout in his '55 Chevy and turned it into the banner for Rumblenote. Since then, we've learned a few lessons on how this Web thing works, lessons that are reflected in our top five posts of all time.
1) Rumblenote Steals From the New Yorker -- If you leave the same post up each time you go on vacation, it's bound to get some hits.
2) Recession Sales: '55 Chevy Gasser -- People like '55 to '57 Chevys, even in a down economy, especially if they are in primer and have fender-well headers.
3)How Joe Biden Rolls: 1967 Corvette -- People in Washington, DC, where a majority of our readers are located, don't give a shit about cars, unless they are ferrying politicians.
4) Car-Lovers for a Camry-Free America -- It's best to link provide the url of your blog whenever you comment on a New York Times editorial.
5)Donk BMW Concept -- The word "donk" exhibits some serious Web gravitational pull, perhaps because of its single-syllabic resonance with e-media nonsense words (blog, tweet, ping, etc). Read More

Cheap Thrills: Bonehead's Olds

First things first -- you don't get much for $2,500. And with this 67 Cutlass, it's not clear what you get. The owner in Hyattsville, Maryland, says the 350 doesn't run because he "drove it with no oil cuz the oil cap came off and I didn't notice."
If he means he smoked a joint while changing the oil and forget to replace the oil plug, we can sympathize. But if he's saying all the Quaker State sprayed out through the valve cover and burned up on the block without him noticing, we're calling bullshit. Doesn't happen.
Engine aside, this Olds looks like a sweet deal. We love the body style and this one looks clean, at least in the photo. Owner says he took it to Maco, which is cause for concern. Then again, don't get much for $2,500. Guy says it has to go. Baby on the way. We hope he takes better care of it. Read More

Cheap Thrills: Meltdown Nova

When searching for cheap thrills, we give reign to our inner cheap bastard, the part that leads us to smoky holes in the wall filled with derelicts because the Budweiser costs a buck less than the nicer place next door. So you'd think we'd feel better about this $5,000 Nova with a 454 under the hood.
Owner says the car must go in two weeks or he will lose his house.We hate to see that. But as the singer Dr. John puts it, "If I don't do it, somebody else will." For what the owner is asking, this looks like a great deal, even to guys like me who think the Nova went off the rails post Chevy II. The car isn't finished and it needs some work to get on the road. But it's got a big block, drag suspension, front discs, new exhaust, new rims, and what looks like a solid paint job. Guy has $600 in gauges alone in this thing. And he's taking offers. Blood in the water.
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