Hot Rods, Classic Cars, Sports Cars, Race Cars, Green Cars, Motorcycles

One Time Porsche

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Fri, 14 May 2010 17:24:00 +0000

Justification seen on $60,000 Porsche Cayman S parked near Farragut Square. Sorry for the finger shot.

Jeep: Signs of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:23:00 +0000

Vintage military Jeep spotted at 17th and K in Washington, DC early this week. Top off, windshield folded down -- a sure sign of spring.

Lay off Toyota, says Miss Governor

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:20:00 +0000

Mississippi Governor and former Washington lobbyist Haley Barbour has taken to the editorial page of The Washington Post to plead for, um, fair treatment for Toyota. In the editorial, Barbour suggest Toyota has received less than fair dealing from Congress on the runaway Camry issue in order to boost American car manufacturers.
Barbour's argument is silly. Instead of pointing out how Toyota, with Washington's help, succeeded in burying its safety problem, Barbour makes an economic argument for giving Toyota a pass. Barbour argues that Toyota is just as American as Ford and General Motors because it employs many non-union Southerners, particularly in Barbour's state of Mississippi.
Certainly Toyota has been a boon for American workers, particularly in the South. But we fail to see how providing jobs absolves Toyota for selling defective cars.

Will Camry Be Best Seller in 2010?

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:39:00 +0000

As much as we love to hate the ubiquitous Toyota shitbox, it's clear the Toyota folks know how to peddle a lame car. The Toyota Camry has been the best selling car in America for 11 of the past 12 years (the Honda Accord won in 2001), blowing away the competition. But with runaway accelerators, recalls, and hints of further investigations by U.S. safety officials, the car is taking a sales beating. Will a month or two of buyer fears give Toyota's competitors the head start they need to break the streak, or will the original blow them away once again?

Rumblenote Exclusive: Blue Plate Ford Found in Belize

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:34:00 +0000

During a recent drive from Belize to Guatemala, my wife and I saw a gaggle of roadside odd balls, but none caught our imagination half a much as this mint 70's-era Ford wagon with California plates. Yes, California plates, the blue ones that the guys at Bring a Trailer dork out about. According to the trusty folks at Wikianswers, the Ford's trip was a 2,400-mile drive, with two border crossings. Should take between one week and two, it says. Can't think of too many cars I'd rather do it in, if I had to take four or five close friends and groceries for the trip.
We're sure there's a fine story that tells how this woody wagon wound up in Belize. We like to think a bunch of teenage surfers set out in it several years back to escape winter (that's why we went).The wagon is immaculate down to the fake wood paneling. Owner is asking the equivalent of $1,500 for the keys. If you're interested, I'll email the GPS coordinates. Better yet, send the cash and I'll drive it back.

Ice Bike: It's Worth the Frostbite

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 03:21:00 +0000

Pissed over driving lame cars, I gave up petrol power in 2007 and committed to buses, trains and a hard-traveled purple Trek. I'm ferreting away the cash I save to buy a Porsche 911. The idea is to give the finger to cars as transportation in order to say yes to spirited driving. I live in Baltimore, a fine city for cycling, so it no hassle. Rather it's a blast. Or it was, until the earth froze solid a few weeks back.
Since then, I've been envying the heaters in Toyotas, regardless of how hideous they look. Every Saturday, I ride the bike several miles to get groceries. Damn cold. Lessons learned: 1) Ride with your mouth shut so your teeth don't ache. 2) When presented with unseen ice patches at speed in traffic, don't even think about hitting the brakes.

Cheap Thrills: Beater Willys Jeep

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 22:40:00 +0000

If you're looking for something to smash through snowbanks, you probably can't do much better than this rusted-to-hell beater 1947 Willys Jeep in Harford County, Maryland. Since the body is more rust and metal, we think the seller is still way overpriced at $1,500, but he says it must go this weekend. We say $500 Sunday afternoon, or, better yet, $300 and a six-pack on Sunday night.
The interior is damn near as ratty as the body, with a junkyard three-spoke steering wheel and a 4x4 sticker on the dash, just to remind you of the backwoods capabilities.
It's not pretty, but the Jeep's mechanically sound. Engine has been rebuilt top to bottom. It's got new brakes, gas tank, suspension and exhaust. Despite the looks, the rebuild couldn't have been cheap, as parts for these aren't easy to find. Can't imagine why the owner wanted to put that kind of cash into this bucket, but we're glad he did. "Will go fast at this price," seller says. We think not. But it'd be a ton of fun at $500.

Powered By Dinasaur Bones

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:13:00 +0000

Allen Ginsberg never learned to drive, instead relying on planes, trains, taxis and, we presume, lead-footed friends like Neal Cassady. Ginsberg was a car hater back when gas and horsepower were cheap. Biking through the city, I agree with his sentiment in an essay he wrote on the artist Hiro Yamagata:
"...cars don't belong running around the earth, cars belong in museums along with stuffed dinosaurs, whose ghosts they've devoured."

Paul's BMW 2002: Buy it Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:03:00 +0000

Our friend Paul is selling his 1971 ITB spec BMW 2002 race car. Check out the Craigslist ad. Paul is an excellent mechanic with loads of 2002 knowledge and wrenching experience (for a living and a hobby). For the $6,000 he's asking for the car, we think it's not going to take long for someone to help him with the life change he mentions in the ad.The car is well known in East Coast SCCA circles, with podium finishes dating back to the 1990s. It needs little to put it back on the podium. We hate to see Paul let it go, but his loss will be someone's big gain.
To get an idea about this guy and his car obsession check out Paul's Mini adventure in a "cartoon coffin".

Retiree Lists Two Hot Rod Chevys

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:12:00 +0000

Times are tough, especially for guys retiring minus a major portion of their 401-Ks. So this retiree in Laurel is selling a couple of really nice hot rod Chevys for excellent prices. His wife has written the Craigslist ad: "Twice as much husband. Half as much income," she writes. Cars must go.
Hard to go wrong with either of these cars. The touch part is choosing. The 1956 Chevy is listed for $15,000 or best offer. It's got a nothing-special cruiser 350, a bench seat, and a funky cowl-induction hood. A fine looking cruiser hot rod. The 1961 Bel Air has a better build on its 350 with a "full-race cam," an aluminum high-rise manifold, a 650 Holly and a set of headers. Corvette rallys also look nice. And it's less expensive at $13,000 or best. With both painted in perfect hot rod black, it's a tough choice. But I'm going with the Bel Air, since I can't remember the last time I've seen one on the road or even for sale.
Got to wonder about this retiree, though. I'd keep one, sell the other, and get a greeter job at Wall-Mart.

The Different Differential

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:30:00 +0000

Pig, pumpkin, rear end, differential – call it what you like, but even some serious gearheads don’t know how the things work, especially when you throw in qualifiers like “limited-slip,” “posi-traction,” and “locker.”
For a good primer on the traditional and the computer-assisted what’s to come, check out the NYT story on how BMW made the differential a steering booster in its new x-drive all-wheel drive system. Clue: it’s got to do with “yaw torque.”
The traditional differential:

“Its array of gears and shafts makes it possible for the left and right wheels to spin at different speeds even though they are geared together on the same axle.”

The new BMW:

“Dynamic Performance Control pitches in once the hardest-working tires have reached their traction limits. This added yaw torque — essentially an extra nudge to help the vehicle complete the cornering maneuver — is generated at the rear. By forcing the outside rear tire to push forward while the inside-rear tire pulls back a bit, a helpful turning force is generated about the imaginary vertical axis.”

That can’t be cheap.

55 Chevy Project: Three for Choosing

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:24:00 +0000

It's not every day that you find three '55 Chevy projects for sale on your local Craigslist -- in this case in Baltimore. This first one is going for $3,800 firm and is "not for beginners," the seller says.
It's a 2-door sedan with most of the glass and chrome needed to finish. You'll have to provide your own engine and transmission -- and floors, rockers and trunk. Not for beginners, indeed, though it seems like a good price for someone with some hot rod skills.
The second '55 looks much worse for wear, but clocks in at a cheaper $2,200. It's a stalled pro street project with a Camaro subframe and a Ford 9-inch. No mention of engine or trans and seller says this one also isn't "a beginner father/son project." Since we're not much into pro street (even perfect examples are kind of silly) this one is almost as appealing as a Ford Maverick.
The final (and seeming the best) local '55 Chevy will set you back a bit more at $12,500, but it would probably be money better spent -- beginner or no. It's a 210 with a California title that's been stored for many years. Seller says the original floors are mostly good, except for a small hole at the rear. "As close to rust free as you will find," he says. And by the looks of it he's probably right. No engine or trans. And no word on an interior either. But this one's the winner in our book -- especially if the owner can drop the price by a couple thousand.

Where's Rumblenote?

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:27:00 +0000

Yes, we know, it's been a shitty week for posts. First we had the flu. Now we're on a work retreat until the weekend (no those Google ads don't pay the rent).

Mad Science: Turbine T-Bucket

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:56:00 +0000

If you've got a Ford T-Bucket and a Boeing turbine laying around in your garage, I guess this match on this car makes sense, sort of. Remember, it's a long cold winter in Three Rivers, Michigan, where this evil bay seller is from. The '32 Ford is sporting Boeing 502-B3, which the seller says likely came out of a mine sweeper. And if that isn't crazy enough for you, check out how you pilot this thing.
The seller gives a full description of how he matched up the turbine to a cyclic stick from a Bell helicopter.So the beast drives like a copter -- push the stick forward for drive, back for reverse, and left and right to corner. Throttles are from Lear jet. Despite all the gadgetry, the '32 tops out at a turtling 60 mph, which must be scary as hell with a hand of the joystick. Legal? Maybe on the Jetsons.With 15 hours to go on in the auction on Sunday evening, the Ford copter had not met the starting bid of $10,900. Boeing turbines are getting pricey, the seller notes. Seller says he'll drive it to the winning sellers home for $2 a mile and a few cheeseburgers. "Once you take it, it's yours," he writes. "No guarantees." If the $10,000 starting price is too rich for you, the seller is also willing to trade; he's looking for something with a hydrogen fuel cell.

Mercedes Benz: Is This Your Winter Beater?

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:08:00 +0000

A fine winter beater is big, comfortable, cheap, and most often, ugly as hell. This $1,000 '71 Mercedes Benz 250 for sale in Baltimore fits the bill -- except for the ugly part, thought the owner says the Easter egg blue body needs some love.
Owner says it runs and drives great and has a perfect interior. By the looks of the interior photo, he's not lying. We love the two gauges, the fake wood on the dash, and the seriously padded wheel. Owner has four matching hubcaps, though we think the uncovered steelies look better. If this car is as good as the owner says it is, we think it's a screaming transport deal for any season.

Bugatti in the Drink: Video Version

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Here's the rescue video of the Pelican thwarted Bugatti.

Pelican Stuns Driver, Bugatti Goes For a Swim

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0000

The owner of a Bugatti Veyron drove his $2 million car into a salt lagoon Wednesday after becoming distracted by a low-flying Pelican. According to The Galveston County Daily News, the man, who refused to give his name, was scouting real estate near Galveston when he spotted the pelican. Before he turned the 16-cylinder into a motorboat (probably at around the time he heard gravel chipping the Veyron’s paint) the driver dropped his cell phone and spun the wheel for a save. Too late. “The Veyron’s powerful engine gurgled like an outboard motor for about 15 minutes before it died,” the reporter wrote.
-- Photo by Chris Paschenko, Galveston County Daily News

AMC Eagle: Why Do I Like This Car?

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:53:00 +0000

Back when these original crossovers first came out in the early 1980s, I would have been embarrassed to drive one, even if I had my license. Then why, more than 25 years later, do I find myself strangely attracted to this 1983 AMC Eagle? Perhaps because it was a sign of things to come. Subaru beat AMC to the 4x4 car game, but the Eagle, unlike the Japanese offering, looks like it might actually survive a mud bog, with it's big meats and decent ground clearance.
This SX/4 Sport model is for sale in Tysons, Virginia, for a bit over $3,0000. It's in surprising good shape, with a new set of rims and wheels. If I remember correctly (I think my uncle owned one), these things rusted like Volkswagens and suffered from full-time four-wheel-drive wear, so this one is surely one of 10 or so left on the road. Judging from the epic description of the car on Craigslist, the owner is really into AMCs, which is a first. A quick cruise of the Internet shows, however, that there is a dedicated owners group for these things (one guy even installed a 454 in the ample engine bay). We have no idea how well Eagles fare in the woods, but we'd love to find out.

Wagon Jump: Another Stupid Car Video

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:44:00 +0000

It's a holiday. It's raining outside. Might as well stay in and watch stupid car videos.

Hearse Drift + Warrant = Funny

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:40:00 +0000

Cheap Thrills: Fat Man VW Trike

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:58:00 +0000

Before describing this cheap thrill Volkswagen trike for trade in Maryland, we've got to own up to our feelings about these things. Unless you're a 400-pound biker with a colostomy bag who has lost the use of his legs, we can't understand why anyone would ride such a ridiculous object. And frankly, we can't understand how these things are highway legal. The physics are all off, unless you are setting out wit a death wish.
That said, if you resemble that 400-pound disabled biker, or just want to tinker around with something silly, this one could be for you. It looks like it needs just about everything to be, ahem, road worthy. It's even got the optional bitch pad so the psycho lady in your life can ride behind. Owner says he'll trade for anything that catches his eye.

Hot Rod Scenes: 10-Second Mower

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:22:00 +0000

Here's another shot of Maine car craziness by our family of roving reporters. Got a good photo? Send it to rumble.note@yahoo.com.

Toyota: Company Denies Cover Up

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:02:00 +0000

ABC News continues to beat on Toyota while the company is lying on the floor. Earlier this week, ABC quoted federal officials who said Toyota's floor mat zip tie solution recall was not case-closed for the company's mystery runaway cars that experience odd surges of acceleration. Today it asks one of Toyota's vice presidents if the company is engaging in a cover up.
"It's not part of the Toyota culture and Toyota way to cover up anything," the VP said.
Problem is, some Toyota owners who experienced surges say they were driving cars that did not have the recalled floor mats, and in some cases had no floor mats at all.
So if the VP and surging Toyota owners are telling the truth, Toyota has no effing idea what is causing the surge. Which reinforces, once again, our belief that God is attempting to rid the planet of "sandy beach metallic."

Vovlo 740: Best Shitbox Ever?

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:04:00 +0000

In a recent story in Slate about my unnatural affection for the Porsche 911, I called Volvo an "icon of safe, dependable, vanilla transportation." And I feel kind of bad about. During the past two years, I've owned two late '80s 740 Volvo wagons -- both hand-me-down gifts from my older brother. And I have to say -- if you're forced to own a commuter, buy one of these.
What's good about these angular Swedes? First off, you can't kill them. My wife and I drove one with more than 200,000 miles from Michigan to Oregon. Two years later we drove it from Oregon to Maryland. The transmission boiled over, the taillights worked half-time, and the exhaust leaked into the interior, but it made the trip (though soon after it found it's way to a charity). The second one we had withstood a wreck with a stake truck before we sold it for a few hundred bucks. The engine in the 740 is indestructible, though the rest of the car sheds parts staring at 100,000 miles.
So if the low-budget commuter choice is between Toyota and Volvo, go with the Volvo 740. Better yet, get a nice 142 brick like this one in Classic Motorsports.

Toyota: More than a Floor Mat Fuckup?

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Eaton) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:48:00 +0000

ABC News is reporting that Toyota may not have solved the problem of its runaway cars with the recent recall/floor mat zip tie fix. According to a federal safety official quoted in the story, the recall is not a remedy to the problem. The official also said there have been 200 serious injuries and 16 deaths that may be related to the mystery malfunction.
According to the news story, a faction of disgruntled Toyota owners who have experienced the runaway Toyota phenomenon, thinks the floor mat explanation the car company has forwarded is bullshit and are seeking answers.
If people weren't dying, we'd be tempted to say something funny, like maybe the mystery surge is God's way of cleansing the world of bad automotive design.