http://Autoholics.com Powered by CarDomain en-US MVC RSS http://autoholics.com/2013/06/17/-Photo-of-the-Day-697607 6/17/2013 4:08:00 PM hcostino Today's photo of the day comes from AlexDrops' Ride Profile. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/17/Toyota-s-Camatte57-Project-697117 6/17/2013 2:15:00 PM WaytoFurious Have you ever wanted to 'bond' with your kids? Well, family projects are usually a step in the right direction. Working together can really help a family unite. If this sounds like something that you might like to do, then Toyota have got just the project for you. It is called theCamatte57. It is an electric car that any family can build and then teach their children to drive. Sure beats the pedal car that I had when I was a kid. Get the full story at the Age. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/17/-Steel-A-C-lines----NOT-COOL-697106 6/17/2013 12:30:00 PM GTwildfire Air Conditioning can be more than just a convenience, like if you have health problems or even if you're in a torrential downpour and just want to see where you're going.Why then would anybody embrace the idea of using painted steel to move refrigerant? The thermal insulation sleeves may, to the uninformed seem like an additional barrier to protect from the elements but no... anything but. [more] The fact is that, especially where road salt is used, steel may be one of the worst materials imaginable for this task. The foam insulation sleeves hold moisture, keeping it against the lines for days or weeks, if not perpetually. The heat probably contributed to the paint's failure (if they were painted in the first place)... and when these lines rust through, the same exposure introduces rust to the INSIDE of the A/C system. At least all of the replacements are aluminum, and a restriction orifice for 134a is included. Would it have killed them to have done this in the first place?Anyone else experience something obviously made with the wrong stuff? What did you do about it? (if anything) http://autoholics.com/2013/06/17/Bargain-Of-The-Week--697194 6/17/2013 10:26:00 AM WaytoFurious This could be the bargain of the week if you are living in the good old USA. Say that you are into your Mopars but would like something a little different. Well, this might do it for you. Currently listed on E-bay is this 1972 Australian Charger. A bit smaller and more nimble than its American cousin, this is an Australian classic. [more] What's interesting is that you wont find a V8 under the hood but the classic Hemi 6 cylinder. Don't laugh, when they are built right these motors can produce more that 300 horses. According to the advert, this one is good for 255hp. So, why would this be a bargain? After all 40K sounds like a lot of money. It is, but good examples of these can go for 30K in Australia. However, when you take the cost of shipping and customs into account you might do better to buy one that is already in the US, like this one. Of course, you would really have to like the color. So, what do you think? Is this the bargain of the week? http://autoholics.com/2013/06/14/-Photo-of-the-Day-697359 6/14/2013 4:20:00 PM hcostino Today's photo of the day comes from European Car Magazine's Facebook! http://autoholics.com/2013/06/14/-Caption-Contest--697352 6/14/2013 2:24:00 PM hcostino Come up with a caption for the picture below by 12PM PST next Thursday, June 13th. Whoever submits the funniest caption wins. Three entries per person max. Good luck! http://autoholics.com/2013/06/14/Bike-Rider-Fail-697115 6/14/2013 11:08:00 AM WaytoFurious I have never been into bikes. Personally for me they are just to dangerous. However if I was into bikes I wouldn't go around crashing into police cars while attempting to impress my friends. Yes, it happened recently. Check it out at NineMSN. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/14/New-Nurburgring-Record-697003 6/14/2013 10:08:00 AM WaytoFurious The Nurburgring has certainly been making a lot of headlines recently. One of the more recent ones is a new record that has been set by Mercedes. They have managed a lap time of just under 8 minutes. It was done in a SLS AMG Coupe. The really interesting thing about all this is that the Coupe is electric. Get the full story at the Age. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/13/Photo-of-the-Day-697262 6/13/2013 4:30:00 PM hcostino Today's Photo of the Day comes from dannyb36's Ride Profile. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/13/Supercar-Elite-Hopeful-697001 6/13/2013 3:23:00 PM WaytoFurious Over the years, there have been many contendors that have tried to join the supercar elite. Some have passed the test, while others have fallen by the wayside. One of the newest contendors is the Hypersport. It certainly looks great, but unfortunately, it might fall over on the price. You see one of these cars will cost you $3.3m. [more] That's a lot of money for a new model. Get the full story at NineMSN. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/13/-Caption-Contest--This-Week-s-Winner--697241 6/13/2013 12:10:00 PM hcostino The winner of this week's caption contest is JasonsDrivewith his entry of: "Well, he stuck the landing, but the East German judge will surely dock him for those skid marks." Check back tomorrow for the next Caption Contest photo! http://autoholics.com/2013/06/13/911-Cracks-Fifty-696999 6/13/2013 10:52:00 AM WaytoFurious Reaching 50 is an important milestone. It's hard to believe that the Porsche 911 has been in production since 1963! There have been a number of different designs and models over the years however the 911 has always stayed true to its origins. It is first and foremost a sports car. To celebrate Porsche are releasing a limited edition 50th anniversary model. The motor has received an upgrade and the car gets a number of other goodies. Get the full story at Gizmag. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/12/It-s-a-Zarft--696997 6/12/2013 4:48:00 PM WaytoFurious There is no doubt that the internet has made life better for car fanatics like myself. It seems that every other week I come across something unique and unusual. The example this week is the Zarft. Listed on E-bay recently the Zarft is one of two cars that were built back in ye olden days of motoring. The styling is unique, and looks like Porsche and GM decided to make a baby. What do you think? Cool or not? http://autoholics.com/2013/06/12/Photo-of-the-Day-697160 6/12/2013 4:47:00 PM hcostino Today's photo of the day comes from the MotorTrendFacebook. What do you think of the Lamborghini Urus crossover? http://autoholics.com/2013/06/12/-PSRA--Performance-Street-and-Race-Autoshow--2013-696911 6/12/2013 1:16:00 PM outffocus This long weekend in June saw the inaugural opening of the Performance Street and Race Autoshow, known as PSRA, come to fruition showcasing new cars, new performance products and a fantastic array of hi-performance showcars and bikes. This will become Australias version of SEMA, a similar event held in the United States, and will be an annual show utilizing the facilities at the Royal Melbourne Show grounds for hopefully many years to come. [more] Check out more pics on my Facebook site here http://autoholics.com/2013/06/12/-Maverick-Project-Fundraising-Fireballs-696897 6/12/2013 10:42:00 AM JasonsDrive This Viper V10 powered Ford Maverick project has been around for years and came very close to ending for good recently. Then it was suggested to me that crowd source funding might be the answer. It then became a question of how to "give back" if a project car gets monetary help from a group of people. The answer, document the build and finishing of the car in a video web series for all to see, then campaign the finished car for a year or so after completion to give rides and share the experience and then sell the vehicle at an auction and give the proceeds to the Red Cross. [more] Check the video for the fireballs and explanation and then go to the indiegogo website to get the full details on the campaign and see who else is involved! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-63739Tbc8 http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/viper-powered-maverick-for-a-good-cause http://autoholics.com/2013/06/11/-Photo-of-the-Day-697066 6/11/2013 5:17:00 PM hcostino Today's photo of the day comes from the National Parts Depot Facebook Page for this 1969 Chevy ad. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/11/Hayabusa-Powered-Golf-Cart--100--MPH-POV-Test-Drive-696746 6/11/2013 1:05:00 PM subaru-offroad If you are a gearhead, by now you've heard of the mythical creatures known as motorcycle engine swapped golf carts. Most of the time, people will throw a quick 750 motor in it and call it a day. Not this owner! Chris of Spring Hill, Florida went all out with a complete graphics kit, wheelie bar package, racing slicks,and full '99 Hayabusa drivetrain swap. [more]Consider this the ultimate country clubadrenaline tool, a machine designed for creating fun and raising pure hell. Enjoy the ride courtesy of POVtestdrive.com! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fw0oCFE2GQ] http://autoholics.com/2013/06/11/Midstate-Mopars-2013-696839 6/11/2013 11:11:00 AM WaytoFurious It is currently winter in my part of the world. And while I like the winter weather, unfortunately there aren't many car shows on at this time of year. Thankfully the drought was broken on Sunday when I attended the 2013 Midstate Mopars. Run by the Central Victorian Chrysler Club, this event celebrates everything that is great about Mopars. I really enjoyed myself and can't wait for the next show in 2014. More pics after the jump. [more] http://autoholics.com/2013/06/10/-Photo-of-the-Day-696959 6/10/2013 5:13:00 PM hcostino Today's Photo of the Day comes from xtrmS281's Ride Profile! http://autoholics.com/2013/06/10/The-Barn-Finds-Are-Out-There-696603 6/10/2013 2:36:00 PM WaytoFurious It was only a few days ago that we were talking about barn finds. I had a bit of time to kill over lunch today and I thought I would see what was available on the market. I hit Craigslist and eBay and came up with a few interesting contendors. However, the one that really caught my attention was this Daimlerthat wasbuilt in Coventry England. [more] Interestingly, they were know as the Daimler Dart when they were first sold in the US. Unfortunately, Chrysler did not like this so they were renamed the SP-250. So, what makes this a barn find? Well, it has been sitting in a garage since 1973 and needs a total restoration. So, have you come across any interesting barn finds lately? http://autoholics.com/2013/06/10/It-s-a-Fierro--not-a-Fiero-696601 6/10/2013 12:40:00 PM WaytoFurious The other day, I came across this Fierro on E-bay. It's not a Pontiac Fiero, but a totally different beast. This Fierro design was created by Joe Fierro. What's amazing about this is that Joe had no experience in building cars when he came up with the design. [more] However, he eventually developed a road going prototype which lead to his Fierro kit business. According to the article attached to the E-bay ad, the original had a chrome moly cage and VW floor pan. Interestingly the doors and windscreen came from a Pinto. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find out much more about Joe and what happened to his business. If you have some knowledge on this let us know. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/10/Bargain-of-the-Week--696533 6/10/2013 9:55:00 AM WaytoFurious Last week, we had the Avenger GT. This week, we have something totally different, in design and price. I came across this '32 Ford Coupe on eBay. If you have looked at the ad, you are probably wondering how I could possibly consider this to be a bargain when it has a price close to $47K. I think for some people it is a great bargain. Imagine that you have always wanted a hot rod and this has everything that you desire in a Ford Coupe. Then you have to ask yourself how much would it cost to build your dream, when you can simply buy it immediately? So what do you think? Is this our bargain of the week? http://autoholics.com/2013/06/07/-Photo-of-the-Day-696727 6/7/2013 4:08:00 PM hcostino Today's Photo of the Day comes fromSigurbjorn's Ride Profile! http://autoholics.com/2013/06/07/Supercar-Graveyard----Sad--but-True-696599 6/7/2013 2:24:00 PM WaytoFurious The GFC is only a few years behind us. However, every so often you can come across something that brings it all back. Case in point is this supercar graveyard in Dubai. A lot of the rich guys in Dubai lost their incomes because of the GFC. So, to lighten their load they simply walked away from the debts associated with their cars. [more] I can't believe that someone would simply leave these to rot in the desert. Get the full story at NineMSN. So, which one would you like? I have always liked these Jags. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/07/Caption-Contest--696719 6/7/2013 12:27:00 PM hcostino Come up with a caption for the picture below by 12PM PST next Thursday, June 13th. Whoever submits the funniest caption wins. Three entries per person max. Good luck! http://autoholics.com/2013/06/07/Porsche-Interested-in-Broadening-Their-Horizons-696531 6/7/2013 10:00:00 AM WaytoFurious A while back, we posted a story on the Porsche tractor. Yes, Porsche actually made and sold tractors. Well, it seems that Porsche are keen to broaden their scope of work. It has recently been announced that they have designed a car elevator for an exclusive ocean front development in Miami. Sure, car elevators are nothing new, but this has well-designed written all over it. Get the full story at Gizmag. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/06/Photo-of-the-Day-696661 6/6/2013 4:32:00 PM hcostino Today's Photo of the Day comes from Moorease's Ride Page! Check out his 1967 Volvo 122. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/06/Ahhhh--Those-Crazy-Russians-696479 6/6/2013 2:14:00 PM WaytoFurious It seems like the Russians just never stop giving with their dash cam footage. Check out this filmfrom the Russian police that shows what happens when a taxi driver fails in his escape attempt after bumping into another car. The interesting thing is that it was taken from his own dash cam. I found the ending to be very funny. Thanks to the Age for this one. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/06/-Caption-Contest--This-Week-s-Winner--696640 6/6/2013 12:12:00 PM hcostino The winner of this week's caption contest is 74Furyouswith his entry of: "Somewhere out there is a little old lady driving a shopping cart home." Check back tomorrow for the next Caption Contest photo! http://autoholics.com/2013/06/06/VW-It-s-Time-To-Clean-Up-Your-Act---696473 6/6/2013 10:24:00 AM WaytoFurious With my blogging and magazine writing, I have always tended to stay fairly A political. After all, we are talking about cars here, which isn't usually dramatic. However, sometimes I do come across something that is just plain wrong. [more] Case in point is VW Australia's treatment of some of its clients. The history of this goes back to the problems that VW has had with their DSG gearbox. They issued a recall for these in the US, but have failed to do so here in Australia. Levon Kara took on VW over this. He approached them about replacing his faulty car. However, he suddenly found VW was threatening to have him fired! You can get all the details at the Age. There are always to sides two every argument, however threatening to have someone sacked because they have issues with the lemon of a car that you supplied them with goes beyond the pale. My advice for VW Australia is this: fix the problems with your faulty gearboxes and more importantly, treat your clients with some damn respect! So what do you think? Have VW lost the plot with this? http://autoholics.com/2013/06/05/-Photo-of-the-Day-696571 6/5/2013 4:07:00 PM hcostino Today's Photo of the Day comes from Import Tuner's Face Book Page! http://autoholics.com/2013/06/05/Built-Ford-Tough--Oklahoma-Style-696563 6/5/2013 2:29:00 PM hcostino We usually hear "Built Ford Tough" and immediately enter a debate on whether or not Ford vehicles are reliable, safe, and worth the investment. This story from Oklahoma allows us to forget about the debate for a moment. Jack Haden, Jr.'s 2003 Ford Mustang seemed damaged beyond repair after the tornados hit the town of Moore. Instead, Jack and his friend Nick salvaged the vehicle and ended up creating an interesting attraction to uplift the spirits of the other people in their town. [more] Check out the story and see photos of the Mustang on Muscle Mustangs Fast Fords. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/05/Nurburgring-Crash-696475 6/5/2013 12:39:00 PM WaytoFurious Recently, we reported that the Nurburgring was up for sale. The great thing about this venue is that anyone can drive around it. All you need to do is show up and pay your entry fee. Unfortunately, it is a race track that can really bite back. You can check out some footage at Jalopnik of someone really getting 'spanked' by the Nurburgring. I just wonder what he told his insurance company. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/05/A-Bit-Of-Australian-Super-Car-History-696471 6/5/2013 10:36:00 AM WaytoFurious The good folk at NineMsn have come up with a list of Australian supercars that never made it in global sales. Check it out here, you might be surprised by some of the interesting designs. My favourite on the list is the Bolwell Nagari. Manufactured in the early 70s the Nagari had classic sports car styling. They used quite a few Ford parts in their construction. [more] Amongst these were the suspension components and a few different Ford power plants. Some classic cars like the Nagari cast a long shadow, and in 2008 while I was covering the Melbourne International Motor Show for CarDomain, I came across the new Nagari. These are a nice looking car powered by a supercharged V6. I dont know how their sales have gone but hopefully the legend will continue to live on. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/04/-Photo-of-the-Day-696432 6/4/2013 4:18:00 PM hcostino Today's Photo of the Day comes from Vette Magazine's Facebook page! http://autoholics.com/2013/06/04/-Bargain-Of-The-Week--696270 6/4/2013 2:34:00 PM WaytoFurious For those of you who don't know the Avenger GT was a kit car made by Fiberfab. They had their heyday in the early 70s. They sometimes appear on E-bay, like this one. It has a buy it now of $6,500. I honestly don't know what these are worth but this seems like a fairly good deal. After all you could always replace the VW power unit with one from Porsche. So what do you think? Is this our bargain of the week? http://autoholics.com/2013/06/04/It-s-an-Artero-696268 6/4/2013 12:44:00 PM WaytoFurious Can anyone tell me if there are any genuine Fieros left? All joking aside, it seems that everytime I check out the kit cars that are available on eBay there are one or two that are based on a Fiero. Some are good and some aren't. However, this Artero appears to be one of the better ones. Till today I had never heard of an Artero. All that I have been able to discover is that they are constructed from Fiberglass and use a lot of the donor Fiero parts. So what do you think, is this a car you could go for? I like it because it is unusual. [more] http://autoholics.com/2013/06/04/All-Electric-For-A-Good-Cause-696265 6/4/2013 10:32:00 AM WaytoFurious Let's be honest, battery powered cars still have a long way to go before they become players as a form of transport. In my part of the world, most of our electricity comes from brown coal, so I just smile and nod when people start telling me about the 'green' credentials that these cars have. However I have come across a battery powered project that I think is fantastic. The Minddrive project is aimed at teenagers who are at risk. Their most recent project was the restoration and electrification of this Karmann Ghia. Get the full story at Gizmag. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/03/-Photo-of-the-Day-696153 6/3/2013 4:34:00 PM hcostino Today's Photo of the Day is from Ely97prelude's Ride Profile. Check out this '08 Nissan 350Z! http://autoholics.com/2013/06/03/Classic-Barn-Finds-696263 6/3/2013 3:25:00 PM WaytoFurious I love hearing about classic barn finds. The idea that you could come across some piece of automotive gold that has been hidden away for years is an exciting one. Well, it is true that if you look long enough you are bound to find something. The folk at NineMSN have come up with an interesting list of valuable finds. Check it out here. So, what would your ultimate barn find be? http://autoholics.com/2013/06/03/Dangerously-Cheap-Can-Be-the-Safest-Bet----696242 6/3/2013 11:58:00 AM GTwildfire With about 225,000 miles on the odo and a top end tap, it was time for the Camry I bought a year ago for $650 to go, so I sold it for $480 last weekend. I had to do a couple of things to that car over the last 12 months, but all in all, the value of having owned that dirt cheap car was clearly evident. I immediately set out to do what I have done time and time again... to find the next vehicular vagabond... something that starts, drives, gets you there and manages to not stand out as a jalopy, at least not too much. [more]The usual tactics went into motion... search Craigslist used cars trucks - by owner, filter between $333 and $999 because it's easy to type... because I end up doing it frequently. Bargains - true bargains don't spend much time being available. Time, is not your friend when you want to buy a car for way under a grand that not only moves under it's own power, but does it well. Other sites I also frequented like Cars.com and the Ebay classifieds, but they simply don't handle nearly the volume of classifieds as Craigslist. One other tactic I employed that sometimes can make a difference... I posted a Wanted Ad as well.My last golden piece of advice to anyone else with little cash who needs a car... if you Email a seller who's offering something tempting... sound desperate. I'll be blunt about this, finding a bargain is cut-throat and if you're looking in that price range, you probably are desperate anyway...So this is what I reeled in, after four days: a 1993 Ford Taurus. Yes, it's not glamorous. No, it's not broken down. Yes, it's old. No, it's not expensive. Yes... it's paid in full and finally... No, I won't take a loss even if it did break down beyond repair. At $500, a mere $20 more than the Camry I sold, I bought a relatively healthy Taurus with over 50,000 fewer miles on it. Some of you may think this is a piece of crap, and when compared to okay, quite a few other cars you are right BUT across multiple consumer review websites this make, model, year got a pretty consistent 3.5 stars or a 7.5 out of 10 rating....for $20, I think the car was worth it. After all, the only thing I have to fix is the A/C... and the refrigerant alone will cost me more than the car did....and when it's time to find another, I might take a $150 loss. Then again, maybe I won't. http://autoholics.com/2013/06/03/Grid-2--Mono-Edition-696076 6/3/2013 9:48:00 AM WaytoFurious Recently, we covered the $140,000 F1 driving simulator. If you thought that was a good deal, then we have found one that is better. For only $200,000 you can be the proud owner of PC game Grid 2: Mono Edition. It sounds like a really bad deal till you realize that Codemasters, the game publisher, are also throwing in an actual car. Included with the game is a full sized driveable BAC Mono. These little pocket rockets are produced by the Briggs Automotive Company and come with a 2.3 litre, 285 bhp 4 cylinder motor. Not bad, but you can forget about carrying any passengers around as it is only a single seater. Also, you had better be quick as they only have one available. Get the full story at NineMsn. http://autoholics.com/2013/05/31/Photo-of-the-Day-696149 5/31/2013 3:46:00 PM hcostino Today's Photo of the Day goes to Saab96 for this photo of his 1976 Saab 99! Check out his ride profile here. http://autoholics.com/2013/05/31/-Caption-Contest--696225 5/31/2013 2:56:00 PM hcostino Come up with a caption for the picture below by 12PM PST next Thursday, June 7th. Whoever submits the funniest caption wins. Three entries per person max. Good luck! http://autoholics.com/2013/05/31/The-Kiss-Car-696070 5/31/2013 1:26:00 PM WaytoFurious I love the internet. It just keeps delivering automotive wonders to my in-tray. My friend Dave sent me this the other day. It's the Kiss car and can be found on E-bay. Essentially it is a 1970 VW that has been set up with a Kiss theme. I guess Gene Simmons would be pleased. I have to say that I have a sneaking suspicion that it might take some time before a buyer is found for this one. So what would you do with a Kiss car? I would love to drive up to Gene Simmons house just to see what his reaction would be. http://autoholics.com/2013/05/31/Rusty-Gold-696074 5/31/2013 10:11:00 AM WaytoFurious The other day, 74Furyoussent me a link to a cool Mopar website. I spent quite a bit of time checking out the Mopar Blog. However, the one picture that freaked me out was this Duster. Looking at it you would think that it had been in some horrible accident. Unfortunately, I think it was a worse fate, sometimes accident damage can be repaired, this can't! The car had been sitting in a damp garage for so long that it had rusted itself to death. This is the end result when they tried to pull it out. Check it out here. I think this is a total waste and could have been avoided. What do you think? Thanks for the tip 74. http://autoholics.com/2013/05/30/-Photo-of-the-Day-696151 5/30/2013 4:46:00 PM hcostino Today's Photo of the Day is from surfviking's Ride Profile featuring his 1973 Volvo 1800! http://autoholics.com/2013/05/30/-Caption-Contest--This-Week-s-Winner--696036 5/30/2013 1:57:00 PM hcostino The winner of this week's caption contest is JoeCool6972 with his entry of: "The designers realized the Mazda Miata Amphibian model was not working out as planned." Check back tomorrow for the next Caption Contest photo! http://autoholics.com/2013/05/30/Hiding-Places-695863 5/30/2013 11:26:00 AM WaytoFurious I have to be honest here and say that I am not a cat fan. I am more a dog person. However, I couldn't help feeling sorry for Princess, who belongs to Julie Tansley. Where this gets interesting is that Princess was lost for 2 weeks. The good news is that she was eventually found... in the engine bay of Julie's BMW! Apparently, she had been stuck in there the entire time. Princess was only discovered because she had clawed through a hose that had set off a warning light on the dashboard. Get the full story at the Express.