'52 Peterbuilt COE, one of 20 built this way, restored impeccably, and wonderfully displayed at the Art Center College Car Classic 2012

I find this very cool, a COE which you long time readers know I have a fixation on, an old semi which I also get a kick out of, and a lot to learn that I hadn't known (last image) that ties together the Fageol and Peterbuilt truck companies

I like the way it's draped over this small hill, showing it's articulation. I might be in the minority on that...  but the implied motion versus a flat parking lot setting is something I prefer

Bumpers need extra protection in some cases nowadays, due to things like expensive back up sensors and fewer insured motorists along the Mexico border

Here in San Diego, being in a collision caused by an insured car owner is known as winning the lotto. That's how rare it is to have the other person be insured, and not a hit and run that will never be found by the cops

I learned about it, and got the above photo from Autowriters.com monthly newsletter this photo taken in front of the Castle of Carovigno (Castelo Dentice di Frasso) in the province of Brindisi, in the region of Puglia, Italy
Jeff Mohr is happy to pass along this photo from over seas for his Superbumper: "We have lots of employees getting rear ended on a regular basis. I am putting them on all our office vehicles. The 4” model on my personal vehicle has been “bumped” numerous times with no damage (to my vehicle at least)," Thad Osterhout, American Embassy, Dakar, Senegal, Africa. 

the B-24 in Balboa Park, next to the Veterans Museum and memorial

this a 1/4 scale B-24. 

They were made in San Diego by the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, (Convair) which had been created by Rueben H Fleet (who has a science center in Balboa park named for him due to his focus on math and science for students, and he also was pivotal in getting the air and space museum going in Balboa Park (like New Yorks Central Park)) who moved testing airplanes from snowy New York state  to San Diego.

Another reason he chose San Diego to relocate Consolidated to, was that he had been sent to San Diego in 1911 while in the Natl Guard

Rueben was a Major in the Air Corps of the Army, training pilots, when in 1918 he was put in charge of the airmail service, and had it up and running between New York and Wash DC in time and on schedule. He was featured on the cover of Time Magazine, Nov 17th, 1941 when he became an advisor to the president

an astonishing source of info about cars you've never heard of, The Petrol Stop.com

I browsed through for info about the next post, a VW SP2, and while I was looking around I found numerous cool and unusual cars I've never heard of, like the Monica 560 (Which was built with mopar 340's) , gold plated Deloreans (American Express specials) , the Monteverdi Hai, the Ford GT 90 and lots more

http://www.thepetrolstop.com

Want your pre 1980's car to have the right era license plate, if you are in California.. it's now possible. Law AB 1658 has passed and the DMV will stamp out the vintage plates as far back as the 1950's Yellow plate with black letters

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2012/10/california-dmv-vintage-license-plates.html

For an extra $50, California car enthusiasts will soon be able to order vintage license plates, including the black plates with yellow lettering issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles in the 1960s, thanks to action taken by Gov. Jerry Brown.

 Among the hundreds of bills signed by the governor last week, AB 1658 is aimed at Californians who restore and drive vintage automobiles, as well as residents who are just nostalgic for the good old days.

 Other plates to be offered after Jan. 1 include those used in the 1950s, with a yellow background and black lettering, and those issued in the 1980s, with a blue background and yellow lettering.

 The DMV will only produce one of the designs once 7,500 applications have been received for that design statewide.

racers tricks to make a factory Talladega even more aerodynamic

Magazine rack companies and locations to get your car magazines!

try google and looking for magazine stands http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=magazine+stand&find_loc=San+Diego%2C+CA

Lots of info about the Gourmet Food Vans was just published

these photos are from a gallery I posted http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/04/gourmet-feed-trucks-were-gathered-to.html when I accidentally came across a event they were all at.

But Pacific Magazine just published a good list of the vans, the gatherings (many!) and you can find that info at http://www.pacificsandiego.com/2012/08/20/reinventing-the-meal/


Each of 25 different vans can be accessed by twitter for schedules, locations, times etc... by using the @ symbol and then van name. Go to that link above, and you can read about the different cuisine from the vans. To make it simple, I clipped the gatherings list, and posted it below. Just try it out, and enjoy!

 Hell, you like to eat don't you?

Where and when to find gatherings of food trucks

MONDAYS
What the Truck?
5:30-9 p.m.
at Mira Mesa High School
8460 Mira Mesa Blvd., Mira Mesa

TUESDAYS
Pacific Meet Up
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
5800 block of Pacific Center Blvd., Sorrento Valley

La Mesa Meet Up
5:30-8:30 p.m.
at Best Buy
8401 Fletcher Pkwy., La Mesa

Tasty Truck Tuesdays
6-9 p.m.
at Smitty’s Auto
3441 Adams Ave., Normal Heights

WEDNESDAYS
Happy Hump Day Food Truck Gathering
5-8 p.m.
at The Lost Abbey
155 Mata Way, San Marcos

Eastlake Gathering
5:30-8:30 p.m.
at Eastlake Design District
871 Showroom Pl., Chula Vista

THURSDAYS
Food Truck Thursdays
5:30-8:30 p.m.
at Innovations Academy
6154 Mission Gorge Rd., Scripps Ranch

Mission Valley Gathering
5:30-8:30 p.m.
at Mission Valley Resort
875 Hotel Circle S., Mission Valley

Food Truck Thursdays
5-9 p.m.
at Boomer’s
6999 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont

FRIDAYS
Friday Foodie Fest
6-9 p.m.
1060 South Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas

Food Truck Friday on Park
4-7:30 p.m.
4353 Park Blvd., University Heights

La Mesa Food Fest
5-8 p.m.
7871 University Ave., La Mesa

SATURDAYS
Barnard Food Truck Meet Up
4-7 p.m.
2930 Barnard St., Sports Arena

Memo #64, or, did you know that the 1970 Plymouth Superbird was not legal to register in Maryland because of the lack of a front bumper?

rental car news

Hertz gets green lit to acquire Dollar and Thrifty car rental companies, which will build it to the 2nd largest car renting company with 720,000 cars, and 20% of the market

Enterprise is the worlds largest, with 1.2 million cars, 40% of the market

Enterprise also owns Alamo and National Car rental.

So if you are looking to research who has the best rates, it might follow that the Hertz companies are less expensive than the Enterprise companies.

The other big rental car company is the Avis group, with %18.5 of the market

Hertz has been in business since 1918, and Enterprise since 1957 has only been run by the original boss, and turned it over to his son.

info via http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/sep/09/hertz-deal-no-roadblock-to-enterprise-analysts/

Once, Indy cars were towed to the grid with lawn and garden riding lawnmower tractors

thanks Jay!

Auto theft in the USA infographic

this might only be large enough to be useful on the original site,
http://www.transportgooru.com/2012/06/an-infographic-view-of-auto-theft-in-the-united-states/

Motorcycle safety in England infographic

found on  http://www.transportgooru.com/2012/05/british-motorcycle-safety-infograph/  and you may need to go to the original to read the damn thing. I can't seem to make it a legible size.

the car radio quick reference timeline

found on http://www.transportgooru.com

Why airlines are opposed to cell phones or electronics on airplanes

found on http://www.transportgooru.com 

Highway signs increasing visibilty 20% by changing their font slightly

increasing the size of the letters a little makes them easier to read from farther away, learned about it in Autoweek, August 6 2012 issue

the 'Ring is bankrupt. Nurburgring filed last Wednesday

The Rhineland Palatinate state government had asked the Commission to pump €13 million into the firm as part of a rescue package which would also seee the firm would defer payment on a €330 million loan from a state-owned bank.

 But European competition authorities refused to approve the plan and the firm which owns the track will now go into administration. Administrators will then soon be responsible for all contracts, whether this be with Bernie Ecclestone for the Formula 1 races or with concert organiser Marek Lieberberg for the Rock am Ring festival.

 European authorities are already in the midst of checking whether more than €500 million has been funnelled into the racetrack and leisure complex in contravention of competition rules.

 The Rhein Zeitung said that tax payers should expect to pay heartily for the situation, as the entire complex is said to be only worth €126 million – according to a study compiled by Ernst & Young for the state.

 The figures show the firm is €413 million in debt, including €330 million borrowed from the state-owned bank and €83 million to share-holders, the paper said. The state could end up sitting on debts of around €287 million.
http://www.thelocal.de/sport/20120718-43811.html

Aviation Museums in California

links at http://www.aero-web.org/museums/ca.htm

stats and analysis of supercar registration in the UK

found on http://nitroaddiction.co.uk/2011-supercar-registrations/ where DK has analysed what is going on with supercars, it's good reading

"official vehicle of America(tiny little 3 over the last a)"

in 1992, Chevrolet sponsored the America's Cup yacht America³ and so were able to designate the Corvette the "official vehicle of America^{3 "}

So it's a small little thing that might be overlooked when you read the big headline "Official vehicle of America". Nice advertising gimmick.