Archive for December, 2007

Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale AZ auction is just around the corner.  Here’s what we can expect.

General Break down total of all cars:
# of Mopar      115
# of GM          460
# of Ford        267

# Of cars (Muscle cars only)
Car Model                                 # Of Cars
BARRACUDA                           4
CAMARO                                 19
CAMARO INDY PACE CAR       1
CAMARO RS                            3
CAMARO RS/SS                      13
CAMARO SS                            8
CAMARO Z/28                          10
CAMARO Z/28 RS                    1
CHALLENGER                          1
CHALLENGER R/T                    6
CHALLENGER SRT8                 1
CHARGER                                2
CHARGER R/T                          3
CHEVELLE                               10
CHEVELLE COPO                    1
CHEVELLE LS6                        2
CHEVELLE LS6 SS                   3
CHEVELLE MALIBU                  1
CHEVELLE MALIBU SS            3
CHEVELLE SS                         15
CHEVELLE SS 396                   12
COBRA                                     6
COBRA 427                              4
CORONET R/T                          3
CORVETTE                               97
CUDA                                       10
CUDA AAR                               4
CUTLASS                                 2
CUTLASS 442                           2
CUTLASS SUPREME                2
DAYTONA                                 2
DUSTER                                   1
EL CAMINO                               2
EL CAMINO SS                         2
FIREBIRD                                 4
FIREBIRD TRANS AM                2
GS                                            1
GSX                                          2
GT                                            1
GT350                                       12
GT350 H                                    2
GT500                                       10
GT500 E                                    1
GT500 KR                                 5
GT500 SR                                 1
GTO                                          22
GTO JUDGE                              5
GTX                                           3
HEMI CHALLENGER                  3
HEMI CHALLENGER R/T            1
HEMI CHARGER 500                  2
HEMI CHARGER R/T                  2
HEMI CUDA                               6
HEMI GTX                                  1
MUSTANG                                 33
MUSTANG 428 CJ                      3
MUSTANG 428 SCJ                    2
MUSTANG BOSS 302                 3
MUSTANG BOSS 429                 4
MUSTANG COBRA SVT              1
MUSTANG FR500C                     1
MUSTANG GT                             9
MUSTANG GTA                           1
MUSTANG MACH 1                     6
MUSTANG ROUSH STAGE 3       1
NOVA                                         6
NOVA SS                                    6
NOVA SS 396                             1
ROAD RUNNER                          10
SHELBY GT500                          1
SHELBY GT500 KR                     1
SHELBY GT-H                            1
SUPERBIRD                               4
THUNDERBIRD                           38
THUNDERBIRD ‘E’                       4
THUNDERBIRD ‘F’                       1
TRANS AM                                 3

Here are cars from the TV show “Monster Garage” that are for sale.  Please pardon any customer cars mixed in here:
Here are the vehicles:
Lot #         Year      Car Make            Car Model                       Car Style
61            1997      FORD                  F-150                            “NUT-SHAKER”
62            1969      ROLLS-ROYCE    SILVER SHADOW         “SEWAGE SUCKER”
64            1975      DATSUN                                            “HONEY BEE DRIFTER”
65            1992      HONDA               CIVIC                             “NITRO”
66            1929      FORD                  ROADSTER                   “HIGH SCHOOL T-TRACK”
67            1986      CHRISCRAFT                                           STEAM POWERED BOAT
68            1964      LINCOLN             CONTINENTAL               “OPEN ROAD RACER”
69            1959      CHEVROLET                                            DAIRY TRUCK “MILK BOMB”
70            1945      JEEP WILLYS                                          “ARMY TRACTOR PULL”
71            1996      LINCOLN             TOWNCAR                    “FIRE TRUCK LIMO”
72            2004      ULTRA SHADOW PICKLE-FORK               “JET BOAT CAR”
73            1972      PETERBILT                                              “TRUCK ENGINE TRIKE”
74            1998      FORD                  CROWN VICTORIA        “DOUGHNUT SHOP/COP CAR”
75            1990      FORD                  MUSTANG                    “SWITCHBLADE”
430           2005                                                                “BAJA 1000 TROPHY TRUCK”
430.1        1950      FORD                  WOODY                       “SURFMOBILE”
431           1963      INTERNATIONAL                                     “FIRE TRUCK BREWERY”
431.1        1988      CHEVROLET       BLAZER                        “PIKE’S PEAK HILL CLIMBER”
432           1981      FERRARI             308 GTS                       “PASTA FERRARI”
432.1        2005      MX2                                                         “GEORGIA HS JR DRAGSTER”
433          1975      CHEVROLET        CAMARO                      “DIRT TRACK CAMARO”
434          1970      FORD                   RANCHERO                  “LOW BULL RIDER”
434.1       1994      FORD                   EXPLORER                   “WHITE TRASH TRUCK”
435       1981      CADILLAC             FLEETWOOD               “QUARTER MILE CADILLAC”
435.1       2003     TOYOTA                CELICA                        “JET CAR”
435.2       0           GMC                     LYONS RAIL                “HOT DOGSTER”
435.3          2002      CHRYSLER           PT CRUISER                “WOOD CHIPPER”
435.4          1993      CHEVROLET        IMPALA                        “ZAMBONI ZAMPALA”
1264        2004      PANOZ                ESPERANTE                 “THE FLYING CAR”
1264.1     1996      CHEVROLET        IMPALA
1265        2003      CADILLAC            ESCALADE ESV          “TAILGATER”
1265.1     1973      CHEVROLET        CORVETTE                   “MUD BOGGER”
1265.2     1951      CADILLAC                                                “COOL DADDY CADDY”
1531        1954      FORD                  WAGON CUSTOM         “ALL STAR BUILD”
1532        2005      DODGE                MAGNUM                     “TRAIN CAR”
1533        1996      CHEVROLET        IMPALA
1533.1     1954      CADILLAC            CUSTOM                       “HEARSE REVISITED”
1534        1982      ZIMMER               GOLDEN SPIRIT            “LOG SPLITTER”
1535        1994      CHEVROLET        SUBURBAN                   “WEDDING CHAPEL”
1536        1984      PORSCHE            944                               “GOLF BALL COLLECTOR”
1536.1     1999      REYNARD            CHAMPIONSHIP CAR     “STREETLINE PAINTER”

So, we’ve all been thinking that we’ll be seeing a 2009 Camaro this fall. Turns out that we’ll see a 2010 Camaro going into production February of 2009.

I’ve been pretty harsh about how this car has a hint of retro, but isn’t retro enough for me. An interesting point was brought up by a co-worker of mine after I brought up that the Mustang looked like an old one, and the Challenger, looks like an old one.

TJ said, “So what will the next Mustang look like, another old one?”

Good point. How do you take something old and carry it forward and build from that platform. Are we destined to see 3 or 4 more years of a 67 Mustang? Although I really liked the Mach-1 fastbacks, I don’t think that’s where they’ll go next.

Then the conversation came right back to the Camaro. Yes, it has retro touches, but as you can see from the spy photo, the “hips” are almost gone.

The rear quarter panel “gills” are there, and the b-pillar is nice and hidden, along with keeping that “<” angle at the rear of the drivers & passengers windows.

I’m disappointed that it doesn’t look like a 1st gen Camaro, but TJ is right, there is no way that they could build off the 5th gen and have it evolve just like the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gens did.

Think about it.

And while you’re thinking, WHERES’ THE 5th GEN T/A?!?!?!

-Scott

Up until Wednesday I was just miffed at this. My lovely wife who I love dearly bought me a book about muscle cars (I’ll re-edit this with the book & author info). This book is excellent because it goes through the lifespan of the car and shows the photos of each year and the changes that took place. Blah blah blah woof woof woof.

Here’s the deal. As I’m paging through I’m noticing things I hadn’t noticed before.

When I came across the Ford GT, I saw these two photos:

And then I saw this picture:

The top photo is of the 1966 Ford GT40. The second photo is of the modern 2003-2006 Ford GT.

Do you notice the differences? I did. Mainly there are very few.

Then, I saw the photos of the Ford Thunderbird, both from the 50’s & 60’s and the modern one that was re-launched in 2002 and discontinued in 2005.

Then I saw photos if the Dodge Challenger from 1970-73… And looked at the online photos of the 2008 concept.

Then I thought about the Camaro. And the GTO.. And then I got upset.

To properly compete with your competition, sometimes it’s necessary to emulate them a little. The more I thought about that, the more I felt that GM needs to emulate Ford & Dodge a heck-of-a-lot more.

Personally I feel that the GTO was a great car for the people who wanted a rear wheel drive, v8 powered Grand Am. Yes, the power train is really well designed as well as the interior, but when you wrap gold with poop, all people see poop.

So then I looked more closely at the 69 Camaro and the 2009. Yes there are several points of interest (I won’t say similarities) but it’s not a retro car… Again, my opinion.

From being in the news over the past 2 years, I also (in my opinion) feel that if one was to compare the Camaro to a Texas Hold’em game, GM is going ‘all in’ with a King and a 10 on the pre-flop.

Vehicles with a high profit margin like the Cadillac, Tahoe, and several other models. This money will keep the water and the lights on if they go bust on the Camaro. If they choose not to go into production with the Volt, I think they will be in serious trouble.

I see a lot of good things that could happen with the Volt.

My work commute is almost 3 miles each direction, which is another reason why the T/A will be a daily driver (sans rain, snow, ice, etc), so the Volt is totally a vehicle I’ll look into. Unless of course my 6′7″ self won’t fit, then I sure hope they come out with an electric Trailblazer.

-Scott