Depending on whom you might ask the Mustang is either a famed P-51 fighter plane of World War II, a free-roaming horse of the American West or Ford’s iconic car that represents speed, style and performance with its celebrated pony logo.
This time we are not only referring to the car but the galloping horse logo that embodies this legendary automobile.
It was in the mid-1960’s when this corralled badge first appeared and when the Ford Mustang was still considered a concept car.
Fast forwarding to the new generation, the 2018 Ford Mustang logo will also be surrounded in a chrome corral, signifying the Pony Package for the 2018 lineup offered with EcoBoost – equipped cars.
The new grille that features the pony in a corral is one of many appearance updates included with the Pony Package.
Other notable features include:
•19-inch polished aluminum wheels
•Bright beltline and window trim for fastback model
•Premium carpeted floor mats with Ebony embroidered pony logo
•Side stripes on lower body sides
•Tri-bar pony badge on rear decklid
The 2018 Mustang is due in showrooms this October.
If you are a fan of “Fast N Loud” you would certainly remember this 1963 Ford Falcon that was built by former master mechanic Aaron Kaufman. He built this car to be raced at the 100 year anniversary of the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb.
We were a bit surprised to hear that Aaron was leaving Gas Monkey Garage several months ago and equally surprised to hear that he is auctioning off one of his prized possessions.
The starting bid is only 1k but expected to go much higher, possibly reaching close to 100k.
According to Aaron on his eBay ad “This car was never a driver car it has always been a race car since its most recent build. The wear on the car is honest and reflects the use of the machine. This car has raced the Big Bend Open Road Race once and raced at ppihc three times now. it has been used at various other exhibition events as well.”
Do you own a classic car like a gull-wing Mercedes or 1967 Jaguar XKE? You could be paying too much money for inadequate coverage. If you already have a classic car or are thinking of getting one, take a look at these pointers to help you navigate the maze of insurance:
Standard policies won’t help
Insuring a classic car with a standard auto policy is a serious mistake for different reasons. For one, standard insurance is based on the idea that a car’s total value will depreciate with time.
But classic cars are like old wine, and its value is likely to appreciate, particularly if you have a restoration in mind. You really don’t want to get a depreciated value if something happens to your Chevrolet Bel Air. However, if you take a standard cover, that’s usually what you’ll get.
Lack of Standardization for Classic Car Definitions
There is a frustrating lack of standardization when it comes to categorizing classic cars, collectibles, antiques, and vintage models. If you already know what type of vehicle you want, you will have to check with each insurance company you are considering.
Wish there was a better answer, but the reality is that some companies say the car should be over 20 years old, others over 36, and some have multiple categories. Our best recommendation is to have headache medicine within reach during this process.
Driving and Storing Your Classic Car
You hopefully already have a cozy garage equipped with all the special tools and items you’ll need to baby your classic car. Avoid storing it anywhere else, but if you have to be sure to cover and protect it as much as possible. You’ll have to tell an insurance company where you’ll be storing it, and how often you’ll be driving it.
It’s cheaper than you think Why?
Because insurance companies are mainly looking at the total value of your classic car and how it’s going to be used. If you are going to be driving the Chevy Bel Air (which you inherited from Aunt Mabel) only in auto shows and to and from car parades, the chance of slamming into another car or getting T-boned on the expressway is pretty meek. These cheap policies usually come with a lot of caveats, however.
Find Out What Disqualifies You for Insurance Coverage
You’ve no doubt been comparing the types of coverage offered on your classic car for the best deal, but don’t forget to ask about the types of things that are not covered. If you plan to modify it, for instance, it could disqualify you from getting insured.
This beautiful 1964 Ford Thunderbird was spotted in Frisco, TX. I was headed to a local business and saw this machine in my peripheral vision. At this point, my eyes and instincts are pretty much trained to hunt and find unique cars during my daily routine.
What I like about this car are the nice long hood and sculptured side panels; the front-end specifically has a very distinguished and aggressive look with chrome for days wrapped around the double headlights, grille, and bumper.
This Tbird has details everywhere you look; notice the fender-top mounted turn indicators and the ultra-cool and prominent scoop which is about halfway back on the hood with T H U N D E R B I R D spread across the front leading edge of the hood.
At first glance, the car appeared to be all original, perhaps with one repaint since it rolled off of the assembly line back in ’64. It was pretty much rust free with the exception of one small spot I noticed on the rear quarter panel.
It really didn’t matter from which angle I looked at this Thunderbird, even the rear-end was packed with intricate details. The taillights were large and rectangular, which covered probably more than half of the bumper.
The T-Bird’s trunk panel insert between the lights was chrome and spelled out “THUNDERBIRD” with two chrome emblems mounted in the center of each lens. The lens itself appeared to be in good condition with no breaks or cracks.
I couldn’t really capture the interior because the windows were up and the reflection on the glass made it hard to photograph. However, what I did see was amazing. The interior had a very clean, fresh look, complete with a linear speedometer; and the controls, instruments, and gauges were positioned so they are easily accessible for both the driver and passenger.
On his small Island of Jamaica, Usain Bolt is known for his love of cars and owns quite a few. On the World stage, he is known to be the world’s fastest man and has often been gifted and aligned with some of the fastest cars ever made #ForeverFaster.
In celebration of his Olympic win yesterday we gathered a few pictures of this Car Guy and some of his automobile escapades:
YOKOHAMA, Japan- Jamaica’s multiple gold medal winner Usain Bolt stopped at Nissan’s GranDrive testing track and Yokohama headquarters Thursday, bringing his record-making speed and excitement to Japan.Mark Gutherie Photography
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For those of you that know the 2015 Mustang GT, you already know that even the stock version has significant upgrades that can blow away it’s competition. And for those of you who know Certified Car Guy Harrison, you know that not all GT’s are created equal.
Harrison’s drop dead gorgeous storm trooper white Mustang looks amazing from every angle. His custom pony caught my attention as I strolled my timeline the other day, and I was compelled to meet the owner and ask his permission to post it here.
Check out some of his pics:
Custom powder coated candy copper wheels.
This Stallion has a few extra goodies but not over-done, for example, Harrison took his air management to the next level with an Air Lift Performance suspension system.
Additionally, he’s rolling on XO Luxury modern split-five wheels that are custom powder coated candy copper to match his air tank in the trunk; which is sitting on a custom hardwood floor.
Enough from us, we’re going to let the pics do the talking.
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There are few sports cars that spark the imagination like Ferrari and that has a lot to do with the sleek design and of course the powerful nature of these sports cars. Ferrari’s a company that’s been gracing the roads of the world for almost 80 years now and it’s a company that’s had a colorful history that continues to be written every day.
It represents everything we expect from an Italian sports car company and having the chance to drive a Ferrari is on a lot of people’s bucket list. Here’s a closer look at how Ferrari’s making the news these days.
Historic Ferrari up for Auction after 50 Years
One of the earliest Ferraris to capture our imagination was the 1950 Ferrari 166 MM and it turns out one of these has been sitting in a garage for over 50 years unused. In 1966 it was purchased by an American university student by the name of Darren Westfaul and after driving it for a couple of years he ended up storing it away in his garage until 2007.
He then donated it to the University of Alabama and now it’s about to go on auction for an estimated $8 million. That’s even more impressive when you consider the fact that this car needs to be totally refurbished inside as it’s currently in a state of considerable disrepair.
Ferrari Racing in Crisis
Ferrari has a proud history in the racing world but it’s recently been experiencing a downturn in its fortunes. Mercedes has overtaken it at the pinnacle of the racing world and it faces some upheaval on its team as well. Recently the technical director James Allison left the team after the death of his wife.
He’s been replaced by Mattia Binnoto and while he seems to be doing a competent job he hasn’t been able to fully revive Ferrari’s fortunes just yet.
The Practical Ferrari
On a positive note, you might be surprised to know that Ferrari now offers what it calls a practical car. Don’t get me wrong it’s still a Ferrari so it’s not practical in the same sense as your father station wagon, but it may change the way you look at Ferrari.
The GTC4 Lusso is the first Ferrari to offer an all-wheel-drive hatchback alternative that can actually seat four adults. It’s a spacious car with lots of legroom and a ton of trunk room. You may never get the chance to sit in the back of a Ferrari, but at least it’s now possible that they have a hatchback model with rear seats.
Ferrari off Kobe Bryant’s Bucket List
Perhaps one of the most fun and interesting stories of Ferrari in the news in the last little while is the decision by former NBA basketball star Kobe Bryant to set off on a visit to Ferrari’s factory in Italy for a personal tour.
Apparently, it’s something that had always been on his bucket list and as part of that tour he got a chance to test drive a Ferrari F12 TDF on their world-famous test track. It’s probably something that’s on a lot of our bucket lists, but not something that many of us will get a chance to actually do so we’ll have to live vicariously through Kobe for the moment.
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Automobile maintenance is probably one of the most often overlooked parts of owning a car. Today’s complicated vehicles have more moving parts than ever.
Even though they tend to be much more reliable than in years past, they still don’t take care of themselves. Certain things have to be replaced or adjusted as time goes on.
Whether you do it yourself or take it to a mechanic is up to you. But if left ignored, vehicle maintenance quickly turns into prohibitively expensive vehicle repairs.
Fortunately, whether you drive an old clunker or one of the world’s greatest sports cars, there are lots of relatively inexpensive things you can do to keep your car running reliably for many years to come.
Don’t forget to check your vehicle owner’s manual. This guide is not meant to replace its factory-specified maintenance schedule.
Drivetrain maintenance
There’s a lot of confusion about how to keep your vehicles power system in tip top shape. Truthfully, for most vehicles, there isn’t a whole lot to it.
One of the most common causes of internal drivetrain damage is a lack of lubrication. Be sure to change all your car’s fluids regularly. Whether it’s the engine, the transmission, or one of countless other miscellaneous drivetrain components, if it has fluid inside, it must be changed periodically.
Another common cause of engine damage is broken belts. Most engines have two belts. One for engine timing and another to power it’s support systems.
If either one of these fail while running it can cause major, sometimes permanent damage. Replacing these belts before they break costs pennies on the dollar compared to engine repair or replacement.
Suspension maintenance
Modern car suspensions are based largely on ball and socket type joints. Once these wear out, much of the car’s suspension has to be overhauled and realigned. In many cases, the joints can be greased without any disassembly required. If done regularly, this simple procedure costs almost nothing and can drastically increase the lifespan of your vehicle suspension system.
Brakes
Brakes are made of consumable materials. Period. There’s no way around it. By design, major components grind together in an effort to create as much friction as possible.
It’s like dragging your shoes to stop a bicycle. Eventually, all the rubber wears off your sneakers. When this happens with brake components the consequences can be devastating.
And while having your brakes serviced by a professional can cost many hundreds of dollars, it’s cheaper than repairing crash damage, paying medical bills, and losing lawsuits. Think about it.
Automotive maintenance and repairs are a couple of things you can toss a nearly unlimited amount of money at. Even more so, if you ignore them entirely.
Summary
While by no means is this an all-inclusive guide to maintaining a car, the ideas outlined above can add many years of service life to you and you vehicle with a minimal financial investment. Few of us can afford to just throw money away, but that doesn’t mean we can get away with never spending ANY of it either.
Next time you get the chance, take the opportunity to fix up your car a little bit. All the people you share the road with will thank you. And your trusty transportation, whether it’s a hot rod, an exotic supercar, or an old rustbucket you got from the guy down the street, just might last longer than you ever thought possible.
