E N D L E S S R O A D
Road Chatter XXXVIII
Shop: 301-497-0369
FAX: 301-497-3690
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IN THIS ISSUE
* Car-Guy Trivia Questions
* Give Away
* Formula 1
* Bits and Pieces
* Car-Guy Trivia Answers
* 10% Off Purchases For Your Trivia Questions
==================== ** ====================
Car-Guy Trivia (answers are later in this email)
1) What American car was called a 'Jelly Bean', Flying Spud, and 'Gel Tab'
when it first came out in 1986?
2) What company was the only US manufacturer to successfully switch from
horse-drawn to gasoline-powered vehicles?
3) What vehicle was named after an American Indian symbol for Power,
Action,
Beauty, and Youth?
A- Ford Thunderbird
B- Plymouth Fury
C- Pontiac Firebird
D- Toyota Tacoma
4) Who was the first person to drive a motor car across the country?
Why did he do it?
When did he do it?
What did he drive?
Who made the trip with him?
(Some questions are easy, this one is not, but I like it.)
5) Last issue, we asked: What rock group got its name from a fire engine
made by the creator of a popular American automobile that recently went
belly up?
We had the answer: The rock group is REO Speedwagon, who can thank Ransom
E.
Olds for their name. We all know Mr. Olds as the creator of the
Oldsmobile.
Our friend Jay D. came back with another group. Do you know that one? It's
not a rock group.
--- Retreads ---
These last three questions are from over two years ago. If you remember
them
from before, consider this a memory test.
6) Before there were fast and powerful cars, if you thought of speed, you
thought of the mighty railroad trains that roared across this country.
Walter started his career working with the railroads, but through hard
work
and enthusiasm he built an automobile and business bearing his name.
Although his namesake lives on, his company was purchased by one of the
finest luxury car manufacturers of the world. Who is Walter?
7) Which of the Big Three was the first to reach out to short drivers with
an adjustable brake pedal in 2002?
8) They originated with the 1953 Motorama Buick Wildcat II. They then
graced
the sides of the 1955 LaSalle II show car, these "scalloped inserts",
looking as if the sides of the body had been carved out with a giant ice
cream scoop. They finally made it into production on the front fenders of
the '56 to '62 Corvette. What was the styling term Chevrolet chose to name
these inserts?
==================== ** ====================
* Give Away
Our regulars know that last month, we had an AMG T-shirt from AutoWeek to
give away. We are happy to say Ben H from Joppa won the shirt.
This month, we have another goody for one of you, our regular newsletter
readers. The video RENDEZOUS is a very short, very intense film. One you
will watch over and over. Oscar winner, Claude Lelouch mounted a camera on
the front of his Ferrari 275GTB for a very fast, very illegal run flat out
from one side of Paris to the other through morning traffic. No special
effects, no stunt people, no blocked off streets. No police assistance, no
police were invited. What you see is as it was run.
The VHS sold for $49.95. Now we have it on DVD for $29.95. We are giving
our
last VHS version to one of you, our regular newsletter readers, who makes
a
purchase this month. Good Luck.
==================== ** ====================
Formula 1
The FIA has a tentative suggestion for the F1 rules starting in 2008:
- All actuators and sensors will be specified and monitored by FIA
- Standardized FIA approved ECU with FIA approved software
- Standardized FIA specified control system wiring loom connectivity
- Standardized FIA approved single tire supplier
- Standardized FIA approved brakes.
- Standardized FIA approved gear ratios, final drive ratios and
differentials
Has Max been taking notes from NASCAR?
2005 Formula 1 World Championship
Sept. 25 Brazil (Interlagos)
October 9 Japan (Suzuka)
October 16 China (Shanghai International Circuit)
==================== ** ====================
* Bits and Pieces
SBD
There was a series of racing that totally intrigued me when I was a kid.
But, once I hit 16, my interest waned a bit. Thankfully, Soap Box Derby
racing has continued on and, apparently, is doing quite well.
Washington D.C. has had a race for 64 years. For the last 14 years, they
have run on Capital Hill. The cars are no longer wooden wonders built in
the
basement. They come as kits now and are reusable year to year.
There are several major races within driving distance from the DC area.
The
largest All American Soap Box Derby in the US lately has been
Fredericksburg, VA. Waynesboro, VA is also very large. There are also
races
in Frederick, Federalsburg and Leonardtown MD.
This was all sent to us by our friend, Mike Harrigan. Mike is the
volunteer
Marketing/PR Director of the DC event. In 2006, he hopes to have a float
in
the Cherry Blossom parade. They built a float at his home in Columbia MD
that was used in the National Memorial Day Parade.
They are looking for someone to take over the membership director
position,
maintain the membership database and receive the email from the web site,
attend 2 meetings per year, and of course the race.
For you SCCA guys, Mike is also looking for info on the RFID system used
at
Summit Point.
Here are a few links if you are interested:
Greater Washington D.C. Soap Box Derby http://dcsoapboxderby.org
A news article: http://www.gazette.net/200532/newmarket/news/289047-1.html
http://www.soapbox.fredericksburg.us/content.cfm?cont_uid=1
Waynesboro web site: http://www.brsoapbox.com/
National Web Site: All American Soap Box Derby http://aasbd.org
If you are interested in being involved, call Mike. They are always
looking
for help at the races. And it is a good clean sport for a company to be
involved in as a sponsor. It is not that expensive. A sponsor could
provide
funds for one or more car kits at $400 each. Or you could be one of the
events sponsors. Sponsorship like this is great for a group like Moose or
Kiwanis.
Mike Harrigan, after 4pm at 410-531-5268.
***
We want to thank Dan McCrary for letting us carry his beautiful line of
prints.
In Dan's Catalog's words:
Combining a photo-realist approach to watercolor technique with a unique
and
adventurous sense of composition, Dan McCrary applies his vision to a wide
variety of automotive subjects. The Development of reflection and shine
can
be played to the maximum on one piece, and then he shifts into another
gear
to depict in amazing detail the rust and pitted chrome of an aging
derelict.
In my words, I think his stuff is neat. Check him out in our Posters and
Prints section.
***
For you Brit Car guys, Dan told me he just bought a new Lucas vacuum
cleaner. It's the only thing Lucas makes that doesn't suck.
***
Sightings
The new Dodge Magnum can come equipped with a pretty hot engine, if you
watch the commercials. We saw one on the beltway the other day, the tag
was:
YES IT DZ
==================== ** ====================
Our regulars know we used to provide a list of all the local Street Rod
Gatherings. We dropped it when it got too big and it never changed from
month to month. We still have the list, if you are interested, send us a
note and we will email it to you. Plus, if you know of any street rod
gatherings we should add to the list, send that too.
==================== ** ====================
Car-Guy Trivia Answers
1) Because of its gelatinous shape, the Ford Taurus was given many
derogatory names when it first came out.
2) The only US manufacturer to successfully switch from horse-drawn to
gasoline-powered vehicles was Studebaker.
3) The vehicle that was named after an American Indian symbol for Power,
Action, Beauty, and Youth?
It was C, the 1954 Pontiac Firebird concept car.
(From Speed Vision's Car Crazy TV show)
4) In 1903, Horatio Nelson Jackson was in a club in San Francisco, when he
got into a deep discussion over cars. The result was a $50.00 bet that he
could drive across the country from San Francisco to NYC. Upon the
recommendation of a local mechanic and bicycle racer, 22 year old Sewell K
Crocker, he bought a red Winton for $3,000.00. Jackson's passengers were
Crocker and Bud, a dog they picked up on the way. On return to his native
Burlington VT, he got a speeding ticket for $6.00 plus costs. As an aside
both Packard and Oldsmobile had factory sponsored teams on the road at the
same time, both starting a little later than Jackson, who financed the
trip
himself. Packard made the trip in less time overall but Jackson was the
first person to complete the trip.
(Thanks to our friend, Jeff for this one)
PBS did the story, directed by historian Ken Burns. Only to those of you
that receive this newsletter, you can have it this month for 10% off. Look
for it on the front page of our web.
5) Our friend Jay D. sent us a note: Let's not forget the country group
DIAMOND RIO, also named after another Ransome E Olds creation: DIAMOND REO
Trucks.
(Thanks Jay.)
--- Retreads ---
6) Who was Walter with the railroad background? Actually, there are two of
them, Walter (W.O.) Bentley and Walter P. Chrysler. As you know, Bentley
was
bought by Rolls Royce and is now part of VW, and Chrysler is now part of
Mercedes Benz.
(From CHRYSLER, The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius by Vincent
Curcio, thanks to our friend Jeff M.)
7) The first of the Big Three to offer an adjustable brake pedal was
Chrysler.
(From Trivial Pursuit 20th Anniversary Edition) Did they assume short
people
don't need to reach the gas or clutch pedals?
8) The scooped out sides of the 1956 to 1962 Corvettes are called coves.
(Thanks to our friend Bob W for this.)
===================== ** ====================
10% Off Purchases For Your Trivia Questions
To Jeff, Jay and Bob, thanks for the trivia questions. Remember, you all
will receive a 10% discount on your next purchases.
Send us an interesting fact on just about anything on wheels: cars,
trucks,
F1, Drags, Muscle Cars, weird obsolete car thingies, whatever, and if we
use
it, then you get 10% off all purchases on everything on your next order.
Thanks,
Dave Payne
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