FROM NY TIMES: “I didn’t think I’d ever see this car again,” said Dick Thompson, the roadracing dentist who in 1960 had co-driven the white No. 2 Corvette in the 24 hours of Le Mans [...]]]>

Dick Thompson reunited with the Corvette he raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 50 years ago. NY Times

 FROM NY TIMES: “I didn’t think I’d ever see this car again,” said Dick Thompson, the roadracing dentist who in 1960 had co-driven the white No. 2 Corvette in the 24 hours of Le Mans with Fred Windridge.

With Thompson at the wheel, the 290-horsepower fuel-injected car was first off the line when the race started, and it managed a speed of more than 161 m.p.h. on the Mulsanne straight. But Thompson, running among the leaders, spun off the track and into a sand pit. By the time he dug himself out, the leaders were many laps ahead.  MORE»

Campbell-Ewald, headquartered in the Detroit suburb of Warren, will be phased out of the Chevrolet account during the next few months, replaced [...]]]> FROM THE AP: General Motors has replaced the advertising agency that brought you such memorable campaigns as “See the USA in Your Chevrolet” and “Like a Rock” after more than 90 years of work.

Campbell-Ewald, headquartered in the Detroit suburb of Warren, will be phased out of the Chevrolet account during the next few months, replaced by Publicis Worldwide, which is part of French advertising company Publicis Groupe SA.

GM spokeswoman Cristianna Vazquez would not give a reason for the move, but GM executives in recent months have stated publicly that they were unhappy with the company’s advertising and marketing. MORE»

This documentary, produced in the early 90’s, focuses on one of the most legendary and controversial sanctioned motorsport competitions, Group B rally. It was created specifically for manufacturers to show off their engineering capabilities– and they went all out.  Rally supercars made of lightweight exotic materials, complex tube chassis’ and high revving turbo engines pushing 500+hp [...]]]>

This documentary, produced in the early 90’s, focuses on one of the most legendary and controversial sanctioned motorsport competitions, Group B rally. It was created specifically for manufacturers to show off their engineering capabilities– and they went all out.  Rally supercars made of lightweight exotic materials, complex tube chassis’ and high revving turbo engines pushing 500+hp with AWD was not uncommon. 

 One word that continually repeats in my mind when watching  peiroid Group B  footage is “insane”…in a good way, of course.  But, this documentary explains it best, “…they were the Formula 1 cars of the mountains and forest roads”. So true, as a large amount of F1 engineering input and knowledge was utilized when designing these epic machines.  A great example is the tiny MG Metro 6R4 that was completely developed by Williams Grand Prix Engineering for the Austin Rover Group.

Ultimately Group B was cancelled following a series of fatal crashes in which both competitors and spectators lost their lives.  After the death of Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto in the 1986 French rally Tour de Corse, the Group B cars were immediately banned for 1987.

The documentary is from way back but it’s still relative and gives fantastic insight into what is likely the best most exciting era in rally racing.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

[Brainiac83 on YouTube, PART 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

 Needless to say, the main SHO upgrade was the 60°, 24 valve DOHC Yamaha V-6 transplant that [...]]]>  This vintage ’90 video was produced by Ford’s marketing group to train unenlightened salesmen on the performance capabilities of the first generation Taurus SHO.  1990 was the second production year of the now cultish four door sleeper.

 Needless to say, the main SHO upgrade was the 60°, 24 valve DOHC Yamaha V-6 transplant that produced 220 HP.  Damn respectable considering a 1990 base model Corvette produced 250 HP.

 So, will a 1990 Taurus SHO become a classic?  Already is.

Oh, don’t forget to check out the Stig at the 2:20 and 3:16 mark.

[YouTube]

 FROM INDIANAPOLIS BUSINESS JOURNAL:  The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation Inc. is the rightful owner of a classic 1979 Porsche on display at its Hall of Fame Museum.

This Kremer Porsche 935 K-3 was the overall winner of the 1979 24h of Le Mans

 FROM INDIANAPOLIS BUSINESS JOURNAL:  The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation Inc. is the rightful owner of a classic 1979 Porsche on display at its Hall of Fame Museum.

Affirming now-senior U.S. Judge Larry McKinney in Indianapolis, the three-judge Circuit panel rejected claims by a former race car driver who said that he’d loaned, not donated, the car to the museum and that it should be returned to him. The case is Reginald D. Whittington Jr. v. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation Inc. MORE»

Despite being hospitalized in his native Britain with two broken ankles and an injured back, the 80-year-old Moss purchased an [...]]]>  FROM USA TODAY:  A legendary Formula One driver like Stirling Moss was not about to let a silly little setback like a fall down an elevator shaft keep him from buying one of his dream cars.

Despite being hospitalized in his native Britain with two broken ankles and an injured back, the 80-year-old Moss purchased an ultra-rare 1961 Porsche RS61 Spyder at auction for $1.7 million. MORE»

 FROM THE AUSTRALIAN: Harold Beach’s association with the high-performance car industry began in the 1920s and 30s when he worked on Rolls-Royce, Alfa Romeo, Bugatti and Bentley cars.

In the early 1950s he joined Aston Martin Lagonda, and made a great contribution to the development of its cars over nearly three decades. He [...]]]>

1964 Aston Martin DB5

 FROM THE AUSTRALIAN: Harold Beach’s association with the high-performance car industry began in the 1920s and 30s when he worked on Rolls-Royce, Alfa Romeo, Bugatti and Bentley cars.

In the early 1950s he joined Aston Martin Lagonda, and made a great contribution to the development of its cars over nearly three decades. He was successively Aston Martin’s chief designer, chief engineer and technical director, and was involved in the evolution of some of the company’s finest cars, not least those which featured in the Bond films.  MORE»