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Posted on 03/14/2009 4:53:38 PM PDT by flattorney
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TAB
LOL
I want one, any one. :)
I wish Hillary could pickup a ride, she seems like a little sweetie. With some huge stones!
You could buy a Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari or Bentley. But nothing will turn heads more or draw a greater crowd than this Gotham Cruiser. This car is 20' long and 8' wide, but is still street legal. The chassis is GM built and the motor is a GM 350cid V8. To get in you have to enter through the top light a fighter jet where the canopy opens. This car is a thrill to drive and draws attention wherever it goes. This is a rare opportunity to own one of the most exciting cars on the planet today.
Video, Las Vegas Motor Speedway Special Report: (4:26 minutes)
NHRA SummitRacing com Nationals Wrap Up
Very good highlights reel with winners interviews and more. Great interview with Pro Stock winner Jeg Coughlin who is first in the Pro Stock NHRA Full Throttle Championship Points Standings. He is also the defending 4-time NHRA PS Champion (2008, '07, '02, '00). Jeg is an outstanding individual and driver. He looks and acts like he should be a NASCAR driver - big guy.
The competition in Pro Stock this season as been incredible and several times has bailed out just so-so nitro action. My man main, and 3-time NHRA PS Champion, Greg Anderson has been struggling and is currently 4th in points. He is breaking MPH records but seems to be giving up ET's to do it. It looks like the team needs to rethink his motor's power curve.
Radioactive Drag Racing News Vegas1 Wrap Up: Best Outfit: Go back and read my account of the November NHRA Awards Banquet and you’ll see my affection for the well dressed. Mrs. Bob Bode wins this week’s "Best Outfit" award for her dazzling combo while waiting in the staging lanes with husband Bob. She definitely grades out well.
With all DNQs so far this season Erica Enders crew is well rehearsed in loading up and going home early. I'm not so sure I understand "The Plan" with Erica's team owner and sponsors.
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Here's an outstanding video from the Top Alcohol Dragster Finals at the '09 Spring National, Houston. In a very wild ride, veteran TAD driver Chris Demke makes several incredible saves to avoid a huge top-end crash and taking out the other dragster in the left lane. You will not see finer driving than this. Check it out. .
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I was hoping John Force would be at the Barrett Jackson Palm Beach auction representing Ford, but he will be at The Strip at LVMS again this weekend supporting his daughters, Brittany and Courtney, who are competing in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, April 9-12. - Article
I bet Jeff Gordon's butthead car breaks a record on Saturday. It's been listed two months for this auction.
TAB
That's entirely unnacceptable! :)
I’ve never seen them draft in NHRA before, they may be on to something!
Can’t believe she survived that but I’m sure glad she did.
You betcha, huge stones and she is very grounded. The to-post index reflects there is new Hillary news but I do not know what it is about. I presume it will be worked-up for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, Atlanta posts next week. - TAB
From FlA's Hillary Will Folder: . . . Hillary had to be cut out of the car but walked away. It was a testament to the strength and technology advancements of the driver's capsule.
Agreed.
Wife might not understand if she was though. :)
TAB
The NHTSA's actions today were inexcusable. They were nothing more than a publicity stunt to demonstrate that big Obama brother was going to protect the poor ignorant sheep auction consumers. Many collector cars are not street legal and/or are sold with salvage titles which accordingly they can not be registered. Everyone knows this and Barrett-Jackson has always maintained impeccable advanced disclosure of this fact. For this auction, GM clearly disclosed this fact in advance. GM has 100 cars from their Heritage Center up for auction at this event and were blindsided by NHTSA's actions. I am so mad I can hardly type this distribution alert.
From the auction floor, John J
@ @ @ @ @
The Obama Administration Strikes Again
April 10, 2009
LATEST UPDATE: Outstanding issues regarding the GM Heritage Center auction have been resolved and NHTSA is now allowing the auction to go forward, according to a spokesperson for Barrett-Jackson. However, not all cars will be included. It's unclear what cars will and will-not be included at this point.
Government Stops Barrett-Jackson Sale of GM Cars
"Midway through Friday's collector car sale, representatives of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) forced Barrett-Jackson to stop the sale of certain cars from the GM Heritage Fleet.The order from NHTSA was completely unexpected. Barrett-Jackson and GM have always been extremely careful to note, in written material posted on the cars, which GM cars are sold on "salvage titles" or similar, and cannot be registered. Apparently, despite this, NHTSA is concerned that someone "might try" to register the cars for the street which may or may not have all of the required safety equipment to be roadworthy. GM and Barrett-Jackson are attempting to resolve this so that the cars, which have been heavily publicized and have drawn bidders from across the nation, can be sold. Unfortunately, discussions are hampered by the fact that the relevant NHTSA offices are closed for the day, and reportedly will be closed tomorrow as well."
That would be an understatement! LOL
TAB
04.11.09: Darrell Gwynn Foundation Donates Wheelchair to Boynton Beach, Florida Teen
Andre Jarvis can be a racing superstar, too. - - Jarvis, an 18-year-old suffering from severe cerebral palsy, was the recipient of a free custom-made motorized wheelchair Friday thanks to the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. It replaced the manual wheelchair with lumpy cushions that he had outgrown. Gwynn, a former professional race car driver who became paralyzed in a racing accident on Easter Sunday 1990, visited the Boynton Beach teenager at his home. Jarvis will now be able to move in his new $22,000 wheelchair using controls manipulated with his head. With the help of physical therapy, he will strengthen his neck muscles so he can learn to operate his wheelchair.
"It's going from no mobility to a race car, so to speak," said Gwynn, who claimed 28 national victories in the National Hot Rod Association circuit. "This is a real good, feel-good story for us because it's a life-changing experience." Gwynn's Davie-based foundation has donated more than 60 custom-made wheelchairs to disabled people throughout the country since its inception in 2002. The nonprofit organization also focuses on research, raising awareness, and prevention and education of spinal cord-related diseases and injuries.
Jarvis, an 11th-grade student at Royal Palm School in Lantana, does not speak because of his condition but understands what happens around him and communicates by turning his head. Jarvis beamed and cracked the widest smile as he settled into his new chair sporting a New York Giants football jersey. His father, Ken Jarvis, joked that his son could now sneak out of class to visit a girl in school. Gwynn, too, played around as local media shot video of Andre Jarvis trying out his new set of wheels: "I don't race anybody in a wheelchair, 'cause if they beat me then it gets on camera."
Ken Jarvis, a single father, learned about Gwynn's wheelchair program through his son's physical therapist, who treated Andre after surgery to help straighten his curved spine more than a year ago. With two titanium rods realigning his back, the boy's body was not fitting properly into his old wheelchair. Since that chair was less than 5 years old, insurance would not help cover the costs of a new one, said Ken Jarvis, an environmental inspector with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. "Just looking at his expression gives me a tremendous amount of joy," Ken Jarvis said. "He is in control." - Credit: Sun Sentinel
TAB
The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company recorded more than $20 million in total sales and delivered its trademark excitement during the 7th Annual Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Collector Car Auction April 9-11, 2009. The all No Reserve auction featured an eclectic docket, including the "Project American Heroes" 1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS custom that fetched $500,000 to benefit the Armed Forces Foundation and a classic 1934 Auburn 1250 Salon Cabriolet that brought $253,000, as well as a group of vehicles from the General Motors Heritage fleet. Barrett-Jackson welcomed more than 55,000 attendees to the event and experienced a 20 percent increase in walk-up ticket buyers at the gate during the three-day auction at the Americraft Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
"Barrett-Jackson proved the resiliency of the car collecting hobby with one of the most exhilarating events in our history at Palm Beach," said Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO of Barrett-Jackson. "We built on the momentum generated in Las Vegas and Scottsdale with strong sales across the board, including more than $1.5 million raised for charity. And even though we shortened the event to three-days due to the Easter holiday weekend, more than 55,000 enthusiasts came to be part of the action. We also had tremendous web activity during our event with a 300 percent increase in page views and an increase of approximately 6 million hits."
One of the highlights of the 2009 Palm Beach auction was the emotional sale of the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS custom. Dubbed "Project American Heroes II," the muscle car brought $500,000 on Friday following a bidding battle underneath a giant American Flag above the auction block. All proceeds from the sale of the Camaro were donated to the Armed Forces Foundation, which provides financial support to service members and their families. First Lt. Mark Little, who was helped by the Foundation, explained the importance of the organization to the Barrett-Jackson crowd prior to the sale. "Each Barrett-Jackson auction has its defining moment, and the 'Project American Heroes' sale was the hallmark of the 2009 Palm Beach event," noted Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. "The energy in the building was unlike anything we have ever experienced at Barrett-Jackson. Soldiers like First Lt. Mark Little are true American heroes and we are proud to assist with their recovery."
Other cars sold for charity included a pair of Ford Mustang concepts that fetched $175,000 each for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the first retail Ford Shelby GT500 that sold for $150,000 to benefit the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation and the 2006 Monte Carlo racecar driven by Jimmie Johnson for $200,000. Another top seller was the 1934 Auburn 1250 Salon Cabriolet driven by James Cagney in the 1933 film, "The Mayor of Hell." The award-winning, Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club-certified classic went for $253,000.
"We are proud to report that we have raised more than $20 million for charities since 2006," added Jackson. "It's a reflection of the passion of our customers and their charitable nature." Barrett-Jackson continued to cultivate the hobby by attracting an impressive number of new bidders to the Palm Beach auction. Of the nearly 1,100 registered bidders, approximately 35 percent were first timers who were responsible for more than 30 percent of auction block purchases. Barrett-Jackson's healthy offering of entry-level to mid-range vehicles was essential to the influx of newcomers. "The collector car hobby is growing and Barrett-Jackson is the catalyst," added Davis. "While we continue to offer top-tier cars for seasoned collectors, our diverse docket attracts enthusiasts from across all ages and experience levels. Plus, the automotive lifestyle aspect continues to bring in thousands of people."
The auction will be most be remembered for the drama surrounding the 115 vehicles sold by General Motors. Though the organization has been managing their fleet over the past 6 years by selling duplicate cars and less historically significant vehicles, Barrett-Jackson was informed by GM late Thursday that issues surrounding some of the cars meant that a high percentage of the vehicles would not be sold during the auction. After a marathon session by the legal teams from GM and Barrett-Jackson, the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration and its Acting Administrator, Ron Medford, communicated to Barrett-Jackson Friday afternoon that previous issues concerning the sale of vehicles by GM were resolved and all sales could go forward. "GM and Barrett-Jackson are pleased that the auction of GM vehicles went forward as planned," explained Jackson. "We are grateful to NHTSA for their decision to allow the sale of these vehicles at the auction to proceed. The result was that people had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy historic cars directly from GM for their private collections."
Top 10 Cars Sold in Palm Beach:
-- 1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS custom "Project American Heroes": $500,000 (Lot #369.1)
-- 1934 Auburn 1250 Salon Cabriolet: $253,000 (Lot #669.1)
-- 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR "Jimmie Johnson #48": $200,000 (Lot #672)
-- 2004 Ford Mustang GT convertible concept: $175,000 (Lot #655)
-- 2004 Ford Mustang GT coupe concept: $175,000 (Lot #655.1)
-- 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W30 convertible: $173,250 (Lot #668)
-- 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 coupe: $150,000 (Lot #665)
-- 1959 Chevrolet Corvette custom convertible: $148,500 (Lot #652.1)
-- 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS5 convertible: $148,500 (Lot #653.1)
-- 1967 Shelby GT500 fastback: $143,000 (Lot #667)
TAB
Even with nameplates like Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin available, American cars dominated the big-bucks side of the three-day event in Florida. Of the dozen cars receiving the highest bids, six were Chevys, including two Corvettes. Three were Fords, joined by a California-assembled Ford-powered Shelby. An Oldsmobile 442 and an Indiana-built, V-12-powered 1934 Auburn 1250 Salon, once owned by actor James Cagney, rounded out the U.S. domination of the 12 highest-priced cars to cross the auction block.
Although the location name is associated with the mega-rich, the Palm Beach auction attracted buyers and sellers representing a cross section of car lovers from blue collar to white shoes, including big names like auto-world icons Carol Shelby and Rick Hendrick. This delighted Barrett-Jackson Chairman Craig Jackson, who told TheStreet.com that his job is to sell quality cars that are saleable, and this requires a diversity of vehicles and bidders.
The auction was fully consigned, with more 100 vehicles turned away. A total of 487 vehicles changed owners for a total consideration of slightly more than $20 million. Although high-rollers bid 29 cars to more than $100,000 each, including 10% buyer premiums, a total of 202 went for less than $25,000 apiece. Half the vehicles fetched less than the median price of $30,800.
The inventory was enriched by 115 "legacy" vehicles offered by ailing General Motors, many of which were prototypes and specialty cars such as pace cars for major auto races. Many of these were snapped up by collectors for museum or dealership display.
Jackson said the overall attendance was 14% higher than in 2008. The 1,000 authorized bidders had higher lines of credit than those at last year's Palm Beach auction.
The hands-on auction-house chief and car collector said that, despite the bad economy, only about half a dozen cars were considered "cheap."
Jackson said Oldsmobile 442 "muscle cars" from the 1960s and '70s, along with "resto-mods" (older cars close to their original appearances but fitted with late-model chassis components, drive trains and conveniences), are "must haves." Uber-wealthy investors with Ferraris and Bugattis, along with a group of NFL players who attended the Palm Beach auction, have taken an interest in these "affordable" cars.
The only foreign-built offerings to draw six-figure bids included a 1958 Jaguar XK150 S Roadster and three beautifully restored Austin-Healeys, completed specifically for the auction. They prompted spirited bidding wars, much to the delight of the non-buying crowd. Those who question the investment value of cars should consider that the immediate profit margin on at least one of these vehicles was in excess of $60,000.
The high prices were a disappointment for bargain-hunter Bob Morris from Virginia, who only recently became a collector but has already purchased 20 vehicles, including a Kaiser Darrin, an Austin-Healey 100 and a Jaguar XK-150 S.
Morris said too many bidders get carried away with emotion, but his strategy is based on knowing what he's prepared to pay and sticking to it. He looks for investment-grade vehicles he can drive and isn't afraid to put some miles on his purchases before restoring them to "concours" condition. Following his own guidelines, Morris bought a bargain-priced restoration Triumph TR-4A for $37,000 when the bidding stalled.
Typical of many car enthusiasts of somewhat more ordinary means who are loyal to Barrett-Jackson auctions is Cheryl Muhr of the Denver suburb of Littleton. Along with her husband, John, she has been regularly attending the firm's giant Scottsdale, Arizona, auctions, the world's largest, since 2002.
At the couple's first Palm Beach auction, Cheryl stayed close to the couple's fiberglass-bodied Corvette-powered 1933 Ford roadster, answering technical questions from prospective bidders. In the best tradition of a car salesperson, she assured prospects that it was only because of the high grass on which it was parked that it looked as if the car's nose would scrape the pavement on bumps.
The Muhrs acquired their hot rod three years ago at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction for $47,000 and late last year decided to replace it with a "muscle car" of more recent vintage where they could join groups with similar vehicles on "power trips."
Prospective bidders told the Muhrs that their roadster would likely fetch between $38,000 and $70,000. But the actual bidding stalled in the mid-$30s before a couple of competing buyers gradually lifted it into the low-$40s. The action slowed again until the auctioneer cajoled them to the mid-$40s, at which point his rapid-fire monolog couldn't coax them any higher.
Asked how they felt about giving up her roadster for $45,000, Cheryl Murh said because she sold it through Barrett-Jackson, she was confident it would find a home with a true car lover. The Muhr's main interest at that point was in planning a strategy to buy a muscle car --probably at a Barrett-Jackson auction.
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