Finally, a compressed air car is built

French enterprise MDI backed by Cater SA, a Swiss business have taken the concept to the roads, naminf a four wheel vehicle Airpod —to reflect on its engine powered by nothing but compressed air.

The fact that Geneva airport and a few French-speaking Swiss towns have already shown keen interest in Airpod augurs well for the project; not to mention that EU countries have already approved of the project.

It holds that initial production will kick off on Swiss grounds (in Reconvilier) where the first unit should roll out by March 2011

News from http://www.thecartimes.com/

Did you know there was a race to the South Pole in a Biodiesel powered vehicel?

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=929487&page=3

California lawmakers can't pass or balance a budget, but get 5 million dollars worth of new cars annually for their personal use

Don't sweat it... it's the only state that wastes money on rich politicians automotive needs. Well, unless you count free gas and insurance... I bet your lawmakers and politicians don't pay for gas or insurance. I bet they get chauffered limos as a way around your state purchasing cars for them. You likely know they get a lifelong pension better than double your annual income, free medical care you can't afford, and you'd scream to be told the free overseas flights on "fact finding missions" and subsequent luxury hotel accomodations and vacation in overseas countries.

Wankers as the Brits would call them (in polite company)

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2010/12/03/free-luxury-cars-for-lawmakers-amid-calif-budget-mess/ has the following to report about it: (I'm summarizing to avoid copyright BS)

California is the only state to provide rank-and-file lawmakers a luxury perk as the state has a 6 billion dollar deficit.
The state buys cars for lawmakers unlimited use under a decades-old program.
It spent more than $5 million for the latest suite of vehicles, including a $55,000 Cadillac and a $52,000 Lexus.


I listened to this today on KNX am 1070 Los Angeles

Think all of this is nuts? Heard of Speaker of the House Pelosi?
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=231461
"Since 2007, we U.S. taxpayers have paid $2,100,745 for now-outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to make 85 flights aboard a 42-seat Air Force C-32 – which is the size of a Boeing 757"

Ridelust has a top 25 auto website list (I made their list!) and recommended blogs

I’m entirely moved, wow! Thanks! You’ve paid me an enormous compliment to feel my hobby compares favorably with the likes of Jalopnik, the NY Times Wheels section, wonderful Hooniverse, Dan’s Hemmings blog, Autoblog, Edmunds, Carscoop, B.A.T, … the websites I admire.

Is mine the only no advertising, no pop-up, non job, done after work, camera / laptop / and love of cars operation in your top 25? I’m astounded! Take that high school career counsler!

Long live car porn and the humor we find and post for readers! Many compliments to the 80 sites I recommend in my blog roll, Ride Lust has been one for years!

With admiration for vulcanized rubber and all the uses we’ve found for it, with adoration for affordable tech like digital cameras, laptops, and jacking into neighbors wifi to upload to my blog, with love for the bloggers, photographers, and artists, the hot rodders, the hoons, the metal shapers, the body working masters, the designers, racers, owners, and rich buggers who can afford to keep Foose on retainer, admiration and respect for the lakes racers, salt streamliners, innovators like Navarro, Munro, and Blastolene Bros…

http://www.ridelust.com/ridelust%e2%80%99s-top-25-car-blog-and-websites/ this is the coolest thing to happen since I was picked as the artist of the month for my photography: In related news, in December '09 I was the artist of the month of the Photographer's Formulary company monthly online newsletter: http://www.photoformulary.com/images/2009%20Newsletters%20folder/December2009NL.pdf

Update to Ron Pratte post, the Darryl Gwynn Foundation

As has become a common and admirable occurance at Barrett Jackson auctions, Darryl Gwynn auctions off a remakable historic racecar, Ron buys it, offers it at auction again, it was bought by another collector who matched Ron's generosity, and was bought by a third collector who says it'll be for auction again soon.

Why the buy and sell, and the Gwynn connection? All of the money for the sale of Gwynn's vehicles go directly to the Foundation, with no auction fees, and everyone realizes that this astonishing generosity is to be applauded and continued by some who can afford it. Financially it may be a tax thing, but when over a half a million goes to a kids charity, I dare anyone to pick a bone with it. Respect, applaud, repeat.

For the full story and details: http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/autos-gwynn-dragster-scores-triple-header/

For the post about the collector and philanthopist Ron Pratte: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/01/ron-pratte-car-collection.html

You should buy a lotto ticket if you are as lucky as the two guys in the taxi, they dodged a 5 to 25 ton, 50 foot pipe falling from an overpass

images from all over the local San Diego tv stations websites from cell phone photos sent into the news

The trucker was Southbound on the 125 from Santee at 9 am, was taking the exit to the Westbound 8, and was driving TOO FAST! He didn't make the turn, hit the barrier, and the chains that were restraining the pipe snapped, allowing the pipe to fall 75 to 100 feet onto Grossmont Center Dr.

The best coverage was channel 8, and click on the video for a good review of the story: http://www.cbs8.com/Global/story.asp?S=11663048 the video has a thumbnail and full screen mode

New information on the 2010 Camaro... No supercharged 650 hp 427cu in for California

CAFE won't allow them to be sold in California, and this is from GM marketing via a car club council meeting member.

So much for getting a GT 500 supercharged Shelby Mustang Cobra competitor in California

The Schlumph collection, also known as the Malmerspach collection

Over the years nearly 400 items (vehicles, chassis and engines) were acquired, A team of up to 40 carpenters, saddlers, and master mechanics were assembled to carry out the restoration work.

They were under a confidentiality agreement to keep their work and the scale of the collection a secret - a singlemindedness often referred to as "The Schlumpf Obsession." Many, including irate members of Bugatti clubs around the world, knew of the collection; although the eventual scale of the enterprise became a surprise to almost everybody.

In 1976 the Schlumpf brothers had begun to sell their factories. In October the Malmerspach plant laid off employees, and a strike broke out, with 400 police holding back the workers from ram sacking the Mulhouse plant.

After a stand-off, on March 7, 1977, textile union activists staged a sit-in strike at the Schlumpf offices, and broke into the Mulhouse "factory" to find the astounding collection of cars. An unrestored Austin 7 was burned and the workers' union representative remarked "There are 600 more where this one came from."
The Schlumpfs fled to their native Switzerland, and spent the rest of their days as permanent residents of the Drei Koenige Hotel. But with wages outstanding, the factory was occupied for the next two years by the textile union and renamed "Workers’ Factory." To recoup some of their lost wages, the union opened the museum to the public, with some 800,000 people viewing the collection in two years.
As the scale of the brothers Schlumpf debt rose, various creditors including the unions eyed the valuable car collection as a way to recover their losses. To save the destruction, break-up or export of the collection, in 1978 the contents were classified as a French historic monument by the Council of State. In 1979, a bankruptcy liquidator ordered the building closed.

In 1981 the collection, buildings and residual land were sold to the National Automobile Museum, now the largest automobile museum in the world . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_National_de_l

62 cars of this collection from the Schlumpf collection were bought in 2008, and 12 will now be in the Peter Mullin Collection in Oxnard, in the former Otis Chandler museum, Otis Chandler’s collection is closed but to reopen soon as the “The Vintage Museum of Transportation”

http://www.bugattirevue.com/revue35/malmer.htm

The American Bugatti club is going to stop by the Mullin museum during their 50th Anniversary Celebration of the club and the US International 2010 Bugatti Rally.

Peter Mullin is a founding member of the Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation and served as Foundation Co-Chairman from 1994 to 2004.

http://www.worth.com/Editorial/Passion-Investments/Wheels-Wings-Water/Passion-Investments-Auto-Eternal-Combustion.asp

If you have a passion for Bugattis: http://www.velocetoday.com/archives/775

No more front license plates for Wyoming hot rods, classics, and customs

A bill that has passed the Wyoming Legislature would exclude owners of classic and custom cars from having to put a license plate on the front of their vehicles.

Proponents of the measure include Steve Schaffer, owner of a baby blue 1957 Chevy Bel Air. Schaffer says he rebuilt the car from the ground up and stuck a late-model Corvette engine in it.

When he was done, the old Chevy didn't have a place for a license plate on the front of the car. Schaffer says he had to drill holes in the front bumper so he could install a license plate.

The bill is headed to Gov. Dave Freudenthal after clearing the House on Friday.
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9886591&nav=menu554_2_2