Friday, March 25, 2005
GM Brands to be Parked in the Torq-O Garage?
Could some more GM brands join the proud stable of officially recognized Torq-O marques? Maybe.
Then again, maybe not.
posted by Todd on 3/25/2005 10:23:00 AM
Mag Wheels: Ben Merkel and his Checkers in Hemmings Classic Car
Okay, Hemmings Classic Car really needs to pace itself. There has been a torrent of great orphan stories in the April 2005 issue. Slow down, guys!
Anyway, one of the best articles is about Ben Merkel and his Checker Cab collection. Ben is one of those collectors who fell in love with a marque and has done everything in his power to collect and preserve examples of that marque.
It's because of people like him that Checker cars and their history still exist.
For more info about Checkers, checker out the national club's web site.
posted by Todd on 3/25/2005 10:09:00 AM
Mag Wheels: 1926 Nash in Hemmings Classic Car
Another great orphan article in the April 2005 issue of Hemmings Classic Car. This time it's about Ron Donath's impeccably restored 1926 Nash Special Six.
Editor Richard Lentinello does a great job telling a virtual horror story: restoring a car that had been thoroughly burned alive.
For more great pictures of '26 Nashes, check out the Nash Car Club site.
posted by Todd on 3/25/2005 10:01:00 AM
Mag Wheels: Jimmy Valentine in Hemmings Classic Car
If you've never been to Jimmy and Eve Valentine's Metropolitan Pit Stop on Laurel Canyon Blvd. out in North Hollywood, California, then the article on Jimmy in the April 2005 edition of Hemmings Classic Car is the next best way to visit.
Jimmy is one of those pioneers who recognized the virtues of the Metropolitan way back in the 1970s. He began snapping up all of the rare and special Mets that he could find and has beautifully restored and displayed them in his museum.
Look for Jimmy in our upcoming DVD The Met Set, which is scheduled for release June 24th.
posted by Todd on 3/25/2005 09:53:00 AM
Mag Wheels: Powel Crosley in Hemmings Classic Car
Jim Donnelly does a nice job summarizing the life of Powel Crosley in the April 2005 edition of Hemmings Classic Car.
Torq-O is based in Dayton, Ohio, so we're familiar with Crosley radios, WLW, the Cincinnati Reds, and Crosley Field (as well as the cars, of course). But we had never heard that Crosley started his financial empire by practically inventing the auto-parts-by-direct-mail business.
If you know anything about Crosley, you'll know that his heart was in building cars his entire life. And it's the only major thing he ever really failed at.
posted by Todd on 3/25/2005 09:39:00 AM
Mag Wheels: 1948 Davis in Hemmings Classic Car
In the April 2005 edition of Hemmings Classic Car, there's a really great drive report on a 1948 Davis. The Davis is a strange little, 3-wheeled, post-World War II orphan. There were only about 13 of them made.
(By the way, what would you compare the drive to? A Morgan maybe?)
posted by Todd on 3/25/2005 09:20:00 AM
Monday, March 21, 2005
R.I.P.: John DeLorean (1925-2005)
John Z. DeLorean, the man (or con man, depending on your point of view) with the vision and the drive to start his own car company, died Saturday March 19th in Newark, New Jersey.
DeLorean ushered in the golden muscle car era by stuffing a V8 into a Pontiac Tempest and creating the GTO. He was later known for the groundbreaking (and bank-breaking) DeLorean DMC-12 sports car.
After his company went bankrupt in 1983, Americans were shocked to discover the car's major undocumented feature: it was a time-travel device in Back to the Future.
No matter what you think about him personally, he gave us some amazing wheels. Thanks for the rides, John Z.
posted by Todd on 3/21/2005 06:55:00 PM
Sunday, March 06, 2005
The Met Set: Another Successful Sneak Preview!
Yesterday, we took The Met Set out for another test drive.
This time, we motored to Winfield, Illinois, to preview our forthcoming DVD for the Illini Mets.
My partner Gary Templeton and I weren't sure how the preview was going. We would steal glances at the members of this local M.O.C.N.A. chapter, but they seemed kind of stoic as they watched the first enhanced vintage filmstrip in our product (The Inside Story of the Metropolitan).
But after the presentation, we got a round of applause and several questions about the DVD. Not only that, they bought almost every preview copy we had. Thanks to Gary Bosselman, President of both the Illini Mets and M.O.C.N.A. for allowing us to crash his chapter's party and make our presentation!
In case you haven't heard, The Met Set promises to be the most exciting Metropolitan product available this year. It's stuffed with exclusive interviews, fascinating Met facts, and bonus features that even diehard seen-it-all Met fans will love. Whether you're a Met vet or a new fan, you'll have to add this DVD to your collection.
Our scheduled release date: June 24th.
By the way, we're working out the details for our third and final Sneak Preview. We're trying to make it happen this month or in April at the latest. Stay tuned!
posted by Todd on 3/06/2005 04:09:00 PM
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Gremlin fans: you'll bust a hatchback on this...
The folks who market the Mini have a brand new weird, whacked-out advertising campaign. It's a spoof web site by the (I love this.) Counter Counterfeit Commission.
The site looks exactly like some home brew web design for a consumer watchdog group. But if you look a little more closely, you'll laugh. Hard. I won't spoil the surprise with any further description.
For you Gremlin owners who might have the urge to pass off your ride as a Mini, there's hope. Check out this spoof link of the CCC's web site: Mini4Auction. But beware: the CCC is watching.
posted by Todd on 3/02/2005 09:51:00 AM
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