Hurricane Sandy vs Collector Cars

Ok, first it's Hurricane Sandy, not Super Storm Sandy. No matter how you slice it, it was still a hurricane that rocked the east coast of the U.S. in October. And the one thing that drives any car guy crazy is to see vehicular damage. We cringed at a photo floating around facebook that was also the cover shot of Automotive News magazine last week of a fleet of Ford Crown Victorias and a few Transit Connect taxis sitting in a lot flooded with water. Turns out they were brand new cars sitting at a Ford owned dealership in Manhattan. So it turns out not only were they Crown Vics, they were some of the LAST Crown Vics built.

From our friends over at Hemmings comes these photos snapped by a reader of two Aston Martins that weren't so lucky last month. Makes you want to cry.


See all the photos here.

Source & Photos: Hemmings Blog

Suzuki files for Chapter 11 protection, no more U.S. car sales

What can I say. I saw this train wreck happening 2 years ago. American Suzuki Motor Corporation announced late this afternoon that it was filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. According to their press release, this is being done in order to realign the company to focus more towards their motorcycle, ATV, and marine operations.

As part of the wind down operations, ASMC will discontinue all U.S. automobile sales. However, unlike Saab's bankruptcy, all warranties will be honored for owners. Suzuki, states that "low sales volumes, a limited number of models in its line-up, unfavorable foreign exchange rates, the high costs associated with growing and maintaining an automotive distribution system in the continental U.S. and the disproportionally high and increasing costs associated with stringent state and federal regulatory requirements unique to the U.S. market." as the reasoning behind their decisions. I am curious as to why it has taken them this long to reach that decision as their sales performance has been slipping for the last several years. Their marketing was at times puzzling, comparing the Kizashi against cars like the Mercedes C class and Audi A4.

As we receive more details about Suzuki, we'll keep you updated here. 

Source: American Suzuki Motor Corporation.

Press release:

American Suzuki Motor Corporation ("ASMC") Announces Restructuring and Realignment to Focus on Motorcycles/ATV and Marine Divisions

ASMC to wind down and discontinue new automobile sales in continental U.S.
Consumers will be protected and all warranties will continue to be fully honored

BREA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- American Suzuki Motor Corporation ("ASMC" or "the Company"), the sole distributor in the continental United States of Suzuki Motor Corporation ("SMC") automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and marine outboard engines, today announced that it plans to realign its business to focus on the long-term growth of its Motorcycles/ATV and Marine divisions. Following a thorough review of its current position and future opportunities in the U.S. automotive market, ASMC will wind down and discontinue new automobile sales in the continental U.S. The Company has determined the best path to achieve this realignment in an efficient and orderly manner is to restructure its operations under chapter 11. The case will be filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California in Santa Ana.

Consistent with ASMC's long history of standing by its products, owners of Suzuki automobiles will be protected. All warranties will continue to be fully honored and automobile parts and service will be provided to consumers without interruption through ASMC's parts and service dealer network.

ASMC remains firmly committed to Motorcycles/ATV and Marine products, and these divisions are competitively positioned in their respective markets, allowing for long-term growth as economic conditions improve. The realignment is intended to better position ASMC for long-term success and is a return to the Company's roots in the U.S. market, which began with motorcycles and has grown to include ATV and marine products. ASMC remains very proud of its high quality, high performance motorcycle, ATV and Marine products. The Company will continue to bring ASMC products to market, including its full lineup of sportbike, cruiser, touring, scooter, dualsport, motocross, off-road motorcycles and KingQuad ATV line, as well as its flagship DF300AP, state-of-the-art DF20A, and DF15A, among other models. Additionally, ASMC is working to further build its market share through continued investment in additional support for dealers through marketing and advertising activities and sales promotion. Suzuki will continue to have a strong presence as a sponsor of teams in supercross, outdoor motocross and road racing.

In evaluating its position in the highly regulated and competitive U.S. automotive industry, ASMC determined that its Automotive division was facing a number of serious challenges. These challenges include low sales volumes, a limited number of models in its line-up, unfavorable foreign exchange rates, the high costs associated with growing and maintaining an automotive distribution system in the continental U.S. and the disproportionally high and increasing costs associated with stringent state and federal regulatory requirements unique to the U.S. market. While the decision to discontinue new automobile sales in the U.S. was difficult to make, today's actions were inevitable under these circumstances. ASMC is dedicated to honoring its commitments to Automotive customers through and after the wind down of new automobile sales in the continental U.S.

An Orderly Process to Serve Consumers
ASMC intends to work within its current U.S. Automotive dealer network to help structure a smooth transition from new automobile sales to exclusively parts and service operations, or, in some instances, an orderly wind down of dealership operations. ASMC intends to market and sell its remaining U.S. automobile inventory through its Automotive dealer network. Through and after the restructuring, all warranties will be fully honored and automobile parts and services will be provided to consumers through the dealer network. ASMC intends to honor any automobile buyback agreements that are currently in place with financial institutions.

As part of its chapter 11 filings, ASMC will submit a proposed Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement that specifies how the Motorcycle, ATV and Marine divisions will be maintained and enhanced, and how its relationship with Automotive dealers will be largely transitioned to support consumers and dealers through continued parts and service operations. SMC or its nominee intends to purchase ASMC's Motorcycle, ATV and Marine businesses, as well as the Automotive service operation responsible for parts and warranties, through a new U.S. subsidiary that will retain the ASMC brand name.

ASMC believes it has sufficient cash on hand to operate its businesses during the restructuring. If necessary, ASMC will request permission from the Court to borrow additional funds from SMC needed during the restructuring.

Honoring Commitments
ASMC intends to operate its Motorcycles/ATV and Marine businesses as usual and is dedicated to completing the realignment process as smoothly and efficiently as possible. ASMC will continue to fully stand behind all of its products and honor all warranties from these divisions. ASMC is working with GE Capital's Retail Finance and Commercial Distribution Finance businesses to continue providing motorcycles and ATV consumer financing programs and motorcycle, ATV and marine dealer inventory financing respectively. The Company expects existing agreements with other dealer and consumer financing providers to continue as well.

ASMC has filed a series of first day motions requesting approval to continue paying employee wages and benefits in the ordinary course, offering dealer incentives and payments under customer warranties. ASMC also expects to pay vendors in the normal course of business for goods and services delivered on or after its November 5, 2012 filing. Payments for goods received before ASMC's November 5, 2012 filing will be made in accordance with the chapter 11 procedure.

SMC, the 100 percent interest holder in ASMC, is not a debtor in the chapter 11 filing.

ASMC's legal advisor on the restructuring is Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP, and its financial advisor is FTI Consulting, Inc. Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP is serving as special counsel on automobile dealer and industry issues. Further, ASMC has proposed the appointment of M. Freddie Reiss, Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting, as Chief Restructuring Officer, and has also added two independent Board members to assist it through this period.

Additional information regarding ASMC's business realignment can be found at the Company's website, www.suzuki.com, or via an information hotline at 1-877-465-4819.

It's a Jeep thing: Jeep climbs U.S. border fence

If there's one four wheel drive I have always had a soft spot for, it was the Jeep Cherokee. My family had many of them during my childhood, so of course I liked them. So imagine my surprise when I logged on to MSN this morning and I saw this picture. Now what exactly is going on here? According to the short article, two Mexican suspected smugglers were attempting to drive, yes drive their cherokee over the 14 foot high border fence between Arizona and California.

Using some pretty creative homemade ramps, they abandoned the effort when the jeep got stuck. Hmmmm I wonder why that would happen? When agents spotted the Jeep, two men were on the Mexican side attempting to free it, but ran away. Nothing was found inside, but the U.S. border patrol is guessing the Jeep was being used to smuggle marijuana.

Source: MSN, photos: AP Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix makes record donation

30 years, two charities, 1200+ volunteers. What does that equal? Over $3.2 million dollars. That is what the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix has donated to the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and the Allegheny Valley School. Just last week was the annual Victory Lap Check Presentation at the Frick Museum in Pittsburgh (don't take photographs here). This year was a record setting donation to the charities. $250,000 or $125,000 each.

Since 1983, the PVGP has grown from a single day car show and race to a 10 day motorsport festival consisting of two vintage race weekends, car shows, cruises, parades, and parties. The event is entirely driven by over 1200+ volunteers, some of whom are pictured here. and all proceeds benefit the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and the Allegheny Valley School. Both of which help to provide residential care, treatment and support for developmentally disabled individuals in the Pittsburgh area.

The PVGP stands as one of the largest motorsport festivals in the nation, and the oldest continually run in the nation. It also stands apart as the racing is held entirely on public streets, bringing American sports car racing back to the way it used to be. “This event continues to amaze me” said Executive Director Dan DelBianco. He added, “To hold 10 days of events and turn a city park into a race circuit is a huge undertaking. There is no admission fee for spectators at the Schenley Park Race Weekend and the cost of staging the events is quite challenging so it is truly astounding that this event generates a quarter of a million dollars for local charities. Our success can be credited to the incredible support of our volunteers, sponsors and city officials coupled with the generosity of our racers and spectators. The Grand Prix now encompasses a dozen events spread over 10 days and nearly every single event is either sold out or near capacity.”

Source: Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. 

Racing Legend John Fitch dead at 95

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of racing legend John Fitch. How do you summarize John Cooper Fitch? He was a decorated WWII air corps pilot and POW, Purple Heart medal winner, SCCA and LeMans champion, team manager, racing and auto safety pioneer. These titles all apply.

John Fitch was born on August 4th, 1917 and from an early age was introduced to car racing. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. His stepfather was an executive for Stuz and introduced him to racing, but he was not initially impressed with it. It wasn't until he returned from WWII that he fell in to car racing as many did. During the war, Fitch was a decorated pilot in the Army Air Corps who was shot down and captured by German troops and locked in a POW camp.

After the war he began racing cars, only sports car racing rather than the typical oval track racing he witnessed at Indy. And Fitch was good, better yet great. During the early 50s, Fitch raced for driver and car designer Briggs Cunningham. He later became the only American to race for Mercedes Benz in their racing efforts. In 1955, the crash at the 24 Hours of LeMans greatly affected Fitch. He would go on to develop the Fitch Inertial Crash Barrier. Yellow barrels filled with sand that are still seen on racetracks and highways to this day.

After Mercedes, Fitch was approached by Chevrolet to help develop and manage their Corvette racing efforts and to make the Corvette a true race car. The eventually led to Fitch driving a Corvette at LeMans in 1960, and winning with co-driver Bob Grossman. Fitch would retire from professional driving in 1966. However, he did do some further driving for others, including a failed attempt at a land speed record in a 300 SL gullwing Mercedes owned by Bob Sirna. He was also re-united with his LeMans winning 1960 Corvette at LeMans in 2010. That car is now owned by Lance Miller, a friend of ours and owner of Carlisle Events.

Fitch had a great passion for inventing and a prime example were the Fitch Barriers mentioned above. He also developed many performance and appearance products for the Chevrolet Corvair. And there was the Fitch Phoenix, a Corvair bassed sports car.

Even until earlier this year, Fitch was a staple at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut. Where he also had served as manager.

God Speed John Fitch. You will be greatly missed.

Spotted: Cadillac ELR!

It's not too often here in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania that we get the opportunity to see a new car from Detroit being tested in full camo. In Michigan, especially around Detroit it's even a rare sight. But today one of our readers spotted what has been confirmed as a Cadillac ELR being tested. What is the ELR? Well, it's going to be Cadillac's electric hybrid like the Volt. Based on the Cadillac Converj concept. And mechanically, it's going to be essentially the same as the Volt. "T" shaped lithium ion battery with full electric main drive and an extended range gasoline motor. A big Thanks to eagle eyed reader Kevin Kurtz for snapping these shots.

Officially licensed: 1940 Ford coupes

Want to build your dream 1940 Ford coupe hot rod, but don't want to feel guilty about cutting up an original '40 Ford? Well now you can build your dream rod thanks to Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts. Just in time for SEMA, Ford will display a bare metal body and a hot rod built using the new preproduction body. The bodies can be bought fairly reasonably at about $12,000. Which is not bad when compared with finding, buying, shipping, and then repairing an original body. 

 

The 1940 Ford is just one of many classic cars gaining the support and blessings of their original manufacturer for a full reproduction. It joins the classic 1932 Ford and 1964-1970 Mustangs. I've also included a picture of an all original '40 Deluxe Coupe spotted in Hershey.

 

Source: Ford Motor Co. 

 

Press release:

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 26, 2012 – One of the most cherished and collected classic cars of the pre-World War II and hot rod era – the iconic 1940 Ford Coupe – is the latest addition to Ford Motor Company’s growing stable of officially licensed all-steel reproduction car bodies.

 

Available now for ordering, and complementing the 1965-70 Mustang bodies, the 1940 Ford Coupe body is also constructed of modern, high-strength steel and is assembled using modern welding techniques. The new body comes rustproofed from the factory and is ready to be assembled as a custom hot rod or as a faithful tribute to the original.

 

At the upcoming Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Ford will display a custom 1940 Ford hot rod built using a reproduction body and a new bare body shell that demonstrates the high-quality construction. Prices start at $11,900 plus shipping. The full body shell as well as individual steel panels are available through Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts, http://www.dennis-carpenter.com.

 

 

The fully built, copper-colored SEMA show car sports a new 5.0-liter V8 engine, four-speed automatic transmission and Mustang II front suspension. The roof has also been chopped or lowered to give the car an even meaner look.

 

“Like its older 1932 Deuce Coupe and younger Mustang siblings, the 1940 Ford is a bodystyle and design that represents Ford at its best,” said Dennis Mondrach, Ford Restoration Parts licensing manager. “The 1940 Ford Coupe has always been highly sought after and collectible. Unfortunately, good, solid restorable examples have become hard to find and expensive, so this faithful reproduction is bound to prove popular.”

 

The ’40 Ford: Part of American culture

The 1940 Ford has had a major influence on post-World War II America, said Detroit automotive historian Joe Cabadas, author of “’40 Ford: Evolution * Design * Racing * Hot Rodding.”

 

“Bootleggers down south always wanted to know who had the fastest car,” said Cabadas. “Because of its lightweight V8 engine, they started racing them on Sundays, and that is the beginning of stock car racing.”

 

After World War II, the 1940 Ford was at the forefront of another major cultural movement – hot rodding. The ’40 Ford got noticed by World War II veterans, who began buying up the cars and turning them into hot rods by adding performance equipment to the car’s flathead V8 engine.

 

The 1940 Ford has been a fixture in Hollywood, appearing in countless TV shows and movies such as “American Graffiti,” “Bugsy” and “Mulholland Drive.”

 

“With their big fenders and integrated headlights, the 1937-40 Ford was one of the first streamlined cars from Ford Motor Company,” Cabadas said. “Edsel Ford had a hand in its style. He wanted a family look for Ford and Lincoln vehicles, and so you can see some Lincoln Zephyr in it. The 1940 was also one of the few cars in its price class with a V8.”

 

Reproduction body: A blank canvas

Hobbyists looking to build a hot rod using the new 1940 body are limited only by their imagination and budget. The new body is available with a stock firewall that accommodates the original flathead V8. However, for those looking for greater performance from a modern powertrain, the new 1940 Ford body can alternatively be ordered with a recessed firewall that will allow much larger modern engines to be installed.

 

As with the officially licensed reproduction parts available for the 1965-70 Mustang bodies, Ford also supports the 1940 Ford with an array of correct mechanical and trim restoration parts. To see what is available for the 1940, visit www.fordrestorationparts.com.

 

Dennis Carpenter, owner of one of the nation’s largest classic Ford restoration parts companies, owes his start in the business more than 40 years ago to the 1940 Ford.

 

Carpenter was having trouble locating a good used set of dash knobs for a car he was restoring – and still owns – so he approached Ford and obtained permission to reproduce the knobs using original factory blueprints and designs. Today his company, Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts, produces many Ford-licensed parts for the 1940 Ford. With the body now back in production, Carpenter is gearing up to add even more trim parts for the car.

 

“When you see a beautifully restored 1940 Ford, it is like a piece of jewelry,” Carpenter said. “People just really love the lines of that car. It is timeless and appeals to all ages.”

 

# # #

 

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 168,000 employees and about 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

2012 AACA Hershey Fall Meet

If you're in to cars, especially antique and classics. Then you've likely heard of the Antique Automobile Club of America's annual Eastern Fall Meet in Hershey, Pa. Or better known just as Hershey. I've attended the fall meet several times, and one thing that I can say is be prepared. I visited for two days, and that isn't enough. In order to take in everything, you need all four days of the event in order to see it all. It doesn't matter what your passion is. You can find here. Looking for headlights for your brass era classic? Got em. Owners manual for your 63 Ford Falcon? Check. Tires for your hot rod? How many you need? How about a new toy for the garage? There were cars for sale from $2,000 to $400,000.

I spent all of Friday cruising the swap meet and the car corral and found some awesome buys. How about a 1960 Rambler. Completely restored, ready to go with low miles. It could be yours for $9,000 o.b.o. You couldn't even restore this car for that money. I also found a 1973 Ford Gran Torino 4 door. 73k miles, all original paint except for one door. This one was turn key and ready to cruise for $3,995. 1936 Chevrolet sedan, $14,000 o.b.o. How about a 1913 Hupmobile for $34k? I also found a 1953 Nash Healey for the bargain price of $195,000 o.b.o. 1939 Packard, $195,000. 1938 Lincoln V-12 Convertible, $237,500. This is just some of the cars available for sale. And this doesn't include the auction that RM Auctions has put on for the last few years.

In the swap meet, there are literally thousands upon thousands of swap vendors. Selling everything from parts to project cars, toys and literature, cleaning supplies, tools, garage art, clothes, you need it, it's likely you can find it here. The swap meet tends to be a car show in itself as many vendors have cars on display that are either shown on Saturday or are for sale. While walking around we were able to see an early Stanley Steamer chugging around and also spotted a Volkswagen Kubelwagen. I will say that AACA really has this down when it comes to organizing a swap meet. Every area of it is paved, as it's held in the parking lot of Hershey Park and the Giant Center. So along with being paved, it's almost entirely flat making it easy for walking around and for carts and scooters to get around. I brought my trusty wagon with me (that was given to me by my parents when I was young), but decided to leave it in the car as it was cold and windy. So that limited me on my purchases of what I could carry with me. So with that I stuck with paper items and small toys for my expansive VW memorabilia collection.

Friday morning I awoke to sunny skies, but still a little chilly. I paid a visit to the AACA museum just a few miles from the meet to take in their fantastic display. Afterwards I headed back to Hershey Park for the car show part of the fall meet, and again amazed myself as a Hershey veteran. There were 38 classes listed in the event program, but it's nearly tripled due to sub classes. Meaning that there are classes for say, production cars 1957-1958 (excluding chevrolets), followed by a sub class for just 57 and 58 Chevrolet cars. And then within that class, there's probably 50 cars. So that should give you an idea of the shear size of the car show. There's classes for military vehicles, commercial trucks, buses, fire engines, race cars and everything in between. I ended up disappointing myself in not bringing additional memory cards with me for my camera as I ended up filling the car full at 1231 pictures.

I've broken down all the photos I took in to sub albums that can be found here, Enjoy!

2012 Glenmoor Gathering

Ok, I don't live under a rock. I've known of the Glenmoor Gathering of Significant Automobiles in nearby Canton, Ohio for several years now. But I might has well been living under a rock as I have never been to the famed concours d' elegance. All I can say is that if you have never been. Plan on going in 2013. This is an event that is a must attend for any car enthusiast. It doesn't matter what you like, there is a little of something for everyone at the Glenmoor Gathering. Set on the grounds of the beautiful Glenmoor Country Club, the Gathering hosts, I would guess around 500+ of the nation's finest collector cars there are to offer. Each year there are themes This year there were four. Supercharged Autos, Trans-Atlantics (European styling/bodies with American power), The cars of Sydney Allard, and lastly (and the one I was most excited for) Tucker.

Now I have seen a handful of Tuckers in my travels as a car guy. But I have never seen a Tucker outside of the security of an indoor museum and barriers. At this year's event there were 9 Tucker's on display. 7 of which were real honest to goodness members of the original 51 Tuckers built in 1948. These cars take on a whole new life when seen outside in the sunlight. Some highlights included a Tucker from the Gilmore Museum in Michigan which is essentially a brand new car. Tucker #47 has only 53 original miles on the odometer, this Tucker is all original with the exception of one tire. It had just enough patina to look like an older restoration, but once you got up close, well there's that originality vibe. Another standout was Tucker # 48 which came from Wisconsin. This car was interesting because of the numerous accessories added to the car which included wire wheels and a large sign on the back alerting motorists that they had just been passed by a Tucker. Also on display was a fiberglass replica used in the production of the 1988 film, Tucker: The man and his dream. This car sits on a Ford LTD chassis and looks the part far away. And the wildest of the bunch, the Rob Ida Concepts, Tucker 48 continuation. We'll do a feature on that car separately.

Moving to the supercharged cars class, we found a stunning 1938 Mercedes 540k, a 1930 Stutz Model M, a 1927 Hudson Super Six which had a interesting similarity to the the famous Bentley 4 1/2 liter. On display in other classes were a 1948 Davis 3 wheeler, and a 1935 Hoffman X8. The later sporting a X8 mid rear mounted motor. This one had many collectors, including Jay Leno confused as to exactly what a Hoffman was as there was only one ever made.

Probably for me as a car guy, the car that caught my fancy was the 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ "Morman Meteor". This is a car that I have only seen via specials on TV, so to see this famed Duesey in person was a real treat. The car was specially commissioned by David "Ab" Jenkins who was a world renowned test driver. Producing over 400 horsepower, the Mormon Meteor was driven by Jenkins to a world record average of  speed of 135.47mph for 24 hours covering 3523 miles at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1935. In 1936, with upgrades Jenkins broke his own record with an average speed of 153.823 mph. In 2007, the car was honored with winning Best of Show at the famous Pebble Beach Concours d' Elegance.

As I said above, I must have been living under a rock to have never gone to the Glenmoor Gathering. Check out our photo album of all the pictures we took.  Glenmoor gallery.

And then there were none. The last Wexford Starlite Cruise of 2012

Each week in the bustling village of Wexford Pennsylvania, an incredible sight falls across the Northway Christian Community campus. Thousands of cars converge on what can only be described as the largest weekly car cruise on the East Coast. And when we say thousands, we mean it. Each and every Friday (weather permitting of course) over 2000 cruisers pack the parking lots, fields, lawn, of Northway. The Wexford Starlite Car Cruise has a little bit of something for everyone. Vintage cars, new cars, hot rods, imports, exotics, military vehicles, rat rods, million dollar 1 of 1 classics, motorcycles. It's all here. Family entertainment, check. Food vendors, yep they're here in force. If you're in the Pittsburgh area, and you haven't heard of this phenomenon You must check it out in 2013. There were rumors that the cruise wasn't going to happen in 2013. But Pastor Jay Passavant has assured the masses that the cruise will be held in 2013. This is a fantastic event that the whole family can enjoy. You can all pile in the car, have dinner at the cruise and enjoy the classics and the oldies music from the DJ and be a family.  So, be there or be square man!

For when Zombies attack! Get back with a 6x6 F250

This is just the thing for a zombie apocalypse. What's better than a diesel powered, 6x6 driven, quad headlight, Ford F250 crew cab for you and your family to cruise in? I spotted this behemoth on the back of a flat bed trailer parked on the side of the road outside of Zelienople Pennsylvania. No one was available at the shop it was outside of to get details as to what exactly this truck was built for. A few friends on facebook have said they've seen it at mud bogs and tractor pulls in the area, but no one has ever seen it run. Here's what we can tell though. Whoever built it, really took their time to create something that doesn't really look home built. The bed has been professionally finished to look like a factory piece. Same with the grille and second set of headlights which instantly make you think of a pickup from the fictitious "Wagon Queen" brand from the National Lampoon movies. Even to the point of adding the fender and hood edges from the donor truck to make a finished front fascia. They were likely added for height limitations for lights so the truck can be driven on the road.

The body appears to be resting on a military style 6x6 chassis and and powered by likely the same diesel engine from the view I had through the fender well. And of course there's the air horn trumpets and the twin giant fuel tanks mounted in between the axles and the the twin big rig exhaust stacks in the bed. The truck also appears to have an air suspension added to raise and lower the truck. When I initially spotted this truck I first thought it was an old monster truck, and then an F150 mounted to a big rig frame, but closer inspection revealed the 6x6 chassis.  I'm trying to dig up some more details on this truck as it's just too cool to look away from.

Ford unveils 2013 GT500 tribute to Carroll Shelby

Ol' Carroll Shelby may no longer be with us. But his name and legend (good or bad) lives on. As part of this weeks events in Monterey, California, Friends of Carroll Shelby has unveiled this special four wheeled tribute to Shelby in the form of the 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra. Packing the punch of 663 horsepower, a Whipple supercharger ups the output to over 850 horsepower.

Ok, enough with the horsepower. How about the trick wide body thanks to Ice Nine Group of Detroit, Michigan. And of course there's the classic Shelby GT350 hoot scoop and a few other retro Mustang touches. Then there's the 20x10 and 20x13 wheels to fill out the wheel wells. Now I'm not usually a fan of 20 inch wheels, but they just seem to really work on this car. The Cobra was painted classic Shelby Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White dual racing stripes, one of my all time favorite color combinations and really shows off the lines of the new Mustang.

Now of course, this car is technically a concept car. I wouldn't expect to see this on dealer showrooms any time soon.


Source: Ford Motor Company

Press Release:

MONTEREY, Calif., Aug. 17, 2012 – Friends of Carroll Shelby, including Ford Motor Company, Shelby American, Ford Racing and many others have built a unique 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra as a tribute to the late Carroll Shelby.

 

Ford is also announcing a renamed road at its Product Development Center in Dearborn, Mich., as a tribute to Shelby as well. Cobra has been the consistent performance label as Shelby worked with Ford for most of the last 60 years, and Shelby was instrumental in the creation of Ford performance vehicles including Cobras, the GT40 and Mustangs since the mid-1960s.

 

2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra

The unique tribute car was unveiled by Ford Motor Company board member Edsel Ford II, Ford’s group vice president for sales and marketing Jim Farley, and Shelby American president John Luft at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion where Cobra is the marque of show for 2012.

 

“Even at 89 years of age, Carroll was an inspiration to us all,” says Farley. “This year marks the 50th anniversary of the original Shelby Cobra. The one-off car we have created represents the very idea he had about making the 2013 Shelby GT500 into a true Cobra.”

 

Using the 662-horsepower 2013 Shelby GT500 as a foundation, “Friends of Carroll” created the one-of-a-kind 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra wide-body Mustang that now generates more than 850 horsepower with the help of a Ford Racing 4.0-liter Whipple supercharger.

 

Putting that much power to the ground requires plenty of traction, so the 13-inch-wide rear wheels are wrapped in massive 345-section high-performance tires for extra grip.

 

Ford Motor Company teamed up with Shelby American for several key components on the Carroll Shelby tribute car. Shelby American provided a specially designed hood, new rear wide-body kit, Shelby Wilwood brakes and new 20x13-inch rear and 20x10-inch front wheels. The bodywork is finished in the same Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White stripes that graced so many of the Cobra roadsters built in the 1960s.

 

“Carroll Shelby changed the performance world forever,” says Luft. “And while he was proud of Shelby American’s achievements, Carroll was far more interested in the next car we would build. You will find the spirit and influence of Carroll Shelby in every future vehicle we build just as you’ll find it in the rear wide-body kit and hood integrated into the 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra.”

 

“You might also know that Carroll was a philanthropist, noted for supporting causes that moved him,” adds Farley. “In that spirit, this car will be taken on tour around the country, and hopefully will be used in a special way at the end of its tour –  a way Carroll would appreciate.”

 

Before the 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra hits the road, it will be shown at the Ford display in the expo area at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion this weekend.

 

Carroll Shelby Way

For more than half a century, Carroll Shelby inspired designers and engineers throughout the extended Ford family. As a teenager, Edsel Ford II worked for Shelby doing a variety of jobs including cleaning transmission parts.

 

Countless engineers crossed paths with Shelby over the years, from those who crafted the original GT40 to those working on the 2013 Shelby GT500. Up until his death, Carroll Shelby remained committed to developing great performance cars. Even at the age of 88, he spent more than five hours driving the most powerful production Mustang ever during engineering validation sessions at Sebring and the Arizona Proving Grounds in late 2011.

 

During and after test sessions, Carroll spent hours discussing with engineers what he liked and what needed improvement. No one who worked with Carroll will ever forget it, and his lessons in vehicle dynamics will be passed along to coming generations.

 

Ford product development engineers now will get a daily reminder of Carroll’s way as they traverse the newly renamed Carroll Shelby Way through the heart of the Product Development Center in Dearborn, Mich., to the entrance of the proving ground.

 

“Sadly, Carroll Shelby is no longer with us, but his spirit lives on with the designers and engineers he interacted with over the years and he will continue to influence Ford performance cars for many years to come,” says Farley.