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Avenue of the Giants Weekend Run - Sat. March 23, 2024

Saturday will be a very full day of cruising from Novato up through the Avenue of the Giants and ending at Eel River Brewing in Fortuna. Sun...

Happy New Year



See You All In 2010!!!!

Let's Motor!


[Photo Credit: edmund's]

Make A Resonator Guitar From A 1967 Mini Cooper Hubcap

[Source: fenderflame @ YouTube]

CO To NY To CO In A MINI With Two Labs

[Source: BigBlackLabVideo @ YouTube]

Now That's Horsepower

[Source: daduzzo69 @ YouTube]

That Looks Like A Lot Of Fun

But only if it is legal!

[Source; 97Rosta @ YouTube]

New South Dakota Record

This is Marguerite Engle. She is the new South Dakota record holder for the highest ever blood-alcohol level ever recorded in the State. Ms. Engle was found passed out behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle. She posted a blood alcohol level of .708 percent - nearly nine times South Dakota’s legal limit of .08 percent. The previous record was .56 percent. A blood alcohol level of .40 is considered a lethal dose for 50% of the population.

[Source: Rapid City Journal via Jonathan Turley]

Review Of The MINI Beachcomber Concept


Automobile Magazine provides a "First Look" at the 2010 MINI Beachcomber Concept.

Top 100 Auto Photos Of 2009

Gearheads won't want to miss autoblog's Gallery of The Top 100 Photographs of 2009.

The Alligator Bike - Made With Real Gator

Made from an 11 foot alligator caught in the wild. Here's the how it was made video:

[Source: Benny Leather King via AutoMotto]

Trailing A Mobile Garden



Didn't know that nature needed a trailer to go mobile.

[Source: AutoMotto]

Norm, There Is Another Pooper In Georgia

[Source: Jalopnik]

Hey Mad Stu, Here's A Winter Motorcycle Alternative

[Source: via autobloggreen]

Ice And Snow Motorcycle Riding

Mad Stu is a Medical Dispatch Rider that rides a BMW K1100 LT motorcycle on ice and snow during the winter. Here is his technique:

[Source: via TopSpeed]

MINI 50th Anniversary Videos

MotoringFile compiles them in one place including "Rebel Without A Pause."

Part 1

Part 2

New Trend - Hacking Stop Signs

urlesque reports on a new trend in the defacing of stop signs and provides photographic examples.

Drinking & Driving New Years Eve? Sign Up Now

If you sign a Georgia funeral home's form that says you plan to get blitzed, drive on New Year's Eve and then die, the funeral home will bury you free of charge.

[Source: via Jalopnik]

How Fast Can You Change Out An Air-Cooled VW Engine?

[Source: via Jalopnik]

How Often Do You See This?

A Bentley Continental and a Maybach 62 trading paint.

[Source: via carscoop]

Tiny Fiat Topolino May Return

autobloggreen reports Fiat is in talks to buy Serbian carmaker Zastava as part of a plan to re-introduce the Topolino mini and build ir in Serbia. It will seat two and is expected to use the 900cc twin-cylinder Multiair powerplant with about 65 horsepower in naturally aspirated form. Rumors are that an electric version of the new Topolino is also likely.

Do Not Check Out This Website While Driving


The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has created distraction.gov, a new website with facts and figures that show how distracted driving affects the ability to drive safely. Just don't go their on your smartphone while driving. It is, well, distracting.

[Source: via autoblog]

Adam Carolla With Vinnie Kung, MINI USA Product Manager

From the Los Angeles Auto Show with discussions of the MINI Concepts:


We Want It But We Can't Have It


The most economical MINI with the longest range is not available in the United States.  The Diesel is available in Australia where the 2010 gets a Road Test Review from The Motor Report.

MINI Dealer Opens In Porto Alegre, Brazil

Trucking A

[Source: via autoblog]

Drifting A Semi

It's not just for cars anymore.

Don't Litter The Streets With Boxes From Your Holiday Gifts

[Source: thomvr @ YouTube]

Not Likely To Accept Responsibility

To quote newspress.co.uk:

According to a Whatcar.com survey, only 37% of motorists polled would definitely confess to damaging a parked car, 18% would hit the accelerator and drive away quickly, with the remaining 45% in two minds – depending on how much damage they caused.

Can You Afford To Have This Happen To You?


Jalopnik recounts the 30 most expensive car crashes of 2009.

Tight Squeeze Getting To The Zoo

Copenhagen Zoo Advertisement.

[Source: Jalopnik]

MINI E Range Plummets With Winter Weather


Reports are coming in that the range of the MINI-E's plummets in the cold winter weather of the Northeastern US. autoblog reports on one 55 mph round-trip commute that drained the batteries even with a 2 hour charge cycle half way through the trip.

May I Park Your Car For You, Sir?

 

[Source: via carscoop]

Please Check Road Conditions Before You Start Your Travels

[Source: via Jalopnik]

Stretched MINI Limo With Hot Tub

[Source: bobrules4603 @ YouTube]

Fast Parking MINI

[Source: robis777 @ YouTube]

2WD MINI

[Source: robis777 @ YouTube]

Look What Bring A Trailer Found


A factory built 1967 Mini Marcos GT. It was designed by Marcos Cars (UK) in the mid-1960s as a special 2-seat sports car body and chassis for Austin or Morris Mini and Cooper S drivetrain and suspension components. The chassis is a two-seat fiberglass right-hand drive monocoque with Mini Mk1 subframes front and rear.

Here are the specs -

The engine is an Austin 1275GT bored to 1380cc (73.5mm bore); Horsepower: ~100; Twin SU H4 (not HS4) carbs on MOWOG 12A661 inlet manifold; Derrington formula junior intake trumpets / velocity stacks (homologated for side draft weber); SPQR throttle cable and quadrant; M.E.D. (UK) Rally spec cylinder head with ported, unleaded fuel valve seats; Derrington alloy rocker / valve cover; Engine block is a 1275GT BMC A-series (not later A+ block); 1275GT crankshaft and connecting rods; Hepolite pistons; Piper 270 camshaft; M.E.D. full roller rocker valve train with oversized valves; Long Center Branch (LCB) works type header and stainless steel single-box exhaust from Mini Mania.

Oil/Water System: Custom aluminum radiator with expansion tank, front mounted (original side-mount radiator goes with car); Austin Mini water pump; Aluminum Oil Cooler.

Electrical System: Aldon modified Lucas distributor; 1960s Champion WCX600 spark plug caps (now off because they did not work well); Lucas generator / dynamo with 1960s Lucas gold sports coil; 12-volt battery; Lucas 4FJ fuse box and Lucas RB106 voltage regulator; SEV Marchal Amplilux headlamps; BMC Mini Traveller van rear lamps; Clear glass Lucas indicator / turn signal lamps.

Transmission / Gearbox: Four-speed Austin A-series remote Type 12G288 and 3.4 final drive (rebuilt with less than ten miles).
Body and Chassis: Fiberglass monocoque body construction, painted in red enamel over gel-coat. Monocoque / unibody Right Hand Drive (RHD) chassis built by Marcos Cars Ltd. UK in fiberglass with reinforced stress areas.

Front Suspension: Mk 1 Mini with recent (2004) Dunlop rubber cones; fully adjustable Rip-Speed Hi-Lo units; Spherical-joint (rose-joint) adjustable lower arms; Spherical-joint tie rods; SPAX adjustable shocks / dampers.
Rear Suspension: Mk 1 Mini with recent Dunlop rubber cones; Fully adjustable Rip-Speed Hi-Lo; SPAX shocks / dampers .
Brakes: 1960s Mk1 Cooper S disc front brakes; Super Mini Fin alloy drum rear brakes; MkI Mini servo mounted in engine compartment.
Steering: Mini Mk 1 steering column and rack; Minilite magnesium 5.5 inches x 10 inch wheels; Yokohama A008 tires.

Interior: Black/red color scheme; Original Marcos seats, recently restored with leather facing surfaces, vinyl backs and Recaro-type black cord centers and with adjustable fore-aft sliders; Marcos original carpeting; Original Triplex windows except side windows; Britax 3-point rally harness (later style) seat belts; 1960s Jaeger gauges / instruments (8K electric tach, cable-driven speedo with gear box, oil pressure, oil temp, water temp, fuel gauges); Twin Heuer stop watches mounted with a 12-hour mechanical clock in aluminum navigator panel; Lucas switches + Wipac rally high/lo beam long arm flasher; Speedwell switch grip extensions; oil pressure and high beam warning lamps; Neiman ignition switch with steering column lock; 1960s Moto-lita 13.5 inch diameter leather-rimmed steering wheel with tulip mounting boss.

Accessories: Factory installed original roll bar with additional crossbar fitted using 1960s John Aley cast alloy clamps; Les Leston shift knob on Speedwell 3 inch gear shift extension; Fire extinguisher; Barnacle rear view mirror; Talbot Green Dot Berlin side mirrors; 1960s S.P.Q.R. Adjusta-Throttle accelerator pedal; Mini heater with fresh air intake modification; Enots chrome Aston flip filler petrol cap.

More pictures and information available at Bring A Trailer.com.

525HP, $163,000 Audi R8 V10 Snow Plow

[Source: via Jalopnik]

Men Park Cars Faster And Better Than Women

So says a German study that was conducted with an Audi A6 according to TheCarConnection.com. VW heralded the results with this commercial for its Park Assist technology.

Merry Christmas From BimmerFile


NorCal MINIs Wishes You All A Very Merry Christmas







For All You Boys And Girls - Track Santa


Go to the Official NORAD Santa Tracker, choose your language, and follow Santa as he delivers presents around the world.

Happy Holidays From RPMGO.com


Rolls Royce's Sleigh For Santa



Nissan's Sleigh For Santa



[Source: carbodydesign.com]

Ford's Sleigh For Santa




[Source: carbodydesign.com]

Bentley's Sleigh For Santa



[Source: carbodydesign.com]

Aston Martin's Sleigh For Santa




[Source: carbodydesign.com]

Audi's Sleigh For Santa




[Source: carbodydesign.com]

Merry Christmas Greetings

From MotoringFile:



From BMWBlog:




From The GarageBlog.com:


The Fiat 500C Cool Bikini Contest From Amsterdam

[Source: via WorldCarFans.com]

MILO® FUZE®

For context purposes:

New & improved MILO® FUZE® is filled with the nutritious goodness that you need while you are on the go go go! With an even greater MILO® taste, MILO® FUZE® now has the additional goodness of ACTIGEN E® and PROTOMALT® which provides all the calcium and vitamins your body needs! Satisfy your hunger pangs in the most convenient way anywhere & anytime with these 5 tasty flavours.

Well, at least they used a Mini!

Driving A MINI In The Swiss Alps

[Source: gian239 @ YouTube]

Adrenaline Is A Renewable Resource

[Source: intellectual791 @ YouTube]

Interesting Ten Year Retrospective On The Auto Industry

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

[Source: CNBC @ MSNBC]

Slow Down This Holiday Season

Carsite.co.uk reminds us that it could take up to 25% longer to stop a fully laden vehicle. Please allow for reduced braking performance of a car stuffed with passengers, luggage, packages and/or presents on icy or wet road surfaces. So slow down and enjoy the Holiday Season.

[Source: via TheAutoChannel; Photo Credit: chiotsrun.com]

Get Your MINI Tuned


Jan of Revolution MINI Works will be at Left Coast Diesel, 1905 Arnold Industrial Way, Concord, CA 94520 on Saturday, January 23, 2010 to tune MINIs. A tune costs $350.00 cash for a R53 and $600.00 cash for a R56. Prices are $75.00 per hour for the dyno time.

To sign up for tune session in Concord, here is the current thread on NAM: RMW Tune in Bay Area!

Children's Hospital Thanks You For Your Generosity



A big thank you from Children's Hospital (and Larry) for all of the toys that were donated during our Holiday Toy Drive. Bags of fun were delivered to the kids today!

Zombie Attack Hack

According to UPI pranksters hacked, via telephone or by directly accessing the controls for the signs, two programmable traffic signs in Gainesville, Florida with hoax messages and reprogrammed them with the warning: "ZOMBIE ATTACK!! EVACUATE."

A Ken Block Holiday Driving Extravaganza

Four, count 'em, four new videos!!!!

[Source: via autoblog]

Loving Your MINI A Little Too Much?

[Source: sannekurz @ YouTube]

Sing Happy Birthday To Your MINI

[Source: sannekurz @ YouTube]

Getting Your Kicks On Route 66

Cruising in a classic Austin Mini Cooper through California.

[Source: TheGentlemanRacer.com via moretti124guy @ YouTube]

How Well Can You Park?

Play this Parking Game at TopSpeed and find out.

[Photo Credit: The Mommyvan]

Creative Use Of A Pothole

Montreal artists Claudia Ficca and Davide Luciano are known for their pothole artwork in Montreal and New York. They are in Los Angeles this month and their LA pothole artwork includes the pothole baptism, a BBQ, bubble bath, diver, dog wash, laundry, fishing hole, doughnut fryer, garden, duck blind, pedicure, pet cemetery, Santa Claus, scuba diver, spaghetti & meatballs and winemaking. You can check them all out in this LA Weekly slideshow.

Eco-Friendly Hamster Drag Racing


[Source: via CarDomain Blog]

1/8th Mile Drag MCS JCW Versus BMW 330i

[Source: str2int @ YouTube]

Have Yourself A MINI Snowdriftmas

[Source: c00kieron @ YouTube]

A Person Will Fit In The Trunk Of A Camden

[Source: ATallSkinneyGirl @ YouTube]

Mona Vie MINI "Hip-Hop" Energy Drink Video

[Source: CLUBWEALTH @ YouTube]

MINI Design Merry Christmas Cards



Cards made exclusively for MotoringFile by MINI Design - the same people busy putting the finishing touches on the Roadster and Coupé for 2011 production.

Last Minute Holiday Shopping For Gearheads

How about a set of automobile-inspired cufflinks from RaceChairs for $25.00?

[Source: via AutoMotto]

Do You Have One Of The 205 Recalled 2010 MINIs?


BMW has recalled 205 2010 MINI Coopers and MINI Cooper S due to a sticker mix-up. Affected vehicles were equipped with 17-inch wheels, but their label states that they were equipped with 16-inch wheels and the tire pressure stated on the label for the Cooper S is incorrect. Incorrect tire information could affect the durability of the tires and the stability of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

[Source: Edmund's inside line]

Saab Back On Life Support

After announcing its demise GM has received and will evaluate multiple new offers that eliminate sticky timetable "due diligence issues" with respect to purchase financing.

[Source: Automotive News]

Odd Speed Limit

We have seen speed limit signs for 10 mph, even 5 mph, but 12.5?

[Source: via Imgur via Jalopnik]