Street Racing Cars For Sale

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

1913 Christie Front Drive steam pumper/ fire engine

0 comments Posted by st at 5:27 PM

The restoration is remarkable, but the concept used in this construction is astonishing and innovative. Brilliant really, Walter Christie was a gifted engineer, and made the first front wheel drive car, http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/03/first-front-wheel-drive-car-1904.html and raced it in 1905 in the Vanderbilt Cup.

But getting back to the steam pumper... Christie didn't get in over his head and make the existing tech obsolete, he made it better. You may have realized that Microsoft is the world's top software company because it makes it's Windows better, not obsolete, and this made Bill Gates the world's richest man... improvements, not obsolescence.

Like I was saying, Walter looked at what needed to be improved, and took the opportunity to make horse drawn fire steam pumpers self propelled once they were equipped with his front wheel drive units instead of horses. Horses were already 10 years into the age of the car, and the writing was on the wall.

Fire department equipment is really expensive, and Walter focused on the biggest fire departments on the East Coast to contract with to improve the existing equipment to speed up the delivery of equipment to fires. Notice in the below photo that the front and back have little in common

To easily compare this to the horse drawn model, just click on this link and see it from my gallery http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/03/san-diego-firehouse-museum_11.html last month of the steam pumper in the San Diego Fire House Museum: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjly1KwZRukSbRbGG6IlsDhVBgdCGmVUdluC28L7lgHHoKolYiQk6vvNyS4dNVuplatJS3HXny7pTxT-nwQokvRVgvddFAyHrr9da4HimoHqEUFT9stlroyGGI2ienvl9aCMhWVz2NJMmS6/s1600/DSC_0055.JPG

This is just a short gallery, for a better one, and a full write up on the Christie company and it's founder: http://justacargal-s.blogspot.com/2011/03/1913-christie-fire-engine.html

My new Lava Red 2012 Mustang is fun to drive!!

0 comments Posted by st at 2:16 PM

I have had a few over the years as a Ford sales person, a 1996 GT Coupe, a 1999 Special Edition GT Convertible, a 1968 V-8 Convertible and a 2003 Cobra Convertible.

I have to say the new 5.0 Mustang is a fun to drive muscle car. This 5.0 feels like a street legal race car when I'm rolling down the road. With the new electric steering you can select Sport mode for more precise driving feel, the Standard mode for a nice tight feel with less effort or a Comfort mode that makes it easy, (not what I would recommend though)

For Daily driving I like the Standard mode the best. In Sport mode it is tighter and you really feel connected. I really enjoy the quick and easy short shift 6 speed. In fact it is so much better than my 03 Cobra and I feel this 5.0 with premium fuel could really give the others a run for the Money.

So far I have only 500 miles on my new Lava Red 2012 Mustang so I have only raced one older Saleen. Unfortunately it was only a race to 3 gear as once I did that I was gone and he could only watch me pull away. Of course I slowed down when I hit 70 and waited for him to catch up.

I'm only on my 3rd tank of gas, the first 2 tanks full I used the 91 octane. This time I put in 87 and have driven about 1/4 tank and can feel the difference already. The car feels quieter a little less aggressive. Fuel economy is a little less to so I think I will burn the good stuff and have some fun while doing it. Once I get a couple thousand miles on this car, I just may go looking for someone who wants to race. I will keep you posted here.

I will get some more pictures for you as well as the Lava red is a color you need to see to appreciate. At night it gives off a plumb color, overcast days you would think it's Black and when the sun light shines on it the Burgundy Lava color comes alive.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

RECALL ALERT: Foreign Honda Accords Recalled

0 comments Posted by st at 11:15 PM

Honda in Australia is recalling 45 000 of its Accord Euro models over a faulty power steering hose that may start a fire under the bonnet. They were sold between June 2003 and June 2008. The hose may crack due to high temperatures and leak fluid and cause a fire. Honda will be contacting its Australian customers through mail and encourages its owners to visit the dealership if they have the model in concern. There have been reports of leaky hoses around Australia. No fires or serious injuries have been reported. This is the 4th recall battle for Honda in Australia since the year began. Since January, 80 000+ Hondas have been recalled in that country alone.

Honda Canada's 2012 Accord HFP Coupe (CANADA-ONLY)

0 comments Posted by st at 11:12 PM

Aside from the Acura CSX, Honda does not offer anything different in Canada than it already does in the states. However, Honda's recent introduction of the Accord HFP Coupe at the Vancouver Auto Show is yet another distinguishing between the lineup in the States and in Canada. The enhanced exterior styling comes with a wider and lower appearance, aided by a suspension drop, 19-inch wheels and front/rear/side skirts. A more responsive sport suspension has been fine-tuned and dropped into this beastly coupe and Michelin Primacy MXM4 tires have been added to improve the tire grip. 200 of these babies will be produced and will be priced at $37 890 with the option of a 5-speed auto or a 6-speed manual. Sorry, but black is your only color choice. Better luck next time.

Steam punk, making things look victorian and brass era, steam powered... that's the idea. It has a lot of aspects though, here's a few

0 comments Posted by st at 8:39 PM

1930's France it seems, because just to the left of the motorwheel is a Citreon Traction Avant

Steam powered ditch digger.. .that is a monster

Cadillac tow truck, for more cars converted into tow trucks see: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/12/tow-trucks-were-sometimes-made-from-big.html

Johnny Cash and the 1986 Steam Expo. Very cool. Two times.

the above is the Lanz bulldog, 1 cylinder, compression ignition powered

all of these are just an indication of how cool http://steampunkvehicles.tumblr.com/ is

The first front wheel drive car, the 1905 Christie 4 cylinder Vanderbilt cup racecar

0 comments Posted by st at 7:40 PM

Above photo from http://steampunkvehicles.tumblr.com/ Walter Christie was involved in the engineering of many other vehicles, steamships, submarines, aircraft and fire engines coincidentally, and this past weekend I and Justacargal were examining the one at the Nethercutt museum just North of Los Angeles in the San Fernando valley: http://justacargal-s.blogspot.com/2011/03/1913-christie-fire-engine.html