Auto Union

The four ring logo represents the union of four companies, Audi, Horch, DKW and Wanderer, which became known as Auto Union. Auto Union would be as anymous today as something like Wanderer, but for a series of spectacular mid engine 12 and 16 cylinder grand prix cars from the 1930s. Mid engine and lots of cylinders...hmmm. You can have your brand name for it, I've got mine.

Audi Stealthpanzer Mk IV

It has radar. Only thing is, I already know there's a car ahead of me in the fast lane going slow. Would happily trade the radar for a high powered laser. Paint color was chosen on the bassis of what color is closest to invisible, and least likely to be remembered by other commuters, whom I tailgate relentlessly.

Triumph TR4

See note about car crash below. I never have gotten over the loss of my first TR. The carcass is sitting in storage. The theory was to either replace, or some day rebuild the car. Having sold my RX-7, and having this one fall in my lap, the red car is now a parts car for the black one. In this photo, the car is about to stop and take a pee against the fire plug.

Morgan 4/4

It farts, it pops, it sputters. Driving used to be much more of an adventure. Here's a link to a stupid story I wrote about it.

MGPB

If ever I get off the can and do something with it, the PB will be my prize automobile. I drove it up to New Hampshire, and won first place in the vintage class at the New England MGT Register meet. The fact there was only one other vintage class car (driven by a first-timer), and I knew everybody at the show, had nothing to do with it.

Update: The car is currently in a double secret location, about to receive a long overdue restoration.

The Ignomini

Between 2000-'01 I spent a large chunk of time in the UK. Company cars were always a problem, so I decided to buy something I couldn't get in the States. I've never owned a brand new car, so I walked across the street from my flat and bought a brand new 2000 Mini. Its essentially a 1967 car with fuel injection and an airbag. Only the British could have offered these things for sale and got away with it.

Mini Road Trip Article

MG Midget

This is the car I should have owned when I was 18. Hmm, sounds like a concept for an article. Yes, the flames are the ones I refer to in the article. By the way, that's not me in the cockpit. I'm not that old...yet. The man in the photo is John Sprinzel, one of, if not the most famous names associated with the Spridget's competition history. Among many other achievements, John's Speedwell Sprites competed very successfully at Le Mans. John is about to experience a large dose of supercharger boost. We had just installed the first prototype supercharger kit on the car, and it was haulin' arse.

Under the Bonnet | On the Dyno

Mustang

Technically, this self contained dream cruise belongs to my sister. She drove it for years, then took pity and placed it on indefinite loan with me. Driving down from Seattle the engine overheated, it needed a rebuild. We trailered the car to my father's place in Idaho and had the engine rebuilt. I tried again, made it to California and then it developed a rod knock. I thought American cars were supposed to be reliable.

The Other TR4

Not the first car I ever owned, but the first to be roadworthy. The car was externally as sharp as any of the award winners in the clubs, but I never had the skill or the money to restore it under the hood. It went through SUs and a Judson supercharger before settling on a set of Webers. I wired the overdrive to a switch on the gearshift. With the lockouts on second and third removed, it had seven forward speeds. Sadly, my only ever car crash happened in this machine.

Company Car

Driving across the Utah dessert in the height of summer, the aluminum frame of the steering wheel got so hot you couldn't touch it. The rivets through the wood were hot enough to burn as well. The only possible steering technique was to touch only the wood, and then just with your finger tips. You had to do this all through the heat of the day...fun stuff. Built in the middle fifties from a pair of wrecked TDs, the MG TD Pickup is one well traveled truck. It's been coast to coast several times, and up and down the east and west coasts. It's heavy (all steel) and handles about as well as a fork lift.

The Island of Misfit Cars

Okay, none of them are misfits really, they're just cars which are gone but not forgotten - which could be the name for this section, except I like the sound of "misfit" better than the "Island of Cars Gone but Not Forgotten."

Porshhh-Uh (phonetic spelling for people from Rio Linda)

According to Porsche, this car "Kills Bugs Fast." Yup. Ferrari, Lambo, Rolls, none of the fancy pants cars have ever sent me like a 993 Turbo. One couldn't possibly aspire to anything more (okay, maybe a 512 BB). Then I drove it back to back with an R8. What a clattering piece of shit. Even the radio sounds bad. "Down goes Frazier, down goes Frazier, down goes Frazier!" The former champ is now formerly owned. Truth be told, I still love it. Garage space and finances killed the dream. Best view in the side mirrors of any car ever. I think they designed the outside edges of the wing to look great in the mirrors ahead of any other consideration.

The Scooby

To quote Hot Rod magazine, it looks like a "blinged out rice rocket." Clearly the pink STi graphics and outsized appendages were designed by a former member of the Barbie Car team at Mattel. I love the hood scoop. From the driver's seat it blocks out the sun, and it vibrates, giving that old '60s era shaker hood testosterone thing. Turbo lag isn't too bad. If I can lay hands on a sundial I'll measure it. As for the Ricky Racer wing...

Shiv Pathak fixed any turbo lag issues by retuning the boost to come on when you opened the driver's door. I can't honestly say why I sold it. Other than lack of range, it was a fantastic car.

Porsche 911 Carrera

I've always lusted after Porsches. I got to ride in a low miles '58 Speedster when I was a kid, but was never allowed to drive it. When they started advertising the 993 I knew some day I would have one. Was up visiting my sister in Seattle and we stopped by a dealer. I wanted to show her what my dream car looked like. "It looks like this one here" says I. It must have, I wound up buying it.

The Other Company Car

Oh yeah, life is good when the company car makes 300 horsepower and has a flat line torque curve from idle to infinity. This car would be silly fast if it had any traction. Supercharger boost response is highly intoxicating. If Honda would make it spin the rear wheels, and fix the goofy plastic interior, I might be willing to own one.

Too late now, we sold it. The stuff Honda is making today doesn't really stir the blood, as it were.

Mazda RX7

The third gen RX7 was the pinnacle for Mazda, or would have been if somebody hadn't pulled the plug on development before the car was fully baked. Mazda had just come off a spectacular run of success in IMSA, SCCA, and even a Le Mans win. They decided to go upscale with the third installment of the popular series, but for all it's speed and spectacular looks, it just couldn't overcome an exchange rate driven price tag, and a series of quality and longevity issues. Here is a car which I covet as a former owner, but would no doubt hop in today and immediately remember all the reasons I sold it in the first place.

Dirt Test Vehicle

No idea why, can't explain, other than to say its the path of least resistance and a visual clue to my inherently lazy nature. It sure comes in handy for hauling dead cars and firearms. You should have seen it before the rain shower. I had just driven down from Boise, right through a major snow storm. Two wheel drive and no chains, oh yeah. It took seven hours to get through Reno and up Donner Pass. When I arrived home, after 21 hours behind the wheel, I was hungry enough to eat somebody's children.