Seeing as I have two young children I get the pleasure of watching cartoons a lot. I’m not complaining I love cartoons as much as the next guy. That’s why I wanted to ask you guys this one question… What is your favorite cartoon car? Personally mine is Mater from the Disney movie Cars…. Nothing like a southern 1956 Chevy Truck voiced by Larry the Cable Guy to get you laughing on Saturday mornings. Not only does Mater have a great personality and sense of humor but I think he has some soul in him. Turns out I just saw a preview the other day for a new Cars movie coming out soon. That’ll be one I will take my kids to see for sure.
Now everyone that knows me I think knows how much I love the Corvette and the Camaro. I don’t care if this car wasn’t being used anymore and probably couldn’t even be fixed so it could once again ride in the sunset…. This is just no way for a Camaro to meet it’s demise! Are you with me people?! Or do you just think this is funny? I mean really? 1,500 pounds of cell phones…. Just ain’t right!
Have you seen the new trailer for the movie Faster yet? Well, it features the all mighty 1971 Chevy Malibu SS!! OR is it a 1970 Chevelle SS? Automotive Addicts seems to think it’s a Malibu… I do not. Either way what a car! The movie has already been released but for some reason I hadn’t heard a thing of it until a friend sent me over this video. I think it might be a movie I will go see…. Even if it has nothing to do with Billy Bob Thorton and everything to do with the Malibu/Chevelle. Blame me?!
Chances are you have seen the preview for the upcoming movie ‘Faster’ starring Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton and a pristine 1971 Chevrolet Malibu SS. If you are a true car enthusiast, then the Malibu SS immediately drew your attention to this movie and you will more-than-likely go to see it at the theater after its release on Wednesday November 24, 2010.
The ‘real’ star of the movie is sure to be the Malibu SS for us car guys. But for everyone else we guess Dwayne Johnson and Billy Bob Thornton will do. Our buddy Tim at Fireballtim.com provided us with exclusive ‘behind the scenes’ images of the 71’ Malibu SS during the build and destruction of set vehicles. We have also included the trailer, featuring other ‘fast’ cars, for those of you who have not seen the action-packed preview to the movie ‘Faster’. – Automotive Addicts
There may be no other vehicle in history that is as storied as the ’57 Chevy. The most common model, the Bel Air, is a true classic and known as an automobile icon.
So, what makes the ’57 Chevy so special? Is it the numerous movies or television shows that have starred this vehicle? Is it the many 1957 Chevy toy cars young children have played with? Is it due to the fact that it made the perfect drag car when modified a bit (this vehicle had one horsepower per one cubic inch)? Was it the new large look with the big fins or advanced technologies this vehicle brought to the auto industry in the late 50’s? I don’t know for sure, but one thing is certain; just about every young adult in the country wanted one once the 1960’s rolled around and it has remained a true collectible ever since.
Maybe the most interesting thing about this vehicle is that it wasn’t actually all that popular when it came out. Ford outsold the ’57 Chevy in 1957. However, regardless of its start, this vehicle remains a true American icon. In fact, these vehicles have become such collector’s items that they can sell for upwards of $100,000 if in mint condition. I certainly can’t pinpoint what made this vehicle so popular, but regardless of what it was/is, this car has been loved and admired by car lovers the world over since its production and will continue to be an American classic for years to come. It remains true to the slogan “sweet, smooth and sassy.”
How long have you had your car or truck? Is it time for a new one, or is everything still running fine and you’re happy with your ride? R. L. Polk & Co. have come out with a recent study that shows people are keeping their vehicles longer than they would have in years past. The economy is slowly but surely starting to get better and rest assured there are some great prices on Chevy’s!
Consumers are keeping their automobiles for longer periods than ever before, according to a study performed by the survey gurus at R. L. Polk & Co. For anyone keeping track of such things, this news comes as little surprise – average length of ownership has been steadily increasing at an average rate of 3.7 percent annually.
Since the global economic meltdown and the devastating effect it had on the world’s automakers in 2008, that average length of ownership has increased dramatically at a clip of more than 14 percent. The hard data shows that consumers are keeping their machines for 63.9 months on average, up 4.5 months from the same time last year.
Polk comes to a couple of conclusions from this data. First, the automotive aftermarket stands to benefit from older vehicles remaining on the road. Second, automakers have a big opportunity to get people buying more new cars to replace the rapidly aging vehicles currently in their driveways. – AutoBlog
What’s the longest you’ve ever owned a car or truck? If you are interested in a new car or truck but aren’t sure about your options please feel free to call me anytime. I am more than happy to help.
“It is apart of racing, Taylor…. You can’t control other people.”
Seriously? And there’s nothing we can do? “We will get ‘em next time.”
I cannot express to you the amount of disappointment and helplessness that I felt when Josh pulled off the track with a flat tire and car damage. He started the race mid-pack and was doing great; he moved up 7 spots in 2 laps! The last adjustments the SPG Motorsports crew made to the car seemed to help, as Josh was making his was to the front. Then, two cars wrecked in front of Josh, putting him in 10th place. Josh slows down realizing what happened and then one of the cars turned into him as he went through Turn 1. He avoided them as best as he could, but unfortunately, there was nowhere to really go. Josh was forced to pull off track.
1,423 miles, 80+ hours of labor, 1 week off of work for the entire crew and SPG Motorsports Team, and $1,000s later for it to all end in a split second! Crazy, but I guess that’s what makes this one the fastest growing sports in the nation. It’s intense. Overall, we had a really great time. Josh learned a lot about the track and the car and plans to make some adjustments for future races, which that’s all we can ask for. Not to mention we had a great sponsor and a great team and that in itself is a win!
Thanks again Classic Chevrolet and the Classic Chevrolet fans for the support for this race! You are greatly appreciated and hope that we can pull off a win for you at this year’s Legend Event at the NASCAR Race at Texas Motor Speedway in November!
Please give Classic a shout out for all their continued support for their local community. You really do “experience the difference” with Classic Chevrolet!
Posted by: Taylor Vaughan & the SPG Motorsports Team
I have never in my life known a sport as competitive as racing, especially when there are so many different factors involved. It is definitely more than just “turning left,” that is for sure!
When it comes to racing, there are a ton of variables that will determine your finish. You have the track, the car, the driver, and the luck of the draw and they all go hand in hand. Not to mention, in order to take on a win, they all have to work together just perfectly. Yet, just one of them can be a deciding factor for a 2nd, 3rd or even field finish.
You can have the best car in the world with all the nicest stuff and if you can’t get a driver to wheel it around the track making smart decisions about passing, braking, and when to hold off, then I wouldn’t count on finishing in the front. Fortunately, we do not have to worry about that! Thank goodness. However, you can have the best driver in the world and if the car decides that it doesn’t want to hook up coming off the corners, or decides to start leaking brake fluid – then you aren’t going to win either. You may be able to pull off a top finish, but you won’t be celebrating in Victory Lane. Then, the luck portion comes in to play when everything is going just right – the car doing what you want it to do, the driver having the talent to put it in front, and no one taking you out during a race (what a terrible feeling – let me tell you).
Needless to say, it’s no smooth driving like the Corvettes he drives on the road course. Yesterday, before qualifying Josh said the car was really “loose” (where the car wanted to spin out on the turns)… Well, there are apparently quite a few different ways to “tighten” a car. Each one can affect other aspects of the car as well. Here’s the dilemma – there is no more practice time. So, everyone that makes changes to their car takes a gamble on if it is the right change. Josh and the SPG Motorsports crew made an adjustment. Qualifying…. And the Lap Time = Average. DANG IT! Not to worry, we are just going to have to do well in the Heat Race.
The crew took what Josh said about the car in Qualifying and made some more adjustments for the Heat Race. He started 2nd Row inside – not too shabby! The race starts and the cars are close in speed and time, he stays with the first row of cars and battles for 2nd… a couple more laps go by and you can tell that the car just wants to go right up the track… The cars behind him are closing in quickly. He holds them off for a couple more laps. One passes. A couple more laps. Another passes. A couple more laps. White flag is waved and one more lap. Checkered flag – Josh holds out for a fifth place finish! Not exactly where he wanted to finish (1st – what Driver doesn’t), but with the car acting up, we will take it.
On to the Main races today, he is going to be in the B-Main. The Top 5 Finishes will transfer to the A-Main! Not for sure exactly where we start, but either way we’ve got some work to do and I am going to have a little pep talk to that car today! I know that the SPG Motorsports crew will be making some final adjustments based upon the Heat Races.
“Taylor, just pack t-shirts and sweatshirts, because it’s not like you need to look fancy or meet anybody.”
“You’re right. And, it’s not like I would pick up a guy from the racetrack that wasn’t some country bumpkin, anyways…”
My best friend laughed as she nodded towards my suitcase full of Charlotte Motor Speedway sweatshirts, Texas Motor Speedway tanks and racing t-shirts that most women wouldn’t be caught cleaning in. Oh, goodness. She was right. What have I done?? I am THAT girl and my suitcase is full of ‘THAT’ car stuff, as I use to refer to it.
Okay, so I may not be with a country bumpkin, but my life is definitely full of left turns, race tires and checkered flags. Now that I think about it, it has become apart of me, engrained as riding a bike. Get to the track, meet in the garage, help wipe down the car, clock lap-times, report to crew chief, stand by the pit wall and get anxious during the race, meet in Victory Lane, celebrate and do it all again the next weekend. And really goes against all stereotypes placed on auto-racing – it’s a lot of hard work, talented drivers, and a ton of effort and quite a bit of money involved.
SO, how did we end up here? Well, Josh Gilbert, who you will meet shortly, is the Chief Mechanic/Lead Instructor for a Corvette Racing School out at Texas Motor Speedway. And, when he’s not taking care of the school’s 27-car fleet, he’s giving exhilarating rides on the road course on the inside of the track! (It’s WAY cool, especially since they are one of my all-time favorite cars: The Corvette.)
And, what does any car enthusiast (or any man, really) do when they have the opportunity for fast cars and a wide open track? … FLOOR IT. Okay, so honestly, I personally never really fully understood the need for speed – but can only guess – since every man that gets out of those cars after being on track, acts as if they had just been given an unlimited shopping spree at Best Buy. Apparently, Josh needed more. Who would’ve guessed, right?! Therefore, he took his previous racing experience and decided to compete for the 2010 Legends Asphalt National Championship this weekend in Hampton, Virginia.
For all of those who have no clue what that even means, the Legends cars are modeled after the 1930s and 1940s NASCAR stockcars on a 1/3 scale and as my Mom says “look like mini PT Cruisers.” I know that’s awful, right?! The U.S. Legends Series was put together in order to have a programs that would be more affordable, race on smaller tracks and have lower maintenance costs, and has been known for the career starts of many NASCAR drivers, such as Reed Sorensen, Kyle Busch, and David Ragan (who still actually races with Josh!).
With all that said, we had the Chevy Legends car, we had our Chevy Driver, and all we needed was the Chevy sponsor. And, of course, Classic Chevrolet hooked it up! So now, Classic Chevrolet has their very own Chevrolet Driver! I mean, really, what’s a Chevy without a Driver, anyways??
This video is probably one of the most fantastic pieces of animation that I have seen in a long while. A gentlemen by the name of Pantural has put together an awesome video. Did you ever think that you would see the new Chevrolet Camaro vs a Ford Shelby vs a Jeep Grand Cherokee vs a VAZ 2107 vs an Apache Helicopter? Talk about a match up! Watch the video and find out who wins the big race.
*There is a foul word splattered on the screen at the end of the video but it goes so fast you may not see it. My apologies before hand.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) puts together crash tests every year to determine which vehicles are deemed the safest to drive. These cars are awarded safety awards by certain criteria and to win such an award is a very important and special thing for an automaker. I happened to come across a video from IIHS of a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air vs. a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu and I wanted to share it with you. What this video shows is that automakers are putting extra time, thought and energy into the new cars that they are building. You should not be surprised to see that the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu has a much smaller amount of damage compared to the 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air. Check out the video below and see what the IIHS had to say about this very special test.
IIHS 50th anniversary demonstration test • September 9, 2009
In the 50 years since US insurers organized the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, car crashworthiness has improved. Demonstrating this was a crash test conducted between a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air and a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. In a real-world collision similar to this test, occupants of the new model would fare much better than in the vintage Chevy.
“It was night and day, the difference in occupant protection,” says Institute president Adrian Lund. “What this test shows is that automakers don’t build cars like they used to. They build them better.”
The crash test was conducted at an event to celebrate the contributions of auto insurers to highway safety progress over 50 years. Beginning with the Institute’s 1959 founding, insurers have maintained the resolve, articulated in the 1950s, to “conduct, sponsor, and encourage programs designed to aid in the conservation and preservation of life and property from the hazards of highway accidents.”
Hi, I'm Hagen Durant, General Manager of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, TX - I am a huge car and truck enthusiast and love talking cars. I'm a cyclist, health nut, father, geek, and drummer. I look forward to giving you great information about cars and trucks, driving tips, maintenance and so much more.
If you have any questions or would like to make suggestions feel free to email them to me at hagen@classicchevytexas.com
Seeing as I have two young children I get the pleasure of watching cartoons a lot. I’m not complaining I love cartoons as much as the next guy. That’s why I wanted to ask you guys this one question… What is your favorite cartoon car? Personally mine is Mater from the Disney movie Cars…. Nothing like a southern 1956 Chevy Truck voiced by Larry the Cable Guy to get you laughing on Saturday mornings. Not only does Mater have a great personality and sense of humor but I think he has some soul in him. Turns out I just saw a preview the other day for a new Cars movie coming out soon. That’ll be one I will take my kids to see for sure.
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