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Rust-Free Reality: Creating an All-New Classic

IN his 35 years of restoring cars, Mark Miller has seen it all — the good, the bad and the unsightly.

Among the lessons he has learned while running Dream Car Restorations in Mesa, Ariz., this stands out: It can be shortsighted to try to rebuild a Detroit classic to an as-new gleam by using old body panels.

This alternative — building a car around a complete aftermarket body shell — is what many classic-car rebuilders are coming to regard as a new school of auto restoration, according to the New York Times.

“The final cost may or may not be lower, but the results are always vastly superior to old-school methods,” Miller said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:14 AM to Collecting | Permalink | Comments 0

Greenhouse gas emissions up for cars, trucks in 2006

Greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks rose slightly in 2006, even as the United States cut its overall emissions by 1.5%, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration and reported by the Detroit Free Press.

The administration said the decline in man-made emissions to 7.08 billion metric tons was the first since 2001, and only the third since 1990.

Higher energy costs, a warmer winter that cut heating demand and a greater use of natural gas instead of coal by electric utilities drove the decline.

But carbon dioxide emissions from cars and trucks burning gasoline rose 0.3% to 1.19 billion tons, or about 17% of the U.S. total.

Greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. vehicles have risen steadily since 1990, as a growing number of drivers traveling farther every year overwhelmed any reductions from more efficient vehicles.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:08 AM to Environment | Permalink | Comments 0

Fuel-standards deal may be revealed today

Congressional staffers have hammered out the outlines of an agreement for increasing U.S. fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, and a deal could be announced as soon as today if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers approve, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The proposal must be vetted by House and Senate leaders, including Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., and any snags with it or other portions of a broader energy bill could push back a Democratic plan to have a vote next Wednesday or Thursday. But people familiar with the talks said the deal as drafted would satisfy backers of tougher standards while giving automakers some flexibility in how they meet the targets.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:02 AM to Fuel economy , Government regulations | Permalink | Comments 0

Dodge Challenger Starts at $37,995

Oh Baby! I love this car which is currently on view at the New England Auto Show in Boston. A really classy retro muscle look.

You can satisfy your craving for some Dodge-style musclecar love, but it will cost you-$37,995, to be precise, according to thecarconnection.com.

Dodge says the new 2008 Challenger will be priced from that point. And more importantly, for those flush with cash, is that the Challenger will go on sale next Monday, December 3, qualifying the Challenger as a 2008 model. Deliveries will happen in spring 2008.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:53 AM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

Toyota Recalls Lexus and Other Models

TOKYO -- Toyota began recalling 264,000 luxury passenger vehicles over faulty fuel pipes Thursday, including 49,000 flagship Lexus cars sold overseas, the company said according to the Associated Press.

Included in the recall are Lexus models produced in Japan in 2005 and sold overseas, and Lexus, Mark X, and Crown models sold in Japan, according to Toyota Motor Corp. spokeswoman Yoshie Matsuura.

Faulty fuel pipe design on the recalled models could cause cracks and corrosion and lead to a fuel leak, according to a notice filed with the Transport Ministry.

In the United States, 26,274 Lexus GS300, 5,429 Lexus IS250, and 2,640 Lexus IS350 vehicles are being recalled, Matsuura said. The recalled models were exported from Japan, she said, adding that the same models were also being recalled in Canada, England, and Germany.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:50 AM to Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Rise Over $3

Oil prices rose more than $3 Thursday after a fire erupted at a pipeline carrying crude oil from Canada to the heart of the United States, according to the Associated Press.

The fire late Wednesday along the Enbridge Energy pipeline in northern Minnesota killed two workers who were repairing it, authorities said. It was not immediately clear how the fire and the shutdown of five pipelines would affect supplies.

The U.S. consumes 20.58 million barrels of oil a day.

Light, sweet crude for January delivery jumped $3.47 to $94.09 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midday in Europe. It climbed as much as $4.55 to $95.17 in the electronic session before slipping back.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:40 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0