Innholdsfortegnelse for #235 16-02 i Just Cars

Mecum’s annual Kissimmee, Florida, auction saw American muscle cars continue their popularity, with all bar one of the top ten sellers at the ten-day January event coming from the muscle car’s golden era. One of the biggest collectable car and memorabilia auctions in the world, this year’s January 15-24 event saw 3,000 vehicles consigned, including a number of lots from significant vehicle collections in the US. Nine of the top ten sellers came from the muscle car collection of Brett Torino, a Las Vegas-based real estate developer and philanthropist, with four of his highly desirable E-Body Mopars selling for more than AU$1 million each. At Kissimmee, the highest price was paid for a 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible. One of only five Cuda convertibles built with the Hemi and 4-speed…

By 1968, the muscle car wars were in full swing. Mid-size models in every manufacturer’s line-up spawned cheaper, stripped down, high-performance variants, painted in lurid colours and targeted towards young buyers. The three most popular muscle cars (as opposed to smaller ‘pony cars’) of the late ‘60s were Pontiac’s GTO, Chevrolet’s Chevelle and Plymouth’s Road Runner. Predominantly offered as pillarless hardtop two-door coupes, you could also buy convertible and two-door “post” versions, but that was about it... That was, unless you ordered a lesser model with a high-spec motor. As the muscle cars had to be cheap, the manufacturers built them on common platforms, like Chrysler’s “B-body”. The B-Body platform sat underneath the Belvedere, Satellite, GTX and Road Runner model Plymouths, while Dodge sold the Coronet, Super Bee and Charger…

We’re looking for all sorts of classics, customs, restorations, rods, street machines, as well as rare and unusual cars to feature in future issues. It’s not only cars, though. Do you have a collection of vehicles, model cars or other memorabilia? Maybe you’ve undertaken an epic road trip, or just seen, built or done something of interest and relevance to JUST CARS readers. To have your story featured in a future JUST CARS , email details, along with images, to: editorial@justauto.com.au  Alternatively, you can post information and photos to: JUST CARS – FEATURE MY STORY, Locked Bag 34, Geelong, VIC, 3220. Share the story of your special car, collection, road trip or more with the readers of JUST CARS…

Entries are now open for the first Victorian edition of the Aussie Muscle Car Run. Since the first event in South Australia in 2012, the Run has raised more than $1.1 million for the Leukaemia Foundation, with organisers expecting this year’s expansion into Victoria to raise $260,000 for the Foundation’s ‘Building of Hope’ Victorian Patient Accommodation Centre. The fundraising event is open to muscle cars built from 1963 to 1977, with modern muscle and other special interest vehicles considered for inclusion at the organisers’ discretion. Scheduled for this May, the week-long Run will take in scenic Victorian roads, as well as a track day at Winton, drags at Heathcote Park and a motorkhana and drags at Portland’s South Coast Raceway. A special highlight will be visits to both Ford and…

For Americans, there are a number of important holidays, like the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, but for American gearheads, the only one that matters is Memorial Day. That holiday weekend means it’s time for the country’s premier motorsport event - the Indianapolis 500. For Aussie motorsport buffs, the Indy 500 needs no introduction, and this year’s race is extra special, as it’s the 100th running of the iconic event. But did you know that NASCAR’s blue ribbon race, the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, is held on the same day? The two motorsport categories have shared the same date since 1974, and thanks to the NASCAR race’s late afternoon start, more than a few drivers have attempted the “double duty” challenge of driving in both races on the same day.…

Some car buffs love all types of vehicles, some love a particular make, era or even a particular model. Ben Chesterfield fits into the latter category. His car of choice? Ford’s classic XW Falcon. Ben confessed that he’s owned a lot of nice cars over the years, but the XW Falcons have that special something – that ‘X Factor’. The Queenslander isn’t content at having just one example of his favourite ride, though. Ben owns six XW Falcons, including some very desirable versions. Ben’s XW The Reef Green 1969-model XW GT pictured was first purchased by Ben 25 years ago. It didn’t stay in his possession for long back then, but such was Ben’s passion for XW GTs, and this car in particular, that he tracked it down and bought…

Bennetts Classic Auctions has announced they will be handling the sale of the significant car collection of Barry Bahnisch this February. Well known in South Australia’s classic car scene, Bahnisch acquired his first car at 16, and went on to build an impressive collection, focussing on MGs, but also including other marques and noteworthy historic vehicles. Bahnisch was also a foundation member of two car clubs in his home state: the Veteran Car Club and MG Car Club. Restoring most of the vehicles in the collection himself, Bahnisch’s last resto project was arguably his best. His 1933 MG F2 Type was originally delivered to Victoria and competed in that year’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, where it finished third. Bahnisch completed the restoration of the six-cylinder F2 in 2005,…

PRODUCT TEST Philips ‘X-tremeVision +130’ light globes Test by Phil Suriano Philips have a range of headlight globes to suit most makes and models, and it’s from this range that JUST CARS recently put a pair of the new X-tremeVision +130 units - the latest generation of the X-tremeVision family – to the test. As the globe’s name suggests, Philips claim 130 per cent more light than standard OE lights with the X-tremeVision +130, so I decided to put those claims to the test. Picking a moonless night, I started in early dusk and pushed well into the night in both suburban and rural areas, choosing roads with the least amount of ambient light. Fitted to a 2009-model Subaru Outback, the first thing I noticed with the X-tremeVision +130 (H7…

While many car enthusiasts long for one of the popular classics, like a ’57 Chev, ’32 Ford, ’59 Cadillac or ’65 Mustang, there are just as many out there who like to own something different from the norm. Of course, there’s different and there’s DIFFERENT. This car, a South African-assembled version of a HG Monaro, certainly fits into the latter category, and as owner Euan Allott has discovered, brings no small amount of comment – and confusion – when it’s at a show or on the road. “Euan said his classic Chevy now runs as well as a new car and he’d happily and confidently drive it across Australia.” CHARGER? HOW ABOUT A CHEVY? Euan hadn’t even been looking for a car like this when it popped up. “I’ve had…