Kurt “Lucky” Weber has his own hook: his arm! Pun definitely intended, for you see, where his right arm once was resides a daily reminder of the accident, which left him with one arm. That’s not what defines him because “Lucky” is a racer. His pride and joy is a modified, custom built 1929 Ford Roadster, also known as the 109 racer that was featured in the movie ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’. Kurt’s roadster has been over the world record in the D street roadster class at Bonneville five times and is now a gas roadster; by removing the back fender, headlights and the radiator, thus, making the roadster even faster.

Building a race roadster car can be a bit tricky. One needs to keep the center of gravity as low as possible to keep the car going straight. Roadsters tend to lift at over 175 mph, so they need weight added to them to stay on the ground at the salt flats. To overcome this problem, Kurt melted 1,500 Lbs of lead into the roadster’s frame before welding the boxing plates on. Using an old 1929 Ford body as well as hand fabricated parts for most of the inner frame, Kurt kept the outside pretty by using parts from a 1932 Ford for most of the outer frame.

The 109 racecar was painted white and ‘1956 Chevy tropical-turquoise’ by Kurt Weber in his very own front yard. Mr. VanderLey created the 301 cubic inch power plant by boring a 1957 Chevy out 1/8 of an inch. The engine runs two four-barrel carburetors on a VanderLey fabricated intake ram manifold.

For more information:

www.hotrodhotline.com/fraternity-speed

'Lucky' is joined in a couple of images with the contemporary de Havilland DH88 Comet long-distance race record holder in matching paintwork as seen in 1935.

Built for Instagram #mocaroundgang build challenge 61 #saltflatspeeder

A new month means a new #mocaroundgang build challenge. For February #mocaround62 is titled #gasser

I'll confess, I needed to do a bit of research, as I'd never designed a gasser previously. It did give me an opportunity to revisit a Flickr LUGNuts theme 'I wanna be like you', where you model a car in the style of one of the other LUGNutters, in this case LUGNuts founder Lino Martins. The 1970 Pinto Gasser here is a Miniland-scale recreation of his "Hot Flash" Pinto.

The name is a play on the Pinto's tragic reputation of igniting when involved in a rear-end crash.

There is a long tale to tell regarding this. And if you are interested in the field of engineering, it makes for a very important case-study.

Back to the car though - the Pinto was Ford's 1970s era economy car in the US. It was still a fair bit wider than cars like the Fiesta that were designed for Europe. It does mean that if you are keen, you can stuff a lot more horsepower into the engine bay than would seem to be a good idea. It means the lightweight Pinto can be both a road and track high-speed rocket.

Just don't crash.

The Gasser mocaround build theme is hosted on instagram by @my_lego_garage

The BMW R nineT is a standard motorcycle made by BMW Motorrad since 2014. It is a retro styled roadster marketed by BMW to custom builders and enthusiasts as a "blank canvas for customizing".

The BMW R nineT has several design elements configured to allow the bike to be easily modified, such as separate engine and chassis wiring harnesses and minimal bolts attaching the rear subframe, tail lights, and headlight.

The R nineT version of the bike has upside-down (USD) telescopic forks rather than BMW's usual Telelever front suspension. The other versions have conventional telescopic forks.

All variations have an air/oil-cooled oilhead flat twin (or boxer) 1,170 cc (71 cu in) engine, which has the inlet manifold at the rear of the cylinders and the exhaust at the front. The oilhead is arguably[by whom?] more suitable for customization as it has a more conventional appearance than the new water-cooled engine.

The R nineT Scrambler knows no conventions: rough, unadapted, individual. Its handling is balanced and unique. With the boxer, you can ride around with your head held high, it is available for every spontaneity. And the typical Scrambler look together with the relaxed seating position makes a lot of difference – and above all is a lot of fun. Design your R nineT Scrambler so that it fits perfectly into your life. No matter what the others say. Just typical Soulfuel.

Turn on the power: With the air/oil-cooled boxer of the Scrambler, you can do this in a playful way. We have optimised its power and torque curve and noticeably increased it in the 4,000 to 6,000 rpm range. This way, you have the power exactly where you need it and can remain powerful and completely relaxed out on the road. The peak torque remains at 116 Nm at 6,000 rpm. And of course the boxer complies with the Euro 5 standard.

To this day, the 1970 Ferrari 512 S Modulo never fails to turn heads. It's a rarer sight than spotting a unicorn or Bigfoot, but the luscious wedge-shaped supercar exists solely to inspire. Ferrari never meant to put the 512 S Modulo into production, but it was a precursor to the wedge-shaped Ferraris of the 1970s and early 80s. As such, the 512 S Modulo you're seeing here is the only unit in existence today.

It originally debuted at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show and was Pininfarina's weapon of choice against Bertone's Lancia Stratos Zero – yes, we're talking about the concept that inspired the production Stratos rally car – for the imaginary title of the best wedge-shaped car. Apparently, the Ferrari 512 S Modulo walked away with 22 international design awards, so there's no doubt which car was the 'king of wedges' back then.

The Ferrari 512 S Modulo was designed by Paolo Martin. It had an extremely low-riding wedge body with partly covered wheels. The 512 S Modulo has no conventional doors. Instead, it has a canopy-style glass roof – like in a fighter jet – which slides elegantly forward to permit ingress and egress. It was the Jetsons in real life, and it's nothing short of fantastic.

Underneath the arrow-sleek wedge design is a Ferrari 512 S Group 5 racing car. Ferrari only made 25 examples of the 512 S for the Scuderia racing team. And as it turns out, Ferrari had a spare chassis and gave it to Pininfarina to create a one-of-a-kind show car. The vehicle, based on chassis #27, rolled out of the Pininfarina design studio as the Ferrari 512 S Modulo.

This lego Ferrari 512S Modulo is created for #mocaround58 #1970sconceptcar hosted by @legolaslalamenace on instagram

2022 was another pretty big year - not as big as it could have been. Like many people COVID knocked me about far more than I expected.

I did have a celebratory plan though - mid-year, in the midst of it, I had pre-preemptively come up with a plan to model Toyota Coronas until I died or recovered. I didn't die, but there are a lot of Coronas there. Next time it will be coupe versions (if you are interested).

This year was also a lot about lego Bronco. I finally got the instruction plans completed toward the end of 2021. Some quirky CAD related issue meant that the files would continually crash my laptop, so that led to one of the high points - a new machine (though I still had my work cut out for me resolving the crashing issue). It also led me to adopt Stud.io for rendering, along with a big step up in speed, and (hopefully) image quality.

This years other build were often informed by the Instagram group - @mocaroundgang - they have just released a calendar of build themes for 2023 if you are interested in joining the community. Great to be able to build to themes again, and thanks to the admins of that group for organising them. The mocaroundgang challenges led to an unusually large number of racing cars this year, IMSA, and 1980s touring cars. I finally modelled my hero Peter Brock's 05 1984 VK Commodore Group-C (a very long time on my 'to do' list)

Hopefully 2023 will not result in a return of COVID - this might nonetheless be inevitable.

The Harley-Davidson® Nightster™ motorcycle is the next chapter in the Harley-Davidson Sportster™ legacy – a leap forward in performance and design built on a foundation laid 65 years ago.

The Harley-Davidson Sportster is a line of motorcycles produced continuously since 1957 by Harley-Davidson. Sportster models are designated in Harley-Davidson's product code by beginning with "XL". In 1952, the predecessors to the Sportster, the Model K Sport and Sport Solo motorcycles, were introduced. These models K, KK, KH, and KHK of 1952 to 1956 had a sidevalve ('flat head') engine, whereas the later XL Sportster models use an overhead valve engine. The first Sportster in 1957 had many of the same details of the KH including the frame, fenders, large gas tank and front suspension.

The original Sportster line was discontinued in Europe in 2020 due to the engine failing to meet the stricter Euro 5 emissions standards. An all-new model equipped with the Revolution Max engine called the Sportster S was introduced in 2021, the first motorcycle under the Sportster nameplate to receive a new engine since 1986, and the first Sportster to have an engine not derived from the Model K.

Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.

I thought I'd try this one for a #ratrod a Modified version of Mater from Pixar 'Cars', named 'Towminator'.

Modifications include the obligatory suspension drop, fat wheels and boosted engine.

Stylistically 'Towminator' gets a set of less friendly teeth.

Designed for #mocaroundgang challenge 48 for ratrods.

The Mercedes-Benz 380 (Type W22) is an eight-cylinder powered automobile introduced by the German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz at the Berlin Motor Show in February 1933. It was withdrawn from production during 1934.

The engines started out as the 3,820 cc (233 cu in) straight-eight from the car's predecessor, but the side-valves in the earlier car were now replaced by overhead valves. A new two-barrel carburetor was also fitted. More newsworthy was the availability of a Kompressor.

The least powerful version carried the engine code "M22". It came without a compressor and provided a listed maximum output of 90 PS (66 kW; 89 hp) at 3,200 rpm. This supported a claimed top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph).

Adding a supercharger raised the maximum output to 120 PS (88 kW; 118 hp) at 3,400 rpm and top speed to 130 km/h (81 mph).

The car was also available with an "Integrated Kompressor" (mit integriertem Kompressor) which changed the engine code to "M22K" and further raised the maximum power to 140 PS (103 kW; 138 hp).

This was the first Mercedes-Benz to use an independent suspension setup, with a double wishbone front axle, double-joint swing axle at the rear.

In bare chassis form the listed price of the W22 was 13,000 Marks and many buyers will have chosen to buy a car body separately from a bespoke coach builder. Cars using any one of the six standard Mercedes-Benz bodies were all listed at 19,500 Marks. A four-door "Limousine" (sedan/saloon) body was offered along with a traditional Torpedo bodied 2 door “Tourenwagen”.

This W22 380 Cabriolet-C has been created for #mocaroundgang #mocaround66 to the theme of #convertible hosted by @spamala808

I missed the memo for the #mocaroundgang mixing up the year's theme builds, but #mocaround48 is now #ratrod , and hearserod will be delayed until round 57.

Some quick modelling has given me my first build for the theme, a 1933 Ford V8 Coupe called #wildturkey.

The car is essentially a recoloured, and re-shod version of the ZZ-Top 'Whiskey Runner' I modelled a number of years ago. Wild Turkey being a type of whiskey, and the car now wearing a rust-coloured bodywork (kind of like a wild turkey), instead of the polished look of the Whiskey Runner car.

As is the vogue today, the car wears black wheels, small on the front and big (but narrow) on the rear.

Stay tuned for some more ratrod builds up to the July 9th deadline.

This Datsun 240z set the F/GT class record of 166.037 mph at Bonneville with Nissan USA field engineer Bob Stockman behind the wheel. The old record of 153 mph was held by a Mercedes 300SL. Datsun actually set several records at Bonneville prior to ’76, starting in 1974 with a B-210 Hatchback (121.8mph, driver Mike Jones) and twice in 1975 with a 280Z 2+2 (164.3 mph, driver Milan Micka) and 164.6 mph with Nissan Competition Department head Tom O’Connor.

A team of six Nissan USA employees, working in the Nissan Technical Center, Competition Department and Service Departments built the F/GT 240Z. Frank Honsowitz, Matt Bornyasz, Milan Micka, Tom O’Connor, Bob Whitehead and Bob Stockman. O’Connor was responsible for building the engine, Micka worked on the suspension and created the paint scheme and graphics. Bob Whitehead, National Service Manager, was the man who originated the Bonneville idea at Nissan USA in 1974.

More info:

www.zcarblog.com/2021/10/01/automotive-history/history-19...

This 240Z F/GT has been created for the Instagram #mocaroundgang 61st build challenge: #saltflatspeeder hosted by @f1elevenbricks

A bit better prepared this week for #mocaroundgang #mocaround57 for 80's touring cars.

This period covered my life ages 7 - 17, so a primetime interest in cars. It helps that I also live in Australia, home to the legendary Bathurst 1000 km Touring car race, held in October.

The 80's started off in Australia running Group-C regulations, with a switch to International Group-A in 1985.

The turbo Volvo had been a revelation when it arrived in 1985 in the hands of the eccentric Kiwi Francevic and his fellow countryman car owner Mark Petch.

They took two wins in the 1985 Australian Touring Car Championship before the factory bought out Petch in early ’86 and formed the Volvo Dealer Team.

Francevic used the original left hand-drive car for the 1985 championship before updating to a newer, later specification RAS Sport right hand-drive car for 1986.

While both of these initial cars were built in Sweden by the factory, the third car was built in Australia utilising the latest Volvo factory racing parts.

It raced on our shores just twice, as the #44 VDT entry at Sandown and Bathurst in 1986 with John Bowe and Alfredo Costanzo driving.

“John Sheppard wanted to run the lightest possible rear-end and ran aluminium trailing arms and that’s what fractured at Sandown, tearing itself out of the rear chassis rail.

“At Bathurst the left hand trailing arm broke, and that was the car’s Australian racing history done.”

At the end of the year Volvo officially withdrew from motorsport worldwide and the team closed its doors.

This mocaround challenge is hosted on instagram by @illuminated_mocs

I tried to think of the most unlikely car to be modified into a hearserod (that nonetheless would be good at the job). My solution - the Mercedes-Benz W100 600 - the supreme Mercedes-Benz model from the 1960s.

The 600 was fitted with the 6.3L M100 V8 engine, producing a conservative 250 hp. An engine more than twice the size of any contemporary Mercedes model.

The 600 was built on two main wheelbase lengths. A standard car with 126 in (3,200 mm), and a Pullman model 153.5 in (3,900mm). Surprisingly, the standard wheelbase is long enough to produce a hearse, in part due to the long rear overhang of the car.

Some hearse models were built from W100 chassis, though much more formal and dignified than today's example.

For this modified hearserod I have lowered and tapered the roof, dumped the suspension, and fitted oversize wheels. Already a clean looking car, this version limits chrome trim to the bumpers, grille, lamps and upper window surround.

This is my last build for #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models, hosted on instagram by @poppalars

For 1955 the car lost its status as Mercury's top model, replaced by the Montclair. The same year, it gained the 292 cu in (4.8 L) Y-block from the Thunderbird, producing 188 hp (140 kW) with the standard transmission or 198 with the Merc-O-Matic. It used independent ball-joint front suspension. Brake size was increased. The Monterey was positioned above the base model Custom series for the 1955 model year. Optionally available was a dual 4-barrel carburetor setup that provided 260 hp (190 kW) starting in 1956. All Mercury's for 1955 offered a canted hood over the headlights previously introduced on the Mercury XM-800 concept car from 1954. The 1955 four-door sedan was US$2,400 ($24,277 in 2021 dollars ) and sold 70,392.

1956 brought another new engine, the 235 hp (175 kW) 312 cu. in and all Mercury sedans underwent an exterior revision, trading its crest badge for a "Big M" emblem. The side trim was revised to a full-length multi-tier chrome spear, with two types of two-tone paint combinations, offering the traditional approach of a roof color over a different body color, and "Flo-tone" where the roof and lower body were painted in one color and the upper body painted in another color. There were a total of thirty-one two-tone combinations and twenty-eight "Flo-tone" combinations.

The update brought several functional revisions, including a 12-volt electric system which allowed the installation of power operated accessories to be installed including air conditioning, standard dual exhaust to improve engine performance, and an automatic self-lubrication system (for the steering and front suspension). Mercury added its own version of the Ford Lifeguard safety system; a deep-dish steering wheel was standard, along with safety door locks, tubeless tires, and a breakaway safety glass rearview mirror. In addition, childproof rear door locks, seatbelts, and a padded dashboards were introduced as free-standing options. The 292 V8 was replaced by a 312 cubic-inch V8, producing 225 hp.

Created for #mocaround49 challenge #vacationwagon

The Tornado Rat Rod is a highly-modified, "hotrod" variant of the rusty Tornado, which is seemingly inspired by the custom 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Rat Rod Wagon built in 2014 by Chris Walker from ITW Hot Rods.

The front clip of the car was completely removed in favour of an extended chassis, featuring a drop-beam aluminium bar with small suspension linkages and two articulated bars connected to the structure, in a similar fashion to the Hotknife and the Fränken Stange. Its front end is fitted with a small bumper with turn signals and two circular headlamps over it. It has a massive engine fitted with high velocity stacks, side exhaust stacks and cam covers bearing "TORNADO" badges. The sides of the car are mostly identical to the Tornado, but the rear fenders were cut in order to fit the large rear wheels. The greenhouse area remains identical in shape and design, as well as the whole rear end. On the underside, the rear axle was lifted and supported by four articulated bars and small suspension linkages.

The vehicle is painted in a single color for the body and a portion of the engine block. It uses a set of wheels consisting of "Dukes" rims with standard-sized treaded tires for the front, and "Five Star" rims with large-sized slicks for the rear, both having a colorable surrounding only seen in naturally-generated examples (i.e. Content Creator). However, switching colors from the custom front wheels may also affect the rear ones, though it will lose its color when the front wheels are reverted back to the default ones.

As with animated primary drives in the motorcycles of the Bikers update, the Tornado Rat Rod features an animated timing belt powering every engine pulley.

Created in lego miniland scale for #mocaround48 challenge #ratrod

The Porsche 914 was an early attempt by Porsche to introduce a lower-cost sportscar to the range, along with a desire to increase production volumes by working with another vehicle manufacturer (VW).

The car used a mid-engined layout, improving handling over the flagship 911, but the result had somewhat odd proportions, and arguably didn't look like a Porsche. The partner company (VW) also lost interest, and so the 914 found itself a a corporate black sheep.

The Classic Space Lego theme launched in 1978 with iconic blue and grey space-themed sets. There were three 'Spaceships' in this first release. I never owned any of them. Interestingly, their set numbers coincided with various Porsche models. The 918, 924 and 928. Here I am re-imagined a 914, the smallest Porsche. I have made a feature of the Targa buttress into a reverse rake wing, notably with the aerofoil over the vehicle's centre of gravity. The model exhibits the classic blue and grey theme, with the transparent yellow windows, Classic Space logo and model number.

On 11 December 2007, as part of Aston Martin's opening of their own design studio, the company unveiled a concept car based on the V8 Vantage. The car, known as the V12 Vantage RS, featured the AM11 V12 engine from the DBS and produced 510 bhp (380 kW) and 570 N⋅m of torque. The power along with the kerb weight of 1,680 kg allows the car to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.2 seconds and achieve a top speed of 190 mph (306 km/h).

Other additions include a new rear diffuser, a retractable rear-wing which can be raised or lowered, and carbon-ceramic brakes. The boot-lid and vented bonnet are also made from carbon-fibre to help decrease the car's weight. In early 2008, Aston Martin's CEO confirmed production of the V12 Vantage RS for mid-2009.

In September 2009, the V12 Vantage was confirmed for the United States market and then-CEO Ulrich Bez personally confirmed that homologation in the United States was underway. This was in response to the decision of expanding the production run beyond 1,000 units.

Aston Martin unveiled a convertible version called the V12 Vantage Roadster which was a limited production of 101 units in 2013. It has a larger rearspoiler and ventilation carbon openings in the bonnet. With a kerb weight of 1,760 kg the Roadster weighs 80 kg more due to chassis stiffening modifications, and because of the additional weight the Roadster accelerates from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.5 seconds, but retains the coupé's top speed of 190 mph (306 km/h).

This V12 Vantage Roadster has been created for #mocaroundgang #mocaround66 to the theme of #convertible hosted by @spamala808

The Rockatansky family's personal vehicle was a custom 1975 Holden HJ Sandman Panel Van. The front end was replaced with an HJ Caprice with Ford headlights. The vehicle had a custom mural painted on the right side but not on the left, which is why its left side hardly appeared onscreen.

The Rockatanskys' panel van took them on their final vacation. The family car tragically broke down as Jessie and Sprog tried to flee the unforgettable Toecutter and his gang, which set the stage for their murder in the middle of the road. It was the setting for Max's last happy days, as well as the devastating loss that changed him forever.

This Mad Max Holden HJ Panel Van has been created for Instagram #mocaround63 to the theme #madmax hosted by @paulielego

As a side note, I actually live pretty close to where a lot of the first film was shot.

The upcoming #MOCaroundgang challenge number 48 is for #hearserods.

I have a few of these on the way.

The first model, shown here, is based on the Chysler PT Cruiser (2001 - 2010). The base car is a compact tall wagon/hatch type car with retro styling.

The variant here incorporates many changes, commonly seen on traditional hearse conversions:

- Increased wheelbase

- Delete rear side doors

- Extend rear side windows

- Delete rear seats

Additional changes as part of the hotrod conversion is the incorporation of the large 5-spoke 'Mustang' wheels. These are pretty big and extend the track width.

The various changes to enable this car can be rolled back into the Lego PT Cruiser for additinal variants that will be seen in the future.

Happy ‘May the 4th’!

For this year's Star Wars Day, I have created a new build from one of the newer Star Wars Universe stories, the 2018 film - 'Solo - A Star Wars Story'.

One of the notable vehicle was a navy blue speeder. This vehicle exhibits design asymmetry, but on closer inspection, the design looks as though it is a vehicle that has been damaged along the left hand side, removing some of the external bodywork.

The vehicle I chose to reinterpret the design over is the classic 1963 Ford Falcon Sprint. This US design (different to the very similar car sold in Australia) was available with both a 2-door bodyshell, convertible and with a V8 engine, sort of a precursor to the Falcon-based Mustang launched the following year.

As well as sharing the 'Falcon' name with a future Han Solo vehicle, this model year Ford Falcon also exhibits the best representation of Ford's 1960 'Space-era' styling - rocket pod rear lamps, along with matched single lamp front end.

One styling theme not found on the earth bound car, but featured on the speeder is a kind of targa-top roof ring. I have placed this over the second row seats in an effort to balance the proportions.

This new build is created for #mocaroundgang #mocaround65 #starwars theme, hosted by @poppalars

Not sure where/who this originated from (more than happy to discover), but this Citroen DS Streamliner popped up around five years ago on twitter and pintrest.

I had seen it a couple of times, thinking that it would make a great lego build at some point.

I don'y actually think its a real car, more a digital render, as there is no other information about the vehicle, and only this one single image view. It does look great though, and might actually work as a Streamliner Salt Flat racer, though it would need a significant step up in power over the standard 4-cylinder Citroen engines installed in the DS in its original form.

Having owned a car of similar mechanical configuration (front-mid-engine FWD), I might suggest the ubiquitous Chevrolet small-block pushrod V8. maybe a Porsche 911 transaxle for transmission and final drive placement.

Though slicing the roof of would improve frontal area, the drag Cd improvement over the already excellent DS shape would not be as significant as seen on some other Salt Flat cars.

Nonetheless, would do other people think?

Built for intstagram #mocaroundgang build Challenge 61: #salfflatspeeder hosted by @f1elevenbricks

Popular among screen legends such as Rita Hayworth and Tyrone Power and the ruling class, the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 was one of the most expensive luxury cars of its era. Manufactured from 1938 to 1952, it featured bodywork by distinguished Italian coachbuilders, primarily Carrozzeria Touring of Milano.

The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500, available in Turismo, Sport, and Super Sport wheelbases, would see a production run of several hundred between World War II and the postwar period. The "6C" in the model name indicated six cylinders, and it used a 2,443-cc engine equipped with either single, double, or triple carburetors. Built with distinctive body styles across three classes, Competizione, Villa d'Este, and Super Sport Corsa were among the limited series models.

This right-hand-drive 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Cabriolet by Pininfarina is heading to Pennsylvania for RM Sotheby's 15th annual Hershey sale. Regarded as "The Last Great Alfa," the rear-drive 6C 2500 Sport Cabriolet comes powered by a 95-horsepower 2.5-liter inline-six paired to a four-speed manual transmission.

Ready to export by 1947, the drop-dead gorgeous Alfa Romeo arrived new in Argentina and was sold via Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, according to the auction listing, the car's history is largely unknown. At one point, it underwent a restoration that helps explain the blue paint, and recently, it received approximately $176,000 in mechanical service over a three-year period. In addition to an engine and transmission overhaul, the extensive work performed included rebuilding the carburetor, suspension, and brakes.

Merging style, performance, and elegance, the 2500 S rides on chrome wire knock-off wheels and features an impeccable interior covered in beautiful red leather upholstery. It sports a dazzling blue exterior paint job and has a dark blue soft top. Take a peek inside and imagine a time when jazz and blues ruled the airwaves. Interior highlights include an ivory banjo-style steering wheel, wood trim throughout, and bright yellow controls.

The chassis no. 915251 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Cabriolet featuring coachwork by Pininfarina will cross the auction block on October 7. Early estimates suggest this fine Italian automobile could bring in between $275,000 and $325,000.

Text from:

www.motortrend.com/news/1948-alfa-romeo-6c-2500-sport-cab...

This 6C 2500 Villa d'Este Cabriolet has been created for #mocaroundgang #mocaround66 to the theme of #convertible hosted by @spamala808

The Rolls-Royce Corniche is a two-door, front-engine, rear wheel drive luxury car produced by Rolls-Royce Motors as a hardtop coupé (from 1971 to 1980) and as a convertible (from 1971 to 1995).

The Corniche draws its name from the experimental 1939 Corniche prototype. The name originally comes from the French word corniche, a coastal road, especially along the face of a cliff, most notably the Grande Corniche along the French Riviera above the principality of Monaco.

The Corniche used the standard Rolls-Royce V8 engine with an aluminium-silicon alloy block and aluminium cylinder heads with cast iron wet cylinder liners. The bore was 4.1 in (104.1 mm) and the stroke was 3.9 in (99.1 mm) for a total of 6.75 L.

A three-speed automatic transmission (a Turbo Hydramatic 400 sourced from General Motors) was standard. A four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs was augmented with a hydraulic self-levelling system (using the same system as did Citroën, but without pneumatic springs, and with the hydraulic components built under licence by Rolls-Royce), at first on all four, but later on the rear wheels only.

This 1971 Corniche I Convertible has been created for #mocaroundgang #mocaround66 to the theme of #convertible hosted by @spamala808

This is a bit of a weird beast. I saw (what I assume was a digital creation) on Facebook about a year ago in a Lego site, with an open invitation for someone to create this in Lego.

I was curious, saved the post, and hoped to come back to it sometime later.

While not strictly a #ratrod this build nonetheless meets most of the design requirements. The body is a T1 Transporter double-cab pickup, with the rear body replaced by a spaceframe, with a mid-engined V8 race-engine. This extends the wheelbase over a standard T1, which is originally quite short. The front end is lowered significanty, tucking the wheels up into the guards.

Paintwork, rather than the standard faded/rusted look of ratrods, is a two-tome dark grey, trimmed of bumpers and trim features.

Built for #mocaroundgang 48th build chalenge for ratrods.

A bit better prepared this week for #mocaroundgang #mocaround57 for 80's touring cars.

This period covered my life ages 7 - 17, so a primetime interest in cars. It helps that I also live in Australia, home to the legendary Bathurst 1000 km Touring car race, held in October.

The 80's started off in Australia running Group-C regulations, with a switch to International Group-A in 1985.

Nissan had raced regularly at Bathurst and the ATCC through the 1980, initially with Bluebirds, and Skylines. The R31 debuted in 1989 with Jim Richards as the lead driver. The Ford Sierras proved dominant in 1989, but the Skyline would go on to win the championship in 1990.

This mocaround challenge is hosted on instagram by @illuminated_mocs

Hot rod hearse: Melbourne funeral home unveils one of Australia’s most unusual funeral cars.

You might have spotted a very unusual hearse around Melbourne recently.

Oakdale Funerals embarked on a two-and-a-half year labour of love to create the Model A Ford hot rod hearse.

A Ford 1931 Model AA truck chassis, and a 1931 Model A Tudor Body were used to crease a hearse that’s the only one of its kind in the world.

Co-owner of Oakdale Funerals, Anne Allison, said the idea for the unique funeral car came from a TV show.

“We sat around chatting one night and we were laughing and talking about that old TV show, The Munsters,” she told Dee Dee.

“We said ‘How cool would it be to be able to offer our client families a hot rod hearse?’

“We haven’t been able to find another one like it in Australia, or indeed, actually, the world.”

www.3aw.com.au/hot-rod-hearse-melbourne-funeral-home-unve...

The AMC Pacer is a two-door compact car produced in the United States by American Motors Corporation (AMC) from the 1975 through the 1980 model years. The Pacer was also made in Mexico by Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) from 1976 until 1979 and positioned as a premium-priced luxury car.

Design work began in 1971. The rounded shape and large glass area were unusual compared with the three-box designs of the era. The Pacer's width is equal to full-sized domestic vehicles at the time, and this unique design feature was promoted by AMC as "the first wide small car." The Pacer was the first modern, mass-produced, U.S. automobile design using the cab forward concept.

Reviews upon its introduction used descriptions like "futuristic, bold, and unique." The Pacer featured an aerodynamic "jellybean" styling, numerous innovations such as different door lengths, and was noted "as a space-efficient car, seemingly from the future.". The Pacer stood out at a time when "Detroit was still rolling out boat-sized gas guzzlers."

A 1976 AMC Pacer Hatchback was a featured car in the 1992 movie Wayne's World, and again in the 1993 movie Wayne's World 2. The car is called the "mirthmobile" and is integral to the movie references for the culture as Wayne and Garth "are performing the seventies for the nineties." The Pacer used in both movies was painted bright blue with flame decals, with stock steel wheels and wheel covers in the front, and aftermarket chrome-plated steel wheels in the rear.

Although the car appears throughout both movies, it is seen the most in the introductory scene of the first Wayne's World movie.

This Escort is built for #mocaroundgang build challenge #mocaround67 titled #hollywoodrides hosted by @my_lego_garage

For the 1969 model year, the full-size Ford model line underwent a complete redesign, increasing in wheelbase from 119 inches to 121 inches. In a consolidation of its branding, Ford station wagons and sedans were no longer distinct model lines. After adding LTD hood badging in 1968, the Country Squire was added to the model range for 1969, slotted above the (Galaxie) Country Sedan and (Custom 500) Ranch Wagon. Starting with 1969 the Big Six six-cylinder was no longer offered on the Country Squire while it continued with the Country Sedan and Ranch Wagon. The 1969 ten-passenger version was listed at US$3,721.

For the 1969 model year, a new generation of Ford and Mercury cars made their debut; station wagons for both divisions rode on a 121-inch wheelbase shared with the Ford sedan line, a gain of two inches. The "Magic Doorgate" tailgate was updated to a 3-way design: it could now swing down like a tailgate or swing out with the window down or up (the latter was previously not possible).

As part of the LTD line, the Country Squire wore similar interior trim; with the obvious exception of its simulated woodgrain paneling, Country Squires wore the same bodywork from the windshield forward as their LTD sedan counterparts.

1971 Ford LTD Country Squire

Initially, the standard engine was a 302 cubic-inch V8, replaced by a 351 cubic-inch V8 midway through the 1969 model year. As with its LTD counterpart, the 390 and 429 V8 engines were options. In 1971, the 390 V8 was replaced by a 402 cubic-inch V8 (though sold as a 400). For a variety of reasons, 1972 saw a major decrease in powertrain output. That year, gross horsepower was replaced by SAE net horsepower. The addition of emissions controls and the adoption of unleaded fuel required lowered compression ratios and retarded ignition timing. In one example, the range-topping 429 V8 would see its output drop from 365 hp to 212 hp from 1971 to 1972. In 1972, the 429 was joined by a 224-hp 460 cubic-inch V8 seen previously in the Lincoln lineup.

Ford's lineup from 1969-1978 were the largest passenger cars built by the company, and the following generation vehicles downsized substantially.

This 1969 version has been created for #mocaround49 titled #vacationwagon

Between 1951 and 1958, Spanish company Pegaso built sports cars that challenged the likes of Ferrari, Jaguar, and others. It only made 68 cars total, though, which is why you've probably never heard of it. That's a shame because the company created something really interesting.

Pegaso was actually created by state-owned company Enasa in the 1940s to build trucks following the Spanish Civil War. Per a 2014 Hagerty article, Pegaso was led by engineer Wilfredo Ricart, who had worked at Alfa Romeo before World War II. Ricart worked alongside Enzo Ferrari at Alfa, and apparently the two didn't get along. When he returned to his native Spain, Ricart decided to use this national truck company to challenge Ferrari.

The car he created, the Pegaso Z-102, was incredibly innovative. It featured a 3.2-liter dry-sump quad-cam V8 and a rear-mounted transaxle long before such things were commonplace. Bodywork came from a number of prominent coachbuilders, including Touring and Saoutchik

The Z-102 was one of the fastest cars in the world at the time, capable of cresting 150 mph. But it was expensive. Rafael Pueche, the owner of the 1955 Pegaso featured in this Petrolicious video, notes the Z-102 cost twice as much as an equivalent Ferrari of its day and around four times as much as a Jaguar XK120. The Spanish government killed the Pegaso sports car once it realized how much it cost to make and sell.

Ultimately, the Pegaso Z-102 was perhaps too advanced for its own good, making it the sort of car you typically only see on a concours lawn. That's why it's great to see Pueche exercise, letting its amazing V8 sing.

This Pegaso Z-102 Cabriolet has been created for #mocaroundgang #mocaround66 to the theme of #convertible hosted by @spamala808

Lee Majors did pretty well for himself, moving on from the Six Million Dollar Man to The Fall Guy who was the cool stuntman by day, and since his dangerous way of making a living could not make him enough money, he moonlighted as a bounty hunter.

For the movie stunts Colt Seavers relies on his physical prowess, for the bit where he needs to chase the bad guys down and haul them in to get the bond money, it's his GMC trucks that do all the hard work. It leaps, it flies, it jumps and does everything with such incredible finesse, you want that truck now.

While it all looks like one indestructible monolith, in actuality, there were multiple trucks used for the shoot, and a great many of them never made it out of the “stunts”. Of course, all of them were GMCs.

In the first couple of seasons of The Fall Guy, the truck you see Colt Seavers driving is a 1980 GMC 4X4 K25. To make the truck look way more capable and athletic, it rode on a six-inch lift kit and also had a chromed-up rollbar bearing high-intensity lights. It also wore 35-inch Dick Cepek off-road tires that were knobbly and looked as if they could ride over just about any other car on the road, and that did happen a couple of times on the show.

Later, the truck became a 1982 model and wore a Sierra Grande trim package, now powered by a 5.7-liter V8 mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. In the later seasons, it was this 1982 GMC K-2500 Sierra Grande Wideside, a brute of a truck that jumped over things as a ‘Roo does, rode on two wheels, and did everything a normal car could never do, unless it was being driven by Lee Majors.

This GMC K2500 is built for #mocaroundgang build challenge #mocaround67 titled #hollywoodrides hosted by @my_lego_garage

From 1954 Maserati offered the final edition of the A6G sports car. As with its predecessor, the sales designation 2000 GT was frequently used in brochures and advertisements. On the race tracks of the World Sports Car Championship, the corresponding offshoots were called A6GCS. By 1957, only 60 Maserati A6G/54 cars had been built, with the bodies being exclusively built by external coachbuilders such as Allemano, Zagato and Frua.

This dealer was also the one who started the ball rolling for the A6G/54 Frua Spider. After a Spider based on a A6GCS chassis with the engine of the A6G/54 was completed in Pietro Frua’s workshop in the spring of 1955, Mimmo Dei ordered a small series of ten vehicles. However, only the first one was given the same design as the original model. The other nine were given an extended front and other modifications in detail. Different bumpers and small fake air intakes on the rear fenders for example.

The two-tone car, painted in red with a wide white stripe, was used for a few photos that appeared in the car magazines Quattroruote and Motor Trend. In October 1956 the Parisian dealer Simone & Thépenier handed over this A6G/54 to its first owner, a Mr. Cavet from Venezuela. Until the car reappeared in the USA in the mid 1970s, not much is known about its whereabouts in the early years. In 1978 Louis Rader bought the car from Thomas Dailey in California. At that time the original drivetrain was missing and the car had been repainted dark blue. Under the hood a Ford 289 V8 was working. Mr. Rader painted the Maserati red, but otherwise left it in the condition it was bought and sold it to Dana Beall and Mick Brackett around 1990.

This Frua-bodied A6G/54 Maserati has been created for #mocaroundgang #mocaround66 to the theme of #convertible hosted by @spamala808

The new Monster for 2021 represents all the essence of Ducati in the lightest, most compact and essential form possible. You can already guess it from the name: Monster, nothing else.

The design of the new Monster is exactly what you might expect from the sport naked par excellence, but in an even more cutting-edge and modern guise. Slinky yet aggressive curves. Classic details with a modern twist. A design that aims to offer pure Monster-style emotion.

A real concentration of style, sport and fun that will make you want to get rid of the superfluous and focus only on what counts, sheer riding pleasure.

The Monster is powered by the Testastretta 11° 937 cc twin cylinder L-shaped engine, with desmodromic distribution and *Euro 5 homologation.

The chassis is an aluminium front frame and contributes to to maintaining the dry weight at just 166 kg. And lightness is key to achieving a bike that is easy to ride, handle, whilst being fast and above all fun.

In 1978, the revised Series 2 (or S2) Esprit was introduced. External changes included intake and cooling ducts added behind the rear quarter windows, taillights from the Rover SD1, and an integrated front spoiler. S2 Esprits also had 360 mm (14 in) Speedline alloy wheels designed by Lotus.

In 1980 the Essex Turbo Esprit was launched. This special edition model wore the blue, red and chrome livery of the Essex Overseas Petroleum Corporation, the sponsor of Team Lotus from 1979 to 1981. While Lotus dealer Bell and Colvill had been offering turbo conversions for the S2 Esprit from as early as 1978, the Essex Turbo Esprit was the first factory turbocharged Esprit. The Essex Turbo Esprit received the dry sump type 910 engine which has a power output of 213 PS (157 kW; 210 hp) at 6,250 rpm and 200 lb⋅ft (271 N⋅m) of torque at 4,500 rpm. Acceleration from 0-97 km/h (60 mph) could be achieved in 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph).

The chassis and rear suspension were redesigned, with an upper link added at the rear to alleviate strain on the half-shafts. The brakes were also improved. Giugiaro designed an aerodynamic body kit for the car, with a rear lip spoiler, prominent louvered rear hatch, more substantial bumpers, a deeper front airdam, and air ducts in the sills just ahead of the new three-piece 15-inch Compomotive rear wheels. Inside scarlet leather combined with a roof-mounted Panasonic stereo for a dramatic environment. 45 Essex Turbo Esprit cars were built, interspersed and followed by a number of non-Essex-liveried but otherwise identical specification dry sump turbo cars.

Two Essex-spec Turbo Esprits were featured in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. A white one destroyed early in the film and a copper-red model appearing later.

This Esprit is built for #mocaroundgang build challenge #mocaround67 titled #hollywoodrides hosted by @my_lego_garage

This Ford Escort MkI Rally car was one of many in the sixth installment of the 'Fast & Furious' frachise.

What's the movie about?

I don't know. I watched the first few, but they have become increasingly ridiculous. Biggest drawcard are the cars, stunts, and car stunts. Some pretty ladies help too, but the plot is mostly thin on storyline, and thin on meaningful dialog.

The Escort is a cool car though. This first generation was known as the 'Dogbone' Escort, due to the shape of the grille and headlamp surrounds. Launched in the late 1960s, the Escort also proved to be an effective RWD World Rally Championship Racer in 'Mexico', 'RS1600' and 'RS2000' guises. Not overly fast by today's standards, the sporty Escorts were appreciated at the time for their relative affordability.

This Escort is built for #mocaroundgang build challenge #mocaround67 titled #hollywoodrides hosted by @my_lego_garage

The AMC Eagle is a compact four-wheel drive passenger vehicle manufactured and marketed by American Motors Corporation (AMC) model years 1980 to 1987 and Chrysler Corporation, following its acquisition of AMC in 1987, for the 1988 model year.

Introduced in August 1979 for the 1980 model year, the coupe, sedan, and station wagon body styles were based on the AMC Concord.

For 1988, its final model year, only a station wagon was offered, which was marketed as the "Eagle Wagon". However, the name continued to be used by Chrysler Corporation as the Eagle brand of cars through 1998.

The AMC Eagles were the only four-wheel drive passenger cars produced in the U.S. at the time. All models featured "passenger-car comfort, plus 4WD security for all-weather security."Although the description was not in use at the time, the AMC Eagle is recognized as one of the first crossover vehicles.

The objective was for affordable cars offering a comfortable ride and handling on the pavement together with superior traction in light off-road use through AMC's innovative engineering and packaging.

The 1980 Eagle's appearance differed from the Concord's in that the bodies were raised 3 in (76 mm) further off their suspension to afford better ground clearance. To fill in the increased visual space between the tires and wheel wells, AMC used durable Kraton (polymer) plastic wheel arch flares that flowed into rocker panel extensions.

A new month means a new #mocaroundgang build challenge. For February #mocaround62 is titled #gasser

I'll confess, I needed to do a bit of research, as I'd never designed a gasser previously. It did give me an opportunity to revisit a Flickr LUGNuts theme 'I wanna be like you', where you model a car in the style of one of the other LUGNutters, in this case LUGNuts founder Lino Martins. The 1955 Ford Gasser here is a Miniland-scale recreation of Lino's similar model.

A section of Lino's original text shown with his model is shown below.

You’re looking at an old gasser…I mean the car, not the old man. While old dudes are legendary for being gassy, and this one is probably no exception, the term gasser describes a racing phenomenon that had its heyday in the ‘60’s and are known most notably for their heightened stance and weights added to the rear. What they lose in aerodynamics, they more than make up for in showmanship and the ability to pull wheelies down the drag strip.

The Gasser mocaround build theme is hosted on instagram by @my_lego_garage

Gail Phillips is no stranger to the Bonneville Speedway flats having raced the flats for over 11 years. She holds numerous records, one of the most prestigious being the 7th woman ever to be inducted into the 200 mph club.

In 2006 she piloted her patriotic 1999 Corvette to an average top speed of 190.15 mph, breaking the 28 year E/Grand Touring record. Surprisingly her car, despite coming with one from the factory, didn’t have an LS1 motor installed at the time of her record breaking run. Instead it had an ever dependable small-block between the fenders.

The SBC motor was chosen in part for its reliability and simplicity, but it was also utilized to meet class requirements. The E/Grand Touring class limits displacement to 260ci and her motor squeaked in just under the barrier. Still the motor made an impressive 445 horsepower which combined with the C5’s low coefficient of drag proved more than enough.

The car also still runs stock brakes and it’s the parachutes sticking off the back doing most of the work bringing it back down to more common speeds.

Model created for Instagram #mocaroundgang 61st build challenge #saltflatspeeder hosted by @f1elevenbricks

Oddly enough, I have ended up with two build for #mocaround56 #hearserod named 'Thundertaker'. The car shown previously, the 1960 Cadillac Miller-Meteor, was so named by the creator of the IRL car. This one here, named by me.

Though, a Thunderbird named Thundertaker really is a no-brainer. A pity the name has already been scooped up by a Cadillac.

The car shown here takes a 1961 'Bullet' Thunderbird, and mounts it to the longer wheelbase (but closely related) 1961 Lincoln Continental. The Thunderbird sheetmetal is used for the rear of the car, but for the inclusion of a full-length roof, along with long side-windows creating a shooting brake.

The additional modifications of suicide doors and a wagon-type tailgate, and nice large-diameter wheels and tires add to a more resto-mod feel for the build, while keeping most of the 1961 bullet styling.

As mentioned, I missed the memo on the challenge order rearrange. Built for #mocaroundgang hearse-rod challenge hosted by @poppalars

The BMW R nineT is a standard motorcycle made by BMW Motorrad since 2014. It is a retro styled roadster marketed by BMW to custom builders and enthusiasts as a "blank canvas for customizing".

The BMW R nineT has several design elements configured to allow the bike to be easily modified, such as separate engine and chassis wiring harnesses and minimal bolts attaching the rear subframe, tail lights, and headlight.

The R nineT version of the bike has upside-down (USD) telescopic forks rather than BMW's usual Telelever front suspension. The other versions have conventional telescopic forks.

All variations have an air/oil-cooled oilhead flat twin (or boxer) 1,170 cc (71 cu in) engine, which has the inlet manifold at the rear of the cylinders and the exhaust at the front. The oilhead is arguably[by whom?] more suitable for customization as it has a more conventional appearance than the new water-cooled engine.

The R nineT Scrambler knows no conventions: rough, unadapted, individual. Its handling is balanced and unique. With the boxer, you can ride around with your head held high, it is available for every spontaneity. And the typical Scrambler look together with the relaxed seating position makes a lot of difference – and above all is a lot of fun. Design your R nineT Scrambler so that it fits perfectly into your life. No matter what the others say. Just typical Soulfuel.

Turn on the power: With the air/oil-cooled boxer of the Scrambler, you can do this in a playful way. We have optimised its power and torque curve and noticeably increased it in the 4,000 to 6,000 rpm range. This way, you have the power exactly where you need it and can remain powerful and completely relaxed out on the road. The peak torque remains at 116 Nm at 6,000 rpm. And of course the boxer complies with the Euro 5 standard.

In 1956, the Consul, Zephyr, and Zodiac were all restyled. The six-cylinder cars' engines were enlarged to 2,553 cc (156 cu in), with power output correspondingly raised to 86 bhp (64 kW). The wheelbase was increased by 3 inches (76 mm) to 107 inches (2,700 mm).

The Zodiac and Zephyr were also offered in two body styles, the "Highline" and "Lowline", depending on the year of manufacture — the difference being 1.75 in (44 mm) being cut from the height of the roof panel. The "Highline" variant featured a hemispherical instrument cluster, whereas the "Lowline" had a more rectangular panel.

Australian production:

In Australia, the Mark II Consul, Zephyr, and Zodiac were built at Ford Australia's factory in Geelong. Sedan, coupe utility, and both four-cylinder Consul and six-cylinder Zephyr station wagon versions were produced. No Zodiac version station wagons were offered. The Australian-developed Mark II Station Wagon differed from its British Estate Car counterpart in having a wind-up rear window, and a straight C pillar, rather than a curved one. A handful of Station Wagons were registered in 1958, but sales did not really commence until about halfway through 1959.

Mark II manufacture continued until 1962, when production switched to the assembly of Mark IIIs from imported complete knock-down (CKD) kits. It had originally been planned by Ford Australia to facelift the Mark II as its main competitor to the rival Holden, but due to the exorbitant price being asked for by Ford UK for its now redundant production jigs for the Mark II, Ford Australia chose to instead locally manufacture the newly released North American Ford Falcon, which was significantly cheaper to manufacturer than the Zephyr, with the Mark III being relegated to special order only.

This model has been created for #mocaround49 build challenge #vacationwagon

Ex LMP3 squad Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports will launch an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD programme next week when the Florida-based team makes its class debut at Watkins Glen International for the IMSA WeatherTech 240.

The #32 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO will be driven by Guy Cosmo and Shane Lewis in a select programme of races in 2021 before a planned full season in IMSA’s GTD class in 2022.

Having taken delivery of the brand new Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO just over three weeks ago, the team has had a pair of on-track tests with the car with Cosmo and Lewis to build the team familiarity with the AMG.

The engineering side of the effort will be led by experienced race engineer Mike Wright, who has previously been part of efforts with Lola, Ganassi, Finlay, Mazda, B-K Motorsports, and Spirit of Daytona.

The team is managed by Florida stunt man Henry Gilbert, who has decades of experience in the sport including his role as owner of Sports Car Driving Experience, a Corvette Racing School and Performance Driving Group a track days provider.

While working on my Hotwheels Twin Mill III earlier this year for the #mocaroundgang #hotwheels challenge, I was chatting with @f1elevenbricks about #batmobile models. It sturck me that with the right colours, and with very little other modification, that #twinmill111 would probably make a pretty cool version of that hero car.

So I rendered this model up at the time. Replacing the chrme engines and lower facia with black, adding a pair of low-slung batwings on the tail, and choosing a colour combination which I think makes for a great Lego Batmobile - Black with Sand blue (greyish-blue).

Hope you like it.

This model is being posted for #mocaround81 to the theme #herosandvillains hosted on Instagram by @f1elevenbricks with submissions to be posted by September 21st.

The Mercedes-Benz W128 is a 6-cylinder luxury car produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1958 to 1960 and marketed as the Mercedes-Benz 220 SE. It was available in sedan, coupé, or cabriolet body styles, and it was the last new model of the "Ponton" range which had design and styling roots beginning in 1953 with the Mercedes-Benz 180 sedan (W120 chassis). It was largely identical to its 220 S predecessor, except for having petrol injection, 'Einspritzung' in German, reflected in the additional E in its 220 SE designation.

The 220 SE featured a unitized body/frame construction and fully independent suspension. All models were fitted with Mercedes' M127 2.2 L (2195 cc) straight 6 gasoline engine with aluminum head, overhead camshaft, and Bosch mechanical fuel injection. This was done by intermittent inlet manifold injection (like the 300 d) and meant that the 2.2-liter engine now produced 115 HP.

At the time, the cabriolet was priced similar to Cadillac's top-end Eldorado Biarritz (DM 23,400/$8,091). Nearly every interior surface of the coupé and cabriolet was covered in wood or leather, and matching leather luggage was available. However, power steering, windows, air conditioning, and an automatic transmission were not available. The W128 was succeeded by the "Fintail" series starting with the W111 line.

This W128 Cabriolet has been created for #mocaroundgang #mocaround66 to the theme of #convertible hosted by @spamala808

Star of not one but two "Fast & Furious" films. Driven by actor Paul Walker in the first entry in the "Fast Saga," this car was used for multiple interior and exterior shots during the filming of 2001's "The Fast and the Furious" and 2003's "2 Fast 2 Furious," according to the extensive documentation that accompanies the car and a Certificate of Authenticity.

The car was built by Eddie Paul at The Shark Shop in El Segundo, CA, for the first movie and brought back and modified by the original builder for its role as "Slap Jack's Supra" in the sequel. The Supra would later be returned to original form, with the resplendent Lamborghini Diablo Candy Orange pearl paint and famed Troy Lee-designed "Nuclear Gladiator" motif along the side. To complete the look, the Supra features a Bomex front spoiler and side skirts, TRD-style hood, APR aluminum biplane rear wing, and 19-inch Dazz Motorsport Racing Hart M5 Tuner wheels. This example is a factory turbo car powered by the famed 2JZ-GTE 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 engine mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission.

This Supra is built for #mocaroundgang build challenge #mocaround67 titled #hollywoodrides hosted by @my_lego_garage

The fifth Hotwheels build for this month is a more current model.

Just in time too, for instagram #mocaroundgang mocaround76 to the build theme hotwheels.

Hotwheels has many weird (very weird) custom designs, as well as replica versions of real car. My favourite genre though, is cars that could well have been real, but still display outstanding creative design skill. I have read that some of the early Hotwheels designers are graduates of the small number of Automotive Design Schools in the US, and some the models they designed certainly had Design School feel to them.

The El Segundo Coupe, shown here is described as ' a depiction of a futuristic coupe with vintage style elements'. There are a few different panit combinations available of this casting, but the teal with stripes is the one that best captures this description.

Incidentally, the El Segundo name comes from the part of Los Angeles where Mattel is headquarted. The same mean 'the second' in Spanish, as this was the location of the second oil refinery on the West Coast USA for Standard Oil. So now you know.

Code 051/250

This Hotwheels casting debuted in 2023, designed by Sonny Fisher.

If you would like to participate in the MOCaroundgang build challenge, head over to Instagram, make sure to tag the host (me) @lego__911 (there are two underscore characters) and the challenge tags #hotwheels #mocaround76

The submission date for this build challenge is April 13th.

Because of its underpinnings, designer Marcelo Gandini had the opportunity to create a car that would revolutionise the automotive industry for many years afterwards. The engine being mounted amidships allowed for a pointed front end, while the ground-hugging poise inherited from the Tipo race car meant the car was under a metre tall at its highest point. Combined with the squared-off rear end, these characteristics inspired countless wedge-shaped designs of the 70s and 80s, and also gave the car its name and colour: Carabo is derived from ‘Carabidae’, a family of ground-beetles with a distinctive green and gold colour.

The principle of the wedge-shaped profile was used to eliminate the high-speed aerodynamic lift troubles of the Lamborghini Miura, which Gandini had penned two years earlier. However, his innovative cerebration didn’t stop there: as well as having headlights hidden beneath active flaps, the Carabo was the first concept car with front-hinged wing doors, later used by Gandini when designing the Lamborghini Countach. The Carabo clearly also lent styling cues to the Lancia Stratos Zero concept car, which in turn inspired the iconic Stratos HF.

Unsurprisingly, the Carabo remained a one-off, but its revolutionary styling dramatically steered the automotive design industry onto a radically different path – one which produced some of the landmark cars of the 20th Century. Even those who can’t look favourably on its apparent aversion to curved surfaces should take a second to appreciate its legacy.

This updated version of the Carabo is created for #mocaroundgang 58th challenge theme #1970sconceptcar hosted by @legolaslalamenace

The first generation of the Volkswagen Type 2 with the split windshield, informally called the Microbus, Splitscreen, or Splittie among modern fans, was produced from 8 March 1950 through the end of the 1967 model year. From 1950 to 1956, the T1 (not called that at the time) was built in Wolfsburg; from 1956, it was built at the completely new Transporter factory in Hanover. Like the Beetle, the first Transporters used the 1100 Volkswagen air-cooled engine, an 1,131 cc, DIN-rated 18 kW, air-cooled flat-four-cylinder 'boxer' engine mounted in the rear. This was upgraded to the 1200 – an 1,192 cc 22 kW in 1953. A higher compression ratio became standard in 1955; while an unusual early version of the 30 kW engine debuted exclusively on the Type 2 in 1959. Any 1959 models that retain that early engine today are rare. Since the engine was discontinued almost immediately, no spare parts were made available.

The early versions of the T1 until 1955 were often called the "Barndoor" (retrospectively called T1a since the 1990s), owing to the enormous rear engine cover, while the later versions with a slightly modified body (the roofline above the windshield is extended), smaller engine bay, and 15" roadwheels instead of the original 16" ones are nowadays called the T1b (again, only called this since the 1990s, based on VW's retrospective T1,2,3,4 etc. naming system.). From the 1964 model year, when the rear door was made wider (same as on the bay-window or T2), the vehicle could be referred to as the T1c. 1964 also saw the introduction of an optional sliding door for the passenger/cargo area instead of the outwardly hinged doors typical of cargo vans.

In 1962, a heavy-duty Transporter was introduced as a factory option. It featured a cargo capacity of 1,000 kg instead of the previous 750 kg, smaller but wider 14" roadwheels, and a 1.5 L, 31 kW engine. This was so successful that only a year later, the 750 kg, 1.2 L Transporter was discontinued. The 1963 model year introduced the 1500 engine – 1,493 cc as standard equipment to the US market at 38 kW with an 83 mm bore, 69 mm stroke, and 7.8:1 compression ratio. When the Beetle received the 1.5 L engine for the 1967 model year, its power was increased to 40 kW.

Kurt “Lucky” Weber has his own hook: his arm! Pun definitely intended, for you see, where his right arm once was resides a daily reminder of the accident, which left him with one arm. That’s not what defines him because “Lucky” is a racer. His pride and joy is a modified, custom built 1929 Ford Roadster, also known as the 109 racer that was featured in the movie ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’. Kurt’s roadster has been over the world record in the D street roadster class at Bonneville five times and is now a gas roadster; by removing the back fender, headlights and the radiator, thus, making the roadster even faster.

Building a race roadster car can be a bit tricky. One needs to keep the center of gravity as low as possible to keep the car going straight. Roadsters tend to lift at over 175 mph, so they need weight added to them to stay on the ground at the salt flats. To overcome this problem, Kurt melted 1,500 Lbs of lead into the roadster’s frame before welding the boxing plates on. Using an old 1929 Ford body as well as hand fabricated parts for most of the inner frame, Kurt kept the outside pretty by using parts from a 1932 Ford for most of the outer frame.

The 109 racecar was painted white and ‘1956 Chevy tropical-turquoise’ by Kurt Weber in his very own front yard. Mr. VanderLey created the 301 cubic inch power plant by boring a 1957 Chevy out 1/8 of an inch. The engine runs two four-barrel carburetors on a VanderLey fabricated intake ram manifold.

For more information:

www.hotrodhotline.com/fraternity-speed

'Lucky' is joined in a couple of images with the contemporary de Havilland DH88 Comet long-distance race record holder in matching paintwork as seen in 1935.

Built for Instagram #mocaroundgang build challenge 61 #saltflatspeeder

A new month means a new #mocaroundgang build challenge. For February #mocaround62 is titled #gasser

I'll confess, I needed to do a bit of research, as I'd never designed a gasser previously. It did give me an opportunity to revisit a Flickr LUGNuts theme 'I wanna be like you', where you model a car in the style of one of the other LUGNutters, in this case LUGNuts admin Tim Inman. The 1970 Pinto Gasser here is a Miniland-scale recreation of his "Alti-TUDE" 1959 Sedan Delivery.

Another confession - Lino's flashy style caught my attention, and many others, and was a popular individual for Homage builds. Tim's builds, for me at least, were always one (or more) steps back from the edge of crazy. When its comes to an homage build, that step or two definitely makes it just a bit easier to replicate.

Two great builders, for sure, and a great opportunity for me to honour Tim's work with this miniland-scale version of his 1959 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery Gasser "Alti-TUDE".

As is often the case of homage builds, they often spring from cars that I wouldn't normally build myself. I hadn't heard of the Chevrolet Sedan Delivery, let alone seen one. We did have this type of vehicle here in Australia, popular in the 1960s and 70s, known as the 'Panel Van'.

Tim takes this base, adds more engine, big wheels at the back, small at the front. Plus a subtle (compared to Lino) custom bodywork feature in lavender.

The Gasser mocaround build theme is hosted on instagram by @my_lego_garage

Since the Plymouth Prowler first debuted back in 1996, I have always thought that this was a versatile platform perfect for exploration in multiple dimensions.

Around eight years ago I designed a V8, vintage plane themed HEMI Howler, replacing the stock V6 with one of Chryslers HEMI V8 engines. A not unexpected conversion.

The Prowler platform though is thoroughly modern, using a spaceframe construction and unstressed panels, meaning it can be turned into almost anything. That most customers didn't bother was a giant disappointment.

The Lego model here, designed to #mocaroundgang #mocaround56 for #hearserod models provided an just such an opportunity. Nearly all the change is via a long tapered rear overhang, suitable for carrying long thin boxes. And, unlike the standard roadster model, the inclusion of a roof smoothes things out.

The rear load door is all glass - a nod to the futuristic hotrod concepts of the late 1960s, and the grille, wheel trims and interior are finished in blood-red.