Marussia Virgin Racing Launch Their 2011 Car

Marussia Virgin Racing have launched their car to take on the 2011 world championship in a lavish London ceremony. The Marussia name now preceeds Virgin following a major tie up with the Russian sportscar manufacturer and the team at the end of 2010.  It has led to the new car being designated as the MVR-02. [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/marussia-virgin-racing-launch-their-2011-car/

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skyline gtr r32 single turbo

hey guys im new to this forum . this is my latest build .

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1013261.aspx

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Mitsubishi i-MiEV Evolution revealed for Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Mitsubishi has unveiled the i-MiEV Evolution, ahead of its racing debut at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/8Ik8fDJyOFY/mitsubishi-i-miev-evolution-revealed-for-pikes-peak-international

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Drivers expected to get extra protection from debris | F1 Fanatic round-up

Drivers expected to get extra protection from debris is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

In the round-up: Charlie Whiting says it is “inevitable” F1 car design will be changed to protected drivers from flying debris.

Drivers expected to get extra protection from debris is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/pMSMFKnyS6Q/

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Lola Cars filing for Bankruptcy

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/-y9a27UaAkE/lola-cars-filing-for-bankruptcy.html

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McLaren not well-suited to Monaco, says Button | 2012 Monaco Grand Prix

McLaren not well-suited to Monaco, says Button is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Jenson Button says the MP4-27 isn’t the ideal car for the tight, slow Monte-Carlo track.

McLaren not well-suited to Monaco, says Button is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/joFdTfy3rG8/

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Amsoil

my buddy is building a replica of a friends class 11 off road bug. The car has a large Amsoil decal across the front. do any of you car specialists know where I can get a decal sheet with amsoil on it?

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1017024.aspx

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68 dart 426hemi

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1017032.aspx

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Ferrari Launch Their 2011 Car The F150

Ferrari have become the first team to launch their 2011 Formula One car – named the F150. Thw F150 name comes from the fact it is 150 years since Italian unification, the flag bearer for the nation decided it was important to increase exposure of the major event in the country’s long history.  The cars [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/ferrari-launch-their-2011-car-the-f150/

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Brabus tunes… Bombardier private jets

It’s a bird, it’s a plane… it’s a Brabus-Bombardier Global Express XRS? That’s right, everyone’s favorite tuner has expanded into the high-flying world of aircraft customization.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/V_x7A_R6_jo/brabus-tunes-bombardier-private-jets

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Art Pollared: A forgotten driver…

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/umu0bScAuGQ/art-pollared-forgotten-driver.html

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Williams confirms one team member still in hospital

Williams has confirmed that one team member remains in hospital in Barcelona after suffering burns yesterday’s fire, adding that he is in good spirits. Meanwhile the team has again thanked the paddock community for its support. A statement today said: … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/05/14/williams-confirms-one-team-member-still-in-hospital/

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Ford C-MAX Hybrid sales begin at $25,995

The American auto maker has clearly targeted its chief rival to be the Toyota Prius v by stating that they have undercut its price by $500.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/zJWSjOKiL1c/ford-c-max-hybrid-sales-begin-at-25995

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Video: Jimmie Johnson wins NASCAR All-Star Race

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/20/2076996/video-jimmie-johnson-wins-nascar.html

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Chrysler Snakes back into GT Racing

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/rYRSeZr1iwY/chrysler-snakes-back-into-gt-racing.html

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Chevrolet Camaro SS/RC1

Richard Childress Racing Street Performance partnered with General Motors to create RC1 Camaros to pay homage to legendary racer, Dale Earnhardt. The latest rendition of the RC1 series came just one model year after the Camaro beat all odds and made a successful comeback following its deletion in 2002.

This 2011 Camaro SS/RC1 is based on the 2011 Camaro SS, but features much more than any normal SS on the market. It not only features a stylish design, but it also packs a mean bite under the hood. This particular 2011 Camaro SS/RC1 was not offered to the public, but instead Richard Childress Racing (RCR) built several of the RC1 Camaros and shipped them straight to RK Motors Charlotte.

The RC1 is the first of the series and the least powerful of the three. Of course, being the least powerful of the RC-series is not saying much, as the top-end RC3 pumps out a concrete pummeling 750 horsepower. The best thing is that this special edition Chevy Camaro is in a price range that a working class Joe can actually afford. You may be wondering how much it actually is and what you get for your money.

Click past the jump to read our full review and answer all of your questions.

Chevrolet Camaro SS/RC1 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 18 May 2012 19:00 EST.

read more



Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/chevrolet/2011-chevrolet-camaro-ss-rc1-ar129683.html

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Skoda Citigo Rally concept revealed in Worthersee

Skoda has officially unveiled their Citigo Rally concept at the 31st Volkswagen GTI Meeting at W�rthersee. While no new details have been released at this time, the unveiling does give fans a first glimpse of the model in the flesh.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/kRZPFQBIXiE/skoda-citigo-rally-concept-revealed-in-worthersee

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Caption Competition 13: Bernie and Sir Frank | Caption Competition

Caption Competition 13: Bernie and Sir Frank is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

What did Bernie Ecclestone have to say to Frank Williams at his 70th birthday party last weekend? Over to you.

Caption Competition 13: Bernie and Sir Frank is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/uqHJmEbl1OM/

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Vintage racing Films now showing in the Flagroom…

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/eDTIGz30ObQ/vintage-racing-films-now-showing-in.html

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F1 2012 Championship Standings after Spanish GP

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/j60PtBxGRzQ/f1-2012-championship-standings-after.html

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Jaguar E-Type Coupe

An original Aurora Jag built box stock. It's also the only 'box' i've kept for display purposes.




Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1016977.aspx

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Volkswagen Golf GTI Black Dynamic revealed

Created by nine apprentices, the one-off model has a bespoke interior and an upgraded 2.0-liter TSI engine.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/aibbUKUka00/volkswagen-golf-gti-black-dynamic-revealed

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Dacia Dokker vans revealed

Further proliferation of the Renault model range under different brand names continues, as Romanian sub-brand Dacia has announced the world premieres of the Dokker and Dokker MPVs at the Casablanca motor show.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/1PKgSWrMPQU/dacia-dokker-vans-revealed

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Rossi running Friday practice for Caterham

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/eZ2JNSOHhUc/rossi-running-friday-practice-for.html

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Williams scrambling to put together equipment it needs for Monaco

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/2DVa-SBipsw/williams-scrambling-to-put-together.html

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Drivers’ meeting ‘promises to be very interesting’

Oh to be a fly on the wall at the drivers’ briefing ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix next month.

The controversial decision not to penalise either Nico Rosberg for his aggressive defence against Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso at the Bahrain Grand Prix or Hamilton for overtaking by going off the track has led to considerable debate within Formula 1.

So much so, that Alonso, a man who weighs his words carefully, has decided to speak out about it. After learning of the ruling, the Ferrari driver said to his 400,000-plus Twitter followers: “I think you are going to have fun in future races! You can defend position as you want and you can overtake outside the track! Enjoy!”

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton

Nico Rosberg (left) and Lewis Hamilton may have differing views at the drivers’ meeting. Photo: Getty

Alonso had earlier said of Rosberg’s driving: “If instead of such a wide run-off area there had been a wall, I’m not sure I’d be here to talk about it.”

On the face of it, and at first glance, the stewards’ decision does appear difficult to understand.

With both Hamilton on lap 10 and Alonso on lap 24, Rosberg veered dramatically to the inside – and, unusually, right across to the white line that demarcates the edge of the circuit.

Both Hamilton and Alonso went off the track in avoidance, to varying degrees. Whereas Hamilton kept going and succeeded in passing the Mercedes, Alonso backed off and tried for the outside line, but had lost too much momentum to pull a move off.

Article 20.4 of the sporting regulations says: “Manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers, such as deliberate crowding of a car beyond the edge of the track or any other abnormal change of direction, are not permitted.”

So why was Rosberg not penalised?

The stewards said his defence was legitimate because although it was Rosberg who started to deviate from his line first, he did so in a “constant and continuous straight-line manner” and neither Hamilton nor Alonso had “a significant portion of their car… alongside” Rosberg’s.

In other words, because Rosberg moved first, he was always clearly in front and it was therefore effectively the other driver’s decision to keep moving to the inside to the point that he was off the track.

In Hamilton’s case, if you watch the TV footage back, you can clearly see this is the case.

It is less obviously so with Alonso – and the stewards had to use the footage from the Ferrari’s onboard camera before they came to a conclusion.

I have not seen the footage, but I’m told it showed again that a) Rosberg moved first; and b) at no point was “a significant portion” of Alonso’s car alongside the Mercedes.

During the race, viewers heard Alonso say over his team radio: “He pushed me off the track. You have to leave a space. All the time you have to leave a space.”

This, though, is not actually what the regulations say.

A new rule, article 20.3, was introduced this year to formally enshrine that “any driver moving back towards the racing line, having earlier defended his position off line, should leave at least one car width between his own car and the edge of the track on the approach to a corner”.

But this only applies when he is making a second move – there is nothing in the rules to stop drivers going right to the edge of the track in their first defensive move.

In other words, you might think – as Alonso did – that Rosberg’s driving was unfair, overly aggressive, even dangerous, but the rules contain nothing the stewards could use to penalise him.

There is no obligation, I’m told by a senior figure, to leave room for a rival, unless he is partially alongside. The question then becomes, how far alongside does a driver have to be before the man he is overtaking has to leave him room with his first move?

That’s where it starts to get awkward.

“It’s no different,” a senior insider says, “to a conventional overtaking manoeuvre when one driver dives down the inside, gets halfway alongside and they collide. One guy says: ‘You should have given me room.’ The other says: ‘You weren’t far enough alongside.’ Often drivers’ perception of a situation differs from the reality.”

The stewards have to use their judgement, including factors such as speed differential between the cars, when a driver moved, how many moves he made, and so on.

Back, though, to what the rules do say. Article 20.2 says drivers “must use the track at all times”. This is why Rosberg said over his team radio: “Hamilton passed me off the track.”

Which Hamilton clearly did. So why was he not penalised?

The stewards, I’m told, asked: “What advantage did Hamilton gain by going off the track?” And they concluded that if he had gone to the outside, he was carrying so much momentum he would have passed anyway.

The most obvious of several counter-points to that is: “Yes, but Hamilton did go off the track when you have established he didn’t need to, and he did pass him by doing so, so he should be penalised.”

At least two leading drivers share this view, I’m told. But you have to bear in mind that Hamilton is not the most popular driver on the grid and his rivals are “always looking for ways to nail him”, as one source put it on Monday.

The problem arose in the first place because concrete run-offs surround the circuit in Bahrain. Drivers can use these with impunity, safe in the knowledge that if they are forced off the track they are not going to spin on wet grass or hit a wall.

Had there been grass there, Hamilton would not have been able to pull off the same move (another argument for a penalty being applied) and Alonso might have backed off sooner.

Equally, had there been grass there – or even a wall – Rosberg might well have given them both a bit more room.

The stewards weighed it all up and felt that, in this instance, penalising Hamilton would have been overly harsh.

The result is some drivers believe Hamilton should have been penalised, some believe Rosberg should have been, and Alonso is saying the stewards’ ruling gives drivers carte blanche to overtake off the track or crowd their rivals as much as they like.

Which is why that drivers’ meeting in Barcelona promises to be so interesting.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/04/unanswered_questions_for_rosbe.html

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Dani Clos to make F1 debut for HRT in first practice in Spain

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/dVPodKFk8Dc/dani-clos-to-make-f1-debut-for-hrt-in.html

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Suzuki Swift X-ITE launched in Germany for 15,490 euros

Suzuki Germany has announced the Swift X-ITE special edition is now available from 15,490 euros. The three-door hatch is equipped with many extras that focus on giving prospective owners sporty styling options.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/WuMDr_37UBI/suzuki-swift-x-ite-launched-in-germany-for-15490-euros

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Four different winners – now pick a champion

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh probably summed up the new Formula 1 season best in the wake of Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

“Who’s going to predict who’s going to win the next race?” Whitmarsh pondered after Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel had become the fourth different driver, for the fourth different team, to win in the first four races. “It could be Red Bull, Lotus, Mercedes, Ferrari, us.”

A Formula 1 season has not started in such an unpredictable fashion for 29 years.

Back in 1983, Brabham’s Nelson Piquet, McLaren’s John Watson, Renault’s Alain Prost and Ferrari’s Patrick Tambay were the men in question. Only Watson did not go on to be a major contender for the rest of the season, which featured a four-way title fight between Piquet, Prost, Tambay and the second Ferrari driver Rene Arnoux.

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari may not be the best car, but he is making it a contender. Photo: AFP

This year, the winners have been McLaren’s Jenson Button, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg and Vettel.

Paradoxically, though, on the balance of form over the four races, you would probably say that of those four only Button and Vettel will definitely be championship contenders.

Rosberg’s Mercedes car is clearly quick, at least in qualifying, but its race pace has been inconsistent. Alonso has been driving brilliantly in the Ferrari – but on current form the car is nowhere near good enough to mount a title challenge.

THE SEASON SO FAR

For all the unpredictability of the results, and the thrilling spectacle of the races themselves, the same drivers and teams who have dominated F1 in recent years fill the top five positions in the championship.

Victory in Bahrain vaulted Vettel into the lead, ahead of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, Red Bull’s second driver Mark Webber, Button and Alonso.

Of those, Alonso’s position is the most remarkable.

At best, the Ferrari is the fifth fastest car behind the Red Bull, McLaren, Lotus and Mercedes. And there have been times when it was probably the seventh fastest – behind also the Williams and Sauber.

Yet the Spaniard has won a race and conceded only 10 points to the world championship leader after four grands prix.

This stunning demonstration of consistency and skill is why it would be hard to look past Alonso if there was an award for driver of the year so far.

If he is to be a title contender this year, though, much depends on the major car upgrades Ferrari are planning to introduce for the next race in Spain – and which will be tried out for the first time at the official F1 test in Mugello next week.

If these do not give Ferrari a significant boost in performance, even Alonso will drift out of contention and, presumably, be overtaken soon by the drivers immediately behind him in the championship – Rosberg and Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen

MOST IMPROVED TEAMS – AND OTHERWISE

Just as Alonso is artificially high in the championship – at least in terms of the quality of the car he is driving – so Raikkonen and, arguably, Rosberg are artificially low.

It has been clear from the beginning of the season that the Lotus is one of the very fastest cars on the grid – but scrappy weekends at the first three races prevented the team from scoring strong results.

In Bahrain they finally got it together, and Raikkonen and team-mate Romain Grosjean finished second and third behind Vettel. As BBC F1 technical analyst Gary Anderson explained in his race review, the Finn might well have won.

According to figures compiled by Anderson, Lotus are second only to Caterham in a table that compares their performance last year to this.

Mercedes are some way down the list – but have definitely made more progress than any of the other traditional top teams. Ferrari are at the bottom.

The difficulty in assessing Mercedes’ potential, though, is that for all their impressive performance in taking pole and victory in China, their form in the other races has been poor.

The Mercedes is quick in qualifying – thanks in part, no doubt, to its controversial ‘double DRS’ system – but they are the team whose performance deteriorates the most from practice and qualifying to race.

You can be sure a lot of their work at the Mugello test next week will be focused on this phenomenon.

The next-worst team on this criterion, incidentally, are McLaren.

THE TITLE BATTLE

Ferrari are the most consistent top team (and behind only Sauber) in terms of form from practice to race – a measure of how close a team gets to extracting the maximum from their car.

Red Bull are pretty close behind, even though it took the world champions until the fourth race of the season to record their first win.

One of the reasons teams have been struggling with consistency – both from race to race and within a weekend – is that they are finding it difficult to get the best out of the Pirelli tyres this year.

As Button has said: “Last year, we knew the tyres had high degradation but we understood them. This year, I don’t really know what to make of the tyres.”

Teams are struggling to keep the tyres in the right window of operating temperature, and different cars work them better in different ambient temperatures. Circuit characteristics also play a role.

Mercedes, for example, have been suffering problems with rear-tyre usage. So China was perfect for them. It was run in cool conditions on a circuit that is ‘front-limited’ – the front tyres tend to go off first.

Red Bull, by contrast, were struggling to get their car to work properly in China, and the result was their worst qualifying performance of the year. The race was less problematic, but Red Bull’s race pace has been strong all year.

In the hotter conditions of Bahrain, on a ‘rear-limited’ track, Mercedes struggled and Red Bull shone.

Until Bahrain, McLaren had coped pretty well with the varying conditions from race to race, but their struggles with rear tyre wear in Bahrain will have set alarm bells ringing.

PICKING A FAVOURITE

Vettel predicted in Bahrain that, because the teams are all so close in terms of competitiveness, changing conditions will continue to have an effect on form throughout the season.

His team principal Christian Horner added that the season would “ebb and flow”.

“It is a matter,” Horner said, “of trying to be consistent at the races you can’t win and take the maximum out of them. And at the races you can, you need to deliver.”

So who is the favourite?

Before Bahrain, you would probably have said one of the McLaren drivers. Now, you might be tempted to say Vettel.

But what about Webber, who has had the edge on Vettel in three of the four races? Or Raikkonen? Or even Alonso, if Ferrari can effect a turnaround with the car.

One thing is clear – it’s all very different from last year, when by this stage it was already blindingly obvious that Vettel was going to be champion.

As to who it will be this time, as Hamilton has said: “It’s anyone’s at the moment.”

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/04/four_different_winners_-_now_p.html

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Revell 1993 Honda Civic

This is the Revell 1993 Honda civic. I was very disappointed it could not be built 'stock' as I had a 1995 Si coupe (Ex coupe in USA). I added plug wires/fuel lines under hood, kit-bashed the front/rear sub frames from a 99/00 civic to eliminate the straight axle, wing from 99/00 civic, after market brakes. The custom duel exhaust is 3/32" aluminum rod with machined mufflers and red glass pack.  I got a 1st in 'Modified stock' at a local show last year.

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1016927.aspx

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Out now, an 89-page e-magazine, just six hours after the race

GrandPrix+, the original and fastest F1 e-magazine, is now out. It would have been published an hour ago if the Circuit de Catalunya had a sensible Internet system. Sadly, despite ripping off visiting journalists for Web access for the weekend, the service was so poor that it was impossible to upload the magazine and we [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/out-now-an-89-page-e-magazine-just-six-hours-after-the-race/

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Jacques Villeneuve to run 2 Nationwide races

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/17/2071180/jacques-villeneuve-to-run-2-nationwide.html

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“another” munsters living room

I know scroggs showed the same kit. I remember the munsters in "black'n'white.

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1016404.aspx

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1966 Beetle finished!

hi guys!

 

this is my Beetle made in Brazil

 

 

 

thank's!

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1016443.aspx

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Robert Kubica Hospitalised Following Rally Accident

UPDATE ON KUBICA’s CONDITION:  http://wp.me/p3uiu-11K Renault Lotus F1 driver Robert Kubica has been airlifted to hospital following a car accident while competing on a rally. The incident, described as a high speed accident, left the Pole injured and he had to be airlifted to hospital.  His co-driver Jakub Gerber was uninjured in the incident. While [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/robert-kubica-hospitalised-following-rally-accident/

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Rosberg shines after my Shanghai shenanigans

I’ve just achieved a minor miracle here at Shanghai airport – managing to get changed in the tiniest toilet cubicle imaginable before checking in for my flight to Abu Dhabi, and ultimately Bahrain.

The reason it was so tough is that I had my two-weeks-away-from-home suitcase and my laptop bag and I was also trying not to drop my new maroon velvet jacket onto the toilet floor. I wouldn’t want to get such a beautiful piece of clothing soiled now, would I?

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, take a look at the video below and you can see our ‘Sex and the City’ opener from Sunday’s first live race show of 2012.

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you’re reading via RSS, you’ll need to visit the blog to access this content.


It was a fun morning’s filming actually, the low point being Eddie Jordan’s well-intentioned but rather unconventional offer of breakfast. You see, we filmed most of that opening skit on Friday morning and it required an early start.

I stay with the production team at most races while Eddie and David Coulthard often stay somewhere else (usually with softer beds and more powerful showers).

So at half six on Friday morning, the crew and I set off in the minibus from our hotel near the track and headed for the Shanghai rush-hour: four-lane highways criss-crossing the city, all of them busy, most of them full of stationary traffic.

Eventually we arrived at EJ and DC’s place and they came down to join us. Eddie turned up, dumped his bag and immediately disappeared back into the hotel.

As we were wondering where he was and what he was doing, he returned with a small brown bag and proceeded to dish out a pilfered breakfast.

I am afraid to say I rejected the small piece of brown bread with a single limp rasher of bacon, squished in Eddie’s grip and thrust in my face. But fair play to the crew and DC for accepting his offer.

I also blame our exhaustion for the fact we ended up going down the ‘Sex and the City’ route as it was suggested by Ian the cameraman on the bus as a joke, and suddenly Dave the incredibly creative VT producer had seized on it.

The shoot itself was fun. One of the things I’ve missed in the first two races is the time spent with EJ and DC. There just isn’t the time on a highlights show to transmit long, involved opening pieces and so I relished being back with the guys doing what we enjoy.

It was fantastic to be back in the old routine, prowling the pit-lane hoovering up the stories. I particularly enjoyed showing Ross Brawn the footage of the 1957 Mercedes win in Monza, and sharing with you at home the story of the first pole position for Nico Rosberg’s father Keke.

I think it’s these kinds of things that add depth to our coverage, put the events in perspective, and also inject a human element into such a technical sport.

And what a race it was by Nico in the Mercedes. It was a real shame for team-mate Michael Schumacher, but while he and Jenson Button shared pit-lane problems, and the rest of the field indulged in some classic racing, Nico simply drove the perfect race.

Maybe a late overtake such as Jenson’s in Canada in 2011, or defensive brilliance such as Sebastian Vettel’s in Spain last year is a more exciting way to win a race. But the manner in which Nico did it demonstrated complete dominance by car and driver. That is what the F1 community strive to achieve every week.

I’m not sure what was in DC’s mid-race cuppa, but remarkably on the F1 Forum, he was the one diving in to grab Nico, in true EJ style. Before we know it he’ll be wearing mad shirts and getting members of the Beatles muddled up!

I’m now in the airport and our flight leaves in about 45 minutes so I’d better sign off. Incidentally every time a plane takes off the roof of this place rattles rather violently. I’m hoping it’s just a design issue.

I don’t know what has happened to the rest of our team, but on the bus, nine out of 11 people were fast asleep – so don’t be in any doubt that they’ve been doing their bit for you today.

Before I sign off, a word on Bahrain.

There has been much said about the next grand prix on the 2012 schedule, including significant coverage of the issue across the BBC’s news outlets.

We felt it was important in our show that we put the relevant questions to F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone not just on the decision to race but also the motivation behind it.

Whether it is the right decision to stage the race is not for me to answer. I’ve had many
people ask whether I am happy to go. Of course I have safety concerns personally – but we are journalists. The BBC’s role, as part of a free media, is to chronicle the big stories and events and we take great pride in transmitting the most significant moments in F1 to your living rooms.

Next weekend is arguably one of the most important in the history of F1. All eyes will be on Bahrain so it’s essential we are there too, to accurately and honestly reflect the events both on track and off.

Thanks for tuning in this weekend and for making us the number one trending topic on Twitter in the UK on Sunday morning.

But the real story was Nico Rosberg. After 111 races, the wait is finally over.

See you in the desert.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jakehumphrey/2012/04/rosberg_shines_after_shanghai.html

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Chevrolet to debut rear-wheel-drive SS next year

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/17/2071166/chevrolet-to-debut-rear-wheel.html

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Button Steps Up Pre Season Training With Lance Armstrong

Jenson Button teamed up with record breaking cyclist Lance Armstrong, as he continues to prepare for another Formula One season. The McLaren driver excitedly tweeted that he would be riding with Armstrong, the 7 time Tour de France winner, in Hawaii. Armstrong responded via Twitter “I hope he doesn’t ride as srong as he drives [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/button-steps-up-pre-season-training-with-lance-armstrong/

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Volkswagen Golf GTI Concept White revealed in Worthersee

Following the pair of Polo R-WRC street and race cars announced at the 31st GTI Meeting at W�rthersee, Austria, Volkswagen also revealed the Golf GTI Concept White.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/ZRh9FBuOXSE/volkswagen-golf-gti-concept-white-revealed-in-worthersee

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June issue of Scale Auto

Got home today and found the latest issue of Scale Auto in my mail box, what a surprise as I didn't think I would get it until next week. While I din't get a chance to flip through it as yet, the delivery service was "lightnin' fast!"

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1013878.aspx

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Gearing up for the new F1 season

Hello there? How’s your winter been? I hope this blog finds you well, my friends, and that 2012 is being kind to you. It’s certainly about to get kinder for us F1 fans as the season gets under way this weekend.

My winter flew by faster than Seb in qualifying as I juggled various TV commitments, along with the usual jobs such as visiting the dentist, watching Norwich City (amazing!) and doing a spot of gardening (thankfully my garden is tiny) – all things that between March and November there just isn’t time for!

Thankfully, just a couple of weeks ago I managed to grab a week in the Maldives with my wife, and that break will be valuable as I jump onto a treadmill that will carry us to the end of 2012.

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For me it’s the start of the F1 season, off to the European Football Championship, the British GP, two weeks at the Olympics and then the end of the F1 season followed by Sports Personality of the Year. So time to take a deep breath and dive on in as the stories develop, the drama unfolds and air miles continue to clock up.

As you know this weekend is the start of a new era of F1 coverage on the BBC, and the job for the team over the winter has been to best deal with the cards we’ve been dealt in terms of the broadcast rights.

Having sat through various production meetings, having exchanged emails, swapped ideas and planned how best to bring the season to life, I’m confident we will deliver a new-look season that you will enjoy.

It’s been like the first day at school for some of the new faces to our team this weekend. Gary Anderson and I got the tram together to collect our accreditation when we arrived in Melbourne on Thursday morning and it was great fun being regaled by stories of F1 from the days when Gary was designing race winning cars.

He also had a few decent stories about being employed by Eddie Jordan but I think they’re best left out off the blog – as entertaining as they were!

I’d also really like to welcome Ben Edwards to the fray. Ben is a great commentator who has raced cars himself and spent the last few years commentating on all forms of motor racing.

He’s passionate, informative, hopefully likes a night out and a beer, and best of all he’s as much a journalist as he is a fan. Good luck keeping David Coulthard in check Ben!

Talking of DC, we had our first dinner of the new season together last night as we both headed out for some Japanese food and a drop of sake here in buzzy, beautiful Melbourne.

Pastor Maldonado, Bruno Senna and Lewis Hamilton were all in there tucking into sushi and sashimi while working out whether to chat to each other or act cool and bag an early psychological advantage ahead of a year when the competition will be intense.

They mainly opted for the latter by the way. I’ll post a blog later in the season about how the drivers live and work together while still being rivals – it’s fascinating.

Meanwhile on radio we’ve got a whole new team – and it’s a great line-up of commentator James Allen, pit-lane reporter Jennie Gow and co-commentator Jaime Alguersuari, who brings real insight having just stepped out of an F1 car himself.

So, what have I learned so far this week? Well I’ve been told that the two new drivers at Toro Rosso have made Mark Webber feel more motivated than ever.

I chatted to Jenson Button who (if it’s possible) seems even more chilled out than he did in 2011.

I’ve also been to the other end of the paddock where Caterham say the decision to put Vitaly Petrov in the car instead of Jarno Trulli is the right move regarding both finances and the future – and I’ve heard plenty of speculation and gossip surrounding HRT and Marussia, who have not run at all in pre-season.

Anyway, it’s amazing how quickly we all get back into the swing of F1. My ‘no crisps’ rule lasted all of 30 minutes, the first running order for Saturday’s qualifying show has been written, and I’ve got a date with Chris Moyles on Radio 1.

We’re delighted to be back, I’m really happy DC and EJ remain part of the team, and this weekend don’t worry about setting your alarm.

We’ve got highlights of qualifying at 1pm on Saturday, and a full two-hour highlights show from 2pm on Sunday. We’ll have all the important action, and plenty of driver interviews and race reaction.

Three years ago I started these blogs – there will be plenty more coming your way in our fourth season of coverage. But what you get is up to you – what do you want to see here during the season..?

Have a great weekend. We’re back!

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jakehumphrey/2012/03/gearing_up_for_the_new_f1_seas_1.html

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Fresh questions over struggling Schumacher

Michael Schumacher’s collision with Williams driver Bruno Senna in Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix has once again focused awkward attention on the German legend’s lacklustre performances for Mercedes.

A senior member of the Mercedes team used the word “mediocre” last weekend when discussing the 43-year-old’s driving, and that was before Schumacher clumsily ran into the back of Senna’s car in the race.

It was the sort of error you might expect from a beginner, not a man with 91 grand prix victories and seven world titles under his belt.

Coming at Senna from a long way back, Schumacher seemed simply to misjudge the closing speed of the two cars and, caught in two minds about which direction to go, he ran into the back of the Williams.

Schumacher called Senna an “idiot” on the radio as he sat in the gravel trap in the immediate aftermath, and, even after watching replays, he still seemed convinced it was his rival’s fault. The stewards disagreed and gave him a five-place grid penalty for the next race in Monaco.

Schumacher’s reaction will have surprised no-one in F1 – he has always seemed to lack the ability to accept he can ever be wrong.

In an aspiring young driver, this is a characteristic one might expect. But age is supposed to bring wisdom and, in this aspect at least, it appears not to be the case with Schumacher.

With the passing years comes an inevitable waning of physical abilities, and it is surely now beyond dispute that this has come even to him.

Michael Schumacher collides with Bruno Senna during the Spanish Grand Prix. Photo: Reuters

How long can he go on raging against the dying of the light? More to the point, perhaps, how long can Mercedes accept it?

There is no shame in Schumacher not being the driver he was – one can argue there is honour in him being able to achieve even what he has as he heads into the middle of his fifth decade.

The facts, though, are that he is now no more than a decent F1 driver – and some may argue not even that.

Statistically, this is the worst start to a season in Schumacher’s career. But statistics can be misleading – Schumacher actually started the season well. He was the stronger of the two Mercedes drivers in the first two races.

But then came China and Nico Rosberg’s qualifying lap, half a second quicker than his team-mate, who was second on the grid.

The gap was explained almost entirely by a stunning middle sector of the lap from Rosberg, which Schumacher, I’m told, justified to himself by Rosberg managing to turn his tyres on better.

That may well have been the reason, but the gap was there nonetheless. As it was again in the race, when that excuse was less justifiable. Schumacher was simply outclassed by his team-mate.

They have been more evenly matched since, but still Schumacher is almost certainly getting no more from the car than a number of other drivers could manage.

The contrast, with what Fernando Alonso is doing in the Ferrari – which is not dissimilar to the sort of thing Schumacher used to achieve in his early years with the team – is stark.

The tragedy of Schumacher’s current situation is that it is leading some people to question his earlier achievements of seven world titles; two with Benetton and five with Ferrari between 1994 and 2004.

His criticisms of the Pirelli tyres after Bahrain drew uncomfortable parallels with the bespoke tyres from Bridgestone which Schumacher enjoyed for much of his Ferrari career, a subject that was largely unexplored during his pomp.

Some are beginning to wonder if seven titles really was such an amazing achievement, given the advantages he had at his disposal?

This would be wrong, though. There is no doubt that the Schumacher of the 1990s and early 2000s was an outstanding racing driver, one of the greatest there has ever been.
But that Schumacher belongs to the past.

The current one is out of contract at the end of this season. This, in fact, was the context in which the “mediocre” remark came up.

So what reasons do Mercedes have to keep him on, rather than try for someone else?
Lewis Hamilton, also looking for a new deal in 2013, may well not be available, or interested. Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button are committed to their current teams. Those left are all unproven.

Schumacher may continue to embarrass himself in wheel-to-wheel racing occasionally, but he’s close to Rosberg’s pace these days – and Mercedes’ top management rate their younger driver very highly indeed.

The other reason is less palatable for those who like to consider F1 as the arena in which the very best drivers in the world do battle. It’s commercial.

Schumacher’s marketing value to Mercedes is huge. After Rosberg’s victory in China, vice-president of Mercedes motorsport Norbert Haug delighted in how “fantastic” Schumacher had been in front of 800 guests at the launch of a new road car model in Shanghai the previous night. It had been, Haug said, “the perfect weekend”.

Schumacher may no longer be one of the best F1 drivers, but around the world he remains arguably the most famous – and therefore the most valuable to Mercedes off the track. And in Germany, Mercedes’ home, he is largely untouchable, voted recently the greatest national sportsman in history.

Ultimately, though, Mercedes are in F1 to win – and it is no secret that, after two disappointing seasons, the pressure on the team at the start of this season was enormous.

It will have been alleviated somewhat by their win in China, but the team have faded after a promising start and currently look no better than they did through much of last year.

In a season as topsy-turvy as this, that could easily change – and, who knows, if everything comes together perhaps Schumacher can win again. After all, who before the weekend would have predicted Pastor Maldonado’s victory in Spain?

But, all things being equal, that looks unlikely. For a team with an average car who need to win, is a “mediocre” driver, however famous, good enough?

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/05/fresh_questions_over_mediocre.html

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Spanish Grand Prix 2012 – Maldonado’s superb drive grants him maiden victory

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/XAmn4y6JFDU/spanish-grand-prix-2012-maldonados.html

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The bizarre situation in F1 where Pirelli rubber is King

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/v6ULWn3Wp60/bizarre-situation-in-f1-where-pirelli.html

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suicide knobs

Anyone notice Barry Fadden's 59 Ford and 36 Ford in the June issue of Scale Auto. Both steering wheels have the 50's classic aftermarket accessory called a "suicide knob. I hope Barry would share how he made them ? i'm glad his models were included in the magazine.

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1016703.aspx

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Robert Kubica Hospitalised Following Rally Accident

UPDATE ON KUBICA’s CONDITION:  http://wp.me/p3uiu-11K Renault Lotus F1 driver Robert Kubica has been airlifted to hospital following a car accident while competing on a rally. The incident, described as a high speed accident, left the Pole injured and he had to be airlifted to hospital.  His co-driver Jakub Gerber was uninjured in the incident. While [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/robert-kubica-hospitalised-following-rally-accident/

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Maldonado: Now the driver can make the difference in F1 | F1 Fanatic round-up

Maldonado: Now the driver can make the difference in F1 is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

In the round-up: Pastor Maldonado says F1 is more like GP2 this year and the driver can make more of a difference.

Maldonado: Now the driver can make the difference in F1 is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/dxm9cOj7f34/

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Conor Daly lands Force India aero test chance

Conor Daly will have his first F1 experience when he undertakes an aero test for Sahara Force India on Thursday at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire. The 20-year-old, who scored his first GP3 win in Barcelona on Sunday, spent part of … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/05/16/conor-daly-lands-force-india-aero-test-chance/

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My other WIP 65 Vette

Im jumping between the 68 goat and this one. Havnt done much other than build the motor, scratch the custom cowl and get the body ready for paint. But I thought I would put it up and see what everybody thought.

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/1016047.aspx

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Ciao for now, Europe

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/09/ciao-for-now-europe.html

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