The Motor Bookstore Blog: Book/Repair Manual Reviews, Customer Car Photos, more...

Do You Feel Lucky?

2012-03-08T09:53:00.005-05:00

Incorporating features such as automated license plate recognition, where the on-board system scans and recognizes license plates in about 1 to 2 seconds while comparing them instantaneously against a database of plates of interest (such as stolen cars, known felons, people who haven't paid their parking tickets in years, and more), all in the background; then, if the system finds a match, it alerts the officer (who will probably pull you over to chat), you really have to do your best Harry Callahan impression and ask yourself, "Do I feel lucky?"

Read the complete article on AutoTech, from MSNBC.com.

About Chilton Automotive Manuals

2012-03-08T08:16:00.001-05:00

The Motor Bookstore has been selling Chilton automotive manuals for more than 10 years. All of our manuals are always on sale and we ship free of charge to most places in the contiguous 48 states.

These repair manuals are intended for DIY mechanics who like to maintain, service or repair their own vehicles. Chilton's are chock-full of close-up photos, so you can see and identify the system or component you're working on.

To see the complete line of automotive Chilton manuals available from The Motor Bookstore, visit our Chilton page at www.themotorbookstore.com/chilton.html, or you may call us, at 1-800-982-4599 Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.

The Fast and The Executed?

2012-03-07T07:36:00.002-05:00

According to an article posted on Visordown.com, two motorcyclists in China may face the death penalty for illegal street racing and evading police.

Makes you wonder what the penalty for say... a broken taillight might be. Life in prison?

[Visordown.com photo]

For the complete article visit Visordown.com.

Up, Up and Away!

2012-03-06T08:35:00.000-05:00

Are we finally going to have flying cars? Do they make sense? And would you buy and operate one?

Only time will tell...

But, if you're interested, you may want to check out the Terrafugia.

1945 Killinger und Freund Motorrad

2012-03-06T08:30:00.003-05:00

From Retronaut.

For The Soccer Mom Who Has Everything...

2012-03-06T05:52:00.003-05:00

The Bentley EXP 9 F Concept SUV, from the 2012 Geneva Auto Show.

From Edmunds' Inside Line Videos.

"Engage the Cloaking Device!"

2012-03-05T14:55:00.001-05:00

The Klingon Empire ain't got nothing on Mercedes.

Japan Muscle Car Graveyard

2012-03-02T07:47:00.002-05:00

From Motor Authority

To any muscle car lover, this video will be unpleasant to watch.

It is sad to see what, at one point, was a fine American pony car and somewhat of a rare one at that, end up in such horrible condition, for apparently no other good reason than neglect.

You can read the article on Motor Authority's website.

According to Motor Authority, this is a follow-up article. Allegedly the Z-28 rots in the company of other muscle cars.

What a sad waste.

Corvette Killer by Oldsmobile?

2012-03-01T09:20:00.002-05:00

by Barry L. Ritholtz's The Big Picture

From the photos posted on The Big Picture, I feel that the answer is a definite YES! The 1954 Concept Olds Rocket F88, had its chance to be a worthy competitor to the Corvette, maybe even dethrone it as America's sports car, but GM brass had different ideas.

Read the complete article here.

The Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

2012-02-29T12:08:00.004-05:00

You have to watch the video and explore their website for complete details. Words that can describe the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta properly, do not exist.

Used Car Inspection

2012-02-29T08:43:00.003-05:00

RiceBoyTV posted this video to YouTube, on June 10, 2008 and, although it is a few years old, the tips are still valuable today. Well worth watching.

Stuff on the Web that makes you say W.T.F.

2012-02-28T12:57:00.003-05:00

I read a lot of how-to articles on the Web almost on a daily basis, and reviews are mixed as far as how basic or even how useful they may be. Once I find something that I consider of benefit to our Facebook and Google+ readers, I submit the link for publication.

While reading a new batch of those articles, this one caught my attention. First because it was a subject that, when addressed correctly, can be helpful to many, but as I read part of the copy, the Huh?s and Whaaaat?s, started.

Here's a sample of the writing...

"Reconnect the rod with the advice of the bolts to the lock core. Now fix the autogenous handle in its aboriginal abode and fix the artificial cover. Replace the armrest and added genitalia dismantled from the car."

I'm not sure it was intended as a funny piece, but I suspect it is the result of poorly translated copy.

Anyway, it's an interesting and funny read.

Go to Car Door Locks Repair Tips, for the complete article.

Enjoy!

2012-02-28T09:53:00.001-05:00

From the Facebook files...

Cops in Italy needed a fast car to catch speeders. Their answer to the problem? The Lamborghini Gallardo "Police Edition." Unfortunately, they appear to have failed to properly train the guy who was going to be doing the driving. Whoops!

How-To: Dodge Ram Tailgate Handle Replacement

2012-02-28T08:47:00.004-05:00

by 1aauto.com

An easy do-it-yourself project explained clearly by the guys at 1aauto.com.

2012 Daytona 500 Photos

2012-02-28T05:33:00.002-05:00

From DenverPost.com

For those of you who are NASCAR/stock car racing fans, the Denver Post website offers a great selection of some amazing photographs. Click the photo below to visit their site.

Above: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #17 Best Buy Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 27, 2012 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Read more: Photos: NASCAR Daytona 500 - 2012 | Denver Post Photos, Video

The Jaguar C-X75

2012-02-16T09:13:00.003-05:00

Source: BeautifulLife.info.

Last year the British automaker Jaguar unveiled the concept car C-X75. The British luxury car manufacturer announced that it would indeed produce the C-X75 . There will only be 250 limited edition vehicles produced, with the majority of them packing a turbo charged hybrid 4 cylinder motor.

For the complete article and more great photos, visit BeautifulLife.info.

About Haynes Manuals Video

2012-02-15T20:11:00.000-05:00

Save Money on Auto Repairs

2012-02-09T12:56:00.000-05:00

It's All About Prevention

It all boils down to common sense, really, and just like when it comes to your own body and health, the best thing to do is to prevent those little things that have the potential to become big (and expensive) issues down the road.

So What Can You Do To Avoid
Expensive Car Repairs?

Well, the list is simple and short, yet effective. And while it may not prevent every single thing from going wrong, it will certainly help you avoid a great number of car problems.

1. Keep your car clean, both inside and out. Yes, this will help you spot visible issues early on and address them immediately. Road grime and salt, for example, can create a lot of issues that can end up costing you time and money. Also, a well-kept car will look better when the time comes to sell it, fetching more money than the alternative, so that in itself should be enough motivation to keep your car washed, vacuumed and waxed on a regular basis.

2. Perform regular maintenance. Change your vehicle's motor oil and oil filter every 4000 to 5000 miles. Whether you do it yourself or have a mechanic or dealer perform the maintenance, make sure all fluid levels are checked and topped off when necessary. Also replace the air cleaner element, or at least have it cleaned, every other oil change. That's an important, easy and affordable DIY project.

3. When finished changing the air filter, take a minute to visually inspect things under the hood. Make sure the belts have enough tension and they look good. Cracks are fairly easy to spot and a sign that the belt should be replaced. That's not a big job, but you may want to have the correct shop manual in order to do to it right. Otherwise, have your local auto shop or dealer take care of that for you. Also make sure the spark plug wires are firmly attached to the plugs, all caps are properly in place, and remove any road debris that might have gotten caught in the engine bay.

4. Check the tires. I do that every time I stop at a gas station, just by walking around my truck. If a tire needs air, that's the time and place to take care of that issue. Keep a good tire air pressure gauge in your glovebox. If the tires look worn, have them replaced. Driving on bald tires is unsafe. If you don't know how to determine when the time has come to replace your tires, go to a tire center and have them check that for you. Those guys are experts and they will gladly do an inspection for you. When you get new tires for your vehicle, make sure they are rotated on a regular basis. I have my truck serviced at the local tire center and they rotate the tires every time I come in for an oil change, so in my case the tires are rotated every 4000 to 5000 miles. Also make sure the tires are balanced so they last for as long as possible.

5. And speaking of tires... make sure your vehicle's alignment is within manufacturer's specs. If, while driving, the car "pulls" to either side, chances are it needs an alignment. Get it done for safety, comfort while driving, and to extend the life of your front tires.

6. Make sure that your windshield wiper blades are working as intended. After a few months, the rubber hardens and debris may damage the blade's edge. This results in an annoying noise every time you turn on the wipers, not to mention that wipers that are not working well will reduce visibility, which is dangerous. On top of that, worn out blades can scratch and damage your windshield. Changing the windshield wiper blades is another easy DIY project, and most auto parts stores will also gladly change them for you, at no extra charge.

The Eagle Lightweight E-Type Speedster

2011-12-07T11:51:00.000-05:00

Stop drooling! Visit How to Spend it for all the juicy details... provided you have the discretionary cash for one of these.

Prices start at a princely £550,000, unless you want to add a hardtop. At the current exchange rate, I don't even want to do the math.

The 2012 Camaro ZL1

2011-11-30T18:15:00.001-05:00

A definite improvement over the previous model with some great technology.

Full-Size Hot Wheels Dodge Deora

2011-11-29T06:14:00.001-05:00

Posted by Luis Hernandez, Jr.

Photo credit: Toy Collector

Not sure what this 1/1-scale "model" ended up selling for, but it is a very cool-looking vehicle, and a great full-size rendition of the original Hot Wheels.

Toy Collector ran a detailed article on this cab-forward pickup, and you can read the full text of the article, with some great close-up photos, on the Toy Collector website.

I do not think you have to be a late baby boomer to appreciate this one.

Fanwagens Anyone?

2011-11-25T21:06:00.001-05:00

From the Netherlands comes this Facebook-themed concept VW Transporter, part of an advertising campaign.

Those who prefer red as the accent color, will have to wait for the Google+ edition. And if an orange hue is more your style, maybe they'll come up with a "Bloggerwagen" for 2012. lol.

Cute concept and a fun idea. And, personally, it comes as no surprise that the T1 won the contest over the Beetle.

To read the complete article and learn more about the "features" available for the one-of-a-kind Transporter, visit www.designboom.com.

The Motor Bookstore "Cube" Decals

2011-11-23T16:49:00.001-05:00

We had some great-looking, self-adhesive 3-inch by 3-inch decals made, depicting part of the old MotorBookstore logo. We decided a while back to use this image as an icon for some of our social media sites and it sort of stuck.

A couple of weeks ago we had a couple hundred printed as a test and they turned out great. They are vinyl stickers and they can be used almost on any flat, smooth surface, so they work fine on toolboxes, the garage fridge, rear windshields, helmets and who knows what else.

So, if you want to show the world that you are a Motorhead, send us a S.A.S.E. and we'll send you one (or two) for free.

To get your free TMB 3"x3" decal, send S.A.S.E to:

THE MOTOR BOOKSTORE

ATTN: TMB-BLOG STICKER OFFER
404 Newtech Court
DeBary FL 32713

Note: S.A.S.E. must have your name, complete address, and U.S. First Class Mail postage affixed.

Quantities are limited, so first come, first served.

2011-11-08T11:57:00.000-05:00

The new Collector Car Encyclopedia by Hemmings Motor News is now available.

This new resource contains 288 pages packed with information that car collectors will find invaluable.

Book chapters include auto auctions, clubs, events and designers, as well as useful info on brake systems, differentials, engines, hot rodding, restoration and more.

The book also includes a chapter on Toys and Models.For complete details or to place an order, please visit the Collector Car Encyclopedia page.

1947 Harley-Davidson FL

2011-07-01T11:47:00.005-04:00

Ron Everett of Grandview, Texas, sent us these pics of his 1947 Harley-Davidson FL Knucklehead.

Ron purchased the bike in the early 1980s. It was raked out with a long home-made Springer front-end. Most of the components are original 1947 Harley FL, with the exception of a 1948 lower-end.

He stopped riding the bike in '86 in order to raise a family and make some changes to it, but the bike sat in Ron's shed for 24 years.

Unfortunately, Ron's wife passed away in October of 2009, and he started the restoration process to keep his mind occupied. The original '47 frame was badly rusted so Ron replaced it with a '59 Harley Straight-Leg replica, with the only differences being the toolbox mount and the neck lock.

The motor had clean cylinders and spun over freely, so Ron replaced the oil and carburetor and it runs fine. The bike starts easily, usually with just one kick. Other changes and additions include a replica 3.5 gallon tank without emblems or shifter mounts, an original 1947 2-into-1 exhaust system and muffler, original '49 hinged rear fender with tombstone taillight, original '47 rear brake and star hubs. The bike also has the original 4-speed tranny.

Ron reduced the Springer front-end to stock length and added a 21-inch front wheel with original star hub. He sandblasted and painted the bike himself and finished the ground-up project in approximately 6-months. The paint is a 2-part Expoxy urethane. Body parts are painted bright orange pearl and the frame is gloss black.

1932 Boyd Coddington Original T

2011-06-23T08:48:00.003-04:00

Cliff Sherlock sent us these photos of an original Hot Rod era car built by Boyd Coddington, a '32 Ford Flathead.

The photos were taken in Orange, California — just down the street from Boyd's shop — where Cliff's friend Steve Eisenhaur purchased the rod from Boyd before he passed. Boyd was one of the original hot rod builders who built and raced his earliest creations.

Cliff shares the story behind the photos:

"Steve called me and said 'Man this car is fast and still has the drag raceway name plates, but it runs hot, rough and is not idling consistently.' So I found that the Ford Flathead V8 engine had so much torque that the synch rod and accelerator shaft going from the gas pedal through the fiberglass tub and firewall would distort, causing the 3 Stromberg carbs to not open in synch or idle properly to a stable idle, and often hang at a high idle at the stoplight making the car run hot and degrade performance.

So my friend called me to help him come fix the problem, knowing that my 25+ years of experience tuning carbs, building engines and fabrication, would most likely find a fix. Well, there were several fixes, both mechanical, structural and I re-tuned the carbs, fixed the leaking float bowls and other common issues well as we tore out the carpet on the floor board and installed Thermo-Tec heat cloth to prevent heat distortion of the fiberglass tub from the headers below, which was causing some of the hanging up of the throttle shaft. I also added some Red Line Water Wetter radiator coolant to keep the stoplight temps stable.

In the end, she really ripped much harder and idled down like a purring kitten. Steve was all smiles. He had bought some books from The Motor Bookstore that provided the proper specs (torque, etc.) to make sure our work was all high quality, just like the car.

Steve, still owns the '32, but moved to the East Coast."

1974 TVR 2500M

2011-06-21T08:14:00.006-04:00

I believe that from time to time, we all entertain fantasies about finding a great-looking car in need of repairs, then wrenching away for months in order to roll out a show winner. But in most cases those grandiose plans remain in our heads. However, some folks act on their dreams and ideas, and the results can be awe inspiring.

Such is the case with Elaine and Kip Kallweit's 1974 TVR 2500M. One of the cars that graces their collection of fine automobiles.

The Kallweit's purchased the TVR as a wreck, back in 2004, in Seattle, Washington, and had it shipped home to Maple Ridge, B.C. where Kip spent six years restoring and customizing to a V8. Elaine did the custom leather upholstery.

The combined efforts yielded an amazing-looking automobile, which Elaine and Kip show during summers, in the All British Car Show at Van Duzen Gardens in Vancouver.

Elaine tells us the TVR is a real head turner on the road, and that V8 engine makes it sound real mean. We believe her.

For more information about these great automobiles, visit the TVR M Series page on Wikipedia. And for a great selection of restoration books and manuals, visit The Motor Bookstore's Restoration Manuals & Guides section.

Collecting Red Trans Am Convertibles

2011-06-14T10:40:00.003-04:00

Pattie Schwatka, of Apple Valley, California along with her son Michael Maestas (who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico), are the proud owners of the Trans Am convertibles you see pictured here.

Front left: 2002 red Trans Am convertible
Back left: 1992 red Trans Am convertible
Front right: 1983 red Trans Am convertible
Back right: 1984 red Trans Am convertible

Pattie's son started collecting red Trans Am convertibles when he special ordered his 2002. She tells us that she then got the "collector's bug" and at one time, owned 7 red Trans Ams - 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992 and 2002 editions. Then sold a few of them and acquired a 1978 Gold Collector's edition T/A.

The cars are driven frequently to local car shows and Trans Am gatheringss in NM and CA. Several of the cars are exclusively show cars and not daily drivers

Pattie and Michael acquired most of the cars via the Internet, had them shipped to NM, then driven out to CA.

Pattie owns the 1984 red Trans Am convertible, which she takes to local shows in Southern California.

Seems to us that Pattie could use a bigger garage.

1978 Yamaha TT500 Flat Tracker

2011-06-10T08:16:00.006-04:00

Building a flat tracker just for kicks sounds like a valid reason to tackle such a project, at least to us. And that's exactly what Matt Andrews did.

After finding the right bike, which was not hard to do since a friend of his had a 1978 Yamaha TT500 "Thumper" sitting in his garage (for about 3 decades), $300 changed hands and Matt had the bike that was to become a flat tracker.

Fast forward about a month from the time he got the bike from his buddy, add some basic fiberglass fabrication mostly for cosmetic purposes, a good tune-up and some leftover gunmetal paint, and a flat tracker was born.

Matt tells us that the only real engine work he had to do was rebuild the carburetor, give the engine an oil change , change the points and condenser, plus — for good measure — a new o-ring chain and a new kill switch.

Matt also commented that the TT500 "doesn't kick hard, or I just have thick legs!" As someone who's been kicked back by many bikes, including an SR500, I can understand. And Thank God for compression release levers.

1971 Baldwin Motion Nova

2011-06-09T09:48:00.002-04:00

Mike Sell of Urbana, OH is the proud owner of this 1971 Baldwin Motion Chevy Nova. The car has a 4-speed Borg Warner T10 hooked to a 350 LT1, with 12-bolt posi rear end.

1981 Mazda RX-7 (Electric)

2011-06-08T11:22:00.003-04:00

Stan Dyer of Arvada, Colorado, converted his 1981 Mazda RX-7 into an electric model. This was accomplished by attaching 18 six-volt batteries, hooked in series, which supply 108 volts of electricity to the 9" series wound motor.

The RX-7 has a separate 12-volt system that supplies power to all of the original 12-volt accessories, like the windows, wipers, heater, and lights.

According to Stan, the Mazda has a range of 50 miles, (depending on grade and conditions), and has been driven for over 500 miles on $11 worth of electricity.

The car is now charged by a bank of photovoltaic solar panels, and that "free" solar electricity sure is nice, with gas prices soaring through the roof.

If you are interested in converting your car into an electric vehicle, a great source of information is Build Your Own Electric Vehicle - 2nd Edition, by Seth Leitman and Bob Brant.

1967 Honda CL90

2011-06-07T11:55:00.002-04:00

Mike Hughes of Rockford, Illinois, sent us a photo of his fully restored 1967 Honda CL90.

If you would like your vehicle featured in our store, blog and/or Facebook page, send your photos along with your name, city and state, as well as a brief description of the vehicle to support@themotorbookstore.com.

1965 Chrysler New Yorker

2011-06-06T11:57:00.006-04:00

A few photos of Kim Hall's 1965 Chrysler New Yorker.

The car is powered by a 413 CID engine. It features air conditioning and a TorqueFlite automatic tranny. Other ammenities include power windows, steering, brakes, driver's seat, and rear antenna. Bucket seats with console and vacuum gauge. Trunk release.

Kim bought the New Yorker from the 2nd previous owner in 1986. Engine and front end rebuilt with 145,000 miles. Currently the car has 350,000.

Everett, WA.

1949 Cadillac 62 Series Sedan

2011-05-31T13:01:00.005-04:00

Steve Hales of Fruitland, Idaho, sent us this photo of his 1949 Cadillac 62 Series Sedan.

Gorgeous car!

When Are Book Reviews Worth $175?

2011-05-29T21:32:00.009-04:00

When You Enter Our Book Review Contest — $175 in Prizes!

If you have purchased a repair manual, CD or book from The Motor Bookstore, we'd like to know what you thought of the book through a product review.

All you need to do is email support@themotorbookstore.com and share your thoughts with us. It's that simple!

Include the title of the book or manual, or what vehicle you purchased it for, or your order number, so we can post your comments along with the right product. Tell us what you liked about the book, how it helped you fix your vehicle, what you did not care for, etc. Just give us your honest opinion. At the end of the day, that helps everyone.

Here's a book review example:

Item: Haynes 1972 Honda CB750 manual

I really liked the manual detail and number of photos, and the easy-to-follow instructions to replace the fork seals. While I had the front end of the bike apart, I took the time to smooth out small nicks and scratches on the fork tubes to prevent seepage. Also detailed the fork legs before reassembly. The photos and text instructions made the job easy.
L. Martino
123 Main Street
Fallon, NV 01234.

All reviews will be tallied and we'll pick out the best six from the bunch. First place will win $75 and 2nd thru 6th places will win $20 each. Please include your full name and mailing address along with your book review, in case you win (so we know where to send your check).

Deadline is June 30, 2011.

Book Review: AMC Muscle Cars

2011-05-27T15:19:00.003-04:00

Used Parts Buyers Guide of Interchangeable Parts, 1968-1974
By Lawrence J. Culberson
PAH Publishing International, 2007, $20, 265 pages

Reviewed by Mel Stanley

This is a spiral bound, 8.5 x 11 inch softcover salvage yard buyers guide. It may not be very pretty, but it is a well researched and effective guide to swapping parts between models of AMC cars of that specific era.

I own a ’70 AMX with 390 cid engine and 4-speed transmission. I bought the car new and know its inner workings fairly well. But there are a number of things I’d like to do to the car, and that is why I bought this book. As you well know, finding 40-year old AMC parts (and parts expertise) at a salvage yard is not an easy task. Arming yourself with knowledge found in this book increases your chance of successful hunting and potentially saving some $$. A part off a Gremlin may sell for less than the same part off a Javelin though they share the same part no.

There are eleven chapters, covering the following: Engines (V-8 only), fuel systems, exhaust & emissions, cooling systems, transmissions, suspension systems, steering systems, rear axle & driveshafts, brakes, electrical systems, and wheels & wheelcovers. Two pages of index helps further breakdown the search.

An introduction chapter explains how to use the guide. Basically, the author assigns “Interchange Numbers” to all parts. This number is then used to match a part no. used on one model of car to other models using the same part. The example used in the intro is for an AMX wheel, 1969, 14X6 late production (after a production change); it is assigned the interchange no. of 2. First pages of each chapter list models, and under each model the name of various parts and their interchange number. After the list of models and parts come the pages of interchange no. definitions.

For the AMX wheel, we find the following:
Interchange Number 2:
Part Number: 3194995
Wheel Size: 14X6
Description of part usage: 1969 SCRamber, except spare; 1970 – early 72 Hornet, Gremlin. 1969 – 70 Rebel; 1971 – early 1972 Matador; 1969 – early 1972 Ambassador; Late 1969 – 70 AMX; Late 1969 – early 1972 Javelin V-8
Notes: special instructions when applicable.

With this info, “we now know that we can look for our wheels on a host of other models and not just be looking for those from a 1969 AMX.”

My AMX was specified with quick ratio power steering, which involves heavy steering effort. Now that was not a problem for me when the car and I were young, but now we have some years and miles on us, the heavy steering effort has gotten old and I find myself wanting power assist. So I will provide another simple example of how to use the book.

1970 AMX power steering pump is found to have two “versions” – with and without emissions pump. Now my car has not had an emissions pump for a very long time, but it was delivered with one, so I will look for a pump for that configuration. The guide gives me the interchange no. of 4 which indicates a part no. of 4488077. Usage: 1970 AMX, Rebel; 1970 – 71 Javelin, Hornet, Gremlin, Ambassador; 1971 Matador all with a V-8 engine and air emissions pump.

I have used this book little so far, but I have noticed a number of typo mistakes, most of which are due to inadequate proof reading – punctuation errors and such. The above paragraph reads correct, but it is wrong in the guide as it reads “without air emissions pump.” After careful reading of some other passages, I’m confident that I have made a correct interpretation. But this illustrates that the guide is not without flaws. (This is the only one I have found so far, but as I said, I’ve actually used it little.)

Most chapters have useful text sections describing parts and any special info needed to remove and/or replace the parts and what to guard against when buying a used part. For instance, it tells me that my quick ratio gear box has a ratio of 16 to 1 and is 4 turns lock to lock.

One quibble I have is that it would be easier to page through and know where you are if each page had a header with the chapter no. and title. As it is you need to refer to the table of contents to find the first page of each chapter before you can go there.

All in all, it is a very handy guide if you have a project car in the year range noted in the title. It is recommended in spite of the little flaws; hopefully there will be a second printing and the effort will be made to correct the typos and such.

AMC Muscle Cars Interchangeable Parts Buyers Guide 1968-1974: Salvage Yard Buyers Guide can be purchased from The Motor Bookstore for $17.60 plus s&h.

1980 Toyota Land Cruiser

2011-05-26T08:50:00.006-04:00

Lew Robinson sent a couple photos of his great-looking 1980 Toyota Land Cruiser, which happens to be a right-hand drive model. Lew lives in Cocoa, Florida.

1993 Special Service Package (SSP) Mustang

2011-05-25T08:08:00.006-04:00

Chip Young's Special Service Package (SSP) Ford Mustang, with 106K original miles.

The 1993 Ford Mustang is a former Nebraska State Patrol car, and it was in service until 2000 (it had 97K miles at the time). It was sold at public auction and subsequently restored to in-service condition.

This car is one of 35 Mustangs that were put into service in Nebraska in 1993. Original, unmolested examples are becoming increasingly difficult to find.

Chip lives in Biltmore Lake, NC.

Our Photo Contest Winners!

2011-05-11T08:01:00.004-04:00

We were happy to receive the following note and photo from Dave, Abigail and Sara Barnett, The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest Winners.

Above: Dave Barnett with Abigail.

Abigail loves to help her Daddy work on his cars. There is a 1988 Ford Bronco II that has been in his family since new (purchased by his brother, then after his brother went into the Navy his mother drove it, then we purchased it from her).

We no longer drive it as it needs work on the transmission and U joints, so it is stored. Once Abigail gets a bit older, she and Dave will restore it so that it can be her vehicle when she gets her license.

I had to chuckle, because I heard her bragging to one of her friends about how she already has a car and how much fun it's going to be to work on it with her Daddy. The other friend was duly impressed. I'm sure the rest of the first grade has heard that story as well!

Right now, her plan is to paint it like a rainbow. We're hoping that idea changes over time.

Sara Barnett

Photo Contest: Grand Prize Winner!

2011-05-04T11:30:00.023-04:00

It was a tough job to pick one single photo as the "best of the bunch," since we received so many great submissions, and for that, we are truly grateful.

This has been a fun contest, and from the number of pictures posted so far (over 200 of them), and the remaining photos to be uploaded to our blog and Facebook page (about 40), we shall remain busy at least for a good part of May.

But anyway, without further ado, the Grand Prize Winner of The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest is ... drum roll please ...

Dave Barnett, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin!

We chose the photo of Dave and Abigail, his beautiful 6-year-old daughter, as the Grand Prize winner.

The picture shows Dave as he teaches Abigail the finer points of various tools while assembling her new bicycle. Abigail obviously is deep in thought pondering the valuable information her dad imparts. Or maybe she's thinking about taking her new bike for a spin. Either way, we felt that this photo tells a story lived millions of times at households worldwide.

It shows the vehicle that gives us our first taste of true independence. A bicycle.

Our bike allows us to travel far from home for the very first time. Even if "far" really means to the corner and back. That's one of the coolest moments in a kid's life.

The photo also tells the story of how important those first lessons on assembling our first bike can be. Precious memories are created from that. And most of us end up tinkering on our bikes after we ride the wheels off of them, which also translates, for a great many, in our first exposure to the do-it-yourself world.

So a big CONGRATULATIONS to Dave Barnett. Our first contest Grand Prize winner.

And based on the success of this contest, we are planning more for the future, so stay tuned.

Of course a big THANK YOU to all the folks who submitted photos and stories. We sincerely hope that this contest has been fun for everyone.

Luis Hernandez, Jr.
Chief Executive Motorhead
The Motor Bookstore
www.themotorbookstore.com

And these are the photos that made it to the final round...

Gilberto Dobón Abad's 2006 Harley Night Train. Spain.

Pattie Schwatka and her son, Michael Maestas, own 4 Trans Ams.

David G. Turner's 2001 Harley Davidson Road King Classic.

Kenneth Turcotte's Dodge Power Wagon engine rebuild.

John Hune and granddaughter Mira work on his 1963 Ford Falcon.

Phillip Horner's 2006 Subaru Forester.

Joseph McCurdy's 1962 MGA 1600 MkII Deluxe.

Nick Kirsch's 1989 Ford Ranger.

Dennis Hellebusch's 1963 Corvette.

Spencer Harris' 1981 BMW R80 in Patagonia, Argentina.

Photo Contest: 1971 VW Super Beetle

2011-04-28T09:50:00.006-04:00

Matt and Liz Howell, of Tacoma, Washington, (with the help of family and friends), restored this 1971 Volkswagen Super Beetle as a gift for their newly-licensed, 16 year old daughter, Julia.

It seems a lot of people liked the restoration job, as you can tell by the trophy the car was awarded at a local car show in 2010.

Visit the Bug in a Barn blog to see the whole restoration project.

Above: Liz drives a new generation Beetle.

Above: the bug decal covers an "oops!"

Photo Contest: Chrome, Dirt, and a Water Buffalo?

2011-04-27T10:06:00.011-04:00

Michael Craft of Carlsbad, California, subitted this great photo of a classic restored Cadillac, basking in the sun at a vintage car show in Murietta, CA.

Nicholas Kirsch, from Kennewick, Washington, is a Landscape Architecture student at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, and he submitted a photo of himself and friends Levi Vansteenkist and Jake Lukins working on his 1989 Ford Ranger Custom, single cab short box.

This is Nick's first vehicle, which he bought with his own money, and does all repairs and modifications on it himself.

He taught himself a lot just by installing a Rough Country Suspensions 4" lift kit. Nick plans to keep his pickup well maintained so he can use it for hunting and off-roading, as well as reliable transportation between home and school.

1975 Suzuki GT750 "Water Buffalo" owned by Erik Kallweit of Maple Ridge, B.C. Canada. Erik restored the bike last winter after it sat in his uncle's shed for more than 15 years. Plans for the bike include Cafe Racer-style bars in the near future.

Ford Farm Tractor Sales Brochues

2011-04-27T09:55:00.004-04:00

Good news for sales brochures collectors and Ford farm tractor aficionados.

We've just started a new section devoted to Ford tractor and farming equipment sales brochures.

These are exact reproductions licensed by Ford Motor Company and 100% true to the originals — down to the paper stock and ink colors — that were available during the 1950s and 1960s at your local Ford tractor dealer.

Factory sales brochures are a fun and affordable way to start a collection of literature on your favorite vehicle, and The Motor Bookstore also offers a great selection of automotive sales brochures, in addition to the tractor brochures.

Photo Contest: Pix for Easter Weekend

2011-04-22T12:35:00.021-04:00

Photo submissions continue to roll in, and we'll probably go well into May before we're done uploading them all. But even though a Photo Contest winner will be announced during the first week in May, we will keep on uploading them, as some of them are truly great, and The Motor Bookstore blog readers really enjoy looking at them.

In the meantime, we have a few ideas for future contests and we'll be running a survey to determine which one will be next. We'll post updates here and to our Facebook page in a week or two.

But enough of that. Here are some of the photo submissions we've received at The Motor Bookstore offices. Enjoy!

Cynthia Brown's 2011 Chevy Camaro RS. Irving, Texas.

Edward Osgood's homebuilt tractor is a collection of parts, including a 1959 IH School Bus frame, which was shortened and doubled. Rear was U-bolted to the frame. IH Brownie Aux Transmission behind bus, 5-speed. Engine was courtesy of a 1966 Pontiac 389 cid. A hydraulic pump is driven from the front of crank, while a second pump is driven from PTO for backhoe. Since a tractor is not complete without a front bucket, a Farmall H bucket was adapted using front cylinders from a fork lift. Driver comfort is provided by a Ford Fiesta seat.

The tractor has been a long-time project, and Ed started the mods in 1973 while he was building his house and clearing the lot of junk cars and brush. He admits that the tractor will never be considered complete because he changes parts and functions as needed. For example, during house construction, he installed a home-made wrecker boom on the rear for lifting, and has had three different front lifts for snow and dirt moving.

The first engine — the one that came with the IH bus — was blown, so the first replacement was a V8 that came out of a 1959 Rambler, before being replaced by the current Pontiac 389. All were fitted with home shop made flywheel adaptors and tranny bell housings. Plans for this summer include a new backhoe and who knows what else...

Ed lives in Eldred,Pennsylvania.

Kevin Wingfield of Delmar, Maryland, sent pictures of his 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL1200 Low.

Dave Barnett, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, changes the oil in his 1978 GMC Sierra pickup truck, with help from his six year old daughter, Abigail.

Dave Barnett, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, teaches his six year old daughter Abigail, the finer points of various tools while assembling her new bicycle.

Dave & Lucy Roderick of Arizona, submitted a couple pics to the Photo Contest.

The first one is of their 1960 Harley-Davidson Panhead, which Dave & Lucy built in the 1980s when they were first dating.

And this is their 1940 Dodge Pick up was bought out of Bend, Oregon, put together initially by a great friend and his brother and sons, but the truck is currently undergoing several changes. The bed is 44 inches long, has original bullet holes in the tail gate, the Mopar slant-6 is coming out and a Mopar 360 is replacing it. The new tranny is a 727 TorqueFlight. The grill shell is out of a 1935 Ford Truck. The hard tires with port-s walls are off and American Racing Torque Thrust D wheels with new Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/R Radials. Rear tires are 15" x 10 1/2 wide and the front tires are 15" x 4 1/2 wide.

In June, 2010, Dave & Lucy won "Casino Choice" by the Four Queens Resort & Casino of Las Vegas, at the Fremont Street Experience. Judges of the National Street Rod Association (NSRA), also inspected the 'lil Rat, and it passed with a 23 plus 3.

Daniel Maki's 1967 Ford Econoline pickup. He's the 2nd owner of the truck, which is all original except for the wheels and paint. Other than that, no engine or bodywork have been done. The Econoline has 68,000 miles and is powered by a big 240 Straight-Six with three-speed transmission. Daniel says the truck's great fun to drive. Cambridge, MN.

Photo Contest: Thursday Variety Show

2011-04-21T10:24:00.015-04:00

I Now Pronounce You...

Danny & Christina Simala, of Riverside, California submitted this great photo of their 1973 Chevy Nova. The car is powered by a 408 small-block, 1000 CFM holly HP with a 350 Turbo tranny, 5000 stall converter, 175 shot of N2O (nitrous oxide) and 8.5 10-bolt rear end with 4:10 gears. The Nova runs a 6.35 @ 106.7 mph in the 1/8 mile with a 1.36 60 foot. 100% hand-built (and painted, too!) by Danny Simala.

Originally, this was Christina's car. She purchased it in 1995 and was her first car. She drove the Nova until it died in 2002, the year she met her now husband, Danny, whose passion and hobby is drag racing and fixing up old muscle cars. Christina tells us, "This car is now only what I Dreamed it would be. It's my — and my husband's — pride & joy, and that's why she just had to be part of our wedding."

Bill Long of Peyton, Colorado, sent us this great black & white photo of his three collector cars. His wife's restored 1966 Pontiac GTO, a 1956 Olds 88, and his 1936 Chevy Master Deluxe, the last two wait for warmer weather when the Olds will be restored and the '36 Chevy will become a hot rod with shaved door handles, maybe an airbag and who knows what else. The possibilites are endless.

Lisa Easterling of Arkansas and her 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250.

Raymond Mears of Birmingham, Alabama, sent photos of his 1965 (or thereabouts) Chevy Chevelle hardtop-to-convertible project car.

Reymond writes, "My trade school teacher sent me to work with his teacher, and former employer. I knew he was good but this is the most dramatic example of his ability I have seen. He can literally build a car from scraps. This is only about a week's work."

Above: a picture of the Chevelle as it currently sits after the top (sitting in the background) was chopped off.

Margaret Slaugh found this 1950s old International step-side in an oilfield outside of Rangely, Colorado, and it is obvious the truck needs restoration. Margaret asks, "Any takers?"

Photo Contest: Splish Splash...

2011-04-20T07:45:00.010-04:00

When we first received Tracy Pouch's photo, we weren't sure if he was trying to show his approach for keeping the undercarriage of his 1987 Jeep Wrangler in clean condition. We know that 4x4s in Winnie, Texas (that's where Tracy lives), tend to see their share of mud and dirt, but a pressure cleaner can work wonders to help keep the frame and wheels clean.

Can someone bring me my camera?
So then we simply asked what the deal was, and Tracy explained that one morning he decided to mow the grass, but first had to move his vehicles. He went over to his Jeep and cranked it up (to warm up the engine). He did this while standing next to it, as he had done many times before. Only this time the Jeep was in gear and as the starter turned the engine, it fired up and took off. Oh, and it ran him over, too. Well, at least it ran over his leg.

Thank God for the 8" lift-kit and the big tires!
The driverless YJ then proceeded to push Tracy's Dodge truck out of the way before diving into the swimming pool, where it waded for about 45 minutes, until one of Tracy's friends who owns a wrecker, fished the Jeep out of the pool, without a scratch!

Tracy confesses that his '87 Jeep YJ has never been so clean underneath.

We think it must be the chlorine.

Next weekend we're washing the interior.

Look Ma, no hands!

Next Week on Deadliest Catch...

"Don't leave just yet... I need to wash my truck."

Photo Contest: Space Hot Rods?

2011-04-19T07:05:00.003-04:00

No, the photos below were not submitted by warriors of the Klingon Empire, although a couple of these rods could pass as battlecruisers. But alas, they're not Klingon (since they lack cloaking technology).

Nope, these beauties are indigenous to Earth and were created by the mind and art of Sal Salvador Sr.

Originally from Hawaii, but now living in Keller, Texas, "with my awesome and gorgeous wife Malia", as Sal explains, his creations are 3D renderings built with mouse and computer, instead of hammer and dolly.

Sal is a graphics designer, 3D artist, drummer and Kung Fu instructor (semi-retired), and through his company, icon Creative Solutions, does cartooning, corporate identity, logo design, and much more — in addition to his line of Space Rods, of course.

If you want more info about Sal's work, please visit his website, www.SpaceRods.com

HotRodPod
Sal's SR PowerTrain 2V12
Rough Rod

Photo Contest: Suzuki Supermotard, Outlaw T-Bird, Porsche Carrera and YZ125

2011-04-18T08:46:00.014-04:00

Above: Mike's 2005 Suzuki DRZ400SM. Modifications include full Yoshimura stainless exhaust, K&N filter and jet kit, and Acerbis hand guards. Rockford,IL.

Above: Mike Barton, National President of the Thunderbird Owners Club of Australia, bought his 1994 Ford Thunderbird LX 4.6L V8, 2 years ago in Santa Ana, California, because he liked the NASCAR-inspired body shape.

Mike then had the car shipped back home to Australia in 2009. However, under Australian import rules, he's unable to register the vehicle for road use in Australia as a left-hand drive unit until 2024, when the vehicle is 30 years old. He discussed my options with the Australian Federal Department of Transport in writing and for over an hour on the phone highlighting that his planned right-hand drive conversion would meet all design requirements and be engineer-certified, but no luck.

Ironically, Mike can build a car from spare parts and have it legally registered, but not his imported TBird.

Mike is also a member of the Australian Racing Drivers Club and the New South Wales Road Racing club and has a racing license. So he takes his TBird to track days, Supersprints, etc. to give it a run.

The photo above shows Mike in his TBird during a Supersprint at Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW Australia.

Above: Paul C. Vollmar's 1974 Porsche Carrera while parked in the garage area of Texas World Speedway, waiting for the Porsche Club of America race in 1997. Paul purchased the car new in 1974, and had logged over 200,000 miles by the time this photo was taken. Camp Hill, PA.

Above: Ted Abear of Ironton, Minnesota, began riding dirt bikes last year, inspired by several of his buddies who also have bikes and ride them in a sandpit just out of town. So Ted purchased his 2001 Yamaha YZ125 from a family friend, and found out that he absolutely loves riding.

But Ted's love for competition did not stop at the sandpit. In 2010 he also raced a couple motocross races and is now planning on doing many more this upcoming summer. He tells us, "I've never felt such a rush before as I do now whenever I take my bike out to go ride!"

Oh, we totally understand!

Photo Contest: 1964 Ford Fairlane

2011-04-11T09:17:00.005-04:00

Keith Spillman of Yadkinville, North Carlina, submitted a few pics of his 1964 Ford Fairlane, a.k.a. "Granny Terrible." This is a one-owner car out of Jasper, Alabama.

Keith says, "When the lady that owned it died, her family had it brought to eastern NC, where it sat in a barn until I bought the car off eBay. I went through all the mechanical systems... fuel, suspension, brakes, electrical, etc.

"It had a 260 in it originally. I built a hot 289 and the little car screams now. Left the 'patina' alone. I love the way the paint has aged.

Above: "Granny Terrible."
Above: The 289 c.i. engine.
Above: "What you see ain't what you get!"

Photo Contest: Cafe Racer, Dune Buggy, Beezer & more!

2011-04-05T09:54:00.015-04:00

Above: Frank Caruso's 1979 Kawasaki KZ750 Cafe Racer, a.k.a. "the Green Goblin." South Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Frank shares the story of his cafe racer-inspired Kaw...

"This being my first restoration project, I started a year ago not knowing anything about KZ750s or even the process of restoring and customizing an old motorcycle. But with the help of a few knowledgeable friends, and plenty of blood sweat and anger, it is nearly finished.

"It has the original tank on it that has been hand pounded down, the tail piece was fabricated using another KZ gas tank. I refurbished a speedo from an old CB600 and center-mounted it using brackets. Clip-on handlebars with integrated blinkers give it that aggressive forward cafe look. The old school military trial tires actually lifted the bike an inch, so i had to modify the stand.

"There are only a few things i would still like to do with it. The open header is somewhat deafening so a custom exhaust is in the works, and possibly a new setup of high-performance brakes instead of the original ones. This being my first attempt at customizing anything, my goal was just to create a bad-ass cafe that I can mash around Lake Tahoe... SUCCESS!"

A badass rocker helmet and attire might be appropriate :)

Above: Fred Bartsch sent this great family photo.

Fred writes, "My favorite family shot, taken at Heppner OHV Park in 2005: my daughter, her husband and son, and my girlfriend and 3 of her 4 kids and her 4 grandkids. I'm 75, on the far right on the old Bultaco motorcycle, bike hauler and mechanic deluxe. The smallest in the front row dearly loves dirt bikes. Last ride she informed me - Grandpa, dirt biking's in my blood. She is now 8.

We all ride together as much as we can, and usually include some friends of someone. My daughter and family live in Layton, Utah, and come to meet us. The rest of us live in Richland, Washington. We usually meet at Heppner and spend 3 days riding and camping. A great place to recreate."

Very cool! The family that rides together...

Above: Luke Smith of Sumter, South Carolina, built this dune buggy himself in 1990. It has a title and is street legal.

Above: Marco Centeno of Mexico sent us a couple of pictures of his 1958 BSA Super Rocket. He did all the restoration work himself.

And a fine job he did!

Above: Larry D. Hudgins of Sacramento, California, sent these photos of his 1969 Ford Country Sedan Wagon, which he purchased because the model year is the same year he graduated from High school.

Sounds like a good reason to us!

Photo Contest: 1934 Ford Coupe Hot Rod

2011-04-04T15:42:00.006-04:00

John Coffeen is the third owner of this 1934 Ford Hot Rod. The car has a fiberglass body housing a "slightly-bored" Ford 302 engine from a 1968 Mustang. The car's interior features seats from an old 72-era T-bird, manual steering and brakes. The transmission was courtesy an old Ford truck, which gives the 3-window coupe lots of low-end gearing for those crowd-pleasing burnouts.

John tells us, "The first thing I did to the car was move the transmission fluid off the radiator into an auxiliary passive finned-cooler. The car sits low and the pavement in Florida gets pretty hot in the warm months so I had to take several steps to reduce the overall engine heat.

"Last year it was electrical. I ripped out the entire electrical system that had been installed, altered and mixed by the two previous owners to a new one that streamlined the wires and cleaned up under the dash extensively. Anyone who has started tracing a green wire to find it as a red wire at the end of the line, knows what I'm talking about."

[ Oh yes we do —Editor's note ]

John continues... "Right now it's some front-end work. I had a lower tie-rod stiffen up, and in trying to find a replacement, I find it had metric threads on one end and American threads on the other. I never could find a replacement to the front rack [so it] had to be changed out.

"Then, just to keep me exasperated, the steering column was from a Chevy, so I had to find someone to fabricate a rag joint to meld the Chevy column and Ford front rack.

"When it's running, I drive it a short hop to work every day it's not raining. Not that it leaks, but the rain leaves me with a cleaning job to keep the car looking spiff.

"I'll eventually get it repainted, but for now it's a crowd pleaser and a driver pleaser."

Photo Contest: Modern Bikes to Vintage Cars

2011-03-31T09:39:00.020-04:00

Above: Elena Zaika sent us a couple pictures of her Suzukis. The first one shows Elena on her Suzuki SV650, which was destroyed right outside her building while she was away at work. Elena lives in New York City. But she loved the way her SV650 handled as well as how light it was, so her replacement bike is — you guessed right — a new Suzuki SV650.

Above: Nicholas Ellis of Oxford, Connecticut sent us these photos taken at a pig roast mud bog. The truck is a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 5.2L V8 with a 317. Other upgrades include an aFe intake, full Gibson exhaust system, and free-spin hubs for the front axle. Lift kit is a Rough Country 7" with a 3" body lift. Future plans include new 8-lug axles. Nick has done quite a bit of mud bogging with his Dodge truck, and has also won a few contests with it.

Above: James Douglas's 1968 Mercury Cougar. According to James, this is his "Summer toy" for going to car events. He's owned the car for 15 years and does all the work himself. The Cougar has all new drive train, a 5.0L H.O. (302), a 5-speed tranny, but James admits the car's still a work in progress. Quebec, Canada.

Above: Carl Hockett's 1969 Fiat 850 Coupe. Santa Rosa, California.

Above: This 20k-mile 1980 Yamaha XS1100SG is owned by Dennis Rhodes. Maple Falls, Washington.

Above: Janice and David Bruce have owned their 1931 Ford Model A for about 14 years. Loganville, Georgia.

Photo Contest: Motorcycles to Dragsters

2011-03-29T08:49:00.025-04:00

These are some of the entries for the Photo Contest. If you have not submitted your photos for a chance at the $100 Grand Prize, you still have until the end of April.

Above: Joe Goeke's 1999 Audi A4 1.8t Quattro 5-speed manual transmission. Joe bought the car during his senior year of high school, in original condition. Since then, he's put many hours to make it look like an Audi S4 (his dream car). After high school, Joe attended automotive trade school in Phoenix, AZ and had the Audi shipped there. The car won a few car shows in Ohio for best Audi. Alas, Joe had to sell the car in order to buy a 2000 Audi S4 Quattro 6-speed. Not a bad trade if you ask us. Dublin, OH.

Above: Who wants to have "His and Hers" bathrobes when you have a 1974 Dodge Dart Sport Hang 10 Edition (His), and 1976 Chevy Camaro Rally Sport (Hers). Both cars have been restored from the ground-up... twice, including a necessary resto after surviving the flood waters of Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Not many people have their first cars and still drive them, but Jim and Roberta Harvey of Gulf Breeze, Florida, do.

Above: Henry Tate of San Luis Obispo, California, sent us a photo of his 1969 Honda CB750 sand-cast #936 with Vetter Phantom 1700 fairing. Henry purchased the bike new in 1969, rode it for 4 years, and put on 105,000 miles on it (he also dropped it at least once, based on the photo —Ed.) Henry tells us the picture was taken somewhere in Mexico in the Spring of 1971.

Above: Jared Hellebusch's 1952 Chevrolet 6-cylinder, 3-speed, stock. Jared is in the process of restoring the Chevy. Memphis TN.

Above: Bill Gibson of Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada, sent us a photo of his 1984 Honda Magna VF30.

Above: Carla and Keith "Gunny" Grieves of Sutton Vermont, submitted a couple of pics of their first dragster, a 172" wheel base, front-engined monster. The dragster used to be a topfuel car owned by Powers and Riley. "WynnsWynner," as the car was then known, was sponsored by Wynns Automotive Products.

Gunny tells us, "When we ran her, she had a 302 cubic-inch blown injected on alcohol small-block Chevy. My team mate's car had an injected alcohol small-block Chevy and was a front engine dragster as well, our team name was Dangerous Toyz. We ran our cars at Indy one time for a Good Guys event which is where these pictures were taken. For the most part we ran at Lebanon Valley Dragway, NY, New England Dragway, NH, and Raceway Park Englishtown, NJ. We sold the car back in 2002 to a gentleman who was going to restore her back to her original WynnsWynner configuration."

The last pic is of Gunny's boat. No details as to how it does in the quarter mile.

Park Tool's Tire Boot Saves the Day

2011-03-28T14:22:00.015-04:00

If you're wondering what an article about road bicycles is doing in our blog, let me explain.

My passion for 2-wheeled vehicles has never been limited to motorcycles, so when the opportunity presented itself for us to offer the The Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair 2nd edition, by Calvin Jones of Park Tool, I jumped at the opportunity to add their popular bicycle repair manual to our inventory.

I still have and use the 1st edition in my home shop, which has allowed me to work on my own bikes in order to perform maintenance and repairs, while saving me money. As a matter of fact, I also bought (years ago) a small assortment of Park tools so I could properly wrench on my bikes.

Anyhow, a while back I found a product by Park called the Tire Boot. The guy at the local bike shop explained what it did and why it was a good idea to carry a couple in the saddlebag. So I bought a few, and yes, they've come in handy a couple of times. But nothing would've prepared me for what happened last Saturday.

As a group of us rolled down the road, the lead guy failed to see a big piece of metal laying on the road. As he rolled over it, the piece got ejected into the front wheel of the guy who was right behind him, and so on down the line. By the time it got to me, my rear tire hit it just right resulting in a big gash, all the way to the rim!

I managed to stay upright in spite of the blowout and all the noise created by the metal-against-bike-frame racket, but when I saw my rear tire, I thought I'd be walking for approximately 10 miles back to my truck.

I removed the rear wheel and took the tire off the rim. The tube was also beyond repair but I always carry at least one spare tube with me. Tires are a different story. At that point I decided I had little to lose and lots to gain if I stuck a Tire Boot in the tire, but after applying the first patch, I decided to stick a second one considering the size of the cut.

I remounted the tire and installed the rim back on the bike. I pumped about 60 lbs into the tire since I did not want the "patch" to explode. I got back on the bike and carefully rode the 10 miles back to my truck, as improbable as the task appeared to be.

I went back to my local bike shop — where these photos were taken — and ordered several Tire Boots, just to be on the safe side. Needless to say, my bike has two brand new tires, since the front wheel also hit the piece of metal as it tumbled along, and got a nice cut as a warning, I guess.

If you ride a bike, whether a beach cruiser, a mountain bike or, like in my case, a road bike, you know that it is not a matter of "if" but "when" you'll suffer a flat.

The Tire Boot is not a tube patch but, as the name indicates, a tire patch, and one that will work far better than the old dollar bill trick. The way my tire got sliced (not to mention how poorly the dollar is doing as far as value is concered), having a Tire Boot in your toolbag can literally help save the day.

This is the link to the official Park Tool Tire Boot info page.

Special thanks to the folks at D2 Cycling Center in Sanford, Florida for the photos.

Photo Contest: More Bikes, Cars, Jeep...

2011-03-25T05:18:00.001-04:00

And here's another fresh batch of photos for your viewing pleasure.

Above: Carl Hockett's "Grace." A 1967 Datsun RL411 1600 (same engine as the Fairlady roadsters), a.k.a. as the Nissan "Bluebird" model. Santa Rosa, California.

Above: John Manley's 1964 Dodge Polara. USA built, left-hand drive car. The photo was taken December 2010 on a wharf in Sydney Harbour, Australia.

Above: Glen Lillquist of McDonough Georgia, rides the Dragon Tail in NC on his 2002 Triumph Bonneville. Glen writes, "This Bonnie is from England, never registered, I have the original British documents. It's the Golden Jubilee model in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Queen."

Above: "Follow me... carefully..." Cesar Rivera of Montebello, California, sent this photo of his 2008 Jeep Wrangler X off-roading at Johnson Valley OHV, in Lucern Valley, CA.

Above: And here's another one of Cesar's Jeep at Johnson Valley OHV, in Lucern Valley, CA.

Above: Eric Nault sent this picture of ice racing motocross in Quebec, Canada during the 2011 winter. According to Eric, "It's the coolest thing to do. You just need warm clothes and a lot of nerves." Here in Florida we call that "snowmobiling."

Above: Doug McFarland's 1999 Pontiac Trans Am with only 23k original miles. Doug tells us his Firebird is in original condition and has never seen snow or salt. He bought the car from his older brother, who was the original owner, and has owned it for 2 1/2 years. Carleton, Michigan.

Photo Contest: 1969 Chevy Camaro

2011-03-24T05:09:00.006-04:00

Dawn Robertson of Elk Grove, California, purchased her 1969 Camaro from her mom, in 2001. The car was originally Cortez Silver and had the "dog dish" hubcaps. The original owner had the car, at some point, repainted a light blue shade, and the Camaro was "powered" by a 250 6-cylinder engine and sported the standard black interior.

All of that changed in 2005. Dawn had the car repainted and chose the Silverstone color you see in the photos. She also added black Rally stripes and dropped a small-block 350 in it. The new engine breathes a lot better thanks to a dual exhaust system with Edelbroc mufflers.

But why stop there? Dawn has totally restored the interior of her Camaro and upgraded from plain black vinyl to deluxe houndstooth. Future plans include a 12-bolt Positraction differential.

Dawn wants to enter her Camaro in car shows, in the near future. However, no racing. She wrote, "This is my 5th one and I don't want anything to happen to it.".

We can't blame her.

A couple of Dawn's photo submissions to The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest were also posted in our store. One of them to the 1967-1981 Chevrolet Camaro Chilton repair manual page, and another alongside the How to Restore Your 1967-1969 Camaro how-to book by Tony Huntimer.

More Pics for The Photo Contest

2011-03-23T05:54:00.005-04:00

Picking a Grand Prize Winner for The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest will be a tough one. We have received some amazing photographs, and they keep coming in. So here's another batch for your enjoyment.

Above: Dennis Hellebusch's 1966 Nova Convertible. The car was built from a four-door sedan. Won first place at Super Chevy in 1995, and it was the feature car in Nova Times. Washington, MO.

Above: Billy Graham owns this 2001 BMW R1150GS with over 100,000 miles. Billy is an MSF rider coach and retired school teacher. He was a Moto Marshal for the Tour of Missouri bicycle races. St Louis, MO. Photo by George Siede.

Above: Barbara Gilliam sent us this very special picture of her late son with her grandson, Cameron. Barbara shares that, "Cameron would ride the ATV with him as well, and fall asleep everytime."

Above: Dave Nelson of Granger, Indiana, submitted this photo of his 1956 Studebaker Commander. The 59k original-mile two-door, has the 259 V8 coupled to an automatic transmission.

Above: David G. Turner sent this great pic of his 2001 Harley Davidson Road King Classic. The bike was converted to a trike by Nutting Custom Trikes (OK). Dave tells us, "This photo was taken in Colorado on the way back from Sturgis in August, under a gorgeous evening orange sky." Lowell, AR.

Above: And yet another beautiful car from what is starting to look like the "Dennis Hellebusch Collection" (Dennis also owns the wicked 1963 Corvette we featured a while ago). This one is a 1986 GMC Caballero powered by a small-block 400, 4-bolt main. Washington, MO.

Photo Contest: 1969 Porsche 912 Coupe

2011-03-22T05:05:00.003-04:00

by Howard Beard
Upper Falls, MD

I have wanted a Porsche since I was a teenager. Just before my 55th birthday I bought my 1969 Porsche 912 off of eBay, sight unseen. I was told during the ebay auction that the car ran decent and the body was solid, but it needed paint. The car was in Burlingame, CA and I live on the east coast. Bought the car the evening of July 5th '01. The car left the dealer's lot (West Coast Autosport) on the 9th and was delivered to me on the 23rd of July.

The car would not start when trying to get it off the car carrier. (Dealer did advise me that it may need a battery). We jump-started it and it was missing and smoking like it was on fire. It was about that moment that the sick feeling came over me. We pushed the car off the truck and the driver did tell me it was not smoking when he drove it onto the truck. Turns out, not only was there oil in places it didn't belong (causing the smoking), but because the car was shipped on such an incline (front up, back down), the crankcase had at least a half gallon of gas in it. Had we run the car for any length of time we probably would have wiped the main bearings.

After an oil change and new plugs the next day, and since the car had a valid set of CA black plate tags, I took the car out for several short backroad drives. By the end of the day the smoking was gone and, other than a high idle, the car was running fairly well. The odometer (which was broke) read 52,010 miles. I later found a service ticket in the car from 11 years earlier with the mileage on it... 52,010. So much for having any clue about total mileage.

The car was checked out and tuned up and left home on it's first road trip the week-end after Labor Day — its first of what has been an annual trip to Watkins Glen Vintage Race Weekend. After the first few years at this event I decided to try to sneak into the vintage race re-enactment held on Friday. I dress my car up like a race car and actually pulled this off for four straight years. Keep in mind that this is not an actual race. I would never sneak into something I was not qualified for.

They would bring many of the race cars into town from the track, they would line them up on main street for and hour or so, then send them out to do 2 laps around the original 6.6 miles road course that they ran from about 1947-1952. I have to admit, it was a blast coming around the corner with the hay bales (imagine those hay bales providing any protection for drivers or spectators), and up main street with the cheering crowds. Things went horribly wrong the 5th year. I got busted right before we were ready to go. Oh well, all good things come to an end, eventually.

I worked on the mechanicals trying to do small upgrades that I could handle myself. The flywheel seal was bad. Leaked a quart of oil every 100-200 miles. After replacing this I could go oil change to oil change (3K miles) without adding oil. I found out from the previous owner that the pistons and cylinders were replaced and a valve job done about 5K miles before I got the car, so that was a big plus. However, I had no clue whether the cases had ever been split or the main bearings ever replaced. I did brakes and suspension bushings and, altough the car was always a joy to drive, it was getting better and better as improvements were made (and I got more seat time in my new toy).

In the spring of 2003, a 912 rendezvous was organized for early April in Asheville, NC. I had just put a Pertronix in the distributor to eliminate the points. My wife and I left early on a Friday morning and entered onto Skyline drive at Front Royal, VA at about 9 a.m. This being a week day and early in the vacation season, the road was practically deserted. For 65 miles we blasted around the endless twists and turns with our main obstacles being the wildlife on the roads.

I realized that if I stayed on this road, as fun as it was, we would not get to Asheville till the rendezvous was over. We headed out to I-81 and, unfortunately, within an hour the car was missing and running rough. Ended up missing the drive that Sterling planned but did meet everyone at mealtimes. Ended up limping home but, hey, at least I wasn't on the hook.

I enter my car in shows wherever I go. Most of the time it's because the money goes to a charity or I get premier parking. I don't expect to be "Best Of Show". If it is a people's choice show I sometimes have a chance. I have won a 2nd and 3rd in class at the Hershey Porsche Swap meet and a 1st and a 2nd at a show in Richmond, VA. My first choice of activities though is getting on the track. I've been on three tracks: Watkins Glen, Leguna Seca, and Summit Point. Mostly just lunchtime charity laps but one High Performance Driving School which was a blast. I've done some AutoX also which I would recommend to everyone.

Since these early days my car has travelled over 90K miles and been though 38 states and still never on the hook... maybe I should stop saying that, huh? Six coast-to-coast trips to "The West Coast 912 Rendezvous," sometimes travelling with other 912s, sometimes travelling alone. While any road trip is great to me, that first trip with Dave L. and Harry H. has to be the most memorable. Wondering whether my car would make it, wondering whether Harry's car would make it, never any doubt about Dave's car; he was our fearless leader, altough he probably was thinking, 'How did I get myself into this, anyway?"

In my 912 travels I have met and have been hosted by so many great people. It will be 10 years since I became the caretaker of this great little car. They (912s) didn't get much respect years ago, but because the 912 community is upgrading the breed and putting them out there and getting them 'noticed', more and more people are coming to appreciate Porsche's entry level car of the late sixtes.

Photo Contest: 1973 Volvo 1800ES Sportwagon

2011-03-21T05:29:00.001-04:00

Carl Hockett of Santa Rosa, California, sent us a few photos of "Vikie, the Valiant Volvo," his 1973 Volvo 1800ES Sportwagon. The car shows approximately 186k miles in the clock, but still manages to do well enough at car shows for the occasional 3rd or even 2nd place. One of such events is the Volvo West Coast Nationals Annual Meet.

Above: The 1800ES at Bodega Bay, California.
Above: rear 3/4 photo at Bodega Bay, California.
Above: the Volvo at a Guerneville, CA, Russian River-side resort.

We also posted photos of the Volvo 1800ES Sportwagon alongside the Volvo Coupes, Sedans, Wagons 1970-1989 repair and service manual by Chilton, and the Volvo 1800 Ultimate Portfolio in The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: Misc. Entries

2011-03-20T14:00:00.003-04:00

From time to time, we receive photo submissions that qualify as "miscellaneous," at least in our opinion. This does not mean they're not worthy of consideration for the Photo Contest. All photos will be considered before we declare the $100 winner in early May 2011.

In the meantime, you still have time to submit your entry. See the Photo Contest page at The Motor Bookstore for complete details on how to enter your pictures.

Above: These are the kind of pictures your kids will take when you're not paying attention. Jason Head of California sent us this photo of his mostly-original, 1956 Chevrolet 1/2-Ton truck, a.k.a. Earl Buddy. Jason's owned the pickup since he was 16 (about 30 years).

Above: Dennis Rhodes of Maple Falls, Washington sent this photo of him and his 1973 Plymouth Duster, the car's all original with approx. 76k miles, and according to Dennis, it runs like a brand new car.

Above: Carol Drinkwater of Invercargill, South Island, New Zealand, sent us this photo of her Holden, the family car from her childhood. She returned home in June 2009 to Mulgildie, Queensland, and had this photo taken at her family's farm. She tells us that a family of seven used this beautiful car for many years. Carol found a willow family plate and the original owner's manual in the glove box.

Above: Ed Richter of San Mateo, California, offers some solid advice: "Don’t get your Jeep stuck in the mud!"

Above: Cesar Rivera of California snapped this photo of a Jeep off-roading in Azusa Canyon, CA. Our guess is that Ed Richter (previous photo), may also have some advice for the driver of this vehicle.

Photo Contest: 1981 Vespa P200E

2011-03-19T18:30:00.004-04:00

Billy Graham of St. Louis, Missouri, submitted this picture of his 1981 Vespa P200E to The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest.

The 1981 model year of the P200E was the last year Vespa were imported into U.S., until recently. Billy bought the scooter for $1,000 about eight years ago. The clock showed 1800 miles and the P200E was all original, including paint and accessories. Billy added the sidecar by Cozy a few years ago after his ankle was fused and he was unable to control the floorboard rear brake.

Billy's photo submission to the contest appears listed alongside the Haynes Vespa P125, PX125, P150, PX150, P200, PX200 Scooter Repair Manual 1978-2009 in The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: 1969 Dodge “General Lee” Charger

2011-03-18T05:26:00.004-04:00

Dennis McVay of Canton, Ohio, sent us photos of his replica of the famous "General Lee" of 1980s TV fame, along with a link to a video showing Bo Duke, err... I mean John Schneider, sliding into the car during a car show.

Click image above to access the video.
Dennis mentioned that his 1969 Dodge Charger/"General Lee" Drift Car, is built with authentic 2005 Dukes of Hazzard Movie Parts. And that the custom-built 440 engine is pushing 600hp to a specially-designed drifting frame and suspension setup.

As Dennis says, "Some are built for show, others are built to go... mine is just the "O" as in "01 FUN. Yee... Haw!

And who are we to argue ;)

For more information about star cars, visit www.01fun.net.

Above: The "General" looks like a troublemaker,
even when standing still.
Above: A view of "the office."
Above: Good luck catching this one, Roscoe!
One of the pics submitted by Dennis was selected to be displayed with the Dodge Muscle Portfolio 1964-1971 in The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: Various Car Show Photos

2011-03-17T06:25:00.001-04:00

Mike Green, a film production student at UNLV, shot these photos at different car shows around Las Vegas, Nevada.

Above: Blue Corvette.
Above: Antenna Girl.
Above: Corvette abstract.
Above: Hot Rod Ford grill.
Above: Corvette abstract #2.

Photo Contest: 1999 Yamaha Royal Star

2011-03-16T08:48:00.005-04:00

Ken Compagna entered his 1999 Yamaha Royal Star Boulevard 1350cc in The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest.

He bought the bike in 2008 with only 1300 miles in the clock. Not even broken in or had the first oil change. The bike was in new condition.

Ken tells us that most people ask what kind of bike it is, since the only Yamaha logo is on lower side of crank case. The bike has the original Boulevard windshield, but the photo shows the longer windshield, for taller riders.

The Royal Star is a shaft-drive motorcycle, smooth, with plenty of torque and speed with overdrive.

He rode his Royal Star in the Run for the Red, in Hunt County Texas, along with over 200 other riders to support and raise awareness for the Volunteer Fire Department of his county. Ken says, "ALWAYS wear the helmet, gloves, leather, boots." Good advice!

Ken's bike is featured alongside the 1996-2003 Yamaha Royal Star Repair Manual in The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: 1974 MGB

2011-03-16T08:05:00.003-04:00

Fred Schumacher submitted a photo of his gorgeous 1974 MGB to The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest.

Fred is the third lucky owner of this well-cared-for beautiful car, and he tells us that "The car lives in an airport hangar at Roche Harbor, on San Juan Island, Washington, about 10 miles from Victoria, BC."

Needless to say, the MGB spends its winters in covered storage, but when summers arrive, it's all top-down driving in the small island, where the maximum speed limit is 45 mph.

We posted a pic of the MGB in the MG & Austin-Healey Car Repair, Service & Restoration Manuals category page of TheMotorBookstore.com.

My 1975 Norton 850 Commando

2011-03-15T10:01:00.033-04:00

By Luis Hernandez, Jr.

Being Chief Executive Motorhead here at The Motor Bookstore has its privileges, like being able to borrow a repair manual when I need one, or taking the time to tell you about one of the many bikes I've owned and restored (while claiming to be busy at work... Yes, blogging and facebooking are part of my job). And one of the greatest motorcycles I've restored and ridden was my 1975 Norton 850 Commando.

I say "was" since I had to sell the Norton back in the early 1990s to keep my company going. So after money exchanged hands, and the guy who bought my bike rode it away, I used the funds to grow my little enterprise which —a few years later — would launch MotorcycleBooks.com, which later became The Motor Bookstore (www.TheMotorBookstore.com).

I've loved motorcycles since I was a kid, and my dad stoked the flames early on by first giving me some sort of motor scooter (that never really ran properly), then my first "real" motorcycle. A Honda CT70. Since that day, I've owned many bikes, mosty Japanese, so when a friend in South Florida told me about the bike he had sitting in his backyard, I was intrigued to say the least.

I don't think I had ever heard about Norton motorcycles, but it was a British bike, and having endured eight long years at the St. James British School in my hometown of Punta Arenas, Chile, it just felt right to own something Brit.

I was told the bike did not run but that it was all there. Selling price? 50 bucks!

When my brother and I drove over to pick it up early one Saturday morning, we realized the bike had been buried to the axles after so many years exposed to the elements. My friend, the seller, said he was sure there was a tarp covering the bike, and we did find the brass rings that must have been attached to the missing tarp years earlier. We literally dragged the Norton out of the backyard and, at one point my brother asked, "Are you sure you want to take this piece of $h*t home?"
I nodded and kept pushing. I had a plan.

Well, I didn't have a "plan" plan; it was more of a general idea about fixing a bike to ride around town. So we drove home and unloaded it in the backyard.

What's a Whitworth?

Or what's a "spanner," for that matter. Yeah, you start wrenching on classic British bikes and realize that regular tools don't really work on these machines. Of course you try to make do with a combination of metric and standard American wrenches and somehow, manage to get by.

Eventually I purchased a set of "Whitworth spanners," an old term that comes from the Gaelic language which means "expensive set of tools imported from California, USA."

I could probably write a book about the things I tried and did in order to bring my 850 Commando back to life. But I know, from actual experience, that one of the best investments I made early on, was to get the Clymer repair manual for the bike, which at the time was a book just for the Norton. They later combined it with other two manuals into the Vintage British Street Bikes Repair Manual: BSA, Norton & Triumph.

Trust me when I tell you that you will need as much info as you possibly can absorb during a restoration project, so don't think that you can improvise and achieve good results. Nope! You will need the right information to do the job right.

I failed to take pics of the bike when I first dug it out of my friend's backyard, but back then we didn't have these fancy phones that allow you to take photos and movies, and surf the Internet. We didn't have that back in the 1980s. Heck, we didn't even have the Internet! But at least I managed to snap a couple of pics of the bike after it was done.

And yes, I am aware that the paint scheme is not something that was available back in the 1970s, but then again the bike came with a pair of Amal carbs that were pretty much worthless, so I bought a single-carb Mikuni kit (okay, if you're a purist go get some oxygen and leave me alone).

I rode my bike for a few years and enjoyed the heck out of it. The 1975 model featured an electric starter that was quite temperamental and worked sometimes. Thank God Norton kept the kick-starter pedal. Had they done like the Germans, who removed the kick-starter when they introduced a Beemer with an electric starter (...that actually worked), they would've gone out of business.

Oh wait...

Above: Luis and his 1975 Norton 850 Commando. A show winner!

Photo Contest: Ford Model A Submissions

2011-03-14T11:26:00.014-04:00

For a few days there it seemed that every other photo was that of a Ford Model A. Well, maybe not that many, but we received three great photos for the contest, almost one after the other, and here they are.

Above: Jill & Truett Thach sent this photo of their A which will appear in a movie. Jill wrote: "We brought this A to be in the movie being directed by Clint Eastwood Feb. 23rd in Newhall. This A will be the one Leonardo DiCaprio gets out of in the movie J. Edgar. My husband and I are in the picture."

Then we received another photo of a beautiful example of a Model A, owned by Sandy Scott of Seminole, Florida.

Above: "Here's another gorgeous Model A I owned, a 1929 Sport Coupe that I purchased from a Senior VP at Ford Motor Co. I received a request a couple of years ago asking if they could feature the car in a Model A calendar. I gave them permission, but I never followed up to see if the car made the cut."

And Marilyn Miller of Morris, Minnesota, sent us another Model A for the contest. This one owned by her son-in-law.

Above: "My son-in-law Maynard Mau owns this 1931 Model A Coupe and it runs good. He pulls the Donnelly float a lot. This picture was taken in 2008 in Chokio, MN for the parade Chokio has the first Saturday in June."

All photos have been entered in The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest. Deadline is April 30, 2011 so you still have time to submit your photos.

Photo Contest: 1962 MGA 1600 MkII Deluxe

2011-03-11T11:05:00.007-05:00

My car is a 1962 MGA 1600 MkII Deluxe. I became the A's caretaker in the spring of 2008. The car was not running or drivable when I got it. I rebuilt the brake and clutch master cylinders, replaced the brake lines, had the brake calipers refurbished, replaced the tires, cleaned out the gas tank, changed fluids, and replaced the coil. This got the car running and drivable.

Prior caretaker's wife must not have liked him driving the A. There was a shop rag some paper and fibrous material in the fuel tank. The first drive was trouble. The brakes would not release... the master cylinder was not releasing completely. Had to bump out the center of the retaining washer on the master cylinder.

My addiction and affection for this car were fueled by several reasons. I like to know how things work. What better way to understand how things work than to take them apart and get them working again. My Dad had an MGA while he was going to school. He needed money for tuition and sold the car to his uncle, who kept the car for years and years.

When my Dad had his 50th birthday, his uncle gave it back to him. My Dad and I have been working on the car ever since. We have rebuilt the engine, transmission, rear end, welded substantial patches into the frame and are starting reassembling (we learned how to weld to do this). The suspension is now back on and are preparing for brakes and the drive train. I enjoy all things mechanical and electrical, so this is a great car to tinker on. I am a mechanical and electrical engineer by schooling, and currently am superintendent of maintenance at a coal fired power generation station. I also love the lines and shape of the MGA.

I was working a forced outage and was talking to the superintendent for our mechanical contractor about working on my Dad's car. He said he knew someone nearby looking so sell one. I went and looked at the car. I knew the 4 wheel disc brake deluxe was uncommon and struck up a deal right away. Another friend of my had a trailer and trailered it to my house.

Eventually I would like to take my car down to the frame and fix it up to compete in vintage racing (there are holes in the frame). Most notably the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix.

My wife is patient with me, but would rather me work on the house than play with the car.

Current projects on the car are reglazing the windscreen, front suspension seals, and repair the exhaust (holes in the pipe). Oh yeah, and installing a center brake light my parents gave me for my birthday.

I hope that you enjoy this story, and are inspired to keep your cars on the road and enjoy them.

Joseph McCurdy

Editor's note: We simply love some of these stories, and are very grateful that people like Joseph take the time to share them with us and our readers.

We chose one of the photos Joseph submitted for the contest to be posted alongside MG MGA Restoration Guide: 1500, Twin Cam, 1600, 1600 MkII, 1955-1962 in The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: More Fun & Misc. Photos

2011-03-10T07:33:00.017-05:00

Here's another batch of recent photo contest submissions.
Keep 'em coming!

And there's still have plenty of time to enter for a chance to win $100.
Contest deadline is April 30, 2011. All photos must be in by midnight that day. The Grand Prize winner will be announced the first week of May 2011.

Visit The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest page for complete details on how to submit your entry.

Above: Scott Gealow's 1968 Camaro RS cowl induction hood
closeup. Scott is in the process of completing a ground-up
restoration on the car. Pinson, Alabama.
Above: Andrew Pilgrim's Jeep is all about "safety."
He purchased the tire cover on eBay years ago,
and to this day still gets lots of laughs on the road.
Above: Arto Hanninen of Finland sent this photo of a
very cool-looking custom he captured at a car show.
Above: Cesar Rivera of Montebello, CA sent several photos,
and we really liked this one that proves that kids really prefer
to wrench on cars, rather than play silly Xbox games.

Clymer & Haynes Motorcycle Repair Service Manuals

2011-03-10T06:24:00.000-05:00

If you're looking for a repair and service manual for your bike, whether it's a BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Triumph or Yamaha, we probably have the right DIY manual you need.

We also have workshop manuals for other motorcycle makes and also offer a good selection of restoration guides, how-to paint bikes, repair plastic parts, pinstriping, airbrushing, travel guides, and more.

Visit The Motor Bookstore's Motorcycle & ATV Repair Manual page for a great selection at sale prices!

Photo Contest: Several Fun and Misc. Photos

2011-03-09T10:38:00.012-05:00

We've received a ton of great photos so far, but some of them have no real "category" they fall under, but we are posting them here and on our facebook page just the same, as they are fun, interesting, or just plain good pics anyway.

Above: Keith Spillman's 1964 Ford Fairlane.
Above: Michelle Hardy sent a couple pics of
her children having a blast at a local dam.
Above: Eric Brown submitted this great photo
taken at New England Dragway. Epping, NH.
Above: Here's another one of Michelle Hardy's kids.
Above: Barry Wiegan relaxes on his Ranger boat.
Above: Dan Oliver and his 1934 Ford Cabriolet.

Photo Contest: 1963 Chevy Corvette

2011-03-08T09:16:00.006-05:00

Dennis Hellebusch of Washington, Missouri, submitted a few shots of his badass 1963 Chevy Corvette—aka a Split Window Vette—which he tells us, he's driven on the street for the past 18 years.

All of us here at The Motor Bookstore, are pro-safety as much as the next person, so we think the wheelie bar and chute are a nice safety feature for a grocery getter, especially one that sports a blower!

All kidding aside, we love the car and used one of the photos to dress up the 1963-1982 Chevrolet Corvette Repair Manual page, another photo for Corvette Odyssey, a great read by the way, and a third photo (for good measure) with the Chevrolet Corvette 1963-1967 book.

Corvette Repair Manuals, Restoration Guides, etc.

2011-03-08T09:03:00.010-05:00

From Chilton and Haynes repair manuals, sales brochures, owner's manuals, factory-issued workshop manuals on CD-ROM and printed book, The Motor Bookstore offers a huge selection of automotive literature that any Corvette lover, owner or restorer will appreciate.

If you are serious about restoring your Vette correctly, you will need access to the right information, and the books and guides we offer are some of the best available.

So whether you're new to the hobby or a seasoned Corvette collector or restorer, you'll be able to find some great books (at sale prices) in our site.

If you prefer to talk to us, we are open Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time. Please call us at 800-982-4599 or 386-668-6363 locally.

If you live nearby and would like to pick up your books, please give us a call to insure the books you want are in stock or for directions to our office.

Photo Contest: 1979 Yamaha XT500 Enduro

2011-03-08T08:52:00.004-05:00

Don Ruzek submitted this photo of himself riding his 1979 Yamaha XT500 Enduro on a dirt road in Virginia.

His photo is posted alongside the 1976-1981 Yamaha XT500, TT500 Repair Manual by Clymer in The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: 1962 Triumph 3TA 350

2011-03-07T17:48:00.006-05:00

It's About Time
by Ron Spargo - Victoria, MN

I think we have all experienced sellers remorse at least once, especially when selling a motorcycle.

My first time (yes, it has happened more than once), was when I was only 18 years old. The motorcycle was a 1962 Triumph 3TA. It was a 350cc twin and a sweet ride it was. Light silver blue with large skirted fenders. It was my first real motorcycle after several well used and abused scooters and mopeds. It took me places I could only dream about going before and brought me home as well. I sold that bike in 1964 to help pay for school. As soon as I put the money in my pocket I knew I had made a mistake, but the bike was gone. During the next 45 years I owned almost 50 motorcycles and cars but never stopped looking for another 3TA just like the one I had sold.

This past August after selling a couple of bikes (no remorse), I started looking for another 3TA. I found one in Texas but it was pretty rough and way too expensive. One or two more surfaced but they too were more of a project and were too expensive. I finally found one on the Internet and tracked it from the UK, all the way through a couple owners to the present owner in Southern California. A call to the owner found that the bike was for sale. He had bought it for his wife but she wanted something newer with electric start.

I used some of my wife's frequent flyer miles and flew out to see my potential purchase. After a detailed inspection of the bike I opened the petcock, tickled the old Amal monoblock, turned on the key and gave it a good kick. It started on the first try. The idle was smooth and it made all the right sounds I remembered from 45 years ago. The deal was done!

I had the bike shipped door to door, as it was far less expensive than going to get it. It only took 4 weeks and 4 days to get the bike, here but it seemed like 4 months.

The day the bike arrived I had my jacket and helmet on as soon as I signed the delivery ticket. Again, a one-kick start and I was off for a ride down memory lane.

My wife, Kath, insists that all of our vehicles have names. She says that they listen better when we talk to them. So far, all of our cars, trucks and bikes have had male names. The new 3TA, however, has a female name.

Kath says that since she is just a little smaller than my other bikes, is light silver blue, wears a skirt and I have been waiting 45 years for her to get here, her name must be Patience.

Welcome home, Patience. It's about time!

Editor's note:

Ron submitted this great story along with his photo submission to The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest. The photo is proudly displayed alongside the Triumph Twin Restoration: All Pre-1972 Production Triumph Twins, by Roy Bacon.

New: 2007-2010 Yamaha V-Star 1300 Repair Manual

2011-03-07T15:53:00.000-05:00

Clymer manuals has released a new manual; the new Yamaha V-Star 1300 XVS13A, XVS13CT repair and service manual covers all 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 Vstar models.

This comprehensive guide provides important information for the do-it-yourself mechanic who wants to perform from basic maintenance--such as an oil change--to more involved service tasks and troubleshooting, all the way to complete engine or transmission disassembly and rebuild.

The 372-page Yamaha V-Star repair manual features hundreds of b&w photographs and illustrations that guide the DIY weekend mechanic step-by-step along each procedure.

Available from The Motor Bookstore for $25.10 (that's 32% off the regular list price).

For more details or to place your order, visit the 2007-2010 Yamaha V-Star 1300 XVS13A, XVS13CT repair and service manual page at TheMotorBookstore.com

Photo Contest: 2006 Harley Softail Night Train

2011-03-07T08:10:00.003-05:00

Gilberto Dobón Abad of Alcoi (Allicante), Spain, submitted this photo of his 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Night Train. The photo—which shows Gilberto standing in the background—was shot with the aid of a tripod and then enhanced with HDR techniques.

Gilberto's photo is also shown alongside the Harley-Davidson FLS, FXS, FXC Softail Series Repair Manual 2006-2009 by Clymer.

Great picture!

Enter the Photo Contest for a Chance to Win $100

2011-03-02T13:41:00.015-05:00

Based on the success of our first Photo Contest, we've decided to extend it until the end of April 2011, but we're "upping the ante" a bit in order to make things interesting and attractive for customers who send photo submissions.

In the first week of May 2011, The Motor Bookstore will select a winning photo and that person will win $100 (either in the form of a credit card, valid anywhere, or a store credit in the same amount for The Motor Bookstore merchandise).

All qualifying entries will be posted to either our website, here in our blog, our facebook page, or a combination of all three.

In order to enter The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest, you must email us photos of you and your car, truck, motorcycle, snowmobile, outboard engine, jetski, 4X4, etc., or a photo of the vehicle itself. We prefer photos that include people as they tend to be more interesting, but that fact will have no bearing in our choosing a winning photo.

We encourage participants to be creative (as long as they keep it safe and legal - lol). Choose a good background for your photo, or have a friend snap an "action" photo (again, remember the safe-and-legal comment). And keep in mind that since we sell books and repair manuals aimed at the do-it-youselfer, we love photos of people "working" on their vehicles. But again, none of those things will have a necessary bearing in the final selection.

The deadline for this photo contest is midnight, Saturday, April 30th., 2011.

Please visit our site for complete details about The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest.

By the way, if you already submitted a photo to the previous contest, that photo or photos will be automatically entered for this one. However, if you would like to submit a new picture, feel free to do so.

Thanks and Good Luck!

Photo Contest: 1973 Plymouth Duster

2011-03-02T07:55:00.005-05:00

Dennis Rhodes of Washington state, sent us these photos of his 1973 Plymouth Duster.

The car is in perfect condition, and showing only 76000 original miles in the clock.

One of Dennis's photos was selected to be featured along with the 1971-1989
Dodge, Plymouth Repair Manual by Haynes.

If you have a car, motorcycle, pickup truck, snowmobile, etc. that you would like to submit to us to be posted in our sites, please visit The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest page for complete instructions.

Photo Contest Prizes?

2011-02-28T20:44:00.008-05:00

The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest has been quite successful and fun, and we want to continue posting customer photos here in our blog, and on our facebook page, but we'd like to make it interesting and worthwhile for participants.

So, we'd like some feedback from readers as to what may be a good way to motivate people to take the time to send some good photos to us.

How about a $50 merchandise credit for The Motor Bookstore?
Or a $50 gift Visa card so the winner could spent the money anywhere?
Then again, since we're talking photos, maybe a new digital camera?
Of course we could always give away an iPad, but maybe that's been overdone.

If we decide to do something like this, we would include previous photo submissions, so no one feels left out. And I am sure we can come up with some other submission requirements and stuff like that.

But, before we even go there, we need some feedback as to what prize would be enticing enough to generate a lot of entries. And if this idea works well, we may offer a new Photo Contest a few times a year. Just like our customers, we're true motorheads, and we love seeing photos of cars, motorcycles, trucks, ATVs, and more.

So email us your comments to photos@themotorbookstore.com.

Thanks!

Photo Contest: 1954 Willys M38A1

2011-02-22T09:00:00.005-05:00

Danny Harris of Diboll, Texas, sent us photos of his 1954 Willys M38A1. Danny's dad bought the Jeep back in 1975 at the city auction for $850, and then—with Danny's help—repainted it from white to GMC green. They also added a black vinyl top and used the rebuilt Jeep as an off-road hunting vehicle around the Angelina county woods.

After Danny's dad retired, the Jeep sat unused for a number of years, and Danny inherited it when his dad passed away in 2005. He rebuilt the F-134 engine in 2007 and continues to enjoy it to this day.

One of Danny's photos was selected to be featured along with The Jeep Bible in The Motor Bookstore.

Above: the Jeep in its element.

Above: the F-134 powerplant.

Above: rebuilding the F-134.

Above: rebuilding the F-134.
New pistons, rings and freshly-honed cylinders.

Photo Contest: 1948 Chevy Fleetmaster

2011-02-14T20:36:00.009-05:00

Darrell Riding of Burleson, Texas, sent photos of his 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster 2-door custom sedan.

Originally purchased as a "rust bucket," the car underwent a complete, frame-off restoration, and many components and systems were either replaced or upgraded.

Darrell recounted the 6-year project with lots of detail...

"We had to remove about 18 inches from the lower doors, quarter panels and front fenders. Both rocker panels had to be replaced along with about 6 inches of all 3 cross supports. The body was removed from the frame and the frame was sand blasted. A Mustang II front-end, with power steering and disk brakes, was installed. A 1976 Nova rear end with a 2:73 ratio replaced the original.

All rust areas were cut out and new metal was installed. No fiberglass or bondo. After all body work was complete, the underside and interior of the body was sprayed with undercoating. I installed a painless 18-circuit wiring harness, insulation on ceiling, doors, behind the rear seat, on firewall and floor.

Also installed were antique gold VDO gauges. The '48 original rear seat was used and I installed bucket seats from a 2000 Ford Focus, and built a console between them. A modern AM/FM/tape/radio was mounted in the console. Plus, an Airtique A/C, defroster/heater takes care of cabin comfort.

Another grille had to be installed since the orginal was completely rusted out. Outsourced interior. Paint is PPG GM Dark Cherry Red, but it looks black on a cloudy day. The engine was a new crate engine from a local Chevrolet Dealer. Door and glass handles and hardware all original from Chevys of the '40s.

It took around 6 years from the time I bought the car to have it completed. I do not trailer it and drive it to shows. It's been to several out of state NSRA shows and a bunch of shows in Texas. It will cruise easily at 70-80 mph on the highway. The only limitation is the exterior sunvisor. I originally had a Fulton, but it was not strong enough for highway speeds, so I installee and aftermarket steel visor and it works well."

We love the car, and one of the photos was selected to be featured—appropriately enough—along with the 1942-1948 Chevrolet Passenger Cars, 1942-1946 Trucks Factory Shop Manual in The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: 1971 BMW R75/5

2011-02-09T08:35:00.002-05:00

Nelson Emmons, of Essex, Massachusetts, submitted this photograph of his 1971 BMW R75/5. The bike is a "barn find" European-delivery R75/5 with less than 5K km on the clock. Nelson bought the Beemer in Frankfurt Germany at Frafag Motors, as a future restoration project.

Nelson's photo submission to The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest is featured with the BMW 2-Valve Twins 1970-1996 Repair Manual by Haynes.

Pre-Order Books at 40% (or more) Off

2011-02-06T06:45:00.000-05:00

We are offering some amazing deals on new upcoming titles, and soon we'll extend that offer to include select books that are readily available. All at savings of at least 40% or more off the suggested retail price. You won't find them at these low prices, anywhere. Guaranteed!

This is How This Offer Works...

1. Go to our site and select the special offers you want.

2. Pay for your order to reserve the titles.

That's it!

Once the books are released by publishers—and arrive at our warehouse—we'll ship them to you via the shipping method and carrier you selected during checkout.

When we receive an order, we send you an acknowledgement via email. Then, when we ship it, we notify you again, so you'll know to expect your books in a few days. We also include the delivery confirmation or tracking number, just in case.

Note: offer applies only to select titles, for a limited time.

These Deals Last Only a Few Days

Pre-order titles are books that we do not regularly stock at The Motor Bookstore, and these offers are valid for a limited time. Once the offer expires, you cannot pre-order that title again.

Would You Like to Receive Special Sale Notices?

That's easy! All you have to do is sign up for our email list. You'll then receive a couple emails a month with a link to the special offers. Sometimes the offer may include a discount coupon. We'll keep it interesting. Of course you can easily unsubscribe at any time.

The email reminder is a great way to get some amazing deals. Last year many customers saved close to 50% on 2011 calendars, for example. This year we'll notify our list subscribers of those special offers again, plus much more.

To register visit our subscription page and sign up. Then wait for great deals to come your way.

Photo Contest: 1979 Prinzing Baron

2011-02-04T09:00:00.003-05:00

Dana Liman of New York City, submitted this photo of his fully restored 1979 Prinzing Baron. The car is one of only three left and an original Prinzing, not a kit car.

Dana's photo is featured with the Classic Car Interiors Restoration Manual, a detailed how-to manual for car or truck restorers with tips on cleaning and restoration techniques, how to strip a car's interior for a complete renovation, repairing and reupholstering seats, and much more.

Photo Contest: Suzuki V-Strom 650

2011-02-03T09:39:00.003-05:00

Don Ruzek sent us a great shot of his Suzuki V-Strom 650 while riding across the Mackinac Bridge (in northern Michigan ) at first light, late summer 2010.

Don's photo was chosen to be featured in the Suzuki Sport Bike Repair Manuals section of The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: 1930 Ford Roadster

2011-01-26T09:40:00.005-05:00

Sandy Scott, of Seminole, Florida, sent photos of his beautiful 1930 Ford Roadster. The car underwent a complete frame-off restoration, down to the badged Ford battery.

Sandy wrote... "Interestingly, the color of the wheels was a factory option for only 3 months, so it is a rather rare color combination. The car won a prize at the National Model A Restorer's meet scoring 95 out of a 100 points when the judge mistakenly thought the leather hood guards were not a stock item. They were. Otherwise, the car should have garnered a perfect score. Some have said that it is the best example of the year/model in the country.

We agree!

Sandy's 1930 Ford Roadster photo submission is featured with the Car Collecting - Everything You Need to Know manual in the Restoration Books section of The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: 1934 Ford ½-Ton Pickup Truck

2011-01-26T09:02:00.003-05:00

Bob Swenson of Fairlee, Vermont, submitted a photo of his 1934 Ford 1/2-ton pickup truck.

The picture was selected to be featured along with the Practical Auto & Truck Restoration manual in The Motor Bookstore's Restoration Books section.

Photo Contest: 2002 BMW E39 M5

2011-01-20T09:06:00.004-05:00

Brian Hampton of Newnan, Georgia, sent these photos of his badass 2002 BMW E39 (5 Series) M5. A very clean, stock, black/carbon fiber beemer, with every available option (except rear park assist). Only 27K original miles.

Brian is a member of the Peachtree Chapter of the BMWCCA.

His photos were selected to be featured with the 1997-2002 BMW 5-Series (E39) repair manual by Bentley, and the BMW Enthusiast's Companion, a fantastic book by the members of the BMW Car Club of America.

Photo Contest: 1946 Chevy Truck

2011-01-19T15:27:00.003-05:00

Scott Baena of Miami, Florida submitted this great photograph of himself and his 1946 Chevy pick-up truck. The truck underwent a complete frame-off restoration, and it still has the original flathead 6-cylinder engine with 51K original miles in it. The Photo taken in Landrum, South Carolina.

Scott's photo was selected to be featured in the 1942-1948 Chevrolet Truck Factory Shop Manual on CD page of The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: 1962 Cadillac Convertible

2011-01-19T13:43:00.002-05:00

Deryl Goettling and Marsha Sharp of Kansas City, Missouri, sent this great photo of their 1962 Cadillac Convertible at Crusin' the Coast in Biloxi, MS.

Their car is featured in the Cadillac Factory Repair Manuals on CD-ROM section of The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: 1998 Jeep Cherokee Sport

2011-01-17T11:54:00.005-05:00

Mike Hall of Levittown, New York, sent photos of his 1998 Jeep Cherokee Sport.

The Cherokee features fresh paint, a 3" Rancho lift kit, Goodyear 31s all around, a new sound system, and more.

Mike mentions that the Jeep's engine & tranny are stock and original, with 130K miles. He recently had a new exhaust installed with a flowmaster muffler, and put on rims from a 2000 Cherokee. He also replaced brakes & rotors.

Mike drives his Cherokee less than 3K miles a year, and most of that is off-road fishing all of the beaches around Long Island.

One of the photos is featured with the 1984-2001 Jeep Cherokee, Wagoneer, Comanche repair manual page in The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: Chrysler 360 Rebuild

2011-01-17T10:44:00.009-05:00

Kathleen Turcotte of Carl Junction, Missouri, sent these photos of her son Kenneth—age 17—who rebuilt his late father's Dodge Power Wagon motor with the help of a how-to rebuild a Mopar engine book and lots of elbow grease.

Her email read in part:

Kenny saved every dime he made in a bank account, which he rolled over three times in a CD. He earned it my mowing lawns, gathering and selling local black walnuts, and any other odd jobs neighbors would give him. He loves to earn money and is a very motivated worker.

When he turned 16 he could wait to go car shopping. But every dealership we looked at had greedy salesmen and over-priced trashed cars, in his price range. But Kenny found another option.

His dad passed away in 2004, but left a 1978 Dodge Power Wagon truck behind that needed some TLC. Kenny bought a how to rebuild a small block mopar engine, and without any real supervision (besides a neighbor or two in passing), he completed the job.

He learned so much about vehicles and had alot of frustrations along the way. He has learned patience, and perseverance but most of all, to believe in himself and his own abilities.

His passion for engines has grown, he has enrolled in a great local auto tech program through his high school, and his teacher has told me he is the most motivated student in his class. He has the confidence to never back down from any repair job. He works on all our cars, and keeps records on an Excel spreadsheet in an old computer he keeps in his garage.

He keeps our cars maintained and on the road. I am so proud of this kid.

Kathleen Turcotte

One of Kenny's photos is featured in the Chrysler/Mopar Engine Manuals section of The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: 1973 Ford Gran Torino Sport

2011-01-14T14:05:00.004-05:00

Bill Lober (left) and his son Gary, of Forsyth, Georgia, built this beautiful 1973 Ford Gran Torino Sport a few years ago. The photo was taken at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September 2009.

Their photo submission to The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest was selected to be featured in the 1968-1974 Ford Torino Performance Portfolio page.

Photo Contest: Harley Springer & Corvette Stingray

2011-01-14T12:36:00.006-05:00

Tom DeSousa of Huntington Station, New York, sent us photos of his 1997 Harley-Davidson FXSTS Springer Softail and his 1971 Corvette Stingray.

Tom's photos are featured in the 1984-1999 Harley-Davidson Softail FX/FL Softail repair manual page and the 1966-1982 Corvette Shop Manual page.

How to Enter The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest

2011-01-13T05:27:00.007-05:00

If you would like to submit a photo of yourself with your restored car, classic truck, custom motorcycle, outboard motor, tuner car, ATV, engine rebuild, etc., please read the photo submission requirements and email your photos to us.

Selected pictures get featured in the corresponding category of The Motor Bookstore or alongside the corresponding book or repair manual, as well as here on our blog and our facebook page.

So, if you would like to earn some well-deserved bragging rights for the skinned knuckles and countless hours spent fixing, restoring or customizing your vehicle, go grab your digital camera, snap some good photos, and submit them to The Motor Bookstore's Photo Contest.

Photo Contest: Daihatsu & Citroen

2011-01-12T10:52:00.006-05:00

Erik & Sheryl Groenenberg of Orlando, Florida, submitted a couple of great photos of their cars.

The first photo shows their Daihatsu Feroza with a wooden body, built by Erik.

The second pic captures their 30+ year old Citroen 2400 GTI on a bridge somewhere in The Netherlands, with Sheryl standing next to it.

The Daihatsu photo is featured with the How to Restore Your Collector Car 2nd Edition book, and the Citroen is featured in The Classic Car Book page.

Photo Contest: 1955 Buick

2011-01-10T10:31:00.003-05:00

Dominic Whittle of Surrey, England, sent a couple photos of his beautiful 1955 Buick.

The photo of Domininc and friends posing with the Buick is featured in the Restoration Manuals and Guides section of The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: 1919 Ford Model T

2011-01-10T09:56:00.006-05:00

Phillip Pratt of San Marcos, California—along with his sons Loren and Bill—spent approximately two years doing a ground-up restoration on his 1919 Ford Model T Speedster Roadster.

The project involved a hand-built wood body and the Pratt's finished the project in about 2 years.

When Phillip purchased the Model T, it was on the starting line of a 200-mile endurance race in Missoula, MT. He has owned the car for about 8 years. When he purchased it, it only had a seat and firewall. The rest of the car he engineered and made himself.

The 1919 Ford Model T Speedster Roadster is featured in the Factory Repair Manuals section of The Motor Bookstore.

Photo Contest: 140 Mercury Jet Outboard

2011-01-10T09:13:00.003-05:00

Scott Moser of Easton, Pennsylvania submitted this photo of himself and his Mercury Jet 140 HP outboard motor.

His photo was selected to be featured in the Mercury Marine Repair Manuals section of The Motor Bookstore.