RideLust

In the vast uncharted wilderness of Austria lives an automotive Dr. Moreau, a mad genius who splices cars together to create breathtaking beasts like this unholy union of a ’73 VW Bug and 2000 Porsche Boxster S: The Bugster. The man behind this beauty is Siegfried Rudolf. His shop, CarMaxx, specializes in tuning and restoring VWs and Porsches. Apparently he got the idea for the Bugster after he parked his tuned ’73 Bug next to his wife’s Boxster and noticed the two cars shared a remarkably similar wheelbase.
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Image: Powerblock TV

Every weekend, I can guarantee you my husband will be watching the entire Powerblock TV lineup on Spike.  In between my domestic engineer duties (read: housework), I try and catch the episodes as well.  I absolutely love seeing them take what is usually a hunk of junk and turn it into something really special.  If we had the means and the space, we’d each have a pet project car.  Alas, we have neither but at least Powerblock allows us to live vicariously. Read More…

Are you the type who takes your car to the dealership for routine care and maintenance?  Do you prefer to do everything yourself, from oil changes to brake jobs?  Maybe you fall somewhere in the middle and use an independent local mechanic or a franchise like those specializing in tires or transmissions?  Whatever your choice, you likely have a very strong opinion why it’s best.

When I was newly licensed, I asked my dad to teach me a few things every good gearhead should know.  I learned the ins and outs of oil changes (complete with hot liquid down my arm), the proper way to jump a battery, how to change a tire using those frustratingly inadequate little scissor jacks, and how to swap out spark plugs among other things.  I will be the first to tell you I still have a lot to learn but I love the feeling of accomplishment that comes from a good bit of grease and brake dust under your nails. Read More…

I think I have just found the cure for cabin fever! This is an ice dragster that belongs to the Frozen Asset race team out of Minnesota. The concept is simple; take a Spitzer dragster chassis, insert one big honkin’ 2000 hp Pro Line twin-turbo V8 and a rear-trac complete with full spike regalia and you’ve got what is perhaps the baddest machine ever to have run across frozen H20. The pilot of this nut-ball machine is a gentlemen by the name of Paul Groth, he’s the lunatic that back in the 1980′s took the Budwiser Sno King to a top ice speed of over 200 mph using a blown big-block Chevy. The fabrication was done by Performance Concepts of Mokena, IL and by the looks of it they did an outstanding job. Now I’m all for going fast but I like good old fashion tarmac, not a surface that goes against everything that a good pair of brakes stand for. Click through for the video.
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If you like to turn wrenches, chances are good that you have a compression gauge in your tool box. I do, and I used to use it to log compression readings both before and after races, just to give me early warning on developing engine problems. I’d also use it to check out any used cars or bikes I owned, simply because I wasn’t the person who’d broken in the motor. Like the video shows you, they’re easy enough to do, although I’ll admit to not removing spark plugs from all cylinders in advance. I was always more paranoid about sucking dirt and grit into an open spark plug hole than I was about running down the battery.

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It’s not too often that I am in awe of home built vehicles. This one however, called the “Pismo Beast Buggy” is just too cool though. The Beast Buggy started life as A FL120 Diesel truck that was transformed over time into a Mad Max-esque beach crawler the likes of which I have never seen before. A massive diesel engine powers its two monster truck size rear wheels, and with passenger accommodations for 8 people, this sucker can go just about anywhere. I think the best part though are the massive twin stacks that belch out black smoke every time the accelerator is hit. Hell, I’m intimidated just watching it on video for God’s sake. I have to say that this is truly one of the coolest home built off-road monsters that I have ever witnessed.

Source: Youtube.com

Every year I try to come up with a way to improve myself as an automotive enthusiast. In the past I’ve vowed to learn more about mechanics so I could become more self-sufficient, I’ve also told myself that I wouldn’t spend as much money on auto related things. For 2011 though, I’m finding it hard to nail down a good one. I mean I would love to say that 2011 is the year that I’ll be buying a dedicated track car, but that requires money, which is something that is in short supply at the moment. It’s also not really a resolution, but more of a want then anything else. I suppose I could say that I’ll be more diligent about automotive maintenance, but I’m already pretty good about that. One thing that I was thinking about was restoring and extra grill that I have for my 1968 Dodge Charger. It’s all there, but the biggest problem is not having the space to properly dismantle it. I suppose that I could make it work if I really wanted to though, but we’ll see. So what about you guys, what’s your automotive New Year’s resolution going to be?

2010 was a good year. The venerable Lancia Stratos came back from the grave. Jaguar built a car with two jet engines in it. The Mustang shaved its mullet and proved itself as a more-than-capable sports tourer. Chevy’s long-awaited Volt turned out to be pretty good. And Cadillac made the most bitchin’ station wagon ever. But my favorite cars this year didn’t make the glossy magazines. They won’t end up in posters plastered to 15-year-olds’ walls. They won’t be featured in Forza or GT5. They are, however, spectacular in every way imaginable. Here they are, in no particular order.

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We here at RideLust have given you lots of useful information on surviving the zombie apocalypse, but I have to give props to this video tutorial created by the guys at Mighty Car Mods. Not only does it show you how to build the ultimate zombie mobile (from materials at hand), but it also gives you useful information on weaponry and, um, sourcing food (not for the faint of stomach). Overall, the advice is solid, but I’d disagree on a few key points (like cutting a hole in the roof). A stand-up gunport is of limited use (ever try to make a head shot from a moving vehicle?), and it just gives zombies one more point of entry. Personally, I’d advise against it, and I’d advise against taking out the windows before you screen them. Tempered glass (behind metal screening) still offers reasonable protection from bodily fluids and zombie intrusion. I say leave it in.

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The Lamborghini Miura is automotive perfection. Its sweeping lines and brute strength seduce the soul. The howl of its V12 reduces grown men to gelatinous blobs of desire. But few have the privilege of possessing the Miura. Which is why a very fortunate man in Illinois is having this stunning Miura replica built by hand from the chassis of a lowly Fiero. Seriously.

Source: BuildThreads.com

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