RideLust

Photo: Bonhams

An 1894 Hildebrand & Wolfmueller motorcycle sold at the recent Bonham’s International Classic Motorcycle Show for $131,550. The bike was purchased in unrestored condition by a German collector and had previously been owned by the same family since the early 1930s.

Hildebrand and Wolfmueller motorcycles were produced from 1894 to 1897 by companies in Munich, Germany and Croissy, France. The hot tube ignition made starting the bike a labor intensive process, and H&W motorcycles were not known for their reliability. By 1897, the company was out of business, having produced between 800 and 2,000 examples. A handful of surviving H&W motorcycles exist today, mostly in museum collections.

The H&W used a 1.5 liter(!), water cooled parallel twin motor mounted inside a bicycle frame. Good for 2.5 horsepower at 240 rpm, the motor gave the bike a top speed of 28 miles per hour; given the lack of suspension and primitive tires of the time. that would have been fast enough for me.

Source: First Ever Series Production Motorcycle Sold for 86,200 Pounds

OK, I personally guarantee this is the weirdest thing you’ll see on RideLust this week: up for sale is the 1968 Volkswagen Bus used by Dr. Jack Kevorkian to um, kill people. Or assist in their suicides, depending upon how you look at it. The bus looks to be in pretty rough shape, and it’s been sitting since 1997. The current owner is adamant about it being sold in non-drivable condition, and his attorney is requiring a signed statement that the bus won’t be driven until its made roadworthy. I guess he doesn’t want the bus to continue its legacy.

If you’re looking for a restorable VW bus, this probably isn’t it. For starters, the motor’s got a rod knock, tin worm has done a number on the body and the interior will certainly need going over. However, if you’re bummed about missing the chance to buy Ted Bundy’s VW Beetle, head on over to this eBay auction and get bidding. It’ll look great parked next to your Econoline van with “Free Candy” written on the side.

Source: Kevorkian’s VW Bus for Sale on eBay

Looks like a clean 1969 TR-6 from here

Take a classic 1969 Triumph TR-6 and drop in the twin-cam, turbocharged motor and transmission from a mid 1990s Nissan Skyline GTR and what do you get? Is the end result sexy or sacrilegious?

I’m not generally a big fan of motor swaps, as they generally upset a car’s balance and destroy its resale value. Sure a Ford V8 in a Mazda Miata sounds like fun, but only if you’re driving in a straight line. On a road course? No thanks, I’ll pass.

More pics after the jump.

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We’ve all been caught in the act at one time or another, haven’t we? No matter how careful you are to check under the car seats, delete the call log on your phone or wipe out the cookies on your computer before the significant other asks, “Why were you at a website called tinytrannyhookers.com?”, sooner or later we all get busted.

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If you’re like most consumers in the market for a used car, your needs are probably best served by eBay, AutoTrader, or your local Craigslist. If you are like 99% of automotive enthusiasts, however, your pursuit for that perfect diamond in the rough exists in perpetuity. You can easily squander 5+ hours at work tirelessly refreshing your browser in the vain hope that the pristine Volvo 850R you’ve spent the better part of your adult life pursuing will magically appear for thousands less than its Blue Book value. If such is the case, then the chances are good that you’ve also experienced significant frustration at the hands of Craigslist’s rather limiting search parameters. Although you probably could if you neglected your job, family, and personal hygiene for days on end, it’s realistically impossible to search every Craigslist in every state in every city in the continental U.S. (though you’ve certainly tried). Fortunately, I’ve found a way: searchtempest.com. Not only will SearchTempest.com allow you to expand your search radius to include any location within your current zip code, it also throws in all the relevant eBay listings as a bonus. Read More…

In our last Rust or Lust, we determined that despite the odds, the Dodge Neon SRT-4 was worthy of our begrudging, nay, bemused admiration. Of course, that schizophrenic little monster was unnaturally aspirated and similarly unnaturally FWD. Today’s contender is more conventional, sporting a straight-six out front driving the rear wheels. What is it, a Dodge Dart? Think again …

This Week’s Car: the 2001-2005 Lexus IS300

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Last time we played the RUST or LUST game, we decided that the Scion tC was less than LUST-worthy (to put it politely). This time around, we’re casting our critical glare on another small front-driver with sporting pretensions, but this one sucks air through a snail and furiously claws the tarmac on its way to a low 5-second 0-60 time. Follow along as we determine if the Dodge Neon SRT-4 should live forever in the hallowed halls of LUST, or be consigned to sleep with the tin-worm.

This Week’s Car: The 2003-2005 Dodge Neon SRT-4

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Last week we let loose the full fury of Detroit’s budget-minded tire-melter, the last of the F-Body Camaros, onto a hapless, unprepared internet. So we’re going to dial it back this week. You won’t have to worry about all of those cylinders, or that pesky rear wheel drive, or whether there was a Corvette motor under the hood or not. Today’s Rust-bait won’t bother you with any of those confusing options or trim packages … this baby only does things one way, and if you don’t like it, tough luck. Join us as we pick apart the Scion tC in this week’s Rust or Lust.

This Week’s Car: the 2004+ Scion tC

If you grew up in the occidental hemisphere, you probably have no idea what an “Avensis” is. That’s a good thing – the Avensis was kind of like Kate Moss – hardly there. Why anyone bought them, I dunno. But when Toyota was looking to add to the Scion stable a sporty coupe to round out their lineup of frumpy peoplemovers, they looked through the corporate parts bin … and decided that the Avensis platform would be a good place to start. We’ll assume they had their reasons.
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It’s that time again. Rust or Lust is back, and while we approved of the refined SC300 last week, this week we’re looking at a totally different animal – the last of the F-body Camaros. Better crank up the AC/DC and bust out your muscle shirt, because we’re taking a quick trip down the Highway to Hell.

The Car: 1993 – 2002 Chevy Camaro

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It’s that time again … when our sardonic and jaded minds strain to think of something positive to say about oft-overlooked late model cars. Today’s candidate could go either way – either it’s the fast, luxurious coupe you’d always dreamed of, or the fattest Supra to waddle off to posh suburbia. The Lexus SC300 is a tough nut to crack, but we’ll do our best.

The Car: 1992-2001 Lexus SC300

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