When we dream, it looks like this. 1969 Ford Mustang RTR-X image from http://gnsr21.blogspot.com/2011/04/vaughn-gittin-jrs-1969-rtr-x-mustang.html.

What happens when you are one of the best drifters in the world?

When you’re the self-taught Vaughn Gittin Jr., you create a new brand (RTR) and you create one of the baddest 1969 Ford Mustangs in conjunction with the folks from the Need for Speed video game franchise: the RTR-X.

Wish we saw this car when we were at SEMA. Fortunately the guys from TopSpeed.com got these photos. Image from http://www.topspeed.com/cars/ford/1969-ford-mustang-rtr-x-by-vaughn-gittin-jr-ar99317.html.

Who would have thought lime green wheels would have caused so much of a commotion?

Side view of the 1969 Mustang RTR-X. Image from http://www.topspeed.com/cars/ford/1969-ford-mustang-rtr-x-by-vaughn-gittin-jr-ar99317.html.

Featured in both the 2010 and last year’s SEMA (dammit, wish we were there longer), the 1969 Ford Mustang RTR-X was a huge hit.

I mean, just look at it.

{insert silent, longing gaze here}

What most people will see in competition. Image from http://www.topspeed.com/cars/ford/1969-ford-mustang-rtr-x-by-vaughn-gittin-jr-ar99317.html.

According to an article on NeedforSpeed.com:

The car, which was born out of a collaboration between Gittin Jr., Mustang RTR, and Need for Speed, is the perfect case of an iconic car being given a state-of-the-art refresher. Powered by a 5.0-liter Ford V8 engine, the ’69 Mustang was given a dose of modern technology, including a Kinsler Individual Throttle Body Injection System, a MoTeC M800 ECU, a Ford Racing Boss 301 R1 six-speed transmission, and a set of Falken RT615-K racing tires. Add all these new parts to an iconic Mustang body and you have a car that transcends both time and taste buds.

So what makes this car extra awesome?  You can imagine driving it in the comfort of your own home.  Virtually.

Check out the making of the 1969 Ford Mustang RTR-X video by The Speed Hunters here:

You can also check out the teaser video for the Need for Speed video game below:

For more information about the 1969 Ford Mustang RTR-X, you can check out these articles:

• http://gnsr21.blogspot.com/2011/04/vaughn-gittin-jrs-1969-rtr-x-mustang.html
• http://www.topspeed.com/cars/ford/1969-ford-mustang-rtr-x-by-vaughn-gittin-jr-ar99317.html
• http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/12/the-making-of-vaughn-gittin-jrs-1969-rtr-x-ford-mustang/

For more information about Vaughn Gittin Jr., you can check out his official site at http://www.vaughngittin.com/.

The Eagle Low Drag GT. Even the body by itself is an amazing work of art. Image from http://www.eaglegb.com/pages/eagle-etype-gt-coupe.

We’re really starting to like this company.

After doing a feature on the Eagle Speedster a few weeks ago, we recently discovered the UK based company Eagle is in the process of creating some special projects beyond their typical E-Type restoration/recreations.

The one that particularly caught our interest was The Eagle Low Drag GT.

What a drag. Low drag. Eagle Low Drag GT image from http://www.eaglegb.com.

According to the article “One Cool Cat” from this month’s Robb Report:

The Low Drag GT is based on Jaguar’s E-Type Low Drag Coupe racecar prototype from 1962.  Jaguar built only one example of the vehicle – essentially a lighter and more powerful version of the E-Type – though two standard E-Type roadsters were later modified to its specs. (All three cars still exist.)

The even better detail about the Eagle version of the E-Type Low Drag GT?  It’s going to be made from modern parts and materials.

If anyone makes a comparison to a Dodge Viper, we might have to kill somebody. Eagle Low Drag GT image from http://www.eaglegb.com.

According to Eagle E-Type’s official site:

The all aluminium lightweight body was constructed for us by RS Panels, recognized worldwide as building the very best aluminium E-type bodies, incorporating our specific design criteria. This lightweight body, combined with our all aluminium high torque 4.7 litre engine, fuel injection, 5 speed transmission, and touring axle ratio, will result in devastating performance and impressive high speed touring capabilities.

Essentially invisible, all the practical solutions missing from the pure race cars have been discretely included. The shell is longer, the floors are lower, and there is vastly increased cabin space, with extra head and legroom as a result. This maximises driver and passenger comfort, the longer doors aiding access.

Other features include:

• Specially cast magnesium wheels to accommodate suitable modern but correct looking 16″ tyres
• Flush fitting, bonded and heated glass to front and rear
• Air conditioning system integrated within the structure of the car to avoid adverse cabin detail changes
• Trunk capable of carrying a sensible amount of luggage
• Long range fuel cell
• Aluminium 4.7 litre engine block
• Fuel injection

I wonder what they would consider a “sensible amount of luggage”?

All we know is this – whoever gets to be the final owner of this bespoke vehicle is going to be a very lucky, lucky person.

For more information about The Eagle Low Drag GT, you can visit their official site at http://www.eaglegb.com/pages/eagle-etype-gt-coupe.

The Eagle Speedster. This could possibly be the prettiest car in our Classic Garage. Image taken by http://www.jameslipman.com/ and from http://www.jaguarspeedster.com/pages/eagle-speedster-images-and-media.

Here’s a question for all the gearheads out there: 

• If you were to list out your top 5 most beautiful cars of all time, what cars would be on your list?

Would the Aston Martin DB5 be on your list?  What about the Ferrari Enzo?  Perhaps even the Bugatti Veyron?

We know one thing for sure – the 1960′s Jaguar E-type would definitely be on ours. 

The Eagle Speester in black with red interior. This will get way more looks than a Ferrari 458 Italia in our opinion. Image taken by http://www.jameslipman.com/ and from http://www.jaguarspeedster.com/pages/eagle-speedster-images-and-media.

According to the Wikipedia page covering the Jaguar E-Type from that era:

Its combination of good looks, high performance, and competitive pricing established the marque as an icon of 1960s motoring. A great success for Jaguar, more than 70,000 E-Types were sold during its lifespan.

In March 2008, the Jaguar E-Type ranked first in the Daily Telegraph’s list of the “100 most beautiful cars” of all time. In 2004, Sports Car International magazine placed the E-Type at number one on their list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s.

In fact, this car is so pretty, we even debated on whether or not we should make it into an ESM Icon.  Enzo Ferrari even called it “The most beautiful car ever made” when it was released.

The only downside of this vehicle?  If you were ever to buy one it would cost a pretty penny and you would be buying technology from the 1960′s.

In 2011, however, the folks from Eagle Engineering have revived the Jaguar E-Type in a project called the “Eagle Speedster”.

Bro, the interior of this car is nothing short of... fresh. Image from http://www.jaguarspeedster.com/pages/eagle-speedster-images-and-media.

According to the official Eagle Speedster website:

It started as a request from Dr Rick Velaj from Connecticut – “I want something a bit special”

When you are a customer of Eagle E-Types, something ‘a bit special’ is standard. Conversations started between Rick and Paul Brace from Eagle, and the word ‘Speedster’ was mentioned. Paul got out his pencil and sketched a shape. Rick loved it, and that was the start of Eagle Speedster No.1.

Over the next months, in tandem with running the main Eagle business, Paul worked to design and perfect the details of this truly unique and extraordinary E-Type. Faithful to the Jaguar E-Type of the 1960s with classic detail and finishing, it was fitted with the finest Eagle E-Type engineering including the Eagle 4.7 litre engine, the Eagle 5-speed gearbox and the optimised suspension.

Although initially built as a ‘one-off’, the Speedster was universally well-received and interest was such that we decided to build another – and the resulting ‘Lightweight Speedster’ has met with absolute acclaim.

Sometimes when I daydream, I daydream I was this dude. Eagle Speedster image from http://www.jaguarspeedster.com/pages/eagle-speedster-images-and-media.

And by “absolute acclaim”, they must be obviously referring to gearhead-geek-demigod Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear (one of our favorite shows of all time) who stated:

This to me is absolute perfection. I will put my hand on my heart and say here and now I have never ever driven a car ever that I have wanted more than this one. I yearn to have it.

The Eagle Speedster is the premier drug to the ultimate petrolhead-addict jonesing for the ultimate throwback car.

No seriously, is there any way I can be the guy driving this car? Eagle Speedster image from http://www.jaguarspeedster.com/pages/eagle-speedster-images-and-media.

The good news?  It uses the latest technology and is built with the utmost care.  The bad news?  The Eagle Speedster is still going to cost you a pretty penny.

For more information about the Eagle Speedster, you can check out their official site at http://www.jaguarspeedster.com/.

"The Black" by Falcon Motorcycles. Image from http://www.falconmotorcycles.com.

Money and success.

To be honest, these things shouldn’t be the driving factors of businesses and they definitely shouldn’t be the reason why people do things.

Last night, I was just having a conversation with a friend about how money should be a result or a by-product of a business whose owners are both passionate about what they do and very good at what they do.

In my opinion, passion without skill is only a hobby and skill without passion is just a job.

You combine the two and you get magic – such as the folks from Falcon Motorcycles.  They combine their award winning skills in manufacturing with their love (and I mean love) for vintage motorcycles.

One of our favorites is “The Black” – a motorcycle built around a Vincent engine.

Look closely at every detail put into this bike. The Black built by Falcon Motorcycles image from http://www.falconmotorcycles.com.

According to the official Falcon Motorcycles website:

Currently under construction, its heart is a 1951 Vincent Black Shadow engine with California racing history. The Black Falcon promises to be an icon of a different sort, combining the incredible charisma of the Vincent powerplant with the graceful lines of a Falcon. The engine will remain relatively intact, but every other part of the motorcycle has been redesigned.  Expected completion date: March 2011.

Brake detail for The Black. Image from http://www.falconmotorcycles.com.

As you can see from the photos, they have put countless hours of time, love, sweat and passion into every inch of this bike.  The Los Angeles Times also did a video article on this bike and in it, the owners said the Falcon team put over a year into the build:

It’s very clear that the folks at Falcon do pretty good for themselves.  Not because of the success and money, but rather because they are both passionate and skilled at what they do.

The final product. Image from http://www.falconmotorcycles.com.

For more information about The Black and Falcon Motorcycles you can visit Falcon Motorcycle’s official website at http://www.falconmotorcycles.com.

Singer 911. Going back to when the 911 was the 911. Image from www.singervehicledesign.com.

For all the automotive pursits out there, you’re probably going to want to close your eyes for a little bit. 

The folks at Singer Vehicle Design have created a beautiful interpretation of the original 1970′s Porsche Carrera RS which makes our hearts melt ever so softly whenever we see it.

If I owned this car, I would call it the Incredible Hulk. Image from www.singervehicledesign.com.

From the official Singer 911 website:

The Singer 911 is no mere imitation, clone or retro-hot rod, but a re-interpretation and rebirth of the early performance-focused 911’s.

The new vehicle is the result of a fusion between the purity of the original 911 and modern materials, design, and updated technologies, and aftermarket experience into a unique sports car that recaptures the essence of the early 911’s golden age.

The Singer 911 capitalizes on the 40 years of solutions and enhancements that have resulted from the racing aftermarket’s embracing the original 911. Borrowing the best elements from the air/oil cooled 911’s long production span such as the “chic” of the long hood pre-’74 race specials, and the engineering durability of the later cars from the 80’s and 90’s, Singer Vehicle Design capitalizes on the vast know how and evolutionary advances the original 911 has enjoyed.

The experience offered by the new Singer 911 is a passionate celebration of the history making, iconic 911, and creates an enhanced sportscar that honors the original 911’s soul.

OG interior, yo. Image from www.singervehicledesign.com.

The folks at Singer purchase “fully road legal pre‐1994 Porsche 911 Coupes” whose bodies are stripped and cleaned. 

Once completed, they replace some pieces with carbon fiber bodywork “constructed from premium ‘pre preg’ carbon fiber and is correctly vacuum bagged and baked to a temperature of over 250 degrees. These are true carbon fiber parts benefiting from the attributes of extreme strength and light weight.”

The engine is based on the 911 3.6L built in the 1990′s which are then stripped, blue printed, balanced and hand built “using new or state of the art componentry”.   Clients also have a choice of three engines, from 3.6 L to 3.9L with a range of 300‐425BHP .

The Singer 911. So gangster. 70's gangster. Image from www.singervehicledesign.com.

But enough about the technical side of what the folks at Singer do.  Just take a look at this car and imagine yourself driving it.

And the price?  Let’s put it this way:  would you put a price on a bespoke suit?

For more information about the Singer 911, you can visit them at http://www.singervehicledesign.com/.

Sylvester Stallone's '55 Ford from the Expendables movie. Image from hollywood-diecast.com.

When you create a movie that has all the greatest action stars from the 80′s and 90′s in it, you have to expect the intellectual value of the movie to be waay lower than the explosion/blood/action quotient.

The unexpected – a beautifully restored and upgraded ’55 Ford created by West Coast Customs specifically for the movie.

Actually, they built 3 of the exact same car, where 2 of the 3 cars were used for demolition and 1 car was for Sly himself.

Here’s a video excerpt from the episode where they built the car from WestCoastCustomsTV on YouTube:

For more information on Sylvester Stallone’s ’55 Ford built by West Coast Customs, you can check out TLC’s official website for Street Customs (West Coast Custom’s cable show).

The C1RS '62 Corvette. Worth cruising around in. Image from autoblog.com.

During the 2009 SEMA show, the C1RS ’62 Corvette won the Goodguys “Street Machine of the Year”.

It has also won a place in our Classic Garage.  A much more exclusive award in our opinion.

According to autoblog.com:

Powering the C1-RS is an LS7 V8 putting out more than 600 horsepower, but we were most impressed with the eight carbon fiber intake trumpets on either side of the engine that bring air into the intake manifold. The interior was beautifully crafted as well, with a custom fabricated aluminum dash and console and Alcantara and leather seats.

And guess what?  It posted the best time on the track for the show.  Beauty and power. Kind of like Grace Jones.  In the 80′s.

Even looks good from behind. The C1RS. Image from autoblog.com.

The Mercedes-Bent 190 SL. Image from topspeed.com.

I don’t care what any of you purists think.  This car is awesome.

Built by Hot Rods and Custom Stuff, this car has the body of a 1961 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL with the guts of a 2004 Mercedes SL600.

Of course they had to do a lot of bodywork to make the body fit the frame.  Of course they had to do a lot of other work such as make custom wheels that look old school but actually accomodate modern, low-profile tires.  Of course the car is deceivingly bigger than it really looks.

Rear view of the Mercedes-Bent 190 SL. Image from topspeed.com.

The only thing I don’t like is the name.  Mercedes-Bent?  Really?

For more information and photos about the Mercedes-Bent 190 SL, you can visit topspeed.com.

The first Porsche to be sold in the United States, a Porsche 356 cabriolet. Image from hauteliving.com.

It is very rare that you will hear us rant and rave about a baby blue cabriolet with white interior.  It is even more rare that we would declare a car with the aforementioned description as the “belle of the ball” at the 2010 L.A. Auto Show.

Well, since we are describing the first Porsche to be sold in the United States, I guess it isn’t very surprising.

When we saw the car in such pristine condition, we couldn’t help but stop, stare and shed a little tear at its beauty.  I am such a sucker for the classics.

Here’s a little background about the car from wot.motortrend.com:

The Ferrari Challenge Stradale. Another car I wish to have in my possession.

I constantly have mental excercises about which modern cars will eventually be the most sought after cars in the future.  I’ve proclaimed the Alpina Z8 as a soon-to-be classic in a previous article and I think my next call will be the Ferrari Challenge Stradale.

What are my criteria for making such decisions?  It’s fairly simple really:  a marque that is well known for making quality cars, exclusivity, impeccable design and of the utmost importance – how it makes you feel when you see and drive it.

Look at it and tell me how it makes you feel. Does it make your heart go "pitter-patter"? Mine too.

That feeling is unfortunately the most unmeasurable factor in my equation but I feel it is the one that makes the most difference.  In my opinion, the feeling that you get with certain cars make the difference between a potential million dollar investment and a potential clunker sitting in your garage.

To be honest with you, I don’t need to see a Stradale to get that feeling.  The Ferrari 360 Modena already does it for me.  Unfortunately, without the exclusivity factor figured in, it’s hard for a regular 360 to be named a classic.

"Vrrrooom!"

Here’s a little excerpt about the Stradale from its Wikipedia entry:

The Challenge Stradale (or CS) was a later addition to the road line. It was essentially a lightened version of the Modena, dropping 110 kilograms and drastically improving its handling through optimizions such as uprated titanium springs (lowering unsprung weight), stiffer bushes (from 360 Challenge cars) and uprated rear anti roll bar (the same anti-roll bar as used on 430 Scuderia). Changes included larger 19″ BBS wheels, the use of carbon fiber for the frames of the seats and mirrors, titanium springs which were also 20% stiffer, and Carbon fiber-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) ceramic composite brake disks. A variety of option allowed for further weight reductions, including replacing the leather interior with fabric, removal of the power windows and mirrors, and leaving off the stereo. Lexan side windows were available in Europe only. It was officially introduced in March 2003 at the Geneva International Motor Show and went into production shortly thereafter. The CS can be compared to Porsche’s GT3 RS model in design approach and many magazines have placed them head to head in road tests. Jeremy Clarkson compared the two and chose the CS to be his favourite.

So given the opportunity to own this car, would I?  That is a resounding hell yes. 

Would I leave it in the garage?  Hell no.

I also did a little checking on jameslist.com and it looks like the Stradales are going for about $150k.  Time to buy more lottery tickets…

Yep, that IS B movie queen Lisa Boyle.

For anyone that saw the movie Bad Boys, you know this car.  Built in 1994, the Porsche 964 Turbo 3.6 could go from 0-60 in 3.4 seconds, had a top speed of 174 mph and is extremely rare (there were only 63 built at the time).

Here’s a little excerpt about the Porsche 964 from Wikipedia:

The 964 was considered over 85% new as compared over its predecessor, the Carrera 3.2. The first 964s available in 1989 were all wheel drive equipped “Carrera 4″ models; Porsche added the rear wheel drive Carrera 2 variant to the range in 1990. Both variants were available as a coupe, Targa or Cabriolet. The 964 Carrera was the last generation sold with the traditional removable Targa roof. Later evolutions of the Targa, starting with the 993 generation, replaced that setup with a complex glass-roof “greenhouse” system. A new naturally-aspirated engine called the M64 was used for 964 models, with a flat-6 displacement of 3.6 litres. Porsche largely revised the suspension replacing the rear torsion bars with coil springs and shock absorbers.  Power steering and ABS brakes arrive to the 911 for the first time and they were both made standard. The exterior bumpers and fog lamps became flush into the car, allowing for better aerodynamics. A new electric rear spoiler raised as speeds above 50 MPH and lowered down flush with the rear engine lid at lower speeds or when stopped. A revised interior featured standard dual airbags beginning in 1990 for all North American production cars. A new automatic climate control system provided superior heating and cooling. Revised instrumentation housed a large set of warning lights that were tied into the car’s central warning system which alerted the driver to a possible problem or malfunction.

I think I would take mine in black.

The Turbos that were produced in 1994 were the last of the 964′s produced and were transferred to Porsche Exclusiv to create a very special Turbo 3.6s – the one used in the movie.

I did a little research on the car today to see how much it costs.  For anyone who owns one and takes good care of it, it looks like you can sell it today for about $150,000.  Not a bad investment.

I’m not sure if I would sell mine if I owned one though.

An old and new Land Rover Defender. Image from autoblog.com.

I was a little torn as to where I should park the Land Rover Defender – in the Classic Garage or in the Dream Garage.  I opted for the Classic Garage for 2 reasons: 1) They don’t sell them in the United States anymore and 2) the more vintage Defenders are cooler.

The Defender is well known around the world as indestructible and uncomfortable.  It has many uses, such as for agriculture, industry and military.

Running from ghosts in the Defender.

For those not familiar with the development of the name, the term “Defender” wasn’t used until much later in the truck’s history (according to Wikipedia):

The Defender name was not adopted until 1990 as a measure to distinguish the utility Land Rover model from the Discovery and Range Rover. Between 1983 and 1990 the coil-sprung utility Land Rovers were officially known as the Land Rover Ninety or One Ten, with the number spelled out in full in advertising and in handbooks and manuals. These vehicles also carried badges above the radiator grille which read Land Rover 90 or Land Rover 110, with the number rendered numerically. From late 1989, following the introduction of the Discovery, the front badge simply said 90 or 110. From 1991, when the Defender name was adopted the vehicles became the Defender 90 or the Defender 110. These carry front badges that say Defender, with a badge on the rear of the vehicle saying Defender 90 or Defender 110. The current model, from 2007, still has the space above the radiator for the badge, but is simply blank. These have Land Rover spelt out across the leading edge of the bonnet in raised individual letters. At the rear is a new Defender badge with a underlining ‘swoosh’. On these current models there are no badges defining the wheelbase model of the vehicle. 

Who needs a bridge?

Unfortunately, (as stated previously) the car is no longer sold in the United States but is still available in Europe and other countries due to strict airbag requirements in North America.

But we can still dream.

For more information about the Land Rover Defender and its history, you can check it out on the official Land Rover website.

You can also check out this great video from Fifth Gear: