Sunday, June 7, 2009

1970 Datsun 240Z 1:18 Road Signature














The Nissan S30 (sold in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z and in other markets as the Datsun 240Z, then later as the 260Z and 280Z) is the first generation of Z GT 3-door two-seat coupés, produced by Nissan Motors, Ltd. of Japan from 1969 to 1978. One of the most successful sports car lines ever produced, the trend-setting S30 was designed by a team led by Yoshihiko Matsuo, the head of Nissan's Sports Car Styling Studio.

Seeking to compete head-to-head with established European sports cars, Datsun priced the new 240Z within $200 of the British MGB-GT in the United States, a five-year-old design that showed its age. The 240Z's sleek styling, modern engineering, relatively low price, and impressive performance struck a major chord with the public. Positive response from both buyers and the motoring press was immediate, and dealers soon had long waiting lists for the "Z".

As a "halo" car, the 240Z broadened the acceptance of Japanese car-makers beyond their econobox image. Datsun's growing dealer network—compared to limited production imported sports cars manufactured by Jaguar, BMW, Porsche, Alfa Romeo, and Fiat—ensured both easy purchase and ready maintenance.

All variants of the S30 have four-wheel independent suspension consisting of MacPherson struts in front (borrowed from the Nissan Laurel C30) and Chapman struts in back. Front disc brakes and rear drums were standard.

The 240Z used twin SU-style Hitachi one-barrel side-draft carburetors. These were replaced on the 260Z with Hitachi one-barrel side-draft carburetors beginning with model year 1973 to comply with emissions regulations, resulting in diminished overall performance. A Bosch-designed L-Jetronic electronic fuel injection was added to US market 280Zs in 1975 to compensate.

Continuing through the 1975–1978 model years, markets outside of the United States (and Japan, which only offered the 2-liter engine from 1974) still received the 260Z coupé and 2+2. The S30 240Z is unrelated to the later 240SX, which is sold as the Silvia in Japan.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

1948 Tucker Torpedo Treasure Hunts 11 Hot Wheels 1:64











The Tucker 48, commonly referred to as the Tucker Torpedo, was an automobile conceived by Preston Tucker while in Ypsilanti, Michigan and briefly produced in Chicago, Illinois in 1948. Only 51 cars were made including their prototype before the company was forced to declare bankruptcy and cease all operations on March 3, 1949, due to negative publicity initiated by the news media, a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation, and a heavily publicized stock fraud trial (in which the allegations were proven baseless and led to a full acquittal). Tucker suspected that the Big Three automakers and Michigan Senator Homer S. Ferguson also had a role in the Tucker Corporation's demise.

The 48's original proposed price was said to be $1,000, but the actual selling price was closer to $4,000. A 1948 Tucker sedan was featured in the July 26, 2011, installment of NBC's It's Worth What? television show. The car's estimated value at that time was US$1,200,000.

The 1988 movie Tucker: The Man and His Dream is based on the saga surrounding the car's production. The film's director, Francis Ford Coppola, is a Tucker owner and displays his vehicle on the grounds of his winery.

The Tucker 48 is often referred to as its original name, the "Tucker Torpedo". This is actually incorrect; the name "Torpedo" was never used in conjunction with the actual production model, and the car's name was officially "Tucker 48".

Thursday, May 21, 2009

1959 Chevrolet Corvette Motormax 1:24












The Chevrolet Corvette (C1) is the first generation of the Corvette sports car produced by Chevrolet. It was introduced late in the 1953 model year, and produced through 1962. It is commonly referred to as the "solid-axle" generation, as the independent rear suspension did not appear until the 1963 Stingray. The Corvette was rushed into production for its debut model year to capitalize on the enthusiastic public reaction to the concept vehicle, but expectations for the new model were largely unfulfilled. Reviews were mixed and sales fell far short of expectations through the car's early years. The program was nearly canceled, but Chevrolet decided to make necessary improvements.

For the 1959 model, engines and horsepower ratings did not change. Interiors were revised slightly with different instrument graphics and the addition of a storage bin to the passenger side. A positive reverse lockout shifter with "T" handle was standard with 4-speed manual transmission. This was the only year a turquoise convertible top color could be ordered, and all 24-gallon fuel tank models through 1962 could not be ordered with convertible tops due to inadequate space for the folding top mechanism. Rare options: RPO 684 heavy-duty brakes and suspension (142), RPO 686 metallic brakes (333), RPO 276 15"×5.5" wheels (214), RPO 426 power windows (547), RPO 473 power convertible top (661).

Thursday, May 14, 2009

1992 F1 Williams FW14B Nigel Mansell Atlantic Racing Grand Prix Canon Renault elf 1:24










Nigel Ernest James Mansell (Upton-on-Severn, Worcestershire, Inglaterra, Reino Unido, 8 de agosto de 1953) es un piloto de automovilismo británico. Disputó 191 Grandes Premios de Fórmula 1 entre los años 1980 y 1992, y en 1994 y 1995, totalizando 31 victorias, 59 podios, y 32 poles en la máxima categoría. Fue campeón en 1992 y subcampeón en 1986, 1987 y 1991, cuarto en 1989, y quinto en 1990, entre otros resultados.

Debutó en F1 con Lotus en 1980, y estuvo en ese equipo desde ese año hasta 1984, después fue piloto de Williams en tres etapas desde 1985 hasta 1988, entre 1991 y 1992, y en 1994, además compitió para Ferrari en 1989 y 1990, y para McLaren en 1995. Es además, uno de los cuatro pilotos que han debutado en Ferrari con victoria en la primera carrera (junto con Mario Andretti, Kimi Räikkönen y Fernando Alonso).

Asimismo, en 1993 y 1994 Mansell disputó la CART IndyCar Series con el equipo Newman Haas Racing, siendo campeón en su primer año, y octavo en el campeonato de 1994. En esa categoría obtuvo 5 victorias, 13 podios (una de ellas fue un tercer puesto en las 500 Millas de Indianápolis de 1993), y 10 poles.

De origen humilde, estudió ingeniería en el Matthew Boulton College en Hall Green, Birmingham. Trabajó como ingeniero aeroespacial en Lucas Engineering antes de abandonar su profesión por las carreras de automóviles.

Desde marzo de 2013, y junto a Karun Chandhok , está al cargo de la Categoría de Monoplazas de la Comisión de Pilotos de la FIA.

Es el presidente de UK Youth,​ una fundación dedicada a apoyar a la juventud.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

1958 Lloyd Alexander TS Racing Revell 1:18












The Lloyd 600 was a small car produced by the Borgward Groups's Lloyd Motoren Werke GmbH (Lloyd Motor Works) in Bremen between 1955 and 1961.

The Lloyd Alexander was identical to the Lloyd 600 in most respects, but in place of the three speed transmission of the Lloyd 600, the Lloyd Alexander featured a four-speed gear-box (and a higher final drive ratio). The Lloyd Alexander was offered, in parallel with the Lloyd 600, between 1957 and 1961. One difference visible from the outside was that the Lloyd Alexander included an opening hatch into the rear luggage locker, whereas drivers of the Lloyd 600 had to reach behind the rear seat in order to access the luggage locker.

There was also a Lloyd Alexander TS offered between 1958 and 1961 which featured a larger carburetor and a high final drive ratio, as a result of which it offered a maximum power output of 25 PS instead of the 19 PS available from the engine fitted to the Lloyd 600 and standard Lloyd Alexander.