2012 Cars and Coffee Richmond December (West End)

Saturday was a good morning for Cars and Coffee in Richmond. It was a terrific turnout!

How my $1000 Jeep Wrangler Wasn't A Scam: Part 1

There are many sellers on craigslist that try to rip us off. You see the car of your dreams, and somehow the price is thousands below what similar makes and models normally go for.  They included a picture, but the only thing the description mentions is that the car has ABS brakes and includes an air freshener – nothing else. When you email them they mention that the car is nearby, but they are in some random African country and will need for you to send a money transfer before you can test drive the car. You could give them your credit card to make things easier, if you wanted.

Club Dirty Approved: 60's Chevy Truck

When I purchased my phone, I opted to have 32gb of memory. I have not used all of my storage, but a huge chunk of the data is car pictures. It is the feeling of not expecting to come across a car or truck worth looking at, and then all of a sudden you see something that sticks out at you.

Cars and Coffee: Western Richmond November

I met up with my friend Will Saturday morning, and headed out to the "West End" edition of Cars and Coffee Richmond. This was my first visit at this location. I thought it was a great turnout, with a very good variety of cars. The wind made it a cold morning, but the engine sounds from the Lamborghini and Ferrari leaving the show made me forget about the frigid temperature completely.

V8 Supercar News Round-up

Courtesy: BigPond Sport

First things first: I reserved my spot at the 2013 Circuit of the Americas V8 Supercar race.

Cars And Coffee Meet

This past Saturday was my first Cars and Coffee meet in the morning. Being familiar with the spot I would go Friday nights, I had no idea where where I was going that morning (kinda). I was glad to see a bunch of great cars at the top of the hill upon arriving to the meet.

Craigslist Finds: Two RX-7’s, Four Turbos

This Craigslist find features a seller offering not one, but two different 1993 RX-7’s for sale. On top of that, both of them look great and they each have a twin turbo engine!

...Club Dirty.

Precision Body Works Auto Show

This past Saturday I decided to stop by Precision Body Works for their annual car show. It was a good scene, and there was a nice choice of cars to check out. They had cars lined up outside in their lot and the adjacent shops, as well as select few inside their showroom.

F.A.S.T. (Fortune Auto) Open House

This weekend was a great weekend for me and being exposed to cars. On Sunday I decided to go by F.A.S.T. in Powhatan and check out their open house. I couldn't believe how many high quality cars came by.

Circuit Of The Americas: V8SC and MotoGP

Courtesy: COTA

Today, October 16th, marks the date that the V8 Supercar and Moto GP Circuit of the Americas tickets go on sale. For the V8 Supercars, this will be the first official Australian sporting event held on American soil. I am beyond ecstatic about this. For the Moto GP series, this will be another addition to their American race schedule.

Craigslist Finds: Custom VW Cabriolet

These kind of deals you cannot find anywhere else but Craigslist. I stumbled across this VW during one of my car dazes on Craigslist. I basically search for anything under $2,000 to see what I find and most always find something interesting.

Bathurst 2012 Moments (Video)

Courtesy: News.com.au

It was an amazing race as expected with the 2012 Bathurst 1000. I wont go into specific details, as most of you either watched the race or are waiting to watch it. I would like to share with you some of the amazing moments that made the race exciting.

V8 Supercars 2013 Texas Dates Confirmed

Courtesy: Robert Cianflone, smh.com.au

The V8 Supercar series has an outstanding weekend ahead. First and foremost, the V8 Supercar series and the Circuit Of The Americas has announced the official race dates to be set as May 17-19, 2013. Tickets will be going on sale the 16th of October, 2012 via Ticketmaster.

Craigslist Special: Oldsmobile Alero Turbo

The Oldsmobile Alero is one of the least attractive platforms for any automotive tuner or enthusiast. Personally, I spend a lot of time planning my upgrade path or products that I want to use on my vehicles, down to the point of doing research of possibilities BEFORE I even purchase a car. I cant even image the huge amounts of pain in the ass this Alero would have undergone, from a mechanics perspective, to become a turbo'ed vehicle. 

Club Dirty Approved: Shelby GT500 Cobra

I saw this Club Dirty work-of-art the other day while looking for a mailbox somewhere downtown. I didn't find the mailbox and was pissed (because a random mailbox maps website said there was one), but I did find this and whipped out my phone for a picture.

Automotive Backgrounds: Chip Foose

-Many times I sit and daydream about people who represent the car culture, either someone devoted to the automotive world or someone having a strong passion for cars outside of their daily tasks. Questions like, "How did they get that job?" or "What steps led them to be recognized as automotive enthusiasts?" come up and I find myself looking for answers.  I will do my best to collect the most appropriate information and discuss people that are key in the automotive culture, in no particular order. Hopefully this will put some pieces together for those of you looking into get further into the automotive world, or on the other end, to keep you from quitting your day job!

Automotive Backgrounds: Chip Foose

President and CEO of Foose Designs

Courtesy: Machine Finder

Mercedes-Benz To Join V8 Supercars In 2013

Courtesy: K&N

V8 Supercars COTF platform has allowed for Mercedes-Benz to join the V8 Supercar racing series in 2013. Mercedes-Benz has a rich racing resume, only to add the V8 Supercars to its long list for 2013. This news release was made public around 1pm on September 19th.

Trademark Filed By GM: Z28 Is Back?

According to leftlanenews, GM has filed for a trademarking of the "Z28" name. The Z28 name can be found on many Chevrolet Camaros, all the way back to the first 1967 model. The Z28 name comes from the Regular Production Order (RPO) code that was assigned to a Camaro with a multitude of improved options added, the Z28 code.

V8 Supercars: COTF Ford Testing

COTF stands for "Car of the Future" and is the new platform that the V8 Supercar series is moving towards. Basically, the COTF moves away from a modified version of a production vehicle with its own independent chassis, but will retain all the features that make up a standard vehicle (doors, headlights, etc..). These will be the cars that will race in the 2013 season in Austin, Texas.

13-Year-Old Girl Steals Car to Meet Xbox Romeo

A 13-year-old girl stole her brother's car and drove over 800 miles in an attempt to see her "Xbox"online boyfriend.

Dedication.

He probably wanted a sandwich.

It does not mention what game they were playing when they met. If it was Forza or any other respectable car game, she sounds like a keeper. In all seriousness this story is pretty sad. Call me skeptical but this whole situation could have been a lot worse if the boy on the other end of the headset was really a man. Everything turned out fine and no one was harmed by her juvenile driving. She will probably be grounded for many years, but will gain an amazing tan if her punishment is to stay outdoors, away from video games.

The entire story can be read at NY Daily News

Craigslist and Cars

Craigslist, if used in the right ways, can feel as good as if you just won the lottery. That might be an exaggeration, but in some cases you have the potential to save thousands of dollars and end up with a fun project.

You can always go to Craigslist.com on any computer to search for local deals in your specified area. A Smartphone is great to finding the extreme deals. With multiple apps available for all phone operating systems, you will be able to check for deals wherever and whenever. Some apps have the function to search across multiple cities, which is great for hard to find items.

The early bird gets the best worms. One of my personal best scores has come from finding an item (or a car in this example) within the first 15 minutes of it posting. This does not mean you have to live on Craigslist or be obsessed with checking. Take a minute or two a couple times a day to check on what you are looking for, and you might get lucky. If you check more than 5 times a day and have an app that displays what time of day the post was made, you sometimes are able to get a general idea of when people make their postings. For vehicles and car parts, my personal experiences have shown that between the 9am-5pm generic work hours is when you see a great volume of good listings. Don't get me wrong, I have found great deals being listed outside of those times as well.

Haggling is also necessary to find good deals, but be careful on how you go about doing this. People are not going to give away their stuff for pennies on the dollar. Also remember that these sellers are real people as well. People skills can make the difference between getting a good deal and a great deal. Pay close attention to similar listings around the area, and use Kelley Blue Book prices as a point of reference when looking at cars for sale. Some items can be well below regular value, due to the car or part needing some work done to make it better. Go in with a realistic approach on how skillful you are and/or how much money you have to put towards the item at hand. I had never painted a car before, but knew how much money I was willing to put towards getting it done or learning the skill myself for one of my Craigslist finds.

You could make a decent living working within the automotive field, just by learning the Craigslist trade.



Have any other tips? Look out for more Craigslist automotive discussion in the future from Club Dirty Auto

Merger: Grand Am amd ALMS Racing Series

Courtesy: Autoweek

This is big news for American road racing. For the past 13 years, the two series have raced against each other. In an article by Autoweek, it was announced this morning that the two racing series will merge together and combine forces in 2014. The 2013 season will showcase the two racing series seperately. However, both will be run by new chairman, Jim France. Former ALMS owner and founder Don Panoz will be the vice chairman. The first official race of the merger will be the 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Are you a fan of this merge?

Volkswagen Golf That Leaves Many Questions

Not much explanation is needed for this video. From 0:56 onward the fun begins with footage of successful rolls.

Why would someone make this? 

How long did it take to build? 

Sure it is fun to watch, but driving that golf looks not-so appealing. Any car that could benefit with a seat bolster for your head sounds sketchy. Despite all the negativity, this video is fun to watch!

Volkswagen Golf 7 Revealed

Courtesy: Inautonews

Here are some pictures of the new Volkswagen Golf MK7 released today. The public wont have access to see this in person until late September.

Courtesy: Inautonews

At first glance, the MK7 looks like an Audi A3. It rides on the same platform as the A3, so that is an accurate description. It also features a redesigned interior, which also looks borrowed from an Audi. Personally, we think these are good attributes. Especially if these features come without the Audi price tag.

For more pictures and info, check out inautonews.com

Hurricanes And Cars Don't Mix

In the middle of bringing you a short blurb about how hurricanes and cars are like oil and water(literally), a Jalopnik post shows up.

Courtesy: Jalopnik

Sometimes you have to be smart about these things, preparing yourself for a storm that you have known about for over a week. Hurricane Isaac has been blowing up news feeds and TV stations for over a week now, and this bozo (or insurance manipulator) decided to leave his car where flooding was almost guaranteed.

Do you think this is insurance fraud or just plain dumb?

An Intro: V8 Supercars Racing

NASCAR is the king of automotive racing in the United States. V8 Supercars is the king of automotive racing in Australia. There is one major difference: 

V8 Supercars are coming to America in 2013.

V8 Supercars are like old school NASCAR: Factory Production cars with extensive modification. The V8 Supercars are production model unibody cars from Holden (Australian division of GM) and Ford. Holden uses the "Commodore" and Ford uses the "Falcon", which is and Australian model sedan (like a mustang with 4 doors). In 2013, the cars will become more standardized under the "Car Of The Future" program the V8 Supercar series has mandated. This is a standardized frame for the series, but still allows for factory panels and functional headlamps, headlights etc. With this standardization, other manufacturers will be able to enter the racing series and be just as competitive as the Holden's and Ford's with their successful racing history. And this is what's happening. Nissan will be added to the series with a V8 version "Ultima." They race on "Formula 1-style race courses, and the opening of the new F1 raceway in Austin, Texas is the perfect place to display the V8 Supercar series in the United States.

Photo: Circuit Of The Americas

More articles will be coming, going more in depth from a spectator's point of view. 

So You Think Your Gas Mileage Sucks?

According to FoxNews, all new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. will have to average 54.5 mpg by 2025. Wait, that's a lot! Average is the key word in this statement. By introducing more electric and alternative fueled vehicles, automotive manufacturers will be able to leverage gas-guzzling models with cars that run on farts sustainable fuels. These regulations are referred to as CAFE, or Corporate Average Fuel Economy rules for those that do not like coffee. 

These changes will not occur overnight. A previous deal that mandates cars and trucks to average 35.5 mpg in 2016 is already in effect, and the requirements will increase after until 2025.

This is nine years down the road. New cars being made today are far superior compared to nine years ago. In 2003, an average midsize car with 30 or more mpg was not the norm. If your average mid sized car does not have over 40mpg in 2012, you most likely drive a sports car or a tank.

Do you drive a tank?

Future Mustangs To Align With Its Rivals

Photo: Ford

According to DailyTech, the new era of Ford Mustangs will adopt an independent rear axle. The new Camaros/Challengers currently have independent rears, which should make the mustang look even more attractive for the track. If you are a die-hard solid axle guy for the drag strip, you are probably more than likely to upgrade axle components or the axle itself. This move hopefully will not upset too many people.

Also, look out for an ecoboost  V6 engine to make its appearance in the mustang lineup. The power output should match the current V6-equipped mustang, but will be a little easier on the wallet in regards to gas consumption. If only all cars had ecoboost engines, as the current hurricane Isaac is looking like it will cross paths with many oil rigs in the gulf (aka higher gas prices coming soon).

Would a turbo V6 influence you more to own/drive a mustang?

Tuesday Night's Top Gear USA

I've been weary of the American Top Gear, but I must admit that I am coming around.

Everyone should know and expect that the American Top Gear should and will never replace the British show. With a clear and open mind and a set expectation, you can now watch the show.

Last nights episode featured they guys testing 3 small 2 seaters out of their elements, away from the city. Th Scion IQ, the Smart car, and the Fiat 500 were dumped deep in the bayou ( pronounced "bae-yeio") in Louisiana. They did a good job showing the vehicles from both perspectives of practical and completely unpractical. If you get a chance to watch it, you will definitely be in for a humorous yet educational time.

If you watched it, let us know what you thought!

Club Dirty Approved

This will be a section of random cars or trucks (or anything with an engine) that is spotted around town

For example, this sighting made my day! I've always heard about this thing, but never seen it in real person. This picture does not do this wiener justice. It's massive and 100% American.

Club Dirty Auto is gathering its resources to provide the ultimate site for automotive anything. As we are collecting our thoughts and future for the site, feel free to comment with any automotive articles you wish you would see more of online.