Antique cars conjuring nostagic images of everything from zoot suits to disco balls — not to mention lower gas prices — will be cruising the streets of Saskatoon this weekend.
From June 26 to 29, the Saskatoon Antique Auto Club (SAAC) plays host to the 47th annual international antique auto rally, Running Great in ‘08.
The convention is held in different Canadian cities every year. Saskatoon last hosted the event in 1999.
Cars will be coming from across the province, Alberta, British Columbia and several Northern states including Montana and Washington.
Antique autos are classified as vehicles produced during the 1910s into the 1970s. Though some of the cars are close to a century old, such as a 1915 Ford Model T making an appearance this year, most are in full working order.
“People take the time and effort to make sure these cars are in good condition, so they’ll be nice and shiny and working,” said Lorne Mysko, promotions co-ordinator for the SAAC.
Mysko says the highlight of the event is Friday night’s Antique Auto Display on 21st, on the north side of the Delta Bessborough Hotel.
Car lovers will be able to walk through and examine the automobiles and talk to the owners about the work they’ve put into the cars, he said.
Luc Vangool, registrar for the event, says there is a total of 120 vehicles set to make an appearance at the rally.
Four cars are from the 1910s, four from the 1920s, 13 from the 1930s, and 50 from the 1940s and 50s. There will also be some cars from the 1960s, 70s and even the 1980s.
“I’m getting really excited to see some of the cars, especially these really old ones,” said Vangool.
Vangool will also be showing off one of his own antiques, a 1954 Ford Skyliner, made when some windshields were made partly of plexi-glass.
Though he is happy with the registration numbers, Vangool says they are down from the 1999 event, and that’s a “sign of the times.”
Most of these cars will be driving to the rally, and that can get expensive when you’re only getting eight miles to the gallon.
“Old cars are not exactly exceptional for gas mileage,” he joked.
June 26th, 2008
Looking like a rolling museum exhibit, nearly 60 antique cars motored through Northwest Arkansas on Monday to open the five-day Rogers Vintage Rally.
Drivers and navigators of the 58 cars in The Hemmings Challenge 2008 series associated with the Vintage Car Rally Association rally streamed into downtown Van Buren around noon Monday for their first lunch break after a short tour in eastern Oklahoma.
The rally is scheduled to run through Friday — each day sending teams on different routes through Northwest Arkansas, northeast Oklahoma and southwest Missouri.
The rally isn’t a pleasure ride for the teams. The rules of the rally require them to follow specific routes and drive at precise speeds for exact distances and try to arrive at their destination in a set amount of time.
“This is a very intense competition,” association director Rex Gardner said. “These people are very intense about what they do.” The teams with the best times will win a purse of $ 65, 000, Gardner said, a good incentive that has drawn entries nationwide.
Monday’s route took teams, starting a minute apart, on secondary roads to Stilwell, Okla., and on to Van Buren for lunch. The teams then roared off to Mountainburg and back to the finish line at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers. The teams will start and finish at the center each day.
Routes the remainder of the week will send teams to Joplin, Mo., Claremore and Muskogee, Okla., and Eureka Springs. The drivers will vote on the best of these five “host” cities, which will receive $ 5, 000, Gardner said.
The organization also hopes to raise $ 25, 000 for the Autism Society of America, Gardner said.
Driver Dan Loubiere of Pearland, Texas, and his navigator and father, Bill Loubiere of Plano, Texas, fought a losing battle to stay dry Monday as they rolled into a rainy, downtown Van Buren in their open-cockpit 1932 Ford Speedster.
They were in good spirits when they eased themselves out of the cramped seats, despite their rain suits not doing the job they’d hoped. Many of the old cars have been carefully restored. But they are not just a bunch of pretty bodies. They are working machines that must endure the rigors of the road and get their teams from start to finish for all five days of the rally. Dan Loubiere said he has redundant systems in his car to keep it on the road. Teams are allowed to upgrade things like electrical and cooling systems and brakes to maintain safety, driver David Reeder of Fort Smith said. Otherwise, it’s original equipment in the cars.
Reeder and his six-time navigator, grandson Sawyer Stone of Hot Springs, who turns 15 today, competed Monday in a 1932 Ford Coupe.
“I just love old cars,” Reeder said. “I’ve had old cars all my life.” The brother and sister team of Jeff and Ashley Campbell of Rogers drove a 1930 Model A pickup. Driver Linda Pike and navigator Shelia Watson, both of Searcy, competed in a 1937 Ford convertible. Tom Lindsey and Janice Haggard, both of Conway, entered a 1941 Ford Coupe in the rally.
Garth Hill of Springdale drove a 1931 Packard Roadster; G. R. Pike of Searcy was the driver of a 1916 Hudson Indy Racer; and John Hollansworth of Hot Springs Village drove a 1917 Peerless “Green Dragon” racer.
There were several antique open-cockpit racers in the rally, as well as regular road cars.
The oldest racer, as well as the oldest car in the rally, was a 1911 Velie H 1 Racytype driven by the father-son team of Howard and Douglas Sharp of Fairport, N. Y. The youngest car in the rally was a 1953 MG TF with the team of Charles and Jane Darrow of Jersey Shore, Pa.
June 26th, 2008
Pickup trucks are very useful in moving luggage and other household goods while moving from one house to another. Though originally designed to haul cargo, pickup trucks have become immensely popular for luggage transport also.
There are many companies who rent out pickup trucks, depending on individual requirements. Before deciding which company to hire the pickup truck from, you need to be sure of the services they provide. There are companies that provide ‘self-service moving,’ which means that instead of paying the mover to come and pack your luggage, you can do the packing and haul the luggage into the truck. This will reduce your expenses; otherwise, you will have to pay the packing and loading charges also.
Pickup truck rental companies also provide accessories such as loading ramps, blankets, and furniture pads, tie-down straps, and a dolly. You can use them to off load your luggage when you reach your destination. The rates are based on the actual distance traveled, space taken by the luggage, and its weight. You do not have to drive the truck, as the company provides a driver.
If you are not fully aware of the rules of the game, you may be hoodwinked into paying more freight charges than you actually need to pay. Since rents are based on the space your luggage occupies, you should see to it that it is accurately measured. Space should be measured on the floor, and not on the roof. Some companies may charge you for 24 cubic feet of space, including the roof, whereas your luggage occupies only 20 feet.
Besides being overcharged due to inaccurate space measurements, you may also be overcharged on the basis of the distance covered to reach your destination. Usually, the rental companies charge you for two ways, to and from the destination, on the plea that they spend fuel on the back journey as well. There are, however, some big companies whose offices may be located near your destination. So, in such cases, they may be charging you for a return journey they are not going to make.
June 20th, 2008
Riding a motor scooter with a “Carpe Diem” sticker, Wan Lee is on a trip of a lifetime through the United States at 30 mph.
The 26-year-old native of South Korea has traveled 16,000 miles through 28 states in the past eight months, including a pit stop in Niagara Falls on Wednesday afternoon before heading to New York City.
“I’ve always dreamed about taking this kind of trip,” Lee said. “I wanted to see the (U.S.) and I like meeting new people.”
After flying from Seoul, South Korea, to his aunt’s house in Fayetteville, N.C., Lee purchased a Honda Ruckus 50CC motor scooter for $2,000 and set off on his trip Oct. 22. He averages 150 miles a day at about 30 mph — only stopping to rest, eat and visit certain attractions, such as Yellowstone National Park.
Lee went on the Maid of the Mist during his afternoon visit to Niagara Falls before spending the night in Buffalo.
His journey, which has gone through such states as Georgia, Texas, Arizona and California, is being documented on totalruckus.com, a Web site dedicated to the scooters’ owners. Those posting messages on the site have not only offered Lee a place to stay when he arrives in their town, but have also donated money to pay some of his expenses.
Currently, raffle tickets are being sold for his scooter when he’s done, with all of the money going to the Make a Wish Foundation, said fellow Honda Ruckus owner Donny Orr of Hamilton, Ont.
Lee, a college student and chef, travels with a few large bags on his bike that hold clothes, a tent, portable stove and an extra gas tank among other things. He said he’s spent just over $500 in gas during his entire trip.
Orr and Paul Penney drove their scooters across the border to meet up with Lee on Wednesday and show him the local sights.
“Everyone has been coaching him on the Web site,” Orr said. “What he’s doing is really exciting.”
Lee will leave for New York City today and eventually make his way to Washington, D.C. before heading back to North Carolina. He’s scheduled to board a plane back to Korea on July 15 — taking with him a lifetime of memories and American souvenirs, including 3,500 digital photos, a miniature alligator’s head from Florida, a novelty pirate’s skull and 120 bottle caps from different brands of beer he’s sampled.
June 19th, 2008
Ferrari was reported developing SUV fastest in the world that will be introduced to Geneva the motor in show 2010. The challenger Porsche Cayenne this in gave the Ferrari FS code-name 599 Fuoristrada.
Was based on information that was assembled from the insider in Ferrari, the model and the design of this new car approximately the noose like appearance in the photograph. According to information, SUV five doors will receive the motive system of four wheels for the function off-road.
But that not the main priority. Most powers will be sent to the wheel behind (22 inch) behind. The machine from Ferrari F599 Fiorano with few modifications. The production of the maximum power more than 600 hp and torsion 600 Nm. With the weight 2.2 ton, the sprint from quiet to 100 km / hour was hoped for less than five seconds, the blessing paddle shift in the steering wheel bar.
The speed of the peak was aimed at 300 km /hour. When the specification was realized, Ferrari FS 599 Fuoristrada would easily overtake Porsche Cayenne Turbo and the price on 250.000 Euro.
June 17th, 2008
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