The Junkman

Isn't this a Miata with a strong Ferrari fixation?

That's great. I just found it on my Firestick selections. Now to figure out how to go back and find it again.

Being that its LA, I wonder if it might have been one of the movie cars. I seem to recall they made 6 different cars for the filming and I know there is an original one is at the Petersen Museum. Heck, I once worked traffic control at a movie ("Pontiac Moon") where there were two 1951 Pontiac Chieftains-brush painted in tan(!) and two Amphicars when I'd never seen more than one at any one time.

There are a number of colleges offering degrees in auto restoration. I found a year old article about just that subject. https://classiccarjobs.us/2024/05/29/top-colleges-and-programs-for-classic-car-restoration/

Found these in my own neighborhood. The owner is a young guy (late 20's-very early 30's) who works remotely for a tech company in Silicon Valley. The red car is a Challenger Hellcat and the Corvette is track dedicated. No, he's not married either.

Not a Mopar guy but it looks like a 1965 Plymouth Barracuda to me.

Yard sale: one and a half Monogram '65 Impala coupe kit. Box had one unbuilt full kit and a partial build of the interior pan and the engine bay of the other. Poorly done, glue smears, seats with the seatbacks glued to the floor (basically upside down). Got the whole set for $1. You'll get no complaints from me but now I've got to source another body and glass.

I'm reminded of a Nissan Juke, the Japanese Pontiac Aztek. Hard pass on either of them. I know they're re-imagining the original Alpine like Ford did with the 2005/1969 Mustang but, no.

Apparently, they no longer have free accounts, sooooo.....bye.

A 1969 Olds Cutlass S, white with gold highlights. Overall condition was fair, a few dents around the periphery. Not a Hurst Olds but moving in that direction.

Not to one up you but the last one I saw was in West Hollywood, about 1979 and was being driven by Rod Stewart (yeah, that one). Had a smashing blonde next to him to.

Scalemates lists an Academy Mclaren M8A. I've never seen one but there are two currently up on EvilBay. No idea how good or bad it is. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/academy-minicraft-1529-mclaren-m8a--1245291

An older Tesla Model Y with a printed sign in the rear passenger window: "I bought it before...."

Similar: my interest in motor books began with what I consider a bible "Ford: the Dust and the Glory" by Leo Levine. (I can't say the same for the later and much thinner sequel) I later discovered the writings of Brock Yates, Ken Purdy and Henry Manney III; a selection of whose writings should be in any library. I can't say anyone is filling the shoes of those giants currently.

Always been partial to the classic Torq Thrust wheels but, then again I am a child of the '60s.

1965 Ford Falcon Econoline like this but with poverty hub caps and without the frou-frou white wall tires. My mom got it in a divorce settlement from my dad but she never learned how to drive. 170ci, straight six that ate almost as much oil as gas.

Last year at this time, my wife and I went to Amsterdam to take in the tulips (Keukenhof Gardens). Along with all the car brands we don't see on this side of the Atlantic I was blown away with the high percentage of taxis there that were Mustang Mach-E's. A good 25%(+). Its still not a Mustang 😁

A few months ago my wife and I saw an Avanti while out on a drive. She thought it was a current model car from some Italian car company. I explained Studebaker before her eyes glazed over. It is still a very attractive design.

One of the neighbor's was having a kids birthday party across the street. In amongst the plethora of white/silver/grey soccer mom SUVs was this one. OTOH, the host of the party moved this one out on the street to make more room for tables and chairs in the garage. It is as straight, clean, and as well preserved as it looks.

1961 (?) Chevy Apache Suburban with an unrestored patina to it. Pictured in Marin County, the #4 or #5 most affluent county in the US. I never knew you could get them with fender skirts. And more in keeping with the affluence: a Ferrari 488 (?) Spyder in Grigio Ferro or Grigio Medio.

I don't know, its got to compare itself to "Redline 7000". A high standard to be certain.

I have been in contact with them to check the status of the subscription I paid for JUST before the publishing interruption. I'm hopeful but its still a bit "fuzzy".

I seem to recall a couple articles in the late Scale Auto Enthusiast that pointed out that the MPC kit was underscale (1/27 or 1/28) and the shapes were all wonky. The old Revell kit was considered a better choice even with all its known issues, FWIW. Heck, just the box art tells me the grill is off.

Ferrari day north of the Golden Gate. My problem is while I can tell a 250 SWB from a 250 GTO from a 275 GTB/4 from a 365 GTB, all the ones newer than the F40 look alike to me. Saw two solos, one a late model front engine roadster in what was probably Azzurro California and another rear engine in Resale Red. Then on CA 12, just north of Sonoma an entire Ferrari club went past while Milady was purchasing a trinket at a interior decor store-likely 20-25 one after the other. It would help if they would consistently put the model number on the rear panel at least so I would know what just passed me. OTOH, following (way behind) the Ferrari club was a blue-green TR-4A, followed by a pristine 1967 Camaro convertible. Then the topper, about 3 hrs after the Ferrari sightings there was a absolutely cherry early 1960s XKE roadster in a cliche' of BRG over a camel leather interior just parked in front of an antique collective store-beautiful. Actually a block north, 5 hrs later, and the opposite direction from the first Ferrari sighting. For all its numerous foibles, February and March are great car watching months in California. No putting the steed up in November and wait until April to let it out. I'll call it a good day.

I've always liked the top on the MGB but the Spitfire's one leaves me cold. Then there's the one on the Mazda MX5 (it'll always be a Miata to me), some days it looks scabbed on and other days it looks like an attractive addition to the whole. Pure, unadulterated preference.