This series has included quite a few Porsches so far, with a 356, some 912s, a couple of 928s, a pair of 914s, and- of course- a bunch of 911s. But what about the 944? Porsche sold quite a few of them, and not all have been turned into $500 race cars. For whatever reason, I just havent found any 944s in Alameda... until now.
Porsche definitely got into the 80s thing with the sell-the-brand-name backlit PORSCHE lettering on the back of the 944.
The 944 is a beautifully engineered car, with near-perfect front/rear weight distribution and lots of shiny aluminum stuff... but just try to work on one! No, dont! You can buy a pretty clean 944 for peanuts (the 87 944S listed for $28,250 new, a few hundred bucks cheaper than the 87 Buick GNX), but the bill to replace a timing belt or clutch pushes the cost of ownership orders of magnitude higher.
This example seems to drive every day and looks decent in spite of paint fried by the California sun. Now I need to find a 924, of course, so we can look at some Porsche Malaisitude.
You cant even get a good Fieroborghini for $6,000 these days, and even the Ă¼ber-hellish Espada costs at least 15 Gs. Here comes SOS10 to the rescue, finding this 2-fer-1 Lamborghini deal for us. Sure, theyre tractors, but theyve got air-cooled diesel engines, huge tires, and theyre genuine Lambos! [eBay Motors]
It appears the Japanese are asking help from the enemy to globalise the apple of their eye: according to unconfirmed reports, Toyota wants to collaborate with General Motors to[...] - [Read more]
The TVR Speed 12 seems to be the forgotten supercar, although it certainly has the proper credentials to be remembered as one of the best. With a massive 7.7-liter V12 pushing 820 horsepower and a curb weight of just over 2,000 lbs., the Speed 12 has a power-to-weight ratio nearly twice that of the Bugatti Veyron. The stunning bodywork is done completely in carbon fiber and shifting is done with a true sequential gearbox. Then why the lack of attention? It probably has something to due with the fact that only one road car was built, along with a handful of race cars, and only one test was ever done by the media when it appeared in EVO magazine. The car is now for sale, and we hope the new owner doesnt find it too much of a handful and wreck the one and only example. Its not like its an Enzo, where you can just go out and buy another. No price is listed, but we would venture to guess its not cheap.
Car & Driver is a common choice as bathroom reader around Autoblog HQ, though thumbing through the latest issue had us contemplating using the glossy pages for TP. C&D got its hands on Nissans new GT-R and its development benchmark, the Porsche 911 Turbo. Thats great so far, as everyone wants to know how the Nissan stacks up against its bogey. The trouble comes when a BMW M3 gets tossed into the mix. What? The M3 is a hell of a car and it clearly earns its perennial 10-Best status, but its outgunned and mismatched in this company. Somehow it managed to win a three-way comparo with two supercars anyway.
Almost a year ago, I had the opportunity to head out to Montreal and go behind the scenes of the new re-visioned movie "Death Race" starring Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Ian McShane and yes, Joan Allen. Whereas the names of the characters they play may be the same, the storylines anything but — this time the "Death Race" is set in what wed been told was an "economic" prison sometime in the not-so-distant dystopian future. But well throw down more of that later. The really cool part was getting a first-hand look at some of the metal made into prison inmates very own PCH cars — and theres some really cool stuff to be seen. So without further ado, below the jump are the ten vehicles at the center of the new Paul W.S. Anderson-directed flick coming to a theater near you August 22nd, 2008 — along with all the details on the add-ons that make them "special" plus, because youre so good, a whole mess-load of screenshots. Enjoy and remember, small children are only worth more points because theyre harder to hit.
1.) Frankensteins Monster- 2006 Ford Mustang GT
Engine: Supercharged 4.6L V8
Ford Racing Exhaust System
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Suspension: Progress Technology adjustable coil over front struts and rear shocks
Progress Technology adjustable rear lower control arms
Progress Technology adjustable panhard bar
Wheels: 18" 2007 Ford Mustang Cobra wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes T1R 255/45 ZR 18
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 285/45 ZR 18
Brakes: Brembo Disc Brake System
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey Aluminum Racing Seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
CNC Hand Brake
Battery moved to battery box in trunk
2.) Machine Gun Joes Ram- 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 4wd
Engine: 5.7L V8 Hemi
Transmission: 5 speed automatic
Suspension: Rancho 9000 Shocks for front and rear
Firestone Air Bags for front and rear
Custom fabricated rear sway bar
Drivetrain: Removed front axles and front differential
Replaced rear axle with 1 ton dually axle
Wheels: Front- Stock 20" Dodge Ram wheels
Rear- Stock 16" dually wheels
Tires: Front- Stock tires
Rear- Toyo Open Country 265/75R 16
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Sparrco Racing Seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
Tildon secondary hydraulic brake system
Battery moved to battery box in trunk
3.) Pachenkos Chop Top- 1966 Buick Riviera
Engine: Stock 430c.i. V8 "Nail Head"
Crane Ignition System
Transmission: 3 speed automatic
Suspension: Big block springs
KYB Gas Adjust shocks
Wheels: 17" Eagle Alloy Wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes T1R 255/45R 17
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 285/60R 17
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey Aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
Tildon secondary hydraulic brake system
Battery moved to battery box in trunk
4.) 14Ks 1980 Porsche 911
Engine: Stock 2.7L 6cyl.
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Suspension: Front and rear Bilstein adjustable coil shocks
Eibach racing springs
Wheels: 15" NASCAR style steel wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes TPT 225/60R 15
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 295/50R 15
Brakes: Stock Braking System
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey Aluminum Racing Seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
CNC hand brake
Jazz Aluminum fuel cell
Custom fabricated battery box
5.) Colts Jag - 1989 Jaguar XJS
Engine: V12
Transmission: 4 speed automatic
Suspension: KYB Gas Adjust Shocks
Eibach Racing Springs
Custom fabricated front and rear sway bars
Wheels: 15" Aero Beadlock wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes TPT 225/60R 15
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 295/50R 15
Brakes: Stock Braking System
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
CNC hand brake
RCI fuel cell
Battery moved to battery box in trunk
6.) Grimms 300: 2006 Chrysler 300C
Engine: 345c.i. V8
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Suspension: Air Ride Technologies air suspension kit
Wheels: 20" American Racing Wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes 4 245/45ZR 20
Rear- Toyo Proxes 4 255/45ZR 20
Brakes: Stock braking system
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
Tildon hydraulic secondary brake system
Custom fabricated fuel cell
Battery moved to battery box in trunk
7.) 1972 Buick Riviera "Boat tail"
Engine: 350c.i. V8
Crane Ignition System
Transmission: Turbo 350 3-speed automatic
Suspension: Big block springs front and rear
KYB Gas Adjust shocks
Custom fabricated rear sway bar
Wheels: Stock 1971 Buick Riviera wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Spectrum 225/70R 15
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 275/60R 15
Brakes: Stock braking system
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
Tildon hydraulic secondary brake system
Battery moved to battery box in trunk
8.) 1979 Pontiac Trans Am
Engine: 350HO V8 Crate motor
Transmission: Turbo 350 3-speed automatic
Suspension: Big block coil springs
KYB Gas Adjust shocks
Custom fabricated rear sway bar
Wheels: 17" American Racing wheels
Tires: Front/ Rear Goodyear 215/65R 17
Brakes: Stock braking system
Stunt Modifications: Roll cage
Kirkey Aluminum Racing Seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
CNC hand brake
Wilwood secondary rear brake calipers
Battery moved to battery box in trunk
9.) 1989 BMW 735i
Engine: 6cyl.
Transmission: 4 speed automatic
Suspension: KYB Gas Adjust shocks
Eibach Racing coil springs
Wheels: 18" American Racing wheels
Tires: Front/Rear Toyo Proxes T1R 255/40ZR 18
Brakes: Stock braking system
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey Aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
Custom fabricated aluminum fuel cell
CNC hand brake
Wilwood secondary rear brake calipers
10.) The Dreadnaught
There are no words to describe this onslaught of mechanical strength called "The Dreadnaught." Check out the video to get a taste. Come on back later this week when we do a sit-down with Jason Statham and ask him what car hes got in his driveway.
While we havent had the pleasure of piloting a 2009 VW Tiguan quite yet, our good friends at Popular Mechanics have thrown the mini-ute around a bit and pronounced it more Golf than Touareg — a good thing. Powered only by the 2.0-liter turbo mill making 200 HP and 207 lb-ft of twist, the Tiguan ends up being one of the most powerful soft-roaders in the neighborhood. It may not be our bag, but its true. Plus, if youre a buyer electing to be honest about your vehicular needs and choose a FWD Tiguan, you can get a proper manual transaxle; drivers requiring 4Motion are saddled with only a slushbox.
After the spectacular body work and 30-inch kicks on that Mercedes CL the other day, we didnt think modified German steel could get any more extravagant. However, today the sun rose anew and provided for us a refreshed challenge to the sensibilities. Tuning house Lithuanian National (which we can only assume is a front for blue jeans trafficking) has decided to show up their entry into the realm of super-mod schteel. This gives that CL a run for its money, but were not sure quite what to make of it. What does that mean? Poll time.
So, in a battle of epic modifying wills, who runs the show here? The CL has got serious craziness going on, but this Bimmer, at certain angles, actually looks pretty hot...particularly in light of the devilish license plate. What say you, fine peoples?
The jaw-droppingly steep price tag, automatic transmission, and ARBOUR GREEN paint of the 56 Jag made it an unassailable Hell Project fortress, giving the XK140 an easy win over the 58 Mercedes-Benz 190 in our last Choose Your Eternity poll. Was it fair to force a Benz to go toe-to-toe with the product of a PCH Superpower? Maybe not... so today were going to give Germany another shot at unseating a Superpower. And not just any PCH Superpower- were having another Franco-Prussian rematch!
Youve got your Simcas and your Peugeots, your Renaults and even your Matras... but when youre talking serious French Project Car Hell, youre talking Citröen. When youre Citröen shopping in North America, you need to ask yourself: Do I want a car that was imported by Citröen, or do I want a crazy gray-market car with zero parts availability and questionable street-legality? Do I even need to answer that question? What any Project Car Hell masochist aficionado worth his or her salt yearns for is a nice long-wheelbase Citröen CX, suitable for use as a chauffeur-driven limousine. Better run to your bank for $8,500 in cash and catch the next flight to Denver, because weve found this 87 Citröen CX2500 Prestige (go here if the ad disappears) for you. Gadzooks! I know youre still staggering back from the magnitude of this find, so youd better grab onto something solid before you read this statement from the seller: "This stealth body design is virtually invisible to radar." Yes, its a stealth Citröen! No word about the running condition, other than the tiny fly-in-ointment of "Unresolved intermittent ignition circuit problem." Hey, that wont be hard to fix, right? Walk in the park, Billy! Thanks to Davey G for the tip!
We love that CX Prestige, of course, but doesnt the truer, more pure Hell come from a German car? Built with relentlessly excellent engineering and quality control, a Mercedes-Benz gives you no excuses for not finishing the project... which means youll have the character-building experience of weeping hopelessly over a nightmare of unobtainable parts and maddeningly complicated leading-edge technology, while all your friends think youre just inept. And how about a Mercedes-Benz Ponton? They built em in huge quantities, and most of the W121s are still around... easy, right? Then you should have no problem getting this 1960 Mercedes-Benz 190 station wagon back in top shape, ja? The asking price is a bit higher than that of the Citröen, sure, and its been sitting for a seal-shrinking, fuel-system-corroding, upholstery-ossifying 15 years, but dont let that scare you. Only 65,000 miles on the clock! One owner for the last 25 years! No mention of rust, but such mention really isnt necessary when youre talking about a 48-year-old New York car. Were sure body parts will be no sweat to obtain, and youll be able to put off a complete fuel system rebuild during the weeks decades you spend trying to find correct 190 wagon interior parts. Thanks to Teargas for the tip- and that reminds me: those of you who have sent me tips used in two separate PCH episodes need to remind me when youve earned the PCH Tipster T-shirt.
This was the craziest thing I saw Sunday at the All Mopar Spring Round-Up in Issaquah. Its a 37 Plymouth pickup with a 500 cubic inch Cadillac engine out of a FWD Eldorado—in the bed. Just check out that exhaust. Gary, who built this radical rod, has had it up to 120 mph and has plans to take it out to the Salt Flats later this year. More pics after the jump.
Adding to our recent video proof of the new R8 V10, plus still shots, weve got even more 5.2L Audi goodness. And just to prove theyre serious, Audis giving the new beast a shakedown on everyones favorite test track, the Nurburgring Nordschleife. While we dont have lap times yet, rest assured that were working on arranging a triple shootout with the Zonda F and the Nissan GT-R. Hey, a guy can dream.
Click above image for huge high-res gallery of pics from the LA Concours
The 3rd Annual Los Angeles Concours dElegance took place on Sunday, June 1, once again bringing classic cars and exotics together in the shadow of the Rose Bowl. Held annually in Pasadena, California to benefit the Assistance League of Southern California, this young concours is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the better ones on the circuit. Not surprising considering the fact that there are tons of championship quality machines in the area, both from private collections and top-notch museums like the Nethercutt and Petersen. Close to 300 cars were displayed in 40 categories ranging from horseless carriages to 1990 and newer Ferraris. Along with thousands of spectators, we were on hand with cameras clickin, capturing some of the day for all of you who couldnt be there.
Click through the gallery and you will see Porsche 356es, Ferraris, Aston Martins, Mercedes, Triumphs, MGs, vintage race cars, Rolls-Royces, muscle cars, Alfas, Lancias, Packards, Fords, Cadillacs, go-karts, Cobras and Jaguars. There was also an assortment of cars most of us have never heard of like the EMF, Amilcar, Autocar, Kissel, Margrette, and Tahis. Personal favorites included the 1953 Rita Hayworth Cadillac Ghia Coupe, 1925 Amilcar boattail, 1937 Talbot-Lago, Ferrari Lusso and Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato. Check out the gallery to pick out your favorites as well.
With last weeks news that BMW will begin producing the new X1 at its Leipzig facility, it was just a matter of time before the Bavarian boys gave us an indication as to when its compact CUV would be unveiled. As suspected, the wraps will be pulled off an X1 concept at the Paris Motor Show this September, but as is often the case with BMW, the "concept" is almost exactly what well see when it goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2009. The new model will be built off the 1-series platform (a shortened 3-series) and according to an unnamed source quoted by Automotive News, "will use the two highest spec gasoline and the two highest spec diesel engines from the 1-series."
The source also confirmed earlier reports that the MINI SUV/CUV will debut in Paris with power provided by the Cooper S turbocharged 1.4-liter or the Cooper Ds oilburner. Sales of the MINI ute will begin in the second quarter of 2010.
When we last checked in with the 2010 Jaguar XF-R it looked as though there might be a powerful 5.0-liter V8 lurking under the hood. Weve seen a lot of the XF-R, as seen below, but the actual motivation has been a point of contention. It is our good fortune then that a Fast Lane Daily source happened to spot a fleet of XF-R engine mules, posing as S-Types, doing some harsh weather testing in Death Valley, California. Witnesses suggested the mules emitted a sound similar to the V8 found in the Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Thats not an insane suggestion given that Aston and Jag were under the same roof around the time this vehicle probably began development.
Its been a while since we saw a Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 34 here, and that one was undergoing major engine work at the time. Good thing Iamhoff had camera- well, phone- at the ready when he found this Type 34 on the street in San Diego. This is one rare machine! Make the jump to read Iamhoffs description.
O DOTS Guru:
I submit for your consideration a vehicle Ive seen several times near the UC San Diego campus. Finally, I was able to stop and get some decent pics of it. Sorry about the interior pic, but what can you do with a camera phone and a dirty window? Not sure of the year (61 thru 69 obviously) and definitely not restored, but very straight. I know theyre rare, but two guys who I work with who are surfers and who claim to worship at the VW Bus altar (the boss still has his Euro Van) had never seen one in person. Thought you might find it interesting.
Audis plans for expansion have been covered endlessly on these pages, and with a goal of selling 1.5 million vehicles globally each year by 2015, Audi understands that success in the U.S. is a key to its goals. Audi is aiming to sell 200,000 units annually to Stateside consumers and the automaker hopes that a portion of those sales will come from a small CUV that slots in below the Q5. Johan de Nysschen, executive veep at Audi of America, is calling the unnamed softroader a "lifestyle" product, which is expected to go on sale early next year. However, a deal with Nissan that only allows Audi to use the "Q" designation on its larger vehicles (the Q5 and Q7) means that it wont be called the Q3... supposedly.
The Autoweek article goes on to say that Audi is considering adding another supercar into its lineup, but de Nysschen didnt offer up any details. Could it be another R8 powered by either a V10 or a V12 TDI? Time will tell, but a halo vehicle to take on the forthcoming Mercedes uber-coupe or BMW M1 revival isnt out of the question.
The A1, however, wont be coming to the U.S. in its first lifecycle. And the future of Audi diesels remains an open question, with the oil-burning Q7 due to hit the market next year and an A4 diesel supposedly in the works.
The two sedans may look like Jaguar S-Types, but according to Fast Lane Dailys spy shot A-Team, they arent. They are actually XF-R mules disguised as S-Types with large wheels and big, bulging fender flares. They were caught during hot weather testing recently in Death Valley, U.S.A., and FSD reports that their engines did not sound supercharged, a la the XK-R. Rather, they sounded like the naturally aspirated V8 from the Aston Martin Vantage. Though theyre not part of the same happy Ford family anymore, Jaguar could now buy engines from Aston Martin and not worry about stepping on the toes of its sister company. However, this is the first weve heard of the engine in the XF-R not being supercharged, so take it with a big grain of salt for now. Follow the jump to check out the latest episode of Fast Lane Daily that features more of these XF-R mules, and check out our own gallery of the XF-R prototype below.
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Lincoln MKS
The first 2009 Lincoln MKS is still a couple months away from arriving at your local Lincoln dealer, but Ford has announced that 8,600 customers have already signed up for the all-new sedan. The MKS has garnered this hefty dose of interest no doubt due to Lincolns new design language, its well-crafted interior and large number of high-tech gizmos, but Fords marketing team deserves some credit, too. They began their work announcing the sedans starting price of $37,895 way back in November during the L.A. Auto Show, then followed up by giving would-be customers early access to a build and price tool on the Lincoln website. The marketing team is also reportedly training dealerships to be knowledgeable about the MKS months ahead of the usual timetable, which has helped salesmen secure preorders for the vehicle sight-unseen.
Preorders traditionally happen for high-end trim levels of a model, and the MKS is no different. Sixty-five percent of the 8,600 preorders have been for the high-end "Ultimate Package," which includes features like 19-inch rims, a THX audio system, and navigation system with Travel Link. An MKS with the Ultimate Package goes for $44,180, which means Lincolns making some money on the MKS before it even shows up for work.
It was when the oil light came on that I started to run through the appropriate next steps in my head...and realized that there arent any appropriate next steps when warning lights start going off in a 1982 VW Vanagon camper. Particularly one converted to run on a mixture of vegetable oil and algae biodiesel grown and refined by a group of Chicago high school students. As the Sears Tower, our goal, loomed in the distance, a question loomed in my mind: Was our shared belief in the future of petroleum alternatives and, more importantly, in the fuel processing abilities of public school students and their teachers, strong enough to convince us to push further into the knot of congestion forming around the city?
The Idea
David Levine, a second-year teacher placed in Chicago through the Teach For America program, faced a common problem: how to get students to take the same interest in their studies as in Grand Theft Auto IV. His school, the Al Raby School for Community and Environment, serves populations from the predominately African American neighborhoods on Chicagos West Side, a place where the median income is more than 40% lower than the city as a whole. How could he motivate his students to invest their time and interest in the scientific process?
Levine settled on one of the biggest issues facing this generation of students: the impact, both environmental and political, of our dependence on foreign sources of fuel. According to the UN Human Development Reports, the US emits 21% of the worlds carbon dioxide despite having only 4.6% of the worlds population. Were currently engaged in our second war in the oil-rich Middle East. Using these issues as a starting point, Levine sought a project that would address the problems while at the same time providing an educational and compelling experience for his students. Thus the Algae Biodiesel Van was born.
The goal was to create enough biodiesel from algae, grown and processed in the classroom, to power a vehicle from the school to Chicagos Sears Tower and back, an approximately 20-mile round trip. Because algae sucks carbon out of the atmosphere, it is relatively carbon neutral to produce and, unlike corn or soybeans, isnt a food crop. But how do you turn single-celled plants into viable fuel within the confines of a classroom?
The Process You cant miss the algae-processing unit that occupies the corner of Levines science classroom. Giant bags filled with a specific strain of fuel-producing algae are stacked on top of one another, connected by a series of tubes that pump the bright green organic slime around a stack of fluorescent lamps to encourage photosynthesis. This would actually make a great lighting fixture for a trendy LA sushi place.
Students have been working with Levine to cultivate the algae in their classroom and refine it down to fuel. Almost all the work was done on-site, though at one point the solution had to be taken to a centrifuge at the University of Illinois Chicago for final separation, an event which afforded students a chance to see a fully operational lab.
After spending a large portion of their junior year working through the process, the students were able to create what they hoped was enough fuel to power a vehicle the full distance: one gallon. Right before the trip one of the students showed off their beaker of algaediesel, which I can attest smells much better than petrodiesel. Though thats not saying much.
The Van Working with a small grant from BP Americas A+ For Energy program, there wasnt much room in the budget for buying a car specifically for the purposes of the test. Thankfully, the fuel is of such high quality that, when mixed with vegetable oil, it can run on most unmodified diesel engines. Heres where the 1982 Vanagon Diesel Westfalia Camper comes into the picture.
Faded orange with a white camper top, this particular Vanagon was loaned to the class for this experiment by a trusting friend of Levines family. Still used for camping, the small fridge inside the van features remnants from previous outings, plus a bed, kitchen and radio; its actually a small home theyre running on their fuel, made all the more so due to the absence of seat belts.
The Fantastic Voyage After draining off the low-sulfur petrodiesel in the tank, a large crowd of students, faculty and media collected around the van to see if it would actually start. There was a sense of hopeful expectation as Levine slowly poured a gallon of his students labors into the VW. After taping the plastic back over the fuel tank (they had trouble getting the cap back on), Levine lodged himself in the drivers seat, while his fellow science teachers piled in to provide moral support and, should the van break down, actual physical support. Engaging the clutch, a few held their breath has he turned the key. Put, Put, Put, Put, Put. The familiar register of a diesel engine filled the air, overtaken immediately by the applause of students.
Levine drove the van around the block and returned victoriously to this group of excited students suddenly filled with that sense of accomplishment that comes from a job well done. But one more test remained. Had they made enough good fuel to get the van to the Sears Tower and back? In traffic?
The principal decreed that students couldnt ride in the van since it lacked safety belts and, really, anything resembling safety equipment. Besides, limiting weight was a primary concern: The range calculations for a single gallon of fuel were fairly rough. The driving would be handled by James, Davids father and a veteran of the One Lap of America (he raced a Porsche 911 RS). Navigation was up to Evan, another science teacher involved in the program. I had the final seat on the back couch where I would serve as the historian and archivist. After a slight top-off with the remaining fuel mixture and a check of the systems (assuring the plastic was completely taped over where the gas cap should go) we set off for the Sears Tower.
Driving into downtown Chicago, especially on a Friday afternoon, requires an ability to improvise. Construction, traffic and frequent fender benders all lead to the sorts of complex traffic patterns that we dont currently have the processing power to comprehend. Thankfully, the Tower is the tallest building in the city and, therefore, was easy to spot out the vans windows.
Given our limited resources, we decided to tack east using a narrow road that runs predominately underneath the elevated train tracks. Though not the most direct route, we hoped to avoid congestion and keep track of our chase car, piloted by students and running on good ol 89 octane. The first few minutes out everything was going well. There was no foul smell or smoke and the engine was running smooth for a van older than the students who fueled it.
Thats when the oil light blinked at us. Could the fuel be interfering with the engines oil pressure or temperature? Were we just unlucky enough to be having an unrelated problem while winding our way towards the citys most recognizable piece of architecture? James gets on the phone with David and they quickly decide that its unrelated and not a concern.
Pushing forward, we keep spotting the peaks of the Tower between the other building that ring the outer loop. As we get closer to the city we start getting looks from the commodity traders, receptionists, service employees and others who are hoping to escape the city for the weekend. Even without the knowledge were running on algae, the van is hard to miss.
The oil light still illuminated, we weave our way past cabs and around buses until we see the sign for the Towers parking garage. Weve made it... halfway at least. Given the beefed up security downtown, Im hoping we dont get stuck and have to explain why we parked this funny-smelling van right next to the buildings foundation.
James parked the van down the street from the amazing structure, thus lowering the risk of clogging traffic any further and providing a better location for photos. After a quick picture with two of the students, we raced back across town to the school. Worried about fuel levels, there wasnt time to dawdle. We cut south before going west, hoping to avoid the worst traffic. Our gambit worked, and we arrived at the school a few minutes earlier than planned. So early, in fact, that there was no one around to celebrate our victory over the forces of fuel consumption. Where the hell were the students?
It turns out they were inside munching on donated snacks and enthusiastically sharing their research and work on environmental projects they designed as part of the "Green Fair" planned around the launch of the Algae Car. Inspired by the fuel project, more students than usual actually completed their assignments. One of the coaches at the school remarked that in high school he just did his assignments to do them, but that Levines kids "were actually doing the work because they cared and believed in it." Talking with some of the students and teachers, its clear that this may be the days biggest victory.
Victory And Hope
Its hard to overestimate either the technical or educational achievement of this project. While this particular journey back-and-forth from the school to downtown isnt going to fundamentally change our nations energy policy, it did impact the very people who will be involved in finding solutions in the future. The next night I joined a tired but proud Levine for dinner. In addition to the joy he felt from successfully completing the project, he also had great news about his students educational progress.
The students in his classes dramatically improved their scores on the scientific portion of the ACT compared with the previous year. It isnt easy to quantify the amount that this specific project contributed to the leap in test scores, but it would be hard to deny the impact after seeing his excited students cheer on their project car.
Having driven another special diesel prototype, the Audi R8 V12 TDI LeMans, I cant say that the Vanagon is quite as menacing. And instead of being flanked by black SUVs driven by off-duty cops, we were followed by an old silver Camry driven by a couple of students. But if I had to choose which experience I thought was more important, more impressive and more downright awesome Id have to go with the Algae Car. With a significantly smaller budget, a group of determined students and their dedicated teachers proved our options for the future are only limited by our own imagination.
Wrong. At least thats what we think. Were the country that turned our wagons into drag strippers and ghost busters. Clearly we can complete with the likes of Benzies and Bimmers. With gas prices going up, maybe the days of the luxury SUV are numbered and the luxowagon will take it place. Or are we just dreaming?
This series has included quite a few Porsches so far, with 
You cant even get a good 
Almost a year ago, I had the opportunity to head out to Montreal and go behind the scenes of the new re-visioned movie "
While we havent had the pleasure of piloting a 
After the spectacular body work and 30-inch kicks on that 
The jaw-droppingly steep price tag, automatic transmission, and ARBOUR GREEN paint of the 56 Jag made it an unassailable Hell Project fortress, giving the XK140 an easy win over the 58 Mercedes-Benz 190 in our last 
Adding to our recent 
When we last checked in with the 
Its been a while since we 
It was when the oil light came on that I started to run through the appropriate next steps in my head...and realized that there arent any appropriate next steps when warning lights start going off in a 1982 VW Vanagon camper. Particularly one converted to run on a mixture of vegetable oil and algae biodiesel grown and refined by a group of Chicago high school students. As the 
You cant miss the algae-processing unit that occupies the corner of Levines science classroom. Giant bags filled with a specific strain of fuel-producing algae are stacked on top of one another, connected by a series of tubes that pump the bright green organic slime around a stack of fluorescent lamps to encourage photosynthesis. This would actually make a great lighting fixture for a trendy LA sushi place.
Working with a small grant from BP Americas 
After draining off the low-sulfur petrodiesel in the tank, a large crowd of students, faculty and media collected around the van to see if it would actually start. There was a sense of hopeful expectation as Levine slowly poured a gallon of his students labors into the VW. After taping the plastic back over the fuel tank (they had trouble getting the cap back on), Levine lodged himself in the drivers seat, while his fellow science teachers piled in to provide moral support and, should the van break down, actual physical support. Engaging the clutch, a few held their breath has he turned the key. Put, Put, Put, Put, Put. The familiar register of a diesel engine filled the air, overtaken immediately by the applause of students.
The principal decreed that students couldnt ride in the van since it lacked safety belts and, really, anything resembling safety equipment. Besides, limiting weight was a primary concern: The range calculations for a single gallon of fuel were fairly rough. The driving would be handled by James, Davids father and a veteran of the One Lap of America (he raced a Porsche 911 RS). Navigation was up to Evan, another science teacher involved in the program. I had the final seat on the back couch where I would serve as the historian and archivist. After a slight top-off with the remaining fuel mixture and a check of the systems (assuring the plastic was completely taped over where the gas cap should go) we set off for the Sears Tower.
Thats when the oil light blinked at us. Could the fuel be interfering with the engines oil pressure or temperature? Were we just unlucky enough to be having an unrelated problem while winding our way towards the citys most recognizable piece of architecture? James gets on the phone with David and they quickly decide that its unrelated and not a concern.
James parked the van down the street from the amazing structure, thus lowering the risk of clogging traffic any further and providing a better location for photos. After a quick picture with two of the students, we raced back across town to the school. Worried about fuel levels, there wasnt time to dawdle. We cut south before going west, hoping to avoid the worst traffic. Our gambit worked, and we arrived at the school a few minutes earlier than planned. So early, in fact, that there was no one around to celebrate our victory over the forces of fuel consumption. Where the hell were the students?
Having driven another special diesel prototype, the 
With the leak of significant details about the