A Stroll Through Barrett Jackson

I got a chance to visit the Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ two weeks ago. First off, the auction itself has a massive footprint....the indoor spaces for the auction and all of the auction cars are HUGE. If you include the outdoor tents and vendor areas then it is quite a bit to take in a few hours. Overall, it was a very very impressive collection of cars. Clearly, there are two ways to go the auction - as a car guy going to a car show or someone going to buy/bid on a car. I was in the former camp. As a car show, it is fantastic and being by the stage hearing and seeing the auction that I have watched many times on TV was pretty cool. I took a few photos as I strolled through. Here are the highlights:

The Facility:

Automobilia Auction on Stage

Cool $70K simulator that I got to run

Bondurant Demonstration for C7 Vettes

Outdoor tent with huge collection of cars to auction

Another BA simulator setup

The queue outside for the auction block

Car Auction in Action

Filming piece on the Salon collection cars

The Cars:

Simon Cowell's Veyron

Gas Monkey Garage F40

L88 Corvette Racecar

Cool Warren Johnson Drag Car

Engine Goodness

Two Vintages of Batmobile

Mosler

Snake and Mongoose Drag Cars + Haulers

Vintage Midget with restored over-cab hauler

Crazy Hot Wheels BMW Isetta

Historic Fiat Racecar

FIA 289 Cobra

Viper GTS-R

Hot Rod Jeep with Gunner Seat!

These two cars are never far apart........

Miami Vice Boat with a cool engine shot

More Patches to the Collection

Karting, Ferrari, Camaro

SoloMatters.com Shop Manual: E-Street Prepared

Chapter 4 of SoloMatters.com's Shop Manual series focused on my class, E-Street Prepared. Check it out here to get a little more information on the cars that compete in this American Muscle vs. AWD Boost Buggy class: www.solomatters.com/shopmanual-chapter-4-e-street-prepared

Our Camaro with my Dad driving made a cameo in the article:

Making Progress on the Lift Install

Still need to finish plumbing the hydraulic lines and wiring the motor/cutoff switch, but the lift is stood up and it looks HUGE inside the shop. Can't wait to put it to good use! Thanks to Josh, Stuart, Joe and Ali for the help this past weekend. 

The Bondurant School from a Boeing MD-80

Been to Phoenix many times and never flown in with a view of Bondo....looks good from the air!

Throwback Thursday: Article on "Ogburn Family Racing" from 2006

My Dad was given this article by a long-time VMSC member while I was back home for Christmas. A little blast from the past from our local autocross club's newsletter....

Methanol, Midgets and the 1/4 mile dream

Check out this documentary about a Kiwi racing team designing, building and racing a very unique midget racecar with the ultimate goal of travelling to Tulsa, OK to race in the Chili Bowl Nationals. As the Brits would say, it's a pretty neat piece of kit and well worth the hour especially if you are a dirt racing fan.