Best. Sports Car. Documentary. Ever. 1965 Targa Florio

That you can watch this gorgeous 40 minute documentary about the 1965 Targa Florio for free is one of the bonuses of the internet. This is spectacular stuff with which to while away the post-NFL time.

In it you see up close, unvarnished racing action. Interviews with drivers. In car footage of dogs scampering across the roads. Why were these types of races outlawed again?

All the racing legends are here. Graham Hill, Paddy Hopkirk, Vacarella(sp?). The latter the Sicilian born schoolmaster who wins the Targa. A school teacher driving a factory Ferrari! Only in 1965.

Love it. Love it. Love it.

And that sign I screen grabbed - does that mean that mom's should hold onto their babies or watch out so the driver's don't sully their daughters?

Watch it here.

So, the official review from Octane came out. And it was good. They liked it. Which is saying something because they usually eviscerate fiction.

BUT, man are they picky about the Brit vs. UK thing. This is a car book and they pick on what they thought was an error. I did mean 'sauce' not 'sausage'. The dish is from a high-end hotel and is a modern interpretation of a traditional breakfast. Come on guys. Comment on the cars, not the food. Which was as I wanted it anyway.

And, for any one who doubts there is a 'black pudding sauce' just google it. Or check out the menu here or the recipe here. And anyone who has been to Blumenthal's restaurant has probably had a 'black pudding sauce' as well.

We Few, We Happy Few, We Band of Brothers

May be it is a corruption to use a speech from a play about a battle of the few against the many to describe the cold Cars & Coffee this morning, but hey, sometimes I feel a bit dramatic.

We wheeled the MK2 out of hibernation at 7am and rolled up to Boulder/Lafayette. A gorgeous sunrise of pinks and purples over the Rockies and no traffic. We arrived to find no one else. But soon about twenty hardy souls brought out their cars.

A nice 80SC in arrow blue was present. Love the color. I should have painted my race car that shade. Also a cool driver GTV and even a brace of Ferrari's. I don't know which models. They were new ones.

Do check out the pic of the rear of the 996 GT3 and the 928. Similar proportions.

Finally, a pic of my son hamming it up in the back of the MK2. We have to take off his shoes as he likes banging his feet on the small, wood seat-back tables. If only he knew...

My P!g Works for a Living.

The truth is, I love my Cayenne.

I really do.

And the nastier the weather or the harder the towing and work, the more I like it.

On a sunny day, with no traffic and open road it is at its worst. It is just a fast truck. But on days you actually use it as a hard-working SUV, it shines.

And I love the looks I get from people when I load up the P!g with sheetrock at the Home-D. A week off has me knocking out a long list of small jobs.

I do admit, my right-side view was a bit compromised with this load. But oh, well.

And, for those who don't go to Rennlist forums. There is a brilliant nickname for the Cayenne.

P!g.

It is the word pig with the i spelled with an exclamation point. A reference to the codes that the early Cayennes often threw, very often.

Help...I Am Stuck in My Jaguar

Nothing quite as embarrassing as having to climb out the passenger seat of your classic car in a crowded area.

'Ah, look at that poncy fellow over there, not so show boaty now!' You can imagine the crowd saying.

But, that was the situation I was in when my MK2 driver's side door didn't want to release from the inside. So, take it apart.

Removing the wood door caps was simple. Messing with the spring-loaded roll pins of the window winder and door handle less so. But, after a few nicked fingers, it all came off.

Inside, the mechanism looked fine, but it was 'hanging up' and grating. With no obvious broken parts I slathered the device in WD40 and went to go look for a replacement online.

After a few weeks of searching I could only find mediocre used items. No one reproduces the item. Oh, well. I went to go take off the release mechanism when lo and behold it worked. I guess the old part just needed some lube. So, I greased it up proper and buttoned the door back up.

Got to love free repairs.

AC/DC's Brian Johnson a Fan of Faston

I nearly fell out of my bed last night when I was reading through the newest issue of Octane when I came across Brian Johnson's column.

In it, he launches into a discussion of high-end automotive recreations by praising my book, Hunt for the Blower Bentley.

I am usually nonplussed about such things. I've had commercials run during prime time sports and television. Seen a billboard of mine in Times Square. Even had dozens of articles published in magazines. But something about unsolicited praise from a true automotive enthusiast was just so awesome. Don't tell my wife, but no Christmas present could top this.

Well, maybe a 993 C4 in white would.

But, if you are on the fence about picking up or downloading a copy, don't hesitate now. A man who races a Lola loves it. You will too.

Whoa, baby baby Thunderstruck...

A Bigger Blower Bentley

This crazy 27 litre contraption by British creative heir to the likes of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Bob Peterson is quite the machine. And you do need to see more of this guy Bob's work at his site.

The Telegraph newspaper had an article about it a few days ago here. But some of the larger numbers are the aforementioned 27 litres. 660HP. 12 exhausts and 24 spark plugs. Giddy-up we would say in Denver.

The original Blowers cast a long shadow. And the desire to own one, or something better/faster than one is strong. Although a replica in spirit, at least they are forthright about it. Not something that can be said of the shenanigans around fakes in my Blower novel (a great gift, cough, cough)- Hunt for the Blower Bentley..

In Defense of Car Wreaths or Happy Holidays Post

Happy Holidays. Hope you can all squeeze into your vintage cars after the Thanksgiving feasting.

Now, I have for a few years, enjoyed the personality switch that comes with putting a cheery wreath on my classics. I have put them on my 911, Wagoneer and now my MK2.

Some people may scoff and say that the McMansion prowling SUV crowd has ruined the wreath on the car and made it seem more Pottery Barn art direction than grassroots celebration of the season. I disagree.

Anytime you are driving your classic in the winter months is a commitment to the joy of classic motoring. And, to add a bit of holiday polish on top of that is well worth it. My straw pole of looking whiling driving says that I get more smiles and looks with the wreath than without. Many more.

So, source an appropriate wreath for your car, zip-tie it on and get out there.

A final note, check out Jim Clark in 1967, now that is a wreath that is worn well by both car and man.

While Cadillac owners get a pass as they have wreath's on their cars at all times.

Photo from http://www.gp-world.net/pages/en/1967season/photo14.htm

Warning Light Overload. B5 A6.

One of the main reasons I like older cars more than newer cars is that the new ones boss you. Especially with warning lights.

On our 2002 A6, a rare 2.7T 6 speed manual MT6 model, when it is low on windshield washer fluid you would think that it was about to explode. It flashes a light and beeps more than a Cameroonian taxi driver.

So, the car was recently throwing an ABS light. A quick scan showed it to be the rear ABS sensor. With a quote of $100 to install the sensor, I decided to save the money and install myself.

It was super easy. The only hard part was trying to lift up the bottom of the rear seat. I could not get it dislodged. I managed to pull the corner up enough to clip and thread in the new harness. A tip here is to 'fish' in the sensor with a stiff wire taped to the end.

One hiccup was that the allen head bolt that fixed the sensor to the caliper did not fit the thicker mounting of the new Bosch piece. Odd, as it was an OEM fitment. So, a quick dig in the old metric bolt pile had me back in action right quick.

Start to finish in under an hour. And that includes some leaf pile jumping with my son.

'Upgrades' are for Video Games & 'Investments' are for Wall Street.

UPGRADES and INVESTED. These words are tossed around in for sale ads by car owners far too often. Because owners rarely upgrade or invest in their cars. Hey, if you are having your Bugatti prepped for vintage racing by High Mountain Classics you are upgrading.

And if you have a minimum of $500,000 to spend in Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason's IGA-backed automobile fund you might be investing in cars.

But short of that. I question your grammar.

Instead of upgrading and investing, owners are modifying and spending

And there is a big difference between the two. The power of words is in their proper use. And using the word upgrade to define adding blue light bulbs to your civic is incorrect. Or using the word invested to describe spending $9,000 on a candy-flake-pearl paint job on your 68 Chevy is another misuse.

Top Five Misnamed Upgrades:

• Cold Air Intakes
• +2 or larger Rims
• Aforementioned light bulbs
• Anything from KYB
• Exhaust components

Top Five Misnamed Investments:

• Tires
• Stereos
• Custom upholstery
• Detailing
• Tint

And let me say it first - I've never invested or upgraded my cars. But as sure as syrup in Vermont I've done a lot of spending and modifying.