Mule Motorcycles

What caught my eye the most in this video weren't the motorcycles, but the twinkle of excitement and curiosity in Richard Pollack's eyes when he described how completely his bikes consume his mind. While others would rather avoid roadblocks, Pollack's work would only be half as fulfilling if he didn't get to experience the frustration of problem solving and the joy of finding the answer.

Winter season is tinker season. Have a wonderful holidays everyone!

Check out more from Murphy Karges here.

Big Buick in Little China

My father takes a long time to buy a new car.  I mean a loooong time.  He'll think he likes a car and will sit there debating on whether he likes the car enough to buy it.  Sometimes, before he gets a chance to buy it, the next generation is already getting a refresh.  Then, of course, he doesn't like the restyle.  Since he didn't buy the car that he liked when it was still likable, he doesn't buy the car and we're left as we are today with my dad hunting for a new car... still.

With this preface in mind, I took over the task of finding a car for my father.  Here's him in a nutshell:

• almost 60
• drove Mercurys for the past 40 years
• owns a single cd that he listens to around Christmas
• usually listens to news radio
• wants a soft, comforting ride
• car needs to get from a to b safely, reliably, and inexpensively

Hmmm... what company embodies the perfect car for the mobile geriatric?  BUICK!

Ebay Finds: The Old World

It's pop quiz time!  What happens when you mix the French and the English?  Usually, the answer revolves around centuries of war, the U.S. sending GIs to save both from the Germans, or a bunch of people with funny accents mocking each other's culinary skills.  However, this isn't one of those times.  Today, we bring you an Ebay find that is as pretty as Kate Middleton and as stalwart as Charles de Gaulle. 

The Pembleton Brooklands is a kit car built in England that can accommodate a myriad of small engines.  A quick Google search will find most variants are powered by 2-cylinder boxers or v-twins.  This particular example is powered by the motor from a Citroen 2CV.  With a respectable 29 horsepower powering the 900 lb car, it sounds like a blast to drive.  Read the full history of the car on the eBay listing.

The Boys of Crewe

I've heard cynics call Bentley nothing but a big and expensive Volkswagen. The next time I hear that, I can punch the person in the nose. Why? Because Peter Cope, Technical Support Engineer of Bentley Woodshop.

You see the aluminum, the glue for the aluminum, the glue for the wood, the glue for the wood,the glue for the wood, the glue for the face veneer.

Credit goes to the Vimeo channel "Cool Hunting" for sharing the insightful video!

Gestation of an Amateur Photographer

Nine months ago, I picked up my first real camera hoping to capture some really kickass photos for FPH.  At first, I thought it was going to be easy.  How hard could it be to aim at something and hit a button?!?!  Was I ever in for an awakening!  Not only were my pictures stagnant and off-color, they didn't illicit any emotion.  Now I don't confess my pictures are frame worthy and should be hung over a fireplace.  However, I do feel I've learned a lot since I unboxed my Nikon back in March.  Knowing that I still have a lot to learn, I present, what I think are, the best pictures of 2011 in chronological order.  Enjoy!

P.S. Some of the pictures get cut off on the right side due to formatting issues.  Click on them to view in large format.

The Saratoga Auto Museum

What if I told you that within a state park located somewhere in the middle of New York lies a bottling plant that holds a treasure trove of some of the most iconic cars in international motor racing?

Last week, Danny Chin and I embarked on a road trip that brought us to the Saratoga Automobile Museum. Lucky for us, we arrived on a cold, damp, and gloomy Wednesday. The museum was completely empty and ours to enjoy! Inside, we found an eclectic collection of not only automobiles, but paintings, photographs, and sculptures as well.

To celebrate 60 years of Porsche in North America, the Saratoga Auto Museum is currently featuring an exhibit dedicated to the iconic German automaker. From a selection of Porsche 356 coupes and convertibles loaned from private owners, to the Porsche GT1 and Porsche 961 LeMans endurance race cars provided by Rennsport, here is a video I've created (hashed together) to share my favorite cars on display. Enjoy!



In order of Appearance:
Porsche 904
1966 Porsche 906
1967 Porsche 910/6
1972 Porsche 911
Porsche 914-6 GT
1998 Porsche GT1-98
1986 Porsche 961
1981 Porsche 928S
1981 Wingho Autos W3 Triposto
1987 Porsche 959
Porsche Carrera GT
Porsche 356A Speedster
Porsche Gmünd Coupe
Porsche 356 S90
Porsche 356C
Artwork by George Frayne
1951 Ferrari Bardahl-Special
1950 Allard J2

Shameless Plug

Check out some of my more artsy photos as well as a few more teaser pics from the upcoming roadtrip video!

Danny Chin's tumblr