Joe Martin Foundation's Metalworking Craftsmen of the Year award winner Louis Chenot and his 1/8th scale fully operational 1932 SJ Duesenburg

 Louis Chenot  has spent the past ten years building this incredibly detailed 1932 SJ Duesenberg LaGrande dual-cowl phaeton. Not only does it look good, but the engine runs, the lights work, the top mechanism functions and the transmission and driveline are complete. Lou started his research on this project over fifty years ago with the purchase of a book and through the following years collected many drawings and studied a number of Duesenbergs while they were being restored, taking photos and recording dimensions

Lou was presented with a special Lifetime Achievement award by the Joe Martin Foundation for Exceptional Craftsmanship in 2009. The model was nearing completion but the engine had not yet run. Now that the engine runs and the model is completed, Lou has been selected as the foundation's "Metalworking Craftsman of the Year." The award includes an engraved award medallion and a check for $2000.00. Lou is the 15th person to receive this coveted annual award. Because it is likely that this could well be the finest running model car ever built in this small a scale, Lou's award this year will be presented as the "Craftsman of the Decade." More can be seen on this car and some of Lou's other projects at www.CraftsmanshipMuseum.com/Chenot.htm


See the outstanding work of Lou and 99 other world-class craftsmen at http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/

Thanks Randall!

KISS autographed a signature line of MINI Clubman cars, and they were auctioned off to raise funds for a childrens charity.. very damn cool. One was just stolen from it's new owner, very damn uncool. Be on the look out for this one

photos from http://www.thecrimsoncrow.com/2011/06/kiss-mini-cooper-countryman-is-a-great-combination/ where there is a bigger gallery of  the rest of the cars

HARRISON NY — A $5,000 reward is being offered after a one-of-a-kind KISS car was stolen from a driveway in Harrison.

The Mini-Cooper hatchback, autographed by the 1970s shock rockers and designed with the band's logo and other blue/teal Kiss artwork, was originally purchased at an auction benefiting the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (or Unicef) . It was stolen Friday between midnight and 6 a.m.

The reward is for information leading to an arrest and conviction and/or recovery of the vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to call Harrison police at 914-967-5110 . All calls will remain confidential.
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/new-york-new-england/220452-kiss-mini-stolen.html

Via http://www.norcalminis.com/ 

Mini is going to race in the Dakar

Found on http://www.norcalminis.com/  where they frequently post cool unusual stuff

Hell yeah it's got a hemi, hell yeah it's fast! A 392 hemi in a Mini Cooper

 this is the shoehorn it took to get that Mopar Big Block into the MINI

That awkward moment when you crash a $12 million Ferrari... and a couple other cool photos from Asaucerfulofwheels.tumblr.com

That awkward moment when you crash a $12 million Ferrari, http://asaucerfulofwheels.tumblr.com/post/11862140196/david-love-ferrari-250-tr-monterey-historics-2009 tp see it in slow mo

David Love/Ferrari 250TR/Monterey Historics/2009

Timo Mäkinen Mini Cooper S RAC Rally 1967. http://rcma.free.fr/escort/victoires.htm
Hitchcock in a big cart... never would have thought I'd ever see that!

1934 Mercedes-Benz 500K Streamline Roadsterm, built for a King of Iraq, Erdmann & Rossi coachbuilders
all found on http://asaucerfulofwheels.tumblr.com/

Mini's racing in the vintage racing event San Diego has every September, at the North Island Naval Air Station, Speedfest

Pint size mini with an appropriate vanity plate

if you race in the 24 hours of LeMons... and want the judges attention, make your car stand out

the San Diego British Car Club Council show at Liberty Station

 Deloreans were built in Ireland

 Barnfind from So Cal, just pulled out 2 weeks ago

 on the center console os a valve cover racer

 Above, best sign board

 Best custom interior/dash/steering wheel

The above is a Berkley

great company truck!

What the new Mini coupe looks like

Quite a variety of Rolls Royce

And Lotus changed a lot too

Best display

 above, best cultural interior that fits the car show

 Quite a variety of Bentleys too

British cars that were at the show, Alpine, Austin, Delorean, Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Land Rover, Berkley, MG, Morris, TVR, Cooper, Triumph, Rootes, Morgan and maybe a couple I can't think of... but the number of Britsh built cars is surprising... and if you wonder why the new Mini is at the British car show... when it is a BMW... and you'd think German, well, it's built in Oxford Britian. Has 20 some percent of it's parts from France too.