Neat Video: Buddies Horsing Around With Their Jag-Powered Slingshot, Dry Hops IncludedBy Brian Lohnes Posted 03/11/2010
This video struck us as very cool in a subtle way. It's basically a few guys tuning on a vintage slingshot dragster powered by a DOHC Jag engine. The thing sounds cool as hell, and the fact that they are pulling dry hops in an alley behind their shop of house is even cooler. We dug it because it's just a couple guys wrenching on a dragster, having fun. Read More >
Cool Video: A Huge Custom Unimog Struts Its StuffBy Brian Lohnes Posted 03/11/2010
Unimogs are bad ass 4x4s, and modified Unimogs are even better than that. This video shows a totally tricked out Unimog built by Couch Off Road Engineering for the firearms company Magpul Industries. The truck has been converted into a bus of sorts and rides on massive tires, has a worked over diesel motor, and a bunch of custom fab work to boot. We want this truck! Read More >
Video: Ridetech Now Thrashes on UTV Suspension, TooBy Chad Posted 02/18/2010
Our friends at BangShift.com sponsor Ridetech are always up for a good time, and "good time" at home base in Jasper, Indiana, usually means thrashing on new products and taking fun video at the same time. That plan has now been applied to the latest parts from Ridetech, which is actually ShockWave air suspension for UTVs. Read More >
Killer Video: Stacey David Tools on the Cherry Bomb Dodge TruckBy Brian Lohnes Posted 02/17/2010
We're envious of the guys over at Cherry Bomb. First they unveil the kick ass "Disturbing the Peace" Camaro project renderings, and then they drop their newest TV spot on us. It features the Hemi-powered 1964 Dodge D-100 truck that we love to love. Just to prove that it isn't a show circuit star, Stacey David does some, um, stunt driving. This rules. Read More >
Scots Test Out Amphibious Bus, We'll Watch From ShoreBy Brian Lohnes Posted 02/12/2010
Human beings have the strange ability to continually develop new and fascinating ways of transportation. We also have the ability to create modes of transportation that could lead to the grisly demise of their passengers. Enter the "Amfibus," a passenger bus that also doubles as a ferry boat. They are built in Holland and Glasgow, and Scotland may be the first place to put one into service. Read More >
Killer Video: The Bud Boss Takes on Bigfoot in a Pulling ExhibitionBy Brian Lohnes Posted 02/10/2010
The 1980s were a fun decade. In the realm of motorsports, the USHRA sprung up and promoted massive shows in outdoor stadiums across the country. They featured mud bogging, pulling, and monster trucks. In this unique video clip we see the 1987 version of Bigfoot take on the wild Bud Boss exhibition pulling truck. We think "The Boss" is a shrunken Peterbuilt cab, but we know it is powered by two alky burning, blown Hemi motors. It rules. Read More >
Video Bonanza: Old Engines From the Gearhead PastBy Brian Lohnes Posted 02/9/2010
Engines are the life force of the gearhead world. We like to think about them in hot rods, trucks, and muscle cars, but there is a much broader scope that needs to be considered. Engines powered far more than cars in the days of old. Often factories would be powered by massive stationary engines used to generate electricity or power machinery through the use of belts, shafts, and other Rube Goldberg looking methods. The engines themselves were a sight to behold. Read More >
The Superbowl Car Ads: Speedy Picks the Winners, Watch Them Here!By Speedzzter@blogspot.com Posted 02/9/2010
The Super Bowl is probably the closest thing to a universal social event in America. Even the most hard-core BangShifters probably watched at least part of it. But the real Super Bowl wasn't fought on the gridiron. The main event was the epic battle of the advertisers. It's the admen's annual Donnybrook, slugged out at more than $100,000 per second. Read More >
Update: Renderings and Video Progress of the Chip Foose Modified John Deere 4020 Big Buck TractorBy Brian Lohnes Posted 02/3/2010
Back in December of '09 we let you know about a project that Chip Foose has taken on along with John Deere. Foose has been tasked with modifying a cool Deere 4020 tractor into a hot rod. The good news is that the first renderings of the tractor have some out and there's new video series showing the progress being made has been released as well. Dare we say, this is looking like a pretty neat project! Read More >
The Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational Airs on Speed TV This Weekend! See the Teaser Video HereBy Chad Posted 01/29/2010
I was there announcing the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational after SEMA 2009, and again at the big premiere of the TV show on Hollywood Blvd. earlier this week. Now you can see what it was all about when Optima Batteries hosted a radical Pro Touring shootout of street legal cars on the road course, autocross, and 0-60-0. A one-hour TV show about the challenge of 40-plus cars will air on Speed on Saturday, January 30, at 11:00 am Eastern and on Sunday, January 21, at 4:00 pm Eastern. Read More >
The Parting Shift: Modified Production BlissBy Brian Lohnes Posted 01/29/2010
Normally our parting shift items focus on in-car video, but this week we're getting out of the car and listening to screaming exhaust notes from vintage NHRA Modified Production racers at the 1976 SportsNationals. Dave MacClelland is on the mic, and there are dry hopping, gear banging, hot rods running down the strip at Bowling Green, Ky. Read More >
Amazing Video: CNC Machine Carves a Helmet From Billet AluminumBy Brian Lohnes Posted 01/29/2010
This video, which we believe was shot at a German machine shop, is proof positive that, one day, machines will enslave humans and rule the Earth. Just watching this CNC machine take a square block of billet aluminum and turn it into an incredibly detailed dirt bike helmet is pretty awe inspiring. When these machines start thinking for themselves, it is time to head for the hills! Read More >
Video: Chrysler Begins Airing New Charger Ads By Brian Lohnes Posted 01/27/2010
Starting last weekend, Chrysler began airing a new series of ads for the Dodge Charger. They are focusing on the "manly" attributes of the sedan and eschewing stuff like the cupholder count and texture of the dashboard plastic. These ads are a lead-up to the "big finish" which will be a Super Bowl ad for the Charger. As it turns out, Chrysler is the only car company to have bought ad time at the Super Bowl, here's hoping they make the most of it. Read More >
Fun Video: High Speed Dump Truck DonutsBy Brian Lohnes Posted 01/26/2010
It gets mighty cold up in some parts of Canada over the winter. All that cold leads to snow and ice. Snow and ice then lead to driving conditions, that under some circumstances, are big fun to play in. Blowing donuts, drifting your car like it you are Vaughn Gittin Jr., and driving your 4x4 through snowbanks only begin to scratch the surface of winter driving fun. This video proves those good times are not just limited to cars. Read More >
Danica Patrick as Marilyn Monroe. Seriously. (Plus More "Sexy" Danica Videos)By Brian Lohnes Posted 01/25/2010
As most people know, Danica Patrick is the leading spokesperson/mug on camera for GoDaddy.com. They have done some interesting television advertising in years past with Patrick but this one may take the cake. Patrick appears as several iconic movie stars in the latest ad, most notably Marilyn Monroe. That noise? Monroe turning about 4500 RPM in her grave. Read More >
The Parting Shift: Four Gear '55 Chevy ViolenceBy Brian Lohnes Posted 01/22/2010
We're going the homer route with this week's parting shift. The car in question is local to our east coast office and we've seen it getting threashed at the drag strip more than once. In fact, we're probably announcing the very laps that the driver is rowing his four-speed through during the video! A flamed '55 Chevy is cool, but one with flames and a blown small-block that can run 11s and is street legal and driven? That's totally our speed. Read More >
Crazy Video: People Bail Out of Car Skidding on IceBy Brian Lohnes Posted 01/22/2010
Let's say you're driving a little weenie econo-box down an icy road. The car begins to slide on the ice. Given the options, do you attempt to regain control of the car and try, maybe fruitlessly, to steer yourself to safety, or do you make the truly idiotic decision to try and bail out of your rudderless breadbox? These dopes chose to exit stage left. Read More >
Insanity on Ice: Unlimited Sleds of the Golden Age of Snowmobile Speed Runs, With VideoBy Brian Lohnes Posted 01/21/2010
Forgive us if you knew about any of this already, because we didn't. We had no idea that, starting in the late 1960s, guys began building custom snowmobiles to make quarter mile speed runs on frozen lakes. These weren't drag races, they, like land speed runs, were single affairs. We had no idea that a guy once glued treads to the slicks on a slingshot dragster that was powered by a blown, gas burning Hemi, installed skis instead of front wheels, and raced it on a lake. We also had no idea that guys built blown rear engined dragsters that powered tracks that went over 200 mph in a 1/4 mile...on ice. These machines are totally amazing. Read More >
Video: An Idea Behind Its Time: The Besler Steam AirplaneBy Brian Lohnes Posted 01/20/2010
The idea of a steam powered airplane was not a new one in 1934 when a man named Besler designed and built a contraption he called, in a creative manner, The Besler Steam Plane. What is not shocking is the fact that the idea didn't go to far for Besler, but what is shocking is that the damn thing flew, and pretty well if we may add. We have the video to prove it. Read More >
Wild Video: $400K Rolls Royce Getting Wrung Out on a Frozen LakeBy Brian Lohnes Posted 01/19/2010
This could be the most expensive field in the history of ice racing. The focal point of this video is a large by huge Rolls Royce Phantom that clocks in at about $380,000 brand new off the showroom floor. There's no Grey Poupon being dispensed here, in fact, this Rolls is getting whipped hard on the snow and ice! It's like a valet's fantasy being played out before our eyes. Read More >
