This Unassuming Building Is Pagani's Factory

Located just down the street from Ferrari's headquarters, one of the few hyperexotic supercar startups to succeed thrives. The part of the Modena, Italy building you can see in the photograph houses Pagani's executive offices and its showroom, but behind that is a relatively large industrial workshop for such as small concern. This part of the building hand-makes the Zonda S, F, and R, as well as a slew of one-offs that have been rolling out almost as fast as Bugatti's special editions. Looking from above, you can observe the full workshop.

Pagani's workshop employs a number of experts in their field, including former Ferrari employees who left that company to work for Pagani and a number of retired racing engineers, drivers, and other extremely capable people who are less famous but not any less skilled. Though plans were in the works to build a new, state-of-the-art factory for the small company, the current location seems to suit them fine so far.

Mike Boldt Makes Us Wish We Were Photographers

Every car enthusiast wishes or has wished at some point that they could make a good living simply by photographing the machines they're passionate about. Some of us tried to live out that dream, but ultimately accepted that it wasn't for them. Others had a more logical path, wishing they could but knowing they couldn't. While most of us are sitting at desks toiling about at a day job while reading this, there's a small minority that manages to jump the norm and do what the rest wish we could. One of those people is Mike Boldt.

Boldt, a young man from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, has defied common practice so far, becoming a professional photographer specializing in automobiles. Some of his work includes photography featured in import and tuner magazines and shots for proud car owners, but most of it is freelance. Unlike many aspiring young photographers who have to work other jobs to keep afloat, Boldt manages between $45,000 and $60,000 a year as a photographer according to his Myspace profile. He's the young man every car enthusiast wishes he or she could have been or could be. He goes and photographs cars, getting up close and personal with Ferrari Enzos, Bugatti EB110s, and many other high-performance cars we can only see from behind a velvet rope, and he makes money doing so. He also finds time to feature more common cars, tuner cars, and derelict automobiles in his photographs, which appeals to the more sane side that is often buried inside otherwise power-obsessed enthusiasts of all sort. Some of Boldt's work can be seen above and below, as well as on his Flickr Photostream.

You can find contact info for Boldt and his one-man business here on his website.

On Ebay: This Derelict Manta Montage Packs More Than Its Original V-Dub Punch

Arguably one of the better-looking of the VW-powered kits out there due to its Mclaren-inspired shape, the Manta Montage was produced from the late Seventies until a business deal gone wrong killed the small company in 1986. The Montage was the second kit offered by Manta, the first of which being the better-known Mirage. Around 100 to 200 of the approximately 100 cars produced by Manta were officially listed in their registry when it was last updated, with a couple hundred others known to exist. Many Mirages and Montages were converted to General Motors powerplants, ranging from Iron Horse four-cylinder units from Fieros to monster Cadillac V8s. This one, which started with no reserve at $4,900 on Ebay and so far has no bids, is one of those converted, but the exact conversion may surprise you.

Sitting on a table jig in the back of a storage building or repair shop, upon first sight this Montage looks like a disaster. It seems to be missing much of its major hardware, random parts and hoses are strewn throughout the interior, and it doesn't look like it could easily run. Delving deeper, though, it is discovered that this car has much more potential than exterior suggests, hence its relatively high price. The car has been fitted with a custom subframe and a drivetrain from a final-generation (2004-2008) Pontiac Grand Prix, giving it modern mechanicals in a small-lightweight package. Though it is unknown how cut up the electronics are to fit the motor into a car it definitely wasn't designed for, the current owner of the Montage claims that the work was done by a professional shop involved in the building of other racing cars. The only things the car needs, apparently, are shocks, a radiator, a shifter, and cosmetic repair. There is a rip in the fiberglass body just behind the passenger side seat, but anybody who knows fiberglass can easily repair that. You can go here to see the ad in full, and we'll keep tuned and give you an update on what it goes (or doesn't go) for.

New Design Testing, Bear With Us

Over the next few days we'll be testing some new templates here on The Car Blog, so bear with us if you get a completely screwed up website the next time you see the blog. It'll all be good within a few days.

The Weird World Of Buses Infused With Volkswagon Vanagons: Yes, This Is A Subculture Of The Automotive World

A subculture of all things automotive that I've discovered has become recently popular. Though many of these buses were converted in this method back in the Seventies, they're making a comeback straight out of junkyards and driveways and back into service as campers, traveling businesses, or simply automotive defiance of the norm. Some, such as the camo-green one above, go even further, going for double of everything. But writing doesn't do these creations justice. Just scroll down and behold.

Though to many car guys this type of thing is cool because it makes good use of two vehicles that don't have much monetary value, members of the Volkswagen forums at TheSamba tend to fume over them. It's not just BMW loyalists that freak out if their cars are threatened in any way, even VW guys sometimes have a line that gets crossed. To the rest of us, enjoy.

Guess That Abandoned Truck!

We would explain the rules, but we think you pretty much get it. Answer in the comments, and if you're not quite sure have your best go at it! So, what make and model is this truck? Bonus points for figuring out the exact year and giving good reason why it is.

Holiday Road – Family and Automotive Adventures in NE Arizona

This past August we took a classic family trip out west to explore some of America’s wonders. The plan was basically a circumnavigation of the Painted Desert in northeast Arizona.

We landed in Phoenix, picked up our rental Kia Borrego (see the earlier review, “Kiamericana”) and headed north up US17 toward Sedona. The drive into Sedona on 179 is beautiful, but the drive going out of town on 89A toward Flagstaff is spectacular with some nice switchbacks up the mountainsides and some pull-offs with wonderful views along the way. 89A is shown faintly on the left in this map, and the following photo is looking back toward Sedona from the overlook above the switchbacks.

Not far north of this overlook we pulled into the outskirts of Flagstaff. For the automotive enthusiast, the first thing you notice is the big Sinclair sign identifying that you have reached legendary Route 66.

The next part of the trip was to head east on US40/A180 toward Holbrook. US40/A180 is partially built upon old Route 66 and other portions of old Route 66 still exist and parallel the highway. A major objective of this portion of the trip was to find as many Route 66 relics as possible. First stop was Meteor Crater. It is almost a mile across, a classic Route 66 tourist attraction, and a must see.

This Route 66 landmark was at the turnoff to Meteor Crater. And across the road back a ways in the desert sands were a few automotive relics.

A little further east is Winslow, where an old stretch of Route 66 still runs through town. And of course every Eagles fan has to stop to be “standing on the corner.” Yes, there is a flatbed Ford parked there to complete the myth.

Other than the tourist trap corner, Winslow has obviously seen better days. Jay’s Garage on old Route 66 was still in operation, though.

On to Holbrook. One of the greatly anticipated highlights for the family was a night’s stay at the famous Wigwam Motel.

The Wigwam Motel is operated and maintained by the daughter of its originator, Chester, E. Lewis, who was also instrumental in the establishment of the nearby Petrified Forest National Park. Besides the cool teepees the motel has a nice little museum with Route 66 memorabilia and petrified wood from the Petrified Forest. They also keep a number of classic cars with one parked at each teepee to maintain the classic Route 66 look.

The owners of this custom C5 ‘Vette were also taking in the Route 66 ambiance and wide open desert roads.

Right next door to the Wigwam Motel was this boarded up car shop. Can’t you just imagine this place as “Route 66 Restorations” or “Route 66 Rods?”

A nice stretch of the original Route 66 runs through Holbrook, so we set off to drive around town and look for classic landmarks.

As we were driving around, we saw some interesting cars congregating in a shopping center parking lot. So we stopped to see what was going on and happened upon the inaugural meet of the new local car club. We met some great folks, and a few of their cars are pictured below.

We spent the next day at the Petrified Forest National Park, which is about 18 miles east of Holbrook. If you are interested in geology or early native cultures, this place is a must see. The park even has a tribute to Route 66. The road used to run through what is now park property and they have placed this ’32 Studebaker President sedan at the road’s former location; you can still see the line of telephone poles showing the old route.

From the Petrified Forest we headed north into the Navajo reservation with the goal being Monument Valley on the Utah border. The route followed US40 about 25 miles east from the north end of the park, then north on A191, then northwest on Indian Route 59, and finally a few miles west on A160 to Kayenta. This is a beautiful drive along the east side of the Painted Desert. There are varying landscapes from flat desert roads, to awesome mesas, to grand valleys and canyons. A special site along the way is Canyon de Chelly National Monument, which has views that many say rival the Grand Canyon.

As we approached Kayenta, which is about 20 miles south of Monument Valley, we began to see signs of ancient tectonic and volcanic activity.

The beautiful drive from Holbrook to Kayenta was almost all within the Navajo reservation. One could not help but contrast the richness of the landscape with the utter poverty of the Native Americans on the reservation. This was a real eye-opener and a first-hand social studies lesson for the family.

North from Kayenta on A163 the next stop was Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. This place is other-worldly, and it is easy to see why it is sacred ground for Native Americans. There is a 17-mile loop of “unimproved road” that can be driven around the valley. The advertisements say that an average car can drive the route, but don’t believe it. You will want a vehicle with some ground clearance. The switchbacks down into the valley are particularly rugged and can easily rip off mufflers, lower fascia and trim, bumpers, or worse. This being said, this is a drive that you will not want to miss, and if you can not take your own vehicle there are several Native American 4WD tours available, some of which go beyond the loop into unique and ceremonial areas of the valley. The beauty of this place is simply indescribable.

Yes, the rock below is substantially larger than that yellow Toyota Matrix. By the time the Matrix made it out of the valley it had lost its entire front fascia and bumper, but the couple onboard kept laughing the whole way and throwing loose parts into the hatch as they went. We were glad we had the Borrego!

From Monument Valley it was back to Kayenta , then southwest on A160, south for a short distance on A89, and then west on A64. This was another beautify drive now along the north side of the Painted Desert. As we turned west on A64 we left the Painted Desert behind and began to follow the Little Colorado River Canyon leading to the Grand Canyon. And before we knew it we were driving along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

We spent a day at the Grand Canyon, and during that time I kept my eyes open for some kind of automotive story. But no luck; no Thelma and Louise. Just miles of gorgeous scenery and a wonderful time with the family. Oh, well.

Finally it was time to head back south to Phoenix. It had been a memorable family trip. Next time we are out that way we intend to head for the Seligman and Peach Springs portion of Route 66 to see what we can find on wheels. Stay tuned.

The Car Blog Project Z Update

Since our reinvention, we've scrapped our Project Z Restoration offshoot, instead integrating the personal project car of one of our writers into The Car Blog as its official website project. For those of you unfamiliar with our project, we've been taking weekends over the past year to slowly but surely restore and modify a 1972 Datsun 240Z. And we have an official update:

At long last, the engine is out of the car. We took out the Datsun's engine, which has no compression in four of the six cylinders, and checked its serial number. It turns out that the person we bought the car from was wrong. The engine in the car is from a later 260Z, and the bare block on the floor of the garage is the original block. How this mix-up occurred we do not know, but obviously the last owner was oblivious to it. In other news, the car is up on jack stands, with the wheels off and suspension pieces being removed. The gas tank, roll bar, and other pieces have been removed since our last update on Project Z Restoration, and we hope to take the three engines we have to a well-known local builder to create one really good motor out of the original block. We will then sell the rest of the engine components we have. The photo above is from before we put it on jack stands.

The Car Blog Makes A Visit To The RE Olds Transportation Museum

Lansing, Michigan is home to many things. It's the state's capital and the home of Michigan State University, with a vibrant youth culture as well as an established baby boomer population. The one thing that has largely faded in recent years though, is that Lansing was where Oldsmobile was founded and operated for the entire time the company and later the GM brand was in being. The original Olds factory, the Fisher Body Plant, and the production facility for such muscle cars as the Hurst/Olds were all in and around Lansing, but much of that has disappeared with the death of the brand. One of the last established relics of the Oldsmobile time that still bears its name is the RE Olds Transportation Museum, which was the original Oldsmobile production facility when that company created the world's first mass-produced car, the Oldsmobile Curved-Dash Runabout. Naturally, when we got the opportunity to see this collection of forgotten to famous Oldsmobiles and other General Motors products, we took it without hesitation.

Walking or driving through Lansing, you'd never notice the little side road that leads off to the left just a few blocks from Michigan's capitol building. It goes just a few thousand feet before cutting off on the edge of Lansing's river industrial complex. At the end of this road is where we found the RE Olds Transportation Museum, housed in an unassuming brick warehouse that once held the entire management of Oldsmobile. It now houses a large collection of some of the rarest GM cars, styling models, and forgotten sub-brands in existence. As we went inside the building, we were warmly greeted by the only staff member on hand, who asked us how our day was going and advised us to check out some of the engine displays, even though the exhibit that was to go along with them wasn't opening for a few months.

The first section of the museum showed a display of Ransom Eli Olds's personal life, with furniture and pianos from his home in Lansing, and started giving the history of his company. There were large industrial engines and other mechanical pieces that Olds engineered featured with pride in working order, and the aforementioned motors strewn about from various areas of Oldsmobile history. Though the exhibit hadn't been organized yet, it was easy to tell that some of the motors were skunkworks and auto show display pieces, with cutaways and unique parts that never made it to production models. As we turned a corner, the first few years of the RE Olds automobile company were laid out in front of us. The first fifteen years of Oldsmobile, starting with the Curved-Dash Runabout, were in a line along one wall, with a car for every three years or so. The display also included a prototype for a larger production model that was planned before a factory fire in 1901, which prompted the company's original move from Detroit to Lansing.

Turning another corner, the first of the two main showrooms presented itself, showcasing the first decades that Oldsmobile witnessed under their new owner, General Motors. As well as many Oldsmobile models of the time, there were many cars from GM sub-brands that are long-gone. Cars from GM brands Viking (shown below), Ranier, and Marquette graced the show floor in various conditions, making us remember that the General has killed 32 brands over the years, most of which are not remembered today. On the other side of the room, there were many relics form all over Lansing of the deceased company. Multiple RE Olds lawn mowers and snow blowers were on display, as well as the Famous Fisher Body carriage that stood in the lobby of the Fisher Body Plant for many, many years. There was a scale model of the full RE Olds production facility, complete with little model Curved-Dash Runabouts bravely trying to run laps at the dirt track post-production. Many of these little cars were strewn about the landscape, having apparently failed their production testing.

The next room held all the cards for those who like going fast. Walking in, we immediately spotted such cars as the famous Hurst Hairy Olds twin-engine production-body dragster. There was an Olds-powered Indy car hanging from the ceiling, and an Early-Fifties NASCAR Chevy sitting in a corner. There were late-model pace cars from Daytona, Indy and other tracks, as well as the original styling molds for both the GM Areotech land speed car and the Oldsmobile Toronado, a car that revolutionized the American auto industry. Other notable cars included one of the Few GM EV1 electric cars that weren't crushed, a prototype 80's 442 based on the Buick GNX and built by ASC, and numerous vintage Oldsmobile dealer and service signs. The museum is definitely worth a visit for any car person traveling in the Lansing area.

Defining The Fine Line Between Preservation and Restoration

In the past five years, events have popped up around the nation dedicated to "preserved" or "survivor" classic cars. Pebble Beach and other major concours events have created multiple classes for cars that are not perfect, but are supposedly authentic to the bone without restoration. For the more common enthusiast, events such as the official Survivor Collector Car show specifically showcase and award cars that have not gone through restorations. But a major problem has arisen among this new branch of the long-honored car hobby. The lines are very blurry between restored and refurbished cars, often coming down simply to what the owner claims about their ride. Cars such as the one above, a Lancia Aurelia Spider owned Steve Katzman, go through extreme mechanical work and buffing out to get to the state required to win second in Pebble Beach's Postwar Preservation class, a feat chronicled for this particular car in Tom Cotters newest book, The Corvette in the Barn. Says Katzman in the book, "the motor was frozen solid, the brakes perished, and the fuel tank was wickedly foul". The car needed extensive work to the mechanisms that worked it.

So what truly makes a car a survivor? One would think it would come down to the originality of its parts, but after decades of wear and tear, there is often barely any of those left in place. On the Lancia shown above, some NOS replacements were found and many parts were reproduced or fabricated by Katzman. Most other Preserved or Survivor cars are the same. For most cars, it seems to come down not to the originality of the mechanical parts, but that of the car's appearance. With original paint and interior saved, as well as a drivetrain that is at least mostly authentic if not original, a car is essentially a survivor. This method of toned-down restoration appeals greatly both to enthusiasts on the cheap and to purists alike. Done right, a survivor can present just as well as a 100-point show car simply because it attracts attention for originality. That's truly what automotive preservation is about.

(Photo Credit AureliaSpider.com)

The Most Pointless Drag Race Ever Hosted Comes Courtesy Of Two Renault Clios

Santa Pod Raceway, located near Northampton, UK, is home to many European and international top fuel races, as well as the base of fast-car fanatics that Britain has. Established from an unused airfield in 1966, it's also well-established in Europe's car culture. It has seen faster passes than many American dragways, and it gets good usage, if not the same constant use as a 'Murican strip. Santa Pod is one of the most-used strips in Europe if not the most, hosting an average of one event every ten days. Santa Pod hosts many of the official European versions of common American drags, such as Run Watcha Brungs and FIA Finals, which are parallel to the NHRA finals. It is in some of the amateur events that things like the events in the video below happen.

Yes, those are two compact Renault Clios running the quarter-mile. A scene that would be at once ridiculed and hailed in America is apparently commonplace in the UK, as drag strips don't charge the heavy fees as privately-owned road tracks. So instead of wringing out their cars in the twisties, regular folks in England drag race what they drive to work. While the times are nothing to talk about (the cars both ran around a 15.5-second quarter), there is some aspect of awesomeness attained by drag racing a compact that isn't a poser Honda. Lets hope we can see some Gordini editions doing the same.

On Ebay: 1915 Van Blerck 17-Liter Race Car

To achieve 200 horsepower today, auto manufacturers simply throw together a powerful four-cylinder or a common V6. Sedans making that much power are often considered beige and slow by modern standards, but in the early days of the automobile it wasn't so. To make 200 horsepower a hundred years ago, there was no replacement for displacement. To achieve the barrier that seemed almost insurmountable in an automobile then, cars didn't have to meet the strict safety and emissions requirements of today, but it was still a very, very hard task. Most of the cars of that time went the way of this 1915 17-Liter race car built from scratch by marine engine builder van Blerck.

The car doesn't have a spectacular racing history, as racing itself was in the very early days back then, but it has a beautiful Auburn-style boattail that predates the car that made the style famous by twenty years. The listing also alludes to the sounds of the huge motor, saying "The thundering sound it makes is as special as the engine and the car itself". It is offered by Victory Cars, a well-known classic and neoclassic car dealer in Fort Lauderdale, for around $200,000. You can see the listing on Ebay here.

2010 In Review: Four Supercar Manufacturers You Will (Probably) Never Hear From Again

The world is practically littered with failed supercar designs. From ATS to Vector, Pegaso to Bricklin and beyond, there have always been guys (and gals) who will risk it all trying to gain success in an industry almost notorious for failure. Though some such as Weismann and SSC succeed against all odds, the high majority end up as part of the losing crowd. In this industry it doesn't really seem to matter how good-looking or performing your car is, but how lucky you get seems to determine the final say. So, as 2010 draws to a close, Let's take a look at four of the supercar nameplates you will likely not be hearing from for a long time and see how they fell from fame and success.

1: Exagon Motors

Exagon Motors, a division of the French racing and tech firm Exagon Engineering, stunned press and spectators alike at this year's Paris Motor Show. It had all the right things going for it. It was fast, backed by two electric motors producing a combined 340 horsepower in a lightweight package. It was flashy, with looks that would turn heads anywhere in the world where it happened to show up. It was green, with a claimed 250-mile range from the aforementioned electric powerplants. And best of all, it was from an established and respected company. So what went wrong?

Much like Paris's constantly changing fashion scene, this Paris show car quickly became forgotten. The world obsessed over it for a day, then never again was it in our minds. This was partly the company's own fault. The news section stopped in September with news on the final round of photoshoots. Since then, no other information on the car was released, leaving journalists wondering about the simplest facts. There wasn't even any knowledge of what the car's body panels were made of. This in turn caused a lack of interest among potential investors, making the budget tight for this dream. As of right now, Exagon Engineering has made no publicized progress on the project, with work at a standstill. Hopefully it rebounds, but it is more likely to join the pile of discarded stillborn supercars.

2: Artega

Back in 2007, Henrik Fisker, the man responsible for the Aston Martin Vantage and Fisker Karma, among other so-far successful ventures, designed this little beauty for a company named Paragon Parts Group. Presented to the public at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show, it weighed less than 2,500 pounds and was motivated by a VW-sourced 300-horse V6. Meant to compete with the likes of Audi, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz in the $100k luxury sports car league, the Artega provided a sporting edge over its potential competitors, being as quick on its feet as a Lotus with the luxury of the much more expensive car that it was. Production began briefly in 2009 and 2010, but soon the company was not selling cars. Bankrupt, Paragon Parts Group sold the concern to a Mexican firm.

Though Artega continues to sell cars in very small numbers in Europe, sales are dwindling, and the company may soon shut down with only a handful of cars and memories preserving its existence into the future.

3: Ronn Motor Company

Making its debut in Las Vegas, this monster was the last thing expected. It was a Tour de Force of technology that seemed so complex, but in reality came down to simple science. The Scorpion, as Ronn Motors named the car, utilized an Acura engine that was turbocharged to 450 horsepower, but then was fed a mixture of gas and hydrogen, which led to claimed gas mileage of 40 MPG. The Texas-based company was busy marketing the car to potential investors, but though many bit, most fell off after a while. Peaking at $6.00 a share, Ronn Motor Company stocks quickly plunged down and down, eventually coming down to the two cents it still stands at today. It's not likely that the Scorpion will be built in any large quantity, however innovative it is. While the gas/hydrogen hybrid system used here may make it into mass production vehicles eventually, the company itself is not bound for such success.

4: Devon Motorworks

Ah, the sad tale of the Devon GTX. This was the one every American car guy and girl was rooting for, and the one that broke their hearts when it didn't work out. Based loosely on the Dodge Viper, Devon Motorworks's GTX supercoupe came out of nowhere, demolishing the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca record lap time and becoming a full-fledged company in a heartbeat. On a roll, it seemed that nothing could stop the company. It was getting major press coverage, with the cover of the duPont Registry and featured articles in many other magazines. It was featured on TV shows and blogs, and had all of America's car culture talking. Devon had a race team lined up with big-name drivers to break the Nurburgring production car record and to compete in FIA and GT2. Though some initially people dismissed the car as a reskinned Viper, even they had to admit that the transformation went much deeper than the body panels. Devon Motorworks seemed bound to become a big supercar manufacturer. But, as with many of our favorite things, something went horribly wrong.

On November 4th, 2009, Chrysler announced that it was ending the Production of the Dodge Viper in 2010. Since it wanted to keep the engineering behind the Viper safe from competitors, Chrysler did not want to sell its designs to Devon. With no base for their car and no funds to develop a whole new one, Devon had to cancel its automotive operation. Still determined to do something, the company is currently trying its hand at a variety of projects from watches to bicycles. In early 2010, a Dodge Viper ACR bested the Devon GTXs lap time at Laguna Seca, ironically signalling the end to both the Viper and GTX.