Ford Mustang Fastback with Cammer Engine, 2003 (1965). A restomod Mustang Fastback that was shown at the SEMA show with a  Ford Racing Performance Parts 5.0 Cammer crate engine.

1963 AC SHELBY COBRA

1963 AC SHELBY COBRA 4.7-LITRE MARK II ROADSTER  REGISTRATION NO. OYM 28A CHASSIS NO. CSK2116 ENGINE NO. CSX2116

Footnotes

Rightly regarded as one of the all-time great classic sports cars, the muscular, fire-breathing Cobra succeeded in capturing the hearts of enthusiasts like few of its contemporaries. Only 1,000-or-so Cobras of all types were built between 1962 and 1967, but such was the model's enduring popularity that production was resumed in 1982 under the auspices of Brooklands-based Autokraft. 

Convinced that a market existed for an inexpensive sports car combining European chassis engineering and American V8 power, Le Mans-winning Texan racing driver Carroll Shelby concocted an unlikely alliance between AC Cars and the Ford Motor Company. The former's Ace provided the simple twin-tube chassis frame - designed by John Tojeiro - into which was persuaded one of Ford's lightweight, small-block V8s. It was discovered that the latter was lighter than the six-cylinder Ford Zephyr unit that AC was using, yet with vastly greater potential. To cope with the projected power increase, the Ace chassis was strengthened with heavier gauge tubing and supplied fitted with four-wheel disc brakes. Weighing a mere 1.5cwt more than a Bristol-engined Ace yet endowed with double the power and torque, the Cobra turned in a breathtaking performance, racing to 60mph in 4.4 seconds and reaching the 'ton' in under 12, exceptional figures by early 1960s standards and none too shabby even today.

The 260ci (4.2-litre) prototype first ran in January 1962, with production commencing later that year. Exclusively for the USA initially, Cobras - minus engines - were sent from England to be finished off by Shelby in California, and it was not until late in 1963 that AC Cars in Thames Ditton got around to building the first fully finished cars to European specification. 

After 75 Cobras had been built with the 260ci engine, the more powerful 289ci (4.7-litre) unit was standardised in 1963. Rack-and-pinion steering was the major MkII up-date; then in 1965 a new, stronger, coil-suspended MkIII chassis was introduced to accommodate Ford's 427ci (7.0-litre) V8, an engine that in race trim was capable of producing well in excess of 400bhp. Wider bodywork, extended wheelarch flares and a bigger radiator intake combined to create the definitive - and much copied - Cobra MkIII look. Keeping ahead of the competition on the racetrack had been the spur behind Shelby's adoption of the 427 engine, but some MkIIIs to 'street' specification came with Ford's less powerful 428ci hydraulic-lifter V8. 

But for Brian Angliss, the Cobra story would have ended in 1967. The Autokraft boss had built up a business restoring Cobras and supplying parts, and in the early 1980s acquired the rights to the AC name plus a quantity of jigs and tooling from the old Thames Ditton factory. Keeping the overall style of the MkIII, Autokraft produced the MkIV, which was appropriately updated to meet current legislation and powered by a 'Federalised' Ford 5.0-litre V8 engine. Around 480 were built. 

Chassis number 'CSX2116' was invoiced to Shelby American on 16th April 1963 and shipped to Los Angeles three days later aboard the 'SS Loch Gowan'. Invoiced on 18th June 1963 to Burton Motors of Sacramento, California, the Cobra was sold new to a local doctor who used it for a few years before giving it to his daughter. She used the car as daily transport for several years before the clutch failed, at which time it was sold to Steve Dangremond of Santa Rosa, California. The Cobra was advertised for sale by Mr Dangremond in late 1977 and bought by Dr Grant Hill of Chotoka, Alberta. Dr Hill fitted Weber carburettors and raced 'CSX2116', eventually trading it to Fred Yule in Portland, Oregon. At that time, the car was still finished in its original colour scheme of dark blue and retained its original black leather interior. 

'CSX2116' returned to the UK in the late 1980s and was advertised through Hampson's Ltd, by which time it had been refinished in red and fitted with a full-width roll bar. Subsequent owners in England were Dr Carlos Barbot, Trojan boss Peter Agg and Formula 1 racing driver Rupert Keegan. 'CSX2116' was last restored in 1988, records on file indicating that an extensive mechanical restoration was undertaken at this time. The car still retains its original black leather interior though the Weber carburettors have gone, replaced by an easier to maintain four-barrel Holley. There is considerable additional accompanying documentation including correspondence between previous owners, a copy of the original bill of sale, Shelby American Automobile Club letter of authentication, FIA papers and Swansea V5 registration document. The car has belonged to the current owner since 2006.  Early Cobras are offered for sale only rarely and this example represents a wonderful opportunity to acquire a fine example of this classic of Anglo-American sports car design. 

J Vespa / Getty Images

The Stunning Transformation Of Caitríona Balfe

Few shows have had as big a cultural impact as "Outlander." Based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon, the show follows a World War II nurse who finds herself transported to 17th-century Scotland when she finds magical stones in the Highlands. The show was Caitríona Balfe's big break — previously, the Irish actor had worked as a model and appeared in only a few small productions. However, since playing "Outlander's" Claire, she has become one of TV's most recognizable faces. She has also landed roles in films like "Ford v Ferrari" alongside Matt Damon and Christian Bale and Kenneth Branagh's Oscar-winning "Belfast."

With "Outlander" nearing its series finale in 2023, Balfe is looking ahead to new projects such as the upcoming "The Amateur," as the era draws to a close. It's the perfect time to reflect on her career so far. So, without further ado, here is the stunning transformation of Caitríona Balfe.

Caitríona Balfe’s upbringing in Northern Ireland colored the rest of her life

J Vespa / Getty Images

Caitríona Balfe was born in 1979 in the rural village of Tydavnet (1) near the Northern Irish border. Her upbringing in Ireland has colored her entire life. "It's such a part of the fabric of your life when you live in those areas," she told Vanity Fair in 2022. "It's really not until you get older that you look back and you realize the craziness of it, or the strangeness of it."

And by the sounds of things, it was certainly an abnormal place to grow up. Growing up so close to the border, Balfe was used to being surrounded by British soldiers and once even found herself in the middle of a bomb scare. 

Her father was a garda, the national name for the Irish police force, and she was sometimes bullied for it. "Let's say being the daughter of a garda in 1980s borderland counties was not the easiest thing," she later told The Irish Times.

Caitríona Balfe was a voracious reader as a child

As a young girl, Caitríona Balfe filled most of her time with reading. In fact, when she was young, her father took away the family's TV, so instead, she looked to literature for stories and entertainment. As she told The Irish Times, she raced through the classics, including Emily Brontë, Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, and Robert Pirsig — she also was a fan of modern writers like Ian McEwan. 

When Balfe reached adulthood, her love of literature continued to be a big part of her life. "You always find her on set with a book," her co-star Maria Doyle Kennedy said. "She's a ferocious reader." And, in 2019, Balfe told Stylist, "I could just lock myself away and just read for a month, which would be so lovely."

She even started her own book club on Instagram where she posts videos about what she's reading for her fans. "First rule of book club.... We read ! Then we talk..!" she wrote in one of the first posts in 2020.

Caitríona Balfe grew up wanting to act

J Vespa / Getty Images

From a very young age, Caitríona Balfe knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life: acting. "It's in you, right?" she said to Backstage when asked about her first inspirations. "Like it's something you're either cursed with, you know, this need for attention and need to perform and all those things," she added, laughing.

Not only was she the fourth of seven children and therefore used to seeking out attention, she also had acting in her blood. After all, her father was something of an amateur actor himself, having appeared in a comedy troupe. "If my dad has some inclination towards it, there is probably something passed down," she mused to The Irish Times. Plus, she added, acting offered a much-needed form of escapism. "[T]here wasn't an awful lot of things to do," she said.

When she got older, Balfe pursued her passion for acting taking a course at the Dublin Institute of Technology.

Caitríona Balfe moved to Paris and began working as a model

Jesse Grant / Getty Images

Before Caitríona Balfe finished her course at drama school, she was scouted by a modeling agent. "I took what I thought was going to be a year out," she told Backstage, "and I never went back. Very, very bold of me."

Balfe dove into her unexpected modeling career, setting off for Paris. "I always just wanted to travel," she explained to Vanity Fair. "Growing up, we never did that — there were too many of us. We didn't have the money."

Even though Balfe had always dreamed of acting, modeling also appealed to her innate desire to perform. As she put it, "There was something about the theatricality of the runway shows — and the event of it — that I really loved." And she was pretty good at it. She appeared in shows for all of the big designers, including Chanel, Alexander McQueen, and Valentino, and even walked the runway as a Victoria's Secret Angel. And so, for a while at least, she committed herself to a career in the modeling industry.

Caitríona Balfe moved to New York City as her relationship with modeling soured

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Throughout her 20s, Caitríona Balfe's modeling career careened from success to success. She modeled all over the world but eventually found herself settled down in New York City. "That's been the longest of anywhere since I left Ireland," she told Backstage in 2020. After a decade of modeling, Balfe began to crave something new. "For the last couple of years [of modeling] I was miserable, really," she confessed to Vanity Fair. "It's not exactly the nicest industry or the healthiest industry."

So, discontented with modeling, she revisited her passion for acting, first taking a few classes and later landing a tiny role as one of the "clackers" in the 2006 film "The Devil Wears Prada." "I think they just came to modeling agencies and were like, 'We need a bunch of women who can walk in heels,'" she recalled of the lucky break during an appearance on "The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter" podcast. "My agency knew I wanted to act and if people would come looking for stuff, they were sending me out to a few auditions." 

Caitríona Balfe moved to LA to start an acting career

Frederick M Brown / Getty Images

When Caitríona Balfe had finally had enough of modeling, she decided to take a leap of faith into the world of acting — so, she left New York behind and set off for Los Angeles. "LA is where I came and said, 'OK, this is what I wanna do with my life,'" she said to Backstage of her first impressions. She continued taking classes — one was even a $5 class. As she told The Irish Times, "These are the weird things I did when I was wanting to be an actor in LA when I first got here."

In fact, it sounds like Balfe's early years in L.A. were filled with bold, "weird" decisions. For one thing, she only knew one person in the city when she moved. Balfe knew that moving to LA was a bit crazy — but she committed to living in a "bubble of delusion." As she put it, "I guess ultimately I was like: 'I can make this work.'"

At first, following her dream of acting wasn't easy

MJ Kim / Getty Images

Life in L.A. was anything but easy for Caitríona Balfe when she first arrived. Initially, she faced rejection after rejection. "I started from scratch. I didn't have any managers, I didn't know any agents, I hadn't acted in almost a decade," she told Backstage of her initial struggles to land work.

But even though Balfe dealt with lots of rejection, she persevered. Luckily, modeling had given her a thick skin that served her well. "In an audition, if it didn't work out, it wasn't always because you didn't do a good job, or you weren't good," she explained to The Guardian. "It was other arbitrary things like your name's not big enough. Which can also be soul-destroying, but I don't know, it's different."

Balfe did land a few roles, but they were few and far between. In 2011, she had a small role in the film "Super 8." In 2012, she landed a guest role on "The Beauty Inside" and the show "H+." In 2013, there were several films: "Crush," "Now You See Me," and "Escape Plan." Slowly, she was building a stronger CV.

Caitríona Balfe landed her big break with Outlander in 2014

Laura Cavanaugh / Getty Images

Everything changed for Caitríona Balfe in 2014 when she landed the lead role on the much-hyped Starz show "Outlander." "It was a total crapshoot," Balfe later recalled of the audition for the show while speaking to The Guardian. "I had done a few jobs, nothing of note really. I was living in LA and I was really struggling, actually, it was about four or five months since I'd had a job." 

At the time, she didn't realize how big the book series was. "I wasn't even aware of the book series when I got the first audition," she said to Vogue. "Apparently, they had been searching for [Claire] for a very long time."

Balfe landed the role when she was about to head off on a holiday in India. Because her career was going slowly in LA, she decided to leap headfirst into a new life, filming in Scotland. "I didn't realize I'd still be there almost eight and a half years later," she later admitted to The Guardian. 

Caitríona Balfe shot to fame almost instantly afterward

Almost as soon as "Outlander" came out, Caitríona Balfe became one of TV's biggest names. Ronald D. Moore, who developed "Outlander," had warned Balfe about just how life-changing the role would be. "I walked her to the elevator, and just before the doors closed on her, I said, 'Your life is about to change forever,'" he said to Backstage, recalling the day she was cast. "And she gave me a grin that was both thrilled and slightly nervous. I never saw her hesitate after that."

The first episode premiered at Comic Con. "It was insane," she told Vogue. Soon enough, she began to notice her fame growing. As she told Backstage, she had only a few hundred followers on Twitter before playing Claire. "Within about a month or two, it was thousands of people — and my phone, I didn't know how to turn off the alerts, so it was just going all the time," she said. That's when she realized just how big she was becoming.

Caitríona Balfe became lifelong friends with her co-star Sam Heughan

Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Fame wasn't the only life-changing thing to come from her role in "Outlander" — Caitríona Balfe also gained a lifelong friend in Sam Heughan, her co-star. As Balfe explained to Parade, the pair made a conscious decision to become friends before filming even began. "We were just talking about it and we were like, 'Who knows what this is going to be?'" she recalled. The pair agreed to "have each other's backs." She added, "[W]e've done that from day one."

Since then, the pair have only become closer. In fact, during ATX TV's Women of "Outlander" panel, Balfe explained that she and Heughan have never even argued — although they have bickered. Heughan chimed in: "As our lives have gotten more complicated and busy, we may not see each other as much as we used to, but that core and that friendship and that base that we have has never changed." How adorable is that?

Caitríona Balfe landed a number of big roles in the 2010s

As Caitríona Balfe's fame grew in the wake of "Outlander," she landed more big roles in Hollywood — and worked with bigger and bigger stars. 

In 2016, she landed a role in Jodie Foster's all-star film "Money Monster" — her co-stars included George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Dominic West, and Giancarlo Esposito. Sadly, Balfe didn't get to work with them too much as most of her scenes were filmed in front of a green screen. Nevertheless, she was starstruck to be working with Roberts. "I couldn't stop staring at her during our first read-through," she told W Magazine. 

In 2019, she played Mollie Miles, the wife of Christian Bale's character, in "Ford v Ferrari." Matt Damon also starred in the film. "I walked into that film with the idea that I was gonna be very intimidated by both him and Matt [Damon]," she told Collider. But she was pleasantly surprised. "Immediately, when you meet both of them [and] the first thing that struck me about both of them is that they're just these great, humble family men. There was no ego or bravado. It was lovely."

Caitríona Balfe starred in Kenneth Branagh's Belfast in 2021

Caitríona Balfe landed a huge role in Kenneth Branagh's "Belfast" in 2021, playing Ma, the mother figure in Branagh's semi-autobiographical tale about the Troubles in Ireland. For Balfe, the role was particularly meaningful — after years of acting in Scotland, "Belfast" was much closer to home for the Irish actor. "As an Irish person, you read so many of these scripts about the Troubles, and they all have this romantic version of the violence," Balfe told Vanity Fair. "Belfast," she explained, was different.

In fact, Balfe even saw her own family in the script. "Even though this is very much Ken's story, there's a universality to it that allows you to see your own," she told The Scotsman. "I definitely thought of my own mother in playing Ma."

Clearly, Balfe was extremely proud of the film. It was a huge hit and quickly generated awards buzz. However, Balfe remained characteristically humble. "I'm just happy that it's turned out as beautifully as it has and that it's getting the recognition it deserves because it's shot so beautifully and the hard work and heart and soul that went into making it are second to none," she said.

Caitríona Balfe had her first child in 2021

Caitríona Balfe began dating music producer (2) Tony McGill in 2015 (3). The pair married in 2019, and in 2021, they had their first child. Naturally, having a child gave Balfe a new set of priorities. Even though rumors circulated that she'd be nominated for an Oscar for her role in "Belfast," she found her self preoccupied with her new son. "Luckily, I'm doing a lot of that [changing nappies], so I'm actually not thinking about the awards too much: It's more, 'Stop peeing on me!'" she joked to The Guardian.

However, having a child also brought out Balfe's protective side — especially when she found out that a small group of fans online were convinced that her child was actually the product of an imagined affair with her "Outlander" co-star Sam Heughan. "I don't want those crazies — because that's what they are — I just don't want them talking about [my son]," she told Vanity Fair. Apparently, that's why she and McGill have kept their son's name private.

Caitríona Balfe is preparing to say goodbye to Outlander

Mike Marsland / Getty Images

In 2023, Starz announced that "Outlander" would be coming to an end after its eighth season. After the WGA and SAG-AFTRA writer/actor strikes, filming for the final season was delayed. However, Balfe has already begun to mourn the end of the show that gave her her big break.

"Sam and I were doing a video for this season and I started to get emotional already," she told the Express. "It's going to be so weird. It's been such an amazing ride that it's nice to wrap it up while we all still love each other and we are all still feeling like we're making a good show."

Even though "Outlander" may be ending, we can't help but feel that Balfe's career is only just beginning. In fact, she's already set to appear in the film "Amateur" (4) in 2024 alongside Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, and Laurence Fishburne. We can't wait to see what else she does next.

The List

Errors that caught Brian’s attention: (1) Dublin (2) artist/band manager (3) 2014 (4) First paragraph says “The Amateur,” as Malek has and IMDb did. Who knows? 🤷🏻‍♂️ The first promo art will tell us. 🍿

Remember…  I walked her to the elevator, and just before the doors closed on her, I said, “Your life is about to change forever.” — Ronald D Moore

Cut & Paste journalism 🤦🏻‍♂️

🎾Tennis AU pt 33🎾

No, your eyes do not deceive you, you don't need to adjust your glasses. Wanted a bit of fluff from these boys specifically

Part 1 - Max Meets Dan | Part 31 - Thanksgiving | Part 32 - FIA Prizegiving

He was late, Max and Rupert had gone on ahead of him while he'd had an interview scheduled at the hotel. The SUV pulled up to the edge of the Melbourne Walk and Daniel's eyes widened at the size of the crowd.

“You reckon we can just power walk it through?” Blake asked and Daniel gave him a dubious look in return. 

“We can try. It probably won't be so bad though.” 

The door opened and Daniel stepped out, smiling his thanks to the volunteer. He only had a second before he registered that the crowd was going wild. It wasn't until he closed the door and saw people stretching their arms out with caps and signs and markers towards him that he realized that the crowd was going wild for him.

Daniel! Omg Daniel! We love you Daniel! Aussie Aussie Aussie! Ki Ki ki!! aaahhhh Daniel! Danny Ric!!

Two burly security people flanked him from seemingly nowhere and Daniel felt his eyes widen further before he shook himself out of it and stepped onto the Walk. 

It was chaos of a good kind. He couldn't remember signing so many things at any one time at an open. He still couldn't believe this was his life. This must have been what Max felt like when he'd come to the Australian open. No one had expected all the screaming fans with red bull racing kits stretching for a picture or his touch.

At the end of the path was an interviewer and Daniel grinned when the presenter threw an arm around his shoulder to start asking him questions. I honestly couldn't hear himself think over the roar of the crowd and truly was happy when they made it further into the more quiet parts of the paddock.

“Mate that was mental.” Daniel gushed to an equally floored Blake.

“We might have to get you a disguise to get you outta here later.”

They made it to the energy station, waving to DC and Adrian as they sequestered themselves in the quieter space.

“Oh Daniel, there you are! C'mon, I need you to change quick.” Vicky came out of nowhere, pushing Daniel in the direction of the driver rooms.

“Hey Vicks, erm what are we doing?”

“You're doing a hot lap with Max and Ford. I need you to change into the race suit in Max's room and then we need to go.”

Daniel looked back at Blake who seemed to be looking at his phone, Daniel wondering if he was checking the out of nowhere overfilled calendar again.

He changed as quickly as he could, fighting to get the navy nomex up his thighs without Max's help. The race suit was navy and basic. Branding him Red Bull and Ford Performance. He walked out and was immediately escorted onto a golf cart.

“Daniel!” Max greeted him with a kiss and Daniel calmed down a little. His anxiety had been spiking with all of the new unknowns happening at the same time.

“Hey baby. Do you know what's going on here?” Daniel looked dubiously at the helmet he was given and Max grinned at him. Luckily Vicky explained in short order.

“So I'm supposed to ask him questions while he tries to make me puke on a lap? And you want to film this?” He asked even more dubiously, Max's snort made him smile.

“You won't puke Daniel. It's just like a rollercoaster, I think.” Max pointed out, Daniel didn't have the heart to tell him that the last rollercoaster he'd been on he actually had puked a little. He'd keep that tidbit to himself.

They strapped him up in the car and Daniel looked at the cardstock paper they gave him. There were a few questions and the paper was thick in case he started clenching it maybe.

“You'd think they'd use a bigger font or something.” Daniel muttered which caused Max to look over at him and laugh.

“You'll be fine. Just make shit up if you can't read em.” Max shrugged and patted Daniel's thigh. “You look lovely by the way.”

Daniel grinned at him and blew a kiss.

“So what should I do?” 

“Uhm, just brace, maybe. Keep your head planted on the headrest as best you can and look forward don't try to look through the windows, you'll get sick.” 

Daniel felt his shoulders lose some of their tension at Max's words and cadence. He could do this. It wouldn't be so bad.

He was wrong. It was bad. Damn this thing was fast as fuck. A hysterical laugh tore itself from his throat.

“The questions!” Max prompted with his own laugh. 

“Oh shit!” Daniel giggled and patted his lap to find the paper. “God these words are vibrating all together– uhm when– uh fuck it I can't see shit. What's your favorite Ford vehicle?” Daniel couldn't read those questions if he tried. He was in a Ford with Ford emblazoned on his chest. When in doubt, think about marketing

Max laughed a happy sound. “That raptor we drove in LA was pretty great. Remember when we took it up the mountain. I didn't think we would have made it to that ridge when you went off road but I was surprised.”

Daniel cackled when he remembered how Max yelled at him the entire time they were pretty much diagonally climbing the hill. “Oh it was so sick, the four wheel drive on that thing mate. Holy crap this thing is fast! We might have to get one of these too.”

They laughed all the way to the end of the lap while Max started drifting through the last turns. 

“Oh jeepers that was mental.” Daniel crawled out of the van, comically pretending to kiss the asphalt while Max rolled his eyes and took off his helmet.

“It wasn't that bad, I think.” 

“This is why I drive when we're going anywhere!” Daniel laughed at Max's grin.

“No, this is why Blake drives.” Max needled then ran off with a laugh when Daniel lunged after him.

Not your grandpa’s Corvette. This amazing “RS63” 1963 Chevrolet Corvette was built by Roadster Shop and earned an Editors Choice award, at the 2017 SEMA Show. It’s powered by a 817HP 376ci Edelbrock-supercharged Wegner Motorsports LS3 mated to a 4L80E transmission and rides on a Roadster Shop FAST TRACK chassis, Baer brakes, 265/30ZR19 & 345/30ZR19 Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, and 19x9/19x12 Forgeline forged three piece DE3C-SL wheels finished with Gloss Black centers & Gloss Black Outers! See more at: https://forgeline.com/customer-gallery/baer-brakes

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Embracing Nostalgia: The Timeless Allure of the Vintage Mustang

Introduction

In the world of automobiles, certain names evoke a sense of nostalgia and admiration that transcends generations. The vintage Mustang, a true icon of American automotive history, is undoubtedly one of those names. With its sleek lines, roaring engines, and undeniable charisma, the vintage Mustang continues to captivate enthusiasts and collectors alike, reminding us of a bygone era while also leaving an indelible mark on the present.

A Glimpse into the Past

The year was 1964 when the first Ford Mustang rolled off the production line, instantly creating a sensation in the automotive world. Marketed as an affordable yet stylish sports car, the Mustang had an immediate and profound impact on popular culture. Its long hood, short rear deck, and distinctive grille gave it an unmistakable and timeless aesthetic. The classic "pony car" design was an embodiment of freedom and adventure, capturing the spirit of the 1960s.

Design Elegance

One of the most enchanting aspects of the vintage Mustang is its design. The sleek and muscular profile, often adorned with racing stripes and chrome accents, exudes a sense of power and sophistication. The interior, while reflecting the era's design sensibilities, is characterized by its driver-centric layout and straightforward instrument panel. The feeling of sitting behind the wheel of a vintage Mustang is akin to stepping into a time capsule, connecting you directly to the driving experience of the past.

Unforgettable Performance

Beyond its striking appearance, the vintage Mustang offers a driving experience that enthusiasts still find exhilarating. The growl of its V8 engine, combined with a manual transmission, provides a visceral connection to the road that modern cars often struggle to replicate. The raw power and unfiltered driving dynamics remind us of a time when driving was not just about getting from point A to point B, but about the journey itself.

Community and Camaraderie

Owning a vintage Mustang is more than just possessing a classic car; it's becoming a part of a passionate and welcoming community. Enthusiast clubs, car shows, and events dedicated to vintage Mustangs offer owners the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who share a love for these iconic vehicles. The camaraderie among Mustang enthusiasts is a testament to the enduring impact these cars have had on countless lives.

Preserving History

Restoring and maintaining a vintage Mustang is a labor of love. Many owners take great pride in meticulously restoring these cars to their former glory, ensuring that the legacy of the Mustang lives on for future generations. This dedication to preserving automotive history is a testament to the lasting impact of the Mustang on American culture.

Conclusion

The vintage Mustang is more than just a car; it's a symbol of an era, a statement of style, and a representation of the thrill of the open road. Its timeless design, unforgettable performance, and vibrant community make it an enduring classic that continues to capture the hearts of enthusiasts around the world. As we embrace the nostalgia of the vintage Mustang, we're reminded that some things are truly timeless and that the spirit of adventure on the open road never goes out of style.

Happy birthday MIKA HÄKKINEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (28/09/1968) 💙⚡

“You can only get over your fears if you attack them head on”.

Mika Pauli Häkkinen was born in Vantaa, a city not far from Helsinki, in an humble family: his father, Harri, was a short-wave radio operator and a part-time taxi driver, meanwhile his mother Aila, was a secretary. He also has a sister called Nina. Since a young age, Mika was a very lively and athletic child and used to play ice hockey and football. It was at the age of 5, that his parents rented a go-kart for him to take and try on a track near their home. However, his first experience on four wheels didn't go so well: little Mika crashed, but thankfully he was uninjured; despite his accident, the young boy wanted to keep racing, so his father decided to buy him a second-hand go-kart, which turned out to be the one that, future rally driver, Henri Toivonen, previously raced with. Young Mika would earn his first karting win in 1975, and in the late 70s would go and win the Keimola Club Championship for two consecutive years. Yet his major success would come in 1981, when he won in the 85cc class of the Finnish Karting Championship, the following year he would win the Ronnie Peterson Memorial event. In 1983, he moved up to the Formula Nordic 100cc that he ended up winning on his first attempt, and would later go and win it in the three following years. In the mean time, to fund his career, Mika got a job with a friend repearing bicycles.

After purchasing his first racing car, in 1987, Mika would take a big step and leave karting to start racing in the Finnish, Swedish and Nordic Formula Ford Championships, that surprisingly, he'll win each one on his first attempt. After joining the British Formula 3, where he finished 7th in the championship, in 1990, the young Finn applied to become a 'Marlboro World Championship team' memeber, his application was the last to be reviewed by the judging panel (which included Ron Dennis and James Hunt) and after looking at his strong results in testing, he secured the membership; that very same year, he also became the British Formula 3 Champion. The following year, he was offered his first Formula 1 test session with Benetton: he really liked the car and its steering wheel and throttle response, but he was sure that the team wouldn't offer him the seat, so he preferred to sign with the Lotus team.

Mika made his debut at the US GP driving for Lotus, however his debut would be quite unpleasent, since he was forced to retire from the race due to an engine failure. But overall, his first year would be quite positive, collecting various points and ending up 16th in the World Championship; his second year in the team would be even more positive, since he finished 8th in the Championship with 11 points. Following a contract dispute, in which the young driver was in the middle of, at the end of the year he managed to sign for McLaren. Initially meant to be the new McLaren driver, he would end up 'on the bench' as the official test driver, due to the hiring of Michael Andretti. Yet, Andretti didn't last much in the team, and at the Portuguese GP, Mika would replace the American for the rest of the season. The Finn immediately showed his worth by outqualyfing Ayrton Senna and at his only second GP for the team, he would end up on podium at Suzuka, with an amazing 3rd place. These good performances lead him to earn his McLaren seat in 1994, that despite the bad start of the season and a ban for three races, he managed to collect a good amount of points and finished 4th overall. Always with McLaren, the 1995 season started with a good fourth place, but unfourtunately continued with a lot of consecutive retirements; but Mika's, already unfortunate, season ended in the worst way possible: during the qualyfing session at the Australian GP, his car suffered a tyre failure, and the car ended up hitting sideways a crash barrier. His conditions were highly critical, but it's thanks to the efforts of the trackside medical team, that his life was saved that day. Transported to the hospital nearby, Mika would spend there two whole months, where he was able to make his remarkable recovery. The Finn's come back to F1 was in time with the start of the new season, feeling stronger than ever, he wanted to start winning, he would have to wait almost one season where at the European GP, the last of the 1997 season, he would score his firts victory in his career, almost forseeing the bright future ahead. Driving the new silver McLaren MP4/13, Mika completely demoralised the competition by finishing on podium every race, except for five, and scoring 8 victories, leading Mika to claim the much coveted World Championship. The following season had the same good ending as the previous one: Mika became champion for the second consecutive year, despite various retirements, the Finn scored enough points to see him prevail on the competition. The Finnish driver almost won his third championship in 2000, but unfortunately Michael Schumacher, with a gap of 19 points, claimed the title. The 2001 season was off a bad start, and continued to be quite unsuccessful, due to the unreliability of the McLaren, this unsatisfaction lead Mika to retire at the end of the season, stating that he would take a sabbatical year from F1, to spend time with his family. (Where are you Mika? We're still waiting for you to come back from the sabbaical).

After his retirment he remained close to the world of motorsport and became a commentator for various tv channels and despite his retirement, he took part, and still does, in various motorsport events, like it happened earlier this year at the Race of Champions.

Nicknamed the 'Flying Finn', like many other Finnish racing drivers before him, he got his nickname, not only for his speed, but after a photo of his McLaren 'flying' mid air as he speeds on the Adelaide circuit was taken, and published by the note motorsport photographer Mark Sutton.

Mika's and Michael's iconic rivalry excited many in the 90s, especially for their different driving styles and personalities clashing against each other: Michael's firey personality reflected his more aggressive, lively and impulsive driving style, meanwhile Mika's cold and detached personality reflected his precise, calculated, neat driving style. But their 'loyal rivalry', actually dates back to their time in the British formula 3, where, at a young age, they were already having heated battles on track.

Michael always stated that Mika was the only driver he really respected and had fun racing against.

2023 Film Reviews

(from July to December)

5 stars

Medea (1983): A strong adaptation of the play. A straightforward simple telling of the story, almost like a filmed stage performance. Strong acting from the leads.

4 stars

Haunted Mansion (2023): The first twenty minutes felt a bit rough humor wise but it smoothed out after that. Overall I enjoyed, I was actually pleasantly surprised by the performances. Strong focus on grief and healing from loss while also being a spooky fun family movie.

Ninja Shadow of a Tear (2013): Strong improvement on Ninja 2009. Better action, better acting, better story. Strigtforward revenge story but it does the formula well. Kane Kosugi as Nakabara is a highlight even if he only has a handful of key scenes. Docked a few points for fridging the last movie's female lead without even a good fight scene.

Five Nights at Freddys (2023): I was delighted; animatronics alternated between adorable giant cuddle buddies and deadly killing machines, bunch of lore easter eggs, Josh Hutcherson as a sad wet dog of a man and his odd little sister, Mathew Lilliard having a blast, and a wildly flipping tone (which is perfect for this franchise). Will horror fans like it? Eh, there are spooky scenes but cut between robot adorableness and somber family drama. Will average moviegoers like it? Again, the tone varies wildly and the story's a bit confusing and doesn't answer every question (which fits fnaf). Best to approach it as a spooky fun alternate adaptation of the game story.

The Marvels (2023): I mostly enjoyed it! It's fun and fastpaced and it balances the stories of the three leads pretty well. I think the fast pace is a detriment at some points since the emotional moments aren't always given enough time to breathe (I wish we spent a little more time on the musical planet for example). Villain feels a little forgetable but she has a good motive that ties well into Carol's guilt about how she handled fighting Hala. The Flerkens are fantastic as usual. There's a planet where they communicate primarily through song, where Carol is technically a princess and has a platonic husband (I so badly want to hear that story). I like the heart of the story too, about the relationships between the three leads.

3 stars

Ninja (2009): it's a fun sometimes goofy ninja film, you get what you pretty much expect. Although it does have a heart and genuine character interactions, even if they don't get full arcs.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023): eh it's okay. I like Harrison Ford as Grumpy Old Man Indy Jones; I think I actually connected more to this version of him than the previous films (guess depression made him relatable). Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) was mostly a delight; yes she's selfish and greedy and her character arc isn't quite there but she bounces off Indy in fun ways. Mason (Shaunette Renee Wilson) seemed to have potential for an interesting arc but that was abruptly scrapped. Mads Mikkelsen does well as the villain and it was especially fun to see him progressively lose his shit in the climax as his plan falls apart.

The Shepherd (2008): Meh, it's okay. There's definitely far worse direct to video Van Damme films. There are a couple fun aspects (Jack carries around a pet rabbit also named Jack, Scott Adkins as side villain Karp) but it felt lackluster.

Gran Turismo (2023): First act is pretty weak like it's just hitting the required plot points and the training section definitely felt rushed. It regains it's footing once the lead actually starts racing. An interesting look at the fallout (both PR and emotional) of a nasty race crash. Good showing from the cast, especially from Djimon Hounsou.

2 stars

Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1 (2023): Cool action and stunts. Too long and too many characters. Most of the new cast are either boring or annoying, couldn't remember the names of half of them. Couldn't take the scary AI threat seriously because it felt like jumping the shark. Through most of it I just felt mildly annoyed, including when a favorite character was abruptly killed.

Hard Night Falling (2019): Typical Die Hard formula featuring Dolph Lundgren. It's functional but doesn't do anything to stand out. Mostly a bland experience.

Racing News: Ford Unveils Mustang GT3 Race Car

By SEMA Editors Ford has unveiled the Mustang GT3 race car, based on the all-new '24 Mustang Dark Horse, during a special ceremony as part of this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The automaker also announced plans to enter the GT3 into the iconic endurance race's FIA GT3 category in 2024, along with an entry in the 2024 World Endurance Championship season under Proton Competition, the German team led by team principal Christian Ried. "It is not Ford versus Ferrari anymore. It is Ford versus everyone," said Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor Co. Multimatic will build and support the GT3s, while M-Sport will assemble the Ford Performance-developed 5.4 L Coyote-based V8 engines. The GT3 features a bespoke short-long arm suspension, rear-mounted transaxle gearbox, carbon fiber body panels, and an aero package developed to meet GT3 targets. In addition, the automaker announced a new Ford Performance branding described as a "cleaner, simplified look" that will be integrated across its racing vehicles. New E1 World Championship to Launch Inaugural Electric Powerboat Racing Season UIM E1 World Championship--the world's first all-electric powerboat racing championship--has unveiled the venues that will host the first-ever racing season beginning in January 2024. The season will launch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, followed by a to-be-determined location in the Middle East in February 2024. Two events--set for April and May 2024--will take place in the waters of Venice, Italy. Then, competitors will visit Monaco in July 2024, followed by Rotterdam, Netherlands, in September 2024. Teams will race RaceBirds boats near the shore, allowing fans to view the action from land. WyoTech Announces Inaugural Hall of Fame Class WyoTech--the U.S. automotive, diesel and collision trade school based in Laramie, Wyoming--has announced its inaugural Hall of Fame class, with alumni including the late trailblazer known as "The Fastest Woman on Earth, a John Deere master tech whose YouTube videos have garnered 8 million views, a custom car builder who returned as an instructor and more. "Each of the six alumni has achieved tremendous career success and demonstrates WyoTech's capability of training students to succeed across the entire spectrum of the trade industry," said Jim Mathis, president and CEO of WyoTech. "We're honored to recognize them as the first inductees of WyoTech's Hall of Fame and to show the public the kind of impact our graduates have on the trade industry and the world." To be eligible for the WyoTech Hall of Fame, alumni must be five years post-graduation and established in the industry. The inaugural WyoTech Hall of Fame Class is (in alphabetical order): - John Alonzo is the racing operations-marketing director for the race shop at Scoggin Dickey Parts Center in Lubbock, Texas, one of the world's leading dealers of high-performance engines and GM parts. - Jessi Combs (1980-2019): The late Combs broke stereotypes and records by joining the North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger team and, in 2013, became "The Fastest Woman on Four Wheels" at 398 mph, with a top speed of 440 mph. In 2019, she set a new women's landspeed world record at 522.783 mph before the accident that took her life. That feat and her career were memorialized in the HBO Max documentary "The Fastest Woman on Earth." - Dave Gilley is the founder and owner of Gilleyfab Enterprises, near Salt Lake City, Utah, known for top-tier, fine-quality fabrication in the UTV industry. - Levi Green is the owner and instructor of HammerFab near Austin, Texas, which specializes in handcrafting upscale turnkey customs and industry-leading fabrication tools and parts. - Zeth Key is a Master John Deere service technician at a Sloan Implement location in Illinois. In April 2008, he launched a YouTube channel in honor of his late friend Jake to promote the trade they loved and to "inspire a younger generation to pick up a wrench and start a great career" keeping agriculture running. In two years, the channel grew to 63,000 subscribers and 8 million views. - Randy Svalina is a WyoTech specialties instructor who teaches students a curriculum and a way of life that helps their families and communities. "As a part of WyoTech, we help others reach their goals, their dreams, raise their families and succeed in their journey," he said. Read the full article

Ford Mustang GT Gen3 Supercar, 2023. The racing version of the 7th generation Mustang has been revealed for the Australian Supercars series. Created by Ford Performance and Dick Johnson Racing, it will make its competitive debut at the start of the 2023 season as part of the new ‘Gen3’ regulations. Technical specs have not been revealed but it will be powered by a production-based Coyote V8 tuned to produce in excess of 600hp

Ford Mustang Mach I

A Cammer-Powered 616 HP Ford Mustang Mach 1 – “The Sin City Shaker”

This unusual Ford Mustang Mach 1 is fitted with a rare Ford 427 “Cammer” engine, a V8 with single overhead cams per bank allowing higher RPM operation. Ford originally developed the engine to take on Chrysler’s 426 Hemi in the world of NASCAR.

A Mach 1 Mustang fitted with the 7.0 liter Ford pushrod V8 is a quick car by any standard, particularly in a straight line, but the use of the Cammer 7.0 liter V8 with its SOHC takes it up a few notches – from 335 hp to 616 hp.

Fast Facts – The Mach 1 And The Mighty Cammer V8

Ford developed the “Cammer” V8 in just 90 days in the early 1960 using their existing 427 FE pushrod V8 as a starting point. Their goal was to take on the Chrysler 426 Hemi V8 in NASCAR.

The final production Cammer engine had a single overhead cam per bank spun by a 6 ft long timing chain, and they produced 616 hp at 7,000 rpm and 515 lb ft torque at 3,800 rpm – up to 657 bhp with improved carburetors.

The Ford Mustang Mach 1 was introduced in 1968 as a higher performance version of the standard Mustang. It came with competition suspension and front and rear spoilers, but much of the package was focussed on the car’s looks.

No Cammer V8 engine was fitted to a production car by Ford in period, but this hasn’t stopped enthusiasts from doing their own engine swaps. The car you see here has been professionally converted, looking like a factory-built Cammer Mach 1 might have, had Ford ever built one.

The “90 Day Wonder” – Ford’s Cammer V8

When Ford engineers set out to develop a new V8 to challenge the Chrysler 426 Hemi V8 in the fiercely competitive world of NASCAR racing they knew they had their work cut out for them.

To both simplify and speed up the development process they started with a preexisting engine block – the race-proven 427 FE pushrod V8. The block was modified and a pair of new heads were designed that, very unusually for an American V8 at the time, had a single overhead cam per bank.

Single and double overhead cam engines had largely been the realm of the Europeans, specifically the Italians, Brits, and Germans. Compared to pushrod engines, overhead cam engines typically tolerate higher RPM operation, opening up additional power when designed well.

It was this additional power that Ford engineers were chasing. They took the FE block and modified it to accept the new heads they have developed, the overhead cams would be powered by a 6 ft (1.8 meter) long timing chain and a slew of other minor changes would be made to the engine to safely permit higher-RPM usage.

The length of that timing chain would quickly become a problem for the engine, it necessitated that one cam be a mirror of the other, and under high-RPM usage the cam timing could vary by 7º or more due to the chain stretching.

Sadly, before the engine could even turn in a single lap, it was banned by NASCAR along with the Chrysler Hemi engine as part of a crack down on “special racing engines.”

The Cammer Goes Drag Racing

Rather than dump the Cammer project Ford continued to develop the engine in the hopes of changing the minds of those making decisions at NASCAR, in the meantime they sent the engine off into the world of drag racing – where it proved wildly successful.

Many of the big names in 1960s drag racing were putting the Cammer to good use, including Bill Lawton who won the AHRA and NHRA Winternationals in 1966. Other Cammer pilots included Mickey Thompson, Gerry Schwartz, Tommy Grove, Tom Hoover, Pete Robinson, Connie Kallita, and many others.

1967 would see Connie Kalitta’s Cammer-powered “Bounty Hunter” slingshot dragster win the Top Fuel events at the AHRA, NHRA, and NASCAR winter meets – becoming the only “triple crown” winner in the history of American drag racing.

These successes should be no great surprise, as many drag racing outfits were getting over 2,500 hp out of their supercharged Cammers.

The Cammer Mach 1 Shown Here – “The Sin City Shaker”

The car you see here was nicknamed “The Sin City Shaker” thanks to its combination of a Ford Cammer V8 engine and a shaker hood.

The shaker hood was offered as an option on the Mach 1, it comprises of a hole in the hood and a special air scoop mounted directly to the top of the engine. The air scoop rises through the hole in the hood when the hood is closed, and when the engine is running the scoop can be seen to be shaking – hence the name.

Power is provided by a rare, original Ford 427 cubic inch Cammer V8 producing 616 hp at 7,000 rpm and 515 lb ft torque at 3,800 rpm. Power is sent back through a 4-speed manual transmission to the rear axle.

As a Mach 1, the car has that distinctive livery on the outside, including side stripes, a matte black hood with hood pins, a front lip spoiler, and a rear trunk lid spoiler. Inside you’ll find a black-on-black interior and a Hurst cue ball shifter.

Ben Branch

Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.

Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.

Movies of 2023 - My Summer Rundown (Part 1)

The Runners-Up:

20.  TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS – it’s telling that we didn’t get a truly GREAT live action Transformers movie until Michael Bay stepped back into a mere producer capacity and we got 2018’s brilliant soft-reboot Bumblebee.  This new film feels like something of a step back to Bay’s more OTT chaos, but they’ve still learned the lessons from that ridiculous excess to bring us a direct sequel to that ingenious restart, Creed II director Steven Caple Jr. going bigger this time but still reining in the excess with impressive focus for an explosively exciting and still endearingly heartfelt action adventure.  The end results are still clunky but a good deal better than Bay’s misfires, and entertaining, affecting and genuinely thrilling if you just let yourself go with it …

19.  TO CATCH A KILLER – honestly, I could hardly call Argentine filmmaker Damian Szifron’s taut suspense thriller an international big break considering it only received a limited theatrical release before becoming a relative promo-free sleeper on streaming, but this is one of those underdog movies that really deserves a lot more attention than it received.  Divergent’s Shailene Woodley is electrifying as Eleanor, a troubled Baltimore PD officer who, after a nightmarish sniper attack and bombing, becomes an unofficial investigator under the guidance of FBI manhunter Lammark (an ON-FIRE Ben Mendelsohn) as he races to track down a brutal domestic terrorist before they commit another atrocity.

18.  HEART OF STONE – Gal Gadot stretches her action heroine muscles outside of playing Wonder Woman as superspy Rachel Stone/Nine of Hearts, a top agent in a mysterious covert intelligent agency known as the Charter, who must go it alone when a former partner makes a play for the quantum computing AI that helps them fight international threats.  Director Tom Parker (The Aeronauts, Wild Rose, Peaky Blinders) reveals previously largely untapped action talent as he turns The Old Guard comics-writer’s blistering screenplay into an exciting, fast-paced action thriller that’s sure to impress fans of Netflix’ previous dabbles in the genre.

17.  ORGAN TRAIL – another indie underdog that snuck in VERY MUCH under the radar, this supremely twisted psychological horror western from Drop Dead Gorgeous director Michael Patrick Jann and newcomer screenwriter Meg Turner deserves A WHOLE LOT of attention.  Zoe De Grand Maison (Orphan Black, Riverdale) lights up the screen as Abigail Archer, a young girl in snow-bound 1870s Montana who’s forced to grow up REAL FAST when her family is murdered by a band of marauding outlaws who make a brutal living attacking travelling groups of would-be settlers for their money and supplies.

16.  INDIANA JONES & THE DIAL OF DESTINY – 2008’s Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was such a disappointment compared to the giddy heights of Steven Spielberg’s original stone-cold CLASSIC action adventure trilogy that I went into this film with very low expectations, so I was VERY PLEASANTLY SURPRISED to see that this is actually a whole lot of fun and a GLORIOUS return to form for Harrison Ford’s now VERY OLD Nazi-fighting treasure hunter and professor of archaeology.  With Spielberg and George Lucas largely stepping back into producing duties here, Logan writer-director James Mangold has taken up the reins instead, delivering an engagingly nostalgic thrill-ride which beautifully redeems Indiana Jones for a new generation while also giving the character a suitably grand send-off …

15.  THE PRINCE – while not technically a feature film, I was SO thoroughly impressed by this filmed performance of the revolutionary Shakespearean deconstruction play by actress, playwright and influential YouTuber Abigail Thorn that I couldn’t resist giving it a nod here.  Thorn shines bright as a distinctly unconventional take on Harry “Hotspur” Pierce in Henry IV, an anthropomorphised play character who becomes ensnared in a radical shake-up of their life-story when a pair of humans from THE REAL WORLD become trapped in the play itself and wind up entirely sabotaging the narrative.  It’s a fascinating experience, a revolutionary game-changer of a show which takes Shakespeare and turns his works ENTIRELY on their head while addressing important themes of genre identity, sexuality and intolerance, and this is glaring proof that this is a production which deserves to be seen whether it’s in this Nebula video presentation or performed live on stage.

14.  BARBIE – Oppenheimer’s bizarre unexpected twin when it came to be released in cinemas is, in many ways, just as important a film, but for very different reasons.  After languishing in Development Hell since 2009, writer-director Greta Gerwig finally realised this genuinely BIZARRE screwball comedy sort-of biopic of the iconic fashion doll range from Mattel, unleashing the character upon the world IN THE LIVING FLESH in the simply PERFECT (from a casting point of view) form of Margot Robbie.  She’s simply AMAZING here as “Stereotypical Barbie”, who finds herself going through an existential crisis after some girl starts “playing with her wrong” in the real world, but the film is frequently stolen right out from under her by Ryan Gosling as her so-called boyfriend Ken, who went ALL OUT to bring the most fundamentally useless boy-toy in history to life …

13.  MEG 2: THE TRENCH – supremely creepy indie cinema director Ben Wheatley may seem like a distinctly ODD choice to helm a follow-up to 2018’s most delightfully off-the-wall runaway action horror smash hit, but he actually proves to be a perfect hit because he clearly GETS the inherent silliness of this franchise.  Cinema’s all-time greatest living “special effect”, Jason Statham, returns as deep sea rescue diver and professional giant shark-puncher Jonas Taylor, once again wrapped up in a whole heap of trouble when not one but this time THREE massive prehistoric megaladons escape the abyssal Trench and start munching on South Pacific tourists, but this time matters are further complicated when he also has to deal with a conglomerate of dastardly strip-miners looking to exploit the Trench’s rare earth metal resources for their own ends …

12.  THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL & HER MONSTER – debuting writer-director Bomani J. Story brings Frankenstein to the inner-city projects as haunted teenage genius Vicaria (the new TV series of The Equalizer’s Laya DeLeon Hayes) reanimates her gangbanger big brother Chris (Kill a Prophet and Warrior Soul’s Edem Atsu-Swanzy) after he’s gunned down in a turf war.  The results are a dark and disturbing slowburn psychological body horror that deals head-on with socially resonant issues of drugs, urban poverty and gang culture while also delivering a unique and challenging new twist on one of the most classic stories in the history of science-fiction and horror …

11.  TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM – another animated feature that’s following the inventive new lead of the Spider-Verse movies, this latest big screen incarnation for Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s zeitgeisty comics creations is a genuine riot which takes the original core concept and runs it through a delightfully skewed comedic blender to form a compelling new narrative basis for what’s sure to be a fantastic new film series.  Comedy screenwriting/producing masters Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg team up with up-and-coming young writer-director Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells Vs. the Machines) to bring the youthful mutant quartet to vivid life with plenty of visual flair, anarchic chaotic humour and a whole lot of heart, and I for one can’t wait for more.

Daily Forza Car #37: The HUH Series????

We've been on a bit of a power trip on the past few entries, haven't we? Why not keep that going with this 'un, the SL 65 AMG Black Series. An incredible, almost infamous car within the world of racing games that dominated every game it was in back in the day, until the Porsche 911 reigned supreme once more. There was very good reason for this thing to dominate as much as it did, though.

Sporting a 660-ish horsepower V12 up front, it was an improvement upon the already crazy SL 65 AMG, sporting even bigger turbos to squeeze out even more power than the engine already had. On top of this, they added even more performance parts to the handling, giving it a nice wing at the back for downforce, and made an already mad car into absolute, pure, unbridled insanity. Only 350 were made, because, well, frankly any more would've put lives at risk. Both in front of and behind the wheel of this thing. Even with the $300k price tag. 200 mph top speed is no joke, after all.

And all of this translated incredibly well into the digital world. Back in the days of Porsche being a Need for Speed exclusive marque, this thing would top the charts, sometimes even within NFS games. It's day has long since passed, to the point it didn't even make it to Horizon 5 (somehow), but it is still a fairly legendary car. Even if it isn't the M3 GTR or Gran Turismo Ford GT, it is incredibly dangerous to see in the lineup still. To everyone involved.

All hail the champion. Congrats to Joe Gregory for winning the 2023 Holley LS Fest Truck Class Grand Champion title! Joe’s 1985 Chevrolet Square Body Stepside truck is powered by a 427ci Lewis Roberts LS7 mated to a Bowler Performance Transmissions Tremec T56 Magnum 6-speed manual transmission and rides on a No Limit Engineering chassis, Viking Performance coilovers, Brembo disc brakes, 335/30ZR18 BFGoodrich Rival S tires, and 18x12 Forgeline forged three piece AL300 wheels finished with Satin Black centers & Gloss Black outers! See more at: https://forgeline.com/customer-gallery/joe-gregory-3

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Forgeline formed in 1994 with the express purpose of manufacturing USA-made custom lightweight forged wheels for road racing applications. For 30 years since, we’ve built our reputation by engineering and manufacturing wheels that can withstand the extreme demands of sports car racing. With an unwavering commitment to strength, safety, and performance, we’ve earned our place on some of the world’s fastest track cars, including the factory-engineered Chevrolet C8 Corvette GT3.R, Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R, Ford Mustang GT4, and Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution. We continue to manufacture our forged wheels in Dayton, Ohio using exclusively U.S.-sourced parts, including our industry-leading APP aluminum forgings that meet the most stringent aerospace and defense industry specifications. Don’t settle for anything less.

Photos courtesy of Leyton Mullins and In the Garage Media

TVR Tuscan V6  

The TVR Tuscan V6 was sold almost exclusively in the United Kingdom, the larger V8 engine version of the Tuscan was aimed at the USA, with the smaller four-cylinder car and its V6 stable mate intended for Brits. Interestingly the Essex V6 didn’t meet American emissions standards so it couldn’t be offered for sale in the USA, however its better fuel economy and the ease of sourcing parts for the locally developed Ford Essex V6 made it a popular choice for UK TVR buyers.The weight of the Ford 289 cubic inch V8 up front was known to have a negative impact on handling, the V6 was capable of being tuned to produce an excellent spread of power, and there was plenty of tuning expertise in the UK for the V6.The lighter 3.0 liter OHV Ford Essex V6 which was also used in cars like the Ford Capri and the Zodiac responded well to tuning and it helped reduce the weight over the front wheels, and moved the weight distribution back for slightly more balanced handling.The structure of the Tuscan V6 was essentially just a slightly modified version of the structure used for the Tuscan V8 and the four-cylinder TVR Vixen. The cars made use of a welded tubular steel backbone frame with a fiberglass body bolted on top, not dissimilar to the way Lotus and Bolwell sports cars of the same era were made.As you would expect the engines were mounted up front and they sent power back through a manual transmission to the rear wheels. Suspension was independent front and rear, and the V6 was fitted with the same Salisbury rear end as the V8 model.The V6 was fitted with front disc brakes and rear drums, a fairly standard set up for the era. In stock trim delivered from the factory the car produced 138 hp and 182 lb ft of torque, though many owners exploited the tunability of the Essex V6 to wring out considerably. Over the course of the 1969 to 1971 production run TVR built just 101 examples of the Tuscan V6, and they remain one of the company’s most popular models from the era. The car you see here was originally ordered from the factory as a race car, with a full roll cage and a slew of upgrades to ensure it would be competitive on track.Despite all of these performance upgrades the car remains 100% road legal, giving its owner the best of both worlds. 

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