Castors Help to Keep the Olympic Torch on the Move
The Olympic torch and flame is a symbol of the Olympic games and next May the torch will travel from Greece to United Kingdom to start a nationwide tour around the country. The torch will leave Lands End in Cornwall on May 19th, the day after it arrives from Greece, and begins a seventy day torch relay around the country. During those seventy days the torch will pass through towns and cities including Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, Oxford, Southampton and Dover. The route covers over eight thousand miles over every nation, country and region in the British Isles. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Locog) said the Olympic flame would come within a one-hour journey of 95% of people in the UK. A mammoth task by no means.
The origins of the Olympic torch lies in Ancient Greece where fire was kept burning throughout the duration of the Ancient Games. The fire was re introduced in 1928 in the Summer Olympics in Amsterdam and has been retained as a symbol ever since. Prior to any Olympic games the torch is lit several months before the opening ceremony at the site of the ancient Olympics in Olympia, Greece. Although most of the time the torch is carried by runners, it has been transported by many different ways. Modern day Olympics rely on a vast array of castors and wheels to keep the torch on the move. In the past the torch has been transported by horse, by boat, by swimmers and by plane. When the torch touches our shores there will be a relay of runners carrying the torch in-between the locations. Behind the runners is a convoy of support vehicles, with trailers running on an array of castors and wheels. Without these support vehicles, running by the aid of castors and wheels, the torch route would be much smaller and less ambitious.
Overnight locations throughout the British Isles will hold Olympic parties, and such venues will encourage locals to celebrate the arrival of the Olympics. Outside catering vans on castors, and mobile catering units on wheels will provide drinks and catering for the Torch Party. Mobile stages on castors will help to celebrate the Olympic party and all the kit can be relocated on castors and wheels to the next venue. In the past it has become customary for previous athletes to carry the torch, and next year both athletes and respected inspirational local people will have the opportunity to carry the torch. This has been received as a tremendous opportunity for the local inspirational sporting characters. As well as runners the British Olympic Organising committee have recently announced unusual modes of transport of the torch will include zip wire and steam train, with even more unusual modes of transportation to be announced nearer the time. Castors and wheels are at the forefront supporting the torch bearer's route, and the hopes of the nation are that the 2012 Olympics are the best ones yet.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
A Review Of The 2010 Australian Grand Prix
A Review Of The 2010 Australian Grand Prix
The 2010 Australian Grand Prix was the second race of the F1 season and was held on March 28 in Melbourne, Australia at the famed Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. Before the Grand Prix became part of the World Championship circuit, drivers still raced courses at different venues throughout Australia. The race became permanent in 1985 and moved to Melbourne in 1996.
The qualifying round was held the day before the race itself and Sebastian Vettel, driving for Red Bull-Renault, won pole position with an impressive lap time of 1:23. Due to wet conditions during the remainder of the weekend, no driver during the race was able to beat this time.
Race day started off slowly. Due to rainy weather, the track was declared "wet" and drivers first had to change their tires before the racing started. With intermediate tires on their fast cars, the F1 drivers were having control problems from the onset. Eventual winner Jenson Button tangled up with Fernando Alonso in the first turn. Schumacher's car was also damaged in the incident.
Button would set the tone for the race nearly the entire way. With more accidents happening due to the tires, Jenson was the first to stop in at the pits and undergo a tire change. In a risky move that, depending on the track surface, could have gone badly, Jenson switched from intermediates to soft tires.
Once Button returned to the track, he seemed to have much more control over maneuvering, and other drivers started to stop in and have their tires replaced. The crash out of the gate caused Button some suffering as it put him far from the lead. However, being first to change tires helped him a lot and he gained ground up to second position, behind Sebastian Vettel.
A shock came when Vettel's car suffered a serious malfunction with the torque drive and Button was able to pick up the lead, which he kept for the rest of the race. The fastest lap of the race went to Mark Webber, who got around in 1:28 on lap 47, though at the end he came in at a mediocre 9th place.
As Jenson led the race, the drivers behind him were dueling for position in the latter laps. Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa struggled to make up ground, and Mark Webber, also vying for position, hit Hamilton in the rear and exploded his car's nose cone.
The only driver to even remotely close the gap with Button was Robert Kubica, with Button still winning by an impressive 12 seconds. Kubica, driving for Renault, finished second, beating Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, driving Ferraris.
The Australian Grand Prix is one of the longer tracks on the F1 circuit. Known as a street circuit race, the course is riddled with various turns and slopes. There are 58 laps around the long track, totaling around 191 miles (307 kilometers).
Racing legend Michael Schumacher has been one of the track's most notable racers and until this year, he was the track's last consecutive winner. He took center-stage with champagne on the podium in all three years 2000-02. In the races of 2010 and 2009, Jenson Button took all the glory as winner in both years.
The 2010 Australian Grand Prix was the second race of the F1 season and was held on March 28 in Melbourne, Australia at the famed Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. Before the Grand Prix became part of the World Championship circuit, drivers still raced courses at different venues throughout Australia. The race became permanent in 1985 and moved to Melbourne in 1996.
The qualifying round was held the day before the race itself and Sebastian Vettel, driving for Red Bull-Renault, won pole position with an impressive lap time of 1:23. Due to wet conditions during the remainder of the weekend, no driver during the race was able to beat this time.
Race day started off slowly. Due to rainy weather, the track was declared "wet" and drivers first had to change their tires before the racing started. With intermediate tires on their fast cars, the F1 drivers were having control problems from the onset. Eventual winner Jenson Button tangled up with Fernando Alonso in the first turn. Schumacher's car was also damaged in the incident.
Button would set the tone for the race nearly the entire way. With more accidents happening due to the tires, Jenson was the first to stop in at the pits and undergo a tire change. In a risky move that, depending on the track surface, could have gone badly, Jenson switched from intermediates to soft tires.
Once Button returned to the track, he seemed to have much more control over maneuvering, and other drivers started to stop in and have their tires replaced. The crash out of the gate caused Button some suffering as it put him far from the lead. However, being first to change tires helped him a lot and he gained ground up to second position, behind Sebastian Vettel.
A shock came when Vettel's car suffered a serious malfunction with the torque drive and Button was able to pick up the lead, which he kept for the rest of the race. The fastest lap of the race went to Mark Webber, who got around in 1:28 on lap 47, though at the end he came in at a mediocre 9th place.
As Jenson led the race, the drivers behind him were dueling for position in the latter laps. Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa struggled to make up ground, and Mark Webber, also vying for position, hit Hamilton in the rear and exploded his car's nose cone.
The only driver to even remotely close the gap with Button was Robert Kubica, with Button still winning by an impressive 12 seconds. Kubica, driving for Renault, finished second, beating Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, driving Ferraris.
The Australian Grand Prix is one of the longer tracks on the F1 circuit. Known as a street circuit race, the course is riddled with various turns and slopes. There are 58 laps around the long track, totaling around 191 miles (307 kilometers).
Racing legend Michael Schumacher has been one of the track's most notable racers and until this year, he was the track's last consecutive winner. He took center-stage with champagne on the podium in all three years 2000-02. In the races of 2010 and 2009, Jenson Button took all the glory as winner in both years.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Dale Earnhardt The Finale
Dale Earnhardt The Finale
In 2000, Earnhardt began looking like his old self. Many believed it was due to neck surgery he'd had to repair the injury he suffered at Talledega in '96. He won 2 of the most exciting races of that season. One was at Atlanta when he beat Bobby Labonte to the finish by.006 seconds, the other occurred at Talledega when Earnhardt gained 17 positions in 4 laps to take the victory. With these wins under his belt, Earnhardt climbed to 2cnd place in the point standings. But wrecks at Watkins Glen and Bristol, plus poor performances in a couple of other races would prevent him from gaining another title.
It was a beautiful day for racing, February 18, 2001. The first official race of the year, the 'Super Bowl' of NASCAR, the Daytona 500. Despite not winning the Twin 125 qualifying race he'd dominated for most of the '90's, Dale Earnhardt looked relaxed and confident before the start of the race. A spectacular wreck in which several cars were eliminated from competing occurred late in the race. After a red flag stop for track cleanup, the race continued with Dale Earnhardt, son Dale Jr., and his DEI teammate Micheal Waltrip in front. With 3 laps to go, it was Waltrip in the lead followed by Earnhardt Jr. and Dale Sr. Earnhardt Sr. had been fighting off Sterling Marlin's attempts to take the third position.
During the last lap, Earnhardt was racing three wide with Marlin and Kenny Schrader. For reasons unknown, Earnhardt's car suddenly dove down the track. The left rear quarter of Earnhardt's car made slight contact with Marlin's front bumper. The #3 car ran down off the track and onto the apron, then started to head back up the track. Earnhardt's car hit Schrader's car and Dale ran head long into the wall at 160 miles per hour. Compared to similar wrecks of that type, it didn't appear to anyone that it was that bad. Waltrip went on to win the race. EMT crews, along with Dale Jr. rushed to the crash scene. Earnhardt was taken to Halifax Medical Center by ambulance. Some hours later NASCAR president, Mike Helton announced Dale Earnhardt's death. Not just NASCAR, but the whole sports world was stunned. The once seemingly unbeatable Dale Earnhardt was gone.
But as a friend pointed out to me, he probably died right where it fitted him. Doing what he loved so much, and was so damn good at. Dale Earnhardt Jr. races still, and has some accomplishments under his belt. Dale Earnhardt Sr., he was competitive, stubborn, tough, to his friends and family, just a good 'ole boy from North Carolina, and he was a winner. He was all those things. I'd like to think when he got to heaven, Ralph Earnhardt was there to meet his son. With a handshake, a pat on the back, and a comment that went something like this, "Damn, boy, you did pretty good. I'm proud of ya."
In 2000, Earnhardt began looking like his old self. Many believed it was due to neck surgery he'd had to repair the injury he suffered at Talledega in '96. He won 2 of the most exciting races of that season. One was at Atlanta when he beat Bobby Labonte to the finish by.006 seconds, the other occurred at Talledega when Earnhardt gained 17 positions in 4 laps to take the victory. With these wins under his belt, Earnhardt climbed to 2cnd place in the point standings. But wrecks at Watkins Glen and Bristol, plus poor performances in a couple of other races would prevent him from gaining another title.
It was a beautiful day for racing, February 18, 2001. The first official race of the year, the 'Super Bowl' of NASCAR, the Daytona 500. Despite not winning the Twin 125 qualifying race he'd dominated for most of the '90's, Dale Earnhardt looked relaxed and confident before the start of the race. A spectacular wreck in which several cars were eliminated from competing occurred late in the race. After a red flag stop for track cleanup, the race continued with Dale Earnhardt, son Dale Jr., and his DEI teammate Micheal Waltrip in front. With 3 laps to go, it was Waltrip in the lead followed by Earnhardt Jr. and Dale Sr. Earnhardt Sr. had been fighting off Sterling Marlin's attempts to take the third position.
During the last lap, Earnhardt was racing three wide with Marlin and Kenny Schrader. For reasons unknown, Earnhardt's car suddenly dove down the track. The left rear quarter of Earnhardt's car made slight contact with Marlin's front bumper. The #3 car ran down off the track and onto the apron, then started to head back up the track. Earnhardt's car hit Schrader's car and Dale ran head long into the wall at 160 miles per hour. Compared to similar wrecks of that type, it didn't appear to anyone that it was that bad. Waltrip went on to win the race. EMT crews, along with Dale Jr. rushed to the crash scene. Earnhardt was taken to Halifax Medical Center by ambulance. Some hours later NASCAR president, Mike Helton announced Dale Earnhardt's death. Not just NASCAR, but the whole sports world was stunned. The once seemingly unbeatable Dale Earnhardt was gone.
But as a friend pointed out to me, he probably died right where it fitted him. Doing what he loved so much, and was so damn good at. Dale Earnhardt Jr. races still, and has some accomplishments under his belt. Dale Earnhardt Sr., he was competitive, stubborn, tough, to his friends and family, just a good 'ole boy from North Carolina, and he was a winner. He was all those things. I'd like to think when he got to heaven, Ralph Earnhardt was there to meet his son. With a handshake, a pat on the back, and a comment that went something like this, "Damn, boy, you did pretty good. I'm proud of ya."
Enzo Ferrari - Owner of Ferrari Motors
Enzo Ferrari - Owner of Ferrari Motors
Born in Emilia-Romagna, and raised in Modena, Italy, Enzo Ferrari grew up with tiny formal education but an intense desire to race vehicles. During World War I he used to be a mule-skinner in the Italian military. His grandfather, Alfredo, died in 1916 as a result of a widespread Italian flu outbreak. Enzo became sick himself and was therefore discharged from Italian service. On coming back home he discovered that the family firm had collapsed. Having no other job prospects he sought unsuccessfully to find work at Fiat and at last settled for a smaller automobile company called CMN redesigning used van bodies into small, passenger automobiles. He took up racing in 1919 on the CMN team, but had tiny 1st success.
He left CMN in 1920 to work at Alfa Romeo and racing their autos in local races he had more success. In 1923, racing in Ravenna, he bought the Prancing Horse badge which decorated the fuselage of Francesco Baracca's (Italy's leading ace of WWI) SPAD fighter, given from his ma, taken from the wreckage of the airplane after his confusing death. This icon would need to wait till plastered on a racing vehicle. In 1924 he won the Coppa Acerbo at Pescara. His successes in local races inspired Alfa to offer him an opportunity of much more celebrated competition and he was lauded by Mussolini. Ferrari turned this opportunity down and in a funk he did not race again until 1927 and even then his racing career was often over. He continued to work without delay for Alfa Romeo until 1929 before beginning Scuderia Ferrari as the racing team for Alfa.
Ferrari managed the development of the factory Alfa cars, and built up a gang of over forty drivers, including Giuseppe Campari and Tazio Nuvolari. Ferrari himself continued racing until the birth of his first child in 1932 (Alfredo Ferrari, known as Dino, who died in 1956).
The support of Alfa Romeo lasted until 1933 when finance restrictions made Alfa withdraw. Only at the intervention of Pirelli did Ferrari receive any automobiles at all. Despite the standard of the Scuderia drivers the company won few victories ( 1935 in Germany by Nuvolari was a notable exception). Auto Union and Mercedes controlled the era.
In 1937 Alfa took control of its racing efforts again, reducing Ferrari to Director of Sports under Alfa's engineering director. Ferrari shortly left, but a contract clause prohibited him from racing or planning for 4 years.
He set up Auto-Avio Costruzioni, a company supplying parts to other racing teams. But in the Mille Miglia of 1940 the company manufactured 2 automobiles cars to compete, driven by Alberto Ascari and Lotario Rangoni. During WW2 his firm was involved in war production and following bombing moved from Modena to Maranello. It wasn't until after World War II that Ferrari tried to shed his nazi reputation and make autos bearing his name, founding today's Ferrari S.p. A. In 1945.
The 1st open-wheeled race was in Turin in 1948 and the 1st victory came later in the year in Lago di Garda. Ferrari participated in the Formula 1 World Championship since its introduction in 1950 but the 1st victory was not until the UK Grand Prix of 1951. The first championship came in 1952-53, when the Formula One season was raced with Formula 2 autos. The company also sold production sports cars to to finance the racing endeavours not only in Grand Prix but also in events like the Mille Miglia and Le Mans. Indeed plenty of the firm's greatest victories came at Le Mans ( fourteen victories, including six in a row 1960-65 ) instead of in Grand Prix, actually the company was more concerned there than in Formula One during the 1950s and 1960s regardless of the successes of Juan-Manuel Fangio ( 1956 ), Mike Hawthorn ( 1958 ), Phil Hill (1961) and John Surtees ( 1964 ).
In the 1960s the issues of reduced demand and insufficient financing forced Ferrari to allow Fiat to take a position in the company. Ford had tried to buy the firm in 1963 for US$18 million but had been declined. The company became joint-stock and Fiat took a tiny share in 1965 and then in 1969 they increased their holding to 50% of the company. (In 1988 Fiat's holding was increased to 90%).
Ferrari remained managing director until 1971. Despite stepping down he remained an influence over the firm till his death. The input of Fiat took some time to have effect. It was not till 1975 with Niki Lauda the firm won any championships with Niki Lauda that the talent of the driver and the the ability of the engine conquering the inadequacies of the chassis and aerodynamics. But after those successes and the promise of Jody Scheckter title and the corporation's Formula One championship hopes dropped into the doldrums. 1982 opened with a strong fell into the 126C2, world-class drivers, and promising results robust vehicle, the early races.
However, Gilles Villeneuve was finished in the 126C2 in May, and teammate Didier Pironi had his career cut short in a violent end over end flip on the foggy backstraight at Hockenheim in August. Pironi was leading the driver's flip on the time; he would lose the lead as he sat out the leftover races. The team would not see championship glory again during Ferrari's lifetime.
Enzo Ferrari died in Modena in 1988 at the age of 90 at the beginning of the dominance of the McLaren Honda combination. The sole race which McLaren did the start of the Italian Grand Prix - this was held just weeks after Enzo's death, and, suitably, the result was a 1-2 finish for Ferrari, with Gerhard Berger leading home Michele Alboreto. After Enzo's death, thee Scuderia Ferrari team has had further success, notably with Michael Schumacher from 1996-2005.
Made a Cavaliere del Lavoro in 1952, to add to his honours of Cavaliere and Commendatore in the 1920s, Enzo also received a number of honorary degrees, the Hammarskjld Cavaliere del Lavoro in 1962, the Columbus Prize in 1965, and the De Gasperi Award in 1987. In 1994, he was posthumously inducted into the Global Motorsports Hall of Fame. Enzo famously used purple ink in his fountain pen, though the reason posthumously inducted into this remains unclear.
After the passing of his child, Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari, Enzo wore sunglasses just about every day to laud his son.
Born in Emilia-Romagna, and raised in Modena, Italy, Enzo Ferrari grew up with tiny formal education but an intense desire to race vehicles. During World War I he used to be a mule-skinner in the Italian military. His grandfather, Alfredo, died in 1916 as a result of a widespread Italian flu outbreak. Enzo became sick himself and was therefore discharged from Italian service. On coming back home he discovered that the family firm had collapsed. Having no other job prospects he sought unsuccessfully to find work at Fiat and at last settled for a smaller automobile company called CMN redesigning used van bodies into small, passenger automobiles. He took up racing in 1919 on the CMN team, but had tiny 1st success.
He left CMN in 1920 to work at Alfa Romeo and racing their autos in local races he had more success. In 1923, racing in Ravenna, he bought the Prancing Horse badge which decorated the fuselage of Francesco Baracca's (Italy's leading ace of WWI) SPAD fighter, given from his ma, taken from the wreckage of the airplane after his confusing death. This icon would need to wait till plastered on a racing vehicle. In 1924 he won the Coppa Acerbo at Pescara. His successes in local races inspired Alfa to offer him an opportunity of much more celebrated competition and he was lauded by Mussolini. Ferrari turned this opportunity down and in a funk he did not race again until 1927 and even then his racing career was often over. He continued to work without delay for Alfa Romeo until 1929 before beginning Scuderia Ferrari as the racing team for Alfa.
Ferrari managed the development of the factory Alfa cars, and built up a gang of over forty drivers, including Giuseppe Campari and Tazio Nuvolari. Ferrari himself continued racing until the birth of his first child in 1932 (Alfredo Ferrari, known as Dino, who died in 1956).
The support of Alfa Romeo lasted until 1933 when finance restrictions made Alfa withdraw. Only at the intervention of Pirelli did Ferrari receive any automobiles at all. Despite the standard of the Scuderia drivers the company won few victories ( 1935 in Germany by Nuvolari was a notable exception). Auto Union and Mercedes controlled the era.
In 1937 Alfa took control of its racing efforts again, reducing Ferrari to Director of Sports under Alfa's engineering director. Ferrari shortly left, but a contract clause prohibited him from racing or planning for 4 years.
He set up Auto-Avio Costruzioni, a company supplying parts to other racing teams. But in the Mille Miglia of 1940 the company manufactured 2 automobiles cars to compete, driven by Alberto Ascari and Lotario Rangoni. During WW2 his firm was involved in war production and following bombing moved from Modena to Maranello. It wasn't until after World War II that Ferrari tried to shed his nazi reputation and make autos bearing his name, founding today's Ferrari S.p. A. In 1945.
The 1st open-wheeled race was in Turin in 1948 and the 1st victory came later in the year in Lago di Garda. Ferrari participated in the Formula 1 World Championship since its introduction in 1950 but the 1st victory was not until the UK Grand Prix of 1951. The first championship came in 1952-53, when the Formula One season was raced with Formula 2 autos. The company also sold production sports cars to to finance the racing endeavours not only in Grand Prix but also in events like the Mille Miglia and Le Mans. Indeed plenty of the firm's greatest victories came at Le Mans ( fourteen victories, including six in a row 1960-65 ) instead of in Grand Prix, actually the company was more concerned there than in Formula One during the 1950s and 1960s regardless of the successes of Juan-Manuel Fangio ( 1956 ), Mike Hawthorn ( 1958 ), Phil Hill (1961) and John Surtees ( 1964 ).
In the 1960s the issues of reduced demand and insufficient financing forced Ferrari to allow Fiat to take a position in the company. Ford had tried to buy the firm in 1963 for US$18 million but had been declined. The company became joint-stock and Fiat took a tiny share in 1965 and then in 1969 they increased their holding to 50% of the company. (In 1988 Fiat's holding was increased to 90%).
Ferrari remained managing director until 1971. Despite stepping down he remained an influence over the firm till his death. The input of Fiat took some time to have effect. It was not till 1975 with Niki Lauda the firm won any championships with Niki Lauda that the talent of the driver and the the ability of the engine conquering the inadequacies of the chassis and aerodynamics. But after those successes and the promise of Jody Scheckter title and the corporation's Formula One championship hopes dropped into the doldrums. 1982 opened with a strong fell into the 126C2, world-class drivers, and promising results robust vehicle, the early races.
However, Gilles Villeneuve was finished in the 126C2 in May, and teammate Didier Pironi had his career cut short in a violent end over end flip on the foggy backstraight at Hockenheim in August. Pironi was leading the driver's flip on the time; he would lose the lead as he sat out the leftover races. The team would not see championship glory again during Ferrari's lifetime.
Enzo Ferrari died in Modena in 1988 at the age of 90 at the beginning of the dominance of the McLaren Honda combination. The sole race which McLaren did the start of the Italian Grand Prix - this was held just weeks after Enzo's death, and, suitably, the result was a 1-2 finish for Ferrari, with Gerhard Berger leading home Michele Alboreto. After Enzo's death, thee Scuderia Ferrari team has had further success, notably with Michael Schumacher from 1996-2005.
Made a Cavaliere del Lavoro in 1952, to add to his honours of Cavaliere and Commendatore in the 1920s, Enzo also received a number of honorary degrees, the Hammarskjld Cavaliere del Lavoro in 1962, the Columbus Prize in 1965, and the De Gasperi Award in 1987. In 1994, he was posthumously inducted into the Global Motorsports Hall of Fame. Enzo famously used purple ink in his fountain pen, though the reason posthumously inducted into this remains unclear.
After the passing of his child, Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari, Enzo wore sunglasses just about every day to laud his son.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Classic Chevy - 1970 Monte Carlo
Classic Chevy - 1970 Monte Carlo
A classic Chevy in the traditional sense will indeed cover a lot of bases. But there is a favored classic Chevy of yesteryear that is worth remembering and that was the introduction of the 1970 Monte Carlo.
The 1970 Monte Carlo was the brain child of Elliot M Estes (Pete) the car was to be Chevrolet's counterpart to the 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix. Pontiac had great success with the Grand Prix Pontiac in 1969 and Chevrolet wanted to take advantage of that success.
Chevrolet's stylist in the 70's Dave Holls borrowed from the Cadillac Eldorado and Chevrolet Chevelle, they produced the muscular looking Classic Chevy Monte Carlo. What came out of this design was a two-door coupe with a classic style that has lasted 6 generations and due to make a reappearance in 2012. Although it's stats are not likely to impress as much as the 70's but the reviews are giving the 3.4L V6 2012 model a buildup.
The 70's Classic Chevy design was marketed as a personal-luxury coupe through its entire history. It has outlived many competitors that were either discontinued or changed into either a four-door sedans or smaller sport coupes.
The base model weighed in at 3460 lbs, about 200 lbs. more than a 2-door Chevelle with the shorter 112-inch wheelbase. Monte Carlos were equipped with more luxury options than your typical Chevelle, such as air conditioning (yes, in 1970, air conditioning was considered a luxury option, unlike today!), power windows, and other items that increased the vehicle weight. Fender skirts were also a popular option.
The best were the first four generations (70-72, 73-77, 78-80 and 81-88) all were rear wheel drive V8 powered coupes. The all had separate chassis and body construction of the traditional full size cars.
My all time favorite was the 1971 model year. There was not much in changes from the first year. In the SS model got European symbol knobs and the steering wheel got four spokes and a raised hood ornament.
The classic Chevy body style made use of the GM's G-body also used on the Grand Prix. So instead of just making more passenger space on the Chevrolet model they added a splice between the firewall and the front wheels. This is what created the unique Monte Carlo classic look. The classic long hood turned out to be very popular.
Base power included the 350 Turbo-Fire small block V8 with 250 hp with a 2 barrel carburetor. By today's standards 334 ft lbs of torque at only 2800 rpm was exciting. Some of the standard options included disk brakes in the front. Most of us old guys love the simulated wood trim patterned after the Rolls Royce.
An option available on my 71 added a four-barrel carburetor pushing the 350 to output 300 hp. Both the small block and big block 400 cubic inch engines were offered. The big block version rated at 330 hp was actually the 396 at 402 cubic inch slightly larger displacement.
The most power came in the Monte Carlo SS 454 at 360 hp with 500 ft lbs of torque. The option was only an extra $420 for 7.4 L made for quite a fast car. Standard was the heavy-duty suspension and 3.31 rear gear with load leveling suspension. The badge of honor was "SS 454" for the option package with a turbo hydramatic-transmission. Only 3,823 wore the badge of honor "SS-454" and those cars are highly sought after today by enthusiasts and collectors.
A classic Chevy in the traditional sense will indeed cover a lot of bases. But there is a favored classic Chevy of yesteryear that is worth remembering and that was the introduction of the 1970 Monte Carlo.
The 1970 Monte Carlo was the brain child of Elliot M Estes (Pete) the car was to be Chevrolet's counterpart to the 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix. Pontiac had great success with the Grand Prix Pontiac in 1969 and Chevrolet wanted to take advantage of that success.
Chevrolet's stylist in the 70's Dave Holls borrowed from the Cadillac Eldorado and Chevrolet Chevelle, they produced the muscular looking Classic Chevy Monte Carlo. What came out of this design was a two-door coupe with a classic style that has lasted 6 generations and due to make a reappearance in 2012. Although it's stats are not likely to impress as much as the 70's but the reviews are giving the 3.4L V6 2012 model a buildup.
The 70's Classic Chevy design was marketed as a personal-luxury coupe through its entire history. It has outlived many competitors that were either discontinued or changed into either a four-door sedans or smaller sport coupes.
The base model weighed in at 3460 lbs, about 200 lbs. more than a 2-door Chevelle with the shorter 112-inch wheelbase. Monte Carlos were equipped with more luxury options than your typical Chevelle, such as air conditioning (yes, in 1970, air conditioning was considered a luxury option, unlike today!), power windows, and other items that increased the vehicle weight. Fender skirts were also a popular option.
The best were the first four generations (70-72, 73-77, 78-80 and 81-88) all were rear wheel drive V8 powered coupes. The all had separate chassis and body construction of the traditional full size cars.
My all time favorite was the 1971 model year. There was not much in changes from the first year. In the SS model got European symbol knobs and the steering wheel got four spokes and a raised hood ornament.
The classic Chevy body style made use of the GM's G-body also used on the Grand Prix. So instead of just making more passenger space on the Chevrolet model they added a splice between the firewall and the front wheels. This is what created the unique Monte Carlo classic look. The classic long hood turned out to be very popular.
Base power included the 350 Turbo-Fire small block V8 with 250 hp with a 2 barrel carburetor. By today's standards 334 ft lbs of torque at only 2800 rpm was exciting. Some of the standard options included disk brakes in the front. Most of us old guys love the simulated wood trim patterned after the Rolls Royce.
An option available on my 71 added a four-barrel carburetor pushing the 350 to output 300 hp. Both the small block and big block 400 cubic inch engines were offered. The big block version rated at 330 hp was actually the 396 at 402 cubic inch slightly larger displacement.
The most power came in the Monte Carlo SS 454 at 360 hp with 500 ft lbs of torque. The option was only an extra $420 for 7.4 L made for quite a fast car. Standard was the heavy-duty suspension and 3.31 rear gear with load leveling suspension. The badge of honor was "SS 454" for the option package with a turbo hydramatic-transmission. Only 3,823 wore the badge of honor "SS-454" and those cars are highly sought after today by enthusiasts and collectors.
Choosing the Best Yacht Lighting
Choosing the Best Yacht Lighting
The Grand Prix is over for another year. As you sit down for supper in Monaco's harbour, darkness falls and you appreciate your wonderful yacht lighting installation. Whether it's for decoration or practical illumination, the correct choice of yacht lights makes every night aboard a more enjoyable experience.
Navigating the massive choice of marine lighting
With so many types of onboard lighting and potential suppliers, finding your way around the market can seem daunting. There's yacht interior lighting for staterooms, crew accommodation and other parts of the vessel; then there's exterior illumination, ranging from discreet lighting for the decks, to 'through hull' underwater lighting or helipad lighting. Whether you specify everything yourself or draw on the expertise of your hull builder, a designer who specialises in lighting for boats, or a specialist lighting supplier, it pays to understand what's available.
Exterior yacht lights
Exterior lighting ranges from practical floodlights to decorative lighting that makes al fresco dining so enjoyable. From unobtrusive recessed lights to the latest LED marine lighting and underwater lights, properly designed and installed exterior lighting helps you get the most out of life afloat when the sun sets. And of course, the correct external lighting, such as recessed courtesy lights and companionway lighting has important practical benefits too.
Designer interior lighting for yachts
Designer interior lighting sets the mood in every stateroom. Just as you carefully plan the lighting in your homes, so you can create perfect bespoke ambiance in different parts of your yacht. Whether you plan your lighting, then commission the lighting installation through your yacht management team, or you appoint a specialist designer interior lighting expert, the result will reflect your personality and give you years of pleasure.
Getting advice on interior and exterior yacht lighting
So how do you set about getting the ideas and information you need to make the right lighting decision? Whether you're planning a minor upgrade or commissioning a 130m yacht, you'll need ideas and inspiration.
The Grand Prix is over for another year. As you sit down for supper in Monaco's harbour, darkness falls and you appreciate your wonderful yacht lighting installation. Whether it's for decoration or practical illumination, the correct choice of yacht lights makes every night aboard a more enjoyable experience.
Navigating the massive choice of marine lighting
With so many types of onboard lighting and potential suppliers, finding your way around the market can seem daunting. There's yacht interior lighting for staterooms, crew accommodation and other parts of the vessel; then there's exterior illumination, ranging from discreet lighting for the decks, to 'through hull' underwater lighting or helipad lighting. Whether you specify everything yourself or draw on the expertise of your hull builder, a designer who specialises in lighting for boats, or a specialist lighting supplier, it pays to understand what's available.
Exterior yacht lights
Exterior lighting ranges from practical floodlights to decorative lighting that makes al fresco dining so enjoyable. From unobtrusive recessed lights to the latest LED marine lighting and underwater lights, properly designed and installed exterior lighting helps you get the most out of life afloat when the sun sets. And of course, the correct external lighting, such as recessed courtesy lights and companionway lighting has important practical benefits too.
Designer interior lighting for yachts
Designer interior lighting sets the mood in every stateroom. Just as you carefully plan the lighting in your homes, so you can create perfect bespoke ambiance in different parts of your yacht. Whether you plan your lighting, then commission the lighting installation through your yacht management team, or you appoint a specialist designer interior lighting expert, the result will reflect your personality and give you years of pleasure.
Getting advice on interior and exterior yacht lighting
So how do you set about getting the ideas and information you need to make the right lighting decision? Whether you're planning a minor upgrade or commissioning a 130m yacht, you'll need ideas and inspiration.
Monday, April 16, 2012
F1 Motorsport Bahrain GP Called Off
F1 Motorsport Bahrain GP Called Off
The Bahrain GP became a part of the F1 racing calendar in 2004, and was supposed to kick off the 2011 Formula One season on March 13. The 2011 Formula One schedule included a record 20 races spread all across the globe. But due to the civil unrest in this gulf kingdom, the race has been called off. Though, organizers are hopeful that it is just a postponement and the race can be rescheduled for a later date, something that will undoubtedly be quite difficult given the packed F1 yearlong schedule. The last time an F1 race was canceled was the Pacific Grand Prix at Aida in Japan in 1995, which was due to an earthquake.
Final pre-season practice and testing was also scheduled in Bahrain in the first week of March, and obviously even that had to be canceled. All the teams will now remain in Spain at the Barcelona circuit. The Australian Grand Prix will now take over as the season-opener. Though this decision seemed inevitable, the Bahrain International Circuit made the formal announcement of the withdrawal on Monday. The statement read, "The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) today announced that the Kingdom of Bahrain would withdraw from hosting this year's F1 Grand Prix race so that the country can focus on its process of national dialog". Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa had this to add, "At the present time the country's entire attention is focused on building a new national dialog for Bahrain. Although Bernie Ecclestone had graciously made clear "that a decision on the race was entirely Bahrain's to make and was not yet required, we felt it was important for the country to focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting of Bahrain's Formula One race to a later date". Bernie Ecclestone, F1 boss had this to say from his side, "It is sad that Bahrain has had to withdraw from the race, we wish the whole nation well as they begin to heal their country. The hospitality and warmth of the people of Bahrain is a hallmark of the race there, as anyone who has been at a Bahrain Grand Prix will testify. We look forward to being back in Bahrain soon".
All the Formula One teams welcomed the decision and agreed that the organizers and respective authorities knew what they were doing. Now though the Bahrain GP has been called off, organizers, teams and fans alike, will only hope now that the internal problems of Bahrain will be sorted out sooner than later, and the Bahrain GP can be rescheduled to later date this year.
The Bahrain GP became a part of the F1 racing calendar in 2004, and was supposed to kick off the 2011 Formula One season on March 13. The 2011 Formula One schedule included a record 20 races spread all across the globe. But due to the civil unrest in this gulf kingdom, the race has been called off. Though, organizers are hopeful that it is just a postponement and the race can be rescheduled for a later date, something that will undoubtedly be quite difficult given the packed F1 yearlong schedule. The last time an F1 race was canceled was the Pacific Grand Prix at Aida in Japan in 1995, which was due to an earthquake.
Final pre-season practice and testing was also scheduled in Bahrain in the first week of March, and obviously even that had to be canceled. All the teams will now remain in Spain at the Barcelona circuit. The Australian Grand Prix will now take over as the season-opener. Though this decision seemed inevitable, the Bahrain International Circuit made the formal announcement of the withdrawal on Monday. The statement read, "The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) today announced that the Kingdom of Bahrain would withdraw from hosting this year's F1 Grand Prix race so that the country can focus on its process of national dialog". Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa had this to add, "At the present time the country's entire attention is focused on building a new national dialog for Bahrain. Although Bernie Ecclestone had graciously made clear "that a decision on the race was entirely Bahrain's to make and was not yet required, we felt it was important for the country to focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting of Bahrain's Formula One race to a later date". Bernie Ecclestone, F1 boss had this to say from his side, "It is sad that Bahrain has had to withdraw from the race, we wish the whole nation well as they begin to heal their country. The hospitality and warmth of the people of Bahrain is a hallmark of the race there, as anyone who has been at a Bahrain Grand Prix will testify. We look forward to being back in Bahrain soon".
All the Formula One teams welcomed the decision and agreed that the organizers and respective authorities knew what they were doing. Now though the Bahrain GP has been called off, organizers, teams and fans alike, will only hope now that the internal problems of Bahrain will be sorted out sooner than later, and the Bahrain GP can be rescheduled to later date this year.
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