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Classic BMW 503: Speed, Power, and Rarity

One of the best classic cars produced by well-know car maker BMW is the BMW 503. The 503 is a two door 2+2 sports car first unveiled in 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show and was mass produced in the summer of 1956. After three years worth of production run, the BMW 503 was finally withdrawn, creating only around 413 cars including 139 cabriolets. Because of its stylish design and its very limited number, the BMW 503 is now considered a classic car. Incidentally, it is also one of the most sought after classic cars today, not just because of its looks, but also because of its power and performance.

The BMW 503 was designed by well know car designer, Albrecht von Goertz, with the help of preliminary drafts prepared by Kurt Bredschneider. The initial design though, would have made the BMW 503 look more flamboyant, because it incorporates rounded mudguards similar to its predecessor, the BMW 502 sedan. It should also be considered that such a look isn’t really a rarity during that time, because car makers are trying to attract more buyers with cars that look different from the rest. However, the original design for the 503 was not followed because it didn’t fit with the automotive regulations on light positioning, and several other concerns. But with the changed design, the look of the BMW 503 puts it well ahead of its time, because it had a relatively futuristic appearance from its square cornered look and fully integrated wings.

As mentioned earlier, the BMW 503 is one of the most sought after classic cars because of its power and performance. This car incorporated a revolutionary 3168 cc light metal v8 engine from its BMW 502 predecessor. This application easily delivers a power output of around 140 brake horsepower. It is also quite the speed demon, accelerating from standstill to 100 km/h or 62 mph in just 13 seconds. The top speed of this classic car is also quite outstanding, which is around 115 miles per hour or 185 km/h. This car has a four speed manual transmission, also carried over from the BMW 502. This was originally mounted remotely from the engine and rear axle, a design that’s unique for the 502 and 503. These power and speeds are not common to cars during those times, so when the BMW 503 came along, it is easily regarded as one of the kings of the road. Coupled with its rarity, the BMW 503 is indeed a full pledged classic car.

To learn things you may have not known about classics such as the 65 mustang
, be sure to go to MuscleCarMonster,com

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Posted on March 9, 2011 by , Reply

Muscle Car History: How It All Began

Have you ever wondered about the history of muscle cars and how it all began? Well, in this article, we’ll take a closer look at the events that spurned the start of the public’s love for these iconic vehicles.

A muscle car is a term that is used to refer to a variety of high performance vehicles. Typically, the term is used for Australian, American and South African models but it is also used for others as well. The average model would be a two door, mid-sized automobile with a rear wheel drive. What sets it apart from others of the same kind would be its powerful engine which is usually a V8 engine. The first muscle car models were produced between the 60’s and the 70’s. These vehicles were designed to be used for races as well as normal street use. Now, one must never confuse a muscle car with a sports car or a GT because those were intended, specifically, for both road racing and touring.

When it comes to the muscle car history in America, some would say that the very first model to be manufactured would be the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 which was released in 1949. This vehicle was innovative for its time because of its power and speed which aroused the public’s interest for more vehicles of the same sort. The Rocket had the very first V8 installed in it. Now, due to the increase in public interest, more manufacturers thought about producing flashier models. Chrysler was among the first ones with their 1955 C-300 which became “America’s Most Powerful Vehicle” during the time it was produced.

When the 1960’s came rolling in, muscle cars became even more popular with several of the biggest car manufacturers locked in a tight race as to who could produce the fastest, meanest and biggest muscle car there was. Dodge, Ford, Chrysler and Plymouth battled it out in drag racing and manufacturing. The decline came when politicians stated their concern over such powerful vehicles in the hands of the reckless youth, as well as new emissions laws that reduce the size of the engines. Needless to say, many people thought of these cars as being dangerous to both the driver and pedestrians who shared the same streets.

These days, while there are still plenty of people who own and drive classic muscle cars, they really are not as rampant as before. But who knows? As history has taught us, some things repeat themselves and for all we know, we could be in the midst of a muscle car revival.

If you enjoyed reading this article, William invites you to read his latest on the barracuda car at MuscleCarMonster.com

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Posted on March 9, 2011 by , Reply

The Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa

If one is to talk about the top classic cars, one could not, and should not, avoid talking about the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa. The sleek Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa boasts a 3.0 liter V12 engine that dished out 300 horsepower and has a max speed of 168 miles per hour or 270 kilometers per hour. This shiny red car got its name from the color of its valves as Testa Rossa means “red head.” Dominating various arenas in race car driving, this surely is one of the, fastest vehicles of its time. Sadly though, only 34 of these bad boys were built from the mid-50s ’till its end. For you to have an idea how much this car is valued, a 1957 250 Testa Rossa was sold for an astounding $12,100,000 back in 2009, which is a world record price for a single car.

The 250 Ferrari Testa Rossa had unconventional bodywork which was designed and built by one of Ferraris top designers, Carrozzeria Scaglietti and it is one of their most famous works. The car has a sleek aerodynamic design as it was primarily used for racing. What made the design very unique are the pontoon-like front fenders. From the words by Sergio Scaglietti himself, the 250 Ferrari Testa Rossa is in many ways a Formula 1 race car with fenders. The main similarity of the Testa Rossa to Formula 1 cars is the way it brings air to cool the brakes. A formula 1 car has pods on its sides and the idea to cool the brakes of the Testa Rossa was born from this.

Of course, the 50s is parent to many classic cars but the Testa Rossa sure made a niche for itself amidst the number of many muscle cars and super cars manufactured at the time. It won many races and events during its international race career. This was due to how the Testa Rossa was built. It’s aerodynamic, super light, and it had a five-speed gearbox. For those unaware, cars back then only had four. Not only was the Testa Rossa extremely fast, it was also reliable as Ferrari had put a priority on reliability versus outright performance when conceptualizing this super car.

The 1950s was such a great time for automobiles as Aston Martin, Jaguar, Materasi along with Ferrari continued to top each other by designing and manufacturing faster and more powerful cars. Truly, the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa is but one of the many amazing and captivating classic cars ever built on that decade.

If you have ever wanted to learn all about muscle cars and which models are considered the best of all time, you can read all about it on my site, MuscleCarMonster.com.

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Posted on March 8, 2011 by , Reply

The Real King Of Muscle Cars: The Road Runner

With the sudden emergence of the muscle cars in the market between the 1960s and the 1970s, car manufacturers produced muscle cars to help attract the market. The Plymouth Road Runner targeted the younger audience in putting a big engine in a cheap car to attract the demographic who could not afford the features presented in most muscle cars during that day.

The Road Runner was developed by the Plymouth division of Chrysler. The name originated from the cartoon character, Road Runner, which the company paid Warner Brothers $50,000 to use the name and likeness of that character for their own muscle car. Chrysler also paid $10,000 to develop the “beep beep” horn. Plymouth then began to develop a back to basics muscle car. Everything that was only related to the performance and handling was improved. The interior only had a basic bench seat. Only a few options were available such as power steering, front disc brakes, AM radio air conditioning and automatic transmission. This certainly was a muscle car packed with maximum excitement at a minimum price!

The very first engine put in the road runner was a 383 cid v8. A $714 option was also available for a 426 Hemi engine. The Road Runner could blaze thru ¼ mile of a track at 13.5 seconds. Which was quite a fast time for a low priced car. The Plymouth Road Runner was one of the best platforms to utilize one of the best engines at that time. The model was expected to only sell 2,000 units but by 1968, sales grew to 45,000. The only muscle cars outselling this model at that time were the Pontiac GTO and Chevy’s SS-396 Chevelle.

Due to the success of the Plymouth Road Runner in 1968, Plymouth widened the consumer’s choices. A convertible was added and also bucket seats were added as additional options. The decals were also now in color. 440 cid V8s engine was also available that provide Hemi-like acceleration for almost half the price. More than 82,000 copies were snatched by the consumers during this time. The Plymouth Road Runner was further improved and continued to be available in the market until its discontinuation in 1980.

Today these cars can command up to $35,000 if not more, whenever they are up for auction, and most owners have no trouble fetching those prices, assuming the car is in mint or near mint condition with its original numbers.

William has just posted about the 69 chevelle ss, so hurry to MuscleCarMonster.com to read all about it!

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Posted on March 5, 2011 by , Reply

"Superbike Family" Featuring Larry Pegram to Air on HD Theater–VIDEO

"Superbike Family" Featuring Larry Pegram to Air on HD Theater (Preview)

Discovery Channel’s HD Theater will air six episodes of “Superbike Family” beginning
this Saturday, February 26. The series depicts Team AMSOIL motorcycle racer Larry Pegram and his family-based racing team as they compete on the AMA Superbike circuit.
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Pegram, a career professional motorcycle rider for the last twenty years juggles his time managing the most successful independent Superbike team on the circuit while at the same time raising two young girls with his wife Heather. His dad Jim works full-time at the team shop, while his mother tends to the books and feeds the crew on weekends.

“The show is about my dream of becoming a Superbike Champion. Actually, it’s our dream," said Pegram. "My parents have been helping me race motorcycles since I was a kid and they’re still here at every race working on the crew. My mechanics are the best and are so committed to this team. They do as much if not more than teams who have twice the manpower. We even have sponsors that after writing the check, help out on the weekends working in the pits. It’s definitely a family effort and we’re real proud of what we have accomplished going up against the factory teams. It’s not easy but all of us are chasing our dream.”
The “Superbike Family" will initially air at these following dates and times (ET):
(HD Theater on Direct TV is channel 281, Dish Network 264)
Saturday, February 26th
11am – Superbike Family Ep. 1
11:30am – Superbike Family Ep. 2
Saturday, March 5th
11am – Superbike Family Ep. 3
11:30am Superbike Family Ep. 4
Saturday, March 12th
11am – Superbike Family Ep. 5
11:30am Superbike Family Ep.6
Pegram Racing will start the 2011 AMA Superbike season March 12 at the Daytona 200.

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Posted on March 3, 2011 by , Reply
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