New Car: rare

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Dual Ghia in the classifieds, and Hoagy Carmichael was selling it

More on Dual Ghia's later, but quickly, they were Chrysler Fire Arrow's offspring, built in Italy the slow way, by hand, and imported for sale into America by the Dual Motors company which had been making military vehicles during WW2.

But what caught my eye was Hoagy. John Lennon called Hoagy his favorite songwriter.
Hoagy had composed a lot of great stuff and lived for decades on the royalties. Georgia On my Mind (famous for Ray Charles), Stardust(famous for Bing Crosby), and my fun favorite: the 1943 song "I'm a Cranky Old Yank in a Clanky Old Tank on the Streets of Yokohama with my Honolulu Mama Doin' Those Beat-o, Beat-o Flat-On-My-Seat-o, Hirohito Blues"

Yeah, the stuff that clanks around in my head waiting for something to loose it, no wonder I can't recall a thing, too many odd bits already have filled my memory ability to absorb anything new.

The rare supercharged Graham

Looks mundane, packs a punch. You would admire the old car, think some old guy has a cool 4 banger or maybe a flatthead under the hood, but drool to see an original supercharger if the cowl came up

Image copywritten by Dave Lindsey, http://socalcarculture.com/ view the full gallery at: http://public.fotki.com/wackydave/car_shows/car_shows_2006/the_brucker_collect/

they only made one, the 1906 Pungs Finch

Above via: http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/gallery/13142/Pungs-Finch-Finch-Limited-Touring.html

Discovered by Long Island Auto Museum owner Henry Austin Clark Jr, it is possibly the earliest hemi combustion design, and was Guaranteed to do 55 mph... that is remarkable for 1906. It was a nearly 650 cu in engine, and 4 cylinders.

Via: http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z16791/Pungs-Finch-Limited.aspx

What is rare? A 426 max wedge in a Dodge truck as a factory install

The 426 Wedge was part of the $1300 High Performance Package and could be ordered on its own from the separate and distinct $235 Custom Sports Special trim package.

The HP Package was only “officially” offered in 1964 and 1965 on D100 and D200 LWB trucks. The Custom Sports Special trim package was offered from 1964 thru 1967 and could be had on D or W 100, 200 Sweptline, Utiline or chassis cab in LWB or SWB trucks.

Dodge management only authorized 50 trucks could be built with the 426 Street Wedge High Performance Package — according to former Dodge truck engineer Bruce Thomas of the Walter P. Chrysler Museum, who said that far fewer than 50 examples were actually produced. Currently the registry recognizes 31 trucks with these packages or combinations of them.

Info via: http://www.allpar.com/model/ram/ram-history.html

For a great story about them, and a family restoration: http://www.cssregistry.com/css/stevebell.html

Austin Bantam 60's dragster... wow

in the staging lanes at the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion

This sixties-built dragster was at one time a thirties-built Austin. Washington’s Duke Cornell first constructed this Bantam bodied drag coupe in 1961. Duke claims he ran 10-second quarters at the drag strip with alarming regularity using an injected small block Chevrolet for power.

http://clunkbucket.com/austin-bantam-not-once-but-twice/

Johnny Eck Special

Above via: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=346099

Johnny was born with a truncated torso and appendicular legs as the result of a rare condition, and joined the circus side show in his teens.

Eck loved all things mechanical, especially automobiles. With his circus earnings along with pay from odd jobs, Eck purchased a midget racecar and converted all the foot controls to hand operation. He even went so far as to have the car licensed for operation on the streets of Baltimore. Not only did he buzz around Baltimore in this crazy contraption, he raced it all over the eastern seaboard. The car was one of Johnny's greatest joys and although he went on to own others, his first was still somehow the best, much as it is for the rest of us.

Via: http://carinfos.blogspot.com/2009/03/half-man-johnny-eck-and-his-custom.html

Woodlight headlights, very cool looking, very rare. It figures they are in high demand

I am a fan of the design of these headlights, and if you want to see more, click this link and see all the rest I've posted: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/woodlight%20headlights

On the Blastolene B-702, also known as the french curve. Beautiful work of art, a full gallery here: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/11/b-702-beautiful-design-by-blastolene.html

Those woodlights were stock on the Ruxton (top) and the Cord (below)

For more about the Ruxton: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/05/ruxton-legendary-in-classic-american.html

Images from http://www.airbrushtour.com/blastolene-b-702/2008/02/06/ and http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/event_list/&mode=recent

A Pontiac might be the rarest muscle car in existence

a one-of-one Canadian built Pontiac Parisienne Safari six-passenger station wagon powered by a 425-horsepower dual quad 409. I read about it in the Dec 2009 Musclecar Enthusiast magazine, but the same info from that author is here: http://www.automotivetraveler.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=821&Itemid=345

Woodys with stories

Surfer Girl, the only known Mercury Model 114 woody

Fun floor mat

These hand painted accents are all fading differently