mockingbird812
05-25-2006, 06:48 PM
fyi....
Muscle Cars
Mecum Spring Classic revs up
Today begins America’s original muscle car auction presented by Mecum, which is getting a reputation for offering some of the rarest and highest quality cars of yesteryear.
From May 25 through May 29, the 19th annual Spring Classic will take place in Belvidere, Illinois. More than 1,000 cars are expected to cross the block and new cars are being added daily, according to Mecum officials.
Here are some of the more desirable cars up for auction: A 1966 Shelby GT 350H, one of about 50 Ivy Green Hertz rent-a-cars and one of only three with factory stripe delete. This car has just 24,000 actual miles. Shunned for many years by serious collectors, these Hertz cars have really taken off in price as of late;
A 1955 Chevrolet 210 post featuring a body-off restoration and a new 454-cu.in., 600hp V-8. This is one beautiful resto-mod;
Another rare car up for auction is a 1970 GTO convertible, one of just 248 with a 455-cu.in. V-8 and automatic transmission. Mecum tell us this car comes with Pontiac Historical Services documentation as well as perfect floors and body panels;
For you Ford fans, there’s a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 with 52,000 actual miles and all new paint and sheetmetal work performed by Paul’s Automotive in Cincinnati, Ohio, a renowned Shelby/Mustang restorer. This car comes with a full Marti report, showing this is one of only two built with special options;
And for the Mopar masses, Mecum is offering a 1970 Dodge Charger, one of only 346 ever built with a 440 Six Pack engine. It comes with Galen Govier’s blessing, so it’s not a clone.
- By George Mattar
Also, some interesting legislation that may affect us...
Legislation
A fight over your Right to Repair
A fight is brewing over a bill we thought was dead: HR 2048, the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act of 2005.
HR 2048 was introduced in May of 2005 by Representative Joe Barton from the Texas 6th, and with bipartisan support from 102 cosponsors, was referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection about 10 days later.
The legislation will provide car owners with the right to decide where and how they have their vehicle serviced, whether it is a new car dealer or independent service facility. Under the bill, the Federal Trade Commission would develop regulations requiring car companies to share with the independent service industry and car owners the same information and tools that they make available to their franchised dealers. That means things like OEM part numbers, which manufacturers can currently hold onto for seven years. The bill provides copyright and intellectual property protections for manufacturers, while at the same time giving the FTC strong enforcement provisions.
A year has passed, and we thought we'd heard the last of it, but industry forces are gathering on both sides. We haven't heard from the manufacturers directly, but you can bet they're fighting tooth and nail to hold onto lucrative parts deals. We have heard from the Automotive Service Association, which is launching a campaign to deny access to this information to anyone but their shops. On the other side is the huge Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, who doesn't care who buys parts, and wants you to have every opportunity to mess up your mass airflow sensor yourself.
The ASA's campaign has already had some success, lobbying Barton to remove provisions from the original bill that would have given car owners broader rights and protections. We hear that further debate on the hill may be coming up soon.
The weakened text of the bill can be found at thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.2048:, and a list of its sponsors at thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR02048:@@@P:If your rep is on there, we urge you to visit www.house.gov/writerep/ (http://www.house.gov/writerep/) and let them know how you feel.
- By David B. Traver Adolphus
Muscle Cars
Mecum Spring Classic revs up
Today begins America’s original muscle car auction presented by Mecum, which is getting a reputation for offering some of the rarest and highest quality cars of yesteryear.
From May 25 through May 29, the 19th annual Spring Classic will take place in Belvidere, Illinois. More than 1,000 cars are expected to cross the block and new cars are being added daily, according to Mecum officials.
Here are some of the more desirable cars up for auction: A 1966 Shelby GT 350H, one of about 50 Ivy Green Hertz rent-a-cars and one of only three with factory stripe delete. This car has just 24,000 actual miles. Shunned for many years by serious collectors, these Hertz cars have really taken off in price as of late;
A 1955 Chevrolet 210 post featuring a body-off restoration and a new 454-cu.in., 600hp V-8. This is one beautiful resto-mod;
Another rare car up for auction is a 1970 GTO convertible, one of just 248 with a 455-cu.in. V-8 and automatic transmission. Mecum tell us this car comes with Pontiac Historical Services documentation as well as perfect floors and body panels;
For you Ford fans, there’s a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 with 52,000 actual miles and all new paint and sheetmetal work performed by Paul’s Automotive in Cincinnati, Ohio, a renowned Shelby/Mustang restorer. This car comes with a full Marti report, showing this is one of only two built with special options;
And for the Mopar masses, Mecum is offering a 1970 Dodge Charger, one of only 346 ever built with a 440 Six Pack engine. It comes with Galen Govier’s blessing, so it’s not a clone.
- By George Mattar
Also, some interesting legislation that may affect us...
Legislation
A fight over your Right to Repair
A fight is brewing over a bill we thought was dead: HR 2048, the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act of 2005.
HR 2048 was introduced in May of 2005 by Representative Joe Barton from the Texas 6th, and with bipartisan support from 102 cosponsors, was referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection about 10 days later.
The legislation will provide car owners with the right to decide where and how they have their vehicle serviced, whether it is a new car dealer or independent service facility. Under the bill, the Federal Trade Commission would develop regulations requiring car companies to share with the independent service industry and car owners the same information and tools that they make available to their franchised dealers. That means things like OEM part numbers, which manufacturers can currently hold onto for seven years. The bill provides copyright and intellectual property protections for manufacturers, while at the same time giving the FTC strong enforcement provisions.
A year has passed, and we thought we'd heard the last of it, but industry forces are gathering on both sides. We haven't heard from the manufacturers directly, but you can bet they're fighting tooth and nail to hold onto lucrative parts deals. We have heard from the Automotive Service Association, which is launching a campaign to deny access to this information to anyone but their shops. On the other side is the huge Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, who doesn't care who buys parts, and wants you to have every opportunity to mess up your mass airflow sensor yourself.
The ASA's campaign has already had some success, lobbying Barton to remove provisions from the original bill that would have given car owners broader rights and protections. We hear that further debate on the hill may be coming up soon.
The weakened text of the bill can be found at thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.2048:, and a list of its sponsors at thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR02048:@@@P:If your rep is on there, we urge you to visit www.house.gov/writerep/ (http://www.house.gov/writerep/) and let them know how you feel.
- By David B. Traver Adolphus