The original classic car club

Via Motoring Con Brio.

The 10-For-1 Car Collection

Imagine for a moment. You've got a great job and a wonderful (and practicality-minded) wife. This year, you've done really well at work. REALLY well. You say to yourself: Self, I need to treat myself to a nice car and tell the world-- I've arrived.

Of course, you want a new Bentley. And since you're buying a new one, you might as well opt for some 20" rims and a fancy pearlescent paint job. You plan on spending 135,000 pounds ($220,000 U.S.).

To which your wife says: Hell no. There is no way you are buying a new Bentley. It's not practical. It's ostentatious. It's just not right.

End of story? No. Chad (not his real name) is creative, stubborn, and a wee bit spiteful. He decided instead to buy ten used cars with an average price of 13,500 pounds each. That'll show her!

Chad's criteria are simple-- the cars have to be BLACK, fast, and desirable. This is what he ended up buying:

1995 Range Rover Vogue (former drug dealer car picked up cheap at a police auction)

1990 Jaguar XJS convertible

2005 Ford Mustang

1995 M3

1999 TVR Chimera

1982 Bentley Mulsanne Turbo

1989 Porsche 944 cabrio

1982 Porsche 911 SC with Targa top

1984 Mercedes 350SL

Up to this point, Chad had purchased nine cars. Their average price was less than 13,500. Only the 911 SC Targa went over the self-imposed 13,500 pound limit. So what was his last purchase?

1990 Aston Martin Virage

At the end of the day, Chad had 5,000 pounds left! Good job, Chad.

Thanks, AK, for the tip.

Photo credits: Mustang, Merc R107, Bentley, Aston, 944, 911, XJS, Chimera, Range Rover, M3.

The Simpsons Planet of the Apes Musical

I am watching the entire Planet of the Apes series right now. I'm halfway through Escape from Planet of the Apes. I'm really getting into this. Is it wrong to name your first-born Cornelius?

Here is the Simpsons musical, starring Troy McClure (RIP Phil Hartman).

CKY

Homer Simpson Drinks Anchor Steam

Who knew that Homer and I had so much in common?

CKY

Ten Most Popular Posts On This Blog (2008)

Well, it's the end of the year. In 2008, I have worked hard to up the quality and quantity of my posts on this blog. Readership and interest have increased significantly. I am particularly proud of this blog's diverse readership, even in faraway places like Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, and Micronesia. Although this blog will never get thousands of hits a day on a consistent level, I am happy that it fills its own unique niche-- readers who admire customized French cars, travel by bus everywhere, are willing to try suspicious looking street food, and know the difference between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Expect more in 2009. I hope to start a series of interviews with people of interest. Thanks for your continued support, comments, and suggestions.

Here are the ten most read posts of 2008:

10. Nazi, Star Wars & Chilean Helmets


9. 1970s Matchbox Car Collection


8. The Yellow Headlights of France


7. Mercedes W116 450SEL 6.9 Wagon


6. American World War II Propaganda Posters


5. Conan O'Brien's Ford Taurus SHO

4. Citroen DS Chapron Extravaganza


3. Lancia Thema 8.32, the Other Ferrari Engined Sedan


2. My Fantasy Garage

1. Nurburgring Stickers

CKY

Tamerlane's Fantasy Garage-- At Last

After three years of hard work, I have finally assembled my ultimate fantasy garage. I have only three criteria for my fleet, the cars have to be fast, beautiful, and exciting.

AC Cobra 427
Why God (if there is one) put Carroll Shelby on Earth.

Aston Martin DB5
Good enough for James Bond, good enough for me.

Aston Martin Lagonda
Bizarre beauty.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Timothy Dalton's most beautiful companion.

Bentley Turbo R
Class; urgency.

Chevrolet Camaro
What I wanted when I turned 16.

Citroen SM
A French car with an Italian engine, a marriage made in heaven and hell.

Datsun Fairlady Z
The Porsche beater, made in Japan.

Dodge Viper GTS Coupe
There is no substitute for engine displacement.

Ferrari 288 GTO
Magnum's Ferrari, with guts.

Ferrari F40
My favorite Ferrari of all time.

Ford RS200
Fast enough to bend the space-time continuum.

Ford Sierra Cosworth
I ashamedly coveted the U.S.-market Merkur XR4Ti.

Honda NSX
The reliable Ferrari.

Lamborghini 350GT
The un-Ferrari that out-Ferrari'd Ferrari.

Lamborghini Countach
The first car I learned how to draw, and continued to draw for three years.

Lamborghini LM002
The only SUV I would actually own and drive.

Lamborghini Miura
The first supercar.

Lotus Exige
Why less is more.

McLaren F1
Greatest car man ever made.

Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9
The father of all super-sedans.

Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing
Fifty years ahead of its time.

Mini Cooper
A David in a field of Goliaths.

Nissan 300ZX
The best sports car of the 1990s.

Nissan Skyline R32

The boldest and cleanest Skyline of them all.

Porsche 928
The Porsche in every 1980s movie I've watched.

Porsche 930 Turbo

The uber-Porsche of my childhood.

Porsche 959
The uber-Porsche of my teenaged years.

Porsche 993 Turbo

The uber-Porsche of my young adulthood.

Renault R5 Turbo
Incredible hatchback, from France.

TVR Tuscan
Unbelievable curves.

Special thanks to all the talented amateur and professional photogs on flickr. I got most of these pictures from them.

CKY