Back in the 1960s when VW Beetles were everywhere, they became the automotive raw material for artists and designers who wanted to build something new and unique, converting them into all sorts of machines never imagined by the German factory. The dune buggy and kit car phenomenon got its start with fiberglass body kits designed to be bolted onto the bare VW chassis, but Doug … [Read more...]
Classic 1959 Porsche Diesel Tractor
It's interesting to compare machinery of all types designed in Europe and the USA. Any train buff can instantly identify locomotives from the continent vs locomotives designed and built in the US, and this tractor, a 1959 Porsche, like the Lamborghini we spotlighted before, has a look all its own. Nothing like this ever rolled off the John Deere assembly line and it's not just … [Read more...]
1965 Lamborghini 5C Crawler Tractor
Say the name Lamborghini and what comes to mind? For the vast majority, it's exotic Italian sports cars, but Ferruccio Lamborghini was making tractors before he ever made a car and this 1965 Lamborghini 5C Crawler tractor is a great example of the breed. Powered by a 3 cylinder diesel engine, it looks like it would have been every bit the capable agricultural … [Read more...]
Turbonique Thrust Engines to Satisfy Your Inner Mad Max
Gene Middlebrooks had a dream. Working for a defense contractor in Florida making ballistic missiles, he wondered why the technology couldn't somehow be adapted for civilian use, sort of a rocket fuel for the masses idea. He started a now legendary company by the name of Turbonique and designed the mother of all power adders, well, three different versions, actually, a … [Read more...]
David Oreck’s 1944 Grand Champion Beechcraft G17S Staggerwing
If you appreciate fine machinery, your interests most likely spread beyond road going vehicles. For those of us with an eye on the sky, there are a few airplanes considered by aviation buffs to be among the finest ever designed and the Beech Staggerwing is one of those planes. David Oreck, yes, of vacuum cleaner fame, has been a pilot since World War II and his private airplane … [Read more...]