Tartanmobile Art Car by Megan Kilian

Tartanmobile Art Car by Megan Kilian



The Tartanmobile art car a 86 Toyota Camry was just sent in by Megan Kilian who painted her car based on a family tartan. Here is what Megan had to say.

I had been thinking of painting a car plaid for several years, and had the opportunity when I moved back to San Francisco after several car-less years in Hong Kong and NYC. After studying all kinds of cool patterns, I chose this particular design because it is a Thompson family tartan, and I liked the idea of the pattern referring to my heritage instead of just being chosen randomly.

It began as a solid grey 1986 Toyota Camry that I purchased last October. At the time I bought it, the car had been owned for its entire life by one elderly Ukrainian man in San Francisco ’s Richmond district, who had put only 155,000 miles on it in 22 years, and had taken very good care of it. I’ve had a few minor issues: replaced the radiator and the water pump, but for the most part it has taken good care of me this year. I love that it was built while I was in junior high, and that the tape player still works, so I can play all my cassettes from high school while getting where I need to go.

I teach theatre classes in elementary schools around the Bay Area, and it has been fun to watch my students react to its progress as each layer of plaid was added. Kids love it—I’d like to think I’m triggering something in their brains that tells them they can express themselves creatively and uniquely. I finished the paint job over this summer and can’t wait to see their reactions once I begin teaching again this month!

Cheers, Megan Kilian

Cash For Clunkers - Art Car Renaissance???

Cash For Clunkers Art Cars

During the recent government "cash for clunkers" program this country witnessed an art car renaissance within the car dealership community. The program gave birth to the hidden talent that laid dormant within some of our countries finest car sales people. No longer did they just have to blow up balloons first thing every morning or make sure that the standard signage was clean and ready to go. During cash for clunkers a new and innovative signage program was needed so they took to their canvas with gusto to tell the world about it. What we saw was the raw inner creative spirit coming through as public works of art through car painting, car sculpture and even car destruction performance art. I don't know if our country will ever be the same, but I hope this new cash for clunkers art car renaissance will not effect us adversely.




Cash For Clunkers Sculpture



Cash For Clunkers Destruction Performance Art

Advantages Of Hybrid Cars Over Traditional Cars :new cars hybrid 2010

Advantages Of Hybrid Cars Over Traditional Cars :new cars hybrid 2010
by HybridMan
Fuel causes countless reparation to our setting and its prices keep rising every now and then. Bearing in mind these two factors, a large number of car owners and buyers have been looking for a suitable choice to save money as well as their surrounding environment. Most of people are reckoning hybrid cars as the best replacements for traditional cars, as these cars permit them to save their money as well as surrounding environment.During the past few years, there is a substantial increase in the status of hybrid cars. Results of some studies show that hybrid cars would restore nearly 40% traditional cars in many European and North American countries in the next five years. As hybrid cars are being developed by utilising the most advanced technology, the construction cost for a hybrid car is quite low and that’s why they are an reasonable alternative for everyone.
One of the biggest advantages of buying a hybrid car is that they allow users to save some good amounts of gasoline. These hybrid cars feature cleaner energy that is produced by an electric motor, and they have a long-range capacity of gasoline engines as well. This allows these cars to save nearly 30 miles per gallon. Another striking feature of these hybrid cars is that their gasoline engine automatically shuts off when the car begins to stop. It also shows quite effectual to save some good amounts of fuel. You just step on their accelerator and their gasoline engines turn on mechanically.
Most of traditional cars emit loads of toxic emissions, while hybrid cars least amounts of toxic emissions, as they burn less gasoline. Nevertheless, these hybrid cars are quite environment-friendly and cause less pollution in the air, as they emit minor quantity of carbon dioxide in the air. It’s worth mentioning that higher amounts of carbon dioxide in the air are careful one of the essential reasons of increasing global warming. Hybrid car buyers can get huge tax aid on different models of these hybrid cars. Due to this inducement provided on fuel effectiveness and the amount of gasoline that some hybrid can save in its lifetime.
Manufacturers of these hybrid cars seem to carry on their research to find some more efficient means to reduce the amount of fuel consumption. They are also trying to introduce some new ways for better fuel effectiveness.
Besides these popular gains, the biggest gain of a hybrid car is that they are functional for your immediate environment as well as an inexpensive option for all those who want to save good amount of money and their surrounding setting.
The debates on weather are sustained and the weather is getting crazier and warmer with every passing day, and everyone will have to play their role in a suitable way to make mother Earth a safe place for everybody. Don’t think so that one swallow can’t bring summer. Just do that you can do to save your environment and you will positively feel the difference when others will start to think as you do.

Advantages Of Hybrid Cars Over Traditional Cars :new cars hybrid 2010

Advantages Of Hybrid Cars Over Traditional Cars :new cars hybrid 2010
by HybridMan
Fuel causes countless reparation to our setting and its prices keep rising every now and then. Bearing in mind these two factors, a large number of car owners and buyers have been looking for a suitable choice to save money as well as their surrounding environment. Most of people are reckoning hybrid cars as the best replacements for traditional cars, as these cars permit them to save their money as well as surrounding environment.During the past few years, there is a substantial increase in the status of hybrid cars. Results of some studies show that hybrid cars would restore nearly 40% traditional cars in many European and North American countries in the next five years. As hybrid cars are being developed by utilising the most advanced technology, the construction cost for a hybrid car is quite low and that’s why they are an reasonable alternative for everyone.
One of the biggest advantages of buying a hybrid car is that they allow users to save some good amounts of gasoline. These hybrid cars feature cleaner energy that is produced by an electric motor, and they have a long-range capacity of gasoline engines as well. This allows these cars to save nearly 30 miles per gallon. Another striking feature of these hybrid cars is that their gasoline engine automatically shuts off when the car begins to stop. It also shows quite effectual to save some good amounts of fuel. You just step on their accelerator and their gasoline engines turn on mechanically.
Most of traditional cars emit loads of toxic emissions, while hybrid cars least amounts of toxic emissions, as they burn less gasoline. Nevertheless, these hybrid cars are quite environment-friendly and cause less pollution in the air, as they emit minor quantity of carbon dioxide in the air. It’s worth mentioning that higher amounts of carbon dioxide in the air are careful one of the essential reasons of increasing global warming. Hybrid car buyers can get huge tax aid on different models of these hybrid cars. Due to this inducement provided on fuel effectiveness and the amount of gasoline that some hybrid can save in its lifetime.
Manufacturers of these hybrid cars seem to carry on their research to find some more efficient means to reduce the amount of fuel consumption. They are also trying to introduce some new ways for better fuel effectiveness.
Besides these popular gains, the biggest gain of a hybrid car is that they are functional for your immediate environment as well as an inexpensive option for all those who want to save good amount of money and their surrounding setting.
The debates on weather are sustained and the weather is getting crazier and warmer with every passing day, and everyone will have to play their role in a suitable way to make mother Earth a safe place for everybody. Don’t think so that one swallow can’t bring summer. Just do that you can do to save your environment and you will positively feel the difference when others will start to think as you do.

Van Covered with Stuffed Bear Road Kill

A van covered in stuffed bear trophies is one way to tell the world "I am cute and cuddly" or "I brake for carnival games" or "I break for garage sales" or "I am covering a major bad paint job or "my car is really a clunker in disguise"

Honda is on Charge : New honda 2009

Honda is on Charge
by Mark Creese
To all intents and purposes Formula One should be the most exciting sport on Earth. Just one look at the key ingredients that concoct this sport has me salivating with excitement. Firstly you have a global giant of the car world such as Honda breaking away from the hatchback market and producing nearly 1,000bhp in a car that weighs less than the original Mini. Secondly this outlandish performance is put in the trust of 20 of the most skilled drivers on the planet, who are only ever 2-3 seconds away from a high speed shunt. Thirdly, the races take place in the most exotic locations around the world, including: Bahrain, Monaco, Brazil, Australia and Singapore. Why oh why then is it so dull?
As a child I'd drag myself out of bed at 3am just to watch a Friday practice, before repeating the feat for Saturday qualifying and Sunday race day. I knew all the drivers statistics, why rear down force shouldn't be an issue around the Hockenheim circuit and the past winners of the championship for 50 years. Much like a lot of the population I've tired in recent years of no overtaking, the same winners and consistent rule changes that try and fail to re-ignite excitement. Michael Schumacher was the greatest driver in the history of the sport but his constant winning also destroyed my love for it.
Then there was the tobacco sponsorship ban of a few years ago. Such a furore was made over banning the cancer-givers that the sport's focus was lost. So what that I fancied a cigarette after watching 'Marlboro' on Schumacher's car cross the winning line again, the advertising really wasn't the root of the problem Formula One was suffering.
Not content with banning cigarettes, overtaking had to be improved (or at least occur once in a race). So cars were slowed down and made more difficult to drive. The result? The best drivers were still in the fastest cars and could cope far better than the weaker drivers already in cars to suit their abilities. The emergence of Lewis Hamilton last year has certainly gone some way to undo the monotony of the now-retired Schumacher era. Not only is he the first black driver in Formula One, but he's super-quick - if a bit erratic.
Problem is that even if we overlook the unsolved overtaking problem, the President of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Max Mosley's sexual preferences, constant rule changes and Lewis's efforts to promote the sport, there's one massive problem that looms like an Eagle over its prey - global warming. With the Earth dying thanks to mankind's greed it seems everyone from every walk of life is being encouraged to recycle, use less energy and travel using green transport. I guess doing four miles to the gallon at 200mph every other weekend, with hundreds of articulated lorries, private jets and motor homes in tow doesn't quite reflect that Formula One is listening.
Well maybe Honda has got the hint with their 'Earth' car from the 2007 season. Sponsorship free and painted with the planet Earth on it, Honda sold every pixel on its livery with each donation helping towards climate change. This season's car has continued with promoting the dangers of climate change in a more subtle manner and once again no sponsorship - wise when you consider the car was previously run by BAT - British American Tobacco.
Ok so you like Formula One, you love Honda, support Jenson Button (although you agree he's not much cop) and therefore want to reflect this in your everyday life - whilst saving the planet. The answer is a simple three words - Honda Civic Hybrid. Yep Honda has produced an eco-friendly car that doesn't need plugging into the wall, look stupid or cost the earth. The Honda Hybrid looks like any other saloon which when you consider the stylings of most electric or hybrid cars is a major plus point. Road Tax in the United Kingdom is stupidly expensive so having to fork out a mere £15 a year for driving the Civic Hybrid is probably all the encouragement you'll need to buy one. The other justification for buying one is that other than great fuel economy thanks to the electric motor doing a fair proportion of the work, it's actually a good drive. Yes it's not a 0-60mph monster but every other aspect is as you'd expect from a car from the Civic range - it's a main contender in the green race.
So there you have it, buy a Honda Hybrid and watch Formula One guilt free. Now if Jenson could just overtake someone…

Honda is on Charge : New honda 2009

Honda is on Charge
by Mark Creese
To all intents and purposes Formula One should be the most exciting sport on Earth. Just one look at the key ingredients that concoct this sport has me salivating with excitement. Firstly you have a global giant of the car world such as Honda breaking away from the hatchback market and producing nearly 1,000bhp in a car that weighs less than the original Mini. Secondly this outlandish performance is put in the trust of 20 of the most skilled drivers on the planet, who are only ever 2-3 seconds away from a high speed shunt. Thirdly, the races take place in the most exotic locations around the world, including: Bahrain, Monaco, Brazil, Australia and Singapore. Why oh why then is it so dull?
As a child I'd drag myself out of bed at 3am just to watch a Friday practice, before repeating the feat for Saturday qualifying and Sunday race day. I knew all the drivers statistics, why rear down force shouldn't be an issue around the Hockenheim circuit and the past winners of the championship for 50 years. Much like a lot of the population I've tired in recent years of no overtaking, the same winners and consistent rule changes that try and fail to re-ignite excitement. Michael Schumacher was the greatest driver in the history of the sport but his constant winning also destroyed my love for it.
Then there was the tobacco sponsorship ban of a few years ago. Such a furore was made over banning the cancer-givers that the sport's focus was lost. So what that I fancied a cigarette after watching 'Marlboro' on Schumacher's car cross the winning line again, the advertising really wasn't the root of the problem Formula One was suffering.
Not content with banning cigarettes, overtaking had to be improved (or at least occur once in a race). So cars were slowed down and made more difficult to drive. The result? The best drivers were still in the fastest cars and could cope far better than the weaker drivers already in cars to suit their abilities. The emergence of Lewis Hamilton last year has certainly gone some way to undo the monotony of the now-retired Schumacher era. Not only is he the first black driver in Formula One, but he's super-quick - if a bit erratic.
Problem is that even if we overlook the unsolved overtaking problem, the President of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Max Mosley's sexual preferences, constant rule changes and Lewis's efforts to promote the sport, there's one massive problem that looms like an Eagle over its prey - global warming. With the Earth dying thanks to mankind's greed it seems everyone from every walk of life is being encouraged to recycle, use less energy and travel using green transport. I guess doing four miles to the gallon at 200mph every other weekend, with hundreds of articulated lorries, private jets and motor homes in tow doesn't quite reflect that Formula One is listening.
Well maybe Honda has got the hint with their 'Earth' car from the 2007 season. Sponsorship free and painted with the planet Earth on it, Honda sold every pixel on its livery with each donation helping towards climate change. This season's car has continued with promoting the dangers of climate change in a more subtle manner and once again no sponsorship - wise when you consider the car was previously run by BAT - British American Tobacco.
Ok so you like Formula One, you love Honda, support Jenson Button (although you agree he's not much cop) and therefore want to reflect this in your everyday life - whilst saving the planet. The answer is a simple three words - Honda Civic Hybrid. Yep Honda has produced an eco-friendly car that doesn't need plugging into the wall, look stupid or cost the earth. The Honda Hybrid looks like any other saloon which when you consider the stylings of most electric or hybrid cars is a major plus point. Road Tax in the United Kingdom is stupidly expensive so having to fork out a mere £15 a year for driving the Civic Hybrid is probably all the encouragement you'll need to buy one. The other justification for buying one is that other than great fuel economy thanks to the electric motor doing a fair proportion of the work, it's actually a good drive. Yes it's not a 0-60mph monster but every other aspect is as you'd expect from a car from the Civic range - it's a main contender in the green race.
So there you have it, buy a Honda Hybrid and watch Formula One guilt free. Now if Jenson could just overtake someone…