Hemmings Daily: Union of Concerned Scientists criticizes RPM Act as 'another dieselgate'

Photo by the author. Describing it as an emissions scandal on par with or worse than those plaguing European diesel car manufacturers, the Union of Concerned Scientists this month decried the RPM Act as state-sanctioned emissions cheating, a claim that backers of the act - designed to exempt race cars from emissions controls - say they disagree with. "There is a way to (ensure emissions defeat devices remain off public roads) that doesn't impact people who want to race," said Jonna Hamilton, the Clean Vehicles [View in Browser | Subscribe]( [Hemmings Daily] Friday, October 27, 2017 [Union of Concerned Scientists criticizes RPM Act as "another dieselgate"]( [Union of Concerned Scientists criticizes RPM Act as 'another dieselgate']( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Photo by the author. Describing it as an emissions scandal on par with or worse than those plaguing European diesel car manufacturers, the Union of Concerned Scientists this month decried the RPM Act as state-sanctioned emissions cheating, a claim that backers of the act - designed to exempt race cars from emissions controls - say they disagree with. "There is a way to (ensure emissions defeat devices remain off public roads) that doesn't impact people who want to race," said Jonna Hamilton, the Clean Vehicles... [Read More]( [Sponsor]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1941 Cadillac Series 62]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1941 Cadillac Series 62]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Customized 1941 Cadillac Series 62 for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: This was built by me as a tribute car to what was being done in 1941 by shops like Coachcraft, Don Lee & others in LA. It is a 62 series car, not a 61 series fastback. I designed it for a resto look. Top chopped 2", wind shield raked 14 degrees & the I/4's blanked off. 1970 Cadillac Eldorado 400 HP motor, T-400 trans, Cadillac posi rear end, disc front end, PS , PB, electric windows, AC. All work was carefully done. ...[Read More]( [Drag racer and Funny Car pioneer Gaspar "Gas" Ronda, 1926-2017]( [Drag racer and Funny Car pioneer Gaspar ]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - Gas Ronda. Photo by Greg Sharp. Even as a child, long before the sport of drag racing entered his life, Gaspar Ronda went by the nickname "Gas." One of Ford's factory Thunderbolt racers and an early driver of altered-wheelbase "Funny Cars," Gas Ronda died at his Palm Desert home on Wednesday, October 25, age 91. A childhood battle with polio left Ronda with weakened legs, prompting the family's doctor to encourage exercise to strengthen them. His mother taught him to dance, creating another passion that wo...[Read More]( [Sponsor]( [This or That - Season 2: 1972 Mercury Montego GT or 1972 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus?]( [This or That - Season 2: 1972 Mercury Montego GT or 1972 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus?]( Posted by Matt Litwin - 1972 Mercury Montego GT (top); 1972 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus (bottom). Images by the author. Editor's note: This or Thatis not a comparison report between two vehicles, but rather a feature that enables us, in an idyllic world, to add a collectible vehicle into our dream garage on a weekly basis, but with a catch: We can only pick one vehicle fromthis pairing and it has to be for enjoyment purposes rather than as an investment. Featured in this edition ofThis or Thataretwo midsize fastbacks f...[Read More]( [Tonopah, Nevada, 1940]( [Tonopah, Nevada, 1940]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: March 1940 Location: Main Street, Tonopah, Nevada Source: Arthur Rothstein, Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information, via Shorpy What do you see here?...[Read More]( [Sponsor]( [HemmingsPRO]( Seller Listings [2006 Infiniti M35]( [2006 Infiniti M35 $10,995]( [1976 Lincoln Continental]( [1976 Lincoln Continental $23,500]( [1970 Chevrolet El Camino]( [1970 Chevrolet El Camino $34,950]( [1963 Chevrolet Corvette]( [1963 Chevrolet Corvette $129,983]( [1972 Volkswagen Super Beetle]( [1972 Volkswagen Super Beetle $6,950]( [1978 Cadillac Seville]( [1978 Cadillac Seville $20,000]( [Learn More]( UPCOMING EVENTS [The Albany Auto Show]( November 3, 2017 - Albany, NY [SEMA Ignited]( November 3, 2017 - Las Vegas, NV [Dave & Ed's Super Auto Events Pro-Formance Swap Meet]( November 4, 2017 - Canton, OH [Miller's 10th Annual Ross County Automotive Swap Meet and Cruise-In]( November 4, 2017 - Chillicothe, OH [45th Annual Vintage Wheels Rod & Custom Car Show]( November 4, 2017 - Richmond, IN [South Georgia Classic Car Club 34th Annual Fall Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show]( November 4, 2017 - Valdosta, GA [See All Events]( [Sponsor]( FEATURED CLASSIFIEDS Sponsored By: [Sponsor]( [1967 Dodge Coronet R/T]( [1967 Dodge Coronet R/T]( [$54,900]( [1964 Chevrolet Impala]( [1964 Chevrolet Impala]( [$33,900]( [1948 Buick Super 8]( [1948 Buick Super 8]( [$29,995]( [1949 Plymouth Deluxe]( [1949 Plymouth Deluxe]( [$5,000]( [1939 Ford]( [1939 Ford]( [$75,000]( [1986 Ford Bronco]( [1986 Ford Bronco]( [$14,000]( [1953 Hudson Hornet]( [1953 Hudson Hornet]( [$25,000]( [1991 Volvo 940]( [1991 Volvo 940]( [$5,500]( [1947-1954 Chevrolet 3100 chassis]( [1947-1954 Chevrolet 3100 chassis]( [$10,500]( [View All Classifieds]( FEATURED IN THE BLOG [A look back at a '60s stock-car survivor]( [A look back at a '60s stock-car survivor]( [2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody: fatter equals faster]( [2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody: fatter equals faster]( [See All Featured Blog Posts]( FOLLOW US: [Get RSS Feeds of Hemmings Blog]( [Follow us on Twitter]( [Join us on Facebook]( [View our Flickr pool]( [View Newsletter Archives]( WEEK IN REVIEW Thursday, October 26, 2017 [Classic American cars - and trucks - set records at Las Vegas auction]( [Classic American cars - and trucks - set records at Las Vegas auction]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - 1963 Lincoln Continental convertible. Photos courtesy Barrett-Jackson. It isn't uncommon for a Duesenberg, or perhaps even a prewar Packard, to set a record price at auction. Less common, however, is when more attainable -- and more recent -- collector cars set records, and at last weekend's Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas sale, several classic American vehicles -- including a 1963 Lincoln Continental convertible, a 1955 Cadillac Series 60 Special sedan, and a trio of 1970s-'80s trucks -- reportedly broke auction recor...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1970 AMC AMX]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1970 AMC AMX]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Freshly restored HMM-featured 1970 AMC AMX for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: Frost White, red leather interior. Go-Pac. Command Air. 4 speed manual transmission, factory Hurst Competition Plus shifter. Factory AM-8 track stereo, rear stereo speakers, Rim-Blo steering wheel, new carpet, dash restored, all guages functional and working. New Legendary red leather. Factory Rally Wheels, also restored with correct glitter paint. Correct Goodyear Polyglas E-70 14 tires. Completely new suspention co...[Read More]( [ECTA finds new home in Arkansas; sets three racing dates for 2018]( [ECTA finds new home in Arkansas; sets three racing dates for 2018]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Photo via Arkansas Department of Aeronautics. Though it lies just west of the Mississippi, the runway at the Arkansas International Airport has been selected as the new home for the East Coast Timing Association, which announced this week that racing will resume in 2018 after a year off. Built as an Army Air Force base in 1942 and later known as Eaker Air Force Base, the airstrip became the Arkansas International Airport in 1992 upon the base's closure. At 11,600 feet, its runway length well exceeds both the 9...[Read More]( [Engineers test the new 1955 Chevrolet against the competition]( [Engineers test the new 1955 Chevrolet against the competition]( Posted by Thomas A. DeMauro - 1955 Chevrolet. Still image from video below. Would you like to see a 1955 Chevy put through its paces on the test track at the GM Proving Ground? How about one pulling 16 other full-size cars to prove that its engine has lots of torque? Do you enjoy viewing vintage testing equipment in use? If so, then be advised that all this and more can be experienced in just under 10 minutes in the confidential Chevrolet sales film Modern Engineering Series: Volume Three, Torque Talk. Of course, there are head-to-head com...[Read More]( [Sherman Oaks, California, 1956]( [Sherman Oaks, California, 1956]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: circa 1956 Location: Casa de Cadillac, Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks, California Source: via Palm Springs Automobilist What do you see here?...[Read More]( Wednesday, October 25, 2017 [Nashville preservationist aims to save city's oldest garage from demolition]( [Nashville preservationist aims to save city's oldest garage from demolition]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Image courtesy Google Street View. If media reports of Nashville's pending billion-dollar Nashville Yards renovation project bother to mention the little brick one-story building off Church Street, they do so only to note that developers intend to raze it to make way for entertainment venues and high-rise hotels. However, one area preservationist who recognizes the building as possibly the South's first dedicated auto dealership thinks he has a shot at saving it from the wrecking ball. In 1905, when Duncan R. ...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - From the seller's description: 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger Slant 6 225 inch, AC, Vinyl Top, Automatic. California car completely rust free, perfect under rear window and trunk. Runs and drives tight and smooth. Bought at 39,000? Miles. I have driven it 3000 miles to 42,000 Miles. Was little old lady's car, always garaged. Paint is almost all original. Power steering, power drum brakes. AM/FM. Factory cold A/C. All lights and electrical work like new. Near perfect original interior and headliner. Very good tires and spa...[Read More]( [Legendary Indy Car builder and team owner Rolla Vollstedt dead at age 99]( [Legendary Indy Car builder and team owner Rolla Vollstedt dead at age 99]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - Rolla Vollstedt, in yellow cap, with Jim Clark's 1967 Rex Mays 300 car. Photo courtesy Michael McKinney. If a career spent designing and building racing cars and serving as a team owner is measured solely in race wins and championships, then Rolla Vollstedt had little to show for his nearly three decades in Indy Car racing. If, however, one factors in contributions made to the sport, then Vollstadt may have been one of Indy Car's most influential participants, even if his name isn't exactly well-known to those ou...[Read More]( [Ronkonkoma: the never-was speedway that could have brought Indianapolis-scale racing to Long Island]( [Ronkonkoma: the never-was speedway that could have brought Indianapolis-scale racing to Long Island]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Images courtesy Vanderbilt Cup Races. A "mecca of motordom" is how one pundit put it. Nearly 900 acres of now prime Long Island real estate dedicated to racing automobiles at a time before many people had even seen one. Backers of the Ronkonkoma speedway envisioned a motorplex of a size that would dwarf the fledgling speedway in Indianapolis, recently unearthed documents show, but that size ultimately ended up preventing the track from ever becoming reality. The effort to build the speedway, according to docum...[Read More]( [Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1970s]( [Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1970s]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: circa late 1970s Location: downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota Source: MnDOT What do you see here?...[Read More]( Tuesday, October 24, 2017 [Thrice deferred, Bill Cushenberry's Silhouette II Space Coupe heads toward completion more than 50 years later]( [Thrice deferred, Bill Cushenberry's Silhouette II Space Coupe heads toward completion more than 50 years later]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Images courtesy Barry Gremillion. Stolen, abandoned, slated for the scrap heap: Certainly not the fate Bill Cushenberry imagined for what was to be his crowning achievement, the Silhouette II Space Coupe. Yet, for all the peril it has faced, it has survived and now appears destined for completion more than 50 years after it was conceived. Cushenberry, a Kansas native, didn't really make a name for himself as a car customizer until about 1960 when, having relocated to Monterey, California, he built a radical ch...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1972 Oldsmobile 442 W-30]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1972 Oldsmobile 442 W-30]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - From the seller's description: 1972 Oldsmobile 442 W-30, Amazing sound & beautiful curves; this car is a head turner! Factory numbers matching 442 with the w-30 package. 455 Rocket v8 that is ready for both street and show. Lovingly cared for and in fantastic condition, the black / black design with ram intake and w-30 stripes is sinister sophistication. 1972 Oldsmobile 442 with the W-30 package (Born April 5th, 1972, 1 of 772 built) Factory Numbers Matching W-30 Car with All receipts and Original Protect-o...[Read More]( [Charles Gordon-Lennox, the former Lord March, presented with Petersen Museum's Automotive Icon Award]( [Charles Gordon-Lennox, the former Lord March, presented with Petersen Museum's Automotive Icon Award]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - From left: Peter Mullin, Bruce Meyer, Charles Gordon-Lennox, and David Sydorick. Photo courtesy Petersen Museum. The name Charles Gordon-Lennox may not be familiar to all in the old-car hobby, but his former title of Lord March almost certainly is. Founder of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Goodwood Revival, and the Goodwood Members Meeting, Gordon-Lennox, now the Duke of Richmond, Lennox, Aubigny, and Gordon, was presented with the Petersen Museum's Automotive Icon Award at a gala dinner held on October 14. ..[Read More]( [Bi Bi, Baby- 1985 Maserati Biturbo brochure]( [Bi Bi, Baby- 1985 Maserati Biturbo brochure]( Posted by Mark J. McCourt - Brochure images are from the collection of Hemmings Motor News, courtesy of Bruce Zahor A twin-turbocharged V-6 engine is at the heart of every Ghibli sedan and Levante SUV (as well as some Quattroportes) that Maserati sells in the USA today, and this Chrysler-based, Ferrari-built 2,979-cc (181.8-cu.in.) unit utilizes a DOHC, four-valve design, with direct fuel injection and two intercoolers, to make 345 or 404 horsepower. This executive powerplant has historic precedent for the marque of the Trident, as a twi...[Read More]( [Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1972]( [Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1972]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: September 1972 Location: Oak Ridge, Tennessee Source: Department of Energy on Flickr (courtesy Steve Hawkins) What do you see here?...[Read More]( Monday, October 23, 2017 [Ford's Mustang SVT Cobra celebrates its silver anniversary]( [Ford's Mustang SVT Cobra celebrates its silver anniversary]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - 1993 Ford SVT Mustang Cobra. Image courtesy Ford Motor Company. In 1993, with an all-new Mustang set for introduction the following year, Ford did a most improbable thing: After forming a group of enthusiast employees and top-tier suppliers called the Special Vehicle Team (SVT), the automaker revived the Cobra name for use on a limited-production, high-performance Fox-body Mustang. First shown at the 1992 Chicago Auto Show, the original 1993 Mustang SVT Cobra celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2018, and its succe...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1949 Dodge B1B]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1949 Dodge B1B]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Single-family 1949 Dodge B1B for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: purchased new by my Dad on Jan. 26, 1949. Serial number (82084794) indicates a chassis built in Detroit in 1948. It was shipped to Campbell Body Works in Waterloo, New York and the wooden body installed. It was sold in New Jersey in Jan. 1949, and was titled 1949. It was used as a daily driver until given to me in 1986. It was then placed in dry storage. In Nov. 2011, I began the process of returning it to drivable conditio...[Read More]( [Ecstasy of gold: All the other attempts to revive the Duesenberg as a carmaker]( [Ecstasy of gold: All the other attempts to revive the Duesenberg as a carmaker]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Photo courtesy RM Sotheby's. Duesenberg pretty much undisputedly sits atop the heap as the most luxurious, most exclusive, and most storied American carmaker to have existed, all the more remarkable given that the nameplate has been gone from the automotive landscape for 80 years. But those last 80 years haven't exactly gone Duesenberg-less thanks to no less than four revival attempts. It's a tempting goal to revive - and not just replicate - the marque. Name recognition is already in place, you're guaranteed ...[Read More]( [Recommended Reading - piloti, che gente...]( [Recommended Reading - piloti, che gente...]( Posted by Richard Lentinello - piloti, che gente. . . by Enzo Ferrari. Photos by author. Well before he became the world's most famous carmaker, Enzo Ferrari's main interest in life was to become a journalist. He was highly articulate, loved to write, and had a strong command of the Italian language. During his early years he penned many newspaper articles and wrote numerous editorials and articles for the Ferrari factory's in-house publication. According to noted historian, Griffith Borgeson, "The most important single work on Ferrari is, ...[Read More]( [Laguna Beach, California, 1960s]( [Laguna Beach, California, 1960s]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: circa 1960 Location: South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, California Source: via The Old Motor What do you see here?...[Read More]( Sunday, October 22, 2017 [The rewards of becoming a Guildsman: the 2017 Rhode Island Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild reunion]( [The rewards of becoming a Guildsman: the 2017 Rhode Island Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild reunion]( Posted by Hemmings contributor - On September 30th, a Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild reunion was held at the Piston Palace, a small private auto museum in Rhode Island. There were about 40 guests from 10 different states and Canada in attendance. On display were a huge number of original FBCG vintage trophies, Guild Certificates, photo albums, dozens of models and other original memorabilia. Most of the models were of scholarship-winning mid-century futuristic car designs and a 1931 Fisher Body Coach model that had won some of the earliest Guild...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1956 Continental Mark II]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1956 Continental Mark II]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - From the seller's description: 1956 Continental MKII, Deep red with matching accented interior, 66,021 original miles, 368 V8, Automatic. I am the third owner of the car, purchasing from the second owner who purchased it directly from the original owner. The complete history of the car is known from new, with documentation, service reciepts, literature, warranty policy, and registrations from new. Older restoration of about 15 years ago by the second owner as a gift to his wife. The car has spent most of its life i...[Read More]( [Four-Links - 100-car symphony, TSC4GT, riled minitruckers, Barris fire]( [Four-Links - 100-car symphony, TSC4GT, riled minitruckers, Barris fire]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Cars as musical instruments? Composer Ryoji Ikeda recently pulled together 100 modified cars atop a Los Angeles parking garage for an elaborate concert involving the cars' stereo systems, horns, engines, and other noise-producing accessories, as this New York Times article accounts. * This week over on Dean's Garage, Dick Ruzzin runs down the story of the TASC--Total Automotive System Concept--that GM proposed during the Seventies and the TASC4GT that resulted from the program. * Another day, another c...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1992 Citroen XM]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1992 Citroen XM]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Sorted 1992 Citroen XM for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: 4 cyl, 2 liter engine, multipoint injection, 130HP, CX 0.28 , Top speed 127 mph. This car has hydropneumatic, self levelling suspension, that basically is the same used in the legendary DS. It rides and handles superbly. The car has been legally imported to the US by myself and has been touring the country for three weeks ( 5000 miles of a very enjoyable journey without any problem). The car is in excellent condition and all th...[Read More]( LAST WEEK'S MOST READ [One-off Exner-designed Duesenberg Model D revival prototype comes up for sale]( [One-off Exner-designed Duesenberg Model D revival prototype comes up for sale]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Photos courtesy Joe Bortz. The stars all appeared to align for Duesenberg's return in the mid-Sixties: a Duesenberg family member at the helm, an Exner-designed and Ghia-built prototype, confirmed orders for production models, even a factory taking shape. Yet the dream of a de-extinct Duesenberg never came to be, and now that prototype has come up for sale on the open market for the first time in more than 50 years. The concept that Fritz Duesenberg, Augie Duesenberg's son, and Milo Record, an Indianapolis-are...[Read More]( LAST WEEK'S BEST DISCUSSION [Misunderstood cars: The Ford Pinto]( [Misunderstood cars: The Ford Pinto]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - 1971 Ford Pinto. Brochure images courtesy The Old Car Manual Project. A popular car for the decade, it was produced by the Ford Motor Company, the subcompact Pinto is today best known for its propensity to combust in rear-end collisions. Despite its horrific portrayal in Pinto Madness, published by Mother Jones magazine in its September/October 1977 issue, later fatality rate data revealed the Pinto to be on par with other subcompacts of the day and certainly not the threat it was purported to be in both print an...[Read More]( Hemmings Motor News will not sell or share your e-mail address with other companies. For more information about this newsletter, email webmaster@hemmings.com or write to: Customer Service, Hemmings Motor News, 222 Main St., Bennington VT 05201. If you do not want to receive this newsletter from Hemmings Motor News, you can [change your email preferences here](.