October 2022

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on November 18, 2021.

Having an air compressor in the garage makes so many jobs easier, including the most-obvious task of inflating tires.  Or footballs. But there’s a lot more to it than that.

The tire (or football) inflation in itself makes a home compressor worthwhile.  Really, who wants to schlep down to the convenience store to feed quarters into their bitty machine? Yes, children, there was a time long ago when air was free.

But there are so many other chores that can be accomplished with an air compressor, particularly those involving cars, trucks and motorcycles. Compressed air provides extra muscle and versatility, and there are a myriad tools and pieces of equipment that operate efficiently via the power of air.

Compressors come in many shapes and sizes, from the massive units seen at auto shops to scaled-down versions for home use, and all the way down to small portable compressors that run on your vehicle’s 12-volt system, made specifically for filling tires.

You’ll often see contractors and construction crews on the job site equipped with small-capacity compressors capable of containing a few gallons of air generated by the attached electric pumps.  These most often are used to provide immediate, short-burst power for such tools as nail guns and staplers. 

For a home garage, a somewhat bigger compressor with larger capacity should be considered so that there’s more air contained in its tank for continuous use. That way, the pump motor is not constantly – and noisily – running, which also makes it wear out faster. 

My garage contains a fairly typical home-garage compressor with a 25-gallon tank that can generate as much as 130 psi, runs on 120-volt house current, and draws 15 amps. Easy and convenient, it stands against the wall and, when cranked up, will fill the tank in about five minutes, with a pump that is maintenance free. 

There are bigger and much-bigger compressor/tank combinations, some of which require 220 volts and sometimes special high-capacity wiring, but that’s generally overkill for the home auto hobbyist.

I originally got my compressor (actually, a Christmas present from my dear wife) so that I could power an impact socket wrench and, of course, inflate tires and such.  But compressed air can be used for so much more, as I gradually found out.

Here are a few of the things that can be done with an air compressor:

Cleaning things.  With a blow-gun nozzle attached (hand actuated by a lever), high-pressurized air can be used to blow the dust and grit out of many things, including screens and filters.   Most usefully, it can be used to blast out those little niches and crevasses in your car’s interior way more efficiently than a vacuum alone.

If so inclined, you can even blow dirt and leaves out the door, or clear away sawdust. I have an extra-long hose attached to my compressor, which I occasionally run into the house to blow off accumulated dust (we live in the desert).  Sure, I know that’s a real Tim Allen/Tool Time (or maybe Red Green) solution, and I hope you don’t think less of me for it.

Powering pneumatic tools. Besides the aforementioned impact wrench, there’s a wide assortment of automotive hand tools that can be hooked up to the compressor, such as powered ratchet wrenches, grinders, rotary saws, sand blasters, drills, grease guns and air brushes.  

Some of those would require a compressor with the higher air-storage capacities.  My 25-gallon unit would suffice for most. Although, running low on compressed air is a good excuse for a short beer break while the pump refills the tank.

Spray painting.  Compressed air is the way to go for achieving a professional-quality paint job, from small items to entire vehicles.  Practice is important, so if you’re a newbie, you might try out your nascent skill on a disposable piece, such as an old car hood from a junkyard.  And don’t make the rookie mistake of trying to paint with air pressure that’s set too high.  That’s a recipe for a mess. There’s plenty of detailed instructions about spray painting available online.

Pressure washing.  Compressed air can be used to pump water through a specialized device to pressure wash driveways, equipment, even vehicles.

Blowing up things. OK, you can’t discuss air compressors without talking about inflation, which might be a dirty word economically these days but still the most notable use of a compressor.  Car, truck and motorcycle tires would be the obvious targets, and a moderately sized compressor, at least, makes the job easier, especially with big truck tires containing large volumes of air. 

But how about the other things in life that require inflation, such as that football?  Or basketball, volleyball, beach ball, pool toy, etc.  For the flimsier objects, such as beach balls and pool toys, a judicious use of the pressure gauge is required so that you don’t explode them. 

Same with bicycle tires, which can too quickly blow up beyond their capacity because of their small air volume, especially skinny tires on lightweight road bikes, for which a regular hand pump would be the more-judicious alternative.

I’m sure you can conjure up, and most likely already have, other ways to use your air compressor.  If you would like to share your ideas, add them to the comments section below.

Mercedes-Benz has several vehicles that rank at the top of automotive history, but the 300 SL “Gullwing” may be the one that wins out. The combination of styling and engineering can be seen as art to some, Andy Warhol being one. His gallerist in Germany, Hans Mayer, came up with the idea for Warhol to collaborate with Mercedes for a commissioned set of works based on its vehicles throughout history. The first one was a 1955 300 SL—this one—and now it can be yours.

This Silver Grey SL was originally purchased in Paris in August 1955, complete with blue leather interior and Rudge knock-off wheels. In 1981, it was sold to a doctor in Germany, who kept it until it was purchased in 2020 by Brabus, the German tuning company.

Brabus invested more than 4,500 hours in the restoration as part of the Brabus 6-Star Restoration program, of which the company devotes hours and hours of labor combined with 40+ years of experience working with Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The result is new-car character that surpasses the condition when the vehicle was new.

So how is it known that the car in the Warhol illustration is this car? Look at the license plate, then check out an image of Warhol’s SL. German registration records link EI-DR 1 to this very vehicle before your eyes.

Sotheby’s Sealed, Sotheby’s online platform where some of the world’s most significant cars are auctioned, will handle the sale of this 300 SL starting on November 10, 2022, with bidding closing on the 17^th. It is being offered without reserve, with estimates ranging from $1,500,000-3,000,000. That’s much more than the opulent Rolls-Royce Sceptre we wrote about a few days ago.

Warhol only managed to finish 49 out of the 80 works for Mercedes when he unexpectedly died in 1987. Though art is a subjective medium, one would be hard-pressed to argue with Warhol’s choice to put this vehicle on canvas.

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1966 Chevrolet Impala.

This 1966 Impala was refinished in metallic red with a metallic silver roof. The metallic red exterior is complemented by an aluminum grille, chrome bumpers, and full-length bodyside trim. It rides on a set of chrome reversed 14″ x 7″ U.S. Wheel Supreme wheels with chrome center cap and Remington whitewall tires.

“The front bucket seats and the curved rear Thunderbird seat are upholstered in black vinyl,” the listing states. “Features include black vinyl rear trim and door panels with manual windows, a black center console, a floor-mounted B&M automatic transmission shifter, black carpeting, and black floor mats with Impala logos and red piping. Additional features include a chrome tilt steering column and an AM/FM touchscreen stereo with Bluetooth.”

Under the hood is 350ci V8 engine featuring an Edelbrock four-barrel carburetor with an electric choke, an HEI distributor, and tube exhaust headers. The engine is dressed up with chrome valve covers, a chrome air cleaner lid, and an aluminum radiator keeps everything cool.

The engine is paired with a floor-shifted TH350 transmission.

The sale includes a clear California title in the seller’s name. One hundred miles have been added during current ownership and the odometer reads 72K miles but the true mileage of this Impala in unknown. The listing states an oil and filter change was completed within the last two months.

This 1966 Chevrolet Impala’s auction ends on Friday, October 28, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. (PDT)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery.

Motor swaps are commonplace in the collector car universe. In the perpetual quest for more power, better reliability, and parts availability, it’s not unusual to see a hot rod or classic on its second or third powerplant. What I find interesting is when a car receives an engine transplant from another brand entirely.

The Pick of the Day is a 1936 Ford four-door sedan listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Stanley, North Carolina. (Click the link to view the listing)

This Ford is powered by a Chevy – a 350ci Chevy crate engine, to be exact.

“Up for sale is my 1936 Ford slant-back four-door sedan custom,” the listing states. “Built from a very nice running original car, this vehicle was disassembled, blasted, and rebuilt as a mild street machine.”

The heart of this custom build (which some Ford purists may consider blasphemous) has been upgraded with a PerTronix ignition system and a Holley Street Avenger carburetor. The seller states that it “runs, drives, and rides great.”

Ford models from 1936 rode on what was known as the Model 48 platform which used a traditional body-on-frame design and was offered in ten different body styles. Design language up front came from an inverted pentagon-shaped grille. While its chassis is 86 years old, modern conveniences were weaved into this build so that it could be driven just as comfortably as a late-model car. Among the features are power steering, Vintage Air A/C, tinted windows, power door locks, and a Jensen CD player with Pioneer speakers.

The body – which features suicide doors out back – shows clean finishes throughout, decorated by a black and red two-tone paint scheme and accessorized with a prominent chrome-finished hood ornament, pin striping, a luggage rack, and dual stainless-steel exhaust outlets beneath the rear bumper. A few of the photos in the gallery illustrate the car and its frame during various stages of restoration about 20 years ago.

“Car was built back in 2002 to 2003 and was my main show car for about ten years,” the seller states. “But as time passed and I built newer cars, it has taken a back seat to them. Now driven only to keep in good running order, it is time to sell and move on.”

Does a Chevy motor in this Ford add or subtract from its appeal? Let me know what you think in the comments. The seller is asking $34,000 for this “Fordvolet” (or Chevord) sedan.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

A 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow owned by Queen frontman Freddie Mercury is heading to auction with RM Sotheby’s on November 5, with proceeds from the sale going to the Superhumans Center, a charity providing aid to Ukraine.

While the Silver Chalice-painted sedan was registered in the United Kingdom when it was new, it didn’t enter Mercury’s orbit until 1979, when it was purchased by the rock star’s production company, Goos Productions Ltd., the listing says. While Mercury was likely chauffered in the Rolls, he probably never drove it himself because he seemingly never got a license.

The car is accompanied by documents supporting its connection to Mercury, including workshop invoices in the singer’s name, other documents in the name of his former partner Mary Austin, and a letter from longtime Queen manager Jim Beach confirming Mercury’s ownership.

Produced from 1965 to 1980, the Silver Shadow was a big technological step forward for Rolls. The Shadow (and related Bentley T-Series) had unibody construction rather than the body-on-frame construction of previous models, along with a hydraulic self-leveling suspension system licensed from Citroën.

Power is provided by the ubiquitous Rolls-Royce/Bentley L-Series V-8, which started at 6.3 liters when the Silver Shadow launched, but was later enlarged to 6.8 liters (this car has the larger-displacement version). Iterations of this engine—with electronic fuel injection and turbocharging—continued in production until 2020.

After Mercury’s death in November 1991, the Silver Shadow was driven by the late rock star’s sister Kashmira Cooke, who bought the car from the Freddie Mercury Estate in 2003. It was then auctioned off in 2013, when it was bought by the current owner. The listing notes that the car has been stored for awhile, and should be inspected before being driven.

RM Sotheby’s expects the Silver Shadow to sell for between 20,000 and 30,000 British pounds, equivalent to $22,539 to $33,808 at current exchange rates. Even those relatively low estimates likely reflect this car’s celebrity connection. The Silver Shadow’s long production run makes it relatively common for a Rolls-Royce, so values have never been particularly high.

This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com.

Gran Turismo 7 added four new cars to the PlayStation video game in its October update. The racing simulator features more than more than 400 vehicles and the additional cars in the update run the gamut from current racecars to vintage sports cars. While four cars were added to GT7, no tracks were included in the update.

1973 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R (KPGC110)

The Skyline features a 1,989cc six-cylinder four-valve DOHC S20 engine that produced a factory-rated 157 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque.

According to Nissan, “This is the fourth generation Skyline that became very popular by the copy “Skyline for Ken and Mary.” However, this “2000GT-R” model was manufactured for only 4 months from January to April of 1973 and the total number of manufactured cars was less than 200 due to the stricter emission standards.”

1980 Maserati Merak SS

A Giorgetto Giugiaro designed, mid-engine supercar. The Maserati Merak SS is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 engine that produced a factory-rated 220 horsepower and with a five-speed manual transmission it could go from 0-60 mph in 9.0 seconds. Not lightning quick by modern standard but with some modifications in GT7 you should be able to get some improved performance in this 2+2 fastback coupe.

2018 Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3

A true racecar for GT7 powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine with 542 horsepower paired with a six-speed sequential transmission. The GT-R is a motorsports icon and should be a great car to use in GT7. I’m a fan of the GT-R and I’m curious to see how NISMO GT3 performs on my PS4.

2022 Mazda Roadster NR-A

The Miata (MX-5?) is always a solid choice in any Gran Turismo game. With sharp handling and a peppy engine, it can hang with cars that have more Performance Points. The Mazda Roadster NR-A is race ready for GT7.