E3 Spark Plugs News

Proud owner of a Ford Mustang? You'll want to see the NICB's recently released Hot Wheels Classics report.

And by hot, we don’t mean sleek and sexy. We mean stolen. Swiped. Jacked. Gone in 60 seconds, and not in the good way. For over 25 years, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has published its annual Hot Wheels report, pinpointing America’s 10 most stolen vehicles of each year – something we here at E3 Spark Plugs watch for each January. But 2012 marks the first year that it’s published a Hot Wheels Classics report focusing on a particular make and model. What better choice for a debut than the Ford Mustang, arguably America’s most iconic muscle car?

Researchers made some surprising conclusions. While conventional thinking would place newer and pricier Mustangs atop a most-stolen list, the data suggests that thieves prefer older, less flashy models. Namely, it was the 2000 Pony that topped hijacker’s target lists over the past decade. Figures show that 7,085 2000 Mustangs were reported stolen between 2001 and 2011, followed by 6,790 1995 models and 5,394 1998 Ponies.

Here’s a rundown of the figures for top Mustang thefts by model year over the past 10 years:

• 2000 model – 7,085 stolen
• 1995 model – 6,790 stolen
• 1998 model – 5.394 stolen
• 2001 model – 5,103 stolen
• 2002 model – 4,226 stolen
• 2003 model – 3,966 stolen
• 1994 model – 3,949 stolen
• 2004 model – 3,234 stolen
• 1996 model – 3,045 stolen
• 1989 model – 2,629 stolen

All total, 45,421 Mustangs were reported stolen throughout the past decade. To get to these figures, NICB researchers reviewed data from 1964 to 2011. Keep in mind, though, that pre-1981 records are questionable. Researchers cite inconsistency in reporting protocols and in VIN (vehicle identification number) protocols before they were standardized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 1981. Click here to for the press release with a link to the full, downloadable report.

Got the lowdown on a possible car theft or insurance fraud? Report it anonymously by calling 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422), texting keyword “fraud” to TIP411 (847411) or visiting the NICB website.

In our next blog, E3 Spark Plugs offers a few tips on protecting your ride from thieves.

Imagine you and your lover behind the wheel of this for Valentine's Day! Photo credit: ben smith / Shutterstock

Hey slackers! Got your Valentine’s Day gifts yet? If not, E3 Spark Plugs has a few lovely ideas for the car buff who stole your heart. They range from the practical to the pricey, but they’re all a romantic little something that any auto enthusiast will love.

1. Gearshift bottle stopper: No doubt the wine and champagne will be flowing tonight. So this bottle stopper designed after a 5-speed gearshift will come in handy immediately. Made with stainless steel and a cherry wood knob, it’s available online from the Wine Enthusiast.
2. Seatbelt totes: If the car lover you love is also a lover of all things eco-friendly, he or she will love a selection from Harvey’s, maker of the Original Seatbeltbag. Purses, backpacks, laptop carriers, wallets, dopp kits, makeup cases, etc. are made from real recycled seatbelt material in shiny, vibrant hues. Available online and in stores nationwide.
3. Gift basket: This is a great way to load up your love with items that will keep him or her safe and in style on the road. Search online for pre-made baskets, or fill a basket or carwash bucket with items of your own choosing. A few suggestions: car wash and buffing products; books or magazines about classic, vintage or muscle cars; a tire gauge; jumper cables; a battery charger; a flashlight; a car-themed t-shirt or tank top; a GPS navigator; an MP3 FM transmitter; a remote starter system; and, of course, a set of E3 car spark plugs or truck spark plugs.
4. A driving adventure: Tickets to a favorite car show or museum allow for shared experience. But if you really want to rev the engines, opt for a driving adventure like the DFW Drive Your Dream supercar experience. For a price your love can get behind the wheel of an Audi R8, Lamborghini Murcielago or Ferrari. You’ll get a briefing on the nuances of driving an exotic car, then hit the road for a tour over a predetermined course. Ride-along tours allow the two of you to experience driving and riding in the car of your choice. DFW Drive Your Dream has five locations in Texas, but similar driving adventure companies dot the nation. Just do an online search.

From all of us here at E3, have a safe and happy Valentine’s Day!

A scene from the 1903 Chicago Auto Show. The event debuted in 1901 and is the nation's oldest auto show.

Heads up, Chicago-area fans. E3 Spark Plugs has its eye on the 2012 Chicago Auto Show running February 10-19. Did you know it’s the nation’s oldest?

The inaugural Chicago Auto Show revved up in 1901. General admission to the show was just 50 cents and patrons watched then new “horseless carriages” take spins on a wooden track that surrounded the Coliseum exposition hall’s main floor. The attraction’s main goal apparently was to help dispel public apprehensions and convince locals that motor vehicles were safe and easy to handle. At the helm was Sam Miles, editor of Motor Age magazine and the man who would become known as the father of the modern auto show.

The show ran once annually except during the 1930s and 1940s. Throughout the ’30s, it was held twice a year with shows staged during the spring and fall – an indirect request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who sought to boost demand for cars and, thus, jobs in auto plants. In a dramatic reversal, the show stopped production altogether from 1941-49 as plants redirected their efforts to meeting the country’s need for war vehicles and artillery rather than the consumer’s wants. Its 1950 return was a no-holds-barred celebration complete with beauty queens, Rockette-style dancers, a full orchestra, farm animals, 3-D exhibits depicting game hunting adventures in Africa and a massive box of dirt flown in from France so patrons could walk across it and “truthfully say they had stepped foot on foreign soil.”

Today’s Chicago Auto Show promises to be a little less weird, but every bit as entertaining. Blues Traveler opens the event with a concert and charity benefit tonight. Guests walk the red carpet and rub elbows with renowned artist Thomas Arvid. Members of the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Blackhawks make appearances throughout the week, as do NHRA drivers TJ Zizzo and Dale Creasy, Jr. Wednesday’s show takes a feminine turn with exhibits geared toward the fairer sex. Yoga sessions, manicures and a fashion show are on the schedule. And you’ll get chances to win cash prizes, an iPad2 or a 2012 Toyota Camry, among other items.

So do you plan to hit the Chicago Auto Show? Be sure to take pics of the coolest new cars and post them on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page. And stock your ride with E3 car spark plugs for show-worthy performance.

1937 Cadillac Sixteen Custom Phaeton expected to fetch upward of $1 million at the auction of the Milhous collection later this month in Boca Raton.

If you’re a true connoisseur of all things vintage automotive, E3 Spark Plugs urges you to mark your calendars for a trip to Boca Raton, FL February 24-25. That’s when RM Auctions and Sotheby’s will sell off upwards of 1,100 lots of amazing and rare antiques including toys, player pianos, jukeboxes, guns, Tiffany lamps and massive chandeliers collected over the past four decades by the Milhous brothers, Robert and Paul. But the real Milhous treasures are the gorgeous vintage cars.

In 1959, Paul Milhous made the first fateful purchase of a player piano, followed by dozens of rare and unique musical instruments. During the early 1970s, brother Robert caught the collecting bug when he purchased a 1934 V12 Packard 1101 Convertible Victoria that had been commissioned by Marie Dressler, the formidable actress known for her role as the original Tugboat Annie in the 1933 film of the same name. He began showing the car at major concours events throughout the United States, winning at every appearance. So enamored was he of the experience that he began adding other vintage beauties to his stable.

Soon, the brothers’ collections outgrew both their homes and their wives’ patience. So, in 1978, the two, who had made their millions in the printing industry creating circulars and comic strip inserts for newspapers, opened their first museum.

Over the years, the massive collections ended up in a nondescript corporate park building that belied the treasure it held. Inside, the museum bore the sumptuous ambiance of a Prohibition-era speakeasy and veritable wonderland of antiques. Among them: 29 vintage cars, five motorcycles, two tractors, a motorbike, a popcorn and peanut wagon, a PT-22 airplane and the only known surviving 1912 Oldsmobile Limited. The Olds alone is expected to fetch bids of $1.5 million or more.

The Milhous brothers are known for not just showing antique items behind velvet ropes, but for creating mesmerizing environments around their coveted pieces. For the car buffs, they created an exact replica of a Union 76 service station from the late 1910s and a half-size replica of the famous Auburn Cord Duesenberg Auto Salon of Auburn Indiana – just the way it looked in 1935. The brothers even commissioned the original brick manufacturer from the 1920s to recreate the same brick used in the original structure.

Got some extra cash and a passion for vintage automotive? Visit RM Auctions’ Milhous Collection website to see photos of all the items up for bid and information on registering for the auction. (See below for a video overview – The good stuff starts at the 1:45 mark). And if you make a purchase, be sure to take a pic and share your bragging rights on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page. Happy bidding!

Toyota's FCV-R Hydro concept car is a lean, mean machine and an example of hydrogen-fueled vehicles set for production in coming years.

The Washington Auto Show started January 27 and won’t wrap up until Sunday. But E3 Spark Plugs has already seen enough fun stuff to declare the event a success. Here’s a few of our top sights:

• Toyota’s FCV-R Hydro concept car: This sleek sedan designed to run on hydrogen has seating for four and impressive luggage space, thanks to the housing of the fuel cell beneath a specially designed body shell. The company aims to launch a fuel cell vehicle by 2015.
• Vintage ponies: A whole lineup of vintage Ford Mustangs proved a scene stealer for the classic muscle car-loving show-goers.
• Famous faces: President Barack Obama stopped by for chats with a few of the top automaker executives and an inside look at a few choice vehicles. J.R. Martinez, the former soldier who famously survived a landmine explosion while serving in Iraq and came home to win So You Think You Can Dance and become a sought-after motivational speaker, also made an appearance. Multiple Washington Redskins players showed up too, as did Jersey Shore’s Snooki Polizzi.
• Cram the Cube: A contest in which 20 people with no shame crammed themselves into a Nissan Cube.
• The USA Cheerleaders: No explanation necessary.

So what was your favorite feature at the Washington Auto Show? Post your comments and pics on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page.

Got your heart set on buying a classic car? E3 Spark Plugs offers tips for finding, buying and maintaining the perfect classic.

It’s the dream of many a gearhead – to own a beautifully restored classic car. If that’s on your list of goals to accomplish this year, you’d better start doing some homework now. There is much to consider when making such an investment (and a classic car purchase really should be seen as an investment). So, E3 Spark Plugs offers its top tips to make sure your classic car dream doesn’t turn into a financial and mechanical nightmare.

First, decide what car you want and how you’ll be using it. Do you want to tool around town daily in that ’66 Mustang or maintain its pristine showroom condition for entry into classic car shows and competitions? If it’s a daily driver, you’ve got a little wiggle room when it comes to whether the parts are all original. But if you’re going for the competition ride, you’ll need to insist upon all original parts in good condition, or expect to spend a lot more money – both on the initial purchase and in continued restoration. Study everything you can get your hands on about the particular make and model you’re eying and talk with members of classic car clubs. Pay attention to common problems that pop up with your desired model. For instance, many European classics are known for electrical glitches.

Once you’ve done some homework, take a look at all the possible scenarios and decide whether you’ve truly got the time, space and finances to make it work. Classic cars can be expensive to restore and maintain. If you’re on a limited budget, don’t blow it all on the purchase or it may end up sitting in your garage for years while you work and wait for the money to fix it up. Of course, if you’ve got time on your hands and some mechanical ability, perhaps money is a bit less of an issue. Or, if you’re loaded with cash but limited on time, a great mechanic and parts pro experienced with classic cars might be your new BFF. But if you’re strapped for both time and cash, your car might end up spending many lonely months and years in the garage. And you just KNOW that your spouse is gonna want to use that space for something else eventually.

Once you’ve decided to go for it and think you’ve found the perfect specimen, you’ll still want to ask a few questions and make a few confirmations before you plop down that stack of bills or write that check. Top priority is to make sure that the VIN number on the car (usually located at the base of the windshield, but may be in the driver’s side door sill or in then engine compartment on older cars) matches the official VIN tag. If not, that could be a red flag that the car has been in a serious wreck, is stolen or is bogus. Even if the numbers match do your own vehicle history report to make sure it hasn’t been stolen and to find out how many previous owners there have been. A few too many names might signify problems that’ll have you looking to unload it before long too. If possible, try to buy a classic car with full service records. And have an appraiser look it over to make sure that the engine, transmission and other vital components are original and that the car hasn’t been wrecked.

Got a great classic car buying success story? E3 Spark Plugs wants to hear it. Post your story and your pics on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page.

AutoWeek's new TV show "Vinsetta Garage" pays tribute to Detroit's iconic auto repair shop of the same name. Catch it on Discovery's Velocity Network.

Detroit locals last year mourned the closing of Vinsetta Garage, which serviced automobiles on the Motor City’s historic Woodward Avenue for an impressive 91 years. That’s quite a run. So, in a fitting tribute to the beloved shop, AutoWeek chose Vinsetta Garage as the name of its new show that debuted on Discovery’s Velocity channel. And thus far, E3 Spark Plugs is digging it.

As fate would have it, the storied auto repair shop is getting a whole new life as a restaurant owned by AutoWeek publisher KC Crain. As of this writing, the recently remodeled site is scheduled to reopen as an auto-themed eatery by springtime and is sure to become a favored lunch spot for gearheads to wax automotive over a sandwich or a cup of coffee. In the meantime, it serves as a meeting place or AutoWeek editors and the producers and host of the magazine’s new TV show.

Vinsetta Garage is hosted by the lovely Courtney Hansen, who got her automotive chops honestly. Her dad is race car driver Jerry Hansen, the winningest Sports Car Club of America driver in history with 27 national titles. Courtney grew up at her family’s Brainerd International Raceway, penned a book titled The Garage Girl’s Guide to Everything You Need to Know About Your Car in 2007, and was both a spokesperson for Rolls-Royce Motor Co. and #94 in FHM‘s 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005 list.

On the show, Courtney goes on location to interview race car drivers, car designers, auto company executives and Pixar animation designers. Guests thus far include racing legend Rhys Millen and Tony Michaels, President and CEO of the Detroit Parade Company and Woodward Dream Cruise. And viewers have vicariously visited the garages of a few of the most passionate classic car collectors, Motor City Denim Company and the Red Bull Soap Box Derby. You’ll also get commentary aplenty from the AutoWeek staff.

Vinsetta Garage airs at 8:30pm Tuesdays on Discovery’s Velocity Network. Have you seen the show yet? Or are you a Motor City local with a great memory about the iconic auto shop? E3 Spark Plugs wants to hear your stories of the shop and your thoughts on the show. Post them on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page.

Legendary automotive designer Dean Jeffries gets a little distracted while repainting his first car, a 1947 Mercury convertible. Photo from the Dean Jeffries Collection for Matt Stone's new book, "My First Car."

Everybody remembers their first. Their first car, that is. In fact, not much conjures up sweet nostalgia like retelling a story of the set of wheels that marked the beginning of freedom. That’s why we here at E3 Spark Plugs so enjoyed reading Matt Stone’s My First Car, a 224-page hardbound book packed with 124 photos and stories that’ll make you laugh, cry and reminisce.

There’s probably no other rite of passage that teenagers look forward to more than holding the keys to their first car. In My First Car, Stone retells the automotive initiations of some of the world’s most recognized names. Hollywood actors, automotive industry giants, racing greats and pro athletes share both poignant stories and early photographs of their first rides. Among them is iconic actor and auto collector Steve McQueen, the original King of Cool. McQueen’s first motorized thing he could call his own was an Indian motorcycled outfitted with a sidecar.  But what he coveted was an MT TC. During a Columbus, Ohio stop for his off-Broadway play Time Out for Ginger, McQueen spotted a 1948 MG with a $750 price tag. But this was long before McQueen hit fame, and he had all of $450 in pay and poker winnings with him.

“I put down $450 … and I told the owner I’d send more money from each overnight stop we made,” McQueen tells Stone. “It was finally delivered to me in Chicago. That’s when I asked for a raise and got booted out of the play. So, I jumped into my MG and drove it all the way to New York.”

The love story didn’t last long. McQueen sold his MG after three axles broke and the spokes kept shredding out of the wire wheels. He decided to stick with cycles for a while. Fate at play, perhaps? Otherwise, we might not have that infamous Triumph TR6 Trophy getaway scene from The Great Escape.

Other samplings from My First Car:

• Hugh Hefner’s 1941 Chevy Coupe that “reminds [him] of the car Columbo used to drive” and that died in the middle of the road on the very day that Playboy first hit the stands.
• Andy Warhol’s used Rolls-Royce, in which he collided with a taxi while learning to drive at 56 years old.
• Mario Andretti’s 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop in bright red with a white top, which the family landed in part because a teenage Andretti convinced his father that the louder pipes helped save gas.
• Sir Sterling Moss’ three-wheeled 1936 Morgan, which he initially drove illegally (just shy of his 16th birthday – the legal driving age in England at the time) and mounted a box on the back for his pet ferret.

Moss is quick to point out the top enduring benefit for a young man with a great ride.

“The great thing about having a car was that you could pick up the crumpet [girls] a lot easier than if you had a bicycle, of course,” he says, though he admits that his first ride was a bit rudimentary. “It was quite useful from that standpoint.”

In all, 67 famous drivers share their stories. No doubt, this book also has prompted many a conversation about readers’ first cars. What’s your first car story? E3 Spark Plugs, makers of the most energy efficient and eco-friendly car spark plugs on the market, want to hear it. Post your story and photo on our Facebook fan page.

Filmgoers and auto buffs, take note. 2012 offers up some great movie watching. And a few of the top-talked-about films of the year feature some beautiful rides, both real and conceptual. Here are a few films we here at E3 Spark Plugs are looking forward to if not for the edge-of-your-seat action, the cool story lines and the gorgeous leading ladies, then for the fabulous rides.

The Dark Knight Rises, July 20: That Bruce Wayne can be tough on cars. In 2008′s The Dark Knight, he crashed not only his day-drive, a new Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, during a car chase through Gotham City aka 15 blocks of Chicago’s Lake Street. As if he wasn’t having a bad enough day as it was, he also lost his Batmobile Tumbler to a bazooka-toting Joker. But in The Dark Knight Rises, Wayne is back behind the wheel in a gorgeous 2012 Lamborghini Aventador. At least, that’s according to paparazzi shots of the car on the set staged at Nottingham, England’s Wollaton Hall, which doubles as Wayne Manor. And it’s been confirmed that the Batmobile Tumbler, an undisputed fan favorite, is back.

The Great Gatsby, December 25: This adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 iconic novel of the same name is set for theatrical release Christmas Day and is sure to deliver the gift of some beautiful vintage auto-eye candy. Set in Long Island, NY (but filmed mostly in Australia), The Great Gatsby centers on Midwesterner Nick Carraway, who his lured into the lavish world of his nouveau riche millionaire neighbor Jay Gatsby with tragic consequences. While Tobey Macguire (as Carraway), Leonardo DiCaprio (as Gatsby) and Carey Mulligan (as Gatsby love interest Daisy Buchanan) are sure to impress, we’re most excited about the red and white 1929 Duesenberg Gatsby drives. Never mind that the story is set in 1922, seven years before this particular model was made. There’s no arguing against the cinematic aesthetics of a car driven by the likes of Clark Gable, Al Capone, Howard Hughes and Mae West.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation, June 29: When Cobra spy Zartan has most of the Joes assassinated, the remaining Joes band together to strike back. We promise this Dwayne Johnson and Channing Tatum-fronted film won’t be as cheesy as its 2009 predecessor, G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra. How is it that can we make such a promise? Because the official trailer shows Bruce Willis firing a giant gun from what appears to be the bed of a 1971 El Camino. ‘Nuff said.

Any 2012 movie you’re predicting to star great rides? E3 Spark Plugs wants to know. Post your thought on the E3 Facebook fan page. And remember to power your own film-worthy sports coupe with E3 performance spark plugs for a stronger, cleaner, smoother ride.

1954 Ford FX Atmos, a concept car designed for nuclear power and hands-free driving.

On New Year’s Day, TechCrunch.com posted an article that got E3 Spark Plugs thinking about the car of the future, with a little retro-tastic inspiration. The article took a look at the iconic TV cartoon The Jetsons, set in a Space Age utopia in the year 2062 – a century ahead at the time of the show’s first airing in 1962. At question was just how many of the show’s then-futuristic features have become everyday reality.

First, there’s RUDI, George’s Referential Universal Digital Indexer, which looks an awful lot like today’s PC. Remember George seeing and speaking with Jane or his boss, Mr. Spacely of Spacely Space Sprockets, via a monitor? Skype made that a reality. George read the day’s news from a screen in his home – much like our laptop screens. Even the Jetsons’ robot vacuum cleaner came to pass in iRobot’s Roomba vacuum cleaner.

But the one Jetsons’ item we still covet is that groovy ride – the flying family car. It appears Hanna-Barbera took inspiration for the design from the Ford FX-Atmos, which caused quite a stir with its debut at the 1954 Chicago Auto Show. The FX stood for “Future Experimental” and Ford officials touted it as a representation of “one of the many avenues which styling could take into the future.” Like George, the would-be driver of an FX Atmos would sit in the front center of the car and steer it with hand grips. A dash-mounted “radarscape” would help navigate by providing highway and aerial information and a clear dome roof could be lowered on a sunny, breezy day. Two needle-like protrusions from the front fender pods were jokingly referred to as “pedestrian spears” but actually were radio antennae designed to allow for collision-free auto piloting. Alas, since there was no motor, there also were no car spark plugs. Designers and engineers envisioned a car that could harness the power of the atom instead.

Fast-forward to 2012 and we may be a bit closer to a Jetsons-inspired automotive reality than many realize. Later this year, Terrafugia expects to make the first customer delivery of its Transition Roadable Aircraft, a revolutionary integration of the personal car and light-weight aircraft. The Transition can drive on any surface road, then deploy its stowed-away wings and take flight from the nearest airport – no hangar needed. It’s got all the essential automotive crash safety features and there’s even a cargo area for your golf clubs.

While it’s a bit bulky and lacks the groovy vintage vibe of the FX Atmos or the Jetson’s ride, we’ll take one – just as soon as we come up with the $194,000 asking price.

What’s your pick – Would you rather park a Transition or an FX Atmos in your driveway? Leave us a comment on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page.