= The late Allen Swift with the 1928 Rolls-Royce Piccadilly P1 Roadster now on permanent display at the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. In 2005, one Allen Swift passed away at the impressive age of 102. But the centenarian left behind something that will keep his memory alive for generations, particularly in his hometown Springfield, Mass. And we here are E3 Spark Plugs are grateful. Not long before his death, Swift was officially recognized as the oldest living person to have owned a car from new. That car was a 1928 Rolls-Royce Piccadilly P1 Roadster given to him by his father to celebrate his graduation. The green-over-green soft-top convertible was young Swift’s pride and joy, and remained so throughout his lifetime. But it didn’t stay locked...

The new Corvette C7 Sting Ray debuted at the 2013 North American International Auto Show to mixed reviews. The North American International Auto Show‘s public show is still days away underway and already making headlines, particularly with Chevrolet’s unveiling of the 2014 Corvette – something we here at E3 Spark Plugs have been anxiously awaiting. The debut marks a new era for the Corvette C7 with the model’s first design overhaul in almost a decade. But not everyone is impressed. The big reveal happened at Sunday night’s Press Preview at Detroit’s Russell Industrial Center, a factory-turned-nightclub for the evening. Before pulling back the curtain, company execs announced that the new C7 would carry the Stingray name, a nod to the iconic...

This view from the hood of Fire Chief John Kenlon’s car just may be from the earliest dashcam footage ever. Dashboard cameras installed in law enforcement and rescue vehicles have become a common feature, helpful in documenting what goes on during police stops and emergency calls. But they’re not as new as you might think, E3 Spark Plugs fans. A researcher’s recent dig through the archives of the Fire Department of New York unearthed a real historical gem – footage of a borough department responding to a fire way back in 1926. Two silent videos (sound on film was possible as early as 1923 and used in film shorts, but too pricey to be commercially viable for another decade or so) give viewers a first-hand look at life in the streets during the Roaring...

Racer Jeff Gordon appears on CBS’ “I Get That A Lot,” hawking motor oil at an Auto Zone store. Hey racing fans, tune into CBS’ reality spoof show, I Get That A Lot tonight to see NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon thoroughly confuse customers at an Auto Zone store. The four-time Sprint Cup champion does an admirable job of hawking Quaker State Motor Oil to would-be buyers. In one teaser clip, two friends laugh hysterically while an apparently oblivious customer argues against Gordon’s professional recommendation. “He doesn’t even know who it is,” one says, pointing at ads just inches away featuring Gordon’s image and name. The hour-long network special features highly recognizable celebrities working ordinary jobs. Hidden cameras capture...

French stuntman Guerlain Chicherit may have become the first to successfully land a 360-degree back flip in a car. They’ve become a dime-a-dozen on motorcycles and in monster trucks. But as of yet, no one on record has successfully landed an unassisted, mid-air back flip in a car – at least not on purpose. E3 Spark Plugs just learned that French stuntman Guerlain Chicherit may have changed history, if a recently released video tease is to be believed. And he’s got plans to repeat his much speculated feat next month. On his Facebook page, Chicherit, best known as a four-time free skiing world champion and the 2009 Rally Raid World champ, claims to have completed a 360-degree back flip in a highly modified Mini Countryman on New Year’s Day. “It was 18...

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are among the deadliest on the roadways. After a tumultuous 2012, it’s probably safe to say that everyone in America is looking forward to a fresh start in 2013. Just make sure your New Year’s Eve celebration doesn’t land you or someone you meet on an emergency room gurney or in a jail cell. We here at E3 Spark Plugs want to make sure you’re aware of stats that show you’re more likely to be involved in a drunk driving accident during the November to January holiday season than any other time of year. A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that New Year’s Day is the deadliest day of the year for speeding-related fatal crashes, followed by Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor...

A mint-condition beauty like this one will set you back a pretty penny. But as a fixer-upper, the Ford Torino is among the most affordable classic cars. Got a little Christmas jingle left in your pockets? If you’re an auto enthusiast resolving to make your first classic car purchase in 2013, E3 Spark Plugs has a few suggestions that won’t break the bank. Here are our top three picks among the most affordable classic cars. Triumph Spitfire Named for the British World War II fighter plane, the Triumph Spitfire is as iconic as it gets for small, two-seater, convertible British sports cars. The most desirable is the Mark I, the car’s first generation produced from 1962-1964. But far more accessible is the Mark IV, made from 1970 to 1974. You should be able to pick one...

Emil and Liliana Schmid and their world record-breaking 1982 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60. Remember that Forrest Gump scene sequence wherein Gump decided to take a quick run. He set out from his fictional hometown of Greenbow, Alabama and just kept on running – all the way to the Santa Monica Yacht Harbor in California. And then, he ran back. He crossed the country five times and racked up 15,248 miles before telling millions of moviegoers quite anti-climactically, “I’m pretty tired. Think I’ll go home now.” Swiss couple Emil and Liliana Schmid and their 1982 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 can relate. They set out for a one-year getaway from their jobs as a software developer and secretary. And just kept going. Now 28 years-strong, their jaunt has officially been...

Garage door murals by Style Your Garage are convincing enough to fool Wile E. Coyote – and maybe even your neighbors. Want to protect your garage-kept loot, or just make your neighbors do a double-take? E3 Spark Plugs found a way to add some serious drama to your boring ol’ garage door. Head over to Style Your Garage’s website and take your pick of dozens of ultra-realistic billboard murals perfectly sized for garage doors. Created by Created by artist Thomas Sassenbach, the doors are an example of the trompe l’oeil (“deceive the eye”) art technique, which uses realistic 2D images to create a 3D optical illusion effect. Garage murals can make it appear that your garage is hiding any of a whole, crazy range of items from classic cars to space ships...

Self-driving automobiles like CARS’ “Shelley” could hit America’s streets within five years, industry insiders say. While they’re years away from commercial availability, and perhaps decades away from mainstream acceptance, self-driving cars are now street-legal in Florida, Nevada and California. And car manufacturers such as Lexus, Mercedes Benz, and Volvo are introducing self-driving features such as self-parking, radar enabled adaptive cruise control, and automatic collision avoidance on new models. Industry insiders say fully autonomous vehicles may be commercially available in as little as five years. The thought of sharing the road with dozens of driverless vehicles is enough to completely unnerve some. But others are looking forward to making like...