FIAT Mystery Clock

I found this fascinating clock in the Paris flea market a year ago. I have never seen another one quite like it.  It appears to be a either a promotional clock for FIAT, or a dash clock that someone decided to mount on a stone base for display.  I love the art deco bezel with concentric circles, but the intriguing detail is that it has a large winding knob on the front face, implying it was probably a dash clock.  There are no markings on it anywhere other than the face, which bears the name of the manufacturer "Metron" and an address in Torino.  It is a handsome piece that I enjoy in my living room, but I sure wish someone could shed light on what car it might have come out of!

Click the pic for more images.

What happened to Crinkle Finish?

I am a young whipper snapper, I'll admit.  I wasn't even alive back when "cars were really cars," but one thing I would really like to see come back into fashion is "crinkle finish" on metal parts, like the cam covers on the Maserati below.  Considering that today's entire engine bays are concealed behind hideous plastic shrouds, perhaps I am focusing on the trees rather than the forest here.  But there is just something really compelling about the play of various textures in a classic engine compartment, and the crinkle finish is a detail that sets it off just right.  Without crinkle finish, there would be no Testarossa, afterall. 

But crinkle finish wasn't just for engines and valve covers back in the old days.  No sir.  Even dashboards and instrument panels would be painted with it in cars like the Ferrari GTO.  In these days of plasticized wood, plated satin silver parts and faux carbon fiber trim, it would be a refreshing change to see some actual texture from time to time.  If that's crazy, I don't want to be sane...

Click on the photo for a few more examples.

Plasticville Lives! - The photos of Michael Paul Smith

Photographer and hobbyist Michael Paul Smith has a fascinating approach to combining his interests.  He sets up elaborate period dioramas depicting midcentury roadside life.  But what makes his work so brilliant is the clever way he photographs his 1/24 scale models outdoors against real backdrops, to make images so believeable you have to rub your eyes for a moment to figure out if what you are looking at is a model or not. No 21st century pixel-pushing for him.  He does all his wizardry in-camera. His photos of snowbound Edsels with period billboards in the background are dreamy and evocative, as are his night scenes with rainslick, deserted streetscapes.  His sense of composition, scale, and perspective are spot on.  As someone who grew up with a train layout in his basement and who has built scale models his whole life, the Automobiliac gives a hearty thumbs up to Mr. Smith's work!  Click here to visit his mind boggling Flickr Stream!

Photo Credit: Michael Paul Smith.

Prune It Again Tony

While walking the streets of Milan last week, I came upon this curious sight.  I suppose these Fiat 500 planters were meant to show off the new-ish retractable roof they now offer.  Or maybe tout the car's (dubious) Green credentials.   Whatever the message, they sure are fun to look at!

Automobiliac in Italia

Last week I found myself wandering the streets of Padova, wondering the whole time where the temperate Italian weather I had expected was to be found.  On the contrary, the air was suffused with a damp chill that cut to the bone.  But on rounding the corner into one of the town's many historic Piazzas, I saw something that improved my circulation:  This Lancia Delta HF Integrale c. 1989.

As hot hatches go it doesn't really get much better than this.  First, I had never really seen one in person before, since only a handful exist in the states - brought in through gray market channels.  The car has a compact, powerful stance, and its boxy features are so blunt and brutal that they combine to impart a rather thuggish beauty.  And that's just the beginning of the story, because these little cars were created mainly to Homologate Lancia's all-conquering Groupe A Rally cars.  Featuring 4 wheel drive and a 2 Liter 16 valve 4 cylinder offering 185hp unmodified --modified turbo cars can be bumped all the way up to 750hp-- they could sprint to 60 mph in about 6 seconds, which was quite fast for the time.  This car was probably one of the best and most exciting cars Italy produced during the 80s.  A genuine Rally car for the road. Wish I could take one home with me...

Click the photo to see the rest of the shots.