HIDDEN TREASURES

Have you ever wanted to discover some hidden treasures? I'll take that as a yes. Young boys especially are prone to dream of digging up a chest of Spanish gold. Many young men grow up and, yet, there is still a part of them that yearns to go along with Indiana Jones on his next adventure. Well, in the world of cars this happens more than people realize. Somebody stumbles on an immaculate 1968 Shelby GT-500KR in a barn in Tennessee, where it has been forgotten since 1975 because the young man who owned it never came back from Vietnam. A story that was recounted to me by one such discoverer around 1970 is even more amazing. As I recall, this man was a newspaper writer who had heard a story about a 1938 Mercedes 540K that supposedly had been specially built for Eva Braun by Adolph Hitler and had been driven out of Berlin in 1945 before the Russians encircled the city. As the story goes, the Army driver took the car to his farm in the country and the car was never seen again. This writer heard this story many years later and did some investigating. He eventually found the name of the driver and where he had lived. Well, he found this place, and, as it turns out, the driver was dead but his elderly wife was still living. He questioned her about the car, and, to his amazement, she said the car was still out in the barn where her husband had left it. Since she did not drive, she did not even pay any attention to it. He went to the barn and there it was. Now, this was not any ordinary Mercedes 540K. This car was very special. It was cast in one piece, only the doors, hood, and trunk lid, were added and it was all gold plated. It was made with two gas tanks so it could run on either regular gas or diesel. This car had a special gearbox with 7 forward speeds and 4 in reverse. The car had been untouched since it had been parked years earlier, the drivers' Schmeisser machine pistol was still laying on the front seat. He purchased this car from the woman and I suspect it was a bargain. Now, you might say that sounds like a good story, much like the Lost Dutchman Mine and other famous mystery treasures. Well folks, I saw this car in person. This writer was taking this car on a US tour and charging a few dollars for people to see it at each stop. This car was absolutely beautiful. I was a college student at the time and could not verify its authenticity, but, if it was a fake, it was the most expensive fake that I have ever seen. What makes this interesting now is that nobody seems to know where it is and many people say that the whole story was a fraud. Curiously, in 1942 a toy company had made a tin-plate model of this very same car. If this car ever makes it to the Barrett-Jackson Auctions you will definitely hear about it. People with a "Walter Mitty" complex, like me, dream of being in on such a discovery.

The 5 cars I have listed below are also rare to varying degrees, but mainly just plain interesting.

1) 1963 Grand Sport Corvette

This is the car every Corvette owner would "kill" to own. There were only 5 built and they all still exist. This car was created by the legendary Zora Duntov as a "Cobra Killer". Corvette wanted revenge on the stable of cars that Carrol Shelby was destroying everybody with on the racing circuits around the world. It has a 377 c.i. small block engine that produces 550 hp. The program had been started in secret by Duntov and he planned to build 125 of these beasts. Chevrolet got wind about his plans and put a stop to it, although 5 had already been built. These fabulous five did get to race and they tore up the competition. If anyone ever sells one of these, the buyer will spend millions.

2) 1956 Continental Mark II

This car was produced by the new Continental Division of Ford in 1956 and 1957. It was separate from the Lincoln Division but it did have the trademark spare tire hump on the rear deck lid. If you ever see one of these, only about 1700 were built, it looks like a luxury version of a 1956 Thunderbird. In fact, it is a lot more than that. This car had the Lincoln 368 engine (300 hp) and was practically handbuilt. It had multiple coats of paint, was hand sanded, and had 2 layers of lacquer. This car cost $10,000 which was the price of a Rolls or twice the price of a high end Cadillac at the time. Elvis and Sinatra owned one of these.

3) 1931 Bugatti - type 41 "Royale"

If you want to be noticed, and can afford it, you might want to have one of these. I warn you though, there are only 6, and any one of them will cost you millions. The Type 41 has a 12.7 Litre straight 8 engine with 3 valves per cylinder which produces about 300 hp. This car was designed by Mr. Bugatti for "royalty" but his timing was off, way off. These cars were coming out just as the Great Depression was also making its debut. The Great Depression won. Originally scheduled to make 25 of these cars starting at around $30,000 each, Bugatti only made 6 which saw the light of day and each of of these has a different body. All 6 are still in existence and one of them went for around TEN MILLION DOLLARS at auction in 1987.

4) 1965 Sunbeam Tiger

Can you say "greased lightning"? This car was under the radar (except for the police variety) when it came out and has remained so for most of humanity. It was not especially stylish or luxurious but it was and is FASSST! This car was another Carrol Shelby project for Ford that they hoped would become another success like the AC Cobra. A small 260 c.i. V8 was dropped into a Sunbeam Alpine which transformed it from a pussycat sportscar into a "Tiger" on wheels. I had the hair raising experience of riding with a fellow college student in a new '65 that belonged to a friend of his. One of my memories of my freshman year is screaming down Hillcrest Road in Dallas, Texas doing 105 mph at two in the morning (in case you didn't know Hillcrest Road is a major thoroughfare). This car turned out to be a great little sports car but it had a short life. It had been a joint venture with Rootes Group, England which made the Sunbeam and Rootes was bought by Chrysler in 1967. Chrysler took a dim view of the car having a Ford engine so they stopped any further production. The last two years of production, 1967-68, saw the introduction of the Tiger II which had the Ford 289 V8 under the hood. The 260 c.i.d, engine produced 160 hp and the 289 produced 200 hp. About 7,000 cars total were produced and they are still popular with the people in the fast lane.

5) 1920 Rolls-Royce Armoured Car

I threw this one in for fun. Normally when you hear the name Rolls-Royce you think ultimate luxury with price to match. Well, this Rolls won't pamper you but it will cause traffic in front of you to move over fast. In 1914, with World War I in progress, The Royal Naval Air Service raised a squadron of armoured cars by requisitioning all Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost chassis with their engines and had them fitted with armoured bodywork and a turret for a .303 Vickers machine gun. The 80 hp motor gave it a cruising speed of 45 mph. The 1920 pattern was a more modernized version. A good number of these cars actually saw service in World War II also.

Skid Steer Loader Basics

The skid loader is a rigid frame, engine powered machine with lift arms that are used to attach a wide variety of labor saving tools or attachments. Skid loaders are normally four wheel drive with left side drive wheels that are independent of right side drive wheels. With each side being independent to the other, the wheel speed and direction of rotation of the wheels will determine which direction the loader turns. Skid loaders are capable of turning in their own tracks, which makes them very maneuverable and valuable for jobs that require the use of compact, agile loader. Unlike conventional front loaders, the lift arms lay beside the driver with the major pivot points located behind the shoulders of the operator. Due to the operator being in close proximity to moving booms and buckets, earlier models of skid loaders weren't as safe as conventional front loaders, particularly during entering and exiting. Skid loaders today have fully enclosed cabs and other safety features that will protect the operator from injury. Just like other front loaders, the skid steer can scrape material from one location to another, carry material in a bucket, or load material on a truck or a trailer. Operation A skid loader can sometimes take the place of a large excavator by digging a hole out from the inside. The skid loader will first dig a ramp that leads to the edge of the hole. Then, the loader will use the ramp to carry material out of the hole. The skid loader will then reshape the ramp by making it steeper and longer as the excavation gets deeper. This method is very useful for digging under an overhead structure where the overhead clearance doesn't allow for the boom of a large excavator, such as those situations where you are digging a basement under a house. The bucket of most types of skid loaders can be replaced with several specialized buckets or attachments, many of which are powered by the hydraulic system of the loader. History The first 3 wheeled front end loader was invented by two brothers, Cyril and Louis Keller in their machinist shop in Minnesota back in 1957. The Kellers built the loader to help a nearby farmer clean turkey manure from his two story barn. The light and compact loader, with the rear caster wheel, was able to turn around within the length of itself, while performing the very same tasks as conventional front end loaders. Down the road, the Melroe manufacturing company in Gwinner, North Dakota, purchased the rights to the Keller loader in 1958 and hired the brothers to continue their loader invention. Resulting from the partnership, the M-200 self propelled loader was introduced at the end of 1958. The loader featured two independent front drive wheels and a rear caster wheel, a 12.9 engine and a 750 lb lift capacity. Two years later, they ended up replacing the caster wheel with a rear axle and introduced the M-400 loader, which was the first four wheel skid steer loader in the world. In 1962, the Bobcat name was added to describe the key features of the machine - touch, agile, and quick. The M-440 was powered by a 15.5 HP engine and offered a 1100 lb rated operating capacity. In the mid 1960s, the skid steer loader progressed with the introduction of the M600 loader. Years later, the Bobcat skid steer loader experienced quite a few changes, including the development of a hydrostatic drive system, enforced cab structures, radius and vertical lift arm configurations, deluxe instrumentation, and even heating and air conditioning. In addition to the rubber tire skid loaders of today, there are now all-wheel steer loaders and even compact track loaders. Compact track loads offer less ground disturbance and feature better traction and control in soft, muddy, wet, and even sandy ground conditions. For additional information about skid steer loaders visit Save on Construction Heavy Equipment at The writer operates a website selling used construction equipment and providing information at Construction Equipment Bargains

Gearing Up for the Trails: Great Tips For Taking Your ATV Out of Winter Storage

When winter recedes and the trails and fields begin to thaw, the time comes to dust off your utility ATV and prepare it for a long, fun summer. Before you strap on your helmet, gather your friends and head to the trails, make sure that you properly inspect your ATV four wheeler to ensure that it is trail-ready. This way, you can remain safe and have nothing to worry about except pounding the trails.

According to the experts at All Wheels Auto Storage, an Atlanta, Ga., based company that provides utility ATV storage and maintenance services, there are several important steps you should follow to care for your ATV four wheeler. Follow these guidelines to keep your ATV in good condition, and you will be on the trails in no time:

Lubricate the joints - While you should lubricate all of the mechanical parts on your ATV, All Wheels recommends you pay extra attention to the pivot points, center and side stands and cables. If applicable, lubricate the drive chain, too.

Change the oil - Oil tends to degrade over time and can cause engine corrosion in your ATV. Drain the old oil, which could contain particles and debris, into a receptacle. Change the filter and add the appropriate amount of new oil. This way, you will have a clean supply of oil that can keep your engine running smoothly for the new riding season.

Replenish the vital fluids - Replenish any brake, clutch and hydraulic fluid that has evaporated over time or collected contaminants. Add a fresh tank of fuel, as well.

Recharge the battery - If you connected your ATV battery to a trickle charger to keep it alive during the winter, reconnect it to your ATV and check the charge. Be certain that the battery is fully charged before you take it to the trails. Add distilled water or battery acid as needed, or purchase a new battery.

Inspect the tires - Lydia McDonald, an ATV sales expert at Dynamic Motorcars, an ATV retailer located in Northeast Ohio, stresses the importance of properly inflated tires. "Tire inflation can be critical to a successful outing on your ATV four wheeler, since they are often ridden in rural areas and subject to un-groomed trails," she says. Properly inflate tires, and inspect them for any cracks, weak spots or leaks before venturing out on a riding trip.

Check for rodents - McDonald recommends checking the filter box, exhaust and expansion chamber for mice and other small rodents. "It's actually quite common," she says. "Many people store their ATV in a barn or shed, and mice make themselves a nice little home in there during winter. You don't want to be surprised when you start your ATV for the first time, so use a stick or coat hanger to probe the exhaust and other areas for vermin. Usually, they will just come out on their own."

Prepare a safety kit - McDonald suggests putting together an emergency repair tool kit that includes a spark plug wrench, a spare spark plug and a can of fix-a-flat to mend any punctures your tires may suffer while on the trail.

Finally, before you get your helmet and go, make sure that you have adequate ATV insurance to protect your investment. An ATV insurance policy can protect your ATV four wheeler, as well as yourself, in the event of damages or an accident. Enjoy the great outdoors without the stress of worrying about whether your ATV is covered. Contact a Nationwide agent today for your free ATV insurance quote.