Dr No
[Moderator Omega - Wristscan]
34965
We all have a 'Grail' watch, the one . . .
. . . that speaks to you, the one you aspire to own. For me, it's the Omega central tourbillon. It resonates so deeply that no other could ever replace it in my affections.
In the same vein, I'll wager we all have a 'Grail' car, too - a four-wheeled wonder that stirs the imagination for reasons you're not entirely sure of, that will make you whip your neck around whenever you see one on the road.
There are a few sports cars I'm enamored of: first generation Porsche 911s and 912s, Lamborghini Miuras, Lotus Elans, Mercedes-Benz 190 and 230/250/280 SLs, C3 and C4 'Vettes. Sedans - gotta love '57 Chevys! And, I'll never forget the occasion when I saw a Duesenberg being driven down a Carmel boulevard back in August of '82 - that was a sight to behold.
Still, of all the marques in motoring, there's only one that inspires personal devotion: the muscle cars of Mopar. Plymouth and Dodge have exerted a grip on my imagination ever since I can remember, when they dominated drag and stock car racing in America during the '60s and early '70s. Chargers, Challengers, and 'Cudas. 340, 413 Max Wedge, 440 Six Pack, and most awesome of all, the legendary 426 Hemi - these were engines that overpowered the competition. There was nothing in Ford or GM's stable that surpassed the Hemi. Chrysler's domination in straight-line performance was a given across the board, from compact small-blocks to two-ton big-block coupes. Yes, Chevy had the ZL-1, and Ford the Boss 429, but when it came to actual competition, Chrysler had the edge.
There were so many models: Charger R/T, Super Bee, Roadrunner, GTX. Special editions, too: AAR 'Cuda, Grand Spaulding 340 Six Pack Demon, Daytona. Every single one of them draws my attention to this day. Yet, there's one that rises above them all.
The Hurst Hemi Dart . . .
. . . offered by Dodge dealers to the general public for the 1968 model year.
What makes this car so special?
Pure straight line performance.
Hurst was given fifty Darts and fifty L023 Hemi engines, and in turn created the most feared street racer of the day. In fact, these were not intended for street use - they were built for racing. No options, no insulation, no radio, not even mats. Every part that could be lightened, either by drilling or replication in another material, was so modified. The seat frames were made of aluminum!
The heart of this beast, though, was the hand-built L023 Hemi engine.
426 cubic inches normally aspirated, fed by twin Holley 4-barrel carbs on a magnesium cross-ram manifold, and fired by the eponymous hemispherical combustion chambers only Chrysler made. 500+ horsepower on high-octane leaded gas, with torque numbers to match.
Listen:
Watch:
What makes this one so special in my eyes, you might ask. Here's the best explanation: all production 426 Hemis could turn either 13 or 14 seconds in the quarter-mile. That's quick - damn quick.
The Hurst Dart: 10 seconds.
As for the Mystery Man in my lead-up thread . . .
. . . the gentleman in the tan jacket is none other than Bill Bagshaw, the Redlight Bandit. Bagshaw was known for running exceptionally well built and finely detailed Dodge Hemis from the late '60s to mid '70s, and one of the most successful drivers of his era. His 1971 Challenger was built for drag racing on the Pro Stock circuit - the body came from a production car, but everything else was built from scratch. That car ran a best time of 9.720 seconds in 1971.
His Hurst Dart posted a 10.090 in 1970.
In other words, all the advanced technology he had access to at the time produced only three tenths of a second better result than the Hurst Dart built two years prior, a car taken off the production line.
Not that long ago, I caught a glimpse of one in my neighborhood. Black. It was only for a few moments, being wheeled into a driveway on a trailer, but there it was.
Whiplash never felt so good.
Please share your grail car, along with the watch . . .
. . . you're wearing today.
Art
More posts:
We all have a 'Grail' watch, the one . . .
. . . that speaks to you, the one you aspire to own. For me, it's the Omega central tourbillon. It resonates so deeply that no other could ever replace it in my affections. In the same vein, I'll wager we all have a 'Grail' car, too - a four-wheeled wonde...
Turbo Turbo !!!
As much as i love the free breathing of a naturally aspirated high revving engine ... my favorite 'always returning' car is equipped with two Japanese turbo's ..... giving the engine an output of over 500 hp (478 officially) ... too me the F40 is just thé...
No grail watches in this thread, Bim! . . .
. . . just grail cars. The watch du jour is what we're sharing, wrist-wise . . .
Very nice !
But this is the F50 ! The descendent of the F40, which was called the first F1 car for the road, not as epic or as powerfull as an F40 ( Ferrari didnt want to admit it) but the free breathing V12 makes the most amazing sound :-) . Did you get a ride in th...
I knew it! . . .
. . . Volvo's P1800 has some of the most beautiful lines ever sculpted in steel, Nico. I'm a fan, too . . .
A big love story, between me and this car, my friend.
Thanks for the kind words, but in total objectivity, I think we may say that it is one of the nicest cars. Not the most exciting, mechanically speaking, but the lines of he body are heaven on Earth. Best, my friend. Nicolas
Then patina doesnät match the car...
You should send the watch to Sweden! ;) Best Blomman
It never case to amaze me
how can some people divided by not only space but time can have so many common interests/preferences/passions.... always mystery to me.... anyway Dodge muscle cars was always top for me 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T ...ahhhh stop my fullish hearth and of cour...
Alfa! . . .
. . . and all this time, I thought your Grail was a '70 Challenger. Most of us here in the States don't really have as much appreciation as we should for the marque, if only because their distribution here has been spotty for decades. Best, Art
One day is Alfa...
another Omega ;) Been infected with marque very early Challenger & Charger came later so deep down is Alfa but I could live happily ever after with either Charger or Challenger Yours who you know to well :) Damjan
As much as I adore the Dodge version . . .
. . . of Chrysler's celebrated 'E' body platform . . . . . . my heart belongs to Plymouth's 'Cuda . . . . . . in this guise, one of Dan Gurney's AAR 340 Six Pack models. I just saw one on the freeway a few months ago, traveling in the opposite direction ....
I can easily picture
two of us cruisin' together each in his own dream..... with purpleheart cues on passengers seat on the way to Maggie's.... that'll be heaven Sincerely D
Porsche-phile here, too . . .
. . . but as much as I admire the current models, it's the originals . . . . . . that still inspire to this day. I'll never forget watching the opening sequence of Le Mans . . . . . . in a theater, way back when . . . ...
Perfect matching for me !
This morning, on my wirst, the watch of my daughter, that I bought for her birth and she will have her 18th birthday. So I have 17 years and 2 months ahead of me to enjoy :) HAGWE Doug ...
Hmmm
Shouldn't you buy a watch for your wife to wear until your daughter turns 18 ? Very sneaky dear Caius ! ;) Great watch ! Enjoy it, and don't lose it. Dean
Mercedes Hands
When i was growing up, my mother owned a 280SL Pagoda in gold. It was fabulous. A few years ago, I decided to find a version for myself.....and here is the one I found.... Regrettably, I sold it in one of those mad moments of trying to simplify life. Why ...
Good one, Joe. I notice with a lot of interest and hope
That you are referring to the 5512 as your grail Watch, and not the 6200... Cool, for me! :) Best, Nicolas
Dad was set to buy a 280 SE in '69 . . .
. . . but ended up with a Chevy Caprice instead, mostly because the service costs for Mercedes then were so much higher than for domestics. I vividly recall poring over a '68 M-B catalog, and imploring him to buy a 280 SL. Indeed, there's something specia...
One of the most beautiful Mercedes, ever...
The 280 SL was the pinnacle. As a young Snak in the early 70s, I had a job as locksmith at a shop on Canon Drive in Beverly Hills. I often used to go out to pick the locks on the trunks of these when the "ladies who lunch" accidentally locked their keys i...
Its funny....
.....when i had it, it was faultless. It was as reliable as, err, my Golf! I really wished i had not sold it. When driving it, you could feel the love that other drivers had for it. In London, other drivers would actively stop to let you out of junctions....
Let me share a secret ...
Team, I don't have grails. I'm more than happy to capture a piece when the watch shows up. During the negotiation, at this moment, here is my grail. Then ... is no longer a grail but an object of truly appreciation. Based on that line of reasoning ... Her...
Nilo....
.....a shared mutual secret....I don't think "grails" exist. By definition, if you find it, it isn't a grail. I used to believe that the hunt and seek part of finding a grail was almost as important as the catch..... but actually, I was naive. I am coming...
No grail club ...
Joe, You can be the President and I ... only the Financial Controller.. He he. Cheers, Nilo
My 'realistic' grail . . .
. . . has long been the Audi A3. Now that's it's going to be available as a sedan . . . . . . in the next model year, it's moved back to the top of my wish list for a daily driver. ...
Audi and the 2.0 liter motors
My mechanic has seen a fe issues with the 2.0 once it has a few miles under the belt. The problem is apparently a design decision at Audi to change the fuel injection. Valves are not cleaned as well. May not be a huge issue for everyone, my my guys were d...
Not that I'm ready to abandon my Honda any time soon, snak, but . . .
. . . if I were to go down the A3 route, it would be a TDI with manual transmission. Love the new sedan version, though - as much as I like the current hatchback, I'd give up the utility of the extra cargo space for the appearance of a sedan. Art
Lotus
For me, it has, and always will be the Lotus Elise. Unfortunately I have lived for the past 10 years in two places where cars are ridiculously expensive (Singapore and Shanghai), so I could not fathom spending $150,000 on a car that cost $30,000 in the US...
Lotus was always second to Porsche in my affections, Dean . . .
. . . loved the litheness and raw performance, but there's an ineffable quality to 911s I can't quite shake. In its day, the Cosworth Ford engine . . . . . . fitted in the Elan had, if memory serves correct, the highest output against displacement of any ...
Sorry Mr. Hammond
Sorry Mr. Richard Hammond, but the Lotus Elise/Exige range would be considered THE PuristS car. A car configured for the driver experience. Granted, they do not have an in-house movement. But that aside, the mid-engine rear wheel drive set up with great w...
I had to check Wikipedia to learn . . .
. . . the identity of Mr Hammond. :-) Way back when, my uncle had a '64 Elan in his upholstery shop, and I have vivid memories of my conversation with the owner. Didn't get to drive it, but he started it up and revved the engine for good effect. Cool as i...
Sorry, but I do neither have a ´grail´ watch nor a favourite car, Art!
The usual design feature that appeals to me is the classic one like the Patek´s Calatrava, Lange´s "1815" or the vintage Omegas (Seamaster or Conny). For this reason I admire watches like Patek´s minute repeater (way beyond my scope) : As I am no cars man...
Weird imagination indeed, but hilarious, Nicolas!
Eventually I´ll post a picture :-)! But as I said, it is extremely unlikely for me to end up with a Patek MR, the bike is much more probable. anaesdoc
Dreams are much more affordable than reality, my friend.
Imagine yourself in a nice hotel, in let's say, Normandy. You want to take a good coffe in the morning sun, at the terrasse of a nice Café. For that purpose, you take your bike, you put your Minute repeater on the wrist, and I can tell you that you will h...
Too true, your saying, Nicolas!
"The true adventures are in your mind, if they are not there, they will not be anywhere" - this line came to my mind when reading your comment. It is a song from the Austrian multi-talented artist André Heller. In our imagination we can do the most fantas...
There was a time when it seemed . . .
. . . all I thought about was cars and racing, Andreas. That changed a long time ago, mostly for practical reasons, but I'll admit to still being fascinated by the cars that captured my imagination before reality set in. Let me put it this way: if the mea...
Interesting to see how our topics sometime change
Hello Art, I have never been attracted much by fast and expensive cars. I always liked - and still do - the Bond cars for their gadgets, well knowing it is all made up for the movies. As a boy I had once been to a car race with my dad and the crowds, nois...
so not much for Grail watch, but...
... all my watches i having currently are i like, i love, but this is my latest catch which i like it very much at the movement :-) stefan ...
Beautiful dial, Stefan - little wonder . . .
. . . it's garnering your attention these days! Any choices to share when it comes to cars?
re: comes to cars...
... honestly cars are come under my rader, do not much to share on this actually. among different types of the cars, two brands i like most, alfa romeo and aston martin. however if have spare money, will like to put part it on watches :-) stefan
This one's just for you, Art...
Pleasingly, pplater Jr. inherited his old man's penchant for sheetmetal. He had cars before he had a licence, and has already been through more cars than Vin Diesel in the latest "Fast/Furious" flick. Unfortunately, he did not inherit his old man's distas...
Not entirely sure, but that looks like an Australian Chrysler Valiant . . .
. . . fitted with the famed Aussie Hemi Six. My compliments to Junior!
You've nailed it...
...but why should that be a surprise??? It's the Australian-designed VH Valiant (in this case, the 'Ranger' variant) with the Hemi 265 HP under the hood. The keen-eyed enthusiast (Ben?) will recall that the VH coupe was offered only in a 'mock soft-top' d...
It's a major struggle, Art...
...culling the wish-list down to but one 'Grail' car. You'll have to come along for the metaphorical ride as the list is distilled: 1. The "Who cares about the handling, or the price, just look at that shape " grail: 2. The "The previous grail is merely ...
Grails all . . .
. . . and I've had the pleasure of seeing three in the metal, most memorably the 427 Cobra, accelerating onto a freeway onramp as though the driver was about to start at Le Mans.
I got my grail car in my garage...
... And my grail watch on my wrist! But of course, I´m so greedy, and got some grails I doubt will ever own: Jaguar Type XKE, and Patek Phillippe Heures Universailles vintage. Have a great week end dear friends!! Abel. ...
Thank you my dear friend!! Do you imagine...
... a little wild ride through a winding road with Vlad at his Volvo 1800 and Dexter at his Mustang ´66? That would be really a bloody drive!! Un abrazo mi estimado amigo!! Buen fin de semana! Abel.
Boss 302 Mustangs and Cougars . . .
. . . were the FoMoCos that inspired lust, Abel. The Cougar Eliminator was especially rare: I've only seen two on the road, one yellow and one white, plus one green on display in the Huntington Beach Mall back in 1969. Reminiscently, Art ...
Wow Art!! These are true grail cars indeed!! well... my little pony...
... is rather humble compared with those yellow descendants of my car! Mine came equipped with the 200 cu inch 6 cylinder engine, instead of the usual 289 V8 I would rather prefer. It also was one of the very few Mustangs equipped with a front bench seat,...
My grail certainly is...
this Roger Dubuis Homage Condotteri , one of hte very eraly RDs made (or at least regulated) by Mr Dubuis himself. Driven by a splendid Tavannes pocket watch movement it was considered really large with its 40mm diameter - almost 20 years back: Unfortunat...
Love that Dubuis Magnus...
I owned it in WG for a few years and now kick myself for selling it, but at least I know it went to a very good home, in a brilliant stable with many other worthy siblings of fine elegant watchmaking! Great to see a lovely pic of it again, Cheers, Tim
We called them . . .
. . . bug- eye Sprites here, Magnus. They were popular in the '60s, at least in So Cal, but by the late '70s, were hard to find. Same goes for most English sports cars, like Triumphs and MGs . . . very common then, practically unseen today. Interesting ch...
Chrysler J long cross ram 413
Great choice Art! Listen - each pump you hear is about 8 ounces of high-test gasoline. I think this 30-second burst cost a gallon or so in my neighbor's car. I recorded this starting and running track myself, with one mic on the engine and one on the tail...
As Jocke would say . . .
. . . now we talking! Oh, yeah - a 413 cross-ram Wedge was the ultimate in '62. Remember this one? Boy, what I wouldn't give to find this one in a barn . . .
Wearing today and probably driving soon - kind of blue.
I don't have a grail car but my next new car-to-be has, at least I think, fantastic lines. And here's today's watch. A lot of similarities. Both recharge themselves when moving. Both are similar blues. Both are independents. This message has been edited b...
I was unaware of the spectacular . . .
. . . performance of the Tesla until a member of our community, kojikabuto, posted videos showing a Tesla smoking a Viper in a drag race on our Automotive forum. "The times, they are a changing . . . "
The lack of appreciation for the modern Ford GT . . .
. . . is kind of a mystery, no? I haven't followed supercars for many years, but it seems as though the current GT should be a runaway favorite, especially considering its reasonable pricing. The original GT40 that dominated Le Mans for two years, with Da...
I didn't know it is underappreciated, Art.
A mystery, as you said, since I consider it the nicest / coolest / most beautiful supercar of the last 20 years. Regarding the original, GT 40, it dominated Le Mans for 4 years - from 1966 to 1969. ;) Best! Marcelo
Gosh, my memory is both failing . . .
. . . and selective! Yes, I'd marginalized the victories in '68 and '69 on account of the small-block version campaigned by a British team - in my eyes, the big-block 427 is the GT40. What really embarrasses me, though, is having totally forgotten it was ...
Between two for me...
Ferrari 330 GTC. Amazing aesthetics... Or the Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing, though the Roadster had better lines, this was a childhood wet dream for me. Wearing the prettiest Omega design ever, today :-) ...
Tough decision between these 2 cars... I would opt for the " Merco ". ;)
As for the Watch... Nothing to say. A classic of elegance. Well played, my friend! Damn, why did you post a picture of these 2 beautiful cars??? I am haunted, now... ;) Nicolas
Remember this story . . .
amp;rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=18&ved=0CHEQFjAHOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2&ei=fsJPUpTzI6SniQLKyYC4CQ&usg=AFQjCNEl6eTKR1CIhIA2wUbNVhA4AvFaqw&bvm=,d.cGE&cad=rja . . . from the recent past? Gullwings are one of my favorite...
Great story... but beggars can't be choosers...
...so I'd take a less rare model all day long. ;-)
Snak, that looks like you driving
across the parking lot of the mall .... Cazalea ...
No car, no grail...
Just a watch... ...that changes depending on season. HAGWE Blomman ...
That is your luck! Can you imagine if you started collecting cars?
After a Watch museum, you would have to open a garage! ;) Best, Nicolas
Na... I am no car guy...
And just the thought of all the parking space needed makes me tired... ;) But then again, I would have an excuse for wearing the Memo Parking more often! ;) Best Blomman ...
That would be an excellent double excuse to have a least
One car, and a vintage one, of course! Saab or Volvo? ;) Best, Nicolas.
Quintessential Englishness!
Both are made, as far as I am concerned, from pure “Unobtainium”! The George Daniels pocketwatch: one minute tourbillon with co-axial escapement. The other the LeMans ‘Blower’ Bentley from 1930. Somehow quintessentially British, unique, and the result of ...
The Hurst Hemi Darts exuded . . .
. . . Americanness in the same vein, Andrew. Raw, ragged, and wickedly brutal - no one else would build a car so lacking in refinement, yet so perversely competent within its limitations. The originals are pretty much unobtainable today, but their reputat...
How 'bout this pair of classics...
Mercedes Gullwing 300SL and Omega Rose Gold Capped two-tone waffle dial 2648. Enjoy, Miki ...
I'd be tickled pink . . .
. . . with either, Miki. Funny thing: I know I've seen a gullwing somewhere other than a car show, but can't remember where or when. Mercury Cougar Eliminator sightings, split-window 'Vettes, Hemis, 911 S - you name it, I remember them all, and vividly, t...
Daimler/Minerva/Dinky
The Daimler 2 1/2 Litre V8 was the first new Daimler after Jaguar bought the Daimler Company in 1960. Jaguar used the best from both companies in this car; i n essence a Jaguar MkII body with a Daimler V8 engine. The Minerva and my Daimler from Dinky Toys...
The incomparables - Daimler, Duesenberg, Rolls, Bentley, and Bugatti . . .
. . . were all represented at the incomparable Harrah's Museum when I visited some forty years ago, Livius. The five greatest marques, all under one roof - well over a thousand examples on exhibit. Somehow, the dissolution of that collection strikes me as...
My grail car ...
...a '65 Shelby GT 350. The watch I wore today ... They make a nice pair. Too bad I only get to own one. Dean. ...
That's two nods for Ford's classic . . .
. . . muscle car, which has been in production almost as long as the classic on your wrist. Back when I was in high school, one of the teachers drove an orange '70 Boss 429 that he parked in a vacant lot across the street, presumably to prevent dings and ...
Grails, hmmm a bit tricky to pick only one!
Well here goes, up first the car, probably since I was a small boy growing up in the UK this has haunted me: A straight 6cyl 4.2L E-Type Jag roadster of the late 60's To me the Grail car. Yes, I know you car buffs will probably recognize this as a Series ...
Keaton Myrick
Wow fantastic Tim. I was not at all expecting that level of detailing and finishing when I saw pictures of the prototype. It is now plainly obvious that K.M is on a path to horological greatness, and all is from the Pacific Northwest. You must be so excit...
Impressive on all fronts, Tim...
...most especially on your 'very early adopter' status for the KM. With his [very] low production numbers, presumably it will be quite a while before we see #2/30! As is so often the case, it seems, you are to be congratulated for spotting emerging talent...
Actually #2 is also about finished
And will be residing in NYC with a fortunate chap. I am excited to receive this, possibly more than any prior watch. The process is amazing and I know you have done this with others, so you get it. Cheers, Tim
Yep: 'sharin' the joy' here, Tim!...
It was also a most enjoyable experience to have corresponded for a while with Keaton (at the suggestion of David Walter - thank you David) - a correspondence which may have to be resumed if your watch is all that it looks like it's going to be! Seriously ...
