Where were you December 31, 1981?

Even though I was only five days old, I enjoyed a #1 Combo at Flame Kabob in Fairfax, Virginia consisting of a boneless chicken and lamb kabob, chickpeas, a salad, and bread, topped off with a Diet Coke. I don't remember that day, but I must have had quite the appetite and some pretty big chompers in order to put it all down.

Hummer: A Fitting End

There was a time when seeing a Hummer H1 on the street was an intriguing novelty and even a rare treat. Then came the H2 - a symbol of excess and waste that defined the last decade. Every athlete, actor, rock star, rapper, and wannabe was rollin' on 24's. The H2 was the reason I stopped watching Cribs for crying out loud! No matter who's house it was, when they'd get to the garage you always knew there would be an H2, an Escalade, and a 300C. But like the stock and real estate markets, Hummer had its reckoning. With Hummer's death recently offical and final, this story posted on Jalopnik.com warmed my heart. Thanks to Artist Jeremy Dean, Hummer is going out in style, albeit without a single ounce of dignity.

Sock Monkey!!!

This is just too BADASS not to post (go to Youtube to see the widescreen version).

Zoom - Zoom

As some of you already know, I recently bought a 2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 off ebay and flew down to Dallas to drive it home. The impetus of it all was this video I saw posted on Bulgogi Brothers a month ago. I sold my MINI in August of last year and purchased a 1978 BMW 530i but I've missed it ever since. While I love the Bimmer, I missed the lightweight and nimble driving of the MINI and since I still own the Bimmer, I couldn't justify spending as much as it would require to have a MINI too. The video reminded me of the Mazda Miata, another small, simple, lightweight car that is all about the driving. While they are slightly different in the way they go about it (the MINI's mantra is Let's Motor, the Mazda Miata's is Zoom-Zoom), both stand out in today's World of increasingly large and bland cars.

I originally set out to find a basic early model Miata but in doing more research, quickly determined that a '99 or newer would be preferred because they had a good deal more power than the earliest models. In my search, I came across a 2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 on eBay. I wasn't familiar with the Mazdaspeed version of the Miata, so I did some research and found that it was a high performance special edition (just over 5,000 were produced between 2004-05) complete with a factory turbocharger, an upgraded suspension, and other performance upgrades. The particular car I found was listed at a very low Buy It Now price, but I was hesitant because I'd never bought a car on eBay. However, I did some research on the seller and found out he owned a Spec-Miata racing team and was highly regarded in the Miata enthusiast community. I felt good about it all so I took the plunge. It was a wonderful experience and I will do some future posts about the car itself and my trip to pick it up in Texas.

So far I love my new ride! It is the perfect combination of speed and handling, and like my MINI it begs to be driven. When the designers and engineers at Mazda were developing the Miata, a guiding principle was the Japanese phrase Jinba-Ittai, which roughly translates to "rider and horse as one." To me, that is what a true sports car should be about - the connection between man and machine makes it the perfect car for me. And with its cloth drop-top, it's also the perfect car for some Summer motoring.

From the front page of the owner's manual (and since I'm a sucker for marketing hype):

Zoom-Zoom

All children instinctively know it.

A few adults still remember it.

One unique car company refuses to outgrow it.

In grown-up language, it means the exhilaration and

liberation that come from experiencing sheer motion.

But as usual, children put it much better

and simply call it "Go Zoom-Zoom."

We practice it everyday.

It's why we build the cars we do.

Zoom-Zoom.

Can we re-awaken it in you today?

Welcome to DC Motorwerks!

DC Motoring is now DCMotorwerks.com

Why the change? Well my plans were to expand DC Motoring into a full website. However, the owner of the domain name dcmotoring.com had an exorbitant asking price so I decided to change the name of my blog to DC Motorwerks.

Specifics are TBD, but check back regularly as I plan to expand DC Motorwerks to beyond its current blog format. As always, I welcome any suggestions, submissions, or feedback.

Enjoy!
DC

Worthy Obsession: MINI Cooper S on Porsche 944 Phone Dial Wheels

I often come across pictures of great cars on some of the great sites I visit regularly (like Bulgogi Brothers and A Time to Get). So in order to keep an archive of my own, I've decided to post them here whenever I do. The first is this r56 MINI Cooper S on Porshe 944 wheels. It's a perfect look!
Of course, it got me wondering what a MINI would look like on BBS Style 5's (the wheels on my Bimmer). This is the closest I found. They're in white, but it gives you an idea...

Stay Thirsty, My Friends

I love the Dos Equis commercials. I saw one last week that especially made me laugh. Surprisingly, I couldn't find it on Youtube but it included these classics:

"He wouldn't be afraid to show his feminine side, if he had one..."

"His mother has a tattoo that reads, Son."

Another favorite of mine from a different commercial:

"His beard alone has experienced more than a lesser man's entire body..."

He is, the Most Interesting Man in the World.

Despite all the criticism you hear, it's good to know corporate America is still providing role models to inspire us.

Off the Bone with the Mazdaspeed MX-5

More images of my epic Texas roadtrip coming soon, but for now, some amazing Texas BBQ at Off the Bone in Dallas.

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

F U ROMO

I came across this car last week parked on the street near the Verizon Center. Even though I seriously dislike the Redskins, as an Eagles fan, the one thing I can agree with Redskins fans on is their hate of the Dallas Cowboys.

To Be Young, Rich, and Stupid

If there's one thing that hasn't changed about Hollywood over the years, its an over abundance of young, rich, narcissistic tools with too much time and money on their hands. I've been there twice and concluded its the douchebag capital of the World. It's especially frustrating when I see a guy who has an amazing car but he doesn't really appreciate it because he just bought it for the image. Yes, I know! I'm totally jealous. I try not to be a hater but its just so hard.

So you might imagine that when I came across these videos on A Time To Get, I would be outraged by this footage from the 1960s of these young kids driving Ferrari GTOs, acting like total asses. But even though I would roll my eyes in disgust if this happened today, I absolutely loved these videos! Maybe its the cars themselves or the nostalgia. Yes, but it was also a simpler time; back when car culture was a still a significant and more accepted part of life in America. Now that I own an older car, I can honestly say they don't make 'em like they used to. Yes, today's cars are far more safe and reliable but many of the charms that made Americans to fall head over heels in love with the automobile are gone. The driving experience is far to sterile in the vast majority of modern cars.

So enjoy these videos! And when you see an old car for sale you always wanted but never had the chance to own, don't resist the temptation. Buy it. It might give you a few headaches but on a beautiful sunny day or a warm summer night cruising down the road with the windows down, the wind blowing through your hair and the sound of the engine rumbling in your ears, you'll feel more alive than you have in years - And at that moment fall in love with cars all over again.

Get Ready, Get Set...

Icon, Hero, The Greatest

"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them-a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill."

"I know where I'm going and I know the truth, and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want."

"Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even."

They're BAAACK!!!

At this very moment, the Fightin Phils are starting their Spring Training schedule in a World Series rematch against the Yankees. I've been waiting to post this picture for a while. It perfectly captures the emotion of a key victory over the Dodgers on their way to the 2009 National League pennant. And with the addition Roy Halladay and an upgraded lineup and bench, there's no question they've got what it takes to do it again!

Coming Soon...

Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ

Men's bathroom. BGR The Burger Joint. Alexandria, VA.

Only in New York

Lamborghini Murcielago. Times Square, New York.

Falling in Love Again

Last summer I sold my beloved MINI Cooper and purchased a vintage 1978 BMW 530i. Buying the Bimmer was a purely emotional purchase. It was love at first sight and I because I had to have it I overpaid for it (I tend to do this with women too, but that's a story for another time). As the excitement wore off and realities of owning an old car set in, I started regretting my decision and due to a long snowy Winter, it's been sitting in the garage for the last four months. But on Saturday I sold the Volvo and the weather warmed up just a bit giving me a chance to drive the Bimmer again. Last night I took it on some of my favorite roads in Oakton and it didn't disappoint. It had been far too long since I had that much fun driving a car.

Yes, it's smelly, loud, get's horrible gas mileage, and isn't that fast. Its not very good to have it as my only car. But it's a blast to cruise around in and on top of it, the rumble of the engine and exhaust sounds fantastic. It gets a lot of attention too, which is good and bad. The other night I was sitting in a Target parking lot talking on my phone and I had at least three or four guys pull up alongside my car and give me a thumbs up. I figure its good to know there are other people out there that appreciate it as much as I do (especially since my family thinks I'm insane for buying it and all they do is talk crap on it ;).

So for your viewing pleasure, and in my best attempt to act like I'm 16 again, I shot these videos...