Author: Tabitha
Those who like to wear what they drive (or what they aspire to drive) will appreciate a pair of Piloti Prototipo driving shoes. They’re available with officially licensed Camaro ZL1 (white), Corvette Grand Sport LE (blue) or Corvette C7.R LE badging embossed onto the sides, to go with the “race-inspired” stitching. Piloti shoes also come with suede leather uppers, padded tongues, foam inserts, contoured insoles (for added support and comfort) and “roll control” at the back of the shoe to help eliminate slipping. Select the driving shoe of your choice in full and half sizes, six to 14, for $150…
Let’s face it, unless you win a lottery there’s likely not much chance of you acquiring a $2.6-million Bugatti Chiron. A much more affordable alternative is to purchase the officially licensed Lego Technic version. The 3,600-piece 1:8-scale kit comes with all the necessary ingredients, including a functioning rear wing, 16-cylinder engine and complete suspension and steering. When assembled, the Lego Chiron measures 22 inches long, nine inches wide and five inches tall. Pick one up for $355 from www.amazon.com.
The lithium-ion batteries in portable booster packs don’t like to sit around unused, which makes them unreliable, according, to Australia-based RescueMate. That’s not the case with the company’s Kanga500 Super Capacitor Jump Starter because the product contains no batteries. As a super capacitor, it actually draws what little power remains in your car battery — in 90 seconds — and then uses it to boost your vehicle. This sounds impossible, but it works because super capacitors absorb, hold and discharged electricity differently than batteries: They’re much faster. The Kanga500 can boost vehicles up to 5.0 liters of displacement — 500,000…
Comedian and former talk-show host Jay Leno is also well known for his car and motorcycle collection that numbers in the hundreds. Leno has also attached his name to a line of car-care products, including the usual washing, and polishing items for paint, chrome, tires and wheels plus interior cleaning aids for leather, vinyl and plastic surfaces. The full array of items, ranging from a $10 nine-inch body-and-wheel brush, to a $480 polishing kit, is fairly inclusive (there’s even an assortment of towels and sponges that display the Jay’s signature). Recently added to the “garage” is a line of T-Shirts,…
Most driving shoes simply resemble vibrantly colored sneakers, but tend to sell for a much higher price. They’ll work just fine for a day at the track, but they’re not exactly suited for more conservative or social surroundings. By contrast, the Italian-made Stile driving shoe by OMP America has charcoal-gray suede inserts and black leather trim, giving an elegantly casual appearance that makes them appropriate for a variety of occasions. In addition, the thin anti-skid sole provides the driver with plenty of necessary pedal “feel.”Get them for $70 at www.ompamerica.com.
The Couch company takes “vintage” vinyl and cloth seat covers, trunk liners and seatbelt webbing (no leather as the company owners are vegans) and turns them into consumer products, including guitar and camera straps, belts, bags and wallets. The wide assortment of guitar straps is derived from retired Mustangs, Volkswagens, Cadillacs and Mercedes-Benz cars, for example, and are priced from $45-$65 Camera straps range from $22-$36, while wallets sell for $22-$40. Couch makes other cool stuff, which can be viewed/purchased at www.couchguitarstraps.com.
Racing and Emotion creates custom-built “egg” chairs that are inspired by Arne Jacobsen’s 1958 design. The company’s focus is on the Porsche 917, which was one of the most famous of all racing Porsches, and the car star of the movie Le Mans that actor Steve McQueen produced and starred in. Each chair is produced from molded fiberglass and features cloth or optional leather seating surfaces. Prices for the Egg series begin at $5,800. The company can also provide any color scheme you desire at extra cost. See the collection and reserve a production spot at www.racing-emotionusa.com.
Of the more unique auto-art pieces to be found anywhere, many are created by Richard Pietruska. His cast-resin and chrome pieces are nothing short of stunning and would make a welcome addition to any car lover’s desk or credenza. For example, Pietruska’s art deco-style 1929 Mercedes-Benz SSK piece (pictured) recalls the bygone era when the cars really were works of art. Some of his other examples include a 1971 Ferrari Daytona, 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, 1955 Jaguar D-Type and 1930s-era Auto Union grand-prix racer. Prices range from $4,000-$7,000. You can view Pietruska’s collection plus many other automotive artists at www.carart.us.
In carpentry, the rule of thumb is to measure twice and cut once. When it comes to auto repair/maintenance, the mantra can now be to measure the bolt head or nut first rather than guessing and running back and forth to the toolbox until you find the right wrench or socket. The Wrench iD+ calibration tool from Zuther Xtreme technologies accurately indicates the size of any bolt head or nut as well as pipe or hose diameters. It shows the info in inches or millimeters (up to 2 1/8-inches and to 54 millimeters) on the built-in LED screen. The Wrench…
So-called puddle lights, designed to light your way when you open your car door, are commonly found on luxury vehicles. Most of them also project the automaker’s logo onto the ground. You can now get the same type of LED light display for almost any make, including high-end models (Ferrari, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar, to name a few) as well as for Chevrolet, Ford Toyota, Honda, etc. Each unit attaches to the inside door panel using 3M adhesive (no drilling required) and will automatically light up whenever the door is opened. Power comes from three AAA batteries, so there’s no…