BMW Art Cars
BMW was founded early in the twentieth century as an engine builder. Within a decade the company was building vehicles for enthusiasts seeking the “Ultimate Driving Experience”. Dodging bankruptcy several times in post WWII Europe,…
Author: Steve Ham
Frank Lockhart- America’s Speed King
“From Boy Wonder to National Hero to Obscurity” For a brief twenty three month period from 1926 to 1928 a brilliant star came into view and then disappeared just as quickly. Frank Lockhart shocked the…
Best of the Structural Plastics Conferences 1974-2002
A selection of technical papers and applications from the Society of the Plastics Industries’ annual technical conferences 1974-2002. Over this thirty year period, the annual conference generated 727 white papers and displayed thousand of new…
Structural Plastics Processes
Nitrogen assisted alternatives to high pressure injection molding of large pieces are explored- Structural Foam, Counterpressure, Gas Assist, and External Gas Molding. Plastic flow and resin shrinkage are considered. There is something about bubbles of…
China Clipper
In 1935 a very special airplane was commissioned by Pan American Airlines. On its first commercial flight it became the first trans-pacific airmail and passenger service. She was the China Clipper, the first of three…
Cashiers Plastic Corporation
Cashiers Plastic was a leading custom molding manufacturer from 1969 to 2006. Located in an unlikely resort town in the Blue Ridge Mountains, it provided a unique background for excellence. One Man’s Vision- Fifty Years…
Highlands Motoring Festival
On the second Saturday of June, the Town of Highlands hosts an annual charity car show known as Highlands Motoring Festival. “Gearheads”, from far and wide, take over the town for the week. After…
KiteHouse
Modernist architect Jim Fox designed masterpiece sits on the crest of Cowee Ridge at 4,500 feet. The design was created to emphasize the incredible view of Whiteside Mountain. Fox was given two criteria. First was…
Chrysler 300
The Chrysler Letter Series Cars The glory years for the high performance automobile has to be the years after WWII. In Europe, the great marques emerged- Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar, Mercedes, Maserati, and Aston-Martin. In America…
Bugatti Masterpieces
Ettore Bugatti, coming from a family of successful artist, brought automotive craftmanship to a higher level with the design and manufacture of cars baring his name. Many describe these cars as rolling art and the…