Archive for January, 2009
Velocity TV & Cali Car Celeb’s
Velocity TV – Episode 9 John Force Holiday Show from Velocity Magazine on Vimeo.
Velocity TV was invited to take part in the John Force Holiday Car Show, held in Yorba Linda at his very own shop. The John Force Racing Shop is home to one of the most legendary teams in NHRA history! Every year the Force family, their team and a ton of local automotive celeb’s take a break from racing and throw a big ol’ bash /car show that benefits children in need.
John Force is famous for being not only one of drag racing’s most successful drivers, but also one of its biggest personalities. Force is not only a gear-head, but he has a soft spot for children. Last year, this event collected over 7,000 gifts for the CHP’s toy drive, and attracted 25,000 attendees and hundreds of classic cars.
This year, he rounded up a special group of automotive celeb’s, who reviewed the vehicles on site and then chose their personal favorite as a “Velocity’s Choice” nominee. Who are they? Which lucky attendee will win the Velocity’s Choice award? You’ll have to watch and see…
Velocity TV Goes Drifting in the LBC
Velocity TV – Episode 8 from Velocity Magazine on Vimeo.
The Port of Long Beach isn’t exactly what one would often call a Hotbed of car activity, but that all changed recently when the crew from Formula Drift moved in and took over for the Red Bull Drifting World Championships, which featured some of the best drifters from not only America, but around the world! The Red Bull Drifting World Championships was held on a temporary course in the Port of Long Beach. The course was incredible, and is one of the fastest that has ever been seen in drifting.
The drivers taking on the course included the best drifters from America’s Formula Drift series, along with the best drifters from all over the world.
This event attracted drivers from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Malaysia and several European countries. There has been no drifting event like this before, with so many drivers and Velocity TV was there to give you the inside scoop on this event. Check it ouuuut!
Think positive thoughts…stress is a killer!
Dancing on the beach
Being around pessimistic people that are always stressed is totally contagious and even worse – it’s a health risk! It can be just as bad for you as breathing in secondhand smoke.
When you’re constantly listening to friends and co-workers complain about how under pressure they are, it starts to affect you because all you can do is empathize – you’re powerless to change the situation (well… to a degree)
If you notice that your heart rate goes up, you get a headache, or you become irritable after someone vents to you, take action – don’t be a sounding board! Especially if it’s the same person day in and day out, coming to you with the same complaints and problems (you know, the ones they aren’t doing anything about) except giving you an ear full, as if you were a professional shrink.
Here’s a suggestion, set boundaries by telling him or her that, while you would love to be supportive, you don’t think you can be helpful with this specific situation. It may not be what they want to hear, but hey…let’s face it, it will free your mind and allow you to preserve your own happiness.
Here’s to you and focusing on the positive things in life that make you happy!
Auction Talk-By “Queen of Cars” Genevieve Chappell
Happy buyer at Kruse Int.
“You’ve read all about them in your favorite classic car guides and seen hours of coverage of these events on television. What are they? January in Arizona Auction Extravaganza’s!
That’s right – Scottsdale, Arizona’s classic automotive events are right around the corner and if you haven’t yet experienced it, I highly suggest making the trip.
In the month of January, six auction companies and hundreds of vendors connected to this hobby will be in Scottsdale Arizona for auction month. Thousands of cars will be up for bid, and dealers, collectors and car enthusiasts will have no problem finding exactly what they’re looking for.
Like any event, each auction has its own personality, atmosphere and ambiance. Some put on a big show – lots of glitz and glamour with entertainment venues, fashion shows, parties and live music during the event. Others are more laid back and have a down home country type of feel and feature various exhibits. Still, others appeal to a more serious type – “English Gentleman Style.”
If you are in the market to purchase your dream car, the following suggestions will help your experience be a successful one:
As with anything, preparation is the key to success!
When you buy from an auction, you are buying AS IS! The auction house This means that you are purchasing the car in its current condition, with whatever flaws it may have, that may or may not be visible. offers no guarantee of the condition of the vehicle, so it’s up to you to do your homework. In many cases the auction houses never see the car up for bid until it hits the auction block, so having extensive knowledge of the car, it’s value and condition will prove to be invaluable.
Once you know the year, make and model you’re after, I suggest using a guide that gives you the auction results from around the country. I like Old Cars Price Guide. The magazine is available at bookstores, or online at http://www.oldcarspriceguide.net.
Do as much research as possible and ask many questions of others who have a knowledge of the kind of car you want to buy.
Arrive at the auction early so as to take the time to peruse the site, find the car (or cars) you’re interested in and jot down the lot number, year, make, model and color. Most importantly, inspect them well. Bring a towel, so you can get down and inspect the undercarriage of the car. The surface rust you see may not be a problem. However, if the rust has moved to floor pans, trunk pans, bottom quarter panels, and underneath the frame, be aware – it will cost a fortune to repair or replace!
Talk to the current owner and ask many questions. Is he or she the original owner? How long have they owned the vehicle? Has the vehicle been driven or inspected recently? Has the car been restored? Did they do the work themselves (many owners will have a photo record of the restoration process–they are very proud of the “before” and “after” pictures)? Will they be selling the car stating it’s original miles or TMU (True Miles Unknown) and so on.
Once you’ve narrowed down your selections, go back and look each one over a second time. Then set a price limit for yourself and don’t go over. This is where self-control pays off! Remember the reason why you are at the auction–to get a great deal on the car of your dreams. Stick to your plan, and you will be a happy buyer! If you are not the successful bidder, don’t give up. Finding the right vehicle can be a challenge, but that’s the fun of it!
In addition to the final price of the car you will also be paying a buyers fee normally between 6%-10% which means you need to read the auction terms carefully as buyer’s fees vary with each auction house.
How will you get your newly purchased vehicle home? Some options come to mind; if you’d like to drive it home, find out ahead of time if the auction house has an on-site tag service that can issue you a temporary tag. If not, you will need to pay for a transporter services or rollback service, which are available on site.
What about payments? First of all, make sure you have a your current driver’s license or passport. The auction will ask what method of payment you will be using when you register to be a bidder. Common payment options are: certified check or money order, wire transfer, personal or company check accompanied by a bank letter of guarantee or cold hard cash. At some auctions, a credit card company will have a table near the bidder registration area to verify a credit limit on your card that may be used to purchase vehicles.
If you don’t get the car you originally wanted, don’t fret; there’s always going to be another one that comes along. Enjoy your time, learn all about the auction game, make some new car enthusiast friends and have fun!
Here’s a hint to finding deals. Prime time at auctions is 12-5pm which means the house is packed and there’s a lot of buzz, action and transactions taking place. It’s exciting to watch and you can learn a lot by observing. However, I have seen some unbelievable deals purchased during the slower hours, the first two hours of the auction or the last 2-3 hours of the auction after all the big spenders, collectors and car dealers have left. Why? Simply put, there’s less competition and the sellers will sometimes lower their reserve because they really want to sell their vehicle.
To sum it up, there’s a saying in the automotive industry and it goes like this; “All that glitters is not gold, but all that glitters will be sold.” In others words – buyer beware. If you live by this rule you’ll do well.
Barrett Jackson – Jan 11th -18th
www.barrett-jackson.com
Russo and Steele – Jan 14th -18th
www.russoandsteel.com
RM – January 16th www.rmauctions.com
Gooding and Company – Jan 17th
www.goodingco.com
Silver Auctions – Jan 16th -19th
www.silverauctions.com
Kruse – Jan 22-25th
www.kruse.com
Do you have an auction question? Comment below or Email me at g.gchappell@gmail.com
LA Talk Radio
Candace Kita & Genevieve Chappell
This Sunday listen in live from 2-3pm (PST) as I chat with Radio Host -Candace Kita from Hottie Help- on LA TALK RADIO.
We will be discussing women’s safety along with ways parents can help protect their children
We will be on Channel number one http://www.latalkradio.com/Candace.php
The call in number is: 323-203-0815
Listen to interview by clicking here
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Bud Brutsman on Blackened
He’s got the cars, he’s got the brains and a smooookin’ hot wife to boot! Who is he?
Bud Brutsman, of course!