- James Hunt Racing (UK) Ltd.

Click Here to shop Nicolas Hunziker

Growing up in Los Gatos, California, Steven Shaver was more apt to be swinging a tennis racket than a hammer.  "Tool time" would come later.  He went on to study at San Diego State University and graduated in 1991 with a B.A. degree in International Business and completed industrial design courses at San Jose State University.  Steven never imagined that the career direction he would ultimately choose would take him down an artistic path of creating one-of-a-kind gifts, furnishings, awards and cufflinks made from car parts, license plates, vintage artifacts and other recycled materials for major companies and celebrity events.

A broken car visor would make history…In 1996 a random trip to a Pick-n-Pull salvage yard in San Jose, to replace his car's broken sun visor put Steven on course for what would become his creative passion and ultimately his business.  At the salvage yard he saw endless rows of abandoned old cars from the past and interesting looking car parts half buried in the dirt.  The parts resembled something from the “stars,” with their "celestial" forms intricately engineered with and a story to tell.  This was his "aha" moment!  Although he knew very little about their automotive function, he could envision their artistic purpose.  Steven wanted to give new life to these treasures that would otherwise rust away in the junkyard or be melted down for scrap, so he took a trunk load of parts home and began creating.  He furnished his bachelor pad with his found art and started his business by showing his creations at car shows, art festivals and a TV auction.  They were a hit, and he knew he was on to something.  Steven developed his art in the spare time while working in the property management field for nearly a decade.  In 2003 he finally took the leap to pursue his business full time.

Steven's one-of-a-kind creations have been featured in major newspapers and magazines.  In addition to being shown on ESPN, he has created pieces for company CEOs of GM, Ford, VW, Mercedes-Benz of North America and Domino's Pizza; humanitarian Millard Fuller, the co-founder of Habitat for Humanity; and celebrities and achievers such as Jay Leno, Roger Pensky, Hugh Hefner, Nicolas Cage, Snoop Lion,   Ice-T, Ludacris, Cedric the Entertainer, Chip Foose, Dwayne Wade, Bernard Hopkins, Helio Castroneves and David Bing (current mayor of Detroit).  Steven has also done projects for other industry giants such as Google, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard and Texas Instruments, and his computer part awards have been given to recipients globally in Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Switzerland, France, Japan, China and India.

Above all, Steven finds great reward and motivation in knowing that his "part art" will have lasting meaning for the recipients and will help preserve the planet one part at a time.

- Steven Shaver

If you're like me and compulsive about the cleanliness of your ride, whip, car, Betsy, however you refer to it, then you're probably familiar with not only the car cleaning products that you use, but are also familiar with other brands in the marketplace. I've been recently introduced to a line of products by the name of Gtechniq which originated in the UK and is beginning to make a name for itself in the US.

Gtechniq's tag line is "Smart Surface Science," because their goal has been to engineer the world’s best surface care products. Products based on real science, innovative materials and total ease of use. Products that deliver maximum long-term visual impact. Products that protect not only against the elements but also against the ravages of time and the impact of the daily grind.

Gtechniq's products have what they refer to as 3S or "Smart Surface Science" built right in. By harnessing the performance of nano-scale composite materials and testing them to extremes, 3S is your guarantee that Gtechniq's polishes, cleaners and deep gloss coatings work harder, smarter and more easily than anything else you have tried.

This past weekend marked the 35th anniversary of the annual Central Pennsylvania PCA Region Porsche-only swap meet. Being a Porsche nut, I've been wanting to attend this gathering since I started selling Porsches back in 2002.

This annual event claims to be the world's largest Porsche swap meet, with 650 vendors and upwards of a thousand Porsches usually on hand. Were these figures somewhat optimistic? Yes. Was the event a complete fail? No. Granted, I did drive the 160-plus miles with high expectations, and drove home somewhat deflated, but overall it was a something to cross off my automotive bucket list.

Aside from the chilly weather (the wind was the primary cause for this), there was quite a display of Stuttgart's finest parked within the car corral, as well as some non-Porsche stragglers.

Surprisingly, given that this was an event for German automobiles, there was little to no organization in how the vehicles were positioned within the corral. Not only did you have 914s next to 997s, but cars were parked in opposite directions, giving the impression that although the vehicles are German in origin, apparently the organizers are not.

After spending an hour or so perusing each aisle and checking out what was on hand, I walked over to the vendor area in anticipation of seeing some unique Porsche memorabilia or even items created from Porsche parts that could be offered on Car Guy Nation. Unfortunately that was not the case. However, what I did find was that with the right budget one could probably assemble 85-90% of what would be a complete car by days end.

This may be an annual pilgrimage for some, but unless I were in need of that used or obscure part for my Porsche, I don't necessarily know that I would make the trek every year. On a side note I did check out the Hershey Hotel, which was majestic and had lunch at their Harvest restaurant, definitely a fitting end to my day. Interestingly enough, at Harvest they make sure that at least one ingredient from each dish is locally grown.

- Allan Greenfield

Car Guy Nation Aston Martin Vantage GT4 at Road Atlanta racing in SCCA Majors

Car Guy Nation Aston Martin Visits the New York International Auto Show

(White Plains, New York) March 26, 2013:  This week the Car Guy Nation Aston Martin Vantage GT4 makes its New York City debut. Big Ben, as we affectionately refer to the car, will be prominently displayed at the New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Center from March 29^th through April 7^th, 2013.  Alongside its brethren, the car will be located in the TRG/Aston Martin Racing booth near the entrance in the Crystal Palace.

Last weekend in The Chronicles of a Distinguished Aston Man, our Gentleman Racer was in the driver’s seat for an SCCA Majors race at Road Atlanta. While learning the track on his first shakedown, he finished both races in 2^nd place after trading positions and holding off a fearsome and loud Dodge Viper. Fans followed live updates and real-time videos at http://www.carguynation.com/astonman.

But where is Aston Man? Rumor has it he was last seen in the former Soviet bloc country of Kazakhstan in the company of Bernie Ecclestone and Luca di Montezemolo seeking out new Formula One tracks. However, he is scheduled to be back in the saddle and buckled into Big Ben for the next race at VIR, Virginia International Raceway.

“We have an exciting line-up of prizes courtesy of our vendors,” said Allan Greenfield, SVP, Vendors. “They include Hawk Performance Brake Pads, publications from Motorbooks, Tumi sunglasses, Adam’s Premium Polishes car care products, cool gear from Busted Knuckle Garage, and Suixtil apparel. And this is just for Big Ben’s debut at the New York International Auto Show. Wait until you see what else is in the pipeline.”

Over one million automotive enthusiasts are expected to attend the 2013 New York International Auto Show.  “We’re encouraging fans to follow the #AstonMan in 2013,” said Michael Chapin, SVP of Digital for Car Guy Nation. “This social media campaign gives potential owners, aspiring racers, and general fans of Aston Martin an insider’s view of the newest race cars to compete in North America.  In addition to following The Racers Group compete on television, followers can see what happens during untelevised weekends at SCCA events.”

Fans and enthusiasts will enter to win products featured in the Chronicles all season long by engaging on CarGuyNation.com and its various social channels.  For brands seeking to gain exposure, their products will be featured in real world scenarios through testimonials created by the driver and team.  For example, since the first race, Tumi has outfitted the race team with their latest carbon fiber sunglasses.  Just for following along, lucky fans will win a pair of their own.

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Suixtil grew into a well-known brand in Argentina in the 1940s and '50s, based on its high- quality gentlemen's suits and its constant involvement in international car racing, a sport, then as now, full of heroism and glory that gave the brand its renown and cachet.

In 1948 the Argentinean Automovil Club (ACA) created the national team of racedrivers , called the "Armada" (team), to contest the F2 and F1 Championships in Europe. Juan Manuel Fangio, a 35 year old truck driver from Balcarce, was the star racer in the Escuderia Suixtil driver lineup. His Argentinean teammates throughout the years included Benedicto Campos, Jose Froilan Gonzalez, and Onofre Marimon.

The Escuderia Suixtil had access to world class-equipment -- initially two Maseratis 4CLT/48, and later two Ferraris Tipo 166 F2. In between Fangio also secured a seat with Simca-Gordini, the team that lined up the complete Escuderia Suixtil team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1950-51.

Suixtil was sponsoring the national team and supplying all the racing outfits, hence the name "Escuderia Suixtil."

Traditionally then, the specially-crafted Suixtil racing uniform consisted of light blue race pants and a yellow or white short-sleeved shirt, both proudly sporting the distinctive red Suixtil embroidered name.

As the success and fame of the Escuderia Suixtil grew rapidly, so did the popularity of the Suixtil racing outfit. Fangio gladly gave away the Suixtil race pants and shirts to other F1 challengers and friends. The Suixtil race gear became the "must-have" outfit for any race driver in Europe and the Americas. It was the very first generation of professional race gear.

The 2013 Car Guy Nation Aston Martin Vantage GT4

(White Plains, New York) March 12, 2013: Car Guy Nation will kick off its first interactive social promotion in the motorsport arena this week with the Aston Martin/Gentleman Racer Campaign. The series will follow a SCCA Major racer through his 2013 racing season, providing an up close and personal account of the day-to-day realities he faces on the track and behind the scenes.  Presented as a sequence of personal video narratives, reflecting multiple perspectives through the eyes of the driver himself, as well as the team manager, mechanic and others sharing and supporting the driver’s racing aspirations. It will feature the first “privateer racer” in North America competing with the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 car sponsored by Car Guy Nation.

In the proven tradition of reality TV, the “story line” will depict the key characters in their everyday surroundings, monitoring all of the triumphs and joys, trials and tribulations that come with competition racing and the lifestyle that underlies this particular gentleman racer’s drive and passion to compete.  With a nod to Aston Martin’s British heritage, the story will carry the thematic tag line, “GENTLEMAN RACER: The Chronicles of a Distinguished Aston Man.” The campaign starts this week with the installation of the custom Car Guy Nation livery wrap and ends with the last race in late August. The action will be filmed in the shop, around the paddock and pits and, of course, on the track.

“With this campaign Car Guy Nation will give automotive enthusiasts an unprecedented view into the lifestyle of a gentleman racer.  Aggregated on carguynation.com, a flow of social content in the form of videos, photos, and commentary will be both generated and redistributed through social networks like Vine, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram,” said Mike Chapin, SVP, Digital. “The content will allow our ever expanding network of car lovers and racing fans the opportunity to engage with and follow the unveiling story of the Gentleman Racer as it emerges over the course of the season.  They can easily access the content and promotions on their desktop, tablet or mobile devices via their preferred social network or at carguynation.com.”

"Video interaction will provide a unique platform for product placement and promotional opportunities for our vendors,” said Allan Greenfield, SVP, Vendors. “Contests and giveaways will revolve around real-time communication with our audience and create an ongoing dialog, humanizing the characters and providing unmatched exposure for all parties involved.”

“Last year we created and executed a similar campaign sponsored by the Scion division of Toyota called, 'The Scion Road to SEMA.' It was a huge success. Car Guy Nation’s interactive social promotions are designed to help drive potential customers to all the participants involved in the campaign. The Scion promotion not only generated benefits for our vendors and provider partners, but also the Scion dealer network, the Scion/ Toyota Corporation and, finally, Car Guy Nation,” said Robert Minnick, CEO, Car Guy Nation. “We believe this far more ambitious Gentlemen Racer campaign will help generate even more awareness for all of our Marketing and Vendor partners, as well as the Sport Car Club of America (SCCA) and Aston Martin Racing."

Car Guy Nation (www.carguynation.com) offers the largest selection of automotive lifestyle products and services at the lowest possible prices. From one-of-a-kind, car-related collectibles to performance parts and accessories, it's more convenient than any single store; indeed, it's a Nation for car guys.

According to Wikipedia a classic car is an older car, but the exact definition varies around the world. The Classic Car Club of America maintains that a car must be between 20 and 40 years old to be considered a classic car. Cars 40 years and older fall into the Antique Class.

This past weekend I had the distinct opportunity to attend the annual Atlantic City Classic Car Show & Auction, and what I saw was the complete opposite of what I had anticipated.

Yes, there were plenty of so called classic vehicles, but there were many vehicles that I would not categorize as classics. Those included everything from a blacked-out late '90's Ferrari Testarossa to a slew of C6 Chevrolet Corvettes. 

Admid the hodge podge of vehicles, there were some legitimate classics as well as some interesting takes on the term. But as I walked up and down every aisle, there wasn't a moment when I was not pleasantly surprised by what I was seeing.

Admittedly, I'm somewhat of a car snob. I've always been lured by European Marques, especially those which end in a vowel. When I happened upon this 1980 Ferrari 308 GTS that was modified early on with a Koenig wide-body conversion, I just had to stop, take it all in and speak with the owner.

Mike (the owner of the Koenig Ferrari) could be the poster child for avid car enthusiasts. In addition to his awesome Ferrari which was on display and slated to run through the auction block on Sunday, he also has in his garage a Ferrari 16M Scuderia Spider, '89 Porsche Speedster, an original Porsche 356 Speedster, a 1956 Austin Healey 100M and a Porsche 997 Cabriolet (which his wife drives). Kudos on the great collection of cars!

In addition to what was going on at the Atlantic City Convention Center, there was an  event being held at the Taj Mahal on Friday evening which I was lucky enough to attend. This event was unique in that it was limited to approximately 65 speciality vehicles. These vehicles ranged from a 1886 Mercedes-Benz Patent Motorwagen,  to the 1936 Frank Lockhart tribute car (pictured below), to a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT. There seemed to be considerably more auction activity at this event as compared to the earlier event at the convention center. (This may have been attributable to the open bar prior to the auction.)

Overall I found the Atlantic City Classic Car Show & Auction to be an eye-opening experience, although I wish there had been been more automotive memorabilia vendors on hand. That way I could have brought a piece or two back to sell on the Car Guy Nation website.

- Allan Greenfield 

The name Helveticars tends to conjure up the Helvetica type font, which is a widely used sans-serif typeface developed in 1957 by Swiss typeface designer Max Miedinger with Eduard Hoffmann (courtesy of Wikipedia). Think otherwise, Helveticars was conceived by a gearhead (Matt) who was frustrated by the lack of art deserving of wall space that was then available to car guys .

So a small team of gearheads, aficionados and designers went to work creating something with the same attention to detail as the cars in their garages. They knew whatever they produced had to be of high quality. You can't drive an unloved car on the road or track, you can't hang sub-par art on your walls, but what makes a piece of art wall-worthy?

First they start with 100% cotton rag paper.This archival quality paper is pH neutral, acid-free and guaranteed to evoke emotion from the first touch. They then use only the finest, deepest and truest archival inks to ensure the print will be just as true today as it will be 30 years from now.

Next they incorporate the skill set from classically-trained printmakers, combined with the latest print-making technology. The result is an ultra-high resolution Giclée (pronounced: zhee-klay) print that is worthy of presentation in any museum, be it your garage, office or living room.

Helveticars' prints hang in some of the most prestigious automotive institutions around the world. Earning recognition from top designers, praise from auto enthusiasts worldwide, and support from their fans is their driving force.

To be considered art, it doesn't have to filled with color or fancy brush strokes. Car guys appreciate clean lines and simple details, much like the font that bears the same name.

- Allan Greenfield

Early on it's easy to identify who will and who will not grow up to be a car guy. It all starts at that tender age when you are given your first toy cars & trucks.The first time you feel those wheels move and watch them roll on the kitchen floor, you're hooked. It's as if a switch has gone off in your head and your destiny has become clear: you're going to be a car guy!

What better way to spark the passion early on than by introducing them to the innovative and uniquely-designed toys of Playsam and Playforever.

Both companies originated in Europe but not from traditional means, such as larger toy manufacturers, but from designers looking to create innovative and timeless wooden toys for the young and the young at heart. I think they've accomplished that.

By designing simple, colorful, and functional toys, both Playsam and Playforever have designed toys that will appeal to a wide spectrum - from babies all the way up to the most sophisticated automotive aficionados. Whether you're looking to purchase something cool for that little one, trying to nurture a budding passion, or you're just looking to add simple and clean style to your office, Playsam and Playforever can put you on the right track.

- Allan Greenfield