Author Archives: Rubens Junior

Canadian U-Boat

We are living in strange and perilous times. The usual balance of power between Eastern and Western civilizations has changed, and the line dividing the bad guys from the good guys is becoming blurry. Mr. Putin launched Russia into a bloody war when he cowardly invaded Ukraine four years ago, demonstrating to the world thatContinue reading “Canadian U-Boat”

Norton-Wankel – The Victory of the Underdog.

(Originally published on May 15, 2021) In the 1970s, as Japanese motorcycles began dominating the global market, Norton was merely another legendary British bike brand fighting to stay afloat. A mix of mismanagement and lack of innovation brought the company very close to bankruptcy. Still, it was in the late 1960s that Norton had aContinue reading “Norton-Wankel – The Victory of the Underdog.”

Brazilian Maverick

In 1973, Ford Brazil introduced the locally built Maverick. At that time, most of our domestic auto industry’s offerings were based on European cars, and consumers were eager for an option 100% rooted in an authentic American vehicle. The gearhead community was excited about the car, which was expected to be a close relative ofContinue reading “Brazilian Maverick”

1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Lightweight.

The DB4 model, produced from 1958 until 1963, was the car that put Aston Martin firmly in the sports coupe segment and started the iconic look that would define the brand throughout the next decades. If you look closely, styling cues from this car can still be found in modern Aston Martin models. Aston madeContinue reading “1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Lightweight.”

Catch of the Day – 1972 BMW Bavaria.

I must confess that this series of posts has become quite enjoyable to write. It allows me to dig deep into my endless collection of digital photos and revisit the stories behind each one. These pictures I took in 2016, when I was working as a detailer at the Birchwood Collision Center in Winnipeg. ItContinue reading “Catch of the Day – 1972 BMW Bavaria.”

Gilles Villeneuve

“Why do we even bother? He is different from the rest of us. On a separate level” – Jacques Laffite, talking about Gilles Villeneuve.- A few years ago, I was chatting with some friends, we were casually listing a few great Formula One drivers when I said: – Gilles Villeneuve -, while most of theContinue reading “Gilles Villeneuve”

Picture of The Day – Downtown Toronto.

A few months ago, I started a series of posts called Catch of the Day, where I shared interesting (at least to me) pictures of cars I found on the streets. But I also love collecting pictures of interesting machines I find on the corners of the internet. Although they have less merit to meContinue reading “Picture of The Day – Downtown Toronto.”

James Dean

The love affair between celebrities and motorsports is a well-known fact. For some stars, it looks like their daytime job sole purpose is to provide means for their motorized hobbies. The best examples are Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, who achieved greatness in both acting and racing. Other contemporary examples include Patrick Dempsey, who startedContinue reading “James Dean”

MotoGP Returns To Brazil.

After a 22-year hiatus, MotoGP returned to South America with the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, scheduled as the second round of the 2026 MotoGP™ season (March 20-22). Qualifying: Fabio Di Giannantonio secured pole position for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, topping the timings in a dramatic session as MotoGP returned to the country for the first…Continue reading “MotoGP Returns To Brazil.”

Catch of The Day – Cybertruck

No, I never thought I would publish a post featuring a Tesla, after all, they are the opposite of what we would call “classic machine”, but I believe this catch of the day has some relevance to the dangerous times we are living in. First of all, it is impossible to talk about Tesla withoutContinue reading “Catch of The Day – Cybertruck”

Sergio’s Pictures – Carambeí Historical Park.

Our Brazilian photo correspondent, Sérgio Devens Florentino, has once again amazed me with a stunning collection of pictures from another of his adventures. This time, he visited the charming little town of Carambeí. The city is situated in Paraná state, in the southern part of Brazil. It was established on April 4, 1911, by aContinue reading “Sergio’s Pictures – Carambeí Historical Park.”

Classic Rock – The Down Under controversy.

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past 40 years, chances are you listened to at least one song performed by the Australian rock’n roll band Men at Work at some point in your life. But if you are an old timer like me, who was young in the 1980s, you probablyContinue reading “Classic Rock – The Down Under controversy.”

Catch of the Day: The Fusca Bar.

It is easy to explain the passion we, Brazilians, feel for the VW Beetle. The car was fundamental to the motorization and industrialization of Brazil, being the best-selling car in the country for 23 consecutive years (1959-1982). Produced nationally from 1959 onwards, it consolidated Volkswagen, boosted the automotive industry, offered toughness for the roads ofContinue reading “Catch of the Day: The Fusca Bar.”

The Brazilian Effort in WWII – Into Enemy Skies

When the Brazilian president, Getulio Vargas, and Theodore Roosevelt reached an agreement on our cooperation in the war effort, the idea was not only to send army troops to Italy but also to deploy our navy and Air Force. The Lend and Lease Act. allowed the young Brazilian Air Force to replace its obsolete equipmentContinue reading “The Brazilian Effort in WWII – Into Enemy Skies”

The Brazilian Effort in WWII – Chapter II: Parnamirim Air Base

The battle of logistics When considering World War II, our attention tends to be on its causes or key battles that determined its course. However, a closer look reveals some staggering numbers that are difficult to comprehend. Just to put it in simple terms, over 127 million personnel were mobilized globally during the 5 years ofContinue reading “The Brazilian Effort in WWII – Chapter II: Parnamirim Air Base”