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Tiff Needle: Now you probably know that I’m not very keen on old cars.  They’re usually uncomfortable, they don’t handle very well, they’ve got rubbish brakes, and they leak.  But there was one old design I was willing to travel 6,000 miles to have a go in.

For the past 15 years, the designers and engineers at Mongoose Motorsports (http://www.mongoosems.com) have been fine-tuning their powerful Grand Sport Replica. Recently, this team unveiled their newest endeavor – the GTP replica. And is she ever hot. This GTP kit car is Mongoose Motorsports’ homage to the super-rare Corvette GTP race car (only seven were ever built), and its looks are spot-on perfect. In fact, I’ve read that Corvette GTP aficionados have to look closely – two or three times – to be sure that the Mongoose GTP isn’t actually one of the extremely scarce originals. Of course, the Mongoose GTP has something the original GTP race cars never had – air conditioning. But this sleek beast isn’t just for the racetrack.

As the old saying goes, a picture's worth a thousand words. In the case of this website: BarrysBuildPage.com, the pictures may be worth even more for they carry the site by providing eye candy that's sure to get every car lover's salivary glands working overtime.

A chronicle, or "diary" as kit car builder Barry Johnson affectionately calls his website, viewers of these pages are privy to a written account, well, actually a visual account of Barry's hand-built works, which are certainly admirable and run the gamut from a Euro Works Countach to a Diablo Roadster.

Just in case you haven't heard the news that came from Factory Five Racing's Moochfest '08 (yes, you read that right), you'll undoubtedly want to know that the Massachusetts based kit car manufacturer strategically unveiled its fourth model at their annual owners gathering.

Said to be stiffer and lighter than the Cobra reproduction, the new '33 Coupe boasts a 22" longer wheelbase and can be easily fitted with a variety of motors.

What's more, Factory Five Racing's latest '33 Coupe has independent front suspension with clever control arms, and the prototype had 3-link rear suspension.

Just last week, as I was making my down the beautiful South Carolina coast from what was then a sunny Myrtle Beach to a quaint waterfront town called Beaufort, pulling a wobbling transport trailer that I rented from U-Haul to pick up my beloved 1985 Jeep Renegade. Forced to leave "her" behind during a recent move, I was happy with thoughts of being reunited.

After all, it was the perfect time of year for rides in the Jeep. With no top, the fast-changing weather, quickly gearing down from a non-existent winter these past few months to what I hope is a warm, dry spring, was what we Southerners often take for granted, with mild winds off the ocean and and a bright, sunny sky.

It was the beginning of November and the holiday season was bearing down on us. In need of a break and some alone time with my son, Justin, we hopped a flight from Vancouver to Las Vegas where we joined countless attendees for a truly remarkable SEMA Show 2007.

You may have heard of the SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, which represents the $36.7 billion specialty automotive industry of 7,094 member-companies. It is the authoritative source for research, data, trends and market growth information for the specialty auto parts industry.

A beautiful example of a stunning Roush powered Superformance Cobra replica. A Paxton Supercharger adds a nice touch.

I always love the profile of the Cobra. Thanks Carroll.

A Paxton Supercharger sites a top a Roush Engine at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.