Automobile Tire Hydroplaning: Why It Happens is a short educational film that includes some fascinating NASA footage from the period, including a view under the road showing what hydroplaning looks like from underneath. Although tire technology has come a long way since this film was made, it’s still a good watch, and some of the…
Those of us who remember the ’80s will recall a few cultural icons – things like keyboard guitars, huge hair, ill-advised neon clothing, and men wearing fingerless gloves for no clear reason. At the other end of the spectrum was the likes of Miami Vice and the Ferrari Testarossa. The popularity of Miami Vice can…
A Spark In Time On The Firing Line is a 1962 film about automobile ignition systems and spark timing, it was produced for Champion by Portafilms, and they made sure to present it in such a way that it’d be understandable to anyone – not just electrical whizzes. Even the most ardent car nuts are…
The Unfortunate History of the AMC Pacer is a documentary about a quirky little car that people love to hate – though it seems to be gaining in popularity in recent years thanks to its unusual styling and interesting backstory. If the original AMC plan to fit the Pacer with a twin rotor Wankel rotary…
Shotgun Rider is a 1967 training film created by The Army Pictorial Center for new recruits in training for deployment to Vietnam as helicopter door gunners – nicknamed “shotgun riders”. Despite the name, door gunners actually used M60 machine guns, which they trained to use both on a mount and freehand. The film features a…
Facts on Friction is a 1934 Chevrolet film about brakes – and although that might not sound quite as exciting as films about engines and transmissions, it’s actually a good watch. Drum brakes were standard issue for much of the 20th century life of the automobile, and they’re still mass produced now for high-volume, low-cost…
What’s Under Your Hood? is a ’70s era instructional film that does a remarkably good job of explaining how an engine works, as well as explaining the internal workings of the gearbox, differential, and braking system. At just 10 minutes in length, it’s an excellent introduction to how it all works for those who might…
Motorcycle Driving Tactics is a 1972 training film for motorcyclists designed to help save lives and reduce injury rates. There’s an interesting section covering motorcycle vs car crash testing that includes slow motion footage – an interesting insight, although it it painful to watch pristine motorcycles being wrecked beyond any reasonable repair. At just 15…
One Leap Ahead is a documentary about Jaguar filmed in 1961 – a year that was significant, as it’s when the production of the E-Type began (known as the XKE in some markets). The film starts out with some wonderful footage of a pristine Mark II – nicknamed the “Gentleman’s Express” and popular with bank robbers…
Morgan & I is a short film about Pete Gutteridge, a Morgan owner since 1952 – when he bought a shed full of parts that had once been an original Morgan 3-Wheeler. As an engineer Pete managed to get it all back together and running – he then used it frequently, and remarkably he still…
The Invention of the Ford V8 Engine is a documentary about the development of the original Ford V8 – the Flathead that made its debut in 1932, forever cementing the “Deuce” in the annals of hot rod history. The video has clearly been encoded from film and it’s a little crackly at times, but if…
Things That Can Kill You is a short film about British artist Death Spray Custom, if you’ve spent any time around custom motorcycles, cars, and gear over the past 10 years you’ll have seen the work of DSC – although you may not have known it at the time. At just 3:25 long, this short…
