The Hot List: Volume 26

Every week we sift through a truly amazing amount of “stuff” in the dozen or so hours we spend online—you know, the time spent not driving sweet cars. A lot of the cool stuff we find has to do specifically with new cars, naturally, but there’s also a huge amount of awesomeness that doesn’t completely fit in the normal Winding Road world. Once, we were in the habit of simply reading, watching, or talking amongst ourselves about this web detritus, but recently we thought it might be a good idea to start sharing it with you all. Thus, The Hot List.

 

We aim to bring you a list of the most interesting bits of information we run across. Ten worth-knowing-about things that may or may not be related directly to the world of cars, but all of which we think our typical enthusiast readers will be able to really dig into. We don’t know, from week to week, what will show up on this list, which is part of the fun for us and for you.

Read, enjoy, and comment. If you happen to know of something that you think would make for a good inclusion on next week’s list, drop us a line at [email protected].

 

 

 

 

It doesn’t sound like very long ago, but before you know it, even this book will be old enough to drink beer. And, let’s face it, any decade was a good decade for film, even this most recent one. This book celebrates about 140 of the most groundbreaking films from the aughts, with stills, production photos, analysis, trivia, and cast and crew listings. A great gift for the casual film buff.

 

 

 

 

Instead of the traditional hands and dials most watches employ, the Devon Works Tread Watch uses tiny printed conveyor belts to display the time. Made in the USA and designed by an aerospace company in California, it’s sure to draw attention, and for $17,500, it damn well should. It uses optical recognition to keep itself accurate, which is sure to impress even your most punctual friends.

 

 

 

 

Any car nut loves to look back at some of the classics that preceded the automobiles of today. It’s also great to see them in color. Here, we have a Ford brochure from 1958, showing all the models they offered that year. Gorgeous stuff. What’s your favorite?

 

 

 

 

Science, man! We love having our mind blown by science. This interactive guide to the universe shows just how incredibly small we are in comparison. Zoom in, and you can see how subatomic particles relate to each other in terms of size. Zoom out, and you pass molecules and microorganisms, light wavelengths, and various small objects, until you get to humans. From there, you can see the relative size of buildings, planets, galaxies, and so forth.

 

 

 

 

What’s the opposite of the mind-blowing enormity and complexity of our incredible universe? It just might be this. Tiger is a very tolerant Staffordshire Terrier/American Bulldog mix, whose owner places various food items on top of her, and takes pictures for simpletons like you and us to giggle at. We love dogs.

 

 

 

 

This haircut gentleman from Switzerland found a novel way to heat his car during this cold, snowy European winter. Pascal Prokop installed a wood-burning stove in his Volvo wagon. It even complies with Swiss Technical Inspection Authority regulations, so he doesn’t have to worry about being ticketed for his in-car fireplace.

 

 

 

 

The Icon garage and showroom in Southern California is a place we wouldn’t mind hanging out for a good, long time. The custom vehicles created there blend classic aesthetics with modern flair and a healthy dose of utility. Have a look in this impressive gallery.

 

 

 

 

These t-shirts feature a hand-drawn design depicting the darling Honda Civic Wagovan. The shirts are simple, which we like, and inspire in us a feeling akin to nostalgia, but just slightly tinged with guilt. They’re available in sizes small through extra large, and are made to order for $20 apiece.

 

 

 

 

This list is rife with car nostalgia. First Car Story, brought to us by Subaru, is an online tool that allows you “build” the first car you owned, name it, and share it with the world. Choose the model, color, and condition, then bring it to life in an animated story from your youth that you may or may not be trying to forget. (If you create one of your own, be sure to share the link in the comments section, below.)

 

 

 

 

A Japanese company says it has plans to build an elevator to space within the next 38 years. The elevator would reach a space station at the height of 22,369 miles. It sounds like science fiction (man!), but it’s something we’d love to see within our lifetime.