Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Inside Bob Pond's car collection

Robert Pond was an industrialist, an aviator, a Navy pilot, an aircraft designer, a genuine car enthusiast, a philanthropist, a Minnesotan at heart and a man who turned a family business from eight employees to a global $100-million concern. Pond was born in 1924 in Edina, Minn., 10 miles southwest of Minneapolis. He signed up for the Navy Air Corps in 1942, and survived three years of training on J-3 Piper Cubs and PBY Catalinas to graduate in July of 1945 -- just three months before Japan surrendered to the US.

Ford Focus goes SEMA mad

A total of seven Ford Focus at the 2011 SEMA Show There’s nothing American petrolheads (perhaps we should say gearheads) like more than tarting up a car. Which explains why the relatively sensible Ford Focus is being pimped to within an inch of its life for this year’s SEMA show. The SEMA Motor Show is a trade-only gathering – despite which it gets around 50k visitors – which the organisers call the “premier automotive specialty products trade event – in the world.” It attracts trade visitors from across the globe to see parts, tools and components and the ‘SEMA’ special cars brought along by car makers and car modifiers.

Chevrolet Mi-ray concept

Making its debut at the Seoul Motor Show is the Chevrolet Mi-ray. The Mi-ray, which takes its name from the Korean for future, is a hybrid sports car that is the first concept car from the Korean arm of GM. Which, considering its name, aptly represents the future of the brand as well as the ‘future of muscle cars.' Said to take influence from past Detroit legends such as the 1963 Monza SS and Corvair Super Spyder, the Mi-ray features a pleathora of sporting influences, making its intentions clear.