BTB photog Michael Brunk assembled his favorite shots from the day and set them to public domain audio from a 1953 Chevrolet advertisement. Check your volume and then click the image below to launch a slideshow of images from last Sunday’s car show.

Click to Play the Slideshow

‘Angle of Attack, An Aerodynamic Kinship Between Exotic Automobiles & Aircraft,’ is coming to the Museum of Flight this Saturday, May 14th, from Noon – 3pm.

“An assortment of exotic automobiles will be on hand from noon until 3:00 in the Museum’s parking lot,” reads a press release. “The exhibition is free to the public; admission to the Museum of Flight is separate from this event. This event will not only showcase these incredible automobiles but it will also benefit area animal shelters and rescue groups. Representatives from Homeward Pet Rescue, Shelter, and Adoption and Animal Aid & Rescue Foundation will be on hand to give out information on their services and accept donations.”

The regional exotic car community will be displaying a large variety of exotic and rare automobiles at this event, including:

• Lamborghinis
• Ferraris
• Porsche
• Teslas
• Lotus
• Aston Martin
• Audi R8
• BMW M Series
• and more….plus the world’s fastest production supercar…the Ultimate Aero will be on display.

Here’s a promotional video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s more info:

There has always been a kinship between the aerodynamic designs of fast aircraft and fast automobiles. These characteristics often grow from one industry to the other. Exotic machines of the ground and sky also share a common beauty of design as well.

On the afternoon of May 14, 2011 these shared qualities will be on display at the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field.

The Event…
This event will demonstrate the aerodynamic similarities between exotic cars and aircraft. Because of the uniqueness of the automobiles displayed, the event should draw a substantial attendance.

The Cause…
Too often dogs and cats are abandoned by their owners. Animal shelters and pet rescue groups work tirelessly to find hope and homes for these creatures. Many are volunteers who are working out of the kindness of their hearts. Representatives from Homeward Pet Rescue, Shelter, and Adoption and Animal Aid & Rescue Foundationcwill be on site to give out information and to accept donations.

Aviation High School (AHS) is the only college preparatory aviation- themed high school in the North- west. It is our goal to become the premier school of choice for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the Pacific Northwest.

Although Highline Public Schools is the home of this unique learning community, students throughout the Puget Sound region may apply. This year about 65 percent were local students and the rest com- muted from surrounding districts, some as far away as Tacoma, Everett, and Bremerton. Many as- pire to become scientists, engi- neers, astronauts, pilots, aviation technicians, and CEOs in aviation/ aerospace fields. Many are drawn by the school’s focus on math, sci- ence and technology.

Mission
To prepare all students for college, career and citizenship through a personalized, rigorous and relevant learning experience that is facili- tated in the context of aviation and aerospace.

Senior Project Rationale
…to provide students an opportunity to test themselves—to see for themselves as well as to demonstrate and communicate to others that they can apply their knowl- edge and skills in important and practical situations to solve problems and achieve goals.

What makes an exotic car?
First , an “Exotic” is not generally in the same category as “mainstream” automobiles like Kia, Honda, or GM, etc. An exotic car is not a hot rod, typically seen at most car shows. Some brands which are labeled exotics are (but not limited to) Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Aston Martin, Bentley, Tesla, BMW M-Series, Audi R8, and Lotus. This group can also include rare brands such as Alfa Romeo. The far majority of exotic cars are European, however there some American and Japanese cars that fit the description as well. These automobiles are all “drivable art”.

About Me…..
“My name is Alex Bergler and I am in my senior year at Aviation High School. For my senior project I have planned an event that will combine three of my passions, aircraft, exotic cars, and animals. Since I was just a toddler I have always loved aircraft. Most of my childhood memories are filled with attending air shows and spending a lot of time at the Museum of Flight, I joke that the Museum became my second home. My plans and dreams have always involved flight. As I started high school I began to seriously pursue my dreams of flight by starting flight lessons at Boeing Field. As I studied aerodynamics and design I soon became enamored with another great pas- sion and beauty , exotic automobiles. Now the passing sound of a Ferrari evokes the same excitement and awe as that of a F/A-18 takeoff. From my earliest memories ani- mals have always been an important part of my life. My family and I have always been very animal friendly. So when I was selecting an endeavor to pursue for a senior pro- ject it really made sense to combine my passions into something which will positively contribute to my community .”

by Julie Tallant

Looking for a sport for your child? Want them to learn discipline and responsibility? Not interested in the typical sports? Fascinated with cars?

Then NHRA Jr. Drag Racing may be the sport for your child.

My daughter Ellie has just started her first full season drag racing. She ran 6 of the 13 races last year. And out of 37 kids she ended 17th. She even took 2nd place in one of the races, complete with her first trophy!

Now I’m sure you’re thinking:

“How old is she?

How fast does she go?

And um…is it safe?”

Well, to be eligible to drag race you have to be 8-years old, obtain a NHRA Jr. Drag racing competition license, and have a car that can pass a tech inspection. There are several different brackets, with different regulations for different ages. From ages 8 – 18, the kids are out there running their cars with anything from a Briggs and Stratton to a Harley Davidson engine (of course, HD is the older bracket!).

Ellie is 10 years old, so she competes in the JR Thunder bracket. She runs mid 11 seconds in the 1/8 mile with a speed of 55 mph.  She wears fire pants, a fire jacket and a full face helmet. She has a five-point harness and arm restraints. To be honest, she’s kept safer than most of us driving our SUVs.

Dewey, Ellie and Julie take a break from racing.

Drag racing is something that has been in my husband’s family for many years.  He started drag racing when he was in high school and continues to this day. I, myself, started racing as well a few years back. So this has truly become a family sport. Ellie races on Saturdays, we camp overnight, and my husband and I race on Sundays. Our home track is Bremerton Raceway, which is a very family-friendly track. And the Jr. Dragster program is great.  They really make it all about the kids.

Now, I must confess, this is not a cheap sport. But let’s face it, if your child gets serious about any sport and gets on a select team, etc. it won’t be an inexpensive venture. And where else can you sit and watch good, clean, legally-sanctioned racing? And did I mention that the cars are great to look at? Everything from VW bugs to Diesel trucks, classics and new cars.

So if you are looking for something to keep your kids out of trouble and give them goals, this may be a great sport to try.

We currently have two sponsors for Ellie: Impromptu Portraits and Duke’s Transmission.  But we’re looking for additional sponsors! As you can imagine, keeping three cars going is quite an expense. If you’re interested in sponsoring Ellie or just have questions about the sport, you may contact us by e-mail JulieTallant@aol.com.

Anyone who sponsors we can put the name of their business on the side of her car as an advertisement.

Links of interest:

• www.bremertonraceway.com
• www.impromptuportraits.com – click on gallery then Family and you will see additional pictures of our family and cars
• www.nhra.com

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was written and submitted by BTB Reader Julie Tallant. We encourage all our Readers to submit interesting stories, and ask only that they pertain to something local, are not obvious advertisements, and are interesting. Have any idea? Email us and we'll consider it!]

by Ralph Nichols

After more than two months of anticipation, of driving past Burien Nissan at Five Corners and looking for new cars on display there once again, the news this week is disappointing.

Burien Nissan will not reopen after all – at least not anytime soon. The return of the auto dealership with a new owner – Car Pros – had been expected earlier to take place in mid-September.

“We were excited” about reopening Burien Nissan, Ken Phillips, president of Car Pros, told The B-Town Blog recently. “We had everything in line. Our financing package was all done. But the sellers couldn’t provide quick title to the property and we couldn’t close in time.”

He said the problem involved only closing the proposed sale and “had absolutely nothing to do with the national economy.

“If circumstances change, we would be available to relook at the whole process,” Phillips added. “We lived for 30 years in Normandy Park. All our friends are right there. That’s our home. We know a lot of people there.”

The previous dealership owner, Rainier Automotive Group, saw the entire inventory reclaimed by Nissan in a 24-hour period in March after losing its financing. The business closed its doors less than two months later, reportedly when new financing couldn’t be arranged.

Car Pros owns Kia and Suzuki dealerships in Tacoma and a Hyundai dealership in Seattle, and dealerships in Carson, Calif. Phillips said they had planned to sell Nissan models exclusively at Burien Nissan.

by Ralph Nichols

The return of Burien Nissan at 16042 First Avenue South, which closed for business in May, is anticipated in mid-September.

“We understand it’s going to be a Nissan agency, just like it was before,” Dick Loman, economic development manager for the City of Burien, said Wednesday (Sept. 2nd). “We don’t know when they will open, but anticipate it will be soon. We probably will know more by the end of the long weekend.”

Other sources indicated that the dealership will open its doors again in mid-month.

A job ad posted August 31 on Craigslist (see our previous breaking coverage here) solicited applications for all positions at Nissan dealerships “gearing up for mid-September opening.” The ad described the owner of these dealerships as “an award winning Puget Sound Automotive Dealer Group.” Applications could be emailed to Car Pros, and a job posting on the “CarProsJobs.com” website lists Burien as one of the locations hiring.

Car Pros owns Kia and Suzuki dealerships in Tacoma and a Hyundai dealership in Seattle, along with a dealership in Carson, CA. Bradley Wolf was listed in the ad as a Tacoma contact for Car Pros. Attempts by B-Town Blog to contact Wolf on Wednesday were not successful.

Weeds are growing like weeds at the empty Burien Nissan lot, which may be re-opening under new ownership soon.

Burien Nissan, which previously was owned by Rainier Automotive Group, lost its “flooring” (aka financing) and saw the entire inventory reclaimed by Nissan in a 24-hour period in March. The business closed its doors less than two months later, reportedly when new financing couldn’t be arranged.

Loman, however, said his office doesn’t know the “relationship between Car Pros and Nissan, if there is any.” But, he added, Burien Nissan seems to be preparing to interview and hire staff, and “that’s very good news for us, obviously.”

“It will be good to have another new car dealer in town selling automobiles. Not only will it create jobs that we lost (when Nissan closed in March) but sales tax income will be coming back to the city again. So we’re very pleased at what we hear.”

Loman noted the site – which had a $5 million remodel not long before the closure – is already set up for an automotive dealership, signage already is in place, and it’s unlikely that the dealership will need any new permits from the city.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• BREAKING: Might Burien Nissan Be Re-Opening Soon?
• BREAKING NEWS: Burien Nissan Is Now Officially Closed
• Burien Nissan Expecting New Financing In “A Few Weeks”
• UPDATE: More Information On Burien Nissan’s Inventory
• Burien Nissan Loses Entire Stock, Now An Empty Lot

Here are the details:

WHAT: Burien Chevrolet “All Chevy Cruise-In”

WHEN: Sunday, July 5th from 11am to 4pm

WHERE: Burien Chevy’s lot at 14400 First Ave South in Burien

COST: FREE, with free food, giveaways, prizes and more.

INFO: This is also a fundraiser for the Des Moines Food Bank, so please bring food donations!

Burien will be one of ten areas in King County targeted by law enforcement for seatbelt violators starting Thursday night May 21st and continuing through June 7th.

The operation will be a cooperation between Burien Police and the Washington State Patrol, with assistance from the King County Traffic Safety Coalition.

According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, though the number of people killed at night is about the same as the number of people killed during the day, the death rate at night is four times higher because traffic volumes are much lower at night. Research shows that at least 80% of Washington traffic occurs during the day and between 12 and 20% of all vehicle travel takes place at night. The traffic death rate is a calculation of deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles traveled.

Research shows that over three-fourths of all traffic deaths involving drinking drivers occur at night. The drinking driver-involved death rate is about 13 times higher at night than during the day.

Drivers who are more likely to not wear seatbelts tend to be male, have less education, have prior traffic violations, and have no health insurance, according to a University of North Carolina study the commission cited.

The fine for a “Click-it or Ticket” violation is $124.

Here’s a video explaining this special patrol:

Click here to view the embedded video.

They’ve been around Burien for 45 years and counting. In 1963, owner Jack Enderson opened a Honda Cycle dealership on SW 153rd and First Ave South, where “Mr. Auto” used to be (now Horizon Pets). He eventually added Triumph, BSA and Harley bikes to his inventory. In 1972, they needed more room and moved to their current location at 15026 First Avenue South.

This original 1970 N600 Honda has just 628 miles on it; its MSRP new was just $1,995!

Burien Honda was the first Honda Dealership in the Northwest and the 22nd dealer in the country. General Manager Mark Minium is proud to show off their 1970 N600 Honda that has 628 actual miles on it. This particular model boasts the ‘complete package,’ which includes a radio and heater and cost $1,995; without the ‘package’ it cost $1,795.

Since this time, we’ve seen many changes in Honda Automobiles. In addition to an international reputation for its high mileage, Honda is leading the automotive industry in the Green and Hybrid Movement in automotive efficiencies. “Green” cars include the FIT Hatchback, Civic Sedan and “Hybrids” include Civic, Insight and Accord. They also have all of Honda’s conventional models. On the horizon is the FCX Clarity – a hydrogen and electric car available right now in California – and the CRV Diesel SUV sold in Europe and Japan.
Twelve years ago, Burien Honda opened a body shop, making it the only full service Honda dealer in the Greater Seattle area. They work on any make or model of cars and deal with most insurance companies on repairs. Plus you’ll get a loaner when they work on your vehicle. And one great thing to know is that you’ll get a complimentary hand car wash when you come in for anything in their shop, including an express oil change!

Burien Honda in 1972.

Burien Honda’s current building, which includes a Body Shop.

As with many of our Burien Car Dealers, GM Mark Minium has been involved in the development of our community from sitting on economic boards to the planning and development of the Town Square, to First Avenue renovation and supporting of the arts in Burien. He also was recruited to be an auctioneer at Mick Kelly’s many successful fundraisers (including the fundraiser we co-sponsored for the fire victims which raised over $10,500!).

What’s next for Burien Honda?

“We need a bigger footprint” says Mark – this means more space. And: “we have high hopes for Burien as Town Square evolves.”

Plus right now they’ve got the best selection and lowest interest rates in three years.

So, click on Burien Honda’s Ad in the right sidebar, check out their latest models and low rates, and tell ‘em the B-Town Blog sent you!

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They are located at 803 SW 154th Street, just west of Ambaum and a little south of Olde Burien.

Vision Collision is quite a family-based business, from longtime Burien area stock, on land that goes way, way back in the area of auto body repair.

Husband and wife team Michael and Amy Driscoll, recently purchased the former BBC Dodge Body Shop. There has been an auto body repair shop on that space going back many decades.

Robert scrubs yet another Vision Collision dent-free gem.

Doug McLester, who for thirty years served as BBC Dodge Body Shop Manager before retiring this past summer, recently said:

“Amy entered into the auto body industry right after high school and is thrilled to be working in her hometown doing what she loves! Michael has always had a passion for cars and has been restoring them since the age of fourteen. I have complete confidence that Amy and Michael will provide the quality service you have come to expect over the years.”

“From door dings to collisions, we fix it all,” Michael and Amy point out. “We help reduce stress by assisting with insurance claims, too.”

“And we offer detailing,” Amy adds.

Amy and Michael were born and raised in Burien and attended Highline High School.

“My mom, Cathy Low, and her whole family grew up in Seahurst,” Amy informs us. Cathy helps out now and again at Vision Collision’s office when Amy needs to run the occasional errand.

“And my uncle is none other than Jim Hughes of Sal’s Deli, just off 152nd. I worked there for years,” Amy said.

Lucy is Vision Collision's official mascot.

Amy and Michael’s Border Collie, Lucy, can often be seen running around the office.

“Lucy loves to come to work.”

Lucy isn’t the only pet in Amy and Michael’s household. On their land southeast of Burien “we also have two horses, three goats, and a cat.”

So anyway, we at the Blog think you’ll enjoy yourself so much at Vision Collision that, even if your vehicle is already ding-free, you should just take a hammer to your hood and bang it up a bit so you’ll have an excuse to stop by (uh…just kidding on that part, but stop by anyway!).

But seriously, click on Vision Collision’s Ad in the right sidebar, check out their stuff, call or drop by and see what they can do to fix your dinged and dented vehicle up.

Vision Collision Auto Body Repair
“See? You’re dent free!”

Service shop:

803 SW 154th St
Burien, WA 98166
Phone: (206) 244-2758
www.visioncollision.net
Email: info@visioncollision.net

Mail:

Vision Collision
PO Box 66110
Burien, WA  98166