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Ducati motorcycles from a Ducati Riders Club in Southern California
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Thunderbirds, Helicopter School, Ducati Cycles, Viper Days (104)The Ford Thunderbird helped set the standard for sports car comfort and functionality for more than two decades since its debut at the 1954 Detroit Auto Show. The tradition continues with the release of the 2002 Thunderbird. Join us for a spin in an affordable 1964 T-Bird, a valuable 300-horsepower 1957 model, and an all-new sports coupe.
Next, learn how to fly a helicopter with California HeliTech chief instructor Leo Bell as he demonstrates the joy of flying in such a versatile aircraft. Then, it's back down to Earth for a chance to tear up the mountain roads of Southern California with the Ducati Riders Club.
Finally, we'll head to Willow Springs Race Track, known as the fastest track in California. There, Dodge Viper owners and enthusiasts gather for the chance to race each other and savor the speed at an event known as Viper Days.
Thunderbird Facts:
- The first Thunderbird came off Ford's Dearborn assembly line on October 22, 1954, and there were at least 4,000 orders waiting on that first day of production.
- The list price for the 1957 Thunderbird was $3,607 for the hardtop and $3,681 for the convertible.
- The final year of production for the T-Bird was 1997—until its return in 2002 as a brand-new model.
- The first new Ford Thunderbird, serial number 00001, will be preserved at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan.
Resources
Thunderbird! An Illustrated History of the Ford T-Bird
by Ray, Miller
Ford Motor Company
www.ford.com
Ford Thunderbird
www.fordvehicles.com
Henry Ford Museum
313-982-6100
www.hfmgv.org
California HeliTech Facts:
- California HeliTech graduates include corporate, police, charter, news and fire-fighting pilots.
- Leo Bell began flight training in high school and now has more than 14,000 hours of flight experience.
- In 1994, Bell opened the first US FAA-approved written test center in Japan.
Contact Information:
California HeliTech
6791 Airport Drive, Suite A
Riverside, CA 92504
909-354-5274
www.caaviationservices.com
Resources
Helicopter Flight Dynamics: The Theory and Application of Flying Qualities and Simulation Modeling (Aiaa Education Series)
by Gareth D. Padfield
Helicopter Association International
703-683-4646
www.rotor.com
Ducati Riders Club Facts:
- The Ducati Riders Club organizes about 20 rides per year in Southern California.
- The 998R's Testastretta V-Twin engine uses the same technology that powered Ducati's 2001 World Superbike Championship machine.
- Ducati superbikes have won more World Superbike Championships than all other brands combined
- MSRP for Ducati's newest superbike, the 998, is $17,695.
Contact Information:
Ducati Riders Club
Ed Hotchkiss
4542 Maycrest Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90032
805-907-3284
www.ducatiridersclub.com
Resources
The Ducati Story: Racing and Production Models from 1945 to the Present Day, 3rd Ed.
by Ian Falloon, Ing Fabio Taglioni
Ducati
www.ducati.com
Viper Days Facts:
- Viper Days was founded in 1995 by Lee "Skip" Thomas to offer Viper drivers a safe, fun venue in which to learn the limits of their vehicles and expand their knowledge of high-speed driving techniques.
- Nearly 1,000 Vipers are expected to participate in 2002.
- The 2002 model Viper, with a 450-horsepower V10, has a top speed of 192 miles per hour.
- A Viper took first in its class at Le Mans in 1998, 1999, and 2000.
Contact Information:
www.viperdays.com
Resources
Dodge Viper
by Daniel F. Carney
Dodge Viper
www.4adodge.com
Viper Club of America
www.viperclub.org
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