Auto News and Events

Dashboard lights: Make sure the airbag light doesn't stay on, starts flashing, or doesn't light up. Ours caught fire, that also counts.

Fake airbag covers: Fake covers usually don't feature a vehicle's logo, sometimes don't fit well, and almost never exactly match the vehicle's interior color. We saw an orange one once; it might have been a fake.

Testing: Perhaps the best way to spot fakes. A computer diagnostic determines if the system is operational. Or you can crash the thing.

History: For salvaged vehicles, if the history is incomplete or pieces are lost, there's a good chance someone might be hiding something. This applies to all of our stuff.

We sold it to you: Generally Car Craft guys own cars that predate the airbag. If the car is from 1967, you're out of luck.-Douglas R. Glad

Free MoneyIf you're still in school and want to take your automotive education further than just busting your knuckles on a rusty Ford fender then listen up. Do you know that there are dozens of organizations just waiting for you to contact them so they can award you a small scholarship toward an automotive education? No? Well here's a secret. Neither do most other kids.

So here's how you Tree everyone out of all that free money. We did a 10-minute search on the Internet and came up with a dozen or so excellent contacts. The drill is easy. Go to the appropriate Web site, fill out an application, and send it in. Most scholarships are awarded right before the beginning of the school year, so now is a great time to begin filling out every application you can find for next year. Here's another tip-if you are still in high school, a better-than-average grade point is a great lever for free money. The better your grades, the better chance you have of scoring multiple scholarships.

Most organizations offer modest awards-often around $1,000-but they may award as many as 20 or so per year. That makes your odds of scoring better. For example, Sears/Craftsman has a two-level scholarship program that awards 20 kids $1,000 toward vocational school education and one full ride for up to $20,000 for a 2-year gig. Other companies offering scholarship programs include GM, DaimlerChrysler, Edelbrock, and Castrol. There are also dozens of organizations like SEMA, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), and the Automotive Hall of Fame that offer significant scholarship programs. You have to apply, because free money never goes looking for a recipient. A site called automotiveschools.com also has a specific link to help you with organizations and companies that offer scholarships. That's another good place to start. What is there to lose other than a little time surfing? Here are some Web sites to get you started.

* automotiveschools.com* automotive.org/education* automotivehalloffame.org* bm.com/company/careers/student/* sema.org* nhra.org-Jeff Smith

I Think Those Mushrooms Were PoisonousThere was a time when Car Craft was not a hard-core street machine or even a drag racing magazine. In the early '60s, CC's editorial was aimed at a variety of automotive escapades including custom cars like Big Daddy Ed Roth's Beatnik Bandit. In the October '61 issue, illustrators Bob Hubbach and Chuck Pelly penned what became known as the Car Craft Dream Rod, using early Corvair tail and '60 Pontiac sheetmetal nose pieces. Show promoter Bob Larivee commissioned builder Bob Cushenbery to build the asymmetrical rod that appeared two years later in October '63. AMT even produced a 11/424 scale plastic model, which is now a collector's item.

The car toured for several years and then fell into obscurity until custom-car curator and restoration artist Mike Moriarity found it. He's currently returning the Dream Rod back to the era of buzz cuts, Rat Fink, and angel hair.-Jeff Smith