Bid-Well 2450 Roller Paver

This isn't a car, or even a vehicle, but there is an interesting story behind this piece of construction equipment. This is a Bid-Well 2450 Roller Paver. In 1961, Seymour P. "Tex" Bidwell was a construction foreman for Burton Jensen Construction, a bridge contractor based out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Tex had an idea for a machine with on oscillating bull float on a moving carriage riding a truss frame that would allow concrete bridge decks to be paved transversely instead of longitudinally, making the installation higher quality and more efficient. With his employer's backing, Tex began selling his machine to other contractors in South Dakota. In 1962, Tex met Murray Rowe, a machine shop operator from Canton, South Dakota, and shared his idea. They partnered to further develop Tex's idea, but only three weeks later, Tex passed away at the age of 44. Murray Rowe bought the business from Tex's widow Irene, offering her royalties for the rest of her life, and he grew the Bid-Well Corporation into an international business with Tex's idea becoming a new industry standard. The Bid-Well Corporation was purchased by the CMI Corporation of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1969, with Murray Rowe remaining Bid-Well's president. CMI was purchased by the Terex Corporation in 2001, and Terex continues to produce paving machines under the Bid-Well name.

The Bid-Well 2450 Roller Paver can span up to 60 feet with a light weight and small profile that allow it to be used in tight spaces. It can be used not only for bridges, but also for roads, warehouse slabs, airport runways, and canals. This one was being used to repave the Liberty Street bridge over Pringle Creek in Salem, Oregon, on September 17, 2006.

1998-1999 Lincoln Navigator

This first-generation Lincoln Navigator was photographed at the Vern W. Miller Civic Center in Salem, Oregon, on September 17, 2006. It was being used by the Salem Police Department as a Crime Prevention Unit, and had probably been seized as part of an investigation. The radio antenna mounted in the front fender identifies it as either a 1998 or 1999 model. The Lincoln Navigator was introduced on July 1, 1997, for the 1998 model year and was based on the Ford Expedition, which was new for 1997, which itself was based on the new Ford F-150 also introduced for 1997. The 1998 Navigator would help Lincoln outsell Cadillac for the first time in 59 years, though Cadillac would respond with the Escalade in 1999. For 1998, the Navigator was powered by a 230-horsepower 5.4-liter Triton single overhead cam 16-valve V8 with 325 foot-pounds of torque. In 1999, the 5.4-liter Triton V8 got a boost to 260 horsepower and 345 foot-pounds of torque, but mid-year it was replaced with a 300-horsepower 5.4-liter InTech dual-overhead-cam 32-valve V8 with 355 foot-pounds of torque. Standard features in 1998 and 1999 included a four-speed electronic automatic overdrive transmission, four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes, speed-sensitive variable-assist power steering, load-leveling rear air suspension, Anti-Theft System, Remote keyless entry with illuminated entry, speed-sensitive intermittent front windshield wipers, automatic wraparound complex reflector headlights, complex reflector foglights, power heated outside mirrors, leather seating, dual power front bucket seats, memory driver's seat & mirrors, electronic automatic temperature control, Premium AM/FM stereo cassette radio with second-row controls, power windows and locks with illuminated controls and one-touch-down driver's window, and integrated illuminated running boards. Available options included Control-Trac four-wheel drive, power moonroof, 6-disc CD changer, Premium 290-watt AM/FM stereo radio with cassette and seven speakers, and an electrochromic rear view mirror.

GEM e2

 

This e2 electric vehicle was built by Global Electric MotorCars, or GEM, and was acquired by the City of Salem, Oregon. Equipped with an aluminum diamond plate clip-in tool box, it was assigned for use in Community Enforcement. Global Electric MotorCars, LLC was founded in 1992 by former General Motors engineers in Livonia, Michigan, as Trans2 Corporation. In early 1998 the company was purchased, relocated to Fargo, North Dakota, and given its new name. GEM manufactured its first vehicle in April 1998. In December 2000 GEM was acquired by the DaimlerChrysler Corporation. GEM began producing its 2005 models in March 2004. In addition to the 2-passenger e2, GEM also offered the 4-passenger e4, the eS with a short cargo bed, and the eL with a long cargo bed. The 6-passenger e6 was introduced in April 2006. GEM products are classified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as Neighborhood Electric Vehicles. In July 2011 GEM was sold to Polaris. As of October 2015, GEM had global sales of more than 50,000 units since 1998 and was the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle market leader in North America.

The 2005 GEM e2 features a 72-volt General Electric motor driving the front wheels through a Dana Spicer speed reducer with an integral differential, powered by six 12-volt deep-cycle batteries. The e2 has an aluminum welded space frame and structural composite and thermoplastic body panels, and it has a curb weight of 1,078 pounds and a gross vehicle weight of 1600 pounds. It has a wheelbase of 72 inches and is 99 inches long, 55 inches wide and 68 inches high. The e2 also features an onboard 72-volt DC charger that uses 110-volt AC input, a General Electric solid-state custom speed controller with regenerative braking, four-wheel hydraulic brakes, and rack-and-pinion steering giving a turning radius of 12.5 feet. The e2 has a top speed of 25 miles per hour and a range of up to 30 miles depending on temperature, grade, and driving style. Additional features include a bench seat cushion covered by marine-gray vinyl, three-point safety belts, quartz-halogen headlights, front and rear turn signals, high mount rear brake light and taillights, and a laminated tinted safety glass windshield with wiper. Standard equipment includes horn, floor mat, and driver's side exterior mirror. Available options include dual upper safety handles, passenger side exterior mirror, 12-volt accessory plug, chrome bumper, GEL maintenance-free batteries, car covers, custom wheels, scuff guards, Alpine stereo, soft or hard doors, heater/defroster, charging cord set, premium colors, and windshield washer kit.

2006 Ford Taurus SE

The fourth-generation Ford Taurus was introduced for the 2000 model year and received a facelift for 2004. This was the final generation to be derived from the original Ford Taurus of 1986. The Taurus would be discontinued after the 2007 model year. 

This 2006 SE model was a rental car and is painted in Silver Frost Metallic with a Medium Dark Flint Cloth Interior.

Standard equipment included the 155-horsepower 3.0-liter overhead valve 12-valve V6 Vulcan engine with 185 foot-pounds of torque, a 4-speed electronic automatic transmission with overdrive lockout, power rack-and-pinion steering with variable assist, 4-wheel power front disc-rear drum brakes, 16-inch steel wheels with full locking wheel covers, 6-passenger cloth seating with flip-down center seating console and column-mounted shifter, power windows with one-touch down driver’s-side feature, power door locks, power sideview mirrors, tilt steering column, speed control with steering-wheel-mounted illuminated controls and air conditioning. This example included the optional AM/FM stereo with a single-CD player and digital clock.

This car was equipped with the standard 16-inch steel wheels with wheel covers.

With the standard front split bench beat for 6-passenger seating, this car was equipped with a column-mounted shifter.

This car had the Standard Taurus SE instrument cluster.

This car had a standard automatic transmission and parking brake pedal.

This car has the standard manually adjustable driver seat.

This car was equipped with two 12-volt power sockets and an ash tray but had no cigarette lighter.

With the standard front split bench seat for 6-passenger seating, this car was equipped with the standard flip-down center seating console.

When opened, the standard flip-down center seating console revealed front cupholders and storage for coins and music.

This car featured the standard rear seat, without the optional 60/40 fold-down seat backs.

This car featured the standard rear cupholders in the flip-down center seating console, shown here in the closed position. 

The standard rear cupholders in the flip-down center seating console in the open position. 

This car had a spacious trunk with a flat floor concealing the spare tire.

The car had a spare tire and jack under the floor of the trunk.

Oscar Mayer Wienermobile

The first Oscar Mayer Wienermobile was created in 1936. This is an example of the 10th generation, six of which were built in 2004 by Prototype Source of Santa Barbara, California. Based on a GMC W-Series chassis and powered by a 300-horsepower 6.0-liter Vortec 6000 V8 engine, it features gull-wing doors, voice-activated GPS navigation, an audio center with a wireless microphone, a horn that plays the Wiener Jingle in 21 different genres, and taillights from the 4th generation Pontiac Firebird. I saw it heading north on Interstate 5 near Salem, Oregon, on April 19, 2006.

Dodge Magnum R/T

Sharing the LX platform with the Chrysler 300, the Dodge Magnum was introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year and was on Car and Driver’s 10Best list for 2005. The R/T version shown here was the top of the line in 2005, powered by the new 340-horsepower 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine with a Mercedes-Benz derived 5-speed Auto/Stick® automatic transmission. Additional standard features for the Magnum R/T included leather-trimmed seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, Boston Acoustics 6-speaker sound system with 288-watt digital amplifier, 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, fog lamps and stainless steel dual exhaust with bright tips. It was also available with Mercedes-Benz’s 4MATIC all-wheel drive system with unique 18-inch aluminum wheels.

Dodge Neon SRT4

 
The Dodge Neon was introduced in 1994 and the second generation debuted in 2000. Alongside a facelift in 2003, the SRT4 model was introduced. Powered by a 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder engine with a Mitsubishi turbocharger and featuring a 5-speed manual transmission, the 2003 Neon SRT4 was rated at 215 horsepower and 245 foot-pounds of torque. It could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.6 seconds and cover a quarter mile in 14.1 seconds at 102 miles per hour, and was the second-fastest stock production vehicle in the Chrysler/Dodge lineup, second only to the V10-powered Viper. 

In 2004, larger fuel injectors and a recalibrated engine computer increased output to 230 horsepower and 250 foot-pounds of torque, reducing the 0-60 time to 5.3 seconds and the quarter mile time 3.9 seconds at 103 miles per hour. The SRT4 was discontinued with the rest of the Neon platform after 2005.