LA CAR INVADES AUTOBOOKS
Project Prius sound system rocks

Words by Roy Nakano Pictures by Michel Teixeira LA Car invades Autobooks-Aerobooks in Burbank The weather gods were on our side on a sunny March 24th in 2007, as the staff and friends of LA Car descended upon Autobooks-Aerobooks. Located at 3524 West Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank, Autobooks-Aerobooks is the Southland's largest automotive bookstore and one of the best places for car enthusiasts to hang out on a Saturday afternoon. "We really enjoyed having all the LA Car folks at the shop," said store owner Chet Knox. "I'm amazed that there were so many of them, and that they all fit inside a little computer!" The afternoon event was a model in multi-tasking. Up front, LA Car readers, KPFK Car Show listeners, Car Show co-host Art Gould, car aficionado Jay Leno, and the usual Autobooks gang converged over baskets of La Car Italiano torpedo sandwiches and talked story in the store. Virtually all of the sandwiches were gone by the time the three-hour event ended. Either we had a good turnout, or the Autobooks customers eat like horses. Out back was LA Car's own mini-car show, with the publication's Keepin' It Real Mercedes C-Coupe project car, Chuck Dapoz' 2007 Mercedes E350, Zoran Segina's BMW 633CSi, BT Justice's C5 Corvette convertible, Gordon Bleam's 2007 Lexus RX400h hybrid SUV, Brian Kennedy's mint 1966 Mustang, and a 2007 Shelby GT500, courtesy of Bill Stroppe & Son and Ford Motor Company.

Project Prius Off to the side of Autobooks, the folks from DICE Electronics were installing the HD DICE high-definition integrated radio unit and DICE Factory iPod Integration Unit into LA Car's Prius-Bazooka Breaking The Sound Barrier project car. Listeners are astounded that the Bazooka-equipped standard audio system blows away the premium JBL system in the Prius. DICE personnel were also on had to demonstrate their products, while hybrid owners from the popular message boards also partook in LA Car's project car audio demonstrations. What a blast! Our hats are off to the Autobooks-Aerobooks staff in Burbank for keeping the institution thriving.