Muhammad Ali was once a car investor/ middleman for a Suadi Arabia shiek and Brazialian car maker Puma

above from the book Puma  By Thomas H. Braun (google books)

Ali arrived in Brazil just by Rubens Maluf, entrepreneur who brought to Curitiba carmaker Puma at the end of 1986. Kevin Haines, Dealer in Houston (USA), the lawyer convinced the boxer - and model fan produced in Brazil - Richard Hirschfeld, visiting Paraná to negotiate.

Then retired for six years (and perhaps only less known in the sports world than Pelé) and financial condition to invest high, the boxer arrived in town with an engineer and a consultant in addition to the lawyer and friend.

In all three models of the Puma Al Fassi were produced by Muhammad Ali A was all closed, another had the convertible top, and the last, most expensive, had sophisticated finish, with white and red seats and sportier appearance.

Struck a deal worth U.S. $ 36 million for 1,440 units, which would later be completed in the U.S. with engines and gearboxes Porsche 911. The vehicles were sold in Saudi Arabia, whose prince was a friend of the boxer.
found on http://www.gazetadopovo.com.br/esportes/lutas/conteudo.phtml?tl=1&id=1373962&tit=Mito-do-boxe-foi-quase-anonimo-em-Curitiba-nos-anos-80

there was a magazine article
"What's A Puma?" by Dwayne T. Ray. Kit Car Illustrated, August 1992. 5 pages. Fairly comprehensive article with 9 photos. Contains several interesting anecdotes. One of these was a scheme involving Muhammad Ali and Saudi financiers to market a special Puma in the U.S. as the "Ali Stinger."
Found on http://wj2d.100megsdns.com/liter.html


MUHAMMAD ALI STARTS UP AUTO COMPANY AP , Associated Press Apr. 27, 1987
 RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (AP)
 Muhammad Ali, who used to sting opponents in the ring, is delivering his stings on wheels with the introduction of his new sports car, the Ali Stinger. ''The car will be as I was in the ring,'' the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper quoted the three-time world boxing champion as saying. ''It will flutter around like a butterfly and sting like a bee.''
The report Sunday said the 45-year-old Ali formed a new car company, the Ali Vehicle Industry, several months ago as a joint venture with two Brazilian companies, Brazilian Araucaria Vehicle Industry and Inter-American Ltd.
Ali Vehicles in Campinas, 290 miles southwest of Rio, already has produced 20 of the Brazilian-designed cars with Porsche engines, the report said. Ali was to test the first models today, when the company officially begins operations.
The company plans to export 500 coupes and convertibles each year to the United States, Middle East and Europe, the paper quoted Ali as saying. Ali could not be reached in his Rio hotel room for comment.
found on http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1987/Muhammad-Ali-Starts-Up-Auto-Company/id-2182a14ceac1d51de1a7af6602c56edb

Rolls Royce stuck in customs for years because of a corrupt bureaucrat that wanted more bribes to pass it through

the drivers side window was down the whole time, and the dirt and dust and moisture took a toll on the interior and exterior. When finally released from customs, it took a couple more years to restore to clean and operating condition. All the rubber parts, and the wood...

Found on http://flaviogomes.warmup.com.br/2013/07/novo-de-novo/ images from http://www.reginaldodecampinas.com.br/2013/entretenimento/?id=94

It was the Paris Motor Show Rolls Royce display car of 1974, then was bought and sold in Missouri.
The car underwent a complete overhaul at a local expert before being shipped to Brazil. Unfortunately the dispatcher who handled the import process was extremely dishonest and seized the import fees and taxes and papers to hold until paid a bribe. The car was retained by the IRS stuck for 3 years in the Port of Santos.

After endless negotiations and filing for an injunction to prevent an absurd payment of storage, the car was released at the end of 2010. The poor RR was with the windows open. The most amazing was that even after almost 3 years, the new Avon tires purchased and installed in the USA still contained 20lbs of pressure.

About 18 months were required to restore the car. Painted ceiling, hood and trunk, however not the "coach line" hand painted on the sides. The sunroof was a nightmare to get right. Set in the mid-80s in England, the system is identical to the BMW 7 Series. The harness had to be redone and the whole mechanism disassembled for cleaning and lubrication, rubbers were exchanged.

Here are the pictures, enjoy! Thanks: https://www.facebook.com/MBKlassik restorations, parts, technical advice and reviews pre-purchase of Mercedes-Benz. Joe Brasileiro - 11-99208-4609 - joe@mbklassik.net

Unusual ambulance

Found on http://flaviogomes.warmup.com.br/2013/05/interna-eu/

Looks a lot like a Suburban

barnfind presidential limo found on a farm in Brazil, a 1935 Lincoln Model K Cabriolet by Le Baron

Found on http://osenhorautomovel.blogspot.com.br/2013/10/1935-lincoln-modelo-k-cabriolet-por.html

no translato... but it appears to be a VW dealership in Brazil that was suddenly closed, and now used to store a private 3 car collection

Found on http://flaviogomes.warmup.com.br/

You're quite right, it's a short film based on a true story.

It’s about a man, currently a senior citizen in their's 80, who due to a sudden change in VW's dealership policy, lost the representation of that brand. It happened in 2001, in a small town (30k people) in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. In that year, VW state that every dealership that would sell less than 60 cars/year should shut down.

However, that man wakes up every day, put on business clothes and opens the shop. He still has some OEM parts, and some brand new cars, like a 10mil. Beetle. His routine is about chatting with friends, eventualy selling some parts (even requested by mail), and giving some loving to his "autos", that's the way he tenderly refers to his cars.

 Regards from Sao Paulo, Brazil... Andre


Thank you VERY much Andre!

If  anyone can get his contact info, I will be pleased and privileged to run his info here on my site to let people know he has VW parts and cars to sell, it might help him, or some reader! For anyone who can should do what they can to help a fellow car guy stay in business if they can, and this is what I can do

looks like a fun little city car

coolest gas station I've seen in a while!

found on http://flaviogomes.warmup.com.br/