One of my vices is vises, James Smart

James Smart was an industrialist in Brockville Ontario , founding first the Brockville Novelty Works specializing in foundry work, and after acquiring his nephews company, Smart and Shepherd renaming it the James Smart Manufacturing company. Previous post here. The company made a wide variety of tools and iron products including the above vise.

Sidecar Sunday

Putting the lowly Honda Tinstar to work...

1948 AJS 7R

1948 AJS 7R, a new design 350cc single with chain-driven overhead cam enclosed in a distinctive magnesium housing on the right side of the engine. These were difficult times for the British motor industry with restrictions on steel and other materials.  The use of magnesium for the engine crankcases, cambox and gearbox shell was quite an advance for a production machine, even as a racer produced in limited numbers. 
 The bike picked up the nickname "Boy Racer" early on and enjoyed racing success from its introduction. Development continued throughout 1950s and it was discontinued in 1963.

Lockheed, 1942

Oldsmobile Firenza

This is a 1976 ad, and clearly calls this version of the Chevrolet Monza a Firenza, when everything else I can find online says the Firenza was not produced till 1982 as a front drive J car. 

NSU cross section

This is  the mid fifties 250 cc single with the unique and interesting camshaft drive composed of two connecting rods running on eccentrics along side of the cylinder. Explained well here.

thanks, Rolf!

Suzuki 350 Goose

This was a basic road bike built in the 1990s, based on a tuned version of the DR350 engine. The name comes from the shape of the sidecover- supposedly imitating the Gooseneck curve on the Isle of Man. I think it's a pretty good looking bike aside from the weird crowded, kinked look of the headpipe. 
We never got it here in North America but I expect it would sell well today, maybe utilizing the DR400 engine. (and fix that exhaust pipe!)

Royal Enfield, 1960

The end of an Auxiliary Diner car

 The Waterloo Central had acquired this CNR auxiliary diner car in the hopes of adding it to the excursion trains.  Restoration was planned but unfortunately in the end it was considered to be too far gone to fix. Heavy equipment was called in and the car was soon reduced to scrap. The trucks will be reused.

BSA Racing Equipment

Built for Looks, not for Speed