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Posts Tagged “

Custom Cars/Hot Rods

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autorama

2008 Builder Of The Year: Gene Winfield

His work has been seen on TV series such as Bewitched, Star Trek, and Get Smart, as well as on the big screen in Blade Runner, Robocop, Back to the Future II, and Sleeper. So it really comes as no surprise that the 2008 Motorama Builder Of The Year is Gene Winfield. He's one of the greats, right up there with Ed Roth and George Barris. He was one of the first to make a "Lead Sled" Mercury, but it's obvious that he wasn't tied down to just that particular sort of Kustom. Even if you're not into "blended" paint jobs or the low stances, you really can't ignore the talent and creativity this gentleman still has. There's so much we could say, but we'll just let you enjoy the gallery below of his display at the 2008 Detroit Autorama.

5:45 PM on Tue Mar 11 2008
By Mark Arnold
2,600 views, 24 comments

Latest by FЯeeMan: What in the world is this? more »

sema

SEMA 2007: Twin-Turbo LS1 V7 Super Coupe in Vegas

The night and day efforts of three guys over the course of six months is under the lights here in sin city. Twin turbos on the LS1 helped twist the dyno to to read 1067 horsepower and 980 foot pounds of torque and make the V7 Super Coupe, as Phil from American Super Car put it - a D9 Cat in Corvette clothing. Right after bolting in the steering column before this shot was taken the crew realized the adapter hub for the steering wheel didn't exist. Phil fired up the mill at 4AM last Thursday morning and machined one so the car could get here and Mequires could put the detail on the machine for their booth. Next year promises a 1966 supercharged mid-engine drop top Vette.

4:00 PM on Wed Oct 31 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
2,707 views, 25 comments

Latest by SeanKHotay: While this project has its issues, I'm in the "this is what SEMA should be" camp. It's "SEM", not "OEM". Tho I'd entertain an OGEMA expo... more »

sema

SEMA 2007: Quadracycle!

Attempting to move quickly away from the country karaoke guy sitting and singing Eastbound and Down to electronic accompaniment from PA mounted to the lift gate of his pickup found us in short proximity of the none other than the Bourget's Bike Works Quadracycle. Passerby reaction seemed to be split between man that's over the top, and boy that makes more sense than a V8 motorcycle. All agreed to wanting to put that hammer down twist the throttle and give it hell.

6:00 PM on Tue Oct 30 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
3,062 views, 13 comments

Latest by contender: This and the Bombardier/Sea Doo/Can Am three wheeler are ridiculous. All of the lack of safety of a motorcycle on a vehicle you can't split lanes on. The power-to-weight coupled with the additional grip (relative to a motorcycle) more »

sema

ENGINE SUPERNOVA POTENTIAL!

Every now and again we have to revisit the reasons sinking endless hours and buckets of coinstar trappings into our rides somehow worth the effort. Last week we motored down to Torrance from Montrose in the mighty Starion for some wrenching, a late cobb salad down at the Hof's Hut, and to pick up a turbo heat shield bracket that had snapped after twenty years of heat cycling. Kelly was prepping Mario's car for the trip to sin city, and Mark came over to suggest propane turbo engine swaps for the Starlet. After some more wrenching on our own Starion we're off to SEMA today. If you see a mushroom cloud on your way out to Las Vegas don't worry. The nuclear test ban treaty is still in effect. The Star of Astron has merely gone supernova, and I'll need a ride.

2:30 PM on Mon Oct 29 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
952 views, 5 comments

Latest by Turboner: Those cars are way too clean to have 10 years on my Talon. more »

lowrider

La Vida Lowrider: Cruising the City of Angels

The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles is hosting a selection of the city denizen's automotive creations that defy the soulless mechanicals of modern commuter boxes by proudly representing the culture and families that crafted the machines. While one group of post WW2 hooligan Angelenos were seeking higher velocity out on SoCal dry lakebeds, another was going slower - and lower, on the streets of the basin. The exhibition marks the second time the museum has scraped a group of Lowriders into its halls. Cars, bicycles, motorcycles, and even a few baby carriages have been chosen based on historical significance and sheer hypnotizing power of metalflake and chrome. The show opens tomorrow and runs through June 8th. [La Vida Lowrider via Petersen.org]

6:30 PM on Fri Oct 26 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
3,827 views, 36 comments

Latest by n/a: @Novaload: That Mark V would be a 79. On a side note, being probably the only one here that actually drives a lowrider, I am ashamed that that green 79 Monte Carlo, (what is left of it anyways) made into the more »

sema

SEMA 2007: Small Block Chevy Quadracycle

Featuring such luxury amenities as power rack and pinion steering and a 425 horsepower 383 cubic-inch Chevrolet small block is the Bourget's Shredder F-80 Quadracycle. This beast is designed to attract that group of the motorgoing public that wants to ride a motorcycle, but can't be bothered screwing around with just two wheels. A quick change rear differential puts the power to the ground through a pair of Porsche 930 constant velocity joints and what will certainly be a short-lived set of Avon tires. A mere 90K will put you in on the driver's seat. Press release and specifications after the jump. More »

3:00 PM on Fri Oct 26 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
4,609 views, 35 comments

Latest by Stoatmaster: The handlebars and steered wheels are at the wrong end. Would look a lot better channelling the Auto Union vibe. Alternatively, I can see a serious snowmobile here. Hell, there's even a jet ski in there. more »

sema

SEMA 2007: V7 Super Coupe Rolling to Vegas

The thrashing has ended on one end of the country for the American Super Car crew. With the fiberglass dust finally settled in the shop, the V7 Super Coupe has been loaded onto the transporter and is on its way to sin city for some twin-turbo mid-engine Corvette mayhem at the Meguiar's booth at SEMA. Looks like the old man knocked out the tractor beam after all. Hit it, Chewie! Specs and bonus pic after the jump. [Thanks again to Ro McGonegal for the images and tips]
More »

2:15 PM on Fri Oct 26 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
4,838 views, 32 comments

Latest by htrodblder: Please tell me he cut up a real vette to build that, if only to piss off those jerkoff corvette guys more »

sema

SEMA 2007: Big Daddy and Mopar to Burn Nitro Again

Big Daddy Don Garlits has always liked his Chryslers. He stuck with the hemispherical variety of engine even when the dark forces of moneyed sponsorship tried to convince him otherwise. Back in May we found out that he continues to enjoy stuffing hemis down into the framerails. The Swamp Rat XII is now finished and rolling out to SEMA from Florida. The vintage 6:71 blower looks better than bitchen raking down on top of the modern 392 mill. Release and specifications after the jump. [Big Daddy Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing] More »

1:00 PM on Fri Oct 26 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
1,200 views, 4 comments

Latest by moparlepore: Front engine? Kind of hard to figure, looks like "Big Daddy's" going back words. Does he want to blow his foot off this time, or a couple more toes? Good luck Don, you scare the shit out of me. more »

frankfurt auto show

Manta in Frankfurt, But Where's the Foxtail?

While stalking the nether regions of the Frankfurt Auto Show, Kapitan Bumbeck stumbled across this fine example of a Manta GT/E. This '79 model features a rousing 105 Pferdestarker and a bodykit wide enough to plug the Fulda Gap; we're grooving hard on the period BBS wheels. The question is, would Jimmy McRae drive it? If he wouldn't, we would. We think we'd up the horsepower quotient a bit, though. Turbo Ecotec, anyone?

2:30 PM on Tue Sep 18 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
1,049 views, 2 comments

Latest by Elhigh: The first and finest member of my personal Fantasy Garage. more »

gratuitous friday burnout

Dad's Turbo Dodge Caravan

From the 800-dollar turbocharged minivan department comes this 1989 Dodge Caravan SE with genuine simulated woodgrain trim. Along with doing toasty burnouts, the minivan has run the quarter mile in 12.65 seconds at Route 66 Dragway thanks to a set of slicks and 24 pounds of boost pushing through the stock 140K plus miles mill. The initial 800-dollar purchase price has been long-forgotten after all the modifications required to get the Iacocca Special into the 12-second zone. This guy figures if a 14-second minivan can beat most cars on the road, then a 12-second minivan can beat them all! [Dad's Turbo Minivan Bonanza]

3:00 PM on Fri Sep 7 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
6,519 views, 21 comments

Latest by n/a: Manual minivans FTW I've got an '84 Vanagon myself, four speed, 2' tall shifter on the floor. xD more »

muscle cars

1-in-5 Youngsters Dig Muscle Cars

Results of a survey of magazine readers compiled by SEMA are in, and showing that 1-in-5 fans of hot rods, customs, and muscle cars are in their teens and twenties. The automotive lifestyle survey was sent to readers of Hot Rod, Motor Trend, Popular Hot Rodding, and Rod & Custom along with other Primedia titles. 19.7% of the 16-24 year olds surveyed were interested in muscle cars, 21% in street rods, and 20% in restored vehicles. As Primedia doesn't yet publish Eighties Rustbucket magazine, we can only assume the 20% are busy restoring Merkur Xr4ti's and Dodge Colt turbos. [Complete SEMA Survey Results via SEMA.org]

3:00 PM on Thu Sep 6 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
1,683 views, 18 comments

Latest by danio3834: @elwood: Really tho, where do you draw the line when defining muscle cars. I have an '81 Dodge Mirada, which when it rolled off the Windsor assembly line, t-tops and all, was not a muscle car. However over its many years more »

The man known as Coop has installed a bang up gallery of Speed Week at Bonneville photos on the Flickr. Bathe your eyeballs with the 1327 pics that Coop took while he was out there.

1 comment

low-cost lambo

In Russia, Devil Runs With YOU!

Allegedly, this modified Lada 2108 is supposed to look like a Diablo, but to us, it carries a distinctly Espada vibe. Or maybe that of an Islero. Whatever the case, it's yet another wonderful depiction as to what can happen to a man when armed only with a Lada, too much time on his hands, a set of tools from Gorky's House of Discount Wrenches and a case of bathtub vodka. [English Russia]

2:30 PM on Tue Aug 7 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
1,113 views, 8 comments

Latest by lascauxcaveman: @graviton: Started with this guy: [en.wikipedia.org] more »

it's a long way back to germany

Bonneville Oder Bankrott Machen! Blown Teutonic Belly Tanker

Somewhere between Nebraska and California these guys scored an auxiliary fuel tank previously attached to a 1944 American Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The tank was shipped back to Germany, where it met up with an early hemi, a roots blower, some Merc running gear, and giant tiki head with a 13 on its forehead. The entire project is supported by the Konfederate Klassics crew, who also seem to be building a Kadett V8. [A German Tank in Bonneville via rennabteilung.de]

1:00 PM on Mon Aug 6 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
609 views, 1 comment

Latest by HoubaHouba!: They had to import a P-47 drop tank? We must have dropped a metric shitload of them on Germany in the latter part of dubya dubya two. Or maybe the drop tanks ended up in France, dropped on the way to more »

yes! x-c8!

Coop Scores Speed Parts

Mister Cooper got lucky on a trip to a guy's garage to pick up some new wheels for his Falcon. Besides the aformentioned rolling stock, the famed artist let go of a few more dollars from his Cooply stash, heading home with a vintage Vertex Mag, a classic Edelbrock X-C8 cross-ram intake complete with dual Carters and a pair of classic finned valve covers, all for a Chevy 350 that he's building for a hot rod project. And when Coop says "phaeton," you can be sure the man isn't talking Volkswagen. [Positive Ape Index]

9:00 PM on Thu Aug 2 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
742 views, 4 comments

Latest by danio3834: Cool score, i especially dig the dual quad setup. Any idea what its gonna be used for? more »

in russia, vaz tweaks you!

Heavily Tweaked Lada

English Russia once again comes through with evidence of capitalism's impact on the former Soviet Union. East, meet west. West, meet East. Now add turbochargers and scissor doors. The yikes factor is strong with this one; it's even got a head-up display! We have to admit, we're not entirely sure about the styling but well, it does kinda grab you by the face and yank. Yes comrades, we'll give it that. [English Russia]

5:00 PM on Wed Aug 1 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
8,839 views, 23 comments

not mr. t, model t

Coop Hits the Swap Meet

The one and only Mister Cooper got together with Señor Jalopy and belly-tank Bobby to hit a Model T swap meet in the fine city of Long Beach. As one of the few art critics Los Jalops intrinsically respect — as he himself has a bit of the old artist in him — we dig the man's take on the inherent majesty of the layout of parts on row after row of high-school gym tables covered in whatever's handy. Tin Lizzie-ownership fantasies will soon follow if you've got an American red blood cell in your body. [Positive Ape Index]

9:45 PM on Fri Jul 27 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
614 views, 1 comment

Latest by dorkusmaximus: I feel like I'm ahead of the game. I didn't get sunburned, dirty from sorting through junk all day and hung over from drinking too much beer in the afternoon to motivate myself to search for cool stuff that I more »

alexei, look! art!

In Russia, Air Brushes YOU!

The inimitable English Russia has a gallery from Russia's Aerograph 2007 show, featuring a smattering of obsessively-artified vehicles. Sadly, there's only one ZAZ among the bunch, but as Murilee is wont to say, "...And one Zaporozhets to rule them all!" In fact, most of the vehicles are of German origin, suggesting that while they may have turned around the Germans at Volgograd, Russia's well-heeled would rather drive Mercs than Volgas. [English Russia]

8:00 PM on Thu Jul 26 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
673 views, 10 comments

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