Jalopnik: Custom Cars/Hot Rods

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

Mike Bumbeck — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:00:00 EDT

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.

SEMA 2007: Quadracycle!

Mike Bumbeck — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 18:00:00 EDT

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.

ENGINE SUPERNOVA POTENTIAL!

Mike Bumbeck — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:30:00 EDT

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.

La Vida Lowrider: Cruising the City of Angels

Mike Bumbeck — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:30:00 EDT

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]

SEMA 2007: Small Block Chevy Quadracycle

Mike Bumbeck — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:00:00 EDT

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.

Bourget's Bike Works Introduces New Small Block Powered Quadracycle for 2008

Phoenix, AZ - Bourget's Bike Works, manufacturers of highly sought after custom motorcycles and accessories, announced the newest addition to the 2008 model lineup crossing the boundaries into the personal transportation marketplace. On display at SEMA is the 2008 Bourget's Shredder F-80. The Shredder F-80 is the industry's first limited production V8 powered quadra-cycle being offered from Bourget's Bike Works beginning January 2008.

With the look and feel of an open riding position similar to a motorcycle, but the ride,performance, and handling of a high-end sports car, the Shredder bridges the gap of these two types of vehicles appealing to many buyers wanting to ride a bike without the risk and worries of balancing on two wheels. Using many parts from the automotive industry including a small block Chevrolet V8, suspension, and steering components, this vehicle appeals to many consumers in the Hot Rod industry looking for a unique vehicle to customize and enhance. Future options will include a number of engine and transmission choices that allow the end user to achieve gas mileage as high as 50MPG.

"As the personal transportation market continues to grow, I wanted to build a new breed of vehicle that customers can get excited about, feel comfortable about riding, and customize it like the hot rods of the past with relative ease" said Roger Bourget, President of Bourget's Bike Works, "These machines will appeal to a new breed of open-air rider, and change the future landscape of the performance market."

SPECIFICATIONS:

- Limited Production of 25 Per Year
- MSRP - Starting at $90,000.00 USD
- 425 Horsepower, 383 Fast Burn Chevrolet Crate Motor
- Turbo 350 Automatic Transmission
- Winters "Quick Change" Rear End
- Porsche 930 CV Joints
- 4-Wheel Independent Suspension
- Power Rack and Pinion Steering
- All Aluminum Body
- Custom 17 x 12 Aluminum Wheels with AVON 330 Tires

[Bourget's Bike Works]

SEMA 2007: V7 Super Coupe Rolling to Vegas

Mike Bumbeck — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:15:00 EDT

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]

- Sui-Slide doors
- Articulated hatch
- 3,165 pounds
- 40/60 weight bias
- Twin turbo 395ci LS engine, prox. 925 wheel hp
- HRE 597R wheels, 18x10, 19x12, 275/35ZR18, 345/30ZR19 Michelin Pilots
- Mendeola sequential transaxle
- Viper-ized suspension
- Baer 6S 14-inch rotors w/6-piston calipers
- Cobra Misano seats
- Hot Rod Air HVAC
- Audio system delete

SEMA 2007: Big Daddy and Mopar to Burn Nitro Again

Mike Bumbeck — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:00:00 EDT

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]

ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR BIG DADDY

Don Garlits supercharges the new 392 HEMI Crate Engine with a
vintage 6-71 blower and takes it back in time to power his historic
Swamp Rat XII dragster. The Mopar® Wynn's Charger commemorates
his long association with both Chrysler and Wynn's.
The new 392 HEMI Crate Engine is the latest chapter in Big Daddy's
long history with Chrysler, starting with the 331-cubic-inch FirePower
HEMI V8 he adopted in 1956. Then, fifty years ago, he upgraded to the
new 392 FirePower HEMI and started a long series of record-breaking
performances. In 1959 Garlits added the first supercharger to his 392,
and he never looked back. Even when Chevrolet and Ford came
knocking with fistfuls of dollars, Big Daddy stood firm. "I like my
Chryslers," he said. "Money wasn't always everything."
The new Mopar Wynn's Charger also marks the renewal of Wynn's
sponsorship of Don Garlits. The relationship began in 1960 when a
Wynn's decal first appeared on Swamp Rat III. "Wynn's was the first
company to sponsor me," said Big Daddy. "Before that, the only help I
got was free parts." The name "Wynn's Jammer" appeared on Swamp
Rat VII a few years later. The current name, "Wynn's Charger," was on
Swamp Rat X and was last seen on Swamp Rat XXIII in 1977 ... until the
launch of today's historic new Mopar Wynn's Charger.

TECH SPECS:

Engine: ...................... Mopar 392 HEMI Crate Engine, modified by
Don Garlits
Horsepower: ............ Not yet measured, but more than adequate
Fuel Injection:.......... Vintage Crower Four-Port
Intake Manifold:...... Hand-fabricated in Big Daddy's shop
Supercharger:.......... 6-71 with vintage 392 front snout and rare
Reath Automotive rear cover
Compression:........... 7.0:1 (Venolia pistons)
Camshaft:.................. Crane "Nitro"
Crankshaft:............... Mopar 392
Oil Pump: .................. Mopar 392
Clutch:....................... Schiefer multi-disc
Gears:........................ High gear only
Fuel Pump:................ Vintage Mechanical. Driven off blower
rear cover
Fuel:........................... 80% Nitro, 20% Methanol
Chassis: .................... Garlits Swamp Rat 12-A, restored
Wheelbase:.............. 137 inches (200 inches overall length)
Weight: ..................... 1500 lbs

Manta in Frankfurt, But Where's the Foxtail?

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:30:00 EDT

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?

Dad's Turbo Dodge Caravan

Mike Bumbeck — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 15:00:00 EDT

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]

The man known as Coop has installed a bang ...

Mike Bumbeck — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:30:00 EDT

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.

In Russia, Devil Runs With YOU!

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:30:00 EDT

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]

Bonneville Oder Bankrott Machen! Blown Teutonic Belly Tanker

Mike Bumbeck — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 13:00:00 EDT

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]

Coop Scores Speed Parts

Davey G. Johnson — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:00:00 EDT

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]

Heavily Tweaked Lada

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:00:00 EDT

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]

Coop Hits the Swap Meet

Davey G. Johnson — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 21:45:00 EDT

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]

In Russia, Air Brushes YOU!

Davey G. Johnson — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EDT

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]

Moskvitchin'!

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:15:00 EDT

We suppose that surreal is subjective. By and large we'd think of a Ford Taunus stuffed full of overly-turboed Cosworth power as generally, awesome, if a little bit foreign. But when one builds a full-race Moskvitch in primer, with no back window, apparently to allow air-fuel-mixture calibration via inhalation, surreal creeps into our Californian brain. We're assuming that the language is Finnish. And well, the Finns are a somewhat surreal people in the first place — just look, they dress like a cross between circa-1997 emo kids and aged Ulster pub patrons.

Iowahawk's Hot Rod Glossary

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 21:30:00 EDT

The language rodders speak can be downright confusing at times. Chopping, channeling, frenching, Z-ing, sectioning, etc. But now, thanks to Iowahawk, the non-rod literate have a handy-dandy guide to phrases bandied about at your average NSRA event. Yes, now you too can hang with old dudes who can't get enough doo-wop in their diets! Excelsior! [Iowahawk]

Every Girl's Crazy 'Bout a Ford Coupe Man

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EDT

Apparently, all one really needs to get a dance with the girl of his dreams is a Chuck Lombardo hot-rodded '33 Model 41, and the apparitions of Frank Beard, Dusty Hill and Billy F. Gibbons. Oh, and some spandex-clad hotties as stylists/entourage. Mostly, we don't miss the '80s. Sometimes, however, we do.

Bruce's Baja Bug!

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:45:00 EDT

A man had or has a cousin named Bruce. In the 1970s, Bruce built a Baja Bug, apparently before the style became somewhat codified as a classic icon of Californian backyard engineering. It features a wacky cue or six, but after growing up surrounded by custom Beetles, the fact that we see fewer and fewer on the road these days makes us nostalgic for the days when any nutball with a wrench would cut up a Bug and make it his own. Here's to you, Bruce.

GT-Fiero?

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:00:00 EDT

Ah, the ceaselessly amazing world of Fiero-based exotic replicas. Which DNA has been implanted in the Fiero cell this time? Yes, it is indeed that of the Mk1 Ford GT40. V8 Archie's GT4T has V8 power, front and rear clamshell lids and um, uh, no Gurney Hump. Still, for a mere $45k, you can go out and shame Enzo Fiero all over again! We're totally buying one to go with our A.J. Foyt mask. Now we just need to find an ersatz Mulsanne straight in some sprawling Central Valley mixed-use office-industrial complex.

GT4T [V8 Archie's]

So-Cal LS7 Chevelle

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:30:00 EDT

Former GM CFO John Devine needed a vehicle to spend his retirement bux on. And Pete Chapouris of So-Cal Speed Shop is a pretty reliable guy to spend a lot of money with. We've been fans of most everything that has rolled out of Chapouris' various shops over the years, we can't take much exception with this '66 Chevelle. It's pretty standard restomod fare; the original 283 yanked in favor of latest and greatest production GM V8, Global West suspension, Baer brakes, and some big Budnik salt-flat style kidney bean billet wheels with a brushed nickel finish. We do, however, wish they'd left the Corvette emblems off. 'Vette badges on anything that isn't a Plastic Fantastic have always struck us as a tad gauche.

So-Cal Speed Shop 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle LS7 - Devine Intervention [Hot Rod]

Related:
The Summer School Chevelle [Internal]

Boring Valley Nights

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 20:45:00 EDT

One of our fave bits of automotive cinema is the trash-talk session that leads up to the stoplight-to-stoplight race between Bob Falfa and John Milner in American Graffiti. While the film's been beaten to death by balding dudes with braided belts and denim shorts, it's filled to the brim with gearhead goodness. We caught a big-screen showing a few years back at the gorgeous Paramount Theatre in Oakland and grinned through the whole thing. It's summer, we're in the Central Valley, and we're wishing we had an eight-pot mill to stomp on that wasn't attached to a truck.

Related:
The Internet Movie Car Database; Halleluiah [Internal]

Granny Steals Gumby's Hot Rod!

Davey G. Johnson — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 19:15:00 EDT

Poor Pokey gets treated to a thrill ride of glaucoman proportions when Granny loses her glasses and takes off in Gumby's T-Bucket. Dig the Irish motorcycle cop and the beatniks in the stands at the drag races. If only real life was more like a Gumby short. Sigh...

Related:
Eiffel Tower High: Surreal Citroen ID Spot [Internal]

It Was All Part of the Fun

Mike Bumbeck — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 16:00:00 EDT

Chris Economaki slugged it out as an announcer for racetracks across the country before he took the helm of Speed Sport News, or wore the yellow jacket for Wide World of Sports. In the '50s Economaki had followed the promotional efforts of Sam Nunis to Sioux Falls, where he saw a bunch of guys unloading a sophisticated timing device from a truck parked on the infield before the race.

"They struggle to get it up the stairs of the judges stand, and they place it in clear sight of the grandstand. The device has a dial that's about 18 inches in diameter.
Qualifying gets under way and we're really hyping this timing device. 'Breaking the second into one thousand parts, timing these record speeds with absolute precision!'

The dial spun while the clock operated, and stopped when the car flashed across the finish line. The hand on the dial actually spun so fast you couldn't see it with the naked eye. I'm wondering while I'm looking at it, how could the clutch work properly to stop the hands of the dial without slippage? I was curious.
Winkley is sitting in front of the machine, operating the timer, and I'm calling out the times as they're given to me. 'The time, 24 and 232 one-thousandths of a second...' I'm talking away when I look down from the judges stand, and the wires from this timing device are lying in the grass, coiled up and are plugged into nothing.

It was a phony! It was simply something to hype these 'record' speeds, and Winkley was simply winding up the clock mechanism, and making the dial spin while the cars qualified.

Again, it was a little bit of a con. The fans of today simply wouldn't but that sort of thing, no doubt about it. But many people of the era always suspected that the things being hyped weren't necessarily on the level, but there was an underlying chuckle at the same time. It was all part of the fun."

Excerpt from: Let 'Em All Go! The Story of Auto Racing by the Man who was there by Chris Economaki [daveargabright.com]

– Mike Bumbeck

The Wheels On the Bus Go 'Round and 'Round

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 22:30:00 EDT

Who doesn't secretly wish he or she owned a wheelstanding school bus? It's a goddamn wheelstanding school bus, after all. You hear? A school bus that does wheelstands! Think of the fun to be had! The mirth to be made! The wheels to be stood upon! Admit it. You totally want one. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
Fun With Econolines: Grenaded Pickup [Internal]

It's The Sacramento Autorama! In July!

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 22:30:00 EDT

The boys over at Rod & Custom hit the Sacramento Autorama last February and came back with shots of sleds of all stripes. Oddly enough, the Autorama was where we saw our first in-the-Kevlar-and-Lexan Ferrari F40 when we were but a simple and unformed Jalopnik of twelve. It's a Sacto tradition of sorts, having run longer than any indoor rod/custom event save the Grand National Roadster Show. But there is one thing R&C reports that is emphatically not true: Sacramento is not in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. Sacramento, after all, has its own valley. If it didn't, how would natives be able to look down on the denizens of Fresno? – Davey G. Johnson

2007 Sacramento Autorama [Rod & Custom]

Related:
The Sacramento Autorama [Internal]

Syncronicity!

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 22:45:00 EDT

A passel of Benelux VW Syncro-heads (or at least ones from the Bene bit) got together for some good crawlin', Euro style. Hashish and Chimay undoubtedly followed. Volkswagen bahn-less slow hoons of the Low Countries for the win! [Thanks to eltonito for the tip.]

Corvette Bummer

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:45:00 EDT

For your evening enjoyment, we bring you what may be the lamest car chase to feature a cast member of Star Wars IV-VI. Plus, you know, there's that amazingly-customized 'Vette and an early-~~3rd~~ 2nd-Gen TA. Sadly, they blew up the wrong car. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
The Endless Corvette Summer [Internal]

Fezza And Fords, Photos

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 14:45:00 EDT

In some ways, hot rodding is an unfortunate ghetto full of Comic Book Store guys in either braided belts with denim shorts or full-sleeve tat-clichés. In others, it's a liberating act of can-do American yahooism; a tribute to those who came before and laid down the awesome. One can argue that guys like Jim Hall and Carroll Shelby were basically rodders who wanted to go around corners faster and had either in-your-face corporate backing (Shelby as part of FoMoCo's Total Performance program) or backdoor engineering and parts (in the case of Hall). In that light, how much of a stretch is a hop over to Maranello and take a peek at what Enzo came up with? And how different is Pininfarina from the stateside custom coachbuilders (especially given a return to that actual practice with Peter Kalikow's 612 Kappa and James "Jiminy" Glickenhaus' P4/5)? Ryan from the Jalopy Journal connects the dots and lined up a 575, his own Keith Tardel-built Model A Coupe and Steve Wertheimer's Austin icon, The Black Dahlia. We would drive any of these cars. Proudly. – Davey G. Johnson

The Ferrari Shoot [The Jalopy Journal via Autoblog]

Related:
Big Daddy Glickenhaus On The Ford/Ferrari War [Internal]

Open House of Velocity and Tradition

Mike Bumbeck — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 12:00:00 EDT

The worst of Los Angeles must often be endured to find the best of what makes Southern California great. The reward for fighting a brutal snarl of typical eastbound Friday afternoon Los Angeles traffic was the So-Cal Speed Shop Open House. The history that began with Alex Xydias after World War Two is still being made. The SoCal 800 horsepower turbocharged and intercooled Ecotec-powered 34 roadster carries tradition down the long black line of land speed racing, and Jimmy Shine creations help keep tradition rolling down the boulevards of the basin. As shown by the sheer number of machines and folks that rolled in from as far away as Vermont, the So-Cal Speed Shop continues at the nexus of California hot rodding. While the LA Roadster Show may catch more notoriety, they weren't giving away In-N-Out Burgers. – Mike Bumbeck

So-Cal Speed Shop [so-calspeedshop.com]

2CV Buggy!

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:00:00 EDT

Less-rounded than a 2CV or even a Mehari; more minimialist than the sparest, most spartan FAF, this Citroën-based buggy is simply complete lightweight, peasant-grade awesome. We we'd find some sort of eternal field and drive across it forever in this blatting yellow sweetheart. We would indeed. – Davey G. Johnson

Jalopy Journal Interviews Cole Foster

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:15:00 EDT

El Jalopnik de Pedro has interviewed Cole Foster a few times in the past. As a builder, he's never built a car or bike we didn't like; his grasp of the history of automotive design is somehow just completely inherent. Plus, he's an old skatepunk whose dad built and raced Fuel cars. Anyway, Ryan Cochrane from the Jalopy Journal interviewed Cole. We like Ryan. We like Cole. Go read it; Mr. Foster's a classic piece of late-20th-Century Californiana, while his cars and bikes? Well those pretty much say everything. – Davey G. Johnson – Photo: Dave Deluxe

Cole Foster [The Jalopy Journal]

Related:
The Cole Foster/Kirk Hammett '36 Coupe Debuts! [Internal]

Roudi Rodded Audi on eBay

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:00:00 EDT

This vehicle obviously was built to do two things: chew bubble gum and kick ass. And it's all out of bubble gum. A Ford truck chassis, Audi 5000 body, a crazy man from South Carolina, a 390 and a custom-perforated front skidplate all hatched a plot to make something outrageously badical. And the bidding's only at fifteen-hunnert! Can't beat that! Can't beat that with a stick! [Thanks to Haller for the tip.] – Davey G. Johnson

Roudi Audi [eBay]

Related:
Yeehaw! Rock-Climbin' '74 Challenger [Internal]

Beijing Jeep! Wrangler Jeep!

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 19:00:00 EDT

Apparently the Beijing Jeep 2020 is a smelly, slow, noisy, unreliable bucket of bolts. For hot nights out on the boulevards of Pudong and the alleyways of Puxi, a man needs a shiny, bright vehicle. Like say, perhaps, a Wrangler Rubicon! And the people at China Car Times show you kinda-sorta just how to do that. It'll still be an unreliable bucket of bolts, we assume. But you'll be rocking the city ThnderBlt Doherty style — in urban Wrangler delight. – Davey G. Johnson

Take your old Beijing Jeep 2020 and make it into a Wrangler [China Car Times]

Rover, Schmover! An LS1 Manta!

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 22:45:00 EDT

According to this righteous Manta's owner, regardling the 3.5L Rover V8, "This is a rather lazy engine which is ready to be removed from the car." And that's just what this wacky Norwegian did, getting permission from the authorities to swap in the LS1 from a Firebird. Now we're thinking dry-sump. Now we're thinking over 400 inches of displacement. Now we're going all batshit-googly-eyed over the idea of an LS7 Manta. Mmmm... – Davey G. Johnson

Opel Manta V8 Power

Related:
Engine Swap of the Day: V8 Manta [Internal]

Mantasm!

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 21:00:00 EDT

We really don't care if the Opel Manta is considered the IROC-Z of Europe. We don't, we don't, we don't. Because we in our aging post-hipster wisdom simply think it's one of the coolest cars ever made. Rust? Suckage? Doesn't matter. It's a goddamn Manta, people. A turbo-dorifto-hoon Manta? Well, that's even better. Hit play and get rocked by Jack White, Meg White and Adam Opel. Ride the lightning, children. Ride it like it's freakin' Seabiscuit. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
Mein Gott! Manta, Der Film! [Internal]

Hangin' at the Dekostora

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 29 May 2007 19:30:00 EDT

Japanese chain Autobacs is legendary for carrying all kinds of wacky-ass crap for cars. We lurves us some Autobacs, but we've just stumbled across a store that may be even better. From what we've gleaned from this video, Shop Jet carries everything one needs to turn one's everyday Hino or Fuso into a cerebrum-fucking, soul-searing dekotora. It may well be the best store ever invented. Is there a Los Angeles franchise up for bids? Also, we want dude's helmet. Lock On! – Davey G. Johnson

Standing at the Gates of the West: So-Cal Hot Rodding and the War

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 28 May 2007 16:30:00 EDT

To Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, the Gates of the West may have been New York City. Or Saint Louis. Or San Francisco, where they holed up to record overdubs and vocal tracks for Give 'Em Enough Rope with Sandy "More Cowbell" Pearlman. But for many returning soldiers at the end of World War II, the Gates of the West were the breakwaters of San Pedro Bay, at the dangling, southwesterly tip of Los Angeles. Last night, Kasey Dubspeed and I did a runner from the coast up to Cole Coonce's place in Eagle Rock (or "Buzzard Boulder," as Cole perennially refers to it) for his annual Memorial Day barbeque. Cole's backyard is somehow an odd nexus of Los Angeles culture of the city's Golden Age. I spent much of the evening chatting with fashion-and-film-industry people, but at Cole's, one may just as likely end up in a conversation with a Top Fuel driver, a cycling fanatic or a random person who saw the Germs like 48 times and lived to tell the tale. The Second War, as Mike Watt refers to it, gave the world Los Angeles — a diverse, wonderful, maddening, depressing, stunning, sick megalopolis. The GIs who stepped off the boat here after the cessation of hostilities gave us hot rodding.

As I've stated before, hot rods were one of the first things that captured my imagination as a child. T-Buckets were common in Sacramento in those days, and I grew up a mile from what was the largest speed shop in Northern California: Tognotti's Auto World. Now and then, my dad would go up there to pick up a mundane part for our Belvedere or Catalina and I'd stare at the Weiand blowers on the wall and wished he was buying one of those; that it'd stick through the hood of the oxidized Pontiac that his students in the ghetto referred to as "Mr. Johnson's rustproof car."

The girl down the street, my first kiss, had a couple of older brothers who bought, crashed and sold musclecars like it was nothing. Years after they left home, there was still an Edelbrock sticker in her mom's garage window. Spun your SS396 Chevelle into a light pole? No problem. You could pick up a GTO next week for under a grand, and living at home with mom as a teenager, it was no problem. The guys who'd picked them up ten years before had wives. They'd become sensible.

But it was the same thing with the rodders after the war. They came home. Got off the boat in San Pedro. Bought homes in Burbank, Bellflower and Long Beach. Everyone had a used car. And in '47, when automotive production began again, 1930s cars were being offloaded; the new now thing was required immediately. And even with that, Ford was on the verge of coming apart at the seams until '49, when they dropped the archetypical shoebox, one of the most important cars in the company's history. But the mechanics who came home from the airfields in Okinawa, Truk, Tarawa and England gravitated here, flush with skills honed working on Merlins and Wasp Majors, some of the most powerful reciprocating engines ever built. They directly benefited from being up close and personal with the bleeding edge of accelerated powertrain technology, with access to plenty of war-surplus scrap. Drop tanks that hadn't been jettisoned when a Focke-Wulf 190 came into view became raw fodder for the construction of Land Speed Record vehicles.

For a lot of guys who came home, it was something to do. They'd gone out and been part of something impossible; the subjugation of two aggressors who'd had a flaming head start on us. And they pulled it off in less time than we've been in Iraq. Asses kicked; names taken. Is it any wonder that they came back and started wondering how they could apply both their bravado and skills to their cars?

The Big Three actually picked up on this pretty early on, and speed companies like Iskenderian did a lot of backdoor development work for the major automakers. For the small cam-grinders and manifold manufacturers of the world, who were in with the guys on the lakes and the dragstrips, it was a boon, as they got access to the latest engines from Detroit. Detroit, however, got something far more valuable — bona-fide ears to the street that served them well a decade-and-a-half later at the beginning of the musclecar era.

My uncle is in his 70s now, and his days in retirement are spent hanging out, wrenching on a couple of Deuces and a Model A panel. When I saw him over Easter, he said to me, "Dave, do you think the hot rod thing is falling off? Because it seems like it to me."

Very few people into rods are under 30 these days. Inexpensive, serviceable used iron is too scarce, and good-quality aftermarket stuff is too pricey. Hot rods were anachronisms when they first happened. But for guys my age and older, they were always around. Now, they are anachronisms, full-stop. They're not so much a shared cultural touchstone, but rather a touchstone of a bygone era.

That said, limiting the hot-rod spirit to pre-'49 cars seems silly these days. I was talking to Richard Rawlings last week. He picked up an old Auburn and is mechanically restoring it and modifying it, but basically leaving the body as is. He wants to take it to Pebble Beach just to fuck with people's perceptions (knowing full-well it'd never end up on the green at the Concours). I told him that he should put a Ford dash in it. Rawlings got the joke, but I realized that these days, there are fewer and fewer people who would. Installing an Auburn dash in a '30s Ford was a common modification for guys who wanted to add a little class to their rides. It's a funny in-joke between two guys of a dwindling number.

Nevertheless, those soldiers who stepped off the boat in Southern California after the war, or the men and women who came down here seeking work at the plants from El Segundo to San Diego; who picked up an after-school job at a neighborhood machine shop that supplied those plants as a way to buy his first car? We have those guys to thank for the spirit of hot rodding.

I have little use for the blanket-propagandist term, "The Greatest Generation." I absolutely hate it when I get one of those, "If you can speak English, thank a veteran" mass e-mails. It smacks of grotesque, ignorant jingoism. If I'm giving thanks to people for the language that allows me to make my living, I thank the Indo-Europeans, Noah Webster, generations of OED staffers, William Shakespeare, various Anglo-Saxons, Saxon and my mom and dad. Plus, although it's rusty now, I suppose I should thank Otto von Bismarck for spearheading the standardization of the German language; a codification that allowed a spastic Austrian with funny facial hair to rally a nation to a sinister end through propaganda and terror.

However, geopolitics, thumbs in the eyes of those who venerate our current administration and rah-rah Americanism aside, if you're driving a modified car today, thank a veteran. – Davey G. Johnson

"Fast as a Shark" is a weekly electronic broadside aimed at what has been historically right and terribly wrong with the autmotive industry and culture. And yeah, we're pretty sure Udo Dirkschneider never flew an Me 163. Rocket Flea Skyward!

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Boating Reliant-Style

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 22 May 2007 16:00:00 EDT

We love the Reliant Robin the way we love a three-legged kitten. You consistently feel sorry for it, but it's impossible not to feel affection for the damned thing. Top Gear, of course, tried to turn one into a Space Shuttle, and the season before that they'd turned a Toyota Hilux, a Vanagon and Triumph Herald into amphibious vehicle. We have no idea whether this particular aquatic Robin still works as a car, but it seems to be doing a damn sight better as a boat than the ones fielded by Clarkson, Hammond and May. It doesn't explode, either, but we still kind of have a crush on it. – Davey G. Johnson

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