Jalopnik
custom cars
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A High-Powered Shrimp On The Barbie
Aussie Super Car Goes On Sale, Electric Version Planned
Everyone’s favorite mid-engined Australian super car has entered the final stages of development with Bolwell finally beginning to take deposits on the $132,000 car. The Bolwell Nagari drops a 3.5-liter Toyota V6 into a composite chassis, mating the 295 HP engine to a 6-speed paddle-shifter. At just 2,020 Lbs, that should be more than enough to propel the Nagari to 60 in around four seconds, which we hear is fast enough to outrun saltwater crocodiles.
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The Horror, The Horror
Why Kit Cars Have A Bad Reputation: The Front-Engine Countach
Close the drapes and be certain young children are not in the room, for this is horror on an entirely inconceivable scale. The utter malice exhibited through this monstrosity should be punishable. We believe this was once a Fox-body Mustang; what it is now is a horrifying interpretation of a Lamborghini Countach (kind of), but the Craigslist seller doesn't deign to reveal anything else about the car, assuming the styling will stand on its own — and command $29,900. There is no question whether this is a Nice Price or Crack Pipe; This is "ten years strung out, sleeping in the garbage bins behind a Korean restaurant" level Crack Pipe. (Thanks for the brain-maiming tip Dylan) [Craigslist, Here if it disappears]
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found on ebay
Trick Or Treat: Toyota MR2 In Porsche Carrera GT Costume
This Toyota MR2 dressed to look like a Porsche Carrera GT isn't going to trick anybody. It may have Porsche badges glued on, but they're not enough to distract you from the sickening proportions and ridiculous build quality. We haven't seen a supercar kit this bad since the Fierrari Enzo. The Porsche costume is mounted on a salvage-title 2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder with a modest 138 HP 1.8-liter four-banger. So how much would you pay for such an exotic motor vehicle? Well, the current bid is $12,000...but the reserve hasn't even been met.
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custom cars
Nova Kit Car Builder Admits To Decades Of Crazy Customization
The story of Steve McHugh, the man behind the radical Nova kit car we initially posted on a lark (and because we're automotive sadists) just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser. Steve recently emailed us to let us in on a little secret — he's been building crazy-ass cars for nigh on twenty-eight years now. Since 1980, Steve's been applying his personal style of vehicular extremism to anything he can get his hands on. He even sent us pictures of this favorites. Heck, we'll let him tell you all about it below, along with more pics of Steve's marvelous mechanical masterpieces.
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found on ebay
The Greatest Fierrari Enzno Ever Sold
We've seen a lot of Fierraris lately, hopefully the world runs out of Fieros eventually so we aren't subjected to the ongoing night terrors they induce, but this one is particularly brash. This p**sy magnet yellow Fierrari Enzno is perhaps the finest example of the breed, complete with crooked, off-brand Ferrari prancing horse logos, four off-kilter exhaust tips, pop-up DVD player, brilliantly executed engine-cover-mounted TV antenna, luxurious APC racing seats... the list goes on and on. The best part is this car's claim to fame.
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kit cars
Blackjack Zero, Now With Moto Guzzi Power
The quirky Morgan Super Sport inspired Blackjack Zero has until this point been powered by a VW flat four air cooled motor and the occasional 2CV plant. However, based on pictures on their website, it looks like Blackjack is set to sell one to hook up to Moto Guzzi power. There's no info to back anything up at this point, but the resulting car should be quite a bit lighter, with better cooling, and we're wondering if the standard shaft-drive can be reused for the little car. It would be mighty interesting to have a tiny car with 80 HP, a sequential transmission, and shaft drive now wouldn't it?
[Blackjack]
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novelties
CNN Revisits Italian Fauxrrari Forgeries
Proving once again the speed with which stories are cycled through in a 24-hour-news-cycle network, CNN has decided to run coverage on the gang of Italian Ferrari forgers we brought you back in February. The in-depth coverage includes pointing to, and comparing pictures of, a real Ferrari 328 GTS against the real fake example. Italian-accented experts remark on how good the outside is, then point out how poorly-executed the interior and engine are. Honestly, as far as Fierarris go, this one isn't too bad, and the dimmer among us would probably fall for the fakery unless giving it a more than a passing glance. [CNN] -
found on ebay
Salet GT5 Concept Is Toyota MR2 in $40,000 Duds
Straight from the bowels of eBay comes the Salet GT5 Concept. We'll have to admit this is one of the better Toyota MR2 custom builds we've seen, but we're betting the 19 PSI turbo system will have that four cylinder blowing oil all over the fire wall in no time. It will be a quick car until that happens though, power is a claimed 302 HP and with such a light car it's probably a hoot. This one comes from the always unpredictable fakers at rarecars.org who seem to have a penchant for building exotic cars based on the Fiero. Why does this remind us of a certain horrible yellow Russian Cayenne? [eBay]
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novelties
Kute Kupcake Kit Kars Konfuse Kalifornians
Everybody loves kit cars and cupcakes, right? Well, what about when the kit cars are actual cupcakes? BoingBoing TV took a look at a few "muffiners" (as they call themselves) in California (but why not "muffinEERS?) who make "artistic" cupcake cars for the "purpose" of... um, well, we're not exactly "sure." If you want to skip the artsy part of the video above, jump to 2:47 in the movie, which point the creator lifts the muffin top to expose the inner workings of these homemade vehicle-cum-cupcakes. The simplicity of the kits was a little surprising, as pastries modded for automotive use go. More »
