Making a Statement in Steel and Patina:
Hodson Motors Ford F600 Dually

Say what you will about the patina craze we see at SEMA but the distinct weathered ‘n’ worn look just works on certain builds. The trend has come full circle as we’ve seen multiple examples of perfectly fine truck bodies get primered and scuffed up on purpose.

But the father and son duo at Hodson Motors in Las Vegas, NV handcrafts miracles out of the forgotten American iron from decades past. And just when you thought you have seen every iteration of Ford F-series pickup, this 1956 Ford F600 Crew Cab creation rolls in.

“We’ve had this truck for almost seven years,” son Riley Hodson jokes. “It’s always been the ugly duckling in the collection, always been a nightmare to drive. Now it’s excellent and fits in with our other trucks.”

…“the father and son duo at Hodson Motors in Las Vegas, NV handcrafts miracles out of the forgotten American iron from decades past,”...

Hodson’s Dodge DW300 Is an Art Masterpiece!

Over the last several years, the father and son team of Derrick and Riley Hodson of Las Vegas’ Hodson Motors have become synonymous with creating functional works of art from formerly ignored and often abused classic workhorse truck foundations. Combining body parts from light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks and blending them in such a way that is easily overlooked as stock by the casual observer, the team have developed a formula that has proven hard to beat. Their latest is a 1968 Dodge W300 Crew Cab that has taken their build style and pushed it to a whole new level.

Instead of starting from scratch on this project, the Hodson’s started with a partially finished project that the former owner had already invested a considerable amount of time and effort into, creating a solid drivetrain as the foundation to build off of. Starting with a rare 1968 Dodge W200 ¾ ton Crew Cab truck, the former owner installed an early Superduty Dana 60/ Sterling 10.5 axle combo slung on the same era Superduty leaf spring suspension, utilizing custom mounts front and rear. Under the hood he installed a tried and true 5.9L 12 valve Cummins mated to an NV4500 and a divorced NP205 transfer case. It was at this point that Riley purchased the project.

Hodson Motor’s 1965 Jeep J60 Dually:
One of a Kind, One at a Time

You’ve seen their trucks before (and are most likely obsessed with one or all of them if you’re anything like us). Their personal collection of insanely cool, larger-than-life custom pickup creations are definitely labors of love, and each one is an example of equal parts creative vision, healthy obsession and attention to detail and purpose.

Of course, we’re talking about the legendary father/son combo Derrick and Riley Hodson. The Hodsons call the outlying dessert landscape of Las Vegas home, which is just far away from the bright lights of the big city to give them all the peace and quiet they need in order to dream up these large-scale truck build before getting down and dirty bringing them to life.

Classic, rare medium-duty trucks are the Hodsons’ forte, and over the years, they have truly developed a design perspective that is uniquely their own—you’ll know a Hodson truck when you see it. The truck itself will be an industrial-grade pickup of some sort that wasn’t meant for the everyday consumer to hold the keys to, but that’s half of the appeal. Once the guys zero in on a truck they want, they located it, dig it out of its long-time place of rest, and apply their own special sauce to the equation. So far, this process has yet to let them down.

…you’ll know a Hodson truck when you see it…

Even though Derrick and Riley specialize in legitimate medium-duty trucks, they also like to drive the trucks they built—otherwise, what’s the point, right? To allow them to have a get more seat time behind one of their own creations, they sat down and developed what they now affectionately call the Jeep J60—essentially a 4-door J10 pickup. If you’ve never heard of this particular model before, don’t fret—it has never existed. Well, until now.

This particular project was designed to be more of a real-world daily driver. Now, don’t get us wrong—each and every one of their builds is painstakingly designed to function well on the road. Broken down, the Hodson’s Jeep J60 consists of a Jeep Wagoneer 4-door that has been sliced at the back of the cab and sealed up with the back wall of a J10 pickup cab grafted in. The rear doors received a great deal of metalwork to further give this creation the appearance of a true 4-door pickup.

…each and every one of their builds is painstakingly designed to function well on the road…

The front of the cab features a 60’s-era Gladiator grille that resides front and center, as well as wide front fenders from Autofab. The rear features a custom bed, a big side step tailgate, and step side fenders that have been widened a whopping 10 inches! The paint color of choice that makes all those cool customizations gel in complete harmony is Ford Raptor Lead Foot grey—and man, does it look good.

Paint isn’t the only Ford component to be incorporated into the creation of the J60, however, as the full-custom body was laid atop a 2004 Ford F450 dually chassis complete with a 6.0 Powerstroke engine and 5-speed automatic transmission. This truck sounds just as good as it looks with that big diesel rumbling underneath the hood, and to give the truck the oversize appearance that is synonymous with all Hodson trucks, 22-inch American Force wheels covered in 37X13.50R22 Milestar Patagonia X/T tires were bolted into position. The roll bar the guys went with is as burly as it looks—even more so, actually. While a lot of roll bar setups are fabricated out of hollow tube pipe, the stuff used here is solid through and through.

Hopping up into the cab is made easier with AMP Research Powerstep running boards, and with just one glance inside the cab, you’d be blown away by how clean the interior space is. Black and grey upholstered seats and other paneling from TMI Products helped make all the difference in updating and upgrading the entire confines of the J60. Creature comforts are never spared in any of the Hodson one-off pickups. While this truck already boasts an impressive lineup of high-end amenities, the guys wouldn’t dare one of their projects be considered finished without Dakota Digital gauges, a full audio system, power windows and door locks, and of course, ice cold A/C.

While the J60 is hardly alone as the single shining star in the deep Hodson stable, it does stand as one of their favorites. This truck does get a little more road time than some of the others, but that was the point of building it. Unless the guys are just planning to go for a cruise without making many (if any) stops, any selection from their lineup would do just fine, but the J60 has been dialed in to give them everything they love to put into their projects, in a slightly more compact package—even through there’s really nothing small about it.

Five years have been invested into this build, and a talented supporting cast in Nefarious Customs, 6651 Customs, Airth Defined, Cheyenne Ruether, Jeeprecyclers.com, and more were sourced to bring it all together. Trucks like these don’t just appear out of nowhere—they require a lot of imagination, skill, patience, and a sh*tload of parts.

A DeLorean Turbo Widebody for the Future

Not Another Back to the Future DeLorean

When fresh automotive news or SEMA builds debut there are many outlets jockeying for position and trying to leapfrog competitor’s publishing dates. But the planets can align when scheduling, connections and a unique angle all work together to capture a feature not seen elsewhere. This time around when the silver twin-turbo DeLorean debuted at SEMA and filled everyone’s feed, we kinda sat back and went: “yeah I know that car, the owner and it’s 15 minutes away,” with smugness. And with that we reached out to builder Tim Moceri of Salvage to Savage garage, who all of a sudden became internet famous in the first few days of November this year.

Tim is a friend for a number of years and we’ve actually collaborated on a build before. Tim crafted an incredible widebody Lexus project that was about to take the internet and SEMA by storm but a number of different factors meant it was mostly a learning experience. The DeLorean has been Tim’s time to flex. He had the hot Gen X platform, a real budget, and the right team at Salvage to Savage garage and well, Tim describes it as “redemption that has solidified future SEMA Shows” for him and we couldn’t hit the ‘LIKE’ button more on that statement.

SEMA 2021 might have been a different show thanks to our old buddy COVID but there was an “it car” from the show and that was this DeLorean. The silhouette of the DeLorean has been made iconic by Hollywood and desired by many 80s kids but if you have ever read a real review, it was hot garbage. An anemic motor, questionable build quality and an assembly line so far in trouble it needed JohnDeLorean to sell cocaine to support it, spelled disaster for the DeLorean… well until now.

If you are wondering about your level of color-blindness, yes the DeLorean is now gold. Wrapped in a sexy satin gold by Von Wraps of Boca Raton, FL, the new look was to set it apart from the SEMA splash. There is also a potential buyer that has an all gold fleet, so draw your own conclusions. 

Conceptualized by the Instagram legend known as The Kyza (Khyzyl Saleem), who put together renderings for this project and is himself stunned at the integrity of the actual build. “Everyone is freaking out how the entire build down to the headlights and taillights emulates Kyza’s drawing,” says Tim “We took what Kyza couldn’t cut and weld together and made it without compromise or changes. It wasn’t supposed to look like anything but the rendering we thought.”

The donor DeLorean DMC-12, was found painted in red and had been in a major accident, so there was no destruction of a perfect collectible car here (not that they sell for much anyway). The stainless steel shell was heavily modified with a widebody flare, which has a carbon fiber composite update in development. A number of bezels and panels along with front fascia were crafted in satin black to work with the SEMA Silver and now the Miami Gold.

The wheels have also made an impact for the build and came from new sponsor Sköl Wheels of California. The custom size and offset Sköl SK17 3-Piece Modular Series were finished in brushed satin face with a polished lip. The aggressive stance of the DeLorean is thanks to Air Lift suspension mated to KW Suspension Variant 3 coilovers made possible by the magic Moceri worked to mount them as there are no part numbers fitting a DMC-12.

Tim is a horsepower addict, this is a guy that built a quad turbo LS truck and for the DeLorean he went with good ol’ GM know-how, the 5.2L LS V8. Not just any LS but a built motor fitted with a pair of Garrett G-Series turbos (unfiltered of course) and modulated by TurboSmart HyperGate 45 wastegates. The plumbing is all TiTek titanium with Vibrant Performance hardware and mastercrafted by Tim to tuck up under the rear bumper in a unique blend of show and go. The whole engine package is orchestrated by a Haltech ECU to make it all play nice together. The twin turbo LS mill is fitted to a Porsche 996 6-speed transaxle to drive power to those fat rear tires.

After the triumphant return from SEMA, Tim didn’t sleep on his accomplishments but got to work with Salvage to Savage on the next steps. Tim is back at the workbench on perfecting the running and driving dynamics of the DeLorean and producing parts in carbon fiber because he says along with this potential buyer, there may be a market. “Thankfully, I have another DMC-12 at the shop if we have to start producing more of these.”

We couldn’t agree more Tim, if we had unlimited car money too we would hop on the list because as fans of all things 80s, there isn’t a better DeLorean tribute out there.

Classic V8 Muscle Cars

Clean and Low Restomods at SEMA 2021

Muscle cars and Hot Rods have been the backbone of SEMA since the beginning. Year after year not only do they show up, they are some of the most immaculate and classiest builds the 2021 SEMA Show has to offer. As we were perusing the show floor, we happened to see some beautiful examples. Lets take a peek at what V8s are rumbling around SEMA. (none probably, we’d be surprised if anything actually ran at SEMA)

Right off the bat are a couple of Chevelles so clean and modded you can barely recognize them!

Next we have this gorgeous blue Fastback Mustang and this slick Camaro. Both retain that classic styling but have opted for much more modern trim pieces, bringing these old geezers into the 21st Century.

Next up we have a couple of Old Chevy Trucks done in two completely different finishes. One With a nice slick green paint job that highlights those 50s body lines.

The other finished in a patina paint so strong it looks like it was pulled out of a lake! But there probably isn’t a spec of rust on this Apache.

Update: The owner of the build reached out to us and confirmed that this Apache is indeed 100% real patina.

“My Apache literally burned to the ground in the 2018 NorCal Paradise Fire and was on live tv doing so […] No rattle can patina, pure fire, then rain.  […] It was important for me to build this ride so people wouldn’t forget the devastation of that fire and when they see the truck, they know something survived.”Jason Fonte

The Great American Pickup Trucks

Examining Chevy C/K & Ford F-Series Platforms

While this is not meant to be yet another Chevy versus Ford truck debate, it is more of an examination of some of the differences, the similarities, and what made both so popular among their individual fan bases. Now, the battle between Bow Tie and Blue Oval groups will never die—surely you’ve experienced some degree of it over the years. When it comes down to the core of the situation, it really is a brand preference thing—Coke VS. Pepsi, Duracell VS. Energizer, Burger King VS. McDonalds, you get the idea. While the decision of what vehicle to purchase far outweighs what to eat or drink for lunch, there is something to be said for the slight modifications between competing brands and what they bring to the table. 

Both C/K and F-Series pickups were the flagship vehicles in the work truck segment for both Chevrolet and Ford respectively. Both brands held the top shares of sales back when C10 and F-100 model trucks were brand new, and they have since laid the foundation for modern Silverado and F-150 models to still rule supreme in today’s marketplace. 

Both C/K and F-Series pickups were the flagship vehicles in the work truck segment for both Chevrolet and Ford respectively…

Ford’s first generation F-series pickup went by the F-1 name, which was introduced in 1948 and lasted until ‘52, when the F-100 title was put into place just one year later. For 31 years, Ford’s F-100 pickup helped hard working Americans earn their livings behind the wheel of a truck that was one of the top selling models in the country. For diehard Ford enthusiasts, the F-100 was the only game in town when the time came for purchasing a pickup, while neutral consumers who bought one did so based on its own merit. While the F-100 had a pretty good run for itself, it did help pave the way for Ford’s F-150, which hit the streets in ’75. In its first 9 years (while the F-100 was also still for sale on the market) the F-150 quickly rose to even higher popularity, which led to the F100’s graceful exit in ’84. 

While Ford did have a jump on the pickup market in the early 50’s with their updated F-Series truck, it wasn’t until 1960 when General Motors rolled out what was arguably the most popular American pickup during its run. When the C/K platform began rolling out at dealerships throughout the country, the buzz behind GM’s sleeker looking, smoother riding pickup truck was growing at an impressive rate. The C-10 era C/K rode out 27 years, and finally gave way to a new generation, the OBS (old body style or original body style), which ran a 10-year span until the Silverado was released in ’99, and we all know how well that changeup went over. 

While there were other pickup trucks available to consumers during the CK/F-Series heyday (we see you Dodge fans), it was these two that sat alone with a commanding market share. At first glance though, both the Chevy and Ford trucks in the 60’s and into the 70’s didn’t really stand out that much from each other. Sure, you could easily tell one apart from the other, but there were no glaring differences like what a Jeep Gladiator would look like in direct comparison. Both Chevy and Ford models offered two similar bed styles, the Fleetside and Stepside (or Styleside and Flareside as Ford dubbed their versions) but those didn’t really make much of a difference from one make to the other. Small exterior changes like headlight shapes and grille styling (and constant restyling) help greatly in determining one year from another. It’s really all on how you look at these two trucks during these times and which particular style speaks to you more. Either way, they were both uniquely qualified to share the spotlight as America’s best looking working class sweethearts. 

C/K and F-Series pickups were looked at as being very modernized, forward-designed versions of what many thought of trucks at that point, which was simply clunky and overly utilitarian. To help change this rationale, both Ford and Chevy designed their chassis to improve overall ride quality with and without full payloads. The F-100’s 2WD model was given a twin I-beam front suspension with coil springs while the C10 featured an independent front suspension while utilizing torsion bars, which were soon ditched for coils as well. Chevy soon added independent coil trailing arms to their C-10 platform, giving it improved feel, especially while carrying a full load. Both companies were always looking for new ways to give their fans new solutions when development permitted. It was these early upgrades that eventually led to the technological wonders we have in place today in the form of highly evolved suspension systems in pickup trucks. 

In the age of restoration and customization, the C10 and F-100 platforms are nearly sitting on even ground, although the slight advantage might lean a bit in Chevy’s favor. The aftermarket support for both trucks is huge, making it easy and less stressful to order the parts needed for a full suspension rebuild, body and interior renovation, as well as rebuilding or replacing the factory engine. The simple fact is that classic Chevy and Ford trucks are still as popular now as they were back when they were new. Newly developed products have allowed builders to not only build them to ride and handle better than ever, but they can now be so finely tuned to meet individual needs down to the smallest of details.

The simple fact is that classic Chevy and Ford trucks are still as popular now as they were back when they were new…

There is no runaway winner of the timeless debate between Chevy and Ford trucks, and there really doesn’t have to be. Devout fans and customizers, no matter which brand truck they choose to build, are the true champions because of their unwavering dedication to preserving the machine of their preference. Whatever the make, model or year of the truck, there are parts to make it not only whole again, but better than any member of the Ford and GM engineering teams could’ve ever dreamed possible for these old, yet highly desirable work horses. 

Hodson Motors’ Forest Service Ford F-250 Restomod

In our last feature installment starring the father and son duo at Hodson Motors, Derrick and Riley Hodson, we explored their amazing beast of a truck—the ’83 Jeep J10 they affectionately refer to as the JRT10. Outfitted with a V-10 Viper engine, SRT10 interior, a full 4-inch lift and all the fixins, along with a unique visual appeal that has become the Hodson’s calling card, the JRT10 is staying put in the permanent Hodson collection. However, the truck is always in high demand when fans are able to take a closer inspection. 

“Dad comes up with these crazy concepts for truck builds, briefs me on his vision, and sends me off to make it happen.”Riley Hodson

With so many impressive completed and in-progress projects to look at, we’ve decided to reserve some space on the Internet to take a well-deserved peek at a truck that means a lot to Derrick. “This 1964 Ford F250 is something particularly cool that my dad wanted to build”, Riley says. Now, for those who aren’t up to speed on how the Hodsons operate their shop, their method is pretty straightforward and very effective. “Dad comes up with these crazy concepts for truck builds, briefs me on his vision, and sends me off to make it happen”, adds Riley. This is the truck that really kick started Derrick’s truck collecting and established Riley’s work flow to make said trucks come to life. 

In the case of this F250, the plan was to dig up something quite rare, which is now par for the Hodson course, and add some special parts to really make it come together, which is also a common ingredient in the family recipe. “This truck here is actually a factory F250 4×4 short bed”, Riley admits. “But what really makes it unique is that it was a custom ordered short bed, as it was a brush fire truck with a water tank in the bed. These kinds of trucks were used at National Parks by the Forest Service.” 

The first step in the project was to first locate one of these trucks out in the wild, which is a process Riley now has down to a science. “The hard part is not really finding these trucks, it’s the actual digging them out of the far off, remote locations they are usually in, and dragging them back home to our shop in Las Vegas that poses the real challenge.” While we aren’t at liberty to discuss where this particular F250 was found, we can share the details about what was done to the truck to make it come out they way it did. 

Even though the truck is a rare bird as-is, the first thing Riley and his crew at Hodson Motors did was cut it up. The rear fenders were stretched three inches wider and 6 inches longer, and F600 medium duty fenders were grafted into place up front, as was a front clip from the same truck. To give the roof another six inches of additional headroom, an F800 tall cap was worked into the equation. 

To further make the truck their own, Riley and his crew built a completely custom bed for the F250, and also installed a unibody big back window to help brighten up the inside of the cab. Now, you may be wondering where the heck these guys are able to source so many killer parts from obscure trucks. Well, let’s just say the guys have been doing some healthy hoarding over the years, and know exactly where to get more.  

When all the metal work was done to the truck, it was sprayed with a green primer and left that way for quite some time. The guys started getting used to that green color, and ended up mixing a custom gunmetal gloss green hue to finish it off while keeping the looks of it somewhat familiar.  

To increase the big look of the truck shell itself and give it that Hodson Motors classic touch, the suspension was lifted a full four inches all around. The original frame and axles were utilized in the overhaul, and the roll cage you see—it’s made from 4-inch pipe, not hollow tube, so it’s super heavy and damn near bulletproof. To capitalize on the taller ride height, a set of 20-inch Method NV wheels were selected, as was a set of 38-inch Milestar Patagonia M/T tires to ensure the truck was as capable to handle rough terrain and not just look the part. 

Powering the F250 is a Lincoln 460 big block with a few add-ons in the way of a Sniper EFI self-tuning fuel injection system, and a C6 transmission. The engine compartment is clean and tidy, and is designed so to keep function a top priority. Also designed with function in mind, is the F250’s interior space, although a ton of form has also been thrown in for good measure. Freshly distressed leather was used on the bench seat, center console, and door panels for an plush vet vintage looking appearance. As with all the builds that Hodson creates, a lineup of usual creature comforts in the way of Dakota Digital gauges, full air conditioning, and power windows were included to modernize the feel of the interior. 

Imagine what the forest rangers back in the 60’s would say about what has become of one of their old work trucks. The Hodsons work their magic time and again in order to dream up and build the type of trucks that are now directly associated with their name. If this Ford gives you any tingles (as it should), check out some of the other Hodson Motors’ creations, and be sure to stay tuned to their social accounts for future projects that will be sure to push the envelope even further. 

Hodson Motors’ Viper-Powered Jeep JRT10

Lifted trucks, classic trucks, rare trucks—if you consider yourself a fan of either or all of these categories, then you’ve surely heard of Hodson Motors out of Las Vegas, NV. Derrick and his son Riley Hodson operate their modest shop in the middle of the desert that houses parts and pieces from some pretty not-often-seen medium duty pickups from the past. Crew cabs that you never even knew existed are there, as well the other key ingredients required to create their insanely cool one-off machines. 

So the way Derrick and Riley operate is pretty simple—Derrick comes up with the grand ideas, and then brainstorms with Riley and lets him loose on figuring out how to make those ideas come to life. The guys have come to rely on a network of tightly knit shops to assist in their builds over the years, and in that time the Hodsons have amassed quite the personal truck collection, including this 1983 Jeep J10 that they affectionately call the JRT10. Derrick started on it seven years ago alongside local Las Vegas off-road fabricator, Cameron Chin, who owns and operates Nefarious Kustoms. Wanting to finally button up the build, they kept running with their vision of a rarely seen Jeep pickup model beefed up and customized to meet their specialized criteria. Also on the docket were a couple of imported tricks to make the J10 truly different from the rest. 

In the end, the time-consuming engine swap was well worth the effort just for the sake of saying that the Jeep now has an SRT-10 mill under the hood…

With an engine swap already in the stars for the Jeep, the guys narrowed the running down to a Viper SRT-10 engine. Yeah, that’s quite the jump, and a little more in-depth than Riley had initially anticipated. “The install was complicated”, he admits. “The firewall had to be chopped, and the radiator actually had to be relocated back to the bed if you can believe that. It just didn’t fit in the engine bay, so we had to run stainless tubing for the water underneath the truck.” In the end, the time-consuming engine swap was well worth the effort just for the sake of saying that the Jeep now has an SRT-10 mill under the hood—and, it lent a hand in creating a pretty catchy nickname for the truck. 

Since the Hodsons have been building cool trucks on a more frequent basis over the past six years or so, they’ve whipped up their own winning recipe that is applied to all of their projects, which always includes a killer suspension setup. The Jeep now sits on a full front and rear 4-link suspension system complete with a caged rear frame and Radflo long travel remote reservoir coilovers, so you just know this thing rides comfortably—even on the rough stuff. 

With the all-around lifted ride height, a healthy set of rubber could be thrown into the mix without any clearance issues. 37-inch Milestar Patagonia M/T tires were selected for their tried and true all-terrain exploration capabilities. While tires of this stature are commonplace in the lifted truck scene, so is the use of stock fenders, unfortunately. Hodson Motors has come to appreciate the importance of keeping proportion in mind when incorporating large tires, and to do that they like to go with larger fenders to keep up. To give the JRT10 correct proportional balance, AutoFab wide body fenders were utilized up front while the bedsides were widened six inches with fresh three-inch wider rear fenders to boot. Now, give the truck another look. All that extra bodywork makes much more sense when understanding the method to their madness. 

With the truck getting closer to paint, the guys started debating what color to have it sprayed. A specific Lamborghini color caught their eye, but it turns out they don’t typically release the actual codes to their paint—go figure. Instead, Matthew Miller of Nefarious Kustoms had to trust his eyeballs to match up an opal blue metallic pearl color that came pretty damn close to the Lambo shade. He then sealed it up with an eggshell matte clear coat, and blacked out all the exterior trim for good measure. The original front end was swapped out with a Gladiator Rhino grille conversion, and new LED lighting was wired up for updated looks and increased nighttime visibility. 

Other items that were scavenged from the SRT-10 donor were the black suede power bucket seats and dash cluster, which look right at home inside the Jeep. “All of our builds also feature what I usually refer to as creature comforts”, Riley adds. “These are just the common modern amenities such as power locks and windows, and air conditioning—all those little things that we enjoy in our daily drivers should be included in custom classic builds as well.” With the added Bluetooth stereo system, push button start, leather-wrapped steering wheel and dash, and a whole lot more, the cab space feels much more plush than one might expect from the Jeep at first glance. 

While the JRT-10 is a permanent part of the Hodson Motors collection, it does serve as a representation of what type of truck Derrick and Riley enjoy building and driving. If their custom trucks are good enough to make them happy, it’s a safe bet the ones they create for their customers will be finished off even better. If you’re looking to check out some crazy off-road rigs that perform just as good as they look, Hodson will surely scratch the itch of the uncommon utility truck fanatic.

The Cleanest ’75 Ford Bronco On Dirt

Jeff Godbold admits that his time owning this ’75 Ford Bronco surely hasn’t been the most exciting era the truck has ever seen. Actually, since its lengthy, in-depth rebuild, the Bronco really hasn’t been worked all too hard, but that’s mainly due in part because of how clean it has come to be. Jeff purchased the Bronco from the guy who invested the time to completely blow it apart and piece back together again with parts and products that would ultimately allow it to perform and look better than it has in its 47 years in existence. And who’d want to go and get those kind of results muddy? 

“I purchased the Ford Bronco completely done in 2012”, Jeff says. “The guy I bought it from was an older retired police officer, who spent several years doing most of the work himself. With the exception of waiting a couple years for the bodywork and paint to be completed, he did his part in pretty good time.” 

Time, in fact, was something that the previous owner put a large emphasis on. When he sold the Bronco to Jeff, he also included a rather extensive parts and cost list, as well as a well-organized log of billable hours that accounted for everything from the 13-hour engine and transmission rebuild job on 1/20/2009 right down to the 2-hour wash and vacuum back on 10/10/2005. Every other imaginable modification in between is also accounted for, as you could imagine, which is awesome to see actually. This very detailed record keeping has given Jeff a level of insight most folks don’t get when buying someone else’s project vehicle. 

High on the list of completed chores was the rebuild of the 347ci stroker engine that has all the bells and whistles any gearhead would flip over, and to capitalize on all the extra performance gains, Jeff added an overdrive transmission after he took ownership of the Ford Bronco to make it more freeway-friendly. Also on the logbook is a 2-inch body lift with all new mounts and bolts, as well as new American Racing wheels, center caps, lug nuts and locks and finished off properly with 33-inch Milestar Patagonia M/T tires. 

This ’75 is basically a brand new rig, and has been built to easily conquer rugged terrain, although it has only been assigned light duty work since its completion. Don’t go pointing fingers at Jeff for this, as the previous owner also kept the Bronco in the garage most of the time since he thought it turned out too nice to have to power wash every weekend. 

It’s just one of those rare gems that is a direct product of someone’s grand vision, and in this case fueled by a period of his absolute mania.

“We’ve towed the Bronco with our motorhome and driven it around some during our outings, but nothing too crazy”, Jeff admits. “I’ve also taken it to a car show, even though that’s not really my thing, but the response to it was nothing short of amazing”, he adds. Even though the Bronco has been equipped to handle the trails, the quality of its reworking has placed it in the show vehicle category, which wasn’t the original intent. Either way, there’s something to be said about owning a classic off-road truck of this caliber. It’s just one of those rare gems that is a direct product of someone’s grand vision, and in this case fueled by a period of his absolute mania. 

At the end of the all-encompassing parts and labor list is a grand totaling of just about $63k, which sounds about right. There may have been some other costs that slipped by the last owner, but he didn’t seem like the type to leave anything out. Jeff didn’t pay that much to bring the Bronco home, naturally, but in today’s current market for vintage Ford Broncos, this number sits somewhere on the low end considering the extent of its rebuild. With the release of the new 2021 Ford Bronco, there seems to be an undeniable uptick in sales of classic models that could be peaking right now due to timely nostalgia. That’s what we’ve come up with anyway, but that sure would explain the spike in resale value. 

You’d be hard pressed to find another Bronco that has been restored to this ‘75’s pedigree. There’s always new evidence to be found of it with every inspection, and of course when pouring through the list of modifications that has been compiled during its transition. Jeff has had quite a number of custom vehicles in the 25 years that he’s been into cars, and even though he might not drive the Bronco as much as any of the others, he has appreciated the time spent with it. 

The moment has come for Jeff to release the ’75 Ford Bronco into the care of another owner, and he can only hope it might get more use in the dirt as it is certainly equipped to handle it. On the other hand, he wouldn’t blame them for deciding to continue the tradition of keeping the Bronco as clean as can be. What would your driving habits be with this machine if you happened to find yourself its next lucky owner?

Click Here to view the 1975 Ford Bronco on Bring A Trailer.

Engine Swap Fundamentals: Trucks

Classic pickup trucks are great candidates for engine swaps for many reasons. For starters, the original motor in any vehicle more than 20 years is bound to be tired and in need of an intensive overhaul if it hasn’t been properly and regularly serviced throughout the years. Enthusiasts who are interested in giving their old truck a new breath of life with a modern engine with far more power, an engine swap is the best way to go given the amount of ready-to-go crate engines and install kits that can make the job doable, and rather affordable too. Whatever the case may be, a new engine can make a world of difference in the experience in building and driving a custom classic truck or vehicle of any type, really. 

New or Used? 

Either way, there’s no losing when replacing that old, whipped engine that’s way past its prime.

Depending on the type of truck you’re working on, there will be plenty of engine options to consider. “New VS. Junkyard Find” will always be a heated battle that will almost always favor a brand new mill given the reliability and warrantied performance at a slightly higher premium when compared to a used engine that would require maintenance and refurbishment before installation. While a good amount of builders will resort to ordering a virgin engine, there is a respectable sect that prefers to scour the junkyards and partake in the thrill of the hunt when looking for that perfect transplant motor that can be had at a fraction of the price. Either way, there’s no losing when replacing that old, whipped engine that’s way past its prime. 

Engine Types

While Coyote 5.0L Mustang engine swaps are trending in classic Ford pickup builds, LS engines have been all the rage in the C10 market for some time now. Since the size is similar to a small-block Chevy (SBC), there is plenty of room to plant one under the hood of just any year classic GM truck.

While there are plenty of other engine SBC V-8 options to select from such as a 350, 327 or 305 models, nowadays the LS platform has taken center stage with a very wide selection of aftermarket kits to assist in the swap of your truck’s new engine. Whichever engine route you decide to take, it will be a drastic change in performance compared to your truck’s dated power plant. 

Adaptability 

While available room isn’t an issue so much when installing a smaller, more modern engine into a classic truck, the matter of properly placing the engine becomes the real factor during a swap. While there are many installation kits available for LS and other engine platforms to pick from, the job itself is anything but plug and play—no matter what you see advertised online. Selecting correct engine mounts is paramount, and luckily, finding the right ones isn’t hard these days.

Aside from getting the new engine to sit in the right place, you’re also going to want to consider swapping out the transmission, driveshaft and all the fixins, especially if you’re going with a more high performance engine. While not necessary at first (but highly recommended), just keep in mind that the OE equipment, especially depending on its age, wasn’t designed to handle the kind of power an LS unit is capable of. Oh, and don’t forget a torque converter. 

Breathing and Cooling Options 

A new engine will require a fresh exhaust system with an emphasis on a proper exhaust manifold and header selection. While there is a range of affordability here to fit any budget swap, you’ll want to take clearance into heavy consideration here. 

A capable radiator is also of utmost importance since heat will definitely not be your new engine’s friend. Depending on the engine you’ve selected to run with, it may be more feasible to go the aftermarket route, maybe even an engine-specific selection, instead of saving a few bucks salvaging one from the scrapyard. 

Gassed 

Let’s say that you went with an LS engine to swap into your old truck. If that’s the case, then you may be ecstatic to ditch a carbureted setup and run with an EFI setup, unless you’re a big, big, BIG fan of the carb. Choosing EFI will make you consider fuel tank and pump options that will vary based on price and level of installation that you’re comfortable with. And if you just can’t stand to stray from a carbureted fuel system, there won’t be as much of an issue, but just be prepared to handle the pros/cons of whichever option you choose. 

Take Control 

It might not click instantly when planting a modern engine underneath the hood of your old truck, but new engines carry with them their own sets of characteristics to take into consideration. Now, when it comes to the ECU (electronic control unit) and wiring harnesses, you’ll have options to choose from to better dial in the installation process. This is where things can get exponentially interesting. Depending on how you plan to drive your truck, you can select an aftermarket ECU controller package that can handle the wiring, as well as enable you to unlock your engine’s true performance capabilities. Builders looking to race their truck or run it through the autocross course will get the most out of topping off the swap with the right ECU package for the job. 

Kick start your sluggish pickup project by tossing the old engine out, and swapping in a brand new crate engine or freshly rebuilt motor in its place. While an engine swap does encourage the replacement of the transmission at the same time, as well as a lot of other key equipment pieces, the job can really update a classic truck in more ways than initially realized. Increase horsepower by the ton, while also delivering a new sense of reliability in the truck you plan on getting real seat time in with whether it be at the track or open stretches of highway. An engine swap isn’t the easiest or cheapest things to do with your truck, but one that will certainly make the biggest impact in the way you enjoy it. 

C10 Terminology: Understanding the Basics

The Chevrolet C10 pickup line spans nearly three decades with three distinct generations released in that time. Each generation is uniquely different with a devout following of fanatics behind each one. While the Chevy C10 was one of the best selling pickups during its time on the market, the C10, across all generations, remains one of the most modified trucks to this day. The aftermarket support for these trucks is utterly amazing, which makes customizing them exciting and attainable for novices and experts alike. From suspension and performance products to exterior and interior styling items, there really is no limit to what can be done with these timeless American trucks. 

Now, whether you’re in the market for a Chevy C10 truck or are an avid admirer of one of the most popular American pickups to ever hit the streets, you’ll always run into specialized vernacular that describes in better detail the particular specimen you happen to be drooling over. In an effort to help familiarize you with these key terms attached with the C10 platform, we’ve gathered a small group of widely used descriptive words to assist in sifting through classified ads or to just having a better understanding for these classic pickups. 

The C10 Name

While some generic truck terms are easier than others to pin down and understand, there are others like the actual C10 name that can leave both newcomers and some well-versed enthusiasts equally stumped. While the name of these trucks has become familiar in many automotive circles, the C10 title is actually a bit coded. GM introduced the C/K truck platform in 1960, with the “C” prefix standing for  “conventional” signifying the truck is a 2WD model, where the “K” models would indicate a 4WD pickup. 

To further differentiate GM’s truck offerings, another commonly seen model, the C20 was also made available, which was capable of carrying a ¾-ton payload compared to the C10’s ½-ton abilities. While there are other differences between C10 and C20 models including towing capacity, suspension components and varying engine options available in some years, payload is the main separation point between the two. 

Bed Length 

Aside from three different Chevy C10 generations (1960-1966, 1967-1972 and 1973-1987), there are universal terms that place them into separate subcategories based on the bed type each happens to be equipped with. The most popular among builders these days is the short bed over the long bed. The less lengthy bed has a sportier aesthetic that simply looks and performs better on the autocross course, but if all you can find for sale are long beds (which are usually cheaper anyway), don’t fret—converting long into short is a very common modification these days. It all really comes down to preference in looks and specific hauling needs, but the difference between the two is important to take note of. 

Bed Styles

While we’re on the topic of beds, let’s also examine two style variations: Fleetside and stepside. The Fleetside is the sleeker of the two as it features flat paneled sides with the wheel wells concealed within the bed. Other automakers have their own terms for this particular style (Styleside and Sweptline are used by Ford and Dodge respectively), but GM’s Fleetside term has taken precedence over them all and can be used interchangeably unless you like to stick to each brand’s own technical term. 

The stepside model bed features a more utilitarian (think farm truck) look and function with the wheel well placed on the exterior, making a body recess with a built-in step just behind the cab to allow easier access to the bed. This style was actually the only truck bed option with GM trucks produced between 1947-1959. It wasn’t until the introduction of the Chevy C10 in 1960 when the Fleetside became the new “standard”. The two styles create significant difference in side profile appearance, and while the majority tends to prefer the Fleetside option, the stepside has its own charm and dedicated sect of fans. 

Generation “X”

Chevy’s first generation C10 proved to be a major shift in both appearance and performance from their truck models that preceded it. Although there really hasn’t been a sweeping nickname given to Chevy trucks made between 1960-1966, the second-generation C-Series trucks did get one, although you’ll rarely ever hear it used.

The handsome, modern styled trucks released from 1966-1972 came to be known as the “Action Line” as creature comforts not often associated with work trucks became available to cater to a new breed or truck owners. A much-improved coil spring trailing arm suspension system also played a role in the new name as it helped achieve a car-like ride quality, and a handful of interior amenities and the inclusion of disc brakes went a long way into creating an appealing overall package that stands as one of the most attractive classic truck models in the crowd today. 

As the third generation of Chevy C10s rolled out in 1973, so did a more descriptive name for the new rounded body style—the square body. While this wasn’t the official name given to this model (Chevy actually dubbed it the Rounded-Line), it’s the one that has lasted throughout the years and been embraced by 3^rd gen enthusiasts. The boxy body features a wider profile with rounded edges, which was a vast change from the 2^nd generation’s sleek streamlined design. While the change was different in appearance, it wasn’t different in popularity as even more in-demand cab options like power windows and door locks were made available to consumers. The C10 pickup was no longer seen as merely a vehicle used only by the working man—it was now more appealing than ever to those looking for an alternative to driving a “regular” car. 

While there are a lot of other more specialized terms associated to Chevy C10 model trucks, knowing which bed is attached to what generation will tell you a lot about a pickup without even seeing it. No doubt, these terms will help narrow down your truck search or simply allow you to further your knowledge about the line of classic Chevy pickup trucks that you’ll be seeing at shows and on the road for many years to come. 

This New Batmobile Is No Joke

March 5, 2020 – The much anticipated remake of everyones favorite dark suit millionaire chiroptophobic got a boost in public curiosity as director Matt Reeves tweeted out some images of the new Batmobile. There’s only 3 images and they’re pretty dark(makes sense), but what we can see is a totally fresh take of what we know as the Batmobile.  

In the past, the Batmobile has been huge part of Batman’s image; just as our cars are a reflection of ourselves. With the Bat’s vehicle of choice going from pretty zany to a straight up military vehicle, his image has gone through some changes.

With this new Batmobile, we can see that it’s probably built on top of an old muscle car – which one? Not quite sure. But it looks ratty, rough on the edges, and let’s be honest; pretty rad. It honestly looks like someone’s passion project or a wild and experimental SEMA Show build. One of the images focuses on a rear mounted engine that looks like a V10 with a rocket welded on it. The design of the vehicle kind of shows a different side of Batman that we haven’t really seen in recent years. It’s more gritty and looks more like something Bruce Wayne was actually working on as opposed to just purchased. Built and not bought.

But of course, this is all speculation. We’re still not quite sure what to expect from the new Batman, but at least now we know he’s got a cool build.

Hot Rodding’s Alive and Kicking at Detroit Autorama 2020

In the years immediately following World War II the hot rod and custom car scene boomed across America as returning service men and women enjoyed newfound prosperity with money to spend on cars. Magazines, car clubs and car shows exploded across the nation especially in the rust belt where the winters were long and the snow was deep. Nowhere was this auto-enthusiasm more evidenced than in the Motor City—Detroit.

In 1952, the Michigan Hot Rod Association (MHRA), that had formed the previous year with 22 clubs and 400 members, held the first Detroit Autorama car show at the University of Detroit Field House. Ostensibly, the profits were to build a dragstrip. In 1956, the MHRA hired a local, professional promoter, Don Ridler whose expertise grew the show quickly until there were funds for the Motor City Dragway that opened in 1957.

Sadly, both the Motor City Dragway and Ridler are gone but his name lives on in the annual Don Ridler Memorial Award established in 1946. Presented by Meguiar’s, the Ridler, with a cash prize of $10,000, is the highest accolade at the annual Detroit Autorama, now in its 68^th year.

Over the years, everything from a Corvette to a ’57 Chevy to a ’65 Impala to ’59 Cadillac wagon have won—it’s an eclectic mix. From the dozens of contenders, selectors choose the ‘Great 8 Finalists’ from which the eventual winner is chosen.

This year, the Great 8 comprised the following:

George Conrad’s 1966 Ford F100 Custom Pickup

Jeffrey Hess’1956 Oldsmobile 98 Custom Convertible

Frank and Debbi Hinmon’s 1955 Cadillac Coupe DeVille

Jerry Logan’s 1934 Ford Altered Pickup,

Bob Matranga’s ’55 Chevy ‘Brute Force,’

Brad, Brady and Cory Ranweiler’s 1963 Chevy Custom Wagon ‘Impressive’

Tim Wheeler’s 1969 Camaro Pro Touring

Greg and Gail Wilson’s 1929 Ford Model A Woodie pickup ‘Driftwood,’

Of course, seeing the Great 8 surrounded by the not so great is a little disconcerting as you contemplate all the blood, sweat and dollars that went into those unsuccessful builds that didn’t quite make it. Also, one is nagged by the question, “What do you do with it now?” High build show cars are by definition extreme, over the top, caricatures almost and as such hard to get the groceries in. They’re more art than car but rather than wall hangings they are more wall flowers. All the more reason, therefore, to venture down the escalator to ‘The Basement’ where there is a vibrant, alternative show full of old original and recreated racecars, some ratty and some not so ratty rods, customs with a k and a spattering of weirdness and the just for the heck of it. The basement has a totally different, lively vibe that’s missing from the floor above where it’s tangibly more serious.

“The Basement is not the showcase for your home, but it is where you keep things you value and the place only your best friends ever get see.”Larry Erickson, Designer

One of the fun parts of The Basement show is the celebrity picks where automotive stars such as designers Chip Foose, Camilo Pardo, Larry Erickson, and builders Roy Brizio, Josh Shaw and Gene Winfield among others pick the basement cars that appeal to them. It’s a diverse selection that give this particular group of participants a chance at the trophy that they wouldn’t normally get. It’s great fun, not taken too seriously and rewarding. Designer Larry Erickson, said, “This is the Midwest, so The Basement is not the showcase for your home, but it is where you keep things you value and the place only your best friends ever get see.  Participating in the pick is good fun.”

All too soon we escalated back upstairs to the main floor of what was Detroit’s Cobo Hall to what is now TCF for the awards ceremony. Bob Matranga’s ’55 Chevy ‘Brute Force’ was the odds-on favorite but as Barry Meguiar of Meguiar’s made the announcement the trophy went to Brad, Bray and Cory Ranweiler of New Ulm, Minnesota, for their family-built ’63 Chevy wagon ‘Impressive’.

Built upon an Art Morrison frame, Impressive is undoubtedly impressive in its build featuring a home-built 409 bored and stroked to 509 cubic inches producing 615 hp with Hilborn 8-stack electronic fuel injection. However, what makes Impressive so different is that it’s actually a two-door wagon created from a four-door wagon there being no two-door factory ‘Nomad’ wagons that year. Whether the distinctive body mods were the clincher is only for the judges to know but it was, nevertheless, Impressive and a well-deserved if un-expected win.

Million Dollar

Vicious Mustang

There’s something about early Mustangs that just gets the heart pounding and the blood pumping. Despite their obvious age, now almost 60 years, they never seem to go out of fashion. Like a good pair of 501s, they look better with age, they feel comfortable and to paraphrase Rod Stewart, they wear it well.

The other cool factor regarding early Mustangs is that it doesn’t seem to matter what people do to them they always look good. Take, for example, the Vicious Mustang designed and built by Timeless Kustoms, Camarillo, CA, and said to cost a cool mil’. Timeless began the million dollar build with an original ’65 Fastback that was stripped to its shell for a total makeover that incorporated numerous Dynacorn body panels. The base for the creation was a chassis from Art Morrison fitted with a Corvette C7 front clip and an Art Morrison multi-link independent rear suspension. Triple adjustable coil-over shocks from Ridetech are fitted to all four corners.

Quite often, modifiers of early Mustangs will lean toward the more traditional powertrain with a small-block Ford with twin 4bbls, quad Webers or some similar historically accurate induction. However, in the case of the Vicious Mustang the owner opted for not only a supercharger but also twin turbos for what he terms as compound forced induction.

The base engine is a 5.2L Coyote ‘Aluminator’ from Ford Performance fitted with an Aviad four-stage dry sump system. Internally the block is fitted with Dart Big Bore 3.7-inch sleeves, Manley 2618 forged pistons and Pro-Series rods and a Comp cam and a Ford Performance Coyote Boss 302 forged crank. Meanwhile, the GT350 heads were CNC ported. And there any similarity to other modified Mustangs ends because between the heads squats a serpentine belt-driven Magnusson TVS Magna Charger for low rpm boost. Supplementing the blower for high rpm boost is a pair of exhaust-driven Precision 64/66 ball bearing turbochargers.

Employing a MoTeC engine management system and an Aeromotive fuel system comprising Eliminator pumps, Pro Series EFI Regulator and fuel rails with a trunk-mounted custom fuel cell, the engine produces 1,003-wheel horsepower and 784 lb-ft of torque on E85. Backing up the power plant is a Centerforce DYAD Clutch, an EMCO CG46 sequential six-speed transmission and a 9.75-inch Strange Engineering aluminum independent axle.

To stop this beast Vicious is fitted with 15.5-inch Brembo carbon-ceramic rotors with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rears. The wheels are Forgeline GT3C Centerlocks: 19×11 in front and 19×13 in back. The tires are 305/30ZR19 in the front and 355/30ZR19 out back.

The other cool factor regarding early Mustangs is that it doesn’t seem to matter what people do to them they always look good.

Those big tires are wrapped with some expressive hand-crafted bodywork including integrated fender flares and an aggressive deep front air dam fitted with twin coolers and a F-40-inspired rear end diffuser. Incidentally, the grille contains machined inlets for the turbos and the cool satin paint is a custom PPG mix called ‘Vicious Titanium Silver’. The main body color is accented with a red-edged ‘over the top’ black stripe in traditional style.

Contrasting with the subtle, semi-gloss exterior color is a wild, blood red leather interior handled by @ethorcustoms within Timeless Kustoms. It features a full tube-steel roll-cage and TK-branded Sparco Pro2000 seats fitted with DJ Safety five-point harnesses. DJ Safety also supplied the fire suppression system while the climate control was provided by Vintage Air. A MoTeC digital dash cluster sits behind the quick-release, three-spoke Sparco R325 steering wheel that is fitted with paddle controls.

As early modified Mustangs go, Vicious has to be one of the wildest from its triple-blown engine to its blood red interior. To compliment the build and the public’s enthusiasm for all things Vicious you can visit ViciousStang.com and check out the related clothing line. You can also follow them on Instagram and Facebook and watch the vids here.

Metallica’s James Hetfield Brings Heavy Metal to the Petersen Automotive Museum

Google World’s Largest Concerts and likely as not, Metallica will come up in the top five with 1.6 million people attending Monsters of Rock at Tushino Airfield, Moscow in 1991. The images from that concert are staggering and they form a juxtapositional backdrop to ‘Reclaimed Rust: The James Hetfield Collection’ a new exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles, CA, featuring the cars of Metallica front man James Hetfield.

“I believe everyone needs or deserves a second chance or a third chance or a fourth chance. So knock the rust off and continue the story.”James Hetfield, Metallica

Prior to the opening, there was a fireside chat with Hetfield who talked candidly about his love of automobiles, and custom cars in particular. Hetfield was born in Downey, California in 1963, which at the time was the epicenter of the custom car culture saying about the exhibit, “It’s historic for me; as do our albums, these cars mark my life for the past 14 years and it’s great. I love that they are staying together and that youngsters will be inspired by them.” When asked what was behind the name of the exhibit, ‘Reclaimed Rust’ Hetfield said, “I believe everyone needs or deserves a second chance or a third chance or a fourth chance. So knock the rust off and continue the story.”

StateofSpeed was invited to the Media/VIP preview but we first encountered James’ amazing cars at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Duke of Richmond had invited a number of rock stars to display their cars including Hetfield’s 1936 Auburn Speedster ‘Slow Burn’.

Unfortunately, some typical shipping damage put a slight damper on the proceedings but the Auburn, built by long time Hetfield collaborator Rick Dore Kustoms, showed well alongside Billy F Gibbons’ CadZZilla and Jimmie Vaughan’s ’61 Cadillac.

Indeed, five of the 10 vehicles on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum were collaborations between Dore and Hetfield and they included a 1934 Packard-based custom ‘Aquarius’ and an unrecognizable 1948 Jaguar named ‘Black Pearl’.

Both these cars and particularly the Packard lean heavily on European styling of the thirties, specifically the French designs of Delahaye and coachbuilder Figoni et Falaschi. Both cars feature swooping, sensual hand-formed one-off aluminum bodies by Marcel’s Custom Metal, Corona, CA.

The other collaborations with Dore include the centerpiece of the exhibit, a 1953 Buick Skylark ‘Skyscraper’ that features, as do some of the other customs, what appears to be a solid but lift-off convertible top. These tops, created in the 1940s are known as Carson Tops, after the Carson Top Shop in Los Angeles that first developed them.

While not as outwardly radical as some of the other collaborations, the 1937 Lincoln ‘Voodoo Priest’ features more subtle modifications below the stunning Candy Apple Red paint by Darryl Hollenbeck, Concord, CA., including a fully hot rodded Lincoln V-12 by HandHFlatheads. The engine breaths through three classic Stromberg 97 carbs and note the one-piece curved windshield by Timo Tanskannen of Finland.

Not all the cars in the exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum are radical customs, some are more hot rod than custom. For example, ‘Iron Fist’ is a tough-looking bare metal, chopped ’36 Ford 5-window coupe that has no paint but attitude a-plenty.  Built by Scott Mugford’s Blue Collar Customs of Sacramento, CA., the ‘Fist’ is powered by a small-block Chevy V-8 and protected by a coat of clear by Darryl Hollenbeck.

Also completed by Blue Collar Customs is Hetfield’s ’56 Ford F-100 pickup known as ‘Str8 Edge’. Powered by a 455 cubic inch Oldsmobile engine, the ‘Edge’ features a 5-window, extended cab with a 2-1/4-inch top chop, a side-opening hood and a ’60-’61 Chrysler grille with Thunderbird trim. The wild paint was handled by Jason Haskin.

The other late-thirties custom in the collection is the 1937 Ford ‘Crimson Ghost’. More of a custom than a rod, the pan-draggin’ ‘Ghost’ is different because of its pillar less door opening and sweeping roofline that flows seamlessly down into the decklid.

The only real hot rod in the show is a quintessential ’32 Ford Roadster tagged ‘Black Jack’. Built in the traditional style by Josh Mills of Marietta, GA., it’s an original, all-steel 1932 Ford with no parts newer than 1949 on the entire car.

The rod, which is actually brown rather than black, appeared in the 2017 Grand National Roadster Show but did not win the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster Award. Instead, that went to Bruce Wanta’s Packard built by Troy Ladd’s Hollywood Hot Rods. As do some of the customs ‘Black Jack’ features a padded, lift-off Carson-style top and a flathead Ford V-8 under the hood.

‘Reclaimed Rust’ is a worthwhile exhibit especially if you are a fan of Hetfield and customs spelt with a ‘K.’

No doubt a little tongue in cheek, the final car on the roster was the 1963 Lincoln ‘Dead Kennedy’. Painted satin black and looking a little road worn, the side-piped Lincoln with shaved door handles was perhaps the black sheep of the show and did not express the workmanship of the other cars on display.

‘Reclaimed Rust’ is a worthwhile exhibit especially if you are a fan of Hetfield and customs spelt with a ‘K.’ Incidentally, all of the vehicles on display were donated by Hetfield to the Petersen Automotive Museum and the ‘Reclaimed Rust’ exhibit, sponsored by ESP Guitar Company, will run through October 2020. For more information visit Petersen.org.

The Best Cars of the Grand National Roadster Show 2020

Now in its 71st year, the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California, is still alive, and very much kickin’. 

Roadsters from around the Nation show up at GNRS, the longest running indoor car show in the world.  

There is no shortage of Awards at the show, but the most sought after is America’s Most Beautiful Roadster, last year won by a ’36 Ford named ‘3 Penny Roadster’.

As you can see, some of these builds are crazy enough that they just work.

The show will continue to run through Sunday, 1/26, so grab a friend and check out some of the coolest Roadster builds around, you won’t want to miss it!

Barrett Jackson’s Wildest Rides

Every automotive enthusiast has unique taste, whether you’re a purist, hot rod connoisseur or rat rod junkie. These worlds tend to collide every once in a while, however, every enthusiast can respect a properly restored, resto-modded, or custom built ride. 

We happened to take a trip down the aisles and across the block of Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale, Arizona, only to find some of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring builds the show has to offer.

’72 Dodge Challenger Custom Hardtop

When it comes to Resto-Mods, this Challenger is the cream of the crop. 

Incorporating a 6.1-liter HEMI V8 with a 727 5-Speed automatic transmission shows that this beast is utilizing the best of modern technology while still utilizing tried and true parts. 

’39 Chevrolet Custom COE Pickup

Grabbing the attention of attendees at Barrett Jackson is no easy feat as there are so many cars to look at, but this custom pickup shows how it’s done.

This old tanker turned modern beauty is a sight to behold from the outside, but what you don’t see is the LS1 sitting under the seats and coilovers on all four corners. It’s no wonder this bad boy sold for $95,700.

’67 Volkswagen Type II Double-Cab Custom Pickup “Double Deluxe”

Going all out and creating a car that never existed is taking a custom build to the next level.

Kindig It Design in Salt Lake City, Utah, integrated the best parts of a Deluxe bus and a double-cab to create this unique “Double Deluxe”, a true masterpiece.

You’d better have deep pockets to get your hands on this puppy as it was taken home at $161,700.

’69 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS Custom Coupe

For the fans of Pro-Touring builds, this Camaro is one you’ll want to take a nice long gander at. What started as a 396-ci V8 soon turned into a 502-ci V8, but why stop there?

The 502-ci crate engine was bored to a 540-ci, squeezing every ounce of extra ponies out. To add a unique touch, the dash is straight out of a ’59 Chevy Impala, proving that this car is all in the details.

’67 Ford Mustang Eleanor Tribute

What started as a ’67 Fastback soon became a licensed Official Eleanor Tribute Edition Mustang after a ground-up restoration. With a signed dash by none other than Carroll Shelby, this Eleanor is the definition of a custom build, and a jaw dropping one at that.

’70 Plymouth Barracuda Custom Coupe

At first glance, you might think this ‘cuda rolled off the assembly line yesterday. After a two and a half year build, this Plymouth Barracuda comes complete with a 528-ci HEMI, rebuilt 4-speed manual transmission and a Dana 4.11 rear end.

’62 Morris Mini Cooper

There’s something about the simplicity of a Mini Cooper that always looks good, and with some subtle touches, they can really stand out.

All it took for this custom Woody wagon was some fender flares and a set of wider tires to get an aggressive stance and become a real attention grabber.

’67 Ford Mustang Custom Fastback

For those of us that like to go fast, and look good doing it, this is the ride to be in. With a supercharged Ford Racing Coyote 5.0 L V8, this thing is sure to throw you into the back seat.

’58 Volkswagen Custom Roadster

Last on our list of fine Barrett Jackson customs is one ride that is sure to make you look twice. This take on a steampunk VW is nothing shy of perfection, and the craftsmanship behind this build is even more intriguing.

With only 40 miles on the build, the next owner will be proud to break in the fresh 1.4 L, four cylinder, air-cooled engine.

Overall, the builds you’ll see at Barrett Jackson consist of top-notch craftsmanship and creativity, and definitely cost a pretty penny!

Whiskey Runner –
ZZ Top’s Billy F Gibbons’ ’34 Ford Coupe

If you click on this link, you can watch ZZ Top’s official video for the song ‘I Gotsta Get Paid’, and, when I checked, it had 31,715,798 views—that’s a lot of views. Of course, for many, the band, comprising front man Billy F Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard (the one without the beard) are the stars but for many the cars are the stars and the star car here is a bare bones, bare metal ’34 Ford 3-window coupe known as ‘Whiskey Runner’.

While the ’32 Ford ‘Deuce’ is always regarded as the quintessential hot rod as in ‘Lil’ Deuce Coupe’ the 1933-34 Model 40 was actually a vast improvement over the ’32 being three inches longer, somewhat lower and powered by a better, more powerful 90 hp flathead Ford V-8 in ’34.

When the coupe first arrived at Chapouris’ SO-CAL SPEED SHOP, Pomona, CA, designer Alberto Hernandez was given the task of conceptualizing an homage to Billy’s first hot rod the ’33 Ford coupe Eliminator that helped put ZZ Top on the map when their 1983 the album of the same name sold more than 10 million copies. Hernandez’ interpretation was Candy red coupe with flowing Z-form 3D trim that bisects the ’36 Ford louvers set into the ’34 hood sides and sweeps down across the door towards the rear wheel. It’s a nod to the original Eliminator graphics and according to Billy, “Getting that swoopy Z ‘jus’ right’ was one of the most challenging parts of the build.”

No doubt the most unusual and even eccentric feature of the coupe is the 24V aircraft landing light mounted under the right side of the hood. At the flick of a switch, the light rotates up out of the hood to illuminate the road ahead—two more mini-headlights are hidden behind the grille. Under the hood resides a prototype 331 ci Cadillac engine that Chapouris’ had in storage for more than 20 years. His father worked at Clayton Dyno and the engine had been one of three used in a development program with GM’s Ed Cline.

“Getting that swoopy Z ‘jus’ right’ was one of the most challenging parts of the build.” Billy F Gibbons, ZZ Top

As far as body language goes, the coupe has a heavy, five-inch top chop with the windshield laid back in the style of Alex Xydias’ famed So-Cal Coupe. Knowing that eventually the car was going to be painted, Mick Jenkins of Micks Paint gave it a shot of grey primmer highlighted with copper trim and purple underpinnings. The chassis is basically stock ’34 Ford complete with transverse buggy springs, however, it has been updated with a Winters quick-change rear axle and SO-CAL tubular shocks. The wheels are vintage 16-inchers shod with 5- and 6-inch tires.

Inside, the coupe is as simple as it gets with an aluminum bomber-style bench seat with the obligatory Mexican blanket, a gold painted dash from a ’40 Ford and a column shift and steering wheel of the same era. More modern is the shifter, which is a helicopter control stick that Billy found in an aircraft surplus yard.

Unfortunately, Chapouris passed away before the project could be completed and so the baton was passed to Jimmy Shine, Chapouris’ protégé of Shine Speedshop in Orange, CA. One of the first things Shine did was ship the coupe to England for the Goodwood Festival of Speed where Billy was to perform ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ at the Duke of Richmond’s private party. Sadly, it rained that weekend and Shine only managed one run up the Duke’s driveway so few photographs were taken.

Since then, the car has been earning its keep being used in photo shoots and videos, however, plans are afoot to finally give the coupe a coat of real paint and designer Jeff Allison Design has been working closely with Billy and Jimmy to develop a paint scheme fittingly unique.

“My first thoughts,” said Jeff, “were that it should be something like the root beer brown fade rendering, because that is the color of whiskey and the Chrisman Bros.’ coupe. The color would fade to black at the lower side of the body for a touch of custom, yet still be traditional lakes hot rod. I designed the wheel covers with that same logic in mind and utilizing the wheels already on the car, with the funky bolt bosses.”

“Billy, meanwhile, wanted a wilder paint job over a pearl white base so I did up the second concept thinking about 60s Watson-style paint. That idea also incorporates an electrified paint product under the pearl white that, when turned on, illuminates in purple graphics.

“We’re not quite there yet. We keep exploring ideas and Billy has a purple and green ‘ribbon’ in his head that we have been trying to extract, so the next batch of ideas are what I did. The asymmetrical smoke/flame look is where we have left off and that one is pretty close to what he wants. We shall see….”

Tony’s Top Ten SEMA Builds

At this time of the year there’s a worldwide buzz in the auto industry as it gears up for the annual SEMA Show. Today, the acronym stands for Specialty Equipment Market Association but back when it began in 1963 the letters stood for Speed Equipment Manufacturer’s Association. These were the boys that made cars go fast and to spread the word they formed a trade association and got together under Dodger Stadium to sell their speed secrets.

Now, almost 60 years on, SEMA has grown to be an international powerhouse with the largest automotive trade show in the world. Unfortunately, the show, held annually in Las Vegas, is not open to the public but through the wonders of modern technology the world can see what goes down in ‘Lost Wages.’ What happens in Vegas no longer stays in Vegas.

When I began working the show almost 30 years ago there were almost no vehicles displayed in the show. It was purely a trade event with sellers and buyers. Then vendors began to realize that displaying their products on a vehicle attracted attention and the concept of display and project vehicles began to explode. SEMA is now regarded as the largest auto show in the world with more than 1,500 custom vehicles on display.

As you would expect, there’s everything from the sublime to the ridiculous and everything in between. StateofSpeed.com was there to capture the craziness and here are my Top 10.

’53 Lincoln Capri ‘Golden Sahara’

Back in the fifties, George ‘King of the Kustomizers’ Barris created the ‘Golden Sahara’ from his wrecked ’53 Lincoln Capri complete with glowing tires. Restored, it’s now part of the KlairmontKollections.com

Datsun 510 ‘Brock Buster’

There were a lot of vintage Japanese cars on display and this Datsun 510 ‘Brock Buster’ created by Cobra Daytona designer Pete Brock even had a vintage 1979 Revell model of the car on the dash.

’61 Chevy Apache by Honda

It take cajones to put a different brand of vehicle in your corporate booth so I admire Honda for putting this vintage ’61 Chevy Apache truck in their display complete with a vintage Honda 50 and a CB160.

Webasto Electric Ford Mustang

I’m not big on eco design but this 900 hp electric Mustang caught my eye and won a Ford Design Award for builder Webasto.

Chevrolet ‘E-10’ Concept

Yet another electrified vintage vehicle was Chevrolet’s ‘E-10’ concept based on a ’62 C-10 pickup fitted with a double stack of Chevrolet Performance concept electric crate (eCrate) motors.

Rick Dore and Marcel’s Custom Metal Custom

The art of coach building automobile bodies is disappearing but Rick Dore working with Marcel’s Custom Metal continues to build outstanding automobiles, many for James Hetfield of Metallica.

Chopped ’59 Chevy El Camino

I love ’59 Chevy El Camino pickups but I’m not sure about this chopped, sectioned, shortened specimen complete with blown Chevy and side pipes. I might have preferred the uncut version.

#89 Mercedes-AMG GT4

It was almost too far in the air to see but once spotted you couldn’t take your appreciative eyes off the #89 Mercedes-AMG GT4 built by renntechmotorsports.com.

Dodge Charger Wrapped by Rastaman

Wraps and graphics are a huge part of SEMA because they can be easily removed when the show is over. Rastaman built this wrap design.

Ed ‘Big Daddy’ Roth Inspired “Bubbletop”

I’m not sure I like this but I do like the concept of a tribute to Ed ‘Big Daddy’ Roth whose  ‘Bubbletop’ creations of the 1960’s turned me on to the wilder side of auto customizing.

SEMA 2019: Impressions

SEMA 2019 is here and bringing the all-around automotive goodness we’ve come to expect. We don’t know if you’ve heard, but there were a lot of new A90 Toyota Supras out there. Despite this year being called “The Year of the Supra”, the show had an abundance of other fantastic builds that deserve some love.

Here are some of our Supra-free highlights from SEMA 2019.

IMPORTS

This Datsun 240z has a completely carbon fiber body and is powered by 5.3L Chevy V8 out of a Silverado. This truck powered beast is owned and raced by Shawn Bassett and is built to tear up the track at any time attack.

MUSCLE

Check out this ’72 Riviera by Gas Monkey Garage of Discovery Channel’s Fast n’ Loud. It’s powered by a Katech LT4 and boosted with a Magnuson Supercharger.

Koni showed off their heritage with a Shelby GT350 at their booth sporting the shocks they developed for the original release in the 60s.

OFFROAD

Milestar Tires displayed their newly released UTV/Side-by-Side specific Patagonia SXT tire.

CLASSICS/HOT RODS

The AMC Gremlin was once classified as one of the ugliest cars ever made, but that title definitely doesn’t fit this one. This custom Gremlin hot rod is built by Jacob Griffin and proves that these ugly little cars do have some potential.

EURO/EXOTICS

Eibach collaborated with Hot Wheels to present this clean BMW 2002 along with its miniature version at their booth. Some lucky attendants even got to take home their own Eibach x Hotwheels collectible 2002.

Green With Envy: The Rebellion Forge Racing BMW E30

Rebellion Forge Racing’s “Live to Offend” BMW E30

While SEMA 2019 may seem like A90 Supra overload, builds like the Rebellion Forge Racing BMW E30 at the Meguiar’s Booth are a breath of fresh air. The RFR E30 has all bases covered, with beautifully exposed custom engine fabrication work, an over-the-top racing-style interior, and a clean and tasteful widebody exterior.

The build features the infamous E30 aftermarket widebody kit by Khyzyl Saleem and Eric Penelow’s Live to Offend, which debuted on another amazing E30 build at last year’s SEMA (Khyzyl’s design skills can be found on another SEMA build, B is for Build’s LS-engine swapped Huracan). The green exterior is topped off with a carbon fiber splitter, black custom Rotiform wheels, and an aggressive diffuser. The overall aesthetic hints at the Bōsōzoku style (especially with the banners and license plate) combined with aggressive aero and the bolted-on widebody look. While some of us at State of Speed feel a proper wing could finish the aero on this particular E30, sometimes less is more.

The interior has what you would expect from a SEMA build, with a focus on the fine details. Completely gutted out, the interior is covered rather than leaving the metal exposed. A race-ready roll cage and window vents have been installed. Lastly, the steering wheel, racing seats, and racing harnesses from Sabelt finish the inside.

Rebellion Forge Racing’s Kyle Ray, a SEMA Young Gun finalist, played a big role in this build, and it’s amazing considering he’s only under 27 (the fab work in this LS-swapped engine bay alone is something to be proud of). We’re definitely looking forward to more future builds featuring his talent. What do you guys think of this E30 build?

Building the Schwab Challenger

Like the company that gave it life, the Dodge Challenger has had a checkered history. The first generation, built from 1970 to 1974 is now regarded as an appreciating classic. The mid-term 1978 to ’83 Mitsubishi Galant Lambda for want of a Dodge badge is possibly best forgotten. However, the new generation introduced in 2008 lives up to Dodge’s original.

For many of us the Challenger that most quickly comes to mind is the Alpine White 1970 R/T 440 Magnum that appeared in the 1971 movie Vanishing Point starring Barry Newman. Newman played Vietnam Vet turned car delivery jockey Kowalski who is tasked with delivering the car from Denver, Colorado, to San Francisco in 15 hours. For the next 98 minutes, Kowalski is pursued and persecuted along the 1,250-mile route until he can’t stand in anymore and nose-dives the Challenger into a police roadblock comprising a pair of bulldozers.

The ending is a Thelma and Louise moment that leaves the average viewer contemplating life but leaves car people wondering what happened to the car. In fact, there were four, possibly five cars loaned to the production company by Chrysler. All were badly damaged during filming and all were apparently crushed at the end of production. If you’re into ‘Americana’ and car chase movies in particular, Vanishing Point directed by Richard C. Sarafian is worth the time.

Chrysler were apparently not happy about Kowalski’s use of bennies to keep awake and one has to say Vanishing Point didn’t do them much good as sales tanked from a high of 76,935 in 1970, the year it intro’d, to a mere 26,299 in 1971.  It was worse in 1972 at 22,919, up a tad to 27,930 for 1973 and a scant 11,354 for 1974. It didn’t help that new safety regulations and the Oil Crises of 1973 were forcing muscle cars off the road. Nevertheless, the movie did as much for the Challenger as Bullitt did for the Mustang and it remains one of the quintessential, genuine muscle cars.

No wonder then that banking group Charles Schwab would pick a ’73 Challenger to give away as a prize at the recent Charles Schwab Challenge at the PGA Tour stop at Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas. There’s a rationale for the prize: “Charles Schwab has been ‘challenging the status quo’ in its industry since 1973. The Colonial has ‘challenged’ some of the world’s best golfers for 73 years. Hence, the event selecting a 1973 Dodge Challenger to reward its winner.” This is the first of a four-year sponsorship of the event at Colonial for Charles Schwab. Hopefully, that means more giveaway cars of this caliber.

To build the car, Schwab turned to industry veterans Steve Strope of Pure Vision Design and Mick Jenkins of Mick’s Paint. Strope found the car in excellent condition in New York before it was taken to his shop in Simi Valley, California, where the car was stripped down to bare metal and fitted with a new Mopar 6.4L SRT-8 392 crate Hemi producing 485 hp. In back of the engine is a Chrysler A-727 TorqueFlite automatic trans with Gear Vendors overdrive. Out back is an 8-3/4-inch Chrysler rear end with 3.55 gears.

[the Challenger] was stripped down to bare metal and fitted with a Mopar 6.4L SRT-8 392 crate Hemi producing 485 hp.

To make this Challenger stand out from the crowd a new 73 Magum 440 hood with twin scoops and the letters SCHWAB replacing DODGE was fitted while Kelly Cox hand-formed that beautiful polished aluminum side trim that accentuates the Aston Martin-style vents let into the front fenders. The other subtle changes include the use of early 1970-’71 bumper brackets, ’71 Challenger TA spoilers front and rear and the replacement of the stock rectangular side markers with small round units from the ’68 Dodge Charger.

Meanwhile, underneath, AlterKtion suspension components from ReillyMotorsports.com replaced the stock factory torsion bars with a coil-over system and the stock steering with rack-and-pinion. The brakes are 14-inch Baer 6s with nickel-plated 6-piston calipers while the rims are B-Forged items from BilletSpecialties.com: 18 x 8s in front and 19 x 10s in back.

After all the engineering was complete, the car was shipped out to Mick’s Paint in Pomona, California, where Mick’s team worked around the clock to meet the deadline.  Once the car had been painted in Aston Martin Glacier Blue it went on to GabesCustom.com, where the diamond-stitched white leather upholstery was jazzed up with the exact same plaid used in the signature tartan Colonial jackets. The interior includes climate control by VintageAir.com, instruments from DakotaDigital.com and a sound system from Kicker.com. 

From there it was back to Mick’s for final fit and finish before it was back to Pure Vision for final assembly. All in a total time of six months. According to Strope, “Mick’s Paint makes us look good and I’m over the moon in appreciation of his team getting it done on time.”

The car was won by professional golfer Kevin Na who immediately turned and flipped the keys to his caddy and long time friend Kenny Harms saying, “I don’t know how my caddie convinced me to give him the car, but he’s a good salesman I guess. But I’m more than happy to give it to him. He deserves it.” Kenny had been eyeing the car all weekend and the pair had a pact that if Na won Kenny got the car. Na took the remaining $1.314 million.

It remains to be seen whether a custom Challenger with the name SCHWAB instead of the name DODGE can retain its value but you can’t deny the car’s excellence. Whatever the outcome, the Dodge Challenger remains one of the high points of the muscle car era whether it’s restored, rodded or raced.

It remains to be seen whether a custom Challenger with the name SCHWAB instead of the name DODGE can retain its value but you can’t deny the car’s excellence.

200 MPH Ford Maverick

When conjuring up images of American muscle cars, the Ford Maverick doesn’t immediately rocket to the retina, but when you think Pony Cars, then the Maverick is right there, if only because of its name.

…the rear-wheel drive Maverick was able to flex its muscles—it was a contender.

Introduced on April 17, 1969 as a 1970 model, the Maverick was based on the 1960 Falcon that was falling out of public favor due to the popularity of the Mustang, the ultimate Pony Car. The Maverick was introduced as an import fighter, but its initial powerplants were 170, 200 and 250 ci straight sixes. However, in 1971, Ford added a 210 hp 5.0L 302 V8 to the long nose fastback and suddenly, the rear-wheel drive Maverick was able to flex its muscles—it was a contender. That said, and despite sales of almost 600,000 in the first year, it was still never high up on the hot rodder’s list of must dos.

Enter the Greening Auto Company, a father and son team operating out of Cullman, Alabama. There, Jeff and son, Jesse, have built some outstanding performance cars, one of which is this 200 mph Maverick for owner Jimmy Shaw. StateofSpeed caught up with the boys at the recent East Coast Timing Association Arkansas 1-Mile Challenge at Blytheville International Airport, Blytheville, Arkansas.

Looks aren’t everything though, and it’s what’s under the hood that counts.

Illustrated by Eric Brockmeyer, Shaw’s Maverick is a subtle combination of old meets new in that it’s a very low mileage, rust free ’71 body with very contemporary styling, incorporating very extensive body modifications and a custom color mixed specially by BASF/Glasurit. The car made its debut in the Baer Brakes booth at the 2018 SEMA Show where it picked up the Ford Design Award. It subsequently took top honors from Goodguys, Mothers, BASF and more, including Gran Turismo.

Looks aren’t everything though, and it’s what’s under the hood that counts. In this case, it’s a twin turbo, 427 ci Ford Windsor built by Bennett Racing Engines, Haleyville, Alabama. The fuel delivery is controlled by a FAST engine-management system that can operate in a docile street mode or race mode. The combination produces 1,200 hp and backing it up is a Bowler Transmissions 4L80E overdrive trans and a Currie rear axle. All of this is hung on a Roadster Shop chassis fitted with Baer brakes with XTR rotors.

The five-spoke, pin-drive wheels were again illustrated by Eric but machined in-house at Greening. They’re 18s in front and 19s in back fitted with 295/30/18 and 355/30/19 tires. 

Despite its performance pedigree, this lil’ Maverick has a fully equipped interior custom built by Wayne McGriff’s MM HotRod Interiors, Holly Pond, AL. It features custom buckets seats upholstered in black leather with Alcantara inserts and Stroud racing. The carbon fiber dash is highlighted by a Racepak IQ3 digital display as well as a Momo steering wheel. Incidentally, cool air is provided by Vintage Air and the sound system by Kicker.

We spoke to Jesse Greening at Blytheville where they gradually crept up on that elusive 200 mph mark. “We had a really good time at the Arkansas Mile,” said Jesse. “It was our first time at that event, and Jimmy was determined to hit 200. Thankfully, no issues and we just tweaked it until we hit the marker with a speed of 169.364 at the ½-mile and a stout 202.748 at the mile.

“After 200-mph run at Blytheville, the Maverick was scanned by Sony for their Gran Turismo sim racing game then it was on to Columbus, Ohio for the Goodguys’ 22^nd PPG Nationals where we picked up the 2019 PPG Street Machine of the Year Award.

“We were invited to Saudi Arabia but winning the Street Machine of the Year Award means we will go on to the Goodguys event at Scottsdale, AZ. We’re not done with racing though and we plan to be back at Blytheville in 2020 to try to bump our top speed.”

“Jimmy wanted a car that was capable of autocrossing, drag racing, road course racing and standing mile runs. Hopefully, we delivered that in spades, and more, and owe him a big thanks for allowing us to build his dream.”

’71 Dodge Dart Demon Pro Touring Restomod

As far back as their July 1989 issue—that’s 30 years—HOT ROD Magazine has been saying to its readers: “Dare To Be Different”, meaning look outside the box and don’t keep modifying the same old cars. Well, the car builders took notice and over the past three decades, builders have modified everything from AMC Gremlins to Jeep Wagoneers and to great effect.

One car that you might never think about modifying is the 1971 Dodge Dart Demon—heck, you might never have even seen or heard of a Dodge Dart Demon. The Demon came about because in 1970 sister group Chrysler-Plymouth had the Valiant Duster, a uni-body two-door coupe built on the A-body platform. With sales topping a quarter-million units, Dodge wanted a slice of the pie and got the Demon complete with small but controversial devil decals that were soon axed.

The Demon was to be called the Beaver but for obvious reasons, that name was also option delete. Basically, it was a Dodge Duster with Dart front sheet metal and a few other minor differences. Badge engineering it might have been but under the optional black hood with scoops, you could get the 5.6L 340 ci V8.

The Demon was to be called the Beaver but for obvious reasons, that name was also option delete.

The 340-equipped Demons could accelerate zero-to-60 mph in under 8 seconds. That’s not too shabby for a car almost 50 years old, but what if we took the age-old approach to performance and dropped in a bigger motor?

Incidentally, for those who don’t know, back in the day, Norm Krause, a.k.a. Mr. Norm was running Grand Spaulding Dodge on the northwest side of Chicago. By 1966, they were the largest dealer of high-performance Dodges in the country building hot rod Dodges when the factory couldn’t or wouldn’t deliver. One of Grand Spaulding’s notable efforts was the ’71 GSS Dart to which this car is a tribute.

“Just drop in a bigger motor,” was the instruction owner Bill Sefton gave to builder Mike Staveski of Restomod World in Hudson, Florida. No-need-to-be-told-twice Mike, well-known for his mad Mopar builds and the first to drop a Viper V-10 into a ’70 Challenger, dropped in a new Gen III 6.1L SRT8-derived HEMI that is a little different.

“I was so impressed, I eventually bought the company and this restomod Demon is a fitting tribute to the original ’71 GSS Dart.”Bill Sefton

It’s topped off with an Imagine Injection Six Pack system (three two-barrel throttle bodies) with a FAST Engine Management System and an original 1971 cast-aluminum GSS Tri-Power air cleaner. The rest of the drivetrain includes a Tremec five-speed manual box with a Hurst shifter and a Moser-built Dana 60 rear end.

To enable the Demon to handle like a modern car, Staveski installed a complete, fully adjustable suspension system with anodized-aluminum coilovers from AFCO Racing ably assisted with Wilwood 12.88-inch four-piston brakes. The wheel and tire combination comprises 19- and 20-inch Modern Muscle Pentastar forged split-rims and Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires: 225/40R19 in the front and 330/30R20 out back.

Like the exterior, the interior was likewise updated but not overstated. Corvette C5 bucket seats were re-upholstered in Year-One materials to afford more lateral support, power windows were fitted, as was Vintage Air air conditioning and a custom ’68 Dart instrument cluster by Red Line Graphics complete with push-button start and remote entry. Finally, a Sony stereo system was installed with a five-channel full-range/subwoofer with two 12-inch Xplod woofers installed in the trunk.

According to owner Sefton, “Mr. Norm’s was one of my regular destinations as a young man growing up in Chicago. I was so impressed, I eventually bought the company and this restomod Demon is a fitting tribute to the original ’71 GSS Dart.”

Halo Camaro

According to car builder extraordinaire Steve Strope of Pure Vision Design, Simi Valley, California, “A ‘Halo Car’ is an automobile model that lends prestige or attractiveness to the brands and other models of its manufacturer,” or to put it another way, “A unique automobile designed to draw attention to the brand.”

Steve is always very good at concocting the “back story” to his builds and is well known for his creativity when it comes to halo cars; if you visit his website you can see a number of them both past and present—cars like the “Anvil Mustang”, the “Martini T-5R Mustang”, and the “TT Camaro”. This second-gen ’72 Camaro was actually Pure Vision’s first Camaro project and the owner’s brief to Steve was to, “Build the baddest interstate flyer that is a comfortable long hauler that can cruise from SoCal to Vegas at a moment’s notice, keep a blistering pace, and do it in style.”

The required “blistering pace” is provided by a 427-cubic inch, cast-iron small-block Chevy V8 built by Tom Nelson Racing Engines in Chatsworth, California—and with twin “mirror image” NRE turbos, a billet, 16-injector “Alien” intake, and stainless steel headers by Aaron Cranford it produces a “throat clearing” 1,320 horsepower. Incidentally, the engine is set back 3 inches while the Ron Davis radiator is pushed forward 3.5 inches—and that heat shielding? That’s 24 kt. gold-plated shielding as used by McLaren.

“Build the baddest interstate flyer that is a comfortable long hauler that can cruise from SoCal to Vegas at a moment’s notice, keep a blistering pace, and do it in style.”

Backing up the power plant is a McLeod clutch and a double-overdrive, 6-speed, close-ratio Tremec Magnum transmission Cryogenic treated and massaged by the folks at Modern Driveline in Caldwell, Idaho, to withstand the staggering horsepower loads.

Power is put to the ground courtesy of a Jim Meyer Racing sub-frame in front and Ride Tech four-link in the rear with JRi Shocks coil-overs. Up front, Steve chose to go with coils from Hyper Coils. Stopping the Pirelli Corsa tires mounted on 18- and 19-inch HRE Wheels rims are 6S calipers and 13-inch rotors from Baer Brakes.

With the engineering work complete, the Camaro was shipped over to Steve’s collaborator Mick Jenkins at Mick’s Paint in Pomona, California. Mick and Steve have worked together on a number of award-winning projects and the Camaro was to be no different.

There are no cutting corners at Mick’s and the Camaro was stripped to bare metal before Anvil carbon fiber panels were installed to replace the stock fenders, inner fenders, nose, front spoiler, deck lid, rear spoiler, and hood that features Ringbrothers billet hinges and custom, built-in heat extractors. The carbon bumpers are from Custom Works Products. Meanwhile, the stock door handles were replaced with Aston Martin flip-out handles. After some extremely careful prep and masking, the car was shot in Aston Martin Tungsten Silver.

“Your interior is where you enjoy the driving experience. Don’t treat it as an afterthought.”Steve Strope, Pure Vision Design

The interior is luxury personified and built to the owner in the style of an Aston Martin with acres of Aston Martin Bitter Chocolate leather and Alcantara suede-like material expertly French-stitched by Eric Thorsen Custom Upholstery in Agoura Hills, California. According to Steve, “Your interior is where you enjoy the driving experience. Don’t treat it as an afterthought.” Incidentally, the TT Camaro’s air conditioning was upgraded with Vintage Air, the shifter and knob are customs made, meanwhile, Steve completely redesigned the instruments using AutoMeter movements.

The bezels were machined at White Rhino Industries in Simi Valley, and the faces were tech’d at Redline Gauge Works in Santa Clarita, California. The shortened column is from Flaming River. There is also a touch-screen control panel from ISIS that enables you to control functions such as unlocking doors, turning on lights, activating windows or controlling accessories wirelessly from a mobile device such as an Apple iPhone^®, the iPad^®, or the iPod touch^®.

Proof that the TT Camaro is one rad ride is that it won the prestigious GM Design Best Vehicle of the Show Award at the SEMA Show and it doesn’t get much better than that.

The Big 70

As Mark Twain once famously quipped, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” The same can be said of hot rods and custom cars if the recent Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) was any indicator. Now celebrating its 70th anniversary, the 2019 GNRS, held annually at the Fairplex Pomona, was huge, very well attended and a great show.

There are literally hundreds of vehicles of every shape and size on display but the coveted award is for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster and this year there were no less than 14—yes—14 cars competing for the 9-foot trophy. In 2018, the big trophy went to the Martin Special built for Dave Martin by Scott Bonoski’s Hot Rods and Hobbies in Signal Hill, California.

…there were no less than 14—yes—14 cars competing for the 9-foot trophy.

No show rod, this handcrafted roadster was based on a ’31 Ford which competed in the 2017 Silver State Classic, averaging more than 100 miles per hour for more than an hour. After the GNRS, it was shipped to Europe where Octane magazine road tested it before it went on to compete in the Bernina Mountain Climb outside St. Moritz, Switzerland. If that’s not a hot rod then I don’t know what is.

This year’s winner was a very different roadster but nonetheless a stunning example of amazing craftsmanship. Based on a 1936 Ford Roadster, the so-called  ‘3 Penny Roadster’ was built for rodder and land speed racer George Poteet, Memphis, Tennessee, by Eric Peratt’s Pinkee’s Rod Shop, Windsor, Colorado. Incidentally, George is one of the world’s fastest men having gone over 450 mph in his ‘Speed Demon’ land speed racer.

George is one of the world’s fastest men having gone over 450 mph in his ‘Speed Demon’ land speed racer.

Another well-known name in the world of hot rodding is that of Chip Foose of TV’s “Overhaulin’’ who was honored at this year’s GNRS with the ‘Builder of the Decade’ award. Chip had half a dozen of his most famous cars on display including his rear-engined “Hemisfear.”

Over in Building 9, there was a fantastic display of more than 100 Model A Fords celebrating the car’s 90th anniversary. To some a 90-year-old Model A Ford might appear archaic nevertheless, watching them all drive out of the building was magical.

…the trend is slowly shifting away from early Ford-based hot rods to muscle cars…

Finally, as you would expect because the trend is slowly shifting away from early Ford-based hot rods to muscle cars, the show floor was littered with muscle cars of every shape and size. Two of the most interesting were the ’69 Nova fitted with ’69 Camaro fenders from Steve Strope’s Pure Vision Design and the Dodge Charger of Speedkore Performance Group that had a complete carbon fiber body.

The GNRS has something for everybody and this year did not disappoint. For more info on this and other shows go to www.rodshows.com

Purist Group Winter Drive

Automotive Gathering for a Good Cause

Over the past five years, Purist Group has held their annual “Winter Drive” toy event to benefit underprivileged, less fortunate children and their communities during the holiday season. This charity automotive car show and meet was envisioned by Purist founder Sean Lee as a way to bring the community together, letting car enthusiasts do what they love to do and play with cars while donating toys.

Founded in 2012, Purist Group is comprised of a unique collection of automotive enthusiasts of different nationalities and professions. Many of the members in this group are well-known in the industry including drivers, journalist, tuners, car collectors, and overall car geeks. This group exists not for commercial purposes but as a network to all the good people who share a common passion for cars, motorcycles, and the finer things in life. The prime focus of this group is helping others as well as one another.

The previous year, collectively as a group, the event raised over 20,000 toys to be donated to charities across the US including those who were impacted by the most recent Woolsey Fire. Last year’s event brought over 16,000 toys collected and continue to grow as of date, while rough estimates count 1,000+ cars rolling through the main entrance.

To commemorate this annual tradition, Winter Drive was once again free to all spectators but came with one special request: bring a new unwrapped toy valued at $10 or more to support a good cause and spread some holiday cheers. The event itself is a toy collection drive which features a massive gathering of hundreds of the most unique cars in the world, live music and entertainment, fun activities, contests, raffles, and giveaways.

You can bet your bottom dollars that a few super rare cars come out to play. Take for example this rare production LaFerrari Aperta. How rare you ask? Only 210 were manufactured with the final version being auctioned for 10 million dollars.

This Koenigsegg Final Version “Thor” Agera was one of my favorite vehicles at the event. Based on the Agera RS, the 1,360-HP turbocharged Thor version comes with all the bells and whistles including an aero package and Aircore hollow-spoke carbon fiber wheels.

The Blitz Skyline GT-R R348 was built for the sole purpose of top speed driving which was a thing back in the ’90s for Japanese tuners. This iconic car competed in the Silver State Classic back in ’02 but didn’t finish because he ran out of fuel less than a mile from the finish line—mind you this was still a street car. Later that year, Blitz took the car to Germany to reach a speed of 343 KPH (214 MPH) on the German Autobahn because the speed limit was not enforced there at the time.

Another favorite, or should I say favorites, at this year’s event were these two widebody machines sitting side-by-side. Liberty Walk LB widebody Ferrari was tucking wheels.

While I’m not a fan of the RWB Porsche movement, the black on chrome wheels played into a perfect build.

If you missed out on last year’s event, you can learn about more ways to donate by visiting Purist Group at www.facebook.com/PuristGroup

Scene at Performance Racing Industry (PRI)

The Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show is held annually in Indianapolis, the home of the Indy 500.  Established in 1988 by brothers Jim and Steve Lewis on the back of their magazine Performance Racing Industry, PRI has grown to become the world’s largest gathering place for the motorsports industry where deals are done, sales are written, sponsorships are inked and more than 600 new products are introduced. The only problem is, it’s held in December in Indy and it’s darn cold.

No matter, the atmosphere is warm as thousands of attendees gather from more than 70 countries to check out 3,300 booths occupied by 1,100 companies. And there’s everything from ARP’s nuts and bolts to Weld Wheels including Aeromotive Fuel Systems, AutoMeter instruments, DJ Safety, Hedman Hedders, K&N Filters, Lucas Oil, MOMO, NGK spark plugs, Pro-Charger, SCE Gaskets, TechnoCraft trailer cabinets, and VP Racing Fuel. The list goes on.

As we said, more than 600 products are showcased at PRI and they range from the inevitable wheels from Weld, intakes and ignitions from Holley/MSD and engine blocks from World Products.

Without a doubt, one of the most impressive new products was the Jesel Equal Eight from Dan Jesel who with brother Wayne operate Jesel Valvetrain Co. Machined from a solid aluminum billet, this 427-ci V8 is a work of engineering art and won the JE Pistons Masters of Motors Award.

Indeed, performance parts and pieces machined from billet aluminum were a big part of the show and I filmed one young man of just 24 machining a Keith Black aluminum block right there on the show floor. And, he started in the business when he was just 18. In fact, the racing industry appears to hold a healthy attraction for young people, which is great if we are going to perpetuate motorsports into the new autonomous, electronic age that is fast approaching. Incidentally, one of the best hands-on events of the show was the Hot Rodder’s of Tomorrow Engine Challenge competition sponsored by companies such as Allstar Performance, Edelbrock, Canton Racing Products, Mr. Gasket, Racing Head Service and Vibrant Performance.

The PRI Show is a trade-only expo so it’s only open to members of the motorsports industry; however, you can learn more at PerformanceRacing.com

From Mello to Melodrama

The H2Oi International Story (Part Two)

The stages were set. On one, an automotive revolutionary war of sorts was brewing. Showgoers were about to land in a city they weren’t welcome in with a police force that knew they were coming anyway.

On the other, “generals” were in the final stages of “recolonization,” having lost the hard-fought “Battle of Ocean City” so to speak. It was official: Atlantic City, New Jersey was H2Oi International’s new home, and this new frontier meant new opportunities and challenges for the “settlers.”

CLEARING THE MUDDY WATERS

Before we get into my experiences of both events, I had an opportunity to interview Jay Shoup, owner and founder of H2Oi International. I’m sharing snippets of our conversation in an effort to negate the plethora of inaccurate statements that have—and continue to—come out about his show as well as the events preceding it. Here are the facts:

1. The actual sanctioned car show that is H2Oi International was never held in Ocean City, Maryland.
   Since the day of the show’s origination, H2Oi has always been held outside Ocean City. People attending the show would congregate in Ocean City because of its proximity to the show. According to Jay, it was local media that incorrectly associated the two events in an effort to put blame on him. “The media beat me down,” Mr. Shoup explained. “Why do they keep bringing me into this?”—a question he asks to this day.
2. It was Jay’s decision to take H2Oi International elsewhere.
   When I asked him about relocating, Mr. Shoup confidently stated that, “There weren’t – and still aren’t – any legal grounds whatsoever for Ocean City to shut down my show, even if I decided to stay put.” Of course, he wasn’t interested in fighting anymore and that’s why he opted to postpone the show in 2017; To find a new, more suitable (and welcoming) venue.
3. “Did Ocean City officials really do everything they could to keep the peace (and the people there)?”
   This is one of the biggest questions Jay continues to ask to this day. He argues that, when it came to the preceding events in Ocean City, “The minority were the ones causing trouble,” and that, “I don’t [necessarily] know the solution, but I do know how to handle them.” Jay, for example, told me that, in the 20 years of his show’s existence, Ocean City officials never bothered to call upon the Maryland State Police to help keep the peace – an organization that he made sure to always hire from for H2Oi every year. And remember, this was never Jay’s problem in the first place!

MY EXPERIENCES

So with all that being said, let me first preface by saying that the following are my experiences of Ocean City and Atlantic City respectively. Anyone and everyone who attended either or both events no doubt had different experiences of them, which are neither right or wrong. I actually wrote a post on one of the Ocean City attendees Facebook groups asking them to share their thoughts and experiences with me. You will occasionally see quotes from this post.

OCEAN CITY

I arrived in Ocean City, Maryland on a Thursday evening, and it took almost two whole days to see the sizeable crowds of years past reappear. By Saturday, the sun set just beyond the horizon, and the natural lighting illuminating our surroundings was replaced by the flashing lights of Ocean City Police cars. As we walked the strip, we’d pass groups of people yelling “SEND IT!” to cruisers waiting at a red light. Usually, these groups would be holding signs with lude messages written on them as well while they taunted. The light would turn green, someone inevitably would in fact send it, and would get pulled over immediately after doing so.

Interactions that would follow between car owners and law enforcement were either contentious or cooperative. For the contentious ones, it was about testing the limits – a mentality not unlike one from a first-year college student. “You go to OCMD for the chaos that ‘H2Oi’ weekend brings,” one person submitted as a response to my Facebook post. “I had even more fun [this year] haha. [I] felt like there was more adrenaline because you could get caught easier,” responded another. And, to be clear, I nor staff from The Dawg Box condone this kind of behavior.

For others, it was a jovial, crime-free game of “Cat and Mouse.” The challenge: Bringing a car down to Ocean City that is blatantly illegal and see how long they can actually drive it on Coastal Highway before getting pulled over. The results: Usually within minutes of the tires touching the pavement, drivers would end up assisting the tow truck driver in loading their own vehicle to be carted off to the impound lot. It’s a game they inevitably lost.

And then there were those who were there simply to hang out. Whether they were seated in lawn chairs on the sidewalk or on inflatable couches in the bed of a truck, it’s as if they went to set an example; showing residents that not all young car enthusiasts were there to act out. Sure they also cruised the strip in vehicles that the city deemed “Unsafe,” but at least they behaved.

ATLANTIC CITY

Now, I’ll be honest, I’ve never actually attended the actual H2Oi International show when it was held in Ocean City, so I personally can’t make a comparison to what took place at The Showboat. Also, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t have my prejudgements about what the turnout would be like (that certainly explains why I traveled down on a Sunday afternoon and only spent two full hours there). I can and will, however, talk about H2Oi from the perspective of a 10-year veteran of the east coast car show scene.

For starters, it wasn’t an exclusively Audi/Volkswagen car show. All makes and models were there but thankfully, the 12 Top Dawgs were all European makes. To me, that doesn’t necessarily matter as I understand that businesses often have to adapt to new places and situations. And it was their first year at The Showboat, so I would’ve been shocked if there weren’t growing pains like this.

But, having said all that, what did surprise me was the general presentation of it all. The Showboat’s cul-de-sac, for example, was crammed with the Top Dawg finalists and as many vendor booths as they could fit, all while hotel guests were coming and going. To me, it felt like I was at a job fair.

And then there was the parking garage, where the remaining cars parked. “The idea was to separate general and show parking, but we didn’t really have the manpower to police it this year,” Mr. Shoup clarified. It made sense. Cars were scattered throughout every level with no real organizational structure whatsoever. Many were driving in and out of the garage freely while spectators were still walking around. It honestly felt like a cross between a scene from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and one from car meets I used to attend back home. “We’ll figure out a better solution for next year,” Jay said.

Look, I’ll be the first to tell you that it’s often difficult to embrace change, but I think that if we as enthusiasts, take the time to try to embrace it (and succeed), we can appreciate H2Oi’s new home while still reminiscing about the good times in Ocean City, Maryland. For all intents and purposes, H2Oi was a success. What do you think?