Juggling Mistresses Ain’t Easy, But Pin Did It With the 1972 Buick Riviera

Ladies first, as the old saying goes, is polite. But to introduce the creation before the creator seems an odd way to begin any tale. Let’s start with the folks behind the machine pictured here on State of Speed.

Much like Madonna, or the artist formerly known as Prince, Pin goes by one name. Pin told SoS, “it was a name given to me by a friend in the early 90s and it stuck.” He gave no explanation but stick it did. So much so, that when he started building cars for customers the question of “Who built it?” always came up, and the reply “Pin Did It” later became the name of Pin’s California-based business.

While the nickname, & seriously building cars, came about in the 1990s, his love of cars did not. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Pin was raised in the car scene. His dad was a car guy, and as a Motor City native, Pin developed a love affair for full-sized American cars like Cadillacs, Impalas, and the third-generation Buick Riviera.

“I’ve had a thing for Rivieras since I was a kid. My dad had one, and I remember riding in it down to the Detroit River,” said Pin. Since then, he has held a soft spot for ‘the new for 1971’ larger Riviera with boat-tail styling. While now considered iconic, the boat-tail styling was too radical for GM execs and as such, the third generation Riviera was short-lived getting revamped after the 1973 model year.

 The late ‘60s became a time of rapidly changing safety regulations enforced on car makers. Buick made changes to the Riviera for ‘72, but there were so many changes in ‘73 that Pin considers the 1973 Riviera to be a different car. One thing all three years of the 3rd generation Riviera had in common was the standard Buick 455 cubic-inch big-block V8. 

 Now that we’ve introduced Pin, let’s move on to this masterpiece. Pictured here is a 1972 Riviera named “Elvira 2.” And yes, the car is named after the 80’s horror movie hostess and sex icon Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Pin said, “When I look at the curvy rear quarter panels, I picture Elvira laying on her couch.” When he put it that way, it clicked, and the nickname made sense. 

 But wait, why Elvira 2? That’s because Elvira 2 isn’t the first Mistress. Pin and team built Elvira 1 in 2014 for the SEMA show and in 2015 when Elvira 1 was featured in the Lexani wheels SEMA booth, it made a huge impact. Their Riviera stole the spotlight from a multitude of hypercars and luxury cars normally reserved for royalty. 

Pin, and his crew built Elvira 1 for Pin and swore he’d never sell it. You gotta hand it to Pin, he stuck to his guns. Even after Lexani’s Dubai dealer, who isn’t accustomed to hearing no, offered absurd sums of money, Pin didn’t sell the car. Instead, Pin promised to duplicate the original, and build Elvira 2 as a car he would sell for the right price. 

SoS asked Pin if Elvira 2 is identical to Elvira 1, to which he replied “People think it’s the same car with different wheels. But it’s an evolution of Elvira 1. The team and I did several things differently.” While we could compare all the similarities and differences between the two builds, let’s stick to Elvira 2 for this article. 

…“I’ve had a thing for Rivieras since I was a kid. My dad had one, and I remember riding in it down to the Detroit River,”...

After the fanfare, Pin’s friends & partners started hunting down another Riviera for Elvira 2. They got a tip about a guy in Pheonix, Arizona who had not one, but three, Rivieras. Pin purchased all 3 from the owner, and that same day got a tip about another. Pin went from having one Mistress of the Dark to having a total of five before the day’s end. “Elvira 2 was rough when we got her. First thing the guys did was pull the body off the frame, soda blast it all, and get it on a rotisserie to begin a full resto-mod.”

Elvira 2 is far from stock, but much of what makes this build impressive was so cleverly done that it’s not obvious. Besides the PPG Corvette Black paint, and freshly re-chromed trim, the next thing that draws your eyes are the custom three-piece Lexani wheels. The wheels are an impressive 22×9 up front and 22×11 rear. Barely noticeable due to the ultra-low aspect ratio are the Milestar MS932 XP+ Ultra High-Performance tires in 255/30R22 and 295/25R22. Behind the Lexani wheels are one-off custom 15” Wilwood disc brakes. 

What you can’t see, but certainly notice thanks to Elvira 2’s stance, is the heavily worked Riviera suspension and adjustable Accuair air-suspension. “The air ride suspension has presets for different heights and will auto-level if passengers get in,” said Pin. If you’re lucky enough to find Elvira 2 sitting high enough to look under it, you’ll also notice the powder-coated frame, suspension components, and the fabricated Currie Enterprises rear end which replaced the factory GM 14-bolt. 

Step a little closer, bend down a little lower, and you’ll see the custom touches in Elvira 2’s interior. Look below the beltline and you’ll notice the front seats. Head restraints became mandatory in 1969, but Pin doesn’t like looking through a car with headrests impeding your view. Purists might notice the front seats in Elvira 2 aren’t just missing the headrests, but they aren’t Riviera seats at all. “These are 12-way full power, adjustable lumbar Cadillac seats heavily massaged for Elvira 2,” said Pin. Covering the seats, as well as the interior, is beautiful Relicate Leather. The seats got a long diamond stitch pattern inspired by the Bugatti Chiron.

The dash, and bezels look custom but other than wrapping the dash in leather, they’re factory. What was changed is the addition of a Holley Pro Dash gauge cluster and the single DIN Bluetooth-capable Alpine head unit. The center console is custom and houses components of the Rockford Fosgate audio system, and Accuair controls. If you can see through the light reflecting in your eyes, there’s a custom billet aluminum steering wheel made by Bill Hancock at Colorado Custom.

By now gearheads are wondering what’s under the hood, asking questions like, “Is it all show and no go? Is it LS swapped?” Well, the answer to both questions is no. Both Elvira 1 and Elvira 2 retained a 455 big block, and in the case of Elvira 2, the engine has been massaged by the folks at TA Performance in Scottsdale, Arizona. TA is a specialist in Buick engines and outfitted Elvira 2 with their Stage 1 aluminum cylinder heads, and intake manifold machined for tuned port injection. The bottom end has forged internals and the 455 now sits at 462 cu in of displacement. 

Immediate exhaling of spent gases is handled by a set of TA exclusive Buick big block headers mated to a custom Magnaflow exhaust system, designed, fabricated, and installed by the folks at Magnaflow themselves. Shifting duties are still handled by a Turbo-Hydramatic TH400 automatic transmission built by Hughes Performance turning the 3.73:1 differential ratio inside the Currie housing. 

…“it was a name given to me by a friend in the early 90s and it stuck.” ...

Pin and team debuted Elvira 2 at the 2018 SEMA show in the Magnaflow booth. Around this time Pin also relocated to Scottsdale, AZ taking the business with him but on a smaller scale. No longer known as Pin Did It, the shop is now called Revelations, Inc. The name is a play on words, taking inspiration from both the Book of Revelation and the sense of elation that comes from revving an engine. “Elvira 2 was the debut build for Revelations, Inc. We’re a tight-knit team. I couldn’t do this without my guys Steve Edling, and mechanic Cadillac Joe. I also have to give it up to our industry partners. Without a solid team, and great sponsors, none of this would have been possible,” said Pin. 

What’s next for Pin? When asked, Pin said Revelations, Inc. is working on a full reboot of Elvira 1 taking her even further than Elvira 2. They’re also doing a revamp of a 1961 Cadillac convertible they had previously built. This time it’s getting a twin-turbo LS3 and they plan to debut it at the 2022 SEMA show. During the interview Pin never mentioned what’s in store for Elviras 3 through 5. But perhaps trying to keep two Mistresses of the Dark is more than anyone can handle?

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Brian Jacobson’s Jeep Wrangler JLU Monster

Guess who’s back? Back again. It’s Brian Jacobson and this time he’s created a JLU Monster.

You may recall the recent State of Speed feature of Brian Jacobson’s 1969 Chevy K5 Blazer. If not, then spoiler alert, Brian sold the K5 shortly after it was completed. He had his reasons, of course, and when asked it was more than just the ridiculous amount of money he was offered. “I had a bit of an epiphany on a trip to Parker, Arizona.” Said Jacobson. He continued, “On this trip my family struggled getting in and out of the Blazer. It wasn’t easy dealing with the roll cage, strapping into the harnesses, etc. Then they rode in a friend’s new Jeep JLU…” The rest is history. Jacobson immediately started building out his next project in his mind, and after selling the K5 he told himself, ‘It feels so empty without a Jeep.’

Jacobson isn’t a stranger to Jeeps. In fact, prior to the Blazer he built out an impressive Jeep Wrangler TJ Unlimited, AKA Jeep LJ. The irony here is that the LJ was intended to be his daughter’s vehicle to drive to school. After a few years he planned to inherit the LJ from her and eventually start to build it out. But as things often do, the LJ build got started early, and went a bit overboard for a teenager’s daily driver. Before long it wasn’t Brian’s daughter’s Jeep any longer, but his own.

…For sure! The family is comfortable. I’m happy, and I’m planning to keep it...

Brian sold the K5 in March of 2021 and he didn’t’ wait long or spend much time debating what his next vehicle would be. Literally, the day after the Blazer was sold, he began a search for a Jeep Wrangler JLU. After scouring private party ads, and dealer inventories, Brian found the Jeep that would become the basis for his next project. Most Jeep enthusiasts might seek out a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, the ultimate factory-built off-roader. However, Brian already had his Jeep build planned out in advance and his plans far exceeded everything a factory Rubicon is built with/for. So why spend the extra money on a top-of-the-line Wrangler? 

At the end of the day, Brian ended up with a base model Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport. “I knew I was going to cut it up, and I immediately started ordering parts,” said Jacobson. In April of 2021 Jacobson dropped the freshly acquired JLU off with his friends at Rock Bottom Offroad to get the build started. “I was going to keep it fairly simple at first, with bolt on suspension, etc.” said Jacobson. He added, “But the guys at Rock Bottom Offroad called me up and said, ‘Guess what we’re doing?”. Essentially his JLU build was Hijacked and the folks at Rock Bottom Offroad took this build to eleven.

The shop immediately began to dig into the JLU, stripping it down, and getting it ready to conquer everything from the Hammers to the Rubicon trail. One of the most important components in any crawler build is the axles, and for this reason Brian and crew went with a set of Fusion 4×4 Elite Kingpin 60/Elite 80 – 40 spline axles. Suspending those beefy axles is a custom rear trailing arms, and three-link front suspension built by Rock Bottom Offroad.

Providing the damping at all four corners are Radflo 2.5 coilovers and bypasses. Steering left and right is handled by 2-½ ton Fusion steering aided by Red Neck Ram hydro assist from the folks at West Texas Off-Road. “The cool thing about West Texas Off-road is you turn your wheels left and right, take measurements, and send your measurements over to them. They build the hydro assist to your specs, not the other way around,” said Jacobson. They also took the heavy-duty steering box that Jacobson purchased and, in addition to porting the box, modified it to meet the flow requirements of a hydro-assist system.

Even with a quick walk ‘round the outside of Jacobson’s Jeep, it’s obvious that these axles and custom suspension weren’t bolted on for looks. They were selected to maximize travel and the suspension is complemented by custom wheel tubs at all four corners. Even with a set of 40” Milestar Patagonia M/Ts, Brian’s Jeep managed a Metalcloak Corner Travel Index (CTI) of 1050. For those unfamiliar with a CTI score, a custom trailer is used to measure a vehicle’s maximum axle/wheel articulation, commonly referred to as flex, at all four corners of the vehicle. To give perspective, Metalcloak has performed a CTI test on a stock JLU Rubicon and achieved a CTI of 636 with the front swaybar disconnected.

…It feels so empty without a Jeep...

Now this might spark a little controversy, but Jacobson said, “with 5.38:1 gears, and this 8-speed transmission, the JLU Sport’s stock transfer case is perfect. In fact, many people say the Rubicon’s 4:1 transfer case is just too low.” To raise a few more eyebrows, Jacobson’s JLU is powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbo! Jacobson told us, “I know someone who has their turbo JL tuned to 400 horsepower.” He continued, “I’ve got a S&B air intake, and Magnaflow exhaust on mine and it turns those 40” tires without issue.” He did say that he plans to increase performance with a tune in the future once the 42” Milestar Patagonia M/Ts have been released.

Besides axles, any other factory parts are not up to the task of dealing with this kind of articulation, turning tires far beyond the stock 31” diameter units, and not to mention bringing it all to a standstill. As such, those weak points needed to be replaced with aftermarket units. Adam’s Driveshafts, 1350 rear and 1310 front, ensure the power coming out of the transfer case makes it to the differentials. Additionally, Brian’s JLU is sporting the big brake kit that comes with Fusion 4×4 axles to slow down the custom candy blue powdercoated Raceline Monster beadlocks wrapped in tires taller than most young kids.

Although Brian’s Jeep is incredibly capable, it was also built to be comfortable and functional both on and off-road. PRP seats and harness were utilized for comfort and safety. Also, seeing how the roll cage in his K5 became an inconvenience, Brian opted for a Rock Hard 4×4 bolt-in roll cage to compliment the JLU’s factory roll cage. “The factory cage is pretty thin,” said Jacobson. “But it’s made of hardened steel, and the Rock Hard 4×4 cage helps improve what came from the factory.” The stock JLU’s top is sufficient but a bit cumbersome when outfitted with a hardtop. So, for increased style, and ease of going topless, Jacobson added a Bestop Fastback softtop.

To make sure passengers, and passersby, can hear the Jeep coming, Brian added an Audison car audio system powered by a Stinger Electronics head unit. With seeing, and being seen, in mind, factory lighting was swapped for Oracle Lighting products with off-road lighting being handled by units from Rigid Industries. To look good, while being functional, Nemesis Industries fenders, inner fenders, sliders, and bumpers were used. A Warn Industries winch provides tugging power (most likely to recover others), while Artec Industries skid plates modified by Rock Bottom Offroad protect the underside from catastrophe.

So, with all this work done to the Jeep JLU, State of Speed felt obligated to ask Brian if he accomplished his goal of having a capable off-roader, while keeping his family comfortable? To which Jacobson replied, “Absolutely! While they were all sad to see the K5 go. They’re happier now.” Which of course required us to ask Brian if he was happy with the build? “For sure! The family is comfortable. I’m happy, and I’m planning to keep it.” Only time will tell if Brian really does stick with the JLU. Sometimes building a vehicle is as much, or more, fun than using it. So, if that’s the case, State of Speed is excited to see what’s next for Jacobson!

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This 1969 Chevy K5 Blazer Proves That if You Can’t Find It, Build It

Let’s do a little time traveling, the year is 2018 and after selling a highly sought-after Jeep Wrangler TJ Unlimited (more commonly called the LJ) Brian Jacobson is on the lookout for his next project. His criteria are that he wanted to get back to playing in the desert and his next build needed to be old and fast. So, after digging out an old high school algebra book Brian began to crunch numbers and came to the conclusion that Old + Fast = K5.

Again, let’s fire up the DeLoreon’s Flux Capacitor and travel back to the late 1960’s. Jeep’s CJ had carved out a new market segment, International Harvester had released the Scout in 1961 and Ford came out swinging with the Bronco by 1965. At this point General Motors had not only been late to the Pony Car craze, but now they were several years behind in the emerging SUV market.

But GM took a different approach than its competition from Detroit. Instead of producing an all-new smallish competitor to Jeep’s CJ, some bean counters determined it would be a lot cheaper and easier to shorten an existing K-Series pickup platform. In doing so GM created a full-size SUV to which the other auto makers would soon follow. So, in 1969 (often mistakenly called the Summer of Love), Chevrolet released the full-size K5 Blazer.

…Instead of producing an all-new smallish competitor to Jeep’s CJ, some bean counters determined it would be a lot cheaper and easier to shorten an existing K-Series pickup platform…

Speeding forward at 88 MPH, we once again find ourselves in 2018. Brian Jacobson is having a hard time finding the right K5 Blazer for his project. Even before today’s high inflation, the cost of a clean K5 had skyrocketed and since Brian knew he was going to beat on this truck, he decided he would pick up something rough and build it out his way. As is often the case, this K5 project quickly snowballed into a one-of-a-kind build worthy of being on display at car shows.

Upon tearing into his newly acquired K5, Brian said he became of the mindset, that “If I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it right.” After that, the truck quickly became torn down. Everything got sandblasted, and with a nearly 50-year-old off-road vehicle, rust and abuse had taken its toll on the body panels. “We replaced every panel but the hood and tailgate,” said Jacobson. He continued, “It was a horrible rust bucket. We even welded in new rockers and a cowl.”

Brian did a lot of the work himself but gives credit to his good friends from Rock Bottom Off-Road in Riverside, California for the build. While Brian is a contractor, running heavy equipment, he helps Rock Bottom Off-Road with sales and publicity. “They’re good friends of mine. Plus, they had previously built my LJ,” said Jacobson. So, the K5 was transported to Rock Bottom for the build, and 1.21 gigawatts…err eighteen months later, the truck was finished.

And that’s brings us Back to the Future. When it was all said and done, the original desert beater concept was thrown out the window and the end result was a build worthy of the most elite car shows. “Yes, I took it to any show around,” said Jacobson, “but I also mobbed it through the desert, including KOH. I built it to use it.” Which is no understatement when you start to look at this truck’s build sheet.

…but I also mobbed it through the desert, including KOH. I built it to use it...

At the heart of it all is a LS3 Crate engine rated at 500HP. The LS3 is connected to a 4L80E automatic transmission, and a NP205 Twin Stick transfer case. From there the driveline connects to a kingpin Dana 60 front end, out of an ‘84 Chevy truck, and a 14-bolt rear end out of a ‘04 Suburban. Inside the axle housings are ARB air lockers and 5.13:1 ring & pinion gears. Both the front and rear axles already had disc brakes from their donor vehicles, but Jacobson took it a few steps further with Powerstop Brakes 6-piston calipers at all four corners combined with a Wilwood master cylinder & hydro boost power assist. Steering is handled by PSC hydro assist with ram assist to make steering those 38” Milestar Patagonia M/Ts easy when aired down super low thanks to KMC Machete beadlock wheels.

Yeah, it’s true the truck makes a lot of horsepower thanks to the tuning provided by CBM motorsports, and even has the braking power to slow it down. But is it fast when the going gets rough? You better believe it! Jacobson ditched the original front/rear leaf spring suspension in favor of a much more responsive Off-Road Designs 4-link setup with damping provided by King coilover shocks. To add rigidity to the frame, while also increasing safety, Jacobson had the roll cage tied to the frame. Also, with safety in mind, Jacobson went with PRP highback seats and safety harnesses.

What makes this truck show worthy? Everything else about it of course! This truck is just as much form as it is function. As a favor, this build brought two old school body guys out of retirement and was then treated to a what would approximately be a $20,000 paint job in Toyota’s TRD Pro Calvary Blue. Bumpers are functional, yet highly aesthetic units originally from Chassis Unlimited Bumpers. Though Jacobson said, “Those bumpers were discontinued, but Rock Bottom Off-road is making them now. Same with the cage and center console.”

In addition to the PRP seats inside, the interior got a full custom treatment from a local Riverside, CA interior shop called Barajas Upholstery. Atop the N8Z Fab console is a classic B&M shifter along with NP205 twin sticks allowing for all kinds of weird combinations like front only two low/high, rear only low range and of course the more usual 4 high/low combinations. Covering the gorgeous interior is a Softopper softtop replacing the original hardtop unit. And for those Southern California days when it’s too hot to go topless, Jacobson had a Vintage Air A/C unit added.

Often erroneously overlooked in a vehicle this age is the electrical system. Sure, copper wire remains copper wire. But the wire’s insulation becomes hard and brittle over time. Even the smallest vibrations can reveal weaknesses in the wiring harness in the way of electrical shorts. With that in mind, Brian made sure his K5 got a full Painless Performance wiring harness combined with new LED lighting. Replacing those worn out, and potentially inaccurate gauges, are all-new units from Autometer. Adorning the K5 are massive KC lights putting out all the needed lumens for nighttime romps through the desert which are controlled by a 4×4 sPod unit for simplicity and added functionality.

At the end of the interview State of Speed candidly asked Brian if he was happy with the build. Jacobson responded, “To be transparent. I’ve sold the K5.” As the old saying goes, everything is for sale if the price is right. “I had someone offer me an absurd amount of money, and couldn’t say no,” said Jacobson. When asked if he regretted selling it, he said “Yes, I miss it. But I don’t regret selling it. I’m enjoying my new JL build even more.” This JLU build he speaks of is a 2020 Wrangler Unlimited Sport that the guys at Rock Bottom Off-Road gave the full treatment, and State of Speed will cover in an upcoming article. So stay tuned!

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An Award Winning 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1:
From Boyhood Dreams to Retirement Reality

We recently had a chance to speak with Dennis McGrath after noticing his beautiful pearl white 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1. This particular car holds a special place in Dennis’ heart, and while he only acquired it in the last few years since retiring, his history with this Mach 1 goes back much further; as does Dennis’ love affair with the Ford Mustang.

When asked when he first found himself drawn to the car that jump started the “pony car” craze, Dennis stated, “I’ve loved Mustangs since elementary school. Back then, all my friends and I wore Mustang jackets.” However, it wasn’t until years later that Dennis acquired his first Mustang, and it wasn’t the 1970 Mach1 in this article.

“I’ve loved Mustangs since elementary school. Back then, all my friends and I wore Mustang jackets.”

To complement the aftermarket cam, Dennis swapped the original 2-barrel intake manifold and carburetor, to a 4-barrel aluminum manifold and Edelbrock 600 CFM carb. Dennis stated, “this really woke the car up, and even though the 4-barrel Cleveland heads make more horsepower up high, the 2-barrel heads jump off the line quicker.”

Outside of that, the car is mechanically very original. Wear & tear steering and suspension parts were replaced with units from Moog, and the 50-year-old springs were replaced with aftermarket lowering springs from Hotchkis sport suspension. “It was supposed to lower the car 2 inches out front and one in the back,” said Dennis. He continued, “but it was more like 3 inches up front and 2 in the rear.” Dennis said he checked, and everything still cleared, so he was happy with it.

Behind that 351 Cleveland is Ford’s FMX automatic transmission which connects to the stock 3.0:1 final drive in a Ford 9” open rear end. Getting that power to the ground are some classic-looking Milestar Streetsteel radial tires complete with raised white lettering. In the front, Dennis runs a 235/60R15 with a slightly wider 245/60R15 outback. These are wrapped around a set of 15” American Racing VN500 wheels which give the factory look of a Magnum 500 wheel, but with aluminum construction.

“It only has 94 thousand original miles on it. I didn’t need to do anything to it.”

The paint is about the biggest area where Dennis strayed from the original. While the Ford Mustang  Mach 1 was originally white, the color he chose was a Lexus Ultra White Pearl. When asked why he chose this color, Dennis replied, “I was going to repaint it the original white. But the body shop I use does a lot of work for a Lexus dealership. I saw all these white cars coming and going, and decided I wanted the brightest white out there.” He also mixed it up a little with all the badging and stripes. Instead of using decals, all the stripes and badges are painted on. For that Dennis chose a black pearl with a touch of blue pearl mixed in giving it a color-changing effect in certain lighting.

If you don’t believe that life begins after retirement, Dennis McGrath is here to prove you wrong. While his first build took 18 years while working, Dennis has completed 2 cars and started a pickup truck build in the 5-1/2 years since he retired. Although the ’66 Mustang A-Code convertible project already sold, we’re looking forward to seeing how his ’55 Chevy big window turns out and hopefully doing another feature here. If his past builds are any indication of the future, it’s sure to be another show winner.

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