#con2r | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

itsworn · 6 years ago

Text

A 1955 Ford Crown Victoria Inspired by a Lifetime of Street Rodding

It was 1957 or 1958 and Jack Kline was a little kid, 8 or 9 years old, pedaling his bicycle to his friend’s house. His friend’s brother was old enough to drive and owned a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria. When the older brother went into the service, the car stayed home in the garage, and Jack knew that his friend could always be persuaded to open the garage door. Together they would stare in awe at the incredible automobile hidden beyond it. That, Jack told us, is why he likes Crown Victorias and why he drives this beautiful 1955.

The car that Jack remembers from his childhood didn’t just get him hooked on Crown Victorias—it got him hooked on cars in general. The one we’re featuring here is one of more than two dozen in Jack’s current collection. He says 16 of them are driven regularly and there are 10 or 12 are waiting to be worked on. Most of them are Fords, from the 1917 Model T to the 2005 Ford GT, with a wide variety of years and models and styles in between.

The Crown Victoria joined his collection in 2000. He spotted it in the local freebie car classified magazine. It was located just a few miles from his home in Spokane, Washington. The car was driveable, but not roadworthy, and in desperate need of a complete restoration. For various reasons the project was delayed until 2010. That’s when Jack started talking to his friend Steve Cockburn about the Ford. Cockburn isn’t a professional builder, but he’s built a few cars and is good at it. Jack told him that he owns a lot of old cars that drive like old cars and wanted to keep the Crown Victoria out of that category.

Part of Jack’s vision for the car was to maintain some of the stock attributes that make the car a Crown Victoria. As you can see, the Vicky identity is all there, with a few cool custom elements to the exterior. Immediately obvious is the 1952-1953 Dodge grille, which looks right at home where the Ford grille used to be. A pair of 1954 headlight buckets replace the originals for more custom flavor. The headlights feature 10-inch LED lenses with amber turn signals. A hood and deck emblems were removed, but the bumpers, handles, glass, and the distinctive trim pieces were untouched, other than to freshen them up. Jack says blue is his favorite color, but since he already has a few blue vehicles, he decided on a yellow and white combination for this one. Goldenrod Yellow and Colonial White are both ’50s Ford colors that were never combined on factory Crown Victorias. Cockburn used Axalta paint to finish Jack’s car. Pro Polishing made sure the chrome looks as good as the paint.

Everything underneath has been updated for ride and performance. The Art Morrison Pro Touring chassis was built to accommodate the Coyote engine. The frontend features a Wilwood Pro Spindle kit, antiroll bar, and Panhard bar, along with Strange Engineering coilovers. The Strange 9-inch rearend with 3.70 gears and limited slip is suspended by a four-link and another pair of Strange coilovers. The 20- and 22-inch Helo wheels with low-profile, wide footprint, 245/35R20 and 295/25R22 Nexen radials provide great performance and an attention-getting contrast to the mildly modified body. Jack says he’d go with 24s in the back if he were to do it again. To stop the rollers, Jack and Cockburn chose 13-inch Wilwood disc brakes, plumbed to a Wilwood tandem master cylinder, power booster, and proportioning valve and operated by a 2005-2012 Mustang GT 500 pedal assembly.

There was never any question that this addition to Jack’s Ford corral would be powered by anything except a Ford engine. He considered a Kaase Boss 9 or a hot-rodded 351 or 390, but ultimately ended up with a Ford 5.0L Coyote crate engine underhood. “Realizing I could have almost 420 hp right out of the box without spending a lot of money or really leaning on a rebuild, this was the right alternative,” he says. The Coyote basically went right from the crate to the car. There’s a K&N air cleaner where fresh air comes in, and Ford Racing headers and Flowmaster DBX series mufflers where the exhaust goes out. The engine is paired with a TREMEC TKO five-speed transmission with a Centerforce clutch and flywheel.

On the inside, the Vicky is reminiscent of how a ’60s hot rodder would have modified the car. The 1955 Ford 120-mph see-through speedometer still tops the modified dash. The lower dash now houses a tach and quad gauge package from Classic Instruments, along with vents for the Vintage Air A/C. Steve fabricated a custom waterfall center dash console for the air conditioning controls and Alpine amplifier. Retrosound speakers are mounted covertly in the front with Kenwood speakers in the rear. John McGarrigle installed the stereo and wring using an American Autowire system. The CON2R Series One Dearborn steering wheel on an ididit column is inspired by classic Ford wheels. The Hurst Mopar pistol grip shifter was a necessity in the ’60s; this one has a carbon-fiber grip. The stock seats and the rest of the interior were upholstered in white vinyl with original-style cloth inserts by C&B Upholstery in Spokane. The cloth was used on the kick panels as well as in the trunk where it surrounds a dressed-up 340 Stealth 15-gallon aluminum fuel cell.

The workmanship on Jack’s Crown Victoria is impressive—even more so considering it was done in Cockburn’s home garage on nights and weekends. After 3-1/2 years, the finished car was back on the street. The folks in Spokane see it whenever Jack goes for a drive. Other spectators have seen it at the Peach City Beach Cruise in Penticton, British Columbia, Cool Deadwood Nites in South Dakota, and the Woodward Dream Cruise in Michigan, where they probably stare in awe at the incredible automobile.

The post A 1955 Ford Crown Victoria Inspired by a Lifetime of Street Rodding appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1955-ford-crown-victoria-inspired-lifetime-street-rodding/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

0 notes

blacktop-media · 8 years ago

Photo

@concept2reality here it is. Still in the garage. #con2r #projectriffraff #blacktopmatters #56fairlane

#56fairlane #blacktopmatters #con2r #projectriffraff

0 notes

muscle-cars-aesthetics · 7 years ago

Photo

1955 GMC Stepside Pickup LS7 ---------------------------------- Facts ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ Frame: Total Cost Involved Engineering (TCI) Rearend: Ford 9-inch 3.70:1 Suspension: four-link TCI, antiroll bar TCI, shocks RideTech coilover Brakes: Wilwood disc Steering: power rack-and-pinion, master cylinder Wilwood, steering column ididit tilt Front Wheels: ET III 18×9 Rear Wheels: ET III 18×12 Front Tires: Nitto 245/45ZR-18 Rear Tires: Nitto 295/45/ZR-18 Engine: LS7, 427ci displacement Oiling system: dry sump Rods: forged titanium Valves: titanium Mufflers: Flowmaster Transmission: 4L80E automatic Style: Stepside pickup Body mods: Hot Rods & Custom Stuff Paint: PPG Envirobase Hummel Green Dash: smoothed Gauges: Classic Instruments Stereo: Antique Audio Air conditioning: Vintage Air Steering wheel: Con2R Seat: Glide Engineering bench Upholstery: leather Carpet: tan loop ---------------------------------- #gmc #custom #pickup #truck #ls #chevy #ford #mopar #classic #hotrod #v8 #musclecar

#pickup #mopar #ford #hotrod #v8 #truck #gmc #ls #musclecar #custom #chevy #classic

69 notes · View notes

itsworn · 6 years ago

Text

New Parts From The Classic Truck Aftermarket

Part Time

1. IFS Improvement Classic truck owners, street rodders, and other performance enthusiasts have been fans of Kugel Komponents suspension parts since 1969. Kugel has been manufacturing its own design of independent front suspensions systems and components since the early ’80s. The Kugel IFS systems are available for classic pickup trucks from 1928 until the ’60s. All custom packages are built-to-order for your vehicle and offered with cast stainless spindle assemblies and cast or fabricated A-arms, as well as a crossmember, rack-and-pinion steering, and an antisway bar. Choose from your preference of either standard or heavy-duty suspensions. For more information, contact Kugel Komponents at (562) 691-7006 or www.kugelkomponents.com.

2. Make A Face Add a genuinely unique look to your dash by designing your own custom gauges. The new Instrument Builder program on the CON2R website allows you to design gauges, choosing colors, graphics, needles, speed markings, and indicator lights to fit your preferences. Instrument Builder works with CON2R’s SuperStock line of gauges as well as the new TwinThree universal instrument sets. One you’re finished, your unique completed designs can be printed out, saved onto your computer, or shared with your friends. If the program doesn’t have the options you’re looking for, CON2R’s Old Skool Zone crew can help you create what you want. For more information, contact CON2R at (503) 626-6390 or www.con2r.com.

3. Oil Can

Red Line High-Performance synthetic motor oils were originally created for the racing industry. Now Red Line offers high-performance oils in a wide range of viscosities for all enthusiasts seeking performance on the street, on the track, and on the dirt. Other synthetic oils made with lower-grade base oils and unstable thickeners may not protect adequately against engine wear. Red Line uses the highest-grade base oils and additives available to provide reliable performance and protection, ensuring consistent viscosity over a wide range of temperatures and drain intervals up to 15,000 miles or one year. For more information, contact Red Line Synthetic Oil at (707) 745-6100 or www.redlineoil.com.

4. Cool C10 Hood

Here’s a simple, inexpensive, and quick way to add some impressive and aggressive hot rod style to your ’67-’68 Chevy C10 classic pickup. The Golden Star Classic Auto Parts catalog of restoration sheetmetal includes their ’67-’68 Chevy C10 truck cowl and louvered hood. The steel hoods provide functional airflow and hot rod styling, and are manufactured using original equipment specifications and materials to meet or exceed the quality of factory parts. Coated with a black electro deposit primer (EDP), the hoods are testfitted before shipping, and arrive ready to be prepped, painted, and installed on your classic C10. For more information, contact Golden Star Classic Auto Parts at (972) 315-3758 or www.goldenstarauto.com.

5. Turning a Corner

Many builders have difficulty installing the steering shaft in a crowded engine compartment. Ididit’s Sidestep is a solution for that problem. The Sidestep steering system features sprockets and a double roller chain in a billet aluminum housing case as a coupler between the steering shafts on either side of the firewall. Benefits include the elimination of complicated and unsafe steering system geometry and improved driving position. Sidestep measures 3 inches wide and 2 inches deep (not including splines), with 3⁄4-inch 36-spline output shafts. Choose from 8-, 10-, 12, or 16-inch lengths with either a raw machined or polished finish. For more information, contact ididit at (517) 424-0577 or www.ididitinc.com.

6. Holding Steady Secure that beverage bottle, can, or cup while cruising in your classic truck with a Narrow Drinkster Bench Seat Console from Cup Holders Plus. Made in the U.S., this practical accessory is available in more than 40 colors. The console features two standard-sized cup holders and a large-capacity felt-lined storage compartment. It fits any car or truck with bench seats and is capable of being moved to different areas in the interior. A convenient strap securely attaches the console, and the padded flip lid serves as an armrest. Cup Holders Plus offers many designs of cup holder consoles for specific vehicles or universal applications. For more information, contact Cup Holders Plus at (888) 978-6300 or www.cupholdersplus.com.

The post New Parts From The Classic Truck Aftermarket appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/new-parts-classic-truck-aftermarket-17/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

0 notes

itsworn · 6 years ago

Text

HOT ROD brings you the latest and greatest new products

Flex-Fuel Tuner for SRT Hellcat Advanced Fuel Dynamics // 866.902.3835 // www.advancedfueldynamics.com The ProFlex Commander from Advance Fuel Dynamics is as simple as it gets when it comes to plug-in E85 capability, and it’s now available for the SRT Hellcat. AFD’s BlendSense technology constantly monitors ethanol content in a vehicle’s fuel tank and dials in the engine’s performance on the fly, mitigating the need to completely switch fuel types and tunes for different applications. The ProFlex Commander features Weather-Pack connectors, an inline fuel sensor with quick-disconnect fuel lines, and a control module that can display real-time ethanol content in your fuel tank via the ProFlex Connect app Bluetooth connection. AFD claims about a one-hour install time with basic tools and no tuning required to achieve up to a 70hp gain! Price: $800

Easy-to-Wire kit for the Ford 6R80 Six-Speed Automatic Ron Francis Wiring // 610.485.1981 // www.ronfrancis.com The Ford 6R80 six-speed automatic transmission has its neutral safety and reverse light functions housed internally in the case, making it more difficult to gain access to make them work in an aftermarket application. The CY-80 wiring harness from Ron Francis Wiring provides the circuitry needed to access those components and a shift indicator feature has been added. Ron Francis Wiring notes that the factory ECM for the transmission is still required for these functions to work with the CY-80 harness. Price: Not available at press time

Direct-Fit Dash Clock for C1 Vettes CON2R // 503.626.6390 // www.con2r.com CON2R makes this direct-fit clock for 1958–1962 Chevrolet Corvette. This almost-invisible detail only requires one touch on the quartz movement to set the time. The fonts and appearance are that of the original part but with modern LED lighting, and using the “Your Way” customizer on the company’s website allows you to truly match the clock to your car’s theme. Price: $195

Brawler Side-Hung Bowl Carburetors Brawler // 866.464.6553 // www.holley.com Brawler carburetors are machined and assembled in the USA and feature all-aluminum construction. These carbs are available with either vacuum and mechanical secondaries, and you can choose between an electric or manual choke on the street versions. The air bleeds and needle and seats are easily interchangeable so they can be dialed in to your desired application, and the 4150 models feature a sight glass in the fuel bowl. You can get a Brawler in both mechanical and vacuum secondaries at 570-, 600-, 670-, 770-, and 1,050-cfm variants. Price: Starts at $269.96

The post HOT ROD brings you the latest and greatest new products appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hot-rod-brings-you-the-latest-and-greatest-new-products/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

0 notes

itsworn · 6 years ago

Text

This 1963 Chevy C10 Proves Second Time’s a Charm

Becoming involved in the build of your very first classic truck can be the ultimate learning experience. From the time spent researching your favorite make and model to when you find it and swap cash for a title, it’s just the beginning. For Todd Zientek of Shorewood, Illinois, the first chance he had to channel his inner hot rodder started with a 1963 Chevy C10 pickup once he graduated from college. With all the right intentions of building a neat restomod-styled truck, he delivered the prize to his parents’ garage and started the teardown with neighborhood friend Evan Vandarakis who brought plenty of mechanical knowledge to the mix.

Having never taken on anything like this before every chapter was part of the learning curve. The pair worked tirelessly to first refresh the chassis and then moved onto bodywork with Todd’s mom even lending a hand with wet sanding. This clearly showed that there was plenty of family support on tap. The truck made it to the mocked-up roller stage but was then sidetracked when life’s priorities began to shift. It was eventually sold off as he started a career and family, however he never forgot about his passion to build a hopped-up hauler. One thing remained a constant in his life, regular visits to Route 66 Raceway in Joliet to watch plenty of nitro-fueled drag racing on a regular basis over the last 20 years since the track opened. Coupled with attending demolition derbies and local car shows with his dad growing up, it was only a matter of time till he got involved in the build of another truck.

One of the coolest things is that he has been able to share these experiences with his daughter, Madigan, who enjoys racing even more than he does. The pair regularly spends plenty of time both at the racetrack and at car shows studying the latest styles and comparing notes. Having seen a number of wicked rides to roll out of Nichols Paint & Fabrication in Watseka, he made an appointment to meet with shop owner Justin Nichols to discuss a pickup he had been building in the back of his mind since he was in his teens. On the visit he spied a 1963 Chevy C10 in the back lot of the shop that had recently arrived from Oklahoma. It was heavily patina’d and in need of a full redo, making it a perfect base for the project. The pair went over a number of key elements for the build, sharing many of the same ideas of what would make the truck bitchin. Todd told us, “I’ve always been drawn to the 1960-1966 Chevy C10 pickups with their classic styling and subtle curves, complemented by just the right amount of stainless trim across the cab and bed.” Sounds perfect to us! It wasn’t long before a deal was made with Todd and Madigan’s ideas starting to come to life right before their eyes.

The team at Nichols tore the truck down to bare bones and blasted the frame clean to get started. The spine was then shortened 2 inches out back and treated to modified crossmembers. Out back a Chevy 12-bolt rear was packed with 3.90:1 gears turning 31-spline axles and suspended in place by a combination of a custom triangulated four-link by Nichols and ’bags from Slam Specialties to set the stance. Wanting to make the truck handle like it was on rails, a Fatman Fabrication IFS was deftly matched to Wilwood Engineering forged 2-inch drop spindles and ’bags from Slam Specialties to bury the nose in the street. To add plenty of stopping power a Wilwood power dual master pushes fluid through stainless lines to matching drilled and vented discs at each corner with four-piston calipers. Wanting to keep a classic element, linking it all to the street a set of 15-inch steelies from Coker Tire were capped with a set of Coker/BFGoodrich Silvertown wide whitewall radials accented by trim rings and bullet-style caps.

Harkening back to the days when muscle cars ruled Main Street in Joliet, Todd wanted plenty of tire-searing muscle nailed to the ’rails. Nothing says power better than a Chevy LS V-8 so the team sourced a low-mile 5.3L mill and massaged it to perfection for the application. From the factory the V-8 features a cast-iron block filled with a cast-iron crank linked to powdered metal I-beam rods wearing hypereutectic pistons urged by a hydraulic roller cam for beat. A pair of stock aluminum heads make plenty of seamless power while up top sequential fuel injection delivers the goods. The team then dressed the engine with a custom cover accented by matching inner fenders. Spent gases flow through custom long-tube headers to a 3-inch stainless exhaust and Flowmaster 40-Series mufflers. To channel the power a warmed-over GM 4L80E trans links to a custom driveshaft.

Seeing that the truck’s vintage sheetmetal had seen better days, the cab and bed were first stripped to identify existing issues needing attention. Once they were corrected there were a number of custom updates to separate the truck from the rest. The bed was first shortened 2 inches to match the new wheelbase followed by shortening the stainless trim to match, adding a handmade tailgate and roll pan while also incorporating a set of 1990 Cadillac taillights. Up front the hood and grille were given a custom touch and the panels were then all metal finished and gapped to perfection. After looking at all the color options Todd and Madigan decided on Matrix black gloss with accents in black satin. Justin loaded his spray gun and laid down a 10-foot-deep coating to bring the truck to life.

Focusing on the interior, Madigan had studied plenty of C10s she had seen over the years at a number of events. She wanted to instill a warm feeling inside the cab by introducing a warm color combination, starting with the factory dash being painted a two-tone tan and crème. It was then filled with custom dials from Dakota Digital to monitor the vitals while a custom CON2R steering wheel mounted to a polished ididit tilt column navigates the road through a rack-and-pinion. Shifts fly through a mile-high stick from Lokar while cool breezes are by Vintage Air and tunes flow through a Retrosound head unit with punch from Kicker Audio. For plenty of comfort VOS Upholstery & Custom Auto Trim of Lansing covered a Glide Engineering bench with tasty pleats in tan and crème vinyl accented by complementing loop carpeting. This is one subtle C10 that has endless style and power for this father and daughter to enjoy for decades to come, and to us that’s the real deal!

Facts & Figures Todd & Madigan Zientek 1960 Chevrolet C10

CHASSIS Frame: Stock, modified, wheelbase shortened 2 inches by Nichols Paint & Fab Rearend / Ratio: Chevy 12-bolt / 3.90:1 Rear Suspension: Custom triangulated four-link, Slam Specialties airbags Rear Brakes: Wilwood Engineering 13-inch drilled and vented rotors with four-piston calipers Front Suspension: Fatman Fabrication IFS, Wilwood 2-inch dropped forged spindles, Slam Specialties airbags Front Brakes: Wilwood Engineering 13-inch drilled and vented rotors with four-piston calipers Steering Box: Rack-and-pinion Front Wheels: Coker Tire 15×8 Steelie Rear Wheels: Coker Tire 15×10 Steelie Front Tires: Coker / BFGoodrich Silvertown Rear Tires: Coker / BFGoodrich Silvertown Gas Tank: JAZ

DRIVETRAIN Engine: 2007 Chevy 5.3L LS V-8 Heads: Stock, aluminum Valve Covers: Stock Manifold / Induction: Stock, composite / Sequential fuel injection Ignition: Stock Headers: Custom long-tube headers by Nichols Paint & Fab Exhaust / Mufflers: Custom 3-inch stainless / Flowmaster 40-Series Transmission: GM 4L80E Shifter: Lokar

BODY Style: Fleetside Modifications: Bed shortened 2 inches, shortened trim, handmade tailgate and roll pan, Cadillac taillights, modified grille and hood all by Nichols Paint & Fab Fenders front / rear: Stock / Stock, shortened Hood: Stock, modified Grille: Custom Bodywork and Paint by: Nichols Paint & Fab Paint type / Color: Matrix / Black, gloss and satin Headlights / Taillights: Xenon / 1990 Cadillac Outside Mirrors: None Bumpers: Stock front, rear roll pan

INTERIOR Dashboard: Stock Gauges : Custom Dakota Digital Air Conditioning: Vintage Air Stereo: Retrosound head unit with Kicker Audio speaker and amp Steering Wheel: CON2R, custom Steering Column: ididit tilt Seats: Glide Engineering Upholstery by: VOS Upholstery & Custom Auto Trim Material / Color: Vinyl / Tan and crème Carpet: Tan loop

The post This 1963 Chevy C10 Proves Second Time’s a Charm appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1963-chevy-c10-second-times-a-charm/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

0 notes

itsworn · 6 years ago

Text

Street Rodder Presents Hot New Products For Your Street Rod

High-Flow Thermostat Tuff Stuff Performance Accessories announced the availability of high-performance/high-flow thermostats. Made of high-grade stainless steel, these thermostats have enlarged openings to provide increased coolant flow. These are true high-flow thermostats designed for high-performance engines. Standard thermostats flow about 37 gallons of coolant per minute. With Tuff Stuff’s High-Flow thermostat that number jumps to 56 gallons per minute. That’s almost a 50 percent increase in cooling system flow. Tuff Stuff Performance Accessories (800) 331-6562 tuffstuffperformance.com

1932-1934 Rear Hairpin Kits Magnum Suspension & Hot Rod Parts introduces the newest additions to their popular line of chassis components. These newly designed rear hairpin kits fit 1932-1934 Ford applications using most popular rear axles and are available with either urethane bushed or heim joint-style front adjusters. All kits come complete with precision machined and welded brackets with lower shock mounts, bars, and all of the necessary hardware. Available in plain steel or chrome plated. Magnum Suspension & Hot Rod Parts (559) 276-0700 magnumsuspension.com

Reverse Glass Horn Button Art It’s another way you can create “Your Wheel Your Way,” CON2R now offers clear acrylic horn buttons printed on the reverse side with any design you want. Multiple printing methods, including full transparency, varying levels of opacity, and solid colors can be used while printing directly on the back of the lens. Once your artwork is applied, the lens is locked into place with a chrome bezel to create a clean and seamless appearance. CON2R Inc. (503) 626-6390 con2r.com

Small-Block Chevy Intakes Holley/MSD announced the release of two new of small-block Chevy intake manifolds: one for EFI applications and one for carbureted engines.   Holley’s EFI SBC 4150 Single Plane EFI Intake Manifolds help provide a broad RPM powerband for high-performance street/strip applications up to 7,500 rpm. They are compatible with 4150-style throttle-body EFI systems and most stock hardware and accessory brackets and feature an updated plenum divider area and two different distributor-clamp locations. Holley/MSD (866) 464-6553 holley.com/brands/MSD/

The post Street Rodder Presents Hot New Products For Your Street Rod appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/street-rodder-presents-hot-new-products-for-your-street-rod/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

0 notes

itsworn · 6 years ago

Text

Hot August Nights—This 1961 Starliner Won The Best Ford In A Ford Prize While Cruising The USA

Hot August Nights in Reno has always been a successful event for the STREET RODDER Best Ford In A Ford award presented by Ford Performance. Finding Ford vehicles powered by late Ford engines isn’t hard here, where the quantity and quality of vehicles is so high. There has been some real variety among our BFIAF winners since we’ve been giving the award in Reno. Last year we found a 351-powered Model A Tudor. The year before was a 1936 humpback sedan packed with a 302, preceded by a 1956 Vicky running an 8-stack injected 427.

This year, our winner from Reno is this 1961 Ford Starliner from Burleson, Texas, owned by Mick Parkerson—and powered by a Ford 5.0L Coyote modular engine.

We found out that Mick is a Starliner enthusiast who has owned these full-sized Fords for most of his adult life. A few years ago, Mick got the bug to build a touring car, keeping the classic Starliner style but enhanced with modern equipment and techology. He found this car south of San Antonio at the end of 2013. All of the stainless steel pieces were intact and the body was solid with the exception of the truck and rear floorpans. Marc Byers at Marc’s Customs in Fort Worth got on board to build the Starliner to Mick’s vision.

An Art Morrison Enterprises chassis provides the platform for Mick’s updated Starliner. The body was repaired and restored, receiving a new firewall, inner fenders, and floors. When it was ready for paint, the car went to Bright Brothers in Alvarado, Texas, where several Marc’s Customs projects have been painted. Donnie Bright used PPG paint to finish the big Ford in light green paint, with contrasting gold on top. Low-profile Bridgestone tires measure 255/45R18 and 345/35R19 and are mounted on 18×9 and 19×12 Billet Specialties Legacy wheels with knock-off caps. The Baer brakes combine 6-piston calipers with 14-inch rotors. Paul Atkins in Hanceville, Alabama, upholstered the interior, using dark tan leather to cover 1964 Galaxie seats and custom door panels. Modern elements include the Dakota Digital gauges, Vintage Air A/C, and an Alpine sound system. A CON2R steering wheel tops a Flaming River column.

Mick said that when Ford introduced the Coyote modular engine, he knew it was just what he wanted for his full-sized cruiser. Coyote engines are fast becoming the engine of choice among rodders who want a Ford in their Ford. The expansive Starliner engine compartment has plenty of room for one. A Ford 4R70W backs up the Coyote, sending torque to the 9-inch rearend.

Since the Starliner was finished in 2016, it’s been fulfilling its purpose as a cruiser. It’s been driven on Route 66, to Pennsylvania for the Carlisle Ford Nationals, to St. Paul for Back To The 50’s, and to Reno for Hot August Nights (where, in addition to winning Best Ford In A Ford, the car was a runner-up for the Summit Racing Equipment Downtown Reno Show-n-Shine Competition). By the time Mike and Marc get home to Burleson, the Starliner will have clocked 20 thousand miles.

The post Hot August Nights—This 1961 Starliner Won The Best Ford In A Ford Prize While Cruising The USA appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hot-august-nights-1961-starliner-won-best-ford-ford-prize-cruising-usa/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

0 notes

itsworn · 6 years ago

Text

This 1949 Buick Sedanette Is A Classic Custom and A Cool Cruiser

We can’t think of a bad reason to build a cool custom, but we will say that Mike Young’s reason might be the best we’ve ever heard.

He says he was just about to buy a 1950 Chevy when he came across a 1949 Buick Sedanette. “The old girl had been parked next to a barn since 1959 and was in horrible condition, but it was love at first sight,” Mike says. “At $700, I overpaid, but she needed to be saved from the crusher.” Horrible as it was, the Buick had the features Mike was looking for in a Chevy, but with more character.

The next town down the road from Mike’s home in Derby, Kansas, is Mulvane, home to Chris Carlson Hot Rods. Chris had built two cars for Mike, and once he found out about the Buick, ideas started volleying back and forth, revolving around the concept of a cool early ’60s custom.

“The Buick’s lines just scream ‘cut me up,’” Mike says, and more than 100 amazing modifications were made to intensify—not change—the shape of the body. The already sleek top was chopped, and the hood was pancaked, pie-cut, peaked, and panned, with the factory seams filled to create the hood perimeter re-cut sportscar-style. Chris used an English wheel on the decklid to create the look of a Riviera boat tail. He shaved the front fender trim and door handles and peaked the front and rear fenders. A pair of 1956 Olds 98 lights fill the raised headlight buckets, with 1954 Mercury taillights fabricated into the reshaped rear fenders. Drew Carlson at CCHR built a custom front bumper from two stock bumpers. The dark gray pearlescent paint, sprayed by Chris, is a variation of the Granite color from the Martin Senour Automotive Finishes Rod & Restoration Custom Color Program.

Whitewall tires are a necessary ingredient for a period custom and the Buick rolls on 235/55R17 and 255/55R17 Uniroyals from the Diamond Back Touring line, mounted on 17-inch Circle Racing Wheels 91 Series billet solid wheels. Wilwood components ensure reliable braking, from the remote dual master cylinders and booster to the 12-inch drilled and slotted rotors and four-piston calipers mounted at each wheel.

In addition to improving handling, the custom chassis setup enhances the Buick’s reduced profile with a low-slung stance. The stock 1949 frame was retained and reinforced with boxing plates. It has a Mustang II–style front suspension from Total Cost Involved. At the rear, the TCI four-link locate a Currie Enterprises 9-inch, housing 3.70:1 gears. RideTech HQ Series coilover shocks are mounted all around.

Historic early customs didn’t typically have clean engine compartments, but in the Buick, it’s sanitary. The smooth custom firewall and inner fenders cradle an injected Chevy 383 stroker engine from BluePrint Engines. CCHR added the Imagine Injection 8-stack EFI system with K&N air cleaners for retro appeal. The finned Moon valve covers and Eddie Motorsports serpentine drive pulleys dress things up even more. Other engine compartment components include the MSD ignition, Be Cool radiator and dual fans, and Speedway hugger headers feeding exhaust to custom exhaust pipes and MagnaFlow mufflers. Chris backed up the 383 with TCI Automotive’s Street Fighter 700-R4 transmission and Saturday Night Special converter.

Chris crossed over into Ford territory to fill the completely redesigned interior with front buckets, rear wrap-around seats, and center console from a 1964 Ford Thunderbird. The seats were modified and upholstered with tan and hazelnut leather. The console was customized for the Lokar shifter and Pioneer head unit. Focal speakers are mounted front and rear.

The custom dash design was inspired from the Lincoln Zephyr and houses a Dakota Digital VHX-1021 gauge cluster. The lower dash panel contains the controls and vents for the Vintage Air A/C; additional vents blow cool air into the back. A CON2R wheel tops an ididit tilt column. The trunk is fully finished with the same two-tone leather and deep pile carpet.

Every part of the build was done with one reason in mind: driving it. “I wanted a big comfortable road car that my wife, Glenna, and I could drive across the country in comfort,” Mike told us. “The best part is traveling with the cars and the Carlsons to car shows and to SEMA [where Mike’s 1949 Buick Sedanette custom has been featured twice]. It’s nice to have that cool car but at the end of the day it’s the journey and the friends you make.”

The post This 1949 Buick Sedanette Is A Classic Custom and A Cool Cruiser appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1949-buick-sedanette-classic-custom-cool-cruiser/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

1 note · View note

itsworn · 6 years ago

Text

This 1947 Cadillac Sets The Standard For Excellence

Even before Cadillac was purchased by General Motors to become the company’s top-shelf marque, the name symbolized superiority. For almost 100 years, the Cadillac brand has been used as a synonym for high status and quality for just about anything that is considered the best of its kind—such as “the Cadillac of vacuum cleaners.”

Not surprisingly, Cadillacs have been popular raw material for some of the greatest custom cars. Every iconic customizer, from Harry Westergard to Chip Foose, has taken their turn at building them. One of our recent favorites was the 1949 Sedanette built by Chris Carlson Hot Rods (CCHR) in Mulvane, Kansas, which is the 2017 STREET RODDER Street Rod of the year. As it turns out, that custom was inspired, at least partially, by a stunning 1947 Cadillac that was nearing completion at CCHR. This is the story of that 1947 Cadillac.

Buddy Jordan from Spring Branch, Texas, is the owner of this car. You may remember that last year his 1933 Ford roadster won the Ridler Award (the Cadillac of car show awards). Buddy told us that he has always loved the mile-long rooflines on Chevy Fleetlines and Cadillac Sedanettes. He had purchased a 1953 Cadillac from Frank DeRosa Sr. (another well-known customizer with an eye for Cadillacs) who persuaded him to buy the partially completed 1947. “After two or three months, I bought it. Frank had chopped the car and done some other work to it, but the project had kind of stalled out.”

Once the Sedanette had changed hands, it was shipped north to Mulvane, where Carlson and his builders continued the transformation. The 3-inch top chop performed by DeRosa enhanced the long, low Deco look that everyone loves. The chop required new glass, provided by Bair’s Glass Company in Winfield, Kansas. The rear window was replaced with flush-mounted 1949 Caddy glass. The modified fender trim was left intact, but the rest of the body ornamentation, plus handles and locks, was shaved. The rear fenders were molded into the body and flared at the bottom; the flare continues into the reshaped rockers. The stock grille was mildly reshaped, and front and rear bumpers were pulled in and flush mounted. The headlights were frenched; the frenched taillights are the distinctive bullets from a 1959. Take a close look at the pancaked hood. The CCHR fabricators filled the seams to mold the hood into the fenders and recut the steel to create a smaller, sports car–style hood.

Eventually, when the Sedanette was ready for paint, Carlson used Martin Senour paint to custom mix the color Buddy wanted. The finish can look black in certain settings, but when the light hits it, the black cherry candy reveals itself. The extraordinary paint is complemented by the flawless chrome done at Sherm’s Custom Plating.

Long, low lines are most effective when matched with a street-scrubbing stance. CCHR used the Cadillac’s factory ’rails as the starting point for the chassis, boxing them for strength. RideTech air suspension at all four points help drop the car to the pavement. Total Cost Involved provided the Mustang II–style independent front suspension, including 2-inch dropped spindles. The rearend setup features a TCI four-link suspending a Currie 9-inch rear with 3.73:1 gears and a Truetrac differential. Wilwood discs, master cylinder, and pedal assembly ensure dependable stopping power.

In the rolling stock department, it doesn’t get more authentic than whitewall piecrust rubber on Cadillac wheels. Buddy’s 1947 rolls on 15×7 1955 Cadillac Eldorado wheels rebuilt at CCHR and chromed. The period tires are 7.50-15 BFGoodrich Silvertown bis-plies from Coker Tire.

The Cadillac identity continues under the hood in the form of a 1976 500ci engine, but not the way you may remember them. Not only has this version of the engine been extensively plated and polished, it’s extensively modified. Carlson and the CCHR builders created a custom cross-ram manifold and side-draft stacks to feed the FAST electronically injected engine, fired by an MSD ignition. Custom headers pull the gases to a custom stainless exhaust system with MagnaFlow mufflers. The Be Cool radiator is paired with a Spal fan. An Edelbrock water pump is driven by a March Performance pulley system. The 700-R4 was built by Chance Transmissions in Wichita.

For interior attention, the car went to Hemet, California, where Wanda’s Auto Upholstery finished the inside. Jordan told us that Wanda Wells said to trust him. He did, and the results are fantastic. Beautiful salmon and merlot two-tone leather covers late-model GTO seats, as well as the custom-built door panels. From the driver seat, Buddy can keep his eyes on the Dakota Digital gauges and his hands on the CON2R steering wheel mounted on an ididit tilt column. Controls for the Vintage Air system and the audio system are at his fingertips, mounted in the fabricated console just below the original speaker grille.

When the 67th annual Grand National Roadster Show came to the Pomona Fairplex, the 1947 Sedanette was ready. Buddy Jordan and Chris Carlson left the event with the First Place Award for the Cadillac’s class. Meanwhile, work was underway on Buddy’s 1933 Ford roadster that would earn the Ridler Award a year later. And as you are reading this, there is a 1941 Cadillac custom coming together at CCHR in Mulvane—another collaboration between Buddy and Carlson. We predict another award winner. How about you?

The post This 1947 Cadillac Sets The Standard For Excellence appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1947-cadillac-sets-standard-excellence/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

0 notes

itsworn · 7 years ago

Text

Rescued from Long-Term Storage, This 1969 AMX Hides a Lot of Custom Work

“I was impressed with the body style and noticed that it had only two bucket seats and no back seat. It also had a 390 and a four-speed,” said 70-year old Terry Scroggin of the American Motors AMX he contemplated in 1969. “I was thinking about one but was getting teased so much about buying a Rambler that I bought a Ford Torino instead. But I never really forgot about the AMX,” he said. In 1977, he saw one for sale sitting by a house in Derby, Kansas, thinking it might be his last chance to get one. It got sold before he could hook it.

Fast forward four years. One morning huddled over coffee, a buddy of his wanted opinion on restoring an AMX. Strangely enough, he’d bought the same one that Terry had seen for sale by that house in Derby. From then on, every time he caught up with the guy he’d ask him to sell. For a long time, poor health had kept the owner from doing anything at all, and a couple of years ago Terry finally had the AMX in his palms.

The biggest upheaval wasn’t the drivetrain swap or anything else of a mechanical nature. The beauty of this piece is the flawless metalwork and the astute thinking and capable hands that produced it. Terry Scroggin was only looking to convert his car, make it a “refurbished driver” but the turns got twisted, convoluted, and were enough to drive lesser men to addictive substances. Ryan Scroggin at Kansas Dry Stripping (Derby) media-blasted it in anticipation of paint. When Terry shuffled the rust-free American pile to Chris Carlson Hot Rods in Mulvane, a few miles south of Wichita, he thought he was going there for paint but he didn’t get that. He got an education instead.

“There wasn’t going to be any paint this time,” said Terry. “Chris removed the shock towers, installed a Total Cost Involved Mustang II suspension kit with power rack steering, a 1-inch anti-sway bar, Ride Tech coilovers (which gave it a 3-inch drop) and reworked the inner fenders for rubber room. Concessions to the chassis include a TCI 1940 Ford crossmember modified to fit the AMX. He retained the leaf bundles, amending the ride height with Atlas 2-inch lowering springs. He continued with the AMX torque arm, Monroe air shocks and joined them with a TCI 1-inch diameter bar.

At this point, the brakes are pretty much punk: Wilwood 11-inch discs and 2-piston calipers in front are the good upgrade, but the skimpy 9-inch drums on the original Dana drive axle still need amendment. By the time you read this, Terry says he’ll have a 9-inch Currie carrier complete with disc brakes hanging back there. The current prop shaft is custom-built steel unit by Power Drive in Wichita. The wheels have a familiar classic aura. US Mags Standard U102 rims are 17×8 all around and carry 225/50 Yokohama and 255/45 Hankook treads.

Terry’s mind skizzed a bit when Chris told him “that top needs to be chopped.” “I told him ‘you are a custom car guy, this is a muscle car. You don’t chop tops on muscle cars.’” Carlson was way ahead of him. He whipped out a very charming artist’s conception. The rendering was so cool, Terry nearly cried.

So, demonstrating the definition of craftsmanship—when labor meets love–Carlson leaned on it heavily, removing two inches from that complex sloping roofline (you can’t even tell, can you?). It was a maneuver that inevitably produced other dynamics, which led to lowering the floor 1½ inches and pancaking the hood. Drew Carlson fabbed a filler panel that covers the radiator as well as the space between it and the grille.

The Carlsons continued, adding a 2009 Mustang hood scoop, removing the side marker lights and rocker moldings, reworking the window glass and drip rails, smoothing the firewall and inner fenders, and pulling all the gaps tight and in line. He had Ogden Chrome & Bumper in Utah coddle the cow catchers. To imprint his work, Carlson applied the “Black Pearl” he custom-blended with Martin Senour Black, White Mica, White/Blue Pearl.

Since the 390 in the AMX had exploded somewhere along the line, Terry first imagined a 401 AMC motor for it… but he also wanted the car to be O’Reilly’s friendly. If anything happened on the road, help wouldn’t be far very away. Another bit of whimsy here: he bought a 350 crate engine from a guy who had it in a ’54 Buick and was replacing it with a proper nailhead! Hugh Charles Machine (Wichita) did the balancing and metal prep, and Tom Wilhite (Wilhite Performance in Derby) assembled the little-block with an Edelbrock hydraulic roller (0.539/0.539-inch lift; 234/238 degrees duration at 0.050; 112-degree LSA) complimented by an army of Comp valvesprings and 1.7:1 roller rockers.

The bulk of the toil was in the upper engine, and the Edelbrock contingent was absolute. Aluminum E-TEC castings have 64cc chambers that were fitted with 2.02/1.60 valves and offer 200cc intake runners. Tom stacked them with a port-matched Performer Air-Gap manifold and a Holley Street Avenger 670 cfm carburetor. At this writing, the combination had not been proofed.

A high-volume Holley electric pump provides the fuel. Terry wanted familiar products to ignite that vapor and enlisted an MSD Pro Billet distributor, Blaster coil, and MSD 6AL box to do it. Hooker shorty headers encased in ceramic pass the effluence to Flowmaster 40 mufflers plugged into the middle of the 2½-inch mild steel system. Companions include an Edelbrock air cleaner, March accessory drive, Edelbrock water pump, Derale fan and an Eastwood Tri-Flow aluminum core.

Torque is passed via a Ram steel flywheel and clutch assembly to a T-5 five-speed that was massaged by Kurt Kerschen (Beck, Kansas) with heavy duty synchronizers and an S-10 tailshaft to locate the Hurst shifter advantageously. The transmission mount was moved slightly to the rear and the assembly is influenced by Wilwood hydraulic linkage.

Terry’s been around long enough to know that man does not survive on inert pieces of metal no matter how important they might be. They don’t cool you off when it’s hot, and because they are dumb they are unable to utter a single word. An Old Air Products HVAC system provides cool air and ventilation. Most of it disappeared beneath the dashboard.

The twin buckets were skinned in vinyl by Chris Carlson and Terry absorbs his music through a JVC Touch Screen head and Polk Audio 6×9 speakers backed up by a big amplifier. While in recline, Terry wraps digits on the CON2R C1 Corvette style steering wheel (CON2R encourages you to design the wheel to your spec). Carlson made up some cool door panels and crafted an armrest/console complete with sockets to steady those occasional road ales.

So did all of this shine for Scroggin? At Starbird’s annual gathering, his American Motors Experimental was more popular than all the rest in the Muscle Car category. All of this doesn’t represent a hot rod so much to Terry as it does pull him back to the sixties when he did his drag racing on Wichita’s main drag, Douglas Avenue. Can’t ever get enough of that kind of warmth. And he and his fancy Rambler keep on ramblin’.

The post Rescued from Long-Term Storage, This 1969 AMX Hides a Lot of Custom Work appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/rescued-long-term-storage-1969-amx-hides-lot-custom-work/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

0 notes

itsworn · 7 years ago

Text

2018 Detroit Autorama Invades the Motor City

Every car show is a look back. We go there to see vehicles from the past built in a style from some other point in the past—like 1932 Fords built ’50s style or 1955 Chevys built ’60s style. You get the idea. Every winter, the Detroit Autorama combines a look back with a look forward. The vehicles participating in the Cavalcade of Customs, the Autorama Extreme, various club displays, and hundreds of others filling downtown Detroit’s Cobo Center satisfy our taste for nostalgia. In addition to the tradition, the brand-new builds competing for the Pirelli Great 8 and the Ridler Award provide a look to the future. Those up-to-date rods show us where our hobby is today and where it’s going.

The 66th Annual Meguiar’s Detroit Autorama presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts was a celebration of design, engineering, and craftsmanship,—with nearly 1,000 rods, customs, trucks, bikes, race cars, cruisers, and street machines joining the party. Special exhibit areas included the perennial Cavalcade of Customs corral. For enthusiasts with an affinity for reshaped sheetmetal, imaginative painting, wide whitewalls, frenched headlights, fancy stitching, and every other aspect of traditional customs, these sleds impressed.

This year’s special display was dedicated to Bonneville Salt Flats Streamliners. The fastest cars on earth have been proving it on the Utah salt for 70 years. The gathering in Detroit featured some of the greatest recent Bonneville racers.

At the bottom of the escalator, the Cobo basement is home to Autorama Extreme, where traditionally styled, owner-built hot rods, customs, trucks, and bikes hang out.

STREET RODDER gave away several awards at the event: Best Ford in a Ford sponsored by Ford Performance Parts, the Driven Award presented by Lokar Performance Products, and 10 Painless Performance Products/STREET RODDER Top 100 awards. Of course, the coveted award was the Don Ridler Memorial Award. The selection process starts by reducing the field of competitors to eight semifinalists called the Pirelli Great 8. From those eight, judges pick the Ridler winner. In 2018, the honor went to Greg and Judy Hrehovcsik’s 1957 Chevy, built by Johnny’s Auto Trim & Rod Shop.

The 2018 Ridler Winner

The winner of the 2018 Don Ridler Memorial Award is the 1957 Chevy 150 Hardtop owned by Greg and Judy Hrehovcsik and built by Johnny’s Auto Trim & Rod Shop in Alamosa, Colorado.

“Imagine,” as the Chevy is called, began with a concept illustration by Jason Rushforth. From there, the project went through several iterations spanning more than a decade—eventually ending up at Johnny Martin’s shop.

Doing a radical rebuild on a 1957 Chevy is risky business. Making even mild changes to these iconic cars invites controversy. Johnny’s Auto Trim made hundreds.

The roof was recontoured and the top was chopped 3 inches. The window glass was sunk and laid back for a more aerodynamic profile. The popular 1957 bullets have been retained on the pancaked and sectioned hood—and can function as scoops for small twin blowers or turbos. The body has been channeled 3 inches and wedged and sectioned 1 inch in back and 3 in the front. The 19- and 21-inch one-piece custom wheels were designed and built to resemble stock hubcaps.

Power is provided by a Nelson Racing 515ci twin-turbo Chevy big-block engine, dressed up fancy with custom components. The beauty is also a beast—the engine is capable of more that 1,000 hp on pump gas. Feed it race fuel and the horsepower rating jumps to 1,800 hp. The engine is backed up by a modified Turbo 400 transmission. The Corvette rear is packed with 4.11:1 gears. The rear is suspended with custom fabricated coilovers.

The interior is 1957 Chevy inspired, but with 21st century styling, starting with the handcrafted bucket seats, split by a custom console. A new single insert was grafted into the dash and houses one-off gauges created by Classic Instruments. An Evod steering wheel was created to match the elegance and style of the rest of the cockpit.

Read more about the 2018 Ridler winner at hotrod.com. See the Pirelli Great 8 Ridler finalists at hotrod.com.

STREET RODDER Magazine’s Best Ford In A Ford A 1955 Ford F-100 With a Family History

YEAR: 1955 MAKE: Ford MODEL: F-100 OWNER: Shane Sonneveldt STATE: Maryland

More and more Ford 5.0L Coyote engines are being used in classic Blue Oval iron. At the Detroit Autorama we chose Shane Sonneveldt’s black 1995 F-100 for our Best Ford in a Ford award presented by Ford Performance Parts. Shane, from Bethesda, Maryland, said he had made the award a goal for himself.

His 1955 was built by Brian Moat and the staff at All Speed Customs in Muskegon, Michigan (that’s Paul Wetmore from ASC, Shane Sonneveldt, and Brian Moat, left to right, in the photo below). Their work included everything from sheetmetal fabrication and paint to all the mechanical modifications and the interior upholstery.

Shane’s ownership of the F-100 began 36 years ago on his 13th birthday. The truck was a birthday gift from his father, Robert, intended as a father/son project. “We quickly disassembled the truck, stripped and painted the frame, installed a new front suspension and 9-inch rear, built a junkyard Chevy 350 motor and TH400 trans, and roughed out the bodywork. The realities of working with a hard-headed teenage boy overtook the project, and the truck ended up in storage while the I focused on Trans Ams and Mustangs.” The neglected F-100 moved from one storage location to another until the late ’90s, when Shane’s father sold it.

When Robert was diagnosed with cancer in 2010, a friend located the F-100. Shane bought it and turned the project over to Brian and All Speed Customs where it was finally finished. “My dad used the truck daily for the next five years, hauling pop-up campers and grandkids, running errands, moving furniture, and commuting to doctor appointments.”

Robert died in 2016. Shane sent the F-100 back to All Speed Customs for the next phase. The bodywork was updated with gapped panels, hidden tailgate latches, and other modifications. Brian Moat’s paintjob combines high-shine Raven Black with matte gray on the roof, grille, wheels, and bedwood.

The smoothed frame is suspended with a Total Cost Involved independent front suspension and four-link rear, and RideTech double-adjustable coilovers. Wheel Vintiques wheels are wrapped in BFG Silvertown whitewalls, with 12-inch disc brakes slowing them down.

Inside, a custom bench seat is upholstered in red leather and suede. The German weave carpet was selected to match, and the doorjambs are accented with horizontal trim pieces. The 1944 Lincoln Zephyr steering wheel is a perfect finishing touch. Pioneer and JL Audio components from K2 Audio keep the cab filled with tunes. Vintage Air A/C keeps it comfortable.

Shane chose a Ford Coyote engine to power the pickup, backed by a Ford six-speed automatic transmission, and a 9-inch rear with 3.55 gears. “My dad was an old hot rodder who felt that a Ford body should be powered by a Ford V-8,” he explains.

The 1955 F-100 shows up at events like the Detroit Autorama from time to time, but it’s more likely to be seen on the street, with Shane’s kids along for the ride.

See additional photos and video at hotrod.com.

Painless Performance Products Presents STREET RODDER Top 100

For more info, photos, and videos of these winners go to hotrod.com.

Tech Tip: Melted Plastic Fuses Have you found a fuse that has melted but not burned, blown, the link inside? This happens when the load is below the rated current flow of the fuse but the fuse connection is poor. A bad connection will allow excessive heat buildup and melt the fuse due to arcing between it and the fuse block terminals.

1955 Chevy Nomad | Vic & Sharon LaBantschnig | Fenton, MO Vic LaBantschnig purchased the one-owner 1955 in 1965. In 2014, the rebuild began at Carnock Creations, using an Art Morrison frame and an LS3 with Inglese Eight Stack injection. ET Sebring pin-drive knockoff wheels add vintage racing style. Inside, waffle-pattern leather, a CON2R steering wheel, Classic Instruments, and other retro-style elements maintain a stock theme on the completely redone Nomad.

1956 Continental Mark II | Chris Ryan | Ninety Six, SC Ryan’s Rod and Kustom owner Chris Ryan wanted a ’60s-style show custom. His 1956 Continental nails the look with a 2-inch chop, slammed stance, wide whites on one-off Curtis Speed wheels, and candy and flake paint. Period-perfect interior mods include a 1960 Plymouth steering wheel, 1962 Chrysler Astrodome gauges, and 1964 Thunderbird seats in white leather with red piping. The Ford Coyote engine is a surprise.

1926 Ford Pickup | Larry Birdsong | Prescott Valley, AZ Larry Birdsong has owned this truck for 30 years and has dreamed of building it since he was 14. A blown 427 SOHC engine was angled 40 degrees to fit under the uncut Model T hood. A jackshaft underneath runs the accessories. The transmission is an offset driven C6. Larry’s sheetmetal mods include a 6-inch cab stretch, widened fenders, stretched hood, shortened bed, and flush-fit doors. The interior was finished in button tuck leather.

1931 Ford Coupe | Scott McDonagh | Northville, MI The chopped Model A was completed for Scott by Bill Jagenow at Brothers Custom Automotive. A stroked 383 Chevy is topped with Tri-Power induction and tied to a TREMEC trans. The 1932 frame hangs on SO-CAL coilovers, and Ford wheels roll on Firestone piecrusts from Coker. A 1940 Ford-style wheel and Stewart-Warner gauges complement the interior. The cowhide seat upholstery clinched the deal.

1947 Cadillac | Kevin Anderson | Indianapolis, IN The 1947 Series 62 four-door sedan went from a museum to Mike Boerema at Gas Axe Garage, where it was converted to a coupe with 48-inch doors, a 5-inch chop, and airbags to drop it. The leather upholstery features authentic Cadillac fabric inserts. The original 47,000-mile Cadillac flathead lives under the hood. A padded Carson-style top, chromed sombrero caps, and wide whites complete the classic custom look.

1960 Ford “Adonis” Starliner | Bill Whetstone | Warren, MI The original Adonis 1960 Starliner custom was built by the Alexander Brothers for Bill Whetstone and won Best Custom at the 1961 Detroit Autorama. By the ’70s, it was destroyed. This precise clone, with candy wild cherry paint and pearl white vinyl upholstery, debuted at the 2002 Autorama. In 2017, Bill bought it. He drives the 390-powered custom to shows during the warm months, as he did with his first Adonis.

1934 Ford Pickup | Danielle Lutz | Moscow, PA Danielle Lutz trusted Jason Graham Hot Rods & Cool Customs with her truck. They delivered, giving the 1934 a healthy chop, custom grille insert and bed sides, and 1-1/2-inch cab stretch. Traditional hot rod suspension parts include a straight axle, front and rear split wishbones, Winters quick-change and four-link rear, and quarter-elliptic springs. Inglese Eight Stack induction tops a stroked 347 Ford. Relicate leather covers the interior.

1927 Ford Roadster | Dave Wilson | Williamsville, NY Seventy-four-year-old Dave, a rodder since he was 14, asked Paul Forbes of California Dreamin Hot Rods for an old-school hot rod. A Shadow Rods body has a louvered hood and rear pan. Triple Strombergs and Thunderbird valve covers embellish the Ford 302. A suicide frontend with hairpins, and Houdaille shocks and Aldan coilovers in back, were added to the 1932 frame. Dave and copilot ride in leather-covered bomber seats.

1939 Ford Sedan Delivery | Rhea & Harold Schrader | Franklin Lakes, NJ When Rhea and Harold bought the sedan delivery it was an ’80s-style rod. Dan Wickett at Hot Rod Construction turned it into a Garnet Red Metallic modern driver, powered by an injected 5.7L Hemi and rolling on Schott wheels. The sheetmetal is extensively rehaped. The interior is finished with zebrawood, leather, and suede, as well as a modified 1939 Cadillac wheel and a dash filled with 1941 Ford DeLuxe gauges.

1955 Chevrolet Bel Air | Larry Gayhart | San Antonio, TX Larry Gayhart’s Torch Red 1955 Bel Air hardtop underwent a three-year rebuild by Derick Samson at Samson Design. The bodywork retains a lot of characteristic hardware and trim, plus 100 handmade chrome pieces throughout the fully smoothed body. The chassis is handmade and a Tri-Five-inspired engine shroud covers the LS3 engine. The leather interior features extensive chrome trim pieces. Hot Rods By Boyd supplied the wheels.

Driven Award Presented by Lokar Performance Products

The 2018 Driven Award Presented by Lokar Performance Products was won by Christopher Shevlin’s 1928 Ford Model A roadster pickup from Farmington Hills, Michigan.

The all-steel body is channeled over the custom boxed frame. The frontend features a dropped axle, transverse spring, and lever shocks. The 8-inch rear runs 4.10:1 gears. Custom seats are upholstered in black and white vinyl.

Chris built up the small-block Ford to 331 cid with a stroker kit. He also added a Tri-Power setup, polished intake, early SO-CAL valve covers, and a Joe Hunt distributor. A C4 trans backs up the engine. Although he doesn’t know the full history of his Model A, Chris has written its story for the past 22 year. “I am only the curator,” he says, “and enjoy driving and showing the car—keeping rodding history alive for others to enjoy.”

For more about Chris Shevlin’s 1928 Ford RPU visit hotrod.com.

Autorama Extreme

Autorama Extreme, in the Cobo Center basement, is the spot for traditionally styled, owner-built (typically) hot rods, customs, trucks, and bikes. This year the basement was as packed as ever—with vehicles as well as with an atmosphere and energy different from the main floor. Activities exclusive to Autorama Extreme are the separate awards ceremony with custom made trophies, live bands, the Vinsetta Garage Miss Autorama pinup girl contest, Gene Winfield’s Chop Shop, and an irreverent attitude that shows itself in the displays. The vehicles are traditional; the displays are far from it. The common element to upstairs and downstairs is the imagination and passion that is poured into the vehicles.

See more of Autorama Extreme at hotrod.com.

The post 2018 Detroit Autorama Invades the Motor City appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/2018-detroit-autorama-invades-the-motor-city/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

0 notes