SEMA Show Special, Part I

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014

Bonneville
Record Breakers
Without Breaking the Bank

SEMA Show Special, Part I

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014

Bonneville
Record Breakers
Without Breaking the Bank

Body Snatchers

Conversions for
Miata, Corvette,
VW and
Mustang

Cushier
Cockpit in a
Convertible D
Screamin
Superbike
Ride
Rustproofing Your Donor Car

THRILLS, NOT FRILLS

Call Today For a Dealer Near You

888.445.5226
USCATERHAM.com
Superformance LLC | 6 Autry Irvine CA 92618 | superformance.com | uscaterham.com | 949-900-1950

TABLE OF CONTENTS
COOL CARS

Smooth Operator: 67 Corvette Conversion.....40

Mid-Engine Missile: 1200 hp GTM.......................60
Cushier Convertible D Speedster.........................68
Modernized Mustang Gets its Vengeance.........72
Healys Austin Healey-Style Miata Rebody.......92
Copper Street Rod.................................................. 104
Saluting the Centurion From Fiberfab............ 114
Sheris Cal Spyder.................................................. 120

EVENTFUL EVENTS

Cover Feature: SEMA Show Special, Part I.........10

Coronado Speed Festival..................................... 130

READERS RIDES

Fiery Bird: Superbike Power in Phoenix...........46

Backdraft Cobra From the Good Wife.............82
Presleys 818 Has Left the Building....................90
Lone Star Shines as a 289 FIA Cobra............... 100
Persistence Pays Off in a GTM............................ 110

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Cover Feature: Bonneville Record Breakers....32

Updated Drivetrain:
Gear Vendors Overdrive..................................50
Removing Rust from a Donor Car........................86
Summits Cobra Project, Part III....................... 124

DEPARTMENTAL MATTERS

Throttle Steering........................................................ 8
Shop Time: Tips on Choosing a Donor Car.... 142
Club Registry and the Norcal Kit Car Club..... 148
Sideview: Got a funny or weird photo?........... 153

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

Car Builder Staff:

Steve Temple Editor/Publisher
Larry Weiner Marketing
Deb Murphy Art Direction
Tina Temple Maven of Morale
Jim Youngs Editor Emeritus
Denis Snow Editorial and Advertising
Manager, 310/614-2799
[email protected]
Car Builder magazine
(formerly Kit Car Builder Magazine) is
published bi-monthly by
SCT Communications, Inc.,
1427 Sioux Trail,
Reno, NV 89521
All Rights Reserved

Free Subscription at
www.kitcarclub.com
Editorial and Advertising inquires
should be sent to
[email protected]
Cover photos by Harold Pace,
Steve Temple and Rob Hawkins
Contents page photo by Steve Temple.
Look for a feature on this cool collection
of American specials in our next issue!
In the meantime, see page 114 for a full
feature on the Fiberfab Centurion seen
here in the lower right.

THROTTLE
STEERING

Send us
Photos of
Your Project
Cars!

ne of the main duties of

Car Builder is to provide
you, dear reader, with the latest

info on
products
and various
vehicle
projects
to help
with your
buildups.
Thats
basically a
given, and
why we
devote so many pages to
events such as the SEMA
show, and also hands-on
tech articles.
But thats only half
of the story. When were
not able to follow along
on most of the more
interesting buildups out
there, to see how they
turned out, we rely on
our enthusiastic readers
to send us photos and
info on their project cars.

(Note the several

Readers Ride features
were running in this
issue.)
Heres the fun part:
What we receive from
you are often remarkable
sagas of car builders
involvement with their
automotive passions.
They share all the
heartaches and happiness
that theyve encountered
along the way, stories that
we might not otherwise
hear.
To me, thats
the pot of gold
at the end of
the rainbow. Im
always impressed
by your ingenuity
and persistence in
overcoming various
challenges, and also
expressing creativity
with custom touches.
Thats why the
Readers Ride
features are my

favorite,
and weve greatly expanded
the size and number in each
issue.
So we invite you send us
photos of your completed
project car, along with some
details on your project.
Were especially looking
for details on how youve
customized it. While the
parts and pieces important,
we also like to hear about
your personal background
as well, and any fun and
informative stories youd
like to share. Its kinda like
bench racing over a
couple beers, but with
photos to illustrate.
Email us at:
[email protected].
CB


9

FYI SEMA 2014

SEMA Show Special, Part I
All the News that Fits
and More!

Photos by Austin Price,

Steve Temple and Larry Weiner

his issue of
CAR BUILDER was
intentionally delayed
in order to bring you the
latest coverage of the SEMA
show. Its a trade-only event held annually in
Las Vegas, with about 2,500 exhibiting companies, attracting some 130,000 visitors. We
scoured miles of aisles to bring you info on
new project vehicles (out of more than 1,500
on display) and buildup products (from
more than 2,000 in the New Products Showcase). And even if a company couldnt make
it to SEMA, we rounded up a few other goodies as well.
All told, we came away with an embarrassment of riches, so well be going into more
detail in our following issue on products for
your project car.
20

What else do you display in an

Empi booth but an Imp dune
buggy?

FYI SEMA 2014

Vaughn Gittin Jr. in his 2015 Mustang RTR Spec V drifting around the Ford Out Front area. The
car features a roll cage, Recaro racing seats, extended front splitter, and once drift season
starts, it will be wearing the Monster Energy livery set.

Bob Littlefields Factory Five coupe is powered by

Whipple-supercharged LS mill from Mast Motorsports,
good for 812 horses.

Gracing the Ohlins booth was

the Magnum MK5. This
cutting-edge creation from
Canada boasts a 0-60mph
time of 3.2 seconds using a
250hp four-cylinder engine.
21

FYI SEMA 2014

Superformance, the exclusive U.S. distributor for Caterham, showed off not only
the new 620R supercharged
model (310hp 2.0L Duratec,
RHD only,) but also the Caterham 280, a full complement
of Cobras, a Shelby Daytona CSX9000, and a GT40.
Also displayed was a 20th
Anniversary Edition Superformance MKIII that is being
raffled off to support the Ohio
Cobra Clubs Charity Drive
for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Superformance ran two
MKIII Cobras in the Ford Ride
and Drive area in front of the
SEMA show. Stay tuned for
full features in upcoming
issues.

Debbie, Mr. Norms Dodge Fever Girl, is

a flashback straight from the summer
of 68. Here she reprises Joan Parkers
memorable Dodge Fever Go-Go era
look with the new Mr. Norms Hall of
Fame Edition 2015 Challenger.

12

Erik Hansens Factory Five 818

was electrified by EV West.

Borla Performance just acquired Eight Stack

Fuel Injection.
This unit combines retro looks
with modern EFI
performance.

FYI SEMA 2014

Join the dark ride! If Darth

Vader were a car, heres
what Mattel Hot Wheels
thinks it would look like. It
started out as a C5 Corvette, but is powered by a
C6s engine.

This nicely styled Factory Five

GTM, built by Larry Ramsey, is
based on a rendering from Ben
Hermance. Its nearly complete, with a Mast Motorports
LS3.

Erik Treves USRRC Cobra, with

some final assembly handled
by Wayne Presley of Very Cool
Parts, is a tribute to the original
Shelby CSX2001. It features authentic, period-correct Webers
on a 347 Ford stroker. Look for a
full Readers Ride feature in our
next issue.

The future of project cars? The Strati, a

3D-printed, drivable car from Local Motors, is
made of ABS plastic reinforced with carbon
fiber. It takes about 44 hours to print and its
currently powered by a 13kw motor.
13

FYI SEMA 2014

28

FYI SEMA 2014

FROM TOP: Inspired by the 34 Ford,

but with many modern elements, the
Sigma Roadster from Brazil features
longitudinal coilovers, carbon fiber
components and a Chevy E-ROD LS3
engine.
Toyotas sensational
FT-1 concept likely
has replicar builders already thinking
about how to imitate
it on a donor chassis.

What a looker! And so is the woman

behind the wheel of this Factory Five
GTM in the Koni booth.

FYI SEMA 2014

Fittingly, this 289 FIA 50th
Anniversary Shelby was on
display at the Champion
booth.

U.S. Speedo displayed a new

custom line of gauges for car
builders.

Performance Electronics
PE3 compact control unit is
designed to handle fuel and
ignition for just about any
engine application.

This cowgirl model was told, Dont muss the dust on

this 67 Shelby GT500 barn find left as is in the Scott Drake
booth.

Bedazzling effects at the

Crystal Ninja booth.

18

FYI SEMA 2014

AMD (Auto Metal Direct) offers

a full range of steel body parts
for resto projects.

Icons Derelicts line includes a 48

Buick Super Convertible that looks
rough (intentionally), but its a real
runner, with an Art Morrison chassis
and 638 horses under the hood.

Classic Connection teamed up with legendary

Cobra racer Allen Grant to show off the companys new plug-and-play ECM for an Eight Stack
induction fitted on the Coyote 5.0-liter V8 in a
Factory Five Coupe.
19

Imagine nding this treasure in an old secluded bar

550 SPYDER
Hand Made
100% Aluminum Body

Bar

Qu
A
W
in
an
Ja
ca

Se

rn...

rn nd at $3.4 million o regular price!

uite possibly the world's most accurate & authentic tribute car.
continuation Spyder! The body is an all-aluminum, handcrafted work of art.
We use original 1955 engines and transmissions as well. This car will not sit
n the stable for long so put on your race goggles, throw out that GPS
nd hit the road or the track in the same authentic style that
ames Dean found so exhilarating and addictive. This is a time
apsule that
th you can drive! Duplicated from Original Cars #0086 & #0090.

ee video at 550spyder.net or call (888) 619-3910

SEMA 2014

Superformance drift action in front of the SEMA show.

Some edgy sheet

metal on a customized Camaro
at Chris Alstons
Chassisworks.

The Rally Fighter made by Local

Motors.

SEMA 2014

UPPER AND LOWER RIGHT: In the Optima booth, we spotted Robert Wilsons one-off VWbased dune buggy, called the gnat. It was built by Brandon Briscoe of Twisted Tin Custom
Fabrication.
TOP INSET: Downs is now up and running with a new line of fiberglass bodies for Mopar, GT40,
Corvette, Camaro and Ford street rods.
BOTTOM INSET: I couldve had an 818! Out of the 300-plus that Factory Five has sold already, a
significant percentage are to race car builders.
23

FYI SEMA 2014

An FD body RX-7 with a Rocket Bunny Widebody kit, and a built motor with a big turbo.
INSET: Garrett Turbos new Armageddon turbo system on a built Mustang 5.0 engine makes
1418 horses at the wheels.
BELOW LEFT: Ken Blocks 850hp AWD Mustang was built for the new upcoming Gymkhana
7 online video.
BELOW RIGHT: Our shooter didnt identify this one, but we know its low, blue and from Amani
Forged.

24

FYI SEMA 2014

AEMs raceready buildup

of a Factory
Five 818.

Cobra racer Allen Grant signed

an FIA version of Factory Fives
USRRC Cobra at the Sherwin-Williams booth. This paint
company now offers a line of
exclusive colors for Factory
Five cars.
25

800-297-6253
Superformance.com
Iconic 60's sports and race cars recreated

FYI
Spyder Bite

ock West Racing is bringing to market

a new vehicle designated the RW Spyder RS. Inspired by Porsches classic 550
Spyder, this car is six inches longer than the
original
design and
uses a tubular space
frame chassis with
independent suspension on
all corners
utilizing

modern brake components. The first model is in the works and is being fitted with a
Porsche 2.7-liter, six-cylinder engine and
a 901 transaxle. A Subaru engine option is
also available. For more information, contact Christopher Kingery at [email protected].
www.rockwestracing.com

LOOKING TO TRICK OUT YOUR Z?

ZTrix

From widebody fenders to complete body kits!

Velo Rossa Spyder

ZGT (BMW Z3)

Subtle Z

280YZ

www.ZTRIX.com 480.229.1831
28

FYI
Atomic Blast

ete Dove of Dove Racing

tells us that, The MEV
Atomic from BMW hell is
finally completed! But not
without having to overcome
some hurdles. He notes that
the original
BMW K1200
R donor bike
was very
technically
advanced
when manufactured in
2006. It had
a sophisticated Electronic Suspension
Adjustment (ESA) that together with a complicated ABS
system gave a sort of traction
control. Both these systems
were controlled by computers that were linked together
with a central Chassis Control
System (CCU), Engine Management System (EMS), and
instrument cluster computer
through a can-bus system. To
complicate matters further,
the CCU substituted for a conventional fuse/relay circuit
buffering system, all performed electronically within
the unit.
Obviously Dove did not
need the ESA or ABS systems
because they were designed
for a two-wheel bike, not a
four-wheeled car. However,
because of the can-bus system it was necessary that all
the computers (including the

instrument cluster) be retained and hooked together in

the wiring circuitry, although
the relevant sensors were not
attached.
Also, the bike was
equipped with a complicated
Electronic Immobilizer Loop
Antenna and
Anti-Theft
System (requiring that
the original
bike ignition
switch, key
and transducer to be
used). After
obtaining wiring diagrams
from BMW in Germany (with
all the wiring colors being in
German) and with some help
from European Cycles located
in Plano, TX, Dove was able to
figure out how to defeat the
can-bus system and get the
engine started. In addition, he
installed a completely separate conventional fuse/relay
wiring system, along with a
reverse option through a high
torque motor that engages a
gear in the drivetrain (at the
SCS gearbox).
Other challenges included plumbing the oil, fuel and
cooling systems. Given these
hurdles, Dove admits that
working with the Yamaha YZK
R1 or Suzuki GS1300 Hyabusa
motors is much simpler. Even
so, with a BMW, The thing is
lethally fast, he says.
http://www.doveracing.net

www.vdo.com/usa

VDO PRT
Tachometers
taking your ride
to the next level
The new VDO PRT 10,000RPM Tachometer adds
style and performance
to your ride. Featuring
configurations for 4, 6
and 8 cylinder engine
applications, its available
in a brilliant white dial face
with silver bezel and an
intense black onyx dial
face with black bezel.
Through-dial lighting
delivers excellent visibility.
PRT features a resettable
shift point and built-in shift
light indicator, an adjustable
mount for multiple mounting
options and positions and
a 4-wire hook up for fast
installation.
Contact: [email protected]
See the complete line at:
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VDO - A Trademark of the Continental Corporation

29

CO2127 KitCarBuilder_PRT_Tachs_ThirdV_Sept-Oct-14_v1.0.indd
7/25/14
1 12:14 PM

FYI
Stealth
Tank

o, not the military kind,

but a modern replacement fuel tank from Aeromotive for vintage rides,
specifically in the realm of
EFI conversions and late
model engine transplants.
The company already offers
Stealth Tanks for a number
of older vehicles, but is doubling its offerings. As with
the existing Stealth Tank
lineup, these new reproduc-

30

tion steel tanks feature a

durable silver powder-coat
finish, plus an internally baffled system with an
in-tank performance fuel
pump capable of supporting
up to 1000 hp. Simply replace your factory tank with

one that looks and feels like

the original, but is setup for
serious performance. For
the complete line-up and
part numbers, visit the Aeromotive Website at:
www.Aeromotiveinc.com/
more-stealth-tanks

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF

CORVETTE PASSION

MID AMERICA MOTORWORKS would like you to join in

celebrating our 40th Anniversary. We are changing the way
you shop for parts and accessories and with the launch of
our new website you can see just how easy it is to pursue
your passion. The new site is content rich with a user-friendly
navigation, updated with the latest Tech Articles, Instructions,
Diagrams, How to Videos and more all at your fingertips.
Check us out at www.mamotorworks.com

Key code: 780

Request a FREE Catalog by calling 866.309.5290

17082 N US Highway 45, Effingham, IL 62401

Mid America Motorworks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Salt Shakers

Breaking
Records at
Bonneville
on a Budget
Text and photos by Harold Pace

ouve seen those iconic photos in car magazines all your life. You
know, the ones of a hot rod or muscle car poised on an endless sea
of white salt, ready to be launched toward the curved horizon for a
rendezvous with the record books. Or maybe you were glued to the screen all
the way through The Worlds Fastest Indian.
What you may not know is that you dont have to have a 200mph ride or a
boundless budget to get in on the fun of racing at Bonneville. You can even set
records by topping out at less than 70 mph. To check it out, a member of our
intrepid Car Builder team took a homebuilt racer for its first run down the salt.
The first thing you need to know is that there are two clubs that put on
events at the Bonneville Salt Flats each year. The better known is the


Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), which puts
on Speed Week in August and World Finals in October

Sandwiched between them is World of Speed

held BY the Utah Salt Flats Racing
Association (USFRA) in September.
well.

SCTAs events are organized

to allow competitors to set
records in a wide variety of
classes on either a three- or
five-mile course. All cars and
motorcycles that run under 175
mph use the three-mile short
course, while the faster rides
rocket down the full five miles.
Speeds can range from under
100 mph in small-displacement
production car classes, to
over 400 mph for the big
streamliners.
Vehicles must exceed the
current record on one run, then
sit in impound overnight before
attempting to back up their
first run the following morning.
The average of the two runs
must exceed the current record.

You might not recognize this long-nosed Alfa Romeo Spyder. Radically altered
sports cars are in the Modified Sports classes, while stock-bodied cars compete
in the GT classes.

SCTA events require extensive

safety equipment designed to
protect the driver in 200 mph+
accidents. These are usually
invasive enough to prevent the
car from being driven on the
street as well.

Salt racers have a sense of humor. I love this prehistoric streamliner.

But the USFRA rules are

different. They recognize
the same record classes
and regulations as SCTA, and
records set at World of Speed
are accepted by SCTA. However,
USFRA also has a number of
beginner-level classes that are
not run by SCTA, and these are
where you can try your hand in
many street cars without having
to have a full roll cage, HANS
device, fire system and hundreds
of other safety items.
There are many types of
cars that run at Bonneville,
including classes for superaerodynamic streamliners,
hot rods, motorcycles and
production-based cars and
trucks. Classes are broken down
further by engine size, fuel type

Lakesters are slick little race cars with four exposed wheels. Engine choices range from tiny to titanic.

(gas or methanol/nitro/nitrous)
and induction (supercharged
or naturally aspirated). To
this extensive list USFRA adds
special classes for bar stools
(!) and old-school VWs with
antiquated 36-hp engines.
USFRA also puts on the
130 MPH Club, which requires
prospective members to make
two one-mile runs during the
event at between 130 and
139.9 mph. You can run a street
machine with normal street
safety equipment. Coupes dont
even have to have a roll bar, but
open cars need a basic 4-point
bar.
Going 130 mph doesnt

sound too tough for

most modern street
cars, but getting
the power to the
ground on salt (like
racing on a hardpacked gravel road)
requires finesse.
USFRA also has a
150 MPH Club for
faster cars. Although
it requires more
This tiny Crosley Super Sports mounts a potent
safety equipment than 750cc engine and holds class records.
the 130 Club, its still
of them in a variety of body
more affordable than
configurations, including
the record classes.
Beetles, a few Karmann Ghias,
The VW 36-HP Challenge
Vans and even a Type 3.
is a very popular concept, and
Condition ranged from ratty
this year there were dozens

Land Speed Record Set by a Factory Five Coupe

hile Cobra roadsters have never been

known for their aerodynamics (Carroll
Shelby once said they were like a shoebox),
the Cobra Daytona Coupe is a whole nuther
story. With a body developed specifically to
slice through the air, the coupes sleek nose and
Kammback tail make for a good runner on the
Bonneville Salt Flats.
Indeed, because back in September of 2008,
a FactoryFive Racing Type 65 Coupe set a
SCTA land-speed record at Bonneville, clocking
216.9 mph. The highly modified FFR Coupe
was built by Farra Snooks SoFast Racing Team
and competed in Class C, Blown Fuel Modified
Sports, with an estimated 814hp hp 347 ci Ford
small-block engine, running 12 pounds boost
ProCharger blower.
Factory Five Racing sponsored the crew at
Sofast by supplying the frame, body and other
major components. The only aero changes
for running on the salt included covering side
exhausts, and creating a tunnel underneath so it
sucks the body to the ground, but otherwise no
body panels were changed, and the car can be
driven on the street. Driver was Korey Bligh and it
ran in the Blown Fuel Modified Sports class.

Before that record run, in 1965, an original

Daytona Coupe set the Class G world record,
running 186 mph. So the FFR coupe is the fastest
Daytona Coupe to ever run at Bonneville, replica
or original. (Note, however, that the original Shelby
ran in a different class, and for FIA World Records
the car has to run both directions.)

video link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DNSYQCI8uA

35

to resto, and everyone seemed

to be having a ball. There are
four engine classes within the
Challenge, all starting with the
36-HP engine (recognizable by
the generator stand being in
unit with the case). Other VWs,
including dune buggies, compete
in record or Club classes.
Whatever your bent in as a
Car Builder, you too can be on
the salt! CB

SOURCES:

USFRA: http://www.saltflats.com/
SCTA: http://www.scta-bni.org/

Special engine classes cater to odd choices like this

Buick straight 8. Some
belt out over 500 horses.

Troy Trepanier
built the Blowfish to race
on the salt.
Believe it or
not, this was
once a 1969
Barracuda.

Photos from the Pace Bonneville

archives 2007-2014:

Our Turn

ow that Kit Car Builder has

expanded its focus and
become simply Car Builder, my
friend Dale Richardson and I
celebrated by bringing a non-kit,
scratch-built 27 Ford Model T
track roadster from Texas to the
salt for the first time. We had
entered in the 130 MPH Club,
even though we were pretty
sure we didnt have the power to
qualify. But it gave us a chance to
get out on the salt and see how
the new car drove, and come up
with a list of things to improve
before next time.
Our 27 has a metal body, a
radically-modified Ford Model A
frame and a hot 1960 GMC inline
six of 302-inch displacement.
We did a lot of work to reinforce
the frame, including boxing
the rails and Z-ing the rear
by four inches to lower it. The
front crossmember was angled
back to allow more caster for

Model T track roadster looking

as old-fashioned as I could get
it to. Full-race GMC redlines at
5,000 rpm. Paxton blower on
the passenger side is for future
development. And yes, I can drive
it on the street.

improved straight-line stability.

The engine was chosen to
fit an SCTA class we hope to
run in in the future, and has
been balanced, blueprinted and
fitted with a ported head. With
11.5:1 Arias pistons and three
Stromberg 97 carbs it pumps
out an estimated 270 hp. Eagleeyed readers may note that the
car is wearing five 97s, but two

(and the Paxton blower sticking

through the right side) are just
along for the ride. For the 130
Club it had to be made street
legal, so we added a complete
lighting system, a horn and dual
windscreens.
I wanted the car to look like
the classic track roadsters that
ran on the dry lakes and circle
tracks in the 1950s, so I flamed
it with black and ivory lacquer,

Bonneville is the home of the home-brew racers. I shot this killer Avanti II a few
years ago at Speed Week. Its powered by an ex-Nascar Ford V-8 and held a record.
pinstriped in One-Shot red
and then lightly sanded until it
looked suitably shabby. Artist
John Stout painted the Stripped
for Action nose art off my late
fathers B-29 on the deck lid.
The custom-fabbed interior is
painted chromate green and
fitted with twin bomber seats.
We sailed through tech,
who made sure we had plenty
of return springs for all those
carburetors! If you are running
in one of the record classes,
expect to spend a lot more time
in tech, including proving you
can bail out quickly in case of
a fire. After a quick course in
Bonneville safety and etiquette,
we drove the car to the staging
line for the short (three-mile)
course. The record vehicles
would be running the entire
three miles, but the 130 mph
Club, plus our friends the
VWs, would only be using the
first mile before turning off.
(Normally the USFRA tries to
have three courses set up so

the one-milers have their own

short course, but this year rain
had damaged much of the salt
flats and USFRA was only able to
carve out two courses.)
The wait to run lasted about
half a day, but a big part of the
fun is meeting new friends
in line. One guy had a 1960s
Pontiac station wagon with a
monster motor. Another ran
a Studebaker Hawk powered
by a piping-hot Chevy, and the
VW brigade was everywhere.
There were also four or five
more Model T rods in line with
us, powered by everything from
SBCs to Pintos and a Ford Model
B 4-banger. Only at Bonneville!
Finally it was my turn to
head down the wide expanse
of endless white. The first pass
for the 130 Club is called the
calibration run. It allows you
to match your speedometer
to their timing equipment, so
you can make sure you dont
break out over 139.9 mph and
get disqualified. Think bracket

racing. My speedo read 95 mph

at the trap, and miraculously
that coincided with the official
timing slip.
The engine had a slight miss
on the first run, so the next
morning Dale and I changed
plugs, set the timing and points
and got it running smoothly
again. By the end of the second
day we had improved to 114
mph and the car had run
straight and true. We felt good
about our chassis setup, at
least at those low speeds. Our
3.18 gearing was a tad tall, but
we didnt have any other gears
with us that would have been
any better. The next day we
made some changes and tried
again, but the miss was back
and we slowed to 113 mph. But
by then we had found out what
we wanted to know. One, the
car had potential for further
development, and two, we were
hooked on Bonneville!

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Smoooooot

A Sleek 67 Sting Ray Strikes With

Modern Mechanicals

By Steve Temple
PHOTOS BY STEVE TEMPLE

hile everybody has been going ga-ga over

the latest Corvette Stingray, heres another
route to consider: Why not take a 67 Sting

th Operator

Ray and bring it forward? That was the path pursued

by Dr. Barry Long, owner of the substantially modified Mid Year Corvette shown here. He conceived,
managed and orchestrated the project, since he has
a lot of hands-on experience working on cars before
and during his years of medical training.

As a car-guy first and

doctor second, Longs
concept was simple:
Ive always wanted to
build a Corvette on an
original chassis but with
an upgraded suspension
and engine, he recalls.
But have it still look like
a classic. I didnt want to
build a hot hod.
He enlisted the aid of Joe
Calcagno, a Bloomington
Gold judge and C1 Corvette
Specialist who had tracked
down a 58 donor for an
earlier restomod project. It
featured a 96 suspension
under the three-inch wider
rear fenders, along with a
Grand Sport LT4 and sixspeed. Now Long asked
him to locate a suitable
Sting Ray to fulfill what he
envisioned.
As Longs builder and
co-conspirator Alf Ebberoth
explains, We wanted to

42

build a 67 Corvette that

was radical, but still looks
like something the factory
could have produced, if
faced with the challenges
we were up against with the
body modifications.
As with the 58, they
wanted to fit fatter tires in
the rear without merely
grafting on fenders flares.
Yet the hurdles were even
greater, because amount
of widening would need to
be about double what had
been done before, while
making sure the body
lines would flow together
in an integrated way. Also
in keeping with the 58
project, they planned to
use only Corvette parts
wherever possible (yet not
necessarily from the same
model year).
Sounds simple in
theory, but the devils in
the details. Fortunately,

Long had already been to

Hades and back with his
58. When asked what the
biggest difficulty was in his
67 project, he noted that
he had already overcome it
in the 58 when combining
old and new components,
along with enlarging the
quarter panels. Even so, his
Air Roadster as he dubbed
it, was a long ordeal, Long
admits, requiring many
years of off-and-on effort.
At the outset, Calcagno
came across worn-out 67
with a dour drivetrain,
driven hard and put
away wet in a shed. Yet
this platform was ideal,
since using a generic,
garden-variety vehicle was
important to Long.
I didnt want to
destroy a restorable
classic, he points
out, as hes
acquired several
originals (including
a 70 ZR1 and a 90
Guldstrand) over
the years and has
a respect for the
Corvette legacy.
All told, the only
items worth saving were
in the cockpit, which were
sold to help defray the cost
of buildup. And as well
see, Long had some special
custom touches in mind
anyway for the interior.
First, though, he sought

out Paul Newman of

Newman Car Creations to
install a fresher driveline
and suspension. The
95 ZR1 is my favorite,
Long says. That 32-valve,
overhead cam engine is
really something special.

Enhancing it further,
Ebberoff fabricated a
custom intake and exhaust,
and added a DeWitts
radiator with dual fans.
(This improved airflow
is a theme well return to
shortly in other areas of
the car.) A ZF six-speed
from 1995 Corvette ZR1
funnels power to the 3:45
ZR1 rearend. In one of only
a few exceptions to the

43

Corvette parts only rule,

the 1996 Corvette Grand
Sport brakes were fitted
with Baers Eradispeed
stainless rotors.
But how to get the
polished ZR1 rims and
beefy BFG rubber to tuck
under the wheel wells?
After all, the factory trackwidth of a Sting Ray is
actually slightly narrower
in the back than the front,
the reverse of what one
might expect. To broaden
the beam without tubbing
the frame, Ebberoth split
the fenders lengthwise and
spliced in a six-inch section
of fiberglass, bonding it
in manner similar to the
original manufacture of
the body. For adding those
curvaceous lines, he glued
sections of surfboard foam
to the entire side of car and
then started shaping them
so they flowed with the rest
of the body.
This integration of the
form was key to achieving
the right look. Every
body panel required

44

modification,
Long notes. At the
nose, Ebberoff
crafted new
lower sections of
the front fenders,
extending from
the bumper to
door, with no air
intake behind
the front wheels.
And new rocker
panels cover the frame
rails on the sides, under
the doors. Also, the new
fenders cover more of the
wider new front tires (BF
Goodrich 255/40ZR17,
while the rears measure
315/35ZR17).
New door skins were
also fabricated out of
composite so they fit with
the reverse curve of the
mid-section, akin to the
wasp-like waist of the
C3. The resulting form
seamlessly blends elements
of C1, C2, C3 and C4
designs.
Once the foam was
shaped to Ebberoths liking,
he pulled molds off each
panel and then
made up the new
panels in fiberglass,
removed the foam
and original panels
and installed the
custom-made
pieces. (By the way,
he saved the molds,
in case any Car

Builder enthusiasts want to

save some time and effort
when fitting big meats on a
Sting Ray.)
Ebberoth also reworked
the soft tops cover panels
by creating a small raised
nacelle behind each seat,
along with a smoother
waterfall section between
the seats (similar to
whats seen on Corvettes
both before and after the
63 to 67 era). Even the
door handles are blended
into the body lines, using
C5 pieces. Last but not
least, Ebberoth drew on
his Swedish training in
metalworking to stretch
and hammer the bumpers
to fit the widened body
parts.
Interestingly, the
inspiration for the
Air Roadsters fluid,
aerodynamic quality is
not purely aesthetics. It
also stems from Longs
background as a private
pilot and airplane owner,

and also his medical

practice in addressing
breathing problems.
Altogether, he appreciates
the subtleties of smooth
airflow, and made sure
the center console was
streamlined into the back
deck.
Yet for all this body
shaping, one of the most
challenging aspects was
actually a fairly small
matter: figuring out a way
to secure the shoulder
mount for the three-point
seatbelts. It was eventually
solved by fabricating a tiny
part out of aircraft titanium,
secured to the side mount
for the convertible top.
That way, there would
be no clutter to distract
from the Carrillo seats,

covered in leather by famed

upholsterer Sid Chavers.
Other interior touches
included Autometer
Phantom Gauges fitted to
the original cluster, Vintage
Air A/C and custom power
windows.
Once all the extensive
body changes were
complete, no ordinary paint
would do. Long initially
considered a simple silver,
but his painters (Jose and
Santiago Ramirez of Empire
Restoration and Randy
Reeds of Antique Auto
Restoration) showed him
a red metallic flake that
would change depending
on the light. In low light it
looks bluish, even lavender,
but in brighter light the hue
shifts to a champagne color.

Long observes another

surprising fact: when
parked side-by-side with an
original 67 Sting Ray, Its
amazing how similar they
look together...Yet mine has
the steroid boost it needed.
Its as if famed Sting Ray
stylist Larry Shinoda took
the Sting Ray to its logical
extremeand then some.
CB

SOURCES:
Alf Ebberoth
831/917-3227
Newman Car Creations
805/226-9201
www.
newmancarcreations.
com

45

READERS
RIDE
As Told by Bob MacDonald

he Phoenix is one of a dozen

cars developed by famed Sylva
designer, Jeremy Phillips. Back
in 2003, Stuart Taylor Motorsports had
the rights to produce it. At the time,
the company was pioneering the use
of motorcycle power and independent

46

rear suspension in Locost roadsters. A

gentleman from northeast Ohio named Don
Serwatka was impressed by what this firm
was doing, and entered an agreement with
Taylor to import and sell its cars in the U.S.,
right about the time they were turning out
the first Phoenix kits.
In the second shipment of kits to the
U.S., two Phoenix kits were included. One,

Fiery Bird

The Only Phoenix

to Rise in the USA
painted blue, was earmarked as a roadrace car, which I would drive for marketing,
promotion and development. The other (the
yellow one shown here) was earmarked as
Dons personal car which he intended to
street and autocross.
We raced the blue Phoenix from 2004 to
2007 in several 12- and 24-hour endurance
races and a variety of sprint races in SCCA

Super Production (SPU). The car had a good

record with six overall wins, 11 class wins
and one second-place finish out of 12 races.
After working out some suspension
issues in the first year, it was always reliable
and a ton of fun to drive. Our best laps at
Nelson Ledges (a two-mile road course in
Northeast Ohio) were 1:14s, and it was easy
to turn 1:15s and 1:16s, approximately 94
47

mph average, all race long.

With the Kawasaki ZX-9
engine and transmission
putting out about 140 hp,
and the car weighing in
at about 1150 pounds, it
was exceptionally nimble
and quick 0 to 60 mph
happens in about four
seconds! Top speed is
around 130 mph and
acceleration is strong
through the gears to the
12,000 rpm redline.
When Don was
diagnosed with a terminal
illness, I bought him out of
the yellow Phoenix, which
was still an unassembled
kit. Since then I have
finished the car with the
help of a number of talented
friends. Because it was a
brand new chassis that had
never been assembled, we
wanted it to be a top-quality
build.
We re-plumbed the
brake system with Tilton
race components, including
dual master cylinders with

48

remote reservoirs and a

balance beam. All brake
tubing is new and the brake
lines to the calipers are
steel braided.
We pulled out the
donor wiring harness and
replaced all of it with a
system from Its a Snap
wiring. To complement
the SPA tach, we went
to Speedhut for a set of
custom gauges including
GPS speedo/odometer, fuel
gauge, water temperature,
oil pressure and volts. We
connected momentary
switches on the steering

wheel to the turn signals

using a Backoff timer to
shut them off.
Continuing in Stuart
Taylor tradition, the bikes
power is routed through
its six-speed sequential
shifter to a drive shaft that
connects to a limited-slip
rear differential from a Ford
Sierra. The independent
rear suspension uses Sierra
half shafts and uprights,
held in place by upper and
lower control arms that are
from the Phillips chassis
design. Front spindles are
from Ford Sierra donors,
as are the disc brakes at all
four corners.
Front suspension uses
an A-frame at the bottom
and rocker arm at the top.
All four corners have single
adjustable AVO shocks
with threaded perches and
Eibach springs. Suspension
tuning is very flexible for
ride height, rake, caster,
camber and toe, providing

a great range of tuning

options.
The six-spoke aluminum
wheels are by TSW and
feature faux knockoffs
complete with red safety
clips. This car has 195/50R15 V speed-rated
Yokohama S.drive tires.
Being a racer, the finishing
details include an Optima
battery, Afco aluminum
racing radiator, Carbotech
brake pads, and a beautiful
ATL fuel filler.
We wanted to be true
to Dons vision of this as a
street/autocross/hill-climb
car, so it has padded seats
with four-point Willans
harnesses for both driver
and passenger. The factory
roll bar is integral to the
chassis design. In British
tradition, the driver sits on
the right side of the car, but
the shifter is in the right
hand, integrated into the
side pod. In addition to
street-appropriate lights

and turn signals, we placed

a high center-mounted
brake light on the roll bar.
The original U.S.
Phoenix race car was
destroyed, T-boned during
its last endurance race.
Stuart Taylor has sold the
rights to build kits based
on this design, and they
are now in the hands of
Raw Engineering in the
UK. Currently, the yellow
car pictured here is said
to be the only official one
stateside. But that all might
change as this fiery Phoenix
rises yet again. CB
Raw Engineering

http://www.striker-cars.co.uk

Updated Drivetrain
Grabbin More
Gears by
Installing a
Gear Vendors
Overdrive
Text and Photos by Larry Weiner

any project cars, be they

Cobra replicas, street
rods or restomods, use oldschool drivetrain components,
such as a carbureted bigblock V8 backed by a fourspeed trannie. Of course, this
throwback approach is a large
part of their appeal, reliving
the glory days of muscle cars.
Theres a way to have your
cake and eat it too, though, by
adding a single component
that will dramatically
improve performance of your
vehicle, while improving fuel

50

consumption and your driving

experience. This proven
driveline component is a Gear
Vendors overdrive.
We take this transmission
upgrade for granted today
in new vehicles, as most
manufactured since the early
1980s have been equipped
with transmissions that
include an overdrive. But the
majority of classic cars
and virtually none of the
mighty muscle cars from the
Golden Erawere equipped
with an overdrive. The
result is that these vehicles,
especially those equipped
with high numerical final
drive ratios, deliver marginal
fuel economy because they
operate at elevated engine
rpm, especially when driven
at highway speeds.
Installing an overdrive
is the practical solution to

this problem, and the good

news is that its easy to do.
The accompanying photos
illustrate how simple it is
to turn your vintage Chevy
or other project car into a
modern highway cruiser using
a Gear Vendors Overdrive.
This unit is the most popular
overdrive conversion for
factory transmissions.
With over 100 different
applications, youll likely find
one that fits your particular
buildup.
The particular subject of
this article is a 1967 Camaro
SS350 (but there are many
other vehicle applications,
as noted in the sidebar). Its
equipped with its original
Muncie M20 4-speed manual
transmission and 12-bolt
differential with a 3.73:1 gear
set.
Since fourth gear in the

transmission is a 1:1 ratio,

with the 373 gear, every time
we reached 55 miles per hour,
the Camaro felt like it was
ready to be shifted into the
next higher gear. The problem
was, we were already in
fourth, and there werent
any more gears left. (Editors
note: Weve run into the
same problem with a 4-speed
Toploader, and the buzz of the
high engine revs can drive you
batty after a while...)
Although the vehicle only
weighs 2940 pounds, light
by todays standards, the
high gearing resulted in a
busy engine and mediocre
fuel economy. Because we
like life in the fast lane, and
certainly appreciate better
fuel economy, we decided to
install a Gear Vendors in the
Camaro.
The Gear Vendors offers
a 22 percent overdrive,
turning our 373 gear into
a 2.91:1 final drive.
This lowered the tach
readout at 70 mph
from 3700 to 3100
rpm, making our
Camaro SS far more
freeway friendly. Hello
fast lane!
Living life in the
fast lane will not be
limited to the freeway,
though. While the
Muncie M20 is a
robust design and
was a state of the art
transmission in the
1960s when it was
introduced, today a

4-speed is something of an
anachronism.
The Gear Vendors
Overdrive brings this
legendary muscle car
transmission into the 21st
century. It not only provides
the Camaro with an overdrive,
the Gear Vendors also enables
you to split the gears in
the Muncie, and take full
advantage of the benefits of
both the transmission and the
overdrive.
If you really want to
maximize the versatility of
the combination, get ready
to shock your friends and
competitors by starting in
First gear like a conventional
manual. Then upshift using
the Gear Vendors to first over,
a lightning shift that will make
your vehicle act and sound
just like an automatic.
Then, leaving it in
overdrive, shift normally to
Second and Third. During

the shift to Fourth, press the

button on the Gear Vendor
shift knob and youll get the
regular Fourth gear ratio
and then follow that up with
Fourth Over by pressing the
button again. The result is
a fully functional six-speed
transmission that retains
the tactile feel and precision
that you expect from a
Muncie, yet complemented
by the advantages of the Gear
Vendors Overdrive. As noted
at the outset, with a Gear
Vendors you really can have
your cake and eat it too!

Follow along with us
as the technicians at Gear
Vendors install one of their
Under/Overdrive units on the
1967 Camaro and turn it into
a muscle car with a newfound
ability to compress time and
space, while achieving better
fuel economy and increasing
your driving enjoyment.

51

Other Applications

Heres a comparison of original Muncie tail housing

with Gear Vendors one-piece and two-piece adapters,
which allow for a variety of applications in different
types of project cars. The two-piece adapter is
the shorter one, and used in 1963-81 Corvettes to
accommodate the transmission cross member that
cannot be removed, while the taller, one-piece is used
in GM F-Bodies. Note that while the one- and twopiece GV adapters are longer than the original Muncie
tail housing, the tunnel of a 1967-69 GM F-Body
accommodates the length of the longer adapter and
Gear Vendors unit with no clearancing required.

e asked Rick Johnson, president and

founder of Gear Vendors, about the
range of vehicles that can be fitted
with the companys aftermarket overdrive unit.
Heres what he had to say about the 4-speed
Toploader and other transmissions:
Yes, we fit the Toploader, but in an already
assembled Cobra replica that will have some
challenges because we use the shorty output
shaft for Cobra to keep the driveshaft length.
He notes that many of his companys
kits have both shorty and standard-length
applications for the really short wheelbase
vehicle (Say a 40 Willys and shorter).
So a guy with an A-body Hemi Dart will
use the long 8334-speed or the long 727,
plus a Gear Vendors for the ease of fitment,
and because a shorter driveline is a benefit
in high performance/racing applications, he
points out. But a Willys will use our shorty
kit because a 727 is already pretty long in the
chassis. So we put in the 4x4 output shaft or the
truck diesel short shaft and then you can keep
good driveline lengths.

52

Noting the use of this unit in collectible

cars, Gear Vendors offers the only transmission
modification allowed, he says. Thats because
it keeps the original trans in place and yet lets
these vehicles drive modern roads at modern
speeds while taking care of the engine and
providing 25 percent better fuel economy.
In the last ten years we have also started
to see this in the muscle car values, Johnson
adds. Imagine you had a Boss 429 Mustang
all original. A Gear Vendors is about the only
thing you could do to the car that would
not depreciate its value, because the car is
still original, no mods. You keep the original
driveshaft and tailhousing in the garage but
now you can drive it, cruise it, get on it and grab
a gear with no clutch. And if you sell the car it
is likely going to go for more because both the
collector or a driver will be interested.
Commenting further on the range of
applications, We fit all the old torque-tube
Buicks and Fords, we fit Muncie 318 and Ford
3-speeds, and all the transmissions from
Powerglides to 4L80e and Nash 2spds to
GForce GF5R.
Why not simply install a modern 5- or
6-speed trannie? When you throw some latemodel manual or automatic in the car the gear
to gear driving experience and shift feel is very
different, he points out. The old transmissions
were all about the drag strip and that is not
the case with the ratios in late-model swaps.A
T5 will feel like you skipped a whole gear each
time compared to a Muncie.

SOURCE:

Gear Vendors Inc.

1717 North Magnolia Avenue
El Cajon, CA 92020
Phone: 800-999-9555
www.gearvendors.com

Parts included in Gear Vendors

Kit. Note that the kit includes
every part necessary for the
installation.

The stock driveshaft is measured by Gear Vendors tech

prior to removal.

After removing the nuts and

lock washers that secure the
two straps on the universal joint
at differential, lower the driveshaft from chassis.

Unscrew the speedometer cable retaining nut from transmission and remove cable.

Remove two bolts from the

shifter where shift arm is attached.

Unbolt the factory reverse

switch from bracket on side of
transmission.

Position a transmission jack

underneath for safety.

Remove the bolts that secure

the transmission to both the
front subframe and rear mount.

Raise the transmission slightly,

using the transmission jack to
take the weight off of the transmission brace. Then remove
transmission brace by sliding
it at an angle and pull it free of
subframe.

53

Remove four bolts at the front

of transmission where it is
mounted to the bell housing.

Place jackstand under oil pan

to support engine. Use a block
of wood to distribute the weight
and prevent damaging the oil
pan.

Carefully pull transmission

straight back from bell housing
to avoid damaging the clutch.

Lower the transmission from

vehicle.

With the Muncie M20 on a

bench, first remove the shifter.

After using a punch to drive out

the roll pin that retains the reverse shift shaft, grasp reverse
shift shaft with wrench and pull
outward.

Remove the four bolts that attach tail housing to

transmission main case.

54

Gently tap tail shaft with soft-faced mallet to separate tail housing from transmission main case.

With tail housing removed, clean surface in preparation of installing

new gasket.

The reverse arm in the Muncie

tail housing must be removed
and reused.

Here the reverse arm, detent

spring and ball have been
pulled from Muncie tail housing.

Gear Vendors adapter. Note

recess (right center) for detent
spring and ball.

Detent spring and ball installed.

Reverse arm ready to slide over

detent spring and ball.

Reverse arm fully installed.

Install Gear Vendors adapter.

55

Reinstall roll pin retainer for

reverse gear arm.

Reinstall original bolts in Gear

Vendors adapter and torque to
20 ft/lbs of torque.

Install rubber O-ring seal prior

to bolting on second section of
Gear Vendors adapter

Install second section of Gear Vendors adapter, with some Loctite

on the bolts.

Heres how the Gear Vendors

single-piece rear adapter looks
once installed on Muncie M20
transmission for F-Body application.

A splined coupling is used to

connect the transmission output shaft with the Gear Vendors
Overdrive unit.

56

Test-fit the coupling and check

the tolerance to the face of
adapter with gasket installed.
Using a straight edge, determine
the number of shims necessary
to equal the distance between
the edge of the coupling and
the face of the gasket on the GV
adapter. In this case, four shims
were used.

Place the shims inside coupling

recess.

Re-install coupling on transmission output shaft.

Double-check clearance to confirm that the coupling and face

of the gasket on the adapter
match.

After shifter is re-installed on

transmission and the shift arms
are adjusted, install the transmission in vehicle, and replace
the transmission mount and
cross member.

Install gasket on Gear Vendors

Temporarily install Gear Vendors Overdrive unit onto transmission adapter so that measurements can be taken for new
driveshaft.

Measure for new driveshaft. Be

sure to allow 5/8 inches of clearance from the base of driveshaft
yoke to back of Gear Vendors
Overdrive unit to prevent bottoming out.

Overdrive unit.

Remove Gear Vendors Overdrive from vehicle and install

speedometer drive and gear.

Use white lithium grease on

rubber seal. After drive is installed, secure with retaining

bolt. Note use of 90-degree

speedometer drive to clear the
transmission tunnel.

57

Install Gear Vendor Overdrive unit on transmission adapter and

tighten all nuts.

Note the difference in length

between original driveshaft and
new driveshaft.

Install Gear Vendors computer

inside vehicle. In the case of
the Camaro, the computer was
mounted just beneath the heater core, under the carpeting.
Connect wiring to computer per
instructions.

Gear Vendors signal lights are

mounted on small plate at bottom of dash using existing hole
and screw. Green light indicates
unit is engaged, and red light
indicates unit is on.

Gear Vendors signal lights are

mounted on small plate at bottom of dash using existing hole
and screw. Green light indicates
unit is engaged, and red light
indicates unit is on.

A new, shorter driveshaft is then

installed in vehicle.

Fill Gear Vendors Overdrive unit

with 28 oz. of oil.

Connect original speedometer

cable to GV extension cable.

58

Note ample space around Gear

Vendor unit when installed in
vehicle. No modifications to
the floor or tunnel of any kind
were required for the installation of the Gear Vendors in the
Camaro.

Completed installation.

It is almost impossible to detect

the installation in the interior.
The shift knob with the button
and the small plate under the
dashboard with two indicator
lights are the only clues that the
Camaro is now equipped with
the Gear Vendors. Note that
the shifter is still in its original
factory location and that it fits
perfectly in the console.

Mid-Engin

TwinTurbos Firing Off 1200

hp!

ne Missile

By Steve Temple
Photos by Steve Temple

hen it comes
to Corvettes,
more is
better. Not
only do many Vette owners
have more than one in
their garage, they usually
accumulate an assortment
of Corvette components as
well. What to do with them?
Well, no other company
has taken automotive
recycling to such a fine
degree as Factory Five
Racing (FFR). Back in the
mid 90s, the company
started out by scavenging
about 70 parts off a
wrecked 5.0 Mustang
to create a low-cost,
everymans Cobra. This
trash-into-treasure formula
proved to be enormously
successful for several other
FFR component vehicles
as well, including the midengine GTM exotic. This was
the companys first original

design, not a replica of any

previous model. Even so,
the GTMs low-slung lines
are somewhat akin to a
GT40, while manifesting its

own distinctive and exotic

persona.
This models custom
spaceframe is designed
for an LS1 or LS6, but any

LS engine can be bolted

in behind the cockpit. Of
course, a transaxle with
adaptor plate must be used
in place of the standard
transmission, usually a
Porsche 911s G50 or a ZF
or Mendeola unit.
In general, FFR
recommends using
Corvette C5 (97 to 2004)
components, but some
customers have found a
way to use some C6 parts
as well. These include the
control arms, spindles,
hubs, outer CV joints

and brakes. Aftermarket

upgrades for those Corvette
models are acceptable as

well.
Since its an enclosed car,
having air conditioning is a
good idea, so the condenser,
compressor and dryer
from a factory A/C system
is recommended. Other
cockpit parts include the
steering column (sans the
FFR-supplied rim), and
assorted handles, hardware,
switches, seat belts and the
like. Up front, the radiator
and fan setup fits in nicely,
along with the fuel tanks.
Once completed, a GTM
outfitted with even a stock

LS engine can achieve

supercar performance. FFR
touts one LS7-powered
version that scorched from
0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds.
And then blazed from 0 to
100 in 6.6 seconds, with a
-mile time 11.0 seconds
@ 132 mph! That means
a GTM can be built to run
faster from 0 to 60 mph
than a Ferrari Enzo, a
Porsche GT, a Saleen Twin
Turbo S7, a Ford GT, and a
Lamborghini Murcielago.
(And some GM execs have
privately admitted the GTM
has an unfair advantage
over a Corvette, in terms of
power/weight ratio.)

All of which brings us

to the twin-turbo version
shown here, built by SKJ
Customs for Bill Farber,
using a hot mill from Nelson
Racing Engines. Given the
cars overall weight of less
than 2500 pounds (about
700 pounds less than a
Corvette C6), imagine
running an LSX with twin

72mm puffers between the

frame rails.
Shoveling
this much
air through
the intakes
mandated
huge volumes
of fuel from
two separate
systems (four
rails and 16

injectors, fed by two electric

fuel pumps). At 11 pounds
of boost, it boasts an output
of 1200 horsesand thats
just the beginning, as it can
be dialed up to 39 psi with
the twist of a knob.
Even without running
higher levels of boost on
race gas, the power-toweight ratio is skewed
toward the extreme.

SOURCES:
Factory Five Racing
www.factoryfive.com
SKJ Customs
www.skjcustoms.com
Nelson Racing Engines
www.
nelsonracingengines.
com

Funneling this flood of

power to the rear wheels
is a custom-built transaxle
for a Porsche 997 GT-2.
This unit has to be mounted
upside down, since the
Porsche is rear-engine and
the GTM is a mid-engine
cruise missile. CB

65

Turn-key Commissi

Meyers Kick-Out starts at $34,900

Call John today at 774 487 7826

....ask about our East Coast Spec

ion Builds

cial

DENMATCARS

Through the
Looking
Looking Glass
Glass

Through the

Heading to
Wonderland in
a Convertible D
With Way More
Cockpit Amenities
As Told by Carey Hines of
Special Edition

ne of the main
questions we
get regarding
our Beck
Speedster at Special Edition
is, Can I get it with rollup windows? Due to the
shape of the windshield
posts it is less than ideal to
do so.
With a taller windshield,
though, designed
specifically for roll-up
windows, you can have the
classic styling of the Beck
Speedster with a number
of additional cockpit
comforts. Since the top
frame was changed to more
of a later-style design, it
gives the driver slightly
more headroom, better
visibility, and a good seal
for the glass. This top can
also have a headliner for
added insulation/sound
deadening. In addition, the
door panels were upgraded
to accommodate these
changes (windows/window
cranks) and include a
locking map pocket to store
valuable papers.

Wanting to keep the look

of classic window cranks,
we integrated hot rod style,
crank-trigger switches. The
power windows operate by
rotating the crank upward
or downward 15 degrees.
As for this particular
build, I built it for myself to
bring to our trade shows
and local car shows. It also
serves as a test bed for our
continued development and
upgrades, as we have done
on all of our products over
the years.
I have a personal
preference for the vintage
1950s colors, and the
Harvest Moon Beige paint
just looks like a hue that
came straight out of the
Fifties, with a modern-day
quality and shine.
I wanted to stray away
from our standard interior
colors (black, red, tan,
navy, grey) and had seen
a sample of some green
German square-weave
carpet. Once I had that

READERS
RIDE
sample in hand, I pored
through our top and leather
cards to find a suitable
match. I found the green
Haartz cloth with no
problem, but could not find
a leather that worked well
with the other colors.
So I called our
upholstery rep and he led
me to their Ultraleather
product line, a polyurethane
based faux leather. I was
skeptical, as we dont
normally use anything other
than natural leather hides,
but being out of choices,
I figured Id give it a try
(and if I didnt like it I could
always change it later).
While finalizing the seats
we decided we had to break
up the green just slightly
and decided to add a

69

contrast bead to the seat, common on these

cars, and I feel it did the trick. It also helps
to tie together the exterior and the interior
colors.
Besides these custom touches, one of the
great things about the new Convertible D
(Roadster) is that the chassis, suspension,
drivetrain, main body, and most of the
trim are all the same tried and true Beck

Speedster products weve been making

for years, so there was little to no learning
curve on most of this build, sans the new
Roadster-specific parts.
The tube-frame chassis runs the everpopular, 1600cc Type 1, fitted with dual
34mm Weber ICT carbs and ported-andpolished heads from CB Performance for a
70hp output. A Sachs clutch transfers the
engine output to a VW type 1 swing axle,
built by Rancho Performance Transaxles.
While the power delivery is smooth and
sure, theres even more driving enjoyment
from manning the wheel in a customized
cockpit that really stands out from the
crowd. CB

SOURCE:

Special Edition, Inc.

http://www.beckspeedster.com
Shop: 574/546-4656
Toll free: 866/396-2325

Buy a $20 raffle ticket

and a chance for you to

20th Anniversary MKIII By

Powered by

$20 Raffle Ticket

The Ohio Cobra Club

is a 5013 Non Profit Corporation

Drawing is
June 27, 2015
At The
London Cobra Show
in London, Ohio

Purchase ticket by
scanning QR code at right
or purchase on-line at the
London Cobra Show website below

www.londoncobrashow.com
Net proceeds will be donated to the
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

E N G I N E FAC TO RY

Custom
Crate Engines
347

STROKER

FORD SMALL
BLOCK
POWERPLANTS
LS ENGINES

CHEVY SMALL BLOCK

AND LS ENGINES
427W STREET BEAST

CARBURETED AND EFI

Ready to Run
out of the Box!!
check us out!

1-800-704-5385
ENGINE / TRANNY PKGS.

www.fordcobraengines.com

Act of
Vengeance

How a 65 Fastback
Became a Personal

Vendetta

Text and photos by Steve Temple

n broadening our coverage in Car

Builder to include a more diverse
field of vehicles, we came across a
dramatically modernized Mustang

from Ryan Venturine.

Prior to that buildup, his
first ponycar project was
a painstaking restoration
of a 66 coupe. In addition
to teaching him how to

work on cars, it helped him

develop an appreciation
for workmanship, and the
realization that a car can
become a rolling work
of art (yet certainly not
something
simply to sip
wine over, as
well see).
You see,
Venturines
longed for a
Fastback that he

could not only express his

creative impulses on, but
also drive like a banshee.
In 2008 he found a blank
canvas in a dilapidated sixcylinder 65.
I barely got it to Scotts
Hot Rods shop, firing on
only two spark plugs,
he recalls. Admitting
some initial difficulties
in working with such a
weak piece, It became a
Frankenstein. I got in way

over my head.
But he persevered
against all the naysayers
who said it was an
impossible build. Even
though his fellow Mustang
buddies told him he was
crazy, the car would
become a revenge of
sorts, a personal vendetta
against all the obstacles
he encountered along the
way. And Vendetta would
become the name of this

challenging
project.
Fortunately
Venturine had
some solid
supporters
in his corner. One was a
professional car designer,
Gary Ragle of Ragle Design,
who rendered several
concepts to provide some
overall artistic direction to
car as the bodywork was
repaired and the chassis

transformed by Scotts Hot

Rods, located in Oxnard,
California. While Vendetta
didnt turn out precisely
as initially sketched by
Ragle, he did appreciate
Venturines input and ideas
as it progressed. He was
really fun to work with,

75

Ragle recalls. He had an idea, a theme, a

soul for the car. He wanted something very
modern, not just a rehash of an old car.
Ragle notes the interior in particular,
with its electronic controls and
wraparound console. As for the exterior,
he points to the blacked-out roof panel
between the rails, and the eyebrows
overhanging the headlights, which gave
the face of this Fastback a menacing scowl,
right in keeping with its vengeful intent.
This predatory persona proved to be a
recurring theme as the project progressed.
Initially Venturine had both the body
and foundation reworked at Scotts Hot
Rods in Oxnard, California. The bodywork
was extensive, and included replacing
rusty rear-quarter panels, chopping the
top, laying back the windshield, flaring
the fenders,
and enlarging
the quarter
windows. This
shop fabricated
a whole new
tubular chassis

with an integrated roll cage braced by

through-bolting to backing plates. Then
the customized body was mounted on
not welded tothe frame. (Note how the
bottom of the rocker panels are flush with
the frame rails.) Why use this approach?

Ryan wanted a really

aggressive Mustang, to beat
on heavily, explains Justin
Scott Padfield of Scotts
Hot Rods. We plan for the
worst, in case we need to
rebuild or repair some
damage. So the body and
chassis can separate.
Included in this allcustom chassis setup is a
Scotts standard IFS with
polished stainless steel
control arms and a rearsteer configuration, where
the rack is located behind
the crossmember. Aldan
coilovers are at all four
corners, and the rearend
is a narrowed Moser Ford
9-inch with 33-spline axles.
In keeping with his
driving style and forwardlooking design, Venturine
wanted an aggressive,
hunkered-down stance. Its
about as low as a cigarette
pack above the ground, he
laughs. While he says that
Scotts did a great job on
the chassis and metalwork,
Vendetta still needed some
fine finish details before it
fully realized his intentions.
To facilitate that, he
consulted with Alan Palmer
of Palmer Customs.
Their intents and
interests clicked, and, to
put it simply, I liked Alans
working style, Venturine
notes. They shared a mutual
vision for Vendetta, and

out of the many dozens

of cars hes customized,
Vendetta is my favorite,
Palmer says. A surprising
statement, considering how
much extra effort went into
fitting the custom glass
and custom bumpers, and
gapping the body panels.
The whole thing was
a challenge, he admits.
Mustangs have so many
body lines running through
them.
What was his approach
to creating a distinctive

look? We exaggerate the

lines a bit, make them crisp,
focusing on the edges. He
also fabbed and welded in
the headlight buckets with
those big eyebrows, and
reworked the steel front

77

fascias custom bumpers

and functional brake ducts.
Another modification is
the rear decklid so it has
less of an overhang, with a
smoother, more rounded

finish. In all, many hands

reshaped the form of the
car, with overlapping
efforts between Scotts and
Palmers shops.
The cutout in the hood

This experience fostered

a love of machines in
him, and combined
with an artistic bent, he
naturally focused his
energies on automotive
design.
After graduating
from the University of

Profile on Ragle Design

ome things are just

meant to be, as the
saying goes. In the
case of Gary Ragle, it
seems he never had
any other choice in life
other than to become
an automotive designer.
Which certainly wasnt
a bad path to take, all
things considered.
Looking back on
what led him to this
profession, his earliest
memories are of long
road-trips to car shows,
crammed into the front
seat of his fathers hot
rod, a 34 Chevy coupe.

The Cobra
was built
by Mike
Dingman, but
with a few

differences
in the final
version.

was fairly straightforward,

to show off the induction
system for the 427 Roush,
a 351 stroker rated at 580
horses. Lift open the lid, and
theres a smoothed firewall
with custom metal panels
and radiator shroud. The
result is a futuristic looking
engine bay that conceals all
the traditional mechanicals.
Ring Brothers supplied
modernized hood hinges.
Other forward-looking
items are prevalent in the
cockpit. The wraparound
waterfall-style console
fabricated by Palmer
features a couple of
monitors, one of which
has an aircraft-style
Cincinnatis Industrial
Design program,
Ragle went to work
for Mitsubishi Motors
at its Socal design
studio. Splitting his time
between California and
Japan, he went onto to
pen multiple concept
and production cars,
and even a Hot Wheels

electronic touchscreen. It
controls and/or displays
a surprising array of
functions, everything from
exhaust temp to door locks,
headlights to the GPS map,
and then some.
Sixties vinyl never looked
as advanced as the diamondpattern upholstery and
deep-bolstered racing seats.
But its not all for looks, as
the shoulder harnesses and
rollcage attest. Venturine
drives Vendetta with a
vengeance. I treat this car
like an athlete, he says,
and hammer it every
chance I get. She wants to
run, so I dont keep
her locked up. Like a
model.
After honing
his skills in the
corporate arena of
the auto industry,
he struck out on his
own, forming Ragle
Design in 2009.
Hes since worked
with a wide variety
of clients on diverse
projects, everything from
sketches for a homebuilt
street rod to the full
fabrication of a concept

thoroughbred, I just let er

go.
So while hes won a
mantle-full of First-place
car-show trophies, his
preference is to carve
through the canyons of
Socal, and also cruise
Vendetta on Ventura
Highway. But not into the
sunset, as the song lyrics go.
Venturine has even more
plans for this project car,
trying to make it as perfect
as he can. Once done, that
should make everything
even in his mind. CB

SOURCES:

Palmers Customs
www.palmerscustoms.
com
Ragle Design
http://ragledesign.com
Scotts Hot Rods
www.scottshotrods.com
Vendetta Racing, LLC
www.vendettaracingllc.
com

This
concept for
a 33 Ford
is currently
being built
by Mike
Terzich of
ProRides.
car. Hes served as a
consultant with firms
such as Ford, Infiniti,
Hasbro Toys, and a large

The Corvair was just a fun

project that Ragle did for
himself. One of the many
wacky ideas dancing around in
my head!!! he admits.

number of
hot rod and customizing
shops.

the good wife

As told by Robert H. and Joyce
A. Brown

irst of all, thank you

for recent issue of Kit
Car Builder magazine.
Ive read it from cover to
cover and enjoyed reading
the comparison of the 2014
Corvette to owning a Cobra.
Also the Annual Cobra Guide
and the Reptile Roundup
review which I attended
this year with our Backdraft
Racing Cobra build #32.
I think it is worthwhile to
explain how it came about
that I am the owner of this
particular Cobra. I grew up
in Winston-Salem, N.C. and
was always into fast cars and
muscle cars. There were some
pretty amazing cars in town,
one in particular was owned
by the late Zach Reynolds,
heir to the R.J. Reynolds
tobacco fortune. Zach was
into anything fast. He owned
CSX3038, one of the very few
original 427 S/Cs produced.
That 427 S/C Cobra stuck in
my memory for the next 40
years and continues to.
My wife knew that a Cobra
was one of my favorite cars.
One Sunday morning she

82

READERS
RIDE

Spousal support for an

Xmas Cobra
83

Does your wife have

any sisters? I still
have that ribbon and
the Christmas card,

saw that a Backdraft Cobra

with very low mileage
was for sale in the nearby
community of Tequesta,
Florida. She asked if I
wanted to drive down and
take a look at it. My reply,
What are you trying to do,
frustrate me? Her reply,
It doesnt cost anything to
look at it.
We went, I saw, I rode,
I desired. She asked, Do
you like it? Never mind, I
see it in your face. She then
asked, What would you
offer? I told her, and that
was it. I forgot about it
well not really.
Long story short, my
wife of 40 years decided
that I needed to have that
car. She worked the owner
and got him to agree to the
price that I said I would
pay. Weve both worked our
whole lives, and she gave
him a deposit. On Christmas

84

Day 2005, we were invited

to a very good friends
house two doors down for
Christmas breakfast. After
eating the neighbor asked
if I would take a look in
her garage because of a
squeak in the garage-door
track. I said Sure, went
in turned on the light and
there sat #32 with a huge
ribbon on the roll bar with
a Christmas card from my
wife Joyce.
One of the questions I
am often asked at the many
car shows we go to when
the people hear the story is,

and like the Cobra will

keep them.
So here is the
lowdown on the
Cobra. Over the years
I had Backdraft Racing
personalize our
Cobra by adding the
following: In order
to honor the original
Carroll Shelby 427
S/C, I wanted our
replica looking as much like
an original as possible.
With the help of Finish
Line I was able to purchase
the proper emblems and
badging for the bonnet and
boot.
Number 32 already had,
as original, the proper AC
clutch and brake pedals and
reverse-mounted shifter.
Next I replaced the five
-bolt Halibrand replicas
with true pin-drive wheels
with the safety wire. I chose
17 inch because the 15 inch

does not offer speed-rated

tires. I had the exhaust
heat shields removed and
the side exhaust ceramic
coated like the headers. We
removed the quick jacks
(many people dont know
what they are) and

replaced them with the

push bumpers in the front
and the full horizontal rear
street Cobra bumpers to
give the car a more finished
look. In addition, we added
a street Cobra glove box. To
protect Backdrafts great
titanium finish, we had
them add the front and rear
3M Invisalign protection.
The Cobra came with
a 408 Stroker rated at
530 horsepower. It was a
beautiful engine to look at,
but was problematic. On
January 2011, we had Speed

Fanatix (engine division of

Backdraft Racing) replace it
with a Roush 427R dynod
at 517 lb/ft of torque and
547 hp. All I can say is wow,
as do most of those who see
and hear it. Fantastic!
When we replaced
the engine, we also had
Backdraft drop in a new
TKO 600 transmission
and Metrix Motorsports
3:44 Posi rearend and
a driveline safety hoop.
The E-36 suspension
from BMW works so well,
the car tracks and rides
very smooth for cruising.
The disc brakes are both
ventilated and cross drilled
using Hawk pads. It stops as
well as it goes.
As far as the staff at
Backdraft Racing Inc.
goes, Reg Dodd, President
of North American

Distribution, Frank Dodd

(his father), Craig Harper,
Sales Mgr., David Zeeman,
Chief Wrench and the
other personnel are all
fantastic! A great product,
turnkey-minus Cobra, and
a beautiful new dealership
and showroom. Anyone
interested in satisfying
their personal Cobra dream
should check them out.
Well that is my/
our story. The gift of a
lifetime, a dream realized,
and a Christmas where I
experienced an out of body
sensation of me looking at
me looking at the car of my
dreams. CB

SOURCE:

Backdraft Racing
http://www.
backdraftracing.com

85

RUST NEVER
SLEEPS
Whatever the size of metal part, MWorks has a product to simplify restoration and protection.

But Neither
Do MWorks
Chemical
Treatments
Text and photos By Steve Temple

hen youre
working on
a project car,
especially one that uses
an older donor car,
it should come as no
surprise that youll need
to freshen the finish on

W
86

both the chassis and the

fiberglass body. While
media blasting is one
way to remove scales and
old paint, that approach
can be a bit messy and
abrasive. Alternatively,
you can follow the old
Dupont ad line about
better living through
chemistry.
Mid America has a line
of MWorks chemicals to
make your life (and Car
Builder projects) easier.
They range from paint
remover to a variety of

rust treatments. The

latter solutions provide
a range of ways to
either remove, convert
or encapsulate rust,
depending on the size and
location of the part. So
whatever challenges you
encounter in renewing
the finish, Mid America
has got you covered.
SOURCE:
Mid America Motorworks
Installation Center:
866/350-4543.
www.mamotorworks.com

RUST REMOVER
To remove rust from smaller
parts, simply soak them in a
bucket of Rust Remover for
a few hours, no grinding or
blasting needed. Its said to
penetrate and dissolve rust,
yet wont harm the integrity
of the metal. Even though
MWorks Rust Remover
works like an acid, it can
be used on copper, brass,
aluminum, plastic, rubber
and seals. Nor will it remove

paint, chrome and non-oxide surface coatings. Rust

Remover is non-toxic, biodegradable, non-flammable and

Once the Rust Remover does its work, it

can be followed with Metal Etch. The latter
product is designed for bare metal, to inhibit
rust and promote paint adhesion. After gently etching the metal, it leaves behind a zinc
coating that helps chemically bind paint to
the surface.

RUST CONVERTER
Another approach is to use MWorks Rust
Converter Instead of removing surface rust,
it chemically converts it into an inert black
polymer that prevents future rust
from forming.

87

All you need is a foam brush and clean container to apply the Rust Converter. Once the
rust is converted, allow 48 hours for curing

at which point the black polymer coating is

ready for topcoat and does not require any
primer.

RUST ENCAPSULATOR
Ideal for the underbody and frame,
MWorks Rust Encapsulator is a formulated to permanently stop corrosion.
This thick paint bonds to bare or rusty
metal to form a rock-hard yet flexible,
non-porous finish that is claimed to never crack, chip or peel. It works by isolating the metal from oxygen and moisture
to keep rust in a suspended state. Since
the Encapsulator is impervious to road
salt, fuels, fluids and solvents, its a
quick and effective way to protect metal
components in a harsh environment

PAINT STRIPPER
This fiberglass obviously needs a
lot of work, starting with removing
the old paint.

88

The Paint Stripper can be either sprayed on

or applied with a brush, depending on the
size of the area needing treatment.

Just seconds after applying the Paint Stripper with a brush, the paint begins to bubble
off.

Theres no harsh smell or fumes to worry

about. You just apply the solution and let it
work in a matter of seconds.

Once the paint has lifted, use a putty knife to

scrape it off.

Then wipe off any residue prior to

prepping and painting.

89

READERS
RIDE

SQUEEZE
PLAY

Presley Has Left

the Building After
Gyrating a SixCylinder Subaru Into
a Factory Five 818
As Told by Wayne Presley

his orange/black 818

is one of the first to
roll out of Factory Five
Racing. Dave Smith wanted
to have it at SEMA 2013,
so I had to get working
quickly. It started out with a
2.0L WRX motor, but I then
found out the EZ30 Subaru
six cylinder is just .75
inches longer, and it sounds
so sweet that I had to figure
out a way to fit it in.
I only had to slot the
bolt holes on the motor
mounts .250 inches and it
slipped right in. Precision
Turbo supplied one of
its new CEA turbos and
matching wastegate. I built
the complete exhaust out

of stainless steel. I went

to Electromotive to get a
TEC GT to run the engine
perfectly. The turbo blows
through a VeryCoolParts.
com air-to-water
intercooler to keep the air
nice and cool.
To keep the power
balanced, the car stops with

coats of clear, wet sanded

again and then buffed. It
was featured in the Toyo
booth at SEMA in 2013. The
car is great to drive and
turns heads where every I
take it. CB

SOURCE:

Very Cool Parts

http://www.
verycoolparts.com
Wilwood 4-pot calipers
with slotted rotors front
and rear. The wheels are
XXR 527s in chromium
black wrapped with
Toyo R888 tires. Wiggins
Customz laid down the 24
coats of Spies Hecker paint
that is absolutely stunning
in the sun. It is four coats
of a custom orange painted
over a white base, then
two coats of gold pearl,
three coats of clear, three
coats of blue, three coats
of graphite, three coats of
clear, wet sanded, two more

91

Enigma
Machine

Text and photos by Rob Hawkins

inston Churchill once referred

to Russia as a riddle wrapped in a
mystery inside an enigma. That might
still hold true today, but the appeal of
the Enigma from Healy Designs is hardly puzzling.

Solving a Conundrum for the

Classic Big Healey With
Miata Mechanicals

After all, the Austin

Healey (as originally
spelled, and the
inspiration for Healys
Enigma) is an iconic
sports car with an
extensive racing history.
But it hasnt always been
available in in replica
form, and the authentic
item can be pricey and
expensive to maintain.
A capable repro
called the Sebring was
previously offered in
the U.S. by the longgone Classic Roadsters.
While there have been
other attempts to kickstart various versions
of the car, the Enigma is
currently the last man
standing. Good thing,
because it rekindles
the looks of the sports
car that blew many
competitors into the
weeds during the Fifties
and Sixtiesand at much
more affordable price.
While an authentic
Austin Healey runs as
high as $50K or more,
an MX-5 Miata-based

Enigma costs much less

to build, about half that
figure in all. Of course,
the engine and chassis
configuration are not
the same, but thats the
whole point of its updated
design and modern donor
components.
We first saw the
Enigma in 2011, but
orders werent being
taken until last year
when development had
been completed to a
satisfactory level. Healys
Martin Williamson and
his business partner Mick
Snell havent stopped
tweaking and improving
the design, and have
recently revised it to
accept Mazda MX-5 Mk3
donor components. The

car seen here is based on

Mk1 and Mk2 parts and is
still available in kit form.
There are several
recognizable aspects of
the Enigma that reveal
traits of the MX-5. The
hood, doors, glass and
windscreen are all
sourced from the MX-5, so
the shape of the body tub
has to be similar to the
donor vehicle to ensure
that all these parts fit
together. The car is a little
wider, however, than an
MX-5, allowing the cockpit
to offer more space,
along with lower seating.
The extra seating space
was a deliberate design,
intended to appeal to the
U.S. market where the MX5s cockpit is regarded by
many as being
too small.
Construction
of the Enigma
starts with the
strip-down
of an MX-5 to

remove its body shell and

retrieve the front and rear
rolling subframes, which
are connected together
with a drive shaft and
aluminum framework
(called the PPF for
Power Plant Frame). A
substantial steel chassis
bolts on top of this
assembly, which includes
1.5mm-thick sheet steel
for the floors and a boxsection gearbox and drive
shaft tunnel.
MX-5 doors are hinged
onto the chassis. The
lower outer skin of these
doors is modified to
change their appearance.
This can be done on an
exchange basis where
Healy Designs inserts
a new lower steel skin.

95

Alternatively, a fiberglass
skin can be supplied in
the kit and fitted yourself.
Similar options involve
the windscreen surround.
This can be cut off the
donor MX-5 and reused,
or a fiberglass surround
can be supplied in the kit,
which requires a steel
insert fitting from the MX5.
The Enigmas
fiberglass bodywork
consists of a front
and rear body tub,
the aforementioned
windscreen surround,
front and rear bumpers,
sill inserts and a section
at the rear to allow the
MX-5s hood to be reused.
Estimated build time
for an Enigma once the
donor components are
ready is about 250 hours
96

(allow a day or two to

strip down an MX-5).
Build costs vary, but about
$25K is a reasonable
estimate once youve
paid for the kit ($10,205,
with U.S. delivery and
any other import fees
to be determined), a
donor MX-5, paint and
extras including the
recommended larger
diameter 17-inch wheels
with a 3540mm offset.
To date,
orders for
Enigma kits
have almost
exceeded 30
(including
nearly a
dozen sales to
the U.S.) and
the recent
unveiling of

the Mk3 MX-5 based kit at

Donington demonstrated
that Healy Designs is
thinking ahead. The Mk3
cars are now selling for
around $3K to $5K (Or
much less for a salvage
car. Once Miata expert
we know notes that they
are very easy to salvage,
so even a light hit can
net a driving donor
with no issues with the

parts youd use for a

conversion.) They have
the largest engine of all
models, along with a sixspeed manual gearbox.
However, theres
surely nothing wrong
with a Mk1 or 2 based
Enigma. My daily driver
is a tatty 98 Mk2 with a
137hp 1.8-liter standard
twin cam under the hood
thats fun to drive, agile
on country lanes and
capable of swallowing
miles of motorway when
I need to get around the
U.K. I cant think of a
better and more capable
sports car for the money,
and turning it into an
Enigma is very tempting.
So can I be persuaded?
My initial thoughts on
the looks of the Enigma
were that its correctly
proportioned and cleverly
updated. Using BMW
Mini headlights at the
front and Micra K12
light units at the rear is
a familiar project-car

trick that often pays off.

Firstly, people recognize
the parts and feel familiar
with the car. Secondly,
theyre cheaper than
developing your own and
easy to source.
The choice of larger
17-inch wheels helps
to fill out the wheel
arches and provides a
sufficiently modern look
that combines retro with
classic. When I bought
my own MX-5, it too, had
17-inch wheels, but they
weighed twice
as much as a
standard Mk1
14-inch wheel
and tire (48.5
lbs instead
of 24.25 lbs),
so I swapped
them. The
smaller
wheels dont
look as good,
but my MX-5s

handling has improved,

and theres no scuttle
shake and the speedo is
more accurate.
Getting into the
Enigma is familiar
territory. Everything
feels like an MX-5, from
the clunk of the door
to the re-upholstered
seating, trim, instruments
and switches. The only
alterations are a lower
seating position and a
longer throw of the taller
gear stickits necessary
to mount it a little further
back to avoid fouling
the center console. The
Enigmas cockpit does
feel more spacious than
an MX-5 and the seating
position is definitely
lower.
On the road, the Enigma
is solid and stable, but
Martin did warn me of
a couple of points. First,
the 1.8-liter engine was

97

suffering from a loss

of power and second,
he had recently fitted
a set of AVO coil-overs,
only to discover they
were too harsh. Both of
these problems were
immediately obvious.
I also feared the
large 17-inch wheels
werent helping to aid
acceleration. And the
harsh ride quality was
utterly disappointing,
crashing over every
undulation and possibly
the cause of several panel
rattles. On top of that,
the steering seemed to
be a little notchy and
the overall car felt like it
should be more agile and
capable than it was.
Fortunately the fix
is fairly simple: fit a set
of softer dampers, sort
out the engine trouble
and change the wheels
for either lightweight or
smaller diameter alloys
and the Enigma should
feel like a completely
different car.
However, as Martin
explains, Our cars are
touring cars for the over
30s and all our customers
love that. They want
comfort not speed, and
that was the brief from
our American agent. If
customers want more
power they can fit the
Lexus V8 or remap the
Mk2 1800 engine to

98

175hp. The two liter is

ripe for tuning with the
supercharger and those
engines are bulletproof.
(Editors note: Given
the popularity of Cobras
and other performance
cars stateside, were not
inclined to agree with the
above comment about
comfort not speed, but
to each his own.)
I can see what Martin
means and Im keen to
see the Enigma become
a success because the
car looks fantastic and
it appeals to a large
number of people. It has
the right ingredients to
succeed, and because
the demonstrator seen
here didnt live up to its
expectations, I sought
out a solution in another
Enigma.
I never like to say
something is rubbish
without exploring
all avenues and
understanding why it
has disappointed. So
when I came away from
test driving the Enigma
at Healy Designs, I
understood why I was
disappointed on account
of the harsh suspension,
panel rattles and
underpowered engine,
but I wanted to drive
an example that didnt
have these problems.
Some 200 miles north of
Healy Designs, northern

agent Malcolm Badger

of Automotive Creation
Limited had a Mk2 MX-5
based car ready and
waiting. I had to try it out.
By coincidence, this
second car is the same
color as the other car,
but its a little shorter
than the demonstrator
at HD. This is down to
development, but all
Enigmas are now the
same length, with a 100.4inch length wheelbase
and an extra nine inches
more at the front than a
standard MX-5.
This particular car also
has a 1.8-liter engine, so I
realized that I could draw
a direct comparison with
the first demonstrator
and the performance from
my own MX-5 that has the
same engine. However,
its also essential to note
that the Enigma isnt an
alternative to the MX-5.
From behind the
steering wheel, I set off
and recalled as much
information as possible
about how the first test
drive had felt. Two points
were instantly obvious.
First, there were no panel
rattles. The car felt just as
solid as the first one, but
with greater refinement.
Secondly, the suspension
was equally refined and
civilized.
I breathed a sigh
of relief, confident the

Enigma could offer a

refined ride quality with
the correct suspension
components. The only
aspect that disappointed
was acceleration,
hindered once more by
large 17-inch wheels.
The car was noticeably
more rapid than the first
test car, but still not as
lively as youd expect
from the MX-5s 1.8-liter
twin cam. Fortunately,
there are a few solutions
to this problem involving
experimenting with
different wheels and
differentials. Also, the
Mk3 MX-5 uses larger
wheels as standard and
an even larger engine, so
its gearing may be more
suitable.
I left ACL satisfied that
the Enigma is worthy of
serious consideration

[email protected]
www.healydesigns.co.uk

www.automotivecreation.com
www.enigmacars.com

as a practical twoseater sports car

based on reliable MX-5
components. The build
quality is on a par with
production-car quality
and the looks will

undoubtedly attract
interest from around the
worldright in keeping
with the original Austin
Healey. And thats no
mystery. - CB

READERS
RIDE
From a Teachers
Old-School
Project Cars
As Told by Paul Cass

enjoyed the latest issue

of Car Builder, especially
the section on the FIA
Cobras. Ive always liked the
look of the FIA and for my
50th birthday gift to me I
built my very own 289 FIA
back in 1996.
Long before that, my first
car was a 1928 Model A
pickup that had been used
on my grandfathers farm
in Kerrville, Texas. I was
14 and my dad and I put it
together as it was in parts
scattered around the farm.
Actually I mostly watched
and helped here and there.
This was in 1961.
In 1964 my cousin asked
if I wanted to see two really
cool cars. They were in San
Antonio and we drove to
one of the Ford dealers and
on their showroom floor
they had two 289 slab side
Cobras. I loved the style and
100

LESSONS
LEARNED

look.
In 1967 I purchased a
1965 Wimbledon White
Mustang fastback with a
271hp 289. Ive had at least
one Mustang nearly every
year since.
Fast forward to 1996. I
decided that for my 50th
birthday to myself that
I would build my dream
cara Cobra replica. At the
time I was still a high school
teacher and on a budget. My
wife told me that I would
have to sell my 65 Mustang
and Porsche 944. She didnt
think I would, but I did,
and after checking around I
found that a Lone Star kit fit
my budget.
Then I took this 427
replica from Lone Star
that I could afford (being
a teacher on a limited
budget), and built to
the best of my ability a
replica of one of the FIAs
that won the 1965 World
title. Except for the paint

and exhaust system I did

all of the construction
myself including all of the
modifications needed to
make the body look like an
FIA.
I originally built the
Cobra in three months,
doing all of the work in
our two-car garage. After
finishing the original
427-style build, I did some
modifications to the Cobra
so that it more resembles
the 289 FIA. The door
cut-outs and dimples on
the trunk were the only
things I could not change.
Otherwise it is a highly
modified Lone Star.
The body mods were
made with the help of my
painter. We shortened
the front wheel flares,
widened the lower part of
the rear flares, closed off
the air duct openings on
the nose and cut the center
opening in half, fabricated
the lower edge and then
grafted it back on to the
nose. I relocated the fuel
filler to the deck behind
the passenger seat. Quick
jacks were reversed. I used
various pics I located to
make all of these changes
including decals. I built
the wheel centers, dash,
roll bar, exhaust system,
and helped with body
modifications.

It is powered by a
real 1965 Ford 289 that I
built, bored 60 over with
modifications to the heads
and topped off with a rare
Shelby high-rise intake with
a Holley 750 carb, so it puts
out well over 300 horses.
Since I was coming off of
my 3rd left knee operation
I opted to use an AOD
transmission. This allowed
my to run 4.10 gears. The
car is a 12-second quartermile runner.
I went to the track a few
times during the first five
years that I owned the FIA.
Imade a lot of noise and
got in peoples way. I didnt
race hard core. As I told
some of the guys that would
get on me to run the car,
on the tennis court I am
all serious (having won a
state record 22 consecutive
district titles, 19 regional
titles and 9 State titles;
and I was inducted into the
Texas Tennis Coaches Hall
of Fame in 2012).
But on the track Im
there to have fun, just as
you guys come out to have
fun in tennis and then
on the track you become
serious. Eventually the
combination of a significant
neck injury and a scary
incident on the track
convinced me it was time
to retire from the track and

use the car as I originally

intended, which was to
drive and attend various car
events. It still has the same
289.
I guess that tennis and
cars are my hobby. Ive
built several Cobras, two
GT 40s, a Daytona, and
restored several Mustangs.
In my collection is a 1965
Mustang coupe that I
restored and gave to my
wife for her 50th birthday,
a 1965 T-Bird that was my
retirement gift to me in
2004, a1966 GT Mustang
Convertible that I gave to
my wife when I retired, and
a one-owner 1924 Model
T pickup that I
restored for my Dad
back in 2001 and
delivered to him on
Fathers Day. This T
was purchased new
by my grandfather
and driven by my
Dad when he was
dating my Mom. He

put it on cinder blocks in

1943 and kept it there inhis
barn until I picked it up in
1999. My Dad passed away
a couple of years ago and
the T is back with me.
Im one of the founding
members of the Texas
CobraClub and which was
formed in 2000. Im the
only person to attend all 15
eventsand with the same
Cobra. Keep up the good
work! CB

Source:

Lone Star Classics

http://www.
lonestarclassics.com

103

BAD PENNY
A Cool Copper Rod
That Keeps Turning Up
Text and photos by Steve
Temple

pare change
seems to
accumulate
from nowhere.
Suddenly youve got a
pile of coins on your
nightstand, gathering
dust. Or they end up
in a jar that becomes
a hefty paperweight.
And pennies are the
worst, worth more in
metal than currency,
but you dont want

to throw them away,

either.
All of this makes us
wonder about Jason
Palls Bad Penny,
a copper-coated
amalgam of Ford and
Dodge components
that just keeps turning
up, no matter what.
According to Pall, the
23 Dodge body with
26 Ford rear quarters
was first built back in
the Sixties, with lots of
stick and gas welding

on it, all pretty rough. No

dash, floors, firewall, deck
lid or filler panels, with
the rockers rusted out and
wheel wells cut out. There
it sat, just getting dusty, yet
not quite ready for the trash
heap.
Yet even after a couple
106

neglectful owners, this Bad

Penny kept coming back.
Pall plucked it off Craigs
List for the measly sum of
$250 in 2007. Fortunately
for Bad Penny, hes not
reluctant to rub a few old
coins together, having all
sorts of rides at his shop

Bear Metal Kustoms.

Palls particular
approach to building cars
cant be dismissed as
merely glorified rat rods.
I kinda stay away from
rat rods, he says. I refer
to it as traditional style.
I just like things to look
mechanical. I dont like to
hide it, I want it in your
face.
That rugged individualism seems to work well.
Previously he also built a
23 T-bucket dubbed Pretty
Penny. So why bother its
evil twin, a bent pile of Blue
Oval and Mopar parts?
Well, like that proverbial
bad penny, it just wouldnt
go away. And so he figured
out how to put it to good
use, to showcase his shops
metalworking skills. He
began by fabbing a chassis
out of some old Ford frame
rails and lots of tubing. He
then added a cross leaf
up front, quarter elliptical
springs and a three bar
rearend, along with friction
shocks from Speedway
Motors. A few months later,
after dropping in a 350
Chevy with a Tri-power 3x2
intake, it was a driver. But
the body was still rough.
We had it running
as a ratty little roadster
for a while, Pall recalls
(despite his avoidance of

rat rods). But then he came

to the realization that there
actually might be some
precious metal underneath
all those layers of tarnish,
so he and immediately set
to work, polishing this old
penny even harder, redoing
it completely.
After pulling the car
apart, cleaning the chassis
and reworking a few things,
Pall replaced all the bad
parts with custom tubular
crossmembers, motor
mounts, trans mounts,
suspension. Instead of an
abrupt Z-cut to lower the
ride, the frame has a 3.5inch sweep forward of the
firewall. This smoother
transition took a lot more
effort, requiring about 50
partial wedge-shaped cuts,
so the frame could be bent
and then rewelded.
The radiator, electric fan
and electric water pump are
all mounted under louvered
deck lid. To give this rod
a competition quality,
he threw in a Sprint car
steering box with a control
rod running along the
driverss side of the body,
and a quick-release steering
wheel. The brake pedal and
gas pedal swing off steering
box mount. The stoppers
are Chevy discs in the front,
and 56 drums in the rear,
putting the bite on original

vintage 60s Radir

tri-rib rims. The
front tires are
Firestone 5.0x15,
and Hurst slicks in
the rear, measuring
235/75R15, were
made by Adams
Hot Rod Rubber.
The bodywork
is when Paul
really had to dig
into his pockets
for some spare
change. Where the
bodyparts were
simply scabbed on
before, he flowed
the transitions
from the 1926
Ford roadster quarters
into the 1923
Dodge body,
and widened
the cowl by
2.5 inches.
The deck lid,
lower and
upper filler
panels were
all handmade,
punched with
louvers.
That was a
bear of a job, he
quips, punning
his company
name. On top
of the cowl is
a flip-top gas
filler from an
abandoned

Morro Bay boat, secured

with slot-head brass
machine screws to a square
plate. Im cheap when it
comes to my own stuff, he
laughs.
The dashboard was
missing when the body
was purchased, so he
built a custom piece and
covered it with copper
sheeting, matching the gasfiller plate. Ditto for the
exposed boltheads on the
transmission tunnel.
The overall intent is
deliberately rough and
mechanical, a mix of
neo post-industrialism,
along with a dash of
art nouveauthe only
decorative aspect on the
dash is some pinstriping,
painted by Doug Dorr.
In keeping with the
bare-metal theme, and to
give the nose a distinctive
look, the Ford stainless

model A radiator cowl was

sectioned and then fitted
with a custom copper insert
peppered with made with
20 large dimple dies. The
effect is dramatic, using
a simple technique of
metalwork to make a bold,
artistic statement. This Bad
Penny really jingles when it
rolls.
A set of Speedway
Motors stainless headlights
frames the custom chrome
cowl, and Olds taillights
bring up the rear. Jimmy Z
dressed the cockpit with a
antique-green upholstery
that complements the
copper color of the body
finished with several layers
of Dupont Chromabase
copper, Roth copper and
orange flake.
While the engine is fairly
stock, except for the custom
carb scoops from James
Maund Speed Equipment,

and the Lake-style headers,

the car is so light, it doesnt
need much extra power
running through the Turbo
350 tranny to produce some
prodigious performance.
One time a late-model
Corvette began tailing him
at high speed, and when the
driver eventually pulled up
next to him, he exclaimed,
Youre nuts, driving car
that low at over a hundred,
and with no windshield or
seatbelts!
Well, to coin an old
phrase, this Bad Penny
turns on a dime and gives
back change. CB

SOURCE:

Bear Metal Kustoms

1147 Scott Street
Morro Bay, CA
805/772-7767
www.bearmetalkustoms.com

Priceless
Persevera
Graduating
with a Degree
in GTM from
the School of
Hard Knocks
As Told by Tobe Johnson

reat issue Steve! I see

you got RumRunners
Factory Five GTM in
there. Awesome! He is a
good guy. Did a good job on
his car too :)
Ive been on my own
since I was 18 with no
financial support and
almost no family to turn
to. I couch-hopped from
place to place to help make
it through Junior College
while working two to
three jobs. I graduated a
year early from my local JC
with my major course of
Mechanical Engineering. I
applied to multiple colleges
and ended up going to Cal
Poly SLO.

s
ance

READERS
RIDE

While going to Cal

Poly my grades suffered
with my jobs and full time
Mechanical Engineering
courses. At this time I was
also in an accident(my
bicycle versus a car door)
and I sheared off my
left elbow. After surgery
to reattach I was fine
until five months later I
snapped it off again during
rehab.
Fast forwarding, I got
kicked out of Cal Poly due
to poor grades and missing
finals while in the hospital
for the elbow incident
(professors would not
let me make up my finals). I
worked multiple jobs still and
took some classes at another
JC. I later got a job working as
an Aerospace Machinist. Some
notable jobs I worked on was
the actual machining of the
titanium legs and pivot joints
that are currently on the
Mars Rover Curiosity as well
as other parts for the James
Webb Space Telescope.. and
much much more.
During that job I managed
to fight to get back into Cal
Poly and finish my Bachelors
in Mechanical Engineering
as well as three associate
degrees in math and Science,
Physics, and Engineering.
I now work as a Rocket
Launch Engineer (Mechanical
Systems) for SpaceX.
Now for the GTM.
At my first career job, post
graduation, I served as Design

112

Engineer to Project Engineer

at Zodiac Aerospace. While
there, I watched a video on
Yahoo about some kit car
called the Factory Five GTM
being compared to a McLaren
MP4-12C. I watched the short
video and immediately knew
I was going to buy and build
that car.
Of course, the amount
mentioned to build the car
is a lot less than the true
amountunless you happen
to have all parts on hand. I
did my research prior and
realized the most likely cost
of my wants before buying.
I have had some experience
working on my previous cars
(93 Toyota Supra TT, 05
EVO 8 MR, 07 Roush 427R,
91 Eclipse GSX, 95 Eclipse
GSX, 02 Celica GT). I got the
personal loan and bought
the kit and then the donor
parts, engine, and transaxle,
along with countless other

miscellaneous nuts and bolts I

needed for the build. Oh, and I
needed tools too.
I own my house which is
a major help and almost a
necessity to build a kit car.
I took delivery of the kit on
February 15, 2013 at 1pm.
After unloading the boxes and
body panels, I spent two days
smiling, and then got to work.
Another setback: On
March 13, 2013, I was on
my way to work on my 2012
Hayabusa and was T-boned by
a fully loaded semi at about
30mph, per the police report.
I was forced to go to the ER
in the ambulance. I ended
up ripping off the left side
of the titanium/carbon fiber
racing exhaust with my leg,
since the exhaust was pinned
between my bike and the
semi (and my leg). I checked
out OK somehow, with only
bruises from left knee down.
I called one of my design

engineers to pick me up out

of the ER, while this whole
time thinking, My poor bike
and How will this effect me
finishing the GTM?
My engineer picks me up,
takes me to my house so I can
change into new pants that
aren;t shredded. I go back to
work and hobble around for
sjx hours. I then have a friend
take me to the tow yard, I pay
for my bike and with exhaust
in hand I ride it out to his
truck and take it home. The
next day I worked from home
and then went into my garage
and continued work on my
GTM. I propped my leg up
in the air while I worked on
paneling underneath it.
As a Project Engineer
I averaged 50- to 60-hour
work weeks. Every single
day after work I would put
time into the GTM. I would
spend anywhere from two
to 16 hours a day on the car.
I did all the work, except for
the paint job and window
install. I learned how to do

fiberglassing from a friend/

coworker of mine. I also
got quick tips from another
friend/coworker on the
electrical portion.
I purchased my crate
motor (LS376/480)
and harness from Jegs
Performance. The transaxle
(G50/20 six-speed w/ LSD)
was purchased from a forum
member. My donor parts all
came from Ebay, purchased
from a junkyard company.
My exhaust, Kooks, was
purchased second-hand,
unused. I wrapped the
headers with DEI VR wrap,
up to the collector. I made a
custom four-inch CAI (cold-air
intake), following a similar
design done by another forum
member.
I took the GTM for its first
go-kart ride on February 15,
2014 at 12:30pmalmost
exactly one year to the hour.
One month later it was fully
finished, with the painted
body and windows installed.
The car has a fully functional

roof scoop, side scoops, and

radiator vents. Everything
looks as if it came out of a
factory. I have taken the car
to the SLO Concours, entered,
and won Peoples Choice:
Best Sports Car. I was invited
by Dave Smith at Factory
Five Racing to bring my GTM
to SEMA to represent FFR.
Unfortunately my space was
taken up by their new 289
FIA.
One thing to note. I built
roughly 80 percent of this car
with a single low-end Dremel
tool. It was 100 percent built
in my two-car garage, which
also houses my Hayabusa
motorcycle, three bicycles,
tools and storage, and XL
dog pen. One more thing, I
almost forgot to mention that
the cost to build this GTM
with all labor done by me:
$75,000. But the the sense of
accomplishment after all my
perseverance was priceless!
CB

Saluting the
A Hearty Hail for
Fiberfabs Version of
the Stingray Racer
Concept
Text and photos by Steve Temple

n ancient Rome, a Centurion was

an officer who had earned a special
status. As such he was acknowledged

by a salute, signified by beating on ones

breastplate, continuing with an upward
thrust of the hand.
Whats all this have to do with Stingray
racer concept? Well, we recently came
across a Centurion of a different sort, a
rare rebody design based on Bill Mitchells
iconic 59 Stingray racer, which fits on either
the C1 or C2 chassis (53 to 65). This 20th
century warrior boasts its own special
status and colorful history, both of which
deserve hailing.
The story begins with Warren Bud

e Centurion
Goodwin, who founded the Fiberfab
company in 1964, offering street-rod
parts and body panels for Mustangs. He
developed a number of kit cars using
various chassis platforms and bearing
exotic names such as Aztec, Banshee, and
Jamaican. None was quite as alluring as the
Centurion, however, not surprising since
it was a close copy of the seminal Corvette
concept.
Only seven bodies were built, but the
limited run was not due to a lack of interest
or promotion. Goodwin raced the Centurion

shown herethe prototype and only

factory-built versionin club events, and it
appeared in Man from Glad commercials
and as a backup car in the Elvis movie
Clambake.
Sadly, both the company and its creator
came to unfortunate ends, according to
Tom Lieb, president of Scat Crankshafts,
whose father was a dealer for Fiberfab.
After the Liebs had picked up a load of body
parts at the factory in Northern California
and were heading back home, a startling
news report aired on their trucks radio

as they approached Los

Angeles.
Goodwin discovered
his wife and factory
engineer having an affair,
and claimed she was
accidentally shot between
the eyes. Apparently, the
jury didnt buy his story.

GMs lawyers wanted to

kill off the Centurion as
well, not wanting to see an
unauthorized replica on the
market.
Goodwins prized
Centurion prototype is now
owned by vintage racer
and car collector Wes
Abendroth
(who confirms
Liebs recollec-

tions).
He has
a fondness
for obscure and rare kit and
race cars from the Fifties
and Sixties (his collection of

American specials will be

featured in a later issue).
Not all of Abendroths
vehicles are on static
display, however. His
Centurion is a regular
sight on the vintage-racing
circuit, and he restores all
types of classic cars in his
spare time. This fondness
for the old-school approach
explains his attraction to
the Centurion, which he
found through a fellow
Corvette enthusiast in
central California. The
friend called Aben-droth
and convinced him to come
check out this strange and
mysterious car.
When I first saw it, I
thought it had come from
Mars or something, he
laughs. But it looked really,
really good, so I had to
have it. Deciphering the
Centurions authenticity
was a challenge, but the
current owner of Fiberfab,
Daniel Richer, told him to
look under the back deck,

behind the seats. Lying

on his back, Abendroth
was able to spot a piece
of masking tape glassed
into the body, bearing the
number 12612. Based
partly on that serial
number, he has good
evidence that its Goodwins
factory-built prototype.
The car was in running
condition but in need of
a complete restoration.
Abendroth decided to bring
it up to race condition as a
tribute to its background.
What vintage
racer worth
his salt

wouldnt yearn for a car

that basically duplicates
the original 59 Stingray
Racerand even goes
it one better? After all,
this one-of-a-kind car is
outfitted with the much
improved 65 C2 F-41
suspension and J-56 brakes,
along with a 65 Chevy 327
mill, a Muncie M22 closeratio trans, and a 3.70
rearend. The small-block
has a forged 3.25-inch
NASCAR crank, while a 750cfm Holley sucks fuel from a
24-gallon ATL cell.
When Abendroth first

came across the car, it

wore American Racing
magnesium rims, which
looked cool but werent
all that good for racing.
These days, at track
time he rolls on a set of
aluminum Torq-Thrust Ds.
He also discovered a bit of
bumpsteer (well, actually
a lot, as the car once spun
out on a corkscrew turn), so

118

he spent considerable time

and moolah fine-tuning the
chassis, shimming tie rods
and adding a Guldstrand
sport suspension, among
other mods. You can spend
as much money on that
as cosmetics, Abendroth
admits.
Even so, he had to
repaint the car to the
original silver, as it was a
dingy brown
when he first
obtained it.
Fortunately,
the fiberglass
quality was
very good
(something
you cant say
about all kit

bodies of that era). Other

mods included raising the
nose slightly to increase
the hood clearance, a tweak
necessitated by the customfabricated aluminum
air cleaner Abendroth
installed.
In the cockpit, he placed
Fiberfab lettering on the
passenger side and fitted
65 Corvette blue-leather

upholstery to racing seats

he made out of aluminum.
Behind the drivers bucket,
he added a headrest pod,
a factory option he came
across in England. The
shift lever is a Hurst unit,
cut and drilled to match
the style of the side mirror.
The door handles got the
same treatment, as did
the mount for the vintage
Tachrad radio (an AM/
FM unit shaped like a
tach and installed on the
transmission tunnel).
To meet racing spec
for vintage events, he also
installed a cutoff switch
between the seat backs,
along with a rollbar, a fire
extinguisher, a fuel cell, and
twin overflow tanks (one
each for oil and water).
This project isnt
the only Fiberfab car
in Abendroths large
garage. He came across
a second Centurion, one
whose bodywork had
been installed to replace

the original Sting Ray

fiberglass, which burned off
the chassis. So hes the only
guy in the world with two
C2-based Centurions. (He
notes that the C1 version
doesnt fit as well, as the
driver sits too high, head
above the windshield).
Abendroth has big plans for
this next one: I plan to take
it to a world-class level.
The 59 Stingray Racer
served its purpose in
creating desire. And the

Centurion capitalized on
this yearning as well, if
only for a brief moment in
time. Thanks to Abendroth,
there are now at least two
Centurions worth saluting.
CB

SOURCE:
Factory Fiberfab US
(541) 536-0550
http://www.fiberfab.us

y
b
a
B
i
r
e
h
S
,
i
r
e
h
S
t tonight?
u
o
e
m
o
c
u
o
y
n
a
C
y
a
w
a
t
h
g
i
n
e
h
Well drive t

Text and photos by

Joe Greeves

s the Four
Seasons wailed
in falsetto in the
song of the same name,
this Sheri Babyowned
by Sheri Clarklooks so
fine with her red dress on.
No wonder the California
Spyder was the real star
of Ferris Buellers Day Off.
Who can forget that scene
where it smashes through
a plate glass window of
the garage? The car shown
here is thought to be one
of Modena Spyder replicas
used in the film (but many
others were built after
filming was completed).
When the kid named
Ferris took a day off from
school, he probably created
more publicity for the Cal
Spyder than Burt Reynolds
did with a Trans Am in
Smokey and the Bandit, or
the General Lee Charger in
The Dukes of Hazzard.

120

The sleek lines of the

Cal Spyder command a
strong following.As a case
in point, Matt and Sheri
Clark have been intrigued
by this model for many
years.Active automotive
enthusiasts, they locate
and ship custom cars to
clients around the world

as part of their Shermatt

International service.They
also build two or three cool
customs each year from
their Florida Street Machine
headquarters.Matt initially
had the idea of finding
the molds to the car and
producing replicas, until he
realized that Classic Cars

by Renucci was already

producing the CalSpyder.
Shortly thereafter, an
Internet item caught Matts
eye, listing a fiberglass
California Spyder replica for
sale, 90 percent complete,
with a fully independent
rearend, Wilwood brakes,
and a bargain price.Matt

and Sheri flew to Coeur

dAlene, Idaho to look at the
car, a rolling chassis with a
body painted in what Matt
describes as an orangeyred.Although the project
still needed a lot of work,
Matt could see the potential
so he bought the car on the
spot and had it shipped

to their home in Oldsmar,

Florida.
The rectangular steeltube chassis was sound so
the build process began
with redoing both the
front and rear suspension,
updating the Mustang
II front suspension and
installing the Heidts

121

independent 9-inch
Posi rear with 3.50
gears.Wilwood
inboard discs brakes
at the rear and SSBC
Force 10 vented and
cross-drilled rotors
up front guaranteed
modern stopping
power.
Instead of an
Italian V12, Sheris
baby runs a 351
Windsor punched out to
408 cubes.The ported-andpolished mill
benefits from
considerable
aftermarket
upgrades
that include
Edelbrock
heads, a highrise Performer
intake, and
a 750cfm
four-barrel
carb with
MSD ignition
lighting the fire.
The
mandrelbent
headers
had to be
carefully
squeezed
into the
available
space
in the
compact
engine

bay, with just a few

notches needed in the
frame to accommodate the
power steering pump and
headers.Power steering
was one of the mandatory
additions, solved with the
use of a modified Chevrolet
power steering unit and
a custom-fabricated
March Performance pulley
system.A Hot Rod City
radiator keeps the engine
cool while the Vintage
Air does the same for the
occupants in the closed
cockpit.
Hand-formed aluminum
trim in the engine bay
showcases the 410hp
motor, soon to be upgraded
with an eight-stack fuel
injection system.A Tremec
T5, 5-speed transmits the
power and the car rolls on
8-inch wide, wire knockoff wheels and Michelin
60-series XGT rubber.
With the power train
was complete, the interior
was next, beginning
with authentic looking
seats, originally from a
Fiat and recovered in tan
leather. Door panels and
matching carpet add to
the look.Sheri did her
own interior work.Periodcorrect gauges, labeled in
Italian, keep track of all the
underhood activity, and a
Flaming River column is
capped with an authentic

Nardi wheel.
The car is equipped
with an elaborate stereo
system from Sound Design
in Australia which supplied
a Jensen AM/FM/CD
head unit to control the
trunk-mounted Power
Bass 9-Band Equalizer
Pre Amp and 2.4 Farad
capacitor.Power Bass
component sets are
mounted in the center
console for the mids and
highs with their 8-inch,
trunk-mounted subs
providing the bass. The
trunk also holds an Optima
red top battery in a ballmilled, billet tray.
Changes to the body
were minimal, consisting
of eliminating the front
bumper and removing the
center section of the rear
bumper.All new window
glass was added along with
7-inch halogen sealed beam
headlights, a LeMans gas
cap, and traditional swan
neck mirrors that provided
a classic touch.The body
was primed and painted in

a more appropriate Dupont

Bright Red by Spikes
Performance in Plant City,
Florida.
Sheri and Matt began
working part time on the
car in July 2013, completing
the build by July 2014.The
Sick Day license plate was
Sheris idea and is fitting
for the car, considering the
movie plot that made it
famous.
For those looking to
create a similar but much
improved Spyder of their
own, youd dont have to
scrounge up one of the

stunt cars from the film.

Classic Cars By Renucci
is producing his version
of the CalSpyder (sans
any prancing horse logos,
though). Historical sources
suggest that the three
Modena Spyders used in
the film were not exacting
in the details, and also had
some mechanical issues.
On the other hand, Renucci,
a veteran automotive
engineer, has revamped
the chassis and body
substantially. Either way,
nobody would ever ignore
these Ferris wheels. CB

SOURCE:
Classic Cars by Renucci

http://www.calspyderii.com

602/405-3400

123

SUMMIT MEETNG III

Rick Sheley of SKJ Customs takes Summits Factory Five roadster for a test spin with Summit exec
Nan Gelhard along for the ride. It was her first time in a Cobra, and she was really wowed by the experience. Our next installment will focus on the body fitment and trim.

Assembling the Drivetrain

for a Factory Five Cobra

omponent vehicles usually lack one key

element: motive power. While Factory Five
supplies most of whats needed to complete
Mk4 roadster, getting it running on the road
requires a healthy drivetrain. Thats where
Summit Racing comes into the picture, drawing
on 45 years of experience to help you pick just
the right powerplant.
A wide range of engine options are
available, from a basic street block to high
performance to an all-out racing mill. Or even a
custom build to suit your budget and particular
application. And if you decide to install power
adders later on, thats not a problem. Just tell
them what you want, and Summit Racing can
make it happen. Theres no need to scrounge
124

for junkyard parts or strip a donor car. Summit

Racings aftermarket parts are all new, so they
carry warranties, too.
For this particular project, Summit supplied
a 427 Ford, but not the old-school FE version
from the Sixties. Instead, it starts with a
stroked 351 from Ford Racing, enhanced by a
number of choice upgrades. So you get best of
both worlds: the peak power of a big-block V8,
but the lighter weight of a small block. Check
out the accompanying captions to see what we
bolted on in just a matter of hours (with a bit
of help from SKJ Customs). Its that easy! So
whats holding you back?

SOURCES:

Factory Five Racing / www.factoryfive.com

Summit Racing / http://www.summitracing.com
SKJ Customs / www.skjcustoms.com

Order Summit Racings

Short Block package (SUMCSUMFFC01), and youll
get Ford Racings 427 short
block (FMS-M-6009-427F).
This assembly is the ideal
foundation for building your
high-horsepower Boss engine, consisting of a Boss
4-bolt main, cast-iron block
with a 9.500 in. deck height
and a 4.000 in. stroke steel
crankshaft. Pumping the
crank are forged pistons in
a 4.125 in. bore with steel
H-beam connecting rods and
floating pins.
For a smooth idle on the
street yet good performance
on the strip, the Short Block
packages hydraulic roller
camshaft is a Trick Flow
Track Max (TFS-51403001).
The red assembly lube
shown here sticks better to
metal surfaces and helps
with break-in of the engine.

After inserting the camshaft, install both the timing chain

(Trick Flow Billet TFS-51478520) and gear, followed by a Edelbrock Timing Chain Cover (EDL-4250). Tech tip: use a short
piece of exhaust pipe and a plastic mallet to tap the gear in
place. And make sure to align the O with the keyway for a
straight-up, stock setting. When putting the chain in place,
no adjustment is needed. Just line up the upper and lower
marks. Then torque the cam retaining bolt to spec. Then bolt
on the timing chain cover (Edlebrock EDL-4250).

125

Included
with Summit
Racings Oil
System (SUMCSUMFFC02)
is a Melling
High Volume
oil pump (MELM83HV). It fits
right in, without
having to clearance the crank.
The hydraulic roller lifters (Trick Flow OEM
Style TFS-21400004) are self adjusting and
the rolling tips offer less resistance. Use
Ford Racings roller lifter install kit (FMS-M6253-A50), and as with the camshaft, use lots
of red assembly lube.

When adding the Harmonic Balancer (Trick

Flow TFS-19006), remove the counterweight,
since the crank comes already balanced.
Other components of the oil system include
a Milodon 7QT oil pan (MIL-31630) with a
front sump and comp baffling, plus oil pickup (MIL-18505), and ARPs oil-pump drive
(ARP-154-7901) and oil-pump bolts (ARP-1506902).

After checking for clearance, we removed the

Harmonic Balancer and used a disc grinder
and carbide bit to open up the tolerances a
tad, at least 1/16th of an inch of space next to
the block.

126

With the gasket in place, we then bolted on

an Edelbrock polished aluminum water pump
((EDL-8848).

Once the Trick Flow heads (Twisted Wedge

185 TFS-51400004-C01) are positioned on the
block, theyre torqued down to spec with ARP
head bolts (ARP-154-3603) in a circle pattern.
These bolts are preferred not only for their
extra strength, but also because they stretch
the right amount when being torqued down.

The pushrods (Trick Flow Chromoly TFS-21408050)

and roller rocker arms go on next (Trick Flow 1.6 ratio 51400510). Lifters are adjusted on the base circle
of the camshaft (bottom of lobe) for maximum depth.
Also, initially there should be zero lash between the
stem of the valve and valvetrain. Then add a half-turn
past zero lash on the rocker arm adjustment nuts.
Once adjusted, valve covers (Trick Flow tall cast aluminum part TFS-51400802) finish the valvetrain assembly. Next go on MSDs Pro Billet distributor (MSD85840), Blaster coil (MSD-8207), and Ignition Wires
(MSD-31189).

After the intake manifold, distributor

and plug wires were installed (not
shown), we next fit on the flywheel
(RAM-1529) and clutch kit (RAM98794HDT).

127

Those components are then followed by the

pressure plate. We recommend ARPs pressure plate bolts (ARP-150-2201).

Next go on the Quick Time bellhousing (QTIRM6060) and clutch fork (SUM-700105) as
well. The pilot bushing is from Ford Racing
(FMS-M-7600-A).

Lastly, a Tremec TKO 500 (FMS-M-7003R58C) short-ratio transmission is bolted on.

A cherry picker and several pairs of hands

lower the engine and transmission together
into the chassis.

Factory Fives motor mounts

are slotted to allow for proper
positioning of the engine.

128

Summit
Racings ignition (SUMCSUMFFC05)
includes MSDs
Digital-6 Plus
(MSD-6520)
electronic
ignition module (left), installed on top
of the passenger-side footbox, which is programmable and
includes a rev limiter as well. This system also includes
MSDs Pro Billet distributor (MSD-85840), MSD Blaster coil
(MSD-8207) and MSD Ignition Wires (MSD-3118). Spark
wires are from NGK (NGK-7373).

Atop the Summit Racings Stage 2 Intake

(SUM-226036) is Holleys 770cfm Street
Avenger/Fuel Line Pro Pack (CMB-03-0242).
Also needed is an Aeromotive Electric fuel
pump (AEI-17246) and fuel filter (SUM230118).

With the engine and transmission installed,

were almost ready to test-fire them. Before
doing so, though, add break-in oil, six quarts
of Lucas 20W50 (LUC-10635-1). Then we
replaced that with Royal Purple 20W/50 Synthetic, 6 qts. (RPO-31250), along with a fresh
K&N oil filter (KNN-HP-3001). For the transmission, we use Synchromesh Fluid from
GM Performance (NAL-12345349) and in rear
axle, Lucas Gear Oil 2 qts. (LUC-10043-1).

ACTIVE POWER GT
Deluxe Builder Package: $13,495
@AcmeCarCo
Facebook.com/
AcmeCarCo
Parts, Builds,
Restorations, Shop Services

AcmeCarCo.com
Facebook.com/
BerrienBuggy
Race-bred tube chassis using C5, C6
suspension
Body fitted and mounted to chassis
http://www.activepowercars.com
Doors installed, swinging and latching
DOT safety glass windshield installed
Rack and pinion steering, quick-release column installed

ACTIVE POWER, INC.

2597 Townline Rd. / Madison, OH 44057 / (440) 983-7190

Dune Buggies, Sand Rails,

Component Manufacturer

BerrienBuggy.com

Facebook.com/
AcmeComposites
Fiberglass Manufacturing & Prototyping

Acme-Composites.com

@BerrienBuggy

Standard features include:

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THE ACME COS

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AUTOMOTIVE PROJECT, FROM
BEGINNING TO FINAL COMPLETION.
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TheAcmeCompanies.Com
FULL SERVICE SHOP SERVICES AVAILABLE

CORONADO SP
Reliving Those
Thrilling Days of
Early Road Racing
Text and Photos by
Marv Herbert

oad Racingjust saying it conjures up images

of colorful sports cars throttle-steering around
tight curves, roaring down narrow, tree-lined
straightaways. The excitement is palpable among the crowd
of onlookers as the cars pass by in a blur; the stillness of

Brabham BT 10 leads a Titan Mk6 into the corner in Group Seven Sports Racing Formula Cars under 2000cc.

ction C
g and Produ
Sports Racin
ght
d the sharp ri
n
u
ro
t
n
e
v
e
One

c NAS
Eight Histori
p
u
ro
G
e
th
In
turn is
Entering the
and furious.
daC
rand Prix an
G
c
a
ti
n
o
P
a
by
1969
o see a white
and youll als
ck straight.
down the ba

PEED FESTIVAL

e Group
first lap of th
e
th
n
o
rs
a
C
rn 11.
t hander at tu

fast
e action was
th
t,
n
e
v
e
R
SCA
owed
nderbird, foll
ely
s a Ford Thu
a. Look clos
in
m
u
L
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ro
Chev
lazing
o Talladega b
n
ri
o
T
rd
o
F
9

Chevron n
umber 23 le
ading seve
in Group T
ral cars thro
hree Sport
ugh a righ
s Racing a
t hander
nd Formula
Cars comp
etition.

One of the
highlights o
f the day fo
Nine 1966 to
r many peo
1972 Histori
ple was the
c Trans-AM
of cars to ro
Group
races. A big
ot for, one o
field with lo
f the red ho
was the num
ts
t pony cars
ber 6 Javeli
in competiti
n that Mark
place in the
o
n
Donohue ra
Tran-AM ch
ced to seco
ampionship
nd
in 1970.

the air shattered by the

staccato sounds of engines
running at wide open
throttle, as each driver
bravely charges forward in
the pursuit of victory.
Prior to WWII, road
racing was largely a
European automotive sport.
The races were held on
courses that often included
sections of public roadways,
and many ran over long
distances.
Each country held
events that fiercely stoked
nationalist pride, such as
the Targa Florio in Italy, the
Nurburgring in Germany,
Le Mans in France and the
What an array of classic sports cars, as far as the eye can
Tourist Trophy in Great
see!
Britain. In most cases, the
vehicles were painted in the
Most teams raced to win for different in the United
colors that represented their
States, where the majority of
the pride and glory of their
countryred for Italy, silver
racing events were held on
country.
for Germany, blue for France
oval tracks. Most were small
Meanwhile, it was quite
and green for Great Britain.

No sports car event in SoCal would be complete without a display of Ferraris. Heres a trio of Red Heads.

132

Not your traditional Cobra

color treatment...

local dirt tracks, where

competitors raced jalopies.
The Indianapolis 500 was
something of an exception,
as it was held at a paved,
first-class racing facility
where purpose-built,
open-wheel race cars were
piloted by professional
drivers. Other than an
occasional car from a
foreign country competing
in the Indy 500, the fields
were generally comprised
of American cars that were
painted every color in the
rainbow, with the sole goal
of winning the race and
achieving glory and the
purse for the driver, owner
and the sponsor.

All of that changed after

WWII. GIs returning home
from Europe when the
war ended bought back
some of the small sports
cars they fell in love with
while they were stationed

there. By the late 1940s

MG TCs and Jaguar XK120s
began showing up on our
shores, forever changing
the way many Americans
looked at cars. These were
alternatives to the large,
softly sprung vehicles that
dominated the market in
this country.
American ingenuity
was not to be denied,
though, and in a short
time, innovators like
Briggs Cunningham and
Frank Kurtis were creating
lightweight, brutally fast,
sports cars powered by the
latest high compression
Chrysler and Oldsmobile
V8 engines to compete with
the upstart imports.
At the same time, sports
car racing began to take
hold here, and with no
existing venues to compete
at, air strips were often
times used to hold events,

Heres a riveting (literally!) mid-60s Bizzarrini 5300 GT

Corsa, powered by a Chevrolet Corvette 327 cubic inch V8.
133

One of the original surviving Cheetahs that were built

by Bill Thomas, this one
was originally campaigned
by Alan Green Chevrolet
in Seattle. Extremely lightweight, it was powered by
a potent small block Chevy
and designed to compete
against the Cobras.

long before road courses

were built. One of the
most famous and longest
lasting road racing events in
America is held in Sebring,
Florida.
The races first began
there in 1950, on the
runways of a WWII Army
Air Force training base
134

where, just a few years

earlier, pilots had learned
how to fly B-17 Flying
Fortresses. In a short time,

the major event at this

facility was the 12 Hours
of Sebring endurance
race, and as tracks began
popping up all over the

While it looks like it could have been in competition, this

Ford GT Mk 1 in Gulf livery was on display in the show
area.

This Elva
Courier raced
in Group Five
Production
Cars with Disc
Brakes.

country, sports cars quickly

gained popularity among
enthusiasts.
Soon, automobile
manufacturers took notice
of this emerging trend
and jumped into the
fray, offering sports cars
such as the Nash Healy,
the Crosley Hotshot and

the most famous of all,

the Chevrolet Corvette.
Meanwhile, the opportunity
to sell sports cars in a
prosperous post war
America motivated many
European manufacturers to
export vehicles here. After
recovering from the war,
companies such as Porsche,

Racing in the Trans-AM, this 1967 Camaro was also campaigned by Alan Green Chevrolet, a dealership that was
very involved in road racing competition in the 1960s.

Ferrari, Austin-Healey and

Alfa Romeo made inroads
into the American market.
The rest, as they say, is
history.

Fast Forward

While those early

glory days are long gone,
attending the 17th Annual
Coronado Speed Festival,
held this past September
20 and 21, conjures up
memories of what it must
have been like back in the
early 1950s at Sebring,
when sports car racing
was in its infancy. Racing
at the Naval Air Station
North Island in San Diego,

sports cars of all kinds run

on the runways normally
reserved for military
aircraft, unlike todays megbuck motorsports facilities.
Temporary concrete
barriers mark the path of
the course, much like hay
bales did in the 1950s. And
an incredible variety of
vehicles are pitted against
each other in wheel-towheel competition, making
for some really exciting
racing.

Sublime 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat was the subject of

lots of attention all weekend in the San Diego Union Tribune Exhibit.

On Saturday, there
were two sets of qualifying
sessions, one in the

morning, followed by the

second after lunch. On
Sunday, there was one

Hoosiers, side-draft carbs and a

raked windshield all mean business on this Cobra.
136

All kinds of Cobras gather in the snake pit.

In the pits, we spotted the 1969 Ford Torino Talladega that

was racing in the Group Eight Historic NASCAR event. Designed to compete with the 1969 Dodge Charger 500 and
Daytona, it had a sinister, purposeful appearance.

more practice session

in the morning and in
the afternoon it was all
business, with the drivers
competing in nine distinct
groups for their chance to
win in their category at this
prestigious event.
With the wide range
of vehicle classes and the
large number of race cars
in competition, anyone
who enjoyed watching
the drivers go for it had
the time of their life at the
Coronado Speed Festival.
In addition to relishing the
racing, there was a large
pit area for contestants
that was open to the public,
and it presented a great
opportunity to get up close
and personal with the cars
when they were between
sessions.
Some were merely
parked, others were being
cleaned, and then there
were the ones that had
been torn down for repairs
The original 1970 Javelin that Mark Donohue
and Roger Penske campaigned in Trans-AM was
being serviced between
rounds. It was raced at
the Coronado Speed
Festival by Bruce Canepa and came in Second
place in practice on Saturday afternoon.

137

Gorgeous 1958 Devin SS competed in

Group One Sports Racing and Production
Cars. Powered by a small-block Chevy, it
was pristine and looked just as capable of
winning a car show as a vintage sports car
race.

in preparation for the next

round of competition. The
wide range of vehicles in
competition provided a real
potpourri that included
open-wheel Formula Cars,
Production Sports Cars,
Sports Racing Cars, Trans
Am Cars and even NASCAR
Stock Cars. There were
also vendor displays in the
pits selling a wide range
of parts, accessories and
even turn-key cars. One of
the displays that caught
our eye in the pits had
the host of the Maynards
Garage TV program, Mark
Maynard, with a brand
spanking new Sublime
2015 Challenger Hellcat on
display. The hood was up,
the factory supercharged
Hemi attracted plenty of

138

This team was hard at work prepping a

rarely seen 1962 Daimler SP 250 for the
next round of competition.

attention from race fans,

and Mark was constantly
answering questions about
the 707-horse supercar.
One of the interesting
things about the Coronado
Speed Festival, is that just
like the Monterey Historic
Races, every vehicle in
competition is real. To race
in this event, the owner
must prove the pedigree
of the vehicle from its days
in competition when it
was new. Needless to say,
there were some really
interesting survivors from
an earlier time, when nearly
all you needed to go club
racing was to tape your
headlights, put a number
on your car and strap on a
helmet.
In addition to the

racing, there was large

car show and club corral
at the Coronado Speed
Festival. Many clubs were
represented, including
those for Ferraris,
Lamborghinis, Porches and
Panteras. And since the
Mustang was the Featured
Marque of the event, it was
only natural that there
would be a large number of
these pony cars on display,
along with an equal number
of both original and tribute
Cobras.
Interestingly, one of the
best represented groups
was the Mopar Club of
San Diego, who displayed
a wide variety of vintage
and late model Dodges,
Plymouths and Chryslers,
plus several trucks, creating

an interesting departure
from the preponderance of
the foreign cars at the show.
Another club that
had a very interesting
display was the Secret
Car Club from Rancho
Santa Fe, California. The
vehicles ranged from
Cobras and Mustangs, to
Corvettes and Mercedes,
along with a pre-war MG
and several late model
Fiat 500 Abarths. MoFans
were also represented in
the SCC exhibit thanks to
the wicked TorRed Mr.
Norms 50th Anniversary
GSS-R 1000 horsepower
Kenne Bell Supercharged
Challenger. This car was
seen on the cover of the

The Mr. Norms GSS-R 1000hp Challenger in the Secret

Car Club display was a standout among the Cobras, Corvettes, Mustangs and Mercedes. A wolf in wolfs clothing,
this Mopar could have easily eaten any of them for lunch
and still had room for dessert.

January, 2014 issue of our

sister magazine, Pentastar
Power and is a crowd
pleaser at every event.
All in all, the Coronado

1958 Lister Knobbly in bare aluminum looked and sounded absolutely ferocious. Running in Group One Sports
Racing and Production Cars, it packed a potent V8 and
was a force to be reckoned with on the track.

Speed Festival is great

fun. A big tip of the hat to
the U.S. Navy for hosting
this event, and making
everyone feel at home at
Naval Base Coronado. You
can be sure that well be
back again next year, and if
you are on the West Coast,
we highly recommend that
you consider attending this
event. Somewhere, some
long-gone road course
racers are smiling, satisfied
that their thorough-bred
steeds are still running
hard. CB
SOURCE:
San Diego Fleet Week
Foundation
5330 Napa Street
San Diego, CA 92110
Phone: 619-858-1545

www.fleetweeksandiego.org
139

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SHOP TIME

ORGAN
DONORS
Repurposing Popular
Platforms for Project
Cars
By Jim Youngs,
Editor Emeritus
Its inevitable I suppose, that
we get a lot of questions about
donor cars. That is, production
vehicles serving a new custom
car project by willingly signing
a donor card to specify which
organs (components) are to be
harvested, so that another car
can live a long and healthy life.
Truthfully, its recycling at its
best.
The whys of a certain
production car being the base
for a kit car can be as easy
as what works for certain
design factors, such as the
ideal wheelbase, along with
142

windshields, suspension
components and
powertrains that are
readily available.
Cases in point are
two original-design
component cars (K-1
Attack and McLela/
Blaze) that were
partially designed to take
advantage of production
car windshields, since
they had the desired
shapes and could easily
be replaced inexpensively
if necessary.
In researching for
his next sports car, the
Attacks progenitor,
for example, wanted
something with the aura
of an NSX to help appeal
to the burgeoning tuner
car crowd. Since it was
planned that the Attack
would have some Hondabased components, it

didnt take too long to

realize that an Accords
windshield (and indeed
lots of other Accord
donor parts) would be
a great choice since it
appeared that the NSX
shared that front glass.
On the other hand,
the McLela/Blaze project
just called for a cheap,
off-the-shelf windshield
with a modern shape,
even though most of the
donor mechanicals were
taken from the venerable
VW Beetle. It used Honda
Civic glass glued into the
kits fiberglass frame.
These two examples are
not isolated occurrences
of how project cars get
designed either.
Over the 20-plus
years involved with the
component car biz weve
seen plenty of production

cars used as donors for

various projects. There have
even been several so-called
single-donor projects,
such as the original Factory
Five Racing Cobra replica,
that utilize as many
components as possible
from a tired Mustang
heading for the glue factory.
But weve also seen
the converse of that with
required components
coming from multiple
sources. I recall one builder
that used a Corvette
windshield turned upside
down, a Cadillac trunk
release, a Lincoln Versailles
rearend, Ford Pinto front
control arms and bucket
seats from a Chevy II
all for a single project!
Thankfully some of those
mismatched parts scenarios
are a thing of the past.
Of course, the
automotive aftermarket has
changed much of the parts
sourcing to build a custom
car these days, to a point
of being able to pick up the
phone or visit a website
and order virtually all the
brand-new components
necessary to complete a
project car.
Well, weve come a long
way from the project cars
of our history. Specifically,
with regard to kit cars,

our origins are steeped in

Volkswagens. The venerable
Bug is still with us of
course, but it seems like
fewer and fewer complete
VW pans are being used
these days. Instead we see
a lot of tubular chassis
being fabricated to still
utilize VWs front and rear
suspensions. And the aircooled VW engines find
their way into the still
strong Porsche replica
and dune buggy worlds.
There is a very active VW
aftermarket, too, that makes
using these components
a sound choice as they
are relatively inexpensive
and available as new
components.
While on the topic of
Porsche 356, 550, and
718 replicas, as well as
dune buggies, were seeing
more and more Subaru
powerplants supplanting
VW mills today. These
boxer-style mills make a lot
of sense too as they provide
modern muscle in an
attractive package. Subaru
engines and transaxles are
also heavily supported in
the aftermarket with plenty
of options for producing
monster horsepower in
these compact packages.
Even though the
Volkswagen donor refuses

to die, the late 80s Pontiac

Fiero came on real strong
not too many years ago as a
perfect donor platform for
Lamborghini and Ferrari
replicas. That mid-engine
Poncho sports car could be
relatively easily stretched
and stuffed with monster
engines to a point where
excellent clones of those
high-dollar exotics couldnt
be distinguished from
the real thing. So much so
that Lambo and Ferrari
lawyers took notice and
pushed those clone makers
out of business or way
underground. The Fiero as
a donor platform has pretty
much disappeared from the
kit car scene.
The absolute darling of
the donor car ranks these
days is the Mazda Miata.
There doesnt seem to be
any shortage of project
vehicles either utilizing
the engine and suspension
parts from these mini
sports cars. Cars such as
the new Catfish, Exocet, and
Healy Enigma, along with
a huge number of Lotus
Seven Inspired Sportscars
(LSIS) (like Westfield,
Zero and others) take
full advantage of readily
available donor parts and
a performance aftermarket
loaded with goodies to help

143

push the limits of speed and

handling.
The 5.0 Mustang has had
a bright spot in the donor
car ranks for quite some
time. Few can argue with
the performance potential
of its line-up of V-8 engines
ranging from the original
302ci, the various iterations
of the 4.6 so-called mod
motor and now the versions
of the Coyote. The Mustang
also regularly gives up
brakes, front suspension
configurations and rear
ends that work in numerous
custom car projects.
Also popular donor car
parts can be salvaged from
Corvettes, particularly

lightweight suspension and

brake parts from C4 and C5
models.
The Porsche Boxster has
been around long enough
that prices for used models
are attractive. And there
was a period not too long
ago when builders of exotic
replicas touted the obvious
advantages of a midengine Porsche as a natural
platform for Lambo and
Porsche GT replicas, but it
seemed to be rather short
lived.
What other cars do
we see coming along that
are donating parts to cool
projects? Several are noted
this issue, and we are just

now seeing the BMW Z3

being employed as the
foundation for a couple of
exciting rebody projects.
The stylish Bertini from the
UK is already making waves
and the promising new ZGT
from Reaction Research
is nearly ready to launch.
Theres even a Cobra-esque
rebody, cleverly referred to
as the Kobra.
What are some future
organ donors? Theyre
probably hidden right in
plain view. Let us know
if youve got one in the
works, as theres never a
lack of ingenuity among Car
Builder enthusiasts. CB

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146

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Wheels, Tires, Brakes and Parts

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[email protected]

147

CLUB
REGISTRY
289 FIA Registry
Dave McDuffie
5 Beaufain Dr.
Sumter, SC 29150

Assoc. of Handcrafted
Automobiles
Mike Dresbach
17520 High Country Cr.
Gavilan Hills, CA 92570
909/657-0422
www.replicarclub.com
Arizona Kit Car Club
Dan Tideman, Pres.
www.akcc.biz
Avenger/Valkyrie
Registry
Ben Scheller
402 South St.
Berlin, PA 15530
814/267-3748
Aztec 7 Registry
Chris Guenther
6230 Quay St.
Arvada, CO 80003

Capital Area Cobra

Club
Wash. DC, MD & VA
www.capitalareacobraclub.com

148

Chicagoland Replicar
Registry
http://www.chicagolandreplicarassociation.
com
Club Cobra
Brent Mills
414 Lybarger St. NE
Olympia, WA 98506
www.clubcobra.com

Gateway Cobra Club of

St. Louis
Chuck Grbcich, [email protected]
Mark Earls,
[email protected]
www.gatewaycobraclub.
com

Devin Registry
www.devinspecial.com

Greater St. Louis Kit

Car Club
Dan Doerer
314/576-5856
Frank Garamella
314/752-4150
http://clubs.hemmings.
com/frameset.cfm?club=gslkcc

Deep South Cobra Club

www.dscc.us
Georgia Kit Car Assoc.
David Boatright
2560 S. Hairston Rd.
Decatur, GA 30035
404/981-4143
Glen Pray Cord Group
2011 S. Cedar St.
Broken Arrow, OK
74012
918/251-3500
felixdegeyter@yahoo.
com
Grand Touring Sports
Car Assoc.
Earl Harper
42501 Malbeck Dr.
Sterling Heights, MI
48314
586/731-1842
www.gtsca.com

Great Lakes Cobra

Club
Terry Anway
810/397-8476

GTO Replica Register

www.GTORR.com

Handcrafted Automobiles of Minnesota

David Gageby
20120 Hillside Dr.
Cocoran, MN 55374
612/416-2212
Houston Kit Car Club
Jorge Matias
17718 Windy Point Dr.
Spring, TX 77379

Jacksonville Replicar
Club
Mike McManus
8091 Pierre Dr.
Jacksonville, FL 32210
904/781-2210
Kansas Kit Kar Klub
Jay Scovell
P.O. Box 160
405 N. Osage
Edna, KS 67342
620/922-7325
Kelmark GT/Karma/
Magnum GT Forum
kelmarkgt.com

Kellison Registry
[email protected]
Kellison Web Page
www.kellisoncars.com

Kentucky Cobra Club

Juan Lopez-Bonilla
2432 Crittenden Dr., Ste
201
Louisville, KY 40217
502/635-5711
www.kentuckycobraclub.com

Kentuckiana Hot
Wheels
Terry Brown
14305 Wooland Ridge Dr.
Louisville, KY 40245
502/245-6346

UNDER THE WINGS

Project
Cars and Kit
Planes
Text and photos by
Vern Hance

he NCKCC (Northern
California Kit Car Club)
annual show had a new
venue this year at the
Oakland Aviation Museum.
Located in Oakland,
California, this setting
made for a a great mix of
kit projects, handcrafted
vintage cars and a variety
of aircraft. The latter
consisted of the flying boat
from Raiders of the Lost Ark,
many military fighter Jets,

and even a number of kit

airplanes. So we were in
good company.
The wide variety of
cars on display included
Gary OConnors Corvairpowered Woodster, which
has a body of California
redwood. A long-haul
veteran, the Woodster has
crossed the U.S. in both
directions at least once.

Four very sharp Cobras

were the most plentiful
in our show population.
In between we had some
really nice handcrafted
Detroit iron from a 42
Plymouth coupe to a
beautiful 56 Chevy Nomad,
and even an electrified
Honda Civic, powered by
a 4001 Prestolite electric
motor and a backseat full

149

of lithium-ion cells. Its a

daily driver, and way less
expensive than a Tesla!
As an added feature of
the event, this was an Open
Cockpit Day, allowing
spectators to climb into
the pilots seat and let their
imagination go wild. Or
they could walk through

Lake Snakes Cobra

Club
(Northern Ohio)
www.lakesnakescobra.
com
Manta Enthusiasts
Group
David Savage
www.mantacars.com
dsavage@mantacars.
com
Mid-America Cobra
Club
P.O. Box 11202
Shawnee Mission, KS
66207
www.midamericacobra.org

150

the China Clipper flying

boat man the controls like
Indiana Jones. We had to do
a little defensive exhibiting
since some of the youngest
spectators thought open
cockpit included the cars.
In addition to the kit
cars, the museum had
several kit planes that are

Mile High Cobra Club

Al Bockman
[email protected]
www.milehicobraclub.
com
MGTD Replica Club
http://www.tdreplica.
com
The Manx Club
www.manxclub.com

New Jersey Replicar

Club
http://njreplicarclub.
proboards.com/index.
cgi

part of their regular display.

A favorite was the Glasair
RG, a sleek pre-molded
composite kit airplane first
introduced in 1979 and still
produced as the Glasair
(Super 2) model.
After finishing the tally
of spectator ballots we
awarded a trophy to the six
cars with the most votes.
Winners were: Jim Smiths
Cobra, Mike and Melinda
Kokens Ferrari 250 GTO
(who drove 700+ miles
from Lancaster, CA), Bob
and Linda Klubers Austin
Healey 3000 replica, Vern
and Carol Hances Mercedes
500K, Gary OConnors
Woodster, and Domingo and
Betty Cambras 56 Chevy

Nevada Replicar Assoc.

Jeff Wenger
8635 W. Sahara Ave.
#614
Las Vegas, NV 89117
702/617-3300
www.nvreplicar.com
Northeast Ohio Kit
Car Club
Paul Dicola
655 Atwod Dr.
Talmadge, OH 44278
216/633-6554

Northern California
Kit Car Club
James Wagner
650/341-0211
www.nckcc.com

Ohio Valley Kit Car

Club
Dennis Motter
634 Stoneharbor Ln.
Maineville, OH 45039
513/683-3790
Ohio Cobra Club
Rod Pierce
info@ohiocobraclub.
com
www.ohiocobraclub.
com

SOURCE:
www.nckcc.com

Nomad.
From observations and
talking to people was clear
that everyone was pleased
with this venue, mixing
cars and planes by parking
under the wings. CB
Oklahoma Kit Car
Club - Tulsa
www.oklahomakitcarclub.vpweb.com

Rocky Mountain
Handcrafted Automobiles
Chris Guenther
303/425-6807
[email protected]
Sebring/Cimbria Kit
Car Club
Joseph Domanico
6 Dixie Dr.
Bel Air, MD 21014

South Florida Cobra

Registry
3593 SW 173rd Ter.
Miramar, FL 33029
954/436-9101
Squire SS-100 Club
Art Stahl
11826 S. 51st. St.
Phoenix, AZ 85044
480/893-9451
[email protected]

Speedster Owners
www.speedsterowners.
com
Spyder Owners
www.spyderowners.
com

Superformance Owners Group

www.secondstrike.com
The Mera Registry
Rodney Dickman
10227 Caddy Ln.
Caledonia, WI 53108

Western Pennsylvania
Specialty Car Club
Anthony Menzietti
11725 Althea Dr.
Pittsburgh, PA 15235
412/243-7540
The Bug Club
www.the-bug-club.com

Deserter Owners
Group
Bob Elliott
e-bimelliott@comcast.
net
www.deserterownersgroup.org
National Sterling
Owners Assoc.
www.nationalsterling.
org

EDITORS NOTE:
Please send club news,
photos, and website
addresses to: steve@
kitcarclub.com
151

READERS RIDE?
Email photos and text to:
[email protected]

Service and Quality Second to None

Voted Best Cobra Replica by Kit Car Magazine
Awarded the Good Manufacturing Practices Award by AHA
Featured build up on the DIY Network
Cobra is a trademark of Ford Motor Company. Unique Motorcars products have no connection with Ford.

Available now from $13,900

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catfish 1/4h.indd 1

152

7/1/14 6:06 AM

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Visit us on the Web at: www.uniquemotorcars.com

Just how low can you go?

If this ride dropped down any further, the driver would be
sitting underneath the pavement!
Got a weird or funny photo to share? Please email it to [email protected] and well come up
with a caption if you dont have one...

WebSite: http://www.race-car-replicas.com
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