secret weapon - rare car network

WINTER 2020RCNMag.com

Ferrari-Based Lancia Stratos Shelby GR-1 Concept Gas Ronda’s Galaxie 500

Scratch-Built Sauber Mercedes

Page 56

History repeats itself in a 427- powered Daytona Coupe that coulda, woulda, shoulda been

Page 50

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Contents

On the CoverCSX2286, one of the most contested Shelby projects, was powered by a 390 ci big-block for Le Mans in 1964. The car was never raced, but lives on now as an exacting Kirkham continuation. Photo by Ted7.

THROTTLE STEERING6 Electric Vehicles — Where’s the Juice? By Steve Temple, Editor

RCN ONLINE8 @RCNmag.com A preview of current online exclusive content.

FEATURE CAR10 Numerical Advantage The figures all add up on this race-ready 818R from Factory Five. By Steve Temple

FEATURE CAR16 Feral Cats Bruce Meyers’ wild inspiration for the Meyers Manx and its evolution into a high-performance machine. By By Steve Temple and Joshua Golabi

FEATURE CAR22 Stellar Street/Strip Tribute Recreating a high-performance Galaxie 500 XL that famed racer Gas Ronda preferred on the street. By Steve Temple

FEATURE CAR28 The Great One The Shelby GR-1 takes the Cobra Daytona Coupe to a whole new level. By Steve Temple

TECH34 Cobra Cowling How to improve airflow and dress up your ride. By Dan Burrill

FEATURE CAR38 Mathematical Methodology Lynx Motors crafts a derivative Jag with a Le Mans legacy. Courtesy of Fantasy Junction

FEATURE CAR44 Sky-High Stratos Launching a lofty reincarnation of a legendary rally car using Ferrari mechanicals. By Joe Greeves

COVER STORY50 The Secret Weapon History repeats itself in a 427-powered Daytona Coupe that coulda, woulda, shoulda been. By Steve Temple

50Racing in the Rain’s Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Repro

Shelby GT350 from the Original Venice Crew

Rick Dore’s LT4-Powered Speedliner

Tribute to the Teardrop-Shaped Talbot Lago

COMING NEXT ISSUE

4

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CONTENTS

FEATURE CAR56 Scratch-Built Sauber C9 Emulating a Le Mans-winning Mercedes Group C prototype. By Jim Youngs

TECH62 Bright Idea How to create a shiny finish using Barracuda glass instead of metal. By Dan Burrill

READER’S RIDE66 RSK-y Business This boosted RSK has been an exhilarating ride. By Jim Youngs

READER’S RIDE74 Dream Interpretation Visualizing a supercharged big-block surrounded by a street rod. As told by Bob Warren

EVENT RECAP78 RCN Drivers’ Choice Award Recap

READER’S RIDE84 The Exterminator Working the bugs out of a giant-killing Bugatti replica. As told by Lyle Kruger

16

10

38

28

56

84

44

66

Racing in the Rain’s Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Repro

Shelby GT350 from the Original Venice Crew

Rick Dore’s LT4-Powered Speedliner

Tribute to the Teardrop-Shaped Talbot Lago

reincarnationmag.com | Winter 2020 5

REINCARNATION

DO IT YOURSELF

THROTTLE

STEERING

PRODUCTS

do it yourself

ome automotive pundits feel that electric vehicles are the next big thing. Increasing numbers of OEMs shifting hundreds of billions of dollars

into the development of EVs. But are they all they’re cracked up to be? They sure look cool, for the most part, and many clearly perform well with instant power and sporty handling. There are some downsides, however, such as “range anxiety.” That can be alleviated as battery technology improves, resulting in greater energy density, faster charging and longer life. Higher prices for EVs are a concern as well, but cheaper sodium-based, solid-state batteries are in the works (from the inventor of the lithium-ion technology among others). While these blue-sky promises might sound appealing, here are some facts to bring us back to earth. According to a report from the Manhattan Institute by Mark P. Mills entitled The “New Energy Economy”: An Exercise in Magical Thinking:

• A 100x growth in the number of EVs to 400 million on the roads by 2040 would displace only 5% of global oil demand.• Replacing U.S. hydrocarbon-based electric generation over the next 30 years would require a construction program building out the grid at a rate 14-fold greater than any time in history.• For security and reliability, an average of two months of national demand for hydrocarbons are in storage at any time. Today, barely two hours of national electricity demand can be stored in all utility-scale batteries, plus all batteries in 1 million electric cars in America.

While lithium-ion is the current state of the art for EV batteries, there are some environmental concerns with the use of lithium. Even though lithium mining is relatively cheap, it comes with huge drawbacks in water

consumption and the use of toxic chemicals. Besides these issues of pollution and energy reserves (not to mention the risk of fire from lithium-ion batteries), take a look at the density of chemical versus electrical energy, and the differences are even more dramatic:

• It costs less than 50 cents to store a barrel of oil, or its equivalent in natural gas, but it costs $200 to store the equivalent energy of a barrel of oil in batteries.• About 60 pounds of batteries are needed to store the energy equivalent of 1 pound of hydrocarbons. At least 100 pounds of materials are mined, moved and processed for every pound of battery fabricated.• It takes the energy equivalent of 100 barrels of oil to fabricate a quantity of batteries that can store the energy equivalent of a single barrel of oil.

Granted, some of these statistics might alter somewhat in favor of EVs as technology improves. And we have no problem with covering replicas and specialty cars with battery-only power. But EVs won’t be replacing our petroleum-powered vehicles anytime soon, despite government subsidies. That is a comforting thought for our enthusiast hobby that pays tribute to all sorts of cars with internal-combustion engines. Here’s one final thought that might be yet another game-changer. Army researchers recently discovered quite by accident that an aluminum alloy powder, when mixed with any water-based liquid, produces hydrogen. This fuel could in turn be used for either a fuel cell or an internal-combustion engine, without the need for high-pressure cylinders. The raw materials needed are massively more abundant than lithium — and environmentally friendly too. So maybe Doc Brown got it right after all, in Back to the Future with his DeLorean’s beer can-fueled Mr. Fusion energy generator.

Steve [email protected]

S

Electric Vehicles — Where’s The Juice?

Steve TempleEditor

6

mailto:[email protected]


www.vintagewires.com

www.shellvalley.com

RCNmag.com@Visit the site daily for new, exclusive content.Read our daily content and get the most out of ReinCarNation Magazine.

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Cool Customs at Mid America’s Corvette Funfest

While on location at the world’s largest Corvette party, we picked

out eight exceptional custom cars that stuck out from the crowd.

www.RCNmag.com/news/ corvette-reincarnations-

at-mid-america-motorworks

SEMA Sues US DOT Over Low Volume Act Thursday, Oct. 17, SEMA sued the U.S. DOT for its failure to enact its portion of the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act. This vital piece of legislation is nearly three years delayed, and paves the way for bespoke turnkey classics.

www.RCNmag.com/news/sema-sues-u-s-dot-over- delayed-low-volume-legislation

Join the DiscussionFB.com/ReinCarNationMag

Delightful DinoThis aluminum-bodied Ferrari 196S Dino recreation is powered by a 2.65-liter Dino V6 and honors one of the earliest Ferraris dedicated to Enzo’s son.

www.RCNmag.com/fresh-finds/delightful-dino-aluminum-bodied-196s-recreation

Bentley to Build 12 Blower ContinuationsBentley celebrates 100 years by building 12 continuation versions of the iconic ’29 4 1/2-liter “Blower” team cars. By disassembling and cataloging the original No. 2 team car, Bentley assures the cars will be as identical as possible to the original.

www.RCNmag.com/news/bent-ley-to-build-12-blower-continuations

RCN’s Top 10 Car FilmsFast cars, beautiful women and cliffhangers: the RCN movie vault features a few familiar faces with a tasteful smattering of cult classics and road films.

www.RCNmag.com/blog/rcn-magazines-top-10-car-films

8

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CONTINUATION, REPLICA AND LOW VOLUME AUTOMOBILES

Advertiser Index

7fifteen Motorworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Allard Motor Works Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

BAT Inc . / Mocal USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Borla Induction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Cool It Thermo-Ttec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

CRS, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

DenBeste Motorsports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Dove Racing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Factory Five Racing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

FormaCars, Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Forte’s Parts Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Haywire & Co ., LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

IDIDIT, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Jim Inglese Eight Stack Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Meaty-Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Meziere Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

MMG Motorsports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

RUGID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Shell Valley Classic Wheels, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Superlite Cars & Race Car Replicas (RCR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Time Machines Motorsports LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Trigo Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

V’s Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

VDO Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Vintage Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Watson’s StreetWorks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83


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http://www.rcnmag.com



Factory Five 818R

The figures all add up on this race-ready 818R from Factory Five

Story and Photos by Steve Temple

10

ADVANTAGE NUMERICAL


Factory Five 818R

odifying cars, trucks and bikes has always been an opportunity to express personal creativity and innovation, but component cars are arguably the

greatest form. Your creation starts life as nothing more than a package of parts, and it’s a total blank canvas for the builder’s art. A prime case in point is Ray Pasquetti’s 818R. A general engineering contractor by profession, he’s constructed a couple of custom Cobras and several drag boats over the years. But on his 818R, he really pulled out all the stops by working the numbers, giving it a radical power-weight ratio, similar to his lightweight Emerson Motorsports Cobra. Why so? “I built the 818R to whip my son’s butt in the Cobra that we still race,” Ray notes. His son Jason’s competition-spec Cobra replica has a thin skin and frame, so it tips the scales at just 1,900 pounds. Not only that, but it’s powered by a 4.6-liter Ford Aluminator boosted by a Kenne Bell Mammoth twin-screw supercharger. At 11 pounds of boost, power output is somewhere north of 600 hp. This car is so quick, it beat the track record at Thunderhill awhile back. By comparison, Ray’s 818R weighs about 100 pounds less and delivers 350 hp. A much higher output is easily attainable, though, given that the boost is set at only 7 pounds thus far. Ray says he could dial it up to 17 pounds, good for more than 500 horses. “But the engine won’t live,” he points out. He also points to a potential for oil starvation on big sweeping turns, as all the engine lubrication flows into the one side. Even though its power-weight ratio is not as extreme as the Cobra’s, it has other advantages for road racing, as we’ll see. The 818R project took about three years, 5,000 hours of labor and $65,000 in coin. The list of components he incorporated goes on for days, so we’ll try to hit the highlights instead to illustrate our initial point about creative expression. The donor car was a 2007 Subaru WRX that cost $5,700, but it provided only a few parts. “I only used the steering column, rack-and-pinion, engine and transmission,” he points out. He later swapped out the factory lump for a built STI engine, as he wanted a stronger setup. The engine was substantially reworked by FW Motorsports, using a nitrided crank rotated by Manley Performance H-beam rods and Wiseco 100 mm pistons with ACL race series bearings. Boosting the output is a heat-shielded Blouch turbo (a

M

Access to the engine

bay requires removing

the large rear wing

and a couple of

panels.

12

Dominator 1.5XT-R) fed by a Cobb Tuning short-ram SF intake with an AMR Performance cast-aluminum inlet and controlled by a GrimmSpeed solenoid (electronic blow-off valve). To keep up with the higher airflow from the forced induction, MagnaFuel supplied a QuickStar 300 fuel pump and EFI pressure control unit, running through Cosworth fuel racks and Injector Dynamics 1,000 cc nozzles. A Very Cool Parts air-to-water intercooler improves air density to optimize the burn. On the exhaust side are ceramic-coated Perrin equal-length headers. Keeping this blistering mill from overheating is a KOYORAD aluminum racing radiator with a pair of Mishimoto shrouded fans. Transferring the engine output to the transaxle is an EXEDY organic clutch and lightweight flywheel. Ray admits that Jason’s Cobra could best his 818R in the straights, but not in the twisties. Here’s where weight balance has its advantages. Since the 818R has a midengine setup, it’s a primo corner carver. “The Cobra can’t keep up with my 818 in the turns — the car flies,” he beams. “It’s balanced so much better. It just sticks.” That’s in marked contrast to the nose-heavy Cobra’s tendency to throttle steer, spinning the tires loose as it drifts around the apexes. This old-school

The dash features

a Racepak IQ3 with

a data logger.


VENDORSFactory Five Racing508-291-3443www.factoryfive.com

Factory Five 818R

style of handling can be way fun, but the G-forces are so much higher on the 818R that “I had to get a full containment seat to stay in it!” he exclaims. Achieving such a tight suspension required some extra custom work on his part, yet another expression of creativity. He notes that the Factory Five Racing manual covers the street version of the 818 in detail, but for building a racer, “You’re pretty much on your own.” Relying on trial and error, he added custom SuperPro polished aluminum lower control arms and Godspeed’s rear lateral links and trailing arm setup with adjustable turnbuckles. Ray set his Eibach coilover shocks at 400 pounds upfront and 650 pounds in the rear. Brakes are Wilwood Dynapro units (six-piston front, four-piston rear), and the chassis is fitted with a Baer Brakes bump steer kit. Ray is still sorting out the suspension and trying to add more caster to the front end. In the meantime, the body went on a high-fiber diet, as he added loads of carbon components supplied by Factory Five. Ray also worked in a two-tone color scheme with burgundy rose and matte silver. The result earned him a Best of Show trophy at Factory Five’s Huntington Beach Cruise-In. Now all he has to do is whip his son’s Cobra road-course record and get a track trophy as well.

Ad onPg. 3

The rear splitter is a Factory Five Racing option.

The STI engine currently runs about 7

pounds of boost, but the wastegate can be

dialed up to as much as 17 pounds. Ray

Pasquetti is keeping it low for now, though,

as he wants the engine to survive.

14

http://www.factoryfive.com

The rear splitter is a Factory Five Racing option.

The custom

rear suspension

consists of

Godspeed’s rear

lateral links and

trailing arm

setup with

adjustable

turnbuckles.


FERAL CATS

Meyers Manx Evolution

16

Bruce Meyers’ wild inspiration for the Meyers Manx and its evolution into a high-performance machineStory by Steve Temple and Joshua Golabi | Photos by Steve Temple

he origin of the famous and enduring Meyers Manx is an oft-repeated tale, but it merits revisiting, as this free-spirited sand slinger is now becoming

a serious collector car. After all, the Manx has been shown at the prestigious Petersen Automotive Museum, posted big wins at Baja and Pikes Peak and crossed auction blocks at lucrative prices. As just one example of the latter, a nicely finished Manx sold at RM Sotheby’s auction for nearly $65,000. On the other hand, some well-used Manxes have been trading in the low teens, creating an investment opportunity for automotive restorers. So when we came across the opportunity to visit with Bruce Meyers and his wife, Winnie, at Mid America Motorworks’ VW Funfest last June, we jumped at the chance to talk with this talented and influential designer. We were entranced as he shared some untold stories and insights about the Manx, but before revealing them, we should provide some background on its development. It all began in 1963, when Meyers and a few friends were mired in the sand at Pismo Beach, California, in a chopped-down, V8-powered Plymouth sedan. He then spotted another vehicle effortlessly whipping all over the sand with hardly a care. The crude runner was a bare Beetle floorpan with no body, just an engine, seat and roll bar. That proved to be a decisive moment of inspiration for him. “What if that rig had a sleek, lightweight fiberglass body?” Meyers mused. It would be far more comfortable and still just as capable in the sand and dirt. Drawing on his artistic vision and boat-building skills, he crafted a monocoque chassis with a fiberglass body and Volkswagen Beetle suspension. Meyers’ inspiration for the shape is somewhat unclear however. Commenting on the design of the original Manx, he admits, “I don’t know why I did what I did: It’s a mystery to me. I just followed my instincts.” Only a dozen Manx models had this early chassis design, as it proved to be too expensive to produce. Later production models used a shortened VW pan instead. Meyers went on to produce more than 6,000 vehicles, not exactly a huge number by modern production-car standards, but still sizable for a

T

VENDORSMeyers Manx760-749-6321www.meyersmanx.com

Outfront Motorsports714-994-5222


http://www.meyersmanx.com

small-scale operation. That figure doesn’t include all the imitation dune buggies built in those days, though, and some estimates run as high as quarter of a million copycats. The Manx’s trendy shape grabbed the attention not only of Hot Rod magazine, but also Car and Driver, and it appeared on their covers three separate times. The design’s enduring popularity doesn’t come as a surprise to Meyers. “When you create something with an original thought, grace and a sense of balance in its form and function, it’s timeless,” he observes. As the Mac Daddy of all dune buggies, Meyers is arguably one of the most significant designers in automotive history. “To me, the aesthetic is very, very important,” he says. “To project that sense of freedom and fun — that’s the essence of the Manx.” Some have gone so far as to liken the car’s design to a bikini, given its trim lines and beach persona. Meyers gladly shared some perspectives on how he came up with such an alluring shape. He points with a knobby finger to a curved section of the body over the rear tire, just aft

of the roll bar. The fiberglass contour is bent at a 90-degree angle. “And this,” he notes, “this is the arabesque line.” French for “Arabic-style,” it’s an artistic style dating back to the early 6th century. Arabesque art and sculpture focus on rhythmic linear patterns. Symmetry is fundamental to a harmonious design; it exemplifies completeness, perfection and the desire for unity. On the Manx, these lines give its elegant, stylish curves. But the arabesque line is about more than just style, as the angle is a structural design as well. It forms a continuous functional angle around the body, which provides structural support needed for the fiberglass to withstand the forces a dune buggy endures. So how did a California surfer with no formal automotive design or engineering background create something so unique and complex? As fate would have it, Meyers is talented at sculpting, and life drawing, and has a keen eye for structural elements as well. “It’s all about sculpture,” he explains. “Sculptural shapes are important to the look, but more important to the shape.”

Pulling 200 horses out of a Volkswagen Type 1 is

entirely doable with forced induction from a Garrett turbo.


18

Meyers spent many years studying and drawing the human body, eventually moving on to teaching life drawing. “I’ve always been fascinated by the elegance and structure of the human body,” he notes. “You have these beautiful areas that curve and bend smoothly, then you have a bone or joint that pokes out. Then the body transitions back to smooth curves, and suddenly you encounter another joint sticking out. All these joints allow the body to bend and move while maintaining the body’s structural integrity.” All this attention to detail and creativity came into play when he designed the Manx. “I modeled the car after the naked human body,” he grins, a bit mischievously. “A mesmerizing shape of curves and joints.” Meyers combined his appreciation for the human body with his talents in sculpting and boat building. The result is a car unlike any other: designed with the arabesque curves of the human body, structural integrity that can navigate just about any geography and a style that brilliantly captures the spirit of Southern California.

Bruce Meyers demonstrates

the off-road capabilities of his

first dune buggy, Old Red.

Bruce Meyers demonstrates

the off-road capabilities of his

first dune buggy, Old Red.

Pumping out 406 horses, this high-powered Manx weighs

only 1,800 pounds for a radical power-weight ratio. Builder

Mark Frey couldn’t help upping the stock output.

Another distinctive feature of the

Kick-Out SS is the dual-hoop roll bar.


It’s not often the owner of a car gets to meet its designer, and even more rare that he’ll sign and pose with his creation. Mark Frey enjoyed this privilege twice over, since he owns two Manxes, an early design (finished in yellow) and an updated version called the Kick-Out SS. Mark’s training as a mechanic has come in handy on various projects, but after dumping too much money into a ’93 Z28 Camaro, he became intrigued by the lower cost of a Volkswagen-based buggy. “I found a Meyers Manx body up in Wisconsin,” he relates. “The guy didn’t know if it was a Manx or not, but that didn’t really matter to me, as I loved the body style com-pared to any other one I had seen out there.” After Mark got it back home and start-ed giving it a detailed look over, he realized it needed much more than a little TLC. “There was a lot of bodywork that needed to be done. It also needed a different frame because I wanted the IRS suspen-sion,” he relates. The buggy came together nicely over the course of a year, with a VW Type 1, stroked and punched to 2,110 cc. He also converted it to EFI, using a MegaSquirt MicroSquirt ECU and custom intake with a Honda B Series throttle body. Initially he left it naturally aspirated, but after he got a taste of turbo boost, he never wanted to go back. So he bolted on a Garrett 2967 turbo, and the whole shebang delivers 200 horses, many times over what the original 1,600 cc Type 1 lump ever did. Not one to let his Manx curl up on the couch, Mark drove it to Mid America Motor-works’ VW Funfest in 2011, where he met up with Bruce Meyers, who promptly authenti-cated it by signing the tail of the car. “That was an awesome feeling: To have the creator of my body [design] personally sign it meant the world to me,” Mark relates. “I don’t think I have smiled that much in my lifetime.” Well, except for when he met his future wife, Kelly, who shares his passion for the Manx. Looking for a joint project, they both also liked the Kick-Out SS. (The name Kick-Out refers to a surfer’s move at the end of riding a wave, something Meyers knows firsthand.)

“We already owned the original body that Bruce made,” they reasoned, “so why not own the last body style he would make?” Rather than redo somebody else’s dilapidated project, though, Mark and Kelly started fresh with a body already signed by Meyers at the factory. While waiting for it to arrive, they began planning on a serious upgrade in the power department — more than double the output, in fact. “I didn’t want a stock engine. That is not like me at all,” Mark admits. “But I needed something that would be reliable at the same time.” While some people think there is no such thing as a “safe” high-per-formance engine, Mark feels they are completely wrong. “It is very doable as long as the engine tuner knows what they’re doing, and that’s exactly who I found.” To safely optimize the performance of his new Sub-aru engine, Mark sought the services of a company called OG Tuned. While tweaking the output was a fairly straightforward affair, the install was not. “Everything about this entire build is custom,” Mark relates. “What a lot of people don’t understand is that I installed a water-cooled engine and a five-speed transmission in a car that should have had an air-cooled engine and a four-speed trans-mission.” So there was nothing in this build that didn’t need to be altered. Start to finish took two years to complete, but it was worth it to see the final result. “I can honestly say there is nothing I would do differently on this build — it is 100% done.” Even so, his Kick-Out SS is far more than just a project car for him. “The buggy has been a part of every-thing that has happened in my life,” he says. “I have met wonderful people, married a wonderful, supportive wife and met amazing friends. If it wasn’t for my buggy projects, I don’t think this path I chose would have ended up this great. My journey in life is far from over, but I can tell you one thing: This ride has been an amazing one so far.”

Two eras of Meyers Manx for one amazing ride


The formed dash pod on the Kick-Out SS is derived from

the cowl located over the gauge cluster of a 2004 Honda Fit.

20

The output on this turbo 2.5-liter Subbie is

more than double that of the turbo Type 1 on the

yellow Manx. But installing a water-cooled engine

requires way more custom fabrication.


www.trigowheels.com

Gas Ronda’s Galaxie 500

TRIBUTESTELLARSTREET/STRIP

22

Recreating a high-performance Galaxie 500 XL that famed racer Gas Ronda preferred on the street



ans of Ford drag racing need no introduction to Gas Ronda. He didn’t start out as a driver for the Blue Oval, though,

having worked as a dance instructor for a time. But by the late 1950s, he gave up the fox trot for the three-pedal shuffle, selling his dance studios to fund a full-time professional racing career. In the early 1950s, he drove Hudsons and Buicks and later switched to a Corvette. Disappointed by the lack of variety in the competition field, he made a dramatic change, picking a 1960 Ford Starliner running a 352 ci V8. He then joined forces with Les Ritchey of Performance Associates and moved up to Super Stock with a ’62 Ford Galaxie packing a 406 ci FE with three two-barrel carburetors. In ’63 he upgraded to the vaunted 427 FE, but even with the uptick in power, the car was still burdened with too much heavy steel sheet metal. So he manned the wheel of the lighter 427 Fairlane Thunderbolt and became one of the top Ford drivers in 1964, winning the NHRA World Championship. A cammer-powered (427 SOHC) Mustang

was his ride in 1965, and later he ran Ford’s altered-wheelbase Funny Cars until 1970, when he was badly burned by a transmission oil fire that ended his career. (Ford actually had a fire retardant system on the way, but sadly it didn’t make it on the car in time.) After recovering from his injuries, he opened the popular Funny Car Tavern in Azusa, California. In 1993, he was presented with an NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2016, he was inducted to the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. Before then, Gas and wife, Nina, had two sons, Gaspar “Gas” Jr. and John, and a daughter, Tyline. John followed in his father’s footsteps, racing for several years as one of the youngest drag racers ever. He went on to a couple of other business pursuits, one of which is Ronda Racing Enterprises. Returning to his father’s early days of competition, he decided to recreate a 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL lightweight. The car he sourced for the build was born a P-code 390/330 hp Police Interceptor with a four-speed. But John converted it into a reasonable facsimile of what Gas Ronda was driving on

F


Kenny Youngblood crafted a framed tribute to Gas Ronda in his final race, where his Mustang

Funny Car caught fire. He survived but never competed after that. Racers back then were often

regarded as tough and greasy, but Gas was always well groomed and nattily attired.

As a World War II veteran, Gas Ronda always

paid tribute to those in military service, shown

here on both the high-rise hood and rear panel.

24

the street when he won the 1964 Winter-nationals for Russ Davis Ford out of West Covina, California. Easier said than done, of course, as the donor was in pretty rough shape when John found it, and sourcing long gone custom parts proved to be an expensive proposition. But John persevered out of regard for his dearly departed father, who died in October 2017 at age 91. Replacing the steel bumpers, hood, rear deck and front fenders with fiberglass parts pared off about 800 pounds of pork, John estimates. But reproducing the Thunderbolt cold-air induction system intake cost nearly two grand. The only change he made in the original setup was adding K&N air filters at the screened headlight openings. Other modifications included a solid lifter 401 ci, which is a bored-out 390 that ran in A-Stock class (the 427 was for Super Stock). It’s topped with a Ford aluminum 2x4 intake and dual Holley four-barrel carburetors in a custom housing that was fabricated to the specs of an original ’64 racer. Backing this big-block is a stout

Kenny Youngblood crafted a framed tribute to Gas Ronda in his final race, where his Mustang

Funny Car caught fire. He survived but never competed after that. Racers back then were often

regarded as tough and greasy, but Gas was always well groomed and nattily attired.


Toploader four-speed with a Hurst shifter linkage. Both the engine and driveline were assembled and balanced by West Coast Mufflers. The stout 401 exhales through a pair of Sanderson ceramic-coated headers, dumping into dual exhausts with Quick Time Performance electric cutouts and Dynomax mufflers. The front has disc brakes and a sway bar, and in the rear is a Ford 9-inch with a 3.50 limited-slip. As per original, he relocated the battery to the trunk. Inside is original red vinyl upholstery, also a challenge to track down since aftermarket companies didn’t always send John the right parts. It has a factory XL center console and bucket seats, along with a Sunpro tachometer on top of the dash. Given all this effort, some might wonder why John chose to recreate a Galaxie instead of the Mustang that his father Gas was known for. “Every year my dad got a driver from Russ Davis Ford, a wagon or a truck, in order to push sales since he was so well known,” he explains. “In ’64 he got a Galaxie as a driver. He loved that car; it touched his heart.” Later on, John asked his father which one he should replicate, and that’s the one he recommended. “I could go someplace and still have a high-performance car,” Gas related to John. “My most favorite.”


Recreating the spartan engine bay

for the 401 ci Ford was no simple task,

especially the dual cold-air intakes.

The aluminum valve covers are just like

those used on the original Galaxie racer.

26

VENDORSRonda Racing Enterprises925-984-1981

My Hot Cars925-292-0922www.myhotcars.com

But John decided to go one better, by making the car even more appealing by turning it into a custom lightweight. “It was my idea,” he admits. He felt that it would have more appeal from a customer standpoint since the car is now up for sale at My Hot Cars (where we came across it at the firm’s facility in San Ramon, California). Once that one sells, John has another tribute to Gas in the works as well. “I’d like to do a ’70s vintage Mustang,” he says, “Like the one that caught on fire.” He plans to tub the back for big tires and lower the suspension so it looks like a Funny Car. And also paint it Ronda Red, of course, with a 427 cammer engine under the hood. “Something that would make dad happy,” he smiles.

To keep debris out of

the intake, John Ronda

added K&N filters to the

cold-air intake hoses.

As a World War II veteran, Gas Ronda always

paid tribute to those in military service, shown

here on the rear panel.


http://www.myhotcars.com

The Shelby GR-1 Concept

GREAT ONETHE


The Shelby GR-1 takes the Cobra Daytona Coupe to a whole new level

28

GREAT ONE

hat follows are the final chapters in the astounding career of Carroll Shelby — literally. A new book has just come out titled The Last Shelby Cobra by Chris

Theodore, former engineering vice president at both Ford and Chrysler. While the subhead indicates that it’s about “My Times With Carroll Shelby,” since Chris worked directly with Shelby, it’s actually much more. This intriguing tome reveals in detail just how relentlessly creative and controversial Shelby was, even right up to his death in May 2012.

While we’ll touch on some highlights from the book, what we want to focus on in particular is the chapter on the Shelby GR-1, a fascinating concept that follows in the footsteps of the Cobra Daytona Coupe. Recently I was able to examine the car personally at Shelby Legendary Cars in Irvine, California, and also inspect some related engineering documents in the office of Lance Stander, who serves as president and CEO. By way of background, Chris has extensive experience in the automotive industry. He once

W



served as the director of Jeep/Truck Powertrain, and in the spring of 1988, his team was working on a new V10 truck engine when he was asked to show the plans to Shelby and discuss a new halo car concept — the Dodge Viper. Later on, in the early 2000s, he switched horses to Ford and was instrumental in bringing Shelby back into the Ford fold. Notably, he worked on projects such as the Ford GT, the Shelby Cobra prototype (Daisy), the Shelby GR-1 and ultimately the new line of Shelby Mustangs produced by Ford. Space doesn’t permit covering every detail of Chris’ book, but it suffices to say it’s a compelling read, backed up by not only his f irsthand experiences with Shelby, but also corroboration from other key individuals. Before getting into the chapter on the Shelby GR-1, Chris shares several key episodes leading up to the car’s development, along with Shelby’s stature in the industry. He starts out by drawing a dramatic distinction between Shelby and another automotive legend, Enzo Ferrari. “Enzo had only been a mediocre race driver, but possessed the managerial and political skills

to create a conquering scuderia [stable], and ultimately the bespoke brand of automobiles that carried his name. Carroll Shelby, on the other hand, was a risk taker, engaging and funny. His East Texas drawl, ‘aw shucks’ down-home self-deprecation, just-do-it attitude and public persona was something that everyman could love. He was equally at home with barons, movie starlets, business executives, race drivers, mechanics and the man on the street. He had a magical way of engaging and connecting with them all. Carroll wasn’t an engineer or car designer. Nor was he a detail-oriented manager. He had the knack to seize an opportunity, attract and select the right people and turn them loose to accomplish seemingly outlandish goals.” Clearly Chris knew Shelby the man well and his engaging approach to life and business. During the years that Chris worked with Shelby on the Viper, he once approached him during a heated debate at Chrysler about the technical aspects of the car and asked for his opinion of the car. In typical Shelby understatement, he drawled, “‘Aw Chris, I’m just an old marketing guy. You guys are the experts.’ True, Carroll had long ago learned the benefits of marketing with his


While the rear of the GR-1 doesn’t have the exact

Kammback tail configuration of the Daytona Coupe,

it does have a recess to enhance aerodynamics.

In a new book, Chris Theodore shares

firsthand recollections of his work with

Carroll Shelby in the later years of his

impressive career.

30

trademark bib overalls, and ‘just a chicken farmer’ humility, but he was very much more than that. Years of racing and building cars with the likes of Phil Remington and Ken Miles had taught him what it took to build a great ‘sport’ car.” Despite a previous falling out between Shelby and Ford execs, as explained in detail in the book, eventually they reconciled. That led to “Project Petunia,” the GT40. (If you’re wondering how the GT40 became the Ford GT, it’s actually Safir GT40 Spares that owns the trademark rights to the name.) While Ford secured the naming rights for the concept car, that was not the case for the production car. Moving forward with the project, Chris points out that Shelby was much more than a figurehead for its development. “I think most team members thought Shelby’s role would be limited to that of ‘spiritual advisor,’ but Carroll took the role of ‘senior technical advisor’ seriously. He could still expertly handle a car and spent a lot of time evaluating the GT40 as development progressed, starting with the workhorse.” Following the enthusiastic reception for the Ford GT, Shelby took on yet another project, code-named Daisy. This would eventually become a modernized version of the Cobra with a V10 engine. But why a V10 instead of a V8 or some other power plant? “Back in the early days of the Ford GT, I called together guys from the Petunia skunkworks, SVT, Ford Racing and Advanced Powertrain to discuss engine alternatives. There were four factions: One wanted a small displacement high-revving motor like a Ferrari V8; another wanted twin turbos; a third pushed for a supercharged Mod V8, like in the SVT Lightning; and I had suggested a large displacement V10.”

Nothing traditional in

the cockpit — it’s definitely

a forward-looking treatment.

Most of the body of

the Shelby GR-1 was

formed with a

superplastic process

where aluminum sheet

is heated to 500

degrees C (which is

932 degrees F) and

then slowly blow-

formed over the tool

with hot air. The entire

front had to be NC

milled out of a block

of aluminum though.


Chris’ preference eventually prevailed over these engine alternatives and for solid engineering reasons: “I could see a horsepower war brewing, and a V10 would a l low us to supercharge or turbocharge it in the years ahead. The naturally aspirated version would also be lighter and permit a lower center of gravity (Cg) than a supercharged V8. The high-revving engine option was put to rest when I told the guys we needed at least 500 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. Turbocharging would have been a thermal challenge to execute in a midengine car in such a short time frame. Finally, [John] Coletti convinced me that the only way Petunia could meet its timing objective was if we used the Lightning motors as surrogates in the Ford GT ‘workhorse’ vehicles.” Eventually, “… four V10s were assembled and installed in the Mustang mule, the 427 concept car, Daisy and a concept car planned for 2005. The Daisy [Cobra] would use the Ford GT transaxle in the rear to improve the interior package and weight distribution. And it wouldn’t be just a pretty concept, but a full-on runner that also used the Ford GT’s steering, brake, and cooling system components. The space-frame used many Ford GT aluminum castings and extrusions as well.” With all this tech in mind, you might be wondering about Shelby’s take on both his early Cobra and Daisy, “the last Cobra.” “I never dreamed it would become an icon, as it did. I was just trying to kick the shit out of Corvette,” he admitted at the time. “I’m 80 years old, transplanted heart and transplanted kidney. I wake up three times a night with new ideas. There are so many things left in the world that I want to do that I don’t even care what I’m remembered as. I just want to be there to do a few of those things, and building a new Cobra is number 1.” Several of his innovative ideas are covered at the end of the book, but it’s time we dig into the Shelby GR-1. It all started back in 2003, when the Cobra concept was agreed to by Ford designer J Mays and Shelby. It only made sense for them to follow it with a coupe in the mold of the beautiful Shelby Daytona designed by Peter Brock. But it would have its own distinct personality and hit like a lightning bolt.


The V10 engine developed for Daisy, the

new Shelby Cobra concept that Chris Theodore

eventually purchased at auction, was also used

in the Shelby GR-1 (shown in background).

The roofline displays a sleek

shape for optimum airflow.

32

VENDORSShelby Legendary Cars888-743-5298www.shelbylegendarycars.com “The actual sketch for the ‘Daytona’ came

about one day in November thanks to a young designer, George Saridakis,” Chris relates. “He had seen the Daisy rolling chassis at the Irvine studio, and thought, ‘What can I do with this?’ In a stroke of genius, he sketched three different views of a gorgeous coupe. When J saw them, he told George, ‘Don’t change a thing,’ and sent them along to me. I immediately agreed — it was exactly what we were looking for. Rarely in my career have I seen a sketch that immediately screamed, ‘This is it!’” Lightning in a bottle, to be sure. As for the name, he doesn’t recall who came up with the GR-1 designation. “Reportedly, the GR stood for ‘Group Racing.’ To me it didn’t matter, so long as the name Shelby was attached to it.” In our view, it also seems a fitting acronym for the “Great One.” And the drivable chassis lived up to that meaning on the track: “…like driving a 600 hp go-kart!” Chris enthused. At the unveiling of the body design, response to the GR-1 was unequivocally positive. For the prototype car, however, the body would not be made of fiberglass as initially seen at the unveiling: “While the body panels were indeed superplastic formed (a process where aluminum sheet is heated to 500 degrees centigrade and then slowly blow-formed over the tool with hot air), the front fascia exhibited too much spring-back. No amount of heating or beating could persuade the aluminum to take the proper form. Consequently, the entire front had to be NC milled out of a block of aluminum — an expensive process.” Ensuing chapters of the book cover several other projects, including a Super Snake, the Uni-Chassis, a few secret projects and various new technologies, all of which surprised Chris: “It struck me as unusual that a man in his 70s and 80s would continue to be curious and interested in exploring a wide variety of subjects and technologies, but Carroll was always working on new stuff.” As a fitting finale to Chris’ times with Shelby, he ended up acquiring Daisy, the 2004 Shelby Cobra concept, at auction and later got it up and running. But he also feels that the Shelby GR-1 needs to be on the road too. “It is, arguably, the best-looking car I ever worked on, and I believe it outshines contemporary grand touring cars.” A great one indeed!


http://www.shelbylegendarycars.com

ooling always seems to be an issue in replica builds for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the horsepower level is much higher than the original engine used. Or maybe too much airflow is lost going around the radiator, rather than through

it. One way to address this inadequacy in airflow is by funneling it inside the grille opening by enclosing the cowl area.

An added benefit of this cowling is covering an unsightly hole between the bottom of the radiator and the body of the car. Doing so is a fairly quick and easy way to dress up your project car.

All you need are some sheets of cardboard and aluminum, available from most metal supply companies or even recycling centers. Comparatively speaking, aluminum is easy to work with. The key to a nicely finished project is to use cardboard templates to work out the design before cutting and bending the aluminum.

Note, too, that this functional enhancement can also be used as a way to dress up the underside of the fenders or hood, in the trunk, or on the firewall for a neat, clean look. While almost any car can benefit from this treatment, Cobra replicas in particular benefit from it due to the large gaping hole in the nose. As a side note, the original Shelby 427 Cobras used a pair of inefficient refrigerator fans to push air into the front of the radiator, rather than the more effective method of modern puller fan on the opposite side.

For this project, we used five pieces of aluminum: one for the opening at the top of the radiator, one for the bottom, one piece folded up on each side for the sides of the oil cooler (if one is used) and two pieces for each side of the radiator. More important than the materials, though, is that now this Cobra runs cooler and looks cleaner.

C

How to improve airflow and dress up your rideStory and Photos by Dan Burrill

COBRA COWLING

34

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Start by measuring and cutting a cardboard template to fit into the areas surrounding the radiator.

Cut out the marked holes and check for fit with the nuts and bolts.

The opening for the oil cooler is wider than the cooler, so we designed a piece of aluminum that will fold up around the sides and give it a finished look. The finished cardboard template for the oil cooler is laid out, and the design is scribed onto the aluminum. Then the aluminum is cut and bent to fit around the sides of the oil cooler and securely bolted in place.

Since this Cobra will have an engine oil cooler, it’s temporarily set in place and the hose holes are marked in the cardboard.

We made the lower template out of pieces of cardboard taped together. After double- checking for fit, the outline is marked on the aluminum, and next we get to cutting it with the tinsnips.

Tap with a small hammer to mark the underside of the template. This shows us exactly where the oil cooler hoses will come through the aluminum sheet.

A small hole is drilled in the aluminum for the oil lines. Then a hole cutter is used to make the larger hole. This cutter helps to keep the aluminum from warping and leaves a smooth-edged hole.

The finished project adds a lot of class and makes the car really stand out.

VENDORSBoffin Motorsports503-624-2659

36


www.formacars.com

www.borlainduction.com

Lynx Motors C-Type

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MATHEMATICALMETHODOLOGYLynx Motors crafts a derivativeJag with a Le Mans legacyCourtesy of Fantasy Junction | Photos by Derek Tam Scott


he C-Type is undoubtedly one of Jaguar’s most successful and iconic creations. A dedicated racing variant of the lightweight XK120, the C-Type

was converted to competition duty through the use of a stunning body and careful reengineering of all major mechanical systems. Designed by Jaguar’s legendary engineer Malcolm Sayer, the bodywork is among the most beautiful ever fitted to any car. But interestingly, Malcolm eschewed the term “stylist,” stating he was not a hairdresser. Instead, he relied on proven aerodynamic principles and took a mathematic approach to design, a methodology that bewildered even his close colleagues. The car was an instant success, winning Le Mans on its first outing in 1951 and again in 1953. It continued to use the sophisticated twin-cam XK inline-six and for the first time in an automobile, disc brakes, which had been pioneered on World War II airplanes. Just 52 C-Types were ever built, and they now trade hands for millions of dollars, as high as $13 million for one example with racing pedigree. Given such lofty values, it comes as no surprise that faithful replicas built with Jaguar mechanicals are popular among enthusiasts. They seek to capture the historic

experience of one of the all-time great sports racing cars without the massive price tag or uneasiness associated with enjoying such a valuable car. One premium-grade example is from Lynx Motors, a British firm whose cars are highly regarded for their exceptional craftsmanship and faithfulness to the original C-Type. The Lynx recreation closely mimics the factory cars with a tubular chassis dressed in hand-wheeled aluminum bodywork. This particular car was built in 1997 for its original owner, Rodney Smith, who was a prominent San Francisco Bay Area collector. He was closely involved with the build of the car by corresponding regularly with Lynx in the U.K. during its construction. It was built using a 1959 XK150 as a basis and is titled accordingly. Today it retains the original registration number of that car, RFY 910, as well as its Swansea V5 logbook from the U.K. The car was shipped to its original owner in 1998, and it has remained in the San Francisco Bay Area since. Included with the car is a large f i le of correspondence with Lynx, which includes discussion of the aesthetic details, colors and mechanical specification, along with photographs of its assembly. It was used extensively in Lynx’s marketing materials, including appearing as the feature car in their

T

Lynx Motors C-Type

40

Few cars have such

impressive and flowing

lines as the C-Type Jaguar.

Except for the rich red leather seat upholstery,

the rest of the cockpit is functional in execution.


C-Type brochure and numerous print advertisements. The paint and bodywork were done to high standards with excellent fit and craftsmanship throughout. Some minor wear with a few small cracks are evident in the otherwise deep, lustrous paint. An original-type air intake scoop on the driver’s side of the hood feeds air to the Weber carburetors. For nostalgic effect, a pair of Brookland screens are fitted, along with a full-width aero screen. The classic wire wheels wear Pirelli Cinturato tires. Red leather upholstery accents the purposeful and period-correct cockpit treatment. Other than the seats, the interior is spartan in execution, with silver framework, body panels and Hardura trim, in addition to four-point harnesses and a kill switch. The car is fully instrumented, including speedometer and counterclockwise-rotating tachometer. To the right of the steering wheel is a spare spark-plug holder. The 3.8-liter XK power plant makes a strong visual statement in the nicely detailed engine compartment. An appropriate four-speed Moss gearbox backs the twin-cam six-cylinder, which breathes through triple Weber 45 carburetors. The engine was upgraded with competition pistons and connecting rods, along with a competition specified cylinder head that is ported with large intake valves. The compression ratio is a manageable 8.75:1 to allow for use of 91 octane. A correct vintage appearance is evident in the engine bay, down to the voltage regulators and cloth-covered wiring harnesses. The Lynx sports an AP Racing competition clutch and a lightened flywheel, which was balanced with the crankshaft and clutch unit. The suspension is correct in layout, including the rear axle, a Salisbury unit with a limited-slip. Series III XJ6 disc brakes are used in all four corners with KONI shocks. Since being acquired by the second and current owner in late 2014, the Lynx has been fitted with heat-resistant barriers and floor mats to make the car comfortable to drive on the street. Period-correct roundels have been fitted on the nose and rear of the car, making it suitable for street or track use. The car is a definite head-turner, and an incredibly well-sorted reproduction that provides a remarkable driving experience. It starts easily when cold and packs a punch when up to temperature, delivering a coherent and trustworthy experience. The well-tuned engine is powerful and makes wonderful music, with exceptional throttle response and a smooth-shifting gearbox. The brakes have great stopping power and an excellent feel, with a nice firm pedal. The steering is direct and pleasingly quick, with the suspension providing excellent feedback and control. Overall the car inspires the kind of trust that allows the pilot to drive in a spirited fashion with confidence. This beautiful car faithfully captures every meaningful element of one of the greatest cars of all time. An absolute pleasure to drive and look at, this car was built to the highest standards and represents superb value as well.

VENDORS

Fantasy Junction510-653-7555www.fantasyjunction.com

Bespoke British Sports Cars (Lynx USA)919-413-4908www.bespokebritishsportscars.com

Lynx Motors C-Type

The 3.8-liter XK engine boasts nostalgic

looks, right down to the voltage regulators

and cloth-covered wiring harnesses.

An authentic-style air intake scoop on

the driver’s side of the hood feeds air

directly to the Weber carburetors.

42

http://www.fantasyjunction.com

http://www.bespokebritishsportscars.com

Fantasy Junction510-653-7555www.fantasyjunction.com

Bespoke British Sports Cars (Lynx USA)919-413-4908www.bespokebritishsportscars.com


Lancia Stratos Reincarnation

44

SKY-HIGHSTRATOS

Launching a lofty reincarnation of a legendary rally car using Ferrari mechanicals

Story and Photos by By Sudhir “Banzai” Matai


he Lancia Stratos is one of the best-known rally cars of all time. It was famously conceived as a competition car first, rather than being a road car

converted for racing duty. This built-for-purpose approach would account for its multiple titles. With a short wheelbase and a midmounted 2.4-liter V6 from the Ferrari Dino, the car’s agile nature made it quick on the torturous rally stages of the World Rally Championship, which it won in 1974, 1975 and 1976. As a young rally fan, Michael Stoschek longed for the car that he watched compete during his formative years. When the German entrepreneur was old enough, he bought himself an original Lancia Stratos (which he still owns), but that car’s value continually rises and its age makes it less than ideal for regular usage. So Michael decided to create a modern-day version of the Stratos and turned to famed Italian automotive consultancy Pininfarina. After several years and bucket loads of cash spent on the project, Michael finally had the car he lusted after as a youth: a modern-day Stratos. Fast-forward a few years, and Michael had plenty of time in the driver seat, enjoying and

racing his one-off creation. Demand from other quarters led him to grant production rights for the new Stratos to a small-scale Italian firm called Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT). Those familiar with the exotic creations of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus (SCG) will be interested to know that its cars were built by MAT as well. With all the hard lessons learned on Michael’s car, the creation of a limited run (just 25) of the new Stratos units was a no-brainer. MAT showed its very first creation to the public at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show and opened up its order book, and buyers started to line up pretty quickly. MAT starts with a Ferrari F430 (usually supplied by the client), using either the street model or the track-focused Scuderia version. At MAT’s Turin, Italy, headquarters, the company starts by stripping away all the interior trim, as well as all the body panels and roof panel, leaving a bare-bones platform that includes the shock towers. At this point, what’s left of the car is mounted into a jig, and the company removes 8 inches from the wheelbase, reducing it to 94.5 inches, and then the two halves are joined back together. MAT welds an integrated roll cage onto the new structure to compensate for the removal of the roof section.

T


46

The cage is fashioned out of FIA-spec FE45 steel that has a tube diameter of 1.5 inches with a wall thickness of 0.1 inches. Another area of additional stiffening results from two braces bolted between the rear bulkhead and shock towers. The net result is a car that is more rigid torsionally than its donor vehicle. While this extensive rebuild of the car’s underpinnings is taking place, MAT starts work on the naturally aspirated 4.3-liter V8. As noted above, the original Stratos was also powered by a Ferrari-sourced engine, albeit a V6. At a client’s request, the motor can be overhauled and MAT adds its own touches to improve its character and output. A reprogrammed Bosch ECU, along with a new intake and exhaust system from Capristo, liberate quite a few more ponies from the high-revving mill — that is now good for 540 bhp (up from 483 bhp) at 8,200 rpm. Swapping out the standard engine’s exhaust for a freer-flowing system brings with it a unique engine note. Gone is the melodious tune sung by Ferrari’s bent eight; in its place is a hard-edge, guttural growl that’s in line with the car’s rally roots. Selecting a transmission is up to the buyer, with most purists opting for the open-gated six-speed manual. There’s an automated manual version available as well, which is an F1 transmission with an electrohydraulic actuated setup and paddle

Before MAT fits on the new Stratos-style, carbon fiber

body, a Ferrari F430 donor is stripped to the frame

and then reinforced with a roll cage.

While not identical to the original Stratos, the MAT

revision has the same wedge shape and flicked-up tail.

To further evoke the look of the original Stratos,

the iconic Alitalia livery can be added.


shifters. Owners can also choose whether to have left- or right-hand drive, so cars can be built either for the U.S. or for Australia, South Africa and Japan. Back in MAT’s body shop, the heavily modified platform is fitted with new suspension bushings on the double-wishbone setup, as well as Bilstein springs and damper units. The latter have been tuned to handle a car that is somewhat lighter (up to 200 pounds, depending on options) than a stock F430. When it hits the ground, the MAT Stratos tips the scale at 2,740 pounds with a rear-biased mass distribution of 44/56. MAT also replaces the wheel hubs with race-style, center-lock items to accommodate the bespoke wheels produced by Fondmetal. The new alloys measure 19 x 9 on the front axle and 19 x 11 on the rear. These are shod with 265/30 and 305/30 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 semislick rubber. Inside those wheels is a race-derived braking system. The Brembo brakes consist of 398 mm ceramic discs and six-piston calipers on the front wheels, with 350 mm discs clamped by four-piston calipers at the rear. Once the underpinnings have been fitted with cooling and electrical systems, it is all covered up with a tailor-made suit of carbon fiber panels. The shape, while not identical, is meant to evoke the rakish lines of the original Lancia Stratos. One major difference is the lack of pop-up headlamps on the newer car. However, the wraparound front windscreen, wedgelike profile, circular taillamps and flicked-up rear


While the original Lancia Stratos had a Dino 2.4-liter

V6, MAT’s reincarnation runs a Ferrari 4.3-liter V8. MAT

can tweak the output from 483 to 540 bhp at 8,200 rpm.

48

VENDORSManifattura Automobili Torino (MAT)www.manifatturaautomobilitorino.it

spoiler are almost direct carryovers. View the two cars side by side and the DNA is undeniable. Clients can pick and choose exterior color options, as well as interior trim. Many opt for the rally fog lamps, as seen on the company’s blue demonstrator, and one new owner went the whole hog and had his car painted in rally-style Alitalia livery. Some owners choose to have the original Ferrari seats recovered, while others prefer full race buckets with multipoint harnesses. Either way, the new car harkens back very closely to the original in the cabin. The original Stratos famously had door pockets large enough to hold a helmet, as the cabin was too small to place them anywhere else, and so too does the recreated version. The gauge cluster isn’t some digital data logger, but rather has a full suite of analog dials — way cool. MAT retains the F430’s steering wheel and Ferrari’s manettino dial, which allows the driver a quick and simple adjustment of the electronics governing suspension settings, traction control, electronic differential and change speed of electronic gearbox. As far as reincarnations go, the MAT-built Stratos really turns the game upside down. Restomods are typically old cars with modern fittings and technology. In contrast, MAT has taken a new car and given it the appearance of a sky-high rally classic.

Hawk’s high-flying StratosBy Rob Hawkins

With an original Lancia Stratos selling for more than a half-million dollars, many people turn to the replica market to f u l f i l l t h e i r c l a s s i c r a l l y dreams. Stratos replicas have been a vai lable s ince t he 1 9 8 0 s , a n d t h e l o n g e s t-established manufacturer is arguably Hawk Cars in the U.K. Hawk has developed a host of authentic parts and sourced components that were once available from donor cars but have now become scarce or expensive.

Most Stratos replicas are based around Italian donor car components like the Lancia Beta, and Hawk’s range of replicas follows this rule. The Alfa Romeo 164 can be used for the engine, gearbox, management system, front brake discs and calipers for the rear. The front stub axles are sourced from the Fiat 132 or FSO Polonez.

The rear suspension makes use of front struts and top mounts from the Lancia Beta, although GAZ struts are now available along with alloy solid mount s manu fac t ur ed b y H a w k . O t h e r d o n o r components are sourced from the Fiat X1/9, along with the 124 Sport and 850 models.

Hawk has developed many of its own components for its Stratos replica. Aside from the space-frame chassis, which was created by the manufacturer, the front suspension uses double wishbones with outboard coilovers and an anti-roll bar. At the rear, the struts are attached to Hawk’s own uprights, hubs and track control arms.

Hawk’s Stratos replicas are known as the HF range and denoted according to engine size. HF2000 designates a 2-liter Lancia engine, while HF3000 is used for the 3-liter V6, among others. There are other variations based on road-going Stradale bodywork, wide arched Group 4 with a full bank of spotlights along the front of the bonnet (hood), and the even wider Giro d’Italia Group 5.

Hawk has done such an accurate job on its replica that owners of the genuine rally cars now buy spares from the company. At this point, sales of Hawk’s Stratos replica far exceed the number of original Lancia units built.


http://www.manifatturaautomobilitorino.it

427 ci Daytona Coupe

SECRET WEAPON

50

History repeats itself in a 427-powered Daytona Coupe that coulda, woulda, shoulda been

By Steve Temple | Photos by Ted7 and Courtesy of Tom Kirkham


inston Churchill is famous for describing Russia’s actions as “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” That could also apply to an unusual Cobra Daytona Coupe

created by Shelby American, colorfully referred to as The Secret Weapon. Like so many of Shelby’s impressive achievements, there’s an intriguing backstory to the car, and now there’s a modern variant, as we’ll see. But let’s start at the beginning. Never one to mince on power, Shelby wanted to replace the 289 Ford small-block (rated at 340 hp in race trim) with more cubes and enter it in the prototype class of the 1964 Le Mans race. What he had in mind was the massive 427 SOHC cammer NASCAR engine, but he couldn’t get his hands on one in time for Le Mans. So he initially went with an aluminum 390 ci big-block instead. Both engines would require modifications to the car, and chassis number CSX2286 was lengthened 3 inches, among other changes. According to Shelby American, one of the development drivers for the big-block car was Bob Bondurant. He stated that the Cobra’s tremendous torque allowed him to burn rubber and get sideways in any gear, noting that it “went like stink.” He and other Shelby staffers speculated it could have easily exceeded 200 mph at Le Mans. Weighing about 2,200 pounds with the power of a big-block and world-class aerodynamics by the legendary Peter Brock, the car had tremendous performance potential. But it was not to be, for reasons that are somewhat mysterious to this day, as noted at the outset. Reference works such as the SAAC Registry indicate that two other coupes, CSX2287 and CSX2299, took priority for Le Mans.

W


Dropping in a 427 big-block required a few

changes, such as enlarging the exhaust system.

52

So they went on ahead to the racetrack, and the long-wheelbase, 390-powered CSX2286 would be shipped a few days later. Here’s where things get a bit muddy. According to both Shelby and the SAAC Registry, the truck carrying CSX2286 to Le Mans was involved in an accident that damaged the Shelby too extensively to be repaired in time for the race. It never ran a lap in anger with the big-block and was later returned to small-block configuration by Shelby American. At least that’s the official story. Brock provides a different account. He points out that the car was never really finished, as it still didn’t have all the parts needed by June 1964. Contradicting Shelby’s version of events, it never made it on a truck headed for Le Mans. Rather, it was left incomplete at Carrozzeria Grand Sport, the shop in Modena, Italy, where most of the Shelby coupes were built. As noted in an article published on Hagerty’s website (and also confirmed in my personal interview with Brock), “I think this story was invented by Shelby as an answer to why it never arrived in France for the race,” Brock says. “It couldn’t have, as it was never completed and never ran. Since some people knew of Shelby’s plan to embarrass Ferrari with a prototype Daytona Coupe at Le Mans and it never showed, he had the story released that it had been crashed on the way to France.” He estimates that the car was maybe 70% complete, as it was awaiting a long list of parts from Ford, including a clutch. One of Shelby’s trusted fabricators, John Ohlsen, who installed the 390 ci Ford in CSX2286, confirmed this fact in the book Daytona Cobra Coupes by Brock, Dave Friedman and George Stauffer: “The motor was shipped to me without a clutch, f lywheel or headers, and all sorts of other things were missing. I had to make the headers for that engine in Italy, and I had to ring California every night to try and have bits sent over so I could finish the car. These delays were why we never made it to Le Mans or Reims.” Whatever the reason for the conspicuous absence of CSX2286, Shelby and his crew still prevailed with a small-block Coupe, winning the GT class over Enzo Ferrari’s GTOs.

If a five-speed is requested instead of the

original-spec four-speed transmission, the

aluminum paneling requires some adjust-

ment to accommodate a different shifter.



The original 390 ci V8 in CSX2286 had Indy car Weber

58 mm carbs, but those are virtually impossible to find. So this 427

has 48 IDA Webers instead, good for an output of 550-plus horses.

A portion of the subframe was elimi-

nated to clear the 427’s valve covers.

Famed Cobra racer Bob Bondurant,

who test-drove the big-block Coupe, said,

“It went like stink.” Here he checks out

Shelby’s continuation of The Secret Weapon.

54

VENDORSShelby Legendary Cars888-743-5298www.shelbylegendarycars.com

Carroll Shelby Engine Co.877-836-1534www.shelbyengines.com

Kirkham Classics801-318-7646

Today, history repeats itself (albeit with a few minor revisions) in a continuation big-block Coupe now offered by Shelby Legendary Cars. Six cars are planned in all, just like the original run of Daytona Coupes. The man who initiated the project is Tom Kirkham, formerly of Kirkham Motorsports but now working on his own. The inspiration for the project actually came from the Daytona Cobra Coupes book. “I had been wanting to build The Secret Weapon Coupe for quite some time,” Tom shares. Barry Smith, a noted collector of Shelbys, funded the project, with the body and chassis made in Poland by Lech Kowalski of Caro Cars — who formerly worked at a MiG jet factory. The first car actually started out with a standard 289 chassis, just like CSX2286, and it was lengthened 3 inches right at the engine mounts. In addition, a 3-inch section was spliced into the engine cowl, right between the front wheel and side vents. Other construction challenges included fabricating a much larger exhaust for the 427, which required cutting down the footboxes and eliminating a portion of subframe tubing that interfered with the valve covers. The two ensuing models, one of which is still under construction, came from Caro Cars already extended in length and with the body mounted on the frame. From there, Tom smoothes out the body to a mirror f inish with Perfect Polish, a product also used on airplanes and Airstream trailers. On this portion of the build, Tom comments: “It takes forever,” he admits. “Lots of elbow grease.” He also tweaks inner panels with various alterations, such as the wiring and location of the shifter — if a five-speed transmission is used instead of a four-speed. Tom also installs a 550 hp, aluminum 427 FE engine from Carroll Shelby Engine Co., but neither the cammer nor the aluminum 390 are available. In addition, the Weber 48 IDA carburetors used are not the ultrarare Weber 58 mm units. So some slight changes have been made in reincarnating CSX2286. That’s understandable, though, and Tom admits that the hardest part of this project was doing the research to get the car accurate, and not every item is readily available. All told, each of the six Coupes will command some serious coin — nearly a half-million dollars. Even so, the finished car is a work of art, a refined tribute to an enigmatic, yet utterly compelling car that “coulda, woulda, shoulda” raced at Le Mans.

Ad onPg. 2


http://www.shelbylegendarycars.com

http://www.shelbyengines.com

Scratch-Built Sauber C9

SAUBER C9SCRATCH-BUILT

56

SAUBER C9 Emulating a Le Mans-winning Mercedes Group C prototypeStory and Photos by Sudhir “Banzai” Matai


here are car guys, and then there are hardcore car guys, and Johan Ackermann qualifies as the latter in every sense. During his life, he has

worked for both BMW and BMW Motorsport and was once a development and test driver. He has also built not one, but three cars with his own hands. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he also happens to be an aircraft technician. That’s quite the list of accomplishments, but Johan has no plans of stopping just yet. His first creation, the Sauber Mercedes C9 you see here, is the stuff of legend in South Africa. But what led him to tackle such a daunting project? It’s a pretty unusual story, with a surprising twist, as you’ll see. The one-time race mechanic for BMW is obviously a motorsport enthusiast, to say the least. But it was an unrelenting desire for competition that led him into the world of gaming, more specifically the Gran Turismo franchise of PlayStation games. It was within this arena of virtual racing that he became infatuated with the Sauber Mercedes C9, the famous Group C racer that helped Mercedes secure victory in 1989 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For those readers not familiar with the C9, it marked Mercedes’ official reentry into world sports car racing. Until that point, sports car projects (such as the C8) had been run under the Sauber banner. In ’89, the Mercedes-Benz C9 won all but one race in the FIA’s World Sportscar Championship, easily claiming the Constructors’ Championship for Mercedes and helping Jean-Louis Schlesser to the driver’s title. The C9 claimed decisive first, second and fifth at the 24 Hours of Le Mans that

year. The car reached a searing 248 mph on the Mulsanne Straight during qualifying. Such a performance clearly made the C9 worthy of immortalization in the gaming world, which is where Johan’s obsession with the Mercedes began. “I’d been playing Gran Turismo from PS1 all those years ago,” Johan relates. “I used to love driving the Nürburgring. One day I read about a competition where a guy from Germany was trying to find the fastest gamer around the track — you know, the long track.” Johan chose the C9 and had to set up the car perfectly to set a good time. After weeks of trying, he set an incredible time that was quicker than anyone else in the competition by five seconds. “Man, I was really happy with the result!” he recalls. “Then I started to think to myself, ‘I want to drive that car on the road in real life!’” Of course, getting your hands on a Group C racer is harder than finding hen’s teeth, so Johan would just have to build his own if he ever hoped to drive one. Building a Le Mans-style racer is not something easily undertaken — especially so if you don’t have your own race car team. There are no molds or specs to work off, just creativity and ingenuity, both of which Johan fortunately seems to possess in abundance. To kick off the project, he took a 1:32-scale model of his dream car and figured if he scaled up all the dimensions, he’d have a decent starting point. With a basic set of plans in hand, Johan approached the owners of a local Mercedes-Benz parts business called CJ Auto. Initially, the management there thought he was crazy, but after a bit of convincing, CJ Auto agreed to provide all

T


The doors and engine cover on this one-off

replica function the same as on the original C9.

58

The rear wing is a custom unit consisting of

a fiberglass skin over a metal frame, all made by

Johan Ackermann. The uprights holding the

wing in place are stainless steel.


the hardware for the build. As a result, the car is 100% built from Mercedes-Benz parts. “I started with a few basics: the front and rear suspension, eng ine subf ra me a nd a wheelbase measurement,” he notes. Using those as guidelines, he constructed a tubular steel chassis, which wasn’t too difficult, he claims (that’s if you already know how, of course). The total length of his car is the same as the C9, but it’s slightly narrower than the original. The really hard work was still to come though. With the width and length finalized, Johan had the unenviable task of creating the unique body shape of the low-slung racer. He began by creating a metal skeleton from 3 mm f lat iron. “I bent and shaped those bars to get a simple frame,” he recounts. When that was done, he filled in all the gaps with 4 mm cardboard that was zip-tied to the frame. Satisfied with the overall shape, he started to lay down sheets of fiberglass on both sides of the cardboard, effectively creating a sandwich, and the body started to take shape. But that wasn’t the hard part. “The f lat sections were OK because you can just use sheets of cardboard,” he explains. “But you can’t make a rounded roof with f lat sheets.” So he created a smooth papier-mache mix and started to use that to make the roof. “When the roof looked right, I laid sheets of fiberglass over the solidified paper.” After the basic body shape was complete, Johan sanded and smoothed the surfaces until he had the finish he desired. The fiberglass body was finally covered with Mercedes’ signature race-car hue, silver. All told, creating the bodywork took the better part of 1 1/2 years, with Johan working on the car in his shed at his home. The result is jaw-dropping though.


No trailer queen here. Many hard miles

are evident in the gritty, well-worn cockpit.

Intercoolers and

turbo wastegates flank

both sides of the twin-turbo

3.2-liter Mercedes V6.

60

With the body completed, it was time to get cracking on the mechanicals. Suspension consists of double A-arms front and rear with C-Class W202 wishbones, and Eibach springs and Bilstein dampers absorb road irregularities. The alloy wheels came off a Mercedes S600, but now feature a carbon fiber finish. The front end features multipot brake calipers from the S600 as well, while the rear items came off an E-Class. In order to have a bit of freedom in terms of the engine packaging, Johan decided he was going to use a more compact 3.2-liter V6, as opposed to the V8 used in the original race car. For improved power over the factory output, he bolted on twin Garrett turbochargers with an identical layout on each bank, as well as two external wastegates. The engine was then mated with a Mercedes five-speed manual transmission that’s mounted directly to the differential — no drive shaft, just a rubber coupling. Using an aftermarket Spitronics Engine Management system, the motor has been dyno-tuned to produce 330 hp (versus 800 hp on the twin-turbo race car). With mass of just over 2,300 pounds to lug (about 400 pounds more than the original), this C9 tribute has brisk, rather than neck-snapping performance. No matter though, as it has plenty of beans and reliability for driving many miles on open roads, as we’ll see. First, though, Johan faced the final hurdle of getting the car road registered, a task that he managed to complete at the very end of 2015. Since that day, he has driven his hand-built replica over 8,000 miles, including a trip covering over 600 miles to a car show in another state. As a result of his long-haul trips, the C9 tribute car is now well-known by Mercedes enthusiasts and at classic car gatherings countrywide. At some point, word got back to Peter Sauber, the man who owned the company that produced the C9. Peter was extremely impressed by the build and wished him many years of happy motoring in a hand-signed letter that he sent to Johan in South Africa. At the time of writing, Johan was finalizing the sale of the C9 to its new owner. “I achieved what I set out to do all those years ago,” he smiles. “I wanted to drive the car on the road and I did so for many happy miles. It’s time for someone else to enjoy it now.” But this retired technician isn’t going to sit back and bask in the glory of the C9. His next project, the Le Mans-winning BMW LMR, is already at an extremely advanced stage, and we can’t wait to see the outcome. Stay tuned.


How to create a shiny finish using Barracuda glass instead of metalStory and Photos by Dan Burrill

BRIGHT IDEA

TOOLS AND SUPPLIES

Tools required:• Router and a selection of bits

• 4.5-inch body grinder

• 45-grit flapper wheel

• Long-block hand sander

• Plastic or steel putty knife

Supplies required:• Fiberglass cloth

• Barracuda glass fabric

• Fiberglass mat

• Chopped fiberglass

• Resin and catalyst

• Clear gel coat

• Duraglas body filler

• Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) mold-release compound

• Plastic mixing cups and wooden stirrers

• Sandpaper from 80 to 2000 grit

• Wood for making a buck and reinforcing the mold

Working time: About 16 hours, spread over several days

62

ost project cars don’t come with every single part you need to complete the vehicle. Sometimes you have to make them yourself, especially if you want a custom treatment. For instance, when we started restoring our

old fiberglass hot rod roadster, the body was nothing but a shell. There was just a big empty space where the firewall and dashboard once resided. To fill this area, we decided to create a brand-new mold and make a new part from a special fiberglass product on the market.

Since it’s a vintage roadster, the dashboard would be fairly simple in order to be period correct. After all, back in the day they were basic cars with lots of flat planes. So all this project needed was a rectangular-shaped panel without any curves. It would measure about 38 inches wide, 6 inches tall and about an inch deep. The finished dash would fit into a metal frame in the cockpit, so the top and sides would be left square.

For an item like this one, it’s a good idea to first figure out what is going to be mounted in the dashboard panel and where each piece is going to be placed. The placement of a stereo, engine instruments, toggle switches, keyways, indicator lights and so on will determine the actual size of the dash. The width is somewhat determined by the width of the car, but there is some leeway on the depth and shape.

A narrow, angle iron framework provides much-needed support for the fiberglass dash panel. It also allows for complete access to the back of the instrument panel by simply removing a few screws. If you’ve ever had to crawl upside down into a sports car to get to the dash wiring, then you understand how nice it is to have a removable instrument panel.

To achieve a nostalgic look, we used a Volvo Penta instrument panel out of an old boat. This style was considered hot stuff back in the 1960s. Looking for something different, custom hot rod builders would often use instrument gauge clusters, and entire instrument panels out of boats and airplanes. For ease of installation, the instrument panel was mounted directly on top of the fiberglass dash panel (rather than recessed).

For the fiberglass part of the project, we chose a metallic fiberglass cloth called Barracuda aluminized glass fabric, which is the trade name for Texalium cloth made by BGF Industries. This material has the unique appearance of moldable woven aluminum with the working characteristics of high-performance fiberglass. Barracuda glass actually looks like a shiny, woven stainless steel when combined with resin, along with a clear gel coat that has been sanded and polished. It’s a nice, unique touch for any highly visible part of a project car.

Barracuda glass works substantially like standard fiberglass cloth and offers the same appealing features as fiberglass or carbon fiber cloth. Compared with creating parts out of metal (such as engine-turned aluminum, polished steel sheet or brushed stainless steel sheet), Barracuda glass is a fraction of the weight. The Texalium fibers in the cloth are polished to a high shine, which gives the product the look of braided stainless steel.

Be sure you always use clear transparent resins, although some light tint could be an excellent effect. Ditto for the gel coat: Do not use “neutral” colored gel. This would have a gray sheen that will ruin the shine of your part, which is exactly what you want to achieve in the first place when using this compelling composite.

M Start by measur-

ing the cockpit area to determine the size of the dash-board you need. Also, determine how you want to mount the dash-board in the cockpit. You’ll want to have all your gauges and other features on hand before you finalize the design of your dashboard.

To craft the buck mold for the fiberglass part, start with a smooth and flat piece of wood, checking for any warpage and bends, and shape it to the size you need. Because the top of the dash will fit into a metal frame, you can cut those corners square. But the bottom side of the buck should be carved with your router or some kind of shaper to give it a rounded and smooth look. The key here is to create the exact shape you ultimately would like to see in the final part.

For this simple project, the mold consists of just two pine boards: One that is the actual size of the item we are making, which serves as the buck, and the second that serves as the supporting base for the mold. Note that although the sides of the buck may appear to be straight, or at right angles to the base, they are actually tapered inward from the base by a few degrees. This draft angle prevents the finished mold from getting trapped to the buck when the resin hardens and cures. Also, keep in mind that what you see (and feel) at each stage is what you will get when the finished product comes out of the mold. So sand the buck as smooth as possible. If you are using a soft, porous wood, such as the pine boards specified for this project, seal it with a commercial-grade wood sealer. To keep the wood from warping or bowing, clamp the base to the workbench.


When the PVA is dry, the next step is to spray gel coat on the buck. While you’re waiting until the gel coat is tacky, it’s a good time to cut your fiberglass pieces before mixing and applying the resin. You’ll need a total of 10 pieces of fiberglass cloth and a layer of chopped strand or mat, so there’s plenty of cutting to do. Don’t try to cut this glass exactly to fit. Give yourself some room to make the mold bigger than it needs to be around the edges.

For additional strength, you can laminate small pieces of wood (leftover pieces of

indoor corner molding work well) into the back of the mold. Simply add more layers of

fiberglass around and over the wood to encapsulate them into the mold. You can add

as many additional supports as you need based on the design you’re creating.

Now apply the first layer of fiberglass cloth. Follow the first layer with eight additional layers of glass, one layer of chopped strand and a final layer of cloth.

Next, wax the buck about eight — yes eight — times. Any good paste wax intended for automobiles works fine for this purpose. You can never be too safe with

this, so be generous with the wax. Next, follow the wax with polyvinyl alcohol mold-release compound. When

the mold-release PVA dries, it forms a protective film so the fiberglass does not stick to the wood.

VENDORSBGF Industries800-476-4845www.bgf.com

64

http://www.bgf.com

Once the fiberglass has

initially cured, a leverage tool can be inserted

between the buck and the mold. Apply pressure

carefully, and the mold should separate cleanly

from the buck. At this point, you can set aside the buck and the new mold. Let the

mold cure at least 24 more hours before you use it to

create the final part.

Trim the excess

fiberglass off the mold with a body grinder. Then apply several coats of automotive paste wax on the molding surface. Any sticky spots will adhere to your layup and are likely to ruin both the part you’re making and the mold as well.

For this project, cut just the right amount of

metallic Barracuda aluminized glass fabric. When the gel coat from the previous step turns tacky, lay down a layer of resin and place the Barracuda glass into the mold first, and work more resin in on top of it. Be gentle when working the material to be sure the Barracuda glass stays in position and does not have its weave distorted.

Given the design of this mold, it was necessary to cut off one end to provide an open avenue to tap in the wedges

and separate the part from the body of the mold. If you plan to make several parts, this would be a good design to set up as a two-part mold. Be careful separating your part

from the mold so you don’t damage the front side.

Back up your initial

layer of Barracuda glass with six more layers, alternating between conven-tional fiberglass cloth and fiberglass mat. Place the mold under the heat lamps to cure the part.

Once the part is free from the mold, the next step is to

wet-sand the gel coat on the surface with 2000-grit wet sandpaper. Get it absolutely smooth, and then spray another layer of clear gel coat over the top for a high shine. When that coat is dry, you can polish and wax the part and make any cuts you need to accommodate your dash switches, lights and instruments.

You’ll also want to put a coat of

PVA mold release on top of the wax and then a layer of clear gel coat before you begin the layup of your part. The PVA keeps the initial mold from sticking to the buck, and later it keeps the completed piece from sticking to the mold. This photo shows how easily the PVA peels off the mold once you’re all done.

Once you’ve given it at least 24 hours to cure,

inspect the mold for any rough areas or air

bubbles that may have been trapped in the

layup. If you find any, fill them with body filler with

a spackling knife or apply more activated

resin. Then fine-sand the inner surface smooth,

and apply more gel coat.

BGF Industries800-476-4845www.bgf.com


Porsche RSK Replica

Readers’ Rides

RSK-Y66

BUSINESSRSK-YDespite a tumultuous, oil-drenched debut,

this boosted RSK has been an exhilarating rideStory and Photos by Jim Youngs

Porsche RSK Replica

Readers’ Rides

RSK-Yreincarnationmag.com | Winter 2020 67

ot every entrance to a party can be a glamorous one. Some turn out to be downright embarrassing, which was the case with my

Porsche RSK replica.Right after I rolled into a car show with

the paint still drying on my newly completed project, I had to rush over to the local supermarket for a big load of kitty litter.

“How many cats do you have?” asked the cashier as she scanned the 10-pound container on the conveyor belt. “None,” I responded, “I’m more of a dog person.” She then got a brief education on using kitty litter as an excellent oil absorber — a teachable moment for sure.

The occasion for this exchange was prompted by a planned coming-out party for my newly completed Thunder Ranch 718 RSK Spyder, a magazine project car that could best be described as “years in the making.” Its debut was to be the 2012 Association of Handcrafted Automobiles Fun Under the Sun show at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, California. I had just picked up the tiny terror the day before at Thunder Ranch’s headquarters in El Cajon, California, where it was driven into my box trailer and strapped down for the ride to Pomona, then onward to its home in Colorado.

With my wife’s help, I rolled the beast out of the trailer the following morning to position it in its spot inside the Thunder Ranch display area at the show. I started the engine to move the car a few feet to where it would spend the day in the sun. As it motored into place, someone standing beside the RSK pointed out that there was an oil waterfall coming out from under the car.

I shut it down immediately, totally embarrassed, and headed for the supermarket for some kitty litter to mitigate the slick river flowing across the parking lot. As I spread the grainy stuff under and around the edges of the car, I quipped that I was aiming for some sort of beach scene for my display. Or at the very least, something similar to the display of a Bonneville streamliner inside the NHRA Museum with salt similarly spread. Apparently the oil slick didn’t hamper the car’s award chances, as it scored the Best Porsche trophy in the show.

After getting the car back to the shop, it didn’t take much investigation to determine the oil leak came from a faulty oil cooler.

We originally announced that we were going to build an RSK back in the December ’03 issue of Kit Car Builder, where we covered Thunder Ranch’s RSK prototype. Due to numerous delays, we didn’t take delivery of

N

Porsche RSK Replica

Readers’ Rides On the initial roller, note the Speedster

windshield that we ended up changing

dramatically. We used the glass from this

windshield to create a low-slung windscreen

sunk into the cowl for a distinctive look.

Here Thunder Ranch honcho Tom McBurnie (right)

and his former shop manager cut the dash from the

cockpit to afford easy access to the car’s wiring and

have the ability to replace the windscreen if necessary.

68

On the initial roller, note the Speedster

windshield that we ended up changing

dramatically. We used the glass from this

windshield to create a low-slung windscreen

sunk into the cowl for a distinctive look.

My son James became very proficient

with the cut-off wheel, shown here cutting

an access hole for the steering box.

Here’s the turbocharged engine

going into the RSK for the final time.

The 2,110 cc mill was originally

slated for a Speedster replica, but

the builder ran out of money.

We found a set of polished Fuchs Porsche 911

wheels online and fit them with new hubs and

drums drilled for the 5 x 130 mm bolt pattern.


Porsche RSK Replica

Readers’ Rides

our project car until January 2005, and the first build story didn’t appear until October 2005. The car was then the subject of nine build stories from 2005 to 2010, but rather than recap its construction here, we’ll just hit the highlights of the finished car.

Our Spyder initially arrived as a complete body assembly with the doors and lids hung. The body was bonded to Thunder Ranch’s modified Beck 550 Spyder tubular chassis, which makes use of Volkswagen mechanicals. As such, it had a new adjustable twin-torsion beam from a Volkswagen Beetle welded in place and ready for the front suspension components. The rear is set up for a VW Type 1 transaxle that had to be modified for midengine operation. Other parts included with our package were an acrylic windscreen and headlight covers, modified rear swing arms, sandrai l shi f ter mechanism, reproduction Porsche gauges, custom wiring harness , ta i l l ights , head l ights and miscellaneous items.

The rest of the necessary components were either begged for, borrowed, purchased or stolen from JPS Motorsports’ salvaged VW parts bin. We also bought from a variety of VW parts houses in person, or through

the internet and catalogs. Thankfully the VW aftermarket is rather robust, and you can buy virtually any component you need brand new.

In terms of powering the little beast, we sort of lucked our way into a modified VW Type 1 that was just too good to pass up. It was one of those “guy needed money” scenarios you hear about, but never seem to find. We ended up scoring a completely rebuilt 2,110 cc engine sporting a Garrett draw-through turbocharger and single 40 mm DCOE side-draft Weber carburetor. All that for about the price of a turbo kit alone!

The engine was configured for a rear-engine setup (as in a Speedster replica), but the more we studied it, it appeared fairly simple to reconfigure the intake and exhaust plumbing for a midengine application. Well, the simplicity we envisioned turned out to be quite a bit of work. As we tore it down for a routine inspection, we found that the engine builder was quite sloppy. He had overlooked a couple of critical items that probably would have led to failure on the first crank of the starter.

In addition to the reconfigured header system for the midengine configuration, the little mill also got a new oil pump, huge oil sump, stronger lifters, racing rods and several other beefed-up internal components for forced induction. We also opted for an MSD 6AL multispark ignition with an MSD billet distributor and a 911 fan shroud.

One of the easiest things we did was approach Rancho Performance to handle the transaxle modifications. Because the RSK calls for a Type 1 transaxle flipped around

70

for a midengine application, the ring and pinion gears need to be flipped to operate properly. Rancho Performance techs have been doing these modifications forever and could likely do them both blindfolded, we’d assume.

Besides flipping the gears, the company also beefed up the internals to accommodate the increased output of the turbocharged VW. Rancho assembled one of its Pro Street transaxles featuring a Super Diff, aluminum side cover, hardened keys and welded 3-4 hubs for added strength. The gear ratio was also changed to a brisk 3.88:1, a nice compromise between low-end grunt and highway operation for the four-speed.

For the most part, we used stock VW components on the front and rear suspensions, except that we opted for front disc brakes for added stopping power. The discs weren’t much of a problem, as Karmann Ghias were outfitted with them in that era and it’s a common swap these days on Beetles. Of course, we had to complicate things even further by specifying a set of polished Porsche 911 Fuchs wheels that have a different bolt pattern than stock VW. The 5 x 130 mm bolt pattern of 911 wheels complicated explanations with mail-order folks, but that too is a common VW swap. With discs and drums drilled for those wheels, about the only modification we had to make was milling the snout of the rear drums 0.550 inch to fit on the short-spline axles.

At some point in the project, after a bit of soul-searching and reality checks on my part, Thunder Ranch honcho Tom McBurnie offered to pick up the RSK on his way through Colorado and return it to his shop where his team could properly finish the project for me. Part of that relinquishment additionally included a very slick, custom paint job done by the maestro himself.

In addition, the Thunder Ranch crew handled the installation of a new fuel pump, raised the front and rear suspension, repositioned the brake master cylinder reservoir, reworked the steering linkages and made some bizarre exhaust pipe bends from the turbo to the huge exhaust tip. Then it was up to me to install some seat belts, trace that oil leak and find the proper carburetor jets for operating at elevation.

The finished cockpit is purposeful and spartan with just three VDO reproduction Porsche instruments to keep track of things. Adding in a bit of nostalgia is a FLAT4 banjo steering wheel and a pair of Thunder Ranch Spyder bucket seats that we mounted on adjustable brackets. Square-weave carpet finishes off the interior trim.

In a tribute to the car’s history as a race car, you can see brake lines, throttle cable and such running from the front to the engine compartment, though

it’s doubtful any of the 33 originals had f loor coverings. For shifting duties, we used a cable system from Brandwood Cars. Its appearance fits the competition style, with little attempt to make it look pretty.

Typical of magazine project cars, the 718 RSK bristled with components that are above and beyond standard spec. We quickly fixed the oil issue after the car’s troubled first outing so we could finally experience how this little car performed. Honestly, we quickly learned that a turbocharged 300 hp car weighing less than 1,500 pounds is quite the handful. You might say that the fear factor spools up about as quickly as the turbo. In fact, when the beast was sold a few years ago to Beverly Hills Motorcars and then later transferred to one of its customers, the new owner removed the turbo in favor of naturally aspirated thrills.

Even though Thunder Ranch is no longer in business, the tooling for the RSK has changed hands a couple times. As of this writing, a sale is in the works with a buyer from Down Under, so if you’re in the region, you’ll soon be able to get behind the wheel of an RSK of your own. Just be sure to check your lubrication system twice before that first outing.

VENDORSBeverly Hills Motorcars 619-232-6864www.bhmotorcars.com

VDO Instrumentswww.vdo-gauges.com

Ad onPg. 96

The RSK’s cockpit

retains a vintage feel,

with a Speedster-style

three-gauge cluster,

minimal switch gear

and FLAT4 banjo

steering wheel.


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Supercharged ’33 Ford

Readers’ Rides

INTERPRETATIONDREAMVisualizing a supercharged big-block surrounded by a street rod

74

As told by Bob WarrenPhotos by Steve Temple


Supercharged ’33 Ford

Readers’ Rides

ome folks put the cart before the horse. In my case, I put the horses before the cart. All 710 of ’em, in fact, from a blown big-block 402 ci Chevy. How I managed to squeeze so much power into

a ’33 Ford is a story in itself, which I’ll get to in a moment. But I should tell you how I got into this project in the first place.

After building a ’41 Willys and winning awards in several car shows, I was ready for a new adventure. I wanted to build a car that would turn heads not only because of its looks, but also for the sound of its engine.

A car buddy invited me to go to the Factory Five Racing Annual Huntington Beach Cruise-In, where I saw the car of my dreams — a ’33 Ford three-window coupe. Later that year, I ordered one from the Massachusetts-based factory (which I later visited), and it was delivered the day after the following Huntington Beach show. All 15 boxes packed full of wires, car parts and directions, along with a frame, body and other essential pieces.

It took me exactly one year to complete building the car in my five-car garage at home. I did just about all of the buildup work, including painting (except for the pin striping and some of the upholstery). It was a labor of love to make sure that the fit and finish was just right.

After assembling the car to make sure it all fit together, I took it all apart and sent the parts out to have them chromed and powder coated. I then painted the body in my driveway on trash cans: five layers of primer, four layers of gold base and candy red (from House of Kolor), and five layers of clear coat.

Truth be told, building the ’33 was not without challenges. Especially given the massive Mooneyham 8-71 supercharger. I had some problems with the engine not fitting because of its blower pulleys in the March Performance serpentine belt drive. So I made new motor mounts moving it back 1 1/2 inches.

I also had to make custom headers because of the engine placement. A friend helped me make all stainless steel headers and exhaust all the way to the rear with MagnaFlow mufflers. Other details on the engine include Keith Black pistons, a Competition Specialties hydraulic cam and Quick Fuel Technology 750 cfm carburetors.

I had to hurry to complete the car for the Factory Five event, and it only had 6 miles on it when I ventured out on the highway. It was an exciting day that began a long streak of winning awards. At Huntington Beach, it won the Best ’33, the Editor’s Choice award and Best of Show.

Since that day, the ’33 has won over 50 awards in several categories. But the best recognition to me is being able to say that I built my dream car in my own special way.

S

VENDORSFactory Five Racing508-291-3443www.factoryfive.com

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76

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Bringing up the rear is an 8.8-inch Ford in a three-link setup. The

exhaust is all custom up to the MagnaFlow mufflers, which needed

to be built after the engine was relocated to fit the blower pulleys.

With 710 horses and 820 pounds of torque on tap, the bored

and stroked 402 ci Chevy emits a staggering decibel level; so

several yards of Dynamat were needed to quite it down.


2019 SEMA ShowEVENT PHOTO RECAP

DIY Build Packages Gold: Factory Five Racing Silver: Hurricane Motorsports Bronze: Superlite Cars

Rolling Chassis Gold: Superformance Silver: Hurricane Motorsports Bronze: Superlite Cars

Turnkey Gold: Superformance Silver: Posies Rods & Custom Bronze: Vraptor Speedworks

Dealer Gold: Hillbank Motor Corp. Silver: Vintage Motorsports Bronze: Time Machines Motorsports

Builder/Fabricator Gold: V’s Performance Silver: Posies Rods & Customs Bronze: Vraptor Speedworks

Crate Engine Gold: Carroll Shelby Engine Co. Silver: ROUSH Performance Bronze: BluePrint Engines

Transmission Supplier Gold: TREMEC Silver: Forte’s Parts Connection Bronze: TCI Automotive

EFI Systems Gold: Holley Performance Silver: FAST Bronze: Jim Inglese 8-Stack Systems

Carburetor Package Gold: Holley Performance Silver: Edelbrock Bronze: Jim Inglese 8-Stack Systems

Wheels Gold: Vintage Wheels Silver: Trigo Wheels Bronze (tie): Cragar Bronze (tie): Tire Rack

Tires Gold: Tire Rack Silver: Coker Tires Bronze: Vintage Wheels

Brakes Gold: Wilwood Engineering Silver: Brembo Bronze (tie): Baer Brakes Bronze (tie): Hawk Performance

Suspension Components Gold: Cobra Valley Silver: Posies Rods & Customs Bronze: KONI North America

Electrical Components Gold: Cobra Valley Silver: Haywire & Co. Bronze: Performance Electronics Ltd.

Gauges Gold: Smiths Instruments Silver: Classic Instruments Bronze: Speedhut

Steering Components Gold: Flaming River Industries Silver: IDIDIT Bronze: Total Performance

Exhaust Components Gold: MagnaFlow Silver: Flowmaster Bronze: Shell Valley Classic Wheels

Hand Tools Gold: Harbor Freight Silver: Cobra Valley Bronze: Woodward Fab

Shop Accessory Gold: Race Deck Silver: Harbor Freight Bronze: Race Ramps

Pluwmbing Gold: Classic Tube Silver: Meziere Enterprises Bronze: BAT Inc./Mocal

Heat/Sound Control Gold: Dynamat Silver: Cool It Thermo-Tec Bronze: Koolmat

The following companies were Drivers’ Choice Award Winners as voted on by ReinCarNation Magazine Readers:

CONGRATULATIONS to all award winners and THANK YOU to all of our faithful readers for voting!

78

2019 SEMA Show

Dave Smith, CEO/President & Brad Bisnette, RCN MagFactory Five Racing

Beth Maranda & Brad Bisnette, RCN MagDynamat

Superformance & Hillbank took home three awards combinedSuperformance/Hillbank Motor Corp.

Don Meziere, Dave Meziere & Brad BisnetteMeziere Enterprizes

Lauren Christensen & Ashley Burton, Flooring Specialists Race Deck

Valerie Nadalini, VP of Marketing & Richard Waitas, Senior ManagerMagnaFlow

Jessi Safsten & TeamSpeedhut


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Trever Cornwell, General Manager & TeamIDIDIT

Brad Bisnette, RCN Mag & Jeannette Ladina, President Flaming River Industries

John McLeod, COO & Brad Bisnette, RCN MagClassic Instruments

Brandon Miller, Race Assistance & Product SupportBrembo North America

Trent Goodwin, Marketing/Media Coordinator COMP Performance Group (Winner with FAST & TCI brands)

Randy Pugh, Marketing Coordinator & Jeremy White, Project CoordinatorCool It ThermoTec

Jess Hoodenpyle, VP of Sales & Gus Francia, Export Sales Rep.Coker Tire

Harbor Freight SEMA TeamHarbor Freight

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Trent Goodwin, Marketing/Media Coordinator COMP Performance Group (Winner with FAST & TCI brands)

Steve Sparkman, Marketing Specialist & Brad Bisnette, RCN MagHolley Performance

Allen Briere, Automotive Sales &Lee Grimes, Product ManagerKONI North America

Brad Bisnette, RCN Mag & Paul Fix, Marketing ManagerClassic Tube

Hal Baer, PresidentBaer Brakes

Randy Pugh, Marketing Coordinator & Jeremy White, Project CoordinatorCool It ThermoTec

Jess Hoodenpyle, VP of Sales & Gus Francia, Export Sales Rep.Coker Tire

Lindsey Nikolai, Marketing Manager & TeamHawk Performance

Darren O’Brien, Manager & Matt Menz, Product SpecialistWoodward Fab

Brian Lewis, Owner & Tim Michaliszyn, Inside Sales & Product SupportPerformance Electronics Ltd.

Richard Heinz, President & TeamRace Ramps

Dru Chramosta, Product Manager & Brad Bisnette, RCN MagBluePrint Engines

Now appearing in the movie The Art of Racing In The Rain, this reproduction of a pontoon-fender

1957/58 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa was hand-built by Rod Tempero Motor Body Builder in New Zealand.

As on the original, it features an aluminum body and Ferrari 12-cylinder engine. The car is featured

in advertisements for the film, which is based on the New York Times best-selling book by Garth

Stein of the same title. Look for a full feature on this exacting reproduction in our next issue.

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Now appearing in the movie The Art of Racing In The Rain, this reproduction of a pontoon-fender

1957/58 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa was hand-built by Rod Tempero Motor Body Builder in New Zealand.

As on the original, it features an aluminum body and Ferrari 12-cylinder engine. The car is featured

in advertisements for the film, which is based on the New York Times best-selling book by Garth

Stein of the same title. Look for a full feature on this exacting reproduction in our next issue.

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EXTERMINATOR

Type 35B Bugatti Replica

Readers’ Rides

EXTERMINATORTHE

84

EXTERMINATOREXTERMINATOR

Working the bugs out of a giant-killing Bugatti replicaAs told by Lyle KrugerPhotos by Steve Temple and Ed Baumgarten

ot everyone can say they drive a Bugatti, but I certainly can. Of course it’s not the latest Chiron supercar, powered by a 1,500 hp, quad-turbo W16. No, mine is a replica of the famed French-built

Type 35B Bugatti that won at Le Mans, along with over 1,000 other races as well. Instead of the original’s 90 hp straight-eight engine, however, my car has a 65 hp Volkswagen Beetle Type 1 engine. (That is somewhat fitting since the Volkswagen Group acquired the Bugatti brand in 1998.) I did a lot of restoration work and added several custom modifications over the years, but more on that after I share what led me to this particular car.

My fascination with the Bugatti Type 35B started about a dozen years ago. I was attending VW Funfest at Mid America Motorworks in Effingham, Illinois. I was there with my 1974 Super Beetle cabriolet when someone drove in with a blue 1927 Bugatti replica. Admiring its arch-shaped radiator and tapered body, I thought: That is about the coolest car I’ve ever seen.

Now fast-forward to 2006, when I was on an antique car tour from St. Louis to Cumberland, Maryland, on the National Scenic Byway. We were to meet a couple of cars joining the tour from Indiana at the Wicks Organ Co. in Highland, Illinois.

As one couple was getting out of their vintage Thunderbird, the gentleman named Richard Carey made a comment about my Beetle convertible. For some reason, I brought up the story about the Bugatti replica, and he casually stated, “I have one of those in my hangar.”

That reference did not compute with me until he said he flew airplanes and that he had built a Bugatti replica from Antique & Collectible Autos from Buffalo, New York. The car happened to be kept in his airplane hangar, and I asked if it might be for sale since it had been in storage for 12 years. He

N



Readers’ Rides

sent me a couple of pictures that summer and we dickered over the phone. He was going to spend the winter in Texas so negotiations dropped off. In March, I gave him a call and made a $2,500 offer for the car. He said he would sell it, and the rest is history.

Upon arriving home with the Bugatti, the work began. The body was in excellent shape, but the wheels were a mess. They are 1932 Ford wheels with two adapter plates to fit the VW hubs. I think every coat of paint that was ever on the wheels was flaking off. I had the wheels dipped in stripper and then sandblasted and powder coated.

The tires were also in terrible shape, so a new set from Coker Tire sized 5.50 x 18 with BFGoodrich logos were installed. I believe the cost of the rubber and refurbishing the wheels was my biggest single expense.

I got the 1,300 cc Type 1 started but had a real battle with mouse nests in the cylinder fins. Tweezers, picks and other tools were required to clear out the mess. With some help from my local VW guru, I got the motor running smoothly.

The next project involved the brakes. Upon taking the right rear wheel off the car, I found the brake lining had separated from the shoe. I checked with Mid America Motorworks for new shoes, and they said they were back ordered. But the 2007 VW Funfest was coming up and I really wanted to drive the Bugatti there.

With the engine in the rear, there’s

plenty of room under the hood for other

components. Currently, a 10-gallon gas

tank that fills though the radiator cap,

the battery, a set of metric wrenches

and 75 pounds of cast iron window

sash weights fill the space.

86


Readers’ Rides

sent me a couple of pictures that summer and we dickered over the phone. He was going to spend the winter in Texas so negotiations dropped off. In March, I gave him a call and made a $2,500 offer for the car. He said he would sell it, and the rest is history.

Upon arriving home with the Bugatti, the work began. The body was in excellent shape, but the wheels were a mess. They are 1932 Ford wheels with two adapter plates to fit the VW hubs. I think every coat of paint that was ever on the wheels was flaking off. I had the wheels dipped in stripper and then sandblasted and powder coated.

The tires were also in terrible shape, so a new set from Coker Tire sized 5.50 x 18 with BFGoodrich logos were installed. I believe the cost of the rubber and refurbishing the wheels was my biggest single expense.

I got the 1,300 cc Type 1 started but had a real battle with mouse nests in the cylinder fins. Tweezers, picks and other tools were required to clear out the mess. With some help from my local VW guru, I got the motor running smoothly.

The next project involved the brakes. Upon taking the right rear wheel off the car, I found the brake lining had separated from the shoe. I checked with Mid America Motorworks for new shoes, and they said they were back ordered. But the 2007 VW Funfest was coming up and I really wanted to drive the Bugatti there.

With the engine in the rear, there’s

plenty of room under the hood for other

components. Currently, a 10-gallon gas

tank that fills though the radiator cap,

the battery, a set of metric wrenches

and 75 pounds of cast iron window

sash weights fill the space.

Fortunately, after replacing the brakes on my Beetle convertible, I had saved the old shoes. But they were wider than the 1965 brake shoes on the chassis used to make the replica. I managed to pry the lining off of one of the wider shoes and grind it down to the proper width. I then glued it on to the shoe with super glue. I drove the car to the VW Funfest with my fingers crossed.

The repair held fine until I was on my way home and a fellow on a motorcycle pulled out of a gas station and stalled the bike in my lane. I hit the brakes hard and the pedal went to the floor. I managed to avoid a collision, but I now had no brakes at all. I managed to ease the car the 5 miles or so home without incident. I eventually replaced every component of the brake system. Later on, new plugs, wires, an electronic distributor and other incidental components were installed.

The only modifications to the exterior of the car are the fake muffler and header, made of PVC pipe and flexible electrical conduit. There’s also the parking/emergency brake that looks suspiciously like a breaker bar, and the right-hand brake light that is fabricated from PVC pipe. I also had the body rolled off and floorboards cut down.

The international decals were all on the car when I bought it. I suppose I could drive the car from Paris, Illinois, to Rome Township, near Peoria, to make the decals on the hood ring true though.

All of the dashboard gauges are functional except the switch for slippery road/dry road. The previous owner told me his daughter had bought the switch at a f lea market and he put it in the dash. The center cluster is from a very early Buick, and the oil pressure and amp gauge work.

The gas gauge is correct to the amount of fuel in the tank — but only after I installed the original VW chain-pull sending unit into a 10-gallon air tank converted to a fuel tank. The original VW tank leaked around the spigot fitting, and no amount of brazing would fix it.

The Type 35B Bugatti

body’s distinctive tapered

lines frequently get a

thumbs-up from onlookers.


Another interesting challenge was the speedometer, as it read about 38 mph when the car was running 55 mph. To make it accurate, I devised a miniature pulley system for the back of the speedometer with 1-inch and 3/4-inch pulleys turned from brass, with an O-ring used for a belt.

After driving the car for a couple of years, I came across a 1972 1,600 cc engine on a trailer at a VW swap meet that appeared to be locked up. It was complete with a 12-volt generator, exhaust pipes and carburetor. The price was $75, and I bought it as I was planning to rebuild it anyway.

When I got it home, I found it was not locked up after all, just stuck because of slight rust on cylinder walls. I went ahead and bought an overhaul kit from Mid America Motorworks to make sure it would run well. The kit consisted of new cylinder jugs, rods, pistons and rebuilt heads. Since I had never worked on VW engines, I asked my guru to handle the rebuild, which only cost me $120 (including line-boring the block and installing new bearings).

The exhaust system that the original builder installed had the pipes reversed, so the exhaust ran toward the front of the engine. Then, the two pipes dumped into a 2.5-inch pipe coming out on the right side of the back of the car. The system had a sound all of its own, nothing like a VW.

I liked that sound and the idea, but the pipes were bent in a series of short bends with some restrictions. I bought four J-tubes and constructed a cleaner set of bends that ran forward as well. There is no muffler in the system, but the good sound is still there. I enclosed the pipes with heat-resistant wrap for looks.

I don’t drive the car as much as I used to after 12 years, but I do drive it to the coffee shop and around town. I also drive it 50 miles or so to car shows, but trailer it to shows farther away.

One event I took it to was the Illinois Secretary of State’s car show held all around the state capitol in Springfield. The first two or three years, I entered in the show-only class. There is a class for race cars, but they are supposed to be in the trim that they raced in and I was afraid somebody would file protest.

Again the VW Funfest came to the rescue. They hold a slow-speed slalom race that I entered and won my class. I took the winning plaque along with me to prove I had raced it, and as a result, last year I won Best in Class at the Springfield show.

I don’t get too excited about things being less than perfect on the car. As a fellow car enthusiast put it nicely one day, “That car has a certain patina to it.” Along with some panache too.


Readers’ Rides

Owner/restorer Lyle Kruger

relishes driving his Bugatti

replica to various events.

88

Another interesting challenge was the speedometer, as it read about 38 mph when the car was running 55 mph. To make it accurate, I devised a miniature pulley system for the back of the speedometer with 1-inch and 3/4-inch pulleys turned from brass, with an O-ring used for a belt.

After driving the car for a couple of years, I came across a 1972 1,600 cc engine on a trailer at a VW swap meet that appeared to be locked up. It was complete with a 12-volt generator, exhaust pipes and carburetor. The price was $75, and I bought it as I was planning to rebuild it anyway.

When I got it home, I found it was not locked up after all, just stuck because of slight rust on cylinder walls. I went ahead and bought an overhaul kit from Mid America Motorworks to make sure it would run well. The kit consisted of new cylinder jugs, rods, pistons and rebuilt heads. Since I had never worked on VW engines, I asked my guru to handle the rebuild, which only cost me $120 (including line-boring the block and installing new bearings).

The exhaust system that the original builder installed had the pipes reversed, so the exhaust ran toward the front of the engine. Then, the two pipes dumped into a 2.5-inch pipe coming out on the right side of the back of the car. The system had a sound all of its own, nothing like a VW.

I liked that sound and the idea, but the pipes were bent in a series of short bends with some restrictions. I bought four J-tubes and constructed a cleaner set of bends that ran forward as well. There is no muffler in the system, but the good sound is still there. I enclosed the pipes with heat-resistant wrap for looks.

I don’t drive the car as much as I used to after 12 years, but I do drive it to the coffee shop and around town. I also drive it 50 miles or so to car shows, but trailer it to shows farther away.

One event I took it to was the Illinois Secretary of State’s car show held all around the state capitol in Springfield. The first two or three years, I entered in the show-only class. There is a class for race cars, but they are supposed to be in the trim that they raced in and I was afraid somebody would file protest.

Again the VW Funfest came to the rescue. They hold a slow-speed slalom race that I entered and won my class. I took the winning plaque along with me to prove I had raced it, and as a result, last year I won Best in Class at the Springfield show.

I don’t get too excited about things being less than perfect on the car. As a fellow car enthusiast put it nicely one day, “That car has a certain patina to it.” Along with some panache too.


Readers’ Rides

Owner/restorer Lyle Kruger

relishes driving his Bugatti

replica to various events.

VENDORSAntique & Collectible Autos Inc.800-245-1310www.acautos.com

Coker Tire866-516-3215www.cokertire.com

After driving the car for a couple of years,

the owner came across a 1972 1,600 cc VW

engine at a swap meet for just $75.


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$59,995 base price of each car outfitted with nearly $20,000 in options including parking brake, front and rear lift assist, V8 Graziano, and more. Invoices available to show all options. Brand new Michelin Pilot Sport tires ($1,750). MSRP $82,000 not including tires or shipping. Two to choose from - white gel with silver powder coated wheels or grey gel with black powder coated wheels.

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