Author Archives: Trevor Freeman

About Trevor Freeman

Trevor is a real gearhead who loves everything from classic American muscle cars to high-performance exotics. When he's not reading about cars or taking photos at a car show, he's probably out cruising around. He is currently working on restoring a 1980 Chevrolet Monza hatchback.

Zap Xebra 3 Wheel Electric Vehicle

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Because of its black and white stripe pattern, the zebra is one of nature’s most recognizable animals. Along those same lines, the Zap Xebra is a very recognizable car. Can you guess why?

No, it’s not an optical illusion. This is a 3-wheeled passenger car with the single wheel in front. But wait, it gets better! The Zap Xebra is an all-electric car manufactured in China! You can imagine my complete and utter surprise when I spotted this one silently humming around in Glendale, Arizona.

With a price of just $12,000 brand new, Zap had the market cornered on affordability (and unusual looks). However, at that price point there must have been some compromises in quality. According to several websites I found, some of the cars were made of fiberglass while others were made of steel. None of them ever came with airbags.

The range is an estimated 40 miles at 40 mph, so it can’t go on the highway. The driver must have been pretty close to home at the time I spotted him.

These cars were only produced from 2006 to 2009. I wasn’t able to get a photo of the front, but it has this crazy third headlight in the center that gives the car a very “mouse-like” appearance. Whether you like it or hate it, this is definitely not a car you see every day!

N2A Motors 789 Shakes Things Up

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If cars were drinks, I think that a Corvette would be a glass of single malt scotch. It is a timeless classic that subscribes to the theory of “beauty in simplicity.” Although the package it comes in changes from year to year, the process remains the same: a Corvette always looks like a Corvette.

However, not everyone likes scotch. For some it is too boring, too old fashioned. For these people, trendy cocktails and mixed drinks are en vogue. What about adding a retro twist to the modern sports car? Start with a glass of C6 Corvette and add a shot of ’57 Chevy front end, a shot of ’58 Impala, and a dash of ’59 tailfins. Shake it all up and what do you get? The N2A Motors 789. Continue reading →

1964 Citroen DS with Custom V8 LS1 Swap

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It’s not often that you hear the words “Citroen” and “high performance” in the same sentence. The DS pictured above is most famously known for its unique styling and many technological advancements which were ahead of its time. However, there’s something special about the DS pictured above. I’ll see if you can guess what it is.

The Citroen DS was originally a front-wheel drive car, but this particular model has been converted to rear-wheel drive and its four-cylinder engine has been replaced with a Chevrolet LS1 V8 engine.

This particular car is the only known V8, rear-drive DS in existence. It was built in 2006 by Hot Rod builder Kevin Bradley’s Kreations Auto Body in Northern California. Besides the engine, the car also features an Art Morrison G-Max chassis, Wilwood brakes, and Billet Specialties wheels. The car crossed the auction block at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2011 for just $49,500.

According to the Barrett-Jackson website, the car was displayed at the 2006 SEMA show and has also been featured in the March 2007 issue of Hot Rod magazine. I ran across this blue beauty at Cars and Coffee in Scottsdale, Arizona in February 2012.

In essence, this car combines French design with American muscle in a unique combination that has both “show” and “go.” You can visit the Kreations Auto Body website for a slide show of build photos.

UPDATE: Well as it turns out, this car was built for rock legend Alice Cooper. It was listed on eBay in September 2013 with a reserve price of $115,000. The eBay listing provided a wealth of additional information, including the build cost for this one-of-a-kind car: over $300,000! The car also features:

  • 400HP LS1 crate motor
  • Automatic transmission
  • Full custom roll cage
  • Rear wheel drive
  • Fully adjustable upgraded independent suspension
  • Interior features custom grey leather interior, dash gauges, LED lighting, stereo plus more
  • Art Morrison chassis
  • Performance Wilwood disc brakes
  • Power steering
  • Exterior custom paint is Volvo 457 Flash Green with white pearl accents
  • Mustang II geometry front suspension and four link rear suspension
  • Alden shocks
  • Custom Billet Specialties chrome wheels
  • New AC and heat

Also included in the auction were an autographed guitar and tour photo, 2 tickets to Alice Cooper’s holiday Christmas Pudding show, and the opportunity to play a round of golf with him. The auction ended at $83,400 and the reserve price was not met.

Classic Tiffany Is Remarkably Un-Classy

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Are you a crazy old woman from England? Have you ever thought about making a coat out of dalmatian puppies? If so, we’ve got the perfect car for you!

What you are looking at is a Classic Tiffany, although it is often mistaken for an Excalibur or Clenet. This car began life as a seventh-gen Mercury Cougar and was transformed into this, um, interesting creation by Classic Motor Cars in Florida. It was not a kit car, but was coach built by CMC as a replica of a 1929 Mercedes-Benz SSK roadster. Continue reading →

Chevrolet Silverado Tailgate Mural

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For most people, a vehicle is something that you depend on to get where you are going. To this driver, it is a blank canvas for his artistic dreams. Let’s take a look at what we have here: on the surface it’s a run-of-the-mill white Chevrolet Silverado truck, at least until you get to the tailgate.

Then, we have this full color airbrushed scenario with a picture of the truck itself descending from the mountains into what appears to be a Spanish-style village. Because this is a full-size truck, it is naturally larger than the mountains and rivers. For some reason, Our Lady of Guadalupe floats in the sky off to the right.

You’ve gotta hand it to this guy for originality in coming up with this ridiculous scene where nothing is to scale, but I can think of about a hundred other things he could have spent the money on that might have actually improved his truck in some way.