SEMA 2014: 1968 Chevelle ‘Blue Eyed Devil’

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Trevor Freeman

It was late afternoon on the last day of the SEMA 2014 show. My feet were tired and I was looking forward to heading back to the hotel. I had spent all day looking at hundreds of custom cars and I was sure that after seeing all of these amazing rides, there was little else that could impress me that day. Well, I was wrong.

Outside of the Central Hall I took a walk past the Magnaflow Exhaust booth and spotted this gorgeous blue 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle. The combination of blue with nickel-plated chrome really grabbed my attention and I spent a few moments admiring the car. This Chevelle belongs to Steve Edling and was built by Pin Did It in Corona, CA. Continue reading →

SEMA 2014: Dan Duffy’s 1956 Chevrolet 210 Post

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Trevor Freeman

The tri-five Chevrolets of 1955, 1956, and 1957 are some of the most loved cars by collectors and hot rodders. The Belair is the most famous, but it’s closely related to the 210, which is what we see here.

This completely customized Chevrolet 210 belongs to Dan Duffy of Marietta, GA. Dan’s friend Tom Manner did the body work, but completing the car required help from other experts. The paint was done by Thunder Valley Customs in White, Georgia and the interior was restored by M&M Hot Rods in Holly Pond, Alabama.

Like many hot rodders, Dan has opted to do a resto-mod with an old body and brand-new everything else. The tired old frame has been replaced by a cutting-edge Art Morrison chassis with an AME front suspension and a four-link in the rear. With antiroll bars, Strange adjustable coilovers, and Baer disc brakes, this car drives and stops like a much newer vehicle. Continue reading →

SEMA 2014: Radial Engine Swapped Chevy Truck

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Trevor Freeman

The idea of putting an airplane engine into a car is certainly not new. The guys from Blastolene have done it, and there was an episode of Top Gear where Jeremy Clarkson recreated the Battle of Britain with two larger-than-life airplane-powered vehicles (a 27-liter Spitfire-engined Bentley and “Brutus,” 46-liter BMW aircraft-engined custom build).

However, this enterprising hot rodder has put a completely new spin on the idea of an aircraft-engine swap into an automobile. What we have here is a 1967 Chevrolet C10 pickup with a radial engine which looks completely wild!
Continue reading →

SEMA 2014: Ringbrothers 1966 Chevelle ‘Recoil’

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Trevor Freeman

One of my favorite custom car builders are the Ringbrothers (Mike and Jim). I’ve featured their work on this site in the past, including the Mustang Mach1 “Dragon” and the Blizzard Mustang. Taking a break from their usual Fords, they recently wrapped up the build of this 1966 Chevelle nicknamed “Recoil.”

Even among a convention center full of custom cars, this one really stands out. For one thing, the car has no carpet at all. In fact there’s almost nothing soft abou the interior, save for the “seats.” The seats look like a cross between a fighter jet and some kind of bizarre 18th century medical device. Whereas most car guys would bolt in a nice set of Recaros or Corbeaus, these guys completely custom fabricated their own seats – which I think are one of the most interesting parts of the car. It’s the Ringbrothers’ attention to details that really puts them in a league of their own. Continue reading →

SEMA 2014: Steve Tornari’s 1967 Chevy Nova

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Trevor Freeman

Meguiar’s is like the hotshot director of Hollywood in that they only invite A-list cars to their parties. This year was no exception, with Steve Tornari’s 1967 Chevrolet Nova taking center stage at the Meguiar’s booth.

This ’67 Nova was the GoodGuys Custom Street Machine of the Year for 2014, a Top 5 Finalist in the Barrett-Jackson Cup, and a Great 8 Finalist in the 2014 Detroit Autorama. Those are some extremely prestigious honors for a car!
Continue reading →

SEMA 2014: 1965 Mercury Comet R Racer

Posted on August 7, 2015 by Trevor Freeman

This car began its life as a 1965 Mercury Comet Caliente – the souped up version of the Ford Falcon. That was before the guys at Hot Rod Chassis and Cycle transformed this sizzling car into a Trans Am-inspired street machine!

The “Craftsman Comet” made its debut at SEMA 2014 at the Craftsman Tools/Stewart Warner booth. It features a Roush 427R motor with a Hillborn EFI stack and a Holley computer. This period-correct setup would have been on a high-performance race car of the day. The engine is coupled to a Hurst Driveline Tremec T-56 six-speed transmission with a Moser engineering rear end. Continue reading →

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