People love the look of old cars, but one thing they don’t love is the handling. While muscle cars like the Chevelle were big on power, their handling and braking are vastly outperformed by today’s modern cars. Upgrading these components can do a lot to improve the driveability and safety of a classic car.
There is a distinction between bolting on some parts from a catalog and making them yourself. With this 1964 Chevelle, they chose the latter.
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
The Ultimate Street Car Invitational is an annual shootout put together by Optima Batteries, where drivers can put their street-legal cars to the test. It’s no surprise that many of the contestants are performance cars such as Mustangs, Camaros, and Corvettes. These cars are widely supported with many aftermarket and performance parts available. In this way, Robert Jackson’s 1967 Volvo Amazon truly stands out from the crowd!
With a car like this, there is next to no aftermarket support in terms of performance. If you want to change suspension parts or build up the motor, you will find yourself making a lot of custom brackets and adapters, drilling and modifying parts to fit, and other issues that most people would rather not deal with. Continue reading
Nothing says hot rodding like a tri-five Chevy! This beautiful blue ’55 Nomad was on display at SEMA 2014, and it really caught my eye. This car was put together by Salvaggio Auto Design in Port Washington, WI.
This is one big, bold, and blue ride. It features a Chevrolet LS engine from Mercury Racing and a Bowler 4L80E automatic transmission. Continue reading
Along with the 1965 Fairlane, this was the other car from SEMA 2014 that really tickled my fancy. This impossibly clean 1959 El Camino was a blast from the past and made me think of drive-in movies, soda fountains, and taking your sweetheart up to “make-out point.”
1959 was the first year for the El Camino, and just 22,246 were built in the initial year. It was a unique type of vehicle that combined the comfort and handling of a car with the utility of a compact pickup truck.
This amazing vehicle was given a concours-quality restoration by Hot Rods & Custom Stuff in Escondido, CA. Like many hot rods these days, the car wasn’t just restored, it has been resto-modded to be better than when it was new.
I spotted this 1966 Ford Mustang at the Trick Flow booth at SEMA 2014. Nicknamed the KSV9000, it was built by Chris Slee of Kiwi Classics and Customs in Franklin, TN.
Chris is a former New Zealander who has relocated to Tennessee to tinker with building custom cars and projects. The KSV9000 blends classic muscle car styling with modern performance.
