It’s been a while since we’ve visited the Pavilions in Scottsdale, so we were curious what would show up. The weather was gorgeous—unseasonably warm, even for metro Phoenix—and the cars were trickling in for the afternoon, as later in the day the cruise tends to fill. My friend Carl, a Manitoban who spends a month as a snowbird every year, spotted a 1966 Oldsmobile Starfire pulling in. We walked up as the owner was parking and noticed it had a four-speed transmission.
Having been involved in the Olds world, I know 1966 was the final year for a four-speed in a full-size Oldsmobile, and I know any is quite rare. Production data for transmissions are somewhat wonky for these cars, but it’s possible (though undocumented) that 277 Starfires were built with a four-speed in 1966. That’s quite generous considering how rare they are today.
Among GM full-size four-speeds, Buick last offered it in 1965, Pontiac in 1968, and Chevrolet in 1969. I believe they all used the M20 wide-ratio transmission except Chevrolet, which offered M21 close-ratio and M22 “Rock Crusher” towards the end.
According to owner Jim Schultz, this Starfire was originally ordered by Dave Stewart at Neal Hurt Chevrolet-Cadillac-Oldsmobile in Prescott, Arizona. Dave had interesting views of automotive engineering at the time, so he spec’d out this Starfire without power steering or power brakes, in addition to the four-speed. Can you imagine driving a 375-horsepower full-size Olds with a four-speed and no power options? Yet that’s how it was ordered. “Stopping is challenging so your rocket launching has to be somewhat planned for stopping with manual drum brakes,” says Jim. The original color was Lucerne Mist metallic, which is slightly different than what you see here, a vintage Earl Scheib job that was on the car when Jim bought it in 1994.
Interestingly, there’s an even more unusual full-size 1966 Olds with a four-speed in the Valley: a white Delta 88 four-door that can often be found at local events.
Arizona has become an epicenter of classic-car activity in the southwest region as the Kyusha Club continues to build momentum with its regularly scheduled meetups. The club (which in reality is much more informal than sounds – there are no dues or board meetings) is geared toward 2005-and-older European and Japanese import vehicles.
Here are 10 vehicles that caught my eye during the March 2025 event, in order of oldest-to-newest model year.
1985 Toyota Celica GT-S
Part of the A60 generation of compact sports cars, the rear-wheel drive Celica’s boxy lines and retractable headlights made it unmistakably ’80s. It could be optioned as a notchback coupe or as a liftback (an American Sunroof Company/ASC convertible version came in limited numbers toward the end of the generation). Power came from a 2.4-liter inline-four (dubbed the 22R-E) that was rated at 116 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque.
1995 BMW 840Ci
The legendary E31 chassis of the 8-Series became widely known for its “personal luxury” merits – it was a car that cost about $68,000 in the mid-1990s and was hailed as a top-rank executive ride. It was powered by a 282-horsepower 4.0-liter V8 mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. As one would expect from a car of this caliber, it came loaded with creature comforts like leather, a Dolby audio system, a moonroof and automatic climate control.
1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT SL
The sporty 3000GT, known as the GTO in Japan, was a 2+2 that was touted for its blend of performance and comfort. It was powered by a 3.0-liter DOHC V6 rated at 222 horsepower and 205 lb-ft of torque. A more powerful version, the VR-4, was available with all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering and a twin-turbocharged engine. Today, the 3000GT is widely considered a future collectible.
1997 BMW 740iL
Another one of BMW’s “greats” from the 1990s was its flagship sedan, the 7-Series. The “L” in the car’s model name meant that it was configured as a long-wheelbase version (offering added cabin space for maximum touring comfort). Power came from a 282-horsepower 4.4-liter V8, and standard features included dual-zone climate control, memory seats and a six-disc CD changer. For the high-rollers with even more money to burn, the car could be ordered with an integrated cellular phone and thicker window glass.
1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX Turbo
Mitsubishi was on a roll in the 1990s with its sports car lineup. The baby brother to the 3000GT mentioned above was the second-generation Eclipse. In particular, the GSX variant was a home run with young people who embraced the import tuner movement. It came with a “4G63” turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, all-wheel drive and five-speed manual transmission. Some versions of the Eclipse were badge-engineered under the names Plymouth Laser and Eagle Talon.
1999 Honda Civic Si
Widely loved as a compact economy car for commuters, the sixth-generation Civic was offered in a “sleeper” variant that packed a punch under its hood. The “Si” version came with a high-revving 1.6-liter DOHC VTEC inline-four and a number of other performance enhancements like larger anti-roll bars, stiffer springs and a front strut tower brace. For $17,860, it was a well-equipped and fun-to-drive car – and today, it’s increasingly tough to find an Si that hasn’t been modified.
2000 Mercedes-Benz C280
The “W202” chassis C-Class was a compact executive car that ran from 1994 through 2000. It was a gateway model to the brand, offering the exclusivity of a German luxury car with a price tag that didn’t break the budget. Power came from a 2.8-liter inline-six that was rated at 194 horsepower. I enjoyed the sleek black color of this example along with its iconic “Monoblock” five-spoke chrome wheels. The W202 was a strong performer at the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) sports car racing series in the 1990s.
2002 Lexus IS300 SportCross
The IS300 sport sedan is now considered a classic, and one of the versions of the IS that made it so popular was the station wagon – dubbed the SportCross. It offered the same fun factor as the sedan via its sporty handling and peppy 215-horsepower inline-six 3.0-liter motor, but it also offered more than double the cargo capacity of the sedan (21.9 cubic feet, to be exact). Finished in Indigo Ink Pearl, the most impressive thing about this car was the trailer it had in tow. As if the wagon itself didn’t have enough space already – this solution took it to another level!
2003 Acura NSX-T
Acura’s aluminum-bodied, mid-engined sports car existed in its first generation from 1991 through 2005, although there were some key engineering and aesthetic revisions made throughout that 15-year span. For 2002, the NSX received fixed projector headlights in place of the original pop-ups. It was powered by a 3.2-liter V6 that was rated at 290 horsepower. According to production numbers published on the NSX Prime forums, the car was one of just 22 units produced in Spa Yellow over Ebony with a manual transmission for 2003.
2004 Jaguar XJR
When it came to high-performance luxury, the XJR was a force to be reckoned with. Its 390-horsepower 4.2-liter supercharged V8 could propel the car to 60 mph in about five seconds. Jaguar engineers worked hard to make the XJR both sporty and comfortable. It came with leather and wood trim, a 320-watt Alpine stereo and heated seats. I loved the deep Emerald Green color on this example, as well as its later-model split-spoke aluminum wheels.
Do any of these rides catch your eye like they did mine? Or better yet – have you ever owned any of the above? If so, lucky you! Stay tuned for more coverage from the Kyusha Club and other events as Arizona summer heats up.
Currently listed on AutoHunter is this 1995 Chevrolet Corvette coupe. It’s powered by the legendary LT1 5.7-liter V8, which is connected to a six-speed manual gearbox. Finished in Torch Red and equipped with a body-color removable roof panel over a Black leather interior, this C4 Vette comes from the private seller in California with the owner’s booklet, the original window sticker, clean CARFAX report, and clear title.
The Torch Red exterior features fog lamps, pop-up headlights, heated power mirrors, a body-color fiberglass removable roof panel, a lift-up glass rear hatch, and dual exhaust outlets.
This Corvette rides on a set of 17-inch factory wheels wrapped in 255/45 front and 285/40 rear Continental ExtremeContact tires.
Inside the cockpit is a pair of Black leather bucket seats. Surrounding features include power windows and locks, power steering, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and cruise control. As the window sticker shows, Corvette Preferred Equipment Group #1 adds a six-way power driver seat, electronic air conditioning, and Delco/Bose AM/FM/CD/cassette stereo.
Instrumentation consists of a digital speedometer, digital fuel gauge, 6,000-rpm tachometer, and readouts for the oil pressure, oil temperature, temperature, and voltage. The digital speedometer shows 85,346 miles. The CARFAX report’s latest mileage figure from August 2024 is 85,050 miles.
This Corvette’s massive hood tilts forward to reveal an LT1 5.7-liter V8 with Sequential-Port Fuel Injection. At the factory, it was rated at 300 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 340 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. A six-speed manual gearbox transfers the engine’s output to the Acceleration Slip Regulation (ASR) rear axle.
Suspension hardware includes an independent front and five-link independent rear setup. Four-wheel anti-lock power disc brakes help bring this Corvette to a stop.
If you want to win this modern classic sports car, startbidding. The auction for this 1995 Chevrolet Corvette coupe ends on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. (PDT).
In the world of racing, it’s customary practice to certify equipment to certain standards as dictated by a racing authority. However, when it came to Trans-Am pony cars, it seems only the 1967-69 Camaro Z/28 and 1969-70 Boss 302 Mustang and Cougar Eliminator included an homologation-spec five-liter engine. Dodge’s (and Plymouth’s) Trans-Am racer for the street offered a 340, but it did feature an engine distinct from other 340s within the corporation’s portfolio. Our Pick of the Day is one of these unique production Trans-Am specials, a 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A. It’s listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Ramona, Oklahoma.
Dodge’s Challenger was brand-new for 1970. Before then, Dodge did not have a pony car in its portfolio. While sitting on the sidelines, observing the segment, Dodge benchmarked the Mercury Cougar. Why the Cougar? Because it was an upscale Mustang, and Dodge rightly thought producing a facsimile of the Barracuda made no sense. The Challenger offered a 110-inch wheelbase (two inches longer than the Barracuda’s), quad headlights, fancier interior, and a luxurious model to compete with the Cougar XR-7.
When the Challenger hit the market, it was able to tout vitals that outperformed its competition from General Motors and AMC in front headroom, rear legroom, and rear shoulder-room, with other metrics being competitive aside of seat height. Per the Roominess Index established by trade magazine Automotive News, the Challenger achieved a score of 260 inches—over 7 inches more than Mustang, 4.7 inches more than Camaro and Javelin, 4.4 inches more than Firebird, and 5.6 inches more than Cougar.
Challenger’s model lineup featured four models: Challenger, the luxurious Challenger SE, the performance-oriented Challenger R/T, and the cross-pollenated Challenger R/T-SE. The former two came standard with a 225ci “Slant Six” or 318 V8, with options for the 340, 383-2, and 383-4; the latter two started with the 383-4 and moved up to two versions of the 440 and the 426 Hemi. In March 1970, the Deputy package was introduced for the Challenger hardtop, a decontented coupe that added the availability of the 198 Slant Six.
Another package for the Challenger hardtop was introduced the following month: the T/A (for Trans/Am though Pontiac already had rights to the name). Code A53 cost over $800 on top of a Challenger V8 and gave you or required matte black side stripes, matte black fiberglass “Scat Scoop” hood with hood pins, ducktail rear spoiler, side-exit exhausts, rear-mounted antenna (when optioned), power front disc brakes, remote driver-side racing mirror, quick-open fuel filler cap, and collapsible spare tire. An optional quick-ratio 12:1 steering box was a T/A exclusive.
Two aspects of the 340 engine were different from conventional Challenger: Six Pack carburetion with aluminum intake, and internal mods that included four-bolt main bearing caps, special cylinder heads, and modified valvetrain. A four-speed or TorqueFlite automatic was required. 3.55 Sure-Grip gears were standard, with 3.91 being optional. Rally suspension (with front and rear stabilizer bars) and heavy-duty shock absorbers worked nicely in conjunction with special offset tires (E60-15s up front, G60-15s out back).
Despite the Challenger being a fancier companion to the Barracuda, it outsold the fishy pony car by a large margin. And the Challenger with the A53 package? Only 2,400 were built, with this 1970 Challenger T/A being one of a few painted in “FT6” Dark Bronze Metallic paint—the seller claims only 15 registered in Barry Washington’s T/A Registry. “This is not a restored car, rather a highly original example with one repaint [from the late-1980s],” according to the seller. “All the body panels appear to be original, as well as all of the glass.” The Tan vinyl interior is original, as is the headliner.
Seller adds, “This car is a completely numbers matching example. This includes the engine, tranny, title, door plate, cowling, and radiator support. The odometer shows 29,276 miles and is believed to be accurate.” A largely original racing-inspired homologation special in an unusual hue is a blue-chip muscle collectible, plus the seller has lowered the price to $95,000. Are you ready to join the Scat Pack?
This ’35 Ford is a steel-bodied pickup that was built over six years and completed around 2018. It rides on a custom frame with QA1 coilover suspension up front, rear air shocks, Cal Trac traction bars, rack-and-pinion steering, Wilwood front discs, and Dayton wire wheels, and the cab was chopped and repainted dark blue. A 302-based Ford Racing V8 was installed along with a five-speed Borg Warner manual and a Speedway 9″ Traction-Lok rear end, and the truck has headers, a custom dual exhaust system, an aluminum radiator, a walnut-lined bed, a tilt colum, and Procar by SCAT bucket seats. Acquired by the selling dealer in 2025, this hot rod pickup is now offered in Canada with a car cover, records, and Ontario registration.
The steel body was chopped 2″ according to the selling dealer, and it is mounted on a custom frame. There is a blemish on the roof.
The truck rides on a modified suspension with a Mustang II-style front end equipped with rack-and-pinion steering, QA1 coilover shocks, and Wilwood front disc brakes, and the leaf-sprung rear has lowering blocks, Cal Trac traction bars, air shocks, and Speedway 11″ drums.
The fenders are fiberglass and have been painted single-stage dark blue urethane to match the body, and the lights and glass were replaced. The bed is lined in walnut with polished runners.
Chromed 15″ Dayton wire wheels are mounted with staggered tires, and the rear BFGoodrich pair were purchased in 2025.
The seats are Procar by SCAT, and a body-color GM tilt column was installed along with a back-up camera system. The seller notes wrinkles and waves in the interior panels. The windshield tilts out.
VDO gauges were utilized with a GPS-linked speedometer, and the truck has been driven ~6k miles since completion of the build.
The 302-based is a Ford Racing 308ci V8 crate engine that has a Holley carburetor, MSD ignition, and JBA stainless-steel headers. The aluminum radiator is cooled by dual electric fans, and the truck has a custom stainless-steel dual exhaust system.
The build utilizes a Borg Warner five-speed manual and a hydraulic clutch, and the Traction-Lok 9″ rear end with 3.70 gears and 31-spline axles was sourced from Speedway.
Historical images are provided in the gallery.
The truck is registered by VIN C18U173 as stamped above. The registration serves as an ownership document in Ontario.
If you’re a regular reader, you may recall I am the announcer at the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race. After spending more than two decades up in a booth, I have seen folks come and go, but there are some that choose to linger—both racers and spectators. I’ve made many friends over the years.
Plenty of them are from Canada, which is a reasonable distance from Mid-Michigan Motorplex. In fact, metro Toronto is closer to the drag strip than the homes of many American participants. One of those Canadians is Bruno Beltrame, who’s been racing at PSMCDR for the better part of 20 years. His trusty Ram Air IV GTO would often upstage cars with more cubes, and eventually he roped in his son and daughter to race their RAIV Firebird and Camaro SS/RS.
Bruno now can consider himself a snowbird, spending the winter months in Florida while enjoying the solid-lifter tapping of this 1969 Camaro SS. Solid lifters, you ask? That means it’s an L78 rated at 375 horsepower, the top Super Sport engine. Additionally, owner number two added L89 aluminum heads—a nice bonus. This Camaro features most of its original paint plus the interior. Factory gears are 4.56 too, helping this Hugger dip into the low-12s on street tires thanks to maxing out many of the stock components.
Join Muscle Car Campy as he meets my Canadian friend at Hemmings’ Musclepalooza Southeast last week in Orlando. And if you dig this video, you’re really gonna dig Campy’s others.
I consider myself a stock kind of guy. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t occasionally daydream about certain engine swaps (however impossible they may be). Here are a few that have crossed my mind.
Believe it or not, one of my dream vehicles is a Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon. As a guy that largely grew up in the 1990s, I have a soft spot for its dad-in-a-family-friendly-movie aesthetics (especially now that I’m a father myself). The cushy interior with a column shifter is an appealing combination of comfort and yesteryear. The 260-horsepower LT1 V8 that joined the options list in 1994 makes the big-body longroof even more appealing.
(Photo courtesy of Chevrolet)
If I were to ever get one of these and swap out its engine, it would be a 1991-1993 pre-LT1 model. Power would, of course, be a consideration, but I wouldn’t care about quarter mile times or raw performance. I’d want a balance of potency and cruising range because family hauling was one of the things the Roadmaster Estate Wagon was made for, after all. I think a Duramax 3.0-liter turbodiesel I6 with 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque paired with a 10-speed automatic would provide plenty of both. Disneyland, here we come – on less than one tank!
Boy, did these look cool, especially in black. The Mercury Marauder combined the handsome looks and full-size presence of the Grand Marquis with the visual menace of high-performance car. It also had a DOHC 4.6-liter V8 with four-valve heads under the hood. While it was more powerful than the Grand Marquis, it barely crested the 300-horsepower mark. Some extra grunt would make the Marauder as badass as it looks.
(Photo courtesy of Ford Heritage Vault)
Initially, I thought a Gen 4 Coyote 5.0-liter V8 would be the way to go. It would certainly be a huge boost in output to 480 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque and would pair well with a modern 10-speed auto, but then I got another idea. How about keep the upgraded engine within the Marauder’s time period while still increasing the bruiser cruiser’s stats? Find an ’03-’04 “Terminator” Mustang SVT Cobra that was hit from behind, pull out the supercharged 4.6, and boom – 390 horsepower and 390 lb-ft.
Several years ago, I reviewed one of these sleek wagons. Aside from being easy on the eyes, it was nicely equipped and comfortable. You may think this is where I’m going to say its engine was a letdown, but it wasn’t. Routed through all-wheel drive, the supercharged 3.0-liter V6’s 380 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque were more than satisfying. My problem was with the engine’s sound – actually, the lack of it. As I put it back in 2018, “The little sound that made its way from the dual rear pipes into the cabin was faint and made me imagine a moon colonizer’s vacuum cleaner in the year 3046.”
(Photo courtesy of Jaguar)
Fortunately, Jaguar made its own solution to that problem: a 5.0-liter V8. Any of the supercharged engines from the Jaguar F-Type – whether it pumps out 495, 550, or 575 horsepower – would make the Jag wagon more ferocious and give it one hell of a roar.
If you have a dream engine swap in mind or one that you’ve made already, tell us about it in the Comments section below.
I really love the 1971-1973 Mustang Sportsroof. With the right engine, it was a strong performance car with crazy styling mixed with increased comfort. I like to think of these as true GT cars that offer comfort, cool styling, and performance that would make a high-speed cross-country trip easy and fun. As a result, when one of these comes up on AutoHunter, I try to jump on it to promote it. If it is one of the more rare versions of the Sportsroof, then I am even more inclined to feature it. That’s why today’s AutoHunter Spotlight car is a 1972 Ford Mustang Sportsroof Sprint.
The keyword is Sprint. To commemorate the 1972 Olympics, Ford created a special option for the Mustang called the Sprint edition. The A option group included special red, white, and blue exterior paint, USA graphics on the rear quarter panels, accent stripes, a color-keyed front bumper, a color-keyed tail panel with accent stripe, color-keyed wheel covers with trim rings, hood stripes, vinyl bucket seats with white bolsters and blue cloth inserts, color-keyed racing mirrors, and E70x14 whitewall bias-ply tires. Option B added everything from group A plus a competition suspension, F60x15 raised-white-letter tires, and Magnum 500 wheels.
Yes, this 1972 Mustang Sportsroof Sprint is now wearing white paint with black stripes. That being said, it is a real 1972 Sprint, according to the included Marti Report. The document also states that this car is a real A-code Mustang Sportsroof Sprint that was equipped with a 351ci V8 with a two-barrel carb and an automatic transmission.
The exterior of this Mustang appears to be in good shape, although it is missing its blue stripes and accents. If I bought this car, I might consider bringing it back to its correct exterior color scheme.
The interior has also been changed. The vinyl bucket seats now have standard black vinyl seat covers. I would definitely replace those with the correct Sprint covers, as they are available for less than $1,000. The white door cards are correct (and I am guessing original). The black armrests are not, but they are easily replaceable. I would also replace the black carpeting with the correct blue carpeting because it looks really cool.
Under the hood is a Ford 351ci V8 with a Holley four-barrel carburetor, an aftermarket aluminum intake manifold, an aftermarket air cleaner, MSD ignition, and Ford Racing aluminum valve covers. I would probably leave this alone, with the exception of the air cleaner. I would also ask the seller if the engine is original to this car to properly set my high bid number. If it is the original engine block, then the value goes up.
These Mustang Sprints are really neat cars and stand out in their original livery. I remember seeing them in dealers as a kid and thinking they looked cool. I saw another one (a convertible) about 15 years ago at a Barrett-Jackson auction and loved the color scheme.
Yes, this car is not in its original color scheme and it has had some modifications done over the years. This is pretty normal for a car as old as this Mustang. Also, it is good to remember that for several years, 1971-1973 Mustangs were not seen as top collector cars. That has changed over the past five years or so. These cars are also rare, with a total of only 9,383 Mustang Sprint cars built. Of those, only 1,908 were Sportsroof option A cars. Among all SportsRoof Sprint cars, only 1,471 were equipped with the two-barrel 351 V8 like this one was. To me, this car is worth a bid or two to get a cool and rare Mustang that you can enjoy as you gradually bring it back to what it looked like originally. If you feel the same way, I would advise you to place your bid soon because the auction for this 1972 Ford Mustang Sportsroof Sprint ends on Monday, March 31, 2025, at 11:15 a.m. (PDT).
When you have the money to buy a new vehicle you’re interested in, there are two basic ways you can go: go out and purchase it or, depending on where it is in its product lifecycle, wait until the updated version or a completely new generation. In the 1980s, those who waited to pull the trigger on a Bentley Mulsanne Turbo were rewarded with the Turbo R. One of those from later in the model run, a 1990 Bentley Turbo R posted on ClassicCars.com by a New York dealership, just happens to be our Pick of the Day.
According to The Spirit, the official magazine of the Roll-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club SZ Register, “The Mulsanne Turbo was a quick, comfortable car and the model would herald the start of the Bentley revival. The main objection customers (and the press) had to the Mulsanne Turbo concerned its soft ride and road holding, which were not considered a match for its performance. The factory decided to overcome this problem by offering a handling package.”
Bentley’s response was the 1985 Turbo R. Although some say the “R” stood for “Roadholding,” Bentley states “this was never officially confirmed.” It kept the same 298-horsepower turbocharged 6.75-liter V8 its predecessor had, but paired that with a significantly altered suspension. Engineering Director Mike Dunn and his team gave the Turbo R 50 percent greater roll stiffness by fitting it with 100 percent stiffer front and 60 percent stiffer rear anti-roll bars, firmer shocks, and a rear Panhard rod. A deeper front air dam that provided seven percent less drag and 15 percent less lift helped keep the big Bentley stable at high speeds. Bentley updated the Turbo R with anti-lock brakes and fuel injection in 1987. By 1994, it was time for the Turbo R to evolve into yet another model.
As a 1990 model, the Turbo R you see here has those enhancements as well as an undeniable flair. Bentleys of this time period were essentially a three-box design. Yes, they were handsome, but because they had so few curves, they were also visually conservative, especially in low-key colors such as black or dark blue. Whoever originally configured this particular Turbo R in St. James Red didn’t want it to fly under the radar – he or she wanted people to see their British ultra-luxury sedan and know who was driving it.
There’s more red inside the cabin, which is full of leather, wood, and metal, but that’s tempered by the cream hides used on the seats and door panels. Luxury amenities include power windows, cruise control, upper and lower climate zones, and a Pioneer head unit with a retractable touchscreen. The column-mounted shifter for the GM THM400 three-speed automatic leaves room on the center console for the power, memory, and heating controls for the front seats.
If you wanted to buy a Bentley Turbo R back in the day but missed your chance for some reason, why wait any longer? You don’t have to. You can buy this 1990 Bentley Turbo R right now for $33,900.
This 1946 Ford coupe was the subject of a custom build approximately two decades ago that included the installation of a 454ci V8 paired with a TH400 three-speed automatic transmission. The roof was chopped, the car was nosed and decked, the rear-hinged doors were shaved, a one-piece windshield was installed, and the car was painted black during the build, which also included customizing the interior with black and gray leather upholstery, a center console, a tilting steering column, AutoMeter gauges, and a touchscreen stereo with Bluetooth connectivity. The rear wheel tubs were widened to accommodate 31×16.5″ rear tires, and the chassis was modified with tubular front control arms, a rear four-link assembly, Ridetech coilovers, rack-and-pinion steering, and four-wheel disc brakes. This Ford street rod was acquired by the selling dealer in 2024 and is now offered with a clean New Mexico title.
The body was finished in black during the build completed in 2003 following modifications that included a 5″ roof chop. The car was nosed and decked, the doors were shaved and converted to rear hinges, the headlights were frenched, and a one-piece windshield was installed along with electric door poppers, tinted glass, and flush-mounted taillights. A sunroof was added to the roof and is believed to be removable, though the seller has never opened it. Cracks and other blemishes in the finish are pictured in the gallery below.
The car rides on tubular front control arms, a four-link rear suspension setup, and Ridetech adjustable coilovers at all four corners. It is equipped with power rack-and-pinion steering, four-wheel disc brakes with drilled and slotted rotors, and polished 16″ Boyds wheels wrapped in 26×7.5″ front and 31×16.5″ rear Hoosier Pro Street tires.
The custom interior houses bolstered low-back bucket seats upholstered in black leather with gray inserts along with coordinated door panels and a fabricated rear package tray. The center console has a storage compartment and houses a floor shifter as well as controls for the power windows. Additional equipment includes a billet steering wheel mounted to a chrome tilting column as well as a Dual touchscreen stereo unit with Bluetooth connectivity.
AutoMeter Phantom gauges are mounted in a custom instrument panel and consist of a 120-mph speedometer, a tachometer, and gauges for water temperature, fuel pressure, oil pressure, voltage, fuel level, and transmission temperature. The five digit odometer shows approximately 1,200 miles.
A fabricated aluminum fuel tank is mounted in the trunk along with dual Optima batteries.
The 454ci Chevrolet V8 has a polished aluminum intake manifold, a Holley Sniper electronic fuel injection system, and an electric water pump as well as a finned air cleaner lid and valve covers. An aluminum radiator is accompanied by an electric cooling fan, and fabricated long-tube headers feed into a dual exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers. The seller notes a noisy fuel pump.
Power is routed to the rear wheels through a TH400 three-speed automatic transmission and a 12-bolt rear end.
