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No Reserve: Custom 1949 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe Coupe

This 1949 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe is said to have spent time in California before being acquired by the seller in 2020, after which it was the subject of a custom build. The frame was modified to accommodate an air suspension system with custom geometry, the roof was chopped 5″, and the body was nosed, decked, shaved, and refinished in matte yellow. The car is powered by a 283ci V8 paired with a three-speed TH350 automatic transmission, and it also features frenched lights, a louvered hood, tucked and smoothed bumpers, power steering, power-assisted front disc brakes, and red-painted 15″ steel wheels as well as a multicolor fabric seat cover, a Lokar high-neck shifter, a Classic Instruments combination gauge, an aluminum radiator, block-hugger headers, and a dual exhaust system. This custom Chevrolet coupe is now offered at no reserve with a clean Michigan title in the seller’s name.

The roofline was reportedly chopped 5″, the hood seam was filled, louvers were stamped in the hood, and the exterior trim, badges, and door handles were removed before the body was refinished in matte yellow with white accents. Blue pinstriping is accompanied by as “Alley Cat” lettering on the trunk lid. The headlights and taillights were frenched, the bumpers were smoothed and tucked, and custom glass was installed during the build. No door windows are installed.

The frame was modified during the build to accommodate a front Mustang II-style crossmember and tubular control arms as well as a rear four-link setup and an air suspension system. Red-painted 15″ steel wheels wear bright Bowtie-logo hubcaps and are wrapped in 205/75 wide-whitewall radial tires that are said to have been mounted under current ownership. The car is equipped with power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, and braking is handled by power-assisted front discs and rear drums. The brake lines and hoses were reportedly replaced along with the rear axles, seals, and bearings.

The split-back bench seat is covered in multicolor fabric that extends to the door panels and rear of the cabin, which also houses dual air compressors and a stainless-steel tank. An air pressure gauge is mounted beneath the dash along with switches for the front and rear airbags. Additional appointments include a Lokar high-neck shifter, lap belts, brown carpets, and a replacement accelerator pedal.

The two-spoke steering wheel features a chrome horn ring and fronts a Classic Instruments combination gauge with a 140-mph speedometer, an 8k-rpm tachometer, and readouts for coolant temperature, voltage, oil pressure, and fuel level. The seller states that the car has been driven approximately 300 miles under current ownership and that the speedometer has not been programmed. Total mileage is unknown.

The 283ci V8 is said to have been rebuilt and installed under current ownership, and it is equipped with finned valve covers, an Edelbrock air cleaner, an aluminum radiator, Mallory ignition wires, and block-hugger exhaust headers. The inner fenders were cut and smoothed along with the firewall.

Power is delivered to the rear wheels via a three-speed TH350 automatic transmission and a 1970 Camaro-sourced rear end with 2.73:1 gearing that were reportedly installed under current ownership. The car features a dual exhaust system with glasspack mufflers, and an aftermarket fuel tank is installed with a filler accessible in the trunk.

The car is titled using the VIN GKK47620 shown on the replacement tag above.

605-Powered 1952 Willys Aero Coupe

This 1952 Willys Aero coupe was rebuilt and modified during previous ownership into its current iteration as a gasser-style custom. The car features shaved and chopped bodywork painted orange over a custom beige and purple leather interior as well as a fuel-injected Indy Cylinder Head 605ci Hemi V8 and tubbed rear wheel wells accommodating 22-inch-wide tires. Additional work included installation of a replacement frame as well as rear-hinged doors and Chevrolet Bel Air taillights. The interior has been modified with bucket seats in addition to air conditioning and electric windows, and additional equipment includes four-wheel disc brakes, independent front suspension, an aluminum radiator, 30-gallon fuel tank, and multi-piece Center Line wheels. Work following the seller’s acquisition in 2018 has consisted of a top-end engine rebuild as well as overhauling the four-link rear suspension and installing a 4L80E four-speed automatic transmission and an Edelbrock intake manifold with dual Accufab throttle bodies and velocity stacks. This modified Willys is now offered with build records and a Massachusetts title in the seller’s name.

The coupe bodywork underwent rust repair in 2012 prior to a repaint in its current shade of orange by Metal Rehab Technologies of Fort Worth, Texas. The roof has been chopped by approximately 3.5”, the side trim pieces have been shaved, Chevrolet Bel Air taillights have been installed, the door handles have been recessed, and the doors were fitted with rear-mounted hinges. The hood has been cut to accommodate the velocity stacks, and additional exterior details include tinted windows, frenched headlights, a chrome grille and bumpers, and custom airbrushing on the trunk lid.

Multi-piece 15” Center Line wheels are mounted with 165/80 Nexen SB-802 tires up front and Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/R rubber out back. The rear wheel wells have been tubbed, and the car is brought to a stop by disc brakes at all four corners. Independent suspension has been installed up front, while the four-link rear suspension is equipped with dual coilovers. Damage to the rear four-link brackets was repaired during current ownership by Hall’s Custom Chassis and Metal Fab of Hanover, Massachusetts, with boxed suspension brackets and custom four-link bars and Heim spacers also installed at that time.

The cabin houses front bucket seats and a rear bench that have been reupholstered in beige leather with purple inserts, orange embroidery, and matching door panels. Features include an under-dash air conditioner, electric windows, lap belts, and a fire extinguisher mounted to the passenger’s kick panel.

A Grant GT steering wheel sits ahead of a body-color metal dashboard housing AutoMeter instrumentation that includes a 160-mph speedometer, a 10k-rpm tachometer, auxiliary gauges, and a digital controller for the Holley Dominator electronic fuel injection system. The digital odometer shows approximately 2,200 miles, around 1k of which have been added by the seller. Total mileage is unknown.

The 605ci Indy Cylinder Head Hemi V8 crate engine was installed during the build and features an aluminum block as well as a hydraulic camshaft, an aluminum radiator, a trunk-mounted 30-gallon fuel tank, a 3″ exhaust system with Magnaflow mufflers, and a March Performance pulley system. An Edelbrock intake manifold and dual Accufab throttle bodies with velocity stacks were installed in 2018, while work the following year included rebuilding, machining, and resurfacing the cylinder heads, performing a valve job, and replacing the pushrods, lifters, ignition coil, and distributor. The ECU was re-mapped in the spring of 2023. A printout from a dyno run is provided in the gallery below and shows results of 860 horsepower and 815 lb-ft of torque.

The 4L60E four-speed automatic transmission was installed during current ownership along with a custom driveshaft and sends power to the rear wheels via a 10” Winters Champ rear end with a Moser Engineering differential cover. A ProTorque converter and a rear-mounted transmission cooler with an electric fan and stainless-steel lines have also been installed. The replacement frame is finished in purple, and additional underbody photos are provided in the gallery below.

The Massachusetts title bears an odometer discrepancy brand and states, “Odometer discrepancy – not actual mileage”.

350-Powered 1947 Ford Super Deluxe Tudor Sedan

This 1947 Ford Super Deluxe Tudor Sedan is said to have been used as a decoration hanging over the bar in a Spokane, Washington, restaurant before being acquired by the seller’s father in 1997. Subsequent work involved a repaint in black and the installation of a 350ci Chevrolet V8 mated to a Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed automatic transmission and a Ford 9” rear end. The interior has been modified with gray leather-trimmed seating surfaces as well as air conditioning, electric windows, and a Kenwood CD stereo. Other equipment includes independent front suspension, power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, four-link rear suspension, Aldan coilovers, front disc brakes, black steel wheels, and chrome hubcaps. This modified Super Deluxe is now offered by the seller on behalf of their father with component manuals and a Washington title.

The car has been refinished in black, and exterior details include dual exhaust outlets, tinted windows, dual side mirrors, and stone guards ahead of the rear wheels. An area of corrosion near the front of the passenger-side lower door seam is shown up close in the photo gallery below.

Black-finished 15” steel wheels wear bright trim rings and Ford-branded hubcaps and are mounted with BFGoodrich tires. Braking is via front discs and rear drums, and the car has been fitted with power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering. Additional modifications include Heidts Superide II independent front suspension with tubular control arms, four-link rear suspension, front and rear sway bars, Aldan American coilovers, and Pete and Jake’s ladder bars.

The cabin has been fitted with gray leather-trimmed power-adjustable front bucket seats and a rear bench that were sourced from a later-model vehicle. Amenities include an Air-Tique HVAC system, a remote-operated Kenwood CD stereo, Nu-Relics electric windows, front and rear seatbelts, and a center console with pull-out cupholders.

A leather-wrapped banjo-style steering wheel sits ahead of a body-color metal dashboard housing Dolphin instrumentation that includes a 140-mph speedometer, an 8k-rpm tachometer, and auxiliary gauges. The six-digit mechanical odometer shows approximately 500 miles. True chassis mileage is unknown.

The 350ci V8 is topped by a single Weber carburetor and features polished accessories, an aluminum radiator with an electric fan, a wiring harness from Ron Francis Wiring, and tubular exhaust headers.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed automatic transmission and a Ford 9” rear end.

Assorted component manuals will accompany the vehicle.

The Washington title bears a Classic brand.

454-Powered 1937 Chevrolet Sedan Street Rod

This 1937 Chevrolet Sedan street rod was acquired by the owner in 1997 and subsequently refurbished and modified. Work consisted of chopping the top, modifying the hood, rear fenders, and side panels, adding a power-operated sunroof, repainting the body, and installing a Progressive Automotive fabricated steel chassis, a front air-ride suspension system, and a GM Performance crate 454ci V8 linked with a 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission and a Currie Enterprises 9″ rear end. The car is finished in Sundance Gold with airbrushed black flames over a custom Fawn Gold and Cream leather interior with woodgrain and black leather trim, and features include Arizona Speed & Marine electronic fuel injection, Vintage Air climate-control and Front Runner accessory systems, power steering, power front Wilwood disc brakes, 18″ and 20″ Intro Twisted Matrix wheels, Dakota Digital instrumentation, power-adjustable front bucket seats, and an Alpine CD stereo linked with two Alpine amplifiers and JL Audio subwoofers. This Chevrolet street rod is now offered on dealer consignment with a 2006 issue of Street Rod Builder magazine featuring the car, build invoices, parts instruction manuals, award jackets, and a clean New Jersey title listing the car as a 1937 Chevrolet.

The body was repainted in Sundance Gold with black flames accented by airbrushed shadows during the refurbishment. Features include a chopped roof, a one-piece hood with side louvers, a Jim Wrench grille, an Audi-sourced power-operated sunroof, extended side panels, Rodtronics electric door and trunk poppers, shaved drip rails, molded fender-mounted headlights and taillights, and body-color mirrors and running boards. There is a paint chip on the right rear fender.

The 18″ and 20″ Intro Twisted Matrix wheels are mounted with BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW tires measuring 225/45 up front and 265/50 out back. The Progressive Automotive fabricated steel chassis features tubular control arms, power rack-and-pinion steering, and an Air Ride Technologies front air suspension system. Braking is handled by power-assisted Wilwood front discs and Ford-style rear drums.

The cabin features power-adjustable front bucket seats and a custom rear bench trimmed in Fawn Gold leather upholstery, which extends to the custom center console, dashboard, and door and rear panels. The interior is accented with woodgrain and black leather trim, and features include a Bitchin’ Products dashboard, black-finished billet hardware, a concealed Air Ride Technologies system controller, Vintage Air climate control, a Painless wiring harness, modular door contacts, power windows and mirrors, and black anodized aluminum pedals. An Alpine Bluetooth-capable stereo is linked with mid-range speakers, two tweeters, and trunk-mounted 1200-watt Alpine amplifiers and JL Audio 8″ subwoofers. There are scratches in the wood trim by the left door handle.

The Lecarra steering wheel is mounted to a tilting column and sits ahead of a center-mounted Dakota Digital instrumentation display. The digital odometer shows 6k miles. Total mileage is unknown.

The GM Performance crate 454ci V8 was installed during the build and features Arizona Speed & Marine electronic fuel injection, a chrome Vintage Air front runner system, chrome dress-up components, electronic ignition, Lokar throttle linkage, a finned intake manifold and valve covers, and tubular exhaust headers. An aluminum radiator with three electric cooling fans has been fitted.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through a 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission and a Currie Enterprises 9″ rear axle. A stainless steel dual exhaust system with MagnaFlow mufflers has been installed.

The build invoices, parts instruction manuals, an issue of Street Rod Builder magazine, and jackets presented as awards are included in the sale.

The manufactured VIN tag reads 2830G8A572817, which is consistent with the VIN listed on the New Jersey title. The New Jersey title lists the car as a 1937 Che 2DR.

Driverless “Robotaxi” Service Expands to Los Angeles

We are living in the future.

As 2023 draws to a close, it’s mind-boggling to even think of writing the date “2024” on anything. The number just looks crazy. But, ready or not, it’s here. And with the new year comes advancement of the automotive industry: There are huge initiatives underway with focuses on emissions, safety, traffic control, and autonomy. Over the past year, I have firsthand experience with a self-driving “robotaxi” service that is operated by a company called Waymo. And it may be coming to a city near you.

Just like the day I got my driver license, I will forever remember another red-letter day:

The first time I rode in a completely autonomous vehicle was March 4, 2023, when a couple of friends and I were looking to travel from a busy part of downtown Phoenix toward our homes. When my brothers visited from Utah for the No Fly Zone event later in the year, I knew I had to introduce them to the experience as well. As someone who loves to drive – and to be in complete control – it feels odd to surrender that privilege to a machine. It’s even weirder is to watch the steering wheel turn on its own.

Waymo Background

This coming January will mark 15 years since the earliest beginnings of Waymo. At the time, it was called the “Google Self-Driving Car Project.” The program grew in size and scope, eventually partnering with Stellantis in 2016 on a fleet of about 100 Chrysler Pacifica minivans. Things evolved from there, and just like any technology-related industry, it’s been a fast pace ever since.

“Level 4” autonomy, as utilized here, refers to a scenario where nobody is behind the wheel and a vehicle is sharing the road with cars and pedestrians. Testing for the platform took place in Chandler, Arizona. Weather, of course, could throw an entirely new variable at these vehicles. Perhaps that is why the existing services areas are in predictable climates without severe storms or the potential for snow. Along those lines, up until just recently, Waymo has operated in only two cities: San Francisco and here in Phoenix. Los Angeles is now on the map as of just recently, and expansion to Austin is in the works.

How does it work?

Each Jaguar I-Pace (all-electric) sport-utility vehicle in the Waymo fleet is outfitted with enhanced vision systems, radar, lidar, and a myriad of cameras. The completed setup looks a little bit like a moon-crawler with all that apparatus, but every piece of it serves some type of purpose.

The Waymo smartphone application operates in the same fashion as other ride-sharing services. A rider creates an account, links it to a credit card, and adds some basic information. From there, a vehicle can be summoned (that makes it sound like witchcraft, but this isn’t too far off!) and the application will give an estimated wait time until a vehicle will arrive for pick-up. All of this functionality mirrors the way that Uber and Lyft operate, so the learning curve is not steep for most people to figure out.

Atop each vehicle is a digital display with the initials of the rider – after all, in congested urban areas, there could be multiple similar-looking robotaxis. The doors to the vehicle must be unlocked via the phone app by the individual who called the ride, and from there, the vehicle will recognize how many people get inside and it won’t depart until everyone is buckled up.

The vehicles are extremely thoughtful – welcoming you to the car, telling you when the ride is about to conclude, and reminding you to collect your belongings at the conclusion of the ride. “I feel like I’m on a ride at Disneyland,” my sister-in-law Kali remarked. The touch-screen interface allows a rider to start the ride, control the music, adjust the climate control, pull over, and call for help if needed.

How much does it cost?

I compared fares across Waymo versus traditional ride-sharing services, and pricing was similar. It cost about $15 to go roughly six miles from my house to a restaurant downtown (well worth the price, considering we saved time on finding parking – and paying for it – on a busy weekend evening).

What about all the unexpected encounters?

I have seen Waymo vehicles pull over for emergency personnel, slow down for gutters, yield for pedestrians, and make all sorts of other maneuvers. For anyone who is concerned about safety, or who even just wants to geek out on all the safety-related data they could possibly want, Waymo has an entire section of the website dedicated to reporting on this topic. I noticed the vehicle we rode in during the October ride had over 80,000 miles on it. How many of those were autonomous? I wonder.

What are the service area and routing basics?

The grid of supported service area in Phoenix has expanded rapidly in recent months. Waymo vehicles are programmed to stick to surface streets. Freeway driving will require a whole new set of security and navigation features that may still be in development. In addition to that, we noticed that the vehicle preferred making right turns, which made sense from a safety perspective.

Takeaways

Even as someone who enjoys the act of driving, I see the benefit in having a service like this. Sometimes you just want a peaceful ride, and a “robot” driver might be the best solution for not having to make small talk with an overly chatty chauffeur. Adding to that: There is nobody to tip. And perhaps most importantly, the travel experience is likely safer than riding with a human driver.

I’d like to hear it in the comment section: Is this a service you will use when it eventually comes to your community? Waymo says that there are 1.36 million deaths due to vehicle crashes each year. If this technology can help give mobility to people who otherwise don’t have access to it, and save a few lives along the way, I welcome it.

Where Do I Get: 1952 Ford Lenses, El Camino Emissions Equipment, And More

Grand Marquis Plug Wires

I have been calling Ford dealerships to try to track down a set of original Motorcraft spark plug wires that fit my 1984 Mercury Grand Marquis LS with the 302 V-8 engine. I would like to use the factory wires, but the only information I have discovered so far is that the wires are different depending on whether my Mercury has EEC IV or not. Can you offer any help with what EEC IV is and if I have it in this car? I still need to locate the correct wires, based on the answer to this question. Tune-up time is approaching quickly.

– Ronald Nemeth, via email

The EEC IV or thick-film ignition system can easily be identified by looking at your distributor. The electronic control module for this system is made of blue or gray plastic and is bolted to the front of the distributor. A harness with four wires in it attaches from this module to the coil and Powertrain Control Module. Your vehicle, based on your VIN, would not have used EEC IV unless someone added it after purchase. Your original Ford wires should be # E8PZ-12259F and the Motorcraft number is WR-3946C. There is only one set with the original Ford part number available from a dealer in Texas listed below. The Motorcraft set is available online from Summit Racing or Rock Auto. Both O’Reilly’s and Auto Zone stores in your area should be able to order them for you as well using that same Motorcraft part number.

1952 Ford Customline Trim Pieces

I am in the process of restoring a 1952 Ford Customline, and I am having trouble locating the parking lamp lenses and headlamp rings. All the catalogs I’ve looked at list 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, etc. But they don’t have 1952. Any idea where I can locate these parts?

– Larry Buckley, via Hemmings.com

The 1952 lenses were specific to that year and were clear with three spokes around the perimeter. They were sunk into the fender at the ends of the grille bar. They are available from Concurs Auto Parts or Early Ford Store of California as part# FAA-13208. The mounting gasket is also listed as FAA-13211A. Concours has the headlamp retaining rings as part# 13015, which fits 1949-’57 passenger cars.

El Camino Vapor Canister

I’m looking for a vapor canister for a 1987 Chevrolet El Camino with a V-8 engine. I believe the original GM part number was 17075849. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

– Phil White, via email

The GM number you provided is a supersession of the number 17075824, which was discontinued in 1987. But guess what? That number was also superseded in 1993 by 17064622, which was the number used in earlier years for the 5-liter engine. We were able to locate the number you requested from a GM supplier, Craig Motors in California. They also showed one of the other superseded numbers, but we suspect they have just the one with both part numbers referenced. Delco sold the same 17064622 5-liter unit as number 215-22, which is available from Hall Chevrolet in Virginia.

  • Craig Motors – 800-224-8111
  • Hall Chevrolet of Chesapeake – 757-233-8120

Camaro V-6 Exhaust Y-Pipe

I own a 1991 Camaro RS with a 3.1 V-6 automatic, and I’m looking for new exhaust manifold Y-pipe. My local parts store doesn’t list one for a 3.1 V-6 and doesn’t clarify if the one listed for the earlier 2.8-liter will fit this car. The other one shown is for a 4.3 V-6 with a manual transmission. How much difference is there between a 4.3 and a 3.1? Love your column, it’s a great addition to Hemmings.

– Rick Anderson, via hemmings.com

The exhaust components for the 4.3-liter V-6 tend to be more like those used on the V-8s rather than the 2.8 or 3.1 V-6s. We did find that Walker produced the pipe you need, and it fit both the 1985-’89 Camaro/Firebird 2.8 as well as the 1990-’92 3.1 F-bodies. Their part number was 40442, but it has been discontinued. The exhaust donut gaskets for the 2.8 were sintered metal whereas the 3.1 gaskets were GraFoil, but the exhaust pipe is the same unit. AP Exhaust made an equivalent pipe, listed as part number 94925; however, we were unable to locate one. We suggest you contact Trans Am Creations USA and ask them to check if a good used unit is available. Hemmings advertiser Martin Johnson may also be of assistance; while his main focus is pre-1979, he may have the bend patterns for the Walker or AP number to replicate it.

Gold From The Scrap Heap

Just a couple of weeks ago, RM Sotheby’s sold a crashed, burned and seemingly left for scrap 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider for an astounding $1,875,000.

What remained of the original body was crumbled and cracking. Corrosion was evident on the frame and bulkheads. There were no doors. The original 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine was long gone, having been replaced by an American V-8 at some point after the car was imported in the late 1950s. There was literally no interior—no seats, no floors, no steering column, no gauges and no controls of any kind. The car could have been considered a “shell” in the vaguest of terms, and certainly not a rolling one as it lacked wheels or even axles.

The 500 Mondial was part of “The Lost & Found Collection” of 20 “barn-find” Ferraris. The Italian sports cars had been part of a collection in a Florida warehouse that partially collapsed in a hurricane in 2004, when the cars were then moved to Indianapolis. Virtually untouched since, the collection was auctioned in Monterey.

On a positive note, the numbers-matching gearbox was included, as was a larger 3.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Perhaps most notably, and likely the reason why the car commanded such a high price, the original chassis plate that bears serial number 0404 MD was intact.

With its verified chassis plate, this car can be restored. Even Ferrari can do it via its Classiche department, which has the expertise to bring this car back to its original condition. A fair number of people have suggested that any restoration should be done in Maranello, as it would give credence to the car’s provenance.

While that provenance seems solid enough, the originality of the car does not go much beyond its frame, gearbox and chassis plate. That wrinkled, crumpled and all but destroyed body? Well, it’s not original. As the second 500 Mondial Spider produced, 0404 MD featured bodywork from Pinin Farina. Not long after it finished 14th in the 1954 Mille Miglia, the car was rebodied with the Scaglietti design that later 500 Mondials carried.

Given the quality of its workshops, I would expect a restoration of this 500 Mondial by Ferrari itself to be the pinnacle of such a redo. But would it be “real?”

How often have you seen an ad for a junked car — perhaps a car that was at one time rare and desirable — and the comments among car guys turn to the VIN plate or body tag, as if this one small piece of stamped metal can somehow add provenance to an otherwise complete car missing that tag? While the legality of such a swap is certainly questionable, the car itself can hardly be considered the real deal. Would you want to own a Dodge Super Bee A12 that had been a standard issue Coronet in a past life? What if Chrysler itself recreated the car the same way with that original tag?
Many years back, at a particularly swanky car show, a fellow pulled in driving an open Bugatti that seemed unusual. A nearby observer clued me in. The story goes that, over the years, the original car’s body had been separated from the chassis, with each major section ending up in separate hands. Since all of those components had some sort of legitimacy as a real Bugatti, each portion was somehow able to become a “legitimate” Bugatti, with the missing parts sourced or fabricated as needed. Was the story true? Had one Bugatti spawned two? It remains a possibility.
There are other stories in the old-car world, including the trope among some Jaguar collectors regarding the original Jaguar SS 100 3.5-liter: Of the roughly 120 made, some 200 survive, attesting to some enterprising builders who have likely converted SS 1 or SS 90 models to the more coveted SS 100.

There is no doubt that, following a multi-million-dollar, ground-up restoration, this car will certainly command the estimated $4 to $5.5 million that finished examples go for today, and it will have a great story to go along with it. Financially, it may even make a sound investment, but it certainly stretches the boundaries of the idea of a true vintage car.

Carspotting: Man Cave Consumes Man’s Home

Yes, you are seeing correctly: at least two small vehicles are living in Paul Smith’s living room (note that comfy armchair at center left). Yes, the rest of his first floor is similarly decorated, including kitchen and bathroom (where a flathead V8’s cylinder head serves as toilet-tank lid). Yes, the full-sized vehicles live just outside, including each of the record-setting AHRA and NHRA Stockers and Super Stockers that Paul raced from 1964 to 1979. Yes, this is one nice, eligible bachelor whose lady friends never suggest moving in.

How does your man or woman cave compare?

Date: June 2016

Location: Home of Paul Smith, Eugene, Oregon

Source: Wallace Family Archive

AutoHunter Spotlight: 1966 Ford Mustang 2+2 Restomod

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1966 Ford Mustang 2+2 restomod. The result of a one-off build by Sabas Customs, this 347-powered fastback is connected to a TREMEC TKO 600 five-speed manual transmission. Other features include a custom frame, adjustable coilovers, Wilwood disc brakes, keyless entry, and much more. Finished in silver and matte gray over a tan leather interior, this first-generation Mustang comes from the selling dealer with a clear title.

As part of a $200,000+, five-year build by Sabas Customs of Grand Junction, Colorado, the body was given a custom silver and matte gray paint job. Features include LED headlights, external hood latches, hood scoop, mesh C-pillar inserts, and dual rear valance-exit exhaust outlets. The door handles have been shaved and replaced with remote door poppers.

The 17 x 7-inch front/18 x 9-inch rear Forgeline wheels are respectively wrapped in 225/45R17 and 245/45R18 Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS tires.

The 2+2 cabin has been customized with a tan leather interior that includes a leather-wrapped dashboard and transmission tunnel in lieu of a console. Other features include tilt steering column, push-button start, wood-rimmed steering wheel, power steering, E-Stopp electric parking brake, and Bluetooth-capable audio system.

The instrument panel consists of a 120-mph speedometer, 8,000-rpm tachometer, and gauges for the fuel level, voltage, coolant temperature, and oil pressure.

The 347cid V8 is equipped with a Quick Fuel Technology carburetor and sends power to the rear wheels through a TREMEC TKO 600 five-speed manual transmission with hydraulic clutch. Engine bay components include an aluminum radiator with dual electric fans, MSD ignition system, and Wilwood master cylinder. The battery has been relocated to a custom box in the trunk.

The original frame has been replaced with a custom unit, with the suspension being upgraded with adjustable coilovers. Braking is handled by manual Wilwood disc brakes with cross-drilled and slotted rotors — six-piston calipers up front, four-piston out back.

The auction for this 1966 Ford Mustang 2+2 restomod ends Monday, November 6, 2023, at 12:30 p.m. (PDT)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

Pick of the Day: 1941 Dodge Business Coupe

The phrase “luxury liner” evokes mental images of an executive cruise ship carrying black-tie passengers to an exotic high-end vacation destination somewhere (champagne glass in hand, of course). Let that visual marinate on your mind while we introduce today’s feature car. 

The Pick of the Day is a 1941 Dodge Business Coupe listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Paso Robles, California. (Click the link to view the listing)

“Here’s a chance to own a rare 1941 Dodge three-window Business Coupe,” the listing begins. “Frame-off restoration done back in the 80s. Tons of records throughout the restoration process; 3,700 miles since completion.”

My favorite feature on this pre-war Dodge is of course the “Luxury Liner” badge embedded into the grille on the driver side. The base price of this car was $954 when it was new. Inflated to 2023 dollars, the amount becomes $20,081. Few new vehicles – even entry level compacts – can be had for such a bargain today. But in its time, Dodge’s idea was to offer a car with high-end features that could be obtained for a reasonable price. The Luxury Liner series was launched to commemorate Dodge’s 25th anniversary, and the cars could be configured in coupe, convertible, or sedan styles.

The seller states that this one is rust-free, and it has had just one owner for about the last 50 years. The exterior was reportedly resprayed in the original Flare Red, which extends to the steel wheels with polished hubcaps. Even the chrome back bumper – which itself has a unique swoopy design – bears the phrase Luxury Liner in the middle in cursive script lettering. Dodge didn’t want anyone to forget about this car’s high-end aspirations.

The one-bench-seat cabin is well-appointed and even has simulated woodgrain trim on the dashboard. The upholstery, door panels, headliner, and carpeting look to be in good condition based on the photos included in the listing. Up front, the hood has a center-hinge setup. Underneath it, power comes from a flathead six-cylinder paired with a “Fluid Drive” column-shifted three-speed manual transmission. Recent maintenance included replacement of the Delinte tires and the Optima battery per the seller.

“Smooth riding, and goes down the road just like new,” the seller says.

Does this car convey a presence that would have been considered luxurious in 1941? And could any automaker get away with calling a car a Luxury Liner today? That would be fun to find out.

The asking price is $18,000, which is a relative bargain for such a fancy ride.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.