mod@tech

In the late 1960’s General Motors started developing a car to enter the North American subcompact market. By late 1970 the Chevrolet Vega was launched as their small car offering. Named after one of the brightest stars in the sky, the initial expectations were high; however the eventual outcome proved to be a car plagued with mechanical and body issues. Production ended in 1977 with about 2 million units produced. To GM’s credit they did make an effort in the performance realm to create a sporty version of the car. That was achieved by partnering with Cosworth Engineering in the United Kingdom to create the Chevrolet Cosworth Vega. At the heart of the performance package was an all-aluminum, hand-built 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine capped off with an aluminum DOHC head that was developed by Cosworth. Offered in 1975-76 with a total of 3,508 units produced (all Cosworth Vegas were individually numbered). Almost a half-century later, anyone seeking a decent one will find it challenging, so owning a Vega today might be an acquired taste. Craig Fetter never needed to be sold on Chevy’s miniscule car. He recalls, “You’d have to go back to 1970 when I bought my first Vega, which was a Sunflower Yellow 1971 GT.” The Vega bug was not exclusive to him. He further points out, “My wife at the same time had a 1971 Vega station wagon – it was just a 4 cylinder 4-speed car, but we painted it identical to my car.”

For Craig, the call for more cubic inches under the hood started soon after the car was purchased. It must have been something on a fair number of folks’ wish list because the aftermarket responded rather quickly with a complete conversion kit to stuff a small block Chevy engine into a Vega. Offered towards the end of 1972 by Herbert & Meek Automotive, their kit consisted of front motor mounts, rear transmission mount, a set of bespoke exhaust headers, and a comprehensive hardware and gasket set for a turnkey conversion. This was essentially a plug and play solution that allowed for the installation of 283-400 cubic inch engine and a GM V8-compatible transmission or manual gearbox. Craig’s combination on his swap was a 283-cu.in. V8 backed by a Turbo 350 automatic. These modifications were being done on the family car – it was the daily driver. By 1974 he went further down the rabbit hole. He recalls, “I had a custom paint job done on it and it looked like an old Pro Stock car with the panel paint job on both sides. It was yellow with brown spider webbing on the side. That year it won the top spot at the Washington DC World of Wheels show in the sub-compact custom class. I was, by that time, already on my sixth engine. I had installed a 327 small block with a tunnel ram and a 4-speed gearbox.” With the steady progression of changes, it gradually shed the daily driver duties and evolved into more of a show car with the frequent trip to the dragstrip also in the cards. The Vega bug was not exclusive to him.

He owned the Vega for several years and when it was eventually sold, the downward spiral for the car after several owners resulted in it being wrapped around a tree. Over the years there were a few Vegas and Monzas in the mix and with the progression of time other vehicles ended up parked in the garage. By 2018 the call to once again get behind the wheel of a Vega came knocking. He recalls, “I had started searching for an old Vega to try and relive the past. I found what I thought was the perfect car in Fort Worth, TX. It was a 1973 Vega GT with a 1977 4 cylinder, 4-speed, and factory air. It still had the original paint and interior. I bought it and had it shipped back to Maryland.”  A month after, this 1976 Medium Saddle Metallic Cosworth Vega (#3177) popped up unexpectedly because of the searches he had done previously. The car, as it appeared in the online ad, looked like it was in decent condition, a key selling point. The story behind the Cosworth was the icing on the cake that sealed the deal.

Craig can trace the car’s history back to 1987, when it was purchased by an individual named Ron Miller. The Vega was an anomaly in a massive Lamborghini collection that Ron amassed. His goal with the Lambos was to create a single make museum in his home state of Oklahoma; the Cosworth was evidently a must-have when he initially saw it. Being used to exotic car performance levels, the Vega was woefully lacking. Not wanting to go down the engine swap spiral, he sent the car to Hutton Motor Engineering in Clarksville, Tennessee. They specialize in the Cosworth Vega, so their mission was to set the car up for drag racing by massaging the Cosworth engine, which included a swap from the factory EFI system to a dual Weber carburation configuration, 12:1 pistons, and a 150-horse nitrous shot system. It was a full rebuild that included heavier bottom end internals to handle the nitrous.

In 1997 the Vega went into limbo when Ron passed away. He was quite wealthy, and the source of that wealth came from the oil industry. However, he had sold his oil company and was cooperating with federal investigators who were looking into fraudulent situations that involved oil companies and some of the inappropriate relationships they had with the federal regulatory board. Ron mysteriously died a few weeks prior to his scheduled congressional appearance of unknown causes because of an unidentified infection. As a result, the Vega ended up parked in a storage facility for the next decade. In 2007 it was finally sold and in subsequent years changed hands several times – the last owner was a high school teenager that couldn’t handle the car. During that 10 year span the things done to the car were a swap from 4 lug wheels to 5 lug wheels, and a front brake upgrade.

After the car arrived in Maryland the list of things that needed to be done grew as Craig went further into the car. Buying the Vega without a visual inspection had its consequences. He explains, “My first impression when I saw the car in person, I was really upset because the clearcoat had crow’s feet all over it. The guy had just washed the car, and it was still wet when he took pictures of it, and I didn’t realize it, so it looked decent in the photos. His suggestion was for me to scuff it up and shoot some clear on it.” This was a major setback because he had to take the car down to bare metal. The only upside was that the body was in pristine condition and rust free, which is a rarity on a Vega. Mechanically, the Cosworth mill was hurt. “It only ran on three cylinders,” Craig points out. “I ran a compression check and had zero compression on one of the cylinders, and when I pulled the engine apart, one of the valves was chipped because they ran the nitrous too lean.”  This led to the top end getting completely redone and the rest of the engine given a major teardown and reseal. Modifications were also done to the Weber intake. Craig designed, built, and installed an elaborate PCV system to allow the crankcase to breathe. 

At the rear the differential was also given a full rebuild and 4.56:1 gears installed, along with a set of Mark Williams billet axles. The end game was to make the car mechanically solid again, and to visually take it back to around 1989. Somewhere in that mix Craig wanted to add his own personal stamp. Reapplying the Medium Saddle Metallic paint was a given, however, the red center stripe drew inspiration from the 1971–’73 Vega GT, while the Cosworth graphics came from Phoenix Graphix. Craig also added the 5-lug 15-inch Weld Racing wheels that he fitted with Mickey Thompson ET Street rubber at the rear, and Firestone F560’s up front. Part of the first rework back in 1989 also addressed some weight reduction. That was accomplished by removing the aluminum bumpers and the 5-mph impact absorbers. In their place solid mount fiberglass bumpers were added. Craig took the weight reduction one step further with the installation of a fiberglass hood from Fiberglass Concepts in Erie, PA. The one positive note with this car was that the interior was in decent condition and didn’t require much effort.

The amount of work to get the Vega together spanned about six years, which was more than what Craig expected, and it was clearly more than what he wanted when he initially cut a check for. The goal line for this car is when he finally takes down the track. The plan is to get the Vega dialed in and do several passes to get a time, and once that threshold is surpassed the 4.56 gears will come out and something a bit more civilized will be fitted to allow him to do some normal street driving. He is currently at the point where the nitrous bottle has filled.

The post This 1976 Cosworth Vega Stays True To Its Roots appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

As today’s cars require less and less driver input and interaction to move their occupants from Point A to Point B, younger drivers lose the opportunities to really experience what motoring entailed up to the point where automatic transmissions, fuel injection, cruise control, antilock brakes, and sensor-dependent driver assistance aids became the norm. There are millions of drivers in their thirties and forties who have never mastered working three pedals and a shift lever, much less driven something with a steering wheel spark advance and without turn signals. That’s not necessarily down to lack of interest, though.

James Martin got his driving license in 2007 and since then has personally owned a variety of interesting cars, some of which he’s shared on his popular U.K.-based YouTube channel, JayEmm on Cars. In the eight years this former film and television cinematographer has been creating automotive video content, he’s enjoyed seat time behind the wheel of a wide array of vehicles ranging from vintage classics to modern supercars. A friend provided James the opportunity to drive a pair of American antiques in today’s British road traffic, and he’s shared those experiences with his channel’s 464,000 subscribers.

We asked James what it meant for him to get up close and personal with a 1916 Cadillac and a 1928 Durant Motors Star –both of which are working historic artifacts with ties to the early industry’s most important people and companies– and he was kindly happy to elaborate.

JayEmm On… a 1916 Cadillac Type 53 Touring Car

“This month I have had the pleasure of driving a number of vehicles from American history. I am fortunate enough to frequently drive cars of all types and ages- but any from pre-World War II are unusual indeed.

“What I find fascinating about them is a combination of the mechanical rawness and the feeling of genuine innovation. Things that we do expect in every car now were far from a given. The sense of leaning out to grab a handbrake in a 3 Litre Bentley [watch here] makes you feel like a hero from a ‘Boy’s Own Adventure.’”

“Previously I have driven a Model T Ford [watch here] from 1917, and it was quite the experience. As one of the most significant cars of all time, to be able to get behind the wheel is one of the most significant bucket-list moments in my automotive career. It was absolutely terrifying. It did not help I was instructed in French, a language I do not speak well.

“With that as my background, I found the 1916 Cadillac an utter revelation. It made not just the Ford, but also that 1922 Bentley, feel archaic. Sure, it has issues, but the control layout and feel were surprisingly modern. It genuinely felt well-made and the product of some clever-thinking, hard-working engineers.”

This Type 53 is a seven-passenger touring car that officially satisfied James’s desire to drive a 100-year-old car. He calls the prewar Cadillac “one of the most significant American automobiles ever made… a car that arguably changed the course of the motoring world forever” due to having the first mass-produced V8 engine and offering a pedal/control layout today’s drivers would recognize.

… A 1928 Durant MotorS Star/Rugby Touring Car…

“A contrast was the Durant I drove, a car far less refined but with an amazing story. Mr. Durant to me is every bit an automotive legend on par with Henry Ford or Messrs. Rolls & Royce.

“Thanks to one gentleman I got to drive not just these cars, but also the Excalibur [watch here] and a recreation of the Auburn of the 1920s [watch here]. It feels to me so sad that the Depression and subsequently the Second World War ended perhaps prematurely a style of car which is entirely unique. I feel they conveyed genuine class and opulence in a way alien to your modern car buyer. No Cadillac Escalade could hope to achieve the glamour of an Auburn 851!

“The joy I find with all these cars is that they are the best museum in the world. It feels almost naughty to take them out and drive them – but doing so gives me the greatest sensation and a feeling of connection with true pioneers. To step into the cabin of one is to stand on the shoulders of giants.

“My greatest fear is they will not find a new audience who will love and care for them, but it is the greatest reason of all to keep driving and talking about them.”

In the film, James says, “William C. Durant changed the automobile. Which means William C. Durant changed the world.” He describes this right-hand-drive, five-passenger touring car as a 1928 Star, while noting it wears a badge from The South African Veteran & Vintage Association that calls it a Rugby; both of those marques fell under the Durant Motors umbrella. The “D”-badged radiator shell and 47-hp, 185-cu.in. L-head inline-six engine underhood seem to indicate this South African-market car is similar to an American-spec Durant 65, the mid-level model of the eponymous upmarket brand in the company’s roster.

… And On Why These Antiques Are Affordable Fun Today

In the Cadillac film, he asks, “How much are you going to pay for one of these? Well apparently, maybe because of the age of them, the fact they aren’t the easiest things to maintain, people just aren’t that interested in them anymore. Which means they’re quite affordable. You can pick one of these up for under £20,000 [roughly $27,000], a lot under if you’re willing to do the work and get it restored. And the good news is, unlike a great many much newer cars, because these were all ultimately made by men in big factories with hammers, if you know a man with a hammer, you can keep it going.”

What do you think it will take to interest younger people –from newly licensed teens up through adventurous folks in their 40s– in cars built before their grandparents were born? There’s evidence of the more common prewar cars trending towards relative affordability, so would exposure at car shows and on the road set the hook? Regardless of your age, what would it take to get you behind the wheel of a truly vintage classic car or truck?

The post Experience Prewar American Automotive History Through A Millennial British Driver’s Lens appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

When RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. discovered drag racing in the 1970s (initially via IHRA, soon followed by NHRA), sample cigarette packs were one element of the sport’s most-lucrative sponsorship program to date. We’re guessing that this smoking Smokey preferred some other brand to the Winstons being offered by the woman whose red-and-white outfit matched the endless buckets of paint that RJR supplied free to any North American race promoter promising to apply it. The handouts proved predictably popular with many racers, fans, officials and press types, if objectionable to some parents—including little Donna Prudhomme’s daddy, Don, who publicly blasted Dixie-based IHRA President Larry Carrier for exposing underage kids to the practice, if not necessarily the free product. The cruiser’s county seal suggests the scenic venue to be Rockingham Dragway, which was alternately affiliated with both sanctioning bodies.  

Photographer: unknown photographer

Date: mid-1970s 

Location: Believed to be Rockingham (North Carolina) Dragway

Source:  Wallace Family Archive

The post Carspotting: Just Saying “No” To Free Smokes? appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

A common yet aggravating oil leak path with GM’s LS engines is the four corner intersections of the front and rear covers with the oil pan. Placing a dab of silicon between the oil pan gasket and the covers in these four corners will reduce the risk of oil leaks. 

One way to improve the chances of producing a leak-free engine is to ensure that the front and rear covers are very close to parallel with the pan sealing surface. If the covers are excessively high or low, even the RTV will not be able to prevent oil leaks. Summit sells a front timing chain cover alignment tool (PN SUM-900334) that can assist but you can also use a simple straight edge to align both front and rear covers with the oil pan rail.

To ensure that the front cover seal and harmonic balancer are aligned properly, we’ve modified an old LS truck balancer by cutting the hub from the balancer. Then we used a heavy duty abrasive pad on a drill motor to open the inside diameter so that the hub slips easily over the crankshaft snout. Placing this hub inside the front cover seal aligns the cover to the crank and then we use a straight edge to ensure the cover is parallel with the pan rail. All of these tips will help to reduce the chance of oil leaks with your next LS engine effort. 

The post Tech 101: Tips To Eliminate Common GM LS Oil Pan Leaks appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

More than a simple vehicle, the Golden Sahara II is a time capsule of 1950s futuristic fantasy. This legendary custom car, a wild reinvention of a wrecked 1953 Lincoln Capri, pushed the boundaries of automotive design and technology. From its transparent roof and gleaming gold trim to its most famous feature—the glowing tires—this car captured the imagination of a generation. After spending nearly 50 years hidden away, its dramatic rediscovery and restoration have brought this visionary custom car back into the spotlight.

The masterminds behind the masterpiece: Barris and Street

The story of the Golden Sahara II begins with two visionaries: acclaimed custom car builder George Barris and his client, Jim “Street” Skonzakes. After Barris’s personal 1953 Lincoln was damaged, Street commissioned an ambitious new project, sparing no expense to create a truly outrageous show car. Starting with the original Golden Sahara, the vehicle was later dramatically re-engineered into the even more radical Golden Sahara II in the early 1960s.

A car of tomorrow: The Golden Sahara II’s groundbreaking features

The Golden Sahara II was a showcase of technology decades ahead of its time. For 1958, its list of features was nothing short of science fiction:

Illuminated Tires: The most iconic feature was a set of custom-made Neothane synthetic rubber tires by Goodyear. Lit from within by internal bulbs, these translucent tires glowed, a dazzling spectacle that cemented the car’s legend.

Remote Control: The car could be driven remotely using a television-style remote control. This allowed Street to perform tricks for crowds, giving the impression that the car was driving itself.

Aircraft-Style Controls: Inside, the conventional steering wheel was replaced with an aircraft-inspired yoke, and a central lever controlled acceleration and braking.

Early Obstacle Sensors: Short antennas on the front bumper were integrated with an early concept of an automatic braking system, designed to stop the car if it detected an obstacle.

Luxury and Entertainment: The cabin was pure opulence, featuring gold and white upholstery, mink carpeting, a reel-to-reel tape recorder, and a dash-mounted television.

Lost and found: A Legendary Restoration

After touring for years and even appearing in the Jerry Lewis film Cinderfella, the Golden Sahara II was mysteriously stored away by Jim Street in the 1970s and disappeared from public view for decades. The car’s legend grew during its long slumber.

Following Street’s death in 2017, the custom classic re-emerged in a deteriorated state at a Mecum auction in 2018, where it sold for $385,000. It was purchased by Chicago’s Klairmont Kollections Automotive Museum, owned by the late Larry Klairmont, who sent the historic icon to Speakeasy Customs and Classics for a painstaking restoration to bring the car back to its former glory. With help from Goodyear, which created modern, LED-lit replacements for the famous translucent tires, the project was a resounding success.

The fully restored Golden Sahara II was dramatically unveiled at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show, where it stood alongside cutting-edge modern supercars and drew immense attention. The car, now in-between ownership, continues to be a star attraction, serving as a powerful reminder of an era of unbounded automotive creativity and future-forward design.

Larry Klairmont, the museum’s founder and collector, sadly passed away in July, leaving behind the Golden Sahara II among hundreds of other collector cars. The entire collection, including this custom beauty, is heading to auction at the end of this month.

The post The Golden Sahara II, A Legendary Custom Car With Glowing Tires, Is Heading to Auction appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

For automotive enthusiasts and collectors, the Shelby name conjures images of powerful V8 engines, raw performance, and the legendary Cobra. However, in the late 1990s, Carroll Shelby pursued a different path, designing and building a car entirely from scratch rather than modifying an existing model. The result was the Shelby Series 1, an ambitious, modern roadster that, despite its troubled history, remains a fascinating and exclusive chapter in American automotive lore.

The genesis of a modern classic

Conceived as a modern reinterpretation of the Cobra, the Series 1 was first unveiled as a prototype at the 1997 Los Angeles Auto Show and released for the 1999 model year. This was the only car in Carroll Shelby’s extensive history to be designed and built from the ground up by Shelby American, a fact that gives it a special place in the lineage. Shelby’s vision was to combine the classic roadster feel with contemporary technology and performance.

Innovative engineering and design

The Series 1 was a forward-thinking machine built for performance. Its chassis was constructed from extruded and formed 6061 aluminum, with aluminum honeycomb panels bonded into the floorboards and rocker panels for added strength and stiffness. This advanced construction, more commonly seen in race cars, resulted in a featherlight curb weight of just 2,650 pounds. For the body panels, Shelby American employed a composite of carbon fiber and fiberglass, further reducing weight and enhancing rigidity. A double-wishbone suspension with inboard cantilevered coil-over shocks was utilized at all four corners, a setup that was praised for its balance and impressive grip.

A surprising heart and formidable performance

Breaking from the traditional Ford V8 engine expected in a Shelby, the Series 1 was powered by a 4.0-liter DOHC Aurora V8 sourced from General Motors’ Oldsmobile division. Though an unusual choice, this engine was derived from an Indy Racing League power unit and was surprisingly sophisticated for its time. In its naturally aspirated form, it produced a respectable 320 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque. The engine was mounted behind the front axle and paired with a six-speed manual ZF transaxle, which helped achieve a near-perfect weight distribution. This combination was good for a 0-60 mph sprint in 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 170 mph. A supercharged option was also offered, boosting output to as much as 450 horsepower and dropping the 0-60 time to just over four seconds.

Production woes and a collector’s legacy

Despite its cutting-edge design and impressive performance, the Series 1 had a difficult journey to market. Only 249 units were officially produced between 1999 and 2005, a far cry from the originally planned 500. Production challenges included regulatory red tape, financial issues, and a steep price tag of around $110,000 to begin with, which made it a tough sell compared to established sports cars. After regulatory certifications expired, some of the final cars were sold as “component cars” without an engine or transmission. The use of some GM parts-bin components for the interior also disappointed some potential buyers expecting a bespoke cabin.

Today, the Shelby Series 1 is a rare and unique collectible. It represents a brief but important moment in automotive history when Carroll Shelby pursued a singular vision. While it may have been overlooked by many at the time, its rarity, engineering, and place in Shelby’s personal history have solidified its status as an underappreciated gem. For collectors, it offers an exclusive piece of the Shelby legacy, representing not a modification of another’s creation, but a true original.

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