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Classic and Muscle Car Ad List Searches

Posted on by V8 Staff
1970 Chevrolet Corvette Suspension Upgrades at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop

Looking for a Classic, Muscle Car, or Corvette of your own? Click an orange button link below to see what’s for sale all across the USA on a variety of automotive for sale sites like Craigslist, eBay, and others all in one place!

Click A Button To Search National Ads For These Cars!

1970 – 1973 Trans Am
1968 – 1972 Corvette
1977 – 1978 Trans Am
1965 – 1970 Mustang
1967 – 1969 Camaro
1970 – 1973 Camaro
1986 – 1987 Buick Regal / GN
Chevrolet C10 Pickups

Click an orange button link above to see what’s for sale across the USA on a variety of automotive for sale sites like Craigslist, eBay, and others all in one place! Just click the button of the car you’re looking for, then click the blue “Open All” button to see the results!

We’re happy to help you procure your car should you find one to purchase, contact us for more info!

Supercharged LS3 Powered Chevrolet Pickup Runs on Hydrogen Gas 2021 SEMA Show

Posted on by V8 Staff

Hydrogen Powered Chevrolet Pickup 2021 SEMA Show Arrington Performance V8TV

This sweet 1949 Chevy pickup is powered by a supercharged LS3 that has been converted to run on compressed hydrogen gas. It’s not a hydrogen fuel cell, but actual compressed hydrogen fed into Continue reading “Supercharged LS3 Powered Chevrolet Pickup Runs on Hydrogen Gas 2021 SEMA Show” →

Legendary Kustom Hirohata Mercury Crosses Auction Block at Mecum Kissimmee, 2022

Posted on by V8 Staff
Hirohata Mercury at Mecum Auction

When it comes to kustom cars, the 1951 Mercury built by George and Sam Barris for Bob Hirohata is about as legendary is it gets. The car innovated kustom design elements, and remains true to form today, even through an extensive restoration. Oh yeah, it also looks awesome! It’s long, low, chopped, clean, with Buick side trim, tuck & roll interior, Caddy Sombrero hubcaps, and a real Von Dutch stripe on the dash, and it’s boss. And now, it can be yours!

The spring, 2022 Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, Florida is where this amazing ride will change hands to the highest bidder.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Hirohata Mercury, arguably the most famous custom car of the classic era
  • Named for the car’s original owner, Bob Hirohata of Los Angeles, California
  • Iconic custom car built by Sam and George Barris
  • Featured in Hot Rod Magazine in March 1953
  • Cover car for Hop Up magazine in March 1953
  • Class Winner at the 1952 Petersen Motorama
  • Featured in Rod & Custom in October 1953
  • Appeared in the film “Running Wild” in 1955 starring Mamie Van Doren
  • In the care of the McNiel family since 1959, when Jim McNiel purchased the car for $500 at the age of 16
  • Restoration completed in 1996 to exact 1952 Motorama specifications
  • Restoration detailed by Pat Ganahl in several issues of Rod & Custom magazine
  • Colors matched using spectrography and new paint was applied by Junior’s House of Color using PPG materials
  • Displayed at the “Hot Rods and Customs (The Men and Machines of California’s Car Culture)” exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California upon completion
  • Restored again by the original builders, including Herschel “Junior” Conway and Frank Sonzogni, in 2015 for Pebble Beach
  • First in Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2015
  • Added to the National Historical Vehicle Register in 2017 and displayed on the national mall in Washington, DC
  • Previously displayed at the Petersen Automotive Museum
  • 1953 Cadillac 331 CI OHV V-8 engine with three Stromberg carburetors
  • The B-pillars were removed and the roof was reshaped to create a hardtop
  • V-butted windshield
  • Top chopped 4 inches in the front and 7 inches in the rear
  • Front fenders extended 4 inches, incorporating frenched 1952 Ford headlights
  • Rear fenders extended and fitted with frenched 1952 Lincoln Capri tail lights
  • Trunk corners were rounded
  • Hood was filled, peaked and extended into the grille
  • Custom grille made from three 1952 Ford grilles
  • Factory dips on the doors were filled and the surrounding sheet metal was reshaped to flow with 1952 Buick Riviera trim spears
  • Functional brake cooling scoops on rear panels
  • Flush fit, flared fender skirts
  • Chopped front coils in front and the frame was kicked up in the rear
  • Springs were de-arched using two sets of 1.5-inch lowering blocks
  • Finished in two-tone Seafoam Green and Organic Green
  • Pinstriping originally applied by Von Dutch
  • Custom upholstery by The Carson Top Shop
  • Trunk upholstered by Gaylord’s Kustom Shop
  • 1953 Cadillac “Sombrero” wheel covers
  • Twin Appleton S-552 spotlights

Head over to https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0122-487726/1951-bob-hirohata-mercury-custom/ to see more, and for your chance to register to bid on a true kustom legend. And if you win, please take us for a spin!

Tremec TKX 5-Speed Manual Transmission Conversion Video at V8 Speed and Resto Shop

Posted on by V8 Staff
Tremec TKX 5-Speed Manual Transmission Conversion at V8 Speed and Resto Shop

Manual transmission conversions are getting easier thanks to the new Tremec TKX 5-speed overdrive transmission at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop.   The TKX offers not only a smaller case design, but also improvements in shift quality over the popular TKO series transmissions.   The TKX makes it easier to fit into cars like this 1966 Pontiac GTO, or early Mustangs, Camaros, Chevelles, GTO, Galaxies, and other popular Muscle Cars.    

Continue reading “Tremec TKX 5-Speed Manual Transmission Conversion Video at V8 Speed and Resto Shop” →

Measuring, Mounting, Balancing, and Aligning Custom Wheels and Tires

Posted on by V8 Staff

Wheels and tires can make the look of a car, but there are some steps to take to properly measure, order, test, mount, and balance them to avoid issues down the road.

The first challenge is how to properly measure the wheels to fit your car. The following video uses a FORGELINE wheel to demonstrate how to measure Custom wheels are built to order, so it’s important to get the measurements right. In this video, we use a FORGELINE custom racing wheel to demonstrate the techniques used to measure wheel width, backspace, and frontspace, as well as offset. These dimensions are not hard to measure and calculate, and this video will help you get them right.shows what’s involved.

Proper tire clearance is just as important as wheel fitment, and we use some special tools to simulate a wheel and check tire fitment before wheels are ordered. This allows us to turn the steering wheels from lock-to-lock and check for any potential interference.

Once the wheels arrive, DO NOT simply take them out of the box and mount your tires. ALWAYS to a “dry fit”, were you test the wheel on the car without the tire mounted to double check the fitment. If you mount the tires, the wheels will be yours to keep, and most wheel companies will not swap them out for a different set. Custom wheels are generally yours to keep as soon as they are built, but an unmounted wheel is better than one that has tire mounting damage should something need to change.

Once you’re certain the fit is correct, you can mount your tires and balance the wheel and tire combination. We do this in-house to ensure the wheels are handled with proper care, and prefer to dynamic balance wheels and tires in our shop, and we do this in-house to ensure the wheels are handled with proper care.

Only after all these steps are taken are the wheels and tires mounted finally on the car. We prefer to check and correct any alignment issues at this time, to ensure the new rubber does not wear prematurely and the suspension system delivers optimal performance. Our in-house Hunter digital alignment rack allows us to dial-in our preferred settings as needed.

We have a comprehensive alignment questionnaire for our customers to fill out ahead of time, so that we know what type of suspension modifications and driving styles they will be doing. This allows us to tailor the alignment to the car and driver. See the form here: V8 Speed & Resto Shop Vehicle Alignment Questionnaire

Only after all these steps are complete is the car ready to go out and show off the new wheels and tires to the world! Contact us today for a wheel and tire upgrade on your ride, we’re happy to help!

Elements of Proper Quarter Panel Replacement at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop

Posted on by V8 Staff

There are a lot of details to watch when replacing a quarter panel! 

Quarter panels are the large, steel body panels that reach from the trailing edge of the door to the rear taillight panel, and from the roof down to the lower rocker panel and wheel opening on a classic or Muscle Car.    

Quarter panels are integral structural parts of the car, and play a significant role in the construction, strength, and safety of the car’s body and chassis.    Some cars, like Chevrolet Camaros, are not body-on-frame construction, meaning the body itself is the main structure of the car.   These are known as “unit-body” or “unibody” designs, and are also found in Pontiac Firebirds, Chevrolet Novas, Dodge Challengers, Plymouth Roadrunners, Ford Mustangs, and many other popular classic and Muscle Cars. 

Over time, quarter panels are prone to wear, rust, and crash damage, and are often in need of repair or replacement.    Many new reproduction quarter panels exist for popular cars.   When new panels are not available, original equipment panels can often be sourced from a donor car, reconditioned, and installed on another car… if done properly.  Continue reading for the details!

Continue reading “Elements of Proper Quarter Panel Replacement at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop” →

Top Camaros Built at V8 Speed and Resto Shop

Posted on by V8 Staff

 

Top Camaros Built at V8 Speed and Resto Shop

We’re big fans of first generation Camaros here at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop. Today we’re taking a look at 5 of our favorite restomod First Gen Camaros built here in our shop, in no particular order.

LOU’S CHANGE
See More:  https://bit.ly/V8SpeedLousChange

First up is a 1969 Camaro named Lou’s Change.   The goal for this car was to combine modern Camaro styling and performance with the classic look of the ‘69.  Dan Steinhauser created the rendering, complete with a modern ZL-1 style hood with carbon fiber insert and a 3D printed grille.    


We performed all the metalwork in-house, including fabrication of the custom hood, and installation of all new floors, quarter panels, tail panel, fenders, and more. Lou’s Change rides on a complete Detroit Speed suspension front and rear. Deep tubs were installed to accommodate the Toyo R888 tires wrapped around Forgeline wheels. The engine is a modified supercharged GM LSA  6.2L V8 making approximately 630 HP, backed by a 6-speed manual transmission.   The car was sprayed in Mars Red, with a black ZL1 stripe.  It was a feature car at the SEMA show, the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, and in Hemmings Muscle Machines Magazine.

COMP Camaro
See More: http://bit.ly/V8SpeedCompCamaro

This ‘69 Camaro is owned by one of the best names in performance parts, COMP Cams! When it needed a refresh, we were honored that they sent it to us at the V8 Speed & Resto Shop. Upgrades include a Heidt’s front subframe and tubular suspension and rear 4-link system supporting the Currie rear axle. Power comes from is a Butler-LS built LS 454 making 690 HP, and a TCI 6X 6-speed automatic transmission shifts the gears. The interior features Distinctive Industries Touring II seats, Dakota Digital gauges, and Vintage Air A/C.

ZR9:
See More: http://bit.ly/zr9Camaro

This next Camaro is another ‘69, but it’s an all-new car with nearly 100% aftermarket parts. We utilized a new Camaro shell, added some bigger wheel tubs, subframe connectors, and a complete Detroit Speed suspension system. Power comes from a MAST Motorsports LS7 based 427 topped with an LS9 supercharger making over 800 horsepower with a 6-speed manual transmission. Inside you’ll find a full leather and carbon fiber interior, with speedhut gauges, Vintage Air, and high-end audio in a custom dash. The color is Corvette ZR1 Jetstream blue, which really makes the polished trim and Forgeline wheels stand out.

RELOADED:
See More: http://bit.ly/V8SpeedReloadedCamaro

The goal of the Reloaded Camaro was to create a modern version of the dealer supercars from the late 1960s, like the 427 Camaros built by Yenko and Nickey Chevrolet. The original front subframe was modified with a Detroit Speed coilover suspension, while a QUADRALink rear suspension was added for far better traction. While the body was being massaged to perfection, our friends at Fast Times Motorworks assembled a 490 cubic inch roller cam V8. The engine is super clean, with satin colors that compliment the exterior with no messy wires or hoses. The transmission is a TCI 4L80E automatic overdrive.

SILVER LT4
See More: http://bit.ly/V8SpeedLT4Camaro

This one came to us with a stock suspension system, and a carbureted big block Chevy engine, but the owner wanted more… of everything. The first time the car was here we installed a whole Detroit Speed suspension system front and rear, and an EFI system on the big block Chevy. Bigger Baer brakes were added, and a new set of Forgeline wheels was custom made for the car. The handling and braking improvements were huge, but after a bit, the owner wanted the smooth power of a supercharged dry-sump LT4 engine, so the car came back to the V8 Speed & Resto Shop for round 2! Stock LT4s are powerful, but this one is making north of 750 HP with upgraded pulleys, valve springs, and injectors. Of course, we also build less radical Camaros, but we’re always looking to push the envelope of performance and creativity. What ideas do you have for your ideal Camaro? Contact us at www.v8speedshop.com today, we’d love to bring those ideas to life!

Inertia Fuel Cutoff Switches on Retrofit Fuel Injection Installs at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop

Posted on by V8 Staff

High-pressure fuel systems required by Electronic Fuel Injection systems pose a possible safety threat should the car ever be involved in an impact.   We like to install Inertia Fuel Cutoff Switches in the EFI retrofits performed at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop.   The Fuel Cutoff Switch turns off the fuel pump in an impact to prevent dangerous high-pressure gasoline spraying on a hot engine and causing a fire.   Continue reading for the video!

Continue reading “Inertia Fuel Cutoff Switches on Retrofit Fuel Injection Installs at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop” →

Pro Touring, Resto Mod, or Pro Street? What is the difference, and what do you drive? V8TV Video

Posted on by V8 Staff
Pro Touring Vs. Restomod

 

Pro Touring, Resto Mod, or Pro Street?   What is the difference, and what do you drive? V8TV

There are lots of terms to describe classic and muscle cars these days, especially when it comes to those that have been modified.     In this video, we explore the differences between stock original cars, restored cars, and modified cars… specifically those muscle cars modified in the Resto Mod, Pro Touring, and Pro Street styles.    What are these styles? What does each need to have?   What defines them?   Watch and see.   

If you’ve got a classic, muscle car, Resto Mod, Pro Touring, or Pro Street car that needs some love, we’re happy to chat about it!   You can reach us at www.v8speedshop.com today.  

314.783.8325 

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