UPDATE! Legendary Kustom Hirohata Mercury Sets Record at Mecum Kissimmee, 2022!

Posted on by V8 Staff

JANUARY 15, 2022 – The Hirohata Mercury sold for a hammer price of $1.95 Million Dollars at the Mecum auction! It remains the highest price paid for any kustom car, and we were excited to see it happen.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

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!

1966 Pontiac GTO Tremec TKX 5-Speed Manual Transmission Conversion Video at V8 Speed and Resto Shop

Posted on by V8 Staff

We install Tremec TKX 5-Speed Manual Transmissions in Muscle Cars at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop

Tired of the limitations of an automatic?

The Tremec TKX offers the perfect solution for muscle car enthusiasts seeking:

Enhanced Driving Experience: Take command of your gears and relish the raw power of your classic car.
Improved Performance: The TKX boasts a compact design for a perfect fit and smoother shifting compared to TKO transmissions.
Modern Muscle: Enjoy the benefits of overdrive for enhanced cruising and fuel efficiency.
Unmatched Expertise: V8 Speed & Resto Shop is your one-stop shop for flawless Tremec TKX installations. Our team has extensive experience breathing new life into classic muscle cars like Mustangs, Camaros, Chevelles, and of course, GTOs!

In this video, we delve deep into the Tremec TKX, highlighting its:

Superior Strength: 600 lb-ft torque capacity and 8000 RPM maximum shift RPM handle the demands of your powerful engine.
Streamlined Design: The innovative “front loaded” three-piece aluminum housing ensures a perfect fit and eliminates leaks.
Adaptability: Choose from GM Muncie/Richmond or Ford wide pattern options to match your car’s needs.
Tailored Performance: Multiple gear ratios allow you to optimize your driving experience.

Ready to transform your classic muscle car?

Contact V8 Speed & Resto Shop today! We’re passionate about helping you achieve the perfect manual transmission setup for your dream car. We work with Modern Driveline to engineer TKO transmission solutions for classics, hot rods, and muscle cars.

Visit our website at https://v8speedshop.com/ or call us at 314.783.8325 to discuss your Tremec TKX conversion!

SUBSCRIBE: https://goo.gl/RIkdDS

Watch the video where we installed a Tremec TKX 5-Speed transmission in this clean 1966 Pontiac GTO

Photo Gallery of Upgrades and Tremec TKX Install at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop

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

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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!

Same Car, Different Day 1969 Camaro Edition #1

Posted on by V8 Staff

“Same thing different day” takes on a new meaning at the V8 Speed & Resto Shop. This 1969 Camaro is now seeing it’s best days! See all the transformation pics and video of this car here: https://v8speedshop.com/2015/07/21/1969-camaro-restoration/ The whole V8 Team wishes you a great weekend!

Which Is Better: Pro Touring, Resto Mod, Or Pro Street? We Look at Popular Muscle Car Styles V8TV Video

Posted on by V8 Staff

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.

Here’s the link to the comparison chart mentioned in the video:

Muscle Car Styles Comparison Chart Download

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

314.783.8325

Be sure to subscribe to the V8TV channel: SUBSCRIBE: https://goo.gl/RIkdDS

#protouring #restomod #prostreet #original #restored

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!

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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!

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V8 Speed and Resto Shop Featured in Body Shop Business Magazine

Posted on by V8 Staff

The V8 Speed and Resto Shop was recently featured in Body Shop Business Magazine in an article sharing the story of the shop’s TV beginnings and how it has evolved over the years.

Read the article here:

https://www.bodyshopbusiness.com/v8-speed-resto-shop-film-it-edit-it-host-it/?utm_source=omeda&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=V8+Speed+%26+Resto%3A+From+TV+Show+to+Shop&oly_enc_id=9918I2517389H3T

1957 Ford Ranch Wagon SOHC Full Build at V8 Speed and Resto Shop Photo Gallery

Posted on by V8 Staff

1957 Ford Ranch Wagon 427 SOHC Roadster Shop Chassis at V8 Speed and Resto Shop

Never Judge A Book…

The goal of this 1957 Ford Ranch Wagon build is to add modern car handling with barely-streetable power from a Ford 427 legendary Single Overhead Cam (SOHC) V8, all while keeping a stock (ish) sleeper appearance.

1957 Ford Ranch Wagon 427 SOHC built at V8 Speed and Resto Shop

A Modern Twist on a Legendary Engine

The elements include a 700+ HP John Kaase built 540-cube SOHC engine, 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission, a Roadster Shop chassis and suspension, and great brakes. The wagon will ride on 17” steel wheels – or Halibrand kidney-bean style wheels, depending on the mood. The chassis will deliver a slightly lowered, but usable stance.

A Stock 1957 Ford Ranch Wagon. Or is it?

One of the goals of this custom hot rod 1957 Ford is to make it look unassuming. No racing bucket seats for this one, as it will feature the original style bench seat and steering column mounted shifter. The Ranch will wear an original Starmist Blue and Colonial White color scheme, with a coordinating restored interior. New Old Stock or restored original trim will be used in all the original and correct locations on the car. The V8 Speed and Resto Shop is handling the build, and it’s going to be an amazing ride!

Follow The Build

The V8 Speed and Resto Shop Team is chronicling the build of the 1957 Ford Ranch Wagon in thousands of photos and videos, and you can follow them all right here. And if you’re inspired, we encourage you to contact the V8 Speed & Resto Shop to chat about your Classic or Muscle Car dream ride today!

[wptb id=179253]

817 S. MAIN STREET – RED BUD, IL 62278

Where To Listen To V8 Radio Podcasts

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We like easy at the V8 Radio Podcast. To prove it, here are some links to make it easy to find, listen, and subscribe to our show from your favorite podcast source! Enjoy!

Siri: “Hey Siri, Play the V8 Radio Podcast”

Alexa: “Alexa Play the V8 Radio Podcast”

Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3kx9twI

Stitcher: http://bit.ly/V8RStitcher

Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/V8RApple

Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/V8RGoogle

Spotify: http://bit.ly/V8RSpotify

Player.fm: http://bit.ly/V8RPlayer

Podchaser: http://bit.ly/V8RPodchaser

Podbean: http://bit.ly/V8RPodbean

iHeart Radio: https://ihr.fm/2wkR81E

TuneIn: http://bit.ly/V8RTuneIn