This 1946 Ford Tudor street rod stands tall after a cosmetic restoration at the V8 Speed & Resto Shop! The car was already sitting on a Mustang II front suspension with a Chevy 350 and Turbo 350 transmission combination when it arrived at the V8 shop, and the owner was happy with how it drove. But he didn’t like the peeling black paint, the beat-up trim, and the rust around the edges. It was time to strip it and start fresh.

Down to the bare bones

Once the paint was stripped, it was obvious that the old Tudor needed some love in the metalwork department. The trunk floor was badly rusted, and the rear fenders were also rusted thin with pits. Nice 1946 Ford rear fenders are hard to find, so the V8 crew created new ones in the metal fabrication shop. Once TIG welded in, you can’t tell there were any repairs ever made. Similar treatment was done to the trunk floor.   

A whole new look

The body shop crew took it from there, sanding the Tudor’s curves and prepping the body for paint. Once in the paint booth, the ‘46 was treated to multiple coats of Mercedes Graphite Metallic basecoat color and several layers of clear. We think the polished and replated trim looks dynamite against the subtle metallic silver color.

Inside, the seats, carpet, and headliner were reupholstered, and the dashboard chrome was restored adding a brilliance to the interior not found on modern cars.

The 350 was tuned up, Rocket Racing wheels were added, and this super clean ‘46 Ford is ready for another ¾ of a century of cruising fun.

We invite you to contact the V8 Speed & Resto Shop for all your fabrication and paint needs, no matter how old your ride!

Contact the V8 Speed & Resto Shop with all your Classic or Muscle Car needs today!

817 S. MAIN STREET – RED BUD, IL 62278

We recently did some work on this clean 1969 Chevelle for a cool customer who’s become a good friend over the years.     The car came to us with most of the pieces in place, but just not playing that well together.    In fact, it’s been a repeat visitor over the years getting better upgrades each time. 

Round One

The first time, we did some driveline repairs, but the fun project was creating and installing a custom contoured firewall we made in our fabrication shop.  It was made from 18 gauge cold rolled steel, and the design added strength and a style that didn’t look out of place on the Chevelle.  Once that was body worked and painted, we moved on to the engine.   

It originally arrived sporting a crate big block Chevy, but we eventually installed a Fast Times Motorworks built 460 cube torque monster for more laughs from the right pedal.   This one started as a 454 with a 4-bolt block, but was bored and stroked to 460 cubes with Scat I-beam rods, Keith Black pistons, and ARP hardware throughout.    The top end relies on a Howard’s roller cam and Edelbrock heads and intake inhaling the mix from an MSD Atomic EFI system.   

Stirring The Gears

It’s bolted to a Tremec TKO-600 6-speed manual transmission shifted by a Hurst stick and a hydraulic clutch for smooth action.   We installed 3.55:1 Motive gears in the 12-bolt housing along with a Detroit TruTrac differential for better grip.    We love the sound of a rumbling big block through the stainless x-pipe Borla mufflers.  

Handling is improved with a QA1 tubular coil-over suspension system up front for adjustability, a nice ride, and a lowered stance.   The upsized QA1 sway bar resists body roll when you whip the Grant steering wheel and Delphi quick-ratio steering box around.    The rear is hung with more QA1 coil-overs, tubular arms, and sway bar.  We added Wilwood disc brakes all the easy around, which hide behind 17” Rocket Racing Booster wheels.   The calipers are squeezed by a Hydratech hydraulic brake assist unit.  

Inside, you’ll find Dakota Digital Gauges, a tilt steering column, Scat seats, and a Vintage Air A/C unit with it’s compressor and belt held in place by a Vintage Air Frontrunner serpentine accessory drive system.  

Stripes For This Star

The Chevelle wears a handsome shade of metallic charcoal gray, but it really came to life when we added some custom-made silver SS396 stripes to the sides.    It’s a sharp car that drives like a champ.  

You can see more photos of the work on this one by clicking on the link in the description, and please don’t hesitate to contact us if your muscle car needs some upgrades, tuning, or a complete do-over… we’re happy to help!

Contact The V8 Speed and Resto Shop

Contact the V8 Speed & Resto Shop for all your restoration and performance needs!

314.783.8325 https://www.v8speedshop.com

The V8 Speed & Resto Shop is a full-service classic car and muscle car restoration service ready to perform everything from simple maintenance on vintage cars to full frame-off restorations and modifications.    Whether you are seeking a stock restoration, a pro-touring muscle car, or a custom restomod, the V8 Speed & Resto Shop in Red Bud, IL, can help.   Contact us today to put the V8 crew to work for you.      Transport services are available.

Contact the V8 Speed & Resto Shop with all your Classic or Muscle Car needs today!

 

817 S. MAIN STREET – RED BUD, IL 62278

 

The 1968 Chevrolet Camaro built by the V8 Speed and Resto Shop is rolling on a new set of Rocket Racing Attack wheels, their pro-touring style flow-formed forged wheel debuted at the SEMA Show. Our team was honored to have the RELOADED Camaro make a second SEMA Show appearance, this time in the Rocket Racing display! Courtney Hansen dug the car and the new wheels and who wouldn’t?

Welcome to a super-special episode of V8 Radio, the companion program to the 200th episode of Muscle Car Of The Week! In this episode, we’re airing the complete interview we recorded with 3-time Indy 500 winner Bobby Unser recorded at the 2016 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals in Chicago. This interview was a special stage presentation where Unser gave us the story about the amazing 1969 Ford Torino Pike’s Peak racer he drove to victory in 1969. The legendary cast of characters in the story includes Bunkie Knudsen, Smokey Yunick, Bill Stroppe, Holman & Moody, and many others, and Unser tells the fascinating story as if it happened yesterday. The car is a purpose-built stock car built by Bill Stroppe and Holman & Moody and is powered by a Smokey Yunick built Boss 429. Unser had not seen the car since ‘69, but he was surprised to learn that the car remains in as-raced condition today. He went on to share many stories of racing in general, and how to be a winner not only on the track but also in life, and a great recollection of a huge party after a winning snowmobile racing season! The display was a huge hit at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, and the car is a very special piece of racing history in the Brothers Collection. Enjoy the show!

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V8 Radio Podcast
V8 Radio Exclusive Interview with Bobby Unser at Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals 1969 Ford Torino Boss 429 Pike’s Peak Racer, Muscle Car Of The Week Episode 200
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We had the tremendous honor of interviewing a true racing legend and outstanding American Bobby Unser at the 2016 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals this past weekend. A 3-time Indy 500 and 13-time Pikes Peak champion, he's a man who knows how to win both on the track and in life. Thanks to Mr. Unser for the time, The Brothers Collection for the opportunity, and the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals for the outstanding event! We'll post the video here soon.