RCNMag.com SPRING 2018 Miata-based Autocrosser All-American ’29 Ford Redhead Euro Replica

THE CHAMELEON Color-shifting coatings on Superlite’s SL-C

Page 42

PUBLISHING INC PUBLISHING

COLE

PAID

U.S. POSTAGE U.S. Replicas Reignite Racing History Page 38

PRSTD STD PRSTD

COLE PUBLISHING INC., PO BOX 220, THREE LAKES WI 54562 54562 WI LAKES THREE 220, BOX PO INC., PUBLISHING COLE ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED SERVICE ELECTRONIC

James Dean nicknamed his Spyder the “Little Bastard,”

but this one comes in Small

Bastard, Medium Bastard,

Large Bastard, Extra-Large

Bastard, and even Double

Extra-Large Bastard.

Grab a 550 tee before

May 5th - 5/5.

This limited-edition T-shirt is only available until May 5, 2018. When it’s gone, it’s gone.

Only $19.95 Short-sleeved • $24.95 long-sleeved • FREE Shipping! Mail to: Tee Style: q Men q Women Tee Size: q Small q Medium q Large q X-Large q XX-Large COLE Publishing PO Box 220 q q Tee Sleeves: Short Long Qty:____ | Qty:_____ | Qty:____ | Qty:____ | Qty:_____ Three Lakes, WI 54562 Notes: ______Sorry, no foreign orders, shipping to United States only. Fax to: 715-546-3786 Name: ______Please make checks payable to: Address: ______COLE Publishing City: ______State: ______Zip: ______Phone: ______Order online: Credit Card #: ______CC Exp: ______V-Code: ______NOTE: Orders ship 2-3 weeks after May 5th closing date. No foreign orders, shipping to United States only. RCNMag.com/tees Contents THROTTLE STEERING 6 Composite Conundrum By Steve Temple, Editor RCN ONLINE 8 @RCNmag.com A preview of current online exclusive content. FEATURE CAR 10 Revisionist Redhead A modern take on a vintage GT Roadster. By Joe Greeves FEATURE CAR 16 All American The surprising longevity of the ’29 Ford. By Steve Temple DIY 22 Carbon Components How to put your project car on a high-fiber diet. By Steve Temple FEATURE CAR 26 The Drifter An even wilder slip ’n’ slide Superformance Cobra. By Steve Temple READER’S RIDE 32 Hands-On Speedster Embracing the ‘I can build anything’ attitude. 42 As told by Jon Eesley TECH On the Cover 38 Fueled by the Flame How replicas reignite vintage racing events. A color-shifting Superlite SL-C homebuilt by Pete Ballentine, By Karen Salvaggio photo by Steve Temple COVER STORY 42 The Chameleon Color-shifting coatings on Superlite’s SL-C. As told by Pete Ballentine FEATURE CAR 16 26 48 Prized Packard From salvage yard wreck to concours best in show. By Joe Greeves DIY 54 The Quest Converting a Cheetah-style body into a unique design. By Steve Temple FEATURE CAR 58 Street Cred Giving a ’66 Mustang a Shelby license to thrill. By Steve Temple TECH FEATURE 64 Catfish Composites 32 58 What goes into making a Miata-based autocrosser. By Steve Temple FEATURE CAR 70 Storm Warning A Category 5 Cobra from Hurricane Motorsports. By Jim Youngs DIY 76 Quick Fix Repairing cracks in carbon fiber and other composites. By Steve Temple RCN COMING NEXT MONTH 80 Spring Vendor Preview FLASHBACK 64 Le Mans-Style Spitfire Conversion 86 Remembering Daniel Sexton Gurney A fond farewell to racing’s finest competitor. A Pair of Corvette Grand Sports By Dean Larson Ultrarare REO Speedwagon Restomod RCN Mysterious Carbon-bodied Cobra 91 Marketplace

4 Advertiser Index

CONTINUATION, REPLICA AND LOW VOLUME AUTOMOBILES B Rod or Custom, Inc...... 75 Published monthly by: BAT Inc. / Mocal USA ...... 91

Birkin Direct-USA ...... 79 1720 Maple Lake Dam Rd., PO Box 220 Three Lakes, WI 54562

Borla Induction ...... 21 www.rcnmag.com

© Copyright 2018, COLE Publishing Inc. Cavaliere Roadsters ...... 91 No part may be reproduced without permission of publisher.

In U.S. or Canada call toll free: 866-933-2653 Elsewhere call: 715-546-3346 Craft Performance Engines ...... 92 Email: [email protected] / Fax: 715-546-3786

Office hours Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. CST CRS, Inc...... 75

Factory Five Racing ...... 2

SUBSCRIPTIONS: A one year (12 issue) subscription to Forte’s Parts Connection ...... 91 ReinCarNation™ Magazine in the United States is free. Visit www.rcnmag.com or call 800-257-7222. Haywire & Co., LLC ...... 9 Our subscriber list is occasionally made available to carefully selected companies whose products or services Hurricane Motorsports...... 9 may be of interest to you. Your privacy is important to us. If you prefer not to be a part of these lists, please contact ididit, LLC ...... 7 Nicole at [email protected]. DISPLAY ADVERTISING: JPS Motorsports Inc...... 79 Contact Brad Bisnette or John Kendall at 866-933-2653 or [email protected]. Publisher Koolmat ...... 91 reserves the right to reject any advertising which in its opinion Brad Bisnette John Kendall MMG Motorsports ...... 79 is misleading, unfair or incom- patible with the character of the publication. Motorspot, Inc...... 21 EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE: Please send to Editor, Plastex Plastic Repair Kits ...... 91 ReinCarNation Magazine, P.O. Box 220, Three Lakes, WI 54562 or email [email protected].

Scarab Motorsports LLC ...... 9 CIRCULATION: Average circulation is 15,000+ copies per month (U.S. and Canadian distribution). Shell Valley Classic Wheels, Inc...... 6

Stewart Warner...... 85

Time Machine Motorsports LLC ...... 21 Facebook.com/ReinCarNationMag

Ultimate Classic Cars ...... 91 Instagram.com/rcnmag Vintage Wheels...... 75

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 5 DO IT YOURSELF

THROTTLE

In addition, John adds, there isn’t much advantage from a strength/ Stingray covered with copper-colored carbon fiber. Just about every square weight perspective (except perhaps in the ultralight mystery Cobra featured inch of the car had some of this brightly colored fabric on it, both inside and in this issue). The real enhancements are seen with vacuum-bag molding out. While this sort of treatment might not be to everyone’s taste, it proves REINCARNATION and/or autoclave (pressure and heat) molding, which drive down the resin that not all carbon fiber has to come in basic black. Which just might lead content, thus reducing weight. But those drive the cost up even more. to more applications of the material on car bodies. Composite Conundrums Truth be told, most manufacturers who are building “carbon” parts are using a skin of woven carbon fiber cloth solely for appearance, and the bulk ach issue of ReinCarNation typically has a makes body conversions for both Datsun Z-cars and of the layup is fiberglass. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, and Steve Temple Virtually no area was left untouched by dominant theme or overall emphasis, be it the BMW Z3 (the Velorossa and ZGT, respectively), even John is considering carbon-skinned parts for his ZGT. [email protected] the new copper carbon fiber material on this wide-body Corvette by Ivan Tampi Customs. E steel-body replicas, engines, chassis designs, shared a few thoughts on this subject with me recently. Undeterred by these seeming drawbacks to carbon composites, I did or whatever. This particular issue highlights various He knows of what he speaks, with a background in some digging in anticipation of this issue and came across many more aspects of advanced composites. But with a caveat: aeronautical engineering, among other pursuits. He companies than expected that supply products with advanced composites. Car bodies aren’t as advanced as, say, a carbon fiber does offer carbon fiber components, since they can Wheel companies such as Forgeline Motorsports, Litespeed Racing, and stealth fighter or blades on a wind turbine. True, be laid up in the same molds used for his standard, Emergent are all offering stronger yet lighter rims made, at least in part, of many race cars have a carbon fiber tub as a structural marine-grade laminates. John points out, however, carbon fiber. Large carbon fiber body panels are available from Speedkore element. But why don’t we see advanced composites that most customers who want carbon require clear Performance Group, Sankuer Composite Technologies, Carbon Creations Steve Temple on many replicas and other specialty cars? gelcoat with a perfect weave alignment. As noted in and Anderson Composites as well. Given this increased presence of composites Editor The one-word answer is both simple and obvious: one of our DIY stories in this issue (“Carbon in the auto market, look for more features in upcoming issues. price. This material can double or even triple the cost Components”) on Factory Five Racing’s composite One of the more intriguing and visually surprising ones is from Ivan of a composite laminate. parts, an even alignment of fibers can be a real Tampi Customs. While known for his wide-body Corvettes, Mustangs and My longtime associate John Washington, who challenge due to the loose weave of the material. other conversions, his latest project displayed at the SEMA Show was a C7

6 DO IT YOURSELF

THROTTLE

In addition, John adds, there isn’t much advantage from a strength/ Stingray covered with copper-colored carbon fiber. Just about every square weight perspective (except perhaps in the ultralight mystery Cobra featured inch of the car had some of this brightly colored fabric on it, both inside and in this issue). The real enhancements are seen with vacuum-bag molding out. While this sort of treatment might not be to everyone’s taste, it proves REINCARNATION and/or autoclave (pressure and heat) molding, which drive down the resin that not all carbon fiber has to come in basic black. Which just might lead content, thus reducing weight. But those drive the cost up even more. to more applications of the material on car bodies. Composite Conundrums Truth be told, most manufacturers who are building “carbon” parts are using a skin of woven carbon fiber cloth solely for appearance, and the bulk ach issue of ReinCarNation typically has a makes body conversions for both Datsun Z-cars and of the layup is fiberglass. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, and Steve Temple Virtually no area was left untouched by dominant theme or overall emphasis, be it the BMW Z3 (the Velorossa and ZGT, respectively), even John is considering carbon-skinned parts for his ZGT. [email protected] the new copper carbon fiber material on this wide-body Corvette by Ivan Tampi Customs. E steel-body replicas, engines, chassis designs, shared a few thoughts on this subject with me recently. Undeterred by these seeming drawbacks to carbon composites, I did or whatever. This particular issue highlights various He knows of what he speaks, with a background in some digging in anticipation of this issue and came across many more aspects of advanced composites. But with a caveat: aeronautical engineering, among other pursuits. He companies than expected that supply products with advanced composites. Car bodies aren’t as advanced as, say, a carbon fiber does offer carbon fiber components, since they can Wheel companies such as Forgeline Motorsports, Litespeed Racing, and stealth fighter or blades on a wind turbine. True, be laid up in the same molds used for his standard, Emergent are all offering stronger yet lighter rims made, at least in part, of many race cars have a carbon fiber tub as a structural marine-grade laminates. John points out, however, carbon fiber. Large carbon fiber body panels are available from Speedkore element. But why don’t we see advanced composites that most customers who want carbon require clear Performance Group, Sankuer Composite Technologies, Carbon Creations Steve Temple on many replicas and other specialty cars? gelcoat with a perfect weave alignment. As noted in and Anderson Composites as well. Given this increased presence of composites Editor The one-word answer is both simple and obvious: one of our DIY stories in this issue (“Carbon in the auto market, look for more features in upcoming issues. price. This material can double or even triple the cost Components”) on Factory Five Racing’s composite One of the more intriguing and visually surprising ones is from Ivan of a composite laminate. parts, an even alignment of fibers can be a real Tampi Customs. While known for his wide-body Corvettes, Mustangs and My longtime associate John Washington, who challenge due to the loose weave of the material. other conversions, his latest project displayed at the SEMA Show was a C7

vintagewires.com

quality product

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 7 NEWS & ALERTS Visit RCNmag.com and sign up for our newsletter. RCNmag.com Get exclusive content delivered @ right to your inbox. Visit the site daily for new, exclusive content. Read our daily content and get the most out of ReinCarNation Magazine.

TESLA-POWERED COBRA RACER With 443 lb-ft of instantaneous torque on tap, this Tesla-powered Cobra track car paints a future for EVs that we can appreciate. www.RCNMag.com/blog/tesla-powered-cobra-racer

MASERATI 450S REPLICA This aluminum Maserati replica tells a tale of a few world-class drivers and one of the worst days in Maserati history. www.RCNmag.com/fresh-finds aluminum-maserati-450s-replica

JUNKYARD STAR This rare Polaris Star Car was a bright idea for an open-wheel racer powered by a snowmobile engine. www.RCNmag.com/blog/junk-yard-star

BEST EMBLEMS OF SEMA ’17 Broncos, Barracudas, Belvederes and more, in our list of the best emblems from SEMA. www.RCNmag.com/blog/ best-emblems-of-sema-17 Join the Discussion FB.com/ReinCarNationMag

8 Create the COBRA of your dreams....

....from the inside out!

• Limited Series of 20 • Built to Original Team Specs • FIA Approved

Scarab Motorsports LLC • (913) 972-2189 Auto Wiring Harnesses Universal After Market www.haywireinc.com • [email protected] WWW.SCARAB-MOTORSPORTS.COM Hilliard, Ohio • 614-851-1932 • Not associated with Genmar or Wellcraft Marine, manufacturers of SCARAB performance boats

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 9 250 GT Roadster REVISIONIST REDHEAD A modern take on the sports car glory days in a fiery Vintage 250 GT roadster. Story and Photos by Joe Greeves

he postwar automotive world was an exciting time, thanks to the resurgence of interest T in performance automobiles and the growth of Grand Prix and sports car racing. The FIA, or Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, announced that in 1953, several national sports car races would be linked to create a World Championship for drivers. The Italians did well in these early races, with Ferrari bringing home a win in 10 of the first 12 championships. It was because of those magnificent sports cars of the 1950s that one veteran builder found the inspiration to create this Vintage 250 GT roadster. Candido Cavaliere from Port Charlotte, Florida, has been creating replicas for the last 28 years, starting with one based on the Austin-Healey. Realizing that the best way to establish his business was to display his work, he took the car to his first show, getting his first job within the first hour! He has been building replicas to order ever since. For several years, he specialized in building Healeys, but he always had the idea of creating a tribute to the magnificent sports cars of the 1950s — as well as the men who dedicated their lives to the sport and infused their spirit into the event. His Vintage 250 GT roadster has been a six-year, part-time project that began by accident when he came upon a group of fiberglass car body parts, similar to the early Ferrari Testa Rossa that raced in the late 1950s.

10 REDHEAD

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 11 250 GT Roadster

Recognize those taillights? They were sourced from a 1950 Pontiac.

The six separate pieces were hanging on a wall in a body shop and were being used as shaping bucks for aluminum replacement panels. He saw the potential of the raw materials, purchased the parts, and immediately began forming them into his vision of a 1950s-vintage FIA roadster. Before long, the rear end was modified, the wheelbase was adjusted to fit the custom chassis he had designed several years prior, and the entire car was widened for comfort. Left pretty much untouched were the voluptuous pontoon fenders and the extended grille. The hood is hinged from the front, revealing a modern Chevy V8 (no “redhead” valve covers as seen on the original racer that inspired this car). He wrapped up the design with a distinctive headrest for the driver. For an unobstructed view, the seats were inset into the floor pan. To complete the design package, those six original fiberglass pieces were joined into a rigid, hand-laid, one-piece body shell with cutouts for the doors, hood, and deck lid. The interior is The car features a custom 98-inch wheelbase chassis clean and uncluttered. (somewhat longer than the 92.5-inch wheelbase of the original Backing up the Chevy 350 TR). It consists of both 2-by-3 and 2-by-2, jig-welded, is a ratchet-shifted, clutchless rectangular steel tubing, and it accommodates components automatic transmission that was from a single donor source that can be simply bolted in place. custom-designed by Candido Cavaliere. Candido’s years of experience prompted him to choose the easy-to-find and reasonably priced C4 Corvette (1984-96)

12 I was born and raised in a “ family of car nuts, and I’m carrying on the tradition.” Candido Cavaliere suspension bits. Stock Corvette double wishbones up front, rack-and-pinion power steering, disc brakes, and an independent rear end combine to give autocross-level handling. Italian by birth but with gasoline in his veins, Candido Cavaliere has The only departure from the C4 was removing the always had a passion for creating replicas of classic sports cars. Corvette transverse leaf spring to compensate for the fact that the Corvette is 3,700 pounds, while the GT 250 is only 1,800 pounds. In its place, Carrera adjustable coilover shocks now stabilize the front and rear while allowing precise changes to ride height. The roadster runs on 17-inch Corvette rims with Sumitomo rubber, measuring 275/40ZR17 up front and 315/35ZR17 in the rear. Power comes from a 400 ci Chevy V8, essentially stock but with plenty of low-end torque to launch the lightweight car. The posi rear turns 3.08 gears, making it a freeway flyer. The engine’s dated EFI system was removed, and instead a tried-and-true 650 cfm Edelbrock carburetor meters fuel intake. A GM HEI electronic ignition lights the fire, and exhaust gas dumps into rams horn headers and ceramic- The coated side pipes fitted with glasspacks. Divvying up the power suspension band is a ratchet-shifted, clutchless automatic trans of Candido’s pieces are all own design. There’s a handy gear indicator on the aluminum Corvette C4, dash also. An array of AutoMeter white-face gauges monitor except for engine vitals. Custom seat shells that come included with the the coilover vehicle were upholstered in tan Naugahyde. The interior shocks. treatment is all business, appropriate for the period.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 13 250 GT Roadster

The box-tube frame is a few inches longer

and runs a Corvette C4 suspension.

The finishing touch was spraying the body with GM arctic white and champagne gold. Amenities include side marker lamps, turn signals mounted behind the grille, TR4 center-mounted gas cap, and 1950 Pontiac taillights. The bright- red disc brake calipers with drilled and slotted rotors show through the five-lug, five-spoke wheels. Although the headlights are not covered, classic Lexan additions are an option. What motivated Candido to get involved with old sports cars, race cars and classics? “I was born and raised in a family of car nuts, and I’m carrying on the tradition,” he relates. “This is my attempt at capturing that spirit.” Ever restless, he’s interested in moving onto different projects, as he prefers to be a developer rather than a producer. So he’s planning to sell not only the Vintage 250 GT demonstrator, but also the tooling to construct the car to someone interested in beginning commercial production of a revisionist redhead.

14 reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 15 Model A Roadster

ALL AMERICAN

16 ALL The surprising longevity of the ’29 Ford — still AMERICAN available in any color you want as long as it’s black Story and Photos by Steve Temple

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 17 Model A Roadster

Nothing flashy about this rod —

just basic black to offset the shiny parts. But it’s ready for custom paint.

ord’s Model A was a huge success for the company back in the day, F with more than 4.8 million units sold during production from 1927 to 1932. But that’s not the end of the story, as customizers embraced the car as one of the most popular choices for a wide variety of hot rod projects. In addition, a company called Shay Motors Corp., founded by Harry J. Shay, resurrected production of the original-style Model A back in the late 1970s. He worked out a deal with Ford to send at least one car to every dealership across the country. Eager customers began lining up at showrooms, just as they had back in 1927. In response to demand, Harry planned to build replicas of other Ford roadsters as well, along with the ’55 Thunderbird, ’40 Lincoln Continental and ’65 Mustang. Unfortunately, the entire program was beset by problems with production, cash flow and legal issues. So just a few years later, Harry had to shut down operations in March of 1982. Camelot Motors Corp., or CMC, purchased the tooling out of bankruptcy and made some improvements in the frame of the Model A.

18 Speedway Motors then offered the car as a DIY kit from 1982 to 1993. The history of the Shay Model A gets a bit cloudier at this point. According to Dana Dankert of Shell Valley, the Swoboda brothers (founders of this replica firm) acquired the Shay inventory when CMC went out of business. They were mostly after the Mustang II front suspension components for use in Shell Valley’s Cobra replicas, but the roadster molds were part of the deal. Later on, Rich Anderson acquired the company and more recently Travis Roth. Getting back to the Model A replica: After sitting around for several years, the molds were brought into the shop to see if they were still good. “We got one body out of the The cockpit is modernized with a GT rim, ididit original mold,” Dana recalls. “We cleaned that body up and steering column and a Lokar shifter. modified it to work with our own frame and made it into a hot rod.” The company then splashed a mold off this reworked shape and has been making its own version of the Model A roadster ever since, adding Kevlar and steel into the critical stress points. Today, Shell Valley’s component package consists of a box-tube frame with the suspension installed and either Chevy or Ford engine mounts welded in place. The body is pre-positioned on the frame to ensure a snug fit, and a body- mounting kit with weatherstripping is included. While Shell Valley’s Cobra replica has always been the company’s most popular seller (stay tuned for a feature on one in an upcoming issue), Dana says he’s seen a renewed interest in traditional hot rods lately. “We decided it would be a good idea to build one of our ‘A’ roadster kits into a roller to take along to some of the shows we do every year,” he notes. Not wanting to go overboard on the paint and leave the color choice for the eventual next owner, Shell Valley decided to coat the body in a flat-black primer. This basic-black color scheme turned out great and looks right at home on this hot rod. The look is understated and

Chromed trailing arms contrast nicely with the black gelcoat.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 19 Model A Roadster

In such a lightweight rod, a Chevy 355 has

plenty of grunt. It’s topped with an Edelbrock intake and carb. The Sprint-style headers are ceramic-coated for a long-lasting finish.

dignified, as it doesn’t have those intentionally funky treatments seen on rat rods. And the ebony hue also contrasts dramatically with the chromed control arms and ceramic-coated Sprint-style headers with extensions. The engine is a fresh 355 Chevy engine out of a Nova that was being repowered with a big-block V8. The SBC is coupled to a turbo 350 transmission actuated by a Lokar shifter. The rest of the driveline consists of a custom drive shaft from Fast Shafts hooked up to a Ford 9-inch with a four-bar setup. The solid rear axle is fitted with a Panhard bar and Moser axles, and it’s suspended by QA1 coilover shocks and chrome trailing arms. This classy rod rolls on American Racing Salt Flat Specials, 15-by-sevens in the front and 15-by-10s in the rear, shod with Cooper Cobra tires, 235/60 and 295/50 respectively. Disc brakes with 11-inch rotors scrub off speed at all four corners. Interior upgrades include VDO Cockpit Royale gauges and an ididit tilt steering column. “We went with a two- tone gray interior, so it will match just about any color palette down the road,” Dana adds. While most street rod companies offer bits and pieces requiring some shopping around to complete a project vehicle, Shell Valley takes a different approach by offering VENDORS a total package with just about everything needed for a full build. And now financing is available as well for Ad on Shell Valley Classic Wheels, Inc. purchases ranging from $1,000 to $35,000. All of which Pg. 6 888-246-0900 makes getting into a street rod a whole lot simpler. www.shellvalley.com Things sure have come a long way since the early days of Henry Ford. But one thing has stayed the same: This Model A is still all-American.

20 KNOCK-OFF AND DIRECT BOLT STYLE WIRE WHEELS Sizes from 13–22 inches. Wheel and tire packages available.

760-731-8301 www.hobbycar.com

ndustrial ay, nit C | allbrook, California

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 21 CARBON COMPONENTS How to put your project car on a high-fiber diet By Steve Temple | Photos by Nate Johnson and Stephani Lofthouse

t’s the new black — literally. That dark gauge-face pod shown here. Other items done fabric known as carbon fiber, found in-house include canards, trim covers and covers I on everything from stealth fighters to for roll bars. tennis rackets, is a popular upgrade More stressed items, such as splitters that have for project cars as well. to handle heavy loads in terms of downforce, are Not all carbon fiber is created equal, of course, outsourced to a company that makes aftermarket and we’re not talking about the vinyl wrap that’s parts for Aston Martin. These performance parts basically a photo of carbon fiber. How can you tell require high-strength epoxy resin and autoclaving the difference? to maintain their integrity. “If it looks 100 percent perfect, it’s not real Even so, Factory Five’s in-house items are still carbon fiber,” points out Nate Johnson, operations fairly strong, as they use a marine-grade vinyl ester manager for Factory Five Racing. He notes that the resin rather than conventional polyester resin. And loose weave of carbon fiber is a challenge to keep chopped matte serves as reinforcement as we’ll see. Parts subject to higher loads, lined up evenly, no matter how carefully you handle Should you tackle this sort of job on your own? such as this adjustable front it. He’s worked at Factory Five for more than two “It’s not a rookie move,” Nate advises. But there’s splitter, are made with an epoxy decades and knows his way around resins and enough detail here to determine whether you’d resin cured in an autoclave. composite materials of all types. want to make your parts or simply purchase them. So we leaned on him for some additional tips Either way, you’ll get a car that’s right in style with about laying up carbon fiber parts, such as the the new black.

22 This mold for a gauge-

face pod is coated with an orange tooling gelcoat. Nate Johnson says that before layup, it should have a perfectly smooth surface. It’s coated with a high- temp, mold-release carnauba wax buffed to a smooth finish, followed by a layer of clear gelcoat that will serve as a UV-protector on the completed part.

Start with small sheets of carbon fiber. In bulk, a roll of carbon fiber might run as high as $3,000, but that’s sufficient for producing a couple years’ worth of parts at Factory Five Racing. Nate Johnson The vinyl ester resin used by Factory Five prefers to use double-serrated scissors for a clean cut. Racing is a DCPD blend for lower emissions, along with greater flexibility and impact resistance. The typical ratio of MEK catalyst added to the resin is 2 percent by volume, but that can vary slightly depending on the climate and time of year. Dry summer weather requires only 1.5 percent, while in damp winter weather, the ratio might run as high as 3 percent.

VENDORS

Since the carbon fiber weave is fairly loose, it needs to be handled Ad on gingerly to prevent distortion. Here it’s being carefully sized over Pg. 2 Factory Five Racing 508-291-3443 the mold and then trimmed to allow for a few inches of overlap. www.factoryfive.com

A throwaway brush is used to apply the catalyzed resin to the Again, the carbon fiber weave needs mold. If you’re doing several parts, the brush can be stored in acetone careful placement in the mold to prevent to prevent it from getting hard but usually only for a day or less. any distortion.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 23 Next, chopped matte goes over the saturated The wetted-out fibers need to sit untouched for a carbon fiber and is wetted out with resin as well. couple minutes in order for the resin to breakdown

The resin needs to be applied with a light touch The matte adds thickness to the laminate since the the binders, softening the fabric and matte so they but in liberal amounts for full saturation. Excess resin carbon fiber is more for its cosmetic appearance in conform to the contours of the mold. Then, a roller is will be rolled out later. this particular application. used to squeeze out the resin-rich laminate.

After about an hour or so, the exothermic reaction cools off and the resin hardens so it’s no longer sticky. Here’s how the finished surface looks right out of Grab the edge of the excess cloth to pop the part out of the mold. the mold, but some extra work is still needed.

An air or body saw trims off the excess cloth. If the edge is not clearly obvious, overlay the part with a template in order to mark a cutting line.

A dual-action sander with 80-grit paper smooths The completed part is now ready to be installed. off the rough edges.

24

Superformance Drift Car

THE DRIFTER

26 THE DRIFTER

An even wilder slip ’n’ slide Superformance Cobra Story and Photos by Steve Temple

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 27 Superformance Drift Car

couple months prior to the SEMA Show last fall, we heard from Vlado Jancev of V’s A Automotive that his popular drift Cobra would be a step up from last year’s exciting exhibition ride. But nothing prepared us for just how much he would raise the bar. This time, he came loaded for bear, with enough venom to take out not only a really big grizzly, but also a whole pack of wolves. Before getting into the specifics of this weapons-grade drifter and its upgrades from last year’s version, let’s take a look at how it hearkens back to the way Shelby Cobras were originally driven in the heat of competition. As noted in a previous feature on this same Cobra, the concept of drifting through corners is nothing new. Years before drifting became popular among tuner-car enthusiasts, it was a typical driving technique used by racers. The fast way around the track was usually sideways, with all four tires slipping and sliding as the driver counter-steered. But back then, they didn’t call it drifting. Instead, it was referred to as throttle steering or power sliding. This technique was a necessity because the chassis designs were too flexible for hard cornering. But those old V8 war chariots were loaded with tons of torque, so it was easy to hang out the rear end on a sharp turn by abruptly lifting the throttle and trail-braking, and then gunning it to line up the Check out the wear on those rear tires and the car for the proper exit. It also made for some hairy action at burnt-rubber smoke pouring up through the trunk. the apexes, as cars lost traction and mixed it up in the corners. Getting back to Vlado’s previous setup for drifting: He

28 Not all of the passengers were as invincible as this slippery Cobra. A few were shaking all over as they climbed out of the cockpit. started out with a standard Superformance MKIII Cobra replica as a base, already a healthy performer. But then he fitted the chassis with a special hydraulic e-brake. Pulling on the hand lever is a quick way to initiate the drift, both to unweight the rear tires and then control the drift. For extra help in breaking the tires loose, a Ford Racing Aluminator 5.0-liter Coyote was installed under the hood. Topped with Borla’s Eight Stack fuel injection, it pumped out 530 horses. Since driver Pablo Cabrera gets on the power hard, Vlado beefed up the TREMEC TKO 600 six-speed transmission and installed short-ratio gears and a twin-disc clutch. Besides the hot mill under the hood and the e-brake, Vlado modified the factory setup in several other ways. He put more angle in the steering system by installing custom Wilwood Engineering spindles and Detroit Speed’s rack-and-pinion with power assist. This quick-steer system is geared differently as well, so one turn of the thickly padded rim provides two turns of the front tires. He also added fully adjustable coilover shocks and longer, lower control arms in front for more steering angle and negative camber. All told, it has an extra 10 degrees of steering, which helps greatly with handling at speed, as every degree can make a difference. Since braking is as important as hard acceleration for a controlled drift, there are six-piston calipers in the front and four-pistons in the rear in addition to the four-piston caliper for a separate e-brake. So what did Vlado do to improve on this setup from last year? The engine delivers nearly 1,000 hp now, for one. It started life as a Ford Racing Aluminator SC crate engine. In order to up the output, “We removed the heads, changed the springs, cams and valves,” Vlado relates. “The bottom end is a stock Ford Racing Aluminator SC crate engine running a Whipple supercharger at 22 pounds of boost and 100 shot of nitrous to get that thousand wheel horsepower.” This much forced induction requires a lowered compression ratio so the engine doesn’t blow its stack. So rather than the stock 11:1 ratio, this particular engine came in lower, at 9.5:1. For engine management, Vlado’s Pro-Am drift driver and shop technician Pablo wired in a MS3Pro ECU system with a

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 29 Superformance Drift Car

This particular Ford Coyote crate engine has a lower compression ratio to accommodate the extreme levels of forced induction from the blower and nitrous.

Even though a nitrous system was installed in the trunk, no juice was used during drifting in order to reduce stress on the engine and drivetrain. But it just might come in handy when this car goes for the Cobra roadster speed record later this year.

30 custom-made harness. It took him about two weeks to hook it up and mount it on the transmission tunnel below the dash, as he wanted to make sure it was just right for a high-profile event in front of the throngs at SEMA. This configuration allowed for easier laptop tuning, a necessity given all the changes in airflow and fuel delivery. For the latter, the shop installed Aeromotive fuel pumps drawing from a Customline surge tank. The drivetrain was beefed up for the deluge of power, running a McLeod Racing race-duty Mag Force triple disc clutch in a GSR G-Force transmission from RTS. The output funnels into a 2005 Holden rear end with Driveshaft Shop axles. Other upgrades include a pair of X-members cradling the underside of the frame. Commenting on the increase in rigidity from last year’s ride, “The chassis stiffening helped the suspension,” Pablo notes. “It worked better than last year and feels really solid.” That’s a good thing, considering the binary throttle response of the blown Coyote, along with a shorter gear ratio. “The way the power comes on is different,” he admits. “It’s a rocket — instant torque.” But he also says that can be a double-edged sword. “It’s hard to control. You’re gonna spin out if you don’t feather the throttle.” Given the prodigious amount of power on tap, no wonder he didn’t bother opening up the bottle of nitrous. “It would’ve raised the output to almost 1,200 horses! That’s too much stress on the engine and drivetrain,” he notes with a knowing Note the MS3Pro wince. While these upgrades might sound like pretty heady stuff, ECU system mounted it’s all in a day’s work for Vlado. “Putting the car together overall on the transmission wasn’t too bad,” he recalls. “It was just the fact that we didn’t have tunnel below the dash. a lot of time. We had about a month and a half to do the car, and It’s readily accessible overall it came out great.” He does admit to having a couple issues for all the laptop with the supercharger belt and pulleys, but they were fixed in a tuning required on the couple days after testing at the racetrack. blown Coyote engine. Considering how many rocket ship rides Pablo gave each day The stick with the blue during the week of SEMA (about 30 per day), it’s surprising that knob is the e-brake the car survived this much abuse. But the only things that needed lever for initiating and changing were the extra-sticky Toyo tires before each 30-minute controlling the drift session and occasionally a fraying supercharger belt. Otherwise action. this high-caliber car was basically bulletproof. But not all of the passengers were as invincible as this slippery Cobra. A few were shaking all over as they climbed out of the cockpit. “I got a kick out of that!” Pablo laughs. Even Carroll Shelby’s grandson, Aaron Shelby, enjoyed a few hot laps, but he exited with aplomb, thanking Pablo with a smile and handshake. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. So what’s the next mountain to climb with this Cobra? Well, recall the record-breaking Superformance Cobra (“The Shootist”) that we featured on the cover of our October 2017 issue? Vlado says he’s gunning for the 201.1 mph record, aiming to best it by as much as 20 mph! More power to him — literally.

VENDORS Superformance V’s Automotive 800-297-6253 714-282-9900 www.superformance.com www.vsperformance.com

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 31 Beck Speedster Readers’ Rides

’ve always enjoyed working on things, as evidenced by being a participant in I Soap Box Derby from the ages of 11 to 15. I’m old enough that back then you had to design and build the car, as the only standard parts were the wheels and axles. My dad, brothers and neighbors were always tinkering with cars, but the real project was building a VW-based dune buggy when I was 15. Some 40 years later, I’m trying not to work as much (as a CPA), and realized that I needed a hands-on project. I decided to build a Manx dune buggy. But it would be unlike in the ’70s when you just got a ’63 Bug that had been rolled and then converted it for a new fiberglass body. Instead, this was a project of assembling components and parts from various sources, with lots of fabricating along the way — I even made my own wire harness. While you are never really done, I was ready for another project by the time my buggy was nearing completion. This time my wife Tami (high-school sweetheart, now married to her for 38 years) wanted to be involved and make it our car. I was intrigued by the Beck Speedster from Special Edition and we visited the A life-long passion for personal projects — company, which was about a four-hour drive away ‘I can build anything!’ in Indiana. We loved the look, and I could leverage my VW knowledge from the Manx. My only regret on the As told by Jon Eesley Manx was that I wished I had built the engine. I also Photos by Steve Temple and Jon Eesley liked that Beck was relatively close and the owner/ manager, Carey, is even an Ohio Buckeye like me! So, in October 2015 we agreed to get started. The plan was for Beck to build the chassis, body, etc., while I built a brand-new engine. My trusted adviser and supplier on the engine build was John Connolly of AirCooled.net in Salt Lake City. How we came to cross paths is a saga in itself, involving my Meyers Manx (see sidebar). HANDS-ON

32 HANDS-ON SPEEDSTER

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 33 Beck Speedster Readers’ Rides

Red interior and gray exterior —

just clean and classy, nothing outlandish.

34 My initial objectives for the Speedster were appearance and a reliable engine, not a high-performance mill. But John convinced me to build a stroker so the parts (starting with an engine stand) began coming. John is meticulous like me, and shared a very detailed article on how to spec parts before assembly. New tools were required and I began the process. One other step before assembly was to get the components balanced, and I was introduced to Tom Simpson in northeast Ohio. He builds VW engines (primarily high performance) and was great to check, balance and tweak, as well as help with assembly. Getting down to the details, the engine displaces approximately 2,240 cc, producing an estimated 140 hp. I’ve got dual Weber 44s, and the key to ignition is a Mallory CDI (you need a bigger spark given the higher compression). I also measured my air-fuel ratio to dial in the Webers. In May 2016, my Beck arrived (on casters) and I began assembly (brakes, suspension, wheels, etc.) and then my Rancho transaxle and engine. As anyone knows, this job sounds and looks easier than it is once it’s completed, but I had things in pretty good order by late November 2016. I returned the car back to Beck for final inspection, alignment, adjusting, etc. In spring 2017, the car came home and I continued to adjust, tweak and refine. It’s hard to appreciate the subtle details unless you’ve done a build, but that is part of what I enjoy. I recently got the car inspected and then titled by the state of Ohio and I hope to spend a lot of time behind the wheel. We’re planning to attend plenty of car shows as I’d like time to show off the build, but yes, I’m already evaluating my “next project.”

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 35 Beck Speedster Readers’ Rides

Jon Eesley appreciates While Jon’s initial idea was more for a dependable cruiser, he upped the ante to a the satisfaction that comes from stroker displacing 2,240 cc and delivering 140 hp. personally working on his cars.

VENDORS Special Edition, Inc. 866-396-2325 www.beckspeedster.com

36 The ignition was the culprit, so he replaced plugs and distributor, and boom, running like a champ. Heading out of Denver again, this time I’m taking the highway, my wife calls and says, “Not too far, just get a room and start in the morning.” Up early and heading to Utah, once again I’m freezing but at least I had a jacket, hood and gloves. A bit anxious about the engine, I take it easy, but with every hour gain confidence and once again am cruising along at 65-plus mph. One other key bit about out driving out West is how vast the land is, and given that my Manx holds only 7 gallons of gas, I brought a 5-gallon container with me. Which was a smart choice, as I needed it on I-80 in Wyoming, with nothing around and low on gas. I made it right into Park City around 3 p.m. Other than a numb head and ringing ears from being in an open cockpit with loud engine, I was good.

From the farmlands of Ohio through the Rockies of Colorado, and ultimately arriving in Park City, Utah, this plucky little Manx made a multistate trip despite a few mishaps along the way.

CROSS-COUNTRY CAT

Since we have a second home in Park City, Utah, part of my idea for a dune buggy would be to have a fun second vehicle there for summer excursions. So, why not drive my Manx there from our home in Ohio? Heck, I’d create garage space and save on airfare for one of our summer trips! Brilliant idea, but for some strange reason my wife wanted nothing to do with that trip. Well, I forged ahead anyway on a 1,700-mile drive. I planned to do it in two days, even though the longest I had driven my dune buggy at that point was about 50 miles. After departing on Aug. 27, 2015, from central Ohio at 5:30 a.m., I got to the Indiana border a little after 7 a.m., and was frozen. Who’d guess that in August? But once the sun was up I was good and cruising. My goal was to make it to Colorado, but after over 19 hours of driving my wife called me on the phone and said, “Enough!” She had made reservations at a hotel at the next exit in western Kansas. With just five hours of sleep, I was up at 6 a.m. and ready to go. In hindsight, I might have been feeling a bit overconfident cruising through Once in Utah at around 6,800-feet elevation, I knew I would need to the wide-open plains of eastern Colorado. After making great time into rejet carbs. Fortunately for me, I was told about John Connolly of Aircooled. Denver, I sputtered to a stop. Thinking fuel clog, I replaced the filter on the net. While mostly an online business, his shop is located in Salt Lake City I-70 berm, fired right up again, and I’m good to go. and he offered to look at my Manx if I brought it by. I did and right away From here I thought rather than highway I’d take two lanes over the could tell he shared my passion for things done right and paying attention mountains to Park City. Heading up mountains, I hit some rain, and between to the details. He gave me some good tips, including help with new jets. So, moisture and elevation, the engine dies about an hour west of Denver early while dropping by the shop isn’t his business, I did and got everything I afternoon. I called for a tow back to Denver, and found a VW air-cooled needed. engine enthusiast who said he would stay at his shop as long as needed to Right there I began discussing my next project and interest in building help get me going. I arrived at his shop around 9 p.m. and let him have a VW engine for my Speedster. Through email, and cellphone photos, etc., some fun checking out the entire car. he was incredibly supportive and was always spot on with his guidance. He proved my point that with right parts, tools and instruction, I can build anything!

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 37 FUELED BY THE FLAME How replicas reignite motor sports history at vintage racing events By Karen Salvaggio Photos by Marshall Autry AeroSport Photography, and courtesy of George Vidovic and Jeff McKee

ou may not have felt the quake, but became the greatest era in modern auto racing. competition cars had been chopped up for parts, the last few years brought a seismic Fueled by passion and forged through ingenuity, left outside in the elements or unceremoniously Y shift in the world of vintage auto the era was filled with brilliantly creative people sent to the scrapheap. racing. Long a bastion for the elite and designs. The legendary personages and their A dedicated following for these cars remained, and a playground for the most-prized racing cars cars include Colin Chapman (Lotus), Ferdinand however, and just when many of them were about in the world, vintage auto racing has traditionally Porsche (Porsche), Malcom Sayer (Jaguars), Zora to be lost forever, they found a new life — in vintage hosted the greatest legends in motorsport. Names Arkus-Duntov (Corvettes), Carroll Shelby (Cobras), racing. This second chance came just in the nick like Ferrari, Lotus, Porsche, Lola, Cooper, Alfa and Eric Broadley (Lola T70) along with Eric’s of time. Many of the most historic, well-documented Romeo and more. So what is it that’s making waves indomitable collaboration with Ford (GT40). and verified cars gracing a vintage racing field in the world of vintage racing? Iconic as they were in the day, by the late 1970s, today were at one time likely sitting in a heap Today, you can add the label “Vintage Replica” many of these formerly hallowed race cars had somewhere and sold for pennies on the dollar. to that notable list of competitors. That’s because been relegated to the back of the shop. Countless Fast-forward to 2018, and the world of vintage some vintage racing organizations are now allowing properly-equipped reproductions to compete at sanctioned events. This exciting development is something that replica enthusiasts have long been hoping for. What led to this change in perspective? Some Some vintage racing organizations are now motorsports history helps to explain. The 1950s and ‘60s were an incredible time in auto allowing properly-equipped reproductions racing. Postwar prosperity gave rise to a renewed interest in the automobile, and a resurgence in to compete at sanctioned events. motorsports ensued. The next 25 years arguably

38 auto racing is thriving. Having grown from a small to preserve the history of the cars and to celebrate group of passionate and dedicated enthusiasts the incredible accomplishments of “men and some 25 to 30 years ago, there are now no less than machine.” 30 different vintage racing organizations around Times change though, and while vintage racing the country. Interest in the cars has grown continues to thrive, like all organizations, vintage exponentially, and with premier events like the racing clubs have had to evolve in order to remain FUELED Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, the viable and healthy. So now a number of vintage Goodwood Revival, and the Pittsburgh Vintage race organizations welcome — yes, welcome — Grand Prix on the schedule, vintage racing is big reproductions into their racing ranks. Now replicas business. The increased interest in the cars, however, of iconic racing machines can compete door-to- BY THE brought skyrocketing car values. “Old race cars,” door with their full-blooded brothers. Today, top- Steve Powell’s Cobra replica is ahead of FLAME which at one time could hardly be given away, are notch examples from any number of replica car the curve at the Spokane Festival of Speed. How replicas reignite motor sports history at vintage racing events now fetching prices in the millions of dollars. These increasing values resulted in an ever- decreasing number of cars competing on track. This dramatic shift was fantastic for car owners, but the escalating values also brought understandable caution when it came to fielding a car valued in excess of $1 million in a true wheel-to-wheel race. With increasing frequency, these incredible race cars have been relegated to parade laps at lunch time. Enter the reproduction or vintage replica race car — but not without some birthing pains. For many years, vintage racing organizations scoffed at the very thought of accepting a replica of any kind into their world. The very charter of these clubs exalted the cars that ran at hallowed tracks such as Le Mans, Daytona, Watkins Glen or Road America, and they excluded anything nonauthentic. The primary purpose of these organizations was

Jeff McKee’s Superformance

GT40 repro leads a Lola T-70 at the 2016 Mitty Road Atlanta. He later placed first in class at the 2017 Sebring Historics in his Superformance GT40 MKI replica.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 39 Aussie George Vidovic really had to claw his way into the Australian vintage racing scene with his Python Cobra replica. But his efforts paid off, and back in 2012, he entered a pair of Pythons at the Historics Sandown — a huge vintage racing event held Down Under. Staying within a predetermined lap time (about 20 seconds slower than his best time there), he’s the driver of the 750 hp (99) car in the foreground. Now he’s come to the States to participate in the Vintage Auto Racing Association, which has welcomed him and other replica racers with open arms.

FIA Requirements for Race Cars

Basically there are three rules to follow: safety, safety and safety! Add to these the following general requirements (each sanctioning body will have different standards to meet): • Full roll cage (FIA) • Fuel cell (FIA/SFI) • Race seat (FIA/SFI) • Six-point seat harness • Fire suppression system • Tow hooks (front/rear) • Electrical cutoff switch

And one more thing: Make it fun too!

At the HSR Classic 12 Hours of Sebring, an Oltoff-built GT40 shows the way around the course to a couple of classic race cars.

40 manufacturers can be found woven into vintage racing fields around the country. Karen Salvaggio (28) hard-charging Two vintage racing organizations at with Tony Nadalin at Pacific Raceways. the forefront of this shift are the Vintage Auto Racing Association (VARA) in California and SOVREN, short for the Society of Vintage Racing ENthusiasts, which serves vintage racing in the Pacific Northwest. Both groups allow a wide variety of replica race cars to join their ranks, including reproductions of the Lola T70, Lotus Super Seven, Shelby Cobra and Daytona Cobra Coupe, GT40, Can-Am cars and Ferraris. As Martin Rudow, SOVREN’s president, explains, “Two years ago, we decided to welcome new types of cars to SOVREN racing. One reason was the decline in special cars in our usual range of years and another was a sheer desire to grow the size of our fields. We were able to accomplish both those goals when we welcomed Factory Five Racing Cobras into our midst.” From a participant perspective, Tony Nadalin is a frequent competitor in behind the wheel — mirror the look of the day and provide spectators vintage racing events in the Pacific Northwest. Tony built his Factory Five and fellow racers with thrilling vintage racing. Challenge Series car 10 years ago and competes in SOVREN’s ground-pounding As VARA’s general manager Jeannette Bourke notes, “The premise for Big Bore group. including replicas and other newer race cars into our group was based on the What keeps Tony “on track”? “I get to run with beautiful 25- to 40-year- reality that the ‘real’ racing cars of the era are valued at $1 million or more and old driving machines,” he relates. “This is pure driving with no fussy computer are no longer competing.” In addition, Jeannette points out that “We are a club, enhancements. The sophistication is found in the synergy between this kind and as such, it is important that we serve our members. Many of our members of pure machine and artful driver. Besides, I can’t resist the throaty rumbles are building replicas, and (they) represent an affordable way for individuals to of V8s, the gas fumes and the aroma of overcooked brakes!” join vintage racing. The replicas are an important part of where vintage racing In Southern California, the VARA grids regularly boast four to six is going, and we are very pleased to have so many running with us.” Cobra replicas in the GTO class. It’s a rare day when a “real” Cobra shows So for both of these organizations, replicas represent the car as it was back up to the grid, yet these replica race cars — most often built by the person in the day, and spectators, who would otherwise never have the opportunity to see these cars on track, can see them as they were at the time. In the words of Jeannette, “The Cobras and other replicas have pushed that envelope, and through them, we are able to keep vintage racing history alive.” To be clear, not every vintage race organization has shifted its thinking, and truth be told, some may never change. Right now, though, we ain’t fakin’ — there’s a whole lot of shakin’ going on!

Karen Salvaggio speaks from experience, having competed in SCCA, NASCAR, NHRA, American Le Mans Series, National Auto Sport Association events and more. Karen currently races a Factory Five Daytona Coupe in the SOVREN — short for the Society of Vintage Racing ENthusiasts — Big Bore group and operates

Tony Nadalin leads a Porsche around the Portland International Thunder Valley Racing, a team and management Raceway in his (98) Factory Five Racing Challenge Series roadster. company geared toward developing women race car drivers.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 41 Superlite SL-C Readers’ Rides

THE CHAMELEON

42 Color-shifting coatings on Superlite’s SL-C As told by Pete Ballentine Photos by Steve Temple and Pete Ballentine

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 43 Superlite SL-C Readers’ Rides

ometimes a project car is just preparation for the main event. I previously built a S Hunter 427 Cobra replica that was featured in the December 2013 Readers’ Rides section of Kit Car Builder (the precursor publication to Car Builder and ReinCarNation magazines). I worked on the Cobra for over 10 years, and when it was finally finished, I had the itch to build something else. This time I wanted a roof and air conditioning, and something with a bit more crash protection than a Cobra. I was still trying to figure out what to build next when I watched an episode of Stacey David’s Gearz TV show. On the show, Stacey was introducing his new project, a Superlite SL-C. The episode intrigued me enough to research the SL-C further. Fortunately, Fraser, Michigan, is only about a three-hour drive from my home in Dayton, Ohio, so my wife and I decided to take the drive up and check out the Superlite and Race Car Replicas facility. Fran Hall gave us a thorough tour and explained all the features of the SL-C, and we were sold. I placed an order for a kit in September 2013 with options including the street tail, side-impact bars, parking-brake kit, front-lift kit, fiberglass interior panels, and adjustable pedals. Along with the kit, I ordered a Graziano six-speed transaxle with limited-slip differential, and a clutch and flywheel kit from Superlite to go along with my

44 So as not to miss the show season, the initial body coating was done in rubberized Plasti Dip, which was easily removed later on for a vinyl wrap.

Later on, the body was covered in a color-shifting aquamarine vinyl wrap.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 45 Superlite SL-C Readers’ Rides

The drivetrain

consists of a LS376/480 crate motor mated to a Graziano six-speed transaxle with limited- slip differential. Oerlikon Graziano is a supplier to multiple OEMs, and manufactures robust units for high- performance cars. These transaxles don’t need to be inverted like Porsche G50 or ZF unit.

Chevrolet Performance LS376/480 crate engine. I also ordered Nitto Invo tires, 275/35ZR18 front and 325/30ZR19 rear, from Discount Tire Direct, and had them drop-shipped to Superlite. There, they were mounted on the 18x10- and 19x12-inch Forgestar F14 wheels included with the package. When my kit was ready in January 2014, George Daulton, president of the Ohio Cobra Club, graciously agreed to travel up to Fraser with me and transport the kit back to Dayton. Appropriately, he hauled my Superlite in his Featherlite trailer. While I had planned to finish the build in a year, it didn’t quite work out that way. In June 2015, a year and a half later, I had the car running and ready for inspection. After paying the fee to the state of Ohio to get the car inspected, I couldn’t get an inspection appointment until August. The nearest inspection station was 40 miles away in Troy, Ohio, and I didn’t Superlite manufactures most of its suspension components from billet aluminum, designing them for maximum strength feel comfortable driving the car that far on its maiden and minimum weight. They are also more resistant to corrosion voyage. So George lent a hand again and hauled the than tubular steel parts, and any cracks or other impending SL-C to Troy for the inspection. failure points are readily visible, improving safety. Two weeks later, and another haul to Troy, and I had an Ohio-assigned VIN and was legal. I then made a call to Robbin at Midwest Classics Insurance to get covered before I took it out on the road. Although it was late in the season, I was able to take the Superlite to a few Dayton Cars & Coffee cruise-ins, and even in red gelcoat and primer, the car got a lot of attention and positive comments. Although the car was running and driving, I still had a lot of work to do on finishing the interior and doing the bodywork. That’s when things began to change in multiple ways.

46 The frame architecture is much stronger than

the typical designs from the 1960s. An aluminum monocoque makes for a much stiffer platform for much more stable geometry and better handling.

I did some bodywork during the winter but still had a way to go in spring 2016. Since I didn’t want to miss the whole car show season working on the car, I applied a temporary finish using Plasti Dip. This air-dry rubber coating began as a flexible grip solution for tool handles, but has all sorts of other applications for automotive projects such as mine. Available in 50 colors, or as a custom-mixed kit, it’s removable, which suited my plans. I chose a two-tone scheme for the Plasti Dip of a black and Flash Colorshift, topped off with a gloss finish of DipPearl Topcoat from www.dipyourcar. com. I had a great time with the car during the summer, taking it to many car shows including the Holley LS Fest in Bowling Green, Kentucky. At LS Fest, I met up with fellow SL-C builder Will Campbell, and we displayed our SL-Cs together at the Show-N-Shine on Friday. After I ran the track at the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park in the Grassroots Motorsports Road Course Challenge, Nitto tires asked me to put the car in their booth on the manufacturer’s midway on Saturday. Then I got a great surprise on Sunday to top off a great LS Fest weekend. I came back to the Nitto Tires booth and two plaques were sitting on the SL-C. The car was awarded the Grassroots Motorsports Editor’s Choice Award, and I got the Most Improved award for the Road Course Challenge. In the fall, when the car show season had about wound down, I peeled the Plasti Dip, finished the bodywork, and primered the car. I then drove the SL-C down to Cincy Vinyl Wraps in Milford, Ohio, to get a vinyl wrap applied in Aquamarine Shift Effect, with brushed black and aluminum stripes. Although Brad, Aaron and Zach at Cincy Vinyl Wraps said this was one of the more challenging cars they’ve had to wrap, they did a phenomenal job and the finished car looks fantastic. Driving the car, I get an idea of what it must be like to be a celebrity, as people are constantly pulling out their phones and snapping photos and taking video.

VENDORS Superlite Cars & Race Car Replicas (RCR) 586-329-1573 www.superlitecars.com

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 47 Boattail Packard

PRIZED PACKARD

48 rash into treasure is a common theme in the restoration scene. But this rescued Packard T is not just any treasure, but one that took home multiple concours trophies. Owner Stephen “Steve” Tatoul is a regional controller for LKQ, the largest recycled and aftermarket automotive parts supplier in the U.S. An experienced auto enthusiast, he has previously restored a 1969 Mercedes 280SL and a 1959 El Camino. His latest automotive adventure began when he was doing a review of one of his company’s salvage yards in South Bend, Indiana. A vintage ’49 Packard caught Steve’s eye as it began rolling toward the scrap-metal scales. The old sedan was worth only the value of its metal, but it had one of those big, Straight-8 flathead motors that he always admired. Although the car wasn’t salvageable, the motor was turning free, and he realized that it would be a shame to send such a beautiful mechanical marvel to the crusher, especially since he had been mulling over the idea of a new custom vehicle. It would make a great family project that he could enjoy with his children. So, Steve had the car pulled out of line and bought it from his company. He was able to salvage the powertrain, steering gear and various other parts. Still without a clear direction for the project, he set the build in motion by shipping the engine and spares to Craig Holt of Craig Holt Machine in Inverness, Florida. Craig went through the motor, magnafluxing the block, polishing the crank, and adding new pistons and rods. Unfortunately, the head on the Packard was damaged in transit to Craig, and its loss was a serious setback. In a bit of unbelievable luck, Steve found a 70-year-old, NOS Edmunds finned aluminum head on the internet. The piece was still in the box and a perfect fit for the engine. More good happenstance followed. His second major find was an Edmunds polished-aluminum, dual-carburetor intake. With this pair of aftermarket speed components sourced, the 288 ci motor would not only run, it would also be a showpiece. Local expert, Kirk Hum of Hot Rods by Kirk in Crystal River, Florida, adapted a pair of vintage Stromberg 97 carbs that closely matched the original fuel/air flow requirements of the Packard. For the driveline, a Speed Gems adapter plate, milled to match the Chevy bell housing, enabled the use of a T-5 Borg-Warner five-speed transmission. This unit funnels power to a narrowed 9-inch Ford rear. With the powertrain nearing completion, it was time to begin thinking about By Joe Greeves a chassis and body. From salvage yard wreck Steve loved the aggressive elegance of the boattail vehicles in the 1930s. Intent on pursuing that theme, he to concours best in show realized that one of the fiberglass designs from Terry Cook’s Deco Rides collection would be an ideal solution. This firm’s boattail body nicely fit the rear as is, but for

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 49 Boattail Packard

Deco Rides’ fiberglass boattail rear section fit right on the chassis with no modifications required.

the front, the Deco Rides hood had to be lengthened to accommodate the Straight 8. A hand-built Packard nose and grille assembly completed the externals. The lack of engine side panels was a design choice in order to showcase the vintage power plant. While the body dimensions were being finalized, Steve contacted Fat Man Fabrications for a custom chassis, encountering yet another example of being at the right place at the right time. It turned out they already knew the dimensions of the Deco Rides body, having worked with Terry in the past. The only requirement was to stretch the rails 8 inches to accommodate the Straight-8. It was a natural choice to add a polished Pete & Jakes Hot Rod Parts drilled front axle with a transverse leaf spring, drop spindles, sea-leg (angled) shocks, and hairpins to capture the vintage look. Kirk handled the mechanical engineering on the car, fabricating the motor mounts and a trans mount, as well as the two-link, coilover setup for the Ford 4.10 rear end. He also designed the custom exhaust header with a spiral muffler inside the pipe. Stopping power was addressed using drum brakes in the rear and concealed disc brakes up

50 A retractable license plate folds into a pocket under the car when the ignition is off. front. All four wheels sport showy finned drums with scoops up front, similar to those found on vintage Buicks. For a decidedly vintage flavor, Kirk created the drag-link steering with the hardware mounted outside on the cowl. Getting the chassis rolling while paying homage to the bold ’30s-era styling cues required a unique set of wire wheels. After lots of dead ends, Steve finally connected with the talented team at Truespoke, the only company he found that could make the wire wheels in the size necessary. The 18-inch- diameter rims are 6 inches wide. They are shod with 32-inch- high Firestone high-speed, gum-dipped, heavy-duty eight-ply black walls (7.00-18) up front with 34-inch (7.50-18) versions in the rear. Happily, the wheel and tire package even included remanufactured hubcaps with the Packard logo. Now the old Packard began to exude some of the legendary mystique found in the sport machines from the 1930s. At this point, it was time to begin embellishing the car with dozens of exquisite details. Although Steve had already acquired multiple sets of vintage Packard headlights, the big, round lenses simply did not work with the slim ’46 Packard grille. Fortunately, he found a set of vintage Woodlites with their vertical shape corresponding nicely with the custom-built metal nose and grille. They even shine brighter at night, now retrofitted with modern motorcycle headlamp internals. Custom spring-loaded hood straps made by Hot Rod Leather were used to hold the hood in place. The chrome Goddess of Speed hood ornament adds a nostalgic touch. Packard emblems adorn the steering wheel hub, dash and trunk. The small, round taillights on the car were fitted with LEDs. West Coast coach builder Steve Moal created the distinctive, Indy-style, quick-release gas cap. The car features For a truly vintage style, the front suspension consists of a polished a retractable license plate that folds into a pocket under the Pete & Jakes Hot Rod Parts drilled front axle with a transverse leaf car when the ignition is off. There are even tiny LED lights spring, drop spindles, sea-leg (angled) shocks and hairpins. that showcase the engine and wheels at night. Steve Cooley of Steve Cooley Motors in Homosassa, Florida, was tasked with providing the finishing touches, prepping the fiberglass body, lengthening the hood, fabricating the nose, and spraying the DuPont base coat/clear coat, accented with custom-mixed bronze metallic that pops in the sun. In keeping with the overall stealth design goals, the Duvall-style windshield was originally chrome but repainted black and fitted with lightly tinted glass. Coming into the homestretch, the black interior is also an embodiment of 1930s elegance. Since less is more, the custom dash uses only three bomber-style gauges, a Steve Moal 200 mph speedometer in the center with separate gauges for oil and water. Tiny LED turn-signal indicators were built into the speedometer housing. Even the bracket that holds the steering column matches the shape of the gauges. Below the instrument cluster is an auxiliary switch panel that moves smoothly out of sight to become a small glove box to hold Steve’s steampunk-style goggles made by Atomefabrik in England.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 51 Boattail Packard

52 The vertical shape of

the vintage Woodlites blend with the The interior features a banjo wheel, custom pedals custom-built metal and a direct mechanical linkage from the accelerator nose and grille. to the carburetors. The T-5 shifter resides in the custom center console that boasts a pair of decidedly modern cup holders. The car has a surprisingly spacious trunk, upholstered to match the interior and easily capable of holding enough for a weekend getaway. Three hydraulic reservoirs, two for the brakes and one for the clutch are mounted in plain sight while the gas tank and battery are hidden from view. Hoyt’s Auto Upholstery in Sarasota, Florida, did the stitch work. What are the reactions to the finished car? His boss and good friend Lenny Damron says, “Steve found the motor he loved and built a car around it.” Is Steve happy with his unique, hand-built Packard boattail speedster? “It’s probably my salvage roots, but I believe the car to be an inspiration of what could rise from the ashes of a salvage yard and what can be accomplished with a blend of custom fabricated and OEM salvage parts. This car has been reincarnated as a concept car from the early ’30s in a Packard boattail speedster style, only leaner, meaner, and with a lower profile.” Five years in the making, the car now turns heads wherever it goes, brilliantly mixing elegance, muscularity, and design cues from a bygone automotive era. Completed just prior to the 2016 Black Diamond Invitational Car Show in Lecanto, Florida, the Packard won Best of Show in its first time out, followed by a second Best of Show at the Amelia Island (Florida) Festivals of Speed. With two major concours-level wins for the car, Steve definitely has a prized Packard.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 53 THE QUEST To convert a Cheetah-style body into a unique design By Steve Temple | Photos by John Chesnut

ome car designers say that there’s drag strip, so too will the Quest be an “anti-Cobra” nothing new under the sun since most — but with a twist. S body shapes are derived from previous “I’m not trying to create a replica,” he maintains. cars in one way or another and are “I’m imagining if the car had continued and a street simply revised and reworked. So if that’s the case, roadster had been produced. … I’m taking a race why not simply start with an earlier shape and car and trying to create a street version.” modify it to suit your tastes? Moreover, he wants it to have the simplicity of That’s what John Chesnut has done over the a dune buggy to build, but with high performance years. He once bought a Cobra body and built his and classic roadster looks in a car that doesn’t cost own frame for fitting in Corvette parts. And his a fortune. And it has one other key aspect: “A Dragon design was actually inspired by a Lister design that everyone will wonder what it is when but also modified to run modern Corvette parts. they see it.” Following this same formula, his new Quest now Why did he choose the Cheetah as his initial in the works has a Cheetah-style body that is wider inspiration? “I just happen to think the Cheetah and taller than the original. was badass looking, and it used Corvette parts,” Shown here is how John built a plug for the he explains. “I’ve built all of my cars using Corvette body molds, which are now completed. His plan parts. Seemed like a natural project for me to do.” is to have a running car by sometime this Summer. Indeed. Rather than going into great detail on The initial Quest will be outfitted with a high- the entire buildup, though, we decided to focus The foundation of the Quest is a space frame performance Chevy 350 crate engine. The estimated mostly on the body molds, in case other car builders with a 93-inch wheelbase, which will be fitted with weight of the car is only 1,800 pounds, so the power- have similar conversion projects in mind. So don’t a C4 Corvette suspension. John Chesnut built a weight ratio should be in the extreme range. Just think you have to reinvent the wheel. Just spin it jig from a C4 Corvette tub that he had turned as the original Cheetah was a Cobra-beater on the in a different way. upside down.

54 The rear wheel arches were flared so that the stock-width C4 Corvette suspension could be used.

By narrowing the Cheetah-style body 8 inches, John gave the cockpit the correct width for the readily available MGB windshield that he’ll be using. He also John cut off the rear of the body and lowered it, changing the angle so molded in the windshield base, hood vents, the engine bulge and headlight that it’s tilted down. buckets, among many other modifications.

John used cardboard to make the sides and rear of the cockpit and foam for the Molding in the cockpit and dash allows the body to simply slide onto dash and windshield base. He then fiberglassed them into the body. the frame and mounts for a quicker and easier build process.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 55 Because the body is

low and it’s a roadster, the doors are molded into the body as well.

Molding in the cockpit and dash allows the body to simply slide onto the frame and mounts, for a quicker and easier build process.

VENDORS Quest Motorcars 603-504-4106 Original Cheetahs had the carburetor sticking out of the hood. The new molded hood bulge was inspired by the Jaguar XKE and is tall enough to cover a carb or LS intake. Chesnut made a template out of 1/4-inch foam for every 2 inches of length. After sculpting one side of the bulge, he then made the tem- plates to match the shape on the other side.

To make the front fender flares, John first applied masking tape to create the line for cutting the fender. He then partially sliced it with a 5-inch cutoff wheel, leaving the cut piece attached at the front and rear. After spraying glue onto the piece, he attached poster board and trimmed it with a razor blade to the shape of the cut piece. He then removed the poster board and attached it to the fender on the other side in order to keep the shapes the same. Once the fenders were cut, he spread them out by inserting a 1-inch piece of foam, and To make the headlight bucks, John cut out holes in the body and then used he applied fiberglass matte and body filler for the final shaping. body filler to attach supports to the opening.

56 I’m not trying to create a replica ... I’m taking a race car and trying to create a street version.” John Chesnut

Then he glued poster board for the back of the bucket, bottom and sides. He also cut a circular piece out of 1/4-inch foam insulation board and placed it in the back of the bucket and fiberglassed over it. After add- ing more fiberglass to the underside of the hood, the poster board is removed and replaced with more fiberglass. The buckets taper so that the hood will pull out of the mold.

Foam board, measuring 1-inch thick, forms the bulk- heads. It’s cut a little under- sized and then secured in place with short-strand body filler. The aluminum skin is removed to allow the fiber- glass to bond to the foam and make a light and strong structure.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 57 Classic Recreation GT350CR STREET CRED

58 Giving a ’66 Mustang a Shelby license to thrill STREET CRED By Steve Temple | Photos by Drew Phillips

The sun never really sets on a ’66 Shelby

GT350. It just shines brighter on a GT350CR that offers a new take on an old favorite.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 59 Classic Recreation GT350CR

We’ve been building Mustangs for a long time, but this is easily one of the coolest cars we’ve ever built.

iven the historical significance of the original Shelby GT350, it’s no surprise how many clones have been G built over the years. Note that “cloning” carries a slightly different meaning than a replica, as the donor car’s Mustang DNA is very similar to the iconic original, just genetically tweaked to reproduce a famous racer. Even so, some of these clones are merely one-off builds with no particular provenance. That’s not the case with Classic Recreations’ GT350CR, since it’s officially licensed by Shelby and recorded in the SAAC Registry. That makes it a bonafide collectible, a car with a documented history. The specific car shown here is owned by company founder Jason Engel, who’s justifiably proud of the build, as this new pro- touring version represents the culmination of hundreds of his other Mustang customizations over the last 15 years or so. “That’s my baby,” he grins. What did it take for him to give it such a predatory stance and menacing demeanor?

60 A deep-draw custom

hood extractor spills off excess engine heat.

“We start with an original 1965 or 1966 Mustang Fastback and perform a complete restoration including media blasting, sheet metal replacement and show-winning paint and body.” Looking it over, the car features muscular bodywork, a Ford Racing Coyote V8, advanced suspension by Detroit Speed & Engineering, a BASF paint job inspired by the famous Essex Wire GT350 race car, and aggressive new wheels by American Racing. Getting down to the details, the engine is a 32-valve aluminum 5-liter Coyote engine, but with the intake swapped out for the unit on the 5.2-liter Voodoo engine, which normally lives in the new Ford Shelby GT350 and GT350R Mustangs. This upgrade alone increases the power output of this pony car by nearly 40 horses. The inviting cockpit is spiffed out with Carroll

The chassis benefits from a number of upgrades Shelby Scat Rally Series 1000 high-back seats as well, including coilover shocks and sway bars, and a Sparco aluminum steering wheel. plus a four-link rear end. As for rolling stock, the

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 61 Classic Recreation GT350CR

The binders are Shelby/Wilwood units with four-piston calipers and slotted, cross-drilled and zinc washed calipers. Six-piston calipers are optional.

62 rims are American Racing’s Forged Series. These strong yet lightweight wheels are sized 18 x 9 up front and 18 x 11 out back, and shod with a set of sticky BF Goodrich Rival tires (265/25/18 in the front; 315/30/18 in the rear). The most visible updates on the GT350CR Pro Touring are the bulging body mods, making it one of the fiercest-looking Mustangs to ever roll out of Jason’s shop. And they’re functional too, since the hood has a custom deep-draw design to get heat out of the engine bay. Next the 350 was also fitted with side-exhaust rocker panels and a chin spoiler from its GT500CR big brother. The American Racing wheels fit under flared fenders at all four corners, giving the car a nasty stance. The bumper has been raised slightly for a smoother, more integrated look, and there’s also a front apron lifted from the company’s classic GT350CR model. Pointing to the overall significance of the project, “We’ve been building Mustangs for a long time, but this is easily one of the coolest cars we’ve Got power? How about a Coyote bumped up with a Voodoo intake. ever built,” says Jason “The exterior modifications change the look of the whole car and now it just looks mean. The exterior really matches the driving experience.” In addition to the new panel work, all of the exterior trim on the GT350CR has been matched to the body color, coated with a BASF Glasurit finish. Inside the cockpit, there are big changes as well in the form of a JVC touch screen, Apple CarPlay integration and an optional in-dash iPad setup. These telematics bring this ’66 GT350 into the information age with full Siri compatibility and Bluetooth connectivity. The Classic Recreations Shelby GT350CR Pro Touring is a classic Mustang that runs and drives like a modern car with all of the convenience and livability that comes with it. It also takes the classic Shelby formula and turns the volume up to 11 – and then some.

VENDORS Classic Recreations 877-235-3266 www.ClassicRecreations.com

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 63 What goes into making a Miata-based autocrosser Story and Photos by Steve Temple CATFISH

64 hen you use a Miata donor as the foundation for a performance car project, what comes next after shaving W off several hundreds pounds with a lightweight body? Bolt on a Flyin’ Miata turbo, of course! Once installed on a Mazda 1.8-liter four banger, this power adder delivers more than 250 horses. And that’s in a car that weighs only 1,750 pounds (more than 800 pounds less than a stock Mazdaspeed turbo Miata). So now what you’ve got is a featherweight fighter with the punch of a middleweight contender. That’s the training regimen that Julien Brandt put his 2003 Miata through, and then some. He came across a parts car and was able to sell off various unneeded items, which nearly covered the cost of all the performance upgrades that he installed. The result is one hot corner-carver for autocrossing every month with the SCCA and BMW CCA. Julien also does a track weekend at least once a quarter at various road courses in the West. Looking back on this performance project, what’s his overall take on the Catfish? CATFISH COMPOSITES

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 65 Hanging off the rear is a custom fabricated 3-D wing with a triangulated bracket support.

What you’ve got is a featherweight fighter with the punch of a middleweight contender.

A motorcycle exhaust gives the turbo’d Miata mill a fierce note.

66 “It’s been a long but fun and rewarding journey to continually try and dial in the car and hone my driving skills,” he admits. “The car has been continually improved with lots of testing and tuning.” Some of the upgrades include going from 8- to 11-inch-wide wheels, plus an array of tires and suspension setups. Julien has played with different engine management systems as well. “I recently ditched the Hydra Nemesis EMS and got the MegaSquirt3 PNP Pro,” he notes. “At the same time, I added a larger fuel pump and converted the car to E85 full time.” The latter is a smart choice on a turbo engine not only because ethanol has a higher octane rating that’s more resistant to knocking, but it also adds about 30 hp to the output. As with most project cars, it’s a work in progress. Julien admits that his Catfish is still

Flyin’ Miata supplied its FM II 2560r Turbo kit along with a Happy Meal clutch and lightened flywheel.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 67 very challenging to drive at race speed. “It has a lot of throttle oversteer,” he admits, citing the rear-wheel drive, light weight (especially in the rear), and gobs of power. Not only that, it has turbo lag, no ABS, a short gear ratio, no traction control or other modern technology. And the suspension is still being sorted out. (So what’s your point, Julien? It sounds like loads of fun!) “That said, I think all this has caused me to become a better driver in a shorter amount of time,” he says. “It’s forced me to learn to be delicate with throttle modulation, quick to respond to snap oversteer, sensitive to rev matching and brakes locking up. It’s put me in my place on countless occasions.” Luckily that was primarily at autocross in the early days, and a spin only meant plowing through a few cones. Now, the car is at a point where it’s very competitive, and he’s often able to place within the top few times of the day in a field of 100-plus cars at autocross. Sounds like he’s landed one wild Catfish.

VENDORS Bauer Limited Production 949-280-7543 www.bauerltd.com Flyin’ Miata 970-464-5600 www.flyinmiata.com

68 The “plain weave” type of

carbon fiber is favored by THE LOWDOWN ON LAYUP companies such as Ducati and Ferrari. That’s because the price Right after going for a thrill ride in Julien Brandt’s Catfish, we starts to escalate when the stopped by the shop of Cord Bauer, designer and builder of the manufacturing process goes Catfish. He shared a few pointers on how he handles various aspects from a basic wet layup to of composites in both his molds and completed parts. He uses both vacuum bagging, autoclaving Kevlar and carbon fiber as both structural and aesthetic elements. and pre-impregnated carbon fiber.

Here are two sides of the same component. Expect Inside the wheel well, a large swath of Kevlar Mold-making is an art form. Every flange and dust and mess when preparing composites. To get (yellow) protects the bodywork from rocks thrown angle must be taken into account or the part may an idea of the finished product, run a damp cloth from hot tires. Note that Kevlar is extremely hard end up “locked” in the mold. Here, an end flange is over the part. to cut. Shops usually have special shears just for shown both bolted and unbolted, allowing the larger handling Kevlar. part to be removed from the mold. Multipart molds are needed to make complex shapes.

The ugly dash mold yields a beautiful finished An aluminum buck was used to make the tunnel The side inserts for the race version of the Catfish part. Note the matte finish of the dash, which is mold. The male side of the aluminum tool was painted allow large amounts of hot air to escape from the accomplished by adding a textured finish to the mold. and waxed and then was used to make the female engine bay. mold. All future tunnels will be laid up in this female mold.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 69 Hurricane 427 Cobra

70 STORM WARNING

By Jim Youngs | Photos by Steve Temple A Category 5 Cobra whirling in from Hurricane Motorsports

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 71 Hurricane 427 Cobra

hile most folks don’t look forward to a tempest, we principals bring considerable enthusiasm and energy to the hobby, certainly welcomed the return of Hurricane Motorsports. not to mention obvious car-building skills. W That’s because the original Hurricane Motorsports of The company demonstrator, shown here, has been driven Lee’s Summit, Missouri, was generally considered a extensively at various events, along with tracking it on several road quality manufacturer of Cobra replicas, offering a well-built 427 courses. But what goes into making it both a capable and comfortable roadster with all-new components. Near as we can determine, the performer? firm sold something like 122 cars in either kit or turnkey form. Starting with foundation, the platform on which the Hurricane A downturn in the economy apparently took its toll on this small is built is a 2- by 3-inch rectangular steel tube, ladder-style chassis company, and it was put up for sale. Along came Mike McLaughlin’s with dropped steel floor pans and foot boxes for added legroom. Scranton Manufacturing Company, an Iowa firm specializing in Even the steel cowl support was widened for added cockpit space. trash collection equipment and mobile veterinary clinics, to purchase The frame additionally includes driveshaft safety hoops. the company and put it back on its tires. The front suspension is an A-arm, coilover setup with Wilwood At first glance it may seem like an odd marriage, but one of disc brakes, while the rear sports a Ford 9-inch live axle positioned Scranton’s divisions actually produces custom fiberglass coaches with a four-link design, QA-1 coilover shocks and Wilwoods as well. and the firm as a whole is heavily involved in the automotive industry. If you’re going to paint a car black you better have your body The company has several decades of manufacturing experience; the prep skills down to a science. The 2010 Shelby Mustang Black turned out to be a great color for a demonstrator as the paint is flawless with nary a ripple anywhere to be found and it shows off the very straight body. The stripes are Titanium Silver. The engine lives up to the Hurricane moniker, Hurricane even coated the undersides of the fiberglass body components with Vortex bedliner coating for easy cleanup and a smooth appearance. producing a whirlwind of 560 horses from a The company appreciates period-correct touches too, as shown by the inclusion of white gelcoated stroked Smeding Cobra Special 427. fiberglass foot boxes, dash supports on the center console, riveted hood scoop, optional Girling

72 hydraulic reservoir cans, chrome roll bar and quick jacks. Even though the other shop car ran on authentic 15-inch pin-drive wheels from Vintage Wheels, shod with fat Goodyear Eagles, those rims have been replaced on this version with Budnik polished alloys for a more contemporary flair. The meats are Nitto NT 01 performance tires for extra grip. That’s needed because the engine (lifted from the other shop car) lives up to the Hurricane moniker, producing a whirlwind of 560 horses. “It’s a beast, for sure,” notes Hurricane’s Steve Sinnard. The Cobra’s hot mill is a stroked Smeding Cobra Special 427 (see sidebar for details). The exhaust consists of custom large-tube headers feeding into 3-inch I.D. side pipes, all ceramic coated. As a nod to the originals, a mechanical throttle linkage was built. The engine is backed by a Tremec TKO 600 five-speed transmission, McLeod aluminum flywheel and McLeod racing hydraulic clutch. As you check out these photos, lots of nice little details show great attention and craftsmanship. The cockpit treatment is both old and new, with a carbon fiber dash overlay and fatter steering wheel, and otherwise upholstered in a conservative gray color with black carpeting. Hurricane uses Cobra-brand bucket seats imported from Britain, and also offers a Moto-Lita wood-rim steering wheel and AutoMeter classic-style instruments. The throttle, brake and clutch pedals are floor mounted and the cockpit benefits from a fresh-air duct system. Period-correct four-point harnesses are also installed — just the thing you need to stay put in a perfect storm of performance.

A contemporary cockpit treatment

includes a carbon fiber overlay and a fatter steering rim for track duty. A traditional wooden rim is optional.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 73 Hurricane 427 Cobra

Why use a heavy big-block,

when a lighter Smeding stroker supplies 560 horses?

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT Punching it with Smeding’s Cobra Special 427 By Steve Temple

s much as we like the look of a big-block though, is the width of the powerband. “The tolerances, he was able to reduce the oil flow by V8, there’s one drawback: poundage. This torque range is what’s really awesome,” notes Ben as much as 50 percent, which in turn allows mass of metal can weigh as much as 140 Smeding. “Torque at lower rpms is what gets the running a standard-volume pump. With less oil Apounds more than a typical small block. And vehicle moving, and it’s what you need when you sloshing around, Smeding says he gains as much seasoned driving enthusiasts worth their salt have taller gears or an overdrive transmission.” as 30 horses. And that’s all simply due to know that this lump seriously impacts the power- Smeding specializes in building stroker minimizing friction losses. After all, it’s just good to-weight ratio, not to mention handling. Changing motors because this type of engine makes loads sense to recapture power that’s otherwise being this equation by reducing excess heft means of torque at low rpms, while still being a smooth sacrificed to resistance in the rotating assembly, increased quickness for the same amount of power. and tractable package, running on 91-octane rather than trying to make more horsepower. Why work harder when you can work smarter? pump gas. The bottom line is that the Smeding offers Sure, you could go with aluminum heads and It’s based on a Dart race block outfitted with big-block numbers in small-block packages, either block, but that creates another quandary: higher AFR 205 heads. The internals are all precisely Ford or Chevy, that are both lighter and less cost. It makes good sense to stick with a more balanced, and consist of a 4.00 Scat crank, Diamond expensive, and spin more freely. All of which affordable and lighter cast iron small block, and flat-top pistons, Scat forged H-beam rods, and means these stroked small blocks pack the punch squeeze out as many cubes as possible. Scorpion 1.6:1 roller rockers. The block is topped of a heavyweight. That’s exactly what Smeding Performance off with an Edelbrock Victor Junior single-plane has done with its 427 Cobra Special, which costs manifold and Quick Fuel 750 cfm double-pumper less than $11,000 (far less than many big blocks). carburetor. VENDORS By staying light on its feet, the company has built Besides increasing the stroke of the crankshaft up a cost-effective, lightning-quick counterpuncher. to increase displacement, Smeding employed Ad on Pg. 9 Hurricane Motorsports This high-power, stroked 351 Windsor belts out several other precision techniques to reduce 888-998-4745 a wicked 560 horses, and 560 lb-ft of torque. weight, increase strength and improve combustion www.hurricane-motorsports.com More important than the peak numbers, efficiency. In addition, by tightening the internal

74 Plus Quality Parts For Your Build

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 75 The Plastex kit includes

three bottles of acrylate powder (clear, white and black, and colored additives are available for matching hues); a liquid hardener (methyl acrylate monomer); and a special untreated, nonreactive fiberglass cloth, which can be used on larger repairs. Strips of black putty are included as well for molding parts. A QUICK FIX Repairing cracks in carbon fiber and other composites Story and Photos by Steve Temple

s highlighted elsewhere in this he’s worked on the adhesive tiles used on NASA’s issue on advanced composites, space shuttle and served as manager of Harrah’s A carbon fiber components are now car collection. So he knows his way around popular enhancements for a variety composite materials and how to take care of car of project cars. The items added vary from aero parts as well. treatments such as splitters and canards to Applying Plastex is a fairly simple process. cosmetic embellishments on the dash and console, Unlike using regular resin and catalyst, the among many other applications. mixing ratio doesn’t have to be in precise Even a tough carbon fiber part, though, can proportions, as long as the powder is thoroughly suffer from wear and tear. Conventional resin saturated. Depending on the type of damage, might not fix a crack or scratch, but there’s an Plastex powder can be used with or without the innovative type of adhesive called Plastex that cloth included in the kit, and it dries very quickly can repair a wide range of materials. In addition in a variety of weather conditions, so you can to quick fixes for fiberglass and carbon fiber, this sand it and prep for paint in a matter of minutes. product can also be used to fabricate small The following photos demonstrate not only components. It even works on metal (using a how to repair carbon fiber (an exhaust shield for slightly different version of the repair kit). a motorcycle in this instance), but also other 1 The inventor of Plastex, Tim Lewis of G.T. items that might be hard to replace. These include Motorsports, has an extensive background in a fuse box and a mounting tab on a dash panel. This carbon fiber exhaust shield has a scratch in the chemical engineering. In addition to being Whatever the broken part, Plastex can probably surface (intentionally damaged to illustrate the repair trained at the Northrop Institute of Technology, provide a quick fix. process).

76 2 3 4

Start by grinding a groove into the backside of Apply clear packing tape to the outside area of Applying the powder can be done in a couple the area to be repaired to ensure a good bond within the crack or hole to keep the repair material in place different ways, depending on the type of repair. For the crack. and provide a relatively smooth finish on the smaller damage or vertical surfaces, first squeeze surface. some powder into a small cup (provided in the kit). We used the clear powder on carbon fiber, but other colors are available.

5 6 7

After pouring a small portion of the hardener The droplet sticks to the tip of the applicator, so Make sure the powder is wetted out completely into a smaller bottle and capping it with an applica- simply transfer it to the crack and let it flow. Several and spans both sides of the damaged area. Alter- tor tip, add a couple drops to the powder. Don’t sat- droplets might need to be applied, depending on natively, you can sprinkle the powder directly into urate all of the powder, as you’ll use the applicator the size of the repair. the crack and apply drops of hardener directly on tip to pick up a small droplet. the repair. Allow the mixture to dry, and check by touching after about 15 minutes or so.

The outer surface of the

repair can be sanded and buffed so it blends in with the surrounding material. Shown here is a similar repair completed at the other end of the same piece of carbon fiber.

8 9

Once the repair is dry and hard, peel off the backing tape.

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 77 For fabricating small

parts, the strips of putty included with the kit need to be softened on a hot plate before FABRICATING application. COMPONENTS If a broken or missing car part is either expensive to replace or not even available, Plastex can be used to fabricate a new one. To create a mold, simply shape the putty supplied with the repair kit around a similar or related part. Then, pour in the wetted-out powder into the mold. Once cured, the part comes out easily from the mold. 1

2 3 4

Once softened, press the putty around a matching Apply saturated droplets of powder into the The wetted-out powder flows to fill in the nooks part (in this case, a mounting tab on the opposite molding material. Or, the powder can be poured and crannies of the mold to form the part. It typically side of the dash from the broken side). directly into the mold and wetted out with the hardener. dries solid in less than 30 minutes.

5 6

Once dry, remove the putty. We made this part Here’s a comparison between the tab broken off This handle for a Porsche dipstick was fabricated out of white powder for purposes of illustration, but and the new one molded from the tab on the other by making a mold (left) off an original part (right) a matching color can be used instead. Or, the finished end of the dash plate. and then pouring in Plastex. part can be painted to match.

VENDORS

Ad on Pg. 91 G.T. Motorsports / Plastex Plastic Repair Kits 775-852-4066 www.plastex.net

Tool cases and other hard-to-replace components Holes in aluminum parts like this plate for an can be easily fixed with Plastex. engine can be filled in with Plastex’s metal powder.

78 In Stock Now! The new JPS Classic offers the same great quality and performance, but for a lower price and faster delivery. Call us to discuss colors and engine choices. You’ll be all set for the summer!

www.JPS-Motorsports.com • 760-334-8356

– continuation – – low volume – – replica –

automobiles “COMPLETE CAR” kits in stock starting at just $38,792

[ reincarnationmag.com ]

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 79 SPRING 2018

BAT Inc. / Mocal USA Importers and official distributors for ach quarterly issue of ReinCarNation magazine will bring MOCAL Oil Control Systems - the most automotive enthusiasts the opportunity to browse the latest comprehensive line of oil cooling and vehicles, parts and accessories available and applicable for fluid conveying products for automotive, aviation, marine and industrial Ereplica, continuation and component automobiles. applications. BAT Inc. has a ReinCarNation magazine strives to be the premier publication knowledgeable staff and offers capable representing the continuation, replica and low-volume automobile order fulfillment throughout North industry. The vendors represented on these pages are the ones America; you will find no better source making this free publication possible to our faithful readers. As to “one stop shop” your needs. Products include: Mocal, Setrab and you browse these pages and see what they have to offer, please do Laminova Oil Coolers; Oil Thermostats; Oil Filter Sandwich Plates, Filter not hesitate to reach out to them directly with any questions. If Take-off’s, Spin-on Filter Conversions and Remote Filter Equipment; Hose and Fitting products in all popular -AN, Metric and BSP sizes; Electric there is something you are looking for and you just don’t see it, Fluid Pumps; Electric Cooling Fans; Aero Fuel Caps; Classic Aston and give us a call here at RCN headquarters. We are here to chat and Monza Classic Fuel Caps: Drysump Oil Tanks; Fuel and Oil Filters & would love to know what things interest you. Accessories; Gauges and Instruments. Here is a look at some exciting products that our vendors BAT Inc./Mocal USA. | 7630 Matoaka Rd.. | Sarasota, FL 34243 selected to preview just for you. 941-355-0005. | [email protected]. | www.batinc.net | Ad on page 91

Birkin Direct-USA Birkin Direct-USA is a direct marketing approach to promote and sell Birkin Lotus 7 reproductions in the US and Canada. When you are working with Birkin Direct-USA you are dealing with the only factory authorized representative in the US and Canada. This assures you the best in quality and customer service. Our goal is to give you the best chassis in the industry on which to create your personalized Lotus 7 reproduction. We look forward to working with you to make your dream car a reality. From start to finish we are here to help you through the process. B Rod or Custom P7 Mustang Platform Birkin Direct-USA | PO Box 838 | Eagle, CO 81631 Over the years, B Rod or Custom has modified and rebuilt several early- 970-376-5188 | [email protected] | www.birkindirect-usa.com generation Mustangs. Through this steady line of Ford classics, Larry and Ad on page 79 PJ found recurring issues that presented unique opportunities. First up was the lack of quality suspension components that could effectively accommodate today’s amped up driving demands. An even greater need Borla Performance however was a custom chassis platform designed specifically to replace the Industries Eight weak, rusty factory designs of yesteryear. The solution? B Rod or Custom’s Stack System brand new CAD-engineered platform… made to custom fit a Mustang but Borla Performance industries also a client’s specific automobile as well! first moved into the fuel B Rod or Custom, Inc. | 372 Drummer Ln. | Knoxville, TN 37924 Injection market with the 865-281-8821 | [email protected] | www.b-rodorcustom.com acquisition of TWM Induction. Ad on page 75 A subsequent acquisition was Eight Stack Systems; originally named Classic Fuel Injection.

80 The Eight Stack platform harnesses retro looks with modern EFi technology (Dyno) Service, Flow-Bench Service, Line-Honing and Boring Balancing. and performance. Styled around the classic carburetor systems of the ’60s, Craft Performance Engines also stocks a Full Line of High-Performance ’70s and ’80s, Eight Stack brings you all the modern convenience of fuel Engine Parts ready for shipment today. The detail work on every Craft injection without the hassles of poor cold start performance, a lack of Engine is exceptional making Craft Performance Engines the perfect altitude and temperature compensation and let’s face it, a tendency to make choice. You will not be disappointed in the look or the performance of a your garage smell of gasoline! Craft Performance Engine. Borla Induction | 701 Arcturus Ave. | Oxnard, CA 93033 Craft Performance Engines | 3157 Hwy 26W | Arkadelphia, AR 71923 877-462-6752 | [email protected] | www.borlainduction.com | Ad on page 21 870-246-7460 | [email protected] | www.craftperformanceengines.com Ad on page 92

CRS, Inc. Established in 1983, CRS, Inc. serves the custom coachwork and fine automobile restoration needs in southeastern states. Great fun on a low budget, the CapeFear7 is designed in this spirit. A 1990 to 2005 Mazda Miata is the only donor car needed; we supply Cavalier Roadsters Vintage 250 GT Roadster the rest of the parts you will need to complete the basic autocross car. Want This design is reminiscent of one the most iconic sports cars of the late a different power train or a different look? We can make it happen. CRS ’50s. It is a single donor build, C4 Corvette. Most parts are from the 1984- also offers Locost 7 nose cones and scuttles for the 4+4+2e+ design, along 1996 Corvette. The full production line of this vehicle is for sale and includes with our other parts to help the Locost builder complete their car. all molds, fame, jig, blueprint, parts list and a running demo. This vehicle CRS, Inc. | 1632 N Kerr Ave. | Wilmington, NC 28405 offers high profit potential, and no competition. 910-547-3236 | [email protected] | www.capefear7.com | Ad on page 75 Cavalier Roadsters | Port Charlotte, FL | 941-625-6363 [email protected] | www.cavaliereroadsters.com | Ad on page 91

Factory Five Racing Craft Performance Engines The all-new Factory Five ’35 Hot Rod Pick-Up Truck delivers renowned Craft Performance Engines designs and builds the best Ford Performance Factory Five handling and performance, but in a cool, period-correct Engines for your Cobra, Mustang, Race Car or any Street / Performance cruiser. Features like a bench seat, functional 5’ truck bed, traditional application. Craft Performance Engines also provides Top Notch Performance doors, and large cab make this performance Hot Rod into a fun cruiser. Automotive services including Custom Cylinder Head Work, Complete Vintage style on the outside, and with a curb weight of 2,380 lbs., it is still Crate Engine Assembly, Complete Machine Shop, Full Dynamometer wicked fast! The new truck debuted at SEMA 2017, and entered production

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 81 SPRING 2018

in March 2018. The company currently has plans to build one chassis kit per week, and is accepting orders for production dates in June. Factory Five Racing | 9 Tow Rd. | Wareham, MA 02571 508-291-3443 | [email protected] | www.factoryfive.com | Ad on page 2

Forte’s Parts Connection For the past 34+ years we have been devoted to providing and developing quality high performance parts for you Hurricane Motorsports vehicle at competitive prices our inventory ranges from simple gasket sets The legend lives at Hurricane Motorsports. The 427 Roadster is the most to rear ends, to crate motors, Tremec transmissions, and everything in complete kit available, with a look and feel that is the closest match to the between. At Forte’s, we are true gear heads with a deep passion for the famous original. With an improved frame and body for added safety and industry and the people who keep the dream alive. We are on call to provide authenticity, the legend lives stronger than ever. Hurricane Motorsports tech support, insuring your installation goes smoothly. GM TKO TREMEC strives to produce the highest quality automotive equipment providing STARTED AT FORTE’S IN 1993. years of driving enjoyment! Purists will love the traditional look, and Forte’s Parts Connection | 40 Pearl St. | Framingham, MA 01702 enthusiasts will enjoy the latest, modern componentry and running gear. 508-875-0016 | [email protected] | www.fortesparts.com | Ad on page 91 Hurricane Motorsports products are designed and built in the USA! Stop dreaming and start driving, build and price your roadster online today. Hurricane Motorsports | PO Box 123 | Lake City, IA 51449 888-998-4745 | [email protected] | www.legendarythrill.com Ad on page 9

ididit, LLC ididit’s Classic straight steering column has that great vintage look and will help add style and class to your ride! This straight column features a sleek, stylish head and a smaller tube diameter. Self-canceling turn signals, 4-way flashers, horn wiring and our standard dress-up kit are included with this column. Available in paintable steel, chrome plated steel, or black powder coated. Standard lengths include 16”, 28”, Haywire Cobra Kit 7 Fused Wiring System 30”, 32”, and 35”. All ididit steering wheel The COBRA KIT 7 FUSED WIRING SYSTEM from Haywire & Co is just adaptors will fit this column. the wiring harness you need for your ride. Kits include fully labeled GM ididit, LLC | 610 S Maumee St. | Tecumseh, MI 49286 color coded, American-made wire, horn and radiator relays and installed 517-424-0577 | [email protected] | www.ididitinc.com | Ad on page 7 ground wires for the fiberglass body. The base kit includes a dash ignition switch, headlight switch, floor dimmer switch, 2 toggle switches, fusible links, heat shrink, ring and spade terminals, etc. The GM connectors are JPS Motorsports Inc. included for the headlights, turn signals and dimmer. GET WIRED! For more than 20 years, Haywire & Co., LLC | 8324 Adams Ln. | Hillard, OH 43026 JPS Motorsports has 844-851-1932 | [email protected] | www.haywireinc.com | Ad on page 9 built award-winning handcrafted automobiles for customers all over the world. The all-new JPS Classic Speedster is

82 designed to provide Speedster replica fans with the same high quality Motorspot’s Truespoke turnkey car, but for a lower price and a faster delivery. The Classic Speedster Wire Wheels comes pre-built in the most popular colors. All you have to do is choose Since 1974 Truespoke has been between three high performance engines, plus your selection of Classic America’s favorite wire wheel. accessories. With multiple cars in stock or less than a month away, you’ll Our company, Motorspot, Inc. be all set for the summer. Enjoy a quality Speedster without the wait! has been a wire wheel and wide JPS Motorsports Inc. | 11323 Vanowen St. | N. Hollywood, CA 91605 whitewall tire specialist since 818-985-8891 | [email protected] | www.jps-motorsports.com/classics 1996. From the day we opened Ad on page 79 our doors, the most requested brand was, and still is, Truespoke. Having discovered Koolmat that Truespokes were no longer Koolmat is a high being made, we made it our temperature composite purpose to acquire and revive this important brand. In 2007, Motorspot, insulation, consisting of Inc., acquired the rights to the Truespoke trademark and wheels. Over the densified silicone, cured past few years, we have brought these amazing looking wheels back to the directly into the surface market but with many improvements both structurally and aesthetically. and weave of a fiberglass We invite you to see for yourself, the difference in quality and beauty. mat. The materials are Motorspot, Inc. | 5256 S. Mission Rd., Ste 703 | Bonsall, CA 92003 mechanically and 760-731-8303 | [email protected] | www.hobbycar.com | Ad on page 21 permanently joined together during the manufacturing process without any adhesives. This technique makes Koolmat a truly homogeneous one of a kind product, which will not separate, tear, or easily puncture. Koolmat is so unique that a U.S. Patent protects it. Use Koolmat to protect against heat, lower sound, save space and improve the overall driver/ passenger experience. There is no glue. It’s easy to install and will not crack, peel, dry out, curl up, split or shrink in 40 years. Available in bulk or pre- cut floor kits. Koolmat | PO Box 985 | Mooresville, NC 28115 704-662-9099 | [email protected] | www.koolmat.com | Ad on page 91

MMG Motorsports MMG Motorsports, located in Mansfield, Ohio is an authorized dealer for MMG Superformance and Shelby MOTORSPORTS Plastex Plastic Repair Kits products, which include Plastex Plastic Repair Kits is a revolutionary product that makes even the MKIII, Daytona, GT40, difficult repairs quick and easy. Easily bond, fill gaps, and repair stripped MKII Slab Side, MKII FIA threads and remake tabs or small parts. Only Plastex has a reusable molding and Corvette. Our knowledgeable team is here to make your dream become bar that gives you the ability to repair or reproduce parts quickly and easily. a reality! Built under the license from Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc. gives Plastex works on plastic, fiberglass, wood and more. It is also sandable, owners an exceptionally authentic driving experience. Visit our website paintable and does what glues and adhesives can’t. Plastex continues to to see some of our customer photos and custom builds. We accept trades keep up with leading edge technology to assure we offer the best repair of all types. We have financing and leasing options available. MMG has products available. Conveniently purchase your kit or find out more 10+ units available at all times for immediate delivery. information today at plastex.net MMG Motorsports | 1493 Park Ave. W | Mansfield, OH 44906 Plastex Plastic Repair Kits | PO Box 18308 | Reno, NV 89511 800-762-8824 | [email protected] | www.mmgauto.com | Ad on page 79 775-852-4066 | [email protected] | www.plastex.net | Ad on page 91

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 83 SPRING 2018

Scarab Motorsports LLC Attention Vintage Racers: Now offering a period correct recreation of the Lehman Cross Drive Unit, which incorporates a fuel pump, distributor, and oil pump in one unit that is mounted to the front of an engine. Used on Sprint cars, Indy cars, Chaparrals, and other period road racing cars. Stewart Warner Made from the original molds. Applicable to all Chevy engines including Whether you are restoring an original or building a Cobra kit car, Stewart the LS3, to the Ford 289 and 351 Cleveland. Will work on other engines Warner has the gauge set that belongs in your ride. The 6-gauge Cobra kit as well. Other Lehman engine accessories are available. Call for more comes with everything you need to get started, including the reverse sweep information. speedometer just like the original. The Cobra was originally equipped with Scarab Motorsports LLC | 3509 W 71st St. | Prairie Village, KS 66208 between 6-11 Stewart Warner gauges. Stewart Warner’s 6-gauge kit is a 913-972-2189 | [email protected] | www.scarab-motorsports.com “starter kit.” Additional gauges can be added from the Deluxe™ line as Ad on page 9 needed for your own personal build. Choose from electrical kit #82263 or kit #82264 which uses mechanical water temp and oil pressure gauges. For more information, visit www.stewartwarner.com Stewart Warner | 1090 N Charlotte St. | Lancaster, PA 17603 800-676-1837 | [email protected] www.stewartwarner.com | Ad on page 85

Shell Valley Classic Wheels, Inc. Shell Valley is celebrating over 45 years of sales and service. We feel honored and fortunate to have had the opportunity to continue the legacy of producing the beautiful and nostalgic Cobra Replica Kit Car, along with our 29 “A” Roadster, Daytona Coupe Series II, Cheetah, Jag and our line of Jeep fiberglass bodies. While many kit car replica companies have entered Time Machine Motorsports LLC and left the industry, Shell Valley has continued to be the leader in kit car Time Machines Motorsports, where the immortal cars of the ’60s live on! replicas because of our dedicated and talented staff and our thousands of We offer the complete lineup of Superformance and Caterham cars, as well satisfied, loyal customers. as parts and service for them. From the iconic Cobra in both small and Shell Valley Classic Wheels, Inc. | 23119 287th St. | Platte Center, NE 68653 big block body styles, the world champion Shelby Daytona Coupe, the 888-246-0900 | [email protected] | www.shellvalley.com incomparable GT40 and the ultra-rare Corvette Grand Sport. We can Ad on page 6 provide a unique driving experience. The Caterham Seven, the continuation of Colin Chapman’s Lotus Seven, the original lightweight, minimalist

84 sports car provides up to 310 HP…. in less than 1300 pounds! See why we say, “It’s the WAYBACK to Driving Fun!” We deliver everywhere. Time Machine Motorsports LLC | 9820A Keller Rd. | Clarence Center, NY 14032 716-407-0975 | [email protected] | www.timemachinesauto.com Ad on page 21

Vintage Wheels 407SSP SHELBY wheels are NOW AVAILABLE IN GRAY CENTERS Ultimate Classic Car’s GT-427 Cobra WITH POLISHED HIGHLIGHTS. We have custom polished the outer UCC’s GT-427 Cobra is the roomiest in its class. Our 94” wheelbase gives ring of the wheel centers and also the tips of the outer spokes. This is us more stability, a longer foot box and permits the use of a Ford 9” rear- Vintage Wheels EXCLUSIVE and creates a very high-end wheel for a end parallel 4-Link suspension. The doors are wider for ease of entry. The reasonable price. Offering new Shelby 5 lug with soft look rim allowing transmission tunnel is narrower providing a wider foot box. Our new Big for high offset or deep dish. These wheels are perfect in high offset for new Foot Model can easily accommodate six foot six inch drivers. UCC uses generation and retro muscle cars such as Mustang, Camaro, Corvette and no used or donor parts. Our top priority is comfort without sacrificing Challenger and also in low offset for Vintage 60s and 70s muscle cars, great performance. We offer a 7-day build and a Turnkey option. Our cars are pro touring look. completely customizable. Vintage Wheels | 14805 Fisher Cv. | Del Mar, CA 92014 Ultimate Classic Cars | 40500 Interstate 10W | Boerne, TX 78006 888-339-7572 | [email protected] | www.vintagewheelsus.com 877-572-2277 | [email protected] | www.ultimateclassiccars.com Ad on page 75 Ad on page 91

Quality Gauges since 1905

stewartwarner.com

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 85 FLASHBACK

REMEMBERING DANIEL SEXTON GURNEY

86 Gurney races the Wood otorsport icon Daniel Sexton Gurney passed away Brothers’ 1965 Ford Galaxie on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018 in Newport Beach, California, to another victory at Riverside M due to complications from pneumonia. Gurney was International Raceway. born on April 13, 1931; he was 86 years old. Dan Gurney was not stitched together from the same material as you and I. At nearly 6 foot 4 inches tall with a constant, handsome grin, he was physically impressive, but it was really the content of Gurney’s character, both on and off the track, that enshrined him as the hero of American motorsport. Such was Dan’s reputation that the sensational phrase “Dan Gurney for president” gathered mass support from race fans and media, despite him being too young at the time to actually qualify for office. It seems that Dan left behind a winning record, die-hard fans and an unmatched respect from rivals in every form of motorsport he tried his hand at. Gurney was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but it was the hot-rodding culture of the West Coast that hooked him after his family moved to Riverside, California. By age 19, Dan had already made his way to hot-rod mecca, the Bonneville Salt Flats, and hit 138 mph in a roadster he built himself. In the following years, Gurney would hone his driving skills as an amateur sports car and drag racer — and even served two years in the U.S. Army as an artillery mechanic during the Korean War. Dan’s competitive racing career spanned from 1955 to 1970, across many different racing disciplines. He was naturally competitive in just about every form of racing and scored notable victories in Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR, Can-Am and Trans Am. In fact, Gurney was the first to ever achieve victories in all four major forms of auto racing (Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR and sports cars), a feat only matched since by Mario Andretti and Juan Pablo Montoya. His driving style was like a double-edged sword because it could cut in one of two ways. For the most part, Gurney was noted for being extremely fluid and precise on the track. He also used his brakes more sparingly than other competitors, which paid off during longer races. Dan also avoided risky moves like blocking, which he saw as unsportsmanlike, even though it cost him a victory in the 1961 French Grand Prix. “He was always very clean. He would have won more races if he had been a little dirty, but Dan was not a dirty race car driver. He was very good at what he did,” says A.J. Foyt. But when Gurney experienced mechanical issues or was far behind, he was known to adopt a much more aggressive driving style. Some would call these instances the best driving of his career, and a come-from-behind victory in the 1967 Rex Mays 300 after a two-lap deficit seems to prove the point. A fond farewell to motorsport’s finest With seven victories in each, it’s fair to say that Formula One and IndyCar racing were Gurney’s forte. After mastering the competitor, owner and innovator sport behind the wheel for BRM, Porsche, and Brabham, Dan DANIEL SEXTON GURNEY By Dean Larson | Photos by Dave Friedman entered into a manufacturer partnership, forming the All American Racers team with Carroll Shelby and Goodyear. British engine manufacturer Weslake came on board for Formula One

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 87 FLASHBACK

under the Anglo American Racers name, and the effort precipitated the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix victory. Gurney’s victory in the American-made Eagle Mk 1 still stands as the only victory for an American-made car with an all-American driver. But this is not to say that Formula One and IndyCar were his sole focus at the time. The ’67 Belgian victory came just one week after the (somewhat unlikely) team of Gurney and frequent-rival A.J. Foyt raced the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Critics and fellow team members bet that the two competitors would tear their red MkIV GT40 to bits in an effort to outdo one another. But it was Dan and A.J. who had the silent satisfaction of proving the critics wrong by taking home the victory. When handed a bottle of Champagne after the race, Gurney spontaneously shook the bottle and sprayed everyone in the winner’s circle while wearing the biggest childlike grin. While the tradition has since been honored hundreds, maybe thousands, of times since, none did it quite like Gurney. As long as the sport involved four wheels and an engine, Gurney was competitive. In NASCAR racing, Gurney racked up five wins at Riverside International Raceway and several other top finishes at events like the Daytona 500 and stock car events. With the All American Racers, Dan also fielded a team of Plymouth Barracudas for SCCA Trans Am racing. Beyond his skill at the wheel, Gurney brought about a handful of innovations in the racing community. The now iconic Gurney bubble, punched into the roof of his

Gurney

spontaneously sprays champagne at everyone standing near the podium after the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans victory.

88 Daniel “Dan”

Sexton Gurney and GT40s, is a revered tidbit for racing fans and A.J. Foyt confer useful addition for any racers of Dan’s height. after the winning The Gurney flap (these must have been named the ’67 24 Hours by the same people) was a small piece of right- of Le Mans. angle stock fastened to the trailing edge of the vehicle that dramatically increased downforce. When competitors asked about the flap, Gurney joked that it made the wing stronger and helped the pit crews push the car. To this day, the Gurney flap is still seen as an effective aerodynamic tweak. Dan is also one of the first racers to popularize full- face helmets for their improved protection and aerodynamics. Gurney formally retired from racing in 1970 and devoted himself to running the All American Racers team where he continued to win titles and innovate. All American Racers won a total of 78 races and eight championships and had great success with Toyota in IMSA racing. Dan operated All American Racers as the chairman and CEO until 2011, when his son, Justin, assumed the title of CEO. He would have won more races if he had been a After complications from pneumonia, Dan Gurney passed away Sunday, Jan. 14. He is survived by his wife, Evi, and his sons, Alex, little dirty, but Dan was not a dirty race car driver. Justin, Danny, and Dan Jr. “With one last smile on his handsome He was very good at what he did.” face, Dan drove off into the unknown just before noon today,” Evi says. A.J. Foyt

reincarnationmag.com | Spring 2018 89

» Want to place a RCN Marketplace ad? marketplace Call 866-933-2653 for complete details.

CLASSIFIED

1957 250 TestaRossa Replica Includes all molds, frame jig, blueprint, parts list, running demo. Single donor kit uses C4 parts. High profit, no competition. www.cavaliereroadsters.com, 941-625-6363

Oil Coolers & Performace Plumbing Oilwww.mocalusa.com Coolers & Performace Plumbing www.mocalusa.comOil Coolers & Performace Plumbing www.mocalusa.com Order Online: rcnmag.com/tees

[email protected] (941) 355-0005 [email protected] (941) [email protected] (941) 355-0005355-0005 RCNMag.com SPRING 2018 Miata-based Autocrosser All-American ’29 Ford Redhead Euro Replica

THE CHAMELEON Color-shifting coatings on Superlite’s SL-C

Page 42

PUBLISHING INC PUBLISHING

COLE

PAID

U.S. POSTAGE U.S. Replicas Reignite Racing History Page 38

PRSTD STD PRSTD

COLE PUBLISHING INC., PO BOX 220, THREE LAKES WI 54562 54562 WI LAKES THREE 220, BOX PO INC., PUBLISHING COLE ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED SERVICE ELECTRONIC