Road Rumblings

SEMA 2021: Vintage Air Now Offers Kits For ’81-’88 Monte Carlo

This year at SEMA, one company that really stood out was Vintage Air. We caught up with Wayne Potter, the brand’s sales manager, and got the low-down on everything new from the Vintage Air. This Vintage Air customer is rocking some serious cooling power in their killer G-body Monte Carlo, and so can you! It’s a complete sure-fit system that removes all the OEM components except the dash vents. It comes with a stamped-steel firewall cover that goes over the firewall opening that was a little difficult to fabricate. This is because, on those cars, the firewall has some challenging curves and angles to deal with. So, the A/C, heat, and defrost become electronic with this kit.

It comes with a Sanden 508 compressor if you’re running the stock engine which runs off of a v-belt. But if you’re rocking an LS, they have LS brackets and pulleys. What are some of the advantages of this system over the factory A/C on the Monte Carlo? “The factory A/C on the car is mostly all vacuum, ” says Wayne. So, that becomes increasingly important if you’re doing an LS swap because you don’t have vacuum to operate with, and if a lot of the old parts are missing, you might have difficulty replacing them. Being an all-electronic system, you can run any motor or engine combination. It’s also got the newer-style condenser that utilizes R134A refrigerant instead of R12, which no one has anymore. It also cools much better than trying to use that old stuff. This system also uses high-pressure barrier hoses, and it’s a complete bolt-in. It comes with everything you would need to swap out or add A/C to a vehicle that previously didn’t have it. It comes with a new control panel that even goes into the stock location. Which is all electronic fly-bywire, so no vacuum anymore.

The system also cleans up the engine compartment considerably. The black powder coated firewall cover doesn’t protrude anywhere near as far as the factory box did, giving you much more room in the engine bay. So, if you’re looking to up the cooling power of your A/C system and clean up the engine bay of a Monte Carlo project, check out vintageair.com.

Superfor mance Offering All-Electric MKIII-E Cobra

For the upcoming 2021 holiday season, Shelby enthusiasts can acquire an electrified metallic blue MKIII-E Cobra EV, Shelby continuation car manufactuer Superformance announced. Priced at approximately $180,000, the EV Cobras of the four-wheel and two-wheel variety both feature blistering fast acceleration and all the immediate speed that comes with an EV power curve, the company said. The centerpiece of the new Superformance MKIII-E is a Tesla Model S rear-drive motor punctuated by 1500 pound-feet of torque. Under the MKIII-E hood is a custom-made battery pack featuring two LG Energy 16-cell units paired in a 32-kWh pack to establish up to 100 miles of range. The engineless MKIII-E drives on a set of sticky 275/35-18 Nitto tires and offers specially tuned regenerative braking to further showcase the benefits of utilizing EV technology in classic vintage automotive designs, the company said. “EV is becoming increasingly more popular within our cars thanks to a simpler, more powerful driving experience,” comments Superformance CEO Lance Stander. “Historically, Carroll Shelby didn’t live in the past. He always said that the best Shelby is the next one, and Carroll was always researching new technologies. Anything that could provide a performance edge, he was interested in. Without a doubt, our new Superformance MKIII-E is the quickest, quietest snake that we’ve ever made.”

A Farewell to Bar ris Kustoms

It all started some 61 years ago when George Barris’ wife, Shirley, found a new, larger place for George and the Barris Kustom Industries crew to build the ever-growing number of custom vehicles. The move to the new building, located at 10811 Riverside Dr. in North Hollywood, soon paid off, as there was enough business to keep the shop busy. Fast-forward to 2021, and the 10,000-square-foot commercial property is up for sale. Daughter Joji Barris-Paster, son Brett, Joji’s husband Barry and their son Jared have kept the business going since George’s passing in 2015. When asked about the current situation–the building is up for sale–Joji expressed this: “It’s not the same without him; we can only do so much.” The birthplace of the Batmobile, the Munster Koach and countless others is considered hallowed ground for custom car lovers worldwide. Once inside, the walls are plastered with historical photographs. Even the restroom had cool car “wall art.” And in nearly every photograph, George is pictured with the car. Those George doesn’t appear in, he took himself. When a newspaper reporter went into the office of the Barris Kustom facility in 2005 to do a report, here’s how it was summarized in the page: “To walk into the ramshackle headquarters of Barris Kustom Industries in a forgotten corner of North Hollywood is to be assaulted by mementos from 60 years of building some of the most outrageous cars ever to cruise the street and screen. On the walls are hundreds of faded photos, including Barris riding shotgun with a young Elton John as he scoots around in a bug-eyed golf cart.” For those who set foot into the Barris shop, it was obvious in the first moments that George was very popular in the world of entertainment. The list of celebrities that contracted George to make modified cars for their personal use is a “who’s who” of Hollywood during that time period. Elvis Presley. John Wayne. Bob Hope. Frank Sinatra. Dean Martin. Jerry Lewis. James Dean. The Beatles. The list goes on and on. Barris’ shop was a hangout for famous names and, surprisingly, many of those celebs used cars as a means of getting away from the rigors of moviemaking and television work. While there is hope that someday the Barris memorabilia and selected historically significant vehicles will be displayed in a location open to the public in the Oxnard-Ventura area, as per plans the family has currently, it’s good to take one last look at the famous Barris Kustom shop before it’s gone.

PRI Show 2021: 6 Cool Things To Look Forward To!

Following a disappointing but ultimately necessary hiatus in 2020, the Performance Racing Industry trade show is set to return with a vengeance to the racing capital of the world, Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Indiana Convention Center, December 9-11. This year’s show is set to be bigger and better than ever, with expected packed exhibitor halls, some great new seminars and conferences, and an overflow of anticipation from the industry at large ready to get back to business. We’ve scoped out what PRI has on tap for this year’s edition and selected a few of the things show goers are most looking forward to, from the usual cool cars and new products to some fresh new education and brainstorming opportunities designed to take the industry to the next level. New Products For Days! While the world seemingly stopped turning last year, the motorsports industry, by and large, did not, as manufacturers continued to design, develop, test, and machine the latest and greatest new go-fast parts. The return of the PRI show is a welcome sight, as we now get the opportunity to see not one, but two years worth of innovations in the racing industry. The New EV Performance Zone We know, we know….electric vehicles aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, particularly in a segment of the automotive industry literally built on sounds, smells, and other assaults on the senses. But electric vehicles are no doubt here to stay, and the recent SEMA Show highlighted the growing interest in these vehicles, which are, in some cases, teetering into “performance vehicle” conversations right from the factory. But we’re also witnessing further migration into the racing space, from Formula E and Extreme E, to drag racing. And so the gang at PRI will be presenting an area of the show dedicated specifically to showcasing electric racing vehicles and associated technologies, located in the Wabash Ballroom, rooms 1-3. The All-New Racetrack Operator, Promoter & Sanction Workshops In meeting rooms 130 and 132 throughout the show schedule, PRI will present its brand new TOPS (Track Operators, Promoters, and Sanction) workshops, roundtables, and associated happy hours. Vehicles, Vehicles, And More Vehicles A highlight of the PRI Show since the very beginning has been the absolute vast array of vehicles on display. One could easily spend three whole days just scoping out the cars, so again, come prepared! Horsepower-Building Education A lot of great seminars are on tap for this year’s PRI Show, and if you’re attending and aren’t partaking in these unique opportunities to learn from experts in their fields, get signed up! One seminar we’re particularly intrigued by will focus on all of the engine-building elements that come together to produce world-class horsepower; legendary engine builder Darin Morgan and Preston Mosher, BES Racing Engines’ cylinder head department manager, will discuss various combinations built by BES Racing Engines based on 50- to 60-year-old engine architecture utilizing modern cylinder head, induction system, and valvetrain technology to produce ever-higher power levels. Morgan and Mosher will also cover peak and average air speeds; pressure recovery dynamics; discharge coefficients; and intake tract harmonic tuning; and more. Free Shuttles To The Brickyard If you grew up watching the legends navigate 500 furiously-fast miles every Memorial Day weekend for racing immortality, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of our nation’s, great treasures. The place is steeped in history, and it remains a breathtaking and unmistakable sight well over a century after it was built. PRI is offering free shuttles from the convention center to the town affectionately known as Speedway to visit the famed 2.5-mile oval, and no matter what kind of racing you’re into, I assure you the place is a must-see. If you find a couple spare hours in your day during the show, I highly recommend taking PRI up on its offer and partaking in a guided tour of the speedway.

2021 Millwinder Winner at the Houston Autorama

Congratulations goes out to Gene Esaly and his 1957 Chevy 2 Door Wagon. Gene is the recipient of this year's Millwinder Award presented by Speed & Sport Chrome Plating. The Millwinder Custom Award, and $5,000 is presented to the best, first time shown vehicle at Houston's Autorama.

BEST IN CLASS Winners at the Houston Autorama

Best in Category Winners from this weekend's Summit Racing Equipment Show Car Series are: Best Rod Larry and Kathy Birdsong from Prescott Valley, AZ 1926 Model T; Best Truck Scott and Sherrie Cooper from Orland, CA 1970 Chevy El Camino; Best Bike Robert Smith From Magnolia, TX 2012 Harley Street Glide; Best Restored Janice Southerland & Larry Snow from Red Bluff, CA 1966 Plymouth Satellite; Best Street Machine Gene Esaly from Louisville, OH 1957 2 Dr Wagon and Best Custom Jimmy and Eileen Austin from Forney, TX 1970 Monte Carlo.