Photo courtesy of Bayside Camaro
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CONTENTS NOVEL NOVA:
John Tinberg’s 1963 Nova ...pg 14
‘81 DODGE:
1981 Dodge 150 Pickup is called the Lil’ Black Express ...pg 24
ALSO INSIDE:
Starting Lines-------------------------------------------- 4 Legal Muscle - ------------------------------------------- 18 Cadillac CT5-V ------------------------------------------------- 28 Dodge Diamante--------------------------------------- 32 1965 Chevy Pickup ---------------------------------- 36 1972 Olds Cutlass 4-4-2---------------------------- 39 Parts Store------------------------------------------------ 41 Readers Rides------------------------------------------- 46
Daily Driver Bill Smythe’s 1969 Shelby GT 350 ...pg 8
DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE
STARTING LINES
GM Canada Donation Helps Raise Over $400,000 for the Durham Children’s Aid Foundation
ing the facilitation of the online auction,” said Leslie McLean, manager of Signature Programs. “These funds will go directly into critical programming the Foundation provides for children and youth in need. This is such a wonderful tribute to such an inspiring person and Sharon would be elated knowing GM M Canada and Chevrolet recently donated the last 7th- Canada is continuing her spirit of giving.” For more information, generation Chevrolet Corvette and first 8th-generation or to donate visit www.durhamcaf.ca. mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette Stingray built for the Canadian market to auction to benefit the Durham Children’s Aid Foundation in honour of Sharon Clark and Sharon’s Kids. The highest bid for the 7th generation Corvette was $187,500 while the 8th generation sold for $181,000. In addition, Durham Children’s Aid Foundation received over $35,000 in online donations, pushing the total number north of $400,000. The winning bidders also received a day on the track at Canadian racing legend and former Corvette driver, Ron Fellows’ Performance Driving Schools at Spring Mountain, Nevada and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Ontario. “The Durham Children’s Aid Foundation is extremely grateful to GM Canada for their generosity and Manheim Canada for donat-
G
MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
Volume 18, Issue No. 6
December / January 2020 Second Class Mailing Agreement #40050183 Publisher: Dean Washington dean@rpmcanada.ca Associate Publisher: David Symons david@rpmcanada.ca Managing Editor Jordan Allan jordan@rpmcanada.ca Distribution Manager: Brenda Washington brenda@rpmcanada.ca Copy Editor: Gerry Frechette gerryf@rpmcanada.ca Advertising Sales: Elaine Fontaine elaine@rpmcanada.ca Contributing Writers / Photographers: Jordan Allan John Gunnell Dan Heyman Cam Hutchins Paul Kennedy
Muscle Car Plus Magazine is published six times per year by RPM Media Inc. 2460 Kingsway Avenue Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada V3C 1T4
Mopar Reveals New 807-Horsepower Hellcrate Redeye Supercharged HEMI Crate Engine Mopar has announced it is releasing the most powerful production muscle-car engine ever available with the launch of the 807-horsepower Hellcrate Redeye 6.2L Supercharged HEMI V8 crate engine. Rated at 717 lb-ft. of torque on 91-octane pump gas, the new Hellcrate Redeye engine is engineered with the same hardware as the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon which is the world’s quickest and most powerful muscle car ever, and is the same engine found in all the SRT Hellcat Redeye vehicles and the 807-horsepower Challenger SRT Super Stock. The Hellcrate Redeye provides significant upgrades versus the standard Hellcrate engine including a larger supercharger, increased boost pressure, higher RPM limit, forged alloy steel crankshaft, forged high-strength alloy pistons and a revised valve spring design. The complete engine assembly includes a supercharger with throttle body, fuel injectors, coil packs, water pump, front sump oil pan and flexplate. A Front End Accessory Drive kit is also available and includes an alternator, powersteering pump, belts, pulleys and mounting hardware. The Hellcrate Redeye engine is available now with an MSRP of $27,010.
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Super Shelby!
Bill Smythe’s 1969 Shelby GT 350
I
f you went to any car shows or cruise nights over the past decade, it would seem that Muscle Cars certainly are King! They had their day and made a huge impression on Carnuts everywhere, but their time in the sun was actually very short in the history of performance cars. By 1969, after only a little more than half a decade, the pressure from the government and the insurance companies certainly made it harder for the younger set to buy new Muscle Cars. Trying to appeal to the older more refined buyer, with money, meant the muscle cars were becoming more comfortable, with many offering automatic transmissions and air conditioning. The era of “personal luxury cars� was just around the corner; emissions controls weakened the power of the muscle car, and sales were dwindling.
Story and photos by Cam Hutchins
The cars offered by Shelby were getting more and more luxurious and much less suited for the track, and sales were slowing. Carroll Shelby was so disappointed in what was going on, he washed his hands of his involvement in car building, and headed to Africa. This 1969 Shelby GT 350 was an amazing car that unfortunately had very little to do with Carroll Shelby’s desires. Built by Ford and A.O. Smith Corporation of Ionia, Michigan, production had moved from Shelby’s operation in California in August 1967. For 1969, Ford took the design of the new-for-’69 body style in-house and the Shelby’s were now GT-350s but without the word Cobra attached to them, except on the glovebox. The new 1969 Mustangs were dramatically different from the 1967-68 Mustangs and the new Shelby got an incredibly extensive facelift. Not just a fibreglass hood and Shelby-styled grille, the 1969 Shelby’s were lengthened 4 inches (100mm), with new headlight buckets, fibreglass front fenders and the ever-growing hood with five functioning hood scoops. The regular Mustang had dual headlights, but Shelby had single headlights and the new Shelby grille was not blocked by round driving lights; the new-for-69 square driving lights were now located under the new wrap-around bumper. Lower air scoops were still present in front of all four wheel openings and were functional. Where the front was lengthened, the rear was shortened with a new fibreglass trunk lid with integrated spoiler. The rear had an aluminum exhaust collector that paired the dual exhaust outlets together beneath the rear bumper and they retained the sequential taillights of previous years. The interior was far more luxurious than the 1965 Boy Racer version Shelby had introduced to the world. Starting with the Deluxe interior package
10 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
option for the Mustang, the 1969 Shelby’s also got a two-point padded roll-over bar with inertia-reel harnesses and a wood-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel. The dash got a 140-mph speedometer, 8,000-rpm tachometer, and both oil pressure and ampere gauges were located on the console. Optional equipment for the Shelby’s included a tilt steering wheel, forced air ventilation, AM/FM Stereo, 8-Track player, intermittent wipers and a fold-down rear seat. The performance of the new 1969 Shelby came from the new-for-1969, 351 cu. in. Windsor engine which produced 290 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque. Standard was a wide-ratio 4-speed stick, or upgrade to the optional FMX Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic. Traction-Lok, Ford’s name for a Limited Slip Differential, was also an option. Included in the Shelby package was a set of Gabriel Adjust-O-Matic shocks and 15x7-inch wheels with Goodyear F60-15 Polyglas GT Tires, bias ply, not radials in those days. The cars were no lightweights, either financially or on the scale. They weighed in at 3,689 lbs and cost $4,434 for the Fastback, but they did go zero-to-60 in 6.5 seconds and did not embarrass the owner in the quarter mile. Not too bad for a big comfortable car, but they only built 1085 Fastbacks and the $319-more expensive convertible only had 194 built. The range of colours was great and with even better names - Candy Apple Red, Gulfstream Aqua, Acapulco Blue Metallic, Royal Maroon, Silver Jade, Pastel Grey, Wimbledon White and Black Jade. Four “specialty colours” were also offered - Grabber Orange, Grabber Green, Grabber Blue and Grabber Yellow. Interiors
offered were White, Black or Red, and it was the three Yellow Fastbacks with black interiors that were sold new at Fogg Motors in New Westminster in 1969 that are the genesis of this story. Enter a young Bill Smythe, a dashing buyer for the major department store Woodwards and as such, he had the cash to pony up and buy a Shelby. He was driving a ‘67 Mustang fastback with a 390, but missed getting a new Shelby at Fogg Motors, the only Shelby Dealer in British Columbia. He was lucky to get to buy a perfect car from Barb Greshmill of Richmond, whose primary use of the car was to drive her kids to private school. The car was in like-new condition and only had 18,000 miles on it. Paying $4,000, Smythe had the world by the
DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 11
Smythe owned two of the three 1969 Yellow GT 350’s Fogg Motors sold, and both were automatics. The third one was a 4-speed and owned from new by a Fraser Valley fellow, and it was primarily driven by his wife. The car remained in great shape until it was sold in the early 1990s and was supposed to have gone to Louisiana. The second car was never raced by Smythe, except by his daughter, who got picked up twice on Latimer Road drag racing, as Latimer was quite the spot to race. The first car, after some aggressive tuning, ran in the low 13’s at the Boundary Bay Airport dragstrip back in the mid 70’s.
tail! He bought it sight unseen after Greshmill’s husband told Smythe he was going to sell the Shelby since his wife was getting a new car.
Both Smythe’s kids drove the car to high school and were kinder to it than Smythe was to his father’s cars, which seemed to never go past 9,000 miles on a set of tires. Smythe taught his kids how to change the oil and spark plugs and the car was in 35 parades in Cloverdale. Smythe says everyone has driven the car and he reminisced about the first time he met Carroll Shelby at the Shelby American Automobile Club event in 1992 at Portland. Shelby looked over the car and asked “Do you drive your car, Boy?” Smythe was happy to tell Shelby that yes, he drove it to work every day! Another fond memory of the SACC-17 in Portland was the car show, where Smythe won third place in his class, while first place went to his first Shelby that had been restored and trailered to the event!
Over the next few years, the car was driven everywhere, and every day to work. He put on the miles and in the late ‘70s, built himself a new house in Cloverdale, a quaint part of Surrey B.C. Costs being what they always are when building your own house, he went way over budget and when some- One fellow who shows up to many SACC events is Allen Grant, who one offered more than double what he paid for the Shelby, it was gone. was one of the big players with the “Speed Merchants of Venice,” as the original crew from Shelby American was known as. The Shelby club Over the next year, he was heartbroken and needed to buy it back, but is known for its strong ties to its members and many become lifelong the new owner was not going to let that happen. One morning, he came friends. Langley’s Pete Tekatch had met Allen Grant at many of the SACC down for breakfast and his young son had circled a classified ad in the events and ended up doing lots of things with Grant and his wife. When paper for a 1969 Shelby. After looking at the mess the car was, he only Grant was visiting Langley, Tekatch brought Grant over to Smythe’s took it because it was yellow. His dear friend Brian Pisiak, who owned “car room,” a real treat for a true blue Shelby fan such as Smythe. Cloverdale Collision, took one look at the car and said “wash it and sell The stories of this Yellow car are numerous and many are legendary, it.” The car had been ridden hard and put away wrecked. but none more so than when it was christened as a Taxi. After a trade Even evidence of a previous accident with a bad repair did not deter show, he drove one of his clients in the Shelby to the airport to drop Smythe from restoring the car. The car had high miles, showing 6,000 them off for their flight home. He pulled up to the curb and jumped out miles on the odometer, meaning it had probably 206,000 on her, or a re- to wrestle the suitcases out of the tiny trunk opening “that was half ally hard 106,000 miles. Once finished, the car was put back in use as a full with one case of beer.” While he shook his client’s hand and got daily driver and was driven to Downtown Vancouver every day, 30 miles back inside the car, there was a little old lady that had climbed in and each way until Smythe recently retired. The car took the family on sum- requested to be dropped off at an address on Number Three road in mer vacations, ski trips and even successful hunting trips - successful for Richmond! With a smile and a wink in his eye, he dropped off the lady Smythe, not the white tailed deer he hauled home in the Shelby’s trunk. at her destination, no charge!
12 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
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The Novel Nova Story and photos by John Gunnell
J
ohn Tinberg made a living mixing concrete to build things in Central Illinois, but later he started mixing stock and performance car parts to create spectacular straight-axle nostalgic drag racing cars. As a Technical Advisor for Nickey Performance (www.nickeyperformance.com) of Loves Park, Ill. —the modern continuation of a famous muscle car dealership--Tinberg built his modern muscle cars in a 1936 Dodge dealership. Tinberg cranked out an assortment of cars like ’55 thru ’57 Chevys, early Novas and C1 ‘Vettes that flash car enthusiasts back to the “gasser wars” of the mid-‘60s. That’s when drag racing changed from a sport for steel-bodied super stockers into a playground for professional fibreglass Funny Cars. The “little guy” gasser builders/drivers struggled to keep up with backed-by-big-bucks factory teams that used hired gun drivers to win. The “Flying Dutchman” Dart, “Yankee Peddler” Barracuda and Dick Harrell’s 427 Chevy II were among the most popular cars with the blue collar drag racing fans. Bill Thomas Race Cars of Anaheim, Calif., was the builder of Harrell’s nasty-fast Nova. Back in that era, John Tinberg was living in a foxhole in the central highlands of Viet Nam. Somehow, he had gotten a Nickey Chevrolet parts catalogue and read about how Nickey had teamed up with Bill Thomas to sponsor Dickie Harrell and his big-block Novas. Tinberg had raced a Chevy 409 at U.S. 30 Drag Strip in Indiana, where he saw Harrell rip up the pavement with his Nova. The young GI scored a copy of Hot Rod magazine for 14 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
The actual Novel Nova rode the car elevator to the second floor of John’s home.
The Nickey Nova is definitely “high and mighty.”
March 1966 and read the article “A Novel Nova.” It hyped the built a business. Then, in 1999, he read another Hot Rod Bill Thomas “Instant Funny Car” kit: a lightweight fibreglass article called “Ramming the Rat” that featured an alteredwheelbase ‘63 Nova called “The Wilshire Shaker.” By then, nose for $295 and a bolt-on straight axle setup for $395. Tinberg could afford his dream car. He found a ’63 Nova The war ended and Tinberg returned home. His Novel Nova body, dug out his Nickey catalogue and got the 1966 issue dream was shelved for 30 years as he raised a family and of Hot Rod. The Instant Funny Car kit was history, so Tinberg
The Nickey Nova has an authentic 1960s look although it’s a clone car. DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 15
fabricated parts. He built a car that came within ¼-in. of the exact Hot Rod specifications. He had no idea it would be the first of many. The front suspension was moved three inches forward. The rear axle was mounted eight inches ahead of its stock posi-
The Midnight Ride of the Nickey Nova Story by John Gunnell
T
he Novel Nova party at John Tinberg’s place was going very well. John felt a little sleepy and started to dream. On the bottom floor of his two-story home in an old Dodge dealership building, John stores his straight-axle Nickey Nova behind a service door that opens to the street. In the dream, it’s midnight; the corrugated steel door opens and the silver blue Nova crawls out onto the white-striped asphalt ribbon in front of the building. The Nickey Nova’s 502-cid 502-hp mill is thumping away like Godzilla suffering from supraventricular tachycardia. John revs the motor, while holding in the 10-11/42-in. single-disc Centerforce clutch. Then, suddenly, all hell breaks loose as he lets the
Although Chevys like the Novel Nova aren’t high-strung, it is high-sprung.
tion. John made Thunderbolt lift bars and wheelie bars. He got bucket seats from an old forklift. Rubberized industrial matting duplicated the floor mats. Tinberg added an 8-point roll cage covered with foam attached with electrical tape. John mounted a period-correct, but non-functional Sun tach on the dash. The engine bay was old school, with hidden updates. He routed the fat tube headers through 3-in. diameter exhaust pipes to a pair of Flowmaster dual-chamber mufflers and hid the power brake booster inside a small, black Craftsman toolbox behind the driver’s seat. The 4.5x15 front tires were mounted on 5-spoke wheels and 8.5x15 “pie-crust” racing slicks were put on the rear. Silverblue paint, Nickey door graphics and period 396 engine call-outs were added. Then, Tinberg rumbled over to U.S. 41 drag strip to test his Novel Nova. It turned 10.99 sec. at 123 mph. The car was then pictured in the Chevy II Nova book written by Doug Marion, who had worked at Nickey Chevrolet. Small world! Once he became a collector, Tinberg couldn’t stop. In the fall of 2009, he bought the real “Novel Nova”--the 1963 magazine car that was the first altered-wheelbase Nova Bill Thomas
pedal out and lights the BFG P275/60R15 Comp TA drag radials up. Noise, smoke and sparks announce the Nickey Nova’s midnight ride as it plays out inside John’s head. The car makes one pass up the street heading west, turns around for a repeat performance in the easterly direction, then scoots back into the guts of the old dealership before red flashing gumball machines make the scene. “Dragster? What dragster officer? As you can see, there ain’t no dragster here!” Needless to say, John’s dream machine had him slumbering in dreamland that night! So, we all know that “Midnight Ride” only happened in his imagination . . . or did it? 16 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
The original Novel Nova’s big-block Chevy V8 was really “stacked.”
built. In talking to Thomas’ family, Tinberg found that GM backed Thomas to promote its new 396-cid V8. The Novel Nova was introduced at a party at John’s home.
John built this Nickey Nova as a tribute to the actual Novel Nova he bought later.
around midnight he took a very fast midnight ride in his Nickey Nova clone car (see side-bar story). About a week after the Novel Nova introduction at John’s house, Bill Thomas, Sr., passed away in California. To honour him, the real Bill Thomas car was revealed to the public at the Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals (www.mcacn.com) in Rosemont, Ill. Later, the car participated in The Milwaukee Masterpiece of Style Then, John Tinberg decided to make his own history. At & Speed in Wisconsin. The home—a former Dodge dealership--has a car elevator in it and the Nova was showcased on the second floor with a lavish layout of food and drink surrounding it. Bill Thomas, Jr. came from California to rub shoulders with hundreds of other collectors who came for the private unveiling. It was quite a celebration of drag racing history.
DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 17
Legal Muscle
Chevy’s 9C1 “Box Car” Story and photos by John Gunnell Chevrolet’s 9C1 package was a Special Equipment Option (SEO) for law enforcement—and now muscle car fans. The various 9C1 packages included modifications and upgrades of different sizes and types of Chevrolets from full-sized sedans, to Camaros to SUVs. Each 9C1 option package was unique and diverse, with choices within the package, but they all added increased build quality, durability and performance to a standard Chevrolet, as well as required law enforcement lighting and equipment.
Heavy-duty features of the full-size 9C1s included a steel, fullperimeter frame; bigger brakes; a heftier suspension; larger and wider speed-rated tires; a high-output alternator; heavy-duty steel wheels and speed-rated tires; quick-ratio power steering; transmission and power steering oil coolers; a certified speedometer; added and stiffer body mounts; dual exhausts; added electrical wiring and special engines. Automotive historian Matt Joseph once opined about the 9C1, “If General Motors had built its civilian cars like this years ago, we wouldn’t be driving Japanese cars today.” In the ‘70s and ‘80s, Chevrolet offered factory-produced 9C1 versions of the Nova, Malibu, Celebrity, Impala, Caprice and Lumina. Starting in 1986, the Caprice (not Caprice Classic) replaced the Impala for the retail, taxi and police markets. “Cop car” versions were based on the third-generation model launched in 1977. Like its civilian counterparts, the 9C1 would get a facelift in 1987 and remain much the same until 1990. Our featured car is a 1989 Caprice 9C1, which has a couple of features that make it very popular.
Fat tires and “doggie dish” hubcaps were telltale police car signs. 18 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
In 1989, the 9C1 was switched from a traditional four-barrel carburetor to fuel injection. This made it a more reliable, better-
painted burgundy instead of dark blue. Supervisor cars were unmarked. They usually had the full police package, except for push bumpers and a prisoner “cage” between the front and rear seats. Due to their popularity, the ‘89 Chevy 9C1s sold like crazy. According to Ed Sanow’s book Chevrolet Police Cars (1997, Krause Publications) they were used by “the California Highway Patrol, Michigan State Police and nearly every department in between.” Chrysler left the police car business that year and most of it went to Chevy. For around-town cruising, local police departments could get a 1989 9C1 with a 305-cid 170-hp V8, but the hotter engine choice was Chevy’s new L05 350-cid V8 with throttle-body fuel-injection. It made 190 hp thanks to the improved induction setup and a higher 9.3:1 compression ratio. Also new was a 3.42:1 rear axle replacing a 3.08 rear.
Police car test results from L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept. showed 9C1 was fastest. performing police car. Despite this upgrade, the 1989 model retained the seat and shoulder belt system used in 1988 with the shoulder belts attached to the seat itself. In 1990, fuel injection was featured again, but the seat belt/shoulder belt anchors were moved to the doors. This was unpopular with law enforcement officers because they could get tangled up in the belts while exiting.
In Michigan State Police tests, the 1989 Caprice 9C1 did the quarter mile in 17.6 sec. at 79.8 mph, which compared to 18 sec. at 78 mph in 1988. Even more impressive was a 29.3 sec. 0-100 time versus 34.9 sec. for 1988 models. The carbureted Caprice required 1.25 miles to hit 110 mph, while the injected 9C1 did it in just .95 mile. Out in Los Angeles, another quarter-mile test had the Caprice 9C1 doing the distance in 16.98 sec. Inside, the 9C1 featured police-car-only front bucket seats (in a four-door sedan), an under-dash gauge package and a “ticket light” (extra round courtesy lamp positioned for good ticket writing). The courtesy lights did not go on when the doors were opened, since that would illuminate the officers inside when they got to a potential crime scene.
Some police agencies ordered their 9C1s with full-size spare tires. In other locales, including Wisconsin, no spare tire was The 1989 Caprice in the photos was in service with the Wiscon- carried. If a police car suffered a flat, the officer would call in sin State Patrol. It was a supervisor’s car, which meant it was and a brand-new speed-rated tire would be delivered. Damaged
Chevy 9C1s were Caprices rather than Caprice Classics. 20 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
Front bumper has no bumper guards. tires were not repaired. A sticker in the trunk listed all of the options the police cars originally came with. However, many agencies had their own mechanics servicing the cars and tearing them down for repairs, so parts swapping with worn out or wrecked 9C1s was common. As a result, many cars wound up with equipment not originally ordered for them. Most police and highway patrol departments kept police cars in service for a certain number of years and/or a certain number of miles. Since supervisor cars usually saw fewer miles of use, they were kept in service for a longer time, but did not normally get exposed to the rough use the regular police cars saw. The car in the photos was well maintained all its life and was retired from law enforcement service at 100,000 miles. The collector who owns this Caprice had purchased a regular blue 1989 Wisconsin State Patrol “box car” (the nickname for all square Caprices) for his son. That car had had a push bumper and cage that the seller marketed separately. The blue car had ignition upgrades and other engine modifications because it was being drag raced at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wis. Even though it had passed 200,000 miles on its odometer, driving the blue 9C1 was very similar to driving a ‘60s muscle car.
Michigan State Patrol tests looked a bit more conservative, maybe due to climate. This car has had one repaint in original colour.
Once he had been behind the wheel of his son’s car, the man wanted his own 1989 Caprice 9C1. He was told about a man who was trying to sell one in the Car Corral at the Fall Jefferson (Wis.) swap meet (www.madsionclassics.com). A call to the swap meet organizers helped him get a phone number and he went to see the burgundy car. The seller actually had another burgundy car and a blue one, but they DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 21
Regular chrome outside rearview mirrors are on both sides of the car.
But sales of the 350-cid models were more restricted. “It is General Motors policy that the Chevrolet Caprice Police Package Equipped with the 5.7-litre V8 be sold only for usage by U.S. state or local government, primarily for police, law enforcement or firefighting services,” said GM’s 1989 Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) statement. The police liked that idea. They didn’t want crooks getting their hands on 9C1s with the “Corvette” engine. But muscle car enthusiasts are scooping the cars up today.
were not as nice as this car. After a little bargaining, the man made his offer and the seller said, “I’ll have to go talk to my wife about that.” As soon as the buyer heard that, he knew he had a deal! The Caprice has been used very little, other than one trip to Florida awhile back. After that it was treated to new brakes and a complete new exhaust system. The only much nicer ’89 Box Car the owner has seen for sale online was a California airport security car that was white and had low mileage because it had hardly ever left the airport. Caprice 9C1s with 5.0-litre (305) V8s were also used by fire departments and taxi drivers.
Michigan police car tests gave a third set of results.
Front bucket seats and certified speedometer are police package content. 22 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
Lil’ Black Express
Story and photos by Paul Kennedy
T
his 1981 Dodge 150 pickup has gone from daily driver to treasured custom in less than four years. Both the truck and its current owners, Ryan and Bekki, were originally in BC. Bekki’s dad Don purchased it in 2000, and used it as his daily driver until 2016, when he bought a new Dodge pickup. He offered the 1981 truck to Bekki and Ryan for free, so they had it shipped, by train, from Kelowna to Toronto, then it was driven to Kingston. It ran fine, but had a couple of rust spots under the driver’s seat, and above the windshield. The paint was a very weathered mottled black colour, and the interior was in very dire shape. In late 2016, Ryan took the truck to have the floorboard and windshield rust addressed, and he drove the short distance using a plastic box as a seat. When Tom called after finishing the metal work, he said there had been a problem with the truck. When he pulled the truck out of the garage, the driver’s side tire had collapsed inward at an angle, so he hadn’t moved it any further. The truck was brought home on a flat deck, and upon inspection it turned out that the upper A-arm had bent 24 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
wheeled, then covered with a coat of DOM 16. The rear axle was flipped to lower the rear, and the lead springs, shocks, brakes and brake lines were replaced. The truck now has a mild rake to the front. At this point, Ryan made the decision to try to do a full restoration, as so many small issues had been revealed when working underneath. Ryan began working on the cab, removing the big truck-style mirrors, then filling all the holes and dents. The bodywork on the cab consumed more than two years, as Ryan was working full time and also remodelling his 1950’s house at the same time. up and back because of rust. An inspection of the other side revealed the same issue. Needless to say, both A-arms were replaced. At the same time, lower A-arms from a Dodge van were installed, which lowered the front end about 3 inches. Also the brakes, shocks and springs were done. The entire frame, underside, and rear end were sanded and wire
Finally, in 2018, Ryan painted the cab inside and out, in a single-stage black urethane in his homemade paint booth. He bought a used 80 gallon compressor and paint gun, and got the paint from Eastwood. Once painted, he worked on the interior first, replacing the front bench with one from a Ford F150, which came with integral head restraints that
DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 25
alleviated his hitting his head on the rear window. He had to dye the fabric black to match his interior. The dashboard was painted black, and the gauges were detailed in copper, then the whole cab was lined with sound deadening and the carpet replaced. The doors were covered with black vinyl and patterned copper inserts, and custom fibreglass speaker pods were made for the bottom portion of the doors. A simple stereo was installed with an old school Pioneer Class A amp, subs and Bluetooth head unit. The ashtray was removed and replaced with a custom fibreglass pocket for holding and charging a phone. Ryan then moved on to the truck bed, starting with bodywork on the two rear fenders. Next, the outside walls of the bed and tailgate were bodyworked, followed by the interior walls. When it was all finished, the entire bed was painted black. Ryan then used a two-part black bed liner to do the underside of the fenders and the inside of the box. The fenders are attached with large polished fender bolts that are visible in the bed. The front and rear bumpers have both been narrowed, moved tighter to the truck and painted black. The taillights are aftermarket LED units made for Jeeps, modified from their original housing into one made of wood, then painted black to
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match. The grille is essentially a customized stock Dodge one, all the openings enlarged and painted gunmetal grey to match the wheels. Ryan added black mesh behind the grille openings to provide a cleaner look. The headlights are aftermarket sealed LED units. The wheels were picked out by Bekki, since it was really her truck. They are TSW Fortier 20x9-inch, carrying 245/45’s up front, and 275/40’s on the rear. Custom spacers were made by Bora to change the bolt patterns to allow the modern wheels to work. The only part of the truck left to work on is the engine bay, which will be addressed this winter. The 318 is stock, except for the four-barrel carb, aluminum intake and long tube headers. The dual exhaust empties where the step used to be, and is custom welded 2 ½-inch tubing with a dual in/dual out Flowmaster 50 muffler. Hopefully, Ryan will be able to hit some car shows in 2021, since Covid-19 suspended this entire show season. The truck is stunning. It’s almost hard to believe that the work was done by someone who had never done bodywork, paint, or custom interior work at all. The fact that the work was substantially completed in his own modified garage, and to such a high standard, says much about his skills. Great work Ryan. DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 27
Sporty Caddy
2020 Cadillac CT5-V
Story and photos by Dan Heyman
That comes with a bit of a caveat, though; historically, “V” Cadillacs have been the bee’s knees when it comes to a specific model’s performance n an age where most every manufacturer is either severely reducing zenith. There were also “V-Sport” versions of many Cadillac models, or completely killing their sedan and hatchback line-up in favour of but these were kind of more “performance-lite” models. That’s still the SUVs and CUVs in North America, Cadillac has bucked the trend and case today…only it isn’t. come out with not one but two all-new sedans: the CT-4 compact and the CT-5 mid-size. They both display edgy styling, they both come Today, the “V” models are much-less hardcore than the “V” models with turbocharged engines and the choice of either all-wheel drive or of old, as Cadillac is preparing for the arrival of the “Blackwing” line of rear-wheel drive and, crucially for the driving enthusiasts out there, they vehicles, and those are more in the vein of the older “V” cars. Today’s “V” cars – like the CT5-V you see here – are more in-line with the V-Sport both have “V” performance versions. models when it comes to the amount of power they offer over other trims, the amount of performance tech and, crucially, the amount of dollars. With me so far? Good.
I
Take this CT5-V, for example. It represents a $7,000 price hike over the “Premium Luxury” model that sits just below it in the range and which starts at $44,798 with AWD and V6 power to the V’s $51,998. Back when we had the CTS and CTS-V model, the latter started at about $15,000 more than did the top-spec non-V model of the car. So you can see, then, that this CT5-V is much more a trim package than it may have been a couple of years back. Or is it? Well, power-wise, the CT5-V makes 360 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque from its twin-turbo V6 to the CT5 Premium Luxury’s 335 hp and 400 lb-ft, though you can also get the latter with a less-powerful turbo four. So not a huge power difference. What about chassis dynamics? Well, this is where it starts to get interesting as the CT5-V comes stan28 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
dard with magnetic ride suspension, electronic limited-slip differential and performance traction control settings which allow for more slip and a little more driver involvement. It also comes with a nifty button on the steering wheel marked with a “V”, which allows you quick access to your own customized drive mode; you can modify throttle response, steering, suspension and more individually, to tailor the drive just so. It looks the part, too, with awesome ultra-dark 19-inch gunmetal wheels – that, I admit, could be a little bigger as they are dwarfed by the broad panels around them – blacked-out grille and lower splitter, smoked taillamps, quad tailpipes and trunklid spoiler. That last detail’s nice to have, but I do wish that, like the wheels, they’d actually made it a little bigger for more presence; as it stands right now, that spoiler is something that I think would look just as at home on a Ford Fusion as it does here. Other than that, though, this is a well-styled car that uses just enough sharp angles and edges mixed with more traditional shapes to create a distinctive look. I like it – even in the somewhat tame “Shadow Metallic” exterior colour you see here – though I think if I were to be going with the whole-hog performance model (until the Blackwing arrives, anyway), I’d want something a little brighter. Luckily, Cadillac is more than happy to oblige as they offer much more sparkly (and sparkly-named) stuff such as Velocity Red, Royal Spice Metallic (a red-orange of sorts) and Wave Metallic – that’s a bright blue. Inside, it’s more “tuxedo” than “that gold-sequined blazer you wore on New Year’s Eve once” – and that’s no bad thing. While I like a slightly brighter exterior, I don’t necessarily feel the same way about interiors. Too much flash and dash can be distracting, it can reflect sunlight in annoying ways and it gets dirty. With the black-withhints-of-brushed-steel-and-carbon seen here, you really get the feeling that you’re sat in something classy – as the black leather suggests – but that can let its hair down when the time’s right – like what the carbon inserts on the dash, doors and atop the transmission tunnel and suede steering wheel suggest. And thank you, Cadillac, for going easy on the dust-magnet piano black surfaces; there’s a bit just below the
DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 29
infotainment screen, and that’s about it. I’m less thankful for the wheel; getting the rear end to step out is tough to do, the forward progress made though sueded, it’s on the large side and I prefer a smaller wheel as I as the AWD combined with that powertrain is hard not to like. find it provides better control. Also: while you may think that all this chassis responsiveness would lead The materials used could be of a slightly higher quality, too; the leather to a harsh ride, you’d be wrong. Those magnetic dampers are adept at feels a bit like too little butter spread over too much bread, and some metering out road imperfections big and small, while the sticky Michelin of the touch points are just a little harder than I expected from a luxury Pilot Sport rubber gets the power down to the road with precious little car like this. drama. Even the brakes, which feature modest 13.6-inch rotors at the front and 12.4-inch items at the rear, are properly effective and remained Speaking of Infotainment: Cadillac has upped the game here as the fade-free during our energetic mountain drive, though they could use a CT5’s system has a great, responsive touchscreen with good haptic little more feel; that’s likely a product of the drive-by-wire brake pedal. feedback and responsiveness. That was always a sore spot for many who tested Caddy’s older CUE system, so they’ve done well to tighten That is a bit of a microcosm of the CT5-V experience, though, isn’t it? it up. I guess the on-screen graphics could be a little brighter, but I know The parts are all in place for this car – it’s a great feature set and there’s that I tend to mainly use Apple CarPlay so this is less of an issue for some real performance know-how on display here. It’s just that they me, and I imagine it would be for many owners as well. There’s also really didn’t take it all the way; there’s a more powerful version coming wireless charging, WiFi hotspot and Android Auto support. – likely for the 2022 model year – and you know that they just weren’t ready to give this particular performance CT5 the performance carte My tester was the AWD model; good because that’s likely what they’re blanche for fear of it stepping on the toes of the upcoming Blackwing going to sell the most of, so this review will likely be speaking to more halo model. readers, but not-so-good in that it does add weight and there’s just something so old-school and pure about a RWD system. A system However; with the CT5-V, the pricing is right, the performance is more I have sampled in the CT5-V’s CT4-V little sibling and that had me than adequate for most applications and it looks right on the money. coming away thoroughly impressed. Want more power? Want a more comprehensive performance conversion? Wait for the Blackwing. If you want just that much more pizazz, So I approached the CT5-V thinking that it would undoubtedly feel fast, then the CT5-V is worth a look. but perhaps a little too planted and sure of itself to really spark the fizz, as it were. As expected, the CT5-V is brisk off the line and acceleration comes accompanied with a great growl from the quad exhausts – this sounds like a proper sports sedan, that’s for darn sure. If you’re in manual mode and have selected either Sport mode or the hardest-of-core Track mode, you have to be quick with the shift paddles as you will bang that limiter if you’re not careful. It will not wring your neck off the line, but 405 hp is 405 hp and AWD is AWD and you will want to keep an eye on the speedo as you continue to surge forward. Not to mention that you’ve got ten closely-spaced ratios to bang through as you accelerate, so you’ll be flipping those paddles. A lot. So while the acceleration isn’t necessarily ground-breaking, the CT5-V shines in the twisties, just as its specs suggest it would. The steering through that big wheel is responsive and surprisingly hefty – again, this is something that changes as you change drive modes – and the front end is properly responsive even tough it does have the added weight of a front differential. It is remarkably planted, this car, and while 30 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
Dream Car Diamante By Dodge
Story and photos by John Gunnell
O
ne of the best-looking dream cars ever built made it to the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (www.MCACN.com) in Rosemont, Ill., a couple of years ago. When it made its debut, this Pearl White “Diamante By Dodge” was displayed next to a half million dollars-worth of diamonds, because diamante means diamond in Spanish.
people. The Diamante was a low, brutish looking machine, fully capable of the performance its overt look suggested. As Duricy explained, the Diamante was based on a show car called the Yellow Jacket that was made from that black car that was first off the line. The Yellow Jacket was designed by Dodge engineers and built by Ron Mandrush of Synthetex, Inc. This dream car was Dodge’s big draw at the winter auto shows. The aerodynami-
The Diamante story started in September 1969 when the first Dodge Challenger E-body car was made (there had been an earlier Dodge Challenger that was a full-size 1959 model option). In reality, the Diamante originated from the very first Challenger built, which was a triple black Hemi Challenger with just about every option you could pack on one car. Dodge turned it into a show car and then redid the show car into the Diamante. Writing in Old Cars Weekly (June 18, 1989), Mopar expert Dave Duricy, Jr. said, “For 1970, Dodge Division displayed the last word in performance-look, pony-car styling . . . the Diamante.” From its jutting nose to its rear-mounted spoiler, it had everything in vogue at the time like slotted fender vents and air scoops on the leading edges of the rear fenders. The tires were fat and the interior sat only two 32 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
A tonneau turned the Diamante into a two-seater.
cally designed roadster was painted pearlescent Honey Gold and sported a long hood, a short rear deck and bucket seats. The car was also designed as a two-passenger job without a rear seat. The Yellow Jacket had front and rear air spoilers and a shaker type hood scoop. It featured a removable roof and an integral roll bar. The rear window and the air spoiler could be raised or lowered through the use of controls built into the dashboard. The “pony”sized dream car was still motivated by Mopar’s muscular 426-cid 425-hp Hemi V8. The Yellow Jacket had a unique air circulation system. Air vents on the rear deck lid were part of a flow-through ventilation setup. They allowed cool or warm air to be constantly circulated in the passenger compartment and exit through the rear deck vents.
Dodge rethought its approach, painted the car and renamed it the Diamante.
Dodge saw the Yellow Jacket as a concept car designed to get buyer feedback on a potential Corvette-like sports car that Dodge was considering making. They wanted to survey potential buyers at the New York Auto Show and L.A. Auto Show. To attract attention to it, a scantily-dressed model encouraged showgoers to write and draw on her body with an ink marker. When she got more looks than the Yellow Jacket, Dodge decided to redo the car in Pearl White and promote it with the stash of pricey diamonds. After the Yellow Jacket was converted into the Diamante, the bikini-clad model was no longer seen. But what wasn’t replaced was the Yellow Jacket’s 426-cid Hemi. Dream car collector Joe Bortz of Chicago, who owned the Diamante in 1989, told Dave Duricy that this dream machine was capable of doing 0 to 60 mph in 6.9 sec.
“Diamante By Dodge” sparkled on side of the car.
The Diamante also had a pistol-grip four-speed manual transmission and a Dana rear end with 4.10:1 gearing. It was equipped with a roll bar that was cleverly hidden inside the targa-style roof’s
Diamante was called “World’s Most Valuable Hemi Car.” 34 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
Creative Customs was hired to repaint the car. He hated white paint and no one bothered to tell him he should stick to the Pearl White colour. So, he squirted a Candied Tangerine Orange finish on the car and it went back on the show circuit in that hue until 1974. By then, a decision to drop the Challenger had been made. Dodge put the Diamante in storage until 1978, when Chrysler’s business was hurting and it decided to auction the car off. The Diamante bounced around to a couple of owners, before Joe Bortz purchased it for his dream car collection. At one point, the author went to Bortz’s home north of Chicago and saw the car, which was stunning. New Yorker Steve Juliano bought the car from Bortz in 1998. He was a big collector of Mopar models from the company’s “Rapid Transit System” era. After researching the Diamante’s history, he decided to have it restored in the original Pearl White colour. It pillars. Under the car was a Dodge Charger suspension that was was Juliano who brought the car to MCACN where he displayed lowered three inches, so the 74-in. long external side-pipes exhaust it on a turntable. Juliano died from pancreatic cancer in 2018. We system literally scraped the pavement. Dodge press releases said haven’t heard what happened to the Diamante since. the Diamante had “road appearance.” The spectators spent more time looking at the model than the Yellow Jacket.
The interior of the show car had a lot more in common with a production-type Challenger than the exterior, except for the fact that it was made for two passengers. It featured leather seats, a centre console and a Dodge Challenger SE style steering wheel. A tonneau cover extended from behind the seats. Of course, unlike a stock Dodge Challenger, it had no rear seat. Also, inside was an AM/FM stereo system with an 8-track tape player. A motorized spoiler controlled by a switch on the left door sat on the car’s trunk. A nearly vertical powered rear window was also controlled by a driver’s door switch.
Steve Juliano displayed the car with “1970 Challenger R/T”
Dodge reportedly spent $250,000 turning the Yellow Jacket into the Diamante. After it spent a short time on the show circuit, the car got scratched while being shipped to a car show. George Busty of
DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 35
A Good Idea
1965 Chevrolet C15 Fleetside gets diesel power Story and photos by John Gunnell
need something to power that old pickup you’re redoing. In the case of this 1965 Chevy C15 Fleetside, a diesel seemed iesel engines are catching on with hot rodders and other like a good idea. enthusiasts these days. Diesels are showing up in cars, station wagons, SUVs and even classic pickup trucks. Some- Before we get into the gas-diesel engine swap, let’s take a brief times the use of a diesel is for convenience purposes, such look at the history of this cool-looking truck. The styling of the as you have one available to you at a good price and you 1965 Chevrolet pickups dated back to 1962, when the Chevy light-duty models took on a new appearance with a lower, flatter hood. There was a bevel around the front fenders and hood, and rectangular parking lamps were placed at each corner of the bevel. The styling lines were somewhat angular, but the front had rounded edges. The owner-restored truck featured here shows off this styling well.
D
New Dolphin gauges and tilt steering were added to the truck. 36 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
Air slot openings were punched into the front of the hood bevel on either side of centre. Large headlight housings sat at either side of the grille. The C10 1/2-ton Fleetside (slab-sided) pickups had a 115-in. wheelbase and 6-1/2-ft. long cargo bed, but the C15 versions (also rated for ½-ton loads) had the 127-in. wheelbase and 8-ft. bed of the ¾-ton Chevrolet trucks. Custom Fleetsides—including this beautiful orange one-- got new silver anodized aluminum bodyside moldings with white accents between them.
to the area in front of the crosshatched grille. The Chevrolet name in black-accented block letters was embossed into the upper horizontal grille bar. The entire grille ensemble was also framed with a chrome outline molding. In 1965, the basic styling was untouched, except that the badges on the sides of the cowl were moved higher up, above the fender bevel. An anodized aluminum grille and body side moldings were part of the Custom Appearance Group package. Chevrolet promoted the 1965 models as “Work Power” trucks and advertised “The Long Strong Line for ’65.” This was the first year for the C1500 (and four-wheel-drive The same basic hood treatment was carried over from 1962 K1500). According to official Chevrolet production records, and used all the way through 1966, but in 1964, the cab was 186,461 C1500s were built along with 2,024 K1500s. These restyled to eliminate the use of a wraparound windshield, which trucks outnumbered the short bed C10/K10 models. was considered too 1950s-ish. Instead of slanting rearward at the bottom and forward at the top, the re-worked windshield The ‘65 Chevy VINs were stamped on a plate on the left front pillars now slanted in opposite directions -- forward at the bot- door hinge pillar and on the right side of the cowl under the tom and rearward at the top – for a modernized look. hood. The first symbol in the serial number indicated the type of truck: C=Conventional Cab two-wheel drive. The second and Also, in 1964, there was a new grille with twin horizontal bars third symbols indicated the series and weight class: 15=1/2running from the top and bottom of the headlight surrounds ton Long Bed 127-in. wheelbase. The fourth symbol indicated The C1500 was a sub-series of the C10 so C10 ½-ton badges were still used.
Like the grille and front bumper, the rear bumper is painted white.
DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 37
argue that the 4BT is the most popular and desirable engine for such swaps because parts and resources are widely available. The 1965 C1500 Long Bed trucks rode a ¾-ton 127-in. wheelbase. This one has a brand new MD3500 five-speed overdrive transmission with a hydraulic clutch and a 12bolt rear axle. Other updates include all-new disc brakes, brake calipers, heavy-duty (3/4-ton type) front springs and all-new suspension bushings. Other features include heavyduty spindles, power steering, all-new sway bars, all-new suspension bushings and springs, a new wooden deck in the cargo bed and a dual master cylinder brake system. This 1965 Chevrolet C15 ½-ton long bed Fleetside pickup truck was owner-restored by Doug This truck was owner-restored during one Wisconsin winter. Nelson of Central Wisconsin. When the photos were taken the body style: 4=pickup truck. The fifth symbol indicated the just after its restoration, it hadn’t been driven since it was model year: 5=1965. The sixth symbol indicated the assembly completely rebuilt and had zero miles on it. plant: J=Janesville, Wisconsin. The last six symbols are the production sequence number in the specific factory. The rebuilding process was extensive and included the installation of aftermarket Dolphin gauges; a new reproduction facThis truck was built in the good old days when trucks cost less tory type Custom Trim package; new Cooper Cobra GT radial than cars. It originally sold for $2,060. With a shipping weight of 3,315 lbs. it cost less than a buck per pound. This truck The Cummins Diesel fits nicely under does not have its original Chevrolet engine. During the restorathe Chevy’s large, flat hood. tion, a 239-cubic inch Cummins four-cylinder turbo diesel with intercooler was installed. The engine dates from 2000 and is believed to have only 38,000 miles of use on it. The Cummins 4BT is essentially a 5.9L 12v Cummins engine minus two cylinders. This 3.9L, 4-cylinder, inline diesel was commonly used in commercial van applications (a very popular application was in Chevrolet Step Vans such as bread delivery trucks.) It was pretty common to see one in a variety of construction and agricultural equipment. Generous amounts of torque in a small package make the 4BT common for engine swaps in Jeeps, small trucks and SUVs. In fact, one might
tires; Halogen headlamps; tilt steering; painted white trim (not decals); a new factory-style upholstery kit; a high-density air cleaner and a new radiator.
New wood was installed in the cargo bed. 38 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
As everyone in the collector vehicle hobby knows, old trucks are getting as popular as new ones and prices are following this trend. According to the National Automobile Dealers Assoc. (NADA) online price guide, this truck is worth as much as $633,800 for a perfect, stock condition example. Online ads on the HEMMINGS Website are asking between $25,000 and $90,000 for restored examples with modifications. A nice owner-restored ’65 Chevy pickup like this one would probably sell in the $30,000 range today.
Leading Role
This custom-built Olds Cutlass 4-4-2 was originally built for a TV Show Story and photos by John Gunnell
I
n 1972, the Oldsmobile 4-4-2 car-line was dropped, but the 4-4-2 name was still around. Oldsmobile marketed it as an appearance and handling package for the mid-sized Cutlass. Apparently, the Lansing, Mich. automaker knew what it was doing, because the Oldsmobile brand rose to third rank on the industry sales charts and sales of the Cutlass models in particular skyrocketed. The Cutlass came standard with a cigar lighter; front seats with head restraints; crank-operated vent windows; an inthe-windshield radio antenna; recessed windshield wipers; a column-shifter 3-speed manual transmission; H78 x 14 belted black sidewall tires; a deluxe steering wheel; Flo-Thru ventilation; carpeting; heavy-duty wheels; power front disc brakes and chromed hood louvres on ‘S’ models. The Cutlass Supreme added Strato Bucket seats; protective side moldings and a 350-cid four-barrel V8. Cutlass Supreme convertibles also included a power top; an ashtray light; courtesy lights and map lamps. The RPO-W29 Olds 4-4-2 appearance and handling package was available for Cutlass F-87 coupes and Cutlass, Cutlass ‘S’ and Convertible models at prices from $20 to $147 (USD) if the W39 Hurst three-speed floor shifter was also ordered for $236. The W-30 Performance package was also available separately for between $577 and $722 depending on which other options the car already had. It included at a minimum the Olds high-performance 455-cid four-barrel V8. More expensive versions included Sports mirrors, a fibreglass dualintake Force Air hood, an anti-spin rear axle and wide oval tires. A total of 9,845 buyers opted for the 4-4-2 handling and appearance package in 1972. Oldsmobile dealers did offer at least one special Cutlass model. It was a gold-and-white
Hamilton name is prominent on the grille.
Side view of the Candy Apple Red car is striking. DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 39
Prior to its Hollywood career, the 4-4-2 had resided in Southern California. At one point, the car was even drag raced. It wasn’t exactly babied, but the So Cal climate was kind to it and the Olds stayed rust-free. The 4-4-2 came to the attention of the TV show producers, who decided to turn it into a Hamilton.
The bucket seat interior is essentially stock Oldsmobile.
A design team from the Cinema Vehicle Services Collection (www.cinemavehicles.com) did a restyling job on the original Oldsmobile coupe body. Cinema Vehicle Services claims to be the number-one supplier of movie cars since 1975 and the Oldsmobile Cutlass Hamilton was built around 2010. It was painted in a Candy Apple Red colour and had a custom grille, a unique hood treatment, custom front fender vents, gold body trim, a modular rear bumper and special “Hamilton” nameplates and badges, as well as unique body graphics.
Hurst/Olds Indy Pace Car convertible that marked the second time in three years that a Hurst/Olds paced the Indy 500. In all, 499 Hurst/Olds two-door Hardtops were sold along with 130 convertibles. But there was a much rarer 4-4-2 of which just one was made.
The “The Prince of Motor City” pilot was completed and did come out as planned, but the show concept was quickly cancelled. Two other “Hamilton” cars were being custom-built at that time. The restyling of these cars was never completed. They were sent to the crusher and only the one was completed and actually used in filming.
Harry and Cindy Lenius of Minocqua, Wis., own that car. Their 4-4-2 proves that making a pilot for a TV series doesn’t always guarantee fame or fortune. That’s the case for actors – as well as for cars starring in films. Harry and Cindy know this is true, but they still love their ‘72 Olds Cutlass 4-4-2 “Hamilton” hardtop. It was custom-built for a leading role in “The Prince of Motor City,” the pilot for a TV show that didn’t make the cut. Actor Warren Christie was the headliner in this show about a fictitious automaker called Hamilton Motors. Christie portrayed the role of Billy Hamilton, the son of the car company’s owner, who was characterized as an “automotive legend.” Actors Rutger Hauer and Andie MacDowell also starred in the TV pilot.
In May 2010, Cinema Vehicle Services took the car to Dana Mecum’s Original Spring Classic Auction in Indianapolis, Ind., where it sold for $10,000. A man from Madison, Wis., bought it and eventually sold it to Harry and Cindee Lenius. They enjoy driving around in the car and “getting smiles and thumbs up signs” wherever they go. They like taking it to local car shows.
The rear bumper treatment is one-of-a-kind. 40 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
PARTS STORE Red Line Synthetic Oil Expands Cooling System Line with SuperCool Fortified with WaterWetter
Red Line Synthetic Oil has announced new SuperCool antifreeze/coolant products which are designed to lower coolant temperatures by as much as 20-degrees Fahrenheit while simultaneously protecting against harmful rust and corrosion. The WatterWetter additive was created specifically to reduce strain on the cooling systems which allows for more reliable performance, and is now available in the antifreeze/coolant line. The product line features SuperCool Performance, a 50/50 pre-diluted version and Super Cool Concentrate for those who want to create their own water-to-coolant ratio. For more information please go to www.redlineoil.com
Auto Meter’s InVision Digital Dash for 1982-1987 Monte Carlo, El Camino and Malibu Auto Meter’s new InVision Direct Fit Digital Dash System is now available for the 1982-1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo/El Camino/Malibu as a one-model solution for your entire dash. It allows you to monitor the speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, oil pressure, water temperature and volts all in one place. It features 12.3-in. LCD with three user-selectable screens, and all kits include a wiring harness and sending units for water temperature and oil pressure. The dash features an adjustable RPM range and displays in imperial or metric units, and offers an integrated joystick to allow for easy programming. For more information please go to www.autometer.com
DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 41
TECH: NEW PRODUCTS
New Cast Aluminum Bellhousings for Chevrolet LS Small Block and Big Block from Lakewood Lakewood’s cast aluminum bellhousings are designed to be an affordable, lightweight solution for street cars that don’t require SFI bellhousings, are now available for Chevrolet LS Small and Big Block applications, and connect the engines to transmissions utilizing the standard GM pattern such as the Muncie, Saginaw, Borg Wa r n e r T 1 0 a n d Tr e m e c TKO transmissions. All kits come complete with clutch fork boot, inspection cover and Grade 8 mounting hardware. For more information please go to www.holley.com
Edelbrock’s AVS2 Series Carburetor Now Available in Black Edelbrock’s AVS2 Series Carburetor is now available in a black finish and boasts a manual choke that is designed and calibrated for optimum street performance in engines that require 650 CFM of air-fuel flow. The carburetor is a perfect replacement or upgrade that features annular flow primary boosters with a new calibration for improved off-idle and cruising performance. This allows it to deliver improved fuel atomization to eliminate flat spots that may be encountered as the carburetor transitions from idle to full throttle while also featuring eight equally spaced orifices to improve fuel metering from idle to the main circuit. For more information please to go www.edelbrock.com
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Our structure widths range from 10’ through 50’, with the length being as long as you need. Our engineer can provide you with stamped and sealed drawings, Schedule B and C-B, and site inspections to help assist you with DO-IT-YOURSELF any permitting processed required Take advantage of our by your municipality. full installation services These services also include throughout British Columbia, our CSA-A660 certification including complimentary on-site for pre-engineered steel consultations in the Lower Mainland structures in Canada. to fully design your custom structure. Furthermore, all our building packages are designed as do-it-yourself kits with a step-by-step installation manual.
604.589.4280
Happy Holidays! From our bubble to yours! Barry-Hamel Equipment Ltd. “IS AN ” ESOP COMPANY (EMPLOYEE SHARE OWNERSHIP PLAN) B.C. Owned & Operated Since 1954
Conveniently Located Fraser Valley
Vancouver
#6 - 34366 Forrest Terrace Abbotsford, B.C. V2S 1G7 Tel: 604-504-0133 Fax: 604-504-0351
2601 Shuswap Avenue Coquitlam, B.C. V3K 5Z9 Tel: 604-945-9313 Fax: 604-9417767
Vancouver Island
2200 A Keating Cross Road Saanichton, B.C. V8M 2A6 Tel: 250-652-7818 Fax: 250-652-2274
Your "One Stop Shop" for Cylinder Gases-Welding Products-Rentals-Sales-Service. Toll free: 1-800-535-9261 E-mail orders: sales@barry-hamel.ca
www.barryhamel.com
Advertiser Index
Great Canadian Oil Change--------------------------------------24 360 Fabrication ------------------------------------------------- 19 All-Parts Trailer Sales ------------------------------------------ 45 Barry-Hamel ----------------------------------------------------- 43 CAM Oils --------------------------------------------------------- 45 Classified Motorsports ----------------------------------------- 35 Colby Valve ------------------------------------------------------ 44 Easy Build ------------------------------------------------------- 42 Formula Distributors ------------------------------------------- 33 G&M Trailers ---------------------------------------------------- 45
Maradyne’s All-New Cool Cat Dash-Mount Fan Maradyne has released its all-new Cool Cat dashmount fan which produces over 240 CFM and draws only 0.5 to 1.1 amps at 12VDC. The fan is an economical option for your dragster, side-by-side Jeep, Trophy Truck or just about any vehicle where air conditioning is simply not an option. The fan is made completely from metal and is chromed which allows it to easily integrate into many designs. For more information please go to www.maradynehp.com
Golden Leaf Automotive --------------------------------------- 13 Good Vibrations ------------------------------------------------- 31 Howard Cams --------------------------------------------------- 17 Ididit ----------------------------------------------------------------5 Jellybean AutoCrafters ----------------------------------------- 45 KMS Tools ------------------------------------------------------- 23 Kool Coat -------------------------------------------------------- 45 LBC Parts ----------------------------------------------------------3 LMC Truck ------------------------------------------------------- 48 Lordco -------------------------------------------------------------7 Mopac Auto Supply - ------------------------------------------- 47 Procar --------------------------------------------------------------2 Red Line Oil ----------------------------------------------------- 41 Scott’s Super Trucks ------------------------------------------- 45 Westar ----------------------------------------------------------- 45
44 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
Michael Irvine Collector Starter Kit The Michael Irvine Collector Starter Kit makes it easy to shift into collecting the artist’s work. Get the stories behind the art, select collectibles, and experience the quality and vibrancy of his art first-hand with the exclusive print created with details from five of Michael’s paintings. The kit includes “Reflections of Horsepower-Silver Anniversary Commemorative Edition,” “Pentastar Fine Art Details,” eyeglass/ screen cloth, six postcards plus a $50 voucher towards your next art purchase. Shipping and handling is free worldwide. For more information please go to www.michaelirvine.com
DEC/JAN 2020 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 45
READER’S RIDES 1972 Plymouth Duster
Gerry Norrish purchased his 1972 Plymouth Duster back in 2006 off of Ebay, and completed a full restoration in 2014. Gerry is the third owner of this original, numbers-matching car that originally came from Oregon. The matching 340 drive train came with the 4-speed transmission and sure-grip with 3:23 gears. The low mileage Duster is completely rust-free and was originally Basin Street Blue, but now sports a Plum Crazy purple metallic colour. The car has a ton of original options including the shark’s tooth grille, white interior with bucket seats, AM radio, power front disc brakes and rally mirrors. During the resto, Gerry added a number of things including a rear spoiler, rally steering wheel, KYB shocks, SSBC brake kit and BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires to name a few.
WANT TO SEE YOUR VEHICLE IN THE MAGAZINE? Send in a few hi-res photos of your classic car or truck with a short description of around 60-80 words and we may include you in the Reader’s Rides section at the back of Muscle Car Plus.
If interested, please email us at ReadersRides@rpmcanada.ca 46 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2020
They don’t know how to shift into second gear or replace a spark plug, much less multiply or divide. That’s where you come in.
Get your free catalog at LMCTruck.com (800) 562-8782 Chevy/GMC 1947-13 Ford 1948-16 Dodge 1972-15