JAN 2025
£5.99
This is not a coupe…
Steve Roberts’ award-winning Willys gasser that started life with two doors too many
PLUS 1970
GMC pick-up reborn as Topspeed Automotive’s attention grabbing new shop truck
CC Jan 24 Cover OK'D BY SARAH.indd 1
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er ov 30 ,0 00 s ew vi re
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Contents
F is eb su ru 16 e a Ja on ry ’ nu sa 25 ar le y
Find us on Facebook at mCarMagazine www.facebook.com/Custo
46
26 Regulars 2
News & reviews Wheels Day 50 is going to be big
20 Auto Focus Visiting Beaulieu’s drag racing exhibition
58 Events
Your next free weekend is already in 2026
64 Next Month Colin Parkinson’s conceptual roadster
36
18 38
Features 8
Flat-Pack ‘40 Steve Roberts’ show-stopping Willys
18 Euro Finals Decisive action from Santa Pod
26 Initial Success Bill MacDermid’s GMC shop truck
36 Mopar Nationals The cars behind the scenes at the Pod
8
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38 Wagon Wheels Building a custom Ford D-series lorry…
46 American Dream Step 1, emigrate. Step 2, buy Mustang
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JANUARY 2025 CUSTOM CAR 1
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News & reviews
Golden wonder
R
egistration is now open for the half-century anniversary season opener, Wheels Day 50. Passes are available for single-car exhibits, club stands and traders, and the application process is simple. Just visit the Wheels Day website, upload your details and the nice people at Surrey Street Rodders will do the rest. The date is Good Friday, 18 April, the venue is Newbury Showground, Thatcham
RG18 9QZ, and SSR has planned great things which promise to be a nice surprise for all who attend. Single-car passes will be allocated during the first week of March, and club stand passes a month before that. That gives unsuccessful club stand applicants a full four weeks to apply for single-car passes. Club stands are restricted to a maximum of 20 cars on each stand, with the club being responsible for filling
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the allocated space as appropriately as possible, and 25 clubs will be offered stand space. Details of any display flags, gazebos, and the like, should be included within the application. Traders and auto jumblers should apply via the website using the trade and auto jumble button. All applications will be logged prior to the approval process closer to the show. The sooner traders and auto jumblers apply the better, but please
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2 CUSTOM CAR JANUARY 2025
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Celebr ating 74 years
be patient and await a response from the trade team as it may take some time to acknowledge applications. SSR thanks everyone in advance for their support of Wheels Day 50 as that’s what makes it possible to raise funds in aid of great causes. Last year’s support enabled the club to donate £1000 each month to a worthy cause. If it wasn’t for people attending SSR events, the club would be unable to make a difference to the lives of lots of people. We at CC would like to echo that thanks, and also thank the people at SSR for all their hard work and dedication. www.wheelsday.co.uk
Pic: Julian Hunt
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5 in Malta
At the recent 2024 Malta National Drag Racing Championship at the Hal Far track, Andres Arnover became the first-ever door car driver to run a 5-second pass in Malta. Andres piloted his Ford Mustang to a 5.940 at 247mph. Congratulations to all concerned.
JANUARY 2025 CUSTOM CAR 3
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News & reviews
Something for the weekend?
autojumble fest. Day tickets are priced at £28.50 in advance or £31.50 on the day, whilE multi-day tickets are available at £44.50 in advance or £50.50 on the door. www.necrestorationshow.com
Old school Roaring Retro Race Retro returns to Stoneleigh Park, Coventry on 21-23 February. The show brings together thousands of fans, drivers, traders and enthusiasts covering all disciplines of competition cars. Exhibits include iconic race cars and specialist exhibitors, with several motorsport legends adding to the mix. There will be a dedicated indoor autojumble hall, and outdoors there will be live rally car action and the British Historic Kart Club has its
own dedicated track. www.raceretro.com
Rustic and pristine The NEC Birmingham is the venue for the Classic Car and Restoration Show on 21-23 March. With over 1300 cars on display, 160 club stands and 250 traders, the show offers everything from rustic gems through to resto projects and pristine classics. Mixed in with the displays will be live workshops, auction action and
The Kings Lynn Kruisers Auto Extravaganza is on Sunday 27 July at Walpole Community Centre, Walpole St Andrew, Wisbech, Cambs PE14 7JW. However, if you want more than just a one-day show camping is available to enable people to make a full weekend of KLK’s hospitality, or even longer should you so want. This is a chilledout, old-school rod run, just like they all used to be. Evening entertainment and a Saturday cruise are just a couple of aspects, along with the show and car boot sale on Sunday. www.kingslynnkruisers.co.uk
Crows feet
This Ratchet Flare Nut Wrench Set from Laser Tools features six crowfoot-style wrenches in sizes from 10mm to 19mm. Suitable for use on compression joint fittings, brake pipes and hydraulic pipes, the crowfoot wrench allows vertical access to fasteners when space is limited. These wrenches have a difference, however, as they are used with a 3/8””square drive extension bar and feature a spring-loaded quick snap design, allowing them to stay in the open position when placing around the pipe or wiring. www.lasertools.co.uk
In Focus
In the December issue, we took a look at Brian Huxley’s Huxley Motorsport small block Ford-powered Ford Focus. Our feature included Brian’s statement, “Until we hear different, we believe this is the only RHD V8 Focus in the world.” Well, it didn’t take long for us to hear about another such car. Tim Mansell of the NSRA messaged and attached a screenshot of an IVA-approved V8 Focus that a mate of his owned but has since sold on. Presumably the LS1 badging hints at what lies under the bonnet. Now, who can make it a trio of these Fords?
4 CUSTOM CAR JANUARY 2025
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News & reviews Added velocity
Velocity Vintage Drags is in the process of arranging two hot rod and motorcycle vintage race events in 2025. The races will be staged at Manston Airfield in Margate and the dates will be in May and September, with care being taken to ensure there is no conflict with other important events. We will bring you more details once they are confirmed but in the meantime, keep an eye on social media posts.
Gassing around
Gasser Circus race dates for the 2025 season have been confirmed as: 2-4 May, Nostalgia Nationals; 7-8 June, Sportsman Nationals; 27-29 June, Dragstalgia; 18-20 July, Mopar Euronats; 2931 August, VW Action; 12-14 September, Hot Rod Drags.
Bits and sockets
Three options of magnetic bit sets from Laser Tools, each featuring an integrated socket and magnetic bit designed to securely hold fasteners in place during use, offer the choice of Star* bits, spline bits, and hex bits. The sockets are manufactured
Custom Car_2025_01_Jan_RTTS Events Ltd_HP.indd 1
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from chrome vanadium steel and the bits from impact-grade S2 steel for high durability, and the sets are supplied on a socket rail for easy storage. www.lasertools.co.uk
03/12/2024 CAR 13:595 JANUARY 2025 CUSTOM
09/12/2024 17:00
News & reviews Extra blast
News from the nice people at Kustom Kulture Blastoff is that Gnarly Magazine has come on board to help take the event to the next level. Full details will follow but for now, make a note of the dates 5-7 September and the location of Slates Farm, Market Rasen, Lincs LN8 2AW. www.kustomkultureblastoff.co.uk Pic: PaulNoPrep
Added drag
Major news from Paul Marston is that 2025 will see the birth of Manston Raceway Park at Manston Airport in Kent. The intention is to run eighth mile No Prep, and potentially quarter mile if there is demand for it. Drag Racing needs grass roots facilities to enable teams to learn their skills and gravitate to National Event Competition, and Paul thanks Santa Pod CEO Keith Bartlett for his advice and offer of support. A tentative schedule is currently being worked on and will avoid race dates at other tracks wherever possible. The dates will be published as soon as they have been finalised and will be overseen by the No Prep Racers Club (NPRC). To make this viable, the organising team needs help with infrastructure such as power, lighting, fencing, barriers, toilet facilities and so much more. To this end, the NPRC is seeking partners to supply equipment or offer preferential rates in exchange for signage at the track. Volunteers are also needed to help run the facility, including track staff, marshals, timing crew, stewards and fire and medical crews. If any of our readers can help with any of this, please call Paul on 07831 650230 or contact him via Facebook. Facebook: PaulNoPrep
Seeing the light
Laser Tools has introduced three additions to its lighting range. The pull-out rechargeable work lamp offers a dual-function lighting solution powered by a rechargeable 3.7V 1600mAh polymer battery, whilE the COB work lamp automatically activates when pulled out and can be rotated through 180°. The
Getting the finger
The Air Finger Pad Sander from Power-TEC is designed for precision work in confined areas. The tool’s versatility lends itself to all manner of intricate tasks including blade sharpening. Compatible with standard 50 x 22mm and 65 x 17mm hook-and-loop sanding strips, the sander uses a standard 1/4” BSP connection and is supplied with two spare finger pads and one spare 65 x 17mm holding plate. www.toolconnection.co.uk
folding rechargeable work lamp combines a 500-lumen COB lamp and a 20-lumen LED torch with both being rotatable through 180°. The mini work lamp offers 1000 lumens from its 10W COB LED, features high, low and flashing settings, and is supplied with a USB Type-C cable for fast charging. www.lasertools.co.uk
6 CUSTOM CAR JANUARY 2025
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Certain body styles are more popular than others, meaning they demand a higher price. However if you’re willing to put in the graft, there is a way around that… Words: Dave Biggadyke Pics: Alan Kidd
Custom Car would like to thank Shuttleworth House, Old Warden Park, Bedfordshire for the photoshoot location: www.shuttleworth.org
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The stock-width Volvo 240 rear axle is fitted with an aftermarket ali diff cover and hangs from a pair of springs manufactured by Rossendale Road Springs. The shocks are another pair of NOS Monroe items that Steve scored at a swap meet. Here stands the Willys along with the man who proved it could be done, with a little help from friends of course. If you didn’t know this was once a sedan you’d be none the wiser
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Cosmetic surgery
1. Okay, a ’40 Willys sedan may have a certain air about it but it ain’t no coupe
4. With internal bracing in place, the rear of the body was cut off – literally? No turning back now
7. With the doors finished, attention turned to the new rear body panels…
I
n our March ’13 issue, we ran a progress report feature entitled ‘All couped up,’ penned by Pete Whiteside. The focus was a ’40 Willys coupe – only it wasn’t a coupe at all back then, but the owner had ambitions that it would be one day. It was an ambitious project being undertaken by Steve Roberts, with considerable help from his partner in crime Chris Hay. Just as today, coupes were worth a lot more money back then and Steve had settled on buying an Argentinian import 4-door sedan from Wayne Streams as a cheaper option. Whether it proved to be a more economical option come the completion of the build was a question I chose not to ask at the outset.
3.
2. With the car stripped, measurements were taken and checked, then double-checked before cut lines were marked out on the body
5. The doors were widened and reprofiled, with new Kay Kustom tops and lower-half skins making the job somewhat easier
8. …which were first mocked up to check the fit with each other
The new rear-end metalwork comprises of quarter panels, rear window and sail panels, and a boot lid – all supplied flat-packed for home assembly
6. The inside door frames were cut with additional steel added to widen them
9. All was good, although the trailing edges of the inner wings needed modification to provide the correct mounting points
It was no secret that Steve really wanted a coupe and discussions with fellow North West hot rodder and renowned Willys aficionado Paul Kennedy proffered a way he could possibly fulfil his dream. The only difference is the body, after all – the floorpan and underpinnings are just the same. Paul pointed Steve in the direction of ex-pat Lee Kay. Working out of South Whittier, California, Kays Kustom Metalworks offers an extensive range of in-house fabricated body panels for ’33 through to ’41 Willys coupes. If you’re in need of a ’33 bonnet side door, a ’37 boot lid or a ’40 dashboard, Lee can supply just what you need, shipped to your door. If your needs are greater, complete front and rear ends are also available.
Steve struck a deal and Lee shipped all the panels needed to convert the sedan into a coupe, along with a couple of replacement stock panels for good measure. Steve was a happy man – at least he would be when he’d completed the 1:1 scale jigsaw puzzle that now lay before him. He was not alone in that task, of course, and two heads are better than one when it comes to major surgery such as this – especially when that extra head belongs to Chris Hay. Understandably, this was no quick fix and it wasn’t until 2022 that the finished coupe appeared at the Hot Rod Supernationals. However the pair had been busy with other projects in the interim. These included the rebuild of Steve’s Bodgit & Scarper 300E Thames van, which took Participants’ Choice
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The new rear quarter panels were fitted first…
…after which the sail and rear panels were fitted, along with the boot lid
13. The roof was formed from the sedan’s rear corner sections and steel cut from a VW Beetle. Steve fabricated the rear boot floor panel from sheet steel
12.
11.
10.
15.
14. With the roof completed, the doors were reworked to improve their fit
17. The original Willys firewall was modified to provide clearance for the new engine
The rear window panel was the next piece of the jigsaw to be added
16.
Having sourced new rain gutters, Chris fitted them around the reshaped doors
18. Steve purchased a new front grille panel, along with a lower bonnet repair panel
The rear wheelarches were reworked to replicate the profile of the wheels and tyres
19. As you’d expect with a major metalwork transformation such as this, there was plenty of body prep to do
The Willys Wars race number and supplier graphics are the handiwork of Phil Appleyard… …as are the bumper stickers, which are painted not printed on sticky back vinyl. Check out the Violet Springs wording if you haven’t clocked it already
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20. The new sills were another purchase from Kays Kustom Metalworks
21. The coupe has the perfect Gasser stance – just what Steve wanted
23.
Repro lights and brightwork were sourced from the States, albeit at a price
25.
24.
With a seat mocked into place, the driving position could be checked for comfort
22.
The dressed power plant sits ready to be dropped into its new home
The rear axle was pirated from a Volvo 240 and is located by leaf springs. The ladder bars pictured here have since been removed As the plan was for a strippedout race car interior, the inside of the body shell needed painting to the same standard as the exterior
27.
26. The original front axle and suspension now feature Capri disc brakes and MkV Cortina hubs
Over in the paint shop things started to turn orange, the inside of the body first
30.
29. The rolling chassis and painted body sit ready to come together… Phil Appleyard of The Monster Forge was responsible for applying the Gasserappropriate lettering and graphics
…but first, a photo opportunity for Steve and Chris to pose with what they’d created
28.
31. The Steve-fabricated headers scream Gasser
“Cut a section from a VW Beetle’s roof and graft it into the newly formed coupe”
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Ray’s Classics
San Carlos CA since 1980
California Collector Car Export Sales Specialist 1973 Ford Pinto, 2 door wagon, rebuilt 4 cylinder Engine/4spd Manual, very nice original interior, rustfree California car $10,250.
1952 Ford Zephyr Mk1 LHD Rust Free Car. Rustfree sunbleached body and underside, all new brakes/clutch hydraulics, on the button driver sold new in the USA and not to be confused with the usual UK welding nightmares, not the cheapest but the most solid example you will find outside of Australia $8250.
1950 Austin A40 devon LHD USA car, small fortune spent on extensive restoration, only a handful of miles since completion $11,250.
1977 Jeep Cherokee Quadatrac Levi Edition, V8/auto 4wd locking front hubs, lift kit, mag wheels, roof carrier, california sunburned original paint, on the button great driver ready for 2025 winter off-roading $12,250
1964 1/2 F Code Mustang 260CI/Auto, P/S, matching numbers california black plate car, rustfree stripped to bare metal 100% complete $11,750.
1946 chevy sedan delivery ,350ci/t350 auto, p/s, pdb, a/c ,tilt column, mustang two suspension, zero miles on drivetrain $18,750.
1957 Chevy Stepside, 6Cyl, 4spd, California truck since new, just removed from long term hibernation, zero rot, no patch panels required, engine turns freely, currently a non runner, stay tuned $12,750
1967 Chevy G-10 Rust free, Black plate California Van, V8/Auto, Vintage Mags, Originally a factory Martin Walters type Camper conversion, on the button, runs great $9,875
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Steve had a friend drill the original front axle and refurbished it using a NOS kit. The axle has been converted to accept Ford discs and calipers and hangs from a pair of leaf springs made to order by Rossendale Road Springs, with the shocks being NOS Monroe units that Steve picked up at a swap meet. A Ford Escort supplied the rack and pinion steering, with a steering damper added for enhanced control
“The satisfaction of proving it can be done”
The minimalist interior comprises a pair of early 1970s Trans Am Firebird seats and little else. The seats and door cards were trimmed in black vinyl by Nigel Moore and a pair of RJS Racing Equipment harnesses keep the driver and passenger strapped in place
The polished Speedway Motors steering column is topped off with a Mooneyes wheel and adorned with a same-make half-sweep tacho. Note the right-hand drive configuration. The TorqueFlite trans’ is stirred into life by a Lokar shifter
In the centre of the dash is the original Willys instrument cluster, which now houses a cluster of Smiths gauges modified to fit. The GPS speedo in the middle of the cluster was an eBay special buy which matches the Smiths gauges and works a treat according to Steve
at the Supernats in 2017 and was featured in our December issue the same year, and Chris’ Alfasud-powered Fiat 500 which appeared at the Supernats in 2021 and in the March ’22 issue of CC.
Appropriation
The plan with the Willys build was pretty much set in stone from the outset, not least
because Steve had acquired all those fresh steel panels. In saying that, there were minor deviations, one of which relates to what lies beneath the bonnet. Refer back to that progress report feature almost 12 years ago and you’ll notice a shot of what was described as “a British twist to the project,” a Daimler 2.5 hemi – a far cry from the more US Gasser-appropriate Mopar lump the coupe ended up with. Likewise, the rest of the running gear adheres to the Gasser-appropriate ethos. The chassis was found to be in great condition, so it was treated to a good blasting and then painted black. The original front axle was retained, albeit upgraded,
while out back a Scandinavian touch was added. Both axles were mounted in true Gasser style, hanging from elliptical leaf springs. The all-round disc brakes are actuated through a combined servo / master cylinder mounted under the dash using bracketry fabricated by Steve. Having been let down by professionals several times, Steve rebuilt the engine himself and then went on to fabricate the headers and exhaust system. The VHTpainted mild steel headers were based on a kit from Speedway Motors, while the exhaust is formed from 2½ inch diameter stainless steel tube. Steve did get the transmission professionally rebuilt though, while the
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Wheels are 1970s Shelby Cal 500 slot mags, 5½ inches wide up front and 8½ inches wide out back. The front tyres are 155SR15 Vredestein Sprint Classic and the rears are 255/70 R15 Goodyear Wrangler
“It’s not bad for a couple of grumpy old plumbers”
The boot is home to the battery and Mercedes fuel tank. Note the hump in the floor providing much-needed clearance for the diff
The build spec of the +30 thou 318 Chrysler motor reads flat top pistons, I-Beam rods, a COMP Cams camshaft and lifters and Edelbrock heads and inlet manifold. Initially the engine was fed by an Edelbrock 650cfm carb, but that has now been ditched in favour of Holley Sniper electronic fuel injection topped off with a K&N velocity stack. Transmission is a rebuilt TorqueFlite 727 3-speed auto’
The under-bonnet panel not only names Steve, Chris and Ed the painter, it also bears the script: “Remember! No GRP was harmed in the building of this Willys”
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“Thanks to Nigel Moore for the interior, Ed Dyche for the paint, Lee Kay for the measurements and panels he made, Andy and Dean Hoult and Danny Davies for their support, and a big thank you to Chris Hay for helping with the bodywork and build. Special thanks to my missus Victoria for putting up with me.”
propshaft was sourced from North West Propshafts. The ali radiator and cooling fans came via eBay and the fuel tank was pirated from a late-model Mercedes, meaning it came with provision for the return line necessary for the fuel injection system.
Coup de grace
With this build, of course, the main focus was on the metalwork bolted on top of the rolling chassis. The Willys sedan body was pretty solid and rust-free, with the floorpan being especially nice and straight, although a couple of small areas needed repairing and the rear boot floor needed replacement. The wings required a bit of beating and welding to get into shape, but that can only be expected with an 80-year-old car. To say the surgery was drastic would be an understatement. And once the cuts had been made, the rebuilding was an intricate process. Obviously, the replacement panels Steve had bought helped enormously – but they alone were not the whole package. The
original sedan roof and rear section was split in half, with the back corners then being used to fill the void between the new quarter panels and rear window section and the original front part of the roof. Even that wasn’t the complete solution though, as Steve ran out of steel for the roof’s centre section. The answer was to cut a section from a VW Beetle’s roof and graft it in to the newly formed coupe. Space prevents us from detailing every aspect of the body style conversion, but we have endeavoured to highlight the major aspects. Chris spent many a weekend over at Steve’s helping out with the bodywork and his fingerprints still haven’t come back after countless hours of sanding. However the end result justified the effort. “It’s not bad for a couple of grumpy old plumbers,” as Chris puts it. “All the stainless trim, lights, seals and so on were sourced from a guy in the States who seems to have a monopoly for supplying such stuff,’ he continues. “It was crazy expensive but hey, Steve did get a free T-shirt. It does make all the difference to the finish of the car though. Steve wired the car using a kit from Speedway Motors and, with interior comforts limited to a couple of seats, there was no delay waiting for a trimmer. With the car resplendent in fresh paint, the graphics and lettering were added to give it that true Gasser look. The doors bear the lettering Flat-Pack 40, a name that came about from a throw-away comment from a mate who saw the panels on the floor of Steve’s workshop when they first arrived. The coupe made its public debut at the 2022 Hot Rod Supernationals when once again Steve collected the coveted Participants’ Choice award. Two debuts in 5 years, both taking the top honours. A remarkable achievement. The big question is, did it work out to be a financially beneficial proposition? “Very much so”, was Steve’s immediate response. “The cost of buying the sedan and all the panels worked out around 40% less than what an original coupe would cost. Okay, that doesn’t account for the labour, but isn’t that what building a hot rod is all about? Only professional builders factor in their time. “It’s not just about the money though, it’s the satisfaction of proving it can be done. It’s a lovely drive, a bit like a Mk1 Transit thanks to the buggy springs. I’ve no plans to change anything else, especially now I have a Porsche 914 restoration to keep me busy.
Pics: Steve Roberts
Stitch up
Completed after our photoshoot, the coupe now has a full interior as the stripped-out racecar approach proved too much for Steve’s hearing. The stitching from the headlining through to the carpet was competently tackled by a local chap, Nigel Moore, for a very reasonable sum
“I have fun with the building, possibly more than the driving at the end of it. That’s why I’ve decided to put the Willys up for sale and let someone else enjoy it. I’ve still got the Bodgit & Scarper van, though. I’ve owned that since I was 15 and there’s no way I’m letting that go.” He may appear to be going all tweed jacket with the Porsche, but one look at this coupe and it’s plain to see he’s still a hot rodder at heart. We’ll put it down to a mid-life crisis, eh Steve? CC
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■ Words: Tom Alderney ■ Pics: Julian Hunt
And Finally… Europe’s drag racing elite headed to Santa Pod in September for the FIA European Finals – the event that decides the destination of the international Top Fuel, Top Methanol, Pro Modified and Pro Stock championships. As always, there’s a lot more going on besides, including the Nitro and Nostalgia Funny Car Cups and, on this occasion, a Transatlantic fuel altereds showdown between Nick Davies’ Havoc and Randy Bradford’s Topolino for the Ron Hope Memorial Trophy. The weather never quite knew what it was doing, but while the odd shower did
come along to cause trouble there was no repeat of the downpours which blighted a number of events at Santa Pod this year. The first day of qualifying was held up in the morning when a fluid spill from Ashley Bell’s Firebird needing cleaning up, then by the time the crew were done with that the drizzle had started, and Saturday didn’t kick off until it dried up at lunchtime, but apart from that and a bit of mist on the Friday morning it was all go. A couple of the big FIA titles were decided in dramatic style, with the championship positions changing hands several times over the course of the event. One or two solo finals were less
Rob Slater
Rob Slater got off to a good start in Street Eliminator, posting 8.2437 / 171.74 for a new PB in the first qualifying session. He then rounded off the weekend with a stunning 7.9220/175.75 in E2, despite losing out to Andy Bond
than climactic on the Sunday, as drivers just needed to post a time and ended up doing more of a parade pass than a proper run (it’s not every day you see a top fueller run in the 20s…), but there were still celebrations aplenty at the start line as the PBs (and European records) flew in. Of particular note was the winner of the Perfect Light Award, sponsored by Bad Habit Racing. Chris Newsam didn’t just make it perfect – he made it perfectly perfect, with an RT of 0.0000! The big story from a fantastic weekend’s racing, however, was surely the farewell performance by Havoc. Nick had already clinched victory over the Bradford’s
Andy Bond
There weren’t many more popular sights at the Euro Finals than Andy Bond and Ugly Sister. Just five weeks previously, while racing at Bug Jam, Andy had a hefty impact with the wall – leaving more or less the entire front end of the Chevy’s frame and bodywork needing to be rebuilt. It was a lot more than a month’s work – but thanks to a massive team effort by his crew and suppliers, he was out racing again, sporting new carbon fibre wings and proving as hard to beat as ever
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Jere Rantaniemi started the event in third place in the FIA Pro-Mod championship table. But a dominant performance saw the Finn clinching the title by reaching the final – where a 5.8997 / 249.59 run put away Andy Robinson and saw him on top of the weekend’s podium for good measure
Jere Rantaniemi
A storming 5.7880 / 254.8 run on Friday evening saw Andres Arnover rip chunks out of his old PBs for speed and time alike
Andres Arnover
Fiat before the end of their scheduled showdown, but with the car running well his time decided to push it that bit more – and they were rewarded by Europe’s first ever five-second altered run as the timing board lit up with a sensational 5.9838 / 237.32. Nick later confirmed that this would be Havoc’s last outing as a competitive racecar – he’s building a new one for the burgeoning OSCAR series but retirement now beckons for one of the Pod’s best-loved and most distinctive cars. To bring down the curtain on its career in such triumphant fashion was a real case of signing off in style.
Disappointment for Jon Webster after a superb qualifying run put him in the 5s – only to be chalked off as his car was marginally underweight
Jon Webster
Graham Smith
Mike Reymond’s event got better and better as he set a new best ET of 6.1403 in Q3 then, next time out, improved it to 6.0978 while also posting a speed PB of 232.87 Paul Morton
Paul Morton got his event off to a flying start in his Zodiac with an early PB of 8.62 / 135mph Anthony Higgs
After a string of PBs this season, Graham Smith’s Belair was running a pro-stock air scoop in a bid for more
Anthony Higgs won the Street Eliminator final, a 7.3521 / 193.04 run defeating Mark Todd’s 8.5345 / 115.36
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FAREWELL HAVOC
The Euro Finals brought down the curtain on more than just the 2024 racing season. Following the event, which featured a keenly anticipated Transatlantic duel between Nick Davies and Randy Bradford’s Topolino, Nick announced that Havoc, his legendary Austin Bantam Altered, was retiring from regular competition.
‘And that was that,’ said Nick. ‘We almost couldn’t have asked for a better way to bow out after winning the Ron Hope Memorial Trophy against the Bradford’s Fiat but, after 20 amazing years, it’s time. ‘The memories we have made with the little green car are extraordinary and couldn’t have happened without the help of some fantastic people and partners. Thank you all from all of us. Never say never – but certainly for now, ‘that’s all folks!’The contest between the two cars came to a premature end when
Randy suffered engine damage at the end of their second run on Saturday afternoon. Nick had already taken the lead first time out with a new European record time of 6.039 / 239.85, but then on the final run he pulled out all the stops to post a stunning 5.9838 / 237.32 – the first time a European fuel altered has ever dipped into the 5s.
Frankie Taylor
Drama for Frankie Taylor at the end of a qualifying run on Thursday, when brake failure send Banshee into the field at the end of the strip. No harm done, thankfully, and it proved an easy fix
Switzerland’s Bruno Bader has one of the more eye-catching racecars you’ll see, but he might have wished no-one was looking when a major attack of tyre shake in qualifying ended up spitting his Pro Mod Corvette across the centre line
Dan Williams Kev Jenkins
Mixed fortunes for Dan Williams in the first two rounds of Comp Eliminator qualifying. He abandoned his first run after pulling an enormous wheelie off the line, but then next time out a time of 10.4303 / 125.21 gave him a new PB Also in Comp Eliminator, David Swift posted a new PB of his own with 7.2157 / 189.68
After nine years in the post, Don Scott recently announced that he would be standing down as chair of the Nostalgia Superstock committee. His distinctive Superbird will still be a regular sight on the strip, thought – and on this occasion, it carried Don to 9.7005 on a 9.70 dial – earning him £50 as the winner of the Hayley Hadfield Perfect ET for this event
In Comp Eliminator, Kevin Jenkins pulled out a shock in eliminations when he beat the Copo Camaro of Rouven Dawson, who had led the whole way through qualifying
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Leah Kellett ran 8.9399/173.71 in the Super Comp final to take a narrow victory over Warren Watts
Patrik Pers
Mackenzie Love nailed it in the Junior Dragster final, 8.0826 / 78.13 on an 8.03 dial beating Teddy Howe’s 9.5163/68.45 on 9.30
Paul Harris
Patrik Pers pulled out a sensational run in Q3 to set new European ET and speed records for Nitro Funny Cars of 4.1746 and 299.69. It all went wrong in E1, however, when he crossed the centre line Steve Ashdown
Paul Harris ran an uncontested 6.4479 / 196.38 in the final to take the win in Nostalgia Funny Cars
It was Steve Ashdown that took the Nitro Funny Car honours, a 5.4706 / 136.94 run seeing off John Hale in the final Kevin Kent
Tim Garlick
Mr Six may have won the day in the hands of Paul Harris, but it was Tim Garlick’s Apache team that were crowned 2024 Nostalgia Funny Car champions
Ashdown’s victim in the semis was Kevin Kent – who nonetheless won the 2024 Nitro Funny Car Cup
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Sandro Bellio
With the whole strip to himself, Belgium’s Sandro Bellio ran an unhurried 11.6962 / 66.72 to clinch the event honours in Top Methanol Silvio Strauch
THE FORCE IS STRONG…
Alexander Koch has spent years building a fully functioning 1:4 scale model of the Fireforce jet flopper. This was its first ever outing on the strip at Santa Pod – and a bumper crowd absolutely lapped it up. As always, the full-size version got the juices flowing too
Jndia Erbacher
The Top Fuel final produced the somewhat anticlimactic sight of a solo Jndia Erbacher running in the, er, 20s. That’s all that was necessary after Linn Floysvik didn’t make the start, though, as the Swiss driver crossed the stripe (at a speed that wouldn’t get you pulled over on your local high street) to clinch a win that saw her crowned champion for 2024. It was a fitting reward for Jndia’s perseverance, after a few difficult runs in qualifying gave way to a brace of speed PBs in Q4 and E1
Robin Noren
Tommi Haapanen
Silvio Strauch probably didn’t come all the way from Germany just to have his chutes deploy in the burnout box. His weekend also featured a wing breaking at half-track in Q4
Jonny Lagg
Tommi Haapanen was going well in Top Fuel until his engine went bang mid-track in Q4. He was out again for eliminations but pulled up at the stripe Jimmy Ålund
Jonny Lagg lost out to eventual winner Sandro Bellio in the Top Methanol semis – but still went home to Sweden to celebrate victory in the 2024 title race Chris Newsam
Pro Stock was another class with a solo run in the final – in this case Sweden’s Robin Noren, who nursed his GTO to victory
Jimmy Ålund’s Camaro was knocked out in the first round of Pro Stock eliminations. But by getting there, the Swede had already done enough to secure victory in the 2024 title race
Chris Newsam won the Perfect Light Award for the best RT, but there’s perfect and then there’s a spot-on. A time of 0.0000 is going to take some beating!
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When Topspeed’s Bill MacDermid decides to build a shop truck, he doesn’t do half measures Words: Mike Pye Pics: Alan Kidd
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I
f you own an American car in the UK, chances are at some point you’ve come into contact with Bill MacDermid. His two businesses, Topspeed Automotive and CM Frost American Autoparts Ltd, have been supplying stock and performance parts for US cars and racecars in this country for more than half a century now. You might also have crossed paths with Bill through his involvement with Street Eliminator. He ran the first eight-second pass in the class, way back in 1997 when SE was organised and sponsored by CC. Or you might just have enjoyed watching his rapid yellow Procharged Camaro tearing up the strip at Santa Pod. Either way, it’s safe to say Bill has seen it, done it and bought (and sells) the T-shirts. What we weren’t so familiar with was the fact Bill, as if he isn’t busy enough anyway, has also been importing cars and trucks into the country for almost as long, with a particular penchant for pick-ups. “We bring in all kinds of cars and trucks, and all years,” he told us, “but I realised one day that we hadn’t brought any ’67-’72 C10s in.” And we all know how popular they are these days.
Action stations
For those that may not be so up on US truck ranges, he’s referring to the second generation GM Action Line products which were marketed both as Chevrolet and GMC. They’re largely the same thing, albeit with minor trim differences, but while the Chevy was the blue collar, working man’s truck, GMC aimed higher up the corporate ladder. The range covered everything from halftonne (badged 1500), short-wheelbase pickups to long-wheelbase, one-tonne (badged 3500) chassis cabs. The GMC line had its own brand names, such as Jimmy instead of Blazer, Carryall rather than Suburban and Sierra in place of Cheyenne. Similar distinctions were made with trim levels, GMC offering Deluxe, Custom and the topof-the-line Super Custom variants up to ’71. As trucks are the backbone of America, they made a lot of them. But the Chevy versions are undoubtedly more prevalent today. “That’s why we decided to keep this one,” says Bill. “I started looking around the Dallas area, close to our own 10,000sq.ft consolidation and shipping warehouse, and it didn’t take long to find a suitable truck to bring in. Actually, we found four – three Chevys and a GMC – in a local collection.” That was in the summer of 2020.
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Wheels are 20 x 8.5 and 20 x 10-inch Billet Specialties Speedways in Titanium Gloss finish, wrapped up snug in 255/35R20 and 275/35R20 Toyo tyres
Short beds offer 6½ feet of carrying capacity, so only a giant can’t sleep comfortably in there under the stars. Long beds go all the way up to 9 feet; we much prefer the aesthetic of the shorty
“The plan was to sell all of them when they got back, but there was something about the GMC that made me keep coming back to it. It’s probably just that it’s a bit rarer, and a ’70. I guess I just liked the look of it.”
Circle of hell
Having had their last shop truck driven into on the circle of hell that’s otherwise
known as the M25, the plan was just to drive it around as it was, making it the new Topspeed / CM Frost shop truck and promoting the American car parts businesses on the go. However, the LS motor that had been swapped into it in back home in the States started to develop a misfire, which did rather take the shine off the enjoyment
Bill made a conscious effort to use products on the truck that he stocks at either Topspeed or CM Frost, hence the Octane 5¾-inch LED headlights up front. The rest of the lights are new repro parts, again taken from stock
of smoking around in the company’s new ride. No problem, though – if you happen to own an American car parts business, the least of your worries should be a minor mechanical ailment. “We had all the parts on the shelf to fix it, so we just started working through things logically,” remembers Bill. By the time they had replaced all the parts that might be
“Chevy was the blue collar, working man’s truck. GMC aimed a little higher up the corporate ladder”
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The steering wheel is a 14-inch Black Muscle wood rim from Forever Sharp, the shifter a Pro Ratchet from B&M with the handle grips colour coded to the truck
Dash has been thoroughly updated with a direct fit digital gauge package from Classic Instruments G/Stock range, a Pioneer double DIN touch screen head unit with navigation, Apple CarPlay and reversing camera and a polished Ididit five-way tilt column. The original seat is now long gone, replaced by one of TMI’s Pro Series Universal Sport benches in black leather with red stitching. They’re matched with a set of moulded glass fibre door panels from the same source. Bill reckons the quality of the TMI products is fantastic, that’s why he stocks ’em
causing the problem on the engine, and it was still misfiring, they started looking further afield, eventually tracing the issue to a collapsed fuel line. With that, the bed came off to make the job of replacing all the fuel lines easier, and that’s where things started to escalate. “Before we knew it, we were down to a bare chassis,” laughs Bill. “Unfortunately, the
truck wasn’t as good as we had thought and the further we got into the body restoration, the worse it got. In the end, rather than just keep patching it up, we decided to start again and replace everything.”
Everything must go
And we do mean everything. Such is the popularity of 1940’s-1970’s American pick-
ups these days, the aftermarket has geared up to support them big time. Believe it or not, you actually have a choice of supplier when it comes to new second generation Chevy / GMC truck cabs now. Hell, you can even choose whether you want a small or big back window, which you can’t do with an original built after 1967. So, using his extensive list of contacts in the US, Bill had a
Bill’s truck is a 1970 GMC C1500 Custom, which means a half-ton (load capacity) pick-up with the middle range trim option. Look at a stock one and you’ll see these were quite a fancy vehicle in their day, a step up from the regular Chevy farm truck
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The 5.3-litre LS V8 that now powers Bill down the road was rebuilt in the States with a Brian Tooley Racing cam and tubular headers. It further benefits from a tune up on the ECU, while a pair of Flowmaster FlowFX mufflers dumping just ahead of the rear axle sound tough. Keeping it all cool is a Derale cooling pack with dual fans and an auxiliary transmission cooler
brand new cab shipped to Dallas and loaded into the next container headed for the UK. In for a penny, in for a pound, he also packed a new bed and all the other sheetmetal required to build a brand-new body up from scratch in around it. “I’m not joking, there isn’t a single bit of original bodywork on this truck now, we replaced every single panel with new.”
Now, if you’re going to go this far with the metalwork, you’re not going to put a half-arsed paint job over the top of it, are you? And so the next stop for the truck was nearby OCS Paint.
Hugger hoodie
“I chose orange because that’s what the truck was originally,” says Bill. “Though
it’s a bit shinier now.” Just a little bit of an understatement there… When the now pristine body returned to the Topspeed workshop, the rebuild could continue in earnest. Except it couldn’t because there was the small matter of work getting in the way. “It all took longer than expected because we basically built it in works time,” Bill
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The build 1. Here are two of the four trucks Bill imported at the same time in 2020. It’s not hard to see why he kept the GMC, rather than the more common Chevy behind it
2. An engine misfire started the restoration ball rolling and, before Bill knew it…
3. …the cab was sitting on a pallet in one corner of the warehouse…
5. When the body turned out to be worse than expected, a brand new cab was shipped in and then shipped off to OCS Paint for some fresh GM Hugger Orange
6.
4. …and the chassis was laid bare alongside
8.
Meanwhile, the chassis was given a nut and bolt rebuild in the Topspeed warehouse
The Billet Specialties wheels were retained, but the front suspension was rebuilt and upgraded and new disc brakes fitted
7. The truck was already on air when it came in from the States, but the whole system was rebuilt and a new Boyd Welding rear mount fuel tank fitted, along with an Aeromotive EFI fuel pump
recalls. “Danny Wooding, who has worked for CM Frost for over 35 years, project managed it for me, and we just did bits on it whenever we had a bit of time. We’re so busy here, and trying to build a truck on top of running the two American car parts businesses certainly wasn’t easy, but we got there in the end.” It’s always the way, though, isn’t it? “I was really happy with the paint, but then
9. Starting with a layer of Dynamat insulation, the entire interior was replaced and modernised, making what was already a more luxury model even more luxurious
everything else just looked tired alongside it.” That signalled the end of the we’ll-just-boltall-the-old-bits-back-on train of thought.
In stock
Among all the stock that came in the regular air freight shipments from the States was a veritable mountain of 1970 GMC truck parts. Again, it’s fortunate that so much is
10. It’s incredible to think that you can build one of these trucks from new parts these days. Everything from a chassis to a cab to a full interior, and everything in between. And it’s all available from Topspeed
available these days and Bill says the quality of the reproduction parts is generally pretty good, though some needs a bit of final fettling to fit. If you find yourself in a similar position, call 01933 225564 or check out www. topspeedautomotive.com. The company’s website contains a continually changing inventory of parts and they can supply
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everything used on this truck, and just about any other American car or truck from the 1950s right up to current models. Anything they don’t stock, they can air freight in for you in short order. “We literally replaced everything,” recalls Bill. “All the trim, bumpers, carpets, lights, glass… you name it, we replaced it. By this time the truck had gone from being a shop truck to a promotional vehicle for some of the range of products we sell, so it had to look good.” We’ve got this far without mentioning any of the mechanical bits, so it’s about time they got some attention. Up front, there’s a rebuilt and mildly modified 5.3-litre LS V8 (basically, the factory replacement for GM’s venerable 350). That’s bolted to a similarly rebuilt 4L60E four-speed automatic transmission. The E stands for electronically controlled, which means it requires an ECU to drive it. As does the electronically fuel
injected engine, so Bill put in a call to his good buddy Colin Jeffries, who stepped up and installed a whole new Painless wiring loom and an LS-specific engine power control module loom from PSI Conversion to ensure the re-mapped engine ECU was comfortable talking to the transmission, as well as the rest of the electrical system. The final big link in the chain is a 10-bolt Chevy axle fitted with more motorway friendly 3.08 cogs.
Notch and tuck
As well as the powertrain, the truck was also fitted with air ride when it came in from the US, but all that came in for a similarly comprehensive overhaul. The chassis is C-notched at the rear and has inboard shocks and outboard air bag platforms with forward links that mount to the outside of the chassis rails, while a Panhard bar prevents unwanted lateral movement.
A single Viair pump and 10-gallon air tank are hidden behind the seat, along with a self-contained Focal 8-inch sub and 4 x 70W amp that work in concert with more Focal components in the front footwells to pump up the volume from the Pioneer double DIN head unit set into the centre of the dash. Up front, the GMC came with stamped steel A-arms and coilovers from the factory, but Bill opted for later style truck A-arms, modified to take the air bags, and also stepped up to large vented front disc brakes. Rear brakes remain drums, but all rebuilt with new internals, hoses and stainless brake lines all round. On to these are bolted a set of 20-inch Billet Specialties Speedway wheels with elastic band series low profiles from Toyo.
Off the shelf
With all new glass and rubbers installed, that pretty much just left the interior to sort
“I’m not joking, there isn’t a single bit of original bodywork on this truck now, we replaced every single panel”
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out. The plan was to use the truck’s original bench seat, re-trimmed of course, but an unexpected delay at the trimmers caused Bill to have a re-think, followed by a look around his own shop, his eyes settling on some of the TMI Interiors products he sells. “They’re just really good quality parts,” he says, “and when you see how much people want for decent trim work these days, they’re not a bad price.” He never expected it to be 2024 when he could finally drive the truck out of the workshop under its own power, but the timing turned out to be good as its maiden journey was to the American Truck Nationals, hosted by The C10 Club UK, at Shotley in Suffolk. “It was a four-hour round trip for us and the truck drove great. So good in fact, I haven’t stopped driving it since,” says Bill with a smile. Sure beats a Ford Sierra as a company car. CC
The C/K model line (C for 2WD, K for 4WD) was updated in 1971, both Chevy and GMC versions being given a then fashionable ‘egg crate’ grille along with a tilt column, radio and front disc brakes. This heralded a move away from the utilitarian and toward more passenger car-orientated options in trucks, a trend which continues to this day
Opt for a flat-sided pick-up and you got a Fleetside if you bought Chevy, Wideside if you chose GMC. If you prefer the Stepside look, it’s a Fenderside in GMC speak
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Out & About
Muscling in
Words & Pics: Mike Pye
Event: Mopar Euro Nationals Date: 9-11 August Venue: Santa Pod We love the Mopar Euro Nationals, and the 2024 running of the event was another great weekend. Okay, so it saw all the weather, from pouring rain stopping play on track on the Friday to glorious sunshine on the Sunday, but this is England. The show must go on, and it certainly did. With winter now well and truly upon us, here’s a little ray of sunshine in the way of a look back at some of the cars that caught our eye off track at this year’s event.
This restored ’66 Dodge Coronet 440 with 383 / 727 TorqueFlite and 8¾ rear end was up for £34k. That sounds a lot until you start pricing up the cost of the new parts alone, and suddenly this looks like an absolute bargain
Mark ‘Dusty’ Wilson is a Mopar man with a neat sideline in custom scooters. This one was getting a lot of attention… though not always from the right places, eh Mark?
Great to see Tim Holmes’ old altered wheelbase Polara back out in action, now in the hands of Nostalgia Super Stock stalwart Adrian Portelli and with a 400 stroked to 499ci under the bonnet
Nice backdrop for Jason Petit’s magnificent ’66 Dodge Coronet 500 with factory Hemi and moonshine history. A worthy Classic American Car of the Year 2024 finalist (it would have been the winner if we were judging!)
This ’68 Charger with 20-inch US Mags, 528 Hemi and wet look black paint literally stopped us in our tracks. Could it really have been built in the UK? Our suspicions were confirmed by owner Marcus Kent, who explained it had been built in the States and told us about all the work he’s done to it since it arrived here
If that wasn’t enough to make you drool, there was a second Hemi-powered ’66 Coronet in the show car paddock. A rare appearance for Vince Donald’s car, which he built a 541ci Keith Black street Hemi for and shoehorned into the once 383-powered car, along with an A&A TorqueFlite and numerous brake and suspension upgrades
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There are always some great cars from Germany at the Mopars and this fine ’68 Plymouth GTX was one of this year’s contingent
Another one that made the trip over from Germany, Mario’s ’69 Super Bee with ultra rare white bumble bee stripe on a white car. Almost pointless, but cool nonetheless
A Hillman Avenger at the Mopars, or two? Look a bit more closely and you’d see the red one is badged as a Plymouth Cricket. The story goes the Hillman owner swapped all the relevant parts with a Plymouth owner in the States and now they both have people scratching their heads. Love it
This year’s winner of the Tony Oksien memorial trophy was Jimmy Alexander, who has spent 2500 hours bringing the unrestored Sunfire Yellow ’69 Charger shown in the ‘before’ pic, which turned up at the Mopars in 2021, up to its sensational current condition
Bringing a bit of Pontiac sunshine, how about this ’76 Trans Am? It’s also got the 400ci motor, as the 455 finally bit the dust this year, but the Goldenrod Yellow paint, black red ’n’ silver bird and Honeycomb alloys make it a proper eyeful
From Belgium came one of the more unusual cars at the event, Nico’s ’72 Road Runner GTX. Turns out, if you ordered a Road Runner between ’72 and ’74 with a 440 motor, you got a set of GTX decals and badges on your car as well. Neat, huh?
1974 saw the Pontiac Firebird given a face and tail lift, but it wore its 5mph bumpers well. It also somehow managed to hang on to its big motor options while all around were downsizing and smogging theirs to death. This one’s a Formula 400, so lower spec than a Trans Am, but still a tough looking car
Not an A100, but an A108 (referring to the longer wheelbase), this sweet mild custom ’68 on 17-inch Cragars belongs to James Aulpin
Like Charger fans, Super Bee heads will argue forever over whether they prefer a ’68 or a ’69, but here’s how the rear ends of a ’69 and ’70 differ. It’s the front end treatment, though, that really polarises people
Another of the Sunday winners was Simon Hoare and his immaculate ’67 RS/SS Camaro convertible. It looks like a concours restoration, but there‘s a 475bhp stroker small block under the bonnet. Good man
Car of the show for us at the 2024 Mopars was Dave Billadeau’s latest Nostalgia Super Stock entry. His beautiful ’71 Duster packs a stroked small block and carded 10.31 / 129 off the trailer, going on to win the round on its debut. What a hero
Best of Show at the 2024 Mopars was Gavin Shaw’s 1 of 12, ’70 Plymouth Cuda AAR. This car was impressive when Gavin first bought it, but a trip through Martin Savill’s RPM workshop has turned it into one of the best examples of one of the greatest Mopars around
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Words: Dave Biggadyke Pics: Trevor Gardiner
PROGRESS REPORT: PART 1
I
n a visit to Gardiner Fabrications back in our December ’21 issue, we pictured Trevor ‘Digger’ Gardiner’s own project, a ’78 Ford D series. We mentioned the plan was for an altitude adjustment with a Z’d chassis and air ride. Since our visit, Trevor has been able to find time, in between the jobs that help keep the wolf from the door, to move the project forward. Understandably, progress hasn’t been at a frantic pace, but it has been steady and the classic truck now looks quite a bit different from when we visited Digger’s workshop a while back. As our visit was some time ago, we have some catching up to do – so this feature details the work Trevor did in the early stages. I can already hear the murmurings: what does a D series lorry have to do with CC? Well, those who know him will be aware that Trevor has a commercial bent, together
with his hot rod building prowess. In recent years, his personal builds have been the Digger’s Express Delivery Model T and then the similarly named and somewhat larger Mercedes diesel-powered Transit van. The D series is merely an extension of that ethos, with its build criteria most definitely being hot rod orientated. We asked Trevor what the motivation is behind this latest project. “I’ve always fancied a six-wheeler and it will be ideal for transporting my T around. I will never sell it but the older I get the more hard work driving the T has become. More so now that I’ve buggered my knee, and my back isn’t far behind. “When it’s finished, they will be a matching pair (the D and the T, not the knee and the back – Ed), I just haven’t yet worked out how I will load the T on the flatbed. I did consider a tilt-and-slide bed, but the truck’s heavy
Below: When we first came across the D series, Trevor had already replaced the dually rear wheels with wide single rims. It still wasn’t a 6-wheeler though
Pic: DB
enough already. I will put it through the IVA test, though, as the additional axle means it will need replating by the Ministry anyway.” A couple of things that Trevor decided upon is that he will fit twin batteries for increased cranking amps, and the air bags on each axle will be individually controllable. He has already fitted storage lockers to the sides of the chassis rails, telling us they not only fill the gaps, they will give him somewhere to stash his deckchairs!
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Pic: DB
It’s easy to understand why Trevor wanted to have a serious word with the truck’s altitude. Note the under-cab mounted engine and leaf spring front suspension
Trevor opted to remount the axles with 4-bar location. As he was also adding a second rear axle, that entailed making quite a few of them
Handy that ‘Laser’ Dave is local to Trevor’s workshop…
…as it was he who cut the bracketry to Trevor’s designs
The bracketry for the 4-bars and air bag mounts meant quite a lot of metal had to be cut. So much so that another half sheet of steel plate was needed
The bracketry is all 10mm plate as, in Trevor’s own words, “I don’t mess about”
It was then down to Trevor to weld the pieces together to form the actual brackets
The rear 4-bar mounts and air bag plates were welded to the rear axle, while the forward 4-bar mounts were bolted to the chassis rails
This is the original driven axle which has been moved forward to accommodate the additional axle without stretching the chassis. Note that this is only at the mock-up stage, with no bushes in the 4-bars
The new bracketry was welded to the front axle. However as Trevor wanted the truck to sit nice and low…
…before it could be mounted, the chassis rails needed surgery
Trevor Z’d the chassis to get the front end as low as possible…
…before mounting the axle. The installation features adjustable 4-bars and standard 32-ton truck air bags just like the rear axles
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Left: Modifying the front chassis rails also effectively lowered the cab mounts…Above: …which essentially resulted in the cab being channelled over the chassis rails Right: Notice how much closer the wheel arch lips are to the tyres than in the ‘as it was’ pics
The original under-cab mounted Ford straight 6 and 4-speed manual have been ditched in favour of a rear-of-cab-mounted 6.2 litre Chevy V8 diesel and TH400 auto’ – shown here mocked up in position
With the engine properly mounted and the cab removed, the extent of the chassis modifications is evident. The lowered cab mounts can be seen at the front of the rails, along with the towing jig that has been bolted on to aid manoeuvrability
“Trevor has a commercial bent, together with his hot rod building prowess”
Everywhere Trevor looked, there were signs of the dreaded tin worm having had a mega feast over the years
The majority of the lower section of the cab was cut out so that fresh wheel arches, doorsteps and floor panels could be grafted in
Trevor described the cab as “typical ‘70s Ford. As rotten as fuck.” It’s immediately evident that plenty of remedial work was the order of the day
After he formed and welded in the new wheel arches, Trevor cut out the rot and added fresh steel to the bottom of the doors and cab rear corners
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The doorsteps were formed from a VW Caddy floor panel that Trevor found lying around in the paint shop next door
It wasn’t just the rot that dictated a new floor was needed; the cab being channelled over the chassis also had a hand in that
The front cowl corners were also treated to some fresh metal
With the front and rear edges needing replacing, Trevor decided the easiest way to approach the job was to remove the entire roof centre section. The front edge was replaced first…
…then the rear section above the triple window apertures. Trevor needs to source new glass all round to meet IVA criteria
With the roof panel then welded back in situ, further repairs were carried out on the cab rear panel
With the bodywork repairs completed, the prep work began in readiness for…
…painting the cab inside and out with epoxy primer The rear tag axle is devoid of a diff and is located by a reverse 4-bar setup. Ultimately, this axle will lift so the truck can revert to being a 4-wheeler. All 3 axles are fitted with Panhard rods for lateral location
The top coat colour will also be white and the script on the doors will read Digger’s Express Hauler
Save for a couple of additional crossmembers and fresh bracketry, the chassis is just as it was. Front wheels are 17½ inch diameter Ford Cargo rims, while the rears are Super Singles – standard lorry rims commonly found on trailers
While Trevor’s D series may not look like a hot rod, it does have the right pedigree – and that’s all that counts in our book. If you’re on the lookout for someone in the Suffolk area to help with your project, search Gardiner Fabrications on Facebook or drop Trevor an email at digger61uk@gmail.com.
42 CUSTOM CAR JANUARY 2025
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209.00 exc.VAT
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2850
ALSO
£
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589.00 exc.VAT
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Ideal for fast efficient heating
29 exc.VAT
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219.00 exc.VAT
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Motor (W) Order WAS Model Speeds Code exc.VAT inc.VAT inc.VAT CDP5EB 350 / 5 060712030 £94.99 £119.94 £113.99 CDP5RB 350 / 5 060710035 £94.99 £119.94 £113.99 CDP102B 350 / 5 060715512 £109.98 £139.14 £131.98 CDP152B 450 / 12 060715522 £179.00 £250.80 £214.80 CDP452B 550 / 16 060715575 £299.00 - £358.80 CDP352F 550 / 16 060715562 £319.00 £394.80 £382.80 CDP502F 1100 / 12 060715592 £689.00 £838.80 £826.80
CTJ1250AB
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JS4000
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104.99 exc.VAT
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WAS exc.VAT inc.VAT inc.VAT £249.00 £298.80 £279.00 £334.80 £319.00 £394.80 £382.80 £349.00 £418.80 £389.00 £478.80 £466.80 LENGTH £489.00 £598.80 £586.80 UP TO £1099.00 £1318.80 40’ £2599.00 £3118.80
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ELECTRIC MMA & ARC/TIG PRESSURE WASHERS INVERTER WELDERS Makes easy work for washing vehicles, patios, stonework, etc.
Dual action combines rotary & orbital motions to produce an excellent CP150 060312101 polished finish
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180 Bar
.98
£35.98 inc.VAT
Motor Max. Model W Press. Order Code exc.VAT inc.VAT JS1850 1400 1523psi 050416005 £59.98 £382.80 JS1950 1600 2030psi 050416011 £94.99 £113.99 Jet7500 1600 2030psi 050413510 £149.98 £179.98
FROM
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IMIG100NG
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Model CSA4B-4 tonne bench# CSA10BB 10 tonne bench CSA12F 12 tonne floor*# CSA20FBT 20 tonne floor
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010130460
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29
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AT STORES TODAY 01226 732297 0121 358 7977 0121 771 3433 01204 365799 01274 390962 0117 935 1060 01283 564708 01223 322675 02920 465424 01228 591666 01242 514402 01244 311258 01206 762831 02476 224227 0208 763 0640 01325 380841
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169
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AWD1 051310205
Hydraulically powered, foot control operated device Adjustable spring retainers Springs up to 400mm diameter JSM1000 & 520mm in length Tough steel safety * AUTO EXPRESS CHOICE JUMP guard
Heavy duty steel FROM construction sandblasters for £ .00 exc.VAT the quick removal £202.80 inc.VAT of surface rust, paint, dirt/grease etc.
89
Digital electronic torque wrench
49 exc.VAT
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24.99 exc.VAT
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1/2” drive size Chrome plated Soft grip handle PRO237
Model Tiger1800B Tiger2600B Tiger3000B PLS195B PLS220# PLS265B PLS360 DLS200AL#‡
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CEOBDPRO 010911130
269
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MM3 Custom Car 275x200 pg3.indd Mart_3PS.indd 1 Custom Car_2025_01_Jan_Machine 3
09/12/2024 09/12/2024 13:07 13:47
Always dreamed of owning an American muscle car? What better way to make it happen than to go and live in America Words & Pictures: David Stout
16 CUSTOM CAR JANUARY 2025
6pp David Stout Mustang.indd 46
07/12/2024 11:52
L
ike scores of other future car guys, it was the introduction of Mattel’s Hot Wheels die cast range in the late 1960s that ignited my passion for all things automotive – in particular the American car scene. At that time, I was a youngster growing up in a small Yorkshire coastal village, absorbed in the space race and America’s mission to land a man on the moon by the end of that decade. To us kids, the Spectraflame colours, five-spoke ‘mag’ wheels, fat redline tires and Zoomie exhaust pipes of these new die-cast cars from the US were a revelation compared to both the Matchbox models of the day and the anaemic full-size cars we saw driving around the local streets. The biggest difference, though, was that Hot Wheels ‘rolled’ effortlessly across your Mother’s linoleum kitchen floor. When they were first introduced here, Mattel had some kind of promotional deal with Heinz. By saving the paper labels from cans of baked beans and sending them off with a postal order, you could receive a Hot Wheels Stunt Action Set with ‘loop the loop’ and car jump features. Fantastic! Very occasionally back then, TV’s World of Sport would show ten minutes of US drag racing on a Saturday afternoon. Us kids would watch enraptured, scratching our heads as we tried to figure out what a Christmas tree was and if funny cars were street legal in the US. I was a nerdy kid… I still am nerdy. I disliked school but academically did quite well, especially at metalwork and technical drawing, and this got me started on a career in mechanical engineering design. School gave way to day release, night school then university. In my early twenties, my Dad passed away and I inherited his car – a Lada Riva which my girlfriend at the time nicknamed Sir Lancelot. Owning and driving the Lada was not all bad. After all, it had heated seats – which, when you were courting in the middle of winter in the north-east of England, was definitely advantageous. Now in my mid-twenties, I sold the Lada and bought a used silver Opel Manta Berlinetta coupe with a vinyl top and the obligatory 1980s’ sunroof. I got some stick from my work mates because the car was an automatic, but I didn’t care – my courting life had improved significantly! A couple of years later, I traded that car for a used white Opel Manta GTE coupe,
JANUARY 2025 CUSTOM CAR 47
6pp David Stout Mustang.indd 47
07/12/2024 11:52
This is the Mustang as David bought it – a mechanical clone of the Shelby GT-350 built using a ’65 Mustang coupe. It was very sound but its paintwork was badly faded, some of its spec was less than street-friendly, there were bodges here and there and a few areas needed a stern talking to from the taste police – all of which went together to make it ripe for a major restification project
When you’ve been looking for a daily driver you can tinker with at the weekend, but instead it’s a few days in and you’re already pulling the engine, things have gotten out of hand. The problem was that the drivetrain was misaligned and the engine mounts couldn’t cope with the backlash. Solution? Basically start again from scratch – David changed the mounts, the clutch and the box, had the prop shortened and re-installed the entire lot properly
Here’s the car being readied in the spray booth at Big Sky Paint and Body… and returning home for reassembly afterwards. Note the newly installed hood and front valance, which are fibreglass reproductions of Shelby parts
which at the time was my dream car. By that I mean it was my realistically affordable and attainable dream car… but by now I was avidly reading Custom Car, Street Machine, Rod and Custom and all the other popular UK car magazines of that era. Which gave me a twofold dilemma. How could I finance the purchase of my dream American car – and where would I keep it and work on it? The answer came around the close of the 1980s when I met my future wife, got married and had kids… Life provided the solution to my dilemma, the ‘answer’ of course being that my aspiration to one day own an American muscle car took a severe kick in the pants.
Pilgrimage
The dream was still alive, though. I regularly travelled to the drag racing at Melbourne and would visit as many local car shows as I could. I also made pilgrimages to Long Marston and Santa Pad and developed an interest in automotive photography. Fast forward a few more years and I’m a typical suburban dad with two young kids, living in a semi-detached house with a small garage and driving a white Vauxhall Nova loaded with groceries, strollers and
While the engine was out (again), David replaced the Shelby style dress-up parts for Moroso chrome
baby care supplies. But then one day, while reading a mechanical engineering periodical, I saw an advert for engineers to come and live and work in Tucson, Arizona. At the time I was working for a UK defence contractor, and what really drew my attention to the ad was that I had the relevant experience they were looking for. So I sent off an application, expecting to hear nothing back. A week or two later I’m on a train down to London to interview for the job. Halfway through the day, I’m sent off to Harley Street for a medical. This is looking hopeful, I said to myself. A few days after that, my wife and I were invited back down to London for
It’s always good for a project to involve the whole family. Here’s David’s daughter Mia getting the interior ready for a blanket of Dynamat
a series of talks, with other candidates and their partners, about living and working in the USA. And at the end of all that, they offered me a job. I didn’t have to think twice. That was 26 years ago. I was initially employed by an aerospace company, designing aircraft generators, then after working there for about ten years I went to work for a biotech company designing equipment to help diagnose cancer. I retired another ten years later. Living in the US has been a roller coaster experience. My family and I have seen and done things we would never have had the opportunity to do had we remained in the UK. And we must have got excited about living in the States, because we had another two children, both US citizens by birth – then in 2008 we became US citizens too. Sadly, during our first few years here my mother passed away. I inherited a little money from her – and this is what gave me the opportunity to finally own an American collector car. I started my search by seeking out car guys at work. Rich was a good resource for all things Ford; he owned a mildly modified ’65 Mustang and a ’62 Falcon station wagon. Chuck owned a ’67 Corvette and his buddy
48 CUSTOM CAR JANUARY 2025
6pp David Stout Mustang.indd 48
07/12/2024 11:52
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17/08/2022 10:51 03/01/2023 04/11/2021 13:35 15:21 JANUARY 2025 CUSTOM CAR 49
09/12/2024 17:00
FON_011124_XXX_Hill Shipping_FP.indd 1 Custom Car_2024_12_Winter_Hill Shipping_FP.indd 1
09/10/2024 15:34 16:20 11/11/2024
had just paid $50,000 for a ’67 Corvette convertible, sight unseen… a little out of my league! Jerry was close to retirement but had built a mechanical clone of the Shelby GT-350 using a ’65 Mustang coupe. He was very knowledgeable about the early Shelby Mustangs. In my car search, I did still have some constraints to consider, both financial and domestic. Though I was now living in a house with a large two-car garage, I still wanted a car that was running and driving – something that didn’t need radical surgery but that I could use as a daily driver and tinker with on the weekends. One evening, I drove down to Sierra Vista in Arizona to view a ’72 Mustang fastback which was a driver but cosmetically needed a lot of work. There were also some concerns about its ability to pass the annual emissions test mandated in the city of Tucson. Driving back home, I called in to see Jerry and chat about the visit.
First refusal
Next day at work, Jerry surprised me by sticking his head over my cube wall and saying he was retiring shortly and had decided to sell his ’65 Mustang coupe – the
GT-350 mechanical clone – and was offering me first refusal. Once again, I didn’t have to think twice! The car I bought from Jerry in November 2001 was a ’65 Mustang coupe. The fully rebuilt engine was a ’67 Ford 302 V8, bored .030” oversize and fitted with high-flowing 11:1 compression cylinder heads from a 351 Windsor small block, with roller rockers, screw in rocker studs with double valve springs and anti pump lifters, longer head bolts and longer hardened push rods. The block was balanced with a Ford Hi-Po torsional damper and the cam was a Shelby hydraulic item driven by a heavy duty roller timing chain. Sitting atop the short block was an aluminium intake manifold and an Edelbrock 650 cfm carburettor fed by a Carter fuel pump. Headers and dual exhausts handled the exhalations. The distributor was a Ford Hi-Po dual point. Oil was circulated via a high-flow oil pump in the sump of a finned aluminium Shelby Cobra reproduction oil pan with windage tray. Cooling was by an aluminium Ford HiPo water pump and a shrouded big-block radiator, assisted by an auxiliary electric fan poking through the front grill. Valve
covers were finned aluminium Shelby Cobra reproductions. The battery had been relocated to the trunk, in part for weight distribution over the rear axle but primarily to help keep it cooler in the oppressive heat of the Arizona high desert. Backing up the engine was a racing clutch and a Tremec TR-3550 five-speed manual gearbox, while in the rear was a Ford 9-inch axle with posi-traction. So mechanically, the drivetrain appeared to be bullet proof. Brakes were front discs and stock rear drums, fed by a dual master cylinder – a safety upgrade from the stock single-pot. The body was virtually rust free, having spent most of its life in Arizona. Aesthetically, though, the car needed a lot of work. Its sky blue paint was very badly faded from the strong sun on all its upper surfaces. The seats, including the front bench, were upholstered in light blue velour with black vinyl sides. The wheels were 5-stud 14 x 7 inch slotted alloys and to top everything off, the driver’s side mirror was a hideous rectangular black plastic item typically sold in discount automotive stores. Throughout the car, there were a number of innovative solutions to little problem areas that could be best be described as ‘Heath Robinson’.
JANUARY 2025 CUSTOM CAR 51
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Now looking less Shelby and more street than when David first had the car, the engine came to him as a fully rebuilt ’67 Ford 302 V8 with 11:1 high-flow Windsor 351 heads, roller rockers, hardened push rods, .030” over-bore, Ford Hi-Po torsional damper, Shelby hydraulic cam, ali manifold, 650cfm Edelbrock carb and a whole lot more. He made it his own during the rebuild but under the skin it’s still the same mill his old workmate Jerry had put together way back when The door cards, dash pad and carpet were all new, and David sourced a pair of bucket seats which, together with the back seat and parcel shelf, were upholstered in black vinyl. Autometer Sport-Comp gauges and a steering column mounted tachometer were installed and the entire vehicle was rewired using a kit from Painless Performance in Texas
The Mustang came to David on 14-inch slots and they were on his get-rid-of list from the word go. Quite fitting that the finishing touch was to swap them out for a set of 15x7 American Torq Thrust alloys wrapped in BFGoodrich Radial T/As
A significant problem became apparent after just a few days of ownership; the car was virtually undrivable around town. The large Tremec gearbox had been installed without enlarging the interior sheet metal tunnel. The Tremec was a fine unit but was really overkill for the 300 horsepower being put out by the engine; the box, driveshaft and rear end were misaligned to each other, and the puny ’65 engine mounts were not man enough for the job. This, in conjunction with the ‘on-off’ racing clutch, made the engine shake violently when pulling away from a standing start. So, job one. The engine was pulled and its mounts replaced with stronger ’67 onwards style ones. The clutch, meanwhile, was replaced with a more streetable one, the Tremec was ditched in favour of a five speed
T-5 gearbox from a Fox bodied Mustang, the prop shaft was shortened and the entire drive train was aligned.
Five-year rebuild
Now at last the car was drivable. And with that… I pulled it apart. What was I saying about wanting a daily driver I could tinker with at the weekend? What followed was a five-year rebuild… Now that the drive train was in good shape, the entire car was mechanically disassembled in preparation for a bodywork respray. This included removing the engine, gearbox, driveshaft, accessories, interior, glass and all trim. What was left of the car was transported to a local Tucson collision repair shop, Big Sky Paint and Body, where the body was
massaged, very minor rust was repaired and all the emblem holes were filled. At this point, the stock hood and front valance were swapped out for reproduction Shelby fibreglass parts and the rear valance was replaced with steel sheet metal that allowed the dual exhaust tips to protrude through. The body was resprayed in Ford Sonic Blue with white Shelby style stripes. The engine bay was finished in satin black and the sheet metal on the dash in a metallic graphite colour. Now began the work of rebuilding the car. While the body was at the collision shop, the engine was thoroughly cleaned and resprayed Ford Blue. Personally I didn’t like the finned Shelby reproduction oil pan and valve covers, so all the Shelby style engine dress up parts were switched out for Moroso
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“Most of the work was completed on my Mustang around 2011 and businesses may have changed hands since then. But I’d like to thank Scott Proud at Prouds Automotive, Bill Park at Big Sky Paint and Body and Andrew Papanikolas at Saguaro Automotive, all of Tucson, Arizona, for their invaluable help and excellent work.”
chrome items. The oil pan was replaced with an 8 quart capacity Canton item and an Edelbrock RPM Air Gap Intake replaced the previous one. During all this process, I was locally selling the items that I was replacing to help finance the purchase of new parts. The interior was entirely rebuilt. First, all the sheet metal was thoroughly wire brushed, undercoated and then Dynamat insulation was laid. A new black headliner, door cards, dash pad and carpet were installed. I managed to locally source a pair of front bucket seats and these, together with the back seat and parcel shelf, were upholstered in black vinyl. The crusty old wiring was completely removed and replaced with a Painless kit – a very wise investment if you are restoring an old car. Autometer Sport-Comp gauges and
steering column mounted tachometer now monitor the important life signs. Finally, the 14in slotted wheels were replaced with 15 x 7 American Torq Thrust wheels all round. These were shod with BFGoodrich Radial T/As measuring P215/60R15 at the front and P225/60R15 at the rear. And with that the transformation was complete! A few years ago I also bought a ’78 El Camino with a 350 to fool around with, but this unfortunately was written off in a head-on collision with an absent-minded old lady. Incredibly, no one was hurt. Over the last fifteen years or so, I have been a regular visitor to local car shows, the Tucson Dragway and the professional NHRA drag races in Phoenix. As I get a little older, I am gravitating away from the professionally
funded drag racing teams in favour of the ‘Mom and Pop’ drag racers. I have travelled outside Arizona several times to the annual Monterey Car Week, at which I have attended the historic races at Luguna Seca Raceway, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and The Quail. I have also visited a Southeast Gasser (SEG) event, which I would highly recommend. I’m getting older now and these days I enjoy building plastic model cars – I also administer the Freestyle Model Cars Facebook page. I retired around five years ago – but I still enjoy tinkering with the car. I feel like I’ve come a long way from driving that old Lada Riva – it was many years in the making, but I consider myself very fortunate to be living my own little slice of the American dream. CC
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The Burnout! exhibition at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu
Auto focus 60 years on ■ Words and Pics: Keith Lee
2
024 has seen a significant milestone, as it marked the 60th anniversary of the first ever drag races in this country. To all intents, the 1964 six-event First British International Drag Festival series is seen as the kick-off point for the sport in Europe. With much publicity, and boasting top rank American drivers, the six events showcased the sport in spectacular fashion in front of huge crowds at the various airfield sites, between September 19 and October 4. Organised by the newly formed British Drag Racing Association and sponsored by The People newspaper, it would take some years for that spectacular showcase series to be surpassed – as there was, not surprisingly, a huge gulf between the few local competitors and their experienced American visitors. For the record, the first ever organised drag race was actually held earlier that same year, when the British Hot Rod Association
held their inaugural event at RAF on May 17 in conjunction with the Allard Owners Club and the National Sprint Association. The BHRA had tried to run a meeting a year earlier, but it was cancelled due to lack of entries! That very first race may have been a small affair – unlike the huge event which would soon follow – but that Duxford meeting did receive impressive coverage over the pond in National Dragster. To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the sport, the British Drag Racing Historians group joined up with the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu to produce an exhibition at this prestigious venue, titled Burnout! This display celebrates those pioneering days of the drag festivals, to explain the sport’s motor racing heritage. BDRH members Nick Pettitt and John Hunt were the main people responsible for supplying and procuring material to supplement the museum archive material, in order to produce this fitting display.
Syd McDonald at left rear of the Allard Dragster, alongside museum manager and chief engineer Doug Hill, as the car is readied to fire up
The private view to launch the exhibition was a very enjoyable affair. It was opened by Lord Montagu himself, in front of an invited group of pioneers and significant personalities. Among them were the Allard family, who featured so prominently in the sport during its infancy. The Allard dragster was the first ever UK-built dragster to appear, and Sydney Allard attended so many different motoring events with his unusual machine, which was powered by a blown 354 hemi Chrysler motor. His son Alan took over driving the dragster at the Drag Festivals, as father Sydney was busy as the prime force behind the events to launch the sport. It was fitting that this historic machine, which is part of the museum collection, and was restored some ten years ago by the Allard Chrysler Action Group, was fired-up once more to celebrate the occasion. Drag racing is maybe a little left field for the museum, but they were keen to mount the exhibition. In addition to the Allard, there is Dave Wilson’s Silverline Top Methanol dragster clinging high up on the wall and watching over the entrance to the exhibition, which runs until February 2 2025. Speaking of the Allard dragster, I caught up with Dave Riswick during the afternoon. The John Woolfe Racing boss has now been given the stainless steel chassis of the 1965 follow-up Allard dragster. This was received from Clive Skilton, who later campaigned the machine. Dave is currently working on getting the car back together – and imparted the news to the Allard family on the day. Keeping with the anniversary theme, it was good to see ex-CC editor Tony Thacker over from California with the little Dos Palmas dragster (which was mistakenly signwritten as Dos Palmos when it originally
Alan Allard and his wife, flanked by sons Gavin and Lloyd. On the far left is JWR boss Dave Riswick. In front is Europe’s first dragster, which was restored to pristine condition
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Lord Montagu, on the right, is seen chatting to Chris Pattison, who won an Allard Dragon dragster in a 1965 magazine competition – which he was too young to compete in at the time!
appeared here). It played a part in that historic 1964 series, when it was run as a gas dragster and driven by Bob Keith. Also at Santa Pod during the summer was the striking replica Mooneyes dragster. The original car was brought to the UK for a challenge match race against the Allard dragster at Silverstone in 1963. On its appearance at this year’s Dragstalgia, the Mooneyes Japan boss Shige Suganuma provided one of those jaw-dropping moments, when he ended up performing an unintentional pirouette on a rolling burnout! Looking at the three early dragsters mentioned, it just shows how quickly drag racing was evolving back at that time. All three looked so dated to this youngster when watching Don Garlits taking on Tommy Ivo at Blackbushe. Then again, it is not surprising that the Allard looked odd, when the RAC rule book of the early 60s deemed that a dragster must have front brakes – and the engine had to be fully covered! Dos Palmas also seemed like it was too short, with its stubby appearance. That car was bought by the Croft Partnership to race in the UK, and a little later was purchased by US serviceman Bill Weicheldt. I got to love seeing the car smoking down the Santa Pod
This is where Mooneyes was, less than two seconds after the previous shot! The car would complete a 360 degree plus rotation in the other lane – with no damage, thankfully
High on one of the museum walls is the successful Silverline dragster of Dave Wilson
tarmac as Bill had many great battles in Top Dragster, before finally heading back to the US with his little racer. The Mooneyes dragster used a Dragmaster chassis which had a distinctive look, with the driver looking rather prone. However, when you really look at it, that chassis was surely a lot stronger and protective than some of the skimpy cars of the day. Studying them now, I would say that all had a real character about them – which a much younger me would never have
Tony Thacker alongside the Dos Palmas dragster, which gleamed in the sunshine at the Pod
Mooneyes at the start of a burnout at Santa Pod during Dragstalgia. Check out the Dragmaster chassis. Engine and blower configuration is the same Potvin set-up as the Allard car
The Dos Palmas car, which was renamed Asmodeus by Bill Weichelt, is seen in typical racing action at the beginning of the ’70s, as Bill smokes away from the Olds-powered Geronimo dragster driven by Mick Tickner
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NB: We advise you to double check with organisers that the event or show as listed is still going ahead, to avoid any wasted journeys. To submit an event, email alan.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk
DECEMBER 2024 28 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 28 Cold Turkey Run. Peterborough to Cromer, Norfolk. Facebook: Bod Here 29 Huddersfield Auto / Retro Jumble. Brook Street, Huddersfield. www.phoenixfairs.jimdo.com
16 Krispy Kreme Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 16 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 18 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
21-23 Classic Car and Restoration Show NEC, Birmingham. www.necrestorationshow.com 22 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 23 Huddersfield Auto / Retro Jumble. Brook Street, Huddersfield. www.phoenixfairs.jimdo.com 29 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
JANUARY 2025
21-23 Race Retro. Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. www.raceretro.com
1 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
22 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
29-30 Springspeed Nationals Santa Pod Raceway www.santapod.co.uk
5 New Year Autojumble. Whitewebbs Museum of Transport, Enfield. www.whitewebbsmuseum.co.uk
23 Huddersfield Auto / Retro Jumble. Brook Street, Huddersfield. www.phoenixfairs.jimdo.com
30 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
19 Huddersfield Auto / Retro Jumble. Brook Street, Huddersfield. www.phoenixfairs.jimdo.com
MARCH 2025
APRIL 2025
2 NSRA Southern Swap Meet North Weald Airfield, Essex www.nsra.org.uk
1 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach
5 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
2 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
6 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
5 Run What Ya Brung – Saturday Night Special Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
19 Krispy Kreme Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 21 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 26 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 30 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
FEBRUARY 2025 5 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
8 Dial In Day Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 16 Krispy Kreme Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 18 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www. acecafe.com
6 The Fast Show Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 12 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 15 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
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18 Wheels Day Newbury Showground, Berkshire www.surreystreetrodders.com
18 Classic Wheels Rutland Showground, Oakham www.classicwheelsrutland.co.uk
18-20 Festival of Power Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
18 Krispy Kreme Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey
13-15 Street Weekend. Santa Pod / Melbourne. www.santapod.co.uk
20 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
14-15 Race the Waves. Bridlington, East Yorks. backfireinfo.weebly.com
23-26 Run to the Sun Newquay. www.rtts.co.uk
15 Krispy Kreme Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey
20 Huddersfield Auto / Retro Jumble. Brook Street, Huddersfield. www.phoenixfairs.jimdo.com 20 Krispy Kreme 20th Anniversary Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 26 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
MAY 2025 2-4 Nostalgia Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 4 BHP Show Kent Showground, Detling, Maidstone. bhpshows.com 4 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk 6 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach 7 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 10 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 11 Classic Ford Show South of England Showground. Facebook: Classic Ford Show 16-18 Doorslammers Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
23-26 The Main Event Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 26 – 1 June NSRA Fun Run. St Ives, Cornwall. www.nsra.org.uk 30-2 June VanJam Fir Tree Farm, Warmington. www.vanditos.co.uk 31 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 31 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
JUNE 2025 3 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach 4 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 5-8 Hot Rods and Hills. Park Foot, Pooley Bridge, Penrith Facebook: Hot Rods and Hills
8 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
17 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 21 Run What Ya Brung – Saturday Night Special Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 21-22 Duchy Ford Show. Watergate Bay Touring Park, Newquay www.duchyfordclub.co.uk 22 BHP Fuel Fest Westpoint Arena, Exeter, Devon. bhpshows.com 22 Custom and Classic Show. Royal Gunpowder Mills, Waltham Abbey, Essex www.customandclassicshow.co.uk 29 VHRA Swap Meet Ramsey, Cambridgeshire. www.vhra.co.uk 27-29 Dragstalgia Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
7-8 Players Classic Goodwood, West Sussex. www.players-show.com
27-29 National Hot Rod, Custom and American Car Show. Lincoln Showground, Lincolnshire www.hotrodandcustomshow.co.uk
7-8 Sportsman Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
28 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
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7-10 NSRA Hot Rod Supernationals Old Warden, Bedfordshire. www.nsra.org.uk 8-10 Retrofestival Newbury Showground. www.retrofestival. co.uk 9-10 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 10 Ford Fair Silverstone Circuit www.fordfair.co.uk
18-20 Mopar Euro Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 18-20 Rock’n’Ribs Festival Wincanton Racecourse, Somerset. www.rocknribsfestival.co.uk
JULY 2025 1 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach 2 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 4-5 Hangar Rockin St Stephan Airfield, St Stephan, Switzerland. www.hangarrockin.com 4-6 MPH Vintage Sprint. Deenthorpe Airfeld, Corby, Northants www.mphvintagesprint.co.uk 4-6 V8 Brothers Village. Hooglede, Belgium. www.v8brothers.be 5-6 Summer Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 10-13 Goodwood Festival of Speed Goodwood Estate, West Sussex. www.goodwood.com 11-12 Mustang Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 13 The Ford Show. Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 15 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 18-20 Hot Rod Rumble. The Camp, Ramsey, Huntingdon www.hotrodrumble.co.uk
19-20 American Auto Club UK Summer Nationals. Upton Upon Severn Worcestershire www.american-auto-club.co.uk 20 DeuceDay Details TBA. Facebook: Deuces of Britain 20 Krispy Kreme Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 25-27 Bug Jam Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 26 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 27 Auto Extravaganza Walpole Community Centre, Walpole St Andrew, Cambs. www.kingslynnkruisers.co.uk
10 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www. newarkautojumble.co.uk 14-18 Hillbilly Hoedown Crystal Lakes Leisure, Huntingdon. www.hillbillyhoedownweekend.co.uk 15-17 Hot Rods in the Borders Lilliardsedge Holiday Park, Jedburgh. Facebook: Hot Rods in The Borders 16-17 Greenlight Nationals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 17 Krispy Kreme Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 19 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 29-31 VW Action. Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 26 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 29-30 VW Action Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
AUGUST 2025 1-3 Hot Rod Hayride. Bisley Shooting Ground, Surrey www.hotrodhayride.co.uk 1-3 Ultimate Street Car Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 5 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire.Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach 6 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
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SEPTEMBER 2025 2 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach. Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach 3 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 4-7 Euro Finals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 5-7 Kustom Kulture Blastoff Slates Farm, Market Rasen, Lincs. www.kustomkultureblastoff.co.uk 5-7 The Trip Out Euston Park, Suffolk. www.thetripout.co.uk 12-14 Goodwood Revival Goodwood Estate, West Sussex. www.goodwood.com 12-14 Hot Rod Drags Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk 12-14 Hot Rod Hoedown. Barrasgate Farm, Annan.Facebook: Hot Rod Hoedown at the Steading
27 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
OCTOBER 2025
12-15 Isle of Man Ford Fest www.iomfm.com
1 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
14 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
5 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
26 NSRA Northern Swapmeet Magna Science Centre, Rotherham. www.nsra.org.uk 26 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
NOVEMBER 2025 5 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
16 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
7 Hayling Hot Rods at the Beach Hayling Island Seafront, Hampshire. Facebook: Hayling Hotrods at the Beach
18-21 Isle of Man Festival of Motoring www.iomfm.com
11 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
16 Krispy Kreme Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey
19-21 National Finals Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
18 Run What Ya Brung Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
18 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
20-21 Pistons and Props Sywell Aerodrome, Northamptonshire www.sywellclassic.co.uk
19 Krispy Kreme Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey
29 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
19 ‘Normous Newark Autojumble Newark Showground, Newark, Notts. www.newarkautojumble.co.uk
3 Hot Rod Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
20-21 VHRA Pendine Sands Hot Rod Races. Pendine, Carmarthenshire www.vhra.co.uk 21 Ford Fest. Mallory Park, Leics. www.fordfestshow.co.uk 21 Krispy Kreme Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 26-28 Yorkshire American Car Club American, Rod and Custom Show. Fort Paull, Hull. yancs1@yahoo.co.uk 27 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
19 Straightliners Santa Pod Raceway. straightliners.events 21 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 25 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 25 Flame and Thunder Santa Pod Raceway. www.santapod.co.uk
DECEMBER 2025 16 VW Air-Cooled Night. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com 21 Krispy Kreme Cruise. Krispy Kreme, Shannon Corner, New Malden, Surrey. Facebook: Krispy Kreme Cruise Surrey 27 All American Cruise In. Ace Café, London. www.acecafe.com
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