By Chris Bicknell

Bick66

Much like the first Lingenfelter 2010 Camaro-based Trans Am conversion, they’ve brilliantly managed to bring the essence of the early 1970′s Trans Am into the fifth generation.  With the Pontiac nameplate having been put to rest, the odds of a production Trans Am are slim to none, but this is one way that Pontiac lovers can keep the dream alive. Under the hood you’ll find an LSX block sporting a very appropriate 455 cid, and an impressive 11.5:1 compression resulting in a healthy output of 655 horsepower and 610 lbs ft of torque.  This badass machine is currently running with the 2010 Hot Rod Power Tour.  See one more picture after the jump, and read more over at LSX TV.

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By Michael Berenis

Tampa Sports Car Examiner

Completing a Civic body onto a Subaru powertrain has created the ultimate sleeper. How fun would it be to sneak around in this pocket rocket? Light weight and boosted, the Civaroo is a conversion swap full of traction and dastardly excitement. Read more about the swap at Tampa Sports Car Examiner.

By Chris Bicknell

Bick66

We all know that GM never produced a factory convertible option for the second generation Camaro or Firebird, but every now and then you see one that’s been converted.  This 1981 Pontiac Firebird Formula was recently pulled from storage with only 22,000 miles on the odometer and in need of only minor attention.  Given its new rag-top, fresh tuneup and like-new exterior some lucky bidder is going to have a badass ride.  You can bet that no one else on your block will have one like it and the best part is there’s no reserve!  Check out more pictures after the jump and see the eBay auction here.

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By Chris Bicknell

Bick66

Last summer I installed a power disc brake conversion on my ’66 Impala convertible–it just made sense, considering I was putting a 400+ hp stroker motor in it, and the non-boosted single-chamber master cylinder putting juice to four smallish drums made it kind of a death trap. There was a ton of aftermarket conversion kits available for my ride, and I finally settled on one from Matt’s Classic Bowties.  After laying out all of the parts and reading through the few short pages of rudimentary installation instructions, I was a little worried about the outcome of this project–it was my first attempt converting manual 4-wheel drums to power front disc brakes, and it basically entailed tearing out the whole braking system. So once I started, I was kind of committed. But now with the install complete, I’m amazed by how well it turned out. Other than a few simple modifications, the entire system bolted up smoothly. Wanna learn how to make your big-boat classic stop on a dime? Read on below the jump.

Continue reading "Power Disc Brake Conversion Install" »

By Chris Bicknell

Bick66

I’ve been knee deep in the front-end restoration of my ’66 Impala convertible for a few months now and I recently found myself faced with a surprisingly difficult question: power or manual brakes? Getting rid of those old stab-n-steer front drums and single-chamber master cylinder was obvious, but after making the decision to do a full front disc brake conversion I found that car enthusiasts seem to be quite opinionated on the issue of power vs. manual brakes. Some of the sources I tapped claimed the power booster only created more potential for malfunction, and in the event of a stall, the car would be more difficult to bring to a grinding halt than it would be if it just had manual in the first place. Still, others swore that power is the only way to go, for reasons ranging from pedal effort to stopping power. The only opinion everyone seemed to share was that I’d be crazy to not to agree with them. In the end I decided to go with the power brake booster. How about you–what’s your preference and why?

Check out pictures of my new stock-spinal power disc brake conversion kit after the jump.

Continue reading "Brakes: Power or Manual?" »

Dodge may have canceled their plans to build a Challenger convertible, but you can’t stop the aftermarket. Coach Builders Ltd. will chop the top off the new Challenger for $16,000. The topless Mopar is reinforced via strut bars hidden inside the trunk, and includes an acrylic polyester cloth hydraulic top, matching fabric headliner and a heated glass rear window. The green SRT8 they are bringing to SEMA also sports a Vortech supercharger, a KW coil-over suspension kit and 22-inch Foose Challenger wheels. More pics after the jump. Via TopSpeed.com

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This has to be one of the darndest things I’ve ever seen: it’s a 2002 Ford Explorer that runs on two 500-hp hydraulic motors, which are in turn supplied by a hydraulic pump powered by a 1.9L VW TDI motor that runs on biodiesel at a constant RPM. Hydraulic pressure is built up by the pump to 5100 psi, stored in high-pressure accumulators, and then discharged to turn the hydraulic motors. A project of some very brainy students at Cal Poly, the Explorer runs a 10-second quarter mile, does 0-60 in 3 seconds, and still gets 35 mpg. If I was more of a engineering geek I might be able to explain it better—hopefully there’ll be some more info on the ride page as this awesome project develops. We’re exepcting to see this monster at the Ultimate Track Car Challenge in in June, so stay tuned!

With fuel prices increasing, I have recently been wondering if the car companies are doing all they can to develop alternative fuels. According to Today Tonight, Ross Blade from Harcourt Australia has started to produce his own electric car, the Blade Runner. Based on a Hyundai Getz, it’s been recognized as Australia’s first zero-emissions car by the CSIRO. For the conversion, Blade removes the motor and exhaust system and replaces it with an electric motor that’s powered by two banks of batteries. With a range of 100 km (62 miles), the Blade Runner’s main market will be those living in urban areas; however, at a cost of $35,000, it’s expensive for a small car. Of course Blade is not the first person to attempt this, but if an individual working from a shed in a small country town can produce a funcitonal all-electric car, then why aren’t the large car manufacturers doing the same? Personally I have my doubts about Blade’s car. Generally the batteries for electric cars are expensive to replace and they do more harm to the environment than good, and don’t even get me started on that wonder of modern marketing which is the Prius. However, Blade does deserve a round of applause for showing what could be possible for the large car manufactures if they really tried.

Jake Von Slatt bought this 75-passenger school bus on eBay for two grand, then did a full motorhome conversion using a lot of recycled materials and advice from a few online conversion guides. Now, the inside looks like something out of Better Homes and Gardens. Nuts to paying a mortgage and property taxes, I could totally live in one of these! All I’d have to do is figure a way to build in mobile garage space. Check out Jake’s video on his project here, and see more pics below the jump, and read about the conversion at his site. And to gets started on your own, check out school bus listings on eBay!

Via Auto Motto

Continue reading "Picture Perfect Schoolbus Conversion" »

I grabbed my favorite little local rag this morning to find one of my favorite types of car pics above the fold: the "standing in the empty engine bay" shot. The remarkable thing about this one is that it was Neil Young standing in the empty engine bay of his 1959 Lincoln Continental. He’s working with UQM Technologies and H-Line Conversions to put a "bio-hydro-electric" series hybrid drivetrain in what is pretty much America’s largest production car ever. The 1959 Continental Mark IV is a whopping nineteen and a half feet long, keeping it out of countless garages built in the 80s and 90s. The "Linc-Volt," as Young is calling the car, will debut in a documetary that Young is expecting to start shooting in April. The biodiesel-fired ICE from H-line will drive a 200bhp/480ft-lb UQM electric motor that will supply the power to the transmission. The conversion has already started, and H-Line has a couple of pictures of Young up on their website as the work was getting started. Young follows in the alternative-fuel footsteps of rocker Willie Nelson, who now runs his entire road crew on biodiesel.