My favorite off topic Hot Rod. The low production 1957 BMW 507 They don't come up for sale very often, and when they do, they command high dollars. Enjoy from Dennis.
One of my fantasy cars is a hot rod that pays homage to the 1931-32 Eight liter Bentley sports cars like this one. I'd build it with a big inline six, wire wheels, styled around a 32 grille. Kind of British but an American hot rod.
A carbureted small block fit under the hood of my Spitfire, so an LS should fit under the hood of a TR6, which is a bit larger, even with a wet sump… If you “zoom” in, you can see the “327” emblem I got from an old Impala.
I consider my '85 RX-7 a proper off topic hotrod... Solid roller 355 sbc, faceplated Toploader 4spd, TruTrac with 3.55's in the narrowed 8.8. Engine set back into the firewall 10", seats/dash/pedals moved back as well. No heat/defrost/wipers, the no insulation firewall defogs the windshield. Weighs 2325lbs with 55% of the weight on the rear, been 5.73 in the 1/8th with a 1.30 60' back when it only had 700hp. Doesn't see the strip much as it has no sign of a roll bar, but burns 87oct pump gas and gets 20mpg on the highway. Seeing the shift lite come on at 8500 puts a smile on my face Merging on the freeway is especially fun, as this thing goes 70+ in 1st gear! Grant
Hello, Having driven a powerful 396 c.i. new El Camino,, I can attest to the almost unlimited power it had when the throttle was pushed down to the floor. The 4 speed was ready and the shifts were smooth as silk. I learned to do some speed shifting in a custom 57 Chevy with a 4 speed and our SBC Willys Coupe with a 3 speed. But, the new El Camino just had the power, comfort and it was a daily driver in So Cal. A new era and newish car to drive. No, it was not mine, but a friend owned the car and could not wait to show it to me. It was immaculate and the all around look/ feel of the El Camino going down the road was so cool. It looked fast just sitting at a stop light. When we went by a couple of large windows of several stores, the car just stood out among the newer cars. He allowed me to drive it around our area and when we went out to the desert, out racing motorcycles fit nicely in the back. It did not lose any power, even with the two racing bikes, + tools and cooler packed to the brim with food/ drinks. This bright red Chevelle SS hardtop was sitting in a parking lot of a industrial building area. It was not a beater, but a pristine SS version. I could imagine going through the gears on a nice costal cruise next to the blue shoreline… There is a black Chevelle SS in our neighborhood and late at night, he/she knows the straight road out past the industrial buildings where no one is hanging around. The sound of the powerful motor and shifting through the gears is “music to my ears.” Jnaki It was one of those cars that makes anyone want to go back to cruising around down the coastal highway on a bright and sunny day. The feeling of the 4 speed and powerful motor was just right. It was the sound that made the moment stand out. Even when just normally driving around. But, the moment one steps on the throttle a bit, fast and loud come to mind…YRMV
Me & my '74 Midget in Groton, CT in 1983, complete with BF Goodrich T/As on Cragar SSTs. It didn't have any top-end, but on- and off-ramps were a lot of fun.
In the 70's I had one of the Petersen engine swap books, there was a ?1953? Siata roadster in it that had either a 283 or 327 and a T-10 (I think) four speed, had never heard of a Siata but remember thinking that thing has to be about as much fun as a Sunbeam Tiger because a few years earlier my grade school pals' older brother had one, took me for a ride once and scared the living s#/t out of me.
Well, just for giggles I did a Google search and found it, forgot that (at the time), it was owned by singer Barry McGuire, has had a full restoration, looks nothing like what I remember in the swap article. https://www.automotiverestorations.com/siata-208s
next to 2002, e21 323i (Euro model) or e30 325is/es 2dr coupe ! here is my 325.. its a blast to drive.
The Jalopy Journal
