I think it has the best vibe and most unique. Corvettes with big wheels are not exactly ground breaking. Kindig has done better work, that vette is more like something off overhaulin. The henry J is interesting, paint looks great.
I'm picking the vette. Not my style (any of em) but the execution, presentation, quality, all dead-on. The others seemed have too much of 1 thing, not enough of the other, just a cliché grouping of gotta have it to win. I love the idea of a Mustang roof on a Cougar. Way kool. The ¼ windows tho? Best you got? The OEM vent panels woulda been a better choice. I'd have made it look factory 1st, then do "the thing" they did. Even a blank 69-70 sports roof with a Cougar badge woulda been better. Eyesore now because that silly window owns the profile. Sorry, my "snob" has entered the chat. I'll be shocked if the vette doesn't win.
I'm willing to bet that the planning, the blood, sweat, and tears, and the p***ion put into these cars are the same as what I put into my cars. Two substantial differences are; 1- the amount of money spent and 2- professional results
Funny. My first thought was If it was mine, I'd be looking for a roof to put it back the way it was. Understandable that everyone here is bagging on these cars as it's not the focus of most on this board. But if you're honest with yourself, you have to admire the craftsmanship, even if you don't agree with the results. As a former owner of a couple of Cougars like that, I'm not a fan of the fastback modification. Why take a great looking car & turn it into a Mustang? I always liked the notchbacks better than the fastbacks anyway.
Yes. John Greer's Brinks Express. 1971 winner. Drove it all over the place. Back to Hamilton, ON where he lived.
I have to agree!!! I like notchbacks better too. Especially later foxbodies. the fastback was over used.
Yeah, the quarter windows look terrible. The beltline transition from the door to the quarterpanel missed too.
The Kindig built car while emulating a Corvette concept car is all hand built aluminum unibody construction with almost every part and piece on the car including the exposed bolts being custom built. A hand built from scratch car might not spin the judges wheels as much as a totally changed and modified car though. A couple of the other cars outside of the level of workmanship probably won't draw a lot of attention away from when they are on display with their 2024 great 8 contestant plaque.
Are big dumb wheels a prerequisite to entry in this event? The Henry J Ute is pretty cool. Even the design of the donks minimized their obnoxiousness. I could make that car work for me with a nicer set of wheels.
I don’t mind the ‘59 Vette at all but I would replace the wheels. Last fall I lead a car tour to the interior of BC and I had arranged to visit JF’s shop. After promising not to mention of word of the Cougar/Mustang build we were allowed to take a peek. Now I’ve seen a couple of other versions of this hybrid but his shop’s work was outstanding! Underneath the car was as good as the top. All welds smoothed out so the frame looked like just one tube bent there’d it needed to be. Floor panels perfect top and bottom, paint perfect, and all the other little things as well. Not complete at that point but it was getting close. I won’t say what the owner was paying but I’ll never, or all my descendants, be in that level of wealth. Very beautiful car and those quarter panels are both hand formed. I agree with the comments regarding the quarter windows though. Now this is a forum for TRADITIONAL Hot Rods and the Riddler Award isn’t really interested in that stuff so the cars may not what we’re interested in but the skill set involved in producing these cars cannot be denied! See “Killer Customs” on YouTube for build details.....
The Henry J Ute was built by a local guy Tyler Nelson and his crew here in Rapid City South Dakota. I know him personally, he started out in a shop building hotrod drivers. He found a niche building hi end mega buck cars and trucks and has been in contention for several goodguy car and truck of the years. It’s totally not my style but I have to give Tyler a BIG pat on the back for his (and crew) accomplishment to be from a podunk small *** town in western South Dakota and have a great 8 Ridler contender. Good job Buddy!!!!!!!
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