Hi all!
Firstly, WOW! I never knew this site existed until a buddy of mine Andy told me about it and that awesome matte black Camaro he keeps going on about, I then find out it's a MK club! Well I live in MK and technically the body I am using for my project is a 1931 Ford Model A which is a Yank version so... Here I am!
Now this project of mine is a love hate one, some people love it, some hate it and I am sure you will know why shortly!
I am not building this for anyone else other than me so yes things could and maybe should be done differently but they won't be as this is my car (well currently it's just a bath tub and some parts but will be a car one day)
'Code Name B-52' as it has been named has spawned from my personal love of hotrods mixed with my want for a modern drive train, my last project was a '67 VW beetle with a 6.5 inch roof chop, stretched arches and a rad paint job, the plan was to stick a scooby lump (the cries of traitor go up) in the back and run it as a street monster but a new job forced a sale so that left my life...
So now that things are fairly steady again it was time to strike with a new idea and there had always been a huge V8 hole in my car ownership. So grouped together with a couple other guys we formulated V8UK and I suggested we should have a 'project' to work on, write about and eventually make it into a publicity tool.. What better way than with an out and out Rod!
My hardest decision was what to go for, last year at Billing I was parked next to a 32 delivery and the tubbed rear end fully had my attention! With a fully chromed big block with super charger to match, my mind ran wild and I thought YES that is it!
Started to look for a fibreglass body as I wanted this to be able to live outside and be drive-able in all weathers and not have to be too precious with it... I instantly got distracted by realising I could build my dream car for roughly the same cash a '30s coupe! So all other plans went out the window as I told the lads I had put an order in for a body!
The plan was always to have a tube chassis, not built for drag racing but for safety and performance handling on the road, this means full custom suspension setup and I can use any running gear I want as the chassis is being made to what ever spec I want!
The donor car... When talking to GM Bodycraft (guys putting the chassis together) we decided it will be so much easier to buy a running vehicle that we can use pretty much everything off, as we are going for a tube chassis and modern stylings this is where the big block idea left the building (partly down to costs also as I want this to be finished ASAP). So the hunt began, now noise and power were the main concerns but it also had to be easy to bolt in and not have a monster ECU to get stumped by, so a slightly older modern car was needed...
An XJR was on the cards, huge super charged lump & a great sound track to follow... Wiring nightmare... Abort.
What next, hmmm, Lexus LS400 or Soarer? Possible, very cheap freeing up more cash for other goodies but just a bit dull, then this little BMW 540i popped up on ebay, looked amazing and had 15 mins of bidding left to go... V8 CHECK, low miles CHECK, cheap price CHECK, IRS CHECK, noise.. well I didn't have any time left to research so this was unknown...
Bid.
Win.
Ah, it's in Bournemouth... Oh well ROAD TRIP!
2 days later we headed to the coast in the V8UK Monaro to pick up the new toy.
It was too good to be true, the car is in amazing condition and runs very smooth, the trip home was great fun giving the old girl a good work out! The car was completely stock so the noise was pretty bass heavy but fairly quiet until the loud pedal was stomped! The term 'woofely' best described it.
Only one thing for it, rip the insides out and then rip the exhaust off. WHAT A NOISE! it sounds amazing, couldn't be happier with it! So now we have a fuel injected V8 with low miles on the clock and a great base to start building a car off.
The factory power figures are 286BHP the rod will weigh (with a wild finger in the air type calculation) around 1000KG when it's done give or take so should make it into a little street rocket!
Not very american and not very traditional but that's not me, love how hot rods look and how they sound, love how modern cars drive and go... It's a half way house and will never really drive like a modern car but will be a lot closer than most. The noise and looks is something I will be able to live with forever and to me that's what 'hot rodding' is all about, build what you want as it's your car.
I will try and keep this thread up to date and welcome all feedback!
This is my first project so a HUGE learning curve to come!
