I often think of Gassers as one of the pioneers of stance, sure getting as low as possible wasn’t their goal, but they were setting up their suspension for performance and visual appeal before myself and many reading this were born.
There is no doubt in my mind that they also faced the same criticisms about ‘ruining’ cars that modern day stance enthusiasts do today.
Coming across Gassers in Ontario is not at all common so when a few of you let me know via Facebook that this car is parked minutes from my house more often than not I made sure to swing by with my DSLR yesterday while running a few errands.
Lack of knowledge has never stopped me from taking pictures of something before however.
The classic Gasser lifted noseLook where the trunk of that Corolla lines upInterestingly enough the rear of this car was almost as high as the frontLove...The exhaust setup was interesting, I wonder if it was blocked of here to be street legal?Windows were down or just plain not thereBilletproof is another event I want to attend some day...
Evidently the owner of this car also owns the tattoo shop on the corner where I spotted it so next time I am in the area I might stop buy, I’ve been thinking about a half sleeve anyway…
During a stop over on my way to Los Angeles I purchased the May issue of Hot Rod Magazine (along with an issue of Super Street) to pass the time.
I ended up reading most of it while traveling but as I was removing it from my back pack to I noticed I skipped over an article featuring a Harley Davidson powered fiberglass 32 Ford.
I’ve seen GSXR and Hybusa motors used in small cars (smart cars), and go karts, but this was the first time I had seen a Harley Motor used in a four wheel configuration.
The car featured was built by Kick Ass Rod Shop in Hickory, North Carolina and exterior wise it’s got typical street rod modifications including being sectioned, shortened, and channeled,in addition to having a raked stance and billet wheels.
Pretty par for the course but what is behind the rad is the most interesting bit:
The motor comes from a Harley Davidson Sportster
The motor is basically stock (other than intake and headers) and uses a transfer case out of a Legends car which all said and done yields 6 forward gears and 6 reverse gears.
What you do with 6 reverse gears I have no idea.
Clean Rod otherwise
This car peaked my interest and before I let watching Die Hard for the hundredth time dominate my evening I started looking around for another Harley powered Hot Rod and found this T bucket.
Also Sporster powered this one uses the original transmission and has an electric reverse.
Sporster in a T
The story goes owner of this one drove the Sportster home and then tore it apart to put the motor and rear suspension into the Ford.
I really wish I could find more details of the rear suspension as it sounds interesting.
I wonder if it ended up getting a coat of paint
Sure you could probably try and tell the owners that there are other more powerful motors that could have been swapped in with less effort but I doubt they can hear you over that Harley lope.
Over the winter Rob from Performance Improvments asked if I would be interested in doing some writing for their bi monthly Performance In Motion magazine.
The idea of having a few pages in a printed publication to do whatever I want with was very appealing and opportunity to reach a new audience was something I couldn’t turn down, so I said yes.
The article below is my first, and since the feedback on this one was so positive I am currently working on my second.
Just when you thought this category was only turning into a s2000 on Enkei wheels love fest here is a ridiculously good looking STI on 18×9.5 +22 AME Tracer wheels wrapped in 225/40/18 tires.
Beautiful at every angle there is literally nothing that should be changed on this car.
You can all thank long time reader (and previous featured ride owner) Phil for calling me out last week for promising a Topless Theme Tuesday and never doing it (I forgot).
I manged to pull together this post nearly entirely from other half started Theme Tuesday posts so that should give you an idea of what’s in-store eventually.
E30.As if I could leave out an ImpalaGas prices be damned I would love to roll thisRWB's Spearmint RhinoE46 with just the right amount of everything, tire, lip, dropOld picture, dope cab.Probably the most unique looking car in today's postCommon e36 wheel and that is not at all a bad thingI have always loved this colourDoes anyone know what happened to this car after the new owner got it home?Dope shot of Dan rolling from his tuned life featureHeat via The Chronicles...Phil's car if you forgotMustang drop from SEMA Tijin edition I do beleiveSpeaking of SEMA...Posted this stang awhile back on the fanpageI'm sure some people are very mad about this but hey.. it happensTop always down
Feel free to remind me of other ones I have yet to do…
In 2011 Matt ended his previous show series, Tuners Against Street Racing, to start his new endevaour Squeaky Clean.
The first Squeaky Clean event had a bit of a luke warm reception (not helped in the least the weather) so for 2012 Matt started with an event focused on the cars and the people instead of awards.
Held at Neo Motorsport in Richmond Hill ‘Coffee’ was a great excuse for GTA enthusiasts to get together on a warm spring day.
I had some running around to do in the morning so I missed a few cars but there was still quite a bit more people at the event than in these photos.
Nice to see this Healy out, a little diversity never hurt anyoneCar sounded great tooThese two were selling cans of Plasti Dip and were clearly fans of the productThe owner of this car was telling me he plans to go lower and wider soon, should be interestingMissed most of the Scrape Crusaders at this eventIf these front wheels came out a bit more (nothing crazy) this Lexus would look even cleanerIt's very subtle but this Subaru has a bit of gold flake in the paintFitted G SedanOne of Neo Motorsports sponsored track carsMy friend Steve recently put on these RPF-1s, he also got a custom version of the script sticker through the affiliate store on SecheMedia.caBig fan of this MiataUnder the hood was more reason to like it
About midway through the event this Ford pulled up with a water filled tarp in the bed and two girls sitting inside.
I honestly had no idea people actually did this and I didn’t get too close to the whole set-up because I was convinced it was part of some hidden Just For Laughs gag.
The Optimus Reim decal just made this whole thing even more randomWobbly pops perhaps?No clue how far they travelled like this
Anyway keeping it moving aside from the S13 at the end of this post some of the most impressive cars at this meet were Hondas.
Mixed in with the regulars were a few cars I had never seen before.
When Matt is not driving his s2000 he drives this Civic and I guess when that runs out of gas he takes his bikeLocal JDMrides guysClean pair of sedas sittin lowGreat wheel choice here works well with the paint colorSurprising colour combination that I think works wellThis Black on Robins egg blue also looked pretty niceNicely put together EK hatchFor a car that gets tracked consisently Spenser's car always looks greatHis engine bay trumps lots of show cars tooYellow s2000s really conflict with previous statements I have made about not liking yellow carsNice to see a wheel I'm not familar withAnother s2000 on wheels I later learned were 5zigen-HeidfeldsGot carbon?Elevated always comes out to support Matt's eventsBrian in his usual hoodless fashion, like Spenser's car this car also keeps getting better and betterNSX I've never seen out before
As I mentioned before this was the stand out car of the meet for me, looked great, sounded amazing, and can no doubt tear up a track.
Look forward to seeing it sliding at some events this year.
As many of you mentioned on facebook, that is indeed one expensive hood propNext time I'll focus on the SR20....Looking at so much negative camber the rear almost looks positiveThat is a lot of tireI'll see if I can take a similar pic of this corner as the season progresses
Remember Penny Racers? If you do than you will probably see the resemblance between those cheap yet amusing little toys and these mini Camaros from the 70s.
Oddly enough two companies released very similar Camaro kits, one by a company called KAR and another by a company called Glass Vac and from what I have read both were based around a Beetle chassis.
Nothing like a project that is a bit of a basket caseThe proportions are oddly right on these thingsA look at the power plantA finished model... perhaps the same one?The paint on it reminds me of the fiberglass coin op cars you see outside of supermarketsI guess the VW Vin would make it eligible for historic plates
Both kits are pretty rare now but like all things show up to online auctions every now and again, they look like they could be a very interesting project to play with if you could get your hands on one.
I’m sure with enough power these could do wheelies just like toy.
This Sunday I should be at the first Squeaky Clean event of the year.
I’ve also got my wheel back from repair now so my car should be back together soon once I find sometime to give everything a very good cleaning (read not this weekend).
Flashback Friday
Just because I had this open today for a few discussions on the fanpage I am going to flashback (again) to a Theme Tuesday I did on unique local motorswaps.
Both Northstar swaps I posted on the fan page along with a few other things are in there.
I had to laugh to myself a little when I saw this van because I knew I had to post it, and I know some of you are going to think it doesn’t belong.
Truth is, though way before my time, 70 vans have always intrigued me. They are an interesting niche of car culture and from what I’ve been told ‘vanners’ are often far more interesting than the vans themselves.
This 71 Dodge Tradesman built by Ron Cambra was actually at SEMA in 2010 and had a feature in Truckin’ magazine.
The van has a ride tech system underneath it inclduing a 4 link rearPaint work was done by Steve Vandemon using House of Kolors paintTrue spoke wheels wrapped in Cooper Cobras.. I have not seen Cobras in awhileI wonder how those side pipes sound?The Octopus's Garden At Sema, my only gripe would be the headlight covers but I suppose it is period correct?
Whenever I see a low Mustang with stretched rubber I always wonder how the Mustang community reacts to it. I am going to go out on a limb and say that there are probably more against such treatment than for.
This just gives me more respect for those with Mustangs willing to go against the herd.
This 2007 is on 20×10.5 et30 wheels with 255/35 tires, low is provided by Megan coils which have brought it down 3 inches in the back and almost 4 up front.
Cleaned of all badging this is one sexy front endGlad to see the slightly raked stance carried over, evening out a Mustang might look a little weirdPlenty of clearance back there to still romp on the loud pedal"You can't tame these horses"
Lead Sleds are cars I wish I saw more of first hand, sure I’ve seen a scattered few at a few Street Classics events but I need more!
The fact that only certain cars take really well to this treatment makes them even harder to find.
Huge respect to the people still building these cars today, it shouldn’t have taken me so long to do this and I plan on making this one more than one part.
Local ride that sports a Lead Kings dragger plateA shot from a later event, hubcaps changed a bitSuper clean...Or rocking patina... take your pickMust find this one again...Lead KingsA re post from the no shine Theme TuesLove the very subtle use of pin striping on the raw metalSmooth as hell MercRestrained palette, sick results49ish Olds, I wouldn't like this car stock I don't thinkThat distinctive fool your eye reverse rake sled profileI love this, the roof sets it off without looking gaudy.. looks like it just rained almostMore incredible pin stripping on the trunk of this carWant to see more bad ass photos? Check out Brett Sloan's tumblrThis Caddy... the grill might not be for everyone but damnTalk about breaking necks..Can a drop be a sled? Guess so?Retina popping color choices working quite wellOne from Japan... I'm deep in the Japanese American car culture rabbit hole these daysThis is one of the longest and lowest cars I have ever seen... dually length status
I’d love to shoot a sled if anyone out there reading this in the GTA has one…
Also what is the difference between a Sled and a ‘Kustom’? I couldn’t really find a definitive answer.
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