The Art of the Sleeper...

[Jive-Bomber]

Not sure if this 2011 video has been posted before, but "Icons & Derelicts" features the work of Icon CEO Jonathan Ward, as he walks through the extensive efforts his shop went through to maintain a old timey/ stock appearance to customers "derelict"...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

[Lone Star Mopar]

Ryan posted this on the JJ awhile back, a shit storm quickly ensued.

[hd4unm]

I like it. A trend being seen more and more over the last 4-5 years and it seems to have staying power. Hi-Tech rats without the flat black.

[mrconcdid]

WE can't talk about or post pictures of the ICON cars here.

Godspeed
MrC.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...ight=derelicts
Ryans post about it.

[porknbeaner]

Originally Posted by Lone Star Mopar

Ryan posted this on the JJ awhile back, a shit storm quickly ensued.

No need for a shit storm.

I like a real sleeper, I don't do them all ultra modern but there is no reason why someone else cannot do them that way.

[moefuzz]

.



I always thought these made good sleepers but I am partial...






































.

[hd4unm]

Yah it is until you see the badges and hear that wonderful rumble of a big block. Nice one!

[A32Flathead]

I like the Chevy a lot

[rare32]

I saw the chevy at SEMA last year....I like the idea for sure

I just read through the old thread also, I have a foot in both camps.

I like old cars that I can tinker with, change things out, fix myself etc.

but I'd like an classic car that I dont have to play with all the time so I can keep tinkering with the ones I want to.

Over the years I've swapped from old dailys to new dailys mainly when I get time poor and I feel I'm spending too much time on the daily, and not enough time on my real interests.

I just bought a 59 chevy sedan delivery and the Icon style route is most likely where I'll head, ls motor, 4 speed auto, air and steer.

It's wont be a HAMB friendly car but it will be better than driving the new Ford I am now

I still have my 270 hemi powered 32, a 235 powered roadster and a few more ideas to flesh out with stuff kicking around

[truckjim]

I always called it hot rodding. Taking old and making it "better". Never had the money or desire to make it pretty. Just like making them faster, handle and stop. If I had the money probably would change nothing. Having too much fun doing it myself.

[belair]

I like 'em, but I feel guilty about it.

[NONAME]

Sleeper is history. Who are you going to fool? Back when every stop sign was a drag race, sleepers were cool. Now there are street bikes that will run in the 9's and turbo'd shit boxes in the 12's. There is really no place for sleeper to strut there stuff

[49ratfink]

both those cars would be better with paint and chrome.

[dt50chev]

I personally like these cars. I find it ironic when some will complain about not keeping old cars traditional while daily driving a modern vehicle. Sometimes a compromise would be better, a modernized older car. Isn't that where the roots of hot rodding and cusomizing lay? Transplanting a more modern engine to go faster, juice brakes to stop better, a grille, lighting or fender treatment to update the looks of the car? To each his own.

[Pro Stock John]

I think it's cool that someone does that stuff, but when I see that they make a modern chassis for the cars I'm assuming they go for $80-100K.

I like shiny old cool cars so I'll still to that stuff.

[Tim]

On one side I'd rather they be painted and finished, but then they'd be exactly like all the other street rods parked next to them at the good guys show.

[slowmotion]

Way back, a sleeper was about as cool as it got. But those big Fords sportin' the 427 badging were a dead givaway as to some serious ass-kickin' HP within.

[GassersGarage]

I once saw a '65 Chevy Biscayne with the "drag pack option", 396 with a 4 speed. I was hooked then but an original was going for $65K. I found this car in San Diego and brought her home. 283 and a 3 speed. I dropped in a 500 hp 454, Richmond 6 speed, disc brakes and Hotckis suspension. I used the interior from a '66, since '66 had a two tone. I took the factory am radio out and replaced it with gauges.

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by Tim

On one side I'd rather they be painted and finished, but then they'd be exactly like all the other street rods parked next to them at the good guys show.

Tim...your old ford sedan would be absolutely perfect to build as a sleeper. A smooth idling turbo'd late model v/8 in it with a 6 speed or a modern overdrive automatic...yeah, man!
We have a local dude here with a pale yellow 78-79 fairmont...runs low 6s at the local 1/8th mile with a turbo'd 5.3 LS motor. Guy says he's gonna wash the car some day. Looks totally original except a little wider rear tire. I love sleepers.
Tim's old 46 ford sedan..........

[metalshapes]

I'm not sure those are sleepers.

A car guy will notice the lowered stance and non stock wheels right away.

And people the are not into cars think that anything that old has a huge V8 anyway.


A real sleeper would be some 4Dr from the smog era, with a couple of body panels in different colors, because they got replaced with slightly better junkyard parts.
Sitting on 3 different brands of bias ply tires, stock stance.
( no rare aligator skin seats or NOS headliner material either...)


Now make that handle and perform like a modern supercar, and you've got something...