Hot Rods Hot Rod Sports Cars

Any info?

 

We did a lot with "throw-away" sports cars years ago in the LAX area. My Dad taught me about power-to-weight ratios and I spread the message. At around 18, my neighbor Mike and I put a 327/4spd in a 1960 Alfa Giulietta. No, it didn't really fit. The valve covers were visible over the tops of the front fenders. He street raced it a bunch. Ran once at Lions and they tossed him out, said come back when you get a roll bar. It ran low 12's.
Our crowd also had an MGA with a 283/4spd (Mark) and an Arnolt with a 283 and a PG (Jim).
I put a 327/TH400 in my '65 MGB and it made the Feb '72 issue of Popular Hot Rodding. My GF and I took it to the Grand Canyon on vacation and I bracket raced it at Lion's on J.C.Penney cheater slicks quite a bit. It ran low 12's but was too inconsistent on those little tires to be successful. Later I built a '54 Healey BN1 with an LT-1 and a 4spd. That motor went 10.30s in my buddies Anglia before I stuck it in the Healey for the street. The Healey was cool but it succumbed to my second divorce.
The last one I did was a 1962 Jaguar Mk II saloon that I stuck a 350 sbc and a TH400 in. Sold that one for a down payment on my 1st house. I have pictures somewhere, but most are prints and slides.
Those cars were cheap and small, add a Chevy motor and they were a blast to drive. Not cheap any more, still a blast.

 

A few years back I owned a rare Honda S600 that someone had stuffed a Chevy V8 into back in the 70s. Very poorly done. Had a rather ill fitting Chevy rear axle welded in too. Wanted to do something interesting with it but ended selling it as a parts car.

 

No I don't have any info but it was good for a bump and maybe someone else knows something about it.

 

Does this count? Guy Maybee Drilling Special, from Texas, Chrysler engine by Ray Brown. From Midland, TX, Bonneville, around '55. Notice what is pushing it, back to Special Ed's post...

 

Heres one that showed up last week, a '54 Nash-Healey. I'll do frame off, SBF and 9" rear because the original stuff has been butchered out and M2 front clip cobbled onto it. No, that isn't the proper grille and that IH front bumper isn't staying.

 

I've seen a few Datsun 240 Z cars with SBC in them; my uncle had one years ago that he almost did the V8 conversion in until he found a '69 Z/28 Camaro.
I was stationed with a guy in the Air Force who had a '68 MG (one of the inline-six cars) that he swapped a 327 into; even machined his own adapter to mate it to the electric overdrive MG four speed. It was a beautiful swap when he got done with it.

 

How fucking cool is this? Just flip her upside down to plumb the brakes. Right on . . .

 

Here is one from another thread , the car has been found.

 

This MG belongs to a good friend of mine. He's just finishing up a major rebuild on it. He bought this a few decades ago when we were just kids and we drove it around with the original 4 banger w/ side draft webers on it for a few years, until he started the first hot rodded version, with Corvette IFS and IRS, 327 and Doug Nash 5 speed. Now it's got a blown 350 w/ Tremec 5 speed.

 

Wonder what ever became of LC Kirby and his Cad powered Bandini sports car?

 

This car still exists today. I forget all the particulars on it, but I will get them from one of my best friends who was hanging around the shop the car was built in60-65 years ago.

 

A friend of mine built this 1960 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite with a Pontiac 389 engine back in 1970

 

Recognized the photo and did a search--apparently it's a Boeing turbine-engined '55 Tbird.
http://phscollectorcarworld.blogspot.ca/2015/10/experimental-wonders-1955-ford-turbine.html

 

No pictures (my bad) but maybe "Baron" can provide back-up on this one.
A few years ago at NE Dragway, a bright red Volvo P-1800 ES wagon showed up, only time I've ever seen the car. I think it was done up as an altered ?? Beautiful car, with excellent craftsmanship in the build. I never got to see it run- I think the tech guys told them "no go" for some reason .Came from Conn. (??); long drive for nothing, but a pisser car.

 

Amazing! Thanks!

 

My guess that it was put [Bandini wise] back to stock, hopefully the body wasn't scrapped..

 

I hadn't even considered that possibility.
Apparently there were only 75ish made and there seems to be a bit of a community of enthusiasts for them.
I bet you're right!
Too bad. I like it with the Caddy mill and the blower!

 

Hey Mike. I didn't see it, but this has to be this one. Looks like he ran it on this day.

 

Yup, that's it!! Thanks for the help , Baron!
(judging by the position of the front wheels, it ran pretty well!!)

 

There was a Sprite in Santa Clara in '60, 283/P.G., narrowed '50 Ford rear. Still had the 12" wheels!
Willy Pettitt built it, 'twas a Tire smokin' wonder!

 

From HEMI32's great thread The 1958 NHRA Nationals:
First, a Healey with a '57 Buick motor, then an Allard with a '54 Cadillac mill.

 

Not coming along as quickly as I'd like, but hopefully by spring . . .



And I came up with a decent graphic . . . The Frankensprite . . .



I was hoping to not have to cut the hood for clearance, to no avail, but I did find an early T-bird style hood scoop that seems to work with the period look . . .

 

^ Be careful what you whish for. A fellow I knew while I was in college put a 327 in a Bugeye, ICW flared fenders and wide wheels / tires. By the time he was done the car looked "square" - the track and wheelbase looked like they had the same measurements! And whenever he got on the gas, the car just did 360s. It was, literally, un-drivable. Gary

 

Wonder if this is the "Cheata" built in Stamford, Ct, and featured in Hot Rod back in the day. If so it is restored and ran in VSCCA events at Lime Rock. Bob

 

Me likey. Gary

 

SURE does. Gary

 

I was caretaker for The US Mule II for a while, sold it to a guy in Oregon or Washington. Blown 392 HEMI in a 1950 MG-TD, won AA/MSP at the US Nationals in 1965. Bob