Aaah….! Car season is finally upon us! I have been to several good shows already, and, the cruise nights have started up in earnest! I plan on attending many shows and cruises this year and maybe even entering a show or two with my rides.

Long Island boasts one of the hottest car scenes in the nation and almost every night of every week has something going on!

Check out the Cruise Night section below for locations…and don’t forget the EVENTS section of the website for daily listings!

On to business…

In my last Newsletter you read about the current state of prices in the hobby. It seems that most people are in agreement with what I wrote (except for guys who do it as a business, not out of love for the hobby) that collector prices have come down. That is good news for all us guys and gals who love the cars and don’t just see them as a way to enhance our portfolios or brag about how much they are worth. It is good news because it means they are a little more affordable and are getting closer to reality in price.

Again, I own several classics, and am very happy to see prices come down. Since I don’t plan on selling them, their value is only on paper and is virtually meaningless to me. And, on the other hand, in the future when I am looking to get a car or two for my sons, I might actually be able to afford it!

Call me crazy, call me out-of-touch (just don’t call me late for dinner), but lower price and value of these machines is wonderful!

All I have to do now is get a nice little house with a seven car garage and I’ll be happy.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1 Editor’s Introduction

2 Feedback

3 Puzzle Fill-In Contest

4 Cruise Night Information

5 Guest Writer’s Columns

Tom Sebastian

Lou Refano

Justin Appelbaum

Rich’s Tech Tips

My Car Story

6 The Archive

7 Editor’s Closing

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Feedback

Here is some of the latest feedback we have received from readers and site visitors. Thanks for writing to us, and keep your comments coming!

Thank you Long Island Classic Cars for keeping me sane in the winter with your excellent newsletter! I look forward to it always!

Alex Brelnick, Copiague, NY

Pete the new Web Page looks great. Thanks!!

Bill Penny

Good newsletter. I like the new homepage too!

Andy V.

You guys at LIClassicCars are doing a great job keeping us all informed about what’s going on. My friends and I all check your site every week and especially the show and cruise listings! Keep it up!

Tom Porcetti, Farmingdale, NY

Hey Pete! Love the new home page of the website! Bet it took a lot of design work! Do you charge much?

Rick Sarnitch

Pete,
Bravo on wishing a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukah etc, it all adds something personal to the season. We need this as people are too impersonal in general these days. Merry Christmas to you and your family, see you during the course of the new year's season...
Mark

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Long Island Classic Cars’

AUTOMOTIVE PICTURE CAPTION CONTEST

Submit your entry along with your name and e-mail address to: newsletter@liclassiccars.com

This contest is open to everyone! (LI Classic Cars.com paid personnel, regular column writers, and business advertisers are not eligible.)

Winners will be notified by e-mail and/or phone.

Please submit all entries by the 20th of the next month. (Ex: for Spring’s contest the entries are due by June 20th)

No substitutions of prizes will be allowed.

In the event of prize choices, winner will be given the opportunity to select the one they want.

All decisions are final and are made by the paid personnel of Long Island Classic Cars.com

Winners must claim their prizes within 30 days of contest end or forfeit the prize to the runner up.

If there are multiple correct entries on puzzle, matching, fill-in contests - winner will be randomly selected from all correct entries.

A few simple rules:

1) Think - be clever!

2) Keep it somewhat clean.

Here is this last month’s fill in contest answers: (No winner - but honorable mention to Dennis P. Ryan for coming close)

A) Who drove the AAR Cudas in the 1970 Trans Am series?

(Dan Gurney & Swede Savage)

B) What displacement options were available on 1969 Chevelle SS cars from the factory?

(396 cu in with either 325hp, 350hp, 375hp and the COPO 427/425hp approx 323 made)

C) Packard had a car named after a body of water. What was it?

(Carribean)

D) What is considered Ford Mustang’s “sister car” in another FoMoCo division?

(Cougar)

E) In what year did Jaguar introduce the D” Type?

(1954)

OK - Here is the picture for our Spring “Caption Cut-Up Contest”!!

Go to it! Send in your funniest, wittiest comments by 6/20/08 and win the prize!

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“EXTRA EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”

The Cruise Nights are all up and running up for the year! Here is the latest list!!

2008 Cruise Night location updates:

TUESDAYS: McDonald's. Metropolitan Ave. & 69^th Road, Forest Hills, NY.

Sponsored by East Coast Car Association/Toys For Tots

TUESDAYS: Audrey Ave. Oyster Bay, NY

Sponsored by Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce

TUESDAYS: Old Key Food Shopping Center. Dogwood Avenue. Franklin Square, NY

Public Gathering

WEDNESDAYS: KFC. William Floyd Pkwy & Montauk Hwy. Shirley, NY

Sponsored by Bow Tie Boulevard Camaro Club

WEDNESDAYS: Nathan's Famous. 3131 Long Beach Rd, Oceanside, NY

Public Gathering

WEDNESDAYS: Stop & Shop Center. Union Blvd, West Islip, NY

GRAHAM-PAIGE MOTORS, PART 1

by Louis Refano

(photos by the author)

For you loyal Long Island Classic Car newsletter readers, another stop on the “Independent’s Day” Trail, as we profile the exploits of the Graham Brothers, who made an indelible contribution to the advancement of motoring in America.

There were many hard-nosed, hard-working, industrious pioneers at the beginning of the 20th century who envisioned a great future for the American automobile. Not unlike the men who headed west during the California Gold Rush of the 1850’s, the automotive pioneers scrambled to cash in on what seemed like a limitless opportunity. What set the men apart from the boys in this “horseless carriage” adventure was the spirit of innovation and real-world engineering savvy possessed by a select few. The Graham brothers were successful businessmen, with interests in several industries. Their first business venture was in the manufacture of glass bottles. They showed inventiveness in this area by manufacturing the bottles upside down, which permitted molten glass to build up around the crown. The strengthening of the crown in turn made the bottle strong enough to use a cap instead of a cork. Their glass company eventually became part of the Owens Glass Co. (which later became Owens-Corning). Soon after, they turned their attention to building kits to modify Ford Model Ts and TTs into trucks. Eventually they would use Dodge Brothers engines, and soon the trucks were sold by Dodge dealers. The Grahams began operations in Evansville, Indiana, then opened plants in Detroit and Stockton, California. Production soared from 1,086 trucks in 1921 to over 37,000 in 1925, making Graham Brothers the largest exclusive truck manufacturers in the world. Dodge purchased the Graham Brothers truck firm in 1926, and the three Graham brothers took on executive positions at Dodge. In 1927, the banking syndicate controlling Dodge was attempting to sell the company; it wound up being acquired by Walter P. Chrysler in 1928 and folded into his new Chrysler Corporation. At that point, the Graham brothers decided to enter the automobile business on their own. In 1927, they purchased the Paige-Detroit Motor Company, makers of Paige and Jewett automobiles, for $4 million.

Brothers Joseph, Robert, and Ray Graham launched their Graham-Paige automobile in 1928 at the New York Auto Show. It was a lavish affair featuring world champion boxer Gene Tunney and Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne. The Graham-Paige set a rookie production record with a first-year tally of 73,195, exceeding the previous first-year mark set in 1926 by the new Pontiac, and bested by DeSoto in 1928.

The Graham Brothers’ vehicles, like the products produced by Walter P. Chrysler, developed a legacy of innovation. They were the first cars to offer “safety” glass as standard equipment, which was really a laminate sandwiched between two panes, to prevent shattered glass from intruding into the passenger area. This was not like modern-day safety glass; you still had the potential for large glass shards on impact instead of tiny pieces like tempered safety glass, but it was a vast improvement over competitors that utilized basic straight window glass. Graham-Paige was also one of the first manufacturers to offer hydraulic brakes all-around.

The Graham-Paige line in the late 1920’s-early ‘30’s was a medium-priced line of cars, comparable to Buick and Oldsmobile, and above the low-priced lines like Ford and Chevy. Like its competitors, G-P did offer a full lineup of models in several price ranges, including touring sedans, roadsters, phaetons, and limousines. For 1930 the model lineup consisted of, from highest-priced to lowest, Custom Eight 137, Custom Eight 127, Special Eight, Special Six, Standard Eight, Standard Six Deluxe, and Standard Six.

Like most small independent car manufacturers at that time, many parts were outsourced to independent parts companies; for example, generators and starters were made by Delco-Remy, a division of GM. The hydraulic brakes were supplied by Lockheed. Engines were made by Continental, and were built into the 1960’s (for use in forklifts and tractors), so parts availability on a car like this is not as big a challenge as you might think. Tune-up parts are still available: Rotors, distributor caps, points, spark plugs, etc., can be ordered from your local auto parts store. As far as body parts, there is interchangeability with Reo and Hupmobile; all three manufacturers used bodies supplied by Briggs & Stratton.

Ray Lignowski of Baldwin is the proud owner of the 1930 Graham-Paige three-window sedan you see here. He purchased the car seven years ago from a classic car junkyard in South Dakota. For the next few years he basically taught himself how to restore the car in his spare time. He bought a chrome-plating kit and redid the chrome knobs and door handles; he taught himself carpentry so he could redo the car’s structural wood, half of which was totally rotted away. Dealer-installed accessories on the car include the metal Trico ceiling fan at the upper right corner of the windshield, the clock in the rear-view mirror, and the interior heater core (2 speed switch on the dashboard). This car also features typical items of the period such as flower vases behind the rear quarter windows for a touch of class (pre-dating the VW New Beetle’s dashboard vase by six decades). A chrome robe rail was attached to the back of the front seats, for those cool breezy nights when your lady required a sweater or topcoat and the optional heater wasn’t quite strong enough to warm the rear compartment. Since most of these accessories were aftermarket and not offered by the factory, they are not brand-specific and just need to be appropriate for the era when doing a proper restoration. Another interior feature on this Graham is the chrome slots in the rear armrest that held cigarettes…an upscale 1930’s gentleman appreciated having a fresh smoke at his fingertips while cruising around on the town. A hanging roll curtain for the rear door window assured privacy. In short, this wasn’t so much a back seat as it was a private parlor. And remember, this was a medium-priced car in its day.

The dignified trim extended to the outside, with chrome headlight bezels topped with ornaments that matched the larger one on top of the chrome-plated radiator shell. This ornamentation was also used above the top center of the windshield, but is missing on this particular car.

The driver’s side door and the rear window are the original Graham safety glass. The inner half of the passenger quarter window is also original; the outer half fell out and shattered when the 75-plus-year-old laminate separated in the sun one particularly hot day.

Next time: The driving experience and more info on this wonderful Graham-Paige and the company post-1930, plus coverage of the 2008 GM Centennial Celebration in Flint, Michigan.

Sources: Millikan Motors, wikipedia.org, graham-paige.com, nada-guides.com

( Lou, thanks for the edification! Keep it coming!) Pete

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"Resto Turned Custom"

By Justin Appelbaum

The initial thought to own a vintage Corvette began just over a year ago for Bob Sands.

In fact it was at the Long Island Classic Car Show in November of 2006 that Bob saw a 1967 Corvette convertible that was painted dark green with a tan interior and fell in love. Bob offered the owner a generous figure but the owner declined. Once the show ended Bob could not get the thought of the convertible out of his mind, he had to have one. Numerous late nights searching the internet landed him at ProTeam Corvette’s web site. A specialist in the sale of vintage Corvettes, their site lists hundreds of vehicles that they have on hand and ready for sale. Already owning a 1971 Chevrolet C-10 Fleetside pick-up truck (see LIRIDES Vol 1. Issue #10) he decided that another 1971 was a good place to start. Sight unseen he purchased a 1971 Corvette convertible in red with a black interior and had it shipped directly from ProTeam Corvette to AutoMat Co. of Hicksville.

Initially the plan was to keep the Corvette the way it was and enjoy driving it, but as we all know plans rapidly change. The deviation from the original plan began slowly, changing the interior from black to tan, simple enough. Then the thought that the engine bay and color of red paint of the Corvette would not match the highly detailed versions of the C-10 if they were ever side by side. The thought that they should be side by side began to grow in Bob’s mind and thus the slippery slope of custom car building began. Quite quickly it was rather evident that this “driver car” was going to become a full-blown resto-mod. Caution was thrown to the wind and the bank was open for business.

Realizing that if the C-10 and the Corvette were going to be brothers then they were going to be identical ones. The Corvette was put on the lift and the engine and tranny were pulled, all unnecessary rolling items were removed and the interior was gutted. The Corvette was then sent to the body shop where it spent the next few weeks being stripped of its old body trim and paint. All necessary bodywork was preformed such as removing the factory installed rear luggage tray on the back deck, shaving off all the door locks and repairing the 30 odd years of body damage. The car was then shot in polyester, primed and then sent back to AutoMat where the rest of the car was completely disassembled.

The stock 350 cubic inch motor was not going to provide the kind of power that Bob was looking for so Ramp Chevrolet was contacted and a GM Performance ZZ383 crate engine with Vortec aluminum fast burn heads rated at 425 hp and 449 lb-ft torque was sourced. Initially a polished Edelbrock high-rise manifold and Holly Performance Carburetor was going to be bolted on top ZZ383, but after seeing a polished LT-1 fuel injection set up on another car, Bob realized that he had to have one. Street and Performance in Arkansas is known for their complete fuel injection kits and they had one ready for shipping once the call was made. With the core of the engine complete the rest of it had to be put together. A March Performance serpentine system was installed and the belt wrapped around a high output chrome water pump, a billet March Performance power steering pump and PowerMaster polished alternator, no A/C for this car, top down all the way. Billet Specialties accessories were sprinkled throughout the engine bay in the form of valve covers, breather valve, PCV valve, spark plug wire holders, and dipstick. A large capacity BeCool aluminum radiator with dual electric slim fans was mounted up front in the factory location, linked to the original spun aluminum overflow tank that was now polished to match the rest of the engine bay.

With the new fuel injection set-up, something that this Corvette never had needed to be added; a computer. The computer was mounted in a false foot well compartment on the passenger’s side.

The original transmission and clutch were not going to be strong enough to hold all of the ZZ383’s power being put through it so a new Rock Crusher unit from Auto Gear was purchased, along with a heavy duty clutch and pressure plate. An upgraded drive shaft connected to a rebuilt rear end from Corvettes Unlimited with 3.70 gears was hung out back along with beefed up axles.

No suspension conceived in the 1960’s was going to take what this new power plant was going to throw at it, so every piece of it was pulled out. Vette Brake & Products (VBP) was contacted and there Performance Plus Suspension System was purchased along with a Steeroids power steering rack. The VBP package completely replaces the entire factory suspension and includes their cross member reinforcing disc kit, poly differential mounting bushing, trailing arm bushings, poly adjustable smart struts, stainless steel shim kit, complete poly front end rebuild kit, Bilstein shocks, front and rear sway bars and MIG welded upper and lower control arms. This new system converts the front factory coilovers to a carbon mono leafspring set up that is fully adjustable for dampening as well as height. The rear traditional metal leafspring is replaced with a carbon mono leafspring, which is also fully adjustable. This system sheds much unwanted weight off the front and rear of the vehicle. Offset rear control arms were also installed to provide more clearance and allow for wider wheels and tires.

How does one expect to stop a vehicle that now has twice the power that it was delivered with and can handle better then a majority of new vehicles on the road today? Simple, you upgrade the system to a Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (SSBC) six piston Force 10 aluminum big brake kit. This kit includes four custom powder coated red calipers, 4 vented and slotted rotors, braided stainless steel brake lines at all four corners and a polished billet master cylinder. This is an extremely comprehensive kit and with all new hard lines installed, it will bring any car to a halt in no time at all.

No off the shelf exhaust system would do for this Corvette so a quick call to Kooks Kustom Headers in Bayshore, solved any and all issues. The Corvette was flat bedded over to them and they built a full custom mandrel bent system starting with the headers and ending at the stock rectangle exhaust tips. The Corvette now has a deep rumble at idle and screams under wide-open throttle. The addition of this exhaust system in conjunction with the LT-1 fuel injection should place the horsepower rating somewhere near the 500 mark, and torque even higher!!!

Now that the majority of the mechanical work has been completed, the Corvette head back to the body shop to be blocked out and painted. Like the C-10 the Corvette was going to be sprayed in traditional Porsche Guards Red, multiple layers of it. With the car painted and cleared, it was wet sanded and polished to bring out the luster and all new hard parts, like bumpers lights and trim, were put back onto the car. A completed engine, suspension, brakes and paint in place, meant attention was now turned to the interior.

The plan was set to match the interior of the C-10, which was done in tan vinyl with red piping accents, except on this Corvette vinyl would not do so leather would be the choice material. Every piece of the interior needed to be changed, Corvette America was contacted and they created a custom one-off shade of tan that would match the C-10 exactly. Fresh carpets, door panels, dashboard components, center console and luggage area components were created. The seats were stripped down to the bare frames, the springs were restored, new foam was added with extra bolstering and custom tan leather seat covers were made from scratch with red accent piping. All new chrome trim and hardware was then installed on the seats to complete them.

With the Corvette completely gutted now was the time to replace all the old wiring that was now shot or had been molested over the life of the car. Plus all of the factory gauges were being replaced with aftermarket AutoMeter Antique style units; so much of the interior would have to be rewired anyway. Vacuum leaks were a large problem in Corvettes no matter what year so at this time the entire vacuum system was overhauled and all of the rubber tubing was replaced as well.

The rest of the interior was loaded with custom touches as well. Red piping was added to the door panels around the inserts, as well as a stripe along the leading edge of the dashboard, a red stripe was painted around the gauge bezels, the e-brake handle surround was padded, covered in leather and top stitched, the rear quarter panels were also padded and covered, and l.e.d. turn signal and bright headlamp indicators were mounted on the dash.

Seeing as the car is a convertible, the top is another part that needed a restoration. The frame was stripped and removed from the car, any necessary repair work was performed. It was then sandblasted and powder coated a fresh shade of black. New hardware was put on and it was reinstalled back onto the car. Once adjusted it was skinned in a new tan canvas top. New weather stripping was installed onto the frame as well as the rest of the car, sealing it up from nature’s elements.

The stereo system was kept to a minimum seeing as with the top down, the wind in your ears and the blaring exhaust tone, who could hear the music anyway. A Custom Auto Sounds radio was installed in the factory location and 3 1/2in Infinity speakers were mounted in the dash. Never having come with rear speakers, adding them is a very common practice. A single box housing two Infinity 6x9in speakers was constructed and wrapped to match the rest of the interior and mounted in the storage area.

The only thing left to do was change those nasty old traditional rally wheels for some fresh billet. So once again Billet Specialties was contacted and a custom set of highly polished 18x8in and 18x10in Rat Tail wheels were constructed for the front and rear. Bob even took them a step farther are had the backsides of the barrels polished for extra gleam. The piece de resistance was a matching Billet Specialties Rat Tail steering wheel. This was the first completed one in the country truly setting this Corvette resto-mod apart from the rest.

This Corvette debuted at this year’s Long Island Custom Car Show and was extremely well received. In fact the car took first place in its class. From conception to completion took just under 10 months, an amazing feat for any shop to accomplish. Many exceptional offers were made to purchase the car at the show but Bob was not in a selling mood.

No expense was spared in the construction of this project and Bob would like to thank all of those involved:

AutoMat Co. Hicksville, NY

Cavalier Auto Body, Huntington Station, NY

Champion Motor Group, Jericho, NY

The Entire Sands Family

(WOW! A dramatic change from a stock Vette to this custom beauty!) Pete

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RICH’S TECH TIPS

By Rich Fiore

5,4,3,2,1 DUST OFF !!!!!!!!!

Well the temp's are warming up nicely and it appears we are finally getting a well deserved Spring in April. People are dusting off their rides and booking down to the local Cruise nights. Hopefully most of us continued to cruise a bit during the winter when there were very little traces of snow or salt on the roads. Boys and girls - ‘ya gotcha keep yer oil and coolant in the right places and keep those seals from drying out. So lets look at some of the basics to be attended to for dust off this Spring, and maybe some of the inspection/maintenance items we have been putting off for so long.

The oil change. Ahh yes the good Ole lube job as it was called. Most think its just engine oil, but it is much more. To start off - an oil change should always be done when the engine is hot. Reason being dirt is in suspension at this point ... plus you get a chance to burn your fingers since you were too lazy to get your rubber gloves. So warm it up with a nice little joy ride. While your draining the oil it becomes that same old story of " while I'm at it ". Since the front wheels are off the ground its a good time to inspect the front end before breaking out the grease gun. Give the tie rod ends, center link idler and Pitman arm a good shake and look for freeplay. Also shake the front wheels and check for steering and bearing freeplay. Its not a bad idea to also check the ball joints for wear. Obviously replace all worn parts and have the front end re-aligned.

While the wheels are up its also a good time to check the front brake shoes/pads. Also check for fluid leakage. Check all rubber and steel lines. If all is ok ....and your ambitious, it's time to flush out that old brake fluid and even think about changing over to silicone. If replacing brakes, it is time to repack the wheel bearings and replace seals.

Its also important to do some other fluid inspections there. Jack the rear of the car up and inspect the gear oil level in the rear. If you have a four speed you may as well check the gearbox. Make sure the car is level.

Since the car is up and there is no torsional load on the driveshaft, its a very good time to give the driveshaft a good shake at each U Joint and look for freeplay. Also look at that transmission mount for play. Replace any U-joint or mount with movement. Often overlooked on the Mopars are the rear axle bearings. These must be repacked with grease like the fronts. If you haven't done it ( as Arnold would say ) " Do It, Do It Now !!! Rear bearing failure on the road is no freakin’ picnic . You may as well check the rear brakes just like you did the fronts.

Working your way forward to reinstall your oil drain plug ( remember that part ? ) , its a good idea to give a quick look for leaks from the oil pan gasket, radiator and its hoses, power steering gear box and hoses, the water pump weep hole, freezeout plugs and automatic transmission lines if so equipped. If you haven't replaced the coolant in the last 2 years now is a great time.

After you have filled and installed your oil filter and you are up top putting your motor oil in, its time to check things like coolant, power steering, brake fluid and battery levels. Don't forget the Auto Trans fluid ( if equipped ) when you lower the car later. Lets not forget about those old wiper blades you have been meaning to replace. It’s a good idea to flip on the headlights and look at all bulbs including those reverse lights. Pop the trunk and check the spare tire pressure and make sure your small floor jack works.

( You will burn in the fiery depths of hell if you are caught jacking up you classic ride with the factory bumper jack ).

Make sure you have a board for the floor jack ( locating it's handle is helpful too ) and a nice 4 way lug wrench. If you have wheel locks, make sure you know where the key is.

As far as cosmetic stuff goes, get to ground zero on that paint with a good dish detergent like Dawn. If need be compound and definitely wax your ride with a good wax. I always like to air out the car and let the sun hit the carpets to totally dry things out a bit after the long winter.

So that's about it for making you ride dependable, comfortable and pretty. Lets kick the tire and light the fire and try and keep it under 90. Gas is way too expensive !!!

Quick and Dirty: If you haven't done a tune - up in a while, when was the last time you slapped a dwell meter on your car and checked for wear in those points ?

(Well Rich, I thought I was just going to start it up and go. Now you guilted me into doing all this!) Pete

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My Car Story

Rob Hendershott: 2008 Viper SRT-10

. Having a cool and fast car is something I like and I have several of them. However, the Viper is above and beyond anything else I have ever seen or rode in! I have a ’49 Ford Pickup that is a hot rod custom – cool car. I also have a ’29 T-bucket that is wild, and an ’87 Dodge Daytona with full tube chassis and a 440 cube Hemi that powers it! I like speed! Next up would be the Viper SRT-10 in all its rumbling, menacing glory!

When I started shopping I found out just how difficult it would be to get one in the new SnakeSkin Green that just came out. The color is limited in availability and it is estimated at about 13% of ’08 Viper production. That translates into about thirty five of them! After seeing that color nothing else would do so my search began. After going to several dealers and making many phone calls, a salesman at Riverhead Dodge informed me that one was coming in! I was excited but quickly became deflated when he told me it was sold already. It was an ordered car for the dealer’s brother in law. I offered him 5k over the sticker, but he said he had to see if the fellow was going to take it first. To my delight, I got a phone call two weeks later saying that the guy did indeed back out1 I hurried over and bought the Viper!.

This car has the black stripes, which alone were about a 3K option. It also has factory NAV and a few other things that the guy didn’t want to pay for. That is why he backed out. His loss, my gain! Base price was 89K, add the options, 5K “premium” to get it, and the tax , and the whole party came to just north of 100K Since taking delivery I had a set of MHT aluminum rims installed with Pirelli P3 tires.19 x 275/30 up front with 20 x 345/25 in the back. These things are meaty and thick with tons of grip!

I have to tell you, this car is serious. It is a violent car, especially in 1^st and 2^nd gears! If you are not experienced and careful, you will get sideways in a fraction of a second! This thing incinerated the stock tires. The new Pirellis not only grip better but help the launch as well. And with 600 horse and 560 lb/ft of torque, launch happens in a blistering 0-60 of 3.7 seconds!! The car has a 6-speed and should top out well over 200 mph. Dodge does not restrict it. This thing will beat NASCAR puppies! It is a “freakin’ jet!” Gotta be just about the fastest stock thing on the street! The car is raucous and not for the faint of heart!

I am planning to take it to the next level in the future. Add a twin-turbo setup, custom exhaust, remap the computer, and whatever else it takes to push it to about 1,000 hp. In addition to this article, the car was also just featured in Full Throttle magazine.

(SHAZZAM!! What a stunner in the looks dept with the muscle to back it up!) Pete

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Pete Giordano

Editor

Long Island Classic Cars.com

www.liclassiccars.com

[1]No, I take that back: the 2^nd quirkiest car company in Asia. No car company is weirder than Suzuki.

[2] Good thing he paid them no heed: The Subaru mix was a bust, but the Saab brand is still here! Quirky-Shmerky! No money, no company!