MODIFIED FOR FUN: Six Picks for Street and Show
March 9, 2017
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by independent automotive journalist Steve Magnante
This 1941 Custom Willys known as “Swoopster” is among the cool customs crossing the block at the 2017 Palm Beach Auction.
The great thing about the world of collector and special-interest cars is the fact there’s something for everybody. Whether you’re into 100-point factory stock restorations, well-preserved survivors, or hand-built, one-of-a-kind customs, you’ll find a car to love at Barrett-Jackson.
Here we present a “six-pack” of automotive ingenuity, craftsmanship and excitement. Free from the bounds that tie the restorer’s hands, these American favorites have been reimagined by their builders for superior performance and enhanced roadability.
This 1955 Chevrolet 210 Custom Hardtop is headed to the Palm Beach auction block.
Before the pony car entered the hot-rodding scene, the pre-WWII Willys and 1955 Chevy were some of the most popular platforms with hot-rodders and customizers. Representing this slice of the spectrum, the Swoopster 1941 Willys fiberglass coupe was built by Dennis Taylor Reproductions and features a removable hardtop, something Willys never offered on the original Americar. The Swoopster rides on a custom frame with chromed Air Ride suspension, Aldan coilover shock absorbers, 4-wheel disc brakes and a 3.89-geared Ford 9-inch. Power comes from a 350ci Street and Performance LS1 small block backed by a 4L60E automatic overdrive transmission.
Body modifications on the Swoopster Willys include a rotating rear license plate, flush-mounted tail lamps, MINI Cooper headlamps, streamlined body lines and Lamborghini Yellow paint. Inside, leather, suede and ostrich surfaces with a 24-inch LCD screen for the onboard DVD player and a full complement of gauges to monitor the LS1 under the hood. Massive 18×7/22×10 front and rear wheels from Billet Specialties bring Swoopster into the 21st century. Swoopster has been praised with awards and recognition from Goodguys, NSRA, Super Chevy, ESPN2 and DUBS.
Many special touches make this 1967 Ford Mustang Custom Fastback stand out from the crowd.
The 1955 Chevrolet effectively relaunched GM’s volume leading division and – with its available small-block 265 V8 – attracted young buyers like no Chevy before it. In the case of the sleek black 1955 210 sedan offered here, few examples of the breed have such a menacing stance. Tucked behind the stock rear wheel arches are a set of huge Pirelli tires mounted on custom-spec Boyd Coddington wheels. Thanks to a narrowed Chevy 12-bolt axle with 3.73 gears, 4-link rear suspension and powder-coated custom frame; it looks stable but also ready to pounce.
A traditional 355ci small block Chevy with Edelbrock aluminum heads and carburetor, ceramic-coated headers and serpentine accessory belt drive deliver about 400 horsepower. And boosting its value as a true driver’s car, a Tremec 5-speed overdrive manual transmission handles gear changes via a heavy-duty Ram clutch package. A large Be Cool aluminum radiator helps assure safe running in all traffic conditions, while a Vintage Air system keeps occupants in the plush cabin cool. With its glass-smooth black paint and contrasting red interior, this is one “shoebox” Chevy with lots of subtle attitude.
Moving into the pony car realm, let’s discuss two Mustangs first. After all, Ford launched the pony car trend in late 1964, setting the stage for Chevy’s response (the Camaro) in 1967. Starting life as a 6-cylinder 1967 model, the sleek red fastback on offer in Palm Beach has come a long way since it rolled off the San Jose, CA, plant half a century ago. Body modifications to this rust-free California native include flared wheel openings, extended rocker panels, reconfigured B-pillars, shaved door handles and fiberglass front fenders, with an R-model Shelby-inspired central air duct. Added touches include a custom tubular grille by Mike Markovich, and a redesigned tail panel using modern Mustang LED lighting for a unique blend of retro and modern.
Completed in the popular Eleanor/GT500 theme, this 1968 Ford Mustang Custom Fastback is ready for Florida.
Inside, a total redesign of the bucket-seat interior features a color-keyed console and dash face matched to the bright red exterior paint. Supple tan leather seats, steering wheel grip and door panels – covered in soft leather – bring a modern elegance to the cockpit. And a far cry from the original AM push-button radio, the Kenwood double-DIN touchscreen computer-controlled sound system features a 6.95-inch-wide VGA color LCD display with LED backlight.
Under the custom domed hood, a 450 horsepower Aldridge Motorsports 351 Windsor provides nearly four times the power of the original 200ci 6-cylinder. It’s backed by a 6-speed manual transmission and McLeod clutch. Suspension upgrades include Total Control rack & pinion steering with custom A-arms and Varishock coilover shocks for an adjustable ride height and stance. Staggered-size, seven-spoke Boze billet aluminum rims deliver just the right look.
The second Mustang in this roundup is a 1968 fastback done in the extremely popular Eleanor/GT500 theme. Born with the one-year J-code 302 4-barrel, this charcoal gray pony has been upgraded with 428 Cobra Jet power, backed by a Toploader 4-speed manual transmission. Packing all the great features made famous in the blockbuster Nicholas Cage movie, it’ll turn heads on every cruise. Also featuring power front disc brakes, functional side-exit exhaust, 17-inch rims, a Shelby steering wheel, aggressive grille-mounted driving lights and sequential Cougar taillamps, this Mustang has all the right stuff.
This brilliant blue 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Custom Coupe is the fruit of a six-year build process.
After watching Ford sell nearly 1.3 million 1965-66 Mustangs, Chevrolet countered with the Camaro in 1967. The vivid blue 1968 Camaro featured here is a great example of what a Pro-Touring car can be. With its 500-horsepower electronic fuel-injected Chevrolet Performance LS7, updated multi-link suspension, big Stainless Steel Brake Corporation discs and sticky rubber, it’s built to accelerate, corner and stop in equal measure.
Though never a chrome-laden showboat, Camaros did have bright bumpers, window trim, emblems, roof drip moldings and door handles. To achieve a sleek, less-is-more effect, all chrome has been eliminated, right down to the door handles – which are now flush-fitting. The metalwork required to hide the resulting gaps does so in plain sight, giving this Pro-Touring beauty a unique all-business look.
The fruit of a six-year build process, time was taken to refinish the interior with subtle, tasteful suede accentuated with brushed stainless trim and Ford GT inspired vent loops in the seats and console base. And under that console, the novel combination of a 4L65E 4-speed automatic transmission and Gear Vendors overdrive unit results in the potential for eight forward speeds and a 170-plus mph top speed. If you’re a fan of tasteful subtle first-generation Camaros, this one is for you.
A Pro-Touring build with some old-school twists, this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Custom Coupe is ready for auction.
Moving up one year to the 1969 model run, the black Camaro featured is another example of a Pro-Touring build, but with some old-school twists. Fans of the burly Chevy big block will like its 496ci, carbureted “rat” motor. With 650 horsepower and light aluminum cylinder heads, it defines the word torque but isn’t nose-heavy like an all-iron big block. Rocket Muscle Cars built its tube-steel headers and also fabricated the multi-link rear suspension and mini-tubs to accommodate the huge tires and American Racing wheels.
A Tremec 6-speed manual transmission feeds a fortified Ford 9-inch rear axle with 4.11 gears. Stopping power is stunning, with 14-inch, 6-piston discs up front and 12-inch, 4-piston calipers out back. All brake components are by Wilwood. Inside, fresh reproduction seat covers, door panels, carpeting and instrument panel revive the stock look with modern upgrades like air conditioning, an Ididit tilt steering column and digital gauges for added function and convenience. No all-show cruiser, this sleek black ’69 has been road-tested for nearly 2,500 miles and is ready to take its place in your garage.
This six-car roundup of modified vehicles is just a small slice of the pie. Surely, you’ll find the car of your dreams at Barrett-Jackson.
For up-to-date information on these and other vehicles on the Palm Beach docket, click HERE.