This soon to be FIA race car will be wearing an Healey hardtop and side curtains. The Speedwell door handles added to these doors will make getting the doors open during a race a lot quicker and easier.
Category Archives: Restoration
Competition Sebring
Thanks to everyone who stopped by yesterday for our competition Austin Healey Sprite event with the Iowa British Car Club.
1951 Willys M38 Update
With the chassis restored and a brand new engine built from NOS block and parts it was time to tackle a fuel tank relocation. Early Jeep drivers had to sit on top of the gas tank but with the installment of a CJ7 tank in the rear we were able to free up the space used by the original fuel tank for other things.
Before: 1966 Ford Anglia 105E
The Anglia 105E built from 1959 to 1968 was the third and last version of the famous Anglia nameplate. The 105E was powered by a 997 cc engine which was actually smaller but more powerful than the 1172 cc engine that powered the previous model.
Before: 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
Never dig into the body of a 45 year old car unless you are willing to fix the horrors it may expose. A small amount of rust or a repaint can’t hide the true degraded condition of what lies beneath.
After: 1959 Porsche 356 A Convertible D
The key differences between the Speedster and the Convertible D are the windscreen, rear window, rear cowl, side windows, door pockets, seats, convertible top and boot, and badging.
Restoration Failure
This 1966 MG MGB has less than 100 miles since restoration at another shop, which incidentally is no longer is around. The rod bearings were completely worn out, the timing chain tensioner had never been engaged, and camshaft key was almost completely sheared off. Now machined properly and back together the owner can finally enjoy their family heirloom.
Before: 1970 Chevrolet Corvette
Wait for a huge transformation including color for this Corvette.
After: 1957 Lloyd LP-600 Alexander
The father of the Lloyd was Carl Borgward, one of Germany’s more ambitious automotive entrepreneurs. His company now known as the Borgward Group produced cars of four brands, which were sold to a diversified international customer base: Borgward, Hansa, Goliath and Lloyd.
Before: 1961 Jeep FC-170
The Forward Control Jeeps were built by Willys Motors and featured engineering that was based on the CJ-5. The FC-170 model had a six cylinder Super Hurricane engine and a longer nine foot bed.
Before: 1957 Lloyd LP-600 Alexander
The Lloyd Alexander featuring a four-speed gear-box was offered, in parallel with the Lloyd 600, between 1957 and 1961. One difference visible from the outside was that the Lloyd Alexander included an opening hatch into the rear luggage locker, whereas drivers of the Lloyd 600 had to reach behind the rear seat in order to access the luggage locker.
Before: 1972 BMW 2002
This shortened design of BMW’s New Class Sedans has become a cult classic and is still as well regarded as when it was released. This example has sat dormant in the state of Hawaii until it was brought to mainland and is now starting a restoration.
After: 1974 Ford Bronco
A lot of work went into this truck, from dropping for drivers floor for more headroom to cleaning up the interior, roll bar and paint. A very loud waterproof speaker system in the rear finished off this fun summer ride.
After: 1960 Austin Healey 3000
The two seater BN7 is a beautiful car compared to the four seat BT7 and leaving the original bumpers off accentuates the great body lines.
Before: 1959 International B100
The International B-Series was the first of the series to feature V8 engines as an option, either 304 ci or 345 ci.
Before: 1951 Willys M38
The M38 windshield could be folded flat for firing and the body was equipped with a pintle hook for towing and lifting shackles front and rear.
Old Body Meet New Body
With the old body to the 1952 Willys M38A1 sitting in the background the Willys is starting to look like a completed truck.
Rebodied: 1952 Willys M38A1
The new body being lowered onto the restored frame. The M38A1 was the first vehicle to feature the round fender design that would later become the distinguishing body style of the CJ-5.
Aircoolness
What is cooler than an air-cooled Porsche 356! Seeing the freshly rebuilt original numbers matching engine going back into the 1959 Porsche 356 A 1600 Convertible D by Drauz is very cool. It is a 1,582 cc OHV air-cooled horizontally opposed four-cylinder 1600S engine with dual Solex carburetors.
Before: 1970 Kaiser Jeep CJ5
Kaiser Jeep was sold to AMC in 1970 marking the beginning of the end for the old Jeeps. The CJ5 was sold in America as either a Willys or a Jeep and overseas as the Ford Jeep in Brazil, the Jeep Shahbaz in Iran, and the Shinjin Jeep in South Korea. Watch for this CJ5 to make a huge transformation from it’s current state.
