Latest news with #AutotopiaLA
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This ‘49 Ford Is Really A Bimmer
Read the full story on Backfire News While it's obvious this '49 Ford Shoebox has been modified, few would expect that under the skin it's really a 2008 BMW 335i. After all, the guy who built this car claims it's the first of its kind and we believe him. This is a crazy project, just the kind we love the would build such a car? A shop called Maniacs Garage, of course. More of a side project than a professional outfit, they stated off with the Ford which had been partially chopped a couple of decades before, but never was finished. Maniacs knew the plan was to swap the '49's body onto a more modern, potent vehicle. When a friend crashed his BMW 335i, they made a move, buying the German coupe off the insurance company, then hacking it apart before dropping the Ford's body onto it. Of course, the fit wasn't perfect but some things worked in the Maniacs' favor. As you can see from the video chronicling the build's progress, everyone had a lot of fun with figuring things out. That always made a tedious project far more enjoyable. What most people have seen is the finished product, which might not look like much to the untrained eye. But we know these guys put in a lot of sweat, blood, and tears into this build. Of course, these guys didn't just leave the E92 BMW completely stock, as you can clearly see with the rather large turbo protruding above the hood. They ditched the small factory snails, replacing them with the beast 62mm Garrett that's both oil and water cooled. Plus, the exhaust exits out of the back of the turbo assembly, adding to the industrial vibe of this build. If you watch the Autotopia LA walkthrough, you get a good rundown on the build details, plus you get to see this ride in action – it's a hoot. But Ford fans aren't going to like this build one bit. Images via Autotopia LA/YouTube
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
1949 Willys Pickup Pushed To The Extreme
Read the full story on Backfire News There are some builds out there that are mind blowing, like this 1949 Willys Pickup that's really an off-road racer wearing some vintage skin. It's the product of an experienced, accomplished shop hired by a client who essentially wrote a blank check, showing that with plenty of cash all kinds of crazy things can be of the few stipulations the client gave to RJ Fab was that it looked like the 1949 Willys Pickup when all was said and done. That was accomplished, but even someone who knows absolutely nothing about cars can see this is a serious machine. This thing has a custom tube chassis and full cage, similar to what you might find on a trophy truck. In the rear are 30 inches of wheel travel and 22 inches up front. The whole thing rolls on 40-inch BF Goodrich tires mounted on 17-inch beadlock wheels. Powering this bad boy is a 422ci LS3 V8 and a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger. With boost dialed up to 8 lbs. it's making over 900-horsepower, which is crazy for a 6,400 lbs. vehicle. Backing that up is a 4L80 automatic transmission with all billet internals built by Maximum, which caters to the off-road market. The driver can use paddle shifters to go through the gears for extra fun. A lot of thought went into where to locate the different mechanicals on this rig. Because space is tight, everything is economized and can be removed without causing problems, allowing access to other parts of the powertrain. There are plenty of other details incorporated into this truck that are amazing. To see them all and hear from the builder explanations for how it all works, watch the video review from Autotopia LA. This build is still a work in progress. For example, it only has rear-wheel drive as the team tries to get the four-wheel-drive system configured and working correctly. Once it's completely buttoned up, this Willys will be even more amazing. Images via Autotopia LA/YouTube
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Custom 1951 Ford Coupe Is A $1.4 Million Car
Read the full story on Backfire News While this custom 1951 Ford Coupe looks cool, knowing it cost $1.4 million to build is shocking. After all, we know what kinds of supercars or hypercars you could buy with that kind of cash and that list is impressive, to say the least. But none of those are quite like this ride.A creation by Wicked Fabrication, this car has been featured in magazines, appeared at the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, was on Jay Leno's Garage, and won big awards, capturing the hearts of gearheads all over. You might have seen it before, but this review of the Ford by Autotopia LA helps dive into the details. And there are plenty of details on this ride. As they say, that's where the devil resides and that's certainly true here. We're fond of saying it's the small things that separate the good builds from those that are truly excellent. After the car made the media rounds, it quietly disappeared. It wasn't until years later the current owner just happened to be perusing a boutique car dealer's inventory, noticing this '51 Ford sitting among far lesser rides. If you look at the car versus other '51 Ford Coupes, you'll notice it looks far different and quite frankly much better. The top isn't chopped, it's been pancaked about 1.5 inches. Wicked Fabrication did wedge suction the car, cutting out 5.5 inches from the front and 2.5 inches in the rear, which is in large part why it looks so much sleeker. The shop fabricated a new hood out of aluminum, which also takes some of the bubbly ugliness out of Ford's original design. Other details were added to gain the appearance of a period racecar. They absolutely nailed it, but apparently after it left Wicked Fabrication the car was neglected. The current owner put in the effort to bring it back up to show car standards and it looks absolutely amazing. If you watch the video, you'll learn about so many of the details, it's a good way to spend half an hour. Images via Autotopia LA/YouTube
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Don't Let the Rust Fool You: 1967 Chevelle Wagon Is a 900-HP Nitrous-Powered Sleeper
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious At first glance, it looks like a forgotten family hauler. But under the weathered wrap and roof-strapped luggage, this 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle wagon is anything but mild-mannered. Nicknamed 'Rusty,' the car is the latest build featured by YouTube channel AutotopiaLA in collaboration with Hood Muscle Cars, and it packs a surprise worthy of street legend status. What looks like a tired old cruiser is actually a nitrous-huffing beast capable of laying down up to 900 horsepower. The heart of the build is a small-block Chevy 396 stroker, beefed up with performance heads, a roller cam, and a 750 CFM Holley carburetor. Sammy, the engine builder, says the naturally aspirated output hovers around 600 horsepower—but when the nitrous kit is engaged, 'Rusty' turns into a monster. Backing up the powerplant is a fully built 4L60 automatic transmission with a 2,600-stall converter. The stock frame and suspension geometry have been retained, though upgraded QA1 coilovers help control the chaos. The result is a sleeper that looks like it belongs in a junkyard but drives like it escaped from a drag strip. Inside, the Chevelle remains largely untouched, maintaining a period-correct sleeper aesthetic. The rust? It's just a wrap—intentionally applied to fool unsuspecting onlookers. The AutotopiaLA host takes 'Rusty' for a spin, revealing just how aggressive this long-roof legend really is. It burns rubber with ease and keeps pulling like a freight train, all while looking like it should be parked behind a barn. Built by a team of enthusiasts, each with a hand in different aspects of the car, the Chevelle is a rolling tribute to hot rod ingenuity and deceptive appearances. When it comes to this wagon, looks can—and absolutely do—deceive.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Roast Tires All Day: Squarebody Blazer Rips With Big Twin-Turbo LT Power
Read the full story on Backfire News When most people think about building a Squarebody Blazer, they automatically start talking about a lift, big knobby tires, a bull bar, etc. But this one takes a complete opposite approach, lowering the classic off-roader and adding big power for plenty of smokey drifts. The fact it's so unexpected makes this Chevy that much owner has had this Chevy Blazer, which is a 1973 in case you're wondering, since 2020. He purchased it from the original owner up in Idaho. Formerly it was used for hunting and sported a nice rattle can camouflage paint scheme. In its present form, this Blaer is built for autocross, prioritizing not only big power but also tight handling and impressive skid pad performance. Like what happens so many times, the owner tells Shawn Davis of Autotopia LA that he didn't start off with this vision in mind. Instead, it sounds like he was thinking of doing a straight restoration. To get the heavy beast rocketing forward in a hurry, there's a built 5.3-liter GM LT V8 paired with 56mm twin turbos is pushing a mighty 1,000-horsepower at the crank and just under 850-whp. On top of many of the internals being swapped out for performance parts, the engine is running port injection over direct injection, meaning there's a lot of fuel getting dumped into each cylinder. The guy is smart going with smaller turbos, something he mentions in the interview. They don't take long to spool up, giving him instant power, which is what's needed in autocross. Helping to maximize that power is a Tremec Magnum F manual transmission, independent hubs sourced from a Corvette, No Limits suspension, Viking triple coilovers, plus Wilwood brakes with 14-inch discs and six-piston calipers at all four wheels. As is always the case, this build is a riot and Autotopia LA gets the owner to really show what it can do, with plenty of tire smoke involved. Check out the video, it's well worth your time. Images via Autotopia LA/YouTube
