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The Shroud of Turin meets the Chrisman Brothers' Bonneville coupe Halibrand quick change rear end.

  

Tevie's Termite Taxi

Tevie's Termite Taxi was sighted on Saturday June 26th at the Ironwood Show 'n' Shine in Richmond, B.C. The show is spearheaded and sponsored by Ed Lo, proprietor of E.D.S. Customs and a big presence at the event, and the good folks at AM650 Radio.

I hope to have more on this marvelous relic in the near future.

On a side note, my personal favorites were a happenstance pair of 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88s in convertible and 2-door hardtop Fiesta station wagon form. Big, brash and beautiful:

Chrisman Brothers Bonneville Coupe At Mecum Monterey

Several forces converged in the early post-WWII California car culture to launch it to a new level of competition and development. Founded in 1937, the Southern California Timing Association reconvened after the war and by 1949 had grown to include the Bonneville Salt Flats as an official venue for speed records; car clubs were propagating like never before, affecting intense rivalries and resulting in a new scoring system, and that same year coupes were allowed to compete for the first time in SCTA history against the more “exclusive” open roadsters. At the same time, engine technologies were advancing with the advent of the production overhead valve V-8, several versions of which could be modified with parts from a fledgling yet burgeoning speed-equipment industry.

At the center of this revolutionary maelstrom were the Chrisman brothers Art and Lloyd, whose father Everett raised them on the fabricator’s art and the craftsman’s ethos, and with them founded the Chrisman and Sons garage in Compton. The Chrismans established their reputations early on with the famed #25 dragster, the first car to reach 140 and 180 mph in the quarter mile, and a 1934 Ford coupe that hit 140 on the salt at Bonneville.

All the experience the Chrismans gained on both salt and asphalt came together in the 1930 Ford-based Bonneville racer that would set three different SCTA class records and become the template for the classic Competition Coupe that prevails to this day. Radically chopped, with a sharply laid-back windshield, mail slot windows and a slippery nose cone fabricated from two 1940 Ford hoods, the coupe was a beautifully aggressive-looking showcase for the Chrismans’ trademark technical and aesthetic skills, its mere presence enough to intimidate the competition.

Mecum Auctions has consigned the Chrisman Brothers Bonneville Coupe to the Mecum at Monterey Auction, August 13-14.

All Original 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible 427/435 HP 4-Speed

Bloomington Gold Lot S118. Read it and rejoice.

A Polishing Primer

With a couple of shows and a road trip approaching on the summer calendar, I've begun to investigate exterior finishing and detailing for RT66. My very first BING search netted this brand new and very informative Corvette Fever article about cut and polishing techniques as employed by Corvettes and Customs in Upland, California, written and shot by Steve Dulcich.

Having read this excellent piece, I want to learn more about coaxing show-quality lustre out of modern factory-original base/clear finishes such as that on RT66.

UPDATE: 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB TdF at Mecum Monterey

Mecum Auctions has consigned 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Tour de France s/n 1321 to headline its second annual Mecum at Monterey Auction, August 13-14.

Le Mans and Nurburgring Winner

The Ferrari finished 3rd overall and 1st in class at Le Mans in 1959, under the Equipe Nationale Belge banner, and piloted by Jean Blaton and Leon Dernier. Earlier in the year, s/n 1321 finished 1st in class at the Nürburgring 1000Km. The car comes to auction following a long period in private hands.

[T]he name “Tour de France” signified the series of competition berlinetta 250 GT Ferraris built from 1956 to 1959, when chassis number 1321GT, flying the colors of Belgium’s Garage Francorchamps, dominated its class at the twin cathedrals of endurance racing, Le Mans and the Nürburgring. Driven by Jean Blaton (aka “Beurlys”) and Leon Dernier, the Red and Yellow coupe won 1st place in the GT class and 3rd overall at Le Mans as the No. 11 car. Earlier that same year, it took 1st place at the Nürburgring 1000 KM race.

Read the rest at Mecum.

1962 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Resto Mod

The brainchild of renowned Corvette specialist Rich Lagasse, this 1962 Corvette Resto Mod is one of the best-engineered and built of any Pro Touring Corvette, involving an investment of over $300,000 and many of the top talents in its execution.

This great Resto Mod Corvette is consigned to the Mecum at Monterey Auction for sale Friday, August 13.

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Engine detail, Bloomington Gold Survivor 1967 Corvette

1967 Corvette Convertible 427/435 HP 4-Speed

Packing its original high performance L71 427/435 HP engine, the 1967 Sting Ray convertible presented here retains its M21 4-speed and 4.11 Posi rear end. It also now has a single Holley 4-barrel on an Edelbrock aluminum intake in place of the Tri Power setup. You can check it out at the Bloomington Gold Corvette Auction for sale on Saturday June 26.

Rare 1972 Chevrolet Corvette LT1 Factory A/C Convertible

Its low production numbers make the 1970-72 LT1 Corvette a scarce commodity, but few are as rare as this expertly restored 1972 factory A/C convertible consigned to the Bloomington Gold Corvette Auction for sale on Saturday June 26.