The Boston Strangler - Fad T Rod from back in the day

Here's some proper British hot rodding history and like a lot of the really famous early cars this one has a proper American connection as well.  Some of you will know this car already, and for those who don't I'll just copy the information which is provided on the eBay auction for this historic rod.

Originally built in the 1960's by Rick Heinrick of Boston Massachusetts hence the cars sinister moniker.

The metal flake green body,

327 Chevy four speed

62 Chevy live axle

Whilst on Tour in the USA bought by Rock Star Jeff Beck who in 1969 imported it back to the UK.

Soon after this the “T “had an accident and Jeff Beck re-built it adding a full height screen, black top and purple flake paint.

The “T” then was sold to the late John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. It made a brief appearance in the Led Zeppelinn movie “The Song Remains the Same” along with the Brizio C Cab.

In 1980 “The Strangler” was sold to Terry Richards (Birmingham) who totally re-built it adding the 471 blower auto gearbox and orange paint.

October 1981 The “T” was featured in Custom Car Magazine.

Terry sold the “T” to John Cullen who had more work done by Nick Butler hence the addition of the Butler-style fenders.

A few years on the “T” was bought by Alan Bradley who in 1987 put the car into a pop memorabilia auction at Christie's. The “T” was bought from the auction by Mercedes Specialist John Lewis who often parked the “T” in his Parsons Green Showroom.

After his death the “T” was owned by (T enthusiast) Maurice Takoor insurance assessor. He showed the “T” at the 1st NSRA Super-nationalss at Knebworth in 1991, and again at the NASC Nats in Essex.

Maurice was soon approached by a rep from US Brewery Anheuser Busch who were looking to open a new chain of US style restaurants in the UK called “TJ's” and wanted a radical looking T as a centrepiece for their Farnham Branch.

For Health and Safety reasons the fuel tank, battery and some wiring were removed. Also removed was the windscreen never to be seen again.

The Restaurant chain was not a success leading to closure.  The “T” was not heard of again for many years................

Today the “T” is owned by Robert Cumming of Bournemouth Dorset who bought it from the brewery. Robert has had the following works done by Gordon Evans who has bought the “T” back to life.

• Rebuilt Holly Carb
• New:-
• HT leads
• Mallory distributor
• Alternator
• Fuel cell
• Brake master cylinder
• Brakes
• Re- wired
• Battery
• Windscreen
• Gaskets
• Plugs
• Oil
• Etc..........

The car drives and engine runs strong..........

THE CAR HAS DONE NO MILES SINCE 1980 FULL REBUILD

Its on eBay for £7000 start and no bids yet.  Its a fantastic piece of rodding history being such a well known car with rock star heritage to boot.  

Another Corvette with vintage FIA papers

Also not for the small of wallet is this delightful C2 Corvette in a superb gold livery with big block power and FIA papers ready to race.  Its been on eBay as a classified ad at £135,000.

You get a fair package for your semi-detatched-house-in-the-Midlands money.  Its a 396 big block which has just has a fresh rebuild at a cost of some £10K, which is naturally backed with a Muncie 4 speed manual box.  The rear end s a 3.55 posi and it has factory dual pin discs all round.

Those lovely looking wheels are wrapped in proper Dunlop 700L rubber.  They certainly look the part.  The spec also includes chassis sand-blasted , seam welded, gusseted with period trick modifications .SW gauges. Fully working lighting with separated wiring looms for endurance races . Tinted quick lift Perspex door glass in lightened doors. Period-correct interior with side-bolstered 1965 seats and 1967 headrests Foam filled big tank inside car as factory original. Lightweight 1963 grille. Le Mans style Perspex headlight covers. Banana-bunch headers with side-exhausts and adjustable mufflers.

The interior looks very plush for a racer, the racey red is certainly attractive and you have to love the use of a Cadillac tail light as a shift light (I'm assuming thats what its for)

All in all a delightful package and one I would happily find a home for if I didn't have to sell my home to pay to buy it.

What is it with 400E hot rods?

You know when you think you may have fallen asleep and woken up and the last 20 years were all a weird dream, kind of like Bobby Ewing in Dallas?  Some days I look at eBay and its the 80s all over.  I do not say that this is a bad thing at all.  Witness the number of Ford Thames 400E based hot rods which have been popping up

This is the third in as many weeks.  This one features a nice selection of period mods such as a roof chop, nose & deck (or whatever the van equivalent is) and pearly paint.

Whatever else, its certainly prostreet with the de rigeur Micky Thomposons out back on a narrowed Ford 9" axle.  Power comes from a mild 318 small block Mopar which according to the accompanying photos has been painted pink.  One has to wonder if that was intentional, but then this van has survived the 90s...

The interior is functional, but fully spec'd with gauges and so forth.  Over all from the photos the van looks in nice shape and generally ready to cruise or show.

You can check the details out in the eBay listing here.

Austin Devon hot rods "before" and "after" builds

I'm a fan of Austin Devon hot rods.  Well, I'm a fan of pretty much any traditional British tin which is transformed into a hot rod.  But the Devon is a favourite of mine.  I was interested to see two very different but similar examples pop up on eBay pretty much simultaneously.

The first car is a done deal.  Its shiny and its magazine featured and its ready to roll.  Underneath that pedestrian post war sheet metal and the raspberry custom paint you get a mix of traditional English rodding and American.  The running gear is Vauxhall Magnum IFS and Capri rear axle but the motor is a warmed up 355 Chevy small block.

I think from the ad on ebay that its a fairly recent build although those "Pro Modular" wheels and such give a strong 90s feel to the build.  I always liked those rims but right now I'd be rolling this one on slot mags.

I think I'd be tempted to radius those rear arches as well, but colour matching the paint job would be a nightmare.

For £14,999 asking price you are getting a nicely finished leather & shiny paint V8 hot rod, or should I say "street rod".  There are those of us on more modest budgets.

Thats where Austin Devon #2 comes in.

Built as a rod in the 1980s the seller claims, and certainly the evidence in the photos suggests this could well be the case, we have a Devon as a project.  And one needing some effort to complete.  But there are two things to factor in here and the first is the price.  Its on eBay for £750 or best offer which leaves you £14,249 to finish it if you are on the £15K budget as above...

There is another very interesting point at issue though which is that if this car really was rodded in the 1980s then so long as you keep to the YSR IFS, Jaguar IRS and the box chassis then you are legal under the BIVA/IVA or SVA regulations to run this rod without additional inspection, regulation compliance and the Q plate registration...

You even get a V8 with it for your £750 or nearest.  I can't help thinking this is a no-brainer buy.  The body wants some tidying, the mechanical stuff wants refreshing, those wire wheels need some chrome and it will need trimming out but its not rocket science to do.  You'll have a neat traditional Brit Rod which is fully legal.

My  take would be a nice deep gloss black with flake-tipped flames, retain the cruiser wires, trim it out in red tuck n roll vinyl and you are there.

It would make a great father's day gift.  Hint hint.

Ford Thames 400E hot rod van project

It seems I'm getting all of my inspiration on eBay these days but don't let that put you off.  This is still a blog full or ramblings and nonsense.  I was struck by the fact that mere days after that Thames pickup with the mid mounted V8 was here on this very blog than there is a Thames panel van on eBay

This one needs a bit more work.  I remember a yellow one of these back in the day, tall stance and a roof chop. V6 or V8 power and probably big & little Cragars.  No idea if that one is still about in someone's  workshop gathering dust or maybe even out at the shows and such.  If you know the van, let me know...

These are rare vans now so worth seeing the project through to completion and for sure much better to see this get done than yet another VW.

If you feel the urge, its on eBay at £650 no bids right now.

1947 Commer Hot Rod truck. Old but new.

It often surprises me how few British truck based rods we see over here.  With the enthusiasm for shipping Chevy, Ford and GMC trucks as well as the occasional Dodge, Studebaker and International from the USA you would think that the domestic alternatives already on these here shores would also be in high demand.  And you'd be wrong. I can think of a couple of Commers built over the years and a Ford Thames and thats about it.  These HGV cabs though offer similar proportions to the US alternatives and were once common over here.

I really like this '47 Commer truck cab rod.  The American rad scene is starting to have a fair few truck cab based rods and "rig rods" are another fad we are seeing across the pond.  This beast is a delightfully British thing which manages to straddle both these new trends as well as harking back to the days of British rodding ingenuity.

Its also very British in the choice of running gear, that's a Rover V8 motor in there and a Sherpa back axle.  Its nicely finished, I'm not normally a fan of matt black but this one is that exception that proves the rule. 

Its currently on eBay if you find yourself tempted...