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43-405: Called “the world’s most flamboyant vehicle”, the bright pink custom car was designed by Ed Newton and built in 1969 at Bob Reisner California Show Cars by Ed "Newt" Newton , Dan Woods, and customizers Joe Bailon , Bill "The Leadslinger" Hines , and Bill Honda. It was used in the title and credit sequences of the original cartoon. It was one of several famous television show cars of the era in

86-496: A Buick 215 V8 and a modern 5-speed transmission actually improves both cornering and acceleration because it reduces the overall weight of the car by about 40 lb (18 kg). Power is approximately doubled. Derivatives of that classic General Motors engine, the 3.5L, 3.9L, and 4.2L Rover V8s are also frequently used. (The original Buick / Oldsmobile, the Rover, and the related Morgan-licensed V8, are simple bolt-ins. ) Although

129-525: A Porsche 911 super 1600. Vintage VW's also take very well to the Subaru EJ "flat four" engine, which also has a factory turbo-charged variant. In the Super GT racing series, engine swaps can be considered a way of life for the upper tier GT500 cars, most of which are provided with specially modified racing engines from the manufacturers. GT500 class rules themselves allow for any engine to be swapped into

172-533: A car as long as it is from the same manufacturer. Notable examples include Toyota swapping in highly tuned 4-cylinder engines originally from the Toyota Celica into their Toyota Supra GT500 race cars. British sports cars (such as MGs and Triumphs and Sunbeam Alpines ) from the late 1960s and early 1970s were attractive and light-weight cars that had excellent suspensions. However, they were known for troublesome electrical systems, modest power levels and

215-571: A certain amount of unreliability. It is popular to take one of these small classic sports cars and add a more powerful engine. The original manufacturers did this when the vehicles were current with the MGB GT V8 and the Sunbeam Tiger . The all-aluminum 215 cu in (3,520 cc) Buick and Oldsmobile V8 engines are a traditional choice for these cars. Swapping the stock MGB all-iron 1.8L 4-cylinder engine and 4-speed transmission for

258-585: A common modification involving taking the engine from one car and putting it into another, often one that did not initially come with that engine. A few of the most common engines swapped into other vehicles include the BMW M54 , Chevy small block , Chevy LS , Chrysler Hemi , Cummins B Series , Ford Barra , Ford Coyote , Ford flathead V8 , Honda B , Honda K , Mazda 13B , Nissan RB , Nissan SR , Subaru EJ , Toyota JZ , Toyota UZ , Toyota S , and Volkswagen VR6 . Completing an engine swap typically requires

301-418: A growth in the popularity of off-roading as a hobby. Starting in the early 1940s, some US car customizers began to modify cars with a stronger emphasis on looks and self-expression. This led to styles of modification such as lowriders , kustoms and lead sleds emerging and growing. 1950s kustom car builders would often swap trim and panels from other cars, cut through the sheet metal and remove bits to make

344-424: A high level of modification and fabrication to fit the engine and connect it to the host vehicle's body, transmission, and electrics. Many companies sell kits for common engine swaps that include adapter plates for the transmission, K member, engine mounts, front subframe, and more, depending on what ss required for the particular swap. Some engine swaps will use the vehicle's original transmission, while others opt for

387-424: A large clamshell door opening to the curb side, which contained pink shag -covered reclining seats, square-tufted upholstery, half a dozen faux -fur pillows, a mobile phone , and a bar. The upholstery was done by Joe Perez. The seven liter Oldsmobile V8 engine, longitudinally-mounted right behind the driver’s head, drove the front wheels. The car was a challenge to drive due to the long snout. For many years

430-465: A predecessor to the hot rod. Hot rods gained popularity after World War II , particularly in California, because many returning soldiers had received technical training. Many cars were "hopped up" with engine modifications such as adding additional carburetors, high compression heads, and dual exhausts. The suspension was often altered, and engine swaps were to install the most powerful engine in

473-463: A reduction in performance associated with older-version diesel engine swaps. For the particular application of off-road vehicles, the high torque at low speed of turbo diesels (combined with a fuel economy advantage) makes these conversions particularly effective. However, older non-electronic fuel injection diesel engines were well known for their reliability, especially in wet conditions. An engine swap can either be to another engine intended to work in

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516-414: A vehicle that has been fitted with an engine that is different from its initial configuration. For instance, in jurisdictions such as California—with its strict smog rules—it may not be possible to register a late-model vehicle with an engine swap. Swapping to a diesel engine for improved fuel economy is a long established practice; with modern high-efficiency diesel engines, this does not necessarily mean

559-519: A year later, in 1951 the National Hot Rod Association was formed. In the following years, more drag strips were built across the country, leading to a rise in the popularity of drag racing among both amateurs and professionals. In the post- World War II era, Japan's automotive industry grew, eventually leading to the country becoming the world's largest vehicle producer. This led to a unique car customization culture within

602-469: Is the process of removing a car 's original engine and replacing it with another. This may be a like-for-like replacement, or to install a non-factory specification engine. Typically, an engine swap is performed for performance, swapping-in a more powerful engine; however, an engine swap may also be performed for maintenance, where older engines may have a shortage of spare parts, and so a modern replacement may be more easily and cheaply maintained. Swapping

645-1037: The Detroit Autorama since 1964 in honor of show promoter Don Ridler. With one of the most unusual car show entry requirements, the Ridler Award winners are selected as the most outstanding among cars being shown for the first time. This prompts builders of many high-end roadsters to enter Autorama first and then the Grand National show to have the chance to win top honors at both shows. Few cars and owners can claim this achievement. Some customs gained attention for winning awards at shows or for their outlandish styling. Some examples include Silhouette and Ed Roth 's Mysterion . Some notable custom cars have been turned into Hot Wheels cars or other scale models, such as The Red Baron . Other custom cars became notable for appearances in film (such as Ala Kart {1958}, The California Kid three-window {1973},

688-564: The Type 1 (Beetle). Water-cooled engines, such as the GTI 16-valve four, VR6 , or 1.8 T are commonly swapped into the Mark II GTI , Jetta , and Corrado . Less common is the swap into a Mark 1 Golf or Cabriolet, giving an amazing power-to-weight ratio , even with minimally modified powerplants. Porsche engines are also very popular. One of the most popular options is to take the engine from

731-414: The 1960s. These took many coats to produce a brilliant effect – which tended to flake off in hot climates. This process and style of paint job were invented by Joe Bailon , a customizer from Northern California. Painting has become such a part of the custom car scene that in many custom car competitions, awards for custom paint are as highly sought after as awards for the cars themselves. Engine swaps are

774-604: The 1980s, and these engines share much in common with the mass-produced naturally aspirated vehicles. It is quite common to obtain an engine from a vehicle such as a Dodge Daytona and swap it into a Dodge Aries . The Mopar Performance arm even offered a kit to upgrade the Dodge Daytona to rear wheel drive with a Mopar V8. Engine swaps are also somewhat common within the Volkswagen tuning scene, often placing Type 2 (Bus), Type 3 , and Type 4 (Squareback) engines in

817-764: The 2016 America's Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) trophy with a custom Deuce) Harry Westergaard , Dave Stuckey , Dean Jeffries , Barry Lobeck , Phil Cool (who won the 1978 AMBR trophy with a bright orange Deuce, cover car for the July 1978 issue of Hot Rod ), Troy Ladd of Hollywood Hot Rods , Doane Spencer (builder of a 1940s Deuce considered the template for the hiboy), "Posie" , Ron Clark and Bob Kaiser (of Clarkaiser Customs ), Joe Bailon (inventor of candy apple paint), Gene Winfield , Rick Dore Joe Wilhelm , "Magoo" , Chip Foose , and Pete Chapouris . Others, such as Von Dutch , are best known as custom painters. Several customizers have become famous beyond

860-813: The Fiat Twin cam into a Morris Minor or similar. A common anecdote among tuners in the United States is that the easiest way to make a car faster is to drop in a more powerful engine, such as the General Motors small-block engine as used in the Corvette . The Chevrolet Vega (and its Astre , Monza , and Skyhawk sisters) is a candidate for a small-block swap; some have seen big blocks as well. Chevrolet engines have been used in such cars as Toyota Supras , BMWs, RX-7s, Mazda Miatas , Jaguar sedans, Corvairs , and Datsun 240s, 260s, and 280Zs. In

903-541: The Ford 302 is fitted with aluminium heads, intake, and water pump, the resulting engine only adds about 40 lb (18 kg) to the front of an MGB, and is substantially more powerful and lighter-weight than the iron-block six-cylinder found in an MGC or TR6. An aluminium 302 performance block is available that weighs 60 lb (27 kg) less than the common iron version, and can be found in displacements of 331 and 347 ci, but those are significantly more expensive than using

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946-698: The Honda world, engine swaps include the Civic Si (B16A), the Civic Type R (B16B), Integra GSR (B18C), and the Integra Type R (B18C5) engines. More recently, swapping larger displacement Honda engines (such as the J-series V6) has become more popular. Swapping any of these motors into a lightweight 1988–2000 Honda Civic chassis can achieve greater performance. Chrysler made many turbocharged vehicles in

989-583: The US, including the 60s TV Batmobile , the Monkeemobile , and the Munster Koach , and one of many radical contemporary custom cars, such as Red Baron . The Panthermobile cost $ 100,000 to build in 1976, equivalent to $ 535,000 in 2023. Built on an Oldsmobile Toronado chassis , it measured 23 ft (7.0 m) long and 6 ft (180 cm) wide, with an exposed driving compartment requiring

1032-481: The United States want to push "styling and performance a step beyond the showroom floor - to truly craft an automobile of one's own." A custom car in British usage, according to Collins English Dictionary , is built to the buyer's own specifications. Custom cars are not to be confused with coachbuilt automobiles, historically rolling chassis fitted with luxury bodywork by specialty auto body builders. Some of

1075-413: The automobile community, including Barris, Jeffries, and Coddington, thanks to their proximity to Hollywood ; Barris designed TV's Batmobile , while Chapouris built the flamed '34 three-window coupé in the eponymous telefilm " The California Kid ". Another Barris creation, Ala Kart (a '29 Ford Model A roadster pickup), made numerous appearances in film after taking two AMBR wins in a row. One of

1118-471: The car and painting inside them, painting over lace , overlaying gold leaf , and more. Some customizers will also opt for vinyl wraps , vinyl decals, or plastidip in place of a traditional paint job. In addition to paint, individual parts of a car may also be chromed, gold plated, or engraved. Transparent but wildly colored candy-apple paint, applied atop a metallic undercoat, and metalflake paint, with aluminum glitter within candy-apple paint, appeared in

1161-479: The car by the manufacturer, or one totally different. The former is much simpler than the latter. Fitting an engine into a car that was never intended to accept that engine may be more laborious and costly; modifying the car to fit the engine, modifying the engine to fit the car, and building custom engine mounts and transmission bellhousing adaptors to interface them along with a custom-built driveshaft. Some small businesses build conversion kits for engine swaps, such as

1204-488: The car lower, weld it back together, and add lead to make the resulting form smooth. They would also chop the roof to make it lower, section the body to make it thinner from top to bottom, and channel the body by cutting notches in the floorpan where the body touches the frame to lower the whole body. The first drag strip in the United States opened in 1950 on an airfield in Southern California, and

1247-649: The car was owned by promoter Jay Ohrberg before being put up for auction in 2007. It was again put up for auction in 2011 where it was purchased and restored by Galpin Auto Sports in Los Angeles, California , under the supervision of Dave Shuten. A complete restoration of the car's drivetrain, suspension, interior, and paint was required. Custom car A custom car is a passenger vehicle that has been altered to improve its performance , change its aesthetics, or combine both. Some automotive enthusiasts in

1290-447: The common 302 internals. The Nissan SR20DET is an all-aluminium fuel-injected DOHC turbocharged 4-cylinder. This compact engine, along with the very compact, light, and powerful Mazda 13B rotary engine, have both been transplanted into too many different cars to assemble a complete list. Note: These are the most common examples and are not an exhaustive list, just a representative cross section. The early '90s six bolt engines are

1333-440: The continued popularity of highway racing. Japan also embraced American customization styles, importing and building their muscle cars, lowriders, minitrucks, and more. Modified cars can be significantly different from their stock counterparts. A common factor among owners/modifiers is to emulate the visual and/or performance characteristics of established styles and design principles. These similarities may be unintentional. Some of

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1376-463: The driver to wear a helmet. In the cartoon's title sequence, the unknown driver pulls up to Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood . After a quick edit, the driver removes his helmet presupposing the driver to be a teenage boy. Instead of rearview mirrors, the driver had a camera and black-and-white television monitor. The body is sheet metal. Behind the open cockpit was a compartment, accessed by

1419-444: The earliest examples of modified cars were cars modified for racing or off-roading . The coachbuilding industry is considered part of custom car history, as companies and individuals built custom bodies to be fitted to early cars and inspired later customizers. Hot rods were an early type of custom car first popularized in the United States, considered to be one of the earliest defined car customization movements. The origins of

1462-530: The engine may have negative implications on the car's safety, performance, handling, and reliability. For example, the new engine's different weight balance over the axles and the overall weight of the car can adversely affect the vehicle dynamics . Existing brakes, transmission, and suspension components may be inadequate to handle the increased weight and power of the new engine with either upgrades being required or premature wear and failure being likely. Insurance companies may charge more or even refuse to insure

1505-571: The film ("Runnin' Wild"), it is one of the most iconic 1950s customs. The same year, Neil Emory and Clayton Jensen of Valley Custom Shop built Polynesian for Jack Stewart, starting with a 1950 Holiday 88 sedan . Polynesian made the cover of Hot Rod in August, and saw 54 pages of construction details in Motor Trend Custom Car Annual in 1954. Engine swap In car tuning culture, an engine swap

1548-496: The first hot rods are typically considered to be early race cars built to race on dirt tracks and dry lake beds, often stripped down Ford Model Ts , Model As , and other pre- World War II cars made into speedsters and "gow jobs". The "gow job" morphed into the hot rod in the 1940s to 1950s. The modified cars used in the Prohibition era by bootleggers to evade revenue agents and other law enforcement are also considered

1591-471: The lightest possible frame and body combination. Another example of early automobile customization were the first off-road vehicles . Some of the earliest dedicated offroad vehicles were made using the Kégresse track system, starting in the late 1910s, which affixed tracks to an ordinary car in place of the rear wheels for improved off-road traction. After World War II , the surplus of army Jeeps led to

1634-469: The many different styles and visual influences to car modification are: Custom paint jobs play an essential role in the culture around customized cars. Builders will often use special painting techniques to produce unique finishes, including the use of candy paint, metalflake , and color shifting paint. Additionally, builders will often create paint jobs with intricate designs or patterns by pinstriping, painting by hand, airbrushing , taping out patterns on

1677-601: The more recent "narrow-angle" 60-degree Ford and GM V6 engines—notably the GM 3.4L "L32" —are more compact than the Rover/Buick and Ford V8s, they usually do not equal the power-to-weight ratio of the popular 90-degree V8s frequently swapped into smaller cars. These V6s can, however, be very cost-effective and easier to fit into a variety of car bodies. The Ford 302 (5.0L) V8 , with its cast iron block, results in spectacular power-to-weight ratios for straight-line acceleration. If

1720-668: The most coveted awards for American customizers is the AMBR ( America's Most Beautiful Roadster ) trophy, presented annually at the Grand National Roadster Show since 1948 (also known within the customizer community as the Oakland Roadster Show until it was moved to Southern California in 2003). This competition has produced famous and radical customs. Another is the Ridler Award , presented at

1763-470: The nation. Some of the early custom cars in Japan, starting in the late 1970s through the 1980s, included Kaido Racers, Japanese cars modified with homemade parts to look like racecars of the time; imported and modified American and European cars; cars modified for top-speed and highway racing; and Dekotora decorated trucks. The 1990s saw the rise of cars modified for drifting , VIP style luxury sedans, and

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1806-555: The transmission from the donor car, or a different transmission entirely. Solid axle swap (SAS): replacing independent front suspension (IFS) with solid axle . Examples of notable American customizers include George Barris , Vini Bergeman , Bill Cushenbery , the Alexander Brothers , Bo Huff , Gil Ayala , Darryl Starbird, Roy Brizio , Troy Trepanier (of Rad Rides by Troy ), Boyd Coddington , Darryl Hollenbeck (working out of at Vintage Color Studios; winner of

1849-659: The yellow deuce from " American Graffiti " {1973}, the Batmobiles from Batman, the Pursuit Special from Mad Max , and more) or television (such as The Monkeemobile from the "Munsters" , and KITT from Knight Rider ). Other notable customs exemplified a trend. One of these is the 1951 Merc built by the Barris brothers for Bob Hirohata in 1953, known as the Hirohata Merc . Even without an appearance in

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