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kit cars

Blackjack Zero, Now With Moto Guzzi Power

The quirky Morgan Super Sport inspired Blackjack Zero has until this point been powered by a VW flat four air cooled motor and the occasional 2CV plant. However, based on pictures on their website, it looks like Blackjack is set to sell one to hook up to Moto Guzzi power. There's no info to back anything up at this point, but the resulting car should be quite a bit lighter, with better cooling, and we're wondering if the standard shaft-drive can be reused for the little car. It would be mighty interesting to have a tiny car with 80 HP, a sequential transmission, and shaft drive now wouldn't it?

[Blackjack]

6:15 PM on Wed Apr 23 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
1,912 views, 41 comments

Latest by bottletop: I own the original Blackjack Zero and it is utterly wicked. No need to load up the tail ... going into a roundabout as hard as you like I've never managed to get the tail breaking away, it sticks like more »

novelties

CNN Revisits Italian Fauxrrari Forgeries

Proving once again the speed with which stories are cycled through in a 24-hour-news-cycle network, CNN has decided to run coverage on the gang of Italian Ferrari forgers we brought you back in February. The in-depth coverage includes pointing to, and comparing pictures of, a real Ferrari 328 GTS against the real fake example. Italian-accented experts remark on how good the outside is, then point out how poorly-executed the interior and engine are. Honestly, as far as Fierarris go, this one isn't too bad, and the dimmer among us would probably fall for the fakery unless giving it a more than a passing glance. [CNN]

5:00 PM on Fri Apr 18 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
3,875 views, 26 comments

Latest by danielm26: what is the point of faking a 328, they go for $30k anyway more »

found on ebay

Salet GT5 Concept Is Toyota MR2 in $40,000 Duds

Straight from the bowels of eBay comes the Salet GT5 Concept. We'll have to admit this is one of the better Toyota MR2 custom builds we've seen, but we're betting the 19 PSI turbo system will have that four cylinder blowing oil all over the fire wall in no time. It will be a quick car until that happens though, power is a claimed 302 HP and with such a light car it's probably a hoot. This one comes from the always unpredictable fakers at rarecars.org who seem to have a penchant for building exotic cars based on the Fiero. Why does this remind us of a certain horrible yellow Russian Cayenne? [eBay]

11:20 AM on Mon Mar 31 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
1,828 views, 27 comments

Latest by skulldriveshaft: or you could do this. [www.vitessesportscar.com] more »

novelties

Kute Kupcake Kit Kars Konfuse Kalifornians

Everybody loves kit cars and cupcakes, right? Well, what about when the kit cars are actual cupcakes? BoingBoing TV took a look at a few "muffiners" (as they call themselves) in California (but why not "muffinEERS?) who make "artistic" cupcake cars for the "purpose" of... um, well, we're not exactly "sure." If you want to skip the artsy part of the video above, jump to 2:47 in the movie, which point the creator lifts the muffin top to expose the inner workings of these homemade vehicle-cum-cupcakes. The simplicity of the kits was a little surprising, as pastries modded for automotive use go. More »

2:45 PM on Fri Mar 28 2008
By Travis Hudson
1,104 views, 34 comments

Latest by rippedoffbrit: After a few beers,she is a milf more »

found on ebay

One-Off Steam-Powered VW Kit Car

When we hear "steam car" we imagine a car with wooden wagon wheels that spends it's time in Jay Leno's garage. What we don't think of is a fiberglass-bodied VW kit car from the '80s. This is apparently a one-of-a-kind creation of a former Steam Automobile Club of America member. We're thinking of it as a kind of grown man's science project. It allegedly ran at speeds up to 80 MPH at one point, but we're not so sure we would know how to run it even if it's still capable of driving.

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1:30 PM on Tue Mar 25 2008
By marnold
1,391 views, 15 comments

Latest by Keensteam: For more pictures and information about this steam car and others, have a look at... [www.steamcar.net] more »

autorama

Street Legal Cheetah Replicas To Hunt Cobras

There's no question that Cobras are cool, even in fiberglass kit form. But you've got to admit that the fiberglass snakes are becoming somewhat common now with all the companies being sued by Carroll Shelby making their own versions of the V8 roadster. So for those seeking an alternative, Ruth Engineering & Racing will be producing kits for streetable Cheetah replicas. The coupes can be fitted with any Chevy powertrain of your choice; this particular one with a 383 stroker. Suspension bits come from a donor C4 Corvette, but the leaf springs have been replaced by independent coil-overs. That means the new Cheetah should be able to tear up a road course, making this not just a cool cruiser, but a tactical trackday toy too. We'll take ours with an LS9. [RER - AmericanCheetahRacing.com]

10:00 AM on Tue Mar 11 2008
By marnold
2,377 views, 30 comments

Latest by genenmichelle: And Thank You! Sweet Car! Really enjoyed seeing all the talent come ALIVE! Hope to see you at the shows! more »

offbeat news

Italian Supercar Forgers Find Fieros Fantastic

One upping the shenanigans of Unique Performance, a group of fine Italian coach builders has been caught by the police after attempting to forge supercars - badly. Seems these upstanding fellows thought slapping some kit car bodies onto the delightful chassis of GM's famed Fiero was a great idea, then the plan was to pass them off as one of Italy's most famous exports. We're not convinced, we're barely even holding in the laughter. The best is the buff mag on the work bench being used for inspiration. The Wall Street Journal article about this story seems to have only gotten the story partly right (typical).

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3:40 PM on Thu Feb 28 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
4,231 views, 47 comments

Latest by chelle29: The reason WSJ picked it up is twofold, one, it's now run by Rupert Murdoch, so they want eye grabbing stories with headlines that sell (like the word Ferrari in the title). And the second is the reporter. She's a more »

new cars

Factory Five GTM Is Mid-Engined Bargain

The Factory Five GTM is causing us pains. Is it better to buy and drive the donor Corvette Z06 the car is built with; or is the mid engine and lighter weight worth the sacrifice? Decisions, decisions. In any case, the GTM is that rare occurrence: The racing version is actually cheaper than the street version. The GTM for the road runs about $61K, while the race version costs a scant $43K. Bargains, for the kind of performance you're likely to see. Of course, there's the whole kit-car hell aspect of things, but come on, be adventurous—they're bound to be more reliable than a Lamborghini right? [Factory Five GTM Home]

3:15 PM on Mon Feb 18 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
3,633 views, 39 comments

Latest by st3ph3n: You can pick up Fireblade powered Westfields for £7K just now. Busa ones for £10-12K. In the UK that is of course. That's CRAZY money for the performance. more »

novelties

Tirrito Vajon Update: Mystery Supercar Specs Revealed

The other day we brought you thrilling footage of the upcoming Tirrito Vajon undergoing rigorous developmental testing on some roundabouts. Today, we have even more exclusive info on the mysterious Italian supercar. "Andry," the owner of the Vajon project assured us that the engine is indeed a 3.0L biturbo mill, but now he's released more specifics. Contrary to speculation that the Vajon is powered by an enlarged "lawn mower" engine, Andry tells us that his car is V8-powered and can produce about 500hp. When asked where the powertrain was sourced from, the owner insisted, in broken email-ese, that "nothing, i repeart, nothing was from other cars!! i build by my self all the parts of this car!! i developed about 600 pieces.. think designed and done all by my selves!!! iwant to sell this car and stat one new car.. i just start to designe it..." No other details have been confirmed yet. Andry added, "My car it's still under costruction like you can see." So while we've got some new answers, we now have even more questions about this homebrewed exotic. We'll keep you updated with further developments. In the meantime, check out the gallery below for shots of the Vajon undergoing construction. More »

11:25 AM on Fri Feb 15 2008
By marnold
3,023 views, 34 comments

Latest by offyatindy: Iss gut car bilder. Iss not gut car speller. Say bad things. You make like muce n sqvirrel to my Boris Badinoff. Natasha don't like you to. more »

retro

So You Want to Buy A Messerschmitt

Microcars are like aged cheese - some people find them absolutely confounding and a little disgusting, and the loonier of us can't get enough. The problem with microcars is they don't really make em like they used to. Oh sure, you've got your Smart FourTwo and your Toyota iQ and your Tata Nano, but those are monstrosities compared to a Peel Trident or a Messerschmitt KR200. Would you believe reproductions are available of all your favorite tiny wheeled wonders? More »

10:30 AM on Thu Feb 14 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
2,062 views, 34 comments

Latest by Littlebitsofpaper: Aw crap I thought they were gonna link to get me an ME-109 - now I'm gonna have to write Mitsubishi to see if I can score a Zero instead. The only thing that keeps me from a mini/micro are the more »

novelties

Tirrito Vajon! The Mystery Italian Supercar!

Those who know it call it the "TIRRITO VAJON rtt." To the rest of us, it's a mystery. All we can figure is that it has a McLaren F1-style 3-seater cockpit and it's styling is like a cross between a Pagani Zonda and 1990 Mosler Consulier GTP. Maybe it's a kit-car? Maybe it's a garage-built one-off? Other details are slim, but the Italian owner claims "it's a car with engine of 3000 cc biturbo rear traction" Whatever the case, an overly-ambitious project like this is a shining example of making the most from what you have. We'll keep you updated as we find out more. In the mean time, jump to enjoy some video of it in action as it drifts 'round a round-a-bout! More »

4:45 PM on Wed Feb 13 2008
By marnold
2,725 views, 30 comments

Latest by sgraber: Wow, isn't it easy to criticize the work of others! Odds are that not a single ONE of you has ever succeeded at designing and building a functional full sized car yourself from scratch. Most people can't even fathom how difficult more »

alternative energy

XR-3 Diesel-Electric Hybrid Kit Car Now a Reality, Build Your Own!

A year and a half after kit designer Robert Q. Riley originally dreamed up his XR-3 three-wheeled, two-seater, plug-in hybrid kit car, it is now a reality. Sorry, 3D modelers, your job is now done; the first XR-3 hybrid has been built and plans for this greenmobile are now available for purchase.


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2:45 PM on Tue Dec 18 2007
By Travis Hudson
7,620 views, 33 comments

Latest by Spasticteapot: I've heard of 100mpg from a homemade Lotus 7 with a Daihatsu diesel engine. Consdiering that a "Lo-Cost" uses a transmission from a regular car instead of something homemade, it's much easier to build, and likely far more reliable. Furthermore, the more »

found on ebay

Look Out, Zimmer- Johnson Phantom In The House!

When a man's looking for an automobile that tells the world- nay, grabs the world by the lapels and screams high roller coming, you insignificant putz, you'd think that the Excalibur, Zimmer, and Stutz dealerships would pretty much have him covered. You would be wrong. Enter the '85 Johnson Phantom, now available on eBay. Who can guess which mid-80s GM car supplied the chassis? No fair looking up the VIN, folks! And that rear bumper- gadzooks! But don't place your bid quite yet, Mr. Big Shot- you'll need to look at the competition first! More »

10:30 AM on Wed Sep 12 2007
By Murilee Martin
3,890 views, 44 comments

Latest by Sirpuddingfoot: Definitely the Excalibur. The Tiffany is definitely for the 'wannabe' crowd, namely the guy living only a few blocks from me who uses one as his Sunday car. And I certainly don't live in the "riche" section of more »

fiero of the day

GT-Fiero?

Ah, the ceaselessly amazing world of Fiero-based exotic replicas. Which DNA has been implanted in the Fiero cell this time? Yes, it is indeed that of the Mk1 Ford GT40. V8 Archie's GT4T has V8 power, front and rear clamshell lids and um, uh, no Gurney Hump. Still, for a mere $45k, you can go out and shame Enzo Fiero all over again! We're totally buying one to go with our A.J. Foyt mask. Now we just need to find an ersatz Mulsanne straight in some sprawling Central Valley mixed-use office-industrial complex. More »

5:00 PM on Wed Jul 11 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
3,502 views, 20 comments

Latest by nytmare: @crewcutkid: You'd prefer, what, a Corvette look-alike Fiero-based kit car? Or maybe a short-and-skinny 57 Chevy? more »

kit cars

Kit and Car-boodle: The Grabercars La Bala

Add another lightweight roadster to the new school of track-day toys. The catch is you have to build it yourself. Steve Graber originally created the 1,200-pound La Bala, a tube-frame, mid-engine sportscar, from a MKI MR2 donor. Now, Graber's company Grabercars is offering the La Bala in turnkey and kit forms. It's designed mainly for track use, but may be street legal in some localities, and will accept a range of front-wheel-drive powertrains. Grabercars has already developed the mounting brackets for several engines, and they'll include them with the $25,000 order. Assembly required. [UPDATE: For clarification, the FWD powertrain is set midships, driving the rear wheels.] – Mike Spinelli More »

4:47 PM on Mon May 14 2007
By Mike Spinelli
1,222 views, 13 comments

Latest by Turboner: Sweet idea, got to respect that kind of DIY balls! $25k is a little steep, but I imagine once he gets to any sort of volume production, it might come down. Seriously, he needs to put the drivetrain from a more »

kit cars

Burning-Hot Fiero Kit Car Could Be Yours: Archie Finale!

The Fiero was a sales disappointment for GM, but it was a godsend for kit-car makers! Of course, we all know there's nothing like a Fiero-based sports car that looks like a Lambo that got left in the dryer too long (especially when it has a vaguely V12-ish plastic engine cover), but here's yet another variation on the theme: Archie Finale! According to the seller (who's bucking the kit-car eBay listing trend and eschewing the usual ALLCAPS style), "The car is Viper blue—in other words the same color thats on the Dodge Viper." Yes, folks, thats (sic) got to mean the car is as fast as a Viper! This Alabama-based ride has been bid up to $7,109.99 already, but for some reason the seller's very optimistic reserve price hasn't been met. – Murilee Martin More »

5:30 PM on Fri May 4 2007
By Murilee Martin
7,192 views, 38 comments

Latest by Sketch242: I don't know about the website, but the Zimmer is real. I didn't think they were still available though. I've seen a few pictures, but in over 10 years of attending Fiero shows, I've only seen one in more »

alternative energy

More on the Riley XR-3 Plug in Hybrid Kit Car

Robert Q. Riley Enterprises says its new plug-in diesel-electric hybrid is two months from launch. (It'll debut on June 16.) Purportedly, the three-wheeled XR-3 will get 125 mpg on its three-cylinder, 23 hp diesel engine alone, and 225 mpg when coupled with an electric motor driving the rear wheel. Riley, a well-known custom car builder and purveyor of kit-car plans, will offer the XR-3 in kit form. For those with more time and talent than reasons just to sit and watch reruns of "Freak Show," the company will offer it as a set of plans only. [UPDATE: Press release after the jump.] – Mike Spinelli More »

1:04 PM on Tue Mar 20 2007
By Mike Spinelli
8,625 views, 5 comments

Latest by Turboner: I saw a sweet Harley trike on my way to work last night. more »

test drives

I Am The Gert: Riding Shotgun In A Se7en Over Decker Canyon

For part 47 of "Why My Job Is Better than Your Job," I direct your attention to how I spent my Saturday. Turns out that Jalopnik blabbermouth commenter and all around righteous dude Al Navarro is president of USA7s.com, a new club dedicated to all cars inspired by the legendary Lotus 7. He sent the Postfather a query wondering if any of us So-Cal Jalopnikos would be interested in riding a Se7en around Decker Canyon. I was screaming "YES!" at the top of my lungs. At 6:30 am. On a Tuesday. Alone in my room. I was all set to get whipped about the mountains in a Caterham by a man named Doug when freak weather caused the "Malibu Blizzard." Stupid global warming. My fantastic hoonage ride was delayed. More for those who dare to jump. More »

Feature

12:00 PM on Mon Feb 12 2007
By Jonny Lieberman
1,763 views, 17 comments

Latest by Al Navarro: John, send me your email address via gardenstatesevens.org...I think I have a line on an SB100 car for you. more »