This Fire Red Stage 1 Convertible was sent to us from London England the UK in a container on a ship. One of most challenging projects we have had in our shop in 35+ years. It had seen a lot of abuse and was rough and rusty. It was really a candidate for a rebody. Even the frame was bent pitted and rusty. So much welding and sheet metal work that I can't go into all the details. It was rough. A junk yard rescue. We were blessed to find NOS 1/4 panels for it. The request was to use NOS parts on the car and built it at a concours level. So that made for time consuming parts searches, and added to the challenge. But the saving grace of this car was that it is a numbers matching car. The owner being familiar with, Duane's low 11 Second GSX. Requested that we build him a stock appearing engine similar to the one in Duane's GSX. So that is what we did. After the restoration was completed, we took it out for a test. It runs like the GSX. It was then sent home on a ship back to the UK .
That's awesome. Another one saved. It's the ones brought back from the ashes that turn out so nice. Not much choice but to hit everything.
It isn't a typical textbook restoration. And can't be compared to restoring a rust-free car, or even an average condition example. Most people would have re-bodied it. And maybe even left it as a parts car? We have restored rust free examples in the same amount of time it took to reconstruct the just the body on this car. It took 2+ years to find NOS 1/4 panels for it. Luckily, we have a dozen parts cars. We had to cut body sections out of solid parts cars to get the body sections needed that were not available anywhere. Spent countless number of hours drilling out spot welds and joints and seams on the parts cars, and the body of the car itself, and carefully fitting sections to duplicate the fit and welds of the factory. You cannot tell now, looking at the car or the body that it was totally reconstructed. No one looking at the car in the UK will ever know just how rough the car was. And at times I thought we were spending as much time looking for the NOS parts as we were working on the car!! The frame was rusty, bent and pitted. It is straight as an arrow and smooth as silk now. It would be even more difficult build a car like this today. The parts are not available anymore. It is as nice as any other car we have restored now. Concours level. But one of most challenging and labor-intensive projects we have ever had. And from what I understand inquiries were made with some other well-known restoration shops and every one of them refused to accept it.
I do have a number of engine pictures but not on this PC they are on a disc. I will pick out a couple and post some pictures when I get a chance. Engine compartment does look 100% concours stock. This car really didn't need a stock appearing engine combo. But the owner of the car was so impressed how Duane's GSX runs low 11's looking 100 % stock with all the original factory castings. So we pretty much built him a duplicate of Duane's engine. He wanted the car to be fast in case he ran up against some serious competition back in the UK. He shouldn't have a problem with that ? LOL I doubt if he will ever run it in and stock appearing classes though. Unless they have them in the UK.
Here's a couple of engine photos. I doubt anyone will suspect it has 11 second potential when they look at it in the UK ? He should be able to handle any unsuspecting challengers !!
I would love to see some photo's of it in it's original condition as well? Awesome job! Glad I don't have to pay that bill LOL.
