70 HEMI 'CUDA " THE MOST SAUGHT AFTER OF ALL !! "

From 1966-71, Dodge stuffed their massive Hemi into the small E-Body platform and the 1970 Hemi 'Cuda is widely accepted as one of the most saught after of these. Only 652 were built when new, including 14 rare convertibles, making an original Hemi 'Cuda a rare sight. The Hemi 'Cuda was forced in scarcity due to the extra $900 it cost to build one-nearly a third of the standard purchase price. At $250, the 390 bhp 440 V8 became the norm and made the Hemi Cuda an exception. Motor Trend tested the 426 Hemi ’Cuda in their May 1970 issue, reaching 0-60 in 5.8 seconds and the 1/4 mile in 14 seconds at 102 mph. The long list of options made available for 1970 Barracudas included such goodies as a Track Pak with a 3.54:1 differential ratio, Rallye wheels, a range of exciting colors including Plum Crazy, pistol grip shifters, hockey stick sport stripes, hood pins and a variety of creature comforts. Of all the options, the R-code steet Hemi 426 was the most legendary Mopar engine. It typically delivered 425 bhp through the solid 727 Torqueflight automatic and a 3.55:1 Sure Grip rear axle. That is, unless the car was one of the 284 that got a 4-speed manual. With their classic shape, tire-shredding American power, limited production and huge popularity a 1970 Hemi 'Cuda can easily fetch over $150 000 USD. This is a remarkable amount for a car with the same build quailty as a mass-produced Plymouth. However, the aggressive sound of Hemi combined with visual street cred and Barrett-Jackson publicity now make these Cudas more expensive than most Ferraris produced in the same era. Changes for 1971 were minimal and included a more complex 6 inlet grille design and fender gill louvers. Only 100 or so of these were built and the seven ultra-rare 1971 convertibles are the most expensive muscle cars money can buy. In 72, the government and EPA kicked the muscle car in the ass with emissions regulations. After that time, no more Hemi or more big block models could be ordered

Monday, January 24, 2011

Tank Car a Jay Leno Toy !!

They rumbled through Korea and Vietnam, battling the Cold War in the 1950s on behalf of the United States. Developed by Detroit Arsenal, the M-47 Patton Tank combined the turret from the problematic T-42 with the hull of the M-46. They were frequently deployed by NATO to global hotspots and even used as target practice in the 1970s once they had outlived their usefulness on the battlefield.
Another spot where one was put into action was in Southern California, at a place called the Big Dog Garage.



The heart of an M-47 tank, the AV-1790-5B engine, now beats out 800 horsepower, a number equal to five 350 Chevys, inside Jay Leno's legendary "tank car."
It started in 2003 when Randy Grubb showed up at Jay's garage with a show car he built with a friend named Mike Leeds. It was far from road legal and needed major work, but the one thing it did have going for it was its massive 2100-pound tank engine. Of course, Jay had to have it.
Enter Big Dog Garage guru Bernard Juchli. Since Jay didn't have a proper hot rod in his collection, Bernard rolled up his sleeves and went to work modifying the car into the futuristic road warrior it is today.
The first thing that needed to be done was replacing the car's Greyhound bus transmission. Working with engineers from Allison Transmissions, the Allison HD4060 6-speed transmission was selected and geared so the engine would rev at 800 to 900 rpms at around 80 mph. A new breaking system was installed to counteract the massive torque (not to mention a series of trusses to prevent the car from twisting apart), a new starter motor was added, and an entirely new electrical system created just to name a few highlights from the car's original transformation. The final touch was the addition of a Ki-Gas system used by many supercharged cars.
But the story doesn't end there. Recently, Jay brought in the legendary Gale Banks, known as the go-to guy if you want to turbocharge a vehicle, to soup up the tank car even more by adding twin turbos to the car's engine.
About the only problem that couldn't be solved was the cramped legroom, but who expects comfort when you're driving a tank?
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