I can't stop thinking about this

"Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig" (AndySheehan-StreetsideStig)
07/10/2014 at 12:39 • Filed to: None

And it's distracting my work, so I'm going to write it out quickly. Maybe you chumps have seen a similar thing and you can find me some pictures or something.

Okay, so, two weeks ago, I went to the 2014 !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! s in Kansas City. It was beautiful, amazing, blah blah, you can find all the pics in the link.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

But I'm really stuck on one car. The 1954 Troutman and Barnes Special, the white one in the video with that Jag replica. I want one. So very badly. But there's only one, so I won't get one.

It's a custom race car with a 335 hp 347 V8 from a Thunderbird. This is years before the Cobra.

Well, since I won't get one, perhaps I can at some point do a tribute car, right? V8 MIATA TIME. It could be a nod to all the shoehorn race cars of that era. Big V8 in a tiny roadster. Please keep in mind that this would be entirely hypothetical for years. I don't even have a garage yet.

-A carb'd Ford V8. It could be common, because I'm only looking for the high 300s in hp. It could be rebuilt with a bigger cam for that lopey sound.

-A rear end to handle that.

-Some suspension set up to take care of the extra weight.

-Short velocity stacks sticking through a hole in the hood.

-Side exhausts. Because racecar. And because I want to do what the Troutman does in that video with the leaves in the gutter.

-Roll bar, for the look, and also because...

-Windshield delete/replacement. Find some kind of short, lexan unit with a very minimal frame. In the Troutman, the windshield comes off with the hood.

-Wide flares. It wouldn't be the same as the curvaceousness of the Troutman, but it would be better than stock. I'd probably want to blend and color these in with the body to give a one-piece look.

-Interior delete/weatherproofing.

-Probably some kind of bigger fuel cell/tank

Now we get to the tricky part. I've never been quick to suggest design changes with cars, because I'm not a designer. And because I don't want the entire internet to laugh at me for something that looks hideous. But if I truly want to go for a retro look, I'm not going to accomplish it with an ovoid NA Miata. The Troutman's most distinct feature is the huge singularity of a grille. So I'm suggesting:

-Front bumper removal. This is really risky, because I have no idea what it would look like to pull the mouth off of a Miata. The popups would have to go. In fact, it would probably call for a shorter custom hood in general. Then some bottom section would have to be fabricated to make up the lower jaw.

-I don't know what this would mean for the radiator, especially with a huge V8 in there. I might have to move it to the trunk, but that could be cool (NPI) because rear scoops.

-A custom grille would be made, and inside I would hide some kind of LED headlight and turn signal setup. The Troutman has neither, so I'd prefer to hide them as well as possible.

So I'm mostly curious about the face delete. Have you guys ever seen anything like it?

Thoughts? Comments? Cusswords?

DISCUSSION (4)

Party-vi > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
07/10/2014 at 12:48

There's no such thing as a "common" SBF with almost 400hp. You're going to need to stroke a 302 to get 400hp. A well-built 302 can get you 350hp at the crank, but that's about it unless you get crazy with compression and heads. Luckily, a long-block 347ci engine with 400hp is only $4,000, and rotating assemblies with pistons aren't too expensive.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Party-vi
07/10/2014 at 12:51

That sounds like the solution. 347 is appropriate anyway. If it will fit.

Party-vi > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
07/10/2014 at 12:56

It'll fit. It's just a 302 (5.0L) block with a longer stroke.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Party-vi
07/10/2014 at 13:01

Ah, okay. You see why I'm just ballparking at this point.