Transforming the 1966 Pontiac 2+2 into a 750-HP Restomod Marvel

 The Pontiac 2+2, despite its potential, has long been overlooked among the restomod enthusiasts. Overshadowed by the likes of GTO, Bonneville, Firebird, and others, this classic gem of a car has been in the shadows for too long. However, the team at Roadster Shop in Mundelein, Illinois, is on a mission to change that perception. With their deep passion and unwavering dedication, they are ready to showcase the true potential of the 1966 Pontiac 2+2 through an awe-inspiring 750-horsepower restomod build.

A Transformation Worth Witnessing

Roadster Shop, known for their exceptional craftsmanship, took on the challenge of transforming a 1966 Pontiac 2+2 into a “full-size executive express.” Their first move was to replace the old-school B-body chassis with a modern ‘Fast Track IRS’ chassis, a decision that would revolutionize the car’s performance. Despite the modifications, the restomod still retains its original Marina Turquoise exterior, radiating a timeless allure that catches the eye from every angle.

A Journey on Frosty Roads

To truly appreciate the mid-1960s General Motors styling, the team at Roadster Shop took their creation on a ride through the cold and frosty Illinois roads. It was an opportunity to relish the beauty and power that define the Pontiac 2+2. Complementing the restomod’s aesthetics, an ‘8-lug’ aftermarket wheel setup, featuring machined rims by the Greening Auto Company, adds a touch of sophistication and flair.

The Perfect Blend of Vintage and Modern

Step inside the transformed cabin, and you’ll find a bespoke center console seamlessly blending with the vintage green leather atmosphere. However, modern features are not forgotten. The restomod boasts a state-of-the-art “head unit touch encoder” and an innovative prototype interface screen. The interior was meticulously rebuilt by the renowned Miranda Built automotive fabrication shop, and a set of Dakota Digital instruments enhances the driving experience.

Unleashing the Sledgehammer

Under the hood lies the heart of this remarkable restomod—a mighty 750-horsepower 376ci Wegner Automotive supercharged V8 engine. This automotive beast is capable of extraordinary feats, as witnessed in other instances. Unfortunately, the embedded footage below does not capture its full potential, but it undoubtedly adds to the overall allure and excitement surrounding this incredible restoration project.

In conclusion, the 1966 Pontiac 2+2, once an underdog in the realm of restomods, is poised for a triumphant comeback. Thanks to the dedication and expertise of Roadster Shop, this classic beauty has been reborn with unparalleled power and style. The transformation showcases the fusion of vintage aesthetics with modern performance, breathing new life into a forgotten gem. The 750-horsepower restomod is a testament to the possibilities that lie within classic cars, reminding us that true potential can be unlocked with passion, hard work, and a vision that goes beyond convention.

Abandoned 1949 Studebaker Receives First Wash in 43 Years, Surprisingly Impressive

 Studebaker may have disappeared over a half-century ago as of 2023, but it left a few iconic cars and achievements behind. The Avanti is perhaps the company's most famous vehicle due to the numerous speed records it broke in 1963.

It was also the fastest production car in the world upon its introduction, with a top speed of 170 mph (274 kph) in supercharged form.

Then there's the 1920s Commander, which also set a long list of speed and endurance records. At the same time, the Golden Hawk was the only American car capable of giving the Chrysler 300 "letter series" a run for its money.

The company also revolutionized the station wagon segment with the Wagonaire, which featured a "roll-roof," and pioneered the compact muscle car with the Super Lark. Did I mention that Studebaker was also one of the first automakers to produce electric vehicles in the US?

Then there's the Champion, one of the brand's longest-running nameplates. Introduced in 1939 as a full-size car, it remained in production until the US joined World War II in 1942. The nameplate returned in 1946 and soldiered on until 1958. In 1952, Studebaker moved it into the midsize market.

The fourth-generation Champion (1953-1956) is perhaps the most common, but the third-gen version stands out thanks to an extensive redesign it got for the 1950 model year.

That's when Studebaker launched its "Next Look in Cars" design strategy to counter the new vehicles coming from Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors. Featuring a three-point front fascia with a bullet-style nose, the 1950 Studebaker was quite radical at the time.

Come 2023, the early 1950s Champion is one of my all-time favorite American cars, but I'm not here to talk about the so-called "bullet-nose" Studebaker. I am here to discuss the late 1940s version that's often overlooked. In fact, these cars are so rare that I haven't seen one in many years.

I just couldn't help but get excited when the folks at "WD Detailing" got a barn-found example for a complete makeover.

The Studebaker also comes with an interesting story. Parked for a whopping 43 years, it was found by an 18-year-old. And the owner is so crazy about it that he already sold his modern car to use the money to turn the Champion into a daily driver.

Why would someone want to drive a 74-year-old vehicle daily? Well, this guy is obsessed with the 1940s. Not only does he dress like it's the said decades, but his house is also decorated to reflect the period. He's clearly passionate about antique stuff but also claims he can't connect with modern things.

The video below also includes a brief interview in which he talks about that, but more importantly, the footage also shows the Studebaker getting a much-deserved cleaning. Not surprisingly, for a vehicle that sat for more than four decades, the Champion is dirty and infested by rodents.

But amazingly enough, the body is still in one piece, and there's almost no rust to worry about. The floors are also intact despite the massive rat nests our host discovered under the rear seat.

The 170-cubic-inch (2.8-liter) inline-six under the hood, the only powerplant available in the Champion at the time, is a bit rusty, but I bet it would come back to life with a rebuild.

All told, this classic needs a lot of work and a serious amount of cash to get back on public roads, but it's one of those rare Studebakers worth saving. Until that happens, watch it getting a much-deserved cleaning in the video below.

Abandoned 1962 Chevy Impalas Become a Mesmerizing Outdoor Exhibit

 The Impala series was already on its way to glory back in 1962, with the yearly sales improving at a very fast pace.

The total production for this model year got pretty close to 705,000 units, so the Impala was already accounting for nearly half of the entire full-size output (which reached 1.4 million units this year and also included the Bel Air and the Biscayne).

The popularity of the SS was also on the rise, one year after officially seeing daylight. Almost 100,000 Impalas were sold with the SS option, though the package could still be ordered with any engine in the lineup.

Someone on Craigslist is selling not one, not two, but three different 1962 Chevrolet Impalas, all of them coming in a pretty rough shape, most likely after sitting for a very long time under the clear sky.

Unfortunately, the owner hasn’t provided too many specifics on these three Impalas, but on the other hand, there’s no doubt that bringing at least one of them back on the road is going to be a challenge.

We know nothing about what’s currently sitting under the hood, but hopefully, an engine that’s not locked up is still in there.

These cars obviously come with missing parts as well, but given they’re all two-door Impalas born in the same year, putting one almighty model back together should be possible, at least on paper.

This is something you can only figure out with an in-person inspection, and this is totally recommended if you want to buy the trio.

And speaking of buying the trio, these 1962 Impalas don’t necessarily come for cheap, though the pricing makes sense given you’re getting three project cars.

The seller is willing to let them go for $8,000, and judging from the photos, all of them would need to be towed for obvious reasons.

Shed-Stored 1966 Pontiac Grand Prix Reveals Surprising Engine Performance After 31 Years

 When it comes to 1960s Pontiacs, it's the GTO that gets all the attention in the classic car market. But that's not surprising, given its status as the nameplate that popularized the muscle car market. However, Pontiac produced a long list of cool vehicles around the same time. The Grand Prix is one of them.

Introduced in 1962, about a year before the GTO, the Grand Prix was Pontiac's answer to the emerging "personal luxury car" segment. Established in the 1950s by cars like the Cadillac Eldorado, Ford Thunderbird, and Packard Carribean, the niche was joined by several manufacturers in the 1960s. Examples include the Buick Riviera, Mercury Marauder, and AMC Marlin.

Pontiac was one of the first carmakers to jump on the bandwagon in the early years of the decade. Marketed as a grand tourer and restricted to a two-door coupe layout, the Grand Prix used the Catalina coupe platform and was equipped with luxury features usually available in the longer, top-of-the-line Bonneville.

Power came from Pontiac's V8 engine lineup, but the grand tourer featured a unique grille and taillights.

One of the company's longest-running nameplates, the Grand Prix remained in continuous production until 2008. However, Pontiac moved the car into the midsize market in 1988. The first two generations are among the most desirable iterations of the Grand Prix.

Because they're not as sought-after as the GTOs from the same era, many of these coupes spend their retirement years in junkyards and barns.

The 1966 variant you see here was last driven in 1992 and left neglected in a shed. Fortunately, the car got lucky and was rescued in 2023 after a whopping 31 years off the road.

But what's even more impressive is that this Grand Prix is still in one piece, with no visible rust issues and complete apart from the missing front bumper. What's more, it still packs the 389-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) V8 engine it got from the factory back in 1966.

Not quite as spectacular as the 421-cubic-inch (6.9-liter) option available in 1966, but not the base version either.

Specifically, this Grand Prix left the assembly line with the four-barrel version of the 389 V8. Rated at 333 horsepower, it delivered an extra 67 horses over the base two-barrel variant. Options included a four-barrel 421 with 338 horsepower, a 421 "Tri-Power" with 356 horses, and a 421 HO mill with 375 horsepower on tap.

Since the latter is quite rare, a four-barrel 389 V8 of the numbers-matching variety is spectacular, to say the least.

And besides, this Grand Prix is far from common thanks to its color combo, which brings together a white exterior and a "parchment" upholstery. Unfortunately, there's no production breakdown based on powerplant and colors, but we're probably looking at one of only a few hundred units made.

The even better news is that our host managed to get the V8 running again, and he's planning on getting the Grand Prix back on the road. It might not get a restoration anytime soon, but hey, it's a far better fate than rotting away in a shed. And I think all 1960s Ponchos are worth saving.

The Alluring Discovery of a 1960 Chevrolet Bel Air in a Barn

 A 1960 Chevrolet Bel Air that has recently waved goodbye to the barn where it's been sitting for way too many years is ready for an easy restoration.

The car seems to tick all the boxes, at least based on the images provided by its new owner, so turning it into a collector's dream shouldn’t be such a challenging job.

Chevrolet's late '50s and early '60s came down to two big names: Bel Air and Impala. The first was the one that gave birth to the latter, donating most of the parts and engines to eventually turn it into an automotive sensation in the United States.

Impala's popularity skyrocketed overnight, more or less turning the Bel Air into a second-class citizen of Chevy's lineup. Of course, the two cars continued to share almost everything, so while everybody loved the Impala, the Bel Air was still as intriguing as ever.

The 1960 example pulled from a barn recently not only comes in an impressive shape but also sports the essential features of the perfect restoration candidate. Despite a long time in hiding, the rust isn't a problem – I can see a spot or two in the provided photos, but everything looks fixable; you should still inspect the undersides thoroughly, but I don't expect massive rust in there.

For example, the trunk pan is rust-free, which suggests the car has been sleeping in very good conditions. The owner has already installed new brakes and a new gas tank.

The engine is the part that'll probably make you even more intrigued. This Bel Air is powered by a 348 (5.7-liter) that still stars and runs beautifully. The owner says there's a small exhaust leak, but fixing it should be as easy as 1-2-3.

The 348 was the icing on the cake in 1960, so if you wanted the most powerful Bel Air without losing the original wow factor, this example right here could be the one.

As if the overall package wasn’t already solid enough to allow for easy restoration to a perfect-10 condition, this Bel Air also comes alongside a parts car. eBay seller steve61corvette says it sports good quarters and other parts, so in theory, you have everything you need to put together a mesmerizing Bel Air that can be proudly parked alongside other classics in mint condition.

The pricing seems reasonable, though I still believe that seeing the car in person is essential for a potential purchase. The owner is willing to let the Bel Air go for at least $12,000 – this is the starting bid, and given a reserve hasn't been configured, whoever is willing to pay at least this much can take the beautiful Bel Air home.

Surprise Find: The 1958 Pontiac Parisienne Resurfaces from 30 Years of Obscurity

 While many people believe that the Parisienne is the Canadian version of the Bonneville, this Pontiac model is actually more related to the American Impala.

The two cars are virtually identical from a mechanical perspective, with even the marketing strategy embraced by Chevrolet replicating the one it used in the United States for the Impala.

Launched in 1958, the Parisienne was originally offered as the top version of the Laurentian – in the American market, the Impala debuted the same year as a high-end configuration in the Bel Air family.

At the same time, the GM brand used pretty much the same engines that were available on Impala in its home market.

As a result, the Parisienne could be ordered with the same mix of six-cylinder units and V8 powerplants, as the engine lineups offered to Canadian and American customers were always in sync.

The 1958 Parisienne that you see in these pics is here to remind us of those great times, though it goes without saying its current condition isn’t that great.

Last on the road back in the ‘90s, this Parisienne is now nothing more than a restoration candidate, and a closer inspection should be enough to understand the project isn’t aimed at the faint of heart.

Not only that the metal comes in a rough shape, but many parts are also missing, beginning with the engine and the transmission. This Parisienne was born with a six-cylinder under the hood, but that unit is long gone, so if anything, the car is now ready for a restomod as well.

But at the end of the day, this is one of the most solid Parisienne examples still known to be in existence, so fingers crossed for someone to give it a second chance. eBay seller harv34 is ready to let the car go for at least $2,500. Needless to say, it’s located in Winnipeg, Canada.