1978 Chevy Malibu * Marc Luetje * Topeka, KS
Marc Luetje paid just $500 for his '78 Malibu in 1988. To make it complete, Marc paired it with a salvage motor from a '70 Corvette, and a Turbo 350 from a neighborhood guy. Then Marc had a little set back. "After a night of some street racing, I crashed the Malibu trying to get away from the police. The car needed a new front clip, and some framework." Marc also needed a time-out from behind the wheel, so the ensuing time was good therapy. Four years of college, marriage, and the birth of a son brings us up to the sober point where Marc is now. Six years into the rebuild, Marc has done all the work himself (except paint), and paid cash for it along the way. Soon, the Malibu will be done, and Marc will have the choice of driving it responsibly, which we hope he makes.
| By The Numbers |
| Engine: | 368ci small-block |
| Transmission: | Turbo 350 |
| Suspension: | Eibach, Belltech, Rancho |
| Brakes: | Wilwood |
| Rear: | 8.5-inch 10-bolt, 4.11 gears |
| Wheels: | Corvette C5 style |
| Tires: | 235/45R17, 275/40R17 |
1964 Ford Galaxie * Mark Schaller * San Jose, CA
"I had already restored a '66 Mustang GT, and I was feeling the need for another project, something a little different, and something you would rarely see driving around town," writes Mark Shaller. In February of 2006, Mark saw a posting on a Shelby Club website, advertising a '64 Galaxie with the right color combo. After Mark did some research on the history, a deal was struck. "In retrospect, I paid more for it than I really should have; it was not running, most of the parts were in the trunk, and it clearly has serious electrical problems. I know, major red flags!" Mark is now nearing the end of what has been a challenging three-year restoration. Along with help from friend, Dominic, all the work was handled at home, and the end now appears to be in sight.
| By The Numbers |
| Engine: | 428ci Ford FE |
| Transmission: | Ford Cruisomatic three-speed |
| Suspension: | factory, Monroe & KYB shocks |
| Brakes: | manual four-wheel discs |
| Rear: | Ford 9-inch 3.55 gears |
>Wheels: | ARE Torque Thrust D, 15x7 |
| Tires: | Dunlop 225/70R15, 245/60R15 |
1955 Plymouth Belvedere * Adam Moore * Decatur, IL
"My father and I have the same weakness: huge cams, tons of compression, and cars that aren't the most comfortable to drive--unless it's a quarter-mile at a time," writes Adam Moore. Then Adam came up with the crazy idea: How about a car that can actually be driven? That brings us to the photos of the '55 Plymouth Belvedere. Adam's dream is to build it into a car that doesn't require race fuel, or ear plugs to muffle the exhaust noise. It also means not worrying about every little rattle he hears. Though the engine's not built yet (the blower motor is just a mock up), Adam's therapist suggests low compression, a little cam, and a little carb. Yeah right! We saw Adam's tech sheet, which has a COMP Cams Thumpr cam, and that's something sure to get his blood pumping!