Rear Transaxle
Like carbon fiber body panels, the sheer complexity and cost involved with transplanting a rear-mounted transaxle will put it out of reach for the majority of hot rodders. Nonetheless, it is an impressive exercise in functionality and engineering in the G-Force 'Cuda. The C5 Z06 Tremec T56 (sourced from Rockland Standard Gear) significantly improves weight distribution and concentrates that mass closer to the center of the chassis, effectively reducing the moment of inertia. The 'Cuda's tube-frame design meant the chassis could be designed to accommodate the transaxle, along with a custom subframe to mount it into place. Rockland Standard Gear beefed it up to handle the excessive power, and the box features gear ratios of 2.98, 1.99, 1.35, 1, .86, and .73 (from First through Sixth).
Aluminum Front Bumper
No shocking revelations here. Big steel bumpers are awfully heavy, and worst of all, they're positioned the farthest away from the center of the vehicle as physically possible, which intensifies their adverse affects on handling and braking. Hence, replacing it with a lightweight aluminum piece may yield bigger dividends than you think. Although aluminum bumpers aren't readily available for most musclecars, it really isn't an issue when you can make your own. The contours of the bumper were created by bending a sheet of aluminum at a 90-degree angle. It was then welded to a flat second piece that anchors it to the body. The entire assembly was built in four different sections. The primary pieces run from the center of the grille outward to the outer headlights. Each open end was then capped off and wrapped into the fenders.
Carbon Fiber
Building one-off carbon fiber body panels just isn't practical for 99 percent of enthusiasts. So while the benefits of the 'Cuda's lightweight carbon fiber fenders and hood are great from a functionality standpoint, they're unlikely to be replicated. However, the use of carbon fiber as a dress-up cue is featured throughout the car's design. It decorates the gauge pods, shifter base, transmission tunnel, door sills, and the shifter. Even something as utilitarian as the roll cage is transformed into a styling element with its inlays of carbon fiber, and strips of the material surround the base of the windows on the tops of the doors and quarter-panels. In this capacity--use as a decorative item--carbon fiber is much more affordable and within the ability of many builders. This could get popular really fast.
Gauges
Without question, aftermarket outfits like Auto Meter and Stewart Warner make some damn fine gauges. However, a growing trend in high-end street machines is custom-designed gauges. Contemporary exotics like the Ford GT and Bentley Continental GT draw heavy influences from designer watches, which were also the inspiration behind the G-Force 'Cuda's gauges. It also didn't hurt that Chris is a watch collector. To get some ideas, the process started with picking up a stack of European watch magazines at the bookstore. His research gave him ideas on various layouts and which fonts to use, which were then integrated into a concept rendering. The final design placed the most important vitals-- engine speed, oil pressure, and coolant temperature--front and center occupying the most space in the instrument panel. Smaller gauges surround the tach with fuel level and volt meters on the left, and the 220-mph speedometer to the right. It was then up to Classic Instruments to build the mechanicals of the gauges, and aluminum bezels provided the finishing touch.
Recurring Design Themes
This is what happens when you have the means to hire a professional designer. You get details like recurring design themes that surface all over the car. Many of them have already been covered, like the aluminum bezels, use of carbon fiber, and louvers on the fenderscoops, and rear diffuser. That's not all. Triangles pop up everywhere in places like the base of the shifter and on the door sills. The design is a carryover from the recesses machined into the motor plate that make it look like a cast piece. The rear control arm brackets are milled from cold-rolled steel, also in a triangle pattern. The recurring themes aren't things that are noticeable until looking the car over a few times. However, once you realize what's going on, you can sincerely appreciate the attention to detail and effort put forth to achieve that level of continuity in design.