Purpose Built Cars

[Smittys67]

Purpose built cars. What defines a purpose built car? I think this phrase is abused and used out of text. First off let me say every car, truck or street rod we build is purpose built. So if anyone is looking for this service I am your guy!!!

When we start to plan a project with our customer’s one of the first things we do is make a plan for the build and what is the purpose of the vehicle.

Some cars are simple drivers we recreate a car they had when they were younger. We usually update brakes and driveline to make the car safer and more reliable.

Some cars are built to be all out show cars. The sole purpose is to win trophies and look pretty.

Some cars are built to be a pro-touring style car that are just modern muscle cars.

Some pro-touring cars are built to be driven and maybe run an occasional autocross. This is where we start to address concerns and safety. How big of brakes, Hp, frame connectors, roll bar and harnesses and so on.

Then there are the cars that the guy wants to go run hard and fast. We make a plan. It usually includes a chrome moly roll cage with front down bars, frame connectors, fully welded sub-frames reinforced rear frame rails and lots of welding of the body add drive shaft loops. We then move the monster engine back add killer brakes modify the suspension with the best components we can get. Properly mount the seats with 5 point harnesses decide if it needs a fire system. Then we add all the creature comforts they desire ac, audio, nav, leather and whatever they want. In some cases these cars start out on a full tube chassis. If this is the meaning of the purpose that we built the car so be it. Making a customer safe and building a car equipped with all the proper safety equipment in it to minimize the chance of injury is what everyone is calling a “PURPOSE BUILT CAR”

Then I am dam proud of what we are doing!

Maybe we shouldn’t scrutinize these cars and should use them as the examples of safety.

[Ron Sutton]

Amen brother.


I also get a kick of out people using the term "purpose built" like it's a bad thing. But they usually give me dirty looks when I ask if they built their car with no purpose in mind.

[WSSix]

Well said, Chris. I agree with you and Ron that you should have a goal or purpose in mind that you're working towards. It prevents scope creep and should help create a better finished product in the end. It certainly can be a challenge to define though. I know I struggle with it regularly since I'm still mainly in the planning stages. That and I have to live in reality like most of us.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Ron Sutton

Amen brother.


I also get a kick of out people using the term "purpose built" like it's a bad thing. But they usually give me dirty looks when I ask if they built their car with no purpose in mind.

That's going in my "play book" and I'm GOING to use it!!




Chris! Good points and good post!


See ya buddy!




Now let's discuss purpose built TRUCKS.... Okay just kidding! Your's is bad ass and I'd gladly share the track with you ANYTIME!

[ccracin]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Now let's discuss purpose built TRUCKS....

And what about purpose built TRUCKS?

[intocarss]

Some one mention trucks??

[Vince@Meanstreets]

Originally Posted by ccracin

And what about purpose built TRUCKS?

that would depend if it beeps or not while backing up.

I still believe although faster, these modern fandangled pp built cars are 10x safer than the 500hp meat traps we all grew up driving. Remember? no seat belts, 4 wheel drum brakes, sheety tires, throttle linkage, weak motor mounts and a 2 foot "wink" mirror.

[daign]

I consider my car a purpose built 'street' trans am tribute car with full interior. Its all function, no glitz, no glamour, no stereo, no expensive paint to worry about. Built to be driven hard and put in the garage wet. But in reality, I should probably limit my fun to the track. I live just miles from Angeles Crest and up there often just enjoying the drive and fresh tarmac!


I don't have any recent shots of it except from a UFC shoot with heavyweight fighter Josh Barnett (super cool Mopar/Mustang gearhead by the way!) He stood against the pole in the center while I did donuts around him in 2nd and eventually 3rd. A couple times I saw my life flash before my eyes and it wasnt car related, it was Josh's eyeballs. Scary man to do donuts around and his agent had just left so after a short ride he trusted me! Pretty fun day! I have yet to get the real photos these are candids from my phone.

Drivetrain:
ZZ502 Big Block Engine
Holley 850cfm double pumper
MSD 6AL ignition
Tremec TKO 600
Mcleod RST Clutch
Custom Headers
BeCool Aluminum Radiator w/ Electric Fans
12 Bolt Rearend with 3:73 gearing


Suspension:
Stock subframe with relocated Upper Control Arm Mounts
SPC Adjustable Upper Control Arms
Tall upper Ball Joints
QA1 Coilovers Front
Hotckiss Front Sway bar
Hotchkis Subframe Connectors
Hotchkis Rear Leafs
QA1 Adjustable Rear Shocks
Wilwood 6R 12" Crossdrilled/slotted Front disc Brakes
Willwood Dynapro 11" Crossdrilled/slotted Rear disc Brakes
Stainless Braided Brake lines
Wilwood Master and Adjustable Bias Knob


Interior:
Recaro Speed S Seats in Black Leather with black suede.
Schroth 5 point harnesses with custom Cross bar belt mount at rear package tray.


Exterior:
Stickers to cover paint damage
Paint damage from rubber
Jake's Rod Shop aluminum rear spoiler
Jake's Rod Shop aluminum front splitter

I've had it at 179mph GPS verified with the TKO600 and 3:37s. OEM front spoiler snapped and the front sheetmetal bent back from the forces. I felt the lift in the front immediately as well. Was a scary moment. Props to GM for doing their research on the spoilers way back in the end of 69! That said I run a Jake's Rod Shop aluminum adjustable spoiler in the rear and have been waiting for Jake to send an aluminum front one with struts to reinforce the front.

I've pondered painting it, but then it'd ruin everything I love about the car. Even the patina and track road rash. Considering the way I do drive though, I really should focus on safety and put a full cage, fuel cell and fire suppression system in it. All my track instructors and friends say I should and I fully agree Reason I haven't? Health. I don't drive the car as much as I used to. But on good days she gets a beating, as she was built for it

I also feel for some reason that a cage devalues a car and personalizes it a lot, pushing away future buyers. I could be totally wrong on that though. Theres some bitchin' trans am trubute z28s out there with no interiors and full cages etc that would pull a pretty penny I'd hope. I just know that history has shown that pro-street cars dont go for much any more and many have been transformed into pro-touring cars. Perhaps a cage was a bonus for the buyers? Who knows.

My garage is filled though, and one car will always stay, so that makes the z28 the wildcard. I'd have to get rid of it to build the 65 riviera and a 70s 911 RS replica etc.. Too many ideas, Automotive Attention Deficit disorder? I personally cannot paint either of my classics for fear I wont enjoy them as much. Hell I just redid my interior on the other car and I'm afraid to sit in it!

[57hemicuda]

I think its funny how our purpose changes after the car is built. My Mustangs purpose was to be the best G machine I could build on a very limited budget. Then we started autoxing, then road coursing, its crazy how quickly something can morph into something it wasn't designed to be in the first place. I'm sure we all have said the same, "if I knew I was going to be doing this with the car, I sure wouldn't have put that in it" or maybe its just me that says that.

I know I've said this before, what makes our little small part of the car hobby so cool is, our cars can do everything, the Swiss Army Knives of cars.

Its strange how our cars can hit the Autox, run a road course lap after lap, and then I can drive it to a drag strip the very next weekend and lay down a 10.94 at 132 mph on KDW's, with nothing more then a tire pressure adjustment. The cool part is they look really sexy doing any one of those things.

I also find it funny that no matter how hard I tried not to have it happen, my drag racing roots come through in everything I build, (forward bite is everything). My limited AutoX, road course knowledge becomes evident everytime I'm in the car. I feel like I have learned more about cars in the last couple years then in the 25 prior. Been a fun ride though.

[SSLance]

My build started out in a "prettying it up" stage. Once it was prettied up but still in stock looking mode, I started fixing factory deficiencies...while still keeping it stock appearing. More power, stronger drive train, lower stance, better seats, etc. Then I got tired of looking at it and not driving it because I didn't want to get it dirty.

Hit a local autocross and the madness began, with a new purpose in mind.

Thankfully I didn't have to undue any previous work, but it was a bit of a shock to the system when I covered the bottom of the car that used to be clean enough to eat off of...with trans fluid. I got over that pretty quickly though.

So a purpose CAN change along the way...and still work out pretty well. I'm just glad I never repainted the car as I'd probably have a much harder time doing what I'm doing today with a high dollar repaint on the car.