This car was purchased 11/16/2005 over the internet from Kansas. I had it shipped to L.A. and drove it from their to San Rafael, California.  A beautiful 8 hour drive up the coast until the power steering hose exploded had smoke every where. I pulled over clamped the hose and cut the steering belt.  I forgot what true manual steering was like. It had no radio so I put the ear phones of my I pod shuffle in and tried to ignore all the sounds and groans it was making and eventually made it home.

The day after Christmas I started tearing it down. It took about a ten days as I worked at night and zip locked every bolt and washer. I'd never built a car before but I hoped it would be as easy as tearing one apart was.  Read on after your done laughing. I was hoping to put a new drive train, minor body work and paint and I would do the interior down the road. I had the car media blasted and what was left I took to a friend of my brother in law, Louis Alonzo, he owns Pan American Auto Body in San Jose, California. He looked at it and said; Hey this isn't in to bad of shape. I laughed and said; your joking. He said no the floor pan and trunk are good. We just need to replace the fenders, doors, quarter panels, tail panel and; Oh by the way you didn't want to keep this hood did you. Oh no not at all.( it was my favorite part of the car a hood with stacks). I had this ridiculous idea that I could restore this thing in about 4 months, so I could drive it by April Fool's day before summer. Louis quickly let me know that I was the fool. It would take just under 4 months to put the body back together and have it painted.  One of Louis' best body men Manny put his heart and soul in it. They usually do insurance work on Mercedes and BMW's. He made the car laser straight. The price Luis did it for would make most people puke. Not because it was expensive but because he charged me so little I basically owe him my 1st born. Keep in mind I didn't even know him well but, because he is a friend of my brother-in law Dan that was all he needed to know. People in the shop were thinking I had something on Louis, pictures or something. He is one of the most genuine, good hearted people I have ever had the privilege of meeting.

During the four months the body work was being done and after doing lot's of research on the internet. I tracked down most of the part's I needed to make this car exactly how I envisioned it. I wanted all the technology to make it a street legal nascar, but I wanted to keep it looking like the era it came from. I like all the amazing rims that are on the market now but I wanted it to look 60's. To me you can put all the work and parts in a car you want. You pick the wrong rims and tires you just wasted your time. I went with E.T. 5 spoke rims and powder coated the centers with 2 point knock offs. I know that three point, would be more authentic, but a friend of the family is the original owner of a 66 SS Chevelle midnight blue with torque thrust real magnesium wheels with 2 point knock offs. I have looked at that car since I was 2. That car just looked Bitchin. I couldn't go with American racing like he had because I wanted an 11 inch rim in the back to give it serious depth. I went with E.T. classic fives. 17x 11 in the rears, 17x 8 in the front.  B.F. Goodrich G-Force KDA's 315-40-17 in back, 245-45-17 in front.

After going on the internet, it looked like the team of people everyone was talking about was Detroit Speed and Engineering. Kyle, Stacey, Frank and Lindsay were unbelievable. They were patient, helpful and took all the guess work out of what I was trying to accomplish with the rear end. They set me up with A four link suspension with coilovers and pan bar, a a 56 inch Ford 9 inch, 31 spline steel forged yoke with 342 gears, Moser housing, and axles, & mini tubs. I would go back to them for many more parts but that was the rear end. I can't say enough about their knowledge and customer service.

Detroit Speed did not have a front end system at the time( they do now), I went with a Chris Alston Front clip with all the goodies upper and lower A-arms and spindles, 9 inch coilovers, Varishocks, anti roll bar, rack in pinion steering, Wilwood brakes 13 inch 4 piston in front and 12.75 4 piston in the back and sub-frame connectors so the convertible wouldn't get twisted.

Tremec delivered a TKO 600 5 speed, Lakewood SFI steel clutch housing and scatter-shield, 14" billet steel flywheel, 11"1-1/8 x 26 spline high performance hydraulic clutch kit.

Right about the time the body work was being finished I had the front end, rear end, tranny, fly wheel, scatter-shield, and belhousing assembled. That week the motor came from Bill Mitchell World Products.  I went with an all aluminum 427 hardcore racing block and heads. The mallory HEI distributor was replaced with an MSD coil and ignition MSD digital 6 plus. It has It has 550 h.p. and 525 lbs. of torque.

Some highlights of the motor: Bill Mitchell World Products

Carburetor: 870 cfm hi-flow 4150 style
Ignition: MSD coil & MSD digital 6 plus ignition box
Intake manifold: Motown single plane
Cylinder heads: Motown lite
Valves: 2.080" x 1.600"
Rocker arms: Hardcore 1.6:1 ratio roller rockers
Camshaft: Solid Roller. Duration @ .050248/ 254 lift 577/ 523
Centerline 112
Bore: 4.125
Stroke: 3.875
Pistons: Manley coated forged
Crankshaft: Eagle 4340 forged steel
Compression: 10.5:1
Vintage air front runner system
Cowl induction air cleaner
C.P.P. Master cylinder

Interior: Upholstry & canvas top by Mike Franzini
Black leather & suede recaro seats
Mercedes square loop carpet
Auto Meter gauges

Paint: Mercedes silver with BMW grey stripes by Louis Alonzo

Front End: Chris Alston Chasis works

Rear End: Detroit Speed

Transmission: Keisler Engineering

Finishing Parts: Steve's Camaro's, Summit Engineering, Classic
Industries, Goodmark Industries

Builders: Steve Vella & Dan Williams