Tucked away in a small industrial park in Oxnard, CA sits JCG Restorations & Customs, a moderately sized shop that has built some of the best performing pro-touring cars that we've ever driven. Now generally we don't focus in on shops, however when the owners of three of our best test cars start dropping names, we tend to listen. Originally we descended on JCG to drive Blu Balz, a stunning 1968 Camaro owned by one Karl Dunn. However since Mother Nature decided to water the Earth that day, we put our original plans on hold and got shop owner Cris Gonzalez to give us the in's and out's of what it takes to make a stellar pro-touring car.
1971 Chevrolet Camaro: Mary Pozzi, Queen of Grip - BIG MUSCLE
For its season opener BIG MUSCLE hangs out with the Queen of Grip herself, Mary Pozzi. We traveled to Northern California to meet up with Mary, husband David and her highly modified LS2 powered 1971 Chevrolet Camaro. We talked racing, car set-up, touched on her SCCA autocross championships as well as her inclusion in Sony's upcoming Gran Turismo 6. Then we took out her stunning prized Camaro for an all day flog in the California canyons.
Mitch Allread: Don't Call it a Rat Rod... - BIG MUSCLE
It packs a 400 hp diesel out of a Ford F-350, a Dana 80 rear-end, and a look and feel that would make Max Rockatansky feel right at home. This is Mitch Allread's custom fabricated creation and it is, without a doubt, one of the coolest things on the road today. This is a machine that transcends the traditional hot rod formula by breaking down borders and setting its own stage.
Whereas most hot-rods are built by custom shops utilizing parts from mail order catalogs, Mitch took a different approach and fabricated just about everything on his ride by hand. Calling this a rat-rod would be an insult - a work of art however... that'd be just fine.
Hennessey Venom GT: The World's Fastest Tuned Car - TUNED
DRIVE EXCLUSIVE: With only six examples built to date, the Hennessey Venom GT could be considered the fastest street car in the world. Built off the Lotus Exige, this tuner car packs a 1200+ horsepower punch with a theoretical top speed of 272mph. Host Matt Farah takes a quick ride in the million dollar Texas built supercar for the Season 3 premiere of TUNED on DRIVE.
1966 Cobra Dream Machine - BIG MUSCLE
It's a 1966 Shelby Cobra replica that was built by a Father and his two sons more than 10 years ago. It's faded fiberglass shell is chipped and spider-webbed. The stainless trim is pitted and tarnished and the wheels are coated in a thick layer of brake dust. The carpet is also coming up and every now and then it blows flames from its side-pipes due to it running a little rich. Some may think these are problems. Me personally - I think it's one of the coolest cars I've ever driven. This episode of "Big Muscle" is about the drive, those project cars that we work on, and the exhilaration we get when we wring them out for the first time on the open road.
Triple Black Attack: 1970 440 6-Pack 'Cuda - BIG MUSCLE
Each and every muscle car enthusiast has that one experience that has helped define the way in which they view the automobile. For Northern California's John Cross that experience came by way of riding in the back of his cousins 1970 440 6-Pack Plymouth 'Cuda when he was a kid. It was a car that provided him with memories, stories and of course, a goal - that being, to one day own the very car which got his engine running all those years ago. It's now 2012, 42 years after that first faithful ride in the very 'Cuda you're about to see. This time however it resides in John's garage, not his cousins, which can mean only one thing... Sometimes dreams do come true.
Muscle Cars and Road Courses Make Unlikely Partners - TUNED
TUNED tests out a couple of suspension-tuned muscle cars on the Willow Springs road course to see how Hotchkis suspension components make old cars less scary, and modern cars fast as hell.
1969 Camaro Street Rod
A 1969 Camaro gets a full custom Interior by Steve Holcomb Pro Auto Custom Interiors..the Car was built by The Roadster Shop...very cool car...ck it out
MUSCLE CAR HEAVEN!! - Helsinki Cruising Night 7/2012
Helsinki Cruising Night 7/2012 PHOTOGRAPHY: http://razzi.me/albums/16250-helsinki-cruising-night-7-2012
Helsinki Cruising Night July 2012 was one of the best cruising events ever! Amazing muscle cars, classics and new ones, awesome V8 rumble and the smell of gasoline, just amazing. Enjoy!
Some of the highlights from this event were:
2007 Matte black Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible w/ 663hp http://youtu.be/hCJ_KgMzlk0
2008 Ford Mustang GT Bullitt
1967 Ford Mustang 'Bullitt' Fastback Coupe
600hp Monster Motorsports Inc. Camaro SS http://youtu.be/bDrVvas4I-A
Plymouth Prowler
1970 Dodge Challenger Convertible
Dodge Challenger SRT-8
Modified Dodge Challenger R/T
Dodge Viper GTS http://youtu.be/6709yH_OOis
Cadillac XLR-V
Chevrolet Chevelle SS
Shelby Cobra (replica??)
1968 Dodge Charger R/T
Orange Chevrolet Corvette C2
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air w/ blower
Plus a lot of gorgeous Mustangs, Firebirds, Cadillacs, Camaros, Corvettes etc. etc.
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Watch in High Definition (1080p HD).
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Jamboolio's automotive photography: http://razzi.me/Jamboolio/albums
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1964 Cadillac: Big, Black & Blown - BIG MUSCLE
This is a 1964 Cadillac DeVille drop-top. It's got a blown 468 cubic-inch big block, 600 plus horsepower, and if you haven't figured it out by now, it's a friggin' carnival ride on four wheels. I stumbled upon this amazing machine while walking through a car show in Alameda, CA and after speaking with owner Ron Dean, I knew it was something that had to be featured on BIG MUSCLE. Stretching 20-feet in length and having a personality that simply can't be ignored, this old DeVille not only kicks sand in the face of other hot-rods, but does so while maintaining all the comfort and class that vintage Cadillac's are known for.
The Blastolene Story - TUNED
The Blastolene Story - The Decoliner. Half GMC RV, half creative genius by master craftsman Randy Grubb.
Super Sleeper 1972 Nova - BIG MUSCLE
Wanna race? If so you may want to reconsider. You see this is Dru Diesner's 1972 Chevrolet Nova and it's anything but stock. From a looks perspective it's nothing special, in fact most people wouldn't put up $500 for this thing. Look a little deeper though and OH MOMMA! You see under its faded green paint lurks a twin supercharged LS2 that makes 1,160 hp... at the rear wheels. It epitomizes the term "sleeper", and is lethal to just about every other road going vehicle it comes in contact with. Big Muscle recently visited Northern Chicago to get a sample of this beast, and holy crap was it one of the best automotive experiences we've ever had.
1955 Ford Thunderbird: Back in Black -- BIG MUSCLE
It's been in the same family for the better part of 50 years. Been modified with performance and weight savings in mind, and is one of the sleekest looking cars we've ever come across. This 1955 Ford Thunderbird is no secretaries car, but a purpose built award winning street machine that was built in a time before resto-modding old cars was all the rage.
The 700 HP RennTech CLS63 AMG - TUNED
Hartmut Feyhl left AMG after 15 years to start his own tuning company, RennTech, which is now one of the most respected AMG tuners in the world. His products range from simple software upgrades to full racing builds based on AMG street cars. We take his new, 700 horsepower CLS63 for a spin and establish a new benchmark for luxury sedans: must be able to do burnouts while moving at highway speeds.
69 Camaro Street Rod
A 69 Camaro Street Rod that has just come into Steve Holcomb Pro Auto Custom Interiors...a very cool car...ck it out!!
Test Driving 1967 Chevrolet Camaro 502 Big-Block Restomod - Fast Lane Classic Cars
I thought you'd like a look at this awesome 1967 Chevrolet Camaro. This beast is powered by a ZZ502 Big-block crate engine, that's pushing out 502 HP and 567 LbFt of Torque. All that power is being funneled through a Centerforce clutch, to a Borg Warner T10 four-speed, and then back to a 12 bolt rear with 3.55 gears. This car has all the performance you need and then some. It's also a beautifully restored car, from the ultra slick black exterior with SS trim, to the completely restored houndstooth interior. It's also equipped with front disc brakes, Eagle Alloy wheels, and BF Goodrich ZR speed rated tires. This car goes, turns, and stops amazingly well. I hope you find it interesting...thanks for taking a look!
Filmed at Fast Lane Classic Cars in St. Charles, Missouri
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The background music track is Whiskey on the Mississippi by Kevin MacLeod. Available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Download link:http://music.incompetech.com/royaltyfree2/Whiskey%20on%20the%20Mississippi.mp3
MacLeod's description:
Genre: Blues
Length: 3:15
Instruments: Guitar, Bass, Kit, Organ, EP
Tempo: 90
With a jumping bass and off-beat syncopation, this is straight from Memphis' Beale Street. The Hammond organ and electric guitar play together as longtime friends, while the melody changes hands from guitar to organ to electric piano. 011
ISRC: US-UAN-11-00709
Bouncy, Grooving 2010