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Patrick McCarthy

Recent Posts by Patrick McCarthy:

Ringbrothers "Infected" Plymouth Cuda with an 807hp Hellcat Redeye V8

Under normal circumstances, if your redeye turns into pinkeye, you should visit a doctor. But when it comes to this 1970 Plymouth Cuda, the combination of a Hellcat Redeye engine swap and custom BASF Pink Eye paint is cause for excitement rather than a course of antibiotics. The Cuda, appropriately nicknamed "Infected," was unveiled at the SEMA Show earlier this month by legendary hot rod builder Ringbrothers. In addition to the 807-horsepower supercharged V8, it features an immense amount of custom work inside and out.

Ringbrothers INVADR: The Ultimate Buick Grand National Resto-Mod?

The 1987 Buick Grand National is a car that needs no introduction among enthusiasts. The GN's turbocharged and intercooled 3.8L V6 engine produced 245 horsepower, a figure that was extremely impressive at the time (and greater than that of the Corvette's 5.7L V8). Its "experimental" sibling the GNX pushed the limit even further, outrunning Ferraris and Porsches to become one of the world's fastest production cars. This year at the 2024 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, world-renowned custom builder Ringbrothers showed off their approach to building the ultimate Buick Grand National resto-mod.

Video: McLaren Mustang Widebody V8 Resto-Mod

These days, the name McLaren often accompanies names like Ferrari and Lamborghini as a manufacturer of high-end supercars, but back in the early 1980s, the company wasn't making road cars. At that time, McLaren was primarily known for its racecars and turbocharged Ford-Cosworth engines which claimed victories in Formula 1, Can-Am, and the Indianapolis 500. So, when Ford decided to build a performance-oriented, turbocharged version of the Fox Body Mustang, they asked McLaren to work their magic on its engine. The result was known as the M81 McLaren Mustang, and only 10 prototypes were originally produced, making it one of the rarest Fox Body Mustangs of all time.

The History of the Pontiac Trans Am Hood Bird

Whether you call it the Firebird, the rising phoenix, the hood bird, or use its tongue-in-cheek "screaming chicken" nickname, this iconic decal has become synonymous with the Pontiac Trans Am. But it hasn't always been that way. In fact, according to former Pontiac head of design Bill Porter, GM leadership hated the idea when it was first proposed. YouTube channel Original MotorCar interviewed Porter and his colleague John Schinella to hear the fascinating history behind the development of the Trans Am Hood Bird design.

Video: Half-Million-Dollar 1969 Camaro Build

The devil's in the details. Looking at the photo of this 1969 Camaro, you might not think it's anything too unusual, just a cool resto-modded car with clean paint, a lowered stance, and a nice set of wheels. But as you take a closer look, you'll start to see details that show just how much money has been put into the build: Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, an 800hp LS9 supercharged V8, a custom rollcage, and much more. YouTube channel AutotopiaLA spoke to the builder, Timeless Kustoms, and learned that this car cost approximately $480,000 plus the price of the donor '69 Camaro.

Ford GN34: A Mid-Engine 1980s Supercar Cancelled at the Last Minute

Last week, we wrote an article about the Pontiac Tojan, a Trans-Am-based supercar GM developed in hopes of beating Ferrari to the title of the first automaker to produce a 200mph production car. While the one-of-a-kind Tojan prototype succeeded in that mission, the production version was watered-down dramatically to reduce costs, and it ended as a commercial flop. Around the same time, Ford was developing its own secret supercar intended to target Ferrari. This mid-engine project was called the Ford GN34, and the story of how close it came to reaching production is fascinating.

Pontiac Tojan: The Trans-Am-Based Supercar that Beat Ferrari to 200mph

The early 1980s was a tough time for fans of American muscle cars. With increasing government regulations and high fuel costs, many manufacturers were focusing on small, efficient cars rather than high performance. However, enthusiasts still had an insatiable need for speed, and this led a small custom coachbuilder known as Knudsen Automotive to develop something truly radical. The 1984 Pontiac Tojan was an 800+ horsepower twin-turbo supercar based on the Pontiac Trans Am which hit a staggering top speed of 206 miles per hour. Not only was it faster than the legendary Ferrari F40, it broke the 200mph barrier several years earlier and for a fraction of the cost.

Photos courtesy of Mecum Auctions

DIY Chevy Nova Rear Bumper Restoration

"Get used to my tail lights, because they're the only thing you'll be able to see in this race." This bit of friendly trash talk has been used in the muscle car community for as long as we can remember, but there's more truth to it than the joke implies. Whether it's in traffic or on the drag strip, the rear of your vehicle is often the first and last thing people see. So, it makes sense to keep it looking good. Knowing this, the guys at All Chevy Performance recently restored the bumper and tail panel on their '77 Nova project car with parts from Classic Industries.

Video: Jay Leno Drives a 1969 Mustang Boss 429

Homologation is a strange word, but one that's associated with some of the rarest and most impressive road cars ever built. In simplest terms, homologation cars are vehicles that were built to comply with specific rules for racing — most notably the rule that a certain number of "race-spec" cars must be built and sold to the general public before that car can be used for racing. In the late '60s, Ford wanted to put its new 429ci V8 engine into racecars, but NASCAR required them to put it into at least 500 road-going cars first. Thus the decision was made to shoehorn it into a Ford Mustang, and the Boss 429 was born.

Video: 90,000 Square Feet of Barn Find Heaven

Barn finds are an exciting prospect for any classic car enthusiast. Right now, there could be an all-original, nicely preserved classic car sitting under a layer of dust in a barn, shed, or garage. And if you're the first one to find it, you might be able to rescue and restore it without spending as much as you would during an auction or typical private-party sale. But what if you found a barn that didn't just contain one or two cars, and instead contained dozens? That's exactly what the team at Hagerty revealed in a recent video of a 90,000 square foot farm they referred to as "barn find heaven."