Apex Online Find Archives - BangShift.com

Wait, What? You Could Still Buy A DeTomaso Pantera in 1987 Check Out This GT5-S Video Review!

Brian Lohnes — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 08:34:25 +0000

Somewhere along the line I guess I lost the memo about the fact that you could still actually buy a DeTomaso Pantera in the year 1987! The cars were interesting in the fact that the body and chassis construction was done in Modena, Italy and then the final assembly work was done here in the USA, that work included the installation of a warmed up 351 Ford engine, the trans-axle, etc. The body had some modifications with the big rear wing and some other add-ons that while very 1980s, took away from some of the beauty that defined the car’s shape early on in ints production run.

This thing was a hod rod, not just by the standards of the day but really by any measure. The fact that it kept the American/Italian theme going so well is awesome and wait until you hear how it sounds because it sounds awesome. The MotorWeek crew had the car singing a good tune at the spacious and fast Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania so this was not just a deal that involved idling the car around the neighborhood, they get after it here! Not just in the slalom and brake stop stuff, either. The have this car on the NASCAR course as well as the infield road course.

Call us crazy but we’d love to own one of these cars now. Yes, we’d warm the 351 up a little, literally. Some aluminum heads, a little camshaft, and EFI would be plenty. Give us 500hp at the tire and we’ll be more than satisfied to hit the streets.

Oh, one last thing. How hot did your luggage get sitting directly over top the engine in the rear of the car?! Hopefully no one packed chocolate bars!

Press play below to see this awesome review of the Pantera GT5-S on MotorWeek –

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In-Car Video: Let’s Go Legends Racing At A Bullring Called Wake County Speedway

Brian Lohnes — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 08:09:56 +0000

Wake County Speedway in Raleigh, North Carolina advertises itself as America’s favorite bullring and that’s pretty awesome. The place has been open for about 50 years and it lived the majority of its life as a clay/dirt track and then was converted into an asphalt track at the close of the 1986 racing season. It is a great example of a little quarter mile oval that has been putting on great shows for fans and acting as a part of the community since John F Kennedy was the President.

Like all circle tracks, these guys race all manner of different cars on the surface during their season. In the case of this video we’re going be riding in a legends car as the driver rips around the track. For those of you unfamiliar, a legends car is a tube chassis design that is done in like 50% scale of a real car and they are designed to wear small, replica bodies that are tributes to the old stuff that people drove around prior to WWII. The engines are actually motorcycle four bangers and you will surely hear them at work in this video,

There is lots of slicing and dicing going on here as the racers work their way around the track. The guy we are riding with jumps to the lead but is forced back rather soon. After a restart later in the video he and another guy get together in turn one while battling for position. Seems like both of them were OK and our her was actually able to climb back into the 6th spot before the checker flag flew.

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Great Read: This 1981 Sports Illustrated Profile Of AJ Foyt Tells The Story Of The Greatest American Racer Ever

Brian Lohnes — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 09:09:50 +0000

They only made one AJ Foyt and some would argue that the fact the mold blew apart after he came out of it is a good thing for the rest of us. During the height of his career, Foyt was less a race car driver and more a force of nature, capable of getting into and excelling in pretty much anything with four wheels. He won LeMans, he won Daytona, he won the Indy 500, he racked up stock car wins, and sports car wins, and dirt track wins, and he did it all with a kind of internal fire and unapologetic competitive spirit that seems not to exist anymore. People mention names like Tony Stewart but even as good as he was in his prime, he wasn’t AJ Foyt, nor would he claim to be.

This 1981 Sports Illustrate story entitled, “Get Out Of The Way, Here Comes A.J.” is fantastic and it is fantastic because it is not a piece of hero worship. It is a great look at the guy and his legacy, warts and all. While it must have been amazing to work for the guy, we’re not sure we’d have jumped at the chance to work on AJ Foyt’s cars during the time that he was at his zenith or especially after. Those had to have been some ugly weekends when he did not win. We’re guessing that he had some pretty colorful things to say about the performance of said crew when the car was not working up to snuff. It had to have been epic in every sense of that word.

This is a look into the mind and psyche of a guy who was claiming that retirement had been approaching quickly. He of course raced through the 1980s and is still alive and kicking today. A fantastic read and look at the greatest American race car driver of all time.

Click here to read this 1981 Sports Illustrated profile of AJ Foyt – You’ll Love It

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Nitro Powered Hill Climb Video: Some Of The Best Riders In The World Get After It And Make It Up A Hellacious Grade

Brian Lohnes — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 08:19:53 +0000

No, this is not one of those videos where everyone fails. This is a video that shows some of the best nitro powered hill climb action we have ever seen on a hill that can only be described as demonic. You will see the riders climb and leap multiple times with each progressive section of the climb getting steeper and steeper until the last section which is damned near vertical. Adding to the fun here is the fact that the bikes themselves are running on a very stiff load of nitromethane and they sound like satan’s buzz saws.

The Poags Hole Hill Climb is called the greatest hill climb in the world for a reason. Held in New York state it draws riders from all over the world. We have showed you hill climb action from all corners of the Earth before and apparently this is the big one that everyone shows up for.

There are some failed and aborted attempts here but the guys that make it show a mixture of skill and balls that we cannot accurately describe without using lots of swear words because it is just that awesome. Note the first rider that you see. That dude goes wide open on the green and basically keeps the throttle twisted open unless he is in the air the whole time. When the bike really starts chewing at the top of the hill it seems like he’s in trouble but instead he shifts his weight, gets traction and powers over the top.

There’s bravery and then there’s these guys. It is totally awesome.

Press play to see some of the best nitro powered hill cilmbers in the world get after it

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FINNEGAN STRESSING OUT! BOUGHT HIS WIFE A CAR FROM AN ONLINE AUCTION!!

Chad Reynolds — Tue, 16 May 2023 15:35:11 +0000

Uh oh…. Did Finnegan buy a lemon while trying to buy something nice for his wife? He bought a super clean looking CRX, that I assume she liked before he started bidding, but is it all the listing claimed? Is it as good as he hoped? Welcome to the stresses of buying something online without ever actually setting eyes on it.

I think it will be fine. Maybe. What do you think?

Video Description:

This is episode 245 of Mike Finnegan’s Garage and since it’s droppin on Mother’s Day I figured I’d take you all behind-the-scenes of my adventure of trying to buy the right car for my wonderful wife. It was a rollercoaster of emotions as I navigated bidding on this hot hatch I found on bringatrailer.com.

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This Account of Dwight Eisenhower’s 1919 Cross Country Trip Is Fantastic – Punishing Journey!

Brian Lohnes — Fri, 05 May 2023 08:29:43 +0000

Dwight Eisenhower has an interesting legacy. Between the work he did during WWII to his presidency and political career, he is one of the most interesting Americans that ever lived. He is also the guy we have to thank for the massive highway system this country has and some of that stems back to 1919 when Ike took one of the worst road trips in the country’s history, traveling with a convoy of cars and trucks with the US Army on a trip across the continental United States. How bad was it? The adventure lasted 62 days and while the first half of the country was a breeze, the second half was a slogging nightmare. Low on fuel, rations and water, there were times where the group came to a halt for days on end trying to regroup. Trucks would slide off the road, sometimes 20 in a day and have to be pulled out. There was sand, there were narrow paths and through it all there was Ike, knowing that there had to be a better way.

The creation of the highway system was not a one man show but someone has to be a passionate driving force when the political winds stall and the experience that Eisenhower had during the 1919 trip gave him incredible passion and knowledge on the subject matter of roads and transportation. We actually have his notes from the trip and we’ll share those on Monday but until then, hit the link below and read the really awesome account of the trip from hell, a 1919 literal slog across the United States…at an average of 6mph.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ATLAS OBSCURA TALE – IT IS GREAT

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Incredible: This Guy Built A 1963 Olds Station Wagon RC Drift Car and Spent A Year Developing An Active Suspension System For it!

Brian Lohnes — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 09:53:51 +0000

The clever nature of the human mind will never stop impressing us around here. BangShift ace tipster Matt Cramer sent along the link to both the video below and the website you need to check to to full understand what you’re going to see. Long story short, a guy build himself a custom, one-off RC drift car using a neat chassis, the body of a 1963 Olds wagon, and along the way he developed a completely functioning active suspension for the car to really make it wallow, lean, and act like a 1983 Olds wagon. In a field where the game seems impossible to change (remote control cars) this guy just changed the freaking game…a lot.

This was no overnight thing, the builder claims to have a year of work, engineering and refinement into the system that uses a myriad of little electrical components to achieve the total awesomeness that you’ll watch in a second. The body of the car and many of the components are 3D printed and to really understand how utterly bad ass this project is, you have to check out the website where every inch of the car is detailed. There is an engine noise generator, the tailpipes light up as if they are shooting fire when the throttle is lifted, and when you see this thing sliding around, leaning, and making opposite lock fun, you’ll smile like we did.

The next obvious question becomes, how long will it be until a company like Traxxas sees a rig like this and works with this dude to enhance their own line of products. Imagine an entire line of “vintage drift” machines like the wagon with varying body styles and stuff.

This whole thing is awesome.

SuperScale: Here’s the website with all you need to know about the 1963 Olds RC drift wagon

Press play below to see this astonishing project in action – active R/C suspension?!

The post Incredible: This Guy Built A 1963 Olds Station Wagon RC Drift Car and Spent A Year Developing An Active Suspension System For it! appeared first on BangShift.com.

This Bad Ass Vega You Saw Built Here On BANGshift Can Be Yours!

Chad Reynolds — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 14:11:07 +0000

We followed the build of this awesome little Vega, dubbed Project De La Vega, right here at BANGshift.com and can tell you it is one bad little machine. It features more custom stuff than you can shake a stick at, including a Turbocharged and Intercooled GM Crate engine and a 6-speed Tremec transmission. It’s a fun ride, hauls ass, and has been the winner at too many autocross events to count. It has also made plenty of road trips and would be an absolute riot to have in your garage. I know I want it!

Instead of going over all the features of this thing, I’m going to let the owner make the list which is below. If you think you want it, click the link below to see the listing and message the seller.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FACEBOOK LISTING SO YOU CAN CONTACT THE SELLER

For sale! I am asking $25,800. 1973 Chevrolet Vega built by Norcal Garage

Engine:

Chevrolet Performance LTG 2.0T crate engine, Vermont Tuning E85 FlexFuel package, custom-tuned, custom Ron Davis Racing radiator, custom Ron Davis Racing intercooler, Spectre Performance air intake with carbon fiber C5 Corvette filter, Guy Smith custom lightweight aluminum inner fender intake ducts, custom 3-inch mandrel tubing welded by John at A1 Muffler in Morgan Hill CA, Rick’s Tanks ‘69 Camaro 17-gallon stamped gas tank, Gen 5 Camaro fuel pump, custom bent aluminum 3/8th” line front to back

Driveline:

Tremec TR3160 6-speed manual transmission, custom flange adapter by South Bay Driveline, custom transmission tunnel, GT500 Mustang all-aluminum driveshaft, GM 7.5 Monza Miller Built rear end (3.27 gears, full floater). Eaton True Trac. Not Installed yet- Fidanza aluminum fly wheel and aftermarket clutch.

Suspension/Steering/Brakes:

Overkill Racing custom tubular front adjustable control arms (modified), Overkill Racing crossmember, Overkill Racing rear lower control arms, RideTech triple-adjustable coilovers with remote reservoirs, custom Church Boys Racing billet spindles with C5 hubs, Church Boys Racing first gen Nova manual steering rack, custom steering arms from Marcus Fry Racing, rear suspension torque arm modified, custom Panhard bar &mounts, Wilwood 6-piston Superlite calipers & C5 13-inch slotted rotors (front), Wilwood 4-piston Superlite calipers & C5 13-inch rotors (rear), Wilwood brake/clutch master cylinder with remote reservoir. Custom Front splined sway bar.

Wheels/Tires:

Jongbloed custom X6 Series 3-piece 18×10-inch race wheels (custom design with owner Ryan), Falken Azenis RT660 255/35/r18 square.

Interior:

Custom roll bar by Marcus Fry Racing, recessed dash panel with Autometer DashLink displayed on iPad, TMI racing seats, DJ Safety 5-point harnesses, original rear seats, AutoCustom carpeting, dual 6volt Optima Red Top batteries

Exterior:

Custom hand-made front aluminum splitter, VegaMods front valance, custom vinyl wrap over entire car, Holden Torana flares imported from Australia.

The post This Bad Ass Vega You Saw Built Here On BANGshift Can Be Yours! appeared first on BangShift.com.

Here’s Your Chance To Buy One Of The Stunt Aston Martin DB5’s From “No Time To Die”

Chad Reynolds — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 10:00:55 +0000

(Words by Scott Liggett) We have been seeing that Christie’s Auctions is having a sale of 10 items from various the James Bond movie franchise in the near future. The one item getting the most attention is one of the 10 Aston Martin DB5’s that were built specifically for the latest Bond flick “No Time To Die” This particular car is complete with the twin Gatling style machine guns that pop out from behind the headlights.

Some details on these DB5’s built for the movie. First of all, none of these cars were real DB5’s at all. They were all hand made using carbon fiber bodies, custom chassis, and 300 HP inline six engines. Some were stunt vehicles that were lightened even more, roll cages installed, hand brakes for drifting in stunt scenes, and race seats. The lighter ones weighing just 2200 lbs. On the outside, they were all built to look like the real ones, even painted in the Silver Birch paint color.

Why not just have the production company go out and buy 10 real DB5’s for the movie to use? Well, they were built from 1963-1965 with just 1059 being built in that time. Thanks to the Bond films, and the car being an iconic British sports car in its own right, current values for one is in the $1,000,000 range.

The particular car being sold by Christies is the stunt car that is gutted inside, with a roll bar, Kirkey-esque looking race seats, and some of the real James Bond gadgets like the machine guns that pop out from the headlights. The paint job has made made scrapes all over it to appear like it was damaged racing through the streets of a scenic Italian town.

Here’s the bad news: From what we understand from Christie’s Auction website description of the lot for sale. This car was built for movie use only and never got a VIN number or a title. That means buying this car and driving on the street is not currently legal. With Christie’s estimates for hammer price being in the $2,000,000 range, that would be expensive garage queen.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE AUCTION LISTING WITH A FULL DESCRIPTION AND MORE PHOTOS

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14 Minutes Of Hell – The Worst Wreck In Vintage Racing History From Every Agonizing Angle

Brian Lohnes — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 08:19:05 +0000

You have likely seen still photos of a massive wreck at a vintage road racing event and marveled at the destruction and sheer volume of the thing. Well, now you get to see video and not only video but an opening shot from the stands and then footage from everyone racing who had an in-car camera on for the event. This is a true disaster and it is pretty amazing that no one was killed. The initial pileup is one thing but the cars that drive into the pile at full speed are genuinely disturbing. Add into the fact that the stuff on the track ranged from real Shelby Cobras on down and you have a genuine reason to get weepy.

The race was the Brian Redman International Challenge and we’re not sure that we have seen another episode in the vintage racing realm that was worse than this one. Sure, calling it the worst wreck in vintage racing history sounds dramatic, but beat it and we’ll change our tune! The worst injury incurred during this series of crashes was a broken arm. That is kind of a miracle because you can see cars literally flying during parts of this and with the number of open cockpit machines competing, the potential for grieves injury is very high.

You may want to jump ahead a little after reveling in the scope of the situation with the grand stand view because there’s a bunch of stuff shot through the fence before the in-car videos start. The true magic of this video is the fact that you see the crash from so many angles and from so many cars.

Whoever made this did one hell of a job!

Press play to see the mess at Road America – Worst Wreck in Vintage Racing History

The post 14 Minutes Of Hell – The Worst Wreck In Vintage Racing History From Every Agonizing Angle appeared first on BangShift.com.