I just received an email from Nicholas from Neo Brothers in the UK letting me know that their Saab 96/9-3 mash-up project is complete. I have since updated the original post with some new images and links to the build galleries. If you remember this build, now’s your chance to see it complete. If you haven’t, well then consider yourself lucky because you have a brand new build to devour!
CLICK HERE to head to the original posit.
If you haven’t heard of Makela Auto Tuning before, allow me the honour of introducing you to the Finnish gods of auto restoration. They specialise in ex-Works rally and race cars, and like to document their work in galleries with hundreds (if not thousands!) of images. This isn’t the first time I’ve featured their work, you can read about a bunch of their projects by clicking here. Since it’s been a while between drinks, I thought I’d show you this fantastic restoration of a Ferrari 308 GTB rally car. Oh, there’s only 1764 images of the build. Yes, you read that right, over ONE THOUSAND images.
CLICK HERE for more Scandinavian builds.
Even though I’m not into off-roading myself, I really enjoy reading builds from this dirt-loving subculture. Reason being is that I get to see the same metal-working techniques being implemented for a different purpose, it’s just interesting to see the similarities and differences. High instead of low, mud instead of asphalt, dirt instead of shine, but at the end of the day we are all modifying our vehicles so we can enjoy them beyond the expectations the manufacturer had in mind for them. This particular build is a 1976 Scout Traveler, a vehicle made by International, and it’s being built to a very high standard for the purpose of long and remote hunting trips in the countryside.
Thanks to Jess for submitting. Click here for more off-road builds.
Time Attack season is almost upon us, with World Time Attack Challenge just around the corner (click here for my photos from 2010), I thought it would be a great time to share this long-term build from Australia. The brainchild of a Mazda aficionado and die-hard collector, this NC MX5 welcomes the addition of firstly a supercharged Renesis 13B, and then a 20B 3-rotor with individual throttle bodies and a whole host of goodies. Apart from all the CAD screenshots, machined metal goodness, fabrication, welding and general race-car building, you’ll also find a bonus R35 GTR build and a visit to Mazda HQ in Hiroshima within the thread.
Thanks to David from MX5CarTalk & Pixel Culture for submitting. Click here for more rotary-powered builds.
I know for the most part that Build-Threads.com is kind of a one-way thing. I post, you read, that type of deal. But the truth is that I love hearing from readers via email, Twitter, the Facebook page, and the new Facebook Discussion Group. Whilst everyone’s projects can’t be featured, I still love seeing what people are up to. Most of the time it’s regular guys like myself, tinkering away at their project in the garage, but every now and then something far beyond the reaches of us common folk greets me. Just the other day, Lewis from Peasnell Racing Designs sent me a Facebook message with a few images of his work, letting me know very politely that he’d love to see his work on the site if I ever had a ‘slow news day’. What I saw left me gobsmacked, and I couldn’t wait to share it with everyone and hopefully give Lewis a platform for his work via this humble website. Before we start salivating over the fabrication and design, I’ll leave you with this quote from Lewis to remind us that, although his work might be otherworldly, deep down he’s just a normal guy like you and me…
“Growing up I loved LEGO and drawing, this is just my grown up version, I’m sure.”
Visit Peasnell Racing Designs on Facebook and give them a like to stay in touch with their future work. I’d like to thank Lewis for allowing me the opportunity to share his work with the world on Build-Threads.com.
I guess you could kind of call this a chassis-swap, even though the original chassis is retained, albeit highly modified. This Willys pickup is based on a combination of two cabs (’48 and ’58), being widened to fit over the subframes and floorpan of a 2008 Jeep Cherokee, complete with a 5.7l Hemi. I have to say, this is one of the most informative build threads I’ve read. Even by breezing through it like I usually have to (because I want to get it up ASAP on the site for you guys!) I’ve managed to learn more than a few tricks. The owner shows off a plethora of DIY garage skills, such as tweaking and straightening the frame using combinations of heat and pressure, panel beating, welding, metal folding/shaping, and more. He really goes out of his way to share his techniques with his fellow forum members via well-written and documented posts. The whole thing is closer to a hot rod build compared to what you’d usually expect from a Jeep. Don’t forget to catch the rust removal technique towards the end of the thread, definitely one I’ll be bookmarking for future reference.
Thanks to Jarrod for submitting. Click here for more Jeep builds.
Ahh, the humble LSx swap. Some people might think that LS-swaps are overdone, played out, or whatever your buzzword of choice is. But I guess if you provide a range of compact, affordable, reliable, and easy to tune engines, people are going to use them! Personally, I’m all for them, they look great and appear more than willing to accept power additions, either naturally or artificially aspirated. The LSx in this build is being used to power an E36 BMW, and while the swap itself is interesting enough, it was a small detail of the build that drew me in, and by small I mean one little accelerator bracket. Yep, that’s all it takes! It’s a small part but it was done so neatly that it gave me a feel for the rest of the build and made me want to read more, and I was rewarded with a whole lot of attention to detail.
Click here for more BMW builds. Click here for more LS-powered builds (there’s over 10 of them!). Continue reading “LSx powered E36 BMW”
Anyone else wondering what a Unimog is? If you are, like I was, I’ll do the Wiki-ing for you…
The name Unimog is pronounced [ˈuËnɪmÉ”k] in German and is an acronym for the German“UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät”, Gerät being the German word for machine or device.
The more you know, hey? This Mercedes Unimog (we can pretend we knew what that meant all along now) was bought sight unseen, with what turned out to be a blown motor. The owner sees to break it down from it’s ex-military looking guise, throw an assortment of parts and fabrication at it (over the course of 2 rebuilds), and ends up with a mud-ready 347ci Ford V8-powered off road assault vehicle, perfect climbing steep trails, dashing through the now snow, or being covered in sweet, glorious, dirty mud. All this while seating 5 people in open-air (somewhat) comfort.
Thanks to Chris for submitting. Click here for more off road builds.
I always love when an Australian car shows up in my inbox, I have a soft spot for our local product (even though our industry has all but shut down), and I even owned a Commodore some years ago. This particular piece of Aussie machinery is a VR Holden Commodore of the HSV variety, HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) being Holden’s tuning arm, much like AMG is to Mercedes. For the international readers, you can read up on HSV here.
What I love about this car is the incredible attention to detail and the no-expense-spared attitude given to the build, it’s not often you see these cars receiving this type of attention. If the details don’t get you, I’m sure the bright orange LSX motor with individual throttle bodies will melt your eyeballs and warm your soul. Another really neat touch is the rear wheels, they’re CNC machined to look exactly like the factory cast alloys, except much wider. It’s a subtle touch, but speaks volumes of the owners taste direction with the car.
Thanks to Ismail for submitting. Click here for more builds of Australian cars.
The folks at Bad Obsession Motorsport must have a bad obsession with building bonkers cars, because they’re putting together quite the ball-tearing package. They’re taking a Mini (or what’s left of it) and stuffing it full of running gear from a Toyota Celica GT-Four. Yes, that’s a 4 cylinder turbo with all wheel drive. What’s better is that they’re documenting it all on video, with some token British dry humour (my favourite kind). Watching the guys cut, linish, fold, and weld hand-make bracketry and structural sections is making me want to get out into the garage more than ever. “Project Binky” will be one serious little Mini once completed.
I’ll be sure to update this post and let you know via the Facebook page when more videos are released.
![Project Binky – Austin Mini GT-Four [video build]](http://build-threads.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Binky.png)