When I look back at the 4 BMW E30s I’ve featured on the site in the past, it’s interesting to see that only one of them retained it’s original motor. The other three were powered by an RB26DETT, an E39 M5 V8, and an E60 M5 V10. So that means we’ve had 4 cylinder, 6 cylinder, 8 cylinder, and 10 cylinder E30’s, so where to from here? Well a V12 is really the only natural progression…
Thanks to Archie for submitting.
Yes you read that right, an Alfa Romeo Hot Rod. Who would be crazy enough to put something like this together? The Swedes of course!
Thanks to Mikael for submitting.
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Not a day goes by that I’m not grateful for the crazy people out there who are willing to tackle insane driveline swaps. I mean seriously, at what point in your life do you sit there and think to yourself “You know what, I think I’m going to put a Viper V10 into a Saab 93 wagon?”. Pure insanity, I love it.
Thanks to Paul JDMST for submitting.
One very dedicated Swedish builder has been spending the last 3 years creating his own Bentley Speed 8 replica. By taking a 1:18 scale model and having it scanned in 3D, he was able to recreate the body shape in full-size and drape it over a hand fabricated tube-frame chassis. With a 4.2lt Audi V8 sitting behind the two lucky occupants, this home-made creation will surely have the performance to back up supercar looks. At the start of the thread there appears to be a twin-turbo setup in the works, but sadly it disappears later in the thread, so let’s hope it makes a return somewhere down the track. After you see the home-made CNC machine & plasma cutting table, you’ll agree with me when I say “chalk up another build to the crazy Scandinavians!”
Thanks to Ger from Ireland for the submission.
This next build comes all the way from Sweden, a first generation Suzuki Swift sitting atop a custom tube frame chassis. The engine has been rotated 90 degrees and now powers the rear wheels. Not only has it been remounted, but it’s also received a little kick in the pants courtesy of a turbocharger and pumps out over 260 dyno-proven kilowatts. Damn these Scandinavians with all their fabricating skills, there must be something in the water. There are so many great builds that come from Scandinavian countries that I’ve decided to create a Scandinavian Post Tag that you can use to find builds stemming from these skillful folk..
Thanks to Audrius from the Lithuanian forum per4m.lt for submitting this one.
More crazy contraptions from our Scandinavian friends. This time it’s some Finns who have created a VW Kombi trailer made from an unused cab, complete with airbags, tubs, and some big American Racing hoops. If that isn’t enough, it actually gets towed around by a matching full-size Kombi.
Thanks to Jani-Matti for submitting this one.
Chido just emailed this over to me today. It’s not often that I’ll post up a build as soon as it’s submitted, since I have so many to sort through, but this one deserved it.
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I was getting a few hits from Datsun Nissan Sports Cars of Finland Forums, so as usual I followed the link and found myself in a thread on their forum. This happens all the time, so I try to make a point of seeing if I can find anything to feature while I’m there. Luckily, there was another link in the same thread to the project you’re about to see here.
This build is spearheaded by Stefan who’s piecing together a super-touring styled Mercedes W124 500E, complete with a carbon fiber wide-body and plenty of CAD-drawn/CNC machined parts.
Every now and then, someone will submit a build that has already been featured, but it is far from a wasted effort as it can open up an opportunity for another story. Jani-Matti from Finland email me a build from Mäkelä Auto Tuning previously featured here, the immaculate restoration of a Group B Toyota Celica rally car. Even though I had already featured that particular build, I had another look at the site and remembered that MAT have more than one intricate build on the go.
Keep reading below and you will find a list of the projects documented in their galleries. I have listed all of them instead of releasing each one as separate features. Does this mean I can take a couple of weeks off now? Didn’t think so 🙁
MAT is truly at the top-end of the car restoration spectrum. Not only are their builds pure quality, but they also take the time to create and update a clean and informative website complemented with superb photography.
The Lancia Delta is a car that I personally imagine to be on similar ground to the E30 M3. By that I mean that it seems to be almost universally loved by car enthusiasts the world over. Maybe not as much as the BMW, but there are no shortage of people who will declare their love for this boxy hatchback.
First up I have to say a huge thank you to Maccan from www.alive.se for not only submitting this build but also giving me a bit of a run-down on the project since the whole thread is in Swedish.
The car is being built for track duties, with a custom bodykit being moulded out of carbon & fiberglass, with lexen windows continuing the lightweight theme. Underneath, there are plans for a flat floor and rear diffuser to try to keep it stuck to the ground.
The engine is fully forged & balanced with a rear mounted radiator, aiming to produce around 550-600bhp when it is completed.
The actual project is not finalised yet, so peep the thread and check back for updates.
