Released in 1959 the AM series of the Metro was built for two years. This was the last series of Metro to use the classic body style which was largely unchanged since 1941.
Category Archives: American
Welded: 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
Vehicle bodies are made of several layers of sheetmetal consisting of at least an interior wall and an exterior wall and sometimes another wall in between for more structure. When repairing the body it may be required to repair all of the layers not just the exterior layer.
Mobile Conference Room
We turned the latest van to come through our shop into a mobile conference room. It is equipped with powered USB ports, many HDMI connections, internal and external speakers systems and it is all powered from solar panels installed on the roof.
1951 Willys M38 Update
With the chassis restored and a brand new engine built from NOS block and parts it was time to tackle a fuel tank relocation. Early Jeep drivers had to sit on top of the gas tank but with the installment of a CJ7 tank in the rear we were able to free up the space used by the original fuel tank for other things.
Before: 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
Never dig into the body of a 45 year old car unless you are willing to fix the horrors it may expose. A small amount of rust or a repaint can’t hide the true degraded condition of what lies beneath.
Before: 1970 Chevrolet Corvette
Wait for a huge transformation including color for this Corvette.
Z06 Powered
We have the LT4 Wet Sump Automatic Connect & Cruise Powertrain System w/ 8 Speed transmission installed and running great in the Firebird. This engine has a 10:1 compression ratio, makes 9 pounds of boost, and produces 650 horsepower and 650 lb.-ft. of torque with 100 octane fuel. On our dyno with this configuration and running 91 octane for testing purposes we are seeing 541 horsepower and 613 lb-ft. of torque.
Before: 1961 Jeep FC-170
The Forward Control Jeeps were built by Willys Motors and featured engineering that was based on the CJ-5. The FC-170 model had a six cylinder Super Hurricane engine and a longer nine foot bed.
General Lee
Although The General is officially a 1969 Dodge Charger, 1968 and 1969 Chargers were used in the original television series with the addition of some 1970 Chargers used in the later movie. Besides the insignias on the outside the car is also well known for the horn which plays the first 12 notes of the song Dixie.
After: 1974 Ford Bronco
A lot of work went into this truck, from dropping for drivers floor for more headroom to cleaning up the interior, roll bar and paint. A very loud waterproof speaker system in the rear finished off this fun summer ride.
After: 1966 Ford F100
Now drivable with new rubber and restored wheels and caps this old truck can continue it’s life as a true survivor.
After Factory Five Cobra
With a dark metallic base color and two tone stripes the curves on this roadster are accentuated by the light reflecting over them.
Before: 1959 International B100
The International B-Series was the first of the series to feature V8 engines as an option, either 304 ci or 345 ci.
Before: 1951 Willys M38
The M38 windshield could be folded flat for firing and the body was equipped with a pintle hook for towing and lifting shackles front and rear.
Old Body Meet New Body
With the old body to the 1952 Willys M38A1 sitting in the background the Willys is starting to look like a completed truck.
American Exotics
Just because the Tesla is made in America it doesn’t mean every body shop is willing to work on them when they need some repair. This 2014 Tesla Model S is a couple years old and ready for a refresh from all of the road rash.
Before Factory Five Cobra
Not all replica Cobras are the same and the Factory Five Cobras are the world’s best selling replicas of the famous Shelby Cobra. Racing classes exist around the country specifically for race spec Factory Five replicas.
Rebodied: 1952 Willys M38A1
The new body being lowered onto the restored frame. The M38A1 was the first vehicle to feature the round fender design that would later become the distinguishing body style of the CJ-5.
Before: 1970 Kaiser Jeep CJ5
Kaiser Jeep was sold to AMC in 1970 marking the beginning of the end for the old Jeeps. The CJ5 was sold in America as either a Willys or a Jeep and overseas as the Ford Jeep in Brazil, the Jeep Shahbaz in Iran, and the Shinjin Jeep in South Korea. Watch for this CJ5 to make a huge transformation from it’s current state.
M38A1 in a Box
This is how the entire body of Willys M38A1 is packed into a crate and shipped across the world to keep these iconic Jeeps on the road.
