Introduction!

[V8UK]

Hi All,

Thought may as well post up in here and say hi to one and all!

We are a fairly new group set up to create and host events up and down the UK for V8 enthusiasts! Currently we have a few events under our belts with some great turn outs and lots of fun cruises the first of which had 40+ cars in it, we brought most of Northampton to a stand still, but it was great fun!

As we are mainly in the midlands we have been slowly branching out to try and cater for the whole of the UK, our first Southern meet is next month, 21st July at Insane Creations HQ in Hampsire (more details on the cruises page).

On top of this we are also working on a 1931 Ford Model A Coupe which is a fibreglass body. It will soon be sitting on a full tube chassis with BMW 540i running gear bolted on to turn it into a real street rod! Not everyone's cup of tea but we want someone old school and modern so landed there!

I will keep the garage updated with the progress and the events page with where we will be next! Hope to see the Solent Renegades at an event soon!

Event this saturday (29.06.13) at Santa Pod so will report back with how we get on there!

In the mean time I will leave you with this... (Exhaust chopped off the donor car)

Project car first sound check. - YouTube

Ralph - V8UK

 

[Neo53]

Well howdy, Ralph! Nice to say hello....even if its through a small copper wire, but HELLO INDEED!

Sounds like an interesting project ya guys got there, but curious as to why ya guys chose a BMW...? Not exactly a very American thing to do, but still curious to see how we turn out! Well cool

Hope to see ya 'round the shows and maybe even, if ya can make it, somehow, come down for a club night and have an ol' chin wag with us all (yeah, ok...LONG SHOT, but I thought it would be best to offer than not offer at all :bounce

Take care!

 

[V8UK]

Hey Neo!

Thanks for the warm welcome! Would love to pop down for a club night sometime, was already thinking on trying to find a time when we can fit in a load of southern events all in one weekend and just stay down!

Well 'Code Name B-52' as it has been named has spawned from my personal love of hotrods mixed with my want for a modern drive train, my last project was a '67 VW beetle with a 6.5 inch roof chop, stretched arches and a rad paint job, the plan was to stick a scooby lump in the back and run it as a street monster but a new job forced a sale so that left my life...

So now that things are fairly steady again it was time to strike with a new idea and there had always been a huge V8 hole in my car ownership. So grouped together with a couple other guys we formulated V8UK and I suggested we should have a 'project' to work on, write about and eventually make it into a publicity tool.. What better way than with an out and out Rod!

My hardest decision was what to go for, last year at Billing I was parked next to a 32 delivery and the tubbed rear end fully had my attention! With a fully chromed big block with super charger to match, my mind ran wild and I thought YES that is it!

Started to look for a fibreglass body as I wanted this to be able to live outside and be drive-able in all weathers and not have to be too precious with it... I instantly got distracted by realising I could build my dream car for roughly the same cash a '30s coupe! So all other plans went out the window as I told the lads I had put an order in for a body!

The plan was always to have a tube chassis, not built for drag racing but for safety and performance handling on the road, this means full custom suspension setup and I can use any running gear I want as the chassis is being made to what ever spec we want!

The donor car... When talking to GM Bodycraft (guys putting the chassis together) we decided it will be so much easier to buy a running vehicle that we can use pretty much everything off, as we are going for a tube chassis and modern stylings this is where the big block idea left the building (partly down to costs also as I want this to be finished ASAP). So the hunt began, now noise and power were the main concerns but it also had to be easy to bolt in and not have a monster ECU to get stumped by, so a slightly older modern car was needed...

An XJR was on the cards, huge super charged lump & a great sound track to follow... Wiring nightmare... Abort.

What next, hmmm, Lexus LS400 or Soarer? Possible, very cheap freeing up more cash for other goodies but just a bit dull, then this little BMW 540i popped up on ebay, looked amazing and had 15 mins of bidding left to go... V8 CHECK, low miles CHECK, cheap price CHECK, IRS CHECK, noise.. well I didn't have time to research so this was unknown...

Bid.

Win.

Ah, it's in Bournemouth... Oh well ROAD TRIP!

2 days later we headed to the coast in the V8UK Monaro to pick up the new toy.

It was too good to be true, the car is in amazing condition and runs very smooth, the trip home was great fun giving the old girl a good work out! The car was completely stock so the noise was pretty bass heavy but fairly quiet until the loud pedal was stomped!

Only one thing for it, rip the insides out and then rip the exhaust off. WHAT A NOISE! it sounds amazing, couldn't be happier with it! So now we have a fuel injected V8 with low miles on the clock and a great base to start building a car off.

The factory power figures are 286BHP the rod will weigh around 1000KG when it's done give or take so should make it into a little street rocket!

Not very american and not very traditional but that's not me, love how hot rods look and how they sound, love how modern cars drive and go... It's a half way house and will never really drive like a modern car but will be a lot closer than most. The noise and looks is something I will be able to live with forever and to me that's what 'hotrodding' is all about, build what you want as it's your car.

Also it means another BMW gets crushed which is a bonus!

As soon as it's finished we will be sure to do a full UK tour in it and make sure it is at one of your club meets!

ps. sorry for all the waffle haha