Awesome Classic Cars

The paint on classic cars isn’t always in good shape and needs to be restored. If you really want to do the job right, you need to start with a clean canvas. Cars Insider shows us how 3S Chemicals takes vintage car bodies and dips them in a series of baths to remove all the old paint, sealers, primer, and rust.

The expert car builders at SpeedKore bestowed this murdered-out 1970 Dodge Charger with more power than a Charger SRT Hellcat. It packs a 7.0L Hellephant 426 Hemi that makes 1000 hp and 950 lb-ft. of torque. Despite its retro looks, it has carbon fiber body panels, and its chassis has an integrated 14-point roll cage.

To celebrate 70 years of the C-type, Jaguar Classic will handcraft a limited number of new cars from the original specs. Based on the 1953 Le Mans-winning roadster, it has a 3.4L inline-six with triple Weber carbs and disc brakes. The cars can be fitted with an FIA-approved harness for driving in historic racing, track days, and closed-road use.

In 1966, Chevrolet produced just 1856 of its Impala Sport Coupe, rocking a 427ci Turbo-Jet V8. This Regal Red Impala has a 4-speed manual, cranks out 425 horsepower, and looks as good as the day it left the factory. One lucky entrant will win this awesome car while helping to support charities. Plus, Awesomer readers get double entries.

To present a gift to his 83-year-old father, a man decided to pull his dad’s 1969 Mercedes 280 SL out of their garage after it sat dormant for 37 years. Auto restoration experts AMMO NYC shared this highly-satisfying video of the car being cleaned from top to bottom. We’d love to see it after the mechanical repairs are done.

For Pebble Beach 2017, Gooding & Company has a pair of amazing classic Mercedes on the block. This 300SL Gullwing and Roadster have been owned by one family, are unrestored, and fully driveable. The Gullwing is the only one ever factory painted in British Racing Green.

DriveWithDave spent an afternoon with the Maserati Sebring, a car that made Jeremy Clarkson’s all time top 100 list.  Luxurious, stylish, only 348 were built, and the Sebring has a direct connection with such historic names as Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio.

The famed Stratos DNA can be had for a fraction of the price in the Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato. Renowned design house Zagato streamlined the tame Fulvia, shaping it into a sporty road machine. Drive with Dave checks out this quirky and rarely seen Italian coupe.

Austin Healeys are affordable, yet collectible British sports cars. The Austin Healey 3000, race prepped, was said to give Ferrari 250 SWB drivers fits, with great road holding ability and gobs of torque. Drive With Dave enjoyed an afternoon with the 6 cylinder “Big Healey”.

Our friends at DriveWithDave experienced the exotic and expensive Alfa Romeo GTC. Top up or down, the car is simply beautiful. Buttery smooth shifts are easy to match without a glance at the tach, and that Italian engine noise is much closer to your ears in this cabriolet.

Our friends at DriveWithDave drove the Ferrari Daytona and reflect on sea-to-shining-sea dash known as the Cannonball Run, a 2,863 mile race run by Dan Gurney and Brock Yates in the Ferrari 365 GTB/4, now known simply as the Daytona.

A key twists, and the Ferrari 2.4 Liter Dino motor comes to life with a roar. Our friends at DriveWithDave spent an afternoon driving the iconic Lancia Stratos Stradale. Go behind the wheel of the car that won the Group 4 rally car championship, and in its day, was untouchable.

On 1/21/17, Barrett Jackson is auctioning off one of 15 known surviving Cheetahs, the flawed but powerful and beautiful race car designed by Chevrolet tuner Bill Thomas. This specimen has been completely restored and still has its original chassis, engine, transmission and body.