LOL Cars: Transformed Jeep Cherokee hides under Ferarri Testarossa body kit, ‘Miami Vice’

Transformer meets ‘Miami Vice’ in homebuilt tribute to the 1980s. Crockett and Tubbs may have taken a new job with the police department in Birmingham, Alabama. A co-worker called me and said 'you've got to see this car.' I grabbed my camera and headed to the street. That’s where I saw what used to be an ordinary, two-door, Jeep Cherokee Sport transformed into a Ferrari Testarossa, via a body kit and some bondo. Is a ‘Miami Vice’ reunion show in the works or was this the handiwork of a visionary craftsman. Really, don't laugh.

The famed ‘Miami Vice’-era Ferrari was inspiration for the Jeep-Testarossa.  

A closer look

  Think 'Miami Vice', their sleek, white Ferrari hopped up on steroids. The creator of this custom Jeep stayed true to it's Ferrari roots in keeping the slight angle extending over the rear flanks and onto a wrap-around rear wing. The Chrysler badge over the license plate is the crowning achievement. A Jeep badge would look out of place on this nod to high end exotics. The roof wings may be a bit over the top on this boulevard bruiser. At interstate speeds you may see this 4,000-pound Mopar-Testarossa take flight over Birmingham, Alabama.

Why ask why?

  If you ask yourself 'why', when you see a custom car, the builder will say 'why not?' Most of the time their passion and desire are only limited by money and skill. I respect the effort put into vehicles like these. I say build it, enjoy it and keep the custom car art alive.

  

Got wings and a cut-out in bumper for exhaust, also notice the Chrysler emblem over the tag? All about the details.

 

Hood vent and vinyl/fake 'vert top on this Jeep are clues that this is a one-of-a-kind creation.

 

Compare the real Ferrari to the Jeep-errari

  Instantly, you know the inspiration for this car. From 1984 to 1991, Ferrari built 7,177 Testarossas. All of them have since been repainted white in homage to the ‘Miami Vice’ hero car that Don Johnson drove, during three of the series’ five seasons (1984-1990), as detective ‘Sonny Crockett.’ The director of ‘Miami Vice,’ Michael Mann, had the two Testarossa's, which Ferrari delivered in black, repainted white, so it would have better contrast during the car's primarily night scene filming. 

  Oddly enough, I photographed a real Testarossa less than a block from the imitation Testarossa. Compare the images below and you can see that the Jeep's owner spent a lot of time and money on the imitation.

Jody Potter
— Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust

Real 1988 Ferarri Testarossa in white, of course!

Real 1988 Jeep Cherokee Sport with a Ferrari face lift.

New 1988 Ferrari Testarossa's listed for $102,000.

  

It took a labor of love to transform this Jeep into a Jeep-errossa. 

A flat 12 cylinder engine powers the Testarossa to speeds of 180-mph, while the Jeep's 4.0 liter, in-line, six cylinder fights to reach triple digits.

Know of a LOL car or a junkyard I need to visit or want to send me photos and info about a barn find, car or junkyard?  

Send emails to junkyardbull@gmail.com.

Life with a 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon

Driving back to 1976. My garage find Cutlass Salon really isn’t pure me. But, you know, it grows on a guy. Then, after I put some thought to it, I realized it really isn’t that far off. It’s from the seventies. That’s me. It has a V8 with a Rochester Quadrajet. That’s really me. It has 15-inch Oldsmobile SS3 Rally Wheels. That’s totally me. The more things I list, the more Ron Kidd materializes in this blue Colonnade Coupe. 

  Hang on a minute! It’s not even the car I wanted. I wanted a '74 Grand Prix SJ or a '75 Grand Prix LJ. She just kind of came along and followed me home. Now she’s made a nest here. What can I do? I checked the short list and the long list must-own cars and almost found her there. I did find a seventies Colonnade style Cutlass. It was a 1977 Olds 442 in burgundy with silver trim. This car is almost that. Being a Salon model, it has a rear sway bar and very, very, comfy, reclining bucket seats. Checking the Salon option box also got you a way cool floor shifter, reminding you of 442 days gone by.

I call my Olds Nanny Dean

  I go to work stupid early. Probably the coldest part of the entire clock, and I am out there asking a 350 Olds engine to come to life. I must say, Nanny Dean (her name) is not happy about this. She is a little grouchy and lethargic. With about an 1/8-of-a-mile of right foot persuasion, she comes completely to life and idles and shifts like it’s an eighty degree day outside. The non-rim style, fat, padded steering wheel feels super good in my hands, and did I mention how incredibly great those seats feel?

Living with a 36-year-old car 

  So, I decided to see what it would be like to live day-to-day with a 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon. It would be my primary car for a week. "Why not?," I thought. Jody had a 1976 Buick Century that was an everyday car until it nearly met its demise under a city bus. Anthony has a fabulous 1979 Grand Prix that has taken him everywhere lately. Was Nanny Dean up to the task? Could she handle around town errands as well as daily commuting? What about traveling? Dare I? Also, could I handle it? One week without the spacious room of my SUV or my wagon? Can a trunk replace cavernous cubic feet of hauling capability? What about a car trip? That traveling thing I mentioned? Ron Kidd is a brave man.

Ron pulled over for a photo of his 1976 Cutlass Salon on the way to a car show in Lineville, Alabama. 

More than a handful

  Nanny Dean has no cup holder. She’s a Salon, not a saloon. This does seem to get in the way. I have learned to balance a fast food drink on the console. Speaking of that, there is not one, but three inside storage compartments. Unfortunately, the center console door doesn’t want to stay down. It will slowly open itself and you will casually rest your hand in the midst of receipts, pens and Tic Tacs. 

  As far as luxury accents are concerned, the radio won’t pick up FM channels, but it has a nifty Sony car stereo that someone installed in the 1980’s. Anyone remember cassette tapes? Out from the depths of my rock and roll closet a massive pile of cassettes! I don’t mind some of the cool retro tunes I collected back in the day. I keep playing Dire Straits “Heavy Fuel” and Tom Petty with Stevie Nicks doing a live cover of “Needles and Pins.” It’s all I can listen to by force.

A paint job you can live with

  Maneuvering down the road with a large Dr. Pepper on the console can test my tight rope-like, balancing abilities, but I don’t mind sitting the drink on the paint while I fumble to unload. This kind of outrageous activity is unheard of on my Trans Am. I don’t even let bugs hit that car. However, with this one, I can lean against it all I want. You can too, because the paint is terrible. It’s all one color with the remnants of the factory pin stripes

Bright ideas

  So here is what I got and what I don’t got... I got a trunk light. It works great! No losing anything in there. I had a deer get caught in that light once. I don’t have a dome light. I don’t need one. I have what GM called "opera lights" in the rear interior panels and lights under both sides of the dash. I even have a map light on the dash. They thought of all kinds of things in 1976! As rough as this beater’s interior is, with a rip cut here and a split place there, I still don’t eat in it. That’s weird, I know.

Roll up windows

  Nanny Dean doesn't have power windows. I kind of like that. When the Cutlass got caught outside in the rain, I raised the window without having to apply the ignition key. But then again, if you have power windows, you can roll them both up at the same time. So I guess that’s a wash.

Peppy but watch your whoa!

  I feel somewhat extra cool when I go to put that 442-style, muscle car-era, floor shifter into gear. Nanny Dean moves with authority and shifts accordingly. I have a witness that she smacked second gear with a firm chirping of the rear tires. You can really feel it respond by the seat of your pants when I give it just a little more pedal than necessary. I don’t know what to compare it to? It just feels like a much more powerful car under all circumstances I have encountered. I always seem to run out of road before I run out of motor or gearing. When the inevitable happened and I had to get down on the brakes, she stopped like a much lighter car with the absence of any pulling to either side. 

  I would feel like I withheld information on you if I didn’t mention the cornering pleasure the rear sway bar offers. I am not saying it’s ready for the Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee, but it really surpasses my expectations of a mid seventies mid size sedan.

Nanny Dean, a 1976 Olds Cutlass, rolls on white walls to an out-of-town car show. Her 350-V8 purrs like a kitten.

Road tripping in the Cutlass

  We hit the road to an out-of-town car show. Not incredibly far, only about two hours each way. I filled the trunk with a cooler and two lawn chairs as well as the usual tool kit. Yes, a tool kit, because I am brave, but not stupid. Interstate, state highways and back county roads and even sitting in traffic, Nanny Dean performed like a champ. I got great gas mileage, too. I am not going say just how much, only because I don’t know. I am still cruising on that same tank of gas. She may not be a Prius, but I will compare it to most SUVs out there. It’s really not bad. The whole trip went swimmingly, without a hiccup and was really comfortable.

Living happy '76 style

  So Life with a '76 Cutlass Salon? It was great! Despite the rather bland color, it’s spicy and fun. I get a lot of compliments and stories on similar cars that were a part of people’s lives. At Junkyard Life, we really dig stories like that. Road trip? Done. Cold mornings? No problem. Gas mileage? Decent, if not downright good. Errands? Fun. Sitting still in drive-thrus and boring traffic congestion? It doesn’t mind a bit. Life with a '76 Cutlass is not bad. I would even go as far as saying life is really good.

— Ron Kidd, junkyardlife.com

Know of a junkyard we need to visit or want to send us photos and info about a car or junkyard?  Send emails to Ron at Kidd403@bellsouth.net or Jody at junkyardbull@gmail.com.

Junkyard tour: Loner's Salvage & Car Crushing a source for classic cars, parts in Pennsylvania

Rust in his blood. John B. of State College, Pennsylvania sent us these images from his trip to Loner's Salvage & Car Crushing in Port Matilda, Pennsylvania. John is only 16-years-old but has a passion for classic cars. 
  "I've taken hundreds of photos of rusty cars along the roads and at junkyards." John shared a look behind the scenes of Loner's after he spoke to, Bill, the owner and signed a waiver. "Some of the cars have survived really well," said John. "A couple of the cars could be pulled and restored but the majority were completely rusted shells that were missing their windshields and windows."

This 1967 Mercury Monterey looks like it was driven into the junkyard.

Drop-top Mercury
  John, a huge fan of 1970 Chevelle Super Sports, was on the lookout for his favorite Chevy when a junked 1970 Mercury Monterey convertible caught his eye. "It appeared solid. That would've been the one I would take (to restore)," said John. 
  John didn't have any luck finding a 1970 Chevelle SSs but a 1968 Chevy Malibu, parked since 1988, is rotting away at Loner's. Dozens of classic Mopars, VWs, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Chevys and an AMC can be found at this large Pennsylvania junkyard. Give them a call and check out the map, below, for directions.

 

This 1968 Chevrolet Malibu hasn't been saved and cloned into an SS, yet. 

View Larger Map

Loner's Salvage & Car Crushing
Address: 11810 S Eagle Valley Rd, 16870-8648 Port Matilda, PA
Phone number: (814) 692-4919

Classic, workhorse trucks, add a barn and it equals an almost great photo. Can we scrap the late model squeezing into the frame?

A 1956 Oldsmobile waits for new life in Pennsylvania junkyard. 

 

Is Ford still building 1963 Falcons? These things are multiplying!

1965 Plymouth Barracuda's rear glass provided decent visibility, the redesigned '67 offered a more stylish, fastback fish with less glass, larger blind spot. 

A Mopar is buried under a mountain of appliances.

1968 Plymouth Road Runner still has its 383 engine.

1969 Chevy Nova, inline 6 with a Dodge hubcap.

Junkyard Plymouth Duster with damage.

1973 Coronet station wagon at Loner's junkyard.

More Mopars - victimized 1973 Dodge Dart.

1977 AMC Gremlin has found the rusty end of the road.

Know of a junkyard I need to visit or want to send me photos and info about a barn find, car or junkyard?  Send emails to junkyardbull@gmail.com.

Cars in Yards: 1970 Olds F-85 Sport Coupe

So you think you have seen it all before? You think that Cutlass in that backyard out in the country is just another standard issue, run-of-the-mill Oldsmobile? Think again, newbie. I must say, I myself am somewhat guilty. When I saw this '70 Cutlass in a backyard, I may have actually thought something along those lines. Especially, after Jody, Anthony and I met a guy in the Deep South who had about thirty 1968-1972 Cutlass parts cars. We thought we had seen every variety of Cutlass S, W-30, W-31, and 442 that there could be. Then I found this.

This cheapo F-85 boasts a three-speed manual, 8-track and AM-radio.

1970 Olds F-85 Post Sedan surprise
What? I wasn’t aware that Olds even made an F-85 that year. But they did. See? A post. It’s right there. I would venture to say that most Cutlass S or 442s that I have seen were two-door hard tops. I seem to be having trouble coming up with a production numbers. I did learn a great deal about the F-85 option. It was the bottom of the line base model. This was the entry level Cutlass, although the car doesn’t proclaim to be a Cutlass anywhere on it. Also noteworthy is the contradiction of the economically-friendly idea of an affordable base model and this actual car. I’m sure most of these were super cheap as far as new cars in 1970. After all, 1970 was the peak of Detroit’s on-going horsepower war. So, with that in mind, look what I found among the secret stash of 30 Cutlass parts/project cars.

This cheapo F-85 boasts a three-speed manual, 8-track and AM-radio.

 

Thrift Shift

Dig, if you will, the picture above… a manual transmission! I just about fell over myself with excitement, then I realized it was a manual 3-speed and not my fantasy 4-gear. I also learned that the W-31, 4-speed F-85 is the Holy Grail of base-model following. That’s not what this car is, but keep looking. There is the sporty two spoke steering wheel. Not what I would expect in an F-85 (but what do I know? I thought they stopped making the F-85 in 1967). Notice the “F-85” emblem on the dash? Way cool! Let’s look closer.

I wanna rock without a clock
So, the original buyer of this F-85 wouldn’t spring for an automatic transmission (the 3-speed was standard). Or did he???? Look closely at the steering column which appears to be original judging by its color. Is that the remains of an automatic stalk? Did someone add a straight shift transmission at some point in the car’s life? If so, why a 3-speed and not one of the much cooler 4-speeds out at the time? The pedals appear to be factory issue. As long as we are thinking along those lines of reasoning, did you notice this “base model” F-85 has factory air conditioning? I bet that wasn’t free. I also notice an O.E.M. factory 8-track tape player, but just an AM radio. Actually, that musical combo wasn’t so unusual for the time, but let’s keep in mind that this is, or supposed to be a price friendly car. No clock, just a block off plate in its spot, but factory air and tape player? This guy did have his priorities straight.

The 442/Cutlass S hood appears to be from a donor car.

F-85 hood delete?
This '70 Sport Coupe's hood is not original to the car. That’s the kind of thing you pay extra for on your Cutlass S, SX or your 442 Holiday Coupe. Not base model Jane here. But it’s a valuable piece of Oldsmobile history that looks great on the car. I am really digging the post on this baby! Who has that?

Cheap but classy
Leave it to the Olds Division to produce such a classy looking emblem for their base model car. That looks expensive. This picture detects a lighter green over what appears to be a darker original green. Perhaps code 48? Another visit is in order to learn more about this odd car. Less is more sometimes.

Dream build ideas

We are Oldsmobile addicts over here at Junkyard Life. So what would we do if we got our hands on this? How about the factory dark green with mostly dark green interior? Add in a rich coffee color carpet to spice the recipe a bit. Retain the factory bench seat and curved shifter, only it would be connected to a 6-speed 455 combo. Rolling on a set of dark green 15-inch SS3 Rally wheels and red line tires. I would also lose the block off plate on the dash in favor of a reproduction Tic-Toc Tach.

So don’t be guilty of the crime of "Early Cutlass Dismissal" without all the facts. You might be passing up something interesting, and dare I say elusive, with low production figures or unlikely remaining example odds? Yes. You may. So don’t take that chance, check them all out. Acquire them when possible, restore and preserve. And most important… send us pictures!


— Ron Kidd, junkyardlife.com

Know of a junkyard we need to visit or want to send us photos and info about a car or junkyard?  Send emails to Ron at Kidd403@bellsouth.net or Jody at junkyardbull@gmail.com.

Car hunting season begins: Dig into the woods for classic, abandoned cars – 1933 Ford, 1951 Victoria

Classic Fords don't grow on trees, however, you may be able to find some rusting automotive diamonds buried deep in the woods this fall. Cooler temperatures and falling leaves signal the beginning of car hunting season for adventurous gear heads who keep hiking boots beside their toolbox. I recently stumbled upon two iconic Fords, a 1933 Model B and a 1951 Victoria, during a trek through north Alabama.  

A 239-c.i. flathead V-8 powered this 1951 Victoria with Ford's first automatic transmission – the three-speed Ford-O-Matic. 

Flathead, overdrive and free?
  Who would believe me if I said the "owner" tried to give me these cars? My junkyardlife cohorts and I made a beeline for the nearest home to get the low-down on the stash of abandoned Fords and flathead parts. A manufactured home sat on top of a hill above the wooded "holler" that was home to the Fords. 
  The woman who answered the door and made it clear that we could "just haul 'em off for free." Is this really happening?

The 1951 Victoria was Ford's first two-door hardtop.

Hold on boss
  Unbelievable! We were giddy and diagramming strategies in our heads on how we could get the cars up the hill, through the trees and out of the woods. 

  Grab a winch! Lets get the trailer! Who can be here on Saturday? 

  All great questions to ask when free classic cars are hanging in the balance. There was one more question that had to be asked. A question that doomed us all.

  "Ma'am, do you own those cars?" 

  "Well, I rent the place," said the woman on the porch. "The cars have always been here."

  We shifted our feet in slow motion and hung our heads in defeat. We faced the reality of meeting the unhappy, absentee property owner who could have us arrested if we went along with this "deal."

A Magic Air heater box sit under the dash of this 1951 Ford Victoria.

Lessons learned
  We walked away empty-handed but learned some valuable lessons. 

• Get the whole story. Ask the important questions.
• Get a "Bill of Sale." 
• Hiking in the woods can lead to unbelievable classic car finds.
• Do not trespass. You may get into some hairy situations. Ask me how I know.

Stay tuned

  More to come on the 1933 Ford two-door sedan in the top photo. The Model B was a former round track car and it is loaded with parts inside the shell. I spotted at least one Flathead V-8 nearby too. 

Know of a junkyard I need to visit or want to send me photos and info about a barn find, car or junkyard?  Send emails to junkyardbull@gmail.com.

Ford's post-war redesign in 1949, including the 1951 Victoria, was a dramatic change from the fat-fendered '48 and older models.

This mostly complete and original '51 Vicky reveals green upholstery hiding under the recovered red bench seat.

A few layers of paint cling to the door jamb of the '51 Ford Victoria.

The '51 Victoria displays 48,000 miles on the odometer.

"Shoebox" was first used to describe the redesigned 1949-1951 Fords. Chevy guys also call the '55-'57 "shoeboxes."

1951 Victoria's were adorned with loads of stainless trim.

The new 1951 Victoria featured a three-piece rear window.

You can find more old cars in the woods during the cold, winter months.

Know of a junkyard I need to visit or want to send me photos and info about a barn find, car or junkyard?  Send emails to junkyardbull@gmail.com.