Third owner, first to get to drive it. As rumor has it, the first owner was a NASA Engineer who built the frame by hand, added some parts and dropped a body on it (we’re assuming Factory Five). As the story goes, the NASA Engineer had a few too many projects, so it was purchased by a Dan, the owner of Premium Exotics in Bloomington, IN. Dan’s team dropped in an LS2 from a 2005 Chevy SSR, backed by a T-56. They did some amazing bodywork to widen the hips and add the “Speed Racer” bumps behind the roll bars. This car is a beautiful Frankenstein.

I purchased it in October 2015, spent some time working toward getting it on the road, and eventually took her to Mike Norris Motorsports where they spent the next 18 months wiring and working to make her road ready.

In the Norris shop. Notice the original Papa John’s ’71 Camaro behind it? Mike and his team know their LS motors.

Finally on the road in 2017, she’s been a joy and a pain the entire time! There’s always something to work on, either for fun or hunting down a grounding issue. Make no mistake, these are amazing cars, but you get to know them well when you own one!

A few specs:

  • 2005 LS2 6.0L from a Chevy SSR
  • T-56
  • 4.10 gears in an Eaton differential (the stock rear end didn’t make it past 400 miles before it cracked)
  • Push to start
  • Original Cobra gauges from Stewart Warner (no idea how the previous owner came about them, but S.W. confirmed it)
  • 17″ knock-off wheels with 335s in the rear.
  • LED halos running on an Arduino to select color via Bluetooth with turn signal override.
  • Fun Fact: The key is an RFID chip encased in bio glass embedded in my hand. YouTube video here.