By Dave Chapman
The News-Herald
WYANDOTTE — It has been common for years for car companies that have more than one nameplate to make more than one car on the same platform with only minor changes from nameplate to nameplate.
Larry Caruso is quite aware of it as his 1969 Plymouth Valiant 100 is commonly mistaken as its first cousin, the Dodge Dart. Worse yet for Caruso, a fan of all things Mopar, some people mistake the car’s tall, slender tail lamps as one on a mid-1960s Chevrolet Chevy II.

The Valiant’s original slant six engine was replaced with a more modern 360-cubic-inch power plant. The engine has had an aftermarket cam and other performance upgrades to increase its power. A shift kit was added to the transmission to allow it to put more of its power to the pavement. A custom-built aluminum radiator was added to help the engine to keep its cool on hot days.
Caruso is accompanied by his daughter, Emily, when the car is on the road or parked at cruise nights.

By Dave Chapman

FLAT ROCK — Cruisin’ Downriver is a great place to see thousands of classic cars of all sizes, shapes and types. It also is a place where friends come to hang out and talk cars.

One person who is looking forward to this year’s cruise for that exact reason is Bud Ransford.

Ransford’s car club, Downriver Modified, is having a reunion during Cruisin’ Downriver on June 30 at Park Tire, 2256 Fort St., Lincoln Park.

Ransford said Downriver Modified is one of 13 original National Hot Rod Association clubs. Many of the club members worked at the old Detroit Dragway in Brownstown Township in the early years as flag men and technical inspectors.

At the reunion, Ransford will have his 1927 Ford that he has had for many decades. It has gone through many changes over the years since he purchased it for $75 and was able to bring it home in a station wagon.

As with many hot-rodders, Ransford came up with some amazing ways of saving money, such as using shocks off a motorcycle for the rear suspension. He also hand-bent the steel for the rear bumpers.

Should you like to learn more about the history of the hot rod days of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, stop by Park Tire during Cruisin’ Downriver and spend some time with Ransford and other club members.

By Dave Chapman

It isn’t Herbie the Love Bug.

Most Volkswagen Bugs from the 1960s were docile creatures that putted around town with their little four-cylinder engine tucked neatly underneath their rear bonnet. However this is not the case for Dave “Woody” Barsodz.

Barsodz’s 1969 VW has a 690-horsepower supercharged 331-cubic-inch small-block Chevrolet engine neatly tucked in its fiberglass 1940 Ford front end. The VW’s steel body is mounted on a tube chassis and has a Ford 9-inch rear end with a 456 gear.

On the rear of the VW are a custom aluminum wing and a set of wheelie bars, which are a must for this car when it is launched hard.

Barsodz did not say how fast the car could go, but he did say that it takes both hands on the wheel to handle it.

By Dave Chapman

SOUTHGATE — A father-and-son project took much longer than thought, but the end result was worth the time and effort.
When Dave Grybel and his son, Steve, began the restoration of their 1972 Chevrolet Corvette, they had no idea how long it would take and the problems they would encounter.
Dave Grybel bought the car in 1973 and drove it until 1994 when it taken off the road because it was in need of repairs.
“The car sat for a long time,” Grybel said. “I had a wife and family, and they came first.”
As he started getting some spare cash, he started buying parts.
The project got started in earnest about 3 1/2 years ago. Grybel decided that he would let his son do most of the work and help where and when needed.
The car’s engine was reworked by Fred Whaley and now produces more horsepower that when it came from the factory. The ’Vette’s suspension was changed to an all-air system so that the ride height can be adjusted at will.
The car’s interior was customized with a TV added to the center console, and a port was added so that an iPod or iPad can easily be plugged in. There is even a custom duck shifter handle.
A sharp eye will be needed to notice that the keyholes for the doors have been shaved, and so have the brake calipers to give the car an extra-clean look. Plus, the car’s two-piece T-tops were replaced with a custom one-piece unit. The car’s color was custom mixed by Steve especially for this project.
As with most projects, there were some disagreements. However, after the car was done, all that was forgotten, and father and son could not be happier with how their project turned out.