"Lil Mo"     1956 Morris Minor

Introduction / Overview: Found in a stall next to a horse, in Kentucky, being used as a 'field car' by owners kids. Brought it home and started ripping apart and trying to figure out what I would do with it. Decided to make it a little hot rod. Stripped out the (what was left) unibody undersides and started building a frame. Always loved Gassers, so that's the path I took.

Drivetrain: 302 c.i. Ford, Trick Flow aluminum heads, Ford racing cam, old Tarantula manifold, Quick Fuel 600 carb, and headers built by member of our club (Choppers of Cleveland). Straight cut gears in T-5 manual trans, narrowed Ford 9" with 3.89 gears.

Chassis: Home built, 2 x 4 tube. MII front suspension (not all gassers had straight axles!). Disc brakes fore & aft. Modified leaf springs, pinion snubber and 50/50 shocks in back.

Wheels and Tires: 15 x 4.5" Torque Thrust mags with 'old Beetle' replacement tires in front. Rear: for street, old 10" wide ET slots w/ 12" wide M/T Streets, switch to 8.5" vintage Western slots on 11" wide M/T cheater slicks for the strip.

Body & Paint: Welded and filled rear fenders to mold into body. Welded all steel front clip and made tilt front end with fiberglass scoop. PPG blue, similar to PT Cruiser color, added metallic, with a flattener. Lettering and striping by 'Killer D', done at Lima Ohio Rebel Run show.

Interioir: Re-covered Fiero seats in blue and white marine vinyl, hand-formed console, 5-point harness, '66 Toronado wheel and tilt/tele column, machine-turned panels, pewter Tiki head for shift knob on Hurst stick, Model A 'STOP' light mounted on tiki in rear window for 3rd brakelight, and "Ohio" George Montgomery's autograph on the glove door.

Lifestyles: Build-It, Drive-It