There sure are a ton of automotive shows on as of late. I think most will agree that some are better than others. One that has definitely captured the hearts and minds of people has been TLC's "OverHaulin'". Unlike other shows, OverHaulin' takes a credentialed, award-winning automotive designer and a team of artists, craftsmen and mechanics to overhaul a vehicle "borrowed" under false pretenses. The owner of the vehicle is called "the mark" and is handpicked based upon his/her own hard luck story. The stories and background vary as much as the vehicles selected for the makeover.
Chip Foose, the legendary automotive designer, has a huge role in the show and doesn't just oversee the car's design and buildup; he handpicks the support team.
In June of 2004, MagnaFlow was honored to have Chip Foose select MagnaFlow as the primary partner in the buildup of an OverHaulin' project car. We were further honored to have several of MagnaFlow's own chosen as part of the "A" team. This affiliation didn't happen overnight...MagnaFlow products have long been a favorite of top builders who have come to rely upon our quality, our fit, finish and our signature smooth, deep tone.
For this project, MagnaFlow¹s own Adam Diaz, Marko Milosevich, Darron Shubin, and Richard Waitas were all handpicked to work on a small team of brilliant craftsmen. Working with virtually no sleep and with few breaks, this was to be a grueling project.
The deal was struck and the mark was picked. Chris Franchimone's 1968 Olds
442, a car that has been owned by his family for nearly 40 years, was
selected for the makeover.
Enlisting the help of companies like M2 Collision, Kenwood, BFGoodrich,
Hotchkis, Original Parts Group, Baer, Stitchcraft, Sparco and Nitrous
Express, all the parts needed for the makeover were delivered within 24
hours, but the build-up actually starts with a tear down...and that tear down
took the better part of the first day.
Since many of the parts were to be reused, they first needed to be restored,
so they were sent out for re-plating, resurfacing or reupholstering. Next,
the body was to be prepared for paint, a process that takes almost two full
days, followed by another two full days to actually paint and buff the car.
By this time, we're into Day 5. Tires, wheels, brakes and suspension all get
bolted up at about this time, followed by the engine upgrades, exhaust and
other performance accessories. Day 6 was reserved for the final details of
the powertrain, along with the reinstallation of the dash and the
installation of a whole new electrical system plus a full audio system. Day
7 gave us just a few short hours to wrap up the details and to test
everything, as this day is typically the "reveal day" (the car is revealed
to the unsuspecting owner on Day 7).
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Chip Foose personally designed a two-tone paint scheme steeped in Olds 442 heritage. Bumpers were shaved and remounted closer to the body work and all holes for side marker lights and trim pieces were welded shut. Billet wheels ride on Hotchkis suspension and huge Baer Racing disc brakes replace the tired 4-wheel drum setup.
The stock 455 motor needed only some freshening and clean up. Some upgrades to the performance and igni- tion system were handled using parts from MSD, Opt- ima and Nitrous Express.
MagnaFlow installed one of its all new 2.5" American Muscle crossmember-back systems featuring free- flowing mufflers, mandrel-bent tubing and beefy, three-inch double walled tips, all bolted to a new set of headers. The car now sounded as good as it looked.
After 7 days and nights, the final touches were applied. With a few hours lost to tracing down electrical grem- lins, time grew short, but somehow the team pulled it off. The result was a vehicle that was an optimum blend
of performance and heritage. The car was completely reborn.
MagnaFlow is honored to have been chosen to be a part of the project and we¹re even more pleased to be a top supplier to Chip Foose and his OverHaulin' projects. |
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