Trakon's C/28
You've probably never heard of Trakon, and until now, that was just the way the company wanted it. Since opening its doors 15 years ago, the Sterling Heights, Michigan-based operation has primarily provided prototyping and concept-car services to Big Three automakers, including building, maintaining, restoring, and transporting one-of-a-kind concept cars. But with budgets shrinking and more of the factory design work moving in-house, Trakon decided the time was right to leverage its world-class painting and fabrication facilities by opening its doors to the public. Conceived by GM designer Dave Ross to launch its new Trakon Customs division, the company's C/28 project mates the front and rear suspension from a C5 Corvette with a GMPP 572 big-block in a '68 Camaro. Trakon hopes to have it at the '05 SEMA show. Until then, check them out at www.trakon.net.-Matt King
'66 Chevy IIK SS
Our pal Todd Ryden of MSD in El Paso has been working on this '66 Nova on and off for nearly a decade. He received a tip about an original-owner SS, and after several months of searching, he had the Nova in his garage. Since then, it's been apart for about eight years and has been rolled into five different garages for storage. The plan is to retain the factory looks and lines but pack it with modern performance. The SS-exclusive Lemonwood Yellow color was applied by Auto Body Experience in El Paso, and there will be a carbureted 500hp GMPP LS1 cradled in a Total Cost Involved front-end kit. Overdrive via a five-speed or an automatic (Todd, do the right thing and go with the stick) will deliver the power to the original rearend and American Racing Salt Flat Special 17-inch wheels shod with Goodyear rubber. The interior will stay cool thanks to Vintage Air, and stock buckets and appointments are from the Year One catalog. Power Tour(tm) 2006 is the goal, but we'll believe that when we see it.-Rob Kinnan
A Tiger's Tale
After being seriously burned in the crash of his famous Tameless Tiger '64 GTO back in 2003, Pontiac campaigner Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick is about ready to resume exhibition drag racing with the fully restored, rebuilt Tiger. Within 24 hours of the crash, The Cruisin' Tigers GTO Club of Westmont, Illinois, announced formation of The Arnie Beswick Accident Recovery Fund (with the unfortunate acronym, A BARF), but the road back has been a long one for both Arnie and the Tiger. It started in November, 2003, when the club presented Arnie with a $10,000 check made possible by the fund's many contributions, a new firesuit, and a certificate from Best of Show Restorations that pledged to paint, stripe, and letter the restored Tameless Tiger free of charge. By summer 2004, after multiple surgeries and extensive rehabilitation therapy, Arnie was recovering nicely-so was the car, with Best of Show completing preparation work on the tubular body frame and shell. Early this year the body went back to Best of Show for painting, striping, and lettering, bringing it to the state shown below. As we go to press in July, the car is awaiting final sheetmetal work and detailing. Hopefully, it will be running again by the time you read this. More info can be found at Arnie's official Web site, www.arniebeswick.com, or at www.cruisintigersgto.com.-Marlan DavisThe Tameless Tiger, still less drivetrain and interior, is ready for loading into Arnie's trailer.