Foose-Made Alfa Romeo Carabo Replica Found on eBay

Originally made for Alfa Romeo by Bertone, the (real) Carabo was built atop a chassis donated by Alfa's 33 Stradale. Packing a 230-horsepower V8, it debuted at the 1968 Paris Motor Show. But this isn't it.

Don't worry, this isn't some tacky, Fiero-based kit car, either. The guy behind this replica wanted to purchase the original from Bertone (so the ad says) but the design firm wasn't willing to part with the masterpiece, so he decided to say to hell with that and have his own built...by Sam Foose. For those who just got out of bed, that would be Chip Foose's father.

This Carabo is built on a De Tomaso Pantera platform and uses its Ford-supplied power train, which means under that killer fiberglass body resides a 351 Cleveland V8 hooked to a 5-speed.

Here's where it gets fun: the seller says it's purely a driving car that's "too fast to handle", makes do without radio or air conditioning, and has fixed windows. Sounds terrible in a scary-awesome way.

Just to keep it as retro-futuristic as possible, it's even got power Lambo-style doors that open with hidden switches inside and out.

Said to have cost $200,000 in 1972, this Carabo is a beautiful imitation and one which definitely lives up to the age old adage about flattery.

I just wish it were wearing the concept's original green hue and black lower cladding. A roof would be nice, too.

By Phil Alex

Link: eBay

Original Bertone Alfa Romeo Carabo

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Bertone Alfa Romeo Carabo Replica

1966 Batmobile Replica Comes Under the Hammer at Auction

Yet another wannabe replica of the most iconic and distinctive film cars of all time, the 1960s era Batmobile, is going up for sale at the inaugural Historics at Brooklands auction in Surrey on June 2.

This particular example is based on a 1973 Lincoln Continental chassis and was completed in 1988, following input from well-known custom coachbuilder, Bill Chaplin.

But even though the 1966 Batmobile replica incorporates all the styling cues and Batman paraphernalia including an in-dashboard television, rear parachute pod, boot mounted exhaust pipes and Batphone, it's obvious that the car isn't a faithful replica of the original George Barris car that stared in the 1960s Batman and Robin TV series.

On the other hand, it's a fully-working example with the current owner of the car, Mark Perkins claiming that it is "extremely reliable and frequently driven", while it is also offered with a full year's MoT test certificate as well as a UK V5 registration document.

Mark Perkins explained the reason why he's letting it go: "Classic cars, and this one in particular, should be driven to be enjoyed, and I've loved taking it on the road over the years. However, my work with Historics at Brooklands will leave me little time to do so in the future, and so sadly it's time someone else derived pleasure of ownership."

The Batmobile replica is accompanied by an extensive clippings file, having made numerous promotional appearances, including the Batman stage show in the United Arab Emirates in 1993, and a number of showings alongside Adam West, star of the original Batman TV show.

Link: Historics at Brooklands

2010 Camaro with Retro 1969 SS Fascia Spotted at Carlisle Show

Weird: Check; True: Check; Freaky: mmm... well, we'll let you be the judge of that. This custom 2010 Chevrolet Camaro was snagged at the Carlisle Performance & Style show last weekend by Cardomain member Matt. What caught our attention is of course the muscle car's custom fascia that's inspired by the first-generation Camaro of the late 1960s (either that or the AMC AMX...). One more photo of the car after the jump.

Via: Cardomain

Stallone's Mercury Coupe from Cobra Movie Inspires Porsche Cayenne Based Build in Russia

Russian Automotive Design (R.A.D.), who built a Cayenne-based Volga with Cardi, are currently working on a new project for a special customer: a Porsche Cayenne-based homage to Sly Stallone's AWSOM 50 Merc from the movie Cobra.

Instead of buying a real '50s classic (the actual car was at a Mecum auction last year), CarDesign says something more "suitable" for the Russian condition needed to be crafted.

R.A.D. is using steel for the space frame and fiberglass for the body panels, building a funky four-seater that will go like stink and possibly even have roof-mounted aerodynamic luggage carriers.

The wider, longer, retro Cayenne is expected to be completed later this year.

By Phil Alex

Via: Cardesign

The Folden: New Zealanders Create Half Holden HQ, Half Ford Mustang Mechanical Frankenstein

Is it a Holden? Is it a Ford? Well, according to the folks from the New Zealand music radio station, 'The Rock', neither. They say it's a Folden and it was born from the unholy -or so to speak- union of a Holden HQ and a 1969 Ford Mustang.

The culprits are The Rock's Drive show announcers, Robert Taylor and Jono Pryor, who claim that they created the Folden because they were "fed up with the ongoing battle between their listeners over who is mightier - Ford or Holden."

Their goal was to fuse the rear 3/4s of a 1970's Holden HQ sedan with the front-end of a 1969 Ford Mustang with power being provided by 302 cubic inch V8 Ford engine.

After 3 months and more than 800 man hours involving a couple of dozen of businesses, and not to mention a total cost ranging somewhere between NZD$85,000 to $95,000 (about US$62,000 to $69,500), the project was finally completed.

Other treats include one-off Chip Foose 20-inch alloy wheels, a gun metal gray paint job with orange racing stripes, a custom interior fully rebuilt, high-end audio system, and last but certainly not least, a cool badge that puts the Mustang horse and Holden lion together.

And what now? New Zealanders have the chance to bid for the Folden as the car is being auctioned on "Trademe" with proceeds to be donated to the NZ Mental Health Foundation for Out Of The Blue, an organization set up to help combat depression in men.

At the time the article was written, the highest bid on the website was NZ$62,700 or close to US$45,800 at today's exchange rates. The auction will end on May 6, 2010.

Links / Source: The Rock & Trademe